A Lasting History
THE CAMERON COLLEGIAN
family we share as Cameron journalists.”
Founded in 1926 Cameron University’s student-led newspaper remains a creative outlet and hands-on opportunity for Aggies to publish news content in their voices.
The Collegian staff is headed by the managing editor(s) who write and layout for the front page, and a page editor for each section of the paper which is currently News, Voices, Arts and Entertainment, Student Life and Sports. The goal is to provide a variety of coverage across campus, representing the various organizations, student activities, achievements and events as they pertain to the Cameron experience. In addition to the editors, many talented staff writers contribute to the stories shared in this publication each week.
The newspaper has a faculty advisor who oversees the budgets, allocating funds for scholarships and arrangements with our publisher each semester as well as providing guidance to all students on staff. The Collegian has been fortunate to work under the advisement of Associate Professor David Bublitz since 2012. Bublitz works in the Communication, English and Foreign Languages department and has been faculty at Cameron University since 2012, which is also where he completed his two undergraduate degrees Bachelor of Arts in English and Journalism and a Master of Education. He obtained his Master of Fine Arts from Oklahoma City University in 2014.
“The Collegian staff is composed of students from all over campus,” Bublitz said. “Each student brings unique perspectives, interests and aesthetics that breathe life into the newspaper and help to create the sense of community and
Bublitz has extensive experience writing in multiple compositions, to include newspaper and books, so he gives careful attention to every page before it is submitted to print, although the managing editors are given the final decision on each issue’s content and format.
“To put it bluntly, and speaking from my experience as a professor,” Bublitz said, “the students are far and above the best part of working on campus.”
Bublitz has enjoyed his more than a decade of serving the Aggies as faculty advisor, learning from the students and watching the talent evolve as he gets to guide a new group each semester.
“I am proud of each one of my student journalists,” Bublitz said. “I am proud of their work, their dedication to the university and student body, and the service they provide every day to the campus community as a whole.”
The Collegian has been a multi-awardwinning paper for more than a decade, since it has been entering various contests across the state of Oklahoma. The records we have access to only went back as far as 2012, since then every year that the Collegian entered either the Oklahoma Press Association (OPA) or the Oklahoma Collegiate Media annual contests we have placed within the top three for multiple categories.
The Collegian has won the prestigious Sequoyah Award, from the OPA’s Better Newspaper Contest for the years 2020, 2021 and 2023. This award is based on points given for ranking in various categories and the more awards won contribute to your paper’s total, with the highest amount being awarded the Sequoyah.
Contestants we compete against include collegiate publications across Oklahoma.
Former Managing Editor Brittney Payette is one of the most awarded members of previous staff. She walked away from the 2023 Oklahoma Better Newspaper Contest with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for the front-page design category. Payette won 2nd and 3rd place for the news photograph, 3rd place for feature photograph, 2nd place in education story and 1st place in community leadership. Her hard work and talent were certainly a factor in the Collegian’s success and contributed to their third Sequoyah award that year.
Current managing editor Kaley Muse is spending her last semester at Cameron serving the staff of the Collegian in one of the most important roles. She started as a student life editor in 2023, performed as copy editor and then the Arts and Entertainment (A & E) editor during her time here.
Muse has learned a lot within her time on the Collegian and has enjoyed every issue she has been a part of.
“I definitely learned to step out of my comfort zone,” Muse said, “I still am a shy person, but not nearly as much as when I first got on staff. Getting out and meeting people, doing interviews and taking pictures, you hone your craft and you also network in a way that’s really special to what journalists do, especially student journalists.”
Every issue sheds light on a different or new area of campus that needs to be addressed or highlighted and each journalist given the opportunity to be a part of the Collegian staff walks away more experienced and prepared for whatever their futures hold.
Photo By Kaley Muse
Staff Writer
From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., April 11, at Cameron University’s Mary Lou and W. Cary Johnson Auditorium in Cynthia S. Ross Hall, the Cameron Office of Student Development hosted the 2025 Leadership Summit.
The first speaker Corey Sanders is the lead of University Life teaches university life classes and, having been here for almost 12 years. He spoke about being authentic and its importance, drawing on personal experiences and beliefs.
“I think authenticity [is] a good thing for most people to learn about, not only just from the perspective of kind–of learning who you are and how internal scripts affect your everyday life,” Sanders said.
“But I’m purposeful curiosity I’m wondering, what could it become
Artist and Motivational Speaker
The second speaker, Peggy Gaines, focused on growing confidence. She works for Amazon and also teaches an extreme hip-hop step class at Cameron. This class is offered at 6:30 p.m. on Mondays in the Aggie Rec Center.
“I considered being chosen to speak an honor because I wasn’t always confident, and it’s always a great opportunity to pour into people but even more so at my University that I graduated from.” Gaines said. “When I think back, you know, I was definitely not confident as an undergrad. But to see
“It’s absolutely my purpose,” Owens said. “My mission, my ministry, is really helping high–achieving women challenge who they are and really find that for themselves and achieve their goals.”
Next to Owens was massage therapist and wellness practitioner, Shasha Shelton, who will have been in the medical field 16 years this August.
Shelton encourages Cameron students to join Young Professionals (YP).
“There is a lot of professional and personal development that should start at your collegiate timing,” Shelton said. “You are the change–makers
the chalkboard.
This move would dictate the path for the rest of his life — that step toward the board was a step toward discovering a lifelong interest and subsequent career.
“I turned toward that chalkboard, and bam, I could see it,” Hight said. “Not what it was, but the way it could be. I could see a picture behind the numbers because I was looking in the space in between the letters,” Hight said. “I mean, it was out of focus. It was a little on the fuzzy side. But I’m driven by purposeful curiosity. I’m wondering, what could it become?”
Photos by Rachel Nunn
CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD
Blake Eastwood Staff Writer
On Feb. 14, another one of Marvel’s movies hit theaters: “Captain America: Brave New World.”
The Captain America franchise is back in full swing, but this time Sam Wilson (played by New Orleans native Anthony Mackie) is front and center leading the action.
Anthony Mackie has had jokes surrounding him about not having his own movie before, but all that playful banter goes away now.
William Hurt had previously played the role throughout the MCU’s storyline, but he sadly passed away in 2022. Now let’s get to the nitty-gritty of the movie. Like most Marvel productions, the fourth MCU installment of Captain America delivered an exciting mix of action and drama.
“The movie leaves fans wondering what’s next for Sam Wilson, and what is in store for future Marvel movies .”
Mackie stars as the film’s lead with Danny Ramirez taking Mackie’s former role as The Falcon, and Harrison Ford makes his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as a recast for the role of Thaddeus Ross.
Sam Wilson is put in a conflicting situation where he must figure out who is on the right side against multiple antagonists.
While all this is happening, national tensions are skyrocketing due to a deal that comes crumbling down regarding what to do with the Celestial being that is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
The film introduces new characters while bringing back other fan-favorite characters as well. Of course, the budget of a Marvel movie is going to leave nothing to be desired when it comes to CGI and special effects.
The film captures the emotion of the audience while giving actionpacked sequences too.
When it comes to the movie, critics may disagree with the way Sam Wilson is expected to take over as Captain America when he does not have any super-soldier serum like his previous counterpart, Steve Rogers.
However, fans can still enjoy the movie due to the character development and storytelling.
Anastasia Powe, a fan of the MCU, had a couple thoughts about the movie and Marvel movies to come.
“It has made me very excited for the upcoming
Marvel movies,” Powe said.
Even fans who have not had the chance to see it yet shared their thoughts on Marvel’s newest film.
Marvel’s productions have taken somewhat of a downfall post“Avengers: Endgame.” Of course, there are exceptions like, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” and “Deadpool & Wolverine.”
Many are hoping, “Captain America: Brave New World” can follow in the footsteps of the two previously mentioned films.
Overall, “Captain America: Brave New World” is still able to capture the full attention of the audience, even with a shift in characters.
It may not get the highest movie critic scores, but it can be an enjoyable experience for the average viewer.
The movie leaves fans wondering what’s next for Sam Wilson, and what is in store for future Marvel movies.
New Orleans
word search
Graphics by Ciera Terry
Competition is Good
Sarah Monk Staff Writer
For too long we have seen stalemates within the hero shooter category: from late release dates to years of completely scrapped development. The hero shooter genre has been begging for a promising release in the past decade.
Recently, a staggering nine hero shooters have been completely shut down or have unfortunately lost interest within the shooter community. These include titles like the promising Concord (made by Sony) and Lemnis Gate, who just simply couldn’t find enough players to continue funding their project.
Now what truly boils down a good hero shooter? Is it studios with a lot of money to spare? Probably. But does that make them good? Seems to be debatable. We’ve seen too many games come and go recently, so what makes Marvel Rivals any different?
To start, we can’t ignore the large amount of funding the studio has. It is made by NetEase,
of course, who have been making sure to dip their toe into every gaming genre to completely wipe out their competitors. Have they been successful?
I would say they’re getting really close. From releasing games such as IdentityV (Dead By Daylight’s Competitor), FragPunk (Rainbow Six Siege) and now Marvel Rivals, they aren’t afraid to step into new genres as fast as they’re introduced. Marvel Rivals released with 37 characters, that’s in relation to Overwatch’s 42, and the original Overwatch has been out since 2016. I have to give both credit, because while Rivals did release with a great and massive cast, Overwatch didn’t have unlimited preset designs to choose from like Marvel did.
only did it begin freeto-play, but a lot of the cosmetics and store bought items could be earned completely for free, just by playing. That’s hard to come by nowadays. And of course, companies need to make money, but there comes a point where you have to balance customer satisfaction with greediness, and I think Rivals hit that mark perfectly.
But what makes Marvel Rivals good isn’t the amount of money you
But, what’s truly pushing Overwatch to turn their heads to their hurting player base? While playing Rivals I noticed that not
don’t have to pay, but the ease of access from new fans of the genre, in being 3rd person the game incorporates slight aim assist to make the game feel better, and also just overall plays slower. Those who struggle mechanically may find Rivals easier than its predecessor.
The game also involves a ton of characters that are immediately noticeable to fans of the franchise and might appeal to them through that as well.
Now what did that mean for Overwatch?
Blizzard came back strong after the release of its competitor by adding back one of their oldest features, loot boxes. Through loot boxes not only can you get purchasable content, but you also earn a good amount of them for free every week, just by playing games. You don’t
even have to win them!
Overwatch also included its new perk system, where players can level through three tiers, picking up a new perk each way. While some perks aren’t as broken as others, it’s to be expected with any competitive shooter, but Blizzard has made promises to fix and balance things soon enough. Blizzard is also featuring comebacks of their most popular collabs, specifically the Korean pop group, LE SSERAFIM.
Hopefully through this next decade we can see more new releases from other inspiring competitors to uplift the hero shooter genre. I’m holding out hope.
Misused by Law Enforcement AND Competition is Good
Maverick Wells Staff Writer
The Punisher symbol
With the recent release of the Disney+ television series “Daredevil: Born Again,” an old conversation has been rekindled: law enforcement using the Punisher symbol as an agency signifier, treating it like the Punisher symbol stands for anti-crime or justice.
However, this is a complete misunderstanding of the Punisher symbols’ origins and of the character of Frank Castle himself.
The Punisher first debuted in “Amazing Spider-Man #121,” created by Gerry Conway and John Romita Sr., but Garth Ennis’s characterization of Punisher in the 2004 comic series remains most popular and enduring.
Ennis’s Punisher contains commentary on vigilantism and frustrations with law enforcement and crime rates. This is where the misunderstanding comes from: the Punisher himself is a serial killer. While his victims are criminals themselves, his ideas of justice are still misguided and completely against what the legal system stands for.
The symbol is popular among military personnel as well, popularized by former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. In his biography he wrote about Punisher: “He righted wrongs. He killed bad guys. He made wrongdoers fear him.”
While this is true, what’s also true is that the Punisher is a damaged
war veteran with PTSD, returning home disillusioned with life and
Among law enforcement is meant
considering abandoning his family – until his family is killed, and he finds a new war to fight, a war without end and without purpose. The Punisher should not be a role model for veterans, as he is a depiction of the worst case scenario for a soldier returning from war.
followed by the line, “by
hate and extremist groups
misrepresentation created an association of police
brutality, violence and hate. Marvel responded in 2021 by changing the design of the logo, so as to distance themselves from those groups. The Punisher himself responded in 2019 though, in “Punisher #13.”
Punisher is approached by two police officers recognizing him in public that express their admiration for him and claim they want to be more like him. He responds by peeling off the Punisher sticker on the police car and ripping it to pieces, saying: “I’ll say this once, we’re not the same. You took an oath to uphold the law, you help people. I gave that all up a long time ago.”
Even the Punisher himself understands that he is not someone worthy of admiration.
This misuse of the Punisher symbol by law enforcement is a key plot point in “Daredevil: Born Again.”
In the show, Matt Murdock (Daredevil) confronts the Punisher about cops using his symbol and killing people who get in their way, but Punisher seems not to care, saying that they’re only fans, and Matt does not care for this answer. This eventually leads to a confrontation, but the show is doing an excellent job shining light on a conversation too long ignored.
Hopefully “Daredevil: Born Again” will succeed in its attempt to stomp out the misuse and misunderstandings of the original Punisher symbol.
Courtesy Photos
SGA Elections and Updates
By Alyssa Martinez Student Life Editor
Mid-Spring, former Student Government Association (SGA)
President Nathan Weston resigned, opening nominations for a Special Election to find a new president to serve for the remainder of the school year.
On March 31, the SGA body voted James Howard as the new SGA president following Weston’s impeachment.
In the time since, they appointed several key officer positions, have passed several resolutions and held elections for the 2025- 2026 school year.
SGA moved to confirm several key appointments to improve efficiency. The Chief Justice of the SGA Supreme Court is Captain James Haynes and Specialist Jeremy Vongsana was appointed Justice. Representative Oren Kennedy serves as Parliamentarian, Senator Torie Ortiz- Jones serves as Secretary of SGA and Representative Brason Janoe serves as Sergeant at Arms of SGA. Cierra Howse works as Secretary of the SGA Legislative Committee. Finally, SGA appointed a new vice president for the rest of the semester, Hannah Chaves.
Since the appointment of these positions, President Howard finds that SGA meetings run better.
“I think it is more efficient because we have designated roles and those who fill those roles are familiar with
impeachment, resolutions and elections
what their responsibilities are,” Howard said. “They do a fantastic job.”
Under new leadership, SGA has passed several key pieces of legislation, brought up to the SGA body by the Legislative Committee, this semester intended to improve campus and help clarify existing policies.
SGA passed a resolution calling for the retention of the Student Enrichment Center (SEC) beyond the 2025 school year as they find that the SEC provides critical services to students across campus.
Other resolutions addressed the showcasing of student art on the second floor of the Science Complex, installation of a keycard reader at the Shepler Mezzanine entrance to make it more accessible, and updates to the visitor policy for Shepler and Cameron Village residents. Resolutions also covered students’ rights to be accompanied by an adviser or attorney during conduct meetings, as stated in the Code of Student Conduct, and called for the establishment of a campus-wide recycling program to ensure that recyclable materials are properly collected, separated and processed. SGA members created and voted on these resolutions in an effort
“It is a tremendous honor to have been elected president of Cameron University’s Student Government Association,” Holt said.
Holt looks forward to working with incoming Cameron University President Shane Hunt to help make Cameron a better place.
“My year as president of SGA will also be the first year of Cameron’s new president, C. Shane Hunt,” Holt said. “I
believe that Student Government is the best way to give students a voice on campus, and I intend to work closely with President Hunt to make this University better for all its students and to ensure that their voices are heard.”
For more information, students can reach out to SGA by emailing cusga@ cameron.edu, calling (580) 581-2444 or contacting their organization’s representative.
Volunteers Wanted
Campus Closet
By Ramona Villegas Sports Editor
The Campus Closet at Cameron University is currently in need of volunteers to help keep things running smoothly and make a difference in students’ lives. Volunteers play a vital role by sorting donations, organizing clothing and arranging other essential items on display. This hands-on help ensures that students can easily access what they need, whether it’s professional attire for interviews, school supplies or basic hygiene items. The Campus Closet is more than just a resource — it’s a supportive space for students, and it can’t function without a team of volunteers.
Help is especially needed during the summer semester, with volunteer hours available from 12:30 - 4 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Campus Closet in the Shepler Mezzanine
to the
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NAIA Metal Stamping
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 16, the Cameron University Native American Intertribal Association hosted a free metal stamping bracelet event in the Bently Gardens.
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next
Welcome
Photos by Alyssa Martinez
this sport,” Middleton said. “As a woman, I think it is the most difficult sport to play.”
Schmidgall adds that unlike volleyball or basketball, where players touch the ball constantly, softball offers fewer chances to shine.
“Like volleyball and basketball, you’re gonna touch the ball no matter what. You have to pass to someone, you have to rebound,” Schmidgall said. “In softball, you
said. “The trips that we go on are probably my favorite memories.”
Forns loves the laughter that erupts when the team’s together, like the time their bus driver, Bob, accidentally sped through a Border Patrol checkpoint, leading to four Border Patrol agents pulling the softball team over and checking the bus.
Schmidgall’s standout memory involves pushing their
coaching young pitchers.
As Middleton, Forns and Schmidgall prepare to graduate, their stories emulate the resilience, teamwork, and joy that defines Aggie athletics. From tee-ball to senior year, they’ve grown as athletes and individuals, leaving a lasting mark on the university’s softball program. Here’s to these three seniors — may their futures be as bright as their smiles on and off the field.
More than a team: (From left) Aggie softball players Tinley Schmidgall, Chloe Middleton and Jordan Forns stop for a picture between innings.
Photo by: Hannah Williams
Graphic by: Matthew Hasley