FRIDAY, DEC. 5, 2025 VOLUME 100 ISSUE 5
LA VIDA
NEWS
OPINION
The Texas Tech Trombone Choir’s 60 years of music production are paired with an emphasis on blending genres for its annual Carol of Lights performance.
Texas Tech’s new crowdfunding platform Onward helped raise money for a program reconnecting justiceinvolved individuals with their families under the leadership of Tech faculty.
“Die Hard” has long been debated for its ambiguous identity as a Christmas movie. The DT’s William Wright offers his own opinion on the heated discourse.
Texas Tech women’s tennis seniors and good friends Yekaterina Dmitrichenko and Hailey Murphy were Tech’s first doubles team to qualify for the NCAA Doubles Championships.
SPORTS
Hustle culture is a phenomenon among college students trying to gain experience in career fields while learning in the classroom at the same time.
NEWS
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TRADITION
Dean reflects on 67 years of Carol of Lights By CHRISTIAN JETER
mainstay of the Tech holiday season. “I didn’t realize it was going to grow into the tradition that it is toMore than 60 years ago, when the day,” Dean said. “Obviously, it was an university was still Texas Techno- honor, but I thought this is just one of logical College, it was Bill Dean who the things that they want the student pulled the switch that lit up Carol of body president to do.” Lights for the first time. With this December’s celebration Now, after graduating from Texas marking the 67th Annual Carol of Tech in 1961, becoming a husband Lights, Dean said the extent to which and father and retiring after a 54-year the event has grown is almost unbeteaching career, he said the tradi- lievable. tion’s amazement hasn’t wavered. “When you think back to how “The magic moment is when the meager it was to start with and what lights come on,” he said. it has become, it’s mind-boggling,” Dean, a retired associate emeritus he said. professor in public relations and straSince pulling that switch back in tegic communication management, 1961, Dean said he’s seen the occafirst flipped the lights when he was sion evolve and change many times. student body president back in 1961, Some of the most notable instances the year the Carol of Lights was made have been the addition of more lights, official. fireworks, drones and musical artists, Before the celebration became such as Lost Wax and American Auwhat it is today, Dean said it was thors during 2023 and 2024’s Carol of initially hosted by Gene Hemmle, Lights, respectively. former chair and director of Tech’s Yet, he said one constant has alDepartment of Music, with a small ways been the carols, which the comcollection of students drinking hot munity has continued to sing since cocoa and singing Christmas carols in roughly 50 people huddled together the Science Quadin front of the former rangle parking lot. Science Building in However, after 1959. Harold Hinn, a Tech “We sang the same When you think back Regent from 1957carols. They haven’t to how meager it was 69, donated a large changed,” Dean said. sum of money to to start with and what “But it was much purchase lights and it has become, it’s smaller — the lights decorate the build- mind-boggling. only covered a couple ings, Carol of Lights of buildings, and the quickly began to BILL DEAN crowds were (small).” grow in both size Dean not only TEXAS TECH ASSOCIATE and spectacle. EMERITUS PROFESSOR pulled the first switch Dean said he was to kick off the celebrainvited to kick off the celebration tion, but he was also invited to start because of his role at the time as stu- Carol of Lights a second time in 2018 dent body president. He didn’t expect for the event’s 60th anniversary. the tradition, however, to become a It was here where he was reminded L a Vida Editor
MAKAYLA PEREZ/The Daily Toreador
Texas Tech associate emeritus professor Bill Dean holds up and smiles with a bell that is displayed in his office inside the College of Media and Communication building Nov. 19, 2025.
of the many times he attended the occasions over the years, whether that was by himself as a student or with his wife, Peggy, and their two children. “It brought back a lot of memories,” he said. “My wife and I, we never missed one.” Through freezing temperatures, pouring rain and even West Texas heat, Dean said his family never skipped a single Carol of Lights, making sure they saw campus illuminated by red and green each year. “My wife and I would go, and then we had children,” Dean said. “We would take them through thick and thin, and some nights I was pretty damn cold.” Facilities Maintenance, in collaboration with a number of Tech
departments, is primarily in charge of putting the lights up around campus beginning in early October through late November. Rich Cartwright, senior managing director for Facilities Maintenance, has been in charge for roughly 18 years, viewing plenty of Carol of Lights during his time. He said seeing the lights flip on each year never gets old, showcasing the dedication it takes to get most of the campus prepared for the holiday season. “You put all this work and manpower into it, and when you actually see it happen, it’s just a good feeling,” Cartwright said. He said it’s a rewarding experience for anyone who pulls the switch, but
especially for Dean, given he was the first to officially begin the Carol of Lights itself. “It’s got to be an emotional feeling, knowing that you did the switch for that day, for that year,” Cartwright said. Now, after being the very first to pull the switch and seeing over 65 years of the Carol of Lights, Dean said the celebration holds a special place in his heart, even beating out many of his other favorite Tech traditions. “That would be my favorite tradition: the Carol of Lights,” Dean said. “The Masked Rider at the football game is great, but this involves so many people, and they come from everywhere to see it.” @CJeter_DT
FAMILY
Burgess’ mom watches son’s growth from afar
JADON CHESNUTT/The Daily Toreador
No. 6 Texas Tech senior punter Jack Burgess hugs his mother, Maria Burgess, before the start of Texas Tech football’s Senior Day game against the University of Central Florida at Jones AT&T Stadium Nov. 15, 2025.
By CORY WHITMAN SportS rEportEr
As Maria Burgess sat on her 15-hour and 45-minute flight from Melbourne, Australia, to Dallas, she wondered what type of environment Lubbock would present on her first visit to the United States since 2023. Maria Burgess had only heard sto-
ries from her son, Texas Tech senior punter Jack Burgess about West Texas. Nonetheless, she was excited to see her son, arriving in the U.S. on Nov. 5 to watch him walk across the field for Senior Day against the University of Central Florida at Jones AT&T Stadium on Nov. 15. “I just couldn’t bear the thought of him standing up there with no family
around him, being the poor, old, lonely Aussie,” Maria Burgess said with a laugh. While a child moving away from home can generally be a hard time for families, it’s even harder for one to move over 8,750 miles away, Maria Burgess said. She said her perspective of the United States stems from the media ,and he wasn’t completely certain about Jack Burgess going as far as America to pursue punting until some reassurance put her at ease. “Really, the idea of just coming to America—and the only thing we knew about America was guns, lots of guns,” Maria Burgess said. “ … I did speak to an American in Australia, and she said, ‘Oh, Utah, that’s the safest state’, so I felt good.” Her only other visit to the U.S. by herself also was to see Jack Burgess, but at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. Jack Burgess left Australia for Weber State in 2022 after training for several years at Prokick Australia, a Melbourne-based program that trains Australian athletes to become colle-
giate or professional punters or kickers “He just turned 20 when he left, and in American football. he wouldn’t let me come with him,” She said her son had known about Maria Burgess said jokingly. “He’d hate Prokick Australia previously, but he me saying it, but I was devastated, but learned more information at an award he’s always been really independent.” ceremony for his late father, Ian BurSince Jack Burgess has been in gess. Lubbock, he’s been “When we were drivpopular among the ing home from that, he Red Raiders fans, was so excited,” Maria with students even I just couldn’t bear Burgess said. “He said, making Australian ‘Mum, do you think I the thought of him flags with his face could do this?’ So he’d standing up there with on it. gone from a state of no family around him, Seeing the convery depressed because being the poor, old, stant support for her his dad had just died to lonely Aussie. son in his athletic really excited, and I was journey, Maria BurMARIA BURGESS gess said she feels like,‘Anything you want JACK BURGESS’ MOM he’s found a home that makes you happy.’” Ian Burgess died in away from “The 2020 from a heart attack, Maria Burgess Bush.” said. He served 22 years in the Royal “He was a little worried. He said Australian Air Force, where he ended ,‘Mom, I’m a little worried that they his service as a Flight Lieutenant. won’t get my sense of humour’ cause During his time in the Air Force, he met he’s a funny guy,” Maria Burgess said. Maria, who was a corporal. “He’s settled in really good, and people With Jack Burgess leaving for the like him here and that’s great. I love States in 2022, it was the first time that they’re kind, and I’m really, really Maria Burgess had been without both proud of the man he’s become.” her son and Ian Burgess. @CoryWhitmanDT KAYCI SANDON/The Daily Toreador