Category: UPbeat

For centuries, people have looked to religion for salvation and understanding, seeking a sense of community in their congregations and a sense of purpose.

When the NCAA made a decision to cancel competition and practices during the pandemic, LU athletes had to face an uncertain future. 

To say Rebecca Boone is a polymath is a bit of an understatement. Lamar University’s Dr. Ralph and Edna Wooster Endowed Professor of history is the author of three books, a certified fitness instructor and mother, as well as the founder of Slow Food Beaumont, a non-profit organization which focuses on local cuisine and building up civic engagement through food.

Photographer Brandi Hamilton's essay explores the different world one finds in the nighttime hours.

A hidden gem within Lamar University’s Special Collections department is the Jack Brooks office replica. Brooks spent more than four decades as a U.S. representative and left a lasting legacy in the area.

The Lamar University special collections department has a collection of yearbooks from Lamar’s founding as South Park Junior College in 1923 until 1976, when Lamar stopped printing yearbooks.

When most people exit the elevator on Gray Library’s seventh floor, they often turn left to the study floor without thinking. But if one turns right, one enters a world of more than 20,000 books, artifacts and memorabilia.

During the unique period the world is going through with the coronavirus pandemic, Dulce Rodriguez says her stress has not only doubled, but quadrupled since the semester started.

Tumise Onalaja, known by her friends as Tumi, has been practicing her makeup skills to keep busy during COVID-19.

Scott Sayre is a “Swiftie.” The San Antonio senior is an upbeat, obsessive fan who knows everything about Taylor Swift and always shakes the haters off.

Through faith and competitive drive, Anderson Kopp has been able to overcome injuries and setbacks leading him to his second year as a shooting guard for the Lamar men’s basketball team.

While not being able to go back to Nairobi in East Africa, Lamar University student Christine Kitaru found many new ways to entertain herself and keep her creativity in Coffeyville, Kansas, during the pandemic.

When one walks into Daniel Dobelmann’s True Colors Neon shop, one is greeted with the glow of hand-crafted signs on the walls, the sounds of the different torches shaping glass, and the faint hum of electric lights.

For the better part of my 20 years on earth, I have been troubled by relationship with my mom.

LEWES, England — If one had to think of a singular word to describe the Anne of Cleves House, it would be unusual. Unusual architecture, unusual history, an unusual stop on a study abroad trip, but ever so fascinating.

For many people, a conversation is sitting down with someone and exchanging words, emails, or text, but for sophomore Zayed Altamimi, it’s using sign language.

Nineteen-year-old Edsel Damo is obsessed with the fresh smelling scents of truck air fresheners and has a huge collection to show for it.

Houston senior Shannon Mills’ early beginnings with volunteering and community outreach started when she was 15-years old and was made aware of an animal shelter in need of help.

Gideon Crump is a first-generation college student who is paving the way for his family.

Elijah Keal may seem like he has all the time in the world when you find him studying and tutoring his fellow chemical engineering majors, but he’s more than just generous — the Port Arthur junior is president of the Student Engineering Council.

One could say this girl is “coasting.” Julie Spicer began collecting coasters two years ago.

When it comes to Christmas spirit, Hollie Atkins is brimming with it.

When Port Arthur native Gonzalo Alvarez started gaining national attention for his video game, “Borders,” which depicts the journey immigrants take from Mexico to America, he was already working on his graphic novel, “The Legend of Polloman.”

While water rescues were carried out in flooded Southeast Texas neighborhoods, local ranchers were relocating their livestock to higher ground to be safe from this unexpected natural disaster.

Picture a little boy around the age of five standing outside, a brown Hawkeye camera around his neck as he snaps frame after frame. Fast forward about 15 years and picture that same little boy, now a young adult, standing, new camera in hand in front of a calm river where a few fishermen cast their rods in the hazy glow of sunset.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof….”

When an athlete goes down, whether it’s on a wet field, a dry court, or in the middle of a diamond or dirt road, the crowd goes silent as they wait to see if their favorite player, friend, son or daughter will get back up. In that moment, coaches, fans, media, family and friends do the only thing they can do — wait.

When she begins her shift at the rock wall in the Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center, Grace Granger takes no time in gearing up her harness and preparing to climb.

Mason Mathews has been into plants since he could walk. “I spent a lot of time learning,” the Lumberton senior says. “I’d always watch and do everything.

Jacob Hotchkiss’ curiosity about computers started in high school after he and a friend had gotten bored of playing Xbox and paying $60 for the Xbox live membership every year.

Brittany Gonzalez has customized and designed clothes since she was a senior in high school. The Houston sophomore’s mother showed her the basics of the machine, and from there she experimented and taught herself.

“What’s up, guys? Welcome back to my channel.” That’s Amber Davis’ catchphrase on her YouTube channel, “Just Amber J.” In a growing world of social influencers and internet famous stars, the Opelousas, La., junior strives to be a light in an easily influenced society.

Madeline Brewer has always loved to dance. “When I was a senior in high school, I noticed there was a belly dancing studio in town — and really fell in love with it,” the Vidor senior says.

The stables at Beaumont’s Tyrrell Park were built by the Civil Conservation Corps in the late ’30s and have housed hundreds of horses over the years. Now, nearly 80 years later, the stables are still in use and house a variety of rescue, personal and boarder horses.