Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 4, 1991)
State and local Monday, March 4,1991 The Battalion ISA selects outstanding international student Swiss senior receives award at talent show HUY THANH NGUYEN/The Battalion Melanie Goodner, who was named Most Out- international awareness and further integration of standing International Student, seeks to promote international students at Texas A&M. Soldier dies day before cease-fire By Bridget Harrow The Battalion he is vice president of public relations for the International Student Association, member of three scholarly fraternities, teaching assistant in French, member of the Europe Chib and this year’s Most Outstanding international Student. Melanie Goodner, a Texas A&M senior scientific nutrition major, received the award Friday night during intermission of the ISA Talent Show. “1 was honored to get this award," Goodlier says. “1 filled out the application, but I never had any idea that I would actually get it.” Goodner was born in Switzerland, but has dual citizenship in the United States because her mother is American and her father is Swiss. Goodner’s mother was raised in the Bryan-College Station area and her grandparents still live in Bryan. Goodner says her grandparents are Aggie advocates and encouraged her to attend A&M. Goodner’s brother and some of her uncles also graduated from A&M. “1 guess I kind of grew up in the Aggie spirit, even if f was not from this country,” Goodner says. Another reason Goodner says she chose to come to A&M is because the University has one of the best agricultural programs in the world. Goodner says she hopes to attend graduate school to get her master’s degree in nutrition and become a registered dietician. To compete for the Outstanding International Student Award, candidates must have a GPR above a 3.75 and be involved in extracurricular activities. particularly those directed toward international awareness. Goodner’s GPR is 3.88 and she belongs to Phi Beta Delta, the international scholars fraternity. Alpha Zeta, the agricultural honor fraternity, and Phi Eta Sigma, the freshman honor society. She also has actively participated in ISA for two years. As vice president of public relations tor ISA, Goodner helps publish the international student organization’s newsletter The Planet. She also is responsible for advertising all ISA events. Goodner says publicizing this year’s International Week was a challenge. “I tried as best as I could but there is a lot to do,” Goodner says. “It is hard to try and get in contact with everybody — television, radio, newspapers and schools. I had a pretty busy schedule.” Goodner also is in a student peer educator program offered by A.P. Beutel Health Center. As part of the program, she will present health education speeches on nutrition to residence hall and student organizations beginning this fall. “Because nutrition is my major, I figured it would be good experience,” she says. “I really do want to help my peers learn about nutrition.” Goodner says she had to make some adjustments when she arrived at A&M. In Switzerland, she attended an all-girl high school that mainly concentrated on academic pursuits. “We did not have any extracurricular activities,” Goodner says. “So when I came here, I was surprised by all these things I could She says the size of A&M’s student body also was intimidating. Fribourg, her hometown in Switzerland, has about the same population as the University. “When I came to A&M, I felt so lost,” Goodner says. “I was fortunate to have my brother at a&m.;’ Besides English, Goodner also speaks German and French. She says she believes learning another language is important. “I have always spoken English with my parents and brother,” she says. “But I grew up in a French- speaking school. So I guess I am one of those lucky people who is perfectly bilingual. I have no accent m either language." Goodner says because she does not have an accent, people usually cannot tell she is an international student. She says she does not have to deal with the problems many international students have to face. “1 can go around and everybody considers me American,” she says. “There is nothing to give me away. I have a lot of European friends that look American, but as soon as they talk, you know they are not because they have such a strong accent.” Goodner says being viewed as an American can be an advantage because she is able to get insight into what people think about international students. “I can go around and get treated See Goodner/Page 6 TEXAS CITY (AP) — The Per sian Gulf cease-fire came one day too late for Staff Sgt. Christopher Stephens, an Army scout. A Bradley Fighting Vehicle carry ing Stephens was hit Tuesday by Iraqi fire in Kuwait and exploded. The 27-year-old father of four died 24 hours before President Bush an nounced the end of the fighting. His wife, Jennie Stephens, said she heard first about the cease-fire. “We knew everything was OK,” she told the Houston Chronicle in an interview from her home in Texas City, a Gulf coast town 50 miles south of Houston. A knock on her door late Friday proved her wrong. Military officials, her pastor and her father-in-law brought the news. “I didn’t expect it at all,” said Mrs. Stephens, 27. “We had plans — we had plans to do other things.” Chief among those was raising four sons — ages 9, 8, 6 and 2 — and moving to California, where her husband, a member of the 3rd Ar mored Division, was to be stationed after the war. This weekend, Mrs. Stephens braced herself to tell her sons of their father’s death. “I just can’t believe it,” she said. “I thought it was over, and I knew he was coming back.” They would have celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary March 14. Both grew up in Houston and were high-school sweethearts. The last 4Vs years were spent in Germany, until they moved to Texas City in December. Stephens was sent to the Middle East on Dec. 28. Three of his brothers — Edmund, 31, Willard, 30, and Timothy, 25 — are in the Army and remain in the Middle East. Chris Stephens was the last of the four to be shipped to the Persian Gulf area. Last month, he told his wife he was heading for the front lines. ASPIRE TO SEE GERMANY . SUMMER 1991 LIVE THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF CENTRAL EUROPE AND EARN TAMU CREDIT (Pending Course Approval) with Hist 402 : Germany Since 1815 Prof. Arnold Krammer 549 Harrington 845-7108 Muse 201: Music Appreciation Prof. Peter Lieuwen 402-A Academic 845-5660 STUDY ABROAD OFFICE 161 BIZ2ELL HALL WEST 845-0544 Ladies, the men of Seduction are coming to College Station Seduction will be appearing at Sneakers 8 p.m. Wed., March 6 iiil! * $10,000 stage and light show * A Mel Gibson look alike * 2 playgirl centerfolds * A model featured in GQ Magazine * 'One of the hottest male reviews to come out of California in years' states the Times, ‘More than just a male review' says USA Today. * All ladies 18 and older admitted. Tickets are $8. advance, $10. at the door. Available at Sneakers. -it UNIVERSAL RESTAURANT Sc Asian Foods CHINESE LUNCH SPECIAL $2.25 and up CHINESE DINNER SPECIAL $3.49 DAILY DINNER BUFFET $4.95 SATURDAY 8c SUNDAY LUNCH BUFFET $4.95 Sunday Night Student Special 32 oz. Free Drink with Dinner Buffet (Show I.D.) Imported Oriental Groceries 8c Exotic Foods All Within Walking Distance of Campus Across From Blocker Bldg. 8c St. Mary Center 110 Nagel St. Ph.#846-1210 LAST CHANCE! Let's Party In Cancunl Your School's Soring Break Includes: • 7 Nights hotel accommodations • Round trip air transportation from Houston • Round trip airport/hotel transfers • On-site tour directors • Express entry (no lines) at Hard Rock Cafe, Mr. Froggs & Tarzan’s Mother • FREE cover charges on select nights to Xtasis, Hard Rock Cafe, Tequtlla Rock, La boom & Aquarius • Great discounts off food or drink at Jalapenos, Chokos ’n Teres, La boom & Xtasis • Special deals at Daddy’os & Christines • FREE beach activities & contests Optional Spring Break Activities • Chichen-ItzoSTulum Mayan ruin sightseeing & snorkeling • Diving in Cozumel Space Extremely Limited! Book Early to Avoid Student Disappointment! From: 349.00* Downtown Cancun Economy/Standard Located In tha haart of lh« shopping, raataurarrt and nightclub araaa - "THE ACTION SPOT" - Th*aa flna properties feature ewimming poole. mk oonefttioring, color TV end telephone*. From: $449.00* Beachfront - 3 Star Thaae fine properties feature ewimming poole, air conditioning, color TV and telephonee - directly on one of the world'e moet beautiful beechee. ♦ $20.00 per person peak week add-on for 3/9, 3/16, 3/23/91 weekend departures. '31 Io| To sign-up & for more information, contact: aTm AMA 260-1776 great destinations, inc. MILLIONS OF AMERICANS CAN'T BE WRONG. Sale Ends 3-8-91 Since its introduction in 1964, this Red Wing Pecos boot has become the favorite of Americans everywhere. 'Fry a pair on and you'll see why! 3810 S. Texas Avenue, Bryan 846-3813 Red Wing Shoes Enjoy Spring Sports! Don’t let an injury hold you back! CarePlus^ut Provides • Physical Exams to ensure your healthy start •Prompt care for minor emergencies. •Family health care & follow up Quality Care Plus Convenience Open till 8 p.m. Seven days a week 1712 Southwest Parkway 696-0683 No Appt. needed • 10% Discount w/ID