The Bells - Volume 162, Issue 8 - January 24, 2018

Page 1

Sports// Page 4

Entertainment// Page 6

Special Focus// Page 6

Cross Country returns after 17 years

Local couple met at UMHB 30 years ago

Relive Cru fooball’s best 2017 season moments

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Volume 162, Issue 8

Trump’s presidency reaches one year

UMHB previews Forever My Girl

By Sarah Ifft Opinions Editor

By Sophia Vierya Contributing Writer A pre-screening of the film Forever My Girl was brought to UMHB before it debuted in theaters by alumna Andi Hale, who helped promote the film. Hale graduated in 2015 with a double major in mass communications and public relations with a marketing minor. She now works for Kyro Center Entertainment, a marketing company in Nashville, Tennessee. Hale’s company has been touring different college campuses across the United States,with UMHB as the last stop. Kyro Center Entertainment made a list of colleges they have worked with in the past. UMHB made the list because of the Red Bus Project that came to the university in 2015. The Red Bus Project is a nonprofit organization in the form of a mobile thrift store. Hale previously interned with the Red Bus Project before moving on with Kyro Centers Entertainment. Sometime back in December, Hale reached out to Tiffany Wurdemann, the director of Student Organizations, to present the project to the student body. Wurdemann expressed how fond she was of Hale, because she was one of the first students Wurdemann met when beginning her career at UMHB. Wurdemann called together resident directors and advisors for thoughts on this opportunity. Because the movie would be aired Friday, January 19, there was question whether it was too soon since the students recently came back from break. Wurdemann thought maybe the romance aspect would be perfect for a Valentine’s Day event, but Hale was very adamant about showing it before the movie hit theatres. In approaching this, Wurdemenn wanted to know the “why” in showing the film. She thought the story of the film was something the student body could benefit from. See Movie, page 3

The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. Hebrews 13:6

Life beyond a diagnosis

Photo by Madeline Oden/The Bells

UMHB student in remission of leukemia, adjusts to life after regimen of treatments Photo by Shelly Andersen Top photo: Sophomore business major Corey Andersen and sophomore public relations Rachael Hopson, foreground left and right, cut bread as they prepare a weekly meal they have with friends in Rachael’s apartment on campus, Friday, January 19. Friend Katelyn Keeling (senior Christian studies and psychology) looks on in the background. Bottom right: Rachael Hopson and Corey Andersen at her high school graduation from Humble Christian School in 2015. See more photos at The Bells: Online.

By Rachael Hopson Contributing Writer As a 20-year-old sophomore business management major here at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, my boyfriend Corey Andersen lives a reasonably normal life. Many would never imagine him as a leukemia survivor, but that is a part of his reality. At eighteen years old, he had just graduated from high school and was looking forward to spending the day at Six Flags with our youth group. Unfortunately, his plans were interrupted the night before when an excruci-

ating pain in his hip had been enough to send him to the hospital. He slept in the hospital bed hoping to pass the time before he was released so he could rejoin the group. He awoke from a nap worried only because he was missing out on the roller coasters, but something else was wrong; his parents’ eyes were puffy and bloodshot. The doctor entered the room and Corey soon realized he wouldn’t be riding any roller coasters that day. The doctor had seen a similar case before – a child brought in with excruciating hip pain and some

similar blood test results. But, he couldn’t be sure. The doctor recommended taking him to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for an official diagnosis. That wasn’t how Corey, or any of us, had hoped the week would go – who would? Corey and I had spent the week at church camp with our youth group. It was a special trip since our anniversary was that week. Friday, July 24, 2015 was supposed to be our roller coaster day, our anniversary of two years dating. Instead of spending the day riding roller coasters with him, I was left at the park with the rest of the

group not knowing what was going on or why he hadn’t been released yet. Our youth pastor, Kirk Godkin, was the one who finally gave me the news. I sat under the shadow of a roller coaster and sobbed. What a terrible way to spend our anniversary. Eventually, Corey’s sister Caitlyn, and I went to the hospital in Longview, Texas – the one that Corey had been taken to from camp the night before. From there, his family and I headed to Houston. Thankfully MD Anderson was only 20 minutes from our hometown of Humble. See Survivor, page 3

Cheerleaders compete in national contest

Photo by Madeline Oden/The Bells Sydney Enos at the cheer showcase with her team before the Univeral Cheerleaders Association National Competition in Orlando, Florida on January 12-18. See more photos at The Bells: Online.

By Madeline Oden Assistant Editor The Crusader cheerleading team has returned from their competition in Orlando, Florida from January 12-18 to sup-

port our basketball and sports teams for the rest of this year. The cheer team came away with 8th place, out of fourteen other contestants in their division. While the team has previ-

ously gone to the National Cheerleading Association (NCA) competitions, this is the first year the team has gome to the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) Nationals competition in Or-

lando, Florida. This is also the first year they went to nationals with new head coach Amanda Wrinkler. This will be the fourth year the cheerleading team has gone to nationals since the team ended their fifteen-year hiatus in 2014. The team took a break from competing last year due to a change in coaches. The team is composed of 19 students, all of which competed in Orlando. The routine was choreographed by Wrinkler and a friend from Oklahoma who teaches varsity cheer. First, they made the skeleton of the routine based on the score sheet and then added on from there after watching the girls’ skillsets throughout the year. Prior to heading to Orlando, the Cru cheerleading team held a showcase event at the Mayborn Campus Center on Thursday, January 11, to show students, faculty and family members the routine they would perform in Orlando. See Cheer, page 3

The U.S. government was back in business Tuesday morning, but on the oneyear anniversary of Donald Trump’s presidency, Saturday January 20, the government was shut down for three days. However, even before the President’s first year began, he had prePresident sented a 100- Donald J. day plan to Trump fulfill his policies. The question is: has he lived up to the expectations he set forth for himself? According to PolitiFact, 46.5% of his promises are in the works while 31.7% have been stalled. While 8.9% of his promises were kept, 5.9% were compromised, and 6.9% were broken. The same source also says that his top five promises are “repealing Obamacare, building a wall and making Mexico pay for it, suspending immigration from terror-prone places, cutting taxes for everyone, and lowering the business tax rate” (PolitiFact). President Trump’s the tax package will go into effect in 2019, but his plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act are still in the works, but The plan will “repeal the penalty on people who might be able to afford health insurance but choose not to buy it” (PolitiFact). President Trump lived up to his plan to increase immigration security, although the wall has not been constructed yet. According to BBC, deportations have decreased on the border since President Trump has taken office. That being said, prototypes of the wall are underway. Many people disagree with the idea of a wall being built on the border of the United States and Mexico. Beau Kemp, a sophomore mass communications major, voices his opinion on the issue. “Instead of focusing on building a wall and possibly starting a war with Mexico (because he says Mexico is going to pay for it, but they already said they’re not going to pay for anything), he should be focusing on the groups that are dangerous to America such as North Korea, ISIS and White Supremacists,” Kemp said. In conjunction with his immigration stances, President Trump also received a lot of backlash for stating in September of 2017 that he was going to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). See Year, page 3


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Wednesday, January 24, 2018

The Bells

Opinions

Presidential criteria may be forever changed By Peter Zuniga Contributing Writer

What will presidency mean in 2020? Something has shifted in the political climate, and perspectives are starting to radically alter. The 2016 presidential election produced a president, Donald Trump, with no political experience, which was perceived as one of his strong points. He was an outsider. USA Today called him an “antiestablishment outsider.” At least a large portion of Americans today do not consider political experience to be the most important factor in deciding which candidate to vote for. Recent events only confirm that. On Jan 7, Oprah Winfrey, the famous TV show host, philanthropist and entrepreneur delivered

an emotionally charged and resonate speech at the Golden Globes. She had just won the Cecil B. deMille award, which is given to those who have had a major impact and influence on the entertainment world. She was the first African-American woman to ever receive this award, so her acceptance speech rang forth with “a new day is on the horizon!” This refers to a recognized, new age of equality and respect among men and women. This speech headlined everywhere overnight, with the question being asked: could Oprah Winfrey be president? The hashtag titled as “Oprah2020” skyrocketed on Twitter, with even NBC posting a tweet in favor of a potential Oprah presidential run. A multitude of various media outlets approved the idea, and even a few talk show hosts, such as Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel, did the same. This is despite Oprah Winfrey having

any political experience. However, with the current president also lacking that experience, that might not be of much weight against her in a campaign. While

functioning as a President and has been capable of the work. This is all despite a lack of experience. While Oprah has since refuted any ideas of actu-

W Magazine Oprah Winfrey gave a passionate speech about equality and injustice after winning the Cecil B. deMille award. Many have considered the possibility of an Oprah presidency for 2020.

President Trump’s current approval rating may be at 36 percent (Gallup News), his supporters feel he is

ally running, this desire for outsiders to fill in U.S. politics is catching on. Numerous celebrities,

“Got Milk?” was a popular ad campaign launched in 1993 and discontinued in 2014 by the California Milk Education Processor Board. It had celebrities, professional athletes and even fictional characters sporting milk mustaches and encouraging the American public to drink more milk. But in recent years, many sources are saying that milk isn’t as healthy as everyone thought. So, are there any benefits of milking milk? Growing up, my family of five (but mostly me) would consume multiple gallons of milk a week. Milk was the only drink option during dinner. We were told to drink, so we’d have strong bones. True story: I’ve never broken a bone. I’m chalking it up to all the milk I’ve had. According to medicalnewstoday.com, one cup (244gram) of whole milk contains

276 mg of calcium, which not only helps maintain strong bones, but also helps maintain normal blood pressure and is a key component in blood clotting and wound healing. The National Institute of Health recommends that adults get 1,000 mg of calcium per day. Milk also contains several B vitamins, such as vitamin B 12, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and niacin (National Diary Council). Theses vitamins help break down food into fuel. One-cup of milk also provides about 16% of the Daily Intake of protein, which builds and repairs muscle tissue. In a Nov. 22, 2016 article published in the Journal of Food and Nutrition titled “Milk and Dairy Products: Good or Bad for Human Health? An Assessment of the Totality of Scientific Evidence,” Dr. Tanga Kongerslev Thorning stated that recent evidence points to milk intake reducing childhood obesity. Milk and dairy intake seems to reduce risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. While milk has several

tial candidates than ever before. It could be a general anti-establishment spirit, or a lack of appreciation for the knowledge and experience many politicians have worked years to attain. Anti-establishment differs from the latter in that it is based in distrust. With the current president having had no law school or steady political position under his belt, it begs the question: “Why pursue any political training or experience before running for office?” The cultural meaning of presidency has already changed. It is no longer just the highest level of political office in the country. It’s not just being a politician. While education and experience may certainly benefit a person in office, it counts for more now that a candidate display themselves in a bold, different and charismatic fashion. That’s always been a factor, but it seems to be the biggest factor now.

Living in London- Week 1

Got Milk? The pros and cons of drinking milk By Lauren Lum Editor-InChief

actors and music artists have considered their own presidential campaigns for 2020, including Kanye West, Dwayne Johnson, Chris Rock and even Katy Perry. Much of this activity among the celebrity world can be attributed to the wide range of diversity that has hit U.S. politics in the past fifteen years. From Barack Obama becoming the first African-American U.S. president to Bernie Sanders’ Democratic Socialism, to Hillary Clinton being the first woman to be the democratic nominee for presidency, to President Donald Trump today. In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2016, Dwayne Johnson responded over whether he might enter the political ring, saying, “It would be a great opportunity to help people, so it’s possible. This past election shows that anything can happen.” By the year 2020, the U.S. may be seeing a more diverse cast of presiden-

benefits, I found almost just as many articles giving reasons why we should lose the milk mustaches. According to medicalnewstoday.com, high calcium intake has been associated with ovarian cancer in women as well as prostate cancer in men. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests increased intake of milk could lead to acne flare-ups. In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in lactose intolerance, which means that our bodies can’t fully digest the lactose or sugar found in milk. After weighing the evidence, I believe that too much of a good thing isn’t a good thing. Milk has many benefits, and for those who can drink milk, I don’t think there’s anything wrong in continuing to drink milk - as long as people stay within the recommended limits. I believe that it’s important to weigh the pros and cons and decide what is best for your body. There are also many milk alternatives such as soy milk, rice milk, and almond milk. Cow’s milk isn’t always the best option for everyone.

By Tori Van Hooser London Correspondent There are so many things that I never thought about in preparing to live in London for three months. Cell phone usage, power converters and which credit cards work internationally were all new thoughts to me. Here I was debating between which sweaters to take and whether to bring a swimsuit, while my financial security and ability to talk to my family were at stake. Luckily I have family members who are brighter than I am, and have prepared me more than I could on my own. For Christmas I received a converter, two guide books to London, sweaters, long johns, an identity-theft protection purse and more advice than I could ever want. In my other out-of-country experiences, I simply converted whatever money I had at the airport to the local tender or hoped that the vendors accepted american money.

I learned that airports have some of the highest exchange rates (will cost more), and that local banks is the best place to withdraw money (with a better exchange rate). As far as phones go, extended international service is expensive. If I don’t want to pay a $600 roaming charge every month, a local phone or SIM card with a pay-as-yougo plan is easily the cheapest option. Most health insurance plans, including mine, are domestic plans. Meaning, they do not cover illness and injury in other countries. Luckily, London isn’t a third world country and has pharmacies for mild sicknesses and hospitals for more serious ones. At this point, I’m just hoping I don’t have to use either. Another complication involved in my specific study abroad experience is that I’m dating someone who lives in Temple. That means that we’ll be doing long distance for three months. Although he’s coming across the pond to see me in February, there will still be long stretches of time where we don’t see each other. All I can say about it is that I am grateful for modern

Graphic by Arian Recio Milk is a nutritional source of protein and helps contribute to strong bones. However, drinking too much can lead to problems, so it’s important to drink milk in moderation.

technology, so I can still see him even from miles away. I’ve been here for five days, and still getting lost on the way to the corner store. I live in a flat in central London with 11 other Texas women, and so far, the biggest issue has been finding bathroom counter space in the mornings. I knew I wouldn’t be driving in London so I didn’t think that the opposite flow of traffic would be an issue, but I find myself looking the wrong way trying to cross the street every time I come to an intersection. The professors accompanying our group have exhausted us well. I can confidently say I’m sleeping in the right time zone now. There is park after park and sight after sight to see, and people are everywhere, at all hours of the day. The underground tube system is another language that we are all slowly learning, and English in the U.K. is definitely different than English spoken in America. However, this group has sustained each other and grown closer as a result, and I’m constantly in awe of the old and beautiful place I call home.

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The Bells University of Mary Hardin-Baylor - Publisher Dr. Randy O’Rear - President Dr. Rebecca McEntee - Adviser Leadership Team Lauren Lum- Editor-In-Chief Madeline Oden- Assistant Editor Geri Wissink - Sports Editor Katrina Wordell - Contributing Writer Peter Zuniga - Contributing Writer

Sarah Ifft - Opinions Editor Jasmin Ortiz - Entertainment Editor Tori Van Hooser - London Correspondent Sophia Vieyra - Contributing Writer

The Bells newspaper is a biweekly publication, owned and published by UMHB. Editorials express the opinion of the author; opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the adviser, staff and/or the university. Feedback from various points of view is encouraged. Letters to the editor must include the author’s name, email address and phone number. The Bells reserves the right to edit grammar, punctuation, length and relevance. The Bells mission is to represent the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor community through print and electronic media. The Bells strives to serve the campus and community through reporting fair, accurate and relevant news. The Bells adheres to the standards, policies and procedures established by UMHB. Email: thebells.umhb@gmail.com

Campus Phone: 4598


The Bells

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Campus News

Year: Students share mixed opinions of Trump’s policies and actions

Photo by Madeline Oden/ The Bells Corey Andersen hands a bowl of homemade banana pudding to friends at their weekly dinner on campus Friday night, January 19. L-R on the sofa are: Milana Vuckovic (graphic design and art education sophomore), Ryley Cox (education sophomore) and Katelyn Keeling (senior Christian studies and psychology.

Survivor: Remains positive during treatments Continued from pg. 1 Going home felt good, but knowing his diagnosis would be made official there made the city seem strange and almost foreign. The next week was lengthy and arduous, but eventually we had an official diagnosis, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Corey’s incredible doctor, Dr. Naveen Pemmaraju, quickly educated us about this type of cancer and how a new treatment, Hyper-CVAD, had shown incredible success rates. With this three-year treatment Corey had a 90% chance of winning, as opposed to the previous treatment which he said only gave patients a 10% chance of survival. Even though the prognosis was good, Hyper-CVAD is not an easy treatment regimen. Corey would be facing six months of intense chemotherapy followed by about two and a half years of what is considered “maintenance” chemotherapy, which is somewhat easier than the first six months. The next three years were going to be difficult and would involve many IVs, PICC lines, bone marrow aspirations, lumbar punctures, nausea and losing his hair a total of three times. To many, this sudden diagnosis seemed unusual, especially coming from common hip pain. According to Professor Heise, “There are certain bones in the body that produce your blood cells, and one of the areas is the hips… and so usually with children when they get leukemia, the first symptom they will get is bone pain. And the fact that he got it in the hip is because that’s one of the main centers where the body produces blood cells.” Looking back Corey now can see a few symptoms that had slowly crept into his life before the pain. “Two months before my diagnosis, I went hiking with my cousins at my great grandparent’s house in Leakey, Texas, a place that I’ve hiked many times growing up. About half-way up the mountain I got extremely tired and didn’t think I could go much longer. This was weird because it’s usually not very hard to hike. But I brushed it off and thought that I had just gotten out of shape, or had been eating too much fast food. I eventually made it to the top, but I really felt like I was going to die once I got there.” After his diagnosis, we soon learned that fatigue was a major sign of his cancer. This could have just been a tragedy for Corey, but instead it solidified his faith in God. In fact, his reaction to the diagnosis was unimaginable to me and those around us. While his loved ones were crying and trying to find ways to fix the situation, he was the

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one holding everyone together and promising that everything would be alright. “I just trusted in God and believed that everything happens for a reason,” Corey said. “There was a problem that needed to be fixed, and being sad about it wasn’t going to fix anything.” Corey’s situation may not have been a rare one, but his attitude definitely was. His family and friends speak well of his character, both during and after his diagnosis. “He was so positive through the whole thing. He always had a smile on his face which made it a lot easier for us,” his younger sister, Caitlyn Andersen, said. His best friend of 10 years, Adam Carreon was also impressed by his attitude. “Even though it was one of the best

Photo by Rachael Hopson Corey and Rachael at Fogo de Chao in Houston for their fourth anniversary of dating.

cancers to deal with, it is not easy. It surprised me how strong he was. He lived out one of my biggest fears and I don’t think I could’ve done that. He took it like a champ and I’m so proud. He found the humor in it all.” While Corey’s attitude was natural for him, he feels that the support he received made it even easier for him. He said, “I liked how Adam treated me like normal and not like I was sick.” In fact, Adam floored a couple of doctors with his premature jokes about Corey’s situation, which always left Corey laughing and smiling. “He made it easy for me to stay positive about the situation” said Corey. After taking a year off of college for his treatment, he then started college at a local community college in Houston in the fall of 2016. After a year there, he decided to transfer here to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and has just completed his first semester

here. He is now studying Business Management and hopes to one day use it in the real-estate industry. We both love the idea of flipping houses and would love to do something like Chip and Joanna Gaines. Although Corey is in remission now, he still drives back to Houston once a month for his maintenance chemotherapy. He has a busy life because of this, but he still makes time for the things he loves like longboarding, ping-pong, and especially his friends. Tori Penn, a friend of Corey and sophomore sports management major at UMHB said “My car battery needed changing, and it was really cold and rainy outside, and I️ didn’t know what to do, thankfully Corey was able to come save the day and change it for me.” Katie Weidman, a sophomore social work major here at UMHB said, “Corey always has his apartment open to his friends, especially to play pingpong with him!” While he has been through a lot, he has definitely kept his sense of humor. His punny “dad jokes”, or as we like to call them, “Corey jokes”, are his main form of entertainment. Milana Vuckovic, a sophomore graphic design major here at the university especially loves his jokes, “Corey always makes me laugh. He is clever and quick-witted,” Vuckovic said. For me, being close to Corey as he deals with this process has been so eye –opening not only because I never imagined having to go through this with him, but also because it taught me so much about his character that I otherwise never would have seen. The last two and a half years haven’t been easy by any means, but we’ve grown so close because of this, and my relationship with God has been stretched in so many ways. I am so excited that his last treatment is planned for June of this year. You can bet we’ll be celebrating that. Since Corey is now in remission and cancer-free, he is so looking forward to the day that he doesn’t have to make these monthly hospital trips. He is excited to have his life back. One phrase that keeps Corey going, and has helped him through everything is “Everything happens for a reason.” He has always said this whenever something didn’t go as planned, in my life or his, and I think it perfectly summarizes his character and his perspective during this challenging time. While Corey isn’t one to bring up his cancer, he loves sharing his story with people, so if you see him on campus be sure to ask him about it!

Contiued from pg. 1 According to USA Today, “there are 3.6 million DREAMers” (Alan Gomez, USA TODAY). “His domestic policy focus should be on immigration reform, namely addressing the illegal immigrants that fall under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act),” Terrell Scriber, a senior history and political science major, said. “He should also continue to focus on border security, but in a way that won’t involve tax payers spending billions of dollars on a wall that may not even work as well as his administration believes.” President Trump has also been an active proponent of limiting immigration from countries dealing with terrorism. According to PolitiFact, President Trump has gone on the record saying “and if people don’t like it, we’ve got to have a country folks. Got to have a country. Countries in which immigration will be suspended would include places like Syria and Libya. And we are going to stop the tens of thousands of people coming in from Syria.” Regarding tax cuts, President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on December 22, 2017. This act will “cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent beginning in 2018” and in addition, “the top individual tax rate will drop to 37 percent” (Kimberly Amadeo, thebalance). His plan to reduce the business tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent was met at a compromise. On Dec. 19 and 20, the bill reached its way to the Senate and the House,

where the government reduced the rate to 21 percent (PolitiFact). Regarding the shutdown of the government this last week, President Trump said, “Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess!” (Independent) How has his approval rating faired against previous Presidents? According to a Gallup poll, President Trump was placed at a 39% approval rating between the dates Dec. 25-31, 2017. Other Presidents include Bill Clinton (54% from Jan. 15-17, 1994), George W. Bush (83% from Jan. 11-14, 2002), and Barack Obama (50% from Jan. 11-17, 2010). Many have pointed to President Trump’s rash behavior and unwillingness to listen to others as a reason for his low approval rating. A greatest strength, and perhaps a greatest weakness of his, is his use of Twitter. “I think Trump knows how to speak to his voting block very well” Santiago Palomino, a freshman music education major, said. “He also knows how to use social media like no other President. The usage of social media is also a weakness of his. He says things that are often inappropriate and controversial as the President of the United States and I’m afraid that it will isolate us from the rest of the world. He has steadily dropped to being the most unpopular president in modern history. Not an opinion, but a fact.”

“President Trump’s strengths are his confidence and ‘no nonsense’ attitude” Scriber said. “Those are also his weaknesses. Some of his other weaknesses deal with his lack of knowledge in government, and his unwillingness to change his mind-set in order to compromise.” Some students have suggested ways in which President Trump’s leadership could improve. “He needs to think before he talks, or should I say tweet,” Kemp said. “He doesn’t care what people think about what he says, but he should because he’s the President. His approval dictates whether he has a job or not.” “The President can improve his appearance and approval ratings by restraining himself from tweeting, attacking the media, and by researching topics before he speaks to the public,” Scriber said. “He should also widen his nationalist views by allowing America to continue to be involved and lead all things regarding international affairs such as UN policies, WTO policies, and international conflict.” “I think he has a great potential to unify the country if he works on staying off of Twitter, staying out of golf courses, and watching the language he uses,” Palomino said. “The U.S. presidency is the most influential position in the world. If he would attempt to reach down the aisle and lead by example, I find that his presidency could be functional. Because, at the end of the day, he has everything he needs to get all his policies and goals achieved. So, he can either keep fueling the civil war in the Republican Party or try to fix the broken piece of it.”

Cheer: Team performs at showcase

Photo by Madeline Oden/ The Bells Cheerleader Keistin Ellison flips and is seccessfully caught by her teammates at the cheer showcase before the Univeral Cheerleaders Association National Competition in Orlando, Florida.

Continued from pg. 1 Wrinkler said she decided to hold the showcase because she wanted to give them a chance to be in front of their peers and their community before they arrived because they wouldn’t get much support in person while there. Wrinkler said that a few parents would be going to Florida, but not many had the chance to and this event

would provide an opportunity for families who can’t go. “It has turned out to be a really cool opportunity for everyone to see the routine before we go,” Wrinkler said on the night of the showcase. Sidney Locke is a freshman vocal performance major who attended the performance. “I thought the routine was great,” Locke said. “You could tell the practice… re-

ally paid off because they did a good job.” Another student who attended the showcase was graduate exercise phycology major Justis Kelly. “I thought routine was good and you could tell how hard they worked and how hard they were practicing.” Kelly said. Though they did not win championship, they are champions in the hearts of the UMHB campus.

Movie: Focuses on different aspects of relationships

Photo by Sophia Vierya/ The Bells Alumna Andi Hale promotes the prescreening of Forever My Girl in the Bawcom Student Union

Continued from pg. 1 Forever My Girl is a romance/drama film directed by Bethany Wolf, produced by Railroad Attractions. It is a story about a young father who seeks redemption and forgiveness from the loved ones he left behind. He is called back to the little town after a close friend’s death. He soon discovers he has a young daughter with the woman he left at the altar eight years ago. Hale stressed that this particular movie is one produc-

ers are really wanting to get out to college students. The film shows different aspects of relationships and the value a person places on different areas of life. Hale flew down from Tennessee to be here in Texas on January 18 to promote the screening when she and Wurdemann brainstormed areas to set up a table to invite students and ideal venues for the movie. They decided on setting up a table on the first floor of Bawcom Student Union.

The logistics part came easily. Andi provided the posters, surveys, and film. Wurdemann simply had to provide the space along with props and accessories. Thursday morning, Hale sat at the table talking and encouraging students to attend the event. She worked from the early morning to the early afternoon before running off to order pizza. UMHB also provided pizza to all the students who came to watch the film. A line started forming an

hour before the event even started. Tiffany and Andi were more than thrilled with the turn out. Not many schools can say they have been offered such an opportunity like this one. Overall, she felt that the screening had a great outcome. Wurdemann said she heard a student voice that they would pay to see the movie again. “We wanted it to create conversation, and I think we achieved just that : a positive response.”


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Wednesday, January 24, 2018

The Bells

Sports

Men and women’s basketball in pursuit of conference championship By Jasmin Ortiz Entertainment Editor

eryone’s success and we push each other to better the team. We’re really excited to be at They shoot, they score - home for the next few games.” both women and men’s basThe team is looking forketball teams are doing well ward to the rest of the season, thus far into their season. and will continue to fight to Fighting with true Crusader be the best they can be to win spirit, the players each have been and the Conference this year. playing to the best of their abilities “The season so far has been while still growing closer as a team. great. We are having a lot of suc“I am very blessed to be with cess this year because we are playsuch a great team,” sophomore ing as a team and working hard,” business marketsophomore biology preing major, Hanmed major, Alicia nah Holt, said. Blackwell, said. “We “I have grown are focused on winas a person on and ning the conference off the court, and this year and everyone this season has for has a role that they prosure been a great vide to the team. Plus one. We have been it’s fun. The group of through some tough girls we have this year times together, makes this season that Kelsey VanPelt but if it wasn’t for much greater as well.” Sophomore Guard The men’s basketPhotos courtesy of Andrew Zavoina those times, we ball team is also doing Cru Men and Women’s basketball battle Concordia University (Texas) on Saturday, Jan. 20. Left: Brian wouldn’t be as Long Guards the ball from the opising team. Right Mehan Turner directs teamates during a play. close of a team as well, with 13-5 overall we are. I feel like a family with wins, as well as 6-4 conference wins. them, and I’m so blessed to be Winning their last game triuma part of it. I’ve always told my- phantly 101-60, the team prospers self as a player that for with God under the pressure of competition. nothing shall be impossible (Luke Winning both of the Cru Holiday Thursday, Jan. 25 vs. Howard Payne University Thursday, Jan. 25 vs. Howard Payne University 1:37), and I’m so grateful for this Classic games against Millsaps Belton, TX at 5:30 p.m. Belton, TX at 7:30 p.m. season and to be able to play ball.” College and Milwaukee School Saturday, Jan. 27 vs. Sul Ross State University Saturday, Jan. 27 vs. Sul Ross State University The women’s team is ahead of Engineering, the team has Belton, TX at 2 p.m. Belton, TX at 4 p.m. with 14-3 overall wins, as well as been successful in their pursuit Thursday, Feb. 1 vs. McMurry University Thursday, Feb. 1 vs. McMurry University 8-2 conference wins. Though their for winning conference this year. Belton, TX at 5:30 p.m. Belton, TX at 7:30 p.m. most recent game against McMurry The teams have each respecSaturday, Feb. 3 vs. Hardin-Simmons University Saturday, Feb. 3 vs. Hardin-Simmons University University was a loss, they still held tively been working hard to win Belton, TX at 2 p.m. Belton, TX at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10 vs. Concordia University (Texas) strong with a final score of 63-68. and grow closer together, while Saturday, Feb. 10 vs. Concordia University (Texas) “We put a lot of time in practice striving hard to represent the uni Austin, TX at 2 p.m. Austin, TX at 4 p.m. and we’re continuing to get better versity in the best possible way. Thursday, Feb. 15 vs. Sul Ross State University Thursday, Feb. 15 vs. Sul Ross State University every day,” sophomore pre-physical Make sure to make it out Alpine, TX at 5:30 p.m. Alpine, TX at 7:30 p.m. therapy major, Kelsey VanPelt, said. to a game and support your Saturday, Feb. 17 vs. Howard Payne University Saturday, Feb. 17 vs. Howard Payne University “One person’s success is ev- fellow UMHB Crusaders. Brownwood, TX at 2 p.m. Brownwood, TX at 4 p.m.

“One person’s

success is everyone’s success and we push each other to better the team.”

Men’s

Basketball Schedules

Women’s

UMHB revives cross country teams for Fall 2018 By Lauren Lum Editor-In-chief New head coach Alex Aldaco is restarting the Crusader men and women’s cross country teams after 17 years. He’s already begun recruiting for the fall 2018 season. Vice-President Randy Mann announced Aldaco’s appointment on December 18, 2017, saying that he is looking forward to expanding UMHB’s athletic department with a newly designed program. “We look forward to building a competitive program and I think that hiring Alex Aldaco gives us a great head start in that direction. He has a proven track record for building successful programs and I am happy to add him to our coaching staff,” Mann said in a December 2017 press release.

Before coming to UMHB, Aldaco coached Concordia University in Austin for 14 seasons. He started the program from scratch in 2001, and led Concordia to the American Southwest Conference Championship in 2012. He was a 4-year letterer in cross country at Texas Tech, and he also founded the website, TXrunning.com. Aldaco hopes to have 10 men and 10 women running in the first season. In cross country, the women’s will be running 5Ks, or 3.1 miles, until they reach conference meets, where they will run 6Ks, or 3.75 miles. The men will run an 8K or 6 miles. “Starting a program from scratch is always interesting,” Aldaco said. “I know they have a lot of great sports here. I’m trying to build the

cross country team program up, just like any other fall or spring sport here.” Some students have already contacted Aldaco about being on the first UMHB cross country team since 2001. “They’re excited to have cross country here too, so it should be fun.” Aldaco hopes to instill the love of running into his athletes, and hopes that they will continue running after graduation. “My vision is to have a great program, and to me, a great program is when kids run 4 years here, they enjoy running, and when they graduate, they will still enjoy running.” If you are interested in running on the fall 2018 cross Photo by Lauren Lum/ The Bells country team, contact Alex Aldaco at aaldaco@umhb. Head Coach Alex Aldaco looks forward to the addition of the men and women’s edu. cross country teams in Fall 2018.

Women’s basketball coach leading Cru to victory By Geri Wissink Sports Editor

Women’s head basketball coach Mark Morefield is currently in his third season here at UMHB and has already proved to have made a powerful impact on the Cru. Last season, he led the women’s team to the ASC Tournament and is currently leading the team to another impressive season. While Coach Morefield has coached at virtually every level in his 18 years of coaching, he has found a home here at UMHB that is unlike anywhere else. “I coached 13 years in Division 1 on the men’s side,” he said. “Five of those years were at Valparaiso University, then eight years at Baylor University. I also coached one season with the Dallas Mavericks’ developmental league up in FrisPhoto courtesy of UMHB sports information co and one year as a high Head Coach Mark Morefield watches the women’s basketball school coach up in Waco. Having said that, I’ve team in a Cru home game at Mayborn Campus Center. been fortunate to coach

at three private universities and I have found that it is much different in that everyone is just a family. You as a coach get to help young adults become stronger, better people, and prepare them for the real world. But here, you also get to help them grow in their faith as well. We also have great support from the administration and the other faculty and staff. It really is just a family atmosphere.” Through his experiences, Morefield has gained a knowledge and skill set that has impacted his players beyond just the game. Coaching has become a way for him to impact others’ lives, both on and off the court and off. “Basketball has helped me from a personal standpoint, just to be able to grow and helping young adults become better, whether it’s on the court or in their own lives,” Morefield said. “I have been able to help them understand life lessons just through my

experiences of being married and raising a family. Getting to help, shape, and mold them from young adults to productive members of society is one of my favorite parts about being a coach.” While this is only his third season as a coach at UMHB, Morefield believes that there is something special about this year’s team that makes them stand out from all the rest. “This team is the first year that we’ve had most of our own recruits,” he said. “We have two returning seniors, Meghan Turner and Haven Neal that were recruited from the previous coaching staff. So this is the first season where we’ve fully had our own recruits. In my first two seasons here, it was more upperclassmen oriented. We are a little bit more of a younger team, most of the team consists of freshman and sophomores, so that’s something a little bit more unusual. However,

this new team is definitely bought in to what we want to accomplish and what we want to build.” Morefield has led the women’s basketball team to an impressive 15-3 record so far this season, but he has much higher hopes as to what he believes the team can achieve this season. “The girls’ hard work and dedication in pushing themselves to become better players has definitely contributed to the success we’ve had this season,” Morefield said. “They have also embraced the family mindset and that is crucial in building our program. Our goal is to win our division and win the conference championship to make it to the NCAA tournament. For now, we are taking it one day at a time and continuously growing and getting better. We try to only focus on one opponent at a time, but our goal is to become better as a team and as individual basketball players.”


The Bells

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

5

Entertainment

Cru Love: 1987 waterballoon prank turns life-long romance

By Jasmin Ortiz Staff Writer “May it be noted: in this exact spot where I am standing, my parents saw each other for the very first time. #MyUMHB” That is what incoming fall 2018 freshman, Payton Mayes, tweeted during Preview Weekend in November of 2017. Standing outside of Getty’s Hall, Payton reminisced on the very place where her parents first saw each other. Michael and Holly Mayes’ story is as unique as their love: playful, filled with joy, and intertwined with the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. While playing basketball and pursuing a degree, Michael Mayes never thought he’d meet someone that would one day be his wife and future mother of his children at UMHB. Sitting in front of Getty’s during the spring semester of 1987 with a friend, he noticed two girls approaching. He didn’t think much of the pair, until suddenly they were

drenched by a bucket of water, thrown from the balcony. “All of a sudden this huge amount of water comes pouring off the balcony and totally drenches these two girls. I looked up and there are these two clowns up there laughing, and I just thought it was about the funniest thing I’d ever seen.” Looking back, he remembered the event with a laugh. “I guess she heard me laugh, and boy she turned and looked at me, and I thought ‘Oh that girl’s pretty, and pretty mad too.’” At the time, local Belton High Schooler, Holly, had gone with her friend, Grace, to visit Grace’s boyfriend, now Dr. Steve Theodore, Vice President of the university. As they approached his dorm building, they had been chatting and didn’t notice Steve at the balcony, awaiting the right moment to dunk water on them. Years later, her friend Grace would marry that same boy who dunked water on her, and Holly would marry the boy who laughed at them. In the summer of 1990,

Photo Courtesy of Payton Mayes After having first seeing each other in front of Gettys Hall, Holly and Michael Mayes never thought they would one day be married with two children of their own.

the couple finally formally met when they both worked for Summer Fun in Belton. That summer, as Michael attended summer classes and Holly enjoyed being home for the warm months from Baylor University, the pair began dating and unknowingly began their future.

Now with their youngest daughter excitedly anticipating her freshman year come fall, the couple looked back fondly at how the university was intertwined with their lives. “We were the third house on 10th, just across the street from the university,” Michael

said. “I used to bring Payton and her sister over here all the time and they would skate around the quad. She’s been coming over here for as long as she can remember. It’s always been here, it’s always been what we’ve been about.” “Often we bring up how so many tiny little things had to happen for us to even be in the same town when we met,” Holly said. “Tiny little decisions had to be made for our paths to even cross, and God just works in some mysterious ways. It’s so interesting to see everything fall in place.” The pair reminisced over their story with love, and left advice to those currently in relationships in college. “Don’t force anything. If it’s supposed to be, it will,” Michael said. “If you have to try too hard it’s not the one for you.” “And for sure don’t dump a bucket of water on them,” Holly added. “But honestly, in college many are so focused on their GPA that they forget about their relationships, not even just romantic ones. That’s such a rich

part of the college experience, those people become such a big part of your life. It’s so important to balance. Invest in good people’s lives. This place is unique.” As the years have progressed, Holly and Michael have had a special place in their hearts and in their home for UMHB, and have instilled that in their daughter Payton. With high anticipation for her freshman year, Payton spoke to her own personal appreciation for the university. “It just feels like home,” Payton said. “I’ve been coming here since I could walk, and pedal. Dad and I are very similar and I feel like I have that connection through him. It feels right when I’m here.” Married since 1992, the Mayes are both successful educators who share family and a unique type of love that many hope to one day obtain. Their memories, their future, and a water prank will forever encompass their story, and UMHB will be the home to yet another legacy student come fall, with special ties to her family.

Confessions of X: the captivating new romance novel By Madeline Oden Assistant Editor The UMHB bookstore started selling Suzanne Wolfe’s novel the Confessions of X at the beginning of the spring semester and it was chosen as the book for discussion in the English Honor Societies book club, so I decided I would join in on the fun. The Confessions of X is a mix of historical fiction, Christian fiction and romance, and is an imaginative correspondent to Saint Augustine’s Confessions. The book follows the life of X, the daughter of a tile-layer and mysterious lover of Saint Augustine of Hippo. The novel paints a perfect picture of the ancient culture and is well researched despite it being historical fiction. Though we know X existed, we only know of who she was through Augustine’s Confessions and I think that Wolfe did a wonderful job keeping X vague enough to give her anonymity while still being personal enough for readers to relate with. The novel is described as “a reflection of what it means to love and lose… while deftly exploring one woman’s search for identity and happiness within very limited circumstances.” The book starts with X in her old age and we learn a lot about her life without giving too much away, but enough to leave you wanting more. In the second chapter, we start with the very beginning of her life and obtain background information, family, and beliefs before we go into the main storyline with Augustine. Readers watch X grow into a young woman, meet Augustine and start a family with him as his lover. Because of the difference in social classes, they can never marry, but knowing this, they both decide to love each other anyway.

Now typically, I’m not a romantic, but I found myself rooting for a relationship I knew was bound to end but because of the way it was written, I couldn’t help myself. It was sweet to watch them fall in love and the adorable notions they made after they decided to be together. This book portrays a rare TRUE LOVE not often seen during this time period. The whole book is worded elegantly and the first few chapters need to be read slowly for the reader to fully comprehend the meaning behind the words, but after you start reading, you become more used to the style and it flows more freely off the tongue. I had a limited amount of knowledge concerning Augustine and his confessions, but I was still able to understand everything about him, their life, and the story. I enjoyed this book and would give it a 6 out of 10 at first glance, simply because I knew I was missing out on the full experience by not being familiar with Augustine’s confessions. However, do not take that to heart because this book is still good, despite my limited knowledge of the confessions. “There are a lot of connections between the confessions and this novel, but each book is able to stand alone. You don’t need to read Augus tine’s confessions to understand and enjoy the book, but your understanding and love of the book would be deeper if you are familiar with his works,” associate professor in the English department, Dr. Nathaniel Hansen said. Dr. Hansen helped the Book Club decide on this novel and has read both Augustine’s Confessions and the Confessions of X. He says that Wolfe takes on first person point of view and explores it in an imaginative way. He found that the most compelling part in the book for him, was experiencing the relationship she and Augustine shared and its development.

“I was very moved and I thought it was very captivating,” Hansen said. Suzanne Wolfe was first introduced to X in school while reading Augustine’s confessions in religion class. In his confessions, Augustine only referred to her as una - meaning “the one.” When she asked her teacher who X was, her teacher responded with “no one knows, she is lost in history.” “That phrase, “lost in history,” stuck with me. I thought: so many great women are lost to history, eclipsed by the lives of the men they loved. So forty years later I decided to go looking for her so she could tell her story,” Wolfe said. “If you are interested in history and the way people lived, the way they had the same feelings and griefs and joys as you or I, then this book is for you. My great hope is that the story of the unnamed concubine who lived over a thousand years ago will be an inspiration for others today.” Wolfe will be on campus during the Writers Festival in February, and students can hear Wolfe give the George Nixon memorial lecture at the Lord Conference Center in Parker Academic Center on Feb. 15. The Writers Festival will be open to the public, and fans of the book can meet Wolfe in person at the festival.

Movies, popcorn, and winter chill Review of The Greatest Showman By Lauren Lum Editor-In-Chief The Greatest Showman is enamoring audiences at the box office with its flashy costumes, catchy soundtrack, and star-studded cast. Hugh Jackman traded in his wolverine claws for a ring master’s costume and an impressive singing voice to portray the historical figure, Phineas Taylor Barnum, who is best known for founding the Barnum and Bailey Circus with James Anthony Bailey in 1881. The beginning of the film resembles the opening of Queen’s hit, “We Will Rock You,” as Barnum, dressed in his glitzy ringmaster’s costume, sings about “The Greatest Show” as the audience stomps their feet and claps. Then, the film flashes back to the 1820s when Barnum (Ellis Robin) is a kid who travels with his tailor father to rich people’s houses. It’s on one of these trips where he meets Charity Halletts (Skylar Dunn). The two children begin spending time together, unbeknownst by her father (Frederic Lehne). This prompts the duet, “A Million Dreams,” where the audi-

ences watch the young children grow up into adults. This song also establishes their love for each other. Barnum wins Charity’s (Michelle Williams) hand, but her father warns her that she’ll come back once she’s tired of living in poverty. Barnum scrapes together a living for his wife and two daughters by working at a shipping office until the company goes bankrupt. He then gets a loan from the bank to buy a wax museum. After the wax museum fails, he decides to get together oddities from all over the city. He recruits the dwarf Tom Thumb (Sam Humphrey), the Bearded Lady Lettie Lutz (Keala Settle), plus others to be a part of his circus. Barnum then hires the rich playboy Phillip Caryle (Zac Efron) to help him establish credibility among the rich, established families. Meanwhile, Caryle quickly falls in love with the African American trapeze artist Anne Wheeler (Zendaya). The rest of the film follows Barnum as he struggles to make his circus pros-

perous, then once it does, how the wealth and power begins to consume him and affect his marriage. Jackman has just the right charm and charisma to play P.T. Barnum, plus he can sing and dance. Efron and Zendaya have instant chemistry, which is clearly seen in their duet “Rewrite the Stars.” Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are the masterminds behind the songs in Showman. It’s no wonder the soundtrack has been No. 1 for two weeks in a row. They’re inspiring. The film anthem, “This is Me,” sung by Tony award winner Settle, won Best Original Song at the Golden Globes. “This is Me” becomes the circus performers’ anthem as they long for acceptance. Some critics are unhappy with this film because it makes Barnum likeable and a savior of sorts for his oddities, when history says that all he cared about was making money. While this may be true, The Greatest Showman gives the audience a feel-good experience and leaves the message that we should accept people of all kinds.

Photo by Jasmin Ortiz/ The Bells

Dr. Wynona Alexander’s “Full Circle” art exhibit features former UMHB professor’s life’s work.

“Full Circle” art exhibit features work of Dr. Wynona Alexander

By Katrina Wordell Contributing Writer The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Art Department is featuring a gallery of works by artist and professor Dr. Wynona Alexander, an influential artist from Central Texas. Alexander was a member of the UMHB art faculty from 1968-1969, prior to chairing the Central Texas Fine Arts College from 1969 until her retirement in 2010. She is currently serving as an adjunct professor at Central Texas College. Alexander’s exhibit, “Full Circle: Wynona Alexander, A Retrospective,” features 44 unique pieces of jewelry and assemblages. The piec-

es of art span over 30 years, with the oldest work of art created in 1984. The most recent piece was created just last year. Even though the art spans a great time length, there is a distinct continuity between her oldest and most recent art. Many of her pieces are created with antique items that have been repurposed to create new forms of art. Alexander’s techniques give old items a new life as something beautiful and out of the ordinary. Her jewelry pieces pack a lot of beauty into a small form with the assemblages that take items that would normally never be considered as complimentary pieces. She incorporates different items, such as pieces of a

doll and a ruler to create a piece of artwork. Alexander’s display can be seen Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm in the gallery at the Baugh Center for the Visual Arts (room 106). Her display has been open since January 8 and will remain open until February 9, 2018. For those who have enjoyed Alexander’s gallery, there will be another exhibit in Baugh Center for the Visual Arts from February 19, 2018 until March 16, 2018. This will be a traveling exhibit called “Through the Iris,” involving the work of 25 female artists. The show, “Through the Iris,” features many different types of art in several mediums.


6 Wednesday, January 24, 2018

The Bells

Special Focus

Fall football at a glance

Look at what the UMHB football team accomplished in the 2017 season .

Graphic by Madeline Oden/ The Bells

Memorable Moments

Freshman Q uaterback, C arl Robinson Stagg Bowl. II

Photo courtesy

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Team Rankings

Congratulations to Bryce Wilkerson for beating these school records: single-season receptions-66; punt returns for touchdowns- seven; kickoff returns for touchdowns- four; combined kick returns for touchdowns11.

Photo courtesy of UMHB Athletics

Lindy’s Magazine Preseason Top 25 – 1st in the nation Street and Smith Magazine Preseason Top 25 – 2nd in the nation D3football.com Preseason Top 25 – 1st in the nation AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for September 18th – 1st in the nation (1287 points) AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for September 25th – 1st in the nation (1297 points) AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for October 2nd – 1st in the nation (1297 points) AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for October 9th – 1st in the nation (1294 points) AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for October 16th – 1st in the nation (1294 points) AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for October 23rd – 1st in the nation (1294 points) AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for October 30th – 1st in the nation (1292 points) AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for November 6th – 1st in the nation (1291 points) AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for November 13th – 1st in the nation (1268 points) AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll Final – 2nd in the nation (1,219 points) D3football.com Top 25 Poll Final – 2nd in the nation (597 points)


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