Comedy Club Night to host Chad Daniels

On Nov. 29, CORE will be hosting Comedy Club Night in the JBK Legends. The show will feature Chad Daniels, who has performed on Comedy Central, the Late Late Show on CBS, and the Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.

“The CORE office is always trying to give our students fun and interesting activities to enjoy,” CORE Advisor Stephanie Brackett said. “I asked some of my student consultants to get together and pick their favorite comedian to bring to campus.”

According to Brackett, there were comedy shows put on frequently when she was a student at WT. She was able to secure Daniels through her connections with several talent agents. Continue reading

Student Government hosts Mr. WT Pageant

On Nov. 16, WTAMU students gathered in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center to support the Mr. WT Pageant.

The Mr. WT Pageant is a show displaying the creativity, talent, and beauty of male WT students.  Student Body President Brandy Roberts and Student Government hosted the fundraising event catered to the Student Memorial Scholarship Fund.

“The Student Memorial Scholarship is a scholarship presented to a student in the same major of a student who has recently passed,” said Roberts.  “We grant the scholarship in the former student’s name as a way to honor them.”

Seven male contestants daringly walked the stage for three rounds hoping to wear the winning crown.

“We have a tie,” said Roberts into the microphone.  “And the winners are Sean O’Rear and Julio Marquez.”

Applause echoed in the JBK as both competitors were congratulated.  Other awards were given such as, ‘Mr. Congeniality’ and ‘Mr. Money Bags’ to two other participants.

“I was hoping to win, but was very surprised I actually did,” said Sean O’Rear, a History Education major.

Freshmen Nursing major Julio Marquez also admitted his surprise to winning and said he enjoyed being in the show.

“I had hopes [of winning] and dreamed big,” said Marquez.  “My favorite part of the show was being able to impress the ladies with my Enrique Iglesias song.  I not only sang it, I mastered it.”

Like the pageant contestants, audience members were also happy to support the cause.

Freshmen Music Therapy major Jonna Gallegos said she “loved the talent round [of the competition].  It was funny seeing what everyone had to bring.”

“The pageant had a better turn out than expected, it was a huge success,” said Roberts.

WT’s ASA teams up with the R-Word campaign

Photo courtesy of Alpha Sigma Alpha.

Photo courtesy of Alpha Sigma Alpha.

On Oct.18, Alpha Sigma Alpha teamed up with the R-Word’s “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign to help stop the used of the R-word.

“I feel that the ladies of Alpha Sigma Alpha all understand the importance of Spread the Word to End the Word,” Ashley Anne Paredes, freshman Music Business major and ASA president, said. “It is something simple that everyone can do.”

The R-word alluded to is the ‘retarded’. The word has become a part of everyday speech, whether it is used as an insult or even in a joking manner. Continue reading

WTAMU’s Tennis Club creates fun environment for players

Joe Tamayo plays in a practice match. Photo by Melissa Bauer-Herzog.

Joe Tamayo plays in a practice match. Photo by Melissa Bauer-Herzog.

In 2007, a group of WTAMU students created the WT Tennis Club.  Today, the club is still active and travels to events across the region to compete against both Division I and II schools.

However, the club’s main purpose is to give tennis players, both recreational and former competitive players, a chance to get back on the court.

“There are many, many high school tennis players — and even tennis stars — walking around on our campus who would enjoy playing at the club level against club teams from other universities,“ club sponsor Dr. James Hallmark said. “We want to get them involved. There are others who have played a great deal as they were growing up and are really good recreational players.  They too are welcome and have a place to be on our club.“ Continue reading

“Día de los Muertos” celebra la vida de los que fallecieron

as Sociales ya empezó a decorar para el Día de los Muertos. Photo by Alex Montoya.

as Sociales ya empezó a decorar para el Día de los Muertos. Photo by Alex Montoya.

Web Editor’s Note: To read this article in English, click here.

La segunda celebración anual por el Día de los Muertos en WTAMU se llevará acabo del 2 al 4 de Noviembre. El Departamento de Educación y Ciencias Sociales junto al Departamento de Consejeros Educativos son los anfitriones del evento.
Yvette Castillo, profesora en el Departamento de Educación dijo que en Oaxaca Mexico la celebración dura una semana.

“La gente va a los cementerios y honran la vida de aquellos que fallecieron, trabajan juntos como familia para limpiar el cementerio y traen ofrendas con objetos que eran especiales para aquellos seres que murieron,” dijo Castillo.

La primera celebración anual por el Día de los Muertos fue el año pasado. Castillo dijo que el departamento nunca imaginó que iban a tener tantos participantes. Continue reading

Ghost haunts Stafford Hall

Stories have spread on the WT campus about the haunting of Stafford Hall. Though details vary from person to person, the all female dorm has been rumored to be haunted by ghosts that like to disturb and scare the students.

“I haven’t seen a ghost, but you do get the sensation that one is around when no one else is around and something randomly goes wrong or a door shuts, and you know that no one is here,” Jennifer Pickens, senior Equine Business major, said.

According to Pickens, in one story a couple got into a fight at the end of units F and D, and the girlfriend was accidentally pushed down a spiral staircase. The floor is not quite level, and sometimes students get the sensation that they are falling when they walk in that area. It also occasionally smells like freshly popped popcorn because it is a snack the couple had been making on that night.

“My old roommate is scared to go up to H unit,” Pickens said. “She thinks it’s the most haunted unit in Stafford for the rumor that someone hung themselves up there.”

In some versions the student is a boy and in another it is a girl. The believed result is that the person now wanders around haunting the dorm.

“I don’t believe in ghosts or anything but I’ve heard stories,” Amanda Smith, junior Music Education major, said.

In a ghost story told to her, a serial killer was in the basement and attacked and killed a girl going to do her laundry.

“I’ve never felt anything,” Trazi Cooper, junior Math Education major, said.

Cooper has experienced the sensation of ghosts in her own home but never felt a presence when she roomed at Stafford Hall. Cooper has heard the popcorn story as well as a story about a ghost named Charlie.  Charlie is considered an active ghost who likes to move things around and open and close doors.

Also, Pickens mentioned that there are many cases of the fire alarm going off for no reason and with no plausible explanation.

Smith was told that an exorcism was executed in Stafford Hall in the past. She can see the crosses and holy oil still placed throughout the building.

“I do think it is very entertaining to say that Stafford is haunted whether it is or isn’t,” Pickens said.

WTAMU attracts athletes from around the world

Daniel Angloher plays against Midwestern State. Photo by Melissa Bauer-Herzog.

Daniel Angloher plays against Midwestern State. Photo by Melissa Bauer-Herzog.

While the United States has struggled with its political image in recent years, its reputation when it comes to college sports both for the athletes and the fans is still intact. And this reputation can be credited for attracting college athletes from all over the world.

“The fans are way more fanatical than [Thailand] but I love it. It’s so fun to be out there and play a sport or even be in the crowd. It’s just fun, I love it,” golfer Hammerli Sriyai said.

America places a lot of significance on college athletics, offering college scholarships that aren’t available to athletes in other countries. This, among other reasons, attracts international athletes to colleges all over the US.

WTAMU doesn’t escape the notice of these athletes when they make their college choices. Continue reading

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WT Honors Program will travel to Carlsbad Caverns

Web Editor’s Note: This story was written for the MCOMM 3309 – News Editing & Reporting Class

Students in WT’s Honors Program will soon be packing their bags for an adventure at the Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns. The three-day weekend trip will take place this month.

“Bill Banks is the person who organized the trip and will also be leading the students of the honors program,” Kathey Walker, administrative director at the office of Attebury Honors Program, said. “Trudy Hanson will be one of the sponsors going on the trip.”

“On this trip, students will be learning about outdoor safety and background education,” Walker said. Before the students begin traveling, they were encouraged to get plenty of cardiovascular exercise. Continue reading

SIFE develops leaders through service projects

Web Editor’s Note: This story was written for the MCOMM 3309 – News Editing & Reporting Class

Students in Free Enterprise, or SIFE, is a non-profit student organization that uses community service to help develop its members skills in becoming socially responsible business leaders.

Each chapter uses its knowledge of business to come up with projects that focus on improving the quality of life for people in need. Along with community service, SIFE chapters compete in regional and national competitions in hopes of representing the United States in the SIFE World Cup. SIFE is open to anyone at WT and the WT chapter has 98 members with members from every college at WT.

Marco Jimenez, chapter president, said that in addition to tutoring children and engaging in other community service efforts, they have several projects already planned.

“This semester WT SIFE is working on over 15 different projects,” he said. “For example, one we are working with an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) gym in Amarillo. We will work on its marketing, budgeting, and any other business help it may need.” Continue reading