Arts Fest: THUNDERDOME 2026
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Tyler Junior College campus articles
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BSA: a Safe Space
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TJC’s Black Student Association aims to uplift people of color and create a safe space for students who value equity and growth. Their organization has helped Black students find community for 17 years. President Kenzie Rae said the BSA aims to make sure everyone within the organization feels included. Vice president Tia Barnes adds the...
Answering the Call
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  From the sound of laughter and echoing voices to the clack of pool balls and the hum of kitchen appliances, the Baptist Student Ministry is rarely still. Since its founding in 1941, students have built a close-knit community. Some gather in the study rooms, others play pool, and many simply sit and talk. Conversations...
Legacy In Excellence
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For the Alpha Omicron chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, membership is and has always been more than advanced academics. Chartered in 1930, Alpha Omicron is the 10th oldest continuously active PTK chapter in the nation. Over its 96 years, it has been recognized both nationally and internationally as one of the top Texas Charters and...
Out Comes the Sun
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A little rain, and some singing to match, is all it takes to appreciate the sun and its radiant energy. Sydney Quintana got her start in theatre after falling in love with “Singing in the Rain.” The production she saw as a child, put on by her uncle, a theatre teacher. “I loved ‘Singing in...
Accidental Aficionado
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Lexi Brines sat staring at a sheet listing her options for elective courses. New to this Texas middle school and capable enough at art, she gravitated toward the art class option. However, art class is full, she is told. She panicked and chose theatre. Luckily for her, that accident was the “happiest accident maybe...
The Powerhouse of Every Setting
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The story of the 99th TJC Las Mas Student Representative Halle Dunn (they/them) begun the moment their older sister stepped on the stage. “My older sister is my person. She’s my favorite person in the entire world, and she was Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at my elementary school when I was four years...
Built by the Stage
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As Las Mascaras approaches its 100th year at TJC, sophomore musical theatre major Bailey Thornburg serves as the 99th student vice president of the historic theatre organization. “It’s very exciting. I love my job,” Thornburg said. “I get the honor of being mainly in charge of the student body of our organization, while at times,...
Beyond the Frame
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Escapism for Soda Walker wasn’t found in a “High School Musical.” It was found in a theatre track at a music and arts summer camp. Even though Walker didn’t enjoy the camp, the theatre track helped her grow into her talents. One of the “roles” Walker didn’t see herself playing was a student at TJC. “I...
“Craw”fting a Legacy
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Whereas other Las Mas’ officers love for theatre started with appreciation, Colby Crawford “shamefully, as a child, thought it was childish and dying art.” Crawford’s childhood impression of theatre was like an unseen puzzle, scattered with the unwritten pieces that make up not only the Las Mas historian he is today but also the purpose...
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