Opinion 7
Sports 23
A&E 15
Campus Pulse 12
Ben Newhouse says goodbye
Announcing the action
Hardcore Parkour
The associate director of Campus and Community Involvement departs Trinity for Birmingham Southern.
Meet the men behind the voices that narrate all campus sporting events.
Think of San Antonio as your oyster? Learn how to turn it into the perfect playgroud for urban gymnastics.
Acrobatic Yoga
theTrinitonian Volume 110, Issue 5
•
www.trinitonian.com
Students found group with focus on activism
The E3 initiative will provide students with an outlet for activism by Faith Ozer
NEWS REPORTER The E3 Initiative, soon to be one of Trinity University’s newest organizations, is meant to be a resource for students who want to do more in their community and don’t know where to start. “E3 stands for Educate, Embolden and Engage, and the whole idea is how so many of us are passionate about various issues or causes, whether it’s education in inner-city schools or human rights around the world, but then few of us actively do things to change the outcome,” said Avantika Krishna, co-director and cofounder of E3. “The idea is to create an inclusive space on campus so that everyone
can have their ideas and feel comfortable enough to actively change things in their communities. We hope to help individuals feel empowered to think about change within the campus, community and otherwise with various causes they feel passionate about.” Although E3 will be an entity of its own, it will mostly act as a liaison for groups interested in particular causes and needing to form a productive plan. “Jamie Thompson mentioned to me that there is a problem with over-programming at Trinity, and we want to work with organizations to connect them with causes,” said Anna Van Buskirk, co-Director and co-Founder of E3. “In a way, E3 is a place for people to say ‘this is my passion’ and for them to bring that into fruition. We want to let them learn more about it, educate, find the tools and resources they need and through E3 find a way to engage with the community.”
see ACTIVIST Page 3
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Serving Trinity University Since 1902
“Trinity Remembers 9/11”
photo by Anh-Viet Dinh Jurgens, named after 9/11 hero Paul Jurgens, is filmed for an NBC news segment during a memorial held on Sept. 11, 2012 commemorating those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks 11 years ago.
photo by Anh-Viet Dinh
Alice and John Sheldon, family members of Paul Jurgens, accept a gift from campus publications that included a photo of Jurgens.
This week’s issue of the The Trinitonian is filled to the brim with 9/11 memorial coverage. The editorial found on Page 9 discusses the power of first-hand accounts, and Managing Editor Megan Julian’s column on the same page recounts the personal connection she feels to 9/11 after meeting and talking with Alice and John Sheldon, the sister and brother-in-law of a New Yorker who died in the attacks. On Page 10, columnist Avantika Krishna examines what it means to be an American in a post-9/11 world. Finally, campus pulse reporter Alison James tells the story of a puppy who could grow up to become a hero. Read that story on Page 11. If all of this leaves you wondering how The Trintonian handled the actual tragedy 11 years ago, visit our web archives at www. trinitonian.com.
Greek retreat provides leadership training for new members
Murchison Tower undergoes maintenance Specific part needed on back order, bell ringing on hiatus until part arrives
Student leaders by Faith Ozer gather to better understand NEWS REPORTER photo by James Shultz diversity, examine Greek members gather for a monthly CCI luncheon on Wednesday . Much to the dismay of their identities Representatives (ASR), who Sept. 28 and return to campus community members, the
by Carlos Anchondo
NEWS REPORTER The next generation of Greek leadership will take part in the first annual Greek U New Active Retreat on Sept. 28 and 29. Designed specifically for members of the New Active Class of 2012, the endeavor is the brainchild of Jamie Thompson, director of Campus and Community Involvement, and Briana McGlamory, coordinator for fraternity and sorority life. The retreat is funded through the generosity of the Association of Student
• SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
, according to President Joe Moore, allocated $2,000 for the event. “It will serve as a tunnel to develop Greek leaders in the community. Future leaders need to reflect on what it means to be Greek and be sure that they are responsible,” Thompson said. Each fraternity and sorority has been asked to nominate two to three members to participate. The four suspended Greek organizations will be allowed to register when the deadline, Sept. 14, passes and if there is space available at that time. Participants will depart campus at 3 p.m. on Friday,
around 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29. Partakers will be staying at La Casa, a retreat and community house located in the heart of San Antonio. When asked about the short duration of the retreat, Thompson justified the decision by pointing to the infancy of the event and her desire for it to become an annual occurrence. “Initially we want to keep it quick,” Thompson said, “but there is capacity for it to grow.” In an effort to create an improved Greek culture on campus, the Greek U New Active Retreat prompts
see NEW Page 3
Murchison Bell Tower has not chimed since the beginning of this semester. The Murchison Tower, which usually chimes every fifteen minutes and marks each hour, is currently in disrepair, according to Mike Schweitzer, assistant director of Facility Services. “The tower bells are not operational due to an electronic clock malfunction. The clock in question is a very specialized piece of equipment located in the chapel that synchronizes the operation of the bells,” Scweitzer said in an email correspondence on Sept. 13. Despite the difficulty of
repairs, there is hope that the bells will soon return. “We have every hope that the clock can be repaired rather than replaced. It is currently in California being examined and undergoing the necessary repairs. It is
“I was a little disoriented once classes resumed because I couldn’t really keep time. I wasn’t sure if I was late or not to class while I was sitting next to the fountain. Nicola Hill
S0phomore
our hope to have the bells operational as soon as possible,” Schweitzer said. Although a small part of
see REPAIRS Page 3
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News
theTrinitonian SEPT.14.2012
graphic by Caroline Jakubowski
LOCAL
NATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
Construction on a $15 million underpass on Texas highway 151 was recently suspended due to the finding of an endangered eyeless spider. The Braken Bat Cave meshweaver was added to the list of endangered species 12 years ago and is only about the size of a dime. There is no word as to when construction on the project will resume, and department officials made no indication that resuming construction will happen any time in the near future. houston.cbslocal.com
In Chicago, members of the teachers union will meet with school board officials this Friday to attempt to negotiate an end to a teachers strike that started this week. The strike has put 350,000 students out of class. Union president Karen Lewis is optimistic that a deal will be forged at today’s meeting, commenting that “both sides are making movements. We still have a lot of work to do but we are a lot closer together.”
On Tuesday, terrorists in Libya stormed the U.S. embassy and killed Chris Stevens, the American ambassador. In retaliation, the White House has deployed several warships to the coast of Libya and is planning on using surveillance drones to locate those suspected of carrying out the attack. Stevens will be remembered as a hero by both Libyans and Americans alike for his efforts in saving the eastern part of Benghazi during last year’s revolution.
ASR Briefs Foundation for the International Medical Relief of Children $8392 Tabled This international charitable organization supports medical clinics and requests money to send eight students on a seven-day trip to assist a medical clinic in Nicaragua. The money would take care of living costs for the eight students during their trip. The students will have to pay for their own airfare.
The Community Garden $964.23 Passed The group wants funding for continued maintenance as well as an expansion of the garden. They plan on implementing new types of growing techniques and have seen a consistently higher yield since the garden’s conception. Garden food is available to all Trinity students and is partially donated to the local food bank.
After the funding requests, the senators interviewed seven applicants for the two new senator postions. The new senators, juniors Justin Adler and Megan Smith, begin their terms immediately. The final order of business involved deciding on a new and more convenient meeting time. Henceforth, ASR meetings will be held at 6 p.m. on Mondays in the Waxahachie Room.
compiled by Nick Allman
Not too long ago, The Trinitonian advertised a Lennox lecture taking place at the San Antonio Museum of Art on Sept. 18. Unfortunately, the speaker, Gloria Ferrari Pinney, had to cancel her lecture. Keep reading The Trinitonian for more updates on lectures and campus news.
Index 2 News 8 Opinion
12 Campus Pulse 18 Arts&Entertainment 23 Sports
Staff editor:Tommie Ethington managing editor: Megan Julian business manager: Miroslav Getov print ad director: Travis Halff online ad director: Katrina Lichtenberg news editor: Rachel Puckett campus pulse editor: Joe O’Connell arts & entertainment editor: Brian Westfall
sports editor: Lydia Duncombe photo editor: Carly Cowen web editor: Matt Kafoury graphics editor: Caroline Jakubowski chief copy editor: Monica Stanton reporters: Carlos Anchondo, Krista
Campolo, Kenneth Caruthers, Paul Cuclis,
cnn.com
cnn.com
compiled by Nick Allman
Meet the Senators Gabrielle Shayeb Senior Senator
What other orginizations are you involved in? I work as a columnist for The Trinitonian. I also recently joined the JSA in hopes of further exploring the religious diversity that our school has to offer and I will be initiated as a member of the Delta Epsilon Iota honor society at the end of this month.
What are your goals for ASR?
My main goal for ASR this year is to spread awareness and transparency to the Trinity public. We want to know what problems or concerns the Trinity student body has this year. Thus, I’m currently planning a “meet and greet” that will allow for Trinity students to meet their ASR representatives and directly talk to them about any issues they would like to work on.
What is your proudest accomplishment as an ASR senator?
My proudest accomplishment thus far in ASR is our recent interview and appointment of two very qualified new senators onto ASR. Through our interview process, my fellow senators and I were able to make sure that our personal visions for the integrity, spirit and future of Trinity University would be maintained through the appointment of these two fine individuals.
If you had unlimited funds and no restrictions, what would you do in ASR? If I had unlimited funds for ASR, I would actually like to give each member of our Stand Band a new instrument because they give so much time and effort to raising Trinity morale during games. I would allot funds for a Chick Fil A to be put into our school so that I could have a spicy chicken sandwich whenever I wanted.
compiled by Rachel Puckett
graphic by Caroline Jakubowski
Corrections Front Page: The A&E article advertised referenced a “Dr. Sullivan.” This should have read, “Dr. O’Sullivan.”
On the Interwebs trinitonian.com exclusives Last Week’s Results
This Week’s Poll Do you think Trinity should decrease its residency requirement?
Donald Dimick, Alison James, John Mendiola, Abby Miracle, Aly Mithani, Faith Ozer, Chloe Pope-Levison, Brooke Sanchez, Lauren Wilks columnists: Ben Conway, Avantika Krishna, Gabrielle Shayeb, Margaret Browne cartoonist: Sarah Fulton copy editors: Clare Burch, Emily McMillan photographers: Sarah Cooper, Anh-Viet Dinh, Aidan Kirksey, James Shultz distribution manager: Jonathan Moore advertising executives: Paige Lanford, Nicole Powers, Juan Saidi, Lisa Hall creative staff: Kristin Ashley, Katherine Kroll business assistants: Sydney Coleman, Laura Fraser, Gabriela Serrano webmaster: Hai Duong adviser: Katharine Martin
Yes, to 0 years Yes, to 1 year Yes, to 2 years No, it should remain 3 years No, it should be increased to 4 years Vote at www.trinitonian.com!
Identification The Trinitonian [USPS 640460] [issn 1067-7291] is published weekly during the academic year, except holidays and final exams, by Trinity University, One Trinity Place, San Antonio, TX 78212-7200. Subscription price is $35 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at San Antonio, TX. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Trinitonian, One Trinity Place, #62, San Antonio, TX 78212-7200.
News
theTrinitonian SEPT.14.2012
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Activist spirit inspires students to unite and affect change • continued from Page 1 According to Jamie Thompson, director of Campus and Community Involvement, this will be one of the major challenges facing E3. “I like the idea of an organization serving as a clearinghouse for social justice issues that speak to students’ interests and passions. There are several groups on campus that address social justice issues,” Thompson said. “The challenge for E3 will be to collaborate with these others groups in ways that best serve students. This means not overprogramming, listening to the student voice, aligning its resources with the needs of the community and using ASR as a sounding board and funding resource.” As well as providing a path for a slew of different causes, E3 is debuting with an event that will specifically focus on the prevention of sexual assault. “This summer, I read an article called ‘Her Campus’ which my friend showed me on Facebook, and it was about a woman who survived a drug-assisted sexual assault. I was really interested in that article, so I checked out the woman who wrote the story and she is actually the founder and president of Pretty Feisty. It’s a company dedicated to empowering women through learning about safe dating and sexual assault awareness, and we are actually bringing her to campus,” Van Buskirk said. “I feel like it’s something that’s going to encourage
photo by Sarah Cooper Executive members Carolina Lozano, Anna Van Buskirk and Avantika Krishna tell interested individuals how they can contribute to the community through participation in the E3 Initiative, a group currently seeking active organizational status on campus.
students and instill in them the importance of speaking out, standing up and supporting other students.” The keynote will involve many different on-campus clubs and will serve a much larger event that spans into the San Antonio community as well. “The speaker will be part of a big event called Code TEAL. Teal is the color of sexual assault awareness, and for
New Greek retreat builds stronger clubs • continued from Page 1 members to foster relationships across club boundaries and to develop more steadfast leaders. There is a possibility that members of the Greek community who wish to become part of Greek Council in the future must attend the retreat. Jackson Bush, a sophomore and member of Omega Phi fraternity, agreed with that idea. “I believe it’s fair because it gives students insight into what they will be doing in the future if they choose to be on Greek Council,” Bush said. “It will give them a better picture of what they are getting themselves into.” In addition to discussion amongst themselves and staff facilitators, Greeks can look forward to a service project with Greek alumni from Trinity. Following the project will be a complimentary dinner in the King William District and group conversation about community building back at La Casa. Reverend Stephen Nickle, university chaplain at Trinity for the past thirteen years, will serve as one of the staff facilitators at the retreat.
“I am excited to see where this goes,” Nickle said, admitting that his position on campus could bring a unique perspective to the evening’s discussion. Nickle believes that leadership can be thought of in a vocational sense and encourages Greek students to view their individual passions in relation to other young adults. “Students must ask themselves what they are passionate about and how others respond to that passion,” said Nickle. Thompson, who has organized a similar event during her time at the University of California at Berkeley, is confident that the Greek U New Active Retreat will revitalize the Greek population at Trinity in a time when morale has been dampened by last spring’s events. Prior to the retreat, Thompson is beginning a regular dining series for Greeks entitled “Monthly Leadership N’ Lunch.” The topic of each lunch will vary, but conversation around campus and community issues is expected. This initiative for the Greek community will become a monthly opportunity to continue dialogue.
our purposes stands for talk, educate, advocate and listen. It will be a collaborative event between the E3 initiative and Alpha Chi sorority, and we are also partnering with other groups such as SAGE, the SDA and the Trinity Progressives,” said Krishna. “We are going to kick it off with a big publicity event to increase education and knowledge about the issue itself and then follow it up with
the speaker from Pretty Fiesty and then end it with a selfdefense workshop, which Alpha Chi usually puts on in the fall.” Code TEAL will take place on campus this October and will feature Natalie Ehmka of Pretty Feisty as a keynote speaker in Laurie Auditorium. The date has not yet been determined. The E3 Initiative is still in the petitioning process of gaining active organizational status on
campus, but many students and administrators are proud of the student initiative to create such an organization. “I think E3 is reflective of how students want to spend their time and energy: helping others and making a difference,” Thompson said. “Whether it’s through awareness campaigns, activism, service, speakers or events, students want to make an impact.”
Repairs halt ringing • continued from Page 1
For decades, the Murchison Bell Tower has helped Trinity students keep track of time.
Trinity life, some returning students are facing unseen challenges due the silenced bells. “I was a little disoriented once classes resumed because Icouldn’t really keep time,” said sophomore Nicola Hill. “I wasn’t sure if I was late to class or not while I was sitting next to the fountain.” In a world of cell-phone-watches and electronic time-keepers, the bell is still missed by many Trinity students and remains an iconic part of life on campus. “Even though sometimes last year on the weekends I would sleep in and the bell tower would ring and wake me up, I do miss it this year. I feel like it’s a friendly reminder of what time it is, and the specific bell toll [he tries to mimic it] just reminds me of Trinity,” said Jacob Hall, sophomore. “I have been to other colleges where they have a bell, and it’s just a fake, electronic bell, and it’s really annoying. I thought it was really cool and authentic that Trinity had a real bell. It’s a uniquely Trinity thing that I like a lot, and I miss it now that it’s gone.” The Murchison Bell Tower is expected to be fully functioning by the end of the semester after its repair.
4 News Outdoor pool provides relief from the summer heat theTrinitonian SEPT.14.2012
As summer heat persists, Trinity’s outdoor pool becomes the place to be Carlos Anchondo
NEWS REPORTER With temperatures in Antonio consistently in the many students, faculty local community members
San 90s, and find
themselves searching for a way to escape the imposing heat. Individuals need to look no further than the outdoor pool. Although the outdoor pool closes Monday Oct. 1, it has been extremely user-friendly, students say. Vanessa Moreno, a junior and member of the women’s cross country team, is appreciative of the facility and her ability to utilize it for training. “The outdoor pool hours seem pretty flexible,” Moreno said. “That is personally great for working out purposes.” Pool hours are posted daily on a
“There are open swim times in the morning, afternoon and evening.” Elizabeth Gilbert
Sophomore Outdoor Pool Lifeguard white board in the window of the outdoor pool office.
Elizabeth Gilbert, a sophomore and lifeguard at the outdoor pool, has been working there since last September and encourages everyone to come by. “There are open swim times in the morning, afternoon and evening. It’s free for Trinity students and professors. It also has lanes for lap swim and a deeper area for treading, aqua jogging or just relaxing,” Gilbert explains. While extremely similar to past years, a few changes have been made to the outdoor pool. A new feature has been added which sprays water over the lanes for cooling purposes.
Dan Murphy, aquatics director at Trinity, says the feature was installed during the summer and has made quite a difference in reducing water temperature. “Last year,” Murphy said, “the water was in the 90 degree range. We have brought it down to the mid-80s.” Gilbert also notices the change in temperature and believes it has made a difference in the number of swimmers. Last year, the outdoor pool was shut down multiple times due to elevated temperatures. Any student wishing to utilize the outdoor pool must present their Tiger Card at the entrance.
file photo The outdoor pool, located on the south side of campus by the tennis court and the baseball and football fields, is 50 meters long and is open to Trinity students, staff and faculty. It is also open to members of the surrounding community through the Outdoor Club Membership. The pool is open all month except for two Saturdays when Trinity hosts home football games.
Health symposium allows students to explore careers
Global Health Symposium will enlighten students about possible careers in health by Faith Ozer
NEWS REPORTER Trinity’s Study Abroad programs and International Studies department have joined to host “Symposium: Perspectives on Global Health”on Sept. 14 and 15 in the Chapman Center and will include over fine speakers from the field as well as open discussions and a banquet.. “The purpose [of the symposium] is to put current Trinity students together with alumni who are active in the field of global health, and to inform undergraduates of the dimensions of that field what the possibilities are as a career and what are the problems that are grappled with, for example, malaria in Africa or AIDS in Haiti and the challenges of training young women for leadership, which will be very important in years to come,” said Dr. Nanette LeCoat, associate professor of modern language and literature. The symposium, while meant to be informative, will also feature many guests speakers and possibly
provide students interested in global health with internships, study abroad and even future career opportunities. “We see it as a real networking opportunity … we realized that there were all these terrific people who had graduated from Trinity who were out now working for the State Department, working for the U.N., working as medical doctors and we thought what a great idea it would be if we could bring many of these people to campus and have them speak to students about their work in the field,” LeCoat said. Many students interested in health will learn of other career opportunities outside of strictly medicine. The student will also expand his or her knowledge base on how to enter a career in global health. “There are a lot of students who are interested in global health but feel they don’t have quite the profile to pursue a career in medicine, and the purpose of this conference is to show them that there are all sorts of ways to be involved and a diverse knowledge base which they will need to call on … including a push for foreign languages. We see it as an exciting opportunity to see some career options,” LeCoat said.
5 News Trees planted on bed of asphalt and limestone removed theTrinitonian SEPT.14.2012
After much suffering, the trees in the parking lot in front of Mabee dining hall were cut down Faith Ozer
NEWS REPORTER As students came back to campus, many people began to wonder where the trees in the parking lot in front of Mabee dining hall went. Although the answer may seem simple, the answer can be found at its roots, over 40 years ago. “Somewhere around 1965 Murchison was constructed and that parking lot south of Murchison, which is Lot P, and then Lot S, which is the lot in front of Mabee dining hall. Murchison had a lot of fill soil around it, so the soil was broken and loose,” said Mike Schweitzer, assistant director of facility services. “They planted the same size trees in both locations. The only problem is that the parking lot in front of Mabee is
a solid block of limestone, no cracks or anything. Trinity was a rock quarry. He had one of his employees jackhammer the holes for those trees [in front of Mabee].” Although planted with good intentions, the trees in Lot S never flourished as well as those planted at the same time in front of Murchison. According to Schweitzer, the limestone beneath the soil along with the lack of water was a deadly combination for the ill-placed live oaks. “Even with water, it wasn’t going to make a difference because there was no place for the roots to go. It was like planting something in a pot and needing to move it to a larger pot to grow after a certain period of time, but the only way you could have gotten a bigger pot over there was with a stick of dynamite,” Schweitzer said. After years of deterioration, the trees began to reflect negatively on the campus and even posed a safety hazard as branches began to fall. A decision had to be made. “First impressions are a big deal here, as you may know. Everyone that was coming in,
photo by Aidan Kirksey
Returning students found the parking lot in front of Mabee Dining Hall was missing some of its live oaks. The trees once provided a welcome slice of shade from the sizzling Texas sun but were removed due to poor growth. the first thing they saw were the dead and dying trees. It became the lesser of two evils to remove those trees. No matter what we did they were not going to get
any better. They really went farther downhill last year during the drought. You couple that with the two or three inches of asphalt on solid limestone, and
there is no water that can get to those trees,” Schweitzer said. At this point in time there are no intentions of replacing the trees with any sort of shrubbery.
“He’s been through everything with me,” Shervanick said. “He has helped me through some of the roughest times in my life.” Director of CCI, Jamie Thompson, began and led the proceedings, quickly handing off the microphone to David Tuttle, dean of students. Tuttle started with a couple lighthearted jokes at Newhouse’s expense but soon acknowledged Newhouse for his work ethic and good nature. “We will all miss the very personal qualities that he brings to his work,” Tuttle said, before handing Newhouse a gift.
Following Tuttle’s address was a witty presentation by Carolyn Bonilla, Edwin Blanton and Katharine Martin, all of CCI. It was a mock memo written to the staff Newhouse will oversee in his new role. Tips were given to better understand his “madness”, including: simply attaching the word “flash” to an event to attract Newhouse and also his “unnatural” love of tea. Next, Soi Inthavong, Briana McGlamory and Amy Johnson of CCI presented Newhouse with a new CCI t-shirt, a stamp of his signature and a caricature of himself from Coates Caper. John Greene, director of facility services, opened the personal tribute portion of the event with a gift of an iconic Trinity brick, so that Newhouse has a literal piece of the school with him at all times. Other students regaled tearful onlookers with their stories of Newhouse and how he made their time at Trinity unique and unforgettable. Christopher Miller, a senior and transfer student to Trinity, said, “If I had to name one person that made Trinity University feel like home, it would be Ben.” Sophomore Jessica Pagano said she met Newhouse her first year but bonded with him during her time on O-Team this fall. “My favorite memory of him is when he dressed up in the tiger suit at Coates Caper. That was hilarious,” Pagano said. Other speakers, both faculty and students, called Newhouse an inspiration and repeatedly remarked that he brought out the best in them. Just as the tone of the farewell was becoming somber,
performances by the Trinitones and Acabellas were dedicated to Newhouse, who had a great love for these organizations, even participating in Happy Friday concerts in the past. selected songs included: “Cecilia”, “Fat Bottomed Girls”, “Brown Eyed Girl”, “Waiting on the World to Change”, “Valerie” and “My Wish.” The crowd joined in and clapped along to the anthems. Sam White, a junior and member of the Trinitones, comically serenaded Newhouse in a solo. Ending the proceedings was Newhouse himself, who called the presentation a “great, wonderful and odd farewell.” Newhouse, who completed his undergraduate education at Trinity, said the decision to leave was difficult but a necessary one for him and his wife Sarah. He referenced a time seven years ago when he fell ill and was hospitalized. Newhouse remembers the Trinity community taking care of his wife during his stay. “To me,” Newhouse said, “that is Trinity and it captures why I will miss this place so much.” Although he is sad to leave San Antonio and the students and staff of Trinity, Newhouse said he is excited for new adventures at BirminghamSouthern. In a heartfelt closing, Newhouse offered some final pieces of wisdom. “You are fantastic people,” he said to the crowd. “You are loved and a beautiful part of my time here. You have made this a very hard place to leave. I take a part of you with me and that’s what will make this next place home.”
Faculty, staff and students pay tribute to Newhouse
A send off charged with emotion captures legacy by Carlos Anchondo NEWS REPORTER More than 100 well wishers gathered at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12 in the Fiesta Room to say goodbye to Ben Newhouse, assistant director of campus and community involvement at Trinity. Newhouse, whose last day is today, accepted the position of dean of students at
Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama. A palpable bittersweet energy filled the room during a ceremony that blended heartfelt tributes with gentle jibes and anecdotes. Before the proceedings began senior Kara Shervanick held a box of tissues and wept openly, laughing at her early display of emotion. Shervanick said she has known Newhouse her entire career at Trinity, from working at the information desk in Coates to participation in the Residential Life staff to her time with the orientation team known as O-Team.
photo by Carly Cowen Ben Newhouse gets a laugh from a hypothetical letter written to his new “underlings” at Birmingham-Southern University by his some of his fellow CCI staff members: (L to R) Katharine Martin, Carolyn Bonilla, and Edwin Blanton on Sept. 12
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theTrinitonian SEPT.14.2012
This Week in Photos
photo by Anh-Viet Dinh
photo by Anh-Viet Dinh
photo by Carly Cowen photo by Anh-Viet Dinh
Clockwise from top left Yuri Ribeiro jumps toward the crowd in celebration of Victor Araujo’s first goal in the first half of last Saturday’s soccer game against Hardin-Simmons University. Andy Soares, senior, and Joe Shotland, junior, praise the Trinity men’s soccer team after a victory against University of Texas at Dallas last Friday. Students listen and laugh as Dean Tuttle talks about some of his experiences with Ben Newhouse at his farewell party on Sept. 12 in the Fiesta Room. The Trinity Tiger oversees the lifeguards as they finish putting the bulkhead back together after the pool in the William H. Bell Center was completely drained, cleaned and de-rusted. Junior Ruthie Ocean “flies” above sophomore Clay Ford photo by James Shultz
Personalizing 9/11
Managing Editor Megan Julian gains a new perspective 11 years later Page 9
Trinitimes
Opinion “Roomie Blues”
Ben Newhouse It’s hard to believe that today marks my final day at Trinity. When you’ve spent 13 of the last 17 years at one place, a 500-word farewell column presents quite a challenge … especially for someone who has never embraced the virtue of brevity. How can one encapsulate the milestones, the memories, the emotions and the impact of a place that has served as a personal and professional home for such a significant portion of my life? You can’t … so I won’t even try. Instead, I’ll attempt to make my final words compelling by offering up three things: a Confession, a
theTrinitonian
SEPT.14.2012
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EDITORIAL
by Sarah Fulton
Claim your education, embrace opportunties
Newhouse says goodbye to Trinity Guest Column
Suicide Prevention Week
Richard Reams of counseling services on the important truth Page 9
Revelation and a Truth. Confession: When I was a first-year student, I … (you’re not going to believe this) … did not … (it’s time for the truth to come out) … enjoy … (brace yourself) … Playfair. That’s right, the Orientation guy greatly disliked his own Playfair experience. Scandalous, I know.
“Revelation: You can love Trinity ... but not always be in love with Trinity.”
Now, to be fair, my lack of enjoyment had much to do with the fact that we were outside in 100 degree heat with a billion percent humidity and mosquitoes the size of LeeRoy making a meal of my posterior.
But in all honesty, the extreme extrovert you see today had not shown himself at 18. Back then, I didn’t get what all the fuss was about, but after six years of coordinating New Student Orientation, I most certainly do now. Nothing else can break down the walls like 90 minutes of Playfair. For some reason, students embrace that experience the way I wish we’d embrace life — with a touch of reckless abandon, a willingness to engage the unknown and a welcome absence of cool-kid personas. While Playfair everyday would be exhausting (and might possibly cause the introverts among us to hyperventilate), there is something powerful in that experience that translates nicely to one’s education … you know, minus the dancing.
see CONFESSION Page 10
Tuesday marked the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. As noted by major news outlets, the day involved subdued ceremonies in comparison to previous years, especially last year’s milestone 10th anniversary. The New York Times didn’t mention it on the front page, and for the first time ever no politician spoke at the memorial in downtown Manhattan. As NYC and the rest of the nation quietly observed Patriot Day, one energetic canine broke the silence at Trinity. John and Alice Sheldon’s visit to our campus (recounted on Page 11) details how a perfect alignment of events including one yellow lab, one small university in South Texas, one American hero and a family from New York created an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our community. Tuesday night’s talk with the Jurgens family offered a rare, firsthand account into the lives of those who lost family members and acted as a reminder that while the events of that day are seen as a national tragedy with far-reaching impact on the world, an underlying story of personal tragedy persists for those who lost a loved one. As Managing Editor Megan Julian points out in her guest column (Page 9) our generation was in many ways detached from the catastrophe because of our age and location at the time of the attacks. Having the Sheldons on campus reminded us that, for the families of the 2,977 victims, there is never really closure. For many of us at The Trinitonian the Sheldon’s altered our view of that day forever. Regardless of whether you had the chance to meet them personally, there’s an important lesson to be learned from the Sheldons’ visit: there are outside educational opportunities here at Trinity, that if capitalized on, can really make a difference in the way we think about the world and our place in it. It’s not uncommon to hear students gripe about the lack of things to do on campus, but, if we do our jobs well, The Trinitonian should be proving to you every week that Trinity, San Antonio and Texas are all happening places. Where else, other than a college campus, can you join 66 organizations including an acrobatic yoga club (Page 12) or start your own club like the new E3 Initiative (Page 1). Who gets the opportunity, on a regular basis, to attend lectures by notable policymakers, intellectuals and just genuinely interesting people? Finally, who can say they helped raise a TSA dog in honor of a fallen 9/11 hero so that she may someday become a hero herself? Not many. Which is all the more reason to remember to, as Ben Newhouse (we’ll miss you, Ben!) would say … “claim your education.” Challenge yourself to think outside the realms of your usual thought process to look for answers, engage with people vastly different from yourself and push yourself to take advantage of the opportunities afforded to us.
Todd Akin comments shed light on unfortunate realities Topp Thoughts Sarah Topp, Columnist By now everyone has heard the name Todd Akin. After the U.S. senate candidate from Missouri claimed women cannot become pregnant from what he called “legitimate rape” because “the body has ways to shut the whole thing down,” Akin’s name became nationally known and nearly universally despised. In the days that followed his statements, he was outlawed from the Republican Party, whose leaders asked him to withdraw from the race. He was denounced by members of both parties who were outraged both by his lack of basic understanding of biology and his disgusting decision to definitionally parse out “rape.” And rightfully so. Newsroom............ (210) 999-8558 Editors....................(210) 999-8557 Advertising........... (210) 999-8555 Fax.........................(210) 999-7034 Business................ (210) 999-8556 Email.........trinitonian@trinity.edu
Akin should be condemned for his comments because, regardless of your feelings on abortion, the notion that some rapes count as “true” rape that deserve prosecution, while others are more questionably rape is offensive and contributes to a culture that dismisses and downplays different forms of sexual violence that are equally deserving of our attention and prevention efforts.
“Unfortunately Akin and Ryan’s position echo those of many college students across American campuses.”
It is important, however, that we recognize that Akin is not a lone figure with isolated beliefs about what counts as rape. Vice presidential candidate and Wisconsin congressperson, Paul Ryan, teamed up with Akin in
2011 to sponsor the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which aimed to prohibit taxpayer money from being spent on abortions. During debate over a proposed amendment to the bill that would have allowed for exceptions in the instance of rape and incest, Ryan pushed hard to ensure that the rape exception would only apply in the case of “forcible” rape. It’s unclear what he meant by “forcible” rape, but it is clear his language choice would have forced survivors into a haunting binary choice between publicly retelling her story of the rape to prove it was forcible or carrying the child to term. Further, the notion that some rapes are forcible while others aren’t is dangerous and increases the trauma felt by survivors who have to wonder whether they fought hard enough during the attack to have the attack considered forcible. Since Akin’s statement, Ryan has again come under attack for his 2011 choice to limit
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“The notion that some rapes count as ‘true’ rape that deserve prosecution, while others are more questionably rape is offensive and contributes to a culture that dismisses and downplays different forms of sexual violence” the exception to only “forcible rape.” He has defended himself by saying that he was relying on stock language that is typically used in federal law. This, however, doesn’t absolve his responsibility. He is a public figure who could selectively choose how to rhetorically frame his message. He chose a damaging frame and is now
Guest Columns: Guest columns should be arranged with Megan Julian (mjulian@trinity.edu) one week prior to publication. Columns submitted without such arrangements will not be accepted. Columns may not run. Letters to the Editor: Letters to the editor should be concise (under 350 words), typed and submitted by 5 p.m. Tuesday prior to publication. Please indicate your name, year and major(s) or department. There is no guarantee that letters will run.
relying on tradition as an excuse to perpetuate myths about rape culture. Unfortunately, Akin and Ryan’s position echo those of many college students across American campuses. Study after study concludes that college students are very likely to downplay or deny sexual assault if alcohol is involved, if the assault is between two individuals who know each other, especially if they have previously engaged in sexual activity, and if the victim is known to have or thought to have a number of past sexual partners. Thus, while we should continue to call out public leaders for their perpetuation of rape myths, we should be equally introspective and diligent to fight it if this ideology exists at Trinity as well. Sarah Topp is the director of debate and an assistant professor in the department of human communication and theatre.
Opinions expressed in The Trinitonian are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Trinity University, its students, faculty, staff or The Trinitonian. Editorials represent the opinions of The Trinitonian Editorial Board. The first copy of The Trinitonian is free; additional copies are 50 cents each. ©2012. All rights reserved.
theTrinitonian 8 SEPT.14.2012
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Opinion
Column pushes opinion, attacks and offends Dear Editors of The Trinitonian, I wanted to express disgust at an opinion column that you ran in your Aug. 24 issue. Before I continue, I am certainly aware of the disclaimer that assures your readers that the opinion columns do not reflect the opinion of the The Trinitonian itself, or of Trinity University. I always enjoy reading the paper, but, this time around, I ran into Ben Conway’s column, Ben Knows Best, and I could not keep silent. I was revolted by this article; I must be honest. I understand the point of the article is to voice an opinion in what I imagine was perceived as a humorous way, but it could not have been more unfunny to me (I’m curious as to how closely it was edited). Mr. Conway made more than a handful of comments I found outrageously offensive. First of all, he began by insinuating that most people’s ancestors owned servants (what?) then continued by ranting about airline travel. I would honestly have been less angry if Mr. Conway had had some clear purpose or aim of his article, but reading it several times over I was still confused as to what his point was. He calls his fellow airline passengers “scum” and “plebeians”— I don’t know about you, but everyone I know has ridden on an airplane. Quite a few people do, actually, except, probably, those who either can’t afford it or own a private jet. Attacking people who ride airplanes is like attacking people who drink Coke; the demographic is too wide and too varied to make such cruel generalizations. Mr. Conway also mentioned needing alcohol to survive a flight. It surprised me to see that this was allowed in the article, since to my knowledge Mr. Conway is younger than 21 (please note, I’m aware he drinks; what shocked me about this was that The Trinitonian kept this in the article, since to me it almost indirectly condones underage drinking). Another part I was shocked by was the use of the word “God-damn” [sic] in his article. I don’t identify as Christian, but to my Christian friends, this is one of the worst things one can say. I’m very frugal with my use of it because I know how offensive it is to Christians. To see it in print was very surprising. Mr. Conway also insinuated that people who ride airplanes do not vote, are smelly and gross, are uneducated and uninterested in reading anything with substance and dress in a way he finds vastly unappealing. I certainly understand that some people who ride airplanes fit these descriptions, but to make such a huge generalization felt unfair and elitist. Interestingly enough, he never seemed to imply that airline passengers are rude, loud or in any way disruptive. It seemed to me that though he is disgusted by the way they appear, his fellow passengers do nothing to actually actively bother him with malice of forethought. My last thought was, “Airline travel was that different five years ago? Huh. Well, I missed that, I guess.” But then again, I have never had an incredibly difficult time riding an airplane. I acknowledge that riding on an airplane is not really a joyful experience as a whole. I only wish Mr. Conway had expressed this in a humorous yet less elitist way (and in a more grammatically correct way), and that he’d reached some semblance of a point. I only hope that no one visiting the campus read his article, because in my opinion an article like this would reflect very poorly on the university, regardless of the disclaimer. Thank you for listening to my thoughts and I hope The Trinitonian in the future will not print such offensive, pointless columns.
• Monica Clifford is a sophomore majoring in history and communication.
LGBT community causes isolation Dear Editors, I preface my letter with this: John Dean Domingue is an inspiring activist whose mission, I believe, is to uplift people of all lifestyles and promote equality, understanding and freedom. I admire his and the Sexual Diversity Alliance’s (SDA) efforts to make all students feel comfortable at Trinity regardless of their sexuality. However, I also feel that his recent article in some ways marginalized the “LGBT community” he describes and strengthened the ideology that people who are not exclusively heterosexual are “the other.” The past decade, and especially the past few years, have given rise to another sexual revolution, in which this “LGBT community” has been increasingly normalized and gained widespread attention by the media and society. I think it is important that all people feel comfortable to express themselves romantically and sexually in anyway they chose, and I am glad that society’s, especially our generation’s, views have expanded to embrace gays, lesbians, and everyone else on the Kinsey Scale. That is exactly why I think this idea of the “LGBT community” is a step in the wrong direction. Why should nonheterosexuals be confined to one group? Why does a gay man have anything more in common with a transgender woman than he does with a straight man? Sure, maybe both individuals have faced discrimination because of their non-mainstream sexualities, but why can’t gay sex, gay relationships be mainstream? Sexuality does not mandate lifestyle or culture, and to clump LGBT people into a “community” is frankly discriminatory and limiting. Our culture is overly obsessed with sexuality, and we should be fighting that fixation. Sex is just sex, and people are just people. People don’t get in the car and drive “gay” or drive “straight.” They just drive. Not all lesbians like Velcro sandals and not all straight people like football. People like what they like and like having sex with whom they like and love whom they want to love! The “LGBT cultures” described by Domingue are not unique to LGBT people in my opinion. His claim that LGBT people create their own “rituals and religions” is ridiculous. What he is describing is the “LGBT community’s” living daily life. All people have traditions, all people go to bars, and all people celebrate momentous occasions. Is sex between two women different than sex between a man and a woman? No doubt. Do some gay men have a penchant for paisley shirts? Sure. But is either statement really important? No, I don’t think so. Let’s celebrate sexual diversity, let’s celebrate ethnic diversity, and racial diversity, and economic diversity. But, most of all, lets celebrate similarity — let’s celebrate the community at large, the human community, one to which we all belong. • Ben Conway is a sophomore majoring in urban studies and an opinion columnist for The Trinitonian.
Giving credence to my credo The Gift of Gab Gabrielle Shayeb, Columnist Last week, I found myself flipping through TV channels and stumbled across Kevin Costner’s classic baseball hit “Bull Durham.” In the film, Costner’s character is most remembered for his soliloquy on his life’s “credo” or core belief. While listening to Crash Davis (the main character) utter his credo filled with statements such as, “I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone” and “there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf,” I began to think of my own credo in life.
As college students, I suppose we believe in solo cups, going to office hours, tweeting about our nights’ adventures and taking classes based on what Rate My Professor says. Or we embody the stereotypical flakes from the song “Some Nights” by Fun who have no idea what they stand for. But, in reality, these stereotypical images don’t even begin to touch my fundamental beliefs. So now, in hopes of inspiring each of you half-awake people to come up with your own, I have decided to create my own credo. This is the credo of Gabrielle Shayeb: I believe in good people. I believe in the truth, even when it hurts. I believe in holding doors open for people. I believe in big dinners that last for hours. I believe in refilling your glass of wine (sometimes more than
once). I believe in politics (not so much politicians…). I believe in freedom of speech and press. I believe in autumn evenings spent with pumpkin spice lattes. I believe in second chances (sometimes even third and fourth ones too). I believe that children are far more intelligent than adults. I believe in hardback books (remember how Harry Potter smelled?). I believe in cursing like a sailor in times of great duress. I believe in God. I believe in good steaks grilled to perfection. I believe in fresh flowers, especially daisies. I believe that you can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his mother. I believe in working hard (thanks, Mom and Dad). I believe that history repeats itself (history major…).
see KNOW Page 9
What is your favorite form of social media?
sidewalk • sidewalk • sidewalk • sidewalk • sidewalk • sidewalk • sidewalk • sidewalk side-
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Pinterest! I love all the do- it- yourself craft ideas and food recipes.
Vanessa Moreno Junior
Cougarlife.com because I like cougars!
Sam Roberts Junior
Reddit — you can find anything your heart desires.
Gerardo Hernandez Junior
Facebook, to keep in touch. Marcella Reyes First year
I hate all of them equally... Facebook slightly less because it can be useful.
Hamilton Rogers First year
Facebook, because it allows you to communicate and share pictures with others quickly and easily. Dan Farris First year
Calling on the phone, it’s more personal. Laura Prentice Sophomore
YouTube, because you can see their face easier to create things as a community. Natalie Sietzman First year
compiled by James Shultz
9 Opinion A new perspective: 9/11 one dog and eleven years later theTrinitonian
SEPT.14.2012
Staff Column
Megan Julian, Managing Editor As the interview with John and Alice Sheldon, brother-inlaw and sister of fallen 9/11 hero, Paul Jurgens, was coming to a close, John answered an audience member’s question about finding closure and his words really resonated with me. “Closure is an overused word,” he said and I thought to myself, he is so right. But before my experience with the Sheldons, I probably wouldn’t have felt such a strong connection to these words. Being only 10 at the time of the 9/11 attacks, living in a suburb outside of Houston, I had no immediate personal connection. Nor was my young mind able to comprehend, analyze or fully understand the severity and enormity of it all. In the years following 9/11, I watched news coverage, rocked a “United We Stand” T-shirt, read the heart-wrenching stories of children and spouses in “People Magazine”, sang along when “I’m proud to be an American” came on the radio,
watched all the 20/20 and Dateline specials and rejoiced with the rest of America when Osama Bin Laden was brought down. But I also complained about the amped up, invasive and tedious airport security, halfheartedly mumbled the pledge of allegiance before football games and admittedly as the years went on, went through my day to day life without thinking about 9/11, those we lost or their loved ones. For me, life went on as usual for the most part and that was my closure. But sitting there listening to John and Alice’s story, I realized that there is no closure for the victims of 9/11. John’s words, “closure is an overused word,” keep replaying in my mind. It’s been 11 years. In those 11 years I scraped through the awkward middle school years, went to my first dance, got my driver’s license, travelled to other countries, graduated from high school, fell in love, attended two colleges, fell out of love, watched my musical idol perform live on stage, made enemies and friends, watched countless hours of television, purchased an iPhone, rented my own apartment …. Point is: my life went on, but after that day the lives of 2,977 victims did not. And,
“Remember that there will be people who don’t believe in holding doors open or who’ve never tried a honey-butter chicken biscuit. Ignore this and make your credo anyway.”
Know your credo • continued from Page 8 I believe in kindness. I believe in being loud in Club Lib. I believe in cynicism. I believe in West Texas sunsets. I believe in believing what you want to believe. That being said, I now want to ask you, discerning reader, what fundamental concepts lie at the core of your credo? Do you believe in procrastinating until the last minute to study for the test (that’d be me)? Do you believe in talking “smack” before you have the facts? Do you believe in ketchup or mustard (both)? As I asked these questions of myself, I began to realize that credos are relative and never stagnant. I used to believe in the idle threats that Santa would bring me coal. I used to believe that bad things only happened to bad people. I used to believe in life’s concrete order. But life, just like a credo, evolves. I wonder what 40-yearold Gabby’s credo will be. Will I have the same credo as I do today or will I believe in going to bed before 11:30 and chastising
people when they talk too loudly? I couldn’t abide by this currently, and yet, I fear that one day this is what will lie at the heart of my grown-up credo. Future fears aside, I have two humble requests of you when it comes to making your own credo. 1) Understand that there will always be a person who has a different credo than you. Know that there will be people who abhor “The Hangover” (especially if they’re over 35) or who love “Twilight.” Remember that there will be people who don’t believe in holding doors open or who’ve never tried a honey-butter chicken biscuit. Ignore this and make your credo anyway. 2) Stand for something. It can be as simple as “I believe in driving with my windows down” or “I believe in the power of a Lil’ Wayne song.” Know what you stand for today, so that when someone asks you about your credo, you won’t be forced to reply “What do I stand for? Most nights, I don’t know….” Gabrielle Shayeb is a senior majoring in history.
photo by James Shultz Megan Julian, managing editor of The Trinitonian, Laura Sandling, station director of Tiger TV and Katelyn Campbell, managing editor of the Mirage yearbook share a laugh with guests of honor John and Alice Sheldon following a lighthearted story about the pranks Paul Jurgens used to play on his family.
for some time, neither did the lives of their family, friends, coworkers and acquaintances. Until my own personal interactions with the Sheldons, I often lumped the nearly 3,000 victims together. As a whole, it sounds like such a large and horrifying number. But when you think about each of those 2,977 people as individuals, take into account their families, loved ones, co-workers, friends — all the people they touched in some way — and consider the impact that just
that one death had, it’s almost unbearable to think about. The word “closure” is often thrown around as if it is universal. But each of these situations is different. I read plenty of personal stories following 9/11, but not until now did I realize just how personal they were. As a large group, I mourned for the victims, but now I mourn for John and Alice Sheldon and their family as they go on living and truly honoring the legacy of Paul Jurgens. I also
have a new appreciation and understanding of the personal impact of this tragedy rather than just the overarching national one. I am grateful for the opportunity to have met the Sheldons and truly believe that Trinity has done a wonderful thing in fostering Jurgens — I hope she goes on to make her namesake, Paul Jurgens, proud. Megan Julian is a senior majoring in communication. She is also the managing editor of The Trinitonian.
Suicide prevention week Counseling Services Guest Column
First Visits/Walk-in hours.................... Monday-Friday, 3-4:30 p.m. Call to schedule an appointment..............................210-999-7411
Richard Reams This semester, about 75 Trinity undergrads will share an alarming common experience: they will seriously contemplate committing suicide. This I know from several years of conducting anonymous surveys of Trinity students. Students who contemplate suicide are in emotional pain. They want their suffering to end, and they can’t see an alternative path. Usually they are experiencing depression. Sometimes they are terrified of impending failure or humiliation. There is a wide range of suicidal thinking. At the lowrisk end of the continuum, some students contemplate committing suicide but have no intent to act upon their thoughts. They typically tell me, “I’ll never do it.” Farther along the continuum are those who feel some desire to die and have to resist planning how they would kill themselves. Still further along the continuum are those who have a plan for killing themselves and struggle against enacting their plan. At the highest-risk end of the suicidality continuum are those students who have a plan, have
Office Location.................................. 215 Coates University Center Suicide prevention hotline.........................................800-273-8255 the means to carry out the plan and have the intent to do so. If you contemplate suicide, no matter where you are along that continuum, Counseling Services is available to you. One way a CS counselor can help is by collaborating with you to explore how you might get relief from the emotional pain, depression or fear that haunts you. You can see a counselor for a first visit any weekday afternoon between 3 and 4:30 p.m. during walk-in hours (first-come, firstseen). Or you can make an appointment by calling us at 9997411 or stopping by the office in 215 Coates University Center. You may wonder whether we would tell someone about your suicidality without your consent. State law vigorously protects your confidentiality. It allows us to break confidentiality only if you give us reason to believe that you will probably kill yourself within a day or so (“imminently,” is the condition stated in the law). This is an extremely rare circumstance. A second way we can help would be through our on-call
counselor. When the office is closed, one of us is available to respond to a suicidal student by coming to campus to meet with the student. Under this circumstance, the on-call counselor may share information with selected campus colleagues to provide safety or support. If you ever find yourself in danger of acting on your suicidal urges, please reach out for the oncall counselor. Any Residential Life staff member or the Trinity University Police Department dispatcher (999-7000) can notify the on-call counselor on your behalf. If you are unwilling to reach out to Trinity’s on-call counselor, then please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255. Trinity is a caring, responsive community. I suspect this is the main reason why no Trinity student has completed a suicide while on campus in 25 years. There is hope. There is help. Please, reach out. Richard Reams is the associate director of counseling services.
10 theTrinitonian SEPT.14.2012
Confession, revelation and truth • continued from Page7
Revelation: You can love Trinity … and not always be in love with Trinity. It’s a relationship like any other, and any relationship worth maintaining across a lifetime will have its ups and downs. One might think after choosing to be an active part of the Trinity community for 13 years that I’d be the ultimate homer, but that’s just not the case.
“Don’t let isolated moments of angst define your relationship to this place. Trinity and its lasting impact on your life are far bigger than those moments.”
In addition to the joys and successes, I’ve experienced my fair share of disappointment and frustration. I’ve been told no when I expected to hear yes, and I’ve been befuddled by decisions from time to time. But here’s the thing: no matter how frustrated or disappointed I’ve been, I’ve always had faith in this institution. That’s why I’ve stayed when others might
have gone, and that’s why I will forever remain a proud, committed and contributing alumnus. Trinity for me is defined by a legacy of excellence and a commitment to students that is lived out at all levels. Don’t let isolated moments of angst define your relationship to this place. Trinity and its lasting impact on your life are far bigger than those moments. Truth: Trinity University is truly an exceptional place. Across the years, I’ve heard a consistent lament regarding Trinity’s lack of national recognition, but unless you’re an Ivy or boast a successful Division I football team, it’s hard to achieve the kind of national recognition we all covet. That kind of recognition is hard to come by, but that doesn’t mean the quality and caliber of this institution has gone unnoticed. While I’d love to believe my new role was earned solely by my exceptional talent, winning personality and quick wit, it was clear throughout my interview that my connection to Trinity was an incredible asset. I think often we define ourselves by what we are not or who we aspire to be rather than acknowledging our significant strengths and positive attributes. Hmm …
maybe there’s a lesson about personal self-image hidden in there as well.
“While I am excited for what’s ahead, I know I am leaving part of my heart behind.”
Okay, so I’ve exceeded my word count already, but I had some big things to say, and I hope you’ll indulge me one more. Students, it has been a privilege and a pleasure to be a part of your educational experience. I have seen your potential, and it is truly impressive. You have it in you to change the world in ways both big and small but in all ways significant. I am proud to know you and to one day call you fellow alums. You have enriched my life daily and made the work I do so very rewarding. While I am excited for what’s ahead, I know I am leaving part of my heart behind. Thanks for everything, Trinity! You will always be treasured. Ben Newhouse is the outgoing assistant director of Campus and Community Involvement
Meet the Press What is your favorite part about working for The Trinitonian? Working with an awesome staff!
What is the most interesting assignment you’ve been given?
Carly Cowen Photo Editor
Senior music education major
I loved shooting the theatre department’s production of “Twelfth Night.” The set was amazing and the costumes were so fun. All of the colors made for really great shots, and capturing the facial expressions of the actors was great.
If you could meet any celebrity dead or alive, who would it be? Either Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart or Matthew Bellamy (from Muse). Both are musical geniuses, and I’d be so happy to be in the presence of either.
What is your favorite part about working for The Trinitonian? The Trinitonian has been a great way to explore my interests by writing reviews and gaining experience in web design.
What is the most interesting assignment you’ve been given? Redesigning the website this summer was a really interesting experience that I learned a lot from. Also, one time I got to see a “Harry Potter” movie early for a review.
If you could have any job, regardless of money or schooling, what would it be? I’d be a movie and television critic.
Matt Kafoury Web Editor
Senior communication major
Opinion “ Being an American amounts to more than your appearance, the citizenship listed on your birth certificate, the status on your naturalization papers or your current country of residence. It is far more nuanced and complicated than a simple denotation on a state-issued document in the back of your file cabinet. It’s a way of living, believing and yes – even dreaming.”
Reflecting on 9/11: what it means to be an American Civic Advocate Avantika Krishna , Columnist It is difficult to believe that the Sept. 11 attacks happened well over a decade ago, 11 years to the day now. I still remember asking my dad about what happened in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania on that fateful day as he picked me up from my after-school program in the third grade. The images, the horror, the fear, the causalities, the chaos, the destruction, the stories, the raw emotion and the pain — all still have not left me. Nearly 3,000 individuals died simply because they lived in America; simply because they happened to be Americans. Their only crime was that they represented precisely what Al-Qaeda could not tolerate: the ultimate representation of Western ideals, which were counter to their own. How did they pick their target? Did an American look or behave a certain way? Factors such as skin color, ethnicity or religion did not matter to al-Qaeda — living in America was an unparalleled crime in and of itself. So what does it mean to be American? In the aftermath of 9/11, this question was frequently thrown around with no clear consensus. The most poignant and stark example I can offer that exemplifies the extremes in interpreting what is “being American” has to do with the hate-motivated killing of Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh-American gas station owner, in the days following 9/11. Frank Silva Roque, Mr. Sodhi’s assassin, was enraged by the 9/11 attacks and wanted “to go out and shoot some towelheads.” He killed Sodhi and then attempted to kill a LebaneseAmerican clerk and a local Afghani family. Motivated by his love for what he thought of as “America,” Roque, during his arrest, shouted phrases like: “I am a patriot!” and “I stand for America all the way!” However, Sodhi also had a burning passion for the America he knew and felt deeply troubled after the attacks on September
11th. His feelings of patriotism prompted him to go to his local Costco, only a few hours before being fatally shot, to purchase flowers and flags in remembrance of 9/11. As he was paying for his items, Sodhi noticed a Red Cross Relief Fund donation fund for the 9/11 emergency workers. He emptied his entire wallet, all $75 of it, into the fund, giving all that he could to a country that gave him so much. From his point of view, Roque killed Sodhi because he didn’t look like what Roque deemed to be “American” and was perceived as a threat to his homeland. On the other hand, Sodhi felt and gave from his heart because he knew his country, America, was bleeding. Being an American amounts to more than your appearance, the citizenship listed on your birth certificate, the status on your naturalization papers or your current country of residence. It is far more nuanced and complicated than a simple denotation on a stateissued document in the back of your file cabinet. It’s a way of living, believing and yes – even dreaming. Are you American if you exercise your right to free speech by burning an American flag? One could argue that lighting the flag on fire to protest war, as was done during the Vietnam War, is inherently American. An individual who protests current governmental policies, is utilizing entitlements the framers and founders of our country wanted to secure for its citizenry. So the individual isn’t being anti-American so much as anti-war, a position we are allowed and encouraged to voice in this country. It’s crucial to highlight the striking differences in the ways that people both embrace and represent America. Though there is no one definition of being American it’s vital that we establish what that means to each one of us. After all, America’s beauty lies in its multitude of differences and complexity — at least that’s what being American means to me. Avantika Krishna is a sophomore majoring in human communication and business administration.
campus
Pulse
Acro Jammin’ Students find new ways to flex their bodies and their minds Page 12
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Bomb-sniffing dog in training meets family of 9/11 hero Trinity reflects on the heroism of Paul Jurgens on 9/11 and how it lead to the training of a TSA dog by Alison James CAMPUS PULSE REPORTER Conversation swelled around the dinner table and silverware clinked together as the first course, a garden salad, was served in President Dennis Ahlburg’s home on Oakmont. The alumni sponsor for the class of 2016, Jim Boelens, sat across from me trying to convince David Tuttle, associate vice president of student affairs and dean of students, to join him on a mule ride. I laughed before turning my attention to the other guests seated at the table. The president and his wife, Penelope Harley, were talking to the guests of honor, Alice and John Sheldon, an older couple from New York City on their first visit to Texas. Two representatives from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) framed the other guests, which included students and other university staff. In total, there were 19 of us. It was the evening of Sept. 11, more than a decade after that fateful day. It was an odd group of people to share a meal with and even odder circumstances that brought us together. It was all because of a dog named Jurgens, the most energetic and obstinate yellow Labrador puppy this side of the Mississippi. She came into my life nearly a year ago, but her legacy predates her. The Making of an American Hero Paul Jurgens grew up on Long Island as the youngest of four siblings. The resident jokester in the family, Paul was known for his distinct, high-pitched laugh and mischievous sense of humor. As a kid Paul dreamed of becoming a
police officer and went on to serve in the Marine Corps before becoming a Port Authority officer in New York City where he was stationed at John F. Kennedy Airport. His sister Alice Sheldon described him as a family man who loved his wife, his three kids, the Yankees and his job. The morning of Sept. 11, 2001 started off like any other morning for most New Yorkers, but Paul’s was slightly different from his usual routine. Normally stationed at JFK Airport, Paul chose to attend a training session in New Jersey. He was on his way to the center when he heard over the radio that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. Without hesitating, Paul called in to let his supervisors know that there had been a change of plans and he was going to help. This was not the first time that Paul would risk his life for the safety of others. In 1992, Paul and other rescuers managed to save 300 passengers onboard a plane that crashed and caught fire while taking off from JFK Airport. According to his sister, Paul broke into the cockpit and worked to turn the plane off. One year later, in 1993, Paul responded to the first World Trade Center attack. Despite his heroic track record, family members said Paul rarely talked about his experiences, viewing them simply as part of his duty. It came as no surprise to his family that he was one of the first responders that day, but it’s still hard for them to come to terms with the fact that he would still be here if he had been at his usual post in the airport. It’s unclear which tower Paul went into. His body was never found. Only his gun and badge were recovered. The Dog Jurgens The tradition of bringing puppies to campus as a stress reliever during finals week is something many students look forward to. When Natalie Brown, former editor of the Mirage, was looking for ways to boost yearbook photo attendance,
she thought of the program at Lackland Air Force Base. Natalie thought it would be fun for students to pose with the puppies in their photos and worked to bring them to campus. During their visit, the foster care program hit a note with university officials and members of campus publications. The idea to raise a puppy on campus was born. It was early January 2012, and I was just beginning my second semester of college as a homesick first year. Somehow, I stumbled across information detailing how a puppy was coming to live on campus. Thinking of my dogs back home, the idea of spending time with another canine piqued my curiosity, and I shot an email to the woman in charge expressing my interest in the program. Her name was Katharine Martin, the campus publications advisor. Four days later, on Jan. 16, I found myself at the annual San Antonio Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative March clutching the leash of the wildest little puppy I had ever seen. She had a miniature red vest strapped around her chest to alert passers by that she was a working dog and could not be petted. Katharine mentioned that eventually she wanted to get Jurgens her very own Tiger Card to go on the vest, just like a real student of Trinity. As the largest march in the country began and nearly 200,000 people flooded the streets of downtown San Antonio in celebration of the famous civil rights activist, Katharine began telling me about the program. Located out of Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, the dogs raised in the Puppy Program are in training to become explosives detection dogs. The first 10 weeks to 12 months of the puppies lives are spent in foster care with a family. Once a month, the puppies are sent back to Lackland for evaluations. At the end of the year, if they pass their final exams, the dogs go on to work in mass transit centers all over the country.
theatre companies or groups that perform here in San Antonio. Proxy Theatre Company and The Aesthetic of Waste are both composed of Trinity alumni, and they both perform at the Overtime Theater on Camden Street. Kaitlin Graves, a 2012 Trinity graduate, is the managing director of Proxy Theatre Company, and Seth Larson, another 2012 Trinity graduate, is a founding member of the Aesthetic of Waste . “The Overtime is devoted to original work, so almost every piece we do is a world premiere,” said Kyle Gillette, assistant professor of theatre at Trinity and artistic director of the Overtime Theater. “We tend toward the funky and
experimental, although our plays range from serious to ridiculous, and our mission statement is focused on work that is both innovative and accessible. We do political comedies, dirty realism, mind-bending memory plays and a late-night sci-fi serial. Currently I’m directing a Bollywood Pantomime musical that includes Hindu gods, 19th century British colonialism, drag, giant puppets, Kung fu and dancing bears.” Graves first became involved in theatre during her second grade Christmas pageant, but she never really considered studying or working in theatre. “When I came to Trinity, I wasn’t even planning on being a theatre major; I was planning on being something else – psychology major, something
photo by Anh-Viet Dinh John and Alice Sheldon meet the dog Jurgens, who was named after Alice Sheldon’s brother, Paul Jurgens who was killed on 9/11.
Trinity was an unlikely match for the program, as no university has ever hosted one of the puppies, but because of its proximity to the military base and the fact that the dog would come into contact with so many people on a daily basis, Lackland officials decided to take a chance and see if a bustling college campus could be the perfect place to raise a puppy. As the march continued, the challenge of raising a bomb sniffing dog became apparent. I had to maintain a brisk pace to keep up with Jurgens’ enthusiastic exploration of her surroundings. She was jumping up on low walls and crawling beneath benches to investigate, eating almost everything in sight. Katharine explained how it was better for
Jurgens to be bold and curious, than obedient and meek, but that she had to come to love her toys more than any of us. Play times were strictly regulated, and Jurgens was always allowed to win. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the program was that the dogs were unlike a typical family pet, in that they were to avoid that special bond that usually forms between a dog and its master. As a working dog, Jurgens had to learn to ignore and pay no interest in humans. I found all of this information interesting, but the most compelling fact came when Katharine talked about how Jurgens got her name. All the puppies from the Air Force base are named after fallen heroes
that when you’re a freshman you think it will get you a job right away,” Graves said. “I went to the drama rally, and I loved all of the people. I kind of just got implicated into this society of a really tight-knit group of people. This tight-knit group of people was interested in creating and creating is fascinating to me.” Graves believes that her Trinity education aids her significantly in her role as managing director of Proxy. “One of the great things about Trinity is that it’s a liberal arts institution. I chose to go here instead of to a more specified program partly because I didn’t know what I wanted to do and partly because I thought it would be better to have experience in a lot of things instead of limited
experience in one thing. Basically, I would say a good majority of all of the classes I took at Trinity helped to prepare me in some capacity or another to be able to connect to what I do with Proxy, which is manage it and connect with other people,” Graves said. As managing director, Graves is constantly looking for ways to increase profits for Proxy while finding new ways to connect with the audience at the same time. Graves thinks that she is on to something with a new program called byProxy that seeks to build a deeper relationship between the theatre and the audience. “byProxy is basically what we call our new audience experience. This came about because I read
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Playing on: Trinity alumni theatre groups thriving Alumni theatre students continue to perform after graduating
by Kenneth Caruthers CAMPUS PULSE REPORTER Trinity students engaged in the university’s theatre program know the meaning of dedication thanks to the numerous latenight rehearsals and countless hours spent memorizing lines and designing sets and costumes. For some alumni, they have taken that dedication to theatre to the next level by starting their own
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New acrobatic yoga club teaches students to fly Junior Ruthie Ocean starts San Antonio Acro Yoga club by Lauren Wilks CAMPUS PULSE REPORTER Passing by Prassel lawn, you may have noticed a constantly changing group of partnered students casually lying on top of each other and gliding through seemingly impossible positions in the air using only each other’s various limbs as support. Those students have been participating in what is called an “acro jam,” which is the name for a session of acrobatic yoga. “Acrobatic yoga is basically like partner yoga, where there is a base person, a flyer, who is moving through the air basically supported by the arms and legs of the base and a spotter who makes sure nobody falls,” said Ruthie Ocean junior English major. Ruthie Ocean was first introduced to acrobatic yoga over the summer through her sister at Summerfest in Houston and is responsible for the fad’s recent appearance at Trinity. At Trinity, the core group of about 40 participants has joined the Facebook group Ocean started earlier this semester to spread the word.
“Our Facebook group has 42 or 43 people right now, and they’re basically people who have walked by and then asked about it. It’s very aesthetically pleasing and gets people’s attention. People always walk up and ask ‘what are you guys doing?’ They sometimes ask how to get involved after seeing us,” Ocean said. Helen Fiegenschue, a junior international studies major, has been involved with the club since it first appeared on campus a few weeks ago. “Maybe one of the most important things I love about acrobatic yoga is the stress relief. After an hour of play, I feel so much more relaxed and focused, even though I spent that entire hour concentrating and pushing myself physically,” Fiegenschue said. “I get all the physical benefits of a workout, plus the mental calm that comes from yoga and meditation.” The sense of community within the club is another positive factor in her decision to be so involved. “A great aspect of the club is the incredibly friendly and social atmosphere at every jam. Everyone is so open and willing to learn and excited to be there that it creates a really positive environment,” Fiegenschue said. “Plus, at almost every get together we have there is always at least one passerby who stops and gives it a try, which really keeps things interesting.”
photo by Anh-Viet Dinh Sarah Pickett and Jean-Pierre Sanchez look on as Clay Ford and Ruthie Ocean participate in Acro Yoga on Tuesday. Junior Ruthie Ocean regularly hosts Acro Yoga sessions on Prassel Lawn in which she teaches exotic yoga positions.
Lauren Hedgren, a junior sociology major, is also involved in the group and has attended several of the jams that have happened so far this year. “This summer I visited Ruthie in Houston, and she took me to an acro jam,” Hedgren said. “I was basically terrified because all summer I had seen these crazy pictures on her Facebook of people in the air doing these crazy poses, and I was so not about to do that.”
Upon arriving at the acro jam with Ocean though, Hedgren was convinced to participate in the session. “Everyone there was super warm and welcoming and convinced me to play with them. It was a terrifying and exhilarating experience, but it was ultimately a really enlightening one, too” Hedgren said. The acro jams on campus consist of between nine and 15 people but are usually fairly
impromptu and announced on the group’s Facebook page and by word of mouth. “I think one of the best things about acro is that it teaches you not to underestimate the capabilities your body has,” Hedgren said. “It’s super empowering to know that you can fly someone — or be flown — and do all these crazy cool tricks without much experience at all. It’s very gratifying and rewarding.”
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Fight Culture Shock Day 11:30 a.m., Friday, Sept. 14 Coates Lobby Enjoy samples of food from around the world and talk about culture shock.
Jennifer Piazza Recital 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 14 Ruth Taylor Recital Hall Soprano Jennifer Piazza performs a collection of German lieder.
Global Health Symposium 2 p.m., Friday, Sept. 14 9 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 15 Chapman Auditorium The symposium, titled “Perspectives on Global Health,” will focus on issues in international health. Study Abroad Fair 10 a.m., Monday, Sept. 17 Esplanade Representatives from study abroad programs from around the world are available to give information.
Networking Etiquette 6 p.m., Monday, Sept. 17 Storch First Floor Career Services hosts an interactive workshop to aid in the post-grad job search.
Trinity Idol 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 18 Laurie Auditorium The annual singing competition features eight competitors judged by Brian Bondari, Rubén Dupertuis and Kim McAlister.
Making Connections SA 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 20 Chapman Auditorium Trinity alumni from various career fields network with current students.
Islamic Awareness since 9/11 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 20 Northrup 040 Brother Michael from the Islamic Center of San Antonio speaks about Islamic awareness since 9/11.
Rush Kick-Off 2:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 21 Esplanade Rush for Trinity’s greek organizations begins with information tables for each organization and free food.
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Paul Jurgens still remembered after 11 years • continued from Page 11 from the terrorist attacks. I remember thinking that it was a fitting tribute to the victims to remember them by giving their names to working animals that will help prevent future attacks, but I never could have predicted that Jurgens’ popularity would grow and generate so much interest beyond our little community. More surprising, I never could have predicted how much Jurgens would affect my own life.
Ground Zero By the time spring break rolled around in March, Jurgens had wiggled her way deep into the hearts of all involved with her care taking, and, as luck would have it, I ended up going to New York City for a week with my mom and sister. I eagerly looked forward to our visit to Ground Zero but wasn’t sure what to expect. I just knew it would be special because of the connection I had through Jurgens. Finally, the day came. The line was long and security was thorough, but once we made it through the screening process, it took only a few minutes until I found his name on the side of the fountain. There it
was: Paul William Jurgens. I stood solemnly, my skin prickled by a chill that didn’t come from the cool New York air. I ran my hand over letters engraved in the smooth marble. Ice cold. Low voices and the babble of water turned the memorial into a world completely separate from the bustling city outside. At a place that was already achingly sad, I felt a small little connection that made it even more heartbreakingly personal. In that moment, I felt honored to have spent time with Jurgens and to commemorate the memory of this fallen hero.
The Sheldons It wasn’t enough anymore to just be fostering a puppy. Dean Tuttle, a primary caregiver for Jurgens, wanted to reach out to Paul’s family. She had become a local sensation with a lot of attention on her at all times. The dean managed to get in contact with John Sheldon, Paul’s brother-in-law. As the relationship between the school and the family grew, we invited them to visit campus on the anniversary of Paul’s death to meet his namesake. Graciously, Alice and John accepted the invitation. They arrived on Sept. 10 with a busy schedule, complete with
interviews with both professional and campus media outlets, as well as a ceremony at the 9/11 memorial on campus and meetings with various community members and students. All were eager to express their gratitude for Paul’s sacrifice. And that’s how I found myself at the president’s dinner table with the most unusual gathering of people I had ever dined with. If someone had told me this would be the result of signing up to be a dog-walker, I would have laughed. After the meal, the dinner party meandered to the Chapman Auditorium for a special interview with the Sheldons open to campus. It was an informal gathering. Alice and John sat next to each other on stage between three representatives from campus media. The old chalkboard behind them was covered in dust and several giant periodic tables hung from the walls. I slipped into the second row, quiet and intrigued. The Sheldons began by talking about where they were when they heard the news. Alice maintained her smile even when her husband’s voice choked up. “He’d be overwhelmed by all this, I think. He was more of a laid-back guy,” she said of her brother. Somewhere in the back, a student cried quietly to herself while
listening to their testimony. At the end of the night, the Sheldons and the dean exchanged gifts before leaving the stage, only to be swarmed by students who wanted to thank them for coming and offer their condolences.
Remembering those who went before us Before I met the Sheldons, I couldn’t help but wonder about the initial contact between the dean and John. I thought it was bizarre that a family would fly 1,800 miles because a dog happened to share the name of a loved one they had lost. I spoke to my dad the night before the dinner at the president’s house and expressed my concerns that it would be uncomfortable. As someone who recently suffered a loss of his own, he told me that the best way to heal is to honor their memory. He said not to hide from it or deny it, but to celebrate the life that was lived. “There is no closure with something like this,” John said on stage that night. I think that’s what we’re doing here at Trinity. This isn’t closure, but a celebration. We’re celebrating the life of Paul Jurgens by raising the dog Jurgens to serve in his memory.
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Tiger Stand Band expands with new members and new instruments by Alison James CAMPUS PULSE REPORTER It’s football season, and with it come hot dogs and beer and tailgating and, for the students of Trinity University, a bigger Tiger Stand Band. This fall, the Trinity University Tiger Stand Band gained 20 new first-year members, six new sophomore members and $9,000 from the Association of Student Representatives for new instruments. “This is a record year because we improved our recruiting strategies and we have improved our relationship with the music department,” said senior Jacob Hugentobler, the Stand Band president. Hugentobler was elected as president last semester, along with vice president Ethan Krohn (’14) Hugentobler decided to seek help from ASR because a lot of the new members play instruments such as the tuba, which people don’t typically own. “People in the Trinity community seem to enjoy them at games. We just want to make games more of a big
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illustration by Caroline Jakubowski
deal, and we wanted to give the stand band the support that they needed,” said Evan Lewis, a sophomore ASR senator. The band brought in a two page proposal, as well as witnesses, when asking for financial help with the new instruments. “To me, it’s mostly a place for camaraderie, and it’s really hard to have a band without having the proper equipment for it,” said Laurel Meister, one of the first-year recruits new to the Tiger Stand Band. “The football team loves the stand band,” Lewis said. “We have one player on ASR, and we had another player brought in by the Stand Band just to talk about what they think of the Stand Band.” “I think it’s really great. I heard that the band is bigger this year and that gives me hope because the bigger we are, the bigger sound we have,” Meister said. With the added members, the band is already making itself heard at games. One of the things the band has been doing to reach out to potential new members is joining an information session during NSO for students interested in not only the band but also various other musical groups on campus such as the orchestra or the music fraternity, Mu Phi Epsilon.
“I first heard about them, I think, on the Trinity 360 day. I was talking to one of the music workshops and I wondered if Trinity had a band so I kind of looked for it myself,” said Meister, who didn’t sign up until she found the Tiger Stand Band table at the involvement fair. “My favorite part is just having a set time for relaxation where I know I’m not going to have to do homework and just
relax and play my instrument, and get to talk to other people who are also interested in music.” Meister plays clarinet and is also learning to play the piano. As far as the band expanding even further, Hugentobler said that one third of the current members are set to graduate in May. “It really depends on leadership and how you can make the band a visible
presence on campus,” Hugentobler said. This weekend, the football team will be taking on Sul Ros State in Alpine, Texas, and the band will be taking 28 members to cheer them on. “Tiger Stand Band really loves playing for the football and basketball teams, and we especially love it when the crowd sings along with us. Those are the rewarding parts of it,” Hugentobler said.
colors were used and things like that.” Establishing audience insight into the whole theatre process is an important part of revealing the wide array of emotions that cast members experience during each phase of the production of a play. “I remember from one of Kyle Gillette’s classes here that theatre is like a rehearsal for death. You get cast, so you’re born. You learn your lines, so that’s like walking. You rehearse and grow up. Then you get to closing night and you have to put this character away. Even if you do this play again and have this same character, it will never be the same. Even every night it’s not the same,” Graves said. Graves is excited about the success that Proxy has experienced so far, and she is ready to bring that enthusiasm into the company’s second season. “Our most popular show was ‘Macbeth,’ which was earlier this March. We did
it in this really tiny loft that people lived in. There was no air conditioner, but it was so great. The acting was wonderful, the costumes were beautiful and it had a bunch of Trinity alumni in it as well as present students at the time. We sold out pretty much every single night after the first two. We got a lot of great feedback and great reviews,” Graves said. “Upcoming, we’ve got a lot of newer plays that people haven’t really heard about before that we’re really excited to bring to San Antonio. We’re spreading out our roots, and we’re growing, definitely.” Larson did not become involved with theatre until his sophomore year at Trinity, but he is glad he decided to explore it and meet the people that were a part of it. “The Aesthetic of Waste came about our senior year. A lot of the members were in a futurism seminar together, and we all kind of realized we had a similar aesthetic shared amongst us that we wanted
to breach into in the future,” Larson said. Larson appreciates the chances Trinity gives its students to be involved in all aspects of theatre, and he actually came up with the concept for “We Stole This” during his junior year. “Trinity gave us the opportunity to try out a lot of different things. We all got opportunities to act and to direct. I first directed this kind of show my junior year; I did ‘We Stole This Because We Go to Trinity,’ which was 15 shows in 30 minutes, and then I just expanded it to 30 plays in one hour and cut off that part of the title because not all of us go to Trinity anymore,” Larson said. Because of Trinity’s liberal arts curriculum, students are able to incorporate what they have learned in the variety of subjects onto the stage for theatre performances. “Trinity classes feed students’ minds in a way that encourages rigorous probing, reflection on life’s
big questions and the mental agility to make connections between different kinds of fields,” Gillette said. “You can see this very clearly in the Aesthetic of Waste’s pieces, which draw from history, philosophy, science, literature and theatre in immensely fun ways. That particular combination of critical thinking and creative expression is a good example of how theatre serves as a sort of laboratory for exploring our relationship to the world.” Gillette applauds Trinity theatre alumni and the goals they have achieved while broadening the artistic and creative tone and environment of San Antonio. “I am proud of what they have done and delighted that they are contributing to the increasingly interesting cultural landscape of San Antonio,” Gillette said. “They are a testament to the theatre program, to Trinity and especially to their own imaginations and drive.”
photo by Aidan Kirksey Senior Andrew Christ plays the trombone in the Tiger Stand Band at football’s home opener against Howard Payne University.
Former theatre students have a flair for the dramatic • continued from Page 11
an article online about why theatre as a business is sort of failing. People have been saying theatre is a dying art since Greek times, so I read this article on how to run a theatre like a business,” Graves said. “Theatre mostly focuses on the end product. They go through this whole long, beautiful process that theatre artists love, and that’s what we spend most of our time doing. Then there are nine shows, and that’s it. We decided we wanted to invite our audience in to experience what we call open-door rehearsals, where the director picks one night a week to sort of have a safe space for the actors as well as the audience to come in and see a rehearsal just to see what it’s like to be a part of theatre. Then we have our designer reveal where the audience can come in and see what’s been done with the set and the costumes and get the explanations for why certain
Under the Radar
2012 is the year of the indie film. These are the ones you need to see. Page 18
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The stone playground in Brackenridge is a place where kids can go to play hide-and-seek, scramble over concrete walls and dangle from metal bars, but, every Sunday afternoon, it serves a different function. Amidst a gathering crowd of children and parents, a dozen or so well-muscled individuals begin their warm-up. It starts with a few typical stretches, but soon they take to climbing the trees, leaping from branch to branch, relying solely on their sense of balance and their hands calloused by years of practice. Then they begin their aerial acrobatics, flipping and spinning and rolling on the ground, and it only gets more interesting from there. For those who didn’t hear about the French discipline as it went viral through YouTube, Parkour is a method of training one’s body to overcome any obstacles in an effort to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Basically, it’s urban gymnastics, and it’s just about the coolest thing to watch. This group that meets weekly in Brackenridge is part of Texas Parkour, an association dedicated to pushing the limits of the human body. Its members are of all ages, sizes and types. Some are heavily tattooed, with gloriously long beards and wildly colored T-shirts, some are Army recruits from Fort Sam Houston and some look like they could be high school teachers. The only immediately apparent thing that brings these varied
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graphic by Caroline Jakubowski
Paul’s Picks by Paul Cuclis
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A&E columnist people together is that they all are part of the Parkour sub-culture. “It teaches you a lot of things that people try to shun you away from,” said Mike Avery, a long time practitioner and the instructor who was leading the group that day, “Nothing is ever concrete; everything’s always changing. You can always do something differently.” Mike explained to me that the group is dedicated to teaching people the basics of Parkour. Since I’m afraid of heights, I asked how someone could learn to throw themselves from precarious ledge to precarious ledge and risk serious injury. Apparently, it’s all about FEAR. Forget Everything And Run. Hector Kichura, a senior member of the group and the only one who refuses to wear shoes, seems to have taken this philosophy to heart. “When I practice [Parkour], I kind of get into a whole other world, my own world, and that’s where I feel completely free,” Kichura said. Watching them jump incredible distances and scale walls in moments, it certainly seemed like this Parkour group knew something about freedom. Though the danger is very real, I have to say that there is a certain aspect of their carpe diem, devil-may-care attitude that appeals to me. They challenge themselves and their natural instincts to limits that seem almost supernatural, and their confidence in this fact is evident in Mike Avery’s
comment, “You can be better than who you were yesterday.” I asked Mike if he had any advice for Trinity students that wanted to try out Parkour
for themselves. He advised that students who were interested should get into contact with someone in the Texas Parkour organization
through http://www.meetup. com/Parkour-San-Antonio/. He also said to relax and remember, “if you feel silly, you’re doing something right.”
more than likely notice that there are many people on our campus who are simply not funny. Though this is probably not the fault of the person who chose to post said quotation, but rather that of the anonymous person or persons on whom they happened to be eavesdropping (if this were not being published I would have inserted a winky face here). The irony is that nearly every time one of my friends or I have posted on Overheard, it has been something said by one of us, not a stranger walking through Northrup speaking obscenities as loudly as they can or someone
sitting at the table next to us in Mabee babbling on and on about their most humiliating moments. I have gathered, from talking to various people on campus that very little of what is Overheard at Trinity is actually overheard but rather simply heard. That’s false advertising, people. Another bizarre fact about Overheard at Trinity is that the Facebook group isn’t even run by a TU student. The group administrator is a guy who went to Trinity for a brief time a couple of years ago and then transferred to another school entirely. Does this make any sense at all? No. In fact, it is quite strange.
The part of Overheard at Trinity that gets people going and makes them keep posting is the waiting, watching and wishing that they do to see how many likes their post will get. I remember one instance in which a friend pointed out that a quote of mine she had posted received 40-something likes. I remember feeling a bit proud of her and of myself for our minor virtual accomplishment. I won’t tell you who posted it, or exactly what the number of likes is now, because I don’t want you to be able to go to Overheard at Trinity and discover the sometimes hopelessly embarrassing things that come out of my mouth.
With all of that said, here are a few things to keep in mind if you desire to become an active member of Overheard at Trinity. Zero likes = Please don’t post again. Clearly no one shares your sense of humor. Less than five likes = Failure may or may not lead to success, but there is no harm in trying. 20 likes = Okay, you’re funny I guess. Feel free to entertain us more. 50+ likes = Wow! You overhead a gold mine of hilarity or you found an exceedingly humorous way to reconstruct what your friend (or probably you) said.
photo by Paul Cuclis Trinity alumni Mike Avery (left) and a fellow member of Texas Parkour showcase their high-flying abilities performing Parkour in Brackenridge Park.
Overheard at Trinity: To post or not to post by Abby Miracle A&E Writer As you may well know, there is a group on Facebook called Overheard at Trinity. The group is a couple of years old and its sole purpose is to serve as a forum for “the airing of dirty laundry,” if you will. Members are supposed to post the outrageous things that they overhear around campus for the humor of everyone else. Unfortunately, upon reading Overheard at Trinity, you will
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Upperclassmen: do not be confused with first years by Krista Campolo A&E Writer
illustration by Caroline Jakubowski
DISCLAIMER: This satirical piece is purely for entertainment. We mean no offense towards any Trinity first years. Enjoy.
If you’re not a first year, odds are, you’ve been asked if you are. Being mistaken for a Trinity University first year, in all their absent-minded and self-indulgent greatness, is not the end of the world. Though at the moment you may feel like turning to the creature (odds are it was a first year) misguidedly misconstruing your identity and telling them why they should [insert obscene language here], I’d like to calmly call to your attention to the fact that perhaps you were … well, asking for it. I’m sorry, but it had to be said, and who better to hear it from than me, right?
This is not to say that that particular offender should not have known better than to assume you were younger than you were (major first-year faux pas on their part), but there are means by which you can avert a disastrous social infraction like this one. The concept is easy: avoid looking like a first year. It’s a crazy epiphany, I know, but I totally think you can do it,champ. Your ability to achieve the ultimate goal, however, will be a testament to your commitment and unparalleled competence to “walk the walk,” as they say. Now pay attention because this is no easy lesson. Take notes if you need to, but avoid looking like a first year while doing it. To avoid having to defend your sanctity on Trinity soil or being completely obliterated off of the social map, I would generously advise you to not succumb to any of these.
Fumbling mailbox
with
your
We all know its an impossibility. Turn left, turn right … then left again? Is that even right? Or left? The point is, you look unmistakably first-yearian (yup, just made that up) when you spend more than 10 seconds at that box. God knows as a junior I still can’t figure it out, but you’d best believe when others are around, I look like I know what I’m doing. Get some practice time in when no one is around and memorize that combination.
Sitting alone in Mabee without homework
The act alone is very valiant of you, as I’m sure you’re indisputably in touch with your independence and solitude, but if you aren’t looking busy, you’re looking mighty lonely. Careful, an equally solo first year might accidently mistake you for his/ her next best friend!
Wandering around Mabee
We all know you’re just desperately walking all over the dining area trying to find something edible, but the problem is that it looks more like you’re lost. In times like these (desperate ones where you’re attempting not to look like a first year) it’s best to simply take a route and commit to it. Once you’re there, put your game face on. You’ve totally done this before, even when Mabee wasn’t a fat kid’s dream. Aren’t we all missing that sushi line right about now?
Getting your books from the Trinity Bookstore
Sometimes, this infringement is near impossible to avoid. Your nut-job professor dropped a cement load of reading on you straight from the textbook on syllabus day, and for that, I am dreadfully sorry. The only advice I can offer is to come fully prepared to slap the seemingly naïve newbie worker behind the counter who strikes up conversation by saying, “So like, are you new here?” No, and I hate you.
Running/speed walking to class
5800 Broadway #105 San Antonio, TX 78209 210-826-4886
Okay, so you’re a little late. Maybe you’re even more than a little bit late. How very non-firstyear of you! Keep up the good work and do saunter at your own personal preference of speed all the way to the halls of Chapman. Your professor will understand. You were only trying to save your microscopic reputation here at Trinity University as a long-time savvy and experienced upperclassman.
A&E Late night roundup
theTrinitonian SEP.14.2012
arts and entertainment
TubeTalk by Donald Dimick A&E columnist Even if you don’t know the difference between a monologue and a desk piece, keeping up with late night shows can be an easy way to stay relevant in the pop culture conversation, and “Did you see (blank) last night?” is always a great conversation starter. For those of you who haven’t found your late night fix or are open to other options, I decided to review the current field of late night television, recommending those that should be on your radar and dismissing those that aren’t worth your time. “The Daily Show” – The Johnny Carson of our generation, the show isn’t in the conventional late night format or “traditional” channel for late night, but “The Daily Show” is easily the late night show I would recommend to any college-age kid if for some reason they aren’t already watching. “The Colbert Report” – With his ultra-conservative persona, Colbert created a phenomenon, but, in its seventh year, the joke is starting to get a little stale. Like the friend who is always sarcastic, the joke is getting old and repetitive. If you’re desperate for more political humor after watching “The Daily Show,” feel free to stick around; otherwise, I recommend others on this list.
“The Tonight Show” – Even those who don’t watch TV know Leno isn’t “cool.” Traditional, and subsequently boring, as it gets, he does however deliver the best monologues in the genre. Check out the first 15 minutes if you’re passing out early; otherwise, go with the crowd and proclaim that you’re “too cool” for Leno. “The Late Show” – At one time the edgier alternative to Leno, Letterman was revolutionary in his own time, but unfortunately, like Leno, that time has passed. The most exciting facet of the show today is the question of who may replace him when he retires in the next few years. “Late Night” – From its inception, the show was designed with the digital age in mind. Featuring YouTube-friendly segments, a contemporary band and even video games as a popular media, Fallon is conventional to the format of late night TV but updates it for the college crowd. As far as conventional late night goes, Fallon is an easy recommendation to anyone watching late night television in a dorm room.
“The Late Late Show” – Ferguson pushes the conventions of the genre to their limits, and it may be too strange for many normal viewers, but the show is consistently funny. My personal favorite, Ferguson and his robotic sidekick Geoff effortlessly capture the laid-back spirit of college life. “Conan” – After all the drama of the great “Conan/Leno Conflict,” he’s landed on his feet at TBS. His new show is still fairly traditional, and even though it’s aimed at viewers our age, I only recommend it as the safe alternative if Ferguson is too strange for you.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” – Kimmel has carved himself a small but respectable niche, and occasionally he raises his notoriety with viral, celebrityfilled sketches that permeate well on the Internet. Recommended to the friend insistent on being alternative, look for the show to become more mainstream and possibly more relevant with its timeslot moved to 11:30 p.m. “Chelsea Lately” – Shorter and faster-paced with an emphasis on celebrity culture, the show has succeeded in capturing a large and loyal young female audience. “The late night show your girlfriend watches” may seem derogatory, but I bet the show would gladly take the title as its female viewership crushes other similar shows. If you already watch the E! network, “Chelsea Lately” is easily the late night program for you.
17
Indie Overnight Playlist 1) David Byrne & St. Vincent- “Lightning” 2) Gang Gang Dance - “Chinese High” 3) Grizzly Bear - “A Simple Answer” 4) Death Grips - “@Death Grips” 5) Menomena - “Capsule” 6) DIIV - “Sometime” 7) Dinosaur Jr. - “See It On Your Side” 8) The Raveonettes - “Curse the Night” 9) Talking Heads - “Psycho Killer” 10) What Is Worse - “Cate Le Bon”
KRTU 91.7
compiled by Matt Stieb
A&E Three popular gaming
theTrinitonian
18 SEP.14.2012
arts and entertainment
mechanics that are never fun graphic by Caroline Jakubowski
Brian’s Trinity
by John Mendiola A&E Writer
by Brian Westfall A&E Editor
Here at The Trinitonian, we employ various writers that are experts in various fields: I specialize in low-brow, asinine pieces written to elicit nothing but disgust. This week, I’m leaving the downhill spiral of the toilet and walking into the theater of artsy, existential waxing of the indie movie scene. These films are more mundane and, sometimes, just weirder; though they can be more personal and relatable, it’ll elicit raw, visceral emotions, both the good and the bad. Aside from the trippy arthouse films, the rest of the indie movie scene provides a more thought-provoking and nourishing experience than a day at your local AMC. For those not familiar with the indie movie scene, these (usually) low-budget films are made by the cast and crew involved then premiered at various film festivals (Sundance, South by Southwest, Cannes) then are picked up by publishers for limited release. Indie flicks get wider releases as interest picks up, or they flop horribly and the widest release they ever see is 10 theaters. The best movies of 2012 have already been released, and you don’t even know about them. Not every movie in this list is a documentary, but each and every one of them documents the challenges and joys and the utter strangeness that is life.
“Safety Not Guaranteed” (Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass) It all starts with a classified ad in search of someone willing to partner up to time travel. The ad says he’s only done this once before and he doesn’t guarantee the safety of whoever accepts the offer. This off-kilter comedy is funny but also has a lot of heart.
“Indie Game: The Movie” (Phil Fish, Jonathan Blow) Creating a documentary about video games may seem like an easy way to make something exciting into something not exciting. The personalities behind small indie games are eccentric yet so engaging. The passion and intellect in each game and person will move you, regardless if you play or not.
“Beasts of the Southern Wild” (Quvenzhane Wallis) When the credits rolled at the Sundance premiere, cell phone screens didn’t turn on and no one stood up except for a rare show of respect – a standing ovation. The movie is about a six-year-old girl and her dad living in a southern location in Louisiana called The Bathtub in a post-apocalyptic future. Hushpuppy, the little girl, learns about lofty ideas like mortality and inner strength.
2012’s biggest upcoming movies September: “The Master,” “End of Watch,” “Trouble
with the Curve,” “Looper”
October: “Frankenweenie,” “Taken 2,” “Seven
Psychopaths,” “Argo,”
“Paranormal Activity 4,” “Cloud Atlas”
“The Imposter” (Frederic Bourdin, Carey Gibson) The Imposter is a documentary that shows that life can be stranger than fiction. It’s set in a little town named San Antonio where a couple’s 13-year-old son disappears. After four years, he magically reappears, but soon they realize their joy blinded them to the fact that it wasn’t their son but an imposter. It sounds like an odd premise, but this documentary feels like a thriller with an intricate plot unraveling before you that’ll leave you dazed and confused.
November: “Wreck-it
Ralph,” “Skyfall,” “Lincoln,” “The Twilight Saga:
Breaking Dawn Part 2,” December: “Les
Miserables,” “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “This is Forty,” “Django Unchained”
compiled by Brian Westfall
“At Any Price” (Zac Efron, Dennis Quaid) As someone who has seen “The Parent Trap” and “17 Again” more times than I care to admit, I am excited for this movie starring Dennis Quaid and Zac Efron as a father and son who own a farm in Iowa. This movie deals with the incongruity of families and the issues facing farmers. It might actually see a wider release because of the two stars, but regardless if this movie gains traction outside of cinephiles, you should go find it and watch it (and the rest of the movies here).
Once a niche hobby relegated to basements filled with sweaty people, video games have now exploded into mainstream culture. You can’t fly on a plane or ride a bus without seeing one kid playing “Pokemon,” a businessman playing “Angry Birds” and an old man thinking he’s playing “Solitaire” but really just dragging his finger on the window. While the medium has certainly expanded in the past decade, there are many tropes of video games that have remained relatively untouched. We can have graphics with a million pixels per square inch and a tongue mount that allows me to taste the lead as the bullets pierce my virtual soldier’s mouth hole, but a game just won’t be fun if it keeps these tired mechanics. I’m talking about things like: 1) The Tailing Mission Culprits: “Grand Theft Auto,” “Sleeping Dogs,” “Mafia,” “Saint’s Row”
The beauty of the sandbox game genre is that the world is your oyster. You want to murder a prostitute? Who wouldn’t? You want to drive a burning car straight into an orphanage while wearing a bathrobe? Join the club. However, this makes it infinitely more frustrating when you have to follow the rules. Enter the tailing mission. The setup is usually the same: some wise guy is meeting with a rival gang or whatever, and you have to follow him in your car. If you go too close to their car, you lose. If you go too far away from their car, you lose. If you crash into a car, you lose. While 90 percent of the game is going balls-to-the-wall, emptying clip after clip of ammo and speeding around town, this part involves following traffic laws and being a good citizen. What is the fun in that? I’m not saying games necessarily have to be crazy violent all the time, but if I wanted to do the tailing mission I might as well drive in a circle around a residential neighborhood. Video games are for me to have experiences outside of reality. Being stuck in traffic is about the most realistic thing I can think of. 2) Regenerating Health Culprits: 99% of first person shooters
Death is important in video games. How are you supposed to get the hint that you are terrible at a video game unless you die a lot? Consequently, how are you supposed to feel like a total boss without opponents truly feeling your wrath? That’s why it is disheartening when you can instantly heal from a shotgun blast to the chest by crouching behind a wall and breathing for a few seconds. I recently purchased “Counter Strike: Global Offensive” (an awesome game, by the way), and the great thing about that game is that death really means something. If you die in a round, that is it. You want to keep playing? Wait around for all of the other players to die, and you can come in again the next playthrough. The losers are more infuriated and motivated to alter their strategy to do better while the winners get more satisfaction from their superior skill. Everyone wins. Well, except the losers. Those guys obviously suck. 3) Save Points Culprits: “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword,” “Dead Rising 2,” “Dead Space 2”
Gamers had this problem in 1982, and they are continuing to have this problem in 2012. You’re playing your game, having a grand ol’ time, until you have to leave. But you can’t. You haven’t found a save point yet. So you rush furiously through the level, checking the clock incessantly just so you can save your precious progress for a later time. Eventually you give up looking, toss the controller like a bad habit with your Cheetodust-laced fingers and just leave the console on while you’re gone. Will your progress up to that point be there when you get back? Who knows. Save points are a relic of a bygone era where memory space was precious. We no longer have that problem, and yet save points are still prevalent. Some developers think these make their game harder. No, they just make them more annoying. So maybe next time I see a game that has save points I will just SAVE some money and not buy that game. Ha! Yes, I get paid to do this.
Voices of Trinity athletics Justin Parker and James Hill answer questions about their experiences Page 23
Sports
NFL predictions The 2012 season is layed out start to finish Page 20
theTrinitonian SEPT.14.2012
19
Football defeats local rival Texas Lutheran University on Saturday The Tigers remain undefeated in their second game of the season by Brooke Sanchez Sports Reporter
The Tigers’ trip to Seguin last weekend included a 45-minute bus ride, a reasonable number of fans and a 31-7 win over the Texas Lutheran University Bulldogs. Trinity is now 2-0 for the season with a combined score of 87-14 for the two opening games. “The game went as expected,” said defensive cordinator Jim Dawson. “We expected to win; they didn’t surprise us with anything—nothing we weren’t ready for. I thought our kicking game did pretty well. The fake punt put a little bit of energy into the offensive series.” Trinity got on the board first with senior kicker Garrett Biel, the SCAC Special Teams Player of the Week, kicking a field goal from the 27-yard line. Junior wide receiver Hagen Kattner then caught a 39-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Nyk McKissic after a fake punt in the second quarter. On the next drive, senior tight end Mason Lytal was open to score another TD and the Tigers went into halftime leading 17-0. “The first quarter got off to a real slow start,” said sophomore wide receiver Matt Kennemer. “Defense was doing good; they
photo by Aidan Kirksey Poised for victory, Trinity’s defense line stands strong in the game against Howard-Payne University at home.
did a real good job of getting us the ball back, and we luckily got around to it. We got a fourthdown situation that really helped spark the game and kind of got us going, and then found rhythm and got it going by halftime.” After the half, the Bulldogs raced out of the locker room and were able to score quickly into the third quarter. Trinity responded with another McKissic touchdown pass to Kennemer. McKissic then scored a TD of his own after reaching into the end zone from a yard out in the final quarter to finalize the score. “I think the team had a pretty good pace,” said sophomore defensive lineman Tomy Boboy. “Offense took a little while to get going and had a few mistakes, but once we were able to fix that, things went pretty smoothly. I think it was a great learning
experience. If everyone does what they are supposed to do, we’re going to make big plays.” Despite recording five fumbles, the offense put up the numbers to ensure the win over TLU with the three scoring drives in the first half that gave a comfortable lead. “In the first quarter we had to figure out little bit of tempo,” Dawson said. “After the second series we were pretty much up to speed, so for the rest of the night we played our game, our stuff. Once the offense got rolling it made it pretty sweet, cause we had some long drives, so [defense] got to sit on the bench.” McKissic, who was named the SCAC Offensive Player of the Week, connected on 15-25 passes, resulting in 263 yards and three touchdowns. Along with their touchdowns, Kennemer had three receptions for 89 yards while Lytal
had three catches for 55 yards. First-year running back Travis Williams went for 78 yards on 13 carries while senior running back Patrick Granchelli had 73 yards. “I think it was a pretty solid performance overall,” Kennemer said. “Obviously we scored 31 points – we could’ve had more scores with less turnovers, but overall it was good. It’s good to see everybody doing their job the way it needs to be done, and we could always rely on our defense to keep us in the game, no matter what. Holding them to only seven points, that’s great.” The Trinity defensive performance was outstanding yet again, only allowing 167 yards of offense from TLU. “I’m really proud of those guys,” Dawson said. “They played hard. They did what they were coached to do and settled in.”
over UT-Dallas on Sunday. The Tigers now stand at 3-0-1 for the season and are currently ranked sixth nationally by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. “All in all it was a good weekend for a bunch of different reasons,” said assistant coach Owen Collie. “Playing on the road is always tough, so, for one, the results were good. It was also a great time for our girls to bond, and I think our new girls have settled in really well. With these teams this weekend the girls had to work really hard
for their wins. The crowds were getting to them a little bit, so they had to be mentally focused as well. So it turned out to be a positive weekend on all notes.” In Friday’s game, sophomore forward Stephanie Segovia scored the Tigers’ only goal towards the end of the first half. Senior goalkeeper Katie Garrett had one save as the Tiger defense kept UT-Tyler to only two shots on goal. “It turned out to be a tougher game than we imagined,” Collie said. “Last year we beat them very handily here, and
they are a much-improved team, so we struggled initially to contain some of the quicker players they had. In the end, we deserved our win. The girls had to fight hard for it. 1-0 is pretty close, closer than we wanted it to be, but it worked out.” Sunday’s game worked out better for the Tigers with sophomore midfielder Emily Jorgens scoring early in the game. At the very end of the first half, junior forward Shelby Guenthardt added another goal to go up 2-0 by halftime. Then towards
Senior linebacker Thomas Puskarich had 10 tackles (1.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss) for the Tigers while sophomore defensive lineman Tomy Boboy had five tackles that included 3.0 sacks and 4.0 tackles for loss. Boboy was named the SCAC Defensive Player of the Week along with earning Beyond Sports Network’s Division III Athlete of the Week honors. “The guys did what they were prepared to do, what they prepped on all week,” Dawson said. “The scout guys probably executed TLU’s offense better than TLU does. That and we had some young kids step up for us who are going to be great players for us. It’s guys like that, when they get their chance and they excel. Combine that with some of the returning guys, and that’s good.” After two successful games to open up the season, the Tigers prepare for and look forward to their tough schedule down the road, which includes fourthranked University of Mary Hardin Baylor in two weeks. “It’s going to be a great season; we can see that already,” Boboy said. “We’re starting off this season better than we did last year. It’s really starting to show. Even with the freshmen who are coming in already and playing very well, it’s looking pretty good.” The Tigers will be on the road again this weekend, kicking off at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Sul Ross State in Alpine, Texas.
Women travel second weekend in a row, remain undefeated Tigers move up in rankings to number six in nation by Brooke Sanchez Sports Reporter
After facing two University of Texas affiliates last weekend, the women’s soccer team returned with two more shutouts to remain unbeaten. The Tigers defeated UT-Tyler 1-0 on Friday before sweeping the weekend with a 3-0 win
Women’s Soccer 7 p.m. at home vs. Our Lady of the Lake University
Volleyball
3 p.m. & 7 p.m. at home
Cross Country Away
Men’s Soccer Away
Volleyball 2:30 p.m. & 4:45 p.m. at home
Football Away
Men’s Soccer Away
Women’s Soccer Away
the end of the second half, sophomore defender Shelby Hopkins scored on a free kick to conclude the game. “We played better at Dallas,” Garrett said. “We were only up 2-0 by the half, but we played pretty solid the whole game. I was pleased with the weekend. They are always pretty competitive teams on the road, both of those teams. It was good for our momentum going into season.”
see SHUTOUT Page 21
20 theTrinitonian SEPT.14.2012
Staff Column Aly Mithani, Sports Reporter
NFC North:
Green Bay, coming off of a 15-1 season, and led by MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, faces an up-andcoming Detroit squad anchored by the Matthew Stafford-Calvin Johnson connection. However, the Chicago Bears are making a renewed push with key additions including Brandon Marshall, Michael Bush and Alshon Jeffery, while the Minnesota Vikings hope Adrian Peterson’s knee holds up to keep them competitive. In arguably football’s best division, we see Chicago unseating Green Bay at the throne of the division thanks to a healthy Jay Cutler and Matt Forte.
AFC East:
New England is coming off a run to the Super Bowl led by quarterback Tom Brady and breakout seasons from tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. They will be challenged by the New York Jets who added to their Hollywood drama by adding Tim Tebow in a trade with Denver. Buffalo significantly upgraded their defense through the signing of Mario Williams, but still face many issues offensively. Miami, after airing their drama with Chad Johnson on HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” will start rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill for rookie Coach Joe Philbin. Expect New England to breeze through their weak schedule and win the division handily behind an MVP season from Brady.
AFC Wild Cards:
In the last two seasons, the AFC North runner-up has handily taken the first wild-card spot with Pittsburgh in 2011 and Baltimore in 2010. Expect that trend to continue with Pittsburgh taking the first wild card spot this season. Similar to last season, the second wild card will come down to a close race between teams hovering around the ten-win mark. This year those teams include the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets and San Diego Chargers. We give the nod to the Jets by a hair thanks to a lighter schedule and a stronger defense than the other two.
Super Bowl:
With the big game being played in the neutral SuperDome, neither team will be able to gain an advantage from their cold, loud stadium. As the old saying goes, “Offense wins games, but defense wins championships.” Both teams have top-tier defenses, but the future Hall-of-Famer’s Lewis and Reed will get another Super Bowl ring behind a big game from running back Ray Rice.
Sports
I may be one week late, but I have a full season worth of NFL predictions ready to go. As the Giants look to defend their title, they have to fight off a hungry Cowboys team and an up-and-coming Redskins team just to keep up in the NFC East. In the rest of the conference, the Saints are looking to overcome their bounty scandal while the Packers and 49ers look to get to the Super Bowl after coming up short as the top two seeds last season. In the AFC, New England looks to rebound from another crushing Super Bowl loss, while Baltimore hopes their kicking struggles are fixed as they try and stave off Pittsburgh and Cincinnati in one of football’s toughest divisions. Denver hopes the Peyton Manning experiment gets them further than Tebow Mania did, and the Houston Texans look to make franchise history with a trip to New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII. While we get ready for the drama to unfold, here is our attempt to make sense of the chaos that is the 2012 NFL season.
graphic by Caroline Jakbowski
NFC East:
If the NFC North is football’s best division, then the NFC East is surely its most balanced. The defending Super Bowl champion the Giants needed a week 17 victory against Dallas just to secure a playoff spot last year. After losing some key players from their championship squad (Mario Manningham, Brandon Jacobs, Jake Ballard), the Giants will face a stiff challenge from the Cowboys, Eagles and a Washington Redskins team led by rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. In the end, we see the Giants narrowly escaping for a second year in a row.
AFC South:
The Houston Texans stand as the only team not going through a rebuilding stage in this division. However, they have been continually plagued by injury issues the last few seasons and need healthy years from quarterback Matt Schaub and receiver Andre Johnson. Indianapolis starts the Andrew Luck era after letting Peyton Manning leave for Denver in free agency. Tennessee faces an uphill climb, especially if running back Chris Johnson does not return to form after a down year last season. Jacksonville has hope under new ownership, but if disgruntled running back Maurice Jones-Drew does not carry the team, they could be in contention to go winless this season. Houston will run through this division with ease.
NFC Wild Cards:
Schedules become vitally important when evaluating the wild card possibilities. The NFC South and NFC East play each other this season, while the NFC North plays the weak NFC West. Therefore, the Packers and Lions hold a clear advantage over teams like the Saints and Cowboys due to having essentially three free wins against the Cardinals, Seahawks and Rams, rather than having to play other wild card contenders. Therefore, we foresee the NFC North sending three teams to the playoffs with the Packers and Lions snagging the last two playoff spots respectively.
Conference Championships:
In the NFC, two of the league’s best defenses will square off with Chicago visiting San Francisco. However, the game will come down to the offensive showings from the passing tandem of Cutler and Brandon Marshall and the running back tandem of Matt Forte and Michael Bush outshining San Francisco’s offense and sending the Bears to the Super Bowl. In the AFC, another divisional battle between Baltimore and Pittsburgh will decide the conference champion. Baltimore, thanks to home-field advantage and its new no-huddle offense, will be able to edge the Steelers and head to New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII.
NFC West:
After dominating the division a year ago behind Coach Jim Harbaugh, the 49ers look to make a push for a Super Bowl win with a few key moves, including bringing seventime Pro Bowl receiver Randy Moss out of retirement. The rest of the division is made up of a young Arizona Cardinals team with an unimpressive quarterback duo of John Skelton and Kevin Kolb, a Seattle Seahawks team rolling the dice with rookie quarterback Russell Wilson and a St. Louis Rams team which has been on a downward spiral for the last few seasons. Expect San Francisco to dominate the division, and run away with its second straight NFC West title.
AFC West:
This division, despite being quite balanced, was fairly mediocre last season, allowing the Broncos to win behind the theatrical efforts of former quarterback Tim Tebow. With a much more experienced and talented quarterback in Peyton Manning, the Broncos are looking to take over the division. San Diego seems to be giving Coach Norv Turner one more chance with quarterback Philip Rivers at the helm. The Oakland Raiders are hoping that their high-profile midseason acquisition of Carson Palmer will pay dividends in its first full year, while the Kansas City Chiefs look to bounce back with a healthy Jamaal Charles and a stout defense led by new coach Romeo Crennel. The Manning acquisition will likely put Denver over the top, but as we learned with Tebow last year, anything can happen in this division.
Wild-Card Round:
In the NFC, Detroit will head to Atlanta where the Falcons look to gain their first playoff win in the Matt Ryan era. However, Calvin Johnson will be too much for a weak Falcons secondary, and the Lions will move on. The other NFC wild card game will be a rematch of one of 2011’s biggest games with the Packers heading to New York to face the Giants. Despite another weak regular season, the Giants have usually come together and stepped up in the playoffs. Expect them to do the same this year, hounding Aaron Rodgers with their vaunted pass rush and coming out with a victory. Over in the AFC, the Jets will head to Denver to attempt to slow down Peyton Manning while bringing Tim Tebow back to his former home stadium. However, Manning will show the nation why the Denver front office replaced Tebow by leading the Broncos past the Jets. Finally, Pittsburgh will head to Houston to battle the Texans. The Steelers’ playoff experience will be extremely clutch against a younger Texans team and Pittsburgh will move on to the next round.
NFC South:
In the NFC South, the New Orleans Saints are facing a crisis in their coaching staff due to suspensions from their offseason bounty scandal. The Atlanta Falcons remain ready in the wings to take over after two straight playoff seasons. However, the Carolina Panthers are ready for a breakout year behind sophomore quarterback sensation Cam Newton, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to recover after an awful season with former Rutgers Coach Greg Schiano taking over at the helm. Ultimately, the bounty scandal combined with a tough schedule will plague the Saints, allowing the Falcons to rise up to the top of the division.
AFC North:
This division sent three teams to the playoffs last season in Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Baltimore, coming off of a heartbreaking AFC Championship game loss, will attempt to get to the Super Bowl despite starting the season without star linebacker Terrell Suggs, who is sidelined with an achilles injury. Pittsburgh is starting without running back Rashard Mendenhall but still brings back a stout defense led by safety Troy Polamalu. Cincinnati brings back last year’s rookie tandem of Andy Dalton and A.J. Green along with some defensive upgrades. The fourth team in the division, Cleveland, has gone through a huge overhaul with twenty-eight year old rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden and rookie running back Trent Richardson cracking the starting lineup. Baltimore will win the division but, like last year, expect Pittsburgh and Cincinnati to keep things interesting.
Divisional Round:
In the NFC, Detroit will go to San Francisco in a rematch of coaches Jim Schwartz and Jim Harbaugh, who have become infamous for their postgame feud over Harbaugh’s excessive celebration during their post-game handshake in the teams’ 2011 meeting. Harbaugh will continue his celebrating with a win over Detroit thanks to another strong effort from his vaunted defense. The Giants will visit the Bears in Soldier Field for a trip to the NFC Championship Game. Expect the Bears to win behind a big game from quarterback Jay Cutler behind a raucous home crowd. In the AFC, Pittsburgh heads to Foxboro to take on the Patriots. With a big defensive game from the Steelers veteran group, Pittsburgh will upset New England to head to the AFC Championship game. Denver will head to Baltimore where Manning will try and defeat one of the league’s perennial top defenses. However, the efforts from Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Haloti Ngata will be too much for the older Manning brother, particularly in a loud M&T Bank Stadium.
theTrinitonian SEPT. 14.2012
Sports
21
Trinity on unfortunate losing streak S h u t o u t California trip sends volleyball to 0-7 record by Chloe Pope-Levison Sports Reporter The women’s volleyball team headed to California this past weekend to participate in the Cal Lu Fornia National Invitational, where they finished 0-4. “Overall, I think the team made some great strides in our offensive game, but we need to become more consistent in every part of the game,” said senior middle blocker Jana Tucker in an email. On Friday, Trinity lost their first game 3-1 against Occidental College and their second game 3-0 against Claremont-McKenna College. “We were really excited for that game because we thought
we’d come out and win,” said junior defensive specialist Leslie Green. “We came out so stoked to play and it went to five games, and late in the fifth game, so that was a hard loss. Losing like that is harder than just getting your butts handed to you.” Sophomore outside hitter Layne Hubbard led the Tigers against Occidental, with a double-double, 17 kills, 23 digs and a team-best .310 hitting percentage. Senior libero Meredith Erwin recorded 21 digs in the first game, while sophomore outside hitter Maggie Emodi recorded 17 kills. Sophomore setter Jenny Epperson had 42 assists and 11 digs, sophomore middle blocker Erin Cusenbary had a match-best seven blocks, and Green had 15 digs. Against Claremont, Hubbard had another double-double, Erwin recorded 13 digs and
Epperson recorded 29 more assists. “That game just went by in a flash and I don’t think we were as mentally focused as we had been against Occidental,” Green said. “I think we let our feelings roll over and didn’t do a good job of coming off with a clean slate.” Trinity lost the first game on Saturday 3-2 against LaVerne, despite starting with a 2-1 lead. Emodi hit .269 overall and contributed with 17 digs. Erwin led with 18 digs, while Hubbard recorded another double-double, 15 kills and 15 digs. Epperson recorded 46 assists in the first match and Tucker had a team high 5 blocks. “We have a very talented team, a very balanced team, a very athletic team and there has not been one match where we haven’t been in it,” said head coach Julie Jenkins. “There’s nobody we’ve played that I felt like we couldn’t
have beaten.” Trinity fell to No. 6 Cal Lutheran 3-0 in the final game. Sophomore right side Bridget Bohman led the team with 12 assists, six kills, and seven digs, while Emodi recorded 12 kills and six digs. “That was probably the best team we’ve seen so far,” Green said. “They were really good, but we’re going to get there. This is one of the most talented teams I think I’ve ever played on.” The Tigers return home this weekend to participate in the Trinity National Invitational, facing No. 1 Christopher Newport University, No. 4 Emory University, University of California-Santa Cruz, and Concordia University. “This weekend we’ll be playing just as tough of a schedule,” Jenkins said. “But I’m proud of my team, I love my team and we’re trying as hard as we can to turn things around.”
the University of Alabama (Roll Tide) and Auburn University (War Eagle), both of which are in Alabama. This is important because these schools hate each other. I mean really hate each other. It’s impressive, the amount of hate these schools have for each other. All this hate comes down to one football game a year during the Iron Bowl, in which Alabama plays Auburn. This one football game means everything to each team every year. I mean yeah, they could go undefeated in the season and win a national championship, but none of that stuff matters unless they beat the opposing team in this Iron Bowl. This sounds a bit ridiculous to me. The whole season coming down to one game? Hating another team so much you are willing to commit illegal acts? (This actually happened when an Alabama fan poisoned Auburn’s famous trees after Alabama lost to Auburn in the 2010 Iron Bowl.)
Why is it these two teams get so much enjoyment over hating each other? In Texas, the biggest rivalry is obviously between A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin. Every year the game is on Thanksgiving and is a huge deal to supporters on either side (too bad that game is over), but even these schools don’t hate each other as much as Alabama and Auburn. Most people from A&M and UT can coexist peacefully outside of football, whereas people from Alabama cannot. In class, we decided that a huge reason this rivalry exists is that there isn’t much else to pay attention to in Alabama. These two colleges are pretty much it for big-time football in the state. There is no professional team to root for, either. Here we have the Texans and the other team (yes, that is intentional) and a ton of D1 schools that have big football programs like UT, A&M, Baylor, Rice, Texas Tech, etc. Most
states that have all these teams to pay attention to don’t put as much emphasis on rivalries. In my opinion, we just don’t care as much. I guess I just don’t understand rivalries, and that is probably me being from Texas and not having parents or family members strongly affiliated with a college. I do get that rivalries can be a good thing sometimes. It brings people to show their school spirit and fires up players; and I think its normal for people to dislike the opposing team; I obviously dislike the least important team in Texas, the Cowboys. But it’s when people get crazy that rivalries get stupid. No one should care that much about a sporting event or a team where it alters their thoughts about a person that likes their opposing team, because in the end the Tide doesn’t roll that deep, and the War Eagle is really just an eagle.
Understanding ridiculous rivalries Breakfast of Champions
Lydia Duncombe, Sports Editor Thursday I watched an ESPN 30 for 30 movie called “Roll Tide/War Eagle” in my sport media class. If you’ve never seen a 30 for 30 film, stop reading this and go watch one now. Seriously. Doesn’t have to be the one I’m talking about, just go watch any one of them. They are on Netflix so you have no excuse. They are awesome documentaries about sportrelated things, and before you say anything about most documentaries being relatively boring, I promise you these are anything but boring. Now that I’ve finished my plug for ESPN’s moviemaking qualities, the movie is about the rivalry between
Sports photo of the week
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The weekend proved to be a successful road trip for the beginning of the Tigers’ season. The team led in corner kicks, 120, and shots taken, 17-8. Sunday’s game also marked the third shutout in the first four games. “We really possessed the ball in both games,” Segovia said. “The UT-Tyler game was more of a fast-paced game, but with the UT-Dallas game we actually could put the ball on the floor and possess as a team and move the ball through different layers of positions. We also just have a strong defense and a good goalie and we aren’t going to allow mistakes and errors in the defense.” Moving forward into the season, it seems as though the Tigers will be as fierce of a competitor as they have been in the past several years, and they continue to seek improvement. “I think just fine-tuning our formation is our main focus for the upcoming games,” Garrett said. “Making sure we’re all on the same page as far as staying composed, staying organized, and then making ourselves more dangerous on scoring opportunities.” Improving on these key elements will keep the team on the path towards their goals set from the beginning of the year, including a national championship. “It’s the same goals as ever,” Collie said. “Winning a national championship is first and foremost. We expect to do very well in conference and win conference; but we are taking it game by game. We have some tough games coming up, but we’re really excited and positive about the season, and the girls are only going to improve as the year goes on.” The Tigers host their first game of the season at 7 p.m. tonight against Our Lady of the Lake University.
“If you make every game a life-and-death thing, you’re going to have problems. You’ll be dead a lot.” -Dean Smith, head
photo by Anh-Viet Dinh Junior Darren McAfee dribbles the during the second half of the Trinity vs. University of Texas at Dallas men’s soccer game.
basketball coach at the University of North Carolina from 1961-1997
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Impressive goals shoot the Tigers to victories The men’s soccer team goes 2-0 over weekend by Chloe Pope-Levison Sports Reporter
The Trinity men’s soccer team, currently ranked No. 1 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division III poll, continued their success this weekend at home, going 2-0. “I think we did very well,” said senior goalkeeper Tim Nelin. “Obviously it’s the beginning of the season and there’s room to grow, but coming out with a few wins was definitely a positive result.” On Friday night, the Tigers defeated the University of Texas-Dallas 2-0. After only two minutes and 12 seconds of play, senior defender Denny Mask scored Trinity’s first goal, with an assist by junior midfielder Yuri Ribeiro. In the second half, junior midfielder Darren McAfee scored the other goal for Trinity in the 55th minute, again with an assist from Ribeiro. “I think we played better than they did, but at the same time I still think we can play a lot better,” Ribeiro said. Sophomore goalkeeper Matt Cardone recorded one save in the game to mark his second shutout in three starts. Overall, Trinity’s offense logged 22 in total, while UT-Dallas recorded five shots total. Trinity men dominated Hardin-Simmons University on Saturday night, finishing 4-0. “There were lots of really exciting moments,” said assistant coach Edward Cartee. “There were lots of good things off the ball and with our ball movement that aren’t stats that people get credit for, but it was good team play and I think we’re starting to figure some things out.” The first goal came 33 seconds into the match, after a successful penalty kick from Ribiero. Eight minutes later, first-year midfielder Victor Araujo, who is Trinity’s newest player from Brazil and was just cleared to play this past weekend, shot a goal from 40 yards out to make it 2-0. First-year midfielder Claudio Calistri made his first career goal near the end of the half, and Mask scored the fourth and final goal in the second half, sealing the victory for the Tigers. “In that game, we just came together defensively and for the second straight night kept the other team from scoring,” Nelin said. Cardone contributed two saves in the game before
being relieved by Nelin. After this weekend, the Trinity men are 5-0-0 on the season. “The team has grown and developed,” Ribeiro said. “It’s good to play with the group of people that we have right now because everyone understands our common goal, which is to always win.” Next weekend, Trinity heads to California to face the University of Redlands on Friday and ClaremontMudd-Scripps colleges on Sunday afternoon. The Trinity men currently stand 5-0-0 on the season. “It’s not an easy road trip,” Nelin said. “Both Redlands and Claremont are strong teams, but we feel like we’re coming in with some good momentum, and we’re looking to build off this past weekend. We’ve done well, and now we need to see if we can translate that into a hostile environment and see if we can deal with the conditions on the road.”
photo by Anh-Viet Dinh During the Trinity vs. University of Texas-Dallas men’s soccer game last Friday, senior Nima Naderi swiftly kicks the soccer ball past UTD’s player.
Sports Golf wins tournament The Trinity’s men golf team won the John Bohmann Memorial Invitational in Seguin, Texas for the second straight year on Tuesday. Individually sophomore Kalen Vos placed third while senior Warren Taylor tied for fourth, junior Austin Jung tied for 12th, junior Tyler Lehmann tied for 25th and sophomore Eric Redekker tied for 33rd. The men’s next tournament is the Al Jones Memorial Tournament on Oct. 1 in Tyler, Texas.
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Voices of Trinity athletics, James Hill and Justin Parker The men behind Trinity athletics share their stories by Aly Mithani
Reporter
For this issue of The Trinitonian, we decided to take a look at the voices of Trinity athletics. Have you ever wondered who announces Trinity’s athletic events? Have you ever wondered how Trinity’s statistics and records are kept? We sat down for a Q&A with two Trinity alumni working behind the scenes in the athletic department.
photo by Sarah Cooper James Hill introduces the Hardin-Simmons soccer players as they run onto the field on Saturday.
James Hill, assistant to the director of athletics, Trinity Class of 1976 What all does your position entail? “I do public address for as many Trinity events as I can. I’ve announced all sports at one time or another. This last week, we had our cross-country opener and I was actually the starter and got to shoot a pistol and announce the top finishers. I’ve even announced golf but primarily the sports that I do most are soccer, football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, tennis and track and field.” What brought you back to Trinity? “Being a Trinity graduate. I was a speech and drama major, before they renamed the departments. I wanted to work in radio, but I was also interested in reporting and public radio. I have a long history embedded with Trinity — it’s my home. I worked other positions. I worked with the San Antonio Spurs for years in sales and game day management, and I worked with the now-defunct San Antonio Light newspaper, full-time and part-time. Also, I still do some writing for the San Antonio Express-News, once in awhile, with the Trinity schedule permitting. I was delighted to come back.” What do you enjoy most about your work? “I really enjoy announcing because I am so proud of the student athletes here. They work hard. They are very nice and they are very appreciative, and the coaches are too and our administrative staff. It’s very fun for me. There are long days but it is worth it because I am working to promote our student athletes and expose them to the broader community.”
Justin Parker captures the soccer game on Saturday via video.
photo by Sarah Cooper Justin Parker captures the soccer game on Saturday against Hardin-Simmons via video.
Justin Parker, assistant athletic director and sports information director, Trinity Class of 1999 What all does your position entail? “The easiest way to describe it is public relations for the athletic department. My wife says that I watch sports for a living, which I don’t like to argue with. I keep up with maintenance and running of the Trinity athletics website, keep statistics for all the sports, record keeping, media relations, some of the social media for the entire department. I deal a lot with photography. I schedule photographers and handle their budget and also handle recruiting brochures and webcasting events.” How did you get involved in sports information while you were at Trinity? “I was in my senior year and into the first part of my fifth year and like any senior, I’m looking for what I want to do with my life, what job I want to look at, maybe a graduate degree. I had been doing student work in sports information for
about a year and a half and I really enjoyed it. So, when I heard the sports information director was leaving, the first thing I did was ask him, “What else do you do besides what I help you with?” It sounded fun to me. I could be a part of sports. I’ve always been a sports fan growing up, played sports in high school, so it was a unique way to stay involved in sports and do something I really enjoyed.” What has kept you at the school for the last decade? “I think I’ve just been happy as soon as I got into it. You always think, wouldn’t you want to go to a Division I or Division II, maybe do a similar job at UT or A&M or do something with the Spurs or anything else locally? But I’ve always been happiest here and can’t imagine leaving for a similar job just because I went to Trinity. My heart is with Trinity and part of the reason why it’s so enjoyable is because we’ve been able to have such a high amount of success. It’s a lot easier to write about teams who are successful than teams who are not.”
Sports Victory Bell back for another year by Lydia Duncombe compiled by Joe O’Connell
The Victory Bell returns for another year to ring in Trinity sport accomplishments. Under the first Association of Student Representatives president Mark Montalbano, the bell first came to Trinity in the summer of 1995. The bell was originally made in 1869, the same year as Trinity’s founding. It was located in Pennsylvania by Montalbano, student affairs assistant vice president Thurman Adkins and Physical Plant director John Greene. The bell fell silent for a while when interest was lost, but recently Greek organizations have taken responsibility of ringing it at sporting events.
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