Student Spotlight Archive

Notable Pursuits

Music student Steven Trinkl hopes one day to compose pieces for high school marching bands, wind ensembles and possibly for a record label or a popular band.

The Pennsylvania native is off to a good start through the ASU music program after putting together the spring Student Composition Recital and performing in it.

“I designed the posters for it, and working with Dr. (Stephen) Emmons, I was able to organize a few things,” Trinkl said. “It was a successful recital. There were 11 pieces performed with nine composers and musicians from all areas.”

“Steve has a bright future as a composer,” Emmons said, “and can write fine quality music in a variety of styles, both classical and popular. In addition to being a superb composer, he has a keen intellect and broad interests.”

One of Trinkl’s interests outside of music intersected with it while he was at the University of Maryland before transferring to ASU.
“I took Chinese at Maryland and found the language and history very interesting,” Trinkl said. “I would like to go to China to sightsee, meet the people and eat the food. I would also like to go to Taiwan.”

He looped the Chinese culture in for the Student Composition Recital by writing and performing “Sun and Zhou Suite.” The piece drew from traditional Chinese and western music and a historical story of two ancient Chinese heroes who set out to unite their broken country, prevailing over great odds.

To become a successful composer, a musician also faces great odds and Trinkl prepared by learning a variety of musical instruments. Besides the traditional tenor slide trombone, he also plays the alto and bass trombones and is under the tutelage of Dr. Ed Surface, ASU’s low brass professor. He also plays the tuba, horn, oboe, clarinet, saxophone and cello.

Surface said that Trinkl is among the best music students he has seen go through the ASU program.

“He, like so many music students, is learning to temper his musical ideas and expressiveness into a more focused and directed manner,” Surface said. “Steve has a strong amount of creative ability exemplified through his compositions. I think that he has an abundant amount of talent which he has not yet discovered.”

Trinkl’s talent has been rewarded by induction into the Kappa Kappa Psi national honor band fraternity and the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity.

Surface said that along with composing and performing, Trinkl also arranges musical works for many of the Art and Music Department’s ensembles.

Trinkl is also working on a computer science minor, which comes in handy when he composes music using a keyboard attached to the computer. The program interprets what he is playing and puts it up on the computer screen. He is also taking an introduction to game programming class.

“I’m hoping to get into the classes beyond that,” Trinkl said. “If for some reason music doesn’t work out for me, computer gaming is another field I would be interested in. I might go into both by writing music for video games.”

The two paths don’t diverge that much, he said.

“There is a musical syntax and a computer program syntax,” he said. “With a computer, you are typing in words and commands and you have to make sure the logic flows, and good music has a logical flow as well. It’s not just randomly thrown together. Music that has a structure to it is seen as more thoughtful music.”

“Music definitely has a mathematical aspect to it,” he added. “In computers and music, math is important for knowing what you are doing but it doesn’t dictate the end result. It gives you formulas and vocabulary that you can use to make your own creation.”

Interested in a career in music?

Hawaii in Her Heart

ASU senior art major Lainee Fagafa grew up in Amarillo, but she left her heart in Hawaii.

“I was born in Hawaii, but we moved to Texas when I was very young, 3 or 4 years old,” Fagafa said. “I’ve always gone to school in Texas, but I’ve always spent my summers in Hawaii with my dad’s side of the family.”

The University Center Program Council’s publicity chair hopes to return to Hawaii to stay after she receives her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic art next year.

Fagafa’s father is American Samoan, but his family moved to Oahu, Hawaii, where many of Fagafa’s relatives still live. Her mother and father met in Hawaii when her mother, who is from Ohio, came to visit a sister stationed in Hawaii in the military.

Fagafa doesn’t know why her family came to Texas, but she knows why she came to Angelo State.

“My sister, Audrey (Sato), joined JAMP (Joint Admission Medical Program) in high school and came to ASU for biology” Fagafa said. “I really enjoyed ASU when I came down to visit her and saw the campus.”

Fagafa is three years younger than her sister, who graduated from ASU in 2006 and is a student at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth.

She and her sister plan to move back to Hawaii to follow their dream of opening a studio for producing music, or barring that, buying into a studio and starting their own record label in addition to their chosen career paths.

“We are looking around and trying to figure out different things to do, because we both love music,” Fagafa said.

Fagafa’s sister played the horn in the Amarillo River Road High School band and Fagafa followed soon after and played the saxophone.

Music is also important to Fagafa because of her Samoan roots.

“In Hawaii, we listen to a lot of reggae, Hawaiian, Samoan, Japanese, hip hop and R&B music,” she said. “Because there are so many different cultures in Hawaii, and being Samoan, we base a lot of things off of music, singing or playing instruments.”

Besides the music business in Hawaii, Fagafa wants to put her art education to work creating graphics, including posters, CD covers and T-shirts.

“The steps I’m taking here at ASU are definitely preparing me for my future,” she said.

To supplement her studies, Fagafa has been gaining experience with her work on the UCPC.

“I sit with each committee chair and come up with ideas about the different ways we can publicize activities,” she said. “After we make out a marketing plan, we execute it on the actual publicity.”

“We do everything from posters to fliers, Ramvision, the Ram Page, the Standard-Times and for concerts, we do radio announcements, commercials and banners,” she said.

Fagafa started working with the UCPC her sophomore year at ASU.

“When I was a freshman, my roommate said we should go to a meeting for the recreation committee” she said. “I really enjoyed it.”

UCPC officers soon asked Fagafa to take over the recreation chairmanship, which she held her sophomore and junior years.

“Because I’m a graphics design person, I thought doing publicity this year would better suit me for my career and help me with building my portfolio,” Fagafa said. “It’s only the third year we’ve had a publicity chair, so it’s still new and we’re still tweaking it.”

After she graduates, Fagafa will adapt what she has learned to fit into life in Hawaii.

“I get kind of lost in that culture,” she said. “There is a lot to learn and a lot to respect because Samoans still do a lot of things traditionally.”

Interested in a career in communication?

Physics Webmaster

Through his work on the “Physics to Go” Web site during a summer internship and later as an online consultant, ASU junior Logan Hancock has helped provide physics resources and education to a potentially international audience.

An applied physics major from Brownfield, Hancock originally came to ASU on a band scholarship, but it wasn’t long before his love of physics took precedence over his love of music.

“Not being a music major, it was difficult trying to shuffle my classes,” Hancock said. “I had a couple of conflicts with band and physics classes at the same time and, I hate to say it, but physics was more important. It was hard to give up the band, but I guess it has worked out.”

While he no longer has his band scholarship, Hancock does receive a Carr Academic Scholarship and a Special Academic Scholarship from the ASU Physics Department. He is also one of only about 40 students nationwide to receive a 2008-09 Columbia Crew Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship from the Texas Space Grant Consortium.

During the summer of 2008, Hancock earned an internship at the national office of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) in College Park, Md., where he worked for the American Physical Society. The main focus of the internship was working on the Physics to Go Web site, which is a component of the ComPADRE online network of 11 educational resource collections. The collections support teachers and students in physics and astronomy as part of the National Science Digital Library.

“It is mostly Web sites in the Physics to Go collection,” Hancock said. “It is targeted toward the general public, so we feature eye-catching images and different activities that would be more beneficial to someone who doesn’t have a physics background.”

“Energy is one thing that a lot of people are searching online about right now,” he added. “We have several articles on the site about energy, so if someone Googles ‘energy,’ Physics to Go will pop up and they can go to our Web site where there are resources for their benefit.”

Since the completion of his internship, Hancock has continued to work on the site as an online consultant. He is charged with finding new resources for the site, providing written descriptions, adding them to the existing collection and updating the Physics to Go home page every two weeks.

As president of the Angelo State SPS chapter, Hancock is also involved in other activities like the spring “Peer Pressure” Road Show and the annual Can Roll holiday food drive in November. He recently attended an American Physical Society Joint Texas Section meeting in El Paso and the 2008 Quadrennial Congress of the Sigma Pi Sigma national physics honor society at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) near Chicago.

Scheduled to graduate in May 2010, Hancock was initially interested in ASU’s “three-two” program that would have provided him with a Texas A&M engineering degree on his way to becoming a civil engineer. But, he has enjoyed the hands-on physics education at ASU so much, he has decided to finish his applied physics degree here.

“I think civil engineering is still probably my plan,” Hancock said. “But, I’ve also been thinking a lot about going into physics education, so it is still kind of up in the air.”

If you want some physics education from Hancock right now, visit the Physics to Go Web site.

Interested in a career in physics?

Watching History Unfold

Angelo State senior Heather Guthrie is a government major, but in January she got to be part of history.

Through the ASU Honors Program, Guthrie participated in a two-week Washington Center program in Washington D.C. that included attending the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

“It was amazing,” Guthrie said. “Everyone was so elated and so happy to be there to experience that together. I have never seen that many people in one place that got along so well in spite of the cold and how crowded it was.”

“The feeling of being part of that piece of history, part of that group, the hope and the happiness that was in the air, it was something I have never experienced before,” she added. “That was the most amazing part of the whole experience.”

Prior to the inauguration ceremony, Guthrie spent much of the two weeks attending seminars and visiting foreign embassies. The seminars included presentations by former ABC “Nightline” anchor Ted Koppel and the ambassador from Pakistan. Visits to the Chinese and Canadian embassies were highlighted by presentations from the Chinese ambassador and Canadian foreign minister. But, Guthrie also got to play tourist.

“We also got a lot of free time to go and do what we wanted,” she said. “So, I went to Ford’s Theater and roamed around the city a lot. I also went to the National Archives to see the original Declaration of Independence and the original U.S. Constitution.”

Some of her other activities included trips to the various monuments and being in the crowd of 400,000 people who attended the “We Are One” concert on the National Mall the Sunday prior to the inauguration.

At the end of the two-week program, Guthrie and the other students were tasked with writing a memo to President Obama advising him on what to pay particular attention to and what to be careful of during his presidency.

“Essentially, I said to speak to the people,” Guthrie said. “He has this e-mail list and mailing list of people that is unprecedented. We have never before seen a campaign where the Internet was used to such great lengths and with such success.”

“But, I also advised him to be careful not to go too much over the heads of Congress,” she added, “because if he angers Congress, he is not going to get anything done, even if it is within his own party. That was the problem with the Carter administration, why he was not able to do anything. His Congress was not willing to work with him because he angered them early on.”

Guthrie was able to participate in the Washington Center program through funding provided by the recent gift of the Alvin and Patricia New Honors Program Enhancement Fund.

A Littlefield native, Guthrie will graduate in May, but will be sticking around ASU awhile longer while she completes her master’s degree in public administration. Then, she plans to go far, far away as a member of the Peace Corps.

“I am interested in working in Foreign Service and the Peace Corps is a good way to get your foot in the door,” Guthrie said. “You get the kind of expertise in a particular area that no one else has because you live there, particularly the language. If you live for 22 months in another country, especially a Third-World country where not a lot of the people speak English, you have to learn the language and learn it well.”

Tentatively, Guthrie said she hopes to be sent to either Romania or Morocco, then return to the U.S. for a second master’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University.

During her time at ASU, Guthrie has already whetted her appetite for foreign travel by going on three study abroad trips through the Center for International Studies, twice to Germany and once to Scotland.

A Carr Scholarship recipient, Guthrie is also president of the ASU Young Democrats, tutors her peers in the Supplemental Instruction program and works on the ongoing Community Development Initiatives. Basically, she has little free time.

“I am a political junkie,” Guthrie said. “But, I like to spend time with my friends when I can. I recently started learning how to ride a motorcycle, so that is also something I do. But, I don’t have a lot of time to spend off campus.”

But, if she gets her wishes, it will not be long before she is far from campus, touching tomorrow in a whole new world.

Interested in a career in government?

Sam Mendoza: Witnessing History

When Sam Mendoza attended a youth leadership forum as a high school student, he never imagined it would lead to an invitation to watch the Jan. 20 inauguration of Barak Obama as the 44th president of the United States.

Mendoza was still amazed two days after the inauguration by what he had seen in Washington, D.C.

“My inauguration experience was incredible,” said Mendoza upon his return. “The trip was well worth getting up at 2 a.m., walking two miles to the National Mall and staying up for hours in the freezing cold.”

Mendoza said that watching history happen before his eyes was sobering and exciting.

“The atmosphere was electric,” he said. “Seeing millions of people from around the world come together for this moment in history is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. I'm glad that when I get older I can look back and be able to say, ‘I was there, a witness to history.’”

Participant activities during the inauguration trip included panel discussions with political experts on current events and topics. The conference ran Jan.17-21 and the students heard several noted speakers, including former vice president Al Gore, retired Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Colin Powell and filmmaker/author Eric Weihenmayer, a blind man who climbed Mt. Everest.

Mendoza, a senior fine arts major from Brownwood and president of the University Center Program Council, received a letter in July from the University Presidential Inaugural Conference stating that he had been accepted to attend the five-day event in Washington, D.C.

“I went to a National Youth Leadership Forum on technology,” Mendoza said. “Since I’m an alumnus, they offered me a chance to go to the inauguration.”

Mendoza said he wasn’t aware of a connection between the NYLF and the inaugural conference, so the invitation came as a surprise.

“One day when I got home, there was a letter for me, all presidential looking with stars and stripes and a little capitol dome on it,” Mendoza said. “It said the conference was coming up and they wanted me to be there.”

According to the inauguralscholar.org Web site, participation in the conference is reserved exclusively for alumni of the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF), the Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC) and the International Scholar Laureate Program (ISLP).

The Web site states that scholars invited must have attended one of the programs, met the academic requirements and demonstrated leadership qualities necessary to make positive contributions to the quality and integrity of the inaugural conference.

Despite the political scene Mendoza found himself in, he said he isn’t focused on politics at this point of his life and watched the events more for the historical context.

After returning from the inauguration, Mendoza is shifting his focus back to his two main concerns, completing his fine arts degree in graphics design and presiding over the UCPC’s planning and implementation of campus activities.

When he pushes away from his graphic artwork on a computer screen, a strong sense of community pulls Mendoza toward his duties with the UCPC.

Mendoza has been involved with the program council since he began volunteering time for credit in a university studies class. From there, he became a UCPC committee member entertainment chairman for two years and, finally, its president.

“I would like to continue as UCPC president,” Mendoza said. “Every year, they start with new applications and interview processes, and we have to reapply. I love to do this and after being here for so long, I can see myself doing something like this for a career – like promoting events.”

Director of Student Involvement Rick Greig sees Mendoza as a driving force behind the UCPC’s performance.

“At first glance, Sam doesn't look like the leader of a major campus organization,” Greig said. “The results he’s achieved both as the previous entertainment chairperson and currently as the UCPC president speak pretty loudly to his ability to create an environment where a diverse group of leaders can be productive and have fun doing it. Sam helps all of us think more “out of the box.”

Student Programs and Activities Coordinator Clint Havins also attributes the organization’s effectiveness to Mendoza’s efforts.

“Much of the success of the program council is due to the leadership and dedication of Sam,” Havins said. “He has been directly involved with many major programs such as the monthly Club Café series and the two most recent spring concerts.”

“The average attendance of the Club Café has increased from 20-40 people to 160-200 people and the August 2008 Club Café featuring comedian Alex Thomas had approximately 420 in attendance,” he said. “It is refreshing to be associated with a student who has achieved success on so many levels.”

The UCPC, with Mendoza at its helm, is a far-reaching umbrella organization that oversees seven different committees: art, cultural, entertainment, films, publicity, spirit and traditions and the recreations group.

“Each committee meets every week to discuss and plan events for the campus throughout the year,” Mendoza said.

Besides the Club Cafés, which bring in comedians, poets and bands, UCPC members also play an integral part in the big fall kickoff, Rambunctious Weekend.

“We play a pretty big part of that and most of the funds for the Rambunctious Weekend come out of funds we have here,” Mendoza said. “We volunteer our time to be out there and promote a lot of UCPC events that are coming up.”

He said the committees pick out what they want for activities and, since the money comes from student fees, the students have a say in what events are scheduled.

“If they just come to the meetings and express what they would like to see on campus, there is a better chance of it actually happening than if they aren’t on the board or a committee,” Mendoza said.

Aiming High

It didn’t take Angelo State ROTC Cadet Maj. Dan Nguyen long to figure out that sometimes the grass is greener on your own side of the fence.

A junior international business major from San Angelo, Nguyen left the ROTC program and ASU altogether after the fall 2005 semester. Without a concrete plan for his life, but with some family issues, he took off to visit relatives in California. It wasn’t long, though, before he was back in West Texas.

“The break really helped me,” Nguyen said. “I went to California for a semester and took courses there. ASU is more homey and has a better student-to-faculty ratio. Also, there is really some diversity here and I’m surprised at the number of international students. So, I like it a lot better here.”

It only took that one semester at City College of San Francisco to convince Nguyen to return to ASU in the fall of 2006. But, it took a bit more time and some real soul searching before he rejoined the ROTC program in the fall of 2007.

“I wanted to get situated with my family life first,’” Nguyen said. “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life, so I wanted to experience regular campus life to see how things went. I realized that the Air Force is for me, rather than waiting for a regular job. I want to see what is out there in the world.”

“Seeing all my friends graduate and be commissioned as lieutenants, that really told me something,” he added. “It was like, ‘Wow, they are doing something and I can do it, too.’”

With a brother already serving in the Air Force in places like Misawa AB, Japan, and Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Nguyen had a pretty good idea that he wanted to join the service. Now, he realizes what a great stepping stone ROTC can be.

“Once I get commissioned, I’ll get to travel and experience a lot of things that I wouldn’t just having a job and living in one city,” Nguyen said. “I want to travel and ROTC will help open that window of opportunity for me. Plus, I’m working on my degree already, so I want to finish off what I have started.”

This past summer, Nguyen took another big step toward his Air Force career when he attended Field Training at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Ala. It was there that he learned more about leadership, teamwork and attention to detail through programs that included conflict management and deployment scenarios.

“I was a flight commander in charge of 28 cadets during the second week of training and it really took me out of my comfort zone,” Nguyen said. “But, I learned to become a leader and it was quite an experience.”

Currently the cadet scheduling officer for ASU’s ROTC Detachment 847, Nguyen is also a member of the Arnold Air Society. Once he graduates and gets his Air Force commission, he hopes for a career in either intelligence, air battle management or electronic communications.

Fulfilling Her Dreams

Though her future is based in her native Germany, Nina Kauffmann has followed her heart to West Texas and is making the most of her time at Angelo State.

After graduating from the Fashion Design Academy in Hamburg, Germany, with a degree in fashion and textile management, Kauffmann found out that her boyfriend, Bernhard Gierke, had received a scholarship to study international business at ASU. Not wanting to be apart for a year, she decided to follow him. But, that wasn’t the only reason.

“It was also a chance for me to come to America at least one more time,” Kauffmann said. “It was a dream of mine to come back for longer than just a vacation. I wanted to live here and see how the people are. So I am very happy that ASU gave me the chance to come here for a year.”

Now studying international business herself at ASU, Kauffmann is also sharing what she calls her father’s “fascination with Texas culture.” She recently bought a big, red Dodge Ram pick-up truck.

“That was my second dream,” Kauffmann said, “because in Germany, you can’t drive a truck. A lot of Americans are laughing at me about it, but that is fine. I am really happy with it.”

But, it should be no real surprise that Kauffmann is fascinated by America. She was actually born in Chicago, though she returned with her parents to Germany when she was just a year old.

After growing up in Bayreuth, Germany, Kauffmann talked her parents into sending her to the Schule Schloss Salem (School of Salem Castle) boarding school in the German state of Baden-Württemberg for high school. One of the most prestigious elite schools in Europe, it is often attended by German nobility.

“I met a famous German princess,” Kauffmann said. “But, she is not a princess like Princess Diana. She is more like a princess of just a part of Germany, descended from the people who used to own it hundreds of years ago.”

Now she enjoys living in Texan Hall, being able to use the ASU gym facilities for free and attending a variety of campus activities and events, things she said were not as readily available at her German college. She is also enjoying the fabled West Texas hospitality.

“It is a completely new experience and I’m trying to learn everything I can,” Kauffman said. “It is also interesting to see all the different people and live with Texans. I love it.”

Running on the Edge

Student Government Vice President Steven Jackson takes life by the horns, sometimes literally.

Jackson, his brother and a friend traveled to Pamplona, Spain, in July during summer break to run with the bulls in the nine-day-long San Fermin Festival made famous by Ernest Hemingway’s novel “The Sun Also Rises.”

“Running with the bulls was scary,” Jackson said, “but, it was quite an experience.”

He said all the runners were wearing white outfits with red bandannas and sashes. The object of the run was to lead the bulls about 800 yards to an arena where bullfights with matadors take place. The trio escaped the bulls’ horns unscathed.

Jackson’s daredevil pursuits are not limited to running with the bulls. He also likes to snowboard in New Mexico.

“I’m from Artesia and my family has a tradition of going to Ruidoso, N.M., in the winter,” Jackson said. “I’ve been snowboarding for eight years. I like riding down a hill in the snow. It’s kind of peaceful.”

Jackson’s idea of fun usually involves the outdoors including camping, nature hikes and bow hunting for deer. When he is in San Angelo, he spends time on the South Concho River and at the ASU Lake House on Lake Nasworthy.

“I just started going out to the Lake House this spring,” Jackson said. “There is so much to do out there. They have volleyball courts, a dock and barbecue grills. It’s something that can make life in college more fun.”

Jackson extends his love for the outdoors to his transportation, a bicycle his father gave him when he was a junior in high school. He said he has made a hobby of fixing it up with colorful accessories.“It's a very unique bike,” Jackson said. “Some of my friends laugh when they see it, but I enjoy having something no one else has even if it’s a bit outdated. I live really close to campus, so riding a bike is a more logical choice for me. Sometimes it gets tough when the weather gets cold.” Jackson also competes in triathlons for the enjoyment of the training rides and competition. When it is time to study, Jackson works toward a physics degree with minors in math and geology. He also found an interest in biology after taking an anatomy class.

Jackson plans to get a master’s in medical physics or biomedical engineering. From there, he would go into research related to biomechanics or work alongside oncologists to monitor and plan radiation doses for cancer patients.

In his quest for science, Jackson became acquainted with Seth Chomout, who convinced him to run for student body vice-president while Chomout sought the presidential post. The Chomout-Jackson ticket won during spring elections.

“I actually got into it with limited knowledge of student government,” Jackson said. “I’ve been spending a lot of time on our plans since April.”

Jackson wants to see students access student government more than they do to deal with their concerns.

“We don’t want to just sit around and say we are president and vice president,” Jackson said. “We want students to bring their issues to us. Our offices are open and we have a suggestion box out in the UC. We encourage students to come talk to us. We have more of a say in what goes on than a lot of people think.”

Jackson said the ASU administration gives the student government a lot of respect and is receptive to their ideas.

“If there is an issue that arises and students want it solved, we’ll try to change it directly,” Jackson said, “or one of the senators will author a resolution and bring it before the senate. If it passes, it’s up to me to call whoever the issue needs to go to and to keep plugging away until we make progress.”

Kinesiology major gives his future a workout

Paul Martinez has taken physical fitness and wellness to heart.

The ASU senior kinesiology major from Fort Stockton spent the summer as an intern at the prestigious Cooper Aerobics Fitness Center at Craig Ranch, which was founded in McKinney by Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D., author of the 1968 book, “Aerobics.”

Cooper’s book popularized a point system for improving the cardiovascular system and was the origin of the 10,000-steps-per-day plan for attaining a healthy level of fitness through walking.

“Being selected for placement at such a facility is a huge opportunity for this young man,” said Dr. Doyle Carter, head of the ASU Kinesiology Department. “He personifies what we want people to think of when they visualize a kinesiology major and graduate.”

Martinez said that from the first day of his internship he was immersed in Cooper’s fitness doctrine and experienced all facets of working in a fitness center.

“We were on a different schedule and did something new every week,” Martinez said. “We went through a four-day personal training certification course and took a test to be certified as a trainer at the Cooper Center.”

Among the areas Martinez studied during his internship were new member orientations and personal fitness assessments. The assessments included blood pressure checks, height and weight, fat measurements, medical screenings and function of movement, which checks for physical limitations of clients.

“A huge thing for people is core strength – how strong their lower backs and abdominal muscles are. We also check to see how their knees, ankles and shoulders stand up to physical activity,” Martinez said. “We test everything so we can design a fitness program for these people to improve their quality of life.”

Martinez and another intern also helped the Cooper Aerobics Fitness Center’s fitness director develop a mentorship program for personal trainers working outside the center. The program will share Cooper’s philosophy on fitness and teach the trainers new methods for performing fitness tests.

A desire to focus on strength and conditioning training led Martinez to kinesiology, but he said he didn’t want to be a high school coach with classroom duties.

“I wanted to work with different types of people from the elderly to athletes,” Martinez said. “I wanted to do the physical training part, the workouts and to help improve people’s health.”

He said the internship showed him a new path he hadn’t considered. He plans to work at a fitness center after finishing his degree and then explore an advanced degree in radiology.

“After seeing the medical testing, I decided I want to go to the clinical side of kinesiology,” Martinez said. “I want to administer the stress tests and do CT scans.”

That does not mean he is going to give up the physical fitness side of kinesiology completely.

“I can still do personal training and work with individuals and give them one-on-one attention,” Martinez said.

Abiola Okeyode: Inspired to Serve

A native Texan with Nigerian parents, ASU graduate student Abiola Okeyode plans to use the physical therapy skills she is learning in her home state to help the people of her parents’ home country.

Born in Dallas, Okeyode left for Nigeria with her parents at an early age. There, she was raised in Lagos until she was nine years old and then went off to a boarding school about three hours from home.

While still very young, Okeyode was exposed to the benefits of physical therapy after her grandmother, Felicia, suffered a stroke and required help to do even basic tasks like bathing and dressing. Okeyode’s father is a physical therapist and his treatments not only aided Felicia, they inspired Abiola as well.

“I remember my dad would come home from work and teach her some activities such as range of motion exercises, gait training with a cane and how she could adapt to the activities of daily living,” Okeyode said. “I was amazed when I came back from (boarding) school and my grandmother was able to walk again with a cane. My siblings also informed me that she was doing her bathing and dressing by herself again. That motivated me to have a career that could make a difference in the lives of others, especially after some medical diagnosis has left them impaired in functional activities.”

To that end, Okeyode returned to Texas after high school, got her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Texas and enrolled in the ASU physical therapy program.

“I chose ASU because of the class size,” Okeyode said. “The faculty-to-student ratio is very good and I felt I would get the best learning experience with that. I also liked the fact that there is a great scholarship program for graduate students. Finally, I chose ASU because of the location in a smaller city that would help me concentrate on my studies and strive for the best.””

In addition to working through the intense physical therapy curriculum, Okeyode has volunteered at various community events, gotten married and gave birth to her first child, Damilola Christina Balogun, in September. Once the new mother receives her degree, her ultimate goal is to start a physical fitness program back in Nigeria.

“The fitness program in Nigeria is already in the process as my dad has acquired a property for the center,” Okeyode said. “The center will be focused more on people with risks for cardiovascular diseases and maintenance programs for people in post-stroke rehab.”

But that doesn’t mean that Okeyode will be long gone as soon as she graduates.

“I would first like to get some PT experience in as many fields as possible and secure funds for about five years here in the United States before really pursuing the fitness program,” Okeyode said. “I will still be practicing here in the U.S. even when the fitness program is running in Nigeria, so I can stay current on more advanced technology and new research ideas.”

In the meantime, Okeyode will take some time off with her husband, Yomi Balogun, and their new baby, then return to ASU to finish her PT master’s degree that she is slated to receive in May.

“I think I have made a really good choice coming to ASU,” she said, “because I have learned a lot from this experience and feel I have accomplished a great goal in my life.”

Seth Chomout

Seth Chomout: Mover and shaker

When Angelo State University junior Seth Chomout sees something he thinks needs improvement, he gets moving.

That attitude spurred the Bastrop High School graduate into starting a lampoon-style alternative campus newspaper and then running for the ASU Student Government presidency.

“My first semester here, some friends and I started a newspaper called the ‘Ramdiculous Page’ after one of my roommates and I had read the ‘Ram Page’ in Texan Hall,” Chomout said. “We were disappointed that it was so serious, so we decided to make our own newspaper and put it in our own format.”

The result was a satirical send-up of topics both on and off campus.

“Most of the things we put in there aren’t even true,” Chomout said. “They are little things that people can laugh at, things the ‘Ram Page’ didn’t have.

“The first year was great. We thought we did a great job and everybody liked us.”

His maverick crew found themselves at odds with some people on campus, though.

“The ‘Ramdiculous’ staff printed on office paper and used 96,000 pages in one semester,” Chomout said. “After that, a 3,000-page limit per semester was put on students because no one on campus but us used more than that.”

The paper also drew flak from some student groups who didn’t like it, Chomout said. The newspaper, which was placed around campus on benches and ledges, was thrown away when it was spotted by its detractors.

To go forward, the “Ramdiculous Page” crew had to seek a new avenue. Chomout petitioned the Student Senate to sanction the “Ramdiculous Page” as an official student organization, but was turned down. He took his case to Student Life Dean Nolen Mears who approved the alternative newspaper’s staff as a student organization. Now, the “Ramdiculous Page” publishes through the Center for Student Involvement.

“We even have racks this year,” Chomout said. “We also have a Web site.”

His experience with the “Ramdiculous Page” inspired Chomout to go into student government.

“When I was at the Student Senate, I thought ‘this is kind of cool. Maybe I should join this,’ ” Chomout said. “I got on the Student Senate and sat there for a month. I thought, ‘what more could I do than that?’ By being student body president, maybe I could change the way something is done without as many hiccups as there are for a student senator. So far, I’ve been able to do that.”

Chomout said that working both in the student government and as the representative of an organization gave him insight into the process of moving funds from the source to student groups.

The math major and business minor said he hasn’t decided what he wants for a career.

“I’m thinking of doing something in business,” Chomout said. “There are a lot of options. I thought about going to a business school, law school or trying to be a city manager.

“I like being student body president because I deal with different things all the time. I definitely won’t end up with a job where I do the same thing every day.”

David Trevino: Grammy Winner

ASU sophomore David Treviño has been able to tell people that he won a Grammy Award for over three months, but now he can finally show them.

The San Angelo native played saxophone for the band Little Joe y La Familia that won the Best Tejano Album Grammy for “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards Feb. 10 in Los Angeles.

Unfortunately, Treviño’s class schedule kept him from attending the ceremony, but he was promised that his hardware was coming in the mail. It finally showed up toward the end of May and he took the box straight over to open it with his parents.

“That is when it hit me that it was real,” Treviño said. “Actually seeing the statue and being able to hold it was an experience all its own. I handed it to my parents and they couldn’t believe it themselves.”

“They couldn’t stop saying how proud of me they were,” he added. “They were just ecstatic about it and called all my family to let them know. It was definitely a memorable experience.”

Treviño initially learned of his award in February while he was working his part-time job at E-Z Pawn.

“It was our busiest time of the day,” he said. “I was really happy, but it was kind of hard to celebrate at work. I had a chance to go to the Grammys, but I stayed in school. I couldn’t afford to miss that many days.”

Instead of having his own blowout Grammy party, Treviño decided to spend the evening with his parents and share that experience with them as well.

“My dad is probably my biggest musical influence, so I wanted to share it with him and my mom,” he said. “My dad is the reason I started playing music in the first place.”

Treviño got his big break after joining Los Hot Horns, a five-horn ensemble put together by former ASU student John Ontiveros. They played with several local bands before being picked up by Grammy-winning artist Chente Barrera. Little Joe heard them play a few times and when his horn section left him in January 2007, he signed up Los Hot Horns to help record his next album in San Antonio.

“That was really cool,” Treviño said. “I have pictures on my MySpace of us playing in the studio. It was a really great experience to get in the studio and just do what I love, just play and have them record it for the CD. It was great.”

Treviño also toured with Little Joe y La Familia last year, including gigs in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Michigan, Alaska, Las Vegas and Chicago. But, when the year ended, he decided his time on tour was over, at least for now.

“I talked to Little Joe on New Year’s night and told him I was thinking about going back to school,” Treviño said. “He said ‘school is the best thing and you need to go and finish because this will always be here.’ So, I plan on going back and playing, but not until I’m done with school.”

Treviño has also played gigs with well-known Tejano artists Sonny Ozuna, Augustine Ramirez and Carlos Miranda, who together make up “The Legends.” At ASU, he plays baritone saxophone for the Wind Ensemble and tenor sax in the Jazz Band.

Sagan Everett: Twirler, Honor Student

If baton twirling had its own honor society, Sagan Everett likely would be a member.

The Colorado City sophomore kinesiology major already has both baton twirling and honors activities at Angelo State University to her credit.

Everett took a recent weekend off from her studies at ASU to win two divisions of the National Baton Twirling Association’s regional competition in Denton. She won the solo and two-baton events in the intermediate division, which require two-minute routines before a panel of judges. She was one of 100 twirlers in the competition.

Everett has been twirling batons since her aunt, Kakai Wulfjen, who was the twirling teacher in Colorado City, got her started in third grade. Wulfjen moved away from Colorado City before Everett finished high school, but ASU alumna and former ASU Ram Band featured twirler Vanessa Moffett stepped in to fill Wulfjen’s shoes.

Everett continued twirling throughout high school and has been a featured twirler with the ASU band for the past two years.

Everett practices about five hours a week during contest season, but most of her time is consumed by kinesiology studies and honors work.

She will enter the Physical Therapy Priority Acceptance Program at ASU where she will collaborate with faculty and begin doing research as she finishes her kinesiology degree.

Everett said she has her eye on becoming a practicing physical therapist in a hospital. Everett said got her ambition for physical therapy from her parents, Bill and Toni Everett of Colorado City.

“My parents are in health care,” she said. “My mom is a registered nurse and dad is a physician’s assistant. Mom encouraged me and physical therapy is what I want to do.”

Besides the Physical Therapy Priority Acceptance Program, Everett has been inducted into Alpha Chi, the honor society for students in all disciplines, and she worked in the ASU Writing Center last year.

The Writing Center is staffed by specially selected and trained student tutors who offer one-on-one writing and reading conferences with their peers.

Everett also has been named an emissary for the ASU Honors Program.

“An emissary is kind of a face for the Honors Program,” Everett said. “We interact with faculty and the community. If they have questions, we are representatives of the program.”

Before she returns to ASU this fall for her junior year, Everett will spend a month in Costa Rica with the International Education program. She will take four hours of Spanish every day and courses in ecotourism and biodiversity during the program, but it won’t be all work.

“We will be going on different excursions to beaches, rainforests and all kinds of fun stuff,” Everett said.

For the time she spends in Costa Rica, she will get 12 hours of credit at ASU.

Clay Calfee: From Baselines to Fence Lines

Senior Clay Calfee is one of the best collegiate baseball players in the country, but he feels as much at home on the range as he does on the diamond.

An animal science major, Calfee has it tough in the spring, having to limit his time at the ASU Ranch while he plays first base for the ASU Rams. But, despite the hectic baseball travel schedule, he still squeezes in his other favorite pastime.

“I spent a lot of time at the ranch for a couple of years,” Calfee said. “This year I only have one lab class out there, but just the other day I went out there and we were working some sheep.”

This spring is even harder on Calfee because he is a bona fide Major League Baseball prospect. “Baseball America” magazine named him a preseason All-American and the top prospect in NCAA Division II.

“I’ve been getting a bunch of stuff from pro teams,” Calfee said. “I have to fill out all this paperwork and I have more of that than I do schoolwork. I always tell myself I’m going to work on stuff for my classes when I’m on the road, but it’s hard to do that. I’ve been pretty swamped.”

Originally a catcher, Calfee was an all-district and All-Montgomery County selection for Conroe High School. But, now at 6’6” and 220 pounds, he has “outgrown” his catcher’s gear at ASU.

“I guess I got too lanky for the position,” Calfee said. “I came here and caught in the fall, but it didn’t really work out. So, I was pitching and playing first base. Now I’m just concentrating on playing first base.”

That is just fine with the ASU baseball team that almost didn’t get Calfee’s services. He was planning to attend a junior college in the Metroplex until a scout put him in touch with ASU baseball coach Kevin Brooks.

“I came out here on a visit,” Calfee said. “Something just didn’t feel right about the other school, but it felt good here, so this is where I came. It has been a much better deal for me.”

That better deal helped Calfee earn Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2006 and a spot on the 2007 All-America second team after helping lead the Rams to their first appearance at the NCAA DII College World Series.

In his limited spare time, Calfee enjoys hunting and fishing, but has still found occasion to make the Dean’s List and to serve on ASU’s Student Athletic Advisory Committee. He is scheduled to graduate in December and, on the off-chance that baseball doesn’t work out for him, he can always head back to the ranch.

Jennifer Rios: Washington Confidential

As one of only five students nationally with a spring internship in the prestigious Scripps Howard Foundation’s Semester in Washington Program, ASU senior journalism major Jennifer Rios is getting real world experience in the District of Columbia, the news-making capital of the world.

Take, for example, President George W. Bush’s last state-of-the-union address. Rios was there, doing a profile on Marine 1st Lt. Andrew Kinard, who sat in first lady Laura Bush’s box during the speech.

Kinard lost both legs to an Iraqi bomb blast in October of 2006. Since then, he has undergone 48 medical procedures with, as Rios quoted him, “a few more left.”

“This was one of my favorite stories so far, probably because it involved a profile,” Rios said. “I love learning about people and getting them to open up.”

During her four-month stay in Washington, D.C., Rios is learning about more than people, whether it’s mastering the Washington Metro system, covering a congressional hearing or attending a National Press Club luncheon with some of the nation’s top journalists.

Rios has covered an anti-abortion rally and march on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. She has written stories on gender violence, on speeches at the National Press Club, on Social Security and vulnerable beneficiaries and on an upcoming National Archives exhibition on the works of the late political cartoonist Clifford K. Berryman (1869-1949)

“The main difference in reporting here, compared to San Angelo, is the pace of life,” Rios said. “I may only complete a few stories a week, but everything happens so much quicker here. Interviews must be snatched up before that person leaves your sight because you may not see or hear from him or her again.

“And, while there are individuals who are friendly and helpful,” she said, “there are also those who have no interest in you if your business card doesn’t say you’re from the (Washington) Post or the (New York) Times.”

Even though the internship has bumped her planned May graduation back to the fall, it was an opportunity Rios could not pass up just like she seldom passes up a chance to broaden her experience. Few students are as driven or as good at multi-tasking as Rios, who in addition to keeping her studies up often worked multiple jobs at ASU while finding the time to bake the occasional cheesecake for her professors or co-workers.

When she arrived on campus in 2004 as a freshman, she immediately sought a job in the News and Publications Office, answering telephones, clipping newspapers and handling the odd jobs that fall the lot of student employees.

She started as an English major but then switched to journalism, attracted by its practicality, whether writing for a newspaper or a Web site.

Almost immediately, she volunteered for the Ram Page and in the ensuing years covered everything from student organizations to the university’s presidential search. She would go on to become copy editor, managing editor and editor her senior year. With a little journalism experience under her belt, she earned an internship at the San Angelo Standard-Times, a Scripps Howard paper, and continues to do stories on assignment for the publication.

While she wrote features and covered breaking news for the Standard-Times, Rios developed a fondness for one type of story.

Jennifer Rios “I really liked writing obits,” Rios said. “Some might find that odd, but I enjoyed writing the stories of their lives and even had some families call me to thank me for the job I had done.”

Though she was drawn to journalism through the writing, her classroom and work experience has broadened her perspective on the field.

“The No. 1 lesson I have learned,” Rios said, “is that writing is really a small part of the job. Meeting people, making contacts, presenting yourself well, being observant and not taking things at face value are all just as important to success.”

Rios attributes her success to her ASU professors, who “really care about their students,” and her parents, each contributing in different ways to her success.

From her father Jose Luis Rios, she got her interest in journalism, following in his footsteps at the Ram Page where he was sports editor and at the Standard-Times where he was a reporter. He went on to work 13 years with the Washington Post and is today director of photography for the Miami Herald.

“He was excited to learn I was going to Washington,” Rios said, “because he knows what a great city it is for journalists.”

From her mother Julie Rodriquez, she received a reality check that helped develop her strong work ethic.

“My mother taught me that I was always replaceable,” Rios said, “and that I needed to work hard and do a good job. I always had a job, at least one, since I was 13. I learned that when there wasn’t enough time in the day to do all I wanted to do, I had to do several things at once.”

“The multi-tasking thing is a big part of me,” she said. “I get antsy when I have down time.”

With so much to write about and see in Washington, Rios will be anything but antsy this spring.

Lara Johnson: Overseas Study

Born in Germany and raised in Texas, ASU junior Lara Johnson is combining her two “homelands” into the educational opportunity of a lifetime.

A double major in journalism and German, Johnson is currently studying in Germany at Leibniz Universität Hannover, where she will spend 10 months through the ASU Study Abroad Program.

“I've always had an interest in the German culture and I think the language is completely beautiful,” Johnson said. “I have spent my last three summers in Germany and have completely fallen in love with the people, the language and even more so with the culture. I love that wherever I go in the world, despite cultural and language differences, we are all people, we all have many of the same emotional struggles, and many of the same hopes and dreams.”

While in Hannover, Johnson will take classes in German phonetics, grammar, literature, spoken communication and culture, with classes starting in October.

“My German is ‘almost’ fluent and that is one of the reasons I will be attending school in Germany, to be totally immersed in the language,” Johnson said. “I've been taking German since my freshman year of high school, so this will be my eighth year.”

But, it won’t be all schoolwork for Johnson. She plans to be immersed in the German culture as well, possibly even spending Christmas break on holiday in Bavaria.

“I look forward to not just visiting, but making Hannover my home,” Johnson said. “While being a tourist is fun, it will also be fun to learn what living in the city is truly like. I’ll be finding myself and my identity in a culture that is much like ours and so much unlike ours at the same time.”

Despite her previous stays in Germany and her eagerness to return, being away from her Texas home for so long still has Johnson a little intimidated.

“I am somewhat anxious and the beginning will be the hardest time because I'll be trying to get the feel of the city, learn the school system and build relationships at the same time,” Johnson said. “But, three students from San Angelo will be attending school in Germany the second semester, two in Hannover and another in Lüneburg. I am looking forward to their arrival, and by that time I know I will be aching to see someone from home.”

A native of Garland, Johnson is scheduled to graduate from ASU in May 2009.

Adam Torres: A Musical Experience

In lieu of a well-deserved vacation, ASU music major Adam Torres spent part of his summer undergoing intensive training as a colleague at the prestigious Conductor’s Institute at Bard College in New York.

Regarded by many as the premier training ground for young conductors, the institute is a four-week course for music students from around the world. Participants undergo technique and musicianship training through lectures, score studies and rehearsals with symphony and chamber orchestras.

“The Conductor's Institute was a great experience for me,” Torres said. “Working with conductors from all over the U.S. and with international students has given me a greater understanding of the orchestral scene on a global scale. There are very few places where young conductors spend so much time together improving their craft. We all learned so much from each other.”

One of the youngest colleagues at the institute, Torres, 22, worked with several internationally renowned conductors, including Maestro Harold Faberman, co-founder of the Conductor's Guild, and with a number of contemporary composers like Tobias Picker and Joan Tower. His musical studies included master works by Beethoven, Mahler, Brahms, Mozart, Bernstein, Ravel, Tchaikovsky and Verdi.

As a result of contacts made at the institute, Torres is preparing to appear as a guest conductor with Ars Musica in Toronto, Canada. He has also been asked to appear with the Oswego Community Youth Orchestra in New York.

“The institute was a great place to study with esteemed conductors with the opportunity to meet talented colleagues and contacts,” Torres said. “The music world is a small one and I'm sure I will run into many of my colleagues in the near future.”

Torres is also an active composer, with works slated to be performed by Ars Musica and the Portland Youth Orchestra. The ASU Ram Band has also programmed several of his arrangements.

Also an active musician, Torres has performed at many public schools, with the San Angelo Symphony and at several local and area churches. He recently accepted the position of organ scholar at First United Methodist Church. A master of the piano, cello and horn (commonly called French horn), he is also involved with almost all of the music ensembles at ASU.

Scheduled to graduate in 2009, Torres plans to pursue a master of music degree in orchestral conducting.

Jennifer Hendryx: Fun with Physics

While many ASU students were taking a well-deserved break from academics this summer, Alpine native Jennifer Hendryx was working on advanced physics projects at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

A junior physics major, Hendryx was chosen for the exclusive internship program at Los Alamos from a nation-wide field of applicants.

“I knew I wanted to do summer research or an internship, so I searched online for something to pique my interest,” Hendryx said. “I applied to Los Alamos National Laboratory, but what turned out to be key was directly e-mailing the people in charge of the internship informing them of my interest. They had me send my resume straight to them and hired me before the application process was even complete.”

Her research at the lab included plasma physics experiments attempting to find an efficient means to generate fusion energy.

Now that her internship is over, it’s back to the Angelo State classrooms and physics labs. But, that doesn’t mean the fun is over. Hendryx is the incoming secretary of the ASU Society of Physics Students (SPS), which has planned a whole slate of fall activities. She is also a member of the SPS Peer Pressure Team, which travels to area school districts performing dramatic physics demonstrations at student assemblies.

“Honestly, I like playing with the fun toys and eating frozen marshmallows during the Peer Pressure demos,” Hendryx said. “I think my favorite experience, though, was going back to Alpine for demos last year. Roman Rodriguez (also an Alpine grad) and I got the chance to go home and show students that physics and science, in general, are not impossible or untouchable subjects. We are regular people with an interest in the workings of the world around us and it wasn't that long ago that we were in our audiences’ shoes.”

Hendryx credits the ASU Physics Department for expanding her options and putting her on the track to success.

“The professors are so personable and accessible,” Hendryx said. “They are not out to flunk anyone and they want students to learn and grow as scientists. We physics students also rely on one another to get through, so we are a pretty tight-knit group.”

Hendryx is set to graduate from ASU in May 2009 with plans to then move on to graduate school.

Adree Lakey: She Had a Hammer

This summer Adree Lakey used a hammer to craft a gold medallion for herself.

On her third throw at the 2007 NCAA Division II National Track and Field National, soft-spoken sophomore Adree Lakey threw the hammer farther than anyone in ASU history and, most importantly, farther than anyone in the 17-person field in Charlotte, N.C., to earn the NCAA national championship gold medallion.

Lakey made a lot of noise that afternoon as she became the eighth female individual national champion in Rambelle history with her toss of 184′4″, shattering the previous school mark, set nearly a decade ago, by almost 20 feet. In addition, she claimed All-American honors in both the shot put and javelin, earning 23 points at the national meet, sparking the Rambelles to a fourth place finish, the best in the 25-year history of the program.

"As soon as I let it go, I knew it was a good throw," Lakey said. "I had been throwing the hammer better at the end of the year in practice and I knew if I could get one off at nationals, I could place pretty high. But I never thought I would win."

A shot put and discus state champion while at Roby High School, Lakey had never thrown the hammer before attending college. In fact, she had never seen the implement before her arrival at ASU.

"I picked it up for the first time the fall of my freshman season," Lakey said. "I just started out doing drills and kept working on it until I got more comfortable. As a freshman, it wasn’t one of my strongest events."

In two years with the Rambelles, Lakey has now collected All-American certificates in each of her four throwing disciplines, also claiming the honor with a sixth-place finish in the discus as a freshman. With two seasons remaining at ASU, Lakey has a chance to become a multiple national champion, a feat never accomplished by a Rambelle.

"I feel that I can pick up where I left off in each of my events at the end of last year," Lakey said. "I hope to defend my title in the hammer and I think I have a good chance to do well at nationals in my other events as a junior. My goal is to be an All-American in all four events this year."

Anthony Sanchez: South American Adventure

While most ASU students were attending 2007 spring classes in familiar campus surroundings, senior Anthony Sanchez was half a world away gaining valuable experience at the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru.

As an intern with the Foreign Commercial Service (FCS), Sanchez assisted with trade development and promotion activities, including international partner searches and trade missions, shows and events. He also conducted market research and addressed inquiries from U.S. companies on doing business in Peru and from Peruvian companies seeking American products and services.

"Meeting such an impressive and diverse group of people enhanced my understanding of the professional world," Sanchez said. "It was from this same group that I developed both working and personal relationships that made my stay at the embassy highly worthwhile."

An international business/accounting major, Sanchez learned of the internship opportunity at a seminar organized by Dr. Sharynn Tomlin, ASU director of international education. But, it was a pending family trip to Peru to visit relatives that really opened the door of opportunity for him.

"I e-mailed Dr. Tomlin explaining my visit to Lima and my idea for an interview," Sanchez said. "Without hesitation she contacted the FCS office and within 20 minutes I was connected to them through e-mail. Everything began falling into place and just two days after talking to the FCS office in Lima, I had set up an interview."

After acing his interviews, Sanchez was awarded the internship and spent four months working at the embassy alongside college interns from South Carolina, Michigan, Toronto and the University of Chicago School of Law. His key accomplishments included writing three International Market Research Reports that were published in BuyUSA and the 2007 "Peruvian Oil and Gas Report" for The American Oil and Gas Reporter magazine. He also helped remove a trade barrier between a U.S. company and a Peruvian company by utilizing government contacts and embassy personnel.

At ASU, Sanchez is a member of the international business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi and is an instructor for the ASU Salsa Club. He is slated to graduate in December 2007 and plans to spend a month backpacking through Europe before looking for a job.

"The Foreign Service is a sector that has definitely captured my attention after my internship in Lima," Sanchez said. "The overall experience was unforgettable."

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