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w. basketball
Perfect UConn looms in Elite 8
Aggies put NCAA run on line Monday in Lincoln Patrick Crank
The Battalion or the third time since 2008, the Texas A&M women’s basketball team will play in the NCAA Elite Eight — this time against the defending national champion Connecticut Huskies. The Aggies (27-8, 13-3 SEC) are set to tip off in the Lincoln regional finals on Monday night. The winner will earn a ticket to the Final
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Four in Nashville, Tenn. UConn (37-0, 18-0 AAC) defeated BYU 71-52 in its last outing, earning the Huskies their ninthstraight Elite Eight appearance. Junior forward Kaleena MosquedaLewis, who comes off back-to-back triple-double and double-double performances against St. Joseph’s and BYU, has led UConn throughout the tournament. MosquedaLewis has averaged 15.5 points per game as well as 7.3 rebounds over the Huskies’ last seven games — a stretch where she has logged three of her season total four doubledoubles.
The Aggies also will be tasked with stopping sophomore UConn standout Breanna Stewart. Stewart leads the Huskies in scoring with 19.6 points per game on a squad with five players averaging in the double digits. At 6-foot-4, Stewart leads the Huskies in offensive rebounding and blocked shots. A&M is 0-2 all-time against UConn, but the Aggies are confident that they’re playing their best basketball of the season entering the contest. “If we follow our game plan, play hard and not worry about the fact it says UConn on their jersey, we’ll be
fine,” said sophomore point guard Jordan Jones. “So many get caught up in the hype of it being UConn. It’s that mental aspect of it.” The Aggies enter the matchup riding off an 84-65 rout of DePaul in the Sweet 16. A&M shot a season-high 60 percent from the field against the Blue Demons, marking the Aggies’ best ever performance in an NCAA tournament game. The Aggies held the Blue Demons to a season-low 65 points, while every A&M starter scored in double figures. “Yes, we can score points,” said head coach Gary Blair, “but we can
defend, too.” Sophomore guard Courtney Walker scored 25 points against DePaul and extended her streak of double-digit scoring to 12 games. Walker said she and the rest of the team will have to continue to elevate their play if they hope to keep their national championship hopes alive. “The competition goes up,” Walker said. “Your play has to go up.” The 3-seed Aggies will battle the 1-seed Huskies at 8:30 p.m. live on ESPN.
culture
April to honor Asian heritage Events take aim at dissolving stereotypes Caroline Corrigan
The Battalion exas A&M will play host to pan-Asian events this April as the Asian Presidents’ Council presents “Breaking Stereotypes,” a series of games, activities and free movie screenings that aim to bring Asian Heritage Month closer to students. Daniel Wong, junior business major and APC president-elect, said this year’s theme will contribute to the council’s overall message to Texas A&M. “Our whole theme for this month is breaking stereotypes, and we are really trying to push that there are so many different types of Asian cultures,” Wong said. “We shouldn’t be limited to just these stereotypes.” Ten events are scheduled throughout April that will cover different facets of Asian culture. Movie screenings will be open to the public, and comedians Hari Kondabolu and Howard Chen will visit campus to perform a stand-up routine called “Comedy and Inspiration” and answer questions on how to improve the cultural environment of the future.
T
Photos by John Benson — THE BATTALION
Bisma Pradana, Brooke Herschbach and Bryce Anderson celebrate Holi, the festival of colors, Sunday on Simpson Drill Field.
HOLI:
Festivalgoers unite through dazzling color
Students participate in the Hindu tradition of Holi as part of I-Week with American music mixed with Indian dance songs at Simpson on Sunday.
inside service | 6 The Big Event breaks records The Big Event set new marks in job sites and student participants Saturday. International students gained new perspective on a Texas A&M culture of service.
sports | 5 Reaction to suspended QB reflects unfairness Following quarterback Kenny Hill’s arrest Friday, Sean Lester details the hypocrisy in the way people view athletes and alcohol.
people | 2 Replenish offers clean water A&M student donates water purification resources to those in need internationally.
BAT_03-31-14_A1.indd 1
See Asian heritage on page 3
STROKES OF AGGIELAND
Q&A:
ArtFest winner’s work couples heritage, tradition
Cassidy Tyrone, lifestyles writer, sat down with Yashwant Prakash Vyas, senior electrical engineering major, who was awarded Best In Show in Thursday’s Artfest with a Warali painting of Aggie traditions. Artfest was hosted by the MSC Visual Arts Committee and showcased the diverse talents of student artists in an art competition.
THE BATTALION: Why did you name your piece the “Story of Aggieland in Maroon and White”?
THE BATTALION: Can you give me some background information about your winning piece?
THE BATTALION: Why did you choose to use the Warali painting style to depict the story of A&M?
VYAS: Warali paintings are a part of ancient Indian culture — ancient paintings done in a small town in India call Warali. These paintings are done to represent Indians’ culture and day-today activities. They are rudimentary paintings that use a very basic vocabulary like squares, triangles and straight lines. So what I did was take the Warali paintings, my culture, and used them to depict the A&M story — our core values, our traditions and a part of Texas A&M’s history.
VYAS: It’s very symbolic art, every little thing symbolizes something. It has eight frames. The first frame has sun and the last frame has moon. My purpose of putting them in the first and last frames was to represent the endless circle of life in Aggieland. The six frames in between those have our core values.
VYAS: Because originally these paintings are done inside huts. The walls are given a fresh coat of Indian red mud and cow dung, which kind of makes a maroon background. The original paintings are done with a white paste of rice and water.
THE BATTALION: How did you use symbolism in the Warali style to depict the core values? See Vyas on page 4
Tanner Garza — THE BATTALION
Yashwant Vyas, senior electrical engineering major, applauds fellow artists at the ArtFest awards reception on Thursday.
3/30/14 8:21 PM
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page 2 monday 3.31.2014
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entrepreneurship
Hope flows from student-run, clean-water initiative If You Have Something To Sell, Remember Classifieds Can Do It! Call 845-0569
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Brian Lamb, junior university studies major, is in the process of gaining 501(c) nonprofit status for his ministry, Replenish.
David Cohen — THE BATTALION
Ministry works to provide nourishment Allison Rubenak
The Battalion
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t’s been a little over two years since Brian Lamb found himself staring out an airplane window, mesmerized by the curvature of the earth and the body of water below him. He asked himself how one person could make a difference and in a moment’s time, he realized that his answer was one word — water. On Feb. 1, 2012, the day before Lamb’s 19th birthday, he founded Replenish, a ministry devoted to providing and distributing clean water resources across the globe. Now, the junior university studies major is in the process of gaining a 501(c) nonprofit status with hopes of growing his ministry to meet the needs of those without access to clean drinking water. “I felt with how severe the global water crisis is and how popular bottled water is — if we could somehow correlate the two into one and get a ministry, I [thought] something like that would definitely take off, “ Lamb said. The fall of his freshman year, Lamb gave a classroom speech over the TOMS “one for one” business model, which matches the number of goods purchased by customers and provides them to individuals in need. The model inspired him to do the same, he said. “You can get something for yourself and give back at the same time,” Lamb said. “That’s brilliant. Why can’t we do that with every purchase we make?” For every bottle of wa-
ter sold, Replenish donates one water purification tablet, which can provide an individual with one liter of clean water. For every case of bottled water Replenish sells, a life straw is donated, which provides one to three years of clean water. Lamb said he either distributes the resources himself or sends them to Rotary International, nonprofits, non-government organizations, Christian ministries and missionaries who can then distribute the items to those in need. “[The life straw is] a portable filter that you wear around your neck like a necklace,” Lamb said. “And you can go to any contaminated water, like a lake — you can even drink out of your toilet and you won’t get sick. It purifies like 99.9 percent of bacteria, viruses and even measles.” Lamb said he initially planned to sell and donate cases of water. He realized more people could be reached if he could lessen the high overseas shipping cost from water weight. Replenish has impacted 12 countries, predominately in west Africa, but also in South America, Haiti and the Philippines, Lamb said. “Rather than physically donating water, we donate resources to purify the water they already have, so in my opinion, it kind of takes donating to the next level,” Lamb said. Leighton Jack, senior marketing major, learned about Replenish in its beginning stages, but recently has been in contact with Lamb as they are both entrepreneurs in residence at Startup Aggieland. Jack is a member of The Wells Project at A&M, a group that promotes aware-
THE TEXAS A&M STUDENT MEDIA BOARD INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR
Editor
thebattalion SERVING TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SINCE 1893
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Qualifications for editor-in-chief of The Battalion are: REQUIRED • Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University and enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student) during the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to graduate); • Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) in the semester immediately prior to the appointment, the semester of appointment and semester during the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (4 if a graduate student) must have been taken for that semester.
thebattalion THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893
Jake Walker, Editor in Chief
THE BATTALION is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 979-8452687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com. Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.
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PREFERRED • Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication, Law, and Society) or equivalent; • Have at least one year experience in a responsible editorial position on The Battalion or comparable daily college newspaper, – OR – Have at least one year editorial experience on a commercial newspaper, – OR – Have completed at least 12 hours in journalism, including JOUR 203 (Media Writing I) and JOUR 303 (Media Writing II) or JOUR 304 (Editing for the Mass Media), or equivalent.
Application forms should be picked up and returned to Sandi Jones, Student Media business coordinator, in Suite L406 of the MSC. Deadline for submitting application: 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, 2014.
ness of the world water crisis and raises money to drill wells in parts of Africa and South America. “As a college student, as a young person in general, on any official endeavor, people almost think they need permission from somebody to be able to support it, and Brian [Lamb] is somebody who has kind of taken the horse by the reigns,” Jack said. Jeff Brown, local real estate and construction management owner, lends a portion of his office space in downtown Bryan to Lamb to temporarily store his inventory. Brown said Lamb doesn’t see age as an obstacle, but an opportunity. He said Lamb’s ambition answers the question, “Why not me?” “It’s always encouraging to see young people that want to serve and want to do for others,” Brown said. “Whenever we hear that, it’s encouraging to us because we think we have a generation here that has a global awareness that no other generation has.” In June, Lamb had the opportunity represent his ministry and to go to Haiti along with Living Water International. They gave away Life Straws and provided more than 500 people with clean water. He described his experience of seeing the extreme lack of resources people had as “surreal.” “This is the 21st century,” Lamb said. “You think things like that aren’t going on. It’s ridiculous.” Lamb said Replenish is a ministry of his Christian faith. He partners with ministries around the word that are able to distribute his water purification resources. Michael Cozzi, senior marketing major and friend
“I think being able to travel and help people is the best job one could have,” Lamb said. “Experience different cultures — there’s something about that. It thrills me.” — Brian Lamb, junior university studies major and founder of the clean-water ministry Replenish
of Lamb’s, said water was a metaphor for a different kind of nourishment. “The thing about this ministry is that it’s getting clean water and that’s great, it helps save lives, but what Brian [Lamb] does is he uses the water purification to not only help physical needs but also to meet a spiritual need,” Cozzi said. Cozzi said he encourages other students to think about what they can do with their passion. “There’s so many students with great ideas and they have knowledge about certain things,” Cozzi said. “People know that there’s a problem and they know what needs to be done, and I think they should not be afraid of failure in whatever it is that they care about.” Lamb said his passion lies in full-time ministry, which he plans to devote his life to when he graduates. He said he hopes that Replenish will continue to grow in its influence. “I think being able to travel and help people is the best job one could have,” Lamb said. “Experience different cultures — there’s something about that. It thrills me.”
THE TEXAS A&M STUDENT MEDIA BOARD INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR
Editor
Aggieland 2015
Qualifications for editor-in-chief of the Aggieland yearbook are:
REQUIRED • Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University and enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student) during the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to graduate); • Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) in the semester immediately prior to the appointment, the semester of appointment and semester during the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (4 if a graduate student) must have been taken for that semester; PREFERRED • Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication, Law, and Society); • Have demonstrated ability in writing, editing and graphic design through university coursework or equivalent experience; • Have at least one year experience in a responsible position on the Aggieland or comparable college yearbook.
Application forms should be picked up and returned to Sandi Jones, Student Media business coordinator, in Suite L406 of the MSC. Deadline for submitting application: 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, 2014.
3/30/14 7:00 PM
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thebattalion
TRANSFORM Lives through Teaching! Consider a Teaching Career with Great Job Opportunities.
movie at the mound
Annual film event finds temporary home at Olsen Samantha Latta The Battalion
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or the last three years, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee has provided an opportunity for students and student athletes to interact with Film on the Field, traditionally held on Kyle Field. SAAC was forced to relocate the event due to Kyle Field renovations, and Movie at the Mound was born. Matthew Hightower, junior agricultural leadership and development major and SAAC fundraising chair, said moving the event was not as difficult as originally expected. “The move from the football field to Olsen was a big one, but it wasn’t that bad for our planning process — it has actually been relatively easy,� Hightower said. “People are attracted to the new ball park, and not to mention the new score board, which is beautiful by the way, is going to be great to play the movie on.
Asian heritage Continued from page 1
Sherwin Chiu, senior business major and APC president, said “Comedy & Inspiration� will tackle the topic of stereotypes from a humorist perspective. “Comedy and Inspiration is really talking about how stereotypes are wrong and why it can actually be funny just how wrong they are,� Chiu said. “It is also a discussion of how these two men have been able to succeed in careers that are very conventionally not Asian.� Chiu said even those on campus who should be well informed are limiting the Asian society to these stereotypes. “I have a lot of friends who are better at history than math
We’re doing a good job promoting the event at the new venue and I think it’s going to be extremely successful, if not more successful than it has in the past at Kyle Field.� Janell Lysack, senior sport management major and president of SAAC, said in some ways the move to Olsen has made the setup process easier. “I think it’s cool to change up the venue and it’s neat to be at another big arena of Aggie athletics,� Lysack said. “We saw it as a problem at first, but it’s taken a lot of stress off our seniors and athletes who are in season during the spring.� Kelly Czumble, senior marketing major and marketing chair of SAAC, said volunteering gives student athletes and the student body a chance to meet on a common ground. “As athletes, we want to know what’s going on with all the students on campus and want to be a part of that too,� Czumble said. “These
kinds of events help us bridge that gap and we love meeting new people.� Heather Sterling, vice president of Aggie Athletes Involved, said the event drew in about 500 guests last year and the attendance has grown with each following year. Sterling said the experience is phenomenal, and the event being timed for the night of the Alabama game will hopefully draw an even larger crowd than in previous years. “Since moving to the baseball field, we’re trying to play off of the Alabama game, and are hoping for equal if not more attendance,� Lysack said. “We have a few factors playing against us, the women’s Final Four, but that’s the only factor going against us due to our fans being dedicated to other sports.� This year’s movie is “The Rookie,� and it will begin around 4:30 p.m Sunday. Admission is free.
and they find it difficult, they will go up and ask for help and the TA will say, ‘You’re Asian. Why don’t you understand this?’� Chiu said. “You start to feel like there is something wrong with you.� Chiu said one of the stereotypes Asian culture faces is culinary in nature. To change this outlook, APC is hosting “Taste of Asia,� an exhibit of various Asian cultures that includes food samples from different Asian countries. “We know a lot of people have an idea of what Asian food is and the sad truth is that the majority of Asian food here in America is very ‘Americanized,’� Chiu said. “It’s really not a good representation of what Asian food actually tastes like.� Other stereotypes are more personal in nature and can offend the person on the receiv-
ing end. Wong said it is derogatory when people assume he doesn’t understand English despite his fluency. “People always think that just because you’re Asian you don’t understand English,� Wong said. “I have witnessed it at the post office, the workers will raise their voice and talk slower to you. It is pretty insulting.� Laura Atamosa, sophomore kinesiology major, said Aggies should be aware of different cultures on campus. “I think people shouldn’t embarrass themselves if they don’t know the information,� Atamosa said. “Also, I feel that it is our responsibility as students at Texas A&M to know our surroundings, the people that attend here and to be well informed, not assume things.�
Please join the Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture (TLAC) for a one day, come and go informational to help answer questions about teacher certification. We will reveal to you options for teacher certification in EC-6th Generalist, 4th-8th grades or 7th-12th grades. Come discover how you can transform lives through teaching! Where: Heaton Hall; Reception Area When: Friday, April 4, 2014 Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. tlac.tamu.edu
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Vyas Continued from page 1
VYAS: The first is leadership — global leadership. Aggie leaders always tend to be global leaders and have a global impact. This is a kind of dance form they do in Warali and this is how it is represented. It is a lot of group effort and it is led by a leader. Also there are people who play music and guide this particular dance. They are like our advisors and organizations. The next is selfless service. So I depicted Aggie Replant, the Big Event, the 12th Can; community service. Excellence. The bell tower, our academic building, the agricultural college that started A&M, Saw ‘em Off,
that represents excellence. Loyalty. When it comes to loyalty, it is about the spirit of the 12th man. It is that spirit that can never be told. As an international student, as an outsider, I can guarantee that Aggie spirit is something that you have to experience for yourself. For me to explain my Aggie experiences is very difficult. I have to go that extra mile. I always have to work harder to explain my Aggie experiences. Integrity. Integrity is a whole, complex process. It’s intricate. It’s very difficult, so that’s why all the intricate designs. That’s what integrity is about. Then we come to respect. In the first column you see gender equality. Then you see here the balance. So it’s human
equality, gender equality for eternity. That is respect. We all here at A&M come from different countries, different backgrounds, different beliefs. You have got to embrace that diversity and as Aggies we have to hold on together. The diversity here is what makes A&M what it is today. THE BATTALION: Is there anyone in particular that inspired you to be an artist? VYAS: I paint under my mom’s name, Ambica. My name and my signature are always at the back. You will not see my signature and my name. If not
for my mom’s encouragement I would have never pursued my hobby. It was her support, her encouragement, her sacrifices that I was able to pursue the art of drawing and painting. She is my inspiration. THE BATTALION: Is your faith something you draw strength from for many aspects of your life? VYAS: Yes I do. I have a very clear mindset of what I have do with my life. It has been a big journey from my small village in India to Texas A&M University. The kindness, the love that I have received from people
during this journey is one of the things that inspires me and makes me feel obligated to serve society and give back. When I came to A&M people were so kind to me. That’s what got me into the Aggie spirit. “Howdy” made no sense to me. But just in one day, after spending time with these people, “Howdy” replaced “Namaste” and became my normal way of greeting people. That kindness, that help that I have received, is what inspires me to give back.
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Cleaning commercial buildings at night, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 for interview.
Bike to campus. 2/1 CS duplex, available in May/August, pets allowed, privacy fenced backyard, tile floors, blinds and ceiling fans, W/D connections, lawncare and pest-control included, E-Walk shuttle route, $600-650/mo, 979-218-2995. Brand new 1bd/1ba, walking distance to campus, call 979-693-4900 Close To Campus! 4/2 &5/2 houses, preleasing for August, great floorplans, updated, no pets 731-8257, www.BrazosValleyRentals.com Duplex 3bd/2ba. All appliances, full-size W/D, fenced yard. Located at Rock Hollow Loop. $850/m. 469-233-4653. Gateway VIllas. 3/3 Townhouse/ $1395. Pets OK. (979)587-8200
Couple within 12 minutes of TAMU desires part-time help with two acre yard and home maintenance chores. This is a flex time opportunity that requires approximately 4-8 hours/week. Yard and/or ranch work experience is desired. Access to a pick up truck is desirable. We are seeking a year-round relationship that lasts up to two years. Please forward email including short work history and interest in this opportunity to: j_cfoster@verizon.net. Full-time medical technician for growing allergy practice wanted. 4-year degree and 1-year commitment required. We are looking for an intelligent, positive, friendly person to join our team. We teach skills that are an asset for anyone interested in a career in healthcare and can help a candidate get into medical school. E-mail resume to docmgr@yahoo.com
Homes for rent for all sizes and prices, near campus, call Bonavilla Property Management for details, 979-353-1265, bonavillamanagement@gmail.om Just available! Close to campus, College Main and Eastgate areas. 2bd/1ba., some w/dishwasher, 1-fenced, some bills paid. $325-$450/mo. 979-219-3217.
read the fine print.
Large 3/2/2 on bus-route, alarm system, June lease or sooner, $1200/mo. 1431 Magnolia Drive. 214-914-4305. Looking for: Larger bedrooms, walk-in closets, full size W/D, cable & internet, shuttle| www.jesinvestments.com (979)777-5477 Broker/Owner Luxury condo, close to campus, brand new, granite countertops, with wood floors, contact 979-693-4900 New Renovations! Large 1800sqft house, 4bd/2ba. 2-car garage, storage shed, eat-in-kitchen, diningroom, familyroom w/fireplace. Tile floors, laundryroom with W/D, 2 refrigerators, large patio, fenced yard. Lawn maintenance, pestcontrol, wireless, cable. Windwood. $375/room, 4rooms available Aug.2014. 832-326-3215. Northgate. Apartments 1/1, 2/2,and 3/2. House 3/3. Washer/Dryer. Walk to campus. aggievillas.net Call 979-255-5648.
the
battalion
Classifieds
Call 845-0569 To Place Your Ad
HELP WANTED Greetings Texas A&M Seniors! Here is your chance to land a great job and to begin a career in the oil and gas industry! An Industrial products distributor for the oil and gas industry that specializes in carbon, stainless and chrome pipe, pipe fittings, flanges and valves is currently looking for the right candidate to join their inside sales group for their growing Houston branch. The ideal candidate must be a self starter who is organized, can work with a diverse group of people, and is excited to learn. The ideal candidate would be graduating in May of this year with a degree in Industrial Distribution or with a degree in Business Marketing, Finance or Accounting. This position is an entry level sales position and only people that are motivated to succeed and willing to learn our business from the ground up should apply. This person must be proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Lotus and also needs excellent written and oral communication skills. Company offers a compensation package that includes a very competitive base salary, 401K plan, medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as (2) weeks paid vacation after (6) months. Company will start interviewing immediately and would like to hire this candidate for work beginning June of this year. Please submit resume to: Derek Jones at djones@ipipes.com. J. Cody’s hiring at all positions, apply within, 3610 S. College. No experience necessary just common sense! Lifeguards and Water Safety Instructors for Briarcrest Country Club and Castlegate Community. Fun working environment, flexible hours. To apply call 254-498-5315 or email mturner@phillipsevents.com Equal Opportunity Employer.
If You Have Something To Sell, Remember Classifieds Can Do It! Call 845-0569
the battalion puzzle answers can be found on page 2
HELP WANTED MEMdata, a local hospital equipment management company is seeking dependable and organized FULL & PART-TIME employees to be part of a growing team! Must be able to work a minimum of 24 hrs/wk, M-F 8-5. Good telephone communication and negotiation skills required. Must be self-motivated and able to multi-task while working within deadlines. Computer skills essential & knowledge of MS Excel a plus! Pay DOQ plus bonuses. Email resumes to careers@memdata.com or fax to 979-695-1954. New Position: Part-time real estate assistant position needed for busy real estate office. Must be a detail-oriented people person with reliable transportation and have reasonable computer skills in MS Word and MS Excel. This staff position requires 20-25 hours per week with additional optional hours available from time to time. Start date available immediately. For job description and application, go to: www.coventryglenrealty.com and click on Employment Opportunities side bar. Ninfa’s Mexican Restaurant now hiring wait staff and hostesses. Experience preferred but not necessary. Apply in person M-F, 2-4pm. No calls, please. 1007 Earl Rudder Fwy., South.
HELP WANTED STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid survey takers needed in College Station. 100% free to join. Click on surveys. Summer jobs available at Cooper Farm, in Ledbetter, Texas for folks who love the outdoors and want to make a positive impact in the lives of children. Cooper Farm provides camp activities for various religious and civic user groups. Our program staff help by facilitating activities for the groups and maintain a safe outdoor environment. To find out more about becoming a program staff member please contact. John Hoelscher: Office: (979)249-5674 or email at: spitenc@gmail.com. Our website: www.cooperfarm.org The Corner now hiring all positions for all shifts. Come by in person to apply. VOLUNTEER COACHES NEEDED! The City of College Station is seeking positive, enthusiastic and motivational youth volleyball and basketball coaches. Programs begin early May and run through July. Learn more at cstx.gov/sports or apply today at cstx.gov/sportsvolunteer
REAL ESTATE
Part-time job helping handicapped. Male student preferred. $360/mo. 8-10hrs/wk. 979-846-3376.
8 CS 3/2 Duplexes, shuttle, $229,900, Town & Country Realty 979-777-6211, 979-739-2035
RA or entrepreneur? Wants to earn extra money? Premium energy drinks distributor opportunity! Call 9792090778 call for an appointment.
B/CS. Sell/Buy/Invest! Michael McGrann TAMU ‘93 Civil Engineering 979-739-2035, mike@aggierealtor.com Nadia McGrann 979-777-6211, Town & Country Realty.
Secretary needed, 20+ hours a week during school, full-time available for Summer, small office in CS, need computer experience and good phone skills, fax resume to 979-695-8136 or email asure@yahoo.com Stoney Creek Ranch Christian camp, in New Ulm, TX is hiring energetic college-aged students who have a love for Christ. Needed Summer and Fall 2014. Must be willing to serve, make positive impact on others, be enthusiastic and be fully involved in the fun-filled camp experience, and create safe and supportive environment for all campers. If interested, contact Pam Gray, Class of ‘85, Operations Dirctor, pam@stoneycreekranch.org, 713-851-7292.
ROOMMATES 2-rooms available in 4bdrm home off of Graham. Female, non-partiers, mostly furnished. $450/mo. 903-456-6543.
SERVICES Horsetraining. 20yrs experience from imprinting babies to older horses. Natural horsemanship nature. Use John Lyons and Pat Parelli techniques. All kinds of teaching. Call (979)446-4227.
thebatt.com
Now preleasing 2,3,4,5 bedroom houses and duplexes, pet friendly, Aggielandrentals.com 979-776-8984. Pre-lease 4 and 5 bedroom houses, available August, great floor plans, close to campus, updated, W/D, all appliances, no pets. www.brazosvalleyrentals.com 979-731-8257. Preleasing for May, efficiency apartment, 1bd, 2bd, 3bd, 979-693-1906, great prices and amenities. Spacious 3/2, CS duplex, W/D, prelease for May and august, $935/mo., 979-693-0551. Tribeca Square Apartments, 1&2 bedrooms with W/D, Prelease today and save $300 off move in.
HELP WANTED Athletic men for calendars, books, etc. $100-$200/hr, up to $1000/day. No experience. aggieresponse@gmail.com
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sports
thebattalion 3.31.2014 page5
THE MICROSCOPE Sean Lester: Kenny Hill’s arrest showcases how we view student-athletes at A&M
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Texas A&M student knows the Northgate District of College Station for many things. The nearly four block area spanning from Chimy’s to The Corner and beyond can be home to a student’s best and worst memories, while others choose to never visit. In the early morning hours on Friday, Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill was like your classmates and friends. Enjoying a night on Northgate. Hill’s night ended around 2:57 a.m., according to police reports, which said that he was found by police officers passed out in a “planter full of rocks and plants in front of the restaurantbar.” Hill then incorrectly answered that the current president of the United States was “Bush” and falsely identified himself as “Kennedy.” By the end of the night he had been booked for public intoxication, according to the police department’s website. At that moment, Hill was no longer a student among students at Texas A&M. He instantly became the hopeful starting quarterback of the Aggie football team underneath the microscope of Aggie fandom. In line with two other candidates, Hill is hoping to fill the shoes of former A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel when A&M kicks off the 2014 season in August against South Carolina. Instead of having his quarterback skills and development analyzed, Hill has started receiving comparisons to Manziel off the field. Manziel was arrested the June before his breakout 2012 season after an altercation on Northgate. Friday, as news surfaced of Hill’s arrest, Aggie fans began the jokes and comparisons of the two arrests. Maybe the Heisman Trophy success in Aggieland begins in handcuffs. But comparisons of Hill and Manziel are entirely unfair. The two young men are completely different people. While both made mistakes, Hill has the chance, like any Aggie, to show his character and integrity by learning from his mistake. Jabs at Hill from current or former students are perhaps the most frustrating part of the incident. Should Hill, at the age of 19, have been consuming alcohol illegally? No. Should Hill have been more in control of himself on Northgate? Yes. But every person reading this story knows at least one person who has been in Hill’s position before. Where were Hill’s friends that night? To persecute Hill for doing something that Texas A&M students, and college students across the nation, engage in routinely is a crime in itself. If you haven’t seen the Arizona and Wisconsin University riots from this weekend, I suggest you Google them immediately. Hill acted on extremely poor judgment, but if we can laugh at the TAMUMakeOuts Twitter account each weekend, how can we judge our potential starting quarterback for doing something that we are so okay with
otherwise? The fishbowl that is College Station doesn’t allow for a studentathlete to simply get away with the things that other students do in their free time. We sympathize with other studentathletes who cannot simply buy a coffee without being bothered for an autograph in this town but should he, or she, step out for a night it’s accusations aplenty? The other side of this argument is that the football student-athletes have millions of dollars invested in their success, people’s jobs riding on their play, and yet they find themselves arrested on public intoxication and possession charges among other things. Like any other college student who has made a mistake, Hill will get a host of lectures from his elders. But outside of the wrath from his parents (Hill’s father, Ken, is a former Major League Baseball player) he will also receive verbal whippings from the athletics department, head coach Kevin Sumlin and his staff, Texas A&M fans and, unfortunately, his classmates as well. But as Hill is suspended indefinitely, per athletics department protocol, he has the chance to either have this particular incident define him or defy him. No one will feel bad for him, as it should be, but Manziel was able to leave his arrest behind him and is now known more for defeating Alabama on the road than for falsely identifying himself. Hill has the chance to use this experience as a stepping-stone in his life, something he will learn from, as both an athlete and as a student who is in college establishing who he is just like the rest of us. But first we have to give him the chance. Sean Lester is a senior agricultural communications and journalism major and sports writer for The Battalion
MAILCALL From Stephanie Jergens, Class of 1985
voices
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Just caught a look at the photo posted of Kenny Hill passed out in Northgate. To the three individuals in the picture: one filming, one laughing and one Heismaning: WHAT? This isn’t funny, this isn’t film worthy, and this isn’t how Aggies take care of Aggies. What happened to no one left behind? What happenend to wingmen, what happened to all who go out, come home. This isn’t TMZ, this is life. You have now posted a picture and film that will be on the internet for life. This young man made a poor choice that you have exasperated because of your poor choice. I hope this never happens to you because one thing that does happen is 19 year olds make poor choices. We would all like to believe that college students know the law and are law abiding citizens, but that didn’t happen in 1985, 1950, 1900 and it sure isn’t going to happen any time in the present or near future. College kids drink! It is a part of going to college. So is having each others’ back, taking care of our own, protect the institution, being a member of the 12th Man. If this is what you think is funny, maybe we should let the 12th Man go to Seattle.
softball
A&M completes Arkansas sweep Amber Garza tallies seasonhigh 6 RBIs Sunday Milkyas Gashaw The Battalion
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he theme for the Aggies this week was finish, and finish they did. The No. 17 Texas A&M softball team swept the Arkansas Razorbacks (23-14, 2-6 SEC) this weekend in a three-game series that began as a rainout for the first game. The Aggies and Razorbacks played a doubleheader on Saturday, which resulted in two Aggie victories, 8-7 and 9-8 respectively. The Aggies completed the sweep Sunday by a score of 11-7. A&M (26-9, 7-5 SEC) capitalized on an assortment of Razorback errors, leading to many runs for the Aggie offense. Head coach Jo Evans said it’s tough to get a sweep in the ultracompetitive SEC. “It’s really tough to do — to go anywhere in the SEC on the road and sweep,” Evans said. “For us to come here and take care
of business like this in some hard-fought games — in every game we were behind at some point — was huge. What we did so well was answer back. Every time they scored, we answered right back. I’m really proud of our kids. I thought our approach was really good, and our mentality. I felt like we were here to win games.” Senior Amber Garza had a big day at the plate, picking up six RBIs on a double and a home run while adding a base hit and a walk to her tally. Garza’s six RBIs were a season high for her and tied the most of her career in a single game. Senior Nicole Morgan was 2-for-3 on the day with two base hits, two walks and four runs scored. Senior Cassie Tysarczyk was also a major part of the Aggies’ production, reaching base four times on the day with three base hits and two runs scored. The Aggies will next travel to Houston to continue play at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday against the University of Houston, which was scheduled for earlier in the season but was postponed due to rain.
Track teams find success at Texas Relays Elizabeth Kamenicky The Battalion
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John Benson — THE BATTALION
EDITOR’SNOTE The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of Texas A&M University, The Battalion or its staff.
MAILCALL GUESTCOLUMNS Make your opinion known by submitting Mail Call or guest columns to The Battalion. Mail call must be fewer than 200 words and include the author’s name, classification, major and phone number. Staff and faculty must include title. Guest columns must be fewer than 700 words. All submissions should focus on issues not personalities, become property of The Battalion and are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. Anonymous letters will be read, but not printed. The Battalion will print only one letter per author per month. No mail call will appear in The Battalion’s print or online editions before it is verified. Direct all correspondence to: Editor in chief of The Battalion (979) 845-3315 |editor@thebatt.com
fter four days of the 87th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, Texas A&M accumulated seven victories in front of a total attendance of 39,985 at Mike A. Myers Stadium. Shelbi Vaughan broke her own school record in women’s discus while setting leading marks on a collegiate and national level. Vaughan’s victory is her sixth win at the Texas Relays over the past four seasons. By throwing a mark of 198 feet and 10 inches, she toppled the current school record of 193-4. The distance ties Vaughan for No. 10 on the U.S. collegian alltime list. “It was really exciting to throw a PR and school record, I was just hoping to do better than last weekend (182-10) since I wasn’t happy with that,” Vaughan said. “I was a little hesitant because last year I was here in May with a hurt back and threw three fouls. I threw from the same ring today, so I just put the nerves behind me and went out and threw a good one.” The Aggie men’s 4x200 won the relay for the thirdconsecutive year, clocking in at a world-leading time of 1:20.78. The relay team included Michael Bryan, Prezel Hardy Jr., Shavez Hart and Carlyle Roudette.
Wayne Davis II edged out Florida’s Eddie Lovett to win the 110 hurdle title. Both clocked in at 13.45, but after taking the time to 1000ths of a second, Davis had the victory, 13.442 to 13.448. This was Davis’ first win ever at the Texas Relays due to an injury last season. “This is my first win ever at the Texas Relays,” Davis said. “I’m really happy about it, especially since I’m way ahead of where I was at this time last year. I feel blessed and I’m thankful.” Other A&M wins included a first-ever victory in the sprint medley relay for the women, and a win in the triple jump by LaQue MoenDavis with a collegiate leading distance of 43-4.25. Texas prevailed in a close race with A&M in the women’s 4x200 relay with times of 1:31.58 and 1:31.82, respectively. The Aggie foursome, including Hardy Jr., Hart, Bryan and Deon Lendore hoped to complete a sweep of the 4x100 and 4x200 but were edged out by .01 seconds by Florida who would claim the victory. “Overall we had a great Texas Relays,” said Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry. “We set a school record in the 4x100 with a 38.30. In all my years of coaching I’ve never had a relay run that fast this early in the season. But we get out-leaned at the line by Florida.”
Provided by Aggie Athletics
Senior Wayne Davis competes at the Texas Relays.
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news
page 6 monday 3.31.2014
thebattalion
Record breaker: Big Event hits 20,503 Aimee Breaux & Lindsey Gawlik
The Battalion ith 20,503 students participating in The Big Event on Saturday, coordinators and speakers expressed the same idea — thank you for helping us say, “Thank you.” David Trigg, The Big Event operations executive, said The Big Event was able to post record-breaking numbers in fundraising, student participation, jobs recruited and completed and day-of vendors and sponsors. “The Big Event at Texas A&M has set a new precedent,” Trigg said. “Our team, faculty and student body put on the largest and greatest servant leadership experiencebased event in the country,” Trigg said. “We could not have done this without the
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phenomenal support of every Fighting Texas Aggie who helped and participated in The Big Event.” Ben D. Welch, director of Halliburton Programs at the Mays Business School, was the keynote speaker. In addressing the thousands of students gathered outside Reed Arena on Saturday morning, Welch said participants showed where their priorities lie by sacrificing their Saturday morning. “I thank you for that respect that you show every citizen, because how many of us have heard that expression, ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression?’” Welch said. “And for so many of our citizens, this may be the first time — through their church, through their residential home — to be impacted by our students. You are showing them that respect that we
are known for.” Welch said students participating in the event represent A&M to the local community. “I know that there are many citizens in this community that perhaps have lost a loved one,” Welch said. “All of the sudden they are facing that loneliness, and you are that individual that shows up and while you are there to serve you are serving in so many other ways that may be intangible. With that spirit that you show them, they may want to talk about when they had a loved one at A&M or what class that they graduated from, and you are impacting them in a way that we cannot put into words this morning.” Kevin Brooks, The Big Event outreach executive, said he hopes the Aggies who participated left with a greater appreciation for the com-
munity members of BryanCollege Station and a greater love for the Texas A&M core value of selfless service. “Texas A&M has the greatest student body in the world,” Brooks said. “This is proven through having the
largest turn out for a service project in the world. We cannot thank the students, residents and administrators enough for all they have done to make this service project possible. Thank you all for everything.”
Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION
Students prepare for The Big Event on Saturday.
Service helps international students bridge cultures Victoria Rivas
The Battalion ainting houses, plucking weeds, fixing fences and planting flowers, a wide range of students came together Saturday to give back to Bryan-College Station with The Big Event. One organization involved was the International Student Mentor Association, ISMA, which encouraged international students studying at A&M to volunteer for the event. ISMA has several mentors who work to integrate international students into the Texas A&M culture. Clarisse Natividad, a junior petroleum engineering major who has worked as a mentor for a year, said she has always made an effort to teach international students about various traditions at A&M. She said The Big Event is a wonderful tradition at A&M and a great way for international students to
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Sravani Jaligama (above), Stephanie Gonzalez (left) and Kaushik Sinha (right) participate in The Big Event with ISMA on Saturday. Photos by Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION
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get involved. “I suppose The Big Event can be a bit intimidating for international students, just because it’s so big,” Natividad said. “But it’s a great way for students to learn about the big service culture we have here at A&M.” For Sravani Jaligama, doctoral
student in electrical engineering and ISMA member, student volunteer work wasn’t a foreign concept. Jaligama said she volunteered with several other students at her undergraduate university in her home country of India to teach children in a neighboring village. “There were no public schools in the village for education, so we helped them have the opportunity to learn,” Jaligama said. “It was very laid back and peaceful.” Jaligama said she saw a lot in common with The Big Event and her volunteer experience in India. “While over here, the size and magnitude are much larger, [but] the people here and [India] work with the same passion and I was excited about that,” Jaligama said. “At the end of the day, I got the same level of satisfaction — whether it’s teaching or doing garden work — that I helped out the community.” Duoduo Ding, freshman business major, is a member of ISMA from China. Ding said ISMA has helped her to further integrate into the culture and traditions of Texas A&M and get involved in other activities as well, such as MSC ALOT, with whom she chose to participate in The Big Event. Ding said she was excited to volunteer at The Big Event, particularly because she found a love for community service while volunteering for Habitat for Humanity in high school in China. “It’s really great to be able to be in a school that focuses a lot on community service projects just like my school back in China,” Ding said. Ding said she enjoyed the entire experience of The Big Event, including the kickoff with its speeches and upbeat music, but said for her and other students the concept of cleaning a backyard, or even having a backyard, was new. “In China, we never had backyards,” Ding said. “So we didn’t
need to garden. It was my first time to do that and I didn’t know how to do it at first, but after I learned and cleaned the garden I got a sense of accomplishment.” Jhon Lin, sophomore biological and agricultural engineering major and ISMA member, has lived in Taiwan and Bolivia. He said backyards are virtually non-existent. “Well, having that much space was not a common thing for the places that I have lived,” Lin said. “It emphasized the idea of Texas — that everything is bigger, you know?” After Lin’s group finished with its work, the homeowners served them sandwiches and they ate in the backyard together. He said he liked the experience of being able to make conversation with people he had only met hours earlier. “Community service is a way to see the real world,” Lin said. “In my opinion, it really lets you see society from different perspectives.” For many students, The Big Event provided more than just a volunteer experience. Natividad said The Big Event sometimes serves as a window into the culture of an American household, something international students rarely get to see. “Most of the time, international students are around other students in general,” Natividad said. “When the students go to The Big Event, they can see how people here run their household and have a family.” Jaligama said her experience with volunteer work, particularly The Big Event, has gradually changed her perspective about why volunteering is important. “I realized that I can help others, and even if it’s in a very small way, at least I am helping,” Jaligama said. “With each time I help others, I feel better, they feel better, and together as a community we grow.”
3/30/14 9:45 PM