The Optimist 8.24.15

THE OPTIMIST VOL. 104. NO. 1

AC U REMOVES PIANO FROM BEAN PAGE 5

TRADITIONS TRANSFORM FOR WILDCAT WEEK PAGE 3

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2015

1 SECTION, 16 PAGES

24

• • •

First day of classes Opening Assembly Kent Brantly book signing in Hunter Welcome Center from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

*Number is based on days Chapel is offered in Moody

MONDAY

25

•

President Schubert to speak in Chapel

TUESDAY

26

•

Mall of Abilene will be hosting Dog Days at Dillards. Shoppers are invited to bring their dogs along to the Mall

WEDNESDAY

27

• •

Cattle Baron’s Style Ball at the Mill Rehab Summer Dinner Show at the Civic Center

29

•

Last day to add or drop classes

FRIDAY

• •

Pomp & Pollen Creative Workshop at The Mill Dream Junkies Concert on campus Big Country Half Marathon at Shotwell

•

SUNDAY

psychoanalysis. Lewis was played

by ACU alumnus Mark Smith, and ACU professor Adam Hester played Sigmund Freud for the second year in a row.

Wildcat Week adds new intramurals

Abilene now has several GeoTag filters on Snapchat, including one designed by ACU student Reilly Cox. Cox, a senior graphic design major from Austin, created handdrawn type for the filter and used colors that represent the Abilene sunset.

Social clubs will now be called “local sororities and fraternities.” This name change on ACU’s website is an effort to help incoming students and their families understand ACU’s unique club system.

New students had the opportunity to participate in intramurals during Wildcat Week. This year, IM Leagues added bubble soccer and kayak racing to the mix of activities.

ACU Theater presented Freud’s Last Sessions at the Fulks Theater Aug. 13-15. The play portrays a fictional debate between Christian author and professor C.S. Lewis and Dr. Sigmund Freud, the father of

published by the department of journalism and mass communication Brittany Jackson Editor-in-Chief Opinion Page Editor Allison Brown Online Managing Editor Page 2 Editor

SATURDAY

30

Social clubs to be called ‘local sororities, fraternities’

THE OPTIMIST •

Soccer at University of California-Irvine

75

from www.acuoptimist.com

Freud vs. Lewis: The debate of a lifetime

THURSDAY

28

S P I R I T U A L F O R M AT I O N CREDITS

Student designs Abilene Snapchat banners

ISA rebrands to welcome all International Students’ Association welcomed more than 30 incoming students at the Welcome Bash Thursday evening.

ISA brought sophomore Christi Lim to manage the group’s social media sites to help reach more students across campus.

Ben Todd Cartoonist

Savanah Silva Sports Broadcast Producer

Shera Niemirowski Sports Multimedia Director

Kenneth Pybus Faculty Adviser

Hannah Null Sports Broadcast Producer

Cade White Visuals Adviser

Abby Runnels Copy Editor

Cara Lee Cranford Advertising Manager

Cassandra Cox Copy Editor

Rachel Fritz Print Managing Editor

Abbey Bowling Sports Copy Editor

Elijah Evans Visuals Managing Editor

Daniel Zepeda Online Sports Editor

Mercedez Hernandez Arts & Features Editor

Collin Wieder Print Sports Editor

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08.24.15

3

Wildcat Week ushers in new traditions

BY ALLISON BROWN The first Wildcat Week came to a close Saturday after a week packed with new and old ACU traditions. Though the rebranded week has a new logo, name and events, upperclassmen, faculty and staff recognized a few things that went on during the week.

The first of many significant changes in the structure of the week was making Tuesday move-in day. In the past, students moved in over the weekend and activities began Tuesday morning. The condensed schedule cut waiting time between Saturday and the beginning of Wildcat Week.

Incoming students and their families dined around the GATA fountain Tuesday for a family barbecue after a long day of move-in. After a newly added goodbye ceremony and blessing, parents departed, and incoming students experienced an ACU favorite, Candlelight Devotional.

Garon Goodspeed, Wildcat Week student director and senior accounting major from Farmers Branch, said roughly 90 percent of the new students were moved in before noon.

“The morning move-in crew did all the work, and the afternoon move-in crew didn’t have anything to do,” he said.

Wednesday morning marked the kickoff of Moody Mornings and Mentor Group Time, phrases still familiar to current students and teachers. In the past, these sessions have been focused on a theme like “Awake,” “Thrive,” or “Burn,” but the redesigned week put the focus on how to help students be the best Wildcats they can be. Student spirit group Wildcat Reign taught students traditions and cheers for future sporting events.

Wednesday’s new activities included a bubble soccer tournament in the Money Student Recreation and Wellness Center, and a block party downtown on Cypress Street, complete with local food trucks and a movie at the Paramount Theatre.

“The block party couldn’t have been more fun,” said Anna Hornell, freshman kinesiology major from Fort Worth. “It was a great way to meet people and get more aquatinted with the churches in Abilene.”

Thursday’s activities included the first-ever instrumental Chapel during the week and kayak races in the rec center pool. Instead of the traditional mentor group service project, Welcome to Abilene, the event put on by Students’ Association, was bumped from the first week of school to Thursday afternoon.

Students talked to different organizations on campus and around Abilene in the McGlothlin Campus Center.

Thursday night’s activities were designed as smaller group experiences.

Students could sign up on IM Leagues to go two-stepping at Oplin or to play in the Grime Games. Each activity accommodated about 200 students. After the dancing and slip-n-slides, ACU alumnus Roy Cervantes and a team of current students led a late night worship in Cullen Auditorium.

“Late night worship was such a unique and genuine experience,” said Megan Lavallee, freshman kinesiology major from Tuscola. “Being a part of that service with everyone praising God was so refreshing.

I’m excited to see what is in store for the rest of this year.”

Friday night’s activity, traditionally called Backyard Bash, which included the intramural flag football tournament, was renamed ACU Fest and was moved to Action Zone because the intramural fields were not ready to be played on yet. After the flag football tournament, students were invited to 90s Are All That, a dance at the Hunter Welcome Center. The dance was a tribute to the years the incoming students were born, 1996 and 1997.

Saturday the festivities concluded with the first Wildcat Week Concert sponsored by Students’ Association.

Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, a Nashville-based band, performed at Elmer Gray Stadium. This event replaced the traditional Welcome Week Talent Show.

Though there were many changes from what upperclassmen experienced the past several years, students still experienced events like a sunrise devotional, the Saturday 5K. akb12b@acu.edu

EMILY GUAJARDO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Garron Goodspeed explains the rules of human foosball, one of the new events added to the Wildcat Week schedule.

4

NEWS

08.24.15

Chapel office offers more credit opportunity

BY ALLISON BROWN The Chapel Office has opened up more ways for students to receive credits this year. Now called “spiritual formation credits,” these 55 credits can be earned in more ways than in years past.

Chapel still will be offered Monday through Friday in Moody like it has been, but now faculty- and staff-sponsored events may be considered for credit.

Mark Jackson, associate director of student organizations and programs, said Chapel has previously been limited to events happening in or around Moody at 11 a.m., with some forums every now and then. After looking at what all is going on among faculty, staff and students outside of that time slot, the Chapel Office and the Office of Student Life began thinking

of more ways to offer credit.

“We have had some good things in the past that we said no to,” Jackson said. “Dr. Robert Rhodes does a dinner and devo for students at his house. For years, Dr. John Willis has done Sunday night milk and cookies and prayer time, and we have never given credit for that.”

But now with the new spiritual formation credit system, students and faculty involved in spiritually forming activities can submit an application for credit. Besides being faculty- or staff-led or sponsored, the Chapel office has a few other criteria to consider: Is the event about connecting with God, Christian community, Christian practices or Christian service?

Chris Riley, vice president of student life, spent time listening to stu-

“It was thought of as just a credit, and that cheapens it.”

Chris Riley dents, faculty and staff on Chapel concerns.

“While Chapel was a big part of campus spiritual formation, there was not a holistic opportunity for students to do other things,” Riley said. “We’ve had all of our eggs in one basket.”

Over the last year, Riley and Jackson have looked at schools like Oklahoma Christian and Biola that operate on similar spiritual formation credit systems.

As a part of the new model, every activity and event will only be one credit. That means no more two, three or even four credit for forums.

“There won’t be any multiple credit events,” Jackson said. “Our hope is that we have 150 to 200 plus opportunities for students to receive credit, where in the past we have had 85 or 90.”

As for the name change, Riley said the name Chapel had lost some of its meaning.

“It was thought of as just a credit, and that cheapens it,” Riley said.

Jackson added, “With the term ‘spiritual formation’, we’re hoping to shape and mold students to seek Christ. We want that to be the primary focus of all of these events.” akb12b@acu.edu

08.24.15

NEWS

5

Piano Man plays the blues over Bean changes

EMILY GUAJARDO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Mike Schuler, also known as Piano Man, plays at Cypress Street Cafe Saturday.

BY HALEY REMENAR The Bean this year may be a little less “grand.”

ACU Business Services has removed the full-size piano from the university cafeteria to make more room for the larger number of students expected to dine on campus this year. Anthony Williams, chief business services officer, said, with the largest freshman class in 25 years and a sophomore retention rate of 80 percent, the space in the west side of the Bean that once housed a grand piano was needed for more tables and chairs.

“It makes it more challenging to get every student a seat,” said Williams. To address the problem, Williams said the senior leadership team put into place an “Overcrowding Mitigation Plan.” The plan features several components, including a grab-and-go station and opening the patio for seating. Six new tables were added to the stage in the Bean.

One consequence of the change – no Piano Man, Williams said.

Mike Schuler, known around Abilene as the Piano Man, has been

“I wouldn’t be fighting for this if I didn’t think the students wanted it.

Mike Shuler playing in The Bean off and on for 22 years. He said he was paid by the university to play for an hour after Chapel several days a week, covering popular songs an even movie soundtracks.

“It’s good for morale,” Schuler said. “It’s an outlet and a solace for some students.”

Schuler lost his contract with the university two years ago as part of budget cutbacks, but it was reinstated after several students began a social media petition to bring him back. Now Shuler, who would like to

The Piano Man can be found playing at other venues in Abilene at these times and locations: • Wednesday evenings at Heff’s Burgers, • most Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at Cypress Street Station, • during intermission during classic movie showings at the Paramount Theatre, and • every other Tuesday in the Hardin-Simmons University dining room

keep playing in the Bean, hopes student reactions on social media will make a difference again.

Some have responded to his Facebook and Twitter posts with the hashtag #savethepianoman. He suggested a putting the piano in the middle of the room or getting a small piano that fits against a wall.

“I wouldn’t be fighting for this if I didn’t think the students wanted it,” says Schuler.

Indeed, several students said they will miss Schuler and his music.

“The piano man is an iconic part of the Bean experience,” said Emily Adams, sophomore speech pathology major from Frisco.

But Williams said student concerns were considered before the decision was made, but he called having students standing in the Bean without a seat is “unacceptable.”

“Our charge at the end of the day is to do the best for our students,” he said. “It’s not personal, and we are not dissatisfied with the Piano Man.”

hrr13b@acu.edu

6

08.24.15

NEWS

Brantly to speak at Opening Assembly

BY BRITTANY JACKSON Dr. Kent Brantly is back on campus.

Brantly was scheduled to talk as the guest speaker in Chapel Monday.

During the Opening Assembly, the university planned to give him an honorary doctorate. He is then set to sign copies of his book, Called for Life, to end a packed day of events.

Brantly (‘03) gained international attention when he tested positive for Ebola while working in Monrovia, Liberia, in July 2014.

The family medicine physician was working as a medical missionary at the ELWA Hospital when news of a nearby Ebola outbreak in Guinea first surfaced in March of last year. It took under a week for the virus to spread to Liberia.

Brantly stayed at the hospital, assuming the responsibility of director of ELWA’s treatment unit to manage possible outbreaks in Monrovia.

For several months, Brantly and his surrounding workers dealt with patients suffering from Ebola, a rare and deadly virus.

He continued caring for the infected persons, changing diapers and sheets, cleaning them and feeding them, until he found himself lying in bed suffering similar ailments. On July 23, he was diagnosed with the Ebola virus.

That date marked a change in his experience with the virus, as it did the entire world’s understanding of it. In less than two weeks, Brantly and his coworker, Nancy Writebol, a nurse that also contracted the virus, were treated with an experimental drug from LeafBio Inc, a California pharmaceutical company.

As his condition appeared to worsen, Brantly was flown to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, which was deemed the most fit medical center to handle the situation.

Nancy Writebol later joined him.

After about 19 days in isolation, Brantly was released from the hospital.

His journey did not stop there.

Brantly used his international fame to bring attention to the issues still affecting Liberia and West Africa. From his exclusive interaction with the virus, Brantly advocated for a more thorough attempt to help those exposed. He used

Dr. Kent Brantly speaks at Highland Church of Christ on behalf of Global Samaritan in February 2014.

his private meeting with President Obama and Congressional committees as an opportunity to testify about the Ebola crisis. He called for fast and coordinated action on a global level to properly detain the virus.

Usually accompanied by his wife, Amber, Brantly spoke to news organizations like Time Magazine, Los Angeles Times and more, keeping West Africa’s need for assistance as well as his Christian faith at the forefront of interviews.

In acknowledgement of his work, Brantly was scheduled to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the university during Opening Assembly.

Ron Hadfield, assistant vice president for university communications, said bestowing of honorary doctorates started in 1930 as a way to recognize an individual’s success as well as his or her donations to ACU. “In his opportunities to speak to the media, he used the opportunity to talk about his faith and about the universi-

ty,” Hadfield said.

About a year after being diagnosed with Ebola, Brantly published Called for Life. The book explores summer of 2014, starting just as Brantly receives his first Ebola patient in Monrovia, and works its way to present day. In a first-person point of view, he is able to paint a scene for readers on every page, from the dire conditions in ELWA’s treatment unit to the news conference at Emory Hospital.

He offers insight on what Ebola was like to take care of, then to battle, in a way the reporters and interviewers were unable to in the weeks and months after his recovery.

Brantly is scheduled to sign copies of his book in Hunter Welcome Center from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Monday. Books will be available for purchase at the event. Although Amber is not scheduled to be at the signing, Hadfield said she pre-signed books for the event. bkj12a@acu.edu

PAIGE OTWAY

Dr. Kent Brantly’s new book chronicles his experience with Ebola.

08.24.15

7

NEWS

PHOTO COURTESY OF KEIGHLY SCALLY

Students victim of windshield vandals

BY ABIGAIL RUNNELS Several ACU students and Abilene residents have walked outside to find their front or back windshields smashed over the past few weeks.

The incidents have been concentrated in the ACU area, according to ACU Police Department Chief of Police Jimmy Ellison.

“There have been over 50 incidents of vandalism around Abilene, and about 10 to 12 of them have been called in from the streets surrounding campus,” Ellison said.

ACUPD has joined Abilene Police Department in the investigation to catch the people using what officers speculate to be baseballs or bricks to smash windshields.

“These incidents are classified as criminal mischief, since the vehicles weren’t actually broken into,” Ellison said.

Keighly Scally, junior art education major from Euless, was one of the students whose vehicle was damaged. She said her car was parked in the street in front of her house on Aug. 13 when she found her windshield had been smashed.

“The damages happened sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning,” Scally said. “I used a local glass company to get it repaired, and it cost $300.”

Most vehicles damaged were parked in the street or at the end of a driveway. Ellison advised students to park in their garages or as near to their houses as possible to reduce the chance of their vehicles being damaged. The best way to prevent more things like this from happening, is to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to ACUPD, Ellison said.

For example, at 3:30 a.m. Aug. 18, ACUPD and APD responded to a call concerning a car burglary from the area of Washington Boulevard and East North 13th Street. Out of the three suspects, APD and ACUPD caught two on foot by using K9 units, and the stolen property was recovered.

“This is an example of an alert resident looking out for their cars,” Ellison said. “Seeing someone suspicious does no good if nothing is reported.” anr11a@acu.edu

ARTS

“I decided to come back and do it my senior year because I thought this is just an amazing opportunity to start with something from the ground up. It’s been exciting to watch the evolution of rebranding to Wildcat Week.”

- Alex Abston

‘The Seven’ take on Wildcat Week

“I remember being a freshman and looking at the student directors down there and thinking that looks like a lot of fun. Now I’m a student director of Wildcat Week which seems a lot cooler.”

- Bailey Cate

Upperclassmen worked to create a new tradition and instill Wildcat pride in incoming students

BY RACHEL FRITZ Seven students took on the challenge to revamp Welcome Week, a tradition started in the 80s, and change it for the better.

Alex Abston, Bailey Cate, Courtney Spink, Trey Jackson, Garron Goodspeed, Lane Lutrell and Lorena Ponce were named Wildcat Week student directors at the end of last semester and worked through the summer to create a new and improved tradition.

What was once known as Welcome Week, Wildcat Week focuses more on teaching new students the basics of being a Wildcat while acclimating them to campus.

Some of the prominent changes included doing away with the colossal Twister game, changing the date of Candlelight Devotional and creating a new logo.

Caddie Coupe, director of new student programs, is in charge of The Seven, a name given to the student directors.

Coupe played an instrumental role in changing the freshman-oriented tradition.

“I think ACU had a really great thing with Welcome Week, but I think it was time to do a renovation, an upgrade if you will,” she said. “So we decided we

wanted to go back to the basics of our university, and we wanted to instill Wildcat pride from the very beginning.”

To start the process, Coupe went to different offices on campus, including the provost’s office and the Office of Student Life.

“They both felt like it was time for that change to happen,” she said. “There was a true leadership team of staff and faculty to make bigger decisions, like changing the name and shortening and changing move-in.

This was a big process among several students, several faculty and staff that wanted change and that wanted us to move forward.”

Before major changes were made, students were polled to see what traditions were most important to them, though it didn’t make letting go of those traditions any easier.

“It has been hard for some people, but when they hear that this is what the students want and are excited, then people are willing to listen,” Coupe said, “especially when we tell them we surveyed students, we surveyed faculty and staff, we’ve done benchmarking with other universities and other institutions similar to our size and similar to

our region and have that data.”

One of the biggest changes is the increase in student leaders.

Coupe said the amount has doubled to accommodate the large freshman class and changes that were made.

Cate, senior communication major from Fremont, Nebraska, was mentor group leader as a sophomore and was on the steering committee last year.

“There are things that we want to hold on to, but at the same time it’s time to try something new,” Cate said. “These freshmen need something that’s a little more modern to get them up with the rest of the university.

It’s exciting that we’re Div. I now, so we’re rising to the challenge.”

Leaving traditions behind, such as departmental dinners and the mentor group service project, was challenging for the group, but to achieve their vision, they made the decision to do so.

“The tough decision is not between good or bad, it’s between good and best, or better,” said Luttrell, junior biblical studies major from Colleyville. “I think when we were trying to transition from what was good to what we thought was better, some people thought that that thing was better, so the hard decision

is not only hard to make, but it’s hard to get others on board with it. We just had to look not just for this year but for years on.”

Despite opposition, Wildcat Week commenced successfully.

Ponce, senior psychology major from Abilene, has been involved with Welcome Week leadership since she was eligible to fill out an application. Like Cate, Ponce worked as a mentor group leader and on the steering committee and said she used her experience to make incoming students’ transition as smooth – and fun – as possible.

Abston, senior pre-law communication major from The Woodlands, is a veteran student director and was a Welcome Week mentor group leader as a sophomore.

“Welcome Week, when I started as a freshman, was my favorite week of the whole year,” she said. “Still, even as a senior, Welcome Week is one of my favorite memories of my entire ACU experience. It’s been reenergizing for all of us, specifically the excitement in the Wildcat leaders and how the attitude of current students has almost just flipped a switch.”

Spink, a first generation ACU student, went into the experience with a slightly different set

“I remember my Welcome Week experience and how I viewed everything in my eyes - how everything was going, building relationships, all that fun stuff. Experiencing it as a leader, it was more so looking back on my experience and trying to give them advice I wish I would have known.”

- Lorena Ponce “Going through this transition has been a lot of fun because we can take what we did and say, ‘Let’s just do it big.’ It’s not a ‘Why haven’t we been doing it this way?’ but it’s like a ‘Hey let’s try it this way.’”

- Gary Lane Luttrell

‘The Seven’ worked together for months to make changes to the tradition that was more than 20 years old.

ERIKA BOLADO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

of eyes.

“I thought Welcome Week was so much fun; I didn’t know anything different, I thought it was the greatest thing ever,” she said. “Then the next year, I hurried up and signed up to be a leader because I thought it would be the funnest thing ever.”

Spink participated in Welcome Week as a mentor group leader for two years before she was asked to apply to be a student director.

“I was planning on being a Welcome Week leader again, and Caddie was like ‘Hey, I think you’d be great at this,’” she said.

“I was like “Oh my gosh, that’s so not for me, I don’t like budgets, I don’t do that, but I love this week so much that I’d do anything I could for it.”

In spite of her apprehension, Spink applied for the position and said she’s thrilled she made The Seven, an excitement echoed throughout the group.

Jackson, junior graphic design major from North Richland Hills, said he has a new appreciation for the time and effort put in behind-the-scenes to make the five-day program operate.

Like Luttrell, this was Jackson’s first time involved with the decades-old tradition.

Though they were new to the scene, Luttrell said it was working with the rest of the group that made the transition as smooth as it was.

“Being a student director this year was kind of like coming into it fresh and just straight off the cuff,” he said. “Being with these people has helped me out a ton; they know what they’re doing.”

With the new Wildcat Week schedule that included a number of new events, the group said they hope to have helped rewrite history.

“I hope we can look back and say ‘Wow, we had a great leadership team and that we all

bonded and we worked hard to create something that is still around,’ like Candlelight Devo level,” Abston said, “like creating experiences for students, whether that be through social media and trying to understand the students in that way, or if it’s just modernizing outdated, but still good, activities. I think it’s really important for us to keep in mind that it’s about the students.” ref11a@acu.edu

“I was just thrilled to get to be a part of something that wasn’t cookie cutter. We got to completely start from the beginning and remake something that was already great. This is a totally new experience for me, and it has been so awesome.”

- Courtney Spink “I really liked Welcome Week; everything seemed seamless and on point, and I went to all the events. Being here it’s like oh my gosh, there’s so much time that goes into it. I just appreciate the work that they put into it.”

- Trey Jackson “I think for the first week of college, a lot of students have pent-up energy and excitement.

Wildcat Week is supposed to provide an outlet for them to express that and discover what all they can do with that kind of excitement in a new world by themselves without their parents.”

- Garron Goodspeed

ARTS

“I decided to come back and do it my senior year because I thought this is just an amazing opportunity to start with something from the ground up. It’s been exciting to watch the evolution of rebranding to Wildcat Week.”

- Alex Abston

‘The Seven’ take on Wildcat Week

“I remember being a freshman and looking at the student directors down there and thinking that looks like a lot of fun. Now I’m a student director of Wildcat Week which seems a lot cooler.”

- Bailey Cate

Upperclassmen worked to create a new tradition and instill Wildcat pride in incoming students

BY RACHEL FRITZ Seven students took on the challenge to revamp Welcome Week, a tradition started in the 80s, and change it for the better.

Alex Abston, Bailey Cate, Courtney Spink, Trey Jackson, Garron Goodspeed, Lane Lutrell and Lorena Ponce were named Wildcat Week student directors at the end of last semester and worked through the summer to create a new and improved tradition.

What was once known as Welcome Week, Wildcat Week focuses more on teaching new students the basics of being a Wildcat while acclimating them to campus.

Some of the prominent changes included doing away with the colossal Twister game, changing the date of Candlelight Devotional and creating a new logo.

Caddie Coupe, director of new student programs, is in charge of The Seven, a name given to the student directors.

Coupe played an instrumental role in changing the freshman-oriented tradition.

“I think ACU had a really great thing with Welcome Week, but I think it was time to do a renovation, an upgrade if you will,” she said. “So we decided we

wanted to go back to the basics of our university, and we wanted to instill Wildcat pride from the very beginning.”

To start the process, Coupe went to different offices on campus, including the provost’s office and the Office of Student Life.

“They both felt like it was time for that change to happen,” she said. “There was a true leadership team of staff and faculty to make bigger decisions, like changing the name and shortening and changing move-in.

This was a big process among several students, several faculty and staff that wanted change and that wanted us to move forward.”

Before major changes were made, students were polled to see what traditions were most important to them, though it didn’t make letting go of those traditions any easier.

“It has been hard for some people, but when they hear that this is what the students want and are excited, then people are willing to listen,” Coupe said, “especially when we tell them we surveyed students, we surveyed faculty and staff, we’ve done benchmarking with other universities and other institutions similar to our size and similar to

our region and have that data.”

One of the biggest changes is the increase in student leaders.

Coupe said the amount has doubled to accommodate the large freshman class and changes that were made.

Cate, senior communication major from Fremont, Nebraska, was mentor group leader as a sophomore and was on the steering committee last year.

“There are things that we want to hold on to, but at the same time it’s time to try something new,” Cate said. “These freshmen need something that’s a little more modern to get them up with the rest of the university.

It’s exciting that we’re Div. I now, so we’re rising to the challenge.”

Leaving traditions behind, such as departmental dinners and the mentor group service project, was challenging for the group, but to achieve their vision, they made the decision to do so.

“The tough decision is not between good or bad, it’s between good and best, or better,” said Luttrell, junior biblical studies major from Colleyville. “I think when we were trying to transition from what was good to what we thought was better, some people thought that that thing was better, so the hard decision

is not only hard to make, but it’s hard to get others on board with it. We just had to look not just for this year but for years on.”

Despite opposition, Wildcat Week commenced successfully.

Ponce, senior psychology major from Abilene, has been involved with Welcome Week leadership since she was eligible to fill out an application. Like Cate, Ponce worked as a mentor group leader and on the steering committee and said she used her experience to make incoming students’ transition as smooth – and fun – as possible.

Abston, senior pre-law communication major from The Woodlands, is a veteran student director and was a Welcome Week mentor group leader as a sophomore.

“Welcome Week, when I started as a freshman, was my favorite week of the whole year,” she said. “Still, even as a senior, Welcome Week is one of my favorite memories of my entire ACU experience. It’s been reenergizing for all of us, specifically the excitement in the Wildcat leaders and how the attitude of current students has almost just flipped a switch.”

Spink, a first generation ACU student, went into the experience with a slightly different set

“I remember my Welcome Week experience and how I viewed everything in my eyes - how everything was going, building relationships, all that fun stuff. Experiencing it as a leader, it was more so looking back on my experience and trying to give them advice I wish I would have known.”

- Lorena Ponce “Going through this transition has been a lot of fun because we can take what we did and say, ‘Let’s just do it big.’ It’s not a ‘Why haven’t we been doing it this way?’ but it’s like a ‘Hey let’s try it this way.’”

- Gary Lane Luttrell

‘The Seven’ worked together for months to make changes to the tradition that was more than 20 years old.

ERIKA BOLADO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

of eyes.

“I thought Welcome Week was so much fun; I didn’t know anything different, I thought it was the greatest thing ever,” she said. “Then the next year, I hurried up and signed up to be a leader because I thought it would be the funnest thing ever.”

Spink participated in Welcome Week as a mentor group leader for two years before she was asked to apply to be a student director.

“I was planning on being a Welcome Week leader again, and Caddie was like ‘Hey, I think you’d be great at this,’” she said.

“I was like “Oh my gosh, that’s so not for me, I don’t like budgets, I don’t do that, but I love this week so much that I’d do anything I could for it.”

In spite of her apprehension, Spink applied for the position and said she’s thrilled she made The Seven, an excitement echoed throughout the group.

Jackson, junior graphic design major from North Richland Hills, said he has a new appreciation for the time and effort put in behind-the-scenes to make the five-day program operate.

Like Luttrell, this was Jackson’s first time involved with the decades-old tradition.

Though they were new to the scene, Luttrell said it was working with the rest of the group that made the transition as smooth as it was.

“Being a student director this year was kind of like coming into it fresh and just straight off the cuff,” he said. “Being with these people has helped me out a ton; they know what they’re doing.”

With the new Wildcat Week schedule that included a number of new events, the group said they hope to have helped rewrite history.

“I hope we can look back and say ‘Wow, we had a great leadership team and that we all

bonded and we worked hard to create something that is still around,’ like Candlelight Devo level,” Abston said, “like creating experiences for students, whether that be through social media and trying to understand the students in that way, or if it’s just modernizing outdated, but still good, activities. I think it’s really important for us to keep in mind that it’s about the students.” ref11a@acu.edu

“I was just thrilled to get to be a part of something that wasn’t cookie cutter. We got to completely start from the beginning and remake something that was already great. This is a totally new experience for me, and it has been so awesome.”

- Courtney Spink “I really liked Welcome Week; everything seemed seamless and on point, and I went to all the events. Being here it’s like oh my gosh, there’s so much time that goes into it. I just appreciate the work that they put into it.”

- Trey Jackson “I think for the first week of college, a lot of students have pent-up energy and excitement.

Wildcat Week is supposed to provide an outlet for them to express that and discover what all they can do with that kind of excitement in a new world by themselves without their parents.”

- Garron Goodspeed

08.24.15

OPINION

Optimist changes format, distribution What you’re reading is still the Optimist, albeit a little smaller with a new design.

This is just one part of many changes to come.

With the exception of this issue, the Optimist will be published only on Fridays.

The members of our staff, including our faculty advisers, decided a once-a-week publication would best serve our JMC students, as well as the rest of the campus and our outreaching audience.

Because of the move, we will be able to better focus on breaking news online, just as newsrooms across the world are doing.

Before, we were becoming tied up in the design of pages

twice a week and assigning stories to meet those deadlines. Now, when an event occurs or an announcement is made, Optimist reporters will be able to immediately interview, write the story and get it in front of our audience – you.

As for the move from a broadsheet paper to a tabloid paper, it allowed us the chance to rebrand.

Several Optimist staff members spent the summer talking design, exchanging ideas about what might best serve our audience.

As the print product is mostly dispersed to the student population at ACU directly after Chapel, we wanted

to come up with a more modern format.

Plus, we were hoping it would be easier to carry. Also, for all you environmentalists, the smaller dimensions will cut down on paper waste.

We will continue providing you with ACU and Abilene news, sports coverage, editorials, columns, arts and features, and the Chapel credit countdown.

We look forward to the year ahead and to covering whatever it may bring.

Be sure to look online at acuoptimist.com for any news that didn’t make it into the print edition, or like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for updates.

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

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

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

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

Phone numbers will not be published.

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

08.24.15

OPINION

11

Meet the 2014-2015 EDITORIAL BOARD

hashtagACU Follow @acuoptimist on Twitter

The editorial board meets once a week to hash out a collective opinion on news and issues of local and national importance. Through spirited debate and some friendly argument, we come to a consensus on topics relevant to you.

I’m Sorry Miss Jackson Brittany Jackson

Senior Thinks getting a bunk bed at age 20 was the best idea she ever had.

Lamborghini Mercy

Mercedeez MercedezHernandez Hernandez Junior She doesn’t even like Lamborghinis that much.

On the Fritz Rachel Fritz Senior Her hair is so big because it’s full of opinions.

Encyclopedia Brown

Allison Brown

Is there a band playing at ACU or are my neightbors just plaing their music really loud?!?!

@BaleyFelts Aug. 22 2:54 p.m.

Junior “‘You miss 100 percent of the shorts you don’t take.

-Wayne Gretzky’ -Michael Scott” - Allison Brown.

Well Beanies, There are 4 chairs & a table where the piano was.

After 22 years ACU took away your live piano music in the Bean for 4 chairs.

N-I-E-M-I-RO-W-S-K-I

@PianoManMike

Shera Niemerowski Senior Contrary to popular opinion, Shera does not play professional basketball.

Never Dull With Null

Hannah Null

Junior “I’m not a photographer but I can picture you and I together.”

The Weaknd Warrior

Daily Doodle

Junior No response. As per usual.

Junior His only known weaknesses are comic sans and fruits (especially oranges).

Elijah Evans

Aug. 22 8:57 p.m.

Ben Todd

Aug. 23 3:47 p.m.

So mentally unprepared for tomorrow

Aug. 22 9:07 p.m.

“Crickets? Those weren’t crickets.

Those were birds!

They made me want to run back inside.”

-Drew Holcomb from @drewholcomb #ACUWildcatWeek

@Morgan_45 Aug. 22 9:30 p.m.

There’s nothing quite like having your foot find a hidden hole while in the middle of a run.

@SoyTophu Aug. 23 1:37 p.m.

I AM SO TIRED OF

FINDING BUGS IN @k_winz

@LilyAuker Aug. 23 2:47 p.m.

In the middle of a 2 hour nap, I love college

@acacia_browne Aug. 23 12:32 a.m.

Freshman, you think ACU is cool... Until you start hearing people cream at inanimate objects. #TSCM #wannabeagata

@totalsocialclub Aug. 22 7:58 p.m.

@PianoManMike WE LOVE YOU PIANO

@amyyynicole

MY APARTMENT. #BANBUGS2K15

@sarahbateman421 Aug. 22 9:08 p.m.

Just broke a crickets ankles with the sickest spin move I’ve ever delivered. #NotTodaySatan

@EarliestByrd Aug. 23 12:35 a.m.

the Sorority Life snap story is letting me live out the big college sorority I never had. verdict: thank goodness for EOX.

@emjmuhl

12

NEWS

08.24.15

Neighbors come knocking to end WW D

BY MERCEDEZ HERNANDEZ

rew Holcomb and The Neighbors rocked Elmer Grey Stadium Saturday night at the first ever Wildcat Week concert.

The concert began with opening act Castro, a family band originally from Dallas. This was Castro’s first concert, and according to the band, only its third or fourth practice.

“We were in Nashville the whole of last week and kind of practiced with each other, but after that we didn’t see each other until today,” singer and guitarist Jason Castro said.

“It really felt like a live practice to us,” Michael Castro, also a singer, said.

Castro is just starting out in its musical career, but brothers Michael and Jason Castro had been solo acts for a few years, Jason even doing a stint on American Idol, and sister Jackie Castro is finishing her degree at the University of Texas.

“Mostly me and J, we were solo artists for a while; he got burnt out on the thing, and I got burnt out on the thing,” Michael said “We thought we would be better together,” Jason said.

Jackie Castro, also a singer in the band, said she enjoyed the ease of writing and performing with those closest to her.

“If we don’t like an idea we can be really blunt about it,” Jackie said. “It’s funny because normally in a writing session with other people you have to be polite, but with us we’re like no I don’t like that, next.”

ELIJAH EVANS VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR

Nathan Duggar of Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors strums his guitar during the Wildcat Week Concert.

LYDIA LAWSON STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Michael Castro plays alongside his brother and sister for the first time.

Although this was Castro’s first show, they certainly did not disappoint ACU students.

“I liked the environment of the show.

I thought it was really relaxed,” said Juliana Schackmann, sophomore accounting major from Houston. “I think it was a good opportunity for their first concert too.”

Fans can follow Castro on Twitter and Instagram as @castrotheband and like their page on Facebook.

After Castro, Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors took to the stage and

opened their show with their song American Beauty.

Drummer for the band Jonathan Womble said he enjoyed coming to Abilene but encountered a pest that has been frequently spotted around campus.

“The show was awesome,but I was expecting more crickets,” Womble said. “One did hit me in the face, though; it was like a hit and run.”

Nathan Duggar, guitarist for the band, said he hopes students got more than a cool concert out of Saturday’s show.

“I like people to have a good time and have fun,” Duggar said. “But there’s also a lot of meat to Drew’s songs, so I hope people really listened to it, not just heard it.”

Womble also had some advice for students who are about to begin a new semester.

“Just do what you love, period,” Womble said.

“Even if it’s not a money-maker, do it. If it’s in your degree plan, great, but if it’s not, that’s OK, just do what you love.” mmh13a@acu.edu

ELIJAH EVANS VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR

Drew Holcomb played You’ll Always Be My Girl, a song inspired by his daughter.

08.24.15

SPORTS

ACU falls to Arizona in battle of ‘Cats

BY DANIEL ZEPEDA Three second-half goals by Arizona ended up putting a damper on the ACU women’s soccer team’s season opener. The University of Arizona Wildcats rolled by ACU, 4-0, in Tucson, Arizona.

Arizona, a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, put up a shot parade on ACU, as it finished with 22 shots and 10 shots on goal, resulting in four scores.

“We’re going up against some very tough competition in the weeks to come,” said ACU head coach Casey Wilson. “These games will be fast and physical, which will prepare us for Southland Conference play.”

Junior goal keeper Kelsey Dombrowski got the start and saved six of the 10 shots sent her way. In the first half alone, Dombrowski saved five shots while allowing one to make it into the netting.

Junior goal keeper Sydney Newton did not play in the match, but Wilson said he plans on splitting time between the

two during the season.

“These two, along with newcomer Madeline Grimes, will continue to push each other all year for playing time,” Wilson said. “All three are currently coming along well.”

ACU trailed 1-0 going into halftime and was able to win the battle of possession in the first half. The purple and white allowed nine shots in the first half, compared to 13 given up in the second half. Arizona grabbed the lead at the 15 minute mark, after a header found its way into the goal.

The second half proved to be too much for ACU, however, as it allowed goals in the 53rd, 63rd and 75th minutes.

Junior Maria Gomez and sophomore Chantal Kinsey had the only two shots for ACU. The Wildcats will be back in action at 2 p.m. Sunday to take on University of Texas-El Paso at University Field in El Paso.

Live stats will be offered during the game. djz11a@acu.

JARRED SCHUETZE

Above: Sophomore forward (Megan Baer) Below: Junior goalkeeper (Kelsey Dombrowski) ACU Soccer has to go through a tough non-conference gauntlet to start the season. The Wildcats play eight major Div. I schools before conference play. These games should help the Wildcats when they have to face Southland competition.

JARRED SCHUETZE

14

SPORTS

08.24.15

‘Cats work on, off court in Costa Rica

BY DANIEL ZEPEDA The men’s basketball team spent the second week in August a long way from home. The Wildcats made the 2,614-mile trip from Abilene to the DFW International Airport to Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The team woke up the first morning to conditions far different than those of Abilene. Temperatures in the 60s in August proved to be a positive start for the Wildcats.

The players competed in two exhibition games during their time out of the country. The first game was against a semi-pro team, which ACU defeated 70-32. The second came against the Costa Rican national team, and the Wildcats came out on top, 60-37.

The special moments for the Wildcats during this trip didn’t come from on the court, however, said coaches and players. While in Costa Rica, head coach Joe Golding, along with his assistant coaches and players, helped lead a basketball camp for the children of San Jose. The whole team bought into the mindset of serving and for a moment, basketball faded away.

“These kids out here come first,” Golding said. “A lot of times we forget just how important it is to take care of kids. This has been a great opportunity for the guys and it’s something that we’re all about at ACU.” Twelve hours after stepping off the plane and just moments after the team’s first practice, the Wildcats led the school kids through drills and scrimmages on the court. With the help of ACU graduates Jason and Lindsey Boone, who are serving as missionaries in Costa Rica, the Wildcats were able to touch the lives of the kids and in a way, receive more than they expected.

“To me, this is more than basketball,” Golding said. “To see these guys hold babies and play with little kids is something special, and you can see how each one is affected. That’s what ACU has been all about. Ever since I was a student to being an assistant to now a head coach, the mission has stayed the same: Go out, serve others

“This has been a

great opportunity for the guys, and it’s something we are all about at ACU.” Joe Golding ACU Wildcats

San Jose

ACU SPORTS

Head coach Joe Golding and the ACU Wildcat basketball team traveled to Costa Rica this summer.

The Wildcats competed in two games winning both in blowout fashion. The team then did mission work for an orphanage.

ACU SPORTS

and see what happens.”

The Wildcats also visited an orphanage at a Catholic parish, located in one of the most poverty stricken parts of San Jose. One player described the experience in a single word.

“This is very humbling,” sophomore forward Drake Green said. “To see how these people live is eye-opening.

But it’s crazy to see these kids’ faces just light up when they saw us.”

Thousands of children are cared for by the workers at the orphanage. The

Wildcats spent the afternoon interacting and loving on the children before having to leave, something none of the players wanted to do.

“You get invested in these kids and you get to talking to them and learn their stories and your heart just breaks,” Golding said. “These kids have been through so much and they’re still grateful for so much.

It really makes you readjust your thinking about your own life and perceived problems.”

After the five day trip, the Wildcats came home. The practice and the games helped sharpen the team and gel new players into the system. But the biggest impact of all is what was seen through the childrens’ eyes.

“I was adamant from the start that I wanted this trip,” Golding said. “I wanted them to experience the true meaning of selflessness. We preach all the time that for a team to win, you have to be selfless and put the team first. But this is what it’s all about. We want to take advantage of any opportunity we have, whether it’s in Abilene or Costa Rica, to serve and do some good.” djz11a@acu.edu

08.24.15

SPORTS

15

Strong offense gives ‘Cats edge

BY COLLIN WIEDER ACU football has had a tradition of winning that did not stop with the move to the Football Bowl Subdivision’s Southland Conference. The Wildcats increased their .500 or better streak to nine consecutive seasons by going 6-6 in 2014.

The expectations should be fairly high as most of the offense returns for the 2015 campaign. The Wildcats return not only eight of 11 starters but multiple contributors as well.

Redshirt junior quarterback Parker McKenzie (3,084 yards, 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions) comes off his first season as starting quarterback that earned him second team all-Southland Conference honors.

McKenzie will have an embarrassment of riches at his disposal this year. Leading receiver senior Cedric Gilbert (667 yards, seven touchdowns), senior Cade Stone (494 yards, five touchdowns), senior Jace Hudson (451 yards, three touchdowns) and senior Monte Green-Avery (251 yards, two touchdowns) all return to form an experienced receiving corp.

The backfield flexes its depth muscle by featuring four strong tailbacks: senior Herschel Sims, sophomore De’Andre Brown, junior Adrian Duncan and sophomore Randy Gober.

Brown was a breakout performer in 2014. He rushed for 962 yards and seven touchdowns at a 7.0 yards per carry average. Sims showed flashes of brilliant play, but struggled through an injury plagued season to rush for 559 yards and four touchdowns at 5.3 yards per carry. Gober and Duncan played strong in backup roles last season combining for 230 yards and five touchdowns.

Brown is highly confident in his ability and the groups ability to perform at the Div. I level.

“I don’t think there is a running back position group that is better

“I don’t there’s a

running back position group that is better than us.”

De’Andre Brown than us,” Brown said. “In the Southland Conference we are number one and FCS we are number one too.”

At tight end, the Wildcats lost two seniors last year in Noah Cheshier and Jonathan Parker. Fortunately, they bring back senior tight end Jamie Walker. Walker has caught only 23 passes for 225 yards in his career at ACU, but has been a red zone monster as he has recorded 10 touchdowns.

Head coach Ken Collums said that having this many players to spread the ball around to is a good problem to have.

“It is about giving more than you take and serving other people,” Collums said. “All of us are selfish, and we want the ball, but when you have a great group guys like we have. They are interested and serving other people.”

The line for the ‘Cats has quite a bit of experience as well with senior Codey Funk, sophomore Riley Mayfield, sophomoreChance Rieken and sophomore Hayden Wall.

Another player to watch this season will be senior do-it-all wide receiver/cornerback/kick/punt returner Jonathan Epps. Epps has succeeded at every position he has tried compiling 933 all-purpose yards, two touchdowns, 30 total tackles and two interceptions. The list goes on and on for this explosive offense. They should improve on their already impressive 2014 numbers to be one of the best

ELIJAH EVANS, visuals editor

Football returns almost all skill position players from last season. They might have one of the best problems in the FCS this season, getting everyone enough touches. Monte Green-Avery (80) and Cedric Gilbert (82) are just two of those offensive weapons.

offensive teams in the FCS in 2015.

On defense, the Wildcats lost a lot of starters but return a lot of depth.

Starting linebackers sophomore Sam Denmark (77 tackles, four tackles for loss and two interceptions) and senior Lynn Grady (52 tackles and seven tackles for loss) anchor the Wildcat linebacking corp. Grady returns for his senior season after missing the final three games last year. Pass-rushing linebacker Travis Tarver II moves into a starting role after recording three tackles for loss and two sacks last year. Sophomore Bryson Gates is a player to watch in this group. He recorded 11 tackles as a freshman and should get more time this season.

The defensive line brings back two solid players in senior Rishaad Wimbley and sophomore LaMarcus Allen. Wembley and Allen combined for 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. Beyond those two the Wildcats have multiple contributing letterman from last season. Senior Wil-

liam Moore, junior Josh Bloom, sophomore Dylan Douglass and sophomore AJ Tolbert look to fill in the huge holes that were left by Nick Richardson and Damon Williams.

In the secondary, the Wildcats have three starting spots to fill. Safeties Justin Stewart and Angel Lopez graduated leaving multiple players up for the spots. ACU seemed to be set at corner with sophomore Terry Ausborne (40 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble) and senior Keith Barnett. Unfortunately, Barnett sustained an ACL tear last week, ending his season, leaving more questions in the secondary. Epps should help with that role along with a multitude of corners that were used last season.

The 2015 ACU Wildcats have a solid roster built around them, and should be able to surprise their Southland Counterparts again. cpw11a@acu.edu

SPORTS

THE OPTIMIST 8.24.15 PAGE 16

B-BALL TRAVELS T O C O S TA RICA PAGE 14

WILDCAT FOOTBALL READIES FOR SEASON PAGE 15