Sul Ross State University
A Member of the Texas State University System

News Release for Nov. 3, 2009

2009 HOMECOMING ROYALTY FINALISTS SELECTED; CORONATION NOV. 7

Ten candidates have been selected as finalists for the 2009 Sul Ross State University Homecoming Queen and King.

All 19 candidates were introduced and the finalists were announced Monday (Nov. 2) during a performance by comedian Pete Lee, held in Marshall Auditorium.

Queen finalists, their hometowns and sponsors are: April Arellano, Fabens, Extreme Rebels; Addie Bencomo, Fort Davis, Independent; Priscilla Frausto, El Paso, Sully Productions; Lizbeth Pereyra, El Paso, Basketball; and Melissa Ramirez, Presidio, Student Development.

King finalists include: Christian Celis, Marfa/Guanajuato, Mexico, Students Recycling and Serving Society; Rolando Hernandez, Presidio, Lobo Legacy; Robert Powell, Houston, Sul Ross Theatrical Society; Ricardo Vera, Hebbronville, Newman Club; and Mitchell Waechter, Devine, Baptist Student Ministry.

Voting for the finalists will be conducted Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 4-5. The new royalty will be crowned at halftime of Saturday's (Nov. 7) American Southwest Conference football game between the Lobos and Mississippi College. Reigning Queen and King are Celina Candelaria and James Aldridge, both of El Paso. Theme of this year's Homecoming is "Lobos: The Next Generation."

Photo: Sul Ross 2009 Homecoming Queen and King finalists were announced Monday evening. The new royalty will be crowned at halftime of Saturday’s (Nov. 7) football game between the Lobos and Mississippi College. Finalists, their hometowns and sponsors are (from left): Mitchell Waechter, Devine, Baptist Student Ministry; Lizbeth Pereya, El Paso, Basketball; Addie Bencomo, Fort Davis, Independent; Ricardo Vera, Hebbronville, Newman Club; April Arellano, Fabens, Extreme Rebels; Rolando Hernandez, Presidio, Lobo Legacy; Priscilla Frausto, El Paso, Sully Productions; Melissa Ramirez, Presidio, Student Development; Christian Celis, Marfa/Guanajuato, Mexico, Students Recycling and Serving Society. Not pictured is Robert Powell, Houston, Sul Ross Theatrical Society. Photo by Ivonne Arellano.

"LOBOS: THE NEXT GENERATION" SUL ROSS HOMECOMING THEME NOV. 2-8

Sul Ross alumni, students, staff, faculty and friends will celebrate "Lobos: The Next Generation" during Homecoming 2009, scheduled this week through Sunday, Nov. 8.

The annual celebration includes the parade, daily student events, induction of three new members into the athletic Hall of Honor and presentation of two Distinguished Alumni Awards and the Slingin' Sammy Baugh Award for Outstanding Service.

Ten finalists have been selected for 2009 Homecoming Queen and King. Final voting will be conducted Thursday-Friday, Nov. 5-6. Reigning Queen Celina Candelaria and King James Aldridge, both of El Paso, will crown their successors during halftime of the Sul Ross-Mississippi College football game Saturday, Nov. 7.

Queen finalists, their hometowns and sponsors are: are: April Arellano, Fabens, Extreme Rebels; Addie Bencomo, Fort Davis, Independent; Priscilla Frausto, El Paso, Sully Productions; Lizbeth Pereyra, El Paso, Independent; and Melissa Ramirez, Presidio, Student Development.

King finalists include: Christian Celis, Marfa/Guanajuato, Mexico, Students Recycling and Serving Society; Rolando Hernandez, Presidio, Lobo Legacy; Robert Powell, Houston, Sul Ross Theatrical Society; Ricardo Vera, Hebbronville, Newman Club; and Mitchell Waechter, Devine, Baptist Student Ministry

Brothers Dr. Hobson Wildenthal, Garland, chief academic officer of the University of Texas at Dallas, and Dr. Kern Wildenthal, recently retired as President of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, have been selected as 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients. R. Keith Martin, chief executive officer of the San Antonio Livestock Exposition, Inc., will receive the Slingin' Sammy Baugh Award for Outstanding Service to Sul Ross during Homecoming festivities.

The Hall of Honor/Distinguished Alumni banquet will be held Saturday, Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m. in the Morgan University Center. Tickets will cost $20 per person.

Joining the Athletic Hall of Honor will be former tennis All-American Janna McHazlett, LaGrange; women's basketball star April Ramirez, Corpus Christi; and former football standout Maurice Stephens, Denton. On Tuesday, Nov. 3, a student organization Homecoming derby starts at 5:30 p.m. on the Mall, with students competing in various obstacle challenges.

Student organizations will paint the Bar-SR-Bar Wednesday, Nov. 4, beginning at 5:30 p.m. At 6 p.m., Sul Ross hosts Hardin-Simmons University in American Southwest Conference volleyball.

On Thursday, Nov. 5, the annual pep rally and bonfire activities start at 7:30 p.m. at the field adjacent to Kokernot Park.

On Friday, Nov. 6, Homecoming registration will be open from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on the Morgan UC first floor. The $40 per person packet includes a commemorative T-shirt, admission to the Homecoming luncheon, Welcome Social, pre-game lunch, football game, President's reception and Sunday farewell brunch. A Homecoming lunch will be served from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Morgan UC Dining Services. Cost is $6.50 per person.

The Sul Ross Alumni Association will hold its annual meeting at 1 p.m. in the UC, Room 210. A campus tour will begin at 3 p.m. at the Morgan UC. A Lobo Burger-Off showdown will be held on the Mall from 3-5 p.m.. A Homecoming Welcome social begins at 7 p.m. in the Morgan UC second floor foyer. At 9 p.m., the lighting of the Bar-SR-Bar will be held.

On Saturday, Nov. 7, the annual Homecoming parade will be held at 10:30 a.m., proceeding from the Alpine Civic Center, east on Holland Ave. to Jackson Field. The Wildenthal brothers will serve as Grand Marshals. A pre-game barbeque will be held on the Mall starting at 11 a.m.

At 1 p.m., the Lobos will battle Mississippi College in an American Southwest Conference football game. Coronation of the 2009 Homecoming Queen and King will be held at halftime. A 6:30 p.m. reception at the Museum of the Big Bend will precede the 7:30 p.m. Hall of Honor/Distinguished Alumni banquet.

On Sunday, Nov. 8, a farewell brunch buffet is scheduled from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the UC Dining Services.

For more information, contact Saul Garza, (432) 837-8697 or visit www.sulross.edu/homecoming.

SUL ROSS MUSIC DEPARTMENT, ALPINE METHODIST CHURCH TO SPONSOR HYMN FESTIVAL

The Sul Ross State University Music Department and First United Methodist Church, Alpine, will host a Festival of Hymns Thursday, Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m. at the church, 208 E. Sul Ross Ave.

The festival will feature vocal solos, organ and piano duets and original works as well as traditional hymns. The public is invited.

Michael Burkhardt, noted organist and composer, will be a featured performer. He will be joined by Dr. Donald Callen Freed, Sul Ross associate professor of Music; Carol Wallace, Sul Ross lecturer in Music, as pianist and choral accompanist; and Rex Wilson, retired Sul Ross professor of Music and FUMC music director; Pastor Jane Vaughn and the assembled congregation.

Burkhardt, currently director of Worship and the Arts at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Livonia, Mich., has composed two settings of Eucharist liturgy, as well as numerous organ improvisations, choral octavos and handbell compositions. From 2001-2007, he served as director of Choral Activities, college organist and artist-in-residence at Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisc. He has also been a faculty associate in organ at Arizona State University, Tempe; and was on the faculty at Christ College Irvine (Calif.) and Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.

For more information, contact Freed, (432) 837-8216 or dfreed@sulross.edu.

SUL ROSS MID-WINTER, SPRING CLASS REGISTRATION OPENS NOV. 9

Web and regular registration for Sul Ross State University's Mid-Winter and Spring 2010 classes opens Monday, Nov. 9.

Mid-Winter classes begin Jan. 4, 2010 and continue through Jan. 19. Spring 2010 classes start Jan. 18 and continue until May 15.

Web registration for Mid-Winter 2010 will continue through Jan. 3, 2010, daily from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Regular registration will end Dec. 22. Regular registration will be conducted in Briscoe Administration Building, Room 202, 9 a.m. -4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Late registration for Mid-Winter classes will be held on Monday, Jan. 4, 9 a.m.-noon in BAB, Room 202.

New students must report to BAB, Room 202 before beginning any part of the registration process.

Web registration for Spring 2010 classes continues through Jan. 20, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. Regular registration will also continue through Jan. 20, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday in BAB, Room 202. Late registration will be held Jan. 21-26, 9 a.m.4 p.m. in BAB, Room 202.

For more information, call (432) 837-8713.

"THE 1940'S RADIO HOUR" ON STAGE NOV. 13-15 AT ALPINE'S GRANADA THEATER

The audience will enjoy a musical blast from the past as the Sul Ross State University theatre program presents "The 1940's Radio Hour" Friday-Sunday, Nov. 13-15 at Alpine's Granada Theater.

Friday-Saturday performances will begin at 8:15 p.m. with a Sunday, Nov. 15, matinee at 2 p.m. For more information call 432-837-8219 or email droman@sulross.edu.

The production relives the Big Band era, with a chorus line, blues, jazz, swing and comedy. Kendall Craig, Alpine, plays Mr. Johnny Cantone, the star of radio. He will be joined by the "Follies" cast, including Raven Thrasher, El Paso, as Geneva Lee Brown and Carrie Turney, Sweetwater, as Ginger.

Andrew Ross, Dallas, portrays stage manager Lou Cohn; David DeLaO, Alpine, is Pops; and Cory Hill, Tolar, adds comedy to the performance.