COLLEGIAN THE CA M ERON U N I V ER SIT Y
Monday,, October, 18 2004 Monday
News
Informing the Cameron Family Since 1926
Volume 78 Issue 7
Giving credit where credit is due Convocation acknowledges honors organizations, outstanding students and faculty By Anna Politano Managing Editor
ROTC training offers cadets a chance to learn about teamwork and dedication through intense training PLEASE SEE PAGE 4
A&E
PAC organized Halloween Carnival provides safe haven for children of CU students and faculty
The Fine Arts Courtyard was filled with students, faculty and staff as the campus gathered to celebrate Cameron’s annual convocation on Friday. With the faculty showing off their academic regalia and with each department’s banners lifted in the air, the atmosphere was one of academic celebration. According to Keith Mitchell, vice president of university advancement, convocation has been a Cameron tradition for over two decades. “It began by Dr. Don Davis in the early 1980’s as a way to recognize the university’s honors organizations and outstanding students,” Mitchell said. Mitchell added that another tradition that became a part of convocation is the presentation of the CU Distinguished Service Award, which is the university’s highest honor. This year, State Representative Jari Askins was honored with the award. According to Mitchell, Askins received the award because of her leadership efforts in the legislation that made the newly-named Cameron Duncan Branch a reality. Askins was also the keynote speaker at convocation. Askins encouraged Cameron students to become leaders, to be a friend, to be a committed student, and to be themselves. “Find out who you are, and discover what defines your morals,” Askins said. “You must stand for something or you will fall for anything.” Two Cameron students spoke, representing the student body. Zach Fort, speech communication sophomore, commended Cameron faculty
Photo By Scott Pratt
Words of Wisdom: This year’s academic convocation speakers offered advice and a sense of pride for the university as the students, faculty and community members in attendance honored those who serve as a member of an academic organization or are scholarship recipients. for the time and personal interaction he received when being recruited to attend Cameron. He also mentioned the benefits of the CAMSTEP program, in which he plans on attending to further his education. “No other college took the time and concern to answer my questions, ” Fort said. Rachel Rollins, multimedia senior, spoke on the encouragement and support she found with the multimedia professors. Rollins, who is from
Duncan, made Cameron her university of choice because it was close to home and had more to offer than other universities. “Cameron offered me more than a great location, it offered me the advancement I need for my career, and wonderful professors who are there for me when I need them,” Rollins said. Honor students were recognized in the ceremony, as well as the alumni who came back to participate in Alumni Weekend.
Biology students receive information on an array of fields from specialists
PLEASE SEE PAGE 6
Sports
By Angela Gradoz Features Editor
Coach’s knowledge and expertise helps drive the golf team toward success and wins PLEASE SEE PAGE 9
Voices
Photo By Scott Pratt
Reminiscing: Joe Skrdle, far right, and his wife, Lacreta, far left, speak with Alton M. Ely at the luncheon to kick off the Alumni Weekend festivities Friday. Both men graduated from CU in 1954, while Lacreta worked as a librarian on campus until 1994.
Alumni Weekend honors graduates from ‘54 and ‘79 By Scott Pratt Staff Writer
Editors offer endorsement of competing tickets for local election spots PLEASE SEE PAGE 2 Due to Fall Break, The Collegian will not have a paper on Oct. 25. Look for our next issue on Nov. 1. First Copy Free - $.25 for each additional copy Contents © The Collegian 2004
Graduating from college is a defining moment in life. Some who graduate choose to give back to the school they graduated from by being active alumni. Cameron has a special weekend set aside for those people. CU’s Alumni Weekend began with Convocation on Friday and continued through Saturday. Alumni Weekend is a time when former students and graduates are welcomed back to Cameron to participate in events honoring them. According to the office of Alumni Relations, the Alumni Association exists to “encourage a continuing and increasing interest in the University among graduates, former students and friends.” This event began in 2002, when Cameron first held this gathering for former generations of
Please see ALUMNI, Page 5
From Sept. 24-26, four Cameron biology students, along with Assistant Professor of Biology Michael Husak, participated in the annual Fall Field Meeting held at the Black Mesa State Park in Cimarron County. This year the Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation, which is one of 14 divisions of the Oklahoma Academy of Science (OAS), was in charge of planning, hosting and presenting location ideas. According to Husak, who was also the vice chair and program director, meetings are generally held at state parks and wildlife management areas. Black Mesa State Park was chosen because a meeting had not been held in the Panhandle region for some time. At this meeting, approximately 200 students, faculty and researchers engaged in a variety of field trips that focused on a particular sector of science. Excursions were held in the following areas: astronomy, archaeology, aquatic invertebrate zoology, botany, bryology, geology, entomology, geography, herpetology, ichthyology, malacology, mammalogy and ornithology. The excursions allowed students to learn more about what is taught in the classroom from a different angle with specialists from that field. “I think it makes a lot of what we talk about in the classroom a little more realis-
Courtesy Photo
Taking another look into science: Michael Husak, assistant professor of biology, poses with four of his students who attended the Fall Field Meeting on Sept. 24-26. The event was held so that professionals in different fields could share their experiences with current students learning about that field. tic and tangible,” Husak said. “They are out there seeing how to trap animals or look at different layers of rock. They are getting hands-on experience with some of the real experts in those fields from the state of Oklahoma.” Through the field trips, biology junior Tawna Hazel learned more about mammalogy, trapping and archaeology. “You get field experience. You get insight from professors and experts in the field,” she said. “We are always looking for more ways to get more experience.” Not only do students gain hands-on experience, but outings also help students decide what field of science they may want to pursue. “If they are wondering about
a field, this gives them the chance to actually go out and do it and it can sway them one way or the other,” Husak said. First time attendee biology senior Donna Lohr discovered what types of activities are involved during the meeting. “I wanted to find out what the meetings are like, and I wanted to expose myself to other curriculum in order to be more well-rounded,” she said. “It is not your typical classroom setting, you can see what you are learning about.” During Friday and Saturday evenings of the Fall Field Meeting guest speakers John
Please see BIOLOGY, Page 4