I am writing in response to John Andrew Willis' Jan. 29 column "SGA Should Get Feedback Before Using Student Money."

Having served as the Student Government Association Programming Council chair for the past two years, I understood the problems and challenges described regarding concerts and general programming on campus.

While Mr. Willis might have made a handful of valid points throughout his article, he failed to conduct adequate research.

The Center for International Studies has announced a new approach for evaluating merit-based scholarship applications for study abroad to be implemented next fall, a university official said.

Jane Kucko, director of the Center for International Studies, said the new application will include sections in which students explain how they plan to immerse themselves in the culture while abroad and how they plan to share their experience upon returning to campus.

"It is a more exciting way of internationalizing the campus," Kucko said.

Is former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich the next Nelson Mandela? He'd like you to think so.

Comparing himself not only to Mandela, but also Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, Blagojevich professed his innocence across the airwaves and at his impeachment trial last week to no avail.

The now former governor has consistently denied any wrongdoing since U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald filed corruption charges against him in December.

Over the past two weeks the debate raged on: Arizona Cardinals or Pittsburgh Steelers?

The Steelers won, who honestly were my pick to win it all in the preseason, thanks to some shady officiating.

Before the weeks of analysis, we watched the NFL playoffs and before that there was the annual debate about the BCS.

Before that, we had college football and preceding that every year is Major League Baseball.

Cynthia Montes arrived at the university eight years ago as a first-generation college student. She did not know where to go, how to study or anything about college life.

Then Montes found the Student Support Services program, aimed at transitioning first-generation students to college life. With the help of the Student Support Services program, Montes graduated in four years and is now an academic adviser for the program.

In these times of economic uncertainty, everyone is looking to save a buck, especially those paying for college or working to pay rent on their own. If you think the only way students can receive a scholarship is by making straight A's or being the star basketball player, you're wrong. The university and other programs and institutions offer a handful of scholarships with unusual criteria but not so unusual rewards (money). If you spin the dreidel in December or aspire to be the next Willy Wonka, you might be eligible to receive one of these scholarships.

Students will receive special access to a new DVD lending Web site before it is made available to the general public, a founder of the DVD lending Web site said.

Tim Jackson, founder of LendAround, said the Web site is currently a private, pre-release version but will be made available to the TCU community before going mainstream. Jackson said LendAround is extending a free invitation to students to join the Web site to help set up the exchange of DVDs between online friends.

When it comes to students from low-income families, it's not surprising their options are often limited. These students do not have opportunities in many aspects of their lives. It's unfair that their ability to go to a selective college has to be one of them.

Students' hard work in high school comes to almost nothing when, in the end, they can't afford to go to the college they deserve.

The university has recognized this problem and has programs in place to make up for student and family concerns.

Editor's note: This story was revised for accuracy at 2:20 p.m. Tuesday.

A new student organization that gives student musicians the opportunity to demonstrate their musical talent is testing the idea that nothing good ever happens after midnight.

Living Out a United Dream helps market students involved with different musical arts to the community, said LOUD creator Mike Vosters, a sophomore marketing major. The organization finds performance venues, promotes shows and searches for ways to gain more advertising, he said.