The Rambler Vol. 101 No.5

WEDNESDAY

March 29, 2017 Vol. 101 • No. 5

www.therambler.org

OPINION

Should public schools protect all students?

The Trump administration announced that public schools do not have to protect transgender students.

NEWS

Photo by Josh Lacy Players, coaches and family members celebrate beating Life University to win the NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship on March 21.

Matt Smith mxsmith@txwes.edu

Rams win NAIA Championship The men’s basketball team beat Life University’s Runnin’ Eagles in Kansas City.

CAMPUS

Why are so many people obsessed with comics?

When the game was over, and he was a national champion, Rams guard Dion Rogers was speechless.

“It’s unexplainable, man, I don’t know how to feel right now,” said Rogers late on March 21, just about an hour after the team beat Life University to capture the 2017 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. “It’s just amazing. So much that we’ve been through, all the ups and downs. So we just pull through as a team, we stuck together – we pull through as a family and we played for each other.”

A long bus ride and about 20 hours later, Rogers and the rest of the Rams walked through a gauntlet of cheering fans outside the Sid W. Richardson Center as part of a surprise reception for the team.

The win at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium capped a wild three days that included not only the championship win but also, the night before, a dramatic OT win over William Penn University; a late-night disaster that temporarily stranded a busload of fans coming home from Kansas City in the middle of nowhere in Oklahoma; and the surprise reception.

The victory gave the Rams their second national championship in

Hannah Onder

hlonder@txwes.edu

A&E

Top students to perform annual honors concert The music department will host the President’s Honors Concert on April 7 at Martin Hall.

SPORTS

Graphic by Hannah Onder

Wesleyan athletes face challenges when trying to make the Dean’s List.

ONLINE

Rams football players put on the pads

Players will began praticing in full pads March 27.

Just after Wednesday’s victory, head coach Brennen Shingleton said he was especially proud of his team.

“I’m just ecstatic,” said Shingleton, who emerged from the team bus back in Fort Worth with the NAIA trophy. “I’m really excited for the team. They worked hard, they committed to the process, they did what they’re supposed to do, and they got the reward they deserve.”

Wesleyan President Frederick Slabach wrote in an email on March 22 that he was proud of both players and coaches.

“They have shown true grit, resolve and tenacity throughout the

 CHAMPS page 3

Wesleyan becomes more inclusive

With Dallas Fan Days approaching, comic books fans talk about their love for the comic world.

The difficulties of mixing schoolwork and sports

11 years – they won under head coach Terry Waldrop in 2006 – and bragging rights in the Sooner Athletic Conference that probably taste especially sweet as the Rams were knocked out of the SAC tournament on March 3 with a 80-68 loss to University of Science and Arts.

But that brief setback paled in comparison to the crazy OT victory over William Penn and, 24 hours later, claiming the national title in a game the Rams dominated from the beginning; Rogers, the tournament MVP, scored a game-high 28 points.

The victory capped a remarkable season that saw the Rams go 29-7, and 13-5 in the SAC.

Students and faculty can learn more about LGBTQ issues at ally training.

In spring 2016, Dr. Alison Simons, associate professor of sociology and Gay-Straight Alliance advisor, approached David Monge, coordinator of Student Life and Greek Life, about expanding the GSA’s ally training program into something bigger.

A year later, Monge has provided the program with a permanent home in Student Affairs, offering workshops to make Texas Wesleyan more inclusive and LGBTQ-safe.

“Hopefully with it being more than just GSA, it will expand compassion and understanding between all the students and hopefully we’ll get it to professors too,” Simons said. “That way there will be more of those circles with the safe (symbol) and anybody will know that it’s safe.”

Simons said the GSA had originally developed the ally training progra, then called safe zone training, from thesafezoneproject.com, which is a free resource for developing LGBTQ awareness and workshops.

“We’re teaching people how to include other people and not to exclude them,” Simons said. “We’re a very diverse campus so an ally training program that teaches people

to accept other people or to at least tolerate them definitely works in our favor.”

Simons said GSA passed all that information to Monge. Monge and Chelsea Sepolio, the assistant director of student conduct and civility, are currently the facilitators for the ally training program.

“This program existed prior to us rebranding and relaunching,” Monge said. “I know it had been sort of defunct for at least a year, maybe more.

We were just charged with sort of expanding the program and reaching a wider audience.”

Simons said that GSA wanted to work more closely on the project with Monge, but things didn’t work out that way.

“He’s taken it and is controlling it now, which is great,” Simons said.

“The GSA will still be involved in it, but unfortunately our president didn’t come back this semester so as an organization we’re floundering.”

Simons says she’s glad to see Monge expanding the program to students.

“We built the curriculum and we spent all of last semester testing it with target groups,” Monge said. “We

 INCLUSIVE. page 3

Rams prepare for Dallas Fan Expo Nicholas Acosta

nacosta4@txwes.edu

Plenty of Texas Wesleyan students go to Fan Expo Dallas, a major Metroplex gathering for fans of various genres of everything from sci-fi to horror to steampunk to pop culture.

And this week, thanks to the Student Government Association, 100 Wesleyan students can go for $10 instead of the full $40 ticket price, if they go April 2.

In February, SGA passed a bill to spend $3,540 on tickets for this semester’s event, which is at the Dallas Convention Center March 31-April 2.

Fan Expo Dallas is “the largest comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming event in Texas,” according to fanexpodallas.com. A sister event,

resentative at the event and is taking over the position from Chief Justice William Wick, who went as the representative last semester.

“I have heard nothing but great reviewsfrom everyone who went last semester.”

- Michael Brown Dallas Fan Days, was held last semester in Irving, and will return in October.

Michael Brown, senior criminal justice major, will be the SGA rep-

Brown said he is really excited about going to the con for the first time.

“I have heard nothing but great reviews from everyone who went last

semester,” Brown said.

Brown has had interest in the event since taking Dr. Cary Adkinson’s Comic Books and Crime class and said that the Marvel cinematic universe influencing the comic book culture has become more mainstream, which is bringing more people into the culture.

“There something literally for everyone,” Brown said.

Amanda Roach, freshman mass communication major, went to Fan Expo Dallas for the first time last semester. She said it was cool to see all the various booths of artists and

 FAN EXPO. page 3

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Opinion

TheRambler.org | For news throughout the day.

Transitioning problems for students EDITORIAL

On Feb. 22, the Trump administration revoked federal guidelines put in place during the Obama administration, specifying that transgender students only have the right to use public bathrooms that match the sex on their birth certificate according to an article in the Washington Post.

The Obama administration had set guidelines for expanded transgender student rights, informing public schools across the country of the importance of giving students the ability to use the bathroom they identify with.

Trump’s revocation means that schools don’t have to do anything to protect their transgender students. With the withdrawal of guidance from the federal and state governments, the issue of accommodating transgender students will create chaos and can send a severe and damaging message to those students.

Many schools are disregarding the Trump administration advice and turning to their own boards and administrations to figure out how to guide transgender students.

It is imperative that the school administrations put themselves in the shoes of their students and remind themselves how important it is to protect the students. If school board administrators feel the need to protect their students, they should have the opportunity to do that, however they see fit.

Many state and local lawmakers have continued to enforce any anti-bullying acts and the No Child Left Behind act by adopting anti-bullying policies in individual schools. The policies should reflect the importance of safe-

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com Bullying is a problem at all educational levels; public schools should step up to protects students from bullying acrosss the board.

guarding LGBTQ students and how they are treated in schools.

The federal government shouldn’t have the right to enforce certain policies on the schools,

and the school administrations should have the opportunity to decide the guidelines for all transgender students.

If the administration believes there should

be unisex bathrooms, let them. If the administration believes the students shouldn’t be protected, that’s their decision.

Why you should be true to yourself Guadalupe Sanchez Content Producer gsanchez@txwes.edu

With the current political climate, it is important to remind people that the Texas Senate approved Senate Bill 6, which would require transgender people to use bathrooms in public schools, government buildings and other publicly-owned facilities that match their “biological sex” and not their gender identity, according to texastribune.org.

As of March 22, 15 Republicans of the 36 Texas House members have confirmed they support the bill and several others are leaning toward backing it, according to the texastribune.org.The law would also prevent local anti-discrimination laws that protect transgender residents’ right to use a public bathroom to match their gender identity.

Considering all this, it is extremely important to address why it is important to stay true to one’s self and to not conform to other people’s opinions.

For one thing, people should be celebrated for wanting to be themselves rather than conforming to other normalized ideals just to conform to other people’s standards.

Texas Woman’s University junior psychology major Karina Saucedo said she thinks it’s hard for some people to comprehend sexual identity and gender identity.

“For years, society has uprooted a gender binary: women and men, Saucedo said. “Implying that gender is fluid threatens conservatism ideology. The Texas Senate is afraid of

such threats. Therefore, they pass things like the Senate Bill 6 to uphold their traditional gender binary because to them, that is easier than acknowledging the complexity of gender identity.”

Saucedo said the bill is about discrimination, not privacy.

“This is about discrimination toward sexual minorities that do not abide to traditional norms,” Saucedo said. “In the land of the ‘free’, we have to match a certain description to obtain freedom. This is not okay.”

Saucedo also said people are free and able toexpress themselves. However, they’re facing unjust restrictions, such as this bill.

“I believe that neither the government or state should be allowed to dictate how we choose to express ourselves,” Saucedo said.

Sophomore psychology major Abril Chavez from Texas A&M University, who considers herself an ally of the transgender community, said she thinks the big problem with the Texas government is the majority of those who work to “represent” the people are elderly men.

“Most of them are very conservative and afraid of change, which causes a big problem because the ones with a voice now is our generation and we’re not being represented properly,” Chavez said. “They believe it’s wrong and ludicrous for a person to identify themselves as anything other than their biological sex. They aren’t taking into consideration the feelings of other people or their mental health. They’re only focused on doing anything possible to keep us in check and following the old ways.”

Chavez said she advises people to simply be themselves.

“You deserve happiness!” Chavez said.

“There will be people who will disapprove, but

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com Unisex restrooms are becoming more readily available to those who choose to use them.

there will be even more people who are understanding and supportive. Surround yourself with people who will support and encourage you, and who will reassure you that there is no need to be intimidated. Love yourself and do what makes you happy.”

What really irks me about the whole bill is the fact that it was pushed heavily by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and he’s not someone I believe should be working for the state of Texas.

I graduated from the Fort Worth Independent School District at the same time in 2016 that Patrick called for the superintendent, Dr. Kent Paredes Scribner, to resign over the district’s new “guidelines” regarding gender and bathrooms. This made me realize that Patrick is part of the problem of the Texas government not allowing people to be themselves.

I was even at the board meeting when Pat-

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rick came to the district in May 2016 and presented his case on why he did not agree with Scribner’s guidelines. It made me think that even though this was national news, there still is not enough coverage in the media on trans issues that people can understand the complexity of the matter.

Do not let people dictate your identity, even if it’s those who have higher authority. It’s people like the ones opposed to Senate 6 Bill that should continue fighting for their right to be whoever they want to be. The people who want this bill to pass seem jealous that those who oppose the bill are disproving the belief that people have to adhere to one identity, when there are several out there in the world to be explored.

Rams up Thumbs up to the Rams basketball team winning the NAIA championship.

Thumbs up Theatre Wesleyan announcing its 201718 season.

Thumbs up to head baseball coach Mike Jeffcoat’s 500th career win.

Thumbs up to SGA improving its bylaws.

Rams down

Thumbs down to spring break ending.

Thumbs down to a power outage in the dorms.

Thumbs down to internet problems around campus.

Thumbs down to the crazy weather.

Wednesday | January 25, 2017|3

News

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RAM SQUAD continued from page 1

season,” Slabach wrote. “This is a major accomplishment that Texas Wesleyan University will celebrate for years to come. We have a tradition of athletics excellence at Texas Wesleyan, and these student athletes are a huge source of pride for the entire community.”

Senior guard Naiel Smith, who collected 17 points and got the play of the game with a layup he pulled off in the second half, described the Rams’ triumph as a blessing.

“It feels good man, and actually, to be honest with you, it don’t even feel real,” Smith said.

“My coach say he believes in me – he believes in us, and we here man, and we got it, it’s a blessing man. [Especially] to be the person from where I came from.”

Smith said every player deserved praise for the national title.

“We just wanted to win, that was the whole

goal,” he said. “When Ryan (Harris) guided us, Dion guided us, Najeal (Young) guided us, we all deserved it man.We all deserved it as a team, man, for real. We all worked hard and nobody expected it, everybody doubted us and look at us here now.”

As the Rams were resting after the win before heading back to Texas, the busload of fans were having their own adventure. While the trip to Kansas City was smooth, the ride back home was not. Around 5 a.m., with the bus near Edmond, Okla., a tire went flat – head athletic trainer Kyle Morgan said it sounded like a gunshot.

The bus pulled into a gas station a few miles down the road when the driver noticed the tire smoking, Morgan said, and said he would let it cool down for a little while. It didn’t.

“Not that long after he [the bus driver] got

off, we heard that there was a fire and we all needed to evacuate,” Morgan said. “As the smoke and flames got further and further out, you could see people started rushing more and more off the bus.”

Morgan said the students seemed scared and anxious, but they all handled themselves with dignity. He was especially thankful for the senior leadership and communication.

“Majority of the students were athletes, but even the ones that weren’t, they all handled themselves with class,” Morgan said.

The tire was put out by local fire fighters, a new one was put on, and the fans continued home, arriving around 10 a.m. About eight hours later, they were there to greet the new champions. Harris, a guard and a junior criminal justice major, said it felt good to come home and see how many people cared about

the team.

“It feels great to be back here in front of everyone else, and to see all the support that we had all year, this is a great feeling,” he said.

“Unbelievable feeling, man.”

Fellow athletes from other teams came out to support the Rams, including Anthony Caston, a junior business major who is a wide receiver and cornerback for the football team.

He said he wanted to support fellow Rams and had little doubt the team would win the championship.

“They need somebody to stand by them and to come out and support your fellow athletes,” he said. “I had a lot of faith in them based off what I’ve seen.”

This story contains additional reporting by Kayla Prachyl.

you don’t agree with the material, the training can be beneficial. They have goals to expand the program even further.

“I think the goal would be to have every professional faculty or staff member and every first-year student be ally trained so they have at least have an understanding,” said Monge.

“Even if they disagree with the things that we’re talking about, at least they know what they’re disagreeing with.”

Monge and Sepolio said that it is important for students to know exactly what they are disagreeing with if they don’t accept LGBTQ people or want to be around them, and still want to handle that situation professionally.

“We’re going to tailor our responses to be developmental and to be educational, because this is a formative time where our students are learning how to have these roadblocks and developmental conversations now,” Sepolio said, “before the future where it’s going to be very important to know when they go to their professional roles.”

Although some may disagree with the ally training program, Sepolio and Monge hope students do choose to be LGBTQ allies.

“I think being an ally, it’s deeper than being supportive of something,” Monge said. “It sort of assumes action in some way. In the extreme side I think there are times it could look like a

confrontation but really it could be as simple as talking to your friends about it or Facebook posts.”

Monge, Sepolio and Simons all hope to see students, faculty and staff join a training succession with an open mind.

“We’re only a small family,” Simons said. “I mean our student body’s only like 2,200 [people]. We really don’t have the luxury of picking and choosing to hate people. As a family, we need to be a lot more tolerant.”

If an organization or department on campus would like a tailored ally training program, contact David Monge at dmonge@txwes.edu.

ture on campus.

“We had quite a few people go that had never gone before and they had a blast,” Adkinson said.

Adkinson said that movies and television have helped people come into the world of comic books.

“If you consider how popular movies are and how many people seem to be coming to the world of comic book characters, through initial exposure to movies,” Adkinson said.

Adkinson said SGA passed a similar bill last semester that allowed he and Dr. Eddy Lynton,

assistant professor of criminal justice and sociology, to take 50 students; he is hoping they can take 100 this time.

“Regardless of whether or not you’re really into geek culture there’s something for everyone,” Adkinson said.

A bus will be provided for students to attend the event; tickets for students are $10 and those wishing to attend the event must contact Michael Brown at mtbrown@txwes.edu or Clarissa Murillo at cmmurillo@txwes.edu. For more information on Fan Expo Dallas, go to fanexpodallas.com.

INCLUSIVE

continued from page 1 did one with our student workers in this office so Student Life, residence assistants, and then marketing and communications.”

Monge said the training goes over basic information relating to LGBTQ people and different scenarios people may face. Monge and Sepolio hosted the first general ally training session Feb. 28.

“We had the first general session training, which was well received,” Sepolio said. “We hope that this continues to be a process not only for us as facilitators, but for everyone at Wesleyan to kind of build this culture of respect no matter how you identify.”

Both Sepolio and Monge agree that even if

FAN-EXPO continued from page 1

comic book designers.

“I didn’t expect to see that much stuff there homemade that people were making to sell, because I love making things,” Roach said.

Roach said that she cosplayed as a female Joker and even got requests to have her picture taken with other fans.

“I definitely wasn’t expecting it to be that awesome,” Roach said. “I would go a thousand times over.”

Adkinson, assistant professor of criminal justice, said he is excited that the university and SGA have continued to support geek cul-

Photo by Nicholas Acosta

Last semester, Texas Wesleyan students traveled to Fan Expo, hosted in Irving.

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All photos by Nicholas Acosta The photos on this page and page five show just a few examples of the wide variety of comic books being sold at last fall’s Fan Days, which was held at the Irving Convention Center.

Fans obsessed with comic books Shaydi Paramore

ssparamore@txwes.edu

There is no debate that comic books have made an impact on our generation.

Everywhere you look a new superhero or comic book series is being made into the next big-budget blockbuster and adults are embracing their inner superheroes at movies or events such as this weekend’s Dallas Fan Days.

Comic books were once a niche market for the nerd who fantasized about being something more, but they are now so mainstream that you are looked down upon if you don’t like at least one Batman character. The love for comic books has become so huge that amusement parks have created specific rides to tell the stories of beloved characters. Just look at the fact that Six Flags Over Texas has opened Joker and Harley Quinn rides this season.

Prior to the creation of the comic book heroes we all know and love we had pulp heroes, according to an article at comicbooks.com.

“Pulps” were small books sold on newsstands for 10 cents a piece between 1896 and around 1950.

Each “pulp” focused on action characters such as Doc Samson

and The Shadow, who would go on adventures in exotic places to fight crime. At the time, the superheroes weren’t marketed as superheroes, but as individuals trying to make a difference in the world.

According to freshman mass communication major Amanda Roach, the superheroes’ need to help others is what makes the stories so relatable.

“I think what got me into comic books is the relationships the characters have with one another,” Roach said. “While they may be ‘super,’ they are incredibly relatable. They are family members, friends, business people, hard workers and all-around human beings. It gives me hope that, even though I don’t have powers, I can still do great things.”

With events such as Dallas Fan Expo, fans of the comic culture are able to bask in the joys that comic books writers create in their stories.

“Letting people dress up and have a day of fun without being laughed at is great,” Roach said.

“Meeting other people with similar interests also reinstates that feeling of community and togetherness that is popular in comic stories. Embracing what makes us different, just like our heroes.”

Being able to cosplay as beloved

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characters and showcase her craft skills are what make the events so important to Roach.

“I get to be a total dork about my favorite things and it’s totally accepted,” Roach said. “I’ve been sewing forever, and my nerdiness just took over at some point. My family definitely laughs at me for spending hours on the perfect costume to wear for a con or Halloween.”

Jalan Calloway, previously a liberal arts major at Trinity Valley Community College, believes that cosplay is extremely important to those with self-esteem issues.

“Cosplay is so important because being able to be someone so powerful and cool in your eyes gives you a boost like you wouldn’t believe,” said Calloway, who cosplays as three different anime characters. “The two cons I’ve been to as characters who are loved and celebrated are amazing.”

One of Calloway’s favorite parts of cosplaying is the interaction with fans like her.

“For me, just to have people tell me they love me and hug me and that to them portraying someone they love is so unbelievable,” Calloway said.

Calloway believes the diversity in the comic books created now, such as the new Iron Men being

portrayed by a black teenager by the name of RiRi Williams, is important in common culture.

“Comics often have strong leads and characters not a lot of us can easily find in the real world,” Calloway said. “We relate to them and to see them succeed is a point of pride and happiness in a dark world. We can also control how fast or how slow they go, unlike reality. With reality we have to face it right away with no preamble or time to react but with comics we can close the book and walk away if need be to gather ourselves.”

Others believe comic books are important for those not so interested in reading a lot of text.

“I think that the comic book world is important because it gives people who do not like to read an alternative,” said Rachel Aguilar, previously a mass communication student at Texas Wesleyan.

Calloway agrees with Aguilar, and believes that if more people took the time to read comics they would see the importance of them.

“Honestly, comics can be a way to escape the world we now live in in favor of a better one or at least one we can control,” Calloway said.

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Ziggy the house cat and Bossy the Boston Terrier belong to junior Marketing major Stacey Twilley.

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Bennett is a real-life superhero Hannah Onder hlonder@txwes.edu

A few years ago, sophomore criminal justice major Cameron Bennett got separated from his Boy Scout troop all night on a mountain.

When he woke up the next morning he was faced with the choice of facing a bear or jumping off a cliff.

“By the time I kind of tried to get things settled in my head I didn’t really have time to think,” Bennett said, “because I stepped back a little bit too far and I fell.”

Bennett passed out a few seconds into falling and when he hit the ground his heart stopped.

Bennett was pronounced dead when found but was later resuscitated.

“It was quite the experience but it feels as though I’ve had a second chance at life,” Bennett said. “There’s a reason that I’m still here because if there wasn’t I would have died at that point in time.”

Bennett said he saw the experience as a second chance to make sure he sets everything right and help others out as much as possible.

Now 19, Bennett seems to be known as a modern-day superhero. Bennett had been the first to provide help to a couple trapped in a car after a wreck that occurred Feb. 24. After the incident WFAA dubbed him a real-life superhero, although this occurrence didn’t surprise everybody.

“Honestly, I’m flattered that people call me that (a real life super hero),” Bennett said. “It makes me a little nervous and it kind of flusters me a little bit because I’m not used to being called that. It’s really amazing to hear but at the same time I’m really grateful to be able to called that and be known for something good.”

Eugene Frier, assistant dean of students, said Bennett is always quick to help.

“When something seems out of the ordinary he literally springs into action like a superhero,” Eugene Frier, assistant dean of students, said. “I think that’s really cool and then of course there’s the Spiderman suit.”

Bennett has been known to wear a Spiderman costume around campus. For Bennett, whose been a massive Spiderman fan since his brothers introduced it to him, the costume helps to motivate him physically and morally and gives him a chance to geek out about one

of his major influences.

“It (Marvel comics) catch my eye with some of the stuff that happens, the physics behind them, the stories’ development, and the motivation piece characters have. It shows that yes, they’re put in these positions as heroes, but at the same time they’re people like you and me and they mess up. It show’s it’s OK that we mess up, because there’s a greater good that can come from it. There’s still a purpose you have to learn from.”

Superheroes aren’t Bennett’s only role models though. He considers everyone who has been a part of his life to be a role model in their own way. However, the biggest role model for Bennett is his big brother, Corey Bennett.

“My oldest brother Corey, 27, was basically everything that I wanted to be, everything I strive to be, and to this day still is,” Bennett said. “He’s given me the confidence and the moral ethic background to be able to help me strive through life. He also set the standard for graduating high school and graduating college with a double major in computer science and religion. He’s done so much and it’s inspired me to do pretty much everything that I do.”

Bennett has managed to do a lot on this campus, which he came to in order to stay nearby his family. He’s involved in Student Life, Student Government Association, the Black Student Association, Ram Squad, and football.

“He’s good heart leads him to be (a good leader), but he’s also a very hard worker,” Frier said. “He’s not going to ask people to do stuff that he’s not going to do. He’s very willing to just jump in and do whatever regardless of his role and what’s going on, whether he’s a president, a member, or just a student.”

Bennett’s positive influence on campus won him the Guardian of the Golden Sheers Award in spring 2016. According to Bennett, he was the only suprised by the win since he was the last person to hear about it.

“A lot of people were clapping and were really happy about the fact that I had gotten it,” Bennett said. “I was still confused (since the award is typically given to seniors).”

Bennett’s still inspiring new students like freshman criminal justice major Marissa Quintanilla, a close friend of his.

“I think he’s very important to Wesleyan, because he’s great friend,” Quintanilla said. “He’s

Photo courtesy of Cameron Bennett Cameron Bennett, sophomore criminal justice major, is known as Spiderman on campus.

someone that I feel like everyone’s comfortable enough to go talk to, and I think everyone needs someone like that. For myself, I look up to him.” Another thing Friar and Quintanilla like about Bennett is his commitment to his moral code.

“I feel like Cam goes with what’s right regardless of whether other people agree,” Quintanilla said. “He does what’s right. I think that’s a very, very great quality to have as a leader, because you’re going to have to make choices that not everyone going to agree on, but you have to be strong enough to do it.”

Cameron says his older brother Channing, 24, is the one who taught him to stick to what he believes is right even if everyone else is against it.

“He’s helped me with my morals as well to be straight on with my destination and to stick to my guns no matter what,” Bennett said.

“Sometimes the world will push you and tell you whatever you’re doing is wrong. If you be-

lieve it’s right you fight for it with everything that you got.”

For a while Bennett’s two older brothers were his father figure while his father was away. Now Bennett’s been watching his father work hard to build back their relationship.

“I only have one father on this earth so no matter how many times he messes up, he’s always going to have a chance in my heart to be my dad,” Bennett said. “He’s working really hard to get back into my life so I can appreciate that.”

Bennett said he can be disappointed in people but he refuses to hate people. He believes in second chances.

Frier, who has known Bennett since orientation, truly believes he will make a difference no matter where he ends up in the future.

“I think we all have the desire to be a hero in our heart,” said Frier, “but I think in a lot of ways Cameron is.”

Students prepare for honors concert Guadalupe Sanchez

gsanchez3@txwes.edu

Junior music major Tyler Simpson feels humbled that this will be his third consecutive year to perform in the President’s Honor Concert.

In Simpson’s first semester at Texas Wesleyan, he was one of two freshmen invited to perform.

“I was informed of its importance early on in the semester via other returning students,” said Simpson, a multi-instrumentalist. “It was best described to me at the time as a way to demonstrate the department’s talent to a number of parties, including but not limited to past alumni, potential donors, and potential Texas Wesleyan students.”

The President’s Honor Concert will be held April 7 at Martin Hall. The annual concert is a showcase by Department of Music students who audition in December for the honor of performing. Only a fraction of those who audition are chosen to perform, Simpson said.

“The concert holds a traditional audition process in which the department invites faculty from other universities in order to eliminate any potential bias and obtain diverse feedback in order to hand select the department’s finest musicians,” Simpson said. “Students are encouraged to prepare a piece of repertoire that best represents the respective student’s individual strengths as a musician.”

In addition, the student is required to submit a letter of recommendation from an instructor detailing competence within the selected piece of musical literature. On average, 10 to 13 students from the department get selected to perform in the concert.

The concert was created with the idea of showing off the best the department of music had to offer. The idea was was favorably received and the tradition was born, department coordinator Jenna McKinley said.

The 21st annual concert will have 14 performers from various musical concentrations in everything from piano to voice to instrumental music.

Simpson said he naturally experienced a lot of pressure from the performance as well as a fantastic and diverse crowd.

“Knowing that the concert is a tribute, not only to the university’s president, but to those who support the department in various ways,” Simpson said. “This is easily the most important concert of the year that the department hosts.”

Sophomore music major Alan Whetsel, a vocalist, is also performing this year. He said he had no idea what to expect last year during his first honors concert.

As a freshman, he discovered what a privilege it was to perform with talented musicians.

He is looking forward to this year’s concert.

“President’s Honor Concert is a great oppor-

tunity for growing musicians like us to practice our craft and to share our love of music,” Whetsel said. “It’s also a wonderful way to see just how much our music department is growing. People can look forward to a wide variety of music from opera to theatre to instrumentalists and vocalists.”

Simpson said attendees can look forward to an evening of diverse music performed by the department’s finest instrumental and choral students, as well as a reception following the performance.

“My peers/fellow performers are beyond musically talented and have all put in an abundance of work toward the music that will be performed during this concert,” Simpson said.

Sophomore music major Alicia Smith, pianist, said she was shocked to see her own name on the list of performers for this year’s concert.

“Last spring was my first semester as a music major so I didn’t know many music majors at the time, but I did attend the concert,” Smith said. “My piano instructor, Dr. Ilka Araujo, told me to audition. We worked on a couple of pieces to audition with. I was so excited, I texted Dr. A.” Smith said she heard a lot of great talent at the 2016 concert.

“I love the conversation with my peers about what we liked about the concert,” she said. “It’s going to be different for me watching the concert knowing I’ll actually be performing in it,

but I’m looking forward to it. It’s a great opportunity for students who are not music majors -- besides the many other concerts the music department puts together -- to see what their peers are working on as a music major.”

The President’s Honors Concert will be held April 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Martin Hall. The concert is free and open to the public, with a reception to follow at Lou’s Place. For more information, please call the Department of Music at (817) 531-4992.

Photo courtesy of Tyler Simpson Tyler SImpson conducts the TWU Wind Ensemble.

Martin Hall Happenings: _________________________ March 30 @ 7:30 pm Senior Recital Emily Messenger, mezzo-soprano Marco Cuevas, piano April 4 @ 5:30 pm Junior Recital Tyler Simpson, percussion Jan Lässker, piano & @ 7:30 pm Senior Recital Richard Salazar, piano and composition

April 6 @ 5:30 pm Junior Recital Jorge Lopez, tuba Marco Cuevas, piano & @ 7:30 pm Senior Recital Alex Lopez, tenor Keith Critcher, piano April 7 @ 7:30 pm President’s Honors Concert

Wednesday | March 29, 2017

|7

Sports

TheRambler.org | For news throughout the day.

Student-athletes make the Dean’s List Balancing class and athletics can be challenging but good study habits make a big difference, softball pitcher Lauren Wernet said.

“We usually practice at least three times a week and it’s Monday through Friday,” said Wernet, a junior athletic training major. “My guess is about 20 hours per week but usually we start playing games too.”

Wernet is one of more than a dozen Wesleyan athletes to make this year’s Dean’s List.

Students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher to make the list, according to txwes.edu.

The athletes have to balance practice and game schedules, off-season training, and the workload of a full-time student.

They say they do it through a combination of a good support system of family, friends and other athletes, forming good study habits and time management skills.

Wernet and other athletes on the softball team, for example, usually have games on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, but that schedule can change week to week, she said.

“If it’s a really good game it’s probably around three hours. If it’s kind of a blow out game it’s at least two hours,” Wernet said.

It can be difficult to get good grades because of missing class, she said. At the beginning of the season the team misses a few Thursdays and a Fridays because of the tournaments they play in. During conference play they miss at least a Tuesday and a Friday each week.

“I have friends in the program that help me out a lot. So, if I miss class they’re always there to pick me up with notes,” Wernet said.

Athletic training has very supportive faculty and they work well with students when they miss for athletics, Wernet said.

“Athletic training is good that,” Wernet said.

“With athletic training, they have to be because you’re a part of the sports system. So, you work with the sports and it’s the same thing. It really helps when your teachers work with you a lot.”

Typically, softball players are expected to take at least 15 hours because head coach Susan Gower has high standards, Wernet said.

“I know that all the girls will attest that I’m always studying. I at least study three or four hours a night after practice. I don’t go to bed until around 11 o’clock,” Wernet said.

Wernet has made the Dean’s List three semesters in a row and she attributes that success to having a good support system and being proactive.

“I guess I just formed good study habits in high school which helped out a lot and knowing that I need to get something done instead of hanging out with my friends,” Wernet said.

Photo by Karan Muns Softball player Lauren Wernet (far left) celebrates with fellow athletic training majors at the Kinesiology Department’s Dean’s List ceremony.

It’s an important to set your priorities and make sure your school work is done before you hang out with friends, Wernet said.

“They [friends] know where you’re at with your education and that your education means a lot more than just other things in life. I think it’s just good study habits and just having good friends to push you,” Wernet said.

Baseball player Julio Ibarra said the team usually practices three hours a day six days a week and plays around three games a week.

“Every day I study around one or two hours a day because I like being ready before the next class. So basically, I review the content before going to class,” said Ibarra, a first baseman and junior athletic training major.

Ibarra takes around 16 hours a semester and must miss class almost every Friday due to away games.

“This isn’t my first semester at Texas Wesleyan, but this is the first time I made [the Dean’s List]. I’ve been here for two semesters so hopefully I can get another one next semester,” Ibarra said.

Ibarra is from Venezuela and attended Pratt Community College in Kansas prior to com-

ing to Wesleyan.

“I picked this school because after I finished my sophomore year at my junior college I had very good stats in baseball. I was trying to go to a good school that was good at baseball but at the same time trying to be in a school that offers my career,” Ibarra said.

It’s hard to keep good grades and perform well on the field at the same time because it’s hard to separate the two, Ibarra said.

“If you do bad in the field then you’re more likely to take that to your class,” Ibarra said.

“Or backwards, if you do bad on the test and then you have a game the same day, you’ve got to be able to be tough and be able to change your mind very quick in order to be able to perform well.”

It’s challenging to maintain a high GPA and keep up with all the games and practices, he said.

“It is hard because you have to sacrifice a lot of your social time to be able to be on the Dean’s List. Especially when English is not your first language you’ve got to work harder than everybody else,” Ibarra said.

Ibarra is excited to attend Wesleyan because

of the warm Texas weather and Wesleyan being a top-tier university.

“I was very blessed to find a school that has a very good athletic training program and that also has a good baseball program,” Ibarra said.

Soccer player Yohan Shirazi said he has to maintain his grades while playing at least three games and practicing up to 10 hours per week.

“During season, it depends on how many away games so we maybe [miss] three or four times a week,” said Shiraz, a junior exercise science major and center midfielder or center back.

Shirazi takes at least 13 hours a semester and he has made the Dean’s List five times.

“Outside of class I would say I study three or four hours outside of class a day so like 15 hours a week,” Shirazi said.

It is important to keep up with studying and homework while avoiding distractions, so studying in the library really helps, Shirazi said.

“On the buses bus trips you’ve always got to study. When I’m here I’ve got to stay up late nights. There’s a lot of distractions, obviously and you get really tired,” Shirazi said.

8 | Wednesday | March 29, 2017 TheRambler.org | For news throughout the day.

Lady Rams race into outdoor season Chalon Anderson cnanderson@txwes.edu

With Texas Wesleyan’s indoor track season finished, the Lady Rams have turned their attention to the outdoor season.

Freshman distance runner Abby Chaidez said running during the indoor season prepares the team to compete in the outdoor season, which began February 25 and ends May 5.

The NAIA National Championship meet will be May 25-27 in Gulf Shores, Ala. “It really helps you for the outdoor meets,” said Chaidez, an education major. “You get to compete more and you’ll have more competition before the outdoor season. An indoor track is 200m and an outdoor track is 400m.

Usually the times in an indoor meet are slower because there is not a lot of oxygen. The atmosphere is totally different but the competition is the same.”

The goal is for the whole team to experience running at nationals, Chaidez said.

“We’re just trying to get everyone qualified in at least one event,” Chaidez said. “We want to all goes as a team.We don’t want it to be like cross country, we only had two girls go to nationals.”

During the indoor season, freshman Chas Crawford set a school record in the 200m with a time 26.24 seconds and just missed qualifying time for nationals by 0.34 seconds, according to rampsorts.net.

This was the second school record of the indoor season for Crawford; she also set the mark in the 60m with a time of 8.07 seconds.

During a meet on Feb. 9, Maria Garlaza placed 10th in the 3000m with a time of 10:41.21.

Also during the indoor season, three Lady Rams qualified for nationals, according to ramsports.net. Melissa Gonzalez set a new school record of 1:28:40 at the SAGU half marathon on Feb. 4. Abby Chaidez finished fourth with a time of 1:31:02, one second faster teammate Alexis Bustos.

Bustos, a freshman, said competing in her first meet of the outdoor season was a great experience. On Feb. 25 at the Trinity Open in San Antonio, Bustos finished second in the 10000m run with a time of 43:02.00 while Chaidez finished third with a time of 43:45.00.

“It felt great to know that we actually completed the race,” said Bustos, a criminal justice major. “Six miles on a track is hard physically and mentally, you’re just running in circles.

Photo courtesy of Little Joe. Freshman distance runner Abby Chaidez (center), who has qualified for nationals, runs alongside teammate Maria Galarza, right.

Some girls actually dropped out of the race.

“Coach (Natnael Amare) just told us to go out and have fun. It was our first race, so he was not too strict about things. He wanted us to get our first college outdoor meet out the way. “ Transfer and distance runner Kaitlyn Mendoza missed the indoor season due to stress

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fractures. She said she is hoping to adjust during the outdoor season.

“You have one coach that did things one way, and you’re used to doing things their way,” said Mendoza, a history major. “Coach Nat does things way different from my previous coach; the workouts are way harder, but coach Nat is way more approachable.

“(On March 3), I ran the 5000m and got third overall. My time was okay, I ran a 20:00 but qualifying times are in the 17s. I know it’s only the beginning, but I can do better than that.”

For more information on the team, go to ramsports.net.

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