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

Editorial Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Brianna Benitez stareditor@txstate.edu

News Editor: Arthur Fairchild starnews@txstate.edu

Assistant News Editor: Madelyn Weirich starasstnews@txstate.edu

Life & Arts Editor: Sarah Hernandez starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

Opinion Editor: Dillon Strine staropinion@txstate.edu

Carson Weaver Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu

Design Editor: Viviana Faz stardesign@txstate.edu

Multimedia Editor: Natalie Ryan starmultimedia@txstate.edu

Assistant Multimedia Editor: Vanessa Buentello starasstmmedia@txstate.edu

Engagement Editor: Meadow Chase starengagement@txstate.edu

Podcast Editor: Carly Koon starpodcast@txstate.edu

Public & Internal Relations

Nadia Gonzales PIR Director starpr@txstate.edu

Elle Gangi Assistant PIR Director

Full-Time Staff

Director: Laura Krantz, laurakrantz@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, April 26, 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

TRANSPORTATION

Students explore campus transportation services as gas prices rise

By Hugo Juarez Guest Contributor

A recent rise in gas prices has presented a challenge for Texas State students living off-campus and outside of San Marcos. As they adapt financially and search for solutions to their problems, an expert on Texas State transportation weighs in and offers advice to ease their spending and transportation worries.

President of Anime Lovers at Texas State, Yainet Palmero, a criminal justice junior, "" drives from New Braunfels to San Marcos to attend class and hold biweekly club meetings "" on campus. Lately, filling up on gas to make the trips has cost a lot more than usual.

“[Gas] lasts me like a week, maybe five days if I have to go to the meetings of my club so it's just very difficult,” Palmero said.

In addition to her on-campus classes, Palmero takes online classes at home where she also must care for a child. She has felt the impact of the current rise in prices and said the higher the gas prices are, the more money she sets aside. For her, gas money that used to be $25 a week is now $45.

In Texas, gas prices have increased around 65% since last year. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in March of 2021, retail gas prices in Texas averaged $2.40 a gallon. This March, the price of gas was up to an average of $3.98 per gallon.

Palmero, who works at Amazon, said that not everyone is fortunate to have a good-paying job to pay the cost of a tank that will last one week.

“I feel like it's hard for anybody to just like put, you know, fifty bucks of gas into a car, especially for college students because we don't have that,” Palmero said. “We either get paid minimum wage or we get paid the average.”

Palmero does not own a commuter parking permit because arriving early to campus to avoid traffic and park at the Edward Gary Street Garage is a better deal for her given the frequency of her campus visits.

She understands that Texas State has no power over gas prices; however, she feels that having available parking closer to campus might encourage students to attend classes.

In close proximity to Palmero is U’nyla Johnson, a mathematics sophomore, whose drive to campus from her home in Converse, Texas, lasts nearly an hour. The distance makes it difficult for her to attend campus events or study sessions.

“Adding 40 minutes to an hour, or just an unknown amount of time because you never know how traffic is going to be out of that equation, hasn't always been the best,” Johnson said.

She plans an hour for driving to campus to ensure she makes it to her lectures. Recently, she missed a class because of traffic caused by an accident. Although gas is not a major problem for her, planning a drive or paying to park at the LBJ Student Center Garage to arrive at class on time is difficult for her as a commuter.

“That sucks to have to pay to park when you have a permit but sometimes, I'm getting there late,” Johnson said. “And if I park in the big parking lot, I don’t have time, or I'll be really late for class.”

Johnson drives a 2014 Nissan Sentra and uses economy mode on her commute to Texas State. She owns the $115 annual commuter parking permit and believes it’s a good price. She said the LBJ Student Center Garage is convenient, but she likes the commuter permit because it’s affordable, and she enjoys walking to class.

When she has to fill up on gas, she uses the Walmart app to save money.

“I try to use the Walmart app because if you have a gift card on the Walmart app and you go to a Walmart gas station specifically, you can get like three cents off the gallon,” Johnson said.

Steven Herrera, director of Transportation Services, oversees the Bobcat Shuttle and parking services at Texas State. His responsibilities include monitoring fuel prices and managing a fuel budget. According to Herrera, transportation services is sometimes able to save money by budgeting more for gas than they expect to use. Recently, however, gas prices have exceeded the department's expectations. "The increase has affected us as well as everybody that goes to the gas pump, but we have to monitor it and we, you know, we budget for a certain amount of fuel," Herrera said. "Currently it's way higher than what we budgeted, so we have to monitor it. And then we need additional funds, and we would look at our reserves to define that.”

Tucker Shepherd, a business senior, lives south of Kyle, Texas, and has also been affected by the recent rise in gas prices. In March, the price he pays to fill up his 2018 Kia Forte increased from $20 to $50. He uses a spreadsheet to budget his fuel expenses and hopes that prices will go down soon.

“When I heard that it was going up, I went and filled it up in full,” Shepherd said. “And then I just, you know, ever since then, I've been paying in spurts until it goes down again.”

Shepherd said that he always drives in economy mode to maximize his gas mileage. He also gets most of his assignments done at home so he can limit the time he spends driving. Since he is currently unemployed, saving money on gas helps him with his other expenses.

When the pandemic put a hold on face-to-face classes at and there were fewer students on campus, Transportation Services adapted to the decrease in shuttle riders by changing its route frequencies. When face-to-face classes resumed, they increased to what it was before the pandemic.

He reminds students to benefit from using alternative transportation like Bobcat Shuttle, The Bike Cave, Spin Scooters and Nite Cats. ""

In 2014, Transportation Services opted into adding the Bobcat Shuttle to an app called DoubleMap "" that monitors real-time bus activity. Commuter students can use it to track buses on Off-Campus and Campus Routes, which include stops at Bobcat Stadium, Bobcat Village and the Campus Loop.

Herrera said most commuter parking takes place on the parking lots at Bobcat Stadium and Bobcat Village on Mill Street, lots he said fill up quickly in the morning. Since there are more shuttles on the routes during peak hours, he recommends that drivers park off campus and use the bus to get to campus.

“It's pretty convenient, in my opinion, to come into campus right off the highway, park at the stadium and within eight minutes, you're on the bus coming back to campus,” Herrera said.

The Bobcat Shuttle approaches its next stop, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, at Uptown Square. PHOTO BY JEFFREY HALFEN

A photo of Spin scooters, Tuesday, March 23, 2021, at the Quad Bus Loop.

PHOTO BY JEFFREY HALFEN

Editor’s Note: “-30-” has traditionally been used throughout journalism to indicate the end of a story. Each semester, The University Star encourages its graduating seniors to write a Senior 30 — a farewell piece to readers — indicating the conclusion of a journalist’s time as an active member of our organization.

From hello bestie to goodbye bestie

By Viviana Faz Design Editor

Where do I start? My journey to The Star is different and I never would have thought I would be where I am today. In the fall of 2019, I came to look at what The University Star had to offer before I made my decision on transferring. I later transferred to Texas State the next semester in the spring of 2020. I applied to be on the PR team and Design team and I got both of the jobs. I was over the moon to start working for The Star.

Going back to when I first started at The Star, I loved being a page designer. I was so excited to be making my first paper with The Star. My first event with the PR team was a river clean-up at which I got to meet so many people in the organization. Who would have thought that this would have been the last PR event of the year?

Being on the street team in the fall of 2021 was so much fun and eye-opening. It showed me a different light of connecting with our readers. I handed out the paper to hundreds of students on campus to read the weekly issue every Tuesday morning.

This year my position as the design editor has impacted me on a designer level and on a personal level. It has shown me that I can do more things than I could imagined. This position has been something that I never imagined myself in but I have loved every second that I have gotten to be this year's design editor.

Thank you to Molly Gonzales for being my first design editor and showing me new things I can do in page design and for answering all the questions that I put you through to help me grow. Brianna Benitez for being one of the first people I met at The Star and being willing to talk about design. I am truly going to miss our design talks. I want to thank Krantz for pushing me to try new things and for always being there, from the beginning of my time at Texas State to now, helping me with what life throws at me.

To this year's editorial board, thank you for being on this journey with me. From working on the paper in the newsroom until 2 a.m. to going to TIPA. From crying because we are so tired or playing pranks on each other. So many memories were made this year and I am glad that each and every one of you was a part of it.

To this year's design team, thank you for letting me be your editor. I am glad each and every one of you is a part of the design team. I can't wait to see what great things you do at The Star and with your future.

The two and half years I have spent here have taught me many important lessons. They have shaped me into who I am today. I will miss the sleepless nights, the laughs, cries and many memories we made through my time with The University Star. Thank you to The Star for letting me grow from a page designer to a design editor. From designing the paper in-person to designing on Zoom to being back in person. I will cherish my time with The Star for a lifetime. It has taught me the powerful means of student media.

Thank you to everyone who helped me call The Star my home away from home. This is truly one thing I will miss at TXST. If you are reading this and are thinking about applying to The Star, just do it. The impact The Star has on me has changed my life and can change yours too.

Viviana Faz says farewell to her term as The University Star's 2021-2022 design editor PHOTO BY LIZ LOPEZ

PR director leaves with lots of love and knowledge

By Nadia Gonzales Public and Internal Relations Director

Back in August of my freshman year, I joined The University Star just as a means to build my resume. I just wanted to show up to the meetings and put the title of “Public Relations Specialist” on my resume. I was not excited to be a part of a newspaper because at the time, working for a newspaper did not really sound cool to me. If you would have told me in high school that I would love working for a news organzation, I would have told you that you were a liar.

In high school, I wanted to be a physical therapist so I started to volunteer at my local hospital to gain experience for physical therapy school. I was a horrible writer that needed a lot of help with writing and editing my essays. So never in a million years would I have imagined that I would have fallen in love with writing.

I came into college not very assertive and shy around all the new people I met at Texas State and at The Star. So I never said a word to anyone except my section director. Once COVID-19 hit in March of 2020, I distanced myself from The Star and stopped showing up to the Zoom meetings and contributing my time to the organization. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t get fired the first year I was at The Star.

Once everyone got used to being virtual and The Star started to get things rolling again, that was when I realized that I needeed to do my job and step up in the section (lol). As I became more involved with The Star during my second year in college, it became clear to me why everyone was passionate about the work they do within the organization. It also became clear to me why working in media is so amazing.

Something within me completely changed and I started to find different and all the ways that I could play a bigger role in The Star. I was then promoted to the assistant public and internal relations director and I also became an opinions columnist. With this being said, I want to thank my section director at the time, Bianca Landry, for believing in me to take over the section once she left. I also want to thank Valeria Torrealba for not only being my very first editor in the media world, but also a good friend and colleague.

I am being so honest when I say that without The Star, I would have no passion or career aspirations. Because of the time and work that I spent and contributed to The Star, I was able to get my internships and now my future fulltime job. I have learned so much during my time in this organization that I do not think I would have learned if I never would have joined. My perspective on my life and the work I want to do for the rest of my career has changed during my time here.

Before working here, I had not known what it was like to work and be around people who are like-minded to me. I never knew what it was like to work with a purpose. Being around other student journalists, editors and directors have pushed me to want to be like them and be better every day.

During my time at The Star, I also met some of my greatest friends and the best people on the planet. My friends that I met at The Star encouraged me to become a better writer, become a better leader, and also helped me during times when I was stuck. So thank you to Timia Cobb, Hannah Thompson and Sumit Nagar for always having my back and being the best support group when I needed one. I got through some of my hardest times with them as my support system, and I will forever be thankful.

I also want to take the time to thank my public and internal relations team for allowing me to be their director and for being so awesome all year long. Our events and other outreach projects would not have been possible if it weren’t for the team. I am forever so thankful for the great ideas and creativity they always brought to the table during every meeting.

The University Star has taught me how powerful students can be when they put their minds and hearts behind something that they love. Student media is important for the growth of students trying to learn and be better. I will forever support The University Star and its work and a piece of my heart will always stay with this organization.

I am proud of myself for going out of my comfort zone to become a writer and leader during my time here at Texas State. I am so grateful to have been a part of an organization that is bigger than myself, and I am proud of all the awards and milestones this organization has accomplished.

I cannot express the amount of love I have for The Star and all the people in it. I am forever grateful for the opportunities it has given me and the doors it has opened for me. The impact that The Star left on my life is so great. I am truly sad to leave this organization, but I know that its legacy will continue to live on as one of the best collegiate newspapers in Texas.

My longest cutline ever ... and my last

By Liliana Perez Multimedia Reporter

Liliana Perez says goodbye to San Marcos and The University Star in April 2022. I’ve been writing cutlines like this for over two years now, so it seems only fitting for me to write this Senior 30 in the form of a cutline, too. As photojournalists, we can write a sentence or two with additional context at the end of our cutlines if applicable. I sometimes have the habit of making those sentences really long, but this is by far my longest. And sadly, it’s also my last.

I got hired during my sophomore year on February 7, 2020. I remember because the first assignment I ever did for The University Star was a Valentine's Day Sweetheart’s Ball photo gallery a week later. My editor at the time told me not to worry and that I didn’t have to stay for the whole event. So guess what I did? I stayed until they cut the music and long after the life and arts reporter writing the story left. I was so worried about missing something important, that I ended up taking around 1,400 photos just to see 12 get published. It’s funny but now that’s just become standard practice for me.

It was also a crazy time to get hired because about a month later, Texas State announced over spring break that classes would be going fully remote. And it would be a long time before I stepped foot into the newsroom again, and even longer before I actually got to see my photos in print. In fact, I’ve still never quite spent as much time in the newsroom as I hoped. So many people have come and gone since I’ve been at The Star, including those I never got to meet in person.

I sometimes wonder what my experience would’ve been like and if I would’ve been able to make more friends and memories had COVID-19 not gotten in the way. But I honestly couldn’t be more grateful for what I’ve done and learned throughout my time here. My favorite moments have been the ones where I’m just wandering around campus with my camera, not looking for anything specific yet finding something striking nonetheless. My love for photography came from growing up in the middle of nowhere, where I had no choice but to learn to find beauty in the simplest things, in the dirt, trees, sky and objects around me. I hope that this translated into the photos I took for The Star and through the people I photographed on the Quad, at Sewell Park, at the LBJSC, under the UAC arch and other various spots around campus.

So to anyone who ever let me take their photo or interview them for a project – thank you. To the 20212022 editorial board – y’all crushed it (especially Natalie and Vanessa, I couldn’t be more grateful to have you both as my editors). I’d also like to thank all the professors I’ve had throughout the years as well as everyone within the multimedia team I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. And I of course have to thank my family and, most of all, my mom for her for unwavering support and encouragement; I love you and wouldn’t be where I am or who I am without you.

Texas State public relations senior Nadia Gonzales poses for a graduation photo in front of the UAC arch, April 1, 2022 PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

Editor’s Note: “-30-” has traditionally been used throughout journalism to indicate the end of a story. Each semester, The University Star encourages its graduating seniors to write a Senior 30 — a farewell piece to readers — indicating the conclusion of a journalist’s time as an active member of our organization.

Shooting for The Star(s)

By Natalie Ryan Multimedia Editor

I never thought I would work in journalism, but I knew I wanted to be a photographer before I was in high school. By the time I graduated in 2019, I had taken all of my friend’s graduation pictures, done some concert photography and professional work and felt secure in my skills. Texas State was the only college I applied to because I knew they had a photography program and it wouldn’t just be a concentration like a lot of other schools in Texas. I was so excited to live on campus, be independent and experience college in every way. In the second semester of my freshman year, the pandemic hit and I had to move back home until the fall. This was a huge blow to my mental health, stability and overall experience with school.

The semester after that I was feeling a little better, moved into my own apartment, had some classes online and in-person and was enjoying San Marcos again. I applied for The University Star after hearing about how great it was from some people close to me and joined the Multimedia section in January of 2021. I really enjoyed taking photos for Wild Art (now Star Snaps) and getting to know the people in the section, especially our editor at the time, Hannah Thompson, who has done so much for me. That summer, there was no one in town to make content except for me, and I was cranking out photos from so many things I was going to. I got to know the local music and art scene really well, and loved going to all the concerts and markets and discovering and getting to know San Marcos more and more. At the end of the summer, I applied to be the Multimedia Editor and I got the job. I was surprised because I was one of the newest people on the team, but I was proud of the work I was producing and was so excited to lead the section. My favorite thing being at The Star has allowed me to do is take photos at the Austin City Limits Festival last year, which has been the highlight of my career thus far and an immense privilege.

This past year has been quite the challenge for me. It was difficult balancing The Star, classes, running a fashion show, an internship, my photography thesis work, and trying to keep my mental health and personal life in check. I would not have changed any of it, though, because I got to lead a section of talented people, learn from everything we did and experience The Star to its fullest. Graduating in three years has made my time at Texas State tougher but I had an incredible experience, and I will always hold a special place in my heart for The Star, this school and everyone I have been privileged to meet and work with here.

Natalie smiles for a photo, Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, at Ivar's. PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

The 'superstar' signs off

By Brianna Benitez Editor-in-Chief

Throughout my three years at The University Star, I missed my deadline maybe a handful of times. After writing over 100 articles, I don't think that's a bad rap. So, it's only fitting I missed my deadline to submit my final byline at The Star.

I've tried to write my -30- a dozen times. It's almost unbelievable that this is the last thing I will ever write at The Star. Ever since I knew Senior 30s were a thing, I'd always pictured how I would write mine, the experiences I would talk about and the people I would thank.

When I first started, I didn't expect to make it to the point where I could write a Senior 30. Nor did I ever expect to have held the positions I've had. After first joining The Star, I was so anxious and would sometimes have fullon anxiety attacks before walking into the newsroom (so dramatic, I know). I didn't feel like I belonged or that I was as talented as everyone around me.

Even after I moved on from my role as a reporter and became an assistant editor and later a full-time editor, those feelings continued. This time, however, I wasn't walking into the newsroom but logging onto Zoom meetings. Even now, as the leader of the organization, I have periodically had those same emotions resurface.

I used to think I wasn't cut out for the news industry if I couldn't walk into the newsroom without my hands shaking or have the ability to call a source without my heart pounding. However, as cliché as it sounds, the more I kept doing it, the easier it got and the less anxious I began to feel.

If there's one thing The Star did for me it was make me comfortable with being uncomfortable. I've had so much personal growth working here and that's something I'll always be grateful for.

When I entered the world of student media, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I honestly just applied because I figured the title of "life and arts reporter" was kind of cute. However, as I started interviewing strangers, putting together a story every week and seeing my words in print, I felt like I was a part of something greater than myself.

I devoted my entire college experience to sharing the stories of the students and community members who surround this town. It's been such an honor learning about where people come from, how they think and what living means to them.

I’m thankful for all the conversations I had with everyone I’ve ever interviewed. I never pictured being someone who could hold a conversation with a stranger, so it was pretty surreal to have interviewed over 100 people just in my first year working at The Star.

To everyone I ever interviewed, thank you for sharing your stories and inviting me into your space — whether it was your jewelry studio, the foyer of the performing arts center, a bench on the Quad or even your Zoom screen.

I'm truly sad to be leaving such a great place. As memorable as the experience has been, a part of me is also glad this chapter is over. Leading a newsroom isn’t easy. In fact, it’s one of the most emotionally and mentally taxing things I have ever done. I spent a lot of days second-guessing myself and fighting to prove myself to those who doubted my abilities.

As I close out this experience, there are some feelings that will be hard to forget and things I wish I could tell my younger self. To the freshman who woke up every morning overwhelmed with anxiety, you'll be okay. To the life and arts editor who loved her job, there are bigger plans ahead. Lastly, to the annoyed news editor who dreaded covering six-hour-long City Council meetings, yeah I can't argue with that one, that was the worst.

I've had the opportunity to work on remarkable stories during my time here and I'm so thankful for it all. While I pictured student media being a place where I would cover alumni accomplishments or studentowned businesses, I didn't think it'd be the place where I'd also cover student deaths and house fires or even help produce the most important project the organization has ever done.

This job has challenged me in more ways than I can express but I've grown because of it. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the friends and great leaders I’ve met along the way so it's only right I thank them as well.

Diana, none of this would be possible if you never hired me to your life and arts team. Bianca and Trinity, thank you for the lunch dates and for being some of my first friends at The Star. Jakob, those Tuesday DMs encouraged me in more ways than you know. Jaden, you’re my best friend and I couldn’t have done this without you. Viviana, thank you for always having my back and reminding me to breathe.

Lastly, thank you mom, daddy, grandma, Ashley and Penelope for being my number one fans.

This is it, my last little story. I can't say thank you enough. [insert “no tears left to cry” by Ariana Grande here].

Brianna Benitez (second top left) takes a photo after her first production as editor-in-chief on April 27, 2021, at The University Star newsroom. She cried afterward. PHOTO BY BRIANNA BENITEZ

Marisa Mendoza outside a Wimberly store front, September, 25, 2021. PHOTO BY AVA DOMENICHELLI

A pretty neat gig

By Marisa Mendoza Engagement Specialist

I joined The Star the summer before my senior year. It was a pretty late-in-the-game move for me to make in college and I felt a lot of trepidation going in. Even though I had taken some journalism classes, I was by no means the best writer and skated by with a cool 'B' in the courses. I chose to apply for the engagement section because it felt like the section I would be able to do the most good while doing the least amount of writing.

Over time, I wanted to make a bigger contribution to The Star. I wanted to write for The Star, but I had no interest in hard-hitting news (too scary), or opinions (too much research), or sports (self-explanatory)... So what could I write?

I grew up in the DFW area and my go-to source for weekend festivities was always The Dallas Observer's 'Things To Do' section. I wrote my first 'things to do' article for the weekend on July 4th, 2021, and have never looked back.

As of the time I am writing my Senior 30, I will have 24 published 'weekend things to do' articles all under my very own tab in Life and Arts on the website. I hope to write at least one more before I graduate. It is an incredible feeling to look back on all the articles and know that I did something in my time at Texas State — that I got to leave a mark. I hope that 'This Weekend On The Town' is a series that will go on long after I have graduated from The Star.

I want to thank retired Engagement Editor Eryka Thompson, current Engagement Editor, Meadow Chase and Editor-in-Chief, Brianna Benitez for helping me edit and publish my article every week. I hope you guys have had as much fun with it as I have. I also want to shout out to my friend Payton Russell for encouraging me to get involved with The Star and for being so supportive of all my journalistic endeavors. Without Payton, my ideas would have just remained ideas.

Thank you to everyone who read my articles and took my suggestions. Be safe and enjoy your weekend!

Students prepare to showcase hard work and creativity at FMA fashion show

By Marisa Nunez Life and Arts Reporter

Students in the Fashion Merchandising Association (FMA) are sewing final stitches, touching up hair and makeup and making final photo shoot edits as they prepare to get their glam on at the spring 2022 fashion show on April 30.

For over five years, FMA has been putting on biannual fashion shows for fashion-loving students at Texas State. From the head coordinator, videographers and photographers to the glam squad, models and designers, more than 80 students participating in this semester's show have been working hard since January to bring their creations to the runway.

Fashion Show Coordinator Natalie Ryan, a photography senior, has been working hard to plan the spring show by securing the venue, booking catering, coordinating photo shoot schedules and accepting applications to be a part of the show. This is her second semester being the fashion show coordinator and although the work has been stressful, she has loved every moment of it.

“I just like working with so many different people that I never would have met if it hadn't been for the show. [I’ve met] so many awesome models, so many really cool photographers, and makeup people and stylists and designers. I just love seeing handmade clothes. I love seeing what they come up with every semester because it's so different,” Ryan said. "I just love that everything is by students. It's all student-run. It's so cool to see."

Ryan started out as a photographer for last spring's fashion show. It was then that she became interested in running the show for the rest of her time at Texas State. Since becoming the head coordinator, she has incorporated new aspects into the show's process like photo shoots that designers and models can use as memorabilia or portfolio material, as well as the videos that are played during the show.

As she also prepares for her graduation in May, Ryan said she is sad that this fashion show will be her last one.

“It is so bittersweet. I love the fashion show so much and I'm really sad. It's gonna be my last one, but it makes me want to make this like the best one,” Ryan said.

This semester's designers will utilize their own unique styles and techniques to fill the runway with fun, summery and bright colors. Some of the clothing that will be featured include crocheted, thrifted, upcycled and handmade pieces.

Lucy Pietsch, a fashion merchandising senior and one of the show's designers, will have five upcycled pieces on the runway and will also be selling some of her own clothes and previous creations from her Depop shop, LKPDESIGN.

Pietsch was always interested in fashion but got more involved in high school after competing in competitions for Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), a nonprofit Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) for middle and high school students enrolled in family and consumer sciences courses.

Pietsch recycled, redesigned and created clothing out of paper plates and soda box containers, inspiring her love for sustainable fashion. For the fashion show, inspired by childhood toys like Polly Pockets, she wanted to make pieces based on colors she hasn’t used before from thrifted fabric or clothes she already owned.

“I like expressing my creativity [while] also doing something that's like sustainable related [since] I've always been into a lot of sustainability stuff,” Pietsch said. "It was just fun getting to do this in college because I remember freshman year and my sophomore year, I was in FMA but I just never really had the courage to actually do a collection because I was like, ‘I can't do that. I [hot glue] dresses and like [staple] stuff,’ But then I just was like, ‘I'm just gonna do it,’ and I did it."

After she graduates, Pietsch plans to continue pursuing a career in the fashion industry by interning with Nordstrom in Seattle.

In addition to unique student designs and outfit creations that will be on sale on Saturday, retail shops such as Pitaya and a student-run pop-up shop called Big Kid Vintage will display their merchandise at the show.

Big Kid Vintage was created by Sean Lukic, a manufacturing engineer freshman, and his brother in 2018. They began thrifting in 2010 as a means to save money rather than a way to be trendy. Since opening his business, Lukic said the business has helped his family and he enjoys being able to make and spend his own money. "I didn't expect it to turn until what it has. I didn't expect it to make the impact it's made on me. For me, it was always just like something that was there," Lukic said. "But then I realized, unknowingly, [that it] relieved a burden from my parents because...we were able to earn this money it's like one less thing that you have to worry about."

Lukic and his brother started thrifting and selling their clothes on eBay and Poshmark and have since done several pop-up shops around Austin. Big Kid Vintage's collection consists of vintage clothes for men and women with styles ranging from the 1960s to the early 2000s. At the show, Lukic will have over 75 items for sale.

Meeting new people and creating an inclusive market for all shapes and sizes to help others look their best has kept Lukic and his brother inspired to keep growing their small business.

Lukic's peer mentor, who is in FMA, is the one who suggested he apply for Big Kid Vintage to be a retailer at the fashion show. Lukic has enjoyed seeing the work and creativity that goes into putting the show together and is excited to meet more people who share his love for clothing. "I just really like being around creative people. I feel like I've only done half of everything that's gonna happen," Lukic said. "I'm really excited about the show. I feel like I'm going to be able to meet more Texas State people, more people are going to be able to know about like, my personal interest."

The fashion show will take place from 6-9 p.m. in the LBJ Ballroom on April 30. Tickets are on sale until the day of the show. General admission tickets are $15 and VIP tickets are $20 and include VIP seating and a tote bag with FMA merchandise and other goodies.

Texas State fashion merchandising junior Niko Guzman (left) and applied mathematics senior Audrey Larson model for Rolling Stoned Goods by Rachel Roosth, Wednesday, April 6, 2022, at Devil's Backbone Tavern. PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

To purchase tickets to the fashion show, visit https://www.eventbrite. com/e/ss22-fma-fashion-showtickets-313137401397.

Editor's Note: Natalie Ryan is also a member of The University Star.

UPCOMING EVENT

San Marcos to celebrate clay, community with return of Dirt Dauber Festival

By Cassie Butterfield Life and Arts Contributor

After a year-long hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Dirt Dauber Festival is back in person at Eye of the Dog Art Center and will feature local ceramic art vendors, pottery competitions, live music and free food and drinks from May 14-15.

The family-friendly ceramic art event is free to the public and will welcome 50 of the best potters in Texas, 12 live music performances, free hot dogs and pickles on a stick.

The owners of Eye of the Dog Art Center and creators of the festival, Billy Ray and Beverly Mangham, have been selling and teaching art for over 30 years. Dirt Dauber is the second festival they’ve started, the first being the over 30-year-old Texas Clay Festival that runs annually from Oct. 23-24 in Gruene, Texas.

Billy Ray Mangham, the director of Eye of the Dog Art Center, is looking forward to the festival’s return after last year's cancelation.

“We’re very excited to be back because people really need that chance to go out on a nice day and socialize with each other, especially after the pandemic. As much as anything, it’s a public service to give people a place to go to that’s safe, secure and free,” Mangham said.

Eye of the Dog Art Center offers ceramic classes, workshops, gallery shows and special events. It’s a communal space for people of all ceramic levels to learn from experienced local potters.

Billy Ray Mangham thinks that the pandemic has created more awareness of the daily objects in our lives, such as how important it is to have a really good coffee cup or cereal bowl.

The event’s contest categories include bestblindfolded pot, best 2-pound and 2-minute pot, longest pulled handle and more. All festival attendees are welcomed to enter contests and the winners will receive handmade trophies uniquely made for each category by Billy Ray Mangham.

Nick Fletcher, a ceramic artist originally from Nashville, Tennessee, moved to San Marcos in February 2020 to pursue a career in pottery and has since been teaching at Eye of the Dog Art Center for two years.

This is Fletcher’s first year attending the festival and having a booth to sell his artwork and he is eager to spend time with the community again.

“I’m looking forward to this place buzzing with activity, new people coming out and seeing engagement from the community,” Fletcher said.

Sharing the same sentiment is ceramic artist and Dirt Dauber vendor Kym Owens who is looking forward to seeing her friends and customers at the festival, especially since the pandemic affected the way she interacted with them.

“Because of COVID-19, it’s been so long since anyone’s been able to see my work in person,” Owens said.

Owens has attended the festival and participated as a vendor since 2011 and hopes to win a trophy in the contest this year. She has been making ceramic art for 30 years and now works full-time as a studio potter, selling her ceramic art online and at KO Pottery down the street from Eye of the Dog Art Center.

Ceramic artist Lindsey Browning, a fine arts alumna, is a ceramic workshop instructor at Eye of the Dog Art Center. Browning started attending the festival in 2017 and became a vendor in 2018. Her love for the art form and teaching new generations of artists has been her favorite part of being involved with the art center.

“I love teaching, being able to connect with other

Ceramic teacher Lindsey Browning shows her class how to shape their clay bowls, Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at Eye of the Dog Art Center. Browning teaches ceramic workshops every Tuesday at Eye of the Dog and she will be selling her pottery at the festival. PHOTO BY CASSIE BUTTERFIELD artists and sharing the love of the medium,” Browning said. “It brings me so much joy to see the knowledge get passed down to the next generation.” Browning said that the people who come to the festival will have the opportunity to experience what it is like first-hand to be a part of the clay community, and she is eager to see people get introduced to it. The Dirt Dauber Festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 14 and from noon to 5 p.m on May 15 at Eye of the Dog Art Center located at 405 Valley View West Rd in San Marcos. Admission is free and the music and vendor lineup will be available on the art center's website soon. For more information about the Dirt Dauber Festival visit https://www.eyeofthedogartcenter.com/.