Collegian T he Cameron University
www.aggiecentral.com
Monday, November 22, 2021
Volume 105 Issue 5
Photos by Ian Snyder-Sohl
CAMERON UNIVERSITY’S
VETERAN OBSERVANCE Cam Alsbrook Managing Editor
because the living veterans are our future,” Henson said. “and we want to honor our living and current service members and active duty service members also.” Henson said many soldiers consider Cameron to be a military-friendly environment. “We work very hard to be able to make this an environment
Through the week of Nov. 8 – 12, the Department of Veterans Affairs held their tenth anniversary observation of veterans, planting 7,000 flags across the Cameron campus. Coordinator of Veterans Affairs Vicki Henson said that the flags are in solidarity with veterans who have passed “They’re our treasures on, or are currently with — our veterans are, us – the latter group is the and we want them to be emphasis for Veteran’s day. “We’ve been kind of successful in their new switching over the last careers, and to acheive few years to emphasizing their goals and their that the flags are about our lives,” Henson said. “both dreams.” our living veterans and our - Vicki Henson veterans who have died in Coordinator of Veterans Affairs the past conflicts. “So it does have a history in both ways – we were asked to participate years ago where they can be nurtured and in a national roll call, and we’ve be successful,” Henson said. “We continued to participate in that work with them on challenges every year.” they face when they transition Henson said that the flags are out of the military. And we try there as a growing reminder and to provide as many resources as an act of honor toward living possible to assist them in that.” veterans. Henson said that resources “We also want the flags to provided by the VA or by Vet represent our living veterans, Success on Campus include career
guidance, financial counseling and personal counseling, thanks to the help of Vet Sucess on Campus Coordinator Alford Finch. “We’re the only campus in the state of Oklahoma that has a Vet Success on Campus counselor who’s there to assist veterans – and he can help them with job marketability,” Henson said. Any students who have VA educational benefits at Cameron are able to qualify for the aforementioned resources, thanks to Finch, and the federal government. Henson said that they help provide these services and more, so veterans have a way to pursue their aspirations. “They’re our treasures – our veterans are,” Henson said, “and so we want them to be successful in their new careers, and to achieve their goals and their dreams.” Henson said that her passion for her job is to the veterans and dependents she helps, taking their opinions into account for decisions. “Our veterans and our dependents and our servicemembers and their families, all of them have given up so much for our country,” Henson said,
“and so my passion is to be able to assist them in achieving their dreams. That’s always been my passion, so it’s close to my heart.” Henson said that, even though the focus is on the living veterans and service-members, families who have lost a loved one have made the greatest sacrifice. “Our family members who have given the greatest sacrifice – of having one of their loved ones gone – are always on our hearts, and close to our hearts,” Henson said. “and we want to do everything we can to comfort them, to provide support to them, and to make their lives to let them know that they are treasured on this campus – and always will be treasured on this campus.” Henson also said that with so many resources available for families, the veterans community is a close-knit community. For more information, email the Veterans Affairs office va@ vcameron.edu, call them at 581-2301, contact the Cameron University chapter of the Student Veterans of America organization, or visit the “Military Matters” page on the Cameron website at www.cameron.edu/ militarymatters.
What’s Inside CU be a Therapist: Zoom session
Mariah Carey: Defrosted
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ACM: CU Programming Page 5
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News
November 22, 2021 www.aggiecentral.com
Photo by Brittney Payette
CU Be a Therapist Brittney Payette
Assistant Managing Editor At 5:30 p.m., on Nov. 3, via Zoom, Cameron’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies and the Department of Psychology hosted the CU Be a Therapist event. The event covered two possible tracks for Cameron’s Master of Science in Behavioral Sciences (MSBS) program: Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Chair and Associate Professor Dr. Shaun Calix was one of the hosts of the event, and he talked about the different format options that Cameron offers for the MSBS programs and how Cameron tries to help their students fit their necessary classes into their schedules. “Most of our courses are offered face-to-face or online,” Calix said. “Except for those skill-set courses.” Classes meet one day a week, for 16 weeks. Calix said that most of the traditional face-to-face classes rotate between being offered during the day and during the night. The course rotation is published on the Cameron website so that students are able to predict when they want to take the course during their degree program. “We have a lot of students in our MSBS program
that have full-time jobs, and they cannot attend classes during the day,” Calix said. “We have a lot of students who have children at home, and they need to be at home with them during the evening. A lot of you as you are completing your degree program are probably going to end up taking a mixture of day and night classes.” Cameron Psychology instructor Paul James said that to be a LPC, a student must have 60 credit hours. LMFT’s need to have 48 credit hours. “Counselors tend to play a lot of different roles in a lot of different places,” James said. Advisement specialist Chad Hobbs said that department advisors can help students rework the degree program schedule on an individual level, so students can determine the best class schedule for their requirements. “There is a lot of variability in the programs themselves,” Hobbs said. “It is possible with your advisors in the department to, you know, kind of course correct and adjust for your needs.” Director of Cameron’s Psychology Clinic, Professor, and LMFT Dr. Joanni Sailor said that both the LPC and the LMFT degree plans at Cameron are already preapproved by the Oklahoma state board of licensure. Sailor said that Cameron has their own clinic on campus, which is where students can get their required practicum hours. The students get immediate feedback on their sessions from their instructors. Students also have
the opportunity to shadow licensed professionals at an external site. “We provide free mental health to the community,” Sailor said. “This is not like any other University clinic because at most of the University clinics they’re treating students, so students are treating students. Our students get real, hands-on experience at the clinic.” Cameron counseling student Janet Love said that she came to Cameron’s counseling program in a unique way because she was retired. “I really became so engaged,” Love said. “I just have loved my journey with Cameron. Cameron has an excellent program.” Love said that she started working at the Cameron Psychology Clinic three semesters ago, initially as a graduate assistant. Now, she is in a therapy room with real clients. Love said that she hopes that people will give the counseling career a real try because the need for mental health services is so great. “It is so rewarding,” Love said. “It’s amazing. I don’t even know how to describe it. We have the opportunity to practice with real clients, and then to be able to go out into the community at large and see the need that’s out there and see what we can do for them.” For more information about the MSBS programs for Psychology, go to the Cameron website https:// www.cameron.edu/psychology/degree-programs/ master-of-science-in-behavioral-sciences.
Once a user proceeds through the “Aggies Report It!” link on the Cameron website, the user is re-directed to the third-party website run by EthicsPoint, where it gives the user a variety of different ways to address each situation. As of Oct. 20, there have not been any cases reported through the hotline for the university, but Mitchell said he understands cases may arise as awareness of the hotline increases. “And that’s perfectly OK,” Mitchell said. “I mean, that’s what we want, you know, if there’s some wrongdoing going on on campus, someone needs to be aware of it, and actions need to be taken to correct it.” Mitchell said he recognizes issues are case-by-case on a spectrum from civil matters to criminal activity and policy violations. “It’s a tough one, because it depends on what the infraction is,” Mitchell said. “It can range
anywhere from possibly resulting in charges being filed to the other end. Maybe something as mild as a disciplinary action that does not result in termination – but, you know, it could. Since there’s a vast array of possible offenses each one could carry, it’s different.” Mitchell said that additional information could be found on the Cameron website. “If it turns out that a professor is doing something unethical,” Mitchell said. “he or she could be terminated. If an employee is committing fraud against the university – now we’re talking a criminal offense.” People who use the service need to note that the hotline does not replace campus security or police for situations that require immediate aid. For more information, visit the “Aggies Report It!” hotline at the bottom of the Cameron web page at www.cameron.edu.
Aggies Report It Cam Alsbrook Managing Editor
The Cameron website now includes a method of reporting cases that violate Cameron Core Values through a third-party service. Prior to the implementation of the third-party software – handled by “EthicsPoint” – parties filing a report would do so through the Office of Equity Issues. The new reporting method for Cameron is called the “Aggies Report It!” hotline and is located at the bottom of the Cameron website. Senior Director of Public Affairs Keith Mitchell said the Oklahoma Board of Regents implemented the switch to EthicsPoint’s software about six to eight months ago. “An effort was taken to develop what’s now called the ‘Aggies Report It hotline,’” Mitchell said, “and it provides a method for anyone on campus, whether it’s a student or whether it’s an employee – or even if it’s someone who comes in contact with our campus community – to report a variety of instances. “The university, itself, is committed to integrity, respect and ethical behavior – that goes back to our core values and our mission. If someone feels there’s been a violation of any of those, that’s what they can do through the Aggies Report It (hotline).”
Graphic by Cam Alsbrook
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Voices
November 22, 2021
www.aggiecentral.com
Thanksgiving
What if we were just grateful for everything?
Alison Malawey Voices Editor
When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of my mom. Her birthday is on Nov. 22nd, which sometimes falls on Thanksgiving but is at least always in the week of. I remember one year, we were headed to my grandfather’s for dinner, and we got pulled over. Apparently, she had been speeding. Since it had been Thanksgiving AND her birthday, the officer let her off with a warning. Most people, when they think of Thanksgiving, will think of their family.
In my family, as part of holiday celebrations, we say what we were most thankful for from the previous year after prayer and before dinner. When I was young, everything that was taught in school about Thanksgiving was very general. The Native Americans helped the pilgrims by teaching them to plant food and, for that reason, the pilgrims had a feast with the Native Americans to express their thanks thus beginning the tradition of Thanksgiving. At least that is what I was taught. In the United States, several events were recorded as the “First Thanksgiving.” What people generally consider to be the first Thanksgiving happened in 1621 in Plymouth. It was a feast prompted by a bountiful harvest. The pilgrims and the Wampanoags, a tribe of Native Americans who had helped them survive the previous winter, gathered together to give thanks for the plentiful food. This is the dinner that lead to what I was taught in elementary school as the “First Thanksgiving.” Were this really the reason for Thanksgiving,
should we still be celebrating our gratitude to Native Americans by eating turkey and watching football one day of the year? As I got older, less and less of Thanksgiving became about the pilgrims and Native Americans, and more of it became about being together with family and being grateful for our blessings from God. I had assumed that was because the world was becoming more “woke” and that people were trying to be more sensitive toward the atrocities that the Europeans have committed against the Native Americans. In his book “Thanksgiving: The Biography of an American Holiday,” James Baker explains how days of thanksgiving and days of fasting were brought about during the English Reformation when England split from the Catholic Church. In Protestant Christianity, it was believed that bad things, like drought and plague, were signs of God’s judgement and that the way to repent was to hold days of fasting. Alternatively, good things were believed to be blessings from God and called for days of thanksgiving. When a group of settlers with the Virginia Company of London landed at Berkeley Hundred in Charles City County in Virginia in 1619, the group’s charter declared the day of their ships arrival an annual day of thanksgiving which is two years before the supposed
“First Thanksgiving” that happened in 1621. Days of thanksgiving were generally religious in nature, and it wasn’t until much later that it was an annual tradition that fell on the last Thursday of November. Because the term was used and documented so often, there is currently a lot of debate about when the first Thanksgiving actually took place. Several countries have holidays in giving thanks. Great Britain has Guy Fawkes Day which celebrates the failed assassination attempt on King James I with bonfires and fireworks. Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia and Liberia are just a few other examples. Regardless of when the first Thanksgiving was or why it started as a holiday, it’s important to remember and be thankful for our past. Be thankful for everything you have. You are where you are because of everything that has happened before you. Everything we take for granted today was built on the backs of others. Remember the past. Learn from it. Be grateful for the precedents that have been set before you. Set out to change what will be based on what you know from what has been. Most importantly, this Thursday, drive safe and try not to eat too much. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
A Charlie Brown tradition Jashua Orndorff Staff Writer
With Thanksgiving up and coming, many have already started to plan for seasonal festivities. Hundreds flock to the internet or to the nearest retail store scourging for the best deals on the season’s decor or early holiday presents. Marathons of holiday specials are beginning to air on major television networks across the nation for all to binge. Characters from some of the most beloved franchises return to television screens this time of year. One of these returning favorites is none other than Charlie Brown. With Thanksgiving
around the corner, some are tuning in to watch “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” while spending time with their friends or family. Released in 1973 and directed by Bill Melendez and Phill Roman, “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” is 25 minutes long. It is based on characters originally developed by Charles M. Schulz for his Sunday comic strip “Peanuts.” The special begins with a classic “Peanuts” gag between Charlie Brown and Lucy. Lucy attempts to persuade Charlie into kicking a football she is holding, claiming the act to be a tradition. Brown hesitantly decides to
kick the ball, falling for Lucy’s usual prank and falls to the ground as she exclaims how traditions fade. This act sets a comical essence that holds up for a majority of the animated classic. Charlie and the rest of the Browns have made plans to visit and spend time at their grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. However, plans change when Peppermint Patty invites herself to spend the holiday with Charlie Brown. Throughout the rest of the special we watch as Charlie Brown plans a dinner to celebrate the holiday with his friends. The humorous elements within the
animated short convey a light-hearted, comedic tone. From the classic gag opening to the heartwarming ending, this “Peanuts” special provides a funny tale that captures the essence of the holiday spirit. Overall, the special provides a joyful and entertaining experience for all to watch. “Peanuts,” itself, has generated a massive fan base since it’s creation in 1950. Millions from around the world have grown attached to the cartoon characters for their designs and the characters portrayal of humor. With the development of their holiday specials,
the popularity of the cartoon characters skyrocketed. For over 50 years, “Peanuts” specials have been broadcasted around the globe for families and friends to enjoy together. Since their release, many have made the act of gathering and watching these holiday specials a traditional way of spending time with their loved ones. Families have grown attached to watching Charlie Brown together and sharing a bonding experience with their friends or loved ones. So much so that these specials are often associated with times of reminiscence for many and have become common traditions in
households everywhere. Whether broadcasted live on television or shown on streaming services across the world, many have made it routine to spend time together by watching Charlie Brown on the holidays. With this in mind, it is safe to say that the “Peanuts” has not only become a part of pop culture but has also become a staple in the holiday traditions for many across the globe. Charles Schultz’s characters have evolved far from their Sunday comic strips’ debut, turning into iconic representations of both the holidays and joyful times to be had for many to come.
Graphics courtesy of Tribune News Service
About Us
The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available twenty Mondays 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.
Letters Policy
THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna
Editorial Staff
Managing Editor - Cambron Alsbrook Assistant Managing Editor - Brittney Payette Voices Editor - Alison Malawey A & E Editor - Shianne Taylor Student Life Editor - Ryan Martin Sports Editor - Jimm Alley Copy Editor - Brittney Payette
Newsroom Staff
Staff Writers - Charles Ajjarapu, Jackson Miller, Jashua Orndorff, Ashlin Penn, Cade Taylor Photographers - Joshua Dodge, Ian Snyder Financial Officer - Susan Hill Faculty Adviser - Prof. David Bublitz
Letters to the editor will be printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis. 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. All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification. Letters can be sent by mail, by e-mail to aggiecentral@ cameron.edu or they may be dropped off to the Academic Commons 101.
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A&E
November 22, 2021 www.aggiecentral.com
Mariah Carey: ‘QUEEN OF CHRISTMAS’
Tribune News Service
Shianne Taylor A&E Editor
It all started on Oct. 28, 1994, when Mariah Carey released her first Christmas album. Now, ordinarily, this would seem like an uninteresting fact because many artists record Christmas albums with their own renditions of traditional or classic songs. On Carey’s album there is one particular original song, “All I want for Christmas is You” that even now, 27 years
later, has become one of the most popular and, I dare say, most iconic Christmas songs of the past few decades. As an artist, one hopes to transcend time through their work, but not even Carey -now referred to as the “Queen of Christmas” -- could have fathomed the impact of this song. Every year from Nov. 1 through the end of the holiday season, the song is streamed so much that it works its way up to the top 100 billboards chart. As of Nov. 4 of this year, the
song is in the top 40 of the top 100 songs on Apple Music. This is not only a phenomenon in the United States, but around the world. In 2020 in the United Kingdom, Carey’s song reached number one on the most popular songs. According to Canadian Television News (CTV), the song has officially broken records for the most daily streams of a song reaching 17.223 million. According to NBC, the song has reached
more daily streams in the past four years than ever before. What is it that appeals to people about this song? Is it her voice, the melody or is it simply a catchy song that people listen to, to try and get it out of their heads? Who knows? The point is, this song has become so the persuasive since it came out that even reporters from the Washington Post have used it in surveys to measure Christmas cheer and around what time of year it actually begins, is it Nov. 1 or around
Thanksgiving? While the song is well-loved, it is also disliked. Stoneleigh P bar in Dallas, Texas, that for the past few years has hung a sign on their jukebox only allowing the song to be played once a night and only after Dec. 1. The argument from those who work in the bar was that it was played so often that the people working would get tired of it. Carey, herself, has been a part of hundreds of memes, One meme feature, is Carey usually behind someone in their Halloween costume, in a red velvet dress or knocking at the door come Nov. 1. More of the other popular ones have to do with her fading away into snow when the holiday season is over or her being packed away with the Christmas decorations until next year. Carey is known for her range which hits five different octaves. She has released 76 singles and has been ranked number one for 19 of her songs, though, all of the songs she released were ranked. Carey is arguably one of the best singers of this time -- if based on ranked singles. Carey’s voice has indeed transcended time and it will continue to transcend time. As of Nov. 5 this year Carey released a new Christmas song with R&B, pop artist, Khalid and gospel artist, Kirk Franklin. Give it a listen and see if she can do it again and have two iconic Christmas songs.
Holiday Choir Concert
Photos by Shianne Taylor
Singers and their instruments: On Nov. 16 in the First Presbyterian Church, the Cameron University Choir rehearse songs for their holiday concert. Heather martin in the picture most left practices her solo, in the middle Trent Haygood plays bells for “Jingle Bells” and on the right, Dr. Little plays the Clarinet.
Shianne Taylor A&E Editor
At 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 16 in the First Presbyterian Church, Cameron University’s Choir and the Eisenhower’s highschool choir performed a holiday concert. The Cameron University choir performed a total of six songs and Eisenhower performed five songs. The song, “Veni Veni Emmanuel” by Michael John Trotta released in 1978 was performed together at the end. Music Vocal Performance Senior Heather Martin mentioned at their last rehearsal before showtime that they had not practiced with Eisenhower’s choir yet. “We are supposed to put it together tonight,” Martin said. “Honestly, we were all terrified of it at the beginning and we heard that the high schoolers were struggling with it as well. It’s a hard piece, but I’ve heard that the high schoolers are doing really well with
it, now, and I think that is going to be fine.” The Cameron University Choir has been practicing for the concert for about a month and were ready to perform for a crowd. “The Jingle Bells piece, we did do that last year, but because of COVID we didn’t get a chance to actually perform it,” Heather said. “So we are excited to do that this year.” Accompanist and pianist for the Unicersity choir, Tom Willoughby said the choir will sing a variety of songs. Some of the songs will be familiar to the audience and some not so much. “They all have a message of joy and peace,” Willoughby said. “You know I think that when you are working with a college choir you have to give them a challenge, chorley and vocally. I think that we have done a good job with this ... and I think it will bring joy to a lot of people who are here.” Martin, one of the soloists for the Cameron Choir, talked about how
she has been performing for a while now, so doing a solo doesn’t scare her as much anymore, but she still gets a little “jittery”. She said she likes being a part of the choir. “It’s coming together like a family basically. We all grow a lot and we bond through all this,” Heather said. “It’s everybody, like being just as excited about it as the other person. When we’ve been singing the piece we’re doing with Dr. Little ... I’ve just felt such energy through it and it’s stuff like this that can make you so emotional. It’s amazing, so I think that if we all realize the importance of the impact that we can have on other people’s listening then it’s really, really worth it and that’s what makes it all come together.” Willoughby said it’s nice to see everything and everyone working together for the concert. “I think just seeing their growth,” Willoughby said. “Not only their musicianship, but just their
camaraderie with one another and to see that the spirit of unity coming together as we have a common goal.” Cameron University Choir Director Christian Morren said from the beginning of the year until now, the students have come so far together and individually. “You know this is going to be most of their careers,” Morren said. “So it’s great to see people just giving their all and knowing that they’re going to go and carry on this music for the future.” Martin had one piece of advice for anyone looking to join the Cameron University choir: “Just do it. It doesn’t matter if you have a wide range of experience, we have people in our choir who don’t know how to read music, but we help them through it. It’s a big learning experience and if you have a passion for music and if you can hold a tune come join our choir we need people we welcome anyone.”
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Student Life
November 22, 2021 www.aggiecentral.com
PICKAXE PREVIEW
Photo by Btittney Payette
Brittney Payette and Ashlin Penn
At 1 p.m. on Nov. 12 in the University Theatre, Cameron held its Pickaxe Preview Day, which provided the opportunity for prospective students to learn more about what Cameron has to offer. Prospective students could register at the event or online ahead of the event. Each person was assigned to a group color, which dictated which Aggie Ambassador they were paired with for the guided group tour. Aggie Ambassadors are Cameron Students who provide the Aggie Experience Tours given to students interested in enrolling. The event started out with a game of Kahoot, ran by Cameron admission counselors Sydne Moore and
Rachel Carlson. The Kahoot had questions such as “Hg is the chemical symbol of what” (mercury), “what do you call a group of unicorns” (a blessing), and “True or false, Ole Kim settled in the Wichita Mountains to herd buffalo” (false). After Kahoot, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success Dr. Jerrett Phillips proceeded to welcome the participants to the Pickaxe Preview. “We are very glad that you are here for the 2021 Pickaxe Preview,” Phillips said. “My name is Jerrett Phillips, I am very excited to be here at Cameron University, and I think you will be too.”
Next, the Aggie Spirit Squad took the stage to get the participants excited about the event. The team delivered a pep rally experience, and the participants sang along to the Aggie Fight song. Then, participants joined their distinct groups for the guided tour. On the guided tour, the participants walked around campus to see some of what Cameron has to offer. They visited buildings such as Ross Hall, the Sciences Complex, the McMahon Centennial Complex, and the McMahon Centennial (MC) Great Room. In the Great Room, Director of Student Housing and Residence Life Chris Drew spoke about the on-
campus living options at Cameron which consists of the traditional style Shepler Dorms and the apartment style Cameron Village. “We want to support you being successful,” Drew said. “Outside of the classroom we also very much want to focus on building a safe, inclusive, comfortable environment for you living on campus.” Additionally, there was also a browsing fair after the tour. There were many Cameron organizations and departments there, handing out free items and information to participants of the Pickaxe Preview. Senior Biology major and Omega Zeta Theta member, Asia Houston, participated in
the browsing fair with a few of her sisters. “We’re really gonna try to get more new recruits for next semester,” Houston said. “We’re promoting lifelong friendships and helping sisters achieve their goals.” “So when new members do come in, they never feel alone because we have a home for them to join.” Some of the other participating organizations were the Aggie Rec Center, the Animal Science Department and the Office of Campus Life. For more information about getting a personalized campus tour or to chat with a Cameron admissions counselor, go to https:// cameron.elluciancrmrecruit. com/Apply/Events.
IT’S ALL IN THE CODE: ACM AT CU Jackson Miller Staff Writer
On Nov. 9, in Howell Hall, the Cameron Association of Computing Machinery hosted a programming event for webpage design. The purpose of the event was to assist students in developing a webpage using programs such as JavaScript and HTML for their business or cause. ACM club president Elijah Proctor lectured and led the event, discussing how to format and recreate the Google homepage using different programs. He wanted to give students a better comprehension of the world of coding. “The topics that we mainly cover in these events are computer-related,” Proctor said, “but if someone had something that they wanted to cover that was not coding but still computerrelated, we would cover that as well.” Proctor added that the club hosts events such as this every month and that the council members of the club
plan the details of the event for four weeks until that day comes. “For the last event, the council members discussed an event about making a website, so we just talked about how to implement that,” Proctor said. Although the club mainly deals with computer-related information such as coding, some of whom were in attendance, including Proctor, major in something that was not computerrelated. “I am majoring in Criminal Justice with a minor in Computer Science,” Proctor said. “I am also a tutor, so I have a passion for teaching people how to program.” Another student that was in attendance was junior Alexis Rodriguez, who is also the ACM Club Vice President. Rodriguez said that he helps coordinate club events with the help of Proctor. “The second event that I help run involved creating a simplified version Photos by Jackson Miller
of a Mario game which was coded in C++,” Rodriguez said. “This was done using the SMFL Library.” The club is sponsored by CU Professor Dr. Chao Zhao, who is a professor here at Cameron. Zhao makes it clear that the benefits that students get by being in the club help further their education in ways that the traditional way of learning does not. “Events like this help a student, not only academically, but also socially,” Zhao said, “because you try to develop a relationship or network, where students can make connections and friends.” The Student Government Association also had a representative in attendance. Senior Sammie Powell he said that he is determined to learn new skills in programming with the hopes of staying one step ahead in today’s competitive labor market. “The department has been really wonderful working with me,” Powell said. “I am a little older than other
folks, but the younger students keep me going.” Powell says that he used to work as an insurance adjuster for several years and then went on to work for Serco. After being laid off from this recent position, he decided to come back to school to pursue a degree in Computer Science. “I already finished up my MBA, and I had enough credits to get a Computer Science degree,” Powell said. “So here I am.” As for students who are in a similar predicament that he is in, Powell has some uplifting words of encouragement. “Just work hard and be willing to work with other people,” Powell said, “and admit that when you don’t know something, get out, seek help, and most importantly, don’t give up.” For more information about ACM club events and membership, you can contact Elijah Proctor at elijah. proctor@cameron.edu or Alexis Rodriguez at ar943651@cameron.edu.
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Sports
November 22, 2021
www.aggiecentral.com
Aggie Women’s
Basketball Team Preview The future is bright for the Cameron Women’s Basketball team. The Aggies have proven through their first three games that they are legitimate threats to make a run at a title this year. If they can continue this amazing start to their season, it will be hard to find an opponent who could stop them. With a stacked depth chart and some impressive scorers on this team, there is almost nothing the Aggies cannot accomplish.
Photos by Jimm Alley
Last year, the Aggies ranked third overall for offense in the LSC; however, the defense could not compare as the squad was ranked 11th allowing 68.1 points per game. Through the first three games of this season, they are the number two ranked offense scoring 87 points per game, and have brought up their defense to the number six spot, only allowing 61.7 points per game to opponents. The Aggies have a lot of reasons to be excited about this season.
The Cameron Aggies women’s basketball team got off to a slow start last season, but they would pull through to finish their campaign with an 11-8 record. The Aggies’ magical end to their season included winning eight of their last 11 games and earning a spot in the Lonestar Conference championship and NCAA tournament. The team hopes to continue this success coming into the new year, and have a strong chance to build on their prior triumphs. It is certainly not going to be easy but these Aggies seem to be the best people to get he job done.
Photo by Mike Mazzo
Karley Miller
Stephanie Peterson
Maighan Hedge
Katie King
Whitney Outon
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Karley Miller ended last season strong, putting up 18 points against Midwestern State in the LSC quarterfinal. Miller looks to continue growing into her role.
Stephanie Peterson has been taking charge of the defense this season. She is the front runner for the team in rebounds and blocks, while leading in minutes per game.
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Sports and exercise science
Maighan Hedge is not only the Aggies leader in points averaging 24.7 a game, but she is also leading the LSC in total scoring.
Katie King looks to continue the success of her first year at Cameron as she settles into her role as a leader for this team.
Whitney Outon has high expectations for this team and hopes to help her team to a championship victory by the end of her time at Cameron.