Vol. 108 Issue No. 1 - 9/11/19

Vol 108 | Issue 1 | Sept. 11, 2019 | San Antonio, Texas

‘times of tragedy’

St. Mary’s community unites to comfort those affected by recent mass shootings SAMANTHA RUVALCABA NEWS EDITOR

Following the recent mass shootings in Texas and Ohio, the St. Mary’s community offers outlets to comfort the afflicted.

Just a few weeks before fall classes began, tragedy struck two areas close to the Marianist community. In El Paso, 22 people were killed, and dozens injured when a shooter walked into Walmart, who aimed to attack the Hispanic community. Hours later, another gunman killed nine people in Dayton, Ohio and was shot to death by police.

“This was b e f o r e school had started so we had

faculty, staff, employees of the university here and some of our students here,” Tim Bessler, vice provost of student development and dean of students said. “We needed to know as quickly as we could determine, was anybody here on campus affected? And at a very, very close second, was anybody broadly within our community affected?”

Sophomore political science major, Paola Arellano, was on her way to a dentist appointment in Cuidad Juarez, Mexico— just a few miles from her hometown, El Paso, where the shooting took place. She recalls being in a state of fear and devastation.

“I think talking about this now is a little easier than it was that week, but I think that we are handling it as best as we can,” Arellano said.

“I felt safer in J u a r e z than I

did if I were to be back home. It was truly devastating because I never in a million years would’ve imagined my city to be going through this situation.”

Arellano is one of the many students from El Paso who attend St. Mary’s. El Paso is a 7 1/2 drive from San Antonio, and although this is her second year at the university, leaving home seemed more difficult than ever.

“I’m leaving my family and I don’t know how to feel about them leaving the house without protection. It’s not a good way to live life,” Arellano said. “Everyone lives [in] paranoia because we just don’t know if our Hispanic community is too much for others to handle.”

Following the tragedies, Bessler sent

out an email to all students expressing the Marianist community’s “deepest sympathies” for those affected, offering various support services on campus such as the university ministry, student counseling center and counselor on duty.

The university ministry also began planning a mass prayer service and vigil to be held in honor of the victims of both El Paso and Dayton.

Junior art education major, Luisa Arumi Ortiz, works for university ministry and remembers the difference in campus climate as she participated in Zaragoza days.

“During Zaragoza days we encountered a lot of people from El Paso and that conversation was different,” Ortiz said.

“Usually, in Zaragoza we talk about if we’re from the same place or whatnot. If we encountered someone from El Paso, we let them know that we were praying

OPINION

LIFESTYLE

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

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PG.8

PG.11

PG.13

Number of candidates concerning

How to reduce waste as a student

Hidden gems to visit in San Antonio

Locker rooms get a makeover

2 NEWS

EDITOR: SAMANTHA RUVALCABA | @STMURATTLERNEWS | SEPT. 11, 2019

Pallansch takes on new role as interim dean LARRY RODRIGUEZ-SHEA CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

THE RATTLER WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS MEETINGS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8 UNIVERSITY CENTER Newsroom 6 p.m.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5 UNIVERSITY CENTER Newsroom 6 p.m.

Following the retirement of former Dean Christopher Frost from the college of arts, humanities and the social sciences, Dr. Leona Pallansch, former vice provost of academic affairs, has been promoted to the role of interim dean for the college of arts, humanities and social sciences.

Pallansch began her tenure at the university as a faculty member of the political science department. She then served as the university administrator in the office of the provost until three years ago when she began serving as the vice provost of academic affairs. During this time, she developed strategic plans and worked closely with faculty members and students. “[Pallansch] has a strong understanding of the mission of St. Mary’s University and the unique strengths of its programs and faculty. She also understands well the challenges facing higher education today,” vice provost of academic affairs and associate professor of theology, William Buhram said.

Motivated by the desire to return to the field she is familiar with, Pallansch accepted the position. Pallansch holds her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in government and foreign affairs. Her doctorate dissertation

explored the relationship between U.S. foreign assistance and alignment behavior of recipient governments. Some of her more recent work has explored international relations in the modern era. Returning to the social sciences is an opportunity Pallansch is excited for.

“I wanted to have the opportunity to work with faculty colleagues and student,” Pallansch said. “I wanted to go back to my roots. Working with academic programs in the area that I am accustomed to.”

With the help of faculty, students, and former Dean Frost, a plan named A.S.A.P. was developed—an acronym for Aspirational Strategic Action Plan. Pallansch in her two years as the interim dean, plans to utilize her strategic skills in continuing the work done by former Dean Frost with the successful implementation of this program.

“One of my main goals is the implementation of this strategic plan,” Pallansch said. “So, it really is a continuation of the work done by Dean Frost.”

Pallansch would like to extend a welcome to new and returning students alike to discuss with her, issues or concerns that the students may have. Moving forward, she hopes to maintain a level of transparency and availability with the students.

“I would invite students to stop by and

Photo Courtesy of stmarytx.edu

visit,” Pallansch said. “If they have any concerns that they would like to share with me—I really do want to have an open-door policy.”

As the year goes on, the university will begin to see the effects of the A.S.A.P. plan in action in addition to any new polices Pallansch and the college may implement for students moving forward. “[Pallansch] is an excellent choice to carry forward the Aspirational Strategic Plan developed by the college of arts, humanities and social sciences last year,” William Burham, vice provost, said.

FROM “TRAGEDY”

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for them. If they wanted to pray right there, we would pray for them at that moment.”

Together students, faculty and, administration recognize the importance of prayer and solitude at this difficult time. In addition to the mass given by Father Bill on Aug. 28, student-led prayer and song filled Guadalupe Chapel on the following day while candles with all the victims’ names were lit by students as well.

“With what the whole community and what the whole nation is going through, we do our prayers more intentional,” said Ortiz. “Especially, the three o’ clock prayer we have every Wednesday at the bell tower.

We gather and ask everybody to come and if they have a situation or something to pray for, we pray over that. [It] doesn’t matter if they’re Catholic or not.”

The vice president of mission, Father Timothy Eden decided to organize both a mass and vigil for those affected by the shootings in Dayton and El Paso

“

When something hits so close to home, you really appreciate any support you can get from the people around you.”

Katie Drees junior biology major

because of their close connections to the university community.

Eden expressed dismay when asked about the recent mass shooting in MidlandOdessa, Texas, where a gunman killed seven people and left another 22 wounded.

“As Marianist we always—not just times of tragedy—ought to be really a tuned to each other. I’d like to think that if we’re serious about the mission of the university, what we’re educating each other to do is to be attentive. We become our better selves when we do pay attention to other people

Lit candles displaying the names of El Paso and Dayton victims sit on altar. | Photo by Aneesa Zubair

and extend a presence,” Eden said.

While the Dayton community on campus is smaller than that of El Paso, there are still professional and personal connections to the area—the sister Marianist University of Dayton in particular—remain significant.

Student Katie Drees, junior biology major, was born in Dayton and lived there for 13 years and moved to San Antonio after. She visited her hometown a week before the shooting occurred.

“The fact that St. Mary’s could allow people the opportunity to actually reflect on it, think about it and see where their feelings are about the whole situation was really nice,” Drees said. “When something hits so close to home, you really appreciate any support you can get from the people around you.”

Amid the recent and various shootings around the nation, security and safety

concerns arise for students, faculty, and staff. In addition, because St. Mary’s is a Hispanic-serving institution, the motive behind the El Paso shooting consequently added to those concerns. However, Bessler expresses his confidence in the university police department and encourages students to seek help—whether it be spiritually or emotionally—and to report anything that is concerning them to university police or his office.

“It’s important that students know that when they share information with the university, the university police, the dean of students office, that we actively look into what they share,” Bessler said. “We’ve got a great police force, and they would put themselves in front of anything to protect our community. I have no question about that at all, none. But I also understand the concern and the fear, and I share that.”

NEWS 3

SEPT. 11, 2019 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

POLICE BLOTTER AUG/SEPT. 2019 AUG. 19 Bike damaged by golf cart reported in Treadaway hall.

Case is active.

AUG. 20 Possession of drug parphernalia reported at Parking Lot C. Case is active.

AUG. 21 Damaged property reported at Parking Lot D. Case is closed.

AUG. 21 Sexual assault reported in Chaminade Tower.

Case is active.

AUG. 22 Verbal disturbance reported at Parking Lot T. Case is active.

AUG. 25 Theft reported in Marian hall.

Case is active.

AUG. 27 Suspicious person reported in Treadaway hall.

Case is active.

AUG. 28 Theft reported in Treadaway hall.

Case is active.

SEPT. 1 Consumption of Alcohol by Minor reported in Dougherty hall.

Case is closed.

University explains Flores hall name change SAMANTHA RUVALCABA/MADELINE OCHOA NEWS EDITOR/CONTRIBUTING WRITER

University administration resolved to address speculation surrounding the recent name change of Flores hall to Bordeaux hall.

Named after Archbishop Patricio Fernández Flores, the first Mexican American to become a bishop of the Catholic Church, Flores hall was first opened to students in 1984.

In late January, the Archdiocese of San Antonio released a report naming 55 members of the clergy who were credibly accused of sexual abuse as early as 1940. Research and development into these allegations began last fall when the Archbishop of San Antonio formed an independent commission led by retired Chief Justice of the Texas Fourth District Court of Appeals, Catherine Stone.

“I pray that this report will hlp survivors who have ignored or even rejected by their family or by the Church. I pray that they will find peace,” said Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller in a statement.

Among those accused of sexual abuse, Flores was documented in several instances for gravely mishandling reports of sexual abuse of minors by the clergy— three of which were substantiated. In one documented instance, the report indicates 16 allegations towards a former ordained priest for the Archdiocese by the name of Javier Ortiz-Dietz.

Allegations against Ortiz-Dietz began in 1992, resulted in his removal from the ministry and a sentence for psychiatric treatment. The report acknowledges Archbishop Flores had access to a previous report from the time Ortiz-Dietz was studying to become a priest indicating

several personailty traits, including “marked sexual conflict.”

“With this knowledge, the university and its board of trustees concluded that this misconduct by Archbishop Flores is inimical to St. Mary’s mission as Catholic and Marianist—a mission that calls us to respect the dignity of every human person,” said dean of students, Timothy Bessler. “The child sexual abuse committed by members of the clergy, as well as bishops’ mishandling of substantiated allegations, is a violation of human decency.”

Bessler further explained that honoring the founder of The Society of Mary, Blessed William Joseph Chaminade’s place of refuge following the French Revolution— Bordeaux—was perhaps the best way to begin the healing process within the community and celebrate a man who respected human dignity.

“Since the days of Chaminade, Marianist spirituality has emphasized a teacher being entirely present to students—not only teaching but loving and respecting them,”

Bessler said. “At St. Mary’s, we do our very best to live up to these enduring values in every way on every day.”

The university has several resources that provide assistance following an assault or during a crisis. Rattlers Against Sexual Violence, located in the center for life directions, provides victim advocacy, referrals to other campus and community resources, hospital accompaniment, safety planning, and many other ongoing support services.

Other resources include university police, student health center, student counseling center, and university ministry.

“We impart, through our actions more than our words, Catholic Social Teaching’s core value of respect for the dignity of each human person, because we are all God’s children. As an essential part of this commitment, we educate and work hard to prevent sexual abuse on our own campus,” Bessler said.

Flores hall sign replaced by new Bordeaux hall to reflect change. | Photo by Samantha Ruvalcaba

Retirement of financial aid director introduces scholarship GERARDO NINO-POZOS STAFF WRITER

After 35 years of serving as the director of the financial aid department, David R. Krause retired this fall. Friends, family, faculty and staff all came around to say their farewells at his retirement party and drop off parting gifts, giving Krause time to reflect on his tenure at St. Mary’s. When Krause arrived at St. Mary’s to interview in the fall of 1983, St. Mary’s was not the school students are familiar with today.

“For a while I thought, ‘I’m just not sure if this is the right place for me,’ I would say

“

At that point Dave became a colleague and for me up to that point I always looked up to him as a mentor.”

Estefania Reyes special events coordinator

that evening I had gone to a basketball game.

Afterwards, [I] had gone to the pub and I met some of the admissions folks and really connected with [them],” said Krause. “At the end of the day, it was what I feel is that sense of community with these folks that made my decision. ‘Yes, this is the place that I’d want to be.’”

Since 1983, Krause has cooperated with

parents, students and staff to help students make the decision of choosing St. Mary’s as a viable home for the next four years. The process often involved delivering good news and sometimes bad news. The good news, however, is what motivated Krause to come to work determined every morning.

“The best part is seeing the success of the students that you’ve helped finance. In many cases, I’ve got second-generation students here. I helped their parents go through St. Mary’s and now they’re here and you see their success and that’s what makes you feel good,” Krause said.

In addition to his work in the financial aid office, Krause spent his time alongside the admissions office, recruiting students from the western states: Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.

“Dave was always a great support system for me, especially in obtaining different scholarships,” said Estefania Reyes, special events coordinator of the office of admissions.

Reyes is from Arizona and attended Metro Tech High School. Reyes graduated in the spring of 2017 with bachelor’s degree in business administration and management.

For her, Krause was instrumental in her decision to attend St. Mary’s. After graduation, she was employed to work on campus in the admissions office.

“At that point Dave became a colleague and for me up to that point I always looked

up to him as a mentor,” Reyes said.

In this way, Krause’s legacy will continue to influence current and future students through those he significantly impacted during his time at St. Mary’s. However, Krause is aware of the challenges that lay ahead for students hoping to pay for school in the next decade. With ever increasing tuition, rising inflation and changes in legislation, certain questions are raised.

“Can we [St. Mary’s] sustain what we do right now?” Krause asked.

It’s a challenge posing problems for all economic levels: state, federal, and institutional. For example, DACA students are faced with a unique situation.

“Since I’m a DACA recipient there’s not much I can get from FAFSA. All the school help I was getting was from school and came through Krause,” said Bryan Martin, junior industrial engineer major.

Martin and other fellow DACA recipients went through a similar process overseen

by Krause. This is critical when resources become limited and decisions for students must be made. This is one of several challenges Krause advises people to be aware of if St. Mary’s is to maintain its dedication and commitment to its students. To offset these challenges, St. Mary’s looks for new ways to assists its students, one of which is scholarships.

In recognition of Krause’s 35 years of service to St. Mary’s, and his commitment

towards the success of its students, friends, family, faculty, and staff of St. Mary’s have elected to fund an endowed scholarship in his name: the David R. Krause Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship will open to incoming freshmen, with a preference given to those students who do not qualify for federal aid otherwise.

In order for any scholarship funding to disburse, the fund must meet a minimum threshold of $50,000, which is currently being raised. Aside from alumni, staff and faculty, students are also welcome to contribute to the Krause scholarship. For more information on how to donate to the fund, contact John Carrillo, director of outreach initiatives in the office of admission located on the second floor of Chaminade Tower.

But in the meantime, Krause is excited to retire and be able to spend time with loved ones.

“One of our goals is we want to visit every baseball stadium in the country,” said Krause.

This goal is among several Krause and his wife hope to accomplish in his retirement.

With family spread out across the country, Krause has many vacation destinations.

Still, San Antonio will remain on Krause’s itinerary. Students can find Krause suiting up as Santa Claus once more at the Christmas tree celebration this December.

4 OPINION

EDITOR: VICTORIA SALDANA | @STMURATTLERNEWS | SEPT. 11, 2019

New technology creates Deepfakes and threatens integrity of social media Robert

Moncada STAFF WRITER

Imagine browsing twitter, looking at the most current memes, and getting a good laugh. Now imagine disgust when a video appears of a beloved celebrity saying they hate puppies. Upon further investigation it is apparent that the video is an edited and manufactured video with audio created by a voice impressionist. Obviously, the example above is a less serious one, but the threat of Deepfakes is real.

Bloomberg defines Deepfakes as realistic fake videos and audio that was initially used to place actors and actresses into illicit content, but has evolved into placing high-profile individuals into many different situations. They are relatively easy to make and are named for the deep learning algorithm software that makes the videos possible.

There are hundreds of deepfake videos sprawled across the internet. Most, if not all, are realistic and believable. As enjoying and amusing one might find the videos, they are a threat to the United States.

This operation spans across all fronts, from cyber to government. With the 2020 elections fast approaching, it seems that Deepfakes are posing as a serious threat to the security of our election.

In 2016, the technology required for Deepfakes was not established. Fast

forward three years later and the tech has evolved rapidly, to the point where citizens cannot differentiate between a real video and a doctored one. Deepfakes are frequently on Facebook or Twitter and many watch without even realizing it. What makes the situation worse is the fact that the individual or group who posts these videos label the post as a real-life event. The doctored videos then spread across social media like wildfire by likes and shares from those who believe what they are seeing is true.

“They are the next big thing in fake news,” said Saul Contreras-Martinez, junior political science major. “It is a neglected problem right now that if we put our efforts into it, society will not be caught off guard when it truly strikes. Society will then try to play catch up with this technology and be angry at government for not doing enough before.”

The Russian meddling in the 2016 election proved how vulnerable our elections are to a foreign entity. As advanced as these AI’s already are at manufacturing these videos, social media giants like Facebook and Twitter are just barely creating policies and procedures to combat and detect these videos. It is up to these private tech corporations to put a stop to these falsified clips and pull the reins in on spam posting and bots that spread this content or face the wrath of government regulation. Some elected officials have commented on this matter.

“We have old laws to decide how you handle disinformation,” U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, said on CBS “Face the Nation.” “You have leaders that don’t understand how this technology can be used in the future.”

If action is not taken, the United States could bear witness to a new kind of election tampering within the cyber field. All it takes is facial recognition for the AI to begin the process of a new video. Political candidates are always in the press and on our screens, meaning there are hundreds of photos and videos of these individuals that can easily be manipulated. This is a looming threat that impacts all candidates regardless of political ideology. The last thing any elected official wants is a video of them slandering an idea, possibly tainting their record.

“And also, we can’t be promoting this stuff,” Hurd told CBS. “And if you can’t tell the difference between a doctored piece of information and not, that’s—that’s troubling as well.”

Graphic by Victoria Saldana

2020 democratic party must consolidate candidates to win upcoming Renee

Padilla STAFF WRITER

Ten candidates qualified for the third Democratic debate scheduled on Sept. 12.

These candidates are: Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Beto O’Rourke, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, Andrew Yang and Julian Castro. The effect of having so many candidates could be detrimental to the democratic party.

The number of candidates could be a reaction against Trump’s victory in 2016. “[Elections are] on a pendulum,” said Ian Warner, junior communication studies major. “You always have a candidate that’s to one extreme and it’s reacted to by a candidate on the other extreme.”

Warner believes many Democrats want to run to become “the Anti-Trump” candidate.

Regardless of the reason, there are several ways the number of candidates can affect the primary election. For starters, there is such a thing as too many options. For nearly a decade, news outlets like the “New York Times” have reported on how consumers feel overwhelmed when entering a supermarket with too many choices. Because they feel overwhelmed, consumers feel rushed into a decision or refuse to choose at all. The 2020 primary election is no different.

The Democratic Party presents too many options and it is causing voters to feel overwhelmed. The number of candidates needs to shrink before the primary election, or else voters may choose to skip out on the ballot because they could not choose.

Both of these scenarios hurt all voters in

the long run.

While some voters feel overwhelmed, others will ultimately ignore most of the candidates.

“I don’t care for all of them, so I only name the ones I do,” said Hope Mauricio, senior political science major.

Average voters cannot name all the candidates without a search engine, so it is nearly impossible for them to have all the information needed to make a well-

different opinions, personalities, and campaign promises. Candidates A and C have lots of supporters who will vote for them, but fans of candidate A hate candidate C and vice-versa. Candidate B has less fans overall but is accepted by the majority In an election with 100 voters, candidate A wins with 45 votes; candidate C has 40 votes and candidate B has 15 votes. All 55 people who voted for candidates B and C are extremely unhappy with the results. Even though candidate A had the most votes, most voters are unsatisfied. How could this be prevented?

If the voters a g r e e d

dedicated supporters, but are controversial figures in the Democratic Party and are strongly disliked by Republicans.

“I feel like during the 2016 election, Hilary was the default leader, and now that she’s not in the running, there’s a new competition to become the new face or leader of the Democratic Party,” Warner said. “That’s why there are so many people running – everybody wants to be that face.”

Even though many candidates hope to fill that role, they need to put aside their own ambitions for the benefit of the party. When considering whom to vote for, Democratic voters must remember that the final winner—the new face of the Democrats— will run against the Republican candidate.

So, if the Democrats want to win the presidency, they must choose a candidate who will be accepted by Republicans as well as the majority of Democrats.

Otherwise, Democrats may be stuck in a position like the 2016 primary elections.

Both Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders

informed d e c i s i o n on the primary election date.

Worse than feeling overwhelmed or a lack of interest, having too many candidates causes a divide among Democratic voters. To understand how division occurs, imagine there are three candidates: A, B and C, in a hypothetical election. All three imaginary candidates belong to the same party but have

were controversial and, in the end, almost everyone was dissatisfied with the final Graphic by Victoria Valle

beforehand to vote for candidate B, the least disliked candidate, the majority would be more satisfied overall, even though fewer voters would be excited by the results. Apply this to the current Democratic candidates.

Some, like Beto O’Rourke, have many

presidential candidates.

To avoid this situation again, Democratic voters need to figure out who is most accepted by the majority of voters, and favor that candidate during the primary election, instead of their favorite candidate.

Collaboration is the only way Democrats can win the presidency in 2020.

OPINION 5

SEPT. 11, 2019 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

New payment system Touch Net is an improvement when paying tuition Every month the majority of the St. Mary’s student body logs into gateway to pay a portion of their tuition balance.

Despite the regularity of this process, many students still forget and thereby incur a late payment on top of their balance. In years past, although the drab and gray website used to complete this task never impeded one from paying, it certainly did not make shelling out whatever amount of money any easier.

The new payment center is undoubtedly not only more visually appealing, but it makes the process easier and more organized. The old payment center did not automatically divvy up the payment amounts. Instead, the student had to either remember the magic number for every month or go into another section of gateway and do the math with what was left to pay from there. This added step may not seem like much, but before the new system a text notification was not available to remind students a few days before the payment due date. Without this reminder, students usually in a rushed to make payments while hoping to avoid a late payment. So, not having to do the math of what is owed is greatly appreciated in these moments of brief panic.

But a detail that hasn’t changed is the late fee. Of course, almost any routine

payment will have a late penalty. In comparison to rent and car payments, $50 is not that bad, but still relatively steep for students who are notoriously forgetful.

This process is something new for many students; it may be first time they have had to pay a bill with any regularity. It is an important process which is not fun but can teach students to track their finances, although it also does not have to be as tedious a process as the old system made it.

For example, the new system remembers the banking account used to pay from and will even save multiple methods of payment if needed. These accounts can be labeled appropriately for easy access and selection. The old system required students to enter the same information every time and if one does not have their routing number readily available then the payment must be completed at a later time.

Previously, every student had the same pay date at the beginning of the month which could be a beneficial if a student’s friends reminded them of the payment date but inconvenienced those who pay other bills at the beginning or end of the month. The new system allows students to pick which day as well as how frequently they will make a payment. This is especially useful as one of the options ops for a due date later in the month giving families and students time to breathe after the onslaught of bills at the end and beginning of the month.

The flexibility of payment price is also a nice change from the strict four

EDITORIAL STAFF

Qualifications matter more than tattoos in the workplace

Victoria

Saldana OPINION EDITOR

Editor-in-Chief Samantha Salazar Managing Editor Isabela Vazquez Copy Editor Louie Diaz Layout and Design Natalia Zuniga Advertising Manager Demi Bestor Photo Editor Cody Rivera Web Editor Victoria Valle Social Media Manager Karina Charo News Editor Samantha Ruvalcaba Lifestyle Editor Sabrina Evans Opinion Editor Victoria Saldana Entertainment Editor Jacob Henson Sports Editor Tawny Davis Faculty Adviser Camille Langston, Ph.D.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Rattler welcomes letters 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.

Angie

Bravo

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Body modification has often carried negative public perception. Often being associated with poor employment opportunities, people with tattoos have been stigmatized to be violent, of low intelligence, and are destined to have terrible jobs. However, societal dynamics have shifted and become more inclusive and accepting.

This idea is depicted more in media and is affecting workspaces and shaping young minds to prove tattoos do not and will not affect work opportunities.

To dissect the correlation between tattoos and job opportunity, one has to look at the current widespread image of tattoos. Slow but apparent acceptance toward tattoos is seen in many different TV show characters. Case in point, “The Good Doctor” depicts a Hispanic doctor with a tattoo on his right arm, demonstrating that careers of all kinds are accepting of those with tattoos. The diversification of media representation reflects real-world movement.

Media consumption affects the perception of consumers toward those in careers which are deemed to be unaccepting of tattoos. This perception affects real life incorporation and has been seen throughout recent years as more diverse characters have mirrored the current situation of our changing workplaces.

The mere-exposure effect explains that the more people see something the more they are inclined to like it. The developing accuracy

payments of years previous. The new plan allows for either four or five payments with a fluctuating amount dependent on which chosen. Although this does not seem like that much of a difference, for some families and students the flexibly can allow for some breathing room when money is tight.

The new system also comes with a $35 enrollment fee. This was not necessary with the old payment process. This is not a steep price to pay for convenience, but the irony of paying to have good access to pay tuition is not lost. In addition to the enrollment fee students paying with credit cards incur a 2.85 percent charge on the

total they pay as a processing fee through TouchNet. This can become a steep price for students paying larger amounts and only adding to the total tuition they are paying.

If student link directly to their bank they are not charged this, but the convenience of paying the best way for the individual is lost in this feature.

Overall the new system is intuitive and easy to use, but this convenience comes at a price. The business office is planning to add additional features such as automatic generation of tax forms, to make the process more accessible.

Student uses the new student billing and payment center through Gateway. l Photo by Victoria Saldana

in media representation distorts what has previously held a negative public view and can now be associated with the norm which has been the exact occurrence in society as we begin to see inclusion on all platforms.

Normality comes with acceptance into

Graphic by Victoria Saldana

different spaces. The workspace is one of the first areas to be shaped because jobs should not care what tattoo is on a person’s arm, as long as it’s not blatantly racist, what truly matters is the qualifications, skillset and attitude.

If jobs closed the doors to the people with tattoos, they may be closing the doors to what could potentially be their most qualified employee. Quality is no longer obscured by the exterior; in fact, some of the biggest brand names in different fields such as, Lenovo in technology and Loreal in beauty, are advocates of diversifying their brands.

As young mindsets are shaped with ever growing inclusivity—not just in media, but in practice— younger audiences are likely to not only continue but expand inclusivity in the workplace and ensure some of the most diversified workspaces to come.

Opposition will inevitably remain, but continuous exposure to people outside the status quo leads to the introduction of a normativity, in which diversity and inclusion are a part of it.

“Tattoo’s are tattoos. They do not define who you are,” Serena Quichocho, senior marketing major states in support of the sentiment.

Tattoos are no longer suggestive of or perceived as one’s “violent tendencies” but are now being accepted as just another form of self-expression. Tattoos do not negatively affect job opportunities; it would be more detrimental for a business to lose out on a qualified candidate than to accept and embrace someone with a simple body modification.

8 LIFESTYLE

EDITOR: SABRINA EVANS | @STMURATTLERNEWS | SEPT. 11, 2019

How a low-waste and eco friendly lifestyle can be affordable while being a student POLINA PROTOZANOVA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Waste free living or the zero waste movement has gained attention in 2019. It is now considered “hip” to carry a tote bag at a local grocery store or to use a stainless steel straw for a Starbucks drink. Unfortunately, those two things are what most people’s perception of zero waste ends with.

How else can students contribute to the waste free movement?

Zero waste is a social movement that focuses on creating as little waste as possible all while living life to the fullest potential.

Despite what some angry internet critics might say, it doesn’t actually mean creating absolutely zero waste, instead, it encourages people to try their best to contribute less to the landfills humanity has created. Here is how college life and waste free living can be affordable and possible.

Take advantage of bulk sections at grocery stores. They allow customers to buy things in bulk, using their own or provided packaging and, therefore, avoid unnecessary waste. Just prepare cotton bags or mason jars for groceries before leaving home. Not only is this method environmentally friendly, but it is also cheaper than shopping regularly.

Of course, not every single product will be available in bulk, but simple things like legumes, nuts, or frozen produce can be easily found at a local store. H-E-B now carries a bulk kombucha selection, where

customers can bring their own jars and fill them up.

Lower the use of unnecessary paper.

Colleges utilize too much unneeded paper.

leave students with a surplus of money that could be put towards their tuition.

Shop smart. Many volumes could be written on the topic of fast fashion, but to

Isabela Baker, Eco Club, collects cans at last year’s Oyster Bake. | Photo courtesy of @stmu_eco_club

On top of that, students buy planners, textbooks, notebooks, folders and so on.

Instead of using all this paper, make a good use out of the “technological century” college students currently live in and substitute planners with Google Docs, textbooks with e-books, and notebooks with Word documents. Making all of these changes will

summarize it in one sentence: buying mass market clothes benefits absolutely no one— not customers, not the environment, not the children in India who were paid 1 cent to create a dozen skirts. These fast fashion companies include many popular online stores such as SheIn and Pretty Little Thing.

Instead of updating the wardrobe every

season, buy something that will last and not be thrown away in a year. The purchase will be more expensive, but the quality won’t disappoint.

Ultimately, purchasing pricier clothes will be more durable and will lead to spending about the same amount of money as customers were when buying fast fashion.

For those students on a budget, try buying from clothing stores that practice recycling of their products. Examples include Uptown Cheapskate and Plato’s Closet. Buying recycled clothing helps lower production and the environmental consequences that come with production of clothing.

Re-purpose! Try not throwing away all plastic things around the dorm because throwing it away will contribute to global waste. Instead, find a good use for it: pack lunch with reusable plastic containers, give away stuff that someone else might need, hold garage sales. Plastic is only evil when it’s being single used and immediately thrown away. In a word, upcycle.

Lowering waste can help create a better lifestyle for students in college and for the environment. It can seem like a daunting task to live waste-free, but small changes can make a big difference. It’s not impossible as a student to make a difference for the environment.

Develop self-awareness through online personality tests SABRINA EVANS LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Self-awareness is an important aspect of improving as an individual. The best way to create self-awareness is learning to recognize one’s strengths and weaknesses and using those to their advantage. A great way to do this is through online personality tests.

Personality tests are beneficial for improving romantic relationships, friendships, work opportunities, and overall personal growth.

Personality tests are used as an assessment of a person’s traits, values, and ideals and provide a result that accurately explains their social, mental, and emotional capacity.

Some examples of these tests include MyersBriggs, True Colours, and Enneagram.

Myers-Briggs is a free test based on the theories of Carl Jung’s and Isabel Briggs Myers’ personality type theory. The test takes approximately 10 minutes complete, ; upon completion, people obtain a fourletter type formula along with a description of the type and information about the strengths associated with that type. This test is specially designed to understand one’s way of communicating with others as well as figuring out their best learning style and work ethic. Aside from that, MyersBriggs is beneficial for relationships and can help couples, friends, relatives, or work colleagues learn more about each other by comparing their results. Another test that is specially linked to Myers-Briggs is the Jung Marriage Test which can help couples assess their compatibility. Overall, the MyersBriggs test is great for those who want an introduction to personality tests and to understand themselves better. This test can be found online at www.humanmetrics. com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp.

True Colours is another free personality

test highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of an individual, but in a more descriptive way. After taking the True Colours test, people receive a color they will associate with. The test primarily focuses

personalities are impulsive, adventurous and enthusiastic. The point of this test is to help every personality type learn how to communicate and interact with one another.

This dynamic sets a strong foundation for

honest. The test takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete and it requires a dive deep into ideals, fears, insecurities, and positive traits. After answering all the questions accurately and completely, the test taker is assigned a number as their type personality. The results are Type 1: The Reformer, Type 2: The Helper, Type 3: The Achiever, Type 4: The Individualist, Type 5: The Investigator, Type 6: The Loyalist, Type 7: The Enthusiast, Type 8: The Challenger and Type 9: The Peacemaker. All these types are individually unique and provide a full description of the result along with the type’s tendencies, impulses, incapabilities, desires and capabilities. This test can be found online at www.eclecticenergies.com/ enneagram/test.

Any personality test benefits the test taker because they learn about oneself or the people around them. Learning what other people’s personalities are as well, can

Student takes personality test to learn more about her strengths and weaknesses. Photo by Natalia Zuniga

on how one works and functions in the workplace, school or within an organization.

This test is mostly recommended to assess employees in order to better understand how they can contribute to projects. The colors include blue, green, gold and orange.

Blue personality types are usually creative, emotional and harmonious. Green types are more logical, efficient and analytical.

People who get gold as their result are loyal, detail-oriented and respectful. Orange

any workplace or organization. This test can be found on www.truecolorsintl.com.

Enneagram is one of the most popular personality tests and has been widely used amongst younger generations in the past three years. What makes enneagram unique is that there are nine different results explaining the test taker’s personality in detail. This test gives students the opportunity to become fully aware of themselves because in order to get accurate results, they must be completely

help students adopt a better understanding of conflict management, collaboration and what they can provide in the workplace, the classroom or in any platonic or romantic relationship. After taking personality tests, it is highly recommended to encourage others to take the tests too in order to understand more about others and how to adapt to a group of people especially those who may have different personality traits or mental capacity.

LIFESTYLE 9

SEPT. 11, 2019 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

Utilize social media for networking and career opportunities for post graduation COURTNEY PENA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The world today runs on social media,

and it is common for college students to utilize several social media accounts such as Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Unfortunately, some of those college students

Many employers post job advertisements on Facebook. Join professional groups on Facebook that have similar interests and network with them. Post scholarly material in the group discussions. Always engage and be active in order to be recognized. Ask contacts in the professional groups if they are aware of any career openings and request referrals to people they know in the industry. It is imperative to note that unprofessional, negative, and unruly comments or pictures on Facebook can possibly hinder people from achieving employment.

Instagram is a good way to establish one’s personality while demonstrating social media skills. It is also a smart way to obtain information and insights about companies to work for. A student should make sure their Instagram account portrays a professional image before they connect with companies because employers take professionalism into consideration. When posting images or videos, make sure that they are related to the company’s product or image in order to gain their interest. Remember to tag them and use hashtags to increase the chance the company will view the post.

only care about the number of followers and likes they get on posts. However, most will be entering the workforce in four years or less, so they should care about professionally

building up their social media and social networking profiles for future careers and internships.

Beyond keeping a profile fresh and professional, it is important to stay online and be active. Have a Twitter bio that describes a professional identity rather than an immature one. Make professional connections on Twitter and interact with them. Follow those connections to develop a network of people related to professional interests. These people and companies will occasionally post job openings on Twitter which are important to view.

Tweet about topics, tips, advice, and quotes related to the professional field. Also, follow a Twitter job board because they can help find jobs that relate to the user’s industry.

LinkedIn is a social media outlet focused on making professional connections, learning more about career opportunities, and networking with industry leaders.

Therefore, a person should maintain a public up to date LinkedIn account with recent employment information so that recruiters can reach out to possible candidates.

Add some recommendation letters from professors or previous employers for an effective account. Also, proactivity is necessary while looking for a career. This can be done by participating in LinkedIn groups which are formed by companies when they intend to communicate with individuals who are interested in employment.

Graphic by Cody Rivera

MENTAL MOMENTS: Therapy is beneficial for students CAROLINA FLORES CONTRIBUTING WRITER

College is a socially tumultuous time as some students struggle to live on their own for the first time, enter their first romantic relationships or simply grapple with the question of what they are to do with their lives. Thankfully, at St. Mary’s students have access to low-cost counseling services that may aid them through any personal struggles.

There is a common misconception that therapy is for people who have reached a low point in their life. A student may seek therapy to work out interpersonal issues or because they wish to gain self-knowledge. There should be no stigma attached to counseling as it shows high emotional intelligence in knowing where there are aspects in a person’s life that could be improved. There’s also a stigma that perhaps going to therapy means one is “crazy” but many people who have undiagnosed disorders attend therapy.

Seeking counseling also does not mean that a person has few coping resources or that they do not have people in their life to help them through rough times.

However, it is important to remember that friends are not therapists, nor should

they be. Sometimes therapy can help bring objectivity to a situation. For instance, there are things called cognitive distortions— irrational thought patterns common in those with depression and anxiety—that only a trained professional may detect.

Therapists may point out cues such as using absolutes in a person’s speech, that a friend is not trained to do. Seeking wise counsel amongst trusted adults including professors, religious affiliated brothers, or other faculty members on campus can help provide better resources and advice for students.

Therapy is also more effective than psychoactive medication such as

antidepressants or anxiety medication.

While medication can help the mind to immediately adapt, the goal of therapy is to seek long-term solutions to negative thought patterns. However, psychiatric services are also available—note that they differ from counseling services—where a student may request to be evaluated by a medical professional at little cost and also possibly receive prescribed medication.

If any student seeks a diagnosis for something such as ADHD, they can book an appointment with the student psychological center to be evaluated. Dr. Thomas Matthews is the trusted psychiatrist at St. Mary’s,

Photo by Victoria Valle

he is an associate of University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He offers psychiatric evaluation and diagnosis that can help students be more aware of their mental health and possible ways to overcome any mental disabilities or trauma such as stress. Relationship counseling is also available on campus; only one partner must be a St. Mary’s student. Poor mental health can be as academically detrimental as a chronic physical illness. Students should know that going to therapy shows an active desire to get better; if they suffer from a psychological condition, scheduling a therapy appointment is the first step toward recovery. If any student requires emergency help, a counselor on duty may be accessed by calling the 24-hour crisis response at 210825-3622.

While academics should be a priority for students, mental health should always come first. College is a time for personal growth and self-awareness. The best way to do so is through reflection and counseling.

Therapy can offer students counseling from a professional to help organize one’s thoughts and bring inner peace that can be lasting throughout a student’s life even after graduation.

10 ENTERTAINMENT

EDITOR: JACOB HENSON | @STMURATTLERNEWS | SEPT. 11, 2019

Local park is the perfect adventure for students to explore IVAN BRIONES CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

San Antonio’s downtown district has undoubtedly become the capital for urban design and culture in South Texas. It is here where art and architecture meet to create spaces that foster design ingenuity and showcase the city’s rich history. Often, it is the Alamo and the River Walk that come to mind when San Antonio is mentioned, as they have rightfully become iconic destination sites for tourists and residents alike. However, there is a new project underway expected to join the Alamo city in becoming a popular travel destination “with a purpose that goes well beyond just being beautiful and enjoyable.”

Debuted to the public on May 5, 2018, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park (SPCC) is an ongoing project designed to create a worldclass linear park running through west downtown San Antonio. It is anticipated to become a center for public art, architecture and culture while upholding values of preservation and ecosystem restoration. It is designed in a way to allow for the creek’s beauty to shine through San Antonio’s dense urban district without sacrificing the natural habitat. With the first segment of phase one complete, and the second segment underway, the park already nearly

spans half a mile. When the four phases are complete, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park will span 2.2 miles, adding more than 60,000 linear feet of new walls, four miles of walking trails and 11 acres of landscape.

explorers who made camp by the same creek more than 300 years ago. More on the installment and all the other murals can be found on the San Pedro Creek Culture Park App. The app features a map to help guide

Photo by Ivan Briones

In the completed phase one, people will find the “Rain from the Heavens” public art installment, a wondrous wall of cascading waters that pays homage to the Spanish

visitors through the park, an audio walking tour where one can learn the historical and cultural meaning behind certain sites, a list of upcoming scheduled events, culture

trivia, a scavenger hunt, nearby parking options, and much more.

Segment one, phase one of SPCCP is not only a great place to relax and unwind, but also an excellent way of navigating through downtown San Antonio without having to cross busy intersections cluttered with automobiles and people. Students looking to take advantage of this park will find themselves surrounded by art and nature, which can spur a sense of inspiration in just about anyone. If students is looking to explore more of downtown San Antonio, starting at the park is a great way of doing just that, the park is located just a short walk away from the historic Main Plaza and San Fernando Cathedral. “[It is] a wonderful place to hang out with my friends on the weekend,” Amanda Figueroa, junior biology major, said.

There is an abundance of new and exciting projects coming to San Antonio. Among those is the San Antonio Creek Culture Park that is not yet a huge destination site, but rather a hidden gem worth visiting now. For those interested, look forward to upcoming events like Yoga on the Creek, SATX fashion week, and more updates on the park’s progress listed on the event calendar and newsletter/blog.

The best movie theaters for students to enjoy watching films MIGUEL RAMIREZ CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

With the start of another fall semester, students will be dedicated to classes, homework, and the community. However, there might be time for students to go exploring around the city and find new places to enjoy.

Cinemas are a place to enjoy watching new and even classic movies. With upcoming movies this fall, such as “IT Chapter Two” in September and “Joker” in October, it may be helpful to know places in San Antonio that provide a unique movie-going experience.

For movie lovers, or anyone looking for a dinein movie experience, the Alamo Drafthouse Park North is the place to go and is less than 10 miles from St. Mary’s.

With new blockbusters playing every month, there’s no need to wait in long lines and reserve a seat, tickets can be purchased online. Some of the Alamo Drafthouse’s major events include: classic movie events

for throwbacks and anniversaries, Q&As with special guests from famous movies and TV shows, TriviaDome, a public night of film trivia, every Monday evening, and occasionally dance and movie parties.

“I’m not a movie buff, but real movie lovers would love Alamo Drafthouse,” said

Photo by Cody Rivera

Ana-Sophia Boyd, freshman criminal justice major. “They have so many events to go to.

It’s so much fun.”

Their dining options include a standard concessions menu of various entrees, a snack menu, and even a vegetarian menu.

“The food was really good,” said Bridget Horta, freshman forensic science major.

“The service was convenient and fast.”

But if major blockbusters are too mainstream, the Santikos Entertainment Bijou is dedicated to independent films. This cinema is located at the Wonderland of the Americas mall off Fredericksburg Rd; less than five miles from St. Mary’s.

leave the theater.

“While the Bijou may not have [every] blockbuster, it’s still a movie-oriented place,” said Valerie Vela, freshman English major. “I enjoyed going there frequently when I was in middle school and high school.”

Having remodeled earlier this year, the Bijou’s in-theater seating were improved to recline and come with an attachable table for eating. With this upgrade the Bijou guarantees a comfortable movie experience to catch some of the latest films, such as “The Farewell.”

Additionally, both the Alamo Drafthouse Photo by Cody Rivera North Park and Santikos Entertainment Bijou The Bijou has usual concessions with accommodate people with disabilities items such as popcorn, beverages, candy, and can provide closed captioning and salads, hot dogs, burgers, vegetarian assisted-listening. options, and more. Yet, the best part of So whether it’s going on a date, going ordering concessions is the dine-in theater out with friends, or even going out alone, system, which allows customers to order these two unique cinemas are a great way food from their seat, restaurant style. With to decompress with a popcorn, soda, and this experience the customer never has to candy that will sure come in handy.

ENTERTAINMENT 11

SEPT. 11, 2019 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

PhiloCoffee and 5 Points Local brew with aesthetic recipes SAMUEL E. VEGA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

tables outside. It is located on 1017 N. Flores, near downtown and their mantra is “Breathe, Nourish, and Connect.” 5 Points Local offers a variety of food options but the handmade BLT Club served with Texas bacon, mashed avocado, beefsteak, organic sliced tomato and butter lettuce, with honey mustard aioli is lovely and grand.

5 Points Local focuses on vegetarian, vegan, and paleo options but also serves carnivore options. As a 100 percent gluten free restaurant with morning, lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, and breakfast served all day, 5 Points Local is locally-owned and offers farm-to-table menu which supports local producers and farmers in South Texas.

5 Points Local is four miles; 12 to 13 minutes by car or 22 minutes by bus from campus; bus 82, with a transfer bus.

Their staff is friendly and generous. The lunch crowd on a Friday is made up of businesspeople from downtown, college students, and yogis—there’s a yoga studio on their second floor inside the shop. As such, the business stresses creating a healthy and well-round community through yoga, food, and connections.

Wi-Fi is available, but student discounts are not offered. Parking is available on-site and on street; normally, the shop is open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. PhiloCoffee and 5 Points Local offer peaceful settings to study, meet new people, and, of course, enjoy a cup of coffee. Grab a meal or coffee off campus once in a while.

Like coffee or need a place to study off campus? Here are two great places near campus worth visiting.

PhiloCoffee is a small cafe next to San Antonio College (SAC) located at 606 W. French Place. PhiloCoffee offers a wide range of coffees, teas, foods, and chill environment to study and meet people. Their motto is “Good Coffee - No Bull.” Following their opening in 2018, the shop hopes to have a second location in five years. PhiloCoffee has five, medium-sized tables inside and six larger tables outside. All tables have room for workspace, including laptops, textbooks or anything else needed for homework or studying.

The young, diverse, and welcoming staff makes delicious and strong coffee; the customers are normally from the local community and the people socialize, relax, and refresh mostly to enjoying themselves.

Additionally, PhiloCoffee gives a 10 percent student discount, so bring your student ID. Wi-Fi is available to hit up those online classes, but parking is limited so plan accordingly.

PhiloCoffee is approximately four miles; 13 minutes by car and 28 minutes by bus— bus 82; catch it in front of the university— from St. Mary’s; and is open seven days a week but only from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The other snazzy eatery and coffeehouse, 5 Points Local is a rustic-chic place with wooden tables inside and turquoise, metal

PhiloCoffee (pronounced ‘philosophy’) delivers a humorous welcome,“Good Coffee - No Bull,” students discounts, free Wi-Fi, and hot cups of coffee. | Photo by Samuel E. Vega

For students who love pancakes topped with toasted pecans, bananas, and maple syrup, breakfast and of course coffee are served all day at 5 Points. | Photo by Samuel E. Vega

Chop stress away with the new pastime of hatchet throwing sports science and Olivia Jared, senior biology major were able to try out the sport at Class Axe Throwing, located in downtown San Antonio. Paired with two other people, the

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Deciding on a Friday night activity with a group of indecisive college kids is almost never easy. Movies don’t always allow for conversation, bars can be too loud, and picking a Netflix show in a group of more than three people can get messy. When the options start to run low, there are new

on

JORDAN KUPCZYNSKI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

trends that can make for a good time. These days axe throwing has garnered much attention.

Two students, Aaron Gahagan, senior exercise and

group w a s instructed by a man who called himself ‘Axe Boyfriend’ to create

their own ‘puntastic’ nicknames. Gahagan chose the name ‘Axron’ and Jared became ‘Axetastic.’

The group began by spending five minutes going over basic rules of throwing, safety tips, and the best forms for throwing.

Twenty minutes were then dedicated to get acclimated with weapon throwing before the ‘Axe Boyfriend’ pulled everyone back together for the remaining time: team and solo games. Gahagan was the champion of the games and was awarded a ‘LUMBERLORD’ stamp across his forearm.

“Overall, it was incredibly fun,” Gahagan said. “It felt weird to be a part of those trends, like the little weird things that pop up like escape rooms, but it felt really good to show off.”

Both Gahagan and Jared agreed they want to do it again and the experience is a great group activity. Class Axe Throwing allows up to groups of 12 people per time slot, giving people a flexible amount of space to fill with friends and newfound friends who are willing to give the sport a try.

“It was something that I didn’t know that I would want to experience or do until I actually did it, Jared said. “You feel powerful when you throw it, and it is very rewarding when you hit the bullseye.”

There are two axe throwing locations

in San Antonio, Class Axe Throwing and Stumpy’s Hatchet House. Both are easy to get to and the commute is about 16 minutes away from campus, without traffic. Class Axe Throwing has a minimum age of 12 and has a rate of $32 per person for 1 1/2 hours, and Stumpy’s Hatchet House has a

“

It was something that I didn’t know that I would want to experience or do until I actually did it. You feel powerful when you throw it, and it is very rewarding when you hit the bullseye.”

Olivia Jared senior biology major minimum age of 21 and has a rate of $25 per person with time intervals of one hour.

Reservations must be made and waivers must be completed online prior to the event time. Payments are made in full on both of the businesses’ websites and do not include a refund option.

The next time there is a pause in making plans with a friend group, suggest axe throwing. It’s unique, enlivening and an experience waiting to be taken advantage of.

It’s a matchless way to let off steam, especially when assuming punny axe related personas.

Plus, it doesn’t hurt to throw sharp weapons at wooden slabs.

12 SPORTS

EDITOR:TAWNY DAVIS |@STMURATTLERNEWS | SEPT. 11, 2019

St. Mary’s athletics begin new year in Lone Star Conference VICTORIA VILLANUEVA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After 20 years of being a part of the Heartland Conference, St. Mary’s has moved to the Lone Star Conference joining schools such as St. Edward’s University, Lubbock Christian University, and Dallas Baptist University.

The change has been received by many of the athletic programs as a positive one that will ultimately challenge St. Mary’s athletes.

“We’re going to be competing against the top teams in our region and our goal is to be one of those top teams,” said softball coach Donna Fields.

The conference contains 20 schools which allows for a bigger number of athletes to be present within the conference. This also provides each program with the opportunity to grow their own capacity to win. Similarly, the coaches recognized one major issue with the Heartland Conference

was there was significant instability in that schools would frequently leave the conference after choosing to go a different direction athletically.

Ultimately, the coaches feel positive about the new opportunities the conference change holds. However, the coaches do recognize there are some inherent disadvantages with

the change in conference.

“The disadvantages is it’s a new process… our conference schedule is different, so there’s a lot of changes in how you prepare so after doing it for so many years you’re just going to have to make some adjustments,” Fields said.

The change in conference means a change

Graphic by Victoria Valle

of scheduling for all the sports teams.

Softball, specifically, is changing from an either three or four game series against the same team in one weekend to playing two double headers against different teams in the same weekend. There are other changes for other sports as well, which means that all programs under St. Mary’s athletics will have to quickly adapt to these changes. Similarly, the new size of the league increases the level of competition.

Still, with these adjustments and inherent changes each coach is eager to jump into the season and battle it out on the court and field and the players as well are looking forward to the new challenges that they will face.

“We look forward to the upcoming challenges and establishing something that [the student body] will be really proud of and excited to watch,” said men’s basketball coach Jim Zeleznak.

Rattlers ranked high in their first Lone Star preseason poll LARRY RODRIGUEZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Last month, the Lonestar Conference released their preseason rankings for men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball. As St. Mary’s gears up to enter its first season in the Lonestar Conference, the preseason rankings are important.

Preseason polls are based on the votes of head coaches and sports information directors in the region. The Rattler volleyball team is projected to finish the season ninth ahead of St. Edwards University. The women’s soccer program is projected to finish the season 10th ahead of Midwestern State. The men’s soccer team is also projected to finish fourth this season just behind St. Edward’s University.

With volleyball finishing with an overall record of 14 wins and 15 losses, they have a lot more to prove this year.

Jasmine Sims, sophomore exercise and sports science major, believes the rankings are motivation to succeed.

“Our preseason ranking of nine definitely makes us want to work harder during practice in order to place higher by the end of season,” Sims said. “The ranking gives us a foundation and standard that we are working hard to surpass.”

Head coach of the women’s soccer program, Corwyn Ritch, doesn’t believe

that the rankings hold much weight due to the constant change that teams go through.

He looks to prepare the team despite any ranking.

“I don’t put much weight into the preseason polls, to be honest,” Ritch said.

“Every year there are changes on rosters line-ups and sometimes coaching staffs which can have a direct effect on the season’s outcome. We do our best to prepare for every game to do our best for the overall season despite what a poll might suggest.”

The men’s soccer program is projected to place fourth in the conference. Midwestern State leads the polls as a clear favorite and former Heartland Conference opponents, St. Edwards University, finished third in the polling. After coming off an extremely successful year the Rattlers hope to capture a conference title.

Much of the men’s soccer team is confident about the upcoming season.

Junior exercise and sports science major and midfielder Oliver Wright along with the team knows capturing the conference title won’t be easy. However, he believes that with the right mix of hard work and confidence the team can come out on top.

“We are feeling confident about this upcoming season,” Wright said. “We have a lot of new faces, and we’ve all gelled as a team, so we have high expectations for sure. Our

Jasmine Sims goes up for a spike during the Blue and White scrimmage.| Photo by Cody Rivera

goal is to win the conference. We’re under no illusion that it’s going to be difficult, but we’re a confident and hardworking bunch, and we all have that goal in mind.”

Wright’s teammate, midfielder Liam Morrison, junior exercise and sports science major, agrees that himself and the team are confident this year.

“This year feels different than it did last year,” Morrison said, “the team all together has the same mindset and the same goal for

the year and I think that if we work together as a team we can accomplish all of them and even more, we just have to work hard.”

The next home game for the men’s soccer team will be on Sept. 21 against Midwestern State, the next women’s home game is Sept.

19 against Northwestern Oklahoma State, and volleyball’s next home game will be against Eastern New Mexico University on Sept. 27.

The men’s soccer team play against each other during a practice scrimmage.| Photo by Cody Rivera

Anikah Maher defends the ball against opposing team during a match.| Photo by Cody Rivera