The Bridge Independent Student Newspaper - October 2019

T E X A S

A & M

OCTOBER 2 0 1 9 Printed b y El Mañana in suppor t o f independe n t student w r i t i n g

The Bridge

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

U N I V E R S I T Y

I N D E P E N D E N T

S T U D E N T

N E W S P A P E R

O P I N I O N

F E A T U R E S

S P O R T S

Think reusable, not disposable

Muggles ‘confunded’ by campus Quidditch

Men’s soccer wins first LSC contest

P A G E

3

P A G E

5

P A G E

8

Climate Strike raises environmental issues

ERICK BARRIENTOS | BRIDGE

Protesters speak up about environmental issues during the Sept. 24 Laredo Climate Strike, part of the Global Climate Strike held Sept. 20-27.

BY ERICK BARRIENTOS S TA F F W R I T E R AND M AT T H E W B A L D E R A S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Laredo’s only environmental nonprofit led the city’s first Climate Strike.

The organization’s mission is to protect and preserve the city’s only source of drinking water, which is the Rio Grande or Rio Bravo. The river is one of the world’s 10 most endangered.

“My organization works on environmental issues and the first thing we have to worry about in this community is water scarcity

and securing out water supply,” Rio Grande International Study Center Executive Director Tricia Cortez said.

With events like this, Cortez hopes this is only the beginning to bring about positive change.

“Yes, today is day one of creating the movement here in LarSEE CLIMATE, PAGE 2

Campus El Grito event brings new experiences BY ERICK BARRIENTOS S TA F F W R I T E R

JESSICA RODRIGUEZ | BRIDGE

Nayeli Lopez, center, holds her Ballet Folklorico students’ hands in celebration after performing for the El Grito event on Sept. 12 at the Student Center.

The cries of Mexican independence resonated across the TAMIU campus on Sept.

12 with the annual El Grito event.

While many across the U.S. mistake Cinco de Mayo as the celebration of Mexican independence, Sept. 16 was the day Father Miguel Hidalgo’s church parish took up arms and began their fight for freedom against Spain. “[El Grito] is part of Hispanic Heritage Month,” Campus Activities Board adviser Lorna Espinoza said.

“Students should know how important it is to embrace their heritage.”

Texas A&M International University holds events like El Grito, which ran from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Student Center Rotunda, open to all students

curious to learn and celebrate Hispanic and Lantinx culture, Espinoza said.

The campus El Grito occurred inside the Student Center and CAB hosted performances by TAMIU’s Mariachi Internacional and students from the Ballet Folklórico.

“My favorite part is definitely the performances,” Director of the Heritage Committee Karla Garcia said. “The mariachis I think 100-percent symbolize what Hispanic heritage is so I think having them perform is one of the main things I wanted for this event.

“I was so so happy. While they performed, all the students were happy, everyone was clapping ... I can tell every single year that’s what students really enjoy—seeing other Hispanic students perform their own culture.”

Garcia said events like El Grito and other cultural SEE EL GRITO, PAGE 2

TAMIU, Laredo to let students decide on new fee B Y D AV I D G O M E Z J R .

S TA F F W R I T E R

For a full 15-credit-hour course load, students may pay more than $45 a semester in additional fees for a new athletic facility.

“Students will vote on a $3 per school credit hour, a semester, increase to their athletic fee,” Vice President of Financial Administration Juan Castillo told The Bridge in an email.

Students will get to vote regarding what is being touted as a state-of-the-art 18-court tennis facility on campus.

This information came to light Monday evening, Sept. 9, when the Texas A&M International University Board of Administration held a referendum to discuss the development of a tennis facility on TAMIU grounds, proposed by the City of Laredo.

Sophomore criminal justice major Samantha Prado, upon hearing about the referendum, disagreed and immediately questioned, “Out of so many sports, why tennis? Use our tuition for more parking instead.”

SEE TENNIS COMPLEX, PAGE 2

TAMIU VICE PRESIDENT JUAN CASTILLO | COURTESY

The red lines in this University aerial image indicate where a new tennis complex is expected to be built.

2 | News

October 2019

CLIMATE

at the science and the data.

“Yes, people are gonna say the Earth has gone through FROM PAGE 1 heating and cooling for so long, but we’ve never had a heating of the planet like edo for climate change,” Corthis in such a short period of tez said. “Events time.” like this are criti Assistant cal [for someone] P r o f e s s o r “This is the future we want to find their tribe, Puneet Gill and these are the changes start the converteaches clisation and start mate change that have to be made.” talking to each and sustain—Tricia Cortez other. ability; she Laredo Climate Strike organizer “This is a agrees with global problem this. that is gonna be driven by lofrom us. This is the future we “You need to inform yourcal solutions.” want and these are the changes self,” Gill said. “There are Cortez believes the change that have to be made.” many people who can bury is not going to come from po Although the turnout and their head in the sand but litical figures but from within support at the march were unless you look at the literathe community. significant, some still do not ture and scientific evidence “The change is not gonna believe in the cause. and read the internal report, come from the top down,” “We, as an organization, read the scientific reports all she said. “We’ve seen in a very always turn to the science,” of these will show you what is painful way that the change Cortez said. “You have to look happening.” is gonna have to come from people power. I think our politicians have let us down over and over. In the end, government is gonna be a key player but the change and the demands are gonna have to come

ERICK BARRIENTOS| BRIDGE

Organizer Tricia Cortez rallies Laredoans for a Climate Strike in downtown, Laredo on Sept. 24. This event was part of the Global Climate Strike, Sept.20-27.

Hometown film director returns to premiere project

JESSICA RODRIGUEZ | BRIDGE

Laredo-born Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon premieres his new movie “The Current War” in a special screening with a Q&A for TAMIU students at Alamo Drafthouse on Sept. 25.

EL GRITO

FROM PAGE 1

TENNIS COMPLEX FROM PAGE 1

events to come are important because they are for the students.

She thinks representing every student’s heritage is extremely important.

CAB Vice President and senior Carolina Sanchez said the importance of events like El Grito is not only to learn about a community’s rich past but also to bring people together. “[Participating is] a way to formulate bonds, ideally within the students,” Sanchez said. “Sharing memorable events that occur on campus [is a way] to take this experience and be able to connect with one another.

“It’s nice to see that students here at TAMIU are able to cultivate that sense of culture we have and be really proud to showcase and learn it.”

In addition to the traditional performances, this year saw the introduction of new activities to the event, such as a jalapeño-eating contest. Sophomore Cassandra De Leon Martinez was in attendance and participated in that contest.

“The dancing for sure [was my favorite part],” De Leon Martinez said. “The jalapeño eating was—definitely—an experience but I wouldn’t do it again.

“I was [on the fence] ... I didn’t think they were gonna be spicy ‘cause the serrano peppers—the skinnier ones—are usually spicy. I was also nervous because I saw only guys sign up and then after I was like, ‘Woo, I came through and did it.’”

The annual event is tied to Hispanic Heritage Month and included a Spirited Heritage Award..

MATTHEW BALDERAS | BRIDGE

The TAMIU dinosaur sculpture rests in waiting beyond the edge of the monte, its fate unknown, not unlike the actual dinosaurs just before their demise.

When junior business major Hector Alonzo Ballesteros heard about the news of a tennis recreational facility at TAMIU, he expressed eagerness as he looked upon a detailed, top-view illustration of the facility. “That looks legitimate,” Ballesteros said.

“It would definitely add a stunning feel to the University. And if I can use them—even better.”

If approved during voting from 8 a.m. Monday, Oct. 21, to 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23, the facility would be making headway in the early spring with help from student fees.

Castillo presented an architect’s vision of the facility and emailed it to The Bridge, “It is included with 18 tennis courts, which will be available for tennis classes, intramurals, eventually a National Collegiate Athletic Association team, the student population and the Laredo community at large.”

Students and the community may purchase or dust off old tennis rackets, bring some balls and play well into the evening hours, as the courts are expected to be well-lit.

The City of Laredo plans to hold the groundbreaking. The University would be in charge of staffing and maintaining it.

The proposed location for the tennis facility is on the northeast side of the University, easily accessed when coming through the main entrance on University Boulevard. It is expected to be a straight drive down to the end of the road.

This facility is expected to be about a third the size of the baseball and soccer field complex.

Write, learn and report.

Join the writing staff

of TAMIU’s independent student newspaper

thebridgenews.tamiu@gmail.com

October 2019

Opinion | 3

TOMAS CRUZ | BRIDGE

BY M AT I L D A P E R E Z MANAGING EDITOR

EDITOR’S POINT OF VIEW After watching a YouTube video of a woman telling her story about her journey of going zero waste, I was baffled when she held up a mason jar full of trash she created in four years.

The term zero waste is defined as trying to create as little waste going to the landfill as possible. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans generate an estimated 4.4 pounds of trash per day.

While sitting in a coffee shop, I noticed a rush of people come in and order their usual roasts like any other day. I soon realized the amount of people ordering would be the same amount, if not more, of waste of single-use plastic to-go cups.

We, as consumers, can help and do our part in saving the Earth by minimizing waste output—specifically plastics. Every

Think reusable, not disposable

single piece of plastic ever made still exists, according to Greenpeace.org, and will continue to for another 500 years. We have developed a single-use, disposable lifestyle. Most of the world’s waste comes from single-use materials, such as plastic cups, straws and shopping bags.

Although some might think, recycling helps with this trash epidemic, it does not. In fact, most individuals do not recycle correctly. According to Plastic Oceans International, less than

turtle’s nostrils to help it breathe.

Considering plastic’s discarded rate, it is better not to recycle at all and instead reuse items. Some individuals think, “It’s just one straw, it won’t do any harm,” but that mentality contributed to the 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic floating on the ocean surface, according to National Geographic.

The younger generations are becoming more environmentally conscious of unnecessary plastic use and have even contributed with the popular VSCO girl trend.

Their hashtags of “save the turtles,” the use of hydro flasks and reusable metal straws, brings awareness to the issue of single-use plastic.

In order to help reduce single-use plastic, here are some tips and tricks: instead of accepting plastic bags and creating a higher demand for them, bring a reusable cloth bag when shopping; refuse straws completely or use a metal straw instead; and remember, no plastic to-go cups, instead opt for reusable bottles and cups.

Yes, this includes those “paper cups,” they are lined with plastic on the inside to be able to contain the liquid. By using these tips, consumers can become more aware and more conscious of the environment.

“The younger generations are becoming more environmentally conscious of unnecessary plastic use ...”

10 percent of all plastic is recycled. To put it in perspective, that means 90 percent of all plastic ever produced ends up in our oceans and landfills.

This plastic in our seas leads to marine-animal deaths every year from plastic entanglement and ingestion. This led to the infamous video of good Samaritans taking a plastic straw out of a

T E X A S A & M I NT E R N AT I O N A L U N I V E R S IT Y I N D E P E N D E N T S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R

The Bridge EDITOR-IN - C H I E F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . M A T T H E W B A L D E R A S MANAGING E D I T O R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . M A T I L D A P E R E Z ASSOCIATE E D I T O R . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . D A L I L A F L O R E S SPORTS ED I T O R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . A L L A N R O D R I G U E Z STAFF WRI T E R S . . . . . . . . . . . . . G A B RI E L ( G . A . ) R O D R I G U E Z , ..NAYELLE A C O S T A , D A V I D G O M E Z J R . , E R I C K B A R R I E N T O S DESIGN CH I E F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . M A T T H E W B A L D E R A S ILLUSTRAT O R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . T O M A S C R U Z DIRECTOR O F P H O T O G R A P H Y . . . . . . .. . . J E S S I C A R O D R I G U E Z PHOTOGRAP H E R S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . V A N E S S A V A L L A R T A , ......... . . . . . . . L E O N A R D G O N Z A LE Z , G A B R I E L R O D R I G U E Z LEAD FACU L T Y A D V I S E R . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . T . R O B B R O W N FACULTY D E S I G N A D V I S E R . . . . . . . .. . . . . . M R S . A N A L E E P A Z FACULTY A D V E R T I S I N G A D V I S E R . . DR . A R T H U R S O T O - V A S Q U E Z PSYCHOLOG Y & C O M M U N I C A T I O N C H AI R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DR . J O S É C A R L O S L O Z A N O

Healthier options at local restaurants

FOODBUSINESSNEWS.NET

Burger King is touting its new Impossible Whopper as 100 percent Whopper, 0 percent beef, as a healthier alternative to traditional hamburgers.

SHARE YOUR STORIES + PHOTOS THOMAS.BROWN@TAMIU.EDU THEBRIDGENEWS.TAMIU@GMAIL.COM

ADVERTISING ARTHUR.SOTO-VASQUEZ@TAMIU.EDU

DIGITAL MEDIA WWW.THEBRIDGESTUDENTNEWS.COM INSTAGRAM: @THEBRIDGESTUDENTNEWS TWITTER: @THEBRIDGETAMIU FACEBOOK: @THEBRIDGESTUDENTNEWS ISSUU: THEBRIDGENEWS ARTICLES , S T O R I E S A N D I N T E R VI E W S H E R E I N A R E T H E SOLELY W R I T T E N E X P R E S S I O N O F T H E S T U D E N T S A N D DO NOT R E F L E C T T H E C O R E I N S T I T U T I O N A L V A L U E S O F TEXAS A& M I N T E R N A T I O N A L U N I VE R S I T Y .

BY DALIL A FLO RES A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

EDITOR’S POINT OF VIEW

When you are a busy person, meal prep is not always considered in your daily routine. Often, the only food you have time to consume comes from the drive-through windows of fast food joints.

While the easily munchable, grease-filled burger is a great treat to occasionally have, it is not ideal for your health. Luckily, there is a trend where healthier options

are added to menus and you should consider these with an open mind.

On average, a healthy meal for lunch or dinner should be 500 to 700 calories. That is accomplished by the Impossible Whopper at Burger King. At only 630 calories, this vegan alternative burger features the same toppings as a regular Whopper—if you ask for no mayonaise, then you have yourself an actual vegan burger. The patty is vegan and is “a nice option for people who can’t consume meat products,” TAMIU student Aliza Bernal said. The burger currently costs $5.59.

If you have enough time, stop by El Quinto Sol, where healthy options seem endless.

The founders wanted to improve their health and “introduced themselves to the concept of a diet without meat.”

Some notable options would be the soy burger and the unforgettable yogurt that comes with various options of fruit, syrups and toppings. Unfortunately, the restaurant can

take a while to prepare orders considering it is homemade; their prices are upward of $5, with the soy burger costing $7.99 alone.

In general, grilled chicken is healthy; at Wendy’s, the grilled chicken sandwich stands at 370 calories. Luckily, the restaurant allows its customers to forgo the bun and grab lettuce wraps or go completely commando as they present you with your grilled chicken and toppings on a simple plate. Many of their food items are low-calorie and, most importantly, are cost efficient.

When snacking, a general rule is to keep it below 200 calories. Chick-fil-A provides a 60-calorie option in the form of nuggets. The four-piece grilled nuggets stand at a price of $2.08 and leave you with enough calories to indulge in another snack if you wish to.

Even if you opt for the full 12 nuggets, the calories only stack to 170, with a measly 4 grams of fat. The price for that meal is $6.09.

4 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

October 2019

JESSICA RODRIGUEZ | BRIDGE

The “Hamlet” cast performs in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts theater in late September, part of the Laredo Theater Guild International.

‘HAMLET’

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark as ‘Hamlet’ vists TAMIU’s Center for the Fine and Performing Arts to figure out why.

BY ERICK BARRIENTOS B R I D G E S TA F F W R I T E R

William Shakespere’s “Hamlet” tells the story of a young man of unusual sensitivity and depth who is in the position of punishing another man’s evil act. In the process, Hamlet becomes both destroyer and destroyed, all while registering the experience of his struggle.

Texas A&M International University senior Jamie Gonzales portrayed one of Shakespere’s most well-known characters during a two-week run at the campus theater in late September.

The play was part of the Laredo Theater Guild International.

“I like the [role] ‘cause it’s a challenge to make a person seem alive—not just like you’re reading it off the page,” Gonzales said.

“It’s harder to do that with dramatic roles ‘cause you want them to feel real but not overdone.

“Doing a complex character as Hamlet, who goes through all the emotions within the play like anger, sadness, happiness and wonder ... it’s a role that is very daunting but is by far one of the roles I have enjoyed most.”

Working with this cast and crew is something Gonzales said he enjoyed greatly; everyone part of the production brought different energies and ideas that made the rehearsal process and per-

formances feel natural and fun for him.

“Honestly, everyone I’ve met on this show has been a joy to work with,” Gonzales said. “The Player King, Sergio, he has this very deep guttural voice and whenever he does his speeches, I love listening to them.

“Jose and Brendan, who played the gravediggers, [are] exceptionally funny. Every time I heard them rehearsing the scene, I wanted to stay and watch.”

The people’s response to the show also made Gonzales happy. He believes even though Shakespeare’s language can be intimidating to viewers, the actors’ ability to convey the emotion and ideas is something that made the play enjoyable for everyone.

October 2019

Features | 5

ERICK BARRIENTOS | BRIDGE

TAMIU students participate in a Harry Potter-style Quidditch match during an early-season practice in September.

Muggles ‘confunded’ by campus Quidditch matches

BY ERICK BARRIENTOS S TA F F W R I T E R

ERICK BARRIENTOS | BRIDGE

A Quidditch player leaps up to score a point through one of the goals.

After its mysterious disappearance eight years ago, Quidditch apparates once more from the Wizarding World to campus.

With his experience playing in Chicago and speaking with former Texas A&M International University Quidditch players, TAMIU Quidditch President Cristian Rios decided to “hop on the broom” and revive the club. Passersby witnessing students running around campus with brooms between their legs are not merely confunded muggles pretending to be wizards and witches on flying broomsticks as they chase after the elusive Golden Snitch. “[I hoped to] bring something new to Laredo,” Rios said. “I like the physicality [of the sport] and what it brings to the co-ed aspect. There are no real sports in high school or college that allow you to play with the other genders or be physical with them.”

In 2011, Quidditch was booming across the U.S. and at TAMIU but poor planning for future teams and a stigma followed the sport, which lead to it disbanding after a two-year lifespan.

“Just don’t think it’s a joke, try it out for yourself—maybe

you’ll like it,” Rios said. “Don’t have any preconceived notions and you shouldn’t care what people think.”

Yet, Rios hopes his iteration will last well beyond his graduation. “[I hope to] get more people involved from TAMIU [and] actually get the school to help us recruiting wise,” Rios said. “We have talked to [Director of Athletics Griz Zimmerman] … he said if we needed anything he could help us in the future or have our adviser talk to him.”

Junior education major Rebecca Castillo attended the first Quidditch practice after learning about the sport from a friend who plays at the University of Texas-San Antonio.

“I’ve wanted a team here but because I’ve never watched it before. I wanted to go to a game and see what it’s all about,” Castillo said. “It’s very fun and it does feel like a great way to stay active … it’s nice considering there aren’t many sports that allow [co-ed inclusivity] because I’ve never been in a contact sport with the opposite gender.”

Castillo encourages people who are interested in joining to at least come and watch. She says watching YouTube videos makes it look intimidating but also shows the game broken down into drills to make it feel more inviting, even if someone has no prior sporting experience.

Cross country senior works toward All-Conference goal

BY GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ B R I D G E S TA F F P H O T O G R A P H E R

Aspiring women’s cross country junior Karla Resendez has high aspirations before completing her senior year.

“I want to get All Conference when we run our conference meet and obviously come in the top 10,” Resendez said.

Her dreams do not come unsupported as inspirational role models back her.

“My parents are my role models, they are always there for me—guiding me toward making the right decisions—always supporting me in my meets,” she said.

Although Resendez is pressing high goals, her outlook wasn’t always so positive.

“My high school coach really motivated me to join cross country in high school,” she said. “I did not like to run but he made it fun and my older siblings would run also. My sister ran for TAMIU also and then my high school coach helped me talk to coaches and universities—helped me gain a scholarship to run.”

Trying to be a starting athlete does not come without a price.

It can sometimes be a juggling act, trying to keep all those plates in the air.

“Time management—a lot of time management—[means] getting a planner, writing down all my classes, getting school homework done before practices,” Resendez said. “In case of an injury, I go to the trainers—I’m always there rolling out or fixing up any injury that I have—they are very helpful with not only the cross country team but with other student-athletes on campus.”

The United South High School two-time regional qualifier in cross country busted onto the NCAA Division II courses in 2017 with a 67th finish in the sport’s South Central Regional Championships in Canyon, Texas. Her efforts earned her an All-Heartland Conference Honorable Mention after finishing 17th at the conference championships.

In her 2018 sophomore season, she competed in six races.

During the Saints Invitational (5k), she hit a time of 20:14.0, beating her previous best of 23:47.3. She pushed on into the Heartland Conference Championships (6k), earning 9th place.

According to her Godustdevils.com bio page, she chose to come to Texas A&M International University because it is close to home and has a beautiful campus.

GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ | BRIDGE

Cross country junior Karla Resendez

6 | Education

October 2019

‘Transformation’ main theme of president’s Convocation speech

BY GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ B R I D G E S TA F F W R I T E R

T. ROB BROWN | BRIDGE

Professor John Kilburn, left, shakes hands with Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Thomas R. Mitchell as Kilburn is honored with the Senator Judith Zaffirini Award for Scholarship and Leadership on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 26, in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall.

Looking back on 50 years of operation, TAMIU President Pablo Arenas gave a University Convocation speech on Sept.

26. That speech was part of a celebration of the school’s achievements, a spotlight on its plans for the future and a ceremony honoring a few distinguished University faculty and staff.

“Over the past 50 years, we have provided high quality, higher education assets to an educationally underserved population, the citizens of Laredo and this region,” Arenas said in his closing statement during Convocation.

The theme of the speech was “transformation.” It started off with the history of the University, following TAMIU’s journey from its founding as Texas A&I to its current year—where it is experiencing the largest enrollment numbers at 7,436 combined undergraduate and graduate students and its largest graduating class.

Arenas went on to bring attention to many of the school’s achievements: such as being ranked 14th in the nation in regards

to social mobility by U.S. News & World Report, as well as that a large majority of its students are considered “at risk” when they begin their college career.

Among the University’s future plans are the construction of a tennis complex; completion of the tower in front of the Academic Innovation Center—which, via Bluetooth, doubles as a broadcasting antenna and should be able to be seen as far away as Bob Bullock Loop 20; becoming a nationally recognized destination for its nursing, international business, criminal justice and education programs; and enhanced degree programs for regionally relevant subjects, such as a bachelor’s degree in computer science, a master’s degree in systems engineering and a doctoral degree in border studies.

During the Convocation, various faculty and staff members and one student received recognition for multiple aspects, such as leadership, longest serving or being a distinguished scholar or teacher. Among those were the winners of the Senator Judith A. Zaffirini Award for Scholarship and Leadership: student Bianca Cerda and Associate Vice President of Research and Sponsored Projects John Kilburn, who is also a professor. Last year’s faculty recipient was Professor of geology Ken Tobin.

Professor unearths anthropology minor, recruits program students B Y M AT T H E W B A L D E R A S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

From excavating archeological sites to excavating ancient syllabi, Assistant Professor Alison Hadley revived TAMIU’s anthropology minor.

Being the anthropologist on campus, she humorously offers advice to those interested in the new minor.

“If you’re going to be an anthropology minor, you should probably take one of my classes and make sure you like me,” Hadley said. “Because you’re going to be taking 15 hours with me.”

All jokes aside, she is excited about what the minor can do for students.

“I’m hoping that students gain a perspective,” Hadley said. “A perspective on the world, a perspective on other people, on other cultures [and] on other practices.

“That’s one thing I try to emphasize in my classes.”

The best way students can find out if they would like the minor is to start from the beginning because those are, “the gateway

Homemade pasta

Italian 1620 students learn to make pasta from scratch during a cooking class at Apicius in Florence, Italy, during a summer 2019 study abroad program led by Assistant Professional Melody Carriere.

MATTHEW BALDERAS | BRIDGE

classes,” she said. “You take those and then you’re like, ‘Oh, I want more,’ or conversely, ‘I don’t want anymore,’” Because the world has become so connected, a global mindset can be a marketing tool for those graduating with the minor.

“We are becoming a globalized world [and] we are connecting with people all over [whether it’s] online [or] social media.”

Hadley said. “I want people to—when they’re faced with some of those differences with people abroad, or even people at home, that have different ideas than us “I want them to be able to step back and go ‘OK, let’s use my little bit of anthropological training, let’s not be ethnocentric, let’s use a little cultural relativity,’ and be sensitive from where these folks are coming from.”

At the end of the day, it’s all about the golden rule: treat others the way we would like to be treated.

“We should be respectful and say, ‘OK, where is this coming from? Why do people have this position?’ and let’s try to understand that,” Hadley said. ”And then maybe we can get a better idea of why they have that position. “ She is also in the process of starting a field school in south Texas where students would be able to work in the field, excavating.

MATTHEW BALDERAS | BRIDGE

Assistant Professor Alison Hadley advises students about the new anthropology minor during class.

October 2019

Campus | 7

GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ | BRIDGE

Alzheimer’s Walk participants smile as they support awareness across the TAMIU campus on Sept. 28.

Students considering campus animal shelter B Y N AY E L L E A C O S TA B R I D G E S TA F F W R I T E R

JESSICA RODRIGUEZ | BRIDGE

A pair of pups poke their noses through a fence recently at the Laredo Animal Care Facility.

An idea that first started as a class project may come to fruition at TAMIU. Texas A&M International University students Mari Kristelle Ayala, Enrique Molina, Juan Avila, Angela Maldonado and Suzy Sanchez steadily receive attention from supporting students and faculty who wish to see this project become a reality.

This idea to bring something new and unique to campus first started to form in their state government class where they were assigned to either create a law or address a bill.

“We were talking amongst ourselves and I had talked to Enrique and he had mentioned, ‘Why not get a vet?’ because we are pet owners and I thought that was a good idea,” Sanchez said.

“And then we kind of voted for it and from there we started elaborating more onto it,” she said. “Also, Mari had seen [a tweet] before something similar to [the animal shelter] where somebody addressed it so we thought, ‘Why not create that here?’”

The proposed shelter is expected to open to the public at TA-

T E X A S A & M I NT E R N AT I O N A L U N I V E R S IT Y I N D E P E N D E N T S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R

The Bridge

MIU. It would work as a “library” of sorts where students could checkout dogs as they would library books. These animals would be used to de-stress from the difficulties of finals week, or stress in general. Another benefit would cater to those looking for jobs as work study and help those majoring in veterinary studies to have additional experience before applying to graduate pre-veterinary programs.

“Then by doing this, we try to implement more things to it not only for the pre-vet program [but] probably also for—you know—pet owners like us,’’ Molina said. “As Suzy mentioned, we are pet owners and we sometimes don’t have time to take care of our pets so we can also eventually add a doggy daycare.”

As to how this will be funded, Molina said they already sent a letter explaining the organization to Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz.

“First, we [had] to get the mayor into it and then once we see the support from the city then we can start addressing it to the board of TAMIU,” Molina said.

Sanchez added, “We are also starting an organization because it is easier to address it as one rather than an idea from individuals—which would make it easier for it to get approved.”

Café du Monde event sparks student interest in studying abroad

Get campus talking

MATTHEW BALDERAS | BRIDGE

Assistant Professor Hongwei Wang, mathematics, speaks with students during the Café du Monde event at the Student Center on Thursday, Oct. 3.

Contact us to place an advertisement for your campus event or organization. thebridgenews.tamiu@gmail.com

BY M AT T H E W B A L D E R A S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

With food, music and art, the Office of International Engagement set off to spark student interest in studying abroad with its Café du Monde-themed event.

Jessica Chadnarlis, the International Student Adviser of the Office of International Engagement hopes students take advantage of the study abroad opportunity.

“There are numerous benefits to study abroad,” Chadnarlis said. “Somebody can tell you it makes you more marketable—which it definitely does—it gives you a global lens and it humbles you seeing the things that individuals are going through all over the world.”

Being a local Laredoan, Chadnarils recalls her first in-

ternational experience.

“You really learn more about yourself by placing yourself in sometimes unusual or uncomfortable situations,” she said. “It really challenged me and I think coming back, I was a totally different person.

“And I can see those students coming back from their internal experiences, they are incredibly different people.”

Sophomore criminal justice major Brandon Cienfuegos won his first international experience through Reading the Globe.

“I won a trip to Cambodia in Thailand and that’s when I discovered that study abroad had meaning behind it,” Cienfuegos said.

“It’s an amazing experience … it opens your eyes to new things,” he said. “Something we believed was impossible— going to Asia in our first year of the University—it happened.

“It’s almost like a dream and I really appreciate the program.”

After catching the travel bug, he is set to go on his second international experience to Germany this summer.

“I think I want to develop personal growth through learning a language and meeting other cultures,” Cienfuegos said. “I would like to work for the Foreign Service and, as a result, I think this is an amazing opportunity for me.”

Senior business administration major Leslie Canales completed two study abroad programs.

“The way I experience China—it really opened my eyes and gave me a different perspective into different cultures,” Canales said. “I got to learn so many things: like burping and farting over there is normal. Here, we are not so open about that.”

8 | Sports

October 2019

Men’s soccer wins first LSC contest

BY ALL AN RODRIGUEZ S P O RT S E D I T O R

MATTHEW BALDERAS | BRIDGE

TAMIU senior midfielder Cem Izgec drives the ball against St. Mary’s University on Sept. 26. The men won 2-0 in their first LSC game.

Men’s soccer earned its first Lone Star Conference home game W and maintained an undefeated record (5-0-1) after winning 2-0 against St. Mary’s University.

Senior forward Elias Perales opened the scoreboard up for the Dustdevils in the second half after the team struggled to keep possession in the first.

“It feels great, we are still undefeated with 5 wins and 1 tie,” Perales said. “It is looking good. Hopefully, we can score some more and I could not

have done it without my teammates.”

After playing five away games and one at Dustdevil Field, men’s soccer managed to score a total of 18 goals and received 6 goals against.

“This serves as a statement.

Laredo is on the map and it’s not by accident,” freshman forward Nadav Datner said.

“We played good soccer, we passed the ball, we attacked and we defended ourselves as a unit.”

Datner scored the second goal of the match, which simultaneously secured his first goal at the college level.

“It is a great feeling. It wouldn’t have been possible

without Ruben’s assist. He is a great player and he knows how important this goal is,” Datner said.

Senior midfielder Ruben Nielsen assisted on the match’s two goals.

“Today, we came a little flat but the second half—I think we got things together a little bit,” coach Claudio Arias said. “[This win], it goes to the group. It’s a great feeling having our fans and winning at home versus a great opponent.”

The next home game will be 7 p.m. Halloween against Lubbock Christian University then 7 p.m. Nov. 2 vs. UT Permian Basin.

Women’s soccer brings conference win

BY ALL AN RODRIGUEZ S P O RT S E D I T O R

The Women’s soccer team won its first Lone Star Conference game Oct. 3 against St. Mary’s University (3-1) after a rough season start. Before the conference debut, the women were (1-3-0).

“It is early and the season is young. We expect to improve and correct the things we can do better,” coach Felipe Arias said after the 1-0 defeat by St. Mary’s in a non-conference home game on Sept.11

The Dustdevils and the Rattlers met again in San Antonio, but this time in the Lone Star Conference, and ended up with a 3-1 win.

to score the only goal of the match for the Rattlers.

After a difficult first-half, senior Gracielle Martinez was in charge of assisting freshmen Izabella Correa and Vivian Martinez to secure the win.

Since the season opener, senior forward Valeria Macias was on the DL for a right leg injury against University of Texas-Permian Basin.

“It is always difficult to not play and just watch them from the bench but I believe in my team,” Macias said.

“I believe they will go far this season.”

“... the season is young.”

—Felipe Arias women’s soccer coach

Samantha Bernal placed the ball behind the net in the 38th minute to put the Dustdevils ahead. Gaby Olsen responded five minutes later

SCOREBOARD WOMEN’S SEP SEP SEP SEP OCT

14 21 26 28 3

SEP SEP SEP OCT OCT

15 21 26 3 5

Volleyball team hopes to finish strong despite losses

S O C C E R

OUACHITA BAPTIST NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA ST.EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY ANGELO STATE ST.MARY’S

MEN’S

GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ | BRIDGE

TAMIU freshman forward Vivian Martinez attempts to upset an offensive player with St. Mary’s University on Sept. 11. The women lost 0-1.

3-4 1-3 0-6 3-3 3-1

L L L T W

1-1 3-1 2-0 2-4 4-0

T W W L W

0-3 1-3 0-3 1-3 0-3

L L L L L

S O C C E R

DIXIE STATE UT PERMIAN BASIN S T . M A R Y ’ S U N I V E R S I TY S T . E D W A R D ’ S U N I V E R SI TY D A L L A S B A P T I S T U N I VE RS IT Y

V O L L E Y B A L L SEP SEP SEP OCT OCT

21 27 28 3 5

TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE D A L L A S B A P T I S T U N I VE RS IT Y TARLETON STATE T E X A S A & M - K I N G S V I L LE T E X A S A & M - K I N G S V I L LE

C R O S S C O U N T R Y M E N & W O M E N SEP SEP SEP OCT OCT

14 21 27 5 26

UIW INVITATIONAL O L L U S S A I N T S I N V I T AT IO NA L C O N C O R D I A I N V I T A T I ON AL C H I L I P E P P E R I N V I T AT IO NA L L O N E S T A R C O N F E R E N CE C HA MP IO NS HI P

AD SPACE

C H E C K

T H E

S C H E D U L E

Join us at the next game!

W W W.G ODUSTDEVI L S . C O M

GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ | BRIDGE

TAMIU sophomore Elicia Jackson attempts to knock the ball past a Tarleton State defender during Tuesday’s game, Sept. 28. It ended in a 0-3 loss. devils had a rough pre-season in only winning two out of nine away games played.

“I think we all felt a little disappointment to end in a loss but we are doing good The Dustdevils started things and we are going to their Lone Star Conference continue to work on things volleyball home opener with and improve,” Jackson a drop of (3-1) against said. “There are a lot DBU and (3-0) against of things we have to Tarleton State Univerimprove at practice so sity. next time we can come Sophomore Mackout with a win.” enzie Catalina led the The Dustdevils will team in both home return home to face games, totaling 25 the University of Arkills, 4 blocks and kansas-Fort Smith at 6 2 aces. Sophomore p.m.

Friday, Oct. 18, Maison Kosse also and at 1 p.m.

Saturday, led the team with a Oct. 19, they will take season-high 39 assists on Cameron Universiagainst DBU and 24 —Elicia Jackson ty. at home. assists against No.10 sophomore volleyball player BY ALLAN RODRIGUEZ S P O RT S E D I T O R

Tarleton University.

“We are a pretty solid team and we have the intensity that we need,” sophomore Elicia Jackson said. “We just have to finish our sets like how we start our games—strong.”

Prior to the LSC, the Dust-

“We are a pretty solid team and we have the intensity that we need.”