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The Student News Site of Texas State University

The University Star



The Student News Site of Texas State University

The University Star
The Student News Site of Texas State University

The University Star









All content by Leanne Castro
The exterior of Wild Rice Studio, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, at Wild Rice Studio.

Wild Rice Studio builds community one yoga pose at a time

Leanne Castro, Life and Arts Reporter
May 24, 2021
Dr. Maneka Brooks poses in her living room with her book, "Transforming Literacy Education for Long-Term English Learners: Recognizing Brilliance in the Undervalued", Dec. 2019, in San Marcos.

Professor flips page in English literacy education through new book

Leanne Castro, Life and Arts Reporter
April 21, 2021
Baines poses for a promotional photoshoot with photographer Slim, Jan. 30, 2021, in Austin.

Rap artist shines light on Black women empowerment, truth through ‘unrelenting’ music

Leanne Castro, Life and Arts Reporter
March 31, 2021
Trash overruns the banks of the San Marcos River after one of many summer days in which people party and drink there all day, August 2015, in Martindale.

36th annual river clean-up seeks to keep San Marcos beautiful

Leanne Castro, Life and Arts Reporter
March 8, 2021
When individuals are unable to be identified based on their remains, their burial place receives a marker like this one at Sacred Heart Burial Park in Falfurrias, Texas.

Dignity in death: Anthropologists work to identify remains of migrants

Leanne Castro, Life and Arts Reporter
February 15, 2021
Sarah Tanner and other psychology graduate students pose for a holiday photo at the Hays County Courthouse, Dec. 12, 2020 in San Marcos.

‘You are capable’: Graduate students offer meaningful advice to prospective students

Leanne Castro, Life and Arts Reporter
February 4, 2021
Computational medicine can help with early detection of Alzheimer's Disease through MRIs of the brain.

Professors use computational medicine to improve healthcare

Leanne Castro, Life and Arts Reporter
January 20, 2021
Lindsay Philippus poses inside a temple in Cambodia.

‘A phenomenal experience’: Students reminisce on pre-pandemic study abroad opportunities

Leanne Castro, Life and Arts Reporter
December 31, 2020
This holiday season staff at the LBJ Student Center will be collecting donations of new socks for women and children on behalf of the the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center until Dec. 11. 

LBJ Student Center brings comfort to those in need through annual sock drive

Leanne Castro, Life and Arts Contributor
November 28, 2020
A participant in the Fancy Shall Dancer Competition performs at the Sacred Springs Powwow at the Meadows Center, Nov. 2018, in San Marcos.

Indigenous communities seek to create understanding of history, modernity

Leanne Castro, Life and Arts Contributor
November 18, 2020
Texas State alumni James Taylor (dark hair, left, back row) joins the Student Foundation in 1979. Taylor is currently the co-founder of Vianovo, LP, and is recognized as one of the five 2020 Distinguish Alumni Award honorees.

Distinguished, Young Alumni honorees echo appreciation for Bobcat experience

Brooklyn Solis, Leanne Castro, Anna Durhman, and Tania Zapien
November 9, 2020
Local band Wezmer poses on a couch in front of one of the band members' homes, Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in San Marcos.

Local band builds community through artistic expression

Leanne Castro, Life and Arts Contributor
November 5, 2020
Dr. Deborah Bergeron (blue shirt, left, second from the bottom) smiles for a photo with her fellow Foxtales castmates in the '80s. Bergeron is currently the director of the Office of Head Start, a federal program created in 1965 under President Lyndon B. Johnson, and is recognized as one of the five 2020 Distinguish Alumni Award honorees.

Distinguished, Young Alumni honorees reflect on award recognition, lives as Bobcats

Cristela Jones, Leanne Castro, Brooklyn Solis, and Sarah Hernandez
October 30, 2020
Joshua Castro collaborates with a student in Paraguay to turn recycled soda bottles into a bench.

Peace Corps leaves volunteers with lifetime worth of stories

Leanne Castro, Life and Arts Contributor
October 7, 2020
Members of Texas State Galleries pin yellow toe tags marking the location where a migrant lost their life while traveling through the Sonoran Desert at the Hostile Terrain 94 installation inside Texas State Galleries. Exhibit visitors are invited to fill out toe tags with the personal information of a person who died while migrating. (Photo courtesy of Margo Handwerker )

Texas State memorializes migrant lives lost through art installation

Leanne Castro
September 23, 2020
The Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center provides free and confidential services in both English and Spanish to people of all genders and ages in Hays and Caldwell counties.

Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center aims to prevent abusive relationships

Leanne Castro
September 14, 2020
SLAC employee tutors students inside the SLAC Lab located on the fourth floor of Alkek Library at Texas State University. SLAC will operate both in an in-person and virtual learning space this fall. (Photo courtesy of SLAC)

Campus tutoring services adjust learning experience for fall

Brianna Benitez and Leanne Castro
August 24, 2020
Self-taught leather crafter Trevor Weinaug, a business marketing senior, stands next to a Cobra Class 26 sewing machine inside his workspace. (Photo courtesy Trevor Weinaug)

Self-taught student creates handcrafted leather products

Leanne Castro
August 12, 2020
A Texas-shaped golf hole located at Putt Pub, a new putt golf course set to open in San Marcos. Each of Putt Pub’s 18 holes features a unique design or game. Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Putt Pub

Texas State alumnus brings mini-golf course to San Marcos

Leanne Castro
July 22, 2020
Owners of STR8 Training, Soulful Creations and Zeal by Zakiya notice an increase in sales after lists of local Black businesses circulate on social media in light of the Black Lives Matter movement. While owners are grateful for the recent support, they wonder why it has taken a worldwide movement for the community to buy Black. Photo credit: Jacob Hernandez

Increased local support leaves Black business owners grateful and uncertain

Leanne Castro
July 6, 2020
David Sharp helps build a wheelchair-accessible ramp as part of the Texas Ramp Project. Sharp is a recent biochemistry graduate who earned the majority of his service hours by providing end-of-life care for hospice patients.

Texas State Medical Explorers gain presidential recognition for community service

Leanne Castro
June 17, 2020
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