Thursday, February 17, 2011 trends The University Star – 9

AIMING TO MAKE CHANGE

Organization focuses on animals, environment
By Pam Renteria
Features Reporter
A new student organization en-
compasses concepts of human, envi-
ronmental and animal awareness.
The Human Environmental Animal
Team, H.E.A.T., was founded by Ian
Smith and Natalie Berko, who met
while they both lived in Brogdon Hall
during their freshman year. They dis-
covered a mutual passion for the en-
vironment and vegetarianism.
Berko, public administration
sophomore, said she and Smith had
planned to start a vegetarian club,
but thought the category was too
narrow, and moved towards some-
thing more broad.
“We don’t want to be exclusive,”
Smith said. “The fraternities, sorori-
ties and different organizations on
campus are very exclusive, but we
want anyone that feels they can make
a change, make a change.”
Smith, pre-mass communication
sophomore, said H.E.A.T. aims to pro-
mote awareness and an opportunity
of service for human, environmen-
tal and animal welfare. Smith said
he wanted to appeal to the major-
ity of people, and be less controver-
sial than organizations like PETA.
He said he does not have a problem
with PETA, but believes people are
Ian Smith, pre-mass communication sophomore and Natalie Berko, public administration sophomore, are the president
and vice president of the Human Evironmental Animal Team. H.E.A.T. organizes service projects dedicated to improving
human welfare, environmental conservation and animal rights in the San Marcos area.
“turned off” by solicitors who stop
students in The Quad.
Berko said gaining an initial mem-
ber base was difficult. The club start-
ed out with a few friends and girls
Austin Humphreys, Assistant Photo Editor
from Berko’s sorority. Club members “When you think about it, humans
want to find people who are passion- can’t really survive without animals,”
ate about the environment and can Berko said. “We can’t really help sus-
dedicate themselves to its preserva- tain the environment by ourselves.”
tion. Drew Luecke, studio art sopho-
more, also lived in Brogdon with
Smith and Berko. Luecke had been
looking for an organization to join on
campus since coming to Texas State,
and she said H.E.A.T. was the first one
that caught her eye.
“(Smith) wants everyone to be
equally a part of H.E.A.T., just about
as much as he is,” Luecke said.
Smith said members can be direct-
ly involved with club projects and get
credit for each one they complete.
“I did come up with this, but I don’t
want this to seem like its ‘Ian’s orga-
nization.’” Smith said.
Smith said he wants the club to ob-
tain a base five to 10 minutes away
from campus to have a place where
the club can meet and create a sense
of community. He also wants to have
a greenhouse where members can
grow their own produce.
Smith said in the future, he envi-
sions H.E.A.T. becoming an inter-
national company, similar to TOMS
Shoes. He wants to become partners
with a clothing company, a restau-
rant chain and a talent agency.
“I want this to become a sustain-
able organization,” Berko said. “We
want it to be a fun group with no
mandatory events and members who
will actually want to help keep this
organization going. I really want to
see it last and go to other campuses.”

Secure connection
Program helps students feel more at home
By Pam Renteria
Features Reporter
The Office of Student Affairs offers
a program that aims to help make the
transition to university a bit easier for
homesick students at Texas State.
Connected, formally known as
Hometown Bobcats, is a weekly-pro-
gram where individuals get together,
and learn more about campus organi-
zations, student resources and events
around San Marcos.
“Sometimes it’s hard to remember all
of the things the university offers,” said
Holly Tawil, student affairs graduate.
“This is an opportunity for students to
have one hour dedicated to learn about
one particular aspect of the university
or the community.”
Tawil said people gather at the LBJ
Student Center in room 3-8.1 on Sun-
days for pizza and a presentation from
a representative organization, or a
list of the latest events in San Marcos.
Tawil said the groups of students who
attend the presentations are usually
“pretty small”, ranging from five to 20
people, depending on what the topic is
for the week.
The purpose of Connected is to in-
troduce students to other people from
their hometowns. Sheila Reynolds,
vice president of Student Affairs, said
homesick students from all over Texas
can make connections with others.
Reynolds said the reason the name
was changed from Hometown Bob-
cats to Connected is because students
wanted a different experience.
Francisco Cruz-Mendez, undecided
health professions sophomore, said he
heard about the program through an
e-mail from Reynolds. Cruz-Mendez
learned about new resources the uni-
versity offered although it was his sec-
ond year at Texas State.
“I like this program, because it taught
me about a lot of the resources on cam-
pus and places to go in San Marcos,”
Cruz-Mendez said.
Reynolds said she would love for the
incoming freshmen to take advantage
of this program. She said the univer-
sity has more than 350 organizations
on campus, but does not direct stu-
dents toward the ones most suitable
for them. Connected can provide that
direction, she said.
“It’s a fantastic program, and it is
specialized for new students, not just
new freshmen but for new students in
general,” Reynolds said. “If a student
is new on this campus and they do not
know how to get involved, and want to,
this is the place for them.”