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SHSU Update For Week Of Dec. 21

Military Science Commissions One
SHSU To Break For Holidays
Students Collect Ton Of Food For Local Mission
Thibodeaux Book Cover, Designer Win Award
Alpha Chi Tops Previous Initiate Totals

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Military Science Commissions One

Senior ROTC cadet James Harrison joined the ranks of second lieutenants in the U.S. Army on Saturday (Dec. 20) afternoon during the Bearkat Battalion’s winter commissioning ceremony.

Harrison received his bachelor’s degree in industrial technology, with an emphasis on design and development, and a minor in military science during Saturday’s commencement ceremonies.

A Wylie native, Harrison joined the ROTC program when coming to SHSU in 2004 and served as a simultaneous membership program cadet in the U.S. Army National Guard with the 72nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion in Huntsville.

Within the ROTC, he was a member of the cannon crew for three years and the Schuder’s Ranger Company for four years, earning his Ranger Company scroll during the spring 2005 semester.

He also held various other positions within the battalion, including cannon crew commander, Ranger Company executive officer and later, Ranger Company commander.

Harrison requested and received an active duty commission and will serve in the U.S. Army as a transportation corps officer.

He will first work as a gold bar recruiter for SHSU’s military science department before serving his first duty assignment at Fort Campbell, Ky.

SHSU To Break For Holidays

Sam Houston State University will be closed Tuesday (Dec. 23) through Jan. 5 in celebration of the Christmas holiday.

Residence halls will reopen for the spring semester on Jan. 8, registration will open on Jan. 9 and classes will begin on Jan. 12.

Students Collect Ton Of Food For Local Mission

Political science and communications studies students collected 2,644.72 pounds, more than a ton, of food earlier this month for Huntsville’s Good Shepherd Mission.

In the spirit of giving, the third food drive coordinated by political science adjunct faculty member James Massey awarded students bonus points and community service hours for students’ participation.

This year’s total “literally shattered the previous two semesters’ records” and raised the total amount of giving for three drives to almost 6,248 pounds of food. The food was delivered in four trucks to the mission on Dec 5.

“Given everything our students have been through this semester, especially in light of Hurricane Ike, I couldn't be more proud of all of my students for stepping up the way they did today, as those in need in Huntsville this holiday season will have one less thing to worry about,” Massey said.

Participants also came from William Carroll’s and Corliss Lentz’s political science classes, as well as Mary Evelyn Collins’ communications studies classes.

The class that collected the most amount of food, Massey’s 8 a.m. political science 261 “Principles of American Government” class, was also rewarded with a kolache and donut breakfast provided by assistant professor of political science Mitzi Mahoney and the late John Holcombe, who was serving as interim chair of the political science department at the time. The class brought in 917 pounds alone, Massey said.

“Between Sam and Lone Star College-Montgomery, where I also teach as an adjunct, over three semesters, we collected just under 12,000 pounds of food,” Massey said. “Everything collected here went to the mission, and everything collected at Montgomery went to two different facilities, one each in north Woodlands and south Conroe.”

Thibodeaux Book Cover, Designer Win Award

Alumnus Mark Thibodeaux was recently awarded for his cover design of father Terry's novel Catherine's Cadeau.

The cover of communication studies professor Terry Thibodeaux’s novel, Catherine’s Cadeau, has been awarded first place in the American Design Awards 2008 Summer Semi-Annual Contest.

Designed by Thibodeaux’s son Mark, an SHSU alumnus, the cover was selected from hundreds of design entries in the Book Cover design category. Awards are given to the top three designs in 22 categories.

Winners are chosen based on their “outstanding display of graphical and web design abilities, in a manner conformant with today’s highest standards of visual communication and ethical design standards,” according to Kevin Javid, Vice President of American Design Awards.

"Designers by trade will always think outside the box, but having clients or circumstances place constraints limiting those ideas can be very challenging,” he said. “Mark Thibodeaux has demonstrated that his work is creative, cutting-edge, and worthy of being an award-winner from among more than 1,400 contestants who entered this year’s competition.”

Catherine’s Cadeau, the first novel co-written by Thibodeaux and Ann Davidson, of Upton, Mass., is a historical fiction novel that tells the story of Monique LeBlanc, who travels back in time to experience the horrific treatment of the French Acadians by the British government in 1755 Nova Scotia.

Though the premise is fiction, the historical aspects are true. After their expulsion from Canada, a large number of these Acadians settled in Louisiana and developed the culture known as Cajun.

The book was published in September by SHSU’s Texas Review Press.

American Design Awards’ Semi-Annual Contest is among the most respected in the industry, attracting tens of thousands of designers with varying experience levels from all corners of the globe, ever since its beginning in the year 2000, according to Terry Thibodeaux.

Alpha Chi Tops Previous Initiate Totals

SHSU’s Texas Omicron chapter of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society recently welcomed 54 new members for the fall 2008 semester.

New members include Lindsey Ashworth, Deanna Bloodworth, Camille Bowden, Hayley Britt, Lauren Burroughs, Meghan Burton, Ruben Carrera, Gabriel Castillo, Tina Cervantes, Natalie Cinotto, Carrie Cunningham and Emily Daniel Rich.

Also, Alexandria Evans, Elizabeth Evans, Kyle Everett, Maggie Ferrell, Kevin Fishbeck, Jessica Flack, Gilbert Garcia, Chet Gassett, June Glover, Lori Greer, Mark Hainline and Rachel Hastings.

Also, Andrea Henderson, Kayla Hughes, Chaelsea Johnson, Jessica Kern, Nikki Klausmeyer, Dana Krebs, Kelly Looms, Kelley Loomis, Sarah Martin, Stephen Martin, Michael McClure, Rebecca McNair, Ashley Moehr and Kari Myrick.

And, finally, Jessica Norman, Tatsuya Okabe, Heather Olguin, Brittany Perkins, Barbara Peterson, Sky Presley, Cari Price, Kristen Schoeder, Brittany Smith, Haley Thedford, Chelcie Tomme, Elizabeth Underwood, Brittany Wallace, Kelsey Wiley, Amanda Wilhite, and Jimmy Williams.

Officers for 2008-2009 include president James Deveau, president-elect Dominic Pollone, secretary Jadrian Wooten, treasurer Meeta Lullah, historian Kristen Shroeder and webmaster Jimmy Williams.

To be eligible for membership in Alpha Chi, students must maintain a 3.7 grade point average as a junior or a 3.6 GPA as a senior.

During the 2008 spring semester, 50 new members were inducted. New members will be honored at a reception during the 2009 spring semester.

SHSU’s Texas Omicron chapter began at SHSU in 1923 and is believed to be the oldest organization on campus. The SHSU chapter also was the 15th chapter established in the nation.

For more information, contact Deveau at jdd001@shsu.edu or group adviser Eugene Young at young@shsu.edu.

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SHSU Media Contacts: Julia May, Jennifer Gauntt
Dec. 19, 2008
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu

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Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.

SHSU 'In the News'

Brian Domitrovic, assistant professor of history, appeared on Book TV (C-SPAN) May 1-2, speaking about his recent book "Econoclasts: The Rebels Sparked the Supply Side Revolution and Restored American Prosperity" (www.econoclasts.net).

Houston Chronicle education writer Jeannie Kever recently turned to Regents Professor of English Paul Ruffin for his views on university presses moving toward "digital books" as opposed to traditional ink-on-paper."We're fulfilling the ancient role of the university press, and that is to produce books," said Paul Ruffin, the Texas poet laureate for 2009 and director of the Texas Review Press at Sam Houston State University. "I don't want to give up the book because it is an art."