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CMYK
The Independent Voice of Stephen F. Austin State University
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Pine Log www.thepinelog.com
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Volume 98
Issue 3
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Andrea NelsonStaff Writer
The “Portraits of Freedom” art exhibit is entering its final two weeks of display. The project, currently open to the public at the Nacogdoches Railroad Depot, is based off of the Texas Runaway Slave Project and features a series of works created by students from SFA, TCU and Lamar University.
The idea for the exhibit was first conceived by Special Collections Librarian Kyle Ainsworth at a conference in November 2013. By 2014, he had a game plan, and preparations for the exhibit gained speed. Since then, he, along with faculty from other universities and student artists, threw all hands on deck to get the idea out of his head and into a venue for display. The exhibit was opened on June 13.
“A lot of times, this stuff doesn’t
happen in just a year,” Ainsworth said. “Usually, it’s a two-, three- or four-year process.”
Ainsworth was not alone in setting up this exhibit in such short time. Assistant professor Shaun Roberts, a faculty member in SFA’s College of Fine Arts, joined the project and gathered his students together to create the works being displayed.
“Working on the exhibit was fun, but a lot of work,” Roberts said.
Ainsworth and Roberts hit a road block in the process of actualizing the project.
“In January, we found we didn’t actually have any walls,” Ainsworth said, referring to the fact that, since the Railroad Depot is a historical building, the art could not be displayed on the actual walls of the building. Ainsworth, with the help of the Junior Chamber of Commerce
Commission, built and painted a series of display walls in the Depot on which he and Roberts could display the artwork for the public.
By June, “Portraits of Freedom” was finally on its feet and ready for the citizens of Nacogdoches to experience. Attendance started off with a bang, as the exhibit gathered over 100 visitors in the first couple of days of being open. The exhibit was also featured as the official art exhibit of the Texas Blueberry Festival that is held every summer. Since then, the guest book has logged almost 500 attendees and has brought in guests from all over.
“[ We’ve had people] from Washington state, to Maine, to Puerto Rico and Texas,” Ainsworth said.
Ainsworth expects attendance to pick up speed in the exhibit’s
Collaborative exhibit brings pride to SFA students, faculty
Joanna Armstrong Staff Writer
On Sept. 26, eight SFA student veterans, along with over 1 ,000 other mili tar y
veterans, will take to the streets of Austin to raise awareness for veteran suicide. Wearing military underwear called silkies, combat boots and 22 kilograms on their backs, participants of the 22 to None event (also known as the Silkies March) will start at Lady Bird Lake and make their way through 22 kilometers of downtown.
“The hike was created to bring veterans back together and help combat the PTSD, loneliness and combat-related stress that hasn’t left certain individuals,” Austin Silkies March Coordinator Matthew Frederick said. “We use these hikes as a therapy session, and this is why solely veterans are allowed to hike.”
Borrowing its name from running shorts originating in the U.S. Marine Corps, the Silkie March is designed to
shed light on a growing problem – veteran suicide.
“Veteran suicide is a huge issue. Twenty-two a day are taking their lives,” Frederick said. “So, numerically, that’s 154 a week, 660 a month and 8,030 a year. I don’t know what America thinks, but this is an epidemic in my eyes.”
According to an article published by the Center for Public Integrity relating to data from 2005 to 2011, the suicide rate for veterans was two times higher than that of civilians. The Veteran Journal reported that service members were at a greater risk of taking their own life after leaving the service.
A contributing factor for suicide among student veterans, said SFA student and Navy veteran Travis Long, is a feeling of a loss of identity.
“You’re basically back to being a nobody,” Long said. “That’s a lot for somebody to take in whenever they have spent their last four, five or six years of their life trying to build up their professional career, and it just goes ‘poof’ and all of a sudden you’re on the same level of some guy that just graduated high
WARThe
against
Veteran Suicide
NATIONAL AWARD
During fall recruitment, the women of ALPHA CHI OMEGA got a surprise they never imagined. The girls were honored with the National Counsel Trophy Award, making them the highest-ranked chapter in the nation.
Story by Emma Gregerson | Award, Page 3
The Portraits of Freedom art exhibit depicts individuals based off the Texas Runaway Slave Project and is housed in the Nacogdoches Railroad Depot. SFA students and faculty created the works of various forms, and the exhibit is open to the public from now until Sept. 25.
Travis Long, Navy veteran and SFA senior, poses for a
photo to represent the many faces of men and women
who give their lives for their nation. Long, along side
other veteran students, will be attending the 22 to None
march on Saturday, Sept. 26, in Austin. More than 1,000
military veterans will participate in the walk in order to
raise awareness of veteran suicide.
Photo by Cara G. Campbell/The Pine Log
Photo by Raenesha Thompson/The Pine Log
Exhibit, Page 3
22 to None, Page 3
“Veteran suicide is a huge issue.
Twenty-two a day are taking their lives.
So, numerically, that’s 154 a week, 660 a
month and 8,030 a year. I don’t know what
America thinks, but this is an epidemic
in my eyes.” -Matthew Frederick
Austin Silkies March Coordinator
CMYK
Page 2 Wednesday, september 16, 2015
News @thepinelog
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By Michael HerringtonStaff Writer
Career Services’ Accounting fair will be held from 1-3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23, in the Grand Ballroom of the BPSC.
“ C P A a n d consulting firms, accounting firms, and other accounting-oriented businesses come and set up booths for the students at SFA to come and visit,” said Jordan Maddox, a n a c c o u n t i n g major who will be attending the fair. “It is a way for the business to get its name out in the open, recruit potential candidates and also maintain its working relationship with SFA.”
Accounting m a j o r s a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o attend, as this will be a great opportunity t o m e e t a n d network with local Texas firms such as Axley & Rode, LLP and Henry & Peters, PC, as well as other major ones.
“We have three out of the ‘Big Four,’” said David Gehrels, assistant director of Career Services. “Firms like KPMG and Deloitte … as well as businesses w h o a r e j u s t looking for a staff accountant. We see a good variety of the employers that we’re bringing.”
Both Gehrels and Dr. Nikki Shoemaker, who will be coordinating the fair with Gehrels, stressed the attending firms’ interest in hiring students for internships and even future jobs.
“All of the firms that come to our career fair are actively recruiting students. And, typically, we have more open positions than students to fill those positions,” Shoemaker said.
The fair will also offer a LinkedIn photo booth where two student photographers will take headshots for students to use professionally. This encourages students to wear appropriate business attire.
“We do require professional dress at all of our fairs,” Gehrels said. “That means suit and tie.”
The fair begins with a
luncheon, giving students a chance to mingle and network with attending firms.
“That gives a chance for our accounting majors to sit down over lunch with these recruiters for more casual
conversation,” Shoemaker said. “Then, after lunch, the career fair starts, and that’s where it gets more formal.”
While public accounting, and the long hours that often come with it, is the job many people have associated with “accounting,” Shoemaker spoke at length about the wide range of positions available to accountants.
“SFA has internal auditors,” Shoemaker said. “That’s a 40-hour-per-week job. We had a student who did an internship with the FBI. Accounting is one of the most highly recruited majors in the FBI. They need people to trace money.”
2014’s Accounting Fair was SFA’s biggest yet, and Gehrels hopes the event will continue to grow.
“Last year was our largest fair, as far as employers go,” Gehrels said. “We had 28. We’re looking to push past that … hopefully 30 to 35 for this year’s fair.”
As is the case with many professions, getting ahead in accounting depends on making connections early on.
“One of our officers in our accounting organizations went up to introduce herself
to a recruiter who she had already previously communicated with,” Shoemaker said. “She didn’t t h i n k s h e ’d remember her. As soon as she said, ‘Hi, I’m so-and-so,’ the recruiter gave her a huge hug and said, ‘Oh, I know you!’ It’s something as simple as that, a recruiter already being familiar with a student. If that student wanted a job, she’s already got a foot in the door.”
Shoemaker also talked of opening more students up to accounting, since many see it as boring or monotonous, and getting them to realize just how far-reaching it is as a profession.
“Accounting i s w o n d e r f u l because everybody needs accounting,” Shoemaker said. “So, as an accounting major, you can work where your passion is … if
you really love sports or the outdoors, those big companies need accountants. It’s a very flexible major in the sense that if you don’t like one area, there are several others, so you can pick the type of accounting and where you’re going to do it to suit your individual personality.”
Students will have the opportunity to network with pros, find possible internships
Major firms to recruit at upcoming accounting fair
Top 5 steps to success
1
54
32
Dress profess ional ly . S tuden t s a re o f t en interviewed on the spot, so it’s better to come prepared.
Bring several copies of an updated resume and business cards, if you have them.
Get in front of your bedroom mirror and practice your personal introduction to potential employers.
Practice a firm handshake. People are often judged by their handshake, so make it a good one!
Practice clean hygiene and don’t come smelly to the fair. That wouldn’t make a very good first impression!
By Morgan SheaStaff Writer
SFA is known for its beautiful campus, filled with many trees, trails and gardens. This week at SFA, the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture urges anyone on campus or in the Nacogdoches community to participate i n t h e Na c o g d o T R E E S Competition.
Through the NacogdoTREES Competition, anyone with a love for trees or a desire to learn more about them is encouraged to participate and explore the Nacogdoches area for trees that fit the following categories: largest circumference, largest crown, tallest tree, best shade tree and best overall tree.
The first three categories are based on measurements, while the last two are judged more subjectively. “Best Shade Tree” and ”Best Overall Tree” might be judged on the story behind the tree, the location of the tree or the tree’s uniqueness. An online list of the largest trees in Texas called “The Texas Big Tree Registry” shows the trees’ measurements and nominator, so anyone can view the specific trees that have won in the past.
“There are also a lot of species with no current champion, so we thought it would be cool to be able to fill those in,” said Dr. Shelby Gull Laird, assistant professor of communications of natural resource issues.
For the tree to qualify, it must be located on campus or within a park or area managed by the City of Nacogdoches
Pa r k s a n d Recreation.
There are plenty of trails and gardens one could go to explore and find trees on campus, and anyone is welcome to visit them a n y t i m e, re g a rd l e s s o f competition participation. SFA has its own recreational trails on campus, as well as four gardens filled with plants and flowers. These aspects provide students and faculty members with great places to get outdoors and countless options for discovering trees.
“SFA is really lucky to have the gardens and the nice trails. Those are unique features of the campus that make it possible to do something like this,” Laird said.
While trees are necessary to our environment, trees can also provide physical and mental benefits. According t o f o r e s t r y. s f a s u . e d u /nacogdotrees, a goal of the NacogdoTREES Competition is to get people to understand the importance of trees in the community and to bring awareness to the benefits of t rees and spending time outdoors. Because this competition requires participants to explore areas in Nacogdoches, people will also get a chance to learn more about the community beyond campus.
“We wanted to give the community an opportunity to
come visit the parks and trees in our cemeteries. We have some really gorgeous old magnolias. There are a lot of opportunities to get out there and see the trees,” said Jessica Ward, Nacogdoches Parks and Recreation employee.
Anyone interested in channeling his or her inner forester should participate, regardless of knowledge regarding trees and taking measurements.
“If they feel like they can’t do any of the measurements, they can always guess, but we do have videos that a few of our forestry folks made that show you how to do simple measurements that don’t require a lot of technical tools,” Laird said. “No one should [forego submitting] something because they don’t know how to take measurements, because they will be checked.”
The competition closes at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. There will be an award ceremony for the winners of the competition, and they will have their picture taken with the winning trees.
Mo re d e t a i l s o n t h e competition, including videos on how to take measurements, are available at forestry.sfasu.edu/nacogdotrees.
NacogdoTREES encourages exploration of outdoors
Photo by Belen Casillas/The Pine Log
CMYK
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$2 Students • $3 Faculty/Staff$4 Community • $2 Refreshment Combos
From Page 1
The women of the Epsilon Eta chapter of Alpha Chi Omega are not new to winning awards. However, an award of this caliber was never imagined by any of them.
“Our chapter thought, because we had won some other awards this year, that we would get to announce the national winner to that chapter, whichever it was,” said Anna Eubank, a member of the Epsilon Eta chapter of Alpha Chi Omega. “So when our house mom brought out a huge banner, that was all we thought it was — a banner for that chapter we would be announcing. But then our adviser Roya (Dinbali)brought out a huge trophy and announced to the chapter that it was actually us that had been ranked the highest in the nation.”
With a house full of women overwhelmed with tears, Anna said that the girls celebrated with cake and were honored to be chosen to be a part of such an outstanding chapter.
“We never expected to hit a milestone like this,” said Taylor Owens, Alpha Chi Omega president. “It feels so random, honestly. We as a chapter try the best we can every day, and it’s odd to think that out of every amazing chapter I’ve met, we are now the highest-ranked chapter.”
In order to get this award, the chapter had to complete many different objectives throughout the previous year. The chapters were then ranked by the
headquarters of Alpha Chi Omega on each of those objectives. The women of the Epsilon Eta chapter did not initially think they had reached the highest level in all of these objectives.
“There is always something that our chapter can improve on for the next year, because we always want to be the best we can be,” chapter adviser Roya Dinbali said.
While the award may represent the chapter being ranked the highest in the nation, Owens stressed the need for humility.
“I do not want this chapter to celebrate too long, because the chapter as a whole does not need to get a big head,” Owens said. “After all, if the chapter was good enough to win this, then it must not be broken, so there is no need to fix it.”
Dinbali hopes that the award can instill confidence in the chapter’s members.
“If I would want this award to do anything to change our chapter of Alpha Chi Omega, I would hope that it would show our women to have more confidence in themselves and [show them] that, with teamwork and support for one another, anything, including being the best, is possible,” Dinbali said.
Although the chapter has won many awards before, Owens hopes that this award will be the one to change the Greek stereotype.
“I can only hope that this award will
improve the image of Greek life overall and give our community more faith in our ability as an overall organization,” Owens said.
Dinbali echoed Owens’ thoughts.”I would hope this would change the
stereotype [and get people] to focus more on the facts, like our chapter raising $3,000 for philanthropy, [instead of ] people thinking lies about our chapter,” Dinbali said.“Alpha Chi Omega wants this award to put it out there that the standards have been changed from when those stereotypes were formed.”
From Page 1
final weeks before it closes on Sept. 25.
The closing of the exhibit at the Railroad Depot, however, does not necessarily mean the end for this project.
“I wanted to give it, if the exhibit did well, the possibility that it could travel, so I’m talking to two other venues right now … they’re both interested in it,” Ainsworth said.
Regardless of whether the project becomes a traveling exhibit, those involved feel a great sense of accomplishment about the project and its success in Nacogdoches.
“It’s good real-world experience for art students to go through the process of not only making the work, but getting it prepared for a gallery installation,” Roberts said. “I’m very proud of my students.”
Roberts’ students are also very proud of themselves. Harei Waja, an SFA student artist, is very excited to see her work on display.
“I am very grateful for this wonderful opportunity,” said Waja, who hopes to continue displaying her work in galleries in the future.
Wa j a’s p i e c e , t i t l e d “Melissa,” depicts the words of an advertisement calling for the capture of a slave girl by the same name, identified by severe burns on the right of her face.
“It was hard drawing that side,” said Waja. “Not because I could not draw it, but because I felt very sorry for her.”
Despite that and other challenges, Waja still managed to create the piece in time for the exhibit, where it hangs next to the art of many other students who worked hard to help make Ainsworth’s idea a reality.
“The idea of this project inspired me to do my best,” Waja said. “I felt honored to do this work.”
The exhibit is open Monday through Wednesday and on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Thursdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Those involved encourage SFA students, their friends and family to come see the exhibit before it closes and perhaps moves on to a new venue so they can experience the artwork and appreciate an exhibit that was brought to reality with hard work, dedication and love.
From Page 1
a couple of months ago.” Long said SFA’s Veteran’s Resource Center and its coordinator John Fontenot helped him reach where he is today.
“I can honestly say, had it not been for John and the guys at the VRC, I would have probably dropped out either without finishing my first semester or after finishing my first semester,” Long said.
As well as giving student veterans a place to meet and socialize, the VRC offers weekly counseling services workshops.
“I know a lot of other guys, as soon as they get out of the service, they have a really tough time adjusting and getting back used to not being in the military. It’s quite an adjustment,” Long said. “If I didn’t have the sense of backing and stuff I have
from the group we have here at SFA, I wouldn’t be here today.”
After being invited to the 22 to None march by a fellow service member, Christopher Sanchez, an SFA student and Marine Corps veteran, spread
the word through the VRC. The eight SFA veterans will represent each branch of the military by carrying its flag and will also carry the U.S. flag, the Texas flag and an SFA banner.
“It’s almost like a therapeutic kind of thing, because it lets us get back in to a state of camaraderie with other veterans,” Sanchez said.
For Air Force veteran, SFA student and VRC employee Tim Hauffpauir, the march highlights an important cause and helps him get involved with other service members.
“For me, it’s a way to get more involved with veteran’s issues. Since I started working here, I kind of get a little bit of insight —kind of like a foot in the water, if you will,” Hauffpauir said. “This is like another step in helping promote the issues that no one really hears about in mainstream media.”
Part of the solution to the problem of veteran suicide, Frederick said, is realizing there is a problem.
“We can do better by knowing it is something that affects our veterans and those who suffer from such things as PTSD,” Frederick said. “We need more support for each other, and the U.S. has to realize that a lot was spent in helping get us to war, but basically nothing to bring us back.”
22 to none: VRC enables veterans to support each other
Photo by Shelby Dykes/The Pine Log
Taylor Owen, president of Alpha Chi Omega (left), and Roya Dinbali, chapter adviser, celebrate the accomplishment of the national award for the sorority.
Award: Sorority honored to be chosen as highest-ranked chapter in the nation
Photo by Rae Thompson/The Pine LogMany styles of artwork in various media can bee seen at the exhibit, which organizers hope inspires everyone who visits.
Exhibit: PoF has potential to travel
Photo by The Silkies Hike for the 22 TexasMore than 1,000 veterans, like the ones pictured above, will participate in the upcoming march in Austin, Texas to raise awareness of veteran suicides.
CMYK
Page 4 Wednesday, september 16, 2015 the pine Log
Entertainment@thepinelog
By Andrea GallierContributing Writer
Dimensions Contemporary Ballet will perform at the Houston Fringe Festival on Sept. 25 and 26 at “The Barn” in downtown Houston. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or online at http://bit.ly/1KPyZtl.
DCB is a professional dance com-pany at Gobel School of Dance in Nacogdoches. It was founded last January by Heather Samuelson, the co-director of the SFA dance pro-gram and Katie Parr Smith, direc-tor of Gobel School of Dance. It is made up of current SFA students, SFA alumni, some high school students and SFA biology professor Dr. Jenny Gumm. This month, the company will represent East Texas fine arts by performing at the Houston Fringe Festival, a week-long festival that showcases artists, musicians, danc-ers, poetry and more.
“Performing in the Houston Fringe
Festival is an exciting, profession-al opportunity for the company,” Samuelson said. “We are all thrilled that we were selected to perform, and this performance will provide expo-sure for the company as a whole and for each individual dancer.
“With exposure comes opportunity for more performances and collabo-rations. DCB could grow, and with that growth brings more individuals to Nacogdoches, SFA, the Gobel School of Dance and East Texas.”
This will be the company’s second performance. The company’s debut performance took place at the pre-show for Gobel School of Dance’s per-formance of “Cinderella” last May.
The company will perform four pieces, collectively called “Within.” Three of the Dances—“She,” “Into the Light” and “Serenity”—were per-formed at the company’s debut perfor-mance. Martha de Luna, a recent SFA graduate, created an original composi-tion for “She.” A new piece will also be
showcased. Called “Within the Skin,” it was choreographed by Samuelson and SFA alumnus Keith Haynes.
“I think we’re ready. We’ve been practicing for a month and half now, and we just finished two weeks ago our final dance with all of us in it, so I’m really excited to see that piece come together,” SFA dance student and DCB member Cara Shear said.
The company still has some time left to perfect their performance.
“We still have a lot of work, but it’s gonna be worth it. It’s gonna be worth all the sweat and all of the exhaus-tion,” said Meagan Torres, also an SFA dance student and DCB member.
With its cast of SFA students, alum-ni, faculty and Nacogdoches dancers, DCB will be representing not only SFA, but also East Texas fine arts and the Nacogdoches community.
“We are excited to perform, and we invite everyone to come to Houston to experience these performances,” Samuelson said.
By Evie SweetenEntertainment Editor
SFA will begin its University Series by bringing in the Sonali Skandan and Jiva Dance company at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, in W.M. Turner Auditorium.
Throughout the school year, the SFA College of Fine Arts showcases different artists, dancers and musicals acts that bring a variety of cultures to East Texas.
Sonali Skandan and Jiva Dance focuses on one form of classical Indian dance called Bharatanatyam. The dance form is deeply rooted in tradition, but also brings in acces-sibility for new audiences.
“This dance company is a good start for the University Series, because it show-cases historical, traditional dance and music from South India,” said Heather Samuelson, as-sociate professor. “It invites audience members into a different culture with different cus-toms, and it shows how well preserved the art form is.”
In the past, the University Series has brought acts ranging from flamenco dancers to classically trained musicians for SFA to watch.
“This performance will expose SFA stu-dents and the community to a long heritage of beliefs and religion that precedes many dance genres, including ballet. SFA students should come and participate in learning about different cultures and their practices. This performance will be evocative, infor-mative and entertaining,” Samuelson said.
By combining poetry, music and dance, many students should be intrigued by at least one aspect of Sonali Skandan and Jiva Dance.
“I think this would be a good perfor-mance to see, because Nacogdoches usually doesn’t get acts like this to come perform. The University Series is an interesting way
to learn about new cultures,” SFA student Ashley Martin said.
While SFA has several fine arts acts per-form every semester, Sonali Skandan and Jiva Dance is unlike previous acts.
“Students should come to live and learn about the world. We have plenty of country music and acts like that, but we rarely get a chance to see an act of this stature,” said John Goodall, associate dean for the College of Fine Arts.
Tickets will be $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for students and children. Tickets bought before the show will cost
students $3; pre-ordering is advised.
For additional in-formation on this per-
formance and the University Series, call the Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit finearts.
sfasu.edu.
Sonali Skandan and Jiva Dance Company to showcase cultural choreography
Dimensions Contemporary Ballet set to perform at Fringe Festival
By Iris RiozStaff Writer
SFA’s School of Art is set to present its annual Faculty and Staff Exhibition. Located at 329 E. Main St. and open from 12:30-5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays, the exhibition will showcase professors’ artwork until Oct. 17.
The event, held at the newly renovated Cole Art Center in downtown Nacogdoches, will be displaying the artwork of professors at SFA, allowing students and anyone around the town of Nacogdoches to explore their work.
“The faculty exhibition is a means of instruction for students and an opportunity to see firsthand what their teachers do, but it is also a forum to communicate ideas and encourage discussion. It is also a once-a-year opportunity to have some fun celebrating the expert work of the art faculty at SFA,” said Runice Tutnall, assistant professor of art at SFA.
With various works hanging at the
entrance and around every corner, the exhibition is full of art, and one does not have to be an art-lover to be in awe of the art on display.
For other artists, this exhibition is more than just a showcase of their work.
“I want to inspire students to work hard and help them grow as an artist. Plus, it’s a good way for new students to get to know people and interact,” said Shaun Roberts, assistant professor of art at SFA.
Admission is free, and visitors get the chance to leave having learned something new and inspired to one day have their own showcase, art junkie or not.
“As soon as possible, think of yourselves as professionals in the field of what you want to do when you graduate,” Tutnall said. “Be curious, and explore everything that has come before you. Learning from the past is the best way to invent the future.”
For more information on the exhibition, visit the SFA art department in person or online at art.sfasu.edu/.
Annual faculty art exhibition aims to inspire students, local community
By Michael HerringtonStaff Writer
“Rainbows End” is about as obscure and buried as mov-ies come—so much so that I probably would have never known it existed had my speech therapist not mentioned it offhand one session (“If you like documentaries, I heard about this one called ‘Rainbows End’ or something that was made right here in Nacogdoches!”).
On Feb. 1, 2003, Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, killing its seven crew members and raining tons of debris onto Louisiana and East Texas. Seeing a way to turn this disaster into a posi-tive, William Neal Edwards III, aka Country Willie, formed a band called Country Willie and the Cosmic Debris. The band is a group of misfits united by their questionable musicianship, their love of science fiction and general craziness. Their drummer plays a set made of pieces of the space shuttle. Willie sent a letter to his musical idol The Legendary Stardust Cowboy, who replied saying he would like to record with the band in California.
I haven’t even scratched the surface, folks. Joining the band on their first “west coast tour” are an even stranger few eccentrics. Peter Guzzino, an aspiring singer and “one-man band” who believes he is living in the year 1978 —“He told me gas was 62, 64 cents a gallon,” his mother chuckles in one scene—joins the band in the hope of finding suc-cess on the trip. Brian “Birdman” Birdwell is a cockfighter looking to earn money by taking his fighting rooster (“He’s
Bruce Lee … in a chicken form,” Birdwell says proud-ly) to a bird casting agency in Hollywood. Audrey Dean Leighton is an elderly twirler trying to gain knowledge of the internet, and joins the trip after hearing of free internet courses offered to people over the age of 55 at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center.
Though looney asides and scenes of the band and “roadies” screwing around, much of the runtime is de-voted to showing us the drudgery of getting a clunking, rickety bus down the road. Country Willie’s tour bus, “Green Hell,” almost becomes a character itself as Birdman attempts to start, fix and drive it. One genuinely tense scene shows the bus creeping down the highway as the fuel gauge ticks toward empty. Another gut-busting scene shows Peter’s descent into madness as he tries to get to sleep, his cramped bed in the bus being next to Birdman’s ever-cockadoodling rooster.
Since online information regarding the production is scarce, it’s unclear how much of the movie is genuine. During my first viewing, only one scene near the end in-volving Birdman, which I won’t spoil in this review, seemed
scripted. In an interview done for Pegasus News, direc-tor Eric Hueber and writer Andy Cope say that the only “scripted” part of the film is the goofy, jokey narration, hysterically performed in deadpan by legendary voiceover artist Don Morrow.
But “Rainbows End” is another beast entirely. This is not a simple talking-head documentary where a narrator spits information at you as you watch a slideshow. This is a living, breathing, breathlessly-paced hour-and-a-half trip, where the viewer is made to enter the world of a group of people who can’t seem to sit still or stop talking, even when it’s about things to don’t have to do with 99.9 percent of the population. It’s a hidden gem that’s worth digging out.
Review: ‘Rainbow’s End’ features road life, musical dreams, East Texas eccentrics
The annual Faculty and Staff Exhibition features the work of assistant professors and professors. This year, the professors’ work will be shown inside the Cole Art Center until Oct. 17.
Dancers practice in studio before heading out for the Houston Fringe Festival. The team is made up of students, alumni and local residents. More information about the Houston Fringe Festival can be found at houstonfringefestival.org.
Photo by Raenesha Thompson/The Pine Log
Photo by Derek Hall/The Pine Log
Sonali Skandan
& Jiva Dance
7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17
W.M. Turner Auditorium.
Courtesy Photo
Indian dance coming to SFA
CMYK
Page 5Wednesday, september 16, 2015
Opinions@thepinelog
COLUMN
By DaniellePOLK
Religion. This word can mean everything to some and nothing to others. This is why a line separating church and state is significant.
In the United States, we have the opportunity to practice what we please and actively seek out organizations that follow the same belief system. This means that if you follow Christ, Buddha or The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, you can make that a part of your life and not be punished for it. We are given this right by the U.S. Constitution.
Unfortunately, many people be-lieve that, because they have religious freedom and it is stated in the First Amendment, they have freedom from the law when it conflicts with their be-liefs. Yes, you are entitled to your faith, but this does not mean that anyone can illegally impose these beliefs on others who may not think the same.
In current news, County Clerk Kim Davis, a Kentucky resident, was jailed for contempt of court, having denied gay couples marriage licenses because she claimed it went against her religious beliefs. According to USA
Today, Davis was released under the conditions that she will not interfere any further. U.S. District Court Judge David Bunning, the judge overseeing her case, stated that if Davis does not comply, “appropriate sanctions will be considered.” This case making nation-al news just months after the Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage legal shines a light on the difficulty of change for many and on the fact that church and state are meant to be separated. This is a perfect example of how beliefs and law can be confused and how it is the job of the individual to know the difference between the two.
Although we all have the right to free speech and to choose our religion, that does not mean we can interfere with the law. If you work for the gov-ernment, it is your responsibility to follow the law even if it changes to something you might not agree with.
Take the Human Rights Campaign into consideration. This organization has worked very hard to achieve equal-ity for all and enjoyed a great success in June. It has only been a couple of
months since the Supreme Court’s decision, and people are still adjust-ing. This is apparent in the above case. It is important to see that there is a whole other side to this than simply religion. Others are fighting, too, for their freedoms, and the Human Rights Campaign is only one example.
Here, it is no different. As a well-educated student body, it is our job to know and respect that the law is ever changing, and we have to adjust to the times we are living in. There has been a lot of change in the last couple of years and, for many people, especially older generations, it has been difficult because normalcy is comfortable. When you’ve lived in the same condition for a long time, it is hard to see the other side of the coin. However, in cases dealing with the happiness and well-being of oth-ers, it is time to put our own personal beliefs aside and remember that we aren’t all the same. As an ever-grow-ing society, we are responsible for ac-cepting change and making an effort to listen, even if it is something we don’t agree with.
Most don’t know what the “MRS degree” is and, if you do, you know it’s not something many admit to achieving. The MRS degree is a mid-19th century term used to describe when a young woman attends a col-lege or university intending to find a husband.
Last year, the MRS degree created a media frenzy when “Princeton Mom” Susan Patton wrote a letter to the Daily Princetonian that went viral, causing an uproar among mothers and female students alike and caus-ing the newspaper’s site to crash. Although the idea of a MRS degree seems foolish and seems like the wrong way to go about finding a fu-
ture husband, the idea of doing such is as not as wrong as it may seem. To not only achieve a degree but also find a husband that is well-educated, handsome and possibly more finan-cially stable than the average man is not that bad.
“Even though the MRS degree was very prevalent back in our parents and grandparents generations, the idea of a MRS degree is a taboo sub-ject now — even though it still hap-pens,” David Kirksey, an industrial organizations psychology graduate student said.
By many standards, the MRS de-gree is comedic despite its obvious atypical aura. If one does a simple
Google Images search, they’ll find a plethora of amusing images. It’s such a conversational topic that there are even seven definitive ways to getting your MRS degree, and it made a pres-ence in the 2011 movie “The Help.”
Most female students in college are dating or have dated in college, and most have considered the idea of marrying their significant other. I know I have. Many have reached a length of time within their relation-ships that the conversation of mar-riage has arisen —so much so that the conversation has become serious enough that many are engaged or engaged to be engaged, if not already married.
In my opinion, the MRS degree is a ridiculous thing to aim for in today’s society, despite the appeal of not ever having to really do anything because it will be your husband who will do everything. Despite personal feel-ings for the MRS degree, I myself am achieving one without realizing it until recently. Sometimes obtaining such an outrageous thing is easier and more common than you think.
Whether you agree or disagree with the idea of the MRS degree, it’s considered a touchy subject among many. If you’re a female student and are aiming to find a husband before graduation, nothing is stopping you. However, it’s not a life plan that all
Cartoon by Bradey Sooter/The Pine Log
Church and state meant to be separate
AXE’EMadvice column
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF BELEN CASILLAS
OPINIONS EDITORANNA CLARKE
SPORTS EDITORTAYLOR RAGLIN
ADVERTISING MANAGERJONATHEN RUESCH
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGERKATHRYN GARDNER
PHOTO EDITORRAENESHA THOMPSON
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOREVIE SWEETEN
COPY EDITORTAYLOR RAGLIN
WEB MASTERKATHRYN GARDNER
Fall 2015 Editorial BoardOpinions
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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.
MANAGING EDITOR MORGAN MCGRATH
Current generation objects to the pursuit of an ‘MRS degree’
“My family and I are super close, and I’m feeling very homesick. What can I do to adjust to college life?”
-Anonymous
– Each week, The Pine Log will be featuring an advice column. The staff will be answer-ing questions about anything from relation-ships to general life issues, and everything in between. To submit your questions, email The Pine Log at [email protected].
Answered by Nadia Oulahna
It is definitely difficult being away from home, especially if you have never experienced it be-fore. I will never forget the first day of freshmen year—my parents and my little brother helped me move in to my dorm. I was so excited and ready to start this new chapter in my life, espe-cially since I was the first one in my family to go off to college.
After all my stuff was moved in, my parents took me to Walmart to get some last-minute necessities. (I didn’t know this at the time, but definitely avoid Walmart during move-in weekend.) Once we returned, my parents told me they were leaving, and I burst into tears.
It was ridiculous. My mom and I were both cry-ing hysterically. I think even my dad shed a tear, and that’s rare. I spent my first night here at SFA in my empty dorm, because my roommate hadn’t ar-rived yet. The next day, my roommate arrived, and it was a lot better.
At times, it can be very lonely without your fami-ly, but I recommend trying your best to make yourself feel like you are at home. Here are some tips I rec-ommend to fight home-sickness.
Make your room feel homey. I know I have tons of
pictures on my wall—pic-tures that just make me happy. I have pictures of my family and friends, and just looking at them
fills me with joy.
Contact your family.Don’t be afraid to give
your family and friends from back home a call. I try to FaceTime as much as I can, just to feel like I am there. I definitely have a group message with my mom and dad, and I text them often throughout the day. No shame. Keeping in contact every day defi-nitely helps.
Lastly, if you feel like you are still feeling home-sick:
Stay busy.In the end, try and stay
busy with schoolwork or other activities. SFA has so many options when it comes to student organi-zations and activities. Try some out.
Joining a student orga-nization on campus can be a great step toward helping you stay busy, and getting involved can im-prove your college experi-ence. I promise you, it will all get better.
CMYK
Page 6Wednesday, september 16, 2015
SportsSFA Athletics | Intramural Sports | Sport Clubs
@TLPSports
WE NEED YOUR HELP IN COLLECTING AS MUCH DENIM AS POSSIBLE!
FOR MORE INFO CONTACT:Jamie [email protected]
*Insulation quantities related to the Blue Jeans Go Green™ denim recycling program may be adjusted each year.
All denim collected through the Blue Jeans Go Green™ program is recycled into UltraTouch™ Denim Insulation, and a portion of this insulation is distributed each year to help communities in need.*
EVENT DATE: Tuesday, September 22, 12-3pm
LOCATION: Outside the student center
$FATCU may have won big last Saturday, but the Lumberjacks, and other FCS programs like them, come away with much more than most realize.
SP
ORTS COLUMN
Taylor RaglinSPORTS EDITOR
On Saturday afternoon, the Lumberjacks traveled to Fort Worth and did exactly what most expected them to — they lost to the third-ranked TCU Horned Frogs by nine touchdowns, coming out on the wrong side of a 70-7 final.
According to oddsshark.com, the best TCU spread heading into the contest sat at -45, meaning that they were favored to win by 45 points. Not only did they cover that spread — they covered it by more than two scores.
Going into last weekend, teams from the Division I Football Championship Subdivision were just 1-100 versus Division I Football Bowl Subdivision teams ranked in the AP top 10. The only ever win by an FCS school of this fashion came in 2007, when Appalachian State defeated No. 5 Michigan in one of the biggest upsets in the history of college football.
It is only natural to ask why teams from Division I’s lower tier continue to travel to the “big boys,” take their shellackings and return home with bruised egos (and sometimes worse-than-bruised players).
The answer, in short — they’re paid a lot of money to do so.
For their nine-score defeat, SFA received $375,000. That number, while gaudy, doesn’t come close to the largest amounts FCS teams have made this way. On Sept. 5, McNeese State travelled to LSU. The game lasted just four minutes and 52 seconds due to inclement weather.
McNeese made $500,000, which still
doesn’t make it to the top of the list. According to Darren Rovell of ESPN, in
2014, Michigan and Nebraska each shelled out a cool million to Appalachian State and Florida Atlantic, respectively, for their “guarantee” games. That weekend, teams paid a total of $12.9 million to their little brothers from the division below.
The entirety of the $375,000 the Lumberjacks made Saturday goes to the department’s general operating budget and will end up helping out each of SFA’s athletic programs in one form or another, according to SFA’s Director of Athletic Media Relations Rand Champion.
While college football is huge business at the FBS level (the subdivision made $3.4 billion in revenue in 2013), the money doesn’t flow for FCS schools in the same way. For schools like SFA, these big-payout games are a huge boon to their smaller athletic departments.
In addition to the money, the Lumberjacks also walked away with memories from a day they will never forget. Twenty-six SFA players are from the North Texas area, and they got to play a game on what, for many of them, will be the biggest stage of their careers. There is no denying that playing in front of over 45,000 fans was something special, despite the outcome.
Usually, you have to pay for the experience of a lifetime. The Lumberjacks came away $375,000 richer.
By Juwan LeeStaff Writer
Since the age of 4, SFA soccer goalkeeper Lillie Ehlert has been quite the athlete. She dabbled in various sports, such as T-ball, basketball, volleyball and track. The Pflugerville native has big shoes to fill, as she is now taking over for recent grad Morgan Glick, the Ladyjack keeper who set a new single-season record with 14 shutouts and ranked as high as first in the country in shutout percentage during her junior year. Ehlert has made a name for herself at SFA and around the country. SFA Assistant Director of Media Relations Brian Newton gave positive reviews of Ehlert and raved about her national ranking of 22nd in saves. Glick and Ehlert still have a strong relationship, and the two played for the same club team before they took the field as Ladyjacks.
When they arrived at SFA, Ehlert said she appreciated how “Morgan acted as a mentor, helping [her] learn the new system.”
Even though Glick has graduated and gone on to start her professional career in Iceland, Ehlert said the two still find ways to communicate after games.
“After a game, she’ll text me when she gets a chance to watch,” Ehlert said. “It’s good having her there to talk to.”
Ehlert gives credit for her being
able to position herself for success to the mentoring she received from Glick. Though Ehlert was able to gain knowledge from Glick during her time here, she is not the only player Ehlert admires. Tim Howard, goalkeeper for the English football club Everton and the U.S. national team, is a professional athlete that Ehlert greatly admires.
Ehlert said that “the adversity he has faced throughout his career” is something that holds weight with her.
Another professional star that helps her gets geared up to play before a game is Taylor Swift. Ehlert says she does not have many rituals, but Taylor Swift’s music is a definite must-have before a game.
SFA head coach Wally Crittenden had good things to say about his goalkeeper, who plans to pursue a nursing career after college.
“Lillie has a great sense of perspective,” Crittenden said. “[She is] someone who is willing to put the hours in. She is always approachable. She has a great energy and vibe about her.”
Ehlert admits that, when her soccer days are done, there are two aspects of the game she will miss the most.
“The competition. I am a very competitive person,” Ehlert said. “More than that, I will miss the team atmosphere.”
Upcoming Home GamesFriday, Sept. 18
Soccer vs. NWST | SFA Soccer Field | 7 p.m.Saturday, Sept. 19
Football vs. MSU | Homer Bryce Stadium| 6 p.m.
Proile: Lillie Ehlert
SFA Sport Clubs and Contact InfoBaseball
Bass Fishing
Beep Baseball
Cycling
Hockey
Judo
Lacrosse
Mens Soccer
Quidditch
Ranch Horse
Rock [email protected]
Rodeo
Rugby
Student Officials
Swimming
Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Womens Basketball
Womens Soccer
Womens Volleyball
Photo by Derek Hall/The Pine LogInset photo courtesy of SFA Athletics
Goalkeeper replacing production of longtime friend Glick