NEWS COMMUNITY REMAINS KEY TO SUICIDE PREVENTION PAGE 3
OPINION
LIFE & ARTS
VACCINATIONS PROTECT YOU, OTHERS AHEAD OF FLU SEASON
TXST PROFESSOR PUTS WOMEN CENTER STAGE
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TUESDAY
September 22, 2026 VOLUME 115 ISSUE 38
FEATURE
24th Poet Laureate joins TXST faculty By Rae Knight Life and Arts Assistant Editor
Ada Limón, the 24th United States Poet Laureate, has had her words displayed across the world and beyond the stars; now, for her next journey, she will share her knowledge with Texas State. Limón was named Distinguished Professor of Poetry at Texas State in August, joining the creative writing faculty to conduct workshops with graduate students. To mark the
occasion, she was invited to read eight of her poems in the Wittliff Collection in Alkek Library on Sept. 17. In her role, Limón will visit campus a few times a year to lead student workshops and guide them with their writing. Limón said she was motivated to come to Texas State because of the passion she recognized in students in past visits, and that she hopes to make an impact on the young writers at the university.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION JEN NGUYEN | DESIGN EDITOR & AIDEN FRITSCHE | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Distinguished Professor of Poetry Ada Limón speaks with students and faculty, Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Wittliff Collections in Alkek Library. Limón was 24th U.S. Poet Laureate.
SEE POETRY PAGE 7
Thousands of local voters placed on voter suspense list
COUNTY
By Foster Conner News Contributor
Outdated addresses place around 27,000 Hays County voters on the state’s voter suspense list; with midterms approaching, student voter registrars and non-profits are encouraging voters to check their status and update their information. More than 1.2 million Texas voters were placed on the state’s suspense list, which happens when a county can’t confirm a voter’s current address. The deadline to register or update voter registration in Texas is Oct. 5. Jennifer Doinoff, Hays County elections administrator, said the suspense list is a routine list of Texans whose addresses need to be verified. “We see a lot of suspense
voting in college students, and that is because they move around a lot,” Doinoff said. “Every time we send a piece of mail, if it comes back as undeliverable, they will go into suspense status in our records. It is part of our normal routine list maintenance activity for voter rolls.” The address confirmation process is enforced by Senate Bill 1111, passed in 2021, which established additional procedures for confirming voter addresses and placed voters who fail to respond to certain notices on the suspense list. Doinoff said in 2026, Hays County has 27,000, or 1% of the registered voters, on suspense, around the same amount the county had in 2022.
Abbott directs 3-year degree to lower costs UNIVERSITY
By Ca’Myah Robinson News Reporter
MEG BOLES | MANAGING EDITOR
Students wait in line to vote on Tuesday, SEE ELECTIONS PAGE 2 March 3 at the LBJ Student Center.
Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to develop a statewide framework for three-year bachelor’s degree pathways, intended to lower college costs and help students enter the workforce sooner. In an Aug. 26 letter to Wynn Rosser, Commissioner of Higher Education, Abbott directed the THECB to convene a working group that would develop recommendations for the accelerated pathways. The agency coordinates higher education policy and works with public colleges and universities across Texas, collaborating with the legislature to ensure education goals are met.
SEE EDUCATION PAGE 2
FOOTBALL
‘Cats offense dominates North Texas for first win of season By Ayden Oredson Sports Editor
After a heartbreaking loss last weekend, the Texas State Bobcats’ offense bounced back with a 49-35 win over the North Texas Mean Green on Saturday afternoon at UFCU Stadium. In their first meeting with the Mean Green since the Bobcats’ 2024 First Responder Bowl victory, Texas State (1-2) needed a win to avoid its first 0-3 start since 2019. The Bobcats opened the season with a lopsided loss to then No.5 Texas and a last-minute defeat against UTSA in the I-35 Showdown. Texas State and North Texas (1-2) engaged in a shootout, combining for 1,170 yards of offense and 12
touchdowns. For the Bobcats, the offense excelled on the ground, rushing for 351 yards, most coming from senior Torrance Burgess Jr. and freshman Davian Jackson. Burgess Jr. rushed for 216 yards and averaged 8.6 yards per carry, while Davian Jackson scored four touchdowns, with three rushing and one receiving. Sophomore quarterback Brad Jackson also delivered an efficient performance, throwing for 268 yards and four touchdowns.
SEE RECAP PAGE 6
AIDEN FRITSCHE | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Texas State freshman running back Davian Jackson (6) celebrates his fourth touchdown of the game against North Texas, Saturday, Sept. 19 at UFCU Stadium. The Bobcats won 49-35.
NEWS
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Arabella DiChristina | News Editor | starnews@txstate.edu
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 FROM FRONT EDUCATION
Abbott said in the letter that a three-year bachelor’s degree could directly reduce the number of years in school, decreasing tuition and other college student costs by reducing the number of hours required to graduate from 120 to 90 hours. Although Texas has frozen undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees at public colleges and universities for the 2026-27 academic year, Abbott said the amount of time students spend in college remains a significant driver of the total cost of earning a degree. “Every semester adds to tuition, fees, housing, food, transportation, and other living expenses, and delays students’ ability to begin their careers,” Abbott wrote in the letter.
KYLIN ANDERSON | STAR ILLUSTRATOR
According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, Texas State students spend an average of $16,805 annually to attend school, adding up to more than $60,000 to finish a four-year bachelor’s degree, if the average remains the same. The data also lists Texas State students’ median federal student-loan debt among graduates who borrowed at $21,000. Pranesh Aswath, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, wrote in an email to The Star that Texas State is excited by the prospect of offering high-quality three-year degrees. “Shorter time to degree improved affordability and helps students enter the workforce and their careers earlier,” Aswath wrote. “The State of Texas is currently developing a working group to create the statewide framework for three-year degrees. We are looking forward to learning more about the requirements so that we can offer these opportunities to our students.” Abbott announced the THECB working group’s 13 members, including Nancy Brickhouse, vice chancellor for academic and health affairs at the Texas State University System, on Sept. 16. The group includes higher education leaders with experience in academics, administration, accreditation and workforce education. It must submit its recommendations and proposed implementation framework by Dec. 31, 2026. Abbott said the pathways could improve degree completion and give students a faster route into high-demand careers. Megan Flannery, applied geography in natural resources and environmental studies graduate, said a 3-year program could lower morale and create resentment with recent graduates.
“I think this decision could negate alumni and current student achievements [since] they attended all four years for the same title that they’re proposing,” Flannery said. Although Flannery said an accelerated program might have been more efficient during her undergraduate years, she said the general education courses still served its purpose. Students are required to take general education courses that are intended to help students develop key academic skills before they register for majorspecific classes within their field of study. “I agree that there should be more focus on courses that pertain to a person’s major, [but] I do think that it is important to be well-rounded and have a fundamental knowledge of more fields,” Flannery said. Newer students like Angelina Del Valle, business marketing freshman, said a three-year pathway would motivate students to complete college and begin their careers sooner. “It would motivate me to finish college because knowing I could graduate in three years would give me another goal to work towards and allow me to start my career sooner,” Del Valle said. Abbott wrote in the Sept. 16 press release that the initiative will “ensure that postsecondary credentials provide lasting value to graduates and Texas communities.” Among respondents to Texas State Career Services’ Class of 2025 First Destination Survey, 45% of bachelor’s degree recipients reported working after graduation, 31% were still looking for employment and 21% were continuing their education.
FROM FRONT ELECTIONS Texas voters must register in the county they reside in, and students can choose to register using their home or school address by filling out a registration form available at the Hays County Elections Office, on 712 South Stagecoach Trail, or with the deputy registrars working on campus. Doinoff said students can verify their voter registration status prior to Election Day by visiting the Hays County Elections Office or by contacting a deputy voter registrar on campus. On Election Day, Doinoff said students can complete a Statement of Residence, a form that confirms their address at the polling location when voting. “Students can fill out a statement of residence, and as long as they have not moved out of Hays County, they can still vote,” Doinoff said. “Those who have moved out of the county will be offered a provisional ballot.” According to State Regs Today, provisional ballots are used in Texas when a voter’s eligibility or registration status is in question at the polling place on Election Day. Diann McCabe, a member of the League of Women Voters of Hays County, said that the League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that promotes voter education, and she uses personal stories to explain
why voting is important. “My husband’s mother was born in 1918, and she remembers her mother telling her what it was like getting the right to vote,” McCabe said. “Her mother said to her, ‘don’t you ever not vote’.” McCabe said it is important participating in non-presidential elections impacts the local San Marcos community. “Students will be voting all the way down to the county judge, commissioners, mayor, and city council,” McCabe said. “[Students] will be voting on where apartments go, how close they are to campus, water resources, data centers, and Flock cameras.” The Nov. 3 general election will include several Hays County races, including County Commissioner Precinct 2, County Commissioner Precinct 4, and several Justice of the Peace positions. Voters will also be voting in state and federal races, with specific offices on their ballots depending on the precinct. Sample ballots can be found on the Hays County Website. To assist with registration, students at Texas State have been deputized as volunteer deputy registrars. Andrea Flores, criminal justice senior, said she sees many of her peers misunderstanding the voting process, and its simpler to register than students think.
NATALIE MURRAY | ASSISTANT DESIGN EDITOR
Students can register by going to a deputy registrar and fill out a one-page form. “I have had people who tell me they are suspended and assume they cannot vote, and that is not what it means,” Flores said. “All you’ve got to do is find one of the student registrars or go to the elections office and refill out a form, get it submitted, and get it approved.” Students who plan to vote in the Nov. 3 general election must register or update their voter registration by Oct. 5;
early voting begins on Oct. 19 and runs through Oct. 30. Students can check the Hays County elections office website for locations to vote. Deputized voter registrars will be on campus Sept. 3 through Oct. 3. Students can verify their voter registration status or ask questions online at VoteTexas.gov or at the Hays County Elections Office
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NEWS
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Arabella DiChristina | News Editor | starnews@txstate.edu
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Community, conversation remain key to suicide prevention By Kayna Khatri News Contributor
Content warning: This story discusses suicide and mental health crises. During Suicide Prevention Month, mental health advocates urge students to recognize warning signs, speak directly about suicide and seek help with campus resources. Suicide remains a leading public health concern nationwide. In 2024, 48,824 people in the U.S. died by suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with 4,490 of them in Texas. Christine Norton, professor in the school of social work and faculty adviser for Foster Care Alumni Creating Educational Success, said suicide risk cannot be separated from a person’s circumstances. “Every single one of us could have circumstances in our lives. There are risk factors in our environment that affect us. It’s not just things internally,” Norton said. “I think sometimes people think suicide is just a problem of the mind. It’s not. It’s a problem of the person and the environment and those risk factors that exist.” According to a 2024-25 Healthy Minds Study, 11% of college students surveyed reported experiencing suicidal ideation in the previous year. Norton said self-isolation can be an early sign that someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis. She said people should address those signs directly. “When you start noticing those initial signs of isolation, just pick up the phone and call [them] ... and it’s really important to ask them directly. [Even something like] ‘I am really concerned about you, are you having thoughts of suicide?’ ... It is not like you are going to plant the seed … and in fact that opens the door [for people to talk about thoughts of suicide],” Norton said.
NATALIE MURRAY | ASSISTANT DESIGN EDITOR
Norton said creating a community in which people feel that they belong can encourage them to seek informal support. Stigmatization can also discourage students from seeking professional support. According to the Healthy Minds Study, 36% of students surveyed agreed with the statement, “Most people would think less of someone who has received mental health treatment.” Michelle Robles-Segovia, psychology sophomore and president of Women in Psychology, said academic, financial and social pressures can compound students’ personal struggles. “When it comes to something that gives someone a lens into your mind, it puts people in a vulnerable position and a lot of people are scared of that,” Robles-Segovia said. Robles-Segovia said the fear of appearing weak or confronting
personal struggles aloud can make students hesitant to seek support, even when they want help. “For years, I didn’t address the specific thing that I was struggling with,” Robles-Segovia said. “Until one day, I just couldn’t bottle it up anymore.” Richard Martinez, assistant director and senior clinical psychologist, said sudden changes in behavior, withdrawal from regular activities and expressions of hopelessness can be warning signs. “[The Counseling Center] gets the surge in the beginning of semester … especially [as] our freshmen get settled in and build their support system … also during midterms and finals as well, because those are high stress times for students,” Martinez said. Alicia Batshone, psychologist at the Counseling Center, said mental health crises can happen at any point during the year. “Naming [suicidal thoughts] explicitly
can create comfort to where you can explore resources and care. So, talking about it directly, talking about it privately with someone, making sure that they feel safe and secure and that they can open up without feeling judged,” Batshone said. Batshone said students, faculty and staff who are concerned about someone else can contact the Counseling Center for consultation. Faculty and staff can access mental health services through their Employee Assistance Program. Texas State provides students with several mental health resources, including the Counseling Center, the Dean of Students Office’s CARE Center and TimelyCare, a virtual health and well-being platform available to students at no additional cost for the first nine annual mental health appointments. The Hays County Health Department will host its second annual Suicide Awareness Walk from 9 to 11 a.m. Sept. 26 at Plaza Park. The event will honor people who died by suicide, survivors and others affected by suicide. The event will include a 1-mile walk and a resource fair featuring more than 10 organizations offering mental health information and support services. Students seeking crisis support can call the Counseling Center at 512-2452208 and select option 2 for after-hours assistance. They can also call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or contact the Crisis Text Line. Hays County additionally provides crisis resources and Behavioral Health 360, a free, confidential platform offering mental health assessments, educational materials and stressmanagement resources. For immediate crisis support, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
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OPINION
Regina Orozco Lopez Forment | Opinion Editor | staropinion@txstate.edu
Tuesday, September 22, 2025
Opinions in The University Star are not necessarily those of our entire publication, Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Student Publications Board.
Don’t miss your shot: vaccines promote health By Syghlas Morales Opinions Columnist
On crowded college campuses, illness does not stay with one student for long; however, as the 2026-27 flu season approaches, students should consider getting their flu vaccine, while also staying up to date with other vaccinations. Texas State students cannot prevent every illness from reaching campus, but vaccinations can help stop preventable diseases from disrupting students’ health and education. College campuses can create conditions that allow certain infectious diseases to spread rapidly, particularly in residence halls and other shared spaces. According to a 2023 study of a 2021 influenza outbreak at the University of Michigan, participants living in residence halls with at least one roommate had more than six times the odds of testing positive for influenza compared to those living alone in apartments. Even shuttles can pose a risk for disease transmission. A 2024 study, published by The International Journal of Building Science and its Applications, found that despite proper ventilation, public transport’s small volumes and proximity of passengers make them sites for airborne disease transmission; this is where vaccines play a key role. Dr. Sara Doss, physician and director of Texas State University Health Services, said that vaccines are the first line of defense when it comes to public health safety. “Vaccination is the best strategy we have to help prevent serious infectious diseases ... vaccines can help protect individual students from getting ill ... [and] also, can help to reduce the likelihood of disease outbreaks that could disrupt class schedules or campus activities,” Dr. Doss said. “... So, from a public health perspective, vaccination helps keep our whole community more healthy.” Vaccination not only helps keep our campus healthier, but it also helps keep students focused on academics,
art and athletics. When students are healthy, they perform better. According to a 2024 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics, vaccination against the flu led to a decline in impaired academic performance, number of missed classes, assignments and sickness during the flu season. “Students will perform their best when they are healthy; and that’s true ... when we do our annual patient satisfaction survey at the clinic...” Dr. Doss said. “... We ask students,’ What was the issue that you came into the clinic for ... was it something that was impacting your academic performance ... and if so, did the treatment that you received help to support your academic performance?’ 98% of them said that the care they received helped.” Efficacy rates vary for every vaccine, but vaccinations lower the risk of infection significantly. An example presented by the World Health Organization states that if a vaccine has a success rate of 80%, the vaccinated group has an 80% lower risk of developing disease than the unvaccinated group. And according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the 20262027 flu vaccine has been estimated to be between 32-63% effective. Texas State University Health Services provides various resources to keep its students healthy. Several immunizations, such as hepatitis A and B, are available at the Nurse Clinic. Additionally, travel-related vaccines like Typhoid and Yellow Fever, both by special order only, are available for students interested in study abroad. Influenza vaccinations are also available through the Student Health Center for all faculty, staff and currently enrolled Texas State students. Flu vaccinations do not require an appointment, according to Dr. Doss. “There is a $25 fee if you do not have insurance that covers vaccination, and there’s no appointment necessary for a flu vaccine at the health clinic.” Dr. Doss said.
The $25 fee is only applicable if you do not have insurance that covers immunizations or an insurance plan in-network with University Health Services. There is a list of accepted insurance plans on the Health Center website. Additionally, Texas State students can attend the Bobcat Wellness Resource Fair from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Jowers Center on Oct. 21, where University Health Services will be present and providing flu vaccinations. Campus public health and safety is a matter where every person counts. And it is our responsibility as the general public to prevent outbreaks by practicing health-protective behaviors like vaccination. When every individual takes responsibility for their own health, communities themselves become healthier. Not only does good on-campus health foster better performance, but it also fosters a better community overall. “I would encourage everyone on
MADELINE CARPENTER | STAR ILLUSTRATOR
our campus community … to consider getting a flu vaccine,” Dr Doss said. “University Health Services is here to help support students and help them get healthy, stay healthy and live well.” Texas State students needing insurance can enroll in a student insurance plan through the university by visiting the University Health Services website, reviewing eligibility requirements and signing up on the Texas State University Domestic Students page. All other services provided at the Student Health Center can also be found on the health center website. Students can find an extensive list of the healthcare services provided there.
-Syghlas Morales is a wildlife biology sophomore
On overcrowded Texas State University shuttles When I worked as an opinions columnist at The Star, I wrote an article about how students could shape their own experiences on the shuttle. Yet this article no longer holds that value due to the vast overcrowding issue that has only seemed to get worse on campus. This continues to raise concern about university goals such as gaining R1 status and campus accommodations like the shuttle. This issue has begun to affect students like me in more ways than one. I was speaking with another student in one of my classes who was explaining the exact same issues I had been thinking about since the beginning of the semester: severely overcrowded buses, increased traffic and overcrowded apartments. When I spoke with the director of shuttle services for the article I was told that the shuttle was based on student activity, but when campus
is overcrowded the shuttle is put in limbo and forced to find new ways to accommodate students with resources they don’t have. When students can no longer live on campus, the shuttle serves as their transportation. The shuttle is supposed to serve as an alternative for the already growing parking issue on campus, yet it becomes increasingly difficult when the shuttle is also becoming unreliable. However, the recent surge of students seems to have affected faculty as well, one of my professors expressed his concern about the required classes for every student. He stated that the university was planning on cutting required classes from 42 credits to 30 because with rising admissions Texas State no longer has the faculty to support these classes. Conversations about R1 are important, but R1 has no effect
Letters to the Editor Policy The University Star welcomes letters from our readers. Letters must be 300 words or fewer to be considered for publication. Writers must include their full name, mailing address, major and academic year designation (for students), phone number and e-mail address when submitting a letter. Submissions that do not include this information cannot be published. This information is seen only by the editors and is used to verify the identify of the
when undergraduate admissions have reached 41,000 compared to the 6,000 graduate students that R1 actually affects the most. There is no space for research on campus if there is no space left. These new programs are great because they can open new opportunities for Texas State, but that should never come at the cost of students’ lives and experiences on campus. It’s very easy to say that students should look past these issues but that becomes very difficult when it begins to affect students’ daily life and their performances.
If you want a platform to voice your opinion about something on campus, in San Marcos or in Hays County, please consider writing and submitting a Letter to the Editor. The University Star prioritizes the freedom of speech of all Texas State students and San Marcos residents as well as anyone who needs a forum for expression.
Scan the QR code to submit a Letter to the Editor.
Shar Kiefer Former Opinions columnist and current student
letter writer. It is not used for any commercial purpose. Letters become the property of The Star and may be republished in any format. The letter may be edited for length and clarity. An editor will contact the letter writer if their letter is a candidate for publication. The Star will not run letters that are potentially libelous, discriminatory, obscene, threatening or promotional in nature. Letters can be submitted to staropinion@txstate.edu or by mail to Attn: Opinion Editor, The University Star, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666.
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GAMES Tuesday, Sept 22, 2026
Sophia Gerke & Milla Deur | Creative Services | starcreative@txstate.edu
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SPORTS
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Ayden Oredson | Sports Editor | starsports@txstate.edu
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
VOLLEYBALL
New portal additions powering ‘Cats volleyball By Crystal Creek Sports Reporter
Texas State Volleyball’s roster looks a lot different than it did a year ago. The team lost eight players from last year’s squad, leaving just a handful of familiar faces as seventh-year head coach Sean Huiet turned to the NCAA transfer portal to reload. Three of those additions, libero Jasmine Purakal, middle blocker India Bennett and outside hitter Peyton McKee are already making their presence felt right as the program steps into a brand-new conference. Purakal, Bennett and McKee headline a five-player transfer class as Huiet looked to construct a roster that desperately needed fresh talent. “We lost six starters and about 85% of our offense, so we needed to find kids who could produce numbers for us offensively,” Huiet said. “We knew we were going to be new and relatively young, so the experience [Jasmine, India and Peyton] brings to our team matters.” The newcomers are still learning Texas State volleyball’s history, but Huiet wants them to carry it forward and build something bigger than what came before them. “This group has a bit of a chip on their shoulder; they want to be the next generation that puts Texas State on the map,” Huiet said. “We know how good we can be; it’s just a process of
herself at a higher level. “We have to prove that we shouldn’t be counted out,” Bennett said. “I know they think, since we lost pretty much all our starters, that we’re not going to be good. I feel like we have to come back even harder this season to prove we can really compete in the Pac-12.” McKee, despite being just a sophomore, arrives with a resume most upperclassmen would envy. As a true freshman at Missouri State last season, she led the Bears in kills with 292 on a .242 hitting percentage and was pivotal in taking down top-seeded UTEP in the CUSA Tournament. “I think we have a very special SAMUEL LEE | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER culture here,” McKee said. “Everyone Texas State fifth-year libero Jasmine Purakal (12) dives for the ball against really gets along well, and we’re all Houston, Friday, Sept. 18, at the Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas. The Cougars super close, and you definitely don’t won in five sets. find that everywhere. It’s really great making sure everyone understands our little bit more of a level of competition to have, and it makes us play better on goals ... We’ll be ready.” would be a really good opportunity for the court and connect there.” Purakal, a fifth-year, comes to San me to grow and develop as a player.” The trio have been the most Marcos after a standout run at Robert Bennett, also a fifth-year, consistent attackers to start the season, Morris, where she was named the arrives with a similar resume out of having a spot at the top in kills, with 2025 Horizon League Libero of the Southeastern Louisiana. She earned Brooke Bentke leading the way at Year and ranked among the national back-to-back Southland Conference 114, McKee behind at 92 and Bennett leaders in digs per set. Defensive Player of the Week honors with 85. She stepped straight into the and is already becoming a steady The Bobcats will open conference starting lineup, and it hasn’t taken long presence in the middle for the Bobcats. play against Utah State at 6 p.m. on for her to look like the anchor of the Her job is to give Texas State Thursday, Sept. 24 at Strahan Arena. back row. the kind of interior presence it lost The game will be available to watch “I really enjoyed the culture, the with last year’s departures up front, on the Pac-12 YouTube Channel. coaches and the girls,” Purakal said. “I of which opponents have to account knew they all were very competitive, for at the net on every rotation. For and I thought being at a school with a Bennett, the move was about testing
FROM FRONT RECAP Texas State started quickly as Brad Jackson connected with senior wideout Chris Dawn Jr. for two first-quarter touchdowns on consecutive drives, including a 39-yard pass to the right side of the end zone. Dawn Jr. finished the game with 107 receiving yards on four receptions. After falling behind 14-0, North Texas went 75 yards in nine plays, with senior RB Jahiem White rushing for a score to put them on the board. The Bobcats responded immediately, as Burgess Jr. rushed for 76 yards to get to the UNT seven-yard line. On fourth down, Davian Jackson leapt over a pile of defenders and broke the plane, extending the Bobcats’ lead to 21-7 at the end of the first quarter. North Texas proceeded to score on each of its three second-quarter possessions. Fifthyear QB Tayven Jackson threw two touchdown passes, with an added rushing score from sophomore Brendon Haygood. Texas State extended its lead on Brad Jackson’s 41-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Blake Smith over the middle of the field, but UNT evened the score with 28 going into halftime. Compared to the first half, Texas State’s defense took a step up, becoming apparent as junior linebacker Ayden Jones forced a turnover via a fumble. Although it didn’t lead to points, Texas State’s held strong once more, forcing a turnover on downs on UNT’s next possession. The Bobcats capitalized this time, retaking the lead at 35-28 on Davian Jackson’s second rushing touchdown. In a sense of Déjà vu, Texas State again forced
AYDEN OREDSON | SPORTS EDITOR
Texas State sophomore quarterback Brad Jackson (8) scrambles against North Texas, Saturday, Sept. 19, at UFCU Stadium. The Bobcats won 49-35.
a turnover on downs on the Mean Green’s following possession. After a long drive on third-and-11 at the UNT 13, Brad Jackson found Davian Jackson for a 13-yard passing touchdown, extending the Bobcats’ lead to 42-28. Davian Jackson put an exclamation point on his dominant performance during the ensuing possession, breaking free for a 57-yard touchdown run that gave Texas State a 49-35 lead. Senior cornerback Trez Moore slammed the door shut with an interception with three minutes on the clock. Texas State delivered its best offensive performance of the young season, propelled by a dominant rushing attack and a sharper, more efficient performance from Brad Jackson than he produced against UTSA. The kicking game also showed signs
of improvement. Sophomore kicker Jacob Bonilla went 7/7 on extra point attempts, with a lone missed field goal on a 46-yard attempt that doinked the post. The defense produced mixed results. The Bobcats gave up 594 yards, 512 through the air, and allowed five touchdowns, continuing the trend of a defense that seems to bend frequently. However, they did show improvement in the second half, holding UNT to just one score in the final quarter and forced two turnovers. Texas State will close its nonconference schedule when it hosts Incarnate Word at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 at UFCU Stadium. The game will be broadcasted on the USA Network.
LIFE & ARTS
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Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Cady Clements | Life & Arts Editor | starlifeandarts@txstate.edu FEATURE
TXST professor amplifies women’s voices at festival
AIDEN FRITSCHE | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Henna Irie, Giulia Millanta and Wendy Colonna perform, Friday, Sept. 18, at Masur Hall in Lockhart, Texas. The Texas Women Songwriters Festival is an annual celebration of women songwriters.
By Cady Clements Life and Arts Editor
LOCKHART, Texas – Guitars, cellos and silky voices filled the streets of Lockhart as musicians from across the country gathered for the second annual Texas Women Songwriters Festival (TWSF). Mandy Rowden, Texas State professor of business in music and founder of TWSF and Girl Guitar, the main sponsor of the festival and an Austin-based school dedicated to teaching other women guitar and songwriting, launched the festival into its second year. The festival fostered a community of women songwriters from across the country who aim to uplift each other. Official festival signs lined the streets outside venues Sept. 18-20, spanning from the historic Dr. Eugene Clark Library to The Blue Pearl. Isabel Suarez, Central Texas singer-songwriter, participated in a song swap with Macy Dot, a Texas-born singer-songwriter who now lives in Nashville, and Carol Anne Bosco, a cellist and singer-songwriter based in Austin and Washington, D.C., at The Blue Pearl. Suarez said performing alongside other talented women, each playing one of her own songs and choosing the next original song based on the vibe of the person next to her, was an uplifting and empowering experience. “Even now, doing this for about three or four years, still a lot of times I am the only female, or the only young female, and it gets a little crazy,” Suarez said. “But, to be part of a lineup that highlights all of us women, and oh my goodness, we met so many
FROM FRONT POETRY “I hope that I can inspire the students to continue writing, to find both joy and purpose [in] their poetry, and recognize that we all need poetry, especially right now,” Limón said. The Library of Congress appointed Limón as the 24th Poet Laureate, the highest honorary position in the U.S. that creates projects to spread awareness for poetry, in 2022, and reappointed her for a historic two-year second term in 2023. She was the first Latina to hold the position as well as one of eight women appointed to the
RAE KNIGHT | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Distinguished Professor of Poetry Ada Limón reads her poem titled “The Contract Says: We’d Like the Conversation to be Bilingual,” Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Wittliff Collections in Alkek Library.
friends, and we’re all in one place and we all kind of share the same experience.” Rowden, Texas State alumna, said her master’s thesis examined how women have been represented throughout history, particularly in the music industry. Her experiences in the industry inspired her to create projects that document women’s music history, including Girl Guitar and the festival’s oralhistory initiative. “I very much want to see more Texas women songwriters in academic writing, but we’re also collecting oral histories throughout the festival,” Rowden said. “We have an on-staff festival historian, and we just started a nonprofit, or I should back up and say we just started the paperwork to start a nonprofit for the Texas Women Songwriters Association, which will collect and archive all the histories, oral and otherwise.” The festival featured artists at different stages of their careers, from Texas music veteran and keynote speaker Tish Hinojosa to emerging singersongwriters such as Dot and Suarez. Rowden sought to bring together women from across the country who began their careers in Texas while making the event as accessible as possible. For the first time, TWSF partnered with the ALS Association to spotlight and accommodate many women singer-songwriters. The festival scheduled a joint performance featuring Barbara Bergin, who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), playing guitar while Rowden sang. “We’re doing a special set sponsored by the ALS Association featuring [Bergin’s] music, which is going to be really beautiful and impactful,” Rowden said. “As always, the music is about more than just
distinguished role. James Wurtz, English department chair, said the distinguished professor role is different than a typical faculty role. “That role [distinguished professor], it’s not a regular teaching faculty position,” Wurtz said. “Instead, the distinguished professor position is for people who have sort of attained the highest level in their professions … They sort of lend their star power to the program.” According to her website, Limón is the author of seven books of poetry, and her work has been a finalist for the Griffin Prize, PEN/Jean Stein Book Award, National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Kingsley Tufts Award and was the winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, all distinguished achievements in poetry. Limón’s signature project as Poet Laureate, titled You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World/ Poetry in Parks, called for deepening one’s connection to nature through poetry. “I realized I just wanted to be of service in any way I could, and I started thinking about what was important to me, what would feel really honest in my own work, and I knew it had to be about the environment,” Limón said, answering an audience question. “And so that’s when we started partnering with the national parks, and we put together a partnership where I put together legacy poems ... and put them in national parks on picnic tables ... and the poems match the landscape around them. Limón’s work has also extended beyond Earth. While serving as Poet Laureate, NASA commissioned her
the song itself; it’s about the people behind it and their stories, and this is a really powerful one.” The festival also provided American Sign Language interpreters for its headliners for the first time and sought Spanish-language songwriters to reach audiences across languages. “Lockhart, where the festival happens, ... I believe it’s 53% Mexican-American. So, it seems just bananas to me that we would stick with just English language artists,” Rowden said. In addition to featuring women songwriters, the festival brought in vendors and sponsors that shared its mission. Jeska Forsyth, Central Texas musician and founder of Harmony Sisters, performed at the inaugural festival. She returned this year as a vendor, operating a booth for Harmony Sisters and displaying her collection of handmade art. Forsyth said she created Harmony Sisters as a grassroots community supporting women throughout the music industry, including songwriters, producers and musicians’ wives. “I don’t agree with lifting some women up and not others. I also don’t agree with lifting the same women up all the time, because usually the people that are getting lifted have already been lifted, and there is a lot of lifting to do,” Forsyth said. Rowden said the creative community that emerges when women work together is central to the festival’s purpose. “I can vouch for my years of work with women and music, having owned a women’s guitar school called Girl Guitar for the last 20 years. I can vouch that there is something really magical and really powerful that happens when a bunch of women get together to do something creative.” Rowden said
AIDEN FRITSCHE | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Distinguished Professor of Poetry Ada Limón meets TXST President Kelly Damphousse, Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Wittliff Collections in Alkek Library. Limón was 24th U.S. Poet Laureate.
to write an original poem, which was engraved in her own handwriting on the vault plate of NASA’s Europa Clipper, a spacecraft sent to Jupiter’s moon: Europa. “It’s never something I dreamed of,” Limón said. “But I think it’s a really beautiful idea that there are words that are very human, written in my own handwriting and [inscribed] on the vault plate on the side of the [spacecraft].” The public reading was the first event in the College of Fine Arts’ new Front Porch series. The series is intended to give the greater San Marcos community a chance to see what the college has to offer. Jason Mellard, Front Porch series
committee member and Director of the Center for Texas Music History, said this was an excellent first event of the series. “I think that at this moment, right now, people, they need to recognize how much we need poetry as a form of creativity, and choice of words, and expressiveness,” Mellard said. “… It seems like there are so many forces trying to put us in these little boxes that are only vocational training and everything else and here we have someone who’s opening up these doors.”
SNAPS
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Aiden Fritsche | Multimedia Editor | starmultimedia@txstate.edu
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
AIDEN FRITSCHE | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Texas State fans cheer on Texas State football, Saturday, Sept. 19 at UFCU Stadium. Texas State scored seven touchdowns in there first win of the year agaisnt UNT.
Bassist Callen O’ Brien and Drummer Jack Maitra performs with alternative pop singersongwriter Mehro, Thursday, Sept. 17, at Evans Auditorium. O’Brien travels with Mehro as his bass player.
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Artist Garrett T. Capps performs an original song, Sep. 19 during L fest at Tantra. Capps was the second to perform during L Fest.
Alternative pop singersongwriter Mehro performs at his concert at Thursday, Sept. 17 at Evans Auditorium. Mehro is known for his indie rock music.
SANTIAGO RIVERO | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER
Texas State Cheer runs out pregame, Saturday, Sept. 9, at UFCU Stadium. The Bobcats beat the North Texas Mean Green 49-35.
AIDEN FRITSCHE | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
RAE KNIGHT | ASSISTANT LIFE AND ARTS EDITOR
Texas State freshman running back Davian Jackson (6) scores a touchdown, Saturday, Sept. 19, at UFCU Stadium. Jackson scored four touchdowns against UNT.
AYDEN OREDSON | SPORTS EDITOR