University Press, Sept. 26, 2019

UNIVERSITY PRESS

The Newspaper of Lamar University Vol. 96, No. 2 September 26, 2019

Imelda hits SETX, campus Remediation underway

President Evans offers support for Lamar’s affected Olivia Malick UP editor In the aftermath of tropical storm Imelda, LU President Kenneth Evans said that the short-term goals of the university are purely student, faculty and staff focused.

“We have a team of people that are contacting the students, identifying what their issues are, and then trying to help them address them in a way that they can continue to stay focused on progressing toward their degree plan,” he said.

“We've had, as of (Tuesday), 542 students that have reported that they have been impacted by the storm in some capacity, whether their car was lost, they had internet-related challenges, they lost their books, their housing was damaged, they lost a computer, they need some assistance in tuition because they either lost their job or they're not able to get to their job because they lost their car, etc. And then we’re working with the students to try and help find solutions.”

Baseball stadium, Carl Parker, most damaged by flooding

Evans said that by the night of Sept. 18, it was clear that the storm was going to have a major impact on the Lamar community.

“When it was raining all night, Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, I knew we were going to have a problem,” he said. “I could not drive out of the street that I live on, so I had to wait for the chief of police with a large dual-rim truck that could come by and get me, and we were able to survey the campus and assess the damage.”

As of press time, the estimated damage costs to the campus are upwards of $1 million, Evans said.

“Cleanup is going to be approximately $500,000plus,” he said. “Repairs could be upwards of about a $1 million, maybe slightly larger, and then there are obviously mitigation costs beyond that, that I can't give a figure on yet.”

Evans said that, at this point, the damage costs Imelda has brought are

Claire Robertson UP managing editor

UP photo by Delicia Rocha

Cotton team workers, Lamar contractor, unscrewing boards to check for damage in the Tex and Emma Strait Baseball Training Facility on Sep 23. Tropical Storm Imelda brought up to 40 inches of rain in some areas of Southeast Texas.

Campus was closed Thursday and Friday because of the weather conditions created by tropical storm Imelda. Students were advised by LU Alerts to stay off roadways, avoid standing water and not report to work. Campus events scheduled for Thursday and Friday were also cancelled, including the Latinx Heritage Month event and the start of the Piano Festival.

On Friday, it was announced that officials were assessing campus to ensure it was safe to return.

“There was a lot of water intrusion,” Gary Rash, LU director of environmental health and safety and emergency management coordinator, said.

Rash said that Vincent-Beck Stadium’s baseball changing rooms and hitting facilities, and the first level of the Carl Parker Building probably received the worst damage on campus. Offices See CAMPUS page 2

See EVANS, page 3

LU has emergency funds available for students Tiana Johnson UP staff writer Lamar University has reopened the Cardinal Emergency Fund to aid students affected by Imelda.

The Cardinal Emergency Fund was created after Hurricane Harvey created challenges for students to continue their enrollment.

UP photo by Olivia Malick

LU President Kenneth Evans looks out at the campus from his office in the Reaud Building, Tuesday.

“What we learned from Harvey is that the reasons that students are not able to continue in higher education after a catastrophic event are varied,” Juan Zabala, vice president of university advancement, said. “We realized one big factor is money — replacing books and computers, finding places to live and those sorts of things that students do not have access to right away, or

easily. The purpose of the Cardinal Emergency Fund is to provide financial aid support to students impacted by an event such as this.”

Zabala said the Emergency Fund is administered through the university advancement office, but it was created by the university.

See FUNDS, page 6

Homecoming activities in full swing Tiana Johnson UP staff writer Homecoming week is in full swing. The Lamar community is encouraged to participate in the various events hosted by the university.

Royal Court candidates were announced at the Homecoming kick off, Monday.

“The significance of the Royal Court is to highlight the best leaders of your organization,” Canaan Daniels, associate director of programming and events, said.

Voting for homecoming court ends today. Students can find a voting link on Orgsync or banner.

“We will also have polling booths the week of Homecoming,” Daniels said. “Those will pop up around noon, at the Setzer Student Center, and then at our events as well, so people can go in and vote.”

All winners except for the king and queen will be announced at the bonfire tomorrow. The bonfire will start at 6:30 p.m., weather permitting.

The king and queen winners will be announced at half time of the Homecoming football game Saturday.

“They get the title, win sashes, crowns, and scepters that say Homecoming 2019 on them,” Daniels said. “We also always invite last year’s winners back to campus to announce the winners of the new king and queen.”

The Pep Rally tomorrow is a returning tradition.

“Students can expect to hear and watch the dance team, the cheerleaders, the marching band and the football team,” Daniels said.

Daniels said he encourages orSee HOMECOMING page 6

Members of the Cardinal Activities Board sort out T- shirts to give away during the 2019 Homecoming kickoff in the Setzer Student Center, Monday.

UP photo by Noah Dawlearn

Football seeks return to winning ways Cade Smith UP sports editor The Lamar Cardinals will return to winning ways at Homecoming, Saturday, after suffering a 45-34 Southland Conference loss at the hands of the South-

eastern Louisiana University Lions last weekend. With the loss, the Cards are now 2-2 (0-1 SLC).

“I think we played extremely hard and pretty good against them,” head coach Mike Schultz said in a press conference, Mon-

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day. “Down the stretch, it actually comes down to five or six plays, and they won those plays and we didn’t. I felt that both teams fought hard and this is their best football team in the last three years since I have been here.”

Schultz announced that line-

backer Dallas Martin had suffered a torn Achilles tendon.

“He will probably be out for the rest of the season,” Schultz said. “We are going to move forward and find a replacement and have that in play. Also, there are more players that we have that

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are on a wait-and-see basis on how well they will heal up.”

Tropical Storm Imelda hit the Beaumont community hard.

However, Schultz said the storm did not affect practice.

See GAME page 9

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INSIDE

Thursday, September 26, 2019 University Press

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

NOTICE

“Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.”

—Rumi

The University Press can be read online at www.lamar.edu/university-press Advertising rates can be found on the site, along with practically all information that a person might be looking for.

Page 2

Weather scales need revision Tim Cohrs UP contributor Tropical storm Imelda hit Southeast Texas last week with up to 43 inches of rain in some areas, flooding homes and cars, and five deaths are attributed to the storm.

The storm formed quickly in the Gulf of Mexico, leaving Southeast Texans unprepared.

“The basic drivers are temperature, pressure and moisture, of course,” Jim Jordan, chair of LU’s Earth and Space Sciences, said. “Not always moisture, because we had many storms that were primarily wind and not much rain.”

The national weather service thought it was most appropriate to give people wind speed using the Saffir Simpson scale, which only measures a storm on a scale of 1 to 5 based on wind speed, Jordan said.

“The Saffir Simpson scale is just based on wind speed measured near the center of the storm — it does not measure the diameter of the storm,” he said. “We are now getting more involved with looking at sizes of storms — not only their speed, but their diameter — as being a real factor.”

The National Weather service has a new scale based on some of these factors, but does not want to reveal it to the public because they believe it is too complicated, Jordan said, adding that he thinks it’s time to release it as it will keep the public better informed.

CAMPUS

“The Saffir Simpson scale tells the public something — not everything,” he said.

While there is speculation the number of storms has increased, there is no scientific evidence to support the claim, Jordan said, although the strength of average storms has increased.

“We do know that although the total number of storms annually has not shown a big change, the Cat 3s are now higher than the Cat 1s and Cat 2s, so we end up having a shift in the

strength of the storms,” he said.

Forbes has claimed that Imelda is a 1000-year storm. While the rainfall was intense, there is no scientific data to back up the claim.

“One of the things we don’t have is a good record of 500 years,” Jordan said. “Meteorological records, we have back maybe 150 years, but then we have a lot of other things to look at besides meteorology.”

Jordan said Imelda is an example of the need to revise storm forecasting to account for more than just wind.

Sept. 28 Coffee & Connect at LU Parent and Family Day Setzer Student Center 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Oct. 1 Volunteer Fair Ballroom, Setzer Student Center 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Oct. 3 Majors, Minors and More Fair Ballroom, Setzer Student Center 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Oct. 3 Latinx la Loteria/ Noches de Cultura Game Night Setzer Student Center 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Oct. 3 LU Volleyball vs. SFA McDonald Gym 7 p.m.

Oct. 4 This NASA.gov satellite photo shows the moment Imelda moved from being a tropical depression to a tropical storm, Sept. 16.

Second Annual Hispanic Excellence Awards Reception Ballroom, Setzer Student Center 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Oct. 4

from page 1

on the first floor of Carl Parker are temporarily moved to the Setzer Student Center.

Lucas 119 and parts of the STEM building also had water intrusion. The Herman Iles building in the John Gray Center reported wet conditions.

“Once remediation is completed, renovation estimates will be presented by various vendors,” Rash said. “Once an estimate is approved, the work will go forward on the renovations.”

CALENDAR

Rash said there is no way of telling how long renovations will take, but remediation work will take about 10 days.

Remediation is removing hazardous materials and waste, including water extraction and sheetrock tear out.

“An insurance claim has been filed with our carrier,” Rash said. “Insurance adjusters will be on campus this week for assessment.”

Jamie Larson, associate vice president of finance, said businesses, in-

cluding universities, rely on insurance as the first line of defense for storm damages.

“There is no reasonable means to calculate what will be needed for disaster mitigation in any given fiscal year, given the unpredictability of the environment,” Larson said. “We are in the preliminary stages of assessments for this disaster.”

Rash said that the dry out continued in all affected buildings.

LU Soccer vs. SFA Soccer Complex 7 p.m.

Oct. 5 LU Pink Out — Cheer & Dance Clinic Sheila Umphrey Recreational Center 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

UNIVERSITY PRESS • Thursday, September 26, 2019

Page 3

UP staff photo A man walks through flood waters at the intersection of I-10 and College Street in Beaumont, Sept. 19. Cars and trucks are parked on the highway as the interstate was impassable in all directions.

EVANS

from page 1

comparable to those brought on

by Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

While some building repairs have already begun, others will have to wait until hurricane season is over at the end of November.

“There are just some roofs that are simply unable to continue to operate the way they are at this point, and we'll have to prepare to replace them,” Evans said. “You tend to do (replacements) during the winter months and parts of the summer.”

After Harvey devastated Southeast Texas two years ago, Lamar implemented measures to better assist students, faculty and staff in times of crisis.

“There's a fundraising arm that immediately reaches out to supporters of the institution to try to secure funds to help defer costs,” Evans said. “We also have the capability of providing some rooms in the residence halls at a very modest cost on a short-stay basis or longer, depending on what the needs are of the students, faculty and staff.

“We also provide counseling and support for individuals who are dealing with the stresses that are associated with having another major storm event in two years. We also assembled shuttle services and other support for transportation after Harvey.”

Evans said that the university is also deferring the first payment of the fall semester to lessen the burden on students.

The school is using Blackboard to make it possible for students to access the curriculum during periods of time when they could not be on campus, Evans said.

“Some of that was in play before Harvey, but more of it has been play after Harvey because we just simply got better at it and were able to more effectively deploy the solution strategies that we have in place,” he said University enrollment has been affected by Imelda, but so far the numbers are not too perilous, Evans said.

“There's no question that if you were in a home that had been flooded twice now, and you're trying to piece together a solution for how you're going to take care of that, it would be reasonable to assume that you would be putting that as a priority as opposed to, maybe, your education,” he said. “We're going to try to do everything we can to keep that student somehow engaged.”

Evans said it may involve lessening work and class loads to be sure students can con-

tinue to progress toward their degree program.

While natural disasters like Imelda have an impact on student retention, there are still plenty of opportunities in Southeast Texas that will attract people to Lamar, Evans said.

“We have flooding in the Golden Triangle area constantly, and the reality is that this area is a driving influence in the petrochemical industry of Southeast Texas,” he said. “Because of that, it’s populated by people who live here who work in that industry and they need education, they need services and they need healthcare — they need all the things that we provide to make those industries possible.

“I'd argue that there will be some people that are frustrated and may decide that they've had enough, but there are also going to be people that are going to be looking at the opportunity that this area presents and they're going to be seeking a way to be a part of that experience.”

Lamar is wired into about five different weather services and remains vigilant all year round in monitoring storm activity, Evans said.

“We send out alerts and we provide people updates on what weather patterns we’re seeing developing that might be potentially an issue,” he said. “We’re managing whatever events we’re trying to plan here at the institution, and we’re thoughtful of what that weather might do to those events and then have punt positions. So whether we've got to move inside as opposed to having an event that was outside, or, more importantly, in the event of something like this, that we’re prepared for the possibility of significant water effects that might result in some major changes to what we’re doing operationally.”

Evans said Tuesday that there are no major changes to the Homecoming schedule, aside from the first day kickoff event, Monday.

“We were supposed to do an event with the city council and that just wasn't going to work out,” he said. “The city was shut down and it just didn't make sense because some services were shut down.

“For the rest of Homecoming, you’ve got to stay focused on the positive and move forward.”

Evans said that he is thoughtful and compassionate towards the challenges that students, faculty and staff may be facing.

“It tears me up,” he said. “On that same token, I’m optimistic

UP photo by Eleanor Skelton

UP photo by Noah Dawlearn

UP photo by Eleanor Skelton A local dog, Finn, does his best to stay dry as the streets around him flood, top right. The Cotton Team, center, make repairs to flooded Carl Parker Building, Monday. A car is lost to the flood, above, Sept. 19, after Phelan Blvd floods in Beaumont. about the future of the institution and there’s always an op-

portunity for the sunlight to shine to the clouds, and we will

find that sunlight. We always go forward.”

Thursday, September 26, 2019 • UNIVERSITY PRESS

Page 4

Bus company takes stand against hate Susan Salvo UP contributor Editor’s note: This is the second in an ongoing series on public transportation and accessibility in Brighton, England. These reports were compiled by Lamar University study abroad students.

BRIGHTON, England — The Brighton & Hove Bus Company launched an anti-hate crime campaign aimed to confront hate, reduce reporting barriers and promote inclusivity.

“Great strides have been made to improve accessibility for disabled citizens,” Victoria Garcia, accessibility and communities officer, said. “But we want to do more for the community we serve.”

Communications manager Marie Sansom said the company is looking at the complete message about accessibility.

“People should be able to ride the bus and not have the experience of being shouted at on a bus because of the color of their skin, their religion, or they are wearing a hijab,” she said. “While incidents of hate crime are low on their buses, they want every passenger to feel safe and respected on every journey.”

A hate crime is when a person is treated with hate, hostility or violence because of who they are or who someone thinks they are, according the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux in the United Kingdom. Hate crime incidents include insults, shoving, attacking or intimidation. These can be verbal or physical. “(The campaign) started last March, when a member of the Muslim community approached us about the anti-hate idea,” Garcia said. “We linked together with the local community groups such as the Racial Harassment Forum, the LGBT Community Safety Forum, the Women’s Bangladesh Womens’s Association, the Sussex Police and Brighton & Hove City Council. All these organizations had input into it.

“When we first met with the community groups, we were told

some pretty awful horror stories about things we weren’t aware.

Things that happened to them from other customers on our buses. So the need for the campaign came from the community and the stories from people actually using the buses.”

Sansom said that victims often did not report the abuse.

“Sadly, they hadn’t reported it to us or to the police because they were unsure if anything was going to be done about it. So, the reporting issue was very strong,” she said.

The company wondered what stopped victims and witnesses of hate crime from reporting incidents. Garcia said people wondered who represented the buses? Do they really care about what’s happening?

“I asked them a question — what would you like to happen?

What is going to help this?” Garcia said. “(This) is when this strategy became forward thinking and the campaign (became) very visual. People need to know, ‘Who am I talking to? Do they really care?

“We set up a hate crime reporting team and appointed Kevin Carey as head of safeguarding. He personally oversees every

hate-related report.”

People can report incidents on the company’s website — it’s #NoHateHere — where they will find pictures of Garcia and Carey and a police officer.

“We want to get that message across that we’re here, this is me, this is who you’re speaking to,” Garcia said. “And we’ve got very positive feedback about that and that’s really helped.”

“We made the campaign visual on the buses. With help from community groups, we designed a poster to get that message across. We plan to have them on every bus. So this message is how the person on the receiving end of hate feels, how to report acts of hate, and that we take this seriously.”

Garcia said there is a mobile app where people upload a photograph of a perpetrator and report it using the app, or on social media using #NoHateHere.

There are also phone numbers where people can report incidents.

“We give these wallet-sized reporting cards to the community groups and they distribute them,” she said. “The community groups are the ones that can actually ensure that it’s getting to the people.

Of course, if somebody asked for one, they get one. The cards are also at our reception area. On the back of these cards is the information we need to investigate — the date, bus route or number, time and place of boarding – then we can go back and see directly on the CCTV.” Samson said feedback from community groups has been positive.

“People have said they probably wouldn’t have reported it until

they saw the anti-hate crime poster,” she said. “And now they know how to do it and feel like we actually are taking it seriously and we care.”

The campaign is building up to Oct. 13, the start of England’s Anti-Hate Crime Awareness Week, encouraging people to report incidents.

The anti-hate crime campaign also makes good business sense, Garcia said.

“If, because of our anti-hate campaign, a person feels less anxious to take the bus, they’re more likely to use the bus next time,” she said. “And that customer will go out and tell friends.

“And it’s not just ourselves. We all have relatives, children, neighbors or friends — somebody we want to travel on the bus with. So it’s about all citizens, and there is real commercial viability in that.”

Garcia said the campaign is not solving everything.

“It’s not taking the issue totally away, but it’s giving another avenue for people to go down,” she said.

“Because at the end of the day, everybody’s a customer and anybody that feels, ‘I don’t feel right to be on that bus and I don’t want to get on that bus again because something’s happened’ — that’s not right. We need to do what we can to ensure all of our customers feel safe and respected.”

UP photos by Susan Salvo

The Brighton & Hove bus company has a program to stop incidents of hate crimes on public transportation. Passengers can show a card, top, to the driver who will alert authorities to be ready at the next stop.

OPINION

5 UNIVERSITY PRESS Thursday, September 26, 2019

The New Normal 500-YEAR STORMS NOW BECOMING REGULAR PART OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS LIFE On Sept. 18, around 9 p.m., I was shaken awake by my dad.

Not yet awake, I heard him saying, “Get up, there’s water coming into the house.” I couldn’t tell if it was a joke.

I wish it had been.

Sept. 18 brought the wrath of tropical storm Imelda to Southeast Texas. The rain was steady all day, but no one knew how much worse it was going to get.

As with Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Imelda was a storm that sat over Southeast Texas for hours, continuously dumping rain on the water-weary area.

When Harvey hit, article after article was released calling it a “500-year flood.” That title can be misleading, however. It suggests that floods like Harvey and Imelda only happen once every

Commentary

Olivia Malick UP editor

500 years, but it actually means that in any given year, there is a one in 500 chance that a flood of such magnitude will occur, according to the National Weather Service.

Imelda brought an estimated 43 inches of water to some parts of Southeast Texas. In comparison, during Harvey, some parts of Southeast Texas received as much as 60 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service, although that was over several days, not several hours.

Although two years have passed, the wound that Harvey left on this area is still fresh, and storms like Imelda only irritate it.

Every time heavy rains come, people always joke that they have “Post-traumatic Storm Disorder,” and while they might say it with a bit of a smile or laugh, the underlying anxiety and fear of another flood is visible.

This situation — expansive flooding, tales of rescues, school and city closures, evacuation orders and the rebuilding process — has become normal. So normal, that in order for people to be able to stay in this area without having to rebuild their houses every other year, more precautions need to be taken when building houses, or anything for that matter.

After Hurricane Ike decimated the Gulf Coast in 2008, new building codes were implemented

UPeditorial Students need to lead action on climate change Classes resumed on Monday after tropical storm Imelda flooded Southeast Texas. The scale of flooding reminded many of Hurricane Harvey in 2017. While some residents were awoken Wednesday night by flash flood warning alarms, others were already dealing with water in their homes.

Imelda left more than 40 inches of rain in parts of Southeast Texas, and the Lamar community is personally acquainted with the devastation of losing a home or car. Worse still, there are five confirmed deaths related to the storm.

On Friday, cities across the world hosted the Youth Strike for Climate Change.

Climate scientists believe global warming creates conditions to allow storms like Harvey and Imelda to become more powerful.

According to the National Climate Assessment 2014 report, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere has increased due to human-caused warming. Warmer air contains more vapor than cooler air, and this extra moisture is available to storms, creating heavier rainfalls.

“How can we get more young people involved,” Greta Thunberg, 16-year-old climate activist, said during a Congressional hearing about climate change, Sept. 18. “I think to just tell them the truth.

Tell them how it is. Then, I think people will understand and want to do something about it.”

One of the most valuable skills students can develop in college is critical thinking. The ability to form rational and unbiased judgements starts with collecting facts. Information regarding climate change is freely available. The first step to reform is understanding the issue and how it directly affects our community.

Climate change is not an idea one can choose to accept or reject — the science shows it to be true. It is a time for all of us to take action — and that requires all of us to understand the crisis we face.

UP editorial cartoon by Crystal Tirawan

forcing residents in Galveston’s West End and on Bolivar Peninsula to rebuild their houses on stilts.

The same might have to be done here in order for people to stay in Southeast Texas.

According to Climate.gov, the sea levels have been rising over the past century, and increased steadily in recent decades. In 2018, global mean sea level was 3.2 inches above the 1993 average

Advisors Andy Coughlan and Stephan Malick Member of Texas Intercollegiate Press Association

need to be constantly prepared to combat severe flooding.

I was one of the lucky ones this time around. My home suffered minor flood damage. But for several people in the community, this random fast-acting tropical storm has only worsened the wounds of a hardly forgotten natural disaster.

Next time, it could be worse for everyone — and there will be a next time.

Road trip, guitar picks and Dean Winchester DRIPPING SPRINGS —I sat in front of my computer with multiple tabs open, ranging from “Supernatural” convention ticket prices, air fares and hotel rates, and feeling at a loss with the lack of money in my bank account to pay for a trip to meet Jensen Ackles, who plays Dean Winchester in the TV show “Supernatural.”

I really wanted to surprise my 9-year old with a birthday treat to see his favorite fictional hero, but it looked like I was going to have to settle for a bounce-house party.

Then I saw a Facebook post that the Family Business Brewery, owned and operated by Ackles and his family, in Dripping Springs was set to celebrate its first Family Reunion Festival from May 31 to June 2.

The site did not promise that Ackles would be attending, but it was the only shot I had.

The day school let out for summer, Gabriel skipped the farewell day and was riding shot gun, fueled on angel food cake and excitement. After five hours on the road, we made it to the brewery.

Commentary

Sierra Kondos UP staff writer

Editor...................................................Olivia Malick Managing Editor.........................Claire Robertson Sports Editor ........................................Cade Smith Photo Editor...................................Noah Dawlearn Staff .........................Tiana Johnson, Cheyenne Ard, ......... Sierra Kondos, Tim Cohrs, Lainey Powdrill, .......... Elliot DePappe, Susan Salvo, Chance Sewell Advertising Assistant ..................Rachel Hellums

— the highest annual average in the satellite record. It was the seventh consecutive year, and the 23rd out of the last 25 years in which global mean sea level increased relative to the previous year.

Rising sea levels mean more catastrophic flooding, increasing the odds of a 500-year flood.

Harvey was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime storm, but as the past few days have shown, we

When we walked through the barn doors, I heard Dean’s laugh before I saw his face. He looked up and locked eyes with me and smiled a welcome to me before turning his attention to his other guests.

I looked behind me and realized that my son had not yet spotted his hero.

“Dean Winchester is standing right behind you,” I said.

Gabriel quickly flipped around and locked eyes on his hero — then ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

He made it to the double doors before I caught him. He looked overwhelmed and I had to wait for him to catch his breath. We walked together to Ackles. I intended to introduce them, but my son just shook his hand, introduced himself, and they both turned to me to take a picture. As I fumbled for my phone, Ackles turned up both his and Gabe’s hats and they had the biggest smiles on their faces.

They spoke about the 1967 Chevy Impala that Dean Winchester drives, and when it would be at the brewery. Before we left, Gabe asked Ackles if he would be there again tomorrow, and Jensen said yes.

During our adventures the next day, we came across a music store with graphic T-shirts and guitars, with classic rock coming from the building.

Gabriel spotted a collection of guitar picks and picked out a bag, insisting that he use his birthday money to buy Dean a present. He clutched his little bag and wouldn’t let it out of his sight until he saw Dean.

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Opinions expressed in letters are not necessarily those of the UP student management. Letters by the same writer on the same subject will not be published. Poetry and religious debates will not be published.

When we got back to the brewery, the band on stage was in full swing, and the festival was packed with both people and dogs.

We sat down by the playground, my son still holding his bag, when he saw Alan, a tour guide for the brewery, and asked him when Jensen would be there.

Alan looked at him with a twinkle in his eye and a grin on his face and said, “I definitely can’t tell you that It will be after five o’clock.”

He walked away laughing as my son tried to follow him, clearly not understanding his cryptic answer.

I grabbed Gabe and told him that Ackles would be there in less than two hours.

When Jensen arrived, the crowd went wild and we got stuck in a mob of fans. As we made our way out, we noticed that Ackles had snuck from the crowd and was on the back porch of the brewery.

I pulled my son to the back of a small line that formed and waited for our turn to talk to Ackles again.

When it was our turn, Gabe told him that he bought him something for his guitar. He and Ackles high fived, took pictures and talked for a minute before Gabe, pleased with his hero’s approval, took off for the playground.

On our way home, my son held my hand and said, “Mommy, I can’t explain to you how happy I am. I am more than happy right now. Thank you for being my mom.”

As I drove back toward Southeast Texas, I was grateful that a big, famous actor had lived up to the expectations of a little boy. And that his mom was his hero, too.

The opinions that appear in editorials are the official views of the University Press student management as determined by the UP Student Editorial Board. Opinions expressed elsewhere on this page are the views of the writers only and are not necessarily those of the University Press student management. Student opinions are not necessarily those of the university administration. ©University Press 2018

Thursday, September 26, 2019 • UNIVERSITY PRESS

Page 6

HOMECOMING ganizations to join the Alumni Tailgate on Saturday.

“Students organizations can tailgate any game they want to,” Daniels said. “Right now, we have over 20 organizations that will be tailgating at it. Athletics has created a new area called Cardinal Alley. They have corporate sponsors, free food, giveaways and things of that sort.

We always have live entertainment. The student section will have a DJ, free food, water, snacks and things of that sort as well.”

Other events included a latenight breakfast, Wednesday.

The Homecoming comedy show, scheduled for today was canceled.

All events are free to attend.

“Anyone can attend and watch the student’s events,” Daniels said. “But to be a part of the competitions you have to a

FUNDS

from page 1 part of a student org.”

The Homecoming game against Southland Conference rivals Stephen F. Austin will be Saturday, and there will be many activities leading up to the game, including the parade that will begin at 2 p.m.

Also scheduled is Big Red’s Ride Classic and Antique Car Show at Spindletop Museum.

“It is a free car show for anybody that has a car that qualifies,” Horton said. “They do not have to pre-register and we have great prizes.

“We also have shuttle buses running that will take people out from the parade and fan fest site, so people do not have to get back in their cars and drive out there.”

In addition to the regular tailgating, organizers will be bringing in Homecoming Fan Fest, Horton said.

“We will have live bands from noon to 5 p.m. including Champagne Room and The Flavor band,” she said. “We will have food vendors and activities provided by community organizations and museums.”

In the event of rain, all activities will be moved to the Montagne Center.

“A parade and a car show are outside activities, so we just have our fingers crossed,” Horton said.

Horton said that President Evans is committed to Homecoming being the day we celebrate Lamar.

“Our goal is to create a full day of activities for people who might not already be on our campus tailgating,” Horton said. “Homecoming is something everybody can be happy about — it is one big celebration for our students, our alumni,

our community and our faculty and staff to celebrate Lamar University altogether in a fun

way.”

For more information, visit www.lamar.edu/homecoming.

the office of university advancement, but awards are made through the financial aid office.

“The students will fill out a questionnaire identifying what their needs are,” Zabala said.

“What happens then, is that somebody from either the office of financial aid or the office of undergraduate advising contacts that student and walks them through what it is going to take to keep them enrolled right now.”

Needs are mostly addressed as they present themselves, but there is a way that students with the greatest needs get addressed quicker, Zabala said. Each process is different depending on the student.

“Sometimes it is money, buying a new book or a new computer,” Zabala said. “Sometimes it is transportation needs, and sometimes it is living. Some people’s apartments flooded, and they cannot live there any longer. Our focus is one student

at a time. We want to help every single student to be successful.”

Since Friday night, Sept. 20, more than 500 students have applied for aid through the fund.

There is no deadline for applying, and no limit to how many can apply, but Zabala said students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

“It important for students to know no matter the numbers you are talking about, there is no number too large,” he said. “We just refuse to have a disaster of this magnitude be the thing that stops anyone from getting their degree.”

The Emergency Fund provides more than just financial aid. Counselors will also help students who do not understand all of their options.

“It is not exclusively about money — it is about helping students stay in school,” Zabala said. “While we may not have enough money to buy a new car for everybody that needs one,

we certainly have the capability to help them meet their transportation needs. For example, during Harvey we used the shuttle buses on campus to drive to places and pick students up.”

Zabala said another example of non-financially-based help could be temporarily transferring to online classes, so that not having transportation becomes less of a problem.

“If you stop the process of a student enrolled in higher education (then) getting their education restarted is complicated for that student,” Zabala said.

“The point of the form is to make dropping out your last option. The idea is that even though you were flooded, you do not stop your educational experience.”

Zabala said he is trying to raise awareness for the fund, so more people will be willing to contribute.

“The people who give Lamar money are committed to our

students and to what we are trying to accomplish here on this campus,” he said. “We want as many people as possible to know that this is an option, so we can raise more funds to help our students. We recognize our donors by thanking them.”

Zabala said he encourages any student, facing any type of problem after Imelda to go online and fill out the form.

“If a student still has questions, stop wondering and apply,” he said. “There are students whose impact may be emotional and not financial. We still have the resources to help them. We want to encourage any student who is facing challenges continuing their educational experience to go online, fill out the form and give our professionals a chance to say, ‘Here, this is how we can help you.’”

For information, or to apply for aid or donate, visit lamar.edu/Imelda, lamar. edu/giving, or call 880-8422.

Mart Hurt, Nederland sophomore, left, and Austin Jones, Houston senior, work on the College of Fine Arts and Communication Homecoming float in the Theatre UP photo by Noah Dawlearn Arts Building, Wednesday

from page 1

“The president and his executive team got together and said, ‘What can we do,’” Zabala said.

“One answer was to raise money to help students.”

The Cardinal Emergency Fund is made up of tax-deductible contributions from alumni, various friends of Lamar and the community. Occasionally, even people from across the country hear about the fund and donate to it, Zabala said.

“The largest donation since Friday night, was $25,000 from one individual,” Zabala said. “I want to be careful not to make that too important, because if someone only has a $100 to give us, and they give us a $100, that is important, also.

“I want people who can only give $25 to realize their money is as important as anybody else’s. It is all of the contributions together that help us get to the point where we can help more students.”

Donations are collected by

UNIVERSITY PRESS • Thursday, September 26, 2019

Page 7

‘Luna Gale’ portrays complexity of morality LU Theatre production to open Oct. 3 for 4-day run Eleanor Skelton UP contributor “Luna Gale” pushes past black-and-white thinking in a complex situation involving a social worker and teenage parents accused of neglecting their infant daughter — whose name is the title of the play.

Carolyn Johnson, an adjunct instructor from Houston, is directing the production which will have four shows, Oct. 3-5 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. in the University Theatre.

The play follows Caroline, the social worker put in charge of deciding where Luna belongs.

“It’s a tough story but surprisingly funny in moments,” Johnson said. “We’re just really lucky that they’re having us do this show. The writing is really strong on this piece. It’s a very complex human story.

“It’s not really straightfor-

ward who the hero is, who the villain is — it’s complex, like people are.”

“Luna Gale” has been performed on Broadway and premiered at the Goodman Theater in Chicago in 2014.

“It’s very contemporary, dealing with a lot of things that we’re dealing with right now — drug addiction and how it has infiltrated even the smallest of towns,” she said. “(How do) we deal with that —what is right and what is the answer for each person.”

Caitlin Parker plays Caroline.

“For those of us that are acting in it, we have a lot to work with and our characters are very real and very human people,” she said. “It’s relatable to the audience.”

Chris Shroff plays Peter, the teenage father.

“The play itself is very eyeopening, because it sheds a different light on people who go through issues that a lot of people see and judge immediately,” he said. “There might be more to their lives affecting the reasons why they’ve done what they’ve done.”

Although “Luna Gale” is thought-provoking, the story does not get weighed down with

Emily Buesing, left, and Caitlin Grammar rehearse a scene from “Luna Gale” in the University Theatre, Sept. 25.

UP photos by Noah Dawlearn

the subject matter, Johnson said.

“It’s a mystery,” she said.

“There are twists that you don’t see coming, so it’s a surprisingly compelling piece and not just a heavy drama.”

“Luna Gale” portrays personalities coming up against each other, Johnson said.

“People will be surprised by it and maybe challenged for sure,” she said. “I think it’s going to cause people to really examine their own belief systems.”

Ed Seymour plays Pastor Jay, the grandmother’s pastor, who is brought in to negotiate with the social worker to help her see the grandmother’s point of view.

“I think the play is absolutely beautiful, it’s so well-written and poignant,” he said. “If this was a book, I would read it and re-read it and re-read it and never get tired of it. This is one of the best productions I’ve been a part of.”

Johnson said the liminal, or transition, space of theater allows audiences to examine ways of being and interacting that they do not always have the space to do in real life.

“When you are watching it play out, I think it allows you to really think about it in a different way,” she said. “With theater, we really are able to offer a window into other worlds. It literally allows us to see more detail in these people’s lives than what we see in headlines.”

People often judge those who work in Child Protective Services harshly, Johnson said, because they only see them in the headlines when they’ve screwed up and something bad happens.

“We don’t think a lot about what the day-in and day-out is, so I think that’s fascinating,” she said. “Everything that seems obvious — obviously this

Maddy Beard, left, Christopher Shroff and Caitlin Grammar rehearse rehearsing a scene from “Luna Gale” in the University Theatre, Sept. 25. is the way this should go, and obviously that’s a bad choice, and obviously that’s a good choice. But when you dig a little deeper, then it gets more complicated.”

As humans, we want things to be black and white, and we don’t like it when there is not a clear answer — but that is how life is, Johnson said.

“That’s really what (playwright) Rebecca Gilman has done so beautifully here,” she said. “All these complex characters that you can agree with one moment and completely disagree with the next moment.”

“Luna Gale” asks the audi-

ence to hold two conflicting ideas in their minds at the same time, Johnson said.

“It’s very upper level,” she said. “It has strong potential for educational benefit. I think for a university audience, it’s going to make people talk and think about how we frame individuals other than ourselves, how do we think about them, how do we want to put them in a box.”

Tickets are $7 for LU/LIT students with a valid ID, $10 LU/LIT faculty and staff, senior citizens and non-LU students, and $15 general admission.

For more information, visit lamar.edu/theatre.

Thursday, September 26, 2019 • UNIVERSITY PRESS

Page 8

Triple threat leads Southeast Texas Showcase Lainey Powdrill UP contributor

Olajuwon Taylor

Meredith De Leon

Melissa Ehrlich

Lamar University gained three new drum majors for the Southeast Texas Showcase, LU’s marching band. Olajuwon Taylor, Melissa Ehrlich and Meredith De Leon are ready to stand tall while leading the band during halftime performances.

Eric Shannon, director of athletic bands, said the three-man team is all new since last year’s drum majors graduated.

Shannon said instead of having ranked drum majors, all three are equal.

“We intend to allow them to rotate to different podiums, so they all have a chance to be the center,” he said. “The center conductor is the main focal point and everyone, including the other drum majors, looks to that main person for tempo and for changes.

“We do this now, because as a program, we found we were underutilizing great talent who had won assistant drum major (positions), and were never really getting a chance to gain that experience, or for the band to get the benefit of their particular approach or skill set.”

Shannon said the three drum majors all have different strengths and weaknesses, both musically and socially.

“I think having them equal allows all of them to feel like they can employ those skills without deferring to a head drum major, who then goes to a director,” he said.

The drum majors have multiple physical and ethical tasks during the year, Shannon said.

“Their main job is to conduct the band at halftime shows, stand-still concerts, and every rehearsal,” he said. “The main leadership role is to set a good example for the other band members of how to be responsible and positive. That is all you could really ask for. I think, too, to demonstrate the level of how we want to do things here by conducting well and marching well to get that position.”

Olajuwon Taylor, Buna junior, is a music education major and has been playing drums since he was seven-years old, and has been a percussionist since sixth grade.

“My parents just bought me a drum set,” he said. “I just started messing around with it and got hooked from there.”

Taylor said he felt qualified for the role from previous leadership positions he has held.

“I was a drum major in high school and I loved it, so I wanted to be back in that realm of things for marching band,” he said. “I was drum line captain and section leader, too, in

high school.

“Freshman year of college I was on the drumline, and sophomore year I was in the front ensemble — or the pit as they call it. I worked with Buna bands to gain teaching experience and that helped me muster up the courage to audition for drum major for Lamar, because I felt like if I could handle some wild seventh graders, I could handle this gig.”

Taylor said he wants to be a band director and eventually a symphony conductor. He said he has great faith in the band.

“The band does not necessarily need help, but just some strong guidance in a way — someone positive on the podium, someone stern and passionate,” he said. “So, I feel like that is how I can contribute.”

Taylor’s goal is to promote the individual musicians’ self-confidence.

“Keep the music alive,” he said. “Always keep trying to perfect your craft. Keep trying to be the best you can be, because the more you know the more you can help someone else.”

Melissa Ehrlich, Flower Mound senior, has played French horn since she was in sixth grade, but said she has been involved with music since she was born.

“My grandpa sings in a choir, my brother played trumpet, and my family was basically the reason why I went in a musical direction,” she said. “My brother playing trumpet inspired me to play a brass instrument, so I chose French Horn because I didn’t want to play the bigger instruments like tuba, baritone, or trombone. So, I only had one option left really.”

Ehrlich said she feels prepared to serve in the band’s highest leadership position.

“Junior year, I served as the band librarian,” she said. “My senior year, I served as squad leader, which is like a type of section leader.

And in the Showcase, I have served as a mellophone section leader for the past two years.

“Being an education major and being a drum major goes hand in hand with educational and teaching experiences.”

Ehrlich said she hopes to establish a culture in the band that is hardworking.

“But (a culture that) is also passionate and loving, because everyone knows that your showcase is your home or your break, because you get to have fun but also learn to work hard,” she said.

Meredith De Leon, Baytown senior, is a music education major who plays French horn and has also been a mellophone section leader for See MAJORS page 10

SPORTS

9 UNIVERSITY PRESS Thursday, September 26, 2019

INJURIES: A FOOTBALL LIFE NFL backup QBs Bridgewater, Rudolph take rein NFL fans were hit with heartbreak, Sept. 15, as quarterbacks Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints and Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers both left their respective games with injuries.

Brees left the game late in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams when his right throwing hand made contact with Rams defensive back Aaron Donald’s hand at the end of an incomplete pass.

Brees was later seen in full uniform, with his right thumb, along with his lower hand and wrist, taped and did not return to the game.

On Sept. 18, Saints head coach Sean Payton announced that Brees would likely miss at least six weeks due to surgery and that backup Teddy Bridgewater would take his place as quarterback.

Roethlisberger, on the other hand, came off the field against the Seattle Seahawks, grabbing his right elbow on his team’s final drive of the first half. Roethlisberger previously had complained of arm soreness in the Week 1 loss

Cade Smith UP sports editor

to the New England Patriots.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced Sept. 16 that Roethlisberger would require season-ending surgery on the elbow.

On Sunday, ESPN reporter Adam Schefter reported that Roethlisberger would not require the dreaded Tommy John surgery that is common with Major League Baseball pitchers. Roethlisberger is expected to be ready to go for the 2020 season.

The main question on fans’ minds is, what does this mean for both teams in regard to their quarterback situation?

For the Saints, they have backup Teddy Bridgewater, who is the highest paid backup QB, with a one-year, $7.25 million deal. Bridgewater led the game against the Rams in Brees’ absence, going 17-of-30 for 165 yards, in their 27-9 loss to the Rams.

Bridgewater is a seasoned quarterback, having had a stint with the Minnesota Vikings from 2014 until March 2018, when he signed a one-year contract with the Jets only to be traded five months later, along with a 2019 sixth-round draft pick, to the Saints who offered up a 2019 third-round pick.

For the Steelers, they relied on backup Mason Rudolph, who went 12-of-19 for 112 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, as they lost to the Seahawks, 2826. Rudolph was named the starting quarterback to replace Roethlisberger. Rudolph was drafted by the Steelers in the third-round, 76th overall in the 2018 draft, and has not had any experience leading a team except in college at Oklahoma State Uni-

UP graphic by Cade Smith

versity.

The Saints have a better chance of being successful for the reminder of the season with Bridgewater and his experience being a starter. He proved that Sunday, completing 19-of-27 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns, defeating the Seahawks 33-27.

Bridgewater has a solid core around him in three-year veteran running back Alvin Kamara, wide receivers Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn Jr., and tight end Jared Cook. Those guys are a solid threat on the offensive side and

have proven that they can get the job done with Bridgewater under center.

However, when it comes to the Steelers and the younger, less-experienced Rudolph, their season will be a challenge. Rudolph struggled in Sunday’s 24-20 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, going 14-of-27 for 174 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

The Steelers have relatively strong receivers in JuJu SmithSchuster, Donte Moncrief, James Washington and Ryan Switzer, a strong run game with James Conner, and tight end Vance McDon-

ald. In all honesty, the Steelers will not have a winning season with Rudolph under center, unless Rudolph can prove he can handle the league and reduce the mistakes.

Fans will not have to worry about the Saints with Bridgewater and, hopefully, Brees can recover in six weeks and return strong and be ready for the playoffs, because Brees needs to avenge the heartbreak he faced in the NFC championship game versus the Rams.

I would like to be wrong about Rudolph’s performance with the Steelers — but I doubt I am.

Competition, fun on offer in Rec Center Chance Sewell UP contributor

UP photo by Noah Dawlearn

A student catches a frisbee in the Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center Indoor Soccer Arena, Aug 27.

GAME

from page 1

“I am more concerned with the community,” he said “People have made the comparison to Hurricane Harvey — that we got as much rain as Harvey.

The thing that made the most impact from Harvey was the flooding, and when I hear that it makes me concerned for the community. I think it was a burden on everybody.”

Flood water aside, the Cardinals will take on the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks for the

Homecoming game.

“They are a big name on our schedule right now,” Schultz said. “I know the first thing people are going to say is that Stephen F. Austin haven’t won a game. They have been in every game, and every game they have played they had a chance except for one. Just by looking at them, they could easily be a 3-1 team.

“I know Colby (Carthel) leads a very successful team

Intramural and Club Sports offer a variety of activities for students. “(It is) a great way to stay involved on campus,” Conner McCauley, Nederland junior, said. “It really helps you build the college experience, and make friends that you would never know you could have.”

McCauley participates in the Ultimate Frisbee team that plays against other schools in the club league.

“Getting the opportunity to go play against other universities has been a great experience,” he said. “The best tournament we have ever had was when we got to go compete against other schools at the University of Texas.”

Intramural sports include basketball, volleyball and, flag football competitions. The Sheila Umpmphrey Recreational Sports Center hosts games including air hockey, table tennis and e-sports.

“E-sports is something, that if you’ve never gotten

and he is a successful coach.

His defensive coordinator does a terrific job of making small, neat adjustments very quick during the game. We have to make sure we come up with a great plan that we can address all of those things and make sure our scheme fits.”

The Cards have not won a Homecoming game since Nov. 1, 2014, when they defeated the Houston Baptist Huskies, 7214.

“We are going to approach this game like we have in the previous ones,” Schultz said. “We

involved with sports, don’t like sports, or if you’re injured, you can still get involved with intramurals,” Jenna Malone, recreational center graduate assistant, said.

E-sports involves students going head-to-head in games such as Madden or FIFA. Club sports include Ultimate Frisbee, soccer, baseball, tennis, mixed martial arts and archery. The club archery team is the national champion.

To sign up for intramurals, visit IMLeagues.com, find Lamar, and create an account. Students can sign up as a free agent and wait to be picked up by a team, or use the messaging tool to request to join a team.

For club sports, contact one of the team captains — information can be found on fliers —or log on to Orgsync to find the sports options.

“It’s important to know that you don’t have to be professional, or even good, to compete in intramural sports,” Malone said.

Malone said the program is working on several new competitive activities, in-

are going to work through our process — there is no difference to us, I don’t think you can do it that way. Our players and student athletes thrive and do best when they have great detailed structure. We are going to keep that structure, and at the end of the week that will give us our best opportunity.”

The game against the Lumberjacks will kick off at 6 p.m., at Provost Umphrey Stadium.

The game can be heard live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and will be televised on ESPN+.

cluding cricket and basketball for club sports, and indoor wiffleball and archery tag for intramurals.

Allison Guckes, recreational sports graduate assistant, said archery tag is a spin-off from dodgeball, but instead of rubber balls participants try to hit each other with rubber arrows shot from plastic bows.

Guckes said archery tag is not yet a sport at Lamar, but the program is planning a tournament this semester with the date to be announced.

Rec Sports is seeking students to officiate intramural sports. Interested students should visit the office in the Rec Center. Officiating positions are paid positions.

Malone said the Recreational Sports Center is recruiting work study-eligible students to officiate games.

“They can start off at minimum wage, and eventually work their way up to be a supervisor and make $10 an hour,” she said.

For more information, call 880-2306, or visit lamar.edu/intramurals.

UP photo by Cade Smith

LU head football coach Mike Schultz answers questions during a press conference held at the Dauphin Athletic Complex, Monday.

Thursday, September 26, 2019 • UNIVERSITY PRESS

Page 10

UPsports briefs VOLLEYBALL Lamar University (5-6, 0-1 SLC) fell just short Tuesday in a four-set loss to the University of New Orleans.

A .286 hitting percentage for Big Red against a measly .138 for UNO helped Lamar stay in front of the Privateers through most of the set, though New Orleans did manage to tie the game once and even briefly take the lead on its first big run of the night. Lamar weathered the first Privateer attack though thanks to serving by Annika Slovak and a kill by Abigale Nash, taking the final four points of the set to win 25-17.

The Cardinals opened the second set with an early 7-4 lead, but an error by LU led to a big momentum shift. UNO took 11 of the next 14 points and led 15-10, and though LU snapped with a block by Malaysia Murdock and an ace by Slovak, UNO would still take two points for every one by the Cards. Bad execution by the Privateers allowed Lamar to climb back in it late, but UNO held on to win the set 25-20.

An attack percentage of .077 in the third set proved hard to overcome for the Cards, and errors in serving and ball handling made it even tougher for LU to climb back into the match. New Orleans opened the set with a 9-4 run, but Big Red fought back with a 3-0 run fueled by a Privateer error, a Nash kill, and an ace by Dannisha House. UNO called a stoppage in play to cool off the Cardinal attack, and that led to a 6-0 run by New Orleans for a 15-7 led over Lamar. LU and UNO would trade points for the rest of the set but the Priva-

teers remained in control, taking the game 25-17.

LU was scrappy through most of the final frame, coming within a point of UNO at 12-11, again at 14-13, and finally at 15-14, but a few small runs put LU out of reach, and UNO again took the set by a score of 25-17, claiming the win in four sets with a 5-1 run to end the match.

House led LU in kills with nine and poured in two blocks and two aces for a total of 12 points, and Nash had eight kills and nine digs, coming just short of her eighth double-double on the year.

Erin Pequeno had 18 digs, and Slovak had 31 assists as the primary setter.

LU returns to action on Saturday with another SLC road match, taking on Southeastern Louisiana (5-9, 0-1 SLC) before heading home to host Stephen F. Austin (12-1, 0-0 SLC) on Oct. 3.

SOCCER Following their performances last weekend in the Southland Conference opener, LU’s Lucy Ashworth and Sandra Nygard have been named SLC Offensive Player and Keeper of the Week, respectively.

Ashworth scored four goals and had an assist in the first half and one assist in the second half, setting new Lamar records for goals in a game and points in a game. The program's previous record for goals in a single game was three.

Nygard saved all three shots she faced in a 90minute shutout start.

LU returns to the pitch on Sept. 27 at Northwestern State (4-5, 1-0), and will then play at Cen-

tral Arkansas (1-6-1, 0-1) on Sept. 29 before returning home for Stephen F. Austin (3-5, 0-1) on Oct. 4.

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Hot off his win of the 2019 Rice Invitational, Lamar University's Jordan Rowe has been crowned the Southland Conference Men's Cross Country Student-Athlete of the Week, as announced by the league on Sept. 17.

Rowe had a strong performance in the Rice Invite field with a 4:54/mile pace, crossing the finish line in 19:37.62, a full 13 seconds before second place Daniel Saina from McNeese. He bested 83 runners, and was the main component in a second-place team finish for the Cardinals in the 6,000-meter race behind the hosts, Rice University.

Rowe and the rest of the cross country team return to action on Oct. 5 when they run a preview of the NCAA National Championship course; the Cards will race at the 2019 Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark with the men starting their 8K at 9 a.m. and the women running a 5K about an hour and a half later. Awards will be handed out at 11:30 a.m., just before the high school portion of the festival.

Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school's sports information director. Voting for one's own athletes is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.

MAJORS from page 8 the past two years.

De Leon plans to be a high school band director.

“I want to be able to have a prestigious band, but most importantly, I want to help kids who were like me,” she said.

“The small kids, the bullied kids, the ones that didn’t have a lot of friends — find something they are good at and something that they love and have a passion for, so, hopefully, they can go on to do the same thing and be music educators.”

De Leon said she expects the band to be more energetic than

in previous years.

“I want this year to be fun,” she said. “I want people to enjoy being in band, even though it is hot and we have late rehearsals, but that is part of the experience and it is important. I want the Showcase to share the same love for all of it.”

De Leon aims to inspire through her actions and attitude.

“I have been told, whatever I feel I tend to pass it on to those around me, so I try to stay with a positive attitude

and hype people up to let them know it is OK to dance around a little and not be so serious, because you can have fun and do work, too,” she said. “All three drum majors are pretty good about hyping people up, and I think that will be very helpful this year.”

De Leon said all three drum majors have prepared to ensure they are the best leaders they can be.

“I think that having all new drum majors has helped, because we are all learning together and listening to each

other to figure things out,” she said. “We have practiced on our own and practiced together once band camp week came.

We practiced in front of mirrors and in front of each other, so we can give each other critiques just to make sure we are as prepared as we can be for conducting them, so they can have something reliable to watch.”

De Leon said her philosophy is one of perseverance.

“Just keep doing it,” she said. “After doing it one season, people (may) think they do not

like it, but I think in order to get a good idea of something you have to do it multiple times to give it a fair try. There is always going to be something that makes you not want to, but if you have to do it anyways you might as well be positive.

“Even I don’t love everything about marching band, but the activity as a whole I love. So just try to find that one thing that makes you love it, because that is what is important.”

For information, visit, www.lamar.edu/marching band.

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6 : 3 0 PM - 7 : 2 0 PM Ed dwin FITNESS STUDIO 111

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BEACH H BODY DV VD SERIES FITN NESS STUDIO 111

4:3 30

TAI CHI

- 5:20PM Diane

PM

FITN NESS STUDIO 111

ZUMBA

5:3 30PM - 6:20PM A l ex FITN NESS STUDIO 111

YOGA

6:3 30PM - 7:20PM Edwin FITN NESS STUDIO 111