Vol 110 Issue No. 03 - 10/28/2021

Vol 110 | Issue 3 | Oct. 28, 2021 | San Antonio, Texas

Graphic by Demi Bestor

NEWS

SPANISH

CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

PG.2

PG.10

PG.12

PG.15

5k monster dash is a campus smash

Students reflect on intramural soccer

New shows shock and delight audiences

Rowdy Rattlers return to rile up crowds

2 NEWS THE RATTLER

EDITOR: VICTORIA OLGUIN | @STMURATTLERNEWS | OCT. 28, 2021

St. Mary’s community ends the Halloween season in style VICTORIA OLGUIN NEWS EDITOR

WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS MEETINGS

Tuesday, NOV. 2 5 p.m.

ZOOM Meeting ID: 447 575 7359

CHECK US OUT ONLINE! www.stmurattlernews.com

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

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

EDITORIAL STATEMENT

Throughout the month of October, people crowd the stores searching for costumes, treats and the latest Halloween decorations. Many view scary classics like “Scream”, “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Pumpkins are carved and painted and friends gather to tell scary stories. With the many Halloween festivities occurring, students at St. Mary’s University have joined the crowd and have searched for ways to contribute to the Halloween ambience on campus. Gibson Costume Shop Incorporation, a costume shop in San Antonio, has provided an outlet for students at St. Mary’s to express their Halloween spirit. The university’s well-known mascot, Rattler Man, has also joined in on the merriment. In preparation for both the St. Mary’s University 5K Spooktacular Monster Dash and Family Weekend, Gibson Costume Shop opened its doors to Rattler Man. The shop, being one that holds the largest selection in rentals and sales, gave Rattler Man many options to choose from.

Rattler Man tried on the variety of costumes, and in order to incorporate the St. Mary’s community, he showcased

Students were finally able to see what costume Rattler Man had chosen, and the decision was a well-chosen one. With a Spooktacular Monster Dash Photo Courtesy of @stmarysu. shirt and a black and red cape, Rattler Man strutted throughout the Halloween events. The cape was well-suited, as Rattler man was a true hero by helping bring school spirit to the university campus.

With Halloween getting closer, students can expect to continue to see many Halloween costumes, treats and scary movies on and off campus. The Gibson Costume Shop continues to leave its doors open for the St. Mary’s community to find their latest costumes for Halloween festivities, much like Rattler Man did.

For those still in search of a costume or interested in visiting the Gibson Costume Shop, it is located at 111 Allensworth Street near the 4100 block of Broadway and is open with extended hours throughout the month of October.

Spooktacular 5k monster dash sees a resounding turnout RYAN ESTES STAFF WRITER

The St. Mary’s University 5k for the Neighborhood has been a tradition for eight years. Hundreds of students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff converge on the St. Mary’s campus for an afternoon of fun running or walking five kilometers with their friends. Dogs are always invited, while food and drink stations and live music keep racers entertained after they cross the finish line.

The 5k was different last year due to COVID as a virtual race was run from anywhere in the world with the RaceJoy app.

This year, the Spooktacular Monster Dash was held on Oct. 16 at 5 p.m. The change in start time from morning to afternoon was likely implemented to better fit the Halloween theme this year, as runners were allowed to come in costumes and dress up their dogs.

The Monster Dash started in Alkek Plaza and looped around the beautiful St. Mary’s campus for two laps total. Proceeds from registration for the event benefited Holy Rosary Catholic Church which is adjacent to St. Mary’s University. Three St.

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

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

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

the costumes on various social media platforms, asking students which costume they believed he would wear at the university’s Halloween events. Although the answers varied, a popular guess amongst students was the costume in which Rattler Man dressed up as Thomas Mengler, J.D., President of St. Mary’s University. With the help of Gibson Costume Shop, Rattler Man was able to try on various Halloween costumes and students wondered which costume he had chosen. It wasn’t until the university’s Halloween events occurred that the mystery was solved. As the Halloween events began, students trickled in with their Halloween costumes and Spooktacular Monster Dash shirts. As mentioned by freshman finance and risk management major Liliana Rojas, the university’s Halloween events alllowed many to showcase their creativity.

“I saw people from the community dressed as Jafar, Sonic and Cruella [De Vil].

Some of my friends dressed up as Pitbull or as campers from a spooky camp. It was nice to see the community’s creativity,” said Rojas, “We got to see a grown man running with a wig and a Dalmatian shawl, what could be funnier than that? It was awesome to see people put [in] effort and dress up!”

What caught the attention of many, however, was Rattler Man’s costume.

Students wave in their costumes at the 5k event.

Photo by Adrianna Mirabal.

Mary’s students provided their thoughts on the event.

Angela Zavala, senior marketing major and member of the President’s Ambassadors, spent the afternoon volunteering for the first time at the 5k which is sponsored by the Office of President Mengler. Zavala described her volunteer experience, saying, “This year, I helped with registration and the water station.” The Spooktacular 5k Monster Dash runners are grateful to everyone who volunteered their time to make the event a big hit.

John Hannan, senior computer science application systems major and first-time runner, says he believes the 5k went well.

The refreshments and being able to run the length of the campus were highlights for Hannan. When asked if there is anything he would add or subtract from the event, Hannan said, “If I could add something I would add more dog drinking stops because it was a little hot for the dogs.”

He further commented on the relationship between St. Mary’s and Holy Rosary Catholic Church saying, “I love that St. Mary’s and Holy Rosary have that close connection and that St. Mary’s continues to support the Holy Rosary parish.” The bond between St. Mary’s and Holy Rosary is truly special, as students often volunteer for the church and the opening University Mass is typically held at Holy Rosary.

Senior double major in political science and theology and first-time runner, Saul Contreras, offered his opinions on the 5k and the relationship between St. Mary’s and Holy Rosary reflecting the Marianist charism. According to Contreras, “The 5k was a success. The instructions were clear, everyone was excited to bring their pups and visit with friends and racers enjoyed live music and free snacks after the 5k. It’s

Family takes a picture at the 5k photo booth.

Photo by Adrianna Mirabal.

pretty simple to see that the education in family spirit, service, justice and peace were the charisms associated with the event. We were all reminded of our charity and impact on the 5k. Seeing San Antonio high school and middle school runners attend testifies to the trust and community that St. Mary’s has been able to pass down for generations on the West Side.”

Additionally, Contreras enjoyed the costume/Halloween theme, saying, “It was pretty funny to see Sonic the Hedgehog pass me during the race.” If it were up to him, Contreras would add a Fiesta tradition to the 5k: chicken on a stick. Now that’s a proposition we can all get behind!

The St. Mary’s University Spooktacular Monster Dash brought together the San Antonio community for an afternoon of exercise, music, snacks and fun. The proceeds from the event only strengthened the Catholic and Marianist bond between the university and Holy Rosary Catholic Church. St. Mary’s eagerly anticipates the return of students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff and four-legged friends to the 5k in 2022.

NEWS 3

OCT. 28, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

Rattler families gather and celebrate university pride at fun family weekend LUIS MOLINA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Oct. 16, many Rattler families began to check in at the University Center Atrium for St. Mary’s University Family Weekend.

From the start, a sense of community could be felt throughout the entire university.

Seeing families interacting with one another as well as with staff created a circle of comfort where everyone could feel part of a big St. Mary’s family. Indeed, everyone had fun and the inclusive environment was easy to see. From children to adults, everyone had something to do and get involved with.

After families were welcomed, they proceeded to “Special Interest Sessions” where families got to choose what topics at St. Mary’s were of interest to them from business to gaming. There was a total of three sessions with session one having five options to choose from, including, Business Law Mock Class, Rattler Scholars Project: Student Research Presentations, Drone Lab

Tour, Student Research Poster Display and event. The face painting was by far the best!

Career. Session two had four options, which Pumpkin painting was fun too however were Investing, Ethics Bowl Simulation, the paints weren’t that great. Overall, it was Anatomage Table Demonstration and fun because of the company and being in Saint John’s Bible Presentations. Finally, fellowship with other people. There are still there was session three with four options, some things that can improve.”

Family Weekend happens every year Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and improving the experience is crucial Program Overview, Interactive Writing Session, Student Research Poster Display for better engagement. This year, Family and Esports at St. Mary’s University.

Overall, there was a bit of everything to choose from and each family got to enjoy what they wanted to experience, making it very inclusive for everyone. Each presentation had the best Freshman biochemistry major Carina Campos and family show St. Mary’s pride.

community came closer together.

Everyone got a good workout in to prepare for RattlerPalooza, which was after the 5k from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event featured live music at Alumni Hill and an area for families to watch the performance.

With the band playing, families listening and at times singing along, it was truly a time of bonding for everyone. Overall, Family Weekend was a success this year.

Everything went as planned and despite some heavy rain on Friday, the weather was perfect for Saturday and even Sunday.

The weekend came to a close on Sunday, beginning with a brunch event where families could enjoy a delicious meal before a closing session with President Thomas Mengler J.D. and Sunday Mass.

Photo by Adrianna Mirabal.

Families gather in the University Center for family weekend.

Photo by Makayla Amitrani.

their dogs. It was truly a moment where the

person on campus to share information on the topic.

Freshman finance and risk management major Liliana Rojas commented on the tours, “The bio department showed the Anatomage table which is a breakthrough in science and worth about [$80,000]. Did you know we have a wind tunnel in our engineering department?

No one else did either. We had a professor show us privately the mechanical engineering lab, which is so cool! Aside from some of the boring tours, I enjoyed the

Weekend coincided with the St. Mary’s University 5K Spooktacular Monster Dash so the race became an important part of the weekend. The 5k was an important event during family weekend, as families ran together to support the community.

There were drinks, pumpkin painting, face painting and many different activities to do while the race was going on. There were many families all ready to run, jog or walk the 5k. You could see the excitement, nerves and fear in the participants’ faces all with the goal of getting to the finish line. While completing the 5k, people were having conversations, trying to get a personal record for the 5k and even walking

Students and parents check in for family weekend.

Photo by Adrianna Mirabal.

Annual Business Week promises many opportunities for university students MAKAYLA AMITRANI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

For 46 years, the Greehey School of Business has hosted its annual Business Week. It all started with Paul Goelez, S.M., Ph.D., and his vision to bring real-world leaders to share their passion and expertise for business and the business community.

For this year’s 46th annual Business Week, the theme is “Resilience Redefined: People.

Planet. Profit. Power.” Business Week will take place from Tuesday, Oct. 26 to Thursday, Oct. 28 on campus. The annual event creates an opportunity to connect and learn from top civil and business leaders in the community, which draws on the original mission of Business Week: the mission to provide relevant and responsive education that focuses on developing business professionals who are skilled, ethical, globally aware and prepared for careers of meaning and purpose.

“I would say the benefit of hosting Business Week [is that it] provides our students [with] a unique opportunity to interact with national and renowned speakers and gain invaluable business insight. Many of the contacts our students make at Business Week have afforded them remarkable job opportunities after they graduate,” Lisa Garcia, Business Week Coordinator said.

Daniela Durán, senior management

and digital marketing major is also grateful for the networking opportunities Business Week provides students.

“I am truly looking forward to the networking opportunities that this event offers. Not only do we get to interact with business leaders who come to share their insights with us, but we also get the chance to attend dinners and events in which we meet with professionals in our fields of interest. We often underestimate the power of networking and it is truly a blessing that we can have an event like Business Week that allows us the opportunity to make professional connections that are truly valuable for us and our careers,” said Durán.

Garcia enjoys watching the award winners experience a happiness that will be remembered forever, along with their friends and family.

“My favorite part of Business Week is seeing the smiles and gratitude of each award winner and that shared happiness from their family and friends that join them at the dinner. It’s a part of their college experience that they will treasure for the rest of their life and it makes me genuinely happy to be a part of that,” Garcia said.

Business Week provides inspiration and motivation for business students like Durán.

“During Business Week, students get the opportunity to hear from amazing business

leaders and executives and, personally, I believe this is one of the most remarkable things about this event. Every year, I walk out of Business Week feeling inspired and motivated by all of the advice and insights that I am able to obtain from those amazing speakers,” said Durán.

Hosting Business Week is not an easy task, it relies on teamwork and communication to be successful.

“The hardest part of putting Business Week together [is that] it takes about nine months to coordinate, from start to finish. We work with the Communication Department, Facilities-Housekeeping, Academic Media and other departments on campus that help us create the marketing materials, award slides and videos, manage the setup and breakdown of each session, etc. The hardest part is finalizing the speakers because their schedules don’t always work with our dates and the speakers are key to a successful Business Week,” Garcia said.

Listening to these top leaders’ challenges and success allows students to learn by example.

“There is no better way of learning than listening to those who we look up to, those who have already managed to forge their paths to success; thus, it is truly a blessing to hear from these top leaders and the many challenges they traversed to get to where they are,” said Durán.

Photo Courtesy of @StMarysGSB.

Funding and scholarships come from generous sponsors within our community.

It takes a lot of collaboration and hard work to put on an event of this magnitude.

“We are very thankful for our sponsors and to Mrs. Lynda Ellis; they enable us to not only fund a portion of Business Week but to provide scholarships to our student award winners. Our sponsors for this year include Chevron Corp, La Quinta Inn and Suites, HOLT CAT, NuStar Energy L.P., AAA Auger Plumbing, Argent Trust Company, RSM US LLP, Wells Fargo Foundation, iHeartMedia [and] Tom G Consulting Group LLC,” Garcia said.

The itinerary for the week includes a trivia bowl, the La Quinta Keynote Lecture, interactive discussions and a virtual career fair. The action-packed weekend ends in an award ceremony to celebrate student, faculty and staff achievements. This year’s theme invites participants adjusting to the recent historic circumstances to explore innovative solutions to develop, lead and motivate people, protect and defend the planet, sustain and grow profits and ethically use power and influence for the greater good.

The Dean’s List for Spring 2021 UNDERGRADUATE LIST

Published: Fall 2021

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Leona Pallansch, Ph.D., Interim Dean HIGHEST HONORS

Greyson Lee Addicott Nooraldeen Aldrees Renee Angelina Alonzo Carlos A. Alvear Jared Wayne Barry Hannah Desiree Lopez Benavides Sarah Racquel Bernal Nicole Bongiorno Ana-Sophia Boyd Devin Paige Briseno Rhiannon Elizabeth Broussard Shelby A. Burris Caroline Madison Bush Brissa Camila Gabriela Campos Arturo Canchola Isabella Carmona Abigale Louise Carney Kasha B. Casiano Vanessa Marie Castanon Jose Francisco Chaman Madeline Maura Chandler Gabrielle Nicole Christman Reagan Elizabeth Clark Patrick Christopher Coan Joshua Arlin Collins Aleea M. Costilla Catherine Joyce Cruz Sarah Daniela Diaz Phoebe Bryce Dickinson-Land Maria Paula Ferrer Catherine Mercedes Flores Thomas Daniel Fraire Grace Catherine Frey Joseph Richard Furman Eva Fernanda Garcia Cristina Alicia Garcia Crystal Garza Samantha Garza Karina Mercedes Garza Paul Anthony Garza Gabriella Gonzalez Elizabeth A. Guardiola Geoffrey Gutierrez Zeresh Nicole Haman Michelle Lynn Hernandez Sophia Kay Huerta Susana Ibarra Emily Teresa Jensen Marisabel Martinez Jimenez Lindsey M. Kaufman Dorian Christian Keller Rhys Aaron Kennedy Morgan Cassidy Kuchta Shriji Lalji Eva G. Lizarraga Enrique Valentin Lozano Sarah Elizabeth Lugo Allison Lee Magera Cristian Maldonado

Byron A. Martinez Victoria Ann Martinez Briana Martinez Indhira Alegandra Mata Lionel Mbati Santos Alejandro Mencio Claryse Alexa Mendoza Karol Viviana Miranda Natiebe Angele Nanda Karina Isabel Nanez Miranda Hoyt Narvaez Christa Michelle Neumann Laura Lee Olivarez Wendy C. Ornelas Edward Vincent Padilla Savannah Amber Marie Palmer Courtney Jean Pena Celeste A. Perez Gonzalez Victoria Marie Permillion Adam Luis Portillo Vanessa Quetzeri Nydia Gabriela Ramirez Miguel Angel Ramirez Sara Getachew Regassa Ellesha Javonna Rice Noah Steven Riehle Valeria Edith Rivera Hailey R. Rodriguez Elizabeth T. Rodriguez Ana Citlalli Rojas Kimberly Nicole Rubio Claire R. Saldana Jennifer Saldana Jimenez Cassandra Sanchez Emmanuel Sanchez Alyssa Sanchez Aaron Jesse Sandoval Irene Rene Sandoval Elizabeth Santos Ana Paula Saravia Madison Rozelle Schultz Angeles Ivonne Silva Danielle S. Slaughter Abilene Solano Mary Elizabeth Sommer Amanda Violet Swan Keisha Lyn Swarner Nicholas Ivan Tapia Alice Louise Thane Cristianna Alexis Tovar Mario Alberto Trevino Sarah Daniela Uhlig Blanca Estela Unruh Kaitlyn Alexandra Valderas Carlos Roberto Vazquez Anthony Veloz Giuliana A. Villanueva John Douglas Wittenberg Mitchell Reese Yocham

HIGH HONORS Miranda A. Aguilar Victoria K. Aldridge Ayesha Alina Ali Sofia Yamel Almanzan Chelsea Ariana Alvarez Allison N. Alvarez Paola Danahe Arellano Aaron Miguel Astudillo Jonathan B. Balderas Camryn Lee Blackmon Zoe A. Brigman Amilynn Nicole Campa

Alexandra Naomi Cantu Blanca Leticia Cardenas Angelina Dubelsa Casiano Edward James Ce rna Maria Belen Cervera Saul Contreras Martin Adrian Michael Cook Nichole Beich Crawley Deni Jose Lima Cresto Victoria Isabella Davis Anissa Yvette De La Luz Julia Reda Deais

Andrea M. Degollado Olivia Renee Dominguez Olivia L. Flores Brianna Renee Ford Joseph Hadden Frausto Monserrat Garcia Bailey D. Godwin Paulina Guadalupe Gonzalez Francesca Lucia Guglielmo Sydney Paige Hardeman Maya Harris Cassie Elizabeth Hawley Aylin Romelia Hernandez Omar Herrera-Miramontes Michael Scott Hinojosa Antonio B. Holverstott Rebekah A. Hubacek Yaniev Sarahi Ibarra Emily Katherine Kelly Jordan Cecile Kupczynski Sophia Emily Kussel Sierra A. Machorro Roberto Macias-Marin Engelber Geovanny Madrid Isela Yvonne Martinez Arianna Carolina Mayorga Adrianna Eliza Mirabal

HONORS

Marisol G. Moreno Matthew Arturo Muniz Davis Nickle Isaai Ortega Adriana Ortiz Nicole Monserrat Ortiz Julia Bailey Patrick Kayla Nicole Patton Angela Perez Isac Perez Nicholas Hawkins Pigott Jazmin R. Pizana Laura Sofia Ponce Polina Protozanova Karah C. Renfroe Marian S. Reyes Joel A. Reyna Ysenia Adria Rodriguez Manuel D. Rodriguez Jennifer Rodriguez Gianna Daniella Salinas Gabriella Isabel Salinas Gilberto Silva Jasmine Rose Sims Sophia Rochelle Solis Stephen Andrew Talik Emily Carielo Trevino Daija Raelynn Vanegas Primitivo Vasquez Emilia Renae Vela

Gabriella Ioannou Jasmine L. Jaramillo Kaitlyn Mackenzie Killebrew Cameron Ann Koerner Michael R. Lazcano Eliezer Morua Leal Teresa Aliyah Lee Michaelangelo Alexander Betancourt Tiffany Kari Licon Saira Michelle Locke Skyla Renee Bonilla Hannah Rae Lopez Araceli Milan Bononcini Jorge Jose Lopez Rodriguez Brandon Wade Broughton Maria A. Luevano Mauro Luis Bustamante Luis Gregorio Magana Francisco Antonio Caballero Andrew Raylee Magee Angela Marie Cantu Margaret Patrice Maguire Brittney Lauren Carden Brandon Axell Marinelarena Sebastian Carnero Melanie Martinez Trinity Grace Casillas Sergio Gabriel Martinez Mariah Elizabeth Cavanaugh Kathryn Allyson Martinez Marit Beth Clearman Joanna E. Martinez Raul Antonio Colunga Ariel Yazlyne Mata Mariah Katheryn Cox Katerina Lane Mclennan Francisco Gabriel Cruzado Cristian Medranda Abigail Grace Csengery Kayla Angelina Mendez Jordan Lee Davenport Zoe Celeste Mercado Regina De la Parra Marissa Renee Meza Angelina Marie Desilvester Illeana Elizabeth Molina Daniel Diaz Aracely Montoya James Disrud Kaitlynn R. Moody Victoria Elizabeth Dubois Darby Kate Moran Christopher Francis Dunn David Moreno Joshua Tomas Duran Genesis Diehneg Moro Otero Jimena Elizondo Maria Del Rocio Munoz Madeline Louise Emke Ryan Isaac Munoz Cristina Espronceda David O. Oliva John N. Estrada Amanda Di’Anne Olivares Alyssa Brianne Estrada Brittany Orjuela Janaya Jessalyn Felder Jonathan Ryan Ornelaz Celeste Flores Clarissa Lyzette Ortiz Carla Flores Jesus E. Parker Cian Foley Abigail Nicole Patino Serena Marisa Frank Nelly Fernanda Perez Shanita A. Frazier Sofia Puente Jacqueline Alicia Galvan Amanda S. Quiroz Vanessa Matilda Garcia Adelaido C. Reyna Analyssa Maria Garcia Citlalli Rivera Pedro Gonzalez Aboyte Michael Christian Rodarte Sara Guerrero Emily Marie Rodriguez Melanie Hagner Larry Edmund Rodriguez-Shea Caitlin A. Hernandez Esperanza Illia Rojas Elizabeth Aleyda Hernandez Denzel Gustavo Rubio-Gomez Karina L. Hernandez Samuel Jacob Ruiz Rahni Ramesh Hingoranee Victoria K. Ruiz-Esparza Bridget Marie Horta Samantha Anaili Ruvalcaba Rachel M. Huron Aracelli Sanchez Gabriella Ioannou Ernie D. Sano Jasmine L. Jaramillo Amal Albarrak Yousef Abdulrahman Alghamdi Orlando Alva Andrew Arizola Yecenia Arteaga Micheal Andrew Baladez Talina Christy Bechara

Luke A. Schultz Lilia P. Seijas Carlos Adrian Serna Kayla Marie Sison Sideco Rachael Marie Sigmond Alexandria Stabolito Skylar Alexis Tiner Isabella Adonia Torres Jakob A. Trevino

Brandon J. Trujillo Ileana Guel Valdivia Vanessa Samantha Velasquez Genesis Alexis Vera Niurka Karina Villanueva Jaslene Walia Ariah Yvette Walker Margaret Ann Wirebaugh Kalista Ybarra Hannah Grace Young

Greehey School of Business Stephanie G. Ward, Ph.D., Interim Dean HIGHEST HONORS

Jennifer Lara Alvarez Bianca Anchondo Luisa Ximena Barbagelatta Grau Madeline Ann Blevins John Paul Bogran Thomas E. Boyle Erika M. Cantu Noel E. Casino Vanessa Noelle Chavez Janie Ann Cheverie Gabriel Crespo Charli Diane Delmonico Eric R. Drees Bethany I. Duffy Daniela Maria Duran Pierre Elbayeh Janette Marie Emery Jakob Emmanuel Espinoza Alejandra Estrada Diaz Pedro Angel Fuentes Danika Petryce Garza Alexander Randall Gee Daniel Christopher Gill Daniel Gimena Luis Salvador Godoy Avila Aijalyn Arianna Gonzales Miana Maria Gonzalez Diana Isabel Gutierrez Villasenor Maroun J. Harb Anabel Faith Korrodi Bryce Emory Laursen Avery Bay Looney

Zoraida Ines Mahomar Gerry Jeremiah Medlin Cody Caleb Miller Bruno L. Montesdeoca Montserrat Moreno Diego Matthew Gustavo Mullin Martha Elena Nava Maria B. Navarro Tyler William Oberhauser Eric Iovanny Ortega Rodriguez Natalie Jean Pena Ashley Marie Penshorn Anabelle Renee Rabago Miranda Nicole Ramos Azucena Rangel Olvera Rebecca Ann Reed Shelby Renee Rivera William E. Rybicki Edith Santos Sevilla Enrique Benjamin Segovia Lance Christopher Siler Kimberly Nicole Simmons Zane Christian Smith Mauricio Soto Michael Andrew Thompson Cordero Jett Torres Andrew J. Townsend Cecilio Trevino Christopher M. Vasquez Lesli Vidal Cordelia Villalpando de la Garza Evia

Austin P. Aguilar Eugenio Albo Fernando Alberto Amans Saray Ambriz Josselyn Arrieta-Meraz Alan Barr Grace Kathryn Bell Matthew Bennett Sami Bouls Cassidy Maye Brawley Joshua Cameron Breard Daniela Cardona Caitlin C. Carrizales Matias Martin Castro Delfino Bryann E. Cervantes Isaiah Dominic Chavez Anna Davila Mikayla Aiya Annelle Durham Caitlyn Elizabeth Ermis Jose Rodrigo Fernandez Lauren Rae Franco Maria Andrea Garcia Victoria Garcia Veronica V. Garcia Alexia Garcia-Aspe Callan Joseph Gawlik Danielle Isabel Gomez Ya Pey Hew Marisa Sanchez Ibarra Rinnu Joy

Nathan Alexander Kelley Jose Maria Llano Aranalde Nicolas Llosa Gabriel E. Lopez Marc Anthony Maciel Alejandro Enrique Medina Ricardo Alberto Medina Camila Sofia Mencia Vanessa Mariela Montalvo Marco A. Montes de Oca Aylin A. Montes de Oca Alejandra Novoa Brianna Marie Ordonez Valeria C. Perez Maria Fernda Quintero Orozco Alyssa Ramos Taylor Elizabeth Rech Kaitlyne Ruby Roberson Isaac Shay Rodriguez Cassandra Leanne Saenz Zyania Sofia Seijas Kierstin N. Sifuentes Cooper William Stephens Carlos Andres Tami Sebastian Tannum Donaldson Stephany Tavera Arianna Michelle Thielen Andrew Khoa Tran Amanda N. Uribe Maria Jose Valiente Mark Joseph Vaporean

HIGH HONORS

Maryam Shirin Khezri Noah W. Laing Daniela Larreynaga

HONORS

Sebastian Aguilar Constantina M. Allen Joe Aidan Alvarez Sierra Kristine Amaya Jonathan Anguiano Juan Antonio Arceo Sebastian Azcui Estelle Beck Martin D. Beirne Timothy Payne Benavides Tonia Bilic Steven R. Blancas Christian Gustavo Bocardo Samantha N. Callahan Isabel F. Cantu Nadia Dezena Carrasco Marco Casanova Chloe Gabrielle Castillo Isabella Sofia Castro Rivera Nathan Daniel Chapa Alfonso Charles Rebecca Annette Chavez Bari Del Christian Eden Angelina Daniel Lisa D. Dinh Josie Anna Elizabeth Disponette David K. Doan Alejandro Manuel Farias Olivia J. Faulkner Timothy Anton Feist Marlon Joel Flores Jessica Pauline Flores Chloe Andrea Frey Kayla Anahi Garcia Salvador Antonio Garcia Kozeliski Isabel Marie Gillenwater Garrett Joseph Gombas Gabriel Gonzalez Joel Adrian Gracia Colby Alexander Nicholas Guillory Avery Faith Heimer Bianca M. Hernandez

Erina Esperanza Varela Lisa Nicol Varela Marina Vigil Celorio Kylie Rose VonHolle Nathalie E. Herrera Diego Jose Iglesias Daniel E. Infante Rylie Jean Kieny Ryan Austin Koth Megan Elizabeth Krippel Chloe M. Lauer Aislan Sara Lennon Sabrina Marisa Lich Karen Lizeth Manzanares Tapia Juan Jose Martel Alexandria Rose Martinez Leopoldo Martinez-Milland Abigail Miranda Kelly Alani Montemayor Colton Moseley Anthony J. Moulton Victoria M. Muller Joseph M. Napier Juan Manuel Ochoa Alfonso Hynes Ornelas Luis A. Ortega Justin Ortega Emmett A. Pena Emily C. Pierson Jaron Michael Presley Judy Alicia Reyes Pedro Rivera Sara Grace Robertson Katherine M. Rodriguez Robert Jeremiah Rodriguez Valeria Sofia Rodriguez Luis Antonio Rodriguez Puerto Andre Schlaefli Kai N. Solonka Alberto David Stadthagen Andrew Seguin Tague Isabella Tamez Michel Trad Audrey Renee Uribe Alejandro Valdivia Christopher Adam Villarreal Noah J. Wesolowski

School of Science, Engineering and Technology Winston Erevelles, Ph.D., Dean HIGHEST HONORS Mujeeb Asabi Adelekan Mia Angelica Aguilar Karina Alagoa Julieta Iliana Alarcon Moses Joshua Arredondo Bianca Nathalia Benavidez Savannah Elaine Berger Isabelle Beatrice Bergman Katia Valeria Campos Aileen Carrera Steven Alfred Rudy Castillo Elias Aaron Domingo Ciudad Leon Maria Grazia Cossio Anuar Jesus Daccarett Perdomo Katherine B. Dinh Hoang Hai Dinh Giovanni Etienne Doria Sabrina F. Doyon Paul P. Elbayeh Jade Gisele Evenstad Amanda Figueroa Joe Anthony Flores Cole Weston Frazier Alejandra A. Garcia Antonio Rodriguez Garza Reagan Wilson Gately Kenneth P. Gilley Trent Todd Gutierrez John August Hannan Tanya Helbig Benicio Hernandez Bryanna Noelle Herrera Janae Hughes Sydney E. Jara-Barrio Abigail Belicia Jimenez Evelin Saji Joseph Pragyan K C Savannah Marie Lopez

Natalie Magallanes Jake Anthony Mares Anthony H. Martinez Marina Elaine McDonald Dillon Thomas McKee Alexandra L. Mclennan Kenya V. Medina Gianna Marie Morales Maria Fernanda Moreno Nadia Simone Jean Morrow Molly Nicole Moser Jack Kingsley Francis Nunnington Jack Elias Ojile Brayan A. Olmos Ana Isabelle Ordonez Adrian Ornelas Brian O. Ortiz Barbara Ruth Perez Granick Juan Luis Pinedo Andrea Isabel Quijan Kraljevic Mario Leonel Ramirez Bianca Margarita Ramos Mackenzie Rion Ritch Victoria Rodriguez Adriana D. Rodriguez Cherubina Sibyl Rubannelsonkumar Juanita Saldana Clinton Sherdon Schaar Harjap Singh Sethi Mohammed Hani Shaik Scott Wayne Siler Abigail Marie Slaughter Paul Charles Smith Ayden J. Soliz Stefan Solowiow Ignacio Torres Arpi Pous Timothy M. Tran Khoa D. Tran

Thomas Sam Varghese Derek Villalobos Natalie E. Villarreal Amanda Villarreal James Charl Weatherhead

Jordyn Anne Wray Ting King Julia Jesus Yong Chu Marcelo A. Zamora Mirsab Zar Cecilia Zurchin

HIGH HONORS Andrea Maresa Aldaz Jessie Jennelle Alfaro Clarissa Alvarez Maggie Amador Jeffrey H. Annabi Carlos Samuel Apodaca Adrian Richard Ballesteros Adilene Janeth Barrios Emily M. Bartlett Pamela E. Callahan Rodrigo Jesus Castillo Ankita Chabra Faith Elizabeth Chapman Ana Elise Dornbusch Madison Faye Downing Justin T. Dylla Katelyn Marie Espinoza Rita Edgard Estephan Jayson Thomas Folsom Alvaro Garza Claudio Gomez Ascencio Brianna Alexis Guillen Mary Arden Grace Guillory Cristina Izellah Gutierrez Fazila Quazi Haque Sara E. Hernandez

Michaela Leigh Jeanis Andrea Victoria Laguna Maradiaga Hailey Simone Lechuga Patricio Lozano Linda Marvis Masabo Ethan McDonald Rachel Isabela Miranda Khanh Duc Nguyen Joyeuse Nishimwe Matthew Joseph Olivarez Gabriella Cheyenne Olsen Nixon Rodrigo Pastor Guzman Ratna Hamsini Ramaraju Alicia Reyes Preston James Robbins Ivann Alejandro Romero Gabriela Sherin Rubannelsonkumar Adamari Yasmin Sanchez Megan Alexandra Sells Hailey Elise Stewart Amanda Huong Tran Eugene T. Tran Kimberly H. Tse Thomas Scott Tudor Hannah Phyllis Wilson

HONORS

Valeria Amairani Acosta John M. Allen Diego Livan Alvarado Esmeralda Apodaca Vilma Sofia Caballero Andrea V. Cabrera Cruz Belia G. Camarena Alexander Kenneth Cantrell Saira Castellanos Antonio Edwardo Charo Kelsey Ann T. Chorath Cerise Lily Cisneros James Patrick Clark Alejandro Dardon Rachael L. Dargan Benyamin Ebadinia Shafqat Fahmid Ehsan Adam J. Eimer Jake Thomas Faryniarz David Abraham Feagins Nathalie Michelle Figueroa Soto Amanda K. Garcia Giselle M. Garcia Jose Ricardo Garcia Cynthia Isabel Garza-Herrera Alfonso Gonzalez Corina Renae Hernandez Mia Nicole Hernandez Octaviano Zechariah Huron Fernando Jaime Sepulveda Jared Magdiel Jaroszewski Karlo A. Kalifa Lauren Victoria Keller Starr Marie Lawson Gia A. Leon Hunter Allen Licata Jonathan Rafael Lopez Breanne Balingit Ludovice Luke David Lussier Luis Angel Magana

GRADUATE LIST

Alexander Manibusan Suzanna Louise Marbach David Matthew Mares Sonora Dawn Mata Noel A. Melendrez Valle Robert Mendoza Brandon C. Miller Joey L. Mirelez Alex Montes Sarah A. Nguyen Jett R. Nicolet Andrea Ozaeta Kirsten Michel Perkins Joshua Paul Pridemore Natalia Sofia Ramirez Kimberly Rae Ramirez Taylor Renee Ramirez Cristina Abigail Ramos Sara Elizabeth Ramos Marcus Rodolfo Rangel Xena Victoria Rixter Abraham Robledo Aaron N. Rodriguez Anthony Sadler Gabriela G. Sandoval Breanna Lynn Sellers Tara Nicole Sellers Shea Spellman Josephine Catalina Taitano Jocelyn Torres Francesca N. Toscano Van Ngoc Tran Vu Michael Alexander Trimble Jesus Alberto Valenzuela Sage Ariana Vantine Clarissa S. Verastegui Vivian Thai Vu Ian James Wells Cidney Mical Williams Ashley M. Yates-Contreras

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Nicole M. Acosta Divina Kemuma Akuma Ghadah Abdullah Alfulayj Abdulrahman Abdulaziz Almaghlooth Carly Ann Bagley Brandon James Galbizo Ballesteros Elissa Susan Binion Elizabeth Cordoba Bowlin Ana Julieta Buckenmyer Chantal Carrera Angela Michelle Castillo

Micah Chapman Cody Ryan Crawford Julia N. Cruz Michael Paul Deltz Moez Dhahri Zelda Elizondo Monica Bailee Esparza Sydney Kathryn Fowler Carly Kay Friedman Brianna Ashly Garcia Ryan Matthew Garcia Jacob A. Gomez

Amy Jordan Guajardo Madison Habet Nicole Denise Harris Virginia Gwyn Hartung Jessica Hernandez Raju Jeron Madeline Rae Johnson Shaima Khalaf Ronald Kirklin Phi-Long Le Wendy Yasmin Legler Brooke Blanton Leith Zachary Paul Lillge Nicholas Lund

Rachel Lyles Matthew Christopher Palomo Natasha Maria Pinter Christina Mariana Resendez Cynthia Rodriguez Patrick Rolwes Seth James Rowett Rita Stearns Amanda Marie Stegink Benjamin Victor Tolleson Carrie Ruth Villarreal Victoria Villasenor Kimberly Yvette Wallace Colton Gregory Wetzel Ronnie Wilson

Greehey School of Business Wardah Abdullah Alanazi Ahmed Saleh M. Alsaif Janet Armitage Mariana Christina Cortinas Kristen Elena Cuellar Rick Guadalupe Cuellar Priscilla A. Dethmann

Harry T. Falkiewicz Xiaowei Gu Leandra Marie Koehler Stephen Michael Perez Charles Barnett Peters Marissa Beth Rodriguez Emery Reylene Santos Adolfo Serrato

School of Science, Engineering and Technology Mazyad Mohammed Alkhaldi Jose M. Antelo Maryam Borhamah Leslie Ceja Eduardo Davalos Chidera Duanne Anita Eluwa Yenny Mae Fernando-Davidson Brandon Xavier Franco

Jake Andrew Gleinser Derek Thomas Gwin Alexander David Horwath Savannah M. Muniz Hanamariam Sisay Sergio Alfredo Torres Valenzuela Fernando Urbina Yike Zhang

6 OPINION

EDITOR: SEANA BARCLAY | @STMURATTLERNEWS | OCT. 28, 2021

Students express mixed feelings surrounding the “hustle culture” mindset CAMILA JUSTUS CONTRIBUTING WRITEr

“Hustle culture” is a term commonly known among college students today. The term “hustle” circulates around the idea that students today are overworked, not only with homework but with their personal lives as well. Because various studies and fields are more competitive than ever, it is not enough to get good grades - hence when filling out resumes, it is more impressive when one is well-rounded while also being a star student. Grades between those considered top students are often so similar that when trying to stand out one must pick up extracurriculars, community service, a

Graphic by Camila Justus

job and anything extra that can make them look good.

So, is hustle culture something to embrace or to dispose of? Additionally, is this culture present on campus? Freshman biology major Daniela Montemayor defined hustle culture in college as “students who are overworked mentally and physically; being able to handle a job and being a fulltime student simultaneously.”

“I personally do not feel like I’m part of the hustle culture because even though I am a full-time student, I do not have a job at the moment,” Montemayor continued. “Yes, there are times I feel stressed out because of the workload but I do not have to also stress about working.”

This explains the fact that a heavy homework load is not the sole root of this culture - one must be involved in other daily activities besides school. Additionally, the next person interviewed about this issue was sophomore marketing major Geraldine Fry; she explained, “I think of other people having too many expectations of you and expecting too much of oneself leads to students being overworked”.

This culture can set up unrealistic expectations for the majority. Additionally, it creates mental strain to be this pictureperfect individual juggling several tasks and assignments. Many students have mixed feelings when it comes to hustle culture.

When asked if he is part of hustle culture, freshman computer

science major Andrew Thomas explained, “I think I am when it comes to something I’m doing that’s important, then yes I believe that I am part of the hustle culture.”

Therefore, hustle culture is not always bad in some students’ eyes. This culture’s attitude can be embraced in a positive aspect - one may view it as having a “get things done” attitude.

In addition, one may view having friends that are deemed part of this culture as positive because this might push them to be more proactive within school and society.

When freshman international and global studies major Flip Clayton was asked what he thought of the phrase “hardworking student” alongside hustle culture he claimed, “When I think of overworking students the first thing that comes to my mind is stress and panic, but when someone refers to it as ‘hustle culture’, I think of hard work and someone putting their mind to something to move forward in life. I find it interesting how those two ideas are the same action but give off completely different thoughts.”

“

When I think of overworking students the first thing that comes to my mind is stress and panic, but when someone refers to it as ‘hustle culture’, I think of hard work and someone putting their mind to something to move forward in life.”

Flip Clayton freshman international and global studies major

When asked if he would consider many of his friends to be a part of this culture, Clayton stated, “Definitely a lot of my friends hustle so hard. Sometimes when I get my work done, I text in our group chat to ask if anyone wants to hang and most of the time someone is still ‘hustling’ on some homework.” He then provided input that one may view one’s social life in a negative light if one is always hustling - they may think that person has no social life therefore that is why they have all the time in the world to spend on classwork and their job.

Lastly, when asked what he thought the root of this was Clayton expressed the following: “I think hustle culture comes from our families and the people who raised us, because they’re the ones who instilled in us the mindset that in order to succeed in life we must work hard.”

Without our loved ones pushing us forward we might’ve never learned to “hustle” in the first place. Ultimately, hustle culture really boils down to how people perceive it. Different people will have different ideas about the impact of hustle culture on people’s lives. Whether people see it as being overworked and stressed or productive and fulfilling, this culture is not going away any time soon especially not for college students. Juggling schoolwork, jobs, social life and familial obligations will continue to be something students must learn to navigate on their own. It’s about balancing work and social life and that balance is different for everyone.

Current online culture does not prioritize internet safety the way it used to SEANA BARCLAY OPINION EDITOR

Internet safety is one of the first practices anyone learns when learning how to navigate the online world. But in the age of social media, livestreams and vlogs the world has come a long way from what used to be considered basic internet safety.

In the digital age, prior to the rise of social media, most early internet activity was usually conducted in the professional world or anonymously. Most early internet users were taught to almost never give out any personal information online, especially not to strangers.

With the rise of social media sites like Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, internet safety has drastically changed. Now, most online accounts include personal information like names, ages and addresses as basic information that is easily searchable.

Similarly, social media influencers promote an online culture of near-constant broadcasting of daily life and personal opinions. While this is not inherently bad, especially since cybersecurity has also adapted to fit our current technological advances, this information can still be accessed much more easily than in previous years.

Given this, students today face a totally different online environment than before and therefore face interesting challenges when it comes to safe online practices. Most students still hold on to what they were taught to do online when they were younger.

“As a kid, I remember being taught that

giving any information about yourself on the what university I go to unless it’s with internet is bad,” said senior communication people I already know personally.” studies major Rachel Huron. “It’s so different However, with social media’s immense now that we have online dating and things influence over internet culture and online of that nature.” interactions, some basic online safety advice “When I was younger I was taught a lot has been virtually forgotten. Stranger danger about internet safety from my school and has been overtaken by follower counts and parents,” said senior public history major viral content, making it easier than ever to Claudia Sanchez. “I remember being taught talk to strangers. never to give out my real full name or “I don’t practice the advice to not talk to address and the cliché advice to strangers online, I don’t ‘never talk to strangers’.” think most people “I don’t remember being do anymore,” taught much about internet Sanchez added. safety when I was younger,” While the internet senior computer science has fostered so many major Amanda Villareal connections and said. “At most, it was the collaborations across basic things like ‘don’t the globe, it’s important talk to strangers online’ to remember that everything and ‘don’t give out shared on the internet can exist personal information’.” indefinitely and can be used by That’s not to say whoever happens upon it. internet safety itself hasn’t “I think it’s really dangerous for people to changed to fit the times. Many put out their personal details online because people still continue to keep a lot of there are definitely people out there personal information away who want to cause harm and will from online spaces, only Graphic by Demi Bestor use that information against you,” inputting necessary said Sanchez. information for things like online purchases There are still concerning trends with the and subscriptions. type of personal information many college “I try to practice not giving out any of students are willing to post about online and my information except [for] when I buy with the way websites make this information something online,” said Huron. more readily available to the public eye.

“To some extent, I do still practice Alongside that, many apps ask for access these safety measures,” Sanchez added. to your location, camera and microphone “I never post my full name or address oftentimes without necessarily needing to online and I even refrain from stating access those functions in order to work.

“I don’t like the fact that Snapchat and other forms of social media can post my location,” Huron said.

“I think the whole social media broadcasting info like that is highly invasive when I don’t know it’s happening,” Villareal added. “I am fine with my name and opinions being available, and even sometimes my location, but it’s when this information is broadcasted without me knowing that I am uncomfortable with.”

There are still many basic internet safety practices that college students still practice to this day, but there are still practices that many people should be more mindful of especially during this age of social media and online shopping.

Villareal said, “A practice that should probably be practiced more is not saving credit card information to your devices, like to food and shopping apps.”

“I feel like people on the internet should take more caution when interacting with people who they do not know personally,” Sanchez added. “It can be easy to foster a friendship with someone online and trust them with your personal details but you can never truly know someone’s intentions online.”

Ultimately, when it comes to internet safety many things have changed over the years. The world is now more connected than ever before with more and more information accumulating online. In light of this, internet safety practices, even the basic ones, should not be disregarded despite an online culture that encourages the broadcasting of personal information.

OPINION 7

OCT. 28, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

Recent decrease in male college attendance rates are not a cause for alarm SEANA BARCLAY OPINION EDITOR

According to an article posted by the Wall Street Journal on Sept. 6 there has been a record decrease in the number of men enrolling in two- and four-year colleges around the country. The percentage of men attending college has fallen to 40.5% while the percentage of women attending college has risen to 59.5%. In the past five years alone, colleges across the country saw 1.5 million fewer students, with men making up 71% of this decrease.

St. Mary’s University is no exception to this remarkable gap with women making up 56% of St. Mary’s undergraduate student body while men only make up 44% of that population according to College Factual as of 2021.

This recent trend has led to some important discussions surrounding college and its ultimate benefits later on in people’s careers a s s and lives.

Rega Sara hic by This sharp Grap decrease is a problem surrounding

EDITORIAL STAFF 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

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

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

the increasing costs of higher education and whether or not a degree at the undergraduate level is even worth the cost to begin with.

American culture and the early education system all work to push young students towards pursuing higher education with the promise that the pay at potential jobs after college will outweigh the cost of attending college in the first place.

“I decided to attend college as a firstgeneration student on my mother’s side of the family,” said senior communication studies major John Estrada. “[College] was just always a goal for my family and ourselves throughout our lives because of the promise of a career.”

“I was encouraged to attend college, believing that a college degree would be necessary for me in the extremely competitive job market I would be entering after high school and allow me to solidify my professional ambition,” senior history major Oscar Ortega said.

But this push for young students to attend colleges around the country comes at a great cost. Many students rely on scholarships, loans and other programs like work study to even begin to afford a college education. In the same vein, tuition hasn’t gotten any cheaper with many institutions, St. Mary’s included, raising tuition on a near yearly basis.

“I believe college, especially a private university like ours, is criminally expensive,” Estrada said. “Even with loans, the amount of financial stress that is associated with

attending college is for sure the major factor in anyone’s decision for attending college.”

Ortega agreed, stating that, “Someone’s financial situation is the universal factor that makes or breaks aspirations of college.”

The financial situation college students face today is something past generations have not dealt with in the same capacity.

Today, students risk paying thousands of dollars for a degree that might only get them an entry-level job which might not be enough to pay off their education costs.

Similarly, those who can’t afford to pay for college and end up dropping out, end up stuck in loan debt they might not be able to repay.

“I think that there is a decrease in the number of men attending college due to the need of supporting their family and have no time [to attend] college as they work multiple jobs just to bring food to the table,” said sophomore accounting and data analytics major Noel Casino Jr. “I’d say there’s possibly a decrease of anyone of any gender attending college these days,” Estrada added. “It seems as though more and more career choices are readily available through experience over an actual degree; especially careers not associated with STEM.” For many, college simply isn’t worth the cost. There are other options beyond college, like trade schools or independent online courses for career opportunities that don’t require a degree.

“I don’t think college is that inherently

essential to be honest. I think that most of its value comes from the fact that corporate America still thinks it’s very important when hiring,” junior international and global studies major Alex Johnson said.

“It’s often more taxing to get a degree and then a job after, than just getting a job out of high school and working your way up,” said Estrada. “It’s very situational, but I think in this day in age, most people find unconventional career goals and more often than not college isn’t essential to following their goals.”

“There are exceptions where you don’t really need degrees to get a job or succeed in life,” added Casino. “There are a handful of successful people who either attended college late or not at all.”

None of this is to say college and higher education are falling out of public favor, far from it. Instead, there’s been a reevaluation and rediscovery of career paths beyond the realm of academia.

Ultimately, college isn’t for everyone despite its importance to American education. But this decrease in college attendance isn’t necessarily an indicator of a problematic trend. Other essential occupations exist that don’t require college degrees. Alongside the ever-increasing cost of tuition, it’s understandable that many people are looking towards other options in life. To view this trend negatively overlooks other avenues in life that aren’t centered in academics or academic training.

Students want improved recycling practices on campus JENNIFER SALDANA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Recycling has become a normalized part of the world in an attempt to reverse the damage humanity has made in years past.

The practice of recycling is advertised as convenient and accessible to all. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case right now at St. Mary’s University. Despite the blue bins scattered throughout campus, there isn’t much being done for recycling across campus.

For instance, it seems that the number of trash cans outnumber the amount of recycling bins on campus. When looking around St. Mary’s campus, it’s difficult to find recycling bins of any type and the trash bins are much easier to find or in most cases the only bins available. This is concerning, especially in locations such as the Learning Commons, where most students go to print out their papers and assignments.

Speaking of the Learning Commons, it’s also home to Starbucks, which uses lots of paper and plastic products. For the amount of plastic coming out of the Commons, one would hope to find an area to dispose of the plastic appropriately, aside from the few recycling bins scattered across the building that sometimes aren’t even meant for specific types of recycling.

A simple walk from the Learning Commons to Treadaway Hall shows how little is being done in terms of recycling

efforts on campus. There are so many trash cans out but little to no recycling bins.

As the weather has begun to cool down, more and more students have begun studying and eating outdoors. This is the case in the dorms as well. Enrique Castro, a sophomore computer science major, expressed, “I’d practice recycling more if I had different bins in the dorm for different types of waste”.

While most dorms have at least one recycling bin, it’s certainly not enough for a whole building. This creates the problem of trash bins containing recyclable material.

Castro emphasized recycling with different types of bins.

“One for metals and plastics, one for combustibles, another for dangerous items like batteries and appliances that no longer work,” Castro said. It would be important especially to those living on campus. There are a few possible solutions to the recycling issue at St. Mary’s.

The first and most obvious solution would be to provide more recycling bins. As mentioned before, recycling has become a part of everyday life, so doing it is not the biggest problem being faced at the moment.

Most people who are on campus know how to recycle and would be more encouraged to do so if they had the option of recycling whenever they go to throw away waste.

The second method seems obvious as well, considering this is a university and it involves education. Showing people how

to recycle effectively could increase the amount of recycling happening on campus.

Additionally, this would bring more awareness to recycling as a whole. People would be able to recycle more and do it more proactively.

For example, it’s become more common knowledge that even though someone is recycling, they could be doing it wrong. It has become more commonly known that in order to effectively recycle an item marked as recyclable, the item must be clean on the inside. The third method could be a common approach used in other countries. Enrique Castro mentioned different countries using penalties to help enforce recycling.

He stated that “Japan, Germany and lots of other countries employ this method to make the recycling process the most efficient and fruitful”.

Here on campus, there are already penalties for different things ranging from payments to homework, so it’s not outside the realm of possibilities. Though this method may work, many students around campus might not be receptive to this solution.

Overall, recycling is an issue the whole campus needs improvement on, and we need to take the steps to improve and create a more sustainable campus with sustainable practices. As discussed above, there are many different ways the St. Mary’s community can approach recycling and students and faculty can use each of those ways effectively.

“I think overall it’s better because we get more information and everything is a lot more mainstream. There are a lot of problems that have arisen but overall I think everything is a lot better than it was. At the same time, things weren’t bad before the internet.”

“We’ve never been more divided because of the internet. Reality has become opinion. We’re spending much less time with our loved ones because of it.”

“I do thin better post because of t of inform have at our the resourc available, but that the int its pros an

DO YOU THINK PRE- OR POST

Quotations are all anonymous stu “Post! So many educational opportunities are available a click away.”

“I think life was better pre-internet because it keeps everyone focused on what they’re doing at hand instead of getting distracted. It also keeps down the rate of identity theft as well as getting scammed through online shopping sites.”

“The way I s how it has he time in term experience. biggest comm we have eve it we wouldn today and putting in a own knowled as the decad just makes

nk life is t-internet the amount ation we hands and ces readily t I do think ternet has nd cons.”

“Pre-internet because then people could truly enjoy the world around them.”

“The internet is responsible for the increase in plastic surgery and insecurity in young girls. It created a new type of bullying and it sets the new generation back, making it harder to find who they truly are. Because of what they see on the internet they feel like they need to be that.”

LIFE IS BETTER T-INTERNET?

udent responses from social media.

see it is in a way of elped us evolve over ms of knowledge and The internet is the munication network er created. Without n’t be where we are d with everyone a little bit of their dge and experiences des go on, well that s life 100X easier.”

“I think life was better pre-internet. I feel like the internet shares standards that aren’t attainable for everyone.

You feel pressured to be someone else in order to be accepted.”

“The internet has good and bad qualities but interpersonal relationships and social interaction are possible even despite distance and the sharing of knowledge and information is unlike anything we’ve seen. The internet has improved many lives.”

Editor: Sara G. Regassa

10 SPANISH

EDITOR: MARÍA JOSÉ VALIENTE | @STMURATTLERNEWS | OCT. 28, 2021

Las distintas opiniones de tres estudiantes acerca de los intramuros de futból VIVIAN URRUTIA / MARÍA JOSÉ VALIENTE

Los intramurales de futbol es un torneo organizado por St. Mary’s University, donde varios equipos juegan futbol con la intencion de ser campeones. En este torneo se inscribieron cuatro equipos; Sigma Beta Chi, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Lambda Chi Alpha y “Los Cracks”. El torneo de los intramurales de futbol duro desde el 6 de septiembre hasta el 7 de octubre. Los equipos jugaron 8 partidos en total, incluyendo la semifinal que fue Sigma Beta Chi contra “Los Cracks” y la emocionante final que fue Sigma Beta Chi contra Sigma Phi Epsilon. La final termino 5 a 2 dejando invictos y campeones a Sigma Beta Chi. Es una increíble experiencia arbitrar, jugar y ver estos juegos ya que transmiten un rio de emociones como estrés, felicidad, furia, pasión y mucho sentimiento.

Carlos Franco, un estudiante de segundo año de ingenieria industrial en St.Mary’s Univeristy y un excelente jugador de futbol jugo con el equipo Sigma Phi Epsilon. El menciona como disfruto el torneo. “Me gustó demasiado la experiencia, por fin se sintió que los alumnos podíamos jugar algo de deportes organizados por la escuela.”

Franco opina del compañerismo en su equipo, “La relación entre el equipo era muy amigable, no conocía a nadie y me

hicieron sentir como uno más.” Para Franco, la audiencia tuvo un rol enorme durante el torneo. “La gente que venia a apoyar fue lo mejor y lo que mas destaco para mi,” Franco continua. La final contra Sigma Beta Chi fue dura, Franco dijo, “el equipo más difícil fue el de Sigma [Beta Chi], Aunque Franco piensa que “estuvo muy buena la organización” de parte de St. Mary’s, piensa que, para el siguiente torneo, “Un poquito más de conocimiento acerca del fútbol de parte de los árbitros,” pudiera mejorar. En general Franco tuvo un excelente torneo, el dijo que, “las experiencias deportivas son las más bonitas y duraderas.”

Otro sobresaliente jugador, sub-capitán y mediocampista del equipo Sigma Beta Chi, y estudiante de ultimo año de administracion de empresas en St. Mary’s, Juan José Martel, comparte sus pensamientos acerca del torneo, “Personalmente, valió la pena involucrarse en el torneo porque toda la vida he jugado futbol, siempre lo disfruto, y lo que mas destaco para mi fue ganarlo.” el dijo.

Martel opina que, “La relación entre mis compañeros era muy buena porque todos eramos amigos,” y comenta que cuando jugando con los otros equipos, “Pienso que compartíamos el compañerismo con otros equipos porque nunca quisimos hacerle daño a nadie solo jugabamos como debíamos.”

Martel también opina que, “El equipo mas difícil que confrontamos fue ‘Los Cracks’.

Martel tienen muchas opiniones acerca de la organización de el torneo. “De parte de St. Mary’s la organización fue buena incluyendo puntualidad en horario, materiales etc. pero pueden mejorar poniendo árbitros que sepan las reglas para evitar conflictos entre jugadores y que les estén gritando innecesariamente, extendiendo el torneo porque hay varia gente que le gusta jugar y es muy corto y apoyando a la gente que va a ver los partidos como poniendo graderías ya que fue bastante gente para este torneo.”

Ana Lucia Molina, estudiante de ultimo año de matematicas en St. Mary’s, ha sido espectadora de los intramurales desde que es una estudiante de primer año, “Apoyo todos los intramurales de la universidad. Me parece una manera divertida de compartir con los otros estudiantes y conocer a mas personas.”

Molina espera con muchas ansias el torneo de futbol, ella dijo, “Mi parte favorita es ver los partidos. Un partido limpio con entusiasmo es lo mejor que pueden ofrecer…

La audiencia la pasa muy alegre mientras disfruta de los jugadores y la compañía.” Sin embargo, Molina cree que hay oportunidad de cambio para este torneo, “Siento que la organización del evento podría ser mas organizada. La audiencia no tenia donde sentarse y era muy incomodo.” Molina cree que debería de haber mas espacio para las mujeres en este torneo, “Normalmente los intramurales son dominados por hombres

Carlos Franco sonriendo y posando con medalla Cortesia de Franco

y las mujeres sienten mucho dominio por ellos en estas ligas. Como mujer, yo jugaba futbol en la escuela, y me encantaba. Las mujeres se unen a algunos de los equipos, pero no es lo mismo. Me gustaría que hubiera ligas o intramurales de solo mujeres y que animaran a jugar mas.”

Franco, Martel y Molina tienen algo en comun, y eso es la pasion por el futbol.

Esa pasion ha creado extraordinarias memorias para muchos estudiantes. St. Marys University hizo un buen rol en la organización de el torneo. Lastimosamente, fallaron en algunos aspectos que se puden mejorar para el siguiente ano.

Claramente, participar en estos torneos es una experiencia inolvidable que tienes que vivir en St. Mary’s ya sea como espectador o jugador. Para involucrarse, solo es necesario formar un equipo y inscribirte en www. imleagues.com/stmarytx.

Una estudiante latina describe su experiencia de trabajo como una extranjera ESTEFANY COUTINO / MARÍA JOSÉ VALIENTE

Ser estudiante internacional además de tener sus beneficios también tiene sus complicaciones, desde tener que sacar tu visa de estudiante, entender un nuevo idioma, o simplemente acostumbrarse a la cultura del lugar al que asistes. También hay que tener en cuenta que estos estudiantes no tienen tantos beneficios como los ciudadanos estadounidenses. Una estudiante latina ha compartido cómo es trabajar como estudiante internacional y los beneficios que esto trae. Además, ella explica un poco acerca de todos los reglamentos que los estudiantes internacionales tienen que seguir antes y después de graduarse.

Brissa Campos Toscano es una estudiante de Lima, Perú en su segundo año de estudios globales internacionales. Compartiendo su experiencia sobre su decisión de venir a estudiar a los Estados Unidos, dijo Campos Toscano, “St. Mary’s tenía una alianza con una escuela secundaria en Perú que también era marianista, así que dos días antes de la fecha límite me dijeron que debía aplicar, así que apliqué y llegué aquí. Entonces, era algo que no esperaba. Obviamente vino con muchos desafíos, pero finalmente estoy aquí, y estoy feliz de estar aquí.”

Campos Toscano también menciona su decisión de trabajar en lo que dijo. “En primer lugar cuando hablé con mis padres me dijeron que no, ‘no puedes trabajar’, pero en el verano decidí quedarme porque la situación en mi país no era la mejor, entonces ir allí era un peligro porque era como lo que va a pasar si vuelvo a mi país, pero no puedo volver.” Poco después de mencionar su situación en Perú, Campos Toscano explica cómo ella tomó su situación en sus propias manos.

Al tratar de encontrar una solución en su situación, Campos Toscano describe como,

“Entonces, decidí quedarme aquí pero no tenía un plan, no tenía un trabajo, no tenía dinero para pagar los cursos, así que decidí comenzar a enviar correos electrónicos a todas las oficinas aquí, como preguntarles ‘Oye, ¿tienes un trabajo en el que necesitas ayuda con algo?’ Entonces, comencé a trabajar como voluntario en la oficina de

“

Entonces, decidí quedarme aquí pero no tenía un plan, no tenía un trabajo, no tenía dinero para pagar los cursos, así que decidí comenzar a enviar correos electrónicos a todas las oficinas,”

Brissa Campos Toscano estudiante segundo año estudios globales internacionales

participación comunitaria y luego hablé con el director del Center for International Programs (CIP) y le pregunté si tenía algún trabajo y lo tenía, así que comencé a trabajar allí y en la oficina de recursos”.

También le preguntamos cómo le ayudó trabajar y tener experiencia laboral como estudiante internacional. A lo que Campos Toscano dijo, “Especialmente desde que trabajo en la oficina internacional, sé algunas cosas que no sabía sobre mi visa, porque un estudiante internacional es agradable, pero también es algo de lo que debes cuidar” describe Campos Toscano.

Ella además agrega como “Por ejemplo, una vez que nos graduamos, tienes dos decisiones, puedes rescindir tu visa o puedes comenzar un nuevo programa como una maestría, por ejemplo, o puedes tener OPT, que es un año de pasantías para trabajar dependiendo de tu especialidad, que puede durar entre 1-3 años, pero necesitas saber cómo hacerlo porque si no lo sabes y no lo haces a tiempo tendrás que regresar a tu país y comenzar el proceso nuevamente así que

los estudiantes internacionales tienen que conocer sus.” Esto no solo demuestra cómo los estudiantes internacionales tienen que ingeniarse para poder quedarse viviendo en los estados unidos, sino también como ellos son responsables de sus propias visas y estados legales.

Campos Toscano también explica cómo, “Por ejemplo, los estudiantes internacionales deben pagar impuestos, si van al exterior necesitan firma, si quieren trabajar solo pueden trabajar 20 horas a la semana, y si quieren hacer una pasantía tienen Brissa Campos exhibiendo. | Cortesia de Jessica Uhlig Ed.D. que solicitar un entrenamiento describe su experiencia personal viniendo practico, que es otra cosa. Cuando dije a los Estados Unidos como estudiante que trabajaba, no esperaba mucho porque desde Perú. Ella nos explica un poco pensaba que nada es solo trabajo, pero acerca de la situación en su país y como me gusta mucho y creo que a estas alturas eso la afectó a ella. Obligándola a buscar no lo cambiaría. Me gusta trabajar y este un trabajo para poder mantenerse en pie. verano trabajé entre 40 y 60 horas (unos 2 Pero todo su trabajo duro dio frutos, ya días y medio) porque no había nadie en la que ella también explica cómo eso la ha oficina. Entonces, fue toda una experiencia”.

Campos Toscano demuestra como ella ayudado de distintas maneras, formándose con valores para cuando ella se gradúe. Sin trabajo por muchas horas durante verano.

Ella agrega que es de mucha importancia embargo, Campos Toscano explica un poco como, “Muchos estudiantes internacionales acerca de las leyes y reglamentos que todo en este momento, cuando vienen, esperan estudiante internacional tiene que seguir, trabajar y ganar mucho dinero, pero ese y las implicaciones que lleva consigo ser no es el propósito de su visa, por lo que a internacional antes y después de graduarse veces debemos explicarles que sí. no venga de la universidad.

Muchos estudiantes internacionales a trabajar. Pueden, pero solo por 20 horas obviamente no estás ganando tanto como vienen a los Estados Unidos en busca los demás, no puedes trabajar, estudiar, no de oportunidades y de una mejor vida. puedes hacer ayudas federales, lo cual no Bastantes, logran sus metas con apoyo de sus creo que sea malo porque son los beneficios universidades y a través de las experiencias que tiene un ciudadano estadounidense pero que ellos ganan al trabajar. Y debido a esto obviamente, mientras se busca un trabajo ellos demuestran lo que es ser una persona para un estudiante internacional puede ser trabajadora y lo que es superarse como difícil, especialmente cuando el trabajo y el persona, sin importar las barreras que se estudio obtienen todos los trabajos básicos.” presenten. Ellos son el ejemplo perfecto de En conclusión, Campos Toscano nos lo que es ser perseverante.

SPANISH 11

OCT. 28, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

La celebración de Halloween o Víspera de todos los Santos en América latina JOSE GUTIERREZ / MARÍA JOSÉ VALIENTE

Halloween o Noche de Todos los Santos es una palabra de origen celta que significa Samhaim o sea, final del verano pero ojo, la celebración, como fue mencionado anteriormente, no inicio con índole cristiano católico, fue después de la expansión del catolicismo cuando esta tradición o práctica se transformó en un acto religioso. Con la gran presencia de migrantes europeos a

los

Estados

Unidos,

especialmente

irlandeses, obviamente católicos. Es así como se establece esta gran festividad que hasta el día de hoy continúa siendo de gran importancia en la sociedad estadounidense.

La globalización, logró que esta festividad se expandiera comercialmente a varias partes del continente americano; no solo la parte religiosa de dicha celebración la que se dio a conocer en los países latinos, sino también, la comercial o la denominada noche de brujas.

Para enfocarnos un poco más, en las diferentes formas en las que se da a

conocer esta tradición estadounidense en los

más supersticiosos sobre este tema. Piensan

la llegada de los españoles se convirtió en

países natales de algunos estudiantes latinos

que celebrar Halloween traerá mala fortuna

una fiesta puramente católica y consiste en

y la visión que se tiene del Halloween en su

para toda la familia.”

recordar a nuestros seres queridos que han

país, especialmente su cultura; un alumno

A la misma vez Larreynaga explica como,

de St. Mary’s, Luis Ortega, de Nicaragua, dijo

“Creo que la mayoría de la gente menor de

al respecto, “La celebración de Halloween,

30 no tiene estas mismas supersticiones, y

como lo conocen en Estados Unidos es un

celebran Halloween a casi la misma magnitud

evento prácticamente inexistente en los

como en EE. UU. La mayor diferencia es

países centroamericanos como mi país natal,

que no hay decoraciones, pero si tenemos

Nicaragua. Dado a que la religión principal

películas, disfraces, y celebraciones. Yo en lo

es el catolicismo, crecemos con los valores y

personal, creo que Halloween es una manera

prácticas apegadas a esta religión en la cual

de poder expresarse y demostrar lo que les

el celebrar Halloween no es permitido. Sin

gusta a las personas: tal como disfraces

embargo, el estudiar en una escuela privada

sobre temas a que una persona le interesa.”

con curriculum de los Estados Unidos, nos

Sin duda alguna es emocionante escuchar

dejaba experimentar un poco lo que era la

las diferentes opiniones y puntos de vista

famosa costumbre americana.”

de los alumnos y sus familias, porque como

conmemoración eucarística que al final de

“

todo trata de resaltar los valores cristianos

Halloween siempre ha sido una época divertida donde me toca disfrazarme y reunirme con mi familia y amigos. Aunque sea hispana, he vivido en Estados Unidos toda mi vida, y mi familia y yo celebramos Halloween de la forma americana.

Andrea Quijano Tercer año en ingeniería

Además Ortega agrega que le ha

menciona Larreynaga, en la etapa juvenil

como lo es la “Víspera de Todos los Santos”

encantado poder experimentar Halloween

hispana, se está realizando un cambio

o Halloween.

en los Estados Unidos, “Definitivamente

radical en la forma de pensar

Esto no solo demuestra como atraves

puedo decir que no es lo mismo escuchar

Otra opinión agradable fue la de Andrea

o ver como lo celebraban acá en los

Quijano, de Chile y Mexico. Ella es una

Estados Unidos a experimentarlo como lo

estudiante de tercer año en ingenieria.

hice el año pasado ya viviendo acá,” tal y

Ella dijo, “Para mí, Halloween siempre ha

como lo describe Ortega, la influencia del

sido una época divertida donde me toca

cristianismo,

catolicismo,

disfrazarme y reunirme con mi familia y

prohíbe la práctica de lo que originalmente

amigos. Aunque sea hispana, he vivido en

fue, paganamente hablando, “Samhaim”.

Estados Unidos toda mi vida, y mi familia

de la forma Americana. Al igual, muchos

Lo anterior, es la otra parte de dicha

y yo celebramos Halloween de la forma

Americanos ahora tambien la celebran el

festividad, la que actual y comercialmente

americana. Especialmente de chiquita, los

“Dia de los Muertos”.

conocemos en América Latina debido a la

cuatro nos disfrazábamos y caminábamos

globalización. Respecto al mismo tema una

por nuestro vecindario tocando en cada casa

alumna de St. Mary’s, Daniela Larreynaga,

buscando dulces. Ahora, invito a mis amigos

de El Salvador, quien nos comenta otra

a mi casa, nos disfrazamos, y comemos una

visión acerca del significado del Halloween.

cena con tema de Halloween.”

“Mi

Grafico por Adrianna Mirabal

fallecido realizando una ofrenda, altar y

especialmente

familia

nunca

ha

de los tiempos las diferentes culturas se han ido mesclando, resultando en las futuras generaciones celebrando diferentes festividades a su propia manera. En este caso, como en America Latina, muchas personas, en especial los jovenes celebran halloween

Es increible ver como la globalizacion ha afectado todos estos aspectos culturales.

Sin embargo es importante tomar en cuenta como esto tambien ha unido a diferentes culturas. Y para finalizar, siempre

celebrado

Lo importante es disfrutar y compartir

Halloween porque creen que disfrazarse y

con familiares y amigos sea “Halloween”

celebrar abre puertas a malos espíritus y que

o “Dia de los muertos” como lo es este

aunque muchos celebren sus festividades de

es un ritual satánico,” ella dijo, “Mis abuelos

último, en el pais de México; una tradición

distinatas maneras, siempre hay que respetar

crecieron en un ‘pueblo’, entonces son hasta

originalmente prehispánica pero que con

al progimo y sus distintas tradiciones.

es sumamente importante recordar que

12 CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

EDITOR: JACOB A. HENSON | @STMURATTLERNEWS | OCT. 28, 2021

Haunted haunts to hit up this Halloween before the season ends SOPHIA KUSSEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This spooky month haunted houses are once again open to the public. With more relaxed COVID restrictions, people are visiting haunted attractions in droves.

Mia Torres, a freshman history major, is one of the people excited to visit haunted houses again after last year’s Halloween COVID takeover.

“I’m always excited to see October roll around, it means there’s a new session of haunts to visit with new themes,” Torres says. “I love the experience of being scared for my life, yet always making it out fine at the end. Last year I couldn’t go out to any haunted houses, but this year is completely different.”

So, with spine-chilling amounts of haunts, here are the top four houses worth checking out.

Haunted Oaks Ever seen the maze scene in “The Shining”? Have a penchant for getting lost?

Enjoy the feeling of being trapped in a neverending chaos of twists and turns? Well, then Haunted Oaks is the place for you. Haunted Oaks is a brand-new haunted attraction in San Antonio located right inside the Rolling Oaks Mall, and open for everyone ages 12 and up. While still remaining scary, this haunt hosts a family-friendly atmosphere, and an array of talented live actors who love what they do — scaring their victims witless. Haunted Oaks will stay open up until Nov. 6, allowing plenty of time to get lost in long, creepy hallways or fearful, darkened doorways. This haunt is also more affordable, with general admission totaling to $25.44 after the sales tax and service fee.

Warning: do not enter if suffering from heart conditions, prone to seizures, respiratory issues, any other medical condition, claustrophobia or anxiety disorder. There is not a more perfect season’s

greeting than “enter at your own risk”.

Haunted Oaks is located at 6909 North Loop 1604 East, Suite 1128. Visit hauntedoaks.org for more information.

fans, “The Dollmaker” storyline begins with a scheming Victorian mansion owner scattering possessed dolls around his home right before his passing.

Logos courtesy of respective attractions

13th Floor Haunted House Known as San Antonio’s most popular haunt, this season’s storylines are “Bad Blood” and “The Dollmaker.” “Bad Blood” centers around ancient warring factions of the vampires versus werewolves feud, taking violent fighting, snarling fangs, misty hairspray, leather jackets and organized chaos to the streets. For gothic horror

Those who dare disrupt his home must face the wrath of these loyal Annabelle wannabes. As a note, the iconic 13th Floor Haunted House is family-friendly and most would give it a PG-13 rating. Open until Nov. 6 prices range from $28.50 to $50.98 depending on the date. Visit 13th Floor Haunted House at 1203 E. Commerce St. and 13thfloorsanantonio.com.

Six Flags Fiesta Texas Fright Fest Every October, Six Flags is overrun by unimaginable horrors. Ghouls, goblins and the usual Halloween spectacles hold Fiesta Texas hostage for a month of terrifying fun.

This Fright Fest will be hosting a whopping six “scare zones” and five haunted houses, including the all-new “Fear Acres” and “Hell Valley Cemetery.” So, instead of hitting up just one haunted house in a single night, visit multiple haunts at once. Visitors can go on amusement rides in between haunted houses and scare zones. It’s a deal one simply cannot refuse (or else…). Admission for Fright Fest does run more pricy, with tickets ranging from $34.99 up to $74.99. This particular attraction is open until Oct. 31 and is located at 17000 W. I-10. Visit sixflags. com for more information.

SeaWorld Howl-O-Scream If there is a better combo than marine life and Halloween, this writer hasn’t heard of it. Now coming up on 20 years of hosting Howl-O-Scream, SeaWorld is opening its doors again to haunters and patrons alike, with free haunted houses included in general admission. Swimmingly, Howl-O-Scream returns with an entirely new terrifying haunt, “The Swamp at Blackwater Bayou.”

For the true haunt fanatics, SeaWorld holds Howl-O-Scream tours, which allow patrons to see a “Behind The Screams” inside look of Howl-O-Scream, which includes a look into how SeaWorld’s haunts are set up and how the actors prepare for their shocking performances.

Scaredy cats beware, Sea World’s event takes place after 7 p.m. in the dark of night.

Located at 10500 Sea World Dr., HowlO-Scream runs through Oct. 31 with admission priced around $45.99 for a singleday ticket and $80.99 for a single-day ticket plus all-day dining. Visit seaworld.com for more information and save up to 40% online before buying tickets at the gate.

Every day is taco day with these local taco trucks near campus

EL REMEDIO TACO TRUCK 2924 CULEBRA RD.

’

TACOS EL REGIO, 2726 N. ST MARY S ST.

LOS DANIELS FOOD TRUCK | 3502 CULEBRA RD.

TACOS MONCLOVA 3322 CULEBRA RD.

Photos courtesy of respective taco trucks

MINI TACOS EL MAICOL 3630 CULEBRA RD.

CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT 13

OCT. 28, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

“Squid Game’s” squalors among “Double Feature’s” horrors LARRY RODRIGUEZ-SHEA MANAGING EDITOR ANDRES GONZALEZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

By Andres Gonzalez (Poster courtesy of Netflix.) In the Netflix Korean series, “Squid Game,” financial debt and desperation go hand-in-hand. Based on schoolyard games and named after a squidlike diagram, this show is far from a childish story. The story is carefully crafted by writer and director, Hwang Dong-hyuk, and took a decade to bring from script to screen.

The story features complex characters, horror, violence, social issues and a stark contrast between poverty and wealth.

At the beginning of the series, the audience is introduced to main character Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), a middleaged man with a gambling addiction who lives with his elderly sick mother and has a young daughter. Gi-hun goes from one bad decision to the next and ultimately ends up as a player in the Squid Game. An immersive experience with suspense and diverse casting, this tantalizing show plays out in unexpected ways, taking the audience on a rollercoaster of emotions, scene after scene.

The series draws on themes of morality and internal conflict, causing characters to choose between personal desires, circumstances and social responsibilities.

The societal echoes displayed throughout the game, such as flashbacks of unruly misery and inescapable poverty, also make a compelling survival story.

Interestingly enough, it is speculated that the COVID pandemic might have contributed to the show’s enormous popularity, which may also have the audience relating to some of the context and emotion in the series, such as suffocating financial struggles and heartfelt character compassion. The players’ need for money leads them to make shocking decisions in this binge-worthy show. In the end, the ultimate question remains, whose actions are worse: the predatory behavior of the show hosts or the cruelty displayed by most of the players? Overall, it is a truly well-written series. Five out of five rattlers.

By Larry Rodriguez-Shea (Poster courtesy of FX Networks LLC.) Ryan Murphy has made another return to the screen with American Horror

Story (AHS). This time with not one, but two mini-seasons packed into one.

Each one offers its own unique flair and a welcoming expansion to the AHS universe.

Part One: “Red Tide” Part one consists of six episodes, and is a mini-season within a season; in many ways this is a return to familiar aesthetics within AHS surprises. Set in Provincetown, Massachusetts, famously known as P-Town, bleak color palettes of gray, blue and brown serve as the town backdrop haunted by talentless “pale people,” and the intriguing black pill that makes anyone who ingests it a creative genius. Coupled with a chilling score, this stage sets the perfect makings for a gripping show.

The Gardner family takes lead in part one: Harry Gardner (Finn Wittrock), Doris Gardner (Lily Rabe) and Alma Gardner (Ryan Kiera Armstrong). The Gardners move to P-Town to help Harry boost his writing career. Alongside this cast are other characters and series regulars such as Austin Sommers (Evan Peters / every season but “1984”), Tuberculosis Karen (Sarah Paulson / every season but “1984”) and Leslie ‘Lark’ Feldman (Billie Lourd / “Cult,” “Apocalypse,” “1984” and “American Horror Stories”). However, the real show-stealer is Mickey (Macauly Culkin), who comes on screen as a hustler and an aspiring writer.

The scenes Culkin shares with Paulson are what fans of the show hoped for from the moment his casting was revealed.

Particularly in episode five, “Gaslight,” both stars run away with their screen time and never look back. Paulson stuns the audience in a cathartic performance alongside Culkin who flexes his acting chops. Yet, even Rabe and Armstrong’s acting is elevated in this episode. Some might even say this is the best episode of the season, and maybe one of the best AHS episodes ever put to the screen.

The season is jam-packed with moments

of twists and turns fans will appreciate, but it is a shame part one ends on a weak ending.

Murphy is notorious for bad endings, ever since he started with “Glee.” And so, episode six falls a little short of living up to older seasons with good endings.

Part Two: “Death Valley” Where “Red Tide” saw a return to serious tones, “Death Valley” brings campiness to this four-episode alien-themed installment. Painted with conspiracy theories and cheesy moments, this show even goes as far as bulging, black-eyed, stereotypical gray aliens and reptilian people living among humans on earth.

Part two features a return of familiar faces, like Kendall Carr (Kaia Gerber / “American Horror Stories”), Calico (Leslie Grossman / “Cult,” “Apocalypse” and “1984”), Valiant Thor (Cody Fern / “Apocalypse” and “1984”), Mamie Eisenhower (Sarah Paulson), and Theta (Angelica Ross / “1984”).

Watching part two is like watching the “X-Files” but with even more camp.

Gerber’s questionable acting from “American Horror Stories” is gone, and instead steals the spotlight ending alongside Grossman and Ross. Much like “Red Tide,” this season also lets long-time actors be themselves, and reminds fans why they like this series so much. With this much campiness it is important to sit back and enjoy the show for what it is. Even though part two ends on a cliffhanger, these characters are bound to return for another collaborative season like “Apocalypse.”

Afterall, Murphy is already greenlit for additional upcoming shows, including at least three more seasons of AHS. In the end, longtime fans will appreciate AHS’s return in “Double Feature” and the anthology formula they know and love. Newcomers alike will enjoy jumping into not only AHS but also Murphy’s cinematic style. Four and a half rattlers to this AHS installment.

Laugh alongside comedians and partake in a costume contest RYAN ESTES STAFF WRITER

In the midst of celebrating goblins, ghosts, ghouls and gremlins, here is an idea for a little comic relief: stand-up.

Comedians have a way of lifting spirits and helping people forget about their problems.

Rising comedians like Freddie Fred, Patrick Christopher, Mary Picarazzi, Ryder Ashton, Brent Williams and CeCe. These five comedians will be performing for patrons who enjoy coffee, tea, giggles and laughs at the end of this month. But what does real comedy look like anyway?

Well, Ashton had a chance to sit down with the Rattler and answer some questions about his beginnings in comedy, his style and the most important elements of his stand-up routine.

“I got started in comedy because my friends thought I was funny and convinced me to try an open mic [night],” Ashton said. “My comedic style can be described as, maybe, witty and self-deprecating.

[However,] the most important element of my comedic routine would be confidence in the material. If I don’t think what I’m saying is funny, why should anyone else?”

While self-deprecating humor may sound a little harsh, the comedian who is poking fun at themselves ends up having a positive effect on the audience. With this

approach, Ashton is certain to highlight the night with knee-slapping jokes, even if they are about himself.

In another interview with comedian Picarazzi over Facebook Live, Director of Programs and Storytelling at Hearts Need

many forms of creativity like painting, writing and, of course, performing standup comedy. Her life definitely influences her performances; specifically, Picarazzi creates content for her shows using stories of her family and personal experiences.

Local improv comedians Freddie Fred, Patrick Christopher, Mary Picarazzi, Ryan Ashton, Brent Williams and Cece are gathering the night of Oct. 29 for coffee and improve. | Graphic courtesy of Curator Coffee

Art, Richard Wilmore, asked probing questions on creating comedic material. In the recording available to the public online, Picarazzi told Wilmore that having a room where she can be creative helps her cope with the stress of COVID. Picarazzi enjoys

Picarazzi also shared her thoughts on art and creativity, saying, “Being good or not good at something is kind of irrelevant when it comes to art because creating is creating.

So, however you choose to create something, the final product is still a creation.”

Picarazzi’s statements are prudent words of advice for anyone looking to dabble in art and improv. However, like Picarazzi assures, even if the creator thinks their art is bad, it still has value. The very reason is that it likely hasn’t been made before. That is what makes a work of art.

Lastly, in another instance of describing comedy and what it personally means, Yami Muñoz, senior double major in international and global studies and Spanish, commented on her favorite comedian, Eddie Murphy, and the phrase “laughter is the best medicine.”

“When people say ‘laughter is the best medicine’ I think they mean focusing on something joyous, for even a couple of seconds can change your day,” Muñoz adds.

“Often, when someone is feeling upset, [laughter] helps someone forget all the bad [and] even uplift[s] their mood.”

So, for those looking to uplift their mood and escape Halloween fright, come delight in an evening filled with sweet treats and lively laughs. The Curator Coffee’s Halloween Friday Spooky Coffee and Comedy Show is on Oct. 29 at 2923 Thousand Oaks Drive from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 a person.

The event will also hold a costume contest where the winner will receive a mystery gift box. So, come and pair a little levity with this season’s haunted houses and horror movies.

14 SPORTS

EDITOR: DIDIER CADENA |@STMURATTLERNEWS | OCT. 28, 2021

FANGraiser stream provides fun moments and passes goal DIDIER CADENA SPORTS EDITOR

Recently, the St. Mary’s Esports team completed their much-anticipated FANGraiser event. The event, which was held on Oct. 8, was an exciting event for the university with numerous university officials

Courtesy of STMU Esports

in attendance and various giveaways. The FANGraiser event was a 12-hour livestream that was able to be viewed on Twitch and was displayed on multiple university social media outlets. The stream was also made possible with the help of their sponsors: Hyperx, Shenanigans and Spectrum.

The event started out with an opening ceremony that included some words from President Thomas Mengler, J.D. and Athletics Director Robert Coleman. The first part of the livestream was called the Champions of Diversity section. The section

included several exciting matches of Fall Guys with Associate Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sheri King, Ph.D. The Fall Guys matches provided a myriad of fun moments and several close games that ended up with a victory.

The next part of the livestream was the Kings of the Court section. This section had some special guests from the men’s basketball team and had them playing a few games of NBA 2k. This part of the livestream included several fun games of basketball that showcased the team’s 2k skills. Following that section was the COD vs. Rainbow Six Smash Crew Battles. This part of the livestream included the Call of Duty and Rainbow Six teams going headto-head in several Smash Bros and Mario Kart matches. The matches provided a fun competition between those teams and offered many memorable moments during their competition games. The matchups ended with the Call of Duty team taking the advantage over the Rainbow Six team.

Following those matches was an informative and fun interview with Carol Luckhardt Redfield, Ph.D. who is currently the chair and a professor of the computer science department. The section that came after this was Shenanigan’s hour in which members of the esports teams played in

President Mengler and Lily Schow show esports spirit.| Courtesy of STMU Esports

Contestants play a game of Guess That Character.| Courtesy of STMU Esports

several fun rounds of Gang Beasts. After this section of the livestream, there was the Coaches vs. Student part of the stream.

There were several matchups in which coaches of the esports teams played Fortnite against members of their team. Next, was the intel hour in which members of the Rocket League team played several matches with members of Intel, one of the sponsors of the stream. The next part of the stream included a jeopardy-style game in which members of the audience watching the screen could also play along. The stream was capped off with a CollegiateR6 match between the Rattler Rainbow 6 Esports team and the University of North Texas. In this well-fought and exciting exhibition game, the Rattlers were able to get the win with a final score of 8-6 and 7-1. Thier victory making them undefeated this season.

The results for the FANGraiser proved how great the 12-hour stream was. With the FANGraiser having a $3,000 donation goal, the stream was able to surpass that goal with a total donation of $3,717. Exceeding the donation goal was made possible with a total of 29 donors. The stream ended with a total time of 12 hours and 33 minutes and also had a total of over 900 stream viewers. The stream included 12 giveaways that included several pieces of gaming gear.

The donations will be used to purchase new esports practice shirts and jerseys and for future esports scholarships. This is thanks to the effort put in by the esports teams and their student staff, the sponors and all the others who helped make the event happen. It is enlightening to see the success of the FANGraiser and how wonderful of an event it was to witness on the stream.

Courtesy of STMU Esports

Dr. King and Teresa Lee have a chat between games.| Courtesy of STMU Esports

Sergio Martinez and Joshua Webb focus on a match.| Courtesy of STMU Esports

SPORTS 15

OCT. 28, 2021 | STMURATTLERNEWS.COM

Return of Rowdy Rattlers sparks new fan energy at games DIDIER CADENA SPORTS EDITOR

After a year of reduced fan attendance at athletics games, largely due to COVID, there has been a major reemergence of the Rowdy Rattlers at games this season.

Visiting teams no longer bring in more numbers from their respective universities and outnumber the Rattler fan base. Now it’s the student sections that are being led by the new Rowdy Rattlers who are changing the tone of the games that they show up to.

This athletic season has brought a new level of energy that has definitely been missing for a while now.

For those unaware of who the Rowdy Rattlers are, they are a staple of Rattler athletics. They are the students who consistently show up to athletic games and cheer on the Rattlers across the various sports on campus. It was a common role for some students to consistently show up to games and be a presence in the crowd.

Even around campus, photos are hanging of several of the old Rowdy Rattlers. There was even a dorm that was supposed to exclusively hold the Rowdy Rattlers so that they could be together as a community and attend events but for a while, it seemed like the presence of the Rowdy Rattlers was dwindling down.

Student attendance at games was greatly

Rowdy Rattlers show their school spirit and make some noise.| Photo by Makayla Amitrani

reduced with seemingly less people showing up to games. It became the norm for the opposing schools who would visit to bring in more fans to the games which made it no longer seem like a home game for the Rattlers. While the attendance was still good, the number of fans at Rattler athletics games was nowhere near as high as it had been in years before. COVID made matters worse especially when the pandemic first began. Although the pandemic caused a reduction in fan attendance due to safety concerns, home games are starting to look

more and more full as the season goes on.

Since the start of this fall season, the student turnout to games has dramatically increased. The student section at the games is almost always full and students are always ready to cheer on their Rattlers. At the heart of the student section, are the new Rowdy Rattlers. The crowds can feel their electrifying and dominant presence as soon as they walk to where the Rattlers are playing.

Whether they are engaging with other fans, cheering on the Rattlers or jokingly jarring with the opposing team. In a recent

volleyball matchup against West Texas A&M, the Rowdy Rattlers spent all six sets controlling the energy of the entire game. Even when that game experienced a long delay, they were still able to lead and bring energy to the match.

Without them, the whole tone of the game would not have been the same. In another display of force, the Rowdy Rattlers turned up in big numbers at a men’s soccer game against West Texas A&M on Rattler Blue Out Night. Their raucous crowd was able to control the tempo of the match. On that night the Rowdy Rattlers dominated the side of the field that they were sitting on. Whether it was through chanting or using a stadium horn, the Rowdy Rattlers were one of the most exciting parts of that match. Every time a goal was scored for the Rattlers, there was a roar from the crowd and movement that was all thanks to the efforts of the loyal Rattler fans at St. Mary’s.

It is a great time to be a fan of Rattler athletics. For those who have not been to an athletic event, now is a perfect time to go see one. It is amazing to see how impactful the Rowdy Rattlers are on the energy of the games. Their reemergence could not have happened at a more perfect time for this competive athletics season that should run far into tournament play. School spirit is in the air and that air is loud, vibrant and rowdy.

Softball’s Donna Fields recieves NFCA Hall of Fame Honor DIDIER CADENA SPORTS EDITOR

This December, St. Mary’s head softball coach, Donna Fields, will finally have her chance to be inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Hall of Fame. While she is in the 2020 class that was supposed to be inducted in December of

Courtesy of Rattler Athletics

2020, the induction had to be postponed due to safety reasons for COVID. Now the event will be held in Las Vegas this December.

The NFCA was created to support the professional growth of fastpitch softball coaches at all competitive levels. Although college coaches make up the bulk of their membership, the organization now welcomes high school, travel, professional and international coaches. The association went from having roughly 40 members at its inception back in 1983 to having over 5,500 members today, with members from all 50 states and several international countries.

The idea for the association first came about from discussions at the National Collegiate Women’s Softball Championship in the early 1980’s. Another result of this meeting was also the National

Softball Association. The purpose of the organization was “to educate softball coaches and the public in the game softball, including coordinating the relationship between softball team membership and other educational endeavors through the development of softball in all its aspects as an amateur sport, including maintaining communication of new ideas and discussion of issues involving softball and education.”

They planned to achieve those goals by holding softball clinics, hosting national softball conventions, having regional meetings and providing official publications to their members. Some major programs run by the organization include their awards programs, national conventions, recruiting camps, tournaments for Divisions II and III, NAIA and junior colleges respectfully. The organization also runs a coach’s poll for USA Today for Division I, II and III universities.

Fields induction into the NCFA Hall of Fame should really come as no surprise.

She was already inducted into the St. Mary’s Athletics Hall of Fame back in 1988 and is currently the only person in Rattler athletics history to win a national championship as both a player and a coach. During her time as a Rattler student athlete, she was a member of both the softball and women’s basketball teams. She has spent all 23 years of her successful and prestigious career with the Rattlers. Fields curently has amassed over 938 wins in her time as coach, which currently ranks her eighth among Division II coaches, with her Rattlers team owning eighteen conference championships and having fifteen NCAA regional appearances.

With over 938 wins, she is currently the all-time wins leader in St. Mary’s athletics history.

When she was a Rattler athlete, she earned All-American honors as an outfielder in 1987, a year after they had made it to the NAIA

National Softball Championship. Fields’ first national title appearance as a coach in 2002 came when the Rattlers finished with their best record under her tenure, finishing with a record of 58-11. Adding on this already great achievement was the fact that the Rattlers were only in their second season in Division II. The Rattlers have made it back to the NCAA College World Series four times, in 2002, 2003 (50-12), 2005 (49-11) and 2015 (48-12). Since Fields has stepped into the Division II coaching world in 2000, she has seen over 12 All-Conference selections, 22 All-American selections and over nine Academic All-District selections.

During her time as a coach, her teams have consistently kept over a .500 record and almost every season has seen multiple rewards, conference championships and other high levels of success. Whether it was during the Heartland Conference era of St. Mary’s athletics history or the current Lonestar Conference era, the Rattler softball teams have always competed with their

best efforts and against some really difficult teams, but their records across the years help prove how competitive they have been, even against those difficult teams.

This will be another great achievement in Coach Fields’ already successful and prestigious career. Things can only continue to get better from here, and there are still many other accomplishments that she can rack up in her future time here at the university. Coach Fields is one of the most prime examples of the continued excellence of Rattler Athletics. Very few people can have the type of career that Coach Fields can have, and the university is extremely lucky to have her. Seeing her being rewarded for her work should bring copius amounts of pride to the university, because it is definitely not easy to build up a resume that is as impressive as hers. Her continual success and dedication to her craft, her players and her legacy are just some of the reasons that she is considered for so many awards and is one of the university’s living legends.

Courtesy of NFCA

16 FEATURES

EDITORS: LARRY RODRIGUEZ-SHEA & ADRIANNA MIRABAL | @STMURATTLERNEWS | OCT. 28, 2021

ADRIANNA MIRABAL, LARRY RODRIGUEZ-SHEA MULTIMEDIA EDITOR AND MANAGING EDITOR

With the semester nearing its end, it is important to stop and take time to reflect on the connections that people have made this year. Socializing and taking time to get out are important to anyone’s success, not only at school but also in life. That’s why it’s important to stop, slow down and go out sometimes, while being safe given the state of the times.

Staying connected with friends has changed a lot. This is especially true for students who began attending college during the pandemic.

Sophomore computer science major Juan Vargas is grateful for the connections he’s made so far and will make in the future.

“Coming into St. Mary’s as a freshman during the global pandemic was very different to how life on campus is now,” Vargas said.

“St. Mary’s was finally able to open up to campus which multiplied the amount of interactions I have with people at school. By having increased access to the school and its resources I have been able to establish strong connections as well.”

Life has changed a lot in the past 6 months; that’s obvious, but what about since the 1980’s or the 1970’s? Most people would think it’s changed a lot but taking a look back, the only thing that has changed is the cameras. How much has life changed? Peer into the past and see how people have been staying connected at St. Mary’s for decades.

Photos and Design by Adrianna Mirabal & Larry Rodriguez-Shea Archived Photos Courtesy of Portal to Texas History Recent event photos Courtesy @stmarysu Background by Demi Bestor