Serial Killers, Friday the 13th, and Jana Monroe- Murder By The Book

By Cinthia Villarreal

Friday the 13th is known for being an unlucky day; however, LEAP students felt the exact opposite when they had the opportunity to meet the former FBI agent Jana Monroe! Jessica Cuevas, Olivia Discon, and I went to my newfound favorite bookstore, Murder by the Book, to listen to the one-of-a-kind author talk about her new memoir Hearts of Darkness where she talks about her journey through the FBI as one of the first analysts in the FBI Behavioral Science Unit, where she oversaw over 850 homicide cases. 

In order to approach the book mindfully and explore Jana Monroe’s background and inspirations, former FBI agent John Iannarelli flew from Arizona to converse with Monroe about her life experiences before and throughout her influential career. Iannarelli read from the foreword, written by Joe Navarro, describing Monroe as “the single most influential woman to ever serve in the FBI.” Iannarelli did a great job asking the questions we all wanted the answers to. 

Monroe spoke about an instance in which she attended a job fair in high school, where she inquired with a recruiter about a future career with the FBI. She asked about the coursework recommended to prepare herself for the academy and after a back and forth discussion, the agent told Monroe she would never have the necessary criteria to be an agent, since women were only employed at the FBI as secretaries or file clerks. 

As the years passed and minds opened, Monroe served as a special agent and became the first assistant director of the FBI Cyber Division. Monroe is passionate about women staying true to themselves no matter their line of work. In fact, she mentions how she got in trouble with her supervisor once because of the polka dot heels she would wear to work. “There was no language that says that I cannot wear high heels because you have never had a woman agent before”, she countered.

During the Q&A space, Olivia asked Monroe about the impact her career as an agent and analyst had on her writing.  

A question from the audience prompted Monroe to choose her favorite serial killer, and without a second thought, she chose Edmund Kemper. She described Kemper as a “true sociopath” who would copy people’s emotions and expressions.  He killed his parents when he was 15 years old “to know what it would feel like”. The six foot nine inches serial killer killed seven people, and once walked around downtown with the head of one of his victims inside a clear plastic bag. He anticipated someone would call the police and have him arrested, but no one did. According to Monroe, he knew he was not going to stop killing people, so he turned himself in, not before calling the police inept. 

 

Students had the opportunity to get their books signed by Monroe, and through small talk, Monroe spoke about her current and future projects, including two TV shows.

The LEAP Ambassadors and I thank Jana Monroe for her enthusiastic talk. She has truly carved the path for young women like ourselves. I was able to chat with Monroe and describe what an inspiration she is for us, she might not have had a role model, but she definitely is ours! 

After the formal event, we headed to Taste of Mulan for some delicious Chinese cuisine. We were all impressed by the variety of the menu which included meats like chicken, beef, shrimp and even duck. Olivia got the General Tsao’s Chicken and a side of egg fried rice while Jessica and I went with basil fried rice with chicken. The night luckily ended without any trickery, making this meal was an excellent close to our night in Houston!

Having Faith in the Human Factor: Former Venezuelan President Juan Guaidó

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.”

Giving for a Great Cause: The Faculty and Staff Annual Giving Campaign

If it’s fall at Sam Houston State University, freshmen are getting their first taste of mid-terms, students are enjoying cooler weather, and the Annual Faculty and Staff Giving Campaign is likely heating up. In fact, it’s not only heating up, it kicked officially on Monday, October 9, 2023.

This year’s kickoff was more casual than in year’s past. This new tone is designed to encourage greater comfort and interactivity among the almost 100 SHSU faculty and staff who volunteer to raise funds–funds that go to the students of SHSU.

Master of Ceremonies Rosanne Keathley (the Campaign Chair) introduced the many key players…

along with comments from Mike Yawn (Faculty Chair), John Adams (Staff Chair),and Meggan Thompson.

All were in agreement that our students benefit from this campaign of giving. Last year, for example, faculty and staff donated $295,000! Donors can give through payroll deduction, by making a one-time gift, and they can pay by cash, check, or online (for more information, go here).

While any donation is welcome, the committee would particularly appreciate giving to the Bearkat Emergency Fund or the Friends of the Food Pantry; donations can also be given to any scholarship; to enrichment funds (don’t forget about Friends of LEAP!); or even to a membership in the Alumni Association.

The donations have, of course, a huge value to the students, who are the overwhelming beneficiaries of the funds. But these donations also have a multiplier effect. When a high percentage of faculty and staff give, the Vice President of University Advancement, Matt Bethea, or the University President, Alisa White, can make this point when asking donors for funds. In the past five years, for example, 72 percent of faculty and staff have donated, providing compelling evidence that the employees of SHSU believe heavily in the cause.

The campaign closes on December 15, and the committee hopes that we will have at least a 60 percent giving rate by that date.

Feel free to reach out to the Annual Giving Staff (Meggan Thompson–294-2401 or Chantel Finley–294-2402), Campaign Chair Rosanne Keathley (294-1711), Faculty Chair Mike Yawn (294-1456) or Staff Chair John Adams (294-2286).

Law Schools Ask: To ChatGPT or not to ChatGPT?

ChatGPT was released for public use on November 30, 2022. Because law firms are starting to use ChatGPT, some law schools, such as the University of Tulsa College of Law, are incorporating how to use ChatGPT ethically into their law school required legal research and writing courses.

There is no consensus among law schools, however, regarding the issue of allowing applicants to use ChatGPT in the law school admissions process, especially in the personal statement requirement. Dean Sue Ann McClellan, Assistant Dean of Admissions at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, explains that the Memphis law school now asks applicants to acknowledge that the personal statement is their own work product and that the applicant did not utilize AI/ChatGPT. The University of Michigan University Law School bans ChatGPT in law school applications. In contrast, Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law allows law school applicants to use ChatGPT in their law school applications, including in their personal statements. Arizona State’s law school requires that law school applicants must disclose if they used AI tools, similar to the requirement to acknowledge if they used a professional consultant.

 Interestingly, Troy Lowry, Senior Vice President of Technology Products at lsac.org, compared law school applicants’ personal statements with the proctored, timed LSAT writing samples written by the same students. Lowry found that “AI managed to predict correctly better than two-thirds of the time whether the author was the same or not and provided reasons to support its predictions.”

Therefore, what are the best practices for a law school applicant regarding the issue of using ChatGPT?

First, an applicant should always review and follow the policy regarding use of ChatGPT for each law school to which the student is applying. Secondly, and most importantly, understand that your personal statement, written by you as opposed to ChatGPT, will be more authentic because it is your unique story. Your personal statement will allow the law school admissions committee to understand, and remember, the real you.

Just imagine, if Taylor Swift chose ChatGPT to write her songs instead of writing her own songs, would Billboard Magazine be announcing that Taylor Swift now holds the all-time record for the most #1 hits on Billboard’s Pop Radio Chart?