Collegian T he Cameron University
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Monday, November 13, 2017
Volume 97 Issue 8
Questions and Answers
Michele Norris What are the two main things you want people to take away from your presentation?
The two things that I would hope people would take away are the value of narrative and understanding each other, but personal narrative. I’ve always known about the importance of personal narrative as a journalist. When you collect stories from people, they set the agenda. It’s not just that you’re knocking on doors because a story has dictated that you need to be there to interview them. They will put stories on the table that are important to them. As a journalist or as a storyteller, that is really valuable because there are perspectives that I would not get to and I would not understand.
For you, which interviews are the toughest?
Social Justice
Michele Norris and civil discourse
The toughest interviews for me are always talking to people after significant loss. That does not get any easier. I still remember, with great specificity, a moment when I was a student journalist and sent out to talk to a family that had lost someone in a plane crash. The work that I do with “The Race Card Project,” it’s difficult also sometimes because it’s race, so some of the stories are filled with pain and anxiety, but the difficulty there is the way I handle that is I realize ‘Okay, as difficult as this is, someone is expressing frustration, and they’re not just all stories of frustration.”
How have you seen civil discourse change in the last year? In general, I think we’re in a moment where discourse is rather coarse. I don’t want to just blame social media for that, but I think it’s contributed to that. A lot of people will just throw things out into their social media stream that are very hot with the idea of “ just saying,” and it’ll be something that is purposely provocative as opposed to trying to actually engage in a conversation where you’re talking at someone as opposed to talking to someone. We see it in news organizations when you do a story, the comment stream, which feels like a reign of fists sometimes. I wonder if the rules around privacy have changed, and I don’t want to sound like someone who’s pining for ‘the good old days,’ but civil discourse requires a certain degree of civility, of understanding that you’re respectful of someone else’s feelings and at the same time understanding that you might not agree with them – that you might actually offend them.
Do you feel the media contributes to a culture of fear and distrust? I think it [fear] probably has been there all along. Because of research, I’ve spent a lot of time looking at newspapers as primary source material and research that I’ve done over time, and it can be used to stoke fear and sometimes that is legitimate because we live in scary times. There have been times in America where propaganda has made its way into the news cycle and sometimes legitimate news cycles, sometimes legitimate news organizations. You have to, in newsrooms, figure out how to resist that and how to make sure that propaganda doesn’t make its way into the news cycle and that you’re not being exploitive or manipulative in trying to explain something that can be, on its face, quite scary.
What’s inside CKI attends Fall Retreat Page 3
Cheyenne Cole
story often that they have not told anyone else. Sometimes that they Managing Editor haven’t even shared with members of @cheyenneccole their family, so I have to honor that Academic Festival X, “American and figure out how to engage them Identities in the 21st Century,” and then share that.” continued on Nov. 9 with author According to Norris, this is and award-winning radio journalist especially important today because Michele Norris. it can start a civil dialogue, whereas Norris visited campus for a people often use social media to student session at 3:30 p.m. in berate others for their opinions. Johnson Auditorium in Ross Hall “Civil discourse requires a certain and a lecture at 7:30 p.m. in the degree of civility,” she said, “of University Theatre. understanding that you’re respectful The first African-American of someone else’s feelings and at the National Public Radio (NPR) same time understanding that you host, Norris hosted the first news might not agree with them – that program on NPR, “All Things you might actually offend them.” Considered,” until 2011. Norris said she believes people Additionally, Norris won an feel comfortable sharing their stories Emmy and a Peabody Award as on theracecardproject.com because an ABC News correspondent for she approached the project with an her coverage of the Sept. 11, 2001 open heart. attacks. “I said ‘I want to capture The National Association America’s conversation around of Black Journalists named her race,’” she said. “I put a basket on Journalist of the Year in 2009. the table, and I asked people to Norris’ presentation focused on share their stories. I’m careful about “Social Justice and the American what I do post. If it is offensive, I Dream,” a discussion consistent with might post it because we’re trying to her background – both personal and capture the conversation on race as career. it’s really happening.” In 2010, she founded “The Race Norris said journalism is under Card Project,” a Peabody Awardattack in the United States right winning campaign that encourages now and that news outlets should people to submit six-word stories admit it when they don’t know the that encapsulate their experiences truth about a story, issue or topic to with or observations about race. earn trust back. Norris said theracecardproject. “Any step you take in that com provides people with a platform direction to earn your viewers’, your to safely tell their story without readers’, your listeners’ trust is really judgement. important in this moment,” she said, “I’ve created,” she said, “through “and you can inoculate yourself in this crazy project, a trusted space, some ways against the charges that and they have entrusted me with this news is fake.”
Junior journalism and media production major AnneMarie Altman said she spoke personally with Norris about navigating journalism in its current state. “It was really interesting to talk to a woman who works in journalism, she said. “I felt that she gave us some really good advice about how to keep our personal lives away from our professional lives to create the idea that news is trustworthy.” In terms of social justice, Norris said the biggest issue America is facing is securing the right to a quality education. “Education is a civic right – is a basic right in America that we have taken for granted,” she said, “and we ought not take for granted. We have so many young people in America who attend schools that are not wellresourced, do not have a tax-base to support them. “They walk into buildings and the minute they walk in the building – the minute they approach that building – everything about the way that building is maintained says ‘You’re not important.’” Academic Festival X’s final guest speaker retired General Jack Keane presents “America’s Place in the World: Power, Diplomacy and Commerce” at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2018 in the University Theatre. Students, faculty, staff and the community can reserve free tickets to the presentation approximately 30 days before the event at cameron. edu/festivalticketrequestform. For more information about Academic Festival X, call the Office of Public Affairs at (580) 581-2211 or email publicaffairs@cameron.edu.
“Education Education is a civic right ... a basic right in America that we have taken for granted.” granted Michele Norris CU Theatre presents ‘November’ Page 5
Volleyball woes continue Page 6
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News
November 13, 2017
www.aggiecentral.com Photo by Stacie Larsen
Future LHS graduates Wolverine class of ‘59 proposes scholarship By Drue Watkins
one-third of the necessary funds and all the contributions to the cause are taxCopy Editor deductible. Representatives of the Lawton High After hosting a meeting, the Class of School Class of 1959 are encouraging their 1959 decided against holding their high former classmates to make a financial school reunion, opting instead to donate contribution to establish an endowed their saved-up money for the scholarship. scholarship through the Cameron While the Class of 1959 has the most University (CU) Foundation. members involved in the process, they are The scholarship is designed to benefit reaching out to other Lawton High alumni future graduates of Lawton High School and to those interested in donating to the as they seek out their college degrees; it cause—the idea is to make the scholarship will be relegated only to incoming CU an active, all-inclusive school-wide event. freshmen. The Director of Development at For the scholarship to become Cameron, Lorie Garrison, is heading the endowed and last in perpetuity, the process through the CU Foundation. minimum required amount of funding She said that getting an endowed needed is $10,000. They currently have $10,000 scholarship is a wonderful plan to Photo by Stacie Larsen
aid students. “The Cameron University Foundation is grateful that members of the Lawton High Class of 1959 are taking steps to establish an endowed scholarship,” she said. “Once fully funded, the endowed scholarship will help future Lawton High School graduates in pursuing a college degree.” In order for Lawton High graduates to acquire the degree in the future, they must apply for it through the General Scholarship Application available online. The criteria for students who wish to receive the scholarship has not been decided and cannot be completed until the scholarship has become endowed; it will be determined by the initial donors that make up the Class of 1959.
Cameron provides wait-listing option By Robert King
The CU Pickaxe Award By Robert King
wanted to give the campus body a chance to nominate A&E Editor staff for any unseen efforts. @wckdrjtk “The Executive Council From Oct. 26 to Nov. 9, recognizes many of our Cameron students, faculty employees who make and staff nominated extraordinary efforts,” Cameron staff members she said. “But we’d like for the annual Cameron to hear from the campus University (CU) Pickaxe population to be able to see Award. some of those things we The CU Pickaxe Award may not notice.” is given once a year to From the nominations recognize two full-time received, Cameron’s administrative or classified Executive Council makes employees who work final selections. The hard to help Cameron Staff Advisory Council’s University. elected officers will make Students are recommendations to the encouraged to nominate a Executive Council. CU staff member who has The 2016 winners are made an impact on them. the Systems Administrator Employees eligible for the in ITS, Ashim Ghimire, award typically work in and a technician in ITS at offices such as Academic CU Duncan, Dee Griggs. Advising, the Registrar The 2017 winners will and Financial Assistance. be announced through The custodians and CU Gmail accounts in groundskeepers are also December. eligible for the award, Student Helpdesk while faculty members are Manager Margot Gregory not. was the first ever recipient Vice President of of the Pickaxe Award Business and Finance after being nominated by Ninette Carter said that an appreciative student. the Executive Council She said the award was
an unexpected honor to receive. “I found that out [who nominated me] much later,” she said. “I didn’t know who nominated me at first. I didn’t even know I was nominated.” Carter said that it has been a pleasure for her to give the Pickaxe Award since she became a Vice President in 2015. “All of the awardees that I’ve encountered in the last couple of years have been thrilled and humbled by the recognition,” she said. The CU Pickaxe Award started in fall 2008. When the recognition first began, it was to be given in both the fall and spring semesters, with a stipend of $500. In fall 2015, the award changed to an annual award with a stipend of $1,000. Recipients of the Pickaxe Award are invited to the Spring Faculty and Staff Retirement and Awards Ceremony to celebrate their achievement.
Garrison said that the possibilities of an endowed scholarship for Cameron are limitless and that the importance of it should not go unappreciated—particularly in attracting students to the university. “It means a lot for this university in more ways than one,” she said. “And it’s a fantastic way to affect students positively. Not only will it help the Lawton High alumni leave behind a legacy, but it will impact our future classes immensely. I’d love to challenge other schools to do the same thing.” For more information about the Lawton High Class of 1959 Endowed Scholarship Fund or to make a donation, contact the Cameron University Office of University Advancement at 580-581-2999.
link and type the course CRN into the add classes worksheet. A&E Editor If the section is full, choose the @wckdrjtk waitlist option from the dropdown menu to be placed onto the Starting this semester, the Office waitlist for the course. If the student of the Registrar introduced a new successfully adds themselves to the feature called “wait-listing” for list, the course will display their enrolling in classes. schedule with a waitlisted status. As students enroll for the spring Only the student at the top of a 2018 semester, wait-listing will waitlist for a course will receive an eliminate the need for students to email notification if an opening in monitor the enrollment schedule of classes to find an opening in a course. the course becomes available. If a seat becomes available, the student at the Instead, if a seat becomes available top of the list will receive an email in a closed course, an email will be sent to a student’s CU Gmail account and a deadline for registering in the course. notifying them that they have 24 If the student does not enroll hours to enroll in the course. they will be removed from the list, Wait-listing is intended to help students enroll in needed classes that and a notification will be emailed to the next student on the waitlist. If a have already been filled. student waitlists for the course again, Registrar Linda Phillips said they will be added to the bottom of that different enrollment features the list. are already available in Ellucian, For students who enroll in the Cameron’s student information Academic Advising Center, a copy of system. the email notification will be sent to “We work with others across campus to include IT, administration, the assigned advisor in the system. Roach said that wait-listing is staff, faculty and advisors for also helpful to students who enroll assistance,” she said. “And so we can receive feedback on the new feature.” through the Academic Advising Center. When a decision is reached to “The advisor gets a copy of the implement a new enrollment feature, staff in the Registrar’s Office take the same email,” she said. “Even though lead on planning and testing the new the student who has waitlisted may not be able to do their own option. enrollment, they can then contact the Assistant Registrar Renee Roach advisor to help change the status from said that wait-listing has already waitlisted to registered, or the advisor proven to be a helpful feature in the can change the status ahead of time enrollment process. since the student already waitlisted a “I also receive copies of email notifications,” she said. “We’ve had at class.” Once a student receives an email least five emails indicating that closed classes have opened up, and students notification, they must log into Aggie are utilizing them. I know that three Access and select the add or drop classes link under the “My Info” students have already enrolled in a tab. For the newly opened course, class that initially was closed, and the student should click in the it was all due to that notification action column and select the “Web process.” Registered” option. For a student to add themselves For more information about waitto the waitlist for a course, they need listing, visit the Registrar’s Office or to log into Aggie Access and go to read about it at http://www.cameron. the “My Info” tab. From there, they should select the add or drop classes edu/registrar.
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Student Life
November 13, 2017
www.aggiecentral.com
Photos by Stacie Larsen
Friendship building: The CKI retreat members participating in games and outdoor activities. Members from the Cameron University Circle K International (CKI) organization joined other CKI chapters at the Texas-Oklahoma CKI Fall Rereat at the Latham Springs Camp and Retreat Center in Aquilla, Texas.
CKI chapter retreat Stacie Larsen
Day said. “It’s strictly about fellowship and having a good Managing Editor time.” @SLarsenWriting Kiwanis member and From Nov. 3-5, members Texas-Oklahoma Circle K from the Cameron chapter International district assistant of the Circle K International administrator Allison Prisco(CKI) organization attended Macias said the retreat is a the Texas-Oklahoma CKI Fall great way for CKI members Retreat at the Latham Springs from different chapters to Camp and retreat Center in connect on a personal level. Aquilla, Texas. A total of 90 “It’s a short time period from 27 colleges attended the that we are together,” Priscoretreat. Macias said, “but [we] do so Cameron senior and Texas- much together that friendships Oklahoma district governor get built—basically overnight. Robbie Day said the Retreat “One of my favorite things was a result of a collaborated is seeing the kids getting effort among CKI districts involved.” and the Texas-Oklahoma Day said the weekend-long Kiwanis Foundation. activities are influenced by the “Everyone is equally Retreat’s theme, Camp Halfimportant at this event,” blood, which is based off the
“Percy Jackson” movie series. The event included fellowship nights that featured the movies “The Lightening Thief ” and “Hercules.” Upon arrival to the Retreat, attendees are placed into groups named after Greek Gods, including Apollo, Hermes, Athena, Poseidon, and Zeus. From there, attendees created name tags while also decorating brown paper bags that included their name, group name and which college they attended. After all the attendees met up, the Retreat officially kicked off with a brief introduction of the planned activities and sleeping arrangements, followed by a series of social icebreakers that
included rock-paper-scissors, centaurs and satyrs, look up and ninja. Day said the reason for the ice breakers was to help facilitate name learning and a sense of comradery among CKI members from different chapters that will hopefully continue throughout their college experiences. “That’s what makes Circle K International unique from other organizations on college campuses,” he said. “… when we come together for events, it’s like having a family reunion.” By the end of the evening, the start of a weekend-long activity called “Warm and Fuzzy’s,” began. Each team displayed their decorated
paper bags on the wall next to their teams’ poster, which remained there until the day of departure. Throughout the weekend, attendees are encouraged by their group leaders to write something positive about another person and then place it in their bag. The following day, attendees came together for various outdoor activities, including a game of capture the flag and a giant swing ride, followed by indoor activities, such as CKI jeopardy and a service discussion forum. The day’s activities ended with a campfire get together featuring divisional chants and s’mores. On the final day, attendees all came together for one more
gathering, which featured the results of the district project fundraiser and allowed attendees the chance to pick up their decorated paper bags. Day said the district project fundraiser, called “Pie in the face,” was to raise money for “The Eliminate Project,” which is to help eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus in third-world Countries. The fundraiser ran from Sept.1Nov.3. “The chapter that raised the most money in their division got to pie a district board member of their choice,” Day said. For more information, visit Circle K International on Facebook at www.facebook. com/cameroncki.
Cameron P.R.I.D.E hosts Q&A panel Madison Lyda Staff Writer
From 5-8 p.m. on Nov. 3rd, Cameron University P.R.I.D.E. hosted an identities panel and Q&A for the public in the MCC Ballroom. The event centers on promoting information and awareness about the various gender identities and sexual orientations, while emphasizing its existence on campus. The event is offered by Cameron University as part of this year’s Festival X, and the theme revolved around “Identities.” Individuals of all ages, identities and groups were present at the night’s discussion. The turnout offered the panel a variety of questions to answer. The night started off with an introduction to the
members of the panel and an insight to what Cameron P.R.I.D.E. is and stands for. After introductions, the Identities Panel began and it lasted the first half of the night. The panel consisted of various sexual identities and genders who provided their insight and perspectives on gender identities. They informed the audience of issues present in the government and the United States that affect the LGBTQ+ community. Along with providing personal stories of experiences and knowledge, the Identities Panel became the based discussion point for the night. The Q&A panel followed it after a quick recess. Cameron P.R.I.D.E decided to leave all questions up to the public’s discretion. They also provided privacy to the individuals by having them write down their questions on notecards. P.R.I.D.E. approached the Q&A with a humorous vibe, while still maintaining a level of sophistication for the serious
questions. Sophomore Communication major Dillon Strong, one of the hosts and panel members for the night, said that the purpose of the event was to inform and educate. “We wanted to give people the materials they needed while being in a safe environment where they can ask anything they want,” he said. The event provided perspective on identities that are not commonly known within the community and explained how to react when faced with adversity and diversity. Cameron Alumni Victoria Orndorff said that the event had been eye-opening. “It has truly shaped and affected the campus,” she said. “It was fascinating getting to know more about my community and all of the wonderful types of identities it contains.” For more information, contact P.R.I.D.E advisor Cory Sanders at (580) 581-5901.
Illusion and choice
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Voices
November 13, 2017
www.aggiecentral.com
Where do we go from here? Katie Livingston
With this comes a sense of control over our identities, our lives and, most Staff Writer importantly, our choices — but it’s We’ve all experienced the mild sense possible that sense of choice is illusory. From a young age we’re frequently of panic that occurs while standing in asked a very pointed question: What the frozen foaod aisle, trying decide between thirty flavors of ice cream. do you want to be when you grow up? The more choices, the more People insist we can be whatever we overwhelmed we are with our own want, and that, in all the world, among the thousands of jobs out there, we can power. pick one, one that we truly love, one It is not a fear that the ice cream that we choose will taste bad, but that we can make our own. that one of the flavors we leave behind As children, this might seem an would have tasted better. exciting prospect, but when adulthood Maybe you don’t have this problem. begins to creep up, the sheer Maybe you like chocolate ice cream, abundance of choice becomes stifling, so that’s what you buy. rather than liberating. Maybe there’s nothing that can get College is much like standing in the between you and your chocolate ice frozen food aisle, inspecting the ice cream. cream. Except the ice cream is a college But do you really like chocolate ice cream? degree, and our decision will affect the Or are you fooling yourself? rest of our lives, rather than the next America is, aptly, called the land of few hours of them. We feel a sense of paralysis, not the free. We have more choices than from thinking that our choices will be almost any society before us. After all, our Declaration lists liberty as a bad, but from the idea that the choices fundamental human right. we leave behind might have been Not only is freedom a foundational better. I have witnessed this sense of panic ideology of our society, but also it is in others and felt it in myself. amplified by our modern, capitalistic lifestyle. I’ve seen students who remain We are drowning in abundance. undecided about educational goals An abundance of food, clothing, because even thinking about what to do overwhelms them with stress. technology and any other manner of I’ve seen students who flip from one goods that can be bought and sold. We can choose our careers, our major to another in constant search spouses, our religions, our ideologies. of the right one, and students who
pick one major and stick with it, but constantly question whether they’re in the right place. Our culture’s intense focus on the self doesn’t help with this existential panic. From a young age, we begin to construct our identity, picking out which labels fit us and which don’t. What kind of person am I? Where do I fit? What genres of music do I like? What style of clothing represents who I am? What is my passion? Students who cannot answer these questions about their identities, those who can’t find a passion to chase after, may find themselves frozen. Thankfully, society provides a convenient out for those who can’t, or won’t, make their own decisions: American society, like most societies, has a way of dictating what choices we should make. There is a pattern of life that is expected of a successful person. This includes college, marriage, a home in suburbs, two and a half children, a stable career, a cushy retirement fund and a nice retirement home in Florida in which to comfortably die. College itself is among these constructs. It’s commonly agreed upon that going to college and getting a degree is the right way to start a successful life and a successful career.
Never mind the fact that the value of a degree is steadily decreasing while the cost of acquiring one is steadily increasing and the fact that degrees may grow increasingly obsolete in the coming years. In spite of this, many students don’t see college as an option, but as a necessity. Though the choice to go was, in theory, theirs, they made no choice whatsoever. When it comes to choosing a degree, we may be responding to the same messages, though in more subtle ways. When we’re paralyzed by a sheer abundance of choice, it’s natural to look to other sources to make the decision for us, even if we don’t realize we’re doing it. While we’re living in a free society, we may also be unintentionally caging ourselves in with the opinions, rules, dogmas and expectations of others as a matter of convenience. If you were to stand in the frozen food aisle long enough, you might walk away with chocolate ice cream. Your parents might have told you that chocolate ice cream is the best. They might have even asked you to buy chocolate ice cream. While it is you who chooses ... was it really your decision? Do you really like chocolate ice cream? Or are you fooling yourself?
Photo by Krista Pylant
About Us
The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Lawton Constitution. The first issue is provided for free. Each subsequent issue is $1.50.
Our Views
The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author. The unsigned editorial under the heading “Voices” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board. The opinions expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma. Our student media are designated public forums, and free from censorship and advance approval of content. Because content and funding are unrelated, and because the role of adviser does not include advance review of content, student media are free to develop editorial policies and news coverage with the understanding that students and student organizations speak only for themselves. Administrators, faculty, staff or other agents shall not consider the student media’s content when making decisions regarding the media’s funding or faculty adviser.
THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGIAN
Letters Policy
Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna
Letters to the editor will be printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis.
Editorial Staff
The Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length. Letters should be no more than 250 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks.
Managing Editors - Cheyenne Cole and Stacie Larsen A&E Editor - Robert King Sports Editor - Krista Pylant Student Life Editor - Sarae Ticeahkie Voices Editor - Payton Williams Copy Editors - Otis Roby and Drue Watkins Aggie Central Editor - Jeff Larson Social Media Editor - Kerry Schoonaert
Newsroom Staff
Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - Miranda Fritts, Katie Livingston, Madison Lyda, David Perkins Circulation Manager - Cheyenne Cole Advertising Manager - Cheyenne Cole Faculty Adviser - Mr. David Bublitz
All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. No nicknames will be used. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification. Letters can be sent by regular mail, by e-mail to aggiecentral@cameron. edu or they may be dropped off at our office - Academic Commons 101 or at www.aggiecentral.com.
November 13, 2017
www.aggiecentral.com
A&E
Break a leg
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CU Theatre presents production of “November”
Photos by Robert King
Oval Office: (Lower Left) Junior Abbey Rinestine, Sophomore MacEwan Sanders, Junior Payton Williams and Junior Jacob Parkhurst all star in the CU Theatre’s production of “November.” The show opens at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 16 and runs through Nov. 19.
“Stranger Things 2” turns Netflix upside down Katie Livingston
yet is too otherworldly for the characters to comprehend. Staff Writer The character of Will Byers Warning! This article even describes it as “more of a contains spoilers for seasons one feeling.” and two of “Stranger Things.” This does several things for At midnight on Oct. the story: it presents more of 27, season two of “Stranger a challenge to the characters Things” released. With a new by raising the stakes; it antagonistic force to fear, new expands the universe; and it characters to get to know, sets up a larger conflict to be and more than enough Eggo resolved in coming seasons. waffles to go around, the new It also adds an interesting season was nothing short of element of Lovecraftian brilliant. Horror, a subgenre of horror The showrunners of that plays off humanity’s fear “Stranger Things,” the of the unknown and inability Duffer brothers, know how to do anything in the face to combine elements of plot, of a cruel, indifferent and character and theme to create incomprehensible universe. an immersive story that pulls I personally love these the viewer in from beginning changes to the plot and to end. thought that they brought a The plot of season two, whole new layer to the story. like season one, follows Season two didn’t drop in several storylines that build the character development upon one another and department, either. The same eventually come together characters we fell in love with seamlessly in a satisfying in season one return, now conclusion. The balanced with the baggage of their first pacing keeps the viewer ordeal. engaged every episode. Much of season two While the show stays focuses on the growth of true stylistically to season these characters as they deal one, the fundamental nature with their past experiences, of the conflict has changed. while also confronting new Whereas the first season’s challenges. “Demogorgon” operated Though all the main mainly out of animalistic characters undergo change to instinct, the second season’s some extent, the stories that “Shadow Monster” is really stood out in this season something else entirely. were those of Will, Joyce and It is a sentient creature El. that has plans and motives, Will’s story focuses heavily
around the theme of fear. He’s diagnosed with PTSD after experiencing recurring visions of “The Upside-Down.” He constantly flees in terror from this monster during his visions, yet these terrors won’t seem to leave him alone. It’s when Will decides to face his fear that the “Shadow Monster” overtakes him. This goes against the traditional trope of facing your fears to overcome them. However, Will’s story is closely tied in with Joyce’s in this season. Joyce must watch her child suffer, unable to do anything for him and deal with the fear that she’ll lose him again; it is Joyce’s same unwillingness to succumb to fear that eventually saves Will at the end of the season. El’s story focuses around the idea of home, and is more of a coming of age story, as she struggles with finding her place in the world. It was one of my favorite aspects of the season because we saw her grow. After being stuck in a cabin and isolated from society for about a year, El begins to feel trapped, just like she did in Hawkins Lab. She decides to take off on her own, first in search of Mike, then of her mother, and then of her long lost “sister”— another child who was also held prisoner in Hawkins Lab and who has supernatural
powers of her own. What we find that she is really searching for, however, is a place to belong. This comes to a climax when she realizes her friends are in danger, and that danger accelerates her decision to return to Hawkins. Her sister attempts to get her to stay by saying, “They cannot save you.” El’s response is, “No, but I can save them.” When she returns to Hawkins and is reunited with Mike, she knows she is finally home. Finally, this season keeps the themes of the first
season going strong: the cinematography, the 80’s pop culture, the allusions to Stephen King and Steven Spielberg. It’s all there, backed by a killer soundtrack. One of the truly unique things about “Stranger Things” is its ability to construct this thematic world on the shoulders of other media, and yet not feel derivative. While an adult audience may be drawn to the show because of nostalgia for growing up around the period the story is set in, “Stranger Things” has also attracted a young adult audience.
Yet, when watching both seasons one and two, I feel a strange sense of connection to the characters and a remembrance of my own childhood. This is because at its heart, “Stranger Things” is not about being a kid in the 80’s—it’s just about being a kid. The second season of “Stranger Things” gave us a lot to love, with new dimensions to the plot, character growth and a strong sense of theme. So, do yourself a favor and buy a tub of ice cream along a box of Eggos while you marathon season two.
Photo courtesy of MCT Campus
Telekinetic: Actress Millie Bobby Brown plays Eleven in the Netflix show “Stranger Things.” The character faces new challenges in the second season.
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Sports
November 13, 2017
www.aggiecentral.com
Volleyball woes continue
Photos courtesy of Mike Mazzo
Leading the Way: (Left) Junior Paige Dixon attacks the ball against West Texas. (Right) Junior Brandy Carr goes for a block in the Aggie Gym. Dixon leads CU with 3.07 kills per set and Carr lead in blocks with 118 total.
Krista Pylant
blocks. McFatridge added eight Sports Editor kills as well. @KristaPylant8 Paige Dixon led the Aggie offense with ten kills, while With one regular season Carr, Brittany Lawson and match to go, the Cameron volleyball team’s season took Bristol Lewis added six each. Brook Conley nabbed her a dip as the Aggies found 16th double-double of the themselves on a six-match year on 34 assists and 13 digs. skid at the tailend of the CU’s dig leader was Brittnee season. The Aggies fell in straight Altic with 27. On the Rambelle’s side, sets in four of their last six Brianna Sotello had her contests and are second to last in Lone Star Conference fourth match this season with standings with a 3-16 league over 20 kills as she put down mark and 7-21 overall record. 23 against CU, while also achieving her 13th doubleIn their most recent double of the season with a matches, CU fell 1-3 to No. team high 19 digs. 23 Angelo State, 0-3 to No. The Lone Star 14 Tarleton State and 0-3 at Conference’s Preseason Setter Midwestern State. of the Year, Meghan Parker, Angelo State totaled 50 assists for the second time this year. On Nov. 11, despite The first set saw back and taking the first set against the forth action with the Aggies No. 23 team in the nation, taking four three-point leads the Aggies could not close throughout the match. the next three games to fall Cameron reached their 1-3 (23-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25largest lead of four on 23) to Angelo State. set point 24-20 but the Cameron still tallied 19.5 total team blocks, just a Rambelles gave a nail-biting performance knocking down half block shy of their team season high they set on Oct. two kills and a block to close 20 versus UT Permian Basin. the gap to one. But CU stopped the chain Brandy Carr led the as Conley put down a kill of charge with nine blocks and her own for the 25-23 first set Ashleigh McFatridge eight
win after holding ASU to just .020 attacking percentage. CU’s offense faltered in the second set as they hit under .100 themselves. The Rambelles jumped to a 6-0 advantage to start the set before CU got their first point. The Ags closed the spread to two but steadily fell behind seeing ASU break for their largest lead of nine points 21-12 following a five point chain. The Belles went on to take the set 25-17 behind a match high .321 hitting clip. Set three had six early ties, but ASU went on a nine point run to nab a 16-8 lead from which the Aggies would not recover. ASU won set three 25-19. Cameron fought to stay in the match during the fourth set behind their blocking game as they tallied nine. The game tied 11 times and for the last time at 23-23 until the Rambelles hit backto-back kills for the 25-23 set and match victory.
With Texas A&MCommerce falling to Western New Mexico the previous night, TSU’s victory over Cameron delivered them the Lone Star Conference’s regular season championship. Dixon led CU once again with eight kills and Lawson with seven. Conley was one dig shy of a double-double with 18 assists. Brittnee Altic had 12 digs. LSC Player of the Year Hailey Roberts led the TexAnns securing her 81st career double-double on 12 kills and 10 digs. Jordyn Keamo assisted 35 of TSU’s 25 kills. The TexAnns came out of the gate strong, starting the match with a 12-1 run. On TSU set point, CU defended for three plays before the TexAnns won 25-12 by way of an Aggie service error. CU hit in the negative attack percentage while TSU hit .324. Set two saw the Aggies going toe-to-toe with the TexAnns as CU pulled Tarleton State several leads but none by more than two points. The following day, the The game tied nine times Aggies fell in straight sets (12and for a final time at 14-14 25, 20-25, 14-25) to No. 14 as TSU took advantage of Tarleton State.
three straight setting errors by Conley to string together a six point run for an 18-14 lead. Cameron did not recover to fall 25-20. TSU kept their momentum in set three, pounding six straight kills for a 6-1 edge. They maintained that lead through the entire set hitting .378 off 18 kills to win 25-14.
Kristan Aduddell was responsible for 41 assists of MSU’s 46 total. CU’s best hitting percentage occurred in the opening set as they hit .226 on 11 kills, but MSU triumphed with a .429 clip on 18 kills. With a strong offensive push, MSU led 23-14, but Cameron strung together a four-point run with points MSU from Bristol Lewis, Lawson In their final road match of and Carr. However, MSU put down back-to-back kills to the year, CU was swept (1825, 18-25, 14-25) on the road take set one, 25-18. In the second set, both by Midwestern State on Nov. sides were evenly matched, 9 in Wichita Falls, Texas. and the Mustangs had a oneThe Aggie offense point 19-18 lead until MSU struggled, hitting just .060, nabbed six straight points for while the Mustangs hit at a .318 clip with 47 kills to CU’s the 25-18 win by the same 23 kills. Dixon was CU’s kill score. CU continued to struggle leader with six, and Brittany in set three and hit in the Lawson had five. negative attack percentage. Carr led Cameron with MSU scored 20 points before five blocks, and Conley was one dig shy of a double-double CU got in the double-digit score column and would win with 15 assists. 25-14 for the match victory. MSU’s Meghan Bettis The Black and Gold has pounded a match-high 15 one regular season match kills for her squad, with remaining as they host Texas teammate Aerielle Edwards A&M-Kingsville on Nov. 11 also reaching double digit in the Aggie Gym. kills with 10 of her own.
CU basketball season tips-off CU Sports Information
The Cameron basketball season tips-off on Nov. 10-11 as the women’s team opens on the road in Wichita Falls, Texas, and the men in Wichita Kansas. The Aggie women will debut against Oklahoma Christian on Nov. 10 and Colorado Mesa on Nov. 11 in Midwestern State’s D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Last season CU went 11-16 overall and 9-11 in Lone Star Conference play. That finish resulted in CU’s seventh place in the league’s preseason poll, one spot ahead of their finish in the standings last season. The Aggies had the second highest scoring offense in the conference last season, finishing the year averaging 78.5 points per contest. However, with the loss of their top three point guards, CU may be forced to slow the game down and play a different style of ball. Their top returner, Jamie Bonnarens, averaged 14.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest while shooting over 42 percent from the field. Joining Bonnarens are five returners, including three point specialist, Ava Battese, who averaged 7.7 points with a three point percentage of .373. A trio of transfers in Amaka Nwakamma, Sydney Ellis and Lejha Smith also join the squad. Four true freshmen will help add depth to this year’s team. Oklahoma Christian is sixth in the Heartland Conference preseason poll after finishing last year with a 15-14 overall record
and a 10-6 league mark. They return Addy Clift, a preseason allconference selection who was top-20 in the nation in three point shooting while averaging almost 15 points per contest. Other key returners for OC are Audrey Hayes, Megan Shelton and Hope Dawkins. Colorado Mesa is fourth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference at the start of the season after finishing last year with a 21-7 mark and a 17-5 RMAC record. Top returner Erin Reichle is on the AllRMAC preseason team after averaging 13.2 points, 4.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds last year. Also returning is senior center Ma’ata Epenisa, who was an All-RMAC honorable mention and averaged 10.2 points and 4.9 rebounds last season. The Aggie men open their season at the Heartland/LSC Challenge to face Newman on Friday and Oklahoma Christian on Nov. 10-11. The Aggies return three starters from last season and have three more players who played significant minutes during the 2016-17 season. Tyus Momoh, JV Long and Tyler Williams return for their junior seasons after they each averaged more than 10 points per contest. They are joined by fellow returners Jalen Nicholas, Jordan Lewis and Elish Benjamin. Cameron will also have three red-shirt players, including Johann Tate and Delano Jones, three transfers, including senior forward Bryce Elie and true freshman Trent Crow, who is expected to redshirt, all on the
Photo by Krista Pylant
Off the starting block: Red-shirt junior Zach Dumas goes for a block during an exhibition. Both Aggie basketball teams will tip-off their seasons on Nov. 10-11. roster this season. The Aggies are eighth in the league preseason poll, four spots behind their finish in the conference standings at the end of the 2016-17 season. Newman is coming off of a season where they went 9-19 overall and 7-11 in Heartland play. NU’s top returning scorer from last year, Allen Wilson, averaged 6.6 points in 18.3 minutes of action. Oklahoma Christian returns one of their top-3 scorers in Elijah Strickland from a team
that went 8-18 last season and 3-15 in the Heartland. Strickland averaged 11.5 points per contest a year ago and made almost 90 percent of his free throw attempts. He will be joined by Miroslav Jaksic, a 6’11” senior from Ontario, Canada, who went 13-15 from the field for 26 points in the Eagles exhibition win over Randall; Strickland added 17 points in 11 rebounds, while juco transfer Roderick Smith had 11 points and 11 rebounds.