When Juan Olivares students signed up for his class in U.S. history class, little did they realize they might be helping to create it. Olivares is a history professor at Richland who decided to encourage some of his students to become participants in history. Therefore, he and one of his classes went to Guadalupe Hall to cast their votes.

“Being a history teacher, you are teaching the long history of how we got this political right so far in the 21st century. It took 200 years of activism, revolts [and] civil wars to get that political right, and what is going on in 2022? A lot of problems affect society, our politics. So what about if I provided an open space and opportunity for my students to make a big difference in this midterm election?” Olivares said.

Daniel Rodrigue, Brookhaven Campus journalism professor and faculty adviser, faced one of the most difficult experiences that anyone can imagine. On Halloween night, and the day of his birthday, Rodrigue was enjoying a movie night after trick-or-treating with his family, when suddenly he smelled smoke.

It was 8:45 p.m. when he asked his young son if he also smelled smoke. He said “no” and kept watching the movie.

Rodrigue checked the kitchen and the bathroom where candles were lit. A little later, a neighbor knocked his door and warned him that smoke was coming out of his garage.