Eastfield Et Cetera May 2, 2018 by The Et Cetera

The high life

Waltzing toward her destiny

Marijuana advocates gain ground at the state level with recreational, medical weed See page 2 ➤

Selfless perspective

Hailey Musgrove chases her childhood dream See page 8 ➤

VP Walker’s attitude toward others makes him a strong leader See page 10 ➤ Online exclusive content Keep up with campus news this summer at EastfieldNews.com

Eastfield College

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Volume 49, Issue 13

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High time for change

Attitudes on marijuana shifting at state levels By ARIA JONES Life & Arts Editor @AriaJonesETC

Two capsules of marijuana, one before work and one right after lunch. Then at night, part of a brownie to sleep. This is the daily routine that gave Pamela Schultz her life back. Schultz, 65, has post polio syndrome that causes muscle weakness all over her body. She suffers from chronic pain, inflammation, insomnia and fatigue. Taking marijuana allowed her to go from working part-time to working full-time, and she was able to stop taking many of her other medications. Schultz had been taking controlled substances like oxycodone, which gradually became ineffective. Once the dosage didn’t work, doctors would try to increase it. This revolution in Schultz’s life happened when her home state of Arizona legalized medical marijuana in 2011. She said that she had always kept her distance from marijuana and had very little knowledge of it until it became legal for medical use. “As a matter of fact, when it went to voting to legalize medical marijuana, I voted against it,” Schultz said. In the last 10 years, 28 states have loosened regulations on marijuana, either recreationally or medically, but only nine states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington, plus the District of Columbia, have fully legalized it. Texas enacted the Compassionate Use Act in 2015, which allows the prescription of low-THC cannabis, but only for people with intractable epilepsy. Marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug, alongside heroin, LSD and ecstasy, a classification that means it has the potential for abuse and is not accepted for medical use. However, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has unanimously recommended the approval of an epilepsy medication made with an ingredient found in marijuana. Schultz, the mother-in-law of Eastfield social work and substance abuse instructor Daniel Ramirez, said marijuana helped pull her out

ID WY NV

MN WI

SD IA

NE UT

KS OK

MA RI

WV VA

AR LA

OH KY

MI IN

SC GA

Adult & medical use regulated law

Comprehensive medical majijuana law HI

CBD/Low THC product law No marijuana access law MANUEL GUAPO/THE ET CETERA

SOURCE: NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES

of a vicious cycle where doctors prescribed her all sorts of pills, including opiates, anti-inflammatories and fibromyalgia medicine to ease her symptoms. Sometimes trying a new medication could be dangerous, like the time she took a sample of Cymbalta. “I was in bed in a fetal position for three days, with one pill,” Schultz said. As her condition progressed, she was becoming increasingly disabled. Finally, her family urged her to try medical marijuana. Family members who were very conservative and religious wanted her to try it, even her father. “I would reach a point that I could

barely move,” she said. “After eating, digestion would take up so much energy that I’d be wiped out. Literally wiped out.” While Schultz can legally take medicinal marijuana at home, the conflict between state laws and federal laws makes it hard for her to travel with her medication. Schultz said these laws are discriminating against people who could be helped tremendously by marijuana, like people with epilepsy. “It just blocks us into not being able to leave our state. That’s not fair.” Schultz said. “We shouldn’t have to jump through hoops or take the risk of taking it with us illegally and being caught by federal government.”

According to a survey conducted by Pew Research Center, 61 percent of Americans say the use of marijuana should be legalized. “It’s people’s choice,” science major Darrian Bethea said. “I feel like you should have the freedom to do whatever you want to do… up to a point, as long as it’s not harming anybody.” Bethea said making marijuana legal would allow organizations like the FDA to regulate it. And there is a problem that marijuana could help address – opioid abuse. “Of course it’s not going to cure things, or solve all the problems medically, but it keeps people off pills,” he said. “We have a bad habit of overprescribing people

narcotic pills.” According to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, medical marijuana may encourage fewer prescriptions for opioids. In places where marijuana dispensaries opened, researchers saw a decrease of 3.7 million daily doses of opioids among Medicare Part D recipients. “Let’s be real,” said Shaun McAlister, the executive director of the DFW National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or DFW NORML. “Marijuana being listed as a schedule 1 substance alongside heroin is absurd. “ McAlister said prohibition isn’t keeping marijuana out of

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anyone’s hands. Even children can go down the street and buy marijuana almost anywhere, he said, But it makes it harder for older people who could benefit to access it. “We should treat it the same way we treat alcohol and cigarettes,” McAlister said. “Put it behind a counter so nobody can get it that shouldn’t have access to it through a government-issued ID and stop criminalizing people for possessing a substance that they want to have that they’re going to use anyway.” He said the criminalization wasn’t based on protecting anyone because cigarettes and alcohol are both toxic, addictive and readily available across the country. “Yes, it could always stand to be more studied,” he said. “But the lack of information about it is not so daunting that it should force us to continue to put people in cages over mere possession.” While Ramirez acknowledges that some may benefit from marijuana, he is concerned about the effects it could have on society as a whole. Even though there may be people using marijuana who are doing fine, they’re not the people he sees in his office as a licensed professional counselor. At a marijuana roundtable event on April 16,

he discussed what is known about medical and recreational marijuana. The conversation was mostly fact-based, but Ramirez shared his experience counseling marijuana users. “I want my clients to have a functioning productive life,” he said. “There’s some people out there that I know already that are smoking it, they can’t function.” During his 17 years of teaching, he has seen how people using marijuana can be forgetful, lazy, or exacerbate existing problems. And he has seen their lives improve when they’ve stopped using marijuana. “I don’t like to paint with a broad brush, because everybody’s different. One size does not fit all,” Ramirez said. “You can’t say that marijuana is a cure-all for everybody. I got a buddy, and you don’t want him smoking weed.” According to The National Institute of Drug Abuse, people who use marijuana frequently report experiencing lower life satisfaction, poorer mental health, poorer physical health and more relationship problems than people who don’t. The reason why the marijuana plant isn’t an FDA-approved medicine, according to the NIDA, is because “researchers haven’t conducted enough large-scale clinical trials that show that the benefits of the marijuana plant (as opposed to its cannabinoid ingredients) outweigh

JAMES HARTLEY/THE ET CETERA

A student who supports recreational marijuana smokes off campus.

its risks in patients it’s meant to treat.” Ramirez said if people want to make it legal, he’d like to see the decision left up to the citizens of states and counties, like what happened with the prohibition of alcohol. When Schultz began taking marijuana, she had a caregiver, who in the state of Arizona is someone licensed to prepare or grow marijuana for patients, to help her decide how to best treat her symptoms. The caregiver started her on a regimen of two capsules of a sativa strain of marijuana in

the day to keep her alert and functioning, and then brownies made from the indica strain of marijuana at night to help her sleep. She said she surprised her neurologist when she went back a year later. “She could not believe it,” Schultz said. “And she said, ‘I really thought that it was going to be the same as all the other medicines. That a month or two later you were gonna stop taking it, because you’ve stopped everything else.’” Schultz said marijuana is not a cure for everything. She recently had carpal tunnel surgery in her hands, and it didn’t help with that. But it does help her with chronic pain. She also doesn’t like feeling high. She prefers lower levels of THC, the chemical in marijuana that produces a high, and she goes to bed before her brownie hits at night. Still, she receives care that her brother, who lives in Texas, cannot. Schultz’s brother has seizures. But she said the medication he takes is destroying his liver and has made him a completely different person. “I understand the controversy with the thought of the recreational marijuana,” she said. “However, I think that if more states get approved with the recreational in addition to the medical … then it’s going to eventually force the federal government to say, ‘OK, let’s give in. Lets decriminalize it.’”

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Olliff remembered for kindness, dedication By ARIA JONES Life & Arts Editor @AriaJonesETC

Marilyn Olliff, known for her positive attitude and the angel Christmas ornaments she would make every year, died unexpectedly on April 10, following a brief illness. Olliff, 64, worked in the Eastfield advising office and was employed at the college for 44 years. The Eastfield flag was lowered to half-staff on April 24 in her honor. Olliff ’s family attended, as well as staff, faculty and friends she had met in her time at Eastfield. People filled the flagpole area, many of them wearing the Christmas angel ornaments that she made for them. “She always reminded me that every day is a happy day,” Dean of Student Support Services Patty Young said. “If you know Marilyn and if you spent any time with her, she would always remind you…’happy Monday’, ‘happy Tuesday.’” In 1974, Olliff began her career at Eastfield in Continuing Education, where she worked until moving to Admissions in 2001. “We never went by her office when she didn’t have piles of paper and miles to go before she slept,” Cook

said. “She always looked up with a smile and made time to talk to you, to find out if you had a care or concern, to find out what was going on in your life before she got back to her pile of work.” Several of Olliff ’s colleagues said she was the “answer person” who would seek out answers, even if she didn’t have them right away. They said whether she was their supervisor at the time or not, she treated everyone the same either way. Clara Ewing worked closely with Olliff for nearly 20 years and said Olliff was someone she could tell anything to. Ewing said that she was too afraid to fly on a plane to one of the conventions in 2002, and Olliff rode with her in the car so that she wouldn’t be driving alone. Ewing would drive and Olliff would navigate. Since then, they traveled together twice a year. They went to Galveston, Corpus Christi, Wichita Falls, Houston, El Paso and San Antonio. Ewing said she is afraid of heights, and she remembers a time she had to cross over the Galveston bridge. Olliff switched places with her and drove them over the bridge. Ewing realized it wasn’t that bad. On

Olliff

the ride home, she was able to drive across the bridge safely, but Olliff was still offering to help. “She was always willing to help,” Ewing said. “She didn’t care what it was, even the stuff that she didn’t know. She’d say, ‘Well Clara I’m not used to this right here, but if you show me, I’ll do it.’” Ewing told Olliff she would retire the same day as her. But Olliff replied, “Well, you’re going to be working forever because I won’t ever retire.” Anthony Archer, who works at the District Service Center, was at Eastfield from 1998 to 2006. Olliff ’s smile is what he remembers most. He said Olliff would wear a button that said the word “they” with a circle and a slash over it.

COURTESY OF JANET LOPER

A collection of Olliff’s angel ornaments.

“If you came to her and she said, ‘Well who told you that?’ and you said ‘Well they’ she would go ‘Uh-uh. There’s no ‘they’ in here. We need to know who,’ and point to the button,” Archer said. Olliff ’s connection to Eastfield runs deep. She met her husband, Richard Olliff, on campus. “We were not able to have kids, but her sister’s children we treated

like our own,“ he said. Their nieces grew up down the street from Eastfield, and one of them actually met her spouse at Eastfield. Now her nieces’ children play soccer at the campus fields on the weekends. “She was the same way with other people, including strangers, like she was here at campus,” Richard Olliff said. “She even called everybody to remind them to change their clocks. That’s the kind of person she was.” Her nieces, Marilyn Vega and Rebecca DeButts, said she would even ask about their pets. And when one of them got married, she noted the exact time they were pronounced husband and wife. “She was really joyful. She had very little to complain about and she loved holidays,” DeButts said. “She would spend the time between holidays planning for the next holiday and making crafts for us. We would all get together at her house.” Marilyn Olliff ’s dedication to others was just as strong outside the walls of Eastfield as it was within. “She remembered every birthday, every anniversary,” Vega said. “She sent us a card for everything. She gave us a gift for everything. Every special event was really important to her.”

Criminal justice graduate killed in the line of duty By JAMES HARTLEY and COLIN TAYLOR Reporters @JamesHartleyETC

Dallas police officer and Eastfield graduate Rogelio Santander died April 25 after being shot while on duty. Santander and Officer Crystal Almeida were responding to a call at a Home Depot in Lake Highlands when the two were shot. Santander, 27, graduated Eastfield with an associate degree in criminal justice in 2012 and joined the Dallas Police Department on Dec. 3, 2014. Patrick Patterson, criminal justice program coordinator, called Santander a hero, but said he didn’t know him well. He remembers Santander as a quiet student who came to class and then left for work. Santander is the ninth Dallas police officer to die in the line of duty in two years.

Police arrested Armando Luis Juarez in connection with the shooting. Police say Juarez shot Santander and Almeida Santander when they tried to arrest him on a felony warrant. A loss prevention employee was also wounded in the shooting. Juarez fled the scene and was arrested after a manhunt, police said. Dallas Police Chief Renee Hall said the department is heartbroken. “Our hearts are very heavy,” Hall said at a news conference, asking for prayers for the officers and their families the day of the incident. Mayor Mike Rawlings said he is upset to see the dangers and lack of respect police officers face.

JOSUE HERNANDEZ/THE ET CETERA

Balloons and flowers cover a police patrol car outside Santander’s station in Northeast Dallas.

“It sobers us to realize what officers walk into, day in and day out,” Rawlings said at a news conference. “And how quickly they can become victims.” Patterson said Santander was one of the students who stuck around after going through his introduction to criminal justice class, where students learn about the high attempted sui-

cide and divorce rates in law enforcement as well as the dangers of the job. “I tell people all the time, in criminal justice you’re not going to be liked,” Patterson said. “You may be respected, but you’re not going to be liked. People do not like people who stand for what’s right.” Patterson said he was surprised to see in the photos on the news how

much Santander had changed since he was in the introduction to criminal justice class. “When he was here, he still had the boyish face,” Patterson said. “After he became a cop, he became a little bit more rugged. I know that look a mile away. The job makes you grow up quick, and you carry a lot of stress with you. You may not think so, but it’s going to show.” Santander graduated from Skyline High School, attended Eastfield and transferred to Texas A&M-Commerce. In 2015, he returned to Eastfield for a certificate in criminal justice and also attended El Centro for a Certificate of Dallas Police Recruitment from El Centro. A public visitation was held April 30 and the funeral was held May 1. “This young man went to school for what he wanted to do, and he did it,” Patterson said. “That’s what I’m most proud of him about.”

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VP headed to Kansas BY KEAIRA ENGLISH Reporter @TheEtCetera

Adrian Douglas woke up and couldn’t bend her body. The pain had taken over. Douglas was expecting. After being unable to conceive in her first marriage, Douglas and her second husband, Bruce, were finally pregnant. Throughout her pregnancy, however, she had experienced sharp pains in her abdomen. At around 22 weeks pregnant, she woke up to unbearable pain. She phoned her doctor immediately, who suggested she come right in. Before leaving the house, Douglas went to use the bathroom. Bruce Douglas was in front of the house, when suddenly he heard her screaming. Bruce Douglas said the scream sounded primal and he knew something was wrong. He rushed inside the house and dialed 911 before entering the bathroom. Douglas had given birth a 1-pound baby girl that the couple later named Angel. “I had baby Angel in my hand,” Bruce Douglas said. “She was breathing. I was talking to her, telling her ‘Hold on baby. You’re too early.’“ He immediately tried doing CPR on Angel, the 911 operator talking him through it. Angel lived for 48 minutes. Bruce Douglas said he wanted to be mad at God for taking their baby, but it was his wife’s faith and positivity that allowed them to keep praising God as they moved forward. Douglas, Eastfield’s vice president of Business Services, has prevailed in her life because of her unwavering faith. From a single-parent home to a doctorate, she has prioritized education and will continue her journey in higher education when she leaves in May to take on the role of president for Cloud Community College in Concordia, Kansas. As an 8-year old, Douglas didn’t miss a Sunday at True Vine Church in Alexandria, Louisiana. During her childhood she was the only one in her household who would attend church. As her mother and siblings stayed home, she would attend services with her grandmother. It was a small church that held about 80 people, but it’s the place where her faith first began to grow. “I really enjoyed going to church,” she said. “As a kid, I knew enough to somewhat understand what the pastor was preaching, but there would be times when I would ask my grandmother and aunt what certain words meant.” Her mother raised her, along with her older brother, alone for years until her mother met her younger brother’s father. When she would go home to visit her father, she doesn’t know if she would see him drunk or sober. Her mother stressed education, didn’t believe in missing school and not going to college wasn’t an option. Her mother would fill out their FAFSA and make sure they got any free income they could.

As a teenager, Douglas knew she needed an education to achieve a lucrative and fulfilling career. “My first job was at Wendy’s and I hated it,” Douglas she said. “They wanted you to make the sandwiches and have them ready by the time the person was finished saying their order.” Douglas graduated high school and attended Southern University, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She later got her master’s degree in business administration from LeTournea University and her doctorate in community college leadership from Colorado State University. The day Douglas was leaving Louisiana for Colorado, she was in an accident that totaled her car. “I received a call from her saying, ‘I need you to drive me to the airport,’” Bruce Douglas said. “Mind you, her car was still in the middle of the road. I thought she was crazy. But it also showed me this woman is determined and won’t let anything get in her way.” Higher education has allowed the Douglases to live comfortably and enjoy life. She wants to give back and serve the community, that’s what she chose to work at a community college. “The mission of the community college is a place that can provide open access to everybody,” she said. “Anybody can get in, tuition is affordable and students can commute and go home.” Eastfield President Jean Conway said that Douglas has been a leader for many initiatives at the college, such as implementing a new budget building process and being a leader for the master plan blueprint. “We will miss her leadership and her friendly, collaborative approach to all issues,” Conway said in a campus email. “We want to wish her much success in this new role leading another college toward excellence.” In addition to professional success, Douglas and her husband finally completed the family she had always wanted by adopting a daughter, Braelyn, now 8. With Douglas and her husband both having doctorates, they expect Braelyn to follow suit. “If she can’t beat us, she has to meet us,” Bruce Douglas said. And as Douglas takes the next step, she is relying again on her faith to lead her. “It’s God, family and then everything else,” she said. “I believe this is the pinnacle of my career because everything I’ve done up to now, this will be a catalyst for bigger things. … As president of Cloud Community College, I’m going in to look at how we can tie into things to help people get out of poverty. I’ll look at it as an assignment so we will see what God says.”

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Women’s club aims to uplift female students

Q Vapes still include toxins A JESUS AYALA/THE ET CETERA

Ashley Paramore says that vaping is not a suitable substitute for smoking at “Just Stop Blowing: Quitting Tobacco” event hosted at Eastfield on April 18.

By SAMUEL FARLEY Contributor @TheEtCetera

The dangerous chemicals inside of vapes and e-cigarettes disqualifies them as a healthy alternative to smoking, said Ashley Paramore a tobacco prevention specialist at the Dallas Council on Alcohol and Drugs. At “Just Stop Blowing: Quitting Tobacco” on April 18, Paramore focused on how vapes and e-cigarettes are easily accessible to the public and yet the ingredients of the chemicals in these devices have only recently been released by some small manufactures in 2018. “As of Aug. 10, 2016, vapes can no longer be sold without a health warning” Paramore said. “Vapes are still in the process of being studied and regulated by the FDA, so people are vaping without really knowing what is in them.” According to the FDA, non-smallmanufacturers of vapes have until May 8, 2018, to turn in their list of ingredients. The FDA began regulating vapes in 2016 when it passed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. A common myth Paramore addressed is that vapes are only water vapor and flavoring. “The fact is that there is no water in these products,” she said. “The liquid ingredients are vegetable glycerin, which breaks down the nicotine and also the flavoring, but what is in the flavoring?” Despite Paramore’s argument that there are dangerous chemicals in vapes, there is research which shows that vapes and e-cigarettes have been used to help people quit smoking. A recent study by the University College of London, published in

2016, showed that in a case study of 18 thousand smokers, vapes were being used as a quit-aid. “While it may be true that some people who vape do quit smoking, these products are not approved by the FDA as quit-aids,” Paramore said. “And a lot of people end up dual using, so they never truly quit smoking. Even if you lower the milligrams of nicotine that you vape, you are still ingesting other chemicals into your lungs.” Paramore then showed a list of chemicals found in vapes that were studied by the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education in California. The list included lead, toluene and isoprene. While some may know that lead is also used to make bullets, Paramore noted that toluene is used to make fuel and TNT, and isoprene is used to make synthetic rubber. The report listed 31 total traces of toxic chemicals in vapes, including diacetyl, which causes popcorn lung, a disease that obstructs small airways in the lungs. “While there is still conflicting evidence about vapes being a safer alternative, the whole point is that they are not safe,” Paramore said. Another cause for concern is the possibility of the device exploding. Paramore showed graphic pictures of people who had been injured when their vapes suddenly exploded. “This guy actually lived in my neighborhood, and he was featured in the news,” Paramore said, pointing to a picture which showed part of a severely burned thigh. “You can’t see the rest because it’s too graphic to show, but there is a crater in his leg where it blew up,” she said. Another example was from 2017 when a Tarrant County teenager’s vape started a fire in his bedroom.

“A common cause for the explosions is when the battery of the device overheats due to using the wrong type of charger,” Paramore said. “Other reasons include putting a vape battery in your pocket along with loose change, this can cause friction which could result in the battery exploding.” Paramore emphasized that her major concern is for high school students who might be getting their hands on these devices. “When you’re a teenager you don’t think about what you are really inhaling or battery safety,” Paramore said. After the event, two audiences members were vocal about how vapes have affected their families. Professor Daniel Ramirez, who teaches substance abuse counseling, has seen the danger of teens having the ability to access these devices. “A friend of my daughter’s was making vape juice at home and then selling it at the high school” he said. “When he was caught by his parents the boy said he was doing it because there was no nicotine in it, just vape stuff. But when we asked him what was in the vape stuff, he couldn’t answer.” Joanna Murphy, whose husband teaches at Eastfield, said vape users are unaccepting of adverse facts relating to vapes and chemicals in the juice. “I have several friends who vape and they are very hostile to any information about vaping because they want it to be safe,” Murphy said.“I was a tobacco researcher from 20052009 when vaping was just starting, and back then big tobacco was against vaping, but now they’re not. The reason is because vaping is getting the younger population into smoking.”

Eastfield’s relatively new Women’s Empowerment club encourages women and teaches them skills they can use throughout life. The group aspires to build & a positive atmosphere to connect students with one another, regardless of gender, and to have a network of support. Reporter Adrian Maldonado talked to club President Brenda Ceron about the organization, its goals and how to get involved.

Q A

How did your club start?

It all started when my sister Nicole came up with an idea to have a place for female students to go. Eastfield had a men’s empowerment group where male students could go and do things together. We wanted to create a sanctuary where women could speak out on what they believe in and what they believe should be changed at Eastfield to get more women to graduate and to educate themselves on the things they want to do for a living.

Q A

What are the goals of Women’s Empowerment?

The goals are basically getting girls to get on a path to graduate. This is something we’ve always wanted. We also want female students to form a sisterhood and to be able to share what is on their minds, what is going on in their personal lives and to get things off their chests if they need to without feeling judged. We want our girls to better themselves and better the community around them.

Q A

How do you plan to further your message?

What we’re doing is trying to develop more of a social media presence. We are getting together a social media crew into our team.

JESUS AYALA/THE ET CETERA

Brenda Ceron, Women’s Empowerment club president.

to help us reach out on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Q A

Who does your club want to see involved?

Our club wants to see everyone involved no matter what background they come from. We actually have more men coming into our club just to see what we do and to get a view of our perspective. We also ask men in our club how they feel on certain issues and we try to learn from them as well.

Q A

What kind of activities is your club involved in?

We do a lot of volunteering, especially since a lot of our girls like to do volunteering. We visit women’s shelters and retirement homes so we can make an impact on the community.

What do you want the club to look like and what impact do you hope the club makes when you leave Eastfield?

What I want it to look like after I graduate is for the club to be a womanhood. I want girls to feel like they have someone to go to, no matter who it is. I imagine Eastfield’s student numbers will increase over the next few years, so I would like to see Women’s Empowerment to become available not just at Eastfield but other schools and universities as well.

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PUT IT ON YOUR

Calendar Wed

May

Stress Busters Week Meditation and therapy animals, 9-10 a.m., P208 Coffee Lounge, 2-4 p.m., Vibee Lounge Recital: Jazz Ensemble, 12:30 p.m., F-117

Thu

Stress Busters Week Meditation, 9-10 a.m., P208 Improv Workshop, 10-11 a.m., the Hive Painting with a Twist, 12:30-2 p.m., the Hive Student veterans club fundraiser, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Lower Courtyard

Fri

Stress Busters Week Meditation, 9-10 a.m., P208 Cinco de Mayo Festival, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Lower Courtyard Video Game Tournament, noon, Performance Hall Art of Life class student gallery, 12:30-2:30 p.m., Vibee Lounge

Sat

Graduation ceremony, 4:30 p.m., Curtis Cullwell Center, Garland

Mon

Final exams begin

Thu

Last day of spring semester

5 7

10 Mon

Music open hours, 5-6:30 p.m., G buidling lobby Memorial Day, campus closed

NEWS

Brief

Charges dropped against financial aid fraud suspect The Dallas County District Attorney has dropped charges against a woman accused of stealing more than $18,000 through financial aid fraud. Assistant District Attorney Hilary Blake said Tawana Whitfield, 39, was “actually the victim of another’s fraud.” Whitfield was charged along with five others for stealing more than $99,000 through financial aid fraud. — James Hartley

COURTESY OF MURRY GANS

Eastfield student Vianney Sanchez, left, and University of Texas at Dallas PhD candidate Milana Thomas work on a treatment for lupus nephritis, which attacks the kidneys. Eastfield’s team placed third in the Young Women in Science Program, earning each of the four members $1,000 scholarships to UTD.

Students search for lupus treatment By JAMES HARTLEY Editor in Chief @JamesHartleyETC

A group of Eastfield students placed third in a state science competition hosted by the University of Texas in Dallas, with each winning a $1000 scholarship to the university. Angelica Avila, Rachel Howell, Christian Orozco and Vianney Sanchez worked on the project, which is designed to test a type of lupus nephritis treatment, with UTD PhD student Milana Thomas. “These were some of our best and brightest students here,” mentor and coordinator Murry Gans said. The students used Cytoxan lupus medication, delivered via small particles of a stimulus-responsive hydrogel, to test their ability to release lupus treatment directly to a selected organ through heat delivery. “We thought, ‘well maybe this could one day be used in a real project,’” art conservation major and team member Vianney Sanchez said. “All of us had connections to [Lupus]. My aunt has it. I think, out of the group of four, three of us were close to someone who had it.” They planned to also include metallic particles in the treatment, which could have given them the ability to trap the hydrogel in the kidney before applying heat through infrared rays, causing the medicine to treat just the kidney, but ran out of time. “I think eventually it would be great to do that,” Sanchez said. “It would be so helpful, not only to people who have Lupus but any disease in general.”

Gans said that the experiment didn’t work the first time the team tried it, so they didn’t have the time to test with the metal particles. “The first time we did it, it was total failure,” Gans said. “It takes about four to five hours to run the experiment, so it was real time consuming.” Avila said so many little details went wrong in the first attempt that they couldn’t move forward before getting those details right. “Once we went back and saw what we needed to change we finally got it,” Avila said. “It was a super exciting moment.” The students had access to the graduate lab at UTD with PhD student Milana Thomas for two Saturdays. Most of the communication about the project took place on the weekends on Skype. The contest, whose scholarship is available through the Young Women in Science and Engineering program, was among high school and community college schools. Eastfield placed behind a high school that claimed both first and second place. The team from Mountain View College did not place and Richland College’s team dropped out, leaving the Eastfield team as the only college group. Gans said he was proud of his students, especially considering that they did this on their own time while high school students had class periods in school dedicated to their projects. He was proud of his students for choosing a challenging project. Other, simpler projects would have been less time consuming and easier to execute, he said. “We could have built a drone a flown it around to crash it and fix it,” Gans said. “That would be

COURTESY OF MURRY GANS

From left, Christain Orozco, Rachel Howell, Angelica Avila, Murry Gans and Vianney Sanchez worked together on Eastfield’s third place YWISE project.

kind of meaningless, but they decided to tackle something they were actually interested in. This is above and beyond.” Sanchez, one of the students in the team, said the experience she had working with others on the experiment is one of the biggest things she is walking away with. Sanchez will be attending Texas A&M this fall, so the scholarship the team won will not apply to her tuition there. The three other students will be attending UTD. Avila wants to return to the project when she transfers UTD and try to add the metal particles to make the delivery method useful for real life application. “A lot of us are going to UTD in the fall, so hopefully we can pick the experiment back up,” Avila said.

Life &Arts Life in one-eighth time

The Et Cetera

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Wednesday, May 2, 2018

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Hailey Musgrove, a competitive dancer at the Academy of Dance, Music & Theatre, overcame personal struggles to realize her lifeling passion for dance.

Dancer’s passion fuels her goals By JULIO VEGA Senior Staff Writer @JulioVegaETC

As “Dancing with the Stars” plays in the living room, 5-year-old Hailey Musgrove chachas in front of the television, following the routines on screen. She loves dancing but hates dressing up. Her ballet costumes are scratchy and uncomfortable, so she fashions a dress made of blankets draped around her waist. Dancing on the hardwood floor, she would fall often, and she had some near-misses with the TV, nearly knocking it over multiple times. She watched nearly every episode of the reality show and would often tell her mother, Drucilla, about her growing love for dance. “I can do this! I can do this!” she would exclaim. “They look awesome, and I want to look awesome, too!” Her mother remembers how Musgrove would also watch children’s musicals on television. At 4, she started taking ballet classes, but a bad experience with her instructor made her

stop dancing by age 7. “She was horrible and mean and would make all of the students cry at the end of class,” Musgrove said. After dancing, she tried her hand at gymnastics, then rock climbing, karate, fencing, musical theater, track and cross country. By her teenage years, Musgrove found it hard to settle on one thing in her life. Musgrove was homeschooled throughout grade school. She came to Eastfield in 2015 without any concrete plans. Three years later, Musgrove now takes 21 credit hours in her final semester, trains and competes at the Academy of Dance, Music & Theatre in Greenville, volunteers to teach young dancers and helps on the family farm. She plans to transfer to Texas Woman’s University to major in kinesiology and become a licensed physical therapist. She hopes to use dance in her physical therapy. With dance back in her life, she has set plans she didn’t have before. Although her dance instructor, Tom Ramon, said now she’s established herself as one of the best competitive ballroom

dancers at the studio, Musgrove needed a jump start before reverting back to dance. Leg luck During her cross country phase, Musgrove ran through the winding backroads of Greenville, jogging down rocky, unpaved roads. She started a training routine for herself. One day, 1 mile. The next, 3 miles. After that, 5 miles. Then back to 1 and so on. She was going through her usual routine on the familiar roads in late spring 2014. Suddenly, her left foot landed in a pothole. The pain jolted through her leg. She pushed past the pain, barely able to walk. Fueled by adrenaline, she limped home, not stopping or else the pain would return. An X-ray revealed she had broken the ankle and two of her toes. Devastated, Musgrove felt lost. Friend Katrina Heidel invited her to Landon Winery in Greenville for a social dance. She agreed to go, even though her ankle still hadn’t fully healed. It had been a mere four weeks since the injury when she decided to take off her boot and

put on dance heels to take part in the dances. It was here where she met Ramon, who had been dancing at the venue for many years. Four months later, in early fall, she was dancing with Ramon at the Academy of Dance, Music & Theatre. “When she came in, she didn’t know the left foot from her right,” Ramon said. “But she’s a very quick learner. Now I’ve been teaching her for nearly three years.” In her first lesson, she repeatedly stepped on Ramon’s feet, something he had grown used to from novice dancers. During a routine, she almost made him fall, too. Before long, Musgrove became hooked on dancing again. She has learned to dance ballroom — waltz, tango, cha cha, swing, bolero and many others. Ramon said her growth in those first few months was remarkable. “She has an affinity for the feel of the music,” he said. “Hailey has a stamina and a heart about her that very few people have. She doesn’t take no for an answer. Every moment of every day, she uses it constructively. She’s a go-getter.”

LIFE&ARTS

The Et Cetera She proved to be a natural at ballroom dancing, while also learning pointe, ballet, jazz and tap. Drucilla Musgrove said that her daughter’s upbringing shaped who she is today, crediting her own stubbornness and her father’s work ethic for her daughter’s determination to excel. “Anything Hailey does, she’s really good at because she focuses,” Drucilla Musgrove said. “She concentrates on doing everything so well. Her dad was a runner and he achieved what he put his mind to. Hailey learned that from him.” Dancing Ways Musgrove and Ramon are now partners as a pro-am couple — one professional and one amateur dancer. During practices, he guides her with his right hand as the pair move to the rhythm of tango, rumba, cha-cha, foxtrot, salsa and swing dances. Rather than moving in unison, she reacts to the male lead, gliding effortlessly through each step and covering up any mistakes so the untrained eye won’t notice. By November of that year, Musgrove was competing at her first

competition at the Tulsa Dance Invitational. She placed first in each event she competed in. “I want you to understand this: This is not the way it works,” Ramon told her after the competition. “Now you’ve really set the bar up high. So now, you can’t expect to win first place every time.” But she does. And at the following year’s contest, she did it again. When she isn’t competing, Musgrove volunteers at the studio, teaching beginner level classes to young girls, guiding them through the most basic steps. She extends the knowledge from her trainings with Ramon to her pupils. Musgrove lines up the girls along the ballet barre on the wall, using it to help them keep their balance while practicing foot shuffles and taps. Three of the four girls in her class sit down with their legs out in front of them in the middle of the rectangular ballroom, with each taking turns to perform a jeté — a leaping jump from one foot to the other. Despite her busy schedule, Mus-

www.eastfieldnews.com grove makes time for social dancing with friends and helping out on the family farm, where the Musgroves grow mushrooms and lavender to sell to restaurants and grocery stores. And now, she said, she finally feels complete. “I was pretty chaotic when I started ballroom dancing, but it centered me,” she said, alluding to her struggles of not knowing what she would do while growing up. “It gave me not only peace but a place where I could work through all my problems. When I’m at the dance studio, I can focus and relax and do something that I’m good at.” Ramon said in his 35 years of teaching dance, Musgrove’s resilience stands out. “I’ve trained thousands of teachers and thousands of students. Hailey’s just one of the ones that really picks up so fast,” he said. “She’s got a really good mind for dance, and not just ballroom, but for all kinds. The goal for teachers is to have their students be better than us, and I have no doubt that Hailey will be better than me one day.”

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

PHOTOS BY JUILO VEGA/THE ET CETERA

Hailey Musgrove trains with her dance instructor Tom Ramon at the Academy of Dance, Music & Theatre.

Dancing into spring

PHOTOS BY JESUS AYALA/THE ET CETERA

From left, Lauren Goodson, Danielle Georgiou and Christine Esparza performed at the annual end of the year Spring Dance Concert, which includes works from artists-inresidence, student choreographers and faculty members.

LIFE&ARTS

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

@TheEtCetera

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Walker thrives on person-centeredness By DAVID SILVA Digital Managing Editor @DavidSilvaETC

On a Saturday afternoon, Mike Walker and several Eastfield faculty and staff took a trip to Margaret Leicht’s home. Their visit was a welcomed sight for the Social Sciences division’s secretary, yet it wasn’t one with the intention of a group dinner or backyard barbecue. Walker, then executive dean of Social Sciences, and the visitors, which included history professor Mike Noble and administrative assistant Leslie Johnson, were there to build Leicht a new fence. Leicht’s fence was in bad shape, so much so she had received several notices from the city of Dallas. Leicht, however, couldn’t prioritize her crumbling fence. Her husband was critically ill, having spent several months in and out of the hospital after having issues with kidney disease. Walker initiated an effort to raise money among colleagues and then recruited several to relieve Leicht’s family of their home repair burden. They took out the old fence, built a wooden one and even stained it for longevity. Leicht’s husband passed away August 2015, and Walker consistently helped Leicht with any issues she had following his death, including cutting a tree branch, inspecting plumbing issues and even teaching her daughter how to change a tire. “It was such a dark time for me,” Leicht said. “I was here and asking questions and he would say, ‘Do you want me to come over and look at that?’ He will help anybody out no matter what. I think he would take the shirt off his back.” These are the acts of kindness that are consistent from Walker. Walker, a Dallas native and Eastfield alumnus, now holds the title of executive vice president of the college. Walker was interim vice president last semester following the departure of Michael Gutierrez. Before he was a dean, he was a full-time history professor. From faculty member to the second-highest ranking position in the college, those around him say he’s been an example of selflessness, passion for education and the type of person-centeredness that the college strives to encourage in everyone. Walker’s journey to education

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Mike Walker was recently promoted from executive dean of Social Sciences to Eastfield’s executive vice preseident following the departure of Michael Gutierrez.

wasn’t a traditional one. He majored and got his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas. After graduating, he was hired as a salesperson for Southwestern Bell, now AT&T. He had a 25-year career with the company before voyaging into his “second life.” He received his master’s degree in history from Texas A&M and began working as an adjunct professor for Eastfield, Collin College and University of Phoenix–Texas Campus in 2002. He later earned his doctorate in higher education at Texas A&M– Commerce. As an avid fan of history, Walker was determined to teach it without stressing the memorization of names and dates. Walker said studying history is studying impact. For the people who live through it, “history” is personally experienced, something that Walker can attest to. Walker was in a Victor H. Hexter Elementary classroom the day that President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed. The news of the president’s assassination quickly spread across the school. He remembers people crying and kids getting picked up by their parents amid the panic. In his history class, he brought that experience to the forefront. “In history class, you learn, ‘Well

that happened and that it happened in Dallas,’ and maybe you move on,” he said. “I get to talk about what happened to the city of Dallas when that happened. It was crazy.” Walker also lived through the desegregation of public schools in Dallas. Despite the fact that the Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka Supreme Court case happened in 1954, many schools in the South were resistant to integration. The Dallas Independent School District was one. Bryan Adams High School was integrated during Walker’s senior year. Before then, he couldn’t recall knowing any black people. Once he arrived in Austin as a journalism major in 1972, Walker found himself integrated with the campus’ political activism. His time at the university coincided with the Richard Nixon administration, Watergate and the Vietnam War, a time in which mistrust toward the government was becoming more and more vocal across the country. Walker participated in a number of protests, and despite missing the ‘60s hippie movement, he fit the mold of the “eccentric” city with long hair and a love for rock and roll. “In ’72 there was still a world of hippies,” he said. “I had a different look at the time and may have looked

the part.” Walker believes that the patches of history with the most importance are the “eras of great change,” eras that are similar to the assassination and desegregation he witnessed. After seven years of teaching parttime, Walker was hired as a full-time professor. In his time as a professor, he displayed his passion for aiding others in any way he could, English professor Shazia Ali said. The pair co-taught a learning community for seven years and had neighboring offices. It was during this time that Ali witnessed Walker’s energy and commitment to helping students first hand. “The first week of classes he wouldn’t be sitting in his office,” Ali said. “He’d be walking the halls and talking to everybody and saying, ‘Hey, are you lost? Can I help you?’ He would be directing students to classes. He was the first one to jump out of his office to help a student.” Ali said that Walker’s personal teaching style, ability to collaborate and sense of humor were the reasons they successfully co-taught for so long, a feat that many faculty members are still trying to replicate. In 2013, Walker became executive dean of Social Sciences and with his new role further increased his proac-

tivity in assisting students, Ali said. “He was able to connect the dots and physically help students as opposed to as a faculty member there’s only so much you can do,” she said. “You can refer people, but you can’t really go in and make those changes.” Former Eastfield student Stephania Montes was helped by Walker when he and Ali found out Montes was in need of a job. Montes wanted to bring income to her household but was afraid that it would deter her away from her classes. Walker advised she apply for a work-study position in the school and walked her to the financial aid office to begin the process. Montes was put on work-study and became the office assistant for the Social Sciences Division. Ali said that Walker syncs so well with the person-centered motto of Eastfield because he naturally and genuinely gives people his full attention. This is not limited to inside the classroom or even to students. Like the case with Leicht, Walker has been present for faculty members when they’re in need. “He will help a faculty member move,” Ali said. “He will help someone with their backyard or whatever. He will do so much outside of his role here at Eastfield.” Ali mentioned that Walker was constantly present for former professor Phoenix Rousseau during her battle with cancer before her death on Oct. 29, 2016. Walker also routinely visits the widow of former professor Bob Sharp, who died from a heart attack on July 24, 2015. He also visited Johnson’s husband recently when he was hospitalized. “He’s just physically so present for everybody outside of campus, and that tells you a lot about who he is as a person,” Ali said. Ali said that despite all of this, Walker shies away from announcing his actions. “He is one of the most humble people I’ve known,” she said. “If you do it you don’t need to announce it to the world. You do it for good.” When discussing himself, Walker downplays the role he’s played in many people’s lives. Walker is similarly discreet with his home life and outside-of-work hobbies. Some faculty members know See Walker, page 16 ➤

LIFE&ARTS

The Et Cetera

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Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Campus collaborates to create tapestry Analise Minjarez and Sarita Westrup, also known as the group Tierra Firme, hosted an interactive art piece. Student made art out of recycled T-shirt fabric and yarn on a land loom throughout the month of April. The group, recruited by art gallery director Iris Bechtol, visited campus on selected days and aided students

as they weaved material to create a framed landscape of the courtyard. The piece will remain on campus as a part of the permanent art collection and will have each participating students’ and employees’ names noted as contributors to the artwork. The project was a part of the Literary & Fine Arts Festival. — Staff reports

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A tudent cuts a shirt into 2-inche rows to use as weaving material in the giant tapestry.

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Artist Analise Minjarez weaves material created from T-shirts to create a landscape.

YESENIA ALVARADO/THE ET CETERA

Westrup makes final touches to the Land Loom, a part of the Literary & Fine Arts Festival.

JESUS AYALA/THE ET CETERA

Artist Sarita Westrup, far right, students how to weave.

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Daniel Martinez and Desmond Davis weave the landscape visible outside the window of the Vibee lounge.

JESUS AYALA/THE ET CETERA

Anthony Lazon and Westrup look over the final product of the weeks-long work on the Land Loom. All students who participated will be credited as artists with the display.

opinion Etera Award-winning member of: • Texas Intercollegiate Press Association • Texas Community College Journalism Association • Associated Collegiate Press • College Media Association

Eastfield College 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Fax: 972-860-7646 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu Editor in Chief James Hartley Digital Managing Editor David Silva Life & Arts Editor Aria Jones Design Editor Manuel Guapo Photo Editors Yesenia Alvarado

Jesus Ayala

Senior Staff Writer Julio Vega Staff Writers Andrew Walter Josue Hernandez

Caroline Ceolin

Senior Staff Photographer Niels Winter Photographers Vaylan Jacques Jennifer Retiz

Willie R. Cole Husni Kasba

Videographers Narely Martin

Amber Bell

Graphic Artists Sean Watkins Esther Moreno Bryan Perez

Aldahir Segovia Anthony Lazon

Reporters Adrian Maldonado Daniel Durrett Gary Magenheimer

James Eyre Aji Mariam Daisy Orona

Contributors Samuel Farley Keaira English

Colin Taylor Kathryn Higgins

Editorial Assistants Marie Garcia

Martha Especulta

Copy Editor Macks Prewitt Advertising & Marketing Keturah Hill Student Publications Adviser Elizabeth Langton Digital Media Adviser Sarah Sheldon Faculty Adviser Lori Dann Editorial Policy The views expressed on the opinion pages and other opinion pieces and cartoons in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of The Et Cetera, Eastfield College or the Dallas County Community College District. The Et Cetera is published every two weeks—except December, January and summer months—by a student staff. Each member of the college community is entitled to one free copy of The Et Cetera.

ABOUT THE COVER

Competitive dancer Hailey Musgrove PHOTO BY YESENIA ALVARADO DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION BY MANUEL GUAPO

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Wednesday, May 2, 2018

OUR VIEW

Campus plan should include full bar Eastfield administration has big plans for the campus’ future, and at The Et Cetera we believe that we can provide some valuable insight into how to further improve the quality of our campus. Instead of caving to the demands of having an expanded food court, Eastfield needs to double-down on its promotion of Subway. Instead of being restricted to the Hive, there should be at least one Subway in every building, on every floor. Craving a footlong after working out in P building, but don’t want to walk all the way to the Hive? Subway in P building. Just finished researching and making last-minute adjustments to your final paper in the library? Subway in L building. On the third floor of C building, but don’t want to go back down to the first floor Subway? Subway in C building, third floor. Mobility is another pressing issue on campus. Luckily, there’s an easy fix for this. Perhaps making buildings more accessible to students isn’t really the answer. Eastfield simply needs to install moving walkways inside each building and a monorail system to travel between these buildings. If cost is a concern, all that needs to be done is to include a monorail pass charge on tuition. At that rate, these updates would pay for themselves. We’ve noticed that administration has been trying to find clever ways to keep students engaged with increased activities on campus, but we have found several of our own options. With how much the school pushes students to use Blackboard, students need an app to manage their life as a typical undergrad. This revolutionary application would include an AI controlled butler programmed to suit any individual student’s “needs”, a system of notifications dedicated to announcements of free food (with the minimum requirement being one savory and one sweet item, for the ever-important palette-refreshing purpose), and alerts of when happy

MARTHA ESPECULTA/THE ET CETERA

hour is open at the new campus bar. Did we mention the need for a full-service bar? The speakeasy was a good start, but if administration really wants students to stay active on campus, booze is one of the best motivating agents. Beside the fact that campus has become a Subway conglomerate, there need to be sunroofs everywhere. How else will we get our perfect shots for the peasantry to view on their Instagram feeds? Students always complain how their classrooms are either too hot or too cold, so why not have the temperature always be on a random setting? Eastfield must relinquish all control over each building’s thermostat. By doing so, each section of the campus would become a unique habitat, possibly unique enough to be featured in National Geographic. While we have bathrooms that are cleaned on regular intervals, our toilets should be converted to bidets. While we’re at it, let’s go ahead and make them all smart bidets with touch screen interfaces and chirpy, stereotypically Japanese-voiced speakers. Of course, we need a mile-long list of banned words. After all, inclusion is infinitely more important

than our First Amendment rights. To make the campus complete, the final touch that needs to be made is that a certain wall needs to be knocked down on the second floor of N building (you know which one, Dr. Conway). If, for whatever reason, administration is unable to implement our primary ideas for modification, we have some lesser suggestions that would work as an alternative. But in all seriousness, these are our actual suggestions for changes in the master plan. An actual food court would be a good idea. More options for lunch means more students choose to eat and stay on campus. The lounge areas around campus need to be reconsidered. An easy way to make any lounge better would be to include a TV. The Vibee lounge’s retro TV setup, with VCR and VHS, was a huge draw for students. We recommend bringing it back. Additional features to keep students engaged on campus could include a foosball table, a pingpong table, or even some kind of video game console in various “sticky spots,” as they were dubbed in the master plan. An actual computer lab would

help many students struggling to finish their papers and projects on time. Together with chairs that have backs and more comfortable seat cushions, this would create a more inviting campus. Free speech must be encouraged and promoted throughout every part of the campus, not just in the lower courtyard. We recommend putting signs at the entrances to the college stating that the whole campus is open to free speech. No one should be denied their basic rights to free speech in an institution of higher learning, and while we haven’t seen that happen on this campus, this would be a good way to ensure the First Amendment stays protected here. More permanent art from students and professionals would be a welcome addition. Consider commissioning student artists to create more pieces specifically for a permanent collection. The point of our suggestions is this: students want a school that reflects who they are and what they like. Students want a campus that breathes personality, inclusion and encourages them to relax, socialize and participate in an open and welcoming environment.

OPINION

The Et Cetera

Listening the only way to bridge political gap What do you have in common David with a Trump supSilva porter? No, I’m not com@DavidSilvaETC paring you to your misguided uncle or someone who reluctantly voted for him. No, you have something in common with a MAGA hat wearing, build-that-wall chanting, and fake news sharing die-hard supporter. Both of you think the country is going to down the drain. And both of you think each other is the reason for it. And both of you are right, to an extent. Putting specifics aside, there’s a large aspect of American life and political discourse that has been under attack and deteriorating for a very long time: respect for the other. You may be thinking “Hell yeah! They show no respect for anyone but people who look like them.” Or you may be thinking about that Facebook post you saw of some guy yelling at a poor Middle Eastern family at a restaurant. Despite how disgusting these realities are, you and I are a part of the problem too. Not a part of the problem because we demean people for their race or religion or sexual orientation (hopefully), but a part of the problem because we drive the divide between ourselves and those who express different political positions. It’s difficult in our increasingly isolated ideologies, as traditionally conservative and liberal communities further separate in lifestyles, to coexist with someone who believes that our beliefs or even our being is fundamentally wrong. We place conservatives in a bubble, block people from Facebook and jokingly poke fun at “yeehaw” culture. We’re allowing our differences to make a certain type of person “the other.” However, even as the line in the sand seems to be more and more defined as the

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days pass, we’re all consistently changing. We formulate our beliefs based on information and experiences, and new information will arise and experiences will change. This means that individuals, particularly those closer to the ideological center, are still open to political conversation and discussion and do not program every one of their beliefs along the traditional ideological lines. And these changes further solidify when we begin to question the things we think are true, either vocally or not. And in those conversations, whether they deal with immigration, abortion, climate change or the economy, respect is necessary for them to be effective. Listening is important. Doing the best you can to understand another person’s perspective is important, no matter how shocking or foolish it initially seems. Talking not simply to respond is important. Dismissing anyone’s point of view because you think they lack the credentials is dangerous. Consider yourself an advocate for change, not only on a large scale, not only through policy and demonstration, but also through talking to people, listening, compromising. Then these conversations can build into understanding “the other’s” perspectives and that person understanding you. Their lifestyles and yours are no longer a one-dimensional assumption. There are people in this country who are beyond reason or discussion. Don’t be that person. Fight firmly for what you believe in, but solidify your views by questioning them and introducing yourself to ideas and people that are contrary. In that way you’ll see the gray areas and will be ideologically diverse.

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

DACA recipients should be protected from Trump DACA is more than a bargaining chip. America is currently batAji tling a war on immigration Mariam that accentuates a divide @TheEtCetera amongst political entities. The Trump administration and its allies have led the conversation towards the construction of a border wall between the citizens of the United States and Mexico, a means of deferring illegal entry. This proposal has been debated, as it has been used to bargain against the resurrection of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival or DACA, whose recipients are people that have grown on U.S. soil and are in some cases, unaware they were born in another country. DACA is a means for these undocumented immigrants to legally seek work in our country and contribute to their community. While DACA is generally believed to primarily serve Latino or Hispanic families, there are a considerable number of immigrants from nonneighboring countries who are DACA recipients.. Though three quarters of DACA recipients are Hispanic, according to Pew Research, the argument of whether a wall should be built to border countries is not a fair gauge for the potential future of non-Hispanic immigrants. We can combat arguments based on ignorance and hate by studying statistics regarding the conditions of DACA recipients. DACA applicants must meet specified requirements such as “being enrolled in high school or having a high school degree or GED equivalent, and not having a serious criminal conviction.” Consequently, not just any illegal immigrant can gain access to DACA’s benefits that include, “…a work permit and protection from deportation for two years.” DACA has also helped recipients gain momentum in their professional lives and contribute to our economy. According to Center for American Progress, “91 percent of respondents are currently employed.” One respondent said, “Because of DACA, I opened a restaurant. We are contributing to the economic growth of our local community. We pay our fair share of taxes and hire employees […] It will be hard to maintain my business if DACA

ended. I depend on my [social security number] for a lot of my business, such as when getting licenses, permits, leases, and credit.” The Center for American Progress concluded that DACA will contribute $460.3 billion to the U.S. GDP in the next 10 years, but this progress would be lost should DACA be revoked. Overall, DACA’s renewal and continuation is of significant importance and must be carefully considered for the future of America. People have escaped poverty, war and the grasps of tyrannical countries in order to embrace the freedom that America promises. This goes especially for these young children, who should not be held accountable for the past discretions of their parents’ choice of illegally venturing over our borders. While all DACA recipients entered our country’s borders unlawfully, most recipients were too young to gauge the severity of their actions and the consequences of living on this land without any legal documentation. Their parents and/or guardians brought them here to secure their futures and have since then established themselves in American society. DACA recipients or Dreamers, have meshed into and assimilated our Western beliefs, customs and languages and ultimately have no recollection or ties to their native lands. All of what the DACA recipients know is rooted in our day-to-day culture, a culture that should be shared and diversified. So when the Obama administration presented the opportunity to get on the right side of the law, they obliged. During the Obama administration, many Dreamers entrusted their personal information to the government. To potentially threaten the only home they know and pluck them from this country is to hurt their livelihoods. Now, the Trump administration is on a rampage of undoing every thing the Obama administration put in place. Immigrants from various countries are now awaiting legislation that could gravely affect the outcome of their lives.

Sports The Et Cetera

May 2 May 4 May 5

2 p.m. 2 p.m. Noon

Baseball vs. Richland Baseball at Richland Baseball at Richland

14 www.eastfieldnews.com

Outfielder transferring to Arizona

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

By DAVID SILVA Digital Managing Editor @DavidSilvaETC

Before his senior year of high school, Jordan Parker was at a crossroads. His baseball career seemed to be over, thanks to a nagging shoulder injury and limited playing time on the team. He hadn’t drawn a glimpse of interest from college coaches. He told his father that he was still going to play baseball his senior year, but he was going to do it just for fun. That was not going to be difficult for Parker. Despite his natural talent, strict diet and teammates who were on their way to play in college, Parker was set on going and playing the game without the pressure. “I try my best not to get too high not to get too low,” he said. “But mental confidence [has been an adversity].” About four years later, Parker is Eastfield’s starting left fielder, placing second in the NJCAA Division III in RBIs and ranking eight in home runs. Parker is also a preferred walk-on commit to the University of Arizona’s baseball team for the 20182019 school year, an opportunity he earned at the Junior College All-Star Weekend after hitting a grand slam during the game. Originally from Boston, Parker became a baseball fanatic when he saw the Red Sox break their curse and win World Series. He began playing baseball at the age of 5 after his family moved to Flower Mound. In 2004, Parker witnessed the Red Socks breaking their World Series curse, and became a baseball fanatic, according to Joe. “He got a taste of competitive sports at a young age,” said Parker’s father Joe, who also coached him. “Learned to love the competition, learned to love being on winning teams.” Parker would often compare himself to a lot of his teammates, pushing himself to reach their skill level if he felt he wasn’t the best. “The big thing that kept me going is that I kept getting better,” Parker said. “I knew I could improve in certain areas and saw myself improving

COURTESY EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVESRITY

Tate

Eastfield hires new soccer coach

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Jordan Parker sits at 56 RBIs for the season. He is currently second in the NJCAA Division III but has led the country for the majority of the season.

in those areas.” One of the players that Parker grew up playing around was twosport star Kyler Murray. Murray is set to replace Baker Mayfield as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback and centerfielder for the Sooner’s baseball team, with the MLB draft and a seven-figure contract a viable option. “That was one of the kids he compared himself to,” Joe said. Parker loved to work out after his games and practices, and he followed a strict diet that was instilled in him by his mother Patti early on. He doesn’t eat sweets, and would always pack fresh fruits and vegetables for school. During Halloween, Parker would go trick or treating then turn over his candy to others kids. “He wouldn’t even eat a stick of gum,” Joe said. Despite his time playing select baseball, when Parker started playing for Liberty Christian’s varsity team his playing time was minimal. Joe thinks that the shoulder injury led to burnout. That’s when he decided that he would play his senior year just for the enjoyment. His senior year he played his best year and was named the school’s Offensive Player of the Year. “It gave him confidence when that happened,” Joe said. “By that time,

his head coach said if he didn’t continue swinging that bat that it would be a waste, because he had one of the best swings he had ever seen since coaching there.” Following high school, Parker joined The Complete Showcase Post Grad baseball prep program in McKinney. There he continued to perfect his game and was recruited by Blinn Community College. Following a semester with Blinn, Parker transferred to Eastfield in last spring and has found it a better fit. “[At Blinn] they just kind of let you play,” he said. “Here, they’re more hands on. They’re going to help you specifically and develop you as a player. I needed that extra help.” His playing that semester, with 34 hits, a .455 on base percentage and 56 RBIs, resulted in head coach Michael Martin nominating him for the Junior College All-Star Weekend. “It was a bit more up and down for him as opposed to this year,” Martin said. “His number were good enough. And towards the end of the year I saw him getting better.” He hit a grand slam during the game, prompting a call from the University of Arizona. Although he wasn’t offered a scholarship, he was offered a spot on the team if he were to attend the university, something Parker plans to do.

“If I perform at the level that I know I can, the goal for me is to enjoy my last two years of college and take it to the next level,” he said. This season, Parker has increased his productivity even more with the Harvesters. Aside from his 56 RBIs, Parker has had eight home runs and a .429 on-base percentage. “I’ve been in those game-winning situations and it’s very exciting for me,” he said. “I like being in those pressure situations, to make a difference.” Parker has been crucial to the Harvester’s offensive attack on the field, according to Martin. “He’s a laid back guy, he’s a quiet guy,” Martin said. “He goes out there and does his job. He sets an example more with his actions than his words. That goes a long way.” Despite that relaxed persona, Parker said he hasn’t let up since coming to Eastfield and since the allstar game put him on the radar. “Before, no one really knew me,” he said. “I go to this all-star game and all this attention comes my way. And that makes my game much better. It’s that mental confidence thing when you have coaches talking to you like that. They’re reassuring you and your ability and that kind of shoots your ability off. This year, I’ve unlocked my mental confidence.”

The Eastfield women’s soccer program hired new coach Paul Tate earlier this month. Tate’s arrival comes after previous head soccer coach Dustin Stein resigned to take a job an assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh. Tate said he liked the opportunity to return to his home state and challenge himself with a strong women’s team at a Division III college. “I want to build on the program but have my own niche,” he said. Tate previously worked at Eastern New Mexico University as the men’s head soccer coach for three seasons. During his time there, he accumulated a 17-28-7 record during his time with the Greyhounds. Prior to his stint at ENMU, he coached five seasons at McMurry University in Abilene with a 24-65-0 record. With the War Eagles, he won the 2012 National Christian College Athletic Association Central Region title. “We liked the fact that he had four-year experience,” said Anthony Fletcher, director of Eastfield’s athletics program. “He was in some tough situations at McMurry and Eastern New Mexico. Not a lot of kids that want to go to Eastern New Mexico, so he had to battle that.” Fletcher said that Tate was selected despite his losing record because he has experience coaching a higherlevel team and that, unlike when he was at ENMU, the DCCCD teams have an even playing field. “I think at the end of the day people will see this was a good hire,” Fletcher said. Hannah Poenisch, who served as interim head coach for the spring offseason, is expected to stay on board as assistant coach. — Compiled by Julio Vega and James Hartley

SPORTS

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Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Five ways to care about global ball kicking, red cards again For many Americans who don’t understand soccer, the lingo is like a foreign language. Some people, however, are everyday, hardcore fans with soccer-crazy blood rushing through every vein. Others go along with the hype every four years, although this summer will be the exception. With the U.S. out of the men’s World Cup this year, American fans might feel inclined to skip the show. But there is plenty to see: One month. 32 teams. 64 matches. Billions of fans watching around the world. So join in. Here are the five things viewers should look out for this summer. — Compiled by Julio Vega

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The favorites Reigning champ Germany, fivetime winner Brazil and other powerhouses like Spain, France and Messi’s Argentina are likely to make deep runs in the competition. But upsets and surprises are

bound to happen. Last edition, Brazil and Spain exited at the group stage. The dark horses Stacked-in-talent Belgium, flamboyant Colombia and strong teams England and Mexico all hope to make some kind of impact. Of this group, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, 2016 European Champions and third at last summer’s Confederations Cup, likely will be the loudest. The Cinderella story At the last two World Cups, Ghana (2010) and Costa Rica (2014) captured the hearts of all neutral fans and were both a penalty shootout away from the semifinal round. The same is expected this year, with World Cup debutants Iceland and the exciting young African sides Egypt and Nigeria hoping to stir the passion in this edition. Video Assistant Referee For the first time, the World Cup

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tournament will use video technology to assist referees. They’ll help with decisions concerning goals, penalty decisions, red cards and mistaken identity. The controversial implementation has been the focus of both good and bad moments on the pitch. Don’t be surprised if it catches headlines. How to really enjoy a World Cup Root for a team. The beauty of soccer is the passion that fans bring to the game. If you have a certain heritage from another country, go with it (sorry Italian-Americans). Fox Soccer has an interesting marketing campaign going on, partnering with the DNA testing company 23andMe and telling U.S. soccer fans to “root for your roots.” So just because the U.S. men’s national team didn’t make the tournament doesn’t mean you have to sit out and be bored. This is the FREAKING WORLD CUP!

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Wednesday, May 2, 2018

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You’ll be crying infinity times Walker takes over BY DAVID SILVA Digital Managing Editor @DavidSIlvaETC

Let’s be real. No matter the number of positive or negative reviews that come out about “Avengers: Infinity War,” you’re going to watch the crap out of that movie anyway. It’s too massive, too ballsy and just way too much of a cinematic novelty to be ignored. And you shouldn’t try to ignore it. The film lives up to its hype, presenting a devastatingly consequential storyline that doesn’t pull any punches. As movie lovers, comic book nerds or just fans of overwhelmingly attractive lead characters punching things and cracking jokes, we get so much from this Anthony and Joe Russo-directed epic. The action and fight scenes are endless yet always have a lot at stake. The character team-ups, particularly one that was teased in the trailers including Iron Man, Spider-Man, StarLord and Doctor Strange, are out of a childhood dream. The banter among the different characters is mostly charming. If you’re not a fan of Marvel humor during serious moments, this is not the movie that’s going to win you over. Close your eyes and cover your ears when Star-Lord says anything. Thanos is easily the best Marvel villain to date, despite us getting very well received Marvel antagonists lately in the form of The Vulture in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and Erik Killmonger in “Black Panther.” Thanos just has it all. He can fight toe to toe with every single one of our heroes. His presence feels dangerous. He begins the film as a seemingly one-dimensional figure obsessed

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“Infinity War” features an ensemble cast of past MCU films.

with power, but slowly develops layers of depth (and dare I say a hint of justification?) in the form of his relationship with Gamora and the motivation behind his mission for slaughter. His monologues are spinechilling every single time. Once the film begins to fixate more and more on the mad titan, the story begins to feel like a Greek tragedy, one that seems to get more and more hopeless. Despite all the character arcs we get and different journeys we embark on, in an effort to defeat him, Thanos is still playing puppet master. He is consistently diminishing the chances to defeat him and is only limited by his own “sacrifices.” But let’s back up before I say too much. As unprecedented and in many ways phenomenal as this movie is, it isn’t without its flaws. Some may say

that the film feels incomplete while others argue that it’s too crowded. Of the former: this is what we should have expected in a way. Audiences and critics should have known when the films were originally titled “Avengers: Infinity War Part One” and “Avengers: Infinity War Part Two” that this was going to be an arc that is ultimately resolved over two films. Marvel changing the names should have fooled no one. The only issue I had with the film is the latter. Because of sheer size, it does take a moment to get everyone settled, to know where each one of our heroes is at and what they’re up to (cue location font). Once we get about halfway through the film, this isn’t much of an issue. So yeah, I know you’re going to watch it, and I know you’re going to enjoy it.

about Walker’s love for woodwork. He creates small furniture, crafts and pens that he has gifted to his coworkers. Most don’t know that he also loves playing the guitar and singing classic rock and roll songs as a oneman band. “I have concerts in my home,” he said. “I play the guitar and I’m all about it, and there has never been a soul [watching], not even my wife.” Walker said he enjoys jamming out to The Doors, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, and does so despite believing that he’s not very good. “It’s awful,” he said. “It’s terrible. But I don’t care, because it’s great fun.” Despite his relaxed attitude, Walker understands the seriousness of the tasks at hand for his position. As vice president, Walker faces a changing landscape for the college and higher education in general. Things are “gonna look a little different, they’re gonna feel a little different,” he said. “Any institution that is successful in this country has an awareness of the changes that have to take place.” Walker will not only spearhead the college’s transition into eightweek terms and Guided Pathways to Success but will do so under a new college president. Current president Jean Conway announced her retirement before the spring 2018 semester, and the search for her replacement is under way. Walker looks to the future with optimism, understanding that changes may be difficult yet believing they’re necessary for success. Johnson believes that his positiv-

Mike Walker

ity and interpersonal relationship skills will easily allow him to take the role of vice president head on. “And he loves to learn,” she said. “He loves a new challenge. Dr. Conway saw that in him. He’s succeeded in all of his divisions.” Ali said she has no doubt that he will take his care for students and effectively use it on a larger scale. “He’s very much suited for this role,” she said. “As much as I was sad about the fact that he wouldn’t be in the classroom anymore, I was also delighted by the fact that he’s going to be making such a huge difference on the campus on a larger scale. I’m really looking forward to see him grow into this role.” Walker said that no matter what role he’s at, he’s going to be proactive in bettering the way students receive their education and further lending a helping hand to those around him. “The things that we do have to matter,” he said. “There’s not a chance that I’m gonna come up here and sit in this office and do things that don’t matter. There’s too many important things to be done. If you find yourself in an opportunity to make a change, you’ve got to do it. “

Graduation Announcements Tijuana Williams Ms. Cookie: “Outstanding job. Well Done!” — Family “I am so proud of you in achieving such an accomplishment. CONTINUE!!!” — Dayvid “Tijuana, you are one that never gives up. I am so PROUD of you!” — Renita “NOW, move ahead to grasp and finish GREATER THINGS!!!” — Imogene White (Mother)

Ramona Renee Oberle I am proud of your hard work and successful completion of an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Office Systems and SupportExecutive Assistant from Eastfield College in December 2017! Love, Your Mom Carole Faraizl

Et Cetera Staff Congratulations and best wishes to our graduating rockstars! Keaira English Marie Garcia Josue Hernandez Bryan Perez David Silva Julio Vega