TH E CA M ERON UNI V ERSIT Y Monday, March 7, 2011
Volume 85 Issue 15
Informing Cameron Since 1926
Cameron student killed in hit, run By Collegian Staff
Courtesy Photo
CU Student: Cameron University student Katherine Sanders died from injuries suffered after being struck by a vehicle on Feb. 27.
Cameron University student Katherine Sanders was killed on Feb. 27 in a hit and run accident. According to a Department of Public Safety report, at 1:34 a.m. Sanders was crossing near the 7700 block of Southwest Lee. She was walking with Terri Dianne Roberts, 41, when a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer struck the two women, then fled the scene. Police eventually arrested the driver, 34-year-old, Tennille Dion Akenito, Lawton. Akenito has been charged with one count of fi rst-degree manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatality collision, as well as a misdemeanor charge of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Assistant Professor of Communications Mr. Steve Adams knew Sanders as a student, and feels her presence will be missed by many. “I think her loss will be felt by anyone who knew her, whether it was just casually in the classroom, or as a good friend,” he said. Dr. Christopher Keller, Associate Professor of Communication, also had Sanders in class. “Kat had a truly sweet personality. She was bright and cheerful and just an all-around
pleasant student to work with. Her sister, Angela, is a former “Collegian” editor and reporter of mine, and I was always struck by how much they reminded me of each other. Angela was a remarkable journalist, intelligent and driven,” Dr. Keller said. “I saw the same in Kat. I was very much looking forward to working with her as a journalist and newspaper staff member. It is a tragedy, truly, that a young woman with such potential and promise was taken from us.” Further details surrounding Sanders’ death could not be obtained by “Collegian” editors. When asked for accident and booking reports, Lawton Police Department officials repeatedly refused access to official documents. Th is denial of timely news media access appears to be in violation of the Oklahoma Open Records Act (OKLA. STAT. tit. 51, § 24A.8(A)(3), a law which states: “Access to records which, under the Oklahoma Open Records Act, would otherwise be available for public inspection and copying, shall not be denied because a public body or public official is using or has taken possession of such records for investigatory purposes or has placed the records in a litigation or investigation fi le.” As the “Collegian” editorial staff investigates, updates in our reporting will be published on our convergence newsite, www.aggiecentral.com.
Forensics team takes first place in tourney By Elijah Morlett
“To most of the team, this is like a full time job. Their hard work and dedication is reflected by the number of awards won at the state tournament and the other tournaments we attended this semester.”
Staff Writer
Photo by Elijah Morlett
Practice makes perfect: Members of the Cameron Forensics team prepare for competition at the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Association State Tournament. The team claimed first place, making them the number one team in the state.
Cameron University’s Forensics Team took first place sweepstakes in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Association State Tournament held at Oklahoma City University on Feb. 26–27, ranking Cameron’s team number one in the state. Forensics consists of various speech and debate events, including parliamentary debate, prose, poetry, persuasive speaking and extemporaneous speaking. The eight-team members collectively and individually took home over 30 awards from the tournament. Brenna Welch, a senior Communications major and Cameron’s Pi Kappa Delta Forensics Honor Society chapter president, believes that the team’s drive and desire pushed the members to excel at the competition. “I am proud and excited that we were able to work hard enough to place first,” Welch said. This speech and debate tournament concluded the team’s regional
See FORENSICS Page 2
— Dan Schabot Director of CU Forensics Team
Cameron students offered opportunity abroad By Taylor Brunwald Staff Writer
Those looking for a beginning to summer that incorporates overseas travel with education need look no further. Students will have the opportunity to learn about Brazilian agrarian technology and culture in a study abroad trip through Oklahoma State University (OSU) called “Technology of Brazil.” The program, which will be worth one hour of undergraduate credit, will take place from May 8 – 22. “This is not a course through Cameron, but we are working on getting it developed for Cameron for next year,” Dr. Leon Fischer, Chairman of the Agriculture Department, said. The program is open to all interested students. Of the twenty-
five spots available for students, ten of those are reserved for Cameron students, with few open seats remaining. During the program, students will travel to large cities in Brazil, including Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba, and landmarks such as the Amazon River and Iguassu Falls. Sugar cane fields, ethanol refineries, livestock facilities and the site of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be among the sites students will tour on the program. “Many of the things students will see in Brazil they would not be able to see in Oklahoma,” Dr. Fischer said. “There are many breeds of livestock that are not typical of our region, along with production sites for ethanol and sugar cane.” According to an official handout from OSU, the class will
consist almost entirely of field trips to sites of interest, with content being half-cultural and halftechnical. Dr. Silvano Abreu, a temporary professor in the Agriculture Dept, has been on the study trip before with OSU. As a Brazilian native, he worked simultaneously as an instructor and an interpreter. “I’m glad that we’re able to offer this program to Cameron students,” Dr. Abreu said. “Studying abroad is a great opportunity to not only see more of the world, but appreciate what we have at home.” Dr. Fischer held similar sentiments regarding the program. “Any opportunity to travel
See ABROAD Page 2
Photos courtesy of Dr. Silvano Abreu
Broadening horizons: Students engage with Brazilian children during a previous “Technology of Brazil” study abroad trip offered through Okahoma State University. Cameron University students have the opportunity to become involved in this year’s trip by contacting the Agricultural Department on campus.
News
A&E
Sports
Opinion
Students man phones during campus phonathon.
Whang performs to local middle schools.
Cameron baseball is off to a hot start.
More to photography than meets the eye.
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2 News Phones manned to raise funds for CU Foundation March 7, 2011
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By Tahira Carter Staff Writer
Cameron University students have been staffing the phones since Feb. 15 asking alumni to support the Cameron University Foundation. This phonathon marks the third time that the Foundation has reached out to alumni since the spring of 2010. Vice President for University Advancement Hillary Ashton said the Foundation decided to begin having phonathons because many universities were successful with them and it was a great way to keep alumni up to date with campus activities. “Some of our alumni have not heard about what is happening on campus in 20-60 years, so they are really excited to get a call from a student,” Ashton said. Updating the alumni on current university matters is just one of the three goals that the phonathon hopes to achieve, however. The other two goals, updating contact information and fundraising, are equally as important. “Last year the money we raised was able to help a program in the education department that was really dying because it only had a few students enrolled. The phonathon money helped give scholarships to students in that program so that they could stay in school,” Ashton said. Student callers accumulated over $30,000 in pledges last year and this number is expected to increase to $50,000 by the completion of the ongoing phonathon. The great majority of these pledges will be used for student scholarships. “About 70 percent of our students are on some kind of financial assistance,” Ashton said. “We are concentrating on scholarship projects because we feel that is where the greatest need is right now.” Kaitlyn Taylor, a junior in Criminal Justice, was one of the first student callers when the phonathon started last year. “It was a bit nerve wracking because we had no idea what to expect when we began calling
Photo by Tahira Carter
Ring, ring: Cameron students contact alumni in an effort to inform them on changes happening on campus, and to ask for donations for student scholarship funds. Over $50,000 in pledges are expected for this year. alumni,” Taylor said. “Some calls are hard, but for every bad call you get several good ones where the alumnus is happy to tell you what a great experience they had at Cameron.” Phonathon caller Shantee Hicks, a junior in Nursing, has returned for the third time because of the personal quality of the job. “I have had some good experiences. I remember one call where I spoke to a lady for about forty-five minutes. I was just talking to her, getting her up to date with what was happening on campus and listening to her stories,” Hicks said. An evening of phone calls can be tiresome, however, and students are motivated to compete against each other to keep the atmosphere upbeat. Each pledge is celebrated with waving pickaxes and cheering. Jessica Friedrich, Biology major, enjoys this aspect of the phonathon. “I have fun. I love the activities and the little games we play while talking to alumni and raising funds,” Friedrich said. The phonathon will continue until the middle of March.
FORENSICS continued from page 1 competitive season for this academic year. The season runs almost the entire academic year. Regional tournaments take place from September to February and national tournaments take place in March and April. According to Director of Forensics Dan Schabot, the team has made outstanding improvements over the past year and he compares their workload to those of in-season athletes. “Team members practice and research up to 40 hours a week,” Schabot said. “To most of the team, this is like a full time job. Their hard work and dedication is reflected by the number of awards won at the state tournament and the other tournaments we attended this semester.” The forensics team is divided into four debate teams that competed against twelve other schools at the tournament. Each of the four teams finished with winning preliminary round records. Three of the teams made it to at least quarterfinals. Junior Brett Carlton and freshmen Skylar Williams, both Communication majors, progressed to the final round. Two members of the team, Welch and junior Mathematics major Odile Decoteau, were the top two oratorical (persuasive) speakers in the tournament, allowing them to represent the state in the national oratorical competition. Decoteau and junior Communications major Ashok Pandey, who just started debating this semester, finished 10th seed in the debate rounds, missing the top eight out of tie-breaking points. Junior Business major Paul Boudreaux was awarded the top speaker award at the event, while junior Communication major Troy Flewellen took third place overall speaker in parliamentary debate. Williams and freshmen Communication major Cameron Brewer finished fourth place in duo interpretation. Qualifying members will compete in four different national tournaments around the country. The tournaments are the National Pi Kappa Delta Forensics Tournament in Oregon, the Interstate Oracle Association Contest in Virginia, the National Parliamentary Debate Tournament in Colorado and the National Forensics Association Tournament in Illinois.
ABROAD continue from page 1
Solutions on page 3
abroad broadens horizons,” he said. “This will be an opportunity most of our students haven’t had. Agriculture students will be able to see their studies on a global level.” Along with differences on the technical and cultural aspects of living, students will need to anticipate changes in climate. “Brazil has a mostly tropical climate, but it is also a country the size of the United States,” Dr. Abreu said. “Closer to the equator, it will be hot and humid; further south, it will feel closer to autumn in Oklahoma.” Although learning more about different cultures may seem idyllic, it is not a school-sponsored vacation. “Students can share their experiences with other students with their studying efforts,” Dr. Fischer said. “We will ask those Cameron students to give presentations about what they learned, so that they can promote the next year’s trip.” Assistant Professor Dr. Frank White, as a guest of OSU, will be joining the trip as an advisor. He holds great expectations for those participating in the program. “It’s important in today’s world to understand how the global culture works,” he said. “This trip will be an eye-opening experience for our students, allowing them to go off the usual tourist area and see how those in other cultures live.” For more information regarding the “Technology of Brazil” program, contact Dr. Leon Fischer at 581.2552 or Dr. Silvano Abreu at 581.2881.
News
March 7, 2011
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New advisement center opens By Brittany Wolfe Staff Writer
Cameron University has a new enrollment center for freshmen, sophomores, and transfer students with undeclared majors. The Academic Advisement Center is designed to provide students with advice regarding careers, majors and course selections. The AAC also helps students finish developmental course work. According to Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. John McArthur, the AAC has six enrollment specialists and a number of faculty and staff who will work with the students in the center. The advisement specialists help the students with academic requirements for each major, information about financial aid and student support facilities such as tutoring labs, computer labs, math labs and the writing lab. “We believe if we have faculty members that are well versed with various topics, they can help our student’s success,” Dr. McArthur said. Since various departments such as Education, Science, Business, and a few others have the majority of the students majoring in these fields, the enrollment center has academic specialists who are very knowledgeable in each of these fields. “We want to make sure we have advisement specialists who are knowledgeable about our departments that have a higher student population,” Dr. McArthur said. “The advisement specialists are picked to have an area for which they will be expected to know a little more about. This is the area they are supposed to go out and visit more within the academic departments.” In the past with CU’s Gold Rush summer enrollment sessions, hundreds of students would attend the enrollment event on certain days. Now with the new AAC, Gold Rush will be about every four weeks with only 20-40 students being enrolled during each session. This helps students have a longer one on one enrollment session with an academic specialist. “When the students come to enroll, we want them to be able to have a personal experience and take as much time as they need with each advisement specialist,” Dr. McArthur said. “In the past at Gold Rush, there have been hundreds of students in one day enrolling and
Photo by Jim Horinek
Repurposed: Just inside the main doors of North Shepler is the newly created Academic Advisement Center. A new feature, designed to help students chart their paths through college, can be found where the Campus Brew was once located. with some departments having more students to enroll; they would have to rush to get every student enrolled.” The AAC will start enrollment for summer and fall classes on March 25. The center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with additional extended hours one night per week. “We hope the Academic Advisement Center will help students with everything they need to become successful and to also produce even more graduates,” Dr. McArthur said.
Wellness Center offers self esteem workshops By Amber Spurlin Staff Writer
The Cameron University Student Wellness Center is conducting a four-week workshop entitled The Power of Self-Esteem to encourage higher self-esteem among students. According to Sheila HodgeWindover, a mental health counselor at the SWC, the workshops will be spread over a four-week period. She explained that each session would be from 12:30-2 p.m. on March 1, 8, 29 and April 5 in the Centennial Room in the Shepler Mezzanine. Windover explained that each workshop will be a continuation of the last and will focus on key points such as the benefits of working on selfesteem, characteristics of high
self-esteem, factors influencing the development of self-esteem, symptoms of low self-esteem and understanding why people have trouble working on self-esteem. According to the Director of the SWC, Deanice Shegog, the inspiration for The Power of Self-Esteem workshops was the increasing number of students with low self-esteem. She said that, although there are no official statistics, many of the students that she sees for counseling suffer from low self-esteem. “We do not have any specific statistics that state the percentage of college students who suffer from low self-esteem because not all students who suffer from it seek help,” Shegog said. “However, I can say that at least 65 percent of the students that I have seen for counseling have self-esteem issues.”
Windover noted that the goal of the workshops is to empower students not only to have higher self-esteem, but also to feel like they can help those close to them achieve it as well. She went on to say that having a high self-esteem is very important for students because of the stress that comes with college life and classes. “Self-esteem is especially important for college students because they are going to have a lot of stress and obstacles and they have to be willing to face those challenges and know that they can make it,” Windover said. Shegog noted that some benefits of higher self-esteem are better stress management, less anxiety and more productivity. She said the workshops will help students achieve that.
“The power of self esteem allows us to believe that we are good enough, that we are deserving and that we are capable,” Shegog said. “With good selfesteem we can manage stress better, are less depressed, less anxious, less fearful and more productive.” Windover explained that another part of the workshop’s goal is to improve the way that the participants view their problems and lives. “It’s so important to have good self esteem, because when a person doesn’t, it’s like a burden on their shoulder; instead of seeing opportunities, they see obstacles. We want these students to understand that when obstacles come they have to change the stumbling blocks into stepping stones and that will help them get
closer to achieving their goals,” Windover said. Windover also said that the workshops are only open to 10 students to ensure that each student gets the individualized attention they need to achieve higher self-esteem. “I limited the amount of participants to 10 because, with the intimate nature of the topic as well as the activities, I feel that students will be more comfortable with a smaller group,” Windover said. “Also, the smaller group will allow for us to provide individual attention to each student.” She said that they will have more workshops at a later date for students who are interested in improving their self-esteem, but only students who are willing to attend every workshop will be chosen.
Freshmen, seniors invited to participate in survey CU Public Affairs
Approximately 1,722 Cameron freshmen and seniors have been invited to complete the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), a questionnaire about student experiences on campus. The request from Jennifer Holland, Vice President of Student Services, was made via email to the students’ Cameron.edu email address, so students are encouraged to check their Cameron.edu email to see if they received the invitation to participate. Only students who received the email invitation are eligible to complete the survey. The email contains a link to the online survey, which takes about 15 minutes to complete. Students who complete the NSSE survey by March 11 will automatically be entered into a drawing to win one of three iPod Nanos worth $180 each. Only students who received the email invitation are eligible to participate. The drawing for the iPod Nanos ® will be held March 22 at noon in the Office of Enrollment Management. Students do not need to be present to win. Winners will be notified by e-mail to their CU addresses. The information from NSSE will be used by faculty and administrators at Cameron University and by other higher education leaders to improve the collegiate experiences of undergrads. Cameron students last participated in the NSSE in 2008. The student input results from that survey helped university administrators make several improvements to services for students on campus, at remote sites, and online – improvements that today’s student are now enjoying. Students from hundreds of other colleges and universities are also being asked these same questions—about how they spend their free time, what they feel they have gained from classes, and their interaction with faculty and other students.
Opinion
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March 7, 2011
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Photography much more than sum of parts
Jim Horinek THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna
Editorial Staff
Managing Editor - Jim Horinek News Editor - Rachel Engel A&E Editor - Megan Bristow Sports Editor - Michael Faggett Variety Editor - Rashmi Thapaliya Copy Editor - Dianne Riddles Aggie Central Editors- Rachel Engel, Michael Faggett
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Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - Amanda Cantu, Ashleigh Fletcher, Amber Spurlin, Brittany Wolfe, Tahira Carter, Brandon Thompson, Elijah Morlett, Jessica Goodman, Rebecca Craft Circulation Managers - Thomas Smith, Matt Thompson Advertising Manager - Jim Horinek Interns - Manal Elhak, Oluwatoyin “Teewhy” Dojutelegan
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.
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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 or e-mail to collegian@cameron.edu, or they may be dropped off at our office - Nance Boyer 2060 or at www. aggiecentral.com.
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The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author. The unsigned editorial under the heading “Our Voice” 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.
From the beginning point of receiving a Nikon D80 and a set of lenses from my parents my enjoyment of photography has continued to grow. I started out, like many photographers do, by simply taking pictures of things like family trips and odds and ends events that made up my life. However, it was not long before I realized that there was a lot more potential subject matter than simply family vacations. As a member of the “Collegian” editorial staff, I had the opportunity to take part in photographing many different events from a very early point after getting my first camera. It was these initial events that really solidified my interest in the field of photography. As with most things I am passionate about, I usually go all out or not at all and photography has not really been an exception to this rule. Shortly after getting my first camera I began to realize that I needed more equipment. Consequently, I bought two more lenses. Soon after that those two lenses turned into six lenses and another camera. Before long, I had a whole host of equipment with which to take part in my new found hobby. It was at this point that I began actually taking photos for hire. With the help of some friends at first and then entities such as Cameron Public Affairs, I began to actually make a little money by exploiting this newlydiscovered skill. I guess that it wasn’t to terribly long before I realized that there is a lot more to photography than simply being behind the shutter. It is about capturing events and emotion in time and helping people to remember the special moments in life. The thing I wish everyone would understand is that no matter your skill level or what kind of equipment you have, photography is something that everyone can enjoy. It is not all about how great the product is or how much money you are making taking the photos. Instead, it’s more about the interaction between the photographer and his or her subject matter. Being behind the camera lends the photographer a very unique perspective on life that cannot really be attained any other way. Being the person taking the photos really forces you to examine your surroundings and the people in them. It helps you to really see people and places in a way that is often deeper than people do on a regular basis. The simple fact is that photography is something that everyone can take part in and enjoy. You can spend thousands of dollars on the top of the line equipment or you can simply spend a few bucks on a disposable Kodak. No matter what you are shooting with or what you are shooting at I can guarantee that the results will be worth your while.
Photo by Jim Horinek
A&E
March 7, 2011
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Whang performs for local students By Megan Bristow A&E Editor
On Friday, Feb. 25, sixth graders from Central Middle School, MacArthur Middle School, and Lawton Academy of Arts and Sciences were audience to a special presentation by Cameron University’s McMahon Endowed Chair in Music, Dr. Hyunsoon Whang. Dr. Whang presented students from the Gifted and Talented Program of the schools in the Lawton Public Schools program and the students from the Lawton Academy of Arts and Sciences with a piano performance centered on the discussion of the difference between the romantic and classical style of music. This program, ‘A re You Romantic or Classic?’ was not the first time that Dr. Whang has presented this type of opportunity to students from nearby schools. “This is the third year of doing it. The feedback from the teachers, parents and students has been overwhelmingly positive,” Dr. Whang said. Dr. Whang coordinated this year’s program with Stephanie Adair, the program coordinator of the Gifted and Talented program for Lawton Public Schools, in order to synchronize the presentation’s topic with material that the students were learning in class. Cameron’s Director of Media Relations, Janet Williams commented that this coordination between Lawton Public Schools and CU is a good example of how the two organizations work together. “It’s a nice example of the synergy between LPS and Cameron since Dr. Whang is presenting a program that reinforces LPS’ curriculum,” Williams said. The recital featured compositions from timeless artists such as Haydn, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, and Mozart. Dr. Whang desires to improve students’ lives through the exposition of new styles of music. “Hopefully it will open the world of classical music to them if they are not already familiar with it,” she said. “I believe that all arts including music feed one’s soul, and good music is essential to young people’s emotional and psychological well-being.” Similarly, she said that she hopes that through her performances, young people will develop an interest in classical music that may not have been revealed before. “I want them to know that classical music is very accessible, contrary to what many people believe,” Dr. Whang said. “Classical music is not stuffy, academic, or boring; nor is it for the elite only. Classical music is for everyone and all ages. It just has to be introduced in the right way.” According to Dr. Whang, not only do the students learn a lot at the recitals; but also many are grateful for the chance to participate in these events. “They have a great time when they come,” she said. “They are enthusiastic and happy. I have received many cards and thank you notes from students. Many of them tell me that this was their first time attending a piano recital, and how much they loved it. They want to go hear or see more classical concerts.” Cameron’s renowned professor and performer, Dr. Whang has coordinated this event for the past three years and plans to continuing enlightening students to this form of music in the years to come.
Photos by Megan Bristow
Music For Young Ears: Local students listen attentively to the concert given for them in McCutcheon Recital Hall. Dr. Whang performs for this age group every year, a tradition developed over the past three years.
CU’s Zumbathon raises money for good cause By Amber Spurlin Staff Writer
Cameron University offered students the chance to dance, exercise and support fellow students all in one event by hosting a Zumbathon. The event was held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 12 in the CU Fitness Center. Participants were charged $10 at the door and had to sign in. Robin Eichenauer, program assistant at the Student Wellness Center and Zumba instructor on campus, said unlike the last Zumbathon, which was in support of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, the proceeds from this one went to a fund for Cameron students in need of medicine or medical tests. According to Eichenauer, many students visit the Wellness Center, but do not get their illnesses or injuries taken care of because they do not have the money for the prescribed medicines and tests. “Many students visit the Student Wellness Center and leave with a prescription or orders for particular tests,” Eichenauer said, “but, due to the expense, do not get the medicine or tests they need and do not get well. We want to make sure our students are taken care of, so all of the proceeds from the Zumbathon went to help pay for medical expenses.” Eichenauer said that the Zumbathon raised about 1,000 dollars, which was all donated to the Wellness Center’s student fund. She said that having a
Zumbathon for students with medical needs was her idea, but that the idea of a Zumbathon in general came from Zumba Inc.
Eichenauer explained that Zumbathons are held for many different causes, such as fundraisers for organizations and support for cancer and
Drumming out the rhythm: CU’s own alumni member, Clint Williams, livened the air with his festive conga beats. Participants in this year’s Zumbathon raised over a thousand dollars to assist Cameron students with medical fees.
disease foundations. She went on to explain that Zumba is dance aerobics and Latin base music with music from various countries mixed in. She said that the reason a Zumbathon is such a popular way to raise money is because Zumba is a way to get a good workout without being miserable and people enjoy doing it. “If you’re working out and are miserable, you won’t want to keep doing it,” Eichenauer said, ‘but if you can work out and have a great time you look forward to it. With Zumba, when people start working out they are generally excited.” Another reason that Zumba is so popular, according to Eichenauer, is because people like to dance. “Another thing that is great about Zumba is that,
Courtesy Photos
Moving to the beat: Zumba dancers had fun dancing to the Latin music, but were able to burn a few calories as well. Robin Eichenauer led this year’s Zumbathon, and is also the instructor of the class offered three times a week in the Fitness Center.
being older, I miss dancing and Zumba fills that void for me,” she said. “I’ve heard other women say the same thing.” The event lasted two hours and consisted music taught in Eichenauer’s Zumba class. Eichenauer explained that she lost eight pounds at the last Zumbathon, so she recruited the help of fellow Zumba instructor Dee Faulk, who lead some of the dances. Eichenauer went on to say that upon paying the entry fee, participants received a gift bag and a ticket for the drawings that took place during the breaks. She said one of the best things about the Zumbathon was Clint Williams, a CU graduate, who played the congas at the event. “Clint Williams came and played the congas for us and did a marvelous job,” she said. “He added so much festivity to the event.” Eichenauer also said that participants did not have to come at five and stay till seven; they were able to come and go as they pleased as long as they paid the entry fee. Beyond the Zumbathon, Eichenauer encouraged people to attend her Zumba class, which meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 5:15 p.m. in the Fitness Center, and that there are more benefits to it than losing calories. “There have been a lot of close friendships in the class along with the calories burned,” Eichenauer said. “The class is constantly growing, but there is always room for more.”
Sports
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March 7, 2011
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Baseball gets off to quick start By Amanda Cantu Staff Writer
The Cameron Aggie baseball team has had a dominant start to their 2011 season, earning a 9-1 record after facing off against their first three opponents. The men opened the season at home with a sweep in their four-game series against the Northeastern Oklahoma State University (NSU) Riverhawks. CU opened the series on Feb. 13 with a 9-6 win and came back to take the second game 11-7. The following day, the
men saw more double-header action. In the first contest, the Black and Gold were down 5-0, but scored seven runs in the seventh inning to give them the 7-5 victory. The Aggies kept their win streak alive in the final game of the series, topping NSU 7-3. The team next traveled to Edmond to take on the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO). CU won the opening match-up of the series 5-2. The Aggies would go on to split the next two games played, winning the first 9-5 and dropping the second 8-11.
Leaders of the pack: Head coach Todd Holland and catcher P.J. Ortega return this season. Holland, now in his eighth season, has a balanceed roster of pitching and hititng that has helped the Aggies start the season well. Ortega has caught every game so far this season.
The team next took to the diamond with the home field advantage during the Super Homecoming weekend. The men competed in a three-game series against the Greyhounds of Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) and earned their second sweep of the season. On day one of play, CU had a 5-0 shutout over ENMU. The Aggie bats really heated up on the following day when the squad defeated the Greyhounds 8-3 and 16-3. Cameron baseball coach Todd Holland said he is pleased with what he has seen from his team so far. “Early in the season you never really know how it’s going to go, but these guys are resilient. They never panic. They don’t press. They just play consistently,” Holland said. Holland also acknowledged that good offense is the story of this year’s Aggie baseball team. “Most of the time other teams realize that offense is it for us. We saw that with Eastern New Mexico. They struggled to keep up with us at the plate,” Holland said. “Obviously, we want the best of both worlds, but right now I’m willing to give up some defense to have great offense.” Newcomers Chase Larsson and Kenny Held have been outstanding offensively for the Aggies. As of March 3, the men lead the squad in several categories. Larsson has been hitting the most consistently for CU. The centerfielder had a batting average of .471 after the first 10 games played. His slugging percentage was the team’s highest at .941. The Vancouver native also led the team with his on base percentage as well as stolen bases. Holland recognized Larsson’s excellent numbers and conceded that the Lone Star Conference is an offense-
Photos by Bennett Dewan
On the mound: Logan Grimes returns for his final year as an Aggie. He, along with James Rhodes, Ricky Cramer, Jerry A’Hearn and others, form a respectable pitching staff for head coach Todd Holland. The staff has helped the Aggies win nine of their first 10 games and earn a top 15 national ranking. oriented conference. “This is a hitter’s conference,” Holland said. “You have to hit well in order to keep competing.” Held has also shown off his offensive prowess this season. As of March 3, Held was the team’s homerun, RBI and runs leader. He was also tied for first for the number of hits on the season with 17. The baseball coach said he likes the statistics Held has racked up so far. “Kenny is a free swinging guy. He likes to hit the ball and, when he does hit it, he hits it hard and it goes a long way,” Holland said. “When he’s on, he’s on.” First baseman Andy Garcia has proven to be a heavy hitter as well. During the first 10 games of the year, the 6-foot-3 junior had a batting average of .459 and tied with Held for most
hits. Defensively, junior James Rhodes has been lethal from the mound for CU. After his first five appearances as an Aggie, Rhodes had ERA of just 2.41 and struck out some 24 batters. Holland is delighted with what he has seen from Rhodes. “Rhodes has been doing a wonderful job. He’s started a couple of games and came in as a reliever a few times and he’s done a great job with both,” Holland said. “He’s the kind of kid that just wants to play baseball – in any situation.” CU last competed in a three-game series against West Texas A&M March 4-5 in Canyon, Texas. The Aggies will next face Newman University on March 11 at Cameron’s own McCord Field. The first pitch will be thrown at 1 p.m.
CU Eddie continues unwavering support Famous Aggie fan has attended over 2200 home games
basketball games, 20 home baseball games and nine home softball games. Larson has attended Staff Writer CU home sporting events from 1978 to 2011, The fans roar and this can only mean one which is 33 years. That is roughly 363 volleyball thing: the team has scored again. The buzzer games, 495 men’s basketball games, 462 women’s sounds. The Pick Axe Band plays the fight song basketball games, 660 baseball games and 297 while the cheerleaders dance. The fans stand up softball games. Larson has watched 2277 CU and clap. These are typical sights and sounds of home games. a Cameron University basketball game. “My favorite sport is baseball. I played when I One fan in particular claps the loudest. He was little and enjoyed it,” Larson said. has stood in the stands since 1978, when he was Coach Alexander and men’s basketball, as a student at CU. He has well as Coach Webb and women’s been a member of the basketball know that Larson is in “Our guys don’t want Cameron Gold Club the stands. They also know that since the club was the when their team plays at home, they to play in an empty Black and Gold Club. have a fan. gym and we need more Many know him as, “It is always great to have people committed fans like “Mr. CU.” He is Eddie in the stands supporting you and Larson. Eddie does a great job of that,” him.” “I was a member of Webb said. the Black and Gold Club Coach Alexander said that — Wade Alexander when CU switched to knowing Larson attends the games Head Coach, Men’s affects the team’s morale. NCAA. After that, Basketball the club fell apart. Jim “Of course it does. Our guys don’t Jackson started the want to play in an empty gym and Cameron Gold Club so we need more committed fans like that I could get back him,” Alexander said. involved,” Larson said. The spring semester crept up on students When Larson talks about the Cameron and spring sports crept up on students and Gold Club, he smiles. He believes that the fans alike. Each day holds more events such Cameron Gold Club is trying to help athletes by as double headers of basketball, baseball, and supporting them. Larson also said that the club softball. brings more attention to sporting events and Larson said that he would have to miss the gets more people in the stands. baseball game on February 26 because that will “I attend as many home games as I can,” also be the date for the last home basketball Larson said. games. Larson can be seen at volleyball, men’s and Larson can be seen at other events too. He women’s basketball, and baseball games. He said attends the home football games for that when school is out you can see him at the Lawton High School. He is alumni there. night cap games for both softball and baseball. Sports inf luenced Larson’s life when he was When it came down to the numbers, there younger and he continued to show support for are roughly 11 home volleyball games, 15 home what he enjoys. Eddie Larson does what he can men’s basketball games, 14 home women’s to support the passion of the game.
By Jessica Goodman
Photo by Jessica Goodman
Here’s to the Cameron Aggies: Voracious CU fan Eddie Larson stands during the playing of the fight song. Larson, known as “CU Eddie,” has attended a total of over 2200 home athletic events for Cameron. Larson started attending games in 1978 and has continued his support for over 31 years.
Sports
March 7, 2011
www.aggiecentral.com
7
Softball preps for conference By Michael Faggett Sports Editor
After a 1-7 start this season, the softball team looks to use a rigorous non-conference schedule and a recent win streak to propel its way into Lone Star Conference play. Similar to other sports teams on campus, the softball squad features a young crop of talent with only two seniors: Cheryl Raesz and Kelly Lentz. According to head coach Beth Watson the balance between developing players and encouraging a win-now mentality has been an issue. “It’s a fine line,” Watson said. “Through our schedule so far, they have developed a sense of urgency knowing we are heading into conference.
The good thing about our youngsters is they want to win. They’re used to winning and want to win but are now at a different level of the game. ” Part of the difference Watson referred to comes from a tough non-conference schedule. The team traveled for five consecutive weekends to start the 2011 season and lost seven of its first eight games. Watson said those games and the travel schedule helped the team fix some of the team’s weaknesses. “It definitely was a wakeup call for us,” Watson said. “The good thing about it is we have been able to address the issues we have. Although we haven’t been able to get a lot of practice time on the field, we have addressed those issues
and seen progress over the last two weeks.” In addition to the progress, the Aggies have relied on the arguably tireless arm of pitcher Carrie Harvey. Through the team’s first 20 games, Harvey posted a 2.52 earned run average while pitching nearly 92 innings. According to Watson, Harvey has been aggressive in her approach at the mound. “She’s a competitor,” Watson said. “She’s healthy and wants the ball. She knows she is capable of helping the team win. Carrie is a workhorse.” Along with Harvey’s solid pitching, outfielder Lesli Martini and third base Drew Wright have started the season off well at the plate. Through the first twenty games, Martini has hit six home runs with 20 runs batted in, all the while batting close to .400. What’s been more impressive is Martini’s efficiency at the plate: the sophomore has only struck out six times in 56 at bats during the first twenty games of the season. “Lesli has been unbelievable at the plate,” Watson said. “She has such a good eye, so she’s either going to get walked or do some damage.” Wright has hit .338 with four home runs, including two in a game against Texas A&MInternational on Feb. 20. “She certainly has had some stellar at bats,” Watson said. “She just needs to be more patient at the plate and get into her groove.”
Photos by Bennett Dewan
The wind-up and the pitch: Pitcher Carrie Harvey has carried the Aggies pitching staff with her tireless arm. Through the first twenty games, Harvey has pitched 91 and 2/3 innings and posted a 2.52 ERA. Despite those positives, Watson said she has been somewhat disappointed with the team’s infield defense but said she has seen progress from a young, athletic infield. “I just encourage them to make the plays in front of them,” Watson said. “We are not looking for them to make SportsCenter’s top ten plays every outing, but we just want them to make the simple plays and not extend the inning.” With the struggles, bright spots, and improved play over the past two weeks, Watson said she sees the non-
conference schedule serving a good preparation for the team’s conference schedule. “It’s been a brutal schedule,” Watson said. “Scheduling the way that we have has put us in tough situations right off the bat, and I feel it will only help us in conference. I think we match up well with other opponents in the conference. We just have to take one series at a time, play well, and put our total game together. ” The Aggies play their first home series on March 12 against Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
Athletics updates Web site
Cameronaggies.com features new look, easier access By Brandon Thompson Staff Writer
The beginning of spring signifies change and this spring CU athletics’ Web site has a new look. The launch of the new site, www. cameronaggies.com, formerly known as goaggies.cameron.edu noted the start of a change in the way the public views CU sports. Director of sports information Kyle Neaves said that he is excited about the new Web site and thinks this new site is a vast improvement from the previous one. “I’m excited because it provides a new face for Cameron athletics on the internet,” Neaves said. “It is a world of improvement.” According to Neaves, the improvements made to the Web page will bolster recruitment and give CU the feel of a larger university. “I think any advantage you can find for recruiting purposes is good,” Neaves said. “It is another thing that could set us apart from other universities.” Neaves also stated that he thought the new webpage added an interesting touch to the athletic department and that the attractiveness of the page should appeal to students interested in attending the university. “When someone starts to look at different universities they will eventually migrate from the academic side of the website and take a look at the athletics,” Neaves said. “I think when you have a nice, easy to follow and attractive homepage for your athletics it makes your university as a whole and your athletic department look that much better.” The new Web site is updated daily with new stories and the most upto-date stats regarding CU athletics. In addition to stats and stories, each page on the site features photos relevant to each sport. Another interesting feature Neaves noted is that the Web site enables fans that are unable to attend the game to stream the game live through the Web site. “We do live video streaming for all of our events off of the site,” Neaves said.
“We obviously want people to come to the games, but it is nice for parents of athletes that cannot come to the game to watch their son or daughter play.” This new Web site is designed to be userfriendly. The planning stage of the site included a massive amount of work dedicated to making the site easy to navigate. “When laying out the page we decided that users needed to be able to get to anything they wanted in two clicks of the mouse,” Neaves said. Neaves pointed out that a portion of the CU fan base may not be as computer perceptive as others, so the easy navigation of the page became an essential element of the overall design. Neaves envisioned a Web site that allowed anyone to access CU athletics without much effort or computer knowledge. Neaves’ vision became a reality on Jan. 29 and since the launch, positive feedback has continually poured in. “All we have gotten is positive feedback,” Neaves said. “I get compliments from alumni that have not been here in 30 years, I get it from student-athletes and I get it from the coaches.” According to Neaves, the Web site has been a great improvement to the CU athletic department. He also said that he is more than open to any suggestions to improving the Web site and looks forward to keeping fans in touch with what is going on in the athletic department.
Courtesy of cameronaggies.com
8
Variety
March 7, 2011
www.aggiecentral.com
Go with the beat: Participants at the Zumba dance followed the beats of the music with steps as led by, the instructor, Robin Eichenauer.
There are many ways to stay healthy. People go to gym, jog, swim, diet and do a lot of other things to keep themselves fit. Dancing is another way to get physical exercise. Cameron University offers a free Zumba dance class to students, faculty and staffs at Cameron. The class is offered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Robin Eichenauer, instructor of the Zumba dance and Program Assistant at Wellness Center said that Zumba is a Latin inspired dance aerobics. She said that Zumba also has some African beats, belly dance, and dance from different cultures. “I have been dancing most of my life,” Eichenauer said. “ Since I have been a Zumba dance instructor at Cameron I have seen a lot of progress in the participants regarding their health and weight.” Eichenauer started as a Zumba dance instructor at Cameron in Sept. 2009. She said that Zumba dance class is a good place to have fun and exercise at the same time. She further said that since the participants are dancing with the beat of the music they do not feel the stress of regular exercise. The instructor mentioned that she has the license to teach basic Zumba and Zumba gold. “Zumba gold is mainly for the older age group,” Eichenauer said. “In my classes I have the participants of different age groups. So I mix up both Zumba types as it fits the group.” Eichenauer said that Zumba dance is a total body fitness program. She said that it is good for heart and cardiovascular system. There are about 30 regular participants in the Zumba class now. Eichenauer said that the class was huge at the beginning of the semester but as the semester has progressed on, students who get stuffed with their school works and exams do not show up regularly. Velton Flowers, Business Counselor at Academic Advising Center is a regular attendee of the Zumba dance. He said that he has been attending the class for six months now. “ I am a full time, full blown addictive Zumba guy,” Flowers said. “I will continue coming to this class until I retire because it has been so beneficial to me.” Flowers said that he used to come to the fitness center to lift weights on Tuesdays and Thursdays. One day he was in the fitness center on Monday when he saw people dancing on the beats of music. He then started participating in the class and liked it. “Being a regular participant in the class has helped me get a regular exercise,” Flowers said. “I had high cholesterol which has gone down and I feel healthy.” Debria Schuler, a senior Education major at Cameron is another regular attendee at the Zumba . She has been attending Zumba class for about a year. She said that she likes Zumba because she is having fun and getting exercise at the same time. “ I have high blood pressure and this exercise is keeping it down,” Schuler said. “It also helps me to get rid of the stress during the day and exercise in a fun atmosphere.” The songs played for the Zumba dance are mostly the fast rhythm songs. Eichenauer said that she has a big collection of different types of songs for the class ranging from African, Latin, Jewish to USA tribute, country, and old rock and roll songs. Page design by Rashmi Thapaliya Photos by Rashmi Thapaliya