september 8, 2011
DESCRIPTION
Volume 68 Number 02TRANSCRIPT
After some much needed revision, the University of Texas - Pan American has o� cially, � nally, approved a plan to build a new Fine Arts Academic and Performance Complex.
� e project, to be funded by the UT System, will cost around $42.7 million to complete and will provide a new mid-size theater to accommodate approximately 1,000 audience members upon its completion in October 2014. � e project was originally proposed in 2006 but never got o� the ground for various reasons.
According to Martin Baylor, vice president for business a� airs, it’s good to see the University moving forward with its plan.
“It has been a long time,” Baylor said. “It has been a process and we are all very excited. Everyone’s really worked very hard to get the project to this point.”
Demolition of UTPA’s existing auditorium and Fine Arts Annex will need to happen � rst to make way for the nearly 14,500 square feet of new construction that the new complex will bring. Baylor explained that the demolition and construction process will happen in phases, with the current auditorium expected to be
bowled over by October 2012.For Orlando Diaz, a 21-year-old senior
pursuing a degree in music education, the idea of a new performance complex is vital to the future for UTPA students.
“As a music student, I do think it is important to have the new complex for the future and current music students here at UTPA,” Diaz said. “We were in such a need for a new auditorium and complex since the one we currently have is not in good condition anymore. I also believe that the University is going to bene� t from such a new complex. In one part, more students will enroll to study music here.”
Diaz hopes that the new complex will
bring more practice space for music majors, as there are typically over 200 who now share six practice rooms that are infamous for not being soundproof.
Baylor explained that there are numerous measures being taken in order to accommodate the need for added rehearsal space, including adding four rehearsals halls and updating the ventilation systems within Fine Arts Music Building B and C.
Building B will be renovated to meet academic program requirements and its second � oor will include faculty o� ces. Building C’s interior will be redone to become smaller practice rooms.
Low-producing degree options
to be cut
Just can’t stay away
By Susan GonzalezThe Pan American
WWW.PANAMERICANONLINE.COMVolume 68, No. 2 September 8, 2011
Construction for new fi ne arts complex slated to begin in 2012
By Belinda MunozThe Pan American
SEE PROGRAMS || PAGE 3
ARTS GET
$43M
� ree former high-ranking o� cials at � e University of Texas-Pan American have traded in their plush o� ces in the Student Services Building for a professor’s lectern.
Miguel Nevarez served as vice president of student a� airs for nine years followed
by a 23-year run as president of the University. He stepped down in 2004 after ushering in tremendous growth, including alliance with the UT System in 1989 that brought the school’s current name. But � ve years ago, he went back to his � rst love, teaching. A McAllen native, Nevarez fell in love with teaching while working as a substitute in the
McAllen school district. “You get into education
because you want to teach. Somewhere along the way, I’m not going to say (that we) get sidetracked, but we get into administration, we get away from teaching and after a while that you’re outside of teaching, you wonder if you will still enjoy teaching,” Nevarez explained. “So you want to try
it out, and go back and see if you still enjoy it.”
Nevarez said he prefers teaching to administration for a number of reasons. At UTPA he taught higher education law and � nance.
“First of all, I’m teaching something that I like and I enjoy doing,” he explained. “Here in higher learning we’re teaching either master’s or
doctoral students, and they’re more serious. � ey’re serious about their school, they’re self- motivated, and so it’s a joy to teach them.”
Nevarez pointed out many di� erences between administration and teaching, from di� erent goals to the amount of student interaction.
As of Aug. 31, 2013, three University programs will be cut per the standards of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. � ese programs were considered low-producing and will not be admitting any more students: the non-accredited B.S. in computer science, the B.A.A.S. in applied arts and sciences and the clinical specialist option in the M.S.N. in nursing.
However, deans, department chairs and professors in these departments are not mourning the loss of these programs.
“Enrollment is close to the national average, we are doing quality research, we are producing quality graduates. Many of these graduates go on to get advanced degrees at tier one institutions,” said David Allen, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences. “It behooves a college that is growing and improving, as we are, to only o� er accredited degree programs.”
As for the B.A.A.S. in applied arts and sciences, Kristin Croyle, interim dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, also believes that this program is no longer bene� cial to the college.
“� is degree has not really been a viable degree at UTPA for years,” Croyle said. “It was � rst put in place to assist students who had earned an associate’s degree with a large number of technical hours. However, as the curriculum at UTPA changed, it became prohibitively long for students to pursue the B.A.A.S. as we had it formulated. For some time, we have been advising students into other choices that end up being shorter and more e� cient for them, such as the Bachelor of General Studies. I don’t believe that any students will be a� ected by this program deletion because we have been working hard to advise students away from the B.A.A.S. program for years.”
Similar feelings were shared by Nursing Department chair and professor Carolina Huerta, who feels no loss in regard to the clinical specialist option being closed in the M.S.N. program.
By Alma E. HernandezThe Pan American
SEE ADMIN || PAGE 3
SEE ART || PAGE 3
Retired decision-makers return to teaching
Erick Gonzalez / THE PAN AMERICAN
September 8, 20112
A reflection on 9/11
Erick Gonzalez/THE PAN AMERICAN
Opinion
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THE PAN AMERICAN
Vol. 68, No. 2
It’s hard to imagine, but the children who were maybe 7 years old when the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 took place are � ghting the same war I did after graduating from high school in 2002.
Harder yet to realize is that the incoming freshmen I � ght with every day for parking probably sent me a letter and colored drawing when I was in Iraq for the � rst time.
“Dear Marine… please kill all the bad guys.”
I now wonder if they even knew why we were at war. Did they even have the same sense of revenge that their elders had during those dark days? Did they see us thumping our chests and jerking our knees and think that was normal?
Could they really blame a generation who had never felt what it was like to be attacked in the homeland for wanting revenge?
� e memories of Sept. 11 may be clear in the collective mind of the country, but we don’t think about it as much anymore. It’s like when a family member passes away brutally and unexpectedly. We dwell on the event incessantly for a time but, as years go
on, we tend to remember at � ve- and 10-year intervals.
� is does not make us less caring or less patriotic, just human.
I for one remember the day like a dream, the kind that makes you sit up in bed in the middle of the night.
It was a Tuesday morning, and I was sitting in my � rst period history class at Edinburg North. Mr. Dellis was going over the day’s lesson when the television in the corner of the room suddenly turned on. � e sound of the news anchor’s voice � lled the room before the image became completely clear on the screen.
We all looked up at the television as the minutes passed, not really knowing what we were watching, and with no clue of why we were watching it. Were the images of the smoldering World Trade Center from a movie meant for another class?
I sat in my desk, eyes wide and un� inching. � e only sound in the room came from the television. It all became clear when the second plane came � ying into frame and into the second tower. � is was not an accident. We were being attacked.
� e days that followed Sept. 11 were � lled with uncertainty and anger, but they also brought out the best in us all. We wanted to help without question
and love without shame. Flags � ew high and the American spirit shown bright. It felt like a community revival that would never end.
Sadly, we eventually fell into a painfully clichéd existence, narrated by Toby Keith songs, and moved forward to the beat of war drums. � inking back on it in now, 10 years later, I realize that the way we reacted those � rst days and weeks was heroic, but the years that followed would be tragic.
I sometimes ask myself, was the decade that followed a greater tragedy than 9/11 itself?
� is, of course, is a viewpoint that is purely fueled by hindsight and easy for someone who did not lose a loved one to collapsing buildings or � ery crashes to develop. � en again, the war I took part in makes me question whether we could have gone about things di� erently.
Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the attacks, was eventually killed by a small team of Navy SEALs and
not by a brigade with hundreds of soldiers. I feel like we used a baseball bat by sending thousands of troops to Iraq and Afghanistan in our attempt to � nd terrorists, when the scalpel of Special Forces and intelligence could have been enough.
� e way I feel about the victims of the attacks, and the � rst responders who rushed to their aid, is only half of the equation when I look back on that day. I can’t help but think about the mismanaged decade that followed and where we stand as a country today.
Sept. 11 will go down in history as a violent and horrible event perpetrated by a group of fanatical terrorists. We will look back on those days in awe of the heroic actions of some and wonder how an attack of that magnitude happened. But history will also judge the way we acted. Future generations, perhaps the children of 9/11, may be held accountable for the destruction we left behind on our path to justice.
Follow Reynaldo Leal @reylealphoto as he tweets live from Ground Zero Sunday, Sept. 11.
By Reynaldo Leal Photo Editor
September 8, 2011 3ARTcontinued from Page 1
According to Baylor, dance students will likely bene� t from the new complex as well.
“We have involved not only the music, but the dance folks, in all of the con� gurations for the building,” Baylor stated.
For Elsa Santivanez, who is pursuing her certi� cation in dance, performing in a newer, more spacious facility is de� nitely necessary in order to perform dances that involve a lot of running around involved.
“� e more space, the better. We always lack space for running around and practicing and costumes and all that,” she said.
Also excited about the new performance complex is Rebekah Murphy, a sophomore pursuing her degree in dance performance.
“Having a new facility would be more comfortable,” she said. “It will be a little bit safer because backstage, in general, can be kind of dangerous.”
Undoubtedly for Murphy, one advantage that the new facility will bring is bigger audiences, a result that Murphy is hoping will allow her to become a more con� dent dancer.
“Hopefully, art in the Valley is going to continue to grow,” she said. “� e more people we have, the better because for people like me, who hope to dance professionally one day. We can’t have stage fright, so the more people in the audience, the better. It’s good practice. It’s really great experience that way.”
In the meantime, the University will take all measures to relocate faculty and students working and studying around the Fine Arts Department so that classes will not be disturbed during the two years it will take to construct the complex.
Upon its completion, the lobby of the performing center should also permit enough space for seated dinners for about 200 people, as well as o� er amenities for guests such as restrooms and food concessions.
It is Diaz’s hope that the new performance complex will deliver more attendance and excitement for � ne art sponsored events among all students at UTPA.
“I would hope to see more people being
involved in all the variety of concerts the music department o� ers year round,” he said. “You know, like recitals, choir or band concerts, Valley Symphony concerts and also all those other dance recitals and the many guest speakers the University invites.”
PREPARATIONTo make way for the performance
complex, UTPA has prepared a plan of action to relocate art and � ne art-related classes currently dispersed between the Fine Arts Annex and Fine Arts Music Buildings B and C to the UTPA Academic Annex on Closner Road. To do this, UTPA will � rst need to � nish $3.5 million of renovations to the former Haggar plant near Freddy Gonzalez and Hwy. 281 so that special programs currently housed in the academic annex, like community engagement, border health and gear up program etc., can be moved out from the Annex.
Baylor estimates that services and special programs that operate from the Annex will need to be moved to Haggar by January so that renovations on the academic Annex can begin that spring.
“We will probably spend another $3.5 million renovating the academic annex to convert it to art...We are going to try to leave as much of the existing internal structure as we can,” Baylor said.
Once the renovations on the Annex are complete, all art faculty and art operations can be moved in for the fall 2012 semester.
In addition, professors from the music department will have their o� ces relocated during the construction.“We are trying to take some of the dorm rooms from Troxel (Hall) and renovate them into faculty o� ces so that we can temporarily house the music faculty over there while we are actually doing the construction project,” he said. “� at’s what we are really in right now, is a really tight timeframe to try and get the other buildings ready so that everything else can kick o� with the project.”
PROGRAMScontinued from Page 1
“We have a � ourishing M.S.N. program and will not feel any e� ect from this closure. In fact, this track option is being closed at the Nursing Department’s suggestion,” Huerta said.
Such is the nature of the fast-moving world of academics as budget cutbacks during the past two years have made their impact on campus. While faculty and administrators have made their peace with the decisions, some students do not agree that fewer options are better for the student body.
“With programs being cut, it makes me possibly look at other schools,” Rafael Lumba, a Junior majoring in nursing, said. “At the time, I will already probably be working, and I would be able to pay my own way through school. I could move to another college. � ere are programs in Dallas and Houston that have other master’s programs in nursing, so if UTPA didn’t o� er a program I wanted, I could just as easily go to school over there and work at the same time.”
Raciel Pinete, another junior nursing major, shares a similarly negative view of the situation.
“� ere are certain people who can’t leave the Valley for � nancial reasons or other things,” Pinete said. “For example, if I wanted to follow that speci� c track option that is being phased out for the master’s in nursing, and I couldn’t leave the Valley. Suddenly, I don’t have the program I wanted to do, and I have no other way of pursuing the degree I want.”
OTHERS IN DANGER?In addition to these programs, there
were several others noted by THECB as low-producing. Among these were the B.S. in physics, the experiment psychology option in the M.A. in psychology program, the B.A. in dance, the B.A. in Mexican-American studies
and the B.S. in health. H o w e v e r , t h e s e p r o g r a m s have not been o� cially cut and were granted a two- or f o u r - y e a r ex t ens ions during which they need to meet, and possibly exceed, the number of graduates THECB requires.
But students and professors in one particular program believe they do not belong on the list at all.
“Due to an unintentional error, our dance majors that double majored in dance and another academic program were not included in the total number of dance graduates,” assistant dance professor Dana Shackelford said. “Dance was recorded as a secondary major for these two students and was therefore not included in the total number of majors that graduated in the � ve-year audit period.
“With the inclusion of these students, we did indeed meet the quota and therefore should not have been considered a low-producing program. We submitted this justi� cation to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, but still have been put on a two-year probation extension.”
With errors like these, some students believe other factors should be considered by THECB before the entity cuts programs or places them on probation.
“I think it’s fair to say that numbers are a good indication,” senior dance major Tanya Miller said. “However, I think everything should be taken into
account, like student feedback, to see who is employed after receiving their degree, and faculty should also be taken into consideration. For example, our dance program has amazing faculty members and we’re de� nitely learning and they’re de� nitely preparing us. So I think it’s fair, in a sense, but more things should be taken into account as well.”
Being on the probationary list is not the end for these programs, and many of their students remain optimistic about the outcome.
“We have a really good program, and we continue to grow every year,” senior dance and anthropology major Ciara Perez said. “I don’t have any fear for the program. I think it’s strong and only going to continue to get stronger.”
ADMINcontinued from Page 1
“In administration, you don’t have that immediate satisfaction. You do some work ,and you’re hoping that it’s in the best interests of students and faculty and sta� , but you really don’t know,” he suggested. “As president, the only time I got good feedback was at graduation and when we met with students, but it’s still not the same thing as being in the classroom.”
Along with the former president is another pair of ex-administrators now teaching. In 2000, Nevarez hired John Edwards as Vice President for enrollment and student services. Originally from the small East Texas town of Clarksville, Edwards has been in higher education as a teacher since
1967 and an administrator since 1978 at two di� erent Texas universities. After 10 years in the UTPA administration, Edwards retired in December to take the spring o� . He returned to the classroom this fall to do a freshman course in history, a subject in which he holds three degrees.
“It’s fun to be a teacher, it’s fun to teach, it’s fun to learn, and that’s what you do when you teach,” Edwards said. “And then you try to share what you learn with others. Teaching is very important, administration is very important too, but working with students is generally why we all get into this business.”
Hired by Nevarez’ replacement, Blandina Cardenas, Paul Sale began his career at UTPA in 2006 as provost/vice president of academic a� airs. When Cardenas left, Sale had about a year and a half to decide whether to
serve as provost at another university or stay on in Edinburg in another capacity. Ultimately, Sale decided to stay in the Valley.
“My experience in the Rio Grande Valley community is the best experience I’ve ever had,” he said. “We have great students here and those great students frequently are holding down the role of parent, holding down the role of worker and supporter of some household yet they still are able to achieve their dreams. You’ll � nd that no where else in this country. � at’s what I learned in my � rst year of teaching, more than I even knew when I came in here.”
As he begins his second year of teaching masters courses in special education after 15 years in administration, Sale said there might be di� erences in the job, but one important similarity.
“You know, it’s a very di� erent job being a professor and administrator, but the aim is the same,” he advised. “And that’s to make sure the students get a great education, so we all just have di� erent parts in that.”
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
8
7 6
5 4
3 2
1
0
BAAS Applied Arts & Sciences
BS Physics
MA Psychology -Experimental Psychology
BA Dance
BA Mexican -American Studies
Year
# of degrees awarded
ROUND TWO - John Edwards, former VP for Enrollment and Student Services for ten years, returns to the classroom this Fall.
Monica Garza/ THE PAN AMERICAN
Alma E. Hernandez/ THE PAN AMERICAN
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The University of Texas-Pan American
i s p l e a s e d t o p r e s e n t
Dr. Maya Angelou, hailed as a global renaissance woman,is a celebrated poet, memoirist, novelist, educator, dramatist,producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rightsactivist. She has authored more than 30 bestselling booksincluding “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” published in 1970.She continues to appear on television and films and wasawarded the Presidential Medal of Arts in 2000, the Lincoln Medal in 2008, and has received three Grammy Awards.
Monday, October 24, 2011DR. MAYA ANGELOU
Doors will open at 7 p.m. for UTPA students,faculty and staff with a valid UTPA ID.
Doors will open to general public at 7:20 p.m.FREE ADMISSION. SEATING IS LIMITED.
FINE ARTS AUDITORIUM, 7:30 p.m.
THE PAN AMERICANTHE PAN AMERICAN September 8, 2011 September 8, 2011 Page 7Page 6
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, David Lee Elizondo was in a computer class at his Houston high school when hijackers � ew a commercial air-plane into the World Trade Center’s North Tower.
“I was the guy who stuck a paperclip in the TV to get reception so we could see the news channel,” said the 25 year old, who now lives in Edinburg.
More than 6,000 miles away on a U.S. Army base in Kosovo, Anthony Beltran was leaving a mechanics training class and, still dressed in grease-stained coveralls, headed to lunch with his classmates. � ey walked in as
the mess hall television showed the South Tower fall.
“We didn’t understand,” he said. “Is this real? Is this happening? Is this live? It just wasn’t clicking for a
lot of us.”Twenty-nine min-
utes later, the North Tower collapsed.
“We were on our feet in front of the TV, and it wasn’t much lon-
ger after that the threat level was raised and classes for that day were
canceled,” Beltran recalled. “Every-one was in gear, weapons, and we were
just forted. We pretty much held guard for many hours until Washington assessed
the situation, and we got word that we could calm down.”
SHIPPING OUT
In December 2002, Beltran was deployed for the � rst of two tours he would serve in Iraq. � e combat mechanic performed demolition work to clear the way for military vehicles. Along with a specialized team, he and his unit de-mined � elds riddled with hidden bombs.
“� ere were explosives often and everywhere, so trying to � nd secure paths or those with least resistance was our objective, getting to Baghdad,” he said. “Not sleeping much, not showering, eat-ing when we could – life was very drastic.”
While Beltran didn’t have a say in his deploy-ment, Elizondo volunteered to head out to the Middle East after joining the Air Force in 2005. He left the United States in July 2009 for a seven-month tour in Iraq, where he was assigned base securities duties at Joint Base Balad, 30 miles north of Baghdad.
“I wanted to see how Iraq really was. I wanted to see their culture. I wanted to see � rst-hand the action,” he said. “A lot of people that were in my unit speci� cally were going, too, so I didn’t want
to be the only one left behind.”Elizondo worked the
graveyard shift patrolling the base perimeter for any signs of an at-tack. He witnessed his � rst loss when a military helicopter crashed after enemy � re took out an engine. Ten of the passengers sur-vived, but one was killed.
“Right when they went over base, the helicop-ter lost it,” he said. “Traumatizing would be an ac-curate word. I’d never been exposed to that before, experiencing a war casualty.”
� e future for which Beltran’s military service was preparing him was far from the then-21-year-old’s mind.
“� ere wasn’t really a lot of talk about what we wanted to do years down the road, unlike to-day where I’m thinking about 10 years ahead of my life,” he said. “Back then, I was just happy to get through the week. And if it wasn’t about trying to get where we needed to be, it was reminiscing on the good ol’ things back in Texas.”
It was simple things that Beltran missed – food, driving, showering, soap – things he can have any time now.
“I missed having choices,” he said. “Of course you have your MREs, your ready-to-eat [meals], but every now and then you’d come across an Iraqi who was willing to sell you a goat burger. It’s like, ‘Man, I haven’t had real meat in a while. Even if it’s not cow, it’s still something.’”
Elizondo felt the stress of being far from fam-ily and friends the most. While he could reach them via email and telephone, the time between calls was sometimes weeks.
“A the same time, you know you’re doing a good job for them,” he said. “[� ey] go to school, their daily routines, because of the sacri� ce you were making.”
AN EDUCATION
Elizondo left Iraq last January and completed his time with the Air Force that March. He vis-ited family he hadn’t seen in months or, in some cases, years. While he didn’t have a plan for what to do next, it was a question he soon began contemplating.
“Should I reenlist for another four years? Should I look for another job?” the computer information systems major recalled thinking. “It was after two weeks of being on vacation that I realized, ‘You know what? I think I’ll try college.’ It was a move that I do not regret.”
Now a graduate student studying clinical psychology at � e University of Texas-Pan Ameri-can, Beltran sees military service as a gateway to education.
“I wanted to go to college,” he said. “I just didn’t know how to go about it. � ere wasn’t mon-ey for me to go.”
Veterans enter college with life experience that is di� erent from the typical freshman. Some have traveled the country or the world, learned a trade, seen combat or have a spouse and children. � e contrast can seem stark in the classroom, Eli-zondo said.
“It’s annoying seeing people not paying at-tention,” he said. “Same thing with plagiarizing. You made the sacri� ce serving your country, you put forth e� ort, but yet you have these immature students next to you who don’t care. Sometimes maybe it was handed to them, so they take it dif-ferently than the way we look at it.”
Even readjusting to mundane tasks like � lling out forms, something usually done in the military by designated personnel, can feel particularly burdensome.
“I’ve heard of a few friends who just don’t want to go to Pan Am because it’s so much paper-work to � ll out just before you get to class,” Bel-tran said. “But then again, we have this instilled go-go-go attitude. Some of us are able to do this and not look back.”
Elizondo said � nancial assistance is a big issue for veterans. � ough many qualify for a housing allowance, he said it’s often not enough for veter-ans who are supporting families.
“You have to consider food, utilities, expens-es – it all adds up,” he said. “Some veterans live paycheck by paycheck for their housing.”� e vet-erans’ community on campus helped make the move to school easier for Elizondo, who is now a junior. He is an active member of the Veterans Student Organization and secretary for the UTPA chapter of SALUTE, a national honor society for military veterans.
“It’s not like there’s a switch in the back of your head you can � ip and automatically become a college student,” he said. “I have a lot of peers that have helped me out transitioning to college.”
Beltran, president of SALUTE, hopes to earn a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and open his own practice. He said time in the mili-tary was an integral part of getting to where he is now.
“Since I was pushed to those challenges, even to the point where I wasn’t sure I was going to come back from Iraq, I feel like it granted me life, and I’m not going to hesitate on what choices to make,” he said. “I’m here ready to act.”
Visit www.panamericanonline.com for an extended version of this story.
Paying the PriceFreedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free,
and neither is an educationand neither is an educationand neither is an educationFreedom isn’t free,
and neither is an educationFreedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free,
and neither is an educationFreedom isn’t free,
and neither is an educationFreedom isn’t free,
and neither is an educationFreedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free,
and neither is an educationFreedom isn’t free,
(L-R) Anthony Beltran, David Lee Elizondo
Story by Nadia Tamez-Robledo
Photos by Reynaldo Leal
Design by Francisco Rodriguez
THE PAN AMERICANTHE PAN AMERICAN September 8, 2011 September 8, 2011 Page 7Page 6
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, David Lee Elizondo was in a computer class at his Houston high school when hijackers � ew a commercial air-plane into the World Trade Center’s North Tower.
“I was the guy who stuck a paperclip in the TV to get reception so we could see the news channel,” said the 25 year old, who now lives in Edinburg.
More than 6,000 miles away on a U.S. Army base in Kosovo, Anthony Beltran was leaving a mechanics training class and, still dressed in grease-stained coveralls, headed to lunch with his classmates. � ey walked in as
the mess hall television showed the South Tower fall.
“We didn’t understand,” he said. “Is this real? Is this happening? Is this live? It just wasn’t clicking for a
lot of us.”Twenty-nine min-
utes later, the North Tower collapsed.
“We were on our feet in front of the TV, and it wasn’t much lon-
ger after that the threat level was raised and classes for that day were
canceled,” Beltran recalled. “Every-one was in gear, weapons, and we were
just forted. We pretty much held guard for many hours until Washington assessed
the situation, and we got word that we could calm down.”
SHIPPING OUT
In December 2002, Beltran was deployed for the � rst of two tours he would serve in Iraq. � e combat mechanic performed demolition work to clear the way for military vehicles. Along with a specialized team, he and his unit de-mined � elds riddled with hidden bombs.
“� ere were explosives often and everywhere, so trying to � nd secure paths or those with least resistance was our objective, getting to Baghdad,” he said. “Not sleeping much, not showering, eat-ing when we could – life was very drastic.”
While Beltran didn’t have a say in his deploy-ment, Elizondo volunteered to head out to the Middle East after joining the Air Force in 2005. He left the United States in July 2009 for a seven-month tour in Iraq, where he was assigned base securities duties at Joint Base Balad, 30 miles north of Baghdad.
“I wanted to see how Iraq really was. I wanted to see their culture. I wanted to see � rst-hand the action,” he said. “A lot of people that were in my unit speci� cally were going, too, so I didn’t want
to be the only one left behind.”Elizondo worked the
graveyard shift patrolling the base perimeter for any signs of an at-tack. He witnessed his � rst loss when a military helicopter crashed after enemy � re took out an engine. Ten of the passengers sur-vived, but one was killed.
“Right when they went over base, the helicop-ter lost it,” he said. “Traumatizing would be an ac-curate word. I’d never been exposed to that before, experiencing a war casualty.”
� e future for which Beltran’s military service was preparing him was far from the then-21-year-old’s mind.
“� ere wasn’t really a lot of talk about what we wanted to do years down the road, unlike to-day where I’m thinking about 10 years ahead of my life,” he said. “Back then, I was just happy to get through the week. And if it wasn’t about trying to get where we needed to be, it was reminiscing on the good ol’ things back in Texas.”
It was simple things that Beltran missed – food, driving, showering, soap – things he can have any time now.
“I missed having choices,” he said. “Of course you have your MREs, your ready-to-eat [meals], but every now and then you’d come across an Iraqi who was willing to sell you a goat burger. It’s like, ‘Man, I haven’t had real meat in a while. Even if it’s not cow, it’s still something.’”
Elizondo felt the stress of being far from fam-ily and friends the most. While he could reach them via email and telephone, the time between calls was sometimes weeks.
“A the same time, you know you’re doing a good job for them,” he said. “[� ey] go to school, their daily routines, because of the sacri� ce you were making.”
AN EDUCATION
Elizondo left Iraq last January and completed his time with the Air Force that March. He vis-ited family he hadn’t seen in months or, in some cases, years. While he didn’t have a plan for what to do next, it was a question he soon began contemplating.
“Should I reenlist for another four years? Should I look for another job?” the computer information systems major recalled thinking. “It was after two weeks of being on vacation that I realized, ‘You know what? I think I’ll try college.’ It was a move that I do not regret.”
Now a graduate student studying clinical psychology at � e University of Texas-Pan Ameri-can, Beltran sees military service as a gateway to education.
“I wanted to go to college,” he said. “I just didn’t know how to go about it. � ere wasn’t mon-ey for me to go.”
Veterans enter college with life experience that is di� erent from the typical freshman. Some have traveled the country or the world, learned a trade, seen combat or have a spouse and children. � e contrast can seem stark in the classroom, Eli-zondo said.
“It’s annoying seeing people not paying at-tention,” he said. “Same thing with plagiarizing. You made the sacri� ce serving your country, you put forth e� ort, but yet you have these immature students next to you who don’t care. Sometimes maybe it was handed to them, so they take it dif-ferently than the way we look at it.”
Even readjusting to mundane tasks like � lling out forms, something usually done in the military by designated personnel, can feel particularly burdensome.
“I’ve heard of a few friends who just don’t want to go to Pan Am because it’s so much paper-work to � ll out just before you get to class,” Bel-tran said. “But then again, we have this instilled go-go-go attitude. Some of us are able to do this and not look back.”
Elizondo said � nancial assistance is a big issue for veterans. � ough many qualify for a housing allowance, he said it’s often not enough for veter-ans who are supporting families.
“You have to consider food, utilities, expens-es – it all adds up,” he said. “Some veterans live paycheck by paycheck for their housing.”� e vet-erans’ community on campus helped make the move to school easier for Elizondo, who is now a junior. He is an active member of the Veterans Student Organization and secretary for the UTPA chapter of SALUTE, a national honor society for military veterans.
“It’s not like there’s a switch in the back of your head you can � ip and automatically become a college student,” he said. “I have a lot of peers that have helped me out transitioning to college.”
Beltran, president of SALUTE, hopes to earn a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and open his own practice. He said time in the mili-tary was an integral part of getting to where he is now.
“Since I was pushed to those challenges, even to the point where I wasn’t sure I was going to come back from Iraq, I feel like it granted me life, and I’m not going to hesitate on what choices to make,” he said. “I’m here ready to act.”
Visit www.panamericanonline.com for an extended version of this story.
Paying the PriceFreedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free,
and neither is an educationand neither is an educationand neither is an educationFreedom isn’t free,
and neither is an educationFreedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free,
and neither is an educationFreedom isn’t free,
and neither is an educationFreedom isn’t free,
and neither is an educationFreedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free, Freedom isn’t free,
and neither is an educationFreedom isn’t free,
(L-R) Anthony Beltran, David Lee Elizondo
Story by Nadia Tamez-Robledo
Photos by Reynaldo Leal
Design by Francisco Rodriguez
The Fine Arts Gallery has set the stage for the paintings and other artistic creations of artist Victor Alvarez.
Alvarez, a former student from Edinburg, passed away last August from spinal muscular atrophy at age 23, leaving behind a collection of work. A reception for “VICTORious Art” will take place Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. to display his creations.
Leila Hernandez, an associate professor of graphic design, took action and decided to host an exhibition on Alvarez’s art after being inspired by his ambition.
“I think that it’s something we should celebrate to remember him and to remember his work,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez had the privilege of teaching Alvarez in her typography class before he died.
“It was the last class he took,” she recalled. “He was amazing. He would do twice as much as
everybody else. He never wanted to be treated differently.
“He wanted to be treated equally, and he actually kicked everybody’s butt in class,” she added with a laugh.
The reception will commemorate Alvarez’s strong spirit that inspired everyone he met with music, food and his art.
“I was very happy and thankful that we were all able to put this together and on Thursday we’ll have a great celebration,” Hernandez said. “He touched a lot of people, he brought many people together and we were all honored to have met him.”
A catalog of Alvarez’s work along with inspirational quotes he wrote over the years will go on sale at the reception. Alvarez became a noted public figure during his time in school, writing an occasional column for The Monitor and becoming known for his can-do attitude despite spending his days in a wheelchair.
“He was a writer as well as an artist and we needed to combine
this in the catalog,” said Elizabeth Gearhart, his mother. “He talked about connections between art and ideas and the world. He would sit in his chair and, because he sat he thought so much, he would come up with these magnificent quotes.”
Revenue from the catalog will be used to assist students at the University.
“The catalog we designed has all his work,” Hernandez said. “This catalog well be there Thursday and all the proceeds will be for scholarships to help our students buy art supplies.”
The reception will go until 9 p.m., and both Hernandez and Gearhart hope Alvarez’s art will leave guests with a message lasting infinitely longer.
“I hope it inspires young people that are struggling to follow their dreams and never give up,” Gearhart said. “It was a part of his philosophy, and I hope that young people who see this will say, ‘Well, if Victor could do it, I could do it.’”
September 8, 20118
The Anatomy of SuccessBy Sandy DavisThe Pan American
The finalists of the CineSol 36 Hour Film Race will screen their 10-minute films Sunday at the Texas State Technical College Cultural Arts Center in Harlingen. The event is from 3-7 p.m. Admission is $10. www.cinesol.com
The Weslaco Museum will host a reception Friday for the opening of “More Than Black and White,” a multimedia exhibit by UTPA art professors M.C. Farris and Karen Sanders. The event begins at 6 p.m., and admission is free.
Edinburg Market Days will take place at the Town Square (across from the Edinburg courthouse) Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vendors will offer up fresh produce, antiques and arts and crafts. Admission is free.
By now most people in the university community have seen the eye-catching flyers for the Career Style Show: a silhouette of legs wearing peep-toe shoes.
The show is coordinated by Career Services to highlight the do’s and don’ts of what to wear for a job interview and will be held at the University Ballroom Tuesday at noon.
Susie Chapa, associate director of Career Services, said the show will feature local business professionals discussing the best way to appear professional. “You’ve got to look very conservative,” Chapa said. “We point out a lot of things, from the jewelry to colors to heels. All of these can be very drastic and need to be kept very conservative in an interview.”
“Be conservative” is a lesson that Mike McKenna wishes more people would learn. While interviewing hundreds of applicants for the opening of the Love’s Truck Stop in Edinburg, McKenna, an assistant manager from San Antonio, said that some people
came to interviews wearing tube tops and flip flops. He added that people need to dress as seriously as they want to be taken.
After learning what to wear, some students ask where they can buy professional attire on a limited budget. Chapa
recommended shopping early and looking for sales at places like Dillard’s and Macy’s.
“Start thinking about that one suit,” she said. “We are using Dress Barn for the women this year and Bealls for the men, but we have also gotten some great outfits at Target and Walmart.”
In the continued quest to get students ready for life after college, Career Services offers mock interviews as a way for students and alumni to prepare for the big day.
Mark Vela, a social studies composite major from McAllen who has done several
mock interviews, vouched for the process.
“It helped me remember how to respond to questions properly,” he said. “It gave me a new perspective for future interviews. The mock interview helps you learn from small mistakes.”
The event is designed to teach concepts that will aid student job searches, including proper eye contact and how to answer questions, and will stress that people need to research companies they want to work for. Organizers say that the event will help students build valuable confidence after the practice interview.
Career Services follows up the Style Show with a Career Expo, Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. in the Field House. This will give students the chance to speak with recruiters about specific career opportunities. For more information of all these events, contact Career Services at (956) 665-2243 or by visiting the second floor of the Student Services Building from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays.
Fashion show to model proper job interview attire
Cine El Rey in McAllen will host its weekly jam session Tuesday from 10 p.m. to 2 p.m.
By Dimitra HernandezThe Pan American
Art department honors late student with memorial exhibition
David Zapata / The Pan american
wear thiS, not that - The Career Services style show will demonstrate how to dress appropriately for the workplace. The event will be held Tuesday at noon in the University Ballroom.
reynaldo Leal/ The Pan american
victoriouS art - One of Victor Alvarez’s art pieces, “Two-face” is on display in the Fine Arts Gallery. The art exhibit opens Sept. 8 at 6 p.m.
Art
ADVERTISEMENTSSeptember 8, 2011 Page 9
Not Just a
Newspaper
Anymore!
Tras años de estudios los doctores han dedicado sus vidas a la investigación del cuerpo humano. Se destacan por sus prácticas médicas y para descubrir soluciones a una vida más saludable. Sin embargo, a pesar de números años de preparación ellos aún no están capacitados para enfrentar un obstáculo: la barrera del idioma.
En la Universidad de Texas Pan-American los estudiantes de medicina que sueñan con algún día ser doctores tienen la posibilidad de terminar con el impedimento lingüístico.
El “Student Association of Medical Spanish” o “S.A.M.S.”, por sus siglas en inglés, es una asociación que se enfoca en ayudar a futuros médicos del Valle a comunicarse con personas de habla hispana.
“Todas nuestra juntas son totalmente en español, no se revuelve el inglés con el español o viceversa,” informo el presidente de S.A.M.S. José Villegas quien estudia “Pre-Medical Biology” con un “minor” en Liderazgo y Química.
Combaten la barrera lingüística teniendo interpretaciones simultáneas tales
como las que enfrentaran con sus futuros pacientes. También traducen palabras del habla hispana antiguo a las de hoy en día.
Es una organización que realmente les importa, como menciono José, el poder hablar correctamente el español para comunicarse con plenitud y darse a entender cómo debido.
Tan solo tienen un año desde que se creó y ya está integrada por más de 42 miembros. A pesar de que S.A.M.S. no ha logrado formalizar requisitos de la universidad para ser aceptada y reconocida, han demostrado ser una agrupación que se ha desarrollado con éxito y rapidez.
El poder impactar positivamente a su comunidad con servicios comunitarios es una de sus otras metas. De hecho, del 22 de Agosto del 2011 hasta el 27 del mismo mes, 13 miembros de S.A.M.S. partieron a Puerto Rico para realizar un servicio social a las personas de bajo recursos.
“Queremos ayudar a todo el mundo,” comento José, “vendimos tacos, ayudamos aquí, ayudamos acá y hasta rifamos una bolas Coach para recaudar dinero para el viaje.”
A pesar que tal actividad no se realizo con plenitud, a causa del Huracán Irene, si se logro ir como planeado.
Viajaron a San Juan, Puerto Rico en
donde prepararon dramas para educar a niños pequeños a como lavarse los dientes y a los adultos les enseñaron a prepararse para un desastre natural, tal como el de Irene.
En tan solo un año de existencia ya han organizado más de ocho eventos comunitarios y han presentado a importantes invitados a sus reuniones.
Reconoc idos doctores y miembros educativos asisten a cuyas juntas “para diversi� car a los estudiantes a saber qué hacer con sus carreras medicas,” como menciono el Presidente José Villegas.
Poco a poco han adquirido el reconocimiento que tanto anhelan. De hecho hasta han logrado salir en revistas de salud del Valle como “Healthy Valley.”
El S.A.M.S. ya ha logrado obtener
tantos reconocimientos e impactar a su comunidad con Juguetones, HESTEC, Carreras de 5 kilómetros, Día del Niño y muchos servicios más. El “Student Association of Medical Spanish” solo espera ser reconocido por su universidad.
Si te interesa ser parte del S.A.M.S. puedes adquirir más información en su
página de FaceBook en SAMS UTPA o en la página de de la escuela en utpa.edu/medicalspanish, o simplemente mandar un correo electrónico a [email protected].
Como menciono Heidi Arteaga, la ex-vicepresidente de S.A.M.S., “el que no vive para servir no servir para vivir.” Mucha suerte para S.A.M.S.
Como ya se sabe la Universidad de Texas Pan-American es una llave para abrir puertas a un valioso futuro a cada estudiante. Es por eso que esta universidad cuenta con un programa llamado “Student Leadership Program” o Liderazgo Estudiantil. Tal programa ayuda a desarrollar y capaciar a lideres en todas las áreas necesarias para un mejor funcionamiento.
Los estudiantes quienes forman parte de este programa practican y desarrollan diversas habilidades a través de talleres, reuniones y proyectos comunitarios en donde adquieren estrategias de liderazgo.
Tales actividades ayudan a los miembros del “SLP” a convertirse en personas exitosas. Según la Señora Dolores Villarreal, quien está encargada como Sub-directora del Liderazgo Estudiantil, el verdadero propósito del programa es para asegurar que la próxima generación sea de líderes competentes para el estado.
“El programa del “SLP” ha creado
muchos líderes quienes han impactado positivamente a nuestra comunidad. Como estudiantes, este programa nos ha dado la oportunidad de incrementar nuestra habilidad como líderes y poder ser un buen ejemplo para las generaciones por venir,” informo José Patiño quien
ha sido miembro del Programa de Liderazgo Estudiantil por dos años y estudia Ingeniería Mecánica.
Es importante mencionar que hay ciertos requisitos para poder ser parte del “Student Leadership Program,” ya que es un programa con cierta importancia en
la universidad y tiene una duración de cuatro años.
Para poder formar parte del tal programa el estudiante
debe mandar una solicitud
d u r a n t e su último año en la preparatoria
o escuela superior. Al
mandar todos los requisitos requeridos por el programa seguirán con una entrevista, la cual determina si el estudiante es capaz de ser un “líder.”
Ya en el programa el líder tendrá que mantener un promedio mínimo de
2.7. Tiene que asistir a cada una de las reuniones, que se toman acabo en diversas ocasiones, y a eventos del programa.
También deben de participar en servicios sociales, organizar y hasta servir en un comité estudiantil de la universidad para demostrar que son líderes y poder aplicar lo aprendido, entre muchas otras actividades.
Sin embargo, debido al estrés económico y recortes en los presupuestos del Estado de Texas, la universidad tuvo que tomar decisiones de recortar el
� nanciamiento proveído, tanto como para estudiantes como para diversos programas.
Entre uno de ellos estaba el programa del “Student Leadership Program.” De acuerdo con la Sra. Villarreal, el
no poder conseguir los su� cientes fondos para el programa del
“SLP” 2011-2012, afectara solo a los nuevos estudiantes quienes quisieran formar parte del programa.
Con eso en mente, se tomo la decisión de eliminar gradualmente el programa con el propósito de seguir adelante manteniendo a los
líderes actuales. El día de hoy, el “SLP” está
constituido con 40 miembros. Los cuales concluyeran hasta que se gradúen—serian tres años más incluyendo este año. Pues cada uno de los estudiantes actuales tiene como bene� cio de obtener
una beca de $2,000. El cual, con menos fondos no se les es posible otorgar a nuevos estudiantes que quisieran formar parte de este programa.
Además de lo mencionado, previamente los recortes en el programa no afectaran mucho a los estudiantes actuales pues solo se tendrá que recortar algunos eventos o reuniones que requieren gastos monetarios.
“Es muy triste que la escuela vaya a recortar este programa porque realmente ha sido de gran ayuda para mi educación. Creo que hay muchos otros programas que deben de ser eliminados, pero no este,” comento un miembro del programa de Liderazgo Estudiantil quien pre� ere quedarse en el anonimato.
Para los nuevos estudiantes quienes deseen unirse a este programa no tendrán la oportunidad de participar en el este año debido a los recorte � nancieros. No obstante tendrán la oportunidad de tomar parte en otro programa, muy similar al “SLP,” llamado “Rising Stars.” Sin embargo cuyos estudiantes no recibirán una beca como los del actual “Student Leadership Program.”
Con tantos recortes � nancieros muchos otros programas sufrirán las mismas reducciones como el “Student Leadership Program.” La única esperanza de poder mantener en pie tales asociaciones es que la crisis económica mejor pronto, sino la Universidad Pan-Americana no tendrá más lideres.
Por Ale Román y Saira TreviñoThe Pan American
September 8, 201110
Programa de liderazgo estudiantil a ser recortado
Por Mayra Godínez y Saira TreviñoThe Pan American
Como ya se sabe la Universidad de Texas Pan-American es una llave para abrir puertas a un valioso futuro a cada estudiante. Es por eso que esta universidad cuenta con un programa llamado “Student Leadership Program” o Liderazgo Estudiantil. Tal programa ayuda a desarrollar y capaciar a lideres en todas las áreas necesarias para un mejor funcionamiento.
Los estudiantes quienes forman parte de este programa practican y desarrollan diversas habilidades a través de talleres, reuniones y proyectos comunitarios en donde adquieren estrategias de liderazgo.
Tales actividades ayudan a los miembros del “SLP” a convertirse en personas exitosas. Según la Señora Dolores Villarreal,
muchos líderes quienes han impactado positivamente a nuestra comunidad. Como estudiantes, este programa nos ha dado la oportunidad de incrementar nuestra habilidad como líderes y poder ser un buen ejemplo para las generaciones por venir,” informo José Patiño quien
la universidad y tiene una duración de cuatro años.
Para poder formar parte del tal programa el estudiante
debe mandar una solicitud
d u r a n t e su último año en la preparatoria
o escuela superior. Al
2.7. Tiene que asistir a cada una de las reuniones, que se toman acabo en diversas ocasiones, y a eventos del programa.
También deben de participar en servicios sociales, organizar y hasta servir en un comité estudiantil de la universidad para demostrar que son líderes y poder aplicar lo aprendido, entre muchas otras actividades.
Sin embargo, debido al estrés económico y recortes en los presupuestos del Estado de Texas, la universidad tuvo que tomar decisiones de recortar el
� nanciamiento proveído, tanto como para estudiantes como para diversos programas.
Entre uno de ellos estaba el programa del “Student Leadership Program.” De acuerdo con la Sra. Villarreal, el
no poder conseguir los su� cientes fondos para el programa del
“SLP” 2011-2012, afectara solo a los nuevos estudiantes quienes quisieran formar parte del programa.
Con eso en mente, se tomo la decisión de eliminar gradualmente el programa con el propósito de seguir adelante manteniendo a los
Por Ale Román y Saira TreviñoThe Pan American
S.A.M.S. rompiendo las barreras del idioma
EL IDIOMA DE LA MEDICINA - Jose Villegas, presidente de S.A.M.S, dandole la bienvenida a los integrantes de este grupo por el inicio del semester 2011- 2012.
Johnathan Wilds /THE PAN AMERICAN
Maria Alanis/THE PAN AMERICAN
September 8, 2011 11
Reynaldo Leal/THE PAN AMERICAN
� e University of Texas-Pan American cross-country team may have lost leadership such as decorated runners Omar Doria and Wally Gonzalez to graduation, but that has certainly not dampened the expectations for this season.
“We certainly have a lot of holes to � ll on the men’s side, but we still want to win the conference title,” head coach Dave Hartman said. “We also want to � nish
in the top ten in regionals.”
Expectations such as those may be challenging to reach, especially when the current men’s roster consists of � ve freshmen, four sophomores and only three seniors.
A n inexperienced team will make it di� cult for early success, but second-year runner Luis Serrano thinks the team will be just � ne.
“We lost guys like Omar and Wally, but I think this year we can be stronger,” said Serrano, who, like those two, is from Edinburg North. “Everyone is going to need to help out as being a leader, but at the same time we need to � nd that one guy who is going to lead the young guys on this team.”
In high school, Serrano was a four-time regional and three-time state quali� er for the Cougars. With the Broncs, he had a solid freshman season last year in both cross-country and track and � eld, � nishing ninth at the
Great West Conference Indoor Championship in the 5,000-meter run with a personal best mark of 15:28.32. He also got eighth in the
conference in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:43.45. In the Bronc Buster In v i t a t i o n a l Serrano � nished sixth.
Ha r t m a n has con� dence in Serrano.
“I believe that Luis (Serrano) is going to have a great season,” he said. “Luis had such a great freshman year that we believe
the sky is the limit with him.”Along with the goals that
Serrano has for this team, there are always personal goals. And with such a young team it is those personal goals that will begin to rub o� on the rest of the squad.
“My personal goal is to be better than last year of course, but also we have a team goal here, and that is to win a conference title. At the end of the day, I just want to
help the team to get success,” the sophomore said. “Right now I think that getting better is a little more important than winning at this point. We have a fairly young team, and winning will eventually come as long as we continue to get better both individually and as a team.”
� e season o� cially kicked o� Sept. 2 at the RGV Classic at the Monte Cristo Golf Course in Edinburg. It was a warm-up meet that matched UTPA and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
“I think the team as a whole did pretty good on Friday at the RGV Classic considering that it was the � rst event for the year,” Serrano said. “Personally, I feel like I need a little more time to get where I need to be. In order to help my team like I want to, I need a few more events under my belt.”
� e saying goes “practice makes perfect,” but as Serrano and the rest of the men’s team know, practice may not make them perfect, but will certainly make them better.
� e men’s team will be back in action Sept 16 at the Ricardo Romo/Six Flags Fiesta Texas Classic in San Antonio.
By Michael Saenz The Pan American
Ready to lead men’s cross-country team
to victory
LuisSerrano:
Luis Serrano
“Everyone is going
to need to help out
as being a leader, but
at the same time we
need to find that one
guy who is going to
lead the young guys
on this team.”
� e University of Texas-Pan American volleyball team needed any kind of momentum it could get dur-ing its home season debut against Texas Tech University Tuesday night at the UTPA Fieldhouse.
Many expected the Broncs to just roll over against Tech, but the Broncs, needing only one point to win the � rst game, certainly carried a huge momen-tum wave to disprove non-believers.
But after a timeout, the Big 12 Conference giants slipped from the Broncs’ chokehold and went on a 9-1 run to win the game 27-25. � e Red Raiders won the remaining two games, 25-11 and 25-21, to sweep the Broncs.
Call it luck or misfortune, but Broncs coach Brian Yale saw the � rst-game collapse as a hangover.
“We executed but we couldn’t get the ball on the � oor,” Yale said. “� at’s the big di� erence. We needed to learn how to � nish those games. Because we didn’t � nish, we came out with a little hangover in set two, but we’ll learn.”
Texas Tech’s Don Flora called two timeouts in the � rst period, one with the Red Raiders down 7-3 and the
other with a 20-14 de� cit. Not only did Tech regroup and score points after the timeouts, but they disrupted the Broncs’ momentum.
As the Red Raiders drew closer to the Broncs, Yale also called a timeout.
“� ings were going well for us, but then we got a little rattled there, and I called the timeout at the end to break their momentum,” Yale said.
� ere was no halt in Texas Tech’s momentum, and it won the set. What-ever luck UTPA (1-7) held throughout most of the � rst game turned into mis-fortune during the second game.
“I felt like we were good through-out the (� rst) set, it’s just that we got timid,” said outside hitter Ijanae Hol-man, who recorded eight kills and nine digs. “We stopped hitting and stopped testing ourselves.”
� e hangover wilted the power-hitting and fast-moving Broncs, who little by little were overmatched by the bigger and more physical Red Raiders. Although UTPA opened the second game with a point, Tech rolled to a comfortable 21-10 lead en route to the 25-11 win.
� e Broncs started strong with a 12-7 third-set lead, but the visit-
ing Red Raid-ers proved to be too much again.
“We were just trying to stay in the game and not freak out and just play like we had in the last 20 points of the � rst game,” Holman said.
At the end, the loss stung a little less because of the huge home support of about 200 Bronc fans.
“� e gym has never been louder for UTPA volleyball,” junior middle blocker Sarah Davis said. “Even after we lost, we still had a cheer section, and it totally picked up the energy. � e fans want to come back, and we played well tonight.”
UTPA must now change the
cassette to prepare for the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Tournament starting Sept. 9. � e Broncs’ next
home game is Sept. 13 when they face o� against the Islanders of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Broncs’ momentum falls short in home openerBy Alex E. Peña The Pan American
SPIKED- Maria Kliefoth, freshman, spikes the ball during the Sept. 6 game against the Red Raiders. The Bronc volleyball team dropped three straight games to Texas Tech and so far has won one match.
Norma Gonzalez/THE PAN AMERICAN
the pan american September 8, 2011Page 12
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