October 2

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THURSDAY OCTOBER 2, 2014 VOLUME 104 ISSUE 24

D efending the First Amendment since 1911

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Homecoming Issue UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY

Alumni to be honored at annual gala By Carlie Porterfield SENIOR NEWS REPORTER The homecoming football game is a popular tradition for students, but university alumni are taking advantage of the weekend’s festivities as well. The Distinguished Alumni Awards Gala will be held on Friday, Oct. 3, said Kim Gannon, director of Alumni Relations. The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes Texas State graduates who have not only achieved prominence in their profession but have made a significant impact in their communities through service, Gannon said. “For us, it’s the highest honor that’s bestowed by the Alumni Association and the university, so it’s a very natural fit (to hold the gala on homecoming weekend),” Gannon said. This year six alumni are being honored, Gannon said. The first honoree is Lyndon B. Johnson, who went on to become president. Others include Ponce “Heloise” Cruse, who writes the popular monthly column “Heloise to the Rescue”; George Strait, who has more number one hits than any other musician in history and actor Powers Boothe, who in 2009 was inducted into the Texas Hall of Fame. “Homecoming is generally a tradition that involves people coming back to a place they once regarded as their home, so for us at the Alumni Association, it’s a natural connection,” Gannon said. “Ideally, it helps everyone feel proud about their affiliation with Texas State.” Alumni Relations is also hosting a tailgate before the homecoming football game. They expect over 1,000 alumni to join in the festivities. Food and drinks will be provided, Gannon said. “Hopefully people will reconnect with former friends or with individuals they haven’t seen in many years,” Gannon said. “It’s really meant to celebrate being on campus and to build some spirit to carry into the stadium for the football game.” The Hispanic Alumni Association will

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Connor Branach, communication studies junior, pulls a string out of his eye Oct. 1 as part of his magic trick for the Homecoming talent show at Evans Auditorium. Branach won first place in the talent show.

HARON SAENZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Homecoming talent show draws student performers By Amanda Ross TRENDS EDITOR

H

ours before the Evans Auditorium doors even opened, hundreds of students queued up through the Quad and back up the Alkek steps to secure their seat for one of Texas State’s favorite Homecoming traditions: the talent show. Professional comedian Paul Varghese hosted the show,

presented by the Student Association for Campus Activities. Varghese, a Dallas-based comedian who has appeared on Last Comic Standing and on tour with Dave Chappelle, entertained the 500-plus-person crowd with lighthearted stories of his Indian-American upbringing and struggles as a young adult. The show consisted primarily of musical acts, with dance performers, comedians and

even a magician sprinkled in. Kicking off the talent show was Equilibrium, a musical duo who garnered much applause for its stripped-down acoustic performance of Radiohead’s iconic single “Creep.” The pair went on to place first in the musical performance category. Returning to the stage after placing in 2013’s show, dance ensemble Harambee performed a high-energy mash-up of popular throwbacks—including Ci-

ara’s “Like a Boy” and TLC’s “No Scrubs”—to the excitement of the crowd, who clapped and sang along to the music. Celeste Morales, who placed 1st in the Solo Performer category, was another crowd favorite. Morales belted out a soulful version of Bon Iver’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” She prefaced her performance with an inspirational message to the

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UNIVERSITY

Organizations, residence halls prepare for Soap Box Derby By Mariah Simank NEWS REPORTER Bobcat Trail will be transformed into a racetrack on Friday when students compete in the 47th annual Soap Box Derby. 23 teams are currently scheduled to compete in the popular event, said Marcos Guzman, Greek Affairs graduate research assistant. Teams will compete for trophies as well as “Spark Points,” which are awarded by the Student Association for Campus Activities at Homecoming events. The team with the highest point average at the end of the week wins the Spark Award, Guzman said. “Usually, a couple hundred students and staff will come out to watch the event,” Guzman said.

“Last year, at Bobcat Trail, the crowds filled all the space on the sides, and the organizations that (were) participating came out in full force to cheer on their team.” Soap box cars are not equipped with engines, which means only gravity and driving skill will decide who finishes the race first. For Rafael Reza, criminal justice freshman, who is racing for Hornsby Hall, being the team driver creates some anxiety. “It does make me nervous that this will be my first time behind the wheel of a soapbox, but I like taking chances,” Reza said. “I’m sure I will survive.” The soap boxes span a wide range of quality and sophistication, with some teams taking a few days to put theirs together while

others spend weeks coming up with aerodynamic designs. “We started putting the car together a couple weeks in advance and put a lot of time into it in hopes of getting first place,” Reza said. “Our engineer did some research on soapbox cars to try to figure out what the best design was, and he created a durable frame that’s made out of wood, and he also did a really good job designing a braking system and the steering system.” The race is part of Homecoming Week, which is a time for current students and alumni to come together and share stories. “I think it’s a great way to unite the campus all together, especially STAR FILE PHOTO

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UNIVERSITY

Final voting begins for Homecoming court By Karen Munoz NEWS REPORTER Lions may reign supreme in the animal kingdom, but Texas State Bobcats take over during Homecoming season. One of the longest-running annual traditions at the university is the crowning of a king and queen during halftime at the Homecoming game. Homecoming court consists of a king and queen and both a female and male Gaillardian. Thirty royal hopefuls campaign weeks ahead of voting, and then at the Homecoming talent show, six

finalists are announced: three potential kings and three potential queens. To be part of Homecoming court, a student needs to prepare ahead of time to make the final cut. Zac Kruger and Breanna Burton, reigning Homecoming king and queen, have a few ideas about what it takes to hold the position. Breanna Burton, who was nominated last year by Ritmo Latino Dance Company, said a Homecoming queen should be an all-around Bobcat. “I expect them to be very proud to be a Bobcat,” Burton said. “It’s very important that

they have lots of school spirit.” A potential queen should be involved in multiple aspects of campus life whether it be through a fraternity, sorority, extracurricular activities or honors groups, she said. “Academics should also be of high importance to (candidates),” Burton said. Overall, the royal couple should represent the university well, she said. Kruger said a king should be a “voice for people that don’t normally get represented.” “Competitions like this are seen as popularity contests,” Kruger said. “A king needs to

understand that and attempt to diversify that.” Being involved on campus, knowledgeable about the university and likeable are important traits for one trying to achieve royal status. A king should be willing to “help his subjects,” whether it be with homework or something bigger, Kruger said. Texas State is a diverse campus, and Kruger thinks the king should represent that in some way. “Homecoming king should represent Texas State as a whole,” Kruger said. “We’re not all 21-year-old six-foot

white males.” All of the marketing and campaigning is done by the individual candidates, said Nikki Gilmer, who works with SACA. “To be Homecoming king or queen, you get nominated by an organization, and the rest is up to you,” Gilmer said. Nominees do everything from sending out Facebook invites, to tweeting their pleas, to posting flyers around campus in hopes of winning. The final royal court will be crowned during halftime at the Homecoming game Saturday.


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