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Hannah Foley ‘27 steps into the wilderness.
Relive Placement Day all over again.
NBA fan? The Yowl reacts to the latest blockbuster deal.
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Freeze in federal grants and loans threatens academic and economic downturn
STELLA MACKLER ‘26
(SHE/HER)
SENIOR EDITORIAL ADVISOR
President Trump has acted decisively in the weeks following his inauguration, reshaping the federal government to better fit his executive goals and campaign promises. This process includes holding back trillions of dollars from federal agencies so the president can ensure government spending is in line with his priorities, according to the Jan. 27 memo announcing the temporary funding freeze. The announcement sparked panic and instilled a deep sense of uncertainty among states, schools and other institutions that rely on funding from the federal government. As a private institution, Davidson was more insulated from the panic stirred by the funding freeze compared to public universities and R1 research institutions that depend on a large amount of funding from the federal government. However, Davidson does receive some money from the federal government, namely in the form of grants for faculty research and Pell Grants. At this point in time, Pell Grants are not threatened by the freeze, but the situation is changing by the hour. In the days following the initial announcement of the freeze, it was blocked by a federal judge, rescinded by the administration, declared to be still in action by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and halted again by two federal judges. On Monday, two more judicial rulings were announced—first that the administration had continued to improperly
Afreeze some funds and a second decision blocking a proposed $4 billion cut at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Davidson faculty and students are at a loss for what these changes will mean for their future.
“Our guidance to faculty is keep doing what you’re doing,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Dr. Shelley Rigger. “These agencies will make decisions. They will tell us what they’re going to do, but we don’t know, so we should behave as if these opportunities are going to continue to be available. Otherwise, if they are, we miss out.”
Around 27 faculty members are either on federal grants or in the process of applying for grants, according to Rigger. However, many
of the undergraduate research experiences and opportunities at Davidson, like the Research in Science Experience (RISE) and Davidson Research Initiative, are funded internally.
“Most of our work is funded by donors who are funding our students,” Rigger said. “That is very different from, say, Harvard Medical School. Harvard Medical School has a research function which is about doing science for the sake of science [...] A lot of the grants that we have here that are federal grants are actually federal grants designed for student-facing institutions. So we are protected in the sense that the grants that we have are the minority of federal grants that are directed towards student learning, and we also have a lot of support for the work that happens here that doesn’t have
anything to do with the federal government. It’s our people who care about our mission.”
Even with this internal support, the significance of federal funding to Davidson and the broader Davidson community should not be overlooked. Professor of Biology Dr. Karen Bernd receives a grant from the NIH to support the research group she leads in conjunction with Professor of Chemistry Dr. Cindy Hauser. Currently, Bernd’s grant covers 61.1% of the indirect costs incurred by her project, among other things. These indirect costs were the target of the NIH’s proposed funding cut that was blocked on Monday. Should the cut go into effect, the NIH would cap their coverage of indirect costs at 15%.
“The grant that we have right now is a threeyear grant,” Bernd said. “Over the course of that three-year grant, that 61.6% [of indirect costs] is $110,141. So instead of $110,141, at 15% over the course of the three years, we are down to $17,880. This is what goes to the college that pays for the lights and the storage and the building services. That is a decrease of $92,261 and that’s my one little grant [...] I don’t have a problem with the government looking for ways to be efficient. I do have a problem with the government breaking a contract that I signed a year and a half ago, two years ago, that said this money will be coming so that we, meaning myself, the lab and we the College would budget for it.”
Indirect costs are generally defined as
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Davidson welcomes Muslim chaplain for the first time in campus history
s Davidson students launch into another semester of celebrating cultures and religions from all around the world, the College is welcoming its first Associate Chaplain for Muslim Life, Warith Deen Madyun.
“It’s really significant for Muslim students on campus to have a resource who can get to know Davidson specifically and support them both with their questions and programming that might be specific to different holidays or religious observances,” College Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life Julia Watkins said.
Chaplain Madyun was hired through a search process conducted by the Chaplains’ Office, which included representatives from Chaplaincy staff, faculty and students. “After a series of interviews and bringing him to campus to meet with students, we felt really positive about hiring him,” Chaplain Watkins said. “He just started this semester [...] and began connecting with students for Jummah prayers [prayer service performed by Muslims on Fridays] the first Friday that they were back.” Chaplain Madyun completed his undergraduate degree in Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania and his master’s in Construction Management at Drexel University. He also studied Islam in Egypt for two years. After returning from Egypt, he served as a Muslim chaplain for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, working with inmates from all different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Even though serving as a project manager for an electrical construction company is currently his primary full-time job, Chaplain Madyun is taking his role at Davidson very seriously.
“It’s something that comes naturally to me—to be able to teach, to be able to counsel, but also to listen and learn from others and meet people where they are,” Chaplain Madyun said.
Chaplain Madyun will be conducting weekly Friday sermons (Jummah) at the College and will also have office hours from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays.
“Maybe 15 students have stopped by each Friday, and they sit
and they listen, and they’re very attentive,” Chaplain Madyun said. “The Wednesday office hours have been a little bit more informal [...] We’ve been talking and just getting to know one another, and so often I’ll give them a word of benefit and quote something from the Quran to inspire them.”
In addition to being an associate chaplain and a project manager, Chaplain Madyun owns a bookstore and translates published books. He is currently in the process of publishing a 300-page book that he wrote: Becoming Strong and Trustworthy “[The book is] directed towards young men coming of age and preparing to face this world, getting prepared for life [...] and it addresses very serious topics like drugs, violence, mental health and religious things,” he described.
Rimsha Syed ‘27, the vice president of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) this semester and someone who has consistently stayed involved with religious life on campus since her freshman year, was also part of the group advocating for and
providing feedback on the hiring process for a Muslim chaplain on campus.
“From the moment we met him, he seemed very down to earth,” Syed said. “I think the fact that he was very understanding of students from different levels of religiosity, and his specific emphasis on creating a space to advocate for our own needs and wants on campus as an organization and as individuals in general, is really important.”
Syed’s remarks about Chaplain Madyun complement the chaplain’s own hopes for the Davidson community.
“One of the things I want to get across is that the religion of Islam is not what is stereotypically portrayed in the media,” Chaplain Madyun said. “I encourage the [...] intelligent students of Davidson to have an open mind and to want to learn about different traditions, different from what they might have grown up learning about in their neighborhoods, to not pass judgment based on what is perhaps seen on TV but to hear from Muslims— what it is that Muslims believe. That, to me, is very important.”
Bita Parhami ‘27, the student representative for Campus Religious Life, also spoke on the significance of a chaplain for the Muslim community on campus.
“I think it opens a lot more doors,” Parhami said. “It would be an incentive for students, especially freshmen, to want to join in and feel more comfortable practicing their faith.”
Even though Parhami has not had any interactions with Chaplain Madyun, she is a follower of the Baha’i faith and has spoken with several Muslim students, friends and otherwise, who had communicated the need for a representative for the Muslim community on campus.
“I think he’s very excited about forming relationships with students of all kinds and reaching out to Muslim students who feel like they may not have had a home in the Muslim community at Davidson before for whatever reason,” Chaplain Watkins added. “I think our Muslim community does a wonderful job of introducing students across campus to Islam and to why their faith matters to them. And I hope that Chaplain Madyun will help expand our capacity to make students feel like they have a place here.”
Davidson College labs will be subject to policy shifts in the coming months, as will many others at universities across the United States. Photo by Amelia Roselli ‘25.
AARYA CHOWDHRY ‘28 (SHE/HER) STAFF WRITER
Davidson welcomes newest chaplain, Warith Deen Madyun.
Photo from the Davidson College Website.
Post-graduate plans for Davidson students remain unclear due to federal decisions
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“facilities” and “administration” and can include anything from capital improvements for buildings and maintenance to accounting and office personnel. A cut in funding for indirect costs could mean a cut to jobs and salaries for those working outside of the lab.
“We have a number of people who work there that manage the grants and the programs that have to do with our summer research program and provide people with opportunities to learn how to do research and to have those experiences,” Bernd said. “The College pays them. Well, the College now has less money to pay them, and that’s just my little-bitty contribution. And at Davidson, we don’t have 80 or 90 NIH grants coming into the College. So at Davidson, will it have less of an impact? Yeah, it likely will. But if we’re talking about Duke Medical Center [...] People that work there, they’re going to have to fire people. There are going to be facilities and services that no longer exist.”
The economic impacts of this cap, should it be allowed by the courts, would extend beyond university campuses. In 2023, every $1 of NIH Funding generated approximately $2.46 of economic activity, according to a report from United For Medical Research. Less funding from the NIH means less money for the state of North Carolina. Looking only at Bernd’s grant, the $92,261 difference in funding means $226,962 less coming into North Carolina’s economy.
“North Carolina is one of the states that receives the largest amount of NIH funding,” Bernd said. “So not Davidson, but the state as a whole. That’s gonna have a huge economic impact. It’s not just the economic impact of whether or not Davidson has funds to buy paper towels or some general thing. It’s who sold us the paper towels and it’s all of the ripples.”
In addition to the broad economic and educational impacts that will come with less funding for research, students preparing to leave college and enter public health, research and non-profit work are bracing themselves for a world where the public service work they feel called to and the opportunities they have spent years preparing for no longer exist. Several internships, fellowships and entry-level positions at agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and non-profit organizations have simply been cancelled.
“My plan has always been to pursue a career in scientific research, working full time in labs and hopefully eventually pursuing a PhD,” biology major Amelia Roselli ‘25 said. “All my eggs were in the NIH basket. The NIH has this program
FWEBSITE CO-DESIGNER
rom Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, 89 participants were glued to their seats in the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Students, alumni and guests from various institutions worked determinedly for over thirty-six hours to contribute to Davidson’s third annual hackathon, known as Hack@Davidson. “The participants this year are from all around the US [...] it was a very diverse group [and] what they had in common was a passion for innovation, entrepreneurship and technology,” Hack@Davidson President Alp Niksarli ‘27 said.
Hack@Davidson took the form of a standard hackathon, which Niksarli described as “kind of like coding competitions or project development competitions.” Projects were built and then presented to a panel of judges. The panel contained a variety of Davidson community members, including many alumni in the tech industry. Participants were able to select a track to compete in, including AI, Games and Accessibility.
Alumni were also hugely involved in the sponsorship aspect of Hack@Davidson. “The prizes are [...] not able to be [bought] through Davidson’s funding. So we had to reach out to sponsors and Davidson alumni,” Niksarli explained. Prizes included iPads, Nintendo Switches, a Playstation and much more, all fully funded through the support of alumni and other sponsors. Hack@Davidson’s Sponsorship Lead Gopesh Baheti ‘27 noted that alums were eager to help out and sponsor
called the post-baccalaureate program, and it’s not just biology, it’s all sciences [...] It’s also mentorship, career training, and the concept is to sort of launch you into graduate degrees, mostly MD or PhD programs [...] People talk about it all the time, and I was really going for it.”
That all changed on Feb. 5 when Roselli received an email from the NIH with news that interviews and offers for the Intramural Research Program, the program she applied to, were paused indefinitely.
“I’ve expressed a lot of anxiety about even continuing on this path because if this is how it is now, if this is how easy it is to destabilize the entire industry, maybe it is not something I should do for a career,” Roselli said. “I’ve been talking to a lot of people about alternative paths, which is not something I ever thought I would do.”
The election and inauguration of President Trump brought with it a sense of fear and foreboding for what is to come in the world of public health and scientific research. Sydney Ballard ‘25, a biology major and public health minor, spoke to the dismay she witnessed from her peers and her mentors.
“I specifically took a public health pathways course last year,” Ballard said. “We talked about a variety of public health occupations. In the weeks before [the election] there definitely was some fear. Seeing a professor of public health cry the day the results were released was a really impactful moment [...] the day after on campus, it was a silent day. People were crying in many of my classes, [and] many professors canceled classes. I think that definitely was a day of mourning. And even then, I think a lot of people didn’t expect what was coming.” Roselli felt a similar sense of disbelief.
“It never crossed my mind that something like this would happen because it’s so uncontroversial to me,” Roselli said. “Clinical trials can be the difference between life and death for somebody with terminal cancer. It’s shocking to me.”
A key goal of the funding freeze is to eliminate spending on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives within federal agencies. Executive Order 14151, Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, specifically calls for the “termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear.”
According to a 2023 report by the National Science Foundation, women and Black, Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native people are broadly underrepresented in the STEM workforce. White men dominate science and
engineering positions in the nation, the report finds; nearly three-quarters of people in these roles identify as male and twothirds identify as white.
“In research it’s known that there are so many perspectives and voices missing already, and knowing that it is the elite institutions that will likely be able to continue with their research in ways that some state universities are not able to just contributes to this long foundational problem that exists in research,” Ballard said.
The Trump Administration’s attempts to freeze federal funding coincided with Dr. Lisa M. Lee’s visit to Davidson to deliver the Frederick Womble Speas Lecture. Lee is the Interim Senior Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation and the Director of Scholarly Integrity and Research Compliance at Virginia Tech. She served as the executive director of the Presidential Bioethics Commission under the Obama Administration and spent 14 years at the CDC. When asked about the importance of federal funding to research and public health, Lee emphasized just how crucial government support is.
“Public health is poor,” Lee said. “Public health departments, especially state and local public health departments, depend heavily on the federal government for subsidies. Of course, state governments fund a lot of public health too, but the CDC— most of their money they give out to local health departments. So it is going to have a trickle-down effect for a little bit [...] I don’t think we can actually go forward as a country if we don’t invest and we don’t have access to public health services.”
At the time of publication, it was unclear how the Trump Administration would respond to the court’s rulings to unfreeze federal funding. However, Vice President J.D. Vance offered some insight into their perspective: “Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power,” Vance wrote on X. In the days and weeks moving forward, legal battles, lawsuits and policy changes are expected to continue.
“There’s so much to be said, but there’s so much that is so gray and that seems to be part of the goal—that we don’t know what’s going to happen,” Bernd said. “And so we’re left kind of in a state of unknowingness, and for people who base hypotheses on previous information and plan out their steps going forward and have to write a grant for funding for something you’re going to do in two years, this kind of unknowing is is unnerving.”
Editors’ note: this is a developing story and the circumstances are subject to change.
the hackathon. “No matter [who] we contacted [...] they were very supportive. Some of them even flew from across the country to attend our event.” These sponsors included Chief Executive Officer of Stellar Brett Flinchum ‘87 and Chief Executive Officer of Preciscely Josh Rogers ‘95. New to Hack@Davidson this year were partnerships with other Davidson clubs. “We partnered with a games club [Casual and Competitive Games Club (C&CG)]; they sponsored a PS5 as a prize,” Baheti said. DavidsonAI also contributed to the AI Track of the hackathon. “We had a lot of AI projects because of that, which use the open AI credits provided by the AI club,” Baheti elaborated. Additionally, the Entrepreneurship Club sponsored the No-Code Track, which was
an option to create a project that required no coding experience. The No-Code Track is just one example of the ways in which Hack@ Davidson sought to promote inclusivity at their event. Murtaza Nikzad ‘27, Hack@ Davidson’s marketing lead, described how participants came from “very different technical and non-technical backgrounds.”
Nikzad stressed the role that hackathons play in fostering students’ passions in the tech space. “[Hackathons] expose students to the kind of ideas and the kind of projects that people work on that they would definitely not get exposed to if they didn’t participate in this sort of activity.”
Inclusivity was a focus outside of just coding experience, with workshops being held to promote diversity within the tech community.
Niksarli shared that they hosted a Women In Tech Workshop where “three women came into Davidson and shared their experiences for under-represented communities in technology.”
C&CG President Tom Roff ‘25, alongside Patrick Leary ‘25 and Paul Skok ‘25, worked together to create a winning game entitled “Borrowed Time.” “Our game is a rogue-lite platformer where players gamble through challenges to regain their soul,” Skok said. The trio described the event as seamless, with information about the various tracks and rules being presented quickly, allowing for work to start right away. “We found a room and started working on [our game]. It was pretty easy, they planned it out really well,” Leary said. Fittingly, their group won the PS5 for their win in the category of Best Games Project.
Hack@Davidson plans to continue hosting its hackathon next year and preparations will soon begin. “We’ll probably have an organizing team starting from today to next month,” Niksarli said.
While it’s a long process of coordinating with sponsors, reaching out to faculty and students and organizing the physical space, Hack@ Davidson has no intentions of slowing down. Niksarli spoke about his hopes of gaining attendees from varying backgrounds in the future by adding “a Biotech Track to encourage people from the biology department, or maybe a FinTech Track to encourage people from economics and finance backgrounds. [...] We really want to make it more inclusive and get more people into the hackathon. This is always our goal.”
CLAIRE IRELAND ‘28 (SHE/HER)
Title screen from “Borrowed Time,” Hack@Davidson’s Best Games Project winner. Photo by Paul Skok ‘25.
Trump administration provokes fear in Davidson amidst ICE raids
CLYDE DWYER ‘25 (HE/HIM) THE DAVIDSONIAN PHOTOGRAPHER
President Trump targeted immigrants throughout his 2024 campaign, and through a series of early executive actions, he has carried out a seismic shift in federal immigration policy. The impacts are being felt in Davidson and the greater Charlotte area, provoking fear and resolve among local officials and community advocates.
Acting on campaign promises, Trump has initiated mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, halted refugee resettlement programs and greatly expanded the powers of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Among the most controversial proposals is Trump’s threat to end birthright citizenship—an integral part of the 14th Amendment—which a federal judge recently rejected as unconstitutional.
These significant policy changes have impacted the Davidson College community, raising questions about how students will be affected. In a Feb. 6 email to students, College President Doug Hicks ‘90 reaffirmed Davidson’s Statement of Purpose, which reads: “As a college that welcomes students, faculty, and staff from a variety of nationalities, ethnic groups, and traditions, Davidson values diversity, recognizing the dignity and worth of every person.”
Davidson has already taken steps to support undocumented and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipient students.
“The College has arranged for an immigration attorney to come to campus to offer free, confidential consultations to students who have immigration-related questions, and a donor has made it possible for the attorney to assist students with certain immigration processes and renewals at no cost to the student,” Director of Media Relations Jay Pfeifer said in an interview with The Davidsonian
The College’s policy regarding cooperating with ICE has not changed. “Federal immigration enforcement officers are required to have a criminal arrest or search warrant to lawfully enter limited access, nonpublic areas without consent,” Pfeifer said. “Most often, immigration officers who might come to campus would be acting on civil, not criminal, authority, and generally carry administrative warrants. Administrative warrants are not signed by a judge and do not authorize officers to enter limited access areas without consent.”
Pfeifer clarified that College policy toward undocumented and DACA-recipient students, which encourages students to apply to Davidson “regardless of their immigration status,” remains unchanged.
In recent years, the Davidson community has come together to support refugees and immigrants from various backgrounds.
Davidson for Ukraine (D4U) began in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and has partnered with the Davidson College Presbyterian Church (DCPC) to support Ukrainian refugees living in Davidson. DCPC has also been supporting two Afghan families who arrived in 2021, providing them with housing and assisting their transition to life in the U.S. Concern has spread throughout the Charlotte Metropolitan region. According to the Census Bureau’s most recent estimates, approximately 308,900 immigrants reside in the region, 58% of whom are non-citizens. The Trump administration’s rescission of schools, hospitals and churches as “safe zones” from ICE raids has instilled fear and confusion in immigrant residents in Mecklenburg County.
“A lot of the things you’re seeing nationally are very worrisome,” Becca O’Neill, an immigration attorney and codirector of Carolina Migrant Network, which offers free legal services to immigrants facing detention or removal, said. Many of O’Neill’s clients are parents who are particularly fearful of ICE targeting public schools. Despite no reported ICE raids in Mecklenburg County yet, O’Neill emphasized the atmosphere of fear caused by these policy changes. “They’re
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afraid of what could happen to their children or to them.”
In a recent press release, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) Board of Education reaffirmed the constitutional right of all students, regardless of immigration status, to free public education. Citing the landmark Plyler v. Doe Supreme Court case, the Board of Education stated, “Regardless of any federal policy change, CMS will continue to comply with federal statutes, state statutes, and Board policies that protect all of our students’ rights to a public education.”
Despite the fear caused by Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and executive actions, schools and community groups in Mecklenburg County and throughout North Carolina are not giving in to the pressure from federal authorities. Wake County Schools, the largest public school district in North Carolina, declared that the district reserves the right to refuse ICE raids, barring “exigent circumstances.” Grassroots groups and nonprofit organizations, including Carolina Migrant Network, Durham Rapid Response and Siembra NC, have mobilized to provide immigration hotlines, legal services and know-yourrights workshops.
Despite the state legislature’s passage of House Bill 10 last year, which requires county sheriffs to obey ICE detainer requests, “the Sheriffs of North Carolina’s most populous counties — like Wake, Guilford, and Mecklenburg — have previously not honored those detainer requests,” according to North Carolina Public Radio.
Religious leaders in North Carolina are also responding. Catholic Bishops Michael T. Martin of the Diocese of Charlotte and Luis Rafael Zarama of the Diocese of Raleigh issued a joint statement on Feb. 6 emphasizing the importance of treating others with dignity and respect.
“As Catholics, we advocate for the recognition that immigrants, as members of God’s human family, are deserving of and must be granted the appropriate dignity as our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Jesus himself was a refugee and taught us to welcome the stranger and to realize that in welcoming the stranger, we are welcoming Christ himself.”
Peter Henry, a pastor at DCPC, echoed a similar sentiment. “For some of us, the Bible seems pretty clear about refugees, aliens and immigrants.” Henry noted that in the case of Jesus, “even some of our foundational biblical figures were immigrants.”
Henry connected the historical persecution of Presbyterians toward DCPC’s mission of supporting immigrants and refugees—as evidenced by the congregation’s support of Afghan and Ukrainian refugees and current work on developing know-your-right packets for immigrants.
“There are a lot of people who are very scared right now, they’re fearful for a lot of vulnerable populations,” Henry said. “I think as Christians, you should be particularly attentive to that fear for people who are more vulnerable.”
Communities remain on edge as ICE raids increase in number across the United States. Photo by NPR.
Perspectives
The Ministry of Bananagrams and Dirty Dishes
As I enter my final semester at Davidson, I wanted to share a reflection of the Christian community I have found. To explain where I am today, it is important to look back at where I started. I became a Christian when I was 16 years old, a fact that might resonate with, shock or mean nothing to you, yet means everything to me. I decided to claim Jesus as my savior and heavenly Father soon after my family was hit with what felt like world-ending news. My brother, my childhood best friend, was arrested and given a sentence of 30 years. The circumstances of his arrest and details of his case are not my story, simply the cause of rippling effects that led me to feel broken, desperate for hope, comfort, and friendship. During this time, my mom and I went to a local church to find a way to ease the heartache. While my mom found “her” people, I still felt a large sense of isolation being the only person my age. Looking back, I recognize that God is the reason I have had such a flourishing community while here at Davidson.
I have been involved with Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) which has led me to find a strong, Christian community and shown me what it means to be a good friend and neighbor.
Friendship is bearing each other’s burdens. It means answering the phone at 1 a.m. and listening to their troubling news. It means acting with love in your heart and showing others the love that Jesus has shown you. My friends have both answered and called me in the middle of the night. They have even brought me breakfast on stressful days because they knew I might forget to eat. They have shown me that friendship is sacrificial, deep, a privilege. When I say friendship is a privilege, I mean that it should be treated as an honor, not something exclusive. The hard truths, reality checks, and secrets your close friends hold for you are some of the biggest honors you could give them. We need good friends to tell us when we are wrong, hold us accountable, and be there to celebrate and mourn with us. We also need to do the same for others. We are not meant to do life alone.
That’s where Bananagrams comes in. Bananagrams has become one of my favorite ways to meet new people and spend time with close friends. To play Bananagrams, you have to dump out all the pieces and face them down. As you make words on your board, you can change them, increase their lengths, or scrap them altogether. The words on your board are ever-changing and growing with a few foundational pieces that remain the entire round, reminiscent of Christian values. Our relationships are hindered by sin, but
keeping them Christ-centered lets us grow spiritually and act in service to others. Bananagrams is an easy tool to meet others where they are.
One of the biggest lessons I have learned from our campus minister is to “give the gift of going second.” That means to build a meaningful connection, you just might have to go first. Ask a classmate to get a meal. Be honest with your friends. Bake cookies for your friends. It’s time to go below surface level, you and your friends are past knowing your favorite colors. Looking back, the most fun moments happened over a good hearty meal. That’s why I love dirty dishes so much. They are an easy access point to show you care. Eating together, cleaning together, doing life together, that is what friendship is all about.
When I was considering writing this article, I asked the Perspectives Editors the goal of the section. They told me it was “a space for students to share whatever opinions they have with the rest of the school.” Knowing this, I decided to write about my experiences with religion. Knowing the pain the Church has caused many, I hope this article serves as encouragement. Encouragement to know that you are loved by Jesus. To know that Jesus heals, weeps at your pain, and has His arms wide open waiting for you. Let my story of faith and friendship be a testament to him. To that end, I also hope that it is encouragement to get to
Beyond the books: Embracing adventure with Davidson Outdoors
Do you find yourself spending too much time in Libs? Are you cooped up in a little cubicle, studying for hours on end? Maybe it’s time you emerge from the depths of the basement and step foot outside. Breathe in the fresh air, feel the grass beneath your feet, and spend time with friends in nature. Over the past two years, Davidson Outdoors (DO) has given me the opportunity to do just this! My involvement in DO has added a fulfillment to my college life that I never knew was missing. From being a participant to now leading trips of my own, I have deepened my connection with the outdoors and gained valuable life lessons.
My first interaction with the organization came before my move-in to campus, when I embarked on Outdoor Odyssey. Going into this five-day backpacking and whitewater canoeing trip, I was filled with nerves and excitement. I wondered what everyone would be like. Would I get along with the other participants in my crew? Would the awkwardness in the beginning subside? Would I enjoy the physical aspects of backpacking and paddling?
After just a few short days, my worries subsided. My crew began to laugh together, talk together, and enjoy one another’s company. Despite some challenges, I learned to love the intensity of being on the water and navigating the Appalachian Trail. As the trip came to a close, I reflected on the valuable skills and unforgettable memories that I had gained, such as learning how to set
up a mosquito tarp, cooking in the rain, and karaoke singing on the trail. The experience kindled my love for the outdoors and sparked my desire to get involved. With this newfound passion, I sought out more opportunities to engage with DO, such as their Trip Leader Training (TLT) course. Through weekly classes and several backpacking trips, I learned essential outdoor and leadership skills, met some really cool people, and built self-confidence.
TLT began with classroom-style learning that involved weekly lessons taught by DO trip leaders and staff members. As the course progressed, so did my leadership and outdoor skills. With each new class and trip, fellow TLT participants and I took on more leadership roles. We taught our own lessons, such as navigation, compass reading, blister care, and weather preparedness. By the end of the semester, we were able to plan, prep, and lead an entire backpacking trip on our own.
In preparation for leading my first trip, I also became certified in Wilderness First Aid, CPR, and van driving. In the fall of my sophomore year, another trip leader and I led our first ever day hike to the top of Pilot Mountain in North Carolina. It was incredibly rewarding to see all the training I had completed being put to use. Sitting on top of Pilot Mountain, eating trail Lunchables, engaging in meaningful conversation, and admiring the beautiful landscape is a memory I will never forget. In addition to leading this trip, I was fortunate enough to travel to the Florida Everglades with DO at the beginning of this year for a week-long canoeing trip. Each morning, the crew would disassemble camp, cook breakfast, create a plan for the day, and load the
know the people around you. Invest in the strangers who will soon turn into friends and take time to appreciate the Davidson community waiting for you. It’s pretty special. I recognize the difficulty in asking you to be vulnerable, so reread the first paragraph and let me go first.
Italy Ramos ‘25 is a biology major from San Antonio, TX and can be reached for comment at itramos@davidson.edu.
boats, all before setting sail. One of our daily tasks involved devising a float plan, where we selected certain routes to take between mangroves and islands, calculated bearings with a compass, and estimated paddling time. Once on the water, we utilized these float plans to help captain the boat and canoe in the proper direction. This adventure helped me gain a deeper appreciation for conservation efforts in this national park and its surrounding areas.
The rewarding nature of these trips have inspired me to continue leading with DO. I hope to create meaningful experiences for the next generation of Davidson students so that they too may experience the beauty of nature and the sense of community that comes with outdoor adventures.
DO has opened doors to endless opportunities for me. I am forever grateful for the knowledge, skills, and friendships I have gained along the way. It’s never too late to get involved! No prior experience is needed to immerse yourself in DO. Everyone is welcome. So, next time you are books deep in schoolwork and longing for a break, consider making your way over to DO and embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime outdoor adventure.
Hannah Foley ‘27 is a chemistry major from Naples, FL and can be reached for comment at hafoley@davidson.edu.
ITALY RAMOS ‘25 (SHE/HER)
HANNAH FOLEY ‘27 (SHE/HER)
Sports
Davidson men’s basketball struggles in conference play
On Dec. 31, Davidson opened their Atlantic 10 (A-10) conference play in Fairfax, Virginia against George Mason. Coming into the game, the Wildcats looked promising with a 10-3 record. Two of their losses came in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament at the hands of the highly competitive University of Arizona and Gonzaga University teams. At the time, both teams were in the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 rankings: Gonzaga was ranked 3rd, and Arizona 24th. Davidson’s third loss was by just one point on the road against Temple, after the ‘Cats allowed a game-winning layup in the last seconds.
Davidson entered Fairfax coming off two double-digit wins versus Bethune-Cookman University and Eastern Michigan University. Still, conference play always proves to be a difficult task, and this time was no different. The ‘Cats were crushed by George Mason University—who now leads the conference with a 10-1 record—despite a 20-point effort from Reed Bailey ‘26.
Davidson didn’t stay down for long, though. They returned home for a two game stretch and won them both. In the first game, they achieved a 7-point victory over Duquesne University, and they followed it up by downing Fordham University 74-64 a week later.
Following the home stint, Davidson went on the road for a two-game stretch. On Jan. 15, the ‘Cats fell to La Salle University by three points, 79-76. Three days later, Davidson was edged out, 92-90, by the University of Rhode Island, despite a 30-point performance from Bailey. The Wildcats returned home Jan. 21, only to lose 78-61 to Saint Joseph’s University.
In the midst of the turbulent A-10 season, Bailey has held steady for Davidson with consistently strong play and leadership. Bailey currently leads not only Davidson but the entire A-10 in scoring averaging 20 points per game. Bobby Durkin ‘27 and Connor Kochera ‘25 also sit at fourteenth and eighteenth, respectively, across the conference in scoring.
On Jan. 25, the ‘Cats snapped their losing streak on the road against Richmond with a 72-66 win. Once again, Bailey led the way with a career-high 32 points, while Durkin grabbed ten rebounds to help Davidson seal the deal. The following Saturday, the Wildcats hosted George Mason in a potential revenge game. Despite stellar defensive play from the ‘Cats and 17 points from Durkin, Davidson could not pull close enough to steal the win. They lost in a close matchup, 6460. Three days later, Coach McKillop and his team travelled up to Ohio to take on University of Dayton. Bailey once again led Davidson in scoring with 19 points, but it wasn’t enough—the Wildcats fell 69-63.
Davidson was able to bookend those losses with a series sweep against Richmond on Feb. 8. Bailey showed out again with 24 points, and the ‘Cats won 71-60 in front of a jubilant home crowd. Currently, Davidson is 4-6 in conference play, leaving them at tenth place in the conference with eight games remaining. With the exception of Fordham—whom Davidson will meet again on the road on Feb. 22—every team the Wildcats face sits above them in the A-10 standings and will be first-time matchups. These games are against Loyola University Chicago (twice), George Washington University, Saint Louis University, St. Bonaventure University, and a huge road game against Virginia Commonwealth University, who are currently sitting alone in second place in the A-10. While a regular season title seems out of reach for the ‘Cats at this point, stranger things have happened. Each win from
here on out helps Davidson build momentum for the A-10 Tournament in March, which will likely be the Wildcats’ only chance to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
Davidson women’s basketball contends for A-10 title
Slow start does not deter improving ‘Cats
On Saturday, Feb. 8, the Davidson women’s basketball team thumped the University of Massachusetts Minutewomen, 56-38, to lock down their eighth conference win of the season. Despite having a lackluster overall record of 13-11, the ‘Cats are tied for third in the Atlantic 10 (A-10) conference standings, and are poised to be in excellent shape come March.
The Wildcats started the season with an electric comeback win at home versus Florida Gulf Coast University, 57-56. In spite of this exciting start, the rest of Davidson’s nonconference play proved to be challenging. By the time conference play began, the ‘Cats were 5-7, with notable road losses at North Carolina State and Wake Forest.
Following their loss to NC State, Coach Gayle Fulks’ team was able to turn a corner. The Wildcats went on a tear and destroyed Universtiy of North Carolina at Pembroke 8453, then did the same to Universtiy of North Carolina at Charlotte, 82-55. Following their two blowout wins, the ‘Cats opened A-10 play with a four game win streak, beating Duquesne, La Salle, Saint Louis and Rhode Island.
a lopsided defeat at home with a score of 63-41. Davidson was then able to handily defeat St. Bonaventure, 83-45, but following the victory, the team dropped three straight games. The first was a close loss, falling on
balanced this season. Charlise Dunn ‘26 leads the team in scoring, averaging 11.7 points per game, with Donovan (10.3) and Issy Morgan ‘25 (10.1) not far behind. Great defensive play has never been in question this season,
with stout defense, Donovan led the way offensively with 12 points, in addition to significant contributions off the bench from Tomisin Adenupe ‘25 and Sienna Dauer ‘28. The following week, Davidson’s starters combined for fifty-four points against visiting Loyola Chicago. Thanks to great defensive efforts from Prior and Dunn, who each recorded two blocks on the night, the ‘Cats handily defeated Loyola Chicago, 68-51. After their victory on the road against UMass, Davidson begins the final stretch of the 2024-25 A-10 season. The ‘Cats have six games remaining in the season, including two rematches with Richmond and George Mason, who sit atop the A-10 standings at one and two, respectively. If Davidson is able to win out, they could have a chance to take the A-10 regular season title. Regardless, they are in an excellent position for the A-10
Richmond snapped their win streak with
the road to George Mason by eight. The next game, the ‘Cats hosted Saint Louis and lost by nine, despite a 16-point effort from Katie Donovan ‘27. The third loss came at home against Saint Joseph’s, 60-46. Despite the ups and downs, Davidson’s offense has been very
and Millie Prior ‘25 and Dunn have been the backbone: Prior has twenty-seven blocks on the season and Dunn has twenty-six steals.
The Wildcats bounced back with a tight, three-point victory over Virginia Commonwealth University, 54-51. Along
Reed Bailey ‘26 joined the 1,000-point club against Dayton on Feb. 4. Photo from Davidson men’s basketball Instagram.
Charlise Dunn ‘26 sets up a play against Saint Louis. Photo by Tim Cowie.
Tomisin Adenupe ‘25 scores double digits against Saint Joseph’s. Photo by Tim Cowie.
Arts and Entertainment 6
What you missed: Student art at the start of the semester
‘27 (SHE/HER) ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT CO-EDITOR
The Davidson art scene has been busy in the last few weeks without The Davidsonian . Live music, art sales and student music galore—there has been an abundance of entertainment for the community to participate in and enjoy. Here’s what you missed...
Winterfest
On Jan. 25th, Union Board hosted its annual Winterfest in the Alvarez Student Union. The event included a performance by student band Fool’s Errand, Charlotte artist John Hardy, and upcoming indie artist Eliza McLamb. Jayson Rivera ‘27, who plays rhythm guitar for Fool’s Errand, thought the event was a success. “Everything Union Board did to ensure it ran smoothly provided me (and other performers) with a really quality experience. Everything from the decorations to Tech Services’ audio mixing truly elevated the night,” he described. Rivera also appreciated getting to watch the other acts of the night and even have the chance to know them. “The other
performers were class acts as well, I was able to get to know John Hardy between sets and he was a great guy.”
For many Davidson music enthusiasts, seeing singersongwriter Eliza McLamb was a highlight of the night, especially for Victoria Spadacenta ‘27. “Eliza McLamb is actually one of my favorite artists and this was my third time seeing her live which is awesome,” Spadacenta gushed. Students even got to meet her at the merchandise booth after the performance. Whether there to support friends or discover a new artist, those at Winterfest were not disappointed.
Tiny DACE
Just over a week later on Feb. 2nd, Davidson Arts and Creative Engagement (DACE) hosted their third Tiny DACE concert in their studio. The event, inspired by NPR’s Tiny Desk concerts, creates a space for student musicians to play in a relaxed atmosphere. The event showcased student musicians Luca Lovrich ‘25 and Victor Jacobs ‘26, both of whom took turns playing original songs and covers on their guitars for the audience.
Harris Huber ‘27 thoroughly enjoyed the event.
“I thought the performances were really good and played to the strengths of the space really well,” Huber stated. “The small setting makes the performance a lot more intimate. It felt like a switch up from normal music performances at Davidson, which was a pleasant surprise.” Keep an eye out for future Tiny DACE performances and try to snag a spot to watch these student artists showcase their talent.
WALT Dayz
As the semester progressed, WALT 1610 hosted their popular WALT Dayz student art sale at Summit Coffee Outpost (Nummit) on Feb. 7. The event raised funds for WALT and in support of recent wildfire relief in Los Angeles. The event showcased student art and even an auction of student creations and goody baskets from local small businesses—a new feature for the fundraiser.
One of the sellers, Rose Cecchi ‘27, crafted unique, colorful collages and sold them at the event. “I loved selling at WALT Dayz. It gives smaller artists like me an opportunity to share my work with Davidson for a good cause.”
Courtney Lassiter ‘27 helped organize the new auction feature of WALT Dayz and added an entertaining twist to the experience.“I made up this character called Senator TJ Piddlewanks, who I channeled as I was doing the auction. We wanted to recreate the funny vibe of a live auction,” she explained. “We auctioned off three baskets of donated goods from local businesses as well as one of Finny’s [a featured student artist] paintings, and it was overall a really successful event. The live auction was both hilarious and a great way to raise funds for both causes.”
Recap
The first three weeks of arts at Davidson have brought entertainment and excitement. From live music to local musicians to showcases of student art and talent, these events have certainly set the stage for an excellent semester for the arts.
Josie Swain ‘27 is an English major from Atlanta, GA and can be reached for comment at joswain@davidson.edu.
In case you don’t remember Placement Day...
Savannah Soraghan ‘27 displays her artwork at WALT Dayz. Photo by Savannah Soraghan ‘27.
Fool’s Errand rocks out at Winterfest. Photo by Sebastian Macaire ‘27.
JOSIE SWAIN
Living Davidson Crossword Periodically
Crosswords by Victor Fleming ‘73
Start to wilt
Gazed impolitely
Airline-seat attachment
6 Days of yesteryear
7 Ode or elegy
8 Equal to, with “with”
9 Have as a customer 10 Diaper wearer 11 Shave-cream ingredient
12 Script part 13 Irate 21 Faucet defect
1000 grams, briefly
Ending with penta or centi
___monde (high society)
Phil Collins’s “Hello, ___ Be Going!”
Drop from Niobe
Equally large
Caboose’s spot
___ Malaprop (“The Rivals” character)
Elementary school periodical of old
Abu Dhabi’s land (abbr.)
Bobsled alternatives 58 Mortgagee’s obligation, typically
“So long!,” in London
“___ Fine” (1963 Chiffons hit)
Slow Churned ice cream brand
22 It may get fertilized
26 Jr.’s son, perhaps
27 Advanced deg. for a lawyer
28 “___ joking!”
29 Asian New Year
30 Agenda element
31 Not distant
32 Makes 5-Across, say
33 “Pygmalion” playwright’s last name
34 “At ___” (military directive)
35 Contraption cartoonist Goldberg
39 ___Tok (social media app)
41 Start to shell?
42 Pole leader?
45 Market oversaturation
47 Hinge (upon)
50 God, in Judaism
51 Experience one more time
52 Thunderous sound
55 Like the Arctic
56 Ally’s opposite
57 Blunt ends
58 Thom of shoe fame
59 Latch ___ (adopt)
60 “Polostan” author Stephenson
61 Designer ___ Saint Laurent
62 Hoosegows
63 In re alternative
64 Chomped down
ANSWERS TO PREVIOUS CROSSWORD: SPREAD THE 38 DOWN
Crime Log
Time Reported Description/Location
02/06/25, 00:36 hrs
02/06/25, 13:30 hrs
02/09/25, 00:05 hrs
Alcohol Offenses: Consume by Person
Under 21
Baker Sports, Inactive
Traffic Offenses: Reckless Driving Offenses
Baker Sports, Cleared by Arrest
Burglary Offenses: Breaking or Entering a Vehicle
Belk, Further Investigation
Time Reported Description/Location
02/09/25, 01:10 hrs
02/09/25, 02:20 hrs
02/09/25, 19:01 hrs
SGA Updates
Charters and Bylaws:
Alcohol Offenses: Consume by Person Under 21
Belk, Inactive
Assault Offenses: Assault on a Campus Police Officer
Patterson Court, Cleared by Arrest
Burglary Offenses: Breaking or Entering a Vehicle
Chidsey, Inactive
The Senate approved charters for several organizations, including the Association for Women in Mathematics, the Photography Club and the Pan-Asian Student Association. A provisional charter was granted to the Davidson Undergraduate Immunology Society. The recharter applications for Charter II and III organizations are due Friday!
Food and Housing:
SGA met with the Sustainability Office to begin managing the Green Fund and organized a waste audit on Feb. 19 from 5:00-6:30 p.m. in the Spencer-Weinstein Center for Community and Justice. Also met with Dining Services about foodserving PCC organizations under the new dining plan and welcomed LaFarin Meriwether as the new Residence Life Office director.
Campus Outreach:
The Outreach Committee sent out a survey to those who have utilized the SGA Airport Shuttle service with the hopes of better tailoring the program to fit students’ needs.
Community Committee:
The committee is designing t-shirts, lawn signs, banners and stickers to promote the “Celebration of Honor Week” for the Honor Council in March. Met with Honor Council leadership to discuss passive programming and advertisement. Other Updates:
During the week of March 3, SGA and the Honor Council will be hosting a series of programming called “A Celebration of Honor.” On March 4 at 7:00 p.m., a panel of four distinguished Davidson alumni will come together at the Duke Family Performance Hall to share their perspectives on the Honor Code and how it has continued to guide them in their professional careers.
Yowl The
Irreverent student journalism since 2004. Castigat Ridendo Mores.
yowl.com/alreadymissed6classesfromtheflu
Uh oh! My hangover Was actually the flu.
Page SuperSpreader
Alum has to network for a job with the guy he turned in for an Honor Code violation.
Page Am I Cooked?
February 12, 2025
Hundreds of students fall for scam offering seat in bio class in exchange for money.
Page Davidson Diff
2025 eating house membership contract
The Yowl was able to exclusively obtain the super ultrasecret 2025 Eating House Membership Contract, a written agreement all first-years joining an eating house are required to sign on the morning of Placement Day. The document can be found below.
I, _______________ [please write name in the most flamboyant cursive you learned in third grade], agree to the following terms as required conditions of my status as a member of an eating house:
1. I agree to forgo all friendships with those that are not members of my organization. Special care should be taken to sever relationships with DUFF members, Geminis, professors, Union Board members, anyone you see in the laundry room, and roommates. PCC has publicly expressed contempt for these affiliations, and any interactions deemed unsatisfactory by the Surveillance Committee will result in immediate disciplinary action.
2. I understand that it is impossible to “drop” or “transfer.” If I choose to sign this form, I am committing to continued and passionate membership in the eating
APoll: Is it rude if I respond with the dislike emoji to someone’s couple post on their Instagram story?
Page No
house I am placed in on the morning of February 8. Any detection of the words in quotations above by the Surveillance Committee will result in immediate disciplinary action.
3. I understand that upon signing this agreement, I will be blindfolded, driven in circles, and dropped unceremoniously on the doorstep of my new eating house. There, a physical exam and cleaning will be administered to eliminate any trace of outside influence. Lobotomies are performed on a case-by-case basis. I will be given a new wardrobe consisting only of my organization’s paraphernalia. Meanwhile, a PCC-funded hazmat team will dispose of my previous belongings. The branding ceremony will last until lunch, followed by highly supervised free time at the Armfield Penitentiary. Additional procedures, such as Warner’s coveted chanting ritual or the Rusk event known only as “Axe Time” have all been approved by PCC.
Name: ________________________
Date:_______________
Perspectives: Coming back to Davidson
s we return to campus this spring, I am sure people have noticed the growth of sophisticated culture as compared to the fall semester. This influx of, as the French would say, à la mode is because us worldly juniors have returned from our studies abroad. As someone who took courses in Zleptieg, Germany at Freud University’s School of Computer Science and Concrete Brutalist Architecture, I can truly say Davidson needs to revitalize its cultural milieu. The European lifestyle just makes sense, and I think we could all benefit from smoking more cigarettes at 8am before drinking black coffee from 5pm to 11pm at Nummit. The real culture shock I experienced was returning to my lovely campus and not seeing a single person wearing black and grey palette patchwork pants with a stained deep red turtleneck and thin sunglasses. Instead, as I walk the campus, all I see is the faces of people who haven’t been to 15+ small European countries and I feel pity.
While I spent my first day back at Libs performatively reading my antidisestablishmentarianism post-marxist prebeaufont Romanian literature, I ran into an old friend and said “merci beaucoup la fontaine poisson, et ma phaque boulangerie croquet,” a very common and elementary greeting in France, I was shocked that they thought I was having a stroke. I think the students that stayed here don’t understand how life changing this was for us. We can’t just easily slip out of the culture and language that practically rebirthed us during our 3 month semester with other English speaking Americans. The bonds I formed by socializing exclusively with other Davidson students in my program
WRITERS
through WhatsApp are truly incomprehensible to those unworldly people that have stayed behind. Prepare to look on sadly as we do our program reunion event every two weeks to reminisce on the more interesting times of our life that have passed by. Mon Dieu! You probably don’t even know what that means, it’s a pretty niche regional saying I picked up while there.
Some steps that the college can take to help ease our transition is to change the embarrassing party scene. During my ‘How to Drink Alcohol’ seminar we went to a club called the “Pink Cigarette,” where I learned some new partying techniques. This week at F each house will be playing east german soviet block techno music from the artist Sigreid Skrillonyxx while blue green lights flash and people serve lukewarm water mixed with merlot and a cigarette butt, which is all the rage in modern metropolitan areas. I was so delighted to be welcomed in with such open arms, the staff at every club and bar immediately would speak to me in English to make me feel at home. They even gave me a different price than everyone else at the bar. It was so considerate of them to give me a discount to welcome in an American (if you could even call me that anymore, I’m basically a dual citizen) traveling on a budget to dozens of countries. The Davidson social scene, including the freshman bartenders conscripted to service at an apartment at F had better show me the same level of respect and appreciation. Thank you to everyone who will be working to make us world travelers feel welcomed back as the new and totally enlightened beings that we are.
Lebeer James Mr. Study Abroad Next Editor In Satire Class
EVENT OF THE WEEK
The Spring Renewal Issue
Try it! Introduce two people you think would hate each other. Page Inverse Marriage Pact
Perspective: I hotboxed the Winterfest igloo tents.
Page Global Warming
Last week, arguably the most shocking NBA trade in history occurred between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks, sending superstar Luka Dončić to join LeBron James in LA in exchange for Anthony Davis. This blockbuster move went down around midnight on Saturday, leading to some interesting reactions from Davidson students at Ryburn and Armfield. Basketball fan Buddy Shooping ‘26 described the scene. “Somebody got a call and broke the news to everyone [...] nobody believed it at first. I mean, Luka to the Lakers? That trade wouldn’t even be accepted in NBA 2K. But then everyone started checking their phones. We saw the ESPN alerts, Twitter posts, and chaos ensued,” Shopping stated. “I saw someone drop their beer and immediately fall to their knees,” one confused student described. “I assumed they got a rejection letter from a job. A sports trade can’t be that deep?”
Duncan Daball ‘28 commented on the energy. “It was crazy. People were arguing, hugging and crying. People started calling their parents, their siblings, their therapists. I saw someone rush to bet on the Lakers winning the title before the odds updated.” “Random people were coming up to me asking, ‘Yo, did you hear?’ It felt like we had some sort of camaraderie, like we were all collectively dealing with a BS Humes reading.” Another student emphasized, “It’s like one of those flashbulb memories where you remember exactly where you were when you heard the news. I’m going to be telling my grandkids about this.”
The next morning, I overheard a group of people discussing the trade in the library. “I can’t even do my work right now. It feels like the Big Bang all over again,” junior Ally Whoop ‘26 said. Sports fans were also attempting to explain the significance of the trade to their friends. “It’s like if we traded Presidents. [...] That just doesn’t happen,” said one student, who actually wishes it was an option to trade our president.
A Mavericks fan exclaimed that it felt like it was the day after the meteor hit the earth, and that he was a dinosaur. One locked-in student was getting sick of the sports talk and implored their friends to stop talking, to which another retorted, “Wouldn’t you be talking about World War II if it had just ended?”
(Yes, this is an actual quote. The student also referred to this trade as an “Assassination of Franz Ferdinand” moment).
So, who won the trade?
The Mavericks gain an All-Defensive big man in Anthony Davis, 31, pairing him alongside guards Kyrie Irving, 32, and Klay Thompson, 35. “That line up would have been really good like, five years ago,” said sophomore Will Eipass ‘27. A neutral NBA fan claimed, “Anthony Davis is washed. His only accomplishment is the Mickey Mouse ring [the 2020 NBA Championship]. My grandma has stronger bones than he does, and she’s dead!” [Editors’ Note: This aged well… Anthony Davis suffered a non-contact injury in his first game as a Maverick and is out indefinitely.]
On the other hand, the Lakers gain one of the most promising superstars in the league, but also give up their strongest big man. “I’m happy we got Luka, but when I said we needed more size, that’s not what I meant!” [Another editor’s note: Mavericks Front Office cited concerns about Dončić’s conditioning and weight in their justification to trade him.]
No matter where you look, there’s confused and divisive reactions everywhere. “Why go for Luka? If I were the Lakers, I would’ve gone for Stephen Curry and saved him from the Warriors and their sinking ship!” said a Davidson graduate with NBA ties who asked to remain anonymous.
There’s only one question that remains: how will this impact LeBron’s legacy? Davidson
RLO implements new policy:
You can split housing bill with roommate’s partner
Are you tired of always having your roommate’s boyfriend or girlfriend over all the time? Has your double room suddenly functionally turned into a triple and your rooming costs haven’t been able to keep up? Great News! The Residential Life Office now allows you to split your housing costs with your new third roommate. The same technology that allows you to split up an Uber trip between two debit cards will now be used to allow you to charge your roommate’s partner for their use of your room. If it’s nearing permanence, like they live there all the time, you can now actually reflect that in your tuition statement. The housing budget will be split evenly between three parties if your roommate’s partner stays over—or really sorta just lounges about the communal living space—more than four days a week. Despite protests from the dating contingent of campus, RLO has clarified that having friends over to hangout in your room is not eligible for this split, as sources confirm that the vibes of interjecting in a conversation with friends is less difficult than dealing with your old and now new roommate naked in bed together.
Friendzoned by the Marriage Pact. Our thots and prayers go out to the 115 heterosexual women who were given a friend pact instead of a marriage pact. Even the algorithm can’t find you someone... Ouch!
Note: The Yowl is a satirical supplement to The Davidsonian Hence, nothing in it should be taken as truth.