The DC Spring Issue 2024

Untold Stories AT SMU

Hidden

Editor-in-Chief Ellis Rold

04 Beyond the Buzz

By Bella Edmondson

05 The Mane Event

By Katie Fay

06 Q&A with SMU Archivist

Cloi Bryan

07 New Kids on the Block

By Mikaila Neverson

08 Lights, Camera, Atrion

Melanie Jackson

Table of

10 Curious Cats on Campus

By Elizabeth Guevara

12 SMU Goes Punk

By Caroline Pierce and Katie Fay

13 Back on Air

By Grace Bair

14 The People Behind the Badge

By Sara Hummadi

Letter from the Editor

Dear Mustangs,

Welcome to the spring edition of The DC, a publication of The Daily Campus. In this issue, we dive into the untold stories of the various communities that make up our university.

At The Daily Campus, we've had the privilege of uncovering stories that often remain hidden beneath the surface. There are so many voices on our campus that are misunderstood or never heard. We want to amplify those voices in this issue and share the unique narratives students might not always be exposed to.

life, the history of the observatory on campus, a film student and more. From the courageous work of our campus police department to the routine of our campus mascot, the stories in this issue celebrate all of the different voices at SMU.

The Daily Campus has always strived to be the voice of our student body, and we hope this issue inspires you to embrace the variety of perspectives on this campus.

Thank you for supporting student journalism.

Throughout these pages, we aim to shine a spotlight on the experiences of the people who make up the heartbeat of our campus. Read about the changing tides in Greek

Ellis Rold, Editor-in-Chief

What is That?

The DC explores the Blanton Student Observatory, the small dome behind Dallas Hall

By Grace Bair

The Blanton Student Observatory, designed by J.D. Boon, SMU physics professor, has been a captivating part of SMU’s campus since it was built in 1934. Though it was most frequently used by the astronomy and geology programs at SMU, students, faculty and locals alike were welcome to use the observatory when Boon opened it on clear and dry nights. Boon was the head of the physics department and was also a member of one of the most trusted sources for scientific knowledge and research, the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The observatory gets its name from Jeptha Willis “J.W.” Blanton and Dorothy Elizabeth Brown Blanton of Dallas. The Blantons donated the telescope to SMU and funded the construction of the building. J.W. Blanton was one of the founding members of the Educational Commission of 1910 that established SMU.

The Fondren Science building now stands where the observatory was initially built. The dome-shaped structure moved to the edge of the parking lot behind Dallas Hall in 1950, said former SMU physics professor John Cotton. The observatory previously held astronomy classes and labs of students but slowly the building began to succumb to wear and tear, Cotton said.

Inside the observatory lies a 6-inch Clark Refractor telescope made in 1910, Cotton said.

There is also a broken window but the telescope is still in pristine working condition.

“It has a beautiful telescope,” he said. “The telescope is 114 years old, it just needs a new dome.”

The rotating dome on the top of the

building is a perfect hemisphere and was constructed of the finest materials available at the time. The dome is now rusted and is hard to open, said Robert Kehoe, Ph.D, professor of experimental particle physics.

“We need to protect the telescope so birds and other things, and wind, and rain don’t get in on the telescope or the electronics,” Kehoe said. “I am hoping that by the spring, we can do something and maybe by the eclipse, but I think that’s probably the wrong thing to focus on getting it ready for the eclipse.”

The observatory door now remains locked, but Kehoe and a group of graduate students are planning to restore the dome of the building.

“The big issue about whether this thing can be usable in a more routine fashion,

is up to the dome,” Kehoe said. “It’s a non standard size, it’s going to need some sort of a solution that would have to be machined. With the dome there is another problem that the width of the opening the telescope sees through is unfortunately way too narrow, so I think that dome has lived out its life.”

Ironically, the observatory is the

smallest building on campus, yet is the highest point of the hilltop, according to the “The SMU Campus at 100: A Century of Shared Commitment.”

The building is a mystery to most students currently on campus. “I’ve never heard of any observatory before,” said SMU sophomore Alyssa Burke.

The Numbers of the SMU Observatory

90 years ago, the observatory was built

114 years ago, the telescope was built

The telescope collects 6 in

The lens of the telescope is times more light than a human eye 1,000

Don’t miss the annular solar eclipse April 8. Dallas is in the path of the eclipse and SMU will have telescopes and a viewing party for students to watch the eclipse safely.

The physics department will set up two telescopes that will project the image of the eclipse on screens for viewing. One will be located near Dallas Hall and the other will be by the Airline parking garage.

4 ECLIPSE SAFETY TIPS

Don’t view the partial eclipse with your bare eyes, camera lens or binoculars

Use solar safe viewers that comply with the ISO 12312-2 standard

Watch a projection on a screen

Or learn how to make and use homemade glasses by scanning the QR code

The 114-year-old telescope still works despite years of not being used inside of the observatory. Photo by Grace Bair

The observatory sits behind Dallas Hall on Daniel Street. Photo by Grace Bair

Beyond the Buzz Unveiling Dallas’ best-kept culinary secrets on Maple Avenue

By Bella Edmondson

Dallas is known for its culinary excellence. From Tex-Mex to BBQ, there is something for everyone. Many SMU students stick to the bubble of familiarity: Mi Cocina in Highland Park Village, Burger House on Hillcrest Avenue and Bubba’s Cook Country in Snider Plaza. Occasionally students branch out when popular Dallas food influencers post a new spot to try. Located only 10 minutes from SMU’s campus, here are three spots on

Avila’s Mexican Restaurant

This family-owned restaurant is in an old house on 4714 Maple Ave. The ceiling is draped with colorful flags called papel picados and there is an outdoor seating area with four picnic tables.

Octavio Avila co-owns the restaurant with his two sisters and credits a lot of the success to the lessons he learned while working at his grandfather’s grocery, Martinez Grocery. Growing up in his grandfather’s store taught him how to conduct business, he says.

“It shaped my whole life and my personality, being able to deal with people at a young age,” Octavio says.

It was his dream to open a restaurant with his mom, Anita. The mother-and-son duo opened their doors in 1986 with just four tables. Octavio says the restaurant gained a loyal following in its early years. No money was spent on marketing, instead, they relied on word of mouth.

In 2009, the unexpected happened: the Food Network channel called.

“My brother took the call, and it didn’t go anywhere. A month later they called back, and we thought, ‘Maybe this is real,’” Octavio said. “One thing led to another and Guy Fieri came in 2009.”

The menu is constantly updated and features traditional family recipes. One of their most popular dishes is the Triple D, named for Guy Fieri’s show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. The dish is a cup of pozole, brisket gorditas, pork tamales, rice and beans and the chile relleno.

Owning and operating Avila’s has been a journey about learning, he says.

Love and tradition are prepared with every plate at Avila’s. You can walk into the restaurant, and an Avila will be there. What to order: Triple D appetizer, brisket tacos, and fajitas.

Mike’s Chicken

Dallas is not short on fried chicken. But there’s only one place that makes it cooked to order inside an old laundromat at 4234 Maple Ave.

also the process.

“My mother, the original author of the recipe, loves cooking and highly values the steps to cooking,” said Michael Dao, son of Tram and Son.

It is both a home-cooked meal and fast food.

“Upon creating the food, she wishes to infuse her passion and motherly love into the food and share it with anyone that eats it,” Michael said, “She wishes to recreate the childhood memory of waiting at the dining table so you can eat a heartwarming meal together with your family.”

The chicken earned its spot as a favorite in DFW after being voted Best Fried Chicken in 2021 by Dallas Observer and in 2022 by D Magazine. In 2022, Mike’s Chicken opened its second location on Forest Lane.

What to order: Leg and thigh fried chicken with creamy corn and beans. And Mike’s sauce!

Maple and Motor

Maple and Motor, located at 4810 Maple Ave. is the story of an unexpected venture between two neighbors who wanted to change how they invested their money during the 2008 economic recession. Both were active stock market investors and wanted to save up to do something different.

“Let’s take the next $50,000 we each have and invest in a real business,” said Jack Perkins, co-founder.

But, crafting a burger needed to come before buying a building.

“We put the grill in the garage and started making hamburgers,” Perkins said, “We spent a year or so until we figured we had a pretty good burger, we tried all kinds, and french fries too.”

The 15-year-old restaurant is your classic hamburger joint. The restaurant has eclectic decor with baseball caps hanging from the ceiling, and a fast-paced atmosphere. Co-owners Jack Perkins and Austen Wright opened their doors in 2009 and have been busy ever since.

In 2008, D Magazine named it the “Best Burger in Dallas” and in 2011, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives visited, building its reputation even more.

The menu features nine options, the most popular is the cheeseburger, described on the menu as a “half-pound of finely ground American beef, flat-grilled in its own juices.” Dressed in traditional Texas fashion, with mustard, lettuce, red onion and pickle.” The restaurant says it is “a place that celebrates low class cool.” The homemade milkshakes (vanilla only!), traditional burger and old-time atmosphere demonstrate just that. What to order: Cheeseburger, fries, and homemade vanilla milkshake.

Mike’s Chicken is owned and operated by Tram and Son Dao, both Vietnamese immigrants. They serve fried chicken, homemade sauce and tasteful sides. For the Daos, it isn’t just about the final product but

It is not just the food that makes Maple Avenue stand out, but the people. I left my food tour with a full belly and an even fuller heart. These three restaurants have committed to bringing people together, whether through a burger, taco or fried chicken. Maple Avenue is undeniably deserving of your attention.

The inside of Avila’s, 4714 Maple Ave.

Photo by Bella Edmonson

Mike’s Chicken at 4234 Maple Ave.

Photo by Bella Edmonson

Maple and Motor at 4810 Maple Ave.

Photo by Bella Edmonson

Maple Avenue that offer some of the best food in Dallas.

The Mane Event

The untold life of the SMU mascot

By Katie Fay

SMU’s official mascot, Peruna, walks through Moody’s tunnel to the basketball game just before the lights go out as the announcer calls out the players’ names. He joins the line of cheerleaders, dancing around and interacting with the front-row fans.

This is what Peruna lives for.

Despite Peruna’s intense schedule and preparation for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), The Daily Campus was able to get an exclusive interview, where he poured his heart out about friendships, game days and performing. For Peruna, it all starts with pre-season training with other college mascots for a few days, often at SMU, in the summer.

“At the NCAA cheer camp, mascots from all over the place, like SMU, TCU or OSU, get together and there’s sort of like training,” Peruna said. “Starting from the basics, like

getting into the suit, how to act nonverbal, and then just sort of goofing around figuring out how to use props, how to make people laugh and how to deal with kids.”

Peruna’s friendships formed with both cheerleaders and especially with other mascots are long lasting.

“Mascots love hanging out with each other,” Peruna said. “We have a Slack group chat, and we’ll reach out to other mascots before a game and be like, ‘Hey are you coming? Do you want to do a skit with me?”

During last year’s SMU vs. Navy football game, Peruna and Battleship coordinated to meet up and play a game of tic-tac-toe together. It was televised on ESPN.

Photos of Peruna hanging out with other mascots can be found on his official instagram page @TheOnlyPeruna.

Tori Hogan, a sophomore flyer on the cheerleading team who trained with Peruna

at the NCAA cheer camp, said Peruna is essential to the team, especially on gameday.

“A human mascot is super fun to be around,” Hogan said. “They’re so supportive, so fun, just like another member of the team even though they’re not doing what we’re doing.”

In between gameday appearances, Peruna keeps his looks by showering his mane and choosing between his T-shirt and jersey collection to create the perfect look for his next visit. This is important when traveling on the road with the rest of the spirit team to a game, or to visit a local community event like college fair day.

“For the past few years, we’ve done the Hyde Park University Fourth of July parade, and I worked a wedding last June,” Peruna said. “[I’ve] also worked kids’ birthday parties.”

Karl Martin, SMU’s character coach and former Peruna, said that he enjoyed his time performing as Peruna because of the creativity involved.

“For me, it was great. It was all about acting and drawing on experiences I already had as a performer,” Martin said. “A big part of what made it fun for me was the ability to do pretty much whatever I wanted.”

Information on how to try out as Peruna can be found across all SMU Athletics email and instagram pages as well as on signage across campus. Students can also reach out to Karl Martin for more information. While the position isn’t paid, there are scholarship opportunities for students that perform as Peruna.

Peruna also works hard to get students engaged with sporting events on campus. Devin Coates, a student at SMU, knows students who’ve been a Peruna mascot.

“The coolest [Perunas], in my opinion, have been the

ones that know the most dances,” he said. Peruna IX, the pony, is one of Peruna the mascot’s close friends. With the help of Mary Drill Krow, assistant director of spirit at SMU, the little black pony had a message for his buddy.

“Pony Up!”

Peruna basking under the stadium lights. Photo courtesy of SMU Spirit

Peruna poses with a Mustang band hat. Photo courtesy of SMU Spirit

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What’s Behind the Doors of DeGolyer Library?

SMU Archivist Joan Gosnell shares how SMU Libraries keep their history safe

By Cloi Bryan

Tucked away in the DeGolyer Library lies SMU’s most precious archives. These prized possessions continue to be discovered by the SMU community as the years go by. Joan Gosnell, university archivist, is one of the many important individuals in charge of preserving the history of SMU. Gosnell spoke with The Daily Campus editor, Cloi Bryan, at the DeGolyer Library to talk about SMU’s historic archives of SMU and campus life.

Cloi Bryan: What made you want to pursue a career in archival history and what inspired you to get into this field?

Joan Gosnell: Well, it’s real simple. I went to college at a very small school in central Pennsylvania, and my junior year, I wanted to do an internship in Washington, DC. And I thought, “Oh, I’ll do an internship in history, because I’ll never get a job in history.” I ended up getting an internship at the National Archives and falling in love with the idea of collecting documents and learning about something in-depth.

Bryan: When it comes to preserving various archival pieces for SMU, how do you and the other librarians gain access to those certain items? And how has SMU preserved these pieces for so long?

Gosnell: Originally, Dorothy Amman, who was the very first librarian, started collecting materials, and it was sort of kept in the library. Then the university started an archive in the 1970s, and we started collecting more and more, but some of our most recent things are truly because of the first librarian. She kept the first newspapers and things like that. Now we get things through donations from faculty, staff or alumni. We get materials transferred directly to us from development. We get a lot of photographs from development.

Bryan: How do you store all of the archives? And what kind of archives are there? I know there are photographs and news clippings.

Gosnell: Correspondence, speeches, reports, videotapes, audiotapes, oral histories, all sorts of things. Generally, we store it here in the DeGolyer, but recently the archives have been transferred off-site because of the Trevor Rees-Jones Library that’s coming to campus. So they’re right now off-site, except for about four or five

collections, which are our most precious and most used.

Bryan: What would SMU’s most prized archive pieces be?

Gosnell: The records of the university that have the minutes from the educational commission that started SMU in 1911. Those would be our most prized possession. The course catalogs come in a second because they tell us the official history of the university.

Bryan: Are the course catalogs the different classes that were at SMU?

Gosnell: They were the classes that were taught each year, but the course catalog had a lot more than that. The course catalog had everything from a history of the school, to what the tuition cost in the early days, to a list of graduates in the very early days, to lists of all the faculty that taught as well as all the different classes. We’ve digitized them so they’re available online now. It was sort of SMU’s marketing piece in the very early days.

Bryan: Good promotion for SMU back then!

Gosnell: Yes. Now it’s all of course, all online. And it’s a database that you can use, but before, it used to be an actual book.

Bryan: Are you preserving current things that happen around campus for the years to come?

Gosnell: Yes. Currently, one of the things we’re doing is collecting all the press releases that Development and Public Affairs puts out as electronic files. They used to be printed out and typed out and sent out to newspapers around the country and the neighborhood. But now they’re done electronically, and we’re starting to collect those electronically.

Bryan: Is it hard to keep track of things through an online record?

Gosnell: Yes. I need more help with the electronic records. When they’re just paper and they’re in a box, they don’t go anywhere, but electronically you have to make sure they stay safe and that they’re not being messed with. Keeping them safe and secure is a lot harder.

Bryan: What does the day in the life of an archivist look like here at the DeGolyer?

Gosnell: Well, there’s a bunch of stuff we do. Some of it is answering reference questions. When faculty, staff, outsiders and alumni ask questions about the university archives, we answer those or help students on how to answer them. We do play with the actual records. So keeping them in order, re-folder them, writing finding aids, which is how you find the materials…to working on some of our digital projects, including the Voices of SMU, which is an oral history of students of color, at SMU.

Bryan: How important is it to preserve

artifacts like these, and why is it important for these artifacts to continue to live on?

Gosnell: It’s important because it answers a lot of questions for the administration when they need to know about the history of the university. For example, we did a history of what the student code was in the earliest days to the most recent, that was a few years ago. Having that available for the administration is really important. Having that available when somebody emails and says, “My grandfather went to SMU, can you find a picture of him?”. That builds bonds between the community and the school. People want to know about their ancestors– that’s important to be able to document correctly.

SMU Archivist Joan Gosnell rifles through historic documents in Fondren Library.

Photo by Cloi Bryan

New Kids on the Block Alpha Delta Pi at SMU

By Mikaila Neverson S

MU’s Panhellenic Council welcomed back a new sorority to the Hilltop this year: Alpha Delta Pi. This sorority looks to reestablish and rebrand itself after its exit in 1998 for low recruitment.

During the 2023 fall semester, SMU’s Panhellenic Council announced the sorority’s return to campus in a statement on its website.

Since ADPi is returing, it’s taking time for the organization to choose executive members and leadership.

Jen Dickinson, national senior director of membership engagement for ADPi, said the sorority has a longstanding history with SMU and was excited to be back on the Hilltop.

“Our Alpha Zeta chapter was initially founded the same year as the institution in 1915 and remained active on campus for more than 80 years. We have long hoped for an opportunity to reestablish this chapter,” Dickinson said.

SMU sorority life has seen several changes over the last few years. Another sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, was suspended from campus for allegations of hazing in 2022. Gamma Phi Beta, will leave campus after this school year.

The university also announced in January 2024 that formal recruitment will happen in the fall instead of the spring, starting in August 2024.

The History of ADPi

As one of the first sororities established, ADPi was founded May 5, 1851, at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia by six women.

In its establishing documents it was written that ADPi’s “[live] for each other.” This is the driving force behind the deeply bonded sisterhood within the sorority.

Melody Mattox, SMU class of 1991, said this motto is what keeps her connected to her sorority sisters.

“The ADPi’s Alpha Zeta chapter sticks together no matter how many years have passed,” Mattox said. “We also kept our house viable by running it as a Panhellenic House for 20+ years with the hope we’d return.”

Recruitment

ADPi’s recruitment process in January 2024 was different from other sororities. Junior Marian Perez said she rushed ADPi to connect with more girls on campus and to participate in a calmer rush process.

“Rushing was definitely way more laid back than I thought…one of the reasons why I didn’t rush was because of how crazy and hectic it seemed to me, but then I saw this opportunity and was super excited,” Perez said.

Carolyn Baran, sophomore, said she wanted to be part of Greek life at SMU and her experience with ADPi has been rewarding so far.

“I’m loving the people I’ve met,” she said. “They’re honestly some of my new favorite people and we don’t ever leave each other’s sides. The first night after everyone got their bids, everyone clicked and it was such a good time.”

Looking to the Future

The excitement about this new chapter buzzes between current members and alumni.

“Our alumnae are very excited,” Dickinson said. “These women are ready and excited to support this new chapter.”

Perez said her hopes are high for her pledge class and sorority as it settles into the Greek community.

“I want us to maintain a good image, but I really want future members to want to join something that they feel a part of and where everyone feels included,” Perez said.

Baran hopes to have a full pledge class and maintain good relationships with other fraternities and sororities as they engage with one another for mixer season.

“I’m hoping we have good relations with all the sororities and frats and have a lot of fun at the social events,” Baran said.

SMU ADPi members in 1924. Courtesy of ADPi

ADPi members in front of their house in 1954. Courtesy of ADPi

ADPi alumnae in 2015. Courtesy of ADPi

ADPi’s new pledge class hold up their diamonds in in 2024. Courtesy of ADPi

ADPi members pose in front of the house in 1993. Courtesy of ADPi

ADPi members pose in front of the house in 2024. Courtesy of Carolyn Brown

Lights, Camera, Atrion

A student filmmaker and entrepreneur on his road to success

By Melanie Jackson

In the Fondren Library Print and Copy Center, Atrion Sorrells, a senior business and film student, quietly works at one of his favorite study spots on campus beside students who are frantically printing their materials between classes.

Fresh papers flutter off the printers. A revolving door of students come in and out, but Sorrells is grounded in his workspace. He finds comfort in working in such a busy space on campus.

“It gives me that feeling of, ‘OK, yeah I’m doing all this work, but I’m still like everybody else, just a regular person, doing work,’” Sorrells said.

Sorrells isn’t the average student. Most people don’t work on Emmy Awardwinning films while still in college.

The award was for a short film “Meta Care” that Sorrells worked on during his sophomore year in 2022 as a voice actor and production assistant. “Meta Care” is a thriller about a woman suffering from amnesia in a government health experiment that uses VR and simulations to rehabilitate criminals. The film won a Lone Star Emmy award last November.

Sorrells got the notification about the award while editing his short film, “Imperfect,” which currently has over 65,000 views on YouTube. He was shocked but happy that his hard work was acknowledged.

“We knew that it paid off just from all the relationships and bonds that we built and all the work that we did,” Sorrells said. “We felt that it was good, but to be able to just feel our work as well as the camaraderie that was on the set was validated.”

On his own sets, Sorrells creates the same camaraderie with his crew and actors when directing his short films.

In Fondren, he types away on his computer, creating a shot list and mood board for his upcoming short film, “Who Are You?” It tells the story of a Black business student figuring out how to make it through college as a graduating senior–a reflection of Sorrell’s journey at SMU.

“I put a small piece of me in each one of my pieces,” Sorrells said. “I find my work to be a reflection of myself.”

Sorrells works to make the film

“I put a small piece of me in each one of my pieces,” Sorrells said. “I find my work to be a reflection of myself.”

industry more equitable and inclusive. He combines his passions for entrepreneurship and filmmaking with his production company, A’Style Productions. He creates short films which also provide hands-on work opportunities for underrepresented communities. Just last year, he produced seven short films. As his graduation swiftly approaches, Sorrells balances coursework, a social life and continues to develop his production company.

Sorrells has always been ambitious. In 2016, he created his production company, A’Style Productions, to create casual clothing and drawstring bags for students in his high school.

Sorrells holds the clapperboard before filming a take on the set of “I Hate You.”

Photo courtesy of Alex Laperouse

Atrion Sorrells, a student filmmaker and entrepreneur who worked on an Emmy Awardwinning film has his own production company, A’Style Productions.

Photo courtesy of Shacolby Sorrells

Sorells shows the process of creating the credits at the end of a film.

Photo by Mel Jackson

“Initially A’Style stood for Academically Supporting Talented Young, Leaders and Entrepreneurs.” Sorrells said. “It was mainly about inspiring the youth, and I made clothes to really cater to an academic audience.”

His passion for film started in his childhood when he noticed a lack of representation on the big screen. If people of color were included, they were typically written as characters with negative stereotypes, he said.

“I started to see the same storylines, same narratives, especially within minority communities,” Sorrells said. “It just seemed like it was always a similar light that was always shed that seemed to be just against what I grew up around.”

An athlete in high school, Sorrells faced a career ending injury, which pivoted him to film. He began taking audio and visual production classes and created films with professional equipment in 2019.

“That was like the first year that I started to make films that were high quality, as well as starting to get more hands-on experience in acting,” Sorrells said.

In 2020, he shifted his company’s mission to “Actively Supporting Talented Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs” after noticing the support business owners needed during the pandemic.

“I realized, being on social media, that entrepreneurs needed to be supported, especially minority entrepreneurs,” Sorrells said. “I really wanted to shine a light on them.”

2023 was a big year for Sorrells. In addition to creating several short films, he also won $1,000 for A’Style Productions in SMU’s Big iDeas Pitch Contest.

The Pitch Contest allows students to briefly pitch their big idea to a panel of judges for the chance to win seed money towards their business. The Big iDeas program provides training and coaching to student entrepreneurs.

Jennifer Ebinger, senior director for SMU’s Office of Engaged Learning, met Sorrells during his first year at SMU when he wanted to explore more educational opportunities. Since then, he has used the resources from the office to develop his business throughout college.

“What I’ve noticed about Atrion, and what I really appreciate a lot about him, is that relentlessness, that deep, deep commitment to his company,” Ebinger said. “And also, that it’s based on his values that he doesn’t sway from.”

During the preparation for the pitch contest, Sorrells worked closely with Michael Kelly, the Entrepreneurship Fellow in The Office of Engaged Learning. Kelly advised Sorrells through the process by leading workshops for students before the competition.

He said Sorrells used his passion and drive to build his business proposal for A’Style Productions that led to his winning pitch.

“Our workshops are not part of class, so it’s really his own time that he’s dedicating to the business,” Kelly said. “It’s really easy to see his dedication.”

Sorrells’ deep commitment to his values is in his films. He said he uses his platform to tell uplifting stories about minority communities that aren’t represented in the predominately white film industry.

“That’s the most important thing with untold stories, just telling the truth,” Sorrells said. “At the end of the day, fantasy stories are great as well, but to always have a story you can relate to, that stays true to the foundation of not only just the community but also the people as well. It’s something that resonates with, in my opinion, a lot of people.”

A’Style Productions creates films about

minorities that challenge negative racial stereotypes the mainstream media continues to perpetuate. Sorrells also designates production jobs for minorities, so they can get hands-on experience on film sets.

“I always told myself, no matter what film project I do, no matter what I’m learning, I’m always going to use it as a way to show people a different side of the minority community,” Sorrells said. “I’m going to show that as minorities, we’re able to be doctors, nurses, and lawyers and that we are intelligent.”

He hopes that his early success in the film industry and the hard work that led to the Emmy win will inspire young people to show that they can accomplish anything.

“To be able to receive that award definitely meant a lot, and it also was a way to show the youth that they can do it too,” Sorrells said. “For me, I feel like this

is the beginning and I really want to continue to create content that inspires and gives back.”

Sorrells is figuring out what to do after graduation, but he will continue to develop A’Style Productions with the help and advice he received from the Big iDeas competition. His dream is to create a feature length film about navigating the business world as a minority in predominantly white spaces.

“With the help of SMU staff, I’ve made the first foundational steps that I feel are very essential to me, outside of just my business,” Sorrells said. “My main thing once I graduate is continuing with my business, but also figuring out a way to also continue to educate the people. That’s another thing I’ve learned, the importance of being grounded, remembering that we’re

“I feel like this is the beginning and I really want to continue to create content that inspires and gives back.”

Sorrells directing a scene the on set of “Love.”

Photo courtesy of Thomas Pratt

The cast and crew of "I Hate You" filming inside a local resturant. Photo courtesy of Atrion Sorrells

Curious Cats on Campus

Who takes care of SMU’s feral cats

By Elizabeth Guevara

A sparse and bare bush conceals Sassy, a brown tabby cat with glowing yellow eyes, as she scurries out of a rotting, wooden cat shelter. Nearby, a pair of black rain boots squish into the mud of a flower bed.

The owner of the rain boots, Kim Pierce, moves her gloved hand toward what’s left of the box and wiggles it. What’s left of Sassy’s shelter gives way as a mass of panicked cockroaches drops onto the mud.

“[The shelters are] more of a compassion issue,” Pierce said. “They’re going to take shelter somewhere and it might as well be in a reasonable shelter that we provide.”

Pierce walks to the bed of her small white truck and picks up a new cat shelter to put in the same place where the rotten one was. By replacing the shelters and filling new ones with fresh hay, the cats have a safe place to escape the weather.

Pierce, 74, is one of the leaders of The Feral Cat Group, a volunteer group that loves and cares for a community of about 25 hard-to-spot, yet beautiful feral cats that roam around SMU. Although not everyone loves feral cats because they carry diseases like rabies and kill birds, volunteers say they are an essential part of the campus.

The group began in the 1980s when Clo Salisbury, a resident of University Park, was walking her dog around campus. During that walk, she encountered a starving cat lying next to her dead kitten. Since then, volunteers have fed and cared for the campus cats.

Cats become feral when they live without an owner for an extended period and begin to have kittens that are not socialized. Eventually, they are impossible to adopt and are considered feral, Pierce says.

A pair of cats’ eyes peer through bushes in the early mornings and late evenings

keep track of them. The group also plans to install game cameras to monitor the activity in the law school area, because two cats that live around there haven’t been seen all semester.

“We’re seeing who is on campus and where they are,” Silveira said. “Also, anything that’s wrong with them, like we had a cat I took a picture of once and we realized that she had an eye infection.”

To maintain the population, the group uses what’s called a trap-neuter-return (TNR) technique. Pierce says that this technique has helped reduce the number of cats on campus.

“They’re [the volunteers] doing a service to the community,” says Dr. Patty Mullen, a veterinarian at Pavilion Animal Hospital in Dallas. “There is a huge benefit to decreasing the population of the cat community and I think this is probably the most humane way to do that.”

Some cats, like Sassy and a black cat named Tsunami, are prone to nuzzle on the volunteers feeding them. Others, like Damien, who died in February, require a 15-foot distance from humans.

“There’s probably no more than six to eight [campus cats] that are truly ‘Don’t touch me,’” Pierce says. “The others, it’s a range. Just because they’re friendly on campus, doesn’t mean they necessarily

Not everyone in the University Park community agrees with the Feral Cat Group’s TNR technique and how they care for them, says Rose Chavez, a volunteer leader and SMU staff.

“We just try to maintain the cats’ lives here,” Chavez says. “The cats can also be a

deterrent for rodents…they can be a benefit as well as cute little things on campus.”

Volunteers have their favorites. Chavez likes Ringo, an orange tabby that lives outside of the Dedman Recreation Center.

“There is good and bad with feral cats because they have such short lives,” Chavez says. “You never know if they are just missing or not … so I’m always happy when I see Ringo.”

This program can decrease diseases and fighting that are often found in feral cat

communities, like feline immunodeficiency virus, Dr. Mullen says.

On Dyer Street, a low rumble escapes from Sassy as she spots Pierce approaching a feeding bowl with food and water.

Pierce responds with a slop of wet food and a tinkling of dry food, followed by a gush of water from a worn plastic water bottle.

Sassy and Tsunami rush to the feeding bowl.

“I’ll be here as long as there’s a cat that needs taking care of,” Pierce says.

Tsunami peeks out from the bushes on Dyer Street. Photo courtesy of Lisa Silviera

Sassy struts across SMU campus. Photo courtesy of Lisa Silviera

Silviera feeds Sassy and Tsunami near Dyer Street. Photo courtesy of Lisa Silviera

and Talking Heads. He also contributed a curated collection of his own clothing from the era and joined Krivine for the opening of the exhibit, which runs through May 10.

Punk subculture originated in the 1970s, and much of the music of that era, as well as contemporary music, is a commentary on social and political issues. Attitudes were also expressed through fashion, art, film and literature. Punks separated themselves from the rest of the world because they craved individuality, Garrett said.

Jenny Davis, SMU professor of fashion media, who introduced Garrett for the exhibit’s opening, said this collection

Exhibit viewers are transported into the past narrative of self-identity, said sophomore journalism major Syra Castillo, who viewed the exhibit following Krivine and Garrett’s opening panel.

“I never realized how big of an impact punk music had on people’s identity,” she said. “I’m excited to see the exhibit and get a look into the past.”

For more information email hawngallery@smu.edu.

Prolific graphic designer Malcolm Garrett contributed his clothing and posters to the exhibit that line the hall near Hamon Arts Library. Photo by Katie Fay

A collage of tickets, wrist bands and concert flyers lay on a table outside the main exhibit room on opening night. Photo by Katie Fay

Blown up pictures of various punk rock artists cover the walls of the Hamon Arts Library. Photo by Katie Fay

The exhibit includes a clock used to promote the label Stiff Records, which produced music for British punk bands. Photo by Katie Fay

Promotional poster for SMU’s exhibit “Torn Apart.”

Photo by Katie Fay

Back on Air

The revival of radio at SMU

By Grace Bair

Capri Woss sits at her computer in a booth in Fondren library, pops her headphones in and loads the software needed for her upcoming radio broadcast. She connects the Spotify playlist she made and selects a photo for the background. Woss, a senior at SMU, broadcasts live amid an audio backdrop of lively conversation and the sounds of drinks being made at the Starbucks in SMU’s Fondren Library. After two songs play, Woss greets her audience and asks if they have any song requests before she plays her next curated song.

Radio debuted on SMU’s campus in 1947, under the name KSMU, but in 2011 the station, then known as KPNI, shut down due to a lack of funding. However, last spring Woss had a plan to bring radio back. The path to getting radio re-established was not easy. After months of pushback and confusion she finally

and fellow music lover Zach Perez, eagerly wanted to help Woss establish the program when he first heard about it last year.

“Music has always been the way I have expressed myself and showed how I’m feeling,” Perez said. “When I found out a group of students were planning to start a radio club, I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of building it up.”

Perez is currently pursuing degrees in film and media studies as well as corporate communication and public affairs in addition to being a member of S.M.U.R.F.

Woss’s interest for music started at a young age and developed into an allconsuming love. In high school, Woss and her friends participated in their school radio program. There, she found her love for sharing

me not to have a radio [station] here until I started seeing all of my friends from home, doing college radio at their school,” Woss said. “I was like we need to get this.”

While she has always had a passion for

music, Woss currently majors in biology and studio art and minors in chemistry and art history.

Sharing music with others connects Woss with students at SMU with similar interests. SMU junior and biology major, Robin Kinagomba, joined the program for that exact reason.

“I wanted to join S.M.U.R.F because I love music and I believed that having a community at SMU made for music would be good for bringing more students together,” Kinagomba said.

Creative communications officer Jordan Naivar joined for a similar reason.

“I think finding your crowd can be a real challenge coming into college, music is a way to find those you share interests with,” Naivar said. “Expressing yourself through music is one of the best ways to connect with anyone.”

S.M.U.R.F. also connects Naivar to

found a source of contact, a faculty member who could help her start her own organization. In order to present before the SMU Senate, Woss had to find a faculty advisor, officers and at least 10 members. Without a lot of experience in a leadership position, Woss took to Instagram to find her founding members.

“I contacted someone from Instagram that I had never met in real life only because they would post songs that I liked on their story,” Woss said. “I was like, ‘You know what? I bet this person that’s so confident about sharing their music tastes would enjoy getting the college radio reinstated.’”

Once Woss assembled her team of four officers, they took to Instagram again and promoted SMU Radio Frequency (S.M.U.R.F.) applications for more potential members to join.

S.M.U.R.F. Vice President, SMU senior

Photo courtesy of Abigail Brittle

Capri Woss works as a DJ at a student art exhibit.

Photo courtesy of Capri Woss

Woss interviews the singer of the band Cryogeyser. Photo courtesy of Capri Woss

The People Behind the Badge

By Sara Hummadi

“However I could prevent bad things from happening, that’s what I wanted to do with my life.”

Captain Jimmy Winn

Sergeant Courtney Morrison

Don’t let the job consume you.”

That’s what SMU police Sgt. Courtney Morrison’s senior officers told her as a 2015 trainee in the police academy.

Morrison remembers that constantly.

“They would always say to make sure you had a life off-duty,” Morrison said. “If you’re sleeping, thinking and dreaming about this horrible call…you kind of have to let it go and be ready for the next one.”

Morrison currently serves as a crime victim liaison, where she deals with issues such as family violence and sexual assault. Morrison is also a community engagement officer at SMU. She previously worked as the sorority liaison officer, speaking at chapter meetings and holding self-defense classes, which she still does at Dedman Recreation Center.

Campus and pedestrian safety is one of Morrison’s top priorities. Her drive to keep students safe comes from incidents she witnessed on duty in Arlington, where she began her career at 21. Morrison recalled a car accident when a

Jimmy Winn has been in SMU law enforcement since 2001. He took on the role of SMU police captain five years ago. Winn is a father of three and two of his children have attended SMU.

Good police officers are compassionate, honest and ethical, Winn said. Overseeing the officers is one of the most rewarding parts of his job, he added.

“I’m the type of person that I’ll take off my shirt to help somebody, and I think that is a main quality for officers,” Winn said. “Officers will need to have that mindset in order to respond to situations where they may have to put themselves in harm’s way for someone.”

Winn sees these qualities in all of the officers at SMU.

“The best part of [this job] is seeing the fruits of the officers’ labor with regards to how they’re out there interacting

“I’m still viewed as the enemy because what they’re looking at is the uniform and not me.”

driver ran through a stop sign and killed a child. Taking her badge off at the end of that day was hard, she said.

“I took it upon myself to sit at the stop sign,” Morrison said. “I watched the stop sign because I was out there when they told the mother that her child had been run over.”

Many cases stick with her, Morrison said. However, she stressed there are positive outcomes that come from bad situations. For example, Morrison began patrolling that stop sign, which was an automatic deterrent for cars, because the kids playing in the area felt safer. Morrison said safety is the main reason she became an officer.

“I knew I enjoyed making sure that people were safe,” Morrison said. “I didn’t want bad things to happen. And however I could prevent bad things from happening, that’s what I wanted to do with my life.”

Morrison is in her 10th year in law enforcement. She made the switch from Arlington to SMU in 2021. Here, she found her home.

with the community and making a difference,” Winn said.

Winn encourages students to see the police in a different light and think of them as resources, rather than enforcement.

“There’s a misconception of what police officers do on TV,” Winn said. “It’s not how police really work.”

Oftentimes, portrayals on television about police only show them dealing with serious crimes, but there’s always more to the story, Winn said.

“When you look at it from the police side, [serious crime] is daily for us. We have to deal with that day in and day out,” he said.

Underneath the badge is a person driven with compassion, Winn said.

“We’re human, we bleed red, we breathe air, just like everyone else,” Winn said.

Investigator Malcom McGuire

Malcom

McGuire has been in law enforcement for 21 years. It runs in the family. His five older brothers also went into law enforcement. At SMU, he first joined as a police officer, then was promoted to sergeant and is now an investigator.

“A lot of the campus alerts you see about suspicious people or stuff like that comes from my office,” McGuire said. “Those are things that we investigate and we handle. When you get an alert and then another alert layer saying it’s been handled…that’s a win for us.”

McGuire also works to change the misconceptions some students, especially black students, might have of police officers.

“It’s a very real fear, it’s very warranted,” he said. “We see examples every day of how people of color are treated differently. ‘I’m still, for all intents and purposes, viewed as the enemy because what they’re looking at is the uniform and not me, so sometimes it just doesn’t matter what I say, but

“We’re human, we bleed red, we breathe air, just like everyone else.”

we’ll never stop working towards changing that perspective.” Academic prosperity is at the heart of what SMU police tries to encourage and seeing them succeed is a rewarding feeling, McGuire said. He’s an example, as he graduated with a master’s degree in dispute resolution from SMU 2014.

Coming from a law enforcement family, McGuire witnessed the family created within police departments his brothers worked. While city policing and campus policing are very different, McGuire said he saw firsthand a family at SMU’s police department.

On McGuire’s second day of work at SMU, his father passed away. The police chief at that time, Rick Shafer and then Sergeant Rodney Irvin, both attended the funeral.

“I’ve worked here for two days, I didn’t have a full uniform yet, and they came to the funeral. It’s made me want to emulate that in the way that I go about things with people who have worked for me and worked around me.”

Courtney Morrison smiles from her car during a night-time patrol shift. Photo by Sara Hummadi

Jimmy Winn works from his office, surrounded by his kids’ soccer jerseys. Photo by Sara Hummadi

Malcom McGuire at his desk filled with his police medallions displayed. Photo by Sara Hummadi

Hummadi

Ride Along with SMU PD

By Sara Hummadi

It was a quiet Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. I signed a liability waiver and Sgt. Morrison met me in Patterson Hall. To my surprise, I sat in the front seat. I have never been in a police car before, so I had this notion I would sit in the back like in the movies.

We drove around campus in circles, waiting for something to happen. There were no arrests, calls or chases. A black SUV cut us off, and Morrison flashed her lights to warn them. It was dark, Morrison said, they probably didn’t realize it was a cop car. Another car tried to run a stop sign

as students were about to cross. Morrison honked the car horn.

As Morrison continued driving, we cut across the curb on Dallas Hall Lawn. We drove past the flagpole, past Hughes-Trigg and into the parking lot outside Patterson Hall.

“This is a very safe campus. There’s not much going on,” Morrison said.

If you want to take a ride-along, you can reach out to an officer or contact SMU police by email.

To sign up for a ride-along, email police@smu.edu.

In the Gray

By Sara Hummadi

In city police departments, the law is generally black and white.

On SMU’s campus, officers have discretion over some infractions. It’s a model that is meant to help students rather than punish them.

“At SMU, you can refer [students] to the SMU Student Affairs Conduct Office,” Morrison said. “If it’s something like a sexual assault or family violence, you’re going to go to jail. But for some things, we have the discretion to handle it in house and not necessarily involve the criminal justice system.”

SMU does not have a detention facility so police must transfer anyone being held to the Highland Park police department. One

situation might be a student who was drinking underage, but had personal or family issues, Winn said.

Here, Winn said enforcing the law wouldn’t be the best way to help a student.

Morrison also said students often fear repercussions from the Conduct Office more than they fear a ticket from police.

Ultimately, discretion is subjective and depends on the situation.

The ultimate goal is to get students to graduation, McGuire said.

“We’re not here to keep people from matriculating. We’re here to make sure they do it in the safest way possible,” McGuire said.

SMU police the campus at night, looking to keep the students, grounds and buildings safe. Photo by Sara

Sgt. Courtney Morrison smiles in front of her police car. Photo by Sara Hummadi