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28, 2014
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thebattalion Graphic by William Guerra, photos by John Benson — THE BATTALION
TO THE BRAZOS
March shatters fundraising record Aimee Breaux
The Battalion y the time cadets returned from their annual 18-mile March to the Brazos on Saturday, they had broken a fundraising record and fundamentally altered relationships between the classes. Up from $68,000 last year, cadets raised a record-breaking $113,000 for the Brazos Valley chapter of March of Dimes, an organization that advocates for prenatal health education and research. Community director Kathryn Scott said the March to the Brazos is the largest student-run fundraising event related to March of Dimes in the nation and has raised around $2.3 million since its beginning in 1976. Scott said March of the Dimes was responsible for the first neonatal intensive care units, the research that led to the wide availability of folic acid and the first education campaigns to stop women from smoking and drinking while pregnant. Corps of Cadets public relations officer Austen Jacobs said the
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Jonathan Kappelman, freshman aerospace engineering major, and Andrew Taylor, sophomore industrial distribution major, wrestle during March to the Brazos.
fundraiser has been so successful in part because the service is relevant to everyone. “We were all babies once and most of us plan of having children someday,” Jacobs said. “So one that’s really interesting to me about what we do, which is support new-born health, is that it’s something that affects everyone regardless of who you are, where you come from. Everyone was born at some point.” Jacobs said the March to the Brazos also serves as an informal transfer of ranks within the Corps and is especially important for freshmen. While cadets do not officially transfer ranks until final review next Saturday, Forest Allen, junior university studies major, said the event is a tangible representation of passing down responsibilities from one class to the next. In addition to donning the belts of the class above them on the march back to the Quad, Craig Hogg, freshman political science major, said a big part of March to the Brazos is “dropping handles,” See March on page 3
service
Students teach city youth about sports
Jonathan Sheen — THE BATTALION
Claire Banschbach, senior kinesiology major, signs her book at Sweet Eugene’s Saturday.
Student makes literary leap Aggie turns love of fantasy into published novel Bradley D’Souza The Battalion
Fueled by a long-time love of fantasy and free time between classes, senior kinesiology major Claire Banschbach wrote and had her first novel published. Since the publishing of “The Rise of Aredor” in March 2014, Banschbach has been promoting the novel while encouraging fellow students to take the same literary leap. Sweet Eugene’s House of Java hosted Banschbach’s latest book signing Saturday. The novel details the journey of Corin, who is kidnapped when he is a young boy and taken to a foreign land as a slave in the house of a lord. After he is freed, Corin returns home to try and find his family after his country, the titular Aredor, had been invaded. Banschbach said she gained inspiration for “The Rise of Aredor” from the large assortment of fantasy books she read as a child and teenager growing up in Midland, Texas. “I read the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy and the ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ and pretty much any fantasy I could get my hands on when I was little,” Banschbach said. “That’s why I started writing. I just wanted to make my own story.” While always having been enamored with storytelling, Banschbach said she didn’t start writing until she
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was 17. Banschbach said that writing started off as a pastime, and that she submitted what became her book to a publisher on an impulse. “It became a hobby that I am very fond of now,” Banschbach said. “It started off just kind of writing it in my spare time. I’d keep a notebook around, as well as a bunch of pens. I typed it all up and my sister, who’s an English major, edited it. I submitted it to a publisher on a whim. I found Tate publishing on a whim. They had a spot for submitting a manuscript online. They got back to me within a few weeks and offered me a contract.” As a college student, Banschbach said balancing writing with her academic pursuits was difficult and she had to quickly organize her priorities. “It’s difficult because obviously you have to put education first,” Banschbach said. “It was kind of a struggle, trying to balance everything. I wanted to keep writing, but I also wanted to focus on school at the same time.” When asked what her advice was for aspiring writers, Banschbach said to make sure to persevere and continue writing, and to make sure to surround yourself with people who can help you. “Keep writing, find people with similar interests,” Banschbach said. “Find people who like the same sort of stuff you do. Get as much feedback as you can.” Banschbach’s next scheduled signing is May 24 at Hastings in Bryan.
Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION
Nicole Peake, sophomore biology major and Sports Fest volunteer, passes a basketball to participants.
Motto: ‘Every child deserves a chance’ Victoria Rivas The Battalion
Sounds of dribbling basketballs, feet scurrying across a gymnasium floor and the laughter of excited children echoed throughout the Physical Education Activity Program Building on Saturday. Sports for Kids, a student-run organization dedicated to promoting sports and physical activity among College Station youth, held its largest event of the year, Sports Fest. With more than 50 children attending, Hillary Webster, a junior health major and Sports Fest executive, said the attendance was one of the highest the organization has ever seen. “We had a great turnout this year, one of the best, and all of the kids are so excited for the sports,” Webster said. The organization’s motto, “Because every child deserves a chance to play,” was put into practice with Sports Fest. Children who attended were able to play seven sports across four gyms for free. Stephanie Phillips, junior psy-
chology major and Sports for Kids intramurals executive, said Sports Fest is effective in exposing children to many different sports. “It’s a great way to get involved and get children active,” Phillips said. “A bunch of kids don’t get the opportunity to play and try out a bunch of different sports, but with Sports Fest, this is an opportunity to do it for free.” Lindsay Anderson, junior kinesiology major and Sports Fest executive, said the kids love to play all the different variety of sports. “I think the crowd favorite has to be gymnastics,” Anderson said. “It’s something for them, and they get to jump on the trampolines and into the foam pit.” Anderson said she feels it’s important to encourage children to be active, and said Sports Fest is a way to give back to the Bryan-College Station community. “First of all, I’m a very big advocate for physical activity in general. Any way that I can get kids to get up and move is great,” Anderson said. “I also think it’s neat that we can create events for these kids. A lot of their parents are having to deal with us college kids taking over the See Sports Fest on page 6
architecture
Group designs Nigerian hospital complex Aimee Breaux The Battalion
Taking into account the different living conditions facing Sub-Saharan Africa, A&M environmental design students have a plan to address health problems in Nigeria. Teams of design students will present five “dualhospital” designs Monday for the Thompson & Grace Medical City, a complex consisting of two hospitals as well as a medical school, research institute, conference center, elementary school and artisan village, according to a College of Architecture press release. The project is supported by Thompson & Grace Investments, a Nigerian based firm. George J. Mann, A&M professor of health facilities design, oversaw the design teams and said students had to consider the climate’s role in the health of Nigeria. “In developing their designs, student had to consider Nigeria’s climate and culture, as well as the leading causes of illness and death in the country — malaria, lower respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS and diarrheal diseases,” said Mann in the press release. Mann said student designs include well-sealed buildings and rooftop drainage to compensate for the 100 inches of annual rainfall in the Nigerian region. Student participant Austin Ash said in the release that students were pressed to consider cultural norms in addition to the extreme topical conditions while designing the hospitals. The presentation is open to the public and will take place at 1 p.m. in Legacy Hall at the Jon L. Hagler Center.
inside q&a | 3 Prof talks undergrad research Duncan MacKenzie said there are opportunities for research everywhere.
sports | 4 A&M tops MSU Aggies claim victory over Mississippi State in two of three weekend games.
service | 2 Frat packs food for hungry 230 volunteers bagged 125,000 meals Saturday. @thebattonline The Battalion @thebattonline thebatt.com
4/27/14 9:44 PM