acuoptimist.com
Optimist the
Homecoming 2010, page 6
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Vol. 99, No. 16
1 sections, 8 pages
HOMECOMING
STUDENT GROUPS
Crowning Moment
Students to lead spring missions Linda Bailey Editor In Chief
was a testament to his daughter’s involvement at ACU. “We’re very proud of her. She’s already excelled in everything,” Charles Ellison said. “She started out in a small town and wound up here.”
Students interested in participating in spring break missions can start making plans. The Spring Break Campaign Committee announced the 27 leaders who will lead 14 campaigns across America and four South American Countries. “We’re really excited about our leadership teams,” said Emily Hood, PR marketing committee member for SBC. “I think the overall commitment of our leaders this year is better than we’ve had in years past, and I think that’s because we chose quality over quantity.” The SBC committee chose fewer campaigns and leaders than last year, mainly because they received fewer leader applications than in previous years, said Hood, senior education major from Spearman. However, she said they are happy with the people who did step up to lead. In addition to offering fewer campaigns, SBC committee members also decided to cap the number of students for each campaign at 15, with exceptions to the campaigns going to Seattle and New Orleans. The change came from campaigners’ feedback through surveys administered each year at the end of spring break, Hood said.
see VOTE page 3A
see SBC page 4A
STACY ACTON // Staff Photographer
2010 Homecoming Queen Jessica Ellison, escorted by her father, Charles Ellison, is presented with flowers and a crown in honor of the title she received at the Homecoming football game on Oct 9.
Students select 2010 Homecoming Queen Kelsi Williamson Arts Editor
Student voters elected Delta Theta president Jessica Ellison, senior accounting major from Van, the 2010 Homecoming Queen out of ten nominees. Ellison was crowned at halftime during Saturday’s Homecoming football game after the introduction of both the coming-home court from 2000 and this year’s Homecoming court. “I’m kind of still in shock,” said Jessica Ellison. “It’s exciting, and it’s
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an honor. I’m just glad the student body voted for me.” Ellison was the only member of Delta Theta on this year’s Homecoming court. The other nine nominees were either members of Sigma Theta Chi or Ko Jo Kai. “It’s just exciting for the smaller guy,” Jessica Ellison said. “Just being nominated was an honor, let alone winning.” Samantha Adkins, senior alumni relations officer, said it is not uncommon for someone from a less-represented club to win queen when competing against numerous women
I’m kind of still in shock. It’s exciting, and it’s an honor. I’m just glad the student body voted for me. JESSICA ELLISON // senior accounting major from Van
from larger clubs. The larger clubs usually end up splitting their votes between more than one nominee. “I’m not really shocked that she would win,” Adkins said. “It’s not unusual for someone who is an outlier to get the rest of the votes.” Ellison’s father and escort, Charles Ellison, also said the award
CRIME
LOCAL
Community opens haunted houses Intruder disturbs female students Meagan Hernandez Contributing Reporter
With each Halloween season begins the search for a great costume and a good scare. This year, Abilene offers many different ways to celebrate, both fun and frightful. Students have several options when searching for Halloween activities on campus and around town. Frater Sodalis will conduct the club’s 25th annual haunted house at Play Faire Park Oct. 28–31. The fundraising event is open to the public for $8 a ticket. MEAGAN HERNANDEZ // Staff Photographer On the first two nights, col- Props from the Haunted Graveyard on Judge Ely Boulevard await fright-seeking customers. lege students will receive 25 Brandon Fry, junior ac- be fun for students, as well as Fry said, “A lot of work has percent off, and on Hallowbeen put into making sure een night all youth groups counting major from Ball- the community. “We look forward to will receive a 25 percent inger and Frater Sodalis President, said the event will putting it on every year,” discount. see BOO page 3A
website
inside news Find a list of locations on and off campus providing voter registration for the upcoming election. page 3
sports The ACU Wildcats football team narrowly beat the MSU Mustangs 31-28 in a close Homecoming game. page 5A
and a banging against the window and a guy curse Page 2 Editor at a cat. That’s when I got ACU women living in a freaked out and ran to wake house close to campus re- up my roommate, and we ported seeing an unknown called the cops.” Tiffany Siegel, senior elman inside their house only days after another group of ementary education major girls reported seeing anoth- from Austin, and her roomer suspicious man peering mates had a even more concerning experience only in one of their windows. The first incident hap- two days later, on Oct. 3. “We were just sitting on pened Friday, Oct. 1 at the couch talking, and I 1:24 a.m. “I was sitting in my room, looked up and saw someand I heard something out- one standing beside the side,” said Sarah Beardsley, shelf in the kitchen,” Siejunior family studies ma- gel said. “I thought it was jor from Keller. “I thought just Brooke [her roomit was one of the cats, be- mate] and I didn’t really cause we have cats outside. see INTRUDER page 4 Then I heard a cat screech
Alan Cherry
weather video Check out a video of various Homecoming Weekend events to see anything you may have missed.
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