After traveling to six continents in three decades, Sandhya Rao knew it was time to share her experiences of the world and give others a glimpse into the uniqueness of the destinations she had toured. Her new book, "Circles of Light: Memoirs of My Travels Around the World from the Arctic Cir…
'Cats Walk is a weekly segment that will highlight Texas State students. Each week, Web Editor Monica Vargas will talk to a different Bobcat about school, self-love and Texas State.
Texas State student Jimmy Amisial became a father overnight when he took in an impoverished boy from Haiti named Emilio on New Year's Eve 2017.
Kevin Jetton, an information technology (IT) lecturer of 36 years, has built a powerful community at Texas State. Aside from relentless lesson planning five days a week, Kevin Jetton spends his weekends at Bussey’s Flea Market in Schertz, Texas, with his wife selling a variety of second-hand…
Racing through life one flag at a time, Trey Gomez always had a passion for the fast lane. When selected as an intern for NASCAR’s Diversity Internship Program, he buckled up and enjoyed the ride all the way to Daytona Beach, Florida, for a lifetime opportunity.
Dr. Kelly Damphousse stepped into his role as the 10th president of Texas State University on July 1, succeeding a 20-year career by Denise Trauth. He moves to the position after serving as chancellor and CEO at Arkansas State University.
Next semester students will have the opportunity to take the first-ever Harry Styles course at Texas State.
When Aftermath Boxing owner Simon Sanchez III contracted COVID-19 in 2020, his boxing gym was nearly empty for four months. Sanchez, 47, uses his job at a Walmart distribution center in New Braunfels to financially support his gym, but during the time he was quarantined, he couldn't go to wo…
Tyler Huff thought his football career was over after his last season at Saddleback College in 2019.
Just on the outskirts of San Marcos, tucked away by a gravel path on Lime Kiln Road, the sounds of strumming guitars, funky beats and the roars and raves of festival-goers fill the air. It may seem out of the ordinary, but it is just another out-of-this-world experience at the Martian Arts F…
It was a pen and ink drawing of an African warrior that became Robert Jones’ first award-winning piece of work.
For 40 years, Karen Chisum guided Texas State volleyball to a 919-559-3 all-time record, including nine conference and 11 tournament championships. Chisum was hired as the head coach of the Texas State volleyball team back in 1980 and has trail-blazed a path that athletes and aspiring coache…
Texas State alumna Haleigh Blocker is the director of football operations at the university and is known for juggling various roles to keep the program running. Being only the second woman to hold the position, Blocker said it's been a memorable experience, especially since she graduated fro…
With the weather beginning to warm up, students and locals alike will start gravitating to life outside where they may pick up hobbies that seek to strengthen their physical and mental health like running.
Growing up, Gabriella 'Gabby' Salzillo remembers staying up late watching Boston Red Sox games with her dad.
Trigger warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault, tragedy and mental illness.
Emotions were at an all-time high for junior backspot Maryssa Mears as she waited to take the mat alongside her stunt group at the Universal Cheer Association (UCA) College National Championship in Orlando.
A hub for photography, group dinners, concerts and weddings, Kissing Alley has become a beloved destination in downtown San Marcos over the last several years.
While out rowing in canoes on the San Marcos River, Texas State students and their professor, Sangchul Hwang, found themselves surrounded by water hyacinth, an invasive plant species growing in abundance along the river.
It's been over a year since Texas State student Jason Landry went missing after his vehicle was found wrecked on Salt Flat Road in Luling, Texas.
Texas State volleyball setter, Emily DeWalt, finished off her fourth year after breaking records in both the Sun Belt Conference and Texas State volleyball program.
On Sept. 16, Texas State student Austin Salyer was killed after negligent gunfire struck through his room at The Lyndon apartments in San Marcos. He was a 20-year-old junior studying criminal justice and minoring in military science. Austin was also a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi-Theta lota…
It's in his most tiring moments when David Lee thinks of his parents.
Dressing up as a cowboy for his own kid-friendly YouTube channel wasn't necessarily the post-grad career plan John Havard had in mind.
Hours before she was scheduled to be in class, Arianna Apodaca began her trek to campus, pacing herself on the hills and stairs, bearing the effects cancer and chemotherapy had on her body.
Located just off The Square on North LBJ Drive, Pho Tran88 is serving up traditional Vietnamese dishes at a price suitable for a college budget. Upon walking in, customers are greeted with modern decor and a friendly staff ready to cater to their cravings.
Proclamations of self-love partner smooth beats and rhythms on Tiera Deniell's first studio album, "To Whom It May Concern." Written as a testimony to her past experiences with love, Deniell showcases what she sees as the most important type of love: the love for yourself.
Board game fanatics and cat lovers alike will get the opportunity to take on the roles of some of the internet's most famous cats in the brand-new game, CATastrophe.
After moving away from Iowa in 2011, Kileigh Reed found herself in San Marcos where a strongly established and welcoming yoga community was present at the time. 10 years later, Reed is on a journey to create her own version of this welcoming yoga community through the founding of Wild Rice Studio.
Sharing the beauty of Mexican American culture through stories of shocking social injustices and steadfast hope, the 2021 recipients for the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award reflect on the growing impact of their work.
As the technological era booms and virtual reality (VR) technology continues to improve, associate professors Kenneth Smith and Grayson Lawrence teamed up to discover ways in which VR technology can make an impact in clinical settings.
As the end of the spring semester arrived on Texas State's campus and students began preparing for finals, the Student Association for Campus Activities (SACA) hosted its third annual Gaillardia Fest, a celebration dedicated to students, letting them unwind before end-of-year stress kicks in.
Striding high onto CBS Television City's golden stage, snatching the mic stand and singing to the skies, Texas State alumnus Graham DeFranco, after years of dreaming up his destiny, wrote his name in lights as one of the top 16 finalists in "American Idol" 2021.
Editor’s Note: “-30-” has traditionally been used throughout journalism to indicate the end of a story. Each semester, The University Star encourages its graduating seniors to write a Senior 30—a farewell piece to our readers—indicating the conclusion of a journalist’s time as an active memb…
Editor’s Note: “-30-” has traditionally been used throughout journalism to indicate the end of a story. Each semester, The University Star encourages its graduating seniors to write a Senior 30—a farewell piece to our readers—indicating the conclusion of a journalist’s time as an active memb…
As a queer person of color, Jamie Saucedo never had a teacher in school who he felt represented him. Although he had goals of becoming an educator, he found it difficult to picture himself at the front of a classroom, feeling discouraged without a role model he could look to for guidance and…
As viral trends surged across social media amid COVID-19, Texas State content creators take to the web, finding success through their virtual profiles.
On the fourth floor of Alkek Library, a quote from an anonymous student and sexual assault survivor displayed in the Students Against Violence (SAV) installation reads, "Start believing us. It doesn’t matter if he was a ‘nice guy’ and your experience is different. What he did to me was real."
Ever since he would sneak a Barbie CD player out of his sister's room to listen to his dad's favorite albums from bands like U2, The Police and Talking Heads, Eli Josef has had a passion for music.
Students stereotypically labeled "long-term English learners” are painted in broad strokes as having two main characteristics: Being recent immigrants or children of immigrants and only speaking a non-English language at home.While these characteristics may apply to some students, they are b…
With rising heart rates and sweat sliding down their spines, the cast members of Texas State's spring musical production, "Spring Awakening," is exploring sex and sexuality while singing through masks, dancing across distances and adapting its timeline after a cast member tested positive for…
A short drive from Austin, a city recognized as “The Food Truck Capital of Texas,” San Marcos has its own food truck scene where street vendors pull from their cultural traditions to introduce new flavors to the community.
After years of testing his endurance and toughness in sweat-generating sparring matches as an amateur boxer, Texas State alumnus Roger Maximo Gonzales has unlaced his gloves to create artwork inspired by childhood cartoons and celebrity legends.
With wagging tails and slobbery smiles, pure excitement is filling the hearts of San Marcos Regional Shelter rescue dogs as volunteers storm in to partake in its Dog's Day Out program.
A new eatery in San Marcos is drawing locals in with its modern spin on traditional Mexican food and aromas of freshly made vegetables, various meats and spice-filled salsas.
Inspired by the works of Ava DuVernay, Spike Lee, Issa Rae and Jordan Peele, three Texas State alumni are paving the way for filmmakers by highlighting the experiences of Black culture and brotherhood in their new film, "Hierarchy".
At the end of a long school day, after whiteboards are wiped clean and students return home, Texas State's buildings continue to stay bright overnight. While campus walkways stay lit during all hours of the day, it comes at a higher price than one might think.
Heather Tran was walking near The Square when she was confronted by three male students pulling at their eyelids to mock her monolid eye shape.
With hopes of creating a safe space for career questions, receiving professional advice and building bonds with peers, a new club at Texas State has embarked on a journey to empower women interested in business.
The singer and rapper known as LAUX. (pronounced “low”) often finds herself waking up from a dream, good or bad, struck by inspiration for her next musical experience. She eventually makes her way to the bathroom counter, her mind and writing hand flowing in unison, and works to introduce he…
As part of Texas State's Master of Fine Arts in creative writing program, female writers of all backgrounds have routinely gathered around a table in Flowers Hall to engage in challenging debates, construct innovative narratives and hone their individual crafts.
