Would you like to know how different types of films are made? Marcela Moran and her video production students invite the audience every semester to present their film productions, which is part of their final grade project. The event will be held on May 13 at 5 p.m. in the Texas A&M international University Student Center Theater 236 and is free and open to the public.

“Being a professor is a lot harder than you would think,” stated Dr. Paul Madlock, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and Communications at the College of Arts and Sciences. With professors as easy-going and affable as Madlock, it’s no mystery as to why being a professor is perceived as such an easy task. However, with a look at his 20 publications, one can get a clearer understanding as to why being a communications professor isn’t what it seems and why Madlock is such a diligent professor.

In 2012, roughly 2,891 people have fallen victims to it in the state of Texas alone; seventy of those deaths came from Laredo, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The National Institute of Mental Health states that it is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. It damages not only its victims but the victims’ families and communities. That “it” is suicide and it can be prevented. Thanks to local efforts, there is now a non-profit organization that offers help with those struggling with suicide, bullying, sexual identity, and other social problems. They are known as People with Ideas of Love, Liberty, Acceptance, and Respect (PILLAR). Students from Texas A&M International University volunteered to help their cause on March 2 for PILLAR’s Third Annual Bucket Brigade.

Many freshmen might feel shy to ask professors about their essays. Therefore, the Texas A&M International University Writing Center organized a “Rhetorical Analysis Workshop” on Feb. 5 and 6 in Cowart Hall 203. All those students who are taking or will be taking English 1301 and 1302 are helped by the strategies this workshop offers. This is completely free and open to all TAMIU students, but it mostly helps those taking composition.

Texas A&M International University’s President, Dr. Ray Keck, shook hands with host Dr. Israel Peniel to publicly congratulate him for his inspiring show: an act that would have outraged many during the Civil Rights Movement. This simple moment was a result of our nation’s progress towards equality. Although many associate this month with Valentine’s Day and love, locals and special guests gathered at the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts on Feb. 5 to remember and honor this progress through a series entitled “Songs of Freedom: Black History Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.”

The A.R. Sanchez, J.R. School of Business’ IBC Keynote Speaker Series welcomed another renowned guest to Texas A&M International University this past Feb. 6. Dr. Pia Orrenius was the guest lecturer for the night; she presented a crucial piece of her research titled “What is Behind Hispanic Poverty Rates?”