3-10-2026 by The University Star

PAGE 6

ALERRT

shooting on West Sixth Street in Austin, which resulted in the deaths of three victims and the shooting suspect.

Trigger warning: this article contains mentions of gun violence

Texas State, the San Marcos Police Department and the Hays County Sheriff’s Office. According to James Keith, director of external relations for ALERRT, the center is now a world-renowned leader in active attack response training. TUESDAY

A Texas State training facility is credited as playing a key role in the police response to the March 1 mass

Austin Police Department (APD) Chief Lisa Davis credited the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center in saving lives during and after the shooting.

“In Texas, we are fortunate to

have the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training — that is the ALERRT Center through Texas State,” Davis said during a March 2 press conference. “There is no doubt that the training and coordinated response with EMS saved lives on this night.”

The ALERRT Center was created in 2002 as a partnership between

‘Cats claw their way to victory against ranked Texas A&M

By Ayden Oredson Assistant Sports Editor

After a month of action, the Texas State Bobcats (15-8) started March with their second win over a top 25 opponent in a close 3-1 victory against the then-No.15 Texas A&M Aggies (17-8) on Friday, March 6 at Bobcat Softball Stadium

Texas State hosted the San Marcos Showdown this past mid-week from March 4-6, featuring St. Francis, Tarleton State and Texas A&M.

After splitting the first two games of the Showdown on Wednesday and Thursday, with a 7-0 no-hitter from senior pitcher Emma Strood against the Red Flash and a late 6-5 loss to the Texans respectfully, the Bobcats entered Friday with a doubleheader against the Texans and a marquee evening matchup against the Aggies.

The Bobcats started the day with a strong comeuppance against Tarleton State, as an eight-run scoring sixth inning allowed them to give the Texans

a taste of their own medicine. Not long after, they would later take the field to take on the contending Aggies.

“We talked about [it] before this game, but if anything’s gonna happen, they have to believe it’s gonna happen,” Texas State head coach Ricci Woodard said. “I had a whole team in that dugout that believed we could win [the A&M] game.”

Prior to Friday’s matchup, Texas A&M won the last three games against Texas State, all in College Station, most recently a 9-1 run-rule victory in February 2025. The last time Texas State defeated the Aggies was at home in 2024.

Strood, who came off a one inning performance against the Texans the night before, started in the circle for the Bobcats against junior Sidne Peters, who previously pitched a one hit complete game against St. Mary’s on Feb. 28.

Professor claims free speech rights violated over sign removal

By Ryan Claycamp News Editor

A physics professor and speech advocacy group are alleging Texas State is violating freedom of speech after making the professor remove a sign from his office door.

Assistant Professor of Instruction of Physics Saeed Moshfegh claimed he was threatened with disciplinary action after hanging a sign on his door declaring his office as a “safe space for immigrants,” and a second sign declaring it a “safe space for immigrant students.” The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) sent a letter to Texas State University condemning the incident, but received no response.

According to the letter, Moshfegh did not receive written reprimand because “an unknown individual” removed the second sign from his door.

By Ryan Claycamp and Arabella DiChristina News Editor & Assistant News Editor

The March 3, 2026, Hays County Primary Election saw

the 2024 primaries, according to Hays County Elections data. The election also saw more Democratic ballots cast than

Republicans for the first time since the 2020 presidential election. Assistant Professor of Communication Studies Wallace Golding said increased turnout was motivated by several factors, such as mid-decade redistricting, displeasure with national politics and the ability of certain campaigns to motivate voters.

“It’s clear from polling data that many people are unhappy with the current state of national affairs. Democratic enthusiasm in particular can probably be understood as a

reaction to unpopular federal policies, especially around issues like the economy, trade, and immigration,” Golding wrote in an email to The Star.

Golding wrote that turnout in the May 26 runoffs is likely to drop, but he couldn’t predict if November turnout would be higher than normal.

“I’d argue it has a lot to do with what the national political environment looks like in a few months’ time,” Golding wrote. “If it cools off, I would

“One day my department chair knocked on my door and said ‘you can’t have this sign on your door,’” Moshfegh said. “He said ‘oh because it is against the law.’”

According to Zach Green, director of faculty legal defense at FIRE, Moshfegh was accused of violating Senate Bill 4, a 2017 Texas law. SB 4 prohibits local governments and government organizations from establishing any sanctuary policies for immigrants.

By Ryan Claycamp and Arabella DiChristina News Editor & Assistant News Editor

Texas State junior pitcher Madison Azua (22) celebrates after the final strikeout of the game, Friday, March 6, 2026, at Bobcat Softball Stadium. The Bobcats won 3-1 against #15 Texas A&M.

GRACE DARCY | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

RHIAN DAVIS | MANAGING EDITOR

Logistics Technician Clayton Williams counts training ammunition for shipments at the Texas State ALERRT Center, Monday, March 9, 2026 in San Marcos. About 40 nationwide training shipments are made every day.

March 10, 2026

Funding cuts may impact disaster assistance

By Peyton Till News Contributor

Due to ongoing budget cuts and a worsening drought, Hays County is facing an increase risk of wildfires.

The Hays County Office of Emergency Management (HOEM), and Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) faces budget cuts impacting their ability to tend to disaster relief, mitigation and recovery within the county.

Total federal funds for TDEM have decreased by 15%, or nearly $300 million, from the fiscal year 2024 to 2026, according to the State of Texas’ Biennium for 2026.

“You kind of get used to adjusting the cuts, you adjust your programs and you figure it out,” Helen Lowman, political science professor and former director of the Individual and Community Preparedness Division at The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said.

The fiscal year 2026 budget for the city of San Marcos showed the Office of Emergency Management has faced a nearly $70,000 decrease, down 15.64% at $371,735 in 2026 from $409,665 in 2024.

HOEM coordinates with FEMA by creating Hazard Mitigation Plans, which are required to be eligible for grant funds through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance Programs (HMA).

“The drought is largely the effect of a natural process that has been amplified by temperature and global warming,” Hagelman, environmental studies and ecology professor, said. “It’s not that we’re not prepared, it’s that the nature event is changing on us in ways that aren’t always clear.”

Gov. Greg Abbott declared a renewal of a state of disaster on Feb. 16 due to the extreme drought and increased risk of wildfires across Texas.

Texas is currently at a Wildfire Preparedness Level 3 of 5, meaning that, “wildfire activity is impacting several regions of the state as the result of drought, dry vegetation or frequent fire weather events,” according to Texas A&M Forest Service.

FEMA, which helps state and local governments cover disaster response and recovery cost through the program, had its budget cut by $646 million for the fiscal year 2026.

not be surprised to see momentum fade, but it could also get more intense. November is a long way off, and a lot can change in that time.”

Included in the increased turnout were more than 400,000 voters across Texas who had never voted in a Democratic Primary, according to the New York Times. Golding said he was encouraged by the number of first-time voters casting ballots in the primary, but wasn’t sure it was part of a new trend.

“I’m hesitant to say it represents any changing tides, but it’s still good to see. Again, I think this is mostly a result of the way people understood the stakes of this primary cycle,” Golding wrote. “It shows that campaigns are still an important art in our politics and that people can be motivated by the right person saying the right thing at the right time.”

Chris Miller, a theater performance and production junior, said being a younger voter gives him hope to make a bigger change within the government.

“I feel like everybody should be doing their due diligence to vote for things, not just because they have a party that they affiliate with, but because they want to see change made in the country,” Miller said. “I don’t want to be supporting people that are going to say one thing and then

Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487

History:

The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday of the spring and fall and once a month in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 3,300. Printing is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.

The White House 2026 Discretionary Budget stated the purpose of the cuts was to “end activities such as webinars promoting the distribution of disaster aid based on ‘intersectional factors’ like sexual orientation and prioritizing ‘investment in diversity and inclusion efforts ... and multicultural training’” over disaster prevention and response”

“The process of cutting back on federal agencies and starving state agencies, that are requesting additional funding that would normally flow to them easily … there’s no way it’s going to make things better,” Hagelman said.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees FEMA, implemented a policy requiring her personal sign-off on every DHS contract, grant or disaster award over $100,000 including FEMA public assistance and hazard mitigation grants according to CNN.

“Anytime you have budget cuts it’s always going to affect you,” Mike Jones, director of Hays County Emergency Services, said. “It’s a community, that’s how you have to approach emergency management.

Community comes together, you pull yourself up by your bootstraps, and get the job done.”

The government has faced an ongoing partial shutdown since Feb. 14, as the U.S. Senate has not yet passed a vote to approve DHS funding due to the ongoing controversy regarding the tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

FEMA will not be affected by the ongoing partial government shutdown should a natural disaster occur that needs federal assistance, as they are considered an essential service, Lowman said.

“Disaster assistance has always had a political angle to it,” Hagelman said. “We’re going to have more disasters every year, we have to assume there’s more coming, and I don’t understand the logic of looking at data that clearly indicates that, and at the same time reducing the capacity of the shared risk experience of the federal government’s role. By doing that you undermine the system at all scales.”

Hays County is under an active burn ban as of Jan. 21, prohibiting outdoor burning, including yard waste, debris and bonfires to reduce wildfire risks.

actively do something else or put us all into another war, for most likely oil.”

Miller said with the higher voter turnout, he wants to see a shift politically across the country and would like to see a bipartisan government again.

“I think right now, especially, it feels important because in the past, candidates were pretty cordial with one another, and now we’re at a stage where there’s this whole idea that

Editorial Staff

Editor-in-Chief: Blake Leschber stareditor@txstate.edu

Managing Editor: Rhian Davis starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu

News Editor: Ryan Claycamp starnews@txstate.edu

Life & Arts Editor: Carlene Ottah starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

Opinions Editor: Andrew Bencivengo staropinion@txstate.edu

Design Editor: Carson Rodgers stardesign@txstate.edu

FROM FRONT POLICE

Assistant Professor of Instruction of Physics Saeed Moshfegh originally hung this sign given to him by Texas State YDSA on his office door in September 2025. After being told to remove it, he replaced it with a second sign that was removed by “an unknown individual.”

of the university such as forcing him to remove his sign, could indicate to immigrant and international students that Texas State is not safe for them.

“The university doesn’t say openly that this is not the safe space, but when they try to punish faculty that are trying to support the immigrant students and saying that my office is safe space for you ... ” Moshfegh said. “The immigrant students are feeling afraid. There is fear among them.”

After the second sign was removed from his door, Moshfegh did not ask for any way he could rephrase the sign to be within university policy. He said he felt seeking prior approval for speech is unnecessary and dangerous.

“I don’t think that the university has to have the right to tell ... what you can say and what you cannot say,”

“We’re also focused on training integrated response, so having police, fire [and] EMS all work together in unison, under one command whenever these sort of incidents happen,” Keith said. “We saw in Austin, that’s exactly what their first responders did, their police, fire, EMS, they operated under one unified command, and they were able to essentially stop this gunman in a really quick amount of time, and then they switched into the protocols that we support and promote, stop the killing, stop the dying and assist the wounded.”

According to Keith, ALERRT training has also contributed to more frequent police provision of emergency aid to victims. APD provided emergency aid to victims before EMS arrived on the scene.

“That’s something that now we are pushing in all of our training is don’t wait for EMS to come in to provide that medical support,” Keith said. “The actions taken by an officer once that threat is eliminated can really help save lives. It could be something as simple as putting on a tourniquet or, in some cases, transporting that injured person in their patrol car to a hospital.”

The ALERRT Center provides a variety of training types. Keith said APD Department completed several different courses through ALERRT.

“We work hand in hand with all of those agencies in Austin. In fact, we have a very good relationship with them,” Keith said. “When this incident

unfolded, and social media was flooded with videos from the incident, we were seeing firsthand those officers and those firefighters and EMS folks implementing ALERRT practices.”

Makenna Simon, finance freshman, said she was near the Rooftop Aquarium on 6th Street on March 1, shortly after the shootings occurred.

Simon said she arrived at 6th around 2 a.m. and noticed a flood of cop cars and heavily-armed officers running down the street.

“We were just so oblivious to the whole thing, and it’s just kind of scary because we weren’t even that far away,” Simon said. “If we had decided to start our night over there instead of where we had started off, we could be [in] a different situation right now.”

Simon said that at one point, cops were pushing through the crowd to reach the crime scene.

“We had walked down to [Indeed Tower], and we saw a security guard,” Simon said. “We were just casually walking out, so we asked him, ‘Hey, do you know what happened? Is everything all right?’ And he just looks at us dead in the eye [and] tells us there was a mass shooting and we kind of all just froze.”

Simon said it’s a hard decision to not go back out at night with your friends, but it’s “taking that chance that [a shooting] might not happen the next time.”

We think the university is misinterpreting state law to punish a professor

for political speech.”

Zach

Green,

director of faculty legal defense at FIRE

Moshfegh said.

The first sign Moshfegh posted on his door was given to him by the Texas State Young Democratic Socialists of

America (YDSA). According to Livy Rocha, reproductive chair for YDSA, Moshfegh is not the only professor who has received pushback for posting one of their signs.

“A lot of professors, especially newer ones, are like, ‘Hey, I agree with you guys, but I don’t want to risk anything on my end and on the administration end.’ Which is saddening, because you have the support, but they can’t do anything about it, especially since provost has such influence,” Rocha said.

Unlike Moshfegh, Rocha said YDSA has tried to talk to the Provost about ways they can change the wording or design of the signs, but have not received any responses.

“We have been thinking about getting a meeting with Provost, but, I mean, that’s really difficult to do, even difficult to even just email them,” Rocha said. “I don’t know where we’re gonna go forward with this.”

YDSA is currently working to gather signatures from students with the goal of making Texas State a sanctuary campus.

Moshfegh and Green claimed to have received no response to FIRE’s letter to Texas State President Kelly Damphousse. The university declined to comment about the incident with Moshfegh, saying it’s against policy to comment on personnel decisions.

Scan the QR code to read FIRE’s letter to Texas State President Kelly Damphousse.

Logistics Technician Kade Marbach unloads boxes of training rifles at the Texas State ALERRT Center, Monday, March 9, 2026 in San Marcos. The training rifles are used for active shooter demos.

RHIAN DAVIS | MANAGING EDITOR

March 10, 2026

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.

Commuter hubs could benefit TXST

By Maryam Ali Opinion Columnist

For many Texas State students, the day does not begin when they arrive on campus. Instead, it begins with a long drive, searching for parking and planning how to spend hours between classes without the option of going home. Despite how common commuting is, few spaces on campus are designed for commuter students.

Texas State emphasizes involvement as a central part of the college experience. However, daily constraints faced by commuter students are often overlooked. Creating dedicated commuter spaces would help make engagement and daily campus life more accessible for the large portion of students who travel to campus.

The university’s own definition of commuter includes students who travel from home and students who have moved to the area but live in non-university housing. According to Texas State enrollment data, more than 40,000 students were enrolled in fall 2025, but only about 22% lived in college-owned, operated or affiliated housing. While not all remaining students are traditional commuters, many live off campus and travel each day.

First-year students, with some exceptions, are required to live on campus, a policy intended to help freshmen build community early in their college experience. This

requirement reflects an understanding that proximity matters when it comes to engagement. However, many students switch to commuting after their first year due to limited housing on-campus. For students living off campus and not at home, Texas State estimates food and housing costs at $13,230 per academic year, over $1,000 higher than the national average. This adds increased strain.

Some universities, like A&M San Antonio and NYU, have already responded to the needs of commuter students by creating dedicated commuter hubs. These spaces are designed for students who spend long stretches of time on campus without the option to go back to a dorm or nearby apartment. A typical commuter hub includes lockers, charging stations, comfortable seating, kitchenettes and study areas where

students can store their belongings and work between classes.

Spaces like these recognize that commuter students experience campus differently. Having a place designed for commuters makes it easier for students to stay on campus between classes, meet others with similar schedules and remain connected to campus life.

Because most students are nearby and out of classes, campus events are often scheduled in the evening, which can be challenging for commuter students. For commuters, attending those same events can mean an additional late-night drive home or getting through heavy traffic after already spending the day on campus.

Michael Edick, history and education junior, said he wishes people who live on campus understood the time constraints that commuters face.

“Commuter students may not always be available for a lot of activities on campus,” Edick said, “I have to give myself enough time to commute, park and get a spot on the shuttles.”

Missing evening events is a challenge for commuter students. Spending long days on campus without a place designed for them to gather can make staying connected even harder. When students do not have a place where they naturally meet, it becomes harder to build relationships and feel part of the broader campus community.

Commuter spaces make it easier to meet other students with similar schedules and routines. In this way, a commuter hub can serve as a bridge between the academic and social parts of campus life.

Commuter students are already a major part of the Texas State community, but campus design has not fully caught up with that reality. Texas State already recognizes the importance of student connection through its first-year housing requirement, expanding that same thinking to commuter students could be a natural next step.

If involvement and connection are key parts of the Texas State experience, then designing campus spaces that reflect how students move through their day is a practical place to start.

-Maryam Ali is a computer science junior

Texas State’s perception shapes its future

By Andrew Bencivengo Opinion Editor

Perception can be a university’s greatest strength or its greatest weakness, and Texas State’s evolving image is shaping the institution’s future.

Texas State has rapidly changed its brand in recent years, attracting talent and promoting growth, but threats to speech on campus risk causing new reputational harm.

Having rebranded many times over its 126-year history, Texas State’s perception and scope has shifted with each name change. At times, this perception has been to its detriment.

When it was named Southwest Texas State (SWT), the university was colloquially known as a “party school,” where many sought an active nightlife rather than rigorous coursework. This led to negative perceptions of not only the university, but the diploma itself.

The party culture was particularly evident with incoming freshmen’s views of the university. In a 2002 questionnaire on Texas State’s website of admitted SWT students, 85% associated the school with “fun” and 78% with “partying.” By contrast, only 4% associated the university with being “selective,” and just 8% viewed

it as “prestigious.” The university itself even leaned into this culture, with the official Texas State webpage about Boko the Bobcat listing one of his majors as “partyology” until recently.

For many students, this culture was part of the appeal, but it also brought reputational harm to students who were looking for a more academically rigorous environment. However, the university sought to increase the value of a Texas State degree by changing its branding.

Boko’s party habits and degree disappeared, instead student involvement became a primary draw for the university. This evolving perception brought a new definition to being a Bobcat, with incoming students focusing more on academics then previous cohorts.

Jasmine Rivera, psychology sophomore, said that while many outside of Texas State still refer to the university as a fun school, she has noticed an increased focus on academics by its students.

“I see a lot of people push for academics,” Rivera said. “People are always just in the library studying.”

This shift in identity is also affecting the faculty at Texas State. The university is attracting faculty for research to strengthen its institutional offerings, alongside its growing master and doctoral programs. Research and growth are becoming key elements of the university, alongside its culture.

This changing perception is not without threats, however, as university

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 letter writer. It is

actions risk compromising the brand Texas State has worked so hard to build. Now, instead of partying impacting university goals, threats to speech risk them.

Free speech has begun to shift at Texas State, with the university falling 36 places since 2024 in the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) College Free Speech Rankings. Threats to speech have become increasingly apparent over the last year. Last semester, a professor was ordered by his department chair to remove a sign indicating that his office was a safe place for immigrants, according to a letter sent to Texas State by FIRE.

not used for any commercial purpose.

Texas State being perceived as an institution that silences speech may cause students to opt for other universities, as academically focused students did in the past when it was known as SWT . In many ways, a university is a brand, and that brand shapes the talent it attracts or discourages. Texas State is evolving away from being simply a destination for party-seeking students, but it must be mindful of the perception it creates when speech is tightened. The perception of the university now ultimately determines its future.

-Andrew Bencivengo is a business management junior

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.

CAROLINE TRANG | STAR ILLUSTRATOR

LAUREN TOURISH | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

Texas State students attend the winter 2025 graduation, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, at Strahan Arena.

LIFE & ARTS 5

Alumna receives national poetry award

By Cady Clements Assistant Life and Arts Editor

Themes of immigration, fragmented memories from trauma and complicated mother-daughter relationships fill the pages of the latest poetry book by Juania Sueños.

Sueños, a creative writing alumna and executive director and founder of the literary nonprofit and publication “Infrarrealista Review,” received the 2026 National Association of Chicana and Chicano Studies (NACCS) Tejas Foco Poetry Award on Feb. 28 for her latest publication “Topography of a Border/Line Bird.” The award recognizes a work of poetry that best represents a significant topic related to the Mexican American, Chicana or Chicano experience in Texas, according to a press release from NACCS.

Literary professionals and enthusiasts filled the Wilhelmina Cullen Auditorium at the University of Houston-Downtown to recognize Sueños for what Sara Ramirez, her mentor, calls “captivating” poetry. Sueños wrote her poetry to convey the culture shock and complex feelings that come with being an immigrant.

“I think [“Topography of a Border/Line Bird” is for] anybody who is an immigrant or not, just anybody who struggles with feeling isolated,” Sueños said. “Feeling just like you have so many emotions and so many thoughts, and you can’t convey them to other people ... so you often feel lonely.”

Sueños originally attended Texas State to work on a fiction novel but found herself writing more poetry than anything after befriending poets. She said poetry allows her to express deeper emotions than any other genre.

“I just felt freer to explore this sense of grief or just generally more intense emotions,” Sueños said. Ramirez, also an assistant professor of English at Texas State, was on Sueños’ thesis committee and later became part of the board for Infrarrealista Review. She wrote in an email to The Star that she believes Sueños is set to do great things because of her commitment to uplifting the voices of herself and others.

“Like all of the Chicana literary greats, [Sueños] is overall committed to the written and felt word through Infrarrealista as well as her personal

FINE ARTS

writing,” Ramirez wrote. “Her work is, as this award attests, captivating. She writes from the heart and gives language to inherited, psychic pain.”

Sueños said she felt a sense of disbelief when she found out she would receive the NACCS Tejas Foco award. She finished writing “Topography of a Border/Line Bird” about four years before publishing it, so to her, it was a journey to honor the version of herself that wrote this book. Through the many complex emotions, she felt a sense of pride in being recognized by people from her culture and background for her poetry.

“It just feels incredibly validating to have an institution of people who are from my background praise my book,” Sueños said. “[I] feel really proud and excited and also in disbelief a little bit still.”

Cloud Cardona, a marketing coordinator at Gemini, Inc. and co-founder of Infrarrealista Review, graduated with a master’s in creative writing

just before Sueños. Though they didn’t have much overlap in their classes, they quickly became friends after discovering they shared similar backgrounds.

Cardona was present for the entire writing process. She read many versions of “Topography of a Border/Line Bird” and watched Sueños grow alongside the book. She said she believes what makes Sueños’ work so special is how hybrid it is. Sueños uses various types of writing styles to convey her message, ranging from a structured novel in verse to an unstructured stream of thoughts.

“I think that really speaks to her ethos as a writer,” Cardona said. “The blending, the experimentation, the different forms, the prose, the poetry, just blending all of this and figuring out the best way to say something despite the genre ... That’s what makes that collection really ... unique and special.”

Cardona was an editorial fellow for the Center for the Study of the Southwest, which offers a platform to people studying and publishing about the peoples of the Southwest, during her time at Texas State and loved the work that it did. She and Sueños were inspired by Cardona’s time there to create a version of that work tailored specifically to Texas writers and poets. They named this effort Infrarrealista Review, after the original movement of the same name in Mexico City.

“[The movement was] very social justice oriented, very disruptive,” Cardona said. “We still love that spirit.”

The Infrarrealista Review is Sueños’ way of promoting the people and works that inspire her. Sueños’ next steps involve leaning into more fiction writing and working on her poetry, which seems to be “unavoidable” for her. She also aims to continue highlighting Texan authors with Infrarrealista Review, especially those who don’t have access to master’s programs.

“Our ethos is to highlight other Texan authors, and especially authors that are outside of institutions, that maybe are [just] starting out,” Sueños said.

Scan the QR code to see more about the book.

Alumni perform with Disney on Broadway

By Enrique Lara Life and Arts Contributor

Within the magic of talking furniture and tales of a ferocious beast, three Texas State alumni bring the Disney dream to life on Broadway.

Disney’s “Beauty and The Beast The Musical” tour will run nightly until June 20, 2027, as of March 10. The alumni involved in the production showcase the strength of Texas State’s musical theater program and the drive that sets Bobcats apart.

Cameron Monroe Thomas, who plays Babette, and Carson Palmer, a vocational swing, set off their debut national tour alongside longtime performer Kyra Belle Johnson, who plays Belle. Thomas credits Texas State for being part of the preparation of this new lifestyle.

“It’s a completely different lifestyle than anything else,” Thomas said. “[Texas State] taught me how to be a human first. Even though we’re all here for a job, it makes such a difference to have a kind heart because it makes you enjoyable to work with.”

The actors learned the entire show in three weeks. Thomas said Texas State prepared them to be strong performers and taught them what it means to represent Bobcat pride on a professional level.

“It’s such an energy that Bobcats have, and it’s so evident that we’re kind people that love this art form and will dedicate and put their all into it without forgetting that we’re all human,” Thomas said.

While the alumni were not entirely familiar with one another before, Thomas said they connected after finding out about their similar Texas State backgrounds and made up for the years missed.

“I went to school with [Palmer] three out of my four years [at Texas

State], so when I found out we were both on this job, it was very exciting,” Thomas said. “I had met [Johnson] just once before we started [‘Beauty and The Beast’] because she graduated in 2021, so I never overlapped with her in school. But through rehearsals, we became super close, and now I feel like I’ve known her for so much longer than I have.”

Julio Catano, coordinator of musical theatre dance at Texas State, taught Thomas and Palmer and watched them take the stage for their “Beauty and The Beast” performance on Dec. 19 in Dallas.

“It was really prideful [to see them on stage],” Catano said. “At the end of the day, what we try to get students to have the capability to do is to just execute their job, and to execute that at the Disney production level is to execute at a very high level.”

Catano said he recalled his time working alongside Thomas and Palmer during their time at Texas State. He said he thought it was special when Thomas told him she tried “kicking her leg high enough” just like he taught her. Palmer is one of the first students Catano worked on choreography with when he played Lewis on the show “Pippin” during Texas State’s spring 2023 theater season.

“[Palmer] had such an attention to detail and such great discipline,” Catano said. “One of the most detailed artists I’ve ever worked with. Truly, you could see that when he would run a room.”

Jackson Perrin, voice line coordinator for Texas State’s musical theater program, said the type of students Thomas and Palmer were compared to their current journey. He said Palmer’s curiosity and discipline made him the perfect person to take on such a demanding role as vocational swing.

Perrin and Catano’s experience in musical theater taught them that educating is not just what they teach students but rather what they bring out of them.

“That drive — I personally don’t believe that as an educator, I can give that to someone. I don’t even think it’s my job,” Perrin said. “I think it’s my job to facilitate it, to foster it and to pour into it, but the drive was already there. What [you see on the stage], that’s been [Thomas and Palmer] since the beginning. These are driven humans, and it is inspiring to be around like-minded people.”

While the tour has no clear end date, the Disney magic follows every

audience member who witnesses the actors creating a new generation of dreamers. Perrin said he remains prideful Texas State can provide aspiring actors achievable paths to living their dreams.

“It is one of the most fulfilling parts about being an educator,” Perrin said. “Our students’ successes are not ours, but what it is, it’s so fulfilling to watch with pride and joy, seeing someone scale their vision into fruition. In my eyes, there’s nothing on Earth as beautiful as that — to see someone make their dreams their reality.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF MATTHEW MURPHY

Creative writing alumna and executive director and founder of “Infrarrealista Review” Juania Sueños gives a speech after receiving the 2026 NACCS Tejas Foco Poetry award, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in the Wilhelmina Cullen Auditorium at the University of Houston-Downtown.

CADY CLEMENTS | ASSISTANT LIFE AND ARTS EDITOR

Becoming the Bobcat: What it takes to be Boko

By Julia Chew Sports Reporter

Boko the Bobcat and Texas State athletics go hand in hand. But no one quite knows what being the iconic mascot entails.

Many fans might assume that portraying Boko is easy. Dancing on the sidelines, posing for pictures and hyping up the crowd seems simple. But what fans might not be aware of is the time, money and physical effort the students who don the mask devote to this Texas State icon.

The identity of the students under the mask is strictly confidential. To align with this tradition of anonymity, the students will not be referred to by name. Instead, they will be referred to as Boko A, B, C, D and E.

The students behind the magic all have very different personalities, but as soon as the mask is on, they are Boko. Dubbed “Bokoisms” by the team, the actions they perform must be exaggerated and consistent no matter who is wearing the mask.

“I think one of the hardest parts of joining this team is that you have to understand and learn that you don’t get to be you in suit,” Boko A said. “There are things you can highlight and skills to use that are from yourself. But at the end of the day, the goal is to always be the same person. Be Boko.”

Summer training and early morning practices all help the team get on the same page. From script writing to choreographing to fundraising, the team juggles several responsibilities at once. The commitment even means sacrificing parts of their winter break to prepare for the upcoming spring season.

“A lot of people want to try out, but they’re not aware of the work ethic that you need in order to be a mascot,” Boko E said. “Every football game we

had, we planned props. And we made those props in the same week.”

Being Boko takes a physical toll on these athletes, including intense practices and rehearsals and sometimes, serious injuries during events.

The suit is heavy and hot, especially during early-season football games. On warm Texas days, hydration is crucial, as they are often in the suit for extended periods of time dancing, running and interacting with fans. What looks like a good time from the stands feels like a test of endurance under the mask.

There’s something about putting the head on and you just kind of switch. It goes from nerves to you as a human. And then the second the head goes on, its excitement.”

Boko D.

Emotions also run high in the suit. Nervousness is common when preparing to run out in front of a crowd, but the five say putting the mask on calms the nerves and gets them into the right headspace.

“There’s something about putting the head on and you just kind of switch,” Boko D said. “It goes from nerves to you as a human. And then the second the head goes on, it’s excitement.”

But the long practices, nerves and heavy workload also come with something unexpected: a built-in family.

“We do spend so much time together, see each other more than our own families and own personal life people, that we’ve become like our own family,” Boko C said. “It’s really nice to know that if you’re going through something, you could just call one of the Bokos and they’ll sit there with you until you can feel better about it.”

Despite the challenges they face, these five athletes said the effort is worth it when they see how the crowd reacts to Boko.

“Joy. I want people to feel joy, excitement,” Boko E said. “And I want people to see Boko and think that that’s their best friend.”

Fans often remember specific moments with Boko. Children and adults alike look up to him and get excited to interact with him at events. According to assistant cheer coach Marissa Rodriguez, Boko is the more requested at university events than any other student organization.

While the Aggies threatened in the first two innings of action, pitching and defense prevailed to keep them off the board.

It wasn’t until the top of the third when Texas A&M struck first as senior second basemen Tallen Edwards smacked a leadoff home run into right field to give the Aggies a 1-0 lead.

Texas State pushed for retaliation as Strood kept the Aggies off the basepaths. The Bobcats finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth. After back-to-back singles from seniors Karmyn Bass and Aiyana Coleman, freshman leftfielder Harley Vestal, who transferred from Texas A&M in the offseason, stepped up to the plate.

On a full count, she launched a hit into a gap in centerfield, as sophomore centerfielder Kelsey Mathis tangled with the ball while Bass and Coleman scored with Vestal reaching second on a double, giving the Bobcats a 2-1 advantage.

The next inning, Texas State capitalized on a pitching change and wild pitches. Senior right fielder Keely

Prior to their time as Boko, several of these students said they often felt like outsiders in their community. During their time as the mascot, whether that be multiple years or one semester, they unanimously agree that being Boko has boosted their confidence in and out of the suit.

“I want people to feel like Boko’s their bestie, like [someone] who could be your bridesmaid, [or] your best man, you know. Boko C said.

Texas State mascot Boko at the mens basketball game, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, at Strahan Arena.

Williams drove a narrow single into right to score an insurance run from third base to extend the Bobcat lead to 3-1 at the end of the fifth.

Strood’s day came to an end in the sixth after a five-inning performance allowing just one run on three hits as the Bobcats decided to utilize junior pitcher Madison Azua in an attempt to slam the door shut on one of the best offenses in the country.

While Texas A&M threatened to cut into the lead multiple times in the last two frames, Azua’s pitching and the Texas State defense kept the Aggies at bay, culminating with an emotional strikeout against Edwards that sealed the deal to give the Bobcats a major victory.

“I did not calm myself down,” Azua said. “My teammates helped calm me down and get me in the right headspace, because they know exactly what to say to me.”

Texas State’s month-long homestand will begin to wind down with a 3 p.m. matchup on Wednesday, March 11, against Sam Houston. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.

Texas State mascot Boko flexes during the volleyball game against Arizona State, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats lost in five sets.

AIDEN FRITSCHE | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

FROM FRONT UPSET

Texas State redshirt freshman outfielder Harley Vestal (12) hugs freshman utility Sophie Sandel (5) after the win against #15 Texas A&M, Friday, March 6, 2026, at Bobcat Softball Stadium. The Bobcats won 3-1.

GRACE DARCY | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

LESLIE BELLO | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

LAURA WALKER | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

Sisters, music studies senior Elma Garcia (left) and prebusiness freshman Genesis Garcia (right) congratulate each other after Noche de Mariachi, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Evans Auditorium.

(left)

Texas State senior infielder Aiyana Coleman (17) hugs sophomore catcher Savannah Coleman (6) after hitting a

Softball Stadium.

LAURA WALKER | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER

GRACE DARCY | STAR PHOTOGRAPHER