Vol. 109 Issue No. 6 3/11/2021

Vol 109 | Issue 6 | March 11, 2021 | San Antonio, Texas

University community braves historical Texas winter storm

Photo by Ryann Cervantes

Photo by Bryann Cervantes

Photo by William Rybicki

ELIZABETH PEREZ COPY EDITOR

The snowstorm that hit Texas this past February came as an exciting, wintery surprise at first, but the harsh weather took its toll on the infrastructure,

Photo by Larry Rodriguez Shea

power grid, food and water supplies of a state largely unaccustomed to freezing weather conditions.

The St. Mary’s campus was no different and experienced its own struggles throughout the harsh weather. The campus was blanketed in snow from the storm and

students took the opportunity to enjoy the rare winter weather. But with the flurries of snow came issues and damages to the utilities across campus. Residence halls faced issues of burst pipes, loss of power and more. However, the essential workers of St. Mary’s stepped up to face the challenges

Photo by Marina Rodriguez

brought on by the winter storm, notably the university police, Aramark dining staff, residence life staff and facilities team.

Mark Sanchez, electrical team leader at St. Mary’s, knows how to handle the unexpected along with his team.

CONTINUED ON PG. 10

NEWS

OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

PG.2

PG.6

PG.13

PG.16

St. Mary’s celebrates 40 days of Lent

State response to winter storm

Rattlers enjoy historic snowfall

Volleyball team on COVID challenges

2 NEWS

EDITOR: POLINA PROTOZANOVA | @STMURATTLERNEWS | MARCH 11, 2021

University receives $1.6 million through the CRRSAA THE RATTLER

WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS MEETINGS

SAMANTHA RUVALCABA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The federal government has granted the university $1.6 million through its second Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) to provide emergency financial aid grants to students during the pandemic.

TUESDAY, MARCH 16 5 p.m.

ZOOM Meeting ID: 949 1578 3128

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Graphic by Polina Protozanova

The Office of Financial Assistance sent students an email notice of the new Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplement Appropriation Act (CRRSAA) on Feb. 23, along with the deadline of May 14--or until the funding is exhausted--to apply.

This is the second economic rescue bill that has been passed for HEERF to distribute to colleges

The Rattler upholds the Mission Statements of St. Mary’s University. The publication follows the Canons of Responsible Journalism, the Associated Press Stylebook and the Student Publication Policy. The Rattler is a member of the Associate Collegiate Press, the College Media Association and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.

POLICY ON NEWSPAPER THEFT Due to high production costs, members of the St. Mary’s University community are permitted one copy per issue. Where available, additional copies may be purchased (for 50 cents each) by contacting The Rattler newsroom. Newspaper theft is a crime. Those who violate the single copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution and/or subject to university discipline.

EDITORIAL STATEMENT The content published in the Rattler is the responsibility of each respective writer. The views expressed in the staff editorial reflect the views of the majority of the editorial staff.

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.

We must be sensitive, not sensationalistic; reasonable, not ridiculous; balanced, not bitter.

addition to these funds, the University Alumni Association, President Mengler and his wife Mona contributed to last year’s Rattler Impact Scholarship that was open to all students regardless of their federal aid eligibility.

“We’re committed to serving students from all walks of life, who come from all kinds of socioeconomic circumstances, regardless of what aid they’re eligible for,” Alderman said.

Outside of the two bills, exists the university’s Student Emergency Fund that was established prior to COVID-19 and is mostly funded by donors. This application is open to all university students even if they are not eligible for federal funds and is available on a rolling basis.

Alderman added that the Office of the Dean of Students, Office of Financial Assistance and Office of Student Retention all try to work with students undergoing any economic hardship regardless of their eligibility.

“Some students have requested funds for things that would not be considered a need and that’s a tough conversation to have. But we have to have that [conversation] in order to then have enough to meet the need,” Alderman said.

Students can access the CRRSAA and Student Emergency Fund applications on the Gateway portal under the COVID-19 Resources section.

Campus community celebrates 40 Days of Lent and Service agrees with the issue of justice highlighted that week.

Virtual participants can make monetary 40 Days of Lent and Service has been or in-kind donations to the nonprofit. one of the most highlighted events at St. The activities are designed to assist the Mary’s University for the last six years.

St. Mary’s community members in their It focuses on offering various service spiritual growth, relationship with Jesus opportunities through which campus Christ and with each other. community members can join together Students can register to participate and volunteer with the many non-profit in these events through Give Pulse on organizations in San Antonio. This Gateway. Faith always finds its ways event started with Continuing the to make possible the unthinkable Heritage (CTH) in association with and the refocusing of the 40 Days Catholic Charities. program and adaptation to these Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, extraordinary circumstances is the Office of Community Engagement an example of the willingness has reimagined how the community of the St. Mary’s community to might become involved in faith and continue serving. service this spring. For this Lenten The topics covered during these Season, the Office of Community six weeks allow the entire St. Mary’s Engagement recentered the 40 community to learn, reflect and Days program around faith and take action upon the growing tradition through fasting, prayer and inequalities in the United Sates and almsgiving, which follow the customs the whole world. Lent is a season of the Catholic Church. of rediscovering, reassuring and a Each week of Lent has a different renewal of our commitment with focus on a specific topic of social Marianist brothers and sisters, justice and opportunities to especially those who need it the participate will be offered both inmost. Nevertheless, it is important to person and virtually. The topics being remember that the need for help and reflection does not stop once Lenten explored include racism, food and season is over, students continuing housing insecurity, immigration, climate change, educational MLP students at the Lent and ervice events.| Photo by Iliana Mallet to help others and making sacrifices can be key. inequalities and criminal justice. Sarah The schedule for Lent and service events Uhlig, a student in the Marianist Leadership evening; all events are available both inProgram and leader in 40 Days spoke about person and virtually. On Wednesdays from and topics for each week of the 40 Days 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. students are invited to is as follows: what inspired these events.

Week 1: Feb. 22-26 - Racism “I believe the reality of how people are participate in a day of fasting; those attending Week 2: March 1-5 - Criminal Justice being treated in our world today needed in person join the Office of Community Week 3: March 8-12 - Immigration to be discussed and St. Mary’s provides Engagement to break the fast that evening Week 4: March 15-19 - Climate Change opportunities for us to do that,” Uhlig and receive a to-go meal and virtual Week 5: March 22-26 - Food & said. “We have organized these topics to participants can join via Zoom. On Fridays, be discussed for a period of six weeks and almsgiving events include participating in an Housing Insecurity Week 6: March 29-April 1 each topic will have three events: one prayer, afternoon of service from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at one service and one fasting. It permits our one of the nonprofit partners, whose mission Educational Inequalities JOSE CHAMAN STAFF WRITER

STANDARDS

and universities.

Through the first act, Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the university distributed an estimated $1.5 million in emergency financial aid grants to students through Dec. 30. Out of the 2,300 students eligible for the CARES Act, a total of 1,134 students received grants.

For both acts, only students who are eligible under Title IV can apply, excluding undocumented students and students in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program from the federal relief aid.

While democrats fought for the inclusion of undocumented students in COVID-19 aid, both bills were passed before democratic President Joe Biden entered office.

“CRRSAA passed right before the new president took over,” said vice provost for enrollment management Rosalind Alderman.

“And there was discussion of ‘Would the new president broaden that?’ But that has not been done formally.”

Both CARES Act and CRRSAA have two components -- a portion of which goes directly to student emergency grants and the rest is left for the institution’s choosing on where to apply the funds.

Alderman said that the university used some of the funds designated for the institution of the CARES Act package to provide alternative economic relief for students ineligible for the CARES Act. In

community members, virtual and in person, to engage in prayer and conversation with others.”

The events scheduled for 40 Days are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

On Mondays, events are held from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. and are days of inclusive prayer, reflecting a commitment to better understanding justice through spirituality and conclude with a prayer service in the

NEWS 3

MARCH 11, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.

Winter storm “Uri” disrupts the Spring refresh day and residential students RYAN ESTES CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Three to six inches of snow fell in the San Antonio area on the night of Feb. 14. The chilly blast was part of the North American winter storm that ranged from Feb. 13 to 17. Many St. Mary’s students spent the first of their spring refresh days, Feb. 15 and 16, enjoying a rare sight in the Lone Star State by making snow angels, building snowmen and having snowball fights. However, the snow days were not entirely enjoyable as the snow caused power and water outages across the city.

Timothy Bessler, vice provost and dean of students, commented on the impact of the storm on student life, residential services and university events.

Bessler said that even though the University canceled classes through Feb. 19 due to the inclement weather, it was not a relaxing week. Resident students feared losing power, heat and water. According to Bessler, the biggest challenge was providing support staff for residents in order to maintain campus infrastructure and food stability.

The storm caused roads to ice over, creating slick and dangerous driving conditions.

However, many St. Mary’s staff members braved the elements to keep the campus facilities warm and running. Bessler was thankful for those who navigated the icy

roads to assist in this task, and mentioned that some staff who helped were given the option to stay in Treadaway Hall from Sunday night to Friday morning.

Apart from the cancellation of classes and university events through Feb. 19, there was no change to the academic calendar or spring refresh days. Many events that were meant to take place the week of Feb. 15 through 19, such as the Community Dialogue on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion had to be rescheduled. The willingness of the St. Mary’s staff to work and ensure all resident students had power, heat and water alleviated some concerns of disruptions to facility services.

Tim O’Dekirk, senior communication studies major, said that when he was not in his room, he went out with a friend to make snow angels together and throw snowballs at each other. He also built a five-foot-tall snowman with Brother Brian. Similar to Bessler, O’Dekirk said the extended ‘vacation’ did not feel like a break.

“I still had assignments due; all my classes are virtual and asynchronous online, so it was no different. I still had stuff to do despite the power outages,” said O’Dekirk.

While resident students had power throughout the week, many commuters had to deal with the lack of internet while trying to do homework. Some students who lost power had to live with relatives who had functioning

power and studying had to be limited to Student Services/Student Emergency Fund. reading from physical textbooks. Such issues Expenses typically covered by the fund were what prompted the university to cancel include replacement of essential personal classes through belongings due the end of the to natural disaster week in the first and assistance place; students with rent or were unable to utilities due to attend online an emergency classes due to situation.

In a lack of power. order to apply, Students all other possible who are still resources must feeling the be considered effects of the and labeled storm can unavailable apply for or insufficient assistance from and students the Student must be able to Emergency provide sufficient Fund. Created documentation of to aid students f i n a n c i a l in financial hardship. While need, the the storm caused S t u d e n t infrastructure Emergency p r o b l e m s Fund is made throughout San possible

by Rattler Dr. during the storm.| Photo by Marina Rodriguez Antonio, the donations commendable from alumni, staff, faculty and tenacity of the St. Mary’s staff kept resident students to the Rattlers Helping students warm and fed. As a result, Rattlers Rattlers Campaign. were able to enjoy the weather, creating snow If students need financial assistance, they angels, snowmen and memories with friends can apply for aid on Gateway, under Services/ and family.

University partners with Project Quest to hold career guidance workshops SAUL CONTRERAS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

St. Mary’s University, the City of San Antonio and Project Quest, a local organization tasked with helping people find employment, have partnered up to host workforce development programs.

This initiative is intended to help those in the community affected by COVID-19 layoffs find quality employment.

These services are hosted by the St. Mary’s Department of Communication Studies through Project Quest. Bill Israel Ph.D., who oversees the program, expressed his confidence in St. Mary’s hosting this service.

“In talking to my other colleagues around our department and to an array of people around campus, it became clear that there was a great interest in St. Mary’s [as a host for Project Quest],” Israel said.

“It is an institution that is committed to it’s community and especially to helping people who may have been shortchanged in getting the skills they need to succeed. … What this is, is a chance to cut through four years of effort and boil it down to a couple of different workshops.”

There are certain eligibility requirements for those applying to these workshops.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, have a high school diploma or GED, U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident or eligible to work in the U.S., committed to train in an approved career track and commit to working full time for 18 months upon completion of the training program.

The activities at these workshops are aimed at assisting applicants in identifying areas of strength and interests, ways to use modern job search tools like LinkedIn and Indeed, resume and cover letter coaching, effective interview and

non-verbal communication coaching and developing the “elevator pitch” delivery.

These workshops are free of charge to all participants.

The university offers The Rattler Focus and Rattler Readiness workshop programs, each serving a different purpose. The Rattler Focus Program asks residents to consider if they need assistance figuring out what industry to explore and helps

as for the Rattler Readiness workshops, upcoming dates are scheduled on March 22-26 and April 12-16 virtually from 9 a.m. to noon. Both scheduled sessions for the Rattler Readiness workshops take place Monday through Friday.

Besides attending the workshops, there are other ways to get involved, such as volunteering. The program is looking for anyone ranging from students, faculty,

Students during one of the Rattler Readiness meetings on Zoom. | Photo by Katherine Lehman-Meyer

participants become aware of their strengths and interests so that they can apply this information to the workplace.

The Rattler Readiness Program is geared towards the applicants who are already aware of these skills, therefore, its focus is on providing participants with jobhunting skills.

These workshops are meant to be experienced virtually over the course of three consecutive days. The Rattler Focus workshops have already passed but

community members and even business owners interested in helping. Duties such as facilitating workshops, conducting mock interviews and if possible, hiring the workshop graduates are the suggested methods of aiding the program.

While workshops provided at St. Mary’s offer resume and job-hunting skills, other sites for Project Quest, such as the University of Incarnate Word, hold more technical classes - ranging from hospitality management to nursing. The reason for

the difference in St. Mary’s University’s theme is to give people the confidence and communication skills needed for them to flourish in the current job market. This way, the participants can meet the requirements for applying to jobs with growing markets.

Throughout the pandemic, more than 140,000 people have lost their job here in San Antonio. This program stands to give hope to many students who are graduating soon and to offer help to those looking to pay their bills by offering a chance at reliable skills and employment. With the economic recovery still far from sight, the university expects to see more people dependent on these types of programs.

“St. Mary’s is, like many institutions, in a tight budget situation,” Israel said.

“This has taken commitment not only on the part of communications studies but on the part of our dean and on the part of our provost. It hasn’t been easy, there is some revenue that’s come from this that has covered the expenses of doing this [and] it’s a tight time, but it is consistent with St. Mary’s commitment to community. We are grateful that we have had the support to do that.”

The program’s objective to help residents and others find a job fits right in with the university’s Marianist charism to educate for service, justice and peace and integrity of creation. With the current unemployment rate in San Antonio standing at 6.4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the university and its partners are following their mission statement by trying their best to mitigate the effects of the pandemic.

The Project Quest application can be found on the St. Mary’s University home website at www.stmarytx.edu. and the application link is located on the following webpage.

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6 OPINION

EDITOR: SEANA BARCLAY | @STMURATTLERNEWS | MARCH 11, 2021

Aftermath of winter storm sparks discussion surrounding state’s response MONSERRAT GARCIA STAFF WRITER

When Texas residents checked the weather predictions for February, many were baffled by the thought of possibly having snow for the first time in years.

Texas is known for its extremely hot climate making predictions of snow unlikely, but after the events of this past February, people’s assumptions will differ from here on.

“

This should be a warning like any other storm that will happen in the future but again if safety is not required, no one will change because that’s too costly.”

Baptiste Pousset senior electrical engineering major

Since no one expected a snowstorm in Texas, let alone the severe casualties that occurred because of it, Texans had practically no time to grasp the gravity of the situation and prepare. This raised the question of how effective the Texas state government is and how they can improve.

Sophomore political science major Maximillian Morise said the events of the snowstorm shall define the Texas state government’s reliance on the federal government.

“I do believe the circumstances will, begrudgingly, force many Texans to not only come to reconcile views on regulation of our state’s energy economy, but also on accepting and requesting federal aid,” Morise said. … “As the abnormal and disastrous events

increase in the future -- which, considering the current trends regarding Texas’s bizarre and sporadic climate, they likely will -- the Texas government will end up having to rely on federal assistance far more, not wishing for another disaster like the Valentine’s Day snowstorm to occur again.”

Morise argued that the Texas government officials are at fault for lives that were lost and the countless others put at risk during the snowstorm.

“The lack of awareness regarding environmental issues that have continued to arise in the state of Texas led to our state government becoming increasingly complacent and failing to ensure the safety a n d security of millions in our state,” Morise said.

“Which [then] led to the chaotic events that unfolded during the snowstorm where entire cities were left without electricity, hundreds of pipelines failed and even burst and over a dozen [people] died as a result.”

Senior communication studies major Jack Wittenberg does not think the winter storm will impact the way the Texas state government accepts or declines help in the future.

“If Texas is in crisis and the federal government offers aid, the state will accept it as it has in the past following a state of emergency such as Hurricane Harvey,”

said Wittenberg.

In contrast with Morise, Wittenberg believes there was no way the state government could have taken steps to prepare and alleviate the damage from the snowstorm.

“It was a ‘dumpster fire’ due to the fact the state governor did not work with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to take steps before the event, even though they had ample time to take steps that would have mitigated, but not completely eliminated, the damage,” Wittenberg said. “For example, public service announcements to help Graphic by D prepare emi Bestor citizens their own homes and emergency supplies and or provisions before the snowstorms.”

Similar to Wittenberg, s e n i o r e l e c t r i c a l engineering major Baptiste Pousset does not think the snowstorm will impact the way the Texas state government handles aid from the federal government.

“Texas has an independent spirit that won’t let them accept aid from anyone,” said Pousset. “This should be a warning like any other storm that will happen in the future, but again if safety is not required, no one will change because it’s too costly.”

Wittenberg had several ideas on how

Texas could prevent mishandling future emergencies such as this one, including the winterizing of powerplants and the establishment of alternative power sources.

He even suggested additional actions students can take to help their communities in crisis. “[Students should] help out after any state of emergency by volunteering at emergency distribution sites and offering personal help to those living in the St. Mary’s Gateway District,” Wittenberg said. “If students want to make an impact on a larger scale, they can become involved in local politics and put pressure on city councils to prepare our public utilities and infrastructures to better withstand future emergencies.”

“It is incredibly important now that this new generation of educated students be aware of issues and problems within our state and we cannot allow this event to simply be forgotten and left in the past. If we forget our history, no matter how painful it is, we shall be doomed to repeat our prior mistakes,” said Morise.

It is important to look upon the mistakes made during this past storm and grow from them as the state continues moving forward, especially in this case as there is no way of knowing when Texas might freeze like that again. Furthermore, a situation like this must not be trivialized due to the lives, property and money lost during the snowstorm.

A community cannot survive situations like these unless everyone works together to prepare for another record-breaking winter storm.

St. Mary’s current grading scale does not benefit students’ academic careers SEANA BARCLAY OPINION EDITOR

St. Mary’s University, like thousands of other universities across the United States, uses the coveted plus/minus grading scale.

College students across the nation look to those pluses and minuses for the fruits of their labor in all of the classes throughout their college career.

“

“If a student works hard enough to traditionally receive an A plus then they deserve that recognition. I think it could help motivate students to achieve grades beyond a 93 and higher than a plain A.”

Claudia Sanchez junior history major

At St. Mary’s, GPAs and transcripts are for many students what controls their future academic endeavors and something that requires a constant effort that students must put forth to maintain. But most notably, and confusingly, here at St. Mary’s, an A plus

“I thought it was pretty unfair that we

This can cause students to feel like there is

A on a transcript here at St. Mary’s but

included a minus but not a plus when it

no point in putting their best foot forward

a standalone A in an otherwise plus and

comes to the A grade when there is a plus

in their classes if the best grade they can

minus grading scale might lead to confusion

for B and C,” junior English major Andrea

get is capped at only an A in an otherwise

and, in the worst case, rejection in any

Moreno said.

unaltered plus and minus grading scale.

academic endeavors St. Mary’s graduates

“I think being able to get an A plus is

“If a student works hard enough to

might pursue in the future. The last thing

something

traditionally receive an A

any college graduate wants post-graduation

students

plus then they deserve that

is an opportunity to pass them by because of

should be able

recognition,” Sanchez said. “I

something as small as a tick mark next to a

to do,” senior

think it could help motivate

letter grade.

psychology

students

major Gabby

to

achieve

current scale. “Keeping the grading system

Rivera

said.

g r a d e s

as it is, is only hurting those who get lower

“If [students]

beyond

A grades from keeping their GPA up,”

work

a 93 and

Moreno said.

hard

Moreno still argued against keeping the

in a class for

higher

to

However, Rivera looks at the situation

an

plus,

get a grade

a bit differently. “A possible benefit [to

should

higher than

not including an A plus] could be that the

a plain A.”

grading for an A vs. an A plus is easier. You

A

they

be allowed to have one.”

“I don’t

“I don’t understand what

we

in the system you would need to get possibly

reason the university would

s h o u l d

higher than a 95 for that A plus,” Rivera said.

agree to not give their students an

add a plus

Ultimately, while the university is not

but I think

likely to change its current grading system

we

should

in any form any time soon, it is best that

A plus if they deserve that grade,” junior history major Claudia Sanchez echoed.

think

could get an A with a 95, but with an A plus

Graphic by Demi Bestor

remove the minus. I think a letter system

St. Mary’s students continue to do their

is not included as a part of the university’s

Without a plus to balance out the A

without a minus or plus is less stressful for

best in all academic pursuits now and

grading scale. This naturally can be a source

minus on the grading scale, students end

students and therefore more beneficial,”

in the future. The education received in

of confusion for many students who don’t

up feeling a bit helpless when it comes to

Moreno said.

college matters more than a letter grade

understand the point of not including an A

trying to raise their GPA or balancing out

Certainly, getting rid of the A minus

plus to balance out the scale.

a less than stellar grade in a different class.

would increase the value of the standard

on a report card ever will, especially in the world beyond academia.

OPINION 7

MARCH 11, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

Students pleased with university’s on-campus response to the winter storm

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief Samantha Ruvalcaba Managing Editor Demi Bestor Copy Editor Elizabeth Perez Layout and Design Sara Regassa Advertising Manager Sofia Ruescas Photo Editor Ivan Briones Web Editor Briana Bailey News Editor Polina Protozanova Lifestyle Editor Gerardo Niño Pozos Opinion Editor Seana Barclay Entertainment Editor Jacob A. Henson Sports Editor Larry Rodriguez-Shea Faculty Adviser Ana Bendaña

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.

or

iB est

em

many students outside to witness this rare occurrence on campus, many taking time to play around and enjoy the snow. Little did they know that the snow would keep coming for the rest of the week instead a simple few days and cause a myriad of problems across the campus, the city and the state.

Nothing could have prepared St. Mary’s University, or anyone in Texas really, for the week that would follow but that week will remain ingrained in the memories of many Texans for years to come.

February’s winter storm caused power blackouts all over campus, water systems were shut down due to contaminated water, some residence halls experienced flooding due to burst pipes and all regularly scheduled

yD

Andrew Tran senior accounting and data analytics major

ic b

“

It was nice to see the that the university mentioned and emphasized the safety of students on campus.”

from the university on how the situation on campus was going and what was going to happen in the coming days.

The daily communication between the university and the St. Mary’s community both on and off campus was a great way to know that they were thinking about the community and their safety.

The communication was not limited to just the near daily emails, many of the university’s social media pages also took the time to try and communicate any situations happening a r o u n d c a m p u s quickly and effectively as the situations arose.

The university’s dining services Instagram page went on to discuss what was going on with dining services around campus especially during the water situation brought on by the storm. However, that was only through the social media page; on the Campus Dish page the normal hours were still being displayed.

The Residence Life page would also go on to post information about various events and activities that had been postponed and information about both the power and water ph

The sun has been shining bright, the temperature has been in the 70s. It is hard to even imagine that about two weeks ago, the St. Mary’s campus was covered in snow and the whole state of Texas was hit with one of the biggest winter storms in its history.

The first flurries of snow brought

university activities were canceled. Many people around campus discussed the university’s response to the situation in the past few weeks following the historic storm.

According to senior accounting and data analytics major Andrew Tran, “It was nice to see that the university mentioned and emphasized safety for the students on campus. They did put some signage around campus, there were roadblocks so that people wouldn’t enter some areas.”

Traversing from one end of campus to another was a struggle for many oncampus residents as the sidewalks weren’t always properly salted and most dorms are a decent walk away from the University Center.

“There were still a lot of areas that were unsafe and icy that caused s o m e problems for students going from the village to the central part of campus,” Tran said.

It seemed that the university did a commendable job when it came to discussing what was going on around campus during that week. Students received plenty of emails

Gra

DIDIER CADENA STAFF WRITER

outages that were happening in the dorms at the time as well as across the whole city of San Antonio.

The university also took some steps to adjust the hours of various locations on campus with mainly the Diamondback Café and Chick-fil-A being the only food sources on campus that remained open for oncampus residents.

A lot of praise is due to the Diamondback Café and Chick-fil-A employees for keeping those living on campus fed throughout that week. It was not easy for them to travel to work and have to deal with and work around the weather in the process. Words cannot express how grateful the St. Mary’s community truly is for them and what they have done for the residents.

Nothing could have prepared the university, or anyone really, for the week of the winter storm. While there are things that the university could have done differently or better, they still did their best to help the St. Mary’s community. The various university employees who had to work did an excellent job of providing for those who remained on campus.

Saying that it was a rough week is an extreme understatement, but words cannot truly describe how much of an ordeal it was to go through, thankfully the university did its best to make it a bit easier for everyone on campus.

Unease grows in regard to loosening COVID guidelines ANGELINA CASIANO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This semester St. Mary’s University has implemented less strict safety guidelines for students and staff despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. There are no temperature checks for students entering the Charles L. Cotrell Learning Commons.

Students have noticed that the mask rules on campus are not as heavily enforced as before and that there is almost no social distancing anymore.

“I feel a little uneasy with St. Mary’s opening up. I miss the classroom just as much as anyone but I’m not sure in what state we will be in the fall. Especially with Abbott lifting the mask mandate,” junior mathematics major Jorge Martinez said.

Before freshman communications major Lily Schow’s first semester on campus, her mother and sister fell incredibly ill and weak due to COVID-19. Now a resident on campus, she has seen how dangerous these relaxed rules can be and is afraid that things are going to get worse before they get better.

As if these new relaxed attitudes about COVID-19 guidelines were not dangerous enough, on March 2 Governor Greg Abbott declared that Texas establishments would open to full capacity and that the mask mandate would be lifted. This has enraged many students across the campus who are worried about their safety and the safety of others.

“I think that it’s a mistake because the fact of the matter is that we aren’t out of the woods yet. We haven’t vaccinated a large

enough population to warrant the lifting of the regulations that have been protecting us thus far.” senior biology major Taylor Rameriez said.

Rameriez included that even as a resident it is not comfortable to be on campus knowing that many people do not seem to care about the safety of their peers. This has caused concerns for both resident and commuter students alike across the St. Mary’s community.

“The relaxing of guidelines will put StMU students at risk. Students will be less inclined to live on campus or attend in-person classes or events if their safety is seemingly not prioritized,” junior English major Alexis Garcia said, “I think StMU needs to be able to ensure that a good majority of the campus is vaccinated before they should even consider relaxing the guidelines.”

“It is highly irresponsible [to loosen the guidelines].

People keep telling us to listen to health professionals but refuse to do so themselves,” said freshman communications major Amanda Swan. Swan is a commuter and is concerned about the effects the relaxed COVID-19 guidelines in Texas may have on those who did not want to follow them to begin with.

“I feel that COVID [cases are] just going to go back up and we’ll be in lockdown for

the third time already,” said junior criminal justice major Delmar Garza. “I have seen the wear and tear on students and how [the lockdown] has impacted them mentally and physically.”

“I want to return to how things were before the pandemic, but if we rush or push things we are only going to make things worse,” Martinez said.

The past year has been a battle with sickness and stability, leaving many students feeling unmotivated to put their best effort into the classes that they used to enjoy.

The overwhelming response is that many students are confused and fearful that all this time spent trying to stay safe will have been in vain. Only the coming weeks will tell if these predictions will come true.

Graphic by Ivan Briones

Introducing the 2 Franzke Feminist

Established by the St. Mary’s Women’s Caucus in Award commemorates the life and work of Alic department at the university from 1982 throug History Month, the award honors feminists in the for peace, empowerment, civic engagement, equ

Franzke co-founded the St. Mary’s University Wom Minor program, moderated the Students’ Peace G Franzke was committed to human equality, just spiritual and civic values which the award comm

"We can't single-handedly change the world around us, but we can refuse to let the world change us.

In the words of Maya Angelou, continue to be who and how you are to astonish a mean world with acts of kindness."

-Zoe Brigman undergraduate student

"As I journey throug an attorney, I will co professor Franzke's forefront of my min to myself while pro equality and respec

-Sam

"My company is 100 percent black-owned and it is 100 percent woman-owned. And while we live in a time where it seems we are more divided than united, it merely underscores the need to create platforms that trump the notion that women are best seen and not heard, as such, I'm committed to continuing to break ceilings made of glass and institutions that have long survived off systemic racism."

-Artessia "Tess" House, J.D. alumna

2021 Alice Wright Award Recipients

n March 1990, the Alice Wright Franzke Feminist ce Franzke, Ph.D. who taught in the sociology gh 1989. Awarded every year during Women’s e St. Mary’s University community who advocate uality and justice.

men’s Caucus, coordinated the Peace and Justice Group, to name a few. Throughout her life’s work, tice and peace, and civil rights, embodying the memorates.

"I will endeavor to continue to promote the things for which it stands: peace, empowerment, equality, cooperation and respect for all persons, particularly in my capacity as a sociologist here at St. Mary's, where I have the distinct privilege of serving our students."

-Sue P. Nash, Ph.D. assistant professor of sociology

gh my career as ontinue to keep qualities in the nd holding true omoting peace, ct for all."

mantha McCoy law student

"I'm just humbled by the fact that I get to live my vocation as a social worker each and every day here at St. Mary's University working with faculty, with staff, with students, with parents, with administrators and so again I'm just truly humbled by this opportunity."

-Myrna Gaxiola Marinik associate director of student accessibility services

10 LIFESTYLE

EDITOR: GERARDO NINO POZOS | @STMURATTLERNEWS | MARCH 11, 2021

St. Mary’s students across Texas face snowstorm challenges COURTNEY PENA STAFF WRITER

In the middle of February, many Texans across the state experienced a powerful snowstorm that led to a Federal Emergency Declaration for Texas. St. Mary’s students living on campus faced snowfall, record low temperatures and power and water outages while students off campus faced a variety of experiences during the snowstorm as well.

Ingrid Cuellar, junior forensic science major with a focus in criminology, is completing online classes in Mission, Texas.

Mission is a city located approximately 250 miles south of San Antonio and rests on the border between Texas and Mexico. Cuellar detailed the weather and temperature

Snow person outdoors.| Photo by Emily Bartlett

conditions in Mission.

“Weather conditions in my city went as low as the mid 20’s and stayed down in the 30’s for the majority of the storm,” said Cuellar. “Overnight, the winter storm iced over much of the outside like some of our

FROM “WINTER STORM”

“We’ve always been a group of personal people that learn to take the challenges, having to work with different issues that come up along the year,” said Sanchez.

Sanchez has been employed at St. Mary’s since 1982 and worked several days during the week of the storm. With years of experience at St. Mary’s and his ability to adapt to the inclement weather, Sanchez was able to effectively respond when it came to the winter storm.

The storm affected the campus even after the last of the snow had fallen and many of the infrastructural issues the St. Mary’s

windows and roof.”

Cuellar’s family prepared for the snowstorm by stocking up on all essential items such as candles, food and water. The

We tried to stay in one room since the insulation of our house wasn’t very good and it helped keep the heat in as the house would be around the low 40s F in temperature.”

Ingrid Cuellar junior forensic science major

family’s home experienced a power outage during which several grocery products that require refrigeration were spoiled.

Fortunately, the family was able to purchase non-perishable food despite limited food supplies at the grocery store.

“We luckily only lost power for two days compared to others in other households that went onto three to four days,” said Cuellar.

Cuellar shared how she and her family stayed warm with cold temperatures inside her home.

“We tried to stay in one room since the insulation of our house wasn’t very good and it helped keep the heat in as the house would be around the low 40s F in temperature,” said Cuellar.

During the time without power, residents had to endure life-threatening winter temperatures within their own homes.

Cuellar also noted her family wore two to three layers of clothing, yet they still felt constantly cold.

Benjamin Toups, sophomore environmental science major, decided to travel back home to Spring, Texas, north of Houston, on Feb. 12. Toups felt good about driving back home but admitted to being a little scared once he encountered icy roads.

“

Snowfall made for beautiful scenery shots but hazardous driving conditions.| Photo by Emily Bartlett

“I was driving slow to be cautious to begin with, but there were like one or two moments when I did encounter some ice,” said Toups.

Toups mentioned that there was snowfall in Spring, Texas and that the roads in his neighborhood got icy overnight. Unlike Cuellar and her family, Toups revealed that he and his family were unprepared, foodwise, for the storm. His parents were not expecting him to come back, but they were able to work with what they had. Toups and his dad were able to get to the grocery store after the snowstorm. However, just like the grocery stores in Mission, Toups said that the grocery store in Spring was unsettlingly empty.

“We got what we needed, but it was really just for dinner that night. All the bread was gone, all the meat was gone,

[and most of] the fruits and vegetables,” Toups added.

Back at home, Toups stated that he lost power for only a short period of time.

“We lost power for around five to six hours one night but that was at night,” said Toups.

Toups pointed out that his family was among the lucky who did not have busted pipes, although several people in the neighborhood did. Overall, Toups felt grateful that his family did not experience the degree of impact that the snowstorm had on other parts of Texas.

St. Mary’s students spread out across Texas shared both similar and different experiences regarding the historic snowstorm last month. The snowstorm will likely remain an unforgettable moment for every student who was there to witness it.

Once the freeze let up, most of what was damaged melted and that gave way. ... Most of the struggle came after the freeze.”

Mark Sanchez electrical team leader

community faced persisted after it was over.

“Once the freeze let up, most of what was damaged melted and that gave way,” said Sanchez. “Most of the struggle came after the freeze.”

Although the weather was unexpectedly severe and lasted well after the storm had hit, facilities staff like Sanchez were able to

Employees provided dining services through the winterstorm.| Photo Courtesy of @stmarytxdining

Winter Storm “Uri” covered the university campus in inches of snow.| Photo by Larry Rodriguez Shea

respond to issues across campus and prevent much of the extreme damage that affected other vulnerable areas of the state.

Additionally, efforts from the facilities team were bolstered by members of the Aramark dining staff who weathered through the hostile driving conditions to feed the on-campus community. The St. Mary’s dining room was unusually full as grocery store shelves emptied and more resident students relied on the Diamondback Café for meals. Efforts from the Aramark staff, facilities team and all other essential staff on campus carried the community through the difficulties it faced. Together,

they truly embodied the St. Mary’s spirit of community and care in the face of great adversity.

The St. Mary’s community is ever grateful for the effort put in by all the workers who remained on campus during the winter storm. Their work does not go unnoticed because without the care and diligent support they provided throughout that week, the St. Mary’s community may have experienced much dire hardship throughout the winter storm. Rattlers, remember to show appreciation to the essential workers on campus by thanking them for all their hard work.

LIFESTYLE 11

MARCH 11, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.

When disaster strikes, student workers battle freeze frenzy MORGAN KUCHTA STAFF WRITER

This year’s Valentine’s Day marked the beginning of San Antonio’s own “Snowmageddon.” The winter storm was a devastating event. As snow piled on, power grids across the United States failed, causing blackouts for over 5.2 million homes and businesses - a majority of which were in Texas. As people tried their best to stay warm, there were St. Mary’s student workers who had to bear not only the weather, but the stress of supplying customers with their necessities.

“

“It was the busiest I’ve ever seen the store. The Super Bowl, New Year’s, Christmas, Thanksgiving…none of it compared to how it was before the freeze. It was the busiest I’ve ever seen the store. Even the beginning of COVID wasn’t this bad,”

Alvaro Garza freshman environmental science major

Alvaro Garza, freshman environmental science major, was one student worker who worked during the initial freeze. While alerts were sent out telling others to avoid the roads and stay home, Garza, who works at H-E-B on the weekends, experienced safety risks while traveling to and from work, rerouting and doing his best to remain aware

of the icy paths.

“When it froze initially, I had to drive home. It was icy and my usual 10-minute commute was over 30 minutes. I had to reroute and drive a different way than I usually drive,” said Garza.

While it is only natural for big events to lead to increased store occupancy, Garza found that the freeze created an overwhelming rush.

“It was the busiest I’ve ever seen the store.

The Super Bowl, New Year’s, Christmas, Thanksgiving…none of it compared to how it was before the freeze.

Even the beginning of COVID wasn’t this bad,” said Garza.

The high numbers of customers was not the only

five gallons of milk, that type of thing,” added Alvaro.

A shopping frenzy and empty shelves proved to be a common theme, no matter the store. Denzel Rubio-Gomez, a junior music education major, who works at Target experienced the same rush and the demand was only worsened by the inability to stay stocked.

“We did not receive supply trucks the entire week, so grocery and sales floor team members [stocked] aisles solely on what we had stocked up in the back,” Rubio-Gomez said. “These items did not last very long, as customers were not adhering to purchase limits and there was a high demand to begin with. … By Tu e s d a y afternoon, e v e r y sing le aisle of the

issue p r e s e n t . grocery section was Another issue was the buying frenzy, with some Graphic by Ivan Briones noticeably empty.”

Working during this period customers stockpiling was not only a physical toll, but a mental on necessities.

“There was a good amount of hysteria one as well. Heavy emotions accompanied that weekend, the Saturday and the Sunday this wintery week, he added.

“The frantic shopping of our guests, the that I worked. It was pretty silly the amount of people that showed up and just bought low lighting and the many empty aisles of

goods felt like something [from] a movie.

It was depressing to see how many people were unable to purchase food and supplies because of lack of resources. ... I had some guests with their newborn (a couple in their early or late 20s) ask me if we had any

“

“The frantic shopping of our guests, the low lighting and the many empty aisles of goods felt like something [from] a movie. It was depressing to see how many people were unable to purchase food and supplies because of lack of resources.”

Denzel Rubio-Gomez junior music education major

nursery water left and it was an awful feeling to have to tell him we were entirely out,” said Rubio-Gomez.

Deep gratitude goes out to essential student workers. The winter storm posed a great number of issues and it was not an easy week for anyone, but because of helpers like Garza and Rubio-Gomez things were certainly much more manageable. One can certainly reflect on this moment from a variety of perspectives: as a student, a worker, a shopper and as a voter. The infrastructure of Texas may not have been prepared for such an event, but immense effort was put in by essential student workers to endure this storm — an effort that the St. Mary’s community can appreciate.

Rattler Tries: Social media detox improves mental wellness MEGAN ANGELO STAFF WRITER

In this edition of Rattler Tries, the Rattler experiments with a social media detox.

Rattler Tries is a feature where members of the Rattler staff test new products or experiment with a new lifestyle change. The previous Rattler Tries included a member of the writing team testing a vegan diet.

For this edition of Rattler Tries, I decided to conduct a social media detox where I sign off on all social media accounts for a week. After experiencing the effects of isolation from lockdowns over the summer, it was grueling to get out of the habit of constantly spending time surfing s o c i a l media apps.

I tend to get distrac ted very easily, resulting in me staying on many social media apps for hours at a time. Due to my internship, it was extremely difficult to completely disconnect but I made sure to stay signed out of my personal accounts. This meant deleting and logging out of apps such as Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram. My internship consists of

managing my organization’s Instagram and Facebook pages, but no scrolling was allowed.

Once my social media applications were uninstalled, leaving only my Spotify and Outlook Mail apps, I already felt a sense of ease. I started the day constantly reaching for my phone as if I had something to look at. I would check my email just to see if anything new came about. I soon realized my phone served no real purpose except for telling the time and calling my mom; I made my peace with it and began being more productive. I found myself getting less immersed in my phone, besides texting my close friends and colleagues.

It no longer distracted me and I did not want it to either.

G oi ng to sleep became easier; I experienced more creative thoughts at night and I even dreamt more. When it came to my studies, I was left no choice but to do my assignments. Readings are especially hard for me to focus and make headway on in my asynchronous classes. This, however, did not last long. Later, I found myself

finding other means of relaxation such as I confided more in my close friends. The watching YouTube videos or listening to conversations felt a lot more meaningful podcasts. Using my phone to set timers was and constructive and I genuinely felt better the best way to ensure the completion of afterward. There is nothing wrong with my work. fostering friendships online, however, One lesson I took from having a genuine conversation and my social media absence a dialogue is a very different feeling is that social media, to from receiving likes. Because of the an extent, is dangerous pandemic and social distancing to the mind. The precautions, apps like Discord culture on Twitter and FaceTime have become has become toxic instrumental for keeping in in a way because of touch with friends near the normalization and far. In that way, social of casually tweeting media is helpful in staying one’s grievances. There connected virtually. is nothing healthy about Our generation constantly sharing your heavily relies on state of mind with a group technology for of followers. I was one of education, those people that would e nt e r t a i n m e nt document each activity a n d I was preparing to do communication. and would vaguely Even without social share how I was media, there is still feeling. After stepping media consumption.

Graphics by Demi Bestor away from that culture, Whether it’s getting online I realized how draining that is to to watch a lecture or answer discussion the mind. boards, technology is ever-present. Though Due to this realization, I have decided we cannot avoid technology, we can find to extend my break from Twitter. Twitter a balance between healthy and unhealthy and Instagram, both different in the type social media consumption. Not all social of content posted, share a common theme media is terrible; sometimes it can be nice – freedom of how one is perceived. The to destress by watching videos on TikTok. sense of vulnerability and authenticity is I suggest spending less time on social skewed because of the barrier socials create media to clear the mind from its consistent between the person and the recipient. Being reliance on technology. I learned a lot about vulnerable online sets a different tone myself and others can too if they take some for one’s social media presence. This past time to step away from the noise of the week, instead of oversharing on my socials, outside world.

12 ENTERTAINMENT

EDITOR: JACOB A. HENSON | @STMURATTLERNEWS | MARCH 11, 2021

Photo courtesy of Hulu

“Strange Fruit” was controversial back then and still is today

ADRIANNA MIRABAL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Billie Holiday was a triumphant jazz and swing artist from the early 1930s until her death in 1959. In the newly released Hulu Original, “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” Holiday’s tumultuous career is

highlighted as a black female musician who battled social injustice and a personal drug addiction.

Directed by Lee Daniels, this movie has already received critical acclaim, including a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama for Andra Day’s acting debut performance as Billie Holiday.

Popularly known for her Billboard hit, “Rise Up,” from her 2016 Grammy-nominated

album, “Cheers to the Fall,” Day won against actresses Viola Davis, Vanessa Kirby, Frances McDormand and Carey Mulligan.

The new film also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song, “Tigress & Tweed” by Andra Day and Raphael Saadiq.

However, the film has received mixed responses with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 57% and an audience score of 71%. Despite a below-average score, the film displays quality performances from the entire cast paired with unique cinematography that blends aesthetically between old-fashioned films and modern movies.

The movie begins with an opening text, informing the audience that in 1937 a bill in the U.S. Senate was proposed to finally ban the lynching of African Americans, however, it did not pass. Within seconds, new words fade onto the screen detailing Billie Holiday’s iconic song, “Strange Fruit,” which provides a horrifying description of lynching. In the opening scene, Billie Holiday (Andra Day) appears center stage in a dazzling white gown prepared to sing “Strange Fruit.”

The movie title then appears and pivots to the next scene where an interview is taking place with Reginald Lord Devine (Leslie Jordan) two years before Holiday’s death in 1957.

The interview ties the film together as Holiday narrates her story. The first topic of discussion is “Strange Fruit” inquiring why Holiday continues to sing this song if she is going to get ostracized for it. Holiday argues that her song is a matter of human rights. Alas, her voice both musically and regularly caused her much trouble with the government. Ultimately throughout the movie Holiday struggles deeply with a drug addiction which lands her in prison for one year and a day, which is known as the case titled, “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.”

Following her release from prison, the film depicts how Holiday never fully overcame her drug addiction but preferred to be high when performing. Consequently, her performances became increasingly infrequent and she lost both her public performance license and her ability to sing at cabarets. However, her vocal comeback is a sold-out show in Carnegie Hall. A glimpse of this scene occurs at the start of the film and is later circled back to as Holiday

performs “Strange Fruit” to an integrated audience, which is one of the most moving scenes of the movie. As Day sings in the style of Holiday, the stillness of the first verse may strike the audience’s heart with the horrific imagery of lynching that is described.

Junior theology major, Allison Magera said she was moved by Day’s performance in this provoking scene. For her, Day “sounded almost exactly” like Holiday, pairing her artistic voice with Holiday’s singing style.

“At first it was strange because [Holiday] was high before singing that song for an audience, Magera said. “I had heard this song [“Strange Fruit”] before but hearing it again as a musician was so powerful because it was really just her voice carrying the song with minimal instruments behind her. I like that the song makes you visualize what she is singing about. The way she takes her time with specific words and images is what makes it impactful; she intentionally chose to make the words drawn out without resolution.”

On a social justice level, it is important to recognize the impact that this film carries on the power of music. Holiday was one of the first black female musicians to speak out against racial injustice at the cost of her career. One could argue her song “Strange Fruit” still holds the same weight today because some things, especially uncomfortable things, are better conveyed in song. The power that music holds in the realm of speaking out against racism in the black community is nothing new today, but it is interesting to recognize how musical poetry can speak when simple words are not sufficient.

Overall, Lee Daniels’ film is a brilliantly executed blend of old-fashioned elements and modern aesthetics morphed into a truly authentic movie. The cast brings drama and depth to explain Billie Holiday’s life as a pioneer and Andra Day portrays an unforgettable performance that defies all odds, musically and theatrically. Four out of five Rattlers from this writer.

“The United States vs. Billie Holiday” is now available to watch on Hulu with a subscription of $5.99 per month.

Additionally, both Billie Holiday’s and Andra Day’s discographies are available on major music streaming platforms.

Here are five park trails to encourage a breath of fresh spring air ELIZABETH PEREZ COPY EDITOR

Spring is around the corner and with the warm weather approaching, consider passing the time exploring a few walking trails in San Antonio. Remember that walking and running have a variety of health benefits, both physical and mental, so consider taking time to de-stress and exercise at these five walking trails located near St. Mary’s University. The list provided organizes the parks by distance from the campus — closest to farthest.

1. Woodlawn Lake Park Located about two miles from the St. Mary’s campus, at 1103 Cincinnati Ave, the park’s walking trail is 1.48 miles long surrounding the lake. The park has a long list of amenities in addition to its walking trail including a bicycle trail, community center, basketball court, tennis court, dog park, pavilion, lake and more. The park is a perfect place to relax and visitors will come

across a variety of wildlife including fish, ducks and geese.

2. Denman Estate Park Located about five miles from the St. Mary’s campus at 7735 Mockingbird Lane, Denman Estate Park is a hidden gem tucked away in a neighborhood near Fredericksburg road. The walking trail is .5 miles long, which is on the shorter side, but can still make for a relaxing walk. Other park amenities include the calming Moon Labyrinth, picnic tables and a small lake.

Visitors will also encounter turtles and ducks among other wildlife. Perhaps the most iconic feature at Denman Estate Park is the breathtaking Korean monument, hand-crafted by artisans from San Antonio’s sister city, Gwangju, Korea. Decorated with intricate, colorful designs the monument is at the center of the park with other Korean art designs found along the walking trail.

3. Raymond Rimkus Park Located about five miles from St. Mary’s

campus at 6440 Evers Rd, Raymond Rimkus Park sits on 27 acres and includes a jogging path and walking trail. Other amenities include 24 small picnic areas, athletic fields, pavilions, a community garden and playgrounds. This park is known for its four playgrounds that cater to toddlers, preteens and even tiny musicians looking to make rhythmic beats.

4. O. P. Schnabel Park Located just over eight miles from St. Mary’s campus at 9606 Bandera Rd, O.P. Schnabel Park includes 8.22 miles of trails and sits on 202 acres. Park amenities include over 10 trails, both walking and bicycle, a baseball field, basketball field, community center, swimming pool, soccer field and a gorgeous overlook. The extensive and refreshing location of the park makes it the perfect place to take a relaxing stroll or bike on an exhilirating ride.

5. The Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge at Phil Hardberger Park Located about 10 miles from St. Mary’s

campus Phil Hardberger Park is home to the Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge. The land bridge is 150 feet wide at the top and 165 feet wide at the base, perfect for people and animals to cross; in fact, the land bridge is the United States’ largest wildlife crossing.

It connects the 7.5 miles of trails at Phil Hardberger Park and helps reclaim the natural habitat for animals to safely cross.

This bridge also allows the public to connect to nature firsthand witout highway interference. Of course, the land bridge is not the only enjoyable feature of the park; there are other amenities including dog parks, picnic areas, playgrounds, basketball courts and a free Wi-Fi area to list a few.

Bridge construction began on Nov. 26, 2018 and was completed on Dec. 11, 2020, now allowing full access to the public.

Photo by Demi Bestor

ENTERTAINMENT 13

MARCH 11, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

Rattlers capture the Texas ‘SNOWPOCALYPSE’

Graphic by Jacob A. Henson

“ “

Photo by Kaitlyn Narvaiz

The last time I saw snow was my freshman year so it was a bit bitter-sweet to experience it my last semester! I felt like a kid. I was so excited to play in the snow!”

Photo by Kayla Garcia

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“

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Kaitlyn Narvaiz freshman business management major

The snow day was amazing and relaxing. It was my first time seeing snow in San Antonio and it was so beautiful. I had so much fun spending time with family [and] even though the Alexandra Cantu power was out we made the senior English major most out of it.”

Sophia Rodriguez The snow day was very fun freshman computer science major at first because I’ve never experienced snow in my life.

The numbness in my hands was As a Texan, I bundled up and worth it. Raised in the Valley, headed through campus to the closest form of snow I’ve enjoy my first-time experience experienced was sleet and even of not only sledding but holding this occurred once every ten snowmen. However, after a few years. While making a snowman days I realized that snow days and snow angels was fun, my aren’t so great, especially due to favorite moment was a snowball the lack of WiFi and my friends fight.” and family losing electricity. ” Kayla Garcia Khanh Nguyen freshman biology major

Photo by Khanh Nguyen

junior accounting and data analytics major

This was the first time I had ever seen snow. Being on campus made it 100% better as I walked outside my dorm to see numerous students smiling from ear to ear watching the snow fall down. I felt like I was in a movie.”

“

“ “

Photo by Alexandra Cantu

I was outside with my friends letting my inner kid out. We were out there for five hours wihout sweaters from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Overall, I had a great time having fun.”

Jacob Patterson freshman chemistry major

A positive experience I had from the snowstorm was that I was able to spend time with my I had friends back in Louisiana family. My mom and I moved and we were all playing ‘Call her mattress to the living room of Duty’ when I looked out the window and thought, ‘what the and we all slept together, [which heck?’ I had to call up my family we haven’t done] I want to say and let them know about it. My in four years, so it was just kind dad said this was the most snow of that family bonding that brought [us] together from the he had ever seen and the last time I saw snow was when I was snowstorm. It’s a fond memory I have from it.” a sophomore in high school.”

Dino Martinez junior electrical engineering major

Photo by Khanh Nguyen

Alondra Rodriguez-Sanchez junior biology major

Photo by Sophia Rodriguez

14 EN ESPAÑOL

EDITORA: SAMANTHA RUVALCABA |@STMURATTLERNEWS | MARCH 11, 2021

Trabajadores universitarios ayudan a los residentes durante la tormenta invernal ELIZABETH PEREZ EDITORA DE COPIA

La tormenta de nieve que azotó Texas en febrero pasado fue una sorpresa emocionante e invernal al principio, pero el clima severo afectó la infraestructura, la red eléctrica, los suministros de alimentos y agua de un estado que no está acostumbrado a las condiciones climáticas heladas.

El campus de St. Mary’s no fue diferente

“

Una vez que cesó el congelamiento, la mayor parte de lo que estaba dañado se derritió y eso cedió. ... La mayor parte de la lucha se produjo después de la congelación.”

Mark Sanchez líder de la tripulación eléctrica

y experimentó sus propias luchas durante el duro clima. El campus estaba cubierto de nieve por la tormenta y los estudiantes aprovecharon la oportunidad para disfrutar del raro clima invernal. Pero con las ráfagas de nieve llegaron problemas y daños a los servicios públicos en todo el campus.

Las residencias estudiantiles enfrentaron problemas de rotura de tuberías, pérdida de energía y más. Sin embargo, los trabajadores esenciales de St. Mary’s dieron un paso al frente para enfrentar los desafíos provocados por la tormenta invernal, en particular la policía de la universidad, el personal del comedor Aramark, el personal de vida de la residencia y el equipo de instalaciones.

Mark Sanchez, líder de la tripulación eléctrica en St. Mary’s, sabe cómo manejar lo inesperado junto con su equipo.

“Siempre hemos sido un grupo de personas personales que aprenden a

La tormenta de invierno cubrió la universidad con pulgadas de nieve.| Foto por Larry Rodriguez Shea

enfrentar los desafíos, teniendo que trabajar con diferentes temas que surgen a lo largo del año,” dijo Sanchez.

Sánchez ha estado empleado en St. Mary’s desde 1982 y trabajó varios días durante la semana de la tormenta. Con años de experiencia en St. Mary’s y su capacidad para adaptarse a las inclemencias del tiempo, Sánchez pudo responder con eficacia cuando se trataba de la Trabajadores de Diamondback cafetería.| Courtesía de @stmarytxdining tormenta invernal.

Mary’s estaba inusualmente lleno a medida La tormenta afectó al campus incluso después de que cayera la última que los estantes de las tiendas de comestibles nevada y muchos de los problemas de se vaciaban y más estudiantes residentes infraestructura que enfrentó la comunidad confiaban en el Diamondback Café de St. Mary persistieron después de para comer.

Los esfuerzos del personal de Aramark, que terminó. el equipo de instalaciones y todo el resto del “Una vez que cesó el congelamiento, personal esencial en el campus ayudaron a la mayor parte de lo que estaba dañado se derritió y eso cedió,” dijo Sanchez. “La la comunidad a superar las dificultades que mayor parte de la lucha se produjo después enfrentaba. Juntos, realmente personificaron el espíritu de comunidad y cuidado de St. de la congelación.”

Aunque el clima fue inesperadamente Mary’s frente a una gran adversidad.

La comunidad de St. Mary’s está siempre severo y duró mucho después de la tormenta, agradecida por el esfuerzo realizado por el personal de las instalaciones como todos los trabajadores que permanecieron Sanchez pudo responder a los problemas en el campus durante la tormenta invernal. en todo el campus y prevenir gran parte Su trabajo no pasa desapercibido porque sin del daño extremo que afectó a otras áreas el cuidado y el apoyo diligente que brindaron vulnerables del estado.

Además, los esfuerzos del equipo durante esa semana, la comunidad de St. de instalaciones fueron reforzados por Mary’s pudo haber experimentado muchas miembros del personal del comedor dificultades durante la tormenta de invierno. de Aramark que resistieron las hostiles Rattlers, recuerden mostrar agradecimiento condiciones de manejo para alimentar a la a los trabajadores esenciales en el campus comunidad en el campus. El comedor de St. agradeciéndoles por todo su arduo trabajo.

Celebración los 40 días de Cuaresma y Servicio reinventado JOSÉ CHAMAN ESCRITOR DEL PERSONAL

40 Días de Cuaresma y Servicio ha sido uno de los eventos más destacados en St. Mary’s University durante los últimos seis años. Se enfoca en ofrecer varias oportunidades de servicio a través de las cuales los miembros de la comunidad del campus pueden unirse y ser voluntarios en las varias organizaciones sin fines de lucro en San Antonio. Este evento comenzó con Continuing the Heritage (CTH) en asociación con Catholic Charities.

Debido a la pandemia de COVID-19, la Oficina de Participación Comunitaria ha reinventado cómo la comunidad podría involucrarse en la fe y el servicio esta primavera. Para esta temporada de Cuaresma, la Oficina de Participación Comunitaria volvió a centrar el programa de 40 días en torno a la fe y la tradición a través del ayuno, la oración y la limosna, que siguen las costumbres de la Iglesia Católica.

Cada semana de Cuaresma tiene un enfoque diferente en un tema específico de justicia social y se ofrecerán oportunidades para participar tanto en persona como virtualmente. Los temas que se exploran incluyen el racismo, la inseguridad alimentaria y de vivienda, la inmigración, el cambio climático, las desigualdades educativas y la justicia penal. Sarah Uhlig, estudiante del Programa de Liderazgo Marianista y líder en 40 Días habló sobre lo

que inspiró estos eventos.

Los miércoles de 6:00 a 6:30 p.m. se invita “Creo que la realidad de cómo se a los estudiantes a participar en un día de trata a las personas en nuestro mundo ayuno; los que asisten en persona se unen de hoy debe ser discutida y St. Mary’s nos a la Oficina de Participación Comunitaria brinda oportunidades para hacerlo,” dijo para romper el ayuno esa noche y recibir una Uhlig. “Hemos comida para llevar organizado estos y los participantes temas para ser virtuales pueden discutidos por unirse a través un período de de Zoom. seis semanas y Los viernes, los cada tema tendrá eventos de limosna tres eventos: incluyen participar una oración, un en una tarde de servicio y un servicio de 2:00 ayuno. Permite a 4:00 p.m. a uno a los miembros de los socios sin de nuestra fines de lucro, cuya comunidad, misión coincide virtual y con el tema de personalmente, justicia destacado participar esa semana. en oración y L o s c o n v e r s a c i ó n MLP estudiantes en evento.| Courtesía de Iliana Mallet p a r t i c i p a n t e s con otros.” v i r t u a l e s Los eventos programados para 40 días pueden hacer donaciones monetarias o son los lunes, miércoles y viernes. Los lunes en especie a la organización sin fines de los eventos se llevan a cabo de 15:00 a 15:30 lucro. Las actividades están diseñadas horas. y son días de oración inclusiva, que para ayudar a los miembros de la reflejan el compromiso de comprender comunidad de St. Mary en su crecimiento mejor la justicia a través de la espiritualidad espiritual, relación con Jesucristo y y concluyen con un servicio de oración por entre ellos. la noche; todos los eventos están disponibles Los estudiantes pueden registrarse para tanto en persona como virtualmente. participar en estos eventos a través de Give

Pulse en Gateway. La fe siempre encuentra la manera de hacer posible lo impensable y la reorientación del programa 40 Días y la adaptación a estas circunstancias extraordinarias es un ejemplo de la voluntad de la comunidad de St. Mary para seguir sirviendo.

Los temas tratados durante estas seis semanas permiten a toda la comunidad de St. Mary’s aprender, reflexionar y actuar sobre las crecientes desigualdades en los Estados Unidos y el mundo entero. La Cuaresma es un tiempo para redescubrir, tranquilizar y renovar nuestro compromiso con los hermanos y hermanas marianistas, especialmente con aquellos que más lo necesitan. Sin embargo, es importante recordar que la necesidad de ayuda y reflexión no se detiene una vez que termina la temporada de Cuaresma, los estudiantes continuar ayudando a otros y haciendo sacrificios puede ser clave.

El calendario de eventos y temas de la Cuaresma y de servicio para cada semana de los 40 Días es el siguiente: Semana 1: 22-26 de febrero - Racismo Semana 2: 1-5 de marzo - Justicia penal Semana 3: 8-12 de marzo - Inmigración Semana 4: 15-19 de marzo - Cambio climático Semana 5: 22-26 de marzo - Inseguridad alimentaria y de vivienda Semana 6: 29 de marzo-1 de abril Desigualdades educativas

EN ESPAÑOL 15

MARCH 11, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

La universidad recibe $1.6 milliones a través de CRRSAA SAMANTHA RUVALCABA EDITORA DIRECTORA

El gobierno federal le ha otorgado a la universidad $1.6 millones a través de su segundo Fondo de Ayuda de Emergencia para la Educación Superior (HEERF) para proporcionar subvenciones de ayuda financiera de emergencia a los estudiantes durante la pandemia.

La Oficina de Asistencia Financiera envió a los estudiantes un aviso por correo electrónico de la nueva Ley de Apropiación del Suplemento de Respuesta y Alivio del Coronavirus (CRRSAA) el 23 de febrero, junto con la fecha límite del 14 de mayo, o hasta que se agoten los fondos, para presentar la solicitud.

Este es el segundo proyecto de ley de rescate económico que se ha aprobado para que HEERF lo distribuya a colegios y universidades.

A través de la primera ley, la Ley de Ayuda, Alivio y Seguridad Económica por el Coronavirus (CARES), la universidad distribuyó aproximadamente $1.5 millones en subvenciones de ayuda financiera de emergencia a los estudiantes hasta el 30 de diciembre. De los 2,300 estudiantes elegibles

para la Ley CARES, un total de 1,134 tienen dos componentes: una parte de los estudiantes recibieron becas. cuales se destina directamente a las becas de Para ambos actos, solo los estudiantes emergencia para estudiantes y el resto queda que son elegibles bajo el Título IV pueden a criterio de la institución sobre dónde postularse, excluyendo a los estudiantes aplicar los fondos. indocumentados y los estudiantes Alderman dijo que la en el programa de universidad usó algunos de Acción Diferida para los los fondos designados Llegados en la Infancia para la institución (DACA) de la ayuda de del paquete de la ayuda federal. Si bien Ley CARES para los demócratas lucharon proporcionar un alivio por la inclusión económico alternativo de estudiantes para los estudiantes que no indocumentados son elegibles para la en la ayuda de Ley CARES. Además COVID-19, ambos de estos fondos, proyectos de ley se la Asociación de aprobaron antes de Antiguos Alumnos que el presidente de la Universidad, el Gráfica por Polina Protozanova demócrata Joe Biden asumiera presidente Mengler y su el cargo. esposa Mona contribuyeron a la Beca Rattler “La CRRSAA fue aprobada justo antes Impact del año pasado, que estuvo abierta a de que asumiera el nuevo presidente.” dijo todos los estudiantes independientemente Rosalind Alderman, vicerrectora de gestión de su elegibilidad para recibir ayuda federal. de inscripciones. “Y hubo una discusión “Estamos comprometidos a servir a sobre ‘¿El nuevo presidente ampliaría eso?’ estudiantes de todos los ámbitos de la vida, Pero eso no se ha hecho formalmente.” que provienen de todo tipo de circunstancias Tanto la Ley CARES como la CRRSAA socioeconómicas, independientemente

de la ayuda para la que sean elegibles,” dijo Alderman.

Fuera de los dos proyectos de ley, existe el Fondo de Emergencia Estudiantil de la universidad que se estableció antes del COVID-19 y es financiado principalmente por donantes. Esta solicitud está abierta a todos los estudiantes universitarios, incluso si no son elegibles para fondos federales y está disponible de forma continua.

Alderman agregó que la Oficina del Decano de Estudiantes, la Oficina de Asistencia Financiera y la Oficina de Retención de Estudiantes tratan de trabajar con los estudiantes que atraviesan dificultades económicas independientemente de su elegibilidad. A veces, eso se reduce a revisar la necesidad financiera caso por caso.

“Algunos estudiantes han solicitado fondos para cosas que no se considerarían una necesidad, y esa es una conversación difícil de mantener. Pero tenemos que tener esa [conversación] para luego tener suficiente para satisfacer la necesidad,” dijo Alderman.

Los estudiantes pueden acceder a las solicitudes de CRRSAA y Student Emergency Fund en el portal Gateway en la sección de Recursos de COVID-19.

Asociación de Project Quest ofrece talleres profesionales para la comunidad SAUL CONTRERAS ESCRITOR CONTRIBUYENTE

St. Mary’s University, la ciudad de San Antonio y Project Quest, una organización local encargada de ayudar a las personas a encontrar empleo, se han asociado para albergar programas de desarrollo de la fuerza laboral. Esta iniciativa tiene como objetivo ayudar a las personas de la comunidad afectadas por los despidos de COVID-19 a encontrar un empleo de calidad.

Estos servicios son alojados por el Departamento de Estudios de Comunicación de St. Mary a través de Project Quest. Bill Israel Ph.D., quien supervisa el programa, expresó su confianza en que St. Mary’s sea el anfitrión de este servicio.

“Al hablar con mis otros colegas de nuestro departamento y con una variedad de personas en el campus, quedó claro que había un gran interés en St. Mary’s [como anfitrión de Project Quest],” dijo Israel.

“Es una institución que está comprometida con su comunidad y especialmente con ayudar a las personas que pueden haber sido defraudadas para obtener las habilidades que necesitan para tener éxito. ... Lo que esto es, es una oportunidad de cortar cuatro años de esfuerzo y reducirlo a un par de talleres diferentes.”

Existen ciertos requisitos de elegibilidad para quienes soliciten participar en estos talleres. Los solicitantes deben tener al menos 18 años de edad, tener un diploma de escuela secundaria o GED, ser ciudadano de los EE. UU. o residente legal o ser elegibles para trabajar en los EE. UU., Estar comprometidos a capacitarse en una carrera profesional aprobada y comprometerse a trabajar a tiempo completo durante 18 meses al finalizar del programa de formación.

Las actividades de estos talleres están destinadas a ayudar a los solicitantes a identificar áreas de fortaleza e intereses, formas de utilizar herramientas modernas de búsqueda de empleo como LinkedIn y Indeed, entrenamiento para currículums

y cartas de presentación, entrenamiento efectivo para entrevistas y comunicación no verbal y desarrollo del “elevator pitch” entrega. Estos talleres son gratuitos para todos los participantes.

La universidad ofrece los programas de talleres The Rattler Focus y Rattler Readiness, cada uno con un propósito diferente. El programa Rattler Focus les pide a los residentes que consideren si necesitan ayuda para averiguar qué industria explorar y ayuda a los participantes a conocer sus

y el 12-16 de abril virtualmente de 9 a.m. a mediodía. Ambas sesiones programadas para los talleres Rattler Readiness se llevan a cabo de lunes a viernes.

Además de asistir a los talleres, hay otras formas de involucrarse, como el voluntariado. El programa busca a cualquier persona, desde estudiantes, profesores, miembros de la comunidad e incluso propietarios de negocios interesados en ayudar. Deberes como facilitar talleres, realizar entrevistas simuladas y, si es posible,

Estudiantes asisten a una reunión de Rattler Readiness en Zoom.| Foto por Katherine Lehman-Meyer

fortalezas e intereses para que puedan aplicar esta información en el lugar de trabajo. El programa Rattler Readiness está dirigido a los solicitantes que ya conocen estas habilidades, por lo tanto, su enfoque es proporcionar a los participantes habilidades para la búsqueda de empleo.

Estos talleres están pensados para vivirlos virtualmente en el transcurso de tres días consecutivos. Los talleres Rattler Focus ya pasaron, pero en cuanto a los talleres Rattler Readiness, las próximas fechas están programadas para el 22-26 de marzo

contratar a los graduados del taller son los métodos sugeridos para ayudar al programa.

Si bien los talleres que se ofrecen en St. Mary’s ofrecen currículum vitae y habilidades para buscar trabajo, otros sitios para Project Quest, como la Universidad de Incarnate Word, ofrecen más clases técnicas, que van desde la administración de la hospitalidad hasta la enfermería. La razón de la diferencia en el tema de St. Mary’s University es brindar a las personas la confianza y las habilidades de comunicación necesarias para que prosperen en el

mercado laboral actual. De esta manera, los participantes pueden cumplir con los requisitos para postularse a trabajos con mercados en crecimiento.

Durante la pandemia, más de 140.000 personas han perdido su trabajo aquí en San Antonio. Este programa está destinado a dar esperanza a muchos estudiantes que se graduarán pronto y ofrecer ayuda a aquellos que buscan pagar sus facturas al ofrecerles la oportunidad de obtener habilidades y empleo confiables. Con la recuperación económica aún lejos de la vista, la universidad espera que más personas dependan de este tipo de programas.

“St. Mary’s está, como muchas instituciones, en una situación presupuestaria ajustada,” dijo Israel. “Esto ha supuesto un compromiso no solo por parte de los estudios de comunicación sino por parte de nuestro decano y por parte de nuestro rector. No ha sido fácil, hay algunos ingresos que provienen de esto y que han cubierto los gastos de hacer esto [y] es un momento difícil, pero es consistente con el compromiso de St. Mary con la comunidad.

Estamos agradecidos de haber tenido el apoyo para hacer eso.”

El objetivo del programa de ayudar a los residentes y otras personas a encontrar un trabajo encaja perfectamente con el carisma marianista de la universidad de educar para el servicio, la justicia, la paz y la integridad de la creación. Con la tasa de desempleo actual en San Antonio en 6.4%, según la Oficina de Estadísticas Laborales, la universidad y sus socios están siguiendo su declaración de misión al hacer todo lo posible para mitigar los efectos de la pandemia.

La solicitud de Project Quest se puede encontrar en el sitio web principal de St. Mary’s University en www.stmarytx.edu.

Ubicado debajo de la pestaña alcance en el lado derecho de la barra, a través de la pestaña denominada “Rattler Focus and Rattler Readiness.” El objetivo del programa y el enlace de la aplicación se encuentran en la siguiente página web.

16 SPORTS

EDITOR: LARRY RODRIGUEZ SHEA | @STMURATTLERNEWS | MARCH 11, 2021

Volleyball team reflects on their COVID season challenges LARRY RODRIGUEZ SHEA SPORTS EDITOR

“

The most challenging thing has obviously been COVID-19. Mainly in the aspect that we aren’t able to bond as a team like we normally would in any other season.”

Julia Deais junior biology major Whether it was minor injuries or games being rescheduled, she believed the team persevered.

“Individually and as an incoming setter, I’m satisfied with the connections I’ve made with my hitters,” Lennon said. “It’s a little bit of a challenge coming into a brand-

new team with eight freshmen, so I think everyone has done a great job in playing together. We can always work to be better, but like I said, for the circumstances we’re in I think we’ve done a good job.”

Although the team will not likely finish at the top of the conference as they had hoped to, they can only go up from here. Their final three matches are against unbeaten Texas A&M Kingsville with their final game being played at home on March 13 at 1 p.m.

If they win the scheduled matches, there is still a chance the team can make the playoffs.

Regardless of how the season ends, the volleyball team will be one to watch looking toward next year’s season.

Photo

ry Rod

by Lar

riguez

Shea

Any sports season this year was guaranteed to be hectic. With all the COVID-19 protocols and uncertainty around every corner, players rarely know what to expect. The St. Mary’s volleyball team is about to wrap up their season after a series of challenges.

The team started the season on a high note taking two strong wins against Texas A&M International. The team at one point made the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll, where they ranked 21st. However, after a solid start, the team entered a 7-game slide that included close matches and many tough losses. In addition to the challenging matches the team had to grapple with, inclement weather and cancellation of games due to COVID-19 also affected the season.

Junior biology major and opposite hitter and middle blocker Julia Deais mentioned the difficulty of the COVID-19 protocols.

Although she and the team do not think their chemistry has been majorly affected, the team was not able to bond as much had it been a “normal” season.

“The most challenging thing has

obviously been COVID-19,” Deais said.

“Mainly in the aspect that we aren’t able to bond as a team like we normally would in any other season. We aren’t able to get together as a full team to hang out and must hang out in small groups, like two or three, so it’s been difficult for us to create good relationships off the court.”

This year’s team was young, with eight of the 11 roster spots being freshmen and with only four upperclassmen.

Senior defensive specialist and political science major, Catherine Cruz took on a leadership role early on and feels that she acted as a senior leader. Cruz’s presence was certainly felt as she averaged a high number of digs throughout the year. Posting a season-high of 27 against St. Edwards in their Feb. 9 match and 25 in her March 5 senior night match against St. Edwards again.

“Even though we have a young team, our chemistry both on and off the court allows us to play cohesively, Cruz said.

“Personally, I feel as though I have taken on the role as a senior leader and use my experience to help our team in intense situations.”

One of the team’s best setters, freshman setter and marketing major Aislan Lennon, led the team in aces this year with 249 at the time of writing and racked up 121 digs, the third-highest on the team. The young freshman cited that this year was filled with challenges in addition to COVID-19.

The team huddles up after using one thirty second timeout. | Photo courtesy of Larry Rodriguez Shea

A look at the upcoming seasons of play for spring athletics

Photo by Larry Rodriguez Shea

Graphic by Larry Rodriguez Shea