Asides

A Weekend of Photography

Morgan Robertson

Photographers across the country rose early Saturday morning with extra batteries, tripods and solar filters to witness the Solar Eclipse–and I joined their ranks! But to see it in its full glory, I had to travel to Corpus Christi, which, even without an eclipse, is a great way to spend a weekend.

One of my favorite aspects of LEAP has been my introduction to photography, and this weekend I brought my love of photography to the next level. My familial connections to photography and astronomy gave me the perfect opportunity to join my aunt and uncle, Suzanne and Chris Bowers, and grandparents, Darlene and Robert Robertson, in Corpus Christi, in the direct path of the Solar Eclipse.

After Professor Yawn outfitted me with the correct equipment and some tips for shooting, I made my way southwest bright and early Friday morning. We hit the ground running with a day full of adventures! We began by conducting tests of my new homemade filters and with the guidance from Aunt “Zan,” we decided we were ready for hours of shooting the following day.

Eclipse

Aunt Zan and I rose early to enjoy sunrise on the beach and to stake our claim to prime eclipse-territory. Originally we were located on the beach and were met with 25 mph winds that would have made for an uncomfortable 3 hours of shooting. After scouting with her trusty sidekick, Willie, Aunt Zan came upon our new favorite feature in Corpus: a shipping container!

Willie Bowers, trusty sidekick
Our home for three hours

We set up shop away from the winds and sand, and eventually a few other photographers caught on to our stroke of genius.

After some slight adjustments, we settled in to watch this amazing experience. I did run into some complications due to the cloud coverage and the darkness of my filter… but we adopted and waited for clearer skies.

Luck was on our side and the clouds provided some drama to our photos. Rather than attempt to describe the wonders of the Eclipse, here are just a few photos of what I captured.

Other experiences

In a typical LEAP fashion, I would be remiss if I didn’t stop by the local art museum to get a taste for the creative tones of the city. The Art Museum of South Texas, located right on the beach, was a perfect stop for Aunt Zan and myself. My favorites from the collection were a Dale Chihuly and Jesús Moroles. Another great feature of the Museum was a strategic window placement that provided an amazing view of the USS Lexington.


We also made sure to take advantage of our proximity to the beach to practice some long exposure shots during sunset, and sunrise.

We all learned this weekend that Corpus Christi is known as the Birdiest City in America and we made sure to take advantage of this fact! Here are a few photos from Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge and Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center.

A pelican landing series…

And a pelican taking flight…

The last shots of the evening from Roberts Point Park.

I would like to express my sincerest gratitude toward my grandparents for being the perfect representation southern hospitality and towards my Aunt Zan and Uncle Chris for fostering my love for this creative art and their constant encouragement.

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).