rambler 10.17.10

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October 17, 2007 Vol. 99, No. 7 Fort Worth, Texas The Rambler The students’ voice since 1917 T E X A S W E S L E Y A N U N I V E R S I T Y Listen up people News Briefs News Briefs Help a child, scare a friend The Student Life office is taking donations of chil- drens’ Halloween costumes. All donations can be dropped off at the Student Life office in the SUB by Oct. 24. Costumes will be donated to local D. McRae Elementary School and extras will be given to the Boys and Girls Club. For more information call Jenny Houze at (817) 531-4870. Don’t sneeze on me Tarrant County Public Health will supply flu shots from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 18 in the Followship Hall of Poly UMC. Flu shots are $20 cash. It’s a Wonderful Life Theatre Wesleyan’s THE RADIO SHOW: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE runs from Oct. 19 to Nov. 10 at Artisan Center Theatre. The off-campus production of the play within a play, written by theater depart- ment chair Connie Whitt- Lambert and directed by theater professor Joe Brown, features a cast of Wesleyan students decked out in gorgeous 1940’s garb designed by Brynn Bristol. Tickets are $8 for the Wesleyan community and children and $13 general admission. Some showings are already sold out, so call and reserve tickets soon. For information on times, dates and tickets, visit www.arti- sanct.-com. Alumni Medal Dinner Wesleyan’s annual Alumni Medal Dinner is at 6 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Fort Worth Club, honoring vari- ous alumni for accomplish- ments and service. Tickets are $40. For more informa- tion, contact the alumni office. You really need a facial... A Coldwater Creek spa package is being raffled off Oct. 23 between games 2 and 3 of the volleyball match. The package is val- ued at more than $200. Tickets are $20, available from any volleyball player or coach. Movie time! Wanna see a movie on the cheap? The Student Life office has movie theater tickets for both AMC and United Artists theaters for $6.50. Tickets are good for any showing at anytime. Contact Jenny Houze at (817) 531-4870. College Republicans Donations of clothes and blankets are being col- lected in boxes throughout campus. College Repub- licans are holding the drive to benefit Salvation Army. The group will conduct its next meeting during free period Oct. 18 in Room 206 of the Sid Richardson Building. NEWS BRIEFS Student musicians, poets, writers and their fans gathered in the University Club Oct. 11 for Aries’ biannual open mic night. While most sat back and took in the creativity, senior the- ater majors James Haney (above) and Chuck Jackson (right) entertained the crowd. See page 2 for more on the event. Photos by Kevin Keathley Administration works to increase student retention We’ve all seen the marketing that goes on for colleges to get students – billboards, brochures, the list goes on. But how do universities get their students to stay? For some, the diploma is enough, but other students can be lured away from a college for various reasons. University retention could fall under the penumbra of the old adage quality vs. quantity. Wouldn’t a school just want to keep its “good” students? Or, playing a sole numbers game, it would be easy to assume that the more students a university has, the more chances it has of striking that one person who will make the university name famous. Nevertheless, America is a very mobile society, and uni- versities want to see students stay put and finish what they started because students equal money. Thus, attempting to keep both seasoned and new students is an important aspect of university machinery. Wesleyan is no exception. Currently, freshman retention is at 60 percent with a goal of 70 percent, according to Pati Alexander, vice president of enrollment and student services. The transfer retention rate is upwards of 80 percent. Nevertheless, retention is not every- thing, and Alexander clarified some confusion about reten- tion. One aspect of university retention is about getting stu- dents and keeping them here on campus. Selecting a college is a very personal matter and selecting the wrong college wastes everyone’s time. Texas Wesleyan actually hires out- side help in its enrollment management. A former employee of Noel Levitz—a nationally recognized enrollment man- agement company—helps in raising student satisfaction. “I don’t think we do a good job,” said Brent Santos, a senior international business and finance major. But while some students might hold this view, the sole purpose of these mini-organizations is not to cater every whim of the student, administrators said. While universities strive to keep their “customers” happy, retention programs do not key in on student life as much as one might think. Many university retention pro- grams focus on helping students avoid failure in their college career. This is done by helping the students in financial and academic areas and in understanding the bureaucracy of the university. To aid in some of these goals, Texas Wesleyan maintains a retention committee, chaired by Joe Brown, theater profes- sor. The committee handles issues that arise from a student satisfaction survey given to approximately 500 students dur- ing a designated class. The goal of the committee is to raise satisfaction. New Latino organization makes mark on campus Since 1929, LULAC has been a proud tradition, making strides for Latino civil rights and promoting cultural awareness. Recently, Texas Wesleyan has added itself to the 600 councils and 100,000 members nationwide of the League of United Latin American Citizens. “We are the only non-Latino Greek Organization with open membership,” said LULAC President Nathaniel Gangon. This new chapter of LULAC is headed by Gagnon and vice presi- dent Olivia Aranda. According to Gagnon, LULAC’s mis- sion is “to advance the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of the Hispanic population of the United States.” Texas Wesleyan’s LULAC chapter became officially recognized by the Student Government Association this fall. Since then, they have organized and participated in many events both in the community and on the campus. One notable event was the 16 de Septiembre Parade (Mexican Independence Day) where the group arranged gust speakers and voter registration drives. Currently, LULAC is planning to host a public speech by Sergio De Leon, a con- stable of Fort Worth’s Precinct 5, on the subject of the importance of the Latino vote. The organization is also planning a door-to-door voting campaign to rally sup- port for Juan Rangel, running for office in Fort Worth City Council District 9. Upcoming cultural events highlighting Latino influence and promoting awareness in the community are also in the works, as well as fund-raisers. There are no requirements to joining LULAC, which offers nation-wide scholar- ships, gives back to the community and pro- motes equality and civil rights. They meet during free period on the first and third Tuesday of every month in Room 204 of the student union building. Officers encourage anyone interested in helping out the com- munity and promoting civil rights to attend. For membership information, con- tact Nathaniel Gagnon at [email protected] or [email protected]. For more informa- tion on the national organization, visit www.lulac.org. CHUCK F AIN STAFF WRITER Nathaniel Gangon and Olivia Aranda (above) head up LULAC, which has participated in the 16 de Septiembre Parade (top). Photos courtesy of LULAC See Retention, page 2 JEFF RODRIGUEZ STAFF WRITER

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The students’ voice since 1917 Movie time! Wanna see a movie on the cheap? The Student Life office has movie theater tickets for both AMC and United Artists theaters for $6.50. Tickets are good for any showing at anytime. Contact Jenny Houze at (817) 531-4870. Don’t sneeze on me Tarrant County Public Health will supply flu shots from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 18 in the Followship Hall of Poly UMC. Flu shots are $20 cash. See Retention, page 2 October 17, 2007 J EFF R ODRIGUEZ C HUCK F AIN

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Rambler 10.17.10

October 17, 2007 Vol. 99, No. 7Fort Worth, Texas

The RamblerThe students’ voice since 1917

T E X A S W E S L E Y A N U N I V E R S I T Y

Listen up people

Ne

ws

Bri

efs

Ne

ws

Bri

efs

Help a child, scare a friendThe Student Life office

is taking donations of chil-drens’ Halloween costumes.All donations can bedropped off at the StudentLife office in the SUB byOct. 24. Costumes will bedonated to local D. McRaeElementary School andextras will be given to theBoys and Girls Club. Formore information call JennyHouze at (817) 531-4870.

Don’t sneeze on meTarrant County Public

Health will supply flu shotsfrom 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct.18 in the Followship Hall ofPoly UMC. Flu shots are$20 cash.

It’s a Wonderful LifeTheatre Wesleyan’s

THE RADIO SHOW: IT’SA WONDERFUL LIFEruns from Oct. 19 to Nov. 10at Artisan Center Theatre.The off-campus productionof the play within a play,written by theater depart-ment chair Connie Whitt-Lambert and directed bytheater professor JoeBrown, features a cast ofWesleyan students deckedout in gorgeous 1940’s garbdesigned by Brynn Bristol.Tickets are $8 for theWesleyan community andchildren and $13 generaladmission. Some showingsare already sold out, so calland reserve tickets soon. Forinformation on times, datesand tickets, visit www.arti-sanct.-com.

Alumni Medal DinnerWesleyan’s annual

Alumni Medal Dinner is at 6p.m. Oct. 19 at the FortWorth Club, honoring vari-ous alumni for accomplish-ments and service. Ticketsare $40. For more informa-tion, contact the alumnioffice.

You really need a facial...A Coldwater Creek spa

package is being raffled offOct. 23 between games 2and 3 of the volleyballmatch. The package is val-ued at more than $200.Tickets are $20, availablefrom any volleyball playeror coach.

Movie time!Wanna see a movie on

the cheap? The Student Lifeoffice has movie theatertickets for both AMC andUnited Artists theaters for$6.50. Tickets are good forany showing at anytime.Contact Jenny Houze at(817) 531-4870.

College RepublicansDonations of clothes

and blankets are being col-lected in boxes throughoutcampus. College Repub-licans are holding the driveto benefit Salvation Army.The group will conduct itsnext meeting during freeperiod Oct. 18 in Room 206of the Sid RichardsonBuilding.

NEWS BRIEFS

Student musicians, poets, writers and their fans gathered in the University Club Oct. 11 forAries’ biannual open mic night. While most sat back and took in the creativity, senior the-ater majors James Haney (above) and Chuck Jackson (right) entertained the crowd. Seepage 2 for more on the event.

Photos by Kevin Keathley

Administrationworks to increasestudent retention

We’ve all seen the marketing that goes on for colleges toget students – billboards, brochures, the list goes on. Buthow do universities get their students to stay? For some, thediploma is enough, but other students can be lured awayfrom a college for various reasons.

University retention could fall under the penumbra ofthe old adage quality vs. quantity. Wouldn’t a school justwant to keep its “good” students? Or, playing a sole numbersgame, it would be easy to assume that the more students auniversity has, the more chances it has of striking that oneperson who will make the university name famous.

Nevertheless, America is a very mobile society, and uni-versities want to see students stay put and finish what theystarted because students equal money. Thus, attempting tokeep both seasoned and new students is an important aspectof university machinery.

Wesleyan is no exception. Currently, freshman retention is at 60 percent with a goal

of 70 percent, according to Pati Alexander, vice president ofenrollment and student services. The transfer retention rate isupwards of 80 percent. Nevertheless, retention is not every-thing, and Alexander clarified some confusion about reten-tion.

One aspect of university retention is about getting stu-dents and keeping them here on campus. Selecting a collegeis a very personal matter and selecting the wrong collegewastes everyone’s time. Texas Wesleyan actually hires out-side help in its enrollment management. A former employeeof Noel Levitz—a nationally recognized enrollment man-agement company—helps in raising student satisfaction.

“I don’t think we do a good job,” said Brent Santos, asenior international business and finance major.

But while some students might hold this view, the solepurpose of these mini-organizations is not to cater everywhim of the student, administrators said.

While universities strive to keep their “customers”happy, retention programs do not key in on student life asmuch as one might think. Many university retention pro-grams focus on helping students avoid failure in their collegecareer. This is done by helping the students in financial andacademic areas and in understanding the bureaucracy of theuniversity.

To aid in some of these goals, Texas Wesleyan maintainsa retention committee, chaired by Joe Brown, theater profes-sor.

The committee handles issues that arise from a studentsatisfaction survey given to approximately 500 students dur-ing a designated class. The goal of the committee is to raisesatisfaction.

New Latino organizationmakes mark on campus

Since 1929, LULAC has been a proudtradition, making strides for Latino civilrights and promoting cultural awareness.Recently, Texas Wesleyan has added itselfto the 600 councils and 100,000 membersnationwide of the League of United LatinAmerican Citizens.

“We are the only non-Latino GreekOrganization with open membership,” saidLULAC PresidentNathaniel Gangon.

This new chapter ofLULAC is headed byGagnon and vice presi-dent Olivia Aranda.

According toGagnon, LULAC’s mis-sion is “to advance theeconomic condition,educational attainment,political influence,health and civil rights ofthe Hispanic populationof the United States.”

Texas Wesleyan’sLULAC chapter becameofficially recognized bythe Student Government Association thisfall. Since then, they have organized andparticipated in many events both in thecommunity and on the campus. Onenotable event was the 16 de SeptiembreParade (Mexican Independence Day)where the group arranged gust speakers

and voter registration drives. Currently, LULAC is planning to host

a public speech by Sergio De Leon, a con-stable of Fort Worth’s Precinct 5, on thesubject of the importance of the Latinovote.

The organization is also planning adoor-to-door voting campaign to rally sup-port for Juan Rangel, running for office inFort Worth City Council District 9.Upcoming cultural events highlightingLatino influence and promoting awareness

in the community arealso in the works, aswell as fund-raisers.

There are norequirements to joiningLULAC, which offersnation-wide scholar-ships, gives back to thecommunity and pro-motes equality and civilrights. They meet duringfree period on the firstand third Tuesday ofevery month in Room204 of the student unionbuilding.

Officers encourageanyone interested in helping out the com-munity and promoting civil rights toattend. For membership information, con-tact Nathaniel Gagnon [email protected] [email protected]. For more informa-tion on the national organization, visitwww.lulac.org.

CHUCK FAINSTAFF WRITER

Nathaniel Gangon and OliviaAranda (above) head up LULAC,which has participated in the 16de Septiembre Parade (top).

Photos courtesy of LULAC

See Retention, page 2

JEFF RODRIGUEZSTAFF WRITER

Page 2: Rambler 10.17.10

News2 October 17, 2007 The Rambler

Politically minded students gear up for electionsBlue vs. red. Democrats and Republicans character-

ize the contemporary essence of American democracy.With presidential elections on the horizon, politicalorganizations across the nation are in full swing. Butwhat exactly are Texas Wesleyan’s College Democratsand College Republicans up to?

According to Zach Davidson, president of theCollege Democrats, Wesleyan’s blue man group is stillgoing strong. The future ambition of the organization isto facilitate a political avenue between the campus andpolitics in general.

Although the organization has not had an officialmeeting this semester, the group hopes to meet thismonth. Interested members of the Wesleyan communitycan be on the lookout for flyers to announce the officialdate and place.

No dues are required for membership, and everyoneis welcome to attend meetings. Davidson said he looksforward to the first meeting, which will be used to organ-ize the group’s calendar and as a brainstorming session toschedule the year’s events.

“I don’t want to be a dictator,” Davidson said. “Themeetings will be centered on what the members want.”

The College Democrats and the College Republicanswill conduct voter registration on campus in time for thepresidential election.

With that election in mind, Blake Sonuga, presi-dent of the College Republicans, along with other offi-cers, recently had lunch with presidential nominee RonPaul.

The officers had a chance to get a feel for Paul’splatform, and the entire organization is participating ina few straw polls.

The College Republicans are also conducting aSalvation Army charity drive on campus. Donationboxes are placed in major buildings to collect goodslike clothes and blankets. More elaborate donations,however, are always welcome.

The incentive for starting the charity drive cameafter a recent visit to the Salvation Army station indowntown Fort Worth, said vice president StefanieTaylor. The group had been looking for a way to helpthe community around Wesleyan.

The next meeting is during free period Oct. 18 inRoom 206 of the Sid Richardson Building. Dues to jointhe College Republicans are $25 per year. The organi-zation currently has 20 people in regular attendance.All are welcome.

“You don’t have to be a Republican to join,” saidTaylor.

For more information on the College Democrats,contact [email protected].

For more information on the College Republicans,contact [email protected].

JEFF RODRIGUEZSTAFF WRITER

Wesleyan’s College Republicans are preparing for the upcoming presi-dential election with various events, including voter registration. Part ofthe group recently met with presidential nominee Ron Paul.

Courtesy of Google Images

Students and lovers of the arts turnedout for the biannual Aries open mic nightOct. 11. The gathering, which is hosted byAries every October and April, featuredpoetry and prose readings as well asinstrumental and vocal music performanc-es by students, faculty and staff.

“We had a great range of participa-tion,” said Stacia Neeley, associate profes-sor of English and faculty adviser to Aries:a journal of creative expression.

Although there was a wide variety ofcreativity shared withthe audience, there werea few moments thatstood out to attendees.

Senior Englishmajor and guitar playerRoss Mullens joinedforces with juniorEnglish major and new-found singer MartinGarcia to perform One-Semester-of-SpanishSpanish Love Song.

Sophomore Englishmajor Andrea Wagnerwas used as a visual aidfor Garcia to sing hissong to, which was a bighit with the audience.

“It was really cute and very creative,”said alumna and former Aries associateeditor Whitney Allen, who attended theevent.

Senior theater major James Haney wasanother musical performer at the open micnight, who also played guitar in addition tosinging an original song inspired by

www.myspace.com. “James is recording an album with a

studio in Arlington next week,” saidNeeley.

Although the musical performanceshit a chord with many attendees, poetrywas the word for most of those who tooktheir turns at the mic.

Wesleyan’s English graduates, includ-ing Traci McMurray, Hank Sinatra andAllen, all shared either their own originalpoetry or some of the classics, includingRobert Frost.

One of the biggest surprises of theevening was Jeffrey DeLotto, professor of

English and one of theoriginal mastermindsbehind Aries, sharedpoems from his newestpublication. The work,Days of a Chameleon, isthe first to be publishedby the newly establishedTexas WesleyanUniversity Press.

One of the last tostand and share wasBrentom “Chuck”Jackson, senior theatermajor. He dazzled theaudience with spokenword performed frommemory.

“Awesome. He put some soul into it,”said Allen.

Aries is a national literary magazinepublished annually. Those interested inordering a copy of the 2007 edition orapplying to be an associate editor for Aries2008 can contact Neeley [email protected].

Aries’ open mic rocksWesleyan

SHAWN R. POLINGEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Photos by Kevin Keathley

The last survey was taken in 2005, and the next survey is scheduled to be administeredthis fall. The top three satisfaction issues identified on the last survey were freshman corecurriculum, junior and senior advising and finance, in that order.

For some students, money is the very reason they stay. Financial incentives can be hugein whether or not students stick it out.

“It’s all about the money,” said Megan Krause, a senior finance major. University President Hal Jeffcoat pointed out another piece of the money puzzle. That is,

that one of the main objectives behind university retention is to “hold the costs of attendancedown” for the students. He said university retention is a “big equation” with lots of differentvariables, but tuition can be lower if more students are attending.

Then there are professors. Yes, they must be retained too, and some of them are gladthose numbers don’t get asbig as many universities’.

Michelle Payne, visitingassistant professor of politi-cal science and director of theparalegal program, said shesticks around year after year“because of the academicfreedom.” Professors enjoythe power to pick their owntextbooks and teach theirown way, she said, and smallclasses are always better thanan auditorium full of 200 stu-dents.

Retention, from page 1

Students from a range ofprograms showed up onthe mall for the majorsfair Oct. 11. Freshmanmusic major JamisonWilliams (above) takes inthe offerings from eachacademic area. JuniorEnglish major MartinGarcia and junior religionmajor Kevin Doskocil(right) represent theirrespective majors, spread-ing knowledge about thedifferent professions andcareers available to thevarious majors offered atTexas Wesleyan.

What’s yourmajor?

Senior English major RossMullens plays guitar during Aries’open mic night.

Photo by Kevin Keathley

Page 3: Rambler 10.17.10

OpinionsThe Rambler October 17, 2007 3

The RamblerFounded in 1917 as The Handout

Harold G. Jeffcoat, Publisher Kelli Lamers, adviser Shawn R Poling, editor-in-chief Zainah Usman, photo editor Tiara Nugent, managing/college life editor Bryce Wilks, sports editor Colleen Burnie, entertainment editorSkyla Claxton, advertising manager Amanda May, Web editor

Member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.

Opinions expressed in The Rambler are those of the individual author only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas Wesleyan community as a whole.

Letters to the editor: The Rambler, a weekly publication, welcomes all letters. All submissions must have a full printed name, phone number and signature; however, confidentiality will be granted if requested.

While every consideration is made to publish letters, publication is limited by time and space. The editors reserve the right to edit all submissions for space, grammar, clarity and style.

Letters to the editor may be subject to response from editors and students on the opinions page.

"We are not afraid to follow the truth...wherever it may lead." -Thomas Jefferson

Address all correspondence to:Texas Wesleyan University, The Rambler, 1201 Wesleyan St., Fort Worth, TX 76105.

Newsroom: 531-7552 Advertising: 531-7582 Fax: 531-4878 E-mail: [email protected]

Rambler RatingsThumbs up to each ofWesleyan’s international students.

Thumbs up to people who getflu shots.

Thumbs down to being disconnected by the switchboard.

Thumbs up to Betsy Johnson,Ashley Porterfield and all others who sponsored activi-ties for International Week.

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Group work seems to always hold a love/hate rela-tionship. You either find yourself paired with the

brilliant micro-manager who is willing to take it all on(so that you are both guaran-teed an A, of course) or youare that manager, cleaningup the mistakes of your part-ners’ less than worthy excus-es for ‘their share.’ Butsometimes, in its most daz-zling form, group work pro-duces wonders.

Dr. Stacia Neely, associate professor ofEnglish, speaks regularly of “the miracle” offall 2007, when a group of grammatical gurusachieved record greatness for an entire semesterin an advanced grammar class. Neely describesthe group’s interaction with the principle of“accountability as a collaborative entity,” whichenhances organization, negotiation and delega-tion skills. Teamwork, cooperation and leader-ship become second-hand through adherence tointegrity principles.

“Group work is beneficial to the educationof students because it’s helpful to communicateideas with one another,” said Ross Mullens, aWesleyan senior studying English.

Self-evaluation comes almost naturally withan assignment’s completion, including that group presentation to bereviewed. This interaction pushes students forward to learn more abouttheir own views of the world and produce greater works. Through commu-nicating our ideas we understand their ‘real world value’ when receiving

feedback, thus preparing us for ‘real life’ corporate jobs. In an article titled Communicating Ideas published by The Insider in

July 2002, Ron Nehring said that the ultimate goal in communication is to“recognize that you are competing in a marketplace of ideas and you have a narrow window ofopportunity to obtain and hold a [listener’s] atten-tion before he or she moves on to another issue.” With group work the student can increase meta-

cognitive awareness, students can begin to learnsomething about the way they think and, in turn,how the listener thinks as well. Group work is one pedagogical strategy that pro-

motes participation and interaction, saving studentsfrom hours of long-winded lectures where no one isinteracting and learning. It breaks up the pace ofthe traditional classroom and keeps everyone hon-est, fostering a deeper and more active learningprocess that renders long term results. Skillsacquired through group work prepare students for acorporate life of human interaction, as well as actslike a gateway to our own cognitive processes. So whether your group work consists of a study

group, class presentation or some tangible project,throw your all into it. Don’t show up to a groupsession with a passive attitude; challenge yourgroup mates to set the bar high. Not only will yougain more out of the experience yourself – includ-

ing friendships, learning and good grades – but youmay also invest in a fellow student.

In short, “Ask not what your study group can give to you, but whatyou can give to your study group.”

This past summer was notjust a big season for

Hollywood, it was thebiggest. For the first time inhistory, American cinemagenerated $4 billion in ticketsales in one summer. Thiscomes at a great time forHollywood, which has beenstuck in a ticket sales rutfor nearly a decade, accord-ing to movies.com.

Audiences seemed to never stop going tothe movies during the warm summer months,causing record-breaking revenue for both fran-chises and original projects alike. That beingsaid, although it’s a great thing for the movieworld, why now?

Just a few years ago production companiesfeared for their futures after the debut of file-sharing programs like Napster and Limewiredealt a significant blow to musicsales. In no time at all computergeeks went from illegally copyingand downloading single songs toflooding the Internet with completefilms and albums available for afree (and illegal) download.

Although Napster was shutdown and turned into a pay-pro-gram, free programs like Limewiremange to escape the law with avariety of disclaimers and warningsto users.

Now anyone with a DVD burn-er and a printer connected to theircomputer can create near-perfect-looking DVDs,complete with high-quality, full-color discs andinserts. Even the plastic DVD cases can now bebought in bulk.

“I haven’t actually paid for a CD or song inover five years. It’s enough that I had to pay formy iPod. I was able to download Spiderman 3and make copies for my friends before themovie came out in theaters,” said an anonymousWesleyan student.

So if it’s so easy to get new movies for freewithout ever leaving your home, why are peopleflocking to the theaters?

Many critics and publications are givingcredit to the abundance of sequels and remakesthat filled screens this summer. Sequels for theShrek, Pirates of the Caribbean and Spidermanfranchises all topped $300 million this summerin the U.S. alone, while installments in other

series’ such as Harry Potter and Bourne topped200.

It would be easy to say that sequels are tothank for Hollywood’s success, but that just isn’ttrue. Neither is Entertainment Weekly’s claimthat audiences just turned out for the special

effects and noth-ing more.

I think film-makers foundthemselves in dan-ger over the lastfew years andfinally learnedsome lessons.

First and foremost: quality is always impor-tant, no matter how big your budget is. Take forinstance some of the high-profile “blockbusters”of the past decade: Van Helsing and FinalFantasy: The Spirits Within. Both films costmore than $200 million to produce (not countingmillions in advertising) and featured big namessuch as Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, AlecBaldwin and Ving Rhames.

Both films were huge bombs (FF has thedistinction of being the biggest movie bomb ofall time and drove Square Pictures right intobankruptcy) and to this day continue to come upin jokes about Hollywood.

I was shocked enough, never mind how thefilmmakers felt. At that point the ticket sales ruthad already taken hold, and bombs (technically,a film needs to break twice its budget in ticketsales to be declared a success) were nothing to

joke about. Looking at this past summer’s special-

effects movies, it seems like the majority (savefor the latest Fantastic 4 installments) have alsofeatured solid plot and decent acting. Franchiseslike Pirates are now rivaling the complex and

in-depth storytellingof films like HarryPotter.

The other factorthat has helpedHollywood this yearis a greater relianceon star power andless reliance ontrends. From 2004 to2006 a new thrown-together horror filmfeaturing a fresh(and cheap) youngface debuted almostevery week. If itwasn’t that, audi-ences were bombard-ed with nothing tosee but pointlessvideo game adapta-

tions. I’m an avid horror movie buff, and even Iwas uninspired by some of the dredge dished outover the past couple of years.

Now days it seems to me that a slew of newstars, screenwriters and directors are solidifyingtheir places in popular film. Our society’scelebrity obsession has taken a turn for the bet-ter, and more people are turning out to moviessimply because of their stars. “Younger” starslike Jessica Alba, Christina Bale, ScarlettJohanssen, Naomi Watts, Anne Hathaway, SteveCarrell and Shia LeBouf are showing that theycan carry a film to the No. 1 spot just by show-ing up and providing a quality performance.

Directors and screenwriters like DaveCronenburg, Michael Bay, Ehrin Kruger andJudd Apatow are now getting more mentions inpreviews than the stars of their films. And betteryet, audiences are responding and showing up atticket windows.

We are entering another golden age of cine-ma. We may not be there quite yet, but I can seethe horizon before us. Let’s hope Hollywood cankeep it up. May the films please, the effects daz-zle and the stars bring it!

SHAWN R.POLING

JOSEPHSAVAGE

Joseph Savage is a senior literature major and is a staff writer for The Rambler.

Courtesy of Google Images

Courtesy of Google Images

Hollywood enters another golden age of cinema

Diligence important to self and others in group work

Shawn R. Poling is a senior writing major and is thenews editor for The Rambler.

Page 4: Rambler 10.17.10

College LifeOctober 17, 2007 The Rambler

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Japan * Burkina Faso * K

enya * Spain * Jordan * Canada * G

reat Britain * C

ongo * Nepal * Scotland * N

ew Zealand * U

kraine * Chile * Singapore * Italy * A

ustralia * Nigeria * Ireland * Peru

* Croatia * Jamaica * Zimbabwe * Mexico * Germany * India * Pakistan * China * Sweden * Brazil * Russia *

Q. What city are you from? Can you tell me aboutthe family you have there and what kind of contactyou keep with them?

Sandhya Karki, Nepal: I am from Kathmandul. Ihave a mother and an elder brother whom I am in touchthrough phone, text and e-mails.

Musa Walulingia, Congo: I am from Kinshasa (thecapital). I’m the fifth of six children and the only onewho lives in United States. My parents live with my twoother brothers in Congo, but the rest live in Europe. Icommunicate often with them by telephone or Internet.

Ryan Barnes, Australia: I have one younger broth-er (Mitchell) and a younger sister (Ashlea). My parentsare Glenn and Trudy Barnes, who I e-mail every dayand call once a week. I often speak to my brother andsister on the Internet chat.

Toby Rochau, Germany: I am from Frankfurt. Ihave one brother who lives in Munich and one sister.My sister is an elementary school teacher and has fourkids: 8, 10 and 12 years and 3 weeks old.My parents live inFrankfurt. I keep in touchover the Internet via mes-senger or e-mail, andwe talk once or twiceevery week on thephone.

MartinVahala,Australia:I’m fromPerth, inWesternAustralia. Ihave a reason-ably largefamily; thereare seven kidsincluding me, butsome are step broth-ers and sisters. I usuallytalk to my mum and dadabout once a week.

Carlos Arenas,Columbia: I’m fromBucaraman- ga. My dad, mom, younger andolder brothers live there. I talk to my mom maybe twicea week on the phone, my dad once a week, and with mybrothers once a month.

Q. Will you give me a brief synopsis of your nativeculture?

Sandhya: Nepal is the only Hindu country besidesIndia. Our culture is quite similar to that of India but notto China at all. We eat rice, vegetables, meat curry anddal (lentils), but the groceries we buy there are usuallyorganic. Unlike here, we cannot get all kinds of vegeta-bles or fruits all year long. The school system is totallydifferent. In Nepal we go to school thewhole year and have five or six sub-jects. We do not have many choicesregarding our major.

Musa: In brief, I will tell you thatthe Congolese food is most natural. Wedon’t use some chemical products inany kind of food. More of us areChristian, and we live almost likeEuropean people because we inheritedit from the colonization.

Ryan: I believe the fashion inAustralia is very similar to that ofAmerica except for the board shorts,wife beaters and constant wearing offlip flops and bare feet. America has alot more fast food restaurants thanAustralia, and I still believe that the Australian food ismuch better and healthier.

Toby: The biggest difference between Texas andGermany is the weather. It’s hot here for about sixmonths, and in Germany we get the four seasons and agreat winter.

Martin: No funny stories, but people over herehave difficulty understanding us from time to time. Weuse the same language, but I guess we just put a differ-ent spin on things.

Carlos: The food is the same as what you wouldfind on an American table but it is all natural; we usereal ingredients. We don’t have fast food. Guys wear a

lot of jeans and polos; girls are more modest in clothingthan they are in America.

Q. What was your biggest culture shock coming toAmerica?

Sandhya: I was really surprised to find out howpeople were so friendly and helpful. Before I had hadthe impression that everyone is busy with their lives andnobody cares about another person, but that is not true.

Musa: I was surprised to see that whoever you are,everyone has the opportunity to be rich even if youdon’t have a degree. Differently from Congo, in theUnited States, to have the opportunity to be an athleterequests being educated.

Ryan: When I first got to America, it was extremelyweird to hear every one around me saying “Y’all,”which I have never heard in my life. And the othermajor thing was driving on the opposite side of the road;that’s taking a little bit to get used to.

Martin: I come from a very isolated city – it’s actu-ally the most isolated city in the world – so it’s a lotmore laid back, easy going. Sometimes I find thingsover here too crowded and hectic. I also miss the ocean— I lived three to five minutes away back home — and

the greenery. Perth was a really beautiful place to livebut not much to do.

Carlos: In Columbia, it’s normal to meet a girl andkiss her on the cheek. On my second day here, a friendintroduced me to two girls and I kissed them. My friendsaid, “No, you don’t do that here!” In America, you treatgirls the same way as guys. That would never happen inColumbia.

Q. Why did you decide to study abroad for college? Sandhya: It was my mom’s dream to send me

abroad for my further education. No one in the family

had done it. So I guess it was for pride, but for me itwas for better education and better opportunities andexploring behind the mountains.

Musa: I will tell you first that I am a kind of personwho likes to travel and to know about other cultures; Iwant to exploit my name (Musafiri) that means traveler.The United States is considered a more developed coun-try than Congo. If I [gain] knowledge from the U.S. Iknow that I will bring new things to Congo, and thenthat will make me an important person in my country.

Toby: I spent a year as an exchange student atGrand Prairie High School in ’02-’03. I liked it so muchthat I decided to finish school in Germany and thencome back into this area. I was looking for a school with

a soccer program, and Wesleyan was one of them, so Idecided to go here.

Martin: I decided to study abroad last year. BenHunt, who went here in 2005, recommended TexasWesleyan to me.

Carlos: You can’t do sports and academics inColumbia; here people care to balance them.

Q. What has been your favorite discovery withinAmerican culture?

Sandhya: I should say it is the law system. Nobodygets away with [things]. The other thing I like aboutAmerican culture is being independent; when you are 18years old you go on your own.

Toby: A barbecue with friends.Martin: I had never had peanut butter M&Ms, so I

like them a fair bit.

Q. What are your goals/dreams after college?Sandhya: After college, I want to go back and start

my own business and create employment opportunitiesfor others. My mom and I have a dream of opening anelderly home for those in need. I also want to open anon-profit school for children to provide them with bet-

ter quality and opportunities. I want tobring changes in theschool systems.

Toby: My dream is togo to Hong Kong and

spend one semesterstudying over

there. Aftercollege I wantto travelaround theworld for ayear andthen startto thinkabout my

future whiledoing this. I

want to spendthe rest of my

life wherever myheart takes me in this

world.Musa: As I am a

good citizen who likes hiscountry, I’m planning to

go back to Congo and create my own busi-ness. The major thing, for me, will be to make a connec-tion between Congo and the United Stated in order tokeep using my knowledge learned from there andincrease the rate of employees for my country.

Martin: I’m just looking to graduate at the moment;I’m not getting ahead of myself. Travel — that’s some-thing I really want to do.

Carlos: I have two options: continue with my golfcareer (I play on the team here) and be professional ortry to start my own business, hopefully in the U.S.

Q. How does schooling in America differ fromCongo? Did language play into youradjustment to America?

Musa: Given that Congo has beencolonized by Belgium, the educationalsystem in Congo is very different than inAmerica. I reached the United States in2005, and that was not easy for mebecause I used to speak French backhome. I still learn English by reading alot, listening to some music and watch-ing movies. I am glad for myselfbecause, after all these difficulties, Iearned my associate degree in businessfrom Lon Morris College, and now I’mstudying at Texas Wesleyan Universityfor my bachelor’s in finance.

Q. Can you tell me something unique and little-known about your country? Have you heard many“American misconceptions” about your country?

Ryan: Haha! One of the biggest sayings that every-body says is “throw another shrimp on the barby,” but infact no one I know eats shrimp, let alone on the barby.As for drinking Fosters beer, I believe that Australiansdrank that about 50 years ago, but now days nobodydrinks it and not many places sell it.

Carlos: Columbia is a really pretty country; it’s abeautiful place. People are very nice and polite. It isnothing like what the media shows. The drug dealingsthey portray are not even close.

Getting to knowWesleyan

International Students

Courtesy of International Department

* Croatia * Jamaica * Zimbabwe * Mexico * Germany * India * Pakistan * China * Sweden * Brazil * Russia *

by tiara nugent

HHave you ever wondered what it would havebeen like to grow up in a different culture?

The food? The language? International studentsat Wesleyan offer a peek into their experiences.

Page 5: Rambler 10.17.10

SportsThe RamblerOctober 17, 2007 5

Log on to:www.ramsports.netfor the latest game

information andprofiles of your

favorite WesleyanTeams and Athletes

Quick Quotes

Upcoming Events

“Dear Reporters,Due to the magnitude of

this week’s game and highvolume of questions for theOriginal 81 about the other81. I will be taking all ques-tions immediately followingSunday’s game.Sincerely,

Terrell Owens

p.s. Getcha Popcorn Ready.”

Oct. 17*6 p.m. Volleyball vs.Wiley College

Oct. 20*11 a.m. Volleyball vs.Jarvis Christian College

*4 p.m. Volleyball vs.Texas College

*5:30 p.m. Women’ssoccer vs. College of theSouthwest

7:30 p.m. Men’s Soccervs. College of theSouthwest

Oct. 23*7 p.m. Volleyball vs.Southern NazareneUniversity.

*denotes home games

Sports BriefsTWU wins battle of RamsOct. 14The men’s soccer teamdefeated Huston-TillotsonUniversity 2-1, climbing intosecond place in the confer-ence.

Lady Rams route Huston-TillotsonOct. 14The women’s soccer teamtook a convincing 5-0 winover Huston-Tillotson.

Ayala, Meng named to All-Tournament teamOct. 13Sandra Ayala and Liz Mengwere named to the All-Tournament team at theHouston Baptist UniversityHusky Classic.

Lady Rams take Huskiesto four gamesOct. 13The volleyball teamdropped matches toHouston Baptist Universityand Lubbock ChristianUniversity on the secondday of the Husky Classic.

Volleyball Rams win twoat Husky ClassicOct. 12The volleyball team notchedtwo wins on the openingday of the Husky Classicagainst Oklahoma CityUniversity and theUniversity of St. Thomas-Houston.

Rams move to second inRed River ConferenceOct. 12The men’s soccer teammoved into a tie for secondplace after defeatingNorthwood University 3-2.

Lady Rams lose toKnights on late PKOct. 12The women’s soccer teamlost 1-0 to NorthwoodUniversity on a penalty kickin the 71st minute.

The Lady Rams have yet to lose a conferencegame, and it does not seem like they are planningto any time soon. With anoverall record of 21-11, theLady Rams have high con-fidence going into roundtwo of RRAC play.

Although head coachChristy Clawson is verypleased with the way herteam is playing, she hasvery high expectations ofher team.

“We haven’t peakedyet. Hopefully we willbetween conference andregionals,” Clawson said.

Several leaders on theteam are shining as theLady Rams look to takethe Red River AthleticC o n f e r e n c eChampionship.

Senior libero AshleyMock is one of them.Mock has earned five ofthe seven RRAC Player ofthe Week awards, as wellas two Region IV Liberoof the Week awards.

What exactly is alibero? According to theNCAA volleyball Web

site, the libero is a designated back-row player,intended to be used as a ball-control specialist.The libero is allowed to replace any player in theback row without counting as a substitution.

Senior middle blocker Liz Meng is also a stat

leader, earning two all-tournament team awards,averaging double-doubles in kills and digs inthose tournaments. She has also earned a RRACPlayer of the Week award.

Freshman Evoni Darling is the silent but dead-ly setter. Coming to Wesleyanas a standout at ColleyvilleHeritage High School, Darlingis already making a name forherself as a freshman, earningtwo consecutive ConferenceSetter of the Week awards andaveraging almost 11 assists permatch.

The Lady Rams are on aroll, and with only four confer-ence games left before region-als, they are determined to fin-ish undefeated.

Tons of Lady Ramsaction is taking place at homethis week.

Wiley College will travelto the Sid RichardsonGymnasium for a match at 6p.m. Oct. 17.

Oct. 20 will feature a dou-ble-header against JarvisChristian at 11 a.m. and TexasCollege at 7 p.m.

On Oct. 23, Ashley Mock,Liz Meng, Sandra Ayala andErinn Miller will be honored onsenior night, with a match vs.Southern Nazarene Universityat 7 p.m.

MICHAYELA MAYSCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Lady Rams stay undefeated in conference play

Photos by Kevin Keathley

Ashley Mock has won six of seven conference libero of the week awards this season and alsoset a school record for digs in a game with 51.

Players to WatchCrunch time has arrived for the volleyball team, as they

will play many important matches leading up to the RedRiver Conference Tournament Nov. 9.

Here are two players that will have a huge impact onthe outcome of the season:

Evoni Darling (pictured above) was named conferencesetter of the week twice this season and posted 50 or moreassists five times.

Liz Meng (pictured below) was named conference play-er of the week twice and averaged 14.5 kills and 11 digsper match at the Husky Classic in Houston.

- Bryce Wilks

Both the men’s and women’s soccerteam have staked their claim for respectwithin the Red RiverAthletic Conferenceby climbing into sec-ond place in theirrespective standings.

Solid goalkeep-ing has given bothteams the confidenceto execute an aggres-sive game plan, andthe keepers havegained recognitionfor their play.

Women’s keeperBrittany O’Brienwas named outstand-ing defensive playerof the week in theconference twice thisseason and gainedrecognition as thebest in the regiononce.

For the week ofSept. 17-23, O’Brienallowed just onescore in 200 minutes.She stopped 16 of 17attempted shots invictories over TexasCollege andUniversity of Scienceand Arts.

The following week, O’Brien repeat-ed her perform-ance with a stel-lar game againstU T -Brownsville.

For the sea-son, O’Brienhas made 65saves andrecorded two shutouts, while allowingjust one goal on three other occasions.

O’Brien has netted most of the play-ing time onthe women’sside, but themen have uti-lized a dual-keeper sys-tem, allowingboth JoakimSode rbaumand TobyRochau toshow whatthey can do.

No matter

who mans the goalie box, it will have aninternational feel as Rochau hails fromOberorsec, Germany, and Soderbaum(“Sven” to teammates) is from Varberg,Sweden.

Coach JoshGibbs describedthe situation forplaying time ingoal as fiercelycompetitive allseason.

Rochau beganhis second seasonat Wesleyan as thestarter and playedvery well.

Rochau madenine saves in ashutout victoryagainst theUniversity of St.Thomas Sept. 23.

An injury toRochau opened thedoor forSoderbaum to getsome quality play-ing time.Soderbaum playedwell in victoriesagainst NorthwoodOct. 12 andHuston-TillotsonOct. 14.

Wins in bothgames allowed theRams to take sole

possession of second place, with just onegame remainingbefore post-seasonplay.

Both goalieshope to help theRams win a con-ference title andpossibly morebefore the end of

the season.“It’s been a contested position all

year, and first guy to slip up could unfor-tunately be out of luck,” Gibbs said.

“Having twogreat guys is agood problemto have.”

Both themen’s andwomen’s con-ference tour-naments arescheduled forOct. 26-29 atMartin Field.

BRYCE WILKSSPORTS EDITOR

Goalies keeping Rams tough

Brittany O’Brien has denied shots ongoal all season with her leaping efforts.Her success has resulted three conferenceand regional honors.

Keepers Joakim Soderbaum (left) and Toby Rachau(right) have both helped win key games this season.

Photo courtesy of Texas Wesleyan Athletic Department

Courtesy of Athletic Department

O’Brien an award winner, men deliver one-two punch

“It’s been a contested position all year,and the first guy to slip could unfortu-nately be out of luck. Having two greatguys is a problem to have.”

– Josh GibbsSoccer Coach

Page 6: Rambler 10.17.10

Entertainment6 October 17, 2007 The Rambler

On Campus:

* The Radio Show: It’s aWonderful Life: Artisan CenterTheratre, 7:30 p.m.

* Brick Dedication Ceremony:Steps of West Library, 10:30a.m.

On Campus:

* Dallas Cowboys vs.Minnesota Vikings: TexasStadium, 3:15 p.m.

* On the Mountain: Fort WorthCommunity Arts Center,through Nov. 4 www.stagewest.org

Off Campus:

* The Radio Show: It’s aWonderful Life: Artisan CenterTheratre, 7:30 p.m.

On Campus:

*Women’s Volleyball vs.Southern NazarneneUniversity: Gym, 7 p.m.

*DVD releases: Meet theRobinsons; Hostel: Part Two;The Sopranos: Season Six PartTwo; Veronica Mars: SeasonThree

TTHEHE

WWEEKEEK

AAHEADHEAD

On Campus:

*Methodist Student Movementmeeting: Poly UMC, noon,free lunch served

*Baptist Student Ministry: SidRichardson Building, noon,free lunch served

* International Week Italian IceSocial: Brown Lupton CenterLobby, 11:30-2 p.m.

17

To submit an event forthe calender, e-mail

[email protected].

Wednesday

On Campus:

*The Rambler staff meeting:Stella Russell Hall lobby,12:15 p.m.

* Interntaional WeekInternational Fair: LouellaBaker Martin Pavillion, 11:30-1 p.m.

18Thursday

On Campus

* International WeekClosing Celebration: BraganFellowship Hall, noon- 1p.m.

* The Radio Show: It’s aWonderful Life: ArtisanCenter Theratre, 7:30 p.m.

* Alumni Medal Dinner:Fort Worth Club, 6 p.m.

19Friday

23Tuesday20Saturday 21Sunday 22Monday

Musicarte, a three-day street festival celebrating Latino culture through visual and per-forming arts, will take place Oct. 19-21 in Sundance Square. Proceeds from the cultural eventwill benefit the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Foundation.

The vision of Musicarte was shared between several downtown partners who envisioneda street festival that encompassed the Latinoinfluence on today’s and yesterday’s culture. Acelebration of the arts, both visual and perform-ance, exhibited by local and national artisans rep-resenting sculpture, painting and photography aswell as performing artists including dance, musicand song – but not limited to those forums.

“This could not be possible without the sup-port of community and corporate partners whohave come together to promote the influence ofLatin culture and arts in our area,” said RosaNavejar, president Fort Worth Hispanic Chamberof Commerce.

“What makes this a true community event isthat all of the proceeds will benefit theChamber’s scholarship foundation, which somany of our children in Fort Worth can prosperfrom.”

The FWHCC Scholarship Foundation wascreated in 1991 to provide eighth grade Hispanicsa $600 scholarship upon graduating. Since thenthe FWHCC Scholarship Foundation has evolvedand provided close to a million dollars in schol-arship funds for Fort Worth area Hispanic stu-dents.

Featured artists include Grammy award win-ner and traditional tejano musician Emilio; FannyLu, actress turned upbeat salsa Latin pop diva;and the Latin-infused, hip hop sounds ofNOTCH.

Emilio and Fanny Lu will play at 9 p.m. onFriday and Saturday, respectfully, and NOTCHwill take the stage at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Closing out each day, Univision 23,Telefutura 49, KESS Radio and La Kalle 99.1FM will present the musical headliners repre-senting some of today’s up and coming and veteran musical acts crossing over the tejano,salsa/tropical and regeaton genres of music.

According to Navejar, the first-year festival will become an annual event and, in addition

to displaying music, will invite local, regional and national artists to exhibit and sell art andhandi-crafts.

The festival’s featured artist is Fort Worth native Manuel A. Pulido. Pulido, 35, earned adegree in advertising commercial arts but considers himself to be a self-taught painter andsculptor. He works in all mediums including stone, bronze, oil, acrylic and water color.Pulido has studios in Fort Worth and Dallas and has exhibited his work internationally andthroughout the United States.

Pulido said he first became inter-ested in art as a student at South HighMount Elementary. A visiting children’sauthor and artist came to the school togive a motivational speech and demon-strate his work. When the author askedfor a volunteer to help him draw, Pulidoeagerly raised his hand and, to hisdelight, was chosen.

“I went up there and started to dothe drawings, and he liked it. It was thefirst time I felt proud of what I could do,”said Pulido, who had often gotten intotrouble for drawing on the blank pages ofhis school books. “I knew from thatmoment that art would always be a partof my life.”

Now he spends all of his timeworking as an artist and encouragingother budding artists to develop their tal-ents and helping to promote Latin art inAmerica.

The mission of the Fort WorthHispanic Chamber of Commerce is “cre-ating, promoting and enhancing econom-ic opportunity and prosperity for the FortWorth Hispanic business community.”

The organization, which was char-tered in 1974, was the fourth Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce to beestablished in the state of Texas. Sinceits start, the Chamber has grown intomore than 550 members and is provingto be a dynamic force in promoting

international trade and continued overall development for its membership as well as thearea’s economic community.

The event is from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Oct. 19, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Oct. 20 and 11 to6 p.m. Oct. 21. For more information and a complete lineup, visit www.musicartefw.com.

MMuussiiccaarrttee ffiillllss tthhee ddoowwnnttoowwnn aaiirr wwiitthh aa LLaattiinn ffllaaiirr COLLEEN BURNIE

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Photo courtesy of LComm Marketing and Public Relations

Musicarte, the first annual Latin music festival in downtown, features the wide range of musicfrom the Latin culture. Proceeds from the event go to the FWHCC Scholarship Foundation.

One of the advantages to being a member of a university community is the availabil-ity of arts and entertainment events at subsidized or non-existent cover charges. The tal-ent that the Wesleyan community contains from the music and theater departments to theaverage student, who just might be a poet or a photographer, is astounding. On Oct. 18,Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Bryan English will give a recital in collaboration withsome of the area’s best musicians, alumni and Wesleyan staff, and the show is free.

English began teaching at Wesleyan four years ago while finishing his doctorate ofmusical arts in trombone and conducting at the University of North Texas. His role atWesleyan as director of instrumental studies allows him to teach private trombone,instrumental conducting and jazz arranging, as well as direct the Wind Ensemble andJazz Band. This will be his first recital to give at Wesleyan.

The recital features several guest performers including 2003 alumna CourtneyGuyon-Winslet on saxophone and Hsinyi Wang on cello, as well as a drummer, violin-ist, percussionist and staff pianist Jessica Koebbe on piano.

The program’s genres range from classical to jazz to film score, and two of the selec-tions that will premiere at the recital were commissioned by English himself.

According to English, the first of the twopieces to premiere, entitled Milanthian, “blursthe boundaries of musical genres by combiningjazz, contemporary and classical styles.” It is thefirst project that he has been afforded the privi-lege, he said, of premiering for the composerDusty Dan Clayton.

Another piece in the program was written bythe prolific trombone composer David Uber for aBoston Symphony bass trombonist Douglas Yeo,who said that the song is to be a musical repre-sentation of New York, Chicago and Boston.

“I like the piece so much because David soaccurately captures the flavor of each city in hismusic,” said Yeo.

Other selections include pieces from com-poser Alec Wilder and Dr. Michael ThomasBenoit.

“I've made great efforts to design a programthat is a unique artistic contribution to the localand national music scene. It is very upbeat,eclectic, jazzy, and modern, but incredibly easyto listen to. It should be enjoyable to audiencemembers whether they are musically inclined ornot,” said English of his recital.

The wide variety of music in the recital matches the plethora of performers thatEnglish has collaborated with. The credits include the likes of Willie Nelson’s andGeorge Straight’s bands, Tim Ries of the Rolling Stones, jazz performers Dick Oatts andMaria Schneider, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Texas Wind Symphony and NorthTexas One O’clock Jazz Band. In addition to his roles at Wesleyan, he is also the direc-tor of the orchestra at First Baptist Church of Euless, husband to Stephanie and father toLexi.

The recital begins at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 18 in Martin Hall and is free and open to the pub-lic. There will be a reception to follow in the Baker-Martin Pavilion. For more informa-tion on this or other Texas Wesleyan music department faculty or events, visitwww.txwes.edu/music/music.

COLLEEN BURNIEENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

PPrrooff bbrriinnggss tthhee bbrraassssEnglish gives collaborative recital

Photo courtesy of Texas Wesleyan CommunicationDr. Bryan English will give his trom-bone recital at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 18 inMartin Hall.

Theatre Wesleyan is celebratingChristmas a little differently this year.

In honor of the happiest holiday of theyear, Theatre Wesleyan is putting on a pro-duction of theater department chair ConnieWhitt Lambert’s THE RADIO SHOW: IT’SA WONDERFUL LIFE. Instead of pullingback the curtains of Wesleyan’s Martin Hallfor a performance, students will be perform-ing their hearts out on the stage of ArtisanCenter Theatre in Hurst.

This production also marks another firstof sorts. It will be the first time Whitt-Lambert will have one of her plays directedby fellow theater professor Joe Brown.

“This is a new experience for both ofus. Joe is the reason I first came to teachhere,” said Whitt-Lambert.

The play, which has also been producedat Stage West and Circle Theatre, is like aplay inside of a play. The actors, allWesleyan students, portray employees ofthe TXWS Radio Network, which is pre-senting the WONDERFUL LIFE radiodrama the particular day the play takesplace.

“The structure of the play is unusual

with the play within the play and the stu-dents playing actors who are playing char-acters. Plus, this is a period show set in the‘40s, and the costume design is beautiful,”Whitt-Lambert said.

This production will provide uniqueopportunities for the students involved. Allactors either play both an employee of theradio station and a character in the radiostation’s production or they are both a tech-nician for Theatre Wesleyan and also playan employee of the network.

A big change from a traditionalWesleyan production is the productionschedule for the show. There are 17 per-formances of the play spread out over 14Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays andSaturdays.

“This show will be a very unique expe-rience,” said Whitt-Lambert.

Artisan Center Theatre is known forpacked theaters, and a few of the showingsare already sold out, so Whitt-Lambert rec-ommends calling and reserving tickets assoon as possible. Tickets are availablethrough the Artisan Center Theatre boxoffice and are $8 for anyone fromWesleyan.

Information on times and tickets can befound at www.artisanct.com.

TThheeaattrree WWeesslleeyyaann ggooeess ooffff ssiitteeSHAWN R. POLING

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF