JULY 14, 2015 VOLUME 87, ISSUE 2
’ THE LION S ROAR S O U T H E A S T E R N L O U I S IA NA U N I V E R S I T Y
A Student Publication
Evolut i onar y game takes next steps to success
Campus Life Page 2
Opinions Page 3
Arts & Entertainment Page 4
Sports Page 6
News Page 8
LionsRoarNews.com
Lion beauties take stage
BY MEGAN SIMON Campus Life Editor
Creators of “Evolution Through the Ages” strives to take their game to the next level, no longer solely bridging the gap between religion and evolution but also with other fields of science. Incorporating the concepts of chemistry, physics and immunology will take the game a step closer to mimicking the real world and all the phenomenons that take place in it. “Evolution Through the Ages” has made progress in the short amount of time the idea was first formed by graduate Jacob Stagray, CEO and marketing of the game. Having a patent pending and the official copyrights under their belts, Stagray and fellow creator and programmer, CEOO Sean Craft officially launched the gaming site Saturday, July 4. Stagray and Craft were also able to release a textbook filled with the knowledge the game was based off of, which can either be bought separately or with the one-time membership fee for the game. Through the research and vision of Stagray, programming of Craft and supervision of Dr. Murray Pendarvis, “Evolution Through the Ages” was created as a three-dimensional world where players can pick and choose organisms and how they evolve in this world. This world, along with the different lineages of organisms, was created to resemble the evolutionary processes of the natural world. The main goal of the game is to help your chosen organisms avoid extinction. Even though “Evolution Through the Ages” has made large strides, Stagray explains the game will still be continuously updated in the future. “Evolution Through the Ages” will constantly evolve the same way the world does,
see Evolution pg. 2
Photos Courtesy Michelle Roberts and Lacey Sanchez
Second runner-up Emily Randon (left) wears her evening gown during the 2015 Miss Louisiana. Chelsea Hymel, Blake Tabor, Breanna Mann, Lacey Sanchez, Kelly Benard, Reneé Picou and Randon (above, from left to right) showed their Lion Pride at the competition in Monroe, Louisiana June 2527. Southeastern alum Sanchez reigned as 2014 Miss Louisiana. Contestants competed in swimsuit, talent, on-stage questioning and evening gown. Randon was awarded second runner-up while Benard and Picou were recognized in the top ten contestants. Third runner-up, Holli Conway, first runner-up Justine Ker, Miss Louisiana 2015 April Nelson, second runner-up Randon and Eva Edinger (below, from left to right) hug as Nelson proudly wears her crown as the 2015 Miss Louisiana.
BY WILLIAM SCHMIDT Opinions Editor
Beauty took over the stage as 35 contestants competed for the 2015 title of Miss Louisiana. On June 25 and 26, the preliminaries for the beauty pageant took place at the Monroe Civic Center with finals on Saturday, June 27. Southeastern had multiple representations taking the stage including second runnerup Emily Randon and top ten contestants Reneè Picou and Kelly Bernard. Though Miss Crescent City New Orleans April Nelson was crowned Miss Louisiana 2015, Miss Southeastern 2015, Randon, was pleased to bring the spirit of
the university to Monroe. “Representing our university is a dream come true,” said senior kinesiology major with a concentration in exercise science Randon. “As a little girl, I watched the Miss Southeastern Pageant on TV and aspired to one day wear the crown. I love the university with all my heart and am honored every day to hold the title of Miss Southeastern.” Miss Louisiana is part of the Miss American Organization and has multiple competitive categories including swimsuit, talent, on-stage questioning and evening gown. Randon reflected on not only the most calming part of the competition but her favorite event as well.
“Because of my extensive training in ballet, I felt the most calm during the talent portion of the competition,” said Randon. “I really enjoy performing classical ballet, and I find that pageants are an outlet for me to do that. My favorite event was the Dillard’s Style Show at the mall in Monroe. We had a really fun time and got to model beautiful clothes. We also arrived in style to all of our events thanks to the sponsorship of a local limousine company.” Randon left the competition with no regrets and one of the reasons was through her volunteer work as well as promoting her platform “Love the Skin You’re In,” which promotes skin cancer advocacy and awareness.
“One of my goals as Miss Southeastern is to finish my reign with no regrets,” said Randon. “That is why I have chosen to participate in every event and volunteer opportunity that comes my way. I have also found creative ways to promote my platform such as handing out sunscreen packets at SLU baseball games, giving public service announcements on the radio and working to bring shading in the public parks of Hammond.” During the competition of Miss Louisiana, the contestants were able to make lasting memories and friendships. “I left Miss Louisiana with many great memories and friendships,” said Randon.
“The camaraderie between the girls made for a very positive environment backstage. We shared make up, acted silly and more importantly encouraged each other to strive for excellence.” The Miss Southeastern competition will be taking place on October 24 and is one way for competitors to get on the path to compete for Miss Louisiana. “Miss Southeastern was my first pageant, and I am so glad that I decided to compete,” said Randon. “I would like to tell those who are interested in participating to have confidence and take that leap of faith. Don’t let the fact that you are a newcomer hinder you from participating.”
v. Hodges majority opinion, “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than they once were…They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right. The judgement of the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is reversed. It is so ordered.” When the decision was first noticed by some students of Southeastern, they were unable to hide their joy from the people around them. “I was at work, and I teach a summer camp with one other gay person. We just happened to be paired up,” said senior early childhood education major Allie Pigrenet. “He literally took out his phone to check the time and his phone had just blown up, everything had just gone off. He checks it, drops his phone and just picks me up. I was like ‘what,
what?’ He was like, ‘Gay marriage is legal.’ We immediately started crying and hugging each other and the kids were like, ‘What are you doing?’ They are seven and eight years old and have no idea what is going on.” The excitement was immediately felt by others such as Pigrenet’s girlfriend, sociology graduate student Jennifer Rees who was woken up when she received a phone call. “I am passed out at home, comfily sleeping in my bed, not a care in the world,” said Rees. “I wake up because I hear my phone buzzing and I have five missed calls from her [Pigrenet]. I’m immediately [thinking] car accident, someone died, something bad happened. So I find my glasses and call her back, and I don’t even get a word out and it’s just screaming of, ‘Gay marriage is legal. We could get married. I’m not sorry that I woke you up. I love you. Bye.’ And she hangs up.” Junior communication major
Niel Bourgeois admitted that he lost a friendship due to the Supreme Court’s decision but is hopeful for the university’s overall reaction of finding a way to respect one another’s beliefs. “As far as on campus, everything will be fairer,” said Bourgeois. “I think this is a step of equality for everybody, in all areas, not just marriage. I think it pushed everyone, including Southeastern, to a better state, to be a better campus. Almost everyone I have come across has been very happy for us. I have had some people oppose it, and I have already lost a friendship but it happens. To the people that oppose it, I don’t let it bother me. We don’t all have to agree on everything. We just have to respect each other. You don’t have to believe what I believe, just don’t down it.” Others hold a firm belief that people should let other people love whoever they want. “If it doesn’t affect you personally, then it shouldn’t really
matter what other people do because of whether someone loves someone of the same gender,” said junior math education major Kayleigh Gregoire. “If it is not affecting you, you’re not involved in it. Be fair to other people’s business.” With the newfound legalization of gay marriage, some are ensuring to treat the thought of marriage as if the law has always been in place. “We are not idiotic, we are not going to get married right away,” said Pigrenet. “We are not ready. People who choose to get married have been together for six, eight, ten years. We are just like any other couple. We may know each other better because we are the same sex, but other than that, we are like everyone else. We fight like everyone else, we walk like everyone else and we go to the store like everyone else. We are not any different. It’s no longer gay marriage, it’s just marriage.” For the full story, visit lionsroarnews.com.
Same-sex marriage legal across the United States BY WILLIAM SCHMIDT Opinions Editor
With a historic civil rights decision made, gay marriage is now legal for the United States. On June 26, the U.S. Supreme
Court ruled in a 5-4 favor supporting gay marriage, marking that the U.S. constitution allows same-sex couples to marry in all 50 states. According to Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy in the Obergefell
Associated Press/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
People gather in Lafayette Park to witness the White House being lit up in rainbow colors in commemoration of the Supreme Court’s ruling to legalize same-sex marriage Friday, June 26, 2015, in Washington. Gay and lesbian couples in Washington and across the nation are celebrating the ruling, which will put an end to same-sex marriage bans in the 14 states that still maintain them.
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Weather Tuesday H 98 L 73
Reminders Wednesday H 98 L 74
Friday, July 31 is the last day to return rental textbooks without a fine.