November 1, 2022

Hays County General Election 2022 voting guide

The General Election is on Nov. 2. Early voting began on Oct. 24 and will continue until Nov. 4. The University Star has compiled a guide for everything you'll need to know before heading to the polls in Hays County.

Voting Locations

All polling locations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

*denotes polling locations open for early voting.

San Marcos

• *Broadway (Christus Trinity Clinic), 401 Broadway Street #A

• Brookdale San Marcos North, 1720 Old Ranch Road 12

• Calvary Baptist Church, 1906 North Interstate 35 Frontage Road

• Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos, 211 Lee Street

• Dunbar Center, 801 Martin Luther King Drive

• First Baptist Church San Marcos, 325 West McCarty Lane

• *Hays County Government Center, Conference Room, 712 South Stagecoach Trail

• *LBJ Student Center, Texas State University, 601 University Drive

• Promiseland Church, 1650 Lime Kiln Road

• San Marcos Fire Department Station #5, 100 Carlson Circle

• San Marcos Housing Authority/ C.M. Allen Homes, 820 Sturgeon Drive

• San Marcos Public Library, 625 East Hopkins Street

• Sinai Pentecostal Church, 208 Laredo Street

• South Hays Fire Department Station #12, 8301 Ranch Road 12 Stone Brook Seniors Community, 300 South Stagecoach Trail

Kyle

• *Arnold Transportation Building — HCISD Admin, 21009 Interstate 35 Frontage Road

• Austin Community College — Hays Campus, 1200 Kohlers Crossing

• *Kyle City Hall, 100 West Center Street

• *Live Oak Academy High School, 4820 Jack C. Hays Trail

• *Main Office, HCISD Transportation, 2385 High Road, Uhland

• Precinct 2 Office, Hays County, 5458 FM 2770

• Simon Middle School 3839 East FM 150

• Tobias Elementary School 1005 East FM 150

• Wallace Middle School 1500 West Center Street

• *Yarrington — Hays County Transportation Department, 2171 Yarrington Road

Buda

• *Buda City Hall — Multipurpose Room, 405 East Loop Street, Building 100

• Hays Hills Baptist Church, 1401 North FM 1626

• McCormick Middle School, 5700 Dacy Lane

• Southern Hills Church of Christ 3740 FM 967

• *Sunfield Station, 2610 Main Street

CULTURE

Honors College spreads Día de los Muertos spirit

By Carlene Ottah Life and Arts Contributor

Every October, the Honors College decorates an ofrenda with colorful butterflies, electric candles and paper marigolds, continuing its Día de los Muertos tradition and allowing students and faculty to spread culture across campus.

Michelle Sotolongo, Honors College academic adviser, sets up an ofrenda, or altar, each year. This year, the ofrenda dedicates itself to the 19 children and two teachers who were killed in the Uvalde shooting in May.

"I think the ones that are like the most impactful and also, maybe some that our students and campus community can relate to maybe a little bit more easily or recognize," Sotolongo said.

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 during which families celebrate the lives of their deceased relatives and loved ones.

Ofrendas are set up by families who celebrate Día de los Muertos to

guide their deceased loved ones to the celebration of their life. On the altars sit photos of the deceased along with their favorite items, food and toys for children.

Sotolongo said the Lampasas ofrenda did not have a theme until two years ago. She found that the themes reminded students, faculty and staff that they are all connected. Last year, the ofrenda was dedicated to the Indigenous children whose remains were discovered in British Columbia, Canada. The year before, it honored Black and brown lives lost to police violence.

Sotolongo does not set up the ofrenda on her own. Edie Monceaux, a secondyear graduate assistant at the Honors College, printed out the pictures of the Uvalde victims and helped student coordinators organize them on the ofrenda. While there were no strict guidelines on setting up the decorations, Monceaux loves how the ofrenda came out in the end to tell a story.

"I love how [the ofrenda] is displayed with all the Uvalde victims and students have put a few butterflies on the altar,"

Monceaux said. "So, I'm just glad that it's not only beautifully put together, but I'm glad that students feel, you know, comfortable and proud enough to represent their loved ones."

Monceaux said student coordinators' friends and family have stopped by the altar in previous years. Students have also been inspired by the Honor College's ofrenda to make their own. Since it is Monceaux's first year helping organize the ofrenda, she learned about the holiday and the meanings behind each decoration.

"I learned a lot about this tradition, this holiday, what it means," Monceaux said. "I just learned a lot about — I just keep saying culture — but I feel I'm just happy to learn about another culture other than my own and really embrace it, and you know, just I was glad to be invited to partake in it."

Family of first Black TXST graduate seeks recognition

By Nichaela Shaheen News Editor

On a spring day in 1967, Shirley Harris walked across the stage and received her diploma from Southwest Texas State. With her family in the crowd, she became the first Black student to graduate from Texas State.

Shirley, who died in 2018, has yet to be recognized for this achievement by Texas State and it has become the mission of her brother, Dwight Harris, to get her the recognition he believes she deserves.

“I knew my mom and dad were really proud of her and I was always proud of her. She and I had always argued about who was the smartest because she was the first one to graduate from college,” Dwight said. “I just thought, after she passed away, there needs to be some recognition for her whether she likes it or not and so I'm really doing it just for my family’s namesake.”

Southwest Texas State College became integrated in 1963 after Dana J. Smith filed a suit against the school in 1962. Texas State's president at the time, John G. Flowers, sent a letter to Smith citing the whites-only provision in the charter establishing the college for the decision to reject her. It was her high school adviser Mr. Grant and her Texas State adviser Dr. Martin who motivated her to apply.

Texas State alumna Shirley Harris poses for a portrait during her time as an elementary school teacher, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas. Harris, the first Black Texas State graduate, was a teacher for over 40 years.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DWIGHT HARRIS

Texas State Honors College displays an ofrenda as part of the Día de los Muertos tradition, Monday, Oct. 31, 2022, at Lampasas Hall.

PHOTO BY CARSON WEAVER

Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487

Editorial Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Arthur Fairchild stareditor@txstate.edu

Managing Editor: Sarah Hernandez starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu

Design Editor: Kadence Cobb stardesign@txstate.edu

News Editor: Nichaela Shaheen starnews@txstate.edu

Life & Arts Editor: Marisa Nunez starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

Opinions Editor: Dillon Strine staropinion@txstate.edu

Sports Editor: Carson Weaver starsports@txstate.edu

Multimedia Editor: Vanessa Buentello starmultimedia@txstate.edu

Engagement Editor: Meadow Chase starengagement@txstate.edu

Digital Products Developer: Monica Vargas starasstweb@txstate.edu

Creative Services Director: Michele Dupont starcreative@txstate.edu

Public & Internal Relations

PIR Director: Elle Gangi starpr@txstate.edu

Full-Time Staff

Director: Laura Krantz laurakrantz@txstate.edu

Student Publications Coordinator: Caitlin Mitchell cf1188@txstate.edu

About Us

History: The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday of the spring and fall and once a month in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 3,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels HeraldZeitung.

Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, November 1, 2022. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor-in-chief.

Deadlines: Letters to the Editor or any contributed articles are due on Monday the week prior to publication.

Corrections: Any errors that are in the pages of The University Star and brought to our attention will be corrected as soon as possible.

Visit The Star at universitystar.com

FROM

• Upper Campus, Buda Elementary School (Kunkel Room, historic school site), 300 North San Marcos Street

Wimberly

• Cypress Creek Church, 211 Stillwater Road

• *Texan Academy at Scudder — Gym, 400 Green Acres Drive

• VFW Post #6441, 401 Jacobs Well Road

• *Wimberley Community Center — BlancoRoom, 14068 Ranch Road 12

Dripping Springs and Austin

• Belterra Centre, 151 Trinity Hills Drive, Austin

• Dripping Springs Ranch Park, 1042 EventCenter Drive

• Henly Station #3, North Hays County FireRescue, 7520 Creek Road

• *Patriots’ Hall of Dripping Springs, 231Patriots’ Hall Boulevard (3400 East US 290)

• *Precinct 4 Office, Hays County, 195 RogerHanks Parkway

What's on the ballot:

The following local and state elections will befeatured on ballots in San Marcos. For a view of the sample master ballot listing all races in HaysCounty, visit the Hays County election website.

Texas Governor

Gregg Abbott (R)Beto O’Rourke (D) Mark Tippetts (L)Delilah Barrios (G)

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (R) Mike Collier (D) Shanna Steele (L)

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) Rochelle Mercedes Garza (D) Mark Ash (L)

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Glenn Hegar (R)Janet T. Dudding (D)V. Alonzo Echevarria-Garza (L)

Texas Commissioner of the General Land Office

Dawn Buckingham (R)Jay Kleberg (D)Alfred Molison (G)

Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Susan Hays (D)Sid Miller (R)

Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian (R)Luke Warford (D) Jaime Andres Díez (L) Hunter Wayne Crow (G) Justice, Texas Supreme Court, Place 3 Debra Lehrmann (R) Erin A. Nowell (D) Thomas Edward Oxford (L) Justice, Texas Supreme Court, Place 5 Rebeca Huddle (R) Julia Maldonado (D) Justice, Texas Supreme Court, Place 9 Evan Young (R)Julia Maldonado (D)

Texas Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals,Place 5

Scott Walker (R) Dana Huffman (D)

Texas Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals,Place 6

Jesse F. McClure, III (R) Robert Johnson (D)

Texas Member, State Board of Education, District 5

Perla Muñoz Hopkins (R)Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D)

Texas U.S. Representative District 35 Dan McQueen (R) Greg Casar (D)

Texas State Senate District 21 Julie Dahlberg (R)Judith Zaffirini (D) Arthur DiBianca (L)

TX State House, District 45 Michelle Lopez (R)Erin Zwiener (D)

Texas Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals,Place 4

Lesli R. Fitzpatrick (R)Rosa Lopez Theofanis (D)

Hays County District Attorney

Mary Lou Keel (R)Kelly Higgins (D)

Hays County Judge

Mark Jones (R) Ruben Becerra (D)

Judge, County Court-at-Law #1

Robert Updegrove (R)Jimmy Alan Hall (D)

Judge, County Court-at-Law #3 Dan O'Brien (R) Elaine Brown (D)

Hays County District Clerk

Beverly Crumley (R)Avery Anderson (D)

Hays County Clerk

Linda Duran (R) Elaine Cardenas (D)

Hays County Treasurer

Britney Bolton Richey (R)Daphne Sanchez Tenorio (D)

San Marcos City Council, Place 2 Atom Von Arndt (NP) Saul Gonzales (NP)

San Marcos City Council, Place 1 Matthew Mendoza (NP) Maxfield Baker (NP)

City of San Marcos, Mayor Jane Hughson (NP)John Thomaides (NP)

City of San Marcos, Proposition A (votefor or against)

An ordinance to eliminate low-level marijuanaenforcement.

Eligibility

To qualify to vote in Hays County, residents must:

Be a U.S. citizen.

Be a resident of Hays County

Be 18 years old.

Not be a convicted felon.

Not be determined by a final judgment of acourt exercising probate jurisdiction to be totallymentally incapacitated or partially mentallyincapacitated without the right to vote.

Sanders visits campus for get-out-the-vote rally

By Dillon Strine News Contributor

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders visited San Marcos on Saturday for what was his first stop in Texas for a nationwide tour with NextGen America and MoveOn. Sanders spoke at Sewell Park to back fellow progressive and Texas 35th Congressional district Democratic nominee, Greg Casar, for a "get-out-the-vote" rally and march to the polls.

The crowd was antsy to hear from the three-term senator from the northeast, who showed up with Casar in a black SUV above the Sewell Park stage. After an introduction from Casar, Sanders stressed the importance of the midterm, as millions of Americans still claim the last election was stolen from them.

"This campaign is not just about women's rights and climate change as enormously important as those are. As a United States Senator, I never thought, honest to God, that I would have to be saying this, but this campaign is about whether or not we maintain the foundations of American democracy," Sanders said.

Jacob Graybill, treasurer of College Democrats at Texas State, said the organization received around 250 RSVPs and hoped for walk-ins at the event. Sanders wants students to know that politics matter and that their vote can make a difference.

“This is not easy stuff, but for the future of this country for our great country, for all those who fought and died to defend our country, I hope very much you guys will roll up your sleeves and get to work and make this country the kind of country you know, and I know that we can become,” Sanders said.

Sanders credits this to the younger generation, calling it the most progressive to stand up to racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia. Before Sanders stepped to the podium, Casar warmed up the crowd by explaining his background as a community organizer for the working class against big corporations.

"What I learned, not as a city council member, not running for Congress, but as a young organizer, is that the power in this state rests with the every day and working people of Texas. It rests with you all," Casar said.

Casar said that the state's history of progressive change for current political issues runs deep. From the pecan shellers strike in San Antonio, which saw the president sign the first federal minimum wage bill, to Sarah Weddington, a Dallas attorney who represented "Jane Roe" in Roe v. Wade, and finally, to Texas State's prominent alumnus.

"[Lyndon B. Johnson], who went to school on this campus, was pushed by voting rights activists. He was pushed by the workers' rights movement, he was pushed by working people here in Texas," Casar said. "He was even pushed by a younger man from Brooklyn named Bernie Sanders, he was pushed to deliver. And he delivered the Voting Rights Act. He signed the Civil Rights Act, he created Medicare and so if a Texan signed those into law, it only makes sense that Texans and our movement can take it to the next stage."

FROM FRONT HISTORY

Preceding both Sanders and Casar was State Rep. for District 45 Erin Zwiener who founded Texas' house caucus on climate, environment and energy industry, the state's first environmental caucus and has been fighting for students' right to vote with their school ID. As a representative since 2018, Zwiener understands the volatility in Hays County.

"In 2016 about 33,000 people from Hays County came out and voted for Donald Trump, and he won Hays County by about 500 votes. Fast forward two years, about 33,000 people came out to vote for Ted Cruz," Zwiener said. "Ted Cruz lost Hays County by 11,000 votes. We flipped Hays County because of energy because people who weren't sure if their voice mattered decided to take the chance and believe."

Not all speakers on Saturday were politicians. Elizabeth Mendoza, a student leader for Mano Amiga, spoke about the local criminal justice reform.

“It was a class action suit,” Smith said. “ First two paragraphs [of the decision letter] were very nice. But it said 'yes, unfortunately, you cannot go to school.' They [Dr. Martin and Mr. Grant] told me ‘when you get the letter back, let us know.' So I let them know and they went to the lawyers. [Texas State was] eager to have this process done, but it had to be legally orchestrated is the way they put it.”

On Feb. 4, 1963, a court ordered an end to segregation at Southwest Texas State. The next order of business was to get students of color enrolled. Later that same day and the next day, Smith and four other Black students registered for classes at Texas State.

The Freedom Five or First Five is made up of Smith, Georgia Faye Hoodye, Gloria Odoms, Mabeleen Washington and Helen Jackson. Shirley did not enroll until 1965 after transferring from San Antonio Junior College. She was ultimately the first among the six women to graduate.

While the transition to becoming an integrated college was relatively smooth, Smith said they still felt the need to prove themselves.

“The teachers were concerned with whether or not we could do the work. Would it make the school look bad if we couldn't do the work? But we showed them that we could work so that was that,” Smith said.

Regardless of the pressure she and the others felt to perform well in their studies and the sly comments made to them, they persisted. While Smith had to excuse herself for a semester, Shirley was on track to complete her last.

“Shirley was the first one to graduate from us, I was so jealous of her because had I not had this little baby I would have graduated in January ‘67, but I got over that,” Smith said.

Shirley received her bachelor's degree in education and went on to teach at elementary schools for 40 years in San Antonio, Texas. Dwight said she enjoyed the kids and spending time with her own nieces and nephews.

“She was a go-getter, if you gave her something to do it was going to get it done and it was going to be done correctly,” Dwight said. “Shirley adored all of her nieces and nephews; she didn't have any kids and she never got married. But she had several nieces and nephews and one great-niece which is my granddaughter and she just thought the world of them.”

When she wasn't in the classroom pouring into young minds, Shirley would travel with her nieces and nephews. Dwight said she was a huge helping hand to the family with a big heart for those she loved.

"She spent a lot of her free time when they were young kids growing up to take them on vacations all by herself, she'd load them into her car and they would go take off to Houston or Dallas or to AstroWorld, somewhere and she'd take them for a week all by herself," Dwight said. "She wouldn't let anybody go with her and she would pay for the whole thing. She was a great help with my parents, you know when she graduated she bought them a house in San Marcos."

"Mano Amiga collected over 11,000 signatures from people here in San Marcos who are ready for a change in marijuana enforcement policies," Mendoza said. "This means that when you go vote this week, there will be a question on your ballot that gives you the opportunity to directly contribute to decriminalizing marijuana in San Marcos."

Michelle Sotolongo, an immigrant rights leader, shared her experience getting into immigration deliberately by accident, advocating for the disenfranchised and how vital the ability to vote is.

"If you have this amazing ability, the ability to vote, I urge you to take it on with honor, respect, passion and most of all empathy," Sotolongo said. "I vote to give a voice to the countless immigrants who cannot vote for their own interests."

Texas State, now a minority-majority serving institution, has come a long way since the first Black students walked the campus. Texas State President Kelly Damphousse said that the campus represents all.

“Texas State University reflects what Texas looks like. Texas is a very diverse state,” Damphousse said. “It's important not just that we reflect the state but that students who come here feel like they belong here, and that's what I love about the diversity of our university, not just among our student body, but among our staff and faculty as well.”

Brown v. The Board of Education, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case in 1954, ruled racial segregation in public schools illegal. Smith said that the troubles faced rarely came from other students because for the 10 years prior to her enrollment at Southwest Texas State, integration began at the high schools.

Hassles came more so from faculty advisers. She recalls a situation in which she felt this the most.

“I walked in the front door of this meeting place and this particular faculty adviser looked at me. She says ‘you don't need to be here so you might as well leave.' So I left and I went in a different door and opened it up and said ‘I do belong here too’ and I shut the door behind myself and sat in the front row, and then she said ‘this meeting is adjourned,’” Smith said.

Princely Kamanda, the president of Texas State's chapter of the NAACP, believes Shirley and the Freedom Five paved the way for students of color to pursue not only higher education but their dreams.

“Their accomplishments are inspirations and show that everyone deserves access to higher education regardless of their color of skin,” Kamanda said. “Recognition is needed because it helps give back to the community.”

Dwight is unsure when he will reach his destination on the road to recognition for his sister, but Damphousse shares that bringing awareness to the goal is the first step.

“You think about how challenging that must have been back in the day not just to be a student here but actually graduate from here, and we want to be able to acknowledge that because that sends a message to our community about how important her accomplishments were," Damphousse said.

Damphousse is not sure when or how they will recognize Shirley yet. However, he said the possibilities are endless.

"I'm not sure the process we have for acknowledging people and what we would do that but I think having those conversations now starts to get people to start thinking about it," Damphousse said. "You can certainly think of lots of ways of doing it. There's scholarship opportunities, there's naming opportunities, there's award naming opportunities. There's lots of ways we can acknowledge her and her accomplishments, it's just a matter of first being aware of the person and second trying to find the right way to acknowledge her."

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at the get-out-the-vote rally to San Marcos residents, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, at Sewell Park.

PHOTO BY ELLE GANGI

Students should vote

By Dylan Aguilera Opinions Contributor

Politics can be draining. Sometimes it feels like there is no power left to be exercised by younger generations due to the inner workings of our government coming off as shady, incomprehensible and boring.

While we may be slow to recognize the authority college students can wield during election cycles through the sheer power of numbers, their presence at voting booths effectively influences politicians to meet popular demands. As one of the largest demographics in America, college-aged adults should take advantage of voting in every election.

Historically, college students have been extraordinarily apathetic when it comes time to cast a ballot. A study by scholar Sheena Iyenger points out that young people have been underrepresented at the polls ever since 18-year-olds received the right to vote in 1972.

Every year, The Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School surveys 18-to-29-year-olds to determine their feelings towards the efficacy of voting. This year's study shows that youths increasingly believe political involvement is a waste of time as tangible results seem nonexistent. Moreover, voting doesn't seem to make a difference more than ever, and there is a dramatic lack of faith in elected officials' ability to enact positive change.

Sitting politicians have long considered 18-29-yearolds politically apathetic and consequently have been uninspired to address their concerns. However, recent studies have proven that this attitude is detrimental to these individuals' potential to retain their offices. For example, according to researchers at Tufts University, 66% of registered college-aged voters cast their ballot in the 2020 presidential election. This 14% increase in college-aged voter turnout from 2016 has caused future electoral candidates to pay more attention to the desires of voters in that demographic. The study also pointed out that younger college-aged 18-21-year-olds students provided a greater turnout than upperclassmen at universities.

Voting in elections is a surefire way to make politicians cater to your wants and needs. Politicians recognize the effects of voter turnout by demographic and often make sure to appease the groups that show up to the polls — whether in support of their policies or against them. For example, according to

the LA Times, youth votes were responsible for the Democrats' recapture of the House of Representatives. Furthermore, President Joe Biden has the youth vote to thank for securing crucially important states in the 2020 presidential election.

Over the past couple of years, issues that are popular with younger voters have forced their way into the forefront of political discourse. Here in San Marcos, activists have worked hard to garner support for several referendums that appeal to young voters, such as the famous marijuana decriminalization referendum, and they've found success in the process.

Texas State students have registered to vote in Hays County directly because of this popular proposal. The potential of marijuana decriminalization in states that have traditionally been hostile to the prospect has grown immensely, suggesting that politicians nationwide are paying more attention than usual to issues concerning young people. Furthermore, Biden has gone so far as to provide up to $20,000 in student debt relief — an action that would have been unimaginable just eight years ago — proving that if young people show up to the polls, they're likely to have their voices heard.

Skeptics of the efficacy of voting might still hold fast to the belief that their single vote isn't enough to make a difference in an election. That belief is only validated if everyone thinks that way, which would mean that politicians are strategically correct when it comes to ignoring the voices of the youth.

Conversely, suppose individuals withhold their votes because they believe that everyone else's vote will

compensate for the absence of their own. In that case, the two predicaments cancel out, and no one is happy. In the 1960s, young people began extensively using civil disobedience to influence politicians. In some cases, such as in the case of the civil rights movement, they found success. In others, like the anti-Vietnam war protests, their actions backfired. As a result, it can be tempting to circumvent the voting process in favor of other means of enacting change. However, history has shown us that voting is the right first step to getting what we want in this epoch. If it didn't work, then politicians in regressive parts of the country would not try so hard to deny confident Americans one of their fundamental civil rights.

Within the current confines of our system of government, we are limited in our capabilities to enact change, some preferring that change take place overnight. Perhaps in the future, we will empower groups and individuals who will make the road to prosperity accessible and within sight. Working within the structures, we must discover the potential that we currently find ourselves. In short, the best solution to the issue of politicians not paying attention to young people's voices is to cast your vote as a young person.

-Dylan Aguilera is a philosophy, English junior

The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editor-in-Chief and Opinions Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.

Cash should still be accepted everywhere on campus

By David Cuevas Opinions Contributor

In July, The Payment Choice Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives, mandating businesses must accept cash payments of under $2,000. This act came into existence due to more and more businesses across the U.S. turning to a cashless system because of COVID-19.

Not only are businesses across the country choosing to go cashless, but so are colleges.

While Texas State has yet to decide to go all in on becoming a cashless campus, signs indicate that it is only a matter of time until it does.

Cash must remain an acceptable payment option by businesses on and off college campuses, including Texas State, as without it, the estimated 59% of the American population that still prefers to pay with cash will become disenfranchised, and the number of consumers businesses can sell to will decrease.

Texas State's campus is home to numerous businesses, most of which are eateries that offer students a variety of choices, whether it be dining halls or well-known fast-food establishments.

These places accept payment options such as credit and debit cards, Bobcat Bucks and Dining Dollars. These payments are transacted via mobile and do not require an exchange between the customer and the cashier. However, cash, the once-only form of acceptable payment, is not accepted at certain spots on Texas State's campus.

The Dunkin' Donuts and Panda Express do not have a cashier behind a register. But instead, two or three selforder kiosk machines have removed cash registers altogether.

Kiosks have skyrocketed in popularity over the last few years as, according to

studies, the kiosk market estimates to hit nearly $31 billion by 2024.

McDonald's was the first bigname restaurant or fast-food chain to begin using kiosks in 2015. However, according to Financial Post, McDonald's sales dipped after going to kiosks over registers. Only some customers can operate the machines because for others, cash is their only payment source. In addition, an estimated 8.4 million American households still need a bank account or debit card, which would prevent them from being able to place an order at roughly 9,000 McDonald's locations across the U.S.

The same is happening at Texas State.

Texas State's campus establishments with kiosks in place of cash registers have a strict no-cash policy, as these machines are not programmed to accept cash, forcing students to pay with one of the four options mentioned earlier.

Students who wish to pay with physical money, whether by choice or obligation, are denied service at these locations.

Another negative with the kiosk system is that they take away job opportunities from people, which is profitable for businesses but hurts both a percentage of consumers and the working class.

The Dunkin' Donuts and Panda Express at Texas State choosing to transition to a strictly cashless system and do away with registers in favor of kiosks offer fewer job opportunities to both student workers and regular employees.

While kiosks can be quicker and more convenient, they deprive students of possible jobs and services at certain establishments, which is why they should offer kiosks and cashiers.

Bobcats Bucks are accepted everywhere at Texas State and at some San Marcos establishments. If off-campus locations are willing to accept these payments,

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXANDRA M GARDEN

then there is no reason on-campus locations should be unwilling to accept cash.

As for eating options other than fastfood restaurants for students, Texas State has two dining halls on its campus, one being the Jones Dining Center. As of 2019, Jones is strictly cashless.

According to John Root, the director of Auxiliary Services at Texas State, Jones no longer accepts cash because of the growing industry trend over the past several years.

Root said Texas State decided to make Jones cashless because it felt the students were more used to cashier-less systems and that it was time to try kiosks in one of the dining centers.

It is understandable why colleges favor kiosks over registers and push for mobile payments, as most of their student bodies prefer to make their payments that way. However, cash should remain a viable option for the estimated 14%, according to CNBC, of those who still prefer to pay with it for their weekly transactions.

The usage of physical currency has become a rarity in society over recent years due to the vast majority of people choosing credit and debit cards over

paper bills and coins.

According to studies from a blog posted on Clover, roughly 30% of American citizens do not carry any cash on them, and 76% who do only keep $50 or less in their wallets.

American consumers, particularly younger generations, prefer the simple swipe or tap of a plastic card rather than the hand-to-hand exchange of money. As a result, this payment method is slowly beginning to head toward the brink of extinction.

For more than 200 years, paper cash has been at the heart of the American economy. However, it is apparent that credit cards have replaced cash as the number one payment choice and is the future of the American economy, and understandably so; yet businesses should always accept the option of cash.

- David Cuevas is a journalism junior

The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editor-in-Chief and Opinions Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.

Opinions in The University Star are not necessarily those of our entire publication, Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Student Publications Board.

BY DILLON STRINE

Dance Works provides students a safe space to get their groove on

By Haley Velasco Assistant Life and Arts Editor

From dance styles in jazz to contemporary to hip-hop and more, Texas State students have the opportunity to take over the dance floor with the help of Dance Works, a student organization that meets at Jowers Studio B178 every Wednesday at 8 p.m.

Starting in 2017, Kenna Priore, a dance education alumna who graduated in 2019, created Dance Works in hopes of allowing students to learn new dances every week from new choreographers.

LaClea Miles, the current president of Dance Works and an elementary education junior, joined Dance Works in the spring of 2020 after searching for student organizations that Texas State had to offer. With her new role as president this semester and her previous experience with Dance Works, she encourages all students to join no matter their dancing background.

"You don't have to be in dance or a dance major," Miles said. "You can just come to this space to learn new styles with different choreographers that we switch up every week. It's a place where you can come teach dance, learn dance or just get back into it."

Dance Works also caters to students who have previous dance experience, whether it was for competitions or high school drill teams. The organization's purpose is to give these students a place to get back into dancing without worrying about perfecting a routine for a competition or performance.

Vee Blyden, vice president for Dance Works and a theatre performance and production and dance junior, danced for his high school drill team during the pandemic, and his performance and competition opportunities were taken away.

Blyden encountered drama within his high school drill team that created a negative environment, due to performance cancellations because of COVID-19 and the cynical tensions of his high school drill team. Blyden started to feel that dancing had become more of a chore than a passion. After joining Dance Works at the end of the spring 2021 semester, he has been able to find his love for dancing again with the support of new talented friends in a

more positive environment.

"When I started Dance Works it all started coming back to me," Blyden said. "It was more of my tempo and it helped me get into the comfort of my own body. It was also just a lot of positive energy and beautiful souls coming together and being supportive. Everyone was just eating it up and leaving no crumbs."

Along with being able to learn dances, students also have the opportunity to choreograph a class by filling out an application and emailing the Dance Works organization.

When it comes to choreography, Dance Works helps dancers connect and gives future instructors an opportunity for experience. Current communications officer for Dance Works, Adelyna Gonzales, a dance education sophomore, plans to become a dance teacher. From finding a song to choreograph to picking a dance style, to putting everything together for a routine, Gonzalez enjoys learning the ropes of choreographing.

This semester, Gonzales choreographed a jazz routine to Lizzo's "2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)." She said that choreographing is just like lesson planning as she is required to map out a plan on how to teach a routine. She is grateful for the experience and believes that it will prepare her for the future dance studio that she aspires to have.

It's becoming more apparent for Dance Works of the number of people that are excited to learn dance routines in a stress-free environment. During COVID-19, Miles said only six dancers were allowed to reserve times to participate in weekly classes. Now, every Wednesday class holds a full studio, ranging from 30-50 students who are eager to hit the dance floor.

One of the students who was excited to come back to the dance floor is Damoned Brown, a theatre performance and production junior, who was a senior lieutenant of his high school's drill team. He had a memorable experience in high school as a drill team leader but missed the thrill that dance gave him in high school and longed for an organization like Dance Works that could get him back into what he loved.

After joining Dance Works his sophomore year, Brown participated

FROM FRONT CULTURE

Ofrendas are is decorated with marigolds and candles to guide the dead to the altar. Skulls are decorated to represent the cycle of life, monarch butterflies are believed to hold the spirits of the dead and the papel picado, traditional decorated paper, is used to symbolize wind. Together, all the decorations incorporate the four elements: water, wind, earth and fire.

The Texas State tradition of setting up ofrendas began in 2006 when Sotolongo, then an honors college student, and a friend noticed that there were not many events related to Día de los Muertos on the Texas State campus. They set up an ofrenda and, over time, they saw the ofrenda got people interested in the holiday.

"It was, you know, something that we realized we had to educate more people on, like, what it was about," Sotolongo said. "It's a tradition; it's not a Mexican Halloween. You know, we're not focusing on, like, the scary aspects or anything like that. It's more welcoming and inviting to remember the joyous moments of life and the loved ones that we've lost."

The ofrendas continued to be put up each year, even after Sotolongo graduated from Texas State in 2007, later returning as an adviser. She has also gotten other organizations to set up ofrendas around campus over the years, such as the Center for the Study of the Southwest in Brazos Hall and Inclusive Excellence at the LBJ Student Center.

Sylvia Gonzales, the assistant director for Community Partnerships at Alkek Library, worked with Sotolongo a few years ago when she served as the Director of the Title III and V HSI Grants. She noticed how Sotolongo had set up an ofrenda each year and wanted their departments to work together to provide an opportunity for others to learn more about the Hispanic and Latinx cultures.

Together with other members of Gonzales' department, they developed ways they could give more people the same opportunity.

"We have a monthly newsletter that we would send out to our department," Gonzales said. "We would invite people across campus to set up an altar or an ofrenda and then just send us pictures. And then what we did was created, like, a map that shows students, you know, 'hey, this is where you can go visit an ofrenda across campus' if they wanted to go, you know, visit all of them on campus."

Gonzales saw the number of responses increase during her tenure, from nine the first year to about 19 last year. The newsletter is not in production this year due to limited capacity.

What remains is a virtual altar to showcase on the Inclusive Excellence webpage. Anyone with a Texas State email can submit the name and photo of a loved one on a form. The deadline was Oct. 28, and submissions will be streamed live on the page on Nov. 1.

With Texas State's growing population of Hispanic and Latinx students, Gonzales feels it is crucial to inform and educate others about their history and culture.

"I think it really just takes that commitment to being inclusive and inviting everybody to have the opportunity to do something like this and participate in this," Gonzales said. "We find that a lot of people wanted to do it. "They just weren't aware that they could."

To learn more about Día de los Muertos and related events, visit https://inclusion. txst.edu/students/programs/cultural-celebrations/diadelosmuertos.html.

in five dances last semester and a few this semester with the hopes of choreographing for Dance Works soon.

"Learning routines from this organization took me back to my days in high school," Brown said. "It really taught me that there's so much to discover within yourself and so much to let go of when you're performing a piece. I am so excited to dance again and there is so much in store. This will certainly not be the last time you hear of Damoned Brown."

Whether students want to teach or participate in dance classes, Miles

encourages students to come to Dance Works to join in on the fun.

"Come to Dance Works," Miles said. "Even if you haven't danced in 10-15 years, just come on down. You can make the dance fit you, and it's free, so you can just walk on in and come join us."

To learn more about Dance Works, visit its Instagram @txstdanceworks.

Texas State exercise and sports science sophomore Luciana Smith lifts her arm up during a dance routine, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022, at Jowers Studio.

PHOTO BY ALLISON MENDOZA

Texas State psychology freshman Hannah Lee writes in remembrance of her grandfather at the Día De Los Muertos altar, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, at Chautauqua and Gaillardia Hall.

PHOTO BY

JEFFREY HALFEN

Railroad Remedy: A new take on country-rock in San Marcos

By Connor Ek Life and Arts Contributor

The country-rock scene in Texas is pulling itself up by its bootstraps with a younger generation. Railroad Remedy, a local country-rock band, is using artist diversification and collaboration to make its genre mainstream.

Railroad Remedy consists of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Cameron Allbright, a digital media innovation junior, bassist Easton Sandefer, an accounting junior, lead guitarist Wesley Hatcher, a management sophomore and drummer Reese Spano, a music alumnus.

The band started in February 2020 when Allbright met Hatcher through mutual friends. Sandefer and Spano were in the same social circle and were trying to find some fellow musicians to form a band. Sandefer chalks their first meetings up to good timing. They almost all met in one day.

"I met [Hatcher] one day through some mutual friends," Allbright said. "[I] found out he played music and then we kind of became buddies, and he kind of wrote songs as well and I had been writing songs and playing music but I was always too scared to get up in front of people and play live for a long time but I wanted to do it."

From there, the band began playing at local gigs around April 2020. Their main claim is their residency at Cheatham Street Warehouse, a music venue and bar in San Marcos. Through Sandefer's work connection, the band secured a spot to play every third Tuesday of the month.

"[Sandefer] started working at Cheatham Street," Allbright said. "So we got the hookup, like hey, if we get this band together, then his boss that manages and books all the bands and artists in that industry was like, 'I'll give you all some shows.'"

A large component of the band's formation was their wide range of previous musical backgrounds before coming together. Sandefer played the guitar before Railroad Remedy but quickly picked up the bass to play for the band. Hatcher was not entirely versed in the genre that Railroad Remedy plays in either. He mostly played punk and heavy rock before. Since joining, he fills the role of a lead guitarist with ease.

Allbright had a solo career in the singer-songwriter ballpark. His songwriting knowledge helped further the band's talents. Spano brought his skills as a drummer.

"We kind of all kind of had our own individual talents," Allbright said. "[Hatcher's style is] so different than [Sandefer's] style of music than mine or whatever. So it's just kind of like, that's kind of cool how we all came together in a way from different backgrounds. Like [Sandefer] didn't even pick up the bass, and yet he learned to. It's like kind of an interesting blend of a band because [Hatcher's] kind of got some little rock and roll punk thing going on. What I got is songwriting. I like John Mayer and stuff like that."

Coming all from different perspectives, the four came together on the compromise that they wanted to have fun and play good music. They are inspired by southern rock legends.

"I just grew up on a lot of Texas songwriters, Turnpike, stuff like that," Hatcher said. "What's going on with Coe Wetzel in the past like five years, a big departure from the old guys like Randy Rogers."

Finding shows to play and an audience to play in front of is easy for the band thanks to the close-knit community of musicians in San Marcos. Allbright and Hatcher are confident in the ease and accessibility of playing and finding local music in San Marcos.

"San Marcos is a really good place to have a start," Hatcher said. "I mean, [Allbright] was saying he goes to the songwriters' circle thing and you never know what happens. I mean, how many times has [Allbright] been playing at Cheatham Street? Because [Albright] had he had an acoustic residency there."

Railroad Remedy's Cheatham Street residency has been on "Boozeday Tuesdays," every third Tuesday of the month, for the past few months. The band feels that consistency is key to good shows and with consistency, the results that come from a band knocking it out of the park every show can shine through on every song.

"Honestly, just the main thing I'd like to say really is how lucky we are to be playing at Cheatham Street and like ... no one knows who we are," Allbright said. "We're just a local party. You know, our friends come out and hang out and have a good time. But we got extremely lucky to be playing on that stage. It's so historic and so it's just right place, right time and it's kind of cool it all happened."

For more information on Railroad Remedy visit its Instagram @railroad_ remedy.

San Marcos to honor veterans at 15th Veterans Day Parade

By Zachary Scott Life and Arts Contributor

Glittery floats decorated with red, white and blue will fill downtown San Marcos this weekend when the City of San Marcos Parks and Recreation and the Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee hosts the 15th annual Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 5.

Before the festivities this year, entertainment will be provided by Dee Bartlett, a local songwriter and veteran, followed by Acapella Unlimited and a flyover from the Commemorative Air Force-Central Texas Wing.

Col. Tim Black, a resident of San Marcos, served in the Air Force for 25 years and has been a member of the Commemorative Air Force since March 2002. As former Wing Leader of the Central Texas Wing, Black said the organization strives to keep history alive by restoring and using historic aircraft in flyovers and airshows for the public.

“Our goal is to keep the greatest generation of aircraft flying for people to see,” Black said. “A part of that also means we get to honor the veterans that actually fought in the same aircraft that we preserve.”

The parade, which will start at the intersection of Hopkins Street and CM Allen Parkway, proudly showcases local civic clubs, veteran groups, military organizations, floats and bands in floats of all sizes. Among the nearly 50 groups that will be walking or driving along the parade route will be the San Marcos Lions Club, San Marcos High School Air Force JROTC and the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association.

Staff Sergeant David Wood, an active duty service member with the First Battalion 23rd Marines Weapons Company, is the coordinator for Austin Toys for Tots. Wood uses his own pickup truck as the parade float for the organization and picks up toy donations alongside fellow Marines during the parade. He said last year the program served 34,389 individuals and passed out over 40,000 toys. He aims to serve

over 50,000 individuals this year.

“I grew up with divorced parents, so I know what it was like to not have presents under the Christmas tree,” Wood said.

“With inflation at its highest, it's hard for a lot of families. I enjoy just being able to make a difference. You see the gratitude on the parents’ faces.”

Children five years and older are invited to join the Kiwanis Club Kids Bicycle Brigade to decorate bikes, tricycles and scooters on the Hays County Historic Courthouse lawn to ride them in a procession preceding the main parade from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

According to Kelli Whigham, the president of the Kiwanis Club of San Marcos, the first Kiwanis Club of San Marcos was formed by ordinary citizens that wanted to improve the community in February of 1923. Now, 100 years after its foundation, the organization continues to play an active role in the community through participating in programs like the Kids Bicycle Brigade, the Pumpkin Dash 5K Race and the K-Kids Club for elementary students.

“I initially joined for the community service aspect of volunteering and I wanted to set a good example for my daughter,” Whigham said. “My favorite part of the whole parade is just the

fellowship of the community.”

Before the City of San Marcos hosted the Veterans Day Parade, local veterans had to coordinate their own parade and celebration for years. San Marcos and the Kiwanis Club have worked closely since 2007 to organize the festivities and involve people of all ages in communitywide events.

Lisa Morris, the recreation program manager, was with the San Marcos Department of Parks and Recreation when the mayor of San Marcos asked her to take over the department’s coordination of the Veterans Day Parade celebration. Morris said her favorite part about the parade is seeing the veterans who can proudly participate and feel acknowledged.

“This parade brings back the feeling of San Marcos being a hometown because it is to so many people,” Morris said. “There are a lot of veterans at Texas State, so it's important to bridge the gap to recognize the veteran community.”

Local groups including the Hays County Democratic Party, the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association San Marcos Chapter and the American Veterans organization gather each year to focus on the parade’s original theme, “Honoring All Who Serve."

The title of Grand Marshal is granted to a veteran who is nominated by the Hays County Veterans Service Office. Abelardo Loya, a U.S. Army Specialist and San Marcos resident, was selected in October as this year’s parade Grand Marshal. Loya served in the Army from 1969 to 1971 and received a Purple Heart for his injuries and the Silver Star Medal after he took action against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam.

For the first time, Lydia Chapman, a recreational therapy senior, looks forward to attending the parade and supporting fellow veterans. Chapman was an active duty member of the U.S. Air Force for 14 years. Although she left the military to care for her son as a single mother, Chapman hopes to continue her passion for service as a therapeutic recreation specialist with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“There are so many agencies here at Texas State and in San Marcos that support veterans and students alike,” Chapman said. “It's such a great feeling to know that veterans like myself are seeing themselves represented and feeling supported by the community and its many resources.”

Local student band Railroad Remedy performs at Pacific Yard House, Saturday, June 18, 2022, in Conroe, Texas.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WESLEY HATCHER

Members of the Combat Veterans Association pose for a photo, Saturday, November 10th, 2018 iat the San Marcos Public Library.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF SAN MARCOS

Soccer:

With a 1-0 win on Oct. 27, soccer has clinched the five-seed in the Sun Belt Conference tournament.

Senior forward Kiara Gonzales scored the lone goal in the match and was awarded Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week for her efforts.

Gonzales joins sophomore goalkeeper Katelyn Chrisman and sophomore midfielder Madi Goss in taking home a Player of the Week award.

With a first-round bye, the Bobcats will face James Madison University in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Tournament at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 2 at the Foley Sports Complex in Foley, Alabama.

Men's basketball aims for third straight Sun Belt title

By Deondre Hayes Sports Contributor

Texas State men’s basketball is poised to continue making school history, with 10 players returning from last season’s conference championship roster, an National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American transfer and two note-worthy freshmen. The back-to-back Sun Belt regular season champs are locked and loaded for the 2022-23 basketball season.

Texas State is ranked second for the 2022-23 conference title in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll. The Bobcats only trailed in votes to first-place season favorite Louisiana. After defeating the Bobcats in last season’s conference tournament quarterfinals, the Ragin' Cajuns went on to make a run to the conference championship game, which Georgia State went on to win.

Cross Country:

The women's cross country team placed 11th and the men's team placed ninth at the Sun Belt XC Championship on Oct. 28.

Freshman Franco Melhado ran a personal-best 26:53.0 in the men's 8K and placed 38th overall.

Junior Daniela Wisniewski placed 41st overall in the women's 5K, running a time of 18:45.8.

Arkansas State won the overall men's title and Southern Miss won the women's title in the tournament.

The climb to being a preseason favorite among the Sun Belt coaches is a major jump for Louisiana after finishing eighth in the conference last year with a record of 8-9. It could serve as extra fuel for the Bobcats this upcoming season while seeking their third straight regular season conference title.

“I’m feeling good for this season coming into another winning program,” senior guard Brandon Davis said. “I really expect to win games and make it to the tournament and prove people wrong that this school can be continuously at the top of the Sun Belt Conference.”

In the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll, senior guard Mason Harrell was selected for the preseason All-Sun Belt First Team.

Two fifth-year seniors, forward Nighael Ceaser and Harrell look to lead the way of the winning culture set by head coach Terrence Johnson, who was named 2021-22 Sun Belt Coach of the Year.

transferring to Oklahoma State in May.

The Bobcats welcome Davis this season, a transfer from Loyola New Orleans, who will look to be a major force in the backcourt alongside Harrell.

Last season Davis led the Wolf Pack to its first NAIA National Championship in record-breaking fashion finishing with an overall record of 37-1. The 6-foot-1-inch guard averaged 14.7 points, 4.3 assists and 2.1 steals last season while shooting 44.1% and 41.0 % from beyond the arc.

“His ability to knock down open shots and create for himself as well as others brings an added dynamic to our backcourt," Johnson said in a press release. “We're excited to add such a good player and exceptional person."

Rounding off the loaded roster for the Bobcats this season are freshmen small forward Davion Sykes and guard Jordan Mason. The Sykes name holds history at Texas State, as David Sykes, Davion’s father, finished playing at Texas State in 2003 and is the current record holder of career and single-season steals.

Men's Golf:

The Texas State men’s golf club participated in the White Sands Invitational this past weekend in the Bahamas. The tournament kicked off Friday morning and proceeded through Monday afternoon after Texas State landed in 11th place on all three days.

Texas State went on to post a score of 291 as the team ranked 11th out of 12 on the opening day of the tournament. Arkansas State led the leaderboards in the first place as the Red Wolves finished 17 strokes ahead of the Bobcats on day one.

Texas State will return to action this weekend with the three-day White Sands Bahamas Invitational on Friday through Sunday. The tournament will take place at the Ocean Club Golf Course.

Volleyball:

Texas State volleyball took the two-game weekend series over Arkansas State University on Friday, Oct. 28, and Saturday, Oct. 29.

The Bobcats were able to complete a 3-0 sweep on Friday's game followed by a more tightly contested 3-2 win in Saturday's matchup.

With this series win, Texas State moves to 10-2 in the conference as the team prepares for the final two series of the season.

The Bobcats will stay home next weekend and face the red-hot Troy University who is coming off a nine-game win streak. The two will face off at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4 and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5.

Harrell was the team's second-leading scorer and averaged 11.7 points, 3.1 assists and averaged 47.6% while shooting overall from the field. Harrell’s role will become imperative to the Bobcats' offense this season with the loss of guard Caleb Asberry, the dynamic scorer who announced he would be

Sykes hails from Texas 6A powerhouse Duncanville High School and was a key piece in its 2021-22 state championship run, which made him a four-time state champion.

"It’s exactly why I chose this school. It has that winning culture,” Sykes said. “Seeing that it’s a good group of guys and that they win, I just wanted to join a winning program and be able to

contribute.”

Sykes is accompanied by Mason from Clark High School in San Antonio, Texas. Mason averaged 23.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists in his senior season, ultimately being named 2022 District 28-6A MVP.

With the addition of these two well-rounded freshmen, the Bobcats are primed to make noise in the Sun Belt this upcoming season with the possibility of a three-peat in sight.

Last season the Bobcats finished 21-8 overall with a Sun Belt Conference record of 12-3 and a nine-game winning streak to cap off its regular season. For the second year in a row, the postseason run of the Bobcats was short-lived, losing to Louisiana Lafayette 72-79 in the conference tournament quarterfinals.

The postseason loss to Louisiana was an unexpected outcome for many as the Bobcats defeated the Ragin’ Cajuns in its conference matchups during the 2021-22 season.

Texas State men’s basketball will host Cameron University at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 2 at Strahan Arena in an exhibition matchup followed by the regular season opener versus Mid-America Christian at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10 at Strahan Arena.

The Bobcats will look to make school history once again, handle unfinished business and begin its road to a third straight Sun Belt Championship.

Fitzgerald, teammates reflect on program history

By Sophia Somoza Sports Contributor

Texas State volleyball hitter Janell Fitzgerald has been named Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week seven times, is the NCAA’s active leader in career matches and is the third student in program history to surpass 1,500 career kills.

Fitzgerald, a graduate student with a degree in health science, took sole possession of the first place spot in program history for career kills at Texas State with 14 on Oct. 28 in a 2-0 series win against Arkansas State.

For Fitzgerald, these accomplishments have meant a lot to her, her team and the program that helped get her to where she is.

“This was pretty big for me, trying to leave my legacy here and being a part of something so big and to just be recognized for not only me but my whole team was great,” Fitzgerald said. “Everyone has helped me get to this point and just really making sure that I understand that I believe in myself and keeping my mental health first and everything mentally contributes a lot to it."

Fitzgerald's volleyball career started back in 2018 at Texas State and since then she has made her presence known on the court. Having undergone a coaching staff change in 2019 when head coach Karen Chisum retired, she had depended on her teammates to be there for her. When Sean Huiet was promoted to head coach in 2020, Fitzgerald was able to see volleyball in a new light.

“I’ve gone through a new coaching change too, although [Huiet], was here from the very beginning, these new coaches have brought a whole different understanding of volleyball to me,” Fitzgerald said.

Emily DeWalt, a graduate setter, has played alongside Fitzgerald for most of their college careers. DeWalt's expectation of her is to be a great leader on and off the court.

“When we get into crunch time, she is usually the person we depend on to put the ball down. It’s not easy being that person because it comes with a lot of pressure, but I think she does a really great job of handling it,” DeWalt said.

Fitzgerald values her teammates knowing that they have her back and she can be there for them. According to sophomore setter Ryann Torres, Fitzgerald pushes her to be the best she can be for the team.

“Since my freshman year, Janell and I instantly clicked. Having a best friend there to motivate you and to lean on has helped me tremendously. She has made me see things from

different perspectives that have helped me grow as a player,” Torres said.

When Fitzgerald first started, she would start to play only three rotations and has now begun to play all around the court, which to her was a big change. When she was named the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, she felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and shock.

“Having the title as a whole is very special, considering that’s not something I thought I would be able to achieve, and being able to know that other people thought the exact same thing and they're seeing the hard work you’re putting in was very special,” Fitzgerald said.

With all her accomplishments, she has remained a humble and uplifting player for her team and the volleyball program. Fitzgerald's personality shines through the court and her teammates agree that she brings a sense of relief and enjoyment to the court.

“Having had the opportunity to now have played with Janell for five years, we have formed a special bond on the court. For me personally, I think that she has made me relax and have a little more fun out on the court," DeWalt said. "From an athletic standpoint, I think that she has pushed me to up my game every year. We know every year teams are coming after us and we do a great job of keeping each other honest and pushing each other to get at least 1% better every day.”

For what remains of Fitzgerald's last season at Texas State, she is taking each game one by one. Hoping to win another championship and possibly more awards, Fitzgerald is ready to leave it all on the court.

“We obviously have big goals of leaving our mark and our legacy and getting another championship underneath our belt but it will take one game at a time,” Fitzgerald said.

Texas State junior forward Nate Martin (11) looks for an open pass around sophomore forward Brandon Love (24) during the first public men's basketball practice, Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at Strahan Arena.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

Texas State graduate student outside hitter Janell Fitzgerald (16) celebrates with her teammates during a match against James Madison University, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, at Strahan Arena.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO