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Aquabrew in downtown San Marcos March 22.

New gastropub on the square prioritizes local charities By Bailey Buckingham SENIOR NEWS REPORTER @bcbuckingham San Martians can drink beer and eat craft food while supporting local charities this month at Aquabrew, the newly opened gastropub downtown. Aquabrew is hosting events for charities and organizations based in San Marcos and surrounding areas until its grand opening—the date of which is still to be determined.

Owner Carlos Russo said the atmosphere he hopes to instate at Aquabrew inspired him to conduct these charity events. Russo is covering the costs out of pocket so all proceeds can go directly to the charities. “Part of our goal was always to build community,” Russo said. “We wanted to take our organization, as a whole, and make friends in the community, and just let everyone in San Marcos know that we’re here for them.”

School Fuel, HaysCaldwell Women’s Shelter and the San Marcos River Foundation have been featured in the money-raising event. Shelby Hebert, School Fuel volunteer coordinator, said the Aquabrew event was a success, and she is thankful a business would feature local charities to promote awareness. School Fuel packs and provides sack meals for students who may not have food over the weekend. The cost is ap-

proximately $215 per student for the year. “We haven’t heard the final total from Aquabrew,” Hebert said. “But, (with) donations alone we raised $500, and on top of that they are donating all of the profits from the event itself. Yeah, it’s really awesome what they’re doing.” Aquabrew was built from the ground up. It features a restaurant floor and a top deck which will soon include another bar and televisions. The business is in

the past couple of days, and that we would get more murals in the city.” The organization began in the 1980s as the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network, and has since transformed the city. The group not only focuses on beautifying its surroundings, but on community outreach as well. There are several programs that focus on job placement

See MURAL, Page 2

See ALUMNUS, Page 2

the process of building a beer garden behind the building which will have a bar, seating areas and greenery. The long tables in the restaurant were put there with the intent of motivating visitors to sit with strangers and get to know people within the San Marcos community, Russo said. Alex Robertson, floor manager, said Aquabrew is going to stand out in San Marcos because of the over-

See AQUABREW, Page 2

Philadelphia muralist shares talents with San Marcos

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER SAM KING Eric Okdeh, a Philadelphia muralist, talks about the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program Wednesday, March 23 at the Price Center.

The San Marcos Mural Arts Program hosted a presentation March 23 by Philadelphia-based artist Eric Okdeh at the Price Center. Founded by Mayor Pro Tem John Thomaides, the San Marcos Mural Arts Program is in its third year and continues to grow. “We really felt like we were getting the best muralist in

the country,” Thomaides said. “And we feel like that’s been proven since he’s been here.” Thomaides, who is from Philadelphia himself, was inspired by the murals and pitched the idea for a city mural program to San Marcos City Council. “This is part of what we promised when the program was originally proposed,” he said. “That we would learn these types of techniques that Eric has taught us over

By Richard Dray NEWS REPORTER Texas State alumnus Micah Eimerbrink was awarded the Dannon Yogurt and Probiotics Fellowship to support his research, which is focused on studying the body’s gut-brain relationship. Eimerbrink, currently a Texas Christian University graduate student, received the $25,000 fellowship because his research involves a new and emerging field of scientific study. “All of the other applicants had impressive projects as well, but he was the only one that stood out with a very innovative approach to the benefits of probiotics, which is the gut-brain interaction,” said Miguel Freitas, vice president of Health Affairs at the Dannon Company. According to a Dannon news release, the main focus of Eimerbrink’s research involves the idea of a significant relationship between the gut and its influence on environmental perception. Eimerbrink’s research focused on animals, conducting a series of tests which involved giving a group of mice a small shock and recording their reactions. Eimerbrink said these tests were humane, and the shocks given to the mice were only enough to startle them. “We provided a probiotic supplement to a group of animals and then we looked

CITY

By Brigeda Hernandez NEWS REPORTER @brigeda_h

Texas State alumnus breaks ground in new field of scientific study

University alumni share immigration stories

UNIVERSITY

By Lesly De Leon ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Dean of Students Margarita Arellano left Nicaragua in 1978, after a civil war broke out, something she says was traumatic for her, especially after her husband was taken prisoner for several days. She had never considered moving to the U.S., but after her husband was taken, it was clear— they had to move. Arellano moved to Austin and later earned a Ph.D. at the University of Texas. She worked as an administrator at the University of Texas until 2009. After, she moved to Texas State. Arellano spoke at Success Has No Borders, an event hosted by Gloria Velásquez and Alba Melgar, Spanish senior lecturers. Arellano said it was a

OF SAN MARCOS

struggle to get where she is. Progressing in her career as administrator was difficult because she was on her own and had no mentor, but she learned from her struggles. “I learned that having goals is important,” Arellano said. “I learned that you preserve in order to be successful. You also need to have courage to overcome (struggles).” Arellano said success is a 2,000-step process, and failure only occurs when one doesn’t learn from it. As an immigrant, she became a citizen of the world. “Immigrants are the pollen of the world; they pollinize the earth with better things,” Arellano said. Jesus Baeza, a Texas State alumnus, was born in Mexico and came as an undocumented immigrant with his

mother when he was only three months old. Baeza is now a software tester and teaches computer access to people who are blind. Baeza said as a young child, he was placed in special education classes in school because of his blindness until talking with the principal. The principal agreed to place him in regular classes if he could do the work without assistance. In high school, his teachers did not think he would graduate or attend university. The hardest challenge is overcoming when others believe one can’t succeed, Baeza said. Juan Hernandez, Spanish and history senior, was born in Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. at 8-years-old. Hernandez said learning English was difficult because his

school did not offer English Second Language or bilingual classes. Hernandez said in high school he didn’t think he would attend college. His father had been deported, his sister was returning to Mexico and he had to work to help his family. However, a high school teacher encouraged him to apply to a community college and he consequently earned a scholarship to continue his STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER LESLY DE LEON education. When he was accepted as a transfer student Alba Melgar, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Modern Languages, to Texas State, he didn’t poses for a photo March 10. know how he would pay for lalobos, University Police ser- students to be empowered his education when he kept geant. “The overall success is and understand anything in being told he didn’t qualify people come away with a bet- life is possible. for financial aid as an un- ter understanding of opportu“Anyone can achieve their documented immigrant. nity, a better understanding goals and be successful if they of success and some of the “Even if one person took struggles everyday people go just have determination and willingness to work,” Vesomething away from this, through.” Velásquez said she wanted lásquez said. it’s a success,” said Alex Vil-

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2 | Thursday, March 24, 2016

NEWS

The University Star Anna Herod, News Editor @annaleemurphy starnews@txstate.edu

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AQUABREW, all concept and atmosphere they have implemented. The staff wants Aquabrew to be a relaxing, dog-friendly and community-based environment. “Our mission is what we are driven by,” Robertson said. “We want to raise the bar for hospitality, and produce a holistic experience for the customer by utilizing all five of their senses. We see ourselves as stepping up the game here in San Marcos.” Robertson said Aquabrew staff is prioritizing recycling and protecting the environment by creatively avoiding waste. The kitchen walls are made entirely of dry erase board material to avoid having to use excess paper. Aquabrew also uses com-

ALUMNUS,

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postable cups to serve their drinks. “One way we’ll be recycling is by using paper menus,” Robertson said. “And when they get too dirty to use, we will cut them into squares to use as coasters. We’re constantly trying to figure out ways to not be wasteful.” Aquabrew will soon offer homebrewed craft beers and will feature a “made-fromscratch” food menu. Chandler Melia, executive chef, said he is constantly creating menu items and coming up with new ideas that are featured during charity events. “I describe it as modern American food,” Melia said. “We’re a gastropub, so we’re

focusing on craft food all made from scratch. Everything is scratch, except for the ketchup.” Melia said Aquabrew staff plans to make its own ketchup, but he knows everyone wants to have the classic Heinz ketchup bottle on the table. Russo said once the grand opening happens and Aquabrew is in full force, the charity events will not end. “The friends that we are making now are friends for the long term,” Russo said. “These aren’t friends we’re meeting in Paris and will never see again. This is our community, and we want to build long-lasting relationships with everyone in San Marcos.”

at anxiety behaviors and fearrelated behaviors in those animals,” Eimerbrink said. “(We) then found that we were able to reduce baseline expression of anxiety behaviors in the animals that had been treated with probiotics.” Eimerbrink said the research supports the idea probiotic intervention can have a significant impact on the psychological perception of one’s surroundings based on the gut-brain interaction. This field is in its infancy, and while Eimerbrink has mainly focused on animal trials so far, there are also applications for human clinical testing. “Once you find something in an animal model, then you try to find the same thing in a human clinical model,”

from front Freitas said. Freitas said he feels comfortable Eimerbrink is on the right track to applying his findings to humans. “He’s adopting the right approach to his research,” Freitas said. In the future, Eimerbrink said he and his department hope to apply what has been learned in animal trials to humans, expanding knowledge in this new and growing field. “The direction that we are looking to take it in is looking to see how a microbiome intervention can influence an individual’s perception and experience of a stressful circumstance,” said Eimerbrink. The fellowship provided by Dannon will aid Eimerbrink

in expanding knowledge on the subject by funding his study of probiotics and their influence over physiology and psychology. “100 percent of the money is going to fund future research,” said Eimerbrink. Eimerbrink said he may not have ended up in his field of study if he hadn’t attended Texas State. While at Texas State, he gained the passion to pursue higher education beyond a bachelor’s degree and continue on to graduate school. “I absolutely loved Texas State,” Eimerbrink said. “It was really the faculty there that helped foster the kind of ambition I had to pursue graduate school and things like that.”

Former POW spends days serving community question.” Although Dave Rogers respected his father’s reservations about his experience in war, he was still curious. “I once found his leather book back from his POW years,” Dave Rogers said. “It was almost like a diary. He logged many things, including his experience there, and tracked how many Red Cross packages he would receive.” Now, Sterling Rogers is a member of an organization called American Ex-Prisoners of War. It was established April 14, 1942 as a nonprofit service, advocating for former POWs and their families. “We had some bad experiences, and were in danger of dying upon many occasions,” Sterling Rogers said. “If the Red Cross hadn’t fed us, we would have starved to death, basically.” Although the food was not palatable, the captured soldiers sustained themselves by eating corned beef and spam from Red Cross care

By Kelly Dunn NEWS REPORTER @kelldunn101

Sterling Rogers doesn’t like to talk about World War II, his son says. The San Marcos resident and former World War II prisoner of war, is a 92-year-old trooper actively involved in the community and since serving from 1942 to 1973, he has continued to deliver speeches, write novels and support the veteran community. Rogers first enlisted into the army when he was 17, was captured by German Nazis and held in captivity for 389 days at Stalag Luft III, a POW camp. Rogers and 6,667 other American prisoners were robbed of their liberties here. Dave Rogers, the veteran’s 56-year-old son, said the war was not a common topic of conversation with his father. “He would never talk about it to me,” Dave Rogers said. “He never gave a reason—just that he didn’t want to. I didn’t

MURAL,

packages. Sterling Rogers’ loved ones expected him to be a “wounded worrier” upon his return to the states, but he prospered and came home stronger than ever. “My aunt looked me up and down and said, ‘I was so worried about you, and you look just fine!’” he said. Dave Rogers decided not to pursue a career in the military. He often remembers the quote: “I am a soldier, so my son can be a farmer, so his son can be a poet.” Sterling Rogers taught others how to use computers during the war. He remains active as an educator, continuing to speak and encourage students in local schools through his story. “To my utter surprise, they ended up having me talk to every fifth grade class in the school system,” Sterling Rogers said. As a member of Writers’ League of Texas, the San Marcos veteran has written

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for past prisoners and keeping at-risk youth off the street. Okdeh said one of the first projects was a mural in a racially tense neighborhood, and many believed the artwork would be defaced almost immediately. The mural stands untouched to this day. “This was the opportunity to create artwork and see the types of social change that could come about through working with the community, and collaborating with people,” he said. Okdeh gave a workshop in an alleyway next to the Corridor Business Center. He taught participants about his methods, which include painting a mural on small sheets of parachute fabric. This enables the mural to be done in pieces, and allows for more collaboration on projects. “To this day we’re constantly trying to figure out ways to engage the public in creative art in

new and different and exciting ways,” Okdeh said. Thomaides said the main purpose of Okdeh’s visit was to answer questions. The committee had a lot of “how-to” inquiries about getting from point A to point B regarding making a mural. “We believe that art is universal, and that public art should be for everyone,” Thomaides said. “So, that’s what we’re trying to bring to the city of San Marcos.” In the span of his career, Okdeh has worked with prisoners, mental health patients, and the homeless. He has been creating art for 18 years, and some of his murals can be found as far as Spain and Jordan. Austin resident and artist Topher Sipes heard about Okdeh’s visit through an e-mail from the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation. “There are a lot of key

decision makers present at this opportunity and workshop and presentation,” Sipes said. “I think it speaks to the priorities of the city investing in public arts projects, and I think it’s only going to increase from here.” Sipes said in the time he has lived in the area, he has noticed more and more creative ventures happening and being embraced by the city at large. He would like to see artists be able to stay in the area and make a living, instead of having to move to a larger city. Sipes said the information Okdeh delivered will help make the program in San Marcos more successful, and allow the city to facilitate more art for the people. "The impact starts after we leave,” Okdeh said. “When the mural is done, that's just the beginning."

Sands of Life

Students to receive $25 million in Texas grants By Lesly De Leon ASSISTANT NEWS REPORTER Faculty senators learned at a meeting Wednesday afternoon that university officials received $25 million in Texas grants for students who have taken out loans. There is a part of Texas grants

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novels, short stories, poetry and two memoirs. “Writing is my passion,” Sterling Rogers said. “It is what keeps me going.” Sterling Rogers’ novel, Hunkered Down, is about the life of his combat crew in the days they were held captive by the Nazis. He curSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER SOPHIA DE LA ROSA rently leads a group of writers consisting of veterans and Sterling Rogers, World War II veteran and published author. other local residents. “I have been a writer all The poem below is printed on the back of Sterling my life,” Sterling Rogers Rogers’ business card: said. “After I came back to the states in 1945, I started working on a manuscript (Hunkered Down) for thirty years.” Time is short for I am old In No Regrets, his other memoir, Sterling Rogers And there are things I would do wrote that it was almost by Before life’s sands run through the glass accident that he began to And I return to dust. record his story. Things in youth I might have done, “I am a huge fan of my Forgotten now and past, father,” Dave Rogers said. “I have all of his books and For I am old and time and time is short. read everything he’s written, And sand runs swiftly through the glass. except what he’s working on now.” —By Sterling Rogers

that don’t get used, said Michel Conroy, faculty senate chair. University officials applied to receive funds that were not used in the 2015-2016 academic year. “The university will receive $25 million that will replace student loan money,” Conroy said. “If students have loans and were eligible for Texas grants, but

didn’t get the full amount they were eligible for, this money is being distributed now.” The debts of students who have taken out loans will be reduced, said Alexander White, faculty senate vice chair.

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Thursday, March 24, 2016 | 3

LIFESTYLE

Carlie Porterfield, Lifestyle Editor @reporterfield starlifestyle@txstate.edu

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

Q&A with Zane Liston: Fashion Icon By Tiffany Goulart LIFESTYLE REPORTER @tgoulart93

Nowadays, it seems like everyone dresses alike on college campuses. Zane Liston, theater sophomore, however, stands out in a sea of Comfort Colors tees and Nike Frees. His quirky style and charming personality will have you inspired. Tiffany Goulart: How would you describe your style? Zane Liston: I would describe my style as glam rock. I am inspired by John Hughes movies from the ‘80s. Recently, some of my inspirations have included Duckie from Pretty in Pink, and I wear bolo ties a lot. TG: What influences your style? ZL: I am influenced by thrift shop culture and street style. A lot of the clothes I buy are based on what I can afford at the time, and I do not really shop at name-brand stores or look at what other people are wearing. Older people in my life also influence my style a lot. Grandparents can sometimes have the weirdest style.

TG: Where do you usually buy your clothes? ZL: Thrift shops. Austin, especially, has some great ones. Some of my favorites are Room Service, St. Vincent de Paul and Vagabond. TG: Who are your style icons? ZL: My two biggest style icons are David Bowie and Annie Lennox. I am impressed by Annie’s ability to wear menswear and not be questioned on it. TG: What are your favorite clothing brands? ZL: When I was younger and more daring, I loved Betsey Johnson. The crazy dresses and boots were great, and I wore her dresses to every dance. When it comes to highend, I really like Valentino. They have been coming out with more distinct themes with their collections. TG: What is your favorite article of clothing that you wear? ZL: I have one of the exact bolo ties that John Cryer wears in “Pretty in Pink.” It is a gun with a holster that can go in the chain. My mom got it for me for an open

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carry debate. My other favorite staples are red cowboy boots and my green and white striped blazer. Rachel Zoe has said that “style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” What does your style say about who you are? I think my style changes a lot. When I wake up in the morning, I tend to just honor where I am at. What my style says about me is that I’m very chameleon in nature, and I like changing and embracing that. What current trends are your favorites? My favorite current trends right now are bright colored lipstick, face glitter and overalls. I also like the ‘70s vibe that has been coming out in people’s outfits. Urban Outfitters has been having a lot of ‘70s-style clothes in their stores lately. What is your favorite pattern? My favorite pattern has to be either paisley or stripes. How has your style changed since you came to college this year?

Zane Liston, theater sophomore, poses for her portrait March 9 at Bobcat Trail.

ZL: In the last year, I have embraced Texas more than I ever have. I wear cowboy boots, bolo ties and pearl snap shirts way more often than I ever used to.

TG: What made you decide to dye your hair yellow? ZL: When I was little, I had Lichtenstein prints on my walls. The blonde hair in the prints was yellow, so I decided to

dye my hair yellow on a whim right before Christmas break. Keep a look out for Zane’s eccentric style around campus!

Women in politics criticized over appearance By Brandon Gamez LIFESTYLE REPORTER @BrandonGamez

Female politicians are often treated differently by society and in the media. Women in politics, like Hillary Clinton and Wendy Davis, are often criticized over outfits and appearances instead of campaign messages—a condemnation their male counterparts do not face.

"They are judged heavily on their appearance," said Joel Munoz, fashion merchandising sophomore. "This includes clothing, makeup, hair and even age.” Brayln Williams, fashion merchandising junior, said female politicians must have “the whole package” to become successful. "It's like a brand," she said. "It's like society needs sex appeal from them, so that's

what the media focuses on. I feel like when it comes to the women running for office, a lot of voters look for the person that looks good.” Williams feels society and media criticize female politicians differently than males. "Women are expected to be quiet and well-mannered," she said. "They are expected to not be aggressive, but female politicians have to be aggressive to not be overpow-

ered by the men.” Munoz said he admires women in politics who aren’t afraid to play by their own rules. "Hillary Clinton stands out to me because she is known for her power suit,” Munoz said. “It shows she means business, instead of doing what the world would like, which would probably be to see her in a dress every day.” But the politicians them-

selves aren’t the only ones making waves in the fashion world. "Jackie Kennedy and Michelle Obama are two style icons to me,” Williams said. "Their styles coincided with each generation, and they were really the trendsetters during their husbands' terms.” Fashion merchandising sophomore Amanda Smith equates the reasoning for

heavy criticism on female politicians with the history of the treatment of women by society. "For years, men have been perceived as the dominant gender,” she said. "When women have a say in something, society as a whole has the tendency to judge them more.”

Sex, Lies and Chocolate seeks to educate Bobcats about sexuality By Stacee Collins LIFESTYLE REPORTER @stvcee

President Barack Obama has proposed an elimination of funding for abstinence-only sex education included in the 2014 federal budget. This possibility could open doors for evidence-based programs, such as Healthy Cats’ Sex, Lies and Chocolate workshop at Texas State. Healthy Cats, a promotion team within the on-campus Health Center, strives to help Bobcats succeed by providing information about subjects like violence, stress, alcohol and sexuality. Sex, Lies and Chocolate is an introductory sexual health course covering common STIs, birth control options and risks of becoming sexually active. Healthy Cats often presents the program to University Seminar classes and residence halls. Arlene Cornejo, health promotion specialist for Healthy Cats, said Sex, Lies and Chocolate is different from abstinence-only sex educational programs. “We do include talks about condoms and different forms of birth control, including Plan B,” Cornejo said. “There is one part of our presentation where we do talk about using sex toys and mutual masturbation. We definitely are more encompassing than your traditional abstinence-only program.” Cornejo said a more comprehensive sex educa-

tion program is beneficial for college students, and generally very well-received by students. Sex, Lies and Chocolate has been the most-requested program since its inception. According to evaluations done immediately after each presentation, students have been appreciative of the resources the organization provides. “Perhaps they came from a high school with an abstinence-only program,” she said. “Now they’re being taught the different options.” Cornejo said abstinenceonly sex education curriculums are frequently offered by Texas high schools, and most students are uneducated about important aspects of sexuality asa result. “They have a lack of knowledge in certain areas,” Cornejo said. “Research does show that abstinenceonly education is not effective in delaying sexual debut or reducing teen pregnancy.” Cornejo said the pervasiveness of abstinence-only education comes at a price. “Abstinence-only education is very costly. It costs more than comprehensive education,” Cornejo said. “It’s really fortunate that President Obama is proposing to eliminate abstinenceonly funding, so that way we can put more money into programs that are proven to be effective and are evidencebased.” Julie Eckert, Healthy Cats assistant director, said many students who attend

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the Sex, Lies and Chocolate workshop hear a lot of the information for the first time because they weren’t exposed to it during their high school abstinence-only programs. “There’s some data that supports that those programs don’t work,” Eckert said. “Why would there be funding for that if it doesn’t work?” Eckert said offering evidence-based sex education in high schools would be more beneficial. “High schools should offer comprehensive health education and comprehensive sex education,” Eckert said. “Without accurate, unbiased information, they’re not being given medically accurate information that they need to make informed decisions about their health.” David Wiley, health and human performance professor, said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has an online list of evidence-based programs that have been proven to reduce sexual risk-taking among youth. “Part of the problem with abstinence-only programs is they don’t talk about contra-

ception,” Wiley said. “Sevety percent of high school seniors have had sex at least once, so college students come to universities not knowing anything about contraception.” Wiley said educators are raising generation after generation of sexually illiterate adults. “It’s a huge issue because these programs don’t give young people skills and knowledge they need to avoid unplanned pregnancy,” Wiley said. Wiley supports President Obama’s proposed elimination of abstinence-only funding. “These programs are based mostly on ideology and not on science,” Wiley said. “There’s no research that shows that these things work. The government should be all about spending money on evidence-based practices.” Wiley said abstinence-only programs aren’t suitable for high school students. “Abstinence-only programs work well with junior high kids, but it’s inappropriate to use them with high school kids,” Wiley said. Although college students

may have access to comprehensive, evidence-based programs such as Sex, Lies and Chocolate, high school students are being fed false information federally funded by American tax dollars. Jessica Pena, English junior , attended a Sex, Lies and Chocolate workshop and thinks Obama’s proposal to eliminate abstinence-only sex education was a good decision. “Most of the research that’s out there goes to sup-

porting that providing resources and teaching is better than abstinence-only,” Pena said. “It makes sense.” Pena said evidence-based programs are effective and should be taught in high schools. “Abstinence-only is what was taught at my high school, and there was a lot of unplanned pregnancy,” Pena said. “I think it’s better to educate people than to keep them in the dark.”

4 | Thursday, March 24, 2016

The University Star

OPINIONS

Brandon Sams, Opinions Editor @TheBrandonSams staropinion@txstate.edu

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

THE MAIN POINT

From Margin to Center: Why LGBTQIA history should be an integral part of the educational system

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veryone’s existence is a living history. So imagine the horror of ignoring an entire group’s account—it invalidates their existence. Disregarding the impact of the LGBTQIA community in formative academia makes understanding the complete human condition a bleak prospect. History should never be suppressed or constricted due to the subjective values and morals of a select few. Editing history to tell the story of one group betrays the importance of historical analysis, rooting people in time. Uprooting an entire demographic from history can lead to internalized inferiority and potentially reckless behavior. The American school system cannot purport to educate an enlightened society when it cherry-picks which histories to spotlight and which to snub. Having LGBTQIA history as part of primary and secondary educational institutions will be pivotal to alleviating the stresses of coming out to an ignorant society. It will help normalize gender and sexual variance for future generations, leading

to a more tolerable, accepting society. History shapes perceptions. When institutions erase entire groups from history, then they’re erasing the rights to self-realization, self-knowledge and self-love. Such actions lead those groups down a dark and twisted path through the margins of obscurity. When, seemingly, every system has a concerted effort to make one believe that not only is their history unimportant, but wholly nonexistent toward American progress, the effects are punitive. However, proportional representation can be the turning point for someone’s selfesteem. The country should take a page (or a few) from California’s comprehensive book. In 2011, the California legislature approved the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful Education Act. The FAIR Education Act compels California public schools to include the economic, political, cultural and social contributions of LGBTQIA people and movements in the overall educational system—particularly the social studies curricula.

Like with all history, ensuring that whitewashing does not take place with the implementation of LGBTQIA history is imperative. Take for instance Hollywood’s latest historical flop, Stonewall. The movie sought to bring the Stonewall riots, an important part of the LGBTQIA liberation movement, to the mainstream through falsifying history in order to make it more digestible for the general public. According to the movie, the key player of the fight against oppression was some random, fictional gay white man. In actuality, the leaders of the fight that faithful June night were two transwomen of color: Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. What’s more important than simply depicting the history of a marginalized group is making sure that their story is told honestly. Speaking truth to power will forever be the preferred course of action when compared with caricatured misrepresentation. Ironically, the film itself was written and directed by gay men, which is another component to incorporating LGBTQIA history into

STAR ILLUSTRATOR MARIA TAHIR

educational institutions. Discourses on the community are spearheaded and centered on the perspectives, voices and histories of homosexual men. Lesbians are discounted, trans people are ignored and bisexuals are all but erased. When the world of education collectively decides to stumble down the road of progress, focusing on the entirety of the

movement would be just as significant as implementing the historical lesson in the first place. Leverage the power and influence of institutions to progress society forward by telling everyone’s stories, not just the privileged few. Telling LGBTQIA stories does not mean to simply relegate them to collegiate electives, but to include them as part of the core

curriculum—the essentials. Don’t tell kids “it gets better”—make it better. History is inescapable, or at least it should be. Highlighting the struggles of marginalized groups is necessary to guaranteeing a better future. Only then can the contemporary plight of the LGBTQIA community get better.

The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University.

TERRORISM

In the fight against terror, solidarity trumps savagery By Nate Steinle OPINIONS COLUMNIST @NASteinle

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e are engaged in a war of might and ideas between fascist theocracy and secular democracy—two things so opposite, they belong in The Foot Book. Terrorist attacks by religious fundamentalists have the goal of making us so afraid that we are willing to betray our own principles of value. For example, the most recent attack in Brussels left 31 innocent people dead and over 300 injured,. Thus, demagogues of intolerance, like Donald Trump, are actually helping fundamentalists reach their mark by propagating fear and prejudice against Muslims as a whole. Just as it is wrong to kill people over ideas, it is wrong to discriminate against people for their ideas. Rather than letting fear destroy us, we must reject bigotry and stand united with our secular allies in solidarity. It is important to keep in mind that most of the world cherishes secular democracy over theocratic fascism—even most Muslim-majority countries. From India to Japan to France and America, we all have to stand together. Supporting our secular Muslim brothers and sisters is important, especially as we fight our common enemy: those who desire to force their way of life on others through violence. The march in Paris after the atrocious attacks on

the Charlie Hebdo publishing office is one example of grand unification. Nevertheless, we fail at this kind of alliance in most other avenues. In America, the embarrassingly barbaric success of Trump in our presidential race signifies just how much we are shooting ourselves in the foot. His idea of putting up a wall between the United States and Mexico is reminiscent of the Berlin Wall and how well that worked for social cohesion—it didn’t. How a person so contradictory and dully deceptive as Trump can harness so much support makes me question America’s ability to win this war. When Salman Rushdie wrote his novel, The Satanic Verses, there was a violent response from pockets of the Muslim diaspora. Yet, it is truly sad that society condemned him for publishing the book, instead of condemning the violent protestors and thugs that continue

STAR ILLUSTRATOR LOC HUYNH

The University Star Editor-in-Chief...........................................Kelsey Bradshaw, stareditor@txstate.edu Letters................................................................................universitystar@txstate.edu News Editor........................................................Anna Herod, starnews@txstate.edu Sports Editor..............................................Paul Livengood, starsports@txstate.edu Lifestyle Editor......................................Carlie Porterfield, starlifestyle@txstate.edu Opinions Editor..........................................Brandon Sams, staropinion@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor..............................Daryl Ontiveros, starmultimedia@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief.................................Abigail Marshall, starcopychief@txstate.edu

to threaten Rushdie’s life. Rather than standing up for what we believe in, we collectively surrendered the very important liberty of anyone being able to write a novel in the interest of being inoffensive. Complacence with our fellow citizens being bullied by religious and political zealots demonstrates terror is working. The zealots are making us so afraid of retaliation that we will not stand up for the rights of our own people. To continue with such rotten repletion is to embark on a road of self-destruction, because the minority of fundamentalists that constitute a danger to us cannot win without the willful capitulation of our own way of life. Essentially, we cannot fight brown shirts with brown-shirt tactics. But if we do, we forfeit the very principles that make our society as free as it is. Peace be with Brussels.

SOCIAL LIFE

Celebrating introverts in a world of extroversion By Bridgett Reneau OPINIONS COLUMNIST @bridgelynnn

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hen people hear someone described as an introvert, the next few characteristics likely to come to mind are “shy” and “reserved.” The aforementioned attributes are not particularly coveted by anyone, and it is unfortunate the word “introvert” is laced with a connotation of inferiority. The society we live in teaches us to believe that the people who speak the loudest win and the quiet ones lose. Throughout adolescence, the notion that it is advantageous to be excessively communicative is implied on countless occasions. When we finally find ourselves stepping onto a college campus, it becomes increasingly insinuated that students need to boldly proclaim their perception of the world. The eloquence of those bold expressions is practically irrelevant, so long as we are heard. The extroverts deliver their declarations and are rewarded. The introverts may feel as though they ought to have a louder voice in order to contend with everyone around them. To make it very clear: There is nothing wrong with introverts or extroverts. Each group of people is simply inspired by different stimuli. Some people will thrive in more intimate settings, and others will feel content in a crowd. While there should be no hierarchy based on these characteristics, society praises the voices heard the most, regardless of accuracy and sincerity of the message. With this societal mindset, it is only logical for institutions of higher learning to attempt to cultivate extroverted qualities and purposely ignore introverted ones. Certainly, the extroverted attributes that college promotes are good: effective communication, pushing outside comfort

zones, interacting and forming friendships with people from different walks of life. There is much to be celebrated about the extroverted side of the spectrum, but we forget to equally exalt those at the opposite end. We tend to hold the preconceived notion that more introverted people just do not have as much to say, and therefore not as much to offer. But introverts do speak their piece with unmistakable resonance, although their words do not emerge as simple shouts or depthless prattle. We hear their voices if we listen closely in the quiet nooks of life, in the books that are opened in the early morning when the world is still and in easy barefoot conversations as our legs swing lazily on porch swings. But that’s not really “college,” is it? College is drinking too much beer and music loud enough to relegate conversations to nothing more than snippets of barely audible sounds. This atmosphere is fun and has its place, but it is permeated with the unwavering proposition that the only way to be heard is to be blatantly boisterous, and this could not be any more wrong. The loudest voice is not synonymous with the most intelligent, the most creative or the worthiest. In college and in life, learning to tune into the language of introverts is just as important as cultivating the sociable, gregarious characteristics that are associated with extroversion. We could stand to learn quite a bit from real introverted qualities, not misconceptions, but aspects such as thoughtfulness or self-awareness. As we wander through our collegiate years and continue into life’s countless adventures, remember to revere the murmurs as much as you praise the roars.

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The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Monday and Thursday of the spring and fall and every other Wednesday in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 6,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Copyright Thursday, March 24 2016. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor in chief. The first five issues of each edition of the paper are free. Additional copies of the paper can be purchased at 50¢ per copy. Contact The University Star office at (512) 245-3487 to purchase additional copies.

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The University Star

Thursday, March 24, 2016 | 5

SPORTS

Paul Livengood, Sports Editor @IAmLivengood starsports@txstate.edu

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

SOFTBALL

BOBCATS FAIL TO COMPLETE COMEBACK AGAINST CARDINALS By Thomas Mejia SPORTS REPORTER @ThomasMejia79

Coming off a big win against Georgia State on Sunday, Coach Ricci Woodard hoped to see the Bobcats carry the momentum heading into this week’s slate of games. “I was hoping we would make a turning point because some days we play well and other days we just show up,” Woodard said. The Bobcats are now in double digits in the losing column, with a 9-4 loss to Incarnate Word, Texas State now has a 21-10 record. It was a defensive game throughout four full innings as Texas State’s Paige Williams, junior pitcher, and Incarnate Word’s Bridget Stein, junior pitcher, were shutting down both offenses. Through the first four innings, both teams had a combined five hits and three errors. Incarnate Word put the score board to work in the fifth inning. The Cardinals had runners on first and second base with one out as Randi Rupp, sophomore pitcher, came in relief for Williams. Williams would finish the day allowing four hits, two

earned runs and striking out six batters. After a ball got passed to Jaelyn Young, sophomore catcher, Rupp was facing one out with two runners in scoring position. Alex Alonzo, junior first baseman, took advantage of the situation and hit a three-run home run to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead. Quincy Charleston, junior pitcher, would come in relief for Rupp and was able to get Texas State out of the inning. The Bobcats failed to answer back, as they went three up and three down in the bottom of the fifth inning. However, Texas State’s offense came out to put runs on the scoreboard in the sixth inning. Ariel Ortiz, sophomore shortstop, led off the inning with a double bouncing off the wall in center field. Kendall Wiley, senior first baseman, followed Ortiz with a double of her own to score in Ortiz to cut Incarnate Word’s lead to 3-1. The Bobcats were not finished there, as Young kept the inning alive with a RBI single right between the third baseman and shortstop. “(Young) swung the bat better than everybody on the team today,” Wood

said. “There were a few positives, unfortunately just not enough.” Texas State would go on and tie the game up on a fielder’s choice play by Bianca Prado, junior right fielder. As neither teams failed to score in the seventh inning, the game went into extra innings to determine the winner. The Cardinals was able to retake a 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth inning with an RBI single from Christy Trevino, junior infielder. In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Bobcats answered back with an RBI single of their own from Taylor Webb, junior designated player, to tie the game back to 4-4. The game went into another inning of free softball, where Incarnate Word took a demanding lead over Texas State. Alonzo hit her second three-run home run of the game to give the Cardinals a 7-4 lead. Incarnate Word did not stop there, as the team racked up two more runs to ensure their 9-4 victory over Texas State. The Bobcats are now 2-1 in extra-inning games so far in the season.

JUSTIN NEWBY

ANA PEREZ

WOMEN’S TENNIS

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ANTONIO REYES Ana Perez swings her tennis racquet March 22 at Bobcat Tennis Complex. By Kier Rouse SPORTS REPORTER @KierRouse

KIER ROUSE: What came first, the chicken or the egg? ANA PEREZ: The egg. KR: What is your favorite movie? AP: The Gift. KR: What chore do you absolutely hate doing and why? AP: I can’t stand doing the dishes. I think it is so boring and tedious. KR: What is the No. 1 mostplayed song on your playlist? AP: “Wake Me Up” by Avicii. KR: What was your favorite food as a kid? AP: McDonald’s. KR: If you could stay a certain age, what age would it be? AP: 25. That way my brain is fully mature but my

KR: AP: KR: AP: KR:

AP: KR:

AP: KR:

AP:

body is still young. I’m not too young and not too old. If you could learn anything what would it be? More physics. If you were invisible for a day, what would you do? Travel for free. If you were in the Witness Protection Program and had to change your name, what would you change it to? Jane Doe. If the world was ending today, what would you do with the time you had left? Play tennis. What are you majoring in and what do you want to do with your degree? I am majoring in business and I want to own my own company one

day. KR: Who is your favorite fictional character? AP: Batman. KR: What would you choose as your ideal last meal? AP: Steak with French fries and rice. KR: What is something you learned this week? AP: This week I have been working on my volley in tennis. KR: What is a movie or book that will make you tear up every time? AP: Rafa: My Story by Rafael Nadal with John Carlin. It is a tennis book. KR: If you could create a new ice cream flavor, what would be in it and what would you call it? AP: Twix and Snickers since I love chocolate. I would call it Twickers ice cream.

MEN’S GOLF

By Matt Perry SPORTS REPORTER @Matt_Sperry17

MATT PERRY: How did you get into golf? JUSTIN NEWBY: I started playing when I was 10 years old. I used to ride around the cart with my Dad. I got into it then. I used to be a soccer player when I was young, and then I kind of switched over to golf when I was 14. MP: What made you choose golf over soccer? JN: I kind of just picked it up really quick, so I was kind of good off the bat. It was something I just enjoyed doing. I had success and I liked that, and I wanted to continue with that. MP: Who is your biggest inspiration? JN: My dad. I look up to him in a lot of things in life—in golf and all the things I do. I ask him for advice and try to follow in his footsteps. MP: Was Texas State your first choice? JN: No. I wanted to go to A&M originally, but I wasn’t quite good enough to get on the team. This is probably the best combination of school and athletics. MP: What’s your favorite part about San Marcos that you’ve experienced? JN: I think the location is really good. Right in between Austin and San Antonio—two good cities with lots of stuff to do. The town is pretty, the campus is pretty, there’s a lot of stuff to do. The people are nice,

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and it’s a good environment to be around. MP: What’s your lowest score that you’ve shot? JN: My lowest round in practice is 64; in tournament it’s 65. MP: Who is your favorite athlete? JN: Tiger Woods. He’s definitely a positive influence and he was exhilarating to watch in his prime. MP: What is your favorite place to travel? JN: I don’t know if I have a favorite place, but I got to travel with the golf team to South Carolina (and) some pretty cool spots on the coast of California. MP: Of any place in the world that you haven’t been to, where would you want to go? JN: I want to go to Europe. I haven’t gotten the chance to go there, and I would really like the chance to go. MP: What are you most looking forward to after you graduate? JN: Well, I’m engaged, so I’m looking forward to getting married a year from this summer in Jamaica. MP: What is your favorite food? JN: Probably in general, I’d say pizza. MP: What is your greatest achievement? JN: Golf-wise, I hold the Texas State record for the lowest tournament total, which was 16 under par, in El Paso last year. Outside of golf, I was able to complete my undergraduate de-

COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS

gree in three years, and I’m going to be able to complete my masters in four years. MP: Do you have any siblings? JN: I have one brother; he’s 26 years old. MP: What’s your favorite TV show? JN: Recently, my teammates and my roommate got me into this show called Suits. It’s really good. MP: Cats or dogs? JN: Dogs, for sure. That’s what I grew up with. Cats are secluded. MP: Would you rather have a dragon or be a dragon, and what would the best perk be? JN: I’d rather be a dragon. I’d be a fire-breathing dragon—that’d be pretty cool. MP: Who’s your favorite superhero? JN: Captain America, because he’s just an allAmerican guy. MP: Who’s going to win the Super Bowl next year? JN: Dallas Cowboys.

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6 | Thursday, March 24, 2016

SPORTS

The University Star Paul Livengood, Sports Editor @IAmLivengood starsports@txstate.edu

UniversityStar.com @universitystar

TRACK & FIELD

SOPHOMORE SPRINTER USES TWIN POWER TO REACH HER FULL POTENTIAL By Lisette Lopez SPORTS REPORTER @lisette_1023 Inspired and determined, this athlete will do what she can to succeed. Sydni Willis, sophomore sprinter and hurdler, believes in treating people the way she wants to be treated. Willis is never disrespectful. Her mother, Kimberly Willis, has always told the Bobcat’s family just that. Sydni Willis has three siblings in total—one being her twin, Symone Willis. The athlete said the two were inseparable growing up. “We really get each other,” the Bobcat said. “We have our moments when we just look at each other and know something is going on, and we just start laughing. We know what each other is thinking and she always knows what I am thinking about nine times out of 10.” When the twins were in the third grade, Symone Willis was sick and needed to go to the hospital for about a month. Their mother had been bitten by a spider and had used a wash cloth to wipe her leg down. Symone Willis used the cloth on her eye, not knowing what it had been used for. Sydni Willis said the next morning her sister’s eye was swollen like a golf ball. “They had to rush her to the hospital, and they took her to a hospital two hours away from where we live,” the athlete said. “She had to be in the hospital for a month or two, and during that time she almost died. I thought to myself, ‘What am I going to do if she’s gone?’” The Bobcat said she did not know how to react in that situation. It was the hardest thing she has ever had to face.

Once the doctors found out that Symone had a twin, they told Sydni sometimes when one twin is sick, the other will start showing symptoms. The doctors also said sometimes when bringing together twins, it will make the ill twin happier. It is some type of miracle. “They brought me in the next day and I stayed with her for a week,” Sydni Willis said. “We were just interacting with each other. It was normal. She started getting better after that, and she made a full recovery. It was the best thing in the world.” The Bobcat said it was hard to deal with, but her sister is better and has not had a scare like that since then. “I thank God for it, because she is alive and well,” Sydni Willis said. The athlete didn’t grow up with material things. She and her siblings had a rough and unforgettable upbringing. She did not grow up in a big house, but rather in an apartment complex in Arlington. Kimberly Willis was working three jobs and did the best she could to take care of her family. Sydni Willis said she didn’t have much of anything, and that’s what made it fun. “You never forget where you came from,” the athlete said. “Those are the times that my siblings and I made it fun for ourselves. We didn’t have much of anything, so we enjoyed being a family. All we had at the end of the day was each other, and that was all that mattered.” The Bobcat said the times she had nothing, it felt like she had everything. It made her appreciate what she had. The athlete is never ashamed of her upbringing, because it is what made her who she is today.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SYDNI WILLIS

Family is everything to Sydni Willis, and being on her own was tough. However, she managed to power through and become someone admirable. Coming to Texas State, she wanted to prove to the coaches they didn’t make a mistake putting her on the roster. She never took a practice for granted, and wanted to lead by example. The Bobcat said she needed to make sure she was not forgotten, and hoped to make a statement to the future freshmen. “I feel like they can reach their full potential no matter what,” Sydni Willis said. “Don’t let it slip through your fingers because there are so many people that wish they can be in your spot, so it is

a blessing to be here. You are here for a reason, Coach picked you for a reason, so why back down?” Sydni Willis never backed down. She started running in the sixth grade, and it inspired her to continue. “I just really like the thrill,” the athlete said. “It can test yourself. It is just you and God. After you give everything up, that’s all that matters. You can just run to the best of your ability, and that is all you can ever ask for.” Track is not a business. She believes it is a sport that brings people together. People from all walks of life can join. It gives her a reason to love the sport so much more. The Bobcat was a hurdler in the USATF National Ju-

CONGRATULATIONS!

nior Olympics before her collegiate career. To reach that point, she had to learn how to run again. The athlete’s summer track coach wanted her to forget everything she had learned and to start fresh. The first time putting the new training to work, the athlete felt she could trust her form a lot more. It was hard to accept the fact she was just as good as the other elite athletes running alongside her. In each round, the Bobcat was getting faster and faster and she couldn’t believe it. “Other schools started calling me and asking for visits,” Sydni Willis said. “There was just something about Texas State. They wanted me when no one else did. I knew who I

was already going for.” The big dream for Sydni Willis is to one day compete in the Olympics. The athlete said there are so many talented people that could make it, but she is going to strive and compete in the Olympics. Sydni Willis’ coaches tell her it could be a reality, so she takes it day by day. “I don’t really know the big things that I want to do with my life yet,” the Bobcat said. “But after going to the Junior Olympics and actually competing, I was thinking that the Olympics could actually be a reality for me. If I could make it this far, why stop now?”

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