Collegian T he Cameron University
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Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Angelica Martinez
Managing Editor Since taking the helm at Cameron University 15 months ago, President Shane Hunt has brought noticeable energy to campus and an increasing presence in the LawtonFort Sill community. During his first year as president, Hunt established himself as a familiar face at university events, where he can often be seen greeting students with a fist bump. Those who have heard him speak at campus events have likely heard his iconic, “It’s a great day to be an Aggie” cheer. He has also made Cameron a regular focus of his public outreach through the CU Today – The Aggie Experience podcast, interviews with KSWO and editorials in The Lawton Constitution. That momentum shows no signs of slowing. This summer, Hunt focused on conversations about Cameron’s role in the economic development of Southwest Oklahoma. He met with representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, FISTA and the Lawton Economic Development Corporation to discuss opportunities for the university and its
students. “I spent a lot of time this summer working with companies to bring more jobs and opportunities to Lawton,” Hunt said. “Every time you see these ribbon cuttings or these groundbreakings and they say, ‘We’re going to add 135 new jobs,’ or ‘We're going to add 300 new jobs,’ those are direct opportunities for Cameron students.” The university’s first engineering bachelor’s degree program is now in full swing, providing more routes into the workforce for Cameron graduates. “Between all the different levels of our mechanical engineering program, we have 40 students in that this fall which is incredible,” Hunt said. “We had companies lining up with the desire to hire them for internships.” While engineering has the ball rolling, Cameron continues to expand other academic opportunities. Throughout the summer, university officials worked to develop educational pathways to jobs as occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs). The new programs are on the agenda for approval at an
upcoming Board of Regents meeting. “That came directly out of conversations with healthcare providers who are saying we need more OTAs and PTAs,” Hunt said. “We are preparing our students and partnering with those organizations to make sure that while our students are at Cameron, they’re getting hands-on opportunities.” As Hunt enters his second year as president, he has a deeper understanding of the work students put into their education and how Southwest Oklahoma will benefit from it. “We’ve got students right now doing research, doing projects, doing internships with companies across Southwest Oklahoma and I think that prepares them to hit the ground running in the workforce,” Hunt said. “It also lets us tap into our partners' knowledge and expertise
Volume 115 Issue 1
Photos by Angelica Martinez
of where those fields are and where they’re going, to make sure that we’re giving the most relevant education possible to our students.” Hunt also has several announcements planned for the upcoming academic year, including the 2030 Strategic Plan, “Go for Gold.” “It’s really built around six pillars that we want to drive the bright future of the university,” Hunt said. “Those pillars range from what we want to do with academic programs, what we want to do to support our faculty and staff, how we amplify and enliven the on-campus experience for our students, how we support our athletic programs and how they go forward and how we make opportunities here at Cameron more affordable and more accessible for more people. We will be rolling that out next month and we’re really excited.” Apart from expanding academic pathways and the strategic plan, Hunt is excited about the many new faces on campus. “Our freshman class is up well over nine percent from what it was last year,” Hunt said. “It looks
like we will have the most students at Cameron since the pandemic.” As Hunt begins his second year, his vision for Cameron has grown. “I’m dreaming even bigger than I was in year one,” Hunt said. “I think I also learned just the exceptional nature of our faculty and staff to say that we can bring things that people couldn’t have imagined at Cameron a generation ago. That we got a team in place that can make those things a reality.” That positive perspective is shared by Karin Bailey, executive assistant to the president. “I am just riding on his enthusiasm, and it is bringing out the enthusiasm that I have and want to contribute to making Cameron a better place,” Bailey said. “I’m excited for the carrot that is dangled a little bit in front of us, that we can see that there is potential there. Students are coming out of their shells, and they’re starting to interact more with one another. They’re starting to interact more with us as employees too.” Bailey credits Hunt’s contagious energy
as part of the reason for increased student engagement. Hunt’s strong confidence has grown even stronger. “The things were were able to do last year, to have the largest research investment in the history of the university, to have the first named school school in the history of the university, to have the bachelor's degree in engineering for the first time in history, to have one of our best fundraising years in a very, very long time, it made me feel like we’re making very positive traction and it gives me comfort and confidence as we go into year two,” Hunt said. “I think this is gonna be just the best year ever.” Developments on campus show no signs of slowing, much to the excitement of Cameron leaders. “Last year was amazing, this year is going to be even better,” Hunt said. “The future of Cameron has never been brighter than it is right now and we are so excited for the students that we have, that we get to serve.”
OBSESSION FILM REVIEW Makayla Flenoury A&E Editor
On May 15, the indie horror film “Obsession” premiered in theaters. “Obsession” was a groundbreaking film, bringing a new experience and message to psychological horror. Simply talking about the movie is not enough. It’s one of those films you must watch to get the experience and to fully understand just how amazing it really is. “Obsession” checks all the boxes. The development, production, acting, and theme all make this an incredible film. The film’s director Curry Barker and his creative partner, Cooper Tomlinson, started making short films
What’s Inside
on their comedy Youtube channel, "That's a Bad Idea." One of those was the award-winning short film, “The Chair”. Tea Shop Productions Manager and Producer James Harris stumbled upon the film and reached out to Barker about adapting “The Chair” into a longer film. Instead, Barker saw a chance to pitch a new idea, "Obsession", and secured backing of $750,000 from Capstone Studios. I think the pair’s capabilities deserve praise for how amazing the movie is on a lower budget. It’s hard to summarize this movie in a couple of paragraphs because everything in it is important. Every detail is intentional and adds another layer of depth to the plot. From the characters' personalities to the
The Crossword Returns Page 3
“Aladdin” scene playing on the TV in the background. There’s enough for the plot to be its own column (but I’ll spare you). I was nervous about this film based on the trailer, but after watching it, I am obsessed (lol). I feared the movie would paint women as crazy and obsessive, but it turned out to be the opposite of what I expected. Yes, the main female role became exactly that, and I’m sure many people only saw it that way, but it was so much more than that. "Obsession" follows Bear (Michael Johnston) and Nikki (Inde Navarrette) in a horrifying “love” story that spirals into a darkness no one knows how to escape. Bear and Nikki are friends with two others, Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) and
Sarah (Megan Lawless), who are just as bad as Bear- let’s be honest. The four planned on having another night out, like normal, oblivious to the fact this would be their last normal night. Before they all met up, Bear learned that Nikki’s crystal necklace broke and went to a shop to buy her a new one. While there, he realized he didn’t know much about Nikki’s interest in crystals and ended up not buying one. He stumbled upon the One Wish Willow instead; the shopkeeper explained that any wish you make would come true, but you only get one. Of course, he was skeptical but bought one anyway.
See OBSESSION Page 4
Brand New Day Review
About that Fizzness
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News
Emma Herring Staff Wrtier
Christina Willoughby has been acting as the Interim Director of Housing for Cameron University; however, recently she was officially instated into the role. Willoughby began her education at New York City Tech with a degree in Hospitality and Management. She began in this program thanks to her mother, who was a cook for Howard Johnson’s when Willoughby was young. Willoughby is currently in the Masters program for Counseling at Cameron. She believes that this program will give her more tools to succeed in this position. Willoughby said she is not here to analyze students as you might in counseling, but to advise and to assist. “My job is only in place because of the students,” she said. “So, I feel in order to see this area and this community grow is to always make students feel safe and make them feel heard.” Willoughby came to Cameron on a chance. She came to help a family member recover after surgery and never left. She fell in love with the work and with the Housing Department. Years later she still loves it.
Jake Thomas News Editor
CU Alumna Marie Pihulic is Cameron University’s new Director of University Marketing. While her new job places her on the marketing side of the university, her path back to Cameron has been rooted in journalism, broadcasting and public affairs. “I loved my time here at Cameron,” Pihulic said. “I want to essentially tell Cameron’s story.” For Pihulic, that belief is part of what brought her back to Cameron. Originally born in Indiana, Pihulic spent part of her childhood in Germany, before moving back to the states in Maryland, and then finally settling in Oklahoma from the fifth grade. Being a self-described army kid, she moved around a lot, but Lawton eventually became home. Pihulic attended Eisenhower High School and was originally on track to attend Cameron as a PLUS scholar. Instead, she joined the Army, eventually becoming a broadcast journalist. After her service, Pihulic came to Cameron for a degree in communications; she focused on the broadcasting field, working at KSWO while being a full time student. Once she graduated, Pihulic moved to San
Before coming to Cameron, Willoughby worked in the Housing Department at Hunter College in New York for almost twenty years. She found that she really connects with the 18 to 25 years old since she’s started working there. As the Director of Housing, Willoughby works behind the scenes to ensure her staff has all of the tools they need to be able to be the face of Housing. Some of her responsibilities include ensuring all policies are followed, providing a safe environment for students and continuing to grow the amount of students who live on campus. Cameron has traditionally been a predominantly commuter college; however, over the years that Willoughby has been with Cameron, she has seen a change. “Five years ago this place was so different,” she said “We have someone like Dr. Shane Hunt who is a forward-thinker. I think we need more people like that.” Willoughby thinks that to continue to grow this community it will be a group effort, but it will be worth it. On the other hand, with a small school students have the opportunity to have a better relationship with their professors and your peers. All of these factors
Antonio where she worked at the KENS 5 news station. “It turns out I’m not a big city person,” she said. “Lawton has spoiled me for traffic… so, when I came back, I actually worked at KSWO again.” Eventually her career took her to Fort Sill, where she filled several roles, including editor for the Cannoneer, the Fires Bulletin magazine, and the public affairs officer for the city of Fort Sill. She finally moved to Memorial Health, working in marketing, right until this summer, where she has been the Director of University Marketing for a little over a month. “When I was here, I worked at KSWO and got all the experience I ever needed,” she said. “Those huge leaps in markets was all because of Cameron … I got that long way around of getting to become a multimedia journalist.” That experience is now shaping her approach at Cameron. Rather than focusing exclusively on traditional marketing, Pihulic said she wants to make the university’s existing stories easier to find and share. Her responsibilities include managing Cameron University’s main social media presence, creating promotional materials and developing projects aimed at prospective and current students. Pihulic has also joined several
Steven Utter
Digital Content Editor At 6 p.m., Aug. 21, in the Leslie Powell Art Gallery, Professor David Bublitz and his publisher, Queensbriar Press, hosted a book reading and art exhibit to promote Bublitz’s newest book, “Line of Sight.” Queensbriar Press owner Amanda Purser introduced Bublitz and their partnership on “Line of Sight” and his previous work, a children’s book titled “The Depend-Ant.” “Since he illustrated the book,” Purser said, “Every page of it, himself, he thought it would be really cool to do the reading at the Leslie Powell Art Gallery and that idea kind of snowballed into taking the pages, blowing them up, printing them and putting them on display as an art exhibit and poetry reading in one.” Then Bublitz took the podium and began by describing the artform of found poetry he used to create both “Line of Sight” and “Combat Pay,” his previous book of poetry. He then went on to briefly explain his history with his father, who was a military service member who retired from the U.S. Army as an E7 after
September 8, 2025
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are what parents and students look at when picking a college. “You want your children to have this [college] experience, but you want them to be able to find a place with a sense of belonging too,” Willoughby said. “I think Cameron offers that.” Something that Willoughby hopes to achieve during her time as Director is higher retention. She wants to be part of the growth that she is seeing at Cameron. Willoughby had one important piece of information to impart on all students living on campus: “Make sure you are focusing on yourself,” she said. “Make decisions based on your needs, make boundaries, prioritize your education, find balance, speak up, ask for help, advocate for yourself, use time management and say ‘no’ when needed.” Willoughby knows that there are many benefits of living on campus, like having your classes close, learning how to deal with confrontation, and everything in between. “Living on campus gives you a leg up,” she said. Willoughby’s goal when she meets students is to get them into housing and to the graduation stage. Watching students walk across the graduation stage is her reward.
university committees, including Homecoming, student information and events, but also plans to develop her own marketing committee that mixes the student perspective with her professional approach. Her biggest task has been figuring out how to organize the large amount of information that is already being produced across campus. Cameron has numerous departments, organizations and student groups producing their own information, without being connected to a shared goal. Pihulic said that can make it difficult for students to know where to look for information. Her goal is not necessarily to replace or compete with those individual channels, but to connect them. “I think it’s just everybody is doing so many great things, but they’re doing them on their own,” she said. “So we need to get together and make sure more people know about it.” That includes finding better ways to promote student organizations, campus events and university resources. Pihulic wants to highlight Cameron’s clubs and student life through social media while also making resources more visible to students who may not know where to find them. Pihulic said she wants students involved in the conversations about how Cameron communicates, because students
serving in deployments to Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Bublitz noted his own toxic relationship with news media that inspired him to create these books. “It’s largely referential” Bublitz said. “It’s largely using the language that you see in the culture and then recasting that relative the things that I saw and the way that I received that information.” Bublitz then read three selections from “Combat Pay” titled “Headlines From The Front 1991,” “Drafted” and “Dry Fire.” These works focused on the dark realities of war, specifically how it affects the families of soldiers, as well as how the media sells war to the public. “The purpose is not to make everybody depressed,” Bublitz said. “It’s really just to kind of illustrate and account for that history of what service actually looks like and how it impacts the family.” He also said he wanted to end the book with some degree of hope and pay homage to the things that shaped his experience. “There are a series of poems in ‘Line of Sight’ that speak specifically to Vietnam veterans and their experiences.” Then Bublitz opened the floor to questions from
have a perspective that university employees cannot always replicate. “I do want students because students are going to understand more of what’s happening here from their point of view,” she said. Her return to Cameron ultimately brings her career full circle. She first came to the university as a student interested in communication and left with experience in television, newspapers, magazines, public affairs and marketing. Now she is back on the other side of the university experience, working to tell the stories of the college she once attended. Pihulic sees Cameron as an important part of a community often defined primarily by its military identity. One of her goals is to help strengthen Lawton’s identity as a college town and make more people aware of what is happening at the university. “This is also a college town,” she said. “We are a big part of the community here.” For Pihulic, the task ahead is less about creating something new than making sure people see what is already there. “There’s already great things happening,” she said. “It’s all about just sharing what’s actually already happening.”
the audience before sending them to view enlarged prints of the poems displayed on easels around the gallery. Purser offered free snacks to attendees as they viewed the gallery. “I’m really happy with the way it turned out.” Purser said, “We got a lot of support. We had nearly a packed house. The event itself was really smart. He put a lot of work into it … I think that it resonated with people.” After the event Bublitz discussed some of his plans for the future. “We are trying to schedule a reading in Tulsa,” Bublitz said. “Maybe in the future I’ll apply for Author Fest … As far as future projects and stuff, I’ve just kind of reached a point where I can wrap my head around what I’ve done here… This might be my last military themed collection. I’m really kind of wanting to emphasize our focus a little bit more on mental health and anxiety and depression.” He is also considering releasing work based on his experiences as an educator. “I have some poems that are specific to the teaching work that I have done -- especially my first year at Lawton High School. That was a whole experience in and of itself.”
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Voices
September 8, 2026
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Helping Hands at Cameron
A Student’s Perspective on Volunteering Jaley Melton-Wiley Voices Editor
As the semester at Cameron begins anew, students will begin to get used to their class schedules and find it easier to explore the campus. After the first week, it is very likely that they will find student organizations and groups to be involved with. The Cameron community has a wide variety of opportunities to explore; from clubs for specific degrees to clubs for various interests and hobbies, there is a variety of groups to get involved with on campus. However, there is another way to be involved at Cameron: volunteering. Volunteering is a considerable way to engage with the community of not only Cameron, but also the community surrounding Cameron. Students may find that it is a rewarding experience to provide a service for others. According to the Mayo Clinic Health System, individuals who engage in volunteering see a significant increase in quality of life. People who volunteer are not only finding connection by serving their community but also gaining valuable skills and a sense of selfworth through service. It is without question that
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volunteering can benefit both the community and the individual. If a student wished to be more involved in their community, there are many opportunities for volunteering both on and off campus. There are a variety of ways to get involved.
Public Library The public library is a wonderful way to engage with the community. Libraries often need help with organizing, cleaning and maintenance of books and the facilities. An act of service can help students interact in way that builds a stronger community. No matter how small this act of service may be, it may change a life for the better forever.
Student Organizations Several student organizations on campus regularly engage with the community and provide volunteer opportunities. Some organizations require volunteering and will regularly participate in volunteering. PLUS is a great example, as students with PLUS scholarships are regularly participating in volunteer work.
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Other organizations may offer volunteer work through campus events. One particular event is the blood drive held by OBI each semester. The Cameron Collegian has been partnering with OBI to provide students the opportunity to give blood and save a life. The Collegian asks readers to stay tuned and look out for the next blood drive!
Food Banks Beyond the campus, there are also volunteer opportunities within the Lawton community. A common way to serve the community is by volunteering at the food bank. Food banks are always in need of people who would be able to stock shelves, organize items or even donate more food for those in need.
Animal shelters and animal welfare facilities are often in need of people who can complete tasks such as feeding an animal, cleaning an animal’s kennel, or even just keeping an animal company.
1819 Sheridan Rd
(580) 353-7994 https://www.lawtonfoodbank.org/ volunteer.html Lawton Animal Welfare 2104 SW 6th St (580) 581-3219 https://lawtonanimalwelfare.com/ volunteering Lawton Public Library 110 SW 4th St (580) 581-3450 https://www.lawtonok.gov/338/ Volunteering-at-the-Library United Way Southwest Oklahoma 1116 SW A Ave. (580) 355-0218 https://www.uwswok.org
Letters Policy
THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
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Managing Editors - Angelica Martinez News Editor - Jake Thomas Voices Editor - Jaley Melton-Wiley A & E Editor - Makayla Flenoury Sports Editor - Matthew Hasley Community Outreach Editor - Fabiola Perez-Aponte Student Life Editor - Rachel Nunn Copy Editor - Rachel Nunn Digital Content Editor - Steven Utter
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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The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available twenty Mondays during the year. It is printed by the Lawton Constitution. The first issue is provided for free. Each subsequent issue is $1.50.
The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author. The unsigned editorial under the heading “Voices” 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.
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Staff Writers - Steven Utter, Michael Evans, Alex Weaver, Daniel Zikan, Devlin Calley Photographers - Jones Baskett, Sean Greenwood, Billy Shane Peterson Graphic Design - Fabiola Perez-Aponte Faculty Adviser - Prof. David Bublitz
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. All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification. Letters can be e-mailed to aggiecentral@cameron.edu.
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The Cameron Collegian is dedicated to ensuring all journalistic content is accessible to all readers. For access to PDF copies of The Cameron Collegian, contact Adviser David Bublitz at dbublitz@cameron.edu.
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A&E
Makayla Flenoury A&E Editor
After waiting four years, Spider-Man finally hit theaters on July 31. We’ve all been waiting for this movie since “No Way Home”, or at least I have— rather impatiently, not that I had any choice. Most Spider-Man fans were eager to see his story continue after the tragic events in “Spider-Man: No Way Home”. Peter’s life flipped upside down after Mysterio revealed his identity to the world, making him a public enemy, putting his loved ones in danger and even fracturing the multiverse. These events force him to make everyone forget who Peter Parker is, leaving him completely alone. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was a fantastic movie, and I don’t think “Brand New Day” missed the bar. I actually think it’s hard to compare the two movies because “No Way Home” ended a chapter and “Brand New Day” started a new one. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” starts with acknowledging the time skip and establishing how lonely and sad Peter is. He’s constantly watching Ned’s social media just to get a glimpse of Ned and MJ’s life and drowning himself in crime-fighting. This is his life now, until a new threat appears. Peter gets word of an armored tank barreling straight towards a Damage Control building holding dangerous criminals. Of course, Peter rushes to stop it, but someone else arrived before him— Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), aka The Punisher. I’ve only watched one season of Punisher’s show (I’m working on the second), but I think they changed his character to make him more comedic. This isn’t neces-
sarily a bad thing, but I think it downplays the Punisher a lot, especially with a comment made later in the movie. Peter doesn’t stop the tank in time, and it crashes into the Damage Control Center. The driver is revealed to be an elderly woman, who has no idea how she got there. That’s when a seemingly strange entity jumps into a different person’s mind and takes control of their actions. Fast forward, and the mysterious entity is revealed to be none other than Jean Grey, a powerful telepath searching the Damage Control Centers for something called V-Max. It was the last message she got from her sister (who is also a telepath). Spider-Man struggles to figure out how to stop Jean. She’s everywhere and nowhere; how does anyone fight a telepath? Not only that, but Peter’s emotional trauma from being overworked, exhausted and alone is causing his arachnid DNA to spiral out of control, causing intense sensory sensitivity, loss of consciousness and organic webbing that he can’t control. Peter ignores his need for rest and goes after Jean. After searching for ways to contain her (and his own) abilities, Peter meets her at the main Damage Control building (not the same one that was destroyed). Unfortunately for Peter and Punisher, who tagged along, the Hulk was there under Jean’s control. Peter sent Punisher after Jean and stayed back to fight Hulk. Punisher ended up being easily overtaken by Jean, and once in his mind, she said: “Whoa, this guy has issues,” Which is the comment that I think shrinks Punisher’s character. Jean continues her search for V-Max but is unable to find it as the employees still claim to have no idea what she is talking about. Peter was able to attach the power dampener, rendering Jean defenseless, and Damage Control takes her into custody. You might think this is the end, but no. We see Jean locked into a chair in a staged room with the Director of Damage Control, William Metzger (Tramell Tillman; he’s seen throughout the movie, by
September 8, 2026
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the way). He goes on about how her power could change the world in the right hands. Metzger and his team begin forcing Jean to use her abilities through a machine while recording her brainwaves. A short break leaves Jean exhausted, throwing her head back— and we finally find out what V-Max is. The vent above features a worn-out sticker spelling out V-Max. The thing she searched for. The thing that was supposed to lead her to her sister–was nothing but a vent sticker. Jean finally put the pieces together— They did the same thing to her sister, but she was overloaded and died in that very room. The V-Max reveal was absolutely devastating for Jean’s character. It was extremely well written, and it took me by surprise. Peter does end up realizing the Metzger was lying to him and goes back to rescue Jean. She didn’t really need saving, but she did need comforting, and I think Peter did too. While I think this movie was more action-oriented, there was a lot of emotional depth. I didn’t even touch on MJ and Ned; they were another layer of Peter’s emotional overload. I have two small critiques for this movie— one, being Frank Castle. I don’t think they should’ve diminished his character for comedic relief. There are plenty of other comedic characters, and Spider-Man is very comedic himself. Two, during Jean’s search, she put a lot of innocent people in danger for what seemed to be for nothing or just because. I mean, she made an elderly man get hit by a car just to taunt Peter. If she was just looking for her sister, there wasn’t a need for her to hurt people just for fun. Or maybe that added to the plot and the reveal that she isn’t necessarily a villain. She’s just a sad girl wanting to get her sister back. I did really enjoy the action in this movie, and the shock I got from when Peter’s arachnid DNA got out of control. He started pulling out video game finishers. I was expecting a little more from his fight with Hulk. I mean, it was the Hulk— though it was still an enjoyable fight. With everything considered, I would give this movie a 9/10.
Graphic by Fabiola Perez-Aponte
OBSESSION continued from page 1 Bear and Ian get some time to talk during their night out, and of course Bear is talking about Nikki. He’s trying to gather up the courage to ask her out, while Ian is trying to be sneakily discouraging and giving Bear bad advice (for those who watched the movie, Ian should’ve told him). The night ends with Sarah and Ian wanting to go to karaoke and Nikki wanting to go home. They try to convince her to come, but Bear offers her a ride home. This was his chance. He was going to confess. Sike. Bear drives Nikki home; the ride isn’t completely silent, but not comfortable either. At some point, Nikki directly asks Bear if he has feelings for her, which he denies. The ride ends, and as Nikki is about to reach her door, Bear makes a wish: “I wish Nikki Freeman loved me more than anyone in the f***ing world.” He didn’t think it would work; he didn’t think it was real. Some part of him hoped it did. Why else would he have made the wish, in front of her house no less. It did work, and it was
real. Nikki appeared back at Bear’s car door. And everything went downhill from there. All of a sudden, Bear and Nikki were inseparable. At this point in the movie, I could still understand Bear being skeptical and believing the wish didn’t work. This is the first time we see the split of Real Nikki vs Wish Nikki. Real Nikki repeatedly comes forth, regaining control over her body and freaking out. Screaming, “It’s not me!”, writing the same phrase on pictures. I think all her friends are bad people for not realizing something was wrong, and for not going to her, or confronting Bear. Ian and Nikki had been hooking up for a while, and Sarah was trying to get with Bear throughout the movie. Both of them told Bear something was wrong with Nikki. She needed a mental hospital. Their relationship was unhealthy. Bear continued the relationship even after he watched Real Nikki beg for help. At one point during the night, Real Nikki woke up saying, “She’s asleep” and asked Bear to kill her. Bear replied,
“What’s so bad about being with me?” Nikki responded with, “I’ve never been with you.” Confirming that Real Nikki and Wish Nikki are not the same. Nikki has lost control over her body. Bear sneaks out to meet up with Sarah anyway. Bear and Sarah talked for a while, almost ending their conversation with a kiss (shocker). Wish Nikki sprints out of the darkness, smashes the car window, and smashes Sarah’s head in with a brick. After that, Nikki sits Sarah up in their dining room chair. And then Bear finally tells Ian about the wish, but not to fix things. Bear buys two One Wish Willows, giving one to Ian. Bear tells Ian to wish that he never made a wish, implying that Bear wants to be able to make another wish. My assumption, to change the wording of the wish so he and Nikki can have a normal relationship. But Ian calls it nonsense and wishes for a million dollars. Sure enough, a million dollars rains from the ceiling. The movie ends with Bear running back home and Ian following shortly
after him. As Ian opens the door, Nikki shoots him square in the face. Bear then locks himself in the bathroom and attempts to end his life, as that is the only way to end the wish. Nikki finds the second One Wish Willow, making a wish similar to Bear’s. The pills were already in his system, and he drops dead shortly after. Bear’s wish ends, and we watch Real Nikki panic at the scene around her. Personally, I think this movie is trying to speak on a couple of different topics. One, toxic relationships, and two how most men need control over women’s bodies. Women often face an issue of not having full bodily autonomy and are the only ones to suffer from it— just as Nikki is left alone to clean up a mess she wanted no part of. With the number of details, effort, and the message of the movie, I would give it a 10/10. It’s really a movie you should experience for yourself. There are still so many points and so much detail I left out. My review cannot do it justice.
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5
Student Life
Cameron resource spotlight Jake Thomas News Editor
Cameron University offers students access to a range of financial, academic, career and wellness opportunities both on campus and throughout the surrounding community. Francesca Morris is Cameron’s financial and community resource specialist; it is her job to help students navigate financial aid and financial literacy while connecting them with resources based on their individual needs. Within the Student Enrichment Center, Morris assists students with financial aid questions, special circumstances, dependency overrides and satisfactory academic progress appeals. She also works with students on budgeting, saving, credit, banking and other financial topics. The Center also offers academic coaching, which can help students develop study skills, test-taking strategies, time-management and prioritization skills. Career Services provides assistance with resumes, cover letters, interviews, internships, job-shadowing opportunities and oncampus employment.
Another recently expanded resource is the Aggie Closet and Cupboard, located through the Student Services office in partnership with the alumni office. The program includes the campus closet, a place where students can receive clothes for their appropriate needs, such as weather, professional or general use. Students needing to access the pantry are available to all currently enrolled Cameron students, regardless of income. Students experiencing an unexpected financial hardship can also apply for the Care for Students Fund. The grant program provides up to $400 to eligible students dealing with emergencies that could interfere with their ability to remain successful in school. Examples can include unexpected vehicle repairs or the loss of internet access needed for coursework. Students can receive the grant once per academic year, up to twice during their time at Cameron. The Student Wellness Center provides in-person counseling on campus. Students also have access to TimelyCare, an online service offering 24/7 mental-health counseling and virtual medical visits. The platform’s
“Talk Now” feature allows students to request immediate support from a counselor. TimelyCare is available without requiring health insurance and is confidential. The Cameron University Library also provides more than traditional library materials. Students can check out calculators, tablets, digital media equipment and other supplies; the library even has their own DVD section. Umbrellas are also available for students caught on campus during bad weather. Transportation assistance is available through Lawton Area Transit System bus passes, which students can purchase through Student Accounts. A 10-ride pass provides 10 individual rides without an expiration date, while a 31-day pass provides unlimited rides for 31 days. Students without a pass can also show their Cameron ID when boarding to receive a reduced $1 fare instead of the standard $1.50 fare. Students can find additional savings through the “Paint the Town Black and Gold” initiative, which is a partnership with Cameron and local businesses or organizations. Participating businesses may offer discounts to Cameron students and employees, with current offers
Block Photos by Angelica Martinez
listed on the Cameron website under “Student Services.” Faith-based organizations in the area also provide opportunities for students to receive free meals and connect with other students. The Baptist Collegiate Ministry serves lunch Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., while the Campus Ministry Center offers dinner Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. Morris said students do not have to belong to a particular faith to attend. For students looking for assistance outside Cameron University, Morris recommends United Way of Southwest Oklahoma. Students can call 211 to be connected with community resources across the organization’s 10-county service area. The service can help students locate resources when their needs extend beyond what is available through the university. For students unsure where to begin, Morris said the university’s financial and community resource services can help identify which resources may best fit their situation; all that’s needed is for the student to reach out when they need it most. For any concerns or questions about student resources, contact the Student Enrichment Center at sec@cameron.edu.
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Community Outreach
Rachel Nunn
Phan, Chief of Artificial Intelligence and Technology Officer for the State of Student Life Editor Oklahoma, presented “Boldly Human: Why the Age of AI Needs More of Us, At 7:30 p.m., Aug. 27, in the Cameron University Theatre, students, Not Less.” Phan is a strategist for deploying staff and community members artificial intelligence and digital gathered for the first community modernizations. He oversees presentation of Festival XIII: Being systems and implementations in AI Human in the Age of AI. across health, Cameron transportation, University’s public safety and academic “My responsibility financial services festivals are truly is to help the state in Oklahoma. privately funded government use AI Tai Phan events that introduces provide a deep traditionally in a secure the concept of study into a and truly responsible accountable single topic way.” innovations, for an entire academic year. - Tai Phan showing These festivals State of Oklahoma technological are held once Chief of Artificial Intelligence opportunities without having to every three and Technology Officer sacrifice public years, featuring trust, data security speakers and regulations for from national AI. standpoints and provides unique Phan’s goals are to inform events for the community. Oklahomans about how the gap This is the 13th academic festival between significant growth in held by Cameron University, technology and AI is becoming obtaining support financially relatively cheap, the accessibility of it through McCasland and Amquest and how we use it currently to benefit Bank Endowed Chair, which had us. been established by the McCasland “My responsibility truly is to foundation in 1989. Other funds help the state government use AI came from the Cameron University traditionally in a secure and truly Foundation, Lectures and Concerts responsible way,” Phan said. Series. Although there are fears of The theme for Cameron University’s 2026-27 academic festival massive layoffs attributed to AI, it’s been shown that businesses are is Being Human in the Age of AI now rehiring because AI can’t do (Artificial Intelligence). Speaker Tai
Alexander Weaver Staff Writer
From 12:30 - 3:30 p.m., Aug. 25, in Nance-Boyer, the CU Student Enrichment Center partnered with Aggie Fizzness to host a Puzzle Race event. During the event, students raced to see who could solve jigsaw puzzles the fastest. Students could compete in double and single races or just hang out and enjoy the dirty sodas provided by Michael Gonzales, president of the business club and founder of Aggie Fizzness.
everything humans can. “Humans are needed to serve humans,” Phan said. In businesses, it’s fundamental that humans work, but now that AI has intervened and caused a loss of jobs, there’s a massive AI transformation happening with technology in America. “Productivity levels are increasing, while the workforce transformation hasn’t truly taken place just yet,” Phan said. The skepticism surrounding AI, lies not only in the pervasive ethical dilemmas it poses, but also in its ability to perform jobs with the efficiency and nuance certain fields require. Noah Shifflet, a student at Cameron University, pointed out AI’s inability to keep pace in jobs that require human judgement. “With the AI models I see,” Shifflett said. “I do outpace it intellectually, so I’m able to understand things on a deeper scale.” Shifflett goes on to reference where AI lacks the effective and critical analysis in the military, geopolitical spaces and in other fields. Organizations and businesses have implemented AI but using it in other areas
“Aggie Fizzness is a beverage business,” Gonzales said. “We sell dirty sodas, and we collaborate with clubs and events, and we want to be the go-to drink at Cameron University.” The drinks are made of popular sodas mixed with cream and other flavors. Some of the drinks include The Fizzness, Shark Attack, Mama Bahama, Skinny Breeze and Piña Paradise. Gonzales partnered with Aubrey Tucker, the founder of Willow Beverage Co. and the sponsor of Aggie Fizzness. Willow Beverage Co. is located in Medicine Park, where Tucker sells lemonade and beverages. Gonzales connected with Tucker through their work as interns at Arvest Bank. “I just wanted to get experience,” Gonzales said. “I wanted to start my own business, but then there was no risk, like, truly there was no risk starting it in college. The only risk I had was, like, failing — looking bad.”
September 8, 2026
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of life has led to deeper skepticism especially with human creativity, relationships and judgment. Throughout the presentation, Phan used Mentimeter, an app that asked the audience questions and they could respond. One of the questions was “Are you getting value or result from AI?” “I don’t find a lot of value from it,” Shifflett said. “Because a lot of the capabilities can be degraded or it can be frustrating to work with.” Graphic By Fabiola Perez-Aponte
“Aggie Fizzness is all student-led,” Gonzales said. “Business students are gonna run the business; marketing is gonna promote the business; and finance would track all the finances and bookkeeping of all the money we make. And management actually runs the business, and makes sure everything runs smoothly.” Because this is a student-led business, Gonzales will soon pass on the business to the next president of the business club. Students can also fill other roles in the Aggie Fizzness business on the marketing, management, and finance teams. Gonzales said that students can work a shift for Aggie Fizzness for volunteer hours. Aggie Fizzness plans to ultimately do events two times a week on campus with hopes to partner with other campus organizations. For more information or questions, follow @ aggie_fizzness or @cu.businessclub on Instagram.
Photos by Angelica Martinez