Mark Dore, Editor in Chief
THE BATTALION is published daily,
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and spring semesters and Tuesday and
Thursday during the summer session
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sity Advancement Fee entitles each Texas
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tional copies $1.
ANSWERS
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NEWS
The Battalion I 4.6.15
2
Allison Bradshaw —THE BATTALION
Within two weeks of operation, Refuge founders Andrea Batarse and
Lexi Carley raised enough money to provide three months of education
to 40 children.
REFUGE CONTINUED
also guarantees their longevity.
“We purchase blank, pre-cut cop
per bands, stamp, antique, shape and
then seal each bracelet completely by
hand and made by just the two of us,”
Batarse said. “They’re actually really
fun to make, but our roomies might
not think so. The hammer necessary
to make the indentation makes a really
loud sound. We like to think we hand-
Picasso these bad boys.”
The duo, which provided 40 chil
dren education for three months in
the first two weeks of operation, credit
Startup Aggieland for much of its suc
cess.
“Startup Aggieland has had a monu
mental impact on our success,” Batarse
said. “They have provided us with
mentors who advise us daily and give
us access to resources we would other
wise not have.”
While the two have consistently fo
cused on empowering refugees, Carley
said they went back and forth on how
to accomplish this goal multiple times.
“We like to think that with each
change in idea, rather than scrap the
idea completely, we save it for later,”
Carley said. “So, we’ve learned to
write everything down, big or small,
you know, just in case. From programs
to shoes to shirts to backpacks, we
made bracelets. We never imagined
we would be transforming little strips
of copper into our new favorite jew
elry, but we love it.”
Burl Haigwood, the group’s mentor
and director of public affairs at the BCS
Chamber of Commerce, said his goal
with the Refuge team is to be a coach
and offer his expertise.
“To use my business experience to
accelerate their learning process and
the development of their business plan
— to the point of execution,” Haig
wood said. “I listen, ask questions and
guide them toward a particular business
goal or understanding so they can ex
perience learning. They have to under
stand and own their decisions.”
Brooke Wooten, student fellows
coordinator for Startup Aggieland and
friend of Refuge founders, said she sees
promise in the Refuge project.
“When they first started they were
criticized greatly and have pivoted a
lot since their starting point,” Wooten
said. “Watching them grow has been
incredible and I’m excited to see the
fruits of their labor.”
GRANT CONTINUED
approved for funding.
According to the CPRIT
website, in 2007 Texas voters ap
proved a constitutional amend
ment establishing CPRIT. This
authorized the state to issue $3
billion in bonds to fund ground
breaking cancer research and
prevention programs and services
in Texas. The website states the
goal of CPRIT is to improve in
novation in cancer research and
development, as well as improve
prevention programs in the state.
In keeping with the goal,
Sczepanski plans to conduct re
search using ribonucleic acid to
improve cancer diagnostics.
“My goal will be to utilize a
new class of ribonucleic acids to
target cancer related molecules,”
Sczepanski said. “Using this ap
proach, I hope to develop tools
for cancer diagnostics, as well as
novel cancer therapeutics.”
Francois Gabbai, head of the
Department of Chemistry, said
Sczepanski’s research program
will complement ongoing efforts
at Texas A&M.
“With an exceptional track
record in DNA repair and ap-
tamer RNA library synthesis and
screening, Dr. Sczepanski will
bring to Texas A&M — and in
deed to Texas — a unique set of
expertise and insight in nucleic
acid chemistry as it relates to can
cer research,” Gabbai said.
This field of study has inter
ested Sczepanski since graduate
school.
“As a graduate student study
ing DNA damage, I found my
self amazed by the number of
challenges our bodies must over
come every day in order to avoid
carcinogenesis,” Sczepanski said.
“This pushed me to look more
closely at the pathways through
which cancer forms and ask how
these processes could be medi
ated using chemistry.”
Sczepanski said the decision to
come to A&M was not a difficult
one, and he looks forward to be
ginning his independent research
at A&M.
“The Department of Chemis
try at Texas A&M University is
one of the best in the country,”
Sczepanski said. “Furthermore, I
received a great deal of support
from both the faculty and staff
following my initial interview at
A&M. By recruiting me via the
CPRIT grant, I know that the
Department of Chemistry be
lieves in my research goals and
will offer me the best opportu
nity to be successful.”
Gabbai said Sczepanski will
work independently from other
professors with select students.
“He will start his own re
search group and will be given
access to prime research space,”
Gabbai said. “He has generous
funding from CPRIT, which
should allow him to quickly as
semble a team of qualified gradu
ate students and postdocs.”
BATTASKS
What did you give
up for Lent?
"I gave up chocolate. It was really hard because
everything that I like is chocolate in some way,
shape or form. It was really difficult, but Jesus died
for our sins so that is a lot harder than giving up
chocolate."
Ricardo Astorga
biomedical sciences freshman
“I gave up coffee and candy. I don't eat candy
every day, but coffee, I drink at least one or two
cups a day so that was harder I guess. I wasn't
having withdrawals or anything but I definitely
have been craving it."
Audri Arreola
construction science sophomore
Cassidy Hudson —THE BATTALION
THE TEXAS A&M STUDENT MEDIA BOARD
INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR
Editor-im-Chief
BATT
The Independent Student Voice of Texas A&M since 1893
Fall 2015-Spring 2016
(The fall and spring editor will oversee print and digital editions,
and serve Aug. 16,2015, through May 14,2016)
Qualifications for editor-in-chief of The Battalion are:
REQUIRED
• Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University and
enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student) during
the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to graduate);
• Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate
student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate
student) in the semester immediately prior to the appointment, the
semester of appointment and semester during the term of office. In
order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (4 if a graduate
student) must have been taken for that semester.
PREFERRED
• Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication,
Law, and Society) or equivalent;
• Have at least one year experience in a responsible editorial position
on The Battalion or comparable daily college newspaper,
-OR-
Have at least one year editorial experience on a commercial
newspaper,
-OR-
Have completed at least 12 hours in journalism, including JOUR 203
(Media Writing I) and JOUR 303 (Media Writing II)
or JOUR 304 (Editing for the Mass Media), or equivalent.
Application forms should be picked up and returned to
Sandi Jones, Student Media business coordinator, in Suite
L406 of the MSC. Deadline for submitting application:
S p.m. Tuesday, April 7, 2015.
THE TEXAS A&M STUDENT MEDIA BOARD
INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR
Aggieland 2016
Qualifications for editor-in-chief of the Aggieland
yearbook are:
REQUIRED
• Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University
and enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student)
during the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to
graduate);
Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a
graduate student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if
a graduate student) in the semester immediately prior to the
appointment, the semester of appointment and semester during
the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least
six hours (4 if a graduate student) must have been taken for
that semester;
PREFERRED
• Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication,
Law, and Society);
• Have demonstrated ability in writing, editing and graphic design
through university coursework or equivalent experience;
• Have at least one year experience in a responsible position on
the Aggieland Or comparable college yearbook.
Application forms should be picked up and returned to
Sandi Jones, Student Media business coordinator, in Suite
L406 of the MSC. Deadline for submitting application:
5 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, 2015.
THE TEXAS A&M STUDENT MEDIA BOARD
INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR
Editor-in-Chief
BATT
The Independent Student Voice op Texas A&M snce 1893
Summer 2015
(The summer editor will oversee print, digital and special editions,
and will serve May 17, 2015, through Aug. 15,2015)
Qualifications for editor-in-chief of The Battalion are:
REQUIRED
• Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University and
enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student) during
the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to graduate);
• Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate
student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate
student) in the semester immediately prior to the appointment, the
semester of appointment and semester during the term of office. In
order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (4 if a graduate
student) must have been taken for that semester.
PREFERRED
• Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication,
Law, and Society) or equivalent;
• Have at least one year experience in a responsible editorial position
on The Battalion or comparable daily college newspaper,
-OR-
Have at least one year editorial experience on a commercial
newspaper,
-OR-
Have completed at least 12 hours in journalism, including JOUR 203
(Media Writing I) and JOUR 303 (Media Writing II)
or JOUR 304 (Editing for the Mass Media), or equivalent.
Application forms should be picked up and returned to
Sandi Jones, Student Media business coordinator, in Suite
L406 of the MSC. Deadline for submitting application:
5 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, 2015.