Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
IslandWavesNews.com
S E T A D UP COMING
ds a e h s u p m a Island c ture u f t h g i r b d towar ge 4 by MIKAYLA
EL • Pa
OELSCHLEG
Campus
I-TEAM helps students make ‘s’more’ friends Page 7
Also
September 15, 2016 Volume 27, Issue 22
Opinions Page 2 Entertainment Page 8 Sports Page 11
2 Opinion
STI
STUDENT PUBLICATION OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITYCORPUS CHRISTI
09.15.2016
IZZY
COLLEGE CREDIT SCORE WOES
WORD on the STREET
Any advice for freshmen?
SNEED
AMANDA CASTORENA
graduate, nursing
ISLAND WAVES IslandWavesNews.com
| ISLANDWAVESNEWS.COM | VOLUME 26 ISSUE 20 | 08.27.15
I would say that you should get to know the people in your major because the fact that you are going to be with them for four years. And it is always good to ask upper classmen how a class is or how professor is in order to get notes or understand how they are going to test.
Editor-in-chief KACI ALVAREZ Web Editor MIKAYLA OELSCHLEGEL Copy Editor KATIE MEZA
NOLAN MCDANIEL
Visuals
sophomore, business
IZZY SNEED MARIAH OLIVE CHARLIE BLALOCK
To study and to make sure to take care of your classes when you need to.
Layout KARA HERRERA, editor
HANNAH FICK
Reporters
senior, business management
GERI LEMMONS, news JONATHAN FORNEY, feature MELISSA RODRIGUEZ, news
Take every opportunity you can to meet and net work with people. College is only as fun as the friends you make and your job offer when you graduate is only as good as the net works you made. Don't wait last minute to do this. Always keep your future in mind, but also don't forget to have fun and experience new things.
Advertising JAMIE FINK, manager
Faculty Adviser WENDY MOORE
ABOUT ISLAND WAVES Island Waves is a studentproduced publication at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The newspaper is printed weekly, except during summer sessions. Any student or University employee may submit material for publication consideration. To become a contributor, e-mail or call the Island Waves editor. CONTACT US 6300 Ocean Drive Unit 5783 Corpus Christi, TX 78412 (361) 825-5862 editor@tamucc.edu ads@tamucc.edu
Good credit scores lead to better finances GERI LEMMONS @gerilemmons
When it comes to credit there is a lot to learn. Generally, people understand that credit can be bad if a person does not pay bills on time. Credit can also be good because people can buy items without having to pay for it right away. But some people don’t know what credit is, how to establish it or why it is important to have good credit in the first place. A credit score is a number that tells lenders people’s abil-
ity to pay back loans. Here are some reasons as to why one would want to have a good credit score, why it is necessary to establish credit at all and ways to develop a credit score. Establishing credit is the first step into getting a good credit score. It is also important to know that one should only borrow an amount they know they can pay back within the next 30 days. People should know that once they max out a credit card it can impact your credit score negatively and it is really hard to get a credit score back up really fast. A good analogy would be a student’s GPA. It is very easy for it to lower and fall behind and
difficult to get it back up over time. Good credit is necessary in order for the consumer to buy things in the future, including a car, a house or sometimes being approved for a credit card in general. Without credit it is more difficult to buy these items because lenders and producers need to see that the person has a credit history of paying things off and are reliable. It is much easier for someone to get a loan if they have a good credit score. A good credit score is needed because it tells lenders that one is able to pay back the loans that they have been given. According to academia.edu, one can get lower
rates of interest when taking out a loan if they show a good credit report. One way someone can establish credit is to become an authorized user on their parent’s credit card or another adult’s card with good credit. This will help establish a payment history for the college student. The student could have an agreement with the person they are using the credit card with where they could learn how to pay off their expenses or the person with other person could pay off the card themselves. For more information on building credit visit https:// www.wellsfargo.com/goalscredit.
News 3
09.15.2016
NPS turns 100, Seashore Celebrates AUSTIN REED Contributing Writer
O
n Aug. 25 the National Park Service (NPS) celebrated 100 years of service since its conception in 1916. The National Park Service stewards 413 National Park sites, including 59 national parks in the United States. Inaugurated during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson, the National Park Service’s first responsibility was Yellowstone National Park. Since then, the NPS has been ensuring the protection of the land and preventing any exploitation that would damage their sites. “I’ve grown up going to national parks all over the country and I’ve never run into one I didn’t like,” said Amanda Rodriguez, senior Spanish major. “They’re an amazing way to discover not only different parts of your state, but different parts of the country.” Corpus Christi has an NPS presence at Padre Island National Seashore, where the NPS works to foster interest in the nationally significant preserve. Ranger Patrick Gamman, chief of interpretation and education at Padre Island National Seashore, helps to organize events and spread the value of the park throughout the United States. “The Centennial was a chance for us to reintroduce
ourselves to Corpus Christi,” Gamman said. “If you think about it, Houston has Galveston, the Rio Grande Valley has South Padre, but if you are in Austin, or San Antonio, your closest beach should be Northern Padre Island.” The National Seashore reaches out to San Antonio and Austin. The rangers at Padre Island National Seashore prioritize reaching out to schoolchildren, bussing between 15,000 and 16,000 young students out to the Seashore yearly. Padre Island National Seashore is also a recommended destination for college students. “The Padre Island National Seashore is great,” Rodriguez said. “Year passes are $20 and regular passes are $10, so it’s a good deal for students who want to go to a clean beach often.” Among the programs and events for visitors to enjoy are kite flying festivals, Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle releases and programs designed to allow young students to assist in the collection of scientific data, such as mercury levels through captured dragonflies. Volunteering is also a large attraction at the seashore and community participation is encouraged. The rangers plan to host an event, Cowboy Connections, on Oct. 15. Sign up begins in Sep-
O N L I N E
Island Waves News .com
Islanders ‘Up All Night’ for foam party, socializing
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Campus Activities Board hosted a foam party for the “Up All Night” event on Sept. 1 to give students the opportunity to meet other Islanders in a safe and fun manner. Go to IslandWavesNews. com to read more about it.
TAMUCC tailgate kicks off 2016 soccer season
AUSTIN REED/ISLAND WAVES
A National Park Service ranger shows off dragonfly larvae after catching it to research mercury levels in the water.
tember. Among their future plans for outreach is a distance education program, in order to more effectively reach those students who may not have the means to reach the park. “National Parks only exist as long as the American people find value in them, find relevancy in them,” Gamman said. “That’s why we hope to get our message out to senior centers,
to schools, to homeschooled kids, to anybody and everybody so they can make up their mind. Are national parks worth it to you?” Find more information for the National Park Service at NPS.gov. Reach the Padre Island National Seashore for visitor and volunteering information at 361-949-8068 or at nps. gov/pais.gov. For outreach, ask for Gamman.
MARIAH OLIVE/ISLAND WAVES
Lake Tahoe, located in the Sierra Nevada, is one of the National Park Service’s prized destinations. It is the largest alpine lake in North America and around 3 million people visit per year.
Hosted at the Dr. Jack Dugan Stadium on Sept. 9 the first Islander tailgate kicked off the opening game of the 2016 Islander soccer team against the University of Houston’s team, the Courgars. Read more to find out about all the tailgate offered.
Streaming exclusives: A captive audience
Unsure about the future of stream services and subscriptions, music consumers and listeners are speaking out about service-exclusive releases artists are now doing. Listeners believe it has become harder and more of a disadvantage for the consumer. Read more to see what people are saying.
ON THE COVER: Illustration by IZZY SNEED
4 News
09.15.2016
Island heads toward bright future MIKAYLA OELSCHLEGEL @mikaylaMOG
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ith enrollment numbers topping more than 12,000, it came as no surprise that the Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi campus will continue to expand. The future plans for the Island depict the several plans the school board has, from the completion of Momentum campus in 2013, to the construction of the brand new building that broke ground in Fall 2016. There are also talks of moving the baseball and softball fields to open up more land on the island. “We have on our wish lists a couple hundred million dollars of projects we would like to do as we are able to as we raise or get state funding for projects,” said Dr. Flavius Killebrew, the president of the university. “So the master plan process is a process you go through to make sure you make the most effective use of the land that you do have.” While money is one of the main issues when it comes to projects, such as the Momentum campus and getting the
TAMU-CC faculty and staff commemorates the start of the new life science and research building.
new building up and running, neither
CHARLIE BLALOCK/ISLAND WAVES
Killebrew or Terry Tatum, executive build this new building.” vice president of finance and adminisAnother problem that poses a potration for the Island were hindered by tential hindrance with the plans is the it. fact that Texas A&M University-Corpus “We are very grateful for all the ef- Christi is, in fact, on an island, which forts that were made and that we in fact means limited space. got this many to build this building.” Ta“There have been conversations over tum said. “And my time here, and I it is going to fur- “The master plan creates a think they have been ther our life sci- physical strategy for long-term going on for quite a ence initiative, development that plans for while about expandthere is going ing the footprint of to be research future university space needs to the university,” Killabs in there as match enrolment targets.” lebrew said. “When well, and then I first got here, the -Master Plan Summary as people move momentum campus out of their was not part of the space, it will help grow our engineering campus, and I got the city of Corpus program. So it is going to accomplish a Christi to give us that property and that lot of things for us to help move the uni- has allowed to continue to grow and exversity forward.” pand our activities.” The project that is in the construcWith the construction on the new Life tion stage by the Educational Center Science and Research building not beis the new Life Science and Research ing complete until Fall 2018, the school building. The Life Science and Research board has some time to look over the building is one of the three projects Kil- projects and decide what comes next lebrew attempted to get funded this leg- for the Island University. islative cycle. It will open doors to more “We are exploring lots of different programs and even more research. opportunities but it will require that “It is about a $60 million project,” Ta- we get the money to purchase another tum said. “We were very fortunate. We piece of land sometime in the future,” had asked the legislature to help fund a Killebrew said. building for us and they did award TRB, If you want to view more about the which are Tuition Revenue Bonds. And master plans the school has laid out, so they’ll provide $60 million for us to visit http://master-plan.tamucc.edu/.
News 5
09.15.2016
Islander dining discontinues meal exchange JONATHAN FORNEY @jb4nay
A
t the beginning of the 2016-2017 academic year, the meal plans required for students living on the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi campus will no longer include meal exchanges. The popular service was removed for not being financially feasible or sustainable long term. Meal exchanges were a way for meal plan subscribers to purchase select items from other on-campus locations in place of going to the Dining Hall or spending Dining Dollars. University Services were originally going to remove meal exchanges once the University Center opened in 2015, but allowed the program to continue for one more year. University Services understood the popularity of meal exchanges and wanted to keep the program going as long as possible. “We wanted to continue the program [meal exchanges] because we know how popular it was, but the financial
aspect made it something we couldn’t continue,” said Reginald Wade, director of University Services. “The numbers were just too high.” The reason for the financial constraints is a result of commission rates. Wade said originally the university received commissions from places around campus at the Dining Hall rate, but currently branded locations such as Starbucks, Subway and others caused the rate to drop. “We know students use the meal exchange primarily at those areas, but this deficit was just not something we could sustain by pulling money out of the dining program going from 15 percent to 5 percent,” Wade said. Wade and his staff know that students are not ecstatic about the changes. Camden residents are required to purchase the meal plan, meaning these changes affect more than 1,700 current students. Additionally, any student can purchase one of the meal plans if they choose. “I’m sure students are not happy about the meal exchange program and neither am I,” Wade said. “But we have
to make payments on the Dining Hall for the next 30 years and we’re responsible for staying financially stable so we can do that.” Students, such as junior marine biology major Randi Cannon, are upset about not only the changes, but the lack of notice. “They should have told us at the end of last semester or something,” Cannon said. “We’re basically forced to eat at the Dining Hall unless we want to spend what few Dining Dollars we have or our own money.” While signs are not pointing to the meal exchanges coming back this academic year, all hope is not lost going forward. “I haven’t given up on the program,” Wade said. “I’m continuing to look at the possibility of doing some sort of
limited meal exchange at certain locations or times of the day, just not carte blanche.” Currently Camden residents are required to purchase either the Gold or Silver plans. The former is for students living in dorms and allows 14 meals per week with 100 Dining Dollars. While the latter is for those living in apartments and includes 10 meals per week with 250 Dining Dollars. Unlike dorms, Camden apartments have kitchens, which is why they include more Dining Dollars and fewer meals per week. “The meal plan is expensive and I feel like they tricked us into buying something we thought we knew that they ended up changing.” Cannon said More information on meal plans can be found on the Dining Services’ website.
Follow the steps below for FREE Chic-fil-A
JONATHAN FORNEY/ISLAND WAVES
With the removal of meal exchange, meal plan subscribers will be doing a lot more of their eating at the Islander Dining Hall.
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09.15.2016
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Campus 7
I-TEAM helps students make ‘s’more’ friends MELISSA RODRIGUEZ @__melisssaaaa
O
n Aug. 26, I-TEAM, which stands for Islanders Teaching, Engaging and Motivating, set up a “bond” fire event on campus where students could socialize and make new friends while getting to eat some s’mores. Thanks to some fundraising done by I-TEAM, the event was free to anyone who wanted to attend. It began around 8 p.m. but was closed down early at around 9:30 p.m. due to lightning warnings in the area. “It’s not that we’re trying to push so that they don’t drink at all, we just want to make sure that you’re safe when you’re doing it.” said Vanessa Barker, chair of I-TEAM. Although I-TEAM was looking to give students the option to get out and interact with one another, ITEAM really just strived to provide a safe environment for students while still being able to have fun. “Educate students on smart
habits, whether it be smart drinking, mental health or sexual awareness,” Barker said. By the looks of that night’s turn out, it is safe to say the I-TEAM was successful in their mission to give students a safe yet fun opportunity to get to know other Islanders. As the sun went down, more and more students came out to join the festivities happening on the East Lawn. Aside from the campfires across the lawn, there were games of spike ball and cornhole. There was also a game of chubby bunny which quickly became a sticky situation since slimy marshmallows, MELISSA RODRIGUEZ/ISLAND WAVES long hair and wind did not mix well. Students gathered around talking and getting to know each other at I-TEAM’s “bondfire” event A couple of students showcased their at the university’s East Lawn on August 26, 2016 musical skills by playing their own instruments and singing covers of their friendships for this school year. here at the university,” Veniza said. favorite artists. One of these entertain- I-TEAM’s events are an ideal meFor more information on what this ers included freshman Ryan Vezina. dium for those who don’t want to organization does or any upcom“[I] met some new friends hanging stay in but also want to have a safe, ing events, contact the I-TEAM at the out with some old friends,” he said. fun alternative for the party scene. TAMUCC University Center in room The I-TEAM put on an event that “I’m having a pretty good expe- 218 or at http://studentaffairs.tamucc. helped make some more Islander rience doing it all and having fun edu/ei/I-TEAM.html.
8 Entertainment
09.15.2016
Islanders take beach safety precautions MELISSA RODRIGUEZ @__melisssaaaa
A perk of living on the Texas A&M
Photos by MARIAH OLIVE /Island Waves
Two warning signs are placed to warn pedestrians of rocky paths.
University-Corpus Christi campus is having the beach so close by, but when it comes to the responsibility of knowing how to stay safe out there even when you’re having a good time is crucial. Corpus Christi is known for having great beach options for all different appeals, whether it be fishing, surfing or just relaxing. They are all great destinations, especially for college students looking to get out and have fun. However, with just one big wave or exposure to too much sun, a fun day can turn into a frightening one. “I would say knowing your limits on how good of a swimmer you are,” said Taylor Saucedo, freshman at TAMU-CC, when asked on beach safety tips. “Like if you go far out and you know you’re not that great of a swimmer, it’s probably better to stay closer [to shore],”she said. According to American Red Cross, one of the most important rules is to “swim sober and to never swim alone.” This may seem like a given, but even if you feel you are a strong swimmer the ocean is a lot stronger and one big wave can wash you out. This is especially important if you happen to get caught in a riptide. Some helpful tips American Red Cross has given if dragged into a rip current is to stay calm and not fight the current. In this situation the best thing to do is “swim parallel to the shore until
you are out of the current, once you are free, turn and swim toward shore.” “Make sure you’re with a group of people or at least another person in case something was to happen,” Saucedo said. There many other things to aware of at the beach other than the strength of the ocean’s waves; such as water pathogens, sun exposure, sea animals, etc. Amanda Sotelo said she does not feel safe, “because of all the bacteria in the water.” Her response is most likely fitting to many others’ because of the recent situation dealing with the flesh-eating bacteria that has been found in Texas beaches. However, recent reports have shot down these allegations and state that our beaches here in Corpus are in the clear. “Sunscreen, lots and lots of sun screen,” Sotelo said. “Stay hydrated.” A bad sunburn will be the least of your worries if you take in more sun than you should. Make sure you put on sunscreen, especially if you are planning to be out there for a long time, and take some water with you because this Texas heat will have you seeing stars if you do not stay hydrated. Some of these tips may seem quite obvious, but when we’re in the heat of the moment we tend to forget these basic safety procedures. For more beach safety tips, go to http://www.redcross. org/prepare/disaster/water-safety/ beach-safety. And for more information on bacteria levels in waters near you try checking out https://cgis.glo. texas.gov/Beachwatch/.
Sign reminds people to go online to texas beach watch to check weather conditions.
10 Entertainment
09.15.2016
Audiences anticipate 2016 movies KACI ALVAREZ @earthtokace
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016 is ending with a bang with multiple movies that are predicted to knock the socks off of audiences everywhere. The movies range from suspenseful to animated to so much more. Audiences throughout the United States are eager to dive into a fantasy world and escape reality as these most anticipated movies debut over the next couple of months. In the month of September, two very different movies are coming out that seem to be highly anticipated. Based off of the best-selling novel, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” is hitting the big screen on Nov. 30. Following the lives of children with peculiar super powers, the audience will be able to submerge themselves in a world of good, evil and those caught in between. “Deepwater Horizon” comes out on the same day. The genre is completely different from “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.” The film is based on the true events that occurred on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. It showcases the extreme circumstance, bravery and survival those who worked on the oil rig by telling the story of the biggest man-made disaster in world history. While October is known for horror movies, the most anticipated is a mystery thriller. While the story line is somewhat related to “Gone Girl,” “The
Girl on the Train” is sending anticipated audiences in a craze to read the novel before heading to the theaters. “The Girl on the Train” comes out Oct. 7. For the millions of Harry Potter fans, there is only one movie they are looking forward to this season: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”. Coming out Nov. 18, audiences are able to dive into the wizarding world J.K. Rowling created. It follows a wizard from England who travels to New York and accidently releases magical beasts into the Muggle world. A week after “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” comes out, “Moana”, Disney’s Hawaiian-based film about a teenage navigator who sets off on a journey and teams up with a well-known demi-god. This highly anticipated movie is storming the social media world while adults and children are looking forward to it. Last but not least, “Assassin’s Creed” is about a man who explores the memories of his ancestor and realizes he is the descendent of a secret assassin society and gains the skills of a master assassin. This movie will be perfect for the action lovers who love suspenseful fight scenes and an interesting story line. “Assassin’s Creed” comes out Dec. 21. While there are many more intriguing movies coming out, these seem to be the most talked about from people all over the world. I urge you to go see them whenever they premiere. I know I’m looking forward to them and the theater popcorn.
Photo courtesy of GOOGLE.COM
Do not discount local student-friendly eateries GERI LEMMONS @gerilemmons
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round the Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi area there are several stores and restaurants that cater to students by offering discounts. Whether it comes to food or clothing many places around town have student discounts that they offer as long as they have a student ID to show. “We encourage students to come and eat over here instead of dining on campus,” said Megan Hinkie, an employee at Pizza State. “We are the closest restaurant to the campus that is off campus.” Pizza State offers a buffet, salad, calzones and many other choices.
Students can both sit down and eat or get the food to go. Students have to show their student IDs to the cashier to get the discount. Hinkie said they have a student buffet that is $8 after tax for lunch and that includes a drink. With that price that makes the meal $2 less than what non-students pay. They also offer a 10 percent discount to any other item a student wants to get with their sand dollar card. “We know that being a student is financially hard,” Hinkie said. “Not many students work and tuition is really expensive. I am a student, too, so I totally get it,.So yeah we want to help out a little bit.”
Another place that gives student discounts is the movie theater. Starplex gives student discounts with a student ID. They offer this discount during any time of the day and for any movie. The discount is applied to the ticket but excludes food and beverage purchases. When it comes to other places to eat, Yo-Way also gives student discounts. This is a frozen yogurt place that lets customers pick their favorite flavors of yogurt and then lets them add any type of toppings they want. They also have other frozen desserts for purchase. Lillianna Perez, senior environmental science major, said she thinks it is great that students can save money at these places.
“Personally I like to make food at home, I don’t really go out to eat,” Perez said. “But if I were to make a run and I know this place has that there then, that is just really good.” Jason’s Deli also offers a student discount, 10 percent off for all students who present their student ID. They sell different types of sandwiches, hot and cold, along with chips and a drink together to make it a meal. “It is especially good when you aren’t working and your parents are helping you out,” Perez said. “It’s awesome, it is like a good variety.” For more information, visit https://universityservices.tamucc.edu/sanddollar/ assets/Off_Campus_Merchants_flyer.pdf
Sports 11
09.15.2016
Almost Time to Kickoff Regular Season NFL JONATHAN FORNEY @jb4nay
With the National Football League preseason coming to a close, players and their teams are out to improve their game, overcome injuries, establish roster depth and have more storylines than you can wag a foam finger at. In a league as competitive as the NFL, it is difficult to anticipate who will come out victorious in February. There have not been repeat Super Bowl champions in more than 10 seasons, so the future of each team is theirs to determine. All eyes will be on the Broncos as they look to repeat after their victory in Super Bowl 50 over the Panthers. Over the course of the preseason, players had the opportunity to cement their place on their team’s depth charts. For some, like Giants’ wide receiver, Victor Cruz, they would need to prove themselves capable again after coming off injuries and subpar seasons. Cruz suffered a calf injury in the 2015-2016 season as well as a groin injury early in the 20162017 preseason. According to nfl.com, Cruz has also had some subpar practices this preseason, so only time will tell if he can return to his former glory. Players must continually prove themselves in the NFL. As staples of the league age, their spots are continually being challenged by younger, determined players.
An example of this is the injury-prone quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo. During week three of the preseason, Romo suffered a back injury, despite ESPN’s Ed Werder reporting that the injury was “not considered serious”, Cowboys’ fans are still on the unsure of his health for the season. Injured veterans offer the chance for younger players to step up and the Cowboys may have found a ray of hope in rookie quarterback, Dak Prescott. “The unexpected emergence of Prescott has been the most exciting storyline of this preseason,” junior marketing major, PJ Brennan said. “If Romo can’t stay healthy, which he hasn’t been able to do in years, [Prescott will] take over the starting job for years to come.” Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, in reference to Prescott, echoed Brennan’s sentiment saying: “I like what we’re doing at backup quarterback.” In addition to uncertainty under center, the Cowboys will also need to fill the roles of some of its defensive starters who were suspended for violating league rules in the prior season. The 49ers’ quarterback competition is still up in the air with the regular season around the corner. The starting job was Blaine Gabbert’s lose over Colin Kaepernick. That being said, Gabbert has left the role uncertain after poor preseason performances. “Gabbert’s preseason efforts could be described somewhere between nondescript and discouraging,” said Gregg
Rosenthal of NFL.com. Kaepernick has been the subject of plenty headlines this preseason after his controversial decision to sit during the national anthem at games to protest of recent police brutality incidents. Fans around the league are certain to keep that in their minds throughout the season. Elsewhere in the league, new management is looking to change things up. The Philadelphia Eagles signed Jim Schwartz as their new defensive coordinator back in January of 2016. Schwartz
has 5 years experience coaching for the Detroit Lions and is the first significant hire of new head coach Doug Pederson. Schwartz will be looking to completely revamp the team’s existing defensive schemes. As the official kickoff of the season draws near, teams will continue to try and sure up their schemes, add depth, keep their players healthy and ultimately win games. The 2016-2017 NFL regular season will begin with a Super Bowl rematch between the Panthers and Broncos on Sept. 8.
Photo courtesy of GOOGLE.COM
49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick has become a subject of controversy after his recent decision to remain sitting during the national anthem.
Photo courtesy of GOOGLE.COM
Gaints’ wide receiver Victor Cruz is looking to bounce back after injuries both last season and in the 2016 preseason.
12 Sports
09.15.2016
Tennis goes international with 16 students
MIKAYLA OELSCHLEGEL @mikaylaMOG
T
exas A&M University-Corpus Christi Athletic Program is home to many students and among those are some that only call America home nine months out of the year. The Islanders tennis team has a total number of 18 players on both the men and women teams, 16 of those players come from different countries. All 18 players have come from different backgrounds with tennis, some playing their entire lives like Jelena Dzinic, a junior general business major from Serbia, to some who just started playing their last couple years of high school like Kerry Galhous, a junior political science major from East Timor. “That is the best decision I have made, to come here because every day you wake up, you play tennis, you go to school, you’re speaking English, for me it is only positive. I love what I am doing,” Said Hortense Boscher, a junior Business major from France. “You meet new people, new culture, it is so great.” The University’s International student athletes bring many different cultures to
the Island. A few of the different cultures expressed through the players include German, French, Spanish, Australian and Serbian. “For me, I think it is a great opportunity to be an international student athlete because it has been one of the greatest decisions of my life,” Galhous said. “It is an incredible experience. You get to learn all the new cultures that your teammates bring.” While the pros outweigh the cons in the tennis players’ eyes, there are still some disadvantages for being an international student athlete. One of them as all the players agreed is the fact that they are all thousands of miles away from their home. “The hardest thing is being away from your friends and family because you go home for Christmas or you go home for summer and you seamlessly transition back into the life you had,” said Mitchell Cook a senior finance major. “It does not get any easier at all to leave.” Not being able to be at home with their friends and family might be a major con for the students but that has not stopped them from coming back year after year
and hoping that others will come as well. “Just be prepared really for how your first semester can be a little bit crazy,” said Paul Cook, a senior communication major. “It seems a bit hectic at the start
but it gives you so many skills over the years to fit everything in and time manage which is great, which you might not get if you don’t come to an American university Always do it.”
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Photo courtesy of MITCHELL COOK
Paul Cook stands in a ready position ready for the ball to be served to him. Cook is a senior from Petts Wood, England.
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