September 19, 2007 Vol. 99, No. 3Fort Worth, Texas

The RamblerThe students’ voice since 1917

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

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Party with Ms. StellaAll students are invited

to the free Stella RussellHall balcony party from 9p.m. to midnight Sept. 20for the musical stylings ofDJ T-Thurm, free food,drinks and a chance to win aPlayStation PSP hand-heldentertainment system.

Discount moviesWesleyan movie buffs

can get discount tickets toAMC theaters through thestudent life office. Ticketsare $6.50 each and are goodfor any movie at any time.

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

package is being raffled offOct. 23 between games 2and 3 of the volleyballmatch. The package is val-ued at more than $200 andincludes a two hour and 30minute essential facial,Swedish massage and“tempt your toes” foot treat-ment. Fliers are postedaround campus. Tickets are$20, available from any vol-leyball player or coach.

Got paintball?Student Life is looking

for students interested in anall-day paintball extrava-ganza Sept. 21. Sign-up listsare posted around campusand at least 15 people arerequired. Contact theStudent Life office in theSUB for more information.

Gay-Straight AllianceThe Wesleyan Gay

Straight Alliance meetsevery Friday at 12:15 inroom B17 in the Eunice L.West Library basement. Allstudents, faculty and staffthat support human rightsare encouraged and invitedto attend.

See you at the chapelChapel is held at free

period every Tuesday in theChapel of PolytechnicUnited Methodist Church,followed by a free lunch.The Sept. 25 speaker isJerry Chism, pastor ofArlington Heights UMC.

Baptist Student MinistryTWU’s BSM invites

you to come hang out andshare a meal with otherWesleyan students. BaptistStudent Ministries partici-pates in ministry activitieson campus, in the communi-ty and around the world.Meetings with free lunch areWednesdays at noon in theCarter Conference Room,on the second floor of theSid Richardson Building.

Make your mark nowThe Rambler is now hir-

ing writers and photogra-phers. Get paid and have funhelping produce Wesleyan’soldest news publication.Regular meetings are at12:15 p.m. every Thursdayin the lobby of StellaRussell Hall.

NEWS BRIEFS

Photos by Kevin Keathley

You’ve beenserved

Wesleyan gets millions for bilingual educationThings keep looking up for the education department. Wesleyan was

selected to receive a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department ofEducation’s National Professional Development program to benefit thebilingual education program.

This grant award comes shortly after receiving a $2 million Title IIIgrant from the Department of Education’s Strengthening Institutions pro-gram over the summer.

“This is the eighth grant award that Wesleyan has received since theearly ’90s to meet the needs of the non-English speaking children of theMetroplex,” said Carlos Martinez, dean of the school of education.

“The number of bilingual teachers produced by Wesleyan is so greatthat is difficult for me to visit a school in the Metroplex and not run into aformer student.”

The funds will be used by the Wesleyan-Tarrant Country project, whosemain goal is to “provide quality training to prepare 175 (about 35 per year)

pre-service and paraprofessionals to increase the number of certified teach-ers meeting the linguistic, cultural and academic needs of EnglishLanguage Learners (ELL students) in the 13 partner school districts,”according to a press release issued by Wesleyan.

The participating partner school districts include Fort Worth, Arlington,Grand Prairie, Hurst-Euless-Bedford, Lake Worth, White Settlement, Eagle-Mountain Saginaw, Castleberry, Mansfield, Birdville, Everman, Burlesonand Irving.

The bulk of the award will be used as scholarship funds for Wesleyanbilingual education majors, but some will be used to provide professionaldevelopment training sessions for teachers, principals and administratorsfrom the partner school districts.

Some university faculty will function as presenters of the professionaldevelopment training sessions, along with state and local experts.

“This grant award demonstrates the continued confidence that the U.S.Department of Education and local school districts have with Wesleyan’sability to produce quality bilingual educators to serve the growing numberof non-English speaking students in the Metroplex,” said Martinez.

SHAWN R. POLINGEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Lady Rams volleyball team shows its stuff at the firstannual Wesleyan-Hughes volleyball classic, which kickedoff the volleyball alumni reunion Sept. 14. Players likeSandra Ayala (left) joined in to support the BeckyHughes endowment. Hughes was an acclaimed Wesleyancoach that served from 1979 to 1991.

Summer sun, no island funWesleyan student returns from scientific internship in the Bahamas

Adam Harrison and others experimented with black lionfish during his internship on LeeStocking Island. The pictured lionfish is one that Harrison helped capture. During his stay,a black lionfish attacked one of the scientists Harrison assisted.

Photo courtesy of Adam Harrison

Although most people go to the Bahamas for fun inthe sun, senior liberal studies major Adam Harrison trav-eled to the legendary islands for a very different reason.

“Many people think I was there to party and havefun,” said Harrison. “Even I did at first, but I worked mybutt off.”

Harrison was one of a few students who won aninternship in the Bahamas with the Perry Institute forMarine Science, a non-profit organization committed toprotecting the world’s oceans through research and educa-tion, according to its Web site.

The goal of the internship was to provide real worldpractical application of the knowledge and techniques helearned in scuba courses at Wesleyan (His minor is recre-ational dive management).

The internship gave Harrison a chance to fill scubatanks, gas boats, clean loading areas, check compressors,repair docks, paint/operate boats and unload cargo flights,just to name a few of his responsibilities. He ended upmaking a total of 78 dives.

“Lots of extended energy and long, hard days,” hesaid. “It was enjoyable but tough.”

During his three months on Lee Stocking Island, anisland in the Bahamas, Harrison was also expected to par-ticipate in a variety of tasks and experiments, some notdirectly related to scuba.

“I gained an enormous wealth of knowledge about awide variety of marine life,” Harrison said. “I learnedmany of the methods that scientists use to study marine

ZAINAH USMAN & SHAWN R. POLINGPHOTO EDITOR & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

See Bahamas, page 2

News2 September 12, 2007 The Rambler

The U.S. Congress recently passed a bill that will boost college financial aid to $20 billion,taking money from government-subsidized lenders to increase Federal Pell Grants and decreasefixed-interest rates for student loans.

“It’s giving more money to the neediest students,” said John Curl, director of financial aid atthe University of Utah. “In-state students would be receiving funds which would be more thantheir tuition charges right now.”

Through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which Sen. Edward Kennedy said is thebiggest increase in student aid since the GI Bill following World War II, the maximum Pell Grantwould rise from $4,310 to $5,400 in the next five years.

Students receiving Pell Grants would see an immediate increase of $490 in the first year. “The increase will be marginal, but it will make a difference for students,” Curl said. During the 2006-2007 school year, more than five million Pell Grants were awarded nation-

wide. The act will also cut interest rates on government loans for undergraduate students from 6.8

percent to 3.4 percent by 2011 and CAP loan payments so students won’t have to pay more than15 percent of their monthly income.

A loan-forgiveness program will be implemented for borrowers who work more than 10 yearsin public service, such as public school teachers, social workers or nurses.

More than $500 million will be given to minority schools, such as historically black collegesand universities and Hispanic-serving institutions.

“Low-income and middle class students will benefit the most because it increases need-basedgrants and gives borrowers more rights and makes paying back easier,” said Pedro de la Torre III,a manager for Campus Progress, an activist organization in the Center for American Progress sup-porting the legislation.

The funding increase will come from federal money previously given to banks that acted asstudent lenders.

Kennedy and Rep. George Miller sponsored the reconciliation bill, which must now be signedby President George Bush to become law. Bush is expected to sign the bill.

Some Republicans criticized the bill for not including measures to stop improper lendingpractices and because it did not include proposed revisions to the FAFSA form, which they saidwas confusing.

Sen. Mike Enzi, a member of the education panel, told The Washington Post the bill “is onlya Band-Aid solution without the important bipartisan reforms.”

On the Senate floor, Kennedy praised the act’s efforts. “Our Senate bill provided all these benefits at no cost to the taxpayer by cutting the outra-

geous subsidies the government gives to lenders. We gave that money to students, where itbelongs,” Kennedy said.

Congress passes financial aid billto boost Pell, reduce loan interests

ROCHELLE MCCONKIEDAILY UTAH CHRONICLE/ UWIRE

During his internship and stay on Lee Stocking Island, Adam Harisson spent most of his time around the docks and boats, above,or underwater. Harisson (below, right) caught a black lionfish, a species that Harisson and others used in various scientific experi-ments.

life in the field.” One of the experiments was a feeding experi-

ment with black lionfish. Although it is a predato-ry native to the Pacific Ocean, they have appearedin the Atlantic Ocean near the Bahamas.

“We basically wanted to see what kind of fishthey would eat and which kind they wouldn’t,”Harrison said.

In addition, Harrison worked with geologistDr. Robert Ginsburg to study stromatolites, calci-um structures that have been forming on bacteriafor 3.5 billion years.

He also maintained oceanographic data sta-tion for CREWS (Coral Reef Early WarningSystem) to predict environmental changes andhow they affect coral.

Although much of Harrison’s days on theisland centered around water and marine life, healso learned a few things from the people andcreatures living above ground. For the most part,residents on the island were very poor and livedtheir lives very simply.

“I gained an appreciation for all of the thingsthat we take for granted here in the U.S.,” saidHarrison.

That message really hit hard when he helpedto save a man’s life.

One morning, during the normal internshipactivities, the group received a distress call from anearby island saying there was a man in need ofmedical attention after suffering a heart attack.Because Harrison’s group was on the only islandin the vicinity with an airstrip and portable oxy-gen, he and another intern boated to the nearbyisland.

As it turns out, Harrison was the most med-ically-trained person on any of the islands, and hespearheaded the task to rescue the man. He man-aged to get the man on oxygen, boat him over tothe main island and load him onto a plane. Laterhe learned that the man had two clogged arteriesand would most likely have died had it not beenfor Harrison.

“I met the man briefly before we flew back tothe states,” Harrison said. “I got a great goose-bumpy sense of accomplishment when he thankedme for what I did. I’m not trying to sound toocliché here, but that’s what it’s all about.”

Now that he’s back at Wesleyan and reminisc-ing about his days on the island, Harrison isamazed by all the new experiences he had. Hehandled the controls of an airplane in flight,trimmed coconuts with a machete, hunted lobstersand water skied, among other things.

Harrison also shared his experience of tensemoments: watching a colleague get stung by alionfish, running out of gas on the high sea andsurviving scuba equipment malfunctions under 50feet of water.

“I think most important of all the things that Igained during the three months I was on LSI,”Harrison said, was the “new long-lasting friend-ships and experienced camaraderie that developedstronger and faster than anything I have knownprevious.”

Bahamas, from page 1

Photos courtesy of Adam Harrison

want your

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Some

at The Ramblerwe just want your words

(and there’s no need to wear prada)

www.txwes.edu/ramblertwurambler@yahoo.com

OpinionsThe Rambler September 19, 2007 3

The RamblerFounded in 1917 as The Handout

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

Member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Newsroom: 531-7552 Advertising: 531-7582 Fax: 531-4878 E-mail: twurambler@yahoo.com

Rambler RatingsThumbs up toWesleyan groundmaintenancecrews for givingour campus a sharp look.

Thumbs down toApplebee’s forremoving theAppleChimichanga from their menu.

-- Jimmy Juelg

Thumbs down toAMB214 whosescreen projectorhas been brokenfor months.

Thumbs up to allwho participatedin rush events.

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?The top American military commander in Iraq, Gen.

David Petraeus, and the American Ambassador toIraq, Ryan Crocker, faced 16 hours of often pointedquestions from Congress about the state of affairs inIraq. Both men pointed to progress in the military andpolitical situation in Iraq but failed — or refused — toanswer key questions about the duration of America’smilitary presence and about the crucial domestic politi-cal situation in Iraq.

All in all, the scene Sept. 10-11 on the Hill wasreminiscent of Gen. William Westmoreland saying in1967 that there was “light at the end of the tunnel” in

respect to the military situ-ation in Vietnam.

What stood out most –as a Sept. 10 story inMcClatchy newspaperspointed out – was what thetwo men testifying did notsay, or their penchant formisconstruing the situation.In just one example,Petraeus remarked and dis-played a chart demonstrat-ing that sectarian violencein Baghdad betweenDecember 2006 andAugust 2007 haddecreased. What neither henor Crocker mentioned was the change in ethnic composition in the cityfrom “majority Sunni Muslim or mixed to majority Shiite Muslim.”

Both men also omitted from their testimony that, according to theInternational Organization for migration, “86 percent of Iraqis who havefled their homes said they’d been targeted because of their sect.” Both ofthese facts belie the contention that ethnic tensions in Iraq are on thedecrease. Petraeus and Crocker’s highlighting of the decrease in ethnictensions echoed arguments of the administration (for which both men aregrade-A water carriers) that the troop surge that began last winter has beena smashing success.

Yet even Petraeus’ own statistics don’t support him. As the McClathystory mentioned, Petraeus failed to explain why the greatest drop in“ethno-sectarian” deaths “occurred between January and February, beforethe surge began.”

Yet in spite of all of these inconsistencies, Petraeus and Crockerclaimed success for the surge, and Petraeus recommended a drawdown oftroop levels to pre-surge levels by the beginning of 2008. President Bushgladly assented.

While the administration is touting the return to pre-surge troop levelsas a troop drawdown, it is in fact nothing more than a return to the status-quo ante that existed in 2006 when voters turned out a RepublicanCongress largely in disgust with the lack of progress in Iraq.

Petraeus refused to discuss troop levels beyond the beginning of nextyear, and, in fact, said he needed another six months to determine whetheranother drawdown is feasible. That means 130,000 American troops willbe in Iraq until at least next March!

The question that Petraeus is refusing to answer –“Tell me how this ends” – is the same question he him-self asked rhetorically in 2003 when he led the 101st air-borne division into Iraq. The failure to answer that ques-tion, and the baffling optimism in spite of almost all ofthe facts, is inexcusable and more than a little puzzling.

The final question then, as one assesses the long-awaited testimony this week and America’s hopelessposition in Iraq, is who is to blame for the mess we arein? While it is easy to blame Petraeus, Crocker or Bushand the pliant members of Congress who went alongwith this misguided war, ultimate blame must lay uponthe ultimate source of power: citizens.

It is easy to forget now how widespread supportfor this Iraq misadventure was in 2002 and 2003 and thetoxicity of the discourse over the war. The minority ofus who believed it was a mistake in the lead up routine-

ly had our patriotism questioned. More pertinently, war supporters inferredand often explicitly claimed that we had not learned the “lessons of 9/11.”

However, remaining bitter about the past will not help the UnitedStates remedy those mistakes in the future. It is vital now that we the citi-zens demand an end to this tragic blunder in Iraq. The most immediateway to bring about an end to the war is to refuse to appropriate funds forany purpose other than bringing troops home as fast as we can in a mannerthat leaves them safe. We owe it to our soldiers to remove them fromharm’s way in a situation on which they can have increasingly less impact.We also owe it to the Iraqis to allow them succeed or fail in the project ofstatecraft. The answer to Iraq’s problems is political, not military.

ZACHDAVIDSON

Zach Davidson is a junior political science and history major and is a staff writer forThe Rambler.

Courtesy of McClatchy Newspapers

Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker avoidedanswering the “big question” of how the war in Iraq will endwhile addressing Congress Sept. 10-11.

We are college students.We shop at Wal-Mart,

Ross, Half-Price Books,Marshalls and, occasionally,even Goodwill. Why? We arepoor. Right?

Perhaps we are more for-tunate than we realize. TheUnited States populationtook notice this month as theCensus Bureau released thenews that U.S. poverty rates

declined for the first time this decade. The fallfrom 12.6 percent in 2005 to 12.3 percent in2006 is three-tenths of a percent, but a decline isstill a decline. This translates into approximately36.5 million people in poverty out of a total U.S.population of 301,139,947.

“Well,” you might say to yourself, “that’sawesome!” and continue to move on to yournext class. But what does that really mean foryou and me?

College students are frequently accused ofliving inside a bubble. We spend most of ourtime on a campus which functions as a mini-city.There is a convenience shop to serve our RamenNoodle needs; we have a bookstore to serve ouracademic, school supply and school spirit needs;the library functions as a study and help center;the cafeteria provides cooking that makes youlove your mother more; and there’s a gym toensure physical fitness. Colleges even have theirown government system in place. Why shouldthree-tenths of a percent matter to us?

In his 1964 State of the Union Address,President Lyndon B. Johnson formally declareda “war on poverty.” He mobilized the legislatureto take immediate action, and this resulted in avariety of programs we see today. Programs suchas Medicare, Head Start and the Job Corps wereall results of the “war on poverty” tactics enact-ed by the Johnson Administration. As Johnsonwisely noted in his address, however, “poverty is

a national problem, requiring improved nationalorganization and support. But this attack, to beeffective, must also be organized at the state andthe local levels and must be supported anddirected by state and local efforts.”

Rates and statistics are simply a way inwhich to measure the success and progress madein this on-going war. And no matter how manyfederal programs exist to alleviate the povertycondition, the frontlinesare ultimately going tobe in our backyard.

The Center forPublic Policy Prioritiesin Austin reported that afamily of four living inArlington or Fort Worthwould need to earnabout $46,000 a year tomake it without publicassistance. TheAmerican CommunitySurvey noted that thisaverage family of fourliving below the povertyline accounted for about102,846 people in FortWorth alone. So whatdoes this mean for TexasWesleyan’s backyard?

Dr. Erika Graham, professor of economics atTexas Wesleyan, noted that because the neigh-borhood surrounding the school is low income“there is absolutely no retail, no place to shopbecause…retail looks at income.”

Graham went on to note that while thingslike coffee shops and bookstores would be ofinterest to the students, it would serve studentsalmost exclusively and would not serve to enrichthe neighborhood as a whole.

“In the long-run, Texas Wesleyan forfeits jobopportunities for its students and cannot enrichthe neighborhood [by attracting retail],” said

Graham. “It ultimately limits growth for both[the school] and the neighborhood.”

In the past, Wesleyan has supported multipleendeavors to improve the standard of living forFort Worth’s low income neighborhoods. A 1999report from the mayor of Fort Worth on the ArtsCouncil of Fort Worth and Tarrant Countydescribed the important role Texas Wesleyanplayed in assisting the Arts Council in renovat-

ing and renting an abandoned build-ing, which later became theEastside Neighborhood Arts Center.

Since its establishment, it hasserved as a daytime rehearsal spacefor dancers in the TWU school offine arts. At all other times, the cen-ter plays host to countless otherclasses, rehearsals and art perform-ances, which benefits the eastsideneighborhood. These classes andperformances expose children andadults to art and culture that wouldotherwise be unaffordable.

Ultimately, the primary issue ismeeting the needs of the communi-ty as a whole within a set income.

Demosthenes, a notableAthenian statesman of the fourthcentury, once said that “smallopportunities are often the begin-

ning of great enterprises.” The students of TexasWesleyan have a small opportunity in their ownbackyard. Three-tenths of a percent, howeverpositive, is undoubtedly a small drop in a fairlylarge bucket. But when we take seriously the“war on poverty” and act within our abilities forthe betterment of the community as a whole,perhaps we may make the difference needed toadd one more family to the list of those livingabove the poverty threshold in Fort Worth.

The effort starts here.

Petraeus and Crocker fail to identify Iraqi problems

War on poverty drafts college students into the fray

Courtesy of Google Images

The poor’s low standard of livingcan be aided by student efforts.

Corrections

Alpha Kappa wasmisidentified in a rushevent photo Sept. 12.

RACHELHORTON

Rachel Horton is a freshman political science majorand is a contributing writer for The Rambler.

Decline in U.S. poverty rates calls for community investment, not a pat on politicians’ backs

Dr. Tim Bruster is nota Wesleyan alumnus.He was identifiedincorrectly in a Sept.12th news story.

Choral Conductor Dr.Jerry Bierschenk’sname appeared incor-rectly in the Sept. 5thissue.

The Ramblerregrets these errors.

College LifeSeptember 19, 2007 The Rambler 4

You’re walking to class one day and you see about 10people standing in front of the library talking. Only aboutseven of the people have seen, read or heard some sort ofnews source in the past day, according to a report from ThePew Research Center for People and the Press.

About a year ago, the research center released a studyentitled Online Papers Modestly Boost Readership:Maturing Internet News Audience Broader Than Deep,which reported on the current state of how Americans gathertheir news. This report cites the fact that 81 percent ofAmericans access some sort of news during their busy daybut that they differ on where and when they get their news.

The report from the Pew Center also went on to say thaton a normal day 57 percent of people will watch their newson the good old television while 36 percent will hear theirnews on the radio. Another 23 percent read their news on theInternet, while only 40 percent now read their news from a

newspaper.“News? I read it sometimes on my Yahoo! home page if

something looks inter-esting or watch it onthe TVs in the library,”said Michael Franklin,a senior general busi-ness major. “But, forthe most part, I don’tget any news mostdays.”

To put the numbersin perspective, thereport states that anaverage 63 percent ofour country’s popula-tion watches televisionthat has no news con-tent, 44 percent dosome sort of physical activity regularly and only 38 percent

read books on a normal basis (much to the dismay of someprofessors.

Overall, the traditional methods ofnews gathering (television, radio, print)have all fallen in the last decade whilethe Internet’s base of people who seek itas a news source has grown. Accordingto alexa.com, a Web information andreporting site, the top two most visitedsites in the last week were, in order,Yahoo and msn.com. Both sites give amajority of their home pages to differentsections of news.

The falling numbers in where ournews comes from are attributed to peo-ple under 30 who go to many differentsources to get their news – if they both-er being informed at all.

After all, 27 percent of this agegroup doesn’t receive any news most days.

ERIC DOUGLASSTAFF WRITER

Photo by Kevin Keathley

Zach Davidson, senior political science and historymajor, obtains his news briefing from the latest edition ofTime magazine.

Extra, extra ... or do you not read all about it?

Have you ever known someone who brightened a room by leaving it? You know, the one who never hasanything nice or positive to say. How sad it must be to be that person and not even know your own sourness.Think about what that means: There are people out there who make a room brighter when they leave.

As you go through your days, I want to encourage you to be the bright spot. Be the one whom others wantto be around. It is not always easy to be positive, especially when life around you is crumbling, stress is at anall-time high and there doesn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel. But here’s your challenge: Be pos-itive anyway. You may not feel good at the time, but when you make others feel good I promise you will feelgood, too.

I heard once that, as a Christian, you should always remember that your actions and words will influenceothers because you may be the only Bible that they ever “read.” That means that to others, you could be thewalking definition of Christianity (or any other faith) and people will define that faith by what they see in you.

That is not to say that we all don’t have the right to have a bad day now and then. It just means that bylimiting your negativity, you will be happier ... and so will the people around you.

To some, volunteering is part of college life. Perhaps a class grants extra credit for it, asorority requires it or your religious organization promotes it. Maybe, it just feels good tomake a difference in the world, no matter how insignificant the gift of time and effort mayseem.

Jenny Houze, coordinator of student activities and volunteerism, expresses great excite-ment about thenumerous upcomingactivities and volun-teer opportunities atTexas Wesleyan.While several cam-pus organizationsare getting ready toparticipate in out-reaches like Boo atthe Zoo – aHalloween eventheld at the FortWorth Zoo – thereare many otheractivities geared forthe Wesleyan bodyto embrace.

At many largercampuses, volun-teering is not such apriority, Houzecomments, but atWesleyan, all that’sdifferent.

“At TexasWesleyan, most stu-dents and facultyalike feel like thecampus is a home. It is because we are small that we are so close with each other; we are

literally our own community,” she said. “As a community located within a needy commu-nity, many feel it is our duty to help.”

Low-on-funds college students living the hectic life may feel their potential to aid islimited, but a glance at the Student Life calendar reveals two Saturday projects looming onthe horizon. Both are small time commitments but promise great returns.

First up on the Student Life service calendar is Cowtown Brush Up Oct. 6.Cowtown Brush Up, a nonprofit neighborhood revitalization program that has been restor-ing community pride for the past 16 years through new coats of paint and yard tidy-ups.

What began as a small operation giving 33 houses a facelift has now spun off the cityof Fort Worth, churches, businesses, schools and hundreds of citizens renovating round-about 1,778 homes.

Benefits are enjoyed all around: deserving home owners receive a fancied up house,volunteers have the chance to invest in their community, and donors obtain a sense ofsatisfaction knowing their surplus isn’t being hoarded but rather spent well. Join thegiving spirit of Fort Worth and turn out in your work get-up Oct. 6 to beautifyCowtown.

Ever remembered that loose policy you made for yourself concerning class atten-dance back in the freshman days and wished you could change it? Well that may beimpossible, but iDream, iLearn, iWin, second-up on the service calendar, offers you, thecollege student, a chance to mentor high school students and hopefully help them avoidthat same mistakes. Held this year on Oct. 13, iDream, iLearn, iWin presents Wesleyanand other area college students the chance to visit with local Fort Worth high school stu-dents about the college experience, college success and their potential as individuals.

During this Saturday conference, high schoolers and their parents will attend work-shops and enjoy a meal and entertainment as well as browse through booths set up bylocal universities and colleges. Families can also obtain answers to all their financial aidquestions, making this event a one-stop education shopping. Many of the studentsaddressed will potentially be the first in their families to attend college; it is thereforeimportant that they view high school graduation as an exciting springboard to higherlearning and accomplishments.

Seize this opportunity to guide and stimulate American youth, looking on the occa-sion as an honor and privilege. Who knows – that sullen, unkempt, tongue-pierced kidslouching around the back may grow into our next mayor, governor, congressman orpresident, and you can play a small part in achieving that win.

For additional details regarding any one of these events or campus volunteerism ingeneral, stop by the Student Life office or e-mail Jenny Houze at jlhouze@txwes.edu.Each day comes only once. Make yours count.

TIARA NUGENTMANAGING EDITOR

Student volunteers have potential to change the world

Courtesy of Google ImagesCowtown Brush Up allows neighbors within the community an opportunityto help one another out while giving their homes a facelift. All supplies aredonated by various businesses, churches and schools.

JULIEDAVIS

Being positive affects others’ lives, not just your own

Julie Davis is a senior English major and is a staff writer for The Rambler.

People wander from printed news sources, preferring to utilize various electronic avenues

Ever dreamed of being a printed author?

Today is your day.

Publish your self-expressions inThe Rambler.

twurambler@yahoo.com

SportsThe Rambler September 19, 2007 5

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

information and profilesof your favorite Wesleyan

Teams and Athletes

Quick Quotes

From the hot corner to the bullpen, baseball careers carried on overthe summer for several departed and returning Wesleyan players.

Wesleyan alumnus and former pitcher Ryan Riddle stands as thelone player to sign with a major league affiliated club. He went undraft-ed but signed with the St. Louis Cardinals who assigned him to the ClassA Batavia Muckdogs.

After getting roughed up in his first appearance, Riddle was aneffective hurler, recording 18 strikeouts in his final 20 innings pitched.

Riddle’sbattery mate,Josh Vander Hey,aslo a Wesleyanalumnus and for-mer businessm a n a g e m e n tmajor, wentundrafted aswell. With a yearof collegiate eli-gibility remain-ing, he decided topursue a master’sdegree and playat the Universityof New Orleans.

Vander Heyjoined theMineral WellsSteam of theTexas Collegiate League last summer and hit three home runs, rackingup 19 RBIs. On defense, the backstop threw out 18 potential base-steal-ers.

A senior-laden infield produced three players who landed on rostersat the independent level.

Mathematics and education major, Jason Diaz made the transitionfrom third to second base as a member of the San Angelo Colts of theUnited Baseball League. Diaz scored 23 runs and posted a .382 on-basepercentage.

“Some guys at the next level are a little bit jealous to see youngerguys come in and have success right away,” Diaz said. “I was just happyplaying baseball and living with an amazing host family.”

Billie Hicks, who studied mass communication at Wesleyan, andRoss Elmore, former history major, continued to turn double plays for afew months, as both signed with the Texas Heat of the Continental

Baseball League. Elmore knocked six home runs and was selected to play in the

league’s mid-summer all-star game. Hicks homered four times in his brief stay with the Heat before leav-

ing the club mid-season to join Diaz in San Angelo. Hicks drove in threeruns in nine appearances for the Colts.

Former outfielder and kinesiology major Victor Burgos rounded outthe group of players who moved on to professional ball. Burgos returnedto Fort Worth this fall as a member of the St. Joseph’s Black Snakes. TheBlack Snakes compete with the Fort Worth Cats in the AmericanAssociation.

Returning playerscompeted in prestigioussummer leagues as well,hoping to lay the ground-work for future profession-al careers.

Brandon Frazier andRyan Jacobi patrolled theoutfield for the Rams lastseason, and both roamedout of state to play over thesummer.

Jacobi, a sophomorebusiness major, traveled toNew York and joined theNiagara Power, whileFrazier was a WisconsinWoodchuck representingWesleyan in theNorthwoods League’s all-star game in Minnesota.

“Hitting with wooden bats was a tough adjustment, but in the sec-ond half of the season I was able to pick it up and start hitting like Icould,” Jacobi said.

Pitchers Hayden Lackey and Aaron Wimpee headed to a higher ele-vation, joining the Fort Collins Foxes and Parker Express of theMountain Collegiate League in Colorado.

Some went far, but none as far as Taylor Miller, a sophomore study-ing pre-law, who spent his summer in Anchorage, Alaska, competing forAthletes in Action.

“I actually played in a game that ended at 2 a.m., and the sun wasstill up,” Miller said. “I spent all my free time fishing with other guysfrom the team.”

The well-traveled returning core will join a host of new recruits nextspring to defend the Red River Conference championship.

Upcoming Events

Sowing their oats“Sometimes a player’sgreatest challenge is com-ing to grips with his roleon the team.”

-Scottie PippenNBA Forward

1987-2004

Coming Up This Weekend onCampus . . .Sept. 21Woman’s Volleyball vs.Bacone @ 7 p.m.Men’s Soccer vs. TexasCollege @ 6 p.m.Women’s Soccer vs. TexasCollege @ 4 p.m.Sept. 22Women’s Volleyball vs. OurLady of The Lake@ 3 p.m.vs. Wiley @ 7 p.m.Sept. 23Men’s Soccer vs. St. Thomas-Houston @ 6:30 p.m.

Numerology 101

6Matches in three days, forthe Lady Rams’ volleyball

team. The squad went 5-1 overthe weekend in the Wesleyan-Hughes Volleyball Classic.

51Number of digs compiledby senior libero Ashley

Mock in a match againstWayland Baptist, a schoolrecord.

5Consecutive penalty kicksnetted by junior midfielder

Seth Mullins in three years atWesleyan. He has yet to missfrom inside the box in his col-lege career. Two have gone forgoals this season.

7National Collegiate champi-onships won by the Texas

Wesleyan University TableTennis Team last spring. Theywere: Co-Ed Team Event,Women’s Team Event,Women’s Singles, Women’sDoubles, Men’s Singles, Men’sDoubles and Mixed Doubles.

4of those titles, which MarkHazinski can lay claim to,

are Men’s Singles, MixedDoubles, Men’s Doubles andthe Team Event.

27Shots registered by theLady Rams’ soccer team

in a 6-0 pummelling at MartinField against St. Gregory’sUniversity.

2Goals by junior midfielderBrianna McKernon in a

four minute span, in the LadyRams’ 6-0 pummelling atMartin Field against St.Gregory’s University.

In April the Wesleyan varsity baseball team won its first Red River Athletic Conference title in 28years.

To vote for the Sports Performance of the Week e-mail twuambler@yahoo.com with your vote. Subject: Sports Performance of the Week.

Sports Performance of the WeekJunior Mitch Hendon: Men’s Golf

BRYCE WILKSSTAFF WRITER

The Texas Wesleyan Lady Rams’ volleyball team is sitting prettyafter putting in a great deal of work at the Wesleyan-Hughes VolleyballClassic Sept. 14-15.

The Wesleyan women took five out of six matches at the Wesleyanevent, dropping their final contest in exhausting fashion to LubbockChristian in the decisive fifth game of the competition.

All in all, the squad played an astounding 24 games, losing only five.The Lady Rams went three consecutive matches without surrendering asingle game, sweeping John Brown University, Belhaven College andLindsey Wilson, according to Ramsports.net.

The Red River Athletic Conference Athletic Web site named seniorlibero Ashley Mock the player of the week Sept. 17. This is the secondtime this season that Mock has been recognized for her outstanding per-formance in a given period of time. She shattterred the school record fordigs in a match after registering 51 against Wayland Baptist. The prior

mark set was 40. Mock helped lead the Lady Rams to a 6-1 record in thepast seven games.

Also gaining the first honors of her young collegiate carreer wasfreshman setter Evoni Darling. The freshman biology major fromGrapevine, Texas, averaged 11.5 assists per game for the week of com-petition. She was named the Red River Athletic Conference’s setter ofthe week for her part in balancing the Lady Rams’ attack. For threematches Darling posted 50 or more assists, including a season-high 58set-ups against Wayland Baptist.

After a seesaw beginning to the season, the Lady Rams are improv-ing after every match. A pair of their recent successes were againstregionally ranked opponents in Southwestern Assemblies of God andJohn Brown University. These victories proppelled the Wesleyan womento the fourth-ranked slot in their respected Region VI, according to theNAIA Web site.

The Lady Rams’ volleyball team has just less than a month until theRed River Athletic Conference tournament, which determines who willcompete for the conference in the national tournament.

Lady Rams win big, conferencehonors for Mock and Darling

JACK WALKERSPORTS EDITOR

Photo courtesy of Ramsports.net

Baseball future still in the air for current and former Rams players

Wesleyan junior finance major Mitch Hendon is having a stellar season so far this fall. After finishing second to teammate PacoSarcho in the collegiate flight of last week’s Fort Worth City Championship, the two reversed roles after play was complete at the CharlesCoody Intercollegiate Classic in Abiliene Sept. 11. Hendon’s first round 66 was the seventh lowest round in the program’s storied history.

Hendon followed that up with a 69 to finish with a final tally of 135, giving him his first collegiate victory. Saracho finished one shotoff the pace in second with a closing 67 to post a total of 136. According to Ramsports.net Hendon and Sarcho’s two-day totals matchedthe fourth and sixth best tournament scores in the history of the team.

“It was great for Mitch to get his first win and have those two go one, two after they finished first and second last week,” AthleticDirector and head golf coach Kevin Milikan said. “This was a pretty good way to start the year.”

Indeed it was a great way to start the year. The team topped a large competitive field primarily composed of NCAA Division IIsquads, paced by Hendon and Saracho and supplemented by junior Kevin Doskocil (tied for eighth), freshman Drew Koonce (tied for 61st)and Johnathon Dickerson (tied for 64th).

The men’s team is currently ranked 14th in the country according to the NAIA Web site. At press time the men’s golf team was com-peting in The Territory Classic, hosted by Cameron University at the Territory Golf Course in Duncan, Okla.

-Jack Walker

Entertainment6 September 12, 2007 The Rambler

On Campus:

* Lonestar and Laundry &Bourbon: Thad SmothermanTheatre, 7:30 p.m.

* Women’s volleyball vs.Bacon College: Gym, 7 p.m.

On Campus:

* Lonestar and Laundry &Bourbon: Thad SmothermanTheatre, 2 p.m.

* Women’s Volleyball vs. OurLady of the Lake University:Gym, 3 p.m.

* Women’s volleyball vs.Wiley College: Gym, 7 p.m.

On Campus:

* General AssessmentTraining: NBC 102, 12:15 p.m.

On Campus:

* Student GovernmentMeeting: Carter ConferenceRoom, noon

* DVD releases: Knocked Up,Gods and Generals, PatchAdams and Gothica.

TTHEHE

WWEEKEEK

AAHEADHEAD

On Campus:

* Methodist StudentMovement meeting: PolyUMC, noon, free lunch served.

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

* Lonestar and Laundry &Bourbon: Thad SmothermanTheatre, 7:30 p.m.

19

To submit an event forthe calender, e-mail

twurambler@yahoo.com.

Wednesday

On Campus:

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

* Faculty Assembly: ScienceLecture Theater, 12:15.

* Lonestar and Laundry &Bourbon: Thad SmothermanTheatre, 7:30 p.m.

20Thursday

On Campus

* Gay Straight AllianceMeeting: B17 basement ofthe library, 12:15 p.m.

* Lonestar and Laundry &Bourbon: Thad SmothermanTheatre, 7:30 p.m.

21Friday

25Tuesday22Saturday 23Sunday 24Monday

With school well underway, many students find themselvesstretched thin. Whether it be from sports, academics or anything elsethat may come with college life, we all find ourselves a little out ofbreath at the end of the day. Perhaps it’s time for some of us to stopand smell the roses. The Music Scholarship Benefit Recital featuringMikhail Barash, world class violinist, is the perfect way to do this.

Barash will perform selections from his newly released albumFor Us, which includes pieces from various composers, such as FritzKreisler, Johannes Brahms and even his wife, Alla Barash. Therecital takes place at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at Martin Hall, but be preparedto come early, as the hall is anticipated to have every seat filled.

“It will be an affair to remember,” said Dr. John Fisher, chair ofthe music department. There is no official dress code for the event,but producers are calling it an upscale event and said one would feelcomfortable in a tuxedo or evening gown. Valet parking will also beoffered.

Open to the public, there is no admission fee for the concert, butdonations are accepted. The concert is ultimately a fund-raiser for theTexas Wesleyan Music Scholarship Fund, so if you enjoy the per-formance, a contribution to the fund will help nurture students abili-ties so that one day they too will be able to delight and inspire.Barash has contributed to the scholarship fund himself by donatinghis CDs, which will be available for purchase the night of the con-cert.

Barash, who was recently added to the Wesleyan board of trustees, is performing forTexas Wesleyan as a part of his recent return to music, a passion of his that began more than

40 years ago. He began his musical career in the Soviet Union as a violin soloist. In 1979, heand his family came to the United States where his career began to pick up speed.

His life, however, appeared to make a turn for the worse when, after five years of per-forming in the United States, Barash injured his lefthand in a major car accident. The injury rendered himunable to continue his musical career. As a result,Barash turned his focus toward business, which, afteryears of hard work and perseverance, he deemed suc-cessful for both himself and the companies he owned.

Retired from the business world and cajoled by hiswife, Barash returned to music some 22 years after hislife-altering accident. Since then, Barash has recordedtwo solo albums, the first of which, For You, wasrecorded for his wife. The second, For Us, is a continu-ation of the warm and amorous music he brought forthin For You. Barash has also performed all over theworld, including his most recent performance of thePaganini Violin Concerto in Klagenfurt, Austria, in July.It was met with overwhelming approval and praise.

Fisher said he is ecstatic about the upcoming per-formance.

“It brings in such an opportunity – a chance to makea connection with a gentleman who is of world classstature,” he said.

Barash has indeed provided a prime opportunity forstudents, alumni, faculty and anyone else who enjoysclassical music of the utmost quality. So take a break

from the grind of campus life and revel in a performance of classical music that intends toboth rejuvenate the mind and move the soul.

Louis Armstrong once said of jazz, “Man, if you have to ask what it is, you’ll neverknow.” For hundreds of thousands of people throughout decades, jazz is the music of life,and for the fifth consecutive year, Jazz by the Boulevard will bring that smooth sound oflife to the lawn of the Kimbell Art Museum for all to hear.

The festival is designed not only to display the varied sounds and styling of jazz, butit also serves as a fund-raiser to help beautify the area off Camp Bowie, expose FortWorth’s Cultural District and draw some attention to the work that has gone into keepingthe city a center of cultural activity.

“I think what’s unique about this event is that it has a specific purpose,” said ProducerDonna VanNess. “Besides being a fund-raiser for Camp Bowie, we aim to promote andeducate about the heritage and roots of jazz in Fort Worth.”

Two stages will be set up the entire weekend featuring jazz musicians from all overthe nation. Some of the headliners include Arturo Sandoval, George Duke, JoshuaRedman Trio, David ‘Fathead’ Newman and Marcia Ball. There will also be local groupsand amature groups playing all day long.

In the spirit of preservation, the Jazz Archives will be on hand to display the rich jazzhistory that Fort Worth holds. According to the Jazz by the Boulevard Web site, jazzmusicians such as Ornette Coleman, Dewey Redman, Charles Moffett, Ronald ShannonJackson, Ray McKinley, Tex Beneke, Prince Lasha, John Carter and Julius Hemphill callFort Worth home, along with many other notable musicians.

“For the past five years the Fort Worth Public Library has worked with Jazz By TheBoulevard to develop a collection of archives to preserve and promote the cultural lega-cy of great Fort Worth jazz musicians and to pay tribute to their lives and work,” readsthe Web site of the origin of this historical endeavor.

The permanent jazz archives collection is housed at the library and has grown tohouse personal papers, recordings, photographs, oral histories, journals, scrapbooks,films, charts, scores, instruments and personal artifacts, some of which will be displayedat the festival.

The city of Fort Worth’s cable production company is currently documenting conver-sations with local musicians such as Sumter Bruton, Johnny Case and Curley Broyles,discussing the Fort Worth music scene, past and present, and reflecting on a “life in jazz.”

Along with the concerts and history, Ridglea Music is sponsoring an “instrument pet-ting zoo” to provide children an opportunity to experiment with different instrumentsincluding trumpet, saxophone, clarinet, flute, trombone, guitars and some percussioninstruments. There will even be local teachers and directors there to teach the childrenhow to play.

While jazz music plays on both event stages, local chefs will “display their masteryof the culinary arts,” according to event planners. The chefs will offer insight into enter-taining and “chef secrets” to “gourmet magic.” Local wine experts will also be on site toinstruct event goers how to properly pair wine.

If the gourmet culinary magic isn’t for you, don’t worry. Carts full of festivalfood will be in tow with everything from funnel cakes to Cajun delights. The sponsorsask that you not bring in outside food or drink and, instead support the vendors that makeit possible for an event like this to be free.

The fifth annual Jazz by the Boulevard begins at 5 p.m. Sept. 21 and runs through8 p.m. Sept. 23.

The plot: a small town post-Vietnam.The people: just your average Joes try-

ing to live their life. What makes it interesting: It’s people

from a Texas town. Theatre Wesleyan’s fall productions,

Laundry and Bourbon & Lonestar, are twoone act plays that invite you into the worldof regular people as they laugh their waythrough their personal struggles. The goal ofthe productions is to make you laugh withthem.

“I play Hattie, a ballsy, brassy charac-ter,” said junior theater major Whitney Park.“It is a departure from who I am in real life.It’s fun to play.”

Park plays one of the three women in thefirst one act play, Laundry &Bourbon, a taleof love, fear, self-righteousness and how we

deal with life’s inevitable struggles, specifi-cally the struggles of love and marriage.

“I think the stories are very relatable,”said Park. “They are even set in a real Texastown.”

The two shows are actually separateplays. However, they are connected throughrelated characters, which are discussed ineach play.

Lonestar follows the conversation ofRoy, a Vietnam veteran, and his youngerbrother, Ray, who discuss the glory days, thewar and what really matters in life.

“The shows are black comedies in thatthe issues that they are dealing with are real,but the plays are fun,” said Brynn Bristol,instructor of theatre and costumer for theproduction.

The production runs Sept. 19-22 at 7:30p.m. and Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. in the ThadSmotherman Theatre. Contact the box officefor tickets at (817) 531-4211.

Barash plays scholarship benefit concerBarash plays scholarship benefit concerttERIC WONGSTAFF WRITER

Photo courtesy of Mikhail Barash

Barash, a member of the Wesleyan board of trustees, is alsoa world renoun violinist.

Theatre Wesleyan produces one act2Photo by Jillian Jones

Theatre Wesleyan performs two one-act plays at 7:30 p.m. Sept 19-22 and 2 p.m. Sept. 23.

COLLEEN BURNIEENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Jazz fest brings music homeCOLLEEN BURNIE

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Gallery Night

Fall Gallery Night in Fort Worth was a fun-filledevening for participants and artists alike. Seniorart major Amanda Winkelman (above) is shownenjoying one of the many paintings by LeslieLanzotti in the newly renovated gallery at Artspace111.

Liberal studies major SuzetteRangel and Wesleyan alumnaJill Foley (below) enjoyed thefestivies at this fall’s GalleryNight. Spring Gallery Nightdates and times are to beannounced.

Photos by Thomas A. Boylan