LEAPing into New Orleans Culture and Cuisine: PCAS/ACAS Conference Day Two

Exploring the Southern Gothic

Written by Ruthie Passmore

We started off the second day strong by attending our first session, which was about Southern Gothic Transformations and Reimaginings; the conversation was led by Chair Stephanie Graves, who was accompanied by Rachel Pittman, Anne Bertram, and Jennie Lightweis-Goff. We got to hear about Appalachian Gothic Cinema, Southern Gothic within social media, a piece discussing the film adaptation of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and research discussing the differences between the three adaptations of Cape Fear.

First, Rachel Pittman presented her paper, “Deep in the Bone,” which explores Gothic themes in Appalachian literature and highlights the region’s historical economic lag. From her findings, I interpreted Appalachia in literature as fundamentally isolated and decaying, a key part of the Southern Gothic. I found it very interesting how literature seems to interact with the culture and folklore of a place with such a rich history.

Anne Bertram then discussed the impact of the Southern Gothic on popular culture. By sharing various TikTok videos, Bertram demonstrated how the genre is depicted online, highlighting artist Ethel Cain and the film Sinners as key reasons why it keeps growing. Additionally, she emphasized the irony that the vast majority of people interested in Southern Gothic online are young, teenage females from Russia, though the genre emphasizes its location in the South United States as a defining feature.

Moving forward, we heard from Jennie Lightweis-Goff, who covered John Berendt’s novel, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. She noted that the story takes place in Savannah, Georgia, where the main character Jim Williams kills Danny Hansford. Since this novel is based on a true story, it led her to discuss modern true crime, claiming that much of today’s true crime coverage is fraudulent, and that true crime capitalizes on tragedy itself, turning real loss into a profitable trend.

Finally, Chair Stephanie Graves shed light on the three different adaptations of Cape Fear, first examining the 1962 version, moving on to 1991, and lastly the new series that came out in 2026. Across all three iterations, one thing remains constant: Max Cady remains the antagonist. She went on to explain that the differences among the three alter the central Gothic relationship. For instance, in the 1991 movie, Bowden represents Cady as his criminal defense attorney, unlike in the 1962 film, where he is not his attorney. This complicates the conflict in the story, giving Cady a motive for his crime, because in this adaptation, Bowden suppresses evidence that would have been able to lessen Cady’s sentence.

Though I was previously unfamiliar with these works, it was a wonderful opportunity to gain new insights, and I thoroughly enjoyed attending!

Sports & Video Games

Written by Robin Houghton

Isis and I decided to sit in on the panel discussing Games, Fans, and Fandoms for our conference session. Led by chair Vlada Botoric, all three panelists discussed the use of media, mostly video games, in fostering community and culture.

Vlada Botoric began with his presentation on LEGO fan cultures and the concept of peripheral fandom, a term he defined as a subordinated fan community experience, where members are deprived of access to their objects of fandom.
Botoric explained that although material conditions and accessibility of LEGO products affected creativity, across cultures such as Japan and Mexico, they still managed to create unique cultural expressions with LEGO products.

Next, Cheryl Briggs presented on digital communities, particularly through the VR exercise game Supernatural. Supernatural is unique from most exercise media as its VR platform allows the user’s body to produce the experience, rather than simply being a passive participant. The formatting creates a workout experience that turns exercise into play — but it was its multiplayer feature that turned Supernatural into a way to develop community. Briggs detailed how scheduling routines with people through Supernatural also turned the platform into a community of friends that also helped keep her and thousands of users motivated to continue exercising.

Finally, Dr. Tom Attah presented on how culture, particularly of the American South, can be depicted through video games. Using the game South of Midnight, Dr. Attah discussed how, compared to most media, video games turn a cultural witness into a performer of the culture, using the characters as functions to tell a story. Players gain agency when experiencing the cultures represented that could be otherwise inaccessible without the means to travel to those locations. Attah concluded that video games should be treated as a form of cultural expression similar to music or literature. With more and more people regularly playing video games, the cultural impact of the games people consume can no longer be ignored.

We found the session to be an enlightening discussion on the connection between community, video games, and fandom that left us more curious about the ways we connect with individuals and cultures through technology.

Lunch at Cafe Reconcile & Hansen’s Sno-Bliz

Written by Allie Plunk

Following the morning’s sessions, we had time for a little fun and food! We had initially planned to eat at Cafe Reconcile, a restaurant known for its community outreach and internship programs for disadvantaged youth. Facing an hour-long wait, we decided to eat dessert first, and headed to Hansen’s Sno-Bliz!

Hansen’s Sno-Bliz was unlike any snow cone shop we’d been to. The ice that made up the core of the “snow-bliz” was soft and fluffy, almost the texture of ice cream. The flavor choices were unique too, offering selections that ranged from cardamom and ginger cayenne to cream of chocolate and coffee.

We all tried different combinations of flavors, though our favorite was probably Stephanie’s ginger and cardamom snowbliz, topped with condensed milk. Some other delicious combinations were strawberry and chocolate cream, banana and chocolate cream, and cardamom and chocolate cream with ice cream.

After dessert, we headed back to Cafe Reconcile for lunch, where we enjoyed a variety of dishes! I had the Reconcile Cheeseburger, which featured a massive onion ring atop a classic cheeseburger. A few other favorites were the fried chicken, the red beans and rice, and the portobello po’boy.

Overall, it was a wonderful experience and a delicious lunch that allowed us to try new things, as well as twists on familiar favorites.

Experiencing Culture at the New Orleans Museum of Art

Written by Isis Hollis

Following our delicious lunch, we had the opportunity to visit the New Orleans Museum of Art. We were able to explore some of the major forms of art LEAP typically sees, such as impressionism, expressionism, and modernism, in addition to some of Louisiana’s characteristic folk art!

With three floors to explore, we started on the second with Professor Yawn as our guide. Something we don’t see often in the museums we visit is decorative art. Many people know this as Tiffany lamps or floral vases, but we were able to see this in various forms. The Eames chair, most popularly known for its modern look, is one of the many decorative art pieces we saw. One of my favorite decorative art pieces was a Tiffany vase adorned with intricate flowers. It caught my attention specifically for its variety of colors in the glass and its unique shape. Another notable piece was an intricate stair railing by Louis Sullivan, who’s credited with designing the first-ever skyscraper!

Another highlight from the second level was impressionist art. Many of us particularly like the impressionist style and the range of moods that it can encompass. My favorite piece, In the Garden, Giverny by Frederick C. Frieseke, is an American impressionist piece depicting a woman walking through a garden with flowers and a wall of greenery behind her. One of my favorite features was the cool-toned colors and pops of white throughout the painting.

On that same floor were pieces by Jackson Pollock, Picasso, and Monet.

What was perhaps our favorite exhibit was a life-sized cabin titled America, by Will Ryman. Created entirely out of symbols of American industrialization, such as iPhones, bullets, lightbulbs, and even chains, it proved to be an incredibly thought provoking piece that asked us to reflect on the impacts that rapid industrial growth have had on America.

After our guided exploration, we got to view the other parts of the museum on our own! Allie, Ruthie, and I looked at the Asian art, including Japanese, Indian, and Chinese pieces. Allie and I liked many of the Japanese pieces, specifically the Byobu art. Byobu pieces are traditional Japanese folding screens, often painted with intricate landscapes, portraits, or animals.

Overall, the museum strengthened connections between the artists we’ve seen before and gave us a better look into art throughout different times in different parts of the world.

Press Street Train Stop and Heard Dat Kitchen

Written by Allie Plunk

As a conclusion to our busy day, we ordered delicious meals from New Orleans hidden gem Heard Dat Kitchen! While our food was being prepared, we paid a visit to the Press Street Railroad Yards, the site of the train stop made famous withthe arrest of Homer Plessy. This culminated in the court case Plessy v. Ferguson, which established the “separate but equal” ruling that was later overturned by Brown v. Board of Education, 1954. There was a beautiful mural in honor of the amazing steps towards civil equality that have been made over the years, featuring figures like Ruby Bridges.

After our train “pit” stop, we headed over to Heard Dat Kitchen, eager to eat. Sitting outside at tables while we enjoyed our food provided a New Orleans atmosphere that paired well with our meals.

Some of our dinnertime favorites were the creamy Superdome, a blackened fish dish with mashed potatoes and lobster sauce, and the Heard Dat Pasta, a crawfish pasta topped with fried shrimp and green onions.

Following our deliciously seasoned meals, we enjoyed bread pudding, many of us trying it for the first time! The delicious, nutty dessert was well-liked by all the LEAP students and provided an excellent close to an excellent day.

Conclusion

Our second day in New Orleans gave us the opportunity to experience the city from several different perspectives. From exploring Southern Gothic literature and the cultural communities surrounding video games to enjoying New Orleans cuisine and examining art from around the world, we continued to discover how culture can be expressed through many different forms. Each experience gave us something new to consider and helped us better understand the history and creativity of the city around us. After such a busy and exciting day, we are all looking forward to seeing what our next day in NOLA brings!

Presentations, Popular Culture, and Pavlova: PCAS/ACAS Day One

Presenting at PCAS

Written by Allie Plunk

Our first day in New Orleans began late, but with plenty of excitement! I was going to present my paper, Modernism in Billy Collins‘ Poem “Forgetfulness,” at the PCAS/ACAS conference.

As soon as we arrived at the Conference Hotel, I checked in and found the room in which I would present. While waiting for my session to start, fellow presenter Richard Vela introduced himself. He was very friendly and said he was excited to present. A former professor at the University of North Carolina–Pembroke, he was sharing his research on Hispanic poet Julia Alvarez. Though we were supposed to have a third presenter, it ultimately ended up being just the two of us.

Professor Vela acted as Chair for the room, introducing our topics as well as the overall theme of the session: “Poetry and Postmodernisms.” His presentation was first, and his insight into Julia Alvarez was intriguing! I had never read any of her work, but his presentation was well thought out and ended up tying neatly into mine, as we both addressed Postmodern poets and the intersection of memory and identity.

Though there were some technical difficulties that resulted in me being unable to display my slides, I did my best to read my paper as interactively as possible. The lack of slides definitely threw me off, but I was delighted to hear afterward that no one could tell I was bothered!

Following my presentation, we had a brief Q&A, during which we were able to discuss some key features that might not have made their way into our presentations, such as more of the key factors of postmodernism and how they likely affected Alvarez’s work, and the presence of mythology in Collins’ poem.

Overall, it was an incredibly impactful experience, and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to present at my very first academic conference. It was a wonderful opportunity to share my research, meet another scholar, and experience what presenting at an academic conference is actually like. I hope it will be the first of many.

(Professor’s Note: Allie did a wonderful job. Following the session, an attendee came up to me and said, “She has a great future!”)

Exploring Southern Culture at PCAS/ACAS

Written by Ruthie Passmore

After the first session, we moved on to a session discussing Southern Gothic, a theme much covered during this conference. This particular session covered folklore, masculinity, and southern decline, led by Chair Grace Becker, and included presentations by Lauren Butte and Kerbie Addis. All three speakers explored how the region’s anxieties refuse to stay buried, shifting from the monstrous myths of local cryptids to the slow violence of environmental and psychological decay.

Grace Becker opened the floor by interpreting William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury. She gave a depiction of how the novel captures misogyny and toxic masculinity through Jason’s actions in the story, focusing on the femininity and repressed sexuality seen in characters like Caddy and Quentin. I found it interesting to see how these ideas could be explored through the relationships between the characters and the expectations placed on them.

Lauren Butte then began talking about the “Alabama White Thang,” explicating the folklore in a way that was very comprehensible. She explained that sightings began in the early 1900s, with the most recent being August 2026. Being described as anywhere from seven to eight feet tall, white, cat-like, and elusive, the “White Thang” certainly sounded like an intriguing beast. Her presentation showed how folklore can continue to exist and evolve even as the culture surrounding it changes.

Kerbie Addis proceeded to give a brief analysis of literature, cinema, and digital media, exploring Jesmyn Ward’s acclaimed novel Salvage the Bones, the movie Beasts of Southern Wild, and the video game Norco. She focused on the environmental aspects in the Southern Gothic and how this is transcribed across different media platforms. I especially liked seeing how the same concerns can be expressed through different forms of storytelling, rather than being limited to traditional literature.

Shifting to the last session of our day, we got to hear about Vampire Literatures as Decolonizing Practice from three professors from Louisiana State University of New Orleans. The chair and one of the presenters was Lisa Verner, along with colleagues Robin Werner and Elizabeth Lewis, who deconstructed three different texts in an analysis of minority representation in vampire literature.

Robin Werner started by discussing Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and I liked how she focused on the idea of identity in the book. Elizabeth Lewis then talked about The Black Vampyre and shared how her students reacted to it. Lisa Verner wrapped things up by looking at Indigenous literature through Stephen Graham Jones’s The Buffalo Hunter Hunter.

Ultimately, the speakers all shared a common goal: presenting their research, asking for feedback, and ensuring that the books they teach leave a lasting impression on their students. Even though the presentations covered very different subjects, each one demonstrated how literature and other forms of storytelling can be used to examine larger cultural anxieties and give readers new ways of understanding them.

Creole Delights at Arnaud’s

Written by Robin Houghton

Feeling pretty hungry after a busy day at the conference, we visited Arnaud’s, which specializes in Louisiana Creole cuisine. We started boldly with Oysters Arnaud, a collection of baked Oysters: Bienville, Kathryn, Ohan, Rockefeller, and Suzette, as well as Escargots en Casserole—baked snails with a flaky pastry top. The escargot’s earthy taste received mixed reviews; however, the oysters were agreed to be one of the best dishes of the night.

To experience Creole cuisine in its brevity, we chose a wide variety of entrees: a fittingly-shaped Crabmeat Karen, flavorful Chicken and Andouille Gumbo, and a delicious bowl of Turtle Soup. We all loved Arnaud’s savory Crab Cakes, as well as the Shrimp Creole. We even had the opportunity to try Frog Legs Provençale!

For dessert, we had the Chantilly Pavlova, Baked Alaska, and a New Orleans staple: Bananas Foster. The latter two desserts — which were served flamed — were a highlight of our meal. Arnaud’s was a wonderful introduction to Louisiana Creole, and we left full and happy, a satisfying conclusion to our day.

Conclusion

Our first day at PCAS/ACAS was a busy one, but it was also an incredibly rewarding experience. From presenting our own research to listening to scholars discuss poetry, Southern Gothic literature, folklore, and decolonization, we were able to see just how many different perspectives can come together at an academic conference. Beyond the presentations themselves, getting to experience New Orleans added another layer to the day. Between the conference sessions and our exploration of New Orleans, our first day at PCAS/ACAS was a great beginning to what would become an unforgettable conference experience.

Honoring Alumni at SHSU’s Distinguished Alumni Gala

Written by Jacob Wessels

Students recently had the opportunity to attend the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Gala at the Lowman Student Center, kicking off Homecoming weekend by celebrating alumni and university leaders who embody the campus motto: “The measure of a life is its service.” Hosted by Sam Houston’s Alumni Association, it proved to be a night to remember for many of the students and alumni alike.

The evening opened with dinner and a welcome from VP Matt Bethea…

…before he turned it to Master of Ceremonies Mia Gradney and Alumni Association Board President Dr. Deirdre Holloway. University President Dr. Alisa White then addressed the crowd, highlighting the university’s growth and milestones, including a historic fundraising year surpassing $31 million, enrollment nearing 22,000 students, and the opening of the new Health Professions Building in Conroe. She emphasized how Bearkat alumni directly shape student success through career networks like “Bearkats Hiring Bearkats” and hands-on community engagement.

The heart of the program was the presentation of awards honoring exceptional service, entrepreneurship, and leadership:

Dr. Kathleen Gilbert, a first-generation college graduate, has directed the SHSU Food Pantry and Tripod’s Thrift since its opening. She transformed a small student initiative that once served 17 students from an office bookshelf into an operation recording over 5,000 visits annually, ensuring students facing food and professional clothing insecurity stay enrolled and earn their degrees. She was aptly honored for her work with the first of two Service Awards.

Mattie C. Provost also recieved a Service Award! Provost shared her journey from being a first-generation student to spending three decades rising through the ranks of the Houston Police Department to become Assistant Chief. Now serving as Chief Deputy of the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, she spoke on the value of second chances and leading with empathy for front-line workers.

Joseph Anderson was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. A former Bearkat track-and-field student-athlete, Anderson translated discipline and corporate internships into becoming a Chick-fil-A owner-operator in Southeast Houston, an area known to be a ‘food desert.’ Managing more than 100 team members, he creates opportunities by funding employee scholarships and partnering with local food banks.

Regina Bynote Jones, reflecting on her time as an Orange Key student host and navigating personal health hurdles, detailed her career journey leading legal operations across global energy and agriculture giants. She currently serves as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary for Archer Daniels Midland while actively mentoring future generations of legal and corporate leaders. She was recognized with the highest SHSU Honor: the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Larry D. Larrison was also a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award. Coming from a multigenerational Bearkat family, Larrison built a 42-year career in the insurance industry alongside his ranching operations. During his tenure as Alumni Association President, he helped establish the “Hire a Bearkat” initiative to create clear pathways between alumni businesses and graduating students.

Kenneth Ross was the final recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award. Starting as a student-athlete and a Huntsville police officer, Ross transitioned into insurance, becoming one of State Farm’s top agents nationwide over a four-decade career. Throughout his success, he maintained continuous involvement in Bearkat athletics and community initiatives such as Habitat for Humanity.

The gala concluded with a spirited performance by the Bearkat Marching Band and the traditional singing of the Alma Mater led by music student Tito Portillo.

Hearing these stories firsthand demonstrated that life after college is rarely linear. Each honoree showed resilience through obstacles and setbacks, with an enduring commitment to lifting others up, which remains the defining standard of the Bearkat community.

Exploring the Houston (LSAC) Law Forum

Written by Robin Houghton

This past weekend, LEAP students drove into Houston to attend the Law School Admission Council’s Houston Law School Forum. This event brings together representatives from over a hundred law schools across the United States, allowing prospective law students to speak directly with them about the law school experience. Even though some of us are only sophomores, we all arrived eager to learn more about law schools across the country.

The purpose of the law-school fair is to educate pre-law students about law school in general and about specific law schools in particular. For the general aspects of law school, the fairs have workshops on topics such as “paying for law school” or “applying to law school.” Law school representatives are there to answer specifics, with LSAC also suggesting specific questions for each school (see, for example: Law School Forums and Fairs Near Me | LSAC).

With so many schools to choose from, we ended up at the South Texas College of Law, a law school that frequently visits SHSU to present to our Pre-Law Society. We were excited to reconnect with a familiar name and ask more personal questions about their law school and the admissions process.

One of the most memorable moments came from visiting the table for the University of Minnesota Law, a school I have been interested in for a while.

Speaking with Robin Ingli about the university’s concentrations and focus on Human Rights advocacy made my many options in law schools clearer. Their emphasis on public service and practical training was a highlight for me, and I left knowing more about a school I thought I already knew a lot about.

Overall, the experience is much like a career fair, with lots of booths to pick up literature and the like.

Much of the information can be found on the schools’ websites. But, as a sophomore pre-law student, the event allows you to see all the opportunities that exist, which is perhaps more than people come into college realizing.

And, for the upper-classmen among us, the experience allows the opportunity to obtain more specific information and narrow down options. It’s a worthy event.

Face to Face with a Dictator: The Real Story Behind The Hunt for Saddam

LEAP Students are always eager for opportunities to expand their understanding of global affairs and politics. Recently, we returned to Houston for a special World Affairs Council event featuring a screening and discussion of TNT’s limited series High Value Target: The Hunt for Saddam, alongside the man who lived it: former CIA Senior Leadership Analyst John Nixon.

The program was moderated by Ronan O’Malley, WAC’s Chief Programs Officer, who has followed and hosted Nixon since the 2016 release of his groundbreaking memoir, titled Debriefing the President: The Interrogation of Saddam Hussein.

The evening took a slight departure from the traditional format, opening with a screening of the premiere episode. Starring Joel Kinnaman as Nixon and Waleed Zuaiter as Saddam Hussein, the dramatization pulled us straight into the tension of 2003 Iraq and retraced the relentless intelligence work that led U.S. forces to an underground spider hole in Ad-Dawr.

Following the screening, Nixon took the stage to talk more about Hollywood’s adaptation, the reality of Iraqi leadership, and what it was like to look the Iraqi dictator in the eye.

As the CIA’s top Hussein analyst, Nixon was flown in the middle of the night along Baghdad’s perilous Airport Road to answer the critical question: Had they truly captured Saddam Hussein?

Nixon recounted that the moment the door opened to the holding room, he knew instantly that the person sitting across from him was Hussein. Yet instead of seeing a broken captive, Nixon encountered a master manipulator sitting calmly on a folding chair, acting as though the interrogators were merely guests arriving on a routine Saturday evening. Hussein immediately sought cracks in the room, attempting to pit the CIA and military interpreters against one another when translation discrepancies arose.

Nixon also discussed how Hussein’s chaotic record-keeping contributed to the catastrophic intelligence failures surrounding weapons of mass destruction. For example, Iraq had destroyed vast amounts of stockpiles, but Hussein kept no verifiable paper trail, which was partly out of bureaucratic disarray, and partly out of fear of showing regional weakness to neighboring Iran.

Perhaps most surprising was Hussein’s reaction to September 11. Far from expecting a confrontation, Hussein genuinely believed the attacks would bring Iraq and the United States closer together against shared extremist threats, completely failing to grasp that Washington was already preparing to seal his fate.

Addressing the broader takeaways of the war, Nixon offered a candid reflection that regime change is deceptively difficult, and removing a strongman without a stable post-war framework creates a vacuum that endures for decades.

Before concluding, attendees had the chance to mingle, snap photos, and discuss the nuances of intelligence analysis with Nixon, making it another unforgettable night with the World Affairs Council.

SHSU Moot Court Reaches Sweet Sixteen at UC San Diego

Written by Allie Plunk

On October 3rd and 4th, Sam Houston State University’s Moot Court Team had the incredible opportunity to compete in the Triton Tidal Invitational, hosted by the University of California–San Diego.

The first day consisted of three preliminary rounds, each with pre-assigned competitors and arguments. Interestingly, both of SHSU’s teams had one round arguing as Petitioner and two rounds arguing as Respondent, allowing each team to practice both sides of the case and adapt their arguments to different perspectives.

After each round, the teams had the chance to regroup, discuss feedback, and prepare for the next argument. Between rounds, we were also grateful to have snacks graciously provided by Stephanie Fors, which kept everyone fueled and ready to take on the next challenge!

Once the preliminary rounds concluded, we anxiously waited for the results. The standings would determine which teams would advance to the “Sweet Sixteen” and return on Sunday for another day of competition. Despite some skepticism about our chances (editor’s note: deserved skepticism), both of SHSU’s teams made it into the “Sweet Sixteen”! We were thrilled to have the opportunity to compete again and prove ourselves against some incredibly talented teams.

On Sunday, both teams returned to the courtroom ready to give it their all. Although neither team ultimately advanced to the quarter-finals, making it to the “Sweet Sixteen” was an accomplishment we were extremely proud of.

Beyond the results, the scrimmage gave our Moot Court teams something even more valuable: experience. Throughout the weekend, we were able to test our arguments in a competitive setting, identify some of our strongest points, uncover weaknesses in our cases, and come away with new ideas for strengthening our arguments. Every round gave us something to learn from, and we made it out with a much better understanding of what we can do to prepare for our next competition.

We are incredibly grateful to UC San Diego for hosting such a valuable and exciting scrimmage. We are proud of how far both teams made it and are looking forward to putting what we learned into practice. We are all excited for competition at Texas A&M on October 30th, and we can’t wait to see what the team accomplishes next!

Allie and the Tools of Success: Cherry Fritter, Notes, Ring Light, Notes, Coffee-Flavored Sugar from Seven Bros., Half-Hearted Smile, and More Notes