Category: Uncategorized

By Jessica Cuevas (March 29, 2024)

It was a Good Friday, in every sense of the phrase. The LEAP Center has been very fortunate in being able to host Judge Alberto Gonzalez every Spring semester (with a lot of help from Lt. Col. Yebra) here at Sam Houston State University. Judge Gonzales has served this country in multiple positions from being a lawyer, Judge of the Texas Supreme Court, White House Counsel, the first ever Hispanic Attorney General, and currently the Dean of Belmont Law. Judge Gonzales has an inspiring story, and it is always a pleasure to bring him to campus.

Following an introduction by Cinthia Villarreal, Colonel David Yebra played a video showing highlights of Gonzales’ career. As this video was playing, I flashbacked to my freshman year, when I first met General Gonzales. I remember watching the video and feeling inspired, as his journey reaffirmed my decision to pursue a legal career, with the “hard work and long studying” that he encouraged. This experience came to a full circle as I sat across Judge Gonzales having already been accepted into four law schools, including Belmont Law.

Gonzales discussed the fact that his parents had less than a high school education, but they inspired him to show up, work hard, do the difficult things first, and have faith every step of the way. One of the best pieces of advice he offered was to make sure you took the opportunities afforded you. They may not come along often, and you want to make the most of them.

Students asked many questions, and they were clearly inspired by Judge Gonzales’ discussion. He reminded students that conviction and perseverance are important qualities, and he encouraged students to “Dream as big as you can dream.”

In responding to a question about law school, Judge Gonzales emphasized that a legal education teaches students how to think, analyze, and advocate not only for others but for themselves as well. It presents us with many opportunities and if he were given nine lives, he would pursue a law degree in all nine, that’s how important he believes it to be.

This proved to be inspiring advice, even for those in the group who are not planning to go to law school.

And we had quite the line to sign up for photos with General Gonzales.

We were very grateful that Judge Gonzales and Colonel Yebra agreed to spend their Good Friday afternoon with us!

Named for Lorenzo and Erastus Snow–not its precipitation–Snow Canyon is only ten miles from St. George, UT. Because there are three other state parks within 15 miles of St. George, we had a lot of exploring to do, and we didn’t have a lot of time. So on a cold and foggy morning, we ventured out to do some hiking.

After exploring a slot canyon…

…we found our way to some petrified sand dunes, which offered beautiful views of the park. And while I was tromping all over the State Park, crawling through ravines and such, Stephanie found a beautiful view highlighting both the foreground and background.

It is my vote for the best photograph in the exhibit.

It was our first time in New Mexico, and among the many things that impressed us were the string of missions throughout the state. None of these is as famous as the San Francisco de Asis in Rancho de Taos.

Its unique shape, composed from myriad curved buttresses and sharp angles, has been captured by Georgia O’Keeffe…

and Ansel Adams…

So, it was a little intimidating to try to photograph the San Francisco de Asis Mission, but we made this attempt twice. When we arrived in Rancho de Taos, we ventured into the 8-degree temperatures and attempted some night-time photography. Possibly the best of these was taken by Olivia…

But the next morning we were up again early. Over about an hour of shooting, I captured an angle I was happy with–capturing six crosses, two bell towers, a wreath, some graves, and St. Francis, as well as the marvelous architecture of this impressive shrine.

by Olivia Discon

March 2 is inherently Texan, marking the day that the region gained its independence from Mexico. Huntsville plays a huge role in Texas history for a multitude of reasons, but the better known reason is that it is the resting place for the first President of Texas, Sam Houston. To celebrate President Houston’s birthday and Texas Independence Day, the City of Huntsville hosts several events to commemorate the rich historic nature and traditions of Texas. This includes a “March” to the grave, an honoring of Sam Houston, and most recently, baptizing non-Texans as a Texan.

For me–an SHSU student, a LEAP Ambassador, a City of Huntsville employee, and a native New Yorker–this was an opportunity not to be missed!

So on Saturday morning, March 2, I joined Mayor Humphrey…

…Judge Christian…

…Matt Bethea, SHSU VP of University Advancement…

…some of Sam Houston’s descendants, and other dignitaries, while also spending time with co-employees at the City of Huntsville.

And, of course, to be baptized–by Mac Woodward- no less! The “howdy” water was from the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Presidential Library.

In my two years at Sam Houston, Huntsville has become like a second home, and the Huntsville community, a second family. If I had to denounce my “Yankee” status, this was the best way to do it!

Olivia Discon

Many of us Sam Houston students have heard the phrase “There is nothing to do in Huntsville”. Well, after this past Saturday, December 2, even the naysayers were left in awe of the sheer amount of holiday festivities hosted by the city.

Bright and early, LEAP students volunteered at Main Street’s Christmas Fair, ran by our very own, Jessica Cuevas. The event was bustling with activities at every corner, with the opportunity to get a head start on some holiday shopping, spend time with family, and most exciting to Texans, the rare chance to frolic in snow!

Santa Claus happened to make a surprise appearance this year, and to say the children were excited to share their Christmas lists with him was an understatement. For those who were not as thrilled, Madison Cawthon gave her best shot at trying to get children to smile for a quick photo-op with the man in red.

Just a few steps away, Huntsville’s Parks and Leisure Department hosted Winter in the Park at Rather Park. The children (ourselves included) were able to enjoy several craft making stations, bounce houses, and face-painting to the tune of some wonderful live holiday music. This was a project that fellow LEAP Ambassador Cinthia Villarreal worked on, and it was great to see her in action!

These community-centered events are a testament to the importance of togetherness. What was most enjoyable, in my experience, was the look of pure joy amongst the passerby. The event allowed for families to have fun and reinvigorate their sense of Christmas spirit, and through them, the volunteers felt the gratification of what it is to serve their community. Though these acts of volunteerism don’t lessen the chances of our stockings being filled with coal this year, we were happy to do it anyway. In my first jingle through the Huntsville holidays, I can joyfully declare that when it comes to celebrating Christmas, Huntsville’s definitely ‘sleighs’ it!

By Olivia Discon

In a world riddled with corruption, inequity, and violence, it can be difficult to discern a sense of hope. Dictatorships, in particular, have continued to be a looming threat to international peace. Venezuela, a nation who is on the heels of communist countries such as Russia and China in its tyranny, is not as equally accredited on the world’s stage.

To learn the current state of Venezuelan affairs from the perspective of the former Venezuelan President could not have been a more informative and sobering account. With that, we drove to Houston to hear from President Juan Guaidó.

Maryanne Maldonado, the CEO of the World Affairs Council (WAC), started off the evening by emphasizing the importance of gatherings such as these. Through this, she gave LEAP a shoutout, saying;”Making the drive from Huntsville to Houston is a true commitment to education.”

A touching narrative of the President’s upbringing ensued, shared by Jose Valera. President Guaidó’s inspiration to tackle the tyranny in Venezuela began with a tragedy in his own life. After a natural disaster destroyed his childhood home, resulting in the deaths of many of his neighbors, he had come to realize the utter incompetency of the leadership in his country. In his early adulthood, Guaidó went on to join the 2007 Venezuelan Protests and founded his own political party, otherwise known as the Popular Will party.

In a conversation moderated by Ronan O’Malley, President Guaidó explained the conflict in Venezuela through the lens of his own experiences and the hopes he carries for his nation’s future.

President Guaidó reverberated with a resounding call for democracy, underlining the pressing need for transparent elections in Venezuela to authentically represent its people. Furthermore, it stressed the critical plea for international support and investment to facilitate the nation’s economic resurgence and stability.

Even now, amidst his tireless efforts for democracy, President Guaidó continues to grapple with the pervasive corruption that has plagued Venezuela. Just a week ago, the Venezuelan Public Ministry sought his arrest for misusing 19 billion dollars in state funds. This allegation is considered by the President as propaganda, a desperate attempt by those in power to undermine his legitimacy to those around the world that can’t distinguish nuances within the headlines. “We do not want to win a game if we have not participated…”, Guaidó remarked. “You can ask everyone (in Venezuela) if they desire peace or war, and 99% will answer peace… never forget the human factor!”

In a world overshadowed by oppression, gatherings like these offer a glimmer of hope and the belief that positive change is possible, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Gusto Gourmet

After the event, we sought to savor the flavors of Venezuela by visiting Gusto Gourmet. The group indulged in tequeños, or Venezuelan cheese sticks, for our appetizer while we revisited the World Affairs Council meeting. For the main dishes, we had the opportunity to try Reina Pepiada, Arepa Pelua, and Pabellon Cachapa. This was a first for most of the students that evening, but was considered by Morgan as one of her favorite restaurants. The meal was not only satisfying but also gave us a valuable perspective, as we realized that the cost of just one of our dishes equals the monthly earnings of a Venezuelan citizen, which amounts to $15. With that, our night came to an end, not without hope, but with an understanding of the real-world obstacles and dynamics at play. As President Guaidó said himself “Is it easy? No. Is it possible? Of course.”