voL . 103, No. 3
T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S AT E L PA S O
September 12, 2017
Preparing for a future without DACA
gaby velasquez / The ProsPecTor
By adrian Broaddus The Prospector
Last week, news broke about President Donald Trump deciding to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, with six-months notice The program had protected 800,000 immigrants from being deported to their native country. The news hit heavily with UTEP students throughout the past week. DACA students, along with organizations such as Education, Not Deportation, organized an event on campus to speak out against this program and signed a letter in efforts to meet with UTEP President Diana Natalicio to discuss what will happen with them. “When I heard the news, I was really upset and wanted to give up,” said DACA student Melissa Martinez. “We can’t give up and have to join the movement. Fight for your rights because we’re here and it’s not because we broke the law. We were kids and this is something we deserve and something we’ve worked so hard for.” University presidents from across the country denounced the removal
of DACA and stood firmly with the DREAMers that attend their schools. Rice President David Leebron was appalled with the decision and wrote to his students: “I was deeply disappointed to learn this morning of the administration’s decision to end the DACA program with six months notice for those currently enrolled, and immediately for those who are not. I have written before to the campus community of my own strong views on this issue, and on the university’s official position supporting the continuation of the DACA program. Although the president claimed that Congress should take up this issue, he offered no proposal or expression of support for such legislation.” Instead of rejecting the new policy, Natalicio sent a letter offering her sympathy for the students who will be affected. “What we want to be sure you know is that UTEP stands fully behind you and your dreams of a successful future through the attainment of your UTEP degree,” she said in a statement. “Please know, too, that we will do all within our
power to ensure that you have the opportunity to achieve your educational goals on our campus.” Natalicio also suggested that students who feel nervous or scared to contact Dean of Students Dr. Catie McCorryAndalis or to visit the university counseling center. “UTEP’s Dean of Students office can direct students to on and off-campus resources where they can get assistance with any specific legal issues they are facing,” McCorry Andalis said. “UTEP offers a variety of resources and support to DREAMers including but not limited to counseling and psychological services, as well as academic advising and financial literacy. We also have a list of off-campus resources that students can take advantage of, such as immigration advising.” She also advocated that the students continue to keep going to school and that they will do everything they can to help them. “We continue to monitor the situation and support students in pursuing their academic and professional goals,”
she said. “Despite the decision made on Sept. 5, we will continue to support our students in pursuing higher education.” Jonathan Cereceres, a vice president of SGA, is one of the main activists in the new program, Education Across Borders. Although the organization was content with the announcement of SB 4 being temporarily blocked, he believes this will be a more important issue. “But this, in our opinion, is a bigger blow, mainly because this goes across the whole board,” he said. “Truly these students are of no harm to the nation—91 percent have jobs, 100 percent don’t have felonies. These individuals are a complete benefit to the United States. The majority are good people. They’ve done nothing wrong and we shouldn’t be demonizing their parents. It’s something that’s hitting us really hard. We stand with DACA and stand with every single student that is affected by this.” With the news, Cereceres believes that students’ emotions have been at an alltime low. “One of the things we’ve noticed is a lot of morale has been dropped throughout
the campus,” he said. “A lot of students are very fearful. A lot are responding strongly about this, mainly because a lot of these individuals themselves are the Dreamers. These are the individuals we’ve been talking about and trying to protect them. This is something that has rippled throughout the campus and it’s something that drives a lot of people down. It alludes back to the same feel that people had when Trump was elected. A lot of people were shaking in their shoes.” Despite the news, he and his team will continue to help these students. “It is a setback, but it means that we have to regroup and rechannel everything into a different avenue,” he said. “So far, progress has been made. The biggest detriment is the student’s mindsets. We’re telling them to reach out to the Dean of Students and the counseling center—I think that’s the most important thing.” SGA will be having State of the University Address at Union Breezeway on Sept.13 at 11 a.m. Follow adrian Broaddus on Twitter @adrian_broaddus
PAGE 2 September 12, 2017
OPINION
Make America white again
By rene delgadillo The Prospector
When President Donald Trump announced the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protected 800,000 immigrants from being deported, I finally understood the words Michelle Obama once said. She said that being president doesn’t change the person you are, but it reveals the true person inside of you. Trump prides himself for having a great heart, for having children who love him and for being “the least racist person” you’ve ever met. But the reality is that being president is revealing his hypocrisy against minorities in the United States. Days before the announcement to end DACA, Trump said to the media, “I have a great heart for these folks we’re talking about. A great love for them, and people think in terms of children, but they’re really young adults. I have a love for these people and hopefully, now Congress will be able to help them and do it properly.” Where did his love for these people go? Trump’s hypocrisy was shown when he couldn’t even make the statement to end DACA himself. He sent his Attorney General Jeff Sessions to do the dirty work. Even when he turns his back on the American people, he doesn’t have the guts to say it in front of the cameras. When Trump decided to run for office, he said Mexicans were rapists and that they were bringing drugs to the United States. He has attacked women, the Black Lives Matter movement, news outlets and Muslims, among others who don’t agree with his views. Everyone has been attacked except white people who support the ideas he wants to enforce on the American people. Getting rid of DACA is another attempt to “make America white again.” Ending DACA is the worst decision Trump has made since taking office. He’s crushing the dreams of thousands of young people, who love the country in which they live in. These young people are not criminals, they did not enter the country illegally; they were brought by their parents, who came in search of a better life, in search of the American dream. Today, these young Americans are the result of that dream. They work, go to college, own businesses, pay taxes and respect the law. These young people are not a threat to the American people, as they have to show an almost spotless criminal record to be eligible for a DACA permit, which they have to renew every two years. They are not stealing the jobs of Americans, and anyone who argues
this would have to look at the wage difference between whites and the rest of the U.S. population. It makes no sense to deport thousands of people, who in many instances don’t even speak the language from their native country and know little about the country they were born in. The could-be deportations of all DACA recipients could cause many problems in Mexico and countries in Central America, as the job opportunities are not enough for the current populations of those countries. Deporting everyone under DACA would have a negative effect in each state of the country as well. According to the Center for American Progress, the deportation of all DACA workers would reduce the country’s gross domestic product by $433 billion in the next 10 years. Who would take all these jobs right after all DACA recipients are deported? Business owners would lose money and people looking to buy a product or service wouldn’t be able to get what they’re looking for. Everyone would end up losing if these young Americans were to be deported. I’ve talked with DREAMers who live in El Paso and who have been protesting against the removal of DACA. These are students who are one or two semesters away from graduating, they are students who are looking for internships and job opportunities. They are among the millennials who are looking to make a positive difference in the El Paso area. Aren’t these the immigrants that every country in the world would want? I speak as the son of two parents who were born in Mexico and who were not able to receive a college education. I’ve seen and experienced the hard work that my dad has done every day to provide us with food and a place to sleep. He came to El Paso and earned the right to be respected and the right to stay in the U.S. Today, everything that I have and accomplished is thanks to my father’s decision to leave his country, friends, family and culture. At the end of the day, this reality we’re living in is our fault. We were told to vote and to encourage others to vote, but we kept taking Trump and his supporters as a joke. We are guilty for the rise of injustices against minorities, we said and continue to say that we won’t tolerate racism and injustice, but many of the people who today protest the president’s decisions are the same people who couldn’t make the time to vote last November.
Adrian Broaddus , 747-7477
Where have media ethics gone? By editorial staff The Prospector
Like a paramedic’s duty is to help give immediate care to people, like a construction road worker’s duty is to ensure the safety of the roads, our job as journalists is very clear—we are taught to collect, write and/or distribute news and other relevant information to the public. One of the most procedural duties that journalists have recently have had to be reevaluated—the ethics we adhere by. Ethics and being completely objective have been the fundamental pillars of journalism taught to us from the beginning. The last election cycle has challenged those pillars and has affected the core of the industry because the field itself is being seen as dishonest and biased. But what does this mean for journalists? Although even being remotely biased in writing is a big no-no for journalists, this election cycle has made it difficult to present the facts without seeming one sided. For example, The New York Times often gets called out for being leftists when they report on Donald Trump’s actions, even though they do nothing more than report the facts. Before this election, one would write stories as representatives of the publication they worked for. For example, reporters working for a conservative paper wouldn’t write an article highlighting abortion as a fundamental right because it’s not what they believe. Now, it seems as if reporters write as individuals, expressing their opinions and beliefs through their stories. Every publication seems to have a slant when it comes to politics.
Although there are overwhelming facts that shine a negative light on someone, it seems unfair to try and counter those facts in order to be fair. How do we make situations clear without discrediting our work for coming off as too one sided? Our aim as journalists should always be to get both sides, but we should be wary about inflating one side of the argument for the sake of parity. Another factor that impairs objectivity is advertising. Obviously a publication cannot pay workers without selling advertisements or sponsorship packages. It’s a very delicate matter, especially when both paths cross, or worse, the journalistic side caves in and sells out to better cater to the advertisers. Former Mayor Oscar Leeser is a prime example of this conflict. Before, the mayor said that he would not use the advertising budget from his Hyundai dealership to influence media coverage, as long as the coverage was “professional and honest journalism,” he told the El Paso Times. However, during his mayoral campaign, Leeser pulled all his Hyundai of El Paso advertisements from the Times because he thought a story that was written was “biased and without merit,” as was reported by the Times. It was regarding a story where Fort Bliss officials questioned his campaign propaganda mail, which included a picture of Fort Bliss Maj. Gen. Dana Pittard. Ft. Bliss officials pointed out that the four-page flier, which was sent to 40,000 homes, featured photos that had not been allowed for publication. He called the coverage from the Times “biased,” but assured pulling the advertisements was not a matter of get-
ting back at the paper. “If I felt that they ran biased stories that had no merit, and they were trying to hurt me deliberately, I would think I would not advertise with them any longer,” Leeser told the Times. “It’s not leverage or anything, but if they’re trying to hurt me, then I don’t need to do business with them.” It was evident that this was an important subject for the Times to cover, but it was also pretty clear that Leeser wanted to get back at them the only way he could. From an advertising standpoint, it probably hurt the publication financially being that his advertisements would sometimes take up entire spreads. Examples such as this are what create conflict for journalists when writing stories. Remaining integral to the fundamental principles of journalism ethics is what we should stand by. But how do we do that while maintaining the respect and attention of readers? It is not up to us to change the rules of ethics we’ve been taught. The meaning of journalistic integrity seems to wither away as time passes, and the current administration’s predatory views on the profession and the content being reported does not serve as any help when it comes to trying to figure out the state of the industry. However, the dogmatic notion of a balancing act to defend a party that at times is not defendable counteracts the elements of competence and directness that the news is predicated upon.
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STAFF V O L . 1 0 3 , n o . 3 Editor-in-Chief:Adrian Broaddus Web Editor : Christian Vasquez Layout Manager : Alejandra Gonzalez Copy Editor : Leslie Sariñana Spor ts Editor : Jeremy Carranco Enter tainment Editor : Eddie Velazquez Photo Editor : Gaby Velasquez Multimedia Editor : Rene Delgadillo Staff Repor ters: Mike Flores, Grecia Sanchez, Claudia V. Flores Photographers: Claudia Hernandez, Nina Titovets, Andres Mar tinez Contributors: August Touris, Elanie Gonzalez, Brianna Chavez, Sergio Munoz
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THEPROSPECTOR
NEWS | 3 |
September 12, 2017
UTEP parking: survival of the fittest
claudia hernandez / The Prospector Students and faculty are currently voicing their frustrations against Parking and Transportation for the parking problems on campus.
By melynda venegas The Prospector
UTEP parking lots and garages have been a test to many students’ patience the first two weeks of the fall 2017 semester. Students struggle with not only getting into their permitted parking lots but also with finding a single parking spot. Director of UTEP’s Parking and Transportation Services, Ruben Chavira, said this is only a temporary problem. “Every semester, there is an initial adjustment period due to new students on campus, which can impact the campus community members who have purchased their permits in advance,” he said. “These factors and a high volume of traffic in the parking office have impacted our customers.”
Many students have expressed concern that parking lot permits had been oversold. “Parking lots have not been oversold,” Chavira said. “Adjustments have been made due to the loss of space in the parking lot across Sun Bowl Drive from the interdisciplinary research building construction site, and we are closely monitoring the space usage in the Sun Bowl parking garage.” On Sept. 1 the UTEP Student Government Association (SGA) met with UTEP Parking and Transportation Services to discuss the current parking issues and possible solutions. According to a Facebook post made by SGA regarding the meeting, Parking and Transportation Services said, “If no parking is available and you are a permit
holder, you may park in adjacent lots for this instance.” No citations will be issued to permit holders parking in adjacent lots for this instance. Students do not have to worry about getting a ticket while they are in class if they parked in an adjacent lot. However, numerous students have replied to this post voicing their parking frustrations. Senior biological science major Kayla Quintero commented on this. “It stinks having to come an hour earlier just to find parking,” she said. “I also did not pay over $300 to still park in the sun.” SGA President Kristen Ahumada believes that the reason for the parking issues are due to the increase in the school’s numbers. “This year it’s different because it’s a larger dynamic,” she said. “Last year we
had 23,000 students and we didn’t go to 24. We skipped over 24 and went to 25,000 (students). It’s a record-breaking admission rate.” This large influx of students is a factor that has led to the current parking issues students face. “This semester I have definitely noticed that there’s a lot more students. I think that’s why there’s so many parking problems going on,” junior multimedia journalism major Luisa Mata said. Students who park in the Sun Bowl parking garage sometimes drive around multiple times looking for a single parking spot. Mata has experienced this problem when going to class. “I have to get to campus 45 minutes before class starts just so I can hopefully find parking. It’s so frustrating to see so many cars parked in my garage without permits,” Mata said. An issue that has been occurring is the use of counterfeit paper permits. “PT&S has made a concerted effort to mark and label all official paper permits so that they are easy to identify. PT&S field staff have been trained to recognize anything that does not fit these criteria. A collaborative effort is in place with the Office of Student Conduct to enforce disciplinary actions on students engaging in this type of behavior,” Chavira said. A problem with parking is that there is no system in place that only allows permit holders into their designated lots. “Issuing citations does not completely solve the problem, preventing entry is the answer,” Chavira said. Accessibility and availability have been compromised. Parking lots fill up and students are late to class because they have to park elsewhere. Mata has been late multiple times trying to find parking. “How am I supposed to know my lot is already full by the time I get there? I’ve
had to park in remote lots several times this week and I was late to class because of it,” Mata said. Students who pay for the most expensive parking, such as the Sun Bowl garage, feel that if they paid the $324.50 to park in the garage, then students without permits should not be allowed to park there. Ahumada offered a couple possible solutions that were discussed at the meeting. “Parking said that they would beef up the shuttles to make the system faster for the people that get displaced,” Ahumada said. Another possible solution discussed was shuttling students from Sunland Park Mall or Cielo Vista Mall. “They’re landlocked so they can’t build anymore. They proposed that malls have a lot of extra parking space so they’d have students park there and then shuttle them to school,” Ahumada said. “Students would have to take into account the timing of the shuttles to get to class on time.” Until the parking problems are fixed, Parking and Transportation recommends that students find alternatives to their commute. “Students are advised to arrive as early as possible in case there is a high volume of cars in their parking lot or garage UTEP’s Parking and Transportation Services is staffing all of the Sun Bowl garage gates with community service guards to inform customers when it is at capacity. They are also providing options of other locations to park around the campus,” Chavira said. Despite this, Ahumada plans to meet with the department and address more problems students are having, such as an influx of students being scheduled at the same time. Follow Melynda Venegas on Twitter @_Melyndaaa
New voter ID laws aim to tighten voter rights By christian vasquez The Prospector Starting next year, Texas will have a new voter ID law, which will allow more ways to confirm your identification. While the acceptable forms of ID remain the same, those who swear an affidavit of “reasonable impediment,”— meaning they cannot reasonably obtain a state issued ID—may use a bank statement, utility bill or a paycheck to confirm their identification. While this does seem as though it relaxes voter ID laws, critics say that since the new law also enforces perjury of “reasonable impediment” with an up to a two-year sentence, the law is actually trading one barrier for another that primarily impacts blacks and Hispanics in Texas. Oscar Sanchez, president of UTEP’s College Republicans, said that in the last three elections he was a part of, he only saw one person ask for a reasonable impediment waiver.
“Whether the local or federal government did find out you lied about it when you signed that form, then yeah, there should be a punishment for it,” Sanchez said. The bill, SB 5, was thrown out in August by District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos, who called the threat of perjury as efforts of voter intimidation, and that the bill “trades one obstacle to voting with another—replacing the lack of qualified photo ID with an overreaching affidavit threatening severe penalties for perjury.” But last Tuesday, Sept. 4, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled in a 2-1 decision to stay Judge Ramos’ decision. According to Rebecca Reid, assistant professor of political science at UTEP, this was not necessarily because they disagreed with Ramos. “Their biggest concern was simply to make sure the status quo is maintained so there wouldn’t be a lot of confusion for this election,” Reid said. “So for them it was a much
more practical issue of how to ensure that the elections go on as normal and that there isn’t confusion that would tamper with the elections.”. The dissenting judge, James Graves Jr., thought that the stay would keep the status quo before the legislative order and SB 5. Judge Graves wrote, “the correct approach would be to stay both the district court’s order and the new legislation.” The Department of Justice asked the Fifth Circuit Court to block Judge Ramos’ ruling. Lauren Ehrsam, a spokeswoman for the DOJ, wrote in a statement, “We are pleased that the Fifth Circuit has stayed the injunction and allowed Texas to proceed with its duly enacted voter identification laws. Preserving the integrity of the ballot is vital to our democracy, and the Fifth Circuit’s order allows Texas to continue to fulfill that duty as this case moves forward.”
see voter id on page 4
THEPROSPECTOR
| 4 | NEWS
September 12, 2017
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
What parking problems have you experienced this year? Claudia hernandez, Nina titovets / The Prospector
Alyssa Garcia
Carlos Jimenez
Shelby Rodriguez
Roberto Gonzalez
Vivian Torres
“I don’t personally have any issues with parking. I get dropped off, but I have noticed the traffic and full lots.”
“I haven’t had any problems, I live close by so I walk over to the rec and take the shuttle from there to campus.”
“I got a permit for the parking garage and I think UTEP sold more permits then parking spots. Sometimes spend 30 minutes or more just looking for parking.”
“I haven’t had any issues with parking I get dropped off by the Sun Bowl parking lot and haven’t had any problems.”
“At the beginning, I didn’t have a permit so I did struggle to find parking, and someone actually hit my car. So I invested in a permit in the remote parking lots and now I take the shuttle and have no issues.”
Alan Dominguez
Alejandra Ramirez
Graciela Favela
Jose Duran
Leslie Ruelas
“The parking is too expensive, and to actually find a good free parking takes a long time.”
“The parking experience right now is horrible. I guess they oversold the parking places, and not being able to make it to class due to that is affecting our grades.”
“I feel that it’s not necessary—the parkinghat’s really the issue, but the traffic to get to the parking spot.”
“I have not experience any trouble, because I park outside of campus.”
“I don’t drive, but I am in a UTEP page on Facebook, and I can see how people are complaining about it.”
Senior English major
Senior computer science major
Freshman music major
Sophomore computer science
Sophomore music education major
Freshman kinesiology major
Freshman psychology, major
Senior psychology major
Senior biology, major
Sophomore mathematics major
from voter id on page 3
SAFETY TIPS The University Police Department would like to provide the below Safety Tips: BE AWARE - Don’t let your electronic devices distract you, always be aware of your surroundings - Never leave your items unattended or unsecured - Familiarize yourself with campus emergency telephones on routes to and from campus destinations BICYCLE SAFETY - Secure your bicycle to any of the bicycle racks found on campus - Invest in a U-Lock lock as this type of lock are harder to defeat - For maximum protection use a lock for the bicycle frame and another lock for the wheels
When asked whether SB 5 is likely to either increase or decrease the amount of voters, Reid was skeptical of any change. “I imagine it’s going to stay the same,” Reid said. “So considering SB 5 essentially just makes permanent the interim orders, I don’t imagine it’s going to have a huge effect at least not since last year’s elections, but imagine future litigation will continue though.” Sanchez also did not think any change was likely to happen.
“Well, in the county voter turnout is horrible, so really don’t think it’s going to change it at all, not even at the state (level),” Sanchez said. A hearing on the merits of SB 5 is set to begin oral arguments on December 4. The Prospector reached out to the El Paso GOP, but did not receive a response in time for publication. Christian Vasquez may be reached at theprospectordaily.news@gmail.com
inbrief Centennial Lecture Canceled
SCAMS - Never pay or send money to someone in anticipation of receiving something of greater value - such as a loan, personal check, or a gift - Never open suspicious e-mails from individuals whom you don’t know - If you receive a phone call from someone requesting personal information simply hang up - The IRS will never call you asking for personal information DORM SAFETY - Familiarize yourself with dorm rules - Always lock your door - Check dorm guest policy - Immediately report suspicious activity or individuals to The University Police at 915-747-5611 The University of Texas at El Paso University Police Department - 3118 Sun Bowl Drive, El Paso, TX 79968 Phone: 915- 747-5611 - Fax: 915-747-5636 - www.utep.edu/police
UTep launches utep blast this week
THEPROSPECTOR
NEWS | 5 |
September 12, 2017
ARTE FRONTERIZO
gabriela velasquez / The Prospector Associate Professor of Art Antonio Castro considers himself as a “fronterizo,” someone from the border, and incorporates that into his art.
By eddie velazquez The Prospector
Born in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, but having lived in the United States for all of his adult life, Associate Professor of Art Antonio Castro identifies himself as a “fronterizo” (from the border). “I’m a fronterizo. I’m not an American, I’m not a Mexican, I’m just like hovering on top of the river, and it is a benefit because you don’t have allegiances to anyone but yourself and your family,” Castro said. Castro’s binational life experience has had an impact on the ethnic perception surrounding him, having lived in cities away from the border bubble such as Philadelphia, San Francisco and New York. “The disadvantage is that sometimes even though you feel American, people don’t see you as an American,” Castro said. Political statements such as this pushed Castro to become politically active, culminating in the creation of “Posters Without Borders,” an international immigration poster exhibition. The project was born five years ago in Mexico City, when Castro, designer Eric Boelts and University of Alabama Birmingham professor Erin Wright realized that there was only one major political poster event in the United States in Boulder, Colorado. “We wanted to create something that we would have to come with a topic every two years, a topic that would be affecting our political lives,” Castro said. “So the first one was about voter problems, then the second was supposed to be about borders, but the subtitle was about the election, ‘The Right to Decide.’” Since the project began, the group has had two exhibits in Mexico City and Birmingham, Alabama. The next “Posters Without Borders” event called “Action, Reaction, Interaction” will take place in La Paz, Bolivia, at a later date. The event will feature 50 different designs. “That is the theme based on the political outcomes under Trump’s election and not only that, but terrorist threats and attacks and everything happening around the world. Our idea is that there is always an action, we obviously react to it,” Castro said. “We invite designers from all over the world and then we are gonna have people that either we know of or that we admire their work.” For a “fronterizo” like Castro, it is important to use creative spaces like these because of the different world issues, es-
pecially those related to borders. “We are in a field that obviously is perceived as a field where we just sell things or we sell advertising or we sell packaging or we sell goods,” Castro said. “We can use exactly those same tactics to talk about how we feel politically and hopefully we could convince people of our vision or maybe just raise awareness of how we think. I think it is important to use our tools to use our ammunition or our ways of thinking to work for causes that we believe in.”
Fronteriza in America
As a child, he grew up surrounded by graphic arts. His father is an illustrator and Castro is quick to tell his students about the paternal influence on his work. “My father is an artist, he is an illustrator, so I was always in it,” he said. “I was always around it and from a pretty early age I always knew what I wanted to do. That is what I always tell my students.” When it came to choosing his concentration in the design field, he was torn between being an architect or a designer. “I ended up majoring in graphic design and minoring in printmaking,” Castro said. “When I was in high school I was involved in everything I could get my hands
on in doing illustration or graphics, so it was an easy choice for me in the end.” While Castro has always enjoyed living in the border region, he always had dreams of leaving to diversify his education. “When I came here (El Paso), my idea was to study in Mexico City, but then because of the way things happened in my life at that moment, I started here, I liked it and so I stayed,” Castro said. He worked at a local advertising agency after graduation. “I personally hated advertising, I didn’t like it at all, but I learned a lot,” he said. “I knew how to draw, but they had me do a lot of storyboarding for TV commercials and things like that and I always felt like more an artist than an ad man, so that immediacy and sometimes a sense of feeling, I don’t wanna say dishonest, but it was a little empty for me. I wanted more meaning in what I was doing.” His dissatisfaction with his job and his eagerness to learn made him apply to different graduate programs around the country. He finally landed in Philadelphia, receiving the Future Faculty Fellowship at Tyler School of Arts’ two-year program. After graduating, it was time for him to make a decision between two job op-
portunities, one in San Francisco and the other one in New York. “I went to interview at both places, my idea was that I was gonna go to the first place that offered me a chance and SF was it,” Castro said “While I was in there, I liked the place, but I still had the calling from the East Coast, so I only stayed three months in San Francisco and I got a call back from New York, so I moved back.” He settled at marketing firm Parham Santana, but after three years he decided he wanted to do something else. “I was young, I wanted things to happen faster for me,” he said. “UTEP was looking for a design professor, it was a tenure-track position and those seldomly come. So they offered me to apply and I did and I got the position and when I came back I told my wife–I was married at that point–’let’s do this for a year, let’s see what happens’ and this is my 17th year teaching.” The artistic influence of the border permeated, not only in Castro’s work but also in the way he perceived things. “The way I see color, the way I see the sun or the way the sun lights things. Even if I was in New York, I would see oranges the only way we see them here, and my
influences like literature-wise, they are border people,” Castro said. As a professor, Castro sees this kind of noticeable influence disappearing in his students’ work. “When I was a student, I used to always have certain people that I was always following artists–both designers and printmakers–the work and the life of those people really influenced me,” he said. “Somehow you would always see parts of their work appearing in mine but I don’t really see that a lot with younglings. It seems as if they come into the field blindfolded, they know that they want to draw, they know that they want to make logos or websites, but they don’t really have influences and I think that is extremely important. Senior studio art major Ana Ramos highlighted the way in which Castro presents Mexican culture in “Posters Without Borders.” “I think it’s an amazing thing to use his abilities of design to bring light to very important issues of the borderland and the way he represents Mexican culture in them,” Ramos said . Follow Eddie Velazquez on Twitter @ezvelazquez
| 6 | NEWS
THEPROSPECTOR September 12, 2017
OUR VIEW
9/11 memorials held on campus
Sergio Munoz, Gaby Velasquez/ The Prospector On Sunday, September 10, the College Republicans continued their yearly tradition of placing hundreds of American flags on the lawn in front of the library in memory of those who lost their lives on 9/11. The office of Student Engagement & Leadership Center create a space in Centennial Plaza for people to approach and remember those who lost their lives and their families. Students, faculty members and other members of the community were encouraged to write a message appreciating and remembering those who passed through this event.
PAGE 7 September 12, 2017
entertainment
Editor
Eddie Velazquez , 747-7477
our view
Fort Bliss celebrates 2017 Oktoberfest
Claudia Flores/The Prospector Fort Bliss Family and MWR hosted Oktoberfest this weekend. The three day celebraton included traditional German beer, food and dances.
By Claudia Flores The Prospector For the fourth-consecutive year, Fort Bliss Family and MWR celebrated their annual Oktoberfest from Sept. 8 to 10. Beer, food and music were the highlights of the event.
For $35, attendees received a crystal stein, a meal and the chance to be part of the German culture for one night. “I think the event is great; this is something that is not that popular yet, but being exposed to another culture and see a lot of different people. You have to embrace
something like that,” said Alex Salazar, who attended the event for the first time. During the event, German Schuhplattler dancers (traditional folk dancers), alongside polka band Terry Cavanagh and The Alpine Express, got the crowd dancing.
“This is our first time and is interesting to be here, the event is great and the best part is that one glass of beer is enough,” said Paul Lopez, who attended the event. The event offered different types of beer, wine and fresh beverages for attendees, as well as a variety
of snacks that included pretzels, waffles and frankfurter hot dogs. “We came for the food and to see what the event was like–so far the event is great and so is the beer,” said Terry Sanchez, who attended the event. Claudia Flores may be reached at theprospectordaily.ent@gmail.com.
THEPROSPECTOR
| 8 | ENTERTAINMENT
September 12, 2017
Sunset Film Society revitalizes the theatre experience By Elenie GonzÁlez The Prospector
The buttery aroma of freshly popped popcorn fills the air as lines of people eagerly anticipate the start of the film. They hurriedly walk into a dimly lit room with a bit of uncertainty as the best seats are found. The noise of quiet chatter among the seated crowd is heard as the images playing on the large bright screen demand attention. This is what being in a movie theater feels like. There are some that still hold onto this tradition and seek to keep it alive to remind others of the way a movie-going experience used to be, before the age of cell phones and on-demand film apps such as Netflix and HBO GO. Film historian and archivist, writer and collector, self-proclaimed cinephile, and director of the Sunset Film Society, Jay Duncan, sets out to do this. He has been hosting free movie screenings for over 17 years around the El Paso area. Throughout his life, Duncan has been sharing his passion for film with audiences across the board through his various programs on TV, in classrooms, film festivals and more recently through his film society. Duncan has been a fixture in and around El Paso over the last 40 years, having an influential role in saving the Plaza Theater from the first demolition threat back in 1974. His grassroots efforts made way for the El Paso Community Foundation to take over the role of once again saving and restoring the historic theater. Also in 1974, he began teaching Introduction to Film Theory and Criticism, a film history course through the English department and continuing education at UTEP.
Special to The Prospector Sunset Film Society premieres Polish, Spanish, Mexican and Spanish movies in El Paso. Adding to Duncan’s other accomplishments was his TV program, “Jay’s Pix,” in which he would show a classic film and share knowledge about the historical context of the film itself. About four years ago, he came into contact with Rosa Chavez, the proprietor of the historic Hixon House in the Sunset Heights neighborhood. This sparked an idea to create a monthly film series at the house. “Let’s do a film series, maybe once a month and maybe develop it into a film society,” he recalls telling her. “That way we can utilize this historic piece of architecture, in a historic neighborhood, seeing historic film.” On Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013, his vision came to fruition and the
first of many free screenings was shown to an audience of about 40 people in the historic Hixon House, which was built in 1908. The film was “Somewhere in Time,” the 1980 romantic sci-fi classic set in 1912 starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. The setting of the film represented the ambiance of the Hixon House. Duncan chose this film so the audience could have the full experience of being able to immerse themselves into the setting of the film itself. Thus, the Sunset Film Society was born. The name of the film society speaks for itself having initiated its run in the historic Sunset Heights neighborhood and showing the films at around sunset.
Aside from the fact that these screenings are free, there is also a difference between the screenings shown through his film society and those that can be seen in a movie theater. “I want to educate and enrich audience members through historical film,” Duncan said. He chooses to screen historical classic films including independent and foreign films, and opens the screening with a film talk, where he provides tidbits and facts about the film. “I try to limit it to where they leave wanting more, but not too much where they leave knowing more than they wanted,” he said. “It’s just enough background and I try to give a little more insight.” The Hixon House was home to the Sunset Film Society for the next five months. The film society had become a success and gained an audience that was too large to fit into the house. Duncan moved his screenings to the Trinity First Baptist Church while he transitioned into finding a more suitable location. Ardovino’s Desert Crossing would become the next place the film society would call home. The first presentation was on April 27, 2014, with the film “Sunset Boulevard.” The free monthly screenings continue today and normally fall on Sundays at noon unless it is a special feature. The most recent special screenings were “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “The Godfather Part II.” Over the next year, the Sunset Film Society evolved and Duncan was able to find a new location to draw in more audience members. In July of 2015, Duncan partnered up with the International Museum of Art, formerly the
original El Paso Museum of Art, to expand his program. This adds a weekly presentation to his ongoing monthly series at the Ardovino’s location. Unlike the Ardovino’s Desert Crossing, the museum offers an actual theater in the basement and a space to sell concessions. Since the expansion of the Sunset Film Society, Duncan has incorporated more than just classic films, but also newer family-friendly animations as well. “These are films that are future classics if they aren’t already,” he said. His newest venture includes this year’s second International Film Festival, which kicked off on Saturday, Sept. 2, at the International Museum of Art. The IFF screens foreign films premiering for the first time in El Paso and includes films from France, Mexico, Poland and Spain. The Sunset Film Society partnered with the Alliance Francaise d’El Pas, General Casimir Pulaski Polish American Society of El Paso and the Consul Honoraria de España en El Paso to make this happen. The second International Film Festival will continue screenings for the next three Saturdays at 2 p.m., until its conclusion on Sept. 23 at the International Museum of Art.
I want to educate and enrich audience members through historical film.
- Jay Duncan, Sunset Film Society founder Donovan Manchester, who has attended Sunset Film Society’s free screenings after hearing about it through a friend, feels that it is important to support the Sunset Film Society. “They are very important for individuals who don’t like going to the traditional theater and having to deal with a lot of people,” Manchester said. “Not only because of the price, but also given the enrichment and the cultural-type feel, which you don’t get that at a traditional theater.” Follow Elenie Gonzalez on Twitter @eleniego
Leslie sarinana/The Prospector “Out of Towners” playing at the International Museum of Art.
THEPROSPECTOR
ENTERTAINMENT | 9 |
September 12, 2017
Music spotlight: Miles Angel prepares for eventful fall
Gaby velasquez/The Prospector Miles Angel is performing a free show at the Lowbrow Palace on Sept. 21.
By Adrian Broaddus The Prospector
Growing up during his teenage years, Miguel Perez, or as he’s known by his stage name Miles Angel, always strived for something greater, trying to rise higher to some sort of fandom. He was simply trying to get rich and famous through his vocal talents. Now, taking a different approach to his talent, the last thing on the 20-year-old aspiring R&B artist’s mind is stardom. He wants to create vision and voice through his work. “I always low key, knew I could sing, but I really went at it when I graduated,” he said. “I used to make music to turn up and to feel myself, but now it’s about perfecting my work and growing as an artist.” From humble beginnings, Angel dabbled in other extracurricular
activities such as football at Del Valle High School prior to pursuing singing. Once he graduated, he decided to forgo an education to focus on fashioning his music. “I respect education so much, so if I did it half-assed, I’m not doing anyone a favor,” he said. “It’s not like I’m sitting around doing nothing all day. I’m working all the time.” Angel grew up listening to artists such as Chris Brown, Trey Songz and Drake for inspiration and insight toward the art. Coming up with his stage name was well thought out despite being fairly new to the artistry. “I’m Mexican and Venezuelan. My pops passed away when I was a lot younger. When I started to do the music stuff, I decided to go with his name to honor him. An-
gel is my middle name too. It just made sense,” he said. Angel said he ventures into different genres to stimulate new ideas. “Besides R&B, what I study, like Bryson Tiller, PARTYNEXTDOOR, I listen to a lot of the Beatles,” he said. “I’m a huge Beatles fan. I take the harmonies from them. That’s what no one can do like them.” He believes it is the diversity of his influences that has propelled his creativity. “I think that’s what makes music different,” he said. “People add the different stuff they grow up to. For me, there was a lot of hip-hop and the blues. The other day I was listening to “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James—that’s a classic. I recently added her cadences on one of my songs.” While he uses beats he favors, his songwriting process is one he is continuously trying to perfect. “I first start with the hook, the catchy part, on a song, and then I build around that,” he said. “I used to write about how I was feeling— that makes a great songwriter. If you can put yourself in a specific situation and write that and pull it off, then you’re a great songwriter.” When he’s sent these different beats by producers, he makes sure to be entirely selective and precise with the ones he decides to use for a song. It has to truly catch his attention. “For me, I like simple stuff,” he said. “I have to fall in love with the beat. Maybe it’s just the snare hit the right way, but I have to love the beat. Give me something that speaks to me.” Starting his SoundCloud account last year, Angel has developed quite the fan base for his talents. His most popular song on SoundCloud, “Panties Drop,” has over 35,000 listens, while most of his other tracks range from 15,000-27,000 listens. However, the success didn’t come overnight. “It takes a while for your stuff to grow,” he said. “I found that after you perform, your stuff gets a lot more listens. You’ll find a lot of great songs also, but not a lot of
performers. I’m trying to improve in both areas.” He experienced his initial ascent to success when he wrote his song “Thank You,” which was about his mom. It was a song that he didn’t expect to get as big as it got. “Thank you” was a song about my mom—a time when my mom and pops got divorced. I wrote that song for her,” he said. “That was a really pivotal point in my journey because I got to change the style of what I was doing. After that, everything on my SoundCloud started getting a lot of listens.” Even though he is reaching impressive numbers on SoundCloud, he doesn’t base the success of a song off the number of streams. “If it ages well, I think that’s what I’m most proud of,” he said. “You grow up with your music. If you can look at your work at the end of the day and say, ‘I fuck with that,’ then you know you accomplished something.” On the contrary, there are some songs that he’s released that have not taken off or been given the critical reception he feels was deserved. “There was a song I was doing and I thought, ‘wow God, you got me!’” he said. “I felt like I killed it and I was about to blow up. But you’re your biggest competitor. If you can go home every day and say you were proud of what you do, that’s what matters.” It was a busy summer for the local crooner. On June 17, he released a collection of tracks he had been releasing on SoundCloud together on his debut album, “No Apologies.” “It felt like a year ago since I released that,” he said. “Just go listen to it. Listen to any track on it. Listen what I have to say. The singles leading up were only a look to get you to buy the whole book.” The 10-track album was released on Spotify, Apple Music and other major streaming sites. He said that the reception has been pretty strong. “It wasn’t like anything I’ve received before,” he said. “I never received exposure like that. It really got me. That’s what got me really poppin’ in El Paso.”
Other summer ventures included touring outside of El Paso to cities like Los Angeles and even opening up for Kyle when he came to Tricky Falls. At the Kyle show, Angel reflected onstage how he wasn’t able to get a show at the Lowbrow Palace in 2016, but now he’s opening for an act like Kyle. “I literally walked inside of Lowbrow and asked to play a show with my then manager and I couldn’t get one,” he said. “Lowbrow is an accolade for me. That was a dream for me. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.” In fact, he will be headlining a show, which might be his last of 2017, at the Lowbrow Palace on Sept. 21. Admission will be free for attendees 21 and over.
Lowbrow is an accolade for me. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.
- Miles Angel
“I’ve been preparing for this. I will leave you awed,” he said. “Pull up—I challenge you. If you don’t give me the credit as an artist, let me be your favorite singer. Let me show you why I got it.” He also has new material in store for his fans. “It’s been a month of work and I have a full album ready to put out,” he said. “I just need to record it. I could record it all in one day. I just want to be in the right mental state.” Follow Adrian Broaddus on Twitter @adrian_broaddus.
‘It’ (2017) reboot is bigger, gorier and scarier than the original
special to The Prospector
By Brianna Chavez The Prospector While some movie adaptations of Stephen King’s novels have fallen short, this film does not. Director
Andy Muschietti’s version of “It” is certainly better than the original. Muschietti takes the original dated film and kicks it up a notch by taking several different approaches with a better cast and a better clown.
The film takes place in a small town in Maine during the late 1980s and tells the story of seven kids who are being tormented by Pennywise the Dancing Clown, a shape-shifting monster, played by Bill Skarsgård. The novel and original film follow the characters as children in the 1950s and adults in the 1980s. The new adaptation covers the characters only as children in the late 1980s. While it is considered a horror film, it’s much more than that. It’s a witty and somewhat touching coming of age story of these kids who call themselves “the losers club.” The original film crams King’s thick novel into a film that spans over three hours and tells the characters’ story as adults and children. He is able to properly establish each of the seven children, tell their stories and what they fear. The film starts off with the most iconic scene from the original as Bill, played by Jaeden Lieberher, makes his little brother Georgie a paper boat. Georgie puts on a classic yellow coat and rain boots to take his new boat for a ride until it falls in the sewer, where Pennywise drags him in. The new film takes on a gorier, more graphic approach to the scene that continues throughout the film, when compared to the original 1990 adaptation.
Fast-forward to the end of the school year, and Bill still has hope that his brother is alive even though several children in town have since gone missing. The film later introduces Bill’s friends: Richie, played by Finn Wolfhard, is an obnoxious and crude jokester, Eddie, played by Jack Dylan Grazer, is witty and asthmatic, and Stanley, played by Wyatt Oleff, is a wimpy Jewish kid getting ready for his bar mitzvah. Three other kids end up joining the group–Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor), a chubby new kid, Mike (Chosen Jacobs), a homeschooled kid, and Beverly (Sophia Lillis). The group of kids later brand themselves “the losers club” and discover that Pennywise comes around every 27 years to murder children. The chemistry and all-around performances of the cast are extremely captivating, making the film stand out much more than the original. Each performance is natural and charismatic, something you would expect from a 13 -year-old going through puberty. They are funny, cute and touching, yet you still get scared along with them. Skarsgård’s performance is creepy and terrifying, but after the multiple appearances that he makes in the film it becomes easier to look at Pennywise without
wanting to look away, taking away the scary aspect of him. However, his interpretation of Pennywise is more likely to leave an impression compared to the original Pennywise played by Tim Curry. Skarsgård could have been scary on his own, but the film is made to be suitable to a more modern audience by using digital effects and CGI as well as eerie music cues that make you anticipate something about to pop out on the screen. “It” directly targets the ones who grew up watching the original and triggers how you became afraid of clowns in the first place. It would not be as good if you only considered the horror aspect of it, but the overall goal of telling a good story and captivating audiences is met. The film had a massive opening weekend, making $123.1 million in North America and nearly $185 million worldwide, setting a record in the horror genre. The horror film with the second highest opening is “Paranormal Activity 3,” with $52.6 million. This movie is only the beginning as New Line Cinema has already announced a sequel. There is no word on when it will be released or if this cast will return. Brianna Chavez may be reached at theprospectordaily.ent@gmail.com.
THEPROSPECTOR
| 10 | ENTERTAINMENT
September 12, 2017
Two Door Cinema Club sells-out Tricky Falls
Special to The Prospector
By Leslie Sariñana The Prospector
The Irish indie band, Two Door Cinema Club, is finally making its way to El Paso as they tour for their third studio album “Gameshow” Sept. 20 at Tricky Falls The Northern Ireland band is comprised of Alex Trimble (vocals), Sam Halliday (guitar and backing vocals) and Kevin Baird (bass and synths). Two Door Cinema Club got their name from Halliday’s mispronunciation of their local cinema, Tudor Cinema. TDCC formed in 2007 and it didn’t take long for them to find success. Their first release was their EP “Four Words to Stand On”
(2009). Tracks “Undercover Martyn” and “Cigarettes in the Theater” started to get attention online and it wasn’t long until the band signed a record deal and released their first album, “Tourist History.” “Tourist History” featured many of the songs off their EP. They first came up on the indie music scene with “Undercover Martyn.” It was their 2008 hit “What You Know” from the same album that gave them a higher push into mainstream indie and was the biggest hit from “Tourist History.” The song peaked at No. 64 on the UK singles charts and No. 22 on the U.S. Alternative Songs chart.
Their follow up album, “Beacon” (2012), peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and No. 6 for alternative albums. The sophomore record brought their most successful single to date, “Sleep Alone.” It peaked at No. 19 on the U.S. Alternative Songs chart and No. 32 on the U.S. Hot Rock Songs chart. The album received favorable reviews and saw enough success to motivate the decision for the band to release a four-part documentary, “What We See,” which shows them on tour prior to the release of the album. Their songs have been featured in a number of movies, TV shows, video games and commercials. Their hit, “What You Know” is also used as the theme music for the BBC Radio 4 show “It’s Not What You Know.” Their latest album, “Gameshow” shifted the band’s sound toward a more funk/dance rock one. It received very mixed reviews and hasn’t seen the level of success the previous albums have had. Lead singer Trimble cited Prince and David Bowie as inspirations for this last album. He referred to the style of the album as “out-there pop and avant garde craziness.” Their “U.S. Fall” tour kicks off Sept. 13 in Portland, Oregon. The show is sold out and doors are set to open at 7 p.m. Circa Waves will open up the show around 8 p.m. Tricky Falls is located at 209 S. El Paso St. Leslie Sarinana may be reached at theprospectordaily.ent@gmail.com.
inbrief luis Fonsi at Abraham Chavez
Concordia Ghost tour
Grieves at tricky falls
Movies in the Canyon: ‘La La Land’
PAGE 11 September 12, 2017
Sports
Editor
Jeremy Carranco, 747-7477
Hurricane Harvey leaves mark on Rice and UTEP players ing my mom and asking, ‘mom, are you okay?’ multiple times. She said, ‘yeah, we’re good, don’t worry about us—just make sure you keep playing football.’ I still kept calling and calling her anyways, but she says she’s fine. Now it’s gotten to the point where I call her so much that she doesn’t pick up the phone. They’re okay though.”
The people back home, they see me on TV and it gives them some happiness. Gaby velasquez / The Prospector UTEP running back Kevin Dove will use his family’s losses in storm as the motivation the rest of the season.
By Adrian broaddus The Prospector
Saturday’s matchup between Rice and UTEP felt like more than just a game with the recovery efforts going on in Houston in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Rice head coach David Bailiff and his squad were 8,500 miles away in Australia, playing their first game of the season when the hurricane hit in Houston. When they came back, they couldn’t go back home. Instead, they used TCU’s facilities to practice for the entire week leading up to the game at UTEP. This is when football became more than just a game for the individuals affected. They used football as an
outlet to escape from everything going on back home. “We’ve had 12 of our players lose everything,” said Bailiff, who had been offered to stay at SMU, TCU, UTEP and East Texas while they waited out the storm. “We have about 26 vehicles that are flooded while we were out of town. It has been heartwarming to see the response of people to help just not us, but the entire city of Houston.” It wasn’t just the city of Houston that was overwhelmed by the flooding from the catastrophic storm, which was the heaviest tropical downpour in the nation’s history. The after effects from Hur-
ricane Harvey even reached players on the Miners’ team. “We’ve got players on our own team that have issues in Houston. We’ve got one kid, Kevin Dove, who had horses back there and lost every single horse in their horse farm,” said UTEP head coach Sean Kugler. “Our thoughts go out to David Bailiff and his team. I can’t imagine some of the things that they’re going through.” Dove, who sees the field frequently as the No. 2 running back, has been playing with the thoughts of his family back home in El Campo, Texas. “It is hard being here while they’re over there,” he said. “The other day I kept call-
- Kevin Dove UTEP running back Born in Wharton and raised in El Campo—less than an hour and a half from Houston—his family has received immense help from the community. “It’s going pretty good right now,” he said. “My coaches back home from high school have gotten together and helped my parents out a lot. They lost their house in the flood. People I’ve interacted with throughout the years playing football have come together and helped my mom. So they’re good.”
He calls a couple times a day just to make sure his house is okay and things haven’t gotten worse. Hurricane Harvey and the flooding became added fuel for Dove to step up his play. “It kind of pushes me more knowing what my town is going through,” he said. “The people back home, they see me on TV and it gives them some happiness. That gives me a little more push.” Dove isn’t your typical running back either. He’s the big man who punches the ball in on third and short situations for the offense. Averaging 3.0 yards per carry, it’s the role that he’s learned to embrace. “It’s basically just, get the first down mentality,” he said. “Get in, play big boy football and run the ball directly down to get the first down.” And against Rice, Dove was able to reconnect with an old high school teammate from El Campo. Starting offensive lineman Trey Martin was able to sympathize with Dove, having been raised in the same town that experienced the flood. “Where he’s from, it wasn’t flooded, but the school is messed up,” Dove said. “We kept in touch and talk about football when we can. He was my center during high school, so we have some history.” All Dove can do now is continue to play the sport he loves, which his mom relentlessly encourages he doesn’t stray away from. He’s optimistic about the rebuilding process and trusts that his role is to remain in school and continue his duties. Dove and the Miners will play against Arizona on Friday, Sept. 15 at the Sun Bowl. The game will be televised on ESPN at 8 p.m. MT. Follow Adrian Broaddus on Twitter @Adrian_Broaddus.
Palacios carries team through tough start By mike flores The Prospector
Not even halfway into her third year with the UTEP soccer program, junior goalkeeper Alyssa Palacios, has already rewritten the record books. The standout goalie is the heartbeat and backbone for the Miners. If Palacios plays well – UTEP can compete with just about anyone. Palacios is third all-time in UTEP history with 294 total saves. Prior to UTEP, Palacios called Carrollton, Texas, home and lettered three years at Carrollton Creekview High School, where she first started to make a name for herself. Just like her time at UTEP, Palacios played a huge role for Creekview HS. From day one of her freshman year in high school, Palacios had one goal on her mind and she wasn’t going to stop for anyone or anything to achieve what she put her mind to—play soccer at the collegiate level. In 2013 and 2014, Palacios was not only the back-to-back team captain, but she was also her team’s back-to-back MVP for those years as well. She also garnered the 2013 first team All-District goalkeeper honors and was the Dallas Morning News Class 4A Player to Watch. In 2014, her senior year, Palacios was recognized with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Senior Excellence award and did enough to capture All-State goalkeeper honors. She was also named to the second team in All-District in her final season of high school soccer. Palacios was a member of Sting 97 ECNL, a team that she helped guide to win the 2014 ECNL National Champion-
ship after coming so close the year before (third-place finish in 2013). It’s simple why Palacios was on UTEP’s radar and what a grab that was for UTEP head coach Kevin Cross. “At first I was kind of hesitant to come out on a visit here (UTEP). I kept on getting emails, and I kept thinking ‘El Paso? What’s in El Paso?’ But my club coach convinced me to finally accept the visit, so I did. And right away, I fell in love with this city,” Palacios said. “The Friday night game I came to when I visited got me a lot. It’s so cool on how much the city comes out and supports their teams and get into it. Also, the team made it seem like a big family, so I knew it could be a good home away from home.” In her freshman year for Palacios, the Miners had just lost their four-year starting goalkeeper Sarah Dilling and it seemed as if Cross was leaning toward starting the junior goalkeeper Keighton Allen over Palacios. But due to an injury Allen received in training camp, before the season kicked off, the doors opened for Palacios. She was thrown into the mix from the get-go and took advantage of this opportunity to never give back her starting role. As a freshman, it was apparent Palacios belonged. Palacios was third in Conference USA in saves (111), recorded 5.5 saves per match, sixth in save percentage (.816) and tied for third in UTEP’s history with six shutouts in a single season. To top off her freshman outing, Palacios was named to the C-USA All-Freshman team—something only one Miner goalkeeper had ever done before her. “My freshman year, it was really intimidating. I wanted everyone to trust
me playing. What drove me really hard was wanting to prove myself to my teammates. It was nerve racking, but then I finally saw it was the more games I get, the better I’ll get,” Palacios said. “I’m appreciative of that opportunity as a freshman. Playing from day one has helped me grow into a leader.” After her freshman season, there was no sophomore slump for the standout goalie. Instead, she upped her game and had one of the most historic seasons in UTEP’s history. As a sophomore, Palacios set a school record in shutouts (nine) and finished second in school history in many categories such as save percentage (.874), saves (132), saves per game (5.79). Many could argue that defense, in large part with Palacios anchoring, is what guided UTEP to winning 13 games last year—the program’s most since 2009, and a mark that tied the program for fourthmost wins in a single season. The Miners lost 11 players from last year’s team—six starters—but they showed Palacios the way to become a leader. “That team taught me that relationships are important. It makes you want to work that much harder for everyone on the field,” Palacios said. “Now I want to have that with my new teammates and build relationships with them. I want them to trust me and be able to lean on me. It will translate onto the field.” Now in year three with a young and inexperienced team, Palacios has had to take over the responsibilities of leadership. It’s been a rough start to the season, but UTEP has won three games in a row after starting off the season on a fivegame skid. Now UTEP sits at 3-5, but
Nina titovets / The Prospector UTEP goalie Alyssa Palacios is third all-time in saves in UTEP program history. Palacios sees growth and the will to win in this young team. Out of the eight games, UTEP has battled in five overtime games. UTEP could be one play or one break away from having an improved record. And that’s saying something for this young team. “Our team identity is respect, unity and discipline. We live through that in everything we do. I want us to be known as the hardest working team there is. I want teams to know it’s going to be a fight when they play us—from first whistle to last,” Palacios said. “We stay positive. We know we’re right there and we can do this with anyone.”
The Miners are only one game away from starting conference play. Palacios said the rough start has only pushed them to keep improving and it’s a process. UTEP is looking to get all the kinks out before Southern Mississippi to open CUSA play on Sunday, Sept. 17. Palacios’ goal for her time at UTEP is to leave an impact, even when she’s not playing anymore. She wants to build a culture at UTEP that makes players want to come and play for the Miners. Follow Mike Flores on Twitter @MikeyTheReal.
THEPROSPECTOR
| 12 | SPOrTS
September 12, 2017
handicapping the new athletic director By Jason green The Prospector
With the announcement that athletic director Bob Stull would be leaving UTEP after 19 years at the helm of the athletic department, speculation from all corners began. In the end, the only real opinion that matters is that of university president Diana Natalicio. Natalicio has final authority when it comes to hiring the new AD. Several names have been circled around within the media and even heard coming from inside the Athletic Department. This article is here to serve as a primer and to offer odds on the likelihood of each candidate eventually being named as Stull’s successor. Chris Park – UTEP senior associate athletic director Of course, Park will be interviewed and probably first. Plenty of future athletic department stars have learned under the tutelage of Stull and Park is just the latest. Park is ever present at UTEP athletic events with his young family and is constantly mingling with boosters and fans. The young, but high-ranking, member of the athletic department is in charge of the Miner Athletic Club and fundraising. Choosing Park as a replacement for Stull would make for a smooth, easy transition, but could
mean more of the same as far as onfield performance. Odds: 8/1 Brian Wickstrom – University of Incarnate Word athletic director Wickstrom was the assistant athletic director at UTEP under Stull from 2006-2011. He originally left UTEP to become the athletic director at UC-Riverside. Since then, he has moved to UL-Monroe and on August 16 of this year took the job at Incarnate Word. Wickstrom is known as a “fundraising star” and was instrumental in securing funds for the Larry K. Durham Center while at UTEP. A press release introducing Wickstrom at UIW stated that Wickstrom raised $91 million in funds for his various universities in 20 years of work. Although leaving a job after only a month would be strange, the chance to leave an FCS school for an FBS school may prove tempting. Odds: 10/1 Jeramiah Dickey – Baylor University associate vice-president for athletic operations Dickey is an El Paso native and former Assistant Director for athletic development at UTEP. He has followed former UTEP senior associate AD and current Baylor AD Mack Rhoades to several schools, including Akron and Houston. At Houston, Dickey was responsible for some phenomenal fundraising, including securing naming rights for Houston’s football stadium worth $15M. Dickey was also involved in the hiring of former Houston football coach Tom Herman who took the team to the top of the national rankings. If Dickey were hired, he could quickly be called upon to hire a new
football head coach, should Sean Kugler be dismissed. Odds: 3/1 Mack Rhoades – Baylor University athletic director Rhoades is another Stull disciple and once again goes to show Stull’s eye for talent – at least as far as the front office is concerned. He has served as athletic director at Akron, Houston, Missouri and Baylor. His current job at Baylor calls for him to dig Baylor out of a deep hole caused by several scandals from the men’s basketball and football teams. Rhoades took the job knowing what was ahead. However, if he would like a clean start after taking the Baylor job in 2016, UTEP could offer just that. Odds: 12/1 Lisa Campos – Northern Arizona University athletic director Campos was the senior associate athletic director at UTEP from 200612 under Stull. She was instrumental in the design and completion of the Helen of Troy Softball Complex during her time at UTEP. The Colorado native has been the AD at NAU since April of 2012 and has been the model of success, with her teams’ capturing 24 team conference championships. Last school year, NAU athletes finished with a collective 3.12 GPA. Campos received her doctorate from UTEP and is rumored to be one of the top two candidates to replace Stull. Her success as an AD, even at an FCS school, has got to place her near the top of the list for Natalicio and company. Odds: 5/1 Follow Jason green on Twitter @greenevansJ
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