’ 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
Hammond, LA
HHF scares up a good time
October 24, 2017
Assault and battery among campus crimes RIANA BRASELMAN Staff Reporter
Jordin Jones, who acted in Silver Flashes, talked about why she enjoyed participating in the “Hammond Horror Fest.” “Just being together, and experiencing it together,” said Jones. “Like, being stressed out is fun.” With some plays focusing on religion and the 2016 presidential election as well as using the Pledge of Allegiance to segue between plays, the 24-hour event had a controversial atmosphere. “It’s not always quite as political,” said
With 14 cases of battery and three cases of assault on campus, the University Police Department helped shed light on what these were and how to avoid becoming a victim to them. Police Lieutenant Patrick Gipson explained that assault and battery are defined differently under Louisiana Legislature. “The legislature defines assault as an attempt to commit a battery, and a battery is defined as the intentional touching of another person without that person’s permission,” said Gipson. “They’re two separate crimes under Louisiana law. That is different than some other states. So when you’re watching television, and they sometimes talk about assault and battery, they’re talking about a single law that involves threatening somebody and hitting them whereas in Louisiana those are two different laws.” Louisiana state law defines assault with varying degrees. “There are different levels, different degrees,” said Gipson. “There’s what’s called simple assault or what other states would call first-degree, where you just basically tell somebody, ‘I’m going to push you,’ or ‘I’m going to shove you,’ or ‘I’m going to hit you,’ but you don’t
see HHF, pg. 8
see BATTERY, pg. 8
Alpha Psi Omega member Shelby Elliot plays a member of an occult based sorority that is summoning the devil in order to receive tickets to a sold out Selena Gomez concert in “The B*tches of Waverly Place.” The play was part of the first event “The Seven Paranoias” in the “Hammond Horror Fest.” Rachel Taylor/The Lion’s Roar RACHEL TAYLOR Staff Reporter
The “Hammond Horror Fest,” put on by James “Jim” Winter and Taylor McLellan, celebrated its seventh annual year. The festival, produced by Alpha Psi Omega, was split into two parts. On Friday, Oct. 20 was the “Hammond Horror 7,” a 24-hour play event in the Pottle Hall Auditorium, and on Saturday, Oct. 21 was the “Macabre Showcase” hosted at Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. A portion of the proceeds from the events went to the American Cancer Society.
McLellan explained the history behind the festival. “I knew I wanted to do this horror festival, but I had no connections and no one to do it with,” said McLellan. “A friend of a friend told me to send an email to a guy named Jim, and I did. We met up at PJ’s. He wanted to do a 24-hour theatre event, and I wanted to do a horror festival, so we decided to combine forces.” Host of the “Hammond Horror 7” Instructor of Acting and Directing Chad Winters explained the preparation that goes into creating a 24-hour theatre event.
Homecoming festivities resume after hurricane SARAH HESS Staff Reporter
The university’s fairytale homecoming is finally coming to an end. The “Once Upon a Homecoming” themed week, which was scheduled to last from Oct. 1 to 7, was filled with the events for students to take part in, such as “Gumbo Ya Ya,” “Lip Sync Contest,” a bonfire and a Pep Rally Contest and more events for organizations to compete in and win points toward becoming the winners of Homecoming Week. However, due to Hurricane Nate, Homecoming Week was cut short, and the parade and presentation of the Homecoming Court that was scheduled to take place at the football game against the University of Incarnate Word was postponed. The events are scheduled to resume this weekend on Oct. 28 at the football game against Sam Houston State University. Tailgating will start during the day in Friendship Circle. Greek life, the university’s colleges and departments, former football players and the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps are some of the organizations that will take part in
tailgating. There will be activities for children to participate in, such as crafts, face painting, mobile video games and inflatables beginning at 1:30 p.m. before the Homecoming Parade, which will begin at 2 p.m. and roll out in front of the Pennington Student Activity Center. The parade will be the last homecoming competition where participating organizations will be judged on the float’s overall design and the participants’ enthusiasm. During the game’s halftime show, the Homecoming Court will be presented, and the Homecoming King and Queen will be announced after the two-week wait.
“We start meeting in March, and start discussing our ideas about what we want to do for next year, and the first thing we have to come up with is a theme,” said Winters. “This year the theme was ‘paranoia,’ that threw in all the things that are happening right now because we live in a crazy world. Things are changing, and people are scared. So, we really just wanted to address that and make people think.” The event showcased plays from seven predetermined teams that have 24 hours to write, memorize and block their play before performing it that night.
Porter crowned Mr. Green and Gold ANNIE GOODMAN Staff Reporter
Freshman communication major Hayden Porter was crowned at the Mr. Green and Gold Pageant hosted by Alpha Sigma Tau. “It feels great,” said Porter. “I was really glad that all of my friends were out here supporting me with it. It feels like it wasn’t just me up there. It feels like it was everybody that helped me get here.” The pageant took place Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Union Theatre. Sophomore nursing major Samantha Messina, who organized the event, had been preparing for the event since July 2016. “The purpose of the pageant was to raise money for our sisterhood and to allow other fraternities and other male students at Southeastern to participate in an event for us and for us to branch out and reach other organizations on campus,” said Messina. After a two week wait, homecoming Porter sang in the talent will continue. All homecoming portion of the pageant. festivities on Saturday shall take place “I’ve been singing since I was in Friendship Circle. Sarah Hess/The Lion’s Roar in fourth grade,” said Porter. “I did talented music from the time
I was in fourth grade all through high school. I’ve always loved to sing. I’ve always thought I had a decent voice. So, it just seemed the most natural thing to do.” Freshman history and political science major Marris Hoffee attended the event to support her roommate’s boyfriend. “I think it was really well thought out,” said Hoffee. “I really like the questions and the competitions. It’s really funny, and it’s really fun to cheer and get involved in stuff like this.” Sophomore history major Christian Rabalais enjoyed competing in the pageant. “It was honestly amazing,” said Rabalais. “I had a lot of fun doing it. This was my first time. I pulled out all the stops so that I could try to win. Unfortunately, it didn’t come through, but I loved having fun and embarrassing myself in front of the lovely ladies of Alpha Sigma Tau. It was really something I will remember for the rest of my life.” Senior kinesiology and health sciences major Bryce Cothern competed in the pageant and received first runner up. “I did it last year, and it goes to a good cause,” said Cothern. “It’s a fun time. I’m on AST’s Anchor Court, which is like their
Beaucourt, and I’m just trying to support the girls who put me on their court.” Messina explained that watching the event, which has been around for three years, last year inspired her to take on the task of organizing it this year. “Last year it was kind of small, and I was also a new member,”
said Messina. “So, I saw it and thought, ‘This could be really cool. I really want to do it.’ That gave me a little inspiration so I led to make it a little bit bigger this year, and I think that went pretty well.” Hoffee enjoyed John Sartori’s
see MR. GREEN AND GOLD, pg. 2
At the end of the Mr. Green and Gold Pageant put on by Alpha Sigma Tau, the new Mr. Green and Gold Hayden Porter posed with Zackery Norton, left, and Christian Rabalais, right, along with 13 other contestants for a group picture. Annie Goodman/The Lion’s Roar
Faculty campaign to aid in hurricane relief effort with jeans days NIKHILESH CHHETRI Staff Reporter
To help the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the Human Resources Office will collect donations on Tuesdays through “Jeans for Hurricane Relief.” On “Lion Up Tuesdays,” the university will be partnering with United Way of Southeast Louisiana. University employees can donate $5 monthly for four
stickers, or $2 daily for one sticker, giving them a pass to wear jeans to work. Supervisor of the Human Resources Benefits Nicole Dunnington explained what the campaign is about. “The hurricane relief is about giving back and helping others who are experiencing displacement, damages, etc. from the recent hurricanes,” said Dunnington. “We hope to raise money for the victims of the
Weather
Tuesday H 74 L 43
recent hurricanes.” Dunnington explained the reason behind the university joining the campaign. “We joined the campaign to give back,” said Dunnington. “Many of us were here for Katrina, Lee, Isaac and the recent floods. These storms affected our areas, and some of our communities were able to receive aid from organizations such as the United Way. It is a way to give back.”
The Human Resources Office’s main challenge for this campaign has been getting people to realize the existence of the campaign. “The whole thing just started at Southeastern, so I guess having all the employees aware that the campaign is going on should be the only challenge we’ve faced until now,” said Dunnington. Since the campaign’s main focus is on employees, Dunnington discussed how their
Index
Wednesday H 68 L 42
Campus Life.................................2 Opinions.....................................3 A&E............................................4
Horoscope, Crossword, Sudoku....5 Sports.........................................6 News..........................................8
response to the campaign is important. “The campaign just started, but yes, we have had some interest,” said Dunnington. “Whether it be employees donating money or paying the money to wear jeans on ‘Lion Up Tuesdays.’” Dunnington explained how an individual can help the victims of the hurricanes. “Anyone can donate money to the United Way or contact the United Way to see if there are any
other needs in the event if a person cannot donate monetarily,” said Dunnington. “Employees can purchase the stickers to wear jeans for ‘Lion Up Tuesdays’ in the Human Resources Office.” Donations for the campaign will be collected by Human Resources Administrative Assisstant Allison Blache. Stickers will be dispersed at the time of donation. For further inquiries, she can be contacted at 985-549-2001.
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Volume 89, Issue 10
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Page 2 | October 24, 2017
The Lion’s Roar | Campus Life
Campus leaders share recruiting methods Student Success Workshop
Student Assistant Virginia Enlow gives potential students a tour of the campus to help promote the university to students. Campus leaders feel that a small size as well as faculty and staff help in talking to students about the campus. Brianna Hawkins/The Lion’s Roar
BRIANNA HAWKINS Staff Reporter
The university’s orientation leaders, Dylan Domangue, John Sartori and Jasmine Bickham explained the methods they use to recruit students for the university. When talking to some of the students here on campus on why they chose to come to this university, many students came up with two common answers. Freshman physics major Brandon Howe gave his reason on why he chose to attend the university. “At first, I wanted to go to LSU, but it was too expensive and Southeastern was cheaper,” said Howe. “When I went to LSU’s orientation, it sucked to me.”
Freshman Gabrielle Raby also expressed her reason for choosing to attend the university. “I came to Southeastern because one, I had to choose between here, LSU or UL cause it’s close enough to home but it’s also far enough away as well,” said Raby. “Also, Southeastern just seems safer and friendlier, like the faculty and people and teachers here seem more willing to help you out with whatever you need. Plus, classrooms are smaller. It’s a big enough campus where it doesn’t seem too crowded or too small. Everything is close by.” Sartori believes one of the reasons students come here has to do with the size of the campus. “It’s the fact that what we do we’re good at,” said Sartori. “You know, we have a great
communication department. We have one of the best education departments in the state and one of the best nursing programs in the state. So, it’s not just that we’re a small school. You’re going to get to know your professors, like your professors are going to know what they are talking about. And I feel like people don’t realize that enough before they come here. And once people come here and get into their classes and they ask their friends at other schools how they’re doing, they kinda realize that.” Domangue discussed the top three things he tries to promote to potential students. “One of the main things we promote is the textbook rental system,” said Domangue. “We are the only school that uses this
in the entire state. If a student pays $45 then it covers for all the books in that class. Over time, they can save around $4,000. The second thing we promote is the student-to-faculty ratio. Many classes have around 20 students per class. This allows the students to have a close relationship. The teachers know the students’ names and are willing to help the students. The third thing we promote is campus safety. We have the safest university in the state. Part of this is thanks to our blue emergency boxes around campus and our helpful campus police.” Bickham tries to promote cheaper tuition, closeness to professors and networking. “If you go to other universities, it’s like double digits like in the thousands,” said Bickham. “But here at Southeastern, the maximum is probably like $8,000. So, it’s like really cheap. Another thing is how you can go to your professors, ask for help and try to get to know them.” The orientation leaders also think that improving the university involves adjusting to more students and showing pride. “I think the main thing is that as our university grows and gets bigger we have to adjust properly to that,” said Domangue. “This means more parking lots and parking spaces. We are a commuter school, so we need places for them to get on campus when they come.”
Fall semester sees increase in the use of Lion Traxx services PRAKRITI ADHIKARI Staff Reporter
The university “Lion Traxx” shuttle bus service provides transportation service free of cost to all university students and faculty. The riders are allowed to board after showing university identification. Recently, the numbers of passengers using the buses has increased, with an average of 1,850 people using the service per day. A large number of students used the service within the past year. “From Aug. 15, 2015 to Aug. 12, 2016, they had 44,052 people riding the shuttle,” said Director of Transportation Services Gary Prescott. “Currently, from Aug. 16 to now, we have 56,000 students use the shuttle.” Many factor contribute to the increase in the number of people using the shuttles. “One reason I think a larger number are utilizing the shuttles is because we have increased freshman enrollment,” said Prescott. “Another reason is we changed the stop order on our green route so that the student union was
the first stop from the north campus. So, I think more people are using the shuttle because they can take either route to get to the middle of the campus in a timely manner.” The transportation service has also increased the number of drivers for the shuttle services. “The third reason I would attribute to the increase in the ridership is, we have increased the number of drivers and the shuttle operating during peak hours,” said Prescott. “There are four shuttles that run on campus between 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.” Prescott said the shuttles have been busy since the fall semester. “Even though more spots have opened up, the upperclassmen spots really do not affect our ridership number much because a large majority of our ridership is freshman based, and also residents that have been living in Greek village,” said Prescott. Prescott expressed happiness that students are making the maximum use of the shuttle services. “The buses have been very full and very well used, which is a good sign, I think,”
said Prescott. “I think that is a service students enjoy and need on a daily basis.” Students have also noticed how there has been increase in the number of students using the “Lion Traxx.” Junior business management major Dante’ Jarmon discussed why he uses the buses. “I live on north campus, so I use the shuttle, because it’s always better than walking,” said Jarmon. Prescott gave his thoughts on how there can be improvements in the shuttle services. “I would definitely like to see an increase in the number of drivers available to drive,” said Prescott. “Also looking to the point where we can replace some of our older shuttles. However, we are tied to a student fee based budget. So, in order to increase, we have to raise our student fee, which we are not really looking to do at this time.” Prescott expressed his thankfulness to the drivers and encouraged the students to use the “Lion Traxx” shuttle tracker service to use the shuttles in an efficient manner.
Organizational News is due on the Friday before publication by 10 a.m., with a limit of 150 words.
Student Support Services On Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in Sims Memorial Library Room 252, Student Support Services will host an “Insiders’ Secrets to Success at Southeastern Workshop, ” which will feature information about how to create a positive relationship with your instructor with English Instructor Thomas Parrie, how to get all the use out of the library resources with Reference Outreach/ Instructional Media Librarian Angie Balius, and other resources MR. GREEN AND GOLD
continued from pg. 1
and Zackery Norton’s talent of impressions and accents. “I like the guys that did the voice manipulation because I think that is the coolest talent that there is,” said Hoffee. Rabalais wore a Starbuck’s uniform for swimwear because he said he is always swimming in coffee. “I think my greatest personal advantage was the drum solo that I did for my talent,” said
Rabalais. “I used to play high school band for four years, so I still have a few of the charts that I had from then. I think my worst would have been the swimsuit because I honestly did not put a lot of effort in that. I mean, I tried, but it’s all in good fun.” This was Cothern’s second time competing, but he felt his talent was lacking presentation. “I think my greatest advantage would be that I did it last year,” said Cothern. “I think my disadvantage was in my talent. Although I did do something
students didn’t know about from Coordinator of Tutoring and Record Keeping Kristina McBride. Come out and learn about resources available to students from those who provide them. This is just one in a series of Student Success Workshops that Student Support Services will be providing this semester. Upcoming workshops include “Finding Mindfulness and Overcoming Test Anxiety” on Tuesday, Nov. 7 and Wednesday, Nov. 8, and “How to Prepare for and Ace Finals” Tuesday, Nov. 28 and Wednesday, Nov. 29. that I can give it to them, I didn’t have much pizzazz with it.” However, Messina favored Cothern in the competition because of his talent. “My personal favorite was Bryce Cothern,” said Messina. “For his talent, he made us something for our sorority. He made this beautiful mosaic out of plaster and glass. To me, it was beautiful. It was so sensitive and sweet. I know him personally. So, I know he’s awesome anyway, and then that was just like, ‘Wow you did great.’”
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Overall, Messina believes the pageant was a success. “I think it went really well, actually,” said Messina. “We had 17 guys show up. Only 14 were in the pageant tonight. Two of them were sick and one just didn’t show up, but our crowd was awesome. We ended up having over 100 people who weren’t in our sisterhood show up and people I’ve never met before just come and watch and have a good time. So, I think it went really, really well, better than I expected.”
series opens next week
Freshman health and physical education major Samantha Ferrara studies on the second floor of the War Memorial Student Union. Jennifer Dettwiller/The Lion’s Roar JENNIFER DETTWILLER Staff Reporter
The Student Support Services is putting on workshops geared to helping students in their academics. The first workshop is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, Oct. 24 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Student Union Room 2208. The workshops will be presented by tutors from the Student Support Services. “Our goal is to provide help students need, but maybe haven’t realized how much they really need it,” said Coordinator of Tutoring at Student Support Services Kristina McBride. The Oct. 24 workshop is centered on “Insiders’ Secrets to Success at Southeastern.” According to an email from
Instructional Media Librarian Angela Balius, the “secrets” include, “your success matters to us, instructors expect you to communicate with them and the library is more than just books.” This event will be followed by “Overcoming Test Anxiety and Finding Mindfulness,” which will be presented by Curtis Meyers from the University Counseling Center on Nov. 7-8. The workshop titled “How to Prepare for and Ace Finals,” presented by a team of SSS tutors will be held on Nov. 28 and 29. The workshops will be free to all undergraduate students at the university, and for more information, students can visit Student Support Service’s website.
Campus Incident Reports Aug. 18
Aug. 21
7:02 p.m. Theft: A student 3:27 p.m. Auto Crash: No reported a theft of a skateboard injuries reported at the scene at Lee Field. on Texas Avenue at Garrett Hall. Aug. 18
11:07 p.m. Simple Assault: A student reported another student tried to hit them during an event at SGA Drive. The incident was referred to the Office of Student Conduct.
Aug. 21
Aug. 20
Aug. 21
3:38 p.m. Hit and Run: A student reported damage to their vehicle from a hit and run accident in Louisiana Hall Lot. Aug. 20
4:48 p.m. Hit and Run: A student reported damage to their vehicle from a hit and run accident in North University Center Lot. 8:04 p.m. Simple Robbery and Simple Battery: A student reported being pushed against a wall and a cell phone taken by an ex-boyfriend in Greek Village. When the student attempted to retrieve the phone, the suspect grabbed and held down the student. The suspect was located on campus. The subject was charged and booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail.
6:10 p.m. Medical Emergency: An officer responded to a report of a possible drowning at the Kinesiology Pool. Upon arrival, the student victim had been revived by a non-student. The student was coherent and walking around when Acadian Ambulance arrived. Aug. 22 The student was examined and 11:02 a.m. Criminal Damage refused medical transport to a to Property: A student reported hospital. finding damage to their vehicle in the Baseball Lot. Aug. 21
1:57 p.m. Disturbing the Peace and Dating Violence: A student reported two subjects involved in a physical altercation at Southeastern Oaks. The subjects were identified as students. The incident was referred to the Office of Student Conduct.
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Opinions | The Lion’s Roar
October 24, 2017 | Page 3
Speak up against domestic violence
-National Coalition Against Domestic Violence October is considered Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence consists of violent or aggressive behavior within the home and could include Jessica Anny verbal and/ Staff reporter or physical abuse. It’s also something that isn’t easy to spot at first. Someone who is in the situation of being abused might not speak up, or they could be able to hide it very well. According to Domestic Violence Statistics, domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women, more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined. One in three women and one in seven men report living with intimate violence. These reports are just the ones that have been reported. Most people tend to
stay silent about what they are going through. The most common sign of domestic violence is if you or someone else fears the person that they are with, and you feel like you have to walk on eggshells to keep your partner from getting mad. Most researchers and studies suggest that someone who is in the relationship should speak out or seek help to leave that person in a safe way instead of just suffering in silence. As a person with my own experience of growing up witnessing abuse in my family, it was a tough situation to go through. It definitely made an impact on the kind of person I grew up to be. One thing I learned though was never to let the anger from the situation change who I was. I had to keep a positive mindset for myself. Because I didn’t know what to do in those situations, I would talk to my friends about it or just
try to tune it out. I would never want to speak out due to fear of the consequences. Now looking back on it, I don’t think that was an excuse that I should have used to make myself feel better for not speaking up because I could’ve been the one to change things. I still have to go through life trying not to blame myself for not speaking up. One lesson I learned from growing up around domestic violence was the fact that you can’t let yourself settle for someone who treats you negatively. I took this as a lesson to never let myself go through the same thing as what I watched growing up. It really is a hard thing to deal with on your own. Talking to people made me feel better and knowing that I was not alone in this situation. Also, knowing that other people go through the same thing as I went through was comforting. This was all happening to me
in my high school years. It was a confusing time for me because I was trying to find out what kind of person I was. I could relate to anyone going through this at the time, feeling like something wasn’t right with their family and thinking no one else lived this life. The feeling that you get when going home doesn’t even feel good anymore when every kid is ready to go home with their families, but you aren’t. The worst part is that at that age you don’t know if that’s a normal thing or not and you want to be like everyone else, normal. What I had to realize is that no one’s family is perfect and that none of what happened in the past was my fault. Once I realized this, it made life a little easier for me. I had to understand that I didn’t cause what was going on around me and that I could take myself out of the situation when I got out of high school. That’s exactly what happened. I came to college and saw that I didn’t have to take what happened at home or in the past to this new chapter of my life. This doesn’t mean that you have to forget about the things that happened. It really just means to me that you can grow from it and try to forgive whatever situation you were in at that time. Don’t let domestic violence shape you into the person that is bitter or thinks that domestic violence is OK. We should try to be on the look out for someone who may be getting abused and try to give them help, and be there for them in the best way that you can. Even if it’s just a friend or even a family member in my case, try to give them your help and even seek help in someone else if it is that serious where authority does need to be involved. Coming from someone who has personally went through this awful time in my life, I didn’t let that situation determine where I was going in life and who I was going to be. I learned to put that experience behind me, forgive the abuser and heal from it.
SPEAK OUT
Do you feel it was a good idea to postpone Homecoming? Why or why not? “I don’t like the fact that homecoming was moved. It just kind of kills the whole enthusiasm that everyone has towards it.” Jill Munchausen Junior, Accounting
“I’d rather move Homecoming Week later and be completely safe and out of the hurricane rather than go to the event and have to leave early because of the hurricane.” Vincent Ton Sophomore, Nursing “I think it was a good idea for a number of reasons. One of them being the safety of the students, Where it might not have been the most convenient for everybody, it was probably the best move.” Jenna Licciardi Junior, Marketing “I don’t care about homecoming. I’m not going.” Chase Robichaux Freshman, Business
“Personally I wasn’t going to homecoming, but everyone else seems pretty disgruntled about the event being postponed since the storm didn’t even hit Southeastern in any way other than minor rain.” Raynell Jacobs Freshman, Communication “I actually do believe that it should’ve been postponed because you always have to be prepared for the worst.” Devin Collins Freshman, Criminal Justice
“I’m kinda glad homecoming was postponed. We had a lot of things to do during that entire week, and it was kinda weirdly placed seeing as we had midterms that following week.” Darious Malik Robertson Junior, Communication
Reflecting on National Disabilities Employment Month and the value of a person Many of us may know, work or live with someone with a mental or physical disability. People with disabilities can bring often valuable aspects to our lives that we can be forever grateful for. Many may not know, but the month of October is dubbed National Disabilities Employment Riana Braselman Awareness Month. Staff Reporter I am super excited because I feel this is a great opportunity to share with my university community what I have learned from working with people with disabilities and how we can further see the potential often ignored in this population and even within ourselves. As of this month, I have worked with STARC of Louisiana in St. Tammany parish for about a year and four months now. STARC stands
for Service Training Advocacy for Resources and Community Connections and has been serving people with disabilities of all ages since 1972. While STARC provides various resources to its clients, I work in the residential branch of the company. This means I work in two group homes where eight women with varying degrees of disabilities live together, and my job is to help assist them in living the most independent lives as possible. For example, my coworkers and I help our clients in cooking meals, bringing them safely around to community events and their workplaces and so forth. I get to work very closely with these women, befriend them, get to know them on an individual level, see how each of them view the world and how they live. Working with each of my sixteen wonderful clients has taught me a lot about people with disabilities and also about myself.
My clients teach me, every time I go into work, how the word “disability” really doesn’t capture the potential of those with this label. STARC highly emphasizes to us in the early stages of training that we should approach each client looking at their abilities, and this honestly isn’t just a rosy platitude. I am impressed often by the resourcefulness, skills and insights my clients can exhibit every time I go to work. Yet, I don’t just look at my clients and what or how they contribute to their households or workplaces. It’s also easy to see the value in my clients who are also very reliant on my coworkers and me for basic needs. There are a few women whom we still assist in activities that are seen as quite simple such as taking showers or going to the bathroom. However, by working with these ladies, I get many reminders about the basics of human value but also the value of myself. Serving these women shows me
that their value isn’t defined by how they contribute to society or in doing overtly great deeds. In my opinion, by simply being a fellow human being, a whole person with their own individuality and perspective of life, they have intrinsic value and deserve to be loved and respected. Working with them reminds me that often times, as a society, we put values on ourselves based off of what we own, what we do or how we can better society. And these are good things, bettering society and doing things for the good of others, but we may often times start to lose sight of what really defines our value as a person. Working with these clients reminds me that I too have value, and to me, it’s not based off of anything I do or don’t do. I believe that my clients, no matter their degree of dependency, have value, and are worth being loved and respected just due to the fact that
they are a human person with intrinsic value. And so the same must go for everyone else, no matter who you are. Yes, National Disability Employment Awareness Month is designed to reflect on how workers with disabilities are valued members of the work force and that they too have a right to a place within our workforce. However, I wanted to move past this aspect, the idea of how this population does contribute to our society. I’m happy that I get to share with my community that this population can give back to our community, but I hope we can realize that they are far more than just what they can produce or contribute. People with disabilities are valuable, lovable and deserve respect just as all of us do, and we may forget our own value amidst our fastpaced society. But yes, reader, you are valuable, deserve respect and are worthy of being loved.
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The Lion’s Roar | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 4 | OCTOBER 24, 2017
Artists perform and tell the stories behind their music ZACHARY ARAKI STAFF REPORTER
Country music artists John Berry, Lauren Duski, Teddy Gentry and Lenny LeBlanc performed hit songs accompanied by the stories behind those songs. “The Heart Behind the Music” was held on Oct. 18 starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts. After the performance, attendees had a chance to meet the artists. Duski, finalist on the 12th season of “The Voice,” shared her thoughts on performing. “I’ve played a lot of these songs for the first time, and to be able to do it with a couple legends was just an incredible experience and such an honor,” said Duski. “I’m on cloud nine to say the least.” Sophomore undecided major Alison Garaudy has grown up listening to country music and attended the concert with her family. “I enjoyed it a lot,” said Garaudy. “It was really nice to hear the stories behind some of the songs.” Duski discussed why she decided to pursue a career in music. “I had someone reach out to me in high school after posting one of my originals on YouTube,” said Duski.
“They told me that my song helped them through a recent family death, and I remember thinking how powerful music was and for me growing up and what I had been through and all the experiences it helped me through. To see my music connecting and resonating with others, it’s just incredibly powerful, and in that moment, I knew that I wanted to play music for the rest of my life.” LeBlanc, a Dove Award winner, explained why people have an interest in country music. “Country music really speaks to the core of what people’s lives are,” said LeBlanc. “It tells a story about this real life, and a lot of the songs are written from stories that actually happened to the songwriters and to the artists. It’s just a real earthy, kind of organic style of music. I think that’s what appeals to people.” Duski believes the story in country music distinguishes it from other music genres. “The reason I fell in love with country music is through the story,” said Duski. “For me, there’s so much honesty that you don’t necessarily feel in a lot of other genres of music. At least, I hadn’t as a kid. It always stuck with me, and I just feel like, in general, country music is trying to maintain that honesty, and I feel like that’s
what keeps the genre going strong.” Berry, a Grammy Award winner, expressed his thoughts on the concert. “I thought it was awesome,” said Berry. “We had a great crowd tonight. It wasn’t a big crowd, but they were very much into it. They were a great audience to sing for.” Growing up around music drew Berry to the art form. “I grew up in a house with lots of music in our home,” said Berry. “My mom sang. My dad sang. My brother and sister sang. My dad helped me build a little studio in the basement of our house when I was a kid, and when I was in my late teens, I ended up recording my first couple of albums in that little studio and just sort of got into it.” According to LeBlanc, his passion for music started “by accident.” “I went to a friend’s house, and they asked me to sing,” said LeBlanc. “They were playing guitars, and I went and started singing, and they told me I sounded good. That was a surprise to me. And so, we went to the talent show, and we actually won the talent show. I began to fall in love with playing and singing, and that just became my passion.” LeBlanc shared the source of his inspiration.
Lauren Duski performs her hit songs such as “Deja Vu” and tells about the stories behind them at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Hearts in “The Heart Behind the Music.” ZACHARY ARAKI/THE LION’S ROAR “I get inspired by a lot of things,” said LeBlanc. “I get inspired by God. I get inspired by my friends, by other songwriters, listening to music, making conversation. I think there’s inspiration wherever you look if you just listen and keep watching for it.” Berry discussed which of his songs he likes most. “‘Your Love Amazes Me’ is one of my all time favorites to
get to sing,” said Berry. “I feel fortunate I got to record it. One of the songs I sang tonight that I wrote, ‘There Could Never Be Another Love’ is one of my favorites that I’ve written.” For Duski, her song “Deja Vu” that she performed in “The Voice” finale and again at the Columbia Theatre stands out among the rest. “All my songs come from experience whether it’s
heartbreak or a friend who’s going through something, or a family member,” said Duski. “I think ‘Deja Vu’ is the most recent. It just helps me dayto-day is the best way to put it, just to have it out and out of my system, and it brought a lot of clarity in a time when I didn’t have a lot of answers. It’s definitely my favorite so far.”
Nationally acclaimed author visits local library and HRAC
Tom Franklin speaks to readers at the Hammond Regional Arts Center about the ideas behind his book “Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter.” RIANA BRASELMAN/THE LION’S ROAR RIANA BRASELMAN STAFF REPORTER
The “Common Read” program is designed for people of the community to read the same book in order to discuss it together. The Hammond Regional Arts Center and the Tangipahoa Parish
Library hosted the program, inviting author Tom Franklin to discuss his novel “Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter” on Friday, Oct. 20 and Saturday, Oct. 21. “Barry Bradford who is the director of the Tangipahoa Parish Library, he was responsible for making that connection happen and getting a national acclaimed author here as part of an ongoing series that the Hammond Regional Arts Center started several years ago called ‘Celebrating a Written Work’ where we celebrate authors,” said HRAC Executive Director Maureen Joyce. “They used to do a much bigger, full-on festival, but they decided it might be better to focus on quality over quantity and a whole huge festival. And do something called a “Common Read” where you take a nationally acclaimed author’s best selling book and say as a whole parish, ‘Let’s read this together and experience the novel together.’” “Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter” is about two men, Silas Jones, the small Mississippi town police officer and Larry Ott, a lonely car mechanic. After several murders happen in the town, the two are reunited after having grown apart as childhood friends. “It’s about two old friends who find each other again through bad circumstances,” said Franklin. “I think it’s a hopeful book. I think it is a book about loneliness and a book about healing. I hope that people, if they read the book, might try to be nicer to the weird guy in the neighborhood. The weird guy has a history
and a life, and he has feelings. I think often we ostracize people, and this book can make people realize this guy is not someone to be shunned. He has a heart. That’s what I want people to bring back from it.” Franklin discussed the origins for his idea to write the novel. “I was interested in writing about my brother and me,” said Franklin. “Because we are so different but have the same background, same parents, a lot of the same experiences, but we could not be more different as humans. He’s conservative, and I’m liberal. We like different things. I no longer hunt. He still hunts. He loves guns. I don’t own guns. I was interested in how we could still get together and have such a great time and talk. And then the idea of a small town cop kind of fascinated me and the idea of a mechanic without customers interested me. So, those became the two characters.” Franklin expressed what it was like for him to speak for the “Common Read” program and meet the readers of his book. “It could not be more rewarding,” said Franklin. “To have people care enough to come out on a Saturday morning or Friday night and listen to me for about an hour, it’s really rewarding, and these are good questions. They were an attentive audience. I’d rather have an audience of 15 that is really listening than an audience of 500 that doesn’t care which I get at a school, and they’re all on their phone. This is my favorite kind of venue, my favorite kind of event.”
KSLU’s ‘Caffé Italia’ celebrates 10 year anniversary RACHEL TAYLOR STAFF REPORTER
KSLU’s Italian program “Caffé Italia” recently celebrated its ten-year anniversary with a special episode centered around Italy’s “Festival di Sanremo.” The festival, which lasts five nights, is one of Italy’s most popular musical festivals. “Caffé Italia” host and Italian professor Francesco Fiumara played songs from the festival’s past ten winners, using “Festival di Sanremo” as a way to take the listeners through the changes Italian music has made in the past 10 years. Before “Caffé Italia” was at the university, Fiumara worked at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and hosted the show on their station WESU. KSLU General Manager Todd Delaney explained how “Caffé Italia” was first brought to the university. “Dr. Francesco Fiumara was on campus interviewing for a position with the university ,and he came by the radio station because he had done radio in the past, and I got to talk with him,” said Delaney. “He said, ‘Hey, if I come over here, would you be interested in having an Italian radio show?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, absolutely.’ They hired him, and so he came on over and started radio with us.” Fiumara elaborated on his radio background. “My background in radio was exactly 40 years ago,” said Fiumara. “I was around 15 years old, and I started in a little commercial radio in my hometown in Italy, and that’s where I learned all the basics of radio broadcasting.” “Caffé Italia” is syndicated, and still airs at WESU as well as at KSLU. Delaney explained the value “Caffé Italia” has in the Hammond community. “We have a strong Italian community in our region, and I think they’ve received it well,” said Delaney. “It’s neat to have him showcase the culture of Italy and bring that here, and it’ll reflect what our local community is doing as well.”
For Fiumara, there is added value for the university students learning Italian. “I thought this would be good for my students to get something different about Italian culture, especially music,” said Fiumara. “Young people like music, but they barely know what is going on in Italy. That is why I had the idea of mixing music with cultural talk, and sometimes interviews.” KSLU Underwriting and Development Representative Rachael Domiano Beard, an alumna of the university, was one of the first students to benefit from assisting Fiumara with “Caffé Italia.” “At that particular semester, there were no more advanced Italian classes available,” said Beard. “A professor suggested that I do an independent study with Dr. Fiumara, and so I tried to get in touch with him, and I eventually just ended up leaving a note on his door that said, ‘call me.’” Beard went on to explain how “Caffé Italia” contributed to her learning. “It gave me an amazing outlet for using my language skills in a practical sense,” said Beard. “You’re reaching out, and you’re trying to think of words that you didn’t even know you needed. It really helped with my development and how my mind processed language.” Simone Brighenti, an Italian exchange student from the University of Verona, is currently helping Fiumara with “Caffé Italia.” “He brought fresh music to the show,” said Fiumara. “I am a bit older, and I like certain kinds of music. He is young and brought some new music from Italy that I was not aware of.” Brighenti explained how he came to be a part of the show. “There was this chance to start and learn how to manage a radio program,” Brighenti said. “I said, ‘Yes, I will like to do this,’ because I love music. I love Italian music.” Some of the music Brighenti brought to the show with him was songs by Italian artists such as Jovanotti, Marco Mengoni, Thegiornalisti, and Francesco Gabbani.
“Jovanotti is one of my favorites,” said Bringhenti. “Caffé Italia” also utilizes phone interviews, and has had Italian and Italian American guests in the past, such as Italian American author Anthony Valerio. “If we have a special guest talking about a book, we try to tailor the music selection on the topic he is going to talk about,” said Fiumara. “When we had, for instance, Anthony Valerio, I selected Italian American music because he was talking about some Italian American people.” “Caffé Italia” airs every Sunday from 8-9 Dr. Fiumara hosts KSLU’s radio show “Caffé Italia” following p.m on KSLU 90.9 FM. the show’s 10th anniversary. RACHEL TAYLOR/THE LION’S ROAR
Arts & Entertainment | The Lion’s Roar
October 24, 2017 | Page 5
Armand accredits university mentors for new honor
English instructor David Armand engages in a discussion session during his English 372-Creative Writing Fiction course. Armand was recently named writer-in-residence of the university. Larshell Green/The Lion’s Roar LARSHELL GREEN Editor In Chief
University English instructor and acclaimed local author David Armand was recently named the university’s writer-in-residence. Armand cited Dr. Jack Bedell and Dr. Tim Gautreaux as his mentors after being taught by them at the university. “They encouraged me to continue doing what I was already doing, and they gave me faith in myself as a writer,” said Armand. “They also got me to read authors whose work I may have otherwise never been exposed to.” Armand currently directs graduate student theses, teaches both the undergraduate and graduate fiction-writing courses and works with the Dual Enrollment Program. Armand describes being named as the university’s writer-in-residence as “humbling” based on his knowledge of the writers who have served before him. “I plan on doing the best work I know how to do in order to honor this position,” said Armand. As writer-in-residence, Armand’s responsibilities will include continuing to direct graduate student thesis and consulting with students who are interested in creative writing.
“I would also like to possibly give some craft talks and maybe even organize a reading for other faculty creative writers on campus,” said Armand. He explained what advice he hopes to give to graduate students. “I want them to realize that writing is a process,” said Armand. “It’s always challenging, but that when you get to work with someone who’s invested in your writing, you have an opportunity to look at your work in new ways.” Armand grew up in the village of Folsom, Louisiana, which is about a half hour away from Hammond. He admits that his passion for literature developed in the early stages of his life. “I loved reading books and writing stories as far back as I can remember, but what was strange was that no one in my family read or wrote,” said Armand. “The only books we had in our house were a set of old encyclopedias and a phone book.” After graduating from the university with an undergraduate degree in the English program in 2004 and a degree in the program’s master’s level creative writing program in 2006, Armand decided to begin his career as an educator. He explains why his connection to his alma mater remains strong. “I’ve never really had a grand plan for my life,” said Armand. “That is, things just sort of happened along the way. I went to Southeastern as an undergraduate fell in love with the study of literature after reading Tim O’Brien’s ‘The Things They Carried’ in a literature class. Before that, I wasn’t even an English major, then after I finished my degree, I decided to pursue graduate studies. After that, the timing was just right for me to start teaching in the English department. I’m now in my tenth year teaching at Southeastern.” Bedell, who was named Poet Laureate of Louisiana earlier this year, admits that Armand’s dedication to writing was present on the first day of class, but what Armand did next made him stand out. “What set him apart, though, was his willingness to help the other writers in class with their work, and his ability to take my advice and put it into play in his own writing,” said Bedell. Gautreaux retired from the university after 30 years of full time teaching in 2003, however he remains a teacher in a creative writing independent study course and retains status as an honorary writer-in-residence. He explains why he believes Armand is so deserving of recognition. “David Armand has dedicated much of his adult life to Southeastern,” said Gautreaux. “He’s made many personal sacrifices to stay here, to pay back the university’s support and confidence in him. Not only does the quality of his work deserve this recognition, but his qualities as a human being deserve all of the recognition that we can give him.” In 2016, Armand received the university’s President’s Award for Artistic Activity and was named the St. Tammany President’s Artist of the Year. “The Puglist’s Wife,” Armand’s first novel, earned the George Garrett Fiction Prize. His second novel, “Harlow” was listed as Amazon’s best novel about dysfunctional families. His novel, “My Mother’s House” was the runner-up in the William Faulkner-William Wisdom Competition. Despite his many accolades for his writing, Armand describes his
aesthetic as “pretty simple.” “I just want to tell a good story and to tell it the best way I can,” said Armand. “I want my work to always contain a sense of hope, no matter how dark things might get in the story. Since I was trained initially as a poet, sounds and rhythms in sentences are important to me as well. At the end of the day, though, I just want the reader to leave a story I’ve written with a feeling that they’ve encountered something new, different, something relatable on a human level. It’s something that can not necessarily be put into words, but it’s also something that you know what it is when you encounter it.” Armand explains why he believes that a writer’s job is never done and describes what he regards as his favorite published work. “It’s honestly very hard for me to go back and look at things that I’ve published,” said Armand. “Even now, years after the fact, I still want to ‘fix’ it and make it better. But that’s art, and I tell my students that all the time: that nothing we do is ever really finished, but that we still have to put it out there in the world. That being said, the work of mine that I have the most affection for is my second novel, ‘Harlow,’ mainly because of the autobiographical elements in it.” Gautreaux describes the qualities that he believes make Armand a great writer. “David is well-read in contemporary southern fiction and is able to be inspired by the tone, subject matter and characterizations of writers such as William Gay and Cormac McCarthy,” said Gautreaux. “The interesting thing about teaching David was that he was able to use whatever I told him about fiction to his advantage. He is very serious about his writing, and a teacher respects that. Years ago I read his first novel and admired his use of language and the types of characters he drew for the reader.” Bedell appreciates Armand’s aesthetic as a writer because of the bluntness contained in his work. “David’s writing blends urgency and honesty in a truly unique way,” said Bedell. “It’s a joy to read his work because there is no doubt he means it and that it is dead-on accurate.” Armand is currently working on his next novel, “The Lord’s Acre,” which he plans to have completed by next summer. He explains what the process and contents of this novel will hold. He explained, “Like in my own life, I never plan anything, so I might write a scene or edit a previous chapter, but eventually, after a year or two, the first draft is done and then I go back and work on edits until I feel as though it’s ready to go out into the world. This new novel so far is different from what I’ve done before in that it’s the first novel I’m writing in first person, but it still takes place in Louisiana and deals with the themes I’ve always been interested in: family, loyalty, childhood, place.” Despite not being exposed to literature in his home at an early age, Armand has managed to become an acclaimed local author who still finds time to inspire his students. “I never thought being an author was something that happened to people like me,” said Armand. “As I got older and especially after going to college and taking creative writing courses, I realized that it was possible to be an author just like it is possible to be anything else. It just requires a lot of hard work. And I mean a lot, but it’s all been worth it.”
Local business owner represents the Hammond community through art RACHEL TAYLOR Staff Reporter
Rebecca Willoughby, a Ponchatoula native, runs a business in the Hammond area where she uses her artistic abilities to represent the southeast Louisiana area. Willoughby Studios offers a variety of prints from posters, to t-shirts and even handbags. She graduated from Ponchatoula High
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) This is a good time to speak out on a difficult situation. You’re known for your honesty, so people will listen and, perhaps, begin to make longneeded changes. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) The Bovine’s sharp business sense alerts you to question the positions of those trying to push the Bull into a deal. Demand to see proof of what they profess. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Your quick thinking helps you get out of a troubling situation that suddenly was thrust upon you. Later on, you can expect to learn more about why it happened. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You might feel you’ve dotted all your i’s and crossed all your t’s regarding that upcoming deal. But there might be some facts you’ve ignored. Check again. LEO (July 23 to August 22) Time for the Lion to be more physically active. It will help shake off any lingering Leonine lethargy and restore your energy levels, so you’ll be prepared for what lies ahead. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Helping those in need at this time is laudable. But don’t ignore your own needs, especially where it concerns your health. A medical checkup is a wise move. LIBRA (September 23
before pursuing an art degree at the university for three years. Willoughby then transferred to Atlanta for a year before finishing her degree at Louisiana State University. However, she chose to relocate back to Hammond. “Hammond is just awesome with things to do,” said Willoughby. “There is Southeastern, and opportunities to explore. My oldest does sports, my middle child is in drama, and to October 22) Good news: Your outspoken views about a controversial onthe-job situation could find unexpectedly strong support from a most unlikely workplace faction. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) You might have to draw on your reservoir of spiritual strength to help someone special through a difficult time. Your loving attitude makes all the difference. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Your proven leadership qualities make you the perfect person to take on an important workplace task. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Although some compromise might need to be reached regarding your stand on an important issue, you’ll still be able to get the most crucial points across. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A chance to make a career change carries both positive and uncertain possibilities. Best advice: Check it out thoroughly and don’t be rushed into a decision. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You’re still a staunch supporter of one side of an important issue. But be prepared to deal with new information that could cause you to question your current stand. BORN THIS WEEK: You’re perceptive and quick to act when you sense that someone needs help. You are an alwaysdependable friend. (c) 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.
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my youngest does dance and gymnastics. There is just so much to do.” Willoughby knew from a young age that art was her calling. “I always knew it was what I wanted to do,” said Willoughby. “Most of my art is animal related. I have a passion for animals and wildlife. I knew I was either going to be a veterinarian or an artist, and I don’t like seeing animals in pain. So I went for the art route.” Willoughby likes to use her prints to emphasize Louisiana culture. Her art is also a way for her to give back to the community. In the past, she has created a print for the city of Hammond where the proceeds went toward the Restoration House. She also created a print for Ponchatoula High School where the proceeds benefited Ponchatoula High’s “Project Graduation.” Both were
limited edition prints with only 1,000 available for purchase. “Some are open edition and we’ll print as people order,” said Willoughby. “Others are more exclusive. Often times if we do one for a school, they’ll say they probably won’t be able to sell more than a certain amount, so we’ll tailor it to them.” A print for the Southeastern football team went on sale Oct.13. It features Roomie standing on Strawberry Field with a helmet in the foreground as well as an American and Southeastern flag in the background. A portion of the proceeds from the print will go towards the Lion Athletic Association. The print is a limited edition, and by Oct.14 there were 55 prints out of 75 already reserved. “How my creative process works is I usually think on what
Rebecca Willoughby partners with the university Lion Athletic Association. Only 75 prints by WIlloughby were available to purchase. Courtesy of Rebecca Willoughby I want to do,” said Willoughby. “I’ll make sketches, and research buildings or animals. And I’ll put it together in a drawing. Then, I’ll go to the computer and utilize Photoshop, and put it all together. If I’m satisfied, then I’ll draw it out on a canvas, or a board. I use a lot of boards. I’ll tweak it as I
go. When I’m done I’ll take the original and photograph it.” Willoughby’s business has its own Facebook page under “Rebecca Willoughby Studios.” Her prints, including the university football print, are available to purchase from http:// willoughbyartstudio.com/.
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Page 6 |October 24, 2017
The Lion’s Roar | Sports
Football extends winning streak to five games
Redshirt junior running back Darren Johnson finished with 105 yards on 13 carries against Abilene Christian University. He was joined by senior running back Eugene Bethea who also rushed for 108 yards in the game. File Photo/The Lion’s Roar NIKISUN SHRESTHA Staff Reporter
The Lions football team registered their fifth successive victory with a 56-21 win over Abilene Christian University at Wildcat Stadium. The win improved the team’s overall record to 5-3. A 35-point second half surge meant the team continued its high-scoring record, and this became the fifth instance where the team had 40 or more points in a game. “I think in the second half we kinda brought it up a notch, and I think we warmed down, made some close plays,” said Head Coach Ron Roberts. “I’m really impressed with how we played the second half.” With yet another impressive outing, Roberts
believes the team is continuing to build its confidence. “It’s great,” said Roberts. “Obviously winning, there’s a lot of confidence. We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now.” The offense recorded a season-high 623 total yards and 443 rushing yards. Roberts was pleased with how the players implemented the offensive plans. The Lions had two players with 100 yards rushing for the second time this season. Senior running back Eugene Bethea had 108 yards and ran a touchdown while redshirt junior running back Darren Johnson recorded 105 yards. “We got some explosive players, and when we execute, good things are gonna happen,” said Roberts. “We rushed 400 yards today. Our offensive line played a top control line of
scrimmage.” The defense also held its own as they restricted the Abilene Christian Wildcats to 119 passing yards and 293 total yards. Senior defensive back Max Lyons had a team-high eight tackles while senior linebacker Lee Spight joined Lyons to finish the game with a sack. Roberts was pleased to see the team defend and limit the Wildcats’ passing yards. “I thought we came out in the second half, and we really pretty much dominated the second half,” said Roberts. “I think they had 120 yards in total, and one of them was at the end of the game. So I was pleased with it. There was some plays, some things we need to do better. But overall, I’m really impressed with how we defend the pass coming in. That’s what we’re
worried about, and I think we did a good job with that.” Despite the victory, Roberts believes the team still has room for improvement. “There’s a bunch of areas,” said Roberts. “A lot of it is just individual performances, more constituency, you know. We just continue to get better every week. We’ll be in good shape.” The Lions will resume their homecoming events as they host Sam Houston State University on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. in Strawberry Stadium. “It’s gonna be a great ball game,” said Roberts. “There’s a lot at stake at this one. We’re gonna need the help of our crowd and everyone involved. We’re looking forward to the home field advantage to help us.”
Track and field team looking for fresh start with newcomers NIKISUN SHRESTHA Staff Reporter
The Lions track and field program has a new roster because of the influx of newcomers in the team. Head Coach Corey Mistretta looks at this as an opportunity to continue to form a cultural change in the program. “We’re super excited,” said Mistretta. “Before coach Brady left midway through the year last year, we made a commitment to kinda change the things around the program and bring a bunch of new people in. Now we’re seeing that happen with 42 new faces this year on the men and women side.” Mistretta found the team has responded to the change positively. “What we’ve noticed is that the group has really come together as a team,” said Mistretta. “We have one mission, and we’re going in one direction. And everybody seems to be on board with that and it is really encouraging.” Some of the incoming athletes are international
students as well. They described their feelings about being a part of the program. “I feel it is an honor for me to be a part of such a determined and hardworking team,” said sprinter Angel Collie, a freshman psychology major. “Considering that the fact that I am from the Bahamas, I am happy to be exposed to new conditions and persons from different places with different cultural backgrounds. I also feel that the rigorous workout schedule will continue to better me as an upcoming athlete.” Mid-distance runner Milica Ozegovic also expressed her delight in being a part of the track and field team. “Being an international student who came from a very small country like Bosnia and Herzegovina, to be part of American College and Division I team is a great pleasure and privilege,” said Ozegovic. Senior sprinter Cliff Resias described how the team looks going into the 2018 season with the new faces. “Our team’s looking great
and strong,” said Resias. “I’m really looking forward for next season to start to see what they are about to do, but as of offseason, I mean, everybody looks good, healthy and strong. I’m really interested to see what will happen next season.” Junior hurdler Breanne Bias gave her thoughts on the composition of the team. “I think that it’s a lot of new faces,” said Bias. “We have a very diverse team this year, which is great. A lot of new personalities, which is also great for the team. Being that the team is so young, it’ll be great just to rebuild on our program.” Mistretta believes that this team can look at the upcoming season with a fresh perspective and team ethic. “I think something that was missing was the whole team concept of one team with one mission,” said Mistretta. “One of the things that we kinda get lost here in Southeastern is we have some elite athletes on our team, guys that have competed at the highest level. When you have athletes like that, you wind
up having to take such athletes to different competitions, you have to train them a little differently, so the team becomes somewhat fractured when you do that. We wanted to kinda bring higher level kids so we can train together and bring that team dynamic back to it.” “Currently in the offseason, the team is looking to practice hard for the spring season,” said Collie. “My plans for the off season is to just work hard in every practice session and never give up when I feel like the workout is becoming too much. Also, keep the mentality that the practice sessions are going to make competition easier for me and remember that good results come from how I perform in practice.” As a newcomer, Collie described her goals for her first season in spring. “My expectations for the spring season are really just to go out to the track meets and have fun but at the same time perform well for my school and myself,” said Collie. “I feel like it’s going to be a little
different as I’m transitioning from high school track and field to a NCAA Division 1 track and field school, but I don’t feel like
that’s going to detour me from the goals I’ve set for myself. Also, I expect to lower my times in both the 200m and 400m.
Junior hurdler Breanne Bias is practicing during the offseason. She is one of the experienced players in the track and field roster. Nikisun Shrestha/The Lion’s Roar
Volleyball’s rough season and twelve game losing streak continues
Junior defensive specialist Lexie Torres serves against Northwestern State University. She recorded 15 digs in the match where the Lady Lions lost 3-0. Nikisun Shrestha/The Lion’s Roar
NIKISUN SHRESTHA Staff Reporter
The volleyball team dropped three matches last week which made their overall fall to 2-22. The three successive 3-0 losses to Stephen F. Austin State University, University of Central Arkansas and Northwestern State University meant that the team remains winless against conference oppositions. Head Coach Jim Smoot gave his thoughts on the recent loss to Northwestern State Demons. “I actually thought that the first set had factors that really took us out of the game,” said Smoot. “You know it’s just consistency. We play brilliant at a time, but we just can’t maintain it. Once we learn to maintain it, we’re gonna be in good shape.”
Junior defensive specialist Lexie Torres shared that the team is The team will play Lamar University next on Thursday, Oct. 26 at trying hard in practice to face different oppositions. 7 p.m. in the University Center. “I think we did really good,” said Torres. “Every game is different, and this team was extremely good. After every game, we have the same talk. We have more work to do. I think after every practice, we get better, and I think next year it’ll really reflect what we’re practicing.” In the game against the Demons, Smoot and Torres found common areas of concern that led to their loss. “Our passing, servicing really broke down,” said Smoot. “We were not able to run our offense. If we look at the stats, the pin hitters, only one of them hit positive. Our middles, Sam Gomez and Tempestt, we could not get the ball to them ’cause the passing broke down. That was a major factor, and I thought that just all the concentration of movement was not there.” Torres explained the skill sets that were not up to the mark for the team to succeed but said the team tried to correct them in the third set. “With the negatives, definitely our serve receiving,” said Torres. “During the break, we had three things to work on: our serve receive, our blocking and our swinging that the pin hitters didn’t have a good hitting percentage. The positive is that we actually changed that in the third set.” The game against the Demons was also the Dig Pink match where the team came out to support breast cancer awareness. “A lot of our families come and some of them actually go through breast cancer radiation and everything,” said Torres. “I just think it’s important that we support it, and we talked about it before the game, the important things about it.” For the rest of the season, Smoot expects the team to perform at a high standard consistently. “I always expect us to play at our highest level at a more consistent rate,” said Smoot. “I know we have the capacity to do that.” Torres described how the team is coping with the losses this season. “I’m just thankful to be on the team with the girls,” said Torres. “We’re a family. I think nobody realizes that. Yeah, we lose a lot, but we have fun all of the time. We love each other.”
Sports | The Lion’s Roar
October 24, 2017 | Page 7
Seniors honored in last two home games JONATHAN RHODES Staff Reporter
The Lady Lions soccer team won one of their two final home games of the season, the first one being a 3-1 victory against Northwestern State University. The second game against the University of Central Arkansas ended in a 1-0 loss. The victory against Northwestern State ended a three-game losing streak for the Lady Lions. Despite the one loss, Head Coach Christopher McBride is proud of the effort from the Lady Lions in their final two games at home. “It was unbelievable,” said McBride. “We said, ‘Let’s not leave that field unworked.’ We said, ‘Don’t quit,’ and we didn’t quit at all. We fought for every ball, every first ball and every second ball. It was a good performance tonight. We did really well. It was a good performance, but not the right result.” The Lady Lions are currently in 10th place in the Southland Conference and need to be in eighth place to make it to the Southland Conference Tournament. They will have one last chance to squeeze into the postseason by defeating Nicholls State University this Friday. “I think if we take care of business Friday, we’ll just have to wait on one result to go in our favor, and if that happens then things will
work out,” said McBride. “It’s so competitive you just don’t know what could happen. There were some results today that went the way that we didn’t expect it, so anything can happen.” Seniors defender Kim Porche, midfielder Maddie Kresevic and midfielder Lauren Babcock were honored before the game against Northwestern State. Porche scored one of the three goals in the game, which was her first goal since her freshman season, and she set a career best with two assists. Porche was glad to be honored for her four years playing for the university. “It was really nice,” said Porche. “The coaches and our teammates really worked hard to make it special. So, thanks to them, it was really amazing, and it felt great after all of my time here. They did a phenomenal job for us.” Kresevic has enjoyed her four years playing for the Lady Lions and will miss the days she spent playing here. “It was sad because this has been a great experience playing for Southeastern for four years,” said Kresevic. “I know we like to say, ‘Lion for Life,’ and I take that to heart because being a part of this is something more than just playing for a team.” The other two goals scored against Northwestern State were by sophomore forward Amber Marinero who scored her third goal of
Senior players midfielder Maddie Kresevic No. 18, midfielder Lauren Babcock No. 16 and defender Kim Porche No. 5 were honored prior to the game against Northwestern State . courtesy of sports information the season and redshirt freshman midfielder Alexandra Gundersen, who scored her first goal of her career. In the game against Central Arkansas, freshman goalkeeper Michaela Hawthorn had 10 saves. The defense held the game scoreless up until the 74th minute in the game. The players believe that they can still make
it to the Southland Conference Tournament and extend their season. “We’re gonna do everything in our power to get that last spot,” said Kresevic. “In the end, what matters is that we give it our all. We know what is on the line. We have to go out with the same energy, and hopefully, we can make it to the tournament.”
“There are 10 new players,” said Fremin. “Two junior college transfers and eight freshmen that are here now. They’ve all contributed in a great way. They’re doing really well filling some gaps and holes, and a lot of them did really well this fall. So, the newcomers have definitely helped raise the level of our play within our program.” Fremin had the chance to test the new Lady Lions over the fall schedule. He thinks the recruits, with the help of senior players, are starting to settle into the team. “The new recruits that are here now have done a great job with being open to feedback from our upperclassmen,” said Fremin. “We’ve tried to make it a point to our juniors and seniors to coach the freshmen and sophomores as much as possible. The faster they do that, they communicate, the faster the team’s gonna improve. Typically, a young player takes a year to get acclimated to this level, and our goal was to do it in a semester so that they’re ready to go in the spring season.” The spring season will be the last for nine
players in the roster. Fremin described the role the senior players have in the team. “I think there are nine seniors that we have on this year’s team,” said Fremin. “They’ve done a great job with their leadership. They’ve really contributed in community service, fundraising and just trying to set an example for the younger players, and I look forward to allowing them to lead our team in the spring. And they’re gonna be greatly missed just because of their leadership.” Fremin explained the progress of the team during his time coaching. He also shared his expectations for the spring season. “Well, year one we finished 12th in the conference,” said Fremin. “Last year, we moved up six spots and finished sixth of eligible teams, and this year I feel the team is better. I feel that we can continue to climb the ladder and do what we need to do to win the conference in the regular season and then also to get into the conference tournament.” The team will resume their action on Feb. 9 as they host the 2018 Lion Classic I.
Softball remains undefeated in exhibition games NIKISUN SHRESTHA Staff Reporter
Freshman infielder Madison Watson. Nikisun Shrestha/The Lion’s Roar
The Lady Lions softball team wrapped up their fall schedule of exhibition games with a 10-2 win over East Central Community College and a 13-0 victory over Coastal Alabama Southern Community College over the weekend. Head Coach Rick Fremin gave his assessment of the eight exhibition games. “We finished the fall with our eight games 7-0-1,” said Fremin. “So seven wins, no losses and one tie. I’m very pleased with the offensive production and thought we did a great job of cutting down the errors and handling the ball really well throughout the fall. Our pitching staff has done a great job under new assistant Brooke Boening in following her lead and her direction, so things are really coming together in all areas.” During the offseason, the team recruited new players to help raise the program’s level.
New faces and new expectations JONATHAN RHODES Staff Reporter
The Lions baseball team has started their fall practice for the upcoming 2018 season. The team played three intrasquad scrimmages and will be finished with fall practice in the annual Heart of a Lion World Series scrimmage. Head Coach Matt Riser believes it is too early to make any predictions on the team but there is some work to be done during fall practice this offseason. “We definitely passed the eye test,” said Riser. “We got some guys that are physical and athletic, but we talk a lot, especially with this club that talent only takes you so far. Them learning how to play our system, our speed and our mentality is going to take some time. It’s early, and we have a lot of new guys trying to learn how to play Lions baseball.” There are 17 newcomers to the Lions roster. Seven of the players are straight from high school, nine of them are former junior college players and only one player transferred. Riser wants to use the scrimmages during fall practice to get the newcomers comfortable with the Lions style of play and the culture of the program. “The thing is they have
never been held to this type of standard or this type of accountability,” said Riser. “They think they can do it on game day but not on practice day or intrasquad day. They are starting to realize real fast that they are gonna be held accountable in every rep that they do.” The veteran players are almost outnumbered by the newcomers, which could make it difficult for the vets to show strong leadership the same way it’s been done in previous seasons. “The group of seniors we had last year in all honesty was one of my favorite groups to coach just because they were that tough, hard-nosed group that just refused to lose,” said Riser. “They led by example. This new group is outnumbered with the new guys, but that challenges them even more to take a step forward in their leadership role. Normally, we have about nine or 10 new guys. They have almost doubled the amount, so it’s going to take twice the effort and twice the focus. They are definitely the guys up for the challenge. They got to understand that they are the ones to set the tone for the guys coming in.” Redshirt junior Kade Granier is glad to be back on Alumni Field and getting
ready for the season with his teammates. Granier understands the position he and his veteran teammates are in this season and the role he now must step in. “We got a lot of new faces out here,” said Granier. “We got to show the ropes and show them what it takes to play baseball here at Southeastern. It’s awesome to be back out here playing the game we love. It’s always good to get back to the field.” The Lions have appeared in the NCAA Regionals the past two seasons but have not moved past the first round. The players know that the expectations are higher than before, and they want to surpass what has been accomplished in the past. “We owe a lot of credit to the guys that came before us who built this program,” said junior pitcher Corey Gaconi. “It’s our duty to give them credit and keep building and keep getting better each year and every year until we are dog piling in Omaha. I think we understand that, and new guys get that. Coach Riser is definitely going to get us ready for that. As long as we have the right mindset and play hard, I think we have a good chance.” The Lion’s regular season starts on Feb. 16 against SIUEdwardsville at Alumni Field.
This Week’s Puzzle AnsWers
Junior pitcher Mason Knopp is one of 17 new additions to the Lions this 2018 season. Jonathan Rhodes/The Lion’s Roar
PAGE 8 | OCTOBER 24, 2017
The Lion’s Roar | NEWS
Partnering with Verona
West retires after 36 years of services PRAKRITI ADHIKARI STAFF REPORTER
Simone Brighenti, an exchange student from the University of Verona, holds up his Italian flag as he stands outside D Vickers. Brighenti, an accounting major will be attending the university throughout the fall semester. RACHEL TAYLOR/THE LION’S ROAR RACHEL TAYLOR STAFF REPORTER
The university has many partnerships with international universities. One of the partnerships is with Università degli Studi di Verona, and it has been in effect for around 10 years. Languages and Communication Department Head Dr. Lucia Harrison created the partnership in conjunction with Professor Francesco Fiumara. Harrison who is an alumna of the University of Verona herself. “I saw that there was this opportunity to start an exchange program with a university in Europe, and I said, ‘Well, why not Verona?’” said Harrison. She went on to explain why Verona is a desirable location for study abroad programs. “Verona has a unique location,” said Harrison. “First of all, it is not too big or too small. It is the perfect size. Also, it is so close to everywhere in Europe. In an hour and a half, I can be in Austria, Serbia, Croatia or France.” Verona also has a lot of historical associations. It is the
location of William Shakespeare’s famous “Romeo and Juliet,” the home of the world’s largest wine festival “Vinitaly,” and is the point of origin for the eponymous Verona Red Marble. “It’s a wonderful city,” said Harrison. “That’s where I studied. I will always have a special spot for that city.” Simone Brighenti is the university’s current exchange student from Verona. He explained why he chose to study at the university. “I had to pick between two choices for my project,” said Brighenti. “It’s a project called World Wide Studies at the University of Verona. My first choice was South Korea, and my second was Southeastern. For my grades and for my GPA and for my love of English, the university thought it was better for me to come here. So, they sent me here, and I was really happy.” Once he arrived at the university, Brighenti began assisting Dr. Fiumara with “Caffe Italia.” He also tutors in the language lab. “It’s really enjoyable to help
BATTERY
continued from pg. 1 actually do it. If the person making the threats is in possession of a weapon or fires a firearm at somebody but misses them, then they didn’t actually hit them. They didn’t cause injury, but they placed them in fear of being injured. So that would be an aggravated assault.” Gipson explained that many of the battery charges on campus happened between people who already knew each other prior to the incident occurring. Gipson explained, “Looking at the dynamics of the types of cases we handle, most of the time, assaults or batteries occur between people who know each other, and conflict resolution skills are a must. Being able to resolve disagreements without resorting to violence is very, very important.” The UPD highly encourages those who have HHF
continued from pg. 1 Winters. “Although, theatre is always a bit political no matter what you do. What’s nice is that we live in a country where we can come out and present material and try to make people think without worrying, ‘We are going to be stopped.’ That’s the nice thing about living in a free country.” The 48-hour film festival is a recent addition to the HHF. For a $20 admission fee, attendees could view the films and watch dance performances by La LA Tribal as well as The Wicked Little Voodoo Dolls. There was also a horror prop vendor booth ran by “It Came from Under My Bed” owner Ashley Newman and a recruitment booth for the Northshore Roller Derby. Hammond Regional Arts Center Media Coordinator Tara Bennett, who is an APO alumna talked about how this is a change from recent years. “Last year we re-imagined the ‘Masquerade Ball,’ and have moved venues from the Hammond Regional Arts Center to the Gnarly Barley Brewery, all to create our new event ‘A Macabre Showcase,’” said Bennett. “HHF has considerably grown since its first year, but
people,” said Brighenti. “It can be a little stressful to help people with Spanish because I have to think in Spanish and translate in English.” Brighenti discussed one of the highlights he has experienced while studying in the United States. “One of the friends that I made took me out to see Bogalusa,” said Brighenti. “I had the chance to meet his family, and they were really kind to me. They helped me a lot, we did a cruise on the Mississippi, and at night we were catching frogs. It was really cool. I had never done that in Italy.” Interested students can find out more by contacting the International Initiatives Office, or by going to their page on the university’s website. “I think every student should experience a study abroad opportunity, either for a semester, for a month, just some kind of cultural experience with another country,” said Harrison. “It’s just so important. It will help you in your resume, it will help you job searching, it will open your mind. You are more tolerant of other Interlibrary Loan Department Supervisor Barbara West answers phone calls during her shift. She retired on Oct. 20 after cultures.” 36 years of service to the university. West began as a library specialist. PRAKRITI ADHIKARI/THE LION’S ROAR
witnessed or become victim to assault or battery to report it to campus police. “It may not be a major situation,” said Gipson. “Many times when people get into a fight or somebody hits somebody else or they’re pushing and shoving, very seldom are there injuries. Whether or not there were injuries, crime has still occurred, and even someone doesn’t want to press charges, most of the time they still want something done.” Gipson explained that there are other courses of action outside of pressing charges against somebody who has committed battery or assault. “It could be a Student Conduct issue,” said Gipson. “Other times it might just be a counseling issue where someone needs to work out some things between themselves or some type of mediation and aren’t really sure how to do that and they end up getting into a pushing match or shoving match in which case we would like for that to stop. There are
the mission to be a thrilling exhibition of the arts has always remained intact.” McLellan explained how the partnership with Gnarly Barley began. “We wanted to grow the festival a little bit bigger, and we had a shot in the dark email with Zac and Cari, and they were very generous and kind,” said McLellan. “They said, ‘Yeah, let’s work with each other and
Interlibrary Loan Department Supervisor Barbara West retired from the Sims Memorial Library on Oct. 20 after providing 36 years of service to the university. Born in New Orleans, West is the eldest of the six siblings in the family. She completed her associates degree in what was then called the “key punch operator.” West entered the university in 1981 as library specialist in the Catalogue Department and climbed her way to becoming the supervisor in 1991, a position where she supervised the graduate assistants and student assistants. She was the main go-to person for finding articles and the books. West expressed her “mixed emotions” about retiring. “I am excited about retiring, but then I am also wondering, now what?,” said West. “It’s going to be a new chapter of my life. I am sad, but I am also happy at the same time.” West will be moving to Colorado shortly after her retirement and plans to stay there for two years. “It’s been a good experience for me,” said West. “These people I work with have become my family. I learned a lot while working here.” West was a member of the production of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow Is Enuf” play in 1990, the first play in the university by an all African-American cast. She played the role of Lady in Orange. “I was actually dragged into it by my then supervisor,” said West. “We went for the auditions, and I got the part. We did the play twice. We did it here on campus, and a few months later we did it in the downtown Hammond. It was a smaller cast, but a lot was done on the stage. The play was about the different feelings African-American people had in their life and were going through like suicide.”
West remembered the positive memories that she had during her stay in the university. “I don’t remember which year it was, but we had a softball team,” said West. “We would cook and visit with each other afterwards, and go out to dinner. I have fond memories. Like I said, we were like a family. Southeastern has been my family.” West remembered the times she initially started, and the changes she has witnessed. “The number of students then was way under 10,000,” said West. “There have been so many changes along the way. Everything has been computerized. The main differences has been the tearing down and building in. Buildings that you think would have been landmark have been torn down, like the Twelve Oaks Building.” West remembered moving from the old library, which is currently Garrett Hall. “They loaded books on the trucks, and they put it on the back of a moving truck,” said West. “We were on there to hold the trucks to keep them from swinging, so we had like a human chain.” Library Specialist in the Cataloging Department Roxann McHodgkins recollected the fond memories of working with West. “She is such a strong woman, a woman of ethics,” said McHodgkins. “She is always full of energy and is always positive. She had a little box when we would press it would shout, ‘Get me out of here,’ and now she is really going.” Library Specialist in the Acquisitions Department Lisa Perrilloux, who initially worked as student worker, was hired by West and worked with her for 10 years. “It’s heartbreaking,” said Perrilloux. “She will be missed. She is such a good person, and always so helpful. She is always energetic. It was a very good experience working with her.”
build an event.’” The “Macabre Showcase” had two award categories for the films, a Director’s Choice Award, and an Audience Choice Award. The film “Bad Hombre” won both awards. Ryan LeDoeuf, a member of the team that created “Bad Hombre,” admitted that success didn’t come easily. “We had a topic we were assigned, and it was challenging
other ways of dealing with conflict besides violence, so we try to help students understand that there are other ways to work out conflict.” In some cases, it may be difficult to avoid becoming a victim of assault or battery as the blame falls upon the person threatening the victim. “As far as a victim goes, you can’t really say, ‘Do this to stop becoming a victim,’ because you can’t really blame a victim of a crime for the crime,” said Gipson. “They’re not the ones who did something wrong. It’s the person who commits the crime and needs to be held accountable for it.” Gipson explained that a possible solution to assault and battery rests on teaching conflict resolution skills. “So a lot of it doesn’t fall upon the person who is being threatened,” said Gipson. “It just falls upon us as individuals, as society to understand that being angry about something is not the best time to go and
try to resolve it. If taking a step back, taking a breath, thinking, ‘OK, I can disagree with somebody without being violent. I can disagree with somebody without raising my voice or swinging my arms around or getting in their face or pushing myself on them or invading their personal space.’ Those aren’t conflict resolution skills. Those are confrontational skills.” Gipson also suggested mediation as a way to resolve possible issues between those who may resort to assault or battery. “It may be that you need to have an intermediary,” said Gipson. “Very, very helpful in many kinds of cases where you find somebody who wasn’t involved in the confrontational or the conflict who can work with both sides and try to figure out the perspective of both sides and try to get it worked out amicably or at least down to where there’s no violence involved. That’s what we’d like to see.”
at first,” said LeDoeuf. “It took us me, cancer is the real horror, and a part in the battle against cancer a little while to figure something so I receive a great sense of well- through my love of the horror out how to run with it.” being knowing that I’m playing genre.” Some of the proceeds made from the festival will be used HE ION S OAR to help the American Cancer www.lionsroarnews.com Society right at home by going The Official Publication of the Students of Southeastern since 1937. towards the Relay For Life of 1320 N Morrison Blvd Tangipahoa Parish. 985-542-5555 “My mother is a breast cancer survivor, and she was the one who influenced my taste for horror films,” said Bennett. “To
T
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STANDS AGAINST
BREAST CANCER In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Florida Parishes Bank will make a $50 donation to the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center for each new checking account opened in October.
Hailey Louque Freshman, Elementary Education
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