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Oldest Resident prepares for Graduation
Cassie Daley | Staff Reporter

Imagine your first college roommate being old enough to be your grandmother.
Well, this scenario isn’t so misplaced for the grandchildren of senior education major, Sharon Devereaux.
Devereaux is like any other college resident. She lives in Marchman and decorates her room with such luxurious things as milk crates, miscellaneous books, scattered papers and photographs. She depends on appliances such as the mini-refrigerator, mini-microwave, a coffee pot and, of course, her laptop computer.
There is one thing, however, that separates Devereaux from the rest of her dorm-mates: about 30 years. Yes, that’s right; Devereaux, at the age of 58, is the oldest student to reside in the MSU dorms.
She’s the mother of two daughters, ages 41 and 39, and is a grandmother to five.
 “I kept thinking, ‘well I messed up this lifetime, maybe some other lifetime, I never really thought I had a chance,’” Devereaux said. “I had always wanted to go to college, from the time I was little. I took algebra in junior high so I could go to college.”
After dropping out of high school in Arlington at 15, having two children and three marriages that ended in divorce, one could image how the dream of a college education got lost along the way.
 “My dad told me, ‘I have two daughters and one son.’ Boys needed college and girls didn’t,” she went on to say, explaining there was no way he could send all of them to college.
After trying occupations like nurse’s aide, and retail, she got her GED in 1993 while working in a warehouse. It wasn’t until she met an MSU alumni in Jacksboro that she contemplated going to college. “I said, ‘but I’m too old,” said Devereaux.
After figuring that in four more years she’d be the same age whether she was going to college or not, she decided to take the plunge. Devereaux was going for the whole experience, including dorms and cafeteria food.
 “I was afraid of living in an apartment. Something would interrupt my schooling,” she said while reviewing the choices she’d made that landed her in a dorm room.
 “It’s a lot better than I thought it would be. At first I was afraid of radios and the social lives of the kids. I was afraid that it would interrupt my studies and that I’d make a bad grade because of it.”
So far, Devereaux hasn’t had any problems in her classes or at her residence. “I think she’s adjusted very well. I think she fits in just like everyone else,” said Devereaux’s close friend, Amy Isham, a junior education major.
In many ways, Devereaux’s age and desire for an education have gotten her more respect from her classmates. Isham made the observation that many of Devereaux’s friends and classmates have come to look up to her. “I know I have,” Isham said. “I think two words to describe her are, she’s caring and she’s ambitious,” she said.
Although Devereaux appreciates her time in the dorms, she said that the good always comes with the bad. She’s faced with the same problems any dorm resident is faced.
Devereaux’s first weekend was in the Killingsworth dormitory. When she got into the shower that first Friday night, she was drenched in cold water because the dorm was out of hot water. “I didn’t know what happened. It was odd to me. I was afraid after that.”
From the noise to being both satisfied and dissatisfied with the food she has been able to experience college the way any other student would.
She’s currently student teaching in preparation for her December graduation into the career world.
 “It’s been busy, busy, busy. It’s up until midnight preparing lesson plans and up again at 5 a.m.” Devereaux stated, smiling at her accomplishments. Once she graduates with a degree in education, she’s hoping to eventually end up teaching in the Ft. Worth area, where most of her family is located.
It is no understatement to say that Devereaux’s colleagues and professors are confident that Devereaux will serve the Ft. Worth area well.
 “She’s very conscientious,” said Professor Ann Estrada, department chair of education and reading. “In my opinion she’s going to be a good teacher, she’s patient and caring with the children.”
 “I want all kids to know that they can go to college, or that they can make something of themselves; that it’s never too late,” Devereaux said.
It is this attitude that has aided Devereaux in accumulating the respect of her colleagues and professors alike. “She has this wealth of life experience that the younger students don’t have, my other majors just really love her,” said Millie Gore, professor in the counseling and special education department.
Although saddened by her pending departure from MSU, she’s definitely ready. She talks about the same things any other graduating college student would talk about, “It’ll be so exciting to get a real job and a real place where I can plant flowers,” said Devereaux modestly. 


Broadway or Bust: Students bring Niel Simon play to Stage
Paige Dickerson | News Editor

“Broadway Bound” is bound for MSU’s stage as the first theatrical production of the year.
The comedy is the last in Neil Simon’s autobiographical trilogy. Eugene, the Neil Simon character, played by senior Jason M. Wagner, and his older brother, Stanley, played by junior Chris Shoemake, are striving to break into the comedy writing business and are coping with the breaking down of their family.
“He (Eugene) and his brother really want to succeed in the comedy writing business. Eugene is more the mess-around-and-have-fun type while Stanley is more of the let’s-do-this-and-stop-screwing-around type,” Wagner said.
The set was mostly built this summer during WestFest, when high school students spend five weeks in theater camp.  One high school selected Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs” as their production, so Laura Jefferson, the MSU theater professor overseeing the production, asked if they wouldn’t take down the set so MSU could use the basic set up for the first production.
“We did a little updating because ‘Brighton Beach’ takes place in 1939 and this one is set 10 years later, after the war, and they are a little more prosperous,” Jefferson said.
An interesting touch to the show is that “Broadway Bound” will feature a student, senior Tasha Casey, as the costume designer. 
“She has an interest in that and we try to, if people want to go into something like that, give them the opportunity to do a major production,” Jefferson said.
Casey practiced her love for costume design last year in a class taught by MSU theater professor Elizabeth Lewandowski.
“She liked my work and asked if I was interested in doing a show this year. I also have worked in the costume design shop for going on three years,” Casey said.
Although she is torn between costume design and stage management, she said she enjoyed this show and is seriously thinking of making a career out of it.
“It really has been a lot of fun. I’m not really a big power hungry person and I’ve had people come up to me and say thanks for being so nice,” Casey said. “It is stressful but fun.”
The play also features a student lighting designer, Kelly Gray.
Jefferson said “Broadway Bound” is not what people usually think of as Simon’s typical work.
“It is not what you usually think of as a Neil Simon comedy: those one liners, ‘The Odd Couple,’ light stuff, and this one is comic but it is a little more serious too,” Jefferson said. “It is what I think people really like in a play. They are laughing one minute and then they are on the verge of tears the next minute.”
During the play Blanche Eugene and Stanley’s aunt played by junior Lindsey Stewart, tries to convince her father Ben, played by junior Chris Hensley, to move with her mother to Miami Beach and take care of her.
“She is up against some tough competition,” Stewart said. “I think she has grown throughout the trilogy, and she is the strongest in this script.”
Eugene and Stanley’s mother Kate, played by junior Meagan Bailey, and their father Jack, played by junior Donald Gipson, are also working through some marital strife.
“Broadway Bound” will take place Thursday to Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Each MSU student will have one free ticket with a student ID. Tickets for adults are $7, $6 for seniors, military and high school students.
This play contains content not suitable for children under the age of 12.


Poll Shows Bush fovored among MSU
Julie Wineinger & Carolyn Knothe

In a recent poll of 86 MSU students, 63 percent said they are going to vote for Bush in the upcoming presidential election. Twenty-nine percent said they are voting for Kerry and eight percent are still undecided.
Sophomore Michelle Merrick said, “I like Bush because he doesn’t second-guess himself concerning the war on terrorism.”
Junior Toby Talley said Bush’s greatest strength is that “he was able to stand for our country in a time of crisis.” Talley feels our country still needs this defense and Kerry doesn’t have the experience.
Sophomore Robert Villarreal said he supported Bush because he sticks by his word.
“Kerry flip-flops on the issues in an attempt to please liberals,” he said.
Other students focus on Bush’s policy at home.
Freshman Lee Ann Williford will vote for Bush. “I like his policy of no child left behind.”
“[Bush’s] cabinet is comprised of the best in each field. Bush is more of a leader that conjoins people,” junior Greg Saxon said.
Kerry’s supporters are adamant about their candidate’s strengths.
“Kerry seems to be well educated about foreign policy which will benefit our country in a time of war,” sophomore Melissa Betts said.
Sophomore Jennifer Purcell who plans to vote for Kerry, said she also likes Kerry because of his foreign policy issues.
“Kerry thinks about the U.S in more of a global perspective. I like his foreign policy and his stance in the war.”
She is opposed to Bush because of environmental issues, his stance on the war and concerns about business with Halliburton.
Freshman Maurice Williams said that Bush was “too cocky.”
“Bush didn’t want to admit that he sent troops to Iraq for the wrong reasons after no weapons of mass destruction were found.”
I back Kerry because he said he would give Iraq back to the people of Iraq, Williams said.
“Kerry is all about the women,” sophomore Brittnie Wade said. She added that Kerry wants women to have better jobs and wages along with more security.
Many students chose their candidates based on their parent’s political views.
Junior Katie LaFreniere, whose parents are Democrat, said she will vote for Kerry. “I’m definitely a Democrat instead of a Republican.”
Other students are waiting to see how the campaigns pan out before they make their decision.
“This election has become a circus, each side telling prospective voters what they think will win them votes,” senior Jonathan Horton said. “I’ll vote for the first one who refuses to do this and takes a stand.”
Senior Tiffany Harris said she is also undecided. “I don’t like Bush’s stand on the war, my husband is about to get sent back.” As far as Kerry goes, she said, “I can’t really figure out what he’s about.

CaribFest to benefit Grenadian Relief
Camron Rushin | Editor-In-Chief

Get out your steel drums, body paint and colorful T-shirts this Friday to join in the annual CaribFest parade.
The Caribbean Student Organization’s CaribFest will be held this Friday at 5pm. The festivities will begin with a parade and dancing in the street. Sections of the parade will include pretty masks, jab-jabs in black body paint, blue devils in multi-colored paint, flag wavers, shotnees and a T-shirt band.
“The T-shirt band is anticipated to be large,” said CSO president Alefia Paris-Toulon.
People who have purchased a CaribFest T-shirt for $15, and anyone who wants to join the parade can be in this section, Toulon said.
A meal ticket can be purchased for $5 to taste many Caribbean delicacies.
“This year we’re giving the jerked chicken everyone always asks for,” Toulon said.
The festivities will end up in Sunwatcher Plaza with a show depicting the different Caribbean cultures.
Tickets for CaribFest can be purchased before the event from any student in the CSO. They may also be purchased at the event.
The proceeds from CaribFest will go toward the Grenada Relief fund. The Caribbean island of Grenada, which was hit by Hurricane Ivan on Sept. 7, has suffered 90 percent structural damages and many are without homes, food and clothing.
“We’d like people to buy the T-shirt even if they won’t wear it, just to add to the fund,” Toulon said.
The CSO is predicting they will make about $5,000 once they remove expenses.
“I hope that by the end it’s much more than that,” Toulon said.
The International Student Office and the CSO have also set up a food and clothing drive in the Clark Student Center.
“We’ve collected a lot of stuff. The community has been generous and we sent 50 boxes last Wednesday,” Toulon said.
Two weeks ago “The Wichitan” reported that some students had not heard of the whereabouts of their families. At that time, Computer Science major Ackim Williams had not heard from his mother. On Sept. 18, he finally received an Instant Message from his brother, he said.
“He said the family is OK, but the roof is gone so they have something in place temporarily,” Williams said.
His brother also said clothes drives need to send hats because all the trees are gone leaving little shade, and they don’t foresee electricity being installed until next year.
The prime minister of Grenada said the island was set back 40 years, according to Toulon.  “It’s like starting over.”