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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 2001)
a TAAAU Exchange Sl'udenl" Immerse yourself in Another Cul+ure in The \A/orld AAusi - bet L/. 3 Citizen 1 JCnformctT/onci/ eeT/ru&sI 1 si" Floor Bizzell Mall -4:00 p.m. February S, 12, 1-4, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27 r Aictr'crh 1 c/&ctc//in& Page 4 TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL WALK-ON /12TH MAN Informal! DATE: Monday, February 19,2001 WHERE: The Auditorium - West Side Kyle Field 3 / * MANDATORY ATTENDANCE " * MUST BE ENROLLED IN 12 HOURS AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY AT COLLEGE STATION * MUST HAVE STARTED COLLEGE NO EARLIER THAN THE FALL OF ‘98 * We will not hold tryouts for Kickers or Punters this Semester 2001 The Advising Odyssey Attention Student Organization Advisors Mark your calendars and be sure to attend these educational workshops. Each session addresses a topic which is important to the success of an advisory experience. Light snacks will be provided, but feel free to bring your own food. Dates: Tues., Feb. 20 Fri., Feb. 23 Tues., Feb. 27 Fri., March 2 Topics: Advising Skills Advising Skills FERPA* FERPA* Room & Time: 4:00-3:15pm Rudder 302 11:30-12:45pm Koldus 144 4:00-5:15pm Koldus 146 11:30-12:45pm Koldus 144 L ^Family Education Rights To Privacy Act http://sact.tamu.edu/workshops/workshopsl.htm Student Activities For more information A, Texas A&M University ^ ^ ^ ^ AGGIELIFE Monday, Febraa Monday, I 7 ehi THE BATTALION it's a small world after al International students maintain their native culture atA6'° GALVE Questa Eli years ago i their last. ras. ‘I was f By Melissa Sorola-Bilano The Battalion It’s hard enough being away from home for the first time. But being thrown in among students who do not look like you and do not have the same beliefs can sometimes be even harder. For some students from different cultural backgrounds, the adjustment to Texas A&M is a difficult one. Pre serving their culture helps make the transition easier. Johnny Ballesteros, a freshman aerospace engineering major, said he thinks it is important for him to cele brate his Jewish heritage. “[My culture] keeps me in touch with my morals, and, most impor tant, it keeps me in touch with my history,” Ballesteros said. Ballesteros, a member of the Hil- lel Foundation, a Jewish student or ganization, said the group acts as a support system while he is away from home. “I know if I’m in trouble, the rab bi will help me out,” Ballesteros said. Ballesteros also attends syna gogue every Friday. Hafiz Memon, a native of Pak istan and a senior journalism major, came to the United States in 1991. He said coming to A&M was not too big a culture shock. ' “For many students from other countries, it is not a big shock be cause the culture of the United States is known worldwide,” Memon said. On the other hand, Memon said he thinks his peers at A&M know very little about his culture and religion. “There is a general tendency [at A&M] to avoid interaction with peo ple from other cultures and reli gions,” Memon said. Although he is far from Pakistan, Memon tries to keep in touch with his culture. “I maintain a close relationship with Pakistanis, which enables me to preserve some of the positive aspects of my culture,” Memon said. He said celebrating culture is valu able for students of different races. “I think it is important to maintain a culture because it gives us a sense of belonging and provides us a level of comfort and ease, which helps us to grow as a society,” Memon said. A&M is doing its part to support students from every background. Felicia Scott, director of the De partment of Multicultural Services, said the department was designed to help retain ethnic minority students and promote diversity on campus. There are 12 student organizations under the department and around 50 culture-based student organizations that are University recognized. Scott said some students feel they have a hard time preserving their cul ture at A&M. “For some people, when they come to college, this is their first ex perience with diversity,” Scott said. As an example, Scott said black students may be interacting with white students for the first time or white students may be interacting with bladk students for the first time. Scott said some students become more aware of their culture when they come to A&M. “This is the first time they have had to think of themselves in terms of their racial identity,” she said. She said the department tries to retain ethnic minorities with EX CEL (Excellence uniting Culture, Education and Leadership), which helps to familiarize minority fresh men to A&M. “The program talks about being in a predominately white environment and how to maintain your culture,” Scott said. The department’s Website contains Fall 1999 enrollment records, which show 77 percent of students were white, but only 9 percent were His panic, 7 percent were international students and 3 percent were African- American and Asian-American stu dents. The last 1 percent is groups that do not fall into these categories. The University celebrates all the cultures on campus with programs such as Whoopstock. Beatriz Arnillas, assistant coordi nator of diversity education, said every group is invited to participate in Whoopstock, which will be held April 28. Arnillas said Whoopstock gives different groups the chance to appre ciate other heritages and traditions. “Hopefully, [Whoopstock] brings awareness that, because we are a di verse campus, we are all the better for it,” Arnillas said. Another program sponsored by Multicultural Services is U-ACT (UniversitN Aw nreness forCjp^j c * nev Togetherness). ^ or ' Q ues f' Carolyn Sandoxal. adviserTCtum visr ACT and coordinator forfcnow be education, said the i:roupiu^Strolled the organi/ation working to pnB Bra less cultural awareness, undercshirts and | of diversity and acceptanceSm all t ferent eultures. wonder wl Student U-A( I facilitate such a free take a semester-long elasscafehand. The < eial Justice Issues in ElighetEBBut that tion, and they can then gncp'; ent i s each to other student groups. Soii^ooo. i gram themes are I nderstandi:,Q t i 10 ]i c | e tural Identity, Prejudicej n g and Reduction and Cross A Communication. m .. IV Sandoval said studenbtr, d . backgrounds join U-ACT. fF \ 1 "I think it attracts themypy of sta i they can come in as who the) 81 be respected, acknowledged idated for it.” Sandoval said. Alpa Chheda, a U-ACTfae: and a senior industrial engi major, said she values what learned through U-ACT. “I’ve learned the importd sharing your culture as ''.a . | bracing others." Chheda sar 1T extremely important to ak : aware of your culture andtl plays in your life.” aller sea “It’s a c MEXICO I LUBBC partially lia | in a drunke ■ The ver ■lied Eins for serving the crash tl If The bar testaurant X Jones di at a traffic jven by 19- 1 Awitne pen going U Petty h; the legal li Thejur RoeofRic loss of her Beach Lifeguard! NOW’S THE TIME, DON’T WAIT Spend your time on the beach in a fun and challenging position working for the Galveston Beach Patrol. Starting pay *9.00/hr with incentives for bonus pay. Salaries increased for EMTs. Discount housing available; summer school available at Galveston College or Texas A&M Galveston. Minimum qualification, be able to swim 500 meters in 9 minutes or less. Call (409) 763-4769 for information or galvestonbeachpatrol.org/com Tryouts March 10, April 28 & May 5 AGGIE BASKETBALL ’A&M vs. Oklahoma St. (2/21) MEET THE COACHES at Working Woman's Wednesday: '250 Cuervo Ritas & Well Drinks All day & All night ’ FRIT buffet before the game * Come join Coach Watkins & all his staffafter the game for 12 price appetm with your ticket stub. Prize Giveaways & great drink spedals! PARROT IFAD PARTY THURSDAY NIGHT! Call for details.- 8460211 Health Professions Symposium Free! Meet over 60 representatives from Medical, Dental, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, Nursing, and Other Health Professions Programs from around the world! MSC Flagroom FEBRUARY 20 10:30 A.M. - 2:30 P.M. $ E.C.H.O- Members: Alpha Epsilon Delta Biomedical Science Assoc. Microbiology Society PreMedical Society Beta Beta Beta Genetics Society PreDental Society American Medical Student Assoc. Multicultural Assoc. Of PreHealth Aggies Texas A&M University Executive Council of Health Organizations Career Center Texas A&M University Weekly Preview February 19-23 Career Fairs Business Career Fair - Tues. 2/20 - Thurs. 2/22, Architecture Fair - Thurs. 2/22 - Fri. 2/23, Langford Orientations for On-Campus Interviews Mon. 2/19, 4:30 p.m. Rudder 502 Thurs. 2/22, 5 p.m. Rudder 707 Resume/Letter Writing Seminars Mon. 2/19, 5:30 p.m. MSC 228 (Featuring: Cintas) Tues. 2/20, 2 p.m. Rudder 502 (Life Science Majors) Internship Search Strategies Mon. 2/19, 3 p.m. Rudder 502 Behavioral Interviewing Workshop Thurs. 2/22, 5:30 p.m. MSC 228 (Featuring: KPMG) TAMU Career Center 209 Koldus 845-5139 http://careercenter.tamu.edu A place to meet your next employer Wi • l • 1 •3