Sports// Page 4
Entertainment// Page 6
Special Focus// Page 6
New Cru Barre fitness class offered
Things to do during Spring Break
Get your taxes filed for free through the Volunteer Tax Assistance Program
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Volume 162, Issue 11
Photo by Madeline Oden/ The Bells Junior SGA Vice President Tyler Baker smiles at a joke that an SGA senator made during the SGA meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 27 in the conference room on the third floor of Bawcom Student Union.
New SGA President Baker pushes diversity education By Jasmin Ortiz Entertainment Editor An election three years in the making, the student body of UMHB elected junior political science pre-law and speech communication major Tyler Baker as its president for the upcoming 2018-2019 year. Since his election as freshman class president during the fall semester of 2015, Baker has planned his run for student body president extensively. “I got to Student Government and I just said, ‘I want to be student body president. I see myself doing that,”’ Baker said. Running on many platforms, one of which be-
ing the issue of diversity on campus, Baker hopes to impact the community and leave a positive legacy for the class he has been chosen to lead. Running against junior business management major Daniel Martinez, Baker ran a tough campaign. “Campaigning against Tyler is a task. He is very active in any campaign of his,” Martinez, said. “I noticed that my freshman year when he was running for class president. This race was no different. He was very active and prepared. So it was difficult, but it did cause me to channel my creativity and expand on it.” See President, pg. 3
Top picture: Senior Aaron Midkiff, who normally portrays Pontius Pilate in the Easter Pageant, stands in for a thief as actors practice lifting a man’s weight on the cross during rehearsal at Luther Memorial on Thursday, Feb. 28. Seen pushing the cross up left to right are: junior Ethan Grill, junior David Taylor, freshman Jaden Napolez, senior Matt McVey, and senior Glen Fontenelle. Bottom left: L-R- Acting as Roman guards, seniors Matt McVey and Glen Fontenelle, practice escorting senior Matthew Langford, who is portraying Jesus. At background left is freshman Jaden Napolez. Bottom right: Senior Glen Fontenelle places an imaginery crown of thorns onto senior Matthew Langford’s (Jesus) head. Photos by Madeline Oden/ The Bells
Campus rehearses for 79th Easter Pageant By Madeline Oden Assistant Editor “It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud
Photo by Riley Rogers/ The Bells
voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.” – Luke 23:44-46 The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor celebrates the life, death and resurrection of our savior Jesus Christ in the 79th annual Easter Pageant.
By Lauren Lum Editor-In-Chief
Dance Marathon raises money for McLane Children’s Hospital On Friday, March 2, UMHB’s Heart of Gold hosted a dance marathon for students to donate money, win prizes, and dance in support of McLane Children’s Hospital. During March, the Dance Marathon takes place on college campuses across the nation on the first weekend of
the month. This is UMHB’s 3rd Annual marathon. Karon Chapa, a senior pre-occupational therapy major, was this year’s host. Chapa’s best friend, Taylor, was diagnosed with a rare cancer and fought it for six years. When Chapa became a sophomore at UMHB she reached out to Taylor to see what she could do to help. See Marathon, pg. 3
Sophomore Christian studies major, Jacob Chesser, is this year’s Easter Pageant director. He played the role of a temple guard during his freshman year on campus and was surprised when he was asked to be the spring 2018 director. See Pageant, pg. 3
Caleb Fitzwater dubbed Mr. Crusader Knight
Freshmen Audrey Prisk and Laci Gray dance together at the Dance Marathon hosted by Heart of Gold on Saturday, March 3 in the Mayborn Campus Center.
By Riley Rogers Staff Writer
Easter Pageant is one of the most beloved campus traditions by students and viewers alike. Hundreds of people from all over come to see this production and many more are able to access the livestreams of the show that started with the spring of 2017 showing.
Photo by Riley Rogers/ The Bells Caleb Fitzwater, crowned Mr. Crusader Knight, answers a Top 6 finalist question during competition Saturday, Feb. 24. Waiting to answer their own questions are left to right: sophomore James Jones, junior Jacob Hindman, junior Chase Mariott, and sophomore Patrick McElyea.
Junior Caleb Fitzwater, representing McLane Hall, won the title of Mr. Crusader Knights on Saturday, Feb. 25. “It was definitely shocking,” Fitzwater said of his win. “I’ve never been given so many hugs in one night, which is kind of cool.” The show featured many funny moments, along with several surprises, including a green screen that the contestants used during a group dance. Junior Isaac Felan directed Crusader Knights along with assistant directors junior Daniel Martinez, senior Tori Bradbery and senior
Ben Roark. “I worked with contestants, I worked with ticket sales and ushers, and I did anything I was asked to do,” Martinez said. “My role was to help the guys feel comfortable with the show, while offering input on the production.” Martinez said that he was proud of all the hard work that the men have put in since they began practicing and it showed on the night of the competition. “The show was amazing, and the guys brought it,” he said. “The introductions, the spotlights, the videos, the top six answers… all of it was amazing and hilarious. I am proud of these men for rising up and owning the stage.” See Knights, pg. 3
2
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
The Bells
Opinions
Media interferes with real life interactions By Kate Frerich
about because it has become part of morning routines as much as drinking coffee and brushing teeth. Many opponents of the so-
Contributing Writer
It is hard to remember what life was like before laptops were in our laps, cell phones were in our hands, and “Google” was a mainstream word. Technology and media are here to stay, whether we like it or not. It is accurate to say that media has made life easier in a multitude of ways. However, has society succumbed to the convenience and addiction of media to the point that it harms the engagement of meaningful relationships? According to MerriamWebster, the word ‘engage’ means “to hold the attention of” or “to do or take part in.” Therefore, are we engaging with media, or has it just become mindless scrolling? The majority of media users would most-likely agree that the first thing they do when they wake up is grab their phone and start scrolling. It is not something that most users even think
media. For the most part, I do not believe that people are really engaged with one another while communicating through social media sites, such as
not truly communicating with that person through the ‘like’ button. Some people are more likely to see their friend’s Bitmoji than their actual face. Too
Udemy While we are more connected socially due to the emergence of mass media, we are disconnected on a more personal level. Technology has our attention rather than in-person conversations.
cial media craze believe that people are not really engaging with friends and family when communicating via texting or tagging/posting via social
Facebook or Instagram. Simply liking, sharing, or retweeting something a friend posted is not really engaging with that individual. Media users are
often while at an event, people are busy communicating with people through social media rather than interacting with the people around them. The
By Katrina Wordell Contributing Writer
Photo by Brianna Bullion Students discuss poetry in American Literature since 1890, taught by Dr. Nathaniel Hansen, at center. This class is in the ROTC classroom in Mabee Student Success Center. Students pictured from clockwise from upper left are: Joseph Cooper, Jordan Eilers, Jennifer Callaway, Jesse Cade, Joshua Irons, Xenazhja Stevens Hicks, and Emily Mahan. All are English majors except Cooper, who is an engineering major, and Mahan, who is an English and public relations double major.
Contributing Writer
When students choose to study English, they typically get asked which coffee shop they see themselves working at in their future. This misconception that an English degree will only get you as far as being an employee in a coffee house for a career has led to the decline of people willing to study English. They simply don’t see it as a practical choice for a career. What people fail to realize about the English degree is that it opens the door for many opportunities beyond an individual’s undergraduate study. Dr. Laura Bedwell, an English professor at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, talked about all of the opportunities available for those who study English. “There are lots and lots of things you can do. You can of course teach or go into publishing, but there are lots of other jobs too. There are jobs in industry and in business. Any job that requires good communication skills will be good for an English major,” Bedwell said. “More and more articles come out every day about how important a humanities degree, like an English degree, is in the technical world. So often, you have those people who are really good at the technical stuff that don’t understand what a human is actually going to be doing with their technical stuff.” According to College USA
Today, tech companies are looking for qualities displayed by people who have liberal arts degrees. These qualities include an eagerness to work in areas of unfamiliarity, the ability to solve difficult problems, good analysis skills, the ability to work in groups, and skills in persuasion. These are skills commonly displayed by people with degrees in humanities. Another characteristic of people who study English is the ability to think creatively and independently, which is ideal for workplace situations. According to Robert Matz, the author of an article titled: “The Myth of the English Major Barista,” most English majors find themselves teaching after they graduate. This helps to debunk the idea of English majors being baristas for the rest of their lives, which is an occupation held by less than .24 percent of English degree-holders. A lot of English majors choose to continue their schooling past their undergraduate degree. Some will choose to earn a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) while some choose to continue their education through other subjects. Some undergraduate English majors even choose to move on to medical school and become doctors. In fact, there are more people with an undergraduate degree in English applying to medical schools than any other area of study (Business Insider). “The English major is a really good foundation for Med School. People don’t realize that. They think that if you’re going to be a doctor, you need to study science, but actually, an English degree is really useful in Med
couple once paid for my meal, as well as my mom’s, when they noticed that we were engaging in actual conversation. Afterwards, I found it upsetting that simply enjoying my mom’s company compelled total strangers to pay for our food. It has become dangerously normal for people to sit down for a meal together, rarely averting their eyes from their screens, to engage with the living, breathing being across from them. While technology has proven itself in our society and has many advantages, it could be causing long-term damage in the way people build and maintain relationships with one another. Like anything in life, there must be a balance. Media consumers can maintain this balance by being mindful of what type of media they consume as well as how much they consume, while balancing it with human interactions. In the end, relationships with living, breathing human beings is what connects us and truly enriches our lives in profound and meaningful ways.
Hope for Heroes 5K
The importance of an English degree
By Brianna Bullion
media has not only affected interpersonal communication, but attention spans as well. Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a conversation smiling and nodding, yet not really knowing what is going on? Instead, you have been thinking about what you will name your future labradoodle and four kids? You are not alone. A recent study has shown that since the digital revolution, it has become increasingly more difficult for people to fight off distractions. Microsoft Corp. uncovered that the average attention span has dropped from twelve to eight seconds since 2000. According to a survey by Time, 77 percent of people from age 18-24 said, “when nothing is occupying my attention, the first thing I do is reach for my phone.” As soon as awkward silences hit, many people instinctively fumble for their phones to avoid silence’s piercing scream. Unfortunately, it has become rare to see people sitting down for a meal together without their eyes glued to a phone screen. An elderly
School because students have more of that human touch,” Bedwell said. That is because studying English means a lot more than just studying literature. Even so, people often ask, “but wait, I thought English majors only studied literature?” In fact, English majors study so much more. They study communication skills and language usage. Emily Mahan, a junior English major at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, expressed her love for everything she has studied in her English classes. “We study so much more than literature. I’m taking a grammar class right now and we’re learning the history of English and how it works and why it works that way,” Mahan said. She also talked about the different jobs she knows are available for people who study English. “I want to be an editor, which is kind of one of those things that everybody assumes someone with an English major will do. I know of a lot of other jobs that people with English majors can get, like writing for companies or working in the technology business. It is such an open field, and not a lot of people realize that,” Mahan said. These are just a few of the possibilities for jobs in the future for people with English degrees. The scope of jobs available for people who study English and the Humanities varies widely. There are a lot of careers that people with English majors can pursue, making it just as noble as any subject in the science technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
On Saturday, Mar. 3, the UMHB campus was filled with super heroes as students participated in the Hope for Heroes 5K. Students flew around campus with their capes behind them as they ran in the race to benefit the Wounded Warriors Project. Sixty-two racers started at the Sue & Frank Mayborn Campus Center on the beautiful Saturday morning in Central Texas. Jordyn Brinkman, a sophomore Christian Studies major, said that she participated in the race because it was “a great way to be active, but
also help out [the Wounded Warrior Project] at the same time.” According to sophomore nursing major, Katie Kindle, who is also an RA at College View, the inspiration for the event was that it was “important to do an event that was for something as important as the Wounded Warriors. We wanted to donate that money to them, but also put on an event that promotes health for our community.” Brinkman said that the event was for fun and that running was not required for participation. “I didn’t actually run it, I walked the entire [course], which wasn’t a problem because it was just a fun run.” There were four divisions
that runners could participate in. Each division had a first, second, and third place winner. The race was not only open to UMHB students. In fact, there were even soldiers that participated in the race. “That was really cool considering that the 5K was called Hope for Heroes,” Brinkman said. “Having the soldiers run really put into perspective why we were out there exercising early in the morning.” The Resident Assistants at College View organized and led the event. The RA staff was responsible planning where stations should be on the course as well as delegating tasks so that the event could run as smoothly as possible.
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 - Staff Intern
Sarah Ifft - Opinions Editor Jasmin Ortiz - Entertainment Editor Tori Van Hooser - London Correspondent Riley Rogers - Staff 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, March 7, 2018
3
Campus News
Knights: An evening of fun for attendees and contestants alike Continued from pg. 1 This year, as part of the theme, it was announced that NBC liked Crusader Knights 2017 so much that they decided to film the 2018 Crusader Knights competition before a live studio audience. Ellie Ball hosted the competition, while Aria Flores, Anthony Tharp, Jenna Forester, and Chris Box emceed. The night began with the contestant videos. Each contestant prepared a oneminute video before the competition to be projected on the screens. The contestants picked TV shows to base their videos off of. Some featured TV shows included The Andy Griffith Show, I Love Lucy, Happy Days, The Office, Even Stevens, and more. Following each video, the contestants were given pre-determined questions, which they had to act out. The competition also included several group dances.
The top six finalists for Cru Knights included Mr. Phi Mu Alpha James Jones, Mr. Farris Hall Jacob Hindman, Mr. McLane Hall Caleb Fitzwater, Mr. Junior Class Chase Mariott, Mr. Sophomore Class Patrick McElyea , and Mr. Burt Hall Peter Zuniga. The six finalists were required to answer two finalists’ questions read by 2018 Miss Mary HardinBaylor Tori Pharris before the judges made their final decision. The competition also included several individual awards. Senior marketing major Vincent Sigler, representing University Ambassadors, won Best Spotlight. Best Video went to Freshman biology major Steve Villalobos, who represented First Year Council. Sophomore marketing major Christian McConnell, representing Independence Village, took home Best Interview, and Freshman mathematics major
Photo by Riley Rogers/ The Bells Cantestants dance during the contest for Crusader Knights. Seen left to right are: junior Caleb Fitzwater, junior Chase Merriott, and senior Dylan Birdsell.
Andrew Berg won the Timothy Award, which is a special award chosen by
the contestants as the contestant who exhibited the most Christ-like qualities
throughout the rehearsals. “I am so blessed that these guys would recog-
nize me for being me,” Berg said. Congratulations to the
President: Baker prepares for his term as president
Photo by Madeline Oden/ The Bells Maggie Kelly, freshman Christian studies major, speaking about prayer in the opening devotional at the SGA meeting in Bawcom Student Union on Feb. 27.
Continued from pg. 1 “This led to me make videos and push harder on social media. I do support Tyler in his presidency. He will do great in this role, as he has done great in every role he has served thus far.” Baker began his climb to the top when
first deciding that he wanted to be president of the student body one day, and join the Student Government Association on campus. After a successful run as freshman class president, he then continued on to working as sophomore class president and junior class vice president.
Balancing school with the multiple clubs and associations he is a part of, Baker makes sure to prioritize his time. While SGA is a close second, he always makes sure that his school work remains his top priority. “SGA has really been my life; it’s been something I’ve been so passionate about. It’s definitely a rewarding program to be a part of. What you put into it you definitely get out,” Baker said. “For example, my roommate and best friend is Sam Kinnin and I met him through SGA. He served on the sophomore class while I was sophomore class president, and we both got invited to a conference called Castle that UMHB attends. We just got really close on that trip, so yeah SGA has impacted my life in so many ways.” One of the big changes the new president hopes to implement at the university is increasing education about the diversity of our campus community. Having been greatly influenced and personally moved by a “diversity day” event held in one of his classes, he wants to encourage other classes to host such days and increase diversity in the community. In his class, the topic also merged with that of one for foreign exchange students. Through that effort, Baker felt as though he was able to learn more about various cultures, religions, and people as a whole that
make up his UMHB student body. “I’ve ran on a lot of platform ideas, but one of the main ones was Diversity.” said Baker. “I didn’t learn until recently that one of the biggest complaints for seniors exiting UMHB is a lack of campus diversity. Just statistically speaking, that’s one of the largest things UMHB students are not satisfied with. It’s something that kind of just been pressed on my heart. It’s interesting to hear how everyone defines diversity differently. That’s something we all agreed could be improved. The way that we improve that, in my mind, is talking about it, and educating people on it. I would like to get more diversity days across campus and have students able to connect with each other better. Change isn’t something that happens when you’re comfortable, it’s something that happens when you step outside of your regular Eco chamber.” Hoping to continue his education after UMHB with Law School, Baker will be taking the LSAT exam this upcoming September 2018. Baker strives to leave a good mark on this campus through his leadership with SGA, and has anticipated this role for many years. Having prepared for this for years, our crusader community is excited to see what will become of the legacy that is Tyler Baker.
Marathon: UMHB students ‘dance for those who can’t’ Continued from pg. 1 “We contacted her and said, ‘Hey how can we do this? We want to make a difference for our community. How can we get involved in this?’” Taylor was able to help them jump start the first marathon while doing her own marathon and going through chemotherapy. Then Taylor planned to attend their first marathon, but passed away a month beforehand. “This whole event is in the honor of her and the honor of the kids at McLane’s,” Chapa said. “The slogan for the night is ‘Dancing for those who can’t’”. The money is going to help get 150 new beds at McLane Children’s Hospital. “We have so many kids from this area that are needing the hospi-
tal.” Chapa said. “We were walking blindly the whole year… and this event is totally God-sent. We couldn’t have done any of this without Him.” Students who attended had positive remarks about the event. “The kids that came were a lot of fun to have,” Skaiye Finney, a sophomore nursing major, said. She also said she came to help build a good support system among students and children at McLane Children’s Hospital. Alexander Williams, a senior clinical psychology major, attended because he always wanted to work with kids and he finds it to be a very rewarding experience. “It’s the best way I could’ve spent my Friday night!,” Williams said, as he was working at the marathon. “We started meeting in
September… trying to get venues and stores to donate stuff... and last night we blew up about 200 balloons for this event. It’s a lot of work but it’s rewarding.” Every hour the group learned more of the morale dance (they learned a new segment of a choreography), listened to a highlight story, which featured a student, child, or faculty member who had been touched with a lethal disease, and had raffle prizes. Madison Merryman, who dressed up as Disney Princess Belle, exclaimed that she was ready for the event. “I was really excited.. I absolutely love this! I was actually talking to one of the kids, Danny, and then Logan is really sweet.. We went around and were able to get donations. It was really great,” Merryman said.
Photo by Riley Rogers/ The Bells Senior education major Bridget Sillman, Senior clinical psychology major Alexander Williams and Sophomore nursing major Skaiye Finney pass the balloon with 10-year-old Logan Parker.
Pageant: Developing a community response team Continued from pg. 1 “It was a difficult transition because last year I only saw the scenes I was in and when I was asked to be a director I thought, “man I haven’t even seen what the whole show looks like”. So I have been watching the [livestream] from last year a lot, and it has been cool. It’s a big responsibility but I am honored to be here and I feel very supported.” “The thing God has put on my heart and the way I want to lead Easter Pageant is that it is a place where people can know that, when they come here, they will be noticed and will become a part of the family.” Chesser said. There are new people added to the course every day and there are a lot of people who jump in on the day of production. As of Tuesday Feb. 27 there are around 200 students in the pageant, but that number is expected to continue to rise. Esther Weaver is a co-assistant director and a senior public relations major. “Something we have been focusing on a lot that is behind the scene is making Easter
Pageant more accessible to students and that any students can feel involved. We have been trying to reach out to those who in the past haven’t felt welcomed and are trying to show them they are,” Weaver said, “You don’t have to be a certain type of student to be involved because this is the gospel and the gospel and the kingdom of God out to be diverse.” There has been some discussion concerning the pageants production and what could happen the day of the production. “A big thing we want to do is this idea of responding. Every year people come to Easter Pageant and it moves them but we want to give them some way to respond and do something with those feelings and act on them. Whether it’s giving their life to Christ, start attending church, or serving somewhere we want this to be more than just a cool story.” “We want this to be life changing,” Chesser said. “We will have a prayer and response team that will be ready to receive people who either want to give their life to Christ or are interested in finding out more about who Jesus is.”
Mick McCarthy is Campus Activates Board (CAB) director and oversees the production. He has worked with CAB for 18 years and has overseen the production of many showings. “It could seem repetitious but I have never seen it that way. It’s the same track but every year it’s 250 different students. We are literally walking the read words of the bible and the fact that it’s our community coming together to walk through the red letters of the gospel is amazing.” McCarthy explained that the response team is still going through processes on how they want to handle responses and requests on the day of Easter Pageant, but they will continue to work on it as Easter Pageant grows nearer. Senior pre-physical therapy major, Mathew Langford, portrays Jesus this year and has participated in the pageant since he was a freshman. “It’s a pretty crazy mindset to get behind. It’s been eye-opening and interesting to see what it was like to step in his footsteps,” Langford said. Langford explained that past Jesus’ have
done various disciple challenges and this year he did one in a more local sense. The rule were that for five days and five nights they had to live like a true disciple. If the students portraying disciples wanted to go anywhere they could only walk and they could not stay in their own apartment, house, or room. They had to stay with someone else for a night. Langford said it was cool to see how this was what the disciples in the Bible did for three years. Junior social work major, Joey Mainini, plays one of the disciples in the pageant. He said that he wasn’t a huge fan of the challenge at first but then looked at it as having a sleepover at a friend’s house every single night. “It was so much fun and it showed me a lot of what it means to be a disciple and to slow down and focus on your relationship with Jesus,” Mainini said. Student are encouraged to join the Easter Pageant and are always welcomed at the practices. The Easter Pageant will be held on March 28 for three different show times. The showtimes are 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5:30 p.m.
4
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
The Bells
Sports
Cru takes 2 of 3 against Blazers By Geri Wissink Sports Editor
After a slow 2-5 start to the season, Cru baseball headed to Jackson, Mississippi over the weekend to face Belhaven University in their first American Southwest Conference series of the 2018 season. In the first game of Friday’s doubleheader, the Cru jumped on top early in the first inning with four runs off three straight singles, plus a bases loaded walk, a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice f ly. This early offense proved to be all the Cru needed, as senior sports management major and pitcher Casey Frazier was dominant against the Blazers, allowing only one unearned run on four hits and seven strikeouts over five innings, earning his first win of the season. The Cru then brought in freshman biology major and infielder Jeb Zolman, who pitched two shutout innings and earned the save in the Cru’s 4-1 win. However, the Cru wasn’t done just yet. In game two of Friday’s doublehead-
er, a stellar pitching duel kept the game scoreless through four innings, that is, until the Cru got their bats going in the top of the fifth inning, scoring a pair of runs off two singles and an error. The Blazers answered with one run in the bottom of the inning off sophomore finance major and pitcher Evan Samoff, but was unable to match the Cru’s offense after that. The Cru scored another pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning and one run each in the seventh, eighth and ninth inning. Samoff pitched seven innings, allowing just one run on seven hits and no walks and struck out eight. Junior finance major and pitcher Connor Heussner came in to relieve Samoff in the eighth inning and allowed only three hits and no runs over two innings, shutting the Blazers out in the Cru’s 7-1 win. Samoff earned his first win of the season. “I think great pitching and and really tough at bats enabled us to take 2 of 3 over the weekend. The team was really excited to sweep the double header on Friday and win the series,” Head Coach
Baseball Upcoming Home Schedule Friday, March 9 vs. Lousiana College at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. (ASC game) Saturday, March 10 vs. Lousiana College at 1 p.m. (ASC game) Wednesday, March 14 vs. Blackburn College at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 15 vs. Millikin University at 6 p.m. Friday, March 16 vs. LeTourneau University at 7 p.m. (ASC game) Saturday, March 17 vs. LeTourneau University at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. (ASC game)
Ben Shipp said. On Saturday, the Cru scored only two runs on 5 hits and allowed 11 runs on 12 hits, falling to the Blazers 2-11 in the final game of the series. The Cru moved their record to 4-6
on the season and 2-1 in the American Southwest Conference. They will next face the Louisiana College Wildcats in a conference doubleheader on Friday, March 9th at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Belton, Texas.
Cru Golf looking to finish 2018 season strong By Katrina Wordell Contributing Writer
Photo by Concordia Sports Information Freshman men’s golf player Cade Govender had the low individual finish for the Cru after shooting 75 in the final round of the Linda Lowery Invitational on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2018.
The UMHB men’s golf season is well underway. The team that consists of 10 UMHB students has been working hard to improve their skills as they prepare for the conference tournament on April 30 and May 1. Since September, the team has competed in 6 tournaments from Texas to North Carolina and Florida. According to Coach Jordan Cox, there are several key players on the team this year. These players include Senior Kyle Revis, Junior Zach Daroowala, Freshmen Bryce Parker and Cade Govender. Cort Crawley, a junior
Jiu Jitsu: a marshal art for all ages in Temple By Madeline Clay Contributing Writer On Thursday, Feb. 1, 2017, Camille James arrived at John’s Gym in Temple, Texas for her first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) class. At just 4-years-old, she wishes to master the art. John’s Gym has over 100 members. However, the sport is not well known, so what exactly is Jiu Jitsu? “The sport is like physical chess for your mind and body,” Travis Moore, the head coach of John’s Gym, said. He explained that Jiu Jitsu is a combat effective marital art, but it also acts as a sport and stress relief for many participants. The sport can adapt to anyone’s needs, whether it be a woman’s self-defense lessons, an intense workout, a place for competition, or even a way for young children to release some energy. “All genders and all ages can practice Jiu Jitsu. In fact, at John’s Gym, the youngest member is 4-years-old, and the oldest member that has attended is 71-years-old,” Moore said. Many movies feature BJJ, including Fast and the Furious and Lethal Weapon. Still, despite its appearance in popular movies, the name of the sport, Jiu Jitsu, may sound foreign to many people. It is a martial art, but it is not Kung fu, karate, or judo, even though it does have similar origins. Like its sister sports, Jiu Jitsu itself finds its background in feudal Japan, says Tyler Biscontini, an author for the Salem Press Encyclopedia. However, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu began in the early twentieth century, well after the days of the Samurai in Japan. The Gracie famil of Brazil founded the first Jiu Jitsu academy in 1925. According to the Gracie Academy, Gastão Gracie combined the sport of judo with the combat-effective art of Jiu Jitsu to make the modern
sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Since 1925, BJJ has spread throughout the world in popularity, as has the family’s name. The “Gracie Diet” and the modern art form both connect back to the original founding family. The Jiu Jitsu Foundation of the United Kingdom describes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as the way samurai would disarm their opponents if they lost their own weapons. BJJ does not use any weapons; rather, the idea is to use your opponent’s body and movements against them. Because there are no contact weapons, experts consider BJJ, with proper instruction, a safe sport in a controlled environment. BJJ can change people’s lives, says Moore. The art of movement used in Jiu Jitsu is a constant stress reliever. The sport can also provide a mental challenge, as Jiu Jitsu participants must consistently problem-solve to move out of their opponent’s reach and predict their movements. “All you need is a great attitude, so you don’t have to be athletic or have experience to do this sport,” Moore said. For this reason, it is a popular selfdefense course and stress reliever for many who will never go on to actively participate in matches or competitions. Reba James, Camille James’s mother, first took her daughter to Jiu Jitsu as a way for her funnel her energy. “Camille needs something and somewhere to get her energy out and learn a skill that she can use the rest of her life,” James said. “Camille didn’t seem interested in gymnastics or dance, but she loves to pretend to be a ninja, so I thought Jiu Jitsu would be a good fit for her.” Four-year-old Camille agreed wholeheartedly. “I loved all the super cool moves that I learned, and I really hope I go back,” she said.
accounting major has been playing golf competitively since he was 13 years old. His favorite part about being on the team is the relationships that he has built. He called his teammates a “great group of guys.” Over the course of the season the team has encountered many difficult courses. Coach Cox pointed out that one of the most difficult courses in terms of terrain is Grandover Resort in North Carolina, where their first tournament was held in the fall. Cox says that this course is also the “site of the NCAA National Championship, in which we hope to be competing in May.” Coach Cox also said that the River Place Golf
Course in Austin, Texas is challenging, with “difficult terrain with lots of hills, undulated greens and uneven lines.” Crawley says that the most difficult course will be the one at the conference tournament, at Lake Cliff Golf Course in Austin. “It really has little with the golf course itself, it has more to do with trying to win back to back conference titles,” Coach Cox said. Golf is one of the more challenging sports to go watch since the tournaments are often during the day and away from campus. However, there are still ways that you can support the team. “Support our home tournament in the fall
by coming out and walking a few holes locally,” Coach Cox said. He also says that you can “make friends with them and include them in activities as their time is very limited because of their sport on top of the academic commitments.” Crawley says that one of the best ways you can support his team is by asking how the tournaments go. “The students asking us how we are doing shows they support the golf team,” Crawley said. The remainder of the season includes tournaments in Plano on March 17-18, Austin on March 26-27, Georgetown on April 9-10, and the ASC Championship Tournament on April 30-May 1.
CruFit Barre class now offered
Photos by Jasmin Ortiz/ The Bells CruFit Barre classes are offered for free on Monday evenings from 4:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Mayborn aerobic room.
By Claire Henry Contributing Writer This past week I experienced “Barre” for the first time, and I learned a few things in the process. What is Barre? According to barreonline.com, “Barre combines Pilates, yoga, and ballet moves to give you beautiful sculpted, lean muscleswithout the impact and injuries dancers endure. Barre was also said to be a good way to expand your workout routine, make new friends and get fit in the process. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB), has just started offering this class this past semester, so it is very new. However, Barre has been around for some time. According to Greatist. com, “After injuring her back, Lotte Berk, a German dancer living in London, came up with the idea to combine her dance conditioning routine with her rehabilitative therapy. She opened her first studio in 1959 in her London basement, where famous faces such as Joan Collins and Barbara Streisand regularly came to lift, tuck and curl.” When researching the history of Barre, I remembered that my friend Kinsey Chenault worked at the Houston Ballet and asked her to interview a coworker of hers.
Natalie Varnum, a Demi Soloist at the Houston Ballet, said “I have never taken barre but I love the idea of a ballet structured set-up, plus a little more cardio training.” When asked how long she had been dancing and what would she would recommend to someone starting out she said: “I have been doing ballet for about 14 years. To someone starting ballet… the technique is by the book. You will never stop learning. I’ve been in a company for 8 years now and still have so many things to work on. You will never be perfect but that’s the beauty of [ballet].” Since this was my first time going to the Barre class, I had no idea what to expect so I went into it with an open mind. My friend Rachel Whisman was also joining me because she is extremely adventures with her workouts. I asked Rachel if she was excited for the class and her answer was “HECK YES!” I asked her after the class if she would go again and she said, “yeah I would definitely go again. It was a good workout.” Rachel also said, “It was better than I thought it was going to be.” After experiencing this class for myself, I too would also go again. We did squats, lunges, mountain climbers, and crunches. And then we
cooled off with some light yoga. For someone who hasn’t done this kind of conditioning in years, my legs felt like jello. But our instructor made us all feel comfortable and even told us that her legs were shaking too. This class seems like it would be easy, but once you start, you quickly realize that it’s much harder than you anticipated. “Teaching the class is more difficult than participating because it requires more knowledge of the positions and moves because you might have to make modifications for people,” Jackee Lawrence, a sophomore education major, who was leading the class, said. “You also have to think about the people who are just starting Barre for the first time and have to make sure they understand what is going on. Also talking while doing it is much harder.” Lawrence took the class for 2 years before she started teaching and she actually had no dance experience before she started taking the class. Kailey Stearns participated in the class. “I’m excited to try it because I’ve never done anything like barre before and I’m excited to try something new,” she said. Then after a rigorous class and standing on your toes for an hour she said, “the class was definitely harder than I thought it was going to be, but overall I would go again.”
The Bells
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
5
Entertainment
YouTube’s response to the Logan Paul controversy The affect it will have on current and future YouTubers
YouTube has had many controversies surrounding the Googleowned platform since 2017 and it doesn’t seem like it will be getting better any time soon. However, the weak links in YouTube’s system were shown when the popular YouTuber, Logan Paul, posted a video on Dec. 31, 2017 showing a dead body in the Aokigahara forest (also known as the “suicide forest”) on Mt. Fuji, Japan. The video received instant backlash as it skyrocketed to the trending tab on the platform, and garnered six million views before it was deleted (intouchweekly.com). The video remained on the site until Paul took it down himself the day after due to the negative response the video was receiving. However, YouTube didn’t make a response about the video until 10 days after it was published. Since this particular scandal, YouTube made major reforms to their policies. However, these policies could do more harm than good in the YouTube community. After the incident, YouTube put the YouTuber on a 90 day probation where his videos would not be shown in the trending tab and he was not able to monetize, or receive funding,
from ads on his channel. Alongside the probation, all of the site’s future projects Paul was involved in with the subscription service were put on hold until further notice. Three weeks after apologizing for the video, Paul posted a new video on his channel that was supposed to double as a suicide awareness video and he claimed to be “a new man”. Later, however, Paul posted another video that caused more ethical problems for his channel involving footage of himself tasing two dead rats on his porch. YouTube responded by suspending all ads from appearing on his channel. Despite the controversies surrounding Paul, he has not been formally banned from the website. YouTube works with a three-strikesystem. YouTube’s CEO, Susan Wojcicki, said that despite Paul’s crude actions, he didn’t deserve to be banned from the platform. “He hasn’t done anything that would cause those three strikes,” Wojcicki said. “We can’t just be pulling people off our platform. They need to violate a policy. We need to have consistent [rules].” This is said despite the fact that on Jan. 9 YouTube tweeted an apology about the first video and stated that the Logan Paul’s channel had violated their community guidelines.
In response to the crisis at hand, YouTube changed many of their guidelines and policies for creators on the site. The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) stated on their blog: “In 2018, a major focus for everyone at YouTube is protecting our creator ecosystem and ensuring your revenue is more stable. We’re making changes to address the issues that affected our community in 2017 so we can prevent bad
Graphic by Jasmin Ortiz/ The Bells
By Madeline Oden Assistant Editor
actors from harming the inspiring and original creators around the world who make their living on YouTube.” In April of 2017 the requirement for a channel to be monetized was 10,000 lifetime views on their content. Now, however, channels must have 4,000 hours of watch time within the past 12 months and a minimum of 1,000 subscribers. On Febru-
ary 20th, channels with fewer than 1,000 subs or 4,000 watch hours will no longer be able to earn money on YouTube. When they reach 1,000 subs and 4,000 watch hours they will be automatically re-evaluated under strict criteria to ensure they comply with our policies. YouTube also formally adopted new penalties it will enforce against creators who post disturbing or violent videos — the same day it sent internet millionaire Logan Paul into the demonetization penalty box. Ariel Bardin, YouTube’s VP of product management told a variety reporter about the penalties. “When one creator does something particularly blatant — like conducts a heinous prank where people are traumatized, promotes violence or hate toward a group, demonstrates cruelty, or sensationalizes the pain of others in an attempt to gain views or subscribers — it can cause lasting damage to the community, including viewers, creators and the outside world,” Bardin said. Bardin emphasized that YouTube believes “strongly in the freedom of expression” but said the video platform must weigh that against its responsibility “to protect the entire community of creators, viewers, and advertisers from
these rare but often damaging situations.” (variety.com). However, by enacting such a limiting policy, smaller channels that were able to make a living on YouTube are now suffering. The Guardian reported on one such YouTuber: Erin Armstrong. Erin Armstrong’s has been a video blogger on YouTube since 2006 and as of Jan. 18, the site emailed her with hurtful news: her channel is now considered too small to be eligible for ads, and under new rules, she will be kicked out of YPP altogether. “I’m done trying to make content that is going to fit these guidelines,” Armstrong told a new reporter from The Guardian, “They really cater to the people who have the money, the views and the pull. It’s less about the creating and supporting the small communities that come together and share their experiences.” The new rules came just following YouTube’s decision to allow the popular vlogger Logan Paul to continue to monetize his videos. YouTube’s reforms are meant to tighten restrictions on ads in the wake of the scandal. But many see this as a double standard and fear the new policies could further harm channels with smaller audiences and artists who seek ad revenue to support their work.
Cru Crunch: Special Feature Amor Ciego Coffee Company Graphic by Jasmin Ortiz/ The Bells
Samson: is it a tale true to the story or with glorified embelishments? By Peter Zuniga Staff Intern
Samson was released in theaters on Feb. 12 of this year. It is the film adaptation of the biblical account of Samson, the Nazarite gifted by God with supernatural strength. Produced by Pure Flix, a studio that creates and markets Christian and family oriented films, the movie remains fairly accurate in comparison to the biblical account. With a near two hour-long runtime however, it does add in characters non-existent in the Bible, such as the villainous Prince Rallah and Samson’s younger brother, Caleb. Despite certain fluctuations in the story over how certain events come about, the story is nearly identical. If you have always wanted to witness the epic feats of Samson on the big screen, the film will certainly deliver on a few of them. Its violent depiction of Samson defeating a thousand Philistine soldiers is given plenty of screen time, and with the panoramic cinematography laced throughout,
the scene is nothing but epic. A few of his feats, however, are limited to small film sets and poor CGI (Computed-Generated Imagery), leaving the viewer a little disappointed. Thankfully, majority of the film uses real film sets, props and visuals to give the audience an authentic, immersive experience into the time period. As far as wardrobe goes, the film uses a very dry, typical array of clothing choices for the characters. It works, and you will believe it, but it still is typical run-of-the-mill clothing. The acting in the film has its highlights, but some parts come across as unbelievable, due to the rushed narrative. For example, the romance between Samson and his wife Taren seems to fly by in a matter of minutes. As a result, their relationship is difficult to buy into. The rushed narrative is also to blame for the failed relationship struggle between Prince Rallah and King Balek, his father. Both characters are reduced to simple power-greedy villains, while their father-son re-
lationship, which could have been used to show extreme emotional conflict in the son, is washed away. However, Prince Rallah does shine with a few, very cold blooded moments. Him being the most fabricated part of the story, his involvement is weaved in seamlessly, making him an essential character to the plot. Thankfully, the film keeps a fast pace, skipping the entire origin story of Samson and jumping right into his adulthood. His prophetic destiny to the free the Hebrew nation is still firmly established in dialogue. As he struggles to understand and accept his role exactly, his frequent fallouts with following God comes off as very relatable as opposed to irritating. The character is charismatic and dynamic, and only rushed narrative is to blame for the sometimes failing weight of his emotions. For the price of a movie ticket, Samson is a worthy watch, despite its flaws. People familiar with the biblical account will certainly reap the most reward from a viewing of this film.
Samson was released Feb. 12, 2018 by Pureflix. Pureflix is a Christian entertainment company that hopes to change the world through media.
By Jasmin Ortiz Staff Writer The sweet smell of coffee beans and pastries fill the air as you walk into Amor Ciego Coffee Company, the newest coffee house in town. Bright, airy, and with a big city feel, this coffee house is a good spot to plant your coffee bean roots. Open from Monday through Saturday from 7a.m. until 7p.m., Amor Ciego is a spot to check out at its downtown location at 107 Water St. With low prices, these drinks definitely pack a punch. The hot chocolate comes packed with cinnamon flavor, topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. I finished my cup with ease. With each drink, they serve a small dipping pastry, and paired with the quality drinks they serve, the pair tastes like heaven on a plate. Something to try other than
a warm cup of hot chocolate, is the Caffe Latte. It is a great cup of fresh brewed coffee with steamed milk for only $2.95 with an added croissant on the side to dip in. With a quietness that many coffee houses posses, Amor Ciego can be found littered with studious Crusaders sipping on a warm cup of Joe. As for me, I couldn’t have been happier with the atmosphere and the overall ambiance. The laid back setting made a great ambiance for friendly conversation. If you’re coming with a group, you can even reserve a table online at amorciegocoffee.com for an easy and convenient trip. The low prices and fantastic atmosphere are only a benefit to the treat that infect each taste bud when you receive a drink from this coffee house. Amor Ciego is a sweet treat, and I can happily give it a rating of 4/5.
Alternative Spring Break Ideas
budget friendly ideas to spice up the break helps in critical thinking.
By Sarah Ifft Staff Writer Are you looking for something exciting and different to do over spring break? There are plenty of fun and unique adventures you can take around the Central Texas area. Here are a list of some interesting ways to spend the break. 1. Kayaking – Kayaking is an enjoyable and inexpensive way to explore nature. Traversing across Lady Bird Lake in Austin is a wonderful time to spend on a warm, spring afternoon. Kayak rentals are fairly inexpensive too. Rowing Dock, a kayak rental service next to Lady Bird Lake, offers single kayaks for $10 an hour (Monday – Thursday) or $15 (Friday – Sunday and holidays). Doubles are $15 an hour (Monday – Thursday) or $20 (Friday – Sunday and holidays). 2. Escape Rooms – There are so many escape rooms in Central Texas, so why not check one out? The purpose of an escape room is to find clues to try to find your way out of the area. This fairly inexpensive activity is a great way to build camaraderie amongst your friends and family, and also
3.Eating at food trucks– Food trucks are a big deal around the area, and a unique way to check them out is to go to one food truck restaurant a day. Maybe you’ll eat at a breakfast taco joint one day, and a dessert vendor the next? And who knows? Perhaps you will find your favorite food item just by exploring a vast array of meal options. 4. Volunteering – What better way to spend your free time then to volunteer? No matter where you are, there is always a way to help. If you’re stumped as to where to begin in volunteering, one website to check out is www.volunteermatch.org. The website will direct you to various organizations that need volunteers around your city according to what you are passionate about. This could be helping children, seniors, animals, etc. The possibilities to help better your
community are numerous. 5. Zip lining – Texas’ longest and fastest zip line is only a little over an hour away from campus. Situated on stunning Lake Travis in Leander, riders can choose from five zip lines to zoom across the waters. Lake Travis Zipline Adventures offers a three hour tour in which riders get access to the equipment, boat transportation, water and a snack, and access to a private beach. You have to book online in order to get the tour, and the rate is $119 plus tax. They also have “night flight” in which riders receive glow sticks and headlamps as they soar through the skies at night. There are many ways to have fun over spring break, and these are just some examples in which to do so. No matter where you are during the break, you can be sure to have a good time
6 Wednesday, March 7, 2018
The Bells
Features
Accounting students volunteer to help locals with their taxes By Lauren Lum Editor-In-Chief Accounting students of the McLane College of Business are helping Central Texas citizens by working with United Way of Central Texas through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). The students are gaining experience and helping people get their tax forms in to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to receive their tax return refunds or pay
what they owe before Tuesday, April 17 (Tax Day). With VITA, Central Texas residents come to various locations in Temple, Belton, Killeen and Harker Heights to have their taxes prepared and e-filed for free. VITA is set up to help clients with an income of $50,000 or less, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and taxpayers with limited English. Last year, VITA filed 844 returns in 2017, but according to United Way Director
Graphic by Lauren Lum/ The Bells
of Public Relations Veshell Greene, they would like to file 1,000 returns this year. “VITA is hope,” Greene said. “The fact that these people can come get their taxes done at no charge… that’s more money they can spend in their home and on their kids. Greene stressed that VITA is a reputable program, and that volunteers must go through training with the IRS before filling out returns. The sites also have reviewers with advanced certification to validate every return before filing. “All the volunteers have to be certified by the IRS. It’s not Photo by Lauren Lum/ The Bells just someone doing the returns Senior accounting and management major Noe Diaz and senior accounting major Tyler in a garage,” Greene said. Miller consult the Tax Guide on new tax laws. The tax filing pro“This year we have over with the knowledge I have cess takes about an hour. back as soon as their informaClients are required to fill tion is plugged into the site. 45 volunteers with the gained with tax accounting 1 Then, the client will VITA program because we and 2,” he said. “I wanted to out an intake form with questions about their finan- sit with a reviewer to go have branched out with the apply that to everyday use.” Senior accounting major Tycial background for 2017. back through the return. pilot program at Temple Volunteers in the pro- High School,” Greene said. ler Miller said that he’s volunThey must bring their soSenior accounting and man- teering to test out his educacial security card or an gram include not only equivalent and a picture ID. UMHB students, but also agement major Noe Diaz start- tional skills and to help people. “I’ve learned how many After filling out an intake Temple High School stu- ed volunteering with VITA form, the client will meet with dents, community mem- this year, and says that he re- people in the area need a volunteer to go over the bers, and United Way staff. ally enjoys helping citizens. tax help,” Miller said, Associate Dean Dr. Kirk “I like seeing people’s faces “It’s big, and it’s very imform and answer any clarifications the client might have. Fischer teaches Federal In- when they see the returns they portant to these people.” If you are interested in takThe volunteer will input the come Tax students, and he are getting without having to client’s financial information has encouraged them to vol- pay a fee…,” Diaz said. Diaz ing advantage of this opporfrom their W-2 and any other unteer with the program. says he’s volunteering, so he tunity to get help with taxes Dr. Fischer also serves can give back to the commu- and having your taxes filed forms the client brings in. a site coordina- nity using his tax knowledge. for free, visit www.uwct. The clients can see how as “I wanted to try and give back org to make an appointment. much they will be getting tor in Belton for VITA.
Student Event Planning Association By Madeline Oden Assistant Editor The spring semester has introduced many new organizations onto campus, including the Student Event PlanningAssociation (SEPA) . The official SEPA website describes the organization as such: “The Student Event Planners Association is a professional organization that caters to millennials in the event planning and hospitality industry. Our mission is to develop student event planners into professionals.” The UMHB group adds that it also prepares students, professionals and businesses for success in the event planning and hospitality industry. SEPA serves as a professional outlet for members to gain knowledge and experience, develop skills, and network. Though this is only their first semester as a chapter on campus, the organization currently has around 20 to 30 members and has eight officers. It has already held two meetings and will hold two more later in the semester. The organization invites public relations and communication professionals in to speak at the meetings. “Speakers help by bringing in real world experts
who do this and giving [students] tips,” public relations professor and SEPA adviser Avery Green, said. “Classroom learning doesn’t always include the real world big picture concepts, so we build on what we learn in the classroom as far as event planning. Each speaker has their own spin on the tips they offer.” To become an official member of the organization, students pay dues totaling to $50. This includes chapter dues ($10 per semester) and national dues ($30 for one academic year). Students must become a member of the national organization to be recognized as a member and put SEPA on their resume or LinkedIn account. Teasurer Rhema Jones, a senior public relations major with a marketing minor, joined in hopes of gaining tips on how to be a development officer and do fundraising for development institutions. When asked if it would be worth students’ time to invest in this organization Jones said, “I think it is a good opportunity to network with likeminded people.” “We had Dayspring Fowler come in at the last meeting and it was awesome to hear her perspective,” Jones said.
It is a nationally recognized organization so it looks great on a resume and it is definitely worth the $50 investment.” Tori Bradbury, a senior public relations major with a minor in marketing, is the organization’s president. “We mainly wanted to set a good foundation for the underclassmen and set a good example. We didn’t want to bite off more than we could chew and then flop, so we wanted to start the organization out slow so we could make that foundation to build upon in the future. There are still many things we want to do but we didn’t want to get ahead of ourselves,” Bradbury said. “It is something that many people are interested in but don’t really have a path to learn about …. It applies to even the majors you wouldn’t think about, like the business majors or social work majors, and it is something that could be valuable to all students.” Bradbury said. More information about the Student Event Planners Association and how to join can be found on their Facebook page at Student Event Planners Association - University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, or by email to Avery Green at avery.green@umhb.edu.
Photo by Madeline Oden/ The Bells
Students were able to attend a SEPA meeting in Meyers 114 on Feb. 22, 2018. The next meeting will be held on March 22 in the same room.
Photo by Sarah Ifft/ The Bells
Left to right: Naomi Michaelson, a sophomore education major, and Jordyn Brinkman, a sophomore Christian studies major, sell bracelets and lanyards inside of Bawcom Student Union. Half of the proceeds go back to those who made the items and the other half benefits Circle K, the organization sponsoring Threads of Hope.
Circle K teams up with Threads of Hope By Sarah Ifft Opinons editior Circle K International is an organization on campus that engages with the community through various service projects. A unique aspect of this club is that it is run entirely by the student body. Shelby Rogers, a senior psychology major, is the Vice President of Circle K. “Circle K is an international volunteer organization. We aim to serve anyone from our community to our world,” Rogers said. Sophomore education major Naomi Michaelson and sophomore Christian studies major Jordyn Brinkman are both members of this club. “We are the college version of Key Club, which is a service organization for high school students,” Brinkman said. “Above us is Kiwanis Club, which is for adults. We do a lot of fun service projects like bake sales and volunteering at animal shelters.”
“This is really cool for us because we have a lot of opportunities to get together with clubs from Baylor, Hardin Simmons, MCC and others,” Michaelson said. One project that Circle K puts on every year is selling bracelets and lanyards that are hand crafted by women and children from the Philippines through Threads of Hope. Circle K sponsors Threads of Hope, which is an organization that supports those who are living in the Philippines by promoting these accessories. Throughout the month of February, Circle K set up a table in Bawcom Student Union to sell these items to students. Rogers described the significance of these bracelets and lanyards in more detail. “Threads of Hope is an organization that provides a wholesome way for women and children in the Philippines to make an income for their families,” Rogers said. “This allows them to
not have to resort to other methods such as child labor or prostitution to make this income which is common in the Philippines.” These accessories ranged from $2 to $4, and half of the proceeds went back to the Filipino families who made these bracelets and lanyards. The other half of the sale went to Circle K International for event funding. Circle K is a great way to get involved in helping the community. “My favorite part of Circle K has been getting to know others while we serve together,” Michaelson said. “Circle K provides us with so many service opportunities where we’re able to work hard, but also have a super fun time.” “People can get involved by coming to our meetings on Thursday nights at 7:30 in Bawcom Conference Room 1,” Rogers said. If you are interested in joining this organization, they are always looking for more members.