March 6, 2008

The day before Hillary Clinton’s

much-needed Texas primary win

Tuesday, husband Bill Clinton spoke to a

crowd of about 700 people in The

University of Texas-Pan American’s

Field House.

The slim crowd barely made a dent

in the 4,000-seat venue, setting off fears

that Clinton’s presidential campaign was

on its last breath. The results Tuesday,

however, quelled those fears, for now at

least.

Clinton won 50.8 percent of the

vote in Texas, giving her 61 popular vote

delegates. Barack Obama took 47.4 per-

cent and 61 delegates. Caucus results are

still pending.

Hidalgo County proved worthy of its

Clinton country label, with 73.8 percent of

votes going to the New York senator.

The campaigning done in the

Valley by both presidential camps was

extensive, but did it really make a differ-

ence in a county where Clinton was

already the frontrunner?

Isidroalex Morgado, freshman eco-

nomics and communication double

major, doesn’t think so.

“Personally, I always thought there

was going to be that turnaround,” he

claimed. “People feel connected to

Clinton because of the past — Bill

Clinton. That’s what helped her out.”

While waiting in line to see the for-

mer president speak at UTPA Monday,

Gina Lima, a sophomore

engineering/pre-med major, said the idea

of the Clinton duo in office was a selling

point for her.

“I feel like his experience in office

has been amazing for the nation and both

of them working together, two intellec-

tual people who have experience run-

ning with the nation, would be amaz-

ing,” she said.

Morgado, who is also president of

The Republicans Club of UTPA, said

while Obama had a “really good cam-

paign,” he feels that the public’s person-

al feelings and connection with Clinton

influenced their vote.

“Sometimes, emotions and feelings

get more in the way and that’s more

important to them; feeling that connec-

The Valley may be next on the list

to receive a state-of-the-art Health

Science Center, according to Sen. Eddie

Lucio Jr. However, with many Texas

metropolitan areas vying for the facility,

the competition is fierce.

Lucio brought to light the idea in a

February meeting to the Board of Regents

at The University of Texas-Pan

American. In 2007, the senate approved

the bill but it did not follow through with

the house, so plans are for Lucio to re-file

or file another bill during the next session

which begins Jan. 13 2009.

The bill proposed a Health Science

Center with a medical school and other

health programs for first- and second-

year students that will cover South

Texas, including Jim Hogg, Kenedy and

Zapata County.

It also required a $28 million startup

for research and training facilities to be set

up at the Regional Academic Health

Center at UTPA, The University of Texas-

Brownsville and Harlingen.

“One of our biggest problems we

are facing in this region, one of the fastest

growing in the state, is that we have the

lowest physician ratios in the state,” said

Lucio. “In Cameron County, the ratio is

125 physicians per 100,000, and in

Hidalgo that ratio is 105 physicians per

100,000…without a health science center

the Rio Grande Valley is moving med-

ically backward, not forward.”He added that Valley residents

needing care should not have to travel to

Central and North Texas to receive the

care they deserve: another reason why it

is imperative to establish the center.

“We cannot continue to be ignored

or bypassed for a health science center

elsewhere with the low ratios we have,”

he said. “This area has a high diabetes

rate, and the lack of adequate health care

By J.R. ORTEGAThe Pan American

See Page 16

Women’s basketball postseason tourney

SPORTS

Toastmasters help betterpublic-speaking skills

Art E magazine featureslocal art scene

See Page 8 & 9

See Page 3

A&E

NEWS

59th YearNo. 22

ThursdayMarch 6, 2008

TH

IS W

EE

K

� STATE

By SANDRA GONZALEZ

The Pan American

Health Science Center proposal hopeful

� NATIONAL

Roxy Solis/The Pan American

VOTE FOR HILLARY - Former President Bill Clinton meets and greets with the crowd after a Monday morning rally for Sen. Hillary Clinton at The University of Texas-Pan American Field House.

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

See HEALTH page 11

See CLINTON page 11

� CAMPUS

Jessa Parce remembers her first visit

to America when she was 4 years old. The

new country she found herself in was a

stark contrast to her native Philippines.

“I remember in the cities [in the

Philippines had] many beggar children.

Several were cuddled on the lengthy over-

pass with one girl sitting on cardboard,

cradling a baby, and children would bathe

in the streets sometimes,” she said.

It wasn’t until she was much older

that Parce, a freshman general studies

major, realized her native country was

not the only one in peril.

“Obviously, the degree of poverty is

extremely different between the two coun-

tries, but I think some things remain the

same and hurt society equally,” she said.

“I mean, look at all the single mothers

here in the Valley, families without health

insurance, some parents working two or

three jobs just to make sure they have run-

ning water every month.”

According a 2004 study conducted

by U.S. Census Bureau, 30.5 percent of

Hidalgo County residents are below the

poverty level. Poverty level is generally

measure by indicators like the level of

income, drop out rates and jobless

households.

See VOLUNTEER page 11

Sen. Lucio saysbill first step ofmany in process

Did visits make a difference? Student todedicatebreak toserviceBy BOBBY CERVANTES

The Pan American

Texas primaryresults decidedearly, students say

20

love vacations as much as the next

person. What I’m not looking for-

ward to is hearing about everyone’s wild

adventures when they get back from

Spring Break next week.

I will be working most of the week

and catching up on sleep. Sounds boring,

I know. But it may surprise you that

those plans aren’t as rare or geriatric as

you may think.

In class this week, I overheard one

girl tell her friend that her plans includ-

ed putting in more hours at Starbucks to

make a car payment.

That got me to thinking, if you

really have that much time for partying

this coming week, I hate you. Yes, you.

Sip your overpriced, rum-filled

drink. Live your life like you’re on The

O.C. while it lasts, because if you’re cel-

ebrating your precious break at South

Padre Island, you’re money surely won’t

last long.

I hope you enjoy your nights out

and your days sleeping in. In one week,

it’s back to the drone of life. We working

schmoes are not delusional. We know

life goes on even March 10 to March 14.

I’m sure everyone will come back

with the fondest memories via pictures,

souvenirs and the most attractive peeling

skin this side of the border. Well, lobster

face, here’s some bad news: The only

truly long-lasting memory you will gain

is a mysterious rash that develops two

weeks after...ehem...that night. And the

worst part is you’ll know you deserve it.

Just be sure to card your one-night

stands, because jail bait is a real crime.

Don’t believe me? Take a look around

when you get to your sandy destination

of choice. You’ll be the oldest one there.

Going wild during Spring Break is a

high school thing. Doing it now doesn’t

make you “cool,” it makes you lame and

poorer.

But go if you must. Enjoy your

coconut drinks, beaches and one-night

stands while trying to forget that you’re

probably the only one in that club that’s

actually over 21.

Maybe I’m just bitter. Then again,

what’s new?

Well, I guess I should say some-

thing wise. Uhm...don’t be stupid. 7-167-16

The 69th annual Rio GrandeValley Livestock Show

commences at the MercedesLivestock Showgrounds.Tickets are $15 and avail-able for purchase at LittleCaesar’s and H-E-B stores

across the Valley

THE PAN AMERICANPage 2

1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539Phone: (956) 381-2541

Fax: (956) 316-7122www.utpa.edu/dept/panamerican

THE

PANAMERICAN

MARCH 6, 2008

The Pan American is the official student newspaperof The University of Texas-Pan American. Viewspresented are those of the writers and do notnecessarily reflect those of the paper or university.

Editor-in-ChiefSandra Gonzalez.................................................

[email protected]

A&E EditorJeanette [email protected]

Sports Co-EditorsGreg [email protected] [email protected]

Photography EditorNicholas Dodd..................................................

[email protected]

Design EditorRoy [email protected]

Assistant News EditorsAbigail [email protected]. [email protected]

Designers Rick GamezJuan Torres

Reporters and Photographers

Bobby Cervantes

Leslie Estrada

Onydia Garza

Laura Garcia

Russen Vela

Ana Villaurrutia

Roxy Solis

The Pan American accepts letters of 300words or less from students, staff and facultyregarding recent newspaper content, campusconcerns or current events. The Pan Americanreserves the right to edit submissions for grammarand length. The Pan American cannot publishanonymous letters or submissions containing hatespeech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send allstory ideas to [email protected].

Individuals with disabilities wishing toacquire this publication in an alternative format orneeding assistance to attend any event listed cancontact The Pan American for more details.

AdviserDr. Greg [email protected]

SecretaryAnita [email protected]

Advertising ManagerSamantha [email protected]

Assitant Advertising ManagerJacqueline Iglesias...................................

[email protected]

**Delivery**Thursday at noon

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Savethesedates

OPINIONMarch 6, 2008

6The University of Texas-Pan

American recently appointed Teofilo

Ozuna, interim dean, as the new dean of

the College of Business Administration.

The university conducted a nation-

al search for the open position and after

thorough interviews with the candidates,

Ozuna was appointed as the new dean.

Ozuna was a fresh face for UTPA at

the dawn of the new millenium. He

served as associate dean for the college

between 2004 and 2006 and after that

was interim dean until now.

Also an associate professor, he

teaches courses in economics and

finance and has won numerous awards

like Who’s Who Among America’s

Teachers both in 2004 and 2005. He

has also served on the UTPA faculty

senate.

At the time h e was interim dean, he

helped increase both Ph.D. and MBA

enrollment in the college.

He also received numerous schol-

arships for the department and helped

level salaries for faculty.

One of Ozuna’s bigger duties as

dean will be leading four departments

with eight bachelor’s degrees, three mas-

ter’s and one of the few colleges that has

a doctoral program.

Ozuna officially began his appoint-

ment as dean March 1.

� APPOINTMENT

To the editor:

I just wanted to take this opportuni-

ty to urge you to support Hillary Clinton

for President. As an American, we see

the turmoil in our economy, the environ-

mental decline, the death of so many of

our troops and the deteriorating health of

our people. In this day and age, where

we are faced with so many problems,

issues and concerns, we cannot take a

chance to place a very junior senator,

Barak Obama, into our government. We

need a strong leader, with voice, with

comprehensive plans who will make a

difference — and has made differences

in our lives already. We need a leader

who would stand up to threats and take

decisive actions. Obama cannot use

charisma to deal with terrorists — that

simply does not work. Mr. Obama lacks

specifics and only preaches rather than

detail his plans. We need to realize that

in order for his plans to work, he would

need the support of Congress. His plans

have loopholes which Congress will not

pass, and his words are going to be just

that, words not actions. Hillary has been

the First Lady of both Arkansas and The

United States. While in the Senate,

Obama has a majority of “Non Vote” in

his record. We do not need a president

who does not take part in issues that face

the world. While campaigning, Senator

Clinton does not forget that she is still a

Senator and has been addressing con-

cerns in New York while traveling from

state to state. With that said, when we

go on a job interview, we are told that in

order to secure a senior job we must

bring with us experience. We are not

hired based on the fact that we speak

well, we are hired based on the fact that

we can get the job done.

Sam Osborne

Retired psychology professor

� LETTER TO THE EDITOR

� Excited about partying atSpring Break? You’re a [email protected]

A bitter take onSpring Break

� SOCIAL COMMENTARY

BY: SANDRA GONZALEZ

I

MarchNewsinbrief

Local elections wrapped up

Tuesday, bringing an end to several heat-

ed races.

In the race for state representative,

incumbent Aaron Pena, District 40, beat

out local engineer and businessman

Eddie Saenz 9,642 to 8,646 with all

precincts reporting.

Saenz challenged Pena in the 2004

race for the District 40 seat that surveys

a vast majority of northern Hidalgo

County, but lost.

District 41’s Rep. Veronica

Gonzales also kept her seat with 13,248

votes. In District 36, Rep. Kino Flores

secured 11,169 votes to challenger

Sandra Rodriguez’s 10,245.

In other races, County

Commissioner Sylvia Handy kept her

chair in precinct 1 with 13,414 votes.

In the race for Democratic party

Chairman, Dolly Elizondo will replace

Juan J. Maldonado, taking 33,157 votes

to his 32,340.

Jesse Contreras garnered 39,916

votes to win a place as 449th District

Judge. Opponent Maxine Longoria-

Nash came up short with 28,441 votes.

Gilberto Saenz took the vote for the

Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 with 59 per-

cent of the vote compared to his oppo-

nents Felix Guajardo, garnerning 22 per-

cent and David Guerra with 19 perce nt.

� ELECTIONS

20The next edition of The

Pan American hits stands

Pharr Chamber ofCommerce will showcase30 local restaurants at the

Pharr InternationalConvention Center

6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

6 The UTPA Graduate Fairwill be held at the Annex

4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“Mr. And Mrs. CountrySoul” to perform in front of

Student Union from noon to 1 p.m.

Comedians like Jim Carrey may be

great for getting laughs out of audiences

and moviegoers, but according to

Melanie Booth-Butterfield, there is a

way to use communication to entertain

and make people laugh.

As the first ever invited speaker for

the Hauser Lecture Series at The

University of Texas-Pan American,

Tuesday Booth-Butterfield uncovered

myths about what communication is not

and how personality traits play a role in

how people communicate in her presen-

tation “When Communication, Humor

and Emotions Collide.”

The professor responsible for her

visit, Timothy Mottet, said that, “Until

yesterday, I don’t know if our students

fully understood that human communi-

cation can be studied as a personality

orientation.”

Mottet, a newcomer to UTPA,

holds the Hauser Chair in the department

of communication; he came to the uni-

versity from Texas State. His mentor,

Booth-Butterfield, a communication

studies professor at West Virginia

University, intrigued the audience by

discussing various personality traits

whose names she coined herself.

So-called “humor orientation” took

three different forms: Hi-Ho or high

humor orientation, Lo-Ho or low humor

orientation, and Mo-Ho, a moderate form.

“Humor orientation tends to be a

very positive thing to have,” she said.

“Numerous studies show the benefits of

effectively communicated humor.”

In her presentation, actress Lucille

Ball stood for Hi-Ho while tech impresa-

rio Bill Gates was considered a Lo-Ho

according to the audience.

“I think that Bill Gates probably has

some phenomenal traits. He’s certainly

an intellectual. He’s certainly entrepre-

neurial,” Booth-Butterfield said. “Is he

someone to have around when you sit

As a college student at the

University of Minnesota, Jay

Switchtenburg was by his own admission,

“very shy and couldn’t look at anybody.”

Even after joining various speech

teams, he didn’t do very well compared

to his fellow speakers.

So after graduation, when he was-

n’t able to participate in school-spon-

sored speaking events, he got involved

with Toastmasters International.

Toastmasters, as it’s called for

short, is an organization that aims to

make members become more “compe-

tent and comfortable in front of an audi-

ence,” according to the organization’s

Web site.

“There were so many great speakers

and I [became] passionate and realized

that it is very important to communicate

effectively,” said Switchtenburg, 28.

After joining a now non-existent

club chapter at South Texas College, he

switched to The Grande Evening

Toastmasters club at The University of

Texas-Pan American and was able to

continue his pursuit in sharpening com-

munication and leadership skills.

Chartered as a local chapter of

Toastmasters International in 1998,

Grande Evening Toastmasters is the only

bilingual/bicultural chapter of the organ-

ization in the United States.

Because of this advantage,

Dedeyla Conde, club secretary, said the

group is able to “encourage a Spanish

and English audience to participate,”

and get better at conveying their

thoughts to a crowd of five, six or even

100.

Conde joined Toastmasters as a

Adjusting to college life is consid-

ered a difficult transition for most, but

imagine adjusting to college life and civil-

ian life at the same time. That’s exactly the

challenge facing Christian Murray, a dis-

charged Air Force senior airman.

Like so many vets coming home, it

isn’t so easy to switch gears. Murray

who grew up in Maryland but since then

has moved to Edinburg, said that he still

hasn’t quite adjusted.

“Transitioning from military to

civilian life can be a little bit depressing,

and a culture shock because you get used

to a certain way of life,” said the junior

pre-pharmacy major.

In an effort to support student vet-

erans like Murray, The University of

Texas-Pan American has created

Helping Ourselves and Others After

Homecoming, which will offer counsel-

ing sessions to students returning from

military service. It will debut this month.

Murray explained that since he

began attending UTPA, his military

service has been unnoticed; he has not

felt any form of encouragement from the

university.

The construction of the Rapid

Response Center has become the latest

ambitious project for The University of

Texas-Pan American. But in order to

execute this manufacturing power-

house, it will take some “seed money,”

said Miguel Gonzalez, associate dean

of The College of Science and

Engineering.

Gonzalez’s seven-year patience

was awarded when the U.S. Department

of Labor gave the North American

Advance for Manufacturing Initiative a

$5.5 million grant.

Lloyd has been working closely

with UTPA on plans for the Rapid

Response Center and with the alliances

between UTPA, South Texas College

and K-12 schools across the Rio

Grande Valley.

“Previous grants put together our

partnership,” said Gonzalez. “This grant

will bring many opportunities for stu-

dents and develop partnerships across

the region.”

UTPA will receive $2 million over

the next three years to fund the start of a

manufacturing research building called

THE PAN AMERICANMarch 6, 2008 Page 3

NEWS

By ANA VILLAURRUTIAThe Pan American

� FINANCIAL

Series on communication begins

TOASTMASTER - Maggie Medrano, a study abroad program adviser and guest at a Toastmasters meeting, exercises herspeaking skills. Participants Tuesday were given a fortune cookie and asked to present the meaning of their fortune. See GRANT page 12

New service to offersoldiers listening earBy TERESA TORRESThe Pan American

See COUNSELING page 12

� COUNSELING� CAMPUS

See SPEAKING page 12

See SERIES page 12

Ben Briones/The Pan American

By LUPE A. FLORESThe Pan American

By ABBY MUNIZThe Pan American

� LIFE SKILLS

Donʼt end aspeech with ques-tions and answers.

Instead, tell theaudience that you will take

questions and then say, “Wewill move to our closingpoint.” After the Q and A, tell astory that ties in with yourmain theme, or summarizeyour key points. Concludewith a quote or call to action.

Didyouknow?

$5.5 milliongranted tonew center

Group teaches speaking skills

Source: Rob Sherman for Toastmasters magazine

Expert explainsthe softer side ofdiscipline

NEWSPage 4 March 6, 2008

NEWSMarch 6, 2008 Page 5


The healing power of art has long

been studied and defended. At The

University of Texas-Pan American, the

Counseling and Psychological Services

group was hoping to call upon that power

with The Mask Making project held

Tuesday morning.

“The Mask Project is part of a series

of activities that will take place during the

week, sponsored by [the office] to bring

awareness to our university community

about suicide prevention, grief, depres-

sion, hope and healing,” said Mirta Feal

Rodriguez, a UTPA counseling therapist.

Throughout the world masks are

used for their expressive power, often as

feature props of a masked performance.

They are a familiar and vivid element in

many folk and traditional pageants, cere-

monies, rituals and festivals. Many masks

are of an ancient origin.

They are often a part of costume

that adorns the whole body and embod-

ies a tradition important to a particular

society of people. They are used almost

universally and maintain their power

and mystery both for their wearers and

their audience, retaining an important

place in the religious and social life of

the community.

Rodriguez was in charge of the

event and was intent on getting the word

out to students and faculty.

“This exciting project originated

from an activity done by the Women’s

Support Group which meets on

Thursdays at noon at the Counseling and

Psychological Services. The students

who have seen the flyers and have heard

about the event are really excited and

fired up for it,” said Rodriguez before

the event.

Rodriguez, who has worked for

UTPA for 11 years, said that the event

was not just for making masks, but to

help people in need find a creative way to

put their stress or problems away.

Similar projects have been used for

suicide awareness programs in other col-

lege campuses such as UT-Austin,

UTSA, and the Dallas Art Institute. The

idea of the event is to provide an artistic

outlet for emotional healing, and to allow

participants a safe vehicle for expression

and communication of their feelings and

experiences through a creative and ideal-

ly therapeutic art activity.

In addition to the mask activity, par-

ticipants walked away with information

on these important topics.

“Masks have been used in therapy

for a long time, but this is the first time

we have attempted this type of project in

a large scale,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said students were able

to channel or let go of stress by creating a

mask employing the numerous paints,

beads, gemstones, feathers, ribbons her

office has purchased for the event.

“This creative outlet will probably

be done consciously and subconscious-

ly,” Rodriguez said. “Clinical experience

has demonstrated that the images pro-

duced in making art help externalize and

resolve internalized fears, conflicts and

blocks. As an optional activity, the indi-

viduals were asked to name their masks

and write a description of their mask.”

Senior art major Monique

Rodriguez is interested in the idea of

using art as a relaxant.

“How cool is it to channel your rage

and problems into a creative thing? I

think masks are really cool, and to make

one is even better because you are design-

ing it. Nobody is telling you what color to

paint it or what jewels or feathers to put

on it, it’s your mask,” said the 21-year-old

from Edinburg. “I think it is a great cre-

ative outlet, not only for people with

problems but other people in general, and

what is so neat is that you don’t have to be

an art major or artist to make one.”

Sophomore communication disor-

ders major Giselle Mata has experienced

the relief creative arts has to offer.

“I always kept convincing myself

that I was never an artist, but one day I

was feeling kind of down so I just picked

up a paintbrush and started making a col-

lage with pictures and paint and I felt so

much better,” said the 20-year-old from

McAllen. “Using creativity to get through

a really low point in your life will always

bring you back up to a high point.”

Rodriguez and her colleagues have

shared in on the creative process.

“The experience of making a mask

can be described as an awesome, power-

ful experience,” said Rodriguez. “No

one really knows how the mask will turn

out until it is completed.”

Several examples of creative out-

put will be on public display Wednesday

through Friday at the Student Union

Commons.

Participants had the option of hav-

ing their masks displayed, taking their

masks with them, or simply getting rid

of the masks once completed. The idea

was for the experience to be as private or

as public as they wanted it to be.

Elva Galvan has never graced the

Jeffers Theater Stage, but the theater

department knows there would be no

productions without her.

Behind the scenes, Galvan, theatre

business manager, runs the show by

catering to the needs of the public. She

has been employed with UTPA since

August 2000 and has been involved

with the theatre department since

November 2001.

“I take my position very seriously

and it is my duty to be here to serve our

patrons,” the Edcouch native said.

Most recently, Galvan listened to

those voices of the all important public

and supported a major change within

the theater.

On Feb. 14, the Texas-Pan

American University Theatre was offi-

cially renamed University Theatre

Productions after Galvan noticed a bit of

confusion among theatergoers. The

vocalized uncertainty began when peo-

ple thought that University Theatre was

an actual theatre, instead of an organiza-

tion devoted to putting on plays.

The business manager noted the

complaints started within the past year

or so, and said that the organization was

willing to try the name change if it will

be helpful.

“We try our best to make all our

patrons happy,” Galvan said.

During her childhood, Galvan did

a few Christmas plays but never

thought she would be heavily involved

in theatre. Now that she’s big into the

theater, she hopes that her own family

will follow her lead.

“My dream is for my 5-year-old

granddaughter, Alyssa, to be our next

Brian Warren, director of children’s

theatre in the next 30 years,” she said.

“At her age, she already loves theatre.”

Galvan has a passion for theatre

and is proud of what the program has

accomplished. Unfortunately, there are a

few downfalls involved.

“The hardships of working in the

&RTS EA

Mirta F. Rodriguez

NTERTAINMENT� BEHIND THE SCENES

THE PAN AMERICANMarch 6, 2008 Page 7

� ART SCENE

By AMANDA ALANIZThe Pan American

Theater managermaintains productionoutput

See GALVAN page 10CREATIVE CHANNELING - UTPAʼs Counseling and Psychological Services held its Mask Making Project Tuesday morningat the Student Union, encouraging students to relieve their stress and find their inner artist through mask design.

By RUSSEN VELAThe Pan American

Students relieve stress through art

UNMASKED - The University of Texas-Pan Americanʼs counseling therapist MirtaFeal Rodriguez said mask-making is a good creative outlet for students. The eventwas one of the planned activities used for emotional healing and freedom.

Mirta F. Rodriguez

fter four years of the established First FridayArt Walk in McAllen, it has become apparent

that the growing art community has found a homefor itself in the Valley.

New galleries and venues are opening almostmonthly to accommodate the expanding art scene,but getting the word out there has been a slowerprocess. The McAllen Chamber of Commerce andMcAllen Arts Council have recently found a way tospread the news through its own publication art Emagazine. The “E” is short for experience.

While the Chamber already heavily promotesthe arts through various Web sites, the lack of a fea-tured publication came to members’ attention afterUTPA student, Michael Rodriguez’s suggestion.

“I got the idea to do this after coming back froma trip to Austin. I saw how much they had going onup there, better yet, how they had a proper media toshow what’s happening,” said the 20-year-old juniorphilosophy major. “I was a very angry individual atthe time. I kept hearing people [here] say ‘Oh noth-ing ever happens here.’ So I wanted to show peoplethat something does happen in the Valley.”

Although Rodriguez’s reason for starting a pub-lication was to make the Valley residents aware andinvolved in the art community, he himself was one ofthose individuals skeptical of the possibilities theSouth Texas culture has to offer.

“Straight out of high school, I went to Californiafor a year and half and then came back and startedgoing to Pan Am,” said Rodriguez, of McAllen. “It’sa common misconception people have that if youleave, the world’s just going to open up for them. Iwent out there and found out that there are a bunchof events going on down here.”

Rodriguez, teamed with fellow Bronc NayellyBarrios on the idea and pitched it to the board com-mittee through Virginia Haynie Gause, who runs theart event Web site Artsrgv.com.

The magazine, which published its first issue inNovember, is a quarterly publication dedicated sole-

ly to the art and entertainment community and issponsored by the McAllen Chamber and Council.Art E, according to its managing editor Barrios, is adifferent take on the average local arts publication.

“It looks so contemporary. It’s not your typicalmagazine,” said the junior English major, Barrios.“We have stories about up-and-coming artists, estab-lished artists and featured galleries. We also don’thave ads in our magazine, which a lot of people like.It’s very clean and tastefully done.”

Getting a sponsor and story ideas weren’t hardto come by, but getting a staff and audience tooksome effort.

“I’d be talking about it to people at work andthey’d be like, ‘What are you talking about? There’snot art in the Valley,” said the 22-year-old Barrios.“They would totally lose hope and say the magazinewouldn’t make it. You can’t say there’s no art.”

Supportive staff however, was not a problem. BothRodriguez and Barrios felt the publication would workbest with an all-student staff.

“We want to offer to them [the students] anopportunity. It’ll look good on your resume and it’ssomething we wanted to share with the students wecome to Pan Am with,” said Barrios, of Mission.

While their staff is composed of UTPA students,everyone has something different to add to the publica-tion, styl e and composition-wise.

“It’s very interesting to know that when youhave a group of writers that aren’t the most experi-enced writers, it feels so good to know that they’restill willing to help you,” said Barrios, a self-admit-ted creative writer. “We have one girl who started offwith no journalism experience whatsoever and sever-al other people who are mostly creative writers likeme. Big difference. But they picked it up quickly.”

Rodriguez finds the students’ unfiltered mindsto be compatible with the publication and its mission.

“I go for the students because I’d like to thinkthey have more of an open mind when it comes tolooking at things,” said Rodriguez, of McAllen. “Injournalism, you’re supposed to write like this—noopinion. I think it’s impossible to not have an opinionon something and then give the illusion that it’s unbi-

ased. I always tell my writers, ‘You’re going to haveyour own opinion, let it be known. Just don’t get tooaggressive.”

More important than an open-minded staff saidRodriguez, are the endless possibilities in the worldof art.

“With the arts, it gives variety. It gives color tolife. Art is a beautiful thing, there is nothing like it,”he said. “This is a human magazine.”

Visual attraction is a major factor of the art E‘experience.’

“You can’t tell people what art is, you can onlyshow them. I want to bring visuals to the attention ofthe person before they read the content that way theyare already seduced,” Rodriguez opined. “I want tobring the change to them. I want to put it in theirface, ‘Look at all that’s happening.’ I want to get to apoint where they don’t have to look for it, but it’sbrought to them.”

Although Rodriguez and Barrios ultimatelyenjoy sharing their work with the public, the publi-cation’s foundation lies in the art community and itsopportunities.

“Overall, it’s been very interesting getting toknow the artists,” Barrios noted. “We have a lot oftalent in the Valley and personally I feel proud to bepart of a publication that showcases it.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 8 March 6, 2008

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTMarch 6, 2008 Page 9

Students feature local art community through publication

By JEANETTE PEREZThe Pan American

A

fter four years of the established First FridayArt Walk in McAllen, it has become apparent

that the growing art community has found a homefor itself in the Valley.

New galleries and venues are opening almostmonthly to accommodate the expanding art scene,but getting the word out there has been a slowerprocess. The McAllen Chamber of Commerce andMcAllen Arts Council have recently found a way tospread the news through its own publication art Emagazine. The “E” is short for experience.

While the Chamber already heavily promotesthe arts through various Web sites, the lack of a fea-tured publication came to members’ attention afterUTPA student, Michael Rodriguez’s suggestion.

“I got the idea to do this after coming back froma trip to Austin. I saw how much they had going onup there, better yet, how they had a proper media toshow what’s happening,” said the 20-year-old juniorphilosophy major. “I was a very angry individual atthe time. I kept hearing people [here] say ‘Oh noth-ing ever happens here.’ So I wanted to show peoplethat something does happen in the Valley.”

Although Rodriguez’s reason for starting a pub-lication was to make the Valley residents aware andinvolved in the art community, he himself was one ofthose individuals skeptical of the possibilities theSouth Texas culture has to offer.

“Straight out of high school, I went to Californiafor a year and half and then came back and startedgoing to Pan Am,” said Rodriguez, of McAllen. “It’sa common misconception people have that if youleave, the world’s just going to open up for them. Iwent out there and found out that there are a bunchof events going on down here.”

Rodriguez, teamed with fellow Bronc NayellyBarrios on the idea and pitched it to the board com-mittee through Virginia Haynie Gause, who runs theart event Web site Artsrgv.com.

The magazine, which published its first issue inNovember, is a quarterly publication dedicated sole-

ly to the art and entertainment community and issponsored by the McAllen Chamber and Council.Art E, according to its managing editor Barrios, is adifferent take on the average local arts publication.

“It looks so contemporary. It’s not your typicalmagazine,” said the junior English major, Barrios.“We have stories about up-and-coming artists, estab-lished artists and featured galleries. We also don’thave ads in our magazine, which a lot of people like.It’s very clean and tastefully done.”

Getting a sponsor and story ideas weren’t hardto come by, but getting a staff and audience tooksome effort.

“I’d be talking about it to people at work andthey’d be like, ‘What are you talking about? There’snot art in the Valley,” said the 22-year-old Barrios.“They would totally lose hope and say the magazinewouldn’t make it. You can’t say there’s no art.”

Supportive staff however, was not a problem. BothRodriguez and Barrios felt the publication would workbest with an all-student staff.

“We want to offer to them [the students] anopportunity. It’ll look good on your resume and it’ssomething we wanted to share with the students wecome to Pan Am with,” said Barrios, of Mission.

While their staff is composed of UTPA students,everyone has something different to add to the publica-tion, styl e and composition-wise.

“It’s very interesting to know that when youhave a group of writers that aren’t the most experi-enced writers, it feels so good to know that they’restill willing to help you,” said Barrios, a self-admit-ted creative writer. “We have one girl who started offwith no journalism experience whatsoever and sever-al other people who are mostly creative writers likeme. Big difference. But they picked it up quickly.”

Rodriguez finds the students’ unfiltered mindsto be compatible with the publication and its mission.

“I go for the students because I’d like to thinkthey have more of an open mind when it comes tolooking at things,” said Rodriguez, of McAllen. “Injournalism, you’re supposed to write like this—noopinion. I think it’s impossible to not have an opinionon something and then give the illusion that it’s unbi-

ased. I always tell my writers, ‘You’re going to haveyour own opinion, let it be known. Just don’t get tooaggressive.”

More important than an open-minded staff saidRodriguez, are the endless possibilities in the worldof art.

“With the arts, it gives variety. It gives color tolife. Art is a beautiful thing, there is nothing like it,”he said. “This is a human magazine.”

Visual attraction is a major factor of the art E‘experience.’

“You can’t tell people what art is, you can onlyshow them. I want to bring visuals to the attention ofthe person before they read the content that way theyare already seduced,” Rodriguez opined. “I want tobring the change to them. I want to put it in theirface, ‘Look at all that’s happening.’ I want to get to apoint where they don’t have to look for it, but it’sbrought to them.”

Although Rodriguez and Barrios ultimatelyenjoy sharing their work with the public, the publi-cation’s foundation lies in the art community and itsopportunities.

“Overall, it’s been very interesting getting toknow the artists,” Barrios noted. “We have a lot oftalent in the Valley and personally I feel proud to bepart of a publication that showcases it.”


ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTMarch 6, 2008 Page 9

Students feature local art community through publication


A

ans of HBO’s Sex and the City

should watch out for author

Candace Bushnell’s latest fashionable

addition to primetime television,

Lipstick Jungle.

The NBC show, adapted from the

best-selling novel, follows the business

and personal lives of three very powerful

women through the tumbling streets of

New York City. Nico Reilly (Kim Raver

of 24) is editor-in-chief of a popular fash-

ion magazine, anxious for a shot at CEO.

Beverly Hills 90210’s Lindsay Price plays

fashion designer Victory Ford, who’s on

the lookout for Prince Charming. Brook

Shields’ Wendy Healy lives by the enter-

tainment industry as a movie executive,

while attempting to maintain a family life.

Whether you enjoy the fabulous

life of fashion or simply want to tune in

to what’s airing Lipstick Jungle is a com-

edy-drama not to miss. Get your fill

Thursdays at 9 p.m.

Many students have wondered

what they will do once they get their

English degree. Should they pursue

work in the field they worked so hard

in, or should they try and go for some-

thing else?

English professor Jean Braithwaite

hopes students who find themselves in

such educational limbo find a home in

the masters of fine arts program at The

University of Texas-Pan American.

The program is a type of English

masters degree in which the enrolled stu-

dents are engaged in studying the craft

of creative writing, both from a scholar-

ly and a practical perspective. The goal

of the program is to provide quality

instruction in the craft of literary writing

to students who hope to pursue artistic

goals while earning an advanced degree

in English.

Braithwaite, an Arizona native

and director of the MFA program,

explained her role in the program and

its opportunites.

“Besides directing the MFA

Program, I’m the ‘creative nonfiction’

person in the creative-writing faculty in

the English Department,” Braithwaite

said. “I’m also interested in linguistics

and children’s literature and have taught

these subjects at UTPA also.”

Braithwaite, who has been at

UTPA since the fall of 2006, was eager

to express the challenges and offerings

of the MFA program, which currently

has 24 students enrolled.

“Like any MA student, MFA stu-

dents graduate from their program with

an advanced degree in English,”

Braithwaite said. “But not every MA

student writes a thesis, while MFA stu-

dents always do.”

Braithwaite said that besides the

credentials and the body of work they

accumulate, MFA students have the sat-

isfaction of devoting a couple of years to

developing their own creative work, and

being involved in a community of litera-

ture lovers while they do it.

Students can pursue careers as

writers, teachers at the college or uni-

versity level, editors, literary transla-

tors, and other related professional

careers. The specialty in literary transla-

tion is quite unusual for MFA programs

nationwide and is one of the features

that gives the program its unique char-

acter; it takes advantage of the universi-

ty’s unique border location and many

bilingual students.

What is new in the program is what

excited Braithwaite the most.

“This is the only MFA creative

writing degree available anywhere in the

Rio Grande Valley,” said Braithwaite. “It

didn’t exist at all before our first stu-

dents entered in fall 2007.”

Additions to the program include

several courses in playwriting and

screenwriting.

There are currently four tracks or

so-called specialties to choose among:

fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and

literary translation. Within their chosen

track, students take four workshop class-

es where the focus is on their own cre-

ative writing, and two “form and theory”

classes, which involve a structural

analysis of literature.

These two types of course are spe-

cific to the MFA. In addition, students

take one course in composition theory,

three literature classes chosen from the

course offerings in the English

Department, or other departments that

offer literature classes. These course

requirements ensure that graduates also

have a significant scholarly component

to their graduate degree.

In order to enter the program a stu-

dent needs to have at least a bachelor’s

degree, not necessarily in English.

They need to provide the commit-

tee members with a sample of their best

writing, which is by far the most impor-

tant part of the application.

For more information on the pro-

gram, contact MFA director Jean

Braithwaite at (956) 382-3421 or by e-

mail at [email protected]

“Lipstick Jungle”

F


WhatYou’reNotWatching

� TV CORNER� ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

MFA program making headway in spring By RUSSEN VELAThe Pan American

Professors integrate years of work into book� FILM AND TELEVISION


The University of Texas-Pan

American professor Jack Stanley and

professor emeritus Marian Monta have

tutored students in directing film and

broadcast productions for the past 30

years of their teaching careers. One could

say that these things are in their blood.

Recently, they put that innate the-

ater instinct into a collaborated book,

Directing for Stage and Screen—a ref-

erence guide for all there is to know

about film, stage, screen and everything

in between.

Tuesday morning, in promotion of

their book, long-time friends Stanley

and Monta held a book discussion at the

university library.

Monta, who has been teaching at

the university communication depart-

ment since 1971, found that the pro-

gram, while efficient in the classroom,

lacked the guidelines and proper defini-

tive structure a book could provide.

“We’re a model for other institu-

tions; our program is so much more

advanced. We want all of our students to

leave Pan-Am tri-medial. I was teaching

the dramatic program in any form, but

there were no textbooks,” said Monta. “I

had to make my own handouts and was

teaching the same material twice. So I

started to write one.”

The idea for the book came from a

compilation of many years of work that

sort of just piled up to make one whole.

“At the beginning it was principal-

ly mine, then at the end it was principal-

ly Stanley’s. I didn’t realize stylistically

how different we were, however,” said

Monta, who quit teaching full-time last

year. “My writing was very active,

Jack’s was very passive. But we worked

to make it very user-friendly.”

Although the information was all

there, getting it packaged proved to be a

difficult, lengthy process.

“We had different versions

throughout the years. I used to have my

students tell me what worked and what

didn’t,” Monta explained. “We used our

notes and compiled handouts that we’d

been using and had to retype them. We

figured we had enough material for a

book so we contacted a publisher.”

After three integrated iterations, the

publisher, Palgrave Macmillan, published

three versions of the book: hardback, the

“sensible” paperback and an online ver-

sion available through Amazon.com.

While proud of their accomplish-

ment, Monta finds herself relieved after

the long-writing process but has yet to

manage the courage to read through the

final product.

“The week after it was released, I

left the country. I’ve made other people

buy it but I myself haven’t opened it,”

said the legendary theater maven with a

laugh. “I’m scared to see all the mistakes

we missed.”

Whether one plans on taking their

act to the big screen or simply wishes to

learn about what the stage and screen

industry entails, both professors hope

the message is clear.

“People don’t understand what

goes into doing this, this is to teach them

how to direct on stage and screen,” com-

mented Stanley, who is currently under-

taking another writing project on

scriptwriting. He has a novel under his

belt as well.

“But it’s good as long as they get

something out of it that they can take,”

continued Stanley.

Stanley and Monta will have a

book signing Friday at the Barnes &

Noble Bookstore in McAllen from 6

p.m. to 9 p.m.


theatre are to see students audition and

not get cast. Some students take it really

hard,” she said.

Galvan is proud to say she has not

missed any production the theatre has

performed and the hard work of this ded-

icated individual doesn’t go unnoticed.

Gloria Garza, administrative asso-

ciate for the communication department,

said she has noticed a major change in

the theatre department since Galvan’s

involvement.

“She’s very efficient and always

goes to the highest possible extreme,”

Garza said. “She’s always optimistic and

really involved.”

Stephanie Hawks, assistant profes-

sor of costume design and manager of the

costume shop, said Galvan has made a

great impact on the theatre department.

“She handles probably more than

her job description,” said Hawks.

“Problems arise all the time and she han-

dles them very well. She never seems to

get flustered and just keeps on working.”

Galvan has hopes that the theatre

group will grow to accommodate to the

increase in committed patrons. She is

very grateful for all the help she’s

received from people dedicated to the

theatre program.

“It takes all our efforts put togeth-

er to accomplish everything we do,”

said Galvan.

Virginia Haynie GauseTEAMWORK - The University of Texas-Pan American theater-film-broadcast professor Jack Stanley (left) and professoremeritus Marian Monta held a discussion Tuesday at the university library in promotion of their new book, Directing for Stageand Screen. Stanley and Monta will hold a book signing at Barnes & Noble in McAllen Friday evening.

GALVANcontinued from page 7

Parce hopes to do her part in curb-

ing the trend of poverty in the Valley this

Spring Break as she volunteers with the

Rio Grande Valley chapter of Habitat for

Humanity, an organization that con-

structs houses for low-income families

in the area.

Volunteering during the break is a

trend recognized increasingly among

college students, particularly since

Hurricane Katrina caused major destruc-

tion to the New Orleans area in 2005.

Following the disaster, several school

groups gave up their Spring Breaks to

make the trek to volunteer.

Locally, Habitat for Humanity

offers many different ways in which vol-

unteers can help. The group is involved

in everything from housing construction

to clerical work.

“I would like to arrive at my desig-

nated destination and begin working on

a project,” Parce said. “I don’t care what

I do all that much. Construction, answer-

ing phones; whatever it is, I’m up for it.”

Parce was aware of many organiza-

tions dedicated to helping the disadvan-

taged, but in the end, she said her deci-

sion to help with Habitat was based on

her desire to physically aid families.

“I found out about Habitat for

Humanity from a teacher,” she said. “I had

initially considered my church and some

other groups I’m affiliated with, but I

wanted something hands-on and direct.”

Hoping that her story will inspire

others who have seen the ravages of a

Third World country to help the poor in

this country, Parce’s drive comes from

her hopes of a better future for everyone.

“If enough people are willing to help

the poor, they’ll eventually get back what

they give to the community,” she said. “So

many talents are being squandered

because of poverty. Think of how many

young children can’t fulfill their dreams

because they worry about problems at

home, rather than focusing on school.

Hopefully, once we help the poor stand on

their own two feet, they can help us help

even more, possibly even globally.”

Parce said her only goal for partic-

ipating is to see a needy family get the

shelter – and humanity - they deserve.

“I honestly have no grand notions as

to what I want to get out of all of this,” she

said. “I’m excited to just help a family

begin to start a new chapter in their lives

with that quintessential symbol of inde-

pendence and ability - owning a home.”

tion with their candidate,” he said.

“People felt that connection with

Hillary Clinton.”

Whether young people felt a con-

nection with Clinton or not remains to

be seen, but exit poll results released by

Declare Yourself, a non-partisan young

voter initiative group, found more than

620,000 people ages 18 to 29 years old

voted in the Texas primaries. That num-

ber is a vast increase from the 172,000

that voted in the 2000 state primaries.

Connections aside, Adan Nieto, a

second-year graduate student in public

administration, said Obama’s hopes for

getting the majority of Valley votes

were a long shot.

“I don’t think he stood a chance no

matter what he did,” he said. “I’m sad to

say he’s too new to the game.”

Had Obama had an earlier pres-

ence in the Valley, results could have

been different, Morgado suggested.

“The thing about Obama is that he

was a great speaker and he really did a

good job talking,” he said. “But some-

times when it comes to people they will

integrate more with the person who

spends more time with them and con-

nects with them than a person who just

talks to them, because words can be

deceiving. Actions speak louder than

words and that’s how Clinton communi-

cated.”

NEWSMarch 6, 2008 Page 11

Onydia Garza/The Pan American

CAMPAIGNING - One day before the Texas primaries, former president Bill Clinton reminded local voters of Sen. HillaryClintonʼs accomplishments and many Valley ties.

CLINTON continued from page 1

HEALTH continued from page 1

can only worsen the situation for so many

individuals afflicted with this disease.”According to the local American

Diabetes Associatoin chapter, 14 percent

of Hidalgo County’s population or more

than 60,000 people live with the type 1

and type 2 disease.

Lucio added there are multiple

planning stages to building the facility.

Lucio stressed that support from UTPA

is key and that funding is the foundation

on “how far and how fast we can go;”

although it is too early to know ballpark

estimations on cost and size.

“The development of a health sci-

ence center won’t take place overnight

even if funds become available,” he said.

“We certainly will need faculty who can

teach the classes, a medical research

library and laboratories, for starters.”

Scott Gunn, a professor of biology

at UTPA and health professions adviser,

said that he can only hope a health sci-

ence center will develop in the area,

because larger cities like Austin have

been working toward one for five years.

“There is a lot of competition for

the center,” he said. “We’re just another

school in this process.”

According to Gunn, Austin is the

second largest city in the state without a

medical center, which gives them the

upper hand as far as need is concerned.

Gunn added that it is more a “political

ballgame” than anything else.

Gunn suggested that the Valley

could see a health science center emerge

on the scene sooner if residents beging

to express their opinions on the issue.

Gunn also mentioned that enroll-

ment in the department of biology has

remained steady with roughly 600

declared pre-med/bio majors, 50 to 60

students graduating each semester, and

30 to 35 attending medical school.

For students like 20-year-old

Carlos Rivera, a junior pre-med student,

the opportunity of having a health sci-

ence center would be beneficial not only

for students but for the local community

as well.

“[I think] it will draw a lot more

attention, new research, more students to

enroll,” he said.

In May 2009, Rivera hopes to have

graduated from UTPA and have contin-

ued his academic career at the Health

Science Center in San Antonio.

He said if a local health science

center was built here, more than likely

stay home because of the close-knit feel

of the region.

Rivera added that the he’s most

excited about the opportunities that will

come his way in San Antonio but the

cost of living and being away from home

will be the downside.

“The Valley is family-oriented, has

a cheaper cost of living and I just feel

more at home,” he said.

VOLUNTEER continued from page 1-j

“No, I wasn't...Ithink she has moreexperience. I thinkpeople votedbased on that.”

“They did. Ithought Obamawas going to winbecause he’d beengetting lots ofmomentum.”

“No they didn’t. Iknew Hillary hada hold on it. Texasalways liked Bill.I always knew thatwould help her getthe votes it need-ed.”

CampusViews

-Tracy Tijerinajunior English major

-Josue Galvansophomore pre-med major

Did the Texas primaryresults surprise you?

� “I don’t care what I do allthat much. Construction,answering phones; whateverit is, I’m up for it.”

-Jessa Parcefreshman

general studies major

� “We cannot continue to beignored or bypassed for ahealth science center else-where with the low ratios wehave.”

-Eddie Lucio Jr. State senator

-Eric Maciassenior biology major


sipping margaritas? Probably not.”

The speaker stressed that commu-

nication can affect anyone, based on her

research among groups of people such as

nurses and firefighters.

“I would say that the overall thing

is that communication flows through

who we are and how we enact mes-

sages… both the emotion and the

humor part,” Booth-Butterfield said.

“It flows out into the interactions we

have with other people.”

Angie Guajardo, a junior public

relations and advertising major from

Pharr, enjoyed the presentation and liked

the fact that Booth-Butterfield made it

simple to self-categorize. She believes

that the information presented can bene-

fit people from different walks of life.

“I was kind of sad that people from

other majors didn’t attend,” Guajardo

said. “It would be nice for people from

other majors to take that information.”

The presentation was made possible

by the Henry W. Hauser and Margaret H.

Hauser Endowed Chair in

Communication which was established in

1989. The endowment was created

because Margaret H. Hauser, a communi-

cation educator, had a desire to improve

people’s ability to communicate.

One reason Mottet said that he

chose Booth-Butterfield to present is

because she has a way to reach out to

students.

“For the inauguration of the lecture

series, I wanted someone that I knew

would connect with the students,” Mottet

said. “She has a reputation, on West

Virginia University’s campus for being a

very expressive, animated teacher.”

As for how what she teaches can

affect others Booth-Butterfield simply

said, “Communication people, we study

it more in depth, but you know, every-

body can use humor.”

SPEAKING continued from page 3

the Rapid Response Center, detailed in

last week’s The Pan American.

“One of the purposes for the center

is developing talent and support

research,” Gonzalez said.

The center will provide students

with hands-on equipment and courses to

give them a leg up in the manufacturing

field. The focus of their education and

the center’s research will be to find ways

to reduce time waste.

“What we are looking for is to

shorten wasted time from an idea to the

product development to the production,”

said Gonzalez, who is hoping to get vir-

tual reality training equipment for stu-

dents studying manufacturing at an esti-

mated cost of $100,000.

John Lloyd, the center’s research

director, said they have just purchased a

computer cluster that will teach students

about computation as well as the physi-

cal aspects of manufacturing.

Gonzalez said new equipment

would take up an estimated 20 percent

of the budget, with the largest share of

the funding devoted to salaries for

staff, faculty and students (an estimat-

ed $1.2 million or 60 percent of the

budget).

“They always say ‘wait till you get

to the real world,’ but this will be the real

world, we will provide students with

hands on experience,” Lloyd said.

According to Gonzalez, a group of

24 students is already starting education

at Rapid Response through weekend

courses.

He said $300,000 of the budget

will be used for contracting new courses

for students.

Lloyd said that aside from educat-

ing, the center will be used to produce

short-term products for many local

companies.

He also said that NAMI will launch

another larger engineering facility with-

in the next seven to 10 years, but this

will cost more money.

“The thrust of this grant is for a

pipeline for Rapid Response,” said

Gonzalez. “We hope to get support from

industries eventually as we apply for

more grants.”

“It’s like an obstacle in the military,

you have an objective and you learn to

overcome it,” he said. “It would be nice

if UTPA had something to help me

adjust to civilian life.”

HOOAH is the brainchild of Sgt.

Jamie Miranda, director of the College

Assistance Migrant Program. The sup-

port group is designed to provide stu-

dent veterans with a comfortable, safe

environment to help them cope with

the transition period from military to

civilian life.

Astonishingly, Miranda’s 19-year

career in the National Reserves was not

the inspiration for the implementation of

HOOAH.

“I was at a Veteran’s Day ceremo-

ny, and a fellow veteran asked me if

there was anything on campus for veter-

ans, and that was where the idea came

from,” recalled Miranda.

According to him, many UTPA

staff members who are veterans have

expressed an interest in contributing to

HOOAH.

Although he is not a veteran,

Christopher Albert, clinical supervisor

at the UTPA Counseling and

Psychological Services, has offered his

help to the program, in addition to

Miranda’s guidance.

Albert explained that HOOAH

addresses some of the possible psycho-

logical problems returning student veter-

ans could confront, such as post-trau-

matic stress disorder, anxiety and

depression.

Any student needing additional

support besides that offered by

HOOAH will be referred to a highly

trained professional capable of taking

it from there.

“HOOAH is not a sole source of

treatment, it is just a starting point,”

Albert said.

Albert acknowledges that many

returning servicemen might feel appre-

hensive attending the sessions because

they are fearful that attendance could

damage their military career. Albert

alleviated these fears by stressing that

all information discussed at these ses-

sions will be kept in the strictest confi-

dence.

At this time, HOOAH is only

admitting UTPA veterans, however

once the program “turns into something

bigger,” according to Miranda, organiz-

ers plan to extend services to spouses of

student servicemen.

UTPA veterans interested in

becoming involved are encouraged to

contact HOOAH immediately.

HOOAH’s tentative start date is March

18 at noon in the Counseling and

Psychological Services Office, located

at the University Center.

COUNSELING continued from page 3

SERIES continued from page 3sophomore at UTPA and graduated in

2005 majoring in graphic design with

the skills necessary to present her senior

exhibition.

“We give them an opportunity for

that,” Conde said. “This is a skill. If you

make effort to practice, you get it; if not,

you don’t.”

Tackling similar subjects that are

taught in a semester of speech class, the

club differs in allowing members and

guests to “learn at their own pace.”

“We get a lot of guests. They come,

some join and stay for a year and leave

with exceptional speaking abilities,”

Conde said. “There are individual skills

that are focused on during the meetings

like visual contact, hand gestures, vol-

ume of voice, speed of delivery, and

organization.”

Conde said “crush” words hinder

effective public speaking, while other

speaking disturbances vary from uncon-

trollable shyness and nervousness to the

fear of appearing foolish or saying the

wrong thing. Crush words, she said,

include the following: uh, but, like and

um.

“The main reason why people are

so afraid of it is because they simply

don’t know what to say and how to say

it correctly,” Conde said. “That’s why

we’re here.”

Larry Thompson, coordinator for

construction special projects at the

UTPA Physical Plant, brought the pro-

gram to university grounds three years

ago after noticing the insufficient space

at the McAllen Public Library, its previ-

ous location.

The club meets for its English ses-

sions twice a month on Tuesdays and

twice a month in Spanish sessions on

Thursdays.

The next Spanish session will take

place on March 11. The next English

session will be held March 18. All meet-

ings take place in the UTPA Library

Room 210.

Newcomers can expect to take part

in an introductory speech and either a

persuasive speaking or impromptu pres-

entation.

For more information, e-mail

Dedeyla Conde at dedelyaconde@hot-

mail.com.

GRANT continued from page 3

� “Transitioning from mili-tary to civilian life can be alittle bit depressing, and aculture shock because youget used to a certain way oflife.”

- Christian Murrayjunior

pre-pharmacy major

� “The main reason whypeople are so afraid of [pub-lic speaking] is because theysimply don’t know what tosay and how to say it cor-rectly.”

-Dedeyla Condesecretary

Toastmasters International

It was a game that was in jeopardy

for a couple of days but when The

University of Texas-Pan American

men’s basketball team found out their

finale was a go, the Broncs were reluc-

tant to return home without a victory.

And after a commendable season,

UTPA ended the 2007-2008 campaign

winning its last 11 of 14 matchups,

including a 78-68 victory over the

Savannah State Tigers Feb. 28. The

Green and Orange conclude the season

with an 18-13 mark, a four-game

improvement from a year ago and their

best record in six years.

“If we had a few more wins, we

would have been in consideration for

the NIT,” Broncs coach Tom Schuberth

said. “We had a good year and I hope

we have a better year next year. We’re

going to try to build on it. You can’t

ever predict wins or losses but you can

predict attitude and effort, and I guaran-

tee you we’ll have it as good if not bet-

ter next year.”

UTPA found out two weeks ago

that their game against Cal State-

Bakersfield might have been their last

as the Tigers hadn’t finalized the sched-

uled game. Though the men got wind

Feb. 25 that SSU agreed to a home and

home series.

With the Broncs trailing 44-43 with

less than nine minutes in regulation, sen-

ior guard Dexter Shankle, who scored a

season-high 20 points, connected on a 3-

pointer to put the men ahead for good.

After three tough tournaments to

begin the 2007-2008 campaign, The


men’s golf team turned the season

around a month ago as the Broncs

claimed the Jack Brown Memorial

Tournament championship.

UTPA hoped to continue the

momentum heading into Monday’s

Braveheart Classic but the tournament

field proved to be too much for the men

as the Broncs finished 11th out of 16

teams after two days of action in

Beaumont, Calif.

“The tournament in general was a

well rounded tournament and a well

rounded in the field,” men’s golf assis-

tant coach Tim McCabe said. “It was

definitely something that we needed to

get our game in shape and figure out the

things we need to work on.”

The Broncs totaled a team score of

942 after 54 while Golden State schools

dominated the classic: Cal State Poly

took the championship with a score of

900, while tournament host UC

Riverside (908) and UC Santa Barbara

(910) rounded out the top three.

In the first day of action, UTPA

stood in the same spot it finished after

one round of golf but the team did not

complete the two rounds that were

scheduled for Monday due to a large

tournament field.

McCabe said darkness prevented

three of his five golfers to finish sec-

ond-round competition, but feels the

postponement did not not affect the

results.

Oregon native Armen Kirakossian

and senior Jeff Hensley led the team,

tying for 18th place Monday. But both

men dropped their ranking the following

day as Kirakossian and junior Shane

Pearce, who fell 13 spots, tied for 41st

with a tally of 235. Hensley tied for 47th

place with freshman teammate A.J.

Gonzalez, at 236.

ALOHAThroughout its program history,

the Broncs have traveled to numerous

parts of the country to compete at pres-

tigious events. But none will be more

special than March 13 when the men

fly to Hawaii to play in the Kauai Cup.

UTPA will vie for its second tour-

nament crown, during Spring Break

and despite the honorable location,

McCabe says he expects his team to

stay focused.

LADY BRONCSJust like the men, the women cap-

tured the JBM championship to kick off

the spring season but then stumbled,

posting a ninth-place finish at the

Islander Classic Feb. 26. And while the

men head to the islands next week, the

Lady Broncs will travel to Florida for

the three-day Gainesville Shootout III as

they look to recapture their momentum.

“We’re just looking to go out,

work hard, have fun, finish on top and

hopefully all of our hard work will pay

off,” women’s coach Ofelia Lopez

said. “We need to stay in there mental-

ly…They have the ability to play but I

think they just have to believe in them-

selves and they’ll come out successful

this week.


American’s Wellness and Recreational

Sports Complex will offer students an

opportunity to get some last-minute fit-

ness before spring break with its first 5K

Run/Walk Saturday morning.

Registration will begin at 7:15 a.m.

with the run starting at 8. The $7 regis-

tration fee can be paid at the event and

will cover snacks and drinks for the par-

ticipants. Free T-shirts will be available

on a first-come, first-served basis for

those participating.

“We are doing this as a service to the

community,” said WRSC marketing coor-

dinator Colleen Price. “People should

really take advantage of this opportunity.”

Trophies will be given to the top

three men’s and women’s finishers and

there will also be an additional surprise

reward for the first place winners.

5Ks are the shortest types of races

that usually attract beginning runners

because they are a little over three miles

in length (3.2).These types of races are

often called “fun runs” because partici-

pants who run do so without being high-

ly competitive.

On the other hand, for those who

take these races seriously, a five-kilometer

race is a perfect way to measure endurance

levels for longer races down the road, or to

see where one stands physically.

“I am not looking to become a

track star or anything,” said UTPA sen-

ior Gabriel Quintanilla, who works for

the center. “I guess I’m participating

because I’m a little on the plus size and

I’ve been wanting to shed a few pounds

before the break.”

Some UTPA students will use this

event as a way to relieve stress and also

obtain the benefits that exercising has on

one’s health.

“I like to stay physically active,

which helps me maintain a positive mood,”

said sophomore business major Cristina

Rodriguez. “I’m also aware of the benefits

that come with being active because of my

family’s past health troubles.”

Aside from the 5K run/walk, the

WRSC will also be having a health sci-

ence fair inside the complex from 8 a.m.

to noon that will be open to everyone.

Organizers will provide and promote

information on wellness and exercise,

while also giving free eye and glucose

exams for those interested.

A number of local businesses and

organizations are sponsoring the event,

including the Edinburg Chamber of

Commerce, Academy Surplus, H-E-B

and a collection of student organizations.

� GOLF

UTPA stumbles on West Coast, head to Aloha State Women lookingto regain statusin Florida meet

SPORTSMarch 6, 2008 Page 13

� CAMPUS

By RAMIRO PAEZThe Pan American

LEADING MAN - Menʼs sophomore golfer Armen Kirakossian led the way forthe Broncs at the Braveheart Classic, tying with Shane Pearce for 41st place.


Wellness Center hosts inaugural 5K By ALVARO BALDERAS

The Pan American

Nick Dodd/The Pan American

Broncs edge Tigers infinale, finish season at 18-13

� MEN’S BASKETBALL

SPORTSPage 14 March 6, 2008


American men and women’s track and

field teams kicked off the outdoor season

Saturday at the Texas Border Olympics in

Laredo with a solid performance.

“We did well at the meet, I think

it was a good confidence booster for

the team,” track coach Dennis Darling

said. “Everyone is looking good and

on pace to run fast. We are just not

strong in one thing anymore. We are

becoming much more of a well-round-

ed team now.”

Universities that competed in the

annual event included Angelo State,

Trinity University, University of Dallas

and Southwestern University.

However, there were two schools that

presented the most competition at the

annual meet.

“UTSA was the best competition

for the women and for the men, Texas

A&M Kingsville,” the first-year head

coach said.

Many team members placed high in

their events despite the tough competition.

On the women’s side, Houston

native Vanessa Brown finished first in

the 200-meter dash with a time of

25.53, closely followed by teammate

Cecilia Lott, who clocked in with a

time of 26.29 en route to a third-place

finish.

In the 100, Lott earned with a sec-

ond-place finish, posting a time of

12.34. Freshman Melinda Sarmiento

claimed first place in the high jump

with a leap of 5-3, while Laredo native

Michelle Elizondo was busy all day,

receiving second in the shot put (43-0)

and hammer throw (159-7) and fourth

in the discus (127-7).

On the men’s side, newcomer

Jameson Strahon claimed first place in

the 200 meters with a time of 22.56. In

the 1500, Edinburg native Wally

Gonzalez also placed first with a time

of 4:01.25 followed by third-place fin-

isher Rolando Vela, also from Edinburg

(4:03.48) and J.J. Hernandez (4:10.88)

following closely behind at fifth.

Hernandez placed first in the 5000 with

a time of 14:57.40 along with cross-

country standout Luis Nava, who

received third place (15:31.41).

Two-time UTPA All-American

Will Littleton competed in the high

jump unattached, jumping a notable 7-

feet, while teammate sophomore Noel

Reyna received fourth place with a

jump of 5-11.

Though the men and women track

did well at the Border Olympics,

Darling strongly believes in continuing

to challenge his squads.

“They all did what I expected of

them, however there is always room

for improvement in every event,”

Darling said.

The teams will look to build on

their successes as they travel to San

Marcos Saturday for the Bobcat Open,

hosted by Texas State.

“Every week we should be

improving,” Darling said. “The team

should do better and we should have

some faster times to see.”

The beginning of March had The


baseball team working harder than

usual because of the seventh-inning

halt due to rain in Friday’s game

against the Tigers of Jackson State.

With the score 8-7 at the stoppage, the

Broncs concluded the affair on

Saturday and continued with their regu-

larly scheduled doubleheader.

The postponement proved to be dis-

astrous for the men as the Tigers explod-

ed the following day en route to a 15-9

win to complete the suspended game.

“We were right there and we had

that rain delay and lost momentum,”

Bronc coach Willie Gawlik said.

Senior pitcher Cody Cisper (1-1)

was tagged with the loss, pitching 4.2

innings and allowed eight hits with

seven earned runs. First baseman Billy

Donaho led the way on offense as he

went three-for-five, had six RBIs and

two runs scored.

On Saturday, the Broncs split with

Jackson State, winning big in the night-

cap but losing the first effort. They are

now 2-6 for the season.

GAME 1Immediately following the com-

pletion game, the Broncs definitely

showed their heart and didn’t back

down but the Tigers squeezed away

with a nail-biting 9-8 victory.

During the top of the second

inning, UTPA collected three runs off of

two hits and one error. The star of the

inning was Donaho as he posted a sin-

gle, stole second, got to third on a sacri-

fice bunt by second baseman Jose

Mendoza and ended up on home plate

after a balk from pitcher Marquise

Zachary.

Then Chris Lozano grounded out to

the second base, giving him an RBI as

Esequiel Garza reached home plate.

Shortstop Andrew Perez sent one into the

bleachers giving him his first home run of

the season which made the score 3-0.

The Tigers then started their roll.

In the bottom of the second, they col-

lected two runs off two hits, and fol-

lowed up with three in the third and one

in both the fifth and seventh inning to

solidify the win.

Both teams put on a hitting dis-

play with the Broncs collecting 12 and

the Tigers 18. Lozano ended the game

2 for 3 with two runs scored while

Perez was also 2 for 3. Junior Shane

Cox (0-2) received the loss for the

Broncs.

GAME 2In the final game of a busy

Saturday, the Broncs were determined to

gain a road win after the two slipups ear-

lier in the day, and they succeeded,

crushing the Tiger ego with a punishing

21-2 victory.

“The guys could have lay down

and quit but they didn’t and fought even

harder,” said Gawlik, the fifth-year

head coach.

In the third inning, the men decid-

ed to show the Tigers how a hitting/scor-

ing clinic is performed when they scored

10 runs off of nine hits, closing the

inning with a 16-1 lead.

Ten Broncs finished with hits as

Mendoza went 4 for 6 with three RBI

and three runs, while senior outfielder

Roly Gonzalez finished 3 for 5 with

two RBI.

First-year pitcher Arnold Franco

(1-1) earned the win, pitching seven

innings, allowing one run off six hits and

striking out four batters.

UTPA will begin a streak which

will it play five games in five nights

beginning with tonight’s 6:30 p.m. start

at Sam Houston State.

Broncs recordpunishing winin series finale

� BASEBALL

� “Everyone is looking

good and on pace to runfast. We are just not strongin one thing anymore. Weare becoming much more of

a well-rounded team now.”

-Dennis DarlingUTPA track and field coach

SPORTSMarch 6, 2008 Page 15

� TRACK AND FIELD

UTPA continues early-season woes against Jackson State

By SAVANNAH S. MARTINEZThe Pan American

By PEDRO PEREZ IVThe Pan American

February 29

Texas-Pan American at Jackson State (JSU Baseball Field)Jackson State 15, Texas-Pan American 9

R H ETexas Pan-American 004 000 302 9 8 7Jackson State 210 320 07X 15 12 4

Cisper, De Leon (5), Garza (8), Brevard(8), and Tefft; Williams, and Halliman(8). W-Williams (1-0); L-Cisper (1-1); S-None. 3B: Jackson State-Cole.

March 1

Texas-Pan American at Jackson State (JSU Baseball Field)GAME 1Jackson State 9, Texas Pan-American 8

R H ETexas Pan-American 030 100 130 8 12 0Jackson State 023 210 10X 9 18 1

Cox, Cunningham (3), and Rodriguez (6). Zachary, Huggins (6), Quintero (8).W-Zachary (1-0); L-Cox (0-2); S-Quintero. 3B: Texas Pan-American-Rutenbar.

GAME 2Texas Pan-American 21, Jackson State 2

Score by Innings R H ETexas Pan-American 11(10) 000 423 21 23 1Jackson State 000 001 001 2 8 2

Franco, Melo (7), Roth (7), and Lankford (8). Stewart, Deans (3), Cline (3),Delacalle (7), Lazard (8), and Davis (9). W-Franco (1-1); L-Stewart (0-3), S-None.

Teams kick off outdoor season with top-ten finishes

March 8 Bobcat OpenHost - Texas State San Marcos All Day

March 14 NCAA Indoor ChampionshipsHost - University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR All Day

March 21 Texas Southern UniversityHost - Texas Southern University Houston All Day

March 22 Texas InvitationalHost - University of Texas Austin All Day

March 28 Rice Bayou ClassicHost - Rice University Houston All Day

April 2 Texas RelaysHost - University of Texas Austin All Day

April 12 Kingsville MeetHost - Texas A&M Kingsville Kingsville All Day

April 19 UT TwilightHost - University of Texas Austin All Day

April 24 Rice TwilightHost - Rice University Houston All Day

May 2 Houston InvitationalHost - University of Houston Houston All Day

May 10 McNeese Last ChanceHost - McNeese University Lake Charles, LA All Day

May 30 NCAA Regional Championships Lincoln, Neb All Day

June 11 NCAA Outdoor Championships Des Moines, IA All Day

June 27 U.S. Olympic Trials Eugene, OR All Day

22852,285Number of points themen’s basketball team

scored this season

102102Number in millions

Pittsburgh Steelers quarter-back Ben Roethlisbergeragreed to in an eight-year

deal, making him one of thegame’s highest-paid players

1717The years Green Bay

Packers quarterback BrettFarve played in his NFL

career before retiringTuesday

SPORTSStatsAtAGlance

Onydia Garza/The Pan American

Page 16 March 6, 2008

IT IS TIME - Junior center Robin Garrett looks to claim the tipoff in Saturdayʼsaffair against Houston Baptist. Garrett, who is averaging 5.7 points and 3.1rebounds per game, looks to lead the pack, along with four seniors, in the2008 Independent Tournament.

� WOMEN’S BASKETBALLTHE PAN AMERICAN

ShortSports

The season might be over for

the University of Texas-Pan

American men’s basketball team but

a successful year usually indicates

awards for players.

Senior forward Zach Trader

and Harlingen South High School

alum Ryan Buck represented UTPA

on the 2007 NCAA Division I

Academic All-Independent list that

was released Monday.

It marked the third time that

Trader has made the list. The crimi-

nal justice major finished his colle-

giate career with a 3.55 cumulative

grade point average. He was also the

second-leading scorer on the team

this season, averaging 13.9 points

per game, and led in rebounds with

5.9 boards.

An early season injury side-

lined Buck for a portion of the sea-

son, but the senior forward became a

consistent contributor on the floor.

Off it, he received recognition for his

3.20 cumulative grade point average

as a mathematics major. In each sea-

son with the Broncs, Buck was

selected to the UTPA Athletic

Director’s honor roll.

� MEN’S BASKETBALL

Heading into its final game against

Houston Baptist Saturday, The


women’s basketball team knew it had to

play sharp as the 2008 National

Independent Tournament loomed in the

horizon. The Huskies, on the other hand,

traveled to the exhibition game at the

Field House rusty after they last played

on Feb. 16.

If there is was one thing the Lady

Broncs wanted before heading into

tonight’s 8:05 p.m. tourney tipoff against

the top-seeded Utah Valley State

Wolverines, it was a win and they did

just that.

UTPA will host the tournament at

the Field House after snapping their

three-game losing skid against the

Huskies in a 63-56 victory on Senior

Night to close out the regular season.

“It’s a special evening because you

get to celebrate your seniors and what

they meant to your program,” women’s

coach DeAnn Craft said. “Our team was

very committed to make sure that we

represented our seniors the correct way

and that was ultimately to get the win.”

Four senior guards, LeKeisha

Gray, Tiona Wilson, Tamara Vaughn

and Cynthia Ramirez, were honored

before the game and were awarded

framed jerseys for their commitment to

the program. The ceremony motivated

the women from the get go as they

jumped out to their largest lead midway

through the first half at 26-11 on two

free throws by junior center Robin

Garrett, who scored eight points and

collected three rebounds. The visiting

team trimmed the deficit to seven

points at halftime.

In the second half, UTPA increased

the lead once again to 12 on a fastbreak

layup by Garrett. But the tide changed as

the Huskies went on an 18-6 run to tie

the game at 50. The Lady Broncs

responded with a 3-pointer by Gray, who

scored a team-high 14 points with seven

boards, and a layup by junior forward

Danielle Kostacky to seal to the victory.

“Our kids just really believe that

they’re a special team at home and they

are,” the fifth-year head coach said. “I

think that in of itself was probably

instremental in why we didn’t succumb

to Houston Baptist.”

The seniors took over the last part of

the game as they scored 19 of the final 30

points for UTPA. Three players scored in

double figures with Wilson recording 11

points and seven assists and Ramirez

adding 10 points and five assists.

TOURNAMENT TIMEThis is the second time the Lady

Broncs (10-16 overall) have participated

in a post-season tournament. During the

2004-2005 season, the women recorded

a 1-2 record in the event held at Orem,

Utah, with a three-point win against

Savannah State University followed by

setbacks against Northern Colorado and

Utah Valley State.

The Green and Orange, once a part

of the Sun Belt Conference, competed in

seven SBC tournaments (1991-1998) in

program history, but were eliminated in

all the opening round games. Craft

hopes this tournament will encompass

different results.

“We got to be ready to play from

the opening tip,” Craft said. “...It’s going

to take a full game of focus, of us exe-

cuting our gameplan. Obviously, we

love the (home) environment because

but we can’t overstate that.”

In the NIT, unlike other tourna-

ments, no team is eliminated. The Lady

Broncs will be the sixth seed and will

have to win the opening and second

round games to advance to the champi-

onship Saturday afternoon.


Documents

March 6, 2008