Collegian T he Cameron University
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Monday, September 28, 2015
Volume 93 Issue 4
Jacob Jardel
different honors societies,” McArthur said, “[people] see how engaged our students are Sports Editor with their academic work. @JJardel_Writing “It’s very interesting to see the breadth of With the sounds of the Cameron Concert interest of our students, what they do and have done with the talents they’ve been given Band reverberating through the rafters, the and the hard work that they’ve committed,” Cameron community heeded the call to he said. Convocation at 10 a.m. on Sept. 18 in the From the opening processional, the Aggie Gym. students played a large part in the ceremony. Students, faculty and staff came together As Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Matthew once more for the annual recognition of Mireles led the concert band, the platform academic excellence throughout campus. party made its way to the stage before Cameron President Dr. John McArthur said students filed into the gym. Student gonfalon that Convocation celebrates not only the carriers entered after, literally carrying the start of the school year but also outstanding banners of their academic disciplines to line student achievement. the sides of the stage. “We want to be able to celebrate the Sophomore music major Lorenzo Butler successes of all of our students,” he said, “and opened the ceremony with the singing of the this is a great way to do that.” national anthem before McArthur provided This year, however, the event moved from opening remarks about the ceremony. the Fine Arts Courtyard indoors to the gym. Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. According to McArthur, the move comes as a response to feedback from previous years that Ronna Vanderslice then made the call to cited excessive heat and the potential for rain. convocation, speaking to the audience about He said that the move is experimental at this the importance of the Millennial generation. Citing the generation’s collective traits, point. Vanderslice urged the students to strive for “When we do the After Action Review the best future they could attain. after the event, [moving indoors] would “Take advantage of the special and be part of the consideration by our Public Exercises Task Force,” McArthur said. “That individual qualities you bring to the table,” she said. “Set your sights high and start working is going to be one of the key questions.” now.” Until that report manifests, though, Following Vanderslice’s remarks, senior McArthur emphasized the importance of psychology major and Student Government student involvement in the event. From the Association President Nikki Kirk led performance of the Cameron Concert Band to the presentations from student speakers, he the recognition of the honors students throughout the crowd. As she read off the said students make the event special. names, scholarships and “When you call out the
honors societies, affiliated students stood for acknowledgment. Afterward, senior English major Nicholas Brush led the round of student reflections. He said that his path to creating a unique learning experience was through the recreation of one’s self. Master of Business Administration student Laura Espinosa followed Brush, imploring students not to give up on their dreams just because it will take time. She cited her efforts before showing gratitude to the members of the Cameron community who helped her. She also had a piece of advice for the students in attendance. “Get ready for the experience of a lifetime,” Espinosa said. After Dr. Patrick Callaghan and the concert band performed “America, the Beautiful,” senior organizational leadership major Johnna Newby concluded the student reflections. She spoke of her ups and downs in the pursuit of academic perfection. She said that with the help of her professors and others around her, she was able to make it through hard times both in the classroom and outside of the walls of academia. “Perfection is not always possible,” Newby said. “This is a hard lesson to learn, and I still struggle … but I still strive for excellence.” Following Newby’s presentation, McArthur gave his closing remarks for the event. Senior music major Jessica Fernandez led the Alma Mater before the Cameron Concert Band played the recessional.
CONVOCATION
Photo by Jacob Jardel
A celebration at Convocation: Cameron President Dr. John McArthur provided opening remarks at the ceremony. He said the purpose of Convocation is to celebrate the start of a new school year, as well as outstanding student achievement.
Jabbar: Rain comes at perfect time Vicky Smith
safety and welfare” due to Assistant Managing Editor a water emergency, evident by the low percentage of @pinkwritinglady combined usable storage of On May 11, 2015, City Lakes Lawtonka, Ellsworth of Lawton Mayor Fred and Waurika. Fitch signed a proclamation Prior to the summer’s declaring that Stage 1 – rainfall, according to The Voluntary Restriction of Washington Post on June 8, Outside Water Usage shall “In fall 2011, nearly 80 no longer be in effect until percent of Oklahoma and further notice. Texas were in exceptional The proclamation states drought — the most severe the water restriction existed category on the drought to “protect public health, scale.”
City of Lawton Director of Water and Water Waste Afsaneh Jabbar said the rainfall came to Lawton at the perfect time because the city was just days away from taking drastic restriction measures. “If we had taken the additional measures,” Jabbar said, “businesses would have been affected. We would have gone to one day per week watering and eventually to no watering
at all, which would have affected the statics of the community… A society that cannot bring in more businesses because it cannot rely on the water will suffer.” According to Jabbar, further water restrictions would have specifically affected the physical landscapes of businesses, as well nurseries and car washes, which depend heavily on water. “I’m sure businesses are
What’s inside Lansana recites his poetry Page 3
resilient,” she said, “and they come up with different strategies. If you cannot have lawn, then you go to a different kind of landscaping methods… But lifestyle would have had to change.” She said even though the city did not have to implement a restriction of no outside water usage, the lack of rain still affected people within the community. “Whenever we don’t have
any rain,” she said, “then that affects our budget, and when budget is affected, the whole area of things get affected. There won’t be funding to do streets [or] parks, so we will have to lay off employees or not hire employees.” Jabbar said the drought also affected the treatment of water.
See RAIN Page 2
Medicine Parks holds festival
The winning streak continues
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Student Life
September 28, 2015 www.aggiecentral.com
Volunteering with Miracle League Jacob Jardel
Lawton Family YMCA Alvin Clemons said that the league helps Sports Editor children and adults from age three @JJardel_Writing to 21 years in the two-inning games. He added that his job enables For Cameron students looking to give back, a Saturday morning stop him to interact with people in the to Elmer Thomas Park will provide community. “I love being the Sports Director the opportunity in the form of the of the league for the reasons of Lawton-Fort Sill Miracle League. The Miracle League is a chance bonding with the players and for people with special needs to play encouraging them that they are a very special part of our community,” baseball on a ballpark that affords he said. the kids and young adults with a Director of Student safe environment. Games start at 10 Development Dr. Jennifer and 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays until Pruchnicki serves as a Cameron Oct. 17. representative for Miracle League. Miracle League Sports/ She said that her experience in Membership Director of the disability services gave her a great opportunity with the organization. “I have met some awesome individuals on the committee who want to make sure there are great things for kids to do in our community and who care about children and their families,” she said. “It’s been a wonderful experience.” Sophomore psychology major Carlos Dominguez said his experience with Miracle League has been positive for him as well. “It was really awesome seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces,” he said. According to Pruchnicki, volunteers – or “buddies” – play a part in helping the players hit the ball off of tees or assisting them around the bases if needed. However,
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on some of the chemicals that we had to use to treat water.” Although no water “The City of Lawton has restrictions are currently in place, Jabbar said people two lakes [Lawtonka and Ellsworth] and has storage still hold a mentality of water conservation. in another one, Waurika. “People have got used We don’t own Waurika, to not using water as much but we have 60 percent as they used in the past,” storage of Waurika water to be transferred to us and she said, “so on the average, about one to two million used. gallons a day we use less “Our water quality was water than we did in greatly affected by the previous years.” drought. Treatment was Jabbar said the effects a little bit more difficult of conservation are both than it normally is, so we were spending more money negative and positive.
she said the important part of the job is cheering the players on alongside the children’s parents and other supporters. “Kids do not care about whether someone has a disability or not,” Pruchnicki said. “They want to have fun with whoever is up for it.” Alongside Dominguez, senior business administration major David Propes has acted as one of the “buddies” this season. He said that he had an immediate response when Pruchnicki brought up the prospect to him. “I’ve always enjoyed helping our community,” Propes said, “When this opportunity was brought up by Dr. Pruchnicki, I had to jump on it as soon as possible.” Dominguez said he also has volunteer experience with people of need in the community. However, Pruchincki added that the students learn something from an event such as this, regardless of previous volunteer experience. “For students who volunteer,” she said, “I think it helps them learn more about services and events in the community and lets them give back in a way that helps improve their communication skills, empathy and learning how to be more flexible and adaptable.” Dominguez added that the experience adds something else on top of those lessons. “By being able to volunteer and play baseball with these kids, it’s just a great feeling,” he said. Propes said he enjoyed helping the children. “It was a lot of fun,” he said. “I had a great time with the kids and seeing them get excited as they
“Conservation is always good because resources are limited,” she said, “and if you don’t conserve, it gets to a point that you deplete the resources…but there is a budget shortfall as a result. “The shortfall affects the service that we provide to the public.” She said the city will soon undergo projects to repair damage caused by f looding. “We had f loating trees on the lakes that damaged two of our gates in Lawtonka…In Lake
played the game was an awesome experience.” Clemons said that that the awesome experience translates to more than those helping. “I think the Miracle League is a great benefit for special needs children and adults to have fun playing baseball,” he said, “and the parents get opportunity to sit and watch and enjoy seeing their children have fun.” With all the benefits for
everyone, Pruchnicki said she encourages everyone she can to join in and help. “I want our students and community to support Miracle League because it is an awesome program,” Pruchnicki said. To participate in or get more information on Miracle League, contact Alvin Clemons at 355-9622 or aclemons@lawtonfamilyymca. org.
Courtesy of Jennifer Pruchnicki
Smiles all around: (From left to right) Tiffany Wolverton, Carlos Dominguez and Andy from Texas Roadhouse cheer at the game.
Ellsworth, when the water was released, it damaged the spillway, which basically has washed away some of the gravel. “Those are the projects that we are trying to fund, and as soon as we get funding, they will be underway.” Jabbar said the city is also undergoing preparations for a future drought. “I have gone back and looked at the number of droughts that we have had,” she said. “It is a cycle that will happen again….
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That’s why we are spending the funds to have additional water resources available.” Like many people, Jabbar is glad the rain came to the Lawton area. “A situation that was not
too bright has become bright again,” she said. For more information about the City of Lawton Public Works Department’s current projects and future plans, call 580-581-3410 or visit cityof.lawton.ok.us.
Key Club International comes to CU Jacob Jardel Sports Editor
@JJardel_Writing A new organization on campus is coming to help Aggies give back to the community. A group of students have begun the process of starting Cameron University Circle K International (CKI) this fall. CKI is the collegiate step up from Kiwanis’ high school service organization Key Club. CKI is also the world’s largest studentled service organization at the collegiate level. According to Robbie Day, freshman biology major and club president, the distinction sets the organization apart from other service groups. “That’s a statement we are proud of,” Day said. According to him, part of the reason for this merit is the variety of service opportunities CKI as a whole offers. He feels CKI can provide just as much a chance to give back. “We have any kind of volunteer service thing that you would like to bring or see happen through CKI,” Day said. “As long as they’re interested in leading the committee, doing a lot of the work to get our volunteering up and working, I will work with anybody to get that going.” Faculty advisor and Instructor in the Office of Teaching and Learning Jason Poudrier met with Day and fellow freshman Rayquan Lewis to break ground on the new organization. According to Poudrier, the pair made great strides to get the club going – even early on. “Both [students] exhibited a contagious
enthusiasm for organizing a chapter of CKI at Cameron,” Poudrier said. For Day, this enthusiasm came after realizing Cameron is where he wanted to attend college. “I … fell in love with
individuals in both Kiwanis and the districtlevel CKI. Day said that they have had to accommodate to various input sources the whole time. “It’s kind of a
Cameron and wanted balancing to bring my act, having love for Circle to take in K and my love for everything Graphic by Vicky Smith Cameron together,” he said. and all the “So I wanted to get this started. It’s been a information we need to know to get it dream in my plans ever since I went to Key started [and] to get members,” he said. “I’m Club District Convention this year and very confident in that.” found out that it was possible.” Poudrier is also the advisor of Student In order to make CKI come to Veterans of America. His experience fruition, the group has been working with advising that organization gives him a
similar faith in the club getting started and obtaining members. “I love working with students here at Cameron and assisting them in organizing events,” Poudrier said. “There are so many things that students do when organized as a group that the possibilities are limitless.” This endless potential makes Day feel that everyone involved can benefit from CKI. “I think it’s going to make not only Kiwanis and CKI look better, but also Cameron University and the Lawton community look better,” he said, “especially once we get our name out there and they see that we have this strong group of college students that come out … and do volunteer activities.” Poudrier agreed, adding that the number of benefits members can have during their time with CKI. “CKI Members will benefit from being able to network with local business owners who are members of Kiwanis,” he said, “and CKI members will be able to exhibit first-hand their personal leadership skills as they organize, collaborate and participate in community projects.” According to Day, even with all the benefits, the aim of CKI is to give back with those community projects. “We’re going to do a lot,” he said. “We’re hoping to do a wide variety of things in the community to make it better.” Students interested in joining CKI can contact Jason Poudrier at jpoudrie@ cameron.edu. The organization’s first meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 22 in the MCC Ballroom.
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Student Life
September 28, 2015 www.aggiecentral.com
Poet Lansana visits Cameron Vicky Smith
Assistant Managing Editor @pinkwritinglady
At 7 p.m. on Sept. 18 in the CETES Conference Center, the Visiting Writer Series featured author Quraysh Ali Lansana who presented a reading of his creative work. Lansana is a faculty member of the creative writing program at Oklahoma City University and served as director of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing at Chicago State University from 2002-2011. David Bublitz, a professor of journalism at Cameron, introduced Lansana, saying his work has been published widely in journals and magazines across the country and internationally. The majority of the work Lansana presented at the reading is rooted in Oklahoma history with regard to race, class, politics and culture. His most recent publications include The Walmart Republic and The Breakbeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip Hop. Lansana said he is an Oklahoma native, having grown up in Enid. “Because I am a student of history and having spent the first half of my life here,” Lansana said, “the peculiar and unique history of this state is fascinating to me, always has been.” Born in 1964 and the youngest of six children, Lansana said he is a direct descendant of the black arts movement and the black power movement. “The black arts movement created output,” Lansana said, “whether that be music or theater [or] poetry, steeped in the mantra
of work by, for and about black people.” Lansana said his work is rooted largely in the African American experience in this state and in this country. “I grew up in a house with my older siblings’ music and politics and ideas,” he said. “I think because of that, also because of really the growing up of color in Oklahoma, I’ve always been rooted or grounded in politics or social justice concepts.” Lansana said his series of short poems titled “Bible Belted,” which are found in section two of the The Walmart Republic, are about growing up in Oklahoma. “Oklahoma is neither south nor west when you think about it,” Lansana said. “If you removed Oklahoma City and Tulsa from Oklahoma, what would you have? You’d have wheat fields and water and very little diversity of any kind. So, this is the construct for the idea of the Walmart Republic.” Although Lansana said almost all of his work is rooted in what happens in the world around him at the time he writes, he does not consciously decide that a work will be political. “It’s just the way that I see,” he said. “It’s the way that I think first and foremost about how folks are being treated…what’s right, what’s wrong, based on my own opinion. “Because of who I am and my experience and my upbringing and my love of history, social justice has always been a part of how I create.” One person who has impacted Lansana’s life is Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize, which she received for poetry in 1950. “Ms. Brooks was my mentor and teacher for about 11 years,”
Lansana said. “In class, she, as I phrase it, was an igniter of mind riots. She loved to sit back, throw an idea on the table and watch us ransack and lute and sort of get at this concept…I still have a folder full of poems with red ink from her editing, and the ink’s still dripping from the pages, and that was some time ago.” Lansana said he considers Brooks his cultural grandma to whom he was very close and learned different things applicable to both life and creative craft. “I learned certainly a great generosity, a great kindness from her,” he said, “as well as a dedication and a commitment to exactness – precision. “She’d give a reading and sit and sign everyone’s books who stood in line,” he said, “so sometimes she’d be signing books for two hours. … She would often labor for three months or so over one word in a poem because it was that important to her – that the words on the page were reflecting as close a proximity as possible her feelings, her thoughts, Photo by Vicky Smith what she was attempting Visiting Writer Series: On Sept. 18 author Quraysh Ali Lansana read to articulate.” poems from each of his books and had books available at the CETES Just as Brooks was Conference Center. a mentor to Lansana, Lansana was a mentor to a major success.” again. I still live in Chicago, but I Bublitz when he was a part of the As for coming back to enjoy coming home. I enjoy giving Red Earth Low-Residency program Oklahoma for the reading, back. I’d like to continue to build at Oklahoma City University, Lansana said he was happy to on doing that more often.” where he received a Master of Fine see Bublitz, as well as other For more information Arts degree in creative writing. Oklahoma friends whom he calls about Lansana and his creative “David is an outstanding poet,” “Oklahomies.” works, visit http://www. Lansana said, “and he’s going to be “I do enjoy coming home,” he poetryfoundation.org/bio/ doing great things. He’s going to be said. “I can call Oklahoma home quraysh-ali-lansana.
2015 Cameron University Ethics Bowl Tyla Eakins
organizations, clubs on campus – we allow any combination of students to Student Life Editor have teams in the ethics bowl.” @Tyla_Eakins One of last year’s winning team members was junior journalism and Cameron University’s Third annual Ethics Bowl will media production major Jonathon be between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Goode. “It was really a lot of fun discussing Friday, Oct. 2, in Cynthia different types of questions in different Ross Hall. ways,” Goode said. “How different The Ethics Bowl is a people perceive things or how they think campus-wide event which allows students to form teams something is okay as opposed to if I think it’s okay or not.” and participate in debate Goode will be participating once and discussion about current again in this year’s Regional Ethics Bowl, dilemmas in society in front he hopes to win. of a panel of judges. Burgess said the Ethics Bowl offers Dr. Sylvia Burgess, more than just prizes. coordinator of the Ethics “One of the things I decided early Bowl, explained how the on would be a huge benefit was for ethics bowl came to be the community to be aware of the campus wide. discussion of ethical issues that we “Working with some other have,” said Burgess, “so I invite each year faculty,” Burgess said, “I put community judges. together a proposal for the “We typically have three judges per Phillip L. Jones Endowed round, so I get about 25 community Lectureship in Ethics and received funding to sponsor a leaders to come in and spend 4 hours of their time on campus sitting in three campus wide ethics bowl. “We opened it up to where different rounds judging the students.” The ethics bowl provides an it can be teams, academic opportunity to network with leading departments, a combination of departments, just students area employers, who Burgess said always,enjoy meeting the students. who know each other and “At the end of the rounds all the decide to put together a team,
judges tell me, ‘Thank you so much for letting me be a part of this. Please remember to include me next year,’” Burgess said. “They enjoy it, they love listening to it, they get excited even after the awards are announced.” Students get a chance to meet the employers present after the Ethics Bowl during a reception. “We have a reception before while waiting to tally the votes, and the judges and the students mingle during that time, so the students get a chance to meet these community leaders the leaders get a chance to look at the caliber of the students that get involved in this sort of discussion,” said Burgess. This year’s cases include topics like the Anti-Vax Tax, forced chemotherapy, the Indian Child Welfare Act, changing ideals of beauty and the $15,000 Baby. Burgess said critical thinking is a must when dealing with Ethics Bowl cases. “It covers all sorts of current events you hear about on the news,” said Burgess. “Lots of the things we face in the world are problematic, and there is no right and a wrong. It’s the ethics of what happens, and students have to look at it from both sides.” The Ethics Bowl will be open to the public for attendance.
Dear Aggie: Trying to cope with loss Dear Aggie,
Someone very close to me recently passed away. I still can’t seem to comprehend it all, especially with classes and everything. Any tips on how to cope?
Sincerely, Trying to cope with a loss
Dear Trying to cope with a loss,
You are not alone. Students of AMF report between 35 and 48 percent of college students have lost a family member or close friend within the last two years. Between 22 and 30 percent of college students have lost family members or close friends within the last year (Balk, 1997; Wrenn, 1999; Balk, Walker & Baker, 2010). The most useful step someone who is grieving can take is finding an outlet; you don’t have to cope alone. Finding a support group is one way of coping with death.
Support groups give you the chance to meet others going through what you are going through and let you know how they are dealing with grieving. Loss support groups allow people to share common problems and provide mutual aid, thus helping the bereaved to develop a community and new social support systems (Janowiak, Mei-Tal, & Drapkin, 1995; Price, Dinas, Dunn & Winterowd, 1995; Zimpfer, 1991). Cameron University offers services at the Wellness Center for situations like yours. The Wellness Center offers medical care for acute conditions, mental health counseling, monthly education programs, and interactive workshops. If you are enrolled at the Lawton or Duncan campuses you are eligible for counseling services. When visiting The Wellness Center, make sure you bring your CU ID to every visit.
The Student Wellness Center reports recent surveys show 95 percent of students who have received counseling services are satisfied with the services they have received, and 90 percent of students who have received counseling services have improved in their overall ability to function. If you are interested in seeking help, visit The Student Wellness Center in North Shepler room 101. Counseling appointments can be made Monday through Friday by appointment only by calling 580-5816725 where crisis clients take precedence. Also, if you have an emergency after hours call 2911 for on campus police.
Sincerely, Aggie Dear Aggie responses are generated in house by Collegian editorial members and do not represent professional opinion or advice. Tweet to @DearAggieCU.
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Voices
September 28, 2015 www.aggiecentral.com
Reasons why Trump holds GOP cards
In an interview with Chuck Todd of Dr. Wendy Whitman Cobb, Associate Meet the Press, Trump said that all illegal Professor for political science, has said immigrants needed to leave – even those government is not broken. She blames the who have children born in the United issue on an uneducated electorate. States. So is our system of government broken? “We’re going to keep I would have to say no, it is not the families together,” broken. But like all things there Trump said. “We have are definitely some things that we to keep the families can do differently. together, but they have Whenever we as people analyze to go.” our government, we need to take a Generations of long look at the electorate and get immigrants have come them not only informed but also to the United States in involved. order to accomplish the The Center for the Study of American dream. the American Electorate says that Not if Trump has only 57.5 percent of voters voted Brandon Clark anything to say about in the 2012 general elections A&E Editor it. – just over half of all eligible @Brandon_writing He plans to close the citizens. southern borders by building a huge wall. With Trump leading the polls, maybe “I would build a great wall,” Trump the tides would change if only we required Tribune News Service said, “and nobody builds walls better than all eligible citizens to vote. We pride ourselves in living in a nation that there should be some job requirement me, believe me, and I’ll build them very You might just be surprised at how the that is free. We enjoy the fact that we are beyond age and birthplace for the highest inexpensively, I will build a great, great wall people voice their opinions. able to vote. office in the land. on our southern border. And As the 2016 presidential campaigns start Trump has spent the summer spouting I will have Mexico pay for to heat up, Donald Trump seems to be hate for immigrants. He has gone so far to that wall.” leading the GOP candidates. One question call illegal Mexican immigrants “rapists.” What is the American comes to mind: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re dream? Writer and historian Has Donald Trump proven that the not sending the best,” Trump said. “They’re James Truslow Adams said it current electoral process our nation has not sending you. They’re sending people is a land in which life is better trusted in is now failing? that have lots of problems, and they’re and richer for everyone. For a long time, I have believed that any bringing those problems. “With opportunity for citizen can run and become president was “They’re bringing drugs; they’re bringing each according to ability or an amazing thing. crime. They’re rapists and some, I assume, achievement, …” Adams said, I am a senior here at Cameron are good people, but I speak to border “regardless of the fortuitous University studying political science. As I guards, and they’re telling us what we’re circumstances of birth or get older and see politics at work, I believe getting.” Tribune News Service position.”
Modern relevance of the ‘runaway American dream’ On Aug. 25, 1975 in a last-ditch effort to make it big in the of “Born to Run” was filled with individuals waking from that world of rock and roll, Bruce Springsteen released “Born to dream. Run,” the title track of his third studio album. “A brutal combination of commodity supply shocks, loose The track itself was on limited run during the tail end of the monetary policy, and federal deficits—the latter, a hangover previous year, with various radio hosts discovering and playing effect from the Vietnam War—created both sky-high inflation the track on five o’clock rush hour drives. and unemployment,” he said. In true John Green fashion, the track “The resulting phenomenon, which economists blew up slowly then all at once, becoming dubbed ‘stagflation,’ interrupted a quarter-century of one of the biggest hits of the Boss’ career. seemingly boundless growth and prosperity,” Zeitz That said, this track is twice as old as added. many of Cameron’s incoming freshman Monetary instability, deficits, inflation, class. The Berlin Wall and communism unemployment – and all in the shadow of a still loomed over the German landscape. seemingly endless war: does any part of this sound The United States was still frozen in the familiar? Cold War. In 2007, the United States was in the midst of one Lots of things have changed since the of its worst recessions since the Great Depression. release of this then-seminal song – itself Unemployment was at its highest in 30 years. The Jacob Jardel a vital piece of Americana at the time. So conflict in the Middle East was omnipresent in Sports Editor why write about it now, fourty years and American society. The U.S. Dollar was fluctuating a month later? in its strength. Many @JJardel_Writing It could be because this song is still a Millenials felt the favorite among the listeners of the time and those who view the repercussions of it as they hit era of music as a sort of gilded age in American popular music. their adolescent and emerging It could be the fact that the wall of sound technique mixed adulthood years. with a glistening sax solo keep it alive. So when Springsteen sang Or, more likely, it could be just as relevant now as it was about “tramps like us,” he back in mid 1970s America. might as well have been talking As previously stated, many things have changed in the about us, too. 40 years since “Born to Run.” But one thing has not, and the Is that to say that the answer is obvious from the song’s opening lines. American dream is dead? In “In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway theory, it is not necessarily American dream.” dead. Put into context, the concept of the American dream has But, as “Atlantic” writer gone through a metamorphosis since James Truslow Adams Joe Pinsker writes, America’s described it in 1931. He asserted that “each man and each youth are starting to lose woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which hope in it. Citing researchers they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what Carol Hostetter, Sabrina they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or Williamson Sullenberger position.” and Leila Wood, Pinsker In short, if you work hard enough at what you do, you will concludes that the new be able to achieve the goals you wish. This mindset served as “American Dream 2.0” is a potential solace when the Great Depression roared through not so much of an upgrade, the 1930s. As America climbed out of the deficit en route to rather a “meritocracy with an relative prosperity in the ‘50s and ‘60s, the working class was asterisk.” climbing in places like Detroit and Springsteen’s home state “In this version of the New Jersey. American Dream,” the However, as Joshua Zeitz of “The Atlantic” wrote, the era researchers said, “anyone can 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.
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Editorial Staff
Managing Editor - Krista Pylant Asst. Managing Editor - Vicky Smith A&E Editor - Brandon Clark Sports Editor - Jacob Jardel, Krista Pylant Student Life Editor - Tyla Eakins Copy Editor - Joel Frambes Aggie Central Editor- Charlene Belew
Newsroom Staff
Financial Officer - Susan Hill Circulation Manager - Krista Pylant and Vicky Smith Advertising Managers - Charlene Belew Faculty Adviser - Mr. David Bublitz
go to college IF they have the resources, are ok about going into debt, can somehow get the coveted scholarship, are willing to go to community college or come from a family of means.” So maybe we are living in an era when the American dream is slipping away again, no matter the iteration. At least Zeitz thinks so. “Americans still grapple with the same concerns that animated a young Bruce Springsteen,” Zeitz said. “The place and condition of one’s birth continue to define the outer boundaries of possibility. All of which makes the music as meaningful as it ever was.” Which brings the point back to “Born to Run,” celebrating its ruby anniversary on American airwaves. Springsteen sang of his desire for a girl named Wendy and the hopes of hitting the highway “ jammed with broken heroes.” The closing lines of the song still speak to the romantic optimist in us all. “Everybody’s out on the run tonight but there’s no place left to hide,” he sang. “Someday girl I don’t know when we’re gonna get to that place where we really want to go.” Where that place is, we may not know. Maybe that place is a better American dream – maybe even a better America. All many of us know is that there is something inherently wrong going on that makes the concept of American exceptionalism seem less of a fact and more like a dream from which we all unpleasantly woke. “Baby, this town rips the bones from your back,” he said. “It’s a death trap, it’s a suicide wrap. / We gotta get out while we’re young.” But when we get out, what comes next? We paint a brighter future with what we have. It may be tough, but we can take that American dream, fix it up and make it ours. Maybe then, as Springsteen sang, we can all walk in the sun. “But till then, tramps like Tribune News Service us, baby we were born to run.” Letters Policy
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. 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.
September 28, 2015 www.aggiecentral.com
5
A&E
Medicine Park hosts annual Art Walk Vicky Smith
Assistant Managing Editor @pinkwritinglady
Medicine Park hosted its sixth annual Art Walk and Flute Festival from Sept. 19-20. Those who attended received the opportunity to enjoy the work of featured artists and listen to live music, while young ones created their own art the Children’s Booth. Helen Riley, one of the coordinators of the Children’s Book, said the Art Walk and Flute Festival provides a venue for artists to come display their work. “It’s really like the Arts for All Festival in Lawton,” Riley said, “but in a small, more intimate location…This [festival] brings out the artists and the f lute enthusiasts.” Susan May, another coordinator of the Children’s booth and a fitness coach at Cameron, said the festival welcomed a diversity of art vendors. “There’s everything from sculpting to metal work to water colors, acrylics, photographs, tapestries, silk screening, jewelry,” she said, “so there’s pretty much something for everybody.”
Riley said those who attended the Children’s Booth made rain sticks, binoculars, shakers, pin wheels and jewelry. “Quite a few of the children who come through are actually the children of the artists who have booths here,” Riley said, “so it gives them something to do, but whenever you do things like this, you’re exposing the next generation to art.” Don Brogdon, a senior computer science major at Cameron, said this year’s festival marks his third time to help with Dwayne Eakins’ photography booth. “It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “I like seeing everybody’s art and just getting to come here and kind of relax.” Among the many featured guests at the festival were photographer Steve Enter, carver Bobby Creeping Bear and f lute maker John Suttles. Enter, a photographer from Midwest City, said his photos capture the nature of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. “I enjoy when people enjoy when I take pictures,” he said. According to Enter, the festival has a great atmosphere. “Everyone’s just so friendly,” he said. “I think it’s just really good for people to get out and be amongst each other and see things and see what people can do because there are a lot of fantastic artists here.” Bear, a stone carver from Apache,
said he carves a variety of stones, including alabaster and marble. “I’m just demonstrating some carving techniques,” he said. “I was here last year doing the same thing, and they invited me back this year. I think it’s pretty neat down here.” Bear said his art is available to purchase in the Red Door Art Gallery, a shop in Medicine Park. Suttles, a f lute maker from southwest Missouri, said he has been making and selling f lutes for a number of years for the company Fallen Branch Flutes. “We go out and pick up branches on the ground and turn them into f lutes and give them a new life,” he said. Suttles said his favorite part of the festival is visiting with the people. “We’ve got friends from all over the United States that gather here together,” he said. “The people here receive the vendors beautifully here…I just hope this keeps going here year after year.” According to Riley, after expenses for the Art Walk and Flute Festival have been paid, any extra funds will go to provide a scholarship for an intern at the Medicine Park Aquarium and Natural Sciences Center. “[The center is] not completed yet,” she said. “They’ll get an intern from Cameron, so they will provide some internships for students to come and help.” For more information about the upcoming Medicine Park Aquarium and Natural Sciences Center, visit http:// mpmns.org/.
Photos by Vicky Smith
A Walk in the Park: Bobby Creeping Bear (left) demonstrates his carving techniques with an alabaster sculpture in front of one of Medicine Park’s creekside shops. John Suttles (above) showcases a variety of flutes, some of which he made, with Medicine Creek as a backdrop. Creeping Bear and Suttles were two of the many artists on display during the sixth annual Medicine Park Art Walk and Flute Festival on Sept. 19 and 20 in Medicine Park.
Trevor Noah prepares for ‘Daily Show’ debut Tribune News Service
race, politics and cultural identity to By his own account, Trevor “The Daily Noah was a “nerdy little child” Show” at a time when who spent most of his time such issues indoors reading voraciously dominate the – everything from “Charlie news. and the Chocolate Factory” to Born to a electronics manuals. black mother “That was my world,” says and white the 31-year-old late one evening in his sparsely decorated office. father whose relationship “I just consumed – that’s all was illegal I’ve ever been, a consumer of under information.” apartheid, It’s a quality that will serve Noah has him well at “The Daily Show,” mined his where Noah will take over for Jon Stewart on Monday night. tumultuous upbringing The comedian’s rise from the township to the pinnacle of for laughs American comedy is one of the in a stand-up act that blends more unexpected developments comedy with tragedy. “I was born a crime,” he has said. in an era of tremendous Since he first began upheaval for late-night performing in his early television. Before he was named 20s, Noah has gained an Stewart’s successor in March, Noah had made only a handful international reputation for of appearances as a contributor his irreverent take on charged topics such as Western on “The Daily Show” and was perceptions of Africa, his little known in the United country’s scandal-prone States. politicians and, especially, race. In contrast, the man he And though Noah is firmly will be replacing is a widely revered comedian who over the in the Millennial generation coveted by television executives, course of 16 years on the job transformed “The Daily Show” he has a hard-earned wisdom and maturity that transcends into essential election-year viewing and the Emmy-winning his young age. “I was born in the middle. jewel in Comedy Central’s I’ve always lived in the middle. crown. I’ve been an outsider and an Noah may not yet have the insider,” he says. “I have the recognition of a Chris Rock ability to see both sides, and or an Amy Schumer – names who were floated as possible then I try to find the truth.” successors to Stewart – but In February, Stewart there is little doubt that he will announced he would be bring a unique perspective on stepping down from “The Daily
Africa,” brilliantly flipped Western stereotypes of a continent “full of AIDS huts and starving children” to comment on the contentious state of race relations in the U.S. “I never thought I’d be more afraid of police in America than in South Africa,” he joked. “It kind of makes me a little nostalgic for the old days back home.” Though the network put out feelers to other Tribune News Service potential hosts, Show,” stunning the loyal fans sure,” says Ganeless. “If you Ganeless says that who had hoped he’d continue to had told me five years ago that Noah was “at the top of the list be their voice of reason through in the same 12-month period, from the beginning.” the 2016 election and rattling Jon Stewart and Stephen His multicultural executives at Comedy Central. Colbert would leave the air and background – a rarity in what “There was a moment of we would still be standing, I remains the overwhelmingly panic, of course,” concedes the wouldn’t have believed you.” white, male world of late network’s president, Michele Without any obvious subs night – was a bonus, not a Ganeless. “We knew the day on the bench, the network prerequisite, says Ganeless. would come. Obviously, we chose to look at Stewart’s “We talked to white men and hoped it would come later departure “as an opportunity we talked to black men, and rather than sooner, but it came to bring in someone fresh we talked to white women and sooner.” and different,” says Kent black women. We found the Stewart’s bombshell also Alterman, president of content right person.” happened to land two months development and original Noah knew he was up after the final broadcast of programming. for the job but also heard the “The Colbert Report” and just By this point, Noah’s other “amazing names” being a few weeks into the run of its profile in the U.S. was already considered and knew not to get replacement at 11:30, “The on the rise. He’d toured in his heart set on anything. “The Nightly Show With Larry 40 states, filmed a stand-up longer I stayed in the running, Wilmore.” John Oliver, who special called “Trevor Noah: the happier I got,” says the had successfully anchored “The African American,” and made comedian, who learned he’d Daily Show” during Stewart’s Jay Leno howl on “The Tonight be the new host of “The Daily “Rosewater” hiatus in 2013 and Show” – the first South African Show” while on tour in Dubai. was widely viewed as his heir comedian to do so. “I got the news and then my apparent, had been wooed away In December, he joined “The world got turned upside down.” by HBO a year earlier. Daily Show” as a contributor. Still, there are few life “It wasn’t perfect timing for His first bit, called “Spot the experiences that can prepare
one for becoming the target of an angry Internet mob. The excitement that followed the news of Noah’s hiring in March gave way almost instantly to a firestorm over tweets, written by Noah as far back as 2009, that many viewed as misogynistic and anti-Semitic. Noah was taken aback by the criticism and viewed the tweets as the work of a less polished and mature comedian. “It’s very difficult for somebody to go back into your past or into things you’ve done and no longer do and then tell you to change. It’s like someone telling you to quit smoking, and you quit smoking seven years ago.” Now that the virtual dust has settled, the outrage seems misguided. In the weeks since Stewart signed off in early August, nearly every waking hour of Noah’s day has been consumed by a blitz of promotion, writing sessions and test shows. As for contact between the hosts, Noah says, “I’m conscious of using my ‘call a friend’ very sparingly.” By way of explanation, he invokes another metaphor: As a child, Noah would ask his mother for help locating misplaced belongings and she would gently steer him in a more self-reliant direction. “She would always say, ‘If you look like you know I’m going to come and look for you, you’ll never find it. Look like I’m never coming, and then you will find what you need.’ That’s how I see it with Jon Stewart. I go look for the answer as if Jon Stewart doesn’t exist.”
6
Sports
September 28, 2015 www.aggiecentral.com
TENACITY
CAMERON PICKS UP TWO MORE WINS Krista Pylant
Photos courtesy of Mike Mazzo
Graphics by Krista Pylant
kills from Gillean tied the set at 21 and sparked late set heroics Managing Editor for Cameron. @KristaPylant8 Both sides traded kills until senior Kat Evans sealed the The Cameron volleyball Aggies first set victory with a team opened Lone Star kill, 25-23. Conference play by sweeping Despite the late spree, Texas A&M–Kingsville (25TAMUK held CU to 12 23, 25-21, 25-21) on Sept. 18 in kills and a .179 attacking Kingsville, Texas. percentage. This is the first time the The Aggies’ momentum Aggies have swept the carried over to the second set Javelinas at Kingsville since of the match, beginning with Oct. 12, 1991. three Black and Gold kills. Freshman Jenna Cameron retained its lead Gillean led the CU until an Aggie attack error and offense with 13 a Javelina ace knotted the set kills. Senior Kat at nine. Evans added eight The Aggies overturned the kills followed by lead following a TAMUK kill sophomore Kendra and trailed until the score tied Adams who had at 16. seven. After another tie at 17, the Freshman Tori Aggies went on another late Luckenbill provided scoring rally to take set two, the Aggies with 16 25-21. assists. The Black and Gold had 19 Defensively, junior kills among nine players in set Ciandra Seabourn led two compared to TAMUK’s the team in digs with 13. 11 kills. As a team, Cameron Set three began with an had one more kill than early 3-0 TAMUK run, but TAMUK, 43 compared to the Aggies were hot on the 42, and had the better hitting Javelina’s trail until they tied percentage, .228 compared to the set at eight and never .176. Texas A&M–Kingsville looked back. had 19 errors to CU’s 15. Cameron held TAMUK Cameron got off to a rough back to take set three and the offensive start at the beginning sweep, 25-21. of the first set with most of The Black and Gold’s streak its points resulting from early continued after they defeated TAMUK errors. Midwestern State 3-1 (25-14, The Javelinas took the 23-25, 25-27, 25-16) on Sept. offensive front at 7-11 before six 22 in the Aggie Gym. consecutive errors brought CU While both teams each had ahead, 13-11. 11 kills in set one, Mustang A&M–Kingsville began a attack errors allowed CU to comeback until three straight take command.
After a 2-2 tie, the Aggies gained momentum on a kill from Evans brought them the lead, which they held for the remainder of the set to win, 25-14. The Mustangs had 10 attack errors to CU’s one and ended the set with a .026 attacking percentage. Set two proved opposite for the Aggies as attack errors plagued them early on. Four consecutive attack errors by the Ags gave MSU a 1-4 lead. Cameron came within a point of the Mustangs in the middle of the set after a kill from Williams put the score at 15-16. The Aggies continued to battle back after three straight attack errors by the Mustangs tied the score at 23-23, however, back-to-back kills from MSU’s Meghan Bettis awarded MSU the set, 23-25. The third set proved to be a thriller with 12 ties and six lead changes. Late in the set, the score was knotted at 24-24 before a kill from MSU brought the Mustangs ahead by one. However, a service error by MSU became the turning point of the set as Cameron bounced back with straight kills from Evans and Gillean to win, 27-25. The Mustangs surged for a 0-4 lead to begin the fourth set. The set tied three times until the Aggies came off an 8-8 tie after a kill by Gillean put them up once again and allowed them to lead the remainder of the set and take it, 25-16.