Optimist Print Edition 11.30.18 (Volume CVIII, Issue XIV)

OPTIMIST

@acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist

CHRISTMAS From a capella concerts to movie nights

by SGA, students prepare for the holiday season.

A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912

Friday November 30, 2018

Volume CVIII, Issue XIV News

Sports

SGA passed two bills and two resolutions, one of which allocated $1000 to Pepperdine to assist with recent events. The department of music is presenting its annual Vespers Christmas Concert...............Page 2

Newcomer Damien Daniels, freshman guard, shows promise coming off the bench. Women’s basketball drops its first game against Tulsa University on Wednesday night....................................................Page 6

F S S M T W T Feature Sarah Fagala found redemption and peace through yoga, and brought a desire to teach the spiritual benefits of learning to be still. She leads classes on Sunday nights for the Abilene community.....Page 4

Men remain undefeated, prepare for Pepperdine MAX PRESTON SPORTS DIRECTOR

The men’s basketball team defeated Howard Payne 90-53 at home Tuesday evening and improved to its first 7-0 start since the 1998-99 season.

ACU started out slow as Howard Payne kept up with a 12-10 score eight minutes through the game and 2218 at the 7:43 mark of the first half.

From that point on, however, the Wildcats went on a 23-7 run to closed the half capped off by a three-pointer from redshirt junior Jalone Friday with 1.5 seconds left.

In the second half, the men kept their lead in the 20-point range for most of the time until the 3:38 mark when they jumped ahead 80-49 for a 31-point lead.

The team cruised its way to an eventual victory after.

Head Coach Joe Golding said it’s exciting to see his team work well and come up with a great start to the season.

“I think we’ve taken care of the basketball really well,” Golding said. “We’ve done a great job of moving our offense and defense around.

It’s a fun group to coach, they know exactly what they need to do. They’re a very mature group.”

Nearly every player for the Wildcats reached double digits in minutes played as the starting five rested more during the game.

Junior forward Jaren Lewis said it was comfortOBITUARY

ing to see the bench come out and put on a performance.

“Our bench is great, they’ve been great early on and it’s always nice to see them work,” Lewis said. “It gives us all a good chance to improve on things we need to work on.”

Freshman forward Joe Pleasant led his team in scoring with 15 points on the night. Junior guard Payten Ricks added 14 points, while Lewis and freshman forward Clay Gayman earned 13 each.

Lewis said the team has been hitting on all cylinders so far this season.

“We’ve just been staying disciplined and finding our roles,” Lewis said. “We’re playing hard with a lot of intensity early on and it’s been working well for us.”

ACU will now turn back around and head to California again to face Pepperdine University.

The Waves roster a talented guard in sophomore guard Colbey Ross who has averaged 20 points per game this season along with 6.2 assists. Pepperdine has also seen promising numbers from redshirt junior forward Kameron Edwards averaging 17.7 points per game and 7.3 rebounds.

Pepperdine meets the Wildcats with a 4-2 overall record so far this season.

Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. in Malibu (7 p.m.

Central Time). Coverage of the game will air on 98.1 FM.

Photo by LAUREN FRANCO | EDITOR IN CHIEF Payten Ricks, junior guard, sends a floater to the rim against Howard Payne on Tuesday evening in Moody Coliseum.

Teague remembered by legacy of expansion, leadership LAUREN FRANCO EDITOR IN CHIEF

The chancellor emeritus and former president of the university, William J. Teague, died Wednesday morning.

Te a g u e attended ACU from 1948 to 1952, and was a member of Teague Frater Sodalis men’s social club, the “A” Club men’s honor organization and – for a year – arranged student devotionals for Chapel.

He graduated with a B.A. in speech and immediately went to work for then-president Dr. Don H. Morris as assistant to the ABILENE NEWS

president and secretary of the Alumni Association, serving in those roles for five years.

He earned a master’s degree from Columbia University in administration in 1959, and a doctorate in college administration from UCLA in 1965.

William and Margaret, his wife, were wed in 1948.

Together, they studied in 46 countries and taught various subjects.

Dr. Royce Money, the 10th president of the university, said the two were devoted to one another – a team.

“Pam and I received a lot of inspiration from them, and watching how they worked together,” Money said. “Dr. Teague unfortunately had a stroke in his 70s. Peggy was by

“

“Every president is raised up in his time for a specific purpose and reason. Dr. Teague set ACU on an excellent trajectory for academics.

ROYCE MONEY CHANCELLOR

his side right up until their death. They were a great example of faithfulness in a marriage.

“The most lasting memory is their unconditional love for ACU. He had many opportunities, but chose to spend the time of his professional life on campus at ACU. He worked tirelessly to make ACU a better institution.”

Money came to work at ACU in 1981, the same summer Teague became

president, and worked with him briefly in 1988 as his executive assistant.

“He was a mentor of mine,” Money said. “Because we were together frequently, I learned a lot about leadership from him.”

Teague served as an administrator at Harding, Pepperdine and ACU (president from 1952-57 and 1981-91, 1991-2007 as chancellor and 2007-present as chancellor emeritus) for over 50 years cumulatively.

During his tenure, Teague oversaw the construction of the Bible and business buildings, and played a large role in moving Judge Ely to the east, causing controversy at the time.

In addition to his oversight of physical expansion, under his presidency

the university endowment increased from $18 million to $56 million.

In academics, the ACU Press was begun and KACU became KACU-FM, Abilene’s first NPR station. The Honors Program was created, and short- and long-term study abroad programs were initiated in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

In 1989, an endowed scholarship program began in honor of Teague and his wife, known as the William J. and Margaret L. Teague Excellence Award.

Three years later in 1991, the Teagues were named Christian Educators of the Year by 20th Century Christian magazine.

Teague Boulevard opened in May of 1992 and

was dedicated three months later. In 1999, the Margaret L. and William J. Teague Special Events Center was built and dedicated.

He is survived by a son, Tom Teague (’71); two daughters, Susan Reid (’74) and Helen Teague (’83); and grandchildren William Randolph Teague and Amelia Louise Wildman (’11).

“Every president is raised up in his time for a specific purpose and reason,” Money said. “Dr. Teague set ACU on an excellent trajectory for academics. The very fact that where we are today, quality of academic education or facilities or reputation of ACU, I think its a testimony to his wisdom and vision.”

Abilene residents vote in favor of AISD bond to rebuild school ALLAYNA FORD MANAGING EDITOR

Taylor Elementary is preparing for reconstruction after Abilene residents voted in favor of the Abilene ISD bond.

The AISD school board is still determining whether the school will rebuild on the same lot or purchase land from ACU. Scott McLean, the associate superintendent, said the district entered into an option agreement with ACU to purchase land at EN 10th St. at market val-

ue if the school district decides to relocate the school.

“We evaluated a number of different sites,” McLean said. “The site that ACU owns is the site we felt was the most viable if we do not build at the current site.”

Within the next 30 to 90 days, AISD will make the decision after further assessment to determine if the current land is feasible for building.

If the elementary school does relocate, the AISD board of trustees

acuoptimist.com

has the power to sell the land or hold onto it for other uses. However, ACU does have an agreement with the school district that protects the use of the intramural fields and parking lot site.

“Taylor Elementary has been a great neighbor for ACU for many years,” Young said. “Whether Taylor stays where they are or moves where they’ve contemplated, we wish them well.”

ACU was given the land at EN 10th St. in the 1990s

which originally covered 125 acres, but is now 430 acres through additional land purchases. ACU planned to use the land to build a retreat center, and will have space to build it if the elementary relocated to the site.

The AISD bond passed on Nov. 6 and totaled over $1.3 million. In addition, two other elementary schools will be rebuilt: Dyess and Austin elementary. Taylor Elementary is the only school with the possibility of relocating.

Page 2 | Campus News Events

Friday 11/30 1. CABINET: Christmas movie 2. Galaxy - Christmas Social 3. Jazz Concert Saturday 12/01 1. Women’s Basketball vs. Schreiner Sunday 12/02 1. ACU Opera in Houston Monday 12/03 1. Hilltop, Grace Note, & Foundation A Cappella Christmas Concert Tuesday 12/04 1. Men’s Basketball vs.

Campbell 2. Bands Concert Wednesday 12/05 1. Delta Theta Christmas Social

15

days until Winter break

Friday, November 30, 2018 CAMPUS NEWS

SGA passes Pepperdine relief fund bill LAUREN FRANCO EDITOR IN CHIEF

The Student Government Association (SGA) passed four legislations, two bills and two resolutions, Wednesday night, including a Pepperdine relief fund of $1,000.

C.B. 95.05, the Pepperdine Relief Fund bill, was presented by Madison Shewmaker to allocate $1,000 from SGA’s congressional budget to ACU’s sister school. The Executive Cabinet also allocated $1,000 from their funds, making the donation $2,000 total.

President Phil Schubert will present the check during halftime at the men’s basketball game on Saturday.

Ty Kelley, executive president, said administration reached out to ask what congress would be able to do to assist Pepperdine in light of recent events.

“It says a lot about our student body that we are willing to put ourselves second while they are in distress,” Kelley said. “It’s something we’re called to do as Christians, especially in a scenario where one of our communities is in a time of need.

It’s important that we show support for not just sister schools, but also any community in need.”

The second bill, C.B. 95.04, was proposed by Hayden Howell, an athletics representative, to allocate $250 to the Hudson Wade 5k race. The executive cabinet matched the

allocation, totaling $500 to sponsor the race.

The Student Athlete Advisory Committee, host of the run, and SGA have partnered since the race started four years ago. The money allocated covers the cost of t-shirts and race operations so that all registration fees are given to the beneficiary.

“Its important because it goes toward a really great cause,” said Josh Fink, president of SAAC. “It’s been a good success over the past couple of years. We hope the trend continues. I’ve been able to meet the Wade family, and they’re an amazing group of people that truly care about keeping Hudson’s story around.”

This year’s beneficiary is the Play for Rex (P4X) foundation, started by

Lance Fleming, associate director of athletics for media relations, six years ago after his son passed away from cancer.

Senior class President Matthew Williams proposed C.R. 95.12, petitioning the Taylor County Clerk to allow ACU to serve as an official U.S. elections polling place.

“ACU is well recognized among the Abilene community,” Kelley said. “As a voting site, it would encourage students, faculty and staff to participate in the democratic process. SGA has been looking for opportunities to encourage students to register to vote. We can offer that students change where they are registered to vote all of that would boost participating in us elections.”

Lastly, a resolution calling for the administration to start fundraising $45,000 for a new LED video screen was proposed

by Luke Stevens, junior class treasurer.

Kelley said the current system, seasonal printed vinyl banners, is wasteful.

Each banner costs up to $700, and is discarded immediately after use.

“Having this will create more engaging content, including video as opposed to print,” Kelley said.

The LED screen would be installed on the west wall of the Campus Center because it is highly trafficked. The lifespan, according to Kelley, is around 12 years, and the return on investment would occur within five years.

CAMPUS NEWS

Natural History Collection shows off new rat discovery ASHLEY ALFRED SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

The Natural History Collection re-opened on Nov. 8, featuring a new discovery by Dr. Tom Lee. Dr. Lee started his collection during his time as a professor at Pepperdine University. When he began working at ACU, he brought it with him.

The Natural History Col-

lection consists of 4,300 specimens from around the world, with multiple from each ocean and continent.

Speakers at the re-opening event included Dr. John Hanson, director of operations at RTLGenomics and Research and Testing; Dr. Neal Platt, post-doctoral research assistant at Texas Biomedical Research Institute; Joy Harsh, education curator at the Abilene Zoo;

and Jack Minter, CEO at MYRETA and honoree of the event.

This year, the Natural History Collection celebrated collection donations from Jack Minter as well as the publication of Lee’s discovery of a previously unknown species of rat.

The discovery was made in Santa Rosa, Ecuador at the end of a strenuous mountain trail ten years

ago, but was only recently published.

Upon publication, the species of rat was named after Lee: Lee’s Long-Tailed Mountain Rat. Lee said the mountain rat will be a part of a genetic analysis that will be compared to other similar species.

“The collections took 25 years to assemble with many field trips,” said Lee. “There

have been 12 month-long trips just to South America alone.”

Joy Harsh, education curator at the Abilene Zoo and ACU alumna, spoke during the re-opening event of the Natural History Collection.

Harsh was a student of Lee’s in the 1990s and worked alongside him and his students for the organization of the Natural History Collection.

Harsh said she is a big supporter of the research and development acquired from the collection.

“I hope students see this as a wonderful resource and opportunity,” said Harsh.

“We are lucky to have [the Natural History Collection] at ACU.” Lee said students have participated in every research trip and are welcome to participate in the future.

3C Dinners program breaks cross-cultural boundaries between students ALLISON HARRELL STAFF REPORTER

The 3C Dinners program is breaking cross-cultural boundaries for international and domestic students.

The 3C stands for “CrossCultural Conversation”. The idea of the 3C Dinners program was developed by Veronica Whitt, coordinator of international student services, and her summer intern, Ivan Anyaegbu, computer science graduate from Abilene.

“The idea developed from the need for more venues and opportunities to create safe en-

vironments for both our international students and domestic students to learn about other cultures through sharing personal testimonies about their experiences with the topics being discussed,” Whitt said.

“It provides a less intimidating space for students to ask questions and share their stories for the purpose of seeking to understand different perspectives.

Something else this provides, is an opportunity for developing friendships with people who are different from you.”

The program launched this semester with the first dinner on Sept. 20 at the home of

Larry Henderson, Bible instructor and coordinator for World Wide Witness. At the dinner, participants discussed nonverbal communication in a cross-cultural context.

The Center for International Education partners with the Halbert Center for Missions and Global Service in holding the events.

“Given that the main goal is to encourage cross cultural understanding, we try to be intentional about who we invite to these dinners to ensure that there is a fairly balanced representation of varying cultures,” Whitt said.

All international students and members of the International Student Association (ISA) are invited to attend.

Dr. Neal Coates, professor and department chair of political science and criminal justice, hosted the second 3C Dinner on Nov. 16, where those in attendance discussed cross-cultural misconceptions.

Coates said approximately 20 people came to enjoy pizza and conversation.

“It was a very good time to hear from people from probably 10 or more different countries about their experience in talking to others and getting to

Students enjoying pizza during the 3C Dinners program.

know each other here at ACU and Abilene,” Coates said.

Future dates for 3C Dinners have not yet been established; however, Whitt said they plan to have one in February and one in March for the spring semester.

Coates said he hopes to host more in the future.

“It was a good thing and I was glad to host it with my wife,” Coates said.

“ACU teachers, we love to have students in our houses whenever we can.”

History and global studies department provide first new ethnic courses ALLISON HARRELL STAFF REPORTER

The History and Global Studies department will offer African American History since 1865 for the first time in the spring.

The course, taught by Dr. Jeremy Elliott, assistant professor in language and literature, will cover emancipation and the civil rights movement.

“The biggest gap I feel like in my education: I studied a little bit about slavery and then we, basically, skipped right on to MLK and didn’t talk about

everything that happened in between,” Elliot said. “I could sit here for 20 minutes and just list names of people who did something in between and those are the people that I want to focus on. It’s really weird that we don’t offer this class already, most universities do have it.”

The history and global studies department worked with Carl-Spain Center for Race Studies and Spiritual Action on a plan that launched at Summit in September.

Dr. Ron Morgan, professor and department chair of

history and global studies, said the department is now working towards the creation of new curriculum and additional minor degree plans, said Dr. Ron Morgan, professor and department chair of history and global studies.

“I just began to realize, for one thing, how if you look across the campus, there’s not much course work offered in broadly global things and in African American or Latino culture or history,” Morgan said. “Our curriculum just needed more diversity.”

History of Mexico, taught

by Dr. Ron Morgan, will be offered this spring for the first time in three years. Morgan said he is planning a day field trip for the class to visit The Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, a special library full of Latin American sources at the University of Texas at Austin.

“One thing I’m excited about is that I’ve reached out to Latino students at ACU who are interested in the subject, so I have lots of non-majors in the class,” Morgan said. “Probably about half of it or more, are

students who are not history or teaching majors.

Morgan said another new cultural history class, Atlantic World, will be offered in the fall of 2019. The class will study the emergence of the Atlantic World as a world economic and cultural system from the time of Christopher Columbus and the connections between Europe, West Africa and the Americas.

Morgan said the course will also focus on the history of slave trading from Africa and the development of slave societies and cultures

in Brazil, Cuba, Jamaica and the United States.

“One of the things that we are going to be working on for the next year or so, for the catalog, adding some new minors that will be interdisciplinary and that will allow people to take a little history, maybe literature, sociology, or Bible.”

Morgan said. “Several things that will fit together and form a minor in European studies, or a minor in Latin American studies. That’s going to have to be really cooperative because it’s going to include a variety of different departments.”

POLICE LOG SELECTED ACUPD CALLS FOR THE WEEK 11/24/2018 11:48 p.m ACUPD Officers observed a male subject acting suspiciously or in medical distress near a vehicle, but determined that he was OK. 11/26/2018 3:55 p.m ACUPD Officers responded to Gardner Hall in reference to an intoxicated student. The student was issued a citation for Minor in Consumption.

11/26/2018 4:10 p.m.

ACUPD Officers responded to Mabee Hall in reference to an intoxicated student. The student was issued a citation for Minor in Consumption.

911 CALL.............................................................1 ABANDONED VEHICLE....................0 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITY........................................................29 ADVICE..............................................................0 ALARM...............................................................3 ANIMAL CALL.............................................0 ASSIST.................................................................3 ATTEMPT TO LOCATE..........................0 BARRICADES..............................................0 BOOT/UNBOOT VEHICLE...............0 BUILDING LOCK/UNLOCK.......................................12 BURGLARY(RESIDENCE).................3 CART PATROL.............................................2

CHECK BUILDING..............................291 DIRECT TRAFFIC......................................2 DISTURBANCE............................................1 DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE............0 ESCORT............................................................4 FOOT PATROL............................................0 FOUND PROPERTY................................1 HAZING..............................................................1 INFORMATION REPORT...................0 INVESTIGATION FOLLOW UP.................................................5 LOST PROPERTY......................................0 MAINTENANCE: UNIV ASSETS...............................................6 MEDICAL EMERGENCY.....................3

MONITOR FACILITY/ LOT.....................................................................10 MOTORIST ASSIST: OTHER.................................................................1 MOTORIST ASSIST: JUMPSTART..................................................4 MOTORIST ASSIST: UNLOCK...........................................................6 OTHER...............................................................7 PARKING LOT PATROL....................29 PARKING VIOLATION...........................2 PATROL VEHICLE: MAINTENANCE........................................13 PATROL VEHICLE: REFUEL............................................................7

PROWLER......................................................0 RANDOM PATROL.................................6 REPORT WRITING..................................9 SOLICITING....................................................0 SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT........................1 STAND BY........................................................1 SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY.........................2 THEFT.................................................................4 TRAFFIC HAZARD...................................0 TRAFFIC STOP.............................................1 TRAINING........................................................0 VEHICLE COLLISION............................2 WEAPONS OFFENSE............................1 TOTAL...........................................................481

Chief Ellison’s Weekly Tip Help our campus finish the semester out crime free: Report all suspicious activity to ACUPD immediately. YOU are the difference maker.

Friday, November 30, 2018

News | Page 3

CAMPUS NEWS

International students showcase campus diversity DILLION DANIEL STAFF REPORTER

The African Students Association (ASA) and the International Students Association (ISA) presented an opportunity for students to experience other cultures at their International Showcase on Nov. 17.

According to the ACU website, there are 51 states and territories and 41 nations represented among the 4,544 students.

At the beginning of

each fall semester, the first Moody Chapel shows a ceremony of students carrying flags of these states and nations. Through student organizations, international students are able to get involved and share their culture through different productions and events.

On the evening of Nov. 17, ASA and ISA presented a conjoined showcase in the Chapel on the Hill, allowing students to learn about different cultures.

Circling the room, tables

were set up with items and information from countries such as Mexico, Honduras and China.

“It’s supposed to show uninformed students the diverse cultures represented by others at ACU,” said Yves Ngenzi, sophomore engineering major from Rwanda and ASA secretary.

To kick off the event, officers from both organizations introduced themselves and the students who volunteered to represent their homes. Nico

Ross, freshman marketing major from Southlake, and Jael Morel, freshman digital entertainment technology major from Honduras, began the entertainment with a Honduran/Guatemalan guitar and song duo while Annie Yao ended it with a spirited, flowing Chinese dance, showing two diverse acts.

“Diversity is pointless unless it is paired with inclusion,” said Arnold Yanni Charles, junior political science major from the

United Arab Emirates and ISA treasurer. “We want our international students to showcase their cultures to ACU so everyone can witness and participate in true diversity.”

After the entertainment, attendees snacked on multicultural foods and revisited the information tables. At the end of the event, two ASA students and two international students joined a panel discussing their home countries and their transition to

life in the United States.

Kali Banda, junior interior design major from Cedar Park and ASA president, said the event showed a great attendance but lacked fresh faces.

“We advertise as much as we can through posts and recommendations through friends,” Banda said. “By spreading the dates through word of mouth, we are working to make sure there are faces to put with the names of our organizations.”

Palestine documentary shown at Paramount Theatre LAUREN FRANCO EDITOR IN CHIEF

“Where is Palestine?”, a film directed by Nathan Driskell, a media production specialist in the Learning Studio, premiers Thursday night at the Paramount Theatre.

The 24-minute documentary highlights the stories of Palestinians in the West Bank and Israel, and discusses the reality of home demolitions by the Israeli Defense Forces in Area C of the Occupied West Bank.

What they envisioned originally was started out as a series, turned into bigger project that involved all of the threads of the story teased in the initial interviews.

Driskell said he got the invitation only a month in advance from Timothy Palmer, the producer.

“About halfway through the trip we started to understand better what story we were telling,” Driskell said. “It became a people-driven story about what it means to be a Palestinian. That means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. No two people we interviewed were the same.

“The film brought into perspective a people group who have often been vilified in media and popular perception. It’s really beautiful. I couldn’t be prouder.”

Rafat Shomali was the fixer in the West Bank, and helped the team find connections. He traveled from the West Bank for the premiere of the show – his first time in Texas.

Shomali has lived in the West Bank near the Bethlehem area since 1994.

As an established tour guide, Shomali has given tours to heads of state such as the prime minister of Japan.

“When we went, we were stepping into his world,” Driskell said.

“He was our guide, one of the two major people

who helped us in the West Bank who really helped us get everything together.

We’re really glad to have him here. It’s going to be a really special night.”

Driskell said he enjoyed experiencing something outside of his own world.

Though he had never been to the Holy Land or Middle East, and had never met a Palestinian, he said it was the film he needed to see.

“I grew up without much of a context for that part of the world,” Driskell said. “The most rewarding part is the people and the relationships. It’s not worth doing it if you don’t enjoy the people you do it with and the people you meet along the way.”

The product is a result of the relationships the team built along the way, Driskell said, but the whole project didn’t come without challenges.

Most obstacles arose during post-production, as everyone on the team has a full-time job. In addition, six of the 18 interviews were in Arabic, a language Driskell is not fluent in.

“It wasn’t a self-sustaining thing. We are pulling it together in our spare hours, so the challenge is

doing it,” Driskell said.

“You have to decide that this matters. It was an important project, much more important for Palestinians. I was doing it for something bigger than myself, and that was a motivating factor.”

Taking 18 months total to complete, the group started in June 2017.

What made the film different than others, is what Driskell has done was the language barrier. Palmer, a theatre teacher at Mann Middle school, produced the film, and various highly qualified translators were brought in.

“We had a translator helping us conduct the interviews, but we got the footage back, and we didn’t know the words, sentences and phrases the people were saying in the footage,” Driskell said.

“We first had to have detailed transcripts, sentence by sentence. It’s a very tedious project.”

Driskell said the next step is to evangelize the film and put it in the film circuit.

“Tonight will be the last time for awhile anyone will get to see this film,” Driskell said. “The process requires we keep it under wraps until it gets distributed elsewhere.”

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Friday, November 30, 2018

TEACHING TO ABIDE Sarah Fagala finds passion in the spiritual benefits of Holy Yoga

LAUREN FRANCO EDITOR IN CHIEF

Though her yoga classes start with energetic chaos as people shuffle into a downtown studio, Sarah Fagala’s emphasis on abiding peacefully transitions her attendees into a restful, calming mindset.

The junior English teaching major form Boerne started participating in Yoga as a form of self-care.

At first reluctant to find a physical outlet to deal with stress, Sarah said she found it healing surprisingly fast.

“I started to experience this healing in ways I never thought I could,” Sarah said. “It radically changed the way I thought about the Lord, and myself, and because of those things it radically changes the way you interact with other people.”

Over the summer, she became certified through a program by Holy Yoga, an international agency that connects yoga and spirituality. Though she said she had no intention of starting her business, she knew she wanted to help others partake in the changing experience.

After the program, she went home and continued to do yoga regularly, especially when she dealt with anxiety.

“In those moments, I learned what it means to abide and rest in truth, what it means to meditate,” Sarah said. “Yoga was the tool that the Lord used to teach me those things.”

Throughout her time at home, she said she continued to come back to the parable of the sower when she would meditate on scripture.

“I didn’t know why I kept coming to it, but eventually it started hitting me that you truly reap what you sow.”

When she came back to ACU, she was surrounded by people every day and wanted to share the benefits of what she had learned.

Even though she teaches yoga, she said the root of her program is to teach people how to abide and meditate on scripture.

As a time to invest in community, she plays worship music throughout the session.

“I always want the room to feel safe and comfortable, not like its a workout.”

She starts the Sunday night sessions with a resting pose to slow down

breathing and focus on being present. Then, she reads a scripture and encourages people to focus on a word or phrase the Lord has spoken to them.

The class has a range of pose difficulty, but Sarah welcomed all levels of experience, and said all poses are achievable to people who invest.

Typically an hour long, the yoga portion begins in a flow. In the middle, Sarah brings the class to a resting posture and reminds them to press into the Lord.

“There’s a tone that’s set that is really peaceful. Everyone is just thinking. The Lord is always saying something to us, so if you give him time to talk, He will.”

Sarah decided to teach the class downtown to broaden her reach further than college students. The owner of the studio gave her a key and offered the space whenever it is empty.

“I want to be for all of Abilene, I want it to be multigenerational. I want it to be a bigger community, so I veered away from doing it on campus.”

Since beginning this semester, she averages 20 people per session. In the beginning, she said it was closer to 30, but as the semester comes to a close, the number has been lower.

One of the hardest parts for her to overcome, she said, is the fear of enough.

After each session she asks herself what could have been better.

“For me, I’m always ridiculously hard on myself and when everyone leaves, I question my ability to facilitate and teach,” Sarah said. “A lot of times, I walk away feeling really doubtful even though people give compliments. Its so good, but it’s really hard to receive because I always feel like it could be better.”

For next semester, she said she is considering two sessions per week, and moving the time up. Her goal is eventually to teach people who have been through abuse or trauma, but her focus centers around one word: abide.

“A lot of people have no idea how to abide or be still, and don’t know what transformation looks like because they haven’t experienced it. If you don’t sow, you won’t grow. My obedience is God’s love language, so it’s all about helping people learn.”

Photos courtesy of MEG AMORETTE PHOTOGRAPHY Fagala, a junior English education form Boerne, found peace and rest in Holy Yoga. She was certified over the summer, and started teaching classes this semester.

Friday, November 30, 2018

Opinion | Page 5

EDITORIAL

Embrace the giving spirit this holiday season Optimist Editorial Board | editor@jmcnetwork.com

THE ISSUE

OUR TAKE

The Issue: College students do not know practical ways to give back during the holiday season, or feel exempt from doing so due to lack of financial resources.

There are many ways for college students to give back beyond financially, including using one’s time and skills. We encourage college students to give back and get involved in their communities.

Optimist Editorial Board | editor@jmcnetwork.com The holidays are a time when people strive to be generous. As college students with little to no resources, it can be difficult to find ways to give back to our community.

As Christians, we are encouraged to give generously and continuously.

However, it can be a challenge to find ways to give back when financial resources are limited.

First, it is vital to understand the difference between charity and philanthropy when being generous. It can be easi-

est around the holidays to make a one-time gift in the spirit of giving, without really knowing where that gift is going or what difference it will really make.

Steve Gunderson, former President & CEO of the Council on Foundations, said: “Charity tends to be a short-term, emotional, immediate response, focused primarily on rescue and relief, whereas philanthropy is much more long-term, more strategic and focused on rebuilding.”

Often charity can tend

to be short-term, but philanthropy is a lifestyle we can begin choosing this holiday season. This decision will produce longterm sustainable effects for the community.

As students, Abilene is our current home. We have the opportunity to invest and become a part of something bigger by donating our time and skills to the many non-profits around us.

The good news is that there are many ways to be involved philanthropically this holiday season beyond

donating money. Giving resources does not necessarily have to translate into financial resources, if that is not an option for you.

You can give back and be generous with your time or skills, in addition to money.

Philanthropy means participating in the creation of a better world, and we would argue that this is realistic and beneficial for even college students.

Choosing to actively give back by volunteering your time either instead of or in addition to money tends to produce a deeper commitment to generosity. When you spend time working at a food bank, or helping at the Red Cross, it is more likely that you will feel a deeper connection to the organization you are giving to as well as walk away more fulfilled.

We would encourage you to give back this holiday season, but continue to give

back with your resources beyond just the holidays.

Here are some ways you can give back or get involved in Abilene: Sign up to volunteer at the Food Bank of West Central Texas. This food bank serves about 50,000 people in poverty in 13 West Texan counties. They also accept donations, and every $10 they receive provides enough food for 45 meals.

Volunteer at or donate to the Christian Service Center, an organization that runs a clothing donation center, food pantry, and rental assistance program. They serve over 8,750 community members each year.

Sign up to help deliver for Meals on Wheels, a local program that delivers meals and groceries to seniors and adults with disabilities in the Abilene area. They currently serve over 1,250 seniors and are

looking for volunteers to expand their ministry.

Donate to or volunteer with United Way of Abilene, a ministry providing programs for education, income assistance, and health support. They need volunteers and donations to maintain their many programs supporting Abilene families.

Make a commitment to sponsor a child through Compassion International, or make a one-time gift. Compassion sponsors children in developing countries for only $38 per month to provide education, medical assistance, and Christian mentoring.

It is important to research and understand the non-profits that you are interested in offering your time, money or skills to.

For a list of more non-profits, visit the Community Foundation of Abilene’s website.

STAFF COLUMNS

I’m a journalist, but I don’t stand with Acosta QUITE FRANCO-LY LAUREN FRANCO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Senior convergence journalism major from Euless A couple of weeks ago in my national government class, Dr. Mel Hailey asked me what I thought about the situation between Jim Acosta and Donald Trump.

On Nov. 7, a day after the midterm elections, Acosta was questioning Trump during a press conference about the migrant caravan approaching the border. Trump, who never answered the question, told Acosta to let him lead the country and cut him off in the middle of his next question.

When Acosta asked about the Russian investigation, Trump again cut off Acosta, claiming the investigation was a hoax.

In addition to the unprofessional exchange of words, Acosta was accused

by Sarah Sanders to have assaulted an intern when he was asked to give up the microphone. Trump ended the dialogue telling Acosta CNN should be ashamed to have him as a reporter, and called him “rude” and “terrible.”

My answer to Hailey’s question was weak, starting with, “Well, I’m biased.” The class was amused, as was I, that I had easily walked myself into that one.

At first, I was infuriated that the White House would strip Acosta of his press pass, especially because he had been the CNN correspondent for five years. I didn’t really know who Acosta was, but journalists stick up for journalists, so naturally I believed Trump was in the wrong.

After leaving class, I did more research and started questioning whether or not it was right for me to side with Acosta. Fox News, typically considered an enemy of CNN, did, so shouldn’t I? CNN and Acosta, at the time, were suing the president for violation of the First and Fifth Amendments, freedom of the press and right to due process (fair treatment through the judicial system),

respectively. The lawsuit was dropped after Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, ordered the White House to restore the press pass. Kelly didn’t rule on the First Amendment question, but said the revocation of the pass was a violation of Acosta’s “right to a fair and transparent process.”

Though I don’t think either side acted professionally, Acosta taking to Twitter quickly to complain, and Trump throwing a fit by barring Acosta, I don’t think CNN had any chance of winning their case.

The First Amendment does guarantee freedom of the press, but it doesn’t guarantee access to the White House (or other federal properties). Access to the White House is a privilege, not a right.

Presidents, because of the First Amendment, cannot discriminate against journalists just because of the way their publication reports. Though it seems Trump revoked Acosta’s press credentials because of the nature of his questions (despite Sarah Sanders’ response to the lawsuit), because he did not bar CNN as

a whole, he did not act unconstitutionally.

It’s interesting to me, the pattern of the relationship between the press and the White House since the Zenger case in 1734. John Zenger started printing the New York Weekly Journal, voicing critical opinions of the governor, William Cosby. Zenger was arrested after being accused of libel

by Cosby, but it was decided that the truth is a defense against libel.

“The Zenger case proved that men in high power disliked liberty of the press,” said Leonard Levy in his book, The Emergence of a Free Press (238).

The same is, and has been, true since 1798 when John Adams signed the Sedition Acts into law. This permitted the prosecution of individuals who printed what the government deemed to be malicious remarks about the president or government. Fourteen journalists were prosecuted under the act.

John F. Kennedy restricted media access in 1961 and 1962, justifying it as “national security.” His restriction continued through the Bay of

Pigs invasion, despite widespread criticism.

After the Washington Post broke the Watergate story, Nixon barred them from covering any White House events except press conferences.

As he said to his press secretary, Ron Ziegler, “I want it clearly understood that from now on, ever, no reporter from The Washington Post is ever to be in the White House. Is that clear?

No church service, nothing that Mrs. Nixon does…and no photographers either…

Now that is a total order, and if necessary I’ll fire you, do you understand?”

And now, it’s true for the Trump administration, as Trump allegedly told Lesley Stahl, a 60 Minutes correspondent, “You know why I do it? I do it to discredit you all and demean you all so when you write negative stories about me no one will believe you.”

I’ve been an advocate for CNN and their reporters, and applaud them regularly for continuing to do their job despite constant, unprofessional criticism from the president.

I read my news from many sources and wouldn’t regard

them as “fake,” as many do.

CNN isn’t alone in their press credential revocation, but they do stand as the only news organization to bring a lawsuit because of it.

Since taking office in 2016, Trump has barred the Huffington Post, Politico, BuzzFeed, the Daily Beast, the Des Moines Register, the New Hampshire Union Leader and more- none of whom threatened a lawsuit.

CNN’s decision to sue the president is a step in the wrong direction. I have previously applauded them for professionalism despite lack of reciprocation from the administration. But a lawsuit isn’t an effort to advance fair treatment of journalists, it’s an attempt by CNN to gain the center of attention by stooping to the same low-level maturity that Trump had during the press conference.

The only good a lawsuit brings is new precedents for future White House coverage and relationship between the press and the president.

If CNN strives to improve the hostile White House environment, they must continue to write the story, not be the story.

You should care more about the person than the profile HARK THE HARRELL ALLISON HARRELL SRAFF REPORTER

Sophomore convergence journalism major from Lampasas Social media is turning into my biggest enemy.

In its most innocent form, social media can be used to connect family members who are deployed in the military. It can be used to introduce breaking scientific advancements. It can even be used to virtually give to organizations across the world.

However, a question our generation must wrestle with is: do the benefits of social media outweigh the negative repercussions?

If you are a Millennial, or even Generation Z, you have seen the negative effects of social media firsthand. Ever wish sometimes that you could re-wind the clock and take the world back to a time when no one had a smartphone in hand yet? Or go back to that time when a guy had to actually muster up enough courage to walk up and ask the girl out to dinner in person?

Sure, I could just delete all of the apps. But then it

feels as if I have now disconnected myself from what is going on in the world, because everyone is on it.

That is why our lives are becoming increasingly busier. There is more to look at, more to see, more to do on a screen. If everyone collectively would decide to delete their apps, then I wouldn’t feel as if I were missing out on anything – but that will happen when pigs fly.

The fact is, every time I log on to Instagram, I find myself constantly comparing my life to those portrayed in an aesthetically pleasing profile of perfectly organized pictures with coordinating filters. I follow famous travel bloggers and

EDITORIAL AND LETTER POLICY Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration.

Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university.

The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing

personal attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy. Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes.

Phone numbers will not be published.

Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79609 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu

dream of one day visiting the places they go. I follow famous couples and envy their love stories, also admiring how they can hire a personal photographer to follow them around, capturing the best shots of their cutest moments.

Especially within the ACU Bubble, it seems as though everyone I follow is going on trips of a lifetime every other weekend, getting engaged and truly living their best lives.

Truth be told, looking at my own life and the images I have chosen to share social media, I have posted the highlights, the highest of highs, and my biggest accomplishments.

People don’t usually post

THE

about when their family is struggling financially, or about the fight they just had with their fiancé of two weeks, or about the unexpected divorce that causes every holiday to be a nightmare. Those things happen more often than social media tells us.

We must pursue deep friendships with the people around us to understand that everyone struggles with something. No one is perfect; therefore, no one on Instagram or Facebook, etc. has the perfect life that you drool over. There is no coincidence that studies have shown an increase in depression directly related to use of social media.

This has become a serious epidemic. Worshiping the lives of people that we find on the ‘Popular’ page, instead of caring to truly get to know and walk alongside the living, breathing souls around us.

Social media is a useful tool when we use it in the right context and with good purpose. Use the tools at your finger tips to inspire creativity, encourage, and give hope.

Let us not neglect the friends who are currently occupying the same room as us at the moment. Let us commit to knowing others deeper than their 280- character Tweet. Then maybe, we will be able to see humans, instead of profiles.

O PTI M I ST

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Page 6 | Sports FEATURE

Friday, November 30, 2018

NEWCOMER PRECENCE

Damien Daniels provides successful high school experience as a freshman MAX PRESTON SPORTS DIRECTOR

Students and fans around the Abilene area may witness the talents of experienced players in senior forward Jaren Lewis or redshirt junior center Jalone Friday, however, one promising newcomer people should keep their eyes on is freshman guard Damien Daniels.

Daniels is a Kansas City native and established his roots of playing basketball there. He said his desire to play developed quickly, having a family who was passionate about the game.

“My family is big in basketball,” Daniels said. “On my dad’s side we have a couple college basketball players and my dad was really good himself. They had me start playing when I was around four-yearsold.”

The freshman guard went to Hogan Prep high school and participated in the 3A division. He ended up being named to the first all-district team in each of his four years and was also honored as a first-team allstate member his junior and senior year.

In his junior year, Daniels averaged 23 points per game and led his team to the semifinals. Senior year was even more successful as his team won the state championship. He finished the season averaging 21.8 points per game.

Daniels said his high school team had special W. BASKETBALL

Photo by LAUREN FRANCO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Freshman guard Damien Daniels looks to make his mark early in his college career.

motivation to achieve the state title his senior season.

“During the summer after my junior year, one of our teammates died,” Daniels said. “We basically dedicated our season and the state championship to him.”

While in Kansas City, Daniels also played for one of the most talented AAU programs in the state, Run

GMC. He competed on the team with current teammate, freshman forward Joe Pleasant.

Daniels said the experience of playing for a big AAU team opened the door for opportunities to play collegiate basketball.

“It was a good experience going from a local team to a big team because you play the best talent

around the world,” Daniels said. “They set you up for offers and more exposure.

I probably wouldn’t have got this offer if I didn’t play with them.”

College coaches started calling Daniels during his freshman summer when playing in a tournament.

He heard from Air Force and the University of Nebraska Omaha. At this

point, Daniels knew he could compete at the Div. I level.

In his junior summer, he started receiving offers from Div. II and talked to a few Div. I schools. Daniels said ACU stood out to him once he received an offer.

“Abilene Christian was the first to believe in me, so that’s why I came here,” Daniels said. “I feel like the coaches actually believe in what I can do and we’re building something special here.”

In seven games played this season, Daniels has averaged 3.9 points per game and passed for 18 assists off the bench. He’s also averaged the most minutes per game of all the bench players with 16.6, and helped the team get off to a hot 7-0 start.

With talents such as Lewis and Friday playing alongside the new guard, Daniels said the team is constantly finding ways to improve more and more.

“Coach always says we’re just trying to get better day by day as a team,” Daniels said. “He tells us to set goals throughout the season and do what we can to achieve them. We try to minimize mistakes everyday and just see where it takes us.”

Daniels and the Wildcats will prepare to make a second trip to California this weekend as they take on Pepperdine Saturday and attempt to strengthen their record to 8-0.

Golightly scores 24 points as Wildcats suffer first loss OWEN SIMPSON SPORTS REPORTER

The Wildcats’ first loss of the season came against the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes 75-63 Wednesday night in Reynolds Center following a 6-0 start. Tulsa improved to 4-3 on the season.

Junior guard Dominique Golightly led the way for the Wildcats in their loss with a double-double racking up 24 points on 8-15 shooting and

10 rebounds.

ACU struggled from the get-go with six turnovers in the first quarter alone and allowed the Golden Hurricanes to score 24 points and 10 of those off turnovers.

Things got back on track for the Wildcats in the second quarter where they went on an 11-1 run to take the lead for the first time in the game 34-32 with 2:21 remaining. At the half, the score was tied 36-36.

The game got out of hand, however, in the third quarter for ACU as Tulsa started the second half making its first three of four baskets. Junior Guard Alexis Gaulden for the Golden Hurricanes was dominant in the game scoring a team high 24 points and five assists. 15 of those points came in the second half alone.

In total, the Wildcats finished with 22 turnovers compared to Tulsa’s seven.

One of the biggest factors of the game was how Tulsa converted ACU’s forced turnovers into 32 points.

Poor play created a gap in the second half the Wildcats simply couldn’t fix.

Senior guard Sara Williamson said the team will have to eliminate turnovers moving forward “I think we learned just how important taking care of the basketball is,” Williamson said. “We had 22

turnovers last night and had we had even just five of those possessions back, I believe the game would have turned out completely different.”

Coming up next, Tulsa heads to the Arizona State Classic to face Alabama Saturday at 4:15 p.m. Meanwhile, ACU hopes to bounce back from its first loss of the season when playing Schreiner Saturday at 1 p.m. in Moody.

MEN’S BASKETBALL PREVIEW

ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

POINTS PER GAME

85.8

17.3

ASSISTS PG

16.0

33.4

REBOUNDS PG

32.7

59.4 POINTS ALLOWED PG 78.2

(7–0)

MAX PRESTON SPORTS DIRECTOR

The men have looked stellar in their 7-0 start this season with wins over Arkansas State, Denver and Pacific.

Jaren Lewis, Payten Ricks and Jalone Friday have distributed a good scoring load so far as each are averaging double digits in points per game. Lewis has also landed Southland Player of the Week twice of the three weeks in this season. Jaylen Franklin has totaled 35 assists through the seven games. Pepperdine has seen a promising performance in its very own Colbey Ross who has averaged 20 points per game and 6.2 assists per game. ACU will have to make the trip to California, however, this seemed to be no problem for the team after going 3-0 last week in the Tigers Thanksgiving Classic. The Wildcats also put up 90 points Tuesday evening against Howard Payne with their bench playing a lot in the game. I believe ACU will find a way to get it done on the West Coast again and improve to 8-0.

FINAL SCORE: ACU 80 PU 77

OWEN SIMPSON SPORTS REPORTER

ACU is off to an impressive 7-0 start on the season coming off a dominating win against Howard Payne 90-53. Jaren Lewis has led the way for the Wildcats this season averaging almost 17 points and seven rebounds per game. Altogether, ACU has averaged an impressive 79 points per game off of 52 percent shooting from the court.

Pepperdine, although 4-2, has come off two convincing wins against Miami (Ohio) and Idaho State. Colbey Ross, the sophomore guard at PU is averaging a team best 20 points per game shooting 42 percent from the court. PU has a dynamic offense with five players averaging 11 points per game or more and as a team, averaging 86 points. With ACU’s limited away games so far this season, I see them taking their first loss of the season Saturday in a close fought game.

FINAL SCORE: ACU 72 PU 80

RACHEL POE SPORTS REPORTER

The Wildcats meet a 4-2 Pepperdine team this weekend.

The Wildcats have come up with wins over Arkansas State, the University of Denver and the University of the Pacif ic. The Wildcats now have to turn around and go to California once again, but they didn’t let the last West Coast trip bother them as they won all three games and the tournament title in the Tigers Thanksgiving Classic. I believe ACU will keep its winning streak going and will defeat the Waves this coming Saturday.

FINAL SCORE: ACU 75 PU 72

W. Basketball Team

Ovrl.

ACU SLU HBU SFA UCA Lamar TAMU-CC UNO NWSU SHSU Nicholls McNeese UIW

Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

6-1 4-1 4-2 4-2 3-2 4-3 2-2 2-2 3-3 3-3 3-4 0-6 0-

M. Basketball

Team

Ovrl.

ACU SFA TAMU-CC Nicholls UNO UIW UCA Lamar SLU HBU McNeese SHSU NWSU

7-0 4-1 4-3 5-4 3-3 4-5 3-4 3-4 3-4 2-3 2-3 3-5 2-5

Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Basketball

Pleasant Freshman forward Joe Pleasant came off the bench in Tuesday night’s game against Howard Payne and led his team with 15 points. He played 16 minutes and shot 6-8 from the field. He contributed to what was an impressive shooting performance for ACU as the team came away with a 60.7 percent field goal percentage. Pleasant and the Wildcats will return to action Saturday in California against Pepperdine.

Basketball

Golightly Junior guard Dominique Golightly notched a double-double in the team’s first loss of the season to Tulsa Wednesday evening.

She scored 24 points in the game and grabbed 10 rebounds. Golightly converted on eight of 15 shots on the night. The women come back home Saturday afternoon to face Schreiner in Moody.

2018 STATS 80.4

STANDINGS

PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY (4-2)

CARSON WRIGHT

Basketball

SPORTS REPORTER

The team has looked dominant and deep this season, opening with a seven game win streak, remaining the only undefeated team in the Southland Conference. While Jaren Lewis, Jalone Friday and Jaylen Franklin continue to be the identity of the team, junior guard Payten Ricks has been deadly f rom behind the three point line this season.

Ricks is shooting 52.8 percent f rom three this season on 5.2 attempts per game, f inishing second on the team in total points. Pepperdine seems to have a strong offense, scoring an average of 85.8 points per game led by sophomore guard Colbey Ross’ 20 points per game. ACU’s keys to victory this weekend include winning the rebound battle, playing tight defense on Ross without letting him get to the charity stripe, and limiting their turnovers.

FINAL SCORE: ACU 73 PU 64

Ricks Junior guard Payten Ricks added 14 points in the men’s win over HPU. He made three three-pointers, grabbed two rebounds and passed for two assists. Ricks is averaging 13.3 points per game this season, the second most on the team to senior forward Jaren Lewis’ 16.3. He’s also come up with 13 steals through seven games.

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