Vol. 104, No. 6 - 08/17/2016

Aug 17, 2016

Vol 104

Issue 6

rattler the

A S T. M A R Y ’ S P U B L I C AT I O N S I N C E 1 9 2 4

“POKEMON GO” IS A NO-GO COMMENTARY

Residence Life office relocates to The Village

contributor to the world’s economy— but it’s not. CNBC states, “The “Pokemon Go” economy means growing regional inequality.”

The rural middle class is all but a mere shadow of what it was in the mid 20th century, something that does not bode well for continued economic viability. While many people cite reports of increased economic activity, the overall impact benefits only a large corporation.

Nintendo, as well as its business partners in relation to “Pokemon Go,” are said to be earning more than $1 million every day.

That’s just the problem; the money that is being generated does not leave their corporate pocket. According to CNBC, “That money is flowing away from small and medium cities and toward big

On Saturday, July 27, the office of Residence Life relocated from the University Center’s Student Life office into Herbert and John G. Leies Hall rooms 101-105 in order to be closer to residents and the construction of The Village at St. Mary’s (previously known as the Outback).

The office relocation took up an entire quad of four rooms, which was originally assigned to three students. The three residents were immediately contacted as soon as Residence Life knew they were moving offices earlier this summer.

Though the students were not completely fond of the move, Residence Life made sure to keep all three in close proximity when relocating them. The quad was also not filled to its full capacity and therefore permitted Residence Life to consolidate.

As per the St. Mary’s University Housing handbook, “Some double rooms are reconfigured to house three residents. The University reserves the right to assign any empty space in a double or a triple room to another student as needed.” Since the quad was originally not filled, consolidating the quad and other open spaces on campus was necessary.

The idea of relocating has been considered for years between the Dean of Students and Residence Life. Since the opportunity to move was available and with phase one of the first new build in The Village underway, the move became almost a must. The move also provided office spaces for those who did not previously have an official office. For instance, Jenni Kraft-Batchelder’s office space was a small corner in the main lobby area prior to residence life’s relocation. She now has her own office and Civic Engagement has also moved in to the space made vacant by Residence Life’s move.

Residence Life wanted to give students

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FEATURES

ENTERTAINMENT

PAIGE GANDARA-VALDERAS & CARMEN RUBY MORALES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & STAFF WRITER

Sofia

Zanetta

COMMENTARY EDITOR

NEWS

The most recent app sensation, Pokemon Go, is hailed as an economy booster, reason for people to exercise and an aid in a face-to-face social relationships, but it is contributive to a larger societal plague—a virtual distraction to very real problems.

At first this may seem like a beneficial

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DEATH OF DEAD WEEK

PG. 6

MONEY MAGAZINE RANKS STMU

SPORTS

Graphic by Paige Gandara-Valderas

www.chcp.edu

DISCOVER SAN ANTONIO

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PG. 8

FIELDS WINS RECOGNITION

2 NEWS

EDITOR: RICARDO REYES / @STMURATTLERNEWS

“Pokemon Go” brings safety concerns to campus RICARDO REYES NEWS EDITOR

THE RATTLER

WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER MEETINGS

TUESDAY, AUG. 16 UC-B 5 p.m.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 6 UC-B 5 p.m.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 20 NEWSROOM 5 p.m.

TUESDAY, OCT. 4 UC-B 5 p.m.

TUESDAY, NOV. 1 UC-B 5 p.m.

Students may be sharing campus with more than just Pokemon this coming semester. Since its release in June, “Pokemon Go” has taken over the globe creating a community all on its own. With an estimated 21 million people actively playing each day, there are tons of people walking miles to locations just to try and catch them all. With such high numbers, there may be security risks to institutions like St. Mary’s. San Antonio was named “the most obsessed city in the nation” according to Google Trends.

While the numbers are not clear, there are many people playing the game in San Antonio. Players are constantly seeking out Pokemon gyms and Pokestops for the items they contain, such as Pokeballs, to catch their desired creatures.

St. Mary’s has become a regular hunting ground for many in the surrounding community. There are two Pokemon Gyms on campus with a third gym a few blocks away and over 30 Pokestops are available.

Miguelangel Escobar, senior psychology major, who plays the game regularly, had personally viewed the change while working as a Resident Assistant during the summer.

“When you went out at night it [campus] was really quiet before the game came out,” Escobar said. “I don’t think anyone expected it to be as big as it has become, but you’ll literally see all kinds of people walking around campus at all hours of the night just to catch the Pokemon here.”

Charity Bowen-Miller, assistant director of Residence Life, believes the game is FROM “RESIDENCE LIFE”

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MISSIONS Grounded partially in the Marianist values of family and community, we maintain an open forum for discussion. We strive to produce quality content that informs, not inflames; encourages, not discourages.

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a more direct access to the office, providing more interaction opportunity between the office staff and the students.

“It [the move] is getting us where the students are,” James Villarreal, director of residence life said. “It’s been a goal of mine since I’ve been here. We want to see what the students are experiencing.”

Residence Life will be closer to the residents beyond the moat, but it may seem like a lengthy walk for those who live in

High school students from an ouside community play “Pokemon Go” on campus to capture Pokemon while a lure module is active outside of Subway location. Photo by Christopher T. Repka

positive because of the app’s ability to generate community and exercise. However, being vigilant with outside visitors is important for campus and student safety.

“University Police have been patrolling to keep people not affiliated with St. Mary’s away from the Residence Hall areas,” Bowen-Miller said. “If resident students ever do feel uncomfortable with people around the residence halls, they always have the ability to call University Police to address concerns.”

There are potential dangers surrounding “Pokemon Go”. Trespassing violations and accidents involving pedestrians playing the game are the most frequent events popping up all over the country. Andrew Festa, director of media relations and social media, suggests students to always play in groups,

to be aware of surroundings and to never play while driving.

Pokemon Go has also initiated positive events around the city such as Pokemon hunts at the San Antonio Zoo, The McNay Museum of Art and around the San Antonio river. Pokemon Go has helped people who suffer from anxiety and depression find a hobby, which has brought them better health.

Much like anything else, “Pokemon Go” has the ability to be either positive or negative based on how students choose to play the game. If students who go Pokemon hunting practice safety, it will increase the positive learning experience on campus.

Treadaway or Chaminade Hall. Residence Life has taken this into consideration and is providing parking spots for residents to drive to the office. There will be three parking spots for Residence Life visitors, five parking spaces for Residence Life staff and two Leies Hall visitor parking spaces.

The move is only temporary according to Villarreal, but it will be another 2-5 years until residence life has a permanent new office at The Village. “The move is shortterm and we do not plan to change anything physically [in Leies Hall],” Villarreal said.

“The sinks and closets are still in place. We plan to do minimal impact because someday residents will be back in here.”

Leies Hall was chosen because it had an optimal layout for the office, provided just enough space for all the staff members and was economically appropriate for minimal impact. Office hours are set to remain the same as before, from 8 a.m to 5 p.m Monday through Friday. Residence Life will take the new location into consideration to determine if adjustments need to be made to the office hours.

University eliminates study week from school schedule NICOLAS MCKAY STAFF WRITER

A new school year has begun at St. Mary’s and has made many changes to the campus, including the concept of study week. It will now only consist of two days.

Study week, or “dead week” as it was also referred to, was the week prior to finals, to give students time to study and prepare.

There are many students who disagree with this decision.

“It’s a bad idea, especially for classes that need review sessions, I feel it would just cut into time needed to learn new materials.”

Sedrick Yudo, senior mathematics major, said. “Study week was a chance to meet with professors before testing.”

Recent St. Mary’s biochemistry graduate Pablo Medina disagrees with the change.

Medina believes that study week is a time to focus on oneself as well as one’s classes.

“Along with studying that week, I would take time for myself to mentally

and spiritually prepare myself for finals,” Medina said.

Although some students believe this decision eliminates times and opportunities, many faculty members believe it will offer students a more stable schedule.

Study week was either used for professors to review for tests, or some professors wouldn’t have class at all. It was also used for professors to finish up the semester.

James Greenaway, professor of philosophy, believes that this decision will have little effect on the students and was meant more for the administration.

“The switch to study days is aimed at streamlining various administrative and academic procedures and overcoming other oddities like ‘no assignments to be given in study week—eh, except final exams for seniors,’” Greenaway said.

While Grace Keyes, professor of sociology, believes it will not have a huge effect on the students’ schedules, it will provide some small aid in organizing them.

“I do think it may be better because now students will know for sure that they have at least two study days,” Keyes said. “In the past, study week was awkward and unclear.”

While students and faculty take different stances on the issue, there is an oncoming wave of freshman that will never know study week.

The week leading up to finals will be Monday and Tuesday with regular classes, Wednesday and Thursday being study days and Friday will be the first day of exams. The following week Monday-Wednesday will be exams. Seniors will now be taking exams with everyone else rather than a week earlier like it was before.

St. Mary’s now follows what other San Antonio and Texas universities do, which is to either have study days or none at all.

This change will take place beginning this fall semester.

COMMENTARY 3

STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

Islam not at fault for terrorist attacks across the globe

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief Paige Gandara-Valderas Managing Editor Jasmin Rivera Copy Editor Dean Detten Advertising Manager Michelle Michimani-Leyva Layout and Design Editor Guillermo Avelar Web Editor Samantha Ramos Photo Editor Julia Ewalefo Assistant Photo Editor Christopher Repka News Editor Ricardo E. Reyes Features Editor Megann Vera Commentary Editor Sofia Zanetta Entertainment Editor Miriam Robles Sports Editor Demarius Holmes Faculty Adviser Brother Dennis Bautista, S.M., Ph.D.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Rattler welcomes letter to the editor.

Letters should not exceed 500 words and must include writer’s name, classification, major and telephone number. Editors reserve the right to edit submissions for length, grammar, spelling and content. For more information, call the newsroom at (210) 436-3401 or email rattlernews@gmail.com.

CHECK US OUT ONLINE WWW.STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

Graphic by Sofia Zanetta

Samantha

Salazar

FRESHMAN, ENGLISH COMM. ARTS

The past couple of months have been riddled with events all too common in world history. Mass shootings and suicide FROM “POKEMON NO-GO”

cities.” This is problematic, as this money only improves the wealth of the already wealthy, something that unfortunately does not trickle down to the lower socioeconomic classes.

The modern teen gamer has a plethora of options as a result of ever-changing technology, with an almost constant release of new content that is easily accessible. Are virtual reality games really what teens and humanity need to focus on? In a time where humans have already exhausted the allotted amount of nonrenewable resources for 2016 in the month of August, earlier than any other year, it seems that time is better spent on reality and not a virtual world. There is terrorism, war and violence that are being fueled by corrupt politicians who facilitate their growth.

If people are living in a virtual world far from the consciousness of those around them, humankind will fail as a civilization.

These games only serve as a distraction from the catastrophe of a shared existence.

Less global, if people are not aware of what is happening around them it is easy to cause someone to be injured, something that has happened to several “Pokemon Go” players.

Pikachu is leading game players into a greater desolation than Facebook has already managed to achieve. People need to open their eyes and realize the physical plane they were meant to be on. There is a world outside the window. If people don’t realize what they have before it’s too late and

bombings define generations. With that said, the have become an increasingly more common occurrence both in the U.S. and abroad.

Thousands of innocent people have been killed in senseless and unnecessary tragedies. When catastrophes like mass shootings occur, it’s hard for the public to agree on whom or what is to blame. Lax gun control measures, the mental instability of the shooter and even entire religions are argued as the root cause of the violence.

With the recent events in Orlando and San Bernardino, religion, particularly the Islamic religion, has been widely and ignorantly discussed as the cause of these incidents.

However, religion should not be blamed for the incidents because the only variable each mass shooting had in common was that it was committed by people who suffered a mental break.

According to the Mass Shooting Tracker, the U.S. has seen 297 mass shootings in 2016 defined as a “single shooting incident in which four or more people are shot and or killed.” The 297 incidents produced 401 deaths and 1,107 injuries. Although mass shootings are committed by persons of different races and religions, mass media makes it seem as if those who practice radicalized Islam overwhelmingly are the ones who committed these acts of violence on the U.S. However, the statistics do not fit the accusations. The Washington Post reported that of the mass shootings that have occurred in the U.S. since 2014, three were committed in the name of radical Islam.

They also reported that only two other mass shootings were politically motivated, while the rest were “deemed apolitical.”

During the presidential election cycle, these acts of violence have been politicized and discussed at length.

what can be touched, felt, smelled, heard and tasted is taken for granted, these senses might themselves become out of reach.

As the fictional character Violet from American Horror Story once stated, “One of these days, this computer will be obsolete.

People will have microchips implanted in their brains or something. We won’t be able to watch YouTube or anything. We’ll be like all the others here; prisoners in a windowless cell. Who’s going to show me the new ways of the world?”

Humanity cannot learn from a game, nor can the physical requirements of living be met through gameplay. While it may be “just for fun” or a “waste of time,” do humans truly have time to be so idly distracted when faced with the very real challenges that no one is solving?

Violent rhetoric has dominated news outlets, especially with the promises the Republican nominee Donald Trump has been making. In a press release published last December, Trump proposed a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the U.S.” This proposal, and frequent comments about Muslims and the Islamic religion, from Donald Trump, has caused the violence and hate that surrounds the Islamic religion to worsen.

A report published by Georgetown University describes an increase in hate crimes against Muslims in correspondence with Trump’s presidential campaign. This occurred despite the reality that the FBI reports that of the terrorist attacks in the U.S. from 1980 to 2005, 94 percent were executed by non-Muslims.

In the conversation that surrounds mass shootings, religion is not the only thing to be blamed since hundreds of factors are behind why those who commit these senseless and inhuman acts of violence do so.

Blaming religion for mass shootings is like blaming forks for obesity, it is one of many factors that contributed to why it happens. There is no one answer; therefore no one solution. While it isn’t religion, there is something each mass shooting has in common—the hate that plagues each perpetrator.

“

We must surely allow Muslims to speak for themselves and define themselves and their faith and not imagine that we understand what Islam is better than they do.”

Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies

DO YOU THINK POKEMON GO WREAKS HAVOC? WHY OR WHY NOT? Write a letter to the editor!

Submit: rattlernews@gmail.com

“Pokemon Go” lures Katia Reguero into St. Mary’s campus ornamentation. | Photo by Sofia Zanetta

6 FEATURES

EDITOR: MEGANN VERA/ @STMURATTLER

Money Magazine ranks St. Mary’s among the top, best value colleges in the nation

Students Speak Q:What is your opinion on the new Instagram stories feature?

SAMANTHA SALAZAR CONTRIBUTING WRITER

St. Mary’s was named the best college in San Antonio and 52nd nationally by Money Magazine. The ranking was determined between the 2,000 four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and cited things like affordability and opportunities for rewarding careers after graduation.

St. Mary’s tied with Columbia University in the City of New York for 52nd place as well as ranking fourth in Texas. The list compiled information such as price, percentage of students who receive aid and merit based aid, early career earnings, and SAT/ACT scores. With sources such as the U.S. Department of Education, Peterson’s and PayScale.com, the list factored in many aspects of universities and colleges, including what happens to students after they graduate with a degree from each institution.

Money Magazine is a publication of Time Inc. and publishes articles about personal finances, careers and colleges. The magazine is publishes a variety of college ranking lists such as the 2016 Best Value College Ranking. The magazine’s overall mission is to aid readers in making the right decisions, including which college to attend.

The list is comprised of colleges that have at least 500 students, a graduation rate at or above the median, have enough data to be analyzed and are not identified to be in financial difficulty. After eliminating the colleges and universities that did not meet those standards, Money Magazine ranked 705 schools in order of value. The ranking was determined with calculations in three categories; quality of education, affordability and outcomes.

St. Mary’s is one of five Texas schools in the top 100 on Money’s list. | Graphic by Samantha Ramos

Each of the three categories accounted for one-third of the calculation. The first category, quality of education, took into consideration qualities such as peer and instructor quality and graduation rates.

The second portion of the equation, affordability, calculated not only the price of a degree, but debt upon graduation as well as debt repayment. The last part of the equation examines outcomes, specifically graduate earnings.

Money Magazine cited St. Mary’s diverse student body, the STEM scholars program and the fact that St. Mary’s was the first school in Texas to achieve the status of a Fair Trade University. The Greehey School of Business was also emphasized, by citing the Entrepreneurial Scholars program.

Additionally, five-year programs that St. Mary’s offers such as communication studies

and English literature were also reasons why Money Magazine ranked St. Mary’s as it did.

The prestigious accomplishment highlights the fact that St. Mary’s is in the eighth percentile of the nation’s colleges and universities in terms of value. Money Magazine’s ranking is unique because it takes into consideration long term effects on the graduates. The equation includes not only price and quality of education, but how a degree from St. Mary’s has benefited alumni in terms of job earnings. St. Mary’s rank as first in San Antonio is particularly outstanding because it takes into account every aspect of a school’s impact on a student. The most important part of a college education is the value of a degree earned from the institution. The fact that St. Mary’s ranked so well in a list based on value makes St. Mary’s future look very bright.

New minor builds bridges between the arts and media MEGANN VERA FEATURES EDITOR

Students of all majors have a new option when picking a minor. The new visual communications design minor is a part of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and compliments nearly any major; particularly those degrees in humanities, social sciences and business.

The idea first came up during a conversation between Dean Janet Dizinno of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Dean Tanuja Singh of the Greehey School of Business. Both deans were looking for a way to better serve students in both schools and to prepare them for the current workforce. Both agreed that students from one school could benefit from taking certain courses in the other school.

“We’re all most successful when we look beyond self-imposed borders,” Dizinno said.

The deans began developing ideas for minors within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences geared toward business majors and vice versa.

For new programs like this minor to come into light, students and faculty both need to back the idea. Discussions between the deans, faculty and students in both schools began by deciding how to develop new programs using existing resources. The

visual communication design minor uses specific courses already offered within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences to create a program geared toward those students getting degrees in majors such as fine arts, English communications arts and marketing.

The minor is an art and English communications hybrid, with required courses spanning both departments such as color theory and media production.

Students looking to minor in visual communication design will need to take 18 credit hours of courses within these departments. One of these courses is the newly developed capstone course. Unlike some capstones, this one is tailored to the individual. Each student will develop their own distinct project based on their major and job interests while highlighting their strengths and letting them improve on their weaknesses. It’s the hope of the departments that these projects will create portfolios allowing students to showcase their talents to potential future employers.

Some goals of the minor are to help students communicate in successful, effective and visually appealing ways. In today’s world, it’s not just about getting a message out, but doing so in a unique and interesting way. The visual communication design minor will help students mesh communications skills with design methods

and practices.

Long term, there’s the possibility of developing a major from this minor. The major would include be heavily focused on marketing. It would create another opportunity for students to enhance their knowledge of design, communications and marketing while learning how to apply all of this in the workforce. This major would do even more to bring the two schools together.

“We’re all working toward helping students,” Dizinno said.

Dean Dizinno hopes to continue to build bridges between all of the schools, formalizing the relationships, and creating new partnerships with, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and both the Greehey School of Business and the School of Science, Engineering and Technology.

“

Instagram is just a copycat. I liked Instagram as Instagram and Snapchat as Snapchat.”

- Kevin Valleciellos senior exercise and sport science

“

I feel like it’s alright because it allows you to put up just one photo for a short amount of time and there’s more followers on Instagram to see it.”

- Will Ferguson junior exercise and sport science

“

I don’t even watch them. Is that bad? I stick to Snapchat, they’re too similar.”

Courtesy of Anndria Flores

- Taylor Durham junior marketing Compiled by Megann Vera

ENTERTAINMENT 7

STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

“Finding Dor y” shines a spotlight on charcters with disabilities

Source from dazeddigital.com

Source from variety.com

PAIGE GANDARA-VALDERAS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ever since 1995 with the release of “Toy Story,” Pixar has showed viewers all over the world that the sky is the limit. Pixar has continuously taught valuable morals such as the true meaning of friendship, facing fears and that age should not mark limitations.

Though Pixar has covered many thoughtprovoking themes, the animation company continues to approach real-world situations in a creative way. “WALL-E,” released in 2008, for instance, touches on the thought of solitary confinement on an abandoned Earth that was destroyed by humankind over time. Similarly, “Inside Out,” released last summer, plays on the idea that sadness is an essential feeling. Pixar strays from the simplistic theme that “following dreams will make everything come true.”

This summer, Pixar showed moviegoers some of the challenges that persons with disabilities have to overcome. “Finding Dory” not only brought in larger crowds

of millennials than anticipated, but it also broke the record for featured animated films, with over $135 million in box office sales. With 13 years between the premiere of “Finding Nemo” in 2003, “Finding Dory” finally found its way to the big screen with a moral like no other.

Unlike the first film, there are no antagonists in “Finding Dory.” The filmmakers, alternatively, provided a unique focus to the overall story. Instead of narrowing in on the plot, the story focuses solely on character analysis and provides a deeper insight on the individual struggles that each character has to face. Pixar is clever in approaching this overall theme in a subtle, gentle way. Most children may have overlooked this motif. However, for those who struggle with some of the issues presented, the theme may have hit close to home.

Each character in “Finding Dory” has their own personal struggle, something displayed in a discrete way for viewers.

Marlin is a clown fish that is permanently

traumatized after losing his wife and children, which has left him with severe trust issues. Nemo, Marlin’s son, has a physical disability. Dory, the blue tang, has short-term memory loss and has a hard time focusing. Hank, or “septopus” as Dory calls him, is missing a limb and is a bit cranky and selfish. Becky, the loon bird, has no speaking ability and a low attention span.

Gerald, the sea lion, shows signs of having autism. Destiny, a whale-shark is blind.

Finally, Bailey the beluga is challenged with a dysfunctional echolocation.

With an entire story focused on coping with disability, writer-director Andrew Stanton and co-director Angus MacLane build emotional intensity through the story’s characters and the frequent flashbacks of Dory’s childhood. “Finding Dory’s” real sentimental power comes from Dory’s struggle with her memory loss. The audience experiences what it is like to be in her position and experience how others treat her as a result of her disability. Though some sea animals dismissed Dory and

provided little to no aid with her disability, the story is thematically built on the idea that “there’s always another way,” as Dory’s father mentions. Unlike “Finding Nemo” where Marlin runs into obstacles that pull him further away from Nemo, in “Finding Dory,” it seems that most characters want to help Dory find her parents for one reason or another. Meanwhile, her parents continuously remain supportive and provide her with unconditional love.

Dory learns to keep holding on to the memories she does have such as family, friends and simple things like knowing how to speak whale and read. She also learns how to escape her emotional distress from her memory loss and learns to problemsolve throughout the movie.

There’s no doubt that Pixar will continue to produce films that incorporate challenging subjects. “Finding Dory” was past due, and complimented the first film with a more personal touch, one that helps to recognize disabilities and finding ways to cope with them.

The out-of-state student’s guide to San Antonio

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OUSE THE ALAMO DRAFTH ts and offers special movie even tion a screenings not to men selection of draft beers.

THE PEA RL is a d istrict full shops, re of staurants and brew erie

s.

t HEMISFAIR PARK is a grea place to spend an afternoon off-campus.

alk rt w sho s the is a er f A f T o S I d BAR pus an RIO n. am tow BAR from c in a y o a c w a a rb t ba bes

HALCYON is a cozy cafe that offer a great selection of coffees and teas.

Graphic by Miriam Robles

8 SPORTS, HEALTH & FITNESS

EDITOR: DEMARIUS HOLMES/ @STMURATTLERNEWS

2016

2016 HEARTLAND Heartland CONFERENCE Conference WOMAN OF THE Woman YEAR of

the Year

Photo by Paige Gandara-Valderas

PAIGE GANDARA-VALERAS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

For a combination of brilliance and talent, Hannah Fields (B.S. ‘16) was named 2016 Heartland Conference Woman of the Year. With six other Heartland student-athletes nominated, Fields’ accomplishments were recognized in part due to her athletic talent, but for many other reasons as well. She excelled on the softball field, in the classroom with a 3.89 GPA and throughout the city of San Antonio doing community service.

“Ever since I was a little girl, and with my mom [Donna Fields] being a coach, I was always on the softball field,” Fields said.

“Sports have always run through my blood.”

With sports being such a big part of her life from a young age, Fields always found time to play even with her busy schedule as a chemistry major.

“I am in a major where most student athletes don’t partake in. You don’t see student athletes going in the chemistry or biology department, there’s very few,” Fields said.

Fields has been on the softball team since her freshman year, and 2016 was her most productive year averaging .306 with 18 runs batted in while starting all 60 games in the outfield. Her contributions on the field helped lead the Rattlers to their third Division II Super Regional appearance.

The new alumna was selected as one of the 14 presidential award recipients this past semester and was also named the CoSIDA Academic All-District team. Fields was also awarded the National Fast-pitch Coaches Association All-American Scholar Athlete for the fourth time in a row.With all her accomplishments throughout her academic career, Fields is overwhelmed with joy.

“Knowing that I am representing the Heartland Conference is overwhelming and it is an awesome feeling and an unbelievable award to receive,” Fields said. “However, I give all the credit back to this university, all the coaching staff and my teammates because they are who brought me here and have made me who I am today.”

Just last year, Haley Richter (B.A. ‘15) was also awarded the Heartland Conference Woman of the Year award. Fields and Richter were both standout student athletes and who were exceptional on the field, in the classroom and around their community.

Fields also was a part of more than ten non-profit organizations during her time at St. Mary’s. Part of her community service came from Continuing The Heritage, a biannual service project at St. Mary’s. Service projects with her teammates took place at Haven for Hope, Pets Alive, St. PJ’s and local elementary schools. In addition, Fields has

been a part of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for four years. Her junior year she served as co-president and her senior year she served as the president.

SAAC has continuously expanded her service learning opportunities.

“One of our biggest non-profit organizations that we help out with SAAC is the Make-A-Wish Foundation. As president of SAAC, I was very involved in trying to find a way to raise more money than what we were.” Fields said. “We started putting canisters in each of the locker rooms so people can put in money whenever they had spare change and we also did it at every concession stand at games.”

Fields plans to further her medical career and has applied to pharmacy school and a physician assistant program in hopes of attending one next year. For now, Fields plans to work a full-time job and take a couple of pre-requisite classes at St. Mary’s.

Long term effects of concussions pose serious threats to career longevity DEMARIUS HOLMES SPORTS EDITOR

In December 2015, the movie “Concussion” was released; it showed the severity of highly concussed professional athletes in football and their overall longterm effects.

The movie starred Will Smith who played Dr. Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist that began his research when he conducted an autopsy of former NFL player Mike Webster.

Webster was just the first of many studeis Omalu made during this time period. Once his research was solidified, he decided to raise public awareness of this disorder.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), which is a long-term damage done to the brain through multiple concussions. The symptoms are very similar to Alzheimer’s, but can be even more severe in some cases.

Concussions are not just limited to football; any contact driven sport can cause one.

This raises a problem because most sports

thrive by having athletes stay physical both on and off the fields. In fact, 33 percent of concussions happen during practices rather than during the actual game according to Head Case, an organization that works closely with concerned parents whose children are involved with sports.

Though many sports are associated with Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS), football is by far the most at-risk sport with about a 76.8 percent concussion rate.

Some symptoms include chronic headaches, brain displacement and/or swelling from head trauma.

Another symptom is occasional dizziness after strenuous activities such as exercising.

Just like headaches, dizziness is also a result of brain sensitivity.

Even just exercising can cause minor swelling.

If a person or athlete exhausts him or herself too much, they could end up with something possibly worse than the concussion they started with.

Staying focused on completing tasks are is one of the common symptom expressed

in PCS. Brain damage makes it difficult for the body to function efficiently and can throw off a person’s equilibrium.

It can also affect simple tasks such as staying inside the lines while coloring, drawing a straight line, focusing on writing or typing up an essay or research paper.

These are just some tasks that students need to be successful in school or in the workplace.

Injuries to the brain can also cause a person to have an altered personality, even to the extent of losing control of mental faculties.

When there is less control of thoughts and emotions, a person can be taken to a very dark place, as expressed in the movie “Concussion.”

Many people in the film ended up taking their own lives because of the personality and mental function changes.

There has yet to be a solid method to resolve these issues. However, practicing safety with any sport is the first step.

Graphic by Samantha Ramos