Intriguing Ink Students express themselves through tattooing
vol. 100, no. 32
wednesday, february 1, 2012
1 SECTION, 8 PAGES
“
Features page 5
It helped us grow closer together and learn more about each other.” -Tara Lowe, sophomore elementary education major from Springtown
SPRING SELECTIONS Three social clubs began spring pledging with Bid Night on Friday
“
Every part of the night was intentional. Everything was about building up the group, and rebuilding it as a whole.”
so it was great to see Bid Night finally happen,” Managing Editor Lowe said. “It helped us to grow closer together and learn more about each Pledging returned to camother.” pus Friday night as three soJake Hall, sophomore cial clubs accepted pledges music major from Springfor spring Bid Night. Jake Hall Students pledged to sophomore elementary education town, pledged Pi Kappa on men’s clubs Frater Sodalis major from springtown Bid Night. He said Friday night was an encouraging and Pi Kappa and the recently rechartered women’s jor from Springtown and experience. “Every part of the night club, Zeta Rho. The pledg- co-recharterer of Zeta Rho, photos by adrian patenaude stafff Photographer ing process will last three said Bid Night was an excit- was intentional,” Hall said. “Everything was about Top: Zeta Rho pledges participate in Bid Night activities. Below: Frater Sodalis pledge ing experience. weeks this semester. “We’ve been working building up the group, and David Gasvoda, sophomore English major from Houston stands with fellow pledges Tara Lowe, sophomore elementary education ma- on this for a long time, see clubs page 3 on the steps of the Administration Building.
Mark smith
obituary
Phillips remembered for joyous spirit, smile But he was remembered Editor in chief for an infectious laugh Matt Phillips, son of Dr. and an upliftMark Phillips and Dr. Laura ing spirit. At a mePhillips, died Sunday night at age 16. Phillips was a morial ser- Phillips sophomore at Abilene’s vice Tuesday at Hillcrest Academy of Technology Church of Christ, Matt was Engineering Math and Sci- described by many as an ence. Matt’s sister, Allison outgoing, funny and lively Phillips, is a freshman mar- teenage boy. He was nickketing major and a mem- named the social director of ber of the university’s vol- his family. “Every week after church leyball team. Matt was born with os- he would ask people to eat teogenesis imperfecta, a ge- lunch with us,” said Laura, netic disorder also known assistant professor of manas “brittle bone disease.” agement sciences. “He en-
Hannah barnes
joyed people of all ages.” She said her son enjoyed math, science, robotics and playing video games. “He was very sweet,” Laura said. “But he was the biggest trash talker when he played games.” Matt was born in Beech Grove, Ind., and lived in Stillwater, Okla., before moving to Abilene in 2004, when he was 8. Through his life, said family and friends, Matt did not let his brittle bone disease slow him down. “We didn’t know until after he was born that he had it,” Laura said. “He just went with the flow, did what he
“
him from doing things he enjoyed and sharing laughs with others. “He was always telling jokes that he thought were hilarious but weren’t actually very funny,” Laura said. “He loved having college Dr. Laura Phillips students over for dinner assistant professor of management sciences and he loved going to ACU sporting events.” Inspired by Matt, in could. He just kept going.” He frequented university 2008, social club Gamma baseball, basketball and vol- Sigma Phi raised more than leyball games, and he twice $16,000 during a 68-hour tagged along with his par- volleyball tournament to ents on Study Abroad trips help fund research into to Oxford, England. While curing brittle bone disthe disorder kept Matt in a ease. Two years earlier club wheelchair, it did not stop members raised $8,500 bi-
He just went with the flow, did what he could. He just kept going.”
cycling to Malibu, Calif., from Abilene. Matt was the president of the robotics club at his school, was interested in rockets and was an avid reader. Abilene High School sophomore Jackson Pybus said he enjoyed playing video games with Phillips and said his good-natured optimism inspired others. “A lot of people knew him,” Pybus said. “He impacted a lot of lives.”
contact barnes at hab07a@acu.edu
university
Tuesday morning power outage interrupts campus
“
a typical, short power outage.” Hunter Turner, sophomore information technology major from Trophy Club, said the blackout almost forced him to change jeanetta norris junior music education major his lunch plans. from ft. worth ‘”I was going into the Bean when the power went out,” Turner said. situations. outage alerts if we know “They had to stop making “We get a lot of calls the power will be out for food but I was able to get asking why we didn’t a long time or the outage some before they ran out. send out an ACU Alert,” is a part of an on-campus It was also really smoky he said. “We only send emergency. This was just in there.”
Jeanetta Norris, junior music education major from Ft. Worth, said she was in a meeting when the lights went out. “I was upset when the power came back on because I have a piano test today and I didn’t want to take it,” Norris said. “I was hoping classes would be canceled for the rest of the day.”
sports
opinion
photos
news
Lady Wildcats end losing streak against Texas Women’s
Read how house churches help and hurt Christians
Look for photos from the ‘Cats game against Midwestern
Students react to the closing of the Abilene PacSun location
“The power went off on the main campus and up Managing Editor and down Judge Ely Boulevard, Ambler Avenue A power blackout caused and Highway 351,” Ellison by an American Electric said. “The power stayed Power transmission line on at the police station, problem darkened cam- Barret Hall and Smith and pus and much of North- Adams Halls.” Ellison said the ACU east Abilene late Tuesday morning for about 20 police station receives a flood of calls whenever the minutes. ACU Police Chief Jim- power goes out, and he said my Ellison said the lights the department often gets stayed on west of Campus questions about issuing an ACU Alert during these Court.
Mark smith
I was upset when the power came back on because I have a piano test today and I didn’t want to take it.”
contact smith at mds10a@acu.edu
inside
Page 8
page 6
Abilene Christian University
acuoptimist.com
page 3