Intermission

Dear Readers,
As of yesterday, The Roar published the last story of Spring 2018. We had yet another successful season, thanks to the wonderful work of 15 student reporters: Victoria Abad, Emily Bae, Lauren Bagg, Paige Johnson, Samuel King, Sophia Mohr, Jacob Rossitter, Ruthie Rubin, Sophia Scearce, Marina Schweitzer, Breton Smith, David Smith, Julia Weis, Sarah Wysocki, and Joy Yauger.

This season we published 47 news stories, and the very first season of our new podcast, The Story Behind Stories.

We want to say a hearty "thank you" to all of our sources and readers. Thank you for your time, support and attention.

Have a wonderful summer and we will be back in Spring 2019!

Coates Center Undergoes Major Makeover

By Sarah Wysocki

The Coates University Center is blockaded by giant boards and largely inaccessible. Behind those boards is a busy construction site. In a couple of months, when these boards are removed, a brand new Coates Center will emerge.

An imminent result of this multi-million dollar renovation is relocation of several university services. Counseling Services will move to where Student Involvement currently resides, in the west wing of Coates. Student Involvement will be relocated to the first floor of the current bookstore, where the new Diversity and Inclusion Office will also reside.

The bookstore itself will move to the lounge area where the mail center used to be. The Center for Experiential Learning and Career Success (CELCS) will stay where it is, but will expand to encompass the current second floor of the bookstore: the textbook area.

Fostering Inclusion: Students and Staff Discuss Legacy of Rev. Stephen Nickle

By Ruthie Rubin

The Rev. Stephen Nickle is retiring from Trinity University at the end of this month, after 18 years of service as the university chaplain.

Nickle and his wife, Catherine Morell-Nickle, the beloved coordinator of Student Accessibility Services here at Trinity, will be moving to Tacoma, Washington this summer.

After the move, Nickle plans to spend the summer exploring his new home of Washington and spending time with his children who live on the West coast. In the fall, he will go back into the role of a student at Saint Joseph’s Medical Center, where he will have a year long residency in a clinical pastoral education program. He will be learning how to have a chaplain/pastoral presence in a hospital setting, working with patients, their families and care takers.

Trinity’s Center for International Engagement Helps Students Engage the World

By Julia Weis

Berlin, Germany. Seoul, South Korea. Budapest, Hungary. Evan Chambless, 21, has wanted to study abroad in all three of these places. After a two-week trip to Berlin through Trinity’s political science department her freshmen year, she was determined to find the opportunity to go studying abroad for a full semester.

So she went to speak with staff at the Center for International Engagement (CIE) of Trinity and, with their consultation, worked out a plan to study abroad for a semester during her senior year.

Chambless is one of many Trinity students who was able to go study abroad with the help of CIE. The center, launched in the summer of 2015 as a part of Trinity's Trinity Tomorrow Strategic Plan, is making an effort to push Trinity students to expand their knowledge of the world through the classrooms, other campus activities, and studying abroad.

Jennifer Henderson: Journey of Following Passions

By Marina Schweitzer

People told her she would never work in Washington DC again, but Jennifer Henderson was determined. The determination helped her land another DC job that she thought might actually help people.

Henderson brought that same kind of determination to Trinity University in 2002, when she joined the faculty in the Department of Communication. Sixteen years later, she has become a full professor and the department chair, and has taught an array of classes including mass media, media law, media ethics, advertising, and communication capstone.

Developing Real Life Skills, Starting with Cooking on a Budget

Left: Trinity students chopping and preparing their salads
Right: Chef David Terrazas demonstrates how to properly hold and use a knife
(Photos by Joy Camp)

By Joy Yauger Camp

A trill of excitement permeated the air on a Thursday in February, as 25 Trinity students gathered around two sets of rectangular tables in the San Antonio Botanical Garden indoor/outdoor cooking facility. Chef David Terrazas, head of the Culinary Health Education Program for Families at the Botanical Garden, informed students of the menu for the evening.

This cooking event, organized by Trinity University Residential Life Assistant Director Rachel Boaz, was created as part of a larger initiative of teaching students financial literacy. Boaz, a Trinity graduate of 2010, said her intent was to “prepare juniors and seniors for their transition out of college.” One of such skills is to make meals on budget.

Stressed and Sleep Deprived, Trinity Students Need Some Help, and the University Tries to Provide It

By Bret Smith

The finals of spring 2018 ended just a week ago, and students can leave behind all the stresses and anxieties, for now. While the finals are over, health issues are not.

Surveys done by Trinity University have shown that physical health issues involving tobacco and alcohol use, as well as mental problems like sleep deficit, anxiety, stress, and depression, are among the health issues facing Trinity University students.

Sleep difficulties and stress in particular have become major mental health problems on campus and they tend to go hand in hand. Trinity students have to juggle a heavy study load from professors, high expectations from their parents, their self-imposed expectations to succeed, and their social life.

Trinity University Launches Planning Campaign for 150th Anniversary

Trinity's values, such as "Discover, Grow, Become," will be
highlighted during the 150th anniversary celebration. (The Roar photo)

By Marina Schweitzer

Trinity University is taking stock of the present and looking to the future in planning for celebrating her 150th anniversary.

The steering committee for the celebration is co-chaired by Angela Breidenstein, professor of education, and Jacob Tingle, director of Experiential Learning. The committee has launched a community-oriented planning campaign to help decide what the sesquicentennial celebration is going to look like. The year-long celebration will begin in January of 2019 and go through December. The university was founded in 1869.

The committee is intentional in not taking an approach of telling people what should happen for the sesquicentennial. Instead, “we chose a more constructivist community based organic approach, which is to say what does the community think we should recognize, honor, question, and celebrate," Breidenstein said. "That’s why we have done this campaign rather than saying here are the events. We want it to be really inclusive and far reaching and get people involved.”

Trinity’s Engineering Program Is Making International Impact, One Water Barrel at a Time

Daniel Dahlinger is one of the engineering students at
Trinity who work on the water barrel project (Photos by Paige Johnson)

By Paige Johnson 

The Engineering Science Program at Trinity University is drawing international attention for its humanitarian work in South Texas.

The project involves creating and monitoring sturdy water barrels along the boarders in the desert of South Texas, to provide fresh water for those who travel in that area. Many of those traveling through South Texas are migrants from Latin America, fleeing danger in their home countries. Journeying across the desert is extremely dangerous, and the fresh water saves lives.

“When this project idea was presented they mentioned that most of the migrants crossing the border and drinking from these barrels were from Honduras and El Salvador,” said Andrea Zavala Handal, who worked on the project and graduated last year. “I am from the small country in the center of Central America, Honduras, and therefore I wanted to help my own community out.”

To Jaywalk or Not To Jaywalk? The City Vista Debate

By Sophia Scearce

It’s 9:00 a.m. The mid-morning traffic has hit its peak for the day, as cars whiz down Hildebrand Avenue unassumingly during their morning commute. At 9:15, a flustered student emerges from the City Vista apartment complex, running late for class.

As he approaches the road, he takes one look at the traffic and quickly launches himself off the curb. He dashes across the two-way, four-lane avenue when it is clear for this one second. Once he reaches the green lawns of Trinity’s campus, he hurries off, continuing about his daily routine without a second thought.

Everyday, students living in City Vista, located on the corner of Hildebrand and Devine, must cross the traffic bustling Hildebrand in order to get to classes. This section of Hildebrand is curvy and hilly, making it hard for drivers to see very far down the road. This seemingly short walk across Hildebrand to campus, however, has students taking two different routes: crossing at the newly installed crosswalk right at the intersection of Hildbrand and Devine, or jaywalking across the street further west down Hildebrand.

Advocating for Women in STEM at Trinity

Women's History Month posters in CSI, showing important female scientists (Photo by Victoria Abad)

Frances Stone. (Photo courtesy of Frances Stone)

By Victoria Abad

Frances Stone is just 20 years old but already a legend at Trinity, as “the pinnacle of women in STEM.”

Stone is a junior studying physics, heavily involved in dance, community service and academic extracurricular activities (she is an algebra tutor). She is also the only female student in her major in the class of 2019. However, without facing many adversities of being a minority in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), she has found support and encouragement in the Trinity community.

As the only woman in some of her classes, she has witnessed first-hand the under-representation of females in STEM fields. “It’s something I’m definitely always aware of,” said Stone. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, in 2017 only 30 percent of STEM degree holders were women.

Trinity Rugby: Stepping Up the Game

By Samuel King

The sun began to peek out of the clouds as the president and captain of the Trinity Rugby Club, Dayton Ames, set up the field in preparation for an entire day worth of games.

“I was very anxious for the whole event,” said Ames, a junior at Trinity. “I was excited for the opportunity to represent Trinity University, but we have never played in a tournament with stakes so high before.”

This was Saturday, April 28, when Trinity University Rugby hosted the Lone Star Conference 7’s tournament. Ten collegiate rugby teams from round Texas competed at the Wheatley Sports Complex on the east side of San Antonio for the conference champion through a round robin tournament. San Antonio Rugby Club sponsored the event.

Joseph Shotland: From Playing to Coaching Basketball at Trinity

By Emily Bae

Coach Joseph Shotland is a Trinity University alumnus whose life has been largely about the game of basketball. In 2010, he came to Trinity University and walked onto the basketball
​court to be a shooting guard. He described his role as bringing energy to the team. He graduated with a Bachelors in English in ​2014 and later graduated with a Master of Arts in Teaching at Trinity University.

Knowing that he could not play basketball forever, he still wanted to be a part of the sport. One of his favorite aspects of basketball is the team component and he enjoyed the leadership qualities needed for basketball. He therefore thought of coaching.

Shotland approached Cameron Hill, head coach for Trinity women’s basketball, in his junior year of college and asked if he could help with the team.​

Simone Washington: Brings Activism to Trinity’s Campus

Simone Washington, center, was key in organizing Trinity's
involvement at the March for Our Lives in San Antonio.
(Photo by Julia Weis)

By Julia Weis

If you’re a student involved on Trinity’s campus in some way, then you probably have run into Simone Washington at least once. The sophomore is active in the Student Government Association (SGA), Black Student Union, and Trinity Progressives. She has been active on campus for as long as she’s been at Trinity.

Washington, 20, organized Trinity's first ever Activism Fair as a part of the university's celebration of the Martin Luther King Week. The fair, held on January 18, showcased about a dozen activist organizations from San Antonio, such as MOVE San Antonio, RAICES and Haven for Hope, encouraging students to volunteer off-campus.

Dr. Bladimir Ruiz: ​Decade-Long Commitment to ​the Madrid Program

By Sophia Scearce

Launched in 2005, the Madrid Summer Program has enabled hundreds of Trinity students to experience a summer of learning and interning in Spain’s capital. At the center of the program is Dr. Bladimir Ruiz, associate professor of Spanish at Trinity University.

“There is something about creating a space that is not only a physical space in a classroom, but that allows for an interaction that is deeper than just sharing knowledge,” said Ruiz regarding his experience educating students in Madrid.

​Ruiz has led the program for the past 9 years and is about to lead it for the 10th time in May. ​Through his decade long ​involvement with the Madrid Program, Ruiz emphasized the importance of learning outside the classroom. “I think what these programs are providing us with is the opportunity to have the classroom in the country and in the city, and to have the city as a classroom.” This kind of immersive learning outside the classroom also attracted many students.

Jacob Hurrel-Zitelman: Trinity Student Turned “Coffee Guy”

By Paige Johnson

Jacob Hurrel-Zitelman has established himself across campus as the coffee guy. He can be found using his own handheld brewer and beans wherever he is, just to avoid Starbucks. When he’s not brewing coffee, Hurrel-Zitelman stays busy any way he can.

“I get really antsy when I do not have something every single second of the day,” said Hurrel-Zitelman, 20, who studies entrepreneurship and marketing at Trinity. “I’m very ambitious and I want to keep doing something all the time.”

He is the founder and owner of Quick Sip Coffee, a company that sells specialty cold brew across San Antonio.

SGA Held Marathon Meeting to Decide on Funding

SGA members at Monday's meeting (photo by Victoria Abad) 

By Victoria Abad, Sophia Scearce and Sarah Wysocki

The SGA voted to cut funding for most University Sponsored Organizations (USOs) ​and other campus organizations ​at their last meeting of the semester Monday ​night. The cut was due to a $20,000 deficit SGA was facing as a result of the funding requests for the 2018-2019 school year.

The meeting, which Senator Emeritus Samy Abdallah, a senior, described as “the biggest budgeting meeting ever,” lasted more than three hours and went through several waves of heated debates.

Marisa Kwiatkowski: Investigative Reporter Who Broke the USA Gymnastics Sexual Abuse Story

Marisa Kwiatkowski having a conversation with Trinity students 
(The Roar photo) 

By Jacob Rossitter

Marisa Kwiatkowski, who recently visited Trinity University, is an investigative journalist for the Indianapolis Star, a daily newspaper in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In 2016, Kwiatkowski, along with a small team of investigative reporters, broke the story of USA Gymnastics covering up female gymnasts’ allegations of sexual abuses by several coaches. At the time, two former gymnasts came forward to accuse the team doctor, Larry Nassar, of repeated sexual abuse of female gymnasts. Kwiatkowski and her colleagues followed up with the Nassar story. Since the publication of their stories, more than 250 people have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against Nassar.

On Wednesday, April 11, Kwiatkowski gave a talk to around 100 Trinity students and faculty about her experience investigating the USA Gymnastics story, as well as other of her investigative pieces. Her talk demonstrated how having a voice can make a difference, and how investigative journalism can give voice to the voiceless.

Alumna Applied Knowledge Learned at Trinity to Educate Her Own Children

By Joy Camp 

Christi Shaw couldn’t wait to finish school and move on with life outside of college.

Finishing her studies at Trinity University in only three and a half years, she graduated in 1972 and began her work in the state capital of Texas as an administrative assistant to Representative Joe Sage. 

In 1976, Shaw met the man of her dreams, Thomas Moorman, and they married on Dec. 20th of that year. About three years later, their first child, daughter Muffin, was born. Before she knew it, Mrs. Moorman was a mother of six.

Seizing the Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity: Trinity Students' Involvement in the NCAA Final Four

By Lauren Bagg

Trinity student Amanda Gerlach, a sophomore communication and Spanish double major with a sport management minor, was an ambassador for Westwood One Radio Row during the NCAA Final Four, held in San Antonio earlier this month. Her job was taking past and current coaches, players and other people involved with college basketball for interviews at different radio stations.

Gerlach saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because she was able to “spend time talking with them too, which was really nice!” she said. “I even got a picture with Bill Walton.”

Kelly Grey Carlisle: Searching for Personal Truth through Writing

Kelly Grey Carlisle in her intro to non-fiction class
(photo by Sarah Wysocki) 

By Sarah Wysocki

Kelly Grey Carlisle, Trinity professor of creative non-fiction writing, searches for the truth about her past and her mother’s murder in her newly published book, We Are All Shipwrecks. Though she did not know what she would find in her investigation, she dove in to her mother’s cold case, at the time, decades old.

Many know the professor side of Carlisle--a funny, well-read and well-written woman who cares deeply about her students. Some even know a bit of her personal side--41, married, mother of two young girls, who are 6 years and 19 months old. But there’s more to the story than what is seen on the outside.

Dominic Morais, Sports Management Professor and Weightlifting Coach

Dominic Morais. 
(Photo courtesy of Dominic Morais)

By Bret Smith

Dominic Morais faced a tough choice right before he joined Trinity University in 2015. He was offered two jobs: a tenure track position at California State University at Northridge and a visiting professor position at Trinity. A Tenure track position is a long term employment, while a visiting professorship is temporary.

Even though the Northridge offer was a safer decision, Morais went against his advisors and decided on Trinity.

“Trinity was the type of culture I wanted. It reminded me a lot of Vanderbilt in that it was a small school from a lot of standpoints,” said Morais. “I just felt like I could make an impact here, like I could be here and I could actually start changing things and I just did not feel that at all with Cal State.” Morais went to Vanderbilt for his undergraduate study.

Adrien Lavigne: Up and Coming Singer and Song Writer

By Victoria Abad

Adrien Lavigne, 21, ​also known by his artistic name Adri, is starting to build his image as a musician. The Trinity University senior is working hard to put his name out in the music world with an original and multi-style acoustic sound. He is also getting used to the attention his music has brought him.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” he said while fixing his hair during an interview with The Roar. “It’s my first time,” he explained, settling comfortably in the chair. There is no doubt that he will only do more interviews in the near future.​

Lavigne released his first song, "Feel Alone,"​which he wrote, ​on March 2nd on YouTube, his own website and Tunecore, a platform that allows artists to distribute their work through other online retailers such as iTunes and Spotify.

Nobel Economist Christopher Sims Speaks at Trinity

By Blue Mohr

Renowned economist Christopher A. Sims, 75, who won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2011, discussed his journey as an economist during a public lecture Wednesday night at Trinity.

Starting out as a mathematics major at Harvard University, Sims read about studies on quantification, storage, and communication of information and wanted to apply it to “infinite memory channels," a mathematical concept regarding the flow and storage of information.

SGA Debates on More Funding for SPB

SPB representatives Magdalena Blancas (back left) and
Logan Felton (back right) make their presentation to the SGA on Monday
(Photo by Emily Bae)

By Joy Yauger, Emily Bae and Marina Schweitzer

Trinity’s Student Programming Board (SPB) asked Student Government Association for $40,000 additional funding at Monday’s meeting, sending student senators into a round of heated debate.

Representatives from SPB told the senators that they needed a bigger budget to keep up with students demand for events. The group is involved in organizing several big campus events including the annual Welcome Week concert, Tiger Fest, and Chocolate Fest, to name just a few. Monty McKeon, the director of SPB, said the organization tried to “keep up with the quality of events and quantity.” SPB already has a budget of $87,000 for the Fall Welcome Week concert.

Students Discuss Living with Conservatism at Trinity

By Jacob Rossitter

Dean of Students David Tuttle hosted a conversation with students yesterday​, discussing what it means to be a conservative student on Trinity campus.

Among the 16 students who participated the discussion titled “Being Right: Living – and Living with – the Conservative Viewpoint on the Trinity Campus,” only two identified themselves as being conservative. The majority of the participants identified themselves as liberals.

One student told the room that he came to the discussion because he was “tired of his echo chamber.” Another student said that although she had a “very strong opinions about things,” she still wanted to “hear what the other side had to say.”

SGA Discusses Funding for Organizations

SGA financial meeting on Monday. (Photo by Bret Smith) 

By Bret Smith

The Coates University Center was the center of much debate last night as the Student Government Association had their last financial meeting of the semester.

Representatives from Trinity University Sponsored Organizations (USOs), including the Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), Trinity University Latin Association (TULA), and Outside Recreation (O-REC) all gathered at the meeting to propose budget requests for upcoming events in this semester and the next semester.

The most debated item last night was funding for O-Rec, since the organization has already gone over their budget. "It became a situation of whether SGA should help reimburse them or if that cost should go to the general student population in the form of higher fees for O-Rec trips,” said Nick Santulli, Senator Emeritus and senior political science major, who now serves an advisory role for the SGA.

Four Trinity Women Made it to the Nationals for Swimming Relays

From left to right: Lindsay Hagmann, Abbie Jones, Star Rosales,
and Lauren Cuda enjoy the last few practices. (Photo by Kim Jones)

By David Smith

Today, four Trinity female swimmers left for Indianapolis, Indiana to compete in the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships, which starts tomorrow.

Seniors Lindsay Hagmann and Lauren Cuda, and sophomores Abbie Jones and Star Rosales, will swim in the 4x50-yard freestyle, 4x100-yard freestyle, and 4x200-yard freestyle relays. For the first time in three years, Trinity Women’s Swimming team qualified three relays to compete at the national championship meet.

"Taste of Diversity" Slated for April

Left to right: Amulya Deva, Shannon Edmond, and Kezia Nyarko at the meeting
(Photo by Ruthie Rubin)

By Ruthie Rubin

Trinity Diversity Connection will be hosting the annual “Taste of Diversity” event in April, and other student organizations were called upon to contribute at a meeting on Thursday.

Representatives of the Trinity University Sponsored Organizations gathered at the meeting to give updates on their organizations and discuss future events.

Kezia Nyarko, a sophomore majoring in African Studies and French and president of Trinity Diversity Connection, announced that Taste of Diversity will take place in April on the Esplanade. Different cultural groups and organizations on campus will bring foods representing their respective cultures. The event is free and open to all students.

City Councilman Discusses Challenges Facing the City at Trinity

San Antonio City Councilman Roberto Treviño (right)
 speaks with Robert Rivard. (Photo by Paige Johnson)

By Paige Johnson

San Antonio is facing a $985 million sidewalk problem, said City Councilman Roberto Treviño at Trinity University Tuesday.

Treviño spoke with Robert Rivard, publisher of The Rivard Report, at a Conversations with the Council event. About 60 San Antonio residents and Trinity students came to hear the conversation and ask questions.

Treviño’s main points: innovation and balance. “You can’t ask or request for innovation, you’ve got to demand it,” Treviño said of the issues facing San Antonio.

Aramark Proposes Big Changes to Trinity’s Dining Services

Jerry Dean, director of strategic development at Aramark, 

presents their proposal at the forum. Very few students were

in attendance. (Photo by Julia Weis)

By Julia Weis and David Smith

Trinity may soon have Steak ‘n Shake, Starbucks, and food trucks on campus, as proposed by Aramark.

On Tuesday, Trinity University announced awarding the new dining services contract to Aramark, which has provided dining services to Trinity since 1984.

The following day, Aramark held a campus wide forum to provide more details of their proposal.

Black Student Union Hosts Discussion on Colorism

By Blue Mohr

At a discussion about colorism and racism on Wednesday, held by Trinity’s Black Student Union, students came to the consensus that colorism is almost worse than racism.

The meeting was the last event of the group’s Mocha Month, a month long celebration of blackness and black students.

At the discussion, students pointed out that colorism is stereotyping, distinct from racism. It focuses on skin color, regarding lighter skin colors as more preferable than darker colors. Colorism is especially an issue within the black communities, whereas racism comes from outside these communities and is based on race as a whole, rather than just skin tone.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Author Jennifer Egan Speaks at Trinity

Jennifer Egan speaks at Trinity University. (Photo by Chloe Sonnier)

By Julia Weis

The Ruth Taylor Recital Hall was packed with students, faculty and members of the San Antonio community yesterday for a lecture by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan.

Egan focused her lecture on the years of research behind Manhattan Beach, her latest novel that came out in 2017. Her research involved digging up photography from New York during World War II and reading love letters from the 1940s.

"I like to start each story with a time and place," Egan said in her lecture. "The characters usually come afterwards."

Trinity University’s First Dance Marathon Raised Thousands

SGA President Amulya Deva (holding the microphone)
and the rest of the Executive Board revealing the amount raised
up until the end of the event (photo courtesy of Allison Wolff).

By Victoria Abad

Webster Gym became a rave floor as Trinity students danced to celebrate about $7,300 raised for the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio on Saturday. About 100 Trinity students and families of children patients danced in TigerThon, Trinity University’s first Dance Marathon.

From 5 p.m. through 9 p.m., students kept busy with dance, competitions, games, and more dancing. Loon-E Crew and Momentum choreographers were among the dancers. As was 7-year-old Jagger, who has been cancer free for 13 months. He taught the crowd his dance moves.

Throughout the night, donations came through the Children's Miracle Network website and donation websites set up for each participating team. Various Trinity student organizations, such as the Student Government Association, registered to become fund raising teams.

President Danny Anderson Webinar Discusses the Value of a Liberal Arts Education

By Samuel King

Liberal arts degree is not worthless, but has just as much value as a business degree in its own way. Trinity University President Danny Anderson made that argument during a webinar On Thursday.

Anderson was joined by Trinity's Vice President​ for Strategic Communications and Marketing, Tess Coody-Anders (’93), in a conversation about the value of a liberal arts education in the 21st century.

Leigh Anne Tuohy Speaks at Event in San Antonio

Leigh Anne Tuohy speaks at the ​Mums and Mimosas event yesterday.
(Photos by Lauren Bagg)

By Lauren Bagg

Leigh Anne Tuohy, the lead character played by Sandra Bullock in the movie “The Blind Side,” was the featured speaker yesterday at the ninth annual Mums and Mimosas luncheon.

Around 600 guests gathered in the Witte Museum to hear Tuohy’s speech while celebrating the work done by Good Samaritan Community Services.

Tuohy, who lives in Memphis​,​ Tennessee, spoke about miracles and how it just takes one act of kindness to change someone’s life. Michael Oher, her son, “was deemed 100% valueless by society,” she said. When she turned the car around to talk to Michael for the first time, she decided she wanted to take him shopping.

Trinity Theater Presents ​"​Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play"​

Photo caption: The stage of Mr. Burns. 

(Photo by Breton Smith)

By Breton Smith

Trinity Theater’s new production, “Mr. Burns, A Post-electric Play,” had its fourth run
​​last night.

The play is based on Anne Washburn’s imaginative dark comedy that deals with the survivors in a post apocalyptic world, who pass time by re-enacting old Simpsons episodes from memory.
​
Right before the play started, the cast members ​gathered ​on ​stage,​ completely shrouded in darkness. The only source of light ​was a fake ​campfire the actors huddle around. ​Recent pop music ​filled the theater.

New SGA President Discusses Agenda for Her Term

SGA new president Amulya Deva.
(photo courtesy of Yazmin Ramirez)

By Ruthie Rubin

Amulya Deva assumed the role of the president of Student Government Association (SGA) in January. During her one-year term, she plans to address both old and new agendas.

Deva, a junior majoring in finance and business analytics & technology with a minor in economics, is not a total new comer to SGA. Last year, she served as a SGA senator. She decided to run for the president because “I’ve learned that the best way to affect change on campus involves work over the course of multiple terms.”

In fact, one of such changes that Deva is pushing for, the Menstrual Product Initiative, was originated by her predecessor, Nick Santulli. Deva and her administration will continue to work toward increasing the number of tampon and sanitary napkin receptacles in buildings ​across campus, ​such as CSI and the library.

The Roar Presents: The First Look at the New Bell Center

In fall 2016, Trinity University's William H. Bell Athletic Center, established in 1992, began a $14.2 million renovation. The newly renovated facility is now open. On, Feb. 13, a group of faculty and staff took their first look at the new Bell Center. Here is the video produced by The Roar. 

From Backstage to Front Stage: Lu​​nar New Year Celebration A Major Undertaking By Trinity Students

Lunar New Year celebration planning committee meeting.
(Photos by Sarah Wysocki)

By Sarah Wysocki

The lights change​d​ from white, to blue, to red. Fans twirl high above the performers' heads. The changing lights highlighted​ different colors of the fans. The dancers move​d​ their fans up and down, creating a colorful wave, astonishing and beautiful.

This is just one of the dazzling performances at the Lunar New Year celebration on Friday. About 700 people, including Trinity students, staff and faculty,​ and San Antonio residents, filled the Laurie Auditorium to watch the show.

All 12 performances were choreographed and performed by Trinity students. These numbers featured art and culture of China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam, countries where the Lunar New Year is celebrated.

Communication Day Connects Students with Alumni

RCC320 was packed with students attending the panels
at the Communication Day. The panel pictured here features
graduates within the past five years.

By Marina Schweitzer and Sophia Scearce

The fifth annual Communication Day on Friday welcomed back to Trinity 15 graduates who majored in communication, along with hundreds of alumni, current students and faculty.

Room 320 in the Richardson Communication Center was completely packed. Additional chairs were added and lined up the side way, as students flocked into the room to hear what the alumni had to say about their career and life experiences.

Leni Kirkman (‘84), senior vice president of strategic communications and patient relations at University Health System in San Antonio, said she used to write down her goals for the future and knew she wanted to be a broadcast journalist, which she did for a while but later changed her career.

NBC News Producer and Trinity Alum Gives Keynote at Communication Day

John Bentley gives the keynote speech at the Communication Day
(Photo by Josie Liu)

By Lauren Bagg

John Bentley (‘95), NBC News producer and a Trinity graduate with a degree in communication, gave the keynote speech that kicked off the fifth annual Communication Day on Friday.

Bentley is an award-winning television journalist and has covered stories around the world, from the war in Afghanistan to the 2008 presidential election. He has worked at CBS, ABC and is currently a producer for NBC News.

In his talk, titled “Speaking Truth to Power: Covering Conflicts and Campaigns Around the World," Bentley said that the duty of a journalist “is to speak the truth for others, and to make the story not about the reporters but of the person that is being observed.”

Beto O’Rourke Attracts Hundreds to Town Hall Meeting on San Antonio South Side

Beto O'Rourke spoke at a town hall in San Antonio.

(Photo by David Smith)

By David Smith

Hundreds of San Antonio residents​ and ​Texans, including several Trinity students​,​ packed into a community center on Monday ​on South Side San Antonio to meet Democratic congressman Beto O’Rourke​, who is running for U.S. ​Senate.

​Texas state Rep. Diego Bernal introduced O’Rourke, touching upon the challenges of the upcoming election, defeating current U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, and frustrations people felt toward the Trump administration. The audience stood up with applause as Bernal welcomed O’Rourke to the stage.

In his talk, O’Rourke addressed the frustrations of Texans from across the state, on issues from inadequate school funding to lack of healthcare. An El Paso native, O’Rourke did not support Trump’s wall plan. He said that future generations would be appalled that time was spent even in discussion of such a thing.

Celebrating Valentine’s Day The Alternative Way at Trinity

Linda Ready reads her poem at the poem contest.

(Photo by Emily Bae)

By Emily Bae

Today is Valentine’s Day, the holiday that steals your heart. But it doesn’t have to.

“Valentine’s Day is such a hard, awkward time where singles don’t like the holiday and want people to come together,” said Alex Motter, sophomore majoring business analytical and technology, an editor of the Trinity Review, which hosted a love and anti-love poem contest on Friday.

Six students shared their poems, ranging from beautiful love stories to awkward Tinder stories to melancholy break up stories. Some of the poems were simply notes that the author would leave for themselves after their breakup, and others compared love to gum.

River Walk Royal Masquerade Gala Raises Money for Scholarships

Guests enjoy games at the gala.
(Photo courtesy of Victor Blanco)

By Sophia Scearce

Elegant floor length gowns and intricate Mardi Gras masks dazzled the Wyndham Garden at the River Walk Friday night, as around 300 people attended the first ever River Walk Royal Masquerade Gala.

“People got really creative with them, and some went above and beyond with hats, wigs, and even colored contacts,” said photographer Victor Blanco.

The gala was hosted by the San Antonio River Walk Association, which works to protect, promote and preserve the River Walk. The night’s festivities featured live music, casino games, and the association’s first ever online silent auction for its newly formed non-profit called “Friends of the River Walk.”

Philanthropy Week Encourages Students to Give Back

Peyton Wionzek, sophomore, visits with Trinity Student Ambassadors
 during the Tumbling Towers event. Trinity’s most famous landmark,
the towers, was funded by donors. (Photo by Paige Johnson)

By Paige Johnson

Trinity’s annual Philanthropy Week ends today with “Opportuni-Key,” where students can try their luck at opening a treasure chest with a key, picked from a pile of nearly 400. Only about five of them will work. Small Trinity gears, such as branded cups, bags, and other prizes are waiting in the chest.

Trinity University Student Ambassadors hosted the week to promote student philanthropy. Instead of soliciting donations, the theme of the event is “I Heart TU,” calling for students to pause and appreciate all that Trinity has to offer.

Bid Day 2018 Welcomes 200 New Members

New Members of Sigma Theta Tau with
orientation chair Yvette Pena
(Photo by Ruthie Rubin)

By Ruthie Rubin

Trinity’s Greek life welcomed nearly 200 new members on Friday’s Bid Day.

Bid Day is the day on which Trinity sororities and fraternities extend invitations or “bids” to their new members.

Among them were 129 new sorority members and 79 new fraternity members, who lined up at the Coates University Center to receive their bid cards from the Greek Council.

The Mini 2018 Features Seven Unique Art Pieces

Kristina Reinis explains her artwork to a visitor. 
(photo by Joy Yauger Camp)

By Joy Yauger Camp

Last week, 10 student artists at Trinity University debuted their artwork in a formal exhibition for the first time on campus, said Randy Wallace, 49, the acting Studio Manager here at Trinity University.

A competitively juried annual student exhibition, The Mini 2018 attracted more than 200 visitors on the opening night on Thursday at the Michael and Noémi Neidorff Art Gallery. Wallace said he was “thrilled about it.” He attributed the big turn out to the fact that the show is not a “cookie cutter show,” but showcased seven pieces of unique artwork.