thebattalion l tuesday,
november 26, 2013
l serving
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l first paper free – additional copies $1 l © 2013 student media
DORMSGIVING
Residence halls combine Thanksgiving and camaraderie Jennifer Reiley The Battalion
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o bring their communities together before and during the holidays, some campus residence halls are hosting their own Thanksgiving celebrations. Clements Hall hosted a Thanksgiving potluck dinner Monday night. Shelby Hanner, social chair of Clements Hall Council and sophomore biological and agricultural engineering major, said she came up with the idea of a potluck to encourage community and to reach out to fellow residents through their stomachs. “I like potlucks because they’re a good way to bring people together,” Hanner said. “There’s food, which brings people together easily. It’s low cost and hosting a potluck at this time of year has Thanksgiving symbolization as well.” In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Hanner said the event was open to anyone who came. Hullaballoo Hall hosted its Thanksgiving potluck Thursday. Brandon Carlson, community director of the hall, said the Hullaballoo held dinner because of its status as the newest residence hall on campus. See Thanksgiving on page 4
Tanner Garza — THE BATTALION
Students gather in a conference room to share in food and a Thanksgiving atmosphere at a potluck on Monday evening in Clements Hall.
fish camp
crime
Namesakes offer example, mentorship
Student reports sexual assault in residence hall John Rangel The Battalion
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William Guerra — THE BATTALION
Samantha Latta The Battalion
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ountless individuals make lasting, positive impacts on campus and the Aggie family. To honor both these people and the impression they leave, several hundred nominations are made each year for Fish Camp namesakes. In every session of Fish Camp, freshmen are divided into seven individual camps named after someone who has impacted A&M in a positive way. Namesakes are nominated in the hopes
that the qualities that inspired someone to nominate them will also influence their campers and counselors in constructive and encouraging ways. “When we choose namesakes, we’re looking for someone that has impacted A&M in a positive way,” said Suzie Lopez, assistant director of Fish Camp. “We’ve had namesakes in the past that have varied from previous presidents to someone who worked in Dining Services. The namesakes don’t necessarily have to be A&M graduates, basically we just want someone who has done something
memorable, will show the Aggie spirit to incoming freshmen and will shed some light on how to be a good Aggie.” The incoming students at Fish Camp spend four days at Lakeview Methodist Conference Center in Palestine, Texas, getting acquainted with the Aggie family, learning traditions, shouting their freshman wildcat and representing their namesake in camp competitions. Toward the end of each session, campers get to meet their namesake and hear the See Namesake on page 3
family
Aggies find a home away from home Pallavi Kaushik
The Battalion ifteen years ago, Monsignor Mike Sis, a former pastor at St. Mary’s Catholic Center, saw the need to create a home away from home for Aggie Catholics. Today, community members open their doors and pile their tables with food, welcoming students into their homes through the Adopt-an-Aggie program. The program matches students with local families and individuals who are permanent attendees at St. Mary’s and other local parishes. The original concept
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was intended for out-of-town students, but it has grown to involve Bryan-College Station residents. While freshmen are the focus of the program, members of all classes are included. Joan Ledwig and her husband, who have nine adopted Aggies this year, have sponsored students for 16 years and plan on continuing for many more. “Personally I feel like part of their lives,” Ledwig said. “They are so respectful of my husband and I. It makes me feel younger, like I am keeping up with the age group that we adopt and are
connected to their lives. I want them to know that if they need anything, we are here for them. In case of illness or emergency, when the occasion arises, we’ll be there for support.” Once matched, St. Mary’s leaves the families to proceed in their own style. Students can indicate interests in Spanish-speaking families or indicate that they wish to be matched with a family that has young children. “My husband John and I have been See Adopt-an-Aggie on page 3
he University Police Department is conducting an investigation after a Texas A&M student reported she was sexually assaulted in her residence hall Saturday evening. According to a University press release, the victim told authorities she met the perpetrator online a week before agreeing to meet at a restaurant. The victim said the assault took place after the perpetrator asked if they could go to her dorm room in Moses Hall to charge his cellphone, according to the release. UPD master officer and crime prevention specialist Kristi Hosea said in situations involving online relationships, assuming what another person tells you online is true is nothing more than an assumption.
If you’re going to meet somebody, you meet them at a public place, take friends with you.” — Kristi Hosea, UPD master officer and crime prevention specialist
“The suspect knew what he was doing,” Hosea said. “They targeted the individual and they didn’t waste time, which is really scary.” Hosea said the initial plan to meet in a public place was the right idea and encourages anyone in a virtual blind date scenario to exercise caution. “If you’re going to meet somebody, you meet them at a public place, take friends with you as moral support and backup, but not necessarily taking them back to your residence because you really don’t know this person,” Hosea said. “They’re still kind of a stranger, so building that offline relationship you need to know who this person is. Do you really want them to know where you are until you know more about them?”
international
Students receive acceptances, prepare for semester abroad Emily Thompson The Battalion
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s some students look forward to the closing of another semester, others are looking ahead to adventures abroad. Aggies across campus have been receiving decisions on their study abroad opportunities and have been subsequently preparing to broaden their personal and professional horizons. Angelo Gonzalez, sophomore international studies major, said he learned in recent weeks he will be going to England through the L.T. Jordan Institute, which functions as an internship for a law firm or government agency. He said studying abroad would open a door to realizing one of his foremost passions — helping people. “I really wanted to get out of my comfort zone and experience culture shock because I
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haven’t dealt with that before,” Gonzalez said. “I would love to experience traveling and seeing different cultures, getting a different experience through that.” The news has finally sunk in, Gonzalez said, and he’s begun researching about all the opportunities in London, like Abbey Road and the musical culture in London. “It’ll be completely different from College Station,” Gonzalez said. “A new environment, meeting new people, sharing new conversation with them. It’s a certain kind of exciting challenge. I’m looking forward to sharing experiences with new people — almost more than the internship itself. The job isn’t about material things or having possessions. I like to get down to the heart of who people are.” See Study Abroad on page 2
N LIO TTA A B William Guerra — THE
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news
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Tanner Garza — THE BATTALION
The Study Abroad Programs Office provides resources and opportunities overseas.
Study Abroad Continued from page 1
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thebattalion The IndependenT STudenT VoIce of TexaS a&M SInce 1893
Jake Walker, Editor in Chief The BaTTalion is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com. Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.
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Even though he still has yet to leave the country, Gonzalez said the process has already been exceedingly rewarding. “I learned during the application process that you really can’t quantify a person — not on paper or in numbers — that the heart of a person is so much more,� Gonzalez said. Courtney Cotter, a sophomore business major who will also travel to England, said she is excited to find out in early spring the company she’ll be interning with. She said she wants to eventually pursue global consulting and advise international companies on business planning and strategy. “I love the travel life. I love being abroad,� Cotter
said. “I’m looking forward to the experience of living in a different country and having that total immersion experience, getting to know the little things that you can only discover when you live there. I’m looking forward to being in a place completely different from where I was raised and realizing that the world is a bigger place than College Station or our little bubble.� Michael O’Neal, junior business major, said he will be going to England, France, Monaco, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany when he goes abroad. “While overseas, I plan on exploring the cities and countryside, photographing everything in sight and spending my time getting to know locals in the areas that we visit,� O’Neal said. “I love to learn about other cultures, so it’s incredibly
important to me to make the most of my time since I am blessed with such a wonderful opportunity like this.� O’Neal said the value of studying abroad can be explained easily — reading a textbook about the economy in London isn’t the same as speaking to someone from London about how they have been affected by the economy in recent years. “The United States has its own culture, roots and stereotypes, but to get a full understanding of what the world is like outside of our country limits, one actually has to fully immerse themselves in different cultures,� O’Neal said. “To see and explore new cultures and sights brings an incomparable satisfaction and knowledge that many people don’t ever have the opportunity to apply for.�
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thebattalion
Namesakes Continued from page 1
story behind the name they’ve been associated with, making the connection even more special. “Getting to meet the family behind my camp’s namesake was so great because without them or any of the other namesakes, I couldn’t have had the chance to embrace the Aggie family in the way that I did,” said Rebekah Reyes, freshman general studies major. “Getting to hear their stories and experiences was extremely reassuring to me because of the wisdom they’ve gained over their time at A&M.” A tremendous amount of thought and preparation is put into camp long before the freshmen board the buses to Palestine. Not only do the namesakes connect with their campers, but they create a special bond with their counselor’s before camp begins. “The kind of relationship I made with the counselors was one that made me want to watch them grow up, go to their weddings and continue to be in their lives,” said Wes Klett, Class of 1981 and Fish Camp session C namesake. “The best way to put it is that I started out with three children of my own, but when I left camp, I ended up with a total of 26 including the chairs and counselors.” Natalie West, a previous camp counselor and sophomore psychology major,
Adopt-an-Aggie Continued from page 1
blessed with wonderful adopted Aggies and their real families,” said Gerry Hince, campus minister and Adopt-an-Aggie program director. “We have lifelong friends now in Washington state; Austin; Poland; Golden, Colorado; Mexico and the Ukraine. Sometimes their folks stay with us when they visit and when one got engaged at the Dixie Chicken both his real family and his adopted family were there.” St. Mary’s and the program organize kickoff lunches, holiday season gatherings and Christmas card photo events to foster a sense of hospitality and camara-
COURTESY
Members of Camp Coolidge pose for a photo with the camp’s namesake. said the namesakes left a lasting impression on their lives. “The Coolidges [namesake from session G] have been nothing short of an inspiration to each of us,” West said. “From their endless support, immense generosity and wise council they have truly painted a perfect picture of what it means to be an Aggie after your time at A&M.” The experience as a counselor and a camper has been described as a rewarding opportunity, and namesakes like Lyndon Pryor, session C namesake and MSC student development specialist, said their experience is no less fulfilling. “I came to see my namesake experi-
ence as my second shot at Fish Camp,” Pryor said. “Not only would I get to have some marginal impact on the experience of 100-plus new Aggies, 24 counselors and 2 co-chairs, but they all would get to impact me. Watching a group of freshmen transform over 3 days was nothing short of amazing. As a former student, it is something I have experienced and something that I know happens, but to get to see it up close in this way was totally different.” Nominees who are chosen as namesake for Fish Camp 2014 should receive their offer in December.
derie that was part of Sis’ original vision. Ali Senz, program participant and senior biomedical engineering major, was sponsored by the Hince family during her freshman year in 2011. As an out-of-state student, she said she really longed to feel at home. By having her over for dinner, including her in their plans and helping to celebrate her accomplishments, Senz said the Hince family carried out the program’s message. “Without [Adopt-an-Aggie], I probably would not have succeeded to the degree that I have in the past three years” Senz said. “The Hince family means everything to me and really have become my second pair of parents. I can’t imagine how hard college would have been without their support and love. I came
to dinner with them on many weekends and when I couldn’t make it home to Colorado for Easter and Thanksgiving they included me in their plans like their own daughter. I plan on staying in touch with the Hinces well after graduation. They are a huge part of why I love the Aggie family.” Caitlin Haskett, freshman applied mathematical sciences major, said the program embodies Aggie values. “I think it’s an amazing literal interpretation of the Aggie Family and a beautiful notion that people will open their homes for other Aggie students,” Hasket said. “After all that’s what sets A&M apart from other schools for me — when we say family, we mean family.”
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FOR RENT 1bdrm. sublet, The Heights, available mid-December. Furnished, female only, bus-route. $534/mo. 865-898-9282. 2bd/1ba available now, $525-$650/mo. 2-blocks to campus, pets okay, semester leases available. 979-574-4036. 2bd/1ba duplex, $600/mo,, bus route, fenced yard, W/D hookups, no pets, 979-422-948. 3/2 duplex. 5-minutes from campus, fenced yard,all appliances, $850. Call 469-233-4653.
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ANSWERS
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the battalion
Photos by Tanner Garza — THE BATTALION
Clements Hall residents share dishes, such as green bean casserole and hot mulled apple cider, Monday evening at a pre-Thanksgiving potluck.
Thanksgiving Continued from page 1
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“Due to the fact that Hullabaloo Hall is a brand new community on A&M’s campus, our social chair for Hall Council, Cristin Beach, thought it would be a nice gesture to host a gathering for our residents to mingle and enjoy each other’s cooking, much like you would do during the holidays with your family,” Carlson said. Each floor of the hall was assigned to bring a different category of food — sides, vegetables, desserts and the basic necessities. Carlson said Hall Council was in charge of bringing the main dish and a rotisserie chicken and reserving the room for the event. “For an event like this, we recognized some students may not get to go home for Thanksgiving, so we wanted to provide these students with the opportunity to enjoy the spirit of Thanksgiving with us,” Carlson said. Carlson said the meal went well and that the residents seemed to enjoy the
For an event like this, we recognized some students may not get to go home for Thanksgiving, so we wanted to provide these students with the opportunity to enjoy the spirit of Thanksgiving with us.” — Brandon Carlson, community director of Clements Hall
community time. “We had the traditional favorites like mashed potatoes, green beans and pumpkin pie, and the students that came to the event seemed to enjoy themselves,” Carlson said. “Overall, I was very pleased to see the residents bonding over this event and our Hall Council Executives appreciated the interaction they received from our residents.” Other residence halls have events planned for students who are staying on campus throughout the break. Marc Rauckhorst, resident assistant for Hart Hall and sophomore international studies major, will host “Donuts and Diversity,” Friday. “‘Donuts and Diversity’ is a way for residents to get to know those who are
staying behind,” Rauckhorst said. “The plan is to get lots of coffee and donuts and have real conversations to learn more about each other.” Rauckhorst said the event promotes diversity because many of the students who are staying over the break cannot get home easily. “I’m an out-of-state student and there are many international students in the hall,” Rauckhorst said. “Everyone I’ve talked to is on-board. I’ve talked to students from China, Great Britain and from other states and they seem interested. We all hope to be with someone on Thanksgiving.”
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