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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Volume 98

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TxDOT: Starr construction now slated for mid- to late-April completionConstruction on FM1878/Starr Avenue on the south end of the SFA campus is con-

tinuing as crews work to construct curb and gutter and prepare for a second layer of asphalt to be placed next week.

The $1.4 million project was originally expected to be completed by early March but utility relocation has caused the completion date to be reset for mid to late April, ac-cording to a news release from the Texas Department of Transportation.

The construction project will rehabilitate and upgrade a section of the roadway from North Street (BU59) to Clark Boulevard and includes widening the roadway from two to four lanes, 6-foot sidewalks and ADA curb ramps to accommodate pedestrians. The widened roadway will consist of four 11-foot lanes with 3-foot shoulders. Traffic signals will also be replaced at North Street and Mound Street.

“This project will provide additional lanes of travel and provide greater ease of access

near Stephen F. Austin State University, and allows for better maneuverability along Starr Avenue,” said Rhonda Oaks, public information officer with the Lufkin District.

“It not only will benefit motorists with two additional lanes of travel, but wider side-walks will provide access for walkers, joggers and cyclists.”

Starr Avenue has been closed since the project began shortly after the start of the fall semester at SFA, and TxDOT has worked to lessen the impact on the traveling public during the construction period with hopes of completing the project as quickly as pos-sible.

Motorists are advised to be cautious in the area as workers and equipment work near lanes of travel in close proximity to North Street.

SFA students should be aware of and obey all signage in the project area and remem-ber traffic fines double when workers are present.

Dancers Against Cancer

Organization uses dance to raise money, bring hope, advice to those affected

Photos by Hannah Russell/ The Pine Log

Dancers Against Cancer will hold its annual benefit shows at 7 p.m. April 29

and 3 p.m. April 30 in the Kennedy Auditorium. In addition, the organization

will be holding fundraising nights at Whataburger, Raising Cane’s and Chili’s

in the coming weeks.

By Jessie Riley

Contributing Writer

It’s more than just dancing. SFA students have found a way to combine two

passions: their love for dance and their desire to help those in need.

Dancers Against Cancer is a non-profit organization that raises aware-

ness and money for the treatment of different types of cancer each semester.

Members come together to plan, fundraise, choreograph and dance to sup-

port those in need.

This spring, the organization is focusing on skin cancer. The funds col-

lected over the semester will be split in half. One half will be donated to the

Shade Foundation, which emphasizes the prevention of skin cancer and the

promotion of awareness at a young age. The other half will be given to a fam-

ily in need that has been affected by cancer, according to DAC treasurer Julie

Vaughn.

Vaughn, who joined the group in fall 2014 during her first semester at SFA,

says the organization aimed to raise at least $2,000 this semester.

“People who are affected by [cancer] really have no control over it,” Vaughn

said. “They really just deserve that support, whether you know them or not.”

Most of the members have been affected by cancer in their own lives, as

well. In January 2015, DAC member and student Chelsie Watts passed away

after a long battle with cancer. Other members in the group have had cancer

in the past or have parents who are currently undergoing therapy.

DANCE, PAGE 5

NAACP leads students in ‘March to the Polls’By Devin Hogue

Staff Writer

The SFA NAACP’s political action committee marched Friday to the Nacogdoches County Courthouse with students as a way to encourage them to vote early.

SFA student and SGA Senator Savian Nugent planned the march for two se-mesters, encouraging students to come out and vote. He gave an emotional speech explaining how important vot-ing is.

“In order for us to hold the higher-ups accountable, we have to hold our-selves accountable,” Nugent said. “If the official that we don’t like wins, how much do you want to bet that everyone is going to have something to say? I’m very proud of this, us who are here. I have faith in us. I have faith in this

generation because this shows we have evolved.”

Many students who participated in the march came from different or-ganizations, such as the NAACP it-self, SFA’s Unblemished and the Nacogdoches Democracy Committee. Many candidates were in attendance and showed their support for the event. Nacogdoches County Commissioner for Precinct 3 candidate Jared Cates and SFA student John Davis, who is running for State Representative for District 85, showed their support by walking with the students to the courthouse.

“We are standing up and making a difference,” Davis said. “We may not see it now, but we are making a differ-ence.”

Davis explained that people need to recognize those who are not always in the spotlight.

“Sometimes, as a student leader, you have to go above and beyond to get re-sults,” Davis said.

Many people supported the march, including some SFA faculty members.

“Typically, when we have general elections, there is more interest,” said Dr. Adam Peck, assistant vice president and dean of student affairs. “We’ve got a new person in charge of the voting in Nacogdoches. He has only just started his job. It is on my list of things to do, to get in touch and get a voting post on campus.”

The march demonstrated that the students of SFA want to make a differ-ence in their community. It was many of the participants’ first time voting. Educating students and motivating them to vote was very important to the political action committee.

“When we [vote], our younger broth-ers see it, and they’re like, ‘Oh! That is actually [more] important than the Kardashians and our current main-stream media,’” said Alina Brown, a member of the political action com-mittee. “I really appreciate [the stu-dents] being here, and it excites me. I am excited to do this.”

Nugent and his team plans on marching again for the elections in November.

For more information about the NAACP and the political action com-mittee, visit their general meetings on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in the BPSC Multimedia Room.

Photos by Hannah Russell/ The Pine Log

The SFA NAACP plans to hold another march event in November

to coincide with the upcoming general elections. The events

are organized and facilitated by the NAACP’s political action

committee, and members of all political parties are encouraged

to attend.

CMYK

Page 2

News @thepinelog

The Pine Log 2016

Free confidential consultation for options you can live with, including:

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www.heartbeat-of-nacogdoches.org

By Haley PogueStaff Writer

Many college students face immense pressure to be decisive with regard to the future. The expectation to choose a major and a career path can feel like a heavy burden to bear, but SFA’s Career Services offers resources to help students be suc-cessful.

On Tuesday, SFA held its first Career and Internship Expo of the semester, where students were able to interact and present resumes to employers looking for potential interns or employees.

“We [had] a little over 60 employers [registered] for the event,” said Brandi Derouen, Career Services coordinator. “They recruit for full-time and internship positions. It just depends on the goal of the employer.”

Career Services also has a Career Closet where students may check out professional clothes and accessories for any event.

“There’s no price associated with it,” Derouen said. “We have a whole closet that has ladies’ and men’s clothing in it in a variety of different sizes, and students can just come in, go through the closet, see what they like and see what they feel will pair nicely together and fit them. When they decide, we have a checkout process.”

Students can also contact Career Services for assistance in constructing a resume or preparing for an interview.

“Resume critiques or mock interviews can both be done in a virtual setting or a

real life setting,” said Assistant Director of Career Services, David Gehrels.

“We see about 1,500 resumes a semes-ter. As far as mock interviews go, we can set one up just like it’s going to be a real interview, or they can do it online through interview streaming, which is an online, simulated interview platform.”

Students seeking help choosing a major or a career path can also receive career coaching.

“We use different personality and in-terest assessments, so we utilize a strong interest inventory and a type focus to help find our orientation,” Gehrels said.

“If [they] already know what [their] major is going to be but just need some help searching for jobs within that major or figuring out what jobs are available for [them], we can help with job search strate-gies, interview strategies, how to apply for grad schools, those types of things.”

Students can also search for jobs and use other resources through Jobs4Jacks.

“I feel like having these services avail-able for students is important, because not everybody learns how to do this stuff,” Derouen said.

“I feel like this department does a good job of preparing students for what it’s like to experience a job search or an interview [and helping them] write a well-written resume.”

For more information or to take advan-tage of all that Career Services offers, visit their website or see them in person on the third floor of the Rusk Building.

By Evie SweetenEntertainment Editor

Tau Kappa Epsilon packed the BPSC Grand Ballroom Feb. 16 for the annual Miss Greek pageant, benefiting Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The event has been hosted since 2008 and has grown each year.

“Nickolas Gallegos was a freshman at SFA who passed away the fall of 2007 as a result of alcohol poisoning,” said Isaac Niedrauer, TKE member and event host. “He was a new member of TKE, and the guys here wanted to do something that would honor his memory and prevent fu-ture alcohol-related injuries. Miss Greek was the event created.”

Thirteen women from Alpha Chi Omega, Chi Omega, Delta Zeta, Delta Delta Delta, Zeta Tau Alpha, Phi Theta Gamma and Sigma Kappa Omega com-peted for the title of Miss Greek and for $1,000 to be donated to their sorority’s philanthropy.

Like most pageants, there were casual wear, talent and formal wear rounds and questions for contestants to finish before winning.

Talents performed ranged from singing to dancing on roller skates and magic acts.

Stephanie Sims of Zeta Tau Alpha placed third, Lindsey Koski of Delta Zeta took second place and Candise Stewart of Sigma Kappa Omega won first overall.

This was the first year a sorority in the Independent Greek Council won the event.

“Placing at Miss Greek felt amaz-ing,” Sims said. “I am very big into not drink[ing] and driving, so I felt privileged to participate in an event that had those same views on such an important cause. I’m glad I was able to make the top three and meet such wonderful girls.”

Overall, the event raised $3,200. $1,000 will be donated to Sigma Kappa Omega’s philanthropy, and $2,200 will go to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

By Timothy WatsonContributing Writer

The Polished Man Campaign, started by the nonprofit organization YGAP, aims to raise awareness for children who are victims of child abuse. According to the campaign, one in five children will be abused before reaching the age of 18, and 90 percent of that abuse is caused by men. The campaign urges men to paint one nail in honor of the children who will be abused.

The campaign started when YGAP co-founder and CEO Elliot Costello went to visit a project partner in Cambodia. While there, Costello met a young girl named Thea, who was in the care of her project partner because she had recently been abused. Before Costello left Cambodia, Thea painted his nails. Costello was so moved by Thea’s story that he started the Polished Man Campaign in her honor.

The money is being used primarily to raise awareness of child abuse and fight its root causes. One of these is a lack of education—children are at a higher risk of being abused if they don’t finish school. SFA student Austin Davis said that “the abuse would cause [children] to not finish schooling, rather than the other way around.” Many believe poor educa-tion creates higher-risk environments for children, but it may well be the other way around.

The funds donated to the Polished Man Campaign are used to provide emergency care and recovery support for children in need. All the money that this campaign receives is donat-ed to Childwise in Australia, Hagar in Cambodia, Samburu Girls Foundation in Kenya and the Mothu Network in South Africa, among others.

Polished Man also provides trauma recovery and prevention for children who have been or are in danger of being abused, as well as support for health ini-tiatives to help women have healthy preg-nancies, which decreases the chances of a child abuse.

However, Jack Heifner, a professor in the SFA School of Theatre, said he believes “the education of children is the answer to the education of adults.”

“I think [children] are afraid to report abuse ... because they feel they’re going to be abandoned or their parents are going to get angrier,” Heifner said.

For further abuse to be prevented, children need to know they can talk to someone in times of need, and that is something else that the Polished Man campaign strives to accomplish. Heifner also spoke about abusive parents being one of those problems.

“I think part of it comes from these par-ents who seem to think that ... they own children and they can do whatever they want to them, and I don’t know how you re-educate that,” Heifner said.

According to Heifner, lack of educa-tion is a two-way street. Children need to be educated so they know when and how they need to take action, and parents need to be taught how to properly take care of their children.

The Polished Man campaign is also spreading awareness through social media with the hashtag “#polishedman,” which student Victoria Medrano believes is “one of the most genius ways, in mod-ern [times], to reach out to people.”

“[Social media] reaches out to an audi-ence that otherwise doesn’t pay atten-tion,” Davis said.

To support the Polished Man campaign, visit www.polishedman.com.

By Josh CliffeContributing Writer

The SFA Smash Bros. Club is hosting biweekly tournaments for both “Super Smash Bros. Melee” and “Super Smash Bros. 4” for any student interested in par-ticipating.

The club was formed this semester as a way to create an environment where stu-dents from all over could meet and play Super Smash Bros.

“When I got to SFA, there wasn’t a [Smash Brothers] community here,” said AJ Zenn, SFA student and President of the Smash Club. “It felt like I was the only one who played ‘Smash.’ My dream was to cre-ate the Smash Brothers Club to bring all Smashers, of all games, together.”

To enter a tournament, according to the group’s Facebook page, there is a $5 fee for the venue and another $5 to join either “Smash 4” or “Melee.”

The tournaments offer cash prizes to the winners, with first place for “Melee” receiving 70 percent of the proceeds and the first place winner of ‘Smash 4’ receiv-ing $100.

The competitive aspect of “Super Smash Bros.” is a huge draw for students like Alexander Hamilton.

“Over the summer, I went to a tourna-ment week [in Dallas], and I’ve been play-ing ever since,” Hamilton said. “Coming [to SFA], I found the Smash Club and ‘Melee,’ and now I’m the Melee Games Team

Captain and ‘Melee’ admin for the Super Smash Brothers Club.”

Hamilton said that the Melee Games started intercollegiate “Melee” tourna-ments, which is a five-on-five “crew battle” in which students battle different schools in their region.

“If you win your region, you move on to conferences, and if you win your confer-ence, you get flown out to a big tournament at the end of the year and you play it out to see who is the best school in the nation,” Hamilton said.

The tournaments are not only for people interested in playing competitively, but also those who want to meet and play with other “Smash” players.

“I saw [the club] outside of the student center, and was like, ‘Count me in,’” stu-dent Emil Karlsson said. “This is really exciting. You can watch a match, and it’s all excitement. It’s great to know there are people out there that enjoy this kind of hobby.”

“Me and my friends don’t really know what we are doing, but we are learning,” student Caitlyn Denning said. “The most fun part isn’t the competition, but hang-ing out and everyone playing against each other.”

For more information about playing and participating in the Super Smash Brothers Club, visit their Facebook page (SFASU Smash), or attend their meetings on Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Wyatt Room of the Steen Library.

Annual Miss Greek pageant raises $3,200 for charity

New ‘Smash Bros.’ Club hosts biweekly tournaments

Photo by Audra Bridges/ The Pine Log

Formed this semester, the Super Smash Bros. Club is hosting biweekly tournaments for “Super Smash Bros. Melee” and “Super Smash Bros. 4.” President AJ Zenn formed the club as a way to give students a chance to meet new people and play with other “Smash” players. While there is a $5 fee for tournaments, participants receive cash prizes for wins. The club also participates in the Melee Games, an intercollegiate tournament where groups of students battle schools in their region.

SFA Career Services holds Career and Internship Expo

Polished Man Campaign helps men stand up for abuse victims

Photos By Hannah Russell/ The Pine Log

Career Services held its first Career and Internship Expo of the semester Tuesday. Students got the chance to meet and talk to potential employers.

Photo By Jackie Conde/ The Pine Log

CMYK

Page 3Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Entertainment@thepinelog

Nac Con will debut this year with a

preview mini comic book convention

located at 3801 North Street Nacogdo-

ches Texas from 10:00am until 6:00pm

Saturday, February 27th. Activities

include Rennesaince Reenactment dis-

plays, Cosplay contest at 3:00pm, vendors

and artists selling their work as well as

celebrity guests. This years guests include

Fangoria's, Brian Steward, The Walking

Dead's, Theo Crane and True Blood writ-

er Charlaine Harris. For more informa-

tion go to the Nacogdoches Film Festival

website or check us out on Facebook.

feb. 27, 2016 3801 north st.

By Steven Cerkiewicz and Evie Sweeten Video Editor and Entertainment Editor

Returning for the fifth year, the Nacogdoches Film Festival will begin Thursday.The three-day festival will include film screenings, Q&A panels, a “Best ‘True Blood’

Costume” contest and more.For the Q&A sessions, guest panelists such as Charlaine Harris, the author of “The

Southern Vampire Series” that “True Blood” is based on, will be at the festival.“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Ron Johnson, chair of the Nacogdoches Film Festival.

“We have entertainment, entertainers and people that are writers. Whether you’re inter-ested in film, authors, screenwriting or any of those kinds of things, we’ve got something for everybody.”

SFA alumni Derek Wayne Johnson and Brandon Polanco are also scheduled to attend the festival. Both have made strides in the film world since graduating from SFA. Johnson has become an award-winning producer and director. Polanco is currently based in Brooklyn working in film.

“I’m excited to see everyone and to help new filmmakers grow,” Johnson said. “Nacogdoches has a wonderful film community. I’m happy to bring back my work. It’s always good to come home.”

The festival will also feature short films from current SFA students. Ethan Cartwright, a cinematography graduate student at SFA, won the People’s Choice Award for his short film “Near Death” at last year’s festival.

“The short films were pretty good,” Cartwright said. “They got them from all over the place … I had a great time.”

Carmike passes are $30 and include admission to Friday films, red carpet attendance, participation in filmmaker Q&A sessions and access to all discussion panels. SFA cinema passes are $30 and include Saturday films, participation in filmmaker Q&A sessions and discussion panels. VIP passes are also available for $100. Students may receive half off on Carmike and SFA cinema passes with student IDs.

Additional information and tickets can be found at https://www.nacogdochesfilmfes-tival.org/home.

By James BurnsContributing Writer

The 88th Annual Academy Awards, host-ed by Chris Rock, will air Sunday on ABC, and it seems to have come down to a three-way race for Best Picture.

In the front, we have “The Revenant.” It’s got a lot of momentum after win-ning the Golden Globe for Best Picture - Drama and the British Academy Award for Best Picture. That would put its direc-tor, Alejandro Gonzales Iñárritu, at the top of the list for Best Director, as he also won the Golden Globe, BAFTA and Directors Guild of America award in this category. Although George Miller was an early front-runner for the directing award for his epic action masterpiece “Mad Max: Fury Road,” he might be coming up a bit short this time around. This is one of the few years that Best Picture has come down to a three-way race, with the most recent being 2013 with “American Hustle,” “Gravity” and “12 Years a Slave” all being at the top of that year’s Oscars, with “12 Years a Slave” win-ning the top prize. But no matter what film wins Best Picture, I wouldn’t bet against Iñárritu for the Best Director prize. He’s got the most momentum, his film has the most nominations and he’s a recent winner, with his “Birdman” winning Picture, Director, Original Screenplay and Cinematography last year.

There’s no point discussing who’s going to win Best Actor this year—Leonardo DiCaprio has had his name on that Oscar since he stepped into his costume for “The Revenant.” With the momentum that the film has and the fact that he’s been nomi-nated multiple times with no wins, if you put anyone else down for this one, you should really think again.

Brie Larson (“21 Jump Street”) has been sweeping the Best Actress awards for her role in “Room” as a mother who is trapped

in a small room with her son, who is also the son of her kidnapper. Although there’s been some strong competition, especial-ly from recent Best Actress winner Cate Blanchett, expect Larson to take home the gold this year.

For the first time since the late ‘70s, Sylvester Stallone has been nominated for an Oscar, and he’s probably going to take home his first one for playing the same role he was nominated for his first time around—Rocky Balboa, in Ryan Coogler’s “Creed.” Although Tom Hardy was an early favorite for his nominated role in “The Revenant,” Stallone has coasted by on nos-talgia and a truly great performance.

Best Supporting Actress is about as crazy as Best Picture and Director this year. Alicia Vikander has won multiple awards for her role in “The Danish Girl,” but Kate Winslet won the Golden Globe and the BAFTA for her role in “Steve Jobs.” I would put Vikander down for the Oscar, since she’s got more of an Oscar-friendly role, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if Winslet takes home her second statue.

For some of the other categories—“Inside Out” was an Oscar-winner the weekend it came out. For Best Song, you can rarely go wrong with Bond, although there’s some competition with Diane Warren and Lady Gaga for their song “Til It Happens to You” from “The Hunting Ground.” It looks like Best Song winners will be Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes for their song “Writings On The Wall” from “Spectre.” I’d bet on “The Big Short” to win Best Adapted Screenplay, and “Spotlight” to win Best Original Screenplay. If those two things happen, I’ll be absolutely sure that “The Revenant” will win the top two awards.

This is one of the most interesting years at the Oscars in my lifetime. No race except Best Actor and probably Best Animated Film are certain, and that’s what makes this awards show so interesting.

Column: Oscar winners unsure with several strong contenders, categories

By Emily BrownContributing Writer

On Jan. 27, Kanye West ranted on Twitter about how his latest album “is actually a Gospel album.” As a result, no one knew exactly what to expect. However, now that “The Life of Pablo” has been released, peo-ple understand that he wasn’t being deceit-ful. In a sense, this is a Gospel album. The album’s title incited speculation that Pablo was either an artist or a drug lord, but West cleared up the confusion—it’s about St. Paul of Tarsus, known in Spanish as Pablo, who wrote 13 of the 27 books in the New Testament. West uses the inspirational life of St. Paul, who is largely credited as a major force in the spread of Christianity, to serve as a parallel for himself, as he has been noted for his influence in hip-hop. Both have also been persecuted for their messages—St. Paul physically by the mass-es and West verbally through media.

Throughout the album, various Christian themes run deep and are preva-lent in many of the songs. From the be-ginning, West starts off with “Ultralight Beams,” which has Gospel-like sounds throughout the track, including both the use of a church choir and themes impera-tive to the gospel of Christ. The song seems to reference the transfiguration of St. Paul, who was blinded by a light and had a vi-sion of Christ (“we on an ultralight beam/this is a God dream.”) The outro is a prayer from Kirk Franklin, the most well known Gospel singer of all-time, asking the Lord to provide faith to His people. Midway through “TLOP,” we reach arguably the most Gospel-filled lyrics of the album with “Lowlights.” While not on the song person-ally, West chose to include this song as an intro to “Highlights,” in which a woman joyfully describes how good the Lord has been to her. “Lowlights” provides a clear statement of where West stands in his faith. It’s hard to listen to this album and not think of your own faith while West raps about his trying times.

Though West’s transparency is not new to his music, this is perhaps the most self-aware he has ever been. West uses music as his most honest form of communica-tion, allowing him to be expressed on his own terms, not by the media’s perceptions. He holds nothing back as he shares his struggles of fame and breaking free of ex-pectations put on him as a celebrity on his tracks “Famous” and “Feedback,” where he

realizes that with “the more fame I only got wilder.” Further, reaching into issues deep into his childhood, on “Father Stretch My Hands Pt.2,” West raps about seeing the same pattern that led to his father leaving his mother and him within his own family now. These self-realizations are something that makes one of the biggest rappers in hip-hop right now seem relatable to the general public.

Sonically, “TLOP” is a well-produced combination of the various styles he’s done over the years, yet it still somehow manages to sound fractured. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that up until the days before it’s release, there were constant changes being made. Whatever the reason, the album boasts tracks that certainly have the strength to stand alone. West also samples over a dozen artists and instrumentals, including his own songs. While “30 Hours” sounds like it would fit perfectly with West’s debut album “The College Dropout,” “Wolves” uses beats straight from “808s & Heartbreak.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be a true Kanye West album if there were not controversy at the time of its release. From his recent Twitter feud over a misunderstanding with Wiz Khalifa to the sloppiness of the al-bum’s release (it’s currently only available for streaming on Tidal), West has found himself in a web of insanity. Most recently, he has claimed he has $53 million in per-sonal debt, but he still refuses to sell his album to the public. West knows how to create an album that surely will be talked about when the Grammys roll around next year. However, if his recent actions are any indication, his personal life may take him somewhere else before that time comes.

With over a decade of experience in the music industry, West knows how to create an album worthy of discussion. His music is his real legacy, and he wouldn’t be Kanye if he let anyone forget it. However, the Kanye portrayed in the media, and unfor-tunately by him lately, is far different than the Kanye heard on the album. If he decides to re-lease the album to the public and there is a chance to listen to it, don’t base your opinion off his actions, but rather his product.

Column: Kanye West’s new album, antics create controversy among fans

Nacogdoches Film Festival to include short film competition, screenings, Q&A panels with guests

Photos by Cara Campbell/ The Pine Log

SFA alum inducted into Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association Hall of Fame

By Delilah GonzalezContributing Videographer

SFA alumnus Will Jennings was inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association Hall of Fame during an awards show in Austin Sunday.

Four songwriters, including Jennings, were induct-ed before a crowd of over 1,000 attendees in Moody Theatre. Roy Orbison, Joe Ely and JD Souther also were honored.

Performances by Ely, Rodney Crowell, Raul Malo, Robert Earl Keen, Rita Coolidge and Mignon Grabois completed the evening.

Throughout his years in the music business, Jennings has written over 1,000 songs. His most well-known piece is arguably “My Heart Will Go On” from the movie “Titanic.”

Though Jennings was unable to trav-el to the show, his sister Joyce Hudnall accepted the award on his behalf. “We are thrilled to be here, and I just didn’t want to let the moment pass with-out celebrating on his behalf since he couldn’t come,” she said.

The mission of the association is to honor and celebrate Texas songwriters who have played an important role in defining and interpreting Texas’ dis-tinctive culture.

Courtesy photo

CMYK

Page 4

Opinions@thepinelog

COLUMN

By Parastoo NIKRAVESH

OPINIONS EDITORANNA CLARKE

SPORTS EDITORDEVIN BROOKS

ADVERTISING MANAGERNNAMDI NWANKWO

WEBMASTER/SOCIAL MEDIAKATHRYN GARDNER

NEWS EDITOR JOANNA ARMSTRONG

PHOTO EDITORJACKIE CONDE

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOREVIE SWEETEN

COPY EDITORMICHAEL HERRINGTON

VIDEO EDITORSTEVEN CERKIEWICZ

ASSOCIATE EDITORNADIA OULAHNA

Spring 2016 Editorial BoardOpinions

Policy

✓ Write a letter to Grinding the Ax. Follow the guidelines on the left. Sign your name, and your letter will likely appear on this very page.

✓ You can also use our website to submit a letter to Grinding the Ax. It’ll save you a trip to the Baker Pattillo Student Center.

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FEEDBACKOpinions expressed in this section of The Pine Log are those of the individual writer or cartoonist and do not necessarily reflect those of the university, its administrative officers or its Board of Regents.

Letters should be typed and should include the student’s hometown, classification, campus identification number and phone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit letters for space, spelling, grammar and potentially libelous material. Letters should not be longer than 300 words. Any letter that does not follow this criteria will not be published.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFTAYLOR RAGLIN

The Pine Log 2016

I rarely eat at McDonalds, which is why, if you’d told me I would be sitting on the Great Wall of China eating a Big Mac, I would’ve thought you were crazy. On Feb. 1, I began my Great Wall adventure on a Semester at Sea field program called “Hiking on the Great Wall” with about 44 other students.

Getting from our port in Shanghai to Beijing required two buses, a shuttle and a plane. The entire first day of the trip was dedicated to traveling. When we arrived, we had the first of our family-style meals. In the center of the table was a rotating circle of glass where dishes were put out for everyone to share. I can now say I have tried jellyfish and chicken feet—although I prefer the actual chicken.

We were then transferred to the nicest hotel I have ever been to. It was lit up completely with string lights hanging down the sides and had a view of part of the Great Wall, which was also lit up. The inside of the hotel was incredibly spacious and had a huge workout room, a ping pong room, a pool table room and a bar, among other amenities. Even our trip leader didn’t expect it to be so nice. We suspected that it was new and therefore in need of business. We

definitely did not look like we belonged there, but we had no problem staying there!

The next day, the hiking began. No picture could ever do the Wall justice. It is never-ending and completely mesmerizing. The mountains completely surround you on all sides. If it weren’t for the tiny cars driving below, you could swear you accidentally time traveled to ancient China.

That day was the day of the Big Macs. We were told that meals were included on the trip, but what we weren’t told was that people would actually hike to us on the tower with coolers full of McDonald’s burgers. I have never felt as American as I did while sitting on the Great Wall of China eating a Big Mac. It was probably one of the strangest and funniest experiences of my voyage so far (although the Robot Restaurant in Tokyo might win that one).

We hiked on the Wall one more day after that. On the last day of our field program, we went to Tian’men Square and the Forbidden City. It was freezing outside, but still very interesting. My time in China was full of adventures, but I will never forget eating McDonald’s while sitting on the Great Wall of China.

Semester at Sea is a program in which college students from around the world come together to sail around the globe while taking classes.

The Lumberjacks Abroad Series will feature SFA students’ study abroad experi-ences.

By Andrea GallierContributing Writer

The Great Big Mac

One of my high school English teachers once told my class that people have feelings, and sometimes they don’t know how to handle them. It’s a simple statement, but the implications are something I think about often. Originally, I thought of people who f lip the Hulk switch the moment they’re angry and break possessions or hurt loved ones—people whose anger fills them up till they explode. Yeah, they clearly can’t handle their feelings.

Unfortunately, when it comes to the whole great and terrible spectrum of human emotions, many people lack the ability to process any of what they’re feeling—jealousy, love and, most

of all, sadness. From childhood to adulthood,

we form an awkward relationship with sadness and crying. We’re expected to be big kids and get over it. The fear of being melodramatic becomes worse than actually being upset. Then, once it’s broken down into gender, girls are seen as “PMSing” and boys are seen as feminine (which is somehow bad). Only, girls don’t have the monopoly on sadness, and boys don’t have the monopoly on being mocked for it. Society makes up these weird rules to police something as intimate and private as how we are feeling.

However, for all this hate on tears, we are not given many other

ideas about how to process it. How do we do it? How do we stop being sad?

Well, you don’t. You don’t “stop” being sad. You give into it. You feel the full force of it and then you try to understand and process it.

As someone who cries at commercials, season finales and dog videos, I know what it’s like to be sad over silly things. Although, be it silly or serious, our emotions are our emotions and should be treated with value. We should all understand that it’s in our best interest to let our hearts be soft and open to feeling.

If we don’t let ourselves feel emotion, we can’t understand why we felt it in the first place or what

needs to be done to rectify it. Never feel embarrassed of crying but rather curious. Why am I upset? Why did that hurt me like it did?

Repressing emotions is what leads to being the kind of person who only expresses the volatile ones and ends up violently acting out or living in day-to-day misery. Furthermore, being emotionally stunted keeps people from feeling the good feelings, too. Not to rip off Pixar’s recent movie “Inside Out,” but if you’ve seen it, you know where I’m coming from. Sadness can teach you about yourself, maybe more than happiness can. So cry, vent and get to the bottom of it, but never be ashamed of being able to feel.

From a young age, many Americans are taught the phrase “love your neighbor as yourself.” The verse comes from the Bible and is meant to stand for how we should treat one another. An alternative way of saying this is “treat others how you would like to be treated.” The same message comes across in both, but it seems like there has been a big confusion about what this verse or phrase really means. In today’s society, it seems like everyone wants to love who they want to love instead of showing kindness to all. Instead of thinking about our actions and how they might affect everyone else, we have become a selfish country. There are 323,039,549 (and counting) people living in the United States, and there has to be some sort of way to accommodate what might be best for all. Unfortunately, many politicians are trying to take a step back.

In June 2015, the Supreme Court decided on marriage equality for all U.S. citizens. This meant that gay marriage was legal nationwide, and all of the same-sex couples that had been waiting for years could finally tie the knot. It was a beautiful day that brought tears of joy to many people and seemed to make the country a little closer. However, there are many people who don’t agree that same-sex

marriage should be allowed, and we are now hearing that some of the political candidates for this 2016 presidential election are trying to roll the law back. Republican candidate Marco Rubio has made it very clear that he wants to put things back to the way they were. His opinion on gay marriage is obvious. At the last GOP debate, Rubio said, “We are going to be a country that says marriage is between one man and one woman.” Rubio has put in a lot of effort to announce that he’d like to reverse last summer’s Supreme Court ruling and go back to a much more traditional-family-based country.

This whole scenario goes to show the lack of justice in this country for “your neighbor.” The Constitution gives the right to practice religion but not the right to enforce that religion on others. Just because you might not agree with someone else’s lifestyle doesn’t mean you have any right to interfere. Rubio blatantly claims that our rights shouldn’t be decided by a president, but by “our creator,” which contradicts the idea of church and state being separate. Just because a good majority of U.S. citizens are Christian doesn’t mean the government can hinder those who aren’t.

Causing a divide between groups of people just because they are different doesn’t make for a better country. It

makes for an unfair environment in which only one side is right. Being “right” on the subject of religion is almost impossible because it is all based on personal opinion, which should not be a factor when deciding the fate of the greater good. There is nothing wrong at all with religious belief. In fact, it does a great deal of good for many people, but it has gotten in the way of making things equal for all people in the United States. Trying to reverse a law that has changed so many lives for the better will put a huge divide between us all.

If we go back to that verse, Mark 12:31, “love your neighbor as yourself,” we might be able to see how it can be applied to this situation. This verse does not say to love someone because they are just like you—it just says to love one another. Everyone is going to be different whether it’s about the way they dress or who they choose to love. Nobody anyone ever meets will be like the last. Instead of rejecting the differences, we should learn how to embrace them and really put into action the idea of loving one another as we wish to be loved. Change can be scary, and many people are afraid of the ruling from last June. If we’ve learned anything, it’s that change takes time, but it eventually becomes the norm.

Actively feeling emotions important for growthAnger, sadness, happiness, jealousy are all meant to be felt, understood

“If we don’t let ourselves feel emotion, we can’t un-derstand why we felt it in the first place or what needs to be done to rec-tify it.”

Cartoon by Olivia Boan/The Pine Log

Marriage up to individual, not government

Photo courtesy of Andrea Gallier

CMYK

Page 5Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Early voting: Feb. 16 to 26 Nacogdoches County Courthouse Annex

Political Ad Paid for and Authorized by Robin Dawley Campaign, 1023 Millard Drive, Nacogdoches, TX 75965, Jan Dawley, Treasurer

SFA graduate, serves on the SFA Alumni Association Board of Directors

he only candidate with more than 30 years of local volunteer and leadership experience

Director on numerous boards supporting public education, child welfare issues, senior care services,

and the development of young leaders

More than 20 years of experience in the property tax profession

Knowledgeable about local government funding and budgeting processes

Dedicated to being a good steward of public funds

Has assisted with SFA athletic events for more than 35 years

ElectREPUBLICAN CANDIDATE

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County CommissionerPrecint 3 Nacogdoches County

From Page 1

“Because of people’s previous experiences with cancer, it really brings us closer together as a team,” Vaughn said. “We’re always there for each other.”

President of the organization and four-year-member Meagan Torres, who has lost several family members to cancer, said that, because of each member’s personal experiences, the group is able to support each other and offer advice about how to deal with cancer and the grief that can follow.

“It’s like a family,” Torres said. “I know it’s just a campus organization, but it’s more than that. It’s like I have 68 brothers and sisters.”

The DAC family includes more than just dancers, though. Twelve of the 64 members are not actually dancers. They help with fundraising, advertising and all of the behind-the-scenes work that takes place at a dance performance. During the benefit show at the end of the semester, they give a presentation over the type of cancer that the group has voted to focus on for that semester.

“It doesn’t matter your dancing ability,” Vaughn said. “It doesn’t matter what your background is [or] what your culture is. We’re just all there for each other, and we stand for one cause. Dancers Against Cancer has really given me a place to belong since coming to SFA.”

Former president and SFA alumna Shelbé Probasco has seen the organization blossom since its beginnings. Under her leadership, the organization grew from 19 to 72 members.

“Whenever I joined, I just thought it would be a fun thing to do,” Probasco said. “But it was so much more and could be so much more than what we were giving.”

Probasco constructed a leadership team of 10 officers, a structure that remained after she graduated.

“Our goal was to make it the best it could be

before we left,” Probasco said. “I’m so proud of [the new leadership]. I think they’ve done an even better job since we’ve left.”

The DAC benefit show will be on April 29 at 7 p.m. and April 30 at 3 p.m. in the Kennedy Auditorium. The show will feature over 20 dance numbers, along with special appearances by other SFA clubs and singers.

Until the performance in April, the group will continue to fundraise and raise awareness. Thursday, the Nacogdoches Whataburger is donating 25 percent of its profits from 5 to 8 p.m. to DAC. Similar events will be held at Raising Cane’s on March 9 and Chili’s April 13.

T-shirts and baked goods will be for sale over the semester to support the group. For more information on how to donate to the cause or get involved, find SFA’s Dancers Against Cancer on Facebook or email dancersagainstcancernac@gmail.com.

Dance: Benefit performances scheduled for April inside SFA’s Kennedy Auditorium

SFA to host TEDx event for studentsBy Joanna Armstrong

News Editor

The student-run event TEDxSFA will be held on at 8 p.m. Monday in the BPSC movie theater.

“TEDxSFA has been hosted since a few years back,” said Lauren Kirkland, lead organizer of TEDxSFA. “One was themed ‘Perspectives’ and the other ‘Curiousity.’ This year’s them is ‘Dare, Disrupt, Defy.’ We really wanted to grasp the concept that most students strive for. They generally want to make a difference and share their ideas. This is a format dedicated for this purpose.”

The nonprofit organization TED started in 1984 and is devoted to the spreading of ideas through short talks, known as TED Talks. Through independently run TEDx events, organizers can promote the same convergence of ideas about technology, education and design that TED was founded on.

“The TEDx Program is designed to help communities, organizations and individuals to spark conversation and connection through local TED-like experiences,” according to the organization’s website.

TEDxSFA will feature 10 student presenters and two student co-hosts, Cara Campbell and Bobby Mauro. The student presenters were handpicked by a selection committee of students. Under the theme “Dare, Disrupt, Defy,” presenters will speak on a variety of different topics, ranging from political participation to activism on college campuses and personal growth.

“Actually, half of these [topics] are talking about the political climate in one way or another,” Executive Producer and Lead Curator Tino Martinez said. “Activism on campus is actually one of the topics that someone is using and, during an election year, I feel like that’s vital. That’s something very important, especially to people our

age who don’t really go out and vote as often as we should.”For Martinez, the event is a way to foster learning. “I feel like there needs to be more outlets for intelligent

conversation. Not to bag on anything—I’m not trying to throw shade or anything like that. I’m just saying that I don’t feel like there’s an adequate outlet for that right now, so [by] helping this event do well, we can create a precedent to make more of these events, which will hopefully enrich the environment that we’re in intellectually.”

While the event is student-led, much of the support that helped get TEDxSFA off the ground has been provided by faculty members.

“All of those sponsors have either given us a donation—[Interim] Provost [Steven] Bullard was the largest donation that we have received—[or] are funding it through their time and their advice that they’re giving us,” Kirkland said. “Or they’re helping us pull strings in order to make sure that we don’t have to pay for the venue or we don’t have to pay for the food to provide for the presenters ... We don’t have to pay so much, except for maybe a few fees here and there on crew management and things like that. It’s definitely being funded by the love of the faculty.”

Kirkland said that, for her, the event is a way to come together and promote the exchange of ideas.

“We wanted to find that form of program where students can come together, make connections with everyone, share their passion for anything they want to dare against and share their passion for their student body as a whole,” Kirkland said. “It’s not like we desire anything other than simply sharing what we believe is right or what we believe is important.”

While tickets for the event are free, tickets for reserved seating can be obtained on the TEDxSFA website. For more information or to reserve tickets, visit tedxsfa.eventgrid.com

‘Dare, Disrupt, Defy’ theme aims to spark passionate conversation among attendees

Photo courtesy of Emily Kubisch-Sabrsula

By Andrea NelsonStaff Writer

SFA professor of composition Stephen Lias presented “Encounters,” a concert of musical compositions honoring National Parks, on Tuesday.

Lias’ compositions were performed by several fellow School of Music faculty members, including Deb Scott, professor of trombone.

“It is always a challenge for composers to find talented performers who are interested in presenting brand new pieces,” Lias, said.

“I’m incredibly lucky to work with some fantastic musicians within the faculty of the School of Music.”

Scott has collaborated with Lias before and, while the concert is similar to others in preparation, there is one feature Scott believes was an exciting hook for audience members. The recital featured musical performance, but also other media as well.

During the recital, projections displayed images of experiences and locations that Lias drew from for his compositions. There was also some narration and the premiere of a video involving Denali National Park.

Scott was particularly enthusiastic about this recital because of all the fresh features.

“It is not typical to have other media playing during a solo recital, but it should be,” Scott said.

Voice professor Scott LaGraff, another colleague of Lias’ who performed at the recital, believed one of the more exciting aspects of the recital was its involvement with the national parks.

“Dr. Lias is an exceptionally

talented composer,” LaGraff said. “But the opportunity to be a part of the centennial celebration of the National Park Service makes it extra special.”

Lias, on the other hand, believed the recital was most appealing because of the way an audience can connect with the performance. Lias’ pieces are composed with not only the national parks, but the experiences others have had with them, in mind. Many of his pieces are inspired by his own experiences with what he considers his biggest sources of inspiration.

“Almost everyone has some memory connected with a national park—a childhood trip to the Grand Canyon or Mount Rushmore, for example,” Lias said. “These are places we all have great connection to, and I think that even people who don’t normally come to concerts of classical music will enjoy seeing or hearing these familiar places through the music and images we present.”

The concert also featured CDs of the compositions for sale, including “River Runner,” a piece Scott performed that is based on a kayaking trip involving Scott, Lias and their families. Scott believes the piece is a wonderful representation of the movements and excitement she and the others experienced on the trip, especially the movement of the river.

“The music represents that activity very well. It is fast and furious and has places where I could easily ‘crash’ while playing. In other words, it is very difficult, but fun, to play,” Scott said.

To honor the national parks, a portion of the CD sales will be donated to the National Park Foundation.

Music faculty perform concert to benefit, honor national parks

SFA Gardens Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series to feature Georgia conifer expertSFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 10, in the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods

Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St. Tom Cox will present “Breaking New Ground with Conifers for the South.”Cox and his wife, Evelyn, started the Cox Arboretum and Gardens in 1990 when they purchased an undeveloped 13-acre land parcel in Canton, Georgia. Over the last 25 years, this

has evolved into one of the premiere collections of woody taxa in the Southeastern U.S. In 2002 and again in 2014, the arboretum was the host site for the American Conifer Society’s national meeting and is now a frequent stop for gardening enthusiasts as well as those involved in serious plant study.

A pioneer in the evaluation of conifers for adaptability in the Southeast, Cox is recognized as one of the leading authorities on growing conifers in the region. The arboretum received full accreditation in 2012 and is now a site for the preservation of rare and endangered plants from around the world.

Cox is a frequent lecturer on the subject of conifers and other woody plants and is a member of the prestigious International Dendrology Society as well as Botanic Gardens Conservation International. He is a past president of the American Conifer Society and has been published numerous times in both British and U.S. conifer journals. He is the co-author of the 2013 book, “Landscaping with Conifers and Ginkgo for the Southeast.” In 2014, his book was recognized by the Georgia Writers Association as first runner-up in the specialty category at its 50th year annual awards banquet.

Cox graduated cum laude and received a bachelor’s degree from The New York Institute of Technology. He received a master’s degree in psychology from Georgia State University.The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month at SFA’s Pineywoods Native Plant Center. A rare plant raffle will be held after the program.

The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series fund are encouraged.Parking is available at the nearby Raguet Elementary School, 2708 Raguet St., with continual shuttle service to the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Building.For more information, call (936) 468-1832 or email grantdamon@sfasu.edu.

Photo by Hannah Russell/ The Pine Log

CMYK

SportsSFA Athletics | Intramural Sports | Sport Clubs

@TPLSports

Page 6 The Pine Log 2016

SFA ScoreboardBASKETBALL: M - 79-58 win at Lamar / W - 89-67 win at Nicholls

TENNIS: Ladyjacks drop 7-0 decision at Texas A&M

WOMEN’S GOLF: SFA places sixth at 2016 Battle at the Rock

BOWLING: Third place at UW-Whitewater Warhawk ClassicPhoto by Jackie Conde/ The Pine Log

Looking AheadBASEBALL

After their clash with Texas A&M Tuesday, the SFA Lumberjacks will head back to Nacogdoches for their first games at Jaycees Field in 2016. The Lumberjacks will play host to Sacred Heart in a three-game series, with game one scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, game two set for 2 p.m. Saturday and the final game set for 1 p.m. Sunday. The Jacks will also host the UT-Arlington Mavericks, who SFA split a pair of games with at UTA’s tournament last weekend, on Tuesday. First pitch in that matchup will be at 4 p.m.

SOFTBALL

After a draining five-game los-ing streak at the Citrus Classic in Orlando, Florida, the 3-7 SFA Ladyjacks will attempt to get back to their winning ways when they head to the Ole Miss Classic in Oxford this weekend. SFA will take on UTSA, Northern Iowa and host Ole Miss, with first pitch against UTSA slated for 1:30 p.m. on Friday.

Other upcoming events:

After the women’s basketball team takes on Incarnate Word on the road Wednesday, both basketball teams will face off against Houston Baptist University in the Lumberjacks’ and Ladyjacks’ last home games of the season Saturday.

Women’s tennis will get their Southland slate underway Saturday, while men’s golf will head to Arizona and baseball and softball will continue the beginning portions of the 2016 schedule with a week full of non-conference action.

Photo courtesy of SFA Athletics

Photo courtesy of SFA Athletics

SP

ORTS COLUMN

Juwan LeeSTAFF WRITER

“A th le te s create hope for kids who are striving to make it to the pro-f e s s i o n a l leagues.”

Softball home opener postponedDue to wet playing

conditions, the SFA softball team’s 2016 home opener against Texas Southern has been postponed.

The game, originally scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday, will be made up on Tuesday, March 1, at the

SFA Softball Field. First pitch will remain at 3 p.m.

With the midweek home matchup against the Lady Tigers getting pushed back, the Ladyjacks will now turn their attention to the Ole Miss Classic this weekend. SFA will open the tournament

on Friday afternoon against UTSA at 1:30 p.m. in Oxford, Mississippi. The Jacks will also face Ole Miss and UNI over the three-day event.

For updates on SFA Softball all season long, follow the team on Twitter (@SFA_Softball).

In case you missed it:

Senior Lumberjack basketball players Thomas Walkup and Trey Pinkney surpassed former SFA standout Jacob Walker in total wins, as each reached 108 victories thanks to the team’s 79-58 win over Lamar University Monday. The pair will look to extend their record throughout the remainder of this year’s campaign. The Lumberjacks, who currently hold a perfect 13-0 record in Southland Conference play this season, have four more SLC matchups before postseason play begins with the SLC Tournament in March.

Photos courtesy of SFA Athletics

By Juwan Lee

Staff Writer

Sports can be a polarizing conversational topic for many people. While there are some who relish the opportunity

to talk about sports whenever they get the chance, there are also many who cannot see what the big deal is. Some

even go as far as to say that many athletes should not be getting paid the amount they make. Is the amount that

athletes get paid really a problem that needs to be addressed?

Floyd Mayweather, LeBron James and Tiger Woods are currently three of the top 10 highest-paid athletes in the

world. The three athletes combined to gross over $400 million last year. It’s easy to see why some people have a

problem with a few individuals making that kind of money in one year, but few take the time to research what exactly

these athletes are doing with all that money.

One the most memorable moments in basketball was when James made a decision to leave his hometown team

in Cleveland to join the Miami Heat. Many NBA fans and basketball analysts grilled James for it because of how he

left. He started to be portrayed as the villain of the NBA. But what many people did not know is that he raised $2.5

million for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America from the broadcast where he announced his choice, known as “The

Decision.” He took an event focused on him and made it a worthy cause. Prior to “The Decision,” ESPN had agreed

to donate half of advertisement proceeds to charity.

Another phenomenal athlete who’s renowned for his charity work is Tiger Woods. Woods has had off-the-course

issues during his career, but that does not diminish the amount of charity work he does for youth. The Tiger Woods

Foundation provides college access for underprivileged youth by creating unique educational opportunities. The

foundation hosts an annual concert known as “Tiger Jam,” which has raised more than $14 million since being

established in 1998.

Many people who don’t follow sports look at athletes as simply dunking a ball or tackling an opposing player.

Those athletes get paid to entertain. It’s not money just being created for them, but it is the money we put into the

product that allows them to obtain such high salaries. I constantly hear how that money should be going to those

individuals who make a difference in our society. They don’t take the time to see how people like Brandon Carr,

cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys, build homes for those in need or deliver meals to those who would otherwise

be hungry during the holidays.

Athletes create hope for kids who are striving to make it to the professional leagues. They also create opportunities

that they did not have growing up. Yes, there are athletes who just get paid and spend their money in thoughtless

ways, but that shouldn’t take away from the majority of players, teams and leagues that impact other people’s lives

in a positive way.

ATHLETES IN ACTIONWhile some consider the enormous contracts in the world of professional sports a waste of money, many superstars choose to set a new standard for giving back