Civic Engagement – Page 53 – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Nancy Bocskor Small Group

February 22, 2021, Heather Noman

Last Wednesday, 13 students had the opportunity to participate in a sit-down session with Nancy Bocskor. She is known nationally and internationally for being a “Democracy Coach” and a servant to the community. In addition, Ms. Bocskor is a board member of an organization known as Running Start, which encourages young women to run for office, aspire to executive positions, or otherwise gain a “seat at the table.”

The 13 of us were thrilled to sit down with Ms. Bocskor and pick her brain on the many things that interest us. Of note, early in her professional career, she worked with Newt Gingrich, who would later become Speaker of the House. By the time she was in her mid-20s, she was his Legislative Director. She stressed the importance of taking risks, something that we, as women, might not have been socialized to do. But sometimes getting out of your comfort zone is the only way to take opportunities, something she did when moving from Ohio to Washington, DC.

Bocskor’s involvement in politics extends to the non-profit world, where she is active on many boards. One of those is Running Start, which provides funding (with the help of Walmart) to young women for interning in Washington, DC. This semester-long program pairs female students with women in Congress (House and Senate), and provides leadership workshops on Fridays. Over the years, SHSU has had three students picked for this program, including two in the same year–the only time in the program’s history that two students have been selected from the same University.

Anne Jamarik and Megan Chapa: Running Start DC Fellows

Ms. Bocskor suggested we apply to the program, as well–something we are looking into, with our newfound tolerance of risk!

One of the biggest takeaways from our meeting with Nancy Bocskor came from Shaylee Ritter’s questions. “How do you make yourself stand out from the rest?” and “how do you make personal connections with someone you barely know?” Bockskor’s response was to be engaged in the conversation, which will allow students to ask interesting questions. The more engaged you are, the deeper you’ll be able to think about the topics. The deeper you are thinking, the more likely you are to ask new questions. These questions will allow you to connect with the professional, while also providing you with interesting information.

Bocskor’s perspective was valuable because there isn’t a faculty member on SHSU’s campus with her background. We were able to get more of a practitioner’s perspective, while also just getting practical life advice. Many thanks to Ms. Bocskor for returning to SHSU to help out young women!

Celebrating TX Independence Day with the Lion’s Club

Morgan Robertson

How does the Lion’s Club start their holidays off? By awaking at 6am and putting out flags, to beautify the community and promote gratitude for the freedoms and liberties others have helped secure. So, this morning a few of the LEAP Ambassadors awoke and joined the Lion’s Club in this worthy cause.

We have previously volunteered with the Flag Project, and we remember the process well: alternating the flags (US Flag; Texas Flag; US Flag; Texas Flag) along a half mile stretch of 11th street and about a mile stretch of Sam Houston Avenue. Holes exist along these streets, just for this purpose, and it’s just a matter of grabbing the flags (ably provided to us by Sheryl and Dottie) and placing the flags. With a group of eight people, we found a rhythm of two volunteers handing out flags in the trailer, a person driving, and the rest receiving, running, and placing the flags.

The morning was made all the better with a few laughs shared among volunteers. Jessica proved to be rather good at re-drilling the flag-holes that weren’t completely hollow, I eventually learned what side of the trailer to stand on to avoid traffic, and we think Yvette eventually awoke fully.

As we were wrapping, up where were able to snap a few pictures with the flags.

After about an hour the end was in sight, and we were in fact running out of flags!

The volunteerism was enjoyable, made all the more so by the buoyant personalities of Tom Waddill, Sheryl Miller, Dottie Fulton, and Glen Schumacher. What better way to kick of Texas Independence Day than with volunteering with great people for a great project?

Thank you to the Walker County Lions Club for the opportunity to display the visual reminders of Texas Independence Day and of course Sam Houston’s Birthday!

Giving to SHSU

Every year, the staff at University Advancement and the faculty and staff across SHSU come together to promote giving back. In this case, the giving back is to SHSU, money that can be provided to students’ benefit. Such giving can include a scholarship account, an enrichment fund, or to a program such as the Reba Bock Closet or Tripod’s Thrift Store. To celebrate the culmination of this drive and the meeting of our (revised) goal, faculty and staff gathered in the Orange Ballroom to hear from a student (me!) and to recap the highlights.

Employees from every department at SHSU came together last fall to raise money. Over a two-month period, sixty percent of all employees at SHSU donated, giving money back to the University. Some of these did this through payroll deduction and others through a one-time donation. Either way, it’s appreciated.

In particular, I appreciate Chantel Finley, Riley Kleppelid, and Meggan Thompson for inviting me to be part of–and for helping me through–this process.

Dr. Roseanne Keathley kicked things off with introductory remarks, followed by a lunch.

The lunch was a wonderful mix of steak, chicken, and vegetables, with cake for a dessert, which we all enjoyed, while also engaging in pleasant conversation. I had a chance to sit with President White, whom I’ve met before, Dr. Keathley, Professor Yawn, and Vice-President Hernandez and Vice-President Holmes. It was a pleasure to meet new people, and I appreciate being invited to the event.

President White made appreciative remarks, thanking the faculty and staff for their donations–which raised more than $200,000.

She also thanked the committee and the University Advancement staff, who organized the effort.

Following additional remarks by Dr. Keathley, and an introduction by Professor Yawn, I was given the opportunity to thank some of those who have been helpful to me.

I have been blessed at SHSU, having rare opportunities, getting a great education, and earning some scholarships.

One of those scholarship is the Andrew and Ila Martinez Scholarship, and I’m not only grateful for this generosity, but also for the opportunity to meet the Martinez family.

It is this type of generosity that animated the crowd at the Ballroom, and the University Advancement team did a good job of recognizing those who participated. In particular, Debra McCall from Criminal Justice won the award for most years in a row giving (21!), the College of Osteopathic Medicine won for greatest improvement, University Advancement was recognized for 100 percent giving, and COSET was recognized for the highest dollar amount.

I found it to be a wonderful opportunity: meeting new people, seeing people I know and respect, and seeing people who care about their place of employment and the students. And, of course, it was wonderful to spend time with President White.

It was great to be part of the event, and I am sincerely grateful for all the faculty and staff do for the University.

Editor’s Note: Yvette Mendoza is a sophomore at SHSU majoring in Political Science. She works at Smither, Martin, Henderson, and she is the Vice-President of the LEAP Ambassadors. She aspires to be an attorney.

Community Building with Rotary and Nancy Bocskor

February 23, 2022, Jessica Cuevas

Upon walking into the meeting room, we were greeted by welcoming community members–who also directed us to where the food was! On the “menu” there was chicken and pork, a savory BBQ sauce to go with it, potato salad, pinto beans, and bread slices. As we waited for the meeting to begin, we helped ourselves to a plate of delicious food, and we met some new people and saw some familiar faces. Specifically, we took our seats amongst the many familiar faces such as Mac Woodward and Ray Hernandez and engaged in conversations.

The Vice-President of Huntsville’s Rotary Chapter, Todd Armstrong…

…had us out of our seats as he began the meeting by ringing the loud bell, which everyone’s cue to walk around the room and greet everyone. During this period, we were even able to meet another SHSU employee, Heather Caudle, who works for the Academic Success Center–and her father, Kevin Byal, who works for the City of Huntsville.

There were interesting, moving parts to the meeting that the Ambassadors enjoyed seeing. One such activity was allowing each member to give a “shout out” or “bragging point” and paying a dollar to the Rotary Treasury to do so. We also watched a new member be inducted.

Moving through the agenda, we were eager to hear our guest speaker Nancy Bocskor.

Being able to learn more about her background and experiences in politics and serving the community was inspiring. She even spoke about Ukraine’s situation when discussing democracy “then versus now.”

Her work with helping women all over the world was moving. We left the Rotary meeting knowing the passion Ms. Bocskor has for helping anyone that comes her way in the 28 countries she has traveled to.

We would like to thank Vice-President Todd Armstrong, Michelle Lyons, and the Rotary Club for having us and giving us the opportunity to hear from Nancy Bocskor. We enjoyed learning about the Rotary Club, we were pleased to see so many friendly faces, and we appreciated the organization making us feel at home.

The 9-11 Attacks: A Retrospective on Terrorism

Erin Juarez

Although the LEAP Ambassadors have attended many events sponsored by the World Affairs Council, this was our first event at the Glade Gallery, an art gallery in The Woodlands.

Gregory Gause, a professor at the Bush School at Texas A&M University, spoke to the attendees about the tragic events of 9/11, the relationships and origins that preceded the attack, and how those relationships have evolved since the attack.

After we reconnected and caught up with the wonderful WAC Staff, we began to make our way around the Glade Gallery. Never missing an opportunity to fine new favorite pieces, we began maneuvering around the gallery taking notice of all the contemporary art.

Sandija Bayot, the WAC’s Chief Development Officer, informed the crowd about several upcoming events and then surprised everyone with a pop quiz!

Sandija then asked five questions about upcoming events and handed out books as prizes to those that got the answers correct. Heather Noman correctly answered the capital of Yemen, and Morgan named the fourth Ambassador joining WAC for a luncheon the next day. Congratulations LEAP Ambassadors!

Ray Cunningham, WAC’s Executive in Residence in The Woodlands…

introduced the guest speaker of the night, Dr. Gregory Gause.

Dr. Gause is the Department Head and Professor of International Affairs at the Bush School in College Station. Professor Gause described some of the threads that converged in 2001 to lead to the 9-11 attacks, including the US supporting the anti-Soviet forces in the Middle East–some of whom evolved in to more overtly terrorist organizations.

Following quick success in retaliating against the 9-11 attacks, groups such as ISIS emerged as more powerful, and Iran has gained visibility and influence in the region. As ISIS gained power and Iran showed little inclination in curbing such power, the early US success in Iraq and Afghanistan eroded, culminating in President Biden’s decision to withdraw last year. Gause notes that there is little to no support to go back in. People’s experiences influence their willingness to support policies, and military action is no exception.

Near the end of the lecture, Dr. Gause answered a couple of questions from the crowd.

The questions were excellent, with several posted by local professors and other knowledgeable attendees. Gause focused on each question….

…and responded at length. Inevitably, questions turned to Russia and Ukraine, a direction that really brought home the relevance of our policies in response to aggression. While there was some agreement that China may be a longer-term threat than Russia, there was also acknowledgement that much suffering was likely to result from this invasion and, anytime you are dealing with a country that has control of nuclear weapons, even larger conflagrations are of great concern.

Following the event, we spent time with staff along with a couple of professors from the Bush School, who proved very interesting.

We also posed for a group photo with students from some high schools and the always-friendly, always-professional staff of the WAC.

And, of course, we took a minute to pose for a group photo in the midst of the beautiful gallery.

Following the event, we headed to Genghis Grill (the only nonbar, it seems, that stays open past 9pm in The Woodlands) and had an enjoyable dinner, while also reflecting on the discussion, and contemplating the implications of Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine.

Wall of Honor–CHSS Style

The LEAP Ambassadors have assisted the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at nine separate Wall-of-Honor celebrations. This one, honoring two fine men, was our favorite.

The honorees were Mac Woodward and Dan Beto, and their speeches, as well as the remarks by President White, Dean Li, and CHSS Advisory Board Chair Ron Gay were gracious and appropriate.

Our role was minimal: we assisted with the pre-dinner photos.

And we greeted people and helped direct guests to the staff or their tables. It was great to see many of the University and community VIPS: Judge Danny Pierce was there; as were Mayor Brauninger…

…Dean Shields, Provost Stephenson, Assistant Provost Galliard, Chris Tritico, Aron Kulhavy, Councilmember Russell Humphrey, and, as noted, President White. Indeed, the event had record attendance, a testament to the men being honored.

We sat with a great group: Aron Kulhavy, Blake Roach (a former LEAP Ambassador)…

…Cheryl Spencer and Joe Kirkland, Trent Shotwell, Karen and Wes Altom, and Gene, Celeste, and Jack Roberts.

One of the benefits of being a LEAP Ambassador is seeing friends at events, meeting new people, and getting to use recently learned etiquette tips (thank you Career Success Center!).

Following a cocktail hour–in which we did not participate–Chairman Gay introduced the event…

…turning the floor to President White.

As always, her remarks were brief and perfect for the occasion.

We enjoyed the fact that she highlighted the importance of these two gentlemen, making it clear this wasn’t just any Wall of Honor.

Following the President, Dean Li made a few remarks as well.

For many of us, this was our first time meeting Dean Li, and he was as we heard: friendly, supportive, and gracious.

All the remarks this evening fit the occasion.

And, of course, this included Chairman Gay, who was very nice to us, kept the evening moving, and is friends with the honorees–as are many! Mr. Beto was honored first, and his video–put together by Michael Foster–highlighted the many accomplishments in his career, including remarks by the Dean of College of Criminal Justice, Phillip Lyons.

While many know George Beto, Director of TDCJ during a formative period–the younger Beto has also accomplished much. He has been the Director of three state agencies, consults extensively across the globe, and has mentored many.

Beto’s remarks were short: he noted he was “honored,” complimented Mac on his accomplishment, and thanked many of the people he has worked with–including President Templeton.

It was a nice speech by a nice man.

Speaking of which, Mac Woodward’s video was also inspirational, with speakers including Judge Danny Pierce, former Council member Lydia Montgomery, and our advisor, Mike Yawn.

Recurring themes were leadership, duty, and community–themes Mr. Woodward echoed during his speech.

He thanked his family, “especially my wife, Leanne;” recognized the Museum staff, with whom he worked for many years and mentored; and thanked “Sam Houston,” without which, Texas would be a different place–and, of course, SHSU would, at the very least, be another institution entirely.

After the enjoyable evening, which included a very nice meal…

…we spoke to friends, chatted with the President…

…and congratulated the honorees.

Actually, we were the last ones to leave, but we left with full stomachs, warm hearts, and, thanks to Deanna Briones, some nice floral centerpieces!

The LEAP Ambassadors would like to thank Dean Li, Ms. Briones, Mr. Gay, and Chris Tritico for allowing us to participate in a very nice evening.

Learning Professional Etiquette with Diane Gottsman

Yvette Mendoza

SHSU Career Services was able to bring etiquette expert Diane Gottsman to campus this past Thursday, and we were excited to join the process.

We were served a three-course meal while being taught corporate and social etiquette. As Ms. Gottsman stated, we have the opportunity to shape how we present ourselves.

Being confident, prepared, and knowledgeable is the key to success in etiquette, and with this in mind, we gathered together for a nice meal and a lot of learning.

The LEAP Members were intrigued by all the rules that apply to something as normal as a nice meal. As we were first seated at a round dinner table, we were ready to learn why there were so many utensils and what they were used for. We began with the B and D rule where bread is placed on the left and drinks are placed on the right.

Then you are to use the utensils from the farthest one out and work your way inwards.

Once everyone knew the placement of the utensils, we were able to have more confidence by having proper posture and our hands above the table at all times. We were ready to place our napkins properly on our lap and take on our meal!

With three different eating styles of etiquette to choose from, European, American, and Barbarian, we learned the European style. It entails, for example, eating your soup with the motion of your spoon facing away from you. Once you have finished, you would put both the fork and knife parallel from one another at 10 and 2. We were able to practice this ourselves with our tomato bisque soup…

…and our main entrée, chicken, broccoli, and mash potatoes.

While overcoming the challenges that came with a new style of eating, it was safe to say each LEAP member enjoyed learning every bit of it!

Topping off our dinner with a chocolate cake dessert, we were able to practice additionally while Mrs. Gottsman watched and critiqued.

We greatly appreciated Mrs. Diane Gottsman and the SHSU Career Services for hosting an etiquette dinner to prepare us for any social or corporate event. For we learned a lot about having etiquette!

Meet the Candidates in Walker County

Morgan Robertson

On Tuesday, February 8, 2022, the Walker County Republican Party hosted a Meet and Greet for the upcoming March 1 primary election. Members from the community were able to hear from most of the Candidates who are running.

Along with a few other college students, the LEAP Ambassadors assisted with check in and set up.

And Morgan led with the invocation.

Richard Yawn moderated, and a very large crowd showed up for the event.

Those who are running unopposed gave 1-minute speeches: Criminal District Attorney, Will Durham, County Court-at-law, Tracey Sorensen, County Clerk, Kari Ann French, County Treasurer Amy Klawinsky, County Commissioner Precinct 3, Steve Fisher, Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Marcus Payne, and Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Steven Cole.

Criminal DA, Will Durham observed that his goals for his office are to “Seek truth, Pursue Justice, and always be prepared.”

Kari French, County Clerk explained the importance of maintaining the history of the county, and Steve Fisher, Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 expressed his desire to never slow down and to ensure hears everyone. Each candidate made the best use of their time by outlining their time in their current positions, and why they serve Walker County.

Running for County Judge of Walker county are 6 eligible Candidates. Lee Killingsworth, Andy Isbell, Shannon “Shadrack” Riley, Frank Olivares, Colt M. Christian, and Clyde Loll. Each one spoke for the allotted 5 minutes, and briefly explained who they are and what they plan on doing as County Judge. In one capacity or another all the Candidates pledged to keep and or lower taxes (which members of the crowed definitely appreciated).

Leslie Woolley, April Farquhar, and Madeline Loosier are running for District Clerk. The candidates talked a bit about their backgrounds and why they are best suited for the job. Leslie shared more about her background in the Criminal Justice system, April explained more about her job and the drug testing process, and Madeline spoke more about her time as a business owner and her personal experiences.

Three people are running for County Commissioner Precinct 4, Frank Novark, Craig Wieghat, and Branden Decker. Unfortunately, Frank Novark was unable to attend due to a accident in which he broke his hand. Wieghat and Decker both spoke on their passion for the position and why they would be best suited to represent their precinct.

Running for Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 are Mark Holt and Randy Jeffcoat. Holt, the current Justice of the Peace, talked discussed his experiences in the position and his vision of the future. Jeffcoat expressed his desire to approach the position with fresh eyes, and indicated he is excited to run.

Running unopposed for her current position is County Chair Linda McKenzie. Mrs. McKenzie expressed her gratitude for Walker county and its citizens for creating a wonderful community and her desire to continue serving that community.

For us as students, the whole experience was a wonderful foray into civic engagement and what it means to run for local office. The evening offered many memorable scenes and moments…

…and we are grateful for the community members who showed up and those who desire to serve their community.

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