The Cameron Collegian - February 6th, 2023

Visiting Writer: Jason Poudrier All the Write Stuff

poem is in his book “Red Fields,” which is about his time overseas and then his return to civilian life.

Poudrier said. “I believe it’s important to write about what’s on your mind and that you don’t try to suppress your voice when you’re writing.”

At 7 p.m. on Jan. 27 in the Buddy Green Room in the McMahon Centennial Complex, Cameron alumnus and award-winning author Jason Poudrier read samples of some of his work.

Poudrier is a U.S. army veteran and a purple heart recipient of the Iraq War. He currently has two poetry collections, including “Red Fields” and the chapbook “In the Rubble at Our Feet.”

Assistant Professor Leah Chaffins welcomed Poudrier to the event and introduced him to the attendees.

“Jason Poudrier has been active in our community for some time,” Chaffins said. “Holding various roles from an instructor here at Cameron to his current position at the city of Lawton.”

Poudrier thanked everyone for attending the event and expressed his appreciation for some of his old professors and colleagues from Cameron who were present at the series.

One attendee was sophomore English major Kaley Muse, who said this was not her first time at a visiting writer’s series at Cameron.

“I try to come to every single one of them,” Muse said. “I feel like there’s not enough reading and poetry type of events on campus. I just wish more people would come."

Muse said her favorite reading that Poudrier did at the event was the poem about one veteran to another because she thought it was very insightful.

Poudrier said he was excited for the opportunity to be a visiting writer at Cameron.

“I was a Cameron alumn,” Poudrier said. “I did my Associate’s, Bachelors, and Masters here, and then I taught at Lawton High a little bit, and I got to be an instructor here for several years. I don’t feel like a visitor here. I feel like I’m home when I’m here.”

Poudrier first read a newer poem of his called “Love Poem to a Perfect Stranger.” Then, he read a poem, "From One Veteran to Another.” The

What’s Inside

Poudrier also answered questions from the audience after he finished reading some of his works.

Poudrier said that one thing he does to get through writer's block when he experiences it is to write about his writer's block and to explore why he feels like he does not have anything to say.

However, writing about not knowing what to write about was not his only method of dealing with writer’s block.

“Reading is like the best teacher for writing,” Poudrier said. “I always try to have at least one book going, and as long as I’m reading that, then that kind of keeps me going.”

Poudrier also recommends that aspiring writers read books written by people who write the way they aspire to write. For him, this includes writers such as Tim O’Brien, Yusef Komunyakaa, Junot Diaz, and Ernest Hemingway.

He said he loves to read works from a variety of authors, especially ones who are also veterans like himself.

Poudrier said his favorite part about being a writer is connecting with people.

“You’re creating something that lives on the page aside from yourself,”

Poudrier said his current job as the Arts and Humanities Administrator for the City of Lawton keeps him busy.

“What I get to do, ranges on a daily basis,” Poudrier said. “The emphasis is, you know, focusing on arts and humanities and trying to support entities and individuals in Lawton who are artists or art organizations.”

Poudrier said the Arts and Humanities division in Lawton is partnering with Cameron University and Rhonda Norrell, who is with Arts For All, to host organizational workshops. The first skill-building workshop will be next month and is about grant writing.

For more information about future Communication, English, and Foreign Languages department events, contact Chaffins at lellis@cameron. edu and look at the university calendar at https://www.cameron. edu/university-calendar.

Photos by Brittney Payette

Brittney Payette Managing Editor

"I don’t feel like a visitor here. I feel like I’m home when I’m here.”

Jason Poudrier -Visiting Writer

Through the Roof: U.S. Food and Housing Increase

LaShea DeSelle Staff Writer

An increase in food and housing prices have impacted United States residents differently across the nation, due to economic inequality and inflation disparities.

Changes in inflation will impact rural and low-income households most from the rise in food and housing because of their location and income level although the newly released $1.7 trillion Senate Committee Bill intends on appropriating households based on their eligibility.

FY 2023 OAB has made the effort to allocate funds that affect lowincome American individuals who need assistance in areas such as food, housing, energy and college expenses.

Annual inflation has risen to 9.1% the highest rate in the last 40 years, while the largest increase in the last 12 months have been airline fares, transportation services, shelter and new vehicles and food.

The United States Department of Agriculture projects an increase in food away from home (restaurants, food trucks and drive-thru) to raise by 5% in 2023 and a 4% rise in food at home.

According to CPI data generated by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), large price hikes in food include eggs (up 31.5%), poultry (up 14-15%), fats and oils (up 18-19%), cereals and baked goods (up 13.5%), and fresh fruits and vegetables (up 7-8%).

Home heating oil costs have increased by 15 percent, electricity at nearly 14 percent and a rise in natural gas costs by 15% over the last year. Across the globe, more than 820 million people go to bed hungry every night and data from the Census Bureau show that over 25 million adults in America sometimes do not have enough to eat.

Some families are asking why is this increase happening? Well, issues with logistics, high transportation costs and freight rates, labor, soaring production costs and weather all contribute to the price surge.

Another contributor to the surge in price of eggs is an ongoing outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

(HPAI) that continues to reduce the U.S. egg layer flock. In the first two weeks of December, the USDA reported 4.8 million birds were destroyed due to HPAI prevention regulations.

Committee on Appropriations Chairman Patrick Leahy said he was working directly with democratic representatives to prioritize the needs of the majority and provide relief to American families from the rising costs of living as a result of inflation.

“With the price of the groceries up more than 10 percent, families across the country are struggling to make ends meet,” he said. “And food banks are squeezed as they try to provide for their communities.”

The FY 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill will allocate $70 Billion in funds nationally that directly impact the underlying issues of inflation and who it impacts most by addressing food insecurity, supporting food and housing programs, and an increase in public education and higher learning.

An investment of $13.4 billion has increased the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) national funds to $154 billion providing nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy foods.

Within the funding for Child Nutrition Programs included $30 million for school equipment grants that will ensure schools can continue to serve healthy meals as well as $40 million for the Summer Electronic Benefit Program (SEBTC) . SEBTC helps families whose children are

eligible for free and reduced price school meals by giving them grocery benefits on a debit type EBT card during the summer months.

Permanent summer EBT will help

students.

A whopping $1.2 billion was invested for the HOME Investment Partnership Program, which will lead to the construction of nearly 10,000 new rental and homebuyer units that directly affect the Oklahoma Housing and Finance Agency (OHFA) as well as provides grants to the Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a federal agency responsible for national programs that address America’s housing needs.

The bill also included critical resources to expand opportunities for affordable housing and provide assistance to nationwide housing programs.

Nearly $130 million is for new incremental Section 8 Housing Vouchers to support over 11,700 additional families and individuals at risk of homelessness, survivors of domestic violence, aging out of foster care and veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Regarding education, FY 2023 OAB increased the maximum Pell Grant by $500 to $7,395 for the 2023-2024 school year, helping approximately 7 million students who pursue a postsecondary education and furthering their career.

close the summer hunger gap for more than 29 million families across the United States.

More than one-fifth of all college students are student parents, according to estimates by the Nation Center for Education Statistics, that’s nearly 4 million college students with children that are impacted just as their parents by inflation. Cameron University offers student housing but affordable family housing is not an option for student parents at the moment.

Nationwide funding for housing is still an option for Oklahoma residents and any inquiries about housing options may be directed to The Student Enrichment Center (SEC): sec@ cameron.edu . The SEC provides access to personalized support and assistance to promote academic success to all CU

An increase of 5% has been funded to TRIO, which helps over 800,000 low-income, firstgeneration students get into college.

Cameron University’s Title IV program Student Support Services (SSS) is a part of TRIO whose mission is to offer appropriate academic support services to Cameron University students who have an academic need, are first generation college students or students with disabilities.

Funding invested into TRIO is allocated to resources that enrich the college experience for students who are accepted into the program.

All inquiries about qualifications to join Student Support Services can be emailed to StudentSupportServices@ cameron.edu, or stop by the SSS office located in room 431, North Shepler building to pick up an application.

SSS: Identity Theft Workshop

Neal Kirmer Staff Writer

Several times throughout the school year the office of Student Support Services (SSS) holds informative workshops which are designed to help students both during and after their time at Cameron.

SSS held an Identity Theft workshop at 10 a.m. on Jan. 26 in the Wichita Room located in the Shepler Center.

Tina Burch-Lee, a Business Development Officer with Arvest Bank, spoke to those in attendance about identity theft.

“People are doing things every day that they should not be doing, there are things that they should be doing that they are not.

By coming to one of these workshops you can learn the ways to prevent it from happening to you.” BurchLee said.

Burch-Lee spoke to the crowd about ways that individuals can protect their identities from those with malicious intent. The workshop lasted for nearly an hour and ended with participants questions for the speaker.

Many of the workshops offered by the Student Support Services are centered on helping students navigate the world around

them. The workshops presented cover a wide range of topics from the aforementioned identity theft to others concerning tax preparation and estate planning.

Cathleen Dutton, Freshman Guidance Specialist, believes that these workshops can prepare students, not only during their time at Cameron, but also for their future lives outside of academia.

“I believe the identity theft workshop is important,” Dutton said. “That is happening more so now than ever. People need to know how to overcome that if it happens to them. You need to know how to be vigilant about it.”

“Estate planning is another good one for people to go to.”

Many students benefit from these workshops. Cameron senior Destiny Hall

said she recently attended a seminar preparing students for job interviews.

step by step. I recommend that students join Student Support Services. ”

Several events on the schedule are designed to help students relax and perhaps discover a new hobby, such as the seminar on Feb. 1, which taught participants how to play chess.

There is also a workshop scheduled for April 10 in which local wildlife rehabilitator Wally Breadon will bring animals to campus and teach the crowd about local wildlife species.

The wildlife workshop is open to all students and faculty. Others events however require that students be a member of Student Support Services.

To become a member, students should meet one of three requirements, be a first generation college student, have a documented disability or meet a financial threshold.

If the student meets one of these requirements, they may apply with the Student Support Services and gain access to the workshops as well as other benefits gained from being a member.

Cameron University offers many ways for students to prepare for life outside of their academic careers.

“I found the workshops can help you in the future,” Hall said. “They helped me

The workshops are not always as serious as identity theft or tax preparation.

For more information on how to become a member visit the SSS page at https:// www.cameron.edu/officeof-teaching-and-learning/ academic-services/studentsupport-services.

Photo by Neal Kirmer

Courtesy photo

Scott Smith Staff Writer

This is a story of buyer beware and what could happen if the elements come together and decide to take your money. It is a story of a last-minute email, changed curriculum, and an unfavorable bookstore return policy.

Buying books is just a part of college life here at Cameron University. Over the past few years, I have learned to wait until the last minute to purchase my study material in case my professors change their mind about which book or access code, if any, they will use.

It just so happens that one of my purchases this year developed into a perfect storm of events that ended up, unnecessarily, costing me money. $86.00 to be exact.

It was late morning Friday, Jan. 13, 2023 when the email arrived in my inbox. At my earliest convenience, I opened the email and read the message.

The email stated that we would not be using the access code that was in the required books section of the syllabus for one of my courses. There was only one problem-I had already bought the book.

The first thing that went through my mind was that I just saved $86. Yes! I made plans to return my unopened, unscratched, online access code the following week when I would be on campus for a class.

I consider most books and access codes to be a costly part of my college career, but in this case, it was money back.

It was a week later, on Jan. 19 when I walked into the bookstore and presented my access code for return. I was greeted by Sher, the clerk at the desk. She gave me a strange look and then told me that it could not be returned, that it was too late, that Friday the 13th was the deadline. How could this be? She

pointed to my receipt and there it was, No returns after 1/13/2013.

In a last-ditch effort to convince Sher that I was worthy of a refund, I showed her the email from my professor.

I explained that I received the email on the day of the return deadline, that I live out of town, and felt as if I were being punished for a last-minute decision that I had no control over.

I detected a rise in my heart rate and a warm feeling in my face as it

before emailing my professor about the situation. I’m not sure what I expected to happen at that point.

Nothing happened. Just a suggestion from my professor that I use the material for a study guide. I thought to myself, an expensive study guide.

Gone with the Wind-My $86

In the grand scheme of what a college education costs, $86.00 isn’t that much, but in other areas, it’s quite a lot.

$86.00 will buy around 27 gallons of gasoline, approximately 66 Taco Bell Bean Burritos, or about 277 packages of ramen noodles. Through the optics of

many times corresponds with drop dates for classes and that new, unsold books have to be inventoried and returned to the parent book company.

She also gave information about other options.

“After the return date is passed, students always have the option of selling the books themselves or selling them back to the bookstore.”

Chaney said.

changed

color. I needed to calm down or it wouldn’t be long until I received the, ‘High Heart Rate’ warning from my Apple Watch.

Sher explained there was nothing she could do, and we were past the point that the access code could be returned.

“The only way to return the code is to drop the class,” Sher said.

I wasn’t going to do that, so I left, vowing to myself that I would take this all the way to the President of the University. It was a true George Costanza moment (Seinfeld). Fortunately, after talking with my wife and hearing about her once feeble, unsuccessful attempt to return her book, I realized that I’m not the only student that has ever been hosed.

I calmed down somewhat, but not

real-world purchases, one can see the significance of losing this much money.

Through some deliberation and a few suggestions, I decided to write this story. Originally, my motives were to expose corrupt policies and bring down the bookstore, but as time went by, I decided that I would turn it into something positive. My loss, your gain.

I returned to the bookstore looking for some answers. Sitting down with the campus bookstore manager, Hannah Chaney, I hoped to glean information about the return policy. As usual, there are explanations for the way things are. Hannah was very gracious and explained that the return policy

Chaney and I also discussed the possibility of professors being made aware of return deadlines.

She said that it wasn’t something that happened in the past, but would be considered in the future.

So, that’s my story. My money is gone, but there are a few things you can do to minimize the risk of losing yours: be aware of bookstore policies and make yourself aware of the last day for returns.

Don’t take the plastic off of your material until your professor decides whether to use it or not. Check for updates in Blackboard and be aware of drop dates.

Through my story, hopefully you can avoid the frustration that I dealt with and oh, by the way, I have a nice unused access card for Criminal Justice if anyone is interested in purchasing next semester.

Tips on how to stay organized: from someone who loves to plan ahead

Brittney Payette Managing Editor

College can keep you stressed and busy, but staying organized can help.

As someone who likes to be organized and is big on planning, I have some tips on how you can stay organized.

To begin with, I like to use my phone’s calendar to help me remember important dates. I put the times, dates and places of important events or things I need to do in my phone’s calendar.

Many phones have a cool feature that allows you to set up reminders to help you remember those important dates. You can even set up different alert times that can

be set up minutes, hours, days or even weeks before the event occurs.

At the beginning of the semester, I like to put important dates for my classes in my calendar on my phone. So, I will put due dates for assignments, quizzes and exams. This helps me ensure that I am getting my school work done on time.

This is not by any means my only advice for staying organized and on task. Every night before I go to bed I always create a to-do list using my notes application on my phone. I check my calendar and put important events I have on my calendar for tomorrow on my to-do list. I delete things on my to-do list as I finish them.

If you would prefer to write your to-do list down, go ahead! There is something thoroughly satisfying about physically marking out something you have completed on your to-do list — as long as you remember to keep it with you.

Another nice thing about doing a physical, written to-do list is that you can use color coding for different tasks, which can help you organize more efficiently. For example, you can use a red pen for exam due dates, a purple pen for doctor’s appointments, etc.

Another big thing I do to try to stay on task is to not procrastinate on things, especially assignments for class. One way I prevent procrastination is by removing

distractions. This may involve going somewhere else that is quieter to study, putting my phone out of reach and turning my volume on my phone down.

Moreover, I would recommend that you try to finish one task at a time instead of having multiple going on at once.

This can be a difficult one because it can be very tempting to move on to something else. However, leaving things incomplete or going back and forth between projects can be problematic.

Try to use your extra time wisely. Now, as a student, a worker, or a parent you may not have a lot of extra time.

Sometimes though, you can be productive while waiting for

something else to finish. For example, you can go through your emails while you wait for something to heat up in the microwave. Or, you could clean up your room while waiting for a phone call.

Using your time wisely can also mean getting some muchneeded rest. Sleep is essential for our health and well-being, but all too many of us are not getting enough of it.

Getting enough rest can improve your quality of life and help you stay more focused, which can help you stay organized and on task better. These are just a few tips on how you can stay on task and be organized. Try some of these out and find what works for you!

content when making decisions regarding the media’s funding or faculty adviser.

Photo by Tribune News Service

Lawton artist offers “American Tour”

By Victoria White A&E Editor

From 7-9 p.m. on Jan. 21, Rachelle Barnett hosted her “American Tour” art exhibit at Viridian Coffee House. Barnett is a local artist whose primary medium is oil painting, and the exhibit showcased her work through both paintings and the photographs that inspired them.

Barnett was born and raised in Indiana, where she earned her BFA in Industrial Design from Purdue University. She has spent the better part of nine years in Lawton.

Barnett is inspired by her life in the Midwest, which is particularly apparent in her work like “Mount. Granite,” directly inspired by Lawton’s own Mt. Scott.

Cameron University History graduate Blakeleigh Wells particularly enjoyed this piece.

“The enhanced perspective seemed recognizable and yet still abstract,” Wells said, “leaving the viewer with a sense of familiarity and curiosity.”

Barnett also takes inspiration from other parts of the country, like her works “Dumbo Brooklyn” and “Empire Views,” which capture New York City. Renowned artists like Georgia O’Keefe, Norman Rockwell, Maxfield Parrish and Vincent Van Gogh all inspire Barnett’s process.

Like O’Keefe before her, Barnett uses her photography as a tool to enhance her art. Throughout the exhibit, photographs hung next to the paintings they inspired.

“I think it’s nice to see the photo and the finished project together,” Barnett said. “I think that’s something I want to keep doing.”

In total, the process for one of Barnett’s paintings takes on average 10-20 hours.

On top of working and being a parent, Barnett had to develop a process that works for her in order to optimize her time.

“The chaos feeds the structure and the structure feeds the chaos,” Barnett said.

She often creates bases for multiple paintings at one time. She then strategically structures her time so she may later go into her workspace, put on some music (sometimes jazz and soul, sometimes E.D.M. and heavy metal) and focus on adding the fine details.

Barnett encouraged other artists to find the method that works best for them, too. To offer advice for Cameron art students, Barnett urged students to use what may seem like monotonous assignments as tools for their craft.

“You’re doing these school projects,” Barnett said, “but you’re learning these skills that you can take into whatever feeds your passion.”

For Barnett, it’s all about finding ways to feed energy and drive. Even students with minimal time and space can effectively do this.

“When I went to college, that’s definitely when I learned how to be crafty,” Barnett said.

She recommended creating a designated space, no matter how small, to nourish creativity.

The pieces showcased in “American Tour” challenged Barnett creatively. She applied techniques out of her comfort zone like pointillism for her New York-inspired pieces. For her pieces “Water Lilly” and “Day Lilly”, she pushed herself to work with realism.

“That one helped me grow as an artist,” Barnett said regarding “Day Lilly.”

As implied by the name, “American Tour” provided a look at various parts of the country, reflecting different facets of American life and Barnett’s personal travels.

Barnett designed the pieces to evoke nostalgia, accommodating those who, like her, have not always called Lawton their home.

“There’s a lot of people here that are from different places in the U.S.,” Barnett said. “Maybe there’s someone here and this reminds them of home.”

For more information, contact Barnett via her Instagram page @rachellecreative.co or her Facebook page at Rachelle Barnett.

M3GAN: “PERFECT BLEND OF COMEDY AND HORROR”

By Skylar Teddington Staff Writer

This review contains spoilers.

The highly anticipated horror movie “M3GAN” hit theaters on Jan. 6 after an extensive social media campaign that gave viewers an idea about what Model 3 Generative Android’s (or M3GAN for short) character would be like.

The AI rose to fame after an online feud with fellow killer doll Chucky from “Child’s Play” and since then she’s only become more popular.

The movie received glowing reviews from audiences and critics alike due to the impressive quality of the film and the campy plot. With so many iconic moments, it is

no wonder why the film has become a hit.

“M3GAN” starts viewers off with a hilarious advertisement showing off some toy pets before cutting to a scene of the main character Cady with her parents.

Cady is indifferently playing on her tablet as her parents argue about how much screen time she has. We find out through this argument that Cady’s aunt Gemma developed the aforementioned toy pet and gave it to her as a gift.

In the midst of the argument, their car begins to slide out of control. Her father is able to regain control of the car and the family decides to wait for a snow plowing truck to clear the road, but unfortunately the very same truck crashes into their car, killing Cady’s

parents.

Gemma ends up taking Cady in, but she quickly finds out just how hard raising a child can be after a session with her niece’s therapist. Gemma had already been developing M3GAN for a while, but her employer was unsupportive of the project and told her to scrap it.

After a conversation with Cady about robotics, Gemma is struck with inspiration and decides to redevelop M3GAN into a toy that can help her niece cope with her loss.

However, things take a dark turn as M3GAN becomes eerily attached to Cady, and bloodshed follows her everywhere she goes.

So, is “M3GAN” worth watching? The answer to this question is: yes, absolutely.

The movie’s website describes M3GAN as a family member rather than a toy, and that is a little too true. Though the concept is similar to that of “Child’s Play” and “Annabelle,” “M3GAN” is unique enough to set itself apart from the rest through its wit and charm.

The screenwriter Akela Cooper did an excellent job with “M3GAN,” and fans are eager to see what is in store for the potential sequel.

“M3GAN” is now available to rent across multiple platforms including Amazon’s Prime Video and Redbox, making it the perfect film to watch at home with friends or family.

It is a must-watch for anyone who is a casual fan of horror, but I wouldn’t recommend it to

those who prefer movies with more serious tones.

“M3GAN” is the perfect blend of comedy and horror. From the irony of the first scene of the movie to M3GAN’s dancing, this AI slayed in more ways than one.

The lighthearted notes were balanced out by genuinely freaky jump scares, violent scenes and M3GAN’s creepily cute design. The horror aspect of the movie could’ve been more pronounced, but it is a PG-13 film, which may be the reason why it isn’t gorier.

The movie was definitely targeted toward the younger half of Generation Z, but the next film may be even scarier, as a twist at the end implies something more sinister is yet to come.

Rating: 8 / 10

Inspired by the Midwest: Rachelle Barnett’s portrait “Harriet Tubman” is one of many pieces showcased in her exhibit at Viridian Coffee House.

Photo by Victoria White

Omega Zeta Theta Bid Day 2023

events like informational sessions, game night, paint-a-mug and a tea party.

When the day came to welcome their new members, Omega Zeta Theta set up their Greek letters outside the Shepler buildings and had their newest members run home to their current members, who welcomed them with gifts and smiles.

Courtney McEunn Student Life Editor

At 9 a.m. on Jan. 27, the Cameron University sorority, Omega Zeta Theta, ended their Spring 2023 recruitment week with a bid day celebration. Bid day is a traditional celebratory event that Greek life hosts each semester to welcome new members to their organization. This semester, Omega Zeta Theta welcomed home two new sisters.

Throughout the week leading up to their bid day, the sorority hosted different events on campus to promote potential new members to come and meet with current members while also learning more about the organization. Their recruitment week included

Omega Zeta Theta’s Vice President of Chapter Development and New Member Education, Bobbi Fuglsang, enjoys having new women join their sorority and begin their journey in CU Greek life.

“Bid day is whenever we welcome new members into the sorority to start their journey to becoming initiated members,” Fuglsang said. “It’s a day that allows them to come, see all of us and run home.”

Bid day has always been a fun and enjoyable day for both new and current members. As well as the activities and events the sorority hosts on campus, the women of Omega Zeta Theta also strive to raise money and awareness for their

philanthropy and community.

Omega Zeta Theta’s Secretary, Grace Norbury, takes pride in what her sorority does on campus and in their community through their philanthropy, which focuses on cancer research and awareness.

“We have really been focusing on getting that message out to the world,” Norbury said, “as well as helping people whether it be through doing blood drives and donating blood to cancer patients or making little care packages for them.”

It’s very important for the members of the sorority to value their work and support through their philanthropy. After being founded at CU in 2014, the sorority continues to recruit more women every semester to promote their philanthropy and increase their presence on campus.

For more information about the Omega Zeta Theta sorority at Cameron University, contact them through their Instagram page @omegazetatheta.

Upcoming at Cameron University: Movie Night at the Vaska

Courtney McEunn Student Life Editor

At 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 13, Cameron University’s journalism and media production professor Matt Jenkins will be hosting a movie night the Vaska Theater. Jenkins has previously hosted many movie night events at the Vaska, some being a friendly competition showing of student made short films while others showcase independent films made by local directors.

On Feb. 13, the Vaska will be showing the latest feature film by Jenkins, which is called: “Rage, Fear, Love.” Jenkins wrote the screenplay and produced the film in Houston, Texas, with his company, Misfits of Film. Admission is free to all CU students and faculty, as well as the public.

A Cameron University press release gave a synopsis of Jenkins’s film: “‘Rage, Fear, Love’ is the story of art rep Walter Breen (Paige Phillips), who commissions a cruel portrait of his cheating wife Ester (Victoria Yap).

In a rage, Ester fights Walter’s efforts at divorce.

As the couple battles, they drag portrait painter Bluster Dabro (Ronald Calzolari) and Ester’s boyfriend Peter Jepsen (Jenerro Wade) across the thin line separating fetish from paranoia. Ester becomes fearful someone is trying to kill her.”

Jenkins began hosting movie nights at the Vaska to benefit his students in their learning of film making in an environment outside the classroom. CU students have also had the opportunity to meet with some of the directors of these independently made films to ask questions and get a more in-depth understanding on what it means to be a film maker.

“Movie night, itself, was started because I wanted to show independently made movies to our students and have the directors come and talk to them,” Jenkins said. “We’ve had Allen Arkush, who had directed the Roger Corman picture ‘Rock and Roll High School;’ we’ve had Pat Bishow of Amusement Films; we’ve had Morgan Thompson, who is a Cameron graduate that produced a documentary. It’s a way for students to get together, watch a fun, independent movie and actually have a Q&A with the directors.”

In the next movie night on Feb. 13, students will not only be able to enjoy the showing of an independent film made by CU’s own professor, but they’ll also be able to sit down with Jenkins

and talk to him about how the movie came to be.

Movie nights have also been a way for students to showcase their own films in a more professional and intimate way, allowing them to not only watch their projects on the big screen, but to invite their family and friends to view their work alongside them. Movie nights have been used to host short film competitions as well as a regular viewing event for the advanced film classes.

Alec Santos, a CU student majoring in journalism and media production, has attended multiple student movie night events and has had some of his own work premiered at the theater.

“Movie nights have always been my favorite,” Santos said. “Even growing up, I’ve always loved movies; but honestly seeing my own work up on the silver screen is something next level. It truly is an honor to be a part of this event every semester.”

Santos has entered a few of the student night competitions to have his worked viewed and judged alongside his peers. The students at Cameron University work hard before each movie night to promote not only their work, but the event itself.

For more information about future movie nights at the Vaska, email Dr. Jenkins at mattj@cameron.edu.

Photos by Courtney McEunn

Lights, camera, action! Paige Phillips and Victoria Yap star in Dr. Matt Jenkins’s lastest feature film, “Rage, Fear, Love” as the toxic married couple of Walter and Ester Breen.

Courtesy Photo

Aggie Basketball Double Header

Second half adjusments lead Women’s team to victory

Jimm Alley Sports Editor

On Jan. 26 in the Aggie Gym the Cameron Women’s basketball team took down a conference foe in the West Texas A&M Lady Buffs in a 68-64 victory.

The Aggies were able to overcome a slow start to the game, making only 20 percent of their three point attempts for the first half.

Cameron would come out blazing hot in the second half hitting close to 60 percent of their field goals after the break.

The big difference maker in this game was the Aggies ability to outscore West Texas in the paint 3226 and create shooting opportunities for themselves.

Head Coach Jeff Mahoney mentioned how that extra effort helped them keep the offensive pressure going.

“47.4 percent for the game, that’s pretty good shooting,” he said. “They got some big kids and we were still able to outscore them in the paint which was huge for us. Both our teams had 14 coming off the bench so if you look at the stats it was a pretty even game.”

The game would stay evenly matched for the entirety of its 40 minutes as the Aggies squeaked by with the four point victory.

Katie King led the team in scoring contributing 14 points, six assists, and three steals. Mahoney continued about what helped give his team the edge in the second half.

“I think we just continued finding open shooters.” Mahoney said. “It was kinda everybody, Katie

(King) made a couple and really got us going, Karley (Miller) got a couple, Korie (Allensworth) made some good shots. We almost had six kids in double figures, and I think defensively the kids followed the game plan really well.”

Another key factor in the Aggies victory was the stellar offensive efforts of Korie Allensworth (11 points, five rebounds) and Karley Miller (10 points, four steals).

Allensworth and Miller have flourished into a dynamic scoring duo under the guidance of Mahoney in his first year as Head Coach. Allensworth and Miller both said that change in coaching styles has really helped them level up their game this season.

“Coach Moe really makes me feel trusted,” Allensworth said. “Last year I really didn’t have much trust in my hands at times, but now that I feel more of that trust, I feel like I can go out there and make more of the big plays and be the player we need out there.”

Miller reiterated a lot of the same sentiments when giving her answer.

“I also really got to give the credit to Coach Moe,” Miller

said. “He is a really great coach and he has given me a lot of confidence that I can kinda carry with myself throughout the games. On nights like tonight where I don’t shoot the best I know he’s gonna tell me to just keep shooting it, or to try and find a better shot.”

While the progression of both Allensworth and Miller has helped out the Aggies a lot this season, they have not been the only bright spots for this squad.

In her first season in the black and gold transfer guard Alena “Red” Wilson has been a strong force on the offensive side averaging 11 points and seven rebounds a game, against the Lady Buffs, Wilson was able to break double digits for the twelfth time this year with 10 points.

Kailyn Lay, another new face for Cameron, continued her impressive campaign of consistency, while Kiara Lovings enjoyed a hot night shooting the ball making 100 percent of her shots from the field, both players contributed nine points respectively.

The Lady Buffs sat a 15-5 record coming into this game, but now after a strong start, are the victims of three straight losses.

This was a big win for the Aggies who have been a force in home games currently sitting with a 7-3 record at the Aggie Gym.

Overall the Aggies are now 10-11 on the season after falling to Lubbock Christian University.

Mahoney and his squad hope to finish the season strong as they cling on to their last bit of hopes for another shot at the Lone Star Conference Tournament.

CU Men’s team falls short in hard-fought battle

the ball, they had answers for runs we made,” head coach Kevin O’Connor said following the loss.

The Cameron Aggies rolled into this week with a ton of momentum, arguably the most they have had all season after capturing their first two Lone Star Conference (LSC) wins of the season a week prior.

The Black-and-Gold were fresh off of impressive wins over Oklahoma Christian and the University of Arkansas Fort Smith less than seven days ago.

However, life in the LSC never gets easier; the Black and Gold would be tasked with taking on two top-of-theclass programs with West Texas A&M and Lubbock Christian to follow up on their monumental week.

All night, this was a back-and-forth game, as the Aggies continued to make runs to get within striking distance, but the Buffs held Cameron at arm’s length for most of this game.

CU hung in this game until the end, narrowly falling 83-79, despite Thomas logging a career-high as a trio of Aggies finish with double-figures.

“We played hard, they are a good team, they space you out and shoot

“We do not have the depth to score the ball, and we can not afford to have off nights, we need to shoot the ball better,” he said. CU shot 47 percent from the floor and 37 percent from beyond the arc but struggled at the free-throw line, making their freebies at a 62 percent clip.

When discussing those struggles at the line, O’Connor simply said, “winning players make ‘em. I have seen this team make free throws enough; next time, when given the opportunity, I think we can.”

CU guard Jaylan Thomas was incredible in this one, hitting tough shot after tough shot on his way to 27 points, six rebounds, and two assists while shooting 70 percent from the floor and 6-for-11 from beyond the arc.

The former division one player said the team just has to “execute better” to come away with the win next time.

Reggie Prudhomme made the offense sing, dishing out a team-high six assists with many more left on the table while he also got going in the scoring department posting 16 points in this game on 6-of-9 shooting. Prudhomme acts as the leader of the team, who O’Connor tabs as “an extension of myself on the court,” and following the tough loss, the Aggies point guard

said, “we are going to go in the gym tomorrow, play hard, and get back to work.” The Missouri City, Texas, Native showed a lot of confidence in his teammates following the tough loss. “Tonight, they did not hit all their shots, but we are going to come back stronger,” Prudhomme said. Jaden Okon was stellar off the bench and the third Aggie in double-digits as he turns in 17 points, eight rebounds, and plenty of tough finishes around the rim.

West Texas A&M Guard Julius Brown matched Thomas’ 27 points with five assists and as many rebounds to lift the Buffs past the Aggies on Thursday.

Along with Brown, Damion Thornton logged 20 points in 27 minutes while hauling in a teamhigh seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal while shooting 8-for-15 from the floor.

One of the best sharpshooters in the conference, Zach Toussaint, drilled five triples to log 19 points as the third Buff in double figures.

That scoring outburst from the West Texas trio was part of the defensive laps the Aggies head man discussed after the game, “our game plan coming in was to hold them under 80, which would have been 79, and we’d still be playing in overtime right now,” O’Connor explained, noting that CU understood the tough task of limiting the explosive West Texas A&M offense.

The Cameron University Men’s Basketball team has dealt with a ton of adversity over the past calendar year; they have seen three head coaches in that span, a roster turnover that only left four players behind, injury issues, and backto-back seasons with 18 or more losses.

While this is yet another loss in the ledger for the Blackand-Gold, there are plenty of positive signs around this CU team.

From the team leadership to Kevin O’Connor providing much-needed stability on the sidelines, the Aggies are poised for a turnaround.

They will play their final two home games of the season on Feb. 9 and 11 against Angelo State and UT Permian Basin, respectively, in the Aggie Gym.

For more information on Cameron basektball and all other Aggie athletics news please visit CameronAggies.com

Rylan Stiles Staff Writer

Jaylan Thomas

Reggie Prudhomme

Karley Miller

Karley Miller

Kailyn Lay

Jaden Okon

Photos by Jimm Alley