Mark Swarthout
Other Activities

Cepheid Variable
The Science Fiction and Fantasy organization on campus.
Sponsored AggieCon each Spring.

I was nicknamed (My D-name) the Tolkien CT. I was one of the few members of the Corps of Cadets that participated in the activities of the Student Union. After all, it was a pain to be wearing a uniform all the time!

The Delta Psi Phi was a take off from Animal House and the recent introduction to some fraternities off campus.

Cepheid Treasurer 79-80
Cepheid Media Czar – 78-79 - A new position that was created, but was never an officially sanctioned by the University.

In addition to working with Cepheid Variable, I also worked with Aggie Cinema (assistant treasurer junior year, after the ‘Media Czar’ thing didn’t work out!) and the Gromets war gamers.

Some fond memories – the bridge/D&D games in the MSC going for all hours of the night. Walking across campus to the Pancake house for breakfast with Damon Knight. A trip to the Houston Ren Festival with other Cepheids/SCA members. Working the box office at the ending of AggieCon and missing the auction of the exhibited art work, only to discover that by consensus, no one else bid on the piece I wanted so I could have it! And it is still framed and hanging on the wall!

Aggie Cinema
The movie group on campus.
Brought in movies on Friday and Saturday nights. Sometimes we would set up a big marathon of movies such as a James Bond marathon with movies on Sunday afternoon as well.

The biggest deal with the Aggie Cinema was that you worked the movie and got to see the movie for free. And the movies were only a buck if you didn't work them. I saw more movies my fish year than I had seen in my life. A good theme weekend could total five or six movies.

And Cepheid Variable had a Fantasy or Science Fiction movie every Thursday night .