Monday, February 27, 2012
News
Volume 86 Issue 17
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Homecoming couple crowned
Feature
Kayode Alli and Tolu Agbetunsin become CU royalty
Jobs Cameron University’s Student Development hosts the Red River Career Expo Page 3
Treasure Global Positioning Systems make way for Geocachers to hunt items nationally. Page 2
Crossroads
A&E
Photo by Teewhy Dojotelegan
Becoming royalty: Kayode Alli and Tolu Agbetunsin pose for several pictures after being crowned the new Homecoming King and Queen. The coronation was held during the men’s basketball games and ended a week of Homecoming contests and events.
Saving Pets Students run a food drive for Lawton’s Animal Welfare Division. Page 8
Sports
Tennis Aggie Tennis begins their season with wins and losses across the area. Page 6
by Sarah Holloway and Lizzy Owoyemi Staff Writers
Cameron University students have chosen their 2012 Homecoming royalty. Kayode Alli and Tolu Agbestusin of the Nigerian Student Association were crowned as this year’s King and Queen. The coronation of the new King and Queen occurred during halftime of the men’s basketball game against West Texas A&M on Feb. 25 at the Aggie Gymnasium. There were a total of 22 candidates who were running for Homecoming. A majority of the candidates were pairs representing specific organizations, which included Aggie Ambassadors, Chemistry Club, Ebony Society, Sigma Tau Gamma and Sigma Alpha Omega. Homecoming King Kayode Alli, a junior Information Technology major, said that being crowned was a wonderful feeling. “I feel great. I just want to thank God,”
Photo by Matthew Berberea
Alli said. “I have been expecting this to happen and I have been having the mind of winning. I give God glory.” Homecoming Queen Tolu Agbetusin, a senior Biology major, said that she could not explain how she felt when her name was called as the new Queen. “I feel great, happy and thankful to everyone who voted for me,” Agbetusin said. “I had the mind to run and I was actually short of words when my name was called.” The coronation was the final part of a series of events presented during the week to celebrate Homecoming. The 2012 Homecoming week, themed “Under the Big Top,” had organizations involved in different kinds of competitions such as the window painting and the banner competition.
See HOMECOMING Page 3
Fashion CU’s International Club is preparing a fashion show to benefit students. Page 5
Sports
Basketball Men’s basketball takes a fall during one of their final games of this season. Page 7
Proposed state law aims to curb meth use by Amanda Goemmer Newswriting Student
Photo by Amanda Goemmer
A new standard: Pharmacist Mark Beevers makes anti-nausea medicine to be sold at his pharmacy. If passed, the new methamphetimine law would require citizens to have a prescription to purchase pseudoephedrine.
A new law may soon be in effect that will make pseudoephedrine, commonly known as Sudafed, a prescription drug. Pseudoephedrine is a key ingredient in methamphetamine (meth), an addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. Methamphetamine abuse had died down for a while in the area, but according to Comanche County Sheriff Kenny Stradley, the drug is making a comeback. “For a while we had it slowed up (meth production), but here it comes again,” Stradley said. “It’s coming back.” According to Agent Chris Smith, agent in charge at the Lawton branch of Oklahoma’s Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, there is already a policy in effect that restricts the amount of pseudoephedrine that an individual can purchase. “There is a nine gram limit on the amount of pseudoephedrine you can buy within any 30 day period,” Agent Smith said. According to Agent Smith, the new legislation was proposed with two goals in mind. If passed, officials expect to see a decline in the amount of methamphetamine that is produced, and they are also hoping to stop individuals from engaging in a pseudoephedrine-buying scheme known as smurfing. “It’s to curb the use of pseudoephedrine in the production of methamphetamine and to stop the
method of purchasing called smurfing,” Agent Smith said. According to Sheriff Stradley, “smurfs” are people who procure the materials needed to produce methamphetamine, specifically pseudoephedrine. “Smurfing is where a group of individuals get together and they go out and get Sudafed to make dope, then they bring it back to a cook,” Stradley said. “For their part in getting the Sudafed they get some of the dope or they could get some [meth] and sell it to make money.” According to Elgin Discount Pharmacy Pharmacist Mark Beevers the amount of Pseudoephedrine that is used to create meth is surprisingly high. “90 percent of the pseudoephedrine medicine produced in the U.S is turned into methamphetamine,” Beevers said. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s webpage, the effects of Methamphetamine addiction vary, ranging from anxiety to paranoia. However one of the lasting effects is perhaps the most alarming. Studies suggest that, “…long-lasting and even permanent brain changes may result from methamphetamine abuse.” According to Clinical Director of Roadback Incorporated Nivian Rozumialski, methamphetamine addiction affects every part of a person’s life. “When addiction takes over, it takes over everything,” Rozumialski said. Roadback Inc. is an organization based in Lawton that offers assistance to those who are struggling with a drug addiction.
“Our mission is to provide help and hope in recovery,” Rozumialski said. For those who suspect that a friend or family member may be abusing methamphetamine or other drugs, it is preferable that the person be confronted, without feeling that they are being judged, Rozumialski said. She offered advice to those struggling with this task. “Be very understanding and compassionate with that person and ask if they want help,” Rozumialski said. According to Rozumialski, recovery from drug addiction cannot begin until an addict is willing to accept assistance. “If they want the help, and are ready for the help, then we can start working with that person,” Rozumialski said. Rozumialski explained that in some cases, well-meaning friends and family members could inadvertently make a drug addict’s situation worse by not addressing the problem. In those cases, that person may be enabling the addict to continue to engage in substance abuse. “An enabler is one that is helping that addiction by trying to avoid the fact that this person is a drug addict or an alcoholic,” Rozumialski said. According to Rozumialski, Roadback Inc. is a good place to turn if someone is struggling with drug addiction, and is ready to accept help. “Help is always there and we’re not here to criticize you or judge you,” Rozumialski said, “there is help, and there is hope.” For more information on Roadback Inc. and the services they offer, individuals can call 580.357.6889.
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Math department host Jeopardy! on campus by Miranda Raines Staff Writer
This is Jeopardy. The Cameron University Mathematical Sciences Department hosted the annual Math Jeopardy competition on Feb. 17. The Math Jeopardy competition started in the fall of 2009. The 2009-2010 academic year was the first and only time the game was played during both the fall and spring semester; since then it has been played exclusively during the spring. Dr. Gregory Herring, Department Chair of the Mathematical Sciences Department and Assistant Professor of Mathematics, organized and hosted the event. From getting questions from the faculty to setting up the actual PowerPoint presentation for the competition, preparing for the CU Jeopardy is no easy task, Dr. Herring said. “The majority of the questions come from the faculty,” he said. “I send a request out for faculty to submit questions. Typically I look for a category with all five questions included. If faculty members are not able to come up with a complete category and just know some good questions, I will build a category of my own.” Dr. Herring explained that the Jeopardy competition and rules are not so far removed from the televised game. “Our Math Jeopardy runs just like the regular show. It starts with six categories
Photo by Miranda Raines
Game of questions: Students listen to questions during the Math Jeopardy competition. The winners are given a chance to represent CU at the Texas Oklahoma Regional undergraduate Symposium (TORUS) and five questions each, students are given an answer and they have to come up with a proper response in the form of a question,” he said. “They are given a similar amount of time to answer as the show.” The Math jeopardy board contains “Daily Doubles,” and the first round questions are easier than the second. The second round questions are more of what the students are currently learning in their classes. Although the competition is essentially the same, contestants are
either in teams of three or compete individually, depending on how many students are in attendance each year. All participants receive prizes, with first place winners selecting first; however, the real prize is having the chance to compete at the 8th Annual Texas Oklahoma Regional Undergraduate Symposium (TORUS) on Feb. 25 at The University of Central Oklahoma. Dr. Herring said that the CU Math Jeopardy event serves as preparation for those who will attend the TORUS
competition, and gives those unable to attend the chance to see what the game is like. Competing for his fourth year in both the CU math Jeopardy and TORUS competition, senior William Fleshman, a double-degree major of Mathematics and Computer Science, was one of team captains from the Feb. 17 competition. Fleshman described the benefits of being a contestant and participating in the TORUS competition. “Going to TORUS benefits students by giving us the opportunity to hear speakers like professional mathematicians and students from other schools that we would not get to otherwise,” he said. “The Jeopardy competition challenges us as budding mathematicians and can interest us in areas of math we might not have discovered. Not to mention it gives us the opportunity to represent Cameron at the collegiate level.” Joining Fleshman will be fellow team captains, senior Math major Isaiah Munir and junior Math major Nitesh Verma In 2006 CU took first place at the TORUS competition, and according to Dr. Herring, the CU team has taken second the past few years. “For the last couple of years we have placed second, but we are really hoping to take that first place spot again,” Dr. Herring said. Results from the TORUS competition and past competitions can be found at http://homepages.se.edu/torus/.
Geocaching changes outdoor treasure hunting by Fern Cepeda Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of MCT Campus
Hunting by GPS: Geocacher Brittany Meagher holds her GPS device with the satellite coordinates of a nearby cache. Geocaching has become a popular activity around the world.
The practice of outdoor treasure hunting has gone hightech and goes under the name: Geocache. Geocaching is a treasure hunting game in which participants go outside and search for hidden containers, called geocaches, using their Global Positioning Systems (GPS). The GPS takes them close to where the geocache is, but it is up to the hunter to look around the area and find the container. Once found, the participant can write their name and date on the log book inside the geocache. After the geocache has been found and information has been written, it is advised to put the geocache back where it was found so other participants can find it. Geocache is being played all around the world. According to geocaching.com, there are over 1.5 million active geocaches and over 5 million geocachers worldwide. Dave Ulmer, a
computer consultant, started Geocache in 2000. He decided to place a bucket in the woods in Oregon and put the coordinates online. Mike Teague, the first person to find Ulmer’s bucket, decided to put all the coordinates online and keep track. By September 2000, geocaching started to become big. There are at least 5,719 geocaches in Lawton. Whether day or night, participants can search for these geocaches whenever they want; they can even use the GPS in their cellphones. Jordan McKean, junior History major, explained how she became a geocache hunter. “I heard about geocaching last spring from my boss,” McKean said. “He told me that I would be interested in it.” McKean started geocaching, but stopped around August of last year. Recently, though, she remembered about geocaching and how much fun the experience was, so she decided to pick it up again with some
friends. “The last time I geocached was last weekend,” McKean said. “I had a few caches that were really hard to find but I had five successful finds. I would recommend it to anyone that seems up to a fun little treasure hunt.” McKean went out at night and started to search for geocaches. She didn’t care if the weather conditions were windy, all she wanted was to find the geocache and challenge herself for the next find. “It’s so much fun to search for them,” she said. “I want to find some of the harder ones. Also, I think it would be awesome to go to another city to do one.” Geocaching is everywhere, and anyone looking for a challenge can join. Participants can go online and find geocache coordinates, and there are also free applications available on cellphone markets to get started. It’s easy to start finding the hidden treasure and have fun with the world of geocache.
covered. “This textbook involves new research related to numerical methods for solving equations, and solving equations related to physical phenomenon,” he said. “To tell the procedures of very important mathematical tools, help us to use them to solve equations.” The CU press release from the Office of Public Affairs further explained the direction of the textbook. “The volume is designed to assist researchers, practitioners and students to efficiently utilize numerical methods for approximating solutions of equations resulting from the study of real life problems arising in biosciences, engineering, mathematical programming, optimization, mathematical physics and mathematical economies,” the press release stated. Dr. Argyros said the textbook is directed towards senior undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers and practitioners in computational mathematics.
One CU Senior Mathematics Major, Shobhakhar Adhikari, assisted Dr. Argyros with research, as both undergraduate research and graduate school preparation. Dr. Argyros and Adhikari presented a paper from the textbook as a poster during the “Oklahoma Research Day 2011” conference that was held on the CU campus. Dr. Argyros is no stranger to publication and research. According to the CU press release, Dr. Argyros has been published in 21 books/ monographs and more than 700 peer-reviews articles over computational mathematics. “This is my twenty-first textbook, 17 of which I have done by myself and the others were collaborations with other professors,” he said. After several publications, Dr. Argyros makes the process of being published seem like an easy one. “If the research is very serious, then it is never very hard to get published,” he said.
Math professor authors textbook by Miranda Raines News Writer
Cameron University’s Professor of Mathematical Sciences Dr. Ioannis K. Argyros, is the author of another mathematics textbook “Advances on Iterative Procedures.” The Nova Science Publishers, Inc. published this latest textbook, releasing it on Sept. 9, 2011. Furthering the research of fellow computational mathematics text and authors is where the process begins for Dr. Argyros. “I am doing research in computational mathematics, I read what others have done in certain areas of mathematics and I try to give my own contribution by doing researching further on the subjects, or areas I am focusing on in a particular text,” Dr. Argyros said. According to him, the process of writing a textbook is one that takes a lot of discipline, and many days and
Photo by Dianne Riddles
Master of the art: Dr. Argyros shows a portion of a text. He recently published a research-based mathematics textbook titled “Advances on Iterative Procedures. nights. This text in particular, Dr. Argyros said, advances
research in equations related to physical phenomenon, and the importance of the subjects
3 News Academic Festival: A year-long focus on Afghanistan February 27, 2012
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by Teewhy Dojutelegan News Editor
The 2011-2012 Academic Festival will conclude in March with the visit of Gen. (Ret.) Stanley A. McChrystal on Mar. 15. “Afghanistan: Its Complexities and Relevance” has featured a number of speakers who have been in a way involved in issues about Afghanistan. The first speaker, Dr. Khaled Hosseini, a native of Afghanistan and author of “The Kite Runner” and “A Thousand Splendid Suns” discussed growing up in peaceful Afghanistan and compared it to the present. He also discussed the inspiration for his stories and cited personal experiences as a backbone for his books. The festival continued with Steve Coll, best-selling author and president of New America Foundation. Coll, who won the Pulitzer Prize for “Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001,” discussed three myths concerning Afghanistan in September. He debunked notions that Afghanistan is merely made
Photo courtesy CU Public Affairs
Understanding the issues: The year-long Academic Festival has featured four internationally recognized speakers. Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal will speak from a military stand point in conclusion of the triennial festival on March 15. up of warring tribes and that Afghans were continually at war. He also discredited the myth that Afghans hate foreigners with an intense dislike for Americans. In October, former U.S Senator Chuck Hagel was the third featured speaker to discuss Afghanistan. In his presentation, Hagel highlighted several issues, including the sacrifices that American soldiers have made during the war in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He also stressed the roles that economic resources play in
foreign policy. Journalist and foreign policy analyst Robin Wright was the fourth of the five speakers featured in the Academic Festival. Wright, who has reported from over 140 countries and published many books, including “Sacred Rage: The Wrath of Militant Islam,” discussed her experiences as a female reporter in a war. She also discussed the treatment of women in Afghanistan and explained that changing times and bad planning interrupted
America’s good intentions. Retired Gen. McChrystal will conclude the triennial event this year. According to Provost John McArthur, he will provide a military perspective on March 15, 2012. According to information available on the CU website, Gen. McChrystal is a four star general who has been widely praised for creating a revolution in warfare. “Retired Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal is widely praised for creating a revolution in warfare that fused intelligence
and operations,” the website stated. “A four-star general, he is the former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan and the former leader of Joint Special Operations Command, which oversees the military’s most sensitive forces.” According to Provost McArthur, ROTC Cadet Quinton Thompson will introduce the retired general at the student-only session while Cadet William Fleshman will introduce him at the evening session. Provost McArthur said the increased interest prompted the event to be moved to the Aggie Gym. “Due to expected interest and advanced calls inquiring about tickets from various constituents, it was decided to move this final speaker to Aggie Gym to allow for more people to see him in person,” he said. Tickets have all been reserved to hear retired Gen. McChrystal at 7:30 p.m. on March 15 in the Aggie Gym. The public is invited to contact the Office of Public Affairs at 580.581.2211 to be placed on a waiting list.
CU Students go job hunting at Career Expo by Tyler Boydston Staff Writer
Over 85 booths marked the different businesses represented at the 15th annual Red River Career Expo, held 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Cameron University’s Fitness Center. Career Services Coordinator Jacob Johnson explained how Cameron University’s Student Development and Fort Sill collaborated to bring the event together. “Student Development along with Fort Sill’s Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) worked to organize it,” Johnson said. “We have a committee between the two of us that puts the event together.”
According to Johnson, the businesses found at this year’s Career Expo were not just local, but regional and national as well, with jobs from other regions of Oklahoma and other states appearing at the fair. “The businesses are local, regional and national,” he said. “We have a few different cities, like Lawton and Wichita Falls, represented. We’ve got a wide variety of businesses from technology companies, correctional facilities and government contractors to banking, chains like Game Stop and railroad companies.” According to Johnson, the career expo at CU happens yearly, primarily during the spring semester.
“It’s a yearly event, usually happening around the third week of February,” Johnson said. One of the businesses hiring at the job fair was Oklahoma State University (OSU), with positions in Stillwater, Oklahoma City, Okmulgee and Tulsa. Representing OSU at the career expo this year was Equal Opportunity Officer Mackenzie Wilfong. According to Wilfong, this year OSU primarily focused on finding jobs for veterans. “This year’s focus is on finding jobs for veterans as they return,” Wilfong said. “We had a job fair late last year in Midwest City sponsored by Tinker Air Force. We feel very strongly that veterans are fully employed.”
Trudy Kastner represented the city of Lawton Fire Department at the Career Expo. According to Kastner, the appearance of the Lawton Fire Department at job fairs has grown over the years. “We used to do one a year, and now we do anywhere from six to 18,” Kastner said. “I love just meeting the people and representing the city.” Paul Evans represented the trucking company of Groendyke Transport, Inc. According to Evans, Groendyke Transport is represented in other states as well. “We have various locations throughout the country,” he said. “We are located in 13 states as of now, including Oklahoma.” Evans said that some of his
favorite moments from the job fairs he has attended are getting to meet the different people. “We go to anywhere from three to 12 job fairs each year,” he said. “It’s always great to interact with the people at each one.” Joe Smith and Adam Small represented the Lucas Group, an executive search group in charge of finding jobs for its clients. According to Small, the Career Expo gives the group a way to find and recruit new clients and to let them know what they have in store. “We go to about six to eight job fairs each year to get the word out,” he said. “The good thing about job fairs in general is that we let people know what we as a company have to offer.”
HOMECOMING continued from page 1
According to Programming Activities Council Co-Chair Barkley Kirk, a senior Accounting major, Homecoming week is one of the biggest events that happens on campus every year and was packed with events to give students a unique experience. Dr. Seahorse, a techno band from California, kicked off Homecoming on Monday, Feb. 20. Kirk said that the show has been planned for months. “We got in touch with Dr. Seahorse in October,” Kirk said. “There were a total of 100 people who were there to watch his performance.” Tuesday featured Peter Boise, the Magician for NonBelievers. He performed numerous tricks to captivate the attention of CU students. Over 300 students came to the McCasland Ballroom to watch the show. Freshman Business major Myles Hightower described the magic show as an entertaining and enjoyable performance. “The magic show blew my mind,” Hightower said. “My favorite part was when Boie did the rope act.” Voting was held for Homecoming King and Queen on Wednesday and Thursday. PAC provided free pizza, cotton candy and popcorn that Wednesday during the voting hours. Kirk said that there were a total of 130 boxes of pizza that were ordered and 550 students were in attendance. The ballot boxes were completely filled from the students voting on this year’s King and Queen candidates. Thursday marked the night of the Homecoming dance. The candidates were formally introduced during the dance, giving students a chance to see the candidates and learn more about them. On Friday night, there was a Bonfire Pep Rally at the South Village parking lot. Attendees braved the cold to raise school spirit for the basketball games the next day. Students enjoyed free Jiffy Pop, hot chocolate and s’mores while warming up in front of the bonfire and the smaller fire pits. There was also a raff le contest where one lucky student was able to win an Amazon Kindle Fire tablet. Before the games on Saturday, students had the opportunity to attend the Aggie Fun Run as well as the Chuck Wagon CookOff and Tailgate that was held on the Aggie Gym lawn. The Aggie Gymnasium was packed with students, alumni and other guests. The Homecoming basketball games were the final games for the both teams’ regular season. The women’s team ended their season with a loss against West Texas A&M. The men’s team won their game.
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Reflecting on the memories with ‘Grannie’
by Rachel Engel Columnist
THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna
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I knew this day had been coming for a long time. Years ago, I knew that it was only a matter of time, and to cherish every last moment. You think you can prepare yourself; you know the facts, and arm yourself with courage, but it’s still a shock. When my dad called that night, as I was frantically throwing clothes into a suitcase in a desperate attempt to get on the road and make it in time, his words stopped me cold. “She’s gone,” he said. “Grannie’s gone.” It was so sudden, and yet so expected, all at once. An avid smoker, and indignant that her habit had anything to do with her health problems, she had been hospitalized for pneumonia at least a dozen times over the last few years. It had all but become routine at this point; she got sick, was admitted to the hospital, and then went back to the nursing home. So when I received a text on the morning of Feb. 10, I thought nothing of it. But this time wasn’t like the other times. It hit her too quickly, and she was too weak. My grannie was an amazing woman. She had a mean temper if you ticked her off, but she loved just as fiercely. Her family was her whole world; the memories I have of large gatherings at every possible holiday are dominant when I think back on my childhood. Christmases with a house so packed you had to squeeze past people in order to make it to the restroom, and she was the center of everything. I was 16 and my husband was 20 when I met him and introduced him to my family. My parents were obviously concerned about the age difference (and now that I have a daughter, I completely understand), but my grandmother met him and adored him. He was a republican (though, I fixed that), he smoked cigarettes (which was always a plus in her book for some reason), and he drank coffee. He was a keeper. I actually have an email printed out from 2004 after the weekend I had introduced him to her. She told me that he was a lovely young man, and she didn’t think he was too old for me at all. She was always a wonderful judge of character. When I would spend the night at her house as a child, we would stay up until nearly sunrise playing with whatever the newest gaming system was. I was equally astonished and jealous that she was able
Personal appearance needs to take priority
Depending on the occasion, what you wear can earn, or cost, you respect. Most of the time, what you wear actually speaks before you do. It speaks confidence, class, self-respect, dignity or power. There are people who walk into a gathering and all attention will be diverted to them. It could be a lovely red or blue gown, a nice suit on with fitted trousers or a perfume that brings a warm feeling. We make a statement with appearance. Imagine yourself as a Manager by Lizzy Owoyemi company, ofanda multinational a young lady Staff Writer applying for the post of a secretary walks in with a Simplicity is one of the ingredients that give life a unique flowing gown on and sandals. How would you react? For my taste. Growing up, I realized part, the interview would be that you do not have to be loud over on the spot. Dressing like for people to notice you, but that shows tells me that the there is a certain, distinct thing interviewee has no respect for that attracts them to you. That the job or the company, and thing, I believe, is your “look.” such a person is not fit for that Fashion is a subject that position. Can a presidential requires lifelong learning. It candidate put on a t-shirt and has become unpredictable, and jean in a conference room? I do changes depending on people’s not think so. mood, ideas and fancies. Many It is important to note that times, we dress the way we are looks matter when it comes to because our appearance defines relationships. No man wants who we are. Packaging is what to go out on a date with a lady attracts people to a particular who is not presentable. No product, and so too do our matter how long a relationship looks or appearances define the is, looking good matters. categories of people that will be Sometimes, the one thing that attracted to us.
causes distance between people in relationship is the loss of attraction, which can often lead to break ups. We are responsible for keeping the sparks alive in our relationships, and maintaining a good look is one way to do just that. People might argue that we should be free to dress the way we want regardless of what others feel, but this attitude does not work in the real world. Society generally judges people on how they look. First impressions often last long, and we must be careful to paint a positive picture with our look. After all, you never know who your boss might be. Not only do we have to look good, we must also learn to add class to what we wear. No matter how good looking a lady may be, sitting with legs wide open in a gown is not the most attractive; crossed legs and a lovely smile speaks maturity. In turn, most ladies love guys with good looks and matured dress sense. It is not how expensive the look is; what matters is how it fits. Thanks to stores that sell good outfits at affordable prices, we do not have to be millionaires
to look good. All that is needed is confidence and a nice color combination Even though there are times we need people to tell us how good we look, we can still find comfort in our inner beauty. You have to first believe you look good before you can actually dress good. One mistake people make is trying to look like celebrities or a super star, forgetting that even those in Hollywood have their own style and standards. Ladies, yes, it is good to look fascinating like Jennifer Lopez, but striving for a look should not mean going on hunger strike. Guys, you do not have to strain your muscles just to look like Brad Pitt. There are clothes for different shapes and sizes. The essence of looking good is not only to express who you really are, but sometimes meeting some societal requirements. We must endeavor to be creative in the way we look and not try to be who we are not. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “Love of beauty is taste and creation of beauty is art.”
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Our Views
The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author. The unsigned editorial under the heading “Aggie 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. 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.
to beat Zelda: Ocarina of Time before I did. Like I said, she was an amazing woman. It is surreal to think that each day the sun rises, she doesn’t see it. She’s not here anymore; I will never take my daughter to visit her in the nursing home again. I won’t be able to show her pictures of our new house, and I will never again kiss her and tell her how much I love her. I have to hope that she truly knows what a force she was in my life, and how much stock I put in her opinion. She introduced me to some of my favorite movies, and it’s because of her that I am a huge Liza Minnelli fan. In 2008, my grandmother, mother, sister, aunt and I went to see Liza perform at the Bass Hall in Fort Worth, and that night is one of the most amazing nights of my life. Being able to share in such a unique experience with my grandmother still makes me smile to think about it. This past week at her funeral, over 175 people showed up to pay their respects and tell her goodbye, which is a testament to how absolutely loved she was, and it felt more like a reunion than a funeral. As I mingled with friends and family members I hadn’t seen in so long, I looked back to where she was laid out in her casket, all alone. I walked over to her, and patted her shoulder; it seemed wrong that she was way over there, away from the party. It felt wrong that she wasn’t in the thick of it all, laughing infectiously and reminiscing with the group the way she used to do. She was the only grandparent I have ever known; all my other grandparents are either estranged or passed away when I was little. She was everything, and she was all I needed, though. I remember how excited she was when I told her she was going to be a greatgrandmother for the first time, and I’m so thankful that she was able to get to know my daughter before she went. There is never enough time; no matter how long we get, we always want more time with the people we love. I hope she knows that I have always admired her poise, her strength and her ability to be right about everything. And I hope she knows how much she meant to me, because there wasn’t enough time in the world to convey just how much. I love you, Grannie. Thank you, for everything.
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A&E
February 27, 2012
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Dr. Seahorse rocks MCC Ballroom
photo by Sarah Brewer
Dr. Seahorse: indie-pop duo comprised of singer Trevor Davis and producer Mark Suhonen bringing unique dance moves and sounds into MCC Ballroom.
by Sarah Brewer Collegian Intern
The MCC Ballroom room reverberated with soul and synth when Dr. Seahorse performed on the evening of Feb. 20. Dr. Seahorse is an indiepop duo formed as a project in June of 2007, featuring singer/ songwriter Trevor Davis and producer Mark Suhonen. Davis would deliver songs he had written on his acoustic guitar to Suhonen, who would then replace the guitar with electronic arrangements and add programmed beats to complete the track. Their musical collaboration translated well on stage.
Davis crooned, grooved and moonwalked, while Suhonen manned turntables and drums. Both Davis and Suhonen often interacted with the audience. When members of the audience formed a conga line during “Closer,” a midtempo track that pulsated like a breathing heart, Davis joined in and danced with students. Before introducing the next song on the set list, Davis encouraged the spirit of dance. “You can’t always dance to this music, but you can move to it,” he said. The lyrics of “To Move You,” a song from their 2010 EP, “Red Carpet,” explained the mantra behind their music.
“Sometimes we need to break and see the piece that’s missing,” Davis sang. Another song, the titular “Red Carpet,” contemplated love as inspiration. Davis sang slowly, allowing his voice to ascend to a high falsetto while using slow upper-body movements to illustrate the song. Melissa Flores, a senior Psychology major and Programming Activities Council Co-chair, enjoyed how well Dr. Seahorse fused disparate sounds and styles together. “I don’t think there’s anything out there like them. They’re like funky, techno rock-pop,” Flores said. Other students, like
Cody Gardner, a senior Communications major and Student Government Association President, found the visual element and energy Dr. Seahorse brought to the stage impressive. “Their whole presence was unique and different. I think they came as themselves and they rocked it,” Gardner said. Gardner especially connected to the rendition of one song added to the set list. “I loved their cover of Michael Jackson’s ‘Man in the Mirror,’” she said. “It’s my favorite song,” she said. According to Davis, the cover of Jackson’s hit is one of his favorites to perform.
“We know everyone is going to get into it,” he said. “There is so much nostalgia for each person whenever they first heard that song, or whenever they first got to know that song. It works through all generations.” Davis discussed songs like “Man in The Mirror,” and other last-minute onstage revisions to the set list, not only enhance each show, but also tailors each to its respective audience. “You have to consistently do what you do as a performer and be the first to step forward and see how they [the audience] respond, but continue to be yourself at the same time,” Davis said.
CU International Club to hold Fashion Show by Lizzy Oweyemi Staff Writer
Cameron University International club will host a fashion show at 7:30 p.m. on March 10 at the University Theatre. The goal of the fashion show is to establish a book scholarship for international students at CU. With the theme “CU @ Fashion Week 2012,” the fashion show is organized to start an international book scholarship, which is different from the tuition waiver and other scholarships international students benefit from at CU. On March 4 at the McCasland Ballroom there will be a mini fashion show before the main show. This smaller presentation will be held in preparation for the main fashion show, with a secondary purpose of raising money to cover the cost of the March 10 event. According to Merita Tyrell-Mitchell, a Cameron University graduate and one of the organizers of the show, the mini fashion show will showcase different models wearing cultural wears from different countries. The show will involve international students from Nepal, Caribbean Islands and Nigeria.
“The mini fashion show is just a way to make the models enjoy themselves in their various cultural attires.” Tyrell-Mitchell said. “The main goal of this mini show is to raise funds for staging the main show on the 10th and we are trying to get more students to participate.” For the mini show, models are responsible for their outfits, but there will be a stylist. They will have the opportunity to learn some tips about looking good during the week of the show. These models, who are also international students, will be involved in various activities, but the mini and main fashion show are the ones for public viewing. Tyrell-Mitchell explained that there are a total of 17 models participating in the show, and all but two are international students. These models volunteered their time because of the love they have for fashion. “The opportunity to be a model was opened to anyone who was willing to participate,” Tyrell-Mitchell said. “The models are lovers of fashion and majority of the models are international students except two who are Americans.” According to Tyrell-Mitchell, for the main fashion show, where the scholarship funds will be raised, there will be four designers and a stylist, each
photo by Lizzy Oweyemi
Getting ready for the show: Make-up artist, Ekanem Ekpenyoung is getting a model ready for the practice run before the big night on March 4. contributing to the show in big ways. “We have different designers for the show,” Tyrell-Mitchell said. “The models will show case various designs by these designers just like what we see on the main stream on TV.” Tyrell-Mitchell said that each designer will have their own segment. These segments include: nature’s paradise, where models will wear Batik Kaftans; a vintage segment involving clothing from the 70s; a black dress segment; and a Tahirah and economy style which will utilize the show’s sole stylist. Tahirah, the stylist, is a designer from Canada who designs for women of size eight to 12. Tyrell-Mitchell explained
that the reason for starting this scholarship is to encourage international students coming to Cameron to study, because studying out of another country is expensive and she would want the students to benefit from being a part of Cameron. “When international students come to the United States to study, they are only allowed to work on campus and these jobs are limited to few of them,” Tyrell-Mitchell said. “But with this scholarship, they have to spend less — or nothing at all — on textbooks.” Tyrell-Mitchell said that having more international students will make the Lawton community more diverse and can also generate revenue for the
community. “If this scholarship is started at Cameron, it will give way to more international students to make CU their choice because of different scholarships offered,” Mitchel said. “I was here when international students were few, but now the numbers are increasing and I believe this book scholarship will give room for more.” Tickets to the fashion shows are available. Tickets are $2 for the mini show and $5 for the main show. For more information, contact Merita Tyrell-Mitchell at 580.355.1633 or International Students Admissions Coordinator Marcella Gustafson at 580.591.8019.
CU Art students accepted into art show
photo courtesy of Matthew Hughes
“Anticipation”: A charcoal drawing that Art major Matthew Hughes drew last spring semester.
by Sarah Holloway Staff Writer
The 46th Annual National Drawing and Small Sculpture Show will feature three works of art from Cameron University. Two Art majors and one
professor submitted their work and were accepted into the show. Junior Jonathon Daoang and sophomore Matthew Hughes were the students selected to be a part of the show. Professor of Art Katherine Liontas-Warren was also selected to show her piece.
The entry process to get into the show was simple. Prospective artists just had to email photos of their work in and also send in an entry fee. Daoang submitted his composition, titled “Oni Totem” a 22”x30” carbon pencil drawing. Liontas-Warren submitted a 20”x8” stone lithograph titled, “Who Sees Who.” Hughes submitted a 20”x30” charcoal drawing that he titled “Anticipation.” According to Hughes, inspiration can come from many places for artists. It could be their surroundings, events that have occurred in their life or even the people around them. “The composition is a close up of my hand, my wife’s hand and my son’s hand, all resting on my wife’s pregnant stomach.
This piece was my assignment from Drawing II last spring,” he said. “I like to portray my family in my art, as they are the most important thing to me and they are a deep well of inspiration.” For many artists, being accepted into a show or exhibit is an honor because there are hundreds — perhaps even thousands — of people entering, all for the hope that their composition might be chosen for the show. Hughes said that artists submit their work to shows not only for the honor of having been accepted, but also to get their name out in the art world. “I knew I needed to start getting my name out there at some point, so I entered the show and I’m very glad I did,” he said. “It is really an honor
to be chosen as a participant in this show. This honor feels like validation that I am on the right path with my major.” This year’s guest juror is Richard Ash III. Ash is the Museum Director at Midwestern State University, located in Wichita Falls. The Sculpture Purchase Award is $2000, and two awards will be given out. There is also the Drawing Purchase Award, valued at $800. The purchased art will remain at Del Mar College as part of a permanent exhibit. The Annual Drawing and Small Sculpture Show will be on exhibit in the Joseph A. Cain Gallery at Del Mar College. The show will have an opening reception on Feb. 17 and will run until May 4.
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Sports
February 27, 2012
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Tennis opens season on the road by Colin DuRant Staff Writer
Cameron Aggie Tennis opened their spring season this month, looking to get off to a great start to the semester. The Aggie Men opened up with two matches on the road, first on Feb. 9 at Collin College and another match on Feb. 10 against Division-I opponent University of Texas-Arlington (UTA). Both the men and women’s teams benefited from a mild January, allowing many outdoor practices and preparation for the opening matches. Collin College’s Cougars went into the match with a 4-0 record in junior college play and they were able to defeat the Aggies 7-2. In doubles, Thomas Peixoto and Duje Janjic, the No. 1 duo for the Aggies, defeated the top pair for the Cougars, Michael Tymkiw and Kyle Rowe, in a tight match with a tiebreaker end of 9-8(4). Nicolai Ferrigno, a freshman from Denmark, secured the only singles victory for Cameron against the Cougars at the No. 3 spot. The next day, Cameron put forth a strong effort against UTA, but once again fell short of victory. The Maverick’s power duos swept Cameron’s doubles teams, but the pairing of Aggies Jorge Gerosi and Gonzalo Garzon made the game a tough match, falling 9-7. The only singles win of the day once again came from Nicolai Ferrigno, who played a long, spectacular match,
Photo by Matthew Berberea
Right where they left off: Teammates Amanda Moberg and Julia Puckhaber warming-up at the Cameron courts. Moberg and Puckhaber won their first doubles match of the season against Southern Nazarene on Feb. 20.
Photo by Matthew Berberea
Starting off right: Freshman tennis player Nicolai Ferrigno prepares for an upcoming tournament at the Cameron courts. Ferrigno won both of his singles matches against Collin College and Division I opponent UTA earlier this month. securing the victory with a tiebreaker in the third set. Despite the losses, James Helvey, Head Coach for both the men and women’s tennis teams, felt good about the men’s performance and their overall preparation for the season. “The guys played great for it being the beginning of February and the weather being so cold,” he said. “I was
impressed with what I saw; we played tough tennis.” Coach Helvey said that Cameron has made the trip to play these schools for the last few years, and he sees it as a good measuring stick for his team early on in the season. The Aggies were scheduled for an additional match but it was cancelled due to inclement weather conditions. “This trip is really good
practice for the guys and is a good gauge for me to know where we stand and what we need to work on,” he said. “UTA is consistently good and one of the top teams in their region, and Collin has the potential to win the National Junior College title this year.” The Lady Aggies also opened their season on the road, taking on the Southern Nazarene University Crimson Story in Bethany on Feb. 20. The Black and Gold return all of their starters from a team that went to the national championships last spring. The women’s tennis team went into the match after an undefeated fall slate, and in their spring opener they hoped to continue that record and set a precedent for the rest of the season. The Lady Aggies did just that as they swept all three doubles matches and took the lead in all singles matches before the remainder of the contest was cancelled due to
precipitation. Only Sophomore Antonia Moberg managed to finish her singles match before the rainfall, winning in a dominant fashion with two 6-0, 6-0 sets. The men and the women continued their season on Feb. 24 with a home match for both teams against Cowley College at Streich-Henry Family Tennis Complex. Results of that match were not available as of press time. The next match for the men will again be at home where they will take on Colorado State-Pueblo at 9 p.m. on Mar. 2. The women continue their season on the road with three matches in Edmond, Oklahoma on Mar. 2 against University of Central Oklahoma, Southwest Baptist University and East Central University. Detailed information for both men’s and women’s tennis can be found at www. cameronaggies.com.
Aggies Baseball survives tough road trip by Aaron Gill
Asst. Managing Editor The Cameron University Baseball team suffered three losses and emerged victorious twice during their mid February road trip. Head Coach Todd Holland was less than thrilled with the Aggies performance on day one of two against Henderson State University (HSU) in Arkadelphia, Ark. “It was miserable out here,” he said. “It was rainy, and then all of a sudden got nice. But that’s just road baseball. (The losses) were an accumulation of everything. We didn’t hit that well. We just didn’t do anything that spectacular. In the second game, we were playing well then one pitch turned the tide. After losing the first two games, we’re trying to scrap and fight.” The Aggies’ first two games of the four game series came to losses of 1-6 and 3-6, respectively. Holland explained how the second day of play against HSU was less than ideal. “It was a long day out there, but at least we pulled one out,” said Holland. “In game one, we just came out flat, sluggish … it was cold. We got off to a slow start, and we couldn’t come back. It’s hard to come back
when its 38 degrees out.” Mike Carlson started for the Aggies in game one against the Reddies. The Reddies plated three runs on three hits against the Aggies in the bottom of the first. When CU failed to retaliate in the top of the second — going down in order — the Reddies sent two more runners across the plate on four runs in the bottom of the inning. The Aggies would fail to make an impression on the Reddies’ starter, Brittain Diamond. The Reddies would later plate one run in the fourth and two in the fifth to hold onto an eight run lead throughout the remainder of the game. The Aggies would switch up their game plan in the second game of the day, putting Clay Vanderlaan on the bump against HSU. The Aggies failed to capitalize after both Taylor Lyons and Josh Dawson got two hits. The Reddies would respond by plating two runs on three hits off Vanderlaan in the bottom of the first, leaving the Aggies in the same predicament as the previous game, being down going into the top of the second. The Aggies responded in the top of the second, plating Kaleb Brawner and advancing
Photo by Brandon Neris
Your starting pitcher: Mike Carlson delivers a pitch against ECU at McCord Field earlier in the season. Carlson had a tough outing Feb. 11 at Henderson State, giving up three runs in the first as the Aggies went on to lose that game 8-0. to second on a wild pitch. Brawner would score on a single hit by Kevin Lum. The Aggies finally decided to make a run in the top of the seventh after the Reddies had three more runs, bringing the score to 5-1. The Aggies would then tie the score, sending the game into extra innings after four runners crossed in the top of the seventh. The usual suspects got off to the same start in the top of the eighth, as Benshell Garcia began the inning with another leadoff walk followed with a single. Garcia was able to advance to third to set up the go ahead run with no outs.
Brawner came up next and drove the ball to center field to pick up a sacrifice RBI, scoring Garcia and giving CU the 6-5 lead in extra innings. Aaron Kleekamp, who came in for Vanderlaan in the sixth, picked up the victory for the Black and Gold. Coach Holland was proud of his Aggie bullpen for pulling through with the save. “Clay went out and threw really well,” Holland said. “We just need to learn, we can’t squander opportunities. We got to their bullpen today and it fell apart for them. It’s amazing what happens when you get to the bullpen of most teams.”
The Aggies then headed to Weatherford, OK as they sought revenge against the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs. Earlier in the season, the Bulldogs made a seventh inning rally to topple the Aggies at McCord Field. This time was a different story, as the Aggies came out with 7-2 victory. Coach Holland said he was glad to see his Aggies settle down and play some good ball. “We pitched good … that was the key,” he said. “We hit really well and, overall, played well as a team. We were a little slow at the start, but once we settled in we played pretty good baseball.”
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Sports
February 27, 2012
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Lady Aggies hit road block by Matthew Berberea Sports Editor
The Lady Aggies went into enemy territory this past Wednesday to face Eastern New Mexico University for their final road game of the regular season. The Black and Gold (15-9, 11-8) traveled all the way to Portales, N.M., where they tried to add to their singleseason record 11 conference wins. The Zias led most of the way until CU was able to take their first lead of the game midway through the second half. From there the score went back and forth and ended up going to overtime. The Lady Aggies came up short, losing 72-64. ENMU came out on fire early on as they jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first few minutes. The Lady Aggies finally got on the board after five minutes of play with a jumper from senior forward Sabelle Diata. CU continued to struggle offensively for the remainder of the first half as the teams went into the locker rooms with the Zias up 27-21. After a tough first half at both ends of the court, the Lady Aggies came out with a purpose in the second. The Black and Gold gave up a few quick points but then held Eastern New Mexico scoreless over a five minute period going on a 9-0 run to tie the game up at 35-35. CU currently boasts a top 10 defense and they showed why in the second half. Head Coach
Photo by Brandon Neris
Williams lights it up: Junior guard Alexis Williams handles the ball in a game earlier this season at Aggie Gymnasium. Williams scored a game-high 29 points for the Lady Aggies against ENMU on Feb. 22 in Portales, N.M., but it was not enough as CU fell 72-64 in overtime. Tom Webb said when his team is playing their brand of defense they are tough to beat. “At the end of the day … we defended with urgency (in the second half),” Webb said. “When we do that, we are pretty good. But when we don’t, we’re not very good. It all comes down to communication and a sense of urgency.”
Cameron took their first lead of the game with 11:34 remaining on a 3-pointer from junior guard Alexis Williams. Both teams traded leads until the end of regulation with the score knotted up at 57-57. In the overtime period the Black and Gold jumped out to an early lead on a jump shot from Diata and another bomb
from beyond the arc from Williams for three of her teamleading 29 points. Unfortunately for the Lady Aggies the Zias did not go down without a fight as they regained the lead by hitting 9-10 free throws in extra time. The Black and Gold came up short in overtime and Coach Webb said some defensive
missteps led to defeat. He said he hopes his team can use this as a learning experience as they head into the conference tournament. “We got a lead in overtime and then broke down defensively,” Coach Webb said. “It’s late in the year … if we learn from this game, it’s a great teacher. If we don’t learn anything, it will be frustrating.” As the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read 72-64 in favor of the home team. The loss is the second overtime road loss in a row following the Lady Aggies tough defeat against Incarnate Word in double overtime on Feb. 11. Coach Webb said that while his team played well, they need to close out the tough road games to be great. Coach Webb also mentioned that the conference championship is a road game for everybody so the pressure of being in another team’s gym will not be a factor. “It’s frustrating (to lose close games),” Webb said. “You can look at the positives … yeah we played close, but at the end of the day we believe we are a good basketball team. Great teams execute and win close games on the road. If we want to be great, we’ve got to do that. Everyone is neutral in Allen, though. At least we won’t have to worry about that.” For more information on Lady Aggies basketball, interested parties can visit www.cameronaggies.com. Information on the Lonestar Conference Tournament is available at www. lscchampionshipallen.com.
Men’s basketball falls in N.M. by Matthew Berberea Sports Editor
The men’s basketball went to Portales, N.M., on Feb. 22 to battle conference foes Eastern New Mexico University (14-12, 7-10). Although the Black and Gold (1310, 9-8) have already wrapped up a spot in the Lonestar Conference tournament, they were looking to build momentum against the Greyhounds. The first time these two teams faced off at Cameron, the Aggies came out on top 72-57. This time CU did not fare so well as they wound up on the wrong side of the final score, 65-67. The Aggies took an early lead and maintained the advantage through the first half although the Greyhounds kept it close half. To end the first half sophomore guard Craig Foster hit a three at the buzzer to take a 37-30 lead into the break. The Aggies were led in the first half by sophomore guard Desmond Henry who scored 10 points on 4-5 shooting from the field. The Black and Gold did however struggle with ball control as they were responsible for five turnovers, two each from upperclassmen Thomas Razor and Vinicius Telo. The second half started off slow as neither team scored in the first three minutes. Junior forward Andrew “Big Country” Thomas broke the scoring lull with a tip in to push the Aggies lead to nine with 16:48 remaining. CU continued to stay in front of the Greyhounds as they pushed the lead to 12 points with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game. ENMU never let the Aggies out of their sights, however, and started to chip away at their lead. Every time the Greyhounds would pull within a few points the Aggies would widen the gap until the lead was 60-51 with 6:06 left. From that point on it was all ENMU as they quickly closed the gap and took advantage of poor shooting and turnovers by CU. The Aggies shot just 1-10 from the field and 2-4 from the charity stripe in the final six minutes of the game. The Aggies season leader in points per game, senior guard Milton Garner, struggled in the
second half shooting 1-8 from the field and 2-4 from the line. Cameron Head Coach Wade Alexander said that the team leaders were unable to pull the team together late and let this one slip away. “Our seniors just aren’t coming through,” Coach Alexander said. “I don’t know what it is. Between those three (Razor, Telo and Garner), they had 8 of the 11 turnovers and shot something like 8-27 from the field. They also didn’t guard anybody. Those guys need to decide over the next few days if they want to fix those things and give us a chance. We are just kind of playing bad right now.” The Aggies led the entire game but Coach Alexander said based on the amount of turnovers he had sense that the game could get away from them at any time. “It was slipping the whole game … they were right there in striking distance,” Coach Alexander said. “We weren’t guarding them at all. It finally caught up to us and they started hitting (shots). We worked on defense for a week and a half, but it didn’t show.” The Aggies are now left looking for answers as they head into the conference tournament dropping seven of their last 10 games. The recent struggles come of the heels of an eight game winning streak, all wins coming in conference play. The Black and Gold currently sit fifth in conference standings and will play their first tournament game on Feb. 27 in Allen, Texas at the Allen Event Center. Information on men’s basketball can be found at www.cameronaggies.com and details about the conference tournament are available at www.lscchampionshipallen.com.
Photo by Brandon Neris
Henry comes up big as Aggies fall short: Desmond Henry goes up for two in an earlier meeting against ENMU. Henry scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a 65-67 loss to the Greyhounds on Feb. 22.
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Crossroads
February 27, 2012
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Alpha Phi Sigma hosts food drive for animal shelter by Dianne Riddles Crossroads Editor
The Cameron University Gamma Upsilon Chapter of the Criminal Justice National Honor Society, Alpha Phi Sigma, is hosting the Spring 2012 Lawton Animal Shelter Food Drive. According to the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology professor Dr. Sheri Keenan, Gamma Upsilon hosts two service projects each year. The first service project is a can food drive in the fall to
benefit the Lawton Food Bank, and the second is the spring dry dog and cat food drive to benefit the City of Lawton Animal Welfare Division. Dr. Keenan said the Lawton community is very generous; however, because of the current state of the economy, donations have fallen short. “In these economic times, donations are down and this is just our way of standing in the gap and filling that gap,” she said. According to Dr. Keenan, Gamma Upsilon hosts several ongoing donation drives throughout the year. “We collect greeting cards for the educational programming at St. Jude’s and we collect tab tops for the Ronald McDonald House yearround,” she said. “In fact, last year, we received a certificate from the Ronald McDonald House in Oklahoma City for collecting six 13-gallon garbage bags full of tab tops.” Dr. Keenan said this is the fourth consecutive year they
Photo by Dianne Riddles
One of several cats ready for adoption: The animal shelter provides a temporary home for animals. Many have been permanently adopted through animal shelter efforts. have hosted the Lawton Animal Shelter Food Drive. According to the City of Lawton Animal Welfare Division Director Rose Wilson, The City of Lawton Animal Welfare Division is grateful for all donations, including money, pet foods, treats, bedding, grooming tools, bowls, towels, leashes, collars and pet toys. Donations related to helping the animals are always accepted and 100 percent of all monetary donations go to the animals. The primary functions of the Lawton Animal Welfare Division include providing 24 hour-a-day animal welfare services to ensure the public’s health and safety, controlling wildlife and strays and enforcing City Ordinance and/ or State Statutes pertaining to animals. The Lawton Animal Welfare Division also responds to
injured animals, domestic animal bites, loose livestock on roadways and actual attacks by animals on humans and other animals. Additionally, this division provides and maintains a facility where unwanted animals and strays receive general care, nutritional needs, sanitary housing and — when necessary — approved humane methods of euthanasia. According to Wilson, though, the majority of the cats and dogs in the kennel are adopted or transferred to a rescue organization. Various programs and services, such as animal adoption and redemption programs, are available through the Lawton Animal Welfare Division, as well as public education programs promoting the prevention of animal cruelty, humane treatment of
animals and responsible pet ownership. According to Wilson, the dog and cat food donations received from the drive will allow funds that are budgeted for dog and cat food to be spent on other items needed for the daily operation of the animal shelter. “We also use items such as bleach, bathroom rugs with rubber backing and shallow plastic pans that are 12 to 14 inches long and 2 to 3 inches tall,” Wilson said. “ These items are also appreciated donation items.” Those who wish to participate may take donation items to the office of Dr. Keenan at Nance-Boyer 2083 until April 27. For more information, contact Dr. Keenan by email at scruz@cameron.edu or by calling 580.581.2951.
Cameron University alumnus performs poetry by Leah Chaffins Staff Writer
One of Lawton’s little known secrets for lovers of literature and poetry is that once a month, a mic is open for performers of slam poetry, rap, spoken word and performed poetry. Mind Melt is held at 8 p.m., the first Wednesday of every month at Mona’s Old School, a bar located at 1816 Lee Blvd. This event features an open mic for performing poets. Artists can come and perform or read their poems in front of an audience. Organizer Mannie Hager said that while poetry is the backbone for the event, other performers are welcome also. “I want it to be a melting pot for artists,” he said. “I don’t just do poetry — I mean, I bring other artists in — I try to combine them both. It is poetry based though, and I am not deviating from that.” Mind Melt has been around Lawton for several years, but has operated under different names, Hager explained. “The name has actually changed a couple of times,” he said. “It has been around since 2001.” The history of Mind Melt in Lawton goes back
several years and has been in the hands of multiple organizers, according to Hager. “It was a guy named Ethan that did the first poetry or spoken word/slam show in Lawton,” Hager said. “He was in the military, so when he moved away it got handed down to a couple of people. I’ve been running it since 2005-2006. I have the longest tenure. For a while it went away, but people kept asking about it so I went ahead and brought it back.” Hager said that Lawton is lacking an artistic community, but that forums like Mind Melt have the potential to bring some artists together once they realize that they are not so different from one another. “Lawton is so divided in everything we do,” he said. “Poets don’t want to hang out with singers; singers don’t want to hang out with rappers, and so on. The actuality is that poetry is the fuel that fires them all. If you don’t have a poem, you don’t have a song; if you don’t have a song, you don’t have a poem. It all goes together. Imagine if we all came together how beautiful that would be.” It is important for an artist to feel supported, Hager said. He sees Mind Melt as a safe place for artists to express and show their art and walk away
feeling better about themselves when they are done. “My vision for Mind Melt is that I want it to be a sanctuary where people can come in and say what they feel, be it a poem, a song or whatever,” Hager said. “I want people to feel safe and loved. When people come in, I want them to experience nurturing like they would with their own family. I want it to be about community, and that is what it should be about.” Hager said that poetry reinforces basic skills, and he believes Mind Melt has the potential to help people become better readers and writers. “I am really all for the arts, but I also want it to be educational because I am in a field that, in essence, is about reading and writing,” he said. “I mean, if you can’t read and write, what is a better way to fix that than to get into poetry. It helps you create something.” While Mind Melt is presently meeting in a bar, Hager is looking to eventually change locations so that local youths can participate in the Mind Melt experience. “I want to see this go to the youth,” Hager said. “If I can find a location where I could bring the youth in, I’d like to do that. Adults are cool and it is fun, but the youth need the outlet. There is no place that caters to the youth here.”
Photos courtesy of Manuel Hager
Mannie Hager in performance at a Mind Melt event: Local talent and Cameron University alumnus Hager performs during open mic Mind Melt events and encourages anyone who wants to perform and express his or her talent in front of an audience to do so. Hager organized the Mind Melt events to accommodate poetry performances; however, he expressed a desire for all performing artists to come together and share their art talent with other artists.