BandtheperformcomingcommunityThetogetheragainandbeingabletoforaliveaudiencewasthemostmemorablepartofthenight,”junioreducationmajorandpresidentofStudentCommittee,SkylarTinersaid.
CONTINUEDONPG.2 St. Mary’s community gathers to celebrate Dia de los Muertos VICTORIA OLGUIN NEWS EDITOR
On the first day of November, many across the nation gather with their families and friends to remember their loved ones who have passed away and now live in the afterlife. By remembering their loved ones, families hope to keep the spirit of the dead alive. This day, known as Día de los Muertos, is a Mexican holiday that brings unity, hope and joy to the community. It is for this reason that students at St. Mary’s gathered to celebrate the holiday on the first week of November with a campus-wide Día de los Muertos Celebration. Though it was a cold night, the weather did not stop students from gathering to celebrate the holiday. Student musicians performed, many painted their faces to resemble a skull, altars with pictures of loved ones who passed away were set up and organizations sold festive foods and little tokens. The smell of sweets like pan de muerto, pan dulce, hot chocolate and aguas frescas filled the air. A long line formed at the local taco truck that stopped by and the university campus was filled with spirit as the lively community celebrated the holiday. This event provided a way for students to not only raise funds for their organizations, but also a way to learn more about the holiday and creatively relate the mission of their organizations to the to[was]organizationway“Thecelebration.biggestmyablecombine our mission with the celebration was by learning more about what Día de los Muertos truly stands for, and then figuring out how we could best represent what the festival stands for through what we were selling. My organization sold flower crowns, sombreros, sugar skull ornaments and Día de los Muertos masks to raise money for our chapter,” said Ratna Ramaraju, senior biology major and president of Alpha Phi Omega.Tofit the theme of the event, students utilized their crafting skills to create singing the vocals,” freshman political science major and vice president of the university mariachi band, Matthew Tobar said. “I sang ‘El Rey’ for years with my high school mariachi and it was really fun for me to bring this piece I know and love with me to St.TheseMary’s.”classic Mexican songs brought cheers from the crowd as the mariachi performed live for the first time ever. The mariachi band had just formed earlier in the semester when a group of students took the initiative to get it started. This brought out band perform. However, they were not the only group that performed for the first time. After the mariachi’s performance, many of the university’s music groups performed live for the first time in almost two years, including the jazz orchestra, jazz combo, percussion ensemble and wind ensemble. Since the music department had not performed live due to the pandemic, they now gave everything they had to provide a great performance. The zestful music kept the crowd entertained and made the event one to remember. The event was truly a successful one and it would not have been possible if it were not for the planning of the Student Band Committee and Department of Music who brought the many student organizations and the department together to make the event come to “Helping to coordinate the Día de los Muertos Celebration was an amazing experience as a student leader. I loved watching our vision become a reality.
Photo courtesy of @stmarysu Graphics by Demi Bestor
Vol 110 | Issue 4 | Nov. 18, 2021 | San Antonio, Texas CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT& Festivities to light up the holiday season PG.12 Men’s soccer kicks off tournament at home PG.15 OPINION Students’ mental health matters PG. 6 SPANISH Latinx students find a home away from home PG.11 SPORTS
“I think what impacted me the most from the Narcan certifcation was that I was not aware of this problem and how it is afecting the community. I did not think it was as common as it really is,” said Marian Hernandez Fernandez, freshman biology major and both Pre-Medical Society and Beta Beta Beta member. By learning more about their community and the issues that it faces, students have been moved to help end the opioid crisis. Tis, however, starts with being educated about the crisis and becoming certifed to take action. By becoming certifed in using Narcan, students at St. Mary’s have the power to save a life that is jeopardized by an overdose. “I think it can help the community as the certifcation brings awareness of an issue that is prominent in our community and provides the tools necessary to have an appropriate response if we come across someone who is having an overdose,” Hernandez Fernandez said. Becoming Narcan certifed has made many students realize the opportunities that they have been able to gain from registered student organizations like the Pre-Medical Society and Beta Beta Beta. It is the opportunities and skills gained from these organizations that have allowed students to prepare to make a positive impact on their communities. Additionally, students have felt prepared to enter the health world and have been inspired to seek health professions.
NEWS EDITOR: VICTORIA OLGUIN | @STMURATTLERNEWS | NOV. 18, 20212 THE RATTLER CHECK US OUT
“I think Narcan training is so important because it is [a step] in battling the opioid crisis. Getting students involved and helping them get certifed in Narcan not only trains them for an emergency [situation] but also educates students on the systematic emergence of the opioid crisis and gives them a way to fx the problem as a community,” freshman biology major and member of the Pre-Medical Society, Nicole Romero said. Learning more about opioids and their dangerous efects inspired students to want to help their communities with medications like Narcan. For some, however, the opioid crisis was quite a surprise.
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Students at the Narcan event. Photo by Adrianna Mirabal Diana Cavazos, Ph.D. teaches Photo by Adrianna Mirabal EDITOR
“My favorite thing was honestly just seeing the whole community come together and [enjoy] such a special event. I saw so many friends I hadn’t seen since freshman year…and even a few alumni! It made me so happy that they came out to celebrate Día de los Muertos,” Ramaraju said. For some students, the event was the frst time they truly felt connected to the university community. “It was really a magnifcent thing to see. Everyone was so happy, there was beautiful music, food, St. Mary’s organizations interacting with each other and for one of the frst times ever at St. Mary’s University, I felt like a college student,” Ethan Stein, sophomore fnance and risk management major said, “As a sophomore, I didn’t have much [of] a freshman year because of the pandemic and adapting took a while. But it really made me feel welcomed on the campus to see such harmony between the community and the event itself.” As the event came to a close, students began to make their way back home. Although the event was over, the spirit of family remained within the community. By celebrating Día de los Muertos, a celebration that emphasizes the importance of family and being together, many organizations were able to successfully raise funds for the events and strengthen the communities bond. Tey now hope to contribute to future university events and unite the community further. As the St. Mary’s community continues to return to normal, there will certainly be many more opportunities for students to come together at great events like this. Email rattlernews@gmail.comto
“I have developed the skills of service and the passion for constant learning, as well as gained networking skills. I now feel more passionate about the medical feld than ever before,” Hernandez Fernandez said. Students like Hernandez Fernandez now look forward to learning more about the health of their communities and fnding ways to use their knowledge to keep others safe. With the opportunities ofered by organizations found at St. Mary’s University, this will be possible. Tough Narcan does help with some opioid overdoses, it does not always work on some non-opioid sedatives or stimulants. It is important to avoid these harmful drugs and prevent misusage. To receive more information or assistance with substance abuse, contact the St. Mary’s Student Health Center at (210) 436-3506, the Student Counseling Center at (210) 4363135, the Employee Assistance Program and Human Resources Ofce at (210) 436-3725, University Police Department at (210) 436-3330 or Campus Ministry at (210) 436-3213.
Narcan certifcation gives Rattlers the power to save lives
VICTORIA OLGUIN NEWS
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Members of the Student Band Committee also had the opportunity to perform, allowing them to contribute both their leadership and musical skills to the“Gettingevent. to play for a live audience was a great experience. I had forgotten how it felt since we hadn’t performed [for] the public for almost [two] years. Performing is one of my favorite things because I get to share my love of music with my community. Te Día de los Muertos Celebration felt like a big goal we fnally were able to achieve: providing the St. Mary’s community with excellent music,” junior music education major and vice president of the Student Band Committee Jared Barry said.
EDITORIAL STATEMENT
Te opioid crisis is one that has been going on since the late 1990s when pharmaceutical companies claimed opioid pain relievers were not addictive. Tis then resulted in many unnecessary prescriptions and the misuse of the drugs to take place.
The content published in the Rattler is the responsibility of each respective writer. The views expressed in the staff editorial refect the views of the majority of the editorial staff.
Tough the misuse of opioids has been going on for a while, the COVID-19 pandemic saw an increase in opioid use due to the pandemic bringing stress, anxiety and isolation for many. Tis resulted in substance abuse disorders and more than 40 states reported an increase in opioidrelated deaths in 2020. Te use of opioids is extremely harmful, ofen leading to organ damage, insomnia, heart attacks, tooth decay, respiratory depression or failure and suddenSincedeath.this issue has become very prominent in the U.S., students at St. Mary’s University have taken the initiative to become trained in using Narcan, a medication that reverses opioid overdoses caused by opioids like heroin, morphine and oxycodone. Two registered student organizations at St. Mary’s University, the Pre-Medical Society and Te Biological Honor Society (Beta Beta Beta) collaborated with UT Health San Antonio to host an event where students could have the opportunity to be trained in using Narcan in hopes of helping those that sufer overdoses in their community. Te event took place just on Nov. 8 and students gathered in the Moody Life Science Center to receive their certifcation.
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Te music department and every organization contributed something special to the event and it was evident that the event successfully brought the community closer. Tis was truly an event that brought together the community and organizations of every kind were represented.
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Additionally, Almanza acknowledged how music also brought the musicians together. “Each orchestra member was supportive of one another. We were all so happy that we played together as an orchestra,” Almanza continued.
STMURATTLERNEWS.COM San Antonio is a popular tourist destination for many reasons. However, a common favorite that shapes the San Antonian spirit and excites the community is the live music, which can be found all across the city. Lovers of live music can be found at places like Sam’s Burger Joint and many other music venues around town. Tis love for music can also be found at St. Mary’s University, where students have expressed their passion through multiple campus performances. Bobby Pullido, a San Antonio native musician and graduate from St. Mary’s University has already received multiple awards, including Album of the Year and Male Vocalist at the 1997 Tejano Music awards. Now, a group of three siblings, all students at St. Mary’s, are paving their way to becoming musical stars. Teir musical journey started at a very young age. “My love for music most defnitely began in the backseat of my parent’s car as a young girl. Listening to the soulful and upbeat sound of the music not only brought passion to my life for music, but connected us, as a family, and made an unbreakable bond,” senior psychology major Sophia Muñoz said. Listening to music inspired Sophia Muñoz to take action and learn more about her passion. “As a young girl, I joined the church choir where I learned to sing and play guitar,” Sophia Muñoz continued. For Nando and Isaac Muñoz, their passion for music began in a similar way.
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Trough the joyful moments, troubling times and moments of isolation, music has been known to regularly bring people together on all sorts of occasions. However, for music students, concerts and practices took a turn during the pandemic. Student musicians no longer practiced together in auditoriums or held concerts with large crowds. Tey no longer heard the sound of another live instrument beside them or tuned alongside other musicians. Te time during the pandemic defnitely led to a sudden change in the music world and students anxiously waited for the return of normal times when music could bring them all together again.
Performing at St. Mary’s was an amazing experience. Any time I’m able to perform with my best friends, all while performing at the school I go to, is amazing,” Isaac Muñoz said. Te band is excited to continue to perform on campus and is currently planning more performances at St. Mary’s and across San Antonio in the“Wefuture.actually have a performance coming up just afer the end of the semester at Deco Pizzeria on Fredericksburg Rd. We will be there on Dec. 3 starting at 7:00 p.m. Te restaurant is actually just a few minutes away from campus and has delicious pizza and wings!” Sophia MuñozFromsaid.just a childhood passion, to now a band of siblings, the future for the Muñoz Brothers Band seems bright and the St. Mary’s community is excited to see where they go on their journey to becoming musical stars. To learn more about any upcoming Muñoz Brothers Band shows at St. Mary’s University or across San Antonio, contact the Muñoz Brothers Band at losmunozbrothers@gmail.com or @ munozbrothersband.
“I started preparing when the music was frst handed to me, which was in August. I would practice in my dorm room for about 2 hours,” Almanza said.
VICTORIA OLGUIN
St. Mary’s students become next rising stars with stellar band performances
“Due to the pandemic, I hadn’t performed for quite a while, so I was looking forward to my frst performance at St. Mary’s. Tis frst performance will be something I will treasure,” freshman biology major Kathya Almanza said afer theForperformance.manystudents, this orchestra concert was a highly anticipated, meaningful one. It is for this reason that students began to prepare for the concert months before it occurred, hoping to perform the best that they could at their frst concert of the fall semester.
On Nov. 2, the St. Mary’s String Orchestra held its frst in-person concert of the 2021 fall semester. For the frst time in a while, students unpacked their instruments and rosined their bows, preparing for a grand performance. Te auditorium slowly flled up as the crowd took their seats, awaiting the start of the show. Te orchestra director then raised her baton where a quick moment of silence lingered in the air. As soon as the baton moved, the instruments followed along, flling the entire room with sound.
Logo courtesy of St. Mary’s Department of Music
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Te hours of practice time were worth it as it resulted in an impressive performance. Te crowd seemed to enjoy the show, and students felt like the times pre-pandemic when music brought people together, were fnally returning.
“My parents were always playing music in the house, introducing us to the old school music we’re inspired by today,” senior music education major Nando Muñoz said. “I have my parents to thank as they inspired my love for music by listening to artists like Chicago, Earth, Wind and Fire, Tower of Power and many more,” senior music education major Isaac Muñoz added. Te siblings’ exposure to music at a young age inspired them to explore their musical talents. For Nando Muñoz, performing in events like the Fiesta Jazz festival enhanced his musical skills and opened him up to new working opportunities. “In seventh grade, I performed with the Connell Middle School jazz band at Fiesta Jazz Festival. It was a great experience and I performed at the festival all throughout middle and high school. I’m grateful for those experiences and I’m excited to work with the department for the festival this year!” Nando Muñoz said. Te passion for music the three siblings shared infuenced them to start a band in which they could freely and consistently express their love of music. Now, the band, known as the Muñoz Brothers Band, has performed on the St. Mary’s University campus. On Nov. 4, the band performed live during the university’s Día de los Muertos celebration. As the band performed, students gathered and cheered. Te performance brought excitement to the event, making the show a grand success. “I want to say thank you to Dr. Mireles, as our performance wouldn’t be possible without the help [of] Dr. Mireles.
University orchestra performs live for the frst time in two years on campus OLGUIN NEWS EDITOR Nando Muñoz plays tenor saxaphone with his band at a live concert. | Photo courtesy of the Texas Public Radio
NEWS EDITOR
Now, student musicians search for ways that they can continue to use music to unite people together. “I look forward to playing new music and hopefully collaborating with either the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Guitar Ensemble or Mariachi Cascabel,” TobarNowsaid.that students have fnally been able to host in-person events, student musicians have been preparing for more concerts that will occur in the future. Currently, students are preparing for the holidays and hope to unite the St. Mary’s community through festive music. For more information on future events featuring the string orchestra, contact Diana Johnson, D.M.A. at djohnson33@stmarytx.edu.
“I liked the energy that was in the room. Te Recital Hall is a small, intimate space and it brings everyone together,” freshman political science major, Matthew Tobar said. Students like Tobar felt the bond that was shared between the musicians and the crowd throughout the concert. For some, the bond was the best part of the show. “My favorite moment from the orchestra concert was seeing the audience from the stage. It was almost a full house and hearing the claps afer each song from the supportive audience was a favorite moment of mine,” Almanza said.
Te audience watched in awe, remaining silent until afer the show was done. As soon as the orchestra director lowered her baton, the crowd began to cheer. Student musicians then stood up and bowed with huge grins on their faces. Te moment they had prepared for had fnally arrived.
Te class project is working to raise awareness for helpful resources on campus as well, resources students like Alex Santibanez, international student and international business major, have made use of. “One of the best resources that St. Mary’s provides is the I-20 visa that the students get when they come from other countries and the support we [recieve] to get such visas,” SantibanezHowever,said.upon graduation, international students face an array of other obstacles.
Another international student, senior accounting major Enrique Segovia, further detailed the obstacles facing international students and the options they have postgraduation. Segovia was able to fnd a job working on campus during his time as a student and luckily, he did not face a lot of the same difculties as others while obtaining his student visa. However, as a senior, looking for work post-graduation was a diferent“Findingstory.an internship and a job for afer graduation was [terrible]; I applied to almost 50 or 60 positions and only got one,” said Segovia, “My dad taught me that out of 99 doors you knock on, only one will let you in. I fnally got to see what he meant. Many times you read through an application and the very last statement reads ‘ Tis position is not available for applicants who will require sponsorship in the future’, killing hopes and dreams with many prestigious frms.” Tis is a unique struggle that international students face and is an obstacle each of them must overcome if they choose to seek employment in the United States post-graduation. Many companies are not willing to cover the cost of sponsoring an international employee’s visa and the positions at companies that do are very competitive. Despite all of these obstacles, Segovia argues that the hassle is worth it because of the opportunities available in the U.S., “Simply, opportunities are not the same [back home] and since we were children, our parents and [teachers] try to infuence us to think we need to study abroad to have better opportunities and that is what they [prepared] us for at the school I went to.” To assist international students, the university ofers resources through ofces like the Center for International Programs which assists students through programs such as the Intensive English Program (IEP) and transportation assistance. Yet, many students still feel that more should be done for St. Mary’s international students post-graduation. “I do not believe there are enough resources at [St. Mary’s] to help international students fnd a job afer graduation,” said Segovia, “I have not met any international student that has gotten a job that they did not look for themselves or with [the] help of a professor.”
“I think that throughout the semester we’ve all stressed about getting our stuf together and maintaining it,” said Bordallo, “Most college students work as well, so we’re balancing both full-time school and part-time work.” Bordallo also points out the difculty of balancing all of our work in a short amount of time, especially before fnals, “We take a midterm in between all [of] the tests, reviews and homework and basically get three weeks to recover from that before we have to take the fnal.”
Santibanez also mentioned the help he has received from professors, saying, “ Tere are a lot of resources from the international business professors for international students. Every week we get options to look at for jobs and internships all over the country and even overseas.”
It’s wonderful to hear that many professors are willing to help international students, yet, the university as a whole should also provide more accessible and helpful resources for international students post-graduation; the responsibility should not fall to professors alone.
Te Capstone Communication Studies group hopes to advocate for international students at St. Mary’s through conducting a survey to measure student opinion and has plans to host an informational event in the University Center atrium on Nov. 30. Te group’s objective is to be a voice for the international students at St. Mary’s and let student opinion direct the project so they can raise awareness for this issue. Te group is encouraging all international students to take a short survey to share their opinions, needs and hopes for international student resources at St. Mary’s. Students can scan the QR code below to share their thoughts. Demi Bestor
are concerned about my mental health.
According to the World Health Organization, mental health is described as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” In a study conducted by Mental Help in 2016, 31% of students surveyed said that fnal exams were the biggest source of their stress. In a diferent survey conducted by the American College Health Association in 2016, more than 34% of students said that stress had negatively impacted their academic performance. Although fnal exams may be stressful, students’ mental health should not be put on the back burner. Growing up, many students were told that education comes frst, but how can someone be expected to focus on education when they may not even want to go to class? Poor mental health ofen has a stigma around it, making it seem unsightly. Similarly, people ofen think that someone can simply choose to not be depressed or choose to not worry or stress about things. Tis stigma may also prevent people from reaching out for help, fearing they will be viewed as “broken.” Now, especially in college, the fast-paced classes with long papers and short deadlines are bound to create some amount of stress. Stress comes in all diferent kinds of forms, some may be slightly irritated and others may completely shut but that’s irrelevant, is stress. With exams approaching, some students can’t help but worry about the efect leastwhichscholarships,studentsGPA.cumulativeonwillexamsfnalhavetheirSomehaverequireata3.0GPAfor
Tese visas are ofen difcult to obtain in the frst place and are costly to maintain especially since they require approval from employers. As the semester comes to an end for fall graduates and the start of the spring semester approaches, many senior international students need to start preparing to face this obstacle and one group of students is working to address thisTissue.eSenior Capstone in Communication Studies class, taught by Katherine Hampsten, Ph.D., has started a community project to help international students with this process by advocating for more accessible resources and raising awareness for the resources that are already available for international students. Rachel Huron, senior communication studies major is a part of this class project and spoke on what the group hopes to achieve.
OPINION EDITOR: SEANA BARCLAY | @STMURATTLERNEWS | NOV. 18, 20216 International students seek improved resources for post-graduate success Student mental health should not be disregarded as fnals quickly approach MAKAYLA AMITRANI CONTRIBUTING WRITER ELIZABETH PEREZ COPY EDITOR Graphic by
Another student acknowledges the timeline of due dates and how they all fall the day students return from Tanksgiving break, “Even though we get Tanksgiving ‘break’ we don’t get to relax during that time,” said freshman biology major Jalyn De La ManyFuente.students agreed that their mental health has been placed on the back burner to concentrate on their upcoming fnal exams. Tis should not be the case and it is something that should be addressed.
“ Te obstacles that international students face while looking for jobs here in the U.S. is [obtaining] the visa to be able to work here and make money,” said Santibanez. “For some people, it is really hard to get these visas. Some companies are easy with giving away the permits but some others [would] just rather hire American citizens.”
Many students are already anxious as they prepare for graduation and make plans to enter the workforce, but international students not only face the typical nerves that come with graduation. Should these students choose to stay and work in the United States they also deal with the obstacles of sorting out the proper paperwork, getting visas approved to stay in the country and then fnding a job that will support the cost of their worker’s Internationalvisa.students must have a student visa to attend college in the United States, yet afer graduation, there is an entirely diferent set of visas that graduates must be approved for to work in the U.S. such as the Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa or the H-1B program. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the OPT is “temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study” and the H-1B program allows companies in the United States to temporarily employ foreign workers in a highly specialized feld related to the application of their studies in a bachelor’s degree program or higher.
Tere are a plethora of resources available on campus for students struggling with mental health throughout the year and during fnal exam season. Te Student Counseling Center is hosting group therapy sessions regarding grief, anxiety and pandemic adjustment virtually on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4-5 p.m. Contact the Student Counseling Center at (210) 4363135 for more information or to schedule an individual appointment with a counselor. For help studying for fnals, contact the Rattler Success Center to make an appointment at (210) 436-3736 or through Rattler Navigate.
One of my professors, she almost always asks me afer class how I’m doing and or if I’m understanding the material. While the others are more concerned about their lecture and assignments.”gradedHowarestudentsexpectedtobeconcernedabouttheirmentalhealthwhenlately,itseems
most of them. Meaning that if a student does poorly on one, test they could potentially lose their scholarship. Without their scholarship, some students might not be able to pay for Evencollege.someprofessors seemingly put aside students’ mental health to promote success in their classes. Freshman forensic science major Hannah Bermea agrees, “With fnals coming up, I feel only a few of my professors
to come last? ere are other factors that come into play concerning fnal exams. For example, some students like freshman business management major Alius Bordallo balance school and work.
“ Tis is our efort as a class to educate people on the issues that international students face post-graduation,” Huron said, “As a group of senior students getting ready to graduate, we are all getting ready to face so many hardships post-undergraduate studies, but international students have more problems tacked onto the generic issues we all face. We don’t leave any [one] behind.” Huron acknowledged the work that the university has done to help international students but expressed that there is still work to be done to help these students.
Arguably the most important aspect of a student’s college career is grades. Grades set the standard for how one’s college experience will go, so it comes as no surprise that every student seems concerned with the letters that represent their academic performance. Despite this, some professors keep students’ grades hidden throughout the semester, only revealing them come time for midterm grades and fnal grades. Tis particular way of grading ofen leaves students unsure or anxious surrounding their performance in thoseWhileclasses.not the most common style of grading here at St. Mary’s, a number of classes do follow this system, especially classes like those ofered in the music department which focus primarily on performance or other writing-intensive courses. Tese classes ofen focus heavily on students’ performance on major assignments rather than constant testtaking or homework-based evaluation. Despite this, however, this grading style can ofentimes leave students anxious about their performance in said classes. Without knowing their grades, students are lef questioning where they can improve within the class. Tis is especially important for classes which center themselves around student improvement as the semester progresses.“Ifeel really nervous about my classes not being graded on Canvas, because I don’t know how I’m doing,” junior music education major Daija Vanegas explained.“Ipersonally dislike classes where professors do not post grades on Canvas,” said junior political science major Polina Protozanova. “I feel completely in the dark for the majority of the semesterthere is much less transparency about the expectations from me as a student.”
Students believe testing is a subjective measurement of class performance Graphic by Adrianna Mirabal
CAMILA JUSTUS CONTRIBUTING WRITER SEANA BARCLAY OPINION EDITOR
Ultimately, there are too many factors to consider when trying to measure whether tests are fulflling their end goal - which is evaluating students’ understanding of courseFirstly,material.amajor thing to consider is the state of people’s mental health at that moment. Sometimes students are struggling with various other things outside of schoolwork and that can end up afecting their performance during exams. For some students, testing anxiety is also another concern which can afect test scores. For others, standardized tests are simply harder to handle in comparison to other assignments like homework and regular classwork.Freshman accounting major Nicolas Palacios agreed, “I’m worse at taking tests than doing the actual schoolwork.” Te frst thing that comes to many people’s minds when they hear the word “test” is anxiety. One reason why tests sound stressful could be because of how competitively GPA is treated and how most tests are heavily weighted towards overall class grades. Tests tend to be a larger portion of students’ overall grade, but if the goal is to genuinely measure knowledge attained then there is no real reason for tests to be worth a higher percentage of a student’s fnalSimilarly,grade. if students are lef in the dark about what information the test will cover, they may end up studying the wrong content. Another example is freshman undecided major Mazeray Bayha who said, “Even when studying, I do not always get a good grade. Tere are times where I go into a test being completely confdent because I studied and still make below an 80 or even fail.”
I’m worse at taking tests than doing the actual schoolwork.” Nicolas Palacios freshman accounting major “
editor.
It’s unfair to grade students this way. For students, it’s important to understand what their grades are at any given moment so that they can focus on improving or understand if they can take a break if they’re performing at a high enough level. Tis style of grading also keeps hidden which assignments get weighted more heavily than others and if students don’t know how heavily weighted an assignment is, it can deeply afect how they perceive their imagined grade to be. “In all honesty, having some way to keep myself accountable and up to date is defnitely benefcial to my way of functioning,” senior double major Isac Perez said. “Having my grades posted essentially helps me buckle down and prioritize where I need to pick up the slack and do better.” “I do have a class where grades are only posted midterm and it’s based on our midterm score which is nice because it eliminates that added stress of getting A’s on every assignment,” continued Perez.
OPINIONNOV. 18, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM 7 Grades should be easily accessible throughout semester Editor-in-Chief Demi Bestor Managing Editor Larry Rodriguez-Shea Copy Editor Elizabeth Perez Layout and Design Sara Regassa Advertising Manager Megan Angelo Multimedia Editor Adrianna Mirabal Web Editor Briana Bailey News Editor Victoria Olguin Spanish Editor Maria Jose Valiente Opinion Editor Seana Barclay Culture and Entertainment Editor Jacob A. Henson Sports Editor Didier Cadena Faculty Adviser Kathe Lehman-Meyer EDITORIAL STAFF
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“But it has its downfall if you don’t score really well on this one test and have to wait for the fnal.” For many students, having their grades posted consistently throughout the semester is the primary way they hold themselves accountable academically. Similarly, not posting students’ grades cuts a fundamental path of communication between students and their “Communicationprofessors. is key and not posting the grades is preventing it between the students and the professor,” saidHidingProtozanova.students’ grades can also hurt students’ overall academic performance and therefore lead to potentially signifcant issues with fnancial aid, GPA and other key components of their college careers.
Canvas is not a difcult app to use so there is absolutely no downside to posting grades there,” Protozanova said. Ultimately, students deserve to be aware of their performance in the classes they are paying a lot of money for. A degree here at St. Mary’s can be quite pricey and it’s not fair that students don’t get the full picture in every class they take. Given the existence of systems like Canvas, it’s relatively easy for professors to post students’ grades as they become available throughout the semester.
Te fact that the efectiveness of standardized tests as a means of measuring a students’ knowledge in a course is still questioned is ludicrous. Te question of whether or not standardized tests measure understanding in courses has been posed for years and their efcacy has been disproven time and time again. Regardless of what standardized test supporters might say, if a test is given fairly without it being open note, the scores will always be dispersed.
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In some cases, students not knowing their grades can lead to them failing and having to retake courses and, therefore, pay even more money for an already expensive education, especially here at a private institution.
“I believe it is crucial to know how you are doing in your classes,” said Vanegas. “Knowing if you’re doing well or not will prevent you from having to retake and repay for the “Studentscourse.”should always be aware of their grade status in class - no exception.
“I have also noticed that sometimes I seem to have a harder time than some of my peers, regardless of how much I study,” Bayha said. Tis proves that sometimes it just depends on the person and testing may not be accurately gauge how much they learned. Even with this factor of uncertainty, comprehension and studying also play a part. Sometimes, a student who barely reviews class notes on the day before the test will score higher than someone with a deeper understanding of the course who is not a goodAnothertest-taker.reason why tests are not always a cient way to measure a student’s knowledge of a course is that it can lead to cramming. Many students cram before an exam by staying up all night before the test to study the material. Tis method of studying is not efective because the material is not embedded in the student’s mind, instead most of the information is subconsciously disposed right afer taking the exam. Similarly, students might not try studying the information further as they likely will focus on information for an upcoming testFreshmaninstead. accounting major JD Regalado can attest to this, he said, “I usually cram a couple [of] days before the exam and right afer I take it, I forget everything I had learned for Additionally,it.” some students may be tempted to practice academic dishonesty and may go out of their way to cheat on exams. Tis was an issue when classes went virtual and it’s widely speculated that some students did not learn much during virtual classes due to this. Despite this, virtual classes are something that students should get used to. Some professors fnd virtual teaching to be more convenient; therefore, virtual learning is likely to be ongoing and this leaves room for possible cheating on assignments and exams. With academic dishonesty, nothing is measured accurately and this just leaves professors with false results and students with skewed GPAs. Students shouldn’t have to cram before a test because they should be learning the material throughout the course. If the end goal of tests is to assess student learning, the only reasonable resolution for this goal to be met without causing issues is to either not weigh standardized test as heavily or to not take a grade on them at all.
For more information visit clevelandclinic.com
Although most research has historically shown SAD is more prevalent in young women, recent studies show that SAD affects both men and women of all ages equally. However, because of the reduction in sunlight during winter, people living far north or south of the equator are more prone to seasonal depression. People with other mood disorders, such as major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder and a family history of other mental health conditions, are also likely to be affected by SAD.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), commonly known as seasonal depression, is a mood disorder initiated by a change in seasons. Unlike major depressive disorder, SAD happens around the same time every year, most commonly during late fall through winter.
SAD is not age- or sex-specific
Sunlight deficiency is the most common cause SAD is commonly caused by the reduction of serotonin, a brain chemical responsible for mood regulation, as a result of reduced sunlight. A change in seasons also affects an individual’s levels of melatonin, which is a chemical that plays a role in sleep and mood regulation. Generally, being away from sunlight affects the body’s biological clock, causes a shift in mood, sleep and hormone secretion leading to seasonal depression. It is a type of mood disorder
Editor: Sara G. Regassa
Graphics courtesy of vecteezy.com
EVERYTHING YOU SEASONALNEEDDEPRESSION
Although there are several professional methods to treat seasonal depression, there are also many alternatives to try at home. As SAD is caused by sunlight deficiency, small activities such as spending more time outdoors and letting sunlight enter a room play a huge role in treating SAD. Taking vitamin D supplements and maintaining social activities are also other ways to treat SAD.
There are ways to prevent SAD from coming back Once diagnosed with SAD, several steps can be taken to prevent another episode from occurring in the future. As winter approaches, a SAD episode can be prevented by: • Spending time outside every day • Having a balanced diet regardless of carbohydrate cravings • Exercising for at least 30 minutes, three times a week • Spending time with family and friends • Taking antidepressant medications upon the recommendation of a healthcare professional There are ways to spot SAD The most common indications of seasonal depression include: • Low energy • Oversleeping • Appetite for carbohydrates • Weight gain • Difficulty concentrating • Feelings of hopelessness and anxiety • Loss of interest in habitual activities • Suicidal thoughts NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DEPRESSIONTherearedifferenttreatmentoptionsavailable
Debido a esto el saber manejar el estrés es muy importante, un consejo para poder hacer esto con éxito es saber nuestros límites. Isabella Castro, estudiante en administracion de emoresas de segundo ano de Honduras explica como “Cuando sentimos que el estrés es demasiado fuerte, deberíamos tomar un descanso, por más difícil que sea. Y cuando lo hacemos podemos participar en actividades que nos hacen feliz, como meditación, pasar tiempo con familia, ir en una caminata etc.” Esto nos demuestra que aunque el descanso sea de un par de minutos, es importante darle a nuestro cerebro distracción para bajar nuestros niveles de estrés. El hablar con nuestros seres queridos, o terapeutas también es muy importante ya que el expresar nuestras preocupaciones con otros y escuchar otro tipo de opiniones ayuda.Elsiguiente punto es la importancia de la organización, ya que es fundamental que el estudiante lo haga, aún más cuando tiene una agenda muy ocupada. Hay muchas formas por las cuales se puede hacer esto. Por ejemplo tener una agenda y escribir en ella la fecha de los exámenes finales y otras actividades importantes en la vida del estudiante. En esta agenda también se puede anotar los días que se dedicaran al estudio de cada examen final. Muchos compañeros además han expresado como tienen un cuaderno en el cual ellos organizan su día y ahí anotan los tiempos y la cantidad de horas que ellos le dedican a diferentes actividades diarias. Tener una lista de control también es otro método efectivo al organizarse, ya que el estudiante puede ir marcando las actividades completadas y así enfocarse en las restantes. En conclusión hay muchas maneras de organización que los estudiantes pueden usar para tener éxito en la época de exámenes finales. Cada persona es distinta, teniendo distintos hábitos, horarios, necesidades y problemas. Por eso es importante tomar en cuenta que un método que puede ser efectivo para una persona, no sea efectivo para otra. Lo importante es poner el esfuerzo y encontrar lo que te ayuda a ti como individuo a encontrar lo que es el balance, algo que te ayude a manejar el estrés y finalmente cómo te puedes organizar efectivamente. Todo esto ayuda a los estudiantes a tener éxito en los muy temidos exámenes finales, para así poder aprovechar las muy merecidas vacaciones. Las cuales todos saben que se esperan con mucha emocion, no solo por los estudiantes de St. Mary’s University. Ya que estos examenes son muy importantes para todo el mundo.
Grafico por Demi Bestor
Cuenta la historia, que se presentó un comerciante inesperado y les sugirió intercambiar pieles de castores por granos y de esta forma, este personaje evitó que murieran más personas a causa del hambre. Al año siguiente, en 1621 a principios de octubre, los peregrinos realizaron su primer cosecha y con ella una gran cena. Edward Winslow, uno de los colonos registró que “comían algún tipo de ave pato o ganso e incluían vegetales como nabos y zanahorias que en gran parte habían sido provistas por la tribu indígena de los Wampanoag.” Me gustaría pensar que en la primera celebración no comieron en una mesa o con cubiertos como lo hacemos hoy en día, imagino que era algo al aire libre y más sencillo.
Meses después el gobernador William Bradford, decreto que el 13 de diciembre se reservará como “un día de fiesta y oración en agradecimiento de los colonos-peregrinos que continuaron con vida.” Estos peregrinos agradecieron a dios por el alimento una tierra para establecerse y, sobretodo, libertad para practicar su fe. Más adelante, en 1863, Abraham Lincoln dejó libre el último jueves de noviembre como un día para agradecer a dios, y posteriormente, en 1941 el congreso dictaminaría que el cuarto jueves de noviembre debe celebrarse como “día de acción de gracias” y desde ese momento se convirtió en feriado oficial.
En pleno siglo XXI se sigue considerando en la Unión Americana un gran día. Cabe resaltar que se suspenden las clases y muchos alumnos viajan a sus casas o de paseo a otros estados. Ahora está festividad, que aún guarda su esencia de compartir y agradecer, permite diferentes experiencias en cada persona. El alumno de St. Mary’s Chicago Shuller, dijo al respecto, “Al crecer en el Valle de Río Grande, nuestras familias se mezclaron con las tradiciones alemanas, texanas y mexicanas. Algunos años comíamos el típico pavo, tamales o mi platillo favorito, el pecho ahumado. Mi familia siempre se reunía en la casa de mi abuela para terminar de cocinar la comida, que en mi opinión es la mejor parte. Después de que terminamos de comer, todos los primos vamos a nadar y después al cine. Al día siguiente, todos mis amigos se reunirán para celebrar el Día de Acción de Gracias o lo que llamamos ‘Friendsgiving’”.Eldiceque“Cada persona trae nuestro plato más famoso. Soy conocido por mis deliciosos macarrones con queso. En general, además de reunirnos y comer una deliciosa comida, todos nos tomamos el tiempo para recordar las cosas porque estamos agradecidos durante este tiempo.” Tal como menciona Shuller, es un evento en el que se comparte en familia y amigos, disfrutan y se comen platillos deliciosos a consideración de cada persona, tomando en cuenta que lo más importante es disfrutar el momento tal como lo hicieron los peregrinos durante su primera cosecha junto con los indígenas, compartir y disfrutar dejando a un lado las divisiones y los problemas. Otra entrevista fascinante fue la de Fernando Arriaga, la cual en verdad me conmocionó; “para mi familia y para mí, Thanksgiving es una fecha muy especial y nos llena de alegría porque fue en el año 2008, precisamente ese día, cuando a mi madre le diagnosticaron cáncer en un seno, así que en lugar de celebrar lloramos y hasta dejamos de asistir a la iglesia, pero fue precisamente un año después 2009 cuando en una tomografía y estudios médicos realizados a mi madre, los doctores descubrieron que el cáncer se había ido y estamos seguros de que fue la intervención de dios.” El menciona que “Desde el 2009, siempre salimos a lugares diferentes toda la familia, pero antes del viaje asistimos a la iglesia para agradecer el milagro que salvó a mi madre.” ¡Sin duda alguna un hermoso regalo en el día de acción de gracias para la familia de Arriaga, su relato es una gran reflexión y me hace indagar en mi historia personal, en cuántas veces me he negado a disfrutar lo que tengo y compartir con mi familia como lo hicieron los peregrinos, ¡Celebrar y dar gracias por la vida y la amistad! Ya que esto nos llena a todos como seres humanos.
Cuando sentimos que el estrés es demasiado fuerte, debería mos tomar un descanso, por más difícil que sea. Y cuando lo hacemos podemos participar en actividades que nos hacen feliz, como meditación, pasar tiempo con familia, ir en una caminata etc.”
Isabella Castro estudiante segundo año Administracion de empresas “
Como manejar con mucho éxito los próximos exámenes finales este semestre
El primer tema es ¿cómo tener balance? Esto es super importante ya que muchas veces, los estudiantes se sumergen demasiado en los estudios, dejando al lado otros aspectos importantes de su vida. O en otras ocasiones es lo opuesto, ignoran sus estudios completamente y utilizan su tiempo para otras cosas. En ambos escenarios la resolución nunca es buena, por lo general esto resulta en una carga mental sumamente fuerte en el estudiante o en muy malas notas en los exámenes. Debido a esto es necesario el balance, esto significa llevar una vida, en la cual el estudiante le dedica las horas necesarias a cada clase de estudio, pero al mismo tiempo se involucra en otras actividades que le den satisfacción. Entre estas pueden ser el ejercicio, el salir con amigos a horas razonables, pintar, leer, cocinar, entre otras. Es decir que si, el estudiante le dedicara tiempo de estudios a sus clases, pero una cantidad de horas razonables, no dejando atrás otras actividades relajantes las cuales los ayudarán mentalmente a despejarse. Otro tema el cual es muy importante es el aprender a manejar el estrés, ya que muchas veces, como todo ser humano, los estudiantes se hunden en el sentimiento de estrés fuerte, esto los perjudica mentalmente y a la misma vez los limita a seguir adelante.
MARÍA JOSÉ VALIENTE EDITORA DE ESPAÑOL
Durante el día de acción de gracias millones de estadounidenses y, actualmente, personas de otras nacionalidades influenciadas por la cultura americana, se reunieron para celebrar “Thanksgiving Day.” Esta es una fiesta nacional que se celebra año tras año principalmente en los Estados Unidos, pero ¿cómo surge?, ¿cuál es la historia de esta celebración tan importante para los americanos? Para poder comprender a grandes rasgos la historia de esta festividad nos remontaremos al año 1620. Con la llegada de los muchos peregrinos llamados “puritanos separatistas” que viajaron en el navío Mayflower proveniente de Holanda y desembarcaron en Cape Cod Massachusetts, éstos habían renunciado a la Iglesia Anglicana y se fueron primero de Inglaterra a Holanda, ya que ahí sí había tolerancia religiosa. No obstante, ya en Holanda descubrieron que era muy difícil ganarse la vida y mantener a sus familias, es así como se embarcaron al Continente Americano, específicamente a las Trece Colonias.
SPANISH EDITOR: MARÍA JOSÉ VALIENTE | @STMURATTLERNEWS | NOV. 18, 202110 Distintas opiniones de los estudiantes sobre el gran Día de Acción de Gracias
JOSE GUTIERREZ / MARÍA JOSÉ VALIENTE
Esto muchas veces no deja que el estudiante se concentre y resulta en colapso mentales.
Como todos saben, la Navidad se aproxima, y las vacaciones de invierno vienen consigo. Todos los estudiantes se encuentran muy emocionados ya que finalmente tendrán su descanso bien merecido y al mismo tiempo podrán celebrar con sus familias sus diferentes festividades. Pero como muchos dicen, no todo viene fácil, y en este caso las vacaciones vienen después de los muy temidos exámenes finales. Como cualquier estudiante, muchos en St. Mary’s University están nerviosos y ansiosos por los exámenes. Ya que las noches de desvelo, las horas de estudio, los llantos de estrés y el no entender las materias difíciles es inminente.
Al haber platicado con varios estudiantes de distintos países y diferentes carreras, muchos han expresado la necesidad de teneralgún tipo de guía, la cual explica el mejor manejo y balance de los exámenes finales. Ya que muchos comentan cómo se les hace difícil el poder manejar con tranquilidad el estrés de esta temporada. Debido a esto, se tomó la decisión de escribir un artículo el cual da consejos y sugerencias de como poder prepararse bien para los exámenes finales. Este artículo se enfocará en tres temas los cuales son: tener balance, el poder manejar el estrés y la importancia de la organización.
Durante el primer cruel invierno en que los peregrinos, ya colonos, pasaron en Norteamérica, murieron muchos de los que originalmente habían llegado, dado que la comida era muy escasa y pasaban hambre.
o típico es gallo pinto, ensalada de repollo, tajadas fritas, queso y cerdo frito. Stadthagen, opina que su cultura nicaragüense puede ser encontrada en San Antonio, “El restaurante ‘La Centroamericana’ tiene la comida típica de todo Centroamérica y cuando llegas ahí te hacen sentir como en casa, sirviendo también variaciones de la comida nicaragüense.”PamelaBanda, una estudiante de mercadeo de segundo año en St. Mary’s University relata acerca de las celebraciones y comida de sus raíces. Banda es de McAllen, Texas y de Reinosa, Tamaulipas, mezclando sus raíces mexicanas con las Tejanas. “Los días festivos que celebro con toda mi familia son Thanksgiving, Navidad, Año Nuevo, Día de los Muertos, Día de la Virgen y el Día de los Reyes Magos. Estas ocasiones siempre son formales pero la mas formales son Thanksgiving y Navidad.” La cena familiar navideña de Banda es muy distinta a las de los estudiantes Centroamericanos de St. Mary’s.“En Navidad comemos espaguetis verdes, puré de papas y un pavo relleno que el relleno contiene carne con almendras. El relleno del pavo que hace mi mama es único y muy diferente a todos los demás.” Otra festividad que es diferente en la cultura de Banda es el Dia de los Muertos. Ella celebre este día comiendo pan de muerto, tamales y frijoles y honrando sus seres queridos. San Antonio comparte bastante la cultura mexicana de Banda, “Ya que los tacos son la comida típica de mi país, las taquerías de San Antonio me hacen sentir como en casa.” El puesto de tacos mas recomendado por Banda en San Antonio es “Taquitos West Ave.”Victor Andonie, orgulloso hondureño y estudinte de segundo ano de administracion de empresas en St. Mary’s University tiene culturas muy interesantes ya que su familia hondureña también es árabe. “Mi familia siempre celebra Navidad, Thanksgiving y Año Nuevo.” Andonie celebra los mismos festivos, pero con una variación en la comida, “Aunque el plato típico que comemos en Navidad es cerdo horneado, arroz con carne y almendras y camote a la naranja lo que hace nuestra comida diferente es que siempre hay boquitas árabes como sambusek, hojas de uva y kibbe.” Andonie siempre ha celebrado y comido un poco de todo en Honduras, “La comida típica de mi país son las baleadas.” El ha tratado de sentirse en casa en San Antonio buscando restaurantes similares a la comida que hace su familia, “Casi no he encontrado comida como en mi casa solo un restaurante que se llama la Centroamericana.” Es evidente que ir a comer a la “Centroamericana” es esencial para disfrutar tu experiencia en San Antonio, sin dejar atrás la atracción, “Taquitos West Ave.” que es muy deseado y querido por los estudiantes de St. Mary’s. Es fascinante informarse sobre las diferencias de culturas entre México, Nicaragua y Honduras cuando todos estos países son parte de una misma región. Ellso están agradecidos con la ciudad de San Antonio porque. Los estudiantes de St. Mary’s están emocionados porque pronto podrán celebrar los festivos tradicionales con sus seres queridos.
Al descubrir el incremento latino dentro de las fraternidades y hermandades, el periodico universitario decidió entrevistar a unos latinos quienes se unieron recientemente a distintas hermandades y fraternidades en campus. Ellos compartieron cómo descubrieron estas organizaciones, el porqué decidieron unirse a ellas y también lo que han logrado sacar de estas.
Juan Ignacio Cabrales, un estudiante de segundo año en administracion de empresas de Nicaragua describe cómo “yo llegué a St. Mary’s no sabia que habian fraternidades, nunca me hubiera imaginado uniéndome a una. Yo veía [ la vida Griega] como una distracción hacia mis estudios y con más dirección a fiestas y desorden, mas no sabia yo tenía un mal concepto acerca del tema.” El describe cómo al llegar a la universidad él tenía un mal concepto de lo que son las fraternidades, pero eso cambió una vez encontró a Sigma Beta CabralesChi. añade como “Lo que encontré en Sigma Beta Chi era todo lo que yo estaba buscando cuando llegué a la universidad y eran cosas que yo no tenía en mi vida. Mi fraternidad me ha enseñado sobre el servicio, la hermandad y la cooperación y eso es algo que en ningún otro lado pudiera haber aprendido. Fue una experiencia que de verdad le dio un cambio positivo a mi vida y estoy muy agradecido.” Esto demuestra como las fraternidades y hermandades pueden beneficiar a los estudiantes. y los demas hermanos.
Hermanos de Sigma Beta Chi posan en patio. | Cortesia de Cabrales
MARÍA JOSÉ VALIENTE EDITORA DE ESPAÑOL
El creciente influjo de estudiantes latinos en las hermandades y fraternidades
VIVIAN URRUTIA / MARÍA JOSÉ VALIENTE
Isabella Castro, una estudiante de segundo año en administracion de empresas de Honduras, decidió unirse a la hermandad Alpha Phi. Ella explica cómo “La verdad para mi fue siempre una curiosidad saber qué era eso. Hay un tabú de que son las [hermandades] y son parte de la cultura americana. Y la verdad yo siempre he dicho que si vienes a estudiar a otro país debes sumergirte en esas cosas de la [‘experiencia universitaria’] o que mires aquellas cosas que no son iguales a las que estás acostumbrado. La verdad muchos se meten porque quieren hacer amigos, y ese no fue mi caso.” Al explicar como ella es una fuerte creedora en tener una experiencia completa universitaria, Castro describe cómo muchos latinos se unieron igual que ella. Castro incluye que “Hay una comunidad latina muy grande en St. Mary’s que es imposible viniendo de Honduras que no te unas. Fue más la idea que quería salir de mi burbuja y explorar algo nuevo. Y hasta el día de hoy me ha encantado. Estoy muy emocionada por ver que depara mi futuro en Alpha Phi y todo lo que puedo aprender de un grupo de mujeres que tienen mucho que traer a mi vida ya sea socialmente, académicamente y profesionalmente.” Castro describe como Alpha Phi es una hermandad la cual beneficia fuertemente a todas sus Ximenahermanas.Salas,estudiante de segundo año en psicologia de México, le cuenta a el periodico como ella decidio unirse a Delta Zeta y como “Al principio había decidido meterme a una [hermandad] porque quería tener la experiencia de hacer ‘rush’ junto con mis amigas. Y la verdad que siento que fue algo que nunca me arrepentiré de haber
Como toda buena universidad Americana, St. Mary ‘s University ofrece a todos sus estudiantes la opción de unirse a la vida Griega. ¿Qué significa esto? Pues en este caso la vida griega son las hermandades y fraternidades, o en otras palabras estas son organizaciones sociales para los estudiantes. Este concepto de hermandades y fraternidades ha sido tabú ya por muchos años ya que han habido casos en el cual las fiestas, el alcohol y las iniciaciones se salen de control. Hollywood no se queda atrás al demostrar esto en muchas de sus películas como en “The House Bunny,” “Neighbors,” “College’’ y “Sydney White.” Pero como muchos saben, Hollywood siempre exagera las cosas.Enelcaso de St. Mary ‘s University la vida Griega es mucho más sana, abierta y positiva. Esto se puede ver en la increíble diversidad étnica que se puede encontrar dentro de las distintas hermandades y fraternidades en campus. Más aún en los recientes años en los cuales se puede ver cómo la comunidad latina ha decidido unirse y convertirse en hermanos y hermanas. Esto no se veía hace muchos años ya que usualmente las hermandades y fraternidades son propensamente gente Americana, y como se ve en las películas gente blanca. Ya que estas organizaciones fueron creadas dentro de la cultura Americana.
Gracias Grafico por Demi Bestor Hermanas de Alpha Phi posan en su retiro. | Cortesia de Castro
hecho. Aunque al principio yo no estaba segura de lo que era una hermandad, pude encontrar a un gran grupo de niñas. Al ser parte de una [hermandad] he podido conseguir a personas que te apoyan con lo que tu decidas y te aconsejan. Son personas que sí pueden ayudarte con cualquier cosa o inconveniente van a estar ahí para ayudarte a salirEstoadelante.”demuestra cómo las hermandades también pueden beneficiar a las jóvenes que decidieron unirse a ellas. En conclusión, a pesar de todo el concepto negativo que muchas personas tienen de las distintas hermandades y fraternidades en América, las que se encuentran en St. Mary’s University nos demuestran lo contrario. Los entrevistados comprueban cómo han logrado sentirse como en casa, y además de eso han aprendido mucho de sus respectivas fraternidades y hermandades. Cada año se ve cómo los latinos y latinas deciden convertirse en hermanos y hermanas, diversificando y dándole un poco más de vivacidad a las fraternidades y hermandades existentes. Ya que es sumamente importante, mas aun dursnte estos tiempos la diversificacion cultural de las organisaziones dentro de las diferentes universidades.
Los distintos platillos latinos que se acostumbran a comer para las Navidades
SPANISHNOV. 18, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM 11
Se acerca la temporada del año donde regresamos a nuestras casas a disfrutar de las deliciosas comidas que nuestras culturas ofrecen. Muchos estudiantes extrañan sus hogares y describen las tradiciones y costumbres especiales que celebran junto a sus familias. Pamela Banda, Alberto Stadthagen y Victor Andonie comparten los platos típicos que disfrutan en los días festivos del año. Las raíces nicaragüenses acompañan a Alberto Stadthagen, estudiante de ultimo año de administracion de empresas en St. Mary’s, a donde vaya. En Managua, Nicaragua Stadthagen, solo celebra formalmente Navidad con su familia entera, que vienen siendo como 40 familiares. “El plato tradicional que comemos en Navidad incluye pavo, puré de papas, ensalada, un bollo de pan y gravy.” En este festivo Stadthagen tiene una tradición especial con su familia, “Mi familia tiene una tradición de hacer pate que es hígado de pato y es una receta que ha estado por generaciones de familia. La comemos solamente en Navidad y la esperamos con ansias todo el año ya que es deliciosa.” En Nicaragua, el plato tradicional
Q: How many booths/vendors will be at theA:fest?We are looking at about 30 food vendors ranging from tamales to barbacoa, tacos and much more. We will also have merchandise vendors for those seeking to buy gifts for loved ones. We are trying to help all small businesses, not only food [vendors] at our event.
A: We will have traditional pork, chicken salsa verde, regular chicken, bean and “tamales dulces” — [sweet tamales including] apple and the pink ones with [raisins]. One vendor [also] said Hot Cheetos tamales, but [it’s] not fully confirmed yet.
A: I’ve heard of it! Q: Have you ever visited the “Lightscape”? What was your experience like?
The story of “Dune” is a unique, fictional universe, one that is more complex than its initial impressions. It is a mystical place, one where people are not meant to be given all of the information unless they seek it out. Those who are die-hard fans of science fiction will know that “Dune” was already made into a movie that is much longer and tells the story in more detail, albeit with lessTheelegance.original film adaptation is 37 years old and was released in 1984. The 2021 modern version is a fractured story because the director, Denis Villeneuve, decided that “Dune” would require more than one movie. A large part of the errors made in other renditions of “Dune” is the ambition that such a complex story could be condensed into a single film. Those who don’t like “Dune” as a movie, in either the older or new version, should read the book. Originally, “Dune” was published as a single book with 800 pages. The story is complex in portraying its future history for humanity and, without spoiling the movie and book, it’s safe to say that future humans had a fall from grace. By diving into the universe, audiences will have to grapple with the question: In what ways can those seeking power exploit religion? “Dune” centers on the idea of religious power and is reflected in the “Bene Gesserit.” The “Bene Gesserit” is a cult obsessed with finding the “Kwisatz Haderach” — the prophesied messiah and super human being. “Dune” (2021) will play with the audience’s perception of the protagonist, because for Frank Herbert, the author of “Dune,” there is no good guy in the story.
Event Coordinator Robert Reyes sat down with the Ratter to discuss the upcoming 2021 San Antonio Tamale Festival.
A: We are having a DJ, mariachis and Ballet Folklórico dancers [forQ:entertainment].Inoticedthatentry is free, but how much are tamales going be sold for? Is there an estimate price? Or any student discounts?
A: Tamales will have ranges from $2 to $5 each depending on the meat product and there will be sales by quantities, for example, one for $2, three for $5 [or a dozen] for $13. I know EC Food Factory, which is my company, will have student and military discounts of 20% [off] their total per order. Q: Lastly, can I please get a unique comment from you on the fest? How long have you been doing this? What do you hope to accomplish with this fest? Was the city encouraging of it?
A: I am excited to be having this event, especially when it comes to providing our traditional meals to our fellow neighbors. The City of China Grove has been tremendously helpful. They are very welcoming while also maintaining health and safety for all citizens and guests. Our event is outdoors and [it’s] a great way to have some safe fun.
A: Oh, there’s a bus stop at the location; stop #62963 and its bus route is #30. For more information visit SA Tamales Fest on Facebook. The 2021 San Antonio Tamales Festival is scheduled for Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jayden Cool, first year law student, had the chance to sit down with the Rattler and talk more about “Lightscape” at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens.
Q: What else will be there besides tamales? Any music or games?
Q: Have you heard of the “Lightscape” at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens?
(Poster courtesy of Legendary Pictures.)
CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: JACOB A. HENSON | @STMURATTLERNEWS | NOV. 18 202112 ENRIQUE CASTRO CONTRIBUTING WRITER LARRY RODRIGUEZ-SHEA MANAGING EDITOR JACOB A. HENSON CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR JACOB A. HENSON CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR MORGAN KUCHTA STAFF WRITER “Dune” (2021) and “Eternals” capture hearts of fantasy fans Graphic by
A: Actually, I haven’t gone, but I’d really like to. One of my classmates plans on taking her kids to it the first chance she gets! She seemed really excited about it and was showing me some pictures from the years they’ve visited before. It seemed really unique and beautiful.
A. Henson
Even though the movie will never live up to the novel’s intimate and cerebral storytelling, this remake and the subsequent sequels will be on par with classics like “The Lord of the Rings,” no doubt. With director Denis Villeneuve at the helm, Frank Herbert’s epic masterpiece comes to life through its star-studded cast and excellent screenplay; audiences will be taken on a voyage. A full five out of five rattlers to “Dune” 2021, now playing in theaters and on the HBO Max streaming app until Nov. 21. (Poster courtesy of Marvel Studios.)
Q: Do you know any or all of the flavors that will be available at the fest?
“Eternals” is a conflicting film. Comic lovers and casual fans may feel confused by director Chloe Zhao’s cinematic choices and the choice of characters. But one thing is certain, “Eternals” marks the beginning of the next Marvel generation. (Spoiler alert) After Thanos and the death of Iron Man, many may have thought that Marvel was over. Moviegoers will be delighted to know that Marvel is more than just “The Avengers.” Some viewers won’t understand unless versed as casual comic book fans and invested in other familiar characters from the Marvel comics. While many won’t appreciate the philosophical take on “Eternals,” something must die for something to live. The concept is elegantly ingrained in the story, and was by far one of the best examples of immersing a complex meaning into a story. However, a more delicate directing hand could have been used as the guide. Nonetheless, the acting was good and the story was well-written. History buffs will enjoy the retelling of Babylon and the epic of Gilgamesh. However, some may feel that other sides of the story were not explored enough. These side stories would have offered greater character development and left the audience with fewer questions about who the Eternals are exactly. Lastly, it is important to note that this movie ties into Marvel’s recent project, “Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings.” Exactly how it ties in would be the spoiler, but the comic book lore also serves as a bridge to introduce fans to the greater celestial and science fiction elements of MarvelOverall,Comics.this film is a break from the familiar Marvel Cinematic Universe formula — that’s good. Now, audiences can expect to see more psychedelic concepts in movies like “Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” and the exploration of less familiar characters like Shang-Chi, Blade and Moon Knight. Four out of five rattlers to “Eternals,” playing exclusively in theaters.
Q: What are your thoughts on the event?
Overall, “Dune” (2021) is a masterpiece of sound with composer Hans Zimmer along with budding character development seen in Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), Chani (Zendaya), Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and Leto Atredies I (Oscar Isaac). Finally, Production Designer Patrice Vermette and Director of Cinematography Grieg Fraser beautifully collaborate in bringing otherworldly sets and stunning visuals to life.
Any unique flavors?
Q: Before going, is there anything else you would like to share?
A: This event seems like it would be a lot of fun. I have always thoroughly enjoyed driving around and looking at lights during the holidays, so this seems like more of that. When I was growing up, my parents took my family to Disney World often during Christmas, and there used to be a display that sounds a lot like this one. I feel like I would really enjoy walking around, taking some pictures and just enjoying the atmosphere. Q: Do you have any concerns about theA:weather?Ifeellike you can check the weather before you go and plan accordingly. I probably would only avoid it specifically during the rain because I feel like dressing warm and maybe drinking some hot cocoa while walking around really just adds to the experience. So, I would say that no, the weather doesn’t concern me at all. “Lightscape” at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens is running Nov. 19 to Jan. 2. Tickets are $23 to $25 for adults and $16 to $18 for children (3 to 12 years old). For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.sabot.org. Entry times are available every 15 minutes from 5:45 to 9 p.m. Patrons can expect a one-mile walk taking 15 to 30 minutes depending on speed. Food and drink are available for purchase. Please come dressed appropriately for the outdoors. Jacob
RYAN ESTES STAFF WRITER
Samples of artwork. Top left: Wayne Thiebaud, Bow Ties, 1993. Bottom right: Wayne Thiebaud, Pies, Pies, Pies, 1961. Right: Wayne Thiebaud, Park Place, 1995. | Photos courtesy of McNay Art Museum.
The McNay Art Museum is presenting 100 works to celebrate the 100th birthday of the American artist, Wayne Thiebaud, in their “Wayne Thiebaud 100: Paintings, Prints and Drawings” exhibition. This exhibition is a thorough representation of Thiebaud’s prosperous career throughout the age. Born on November 15, 1920, Thiebaud was a skilled draftsman from an early age and worked as an apprentice at Walt Disney Studios where he rendered “in-betweens” (the transition drawings that go between the beginning and end of a movement) for some of the company’s well-known cartoons like Goofy, Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket. After high school, Thiebaud attended a local trade school where he intended to learn sign painting and was encouraged to learn commercial art. Afterward, Thiebaud enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, serving from 1942 to 1945 as an artist in the Special Services Department and then transferred to the First Air Force Motion Picture Unit — yes, it existed. Thiebaud later earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from California State University, Sacramento, pursuing a career in fine arts. Thiebaud eventually became a professor first at Sacramento City College and then later at the University of California,ThiebaudDavis.ismost known for his colorful contributions to the pop art movement, which emerged in the mid-1950s. But despite the movement focusing on more conceptual art, Thiebaud held true to his love for traditional disciplines and even deeper love for realism. Thiebaud’s art focused on depictions of commonplace objects, but specifically brightly colored food. Thiebaud was thoroughly obsessed with the notion of recreating realistic perspectives from memory and used production line food from diners and cafeterias as an avenue to portray memorized perspectives. Thiebaud used heavy pigment along with an extreme spectrum of exaggerated color in all of his works, making them instantly recognizable. His outlines are always in a spectral order of color, leaving the viewer mesmerized by his incredibly vivid and graphic works. In short, Thiebaud has an innate sense of color truly unique to him alone. However, food is not Thiebaud’s only specialty. In his later works, Thiebaud began creating landscapes also of a unique caliber. His landscapes depict the environment from a bird’s-eye view and are intentionally drafted without the use of a horizon line. This is purposely done in order to create otherwise impossible, distorted worlds that can only exist within the imagination of Thiebaud himself. As a note, look out for Thiebaud’s landscape work and the familiarity it shares with much of Disney’s earlier commercial illustrations. In particular, when looking at his whimsical and exaggerated depictions of hills, it is easy to recognize the similarities among his works because Thiebaud’s landscapes carry a fantastical, childlike perspective common in Disney’s cartoons. When viewing this veteran artist’s work, viewers might find themselves transported to an alternate dimension. The subject does not change, but the understanding does. Thiebaud’s perspective injected magic into capitalist consumption, predominant in the 1950s, when he was most active. In a 2016 studio visit and interview with Christie’s Inc., Thiebaud stated his opinion on painting saying that, “Paintings are inert, still, quiet, but painters found a way to bring it to life,” he continued, “[They are] a new visual species in another kind of world; alternate worlds and alternate universes. Great works from memory, from imagination. All based, however, on the audacious notion of being omnipotent: ‘I’m a god. This for you is my world to look at.’ Isn’t that great?” All in all, Thiebaud uses his art to manipulate a commercialized world, defined by consumption, by becoming freer and more magical if nothing else.
Technically speaking, Thiebaud recently celebrated his 101st birthday on Nov. 15, but his legacy celebration continues throughout the next year. The “Wayne Thiebaud 100: Paintings, Prints and Drawings” exhibition is now open until Jan. 16. Adult admission is $20 and $15 with a college student ID. For more information visit www.mcnayart.org. 100 years of Wayne Thiebaud’s artwork
“I think video games in moderation are fine,” Hohman said. “I am particularly interested in the possibility of using video games as tools to understand the past and explore historic episodes. I think that has greatWhilepotential.”heisnot a fan of arcade games, he enjoys playing turn-based strategy games such as “Total War” and grand strategy games such as “Hearts of Iron.” Hohman was not aware of the local San Antonio arcades and would not spend money at the locations, but he commends anyone who wishes to do so.
It’s time to level up and level back in time. | Photos courtesy of Otaku Cafe and Diversions Game Room.
Otaku Cafe is located at 7022 Bandera Rd. with a mask policy in effect. The arcade is open Monday and Tuesday from 2 to 10 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 2 to 11 p.m.; Saturday from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. and Sunday from 12 to 9 p.m. Then, after taking a break from Otaku Cafe, head to Diversions Game Room where visitors can game their hearts out well into the night. Diversions Game Room has more than 70 classic and new arcade and prize games. Additionally, patrons can play sports games like air hockey and electronic basketball. Winnable prizes range from classic toys like fake mustaches to high-tech toys like Nintendo Switches and Amazon
In a sense, many arcade and video games already pay homage to the past. While games about Queen Victoria may be few and far between, arcade games like “Jurassic Park” and “The Walking Dead” memorialize famous movies and TV shows. “Guitar Hero’s” song library preserves classics like “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar and “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones. To experience the intersection of games both past and present while taking a break from end-of-semester studies, be sure to visit Otaku Cafe and Diversions GameTakeRoom.achance with a friend and try co-op games. Who knows, one may even get lucky and drive home with a prize from the everfrustrating “Stacker” arcade game. Located at 9900 San Pedro Ave., Diversions Game Room is open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday. Come out and game out to these retro-vibing arcades.
CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT 13NOV. 18, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM
The McNay celebrates
As the semester ends, everyone could use a break from studies and responsibilities. While exercising, listening to music or watching movies are always good options, sometimes a trip to a relic of the past is appropriate. With two local locations nearby St. Mary’s University, Otaku Cafe and Diversions Game Room provide hours upon hours of shooting zombies, playing air hockey and buying fandom merchandise.
Check out these local, alive and well arcades for gaming needs
Chris Hohman, senior history major with teacher certification, offered his opinions on the impact video games have had on society.
Otaku Cafe is San Antonio’s largest Anime Store and Japanese-style Arcade. The arcade offers anime video game merchandise along with Japanese snacks and drinks. On Wednesdays, the arcade allows free entry to those coming to play on the center tables withAdditionally,consoles. the San Antonio Fighting Game Community is regularly in attendance. Tournaments for “Super Smash Bros Ultimate” and “Super Smash Bros Melee” are held weekly. The Smash Ultimate tournament group meets at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and the Smash Melee tournament group meets at 7 p.m. on Mondays. Sign-ups for both tournaments begin at 6 p.m. on the day of the competitions. To top it all off, Otaku Cafe’s anime store offers phone straps, keychains, plush toys, pins, figures and “gashapon,” (a variety of vending machine-dispensed capsule toys popular in Japan).
Fire Sticks. The convenient ATMs and token machines located throughout the arcade make token-operated gameplay fast and easy. Every arcade game is $1 or less to play, while all prize games are 50 cents or less to play. As final exams slowly approach, relieve some stress by jamming out on the “Guitar Hero” arcade machine, eating ghosts on “Pac-Man” and possibly winning a new Nintendo gaming system.
SOPHIA KUSSEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
DIDIER CADENA SPORTS EDITOR EDITOR: DIDIER CADENA |@STMURATTLERNEWS |NOV. 18, 2021SPORTS
The win would snap a rough streak for the Rattlers who had gone three games without a win. The win also helped the Rattlers gain a fourth seed berth for the Lonestar Conference Championship in which the men’s soccer team would host the University of Texas at Tyler Patriots at their home field. The Rattler senior athletes who were honored were Tony Andoyan (forward), Edu Bonnato (midfielder), Liam Morrison (midfielder), Lewis Wilson (defense), Raul Guillamon-Bejar (goalkeeper), Alain Peralt (defense), Erwin Regules (midfielder), Martin Ibarreche (defense) and Marlon Flores (midfielder). Many of the seniors on the team were a part of the Rattler team that made that deep run in the Division II playoffs a few years back.
The men’s soccer team played a senior day match against their division rivals, the Texas A&M International Dustdevils. The match saw a good defensive presence by both teams but ended with the Rattlers scoring a goal at the 27-minute mark and would eventually go on to shut out the visiting Dustdevils.
14 Seniors celebrated
Smiles all around as the men’s soccer seniors take their photo. | Courtesy of Rattler AthleticsWomen’s soccer seniors are honored before their last match. | Courtesy of Amanda Gerlach
The Rattlers who were honored included Mackenzie Bell (midfielder), Megan Copeland (defense), Cori Hernandez (midfielder), Rylie Kieny (defense), Cameron Koerner (goalkeeper), Alexis Lawrence (defense), Avery Looney (defense), Cloe Morales (midfielder), Miranda Narvaez (midfielder), Gabby Olsen (midfielder), Kylie Von Hollie (forward) and Alessandra RiveraNext(midfielder).wastheRattler men’s soccer team.
The four rattler volleyball seniors stop and pose for a group picture. | Courtesy of Rattler Athletics Courtesy of Rattler Athletics
Following them in senior day festivities was the Rattler volleyball team. The Rattlers took on the Lubbock Christian University Chaps in an exciting matchup. In their senior day matchup, the Rattlers were able to come up with a win. They ended up sweeping Lubbock Christian in three sets, 25-18, 25-14, 25-17. With this victory, the Rattler volleyball team will have the chance to play in the Lonestar Conference Tournament, coming into the tournament as the nine-seed. This is the first time that the Rattlers have advanced to the conference tournament. The Rattler seniors who were honored included Julia Deais (middle blocker), Rachel McDonald (middle blocker) and Alissa Tolbert (outside hitter). The accomplishments of the Rattler seniors cannot be understated. Many seniors have earned various types of both athletic and academic honors during their time at the university. Whether it was an All-Conference selection, First or Second team Conference honors or even those who have Academic All-Conference honors. The time that these student athletes have spent at the university will leave impactful and lasting memories. These Rattler athletes have done the most with their time at the university and will be forever remembered for their efforts by their respective teams. at final games of their collegiate careers
The fall athletics season is now coming to an end and with the end of the season comes the end of the collegiate careers for many of the Rattler student athletes. For those who are graduating at the end of the season, there have been many moments across sports where memories and friendships were made to last a lifetime. Those seniors who are graduating have received honors at their respective last games and had many exciting moments this season. Some of the previous senior Rattlers had their senior year taken away due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to this, the NCAA offered various athletes the chance to stay for a fifth year and continue their collegiate athletic careers. These senior athletes got to experience a unique experience that many other student athletes will not be able to have. Kicking off the Rattler senior day activities was the Rattler women’s soccer game. The Rattlers took on the University of Texas at Tyler Patriots. The game was played under unfavorable conditions with the temperature dropping throughout the first half and with rain starting to fall on the field over the course of the game. Unfortunately, over the halftime intermission, there was a weather delay that kept pushing the match further into the night, eventually causing the match to be delayed and later canceled by the Lonestar Conference. With only the first half of the match being played before the delay, the match was considered a no contest and the Rattlers were given a forfeit victory in conference standings only. The results of the match helped the Rattlers hold a place in the Lonestar Conference Tournament with a game against the West Texas A&M Buffaloes.
The date is Nov. 9, there is a spark in the air that hasn’t been felt at Sigma Beta Chi field in a while, and the feeling is that of the Lonestar Conference Tournament. The last time that the Rattler men’s soccer team was able to make the Lonestar Conference tournament was back in 2019 when they were able to win the tournament on their home field. That 2019 season was also when the Rattlers were able to make a deep playoff run and finish with one of their best records in program history. Much has changed since that dominant year, while there are many players from that team still playing, there are also a myriad of new faces who are hungry to chase new highs and finish even better than that season. There was also the Rattlers’ COVID-shortened season when they were not able to follow up in the way that they had hoped to. The team has had time to reflect and prepare for yet another dominant season and it seems that the time for that is now. The team could not have asked for better conditions to play under on that night. After a week where unfavorable weather conditions had already led to a game being canceled a week before, there were no signs of poor weather. The field was in much better condition than it had been in recent weeks, with only some patches of mud on the sidelines but not on the main portions of the field. The stage for the Rattlers to try and follow up their successful season was set. Leading up to the game, the Rattlers had a record of 12-6 overall and a conference record of 5-3. This record helped the Rattlers not only earn a spot in the Lonestar Conference Championship tournament but also the opportunity to play the game on their home field. The Rattler’s opponents for the match would be the University of Texas at Tyler Patriots. In the regular season, both the Rattlers and Patriots were able to host a game each on their own respective fields. It had also only been a week since the Rattlers had lost a rough game to the Patriots in Tyler. The feeling of the loss still stung for the Rattlers who hoped to change the tone of the series between the two teams, but the Rattlers were not alone this time. Now, the Rattlers had the new and improved Rowdy Rattlers on their side. With the importance of this game being promoted ever since the match was announced, the Rowdy Rattlers came out in full force for the occasion. Their turnout for the match was the largest of the season so far, with the student section taking up nearly a quarter of the stands. The Rowdy Rattlers all came color-coordinated and looked like a sea of white St. Mary’s shirts.
The match started off with both teams not being able to do much, the strong defensive lines from both teams were on full display, however, it was evident that the Rattlers were dominating most of the possessions in the first half; carefully planning the attack and looking for any signs of weakness and a chance to strike, and strike they did. At the 28-minute mark, midfielder Alonso Rodriguez, the Rattlers’ leading goal scorer, was able to score and give the Rattlers the lead. The Rattlers were able to hold on to the possession and finish the first half of the game with a 1-0 lead. At the 48-minute mark of the second half, midfielder Erwin Regules was able to score off a fantastic kick from a penalty shot outside of the box. The Patriots were able to respond to that goal with one of their own at the 55-minute mark, closing in on the lead that the men’s team had built up. But as the tide seemed to be shifting into unfavorable territory and the Patriots started to take more control of the possessions in the game, the Rattlers were able to score once again. At the 78-minute mark, midfielder Deni Cresto was fouled in the scoring box and granted a pentaly kick. Cresto was able to take advantage of the situation and score a point off of the penalty kick and seal the victory for the Rattlers. Throughout the Rattlers’ scores, the Rowdy Rattlers in attendance were able to celebrate along with the players on the field, showing off coordinated celebrations that really made the game feel like a true home game. It was beautiful to see such a fantastic display of not only soccer, but also of school spirit. It has been a while since this feeling of school spirit has been seen at an athletic game. It was reminiscent of that important 2019 season and brought an air of excitment that can hopefully be replicated again on the home field soon.
SPORTS
DIDIER CADENA SPORTS EDITOR
Adopt-a-Rattler was a fundraiser developed by the athletics department in order to help raise funds to support the various athletics teams on campus. The program would support the teams by financially supporting the need for team uniforms, training, equipment, team travels, tournament fees and other costs. In order to be a donor for the fundraiser, a gift of $50 or more is needed. And with a $200 donation, those who donated would be eligible for additional benefits as a Rattler Nation member. Those additional benefits would include tickets to the various athletics home games on campus, access to the live-broadcast streaming links for games, special types of Rattler gear, and invitations to special athletics events. Donations of any amount can help, for example, a $50 donation can pay for team equipment like socks, arm sleeves or kneepads, a $100 donation could help provide one student athlete’s shoes and a $250 donation would help pay for at least 25 practice t-shirts. Beyond that, a $500 donation helps pay for five game-day jerseys and, finally, a $1,000 donation helps pay for hoodies for an entire team. Donors can “Adopt-a-Rattler” and choose to donate to a specific team. This inspires friendly competition between the various athletics teams to see who can get the most people to “adopt” and support their teams. Some of the teams in the fundraiser also hosted events in which they were able to directly get donors and supporters. The Rattler esports team held their successful and exciting FANGraiser event this past October. The event was a 12-hour livestream, which helped the esports team raise $3,717, surpassing their $3,000 goal. The Rattler women’s basketball team also hosted an event for the fundraiser. They hosted their annual Free-Throw-A-Thon. In this event, the women’s basketball team would attempt 100 free throws each. At the end of the event, the Rattlers were able to collectively score 1,244 free throws out of 1,400 shots. The event was a resounding success and also included an anonymous donor who pledged $1 per free throw for each player who make a free throw. At the end of the fundraiser period, the results exceeded expectations. The original goal for the fundraiser was at $30,000. When the time was up, the final number turned out to be $34,064 with over 211 donors. When it came to the top three teams that received the most donations, it was the Rattler women’s softball team who was able to receive the most donations by raising $7,044 with the help of over 57 donors. Following them was the Rattler women’s soccer team that was able to raise $5,292 with the backing of 13 donors. Following the soccer team was the Rattler esports team that was able to raise $3,717 with the help of 29 donors. When it came to the reported donor affiliations, it was reported that 20% came from alumni, 7% from students, 23% came from the parents of the athletes, 11% came from the university faculty and staff and 37% came from friends of the university. The Adopt-a-Rattler fundraiser can definitely be seen as a tremendous success, especially for the first of its kind. The success of this event definitely makes a case for it to be held again and maybe even have it as a new annual tradition. It could also set the stage for other Rattler teams to hold their own fundraisers. Any and all donations were greatly appreciated and helped not only the current members of the various Rattler athletics teams but also the future members of those teams.
Men’s soccer dominates first round of tournament at home
First-ever Adopt-a-Rattler fundraiser passes expectations
Courtesy of St. Mary’s University Erwin Regules lines a shot and kicks the ball toward the back of the net. | Courtesy of Tony Gallucci Deni Cresto charges towards the home crowd. Courtesy of Reu Easterling
DIDIER CADENA SPORTS EDITOR NOV. 18, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM 15
Recently the St. Mary’s athletics department finished its first-ever Adopt-aRattler fundraiser. Even though it was the first of its kind for the university, the fundraiser saw unprecedented success all around, with the final donation amount surpassing the original donation goal of $30,000.
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I’ll miss congregating in the newsroom during press weekends and especially making TikTok content. I want to thank my colleagues and advisor, Kathe Lehman-Meyer, for believing in me and for granting me this special opportunity. Looking forward to next year’s issues, make sure ANGELO ADVERTISING MANAGER
FEATURES EDITORS: LARRY RODRIGUEZ-SHEA & ADRIANNA MIRABAL & MEGAN ANGELO | @STMURATTLERNEWS | NOV. 18, 202116
ELIZABETH PEREZ COPY EDITOR
Although my time with the Rattler has been short, it has been the greatest opportunity during my final semester here at St. Mary’s. I began as a contributing writer last fall and have stayed connected to the paper since. It would always bring a smile to my face to read mine and other articles online and in print. I am so thankful to have worked with the staff remotely and inperson, and to have grown as a creative and critical thinker. As a music major, I made the intention to grow outside of my instrument (my voice) and explore other creative avenues. Working in advertising and social media has provided me with many practical skills that I will take with me going into my career. Other projects such as co-hosting “The Sip” was something I never saw myself partaking in because of my limited time and experience working in multimedia. I am incredibly blessed to be as close with the staff as I am and to create engaging and enjoyable content for the university together. I encourage students to contribute and to see what The Rattler is about.
I started working for the Rattler during my first semester at St. Mary’s. I decided to write so I could get a little experience and maybe add a line on my resume, but over the years writing for the Rattler has become so much more than that for me. I kept writing for the Rattler and ended up joining the staff as Copy Editor in Fall 2020. Since then, I have made many wonderful memories with everyone on staff, even with those I have only spent a short time with. From working through remote press weekends to late nights in the newsroom making sure the issues were perfect, every moment is a treasured memory. I have learned so much during my time at the Rattler and built skills that I know for sure will help in my future career. I encourage every student on campus to take a chance and write a story, who knows where it will lead? I wish all the best to the many different staff members I have worked with during my time here. You are each incredibly talented and unique; that will take you far! I can’t wait to see what you all come up with in the next issues and where your futures lead you. Keep up the great work!
MEGAN
Photos by Adrianna Mirabal Graphics by Demi Bestor & Megan Angelo
