The university is taking alumni and students “Out West” for a Homecoming weekend with activities from Thursday to Sunday.
From performances of Shrek: The Musical and the Homecoming parade to the highly anticipated football matchup against Tarleton State University, the Alumni Association has been working for the past year to create a Homecoming
experience for everyone.
Craig Fisher, director of alumni relations and annual projects, said Homecoming is “legacy, relational and community.”
“We are such a relational university,” Fisher said. “Our community likes to be together, no matter what we’re doing. We want to draw them back here because we want them to remain connected. We want them to bring their families, so that their children are seeing this place and kind of going, ‘This is something that I might need to think about as well.’”
This year’s theme is “Out West,” which Fisher said is to draw alumni back to West Texas. Events such as the Homecoming Parade will connect
to the theme with western-themed floats, and the ACU Riding Team leading the parade with its horses.
“A lot of our alumni are close, but more and more and more, we’re spreading out all over the world,” Fisher said. “So to think about coming back home, we want to draw that emotion of coming back home or coming back to West Texas.”
Abby Easley, alumni and university relations officer, said once Homecoming is over, the planning for the next year immediately will begin.
“It looks like we evaluate what we liked, what we didn’t like, what we might want to change or keep for the next year,” Easley said. “As soon as the football schedule comes out, we start
looking at what dates to pick. We start talking about themes within our team and other partners across the university, and so we pick the theme pretty early, and then we build our student leadership team.”
The student leadership team is just one of the campus partners that help run Homecoming weekend. Easley said Homecoming is a campus-wide effort, and it could not happen without partners such as ACUPD, the athletic staff and the university’s facilities team.
“Our aim is to make it so that we are doing everything behind the scenes, and our alumni can just have a good time like I think that’s really the heart of what our team does,” Easley
said. “We build something, and we work really hard on it all year so that people can come back to campus and just have a good time and not have to worry about the logistics or where they’re going to eat, or what they’re going to do during this time.”
While one of the biggest goals of Homecoming is to connect with alumni, Athena Crum, alumni and university relations officer, said it is important for students to know that the weekend is for them, too.
“It’s also a time for [students] to get really involved and make memories too,” Crum said. “I think just encouraging students to get involved, do everything, meet some alumni, have some fun.”
Campus Center incident leads to uncertainty
BY LESLIE CARRIGAN MANAGING EDITOR
The university’s policy regarding tabling in the Campus Center remain uncertain to some students after an incident at the ACU for Life table that led to a petition calling for the protection of free speech on campus. The issue stems from an Oct. 13 incident in which staff members in the Advising Center confronted students at the ACU for Life table in the Campus Center over the content of their signage. First, John Mark Moudy, assistant director of student services, then Lyndi Felan, dean for retention and student success, approached the ACU For
Life table and told students there, including organization president Madelyne Arrowood, to remove a sign that read, “Abortion is murder. Dissagre? [sic] Let’s talk.” At the time, Felan called the sign “hate speech” and “inappropriate language” and needed to be removed. After the confronta-
tion, Arrowood eventually changed the wording on the sign to “Abortion kills an innocent life. Disagree, Let’s talk.”
Videos of the interactions recorded by students in ACU for Life were posted later in the day on the Facebook group ACU Open Forum. In the days after, in
addition to the attention on the Facebook group, the incident has drawn local and national coverage, including reporting on conservative news site Campus Reform and pro-life website LifeNews. After the conversation, ACU For Life received an email from Ryan Richardson, vice president for student
life, explaining that although there are no official rules regarding tabling, the tables are meant to promote an organization’s events and activities.
According to Richardson’s email, “It is not appropriate for tabling to be used in ways, through signage or personal engagement,
See Campus Center P. 4
Student reaction keeps University Park locks in place
BY ASHLEY HENDERSON EDITOR IN CHIEF
University Park is asking residents for feedback after postponing a project to remove the internal deadbolt locks from the UP units.
UP residents originally were notified via email on Oct. 17 that “all internal operated deadbolts will be removed from the UP apartment units. To ensure that emergency and maintenance personnel can always respond promptly when needed.” According to the email, the facilities team would begin removing the secondary deadbolt lock from each apartment in the following week. However, on Oct. 20, residents received another up email, which said “the project has been postponed and will, at the earliest, be implemented in the Spring 2026 semester.”
Shannon Kaczmarek, dean of community living and wellness, said the discussion of removing the in-
ternal locks has arisen in recent years. While the doors are equipped with two locks, the internal lock is accessible only from the inside. So in an emergency, first responders would need to break down the door or make contact with the residents to get access to the apartment.
“Part of the reason we were considering that change was because it would align with the way that we do the rest of our housing on campus, because of the need to, at times, be able to access those spaces for facility needs or responding to students or well-check visits that occasionally come up.”
Kaczmarek said the project to remove the locks was postponed so the university could get insight from other Texas universities and better understand the pros and cons. She said the Office of Residence Life is aware that some people are uncomfortable with the removal of the locks.
“We just want to be very mindful of the decision that
we’re making,” Kaczmarek said. “The decision is intended to improve the space and respond quickly to students’ needs, and to be able to enhance the residential experience, but not decrease the students’ feeling of safety.”
UP resident Kate Born said she spoke with friends who had safety concerns regarding the lock removal.
“I was talking with some female friends who also live in UP,” said Born, senior finance major from Grapevine, “and they were concerned, if they didn’t have a lock where no one could come in, they would just have some safety issues. I don’t know if things have happened the past, or if they were just concerned in general.”
Born said on the other hand, she is not concerned about safety because she never uses the internal lock.
“I think I either way, I’m fine,” Born said. “If somebody has the key, then they’re supposed to. And
I trust the guys who work at UP. They’re really hardworking, and I don’t think I’m worriehd about safety issues.”
Kaczmarek said while there is a security system installed on the property and ACUPD patrols the campus, they understand that some students just feel more secure with an additional lock. She said the university is listening to feedback from students, and considering alternative options.
“We have talked about going away from the internal deadbolt lock and putting in place mobile ID access into the front doors of those units,” Kaczmarek said. “It’s a very, very costly solution, and so it’s hard, it’s a hard one to jump to first right off the bat, but it’s another possible way to add an additional locking feature to those doors, so that you have both the physical and the mobile ID access.”
“We just want to be able to have some conversations with some other peer insti-
tutions who are similar to ACU, who have done something similar, or they have that model in place, where they have on campus apartments, but they don’t have that tenant lock, that internal one sided deadbolt.”
If the university implements the removal plan, Kaczmarek said, at the earliest, it would start in the spring semester. For students who already signed up to live there in the spring semester who are uncomfortable, UP would honor those preferences.
When the new housing selection process launches in the spring, Kaczmarek said students will be aware of the changes and have the choice to live off campus.
“The hope is that people do not feel like this is something that is being done to them and sprung on them as a surprise,” Kaczmarek said, “but something that is taking into consideration the feelings and the need for safety that students perceive and is honoring that.”
A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912
BY DANIEL CURD | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Gracie Smith (‘25) rides a horse down Campus Court during the Homecoming Parade.
Many rural hospitals can’t offer labor or delivery care
BY BAYLIE SIMON NEWS REPORTER
There is a shortage of OBGYN physicians across the country, and the issue is getting progressively worse by the year. In Texas, half of all pregnancies are paid for by Medicaid. Reimbursement rates for Medicaid are very low compared to private insurance. When reimbursements are low, it disincentivizes hospitals from having labor units because they are not profitable, and in the case of rural hospitals, unaffordable.
Yasmin Wilkinson is an OB-GYN practicing at Hendrick Medical Center in Brownwood. She worked in an urban hospital environment when completing her residency in Galveston. She said hospitals could run a patient from a labor room to the OR and have a baby in less than ten minutes. Brownwood and surrounding rural hospitals don’t have that luxury.
“It’s easy to take all of those resources for granted when you’re in a big tertiary care center versus when you’re in a rural center and you really do have to plan. It’s hard to plan for an emergency,” said Wilkinson. In Brownwood, blood and blood bank platelets are delivered from San Angelo, an hour’s drive away. Less than 1% of mothers need platelets, but those who do depend on them to manage postpartum hemorrhages.
The hospital has to think several steps ahead to be prepared. Similarly, doctors have to decide to do a C-section earlier in rural settings because the anesthesiologist and delivery crew are not in the hospital at all times. There are some rural counties where it takes up to an hour and a half to get to a hospital that delivers babies. When there is no time to drive that far, mothers have their babies delivered at an ER hospital with no obstetrician present before they can be transferred
to higher level care.
Craig Hunnicut, Hendrick Director of Regional Services, said, “Our OB department sends and helps some of the rural facilities around us with that training. We know you don’t deliver babies, but you’re going to get somebody who needs to deliver their baby here. They’re not completely oblivious to what’s going on, but they recognize there are a lot of things that the mom and baby need that we don’t have here.”
Rural hospitals have back-
up systems in place to deal with emergencies. Hendrick Medical Center in Brownwood has a good relationship with Saint David’s in Austin, Harris Methodists and Cook Children’s in Fort Worth, and Hendrick in Abilene, so that mothers and newborns can be transported to another hospital to receive higher level care when necessary.
“We have a whole neonatal team come all the way out here, whether by plane or helicopter or ambulance, whatever is appro -
priate,” said Wilkinson.
Almost half of all Texas counties do not have a hospital or birth center that offers obstetric care. In rural areas, the issue is even more severe. Only 2 of the 18 hospitals within Hendrick’s service area have an OB-GYN doctor and trained labor and delivery nurses.
Rural populations tend to be unhealthier than urban populations, but rural hospitals lack the funding to provide the quality of care needed to compensate for the discrepancy. 16 of the
24 counties Hendrick serves operate in negative margins, surviving off of community tax dollars.
“It’s 2025. Having a baby shouldn’t be a big deal as far as the medical part of it, but for a lot of these folks, it can be a very big deal,” said Hunnicut.
Potential doctors are often not attracted to specializing in Obstetrics for various reasons. Work hours are long and unpredictable. Urologists are paid two to three times more than OB-GYNs for doing similar work. Liability is extremely high. The ability to sue an OB-GYN extends to 18 years. There are not enough residencies available to meet the demand for OB-GYNs needed in America.
“You can’t maximize profits while also doing the right thing for patients 100% of the time,” said Wilkinson. “And so in a system where the goal is to make as much money as possible and to maximize profits for shareholders, where that is the goal, you are sacrificing taking the best possible care of patients.”
Wilkinson said there is not a clear solution to solving the maternity problems in rural America. It would help if there were more OB-GYNs. She also said increased reimbursements from insurance companies would go a long way toward simply keeping hospitals open.
The call back home: How Ted Matthews saved Anson General Hospital
BY ZION WEBB CO-NEWSCAST DIRECTOR
Retirement ironical -
ly proved short-lived for 69-year-old Ted Matthews. Just eight months into retirement, he received a call from Pete Klein, an Anson General board member and good friend, asking whether he would come back to help the struggling hospital. Matthews said he didn't think twice, answering, “How could I say no to my home community?”
Like most other rural hospitals in Texas, Anson General has struggled with financial problems, jeopardizing its survival, in an ongoing battle that has lasted for years. From staffing shortages to a lack of patient volume and the financial situation of most of its patients, Anson was at the crossroads of closing its doors not just for the day, but for good. This again led Matthews to stand in the same position where he had entered rural health care back in 2003, with a mission to save the hospital all over again, in part by converting it to an emergency rural hospital. Across America, word has come back of rural hospitals closing at a frightening rate. A whopping nearly half of all rural hospitals operate with deficits ranging from 20% to 100%, according to the Chartis Center for Rural Health.
Texas bore the majority of these cases, with multiple hospital closures over recent years, 27 of which were just like Anson's.
“Pay for an inpatient unit, staff it, though sometimes not used at all, are gigantic costs that hospitals are losing money on,” said Craig Hunnicut, director of regional services for Hendrick Health.
Limited populations and demographics, covered in large part by federal health care programs that generally don't pay the full cost of care, present a financial strain for many rural hospitals. In fact, according to Hendrick’s president and chief operating officer, Brad Holland, hospitals often get less than 10 cents on the dollar for the federally insured patients they serve. In Anson’s case, this would apply to well over half of the community members they
provide care to.
To assist with this, the federal government under the Biden-Harris administration developed the Emergency Rural Hospital designation, allowing hospitals to shut down inpatient areas while maintaining emergency and outpatient services in exchange for federal subsidies.
These subsidies average about $385,000 a month, providing critical financial aid regardless of patient volume. Such assistance is important since closing a hospital affects more than just health care access; economic security, employment stability, and the health of a community are also at stake.
“Rural health care is a three-legged stool,” Matthews said. “You have to have industry, an excellent school system, and medicine. If you lose one of those, all of that just tips over.”
And he is right, Anson General is a valuable asset to the community, employing over 60 people whose families depend on their jobs, as well as giving fellow residents access to medical care. The hospital closure would have been a huge blow to the city in both of those factors.
So, closing the hospital down was not a possible solution, but keeping it alive wasn't an easy decision either. However, it was a necessary one, to maintain the hospital staying in its community due to the closest other hospital being 25 miles away.
“It doesn’t seem like a long distance when you’re healthy, but it’s a long way when you’re in the back of an ambulance,” said John Henderson, chief operating officer of TORCH.
Although everyone can get behind the decision to keep Anson in the community does not solve the money issue, and with millions of dollars in debt, Anson General was looking for strong leadership. That’s when Ted Matthews stepped in as interim CEO.
“When I arrived in February 2023, I walked through the front door and proceeded straight to Ms. Gonzalez's office,” Matthews said. “I asked her, 'How bad is it?' and she said, 'Really bad.'”
The hospital had accounts payable of credit holds at $800,000, a loan of $1.8 million, and more. Basic equipment was also overdue for maintenance, and there was no money to fix it.
“We were operating a duct tape around here,” Matthews said. “We just kept a roll in our pocket."
While trying to reverse the hole that the hospital was in, some changes had to be made.
“Every month, we targeted reducing costs by 2% to 3%," Matthews said. “We had an 18% reduction in staff. And I'll tell you, those were really trying times for us because everyone that worked here basically lives within our community, and when you have to make those decisions, it affects individuals personally.”
But despite the difficult decisions, the hospital did indeed survive.
“We became extremely aggressive identifying grants and supplemental payments that could fund our hospital and help us offset that debt," Matthews said. “By October, we had paid all the debt off.”
These decisions played a huge role in the survival of the hospital.
“I just don’t think there would be healthcare in Anson if it weren’t for Ted,” Henderson said.
And it is probably because, to Matthews, Anson General was not just a business, but a personal tribute to helping his community and hoping to make a lasting change.
“I hope I'm remembered for making a difference in rural healthcare," Matthews said. "For making things better.”
And about the whole retirement thing?
The plan was to retire again in a few months for Matthews because the hospital brought on Chief Operating Officer Justa Clark, who is in training and recently has taken over as CEO.
Matthews conceded he doesn't envision going completely cold turkey, however, saying he can't completely run away from helping people.
“I imagine I’ll stay connected to rural healthcare in some capacity,” he said with a smile. “And my wife is okay with that.”
BY BAYLIE SIMON | NEWS REPORTER
The Hendrick Medical Center Parker Wing sits off Pine St.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANSON GENERAL HOSPITAL
TED MATTHEWS, INTERIM CEO OF ANSON GENERAL HOSPITAL
Powell cultivates a career of curiosity, chemistry
BY CALLIE LEVERETT NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Those who study English and want to study Edgar Allen Poe, will read his works, Dr. Cynthia Powell said, and those who study art and want to study Picasso, will look at what he painted.
“In my class, you get to study what God has made,” Powell said, as a professor in the chemistry and biochemistry.
“We are studying God’s handiwork and that does inspire awe and worship.”
In science, Powell said you’re looking at the mind of the master of the universe.
“When you see the order and the detail and the intricacy and interplay of everything in the creative world,” Powell said, “it’s pretty exciting.”
Now, after over three decades, Powell is being honored as 2025 Teacher of the Year.
In a field where change is continuous, Powell has shown commitment and versatility throughout her career, providing innovation and insight to research and teaching.
“I’ve been teaching since before we had computers, before the internet was really a thing, before we had email,” Powell said. “I didn’t have a calculator personally, until I was a junior in college.”
Powell grew up in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and came to Abilene as a 17-year-old freshman majoring in chemistry. Upon graduation, Powell said she would never live in Texas again.
“I was headed northeast, overseas, just pretty much anywhere else,” Powell said. “I always kind of say, God has a sense of humor because here we are.”
Powell returned to ACU as a math and science tutor for Alpha Academic Services. She then taught math and now, for most of
her career, she has taught chemistry.
Powell earned her master’s degree at Texas A&M. After a while of teaching as a master’s level faculty and as her children graduated high school, she pursued a PhD at the University of North Texas in 2010. While earning her PhD, Powell lived in Denton for a year.
“I was almost 50 and I lived in a dorm,” Powell said, laughing. “I had a sweet mate, and I knew we were going to be okay because I could hear through the very thin wall, her saying, ‘Mom, you’re not going to believe who my sweet mate is.’ and I thought, ‘OK, she talks to her mother – this is a good sign.’”
Powell said generally, doctorates in chemistry take five, six, sometimes seven years, but she said she did sort of a hybrid degree in chemistry, laboratory work and chemistry education. After her year at UNT, she continued her re-
search work while teaching at ACU.
Powell’s research centered education project related to adult teaching. It was before YouTube, so she started making video podcasts to teach students techniques in the lab.
“It was the first thing of that type that had ever been done,” Powell said. “It’s kind of crazy; I literally got calls from the London Times, the New York Times, from all these big newspapers because people weren’t doing that yet.”
Powell said she has always had a deep interest in technology, searching for ways to incorporate innovation into her career. It started with video podcasts, and next, she’s dabbling in artificial intelligence.
As a researcher, it is important to stay up to date on current literature, trends and research material, so AI has proven helpful in its ability to collect and translate data, Powell said.
“So, as you can imagine,
it’s pretty impossible for one person to keep up with all of that, but you can train [AI] to be experts in certain fields,” Powell said. “Man, it’s really powerful. There are some amazing ways that it can be used to summarize and gather information from a lot of different sources.”
Powell said she is teaching a senior level seminar class where AI will be used in the curriculum. She said they need to learn how to use it well and ethically.
When computers made their way into education, many saw it as a disruption, but now, computers are used all the time as a great tool, Powell said.
“But this AI is the most disruptive thing I’ve seen since computers came on this scene,” Powell said, “and it’s huge.”
As she and her colleagues expect students to experience AI in their work fields, Powell said she is excited to see where the next generation will take AI.
“I have no doubt that
they will have to be sort of pioneers in that,” Powell said, “but we at least need to give them a leg up into that world. I’m working really hard on that right now.”
As Powell began teaching before personal computers and cell phones, she has witnessed the field’s many curveballs when it comes to innovation and progress.
After dedicating 33 meaningful years of teaching, Powell is considering retirement to allow her family more time. Powell has five grandchildren – the youngest being two and the oldest being eight.
“It’s really hard to think about stepping away from it, but being tied to the academic year really limits how I can support my family,” Powell said.
In reflection, Powell said some fruitful advice for new teachers would be to lean on colleagues –learn from those who have come before you.
“I have learned so much, so much from people who
had taught the course that I was beginning to teach,” Powell said. “Their advice was really valuable to me.” Also, Powell spoke about the importance of student perspective. She said going back to school to earn her PhD, taking online classes and going to academic conferences were all so valuable because she got to remember what it was like to be a student.
“The experience of being on the student side of an online class and having to deal with all those little online discussion posts and assignments and quizzes was really opening for me,” Powell said. “It kind of stressed me out. All those little timers, and, you know, you had to hurry up and do stuff.
Powell said after reexperiencing class, she adjusted some of the ways she did things.
Take advantage of chances to learn, Powell said. She demonstrated this call to action throughout her commitment to higher education in her degrees and interest in innovation.
Students also always present more learning opportunities – don’t be afraid to not know the answers to questions sometimes, Powell said, and take unknown answers as moments to learn with students.
And finally, Powell said, when it comes to classes and lectures, be curious and excited – even if you look a little crazy – because if you’re excited to teach, then students are excited to learn.
“There’s just nothing quite like seeing a student who is just as excited about learning as you are about teaching,” Powell said. “ACU has been a great place to teach. I’m thankful for the opportunity to talk about my faith in the classroom.”
PHOTO BY ASHLEY HENDERSON | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Cynthia Powell, professor in chemistry and biochemistry department, works in her office.
‘Ogres are like onions’: ‘Shrek’ layers laughs at Homecoming
‘Shrek: The Musical’ stomps into Homecoming, bringing big laughs, bigger heart
The Department of Theatre will perform its Homecoming show, Shrek: The Musical, in the Boone Family Theatre, running from Oct. 30 through Nov. 2. The story follows Shrek, an ogre whose quiet life is disrupted when a group of fairy-tale creatures shows up in his swamp. To get his home back, he goes on a mission to rescue Princess Fiona, who has her own surprises. Along the way, he teams up with Donkey, and together they discover the importance of friendship, acceptance and being yourself. Evan Owens, senior theater major from Hurst, is stepping into the swampy shoes of Shrek. He said he’s excited to perform for audiences of all ages, especially during the show on Halloween night.
“Some of them might be in costumes,” he said. “So it’s just going to be a lot of fun to work on this with all of my friends and all of my classmates.”
“I try to find a balance between myself and the character,” he said. “With Shrek, it’s not very easy because I am not an ogre. I’m hoping to gain just kind of like a better understanding of how to find a balance with characters that are so different from anything that we’re used to in daily life.” James Bradshaw, senior theater major from Sachse, will play the role of Donkey.
“It’s going to be a really hilarious show,” Bradshaw said. “But it also talks about some real things, like Shrek’s insecurities. You’ll actually get a balance of good laughter but also some real themes that bring a serious undertone, but overlaid with comedy.” Bradshaw also shared how he connects to his character.
“I feel like every character I play, there’s always a
Playing Shrek is also a challenge for Owens, who is learning to connect with a character very different from himself.
to it, but also playing the honesty of the character.” Bradshaw hopes the audience leaves the show with a message about embracing differences.
“It’s really a show about people and how different people are, maybe not fitting in with society,” he said. “I think it’s just a good message overall for people to take away, not being afraid to be different and accepting those differences and looking at them in a good way rather than a negative light.”
BY DANIEL CURD CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Members of the fairy-tale ensemble lament their banishment to Shrek’s swamp.
BY DANIEL CURD CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Donkey, played by James Bradshaw, shares a joke with Shrek, played by Evan Owens.
BY DANIEL CURD CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Dragon, played by Erin Brogan, intimidates Donkey, played by James Bradshaw, when they meet for the first time.
BY DANIEL CURD | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Dragon, played by Erin Brogan, sings a heartfelt ballad about her longing for love and the hope of finding someone who sees her true self.
BY DANIEL CURD CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Lord Farquaad, played by Collin McKean, threatens the Gingerbread Man while demanding the location of his future queen.
BY DANIEL CURD CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Fiona, played by Aubrey Pearce, takes the flute from the Pied Piper, played by Alex Dulske.
BY DANIEL CURD CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Lord Farquaad, played by Collin McKean, welcomes guests to his kingdom with a musical number.
BY DANIEL CURD | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Shrek, played by Evan Owens, and Fiona, played by Aubrey Pearce, compete in a burping contest.
BY DANIEL CURD | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Fiona, played by Aubrey Pearce, dances through the forest the morning after she is rescued from the tower.
Rural communities fight nursing shortages
BY MAKAYLA CLAYTON OPINION EDITOR
Despite being home to three nursing programs, Abilene continues to face challenges in meeting the demand for nurses in its hospitals. This is part of a broader national issue involving a general shortage of nursing professionals.
Recently, the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing separated from Hardin-Simmons University’s nursing program, giving students three distinct nursing options in Abilene. Patty Hanks is now solely partnered with McMurry University, a change from its previous joint affiliation with Abilene Christian University, Hardin-Simmons University and McMurry.
Although Abilene offers three nursing programs, hospitals remain understaffed. The impact of the nursing shortage has been especially significant in rural communities, and the COVID-19 pandemic worsened this trend. According to the National Nursing Workforce Study, nearly 100,000 registered nurses and 34,000 licensed practical and vocational nurses left the workforce during the pandemic.
The study also found that 62% of nurses reported an increased workload, and about half experienced emotional fatigue or burnout multiple times per week.
“If you don’t have the right support system as a nurse or are going to nursing school, you’re not going to stay in just because it takes a toll on your soul,” said Bryce Tidwell, a junior nursing major from Stephenville.
With limited resources, rural hospitals have been particularly affected.
In Taylor County, hospitals and clinics report continued staffing challenges. While Abilene’s nursing programs continue to educate students, many graduates seek employ-
city’s population and the nurses employed. Despite having a smaller population than Dallas, Abilene has a lower nurse-to-population ratio. Dallas employs approximately one nurse per 25 people, compared with Abilene’s ratio of one nurse per 36 residents.
“Staffing, though, is always a challenge. And likely, you’re gonna make less in Aspermont as a nurse than you would in Dallas as a nurse; funds are different,” said Craig Hunnicutt, director of regional services at Hendrick Health in Abilene. “I will say, though, on the staff side, nursing in particular, you’re never without a job as a nurse.”
Due to the ongoing shortage, hospitals have increasingly relied on travel nurses.
“The challenge with travel nurses is that they cost a fortune,” Hunnicutt said.
“The bottom line to the facility that has the travel nurses is they’re paying a huge amount to have a nurse side by side with a local nurse who’s making much less. So at Hendrick, we don’t want travel nurses; they cost too much. But it’s unavoidable in certain situations.”
ment in urban facilities that offer higher pay, broader career paths and different lifestyle opportunities.
“The cost of living here versus what they’re being paid doesn’t always equal out,” Tidwell said. “So, people are going more toward the bigger cities where they can actually afford to live.”
Tidwell said many of the nurses in Abilene feel trapped. Nurses can sign up for a program where Hendrick will pay off their nursing school debt if
they work for the hospital for a certain number of years.
Many rural hospitals, often operating with limited staff, offer fewer scheduling options and support services. These conditions have contributed to some nurses leaving the profession.
“I think it’s definitely a cyclical process,” said Kacyn Hiley, a junior nursing major from Salem, Oregon. “Because there’s a shortage, you get more burnt out, which means more people leave,
which means there’s more of a shortage.”
Tidwell said that part of what is contributing to the national shortage issue is how nurses are treated. Patients can lay their hands on nurses, and Tidwell said if you say anything, you’ll be told it’s just part of the job.
“I’ve been shoved around, pushed into walls, and told, ‘This is normal.’ You just need to get used to it.”
Urban hospitals typically offer higher salaries, more
benefits and different working conditions. Staffing shortages can lead to increased workloads, longer shifts and reduced scheduling flexibility, all of which are factors linked to burnout.
The chart above shows the employment rate of nurses in Abilene compared with Dallas, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. All data were collected in 2023. The number that is most important to look at here is the ratio between the
According to the Bureau of Health Workforce, rural areas are projected to face a greater shortage of registered nurses than urban areas over the next decade. By 2027, rural regions are expected to experience a 24% shortage of RNs, compared with 7% in metropolitan areas.
The American Hospital Association has proposed several strategies to address the issue, including expanding training opportunities, developing inhouse staffing solutions, and offering more flexible roles with improved compensation and support.
“We had a therapist come in and talk to us,” Hiley said. “I think they’re slowly getting better at having resources for nurses and meetings.”
Texas rural hospitals await the budget cut storm
BY CALLIE LEVERETT NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Ten years ago, inside Stamford’s small rural hospital, medical technology and equipment would beep and buzz alongside the sounds of rustling paper. Healthcare workers were kept busy while tending to patients.
Today, the building is silent. The parking lot is empty, and the structure is hollowed out.
It is single-storied and built with warm red brick. The front side is wrapped in big, tall windows with a sandstone-colored awning stretching over the circular driveway.
The patchy, dead grass beneath and around the building illustrates its neglect.
The almost 3,000 people who live in the small town of Stamford do not have a hospital – the facility closed on July 9, 2018. For inpatient care, the citizens of Stamford must drive 40 minutes south to Abilene’s Hendrick Medical Center or visit the nearby rural emergency hospital in Anson, more than 15 miles away.
Madi Marr, sophomore kinesiology pre-occupational therapy major from McKinney, said her grandparents in Stamford were forced to come to Abilene for any medical emergency.
“When my grandmother had a heart attack, we had to drive her here because she wasn’t gonna make it,” Marr said.
Marr’s family has to drive an extra 45 minutes to receive the same care at that of an urban resident.
Stamford isn’t alone in this struggle. When it comes to rural hospitals, it is survival of the fittest.
“In Jones County, Hamlin and Stamford had hospitals, but they don’t anymore,” said Craig Hunnicut, Hendrick Medical Center’s director of regional services. “Right now, there’s empty buildings sitting in Hamlin and Stamford.”
According to the Chartis Center for Rural Health, 432 U.S. rural hospitals are vulnerable to closure, with 46%
operating in the red – they have negative profit margins.
“It’s a losing business,” Hunnicut said. “Nobody would open a hospital to make money today.”
Rural hospitals’ payer mixes have fewer people with insurance, and 16.1 million rural residents rely on Medicaid for coverage, according to American Hospital Association.
A large percentage of rural patients are uninsured or rely on Medicaid for coverage. By law, hospitals must treat patients regardless of whether they have insurance or how good it is.
“Medicaid generally pays hospitals far less than the costs of caring for Medicaid patients,” according to the AHA. “The difference between Medicaid payments and costs incurred by hospitals to provide care, known as the ‘Medicaid shortfall,’ was $27.5 billion in 2023.”
With Medicaid shortfall, rural patients are charged with high balance bills, so many uninsured and Medicaid patients leave providers with debts that go unpaid.
Because rural hospitals are already underpaid, cuts to Medicaid further widen the gap between rural and urban hospitals.
John Henderson has been the CEO of the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals for seven years. TORCH’s goal is to advocate for rural and community health care, support local access and delivery of health care services in rural areas and develop specialized programs and services for rural and community hospitals, according to TORCH’s website.
“Rural hospitals are kind of the canary in the coal mine,” Henderson said. “They’re the most vulnerable hospitals, so if there were cut of any kind to the Medicaid program, rural hospitals will probably feel it first.”
In July 2025, Congress passed budget cuts that will impact Medicaid as a part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. With these cuts, rural hospitals will be challenged with more hardships, and millions of Americans in rural areas
will become collateral damage as they lose jobs and access to nearby healthcare, industry leaders said.
According to Chartis, rural residents experience higher rates of chronic disease, are twice as likely to die prematurely from diabetes, cancer and heart disease and experience suicide rates nearly double their urban counterparts.
Texas leads the nation in loss of inpatient care via facility closure or conversion, and 47 facilities in Texas are vulnerable to closure, according to the center.
The hospital closures already have created maternity care deserts for women in rural areas.
More than half of Texas rural hospitals do not have labor and delivery, and only 40% of Texas’ 158 rural hospitals still offer obstetrical care and baby delivery services, according to TORCH.
Lynne Bruton, Hendrick’s Health’s communications and Abilene market marketing director, said when a hospital loses its labor and delivery services, it loses its community.
“Nobody wants to drive three hours and not have their loved ones with them,” Bruton said. “You know? You’re having a baby, I want my other kids to see the baby, right? You lose your community when you have to go somewhere else.”
In response to the crisis of rural hospital closures across the nation, Congress created the Rural Emergency Hospital Designation. Through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, to avoid closing completely, rural full-service hospitals can receive federal financial support and convert to REH facilities that offer emergency care and outpatient procedures.
Similarly, Critical Access Hospitals, established under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, also receive federal financial support, through costbased Medicare reimbursement. Full-service hospitals can convert to CAHs and still have inpatient services.
Texas leads the nation in rural hospital closure and con-
version rates, but the hardships of rural health care extend far beyond Texas state lines.
According to AHA, the 1,796 rural hospitals across the United States often rely on air transport for things like severe trauma, complicated critical illness or major strokes.
Marr said that in her experience “you get life-flighted for everything,” not just serious cases.
Many rural residents with insurance buy extra coverage or memberships for air ambulance transport – something urban residents don’t have to worry about.
Over 1,000 miles away from Abilene, is Riverton, Wyoming.
If any medical case is too advanced for an ER, the almost 11,000 people who call Riverton home must be flown or driven across state lines.
Jodeyah Mills, a communication graduate student, grew up in the rural town of Riverton.
“If you do more than stub your toe, you’re getting life-flighted to Billings, Montana, or Denver, Colorado,” Mills said. “They have to drive, or they have to be flown somewhere if they want their lives saved.”
When Mills was in his early teenage years, his family moved to Colorado. While there, Mills’ father was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma.
But during Covid, his mother’s business closed, and his father was on medical disability. Without a stable income, they were evicted and forced to move back to Riverton.
Now progressed to Stage IV, and moved to his spine, Mills’ father needed a paracentesis, a procedure simple enough for Riverton’s hospital to perform.
“He had bone spurs, and he was in extreme pain. He had a brain tumor, and his cancer had gotten to the aggressive . . . where we could literally see it, week to week, growing all over his body.”
Mills and his family brought his father to Riverton’s ER. Mills said he stood at the ER entrance, waiting for the automatic doors to slide open –but they did not.
In desperate need to get his
father inside, Mills dug his fingers into the crack of the rural hospital doors and pried them open.
Mills said his cousin, Mason, who was a medical student in sports physiology, went in with his father.
“He knew how to properly stabilize a neck and spine,” Mills said, “and he’s watching these doctors try to move my dad and immediately is like, ‘That is not how you move someone with a spinal injury.’”
The medical staff dropped his father, Mills said, and his cousin had to take over to stabilize him. The paracentesis was performed, and they were sent home; however, Mills said his father was never the same after that.
“If it wasn’t for Covid and having to move to a rural town with no cancer treatment, like real cancer treatment facilities and no actual hospital help, I really do think my dad would’ve survived longer,” Mills said. “I really do believe that.”
Healthcare workers in rural areas are at a disadvantage –put in a situation that made it harder for them to succeed. Mills said he does not blame Riverton healthcare.
“That’s not to say that these people are horrible or that these medical professionals are idiots,” Mills said. “It’s just to say that the circumstance was poor.”
With family and friends that work in healthcare, Mills said he understands that “the system doesn’t really help them succeed.”
There is a new medical facility in Riverton, to be overseen by Billings, Montana, Mills said. According to the Riverton Medical District, the facility is meant as a lifeline for the community.
Congress has worked to address the rural healthcare crisis, like passing laws for Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Emergency Hospitals, and communities have come together, like Billings and Riverton. So, things are being done, and progress is being made, but budget cuts to Medicaid risks a severe regres-
sion on any improvement. The House drafted a budget resolution to require committees to reduce their savings deficit by 2034. The Committee of Energy and Commerce will have “to reduce the deficit by not less than $880 billion for the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2034,” according to The House.
According to Congress.gov, a budget resolution is a way for Congress to help “guide federal spending and revenue policies;” it is not law. However, through the process of reconciliation, these policies can quickly be enacted into law.
The OBBBA President Donald Trump signed on July 4, 2025, is expected to tank healthcare in rural communities.
Rural hospitals are kind of the canary in the coal mine they’re the most vulnerable hospitals, so if there were cut of any kind to the Medicaid program, rural hospitals will probably feel it first.”
The bill does contain $50 billion, five-year Rural Health Transformation Program that is intended to offset blows to rural healthcare; however, $50 billion is not a sufficient amount to counteract the more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid.
According to the Center for American Progress, “if every rural hospital in the country received an even share of the $50 billion in relief support, it would amount to only $4.5 million every year for five years. At the close of those five years, that funding would disappear altogether.”
And the silent struggle of rural healthcare will persist through the budget cut storm.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MELODIE ALBERT
J1 students on their first day of nursing school.
JOHN HENDERSON CEO of the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals
Chart comparing Abilene and Dallas nurse statistics. Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Triple twins lead Wildcats on field, court and pitch
To some, sports are just a game, a way to blow off steam or forget about the stress of daily life. To others, sports are life, something individuals pour their blood, sweat and tears into to be great or fulfilled.
For six Wildcats, sports are family.
Starting this fall, there are three sets of twins amongst Wildcat Athletics. Landon and Luke Roaten, junior offensive linemen from Tomball, on the football team, Amelia and Raelin Miller, sophomore soccer players from Winter Park, Florida, and Emma and Molly Daugherty, freshmen on the women’s basketball team, from Summerville, South Carolina.
This occurrence also happened in 2016 when women’s basketball, cross country and baseball all had sets of twins.
The Roatens came to Abilene from Washington State University, where they were rostered for three years but did not get the playing time they desired.
“We didn’t really have any opportunity,” Landon Roaten said. “We wanted to come together. I had other offers, he had other offers, but ACU wanted us both.”
At one point back in high school, they were each committed to different places. Luke was committed to the University of Wyoming and Landon was committed to the University of Tulsa.
“We wanted to keep our relationship,” Luke Roaten said. “We decided to decommit and let whatever happens, happen.”
Though they were never a “package deal,” they both knew what they had and wanted to keep it going, whether they were in Pullman, Washington or Abilene.
“It’s a dream to play with your brother in college,” Landon said. “Especially now, he’s the right tackle and I’m the right guard. I can’t really ask for more than that.” When it comes to their performance on the field, Offensive Line Coach Ryan Pugh loves what they bring to the team, both individually and together.
“They both have great size, length and athletic ability,” Pugh said. “They both have great work ethic, are super intelligent and have good leadership qualities.”
While most may think twins have an indescribable connection that binds them together, the Roatens sometimes come off as the opposite.
“I give them a hard time because even though they’re twins, sometimes it’s like they don’t even like each other,” Pugh said.
Even Luke agrees.
“We get on each other,” Luke said. “We’re hard on each other and in games we’ll be complaining at each other, but it’s good. We communicate really well. That’s the biggest thing.”
For the Millers, it was never a question that they would play together. It began with their club soccer coach, who saw what they had on the field, making them decide early on
It was always a competitiveness between us that pushed us to be better,” Amelia said. “The connection we had was fun and allowed us to grow.”
AMELIA
whether they would keep their connection or explore college individually.
“We decided we wanted to go together,” Amelia Miller said. “We always looked at schools together and eventually picked ACU.”
Graduates of Bishop Moore Catholic High School in Winter Park, Florida, the Millers won
three consecutive 4A Florida Soccer State Championships while each being named All-Area 1st Team Top-10 twice.
“It was always a competitiveness between us that pushed us to be better,” Amelia said. “The connection we had was fun and allowed us to grow.”
The Millers brought their success and their twin chemistry to the Wildcats soccer team starting in the fall of 2024. They both knew they wanted to play together, but had to compromise about where that would be.
“We always met in the middle,” Amelia said. “If the coach wanted us together, then we would be fine with it.”
Fortunately for the Millers, they did not have to decide if they were ever willing to go different ways, as they never received an offer that would split them up.
They had toured schools and liked what they had seen. However, once they found Abilene, they knew they wanted to be Wildcats.
“Once we toured ACU,
we both looked at each other and were like ‘Yeah, this is the place we want to go,’” Raelin said. “It was meant to be.”
The community stood out to the Millers. What was just a simple gesture from the team turned into what sealed the deal.
“The people were just so nice,” Raelin said. “All of the girls on the team wrote us a letter, and they all signed it. We were like, ‘This is so sweet, no other team has done this.’”
What made the difference in the letters was not just the gesture; it was the team seeing them as individuals.
“They made two of them,” Raelin said. “They did it for each of us, not just together. It was like they found us as our own separate person.”
Molly and Emma Daugherty, freshmen from Summerville, South Carolina, had a unique experience with college recruitment. While attending Summerville High School, they were connected with Head Coach Julie Goodenough through their high school principal.
Goodenough coached at Charleston Southern University from 2006 to 2012. While in Charleston, Goodenough’s husband, Rob, was a junior high principal. A principal Rob worked with, Kenny Farrell, ended up being a crucial piece in the Daughertys' playing for the Wildcats.
“We moved back to Abilene, and Kenny got the principal job at the high school,” Goodenough said.
“The Daughertys moved to Summerville High School and were really good basketball players.”
After moving from Indiana, the Daughertys were looking for a good basketball camp. When their father asked where they should go to basketball camp, Farrell told him they needed to go to Abilene.
“They sent them out to camp,” Goodenough said.
“They came out for two years and came to campus several times and just loved it. Had we not lived in Charleston, and Rob not been friends with Kenny, we never would have
With a built-in practice partner, the twins were always going at it, working to improve their skills and having fun.
“We just compete against each other and push each other to get better every day,” Emma said.
Emma, a 6-foot-1-inch forward, was a four-year varsity starter while being named a captain for three years and making the all-region team three times.
Molly, a 5-foot-10-inch guard, scored over 1,000 points in her high school career as a four-year varsity starter. In 2023-24 as a junior, Molly was named Preps Hoops Player of the Year.
“I was always taller than Emma, and then all of a sudden she shot up during our sophomore year,” Molly said. “We would always play one-on-one, making each other better.” The constant head-tohead practice has shaped them into similar, yet different, players who Goodenough looks forward to having on the court in purple and white.
“They have similar skill sets,” Goodenough said. “They both have really good court vision, they’re good passers, and they can both play point guard.” Goodenough also said that Emma’s ability as a guard, combined with her length and ability to shoot, would make her a good power forward for the Wildcats.
“They’re both good shooters,” Goodenough said. “They’re both strong and really tough kids.”
Since joining the Wildcats in the fall of 2025, Goodenough has worked with the twins on the same team a lot during practice to utilize the “twin telepathy” they bring to the team.
“That’s something nobody else can have,” Goodenough said. “They’ll tell you they are each other’s best friends, and they act like that. They’re super loyal and just have each other’s back all the time. They have a really sweet relationship.”
Goodenough has also used the twins' dynamic and relationship to bring the team closer together as a family.
“We try to build a family atmosphere in the locker room,” Goodenough said. “We already have the sister-to-sister connection in there. I think their example helps encourage the rest of our team to make it like a family.”
This will be the second time Goodenough has coached twin Wildcats. From 2013-16, Lizzy and Suzzy Dimba, forwards from Lubbock, played in the purple and white.
“When I was recruiting them, I took them over to Teague and showed them the picture of the Dimbas,” Goodenough said. “I said, ‘That’s the last set of twins we had here. They were pretty incredible.’”
PHOTO COURTESY OF LANDON ROATEN
The Roaten twins kneel in the endzone in prayer before a game.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MOLLY DAUGHERTY The Daughtery Sisters pose on Media Day before the season.
PHOTO COURTESY OF RAELIN MILLER The Millers pose together on Media Day.
MILLER Sophomore soccer player from Winter Park
Halloween is not demonic, our culture is
BY BAYLIE SIMON NEWS REPORTER
It is a common belief among Christians that Halloween should not be celebrated due to its association with evil spirits and potential to encourage witchcraft or demon worship. In an interview with the Christian Post, Pastor Justin Mercer of the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ said Halloween is a “dark and demonic day that cannot be separated from its origins.”
When I was in the third grade, I watched the movie Annabelle, a story about a doll inhabited by a demonic entity. My sister and I had a huge collection of dolls in the room next to mine. One night, my brother stole my mom’s phone and was watching videos of our family laughing and talking in his room downstairs. I thought that the noises were coming from the dolls and that they were going to get up and kill me in my room. I slept in our guest bedroom on the other side of the house for a year after that.
There’s no denying that demonic themes and imagery are associated with Halloween, but Halloween is not the root of the problem.
Beginning over 2,000 years ago, the Celts of Ireland called Oct. 31 Samhain, and believed it was
BY ASHLEY HENDERSON EDITOR IN CHIEF
My older sister, Brittany, was always the “tough one.”
Not a tear shed when she broke her arm. Nothing seemed to bother her. A trait, I envied. But some burdens are too great to bare. Some pain even the strongest among us cannot carry. And just eight days after her 18th birthday, Brittany, who I had spent my entire life looking up to, finally broke.
When Brittany was a senior in high school, she was sexually assaulted by a guy she thought she could trust. My heart shattered. The world I thought I knew disappeared. “How could someone do this to my sister?”
A question, I still have yet to answer.
I soon realized her pain did not come from the assault alone, it followed in the aftermath. The shame, the nightmares and the inability to change the past. As I watched her struggle through it all, the hurt in my heart deepened every time I heard someone make a joke about sexual assault, minimizing the severity of sexual violence.
Every 74 seconds, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, the nation’s
BY TAMIL ADELE SGA PRESIDENT
I’ve always been on the go. I thrive on activity, laughter and being around people. If there’s something happening, I’m probably in the middle of it or accidentally running it. Like many of you, I work hard for what I want, and I’m fairly confident I’ve earned it. Still, there’s that little voice – imposter syndrome – that whispers that maybe I don’t belong here. It’s sneaky. One minute you’re almost proud of yourself, and the next you’re convinced everyone in the room somehow “thinks” you weren’t supposed to be there. In my role as student body president, I’ve had moments where the office feels staged, the job feels temporary, and I wonder if people consider me a diversity hire. I know how hard I’ve worked to get here, but somehow, I still ques -
the time when the divide between our world and the spiritual world was at its thinnest. The Celts dressed up in costumes to confuse evil spirits and avoid being harmed by them. They welcomed their ancestors home and honored their memory through food offerings and by sharing their stories.
The Catholic Church took inspiration from the Celts. In the 800s, the Church designated Nov. 1 as All Saints Day, a day dedicated to the veneration of Saints.
largest anti-sexual violence organization. While these assaults can affect anyone of any age, RAINN said 69% of sexual assault victims are between the ages of 12-34, making teenagers and college students more at risk of being a victim.
But even these statistics are not always enough to show how prevalent this issue is. It is easy to think of our small Christian college as a safe environment where nothing bad could happen.
I mean, I never thought it could happen in my small, predominantly Christian hometown either. But unfortunately, sexual violence can happen anywhere and to anyone.
In the 2025 Clery report from the ACU Police Department, there was one report of rape on campus and in a residence hall in 2024, and another in 2022. So ACU is not immune to this issue, something Title IX office coordinator Sherita Nickerson agreed with, according to an article I wrote last year.
“I don’t want to try to make us sound better or worse than any other campus,” Nickerson said. “People come here, and Christians are here, but there are people here who don’t have Jesus on their mind, and we are all capable of making poor decisions.”
tion it. But let’s be honest: that voice lies. You’ve earned your spot. You belong here. The problem is, imposter syndrome doesn’t go away easily. It grows stronger in a world where everyone’s trying to look perfectly busy and aesthetically pleasing. We’re all hustling, multitasking, and pretending to be fine while checking Wiki How and TikTok for “how to feel confident.” Silence feels weird. Stillness feels incorrect. And doing nothing makes you feel like a failure.
We’ve forgotten how to just be, and now we yearn for a time with porch swings, Kool-Aid and record players. And when you forget how to be, you start to fear who you are.
Here’s what I’m learning and believe me, I’m still learning this: God didn’t make a mistake putting you where you are. At 12,
Oct. 31 became All Hallows Day evening, later known as Halloween.
Samhain began with the opposite of evil intent. The Celts dressed up to avoid contact with evil spirits. Had there been any evil intention behind Samhain, the Church would have chosen a different day to celebrate All Saints Day. Halloween’s origins are not demonic or evil.
Demonic imagery integrated its way into Halloween through horror movies.
While the university’s statistics may lack in comparison to national statistics or other Div. I universities, the ACU community does not have a pass to ignore the issue. In fact, fewer reports do not mean assaults do not occur.
According to RAINN, only 1 in 3 victims report, which is 310 out of every 1,000 survivors. The reasons for not reporting can be caused by feared retaliation, believing the police would not do anything to help and not wanting to get the perpetrator in trouble. If you apply that to ACU, a place where it often feels like everyone knows everyone, a victim reporting an assault would likely feel like isolation from the community.
So what do we do with all of this?
1. We become more aware.
Before you make a joke or an insensitive comment, remember that sexual assault is a crime, not a punchline. You never know who around you is a survivor or who has witnessed a loved one struggle to rebuild their life after an assault. Making light of a deeply traumatizing matter, only contributes to the pain and stigma.
2. Educate yourself
The Exorcist (1973) set the standard for demonic possession narratives in cinema. The movie grossed over $400 million worldwide and received 10 Academy Award nominations, winning two. Taking inspiration from the success of The Exorcist, several other demonic horror movies were released in the late 70s and 80s. Demonic horror both contributed to and fed off of the fear that came from the Satanic Panic of the 80s. The panic has passed, but
and others.
Learn about the prevalence of this issue, and teach others what sexual assault is. Nickerson said, “If you educate people, they’re more prone to make wise decisions versus poor decisions.” By educating people, you can help them understand the consequences and help victims understand their rights.
3. Create a safer environment.
Make efforts to prevent sexual assault and become a safe person for others to confide in. Look out for your friends and others in your community. If you see something, say something.
At a young age, I saw my sister hit rock bottom. She could not forget the past, and she still can’t. She has been forced to live through and cope with what somebody else did to her. And unfortunately, while she may have been the first, she is not the only survivor I know.
But Brittany, like every survivor, is not defined by what happened to her. She is resilient. She overcame true darkness. I share Brittany’s story because it is a reminder that survivors can find hope and healing.
We cannot allow this issue to thrive in silence. Advocacy is our responsiblity.
In Proverbs 31:8-9, it says:
I felt out of place living in the states. At 21, I still feel that way sometimes. You’d think imposter syndrome would’ve packed up and left by now, but apparently, it’s signed a multiyear lease.
So, here’s the advice I’m trying to live by (and maybe you’ll join me in the challenge): 1. Master the art of doing nothing. Seriously. Put your phone
damage that demonic media has on culture all year long. As Christians and adults, we have full autonomy over what movies we watch, what Halloween activities we participate in, and what we choose to dress up as. There’s quite an obvious difference between carving pumpkins and trick-or-treating, and watching demonic horror films. Christians should be able to celebrate the fun parts of Halloween free of any guilt.
I’m thankful that my family celebrated the fun parts of Halloween, but I’m also thankful for my hysterical fear of Annabelle and all dolls. It taught me to protect my eyes, heart and mind from the damage that can be caused by demonic images.
the subgenre is still around and very popular today. The Exorcist: Believer, a direct sequel to the 1973 film, was released in 2023.
Demonic themes are a part of media year-round, not just during Halloween. Parrot Analytics found that in the time period between 2019-2023, 19.9% of horror movies were released in October, while the other 80.1% were released through the rest of the year.
Eliminating Halloween as a holiday wouldn’t reverse the
When fourth grade came around, I had the time of my life trick-or-treating as Hermione Granger with my little brother, who was Harry Potter. At the end of the night, we went through and traded candies, deciding which pieces we were going to pack in our school lunch the next day. The devil played no part in those memories because I was intentional about not allowing demonic imagery to find its way into my vivid imagination.
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
We must speak up for those afraid to come forward, those who think no one will believe them and those whose stories we may never hear.
down, close your laptop and stare at the ceiling for a while.
This is incredibly difficult because there is always something to do. Start by reading something creative on the phone if you can’t put it down, instead of doomscrolling. It’s weird at first, but eventually, your brain stops screaming. Doing nothing isn’t lazy; it’s how you recharge and actually hear yourself think.
2. You are on time.
Contrary to popular belief, you’re not behind. Just because you’re not in the dream relationship or know what you’re going to do with your life right this second doesn’t mean you’re missing out. You’re right on schedule. God’s schedule, not society’s, and the gag is He definitely has a better Google Calendar than we do.
3. Allow yourself to be yourself.
You don’t need to sound like her, dress like him, or have their five-year plan.
Speaking up about sexual assault may be uncomfortable, but it is vital. Speaking up does not make us weak. It makes us courageous, and it is exactly what our God of justice, compassion and love calls us to do.
There’s already enough copy-paste energy in the world. Be the real, raw, funny, slightly chaotic version of you because that’s the one people actually need.
I’m still working on this; slowing down, trusting, and being myself without apology. But maybe that’s the point. Maybe we’re all just works in progress learning how to rest without guilt and believe without proof. That is also what faith is all about. So the next time that voice in your head says you don’t belong, remind it: you’ve already been called to this season, equipped for the work and empowered by Christ. You don’t have to prove your worth every day. Sometimes you just have to be still and know that God is God.
And if you catch yourself doing absolutely nothing this week, congratulations, you’re right on time.
PHOTO BY DANIEL CURD | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Students dressed up as ghosts for the 2024 Boo Bash.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHLEY HENDERSON Ashley Henderson and Brittany Henderson pose for a picture before school during their early childhood.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHLEY HENDERSON Ashley and Brittany at the North Texas Children’s Advocacy Center’s “Champions for Children Gala” in Sept. 2023.
PHOTO COURTESY OF HANNAH REBEKAH CREATIVE SGA President Tamil Adele smiles, clutches a book.
WAC rebrands amidst athletics renovations
For nearly 65 years, the Western Athletic Conference has existed throughout the southwestern and pacific northwest regions of the United States.
Starting July 2026, it will cease to exist as the WAC as it undergoes a rebranding, becoming the United Athletic Conference.
Though just a remodeling, the conference will lose all “WAC” imagery and relevance in the ever-changing landscape of college athletics.
In the 63 years since its founding in July 1962, the WAC has housed 43 full members across 15 states.
Those 43 members have ranged from the Pacific coast with members like Fresno State University, Seattle University and California Baptist University, to Chicago State University, Colorado State University, Wyoming University and other programs that eventually moved on to bigger conferences.
Most recently, the WAC
has been a mid-major powerhouse, producing programs such as Grand Canyon University, Utah Valley University and Abilene Christian University - all teams with March Madness appearances or wins since 2020.
The WAC has served programs by giving them a mid-major scene to grow and develop before moving on.
During the 1996 season, the conference housed 16 different teams. The teams were divided into divisions based on location. Eventually, the conference broke up, helping create what is now the Big 12 Conference and the Mountain West Conference.
Dave Chaffin, current Chief Financial Officer for the WAC, has served the conference for 31 seasons in various roles, including sports information, sports administration and work with the championships, before moving to the financial side of the WAC.
Chaffin said that while the conference got up to 16 members in 1996, it became
“unwieldy” at the time, eventually forming the Mountain West.
“We went from 16, down to eight and had another couple of teams come in,” Chaffin said. “It rebuilt from there and became very successful again.”
With teams like Boise
State University and the University of Nevada joining the WAC before moving to the Mountain West, it continued to serve as a building block and a space for improvement amongst mid-major programs.
“The WAC was a place where if you put the work
and resources into it, you were able to move up and transition into something bigger,” Chaffin said. As it rebrands to the UAC in July 2026, it will still serve a similar role for mid-major programs. However, the conference location will make a general shift to
the South and South East as it welcomes programs like Eastern Kentucky University, Central Arkansas University and Little Rock University.
The UAC will still feature WAC staples like ACU, Tarleton State and the University of Texas-Arlington, while losing members like CBU, UVU and Southern Utah University.
This rebranding marks a significant shift in the conference’s complex history. The logos, trophies and slang will all change, moving away from the staples the mid-major members have come to know and love.
Broadcasters referring to conference play as “WACtion” will cease to use the clever word play, and the iconic basketball tournament token “WAC Vegas” will no longer hold its same postseason prestige.
The rebranding does not mean it will be forgotten, but rather remembered as a conference focused on the programs within its growth and movement toward larger scenes.
Moody Coliseum to host final WAC championship
BY LINDSEY BLASINGAME SPORTS EDITOR
For the first time, Wildcat volleyball will host its conference tournament. Originally scheduled to take place in Orem, Utah, the Western Athletic Conference announced on July 17 that the tournament would be moved to Abilene.
On Nov. 20-22, all seven teams in the WAC will travel to Moody Coliseum to play in the conference tournament. With seeding decided by regular-season conference games, the No. 1 seed will get a bye in the first round while the next six teams play each other on the first day of competition.
The Wildcats hope to have the upper hand in the tournament, regardless
of their seeding, based on fan support and the home court advantage, Head Coach Ijeoma Moronu Alstrup said.
“I think especially in our conference,” she said, “One that literally any team can beat any team, it’s a huge home-court advantage to be able to play in front of our home fans, have families come out to Abilene and just have the support of our community for the biggest tournament of the year.”
The Wildcats hosted the Wildcat Classic to kick off their 2025 season and are now wrapping up the season by hosting a different tournament.
Moronu Alstrup said beginning and ending the season the same way is
promising for the crowd that should attend the games.
“We had a great crowd that opening weekend,” she said. “So I’m really excited to be able to bring what should be the best volleyball that all the teams are playing back to Abilene for some really fun matches that weekend.”
With the WAC completely rebranding to the United Athletic Conference on July 1, 2026, this is the last time there will be a WAC volleyball championship, which has brought new motivation to the team, said Ashli Edmiston, senior outside hitter from Wilsonville, Oregon.
“I think that re-fired us all up because we would get to do it on our home
‘Hone in on the fundamentals’: Women’s basketball begins year
BY LINDSEY BLASINGAME SPORTS EDITOR
With the start of the season just around the corner on Nov. 3, Wildcat women’s basketball will look to return to the basics.
Head Coach Julie Goodenough said the team’s motto this season–Chop Wood, Carry Water–refers to an old Zen proverb.
“Basically, it’s just mastering and giving meaning to the boring, mundane tasks that we do every day,” she said. “We’re not going to put in some complex options if we can’t pass and catch and handle the ball and hit open shots, so it’s just a mindset to stay locked in to just fundamentals.”
A key returner for the Wildcats this season is Payton Hull, junior guard from Peaster. Hull missed two months with a wrist injury last season in Western Athletic Conference play, but came back in time for the conference tournament and then the team’s WNIT games. Hull has been named ESPN’s WAC Preseason Player of the Year. This is the first time the program has had a player receive this recognition, according
to Goodenough.
“It means a lot,” Hull said about the honor. “I thought, ‘Are you sure that’s me?’ because I hardly played last season because of my injury. But I’m super proud of myself for how I was able to come back and contribute to my team and help them out and go super far in postseason play.”
Hull is one of seven returners to the team, and one of four now-juniors in the team’s strong core. Goodenough said she knows the juniors have a lot more room to grow this season.
“I want to see them just be hungry to improve,” she said. “They’re nowhere near reaching their potential right now. The ceiling is so high for all of them, and so I want them to just stay hungry and become the best version of themselves.”
The team added six new players in the offseason, consisting of four freshmen and two transfers.
The two transfers are Jazmyn Stone, redshirt junior guard from Federal Way, Washington, who transferred from the College of Charleston; and Jordyn Coleman, junior center from Zionsville, Indiana, who transferred from Triton
College.
The freshmen are Emma Daugherty, forward from Summerville, South Carolina; Molly Daugherty, guard from Summerville, South Caro lina; Bree Riley, guard from Spring; and Riley Grohman, guard from Tuscola.
Both Goodenough and Hull said Grohman has stood out from this new group, while they also agreed that all six newcomers have fit re ally well into Goodenough’s scheme.
“You know it takes a little bit of time for those freshmen to make the adjustment to D1 basketball,” Goodenough said. “[Grohman] really has a knack for scoring, a really good shooter. She loves to get in the gym and work on her own. I think she’s a player that’s going to continue grow ing and will be really fun to watch.”
court and the last time that the WAC has even been played,” Edmiston said.
“It gives me goosebumps to think about because I’m just so excited for that.”
Moronu Alstrup said she
is excited for the opportunity to win her first conference title as head coach of the Wildcats, but even more so since it could happen at home.
The team’s non-confer ence schedule is loaded with significant matchups, including games at Texas Tech University, Stephen F. Austin, and North Texas, as well as a Thanksgiving tour nament where the Wildcats will play Northwestern and Bradley.
The team is also hosting its first-ever ACU Christmas Classic tournament, where it will host the University of Montana, which is picked second in its conference, and the University at Buffalo, a team that won the WNIT last season.
“We didn’t do ourselves any favors with who’s coming back, but anyway, it’ll be fun,” Goodenough said. “Super fun home games.”
The Wildcats will kick off their season with a home game on Nov. 3 at 5:30 p.m. when they host Howard Payne University.
about winning a WAC championship since I got here,” Moronu Alstrup said. “I’m most excited for hopefully bringing a WAC championship back to
ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL CURD | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Western Athletic Conference logo shatters from the impact of the United Athletic Conference rebrand.
BY STEPHEN INFANTE | PHOTOGRAPHER
Alexis Strong, junior outside hitter from Louisville, Kentucky spikes ball down on two blockers.
Wildcats look to blemish TSU's perfect season
BY ROMAN RAFFAELI SPORTS REPORTER
In a game that could decide the fate of the United Athletic Conference, the Wildcats will host the Tarleton State University Texans for the homecoming game on Saturday.
The Texans enter the game undefeated through the 2025 season, including a double overtime win over the Army Black Knights. In addition to the 9-0 record, the Texans are scoring over 45 points per game while giving up just 16 to their opponents.
The Wildcats enter coming off their bye week, which came after losing 31-24 at Southern Utah University on Oct. 18, dropping their season record to 4-4 and 3-1 in UAC play.
Yet to lose at Wildcat stadium this season, Head Coach Keith Patterson said the team is capitalizing on the bye week by trying to stay fresh and look ahead at the home stretch.
“We’re getting over some bumps and bruises,” Patterson said. “We’re taking a deep breath and focusing on trying to win four games.”
The four final games for the Wildcats will be split two at home and two on the road. Following the game versus TSU, the Wildcats will play Utah Tech University at home before hitting the road for contests against Eastern Kentucky University
and the University of Central Arkansas to close out the regular season.
Kaghen Roach, senior defensive lineman from Celina, said the timing of the bye week was helpful, allowing the team to work while getting healthy and ready for the final four games.
“It gives us a lot of time to learn and fix some things,” Roach said. “Going into this next stretch of the season is huge. We’re really just getting our minds and bodies right.”
One thing the Wildcats will look to fix following the loss to SUU is their rushing defense after giving up 179 rushing yards and two touchdowns to Joshua Dye.
However, the Texans bring with them No. 6 rusher in the FCS, Trey Page III, who enters the game with 765 yards and seven touchdowns on just 99 rushing attempts.
Page III has burst onto the scene for TSU after redshirting his freshman year with the Texans. He leads the team in rushing yards while
being named to the Jerry Rice Award watch list for FCS Freshman of the Year.
Last time out for the Wildcats, Jordan Vaughn, senior running back from Manvel, ran for 124 yards on just nine carries, good for a 13.8 yards per carry. However, quarterback Stone Earle, senior from Fort Worth, threw three interceptions and took five sacks.
“There were some good things we did but there are a lot of things we need to work on as a whole,” Roach said.
“We’re ready to attack this next game.”
In 2024, the Texans and Wildcats faced off in Stephenville on Nov. 16 in a game that decided the conference winner and allowed the Wildcats to clinch their first FCS playoff berth, winning the game 35-31.
22,348 fans attended the game in Stephenville last year, which is 10,348 more fans than the maximum capacity at Wildcat Stadium. Despite winning on the road last year, the Wildcats now
Women's tennis earn runner-up, finishes at WAC Tennis Invitational
At the Western Athletic Conference Tennis Invitational in St. George, Utah, senior leaders Masha Vrsalovic, from Cochabamba, Bolivia, and Alice Klinteby, from Falkenberg, Sweden, showed up big, paving the way to runner-up finishes in both singles and doubles. The performance capped off a promising fall campaign while looking ahead to the regular spring season.
Vrsalovic reached the title singles match riding a wave of dominant wins through the tournament, ending in a gritty semifinal victory before falling to Tarleton State's Maria Castano.
“The first match was definitely really complicated,” Vrsalovic said. “I played a girl that only made balls, just tried to make me miss. Thankfully, the court wasn't as fast, so I got the chance to hit and attack more.”
Vrsalovic said her confidence grew match by match,
and the adversity only made her more confident going into the spring.
Vrsalovic and Klinteby then partnered in doubles, advancing to the title match before losing in a close tie-
breaker to Tarleton's Castano and Ishii.
“I think we did really good, helping each other out during the tournament,” Klinteby said. “We had a really good connection, so that helped us
a lot.”
Both seniors entering this year, Klinteby reflected on this last season with appreciation and optimism.
“Of course, we wanted to win, but I felt like we did
some really good things,” she said. “We have one more season to go, and in spring, that's where it really counts.
The goal for me is to really enjoy it, to acknowledge that I have an incredible opportu-
nity to even be here and play.”
Head Coach Bryan Rainwater praised his seniors for making it happen.
“I thought it was a good tournament,” Rainwater said. “We played really well. Getting to the finals was a huge goal for us, especially after last year when we lost first round on both sides. I think we really improved.”
With a strong fall behind them, Rainwater said the goal for the Wildcats will be to use the offseason to focus on conditioning and personal development.
“When I go home, I'm going to be practicing a lot, trying to get a lot of matches in to really be ready for the spring season,” Klinteby said. “But I'm really excited because we have a really hardworking team, and everyone wants to really go get it this spring semester, especially since this is our last one.”
The spring season is set to begin following winter break on Jan. 16 at SMU.
Tanner to begin fourth season as head basketball coach
BY HAYDEN
After a 16-16 record last season, the men’s basketball team will begin its season on Monday against the McMurry University Warhawks in Moody Coliseum.
The Wildcats’ 16 wins earned them the fourth seed in the Western Athletic Conference tournament, where they lost in the first round to Seattle University.
In its exhibition game on Oct. 25, the team defeated Texas A&M Corpus Christi 82-77. Bradyn Hubbard, senior forward from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was the Wildcats' leading scorer with 25 points.
“To go against a quality opponent on the road was really pleasing to me,” Head Coach Brette Tanner said. “It showed me that this team has a chance to do some things in the non-conference.”
Tanner is entering his fourth season in the position.
In total, Tanner lost seven players from last season, three of whom were starters. Hubbard is one of two returning starters from last season, along with Rich Smith, senior guard from Bronx, New York. Hubbard was the team’s third leading scorer last season, averaging 11 points per game, enough to earn him one of the five
spots on the preseason AllWAC team.
“We’ve been through a lot this offseason,” said Hubbard. “We’re going to keep working during practice and keep getting closer as time goes on, but we’re ready to start the season and have a great first half of the season.”
Tanner retained five other players along with the two starters:
• Yaniel Rivera, junior guard from Bayamon, Puerto Rico
• Christian Alston, sophomore guard from Memphis, Tennessee
• Ma’Shy Hill, junior forward from Austin
• Cade Hornecker, redshirt junior forward from Amarillo Joseph Venzant, redshirt senior guard from Midland
Six new faces joined the team this year, with three transfers and three freshmen:
• Zy Wright, senior guard, Gordon State
• Cbo Newton, redshirt sophomore guard, Grambling State
• Joseph Scott, junior forward, Mineral Area College
• Tylan Lewis, freshman guard from Nashville, Tennessee Isaiah Carrillo, freshman guard from Abilene
• Isaac Dye, freshman guard from State College, Pennsylvania
Of the three transfers, only one has previous experience at the Div. I level– Newton, who averaged seven PPG in 29 games, nine of which he started.
Tanner said his team will be a better offensive team this season after averaging 70.6 PPG last season. He also said the team will shoot
the ball better from the perimeter after shooting 30% from three-point range on 4.6 attempts per game. In the exhibition game, the team shot 47.1% going 8-17 from beyond the arc. Tanner said the Wildcats will have one of the most difficult schedules in mid-major basketball this season. The team's schedule features three NCAA tournament teams from last sea-
son: Omaha, No. 8 BYU and No. 13 Arizona. The game against BYU will be
