The perfect afternoon activity after a Monday full of classes for some students might be lounging around, relaxing by the pool soaking in the last summer rays or even sitting back and watching Netflix, but not if you’re a LEAPster. When we were made aware of Congressman Kevin Brady’s 4th Annual Blues & BBQ event, we all leaped at the opportunity to volunteer!
The venue, Dosey Doe Big Barn, was perfect for the western-themed night. It was the ideal take on a “rustic-vintage” look with the wooden beams that doubled as décor, the old Coca-Cola, Sunoco and General Electric signs that adorned the walls, and the many different types of quaint little chairs that surrounded each dinning table.
As guests began pouring in through the large stained wooden doors, we welcomed them with a warm greeting and thank them for attending while directing them to the dining area, buffet, and bar. Once Congressman Brady arrived, people began lining up to speak to him and shake his hand. After non-stop tête-à-tête conversation with his guests, Congressman Brady hopped on stage to speak about the upcoming presidential election and the importance of his constituents.
As Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Brady’s chief responsibility is to oversee the tax code. Impressively, eight Presidents, eight Vice Presidents, twenty-one Speakers of the House of Representatives, and four Supreme Court Justices have served in the Ways and Means Committee! As a government official of great responsibility he gave everyone an update on what he has been working on in D.C. and stated his goals. After the applause died down guests continued to enjoy their meals. Along with a rewarding speech we were lucky enough to enjoy tasty brisket, roasted BBQ chicken, potato salad, and grilled squash!
The night closed once everyone had enjoyed a slice of dessert from the Texas sized cake that congratulated Congressman Brady.
Before the guests made their way out, they made sure to get some last words with the Congressman snapping some pictures with him along the way.
Congressman Brady was more than happy to take a picture with us as well, and his staff (The Brady Bunch) even invited us to hop on stage and join them in their staff picture! We all had a great time, and we hope to participate again soon!
With the 85th Legislative Session on the horizon, the LEAP Center invited a trio of accomplished State Legislative staffers to participate in a discussion panel/ Q&A Session addressing careers in government. Gathered to see the panel were 25 SHSU students, with interests ranging from law school, to the legislature, to an Austin Internship en route to a career in government. Whatever their end goal, however, all the students gained a better understanding of how to make it in the professional world following college.
On hand were Sarah Tillman (District Director for Rep. Will Metcalf)…
Zachary Stephenson (Chief of Staff for Rep. Will Metcalf)…
and Eiman Siddiqui (Chief of Staff for Rep. Tom Oliverson).
Interestingly, both Representatives Metcalf and Oliverson are SHSU Alums.
Tillman offered students wisdom on maintaining appropriate social media sites. Even though her advice was targeted to prospective Austi interns, it was applicable to the entire professional world. Zach Stephenson also emphasized professionalism, discussing the pitfalls that can plague young people who get caught up in the Austin bar scene. Whether outside of work or on social media, interns represent the office for which they work, and an unprofessional facebook post or an arrest harms not only the student, but also the office.
The panelists also discussed the skill set desired by legislative offices. While the offices desire intelligence, the most important qualities are the ability to deal effectively with people, a positive and professional attitude, flexibility, and writing skills, the latter being especially stressed by Eiman Siddiqui.
During the session, hours are long and the pay is small, so many of the people with the skill set described above move on when the session is over. But the high turnover rate is also an opportunity for young people to move up in the legislative environment, making a career in the legislature a real possibility. Indeed, all of the panelists were in their 20s or early 30s.
The panelists’ youth and their wisdom allowed them to relate to us, and we plan to lean heavily on them if we are fortunate enough to spend next semester in Austin!
When the first leaves start to fall in the pine country we all know what time it is. No, not football season, but the annual HEARTS Museum garage sale. The HEARTS Veterans Museum of Texas is a museum that honors those who have fought for our freedom in many different wars. Apart from serving as an engaging Veterans museum (not a military museum) it is a unique addition to our community. With proceeds that often exceed $10,000, the Garage Sale contributes directly to preservation of the Museum’s collection.
The Museum is also one of the LEAP Ambassadors foremost philanthropic causes, with the Ambassadors volunteering at key events throughout the year. This weekend was no different, with the ambassadors participating as cashiers…
…hot dog sales(wo)men, and even box builders.
As with any HEARTS Museum event, in this writer’s opinion, “the best thing about volunteering are the stories the veterans share.”
Some of the items that were sold at the garage sale included clothes, hats, books, tea sets, and other marvelous curiosities. With the non-stop rush of Huntsvillians in the shopping spirit, the Ambassadors were plenty busy, at times carrying cart-full of antiques through the Storm Shelter doors. Although the garage sale is labor-intensive work, we had a lot of fun.
And, after our shifts were over, we were able to shop around and stock up on nifty knickknacks.
In all, the active volunteering and shopping made it a great way to spend a weekend!
The LEAP Ambassadors would like to thank Letty Clark, for her great work at the HEARTS Museum and for being such a pleasure to work with and for!
In an effort to educate the campus and community about what the LEAP Center is, the LEAP Ambassadors compiled pictures of events to showcase the organization in the LSC Art Gallery.
The exhibit, which was open from September 2-September 16, showcased some 160 photographs (culled down from more than 90,000) across six categories: speakers, travel, fine arts, volunteerism, experiential learning, and programs.
LEAP Ambassadors Following Installation of Art Exhibit
This past September 14th the LEAP Center hosted an opening reception for the art exhibit. Many students, University staff, and community members came out to support the LEAP Ambassadors and learn more about what the LEAP Center does.
Each category emphasized our favorite and most notable events. For example, LEAP Ambassadors have traveled twice to see Stephen Hawking present a lecture, and we have also seen public figures such as Alan Alda, Bill Schneider, Douglas Brinkley, Governor Abbott, and Vicente Fox. All of these photos appeared under “Speakers” and, of course, additional photos were featured in the other categories.
The LEAP Center is thankful for the opportunity to showcase the organization. Numerous students attended, some of whom might make for good LEAP Ambassadors themselves someday!
We were also grateful for the support from University officials such as Provost Eglsaer…
…President Hoyt…
…Mac Woodward, Charlie Vienne, Gene Roberts, and many others. We also had a chance to see some of our favorite community people, including Linda Pease, Terry Stivers, Carol Hays, and others.
Excited murmurs could be heard from Art Building F as people were flooding in for the LEAP Centers’ 2nd annual heART of Huntsville program. Art enthusiasts from SHSU and the community are annually invited to this four-week program where they can explore various art media created by local artists around the SHSU campus and the picturesque town of Huntsville.
We started out in one of the many classrooms of the Art Department. The LEAP ambassadors were elated to see many of our community friends such as former mayor Mac Woodward and Wynne Home Director, Linda Pease; as well as friends on campus such as English Professor, Dr. Ralph Pease and Political Science Professors, Dr. Tom Haase and Wen-Jiun Wang.
After everyone had finished their survey of local art and artists (not without a few grumbles), Dr. Micheal Henderson, chair of the art department, welcomed us to the the Gaddis-Geeslin Gallery.
Inside the gallery, Dr. Henderson presented us the “Selections” exhibit by revealing the type of art that could be found within. The art gallery consisted of creations from alumni dating as far back as the late 1930’s up until the Spring semester of 2016. There were many pieces from former SHSU professor Ken Zonker. The artist had a special resonance for Leap ambassador Beatriz Martinez, a previous Wynne Home Intern who had organized a Zonker exhibit.
Dr. Wes Sanders Hangs Art by Ken Zonker at the Wynne Home
There were also pieces by Zonker’s apprentice, J Miller, who had actually painted a portrait of Mr. Zonker. Exhibited was also a painting by the renowned sculptor James Surls (whose art would appear later in the tour). Titled Cockfight, Surls produced the work in the late 1960s while he was still a student at SHSU. At this, few of the attendants revealed how the had been friends of Surls at a younger age, and we spoke with Dr. Keri Rogers, who several years ago helped hang this piece in the LSC.
LEAP Ambassadors and Keri Rogers With James Surls’ “Cockfight”
After seeing more SHSU faculty and alumni art…
…we decide to head on over to the second stop: the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS).
As we got closer to the CHSS building, we stopped outside to gaze at the Water Wall by Jesus Moroles. This 9-ft wall was erected to harmonize the elements of earth, stone, and water. The attendees where then amused by how Jesus Moroles (as a lover of multimedia art), had planned to unveil the sculpture by having SHSU dance majors dance atop the CHSS building’s roof.
Fortunately for us (and the dancers), their platform became the top of the Water Wall. The Water Wall’s intended function was to offer a venue for outside lectures. Currently it is most often used as a great study spot for students, and is occasionally seen hosting CHSS socials. Once inside, we saw a piece by Bruce Marion, Confluence, lining the walls. Seeing as how the Humanities and Social Sciences college deals with human interactions and circle of connections, Marion transitioned colors and interwove circles to showcase these two ideals.
The group later traversed through the summer heat to the Lowman Student Center Art Gallery, which was probably the LEAP Ambassadors’ favorite gallery, as they had spent many hours, nails, and mounting squares in order to set up their very own LEAP exhibit. Showcasing the various features of the LEAP center, such as special speakers, fine arts, volunteerism, experiential learning, programs, and travel, it gave heART of Huntsville participants an opportunity to gain a further insight of the different fields in which LEAP Ambassadors engage.
From there, we went to the Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center where Craig Brossman, the facilities manager of the building,was waiting to give us a tour.
We toured the Concert Hall, which impressed the heArt of Huntsville participants as it has been named one of 25 best art venues in the nation. Equally impressive was the dance theater with a sprung floor which is tailored to fit a dancer’s needs. There are only 2 or 3 like it in the state, and about a dozen in the nation. We proceeded to view Kathleen Ash’s Elements, Stanley Lea’s Four Seasons, and a serpentine marble sculpture by Jesus Moroles. The most prominent installation was the 16 ft, wood and steel, Around the Flower Wall by James Surls. We also got to see some art from Charles Pebworth, whose first and biggest sculpture lies in the Woodlands at about 40ft tall. As we were exiting, we saw Jason Lawrence’s Firedance, our last beacon of crystalline light as we retired for the night.
Or at least until we got to Austin Hall. This historic building awaited us with food to be deliciously devoured upon as we interacted with the other participants and shared our anticipation for next Monday’s adventure, which will start at the grand Sam Houston Statue on Monday, September 19.
With our trip nearing its end, we stopped for one last pit stop in Arkansas. As a LEAP favorite, we diced to end our travels with a savory lunch and a interesting visit to Little Rock’s MacArthur Museum of Military History.
Our first order of business, however, was to eat at Cafe Bossa Nova. The Brazilian cuisine restaurant, located on Kavanaugh Boulevard, provided a prime resting venue for us to lunch while reflecting on the trip. First,however, we looked over the menu trying to decipher what the printed item titles meant. Fortunately, this was quickly resolved with the help of our waiter.
Thus, Professor Yawn ordered a small Quiches, Brian the Torta de Frango (chicken pie), and Paul chose the lighter fare of soup and Mista salad. Before starting on our piece de resistance however, we chose to follow our waiter’s recommendations and ordered Almondegais and Pao de Queljo. The variety of cheese from the pao, with its creamy, rich flavors, were a perfect compliment with the meaty, fired Almondegais balls. With our main course dishes placed on our table, we took hold of knife and fork to begin tasting our delicious meals. Evidently we were all similarly delighted with our sections for soon we were left with empty plates and a satisfied sigh. Soon thereafter, we thanked our hosts on way through the threshold to get on our way to the U.S. Arsenal Building.
After finishing up our repast at the Bassa Nova, we drove through the beautiful avenues of Little Rock to see the Douglas MacArthur Museum. While Paul and Brian toured this, Prof. Yawn opted for a less martial exhibit, and went to the neighboring Little Rock Arts Center instead.
The Little Rock Arts Center is small, but it has a well-curated collection, with lesser pieces by big names such as Monet and Louise Nevelson….
Louise Nevelson
..and some very nice pieces by more regional artists. Carroll Cloar’s “Moonstruck Girls,” for example, is an interesting piece…
…as is Louis Watt’s “Untitled.”
The General MacArthur Museum was very interesting, spanning World War One to Vietnam. MacArthur is famous for being the commander of the pacific theatre of World War Two, for being a pivotal figurge in the Philippines, and for opposing President Truman in the matter of Korea. MacArthur is also famous for a speech he gave before Congress, in which he cites a “barracks ballad,” which says “old soldiers never die, they just slowly fade away.”
The museum was free, and well worth seeing. Paul enjoyed the collection of war posters from World War One, urging the viewer to buy bonds and to “Halt the Hun.”
He also liked the exhibit of Vietnam-era weaponry, including an M-79 grenade launcher, a shoulder-mounted RPG, and an AK-47. Brian seemed to have the most fun trying to take a good picture of a bust of Douglas MacArthur. Paul, Brian, and the General had a hard time fitting into the selfie, so they gave that up.
Finally we hit the road again, and made the long slog from Little Rock to Huntsville. It was a long, arduous drive, but we made it home around 10:00 p.m. We were all very glad to be back, for as a great man once said, “Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home!”
To kick off to the semester the LEAP Center opened up its doors to incoming freshman, transfer and current students to come by and see what LEAP is all about. With about roughly 70 students throughout the night, we enjoyed delicious ice cream, cookies, sweet tea, and the chance to see school friends again.
In preparation, we set up The Holcombe Room with decorations, a prize wheel…
Brian Aldaco As Pat Sajak
…and, of course, ice cream and other snacks and refreshments.
As might be expected with free food on campus, there was a line awaiting the open of the event. Later, we would have a packed house.
We were happy to note that, in addition to many students…
Alexis Gordon and Alex Galvan
…Dean Zink, Dean Nardone, Dr. Waggener, Dr. Mahoney, Dr. Svenson, Dr. Bittick, Dr. Enia. Dr. Haase, Dr. Wang, Dr. Evans, Kristin Trojacek, Belinda Myers, Deanna Briones, and Jennifer Knapp all attended as well.
Although folks seemed to enjoy the prizes, the t-shirts were definitely the most wished for. But even after the prizes were gone, many of the students hung around, catching up on their summer activities and their plans for the fall.
We hope that some of those plans will involve LEAP Center events, the dates for which were provided at the ice-cream social. For those of you who missed it, here’s a calendar for the next month or so:
September 12, 19, 26, and October 3: heART of Huntsville
September 14 (4:30-6:00): LEAP Open House (LSC Art Gallery)
September 20 (2:30-3:45): Legislative Staff Panel
September 21 (6:00-7:15pm): Pre-Law Society Meeting
September 30 (6:00-8:30): Walter Brennan/John Wayne Film Festival
With the presidential elections around the bend, the LEAP Ambassadors attended the Walker County Republican Women’s non-partisan meeting on the various aspects of voting this Monday, August 29. The evening’s agenda included speakers focused on new voting ID requirements, the history of political parties, and the nearly unfathomable electoral college. The LEAPsters therefore were more than delighted to start off the semester with proper political education.
The first speaker, County Tax Assessor and Elections Officer Diana McRae, headed the conversation on new voter ID laws.
Walker County Tax Assessor Collector Diana McRae
With experience running more than fifty elections, McRae outlined the various kinds of identification that a voter may present at their polling station. From a normal driver’s license (acceptable even if expired for up to four years), to military identifications, those present are at peace knowing that this upcoming November they will be ready to present the proper requirements to vote.
Followed thereafter was SHSU’s own Political Science Professor Yawn. With a presentation focused around the history of political parties Yawn touched on the early years of American politics from the Federalists and the Anti Federalists, the Whigs, the Democratic- Republican party, finally reaching our present day decided political spectrum.
Professor Mike Yawn Speaks About the History of Political Parties
Highlighted were also presidents that shaped those political parties such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and many more. As her first time seeing Professor Yawn teach outside the classroom, Christina (one of the newest additions to the LEAP Ambassadors) deemed the presentation “as a very interesting one.” As a political science major however, this was to be expected. As for the rest of the non-student audience, they occasionally responded to Yawn’s presentation with laughter–not out of spite but as a result of the amusing presidential tales from Yawn’s dynamic presentation.
To finish the evening’s meeting Michael Ethridge, Huntsville’s field representative for U.S Congressman Kevin Brady, elucidated the audience on “How the President Really gets Elected.”
Michael Ethridge Discuss Presidential Elections
His main topic was the electoral college and how it affects the way presidents are voted into office. He showed us how one county can change the outcome of the entire state, like Ohio. He also answered questions related to our electoral college, and the process of voting. He showed a time line of the electoral process between November and January of election years. One thing he emphasized on was that voting is important. As college students who share his beliefs, the LEAP Ambassadors all thought it was an important message to share. Likewise the efforts of the Walker County Republican Women reflected this political responsibility of educating the community on voting, political history, and the electoral process.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 