The Cameron Collegian Fall 2025 Issue #9

Clarence Page Endowed Chair of Mathematics and Science Education, Professor Ann Nalley holds many distinguished titles and hoists a legacy at Cameron University that spans 56 incredible years.

Dr. Nalley is a true trailblazer in every sense of the title, and her remarkable career, which has been spent almost exclusively as an Aggie, has allowed her to witness and experience many foundational moments.

“When you live a long time, you get to be the first to do a lot of things,” Nalley said humbly. "So, I am very blessed that the Lord has seen fit to let me keep living, to keep going, to keep teaching.”

Nalley started her career in fall 1969, the year after Cameron converted from a Community College to become a fouryear university, and she saw the first ever Aggie Bachelor of Science graduates in 1970.

“Cameron was the right place for me, because they support the faculty, and back then especially so,” Nalley said, “we got a Title III Developing Institution’s Grant, and we had a lot of things happen for us then, because of that.”

Realizing she had to return to school to complete her doctoral degree in order to teach at the newly established 4-year university, Nalley got right to work requesting funding and seeking out her next institution.

She applied for and received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant from Texas Women’s University (TWU) and that summer she attended an instrumentation workshop that applied 8 credits towards her continuing education. She returned to teach another year in Cameron’s chemistry department before committing fully to a PhD program at TWU the following summer.

By 1975, Nalley had completed her PhD in Radiation Chemistry and used her experience directing undergraduates to assist with research at Cameron in the small lab they built to accommodate her.

In 1978, Nalley became the first woman to be promoted to the position of professor at Cameron, acknowledging that when she began teaching, the gender-biased policies and the industry expectations for women were discriminatory in many ways.

“When I first came here, they wouldn’t allow women to wear slacks, I had to wear a dress and heels to class, so I did,” Nalley said, “you do whatever you have to do to survive.”

What’s Inside

three women in a class of 42, Nalley recalled there was one ladies bathroom located in the basement of the chemistry building they worked in daily.

“Then they didn’t think women were supposed to be in Chemistry, so we signed a petition, the girls and I, and we got all the guys to sign it,” Nalley said, “and they converted the men’s room on the 2nd floor to a ladies room, so we didn’t have to go down the basement.”

Nalley said that the women celebrated this small feat by going out to buy fake flowers, an act that illuminated an early spark in dismantling the patriarchy of the society she had to endure.

“All they did was take the ‘men’ off and put ‘ladies’ on it, that’s how they changed it,” Nalley remarked, “there was still 3 stalls and 6 urinals in there — so we decorated the urinals.”

Times had begun to change after she completed her PhD. The Federal Government recognized the influx of women in sciences, and they encouraged it with national laboratories and more grant opportunities.

“I always tell my students, you should apply for everything, you may not get accepted, but only those who apply get it,” Nalley said.

She speaks from experience having been accepted to go to Argonne National Laboratory for a unique opportunity to explore nuclear chemistry in a time when the nation feared radiation and it’s future was uncertain.

These sabbaticals helped her maintain her credentials and explore her field, while also being a major selling point for Nalley to stay at Cameron, as they have always supported her endeavors and encouraged her outreach and efforts.

She got involved with the National Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi, becoming a delegate for Cameron and showing her leadership as she was quickly appointed to their Board of Directors. Followed by a Regent to the Board in 1980, Nalley went on to serve 21 years and became the 3rd woman in history to be elected a National President of their board.

Nalley continued her research through the late 80’s, learning laser photochemistry at University of Texas at Dallas, and in ’92 she applied for another NSF Grant to obtain one of their research fellowships.

“I got it and went three years down at the University of Southern Mississippi, and I learned polymer science and computer molecular modeling and now we have the computer molecular modeling lab here at Cameron,” Nalley said. “I wrote a grant that got funded.”

Nalley went on to become a distinguished member of the American Chemical Society, after being elected in 1997 to take office as a District Director, she made history on their Board of Directors and continued that trend during her time within the organization.

A lot has changed in Nalley’s 56-year tenure at Cameron, more than policy allowing women to wear slacks. She has seen the campus change significantly over

the class populations became refined for a more personalized experience.

Nothing has been more impactful than the evolution of technology that Nalley has witnessed unfold throughout her career. From electronic calculators to computers across campus, and even the invention of email and internet coming along to transform communication and capabilities.

“So, everything about the way we teach, technology has changed,” Nalley said. “I keep telling the kids all the time, in fact, that I love teaching now, because we have so much technology in our laboratories.”

Her current research involves a $40,000 microwave reactor that Nalley wrote a grant for, to take their testing to the next level from the former microwave ovens that were used.

“And now, we can take reactions that have to run 14 hours, and we can do them in 10 minutes,” she said.

Since the 90's, Nalley has typically conducted two summer STEM academies each year, one is Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mathematics, the other is Nanoexplorers.

Nalley recalls how much technology has changed the way she instructs these interactive camps. Also, the impact it has on the youth, who can now measure their individual G-force on the rollercoasters at Frontier City with a cellphone app, instead of the one bulky box groups patiently waited to use years ago.

During one session, a camper pulled off skin from a sunburn and offered it to be ran in their FTIR, a first for Nalley who had never profiled human skin before. The student returned to a later camp and informed Nalley that his mother had framed his piece of skin.

“I wake up every morning, and I look at my wall, and there’s my FTIR of my human skin,” the student said.

“Could you imagine what kind of inspiration that is for these kids to go on? I think that’s why I love teaching and I love teaching Chemistry,” Nalley said. “It’s like I am kind of re-living my life, because I never had any of this when I was growing up.”

The bond Nalley shares with the thousands of students she has taught and influenced over the years is deep. The mutual relationship from her living vicariously through their technologically advanced studies adds to her instructional style, motivation and curiosity.

“Being a chemist is so exciting, and teaching chemistry here and having the equipment to work with to teach all this to the kids,” Nalley said, “our kids go out of here really well prepared to meet the world, and so they’re accepted in medical schools, graduate schools — we have a legacy.”

A legacy is built over time with tireless dedication, perseverance and persistence. It takes a certain kind of strength and resilience to not only succeed in a maledominant industry, but also to break down barriers, smash through glass ceilings and blaze powerful new trails for young girls and women everywhere to follow.

“When I was a little kid, I grew up thinking I wanted to be Marie Curie, and I wanted to win the Nobel Prize,” Nalley recalled, “but more than anything, I wanted to make it better for women. I

States, but I never dreamed I would have an opportunity to do it at an International level.”

Nalley has achieved incredible feats such as being the first woman named Oklahoma Chemist of the Year in 1996, and in 2019 being recognized as one of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) Distinguished Women in Chemistry, and presented the award in Paris, France.

Arguably one of her most influential moments came after Nalley was the first woman ever appointed to the board of the International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies (PACIFICHEM) in 2001, a position she held until 2010. Early on, Nalley traveled to Japan to meet the emperor and brought gifts that represented her Oklahoma roots.

“So, we were guests of the emperor in Japan, in the imperial palace, and I took the white buffalo,” Nalley said, “the Natives believe when there is an albino buffalo born, that it’s a symbol of peace, prosperity and hope for the future.”

A translator explained the Native American legend to the emperor and those sentiments were echoed back to her in a telegram from the emperor himself, sent to Cameron’s chemistry department following Nalley’s election as President of the American Chemical Society.

“I was their president in 2006, and I was the 5th woman in 138 years to serve,” Nalley said. “I was the first person ever from an undergraduate university and the first person from Oklahoma to serve as their president.”

At that time, Japanese women were not permitted to teach in universities, but with her inspiring accomplishments, a group of women from Japan reached out to Nalley requesting help.

“I wrote a proposal and sent it to the Japanese Government to allow the Japanese women to teach, and it was funded.” Nalley added, “I’ve been to Japan 11 times, and I’ve been back to speak at gender-equity conferences.”

This fall, Nalley was surprised and honored with one of the best gifts a dedicated professor could ever hope for. She went to attend a strategic planning meeting, having no idea what was about to happen.

President Hunt announced that he wanted to talk to the group, before they get into the meeting, and went on to explain that one of the great things about coming to Cameron, is getting to work with really great people.

“And then he started describing things that this person had done, and I thought, well, that sounds like me,” Nalley said through a smile. “And then he said that he was pleased to announce that Cameron University has established an Endowed Lectureship in my name.”

President Hunt is truly grateful to have the privilege of bestowing this significant distinction to such a valued member of the Cameron University faculty.

“We were able to permanently endow the Dr. Ann Nalley Lectureship in Chemistry,” Hunt said. “I think Ann really represents the very best of what being a professor means to the students, to their community, to their discipline.”

Updates with President Hunt

Amanda Purser Managing Editor

President Hunt hit the ground running this fall with big goals, ambitious plans and a promise to help propel Cameron University to the best version possible, for all current and future students, staff, faculty and alumni.

In just the past five months, Hunt has immersed himself in the local community and reinforced partnerships among the Lawton-Fort Sill civilian and military organizations, Tribal partners, Lawton Public Schools and other local agencies like FISTA, Rotary Clubs and more.

Hunt has secured an extraordinary gift from the McMahon Foundation, as part of their school naming initiative that marks a new precedent for Aggie fundraising.

“I got to visit with their board a month ago, and they have enthusiastically given us $3 million to name the McMahon School of Business,” Hunt said. “That is one of the two or three largest gifts in the history of Cameron University.”

This donation is one of the largest any regional public University has acquired in the state of Oklahoma’s history of higher education. The sizeable public institutions like Oklahoma State University (OSU) and University of Oklahoma (OU) are designated as “research universities” and categorized differently as flagship institutions for donation record purposes.

The McMahon School of Business program will provide a variety of valuable resources and possibilities for

the current and future business students at Cameron University.

“So that comes with four endowed faculty positions, two endowed chairs, and two endowed professorships,” Hunt said, “that will help make sure we can recruit and retain the best faculty in business, forever.”

In addition, there will be significant scholarships to help cover financial support going towards student’s tuition, books and supplies.

Hunt said, “It will allow us to have a really state-of-the-art innovation lab and Bloomberg terminals,” among other endeavors and support, such as no-cost summer camps for local youth to learn about business and entrepreneurship.

“There’s an endowment in there for an executive in residence, where it provides funding for us to bring in leading executives from across the country to come in and spend a week with our students and talk about their industry and company,” he said.

“It will provide a permanent building endowment, so that we can always make sure we’re doing the types of technology-advances in our classrooms and program areas that our students need to get the best possible education,” Hunt said.

This is clearly a transformative gift for Aggies, affecting how and what students have the opportunity to experience and learn, which will impact Cameron for generations to come.

“I am so overwhelmingly thankful to the McMahon Foundation for making this investment,” Hunt said.

As a first-generation college student and business major at OU, Hunt witnessed the Michael F. Price College of Business naming, as part of its inaugural undergraduate class. As his son’s education journey continues, (Andrew is pursuing his MBA at his parent’s alma mater) Hunt gets to witness the Price naming gift impacting a new group of students.

“That gift, in just one generation, has completely transformed the opportunities that he (Andrew) and his classmates have,” Hunt said.

“So, I can tell you for the (Cameron) students a generation from now, we will look back and say, ‘that was one of the most important and impactful gifts in the history of Cameron University.’”

Prior to the McMahon School of Business naming gift, Hunt had a unique opportunity to honor his predecessor, Interim President Jari Askins, who he felt made a significant impact on his new role as Cameron’s 18th President.

“Jari was just so helpful, supportive and kind,” Hunt said, “and we’ve been able to do a lot of things over the past five months that I’ve been here, because of how smooth and positive that transition was.”

On Askins’ last day working for Cameron, Hunt held a farewell event that brought together students, faculty, staff, alumni and family of Askins, to thank her for her time and dedication to this institution and the Oklahoma judicial and legislative efforts.

At the event, Lawton Mayor Stan Booker presented Askins with a plaque and recognition

for all she has done for the Lawton-Fort Sill community, and President Hunt proudly announced the newly endowed President Jari Askins Leadership Scholarship, that will forever remember Askin’s effort and commitment in every role she has taken on.

“I knew it would mean so much to Jari, that we get to honor her legacy of service at Cameron and the state of Oklahoma,” Hunt said, “but also, in a way that helps students have educational opportunity for decades and generations to come.”

That endowment was amongst the tremendous fundraising activity Hunt has spearheaded, along with the CocaCola First-Generation Scholarship, a recent $25,000 gift from AT&T, and a number of private donations, to name a few.

Aside from monetary contributions, Hunt knows the importance of understanding the constituent groups of Cameron and our surrounding communities. In order to better direct future efforts and hear from these groups, Cameron is conducting targeted listening sessions.

“We have done four of the eight so far, as we’re sitting here — we have done Cameron staff, students, faculty and alumni,” Hunt said. “We have one coming up for the Lawton community, for the Duncan community, one for our Tribal partners, and one that’s a catch-all that we’ll do in midDecember.”

While some of the concerns and ideas can be addressed and implemented immediately, much of the feedback from these assemblies will

help dictate the most effective and efficient ways to conduct strategic planning and allocate resources moving forward.

“As a relatively new person, it’s been incredibly helpful for me to understand the historical context of some things,” Hunt said. “To understand some of the challenges around previous decisions, and to look for ways that we can best support our entire campus community.”

The steering committee for strategic planning is a 15-member representative group, which consists of five professors at all levels and ranks, including a department chair. The committee also has the Dean of Students, Vice President of Enrollment Management, several staff members, an alumna from the Cameron Foundation, as well as the Student Government President, Connor Holt.

“Now, there’ll be a lot of people even beyond that group that’ll be a part of you know, shaping and molding what that looks like, but that’s a core group really to facilitate the listening sessions,” Hunt said. “Dr. Chris Keller is an awesome part of the steering committee, taking all of the audio data from there and using AI to get themes out of that has been really powerful to provide summaries of different things.”

Hunt aims to have all of the listening session information organized and the plan fully outlined by the spring. As most strategic plans go, it will be laid out for a five-year period with goals to achieve by the year 2031.

Many aspects of the

plan will be prioritized based on importance and potential impacts to various groups within the Cameron community. Hunt said they strive for complete transparency with this process, adding that the plan will be public knowledge and shared online from the Cameron website, along with follow-ups on the progress being made along the way.

“So, every semester you will hear in emails from me, or remarks from me, or updates to the campus, on how we’re moving forward on those goals,” Hunt said. “And there will be a real emphasis across all of our programs, and all of the initiatives that we’re taking on to say, how does this tie back into our strategic plan?” Hunt added that many institutions draft strategic plans just to have it done and they end up getting shelved, or they’re too conservative with their goals.

He aims to be more aspirational for Aggies, “we want to kind of push the envelope a little bit and dream about things that we can be at Cameron, maybe things we’ve never been.”

The listening sessions have proved so valuable to Hunt, and even with experience conducting similar versions with graduating students as a Business School Dean, he didn’t imagine how insightful and motivating it would be for him as the new president to directly get this correspondence.

“We want to get better, and your feedback helps us get better a lot faster,” Hunt said. “Even after we roll the strategic plan out in the spring, we’ll do the student listening sessions every semester from now on, for as long as I’m doing this.”

JOHN MASTERS ETHICS BOWL COACH

Makayla Flenoury News Editor

Associate Professor of Management and Brewcynski Endowed Chair in Business Leadership John Masters coached his Ethics Bowl team into a spot at Nationals.

Masters grew up in Louisiana, where he achieved his undergraduate degree in History with a minor in Business at Louisiana State University. Masters originally wanted to be a history teacher but took the path of business.

While Masters’ first career was as a banker at SunTrust Bank on the East Coast, he always wanted to be a teacher.

Masters then went on to get his MBA from McNeese University and his PhD in Organization Theory and Policy from the University of North Texas.

He taught at Western Illinois University for about ten years before returning to LSU. He taught at LSU for five years until Hurricane Katrina struck. With the Hurricane raging, Masters made his way to Lawton, Oklahoma where he has been, and began teaching at Cameron University for about twenty years and counting.

Masters didn’t start as the Ethics Bowl coach, even though he was skilled in ethics. While teaching an Ethics Class, the coach at the time approached Masters for advice.

“The current [at the time] Ethics coach, who had only done it for one year, came and said, ‘Will you help me? We lost all our rounds this year. Then she never came back. So, I got it by default, and now I’ve been doing it for 10 plus years.”

The Ethics Bowl is a competition where students argue their stance on an ethical issue in society. It is similar to debate, except the teams are not required to have opposing stances on a case. The teams have to justify their beliefs based on ethical reasoning.

“So, each year they put out 15 of those cases,” Masters said. “Some of the cases were about dealing with overtourism, whether the government should fly like LGBTQ flags. Then, a couple months later, they have a number of regional competitions

in which students from the region. Our region being Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Those universities then meet to discuss or debate those issues.”

There are 12 regions around the country, each is assigned the same 15 cases until the select few teams move onto nationals. Once regionals are over, the competing team are assigned a new set of 15 cases.

“We first read the cases and decide on what our team’s gut reaction is on the issue,” Masters said. “And then we apply philosophical ethical principles like justice or utilitarianism or human rights to that position to see if it holds true.”

A panel of three judges rates the teams based on clarity, logical framework, consideration of opposing views, how the team responds to the opposing team’s presentatio and how well a team

responds to the judges’ questions.

Masters believes the Ethics Bowl is more than just arguing ethical reasoning and is the core of what college is about.

“I think it teaches you the most important things I think you should learn in college,” Masters said. “Which is how to think really critically and rationally about issues where there are really two sides. It’s not just right and wrong.”

Cameron’s team tied for first place; however, the tiebreaker is dependent on the margin of victory. Cameron’s team had a lower margin of victory, so the team achieved second place. Even so, the team secured their spot at Nationals.

“I am incredibly proud of my students,” Master said. “They did a great job. In one round, I told them, ‘I think you probably did better than I could have, so that is good. That’s rewarding.”

Voices

Quotes from Staff

“Being a part of the Collegian this past semester has taught me to speak up and advocate for myself more. I am a rather quiet person, but being a page editor has given me a push out of my shell.”

— Makayla Flenoury

“The last semester has taught me more than all the others combined, as I took on more responsibilities and felt confident in doing so. The spectrum of skills I’ve learned here will carry me directly into the job market, that’s how valuable and rewarding both the program and the paper are. The Collegian has made me a stronger writer, editor and collaborator.”

– Serenity Clark

“When I first joined, I was nervous about how my writing sounded and whether my layouts were “good enough.” Over the semester I learned to trust my instincts and skills. That shift has made me more excited to share my work with others.”

– Angelica Martinez

“This fall semester I was the Sports Editor for my 3rd semester here at Cameron. One of the main things I can take away from the beginning of this school year is that I still have room to grow and improve. I am still finding ways to hone my skills and learning to view things differently than before.”

– Matthew Hasley

“This year working for the Collegian, I learned how important communication is and editing in a timely manner strengthened my time-management ability which impacted me in a positive way to communicate more and to not be scared to reach out as needed.”

— Rachel Nunn

“My first semester with the Collegian taught me a lot about formatting, composition and work ethic. But I think what impacted me the most was seeing an issue come together at the end of the week, and the feeling of accomplishment that came with it.”

– Jake Thomas

“This semester I had the privilege of serving as the Managing Editor and it was such a great experience that taught me a lot about my leadership style and the way I want to present myself to my team. I tried to foster open communication, constructive feedback and maintain a positive and inclusive environment that everyone felt safe and inspired to work in.”

– Amanda Purser

“I’ve learned to be patient with my work (yes, even in the middle of very short deadlines). My writing voice has developed so much with every new article, my graphics skills have improved and I’m more confident in my writing. And I’ve discovered my love for maple bacon donuts.”

– Eden Lozano

“This semester in the Collegian forced me to accept and let go of a lot of my insecurities as a writer. It taught me that life becomes a whole lot more enjoyable when I can let go of that perfectionism rather than letting it control my life.”

– Ciera Terry

ETHICS BOWL TEAM PLACES

2nd

IN

REGIONAL

COMPETITION Advances to Nationals

Angelica Martinez Student Life Editor

On Nov. 15, the Cameron University Ethics Bowl team placed second at the regional competition hosted by St. Mary’s University and advanced to the national championship in St. Louis.

The Association for Practical and Professional Ethics Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl (APPE IEB) brings students together to discuss cases involving modern social and ethical issues. Teams receive the cases in early September and spend the fall preparing for competition in early November.

During each match, two teams of up to five students compete against each other. A moderator poses a question based on one of 15 cases. The presenting team confers briefly, then delivers an argument grounded in ethical and philosophical principles in response to the question. The opposing team then challenges the argument, and the presenting team then replies. Judges follow with their own questions to the presenting team before the teams switch roles for the next case. The teams are then judged on clarity, discussion of the case’s moral dimensions, insight on different viewpoints, the primary presentation, response to the opposing team’s commentary and the responses given to judges.

In the first round, Cameron’s

team presented on Oh, SNAP!, arguing whether the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program should restrict unhealthy foods. The University of the Incarnate Word’s team won the round with their presentation on And Now You Care?, which examined whether artworks that cause harm to animals, such as the works of Marco Evaristti’s, are a violation of ethical principles.

In the second round, Northeastern State University presented on Red Flags, a case questioning whether government buildings should display symbols tied to ongoing social issues. Cameron won the round with their argument on All That Glitters, which explored the ethical implications of the Golden Visa Program.

In the final round, Cameron presented on Curb Your Overtourism, a case about tourism’s impacts and the ethics of tourist taxes. The team won against Texas A&M University–San Antonio, which presented on Pound of Flesh, a case debating whether inmates should be allowed to donate organs in exchange for reduced sentences.

Cameron finished second overall with 433 points. The team will advance to nationals alongside the first-place team from UT San Antonio and the third-place team from the University of Houston.

Andrew Brei, director of the Texas Regional Ethics

Bowl and associate professor of philosophy at St. Mary’s University, coordinated the event. Brei emphasized the value of structured, wellfacilitated dialogue in an era of increasingly polarized discourse.

“It allows students a space to really hone their ability to sort of cut through the noise and the irrelevant stuff, and really focus in on what matters and what’s important.” Brei said. “And it’s not to say that identity and emotions and these sorts of things aren’t important. They’re valid. But without an understanding of the heart of the matter, you’re just doomed to going round and round just yelling at other people. That’s not productive. That’s not authentic. So events like this need to go on so that people can practice that and have a stage for that.”

Brei notes that ongoing censorship and limitations in academic spaces make these opportunities even more essential.

“It’s becoming harder and harder to engage in really well-intentioned, authentic, meaningful discussions about really important issues,” he said. “We’re in a time and a place where conversations like the ones that went on between the teams in these rounds are really being actively discouraged. And so as many obstacles as go up, we need to respond with more things like this.”

Much work was put into

the competition. Cameron’s team prepared through weekly meetings. Early sessions focused on understanding each case, selecting ethical frameworks and crafting arguments. In later practices, the students simulated competition rounds. The team discussed improvements they could make to each argument.

While in San Antonio, the team continued refining their arguments. They reviewed previous rounds over dinner, practiced in the hotel lobby late into the night and discussed which cases they hoped would be selected for the competition at breakfast.

For Michelle Nya, a

experience especially meaningful.

“I’ve been on different teams before for capstones, for projects, but what I loved about the ethics bowl is it was a very good cohesive team,” Nya said. “Everyone was equally invested in the team, so it made it easier to want to work hard for your team, and typically it’s hard to get that.”

After the competition, students explored the city before reuniting for a celebratory dinner at Boudro’s on the River Walk.

The team will now compete at the national Ethics Bowl on March 7 – 8 in St. Louis. New cases will be released in early

On Nov. 20, journalism and media production students revived the beloved CU trivia game show Wheel of Scholarship. Students competed in a trivia contest for a $500 scholarship. Runners-up received more than $200 in gift cards. Episodes will be available soon on Aggie Central. The show is expected to return in Spring 2026. Stay tuned for futher updates.

WHEEL OF SCHOL ARSHIP

Continue NALLEY from Page 1

Hunt explained that he frequently asks students and alumni what their favorite course or professor is/was at Cameron, and he recently had a person tell him that they took Dr. Nalley’s class in 1979 and she was their favorite.

“What makes Ann such an extraordinary professor is — I have students who took her last year who say the same thing,” Hunt said. “And you think about the greatness to be able to say, have somebody in 1979 say you’re their best professor, and somebody in 2025 say that you’re the best professor,” Hunt continued, “there’s not many professors in the history of Earth, that sustain that level of greatness, for that long.”

After such a lengthy career of devoted service to her students, and being a worldrenowned scientific leader, Nalley has

been decorated with honors many times, has international accolades, and even has awards in her name, which is a true testament to her accomplishments.

The American Chemical Society has the Nationally recognized E. Ann Nalley Northwest Region Award for Service, and its given at the regional meetings annually.

“I get invited a lot of the times to go and present it, and that’s special,” Nalley said.

She confessed that at her age and with so many commitments, Nalley sometimes questions why she still travels for events like these, only to be reminded of exactly why its important to her and the recipients.

“Two years ago, I went to Northeastern University in Boston, and this guy comes

in and he said, “Ann, you came all the way out here to give me the award,” and I said, ‘I did,’ and I presented the award,” Nalley said. “And then when I gave it to him, he said at the end, ‘I’ve done all this work, all these years,’ because he worked for the forensic department in Boston, and he said, ‘but I’ve never gotten an award, this means so much to me and the fact that you came out here,’ and his wife told me that he was just recovering from cancer, and he cried,” Nalley said, holding back tears of her own. “And then he passed away the next year.”

“Those kinds of things, I think, mean more to me sometimes than any of the awards, and any of the things I’ve done,” Nalley admitted. “When I can change a life, or I can make somebody else’s life better.”

That sentiment is the exact

culmination of the selfless service Nalley has demonstrated for more than five decades. She could have gone on to a bigger institution, taken a more esteemed position and even led groundbreaking research teams to new scientific breakthroughs. Yet she chose to continue to teach, year after year, seeing what a difference she can make in the thousands of students and youth she has imparted wisdom on.

“Those are the things that really make my life full, you know?” Nalley adds, “When I see a kid from Fredrick, Oklahoma, or my student who got to go to Bordeaux, France, and she had never flown before, she is from Gore, Oklahoma, went to Gore High School — and these kids — when I can open up the world for them, it makes it all meaningful.”

Farewell Reviews

“Good Afternoon, Good Evening and Good Night!”

Amelia Lozano A&E Editor

My brain primarily functions through movies.

It’s the only thing that truly gives my brain peace.

I could go on an endless stream of consciousness talking about films and actors and directors and genre studies — give me an inch and I’ll do a full lap to Jupiter if you let me.

I have films I watch when I’m sad; films I watch during my birthday and other major holidays; I routinely pick an actor at random and toss myself into their filmography purely for the love of the game. I like to know people’s favorite films because it’s the most surefire way to get to know them (in my personal opinion).

Maybe it’s strange to be in my 20s and not really have many hobbies aside from watching movies.

Even when I reach my eventual aspirations of screenwriting and filmmaking, I can’t imagine having much else I’d want to do.

As Ken from Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” movie would put it: my job is just… movies.

if there’s an escape plan in the end? Whose to say some of us won’t be left behind if it happens?

That’s what gets me about this film in particular – so much of it is about possibility.

You reach out across time and space and alternate dimensions to send a signal home, and you can never be sure that it’ll reach, and you don’t know if it’ll even make it in time for you to live through that change – but you did it. You made the call. You solved the equation. You cared enough to try.

Isn’t that what we all want? For someone to take that leap, to love and reach out for us in a time of need?

I rewatched “Interstellar” when it had its IMAX re-release in December, 2024.

It was like watching it for the first time.

It’s a film of such massive scale handled so tenderly with all the

– even if the sun explodes on us or we choke on pollution and I don’t get to live past my 30s, I’ll have

cast aside in favor of blockbusters

completely changed how animated films look since its release in 2018 –look at major animated films like “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” “Wild Robot” or “K-Pop Demon Hunters.” The art direction and animated style is so distinct and wellcharacterized that it genuinely changed artists forever. I own the art books for the first movie and its sequel, “Beyond the SpiderVerse,” and I hold them very near and dear to my heart. In all areas, though, “Spider-Verse” outdoes Superhero films might be overrunning every area of our media landscape, but this film is proof that there’s still more to say

Mireia Planesas Staff Writer

Cameron University’s cross-country teams wrapped up their 2025 season on Saturday, Nov. 8, at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships, held at the Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo, Colorado.

Competing at nearly 4,700 feet of elevation, the Aggies faced thin air and altitude conditions they are not accustomed to, making the already challenging region even tougher.

The regional meet brought together some of the strongest programs in Division II.

Among them were Adams State, UC–Colorado Springs, Colorado School of Mines, and West Texas A&M, all teams that consistently contend on the national stage.

Only the top three teams earn automatic qualification to the NCAA Championships.

The women’s 6-kilometer race began at 11 a.m., featuring a fast, early pace set by the frontrunners.

scorer, finishing 85th in 23:10 after holding steady through the middle packs.

Junior and team captain Gracie Ortiz also contributed to the team’s efforts.

“Regionals was a fun trip,” Ortiz said. “It was special to compete together one last time, especially

overall with 516 points.

The men’s 10-kilometer race began at 12:15 p.m., and the altitude played an even greater role as the distance increased.

Weldon Chebon of New Mexico Highlands won the race in 29:44, pulling away in the final kilometer.

Tristian Spence of Adams State claimed the individual title in 20:06, with teammate Ava O’Connor finishing second in 20:14, giving the Grizzlies a dominant start.

For Cameron, Akaya Lightbourne led the way, placing 65th with a time of 22:46, closing her junior season with one of her most consistent races of the year.

Kaat de Staercke followed as Cameron’s second

since we have several seniors and teammates who are transferring. We won’t get the chance to race with them again, so it was a great opportunity to have fun and be competitive.”

In the team standings, Adams State secured the regional title with 42 points, followed by UC–Colorado Springs with 74 points and Colorado School of Mines with 82. Cameron placed 17th

Kidus Begashaw of Adams State took second in 29:53, and Julian Campos, also of Adams State, completed the podium in 30:06.

Cameron’s top finisher was team captain Victor Ramos Sambade, who placed 53rd with a strong time of 32:07, improving significantly from his finish the previous season.

“This was my best cross season yet,” Ramos Sambade said. “I ran a personal record at Regionals, and I moved up eight spots from last year. As a team, we worked hard all fall, and now it’s time to shift our focus to track.”

Junior Miquel Cruz was the second Cameron runner, placing 99th with a time of 33:29, closing a steady campaign in which he consistently contributed to the team scoring.

In the men’s team race, Adams State won with 50 points, followed closely by Colorado School of Mines with 62, and Western Colorado in third with 75. Cameron finished 18th with 503 points.

The regional meet officially concludes the Aggies’ cross-country season, marking the end of an encouraging fall for both squads.

The program now shifts its attention to the upcoming indoor and outdoor track seasons.

Matthew Hasley Sports Editor

In the world of collegiate Overwatch 2, where split-second decisions and flawless execution separate the contenders from the champions, the Cameron University Pickaxes delivered a dominant beatdown on Wednesday night.

Facing off against the University of Northern Iowa Panthers White Team (UNI White) in a best-of-three series, the Pickaxes served it to their opponents, securing a flawless 3-0 victory.

Maps like Antarctic Peninsula, Hollywood, (two of which they hardly see in competition) and Suravāsa tested both teams’ adaptability, but it was the Pickaxes’ teamwork and communication that allowed their synergy to shine.

The Pickaxes starting roster—Azari (Marquis Wartley), MysticMewTwo (Justin Osuna), and wnterinparis (Wyatt McClure), Jonesyb1723 (Jones Baskett), DrJoJoGoGo (Joseph Burton)—entered Wednesday’s game surprised they even had one.

Just two weeks ago, the Pickaxes season ended on Nov. 7. They were told they would not be going to the playoffs after falling to a 3-5 record, but after a week, their coach John Cunningham, sent them a message in their Discord

server stating they had made the playoffs and would be facing off against UNI White.

The series against the Panthers kicked off on the icy cliffs of Antarctic Peninsula, a control point map.

The Pickaxes opened with a hyper-mobile dive composition: Sojourn, Moira, Juno, Junker Queen, and Genji. The Panthers countered with a spam-heavy setup of Junkrat, Mauga, Cassidy, Wu Yang, and Kiriko.

From the first team fight, it was one-sided. The Pickaxes took over the point, securing a lightning-fast team kill. The Panthers respawned, but the second clash ended in another devastating team wipe for them.

Behind wnterinparis’ Genji blade in the third fight, the Pickaxes sealed the round without a single death on their side, a first for this semester. Wnterinparis on Genji was untouchable, slicing through the Panthers’ backline as he joked about getting Genji banned in the next round.

dive comp more dive. The Pickaxes wasted

held up their defense effortlessly, holding the

map where both teams battle for random points across the map. Bans continued with the Pickaxes banning Junkrat and the Panthers knocking out Moira.

Pickaxes ran a similar comp as they did in round two — Doomfist, Mercy, Sojourn, Genji, and Juno. Panthers answered with Orisa, Bastion, Torbjörn, Lucio, and Kiriko, betting on stationary fire to help them.

Panthers at a chokepoint that walks into third point, pushing relentlessly and eventually spawntrapping the Panthers once more before capping. Series over. 3-0 Pickaxes. In the aftermath of victory, the Pickaxes were happy, one could feel the fun in the room in the eSports lab on campus.

Jonesyb1723, known as Jonesy to his teammates, reflected on areas for growth.

and Bastion, digging in behind nested defenses

Heading into the second round on Antarctic Peninsula, MysticMewTwo swapped to Doomfist to give the

diminish wnterinparis’ play and neutralize the blade threat.

On defense, the Pickaxes rolled out Ramattra, Sojourn, Ashe, Juno, and Moira, in an attempt to have a balanced setup of poke and sustain.

The Panthers pushed with Reinhardt, Cassidy, Lucio, Kiriko, and Torbjörn, choosing speed, shield and turret fire.

But the Pickaxes

and turrets. It did not matter.

Azari and the Pickaxes picked off Lucio, a healer, early, snowballing it into a team kill just 30 seconds into the round. They secured the first tick of the point uncontested, and Hollywood fell. 2-0 Pickaxes.

Game point unfolded on Suravāsa, a Flashpoint

By the time the first point opened for capture, the Pickaxes had already staggered the Panthers with early picks, pushing them back and holding the first point untouched. The second point opened to a fast team fight, both teams landing blows on each other’s health pools. A timely Juno ultimate by Jonesyb1723 swung it decisively for the Pickaxes.

The second team fight broke out and MysticMewTwo erupted with Doomfist, leaping around a building and obliterating the Panthers’ backline, following it up with both DPS killed, and forcing the Panthers’ tank into spawn.

The third point? A non-existent contest. The Pickaxes ambushed the

“Dive and anti-dive,” he said, insinuating that the team still has areas of their game to work on. If the Pickaxes gain the ability to fluidly switch between aggressive dives and counterstrategies, they could surely secure more wins next semester.

Wnterinparis commented on the Panthers’ map selection, which were maps you do not see teams pick very often.

“Fun, but wasn’t really beneficial for what they ran,” he said, noticing that the Panthers did not fit their comp well to the maps they chose to play on. This sweep fuels the Pickaxes for the next game and next semester. There was a sense in the room that communication and teamwork have gotten better since the first of this semester. As the playoffs continue, opponents beware!

Cameron University’s Pickaxes are poised to make a run.