The Cameron University Collegian: April 13, 2009

COLLEGIAN THE CA M ERON U N I V ER SIT Y

Monday, April 13, 2009

News

Informing the Cameron Family Since 1926

Volume 83 Issue 21

Aggies manufacture moonbuggy

By John Robertson Collegian Staff

Financial aid offers benefits to students of all classifications.

SEE PAGE 2

A&E

On April 3 and 4, Cameron’s Department of Computing and Technology turned heads at NASA’s Great Moonbuggy Race in Huntsville, Ala. CU’s team of eight students and two professors walked away with 8th place in the competition. The contest, an international event, saw participants from as far away as Romania, India and Mexico.

To meet qualifications for the race, each hopeful moonbuggy had to be human powered, seat one male and one female driver and support them across a simulated lunar surface course.

Jason Rodden, one of the students behind the Cameron moonbuggy, said that he was surprised how few moonbuggies managed to stay together long enough to finish a second run of the course.

“On the college level, we were one of only eight teams that lasted two runs,” Rodden said.

Aaron Cobb, another one of the students involved in building the moonbuggy, said that part of the team’s strategy included preparation for next year’s competition.

“We learned a lot and gained a lot of experience,” Cobb said. “But this was primarily about learning what works and what doesn’t for next year. We even have a camera mounted on this year’s buggy to help us prepare for the course better.”

Students were involved with the design, manufacture and eventual piloting of the moonbuggy. Haniff Woods, a Senior and Engineering Design Technology major, said that the team started working on the moonbuggy as soon as the semester began.

“We had meetings when we could from the time the semester started,” Woods said. “When Spring Break started, we really got busy.”

Mr. Mark Polson, a department Instructor, said that this year’s moonbuggy was not made from scratch but rather was the product of design improvements over a previous model.

Photos by Bennett Dewan

Apollo Cameron: (Left to right) The moonbuggy team proudly displays their creation: Haniff Woods, Jason Rodden, Tana Spaulding, Aaron Cobb, Olta Kapinova, Dr. Hermann Gruenwald, Miwa Sukuda, Instructor Mark Polson, John Correll and Don Porter (not pictured.)

At the helm: Students Miwa Sukuda and Haniff Woods take the moonbuggy for a spin. The students and faculty members who built the buggy competed in a large scale competition and received eighth place.

See BUGGY Page 2

Centennial concert features Augustana and Safetysuit.

Aggies continue with scoring assault Collegian Staff

SEE PAGE 3

Sports

1961 Junior Rose Bowl winners reunite.

SEE PAGE 6

Voices

Speed and power: Outfielder Alex Lyons hits one deep in a recent game at McCord Field. Lyons has been a major asset to the Aggies throughout the season at the plate and in the field.

Collegian Staff

SEE PAGE 5

See BASEBALL Page 2

Photos by Bennett Dewan

Brute force: Third Baseman Nate Arevalo throws out a runner in the night cap of a double header. Arevalo brings excellent fielding as well as a powerful bat and leads the team in home runs this season.

SGA addresses Fitness Center policies

By Megan Mefford

After graduation life continues to unfold.

The Cameron Baseball team is at the top of its game, and its offensive strength continues to pull in victories.

The latest team to fall to the Aggies was the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha. The #12 nationally ranked CU team defeated the Drovers 16-11. Cameron scored seven runs in the first inning, and, although USAO managed to get more hits over the course of the game, the Aggies crossed home plate more often. Senior Pitcher Jason Smith got a win with four strikeouts on 30 batters.

As for the team’s offensive power, Clint Powell and Thomas Dicker have been stepping up their game.

Both players are tied for most home runs on the team with the current Aggie of the Week, Chris Caves.

Junior Shortstop Dicker said the team is in a really good position.

Cameron University’s Student Government Association has recently passed two pieces of legislation concerning Fitness Center policies and campus tobacco regulations.

On March 30, the SGA body had the second reading for a resolution calling for all students to access the fitness center with a valid Cameron issued ID. The piece of legislation calls for all Cameron students, part-time and full-time, to be able to use the Fitness Center for the same amount of fees, SGA senator and co-author Joshua Oates said.

Oates explained that the current Fitness Center policies regarding full-time and part-time students are not fair to all students.

“The current fitness center policy is part-time students have to pay four dollars per credit hour that they are under full-time to use the fitness center,”

Oates said.

Oates went on to say that the legislation would grant access to students regardless of current course load.

“So what our legislation is going to do is actually take the facility fee that goes to the Fitness Center out and put in another fee that is paid by all students, no matter part-time or fulltime,” Oates said. “It makes it where there is equal access to all students. Right now if you take 18 hours in one semester, you are actually paying more fees than somebody taking 12 or 15 hours.”

See SGA Page 2

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News

April 13, 2009

SGA continued from page 1

BASEBALL continued from page 1 “The end of the season is really important now especially being twelfth in the nation,” Dicker said. “We’re still chasing Abilene for the number one spot in the conference. We know they’re going to get wins so we need to get three or four every time.”

Aggie baseball will be making the long trip to Kingsville, Texas to face the Texas A&M Javelinas in a two-game conference series before facing Abilene Christian University. Coach Tom Holland said it is important, but more difficult, to pull off a win as a visiting team.

“You never know what you’re going to get when playing on an opponent’s field,” Holland said. “At home, you memorize every bump and fault in the field. When you’re on the road, sometimes those kinds of things can catch you off guard.”

If the Aggies can gather four more wins, they will tie the current CU record for wins. The series of the year is coming up this week against Abilene Christian. The Aggies will face ACU three games in a row with home advantage at McCord Field. CU remains one game behind the Wildcats, and the Aggies hope to finally gain the number one seed in the Lone Star Conference.

After the long-awaited series, Cameron will be hosting USAO at home followed by a two game series against Southwestern Oklahoma State to wrap up the regular season. Southwestern is the third best team in the Lone Star Conference and will be looking to stay ahead of Angelo State in the standings.

The problem is that, currently, some people are putting in to a system that they might not even be using.

“You have some that are paying in, and some that are paying far more and may not even be using the Fitness Center all that much,” Oates said.

Matt Nies, a fellow senator and co-author of the legislation, said that the Fitness Center fee will be decided by the amount of money needed to run the facility.

“There is no extra use of the Fitness Center over 12 hours, even though you are paying, so the idea is, based on how much the Fitness Center costs from facility fees, we are taking that amount out and basically dividing it by the amount of students, and applying a number that each student pays to use that facility,” Nies said. “It’s really about lessening the cost for everyone, and allowing everyone access to the center to encourage more students to use it.”

This piece of legislation also calls for students to be able to bring one guest with a fee of five dollars.

“A lot of students have a spouse or a friend that does not come to school at campus, and students would be more inclined to come to the center if

they could bring that such person to work out with them,” Oates said. “This legislation allows them to pay five dollars, and they bring that person with them.”

This piece of legislation passed.

On Apr. 6, SGA heard the second reading of a resolution calling for the enforcement of campus tobacco regulations.

Nies and Oates co-authored this piece of legislation as well.

Nies explained that the university currently has a policy on smoking, but there seems to be a disregard for it.

This piece of legislation would authorize and/ or encourage campus Public Safety Officers to issue a Cameron University citation instead of a state citation, which has higher fees involved, Nies said.

“The Office of Public Safety will have to set up a system, just like they do with the parking tickets,” Nies said. “It is just trying to make smokers on campus aware that those rules are going to be enforced and should be followed. It is also to promote public health on campus.”

This piece of legislation passed by unanimous consent.

Freshmen not only ones that benefit from financial aid

By Pamela Vaughan Collegian Staff Ask a Cameron University student the most important concern about his or her college education, and the reply will most likely be: “money.”

It takes the green paper to pay tuition, to buy books, supplies, utilities and food.

That is why most students take the quick jaunt over to North Shepler for a visit with the Financial Assistance Department Unfortunately, many students may have the wrong impression about financial aid and think

that it is centered on incoming Freshmen. The truth is that a great deal of aid is available for students at any point in their college careers, and a great deal of this aid manages to avoid student loans.

Carol Claiborne, Interim

Director of Financial Assistance, said that not having student loans weighing heavily upon students is something that the department strives for.

“We like students to try for everything else before a loan, “Claiborne said. “It is better to not have that debt right after MCT Campus

graduation.”

Students can save some time by taking the initiative and filling out their FAFSA (Federal Application For Student Aid) forms. Copies of the forms are available in the Financial Assistance office, and students can also fill out the form online.

Most financial aid requires the FAFSA submission, though there are programs that do not.

Scholarship applications are available at the Financial Assistance office, or at www. cameron.edu/financial_aid/.

Students are urged to spend some time browsing the different kinds of aid offered as there are numerous programs designed to help just about any kind of student.

Students are also urged to drop by their major

departments, as often times there are departmental scholarships that are only available to those engaged in a particular curriculum.

While most scholarship deadlines have already expired, Claiborne said that students should not be dissuaded from going ahead and giving it a shot.

“Although the deadline for the General Scholarship Application is Feb. 1, we do not quit accepting scholarships,” Claiborne said. “Sometimes we have additional funds we need to allocate, so we look at the applications we have on file to fill those allocations.”

The bottom line is that the Financial Assistance office is located on campus to assist students in finding ways to fund their education. It only takes a small effort on the part of the student to enlist the expertise of the staff, and it may just be the most important effort in obtaining that diploma.

FAFSA.GOV: Students can fill out their FAFSA form online or pick up a form in the Financial Assistance Office. It is recommended that students fill out a FAFSA form because most types of aid require that the form be completed.

BUGGY continued from page 1 “We didn’t build this from the ground up,” Polson said. “We applied new designs and improvements to the buggy we built two years ago.”

Students involved with the project walked away with invaluable experience in the field.

“We learned a lot of skills like welding and how to modify existing designs,” Rodden said.

But Dr. Herman Gruenwald, one of the CU staff members involved with the project, said that students learned far more than technical skills.

“This was a learning experience, but the biggest thing was working as a team,” Dr. Gruenwald said.

“We beat a lot of teams. Teams with bigger names and more funding. I think our teamwork was why we placed 8th.”

Aaron Cobb said that another part of Cameron’s success might have been the name of their vehicle.

“Our vehicles have value names,” Cobb said.

“This year’s was Hope.”

In keeping with that name, Dr. Gruenwald said that he has high expectations for next year’s perfomance and said that Cameron’s enthusiasm may carry the team further than the competitors might expect.

“Next year we will be in the top three,” Dr. Gruenwald said. “We’ll show them how far enthusiasm can get you.”

See page 4 for solutions.

A&E 3 Centennial Concert to feature outstanding bands April 13, 2009

By Raven Weiss Collegian Staff Cameron University is proud to present the Centennial Concert at 8 p.m. on April 18 at the Cameron Stadium. The concert will feature the bands Augustana and SafetySuit.

The first band up to rock is Safetysuit. The band is comprised of singer and guitar-player Doug Brown, lead guitarist Dave Garofalo, bassist Jeremy Henshaw and drummer Tate Cunningham.

The band started when Brown, Cunningham and Henshaw, along with two other musicians, entered a local Battle of the Bands contest at the very last minute and won.

In an interview published on the band’s website, Brown said, “we feel comfortable around each other. We’re in a safe environment and that makes us feel free to be who we are. And if we can inspire that moment or that feeling in our fans, we’ve succeeded.”

Safetysuit originally came together as a group named Crew. During concerts and performances, the band drew a large local fan base and began seeing remarkable crowds at their shows. Their music has caught the ears of many listeners, several of which are right here at Cameron.

Ashley Larsen, a CU sophomore said that she enjoys SafetySuit’s music.

“I love Safetysuit,” Larsen said.

“I heard them a couple years ago when they had a different name.

I’m glad that Cameron is getting bands that people have actually heard of.”

Brown said in a previous interview that the sound Safetysuit

prefers is feel-good music and that anyone who comes to a concert should “feel better afterwards than before they came in.”

Safetysuit is kicking off the spring season with a shows in Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, South Carolina, Virginia, Philadelphia and Oklahoma.

The other half of the ticket, Augustana, is a band that is most well known around the country for their hit single, “Boston.”

This song was spreading quickly on its own, but soon was played on MTV’s show, “The Hills,” and

became the band’s trademark.

Augustana has opened for Dashboard Confessional, Counting Crows, Snow Patrol and many other well-known bands.

The bands lineup includes Dan Layus on piano, guitar and vocals; Jared Palomar on vocals and bass; Chris Sachtleben; Justin South drums and John Vincent on vocals and keyboard.

Brad Franks, a CU Senior, said he is planning on going to the concert.

“I only know one popular song

by Augustana, but I’m going to be

at the concert,” Franks said. “I’m excited that Cameron has lined up bands that are much more in tune with the younger generation.”

A centennial celebration for any campus is a major event. Zeak Naifeh, CU’s Director of Student Activities, said that deciding who got to participate in Cameron’s Centennial was not easy, but he is happy with the outcome he has seen.

“PAC actually had a fairly good sized list of artists and bands that would be willing to perform,” Naifeh said. “It was just a matter

On the top of the charts: Augustana and Safetysuit will showcase their musical ability during the Centennial Concert at 8 p.m. on April 18 at the Cameron Stadium.

Courtesy Photos

of listening to the music and seeing what was appropriate for the campus and what we felt the students would enjoy.”

The Centennial Concert is one of the last events of Cameron’s official Centennial Celebration.

With that in mind, Naifeh said that he is confident that this will be a great way to end the festivities.

“I feel the concert will be a great cap to the end of the semester,” Naifeh said. “I think that the students will respond very positively to the bands we’ve picked out because I think that it’s definitely a lineup our students relate better to.”

Tiffany Welch, a CU Junior, will also be attending the Centennial Concert this Saturday and said that she is looking forward to the event.

“I was introduced to Augustana’s music in high school and remember enjoying their work a lot, so I was excited to see them coming to Cameron,” Welch said.

Students may pick up their Centennial Concert tickets on campus at Community Relations in the Administration Building, Student Activities Building or the One-Stop Shop in North Shepler.

They can also be picked up at CUDuncan or at Adventure Travel locations in Central Mall or on Fort Sill.

Naifeh advised that, even though the tickets do not cost anything, students might want to act quickly.

“The concert tickets are free, but I would suggest everyone get them as soon as possible,” Naifeh said. “There was a limited number of tickets printed.”

PAC hosts annual Easter egg hunt

By Katie Batule Collegian Staff On Tuesday, April 14, eager egg collectors are invited to an Easter celebration at Cameron University.

An array of pastel eggs will be hidden throughout the lawn on campus near the Student Activities Building. Cameron has been having an Easter egg hunt annually for over a decade.

Starting at 5:30 p.m., students and families with kids of all ages are welcome to the Student Activities lawn. There will be snacks, prizes and the Easter egg hunt. There may also be an appearance by the Easter Bunny himself.

Co-Chair of PAC, Amanda Finch helped organize this year’s hunt for the multi-colored treats.

“We do the Easter Egg hunt every year, so it’s an annual event,” Finch said. “Just like the Halloween carnival it’s a chance for students at Cameron to bring their children to a free family event.”

The event is open to everyone and all that’s required is a basket and an eye for hidden eggs.

“So kids, bring your own baskets and come enjoy another free PAC event,” Finch said.

The Easter egg hunt goes hand in hand with the celebration of Easter. Easter is an annual religious feast in the Christian liturgical year that celebrates Jesus being resurrected from the dead three days after his crucifixion.

Christian denominations celebrate this on Easter Sunday, which is two days after Good Friday. Easter also refers to the season called Eastertide, or Easter Season that lasts from Easter Day to Ascension Day. Over time the Easter egg hunt was tied in with the springtime religious celebration and has been giving children the chance to hunt for goodies and reflect on this special time of year. The Easter Bunny was incorporated and has become part of the holiday’s more modern celebration. Christians and non-Christians alike celebrate the Easter bunny.

Easter egg hunts are as simple as hiding eggs and letting children discover and collect them with decorated baskets. The hunts have developed over the years into such interesting events as treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, glow-in-the-dark hunts and bunny trails.

Every year, as children get older and wiser, parents are challenged with more creative and challenging ways to hide eggs about the house or yard for the hunters.

One of the most popular Easter egg hunts in America is the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. This holiday tradition has a long history dating back to 1878 when President Rutherford B. Hayes officially opened the White House grounds to local children for egg rolling on Easter Monday. Successive presidents have continued the tradition of inviting children to the White House Lawn for egg rolling and other activities and entertainment.

Although the Student Activities lawn is not as large as the sprawling White House lawn, students and guests are guaranteed to enjoy the events offered on Tuesday evening.

For any more information, students can contact Student Activities at 581.2217.

MCT Campus

4 A&E ‘Beauty and the Beast’ actors prepare spring musical April 13, 2009

By Bira Vidal Collegian Staff Three characters and their comrades are leaping from a French province and coming to life at 7:30 p.m. on Apr. 23 at the University Theatre.

The students participating in “The Beauty and the Beast” musical are arranging the final details for the play’s opening night.

The large setting for the musical has required the Theatre and the Music departments to work together and find the perfect symphony for the play’s characters.

Based on the 1985 Walt Disney animated movie, “The Beast and the Beast” musical transported all the same characters to the stage in New York’s Broadway.

But unlike its movie counterpart, the stage musical did not receive critical acclaim.

Throughout the years, however, the stage musical persevered and became one of the longest running Broadway musical. Cameron’s

Theatre department has chosen it to close the curtains on the 08-09 season.

The play’s three main characters have enchanted audiences all across the nation. Belle, the Beast and Gaston have captivated spectators of all ages through their personal stories and their approach on love.

In “The Beauty and the Beast,” Anjelika Ramsdell plays Belle and brings the character to the stage with her mannerisms and the struggles of living in a small province in France.

Ramsdell described the experience of auditioning for the role as an old realization she wished to accomplish.

“I auditioned for the role of Belle in High School, but I ended up getting [another role],” Ramsdell said. “I was really excited to find out [that I got the role at Cameron], because that’s the role I wanted.”

A former Lawton High student, Ramsdell also had the opportunity to participate in the “Mouse Trap,” playing one of the main characters.

Now a Vocal Performance

MCT Campus

Be my guest: Broadway musical “The Beauty and the Beast.”

Gaston gathers peasants’ support on his quest to marry Belle.

Freshman, she said that examples from within the transition from his family.

High school plays to “So far, all my college plays was not as siblings have come to scary as she thought.

Cameron,” Cobb “I thought said. “I am it’d be more definitely complicated, looking to but it was coming to pretty easy,” Cameron.”

Ramsdell But no said. classic story As for the would be Photos by Bira Vidal development complete Three is a charm: (From left) Jereme Cobb, Anjelika Ramsdell and without a of her Bryan West play The Beast, Belle and Gaston respectively. character villain to and the play, torment the for the auditions for the play online. she says that practices have been love couple. Gaston, interpreted by I’ve known the director and I really intensive since the beginning of the Theater Senior Bryan West, is the wanted to work with him.” rehearsals, but rewarding. crude, charmingly bad character who One of Cobb’s previous works “I think all of the practices [are wants to marry Belle despite of her has been in intensive], constant rejections. the musical because they “I just auditioned for any “I just want to blow the Oliver. His are not only character and I [have taken] what I expectations here, [we also audience away, because could get,” West said. “I was really were met stay] at home surprised and I was really excited to it’s a big musical. I am just when he practicing, get the character of Gaston. I love going with the music, and auditioned but I really playing the bad guy.” and received enjoy it,” And with his experience at just praying that I will get all the character Cameron’s prior musicals since “Kiss Ramsdell notes right.” of the Beast. said. “I’m Me King,” West has demonstrated “I really actually very that playing another character still didn’t know excited for motivates him to excel.

— Bryan West what to the acting, “I just want to blow the audience Theatre Senior expect, but because it’s a away, because it’s a big musical,” I wished the big role.”

West said. “I am just going with the character Belle’s music, and just praying that I will get of the Beast,” Cobb said. “It’s been charms captivate the public, but all notes right.” awesome working on it. For the without her prince most of the story The “Beauty and the Beast” will first several weeks I watched the would be empty. Jereme Cobb plays have its opening night on Apr. 23 [animated] movie, and [now] I want the Beast in the play and through and will carry until Apr. 26. All to create my own character, and his performance he shows that curtain times will be at 7:30 p.m., come up with something original.” talent can emerge in any form and except the Saturday and Sunday Even though he is still in high experience. matinees, which will be at 2 p.m.

“I am [currently a] Junior in High school, Cobb is starting to plan Tickets are available at the Box his path to college observing the school,” Cobb said. “I mainly looked Office at 581.2478.

Voices

April 13, 2009

5

Graduation brings happiness, uncertainty about future Yesterday I was sitting at my room thinking about my next move.

No, I was not playing a game of chess with my friend of practicing that latest dance on the pre-summer hits. I was pondering life after college, and so far I do not think I have accomplished much.

Some people say that one of the most stressful times of someone’s life is the year after graduating from college. Graduation from high school proved to be scary, but I had some plans in my head, and my

expectations were running beyond high.

But now I am facing my last month in college and I can say that my variety of plans has not matched those ones I had when leaving high school. The future is shady, my career is still stuck in limbo and I am supposed to come up with my life decisions as fast as possible.

So things are not going exactly the way I hoped. When I was a freshman, I thought that if I followed my heart, my future would just fall

into places. But wishful thinking is not enough for planning the future.

Humans need to have plans and those plans have to match their dreams, or nothing will really matter when empty plans are reached.

And that was the reason I was thinking about my next move. I moved from Brazil four years ago, leaving everything behind, carrying two suitcases and a heart full of hope. Now I have to pack those same two suitcases and head south. Life definitely changes.

Right now I feel that I am facing change that I cannot control. But I should not feel bad, because most people face changes throughout their lives. And so do institutions.

Cameron, for example, has faced changes in these past 100 years and most of them were for the improvement of the university structure and student body. And so far, looking at CU’s development, I can say that the future is looking bright.

Celebrating change is not an easy task though. I am sometimes reluctantly for change in any aspect.

A new job, a new house, new friends, those are scary changes for me, and maybe they scary me because it is so

hard to let go of our past and things that I have became accustomed of having close. Letting go is one of the most difficult actions for me.

But it is necessary to let go, because only through letting go we can discover new horizons.

Change may come with the need of letting go some things that passed and embracing new things. I truly believe that they all happen in the right moment in life.

Many people have asked me why I have not decided to stay in the United States, many of my close friends form Brazil have done it. But it would be too easy for me to stay in familiar waters and not explore other possibilities.

I truly want to stay in the U.S. because I have people here that I hold very close to my heart and that I do not want to let go, and I know it will be hard and heartbreaking, but at the same time I need to know what my life would be if I had decided to stay in my country and fight for my dreams there, not here.

If anyone came to me asking for advice about life after college I would tell that the wisest thing to do

Bira Vidal

?

MCT Campus

Boldly go where too many sci-fi nerds have gone before

is to listen to intuition. Sometime it may seem a hard thing to do, but if listened closely, it may tell the most truthful thing. Listening is fundamental.

Life after college can be a scary moment in someone’s life. But we are the only ones responsible for what we make out of it. Change and new beginnings are necessary for human survivor because through them we can grow and see our potentials. It may be hard, but I think that if I can do it, anyone can.

Now I am in the middle of packing my things in different boxes and still thinking about my next move. I will probably board that plane, go home and start day-by-day, step-by-step this journey, and over time I know that I will find what I am looking for, right after leaving college.

THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY

COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief - Joshua Rouse News Editor - Jim Horinek A&E Editor - Bira Vidal Sports Editor - Bennett Dewan Copy Editor - John Robertson Digital Editor - Kyle Luetters Circulation Manager - Katie Batule

Newsroom Staff Ads Manager - Kerry Myers Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - Raven Weiss, Monica Garner, Justin Cliburn, Jeramy Eidson, Megan Mefford, Cecilio Ramirez, Nicole Roames, Melissa Rogers, Jacob Russell, Saman Samii, Rashmi Thapaliya, Pamela Vaughan, Lauren Bennett, Solitaire Merrill and Jory Palmer.

Faculty Adviser Dr. Christopher Keller

About Us The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Times Record News in Wichita Falls, Texas.

MCT Campus

N

erdiness can be a dangerous thing.

You would be hard-pressed to come across a bigger group of nerds than Trekkies and “Star Wars” fanatics. Both are diehard about the two universes they’ve come to admire that they continue age-old arguments for years about who the better Starfleet captain is or who was the more powerful Jedi Master. You really have to hand it to Gene Roddenberry and George Lucas. They created monsters.

I spend a lot of my free time on a gaming messageboard called NeoGAF, where like-minded gamers discuss everything from the newest video game coming out to the politics behind the industry. But some of the more amusing discussions come from the OT side of the board. With the screenings of the J.J. Abrams reboot, “Star Trek,” a dormant argument has been brought back to life. I must say, I was embarrassed to not only be a huge Trekkie myself, but to be reading some of the comments made in this argument.

I’ll drop “Star Trek” references all the time and will be laughed at occasionally.

But I fi nd it amusing to do so. What’s the point of amassing so much useless knowledge if you can

never share it? If only there was a “Star Trek” edition of Jeopardy. However, continuing a discussion about how killing one person in the “Trek” universe would, in a roundabout way, stop first contact, and therefore render the entire universe null, is mind-blowing.

I don’t know what’s worse though: continuing to debate this, or actually taking the time to think it all out in a

reasonable conclusion. I’m a college student, trying to graduate, there’s no way I would have enough time to sit down and try to figure this out. To be fair, it actually made sense.

If events in a prequel universe happen a certain way, it would stop JeanLuc Picard, the captain of the Enterprise-D in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” from going back in time to tell Zefram Cochran from making first contact with the

Joshua Rouse

Vulcans, which would then create the utopia of the “Star Trek” universe. If you can’t follow that, good. Because even after all the years I’ve followed “Star Trek,” I had to wrap my mind around it.

“Star Trek” knowledge can be a very dangerous and scary thing. Around the right people, admitting to knowing so much about the “Trek” universe might make you an interesting character.

In other circles, you might look like the biggest idiot. But in the Internet world, it’s a completely different thing. After all, no one really knows who you are if you don’t want to. Even so, that does not give anyone the right to embarrass the rest of us Trekkies.

All of that being said, I must do the right thing as Trekkie and tell everyone to go see “Star Trek” when it releases in theaters on May 8. Early reports from the screening in Austin, Texas say this is the greatest movie in the series. Of course, that can’t be right considering “Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan” has that honor, but the movie looks excellent. And if this movie fails, it will probably be the death of the “Star Trek” franchise in the foreseeable future. So please go see this movie. But don’t think all Trekkies are bad people. We have feelings too.

Letters Policy Letters to the editor will be printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis.

The Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length. Letters should be no more than 250 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks.

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Letters can be sent by regular mail or e-mail to collegian@ cameron.edu, or they may be dropped off at our office - Nance Boyer 2060.

Our Views The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author.

The unsigned editorial under the heading “Our Voice” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board.

The opinions expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma.

Our student media are designated public forums, and free from censorship and advance approval of content. Because content and funding are unrelated, and because the role of adviser does not include advance review of content, student media are free to develop editorial policies and news coverage with the understanding that students and student organizations speak only for themselves. Administrators, faculty, staff or other agents shall not consider the student media’s content when making decisions regarding the media’s funding or faculty adviser.

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Sports

April 13, 2009

‘61 Rose Bowl team relives magic season

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff

Photos by Bennett Dewan

Cameron’s football team might be a thing of the past, but one team is proud to be one of the brightest spots in the program’s illustrious history.

The year is 1961, and the Cameron University Aggies had fought hard as underdogs throughout the season. Despite going undefeated in the regular season at 11-0, the team went into the Junior Rose Bowl that year as a hundred-to-one-shot against the more popular Bakersfield College.

What they did that game has never happened before or since.

“We were the underdogs all year. When we went out to California we were the underdogs,” said 1961 Aggie Offensive Lineman Marcus Wilcoxson. “We were the poor little Okies going up against the California team. California was supposed to be where the powerhouses of football were. So we just played harder than them and whooped them.”

That year, the Aggies went

undefeated and became the 1961 Junior Rose Bowl Champions.

Everyone was betting against the team, but Wilcoxson said he did not mind. No one would have thought that the team would go undefeated, let alone win the Junior Rose Bowl.

“We came from all over the United States and were molded into a championship team,” Wilcoxson said. “It’s pretty hard to be undefeated at anything, but we played hard and got lucky a few times.”

At the time the Aggies went to the Junior Rose Bowl, Cameron was still a junior college. Mickey Hoy, a special teams player at the time, said most of the players were not at Cameron to play sports. He said Cameron was more of a “crossroads” for players on the team, but it gave him a chance to play football.

“Athletically, Cameron was a crossroads, not a destination.

Most of us were here for a short period of time, but that time marked the rest of our lives,” Hoy said. “Cameron was, in a word, a chance. I was too small to be

looked at by bigger schools but I got fair treatment here.”

For the fi rst time since its championship season, the 1961 Aggies gathered together at Cameron on April 4. The Cameron Athletic Department sponsored a day of activities to celebrate the team’s accomplishments. The day began with a commemorative bench ceremony on the east side of the Aggie Gymnasium. A cookout was held after the ceremony and DE Jerry Wade threw the fi rst pitch in the Aggies baseball game against West Texas A&M. “It means a lot that we will be a part of Cameron’s campus as long as the school is here and long after we are gone,” Wilcoxson said. “Players can bring their children, or if their grandchildren come to Cameron, they will know that their grandfather did something special here. In a way, we set the standard for sports for Cameron.”

Hoy said it was an honor to have a place on campus where the accomplishments of he and his teammates will always be

remembered.

“We have a place to take our family or grandchildren and say that this is in memory of that team,” Hoy said.

At the gathering, the players discussed some of their fondest memories of the game. Wilcoxson said his favorite memory was a brazen play by his quarterback that could have lost everything but helped win the game.

“He went back to pass and they got to chasing him and he lost 40 yards on one play,” Wilcoxen said. “The next play, he came back and ran 60 yards for a touchdown.”

The magic formula the 1961 team had has never been replicated. Neither Wilcoxson nor Hoy could put their fi nger on it. They were a bunch of guys from across the country that came together and won a championship.

“We did whatever we needed to do to win,” Wilcoxson said.

“The players came from all over, from different lives and different towns and just worked and worked.”

Cheerleading looking for new members

By Jacob Russell Collegian Staff The Cameron University Cheerleaders are looking for talented students for next year’s cheerleading squad.

The tryouts will be held at 10 a.m. on April 18 in the CU Fitness Center.

For students who think they can make the grade, it is a chance to become a part of another growing division of CU athletics.

It is an exciting time for Cheerleading Coach Robin Martin, who is looking forward to finding her next squad.

“I’m so ready,” Martin said. “We are a growing team, and we have become more successful in recent years, so that has allowed us to expand as a squad and scholarships to go up.”

In order to be eligible to be a CU cheerleader, students must fulfill a few requirements.

Students must have GPA equal to or exceeding a 2.0. Students must also carry a full-time course load.

For eligible students, packets are available in the Student Activities Building. The packets contain a training DVD that will coach prospective cheerleaders and teach them the CU cheers. As far as the physical requirements go, Martin said there are things that can give hopefuls a step up in the try-out.

“Running-tumbling as well as standing-tumbling will help, although it is not required,” Martin said. “The most important thing I can tell you is to be prepared. It is an individual try-out, and each one will be in private.”

The try-outs will begin with a series of three jumps of the applicant’s choice. Students will then be asked to perform a cheer of their choice of off the training DVD. Finally, the try-outs will end with a performance of the Aggie fight song.

For those who make it through the selection process, Martin said there are some perks.

“Well, we certainly offer scholarships for our cheerleaders,”

Martin said. “We also have dorm waivers available to be given out.”

Since coming to Cameron University, Martin has turned the Cameron cheerleading squad around. She wants her squad to be known on campus for their involvement in athletics and the community. Martin said that it is the cheerleaders who can create a buzz on campus and help to get the fans in the stands. It is something that she takes great pride in and allows her to know exactly what she is looking for during these tryouts.

“I am looking for smiles and confidence,” Martin said. “You have to express a love for cheering.

We don’t need anyone out there going through the motions for the scholarship. Lastly, you have to want to entertain the audience, so I will be looking for that little something that makes you pay attention.”

Photos by Bennett Dewan

Let’s hear it for the Aggies: Coach Robin Martin demonstrates some of her squad’s cheer duties.

Sports

April 13, 2009

7

Men’s Tennis team fit for LSC fight

By Jeramy Eidson Collegian Staff In his 15th season as Head Coach of the Cameron Men’s Tennis Team, James Helvey, has constructed another championship caliber team.

Helvey has two men in the top 30 in the nation in singles, Senior Daniel Pazos of Valencia, Venezuela and Senior Saman Samii of Norrkoping, Sweden.

Last season, Cameron finished its tremendous season in the sweet sixteen of the NCAA National Tournament.

Coach Helvey feels a National Championship slipped out of their grasp. This season, Coach Helvey isn’t holding back.

“I want to win it all,” Helvey said. “Most coaches say they’re focused on the conference or the next game on their schedule. I’m looking ahead to the National Championship.”

With the excellent play by his men this season, a National Championship is likely. Currently the Aggies sit at a 14-6 record, 3-0 in the conference, and a national ranking of 12.

Recently, the Aggies defeated Abilene Christian University, who was ranked 18th in the nation, but ranked second in the region, trailing only Cameron.

After the Abilene Christian match, Sophomore Daniel Bonamingo from Campo Grande, Brazil was chosen for

the Lone Star Conference Tennis Player of the Week award.

Other Seniors, Christian Easton of Santiago, Chile, and Carlos Viscarra of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, have held their own in their singles matches, recently winning against the Midwestern State University Mustangs.

The Aggies defeated the Mustangs, a squad ranked 29, on April 6.

Not only did the Aggies face a nationally ranked opponent, but they also faced the hardships of chilly weather and blistering winds. The win definitely showed their ability to adapt.

Next, the Aggies faced #23 St. Edwards on April 8 in a home match at the CU Tennis Complex.

After holding a ranking as high as seven last season and maintaining an overall #12 ranking thus far this season, the Aggie men feel tons of pressure to succeed. But that pressure isn’t a self-induced pressure, it’s a pressure applied by the person that believes in them the most, Coach Helvey.

“The pressure’s there,” Helvey said. “I’m the one applying the pressure. To be the big time, you got to be able to handle the pressure.”

With four home matches left, the Aggies are inching closer to the Championship tournaments. The Aggies have two weeks left before the Lone Star Conference Finals and a month until the NCAA Regional Championships.

D A N I E L B O N A M I G O

Photo by Bennett Dewan

Brewer preps for ‘Falls-Town Beatdown’

By Cecilio Ramirez Collegian Staff Boxing has been reborn in Texoma thanks to “Contender” Champion Grady Brewer and other local fighters. Brewer is now training a brand new boxing team at his gym, Bad Boys Boxing & Fitness, while he trains for his upcoming fight this month.

Lately, professional boxing has seen its share of controversy and downfall. After the retirement of “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather Jr., questions began to surface of the existence of any true middleweight or welterweight champions. Puerto Rican Champion, Miguel Cotto, was ready to take over the sport after defeating big names like Zab Judah, “Sugar” Shane Mosley and former Contender fighter Alfonso Gomez.

When it came time to defend his title against Mexican rival, Antonio Margarito, in what was said to be the “fight of the year”, Cotto did not succeed.

Former champion, Shane Mosley, in a match where

Margarito’s strategy was put to on the reality TV show “The the forefront, then defeated the Contender,” he has started his own recently crowned WBA champion. business: a boxing facility in his Margarito was caught with an illegal hometown of Lawton. plaster in his glove before the match.

“Why not do it?” Brewer said.

The California State Athletic “I can develop some champions like Commission myself in the suspended community and his boxing have access to “Why not do it? I can develop license for a train in a gym some champions like myself in year with no anytime I need the community and have access guarantee of it.” to train in a gym anytime I need renewing it.

Grady Brewer it.”

The will be fighting — Grady Brewer in the Fallsincreasing popularity Owner, Bad Boy Boxing & Town Beatdown of mixed Fitness Saturday at martial arts the Kay Yeager and Ultimate Coliseum in Fighting has also been damaging Wichita Falls, Texas. In the main to the boxing fan base. Lawton’s event, he will be facing Delray Champ, Grady Brewer, said that Raines in an eight-round bout.

MMA popularity is growing in the Brewer says he’s depending on area. his speed to outmatch the height “There’s no doubt about it. advantage and reach of Raines.

MMA is a very competitive sport,” “I’m going in to the fight knowing Brewer said. “I think it’s seen such a that I have to go in with a lot of growing popularity because fans get anticipation of moving,” Brewer said. to see more blood.”

“I’m focusing on not getting hit. If I Since Bad Boy Brewer’s win can catch him with good shots I can

make him give up and take him out.”

George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah was scheduled to fight in the event, however according to boogieboxingpromotions.com, he will not be able to perform due to a minor injury. “Comanche Boy” will still be making a special appearance.

Other fights include Ty “Tiger” Cobb against Bryant Butler, James “Boogie” Freeman against John Huskey, Anthony Reyes, Chap Huggins and Jermaine Rankin in his professional debut. All of these competitors are from the Texoma area.

Grady Brewer says his main focus is on preparing for Delray Raines and he’s ready to give the crowd their money’s worth.

“I still got a couple more years before I’m ready to call it quits.”

Tickets are available through TicketMaster and Kay Yeager.

Doors open at 7 p.m.

Photo by Bennett Dewan

Tennis team rips through Abilene Christian competition

By Saman Samii Collegian Staff The Cameron Aggie men’s tennis team continues to play well, and with their biggest win of the season so far, the team is looking ahead and feels confident in their ability to finish the season strong.

March 31 was a big day for Cameron tennis. The team traveled to Abilene, Texas, to take on the rival, Abilene Christian University Wildcats (ACU).

The Aggie men won the match in decisive fashion with a final score of 7-2. This win was crucial in keeping the Aggies on top in the conference as well as the regional rankings.

Assistant Coach Ignacio Murgier said it was a great win for his talented team.

“I am very proud of how the guys stepped up and played that day,” Murgier said. “This was one of our biggest matches on the schedule. We went there and executed in basically every match. It was a great day.”

The men started the match in outstanding form. The Cameron duo of Daniel Pazos and Diego Troiano won the first doubles match 8-5 while Saman Samii and Cristian Easton also won the second match 8-5. The third doubles match came down to the wire in which the Cameron duo of Daniel Bonamigo and Carlos Viscarra lost 9-7 in a well-played match.

“We had match points in the number three doubles match,” Murgier said. “We were just not able to clinch it, but our guys played well.”

In singles play, CU was by far the better team. Cameron quickly won the sixth singles match in which Bonamigo was able to bounce back from his earlier doubles loss.

Easton, Pazos, Samii and Troiano also recorded wins in singles play.

The only loss of the day in singles play came at the #5 match where Viscarra lost to Luke Hawk in a well played match.

“We really took care of business in singles,” Murgier said. “The guys showed heart out there, and that is great to see. I have to give credit to everybody. We won as a team and everyone contributed.”

Abilene Christian University has been CU’s biggest rival for many years, but Cameron’s first ever victory over the Wildcats came last season.

The Aggies have now beaten ACU the last three times they played.

Murgier said it is always tough to play Abilene Christian and feels that they now fear to play Cameron.

“We have showed them that we are here to stay and that we are not afraid of them anymore,” Murgier said. “To beat them on their courts makes the victory taste even better.”

The remainder of the season looks even better after beating ACU. This particular match had national implications since both teams are ranked highly in the national rankings.

Cameron remains the top team in the conference and ACU stays at second place. In addition, the Aggies will also remain as the top team in the region. Murgier said the goal now is to continue winning important matches and to make it to nationals.

“We put a lot of emphasis on our remaining matches and we want to win all of them,” Murgier said. “Our ultimate goal is to go to the national tournament in Florida and to create a lot of damage there. If we play to our potential, I am confident we will reach all of our goals.”

8

Variety

April 13, 2009

Exhibition

The works of the highly talented Seniors of the Cameron Art program are currently being featured in an exhibition at the Museum of the Great Plains. The exhibition is featuring the work of the 14 students in the program who are nearing the end of their degree programs and preparing to graduate. The works that are featured include a large variety of mediums and subjects. The Student Exhibition is free to the public and will be on display until April 25.

Students Featured in the Exhibition *Italicized names have work featured on page

Ea Na Ha, Amy Curtin, Jon Bazor, Viviana Seca, Ann Morris, Heather Lucy, Heather Slate, Ciera Schibi, Matt Mowatt, Bryan Kowena, Bonnie Emert, Lindsey Morris, Jessica Milliman and Brian Narcomey.

Photos by Jim Horinek