FALL 2012 the University of Texas at San Antonio
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The Mysterious Maya FALL 2012 THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO INSIDE Unraveling a Mystery More than two dozen UTSA students braved the Belizean jungle to dig up clues that may one 16 day unlock ancient secrets of the Maya. On Tougher Turf By the time UTSA officially moved into the Western Athletic Conference, university officials had already 22 accepted an invitation to join Conference USA. Williamson, UTSA’s You’ve Got ThE PaSEo 9 record-breaking long- A FRIEND jumper—and hero. Student coaches are WHAT LIES 4 BENEATH available to assist After the worst oil other students in commuNITy spill in the Gulf of finding and utilizing tools in the library. Mexico, signs of a BACK SHED larger, hidden impact 28 STARTUP SHARING are found beneath 10 One alum’s dissertation the ocean floor. BUSINESS is becoming a business UTSA’s Institute that may someday save FOREVER for Economic lives. Development 6 ROADRUNNERS provides assistance It’s not easy leaving 30 CLASS NOTES to governments UTSA, and for this Profile of Kim D. throughout Latin group of retired Denver ’88, deputy America and the faculty, it was assistant secretary Caribbean. impossible. of the Army for procurement; H-E-B LIPSTICK 7¡VIVA MARIACHI! nutritionist Letty 12 EFFECT A mariachi class Holmbo, E.M.B.A. ’04; When it comes to about the history and Brian Woods, M.A. ’88, choosing a mate or evolution of the genre Ed.D. ’12, San Antonio’s attire, hormones may will put students’ newest superintendent; play a bigger part knowledge into plus other campus and than once thought. music. alumni news. 8 DRESSED FOR ROADRUNNER SUCCESS 14 SPORTS ON THE COVER: A close look at the frieze, or decorative Sports briefs, plus band, on El Castillo in Xunantunich, Belize. El Castillo is The University Career the second largest structure in ancient and modern Belize. Center offers students get to know Tyler interview training— ON THIS PAGE: UTSA graduate student Sarita and a wardrobe. Turcotte gazes out over the jungle from Temple 4 at one of the largest Mayan archaeological sites, Tikal, in Guate- mala. The Maya have been the dominant culture in Mexico and Central America for more than 3,000 years. FALL 2012 SOMBRILLA 1 PHOTOS COURTESY OF ELEAZAR HERNÁNDEZ the best articles I have seen proud. Make the change. printed in Sombrilla in the NKIRU ARAH seven years I have been here Buffalo, N.Y. at UTSA. I say this because this article truly captured Bullfrogs and our students’ experience on Fall 2012 this trip. I was particularly butterfl ies VOLUME 29, NUMBER 1 LETTERS moved by the editor’s note Sombrilla EDIToR’S NoTE San Antonio in a small-city Sombrilla about your experience in Fall 2011 THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS atmosphere, spells nothing AT SAN ANTONIO Spring 2012 Atlanta. I would like to write some- THE SOMBRILLA but success for San Antonio More importantly, the stu- Another fabulous issue! thing about my daughter PRESIDENT Oh, how I miss college and for UTSA. Congrats on this, and on all dents who have read the ELISABETH MARIE Terri Matiella, who you fea- Ricardo Romo the CASE awards—y’all do article, and seen the interac- cUADRoS ’11 tured in Sombrilla Magazine. The day I graduated from college was one of the happiest Here, everywhere I look, I see orange and blue shirts. amazing work! tive map and video refl ec- PUBLISHER AND San Antonio I am incredibly proud of her of my life. It wasn’t so much out of a sense of completion, As I pass through the John Peace Library, I see students ANNE PETERS tion, are amazed that their VICE PRESIDENT FOR and her two younger sisters, of achieving a life goal. It was much more basic—I was fi - clustered in study rooms, challenging each other and then Staff “little trip” is getting so much Rachel and Sarah. They are EXTERNAL RELATIONS attention. They were already nally leaving. laughing it off when the stress gets too high. The Movement my life and have provided Marjie French Making History I love Sombrilla. Photogra- proud of the fact that they me with precious grand- No more all-nighters spent at the nearby open-all-night I love having lunch under the Sombrilla, where the had this opportunity to go pancake house, trying to fi gure out the difference between sounds of diverse cultures mingle. As students at one ta- “Sixty to 70 percent of stu- pher Mark McClendon went children. I do not get to see EDITOR on the trip, and you have dents who graduate from above and beyond the call them as much as I would Lety Laurel a rock and a mineral. No more semester projects begun ble play my favorite ’80s songs, students at another table made them even more UTSA stay in the community of duty by participating in like to, but I see them in my the day before they were due and fi nished 15 minutes be- speak with animation in a language I wish I knew, because proud as this is something and continue to contribute,” “The Movement” as well as heart every day. ASSOCIATE EDITOR fore class was to start. No more worries about whether it really sounds like they’re having fun. documenting it. The stu- they will be able to share according to campaign DONNA SASSEEN Guillermo Garcia the C I got on my Fundamentals of Math fi nal (yes, math Students on skateboards whiz by. Couples hold hands with family, friends, former chair Jim Bodenstedt ’96. dents saw him as a friend San Angelo, Texas teachers and each other for was a tough one for me) would be enough to pass me out on the way to class. I hear snatches of conversation about What does that mean? It and resource, asking for his DESIGN DIRECTOR a lifetime. of the class. physics and the most recent football game. And I feel so shows that the City of San perspective. Tom Palmer My heartfelt thanks to you, Forever Young I was fi nally free. much pride; I feel so connected. Antonio is highly educated, Thank you all so much for Vincent and Mark for telling Sombrilla PHOTOGRAPHERS which draws companies your partnership and sup- It’s been 12 years since I slid my purple and white tassel our story and sharing it with Patrick Ray Dunn, like USAA, Valero and Toy- port throughout the years. Winter 2010 to the left, and I’ve never looked back. My only connection our alumni and supporters. Mark McClendon ota. Having more corpora- EDNA A. DOMÍNGUEZ Just a note to Paul Kattapong, to the place that was home and hell had been the monthly Staff MARLON ANDERSON who you featured in the Win- tions in turn creates jobs; loan statement I consistently received (and still do). Staff ter 2010 issue of Sombrilla. CONTRIBUTORS Nostalgia is a fi le jobs create spending and But recently that has changed. saving. Spending creates a I received my copy of Som- I worked with this joyous David Flores, Judith Lipsett Wow. You brought me to I’m homesick for college. healthy economy and sav- brilla in the mail yesterday, man in Nellingen, West Ger- tears. It’s so powerful. Thank WEB DESIGNER I look back and remember the all-nighters spent at that removes the ing creates a stable fi nan- and I have to commend many, in the mid-1980s. His you! Kristina Leh the 24-hour pancake house only pretending to study, the cial market where fi nancing you and [writer] Vincent T. optimism and love of learn- YVONNE PENA rough edges from the is an option because banks Davis on the great work with ing were a daily pick-me-up nights spent goofi ng around with my friends, thinking Staff WEB SPECIALIST are confi dent in the econo- the article on “The Move- for all. You still look 39, Paul! about that semester project I really should start—but that MARY ANN YEDINAK Maria Corral my. San Antonio is known to ment.” I had no idea that it I’ll certainly start tomorrow. good old days. would have such an impact Indianapolis, Ind. —mARTIN LuTHER KING JR. be a large little city. Pairing Opportunity of a I even giggle about my performance as a young Evita on me reading it with Mark Sombrilla Magazine a Tier One university with Lifetime in my musical theater class, where I pranced around the —dOuG LARSON, WRITER McClendon’s pictures. is published two times a military city, not to men- Chukky, keep the Nigerian I have to say, this is one of a year by the offi ce stage with a suitcase. My prof told me he hated the perfor- tion the importance of Port fl ag fl ying. You are doing us of University Communications, mance so much that he passed me so I would never have I feel the energy that comes from being on a thriving UTSA, One UTSA Circle, to take his class again. college campus. San Antonio, Texas 78249. Oh, how I miss college. So maybe I am reliving my college days after all, but in It is mailed without charge to ‘‘ I fi nd as I get older and the gap widens between my an even better way. There are only deadlines, no exams. Write Back! alumni, faculty, staff and GO ONLINE! undergrad experience and me, I feel more connected to Even better, there’s very little math. We’d love to hear from you! friends of The University of my alma mater.