Environmental Club Meeting

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Erin DeBlanc

Are you interested in the EAGLE COMMUNITY GARDEN initiative?

Visit with TAMUT’s ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB Thursday, April 10th in room UC116 at 12:30, and share your thoughts.

Students will have the opportunity to influence local government, interact with other eco-friendly groups, and acquire new knowledge and skills pertinent to the field of environmental sciences and environmental communications.

Membership dues are only $5.00 and all proceeds will apply towards club events and philanthropic ventures.

For the first meeting, feel free to bring ideas for possible club logos.

We are also seeking potential members who are musicians that would be willing to play for an upcoming Earth Day event.

Please send inquiries related to the organization to erin.deblanc@ace.tamut.edu.

ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB
12:30, THURSDAY
APRIL 10, 2014,
ROOM UC116

Puppy Service

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Alyssa Howard

How important is community service to you? Have you ever thought of all the organizations within your community that desperately need volunteers to assist in their services? Look around; you will easily find an organization to share your time with.

Community service is one of the National Panhellenic Council’s strong values. We strive to serve our university and our community the best we can. For the past couple of weeks we have held a donation drive for The Texarkana Animal Shelter. The donations we needed were dog and cat food, cleaning supplies, blankets and/or towels, and coins. At the end of the two weeks, we raised 20 dollars in coins, several sacks of 16, 50, and 100 pound dog food, 16 pound sacks of cat food, cans of dog and cat food, cleaning supplies, towels, and blankets. We want to give our appreciation to everyone that contributed to our donation drive.

Last Sunday we delivered all of the donations to the shelter and volunteered for three hours. We showed up on a perfect day, because they needed a big cleaning before the mayor comes in two weeks. There were 13 of us that arrived to work, so we split up into two groups. One group went downstairs, and the rest of us worked upstairs. First, we washed and dried all of the food bowls. Of course we made an assembly line, that way we could get the job done quicker.
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After we washed dishes, we scrubbed every pen with a detergent/bleach mixture. Warning: if clumps of hair grosses you out, do not scrub the floor of a dog pen with a sponge. It was quite comical hearing some of the girls gagging and squealing. It was also great to see the teamwork happening while cleaning the pens. After we finished a couple of them, there seemed to be a pattern that we caught on to. Everyone had a certain job that they did, and it worked perfectly.
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Next, we did laundry and organized one of the closets full of blankets, towels, and rugs. After we finished, our curiosity got the best of us, and we decided to travel downstairs to check on the other girls. Upon arriving, we learn that they have been holding some of the most adorable puppies we have ever seen. As soon as we saw small, fluffy balls of playfulness, we were sold. Minutes later, we discover a carrier full of another ten puppies. Our minds became overloaded with happiness. The employees could tell we were puppy lovers, so we got to bathe about 13 puppies. It was very interesting to see the difference in puppy personalities during bath time. Some went completely stiff, others went “panic attack mode” and splashed soap and water all over the place. In other words, bath time was quite comical.
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At the end of our volunteer experience, the employees gave us their deepest appreciation. We made their day much easier, while their animals made our hearts warmer. If anyone is looking for community service hours or just wants to volunteer their time to help the community, please consider going to The Texarkana Animal Shelter. They can always use help and donations. Also, if anyone is looking for a new pet, please adopt one from the shelter. There is an abundance of sweet animals that need a loving home. The best pets are rescue animals.
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How can you deny that face?
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By:Alyssa Howard

(I copied and pasted the images, but let me know if they showed up or not please. I can send them to you, if not.)

Overcoming Obstacles Together Organization

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Trent Hines

Making a shifty move, you get past the first defender, you hurdle over the next and the path is clear. There is nothing but green grass in front of you. Running, you pass the 50, the 40, the 30, the 20, the 10, and just before you’re approaching the in-zone, the opposing team player, number 24, comes to try to stop you from your touchdown. You have two options. You can run through the obstacle, or you can let the obstacle stop you. In life there are two options, you can attack your obstacles head on or you can let them defeat you.

My organization is Overcoming Obstacles Together, or O.O.T, is a Texas A&M University-Texarkana club in which people come and talk about the obstacles they face. Attendants of O.O.T go through 5 stages, introduction, acknowledgement, encouragement, overcoming, and finally sustainability.

In the first stage, people who attend get to know each other through icebreakers, games, and simple conversations. This stage allows the people to get familiar with people and to be comfortable for the next stage which is the acknowledgement stage.

In the acknowledgement stage people have an opportunity to share to the group what they have experienced in life and how it has affected them. In this stage people will openly address the obstacle they are dealing with in life. Everyone will clap after each person has acknowledged an obstacle, providing encouragement and reassurance that they are not alone.

In the Encouragement stage, the most vital stage, people will have to encourage one another with high fives, hugs, words, and thumbs up, creating a positive and encouraging environment. There will be activities which will be competitive but everyone who is not participating will have to cheer on those who are, everyone will get a chance to compete.

Next is the overcoming stage, and in this stage people have to put action into removing their obstacle. For example if someone’s obstacle is drinking, than they must stop drinking. Everyone will be given an accountability partner and they will check up on each person periodically to make sure that each person is putting action into overcoming the obstacle.

Last is the sustainability stage, and in this stage people will become leaders and some people will assist and mentor anyone that had the same obstacle as they had and they would take them through all the phases. This stage will make a person be self-sustaining, since there are people that look up to them and that they are making a difference.

You have just run over number 24 for the touchdown and your team won the game. Overcoming Obstacles Together (O.O.T) will make people start to look at their obstacles optimistically and they will know that struggles in life are as big as you make them and they are small to the members of O.O.T so join today and have victory over all obstacles.

Declare Mass Communication as Your Major

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Katie Taylor

Have you ever heard of “Got Milk”, “Eat More Chicken”, or “Taste The Rainbow?” You probably know exactly what the brand and product each is associated with. Ever wanted to come up with something catchy on your own? How about filming a remembered commercial, or working on public relations campaigns? Do you find an interest associated with Photoshop, publication design, journalism, and media? These are all aspects of mass communication.
If your major is undeclared or is listed as general studies you should consider enrolling in mass communication. With this degree you can achieve a lot. One can take many different routes for a career path. Below are some areas of interest broke down into the different opportunities that await after completion of your degree in Mass Communication from A&M-Texarkana.

PUBLIC RELATIONS
• Media Relations
• PR departments for corporations
• PR for non-profit corporations
• Advertising or PR agencies
• Lobbyist

MEDIA PRODUCTION
• Reporter
• Editor
• Sports blogger
• Editorialist
• Documentarian
• Filmmaker
• Graphic designer
•
MEDIA STUDIES
• Media critic
• Producer
• Director
• Screenwriter
• Editor

With those areas of opportunity in sight, these are the classes offered in the mass communication curriculum.
A&M-Texarkana Mass Communication Curriculum (2013-2014)
CORE CLASSES:
COMM 1307: INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION
MCOM 300: MASS COMMUNICATION THEORY
MCOM 305: MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
MCOM 490: INTERNSHIP IN MASS COMMUNICATION
MCOM 491: MASS COMMUNICATION RESEARCH
ENGLISH 320: UNDERSTANDING GRAMMAR
SPCH 1315: PUBLIC SPEAKING I
3 TRACKS, EACH CONSISTING OF FOUR CLASSES (TWO LOWER DIVISION, TWO UPPER DIVISION EACH).
TRACK ONE: PUBLIC RELATIONS
MCOM 2340: INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC RELATIONS
MCOM 2350: PRINCIPLES OF ADVERTISING
MCOM 420: CASE STUDIES IN ADVERTISING
MCOM 430: PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGNS
TRACK TWO: MEDIA PRODUCTION
MCOM 2330: INTRODUCTION TO MEDIA PRODUCTION
MCOM 2360: PUBLICATION DESIGN AND PRODUCTION
MCOM 310: ADVANCED WRITING FOR MASS MEDIA
MCOM 417: ADVANCED NEW MEDIA PRODUCTION
TRACK THREE: MEDIA STUDIES
MCOM 2370: INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN FILM HISTORY
MCOM 2380: INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL CINEMA
MCOM 418: CONCEPTS IN CLASSICAL FILM
MCOM 419: POPULAR CULTURE AND MASS COMMUNICATION

If you are still unsure of which area suits you best, go to the Texas A&M Texarkana website at WWW.TAMUT.EDU to get more information.
Already enrolled at Texas A&M Texarkana as a mass communications major, but don’t know where to go from there? Please contact the Mass Communication Program Coordinator, Dr. Amy M. Carwile (903)-334-6663, located in the University Center, room number 223, or by e-mail at Amy.Carwile@tamut.edu. Also contact Dr. Drew Morton at drew.morton@tamut.edu, or Dr. Kevin Ells at Kevin.Ells@tamut.edu.
Be a mass communication student, and be successful.

Death over Designer

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Alvin Stuckey

They are killing people for J’s, that’s death over designer. Has it really come to a point that it is not safe to wear nice designer athletic shoes? Fashion is a way for some individuals to express themselves, but the senseless acts of violence that has taken place over the past few years has prevented some sneaker consumers to stop buying shoes in order to survive.

The huge debate started in December 2011 when the Jordan brand decided to re-release the retro Jordan 11 Concords. Up until this point people could buy Jordan’s with no worries of senseless violence afterwards. However, on December 23, 2011, this ideal would change. In a Maryland mall, 18 year old Tyreek Amir Jacobs, was brutally murdered over his pair of Concord 11’s.

Many Maryland residents did not want to believe that he was murdered over his sneakers, but as word spread through the Maryland and Washington D.C. area it became clear that his young life was taken from him over a pair of $175 sneakers.

Since 2011 crimes like this have gone down but as of late 2013, there have been some acts of violence over Jordan’s. I have seen numerous videos posted on social media sites of people getting beaten up and robbed for shoes. What goes through the mind of an individual who decides to beat, rob, and sometimes kill for something as simple as a shoe?
I am a sneaker lover and Jordan’s are my favorite shoe, but since all this has happened it has made me have second thoughts on whether I should purchase them. My life is more important than a pair of expensive shoes. I don’t want to go to a rough part of town with my Jordan’s on and be in fear for my life because shoes come and go. You can always save up and buy a pair of sneakers, but you only have one life. Why should I lose my life over a pair of sneakers that don’t mean anything to me? As I get older this makes me hesitant on buying Jordan’s for me and kids whenever I decide to settle down and have a family. I would be in consistent fear of my future children wearing Jordan’s and being hassled for them by those that seriously want them and would do anything for them.

They are killing people for J’s that’s death over designer. Really is that where the world is headed to. It is a shame that people are in fear for the shoes that they wear. If that is the world that we live in then we have a lot of trouble heading our way.

Agriculture on the Horizon

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Amanda Bates

Agriculture on the Horizon: It is Time to Take Charge!

In 1862, after Congress approved the Morrill Act, which “Provided for donation of public land to the states for the purpose of funding higher education, whose leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and mechanical arts.” The roots of one of the most notable Universities, Texas A&M Texarkana, is being over looked today. Agriculture is plunging forward and leaving Texas A&M Texarkana behind.

Times have changed and will continue to change but agriculture will stand firm  because it is the basis for living. College in general provides such a thorough outlook on the business world, but this college does not offer the opportunity for students to look at the business world from an agricultural standpoint. Here is my proposal: This college has the resources, an envied location and reaches out to all student forms of life. We are located in a part of Texas that is surrounded by agriculture and by students and families who make their living or want to make their living from agriculture.  The college should at least give students the opportunity to take some agriculture courses and explore those areas of education in which this economy will soon thrive on. There are so many different courses that can be offered, such as: Agriculture Leadership, Farm Business, Animal Science and many more. The opportunities are endless. A collegiate FFA Chapter coupled with these agriculture courses, would ensure success and progress. Our ways of life in this community and the surrounding communities revolve around agriculture, it puts food on the table and clothes on our backs. Whether people realize it or not agriculture is the only thing that will provide life and a promising future for ourselves and our loved ones.

Students, we have the opportunity to excel and take the lead in this matter. Allowing students to take agriculture classes here at Texas A&M Texarkana will not only empower the passionate students to pursue an agricultural future, but will also sanction this community and the surrounding ones a hearty and healthy life. Let’s take a stand and address this urgent matter! If interested in helping or learning about this opportunity please contact Amanda Bates via e-mail at: CSO0809@gmail.com Hope to hear from you soon!

New Professor Added to Faculty

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Ashley Morrow

Texas A&M University—Texarkana welcomes a new assistant professor to the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Dr. Kati Ireland Stoddard, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science, joined as a faculty member in September of 2013.

Dr. Stoddard studied as an undergraduate at Texas A&M University and received a BS in Bioenvironmental Science and continued at College Station to gain a MS in Water Management and Hydrological Science. Dr. Stoddard wanted to study environmental science from an early age, and stated, “I chose my major and stayed with it the whole way through.” In 2012, Stoddard earned a PhD in Environmental Science at University of North Texas in Denton, TX and continued to work on campus as an Adjunct Instructor of Environmental Science.

Dr. Stoddard hopes to expand on her PhD research project examining “pharmaceuticals and the environment.” The project was to develop a pharmaceutical take-back program that citizens could attend to dispose of their excess and unwanted pharmaceuticals properly. Stoddard strongly advises people to not flush medications down the drain. To accomplish this research project, Stoddard built the program and worked with an interdisciplinary team, composed of UNT researchers and city of Denton officials. It was the first and only approved “Pharmaceutical Take-Back” event approved by the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality.

In the Spring 2014 semester, students may look forward to taking Biology 2, Environmental Science, and Ecology with Dr. Stoddard. Also, an Environmental Science Club is in the works. Dr. Stoddard suggested some activities for the club such as adopting a stretch of road to keep litter free, and collecting and analyzing water samples as part of a water monitoring program. Founding students also proposed the idea of an on-campus garden. The club will be student driven and activities will depend on student interests.

Dr. Stoddard revealed a new university project, the Station for Environmental and Educational Research (SEER) campus. “It is a 350 acre plot of land about 30 minutes away from here, and we are setting up to have undergraduate education and undergraduate research opportunities. There are hayfields and managed forests. The plan is to provide a place where students can have hands-on experiences with environmental science and ecology outside of the classroom.

Researching, studying, and being able to share a passion for Environmental Science is what Dr. Stoddard enjoys most about teaching. She also finds it rewarding when students come back to share their application of lessons learned and make personal lifestyle changes to be more environmentally conscious. The students “drove less or took shorter showers, or turned off the water when they weren’t using it. I live for those little things.”
When not working, Dr. Stoddard enjoys reading leisurely, racing triathlons, and running with her husband. The New Year’s Day Double, a double marathon, is the next race for which she is training. “It’s one of the things I do to unwind”, Stoddard says, “It’s nice because I get to see the sun come up. I come up with my best ideas while I’m running.” Another fun fact is her collection of Macro Microbes (http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/). These are stuffed animals in the shape of various microbes. Not only do they offer a colorful, decorative aspect to her office, but they also function as visual aids for science lectures.

When asked to give advice, Dr. Stoddard encourages students to “Persevere and try new things” and “don’t be afraid to fail because that is how you learn; if it’s easy, you are not going to learn much from it.” A personal philosophy that Stoddard follows is inspired by a favorite quote by Howard Thurman, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because the world needs more people who have come alive.” Dr. Stoddard adds, “Find what makes you happy and incorporate that into your life. You’re going to be a much more successful person if you are happy.”

Accessorize

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Ti’Ana Marshall

“I’ve come to a place in my life where I’ve accepted things that are me.”
–Lady Gaga

2013 has been the year of the perfect accessory. From spiked heels to leather clad necklaces, the perfect bangle or necklace can add the necessary pizazz to any outfit. Glamour Magazine informed the fashionista masses on the dos and don’ts in the land of accessories; however, the best accessories are not seen with the eyes, but felt by the heart.

Glamour’s 2013 women of the year celebrate women who ooze confidence, power, and, above all else, love themselves. The cover features pop phenomenon Lady Gaga, who is the face of a self-love movement and founder of the Born This Way Foundation. Gaga is quoted in the magazine saying, “I’ve come to a place in my life where I’ve accepted things that are me.” Her organization is founded on the importance of that self-acceptance, and she has made it her mission to spread that message.

Social activist and Scandal super star Kerry Washington joins Lady Gaga on Glamour’s list, adding a powerful punch of beauty and brains to the mix. Alicia Keys commented on Washington’s character, calling her a gift to us all. Malala Yousafzai, a young lady from northern Pakistan, is highlighted for her passion for education for girls in her country. With such a humble and gentle spirit, it is astounding that Malala stood up to the Taliban singlehandedly—how’s that for girl power? Glamour’s 2013 women of the year embody the message that confidence, courage, and intelligence are always the best accessories. Whether you are leather clad and spike from head to toe or not, loving yourself will never be out of style.

Ambassador Scholarship

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Jasmine Castille

Most students attending a four-year university rely on scholarships. Scholarships are capable of taking a lot of weight off of not only students, but their parents as well. One of the many scholarships TAMUT offers is the Ambassador Scholarship.

The Ambassador Scholarship is not only a scholarship, but a program as well. The people who have earned the scholarships are the leaders of our university. These are the local faces you see on TAMUT signs, commercials, and pamphlets. Their primary focus is volunteering. They have helped out at several local events, such as Dr. Cutrer’s Investiture at the Perot, Women for A&M Texarkana, Investiture Party and Reception at Texarkana Country Club, and a gourmet dinner at Texarkana Country Club. Over 25 people applied for this scholarship, and only a lucky 11 were selected. TAMUT ambassador Sumer Johnson says, “The ambassador scholarship has put me in a leadership role within the school and has given me somewhere I belong. This has helped me define what being a leader truly is.”

What can this scholarship offer you? Upon acceptance of this reward, you will receive a $750 scholarship for both the fall and spring semesters. Combined, that is a whopping $1,500 a year. How can you receive this scholarship? You must be an incoming freshman or sophomore, must maintain a 2.75 GPA for scholarship continuation into the spring semester, complete an admission file, and have a face-to-face interview. For more information on the ambassador scholarship, please contact Summer Nelson at Summer.Nelson@TAMUT.edu.