Bringing Back Trinity Men’s Lacrosse Team

Trinity University men's lacrosse team
(in black and maroon) hosts
Texas A&M Corps of Cadets on March 5
Photos by Taylor Shelgren

By Taylor Shelgren

Trinity University men’s lacrosse team is both old and new.

It is old because it first started in 1988 when a bunch of “rag-tag” guys came together with a passion and dream of starting a lacrosse team. The boys wore jerseys and pads donated by the Trinity football team and they played their first scrimmage against the University of Texas.

In 1993, Trinity played the University of Texas in the first sanctioned United States intercollegiate lacrosse association game. The lacrosse team continued playing and growing until the spring of 2005, when it stopped playing and the team fell apart.

The current lacrosse team at Trinity, however, is barely 1 year old. The spark was kindled in June 2015, when Trinity student Ben Mulford had a vision to restart the team and the passion to make it great. Mulford double majors in Chinese and political science and just finished his third year at Trinity.

Renowned Filmmaker Tells Story of the Beginning of His Career as a Trinity Student

By Nipuni Gomes

Molina and his crew working on Revelation
Photo courtesy of William Molina

Filmmaker William Molina, ’84, was among Trinity’s last cohort of film majors when, 36 years ago, the university’s Department of Journalism, Broadcast, and Film was in the process of dropping the film component and turning into what is known today as the Department of Communication.

Now an award-winning cinematographer, Molina traced the beginning of his career to his freshman year at Trinity when, although with a limited budget and resources, Molina persevered with a whole lot of passion and determination.

Young Entrepreneurs at Trinity University

Cole Evans rehearses his lines for an Under Amour
entrepreneurship commercial in Trinity’s
Center for the Sciences & Innovation
Photos by Nate Borchers 

By Nate Borchers

When Cole Evans started college at Trinity two years ago, he already had in mind a business idea.

“Coming into college I really knew that I wanted to pursue a business degree mainly because how seriously I was taking the idea of launching Plova,” said Evans. Plova is Evans’ vision of a chewing gum that can replace brushing teeth, designed for businessmen or students on the go who don’t have time to brush teeth.

Evans took this idea to the Cupid’s Cup-Under Armour Entrepreneurship Competition, hosted at the University of Maryland last year. Competing with more than 500 businesses and despite being by far the youngest team, Plova made it to the finals.

Microaggressions, Free Speech, and Political Correctness: A Growing Dialogue on the Trinity University Campus

The April 27 meeting on political correctness
Photo by Nipuni Gomes

This is Part 1 of a two-part series.

By Nipuni Gomes

Toward the end of the past spring semester, amid the stress of preparing for final exams, about 30 Trinity University students still found the time to attend a meeting regarding political correctness and free speech.

They engaged in a heated debate at the April 27 meeting.

“Political correctness is nonsense. We need to throw it out, and we need to go ‘bye-bye,’” said Reece Ringnald, a sophomore and member of Tigers for Liberty at that time, but was later dismissed from the organization.

“We were based off of free speech in this country,” Ringnald said, calling political correctness “a manufactured term.”

His view was challenged by other students at the meeting. “If you’re not able to respect where the other person is coming from, you are not going to be able to convince them of your opinion,” said Benjamin Collinger, a first year student and president of Trinity Diversity Connection.

“I just don’t care!” Ringnald replied.

“Then why are you here?” several other attendees asked in unison.

Microaggressions, Free Speech, and Political Correctness: A Growing Dialogue on the Trinity University Campus

Trinity University Dean of Students David Tuttle
(far left) meeting with students from
the Black Student Union on April 22
Photo by Nipuni Gomes

This is Part 2 of a two-part series.

By Nipuni Gomes

In early April, Tigers for Liberty, a student organization for conservative, libertarian-minded individuals, invited British journalist, entrepreneur, and controversial fringe internet icon Milo Yiannopoulos to speak about microaggressions in Laurie Auditorium.

In his lecture, Yiannopoulos articulated a number of slurs against people of color and feminists, and argued that microaggressions do not, in fact, exist. The lecture was attended by members of both the Trinity community and the wider San Antonio area. Many attendees cheered and laughed during the talk, and named it an exercise of free speech.

“Milo sort of acted like an unnecessary battering ram in that everyone knows who the club is now, so in terms of getting name recognition up, he was excellent. In terms of his lecture, I wasn’t a fan of his lecture,” said Manfred Wendt, a first year student and President of Tigers for Liberty.

Callum Squires: Passion for Soccer and Beyond

Callum Squires playing soccer for Trinity 

Photo by Nate Kizla

By Davis Mathis

Callum John Drysdale Squires has a name that couldn’t allow him to show his Englishness if he wanted. So how did this Englishman end up in San Antonio, Texas for college? The answer is soccer.

He wanted to keep playing soccer. 

“America is crazy about college sports. It’s just such a big culture here, which is weird because no one cares about college sports back home,” says Squires, a junior majoring in German Studies. “They aren’t really even a thing. So when I wanted to keep competitively playing the sport, America was the logical choice.”

TUPD Officer Laura Hernandez

Corporal Laura Hernandez
Photo courtesy of Laura Henandez

By Katie Groke

Corporal Investigator Laura Hernandez is all smiles when she talks about her time with the Trinity University Police Department. “TUPD rocks!” She is also one of only three female officers at TUPD, out of its force of 32.

Now her second year at Trinity, Hernandez has also been teaching a Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) class at Trinity, something she has done in various places for 22 years.

This course is offered as a physical education common curriculum course and is available to female students. Here she and Sylvia Villarreal, also with TUPD, teach young women different self-defense techniques. They also teach their students how to be good witnesses who can help officers get information across the radio. “Each person has something to learn from this course,” says Hernandez.

Empowering Women at Trinity and Beyond: A look Inside the Women Ambassadors Forum

By Dana McLaughlin

Ingrid Harb walked across the stage amid cheers and applauses at today's Trinity Univeristy Spring 2016 Commencement. She is graduating with a bachelor's degree in international business and marketing. However, Harb’s legacy on the Trinity campus will last long after her graduation.

Harb is the co-founder and CEO of a now international organization called Women Ambassadors Forum (WAF), which hosts an annual conference that brings female leaders from various fields to interact with aspiring young women, mostly college students, from around the world.

The inaugural WAF was held last July, when 30 young women from universities across the U.S. and Mexico gathered for five days at Trinity University.

Trinity Faculty and Students Debate Activity Blocks

Dr. Sheryl Tynes

Photo by Nancy Li

By Nancy Li 

Every semester, professors and students witness over-involvement and burnout among students here at Trinity.

Mark Lewis, a professor in the Computer Science department, has seen these problems starting from many students’ first year. Some young freshman, seeing that they spend only 15 hours per week in class, decide to sign up for multiple organizations. Many of them later see extracurricular activities and academic commitments clash.

By the time they realized that they didn’t have a lot of free time, they would end up being in a bad position “because they over committed their time,” says Lewis.

Professor Jenny Browne, the Newly Named San Antonio Poet Laureate, Talks about Trust in Her Creative Process

By Nancy Li

Seated in her office which was littered with various books, papers, and bumper stickers that carried phrases such as "Obamanos" or "united we art," English Professor Jenny Browne found inspiration for her poetry practice in all corners of life.

Browne, interested in what she called the "music of language," says, “Poetry is about paying better attention, to both the outer and inner landscape. It helps me to be awake, aware of the hook of the language, feeling, or image that might spark a poem.”

Amidst the whirlwind that includes family, kids, teaching, and multiple other commitments, Browne always finds a time to write and process her thoughts. “I sit down and try to say something honest, precise, and maybe even interesting,” she says. 

Growing Greener Generations, Trinity Embraces Change

By Robert Smith

The Trinity University Community Garden outside the Storch building may not seem fancy, but has a significant purpose.

The garden is just one of the projects that are in the work as Trinity University embraces changes that would allow the university to run and grow in a more environmental friendly and sustainable way.

The garden has seen tremendous growth in past years, both in plants and popularity. “Other colleges and universities have begun to make use of urban space in the interest of sustainability and energy saving practices,” says garden director and senior student Nathan King. “We hope to use the garden as a vehicle to bring sustainability to the forefront.”

Trinity Joins the National Debate on Safe Space and Trigger Warnings

By Katie Groke

Trinity University has joined the national debate on safe space in educational settings, which has been a contested topic recently in higher education and beyond.

On March 29, the Collaborative on Learning and Teaching hosted a closed discussion for 19 students, faculty, and staff members to discuss trigger warnings and safe spaces.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss some guidelines for creating a safe environment in classrooms. The main points of the guideline include creating a conducive interactive environment, expecting participants to be active listeners, respectful of other people’s opinions, and “accept other people’s experiences as the truth.”

Women Leaders Share Success Stories at Annual Women’s Leadership Summit

By Amy Drozdiak

Three renowned female leaders formed a panel at the annual Women's Leadership Summit, held at Trinity University on Saturday, to share their experiences of achieving success being successful in prominent positions of leadership.

At the panel were State Representative Ina Minjarez, president, CEO, and chairman of the board of CST Brands, Kim Lubel, and president of H-E-B San Antonio/West Division, Suzanne Wade. The discussion was moderated by Trinity alum Trish DeBerry, CEO of The DeBerry Group.

All three women leading the panel discussion work in traditionally male-dominated industries: oil & gas, politics, and retail operations management. 

Ryan Gray Named D-III Baseball All-American and Pitcher of the Year

By Trevor Griffin

Ryan Gray, Trinity baseball’s left-handed pitcher, was recently named Division III Baseball America Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

A Tucson, Arizona native, Gray, 21, knows how to keep his cool on the mound and has showcased his skills over the past three years on the baseball team. He finished last year with a flawless 8-0 record while being credited with two saves. In addition, he pitched 67.2 innings with a 2.00 ERA, leading the team in strikeouts by fanning 75 batters over the course of the season.

SGA Meeting Addresses Food Quality

Head chef Miguel Morales with 

Maddie Kennedy of TUFit. 

Photo by Hayley Sayrs

By Dana McLaughlin and Sara McCarty

Personnel of the Aramark dining services sat alongside three student executives from the TUFit Health Club at Monday’s SGA meeting, discussing better ways to provide quality food services to Trinity students.

TUFit was particularly interested in coloring the plates of Trinity students with wholesome, locally grown foods.

“Our current goal is that by 2020, 20% of all campus food will be locally sourced,” said TUFit’s President, senior biology major, Hayley Sayrs. As the manager of the newly launched Trinity Market, Sayrs is especially passionate about bringing more locally grown food to Trinity’s dining hall.

“Students have every right to know what they are putting in their bodies,” said Sayrs at Monday’s meeting. More importantly, “they should also know how far this food traveled to land upon their plate.”

Trinity Students Learn How to Get the Most Out of the Summer Internship

By Haylee Rodriguez

Lunch and Learn on summer internship. 

Photo by Haylee Rodriguez

You have a summer internship: now what? This was the question addressed at a panel discussion on Friday held by the Center for Experiential Learning & Career Success.

The panel, with two Trinity alumni and two current Trinity students, led a discussion on how summer internships can be used to reach students’ individual professional goals.

Kelly Wright, a Trinity graduate, was excited for the opportunity to talk to students about their internships. “Going into the workforce coming from school is challenging in and of itself,” she said. “Anything I can do to inform I’m happy to do so.”

Student Forum Discusses Campus Drinking Culture and Sexual Assault

By Abby Stigler and Juan Carlos Pineda

SGA President Brenna Hill hosts the open discussion.
Photo by Abby Stigler

More than 70 Trinity students gathered on Wednesday to participate in an open discussion on sexual assault and drinking culture on Trinity Campus.

The discussion highlighted misconceptions on terms like “consent” and “blackout,” especially in the gray area related to campus drinking culture. "The drinking culture here has definitely impaired our abilities to define these terms as well as to understand what these sexual interactions mean,” said Brianna Wood, 21.

Another main point of the discussion concerned what Trinity can do to improve its education of students on sexual assault and the drinking climate. Many students agreed that it is difficult for the university administration to make policies that cover every aspect of such broad and complex issues.

“Administrators can only do so much in terms of policy changes and education,” said Brenna Hill, 20, president of the Student Government Association, which organized the meeting. “It’s up to us to stop sexual assault on our campus and foster an environment that supports survivors.”

Trinity Graduate the First Social Media Coordinator for the Spurs

Megan Julian checks her work phone
Photo by Taylor Shelgren

By Taylor Shelgren

Megan Julian has two phones with her at all times. One of them is her personal phone and the other is for her job, where all the social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine and Snapchat, for the San Antonio Spurs are hooked up.

Julian, a San Antonio native and Trinity graduate in 2013, is the Social Media Coordinator for the Spurs Sports and Entertainment, a job she has held since October 2014. The 25-year-old is also the first person to ever work this position for this company, thanks to the social media boom in recent years.

“It is crucial for sport teams at the professional level to have social media accounts,” says Julian, especially when considering the potentially endless audience that social media can reach all over the world. Ten years ago, Julian’s job wouldn’t have even existed. Today, social media have become a huge part of branding, marketing, and connecting with the public, and Julian is the social media voice of her company.

Group Campfire and Petting Zoo Cap Off Mental Health Week

Trinity students gather by a campfire

outside the Murchison Hall

Photo by Nate Borchers

By Nate Borchers

Trinity students got to spend some time with chinchilla’s, lemurs and even a llama on Friday at the petting zoo set up near the Coates University Center as part of the Mental Health Week.

These animals are considered therapeutic and have been shown to help those dealing with mental illness, and students adored them.

"I do think that animals have useful medicinal purposes. There's just something about being around them that helps you feel calm and valued in a way," said Chelsea Runacres, a sophomore in Biology. "Even if you aren't currently experiencing a mental illness or know someone who is, the event still puts a smile on your face and helps you forget about the bad exam or assignment you might've just gotten back."

KRTU Spring Membership Drive a Success

J.J. Lopez, KRTU general manager, in his office
Photo by Juan Pineda

By Juan Pineda

Trinity’s jazz station 91.7 KRTU raised approximate $78,000 by the end of their spring membership drive on-air campaign that ended on Friday, surpassing their $75,000 goal.

“We definitely exceeded our expectations," said J.J. Lopez, the general manager of KRTU. The station is poised to raise another $10,000 during the post-drive to reach the overall spring fundraising goal of $85,000. The week-long on air membership drive contributed about 45% toward that goal.

“All this money goes directly into operations which include staff salary, production and operation costs,” Lopez added.

Trinity Baseball Loses Home Game

Trinity celebrates a home run
during Friday's game
Photos by Sara McCarty

By Sara McCarty

Trinity’s baseball team suffered a 8-4 loss to Texas Lutheran University (TLU) during a home game on Friday, losing their second conference game in a row after last week’s upset by Schreiner University.

TLU got momentum early in the game, scoring three runs in the first inning. Trinity was out hit by TLU 11-15 and the score reflected the absence of runs.

TLU’s pitcher mixed up his pitches very well, trying to get batters off balanced, as well as being very consistent, said Trinity pitcher Colin Serkowski.

Defensively, pitching for the Tigers was not as effective as it usually is. The Tigers went through four pitchers throughout the nine inning game. Coach David Smith said that the pitchers “needed to do a better job at executing pitches,” in order for the team to get outs that they needed to stop TLU from scoring more.

"The Mousetrap" Opens at Trinity

Guest artist, Andrew Thornton, performs alongside
Trinity University senior, Brianna Wood.
Photos by Abby Stigler

By Abby Stigler

After six weeks of grueling rehearsal, Agatha Christie’s most famous play was performed on the Trinity stage on Friday, with a bang, as the crowd for the opening night almost filled the Stieren Theatre.

"The Mousetrap" is a classic whodunit with murder and mystery. The play consists of eight characters: newlyweds Mr. and Mrs. Ralston and the guests at their manor, including the young and quirky Christopher Wren, the old, grumpy Mrs. Boyle, the former soldier Major Metcalf, and a surprise visitor, Mr. Paravicini.

This production is directed by Dr. Stacey Connelly, who turned the Stieren Theatre stage into the living room of the Monkswell Manor in the 1950’s. The crew’s use of lighting and sound helped to create a mysterious ambiance and keep the identity of the murderer a secret until the very end, ensuring that the play keeps the audience guessing.

Live Coverage of KRTU Spring Fund Drive

KRTU station manager JJ Lopez makes
online announcements during the fund drive
Photo by Amy Drozdiak

Jeanette Reynolds, the director of development 

at KRTU receives a donor phone call.

Photo by Abby Stigler

The Roar reporters today came to the studio of 91.7 KRTU amid their spring membership drive to do live coverage through live blogging, live tweeting and videos.

11:16 a.m.
The money raised helps to cover royalty fees, streaming fees, operational costs, and staff and intern salaries. The money allows the station to provide quality jazz music 24/7 to its San Antonio community listeners. The funds will also support their switch to a radio tower that can broadcast music at a greater frequency, and have wider range of service, extending to listeners in Boerne and New Braunfels.

--Amy Drozdiak

11:06 a.m.
The spring membership drive at KRTU, Trinity University's nonprofit radio station, has reached 95% of its funding raising goal.
--Haylee Rodriguez

11:05 a.m.
Tomorrow is the last day of KRTU’s biggest event: the spring membership drive, which started on Friday. Their interns, volunteers and staff are working diligently to receive donations through phone calls and the internet. They have been receiving donations from all over the US. Annual membership starts at $60. It is $40 for seniors and $25 for students.
--Taylor Shelgren

Organizations Present Opportunities for Gap Year

The panelists give students information about their
organization (from left to right Jennifer Rodriguez,
Brendan Cavanagh, Melissa Cano and Sarah Ramos)
Photo by Katie Ramirez 

By Carlos Ealy

Representatives from several well-known organizations met with Trinity students to talk about potential gap year opportunities on Friday at the Coates University Center.

City Year, Peace Corps, Teach for America, and TU College Advising Corps joined the Gap Year Service Panel, sponsored by Trinity’s Center for Experiential Learning & Career Success and Trinity University Volunteer Action Community, as part of the Lunch and Learn series.

These organizations provide community service opportunities for students who what to take a gap year, or a year off from school to do something else. About 20 students attended the meeting.

Panel Addresses Gender Gap in STEM Fields

By Davis Mathis

Several Trinity University professors voiced concerns over the gender gap in the STEM fields on Thursday and shared their own experiences of gender discrimination.

Professors Kelly Lyons, in biology, Marilyn Wooten, in chemistry, Hoa Nguyen, in mathematics, Niescja Turner, in physics and astronomy, and Veronica McDonald, an engineer and Trinity alumnus, spoke at a panel hosted by Trinity Diversity Connection (TDC) and Trinity Women in Science and Technology (TWIST).

Science, technology, and math are widely known to be male dominated fields, but that isn't the full story, the panelists pointed out. To them, the discrimination and harassment they have experienced seems to be more of an active effort to keep women out rather than something that occurred naturally.

Trinity Master Plan Hosts Forum for Campus Improvement

By Katie Groke

Students Chris Soto and Marcella Reyes look at
alternative plans for the Trinity Campus
Photo by Katie Groke

Students, faculty, and staff gathered Tuesday to discuss possible improvements to the Trinity University campus, including parking, dorm renovation and additional entrance to campus, at public forums hosted by the Trinity University Facilities Master Plan Committee.

Suggested campus improvements include replacing parking lots on lower campus with an additional intramural field and grass areas for recreation. To compensate for the loss of parking, a parking structure outside the Bell Athletic Center is suggested. This would increase easily accessible parking for both student residents and visitors during sporting events.

People at the meeting also discussed possible improvements to upperclassman dorms, such as renovating three of the upperclassman dorms into single room styles, similar to the improvement done to the North Hall during last summer. They also suggested a possible apartment building for seniors and juniors to improve privacy.

Trinity Soccer Competes with Professional Clubs at Home and Abroad

By Dana McLaughlin

The Trinity Men’s soccer concluded their spring season with a hard-fought 3-2 loss to the newly founded San Antonio National Soccer League team, San Antonio Football Club (SAFC) at the Toyota Field on Thursday.

Trinity men's soccer team (in stripes) plays against 

San Antonio Football Club on Thursday at the Toyota Field

Photos by Dana McLaughlin

SAFC’s starting 11, including former Colorado Rapids midfielder Carlos Alvarez, former San Antonio Scorpion midfielder, Rafael Castillo and Chicago Fire defender, Greg Cochrane, presented a formidable obstacle to the Tigers early on in the match under the lights of Toyota Field.

The Tigers conceded their first goal of the match in the 35th minute as SAFC’s Michael Reed drove home Bobby Moseley’s well struck cross with a header into the back of Trinity's net.  

Lecture Discusses Biblical Influence of Gender Discrimination

Professor Valarie Ziegler gives a lecture
on Thursday at the Stieren Theater
Photos by Abi Birdsell

By Abi Birdsell

Trinity University hosted Valarie Ziegler, professor of religious studies from DePauw University, on Thursday to give a talk on gender discrimination related to the Christian belief and its impact on popular culture.

Ziegler’s lecture was titled “Submission, Sex and Sinraptors: The Evangelical Adam as Alpha Male in American Popular Culture,” as part of the Lennox Seminar, a yearly speaker series hosted by different departments. This year’s theme is “(Re)inventing the Bible,” which examines how communities throughout history have created and recreated the Bible.

The talk focused on the modern effort by conservative evangelicals and important religious authorities to model American society in the image of Eden. As a result, the subordination and submission of woman to men is emphasized.

Trinity Students Spend Spring Break in One of the World’s Top Geosciences Labs

Joshua Hernandes and Bethany Rysak in the
geoscience lab at Stanford University
Photo by Kathleen Surpless

By Nate Borchers

Bethany Rysak and Joshua Hernandez, two Trinity University students, went to California for the Spring Break.

But no, they didn’t get sun bathing on the beach. Instead, they submerged themselves in the geosciences laboratory at Stanford University.

In the lab, one of the world’s most advanced fallibilities of its kind, Rysak, a sophomore, and Hernandez, a senior, both majoring in geosciences, studied rock samples from sunny California’s Sierra Nevada mountain chain. So perhaps Rysak and Hernandez can still check off the “exotic location” box for their Spring Break.

Quality Coffee Time with the Trinity Cops

TUPD offers Trinity students donut holes and coffee
Photos by Nipuni Gomes

By Nipuni Gomes

Trinity University Police Department served up coffee and donut holes for students, faculty, and staff in the campus esplanade this morning, inviting people to have “Coffee with a Cop.”

This event is an initiative to foster the Trinity community’s relationship with its police department as well as raise awareness of the services TUPD has to offer.

“This is one of our best events because our community loves coffee and donuts!” said Paul Morales, Corporal of Community Awareness at TUPD. “I think we gain the students’ trust as being approachable, and not as some mean cops out there.”

Troye Sivan Performs in Houston during Spring Break

Troye Sivan performs in Houston on Thursday
Photos by Alyssa Olson

By Haylee Rodriguez

Troye Sivan stepped onto the stage in front of hundreds of screaming fans at the sold-out Houston concert on Thursday and delivered the opening lines of his song “Bite.”

“Kiss me on the mouth and set me free/Sing me like a choir,” Sivan sang as the crowd surged forward in an attempt to get as close to him as possible.

At House of Blues, a music concert hall in Houston, the 20-year-old Australian singer and​ songwriter​ delivered his final act of the United States part of his Blue Neighbourhood world tour.

California Bass Player Debuts at South By Southwest

Covet bassist David Adamiak and lead guitarist 
Yvette Young on stage during a SXSW event 
Photo by Amy Drozdiak

By Amy Drozdiak

The streets of downtown Austin have been abuzz this past week with energy, filled with more than 30,000 out-of-town visitors gathering for the internationally known SXSW Festival. On Wednesday night, David Adamiak and his Mathrock band called Covet made their SXSW debut.

Adamiak, 24, is the bass player for this Northern California based, three-member band, and acted as the band’s spokesman during the show at The Hideout, a funky, after-hours coffeehouse featuring an intimate acoustic stage.

Inside Trinity's Softball Team: Rebecca Berreth

By Sara McCarty

For two consecutive weeks recently, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference named Trinity softball player Rebecca Berreth Hitter of the Week.

Berreth earned the title for the weeks of February 29 and March 7 for her outstanding statistics. So far this season, which started on February 19, she has had 22 runs batten in, three homeruns, while sporting a .487 batting average.

Off the field, Berreth also stands out as a student athlete taking on a demanding major, neuroscience.

College Students Spending Spring Break Exploring Social Injustice and Racial Reconciliation

SAUP students in the Fellowship Hall
Photos by Nancy Li

By Nancy Li

More than 100 college students from around Texas and beyond spent their Spring Break living in Highland Terrace Outreach Center, a church on the Southeast side of San Antonio, to learn about social justice issues in the context of the Christian gospel. One of these issues, racism, emotionally touched many.

“Race has been used to devalue people in the name of God,” Ryan Cook, a staff volunteer with the San Antonio Urban Project (SAUP) and a Trinity University alumnus, told 130 college students from Texas Women’s University, Texas Southern University, University of Oklahoma, Trinity University and other colleges on March 12, the first day of a seven-day missions project.

Cook shared his personal stories as a black man, including people telling him how he spoke well for a black man or when one of his coworkers looked at him and said that he could act out Ben Carson in a skit held among colleagues.

Trinity Baseball Triumphed Hectic Week

By Trevor Griffin

Trinity baseball team on the road on March 14 for
a game against Denison held at Texas Lutheran
Photo by Trevor Griffin

The Trinity University Baseball Team finished one of the most intense and action packed weeks of the year just in time for the Spring Break.

The team played nine games in 10 days between March 4 and 14, amounting to 82 innings all together. The Tigers won seven of these nine games to stand at 17-4 at the end of the 10-day stretch.

The tournament​ ​started with the Tigers playing a three-game series at Texas Lutheran University on March 4. After winning two of the three games, the team returned home to prepare for their upcoming games.

However, a severe storm and rain caused a cancellation of a game scheduled for March 9. After waiting for two days for the rain to die down, Trinity proceeded to play five hard fought games in the following five days, against DeSales University of Pennsylvania, Denison University of Ohio and three games against Southwestern University of Texas.

Lunar New Year Gala Celebrates Asian Culture at Trinity

By Nate Borchers

Sights, sounds and even smells of the Lunar New Year filled Laurie Auditorium on Friday night as 61 Trinity students danced, sang and showcased their talents in celebration of the holiday.

After being treated to Asian cuisine such as spring rolls, fried rice and satay, the audience filled Laurie Auditorium, some to see their roommates or friends perform, others to get a taste of the Lunar New Year celebration at Trinity.

“None of my family is of Asian heritage, but growing up in the Bay Area where there’s a huge Asian population, crowding China town in San Francisco to see the Lunar New Year Parade is just as much of a holiday for the rest of the population as it is for the Chinese, Vietnamese, etc.,” said Zachary Klein, a sophomore. “So in an odd way, attending tonight’s performance was kind of like going home.”

Trinity Lacrosse Gaining Momentum and Aiming Higher

Trinity University men's lacrosse team
(in black and maroon) hosts
Texas A&M Corps of Cadets on Saturday
Photos by Taylor Shelgren 

By Taylor Shelgren

Trinity men's club Lacrosse continued their winning streak on Saturday with two home wins in a roll, defeating San Antonio College 14 to 1 and Texas A&M Corps of Cadets 13 to 1.

The team crushed both opponents on Saturday and it is clear that they are a big fish in a small pond. Their record now stands at 3 to 0. 

“There are a lot of guys on the team who have played before, so we have a lot of developed talent that these other teams simply don’t have,” said senior Austin Phillippe, who plays midfield.  

Sarah Hepola Speaks about Binge Drinking and Sexual Assault

Sarah Hepola's book

By Davis Mathis

Sarah Hepola’s story has been part of the reason that college binge drinking gained much national attention in the past year, and on Thursday, the author and advocate shared her story with students at Trinity University.

Hepola, 41, author of critically acclaimed memoir, Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget, told hundreds of students who filled up Laurie Auditorium, "My job isn't to make you drink less. That's your decision. My job is to make you think about drinking in a smarter way."

She told the audience that "blackouts" were often a part of her life when she was drinking, bemoaning the lack of education and information people have about the syndrome.

Ted Cruz Visits San Antonio Right Before Super Tuesday

More than 1500 people gather in the Shrine Auditorium in San Antonio for a Ted Cruz rally on Monday
Photos by Robert Smith

By Robert Smith

Over 1500 people packed the Shrine Auditorium near Stone Oak Monday afternoon during a rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz.

Just one day before Super Tuesday, Cruz is visiting Texas’ major cities in a last minute attempt to sway voters. With his wife Heidi and two daughters next to him, Cruz took the stage to a standing ovation and patriotic country music.

“This election is going to focus on three issues: jobs, freedom, and security,” Cruz told the supporters. “The heart of our economy is small business; you wanna hammer the economy you hammer small businesses. You wanna lift the economy then have the federal government lift their boots of the necks of small businesses.”

Trinity Alumnus Chris Helfrich Gives Memorable Speech

By Amy Drozdiak

Chris Helfrich ('03) gives keynote speech
at the Communication Day
Photo by Josie Liu

Chris Helfrich, the executive director of Nothing But Nets, a United Nations Foundation campaign, kicked off the third annual Communication Day at Trinity University with an inspirational keynote speech on Friday.

In his speech, Helfrich, who graduated from Trinity University in 2003, reflected on how the experiences and skills he acquired as a student at Trinity, and the profound influence from his Trinity mentors, have helped equip him to successfully progress his career into one with the power to make a difference in the world.

As the executive director of Nothing But Nets, a global, grassroots foundation, Helfrich works to raise awareness and funding to help fight malaria through providing mosquito nets and other materials to communities with high malaria death rates, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa.

Young Alumni Bring Inspirations and Advice Back to Trinity

Recent communication major graduates
speak at a panel at the Communication Day
Photo by Josie Liu

By Robert Smith

The classroom 320 in Trinity University’s Richardson Communication Center was fully occupied on Friday afternoon. Staff started to put extra chairs on the side, with many people still standing on the back and near the door.

Around 50 students, faculty and staff were here to see, and hear, five recent graduates of Communication major speaking at a panel at the third annual Communication Day, held by the Department of Communication.

Leading the discussion were Natalie Brown, Don Dimick, Lauren Wilks, Sarah Cooper and Leslie Green, all of whom graduated from Trinity within the past three years.

Trinity President Officially Inaugurated

Trinity president Danny Anderson
gives inaugural speech

Photo by Josie Liu

By Haylee Rodriguez

Hundreds of students, faculty, and alumni of Trinity University, and representatives from more than 30 institutions of higher education gathered in Laurie Auditorium on Friday to observe the investiture ceremony of Trinity’s 19th president, Dr. Danny J. Anderson.

Anderson assumed the presidency of Trinity University in May 2015. The investiture marked his formal installation as the president of the university.

At the ceremony, Anderson received the University mace and the medallion, hanging from a chain of medals each inscribed with the name and term of his predecessors. Both are symbols of the university presidency.

“How I Learned To Drive” Opens Trinity Theatre Spring Season

Actors Sarah Tipton and Alaynna Marttala 

sit on stage waiting for the show to start

Photo by Katie Groke

By Katie Groke

Seats were filled up Friday night as Trinity Theatre Department opened its spring season with “How I Learned to Drive.”

More than 70 people came to the show, which was performed in the small black box theater on the second floor of the Ruth Taylor Fine Arts Center.

The space was transformed with two seating areas facing each other. A painted road ran in between the seating areas and a swing hung from the ceiling, indicating the play’s themes of driving and loss of youth.

“We put it in the smaller theater for a more intimate setting,” said Rachel Joseph, a Trinity professor and director of the show.

#Great Trinity Experiment: Inspiring Learning for the Future

Trinity University President Danny Anderson
welcomes participants of the Great Trinity
Experiment on Thursday
Photo by Dana McLaughlin

By Dana McLaughlin

The entire Trinity University campus was buzzed with excitement as students, faculty and alumni participated in the Great Trinity Experiment on Thursday, as a significant part of the celebratory events leading up to the inauguration of Dr. Danny J. Anderson as the 19th president of Trinity University.

This experiment put students, staff and alumni at the front of the classroom, reversing the traditional teaching role for one day.

There were 23 mini-courses selected out of 40 proposals submitted by students, staff and alumni, on topics ranging from the evolving face of homelessness, coding basics, Japanese anime, to drumming. About 200 people signed up to attend these 50-minute courses.

#Great Trinity Experiment: Students Teach Class on Homelessness

Junior Rebecca Prager collects ideas 

from the class about ways to help homeless people

Photos by Nate Borchers

By Nate Borchers​

Trinity​ University ​juniors Rebecca Prager, Jay Stracke and senior Ana Ruiz reversed the conventional​teaching-learning structure​and became the professors on the causes and solutions of homelessness. At least for one afternoon.

The mini-course they taught, “The Evolving Face of Homelessness,” challenged more than 20 attendees, including Trinity faculty and students, to rethink the perception of homelessness, as part of “The Great Trinity Experiment” on Thursday.

In an activity called “Cross The Line,” participants of the class moved into different areas of the room designated “Yes”, “No” or “Unsure” in response to a series of statements, ranging from general ones such as “I was born in Texas,” to more complicated ones like “I believe homelessness is something that we can end forever.”

#Great Trinity Experiment: Trinity Students Fascinated by Fictional Writing

A student imagines characters for an exercise
 during the creative writing mini course.  
Photo by Robert Smith

By Robert Smith

Creating fictional characters, turns out, has a lot to do with understanding real people, as attendees of a Great Trinity Experiment course learned on Thursday.

The course, Building Believable Characters in Creative Writing, was designed and taught by two Trinity alum, William M. Razavi (’95) and Jack Bonner (’02).

Though many English and creative writing students, as well as a few alumni, were in attendance, the talk focused on more than just literature.

#Great Trinity Experiment: Trinity Students, Faculty and Staff Enjoy Drumming

By Nancy Li

On a stage usually occupied by music majors and professional musicians, a group of first-time drummers filled the recital hall with sounds and rhythms of djembe and conga drums.

These drummers were about 50 Trinity students, faculty and staff, all of whom had little experience with drumming, who came to the Ruth Taylor Recital Hall on Thursday to attend the mini-course, Drumming with your hands: An Introduction to Drumming.

Claire Steinman, a sophomore majoring in Communication, was very excited to be here. “It’ll be fun. I just wanna bang on things.”

Trinity Students Engage In Interfaith Dialogue

By Nancy Li

Students and staff of different religious background gathered and exchanged views on Monday during the Interfaith Dialogue in Trinity’s Fiesta Room.

The 18 participants, representing Islam, Judaism, Catholicism, Protestant Christianity and agnosticism, discussed a wide range of topics from different beliefs to personal religious experiences and current social issues.

Ruth Lavenda, a sophomore and member of the Jewish Student Association, was a part of a stimulating conversation concerning views toward the LGBT community in the Christian church. To her, the very question was brought up because people “did not know what to think because here was a situation where the view of Christianity was being challenged.”

Trinity University President Leads Day of Service

Volunteers at Lamar Elementary School
Photos by Sara McCarty 

By Sara McCarty

Dr. Danny Anderson, Trinity University’s new president, spent Saturday morning raking leaves and helping with landscaping at Lamar Elementary School, as part of the Trinity Gives Back community service day.

Instead of his normal attire of suit, Anderson was wearing jeans and the "uniform" of the day, a maroon Trinity Gives Back T-shirt. As soon as he arrived at the elementary school, he went straight for the gardening gloves and began raking.

Lamar Elementary, which is in Trinity’s neighborhood, is one of a dozen locations around San Antonio where volunteers, including Trinity students, faculty, staff and alumni, spent the day doing various community services.

Volunteers Gave Providence Place a Makeover

Trinity University President Danny Anderson 

rallies the troops on Saturday morning

Photos by Abby Stigler

By Abby Stigler

It was with groggy eyes and breakfast taco filled stomachs that 500 Trinity volunteers gathered in the
Bell Center yesterday at 7:30 a.m. to kick off the President’s Day of Service.

Busses carted off volunteers in big and small groups, ranging from 8 to 85 people each, to various sites across San Antonio, including Daily Bread Ministries, San Antonio Food Bank, Haven for Hope, and several others, where students, professors, and community members were geared up to help places in need.

Among them were 50 volunteers who came to Providence Place, a non-profit organization that provides an educational center for people with disabilities as well as a service that helps pregnant women who do not wish to keep their baby find adoption families.

“Pizza and Pleasure” Discusses Online Dating

Katherine Hewitt talks about online dating
at Pizza and Pleasure on Thursday.
Photo by Carlos Ealy

By Carlos Ealy

Need a valentine for Valentine’s Day? Dating apps might help, as suggested by the “Pizza and Pleasure” talk on Thursday.

Katherine Hewitt, the wellness coordinator from Trinity University's Counseling Services, presented different ways to meet people through apps and dating websites, three days before Valentine's Day.

There are benefits using dating sites and applications, according to Hewitt, since they eliminate the “blind date” by providing in-depth profile information and match people through algorithms. Hewitt herself has had firsthand experience with how technology has reshaped dating. She and her husband began dating after he “poked” her on Facebook when they were in college.

Spring Career Fair Attracts Hundreds

Trinity holds Spring Career Fair on Wednesday.
Photo by Davis Mathis

By Davis Mathis

​Hundreds of students and employers generated heavy traffic along the corridor in the Laurie Auditorium on Wednesday for Trinity's Spring Career Fair.

Around 40 companies from across the state, including police departments, military branches, and computer science companies, set up tables, displaying brochures, information sheets and lots of goodies bearing company logos.

Renowned Anthropologist Discusses Why People Reject Science

Dr. Eugenie C. Scott gives a lecture on Darwin's Day. 

Photo by Nipuni Gomes

By Nipuni Gomes

The primary reason for many people to reject climate change, vaccination or evolution is not science, but ideology, Dr. Eugenie Carol Scott, a renowned anthropologist, told an audience at Trinity University yesterday.

Scott, a physical anthropologist and chair of the Advisory Council for the National Center for Science Education, presented a lecture titled “Why Do People Reject Good Science,” hosted by Trinity University in honor of the 2016 Darwin Day, the 207th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birthday.

Super Bowl A Get-together Chance For Latino Students

 Dozens of Trinity students gather at City Vista
to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Photo by Nicolas Echeverria

By Juan Pineda

Dozens of Latino students at Trinity University gathered on Sunday to watch the Super Bowl. Or not.

Football is not the biggest sport for Latino students, and therefore the reason for them to watch the game was rather different.

“I only watch the game because of the ads and the halftime show,” said Gabriel Mendez, a junior from Honduras. He tried to name players from the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos, “Peyton Manning, Cam Newton, and #73, the guy from the ‘Blind Side’ movie, and that's it.”

At a Super Bowl watching party at City Vista, the new apartment complex right next to the Trinity campus, dozens of Trinity Latino students gathered around a bonfire, chatting, having barbecue and drinking beer, while the game was shown on giant television screens behind the grillers.

Trinity Junior Sets Spurs Halftime Competition Record at $1,100

Zachary Treu poses with Silver Star
dancers at last Wednesday's game
Photo by Callum Squires

By Dana McLaughlin

Zachary Treu celebrated his 22nd birthday with friends at the San Antonio Spurs home game against the Houston Rockets last Wednesday.

The Spurs came away with a win, and so did Treu, a junior at Trinity University. He won a $1,100 HEB gift card after setting an all-time high record for the HEB Beach Ball Mania halftime competition.

Treu said it was incredible to be down on the court. “I was also shaking pretty bad when I first got down on the court,” recalled Treu. “However, once I caught the first balloon I kind of just dialed in and felt pretty comfortable after that.”

Momentum 2016 Auditions Kick Off 11th Annual Production

Dancers at Sunday's audition.
Photos by Amy Drozdiak

By Amy Drozdiak

On an otherwise quiet Sunday morning yesterday, there was an air of nervous and excited energy as more than 75 Trinity students gathered at the Bell Center for the auditions of the 2016 Momentum, the annual dance production choreographed and produced entirely by Trinity students.

Students auditioned for a diverse mix of dance styles, including Jazz, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Contemporary, Funk, and Tap dancing.

This year marks the show’s 11th annual production, and the producers and choreographers were eager to showcase their dance pieces for the new and veteran dancers at the audition. Choreographers of the Tap dancing piece wow-ed everybody with the unique integration of plastic cups into their tap-dance routine.

Houston Underground Hip-Hop Comes to San Antonio

By Robert Smith

Fat Tony
Photo courtesy of Fat Tony

Fat Tony and his DJ were playing a zombie arcade shooting game in a corner of Limelight, a music bar in San Antonio where the Houston-based rapper was about to start a show on Saturday evening.

The sound engineers tested a pre-recorded "Sushi," Tony’s hit single recorded alongside Asher Roth. Shrill whistles and kick drums come together to form a song that is unique and catchy. Red lights turned blue and then green, each color matching the mood of the subsequent songs. Finally, Tony left the arcade—he ran out of quarters.

Anthony Lawson Jude Ifeanyichukwu Obiawunaotu has one hell of a name. But his stage moniker pays homage to the likes of Big Moe, Slim Thug, and Fat Pat, all legends of the Houston underground hip-hop scene. “Houston made its best music, in my opinion, during the 90’s when it was…like Ghetto Boyz, Scarface, Devin the Dude; not just Houston but Texas,” says Tony.