april 17, 2008
DESCRIPTION
I SGA DJ scene next big ‘movement’ Thursday April 17, 2008 59th Year No. 27 Residents benefit from housing program Hardship no match for track standout Doria By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American By ANA VILLAURRUTIA The Pan American See Page 16 See FORUM page 11 See Page 3 See MATH page 11 See SGA page 11 THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER By J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American See Page 8 & 9TRANSCRIPT
If you’re not good at it, math can be
a nightmare. But Students at The
University of Texas-Pan American
whose major does not fall under math,
engineering or science will soon have
another option for their required math
course offered through the philosophy
department.
Last fall, the philosophy depart-
ment’s request for a new course,
Introduction to Formal Logic 1320, was
approved by the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board. The course will be
offered beginning this fall and is a
requirement for philosophy students.
Formal logic had only been briefly
mentioned in Introduction to Philosophy
classes. It was a five-year long endeavor
but they finally named Greg Gilson, phi-
losophy program coordinator, as the
logic professor.
“It’s been a group effort among the
philosophy department,” said Gilson.
“We were taking a while to develop it
but it was approved in one year.”
According to assistant philosophy
Marcos Silva didn’t enter the
Student Government a year ago with
dreams of becoming its president. But it
happened anyway. He didn’t start a recy-
cling program last year in hope of laying
the groundwork for bigger, future earth-
friendly plans. But that’s how it has
shaken out.
Much behind Silva’s rise to the
head of SGA has been a series of things
that he didn’t plan with a specific goal in
mind, but curiosity carried the day. As
recently elected campus president, the
junior psychology major will continue
his give-it-a-try approach and hopes to
bring about a new era for the student
group.
Silva, of McAllen, and now SGA
Vice President Raghuveer Puttagunta
beat out Yuri Bazan and Michael
See Page 16
Hardship no match fortrack standout Doria
SPORTS
Residents benefit fromhousing program
DJ scene next big‘movement’
See Page 8 & 9
See Page 3
A&E
NEWS
59th YearNo. 27
ThursdayApril 17, 2008
TH
IS W
EE
K
� SGA
New president realisticabout goals, challenges
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER
See MATH page 11
� BORDER
Math alternative anticipated
See SGA page 11
Fenced inOfficials say government not properlycommunicating on Border Wall issue
� ACADEMIC
By SANDRA GONZALEZThe Pan American
By ANA VILLAURRUTIAThe Pan American
he topic was the economical and environmen-
tal impact the proposed Border Fence would
bring to the region, and possible solutions, as a panel
of Texas and Mexican mayors and business and environ-
mental officials at The University of Texas-Pan American
Tuesday. One of the main reasons for the forum was to bring atten-
tion to the perceived lack of communication on the part U.S. govern-
ment officials with people and groups in this area.
Both sides of the border argue that business and environmental
sectors of the Valley and its neighboring country, Mexico, would
be deeply impinged on. In fact, recent immigration crack-
downs across the board, from increased number of Border
Patrol agents to employer accountability and raids on
businesses, have changed the local number of daily
crossings.
Brownsville mayor Pat Ahumada said
the number of people crossing every
day had decreased by one million
people, and that this lessening
of traffic has affected local
business.
“Brownsville
has already wit-
nessed a
dec rease
in crossing,” he
said. “The problem with a
physical wall is that our nature
reserves will be affected…our historical
corridor will be affected, those are historical monu-
ments and sites that will be affected. “
Ahumada, who is a member of the Texas Border
Coalition, opposes the physical barrier that became a pending fact
last year through lesiglation, adding that alternative forms of security
should be implemented instead of a wall that will disturb of wildlife and
history. Proponents of this tack recommend electronic technology for a sort
of “virtual fence,” among other options
Del Rio mayor Efrain Valdez said the proposed Texas wall differs
from the partially constructed one along the California and Arizona border
because of the rich environment present in the Valley. With its world
famous habitat and numerous wildlife refugees, the Texas border has a lot
more at stake than the sparse desert land of the other states.
Valdez added that the Texas Border Coalition is not against border
security, but rather the construction of a physical fence.
“A one-size-fits-all attitude doesn’t work here,” he said. “What works
in Arizona and New Mexico doesn’t work in Texas because we already have
a natural border, the Rio Grande.”
Most of the contributing panelists saw eye to eye when it came to find-
ing creative ways to secure the border without a fence.
Ahumada said a project proposal out of Brownsville calls for the water
level of the Rio Grande to be raised from 12 to 26 feet, widened up to 300
feet and backed up for 32 miles upriver. He said by implementing more sur-
veillance and security technology along with the “natural barrier,”
Brownsville’s historical sites such as Fort Brown - which is on the river -
can be preserved.
Wayne Bartholomew, director of Frontera Audubon Society in
Weslaco, said the environmental impact a physical wall would have on the
Valley is “catastrophic.” According to him, a physical wall would roll back
30 years of wildlife preservations and natural environment.
Another concern discussed was border-crossing waiting times. Those
who cross often have gone from waiting for 10 minutes to about 30 minutes
at some bridge crossings. The Real ID law and other more strict policies
have also threatened to extend the downtime for people who work or go to
school on one side and live on the other.
Monica Weisberg-Stewart of the TBC said that the points of entry
See FORUM page 11
T
By J.R. ORTEGAThe Pan American
THE PAN AMERICANPage 2
1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539Phone: (956) 381-2541
Fax: (956) 316-7122www.utpa.edu/dept/panamerican
THE
PANAMERICAN
APRIL 17, 2008
The Pan American is the official student newspaperof The University of Texas-Pan American. Viewspresented are those of the writers and do notnecessarily reflect those of the paper or university.
Editor-in-ChiefSandra Gonzalez.................................................
A&E EditorJeanette [email protected]
Sports Co-EditorsGregorio [email protected] [email protected]
Photography EditorRoxy [email protected]
Design EditorRoy [email protected]
Assistant News EditorsAbigail [email protected]. [email protected]
Designers Rick GamezJuan Torres
Reporters and Photographers
Alvaro Balderas Ana Villaurrutia
Bobby Cervantes Russen Vela
Leslie Estrada Onydia Garza
Laura Garcia
AdviserDr. Greg [email protected]
The Pan American accepts letters of 300words or less from students, staff and facultyregarding recent newspaper content, campusconcerns or current events. The Pan Americanreserves the right to edit submissions for grammarand length. The Pan American cannot publishanonymous letters or submissions containing hatespeech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send allstory ideas to [email protected].
Individuals with disabilities wishing toacquire this publication in an alternative format orneeding assistance to attend any event listed cancontact The Pan American for more details.
SecretaryAnita [email protected]
Advertising ManagerSamantha [email protected]
Assitant Advertising ManagerJacqueline Iglesias...................................
**Delivery**Thursday at noon
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Savethesedates
OPINIONApril 17, 2008
17-19
Newsinbrief
April
17-19 UTPA Dance Program:Senior Choreography
Projects at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium
ver since I can remember, super-
stitions have been a part of every
game and sport. Each sport has its own set
of superstitions that set the rules for how
the games will be played out. Every play-
er has his own good luck charm, be that a
lucky piece of equipment or some cloth-
ing.
Yet, a recent set of events has moved
these little beliefs into a whole new ball-
park. Pardon the pun, if you get it.
It seems that a Red Sox fan was
helping build the Yankees’ new baseball
stadium, and in an attempt to curse the
team, buried one of the Boston player’s
jerseys on the grounds.
For those that might not know,
there has been an ongoing rivalry with
the Red Sox and the Yankees for a long
time, as well as the “Curse of the
Bambino,” as after Babe Ruth was sold
by Boston to the Yankees, some believe
the deal made the Red Sox unable to win
any World Series or pennant. Until, that
is, they miraculously beat the Yankees in
the 2004 American League
Championship Series after being down
by three games, going on to win their
first World Series since the teens.
The unearthing of the jersey now
brings into question not only the super-
stitions that people use in hopes of win-
ning, but also the idea of what people do
to try and make the opponent lose.
Is there some voodoo witch doctor
out there, that when he just has the itch-
ing to make some team lose, spreads his
juju powder to curse the team? And what
if you make little voodoo dolls of the
entire team?
While some might see this as a lit-
tle over the top, it still begs the question
of where will it all stop. Even with last
year’s football season, superstition ran
rampant with the Dallas Cowboys.
Jessica Simpson watches the game, Tony
Romo screws up and costs the team the
game. So people wanted her out of the
stadium, saying Romo couldn’t handle
the pressure of having his main squeeze
watching him in action.
But what if she watches at home?
She is still watching him. So shouldn’t
he still screw up? And if we take away
the television, I’m sure she has at least
some sense as to how to work a radio.
I think its time now that we drop
this thing about curses and superstitions.
No one wants you to wear the very first
socks you had on when you won your
first game, which you never wash so you
don’t wash out the win. Let’s base the
results on actual talent and blame the
players themselves when they screw up.
� Got a way to break aseven-year curse, con-tact me at my [email protected].
Black Cats and Red Sox� A GREGISH MIND
1818 Student Union presents
illusionist Craig Karges inthe Student Union Theatre
at 4 p.m.
E
� LEADERSHIP WEEKThe University of Texas-Pan
American will be hosting Leadership
Week, which will run April 14-19 this
year. In it’s fifth year, the project encour-
ages and recognizes student leadership
and service.
United to Serve, the highlight of
this year’s activities, is a volunteer proj-
ect set to be held on Saturday. Students,
faculty and staff volunteers will work
together with Keep McAllen Beautiful
to clean yards and paint the homes of
elderly, disabled and low-income resi-
dents in McAllen’s Idela Park area. For
more information contact Amy Martin at
381-2260.
1919 Empty Bowls Throw-A-
Thon for Food Bank of theRio Grande Valley from 8a.m. to 5 p.m. at the UTPA
fine arts annex
s a fond lover of journalism,
there’s not much that I won’t do
or places I won’t go to find an interest-
ing subject. Case in point: Going to local
biker bars to find out what’s really
behind the biker lifestyle. Yes, bikers. I
should have repeated that out loud to
understand how ridiculous it sounded.
For our last story assignment in
my specialized reporting class, our
group was assigned five-hour time slots,
from Friday at midnight to Saturday
midnight, in which we were to go out
and explore the Valley in search of a
good story. First thing that comes to my
group mates’ minds is bikers, How they
came to that conclusion, I have yet to
understand but there it was. My jaw
dropped and my eyes squinted as I
attempted to process what just came out
of their mouths. Three girls going out to
biker bars on Saturday?
Our time slot was from 3 p.m. to 8
p.m. so after I pinched myself and realized
that that was going to be our subject, I fig-
ured that biker bars around that time
might not be as scary or dangerous than if
we had the midnight to 5 a.m. shift.
A wave of anxiety hit me as I drove
to meet my two group mates on campus;
they had determined our first stop would
be along 107, at Jokerz Biker Bar.
We finally landed ourselves at the
small, orange shack known as Jokerz.
Biker Fest was going on at the Island so
an empty bar was expected.
We hesitated as we made our way
toward the wide-open door, but some-
how found the last bit of courage to step
right on in. Immediately, we’re greeted
with a hello from a scraggly, old biker
dude and…hugs?!
“We’re not bikers.” “Doesn’t mat-
ter, we’re all friends here.” Odd I
thought, but whatever, he seemed friend-
ly. Maybe too friendly, but whatever,
better that than a grumpy old guy kick-
ing out of his bar. So after introductions
were made, we proceeded to pursue our
story. I listened in as I wandered the bar
with my 35 mm.
Joker proceeded to down about
three beers during the course of the
interview but he seemed to be able to
hold his alcohol so we didn’t think much
of it. After about 45 minutes into the
interview, I find myself asking him a
question but am rudely interrupted as
Joker starts complaining about my lip
ring. What? How does an interview
about him suddenly turn into my body
modification?
The man reaches out his arm as if
to touch my lip, I shudder and my group
mates are mortified. Fortunately, Joker
pulls back and shakes his head in disgust
at me. Uh, ok.
Nervous, I attempt to break the
awkward silence by bringing up my new
tattoo, right below my neck. I show my
group but Joker remains at the counter,
smiles and says he’s got a tattoo too.
What happened next was exactly
what I feared. The man proceeded to
unbuckle his belt, unzip his pants and pull
the side of his faded jeans. All we saw was
a skinny white thigh and hip as he laughed
and said, “Oh wait, my troll ate it.” The
things I do for journalism.
� If you feel I wasn’t openenough to some tough ‘olbikers, tell me about it [email protected]
Journalists can only go so far � PONDERINGS
A
BY: JEANETTE PEREZ
BY: GREGORIO GARZA
Samuel Freeman lives a life sur-
rounded by paradox.
He’s the outspoken long-time pro-
fessor who people quietly — or not —
exchange affection and/or grievances
about. He’s the man who - though born
and bred in the Deep South where gen-
tleman are stereotypically the norm - has
nothing but harsh words for U.S.
President George Bush.
But most notably, he’s the man
with the political views and activism all
will expect, but a personal story few
will. His adventurous tenure at the uni-
versity has been full of action, in the
classroom and on the protest scene, and
he comes by his noteworthy passion nat-
urally, through a lifetime of experiences.
Freeman grew up the typical
“Georgia boy,” in his words. Like many
long-time professors, his birth year gave
him a seat in front of the window with a
Civil Rights-movement view.
But never being the type to watch
for long, the 14-year-old Freeman got
involved.
It was 1959 and Atlanta, like
many other places in the United States
at the time, found itself embroiled in a
fight over blacks and segregation.
Freeman was an active participant in
the burgeoning movement, in spite of
his parents’ views.
“My parents were racists,” clari-
fied Freeman, who has lived in
Edinburg for almost 30 years. “I say
that and it sounds horrible because you
immediately think Ku Klux Klan. My
parents were not at all empathetic
toward the Klan... when I say they
were racist these weren’t people who
hated blacks, but they did believe that
blacks were inferior to whites. And
they did believe that blacks and white
would never be able to live together in
a peaceful and integrated society.”
Their views never sat well with the
young Freeman.
“I grew up in the South, I grew up
in a racist environment and I was taught
At first glance, the pristine land-
scaping and a repetition of attractive-
looking houses may not suggest a typical
housing site catering to under-privileged
residents, but Jardines de la Fuente in the
Las Milpas area of Pharr, does just that.
The property houses more than 200
families in this
low-income area
of town and is
funded and run
by National Farm
Workers Service
Center Inc.; it
first opened in
January 2005 to
offer high-quali-
ty, affordable
housing for
working families.
For resi-
dents like
Brigida Rodriguez, the fact that rent is
based on income is a big help. A single
mother, Rodriguez lives off what she
makes as a housekeeper at the leasing
office and three laundromats at
Jardines de la Fuente.
“I think that in my case, it’s a
change since in Mexico, you to have pay
for everything,” Rodriguez said in
Spanish, mentioning there are more pro-
grams in the United States offering
financial help.
Rodriguez said she has seen how
positive the after-school program on the
property is, especially to children of
tenants.
“It’s very beneficial to the parents
even,” Rodriguez said. “A lot of parents
don’t have time because of work. I don’t
feel they would be able to find this kind
of help anywhere else.”
THE LEARNING CENTERFor Frank Gutierrez, the opportuni-
ty to work at the Si Se Puede (Yes we
can) Learning Center in Jardines de la
Fuente, was a way to give back to the
community.
Having grown up in the housing
projects of Edinburg, Gutierrez felt it
was important to go back to his roots and
find a way to help an under-served area.
The 25-year-old sophomore educa-
tion major at UTPA feels a sense of
accomplishment working in such a place.
“It’s rewarding to me, personally,”
said Gutierrez, a resident activity leader,
who assists the resident service coordi-
nator with the children’s after-school
activities.
The children learn a lot at the cen-
ter from 3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. as they
wait for parents to pick them up. The
program offers a supplement to what
they learn at school, Gutierrez said.
“They get more out of it because
we reinforce what they learn at school,”
Gutierrez said, mentioning they also
work closely with individual students’
teachers at their regular school. “We can
focus on what the children need.”
Gutierrez said they consulted with
the principal at the elementary school
the students attend. Permission was
given to them so that they can coordinate
with teachers.
THE PAN AMERICANApril 17, 2008 Page 3
NEWS� LOCAL
Group puts ‘unity’ in community
� PROFILE
Every Freeman has his fight
Onydia Garza /The Pan American
READING TIME - Nick Burt, resident service coordinator for Jardines de la Fuente, reads There was an Old Lady WhoSwallowed Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold to the younger kids in the after school program at the learning center.
See FREEMAN page 11
See HOUSING page 12
By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American
By ABBY MUNIZThe Pan American
Abby Muniz /The Pan American
OUTSPOKEN - Samuel Freeman, a political science profesor, is one of UTPAʼsmost vocal and politically active faculty members.
� “I think thepeople thatcome to livehere, also comewanting to com-municate withthe rest of thecommunity....”
Maria GomezOrganizer
LUPE
NEWSPage 4 April 17, 2008
NEWSApril 17, 2008 Page 5
NEWSPage 6 April 17, 2008
Every year from September
through May, the McAllen Chamber of
Commerce presents a compilation of 16
workshops and seminars called the
Cultural Arts and Entertainment Series.
This year, Greg Schuller, adminis-
trative assistant for cultural arts with the
McAllen Chamber of Commerce, said
organizers found themselves in a bind.
The original pottery instructor opted not
to do the workshop this year.
But the problem was solved, as
recent UTPA graduate Ramiro Paz led
the workshop April 15 at the McAllen
Creative Incubator.
“I contacted several art professors
from UTPA and they all recommended
that I contact Mr. Paz. He was gracious
enough to present this workshop,”
Schuller said.
Paz is a sculptor, potter and now an
art instructor at Veterans’ Middle School
in the Donna I.S.D. He graduated from
the university with a master’s in Spanish
and a master of fine art (MFA).
“I have found that making pottery
relaxes me and allows me to express
myself,” Paz said. “I’d like to share
this with other people while at the same
time contributing my time with the
community.”
Paz was born in Mendez,
Tamaulipas, Mexico and moved to Las
Milpas, near Pharr, when he was 13,
attending P-SJ-A High School. Before
college, he didn’t have much experience
with pottery and sculpturing but he had
been intrigued by art at a young age.
“I started doing some drawings
when I was in third grade in Mexico. I
continued doing it sporadically, until I
was in high school,” recalled Paz.
After he graduated from P-SJ-A, he
enrolled in the Navy and put art on hold
while he served. Upon completing active
duty, he applied to UTPA and began
enrolling in art classes.
Before he had received the job in
Donna, he was a teaching assistant,
gallery director and part-time lecturer
at UTPA. He had also dabbled in teach-
ing pottery workshops before.
“I have contributed with the
Empty Bowls Throw-a-thon event for
the past three years,” he said, adding
that he enjoys teaching events of this
nature and wouldn’t mind instructing
more in the future.
“I like to give people an opportuni-
ty to learn something new,” Paz said.
When asked what he hoped to
accomplish with this workshop, Paz said
he believed everyone had some type of
talent that is undiscovered, making this a
good outlet to help them.
“Workshops like this one can serve
as an inspiration or a vehicle to discover
that talent,” he commented. “For people
that never thought of art as an interest
for them, I would like for this workshop
to pique that interest.”
Judging from past turnouts, the
event has grabbed much of the public’s
attention. According to Schuller, the pot-
tery workshop had sold out, and there
was even a waiting list.
Senior graphic design major Alexis
Carranza, 20, believes that workshops
like this are a great opportunity for
artists to showcase their talents and
share them with the community.
“There should be workshops for all
types of art concentrations,” the
McAllen native said. “Art is a visual
way to communicate ideas and emotions
with others and it provides an opportuni-
ty for imagination to run wild.”
Beatriz Guzman, junior studio art
and English major, says she admires Paz
for willing to do a workshop of this sort.
“I hope other professors would
follow his example and give work-
shops for undergrads at UTPA, so not
only do we learn something else out-
side of our core classes, but we get to
meet and talk to them on a one to one
basis,” said Guzman, of Edinburg.
“There is great need in the Valley for
young artists to communicate with pro-
fessional artist like Ramiro Paz to
know the difficulties that they went
through in getting his master’s and to
know that it is possible to have a pro-
fession as an artist in the Valley.”
John McLaughlinExtrapolation“I recently gotinto jazz and Iplay the guitar so Ican pick up ideasfrom it.”
-Mike Reyes sophomore, computer science
Gwen StefaniDanger Zone
“I’ve been into hermusic for a while.Usually I don’tlisten to pop but Ilove Gwen.”
-Bianca Ramirezjunior, psychology
RadioheadHigh and Dry“It puts me in agood mood. Iguess the wholepsychology of it.”
-Jonathan Padronfreshman, music
Alan JacksonDrive
“It’s a reminder. Itjust brings back
memories.”
-Albert Morenosenior, mechanical engineering
Boys like GirlsThunder“It’s mellow and itrelaxes me.”
-Sabrina Riossophomore,
history
&RTS EA NTERTAINMENT� ON THE SPOT
THE PAN AMERICANApril 17, 2008 Page 7
� ALUM
Ear Candy:What’splaying inyour iPod?
Local artist lends time to community
GIVING ART - UTPA alumnus Ramiro Paz (standing) instructed a pottery workshop at the McAllen Creative IncubatorTuesday evening as part of the Cultural Arts and Entertainment Series.
Roxy SolisThe Pan American
By AMANDA ALANIZThe Pan American
WORKING TOGETHER - People from the community collaborated as they dirt-ied their hands with clay during a pottery workshop. The McAllen CreativeIncubator offers creative arts events to help promote the growing art scene.
Roxy Solis/The Pan American
eciding how to spend a Saturday night canprove to be very taxing for many students,
who find themselves jaded with the familiar scenethe Valley has to offer.
On Saturday, student-run production companyIllOddeo hosted a so-called DnB show, a style ofDJing, outside of Sophie’s “Double S” Saloon.
The event’s first beats sounded off at 10 p.m.,consisting of three local acts: Fuse, Fee-Niks, andOPTX, followed by headlining act RandomMovement. DJs spun the night away well past 2a.m. as event goers expressed themselves rhythmi-cally, outdoors under several mesquite trees.
Drum and Bass (often referred to as DnB) is anextremely underground form of electronic dancemusic that surfaced in the early 1990s. This genreis buttoned down with elaborate bass lines, brokenbeat drums and an accelerated tempo. Due to itsintricate sound DnB has remained relatively underthe radar of mainstream music. Usually onlyattracting a small but loyal following that has keptit slowly gaining new ground.
In attendance was Benny Vasquez, a 22-year-old senior and rehab major.
“This is my second time to an event like thisand I am enjoying it!” said Vasquez. “These thingsare few and far between; I hope this becomes a fre-quent gig all over the Valley.”
Local promoters are working diligently toexpose this sub-culture and offer a new entrée to
add to the Valley’s menu aside from the over expo-sure of Tejano concerts that have become a routineall over the Valley.
Dani Garza, a DJ, is producer/president ofKlubstalkerz, an organization that is aiding in thequest to “bring the life to night.” He has been pro-moting events in the Valley for the past year. Garzagot his start in the Denver, Colorado area workingwith NIPP and Denver Underground, throwing big“massives” and rock concerts.
He credits many of the local acts for theirsuperior talent.
“I have DJ’d all over the country and through-out Europe, and the Valley has some of the besttalent I have seen,” Garza commented. “OPTX andhis IllOddeo crew is one of the better groups in theValley and OPTX deserves a lot more recognitionfor helping the local scene.”
Carlos Villarreal, who DJs under the nameOPTX was in charge of the DnB even on Saturday.He expressed that he is solely responsible for allDJ parties. He also credits his crew for the hugesupport they offer his efforts.
“No man is an island and the more parties Iorganize the more this saying is true,” he noted.
Villarreal added that he enjoys organizingevents, but performing is what it’s all about.
“It truly is a blissful experience to conveyyour feelings through the music you play and hav-ing people respond to that by dancing,” saidVillarreal. “It’s the greatest form of satisfaction, ifyou ask me.”
Villarreal and Garza both suggest that the
events they make are very important for the Valley,exposing the population to new sounds.
“Drum and Bass is especially big in majormetropolitan areas and for the Valley to have agood upcoming presence says a lot for our area,”said Garza. “I think the more exposure we have todifferent styles of electronic/dance music, thegreater the appreciation to music is and how it cor-relates to club life.”
Since it’s inception into society Electronicand Dance music has been dogged with manystereotypes. Villarreal believes that they can helpshatter people’s stereotypical views about themusic type.
“The majority of people have this stereo typ-ical concept that electronic music is your trendyelectro house/club music,” said Villareal.
Garza also commented on the more seriousmisconceptions of Electronic and Dance music.
“Dance music started out as illegal activityand with that came the drugs. So dance music anddrugs over the years go hand in hand. However, weare starting to see the drug use not as heavy as itonce was. Artists like Moby who is Christian havebeen preaching anti-drugs for years,” said Garza.
Electronic and Dance music has many sub-genres yet people collectively draw comparisonto only the mainstream acts; Prodigy andChemical Brothers being two of the more com-mercial dance acts.
“The point is to expand people’s palette toenjoy other forms of dance music aside from whatthey would typically hear,” said Villareal.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 8 April 17, 2008
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTApril 17, 2008 Page 9
Local, visiting DJs offer electricsound to Valley club scene
Isaac Garcia/The Pan AmericanNIGHTLIFE - Klubstalkerz, an organization established in 2006, promotes DJs, venues, clubs and bars across Texas. Saturdaynight, the collaborative group held Random Movement as part of their goal to expand the electronic/trance/techno scene.
D
By ISAAC GARCIAThe Pan American
eciding how to spend a Saturday night canprove to be very taxing for many students,
who find themselves jaded with the familiar scenethe Valley has to offer.
On Saturday, student-run production companyIllOddeo hosted a so-called DnB show, a style ofDJing, outside of Sophie’s “Double S” Saloon.
The event’s first beats sounded off at 10 p.m.,consisting of three local acts: Fuse, Fee-Niks, andOPTX, followed by headlining act RandomMovement. DJs spun the night away well past 2a.m. as event goers expressed themselves rhythmi-cally, outdoors under several mesquite trees.
Drum and Bass (often referred to as DnB) is anextremely underground form of electronic dancemusic that surfaced in the early 1990s. This genreis buttoned down with elaborate bass lines, brokenbeat drums and an accelerated tempo. Due to itsintricate sound DnB has remained relatively underthe radar of mainstream music. Usually onlyattracting a small but loyal following that has keptit slowly gaining new ground.
In attendance was Benny Vasquez, a 22-year-old senior and rehab major.
“This is my second time to an event like thisand I am enjoying it!” said Vasquez. “These thingsare few and far between; I hope this becomes a fre-quent gig all over the Valley.”
Local promoters are working diligently toexpose this sub-culture and offer a new entrée to
add to the Valley’s menu aside from the over expo-sure of Tejano concerts that have become a routineall over the Valley.
Dani Garza, a DJ, is producer/president ofKlubstalkerz, an organization that is aiding in thequest to “bring the life to night.” He has been pro-moting events in the Valley for the past year. Garzagot his start in the Denver, Colorado area workingwith NIPP and Denver Underground, throwing big“massives” and rock concerts.
He credits many of the local acts for theirsuperior talent.
“I have DJ’d all over the country and through-out Europe, and the Valley has some of the besttalent I have seen,” Garza commented. “OPTX andhis IllOddeo crew is one of the better groups in theValley and OPTX deserves a lot more recognitionfor helping the local scene.”
Carlos Villarreal, who DJs under the nameOPTX was in charge of the DnB even on Saturday.He expressed that he is solely responsible for allDJ parties. He also credits his crew for the hugesupport they offer his efforts.
“No man is an island and the more parties Iorganize the more this saying is true,” he noted.
Villarreal added that he enjoys organizingevents, but performing is what it’s all about.
“It truly is a blissful experience to conveyyour feelings through the music you play and hav-ing people respond to that by dancing,” saidVillarreal. “It’s the greatest form of satisfaction, ifyou ask me.”
Villarreal and Garza both suggest that the
events they make are very important for the Valley,exposing the population to new sounds.
“Drum and Bass is especially big in majormetropolitan areas and for the Valley to have agood upcoming presence says a lot for our area,”said Garza. “I think the more exposure we have todifferent styles of electronic/dance music, thegreater the appreciation to music is and how it cor-relates to club life.”
Since it’s inception into society Electronicand Dance music has been dogged with manystereotypes. Villarreal believes that they can helpshatter people’s stereotypical views about themusic type.
“The majority of people have this stereo typ-ical concept that electronic music is your trendyelectro house/club music,” said Villareal.
Garza also commented on the more seriousmisconceptions of Electronic and Dance music.
“Dance music started out as illegal activityand with that came the drugs. So dance music anddrugs over the years go hand in hand. However, weare starting to see the drug use not as heavy as itonce was. Artists like Moby who is Christian havebeen preaching anti-drugs for years,” said Garza.
Electronic and Dance music has many sub-genres yet people collectively draw comparisonto only the mainstream acts; Prodigy andChemical Brothers being two of the more com-mercial dance acts.
“The point is to expand people’s palette toenjoy other forms of dance music aside from whatthey would typically hear,” said Villareal.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 8 April 17, 2008
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTApril 17, 2008 Page 9
Local, visiting DJs offer electricsound to Valley club scene
Isaac Garcia/The Pan AmericanNIGHTLIFE - Klubstalkerz, an organization established in 2006, promotes DJs, venues, clubs and bars across Texas. Saturdaynight, the collaborative group held Random Movement as part of their goal to expand the electronic/trance/techno scene.
D
By ISAAC GARCIAThe Pan American
Across the United States there are
competitions where contestants must
devour a huge amount of food in order
to receive a grand prize. The prize is
usually money, but to have the title of
“Champion” is even better. Such food-
eating competitions center on Buffalo
wings, cheese fries, pies, and arguably
the most famous: the hotdog.
The University Program Board,
which hosts most of the campus’ off-beat
events, will be holding a hot dog eating
contest April 22 at the Student Union
from noon to 1.
Hotdogs are used in many compe-
titions, including attempts to create
dogs of world-record size. On July 4,
2007, Joey Chestnut set a new record
when he ate 66 hotdogs in 12 minutes
at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, a
2007 event at Coney Island, breaking
the previous his own record set a
month before when he ate 59 and a half
in 12 minutes at a Nathan’s qualifier
event in Tempe, Ariz. In Arizona,
Chestnut had broken the record of 53
by Takeru Kobayashi the Japanese
native known around the world as the
“Hotdog-eating Champion.”
Milena Andrea Melo, the spirit
committee chair for UPB and pre-med
biology/ anthropology major, was
excited about her committee’s event,
the first of its kind at UTPA.
“My committee felt it would be a
fun way for students to compete, relax,
and have fun during activity period,”
Melo said.
UPB has been responsible for
other contests such as texting contest,
spirit rallies, and Halloween costume
contests. Though rules have varied in
other contests, Melo said these are
pretty straightforward.
“The winner is the person who
eats the most hot dogs in five minutes,”
noted the Mission native. “Whoever
wins, wins 100 Bronc Bucks.”
There are a total of 10 contestants
in the competition, and Melo and her
committee expect about 200 spectators
to join in on the fun and cheer
on their favorite to win.
Brenda Lopez, a
sophomore biology
major, is enthusiastic
about the event and
hopes to see some
excitement.
“I have seen those
competitions on TV, so to
experience it up close will
be a huge treat for me,”
Lopez said.
Lopez mentioned that she will cer-
tainly feel a bit nauseated when she sees
the contestants down all those hotdogs.
“I just don’t want them to throw
up. I don’t think that would be fun to
watch,” the Edinburg native stat-
ed, laughing.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 10 April 17, 2008
� CAMPUS SCENE
UPB hopes to set records, feed stomachs with hotdogs By RUSSEN VELAThe Pan American
� SHOW BIZ
Mario Molina was always the chat-
terbox in grade school. While back then
it sent him straight to time-out or the
principal’s office, his lively personality
now pays the bills.
Molina, a recent UTPA grad has
found success on a network television
show, Living the Beat, on NBC. Molina,
who graduated with a bachelor’s degree
in broadcast journalism last year, blends
his passion for the field and the enter-
tainment industry, making him one of
the lucky ones who gets paid to do what
he loves.
Living the Beat, which airs
Saturdays at 5 p.m. on NBC, showcases
the latest music videos from several gen-
res including International, Hip Hop,
and R&B, with rock videos soon to
come. The show’s hosts are seen at all
the Rio Grande Valley ’s hot spots.
While similar shows have already
tried this concept, Living the Beat differs
in that its “hot spots” include venues
other than clubs, such as La Mexicana
restaurant and a “Ladies Night Out” at
Merle Norman cosmetics in the Uptown
Plaza, in McAllen.
One of the show’s segments fea-
tures local talent and spotlight singers,
dancers, rappers and bands. Many of the
artists don’t have the finances to do pro-
motion, making the show a great oppor-
tunity for exposure.
For the most part, Molina loves
what he does and is glad that his show
gives local artists “opportunities that
others don’t want to.”
Another positive to the job is the
opportunity to mingle with celebrities,
whether they be musicians or reality
TV stars. Among those he’s met are
Bone Thugs and Harmony, Chingo
Bling, and Nehemiah and Wes from
MTV’s Real World.
Molina’s interest stems from his
childhood and adolescence and it’s
something he’s always wanted to do.
The former standout football player
from McAllen Memorial High School
started out doing sports play-by-play for
Bronc Radio.
UTPA instructor Frederick Mann
described Molina’s classroom style.
“He is enthusiastic like you would
not believe, a stickler for perfection,”
Mann said. “I learned the potential of
college students after teaching Mario. I
came from the high school ranks and
was blown away by Mario’s tireless
work ethic in the classroom, studio and
his play by play.”
Living the Beat is also home to
another UTPA alum, co-host Naela
Menchaca, who graduated in 2005 with
a marketing degree. While she’s enjoy-
ing life on TV, she’s not through with
education yet.
“I plan to return and take more
courses in the acting/broadcast field
pretty soon. Entertainment has always
been a dream of mine, whether it was
modeling, dancing, and acting/hosting I
love it all,” said Menchaca.
Both Molina and Menchaca have a
professional dynamic, but enjoy work-
ing with each other.
“Working alongside Mario is so
much fun and unpredictable. He always
cracks me up,” she said. “There is never
a dull moment around this guy.”
Aside from the biz, Molina is also
actively involved with younger kids as a
cheerleading competition coach.
Future plans include conquering
every aspect of the industry from televi-
sion to the silver screen to behind the
scenes. He would like to do a comedy
and a drama, and his ultimate goal would
be an epic film like Gladiator or last
year’s 300.
Molina and Menchaca would also
like to move forward with SeeJay’s
Productions, the show’s production
company. Plans are in the works to have
a similar show for each target market in
Laredo, San Antonio, Corpus Christi,
Dallas and Houston, even heading
across the border into Reynosa and
Matamoros.
For more information or to view
photos and schedules for upcoming
events, vist myspace.com/livingthebeat
or the show’s official site www.liv-
ingthebeat.com.
By LAURA GARCIAThe Pan American
Recent graduates find success on television
LIVING IT UP - Recent UTPA graduates Naela Menchaca and Mario Molina showcase the Valleyʼs hot spots and artists onthe NBC show, Living the Beat.
Mario Molina
NEWSApril 17, 2008 Page 11
FORUM continued from page 1
MATH continued from page 1
Ben Briones/The Pan American
GRAND OPENING - (From left) Dr. Shirley Reed, South Texas College president; Blas Castañeda, chief development offi-cer, Laredo Community College; U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar; U.S. Sec. of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez; Dr. Blandina Cárdenas;and U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa attend the ribbon cutting of the Rapid Response Center
� SEEN AND CAPTURED
SGA continued from page 1
Martinez with 867 votes to the opposing
pair’s 683. Silva replaces former SGA
president Tony Villarreal, who took the
post after the previous president stepped
down after the fall semester to attend an
internship in Washington, D.C.
But absent is the “Save the
World” attitude that has prevailed
among previous student government
administrations. Rather, Silva says he
and Edinburg native Puttagunta want to
make small, realistic changes that will
improve life at The University of
Texas-Pan American.
It started about a year ago when
Silva spearheaded the Reuse It or Lose It
program in the UTPA dorms. Under the
program, residents placed recyclables
into boxes that were picked up weekly.
This was done not only to further the
widely touted Green Movement but to
get disjoined groups on campus to con-
tribute to a united cause.
“You never saw an Engineering
Club member working with someone in
psychology,” said Silva, himself a psy-
chology major. “But eventually we saw
organizations getting involved because
they wanted to work with other groups.”
It was a win-win deal, he said, and
though a small change, it set the ground-
work for bigger projects. Silva said he
would like to find a way to expand that
program campus-wide or develop one on
that scale.
Ideas developed by past SGA
administrations rarely got off the ground
and the group was “really not active,” he
said.
The first step in correcting inactiv-
ity is refocusing efforts internally. Too
much time, he said, is dedicated toward
SGA items such as personnel and public
relations. Rather, the group should be
focusing on subcommittees which
address singular issues like recycling
and textbook prices.
During the summer, he and
Puttagunta will lay the groundwork for
some of their biggest projects and “make
sure we have something going on” when
fall begins, Silva said. He hopes to have
made progress in either the textbook cost
issue or the recycling program when stu-
dents return from summer break.
The pair will also begin negotia-
tions with a Web site that offers free
music downloads to college students
from participating campuses in
exchange for advertisement space. They
will begin getting the measure cleared
by the proper channels – including
administrators – this summer.
Though seemingly a luxury, Silva
said the feature plays an integral part in
his vision for university interaction.
“Everyone listens to music,” he
said. “And can you imagine groups stu-
dents sitting on benches with laptops and
everyone listening to music?”
Other measures they will begin
work on soon include posting SGA
budgets online for all to see, and imple-
menting a system that would ask profes-
sors to post their syllabus online so stu-
dents can be aware of class expectations
before signing up.
“I’m excited about the year,” he
said. “We have a lot of plans and it
would be nice to get everything accom-
plished.”
professor Cory Wimberly, logic is a
branch of math.
The subject attempts to prove a nat-
ural language – or non-mathematical
words — by removing words and leav-
ing variables in order to make a logical
argument. The course will cover propo-
sitional calculus, formal property, proba-
bility calculus and some inductive and
abductive forms of reasoning.
“The course will be quantitative
but not numerical,” said Gilson.
“Logic is often part of the mathe-
matics department, but it’s a philosophy
subject that often intersects with the
math department,” Wimberly said.
He added the growth of the philos-
ophy department was indication enough
for the addition of the course.
“The philosophy department has
grown,” he said. “We have the staff now
to give certain courses, we have a course
that has quantitative reasoning and
mathematical, it will fit all of the
THECB.”
Gilson added that though the phi-
losophy department is offering the
course, students in other disciplines
could benefit from taking the course.
“Different math courses are valu-
able to different students, for example
many majors within SBS require statis-
tics,” Gilson said. “So in the same way
that statistics is valuable to some
majors, so will formal logic to philoso-
phy students.”
Sandra Aparicio, sophomore politi-
cal science major, said she already took
college algebra but when she heard of
the option for logic she said it would be
a good idea.
“I would take it. I don’t like to deal
with numbers. I don’t need it for my
major,” said Aparicio.
The course will be taught by Gilson
and offered in three sections this fall;
class sizes will be small with about 35
students per class.
“Because of the small classroom
size, the vast majority of students will
still be required to take 1340 Algebra,”
Gilson said. “I don’t think it will become
a requirement within other majors. It’s
up to their department.”
Gilson said keeping the classrooms
small is essential for him to teach an
intensive course on logic.
Gilson said students should expect
a rigorous math course, but assures it
will be most useful to the philosophy
major, especially philosophy graduate
students. He added many of the ques-
tions in philosophy graduate tests deal
with logic; therefore, the course may be
useful to the students who plan to take
the exams.
The only prerequisite for the
course is a 230 THEA math score. If a
student makes below the THEA score,
a remedial math course must be taken
beforehand.
“We will really start from scratch,”
Gilson said. “The prerequisite skills we
will teach, in my opinion, will teach the
THECB objectives better that any other
math course.”
He added that most colleges and
universities in and outside of Texas have
offered logic courses, including Texas
A&M and Texas Tech.
need $4 billion of improvements and
4,000 new personnel just to keep work-
ing at a decent pace. Stewart, who also
acted as a mediator for UTPA’s Office
International Programs in setting up
the event during Pan American Days,
added the programs are there but not
the tools.
“We have program at our points of
entry that are not working,” she said.
“Our government continues to put these
programs into effect but do not provide
them the equipment.”
Ahumada added that some type of
advance warning for drivers about new
requirements and possible delays would
be good.
Farther north, Robert Andrade,
executive assistant to the mayor of El
Paso, said the city faces similar prob-
lems. However he suggests that if Texas
does not engage in dialogue with
Mexico, solutions can’t be reached.
“Working with your neighbors is the
only way we’ll have a solution,” he said.
Accordingly, Jesus Mario Flores
Garza, mayor of Piedras Niegras, voiced
his concern about the issue from
Mexico’s standpoint.
“The wall is security and security is
the basis of this entire discussion, but
security should not violate human
rights,” he noted.
The TBC plans to meet with offi-
cials from the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security soon to discuss mat-
ters further, as the search for solid
answers and solutions continues.
UTPA president Blandina
Cardenas said it is essential for stu-
dents to become involved in the politi-
cal process, also stressing that students
must register to vote.
“There is no issue that touches all
of us more than this issue of how fed-
eral policies will define the way in
which we can transact our business,
civics and cultural relationships,” she
stated.
FREEMAN continued from page 3to be a racist... but for some reason that
stuff didn’t take with me and I don’t
quite know why,” he explained. “I think
I had some good experiences with
African Americans as I was a kid grow-
ing up and I didn’t see them as being
particularly different from me.”
Though he didn’t agree with his
parents’ views of race, he did believe in
their sense of justice.
“My father was a segregationist;
my father believed that blacks were infe-
rior to whites, but my father also knew
and openly admitted to the fact that there
had been no justice for the blacks,” he
said. “And that was the message that res-
onated with, me rather than the message
that these people are inferior or that we
should be segregated from them.”
As the movies and documentaries
portray, the price of justice was often
paid in blood. Thought it never got that
bad for him, Freeman did find himself
slightly battered after one event in which
he sought to integration a public build-
ing. Things became violent and hostile.
He sustained mostly bruises. But
the blows — minor as they were — were
the first alert that told him all was not as
he had been taught. He feels as though
he was deceived as a student and says it
is his goal to make sure the same does
not happen to his own students.
Freeman frequently holds speeches
and talks on political subjects as part of
See PROFESSOR page 12
“A one-size-fits-all attitudedoesn’t work here.”
-Efrain ValdezMayor of Del Rio
NEWSPage 12 April 17, 2008
HOUSING continued from page 3
“We’re [now] being informed what
homework they’re going to have,”
Gutierrez said.
Nick Burt, resident service coordi-
nator for Jardines de la Fuente, is in
charge of the Si Se Puede Learning
Center and of the community program-
ming for the neighborhood.
Working as a volunteer for a year
until August 2008, Burt represents
Americorp Volunteers in Service to
America, an organization specifically
designed to fight poverty.
“One of the things that we’re try-
ing to work at is community activities
for community involvement,” Burt, a
college graduate from Pennsylvania
said. “We’re trying to build a sense of
community.”
An upcoming activity includes a
trash pickup on Earth Day, April 20. He
hopes this will allow people and children
to feel proud of where they live, and also
create a kind of responsibility for the
place, among residents.
MORE THAN A HOMEMaria Gomez, colonia organizer
for La Union del Pueblo Entero, the
union for the entire community, feels
Jardines de la Fuente offers most fami-
lies living there what would have other-
wise been unlikely, a decent home.
LUPE, founded in 1989 by Cesar
Chavez, offers services to residents in
this area. According to the Web site,
LUPE was founded with the belief that
members of the low-income community
should organize themselves and “articu-
late for the issues and factors that impact
their lives.”
“People with low incomes have a
right to a home too,” Gomez said. “I think
the people that come to live here also
come wanting to communicate with the
rest of the community, something you
don’t see that often at other places.”
On-site special services are pro-
vided to residents on behalf of LUPE.
They are able to take residency classes,
learn English and engage in other com-
munity events.
Apartment amenities of the fenced
community include ceiling fans, gas
stoves, refrigerators, playgrounds,
swimming pools, three Laundromats,
and computer facilities.
Rodriguez enjoys the fact that she
can keep cool in the summer with central
air-conditioning, something she did not
have available at her previous home.
“I paid the same amount of rent,
but this one has (central air),” she said.
“What more could I want?”
PROFESSOR continued from page 11
Students for Peace, an organization that
he acts as faculty adviser for.
His next will take place Thursday
at noon and will address veterans’ issues
with a focus on health benefits. It’s
another small way Freeman says he
fights the political injustice he has wit-
nessed too many times in his life.
Years after his teen days in Georgia,
Freeman would find himself in the
Cambodian jungle, just northwest of Sai
Gon, serving as an adviser to the Army’s
A i r b o r n e
Infantry. It was
there, fighting a
Vietnam war he
did not believe
in, that he was
witness to even
more eye-open-
ing experiences.
“I opposed the war and then went off
and fought the war,” he said. “Certainly
all the doubts I had were confirmed.”
Shaped by the experiences he’s had
and silenced by no one, the UTPA pro-
fessor of 28 years has gained consistent
notoriety for his views, expressed as a
frequent public speaker, activist, and
vigilant committee member on campus.
Radical as some of them may seem,
Freeman can defend each one and gives
no apologies for his vocal approach to
the world.
“I just speak out and I do what I
can,” he said, pausing for a moment to
stare at the shuffle of papers on his desk.
It’s not the papers he’s thinking about.
“I don’t think I can change the tilt
of the earth, but what I know is that if
enough of us get involved we can
change the tilt of the earth’s axis.”
Whether it’s a fight of one, or a mil-
lion, Freeman knows critics will always
be there; he’s certainly had his share but
he’s also had plenty of admirers and stu-
dents who clamor to take a seat in his
classes.
Few things irk him, however. Should
someone have a problem, he only asks
they come to him directly.
“I don’t know whether you saw
that little thing out there that some ass-
hole put up, supposedly comparing me
to General Petraeus,” he said. “The fact
that whoever did that has an issue with
me, I don’t have a problem with. What
I don’t like is that he such a damn cow-
ard. He doesn’t have the balls to come
talk to me eyeball-to-eyeball, face-to-
face.”
Oh, and don’t “question his patri-
otism.”
“If they’re gonna question...my
love of this nation, my loyalty to this
nation...those are fighting words,” he
said. “And I don’t care who says that to
me; I’m going to call them out on it. And
one of two things is going to happen
they’re going to back down and walk
away or one of us is going to be carried
away. Nobody questions my patriotism
to my face.”
It’s only happened once.
“They walked away,” he said. “I
said you got two choices here: you can
apologize and walk away or you can
deal with the consequences of refusing
apologizing because those are fighting
words and my intention is to beat you to
a bloody pulp.”
Fighting words. But did anyone
expect anything less?
Freeman willpresent “BrokenPromises To OurT r o o p s : A
Presentation On CurrentVeteransʼ Issues” onThursday at noon inSBSC 101.
Didyouknow?
� “I just speakout and I dowhat I can.”
Samuel Freemanprofessor
political science
Given her passion for fitness and
wellness, when the opportunity arose, it
didn’t take long for fitness coordinator
Jacqueline Adams to leave her presti-
gious position at the White House to
come to The University of Texas-Pan
American to work for the Wellness and
Recreational Sports Complex.
Adams, a native of Rolla, Mo.,
attended the University of West Florida
in Pensacola and stumbled into majoring
in exercise physiology after figuring she
didn’t want to be a teacher, her first
option. She also worked at the campus
recreation facility for four years, where
she discovered her love for fitness and
wellness in the recreation atmosphere.
During her senior year, Adams
received a monumental offer. She kept
close contact with a consultant from
Washington D.C. and over the course of
the year, she was informed about an
interesting work site, The White House.
She took the opportunity after graduat-
ing in 2005.
The White House brought every-
thing Adams could imagine. She held a
position as fitness specialist managing
facilities in the new and old executive
offices, where she trained Secret
Service people, White House military
staff, carpenters, plus many more high-
ranking officials.
“I loved Washington D.C.,” she said.
“It was one of my greatest experiences
ever. Just being in that environment with
the rush and the way you hear people say
I’m going somewhere with the president.”
Although the White House was
fast-paced and exciting, Adams felt like
her work was becoming a job with not
much room for advancement. That’s
when Dr. Jim Watson, director of the
WRSC, called and brought her down to
Edinburg for a visit and an interview.
“She was picked out of a database
called N.I.R.S.A. [National Intramural-
Recreational Sports Association],” said
Watson. “Her name came up along with
six others and she responded.”
When Watson offered her the posi-
tion of a fitness and wellness coordinator,
she accepted to start fresh in the hopes of
obtaining her goals, and being able to cre-
ate the position the way she envisioned it.
Adams, whose goals center on spreading
fitness, wants students to understand the
different approaches people can take to
attain a healthy lifestyle.
“Everyone has their own little
place in fitness, it’s just a matter of find-
ing that place,” Adams said. “I find the
passion in trying to help everyone find
their own little groove.”
Adams now has seven months
under her belt, and Watson believes his
employee has set a fine example so far.
“She has done a superior perform-
ance and knows everything about the
business,” Watson said. “She’s proactive,
not reactive. There is nothing I can say,
she does everything I want and more.”
Adams hopes to obtain a master’s
degree at UTPA in either nutrition or busi-
ness so she can bring more educational
elements to the position. But because of
the similarities between her personal and
professional goals, she ultimately wants to
reach out to people and teach them that fit-
ness is not just a fun, recreational fixation
but a disease-prevention tool and there-
fore a necessity for life.
“Spreading fitness is a growing
thing in the Valley,” she said. “It takes a
lot of hard work, but I think people are
accepting of it and everyone is trying to
find their own niches.”
� FEATURESPORTS
April 17, 2008 Page 13
WORKING HARD - After leaving the White House, Jacqueline Adams came toUTPA for a fitness coordinator position, to teach students different health aspects.
By PEDRO PEREZ IVThe Pan American
Fitness coordinator receives new start
� LOCAL SPORTS
Football combine offers Valley athletes second chance
It’s a phrase that most local football
players dread but have become accus-
tomed to hearing every fall. For those
who played high school football or keep
up with it, you hear it every year, “The
Valley can’t beat San Antonio schools.”
The phrase of futility extends to any
school in Corpus Christi as well.
The 2007 high school football sea-
son may have ended more than three
months ago but for a football player
whose team advanced deep into the post-
season in December, the lack of credit
given by analysts, schoolmates and fans
is still drilling in their heads. Year-in,
year-out though, the Valley produces
great athletes who get the opportunity to
continue their football careers in the col-
legiate ranks. Former running back
standouts in Bradley Stephens of
McAllen Memorial (Texas A&M) and
Mishak Rivas of Weslaco (Texas State)
were two of the top athletes recruited by
top universities.
Others are not as fortunate.
Because of the lack of quality wins
against schools upstate, college
recruiters rarely take the time to sched-
ule a trip to deep South Texas, which
dampens the chances of capable players
who can compete in the next level.
But now, former high school stars
will get a second opportunity to show-
case their talent to several college foot-
ball scouts as USA Sports will host its
second USA Sports Football
Camp/Combine Saturday at Weslaco
East High School.
“I am disappointed in the amount
of Valley athletes who are playing in the
next level,” said Arturo Mata, president
of USA Sports. “We have 32 high
schools in the Valley. We should have
plenty of athletes playing at the next
level, male and female.”
Mata created USA Sports, an
organization whose main objective is to
promote patriotism, peace and good
sportsmanship in the Valley, to provide
male and female athletes with chances to
proceed with their athletic careers. The
combine was started after Mata read an
article in The Monitor by local sports-
writer Pikey Rodriguez, who wrote that
only a small number of high school ath-
letes are playing in college.
In its first year, Mata says the com-
bine helped several athletes get recruited
to various universities including Jorge
Rubio, a standout Edcouch-Elsa quarter-
back who was recruited by Texas
Lutheran University.
“There are plenty of athletes who
have graduated that would still like an
opportunity to play at the collegiate
level, so this is one venue to get the ath-
lete and the scout together to see what
and if the athlete can do athletically and
academically,” Mata said. “I think that
we have athletes that can play in
Division I, II and III or any other divi-
sion, but the key thing is that they pre-
pare academically to be accepted to
these universities. They must be
tutored, encouraged and groomed at a
very young age to prepare for the uni-
versity level.”
Some of the universities who will
attend the combine are Texas Lutheran,
Mary Hardin-Baylor, Sul Ross,
Incarnate Word, Texas A&M-Kingsville,
Central Methodist and Tech De
Monterrey. The cost of the event is $250,
which is non-refundable and will cover
all administrative costs plus a DVD of
the camp combined with music.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. with
the combine starting promptly at 10
a.m. All participants will begin with
stretching followed by vertical and
long jumps, 10, 20 and 40-yard dash
sprints and concluding with short and
long shuttles to test quickness, agility
and speed. The camp will follow after a
15-minute break where athletes will
join their respective position’s coach
for proper training. The appropriate
field attired is required.
For further information on the
combine/camp, call Mata at (956) 778-
2228 or e-mail him at mataarturo@hot-
mail.com.
By RAMIRO PAEZThe Pan American
Onydia Garza/The Pan American
SPORTSPage 14 April 17, 2008
There is no doubt every team wants
to finish off its season on a winning note.
And that is exactly what The University
of Texas-Pan American women’s tennis
team accomplished Monday when it
concluded the 2008 season with a deci-
sive 4-3 triumph over Santa Clara
University on the West Coast.
With the win the Lady Broncs
improved to 17-8 and finished with the
program’s all-time best single-season
record.
Sophomore Luisa Cantu, who post-
ed a 6-4, 6-2 victory the sixth spot, col-
lected the crucial fourth match point for
the Lady Broncs. Accumulating their
19th win of the season, Germany native
Silke Buksik and sophomore Megan
Bedeau set a new season doubles record
after their 9-8 decision.
The women recorded a 2-1 mark on
their three-game West Coast swing and
experienced a whirlwind of events.
The trip started in disarray. After
driving to Laredo in the middle of the
night to catch a 5 a.m. flight to San Jose
(plus two flight cancellations), a sleep-
less UTPA squad arrived in California
and handily defeated San Jose State 6-1.
“I’m proud of the women’s squad
for stepping off the plane with all the
traveling and coming out with such a
convincing victory,” said men’s and
women’s coach Rob Hubbard. “It speaks
volumes about the character and com-
mitment of the team.”
In their second match, the Lady
Broncs were unable to come out victori-
ous against The University of San
Francisco as they were routed 7-0.
Meanwhile, the Broncs will enter
their final game of the season with an 8-
10 mark after splitting a three-game road
trip 1-1. The scheduled Friday match
with Portland State was cancelled due to
flight cancellations.
Before the Southland Conference
Tournament, the Broncs will travel up
Highway 281 Saturday for the regular-
season finale, against The University of
Texas-San Antonio at 2 p.m. Last year,
UTPA entered as the conference tourney
as the sixth seed and were bounced in
the first round.
The men claimed a 5-2 upset over
the Santa Clara Broncos Monday but suf-
fered a 6-1 loss the previous day to 72nd
ranked University of San Francisco.
After suffering a two-game sweep
at the hands of Texas A&M-Corpus
Christi April 8, things didn’t look good
for the Broncs, as the day marked their
eighth consecutive loss, dropping them
to 9-22 for the season.
With five road games still looming,
the Green and Orange traveled to Houston
Friday in search of a much-needed win
against Texas Southern, a team plagued by
struggles of its own. The three-game
series against the Tigers turned out to be
exactly what the Broncs needed as they
exploded with offensive production, com-
bining for 48 runs in the sweep.
But then in San Marcos, UTPA’s
momentum could not withstand Texas
State’s late surge in an 11-7 Game 1
defeat Tuesday night. In Game 2, the
visitors continued to struggle as
Edinburg native Evan Cunningham
allowed three runs in the first two
innings of play and the Bobcats cruised
to 8-0 victory.
The Broncs, who now stand at 12-
24, held a 5-1 lead entering the bottom
of the fifth inning against the Bobcats
in Game 1 and looked poised to escape
Bobcat Field with a big win. But the
inning turned awry. Texas State’s six
runs off six hits proved to be the cru-
cial blow against UTPA, which
allowed three more runs in the sixth to
seal its fate.
In the high-scoring Tigers-Broncs
series, whatever offensive struggles both
teams experienced in the past came to
end over the weekend. The Green and
Orange claimed 17-11, 17-12 and 14-12
victories.
Seniors Matt Shepherd (3-3), Cody
Cisper (2-5) and Cunningham (1-1) were
credited with the wins. Junior Jordan
Rutenbar, who entered Wednesday’s
game with the third-leading batting aver-
age (.352), led the Broncs with five runs,
five hits and seven RBIs in the three
games. Rutenbar is also tied for first in
the home-run category with four and
claims the most RBIs at 26.
Roxy Solis/The Pan American
� TENNISSPORTS
April 17, 2008 Page 15
By RAMIRO PAEZThe Pan American
� BASEBALL
A NEW RECORD - Teammates Megan Bedeau (above) and Silke Buksik sur-passed the single-season doubleʼs record with their 19th win Monday.
� Q & A
Women finish with best seasonBroncs upsetSanta Clara, setsights on UTSABy ALVARO BALDERAS
The Pan American
UTPA posts3-4 mark onroad swing
In the wake of a record-setting
season for women’s tennis and a prom-
ising yet tough campaign for the men,
UTPA tennis coach Rob Hubbard sat
down with The Pan American to talk
about the season and his career as a
player and coach.
The Pan American: How doesUTPA tennis compare today to whenyou were playing in the ‘70s?
Ron Hubbard: There was only a
men’s program, which obviously is a
big change. We were nationally ranked
the four years I was here and my senior
year we were in the top 10.
PA: Why did you choose toattend UTPA?
RH: I chose Pan Am because it
offered me the opportunity to find out if
I was going to be able to move to the pro
level, which was always my goal.
PA: How was it competing on theAssociation of Tennis Professionalstour?
RH: Even though I only played for
about three years, I truly enjoyed it
because of the great friends I made
while I was competing. I have no regrets
whatsoever about coming up short with
injuries or with sponsors. It also helped
me obtain great experience that got me
to this next level in coaching.
PA: Given your experience, whatdo you tell your players? What do youinstill in their game?
RH: There are times I see them
with a problem I have encountered
myself and that’s where I pass along my
knowledge of the game. I can see the
some problems coming; therefore I try
and help them solve it before they
encounter it.
PA: Some say that a part of yoursuccess as a coach not only comes onthe court but in the classroom? Whatdo you think?
RH: When I was a student, I saw
that when I was going up and down with
my studies, so was my tennis game.
PA: Is there anyone on the teamthat reminds you of yourself?
RH: Not anyone in particular,
more in certain situations. When I see
someone venture to the net it reminds
me a little bit because I was very much
a serve-and-volley type of player. I was-
n’t Mister Poker Face when I played. I
let my emotions show and I see that in
everybody a little bit.
PA: What does the men’s teamhave to do for it to achieve the samesuccess that the women have rightnow?
RH: They need one more year, like
the women last year. We have a very
young squad this year. It reminds me of
last year on the women’s side. We had a
young squad but they got a year under
their belts and now look at their success
this year. It’s a learning process for the
freshmen guys this year.
PA: How do you feel about thewomen’s accomplishments this year?
RH: I’m extremely proud of them
because they sat down in the beginning
of the season and established a goal of
attaining at least 15 wins, which they
surpassed. Hopefully, I had an impact
along with the assistant and strength-
and-conditioning coaches. They
worked really hard throughout the long
season and sticking together as a team
deserves kudos.
PA: What are some things thathave helped the women with theirsuccess?
RH: We instilled a much heavier
strength-and-conditioning program in
the fall with the help of Matt Taylor. It
certainly made a considerable impact
on the team.
By ALVARO BALDERAS
The Pan American
Coach talksabout personal,team aspects
Hubbard offers past, current tennis insight
ROB HUBBARD
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS
HEAD COACH
3RD SEASON
286286Number of points theChicago Bulls and the
Milwuakee Bucks combinedfor Monday night
66Number of 2007 playoff
teams the Dallas Cowboyswill play in 2008
SPORTSStatsAtAGlance
Page 16 April 17, 2008
� FEATURETHE PAN AMERICAN
ShortSports� TRACK AND FIELD
Roxy Solis/The Pan American
After a rough outing at the Texas
Relays April 2, The University of Texas-
Pan American men’s and women’s track
and field team rebounded with top fin-
ishes Saturday at the Javelina
Invitational hosted by Texas A&M-
Kingsville.
In the 3,000-meter steeplechase,
sophomore Carolina Izaguirre led the
Lady Broncs, finishing first with a time
of 11:27.70, while Edinburg North alum
Rose Escovedo placed fourth after
punching a time of 12:15.80.
Vanessa Brown of Houston led the
Lady Broncs in the 400-meter dash,
placing second with a time of 56.00.
Ashlon Martin, who clocked in a time of
57.56 at the Rice Bayou Classic March
28, increased her mark to 56.85 en route
to a fourth-place finish. And in field
competition, Michelle Elizondo took
first in the hammer throw and third in
the shot put for her hurls of 164-04 and
41-09.25, respectively.
On the men’s side, Edinburg native
Wally Gonzalez, senior J.J. Hernandez
and newcomer Jason Strachan took
home first place in their respective
events. Gonzalez, in the 800-meter run,
finished with a time of 1:54. 90 and in
the steeplechase, Hernandez managed a
9:19.30 with Luis Nava closely follow-
ing behind in third. Strachan recorded a
48.88 time in the 400-meter dash.
Mission native Angel Ramirez
and junior Ruben Cantu collected sec-
ond-place finishes in the 3,000-meter
run, and 100- and 200-meter dash,
respectively.
The men and women will return to
Austin Saturday for the UT Twilight
hosted by the University of Texas.
While some find it difficult to
obtain, persistence is something that has
become vital for The University of
Texas-Pan American junior Omar Doria.
He’s learned to be tough through some
hard times in life, and has not let any-
thing stand in his way.
Despite laying off a season after
his mother was diagnosed with cancer,
Doria will return to the Bronc track and
field team in 2009, after having made
some impressive strides two years ago.
He is working hard in preparation for
his comeback, and has a lifetime of
experience in overcoming obstacles to
work from.
Doria’s passion for track and field
began in middle school out of sheer love
for being active. Wanting to excel in
something along with academics, he
decided to join the track team with the
encouragement of his coach.
“I was not very good in any other
sport other than soccer, so I started run-
ning and progressed very quickly,”
Doria said.
The sport followed him to
Edinburg North High School as Doria
captured the district crown in the 1,600-
and 3,200-meter races during his senior
year and earned a trip to regionals
crown. He also helped the Cougars to
the regional team championship during
the 2004 season.
His performances brought greater
opportunities. At the height of his high
school running career, universities from
all over the country showed interest in
Doria. Schools like Texas Christian
University and Columbia University
approached him with full scholarships.
But being close to family and friends
was the determining factor for Doria when
he pondered future ambitions.
“In the end I said, family comes
first and I just wanted to get an educa-
tion and be able to run. It would have
been the same in other schools,” said the
biology major.
Holding no regrets, he chose to
attend UTPA to continue his track career
and soon after signed a letter of intent.
Doria’s first competition was the
8K at the Texas A&M Cross Country
Invitational, which he finished in 26
minutes en route to a 15th-place finish.
During the 2007 season, he placed sec-
ond in the 1,500 meters at the Border
Oympics and second in the 3,000 at the
Bobcat Open.
Even with all his accomplishments,
nothing prepared him for what would
happen next. In April 2006, his career
path abruptly changed – his mother was
diagnosed with breast cancer and the dis-
ease soon spread to her bones.
“I wanted nothing but to be there for
her,” he said. “Track would have to wait.”
After the 2007 track season ended,
the 19-year-old decided to leave the
team for a season.
Within a year, his mother’s quick
recovery inspired him to return to the
track, but this time as an unattached run-
ner. Still trying to get his stride back, he
competed in early February at the
Houston Invitational and placed sixth
overall in the 800-meter run.
The Edinburg native admits stay-
ing focused and motivated doesn’t
always come easy, especially with
added pressures of taking 20 hours per
semester. But thinking of his mother and
her challenges gets him back on page
with what he loves to do: run.
“I think about my mom and what
she went through. If she can overcome
cancer, I can push myself though the
hot weather or being tired,” Doria said,
smiling.
That has prompted the former
Coog star to return to the track in
August. He has been preparing by run-
ning 10 to 12 miles a day – trying to hit
his goal of 80 miles a week. In the sum-
mer, he will travel to Morocco in North
Africa, after being accepted to a five-
week program with the Culture
Immersion Program, a course designat-
ed for research, including the history of
Morocco, and Arabic studies classes.
He and was one of 10 students chosen.
Earning a chance at that presti-
gious program has added greater incen-
tive for Doria to make a furious come-
back in the 2009 track and field season.
“I want to prove to people that I
can do it again and that I am strong,” he
said. I am ready to bring it.”
By ADRIANA ACOSTAThe Pan American