About Lisa Hellier

Lisa Hellier has been a staff writer for the Prairie since the Spring of 2011. She is a senior Broadcast Journalism major.

WT jazz bands attend festival

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Lisa Hellier

From April 19 to 21, WTAMU jazz band students attended the 42^nd annual Greeley Jazz Festival hosted by the University of Northern Colorado and sponsored by Jamey Aebersold.

“This guy is probably credited to be the biggest jazz educator ever, releasing at least 25 books of jazz for students,” Nathan Hoover, sophomore Music Education major, said.

Each student was a part of one of the WT ensembles, which included Jazz I, Jazz II and Jazz combo.

“It is a great event that allows us to get the West Texas name out there playing great music,” Shannon Gray, Mass Communication major, said. “I look forward to Greeley every spring semester. The music we play is fun and entertaining. This festival gives us, as students, a chance to see amazing musicians and how they perform that we wouldn’t get to see otherwise. “

None of the WT groups competed, but they performed for judges in order to get critiqued and hear ideas about how to improve.

Hoover said the judge for his group chose to miss his lunch break in order to work with the students.

“He was very insightful and knowledgeable of what we were doing and how it could be better,” he said. Continue reading →

WT will change parking

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Lisa Hellier

WTAMU, based on recommendations by the parking committee and approval by Dr. Patrick O’Brien, will implement a single parking permit in the fall of 2012. This will change zone parking to open parking, which will be available to anyone with a valid parking permit. Exceptions include visitor parking, handicap parking, fire lane areas, loading zones and parking spots marked by signs.

According to the WT Parking Space Utilization Report, 1,635 citations were issued to people parked in the incorrect zones during fall 2011. The report also shows that an average of 394 parking spots in the interior of campus were not being used due to zone restrictions.

“While people would like to park interior to the campus they can’t because they have these different zones,” Vice President of Business and Finance Gary Barnes said. “We are trying to maximize the efficiency of the parking.”

As a result of the single parking permit, 872 zone spaces would open up. Continue reading →

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Dr. Ballard lectures about Titanic and other discoveries

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Lisa Hellier

Dr. Robert Ballard lectured at Mary Moody Northen Hall on April 23 as part of the WTAMU Distinguished Lecture Series. Ballard is known for his deep-sea exploration and, more specifically, his discovery of the remains of the E.M.S Titanic. His lecture focused on where his love of sea exploration came from and the discoveries and accomplishments he has made since then.

“It wasn’t quite what I expected, but I really liked it,” Lacey Hamilton, sophomore Accounting major, said. “I thought it was kind of better than what I expected.”

Ballard was born in Wichita Falls, Kansas and became interested in sea exploration after reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. When his parents asked him what he wanted to be, he would say Captain Nemo. Ballard said he became fixated with the fact that the ocean had a bottom because he had always just thought of it as a big bucket of water. Later, he would also realize that ocean has the largest mountain ranges on the planet.

“I think of the earth as a creature, a living organism,” Ballard said. “We are lucky to live here.”

Continue reading →

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Dr. Robert Ballard to speak at WTAMU about Titanic discovery

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Lisa Hellier

Dr. Robert Ballard will speak at the Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall at 8 p.m. on April 23 as part of the WTAMU Distinguished Lecture Series. His presentation will focus on his discovery of the R.M.S. Titanic, which sunk in the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912.

“The committee decided, with this being the 100th anniversary and the current release of Titanic in 3D, it would be a perfect time to bring him to campus,” Dr. James Calvi, associate dean of education & social sciences, said.

With years of work and his development of state-of-the-art underwater visual imaging technology, Ballard was able to discover the Titanic in July of 1985. Ballard has participated in over 100 deep-sea excursions and has discovered other underwater historical graves.

Calvi described Ballard as “the most famous explorer of the ocean alive today.” Calvi said he hoped students would take advantage of the lecture because of all of the knowledge Ballard has to offer.

Ballard is the director of the Institute for Archaeological Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island, president of the Institute for Exploration, explorer-in-residence for the National Geographic Society and scientist emeritus at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

“I think this event is cool and beneficial because the Titanic was a moment in history that, for 73 or so years, nobody actually knew the facts about,” Maranda Rivas, junior Biology major, said. “Robert Ballard is the man that brought light to the events that happened that fateful night. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that WT is giving to us students to listen to a man who made history by discovering the Titanic.”

The event is open and free to the public. No tickets are required.

ATO raises money for Ronald McDonald House

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Lisa Hellier

ATO members handed out trophies to team member for the winning team, “2 Legit.” Photo by Lisa Hellier.

Web Editor’s Note: To see more photos of the fundraiser, click here!

Alpha Tau Omega (ATO), a fraternity at WTAMU, hosted a double elimination co-ed softball tournament April 13-14 at the Buffalo Sports Park to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House in Amarillo.

“We have worked with the Ronald McDonald House for many years,” Miguel Sosa, ATO president, said. “They have an amazing staff and, for those of us who have had the privilege of meeting the families and children who have been helped by the Ronald McDonald House, they are very appreciative and thankful for what we do.”

He said ATO wants to do everything possible to help these families and children.

“Whether it is donating time or raising funds, getting to see the smile on their face is truly a heartwarming experience, and is one of the greatest feelings in the world,” Sosa said. Continue reading →

WT not registered for TAMU licensing agreement

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Lisa Hellier

Texas A&M University has a licensing agreement that offers students the opportunity to purchase software programs such as Microsoft Office at affordable prices.

WTAMU has not taken the steps to register their university and students in this program.

According to James Webb, WT chief information technology officer, the university would have to pay an additional annual fee of $125,000 to $150,000 to participate in the program, which would require an increase in fees and approval by the president and board of regents. The current Microsoft agreement is $70,000.

“Like most things, there is a cost associated with adding this service, which would involve increasing the technology fee,” Webb said. “There is certainly a balance there, and I’ve been sensitive to the increased costs of tuition and fees that students pay these days.” Continue reading →

Amarillo Zoo will host Thompson Park cleanup

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Lisa Hellier

Trash floats at the edge of Thompson lake. Photo by Lisa Hellier.

Web Editor’s Note: To see more photos of the lake, click here.

On April 14, the Amarillo Zoo will be hosting a clean up project in which participants will help clear up lake and creek shorelines throughout Thompson Park. The event will last from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“We selected the lakes since they are adjacent to the zoo and are enjoyed by many visitors in addition to local and migratory wildlife,” Mike Boley, Amarillo Zoo visitor services coordinator, said. “Each year thousands of waterfowl and songbirds visit the lake for shelter and food, and keeping the water and shorelines clear of trash benefits them. Plus, other wildlife including turtles, frogs, fish, insects and small mammals depend on the lakes for survival.”

Volunteers are invited to attend a free hotdog barbecue that starts at 1 p.m., right after the clean up. Continue reading →

Thompson Park: This Week in Photos

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Lisa Hellier

Check out these pics of the pollution in Thompson Park! To read more about the park, and the cleanup efforts, click here.

Thompson park littered with trash from lake. Photo by Lisa Hellier.

Miscellaneous: This Week in Photos

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Jordan Fry

Check out the miscellaneous photos for this week! To read more about the stories related to these, check out the following links:

BWA gives out free ribbons for cancer awareness

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Lisa Hellier

BWA set up table at the JBK on March 26. Photo by Lisa Hellier.

The WTAMU Black Women’s Association (BWA) is giving out free ribbons to raise awareness of cancer as well as in support of the upcoming Relay for Life event. They passed out ribbons of various colors in the JBK on March 19 and 21. They will continue to pass them out on the 26, 28 and April 2 and 4.

They said it is important to not focus on just one type of cancer awareness and instead put an emphasis on all of them.

“We’re just trying to raise awareness and let [everyone on] campus know that the Black Women’s Association is doing something to benefit this cause,” BWA President Nichelle Dawkins said. Continue reading →

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