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2600 S. Neal Commerce, Texas 75429
Sept. 29, 2016
Sonnets & Sonatas
You be the Judge
Skin of Our Fangs
Russian music major Elijah Dmitrievsky to perform piano recital featuring selections inspired by the works of Shakespeare Page 5
View a special screening of some new films from all over the world at the Manhattan Short Film Festival Page 6
Lions pull off a narrow 38-36 win against the A&M-Kingsville Javelinas, to stay at 4-0 for the season so far Page 8
Policy Clears the Air
Rules revised to accommodate smokers and non-smokers alike
E ast Texan Photo/ Spencer Nelson
Kerry Wilson Opinion Editor An approved campus-wide smoking policy is now in effect at Texas A&M University-Commerce. The policy prohibits smoke, vapor and tobacco products in housing facilities, athletic facilities, eating areas, and A&MCommerce-owned buildings and vehicles. The policy also states that the rule applies to “all indoor air space including foyers, entryways, classrooms, individual faculty and administrative offices, sidewalks and walkways, and attached parking structures immediately adjacent to all such buildings and structures.” Derek Preas, director of Safety and Risk Management, said the enforcement of the policy clears the air of previous informal smoking policies around campus. “The university for years has had an informal smoking policy in different places,” Preas said. “Has it ever been published or put out there? No, because nothing was ever official. We recently within the last year have approved the university smoking policy.”
The policy’s prohibition of smoking, vapor and tobacco use in, adjacent to, or around a building entrance or exit effects change in popular areas around campus. One of these areas includes the sidewalk between Education North and Gee Library. Preas said the prominence of that smoking area is the reason signs prohibiting smoking have been put there first. “There in between Ed. North and the library, when you’re walking down that sidewalk, that’s your only means of entrance to and from those buildings, so smoking’s not prohibited there,” Preas said. “There’s been a large influx of people that have decided to smoke in that particular area, so that’s why we’re starting there putting our signs out.” Preas mentioned the policy is not to ban smoking on campus but to designate areas for smoking. “There’s going to be some that look at it like ‘OK, you’re telling me I can’t smoke anywhere on campus.’ No, that’s not what we said,” Preas said. “Then there’s going to be some that’ll look at it and say ‘Oh, you’re just telling me I have to move over there.’ Yes, that’s all we’re saying. You need to go over there.”
One A&M-Commerce student, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the policy is not a big concern to him and could actually work out. “If the entrance is big enough, then the people who smoke can smoke at some place far enough from the door,” the student said. “It could certainly be possible for it to work out, because there is a far enough path for a non-smoker to get in and a smoker to enter after them. I really don’t care about it. I can smoke in other places. It depends on the people who want to smoke near the door.” However, the student added that while he does not smoke outside of the library that much, others do and might have a problem with it. “If they make a smoke-free zone near the door, the other smokers might not be angry, but annoyed by it,” the student said. “We have to walk away from the building, and the smoke will come back. It takes a long time. If they have a class right after that in the same building, they probably don’t want to take a long time for it.” Continued on page 3..
Are the Days of Internet Freedom Numbered? Imogene Wofford Entertainment Editor Ever think about getting on the Internet and being able to search whatever you want, without anyone looking over your shoulder? President Obama is proposing that the oversight of the Internet be turned over from the U.S. Government to a global organization called Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, ICANN. This event is scheduled to go into effect Oct. 1. ICANN is a nonprofit organization that is responsible for coordinating the maintenance and procedures of several databases. “If Congress fails to act by September 30, the Obama administration intends to give away control of the Internet to an international body akin to the United Nations, causing irreparable damage not only to our nation, but to free speech across the world,” Texas Senator Ted Cruz said. ICANN was created on Sept. 18, 1998 and put into action on Sept. 30, 1998. Its headquarters is located in Playa Vista, California. “This decision poses a significant threat to our
freedom…it will empower countries like Russia, China and Iran to be able to censor speech on the Internet,” Cruz said. Cruz has launched a website that warns the dangers that the administration’s plan and has a countdown clock. “Congress should not sit by and let this happen,” he said. “To hand over control of the Internet, to potentially muzzle everybody on the Internet…that ought to frighten everybody.” The Obama Administration currently has authority over Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). IANA functions are managed by ICANN, which is where the transition from the administration to the nonprofit organization. “The transition of the IANA functions to the global multi-stakeholder community is a serious, groundbreaking, and potentially unalterable action,” U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman John Thune, Senate Committee on the Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton,
and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte said in their letter to the U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. The members of these committees have passionately overseen the work done by the administration, IANA and ICANN for the past two years. “We have closely examined the arguments for and against the proposed transition, including concerns
There are many important questions, on the laws and policies regarding the transition, which are still left unquestioned for the committee members. “There is a broad range of important questions on both law and policy that remain outstanding with respect to the proposed transfer of the IANA functions to ICANN and the global multi-stakeholder community,” Thune et al said. Currently, ICANN is under con-
about whether the t ra n si- tion could enhance the role of authoritarian regimes in Internet governance. “In particular, we have heard from witnesses testifying to concerns that important accountability measures have yet to be fully fleshed out, tested, or proven, because they will not have been implemented prior to September 30, 2016,” Thune et al said.
tract for an agency within the Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Cruz also stressed how this transition will pose a threat to the U.S.’s national security. “Congress has received no insurance from the government to keep dot-gov or dot-mil [domain urls] that could enable foreign phishing scams,” Cruz said.
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Opinion
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vs. Alissa Silva Managing Editor Would you rather have a cracked screen in your pocket or would you rather lose feeling in your leg because your phone exploded? This is one of the many questions I ask Android users since Samsung’s latest release, the Galaxy Note 7. Even with this recent release’s complications, I’ve been asking Android users questions about their cellular decision since day one. Not only is the phone hard to use, but the conception of the phone is confusing. Are Androids the umbrella for other phones other than iPhones such as Samsung or Google phones? Google makes the operating system while Samsung manufactures the phones, and Androids basically fall under both categories. Okay guys, I need y’all to understand that I’ve been in love with Apple since they first came out for no particular reason except that I thought their devices were sleek and beautiful. My first cell phone was about five inches long and four inches wide; total dinosaur phone. After dropping that phone in two feet of snow on my way home from school, my dad presented me with a Droid X. Two years later, the iPhone 4. Once switching to Apple, I felt relief. It could have been the odd obsession or maybe just the idea of how easy Apple is to use. Since traveling to the west coast and back for years, I’ve noticed the usage of iPhones are tremendous. With 13 different models, iPhones are one of the most used cell phones universally. After researching the qualities of both phones, my opinion
changed from completely hating Androids to understanding they’re for a different type of people. One of the luxuries of iPhones is how good they look. This becomes a luxury when compared to an Android. Most iPhones are basically the same shape and fit in your hand or pockets perfectly. Androids come in different sizes and some are a bit chunkier since their batteries are removable. The battery aspect can be taken different ways; either you don’t mind that somebody can remove your battery, therefore leaving you with a non-working phone, or there’s the idea that you can remove your battery when it’s having trouble. Even though iPhones don’t generally have as much trouble with freezing and not working like Androids, IPhone’s don’t have to worry about removing the battery if the side buttons not working. IPhones have an easy, accessible way of turning off your phone when having trouble such as pressing the home button down for ten minutes. Androids are known for freezing and messing up more often than iPhones. The quality of iPhones makes them even more luxurious with their clear screens and operations. iPhone takes you to one home screen with everything you need. Androids have shortcuts and pathways that are just unnecessary. In order to even stop each application on an Android, another application has to be downloaded. iPhones only require a single swipe up with the finger. Applications such as Facebook, Snapchat, or Dictionary offer an updated version before an Android. iPhones always have the one up. Don’t even get me started on the camera. Snapchat is the number one witness to how bad an Android’s camera can be. It makes the media look warped, not only looking from an iPhone
aspect but as well from an Android’s. The quality of a picture can look absolutely perfect while looking at the Android perspective, but once uploaded to social media or printed, the picture becomes rugged and slow. iPhones do not have the best camera out, but it could have easily fooled anyone. The pictures and videos from an iPhone will easily covert online and obtain enough high quality that you can count the freckles off somebody’s cheeks. Another great advantage iPhones carry is the blue messaging and FaceTime offered with other Apple devices. This becomes super useful when traveling, for business, and when families live states away. iPhones let you know when another apple device has received the message. This is beneficial because you could send a text to the wrong number or the message might not go through without you even knowing it. Messages are delivered and responded to in seconds due to this advantage. Group messaging is also available and extremely beneficial; group projects or plans can be easily worked on instead of downloading another application such as GroupMe. Along with messaging comes the great world of Emojis. The Emoji’s application that is easily downloadable helps when texting to fit the mood of the message. Androids have Emojis but it is not the same. I mean, do you see Android robot Emoji pillows being made? Didn’t think so. Even though iPhones fall superior, their iCloud is a scary option to trust and their storage options are terrible. Hopefully these aspects will be looked into for future reference. iPhones are still number one in my heart, but Androids are working their way to America’s heart.
ending weekend hunger Dareious Scott Staff Writer If you’ve ever been asked what college is like, you can always use the words “broke” and “stressful” to sum it up in a nutshell. However, misery loves company, so on the not-so-bright side, at least we all get to struggle together. While in college, we are here to make something of ourselves, but that doesn’t mean it changes what we already are – broke and stressed. I can’t recall the number of times that I’ve looked at my bank account hoping that money will somehow appear after spending an absurd amount of money on textbooks that my teachers swore we would use, but is still on the shelf acting as a dust collector. What is a college student to do when it’s 6:30 p.m. on the weekend and they’re having a full conversation with an empty stomach? Sad to say, the cafeteria isn’t an option, but why isn’t it? Now before I continue with my venting, let
me make one thing clear. I have the utmost respect for the cafeteria and Sodexo workers, and I feel like they do a fantastic job serving us each and every day. With that being said, there are things that I feel can make students’ time here on campus a more pleasurable. When you think about all the amounts of money given to the university on our broken behalf, it should go toward something we can benefit from. If you live on campus, you most likely have some sort of meal plan. If you do, you’re spending between $2,700 and $3,700 per semester along with housing, and a lot of unnecessary fees. It is no wonder “student loans” is the worst phrase a college student can hear. Again, being in college is not cheap. We spend a lot of money to be here. So again, when it is 6:30 p.m. on the weekend, and I don’t have any money to get a bite to eat, I have to wait until the next day to eat food again. That alone is a problem and something I feel like should be fixed and looked into. Here’s the thing, the cafeteria is only open
four and a half hours on Saturdays and Sundays. It is as though there is a rumor that college students don’t like to eat on the weekends. I love McDonalds and Taco Bell just as much as the next guy, but I’m not doing myself any favors spending money that I don’t have on senseless fast food. You may feel like college students should get a job if they really want to eat so badly on the weekends, and that suggestion alone is blasphemous. Being in college and working a job is extremely difficult. Extremely. Why should a college student who doesn’t have to work take on a job just to eat more than two times on the weekend when they’ve already spent thousands of dollars on eating in the first place? There’s no question that modifying the cafeteria hours would help almost every college student save more money. I’m advocating that the cafeteria slightly modify its weekend hours. I’m not asking for a 24-hour all-you-caneat buffet with steak and lobster while workers slave in the kitchen to meet my demands, but
adjusting the hours could serve as a huge helping hand to us broke college students. This could mean opening up the cafeteria a little earlier, closing the cafeteria at a later time, or both. College students are giving thousands of dollars to this university, and I would like to see more of it going toward student needs. I shouldn’t have to spend my Saturday nights anticipating Sunday morning just to grab a bite to eat. There are countless ways the university can go about doing this, not just the ones that I mentioned. Heck, we can even use FLEX to go inside the dining room during any extended hours to keep the cafeteria open, but I think something should be done and this should be looked into. I’m not throwing any kind of shade on anybody, I’m just sharing a little bit of how I think my time here on campus can be improved. With all of that being said, everything I mentioned is just a fantasy waiting to turn into a reality, and hopefully that reality is on the horizon.
Campus Comment: Do you prefer Apple or Android phones?
“I prefer Apple, because all of the Android phones that I’ve had and my friends and family have ever had, break really fast.” -Emily McGuyer
“Apple, just because of the simplicity. It’s so much easier to get to a lot of things.” -Alejandro Ruiz
The East Texan Staff
Editor Travis Hairgrove Managing Editor Alissa Silva Sports Editor Ricky Moser Opinion Editor Kerry Wilson Entertainment Editor Imogené Wofford Web Editor Todd Kleiboer Photographer Kristen Taylor Copy Editor/Distribution Manager Kyria Aho Distribution Assistant Michelle Whitehead Faculty Adviser Fred Stewart Phone 903-886-5985 E-mail theeasttexan@gmail.com East Texan Website tamuceasttexan.com East Texan Print Issue Online issuu.com/tamuc.easttexan
“I am not your typical Android user. I don’t just like Androids. I like the Samsung Galaxy Note phones.” -Imogene Wofford
The East Texan, official student newspaper of Texas A&M University-Commerce, is published 11 times per semester during the Fall and Spring by students including journalism students in reporting classes. Content is solely the responsibility of the student staff and writers. The comments and views expressed in The East Texan, in print or online, do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of other students, staff, faculty, administration, or the Board of Trustees. The East Texan is located in Room113 of the Journalism Building. Single copies of The East Texan are free, additional copies are available in The East Texan offices for an additional 25 cents each.
“Apple. I’ve had better luck with it. I don’t have a lot of technical problems with it like I do with Androids.” -Ryan Peschka
Letters to the Texan Letters to the Texan are welcome and should be limited to 350 words. They may be edited for spelling, grammar and libelous and malicious statements. The East Texan reserves the right to refuse publication. Letters should be typed or emailed, must include a valid signature and contact information, and can be sent to theeasttexan@gmail.com or PO Box 4104, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Commerce, TX 75428.
Sept. 29, 2016
News
The Struggle is Real Survivor of Abuse Tells Her Chilling Story
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Counseling Corner
Digging out the Tunnel A light at the end of the darkness Marty-Marsh Jacobs Special Contributor
Travis Hairgrove Editor In observance of Recovery Month, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity presented a guest speaker with a truly horrific yet inspiring story to tell on Thursday, Sept. 22. The presenter was Laura Jackson, an author, entrepreneur and substitute teacher, and a survivor of intense and persistent sexual and physical abuse and drug addiction. Attributing her recovery to her devout Christian faith, Jackson told her heartbreaking story to those in attendance. One of the first tragedies she described involved being molested by the husband of a friend of her mother’s. “He would take his daughter and I into a garage, where he worked on cars as a mechanic,” Jackson said. “He took us there to molest us, weekly. On the way, he’d touch us between our legs. He’d put his large fingers down between our legs, and into our panties and move his fingers around. It would stimulate me enough to make me want to go to the bathroom and pee. In that very moment, something in that little girl died,” Jackson explained. “Her whole life changed, and a struggle became real. Even though she was too young to understand fully what was going on, God had a plan for her life. Not knowing what was in store, she allowed things to happen to her because she didn’t realize she was doing anything wrong. I say ‘her,’ because after he touched her, that sweet, innocent, precious little girl no longer existed. My very soul was stolen on that day, and my life was snatched right out from underneath me. For no reason other than [his] self-gratification.” I must’ve thought it was ok, because he did it to his own daughter, and she didn’t tell him to stop, so I had no reason to tell him to stop either,” Jackson recalled. “So, I let him touch me, time and time again. That was my first experi-
Photo Courtesy/Linda via Flickr Creative Commons
ence of being sexually abused, that I can remember. He’d take us out to eat, and buy us a milkshake from McDonald’s or White Castle. They were our favorites. We had to eat everything before we got home, so that the other children [three families lived inside the same house] wouldn’t ask for any - no evidence, no explanation.” This started my life of becoming a sex slave,” Jackson said gravely. Another, even more disturbing story she told was the stuff of nightmares, as it told how she was betrayed and used by her own brothers. “One day, I was cornered in the basement of our home,” Jackson said “I was maneuvered into having oral sex with one of my brothers. He gave me a piece of my favorite candy. As I unwrapped the candy, he unzipped his pants and pulled them down. He sat on a chair, and told me to get on my knees, then he guided my head down to his penis. I was instructed to suck on his penis like I was sucking on candy. After it was over, I was told to go upstairs and wash face and brush my teeth, and not tell anyone…especially mom, and I did exactly what I was told,” Jackson said solemnly. “This would happen several times per week, between two of my brothers until I was 13.” Eventually, I finally told my mother about my brothers making me have oral sex, hoping I could hear her say she loved me, hug me, and tell me it was going to be alright,” Jackson said. “Her one and only question was what would I have done if I had gotten pregnant. The only thing I could think of was why would she ask me that stupid question, rather than tell me she was sorry, and that she would take care of them when they came home. It was never talked about, never again,” Jackson continued. “I felt resent-
ment toward my mother after that.” As Jackson grew up, she moved from one abusive relationship to another, over and over again, unable to break the cycle for a long while, eventually driving her to heavy drug use, including LSD, speed and crack cocaine. When she later met her future husband, though, order very slowly began to replace the chaos that was her life. “He was a much older man, but he was heaven sent,” Jackson said with a soft smile. “I called him my stalker, because he always seemed to be around. He didn’t call it stalking, though. He called it ‘being available.’ He would come around and play with the children [her children from previous relationships and encounters]. He’d play with the children for hours, while I was in the house, getting high,” Jackson admitted. “After a while of him being around, I didn’t want to use. I respected him enough not to let him see me like that I cared about him, and he cared about me. I believed god had sent me an angel.” Even later, one of Jackson’s sons became heavily involved in the church, and encouraged his mother to do the same. “He begged me to get saved, because he had given his life to Christ a week before,” Jackson said cheerfully. “Finally, I went to church. And, on Easter Sunday, 1992, I gave my life to Jesus Christ, and was delivered instantly from using crack cocaine. It was a miracle.” Ms. Jackson’s powerful story was the second in this year’s series of guest speakers. The next speaker will be Cornel West, scheduled to present Wed., Sept. 28 at 11 a.m. in Ferguson Auditorium, where he’ll discuss the African-American freedom-fighting tradition and police accountability.
The Logistics of Smoking Areas Continued from page 1 The student added that he thinks it would be good for the school to provide smoking areas for students. “I think it would be good to build some smoking areas,” the student said. “Not right next to the door, but as close as the policy will allow. It would be a better option.” The student’s suggestion could be a reality in the future. Preas said the Department of Safety and Risk Management is trying to find smoking areas for students. “What we’re trying to figure out right now is identify some areas and give those that want to use that area shelter, a trashcan,” Preas said. “We don’t want to send
someone out to the back or around the corner and they’re just out there in the middle of nowhere. That’s not right either.” Concerning the potential locations for smokers, Preas said there are many locations to consider. The Department of Safety and Risk Management is walking around on campus looking for areas to accommodate smokers. But, the needs of non-smokers must be fulfilled to identify the locations for smokers. “The fact of the matter remains that it is healthier and safer to at least at first prevent those that are smoking or using tobacco or vapor around others, to get that environment away from those that do not want to be around that,” Preas said.
William Horton, president of the Student Government Association, views the situation from the side of smokers and non-smokers. “The pros of enforcing the current procedure is you have many common areas that are now essentially smoke-free,” Horton said. “People generally have a better quality of life moving through common areas like the walkway between Ed. North and the library. The potential con you have is the regular smokers, either by habit or by cultural choice, end up having to go elsewhere. We don’t currently have set aside smoking areas that are sheltered from the elements, so in some ways we don’t do enough to provide for our smoking population.”
Have you ever felt like you are trapped in a tunnel and can’t find your way out? The tunnel seems dark and frightening. No matter which direction you turn or how hard you dig, nothing seems to work. Depression can be like that. Depression feels like there is no way out of that dark tunnel. There appears to be no hope. Depression and hopelessness can lead to thoughts of suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the 10th leading cause of death among Americans. The rate for young people (ages 15 – 24) is especially high, affecting the college population. For each suicide, it is estimated that there are at least 6 survivors. A survivor is a family member or close friend affected by the loss of someone they care about to suicide. The most important factor to keep in mind is that depression is treatable and recovery is possible. There is hope. On Wednesday, October 5th, the Counseling Center will be in the Atrium of the Rayburn Student Center from 10 AM until 2 PM raising awareness through Strings of Hope. Postcards about hope will be provided for those interested in writing an individual message of hope. You might want to say something to someone you have lost, someone you know who is struggling, or to yourself. The postcards will be placed on display to share these messages of hope. Participants can also make a bracelet symbolizing hope. Information will be provided about depression, and most importantly, participants will have an opportunity to participate in our annual Depression Screening. The screenings are anonymous and confidential. Counselors will be available to discuss the results of your screening with you. If you are unable to come in person for a screening, go to the Counseling Center’s web page and click on the online screenings. Some of the symptoms of depression are as follows: Feeling sad for no apparent reason Tearfulness Losing interest in activities that you once enjoyed Sleeping too little or too much Fatigue Trouble concentrating or focusing Restlessness Changes in weight or appetite Feelings of worthlessness or guilt Depression can be situational such as the result of a loss, divorce, poor health, loss of a job, or fear of failure. Depression can also be the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. It doesn’t matter what the cause is, you can’t simply “snap out of it”. You need help and help is available. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel and a rescue crew is available to help you dig your way out. The Counseling Center is located at 204 Halladay Student Services Building. Come by or call 903-886-5145 for an appointment. It just might be the best thing you have ever done for yourself.
Campus
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Sept. 29, 2016
University Founder’s Gravesite Gets a Makeover Isabella Garcia Staff Writer
TAMUC Photo
Diversity University Isabella Garcia Staff Reporter Diversity University was an interactive empowerment secession held Wednesday, Sept. 21 in the Rayburn Student Center Conference Rooms. Hosts, Monti Washington and Julia Garcia are not only motivational speakers but best friends who effectively embolden students to challenge preconceived stereotypes with cultural cooperation on campus. Online posts and flyer advertisements could be found on campus prior to the event. Senior Brittany Washington happened to be walking by the Conference Rooms at the start of the program when she decided to attend out of pure curiosity. “Diversity University was an amazing experience,” said Washington. “It gave me the courage to act on ideas I’ve already had, but didn’t know how to put into action. I now welcome and encourage courageous conversations. I would love to see Monti and Julia back at our university.” Monti and Julia’s arduous childhood is often used by many in those same situations as an excuse to fail. Even with all their disadvantages, they were able to step up and break away from the destined futures that people who suffer from similar lifestyles fall victim to. Their presence is a living example to anyone looking for the support that we can do anything we set our mind to. Despite the difficulties of discussing areas of diversity, (gender, race, orientation, and social status) Monti and Julia were able to reach out to the audience and encourage them to look beyond the surface. They motivated people to embrace the strangers around them in a comfortable fashion, applauded us into become more outspoken in our own skin with vocal exercises, and used notecards in an activity that empowered the students of Commerce. The pair visits a number of colleges in countless cities and throughout many states. When they aren’t working
together, Julia hosts a Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol talk which is the basis behind her book, Somewhere In Between. Mrs. Garcia is also the founder of Truality.org, a TRU Movement that strengths students to be themselves through a blend of motivational speaking and preforming arts. Monti Washington, professional actor and spoken word poet, hosts his own separate leadership presentation, “From The Streets To The Stage”, which is also the title of his book. He has a natural orator quality that helps him have the ability to connect with his audience through his confidence and captivatingly worded speeches. Monti’s dedication for his work shines when he is speaks in front of a crowd. He explains the importance of speaking out and being a conscientious listener in order to create a healthier society. “I hope that they left with the courage to have intelligent interactions and courageous conversations, because a lot of our problems with diversity are that we’re not truly speaking about it and when we do talk about it we’re doing it in an attacking or defensive way,” said Washington. “Even when we do talk about it, we’re not listening; listening is taking it in, digesting it and trying to find a solution as opposed to people waiting for the opportunity to defend themselves.” The duo is currently in the process of creating an appliance that is aimed at spreading their message to more people. It is an interactive app that will be able to provide services to anyone that is willing to make a difference or looking towards for inspiration to change. This secession was a moving experience to better appreciate differences in people but also recognize our similarities. The two have a strong passion and sharp charisma that allowed the students to easily become absorbed into the lessons. Julia and Monti’s unique stories and entertaining performance help them fully engage students and make personal connections with them that leave a lasting impression.
Almost 100 years ago, Commerce founder and professor, William Leonidas Mayo, was buried on campus on March 14, 1917. Although preparations and funding has been an ongoing process for a few years, construction for the renovations on the gravesite is currently undergoing a five week process that is set to be completed before the Homecoming celebration. Randy VanDeven held the position of Interim Vice President of Advancement when the initial renovation plans for the gravesite were endorsed by the Texas A&M University-Commerce Foundation to celebrate the 125 anniversary in 2014. The present Interim Vice President of Advancement, Wyman Williams, is in currently in charge of overseeing the work revolving the remodeling process. The reconstruction will be a beautiful upgrade in appearance to a historical landmark on campus that people often overlook because of its uncomfortable setting. Two sets of stone steps will be lead up to Professor Mayo’s Gravestone and in between these walkways will be a planter. The site will be adorned with plants that will create an appealing environment and pay respect to the founder. Six columns will be added along the stone wall seating area and each will contain a plaque with one of the names that A&M-Commerce has identified as since the founding. A walk around the remodeled site will provide a history on how Texas A&M-Commerce came to be.
Hispanic Outreach Art Competion The Winners Right photo : Brayan Dicante 1st place Bottom right photo: Evangelina Morales 2nd place
{East Texan Photo/Jason Nam Pictured above: Dr. Fred Fuentes , Josilyn Chavez who won 3rd place , Brayan Dicante who won 1st place and Evangelina Morales who won 2nd place
In celebration of the institution’s 125 anniversary, the six columns were each worth $12,500 while the stone steps were worth $1,889 in honor of the year that Mayo first purchased the school. A portion of the $125,000 target of funds necessary for this task was donated thanks to the former university president Charles Austin, Micky and Wanda Trusty, and Atmos Energy. They will also be acknowledged on the gravesite as gratitude for their endowment. The construction will be completed before the start of Homecoming, allowing time to set up the greenery and conclude any final pieces. Homecoming this year will be a special event because the annual ceremony held at Professor Mayo’s burial site will be the official dedication in a new modern setting. Mayo’s original East Texas Normal College was located in Cooper, Texas until a fire in 1894 forced him to move the institution towards Commerce. By 1917, he hoped that the Texas Legislature would buy his public college and integrate it in the state system. Professor Mayo had always wished to be buried on the ground of his institution so it was an unfortunate coincidence that he died from a heart attack immediately after receiving news that the state was purchasing his school. It is actually illegal for a person to be buried on the grounds of a Texas state school so his family was prompt to prepare his funeral. This unique attribute of the school makes our founder Mayo the only college president to be buried on site of an institution in the state of Texas.
Features
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Sept. 29, 2016
A Piano Recital With a Literary Twist
The grievous, soul pouring sound of Beethoven’s music continues to tug at the heartstrings of people of all musical tastes. Likewise, the inner and outer conflict so perfectly captured by William Shakespeare’s words still resonates with audiences 400 years after the bard’s death.
Next Wednesday (Oct. 5) at 7:30 p.m., senior music major Elijah Dmitrievsky will pay tribute to these two titanic legacies in a piano recital titled Music Meets Shakespeare. While Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31, No.2, (popularly known as “The Tempest”)
will be featured in the performance, Dmitrievsky will also play selections by Sergei Prokofiev, Johann Sebastian Bach and Frederic Chopin. Hailing from Russia, Dmitrievsky first started thinking in terms of story when working out the phrasing and artistic interpretation of pieces early in his development. “In the 9th grade, what made me start taking it more seriously was how my teacher in Russia really inspired me to pursue music, and she really instilled in me a desire to perfect the art of my piano playing,” Dmitrievsky said. “She was always about finding the right type of image…the right type of [mental] story for performance. I really appreciated it. When I was in Russia, it was like music school was a second home for me,” Dmitrievsky recalled. “I would come back from school, and I would just go there. I’d almost see her every day. It was very intimate in a way. She was a very attentive, and very dedicated teacher, and wanting he students to succeed.” Even though his father’s studies at Dallas Theological Seminary took his family back and forth between Russia and the United States, Dmitrievsky’s transition into life as a music major at
A&M-Commerce still took getting used to. “At first, it was hard for me to adjust, because you meet with your professor only once a week for an hour,” Dmitrievsky said. “In Russia, I always had contact, so that was kind of a little difficult for me. So, [in college] you have to become an individual, self-motivated musician at some point, so I feel like that was good…to learn your music, show up prepared to your lesson, and then he’ll guide you on where to go with it. A major plus side, though…coming from Russia to here, was how amazed I was at the quality of the instruments and the music building,” Dmitrievsky continued. “Everything’s good, just really good pianos to play on. I always give this analogy. It was like when you go skiing down a slope or just cross country skiing. If you ski on pure wooden skis, it’s not the same as if you on plastic skis. When I got here, it was like me getting on plastic skis and just going really fast and smooth...very good instruments. In Russia, you sometimes didn’t have that luxury of having nice instruments to play on, and you always had to work around that.” Ultimately, Dmitrievsky would like to be a professional performer, and has a dream of assembling a touring orchestra, someday, with the mission of using classical music to minister to people.
International Student Organizations on Campus Gwiwon Jason Nam Staff Writer
Senior Elijah Dmitrievsky comes from Russia, and he will perform next Wednesday where he will play music by Beethoven and other well-known composers.
Photo Courtesy/ Elijah Dmiriesky
Professor Professes his Love of Life Imogené Wofford A&E Editor Dr. Robert Rodriguez, assistant professor for Political Science at Texas A&M UniversityCommerce, is the one person on campus you want to know before you leave this campus. Dr. Rodriguez was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. When he was about 3 years old, his family moved to California. He attended the University of California-Irvine, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science. After, he attended the University of Kansas where he earned his master’s and doctorate in political science. In 2010, Rodriguez became a political science professor at A&M University-Commerce. “Next semester I will be teaching a course on the Politics of Muhammad Ali,” Rodriguez said. He teaches many different political science classes including Principles of U.S. and Texas Government, Intro to Comparative Politics, Politics and Sports, and Latin American Politics and Society. When you walk into his office, you see more than work, more than a desk, more than a job, more than a professor; you see his heritage, his passion, his legacy—you see Robert Rodriguez. Dr. Rodriguez is Argentinian, with his mother and father from Buenos Aires, and he has two older brothers. “Growing up we were always very much in tune with our Argentinian heritage, and everything from the food we ate, the music we listened to, to soccer. My dad always had soccer playing on the TV, [even though] there was very little soccer shown [when I was growing up] in the U.S.” he said. He is a part of a huge family, back in Argentina, that he goes and visits at least every year. “It’s very much a part of my identity. I have dual
citizenship, here in the U.S. and Argentina,” he said. He is a U.S. citizen by birth, and an Argentinian citizen through his parents. He can fluently speak Spanish, English and some Russian. He has traveled to places including Ukraine, Argentina, Poland and Japan. Being a professor, he is required to read some books for academic purposes; however, he prefers to read magazines. “I subscribe to boxing and soccer magazines, I tend to read those when I want to relax, or before I go to sleep. I read more than enough books for my career purposes, so to tune out from the political academic stuff, I like to read magazines. “I always have, since I was a teenager. That’s how I got into boxing in the first place. I saw a fight on TV… and I went into the local supermarket and found a boxing magazine, and read it from cover to cover. “Then eventually I got my parents to subscribe to it so I could get it on a regular basis, and I haven’t looked back,” he said. He has written articles for “Ring Magazine” with some of the articles being about boxing matches, profiles on boxers, and pieces that combine politics and sports. When he isn’t working he attends boxing matches and soccer games. On Sept. 13, he went to see FC Dallas play for the U.S. Open Cup, and on Sept. 17, he went to boxing matches at AT&T Stadium. “These aren’t just my main interests, these are my hobbies,” he said. When you walk in his office you can see the various photos of him with boxers like George Foreman and Muhammad Ali. You also see different displays of his heritage like pictures of the Argentinian soccer team, the Pope and the flag. Many people think about what they want to do after they’re finished with their career, but not Dr. Rodriguez. “There is no after, this is my career, that’s a long ways off and I’m young. I’m not thinking about retirement at all. I’m enjoying what I’m doing. “I have the greatest job in the world,” he said.
One of Texas A&M University-Commerce’s goals is having students experience diversity. According to Assistant Director for Student Organizations, Jeremy Sippel, “International Student Organizations provide American students opportunities to learn. It is a very significant goal of this University, and we teach them to understand global awareness.” Also, he said international student organizations help them to bring those individual groups together and support for each. They can feel comfortable and a sense of belonging with people who share the same background. There are six International Students Associations; African Student Association, Caribbean Student Association, Chinese Student Association, Indian Student Association, Korean Student Association, and a Nepalese Student Association. African Student Association is basically a cultural and social organization. Their purpose is to create a culturally enlightened community by providing collaboration amongst African students in Commerce. They welcome all people from Africa, connected to Africa and/or interested in matters concerning Africa. Chinese Student Association is another cultural organization. New president Yang Li said, “Chinese Student Association is a big family for all Chinese faculty and students for sharing information and knowledge at Texas A&M-Commerce.” He said the goal is to unite all Chinese faculty and students to enrich their life overseas. Usually, twenty students are actively engaged in Fall 2016. He said, “We usually have the activities at the weekends, like playing badminton, basketball, doing group social activities.” Chinese Student Association don’t have event for this Fall semester, but they are preparing Chinese Spring Festival. Caribbean Student Association is for anyone who is interested in Caribbean culture and from Caribbean countries. They want to promote and educate students and faculty about Caribbean culture and heritage. Also, they help Caribbean students in Commerce to transition into life in the United States. The Indian Student Association is for Indian students and any other students interested in Indian culture. President Yeshwanth Reddy Daggumati said, “Our association is one of the biggest associations, with large number of people.” He said, “The main goal is to help all the Indian students in Commerce. We provide information about rides and also we celebrate our events like we are their family.” Indian Student Association has their regular meeting twice a month. This meeting is for discussing solutions to the
members’ problems. They also discuss events. They have an upcoming plan this semester, called Diwali. He said, “Diwali is very important and the biggest festival in India. We used to burn lot of fireworks in India, but here we don’t get any permission, so what we do is we all gather together, have some fun and everyone will be in traditional dress.” Diwali festival is open in October. According to the president of the Korean Student Association, YoungIn Lee, this association is not only for Korean students, but also every student who have interested in Korea and Korean culture. He said, “The purpose of our association is to care for Korean students. Also, we are trying to communicate with the students in this University, and appeal to them about Korean culture.” Also, they have a plan to have foreign members in this semester. He said, “Many American Students and international students have an interest in Korean culture, so we are going to have members from other cultures, and share each culture. We also have a plan to have Korean language classes, too.” In October, the Korean Student Association is planning a Korean Thanksgiving day event. “We will introduce Korean food and Korean traditional activities for people.” Lee said. Nepalese Student Association President Nijesh Dangol said “Our association is to help spread and let our university know about Nepali Culture. We live in the world with diverse cultures so we want to speak of our culture and also learn different culture from places.” Also, this association is to help not only Nepalese student but also other freshman students to help settle down and help build connections with people on campus. He said “Our Association is all about diversity and it is open to all the students of TAMUC. We don’t want it to be the close group but we want it be a group where different people with different culture are actively involved on campus.” At the end of October, they have an event called “Walk through Nepal.” It is Nepalese Student Night, so they will present their culture, food, games and movies. The International Student & Scholar Services office also helps to give experiences to students. Each November, the U.S. State Department sets aside a week called International Education Week (IEW), to celebrate international education and exchange in the U.S. and around the world. International Education Week 2016 will be November 14-18. During this week, the Office of International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) will host different events to celebrate international education and our different global cultures represented at A&M-Commerce.
Page 6
Entertainment
Sept. 29, 2016
Sully & Snowden Steal September Manuel Ramirez Staff Reporter September saw the premiere of two biopics that centered on ordinary men who did the unthinkable. Both made headlines and became the subject of debate as their actions were questioned as either heroic or harmful. Sully recounts the “Miracle on the Hudson” and the eponymous airline pilot who saved the lives of everyone onboard by making the perilous decision to land in the Hudson River after an engine failure; Snowden depicts the life of the titular former employee of the FBI and NSA who leaked classified articles on the nation’s extensive and shocking surveillance programs. With Sully, director Clint Eastwood has had a rough reputation with biopics ranging from forgettable (J. Edgar and Jersey Boys) to acceptable (Byrd and American Sniper). The man behind Snowden, Oliver Stone has had little accomplishments with his recent work (Savages and Wall Street: The Money Never Sleeps) and has yet to reach the success of his earlier films (JFK and Platoon). Enthralling and captivating, Sully stunningly captures the event and aftermath of the extraordinary landing that occurred on January 15, 2009. Tom Hanks delivers a wonderful performance as Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who despite not resembling the valiant aviator, disappears into the role per-
fectly. Also delivering a good performance is Aaron Eckhart as Jeffrey Skiles, the co-pilot who assisted Sully in the landing as he delivers some funny lines now and then. The story begins after the landing with Sully being hailed a hero by the public but questioned by Nation Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on whether he could have made the landing at an airport instead of the river. Questions are posed as Sully ponders on whether he did the right thing or could have made a safer decision. The scene that shows the landing and everyone trying to remain alive as the rescue team arrives is so chilling and intense that I felt the cold weather the passengers and crew members were feeling. More dialogue driven and less action-oriented, Snowden is both an engaging and thought-provoking look at America’s most recent whistleblower. Being a story that has some delicate and controversial issues I can’t think of another director right for the job than Oliver Stone whose filmography consists of political themes. Like Sully, the story begins with Snowden meeting some journalists of The Guardian, a British press in Hong Kong and has already obtained the confidential files. The movie also utilizes flashbacks as we alternate from Snowden’s early life from being discharged in the army, meeting his girlfriend Lindsay Mills, (played by Divergent’s Shailene Woodley) to his job at the FBI
and NSA. The flashbacks are better utilized as they alternate more in the past to know the character and his motivations, briefly return to the present now and then as the documents are discussed and in the process of being distributed all leading to the reveal of how he got the files undetected, making them become public to the world, and his escape out of Hong Kong to Russia where he resides today. Similar to Sully, Snowden raises questions on the topics it presents, in this case on the issue of surveillance and the way it was utilized. Surprisingly I didn’t notice the two-hour runtime as I was invested in every scene wondering what would happen next—despite knowing the outcome. Despite the flaws, I still highly recommend both films. If you want a straightforward movie that will have you on the edge of your seat, with a touch of courtroom drama that is based on a true story, then Sully is the film for you. If you have the patience and can sit through a two hour and eighteen minute movie, that is insightful and for mature audiences, on the most controversial figure of the past year, then Snowden is for you.
Manhattan Film Festival Comes to Commerce
American Horror Story’s Newest Season Isn’t Quite What I Expected
Liliana Vasquez Staff Reporter
Imogene Wofford Entertainment Editor
Texas A&M University-Commerce is taking part in the Manhattan Short Film Festival, where students get to participate by voting for the best short film and take part in the world’s first global short film event. Manhattan Short is the world’s first and only global short film festival. This year Manhattan Short received over 800 entries from 52 countries and 10 finalists were selected. The 10 short films will screen all over the world in 6 continents. One of those places happens to be in Commerce. The film will screen on Wednesday, Sept. 28, in the Hall of Languages building from 5:30 pm to 8 pm. The Manhattan Short began with a screen mounted on the side of a truck parked in New York. Now, this event is a weeklong festival that people all over the world celebrate. The films that were selected are from Norway, England, Germany, The Netherlands, Australia, Russia, France, and one from the
United States. The United Sates short film is called “Ella gets a promotion?”, directed by Richard Diaz and Mike Pusateri. The film is about a woman named Ella who is a talented and loyal employee who finally gets the promotion she deserves but the new promotion comes with unexpected drawbacks. The film is a humorous look at twofaced behavior in today’s corporate America. “This event is never going to be seen on cable TV, video, On demand or anywhere else; so if you don’t catch it at your local cinema…then you missed it” founding director, Nicholas Mason said. After the film screening, students and audiences will be given a ballot and they will have a chance to vote for the best short film and actor. Votes will be sent to headquarters and winners will be announced at the Manhattan Short website on Monday Oct. 3 at 10am.
This season’s American Horror Story is “My Roanoke Nightmare.” Every season American Horror Story has a different theme: season one was “Murder House,” season two was “Asylum,” season three was “Coven,” season four was “Freak Show,” and season five was “Hotel.” The first episode of this season’s wasn’t really as enthralling as the first episodes of the other seasons. It wasn’t scary or riveting like the others that I’m used to seeing from American Horror Story. The theme song is one of my favorite parts of the show, yet I wasn’t nodding my head in the dark because the theme song doesn’t play at the beginning of the episodes of this season. Another downside to this sea-
son is the slow pace. Usually each episode has so much more action and trickery since the seasons are so short, however, for this one, I feel like it’s moving at a slower pace. On “Freak Show” sometimes there would five or more storylines, and more than three people would be dying. “My Roanoke Nightmare” so far has been more talking and dramatization, than witchcraft or murder. I feel like she made the seasons. She and Angela Bassett’s characters were like fire and ice. Every season their characters had problems and battles that exemplified their feminine power and independence. My favorite part of American Horror Story is the way the costume designers and the producers disguise the same characters from season to season, in fresh, creepy individuals, where you have to know the actor’s voice to
unlock their identity. The creativity behind the show astounds me. Who thinks of making it rain teeth, I have never seen that in any other show. Lady Gaga made her captivating debut in “Hotel,” she came in and stole the show. At first I thought that she was trying to fill in Lang’s spot, but now I see that she is creating her on spot. This show explores different ways to scare me and it excites me. The fact that this season is moving slower into the storyline makes me yawn; but I have complete faith in American Horror Story, its exhilarating team and menacing themes, and I know that this season will show me something that I thought I could handle.
Page 7
Sept. 29, 2016
finalscore 5-1
hotshot 6
West Texas A&M Lady Buff’s soccer dominate this game with three goals in the first 16 minutes against Southern Nazarene.
Western New Mexico’s QB Javia Hall scores all six touchdowns in their victory over Oklahoma Panhandle State.
Football
Trio receive weekly LSC honors for feats
2016football
Team Conf. Overall Midwestern State 2-0 3-0 A&M-Commerce 2-0 3-0 West Texas A&M 2-0 3-1 East. New Mexico 2-1 2-2 West. New Mexico 2-1 2-2 Tarleton State 1-1 1-3 A&M-Kingsville 0-2 2-2 UT-Permian Basin 0-2 2-2 Angelo State 0-2 1-3 O.K. Panhandle 0-2 1-3
Schedule
October 1st A&M-Commerce AT O.K. Panhandle Midwestern State AT West. New Mexico UT-Permian Basin AT Tarleton State Angelo State AT A&M-Kingsville West Texas A&M AT East. New Mexico
women’ssoccer
Team Conf. Overall Midwestern State 2-0 5-1-2 A&M-Commerce 1-0 4-2 Angelo State 1-0 5-2-1 West Texas A&M 1-1 3-3 East. New Mexico 1-1 2-4-1 Texas Woman’s 0-2 4-3 UT-Permian Basin 0-2 0-5-1
Schedule
Texas A&M-Commerce, Midwestern State, West Texas A&M, Tarleton State and Western New Mexico picked up victories after a full week of Lone Star Conference action. LSC football teams are 15-13 overall this season. The squads are 3-3 combined versus the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Great Lakes Valley Conference and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams, which are also in NCAA Super Regional Four. For a second straight season, A&M-Commerce will host a national broadcast on October 8 as the Lions welcome Midwestern State.
The game starts at 7 p.m. UT Permian Basin hosted West Texas A&M in the Falcon’s first LSC football game in the program’s initial season. Due to inclement weather the game was postponed and was not broadcast as scheduled. OFFENSIVE: Javia Hall, Western New Mexico, SR, QB, Dallas, Texas, Skyline HS Hall was on fire from start to finish against Oklahoma Panhandle State, accounting for all six of the Mustang touchdowns in the 44-21 victory. He was able to escape several would-be sacks to setup the first score of the day on an 18-yard TD pass. Hall then displayed his strong arm
airing one out for a 75-yard strike. He used his legs to tally the next score on a 14yard run. To close the opening half Hall added 25- and 47-yard TD passes. He ended the scoring in the fourth with an 11-yard scamper. In all, Hall was 17-of-25 for 249 yards with four TDs. He also led the team in the run game as well carrying the ball 13 times for 62 yards and a pair of scores. Hall helped run an efficient offense that piled up 461 total yards, went 7-14 on third-down, 4-5 on red zone chances and had zero turnovers. DEFENSIVE: Cody Burtscher, Tarleton State University, SR, LB, Glen
Volleyball players claim awards
LSC VOLLEYBALL Angelo State, Tarleton State, Texas A&M-Kingsville and West Texas A&M started Lone Star Conference play 2-0. LSC volleyball teams are 6849 overall this season. The squads are currently 14-9 combined versus Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams, and 16-4 against the Heartland Conference, which are the other leagues in the NCAA South Central Region. PLAYERS OF THE WEEK OFFENSIVE Hailey Roberts, Tarleton State University, JR, Cedar Park, Texas, Cedar Park HS The national leader in kills per set continued her torrid pace as Hailey Roberts led Tarleton to back-to-back sweeps of Texas A&M-Commerce and Texas Woman’s to give the TexPhoto Courtesy/L onestarconference .org Anns a 2-0 start in conference play. The junior outside hitter blasted 31 set. Bentsen set a new career high kills in six sets over the weekend on a with 15 kills on Friday night in Law.292 hitting percentage, including 15 ton as the Lady Buffs topped Cameron kills with a .351 hitting clip against in a five-set thriller, she tallied three Commerce in a double-double perdigs and nine blocks in the victory. formance. Her 31 kills improved her SETTER national lead in kills per set to 5.41. Meghan Parker, Angelo State She also totaled one assist, 20 digs, University, FR, San Antonio, Texas, four blocks, and had 33.5 points in the Johnson HS two sweeps. Dispersing the ball for the Belles, DEFENSIVE Parker continues to turn in top numElisa Bentsen, West Texas A&M bers. Tallying 40 assists against TWU University, SR, Hesperia, California, and 33 against TAMUC, the freshman Oak Hills HS averaged 12.10 assists per set. She Bentsen continued to lead WT this continues to lead the team and the past week as the senior from HespeLSC with 475 total assists for an averria, California ran the Lady Buff win age of 11.88 per set. With 18 service streak to four matches to move to 6-4 aces in 2016, she leads the Belles overall with a 2-0 start to LSC play from service line. The freshman also with wins on the road over Cameron assisted the defense as she recorded and Midwestern State. The senior a career high 15 digs against Texas registered 23 kills on 45 swings with Woman’s and completed the week just five attack errors to hit .400 on the with 20 total digs. This gave Parker weekend to go along with seven digs her team highest sixth double-double and an incredible 18 total blocks (four on the season. solo, 14 assisted) to average 2.00 per
Photo Courtesy/L onestarconference .org
Rose, Texas, Glen Rose HS Burtscher continued to add to his total tackles as the senior linebacker led the Tarleton defense to its best performance against a Lone Star Conference rival in nearly seven seasons. The Burtscher-led Texans held Angelo State to just five points on 222 yards of total offense. The five points allowed is the first time since Oct. 24, 2009 that Tarleton has held a conference opponent to fewer than 10 points. The 222 total yards is the fewest allowed by Tarleton since Oct. 11, 2014. Burtscher added 0.5 tackles for a loss and 0.5 sacks while recovering one fumble and forcing three QB hurries.
With his team-high 11 tackles, Burtscher extended his streak of double-digit tackle performances to eight in a row dating back to last year. SPECIAL TEAMS: Tanner Graeber, Midwestern State University, SR, K, League City, Texas, Clear Creek HS (McNeese State) Graeber connected on an 18-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining to lift No. 12-ranked Midwestern State to a 32-30 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday night at Javelina Stadium. The senior from League City hit on 29-yard field goal to open scoring for MSU and was successful on two of his three point-after attempts.
Score Recap
Football: Italics denote winner September 24th
Eastern New Mexico AT Angelo State
25-14
Tarleton State AT West Texas A&M
37-25
A&M-Kingsville AT A&M-Commerce
38-36
West. New Mexico AT UT-Permian Basin
68-17
September 25th O.K. Panhandle AT Midwestern State
Women’s Soccer: Italics denote winner
42-24
September 19th Southwest AT East. New Mexico
11-0
September 21st UT-Permian Basin AT Angelo State
3-0
September 23rd West Texas A&M AT Texas Woman’s
2-1
Midwestern State AT Angelo State
1-0
East. New Mexico AT A&M-Commerce
2-0
September 25th Midwesterm State AT UT-Permian Basin
1-0
East. New Mexico AT Texas Woman’s
2-0
September 26th West Texas A&M AT A&M-Commerce
Volleyball:
2-0
Italitcs denote winner
September 20th Texas Woman’s AT A&M-Commerce
3-1
A&M-Kingsville AT St. Mary’s
3-1
Angelo State AT Tarleton State
3-0
Midwestern State AT Cameron
3-0
N.M Highlands AT East. New Mexico
3-1
September 23rd A&M-Kingsville AT A&M-Commerce
3-1
Tarleton State AT West Texas A&M
3-2
Angelo State AT UT-Permian Basin
3-0
Cameron AT West. New Mexico
3-0
Midwestern State AT East. New Mexico
3-2
September 24th A&M-Kingsville AT Texas Woman’s
3-1
Tarleton State AT UT-Permian Basin
3-0
Angelo State AT West Texas A&M
3-2
Midwestern State AT West. New Mexico
3-0
Cameron AT East. New Mexico
3-1
A&M-Kingsville AT Dallas Baptist
3-0
St. Edward’s AT A&M-Commerce
3-1
September 30rd Texas Woman’s AT Midwestern State UT-Permian Basin AT East. New Mexico Angelo State AT West Texas A&M October 2nd A&M-Commerce AT Midwestern State UT-Permian Basin AT West Texas A&M Angelo State AT East. New Mexico October 4th Lubbock Christian AT Texas Woman’s October 5th East. New Mexico AT West Texas A&M
2016volleyball
Team
Angelo State
Conf. Overall 4-1
13-2
Tarleton State
4-1
11-2
A&M-Kingsville
3-1
12-3
West Texas A&M
3-1
7-5
West. New Mexico 2-1
10-4
Midwestern State
3-2
7-6
A&M-Commerce
2-2
8-6
East. New Mexico 1-2
6-7
UT-Permian Basin 1-3
5-8
Texas Woman’s
0-4
3-9
Cameron
0-5
2-11
Schedule
September 30th West. New Mexico AT West Texas A&M Cameron AT A&M-Commerce A&M-Kingsville AT Tarleton State Midwestern State AT Texas Woman’s East. New Mexico AT UT-Permian Basin October 1st Cameron AT Texas Woman’s West. New Mexico AT UT-Permian Basin East. New Mexico AT West Texas A&M A&M-Kingsville AT Angelo State Midwestern State AT A&M-Commerce October 4th Midwestern State AT South, Nazarene UT-Permian Basin AT Lubbock Christian
Men’s & Women’s Cross Country September 29th Mustang Invite Angelo State October 1st Chili Peppers A&M-Commerce A&M-Kingsville Tarleton State East. New Mexico Mustang Challenge West. New Mexico MSU Denver Invitational West Texas A&M (Women’s only) Strohman Dental Stampede Midwestern State (Women’s only)
Page 8
Sept. 29, 2016
Sports
Game schedule
Sept. 30: Volleyball vs Cameron (6 p.m.)
Oct. 1: Volleyball vs Midwestern State (2 p.m.)
Oct. 1: Football @ Okla. Panhandle State (7 p.m.) Oct. 1: Cross Countr y @ Fayetteville, Ark. Oct. 3-4: Men’s Golf @ Witicha, Kansas
Oct. 3-4: Women’s Golf @ Amarillo
Lions 4-0 After Claw Biter
Dareious Scott Staff writer
The Commerce Lions improved to 4-0 with a hard-fought 38-36 victory over Texas A&M Kingsville Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. The Lions were able to block a potential game winning kick as time expired late in the fourth. Senior running back Richard Cooper carried the ball 19 times and posted a career high 224 yards along with two touchdowns. Darby Smith also added a touchdown of his own along with 152 receiving yards. Cooper scored his first touchdown of the night off of a 34-yard run that gave the Lions a 7-3 lead in the first quarter, and midway through the second quarter, Kingsville quarterback Myles Carr threw a short touchdown pass giving Kingsville a 13-10 lead. Cooper then scored a 50-yard touchdown right before halftime to give the Lions the lead 17-10. Gabriel Rodrigues scored a touchdown coming out of halftime that was set up by a 61-yard carry by Cooper giving the Lions a 24-16
lead. But again, Carr would throw a 34-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead down to 24-23. Entering the fourth quarter, Kingsville would score again off of 2-yard run to take a 30-24 lead. Early in the fourth, Darby Smith caught a 52-yard touchdown pass giving the Lions a 31-30 lead. After a few scoreless possessions, Kingsville snapped the ball over their punter’s head and was recovered by Lions’ Danny Huckaby in the end zone to extend the lead to 38-30 with little over four minutes left to play in the game. Kingsville started its next drive at the 1-yard line and would score an 89-yard touchdown from receiver Jordan Thomas, cutting the lead to 38-36. After a failed 2-point conversion, Kingsville would try an onside kick that the Lions recovered. The Lions tried to take a knee, but a botched snap led to a Kingsville recovery. It came down to a field goal in an attempt to give Kingsville the lead, but it would be blocked by Hatari Byrd which sealed a 38-36 win for the Lions. Now the Lions focus their attention on Panhandle State who they will go play October 1 in Goodwell, Oklahoma. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
E ast Texan Photo/ K risten Taylor
E ast Texan Photo/ CJ C annon
E ast Texan Photo/ K risten Taylor
Top left photo; Senior running back Richard Cooper set a personal career high of 224 yards on 19 carries. Left photo; Defensive back Brent Walker makes a key stop during
E ast Texan Photo/ CJ C annon the Lions 38-36 win. Middle photo; Cooper scores one of his two touchdowns for the evening. Right photo; Shawn Hooks (5) breaks a tackle and Traven Johnson (34) dodges the pile.
Lions Maintain Control for 2-0 Win Todd Kleiboer Web Editor The Lady Lions soccer team opened their first conference game by shutting out the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds 2-0 and dominated in almost every statistical measurement. The Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team headed
into the game on a two-win streak, and Eastern New Mexico had only won one of out its five games until that point. Neither team scored until 32 minutes in, when defender Anitra Wright sidestepped two opponents to punch it in. This goal was Wright’s second for the season. Several minutes later in the 40th minute, forward Savannah Grasser rocketed the ball high over Greyhound goalkeeper Marissa Torres for her third goal of the season and furthered the Lions’ lead to 2-0. For the first half, the Lions controlled possession of the ball and led in terms of shots and corners taken. The second half was scoreless, with the Lions pushing for more goals but meeting stiffer resistance from the Greyhounds. Forward Vicky Back came close to scoring a third goal for the Lions as her shot dinged off the right post in the 88th minute. In all, the Lions took 31 shots compared to Eastern New Mexico’s four, but Torres made 11 saves on the 13 shots on goal to Lion goalkeeper Caitlin Duty’s two saves on two shots. The Lions also took 13 corner kicks, none of which led to a goal, to the Greyhounds’ two corner kicks. The Lions went into their next
E ast Texan Photo/ K risten Taylor Ranked number 15, Lions beat the Buffs 2-0 in Monday’s game.
home game against West Texas A&M with a record of 4-2 with a perfect 3-0 home record.
E ast Texan Photo/ CJ C annon
Volleyball Fires on all Cylinders Lion Athletics
Senior Taryn Driver delivers one of her ten kills.
E ast Texan Photo/ Jason Nam
The Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team won its third consecutive home match Saturday, picking up a 3-1 win over St. Edward’s University in non-conference action. The Lions move their record to 8-6 overall with the win while St. Edward’s falls to 4-8 on the season. A&M-Commerce is in action again on Friday, September 30, hosting Midwestern State in Lone Star Conference action. A&M-Commerce won by set scores of 25-8, 18-25, 25-17, 25-18. The Lions hit for a .304 rate in the match, with six players notching seven or more kills. Neka Nelson led the team with 13 kills and only one error for a .500 hitting percentage. Daisge Smith and Taryn Driver had 10 kills apiece. Smith added 17 digs for a double-double. Rylie Fuentes also had a double-double with 24 assists and 11 digs. Gabriela Rosa passed out 25 assists. Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team picked up its second straight Lone Star Conference win the evening before with a 3-1 victory over Texas A&M UniversityKingsville. The Lions won by set scores of 25-23, 11-25, 25-23, 26-24
and move to 7-6 overall with an even 2-2 mark in LSC action. A&M-Kingsville is now 10-3 overall and 2-1 in the league. The Lions found ways to grind out set wins despite the Javelinas outhitting them in terms of percentage. A&MCommerce hit .203 in the match, while A&M-Kingsville hit .296. Daisge Smith led the Lions with 14 kills with a .308 hitting percentage and earned a double-double by adding 13 digs.Taryn Driver added 12 kills on a .346 hitting percentage, including five kills on five swings in the third set. Ashley Mireles had 20 digs. Rylie Fuentes passed out 28 assists, while Gabriela Rosa dished out 20 assists. “I was really pleased with how we played on the weekend and the outcome. I thought we played with good composure and focus in front of a great home crowd. Our fans are great fans and when we’re firing on all cylinders this is a really tough place to play,” Head Coach Craig Case said. “We had really balanced offensive production this week between Daisge Smith, Taryn Driver, and Neka Nelson. Ashley Mireles did a great job of anchoring our defense again. Rylie Fuentes and Gabby Del Mar Rosa did a really good job of moving the ball around and finding open hitters. Overall, three really good team wins last week against good teams (TWU, TAMUK, and SEU).”