Volume 86 Issue 8
Monday, November 7, 2011
CU students excel at AITP Conference By Teewhy Dojutelegan Staff Writer
Students in Cameron University’s Computing and Information Technology Department placed in three of the competitions in the Region 3 Student Conference of the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) at Sam Houston State University, which took place Oct. 21-23. Computing and Information Technology Assistant Professor Dr. Javed Muhammad is the adviser for Cameron’s AITP chapter. He said that the conference helps give students an idea of where they stand as future professionals. “They get to compete against other students, so they know exactly how much they know,” he said. “They also meet professionals who give presentations about the next big technology.” Over 300 students from more than 20 schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Oklahoma attended the conference. Delvis Simmonds, a junior Information Technology (IT) major and Abhas Bhatt, a junior Computer Information Systems (CIS) major took part in both the PC Troubleshooting and Network Design competitions, placing third in PC Troubleshooting. Simmonds said that the Network Design competition was the tougher of the two. “Of the two competitions, the Network Design was more challenging for us,” he said. “There were much more requirements in this than we expected.” Phil Thompson placed second in the Network Security competition; Asim Ghimire and Sona Aryal placed third in the Mobile Applications competition. Ramkrishna Ghale, a senior Computer Science major went to the conference after hearing of its benefits from students who attended in the past. “I heard a lot from the other students that it is a platform to know a lot about future employers,” he said. “I went there to see for myself.” CIS senior Oluwatosin Adegbamigbe said that this was his first year at the Conference and that the highpoint was competing against other schools. “This year was my first time representing Cameron at a conference,” he said. “What I enjoyed the most was getting to compete against other students from bigger schools.” Moshood Ojulari, a sophomore IT major, said that he is thankful that CU gives students opportunities for extracurricular experiences.
Aggie News Vietnam Presentation
PAGE 3
Aggie A&E Thinking as an artist
Photo by Delvis Simmonds
Dude, I’m getting a Dell: Freshman Computer Science major Krity Acharya is photographed with her new Dell monitor. The monitor was one of the many prizes won at the 2011 AITP Conference.
“I appreciate the fact that Cameron University gives its students a chance to have experiences like this one outside of school,” he said. “I enjoyed every minute I spent at the conference.”
See AITP CONFERENCE Page 3
Star Chapter Award
CU’s Delta Mu Delta honored for second consecutive year By Tiffany Martinez
He said Delta Mu Delta has been on the CU campus for ten years. Delta Mu Delta is an organization found on campuses that Staff Writer have both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree program in Cameron University’s Iota Business Administration. Sigma chapter of the Delta “Only six, seven or eight Mu Delta International chapters win the Star Chapter Honor Society won a Star Award per year,” Treadwell Chapter Award for the second said. “It is an honor to find consecutive year. out that we are a part of such Instructor Greg Treadwell, a small group. It makes me faculty adviser to Delta Mu feel really good about our Delta, said that he is proud to organization.” have held this position for over Delta Mu Delta consists eight years. of college students who “This is the beginning of meet specific criteria, which my ninth year being faculty include majoring in Business, advisor to Delta Mu Delta,” maintaining a 3.25 GPA, and Treadwell said. being in the top 20 percentile According to Treadwell, of their class. Membership the honor society received in this organization is by notification of the award in mid-August. The most Photo Courtesy Delta Mu Delta Chapter invitation only. “Every January I send prestigious of Delta Mu Delta Team Spirit: The CU Delta Mu Delta members gather for a group out invitations to students chapters receive the award. photo. The international honor society consists of Business majors who who have met these criteria,” “The Star Chapter award maintain a 3.5 GPA. Treadwell said. “An induction is appointed to chapters that ceremony is then held for these students in March or April.” have an increase in membership over the previous year, have met certain administrative requirements, and have members that apply for certain international requirements,” Treadwell said. See DELTA MU DELTA Treadwell said the administrative requirements consist of filing documents in a timely manner. Page 3
“CU There” By Thomas Smith
News Writing Student Practical hands-on experience is a valuable portion of any learning process. Cameron University attempts to provide these experiences in many fields but for some people the best way to acquire experience is to make opportunities for themselves. Jeremy Cobb a Radio and Television major at CU has been able to take an idea from his head and get it on the air as a weekly student run television show. Cobb has helped with other Cameron TV shows such as “In the Huddle” and “This Week in Student Government” but he wanted to bring something new to CU’s programming. That is how “CU There” was born.
“While I was attending Cameron Concurrently, I helped with shows like ‘This Week in Student Government’ and ‘In the Huddle,’” and really enjoyed that. Then I started attending events around campus and had a great time, so I figured why not make a show that combines campus news, with events around campus,” Cobb said. “That way it gives organizers a way to get word out about events, informs students, and hopefully gets students involved around campus and attending these great events.” However, it is not a simple process to get a new show on CU’s network. Cobb had to create an outline for the show, pitch the idea and get everything together. If he wanted to get this show going, he needed to get organized from start to screen. “Well to get a show on the air, you have to create a treatment, which basically is the outline for the show,” Cobb said. “Another challenge was deciding how
Informing Cameron Since 1926
to present the show. Would it be a talk show, or would it be presented as news, or a mixture; and I think we have a good mix of news and talk show with a good amount of humor mixed in.” With a mighty list of to do’s Cobb set out looking for help. Dr. Jenkins, a Communications Professor, was the most obvious place to start since he is responsible for all the other shows at CU. Next Cobb found students willing to get his idea off the ground and bring it to
life. “Mikaela Greene is the CoProducer and helps me weed through some of the events and aids me in deciding what ideas would work well in the show. Dr. Matt Jenkins is my Executive Producer, but is also my personal advisor and helps me be aware of things I can improve in the show.” Cobb said.
PAGE 4
Aggie Sports Cross Country Team
PAGE 6
CrossRoads On the road to fame
PAGE 8
Aggie Voices Distance made easier
See CU THERE Page 2
PAGE 4 Photo by Thomas Smith
Chit chat: Hosts of CUTV’s latest show, CU There, discuss current matters on the production set. The show is the brainchild of Radio/TV major Jeremy Cobb.
For additional news and features, check out www.aggiecentral.com
2
Aggie News
November 7, 2011
www.aggiecentral.com
Learning the importance of communication By James Meeks Staff Writer
The Cameron University Leadership Academy is a workshop that teaches students leadership skills that are useful in their personal and professional lives. CU Student Activities Specialist Steve Sassaman instructed the most recent workshop and talked about the importance of communication. Sassaman said that the Leadership Academy stresses the importance of communication. “The mission of the Leadership Academy is to provide students that participate with foundational leadership skills not only in their college careers, but their lives as a whole,” Sassaman said. Sassaman discussed three main areas of important communication techniques such as, Effective Communication Techniques, The Five Levels of Listening and Mirroring. According to Sassaman, Effective Communication Techniques involve maintaining eye contact, providing feedback, focusing solely on the speaker/listener and the 3Vs. “The 3Vs are vocal, verbal and visual,” Sassaman said. “Vocal is how you say something, verbal is the words itself that you are saying, visual is your body language.” According to Sassaman, even phrases that we use every day have several different meanings depending on how we present them. “For example, I can say, ‘I love you’ and it can have several different meanings,” Sassaman said. “I can say it in a seductive tone, a sarcastic tone or a playful tone. A sentence can have many different meanings depending on tone and body language.” Listening is an important part of communication. We listen to our instructors, family members, co-workers and even classmates. According to Sassaman, there are five levels of listening, which include ignoring, pretending, elective, active and empathic. Additionally, Sassaman said that with listening, we want feedback. “With listening, we want feedback,” Sassaman said. “With feedback, you are showing the sender that you are absorbing the message and you are
Crossword Across
1 It may be shown to an usher 5 Flying Disney critter 10 Semi compartment 13 Like a firelit room on a cold night 14 1992- ‘93 NBA Rookie of the Year 15 Apollo’s org. 16 Recommendations at the salon 19 Greatly smacked of 20 At the right time 21 Intricacies of cells 26 Gloss target 27 Collector’s goal 28 Roleo roller 29 Word with weight or worth 30 __ Bator 32 Feverish fits 34 Attributes at the links 41 Exams for future attys. 42 “As __ saying ...” 43 Airport safety org. 46 Brit. record label 47 Hugs, symbolically 50 Crew tool 51 Vicissitudes of cargo space 55 11th-century Spanish hero 56 Jacket material 57 Miscellany of benevolence? 63 Not for 64 Levels 65 Talk show host Banks 66 LAPD rank 67 One in a black suit 68 Site of Charon’s ferry
Down
1 PTA meeting place 2 __ fault: excessively 3 Action film weapon 4 “She Walks in Beauty” poet
sending it back to the sender to say that you obtained the message and understood it.” According to Sassaman, listening refers to effective communication techniques of providing feedback which include asking clarifying questions, maintaining eye contact and focusing on the speaker/listener. Sassaman said that mirroring is something that we do every day in both our personal and professional lives. “The focus on mirroring is reflecting the communicator’s message back to them,” Sassaman said. With mirroring, we are reflecting what the sender is saying by saying certain phrases such as, “I know where you are coming from.” According to Sassaman, we use mirroring everyday such as when a person talks to you about a problem. Sassaman said that we mirror the emotion the speaker is feeling; we try to understand what the speaker is feeling and reflect it back to them. “We want to repeat verbatim, which is repeating exactly what is stated by the sender to confirm that you heard them correctly,” Sassaman said. “Then by putting it in your own words it demonstrates that you truly understand the message.” One of the methods Sassaman used to discuss the importance of communication was a roleplaying exercise. One of the role-playing exercises involved students passing balls to each other. The student throwing the ball had to call the name of the Photo by James Meeks student who was to catch the ball. However, each Skills: Steve Sassaman talks to CU students on the student also had to listen closely through the noise importance of communication. The Cameron Leadership of the other students and keep track of who was throwing the ball to be sure that he or she was able Academy is one of the many workshops offered at Cameron. to catch the ball. This helped build listening and Nov. 1, in the McMahon Centennial Complex. communication skills. Students wishing to participate in the meeting are Another role-playing exercise involved a student acting as speaker invited to attend. and a student acting as a listener. Sassaman would give the speaker a discussion topic and something to do such as pacing or snapping fingers as he or she was speaking. The listener was asked to interrupt the speaker, look away or check their phone. The final exercise involved the mirroring technique. Sassaman gave students a scenario in which the speaker talked to the listener Networking is an important part of the about a problem and the listener used the mirroring techniques to conference and for Pawan Subedi, a senior better understand the problem. Computer Science major, the conference afforded The next CU Leadership Academy meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. on him the opportunity to meet other people in the IT field. “Conferences like this help us get to know other IT people and to know what is going on in the IT world,” Subedi said. “We also get to compete with other people.” According to senior CIS major Babajide Sofowora, this third visit was for networking and meeting recruiters. “Previous years, I went to see how it was and then took part in competitions,” Babajide said. The team will be taking part in the national conference in Florida next year for which some have already started preparing. Dr. Muhammad said that he hopes to win some competitions and acknowledged that some improvements need to be made. “There are a few more competitions at national than there are in regional, but I am hoping that we win a few more,” Dr. Muhammed said. “Some of the students are graduating this semester so we have to replace them with some others.”
AITP CONFERENCE continued from page 1
CU THERE continued from page 1
5 Lollapalooza 6 Like some angry email, wisely 7 Honey beverages 8 Shut out 9 __ Spice aftershave 10 Yucatán resort 11 Sharp as a tack 12 Most abject 15 It’s verboten 17 Mates for bucks 18 Didn’t exactly answer, as a question 21 Advertisement 22 Hawaii’s __ Bay 23 Birthstone after sapphire 24 Pond plant 25 It may be proper 31 Org. for Bucs and Jags 32 Biblical mount 33 Biol., e.g. 35 False start? 36 Wheelchair access 37 Bluesman Redding 38 “Man, that hurts!” 39 Asian bread 40 Old red states?: Abbr. 43 Something to step on while driving 44 “Bye”
45 “Little Women” author 47 Leader’s exhortation 48 Danish seaport 49 Had too much, briefly 52 Gogo’s pal, in “Waiting for Godot” 53 Sailing, say 54 “Awake and Sing!” playwright
58 Souse’s syndrome 59 Party bowlful 60 “All the news that’s fit to print” initials 61 Prohibitionist 62 Jazz combo horn
Solution on Page 3
“His help has been invaluable to me. His help has been key in improving the show. And, there are the hosts Pascal and Mikaela. Without them and our CUTV Crew coming to help each week, this show would be nearly impossible to film.” Even though Cobb first approached Dr. Jenkins last summer, planning and executing everything that was necessary has taken some time. The first episode of “CU There” was filmed on October 4th and has featured stories covering housing events, what the Student Activities Specialist does, CETES events, and even themed costume shows. “So far we’ve had Steve Sassaman talk about his job. Dr. John Morris talked about the Magic Lantern Film Society and their last event, a Halloween Double feature,” Cobb said. “We’ve done a review on the play ‘Masterpieces’ and recently did a Halloween episode with costumes. In the coming episodes we will have interviews about Oklahoma Research Day and CETES Tech Night. So we are pretty close to covering all the bases, but are always looking for new things to cover.” Cobb said that there has been no better learning experience than “CU There” and while his in– class instruction has been rewarding, the on-set experience is what will really set him apart from his peers. “I think taking the show forward, I will take all these learning experiences, keep improving and be better prepared for my future,” Cobb said. “Learning in the class room is a big part but hands on experience is a great tool to reinforce what you have learned and so much more. Also this looks much better on a resume.” If a student would like to get involved with “CU There,” or any of the other shows hosted by Cameron University, Cobb advises contacting Dr. Jenkins at mjenkins@cameron.edu.
3
Aggie News
November 7, 2011
www.aggiecentral.com
CU International Club sheds light on Vietnam By Tahira Carter News Editor
Cameron University’s International Club embodies cultural diversity and this fervent theme was the motivation behind the group’s presentation on Oct. 28. International students and members of the CU community gathered in the Shepler Ballroom for a talk about the East Asian country, Vietnam. Minh Le, a junior Accounting major and Vietnamese national, hosted the lighthearted event that highlighted Vietnam’s history, economy and culture. Le is one of two Vietnamese students enrolled at Cameron University. As a minority among the international students on campus, he took the opportunity to share some aspects of his country that his peers may not have known. Ibrahim Karamoko, President of the International Club and senior Business Administration major from the Ivory Coast, was pleased to learn some new things about Vietnam. “I realized that it’s quite different from what I thought about Vietnam before,”
Karamoko said. “I learned about their currency, the dong, and I learnt about the similarities that it has with most of the countries in Africa–we base our economy on agriculture.” Karamoko stressed the importance of having an element of education to accompany the club’s dedication to the community and its various cultural activities. “We want the International Club to be educational, social and fun,” Karamoko said. “This is the educational part where students can learn about a different country. The social part is helping people in need within the community and the fun part is, for example, having a dinner outdoors where we can play our traditional music and enjoy ourselves.” International Student Coordinator Marcella Gustafson helped plan the event but said that the students usually take the initiative to educate their peers about their homeland. “The students usually volunteer,” Gustafson said. “If we haven’t had a country
present before, like we haven’t had Vietnam, we may approach the student and ask them if they would please do a presentation and they are always happy to do it.” With over 45 different nationalities present at Cameron University, the International Club does its best to give the members of the club an opportunity to highlight their respective countries. “Usually we try to have two or three presentations a semester,” Gustafson said. “This year we’ve had Argentina, we’ve had Vietnam, and next semester we’ll probably have a couple more.” In his presentation on Vietnam, Le spoke about various places of interest and the delicacies of the local cuisine but what he missed most about his homeland was his family. “I miss my parents. Honestly, I don’t miss food or any trivial things I just want to get in touch with my family and my friends.” Le said. Le decided to make the journey to attend school in the United States because of the elevated standard of education
Vietnam: Junior Accounting major Minh Le wears his national wear to speak to students about his country of Vietnam. Le is one of two Vietnamese students who attend Cameron University. that is offered to students. award on Oct. 14, at the Club’s “I wanted to study abroad Fourth Annual Scholarship because the quality of education Banquet. is much better than in my CU’s International Club country,” Le said. “I chose is open to all students who Cameron because it offered a would like to experience reasonable price that I could international cultures. For afford.” further information, interested Le was the recipient of students may contact Marcella the International Club’s Gustafson at 580.591.8019 Scholarship Award this year. or via email at mgustafson@ He was presented with the cameron.edu.
High school seniors learn about CU programs By Teewhy Dojutelegan Staff Writer
For many high school seniors, choosing the right university requires visiting many different schools and then deciding which one best suits their future goals. Cameron University hosted “Aggie Sneak Peak” on Saturday, Oct. 29, in the McCassland Ballroom at the McMahon Centennial Complex. The event was a preview intended to give prospective students a first hand glimpse of what CU has to offer. CU Associate Director of Enrollment Management Frank Myers said that the event was a chance for potential students to meet current CU students and faculty as well as tour the campus. “It is an opportunity for prospective students to come visit our campus,” he said. “They also get to meet faculty, staff and students and see our facilities.” A panel of current CU students was available for the prospective students to ask questions about college life. The students on the panel included: senior Communications major and President of the Student Government Association (SGA) Cody Gardner, junior Biology major Seth Geiger, junior Theatre Arts major Brandi Goldsmith and senior Biology major Emake Ugiomoh. According to Myers, this has been an annual event for as long as he can remember. He said that the event helps give information to students who are interested in going to college. “We hope that they learn a little bit about what it will take to go to college,” he said. “We hope they are thinking about what they are going to major in when they get to college.” Myers said that many people signed up but not all of those people attended this year. “We had about one hundred and fifty people
signed up and we had sixty-six show up.” According to Myers, the “Aggie Sneak Peek” is a campus-wide event that involves faculty, staff and students in which the entire campus opens up on a Saturday so that the prospective students can meet and talk to faculty and staff. Parents were invited to take part in the event as CU understands that this choice is a collective decision. “Parents were encouraged to come to this event,” He said. “We understand that choosing where to go to school is not just something that affects a student and lots of families make this decision as a group.” Marcel Glascoe and Ashley Walker, both seniors at MacArthur High School, wish to go into the medical field and they were interested in seeing what Cameron had to offer. Glascoe said that he learned how long it would take him to become an anesthesiologist. “I learned how many years I will attend here and what classes I need to take to become an anesthesiologist,” he said. Walker said she learned a lot about financial aid and how it applies to her. “I got to learn about financial aid and how much scholarship there are,” she said. “There are a lot of scholarships.” The Aggie Ambassadors played a huge part in the event by helping in the registration of participants, leading the fight song and giving campus tours to students after the event. Senior Criminal Justice major and President of the Aggie Ambassadors Jessica Kirk said that the most important information prospective students should know is the resources that are available at CU. “There are endless resources available, including math, writing and speech labs and free tutoring,” she said. “Using these resources will benefit them during their college career.”
Photo by Teewhy Dojutelegan
Glimpse: Prospective students and their parents move from station to station to learn about the different programs Cameron has to offer. Aggie Sneak Peak is an annual event held at Cameron every fall.
DELTA MU DELTA continued from page 1
Chapter officers are responsible for helping plan the induction ceremony each year. The officers for the 2011-2012 academic year are Angela Best of Lawton, President; Carla Henry Baker of Kingston, Jamaica, Vice President; Stepheny Acholonu of Victoria Island, Nigeria, Secretary; Oluwatoyese Oyewole of Ibaden, Nigeria, Treasurer; and Tom Buchanan, Sandy Point, St. Kitts and Nevis, Student Government Representative. Buchanan said that he feels Delta Mu Delta can greatly assist students who are Business majors. “Once you become a Delta Mu Delta member you are able to become connected with Delta Mu Delta members from other schools,” Buchanan said. “This can really help you advance in the business field after graduation.” Treadwell expanded upon the idea of Buchanan. “It exists on college campuses, however, the
camaraderie the students and members of Delta Mu Delta extend far beyond college,” Treadwell said. Dr. Oris Odom, Dean of the School of Business at, said that the Star Chapter Award was a significant achievement for the Delta Mu Delta organization on campus. “Essentially, the Star Chapter Award is given to a very well-run chapter. It is an honor which reflects both upon the students, as well as the faculty advisor,” Dr. Odom said. According to the international honor society’s website, www.deltamudelta.org, Delta Mu Delta are Greek letters which stand for Dia Matheseos Dynamis, signifying the society’s motto: “Through Knowledge, Power — the power to manage creatively for social and economic good.”
4
Aggie Voices
November 7, 2011
www.aggiecentral.com
A subtle insult to intelligence
Megan Bristow Managing Editor THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna
Editorial Staff
Managing Editor - Megan Bristow Asst. Managing Editor - Elijah Morlett News Editors - Tahira Carter, Ishia Saltibus Crossroads Editor - Ashleigh Fletcher A&E Editor - Rashmi Thapaliya Sports Editor - Aaron Gill Copy Editor - Dianne Riddles Aggie Central Editors - Elijah Morlett, Mitch Watson,
Newsroom Staff
Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - Tiffany Martinez, Teewhy Dojutelegan, Sarah Szabo, James Meeks, Amber Spurlin, Brandon Thompson, Brenna Welch Circulation Manager - Matt Thompson Advertising Manager - Megan Bristow Photographer - Kelsey Carter
It is a dream come true for many students. They are worried about a test coming up in class. They may even have multiple tests or assignments in other classes due at the same time. How in the world is everything going to get done? Then, to their pure delight, the instructor hands them a test bank of practice questions in the one to two classes before the test and tells the students that approximately 50 out of 200 of those multiple-choice questions will comprise the exam. Well, that was easy. All that is left for the student to do now is go through the textbook, notes or work with another student to pick out the correct answer and then memorize the answers to those questions. It involves no knowledge of subject material or definitions and requires no ability to be able to apply the material. Although these test banks certainly come as a relief and guaranteed timesaver, I believe that these are either an insult to the student or the instructor, depending on the situation. In one respect, it is an insult to the student because it sends the message that either the professor doesn’t believe his or her students are capable of understanding the material, studying well enough to make a decent grade, or caring about the class enough to do either of the aforementioned reasons. Perhaps the instructor really is just trying to give his students a break knowing that they probably already have multiple assignments on their plate with just school in addition to the loads of stress that can come from work, family or extracurricular activities. Is that not part of the college experience, though? If a student cannot handle taking a test without being given a test bank, the student should consider whether that is an area that he or she should be taking classes in or if college is a good option for them at that time in their life. However, there is another side to it. This is when it becomes an insult to the professor. I am sure many students can relate to those classes where they have no idea what the instructor is talking about. And it is not as if they are the only one in the class with this problem for the rest of the class is as lost as they are. When a student asks a question in the class to try to clarify the material that they do not understand, the professor either has to look it up or contradicts what he or she said earlier about it making the student wonder if the instructor even understands the material. I know personally that I have taken several of these classes during my college career. Many times, they were classes I was particularly excited about when I signed up for them because I had a great interest in the subject but was later let down by the lack of knowledge or enthusiasm that the instructor seemed to possess. In these classes, it either was or would have been a relief to be handed a test bank of questions because no matter how
Photo courtesy of MCT Campus Easy A: Some instructors choose to help their students make better grades on tests by providing pages of sample questions that are guaranteed to be on the test. This method of test preparation either insults students’ intelligence or a professor’s ability to teach. much I paid attention in class or kept up with the material on my own, I would not be passing that class. In this case, a test bank of sample questions is certainly an insult to the professor. If you do not possess the knowledge to teach a class on a certain class, then the instructor should either learn the information required to teach on that subject or decline the opportunity to teach that subject. An instructor that does not is only robbing students of an opportunity to learn, hard-earned money that was used to pay for the class and the confidence that comes from working and studying hard to pass a test. A learning environment is not aided by the distribution of test banks. Additionally, many of the tests in life that students will have to take later will not come with a test bank of questions and answers. Do yourself a favor and earn that high grade by your own merits instead of relying on someone else to provide the answers for you.
Distance made easier through festivals
Newswriting Students
James Meeks, Aaron Gill, Nicole Bucher, Cody Gardner, Scott Haney, Kelsey Carter, Teewhy Dojutelegan, Adrian Alexander, Megan Bell, Tyler Boydston, Leah Ellis, Troy Flewellen, Angela Goode, Simone Graves, Jack A. McGuire, Cassidy Morgan, Markita Nash, Lizzie Owoyemi, Miranda Raines, Dianne Riddles, Alexander Rosa-Figueroa, Thomas Smith, Lindsey Yeahquo
Faculty Adviser
Dr. Christopher Keller
About Us
The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Edmond Sun via the Duncan Banner.
Letters Policy
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. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks. All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. No nicknames will be used. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification. Letters can be sent by regular mail, by e-mail to collegian@cameron.edu or they may be dropped off at our office - Nance Boyer 2060 or at www. aggiecentral.com.
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.
Rashmi Thapaliya A&E Editor In Nepal, my home country, it is said that there are more festivals in a year than the number of days. I remember that when I was in school I used to look forward to the holidays that we had during an academic year. Many festivals are celebrated for a day and do not have a long vacation. Among other festivals, the celebration of Dashain and Tihar was always awaited anxiously because they are the biggest festivals celebrated in Nepal. My school was closed for a month to mark the celebration of these festivals. Dashain lasts for 15 days and it is celebrated as a victory of good over evil. We dedicate the first nine days of Dashain are to the worshipping of different avatars of goddess Durga, who is the symbol of power. The tenth day of the festival is Tika, which is when the elders give blessings to the younger members of family. This portion of the festival lasts for five more days until the conclusion of the festival on the fifteenth day. Tihar is celebrated about two weeks after Dashain. Tihar is celebrated for five days as a festival of lights. During Tihar we worship the goddess Laxmi, the symbol of wealth and prosperity. Tihar is also a festival of brothers and sisters. Sisters worship their brothers wishing for their long lives. Many cultural and religious rituals are performed during
Photo courtesy of Anjana Prasain
Remembering a culture: Rashmi Thapaliya celebrates the festival Tihar with other Nepalese students. Tihar is a festival that honors brothers as the sisters wish them long lives and happiness. these festivals. Like many festivals around the world, celebration with family members and relatives is one of the main aspects of Dashain and Tihar. That is what I miss the most when I am here, far away from home. Last month when people back home were celebrating these festivals, I was busy with my classes, assignments, quizzes, tests and work. There was no long vacation. There was no flying of kites. There was no visiting of temples. There was no swinging in a big swing. It did not seem like the festive season to me. I missed being home terribly. It did not feel good to be away from the family. There are many Nepalese students here at Cameron. We try to celebrate these festivals here on weekends, which is the only time everyone can gather for a celebration. We also ask everyone on campus to participate in our celebration
with us so that we can share our culture with everyone. We may not be able to celebrate these festivals as we did back home but still we do what we can so that we do not miss everything. I have been in the United States for four years now. In these four years, I have learned a lot as a student. I am pursuing my higher studies here, which is what I wanted to do. But, I have also missed many things back home while I have been here. I have come to know much about American culture. I celebrate New Year, Thanksgiving, Christmas and others with my friends and my friendship family. What seems strange is that I have not only learned about American culture and festivals but also have realized the true meaning of the festivals we celebrated back home. I have come to realize that festivals are much more than receiving gifts, having a long vacation, eating good food,
shopping and having fun. Festivals are a way to keep the cultures alive; they are a chance to spend time with family; and have a break from the everyday schedule. It is the time to celebrate life and be happy for what we have. Though we do not have a long vacation and we are away from our family, we still celebrate our festivals here. We recall what rituals we performed during the festivals back home and then we try to do the same here. And, we learn from it so that we can do better next time. I also celebrated the biggest festivals of Nepal, Dashain and Tihar with my friends, brothers, and sisters here. We had a great time celebrating these festivals. It may not be possible to go home for a month in the middle of the semester to celebrate these festivals but if there is a will, there is a way. We can still not miss everything by celebrating these festivals here.
Aggie A&E
November 7, 2011
www.aggiecentral.com
Thinking as an artist
5
Art student sketches the Academic Festival speakers for his journal By Rashmi Thapaliya A&E Editor
Photo Courtesy of the Office of Public Affairs
Autograph: Senator Chuck Hagel signs his sketch (shown below) drawn by Matthew Hughes in the theater. Hughes is an art student at Cameron who has sketched three Academic Festival speakers this fall.
Courtesy of Matthew Hughes
Participants exhibit skill in Murder Mystery Ball By Amber Spurlin Staff Writer
Several of Cameron’s Presidential Leaders and University Scholars exhibited their investigative and acting skills Friday, Oct. 28, at the Abby Manor Masquerade Murder Mystery Ball. According to Senior Engineering and Design Technology major Aaron Cobb, the idea for the Abby Manor Masquerade Ball came from a blend of suggestions from the Plussers Leadership Council members. He said that they wanted to do an event that would be interactive and fun for the students while also giving them an excuse to dress up. This led them to host a murder mystery night. Cobb explained that Plussers is a group that helps PLUS students with their required community and campus involvement as well as getting to know one another by planning events in which PLUS students may attend and volunteer. Cobb noted that these events revolve around the needs of the community as well as the interest of the PLUS students. “Our purpose is to identify, plan and implement projects based on community needs, inspired by students’ interests and highlighting the importance of community engagement, and also serve as an open forum for communication and collaboration among PLUS scholars,” Cobb said. According to Cobb, once the council decided on the murder mystery night, he began researching various murder mystery kits online, finally narrowing down the choices to what he believed to be the top three kits. He said that they put the three mysteries on their Plussers Facebook page to allow PLUS students to decide which mystery they would prefer and the vote was unanimous for the Abby Manor Masquerade Ball. Cobb said that all participating students had a character
assignment and the goal was to dress as if attending a masquerade ball and act like the assigned character. Cobb noted that characters had a variety of personalities with clever names such as Tele N. Ewe, a news reporter that would do whatever it took to get the scoop, even if it meant stepping on a few toes. Another character was Yuna Verz who was a female astronaut who truly believed she had the highest IQ in the galaxy. PLUS student and Senior Biology major Charles Underwood said that his character was Brian Seafoam, a radio DJ and TV producer. Underwood said that his character was charismatic and loud and he really enjoyed acting the part. Cobb explained that the kit divided the ball into three rounds. The first round, he said, was for students to get to know their characters better and to set the scene for the murder. This round involved spreading gossip about different characters included on the information card for that round. According to Cobb, the murder and investigation took place in the second round. In this round, each character had a set of clues to help them figure out who the murderer was, which included fingerprints from the murder weapon. Cobb said that in the final round of the Abby Manor Masquerade Ball, characters proclaimed who they thought the murderer was. The participants then gathered in a circle to reveal why they did or did not commit the murder and their motives for wanting the person dead. Cobb said that neither the murderer nor the murdered knew that would be their roll until the second round that contained the murder and the third round that revealed the murderer. Cobb felt that the event was a success and said some of those who participated have requested that they make the murder mystery night an annual event.
A Cameron University art student has a unique way of keeping the memories of Academic Festival 2011-2012. When others are listening to the speakers during the Festival in the theater and during student sessions, Matthew Hughes does more than that. Hughes, who is a sophomore majoring in Fine Arts, said that he is making sketches of the speakers as a part of his Art of Journaling class this semester. “In my class I have to fill a book with sketches as a way of documenting what I am doing during this semester,” Hughes said. “So I thought of sketching the Academic Festival speakers when I attend the events.” Hughes attends the Academic Festival for his Honors class, Great Works. He also has a more personal reason to attend them. “My wife is military,” Hughes said. “Therefore our lives are directly and indirectly affected by what is going on in Afghanistan.” Hughes said that before sketching each speaker, he attends the student session and tries to get an idea of the speaker’s body language and makes the sketch during the theatre session. “I try to get a hint on how the speakers talk and also their expressions beforehand,” Hughes said. “In the theater I draw them when they are speaking.” Hughes said that he tries to find a good spot in the theatre so that it is easier for him to sketch the speakers. “If I get a good spot then I can get a good view of the speakers,” Hughes said. “Also I try to finish the sketch as soon as I can and listen to what they are saying after I am done. Hughes has been able to manage drawing the speakers in the theatre though most of the lights are off while they are speaking. “I don’t find drawing to be an issue in the theater although it is somewhat dark,” Hughes said. “I use the light coming from the stage to be able to see what I am doing, and if needed then I make some changes later when I am able to see my drawing in the full light.” Hughes said that he has received positive responses from the speakers when he takes the sketches for an autograph. “I take the sketches to the speakers for an autograph during the book signing,” Hughes said. “I introduce them to myself and let them know that I am an Art student so that it does not seem strange.” Hughes will continue making the sketches of the speakers in the spring. He will also sketch Dr.
Fredrick Hiebert, an archeologist and explorer, who will be appearing as a guest lecturer in the spring to speak about the art of Afghanistan. “Though Dr. Hiebert is not speaking as a part of Academic Festival I still want to sketch him,” Hughes said. “Since he will also be talking about Afghanistan, I would like to add his sketch to my journal in spring.” To Hughes, making the sketches on different events in his life is like keeping a notebook. “Since I am an artist I make sketches to keep a memory of different things I do,” Hughes said. “It is just like taking notes or taking pictures to others.” Hughes plans to graduate from Cameron and then wants to pursue his Master’s degree in Fine Arts. “I would like to teach students at the university level after I finish my studies,” Hughes said. “I would also like to continue my work as an artist.”
Courtesy of Matthew Hughes
Captured in sketch: Dr. Khaled Hosseini, author of “The Kite Runner” and “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” was the first speaker of the Academic Festival 2011/2012. Hughes drew his sketch during the theatre session on Aug.30.
6
Aggie Sports
November 7, 2011
www.aggiecentral.com
Volleyball heads to Conference Tournament By Brandon Thompson Staff Writer
The Lady Aggie volleyball team appears to be heading to the Lone Star Conference Tournament, despite dropping two tough matches in late October. The Aggies dropped matches to Tarleton State and Dallas Baptist this past week. The Aggies lost a tough home match to Tarleton in a 0-3 loss and lost to Dallas Baptist on the road 1-3. Although the Aggies had a two game slide they are still on track to make the conference tournament and are currently in 6th place according to head coach Doug Tabbert. Tabbert was still pleased with the effort of his squad in the two losses. He said that he thought his team played to their potential. “We played about as good as we could play,” Tabbert said. The Aggies have three conference games remaining and Tabbert said that each match is important to the Aggies seeding in the upcoming tournament. Tabbert said that seeding will play a major role in the Aggies ability to make some noise in the tournament. He said that his Aggies match-up with some teams much better than others and seeding will make a big difference. He said that he would like for his team to stay ranked where they are at. “Right now we are in sixth,” Tabbert said, “and we would like to maintain that heading into the tournament.” The last upcoming home
game for CU is a winnable match-up for Cameron. Tabbert said that the building momentum going into the postseason is important to the team. “This is big,” Tabbert said, “regardless of what has happened the last week.” The home game against Midwestern State will also be CU’s senior night. This extra emotional aspect will only add to the magnitude of the match. The Aggies have five seniors on
the squad and this will be the last home appearance for the women. These groups of seniors are a huge part of the turn around the program has made since last year. Tabbert said that Aggies have already achieved many of the goals they set out to accomplish this season. “We have accomplished some of the things we wanted,” Tabbert said. “I think we have changed the general tone of the program and the way we
compete.” Tabbert said that heading into the playoffs will not change the way his team practices. He said that one of the things his team will continue to work on is improving on defense. “We have to be able to get stops on defense,” Tabbert said, “particularly against teams that are bigger than us.” Another aspect of the Aggies game the team is looking to establish is rhythm. Tabbert said that rhythm
is important during the season and the Aggies need to continue to maintain their rhythm as they finish up the regular season. According to Tabbert, the success the team has experienced this season could lead to more than just a postseason run. Building off the Aggies breakout season could bring in new recruits to the program. “It certainly can’t hurt,” Tabbert said.
Photo by Brandon Neris
There’s the set, and spike: Senior Adrianne Lawson propels herself above the net for an Aggie spike in a recent match at Aggie Gymnasium. The volleyball team has been risen to the challenge and exceeded expectations brought forth from the season’s start.
Cross Country takes eighth at LSC conference meet By Aaron Gill Sports Editor
The Cameron University men’s cross-country team had a long ride home after a less than par performance at the Conference meet held recently in San Angelo, Texas. The Aggies, who have had an impressive season so far, collectively placed eighth overall with a team time of 2:15:18. Head coach Matt Aguero was impressed with some of the individual performances, but was disappointed with the overall outcome. “We did not perform very well,” Aguero said. “We just have to keep our heads up and look ahead to the Regional meet.” The first Aggie to cross the finish line was freshman Hillary Kirwa who finished fourth overall with a time of 25:19, earning the running Aggies four points. “I think he can have a better race at the Regional meet,” Aguero said. “He ran very well though.” Running can be strenuous on the body and senior Julius Korir, who holds school records for the team, experienced that first-hand this season after fighting a torn meniscus in order to run. Korir made his debut at the
Conference meet and finished around the middle of the running Aggie pack. Finishing with a time of 28:09 was good enough for Korir to come across the line fifth for the Aggies. Coach Aguero is optimistic about seeing Korir run at the regional meet. “I think if he (Korir) would have had the entire summer to prepare, he would have definitely performed better,” Aguero said. “Having that much time where he could not run has hurt him, but we are ready to see him run at the Regional meet.” The Aggies have seen a plethora of improvement over the year as with the running of freshman Alfonso Lozoya, who crossed the line second for the Aggies with a time of 26:48. “I knew he was going to be pretty good all along and he was a pretty good runner in the state of Texas his senior year,” Aguero said. Following close behind Lozoya was senior Brian Mulwo (27:27), sophomore Eli Hernandez (27:35) and senior Julius Korir (28:09). Rounding out the tail end of the Aggie finish was junior Moses Kipkosgei (28:12), freshman Tyler Jacobs (28:24), sophomore Krzysztof Szczepinski (28:33), sophomore Marcus Trevino (28:49), and freshman Antonio Moreno
Photo courtesy of Lone Star Conference
Here he comes down the home-stretch: Senior Julius Korir digs deep to cross the finish line at last year’s LSC Championship. The Aggies placed eighth at the 2011 LSC Championship meet. (29:41). The Aggies have been training hard all year with a goal to peak at the Regional meet. Coach Aguero has had his Aggies hitting both the track and back-roads of Lawton to prepare for the 10-kilometer event, which is run in a different location each year. “We train for 10k,” Aguero said. “The conference meet is
only an 8k race and I know that we can perform better than we did.” Coach Aguero is looking forward to the regional meet after seeing how his Aggies performed at The University of Arkansas Chile Pepper Festival. With Chile Pepper being one of the fastest 10k courses in the nation Aguero is not necessarily looking for his Aggies to
have a personal record style performance, though that is still the goal in most of the runners minds, rather he would just like to see his Aggies fall into the pack and compete. “It does not matter if they break 30 minutes in the 10k and come in dead last, I would rather they just compete and place at the Regional meet,” Aguero said.
November 7, 2011
www.aggiecentral.com
7
Aggie Sports
Editorial: NBA lockout sheds light on local sports
By Brandon Thompson Staff Writer
Our capitalist culture has driven business, innovation, technology and politics to a higher standard than any other country on the planet, but it has also driven greed to an extreme. For years, it seemed that the one place that would remain unblemished from this greed would be the world of sports, but greed has slowly crept into every facet of sports from professional athletes and owners to the high school level. It seems like every day we hear breaking developments on high school coaches or college boosters paying high profile athletes money to play. These greedy acts have tarnished the appeal of the game. In the professional sports realm, we continue to experience lockouts between players unions and the owners associations. The NFL season was in jeopardy until the final hour this year and training camps were cut short because of revenue sharing agreements. Now the NBA is currently locked out and there seems to be no end in sight. With all the turmoil in big sports, maybe this could give small colleges
Photo by Aaron Gill
Professional basketball goals neglected: Due to the NBA lockout, more light is expected to be shed upon local sports. The lockout began earlier this year and has effected not only the players but the fans as well in their hunger for NBA an opportunity to expand their fan base and garner some much needed support. Here at CU, the Aggie basketball season is quickly approaching and this season could become an opportunity to gain more community support than ever. The Oklahoma City Thunder has stolen the limelight from local sports teams in the region due to the recent success of the team. I know I have spent many more hours watching the NBA the last few years thanks to the Thunder, but these hours have cut into my
time for local sports. Despite my sadness that there may not be a NBA season this year, I am excited about the prospect of watching more CU basketball games. I think this lockout could revive the fun atmosphere of college athletics. I see this year as an opportunity for universities to recapture an audience that they lost many years ago. Even in larger college towns, like Norman, I hear sports radio shows discussing how important this season could be in expanding a fan base. I keep thinking that when the
Aggie basketball season begins the stands will be filled with a crowd not accustomed to the Cameron scene and fall in love with game of basketball all over again. For me it is all about the competition; the struggle between two athletic teams wanting to achieve the same goal and knowing only one will. It is something about a game going to the wire and both teams playing on pure adrenaline that reminds me why I am a sports fanatic. Sometimes I feel like these games are harder to find than they use to be. I know it would be easy for me to take a quarter off if I was
going to make $8,000,000 a year whether I played hard or not the whole game. This is what has been taken away from sports and this is what teams, like Cameron, can bring back to the game. It can show people it is not the laser show, the type of food served, the massive scoreboards or the big names that make sports fun. As the Aggie men and women take the floor this season and play for things much more important than money and the spotlight I hope to see the Cameron faithful return to the stands.
The “Hundred Mile Man” places 66th in Chicago
Photo courtesy of Matt Aguero
Aguero Runs Chicago: Head Cross Country coach Matt Aguero stands in front of a Nike Advertisement in downtown Chicago. Aguero placed 66th overall in the Chicago Marathon.
By Aaron Gill Sports Editor
The Cameron University cross-country head coach Matt Aguero competed in the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 9. The term “marathon” originated in Greece when a messenger by the name of Pheidippides ran from the Battle of Marathons all the way to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated. According to the Legend of Pheidippides, he arrived in Athens and said, “We have won,” before he collapsed and died. Today marathons are run for multiple causes including different kinds of illnesses as well as just for pure competition. Coach Aguero said he trained
hard for this marathon and put in a multitude of miles over the summer with a mixture of hard workouts thrown in. “I have been preparing since June for the race,” Aguero said. “I got up to 130 miles per week
and had three hard workouts per week.” Coach Aguero has battled back and forth with injuries over the years when he was preparing to go to races and has even had Achilles issues in the past.
However, Coach Aguero stayed healthy throughout his summer and arrived at the race ready to run. “I was pretty fortunate that I did not have any injuries,” Aguero said. Of over 45,000 runners, Coach Aguero went into the race with only two goals; set a new personal record, and finish in the top 100. Aguero achieved only one of the two goals he had set by finishing 66th overall. “I was happy with how I ran,” Aguero said. “I was 11 seconds off my PR, but for it being a little hot I was happy with my time and was very pleased with my place. The goal was top 100, so I was very pleased with 66th.” According to most runners, marathon training is one of the most mentally challenging things you could ever prepare yourself for and Coach Aguero is someone that strives to insure that his running is to the best of his ability. Dubbed the 100-mile man in 2005, Coach Aguero, set out to break the Guinness Book of World Records record for the fastest 100-mile relay race. Aguero and his team ended up running 16 minutes and 47 seconds faster than the previous record holders had run. Aguero and his team had actually broken the record before August of 2005, but the records
were lost and never made their way into the history books. In a race where each runner was supposed to run ten miles a piece, Aguero and seven others had to pick up some of the slack when two of their runners could only do seven and eight miles due to injuries. The next step for Coach Aguero would be competing in the 2012 Olympic Trials to see if he could make the cut to appear for his country in a team USA jersey and run the marathon. Coach Aguero has been an avid runner since childhood and even ran at East Central University during his time as a collegiate athlete. Aguero said that he usually tries to run at least two marathons a year, and this was his second for this season. “I usually run two a year,” Aguero said. “My next marathon will probably be next spring.” Having time to rest until his next marathon, Coach Aguero can get back into a regular training routine where he slows down a little and builds his mileage back up where he wants it to be by his next race. For more information about Coach Matt Aguero and his running or the cross-country team, visit www.cameronaggies. com or his new website www. prizerunning.com.
8
CROSSROADS
November 7, 2011
www.aggiecentral.com
CU student finds a way to fame
Photos courtesy of Pascal Garoute
You’re a star: Garoute poses and plays outiside his home with his brother Claude for a series of photos. Pascal is a long-time musician and aspiring actor.
By Ashleigh Fletcher Crossroads Editor
Pascal Garoute is not just an average 20-year-old college student. Garoute is a longtime musician, aspiring actor and he has his own news show on CUTV. Garoute said he and his family have been making music together for years. “My family and I all make music, in fact I recorded my first song when I was only 13 years old,” Garoute said. Garoute said that he is currently working on his first album of original songs. “I’m working on my first original album right now,” Garoute said. “It is called ‘Up Close and Personal’ because all the songs I’ve written for the album deal with my own life experiences.” Along with his album, Garoute has produced many remixes and covers, or songs originally sung by
other artists. “My latest projects are a cover of Justin Bieber’s ‘Mistletoe’ and my 13-year-old brother Claude and I recently finished up a more comical cover and music video of Ke$ha’s ‘Blow,’” Garoute said. Garoute mentioned that an enormous amount of his and his brother’s music is posted on YouTube. “My brother and I have a shared YouTube with over 500 videos at youtube.com/pasacalgaroute,” he said. “You can find some of our music as well as many skits and commercials we have produced.” One can also connect with Garoute on Twitter or watch him on his CUTV news show “CU There.” Garoute described his family’s style of music as multicultural and explained that they do not limit themselves to any one particular genre. “My Family and I have decided our music style is multicultural,” Garoute said. We don’t limit
ourselves to any single music style.” Garoute said his family is very eclectic and culturally diverse. “My Mother is actually finishing up her first all Spanish album,” Garoute said. “ I think the Spanish album is going to be a big break for my mom.” Garoute and his younger brother Claude are also currently working on breaking in to the acting world and are in the process of signing with a talent agency. “My Brother and I are going to be signing, non-exclusively, with an agent in Oklahoma City to get some acting exposure,” Garoute said. “They are going to help keep us up to date on auditions and casting calls.” Garoute explained that his family supports one another greatly and they have all agreed that no matter what may come of their aspirations they will all be in it together. “My family is one unit, and whatever we do, we are going to do it together,” Garoute said.
Photos courtesy of Pascal Garoute
Studio time: Garoute performs in front of a camera and records his music for YouTube. Garoute has posted over 500 Videos and songs to his YouTube channel.
By Tyler Boydston
News Writing Student A cult horror film has hit the stage in Oklahoma for a bloodsoaked second year. “Evil Dead: The Musical” returned to Drumright’s Scream Country in Drumright, Okla. for its second set of shows, that began on Oct. 7, and concluded on Nov. 5. Evil Dead: The Musical is based on the Evil Dead film franchise directed by Sam Raimi. The musical takes elements from all three feature films. The musical also employs the use of a splatter zone, in which the audience is soaked with fake blood throughout the show’s gory moments. On top of super soakers and balloons filled with fake blood, the production also suprised guests with the use of an overhead sprinkler system used to douse everone seated in the splatter zone during the end of the second act. Tyler Talley, a fan of the Evil Dead series, had a chance to sit in the splatter zone this year. “What’s not to like,” Talley said. “Getting covered in fake blood is awesome.” Talley also saw one of his favorite moments from the films translated to the stage in a
Photo courtesy of Tyler Boydston
What a scream: Cast members of Evil Dead: The Musical take time to pose with a fan after the show. Evil Dead: The Musical is an audience interactive zombie musical based on a series of cult horror films directed by Sam Raimi. bloody scene for both the actors and audience. “I liked the scene where Ash had to fight his hand,” Talley said. Based on a scene in the second film of the series, the possession of the hand scene resulted in the use of fake bloodfilled squirt guns pointed at the audience from sides of the stage and from behind the rows in the splatter zone. This was just
one of many examples of the different ways that fake blood was thrown at the audience throughout the play. Talley, who also sat in the splatter zone this year, sat in the dryer area of the theater for last year’s show. “I thought this time was better personally just because of the splatter zone and the way the cast interacted with the audience,” Talley said.
Though the blood was the most well known aspect of the splatter zone, the crew of the play decided to add in even more surprises this year, by throwing out pea soup and even tossing a condom at the audience. “I didn’t get hit by a condom last year,” Talley said. Aaron Tyler, another fan of the series who attended the Oct. 15 showing of the musical, had a very specific reason for seeing the play. “I was looking forward to experiencing a zombie musical,” Tyler said. This was Tyler’s first year to see the show. According to Tyler, his choice scene was at the end of the second act. During the scene the main character Ashley J. Williams fought against several deadites, or zombies, in a final battle. “The zombie fight after the zombie dance number was a favorite of mine,” Tyler said. The fight scene, following the
song “Do the Necronomicon,” featured the fake blood-filled water sprinkler system, set up above the audience sitting in the splatter zone. The musical also included a gift shop, in which audience members could buy t-shirts, posters and other Evil Dead related items. In the gift guests were able to shop and watch the original films on screen while in line. “I liked that they were quick checking people out, and the shirts were by far the most awesome item,” Tyler said. Dakota Polk, an attendee at the musical, said he found a few good things there. “Everything was well priced and the shirts were awesome,” Polk said. “My shirt is hanging on the wall with last years splatter zone shirt.” Students looking for more information or interested in purchasing merchandise and tickets can visit www. evildeadthemusical.com.