Kenny Xu ‘19 and Mbye Njie ‘04 discuss the merits of DEI at Davidson.
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Three senior track athletes recap the inaugural 2025 Davidson Relays.
ICOLIN DECKER ‘27 (HE/HIM) PODCAST HOST
n Feb. 2024, the Sadler Square Shopping Center—located at 201 Griffith Street— was acquired by Piedmont Capital Real Estate LLC, a firm based in Charlotte. On Aug. 21, 2024, the Town of Davidson’s Design Review Board approved Piedmont Capital’s new building schematic design. According to the Review Board’s staff report, Piedmont requested approval of changes to the center, with the expressed goal of “improv[ing] the aesthetic of the existing building.”
The new additions to the property will include new paint, renewed store fronts and “[the] creation of additional patio opportunities.”
Before the new year, the businesses in the center were asked to vacate their spaces. The renovations have been ongoing ever since.
The shopping center is the former home of community staples like OurTown Cinema, The Egg and BK Custom Cleaners. BK Custom Cleaners had been in that location for nearly 30 years; The Egg was nearing 20. Aside from the public documentation, the direction of the soon-to-be-renovated Sadler Square remains a mystery. Since the Town of Davidson was only involved in approving the building’s renovations, local government officials are just as curious as local residents.
Mayor Rusty Knox provided some insight into how informed the Town was on this acquisition and renovation project. “We, the Town, knew the center was for sale. I’ve been a real estate broker for 30 years, so I was also
CLAIRE IRELAND ‘28 (SHE/HER) WEBSITE DESIGNER
Acrowd of students, faculty and staff gathered in the Lilly Family Gallery this past Thursday to discuss a subject central to the Davidson community: the Honor Code. The event was hosted by the Deliberate Citizenship Initiative (DCI) in partnership with the Student Government Association (SGA), Honor Council and Dean of Students Office.
DCI Senior Fellows LJ Phillips ‘25, Isabella Neri ‘27 and Cavan Klein ‘27 organized the conversation. The forum, which was only open to current Davidson community members, began with a detailed presentation on how the Honor Council functions. Honor Council President Mary Gray Speakman ‘25 and Honor Council Vice Chair Tyler Puleo ‘25 discussed how the Council functions, how cases are handled and why expanding community outreach (including writing an opinion piece for The Davidsonian) continues to be a priority.
“Stripes Monday” Instagram account has taken over Davidson’s student body.
No Living Davidson crossword? The Yowl has you covered.
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Sadler Square renovations continue while displaced businesses attempt to move forward
aware.” Aside from this, all Knox knows of the project is restricted to the rumblings he hears and his own hopes for the center.
“Most people I speak to are excited about the [renovations] the center is receiving. Additionally, there is a lot of interest in what will occupy the spaces. As a resident, I would love to see a grocery option, and any food options would be welcomed. I don’t know any specifics about existing businesses returning. My hope is that the future tenants are diverse in nature and offer options that cater to Davidson College, the Town residents and those that visit,” Knox stated.
Kim Fleming, director of economic development for the Town of Davidson, was asked what the renovated center will
After a slight shift in seating arrangement to guarantee at least two staff and faculty members and one DCI fellow were at each table, the deliberation began. The discussions were structured around specific questions concerning the Honor Code and guided by DCI fellows. Participants covered topics ranging from broad cultural queries such as, “What does the Honor Code mean to you right now?” to more specific action-oriented questions, including, “How could Davidson create a more clear and substantive process for punishment of Honor Code violations?”
SGA President Connor Hines ‘26 was surprised by the participants’ abilities to find common ground despite coming from different backgrounds. “We were able to confidently come to a list of five, maybe six [...] action areas where we want to see [change] happen,” Hines explained. “If you had asked me that we would come to this much agreement through some of our deliberation, I wouldn’t have felt that way, but the fact that we can all point to a couple specific things and say, ‘these need to change,’ I think, is a step in the right direction.”
do for the economic health of Davidson.
“New investment in the Town of Davidson helps to strengthen our commercial tax base and provides critical retail mass for all the businesses in town.”
According to Knox, most of the business owners he has discussed the renovations with “welcome new options in town.”
Jonathan Stewart, a partner at Piedmont Capital, confirmed the physical transformations of the lot but was unable to provide more clarifying information about any new businesses moving into the square.
“We are currently finishing up the exterior improvement project to the property. This includes the major façade changes, new roofs, installation of a sprinkler system, a
Neri echoed this sentiment. “I find it super enlightening to see how there might be some discrepancies between perspectives, but ultimately, we kind of want the same thing.”
Puleo was moved by the discussions. “It was really reassuring to hear everyone be on the same page that we think that not only the [Honor] Council should stay [...] but that we’ve made a lot of progress with our academic integrity systems here at Davidson,” he said.
This progress has taken the form of altering punitive elements of the Honor Code to be less of a one-size-fits-all approach. “We’re not [regressing] to an old time where it used to be a failure in a class and withdrawal[s] in three other classes and taking a semester off,” Puleo said. “It is a case-by-case basis, and every case is unique.”
This discussion notably follows the SGA and Honor Council’s dedicated week in early March: “A Celebration of Honor.”
This week provided opportunities for students and community members to
new curb, parking lots, parking lot lights and landscaping,” Stewart said. “We are working with a number of prospective tenants now and look forward to announcing future openings alongside tenants, when they are ready to do so.”
Amidst the curiosity and excitement, many have forgotten about the businesses that were forced to leave Sadler Square. Robert McCrary, owner of The Egg, has been running his displaced breakfast and lunch spot out of his other restaurant, The Crazy Pig.
“We loved The Egg over there. Everybody loved The Egg. It was there for 18 years and it was a very special place. I’ve seen kids grow up, go away to college, get married. We’ve seen generations go through there. It was very special,” McCrary said.
Before Piedmont Capital bought the property, McCrary had an excellent relationship with the ownership of the center. “I had a very good relationship [with the previous owner] for 18 years. I helped him mow the yard. [...] He was a single owner, an older guy, you know, old school. He worked with me when times got tough, like during COVID. He was a good guy. It was the way it should be. It was a hometown kind of thing,” McCrary stated. “The new owners are not like that.”
According to McCrary, none of the businesses in Sadler Square had a lease since the pandemic and instead were paying on a month-to-month basis. McCrary suspected that this meant “the original owner had in his mind to sell eventually anyway.”
111 years of student journalism at Davidson
Tuesday, April 1 marked 111 years of independent student journalism at Davidson College. Over the last century, The Davidsonian has served as an outlet for student and community voices on campus. We hope that our readers will continue to look toward The Davidsonian for accurate reporting and enriching stories. We love what we do and we are grateful to our campus community for allowing us to represent them.
Sincerely,
The Davidsonian Staff
Sadler Square before renovations began. Photo from visitlakenorman.org.
Pictured above is the first-ever edition of The Davidsonian. Photo by Claire Kelly ‘25.
News Changes to Sadler Square are underway
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
After the transaction had been made, McCrary and the other business owners met with Piedmont Capital representatives.
“We sort of had an interview with them [after] they bought [Sadler Square] and I met all the new guys. They seemed nice enough. I didn’t hear much from them again until the rumors started flying around, [around] summertime, that they might be kicking out the [movie] theater or doing something like this or like that. And then, just out of the blue, the new owners gave everybody a letter [saying] you have 30 days to get out.”
Piedmont Capital did not respond to questions regarding these allegations.
While McCrary was fortunate to have a space to continue The Egg’s operation, he is far from settled.
“Closing The Egg really hurt. It hurt financially. It’s going to take me I don’t know how long to dig out of that hole. A lot of our clientele are older people, and they’re not tech savvy and social media aware, and I can only post [The Egg’s new location] so many times. There’s really no spot in Davidson for me to open up another [The] Egg, and if I go to another town, it defeats the purpose of The Egg.”
Still, in the face of adversity, McCrary is in good spirits and proud of what his employees have pushed through.
“I’m really proud of our team, the way we could come over here and transition two [restaurants] into one. If the opportunity presents itself [to open another restaurant space], I’ll certainly entertain it, but right now I’m just waiting for God to open up a door. I’m not pushing anything.”
Discussions about the Honor Code unify community members
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
meet the Honor Council, engage with the expectations of the Honor Code and listen to alumni express what the Honor Code has meant and continues to mean to them. In conjunction with this series of events, the DCI deliberation surrounding the Honor Code is emblematic of a larger desire within Davidson to bridge the gap between community members’ perceptions of the Honor Code and how the Honor Code actually functions.
Puleo stressed the importance of the Honor Council maintaining a sense of accessibility. “I think it’s impossible to have trust if we’re not making the effort to be transparent with everyone,” he said. “[If] we operate as this mysterious council and mysterious force [...] students might be more likely to violate the Honor Code because they just don’t understand what we are, or how we operate, or the importance of it.”
This deliberation addressed recent changes in campus culture such as the increase of in-person tests, discontent over discourse about the Honor Code on platforms such as YikYak and general confusion surrounding the Honor Council. The deliberation served as a platform for these discrepancies to be
adequately addressed. Ultimately, participants agreed that conversations surrounding the Honor Code need to change. “[It was clear] how much we had in common,” Phillips said. “The
reluctance of faculty to move to in-person tests [...] students feeling like [...] they have to [take] certain steps that violate the Honor Code and [the overall] struggle between how rigorous Davidson is and having academic
Catholic Campus Ministry holds conversation to discuss “scandal”
SOPHIA SCHUR ‘27 (SHE/HER) STAFF WRITER
This past week in the Oasis, held within the Chaplains’ Office on the fourth floor of the Alvarez College Union, Davidson’s Catholic Campus Ministry (CCM) hosted Father Aaron Huber of St. Mark Catholic Church to discuss “scandal” in the Church. CCM members and other students were encouraged to attend to discuss how religious scandals impact faith and perception of Catholicism.
CCM serves as the primary branch of the Catholic Church on Davidson’s campus. It is open to anyone who wants to grow their faith, both individually and through community. This community aspect is what drives CCM to host its many open discussions. Through both question and answer sessions like this event and other relaxed religious discussions like CCM’s Theology on Tap sessions, religion at Davidson becomes dynamic and open.
For this session in particular, students were able to connect with one another on a topic that CCM members felt was pertinent. To Gabby Valencia ‘25, openly addressing scandal felt like it would invite others to engage with her religion. “We wanted our ‘Scandal in the Church’ discussion to address a common roadblock among our friends and peers when interacting with Catholicism.”
The topic of scandal, and inviting Huber to lead the discussion, was a student-led initiative. Scott Salvato, Davidson’s Catholic chaplain, elaborated on why Father Huber was invited. “Father Huber knows the Catholic Davidson students well, and has earned their trust and admiration over a few years. They
requested he come and […] discuss the topic of scandal.” By engaging with difficult topics, CCM is attempting to foster a culture of transparency and reflection, encouraging students to confront uncomfortable truths while deepening their spiritual understanding. CCM’s functions are suggested and based on the needs of those involved, and this allows students to feel comfortable sharing their own opinions and ideas.
This discussion, like many others, was open to students not involved with CCM, encouraging those who may be looking to explore their faith or spirituality to join the conversation.
Halle Carns ‘27, a recent convert to Catholicism and active CCM member, once experienced this outside perspective. For her, scandal felt very intertwined with her previous misconceptions about the Church, as others’ judgments of Catholicism may have led her to turn away from the religion.
“Before I converted, I had the idea that the Church was full of secrets, confusion and contradiction. I learned through intentional conversations and studying over multiple years that this was not the case,” she said.
While many consider the word “scandal” to embody a very public and controversial spectacle, the word has a different meaning in the Catholic Church and CCM’s discussion. The talk highlighted that in the Church, scandal is defined as anything one may purposefully do or say that can lead someone else to sin. This emphasizes one’s responsibility to prevent others from wrongdoing as well as oneself. “[Scandal is] one of the worst things a person can do because they not only do wrong themselves, but they also cause other people to turn away from God and what is good,” Salvato said.
Despite many well-known scandals in the Catholic hurch that have been revealed in the past decade, the conversation did
not lean heavily into these topics, but rather focused on how scandal can impact faith.
“Relating [mortal sin] back to scandal and why it happens was the most interesting [part],” Carns said. CCM defined mortal sin as a specific type of sin that, if unrepented, can eternally cut one off from a connection to God. There are three components of mortal sin: the action is serious, the person committing the sin knows what they are doing and that they consent to the action itself. Scandal can easily fall into this category, as it can follow all three conditions for mortal sin.
This discussion resonated with several CCM attendees. One major point of the event was the notion of framing scandals as an antagonist to Catholicism rather than as a part of it. For Valencia, this event allowed her to comprehensively understand how scandal can alienate both churchgoers and outsiders. “Father Huber laid great groundwork for understanding how scandal works within the Church, which we were able to map onto why scandal and poor judgments by authority figures can be so harmful to both [Catholic people and] people proximate to the Catholic faith,” Valencia said.
Discussions of scandal carry weight both in and out of religious spheres. As Valencia stated, “It’s important for people of faith to question and explore their own beliefs because they’re carrying those understandings into the world and bearing their influence.”
By the end of the event, many attendees felt that the discussion created a non-judgemental and friendly space for students to openly discuss hard topics. “I don’t think anybody feared asking questions, and everyone was uplifting and open-minded [...] the good-natured atmosphere made all the difference for me,” Harns said.
integrity through it all […] highlights just how much we agreed on the issue, and how much we want the issue to be resolved.”
Throughout Davidson’s history, the Honor Code has served as a significant part of the College community. Photo from Davidson College.
Politics
Alumni group sparks debate on future of DEI at Davidson
AIDAN MARKS ‘27 (HE/HIM) POLITICS EDITOR
Amid ongoing backlash to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the country, members of the Davidson community have begun to question what DEI should look like at the College—and if it should exist at all.
On March 23, Davidsonians for Freedom of Thought and Discourse (DFTD) hosted an event titled “The DEI Debate” featuring a spirited back-and-forth between DFTD Executive Director Kenny Xu ‘19 and Mbye Njie ‘04, who recently concluded a four-year term on the Alumni Association Board.
Billed as a debate about whether or not DEI policies ought to be implemented, particularly in colleges and universities, Xu and Njie spent just over 75 minutes outlining, attacking and defending their positions on how DEI affects Davidson.
Xu is adamantly opposed to DEI, which he views as an inherently radical set of policies.
“DEI comes from a very specific [...] set of values that inherently propositions a divided society. [Proponents of DEI] don’t want unity. They want division. Even the people who want unity within DEI, I would say, are being misled because the ideology itself is racist.”
At a foundational level, Xu believes DEI inhibits personal liberty. “We all want a better society. We all want a higher-performing society. But if we want those things, we can’t use DEI to get us there. At best, it is only going to get us to the exact same place, and at worst, it actually generates more division and less performance.”
Njie disagreed, arguing DEI is the reason Davidson is successful. “Talking about diversity, equity, inclusion [at] Davidson, to me, is almost laughable [...] Every metric so far has shown that [diversity, equity and inclusion policy has] done nothing but help Davidson become a better college.”
Njie reiterated his perspective in an interview with The Davidsonian following the debate. “The more diverse you are as a company, as a school, as an organization, the better you are. The more diverse thoughts you get, the more diverse opinions you get, the more diverse points of view you get, the better you are.”
The debate fell victim to a common critique of DEI discourse: few people operate under the same definition.
Xu defines DEI as a specific set of policies. “You have to consider not just what the term means on its own, but how it’s actually enacted. And by and large, diversity, equity and inclusion in the university setting and the corporate setting is enacted through affirmative action and admissions or race preferences, diversity trainings, statements asked of faculty members or people who are hired and those kinds of things.”
Jayden Smith ‘25, an attendee, had a different definition. “At the end of the day, it’s an acronym
for three, in my opinion, objectively good things. I feel like I value a diverse community of people with different viewpoints and different experiences. I want them all to be able to engage in conversation on an equal level and to have the same level of opportunities. That’s the equity. And I want everyone to be included and able to indulge in whatever it is they want to do. That’s the inclusion part.”
Njie’s definition is broader and rooted in historical context. “Ever since we’ve integrated the school, ever since we admitted women to this school [...] we’ve done nothing but improve the school. We’ve added to the endowment. We’ve added to the legacy.”
On multiple occasions throughout the debate, Njie asked Xu to provide specific examples of objectionable policies at Davidson. “I disagree with the idea that Davidson has nothing to improve with regards to its diversity policies. There is compulsion, and there has been documented compulsion at Davidson,” Xu said.
“Those things have to go.”
The compulsion Xu referenced includes reports of syllabi statements that singled out white students as “oppressors” and a controversial documentary shown to student-athletes in the 2023-2024 school year titled “I’m Not Racist… Am I?”
Njie took issue with the latter example.
“[DFTD] spread the stuff about that video from the athletes [...] without giving context that the video was a student-led initiative, and it was in response to a student-athlete calling other black students the ‘N-word’ on campus.”
When asked to provide examples of problematic policies currently in place by the Davidson administration during the debate Q&A, Xu identified mandatory diversity statements in the hiring process, in course syllabi, and a lack of institutional neutrality as three policies DFTD takes issues with.
According to job descriptions for multiple open positions at Davidson including a Visiting Assistant Professor in English, candidates must submit “a 1-2 page statement that outlines how one’s teaching, research, and/or service might contribute to Davidson’s institutional commitment to diversity and inclusion.”
According to a Feb. 26 op-ed in The Davidsonian written by former North Carolina Governor James Martin ‘57, who sits on DFTD’s Board of Directors, the offending syllabi statements were removed at the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year.
Furthermore, Xu’s sole example of Davidson administrators violating institutional neutrality occurred a decade ago during his freshman year at Davidson in 2015.
Smith also took issue with Xu’s comments about the faculty hiring process. During his junior year, Smith took part in a search committee for the Student Initiative for Academic Diversity (SIAD). In small groups, trained SIAD student workers conducted interviews for tenure-track faculty and senior administration positions. “Most of it was centered around their teaching styles and the ways in which they conduct a
Lifestyle
Q: I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately with all the upcoming social events—specifically formals and Frolics. On the one hand, I want to go to everything and have a good time, but on the other hand, it’s a lot and I feel pressure to keep up with everyone else. All my friends are making plans and it feels like if I don’t join in, I’ll miss out. Any advice on balancing my social life without burning out?
Dear Reader,
It’s definitely very tricky to be caught between something exciting and social exhaustion. The good news is that you don’t have to choose between going all in or entirely missing out. Balance is key!
Just because your friends are going to everything doesn’t mean that you have to. Pick the events that truly excite you and go from there. There are so many events during Frolics and it is completely unnecessary to go to all of them. If you really enjoy live music, prioritize the concert. If you’re a fan of PCC fun or a certain organization, prioritize that.
classroom,” Smith said.
In SIAD interviews, professors are asked to explain their teaching style and how they navigate conflicting perspectives in the classroom.
“We have to make sure that these are professors that know how to handle a classroom of a very diverse array of students,” Smith said.
Questions about tolerance to ideological diversity and commitment to inclusion are an important step to ensure diversity of thought in the classroom. “We really want to emphasize that inclusion point because we don’t want to feel like anyone is left out in a small class,” Smith said.
To Smith, framing DEI as the enemy of merit misses the point. “The fact that we even have the student body involved in [hiring faculty] goes to show how much this institution values not only trying to foster an environment where we’re bringing in diverse hires, but where we actually try to make sure that these are hires that are qualified to do their job.”
At an institutional level, Davidson is committed to diversity and inclusion. The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion “seeks to engage all students in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts [...] to uplift the intersections of culture and identity,” according to the College website. The Statement of Purpose affirms that “Davidson values diversity, recognizing the dignity and worth of every person.”
The College’s DEI programming may expand in the near future. Over the summer, Davidson welcomed Dr. Chloe Poston as the college’s inaugural vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion.
“Because I am new to Davidson, I am spending my time learning about the rich history, culture and traditions of this campus, building relationships with faculty, staff and students that will serve as a foundation for ongoing efforts and gathering data to inform future initiatives,” Poston said in an email inquiry.
As part of her information-gathering process, Poston worked to administer the Personal Standards and Responsibility Inventory and
Great Colleges to Work For Survey.
“Both of these surveys will provide data on sense of belonging and freedom of expression while also providing a sense of diversity of our campus population across a variety of demographics, including political leanings and religious affiliation,” Poston stated. “The data from these surveys will serve as a valuable evidence base to develop new or adjust existing programs and initiatives. It will also allow the College to create metrics for diversity, equity and inclusion to track ongoing progress.”
By Poston’s definition, DEI can look different in different places. “Diversity, equity and inclusion are three distinct components to developing engaged and representative communities that reflect the values and mission of an organization,” Poston said.
In addition to condemning what he and DFTD view as radical practices at Davidson in his recent op-ed, Martin also expressed openness toward reorienting inclusion initiatives.
“There’s now the question of whether Davidson‘s more welcoming, less doctrinaire approach to inclusion of a wider diversity of attributes, cultures and viewpoints will survive the national backlash against DEI,” Martin wrote.
To the extent DEI initiatives are tailored to the needs of the Davidson community and represent Davidson’s deeply-held values and distinct mission, they may prove more resilient.
“Davidson can demonstrate a standard of healthier assurance that every student, without regard to their culture, religion, attitude, politics or appearance, will be genuinely welcomed and encouraged to grow intellectually, socially and spiritually,” Martin continued.
Poston’s goals are aligned with Martin’s aspirations. “Ultimately, the goal of my work at Davidson is to create a more inclusive community for everyone so that we can live out our institutional values.”
“If Davidson can restore diversity’s original ideals without the partisan excesses, other elite colleges might choose to defend this more sensible approach,” Martin concluded.
For formals, it is physically impossible to go to all of them so don’t worry about that. You also don’t have to stay for long, and sometimes it’s way more fun when you don’t. Sign up for the last bus there and the first bus back! Make sure to consider quality over quantity. A fun, relaxed night at one formal where you can genuinely enjoy yourself is better than forcing yourself through three just to keep up.
Carve out some time for yourself ahead of time! That way it’s already planned out and not a game-time decision. Social burnout is real, and recharging—whether that looks like a quiet night in, a walk or a nap—will help you enjoy the events you do attend even more. Your friends will still be there whether you say yes to every plan or not.
You don’t have to prove anything by keeping up with everyone else, your friends are your friends for a reason. Go at your own pace and the fun will follow!
Wishing you a fantastic formal and Frolics, Annabel Groseclose ‘27
Kenny Xu ‘19 (left) and Mbye Njie ‘04 (right) debated the merits of DEI at Davidson. Photo from DFTD .
How Davidson became more than just my hometown Perspectives
Ialways knew I wanted to come to Davidson College. Growing up in Mooresville, just a fifteen-minute drive from campus, Davidson always felt like a second home. My connection to the College was ingrained in me from a young age because of its proximity and the memories I’ve built here over the years. My high school is only about two miles from campus, which meant that Davidson was more than just a college town—it was part of my everyday life. At the time, I did not realize that going to college in my hometown would shape my experiences in unimaginable ways. Looking back, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities that Davidson has provided.
Some of my favorite childhood memories took place right here on campus. I can still feel the excitement of sitting in the stands at basketball games, decked out in red and black, looking up to the students in Section 30. I remember watching my sisters perform as Junior Wildcat cheerleaders alongside the Davidson cheerleading team at football games, feeling a sense of excitement at every first down, hoping that one day I would be a part of this community. I spent countless afternoons playing pool in Union, walking around Main Street and enjoying the same beautiful campus we all do today. These moments shaped my perception of what it meant to be part of a community built on trust, connection and belonging.
Arriving on campus in the fall of 2022 was the moment I had spent practically my whole life looking forward to. Despite my excitement, though, my first semester was much harder than I had anticipated. I faced the same challenges that many first-year students experience: adjusting to a new academic workload, trying to make meaningful friendships and figuring out where I fit in. But for me, there was an additional layer of discomfort. For the first time, I felt like a stranger in my own hometown.
Being so close to home should have comforted me, but in those early months it only heightened my feelings of isolation. I felt torn between two worlds: the familiar town
Change is inevitable. We get old, graduate, find jobs, meet partners, settle down. Our bones begin to creak and our muscles begin to ache. Life goes on, different than it was.
Nothing remains exactly the same. Buildings disintegrate and need to be repaired and renovated. Technology improves. Our phones grow brains. But these developments don’t float down from the sky. Someone decides. They craft a ten-year plan, map out the destruction and the rebirth. Committees vote, things change.
Davidon’s E.H. Little Library is no different. Soon, after a long and involved construction process, it will be gone, replaced by the George Lawrence Abernethy Library, named after the founder of Davidson’s philosophy department and humanities program. Dr. Abernethy’s work at Davidson, and his family’s commitment to a liberal arts education, reflect an effort to maintain Davidson’s core principles, to resist encroaching anti-intellectualism. I admire this effort. I, too, want our spaces to encourage learning and collaboration. I, too, worry that the tides are turning, and I’m searching desperately for an answer to looming problems, to climate change and students arrested for protesting, to ignorance and apathy in the face of worse nightmares yet to come. But I do not think a rooftop café is going to stop students from doing their homework with ChatGPT.
Emily Patterson ‘26 has worked at the library as a collections assistant since her freshman
I had grown up in and the unfamiliar environment of being a college student. I worried that staying so close to home had been the wrong choice, that maybe I had sacrificed the opportunity for a fresh start by choosing a place I already knew so well. It was a strange and unsettling feeling to walk down Main Street and feel out of place.
Over time, these feelings began to fade. As I settled into life at Davidson, I formed deeper connections with new friends and began to open up more. I learned to trust others and, in turn, was rewarded with the best friends I could ask for. I realized that creating a meaningful college experience wasn’t about how far I was from home: it was about building authentic relationships and embracing both the familiar and the new.
As I grew more comfortable at Davidson, I began to appreciate the unique experience of being able to share my hometown with my new friends. I have enjoyed showing them my favorite local spots like Fresh Chef and Brookyln South or inviting them over to my house for a home-cooked meal. Another unexpected benefit of being so close to home was the opportunity to stay closely connected to my family. I come from a large family of seven, so being able to celebrate birthdays, holidays and other milestones with relatives while still enjoying myself at college has only made us closer. I can stay involved in my family’s life while still pursuing my goals at Davidson.
Going to college in my hometown has given me a profound sense of responsibility and purpose in the work I do on campus, especially in my role as SGA president. Every initiative I undertake, whether advocating for student needs, collaborating with administrators or promoting our campus values, feels deeply personal because it extends beyond the boundaries of the College. I’m not only working to improve life at Davidson: I feel committed to invest in the town that shaped me.
In many ways, my experience at Davidson has been a full circle journey. I came to college eager to continue a lifelong relationship with a place that had always felt like home, only to realize that I needed to intentionally carve out a new space for myself in that familiar setting. It took time, growth and the support of friends and family to recognize
year. In years past, this work meant reshelving and handling small projects. Now, it means she spends most of her workday checking the books on the second floor for ISBNs (without an ISBN, a book cannot be donated and must be thrown away). “The general [vibe] when I move upstairs during my shift to start the project is that no one wants to be there,”
Patterson said.
“I’m thinking about the redesign,” she explained. “How it’s going to look, what it’s going to carry and what students will be able to do inside of it, and it’s more of what we already do in the library, which is work, collaborate and sit around. In the end, the books aren’t a big part of the remodel.” What is a library if not a home for books?
“It’s sad,” Patterson said. “The fact that the people who love and care for the books are the ones tasked with throwing them out. I prefer that it’s people who love books, who have degrees in library sciences, [who] are pawing through these with a fine-tooth comb.”
Still, Patterson emphasized that change is crucial to the process.“This is supposed to happen,” she continued. “You’re supposed to be able to go through the books and take out ones that students aren’t using. It’s a circulating library.” But years without administrative prioritization of this practice has left library staff with an enormous, sudden burden thanks to impeding construction.
I am not anti-adaptation. We need to cull unread books. We need to ensure that the collection is useful and thoughtful, and we need to force students to pay attention to it. I
that I didn’t have to choose between what I had grown up knowing and who I wanted to become. Instead, I could embrace both. Staying in Davidson has allowed me to build a college experience that honors where I come from while preparing me for where I’m going.
If there is anything I have learned from my time at Davidson, it is that living in my hometown during college has deepened my understanding of what it means to be part of a community. It’s not enough to just be familiar with a place. Being part of a community like Davidson requires investment, contribution and finding connection with the people who also call it home. Davidson has given me the chance to do exactly that, and I am deeply thankful.
Connor Hines is a political science and history major from Mooresville, NC and can be reached for comment at cohines@davidson.edu.
think it would be lovely to have more outdoor spaces and for the shelves to give the Davidson community more opportunities to learn. I do not get the sense that these sentiments are the goal of the renovations and, regardless, I do not think it is worth two years of life without a library for current students.
I made friends in the library freshman year. What will new students do, now, when Union and Wall are uninhabitable, overflowing with unfamiliar faces? I foresee years of more students studying alone in their dorms, all in service of an imaginary future. I know this is how it works. We live under capitalism. Businesses need to incentivize future customers. But some days, laying under a perfect North Carolina sky, it can be easy to forget that Davidson is motivated by such things.
The myth of progress dominates our current world. Our lives become smooth-running, frictionless experiences as our phones solve our problems, give us access to anything we could want, whenever we want it. But this ease does not erase the pain or remove the obstacles. It merely renders us weak in the face of challenges. Why not have a library with weird bathrooms and creepy elevators? Why not make students dig for information? Does your new iPhone make you happy? Your car with a built-in tablet?
I have this recurring vision of the library in a few years. In this version, all the books are gone, replaced with holographic projections of shelves. These projected images rotate like your Tik Tok feed. You swipe to navigate to
the next “shelf,” you tap to read other people’s opinions on whichever text you seek. I know this is not in our future. There will be books and desks, and it will still be called a library. But I fear that Davidson will continue to confuse prettier and shinier with better. I fear that they will knock down every building on our campus until it looks like Duke—aping the Ivies. But I came to Davidson because it is not Duke. I’m not sure future students will be able to say the same.
Abby True is an American studies and French double major from Camp Hill, PA and can be reached for comment at abtrue@davidson.edu.
2025 Davidson Relays marks long-awaited home opener
Track & field seniors reflect on momentous event
JENNEVIEVE CULVER ‘25 (SHE/HER) SPORTS CO-EDITOR
For the first time in twenty years, the Davidson track & field team hosted a meet on campus. On Mar. 30, thanks to the new Lisa and Jeff Case Track & Field Complex, 17 teams and over 700 athletes competed in the inaugural Davidson Relays. The facility, reserved only for the track & field teams, opened in Feb. 2025 and houses a resurfaced eight-lane track and new throws area, grass infield and locker rooms. During the event, the Wildcat senior class was recognized in a special ceremony. In celebration and reflection of this incredible advancement for the program, The Davidsonian sat down with three senior members of the team: Jayden Smith ‘25, Abby Nasse ‘25 and Jack Muldoon ‘25. These three athletes finished first in the 110m hurdles, third in the 1500m and second in the 800m, respectively.
Q: What did it mean to finally have a home meet and have your Senior Day at Davidson?
Smith: The first thing that comes to my mind is that it’s just beyond cool. For the longest time, I feel like we’ve been a really hard-working team on this campus and yet no one actually got to see what our regular meet day looks like. So the fact that they’re able to see that—[to] have your peers, people that you’ve known for years on this campus cheer you on and see how much you work on the sport—meant a lot. And it was also really cool because the senior day happened along with the alumni weekend. […] You were able to see several generations of the team you’ve been on all supporting you and congratulating you for getting through not only being on the track team, but being on the track team at Davidson College, which isn’t easy.
Nasse: Yeah, that summarizes it. Also, three of my professors came and all of them emailed me after saying, “I didn’t know anything about track, so to be able to go and watch different events was so cool!”
Muldoon: It was really surreal seeing that many people on the track coming out to support us, even from the larger community of the Town of Davidson. All fantastic people.
Q: How did racing at home change your race preparation? And do you feel like there was added pressure because of that?
Nasse: I felt like [there was] less. Running [right by the Alvarez College] Union to finish was a crazy feeling because we do so many workouts there. It was kind of fun because it just felt like you were at practice and everyone was there. You’re cheering each other on and it’s high energy and exciting versus at other meets [where] you’re in a new environment, so you’re having to get yourself very focused and very serious.
Smith: Pretty much exactly that, to the point [that] it was kind of tricky for me. As y’all know, this is my [season] opener, and the fact that my first race was on my own track, the track that I’ve been practicing on for so long now, it was hard for me to get fully locked in because I felt like, “Wait, this is my home?”
Muldoon: It was quite relaxing. A lot of times when you go to a meet it’s your first time in the place, you don’t have a lot of time to get prepared, you’re scrambling to find out where everything is and you’re warming up somewhere random. Everything we did yesterday sort of just felt like practice in the [sense] that we just knew what we were doing and it was very comfortable. All the other sports have home meets where they play their games on the same fields that they practice on every day. This was the first time we’ve ever had that.
Q: How do you think the meet went overall? Do you have a part of the meet that stood out to you the most?
Nasse: [Director of Men’s Cross Country and Track & Field] Matt [Stuck] talked about how […] a lot of people, even from other schools, PRed on this track, and there were just a lot of good results […] which is a sign of a good meet and keeps people coming back.
Muldoon: I was concerned about how the meet was going to operate because these things are massive. So there was a lot of uncertainty as to whether things were going to run on time and run well. […] Overall I think it went pretty smoothly. And that was a lot of chipping in from volunteers and athletes from other teams […] which shows the camaraderie of the school.
Smith: Since day one I’ve loved our track. I think it’s a beautiful track, a beautiful spot on campus. The atmosphere,
the good weather, the good energy from the crowd inspired everyone to do their best.
Q: How do you think having more regular home meets will impact student engagement with the track & field team?
Smith: I think it’ll be huge. […] We will get so much more [recognition] when people actually get to see how the work gets put in. Furthermore, being right next to the student Union […] it means we have a community that’s actually able to come out and watch us run. Meets are all-day events. It’s not something that you can really miss. […] You can just look outside and see a top-50, top-25 NCAA time being run. […] Eventually people will start to realize we are a team that is trying to put our name out there and be the best in the conference, and that will inspire people to be more passionate about our goals and mission.
Nasse: People don’t know a lot about track, so this pure exposure is going to help gain interest. And the Running Club coming out [to support the meets] will help spread the word too.
Muldoon: There were a lot of community efforts, like the community 4 x 100 [meter relay], that I hope continue. If students want to go and put together a 4 x 100 and get free Chick-fil-A, they can go and do that and learn more about track. […] It’s also nice because now [if we are doing well] we can do it right in front of all our peers.
Q: What movie do you think the 2025 Davidson Relays was most like?
Smith: Remember the very end of “Sing” where the koala manager’s place is torn down and the show cannot go on and the community comes out to help? They make it and it’s amphitheater style, and everyone still does the performances in the rubble and it still does really really well. Then the elephant sings Stevie Wonder and it’s super sick. Like that.
Muldoon: Oh yeah, and the gorilla comes out and sings Elton John. 100% I agree.
Q: What are your goals for the rest of the season?
Muldoon: Ball out.
Nasse: Run fast.
Smith: Win NCAAs. Destroy everyone.
Women’s lacrosse looks to continue winning streak
ANNA MORROW ‘28 (SHE/HER) SPORTS WRITER
After finishing a historic 2024 season with the best conference record in the team’s history, Davidson women’s lacrosse continues to excel in 2025, standing at 8-3 with five regular season games remaining. In conference, the team is tied for third with a 4-1 record. After falling to the University of Richmond in the semi-final round of the 2024 A-10 tournament, Davidson hopes for a conference championship this season.
“We are a completely different team from last year after having lost seven starters, including five who started for most of their time at Davidson,” Head Coach Kim Wayne said. Nevertheless, Davidson returned with four of its five top point scorers from last season: Josie Lambert ‘25, Riley Cochrane ‘25, Allie Hartnett ‘26 and Jenna Skibbe ‘27. Attackers Lambert and Skibbe, in particular, are on track
for another groundbreaking season. Both have been named A-10 Player of the Week and scored a combined 74 goals. 36 of those goals have come from Lambert, who scored her 100th career goal early in the season against Winthrop University and tied the program record for single-game goals (eight) against Rhode Island on Mar. 22.
On the other side of the ball, the defensive unit only had three returning players. “It was a major adjustment starting out with such a young defensive unit, but we have done a stellar job at adjusting and buying into our roles,” goalie Kayla Joyce ‘27 stated. Davidson’s great defensive efficiency was made apparent in their win over Niagara University on Mar. 16. Only allowing three goals in 27 possessions, the defense earned the highest efficiency percentage across Division I lacrosse that week. Joyce has anchored defensive efficiency in the goal with a 52% save percentage, putting her at ninth in the nation.
Standings Update
Despite Davidson’s success, this season has not been without roadblocks: the team’s three losses have been physically and mentally challenging. “A major setback was our game against Jacksonville [University]. We struggled in a lot of different parts of the field and had a difficult time fighting back the goal deficit set pretty early into the game. [...] It was definitely a turning point for our team as a whole to find our own weaknesses and work on them,” Joyce said. Two weeks after their loss in Jacksonville, the team had a conference loss to Saint Joseph’s University in double overtime. “[That loss] was tough on the team. However, we’ve used that game as motivation to improve and focus on specific adjustments that will make us better moving forward,” Lambert said.
As adjustments are put into action, the team is looking forward to further success this spring.
“This season we want to push ourselves to work harder than ever and improve from our previous third seed in the A-10, with the ultimate goal of
an A-10 championship,” Skibbe said. Lambert also expressed a desire to improve in smaller ways. “Day to day, we focus on pushing each other in practice and taking the season one game at a time,” she said. With conference play in full swing, each game has a greater impact on postseason seeding.
“We have improved from the beginning of the season to now and are continuing to find our groove. Moving into conference play is no different. We want to make history and compete with the top teams in the league by getting better each week,” Skibbe emphasized. Wayne has been especially impressed by her team’s care for one another. “It’s not about stats or who is scoring each goal or causing turnovers. It’s about the team as a whole and what our overall team goals are. [...] Talent helps, but their work ethic is what pushes them forward.”
Arts and Entertainment 6
“Stripes Monday” covers Monday blues with striped joy
(SHE/HER) STAFF WRITER
Striped, plaid or ribbed, “Stripes Monday” has no limits. Every Monday without fail, Abby True ‘25 displays a collection of student-worn stripes on her influential Stripes Monday Instagram account. On the account, viewers will see True’s friends posing (or sniped from far away by True herself) on campus, as well as Davidson graduates and family members showing off their mix-matched, versatile stripes from all over the country. The idea came to True during her junior spring as a way to brighten up the usual drab nature of Mondays. “I was in a lot of classes and was really exhausted all the time because I was staying up doing the readings the night before, so I was hating Mondays [but] loving stripes so I started doing this thing where I would wear stripes every Monday,” she described.
Inspired by the “We Are Stripes” Instagram account, True decided to make Stripes Monday more widespread in order to document her experience this past fall. “I was super charmed by [We Are Stripes], so then I made the Instagram account and
now it has a lot more followers than I thought it would,” she said.
Her intentions were to both bring joy into people’s lives and create a fun tradition. “Nobody enjoys Mondays, so my hope is that it’s a little bit of fun to brighten up an otherwise unfortunate day,” she said. True also enjoys the nature of the platform. “I really enjoy a novelty Instagram account, and I think that’s what Instagram should be about. Also, it’s really fun to have something I can look back at and see every week of my senior year.”
For True, the striped pattern includes many outfits. She explains that what is considered “striped” is a “really hotbutton question, because I have a lot of friends that are really mad that I include such things as ribbed clothing and a vague stripe pattern on the Instagram account, but [all that matters is] if someone is in the spirit of Stripes Monday.” The account is inclusive and the trend has spread all over campus over the past few months. Often, True must make two or three posts to include each submission.
Even so, True ensures that stripes standards are met. “I’m not ever gonna tell someone no if they want to be on the Instagram account, unless it was offensively not stripes,” True explained. “I would probably say no, but I haven’t done that yet.” In fact, True even considers submissions with plaid outfits. “I like plaid, it is very controversial if I should include plaid or not, but I do since it’s stripes on stripes.”
Kathleen Degnan ‘27 consistently partakes in Stripes Monday. “Stripes Monday is awesome because it really contributes to a sense of community at Davidson and everyone rallying behind one thing.”
Like Degnan, Abigail Przynosch ‘27 is also a fan of this simple tradition. “It doesn’t matter if you have stripes on your underwear, your hat or your sweater, everything is appreciated and adds to the excitement. I feel like Stripes Monday is about inclusivity through a medium of fashion.”
As a Nummit barista, Annelise Hawgood ‘27 gets to see the ripple effects of Stripes Monday each week. “There is no greater joy than seeing a cluster of customers dressed in the same stripey attire,” she exclaimed. “I love Stripes Monday like I love making Abby True’s coffee order (drip in a togo mug, no cream, no sugar). It’s effortless, wholesome and down-to-earth fun.”
If you see the one and only Abby True in person on a Monday, she will take your photo. Submissions can also be made through Instagram DMs, which is important since Stripes Monday
extends beyond the Davidson campus. “My mom gets into it sometimes, and my friends from home when I was home over winter break,” True said. “So I’m hopeful that one day it will go global.”
The future of Stripes Monday is uncertain as the semester rolls into its penultimate month. “I really wanna carry it into the summer because I think it just gives me something to look forward to and something fun to start my week,” Degnan said. For those worried that the tradition will not live on after True’s graduation, they need not fear, as she has a tentative plan. “[My plan is to] make one of my friends keep doing it here, and I’m gonna keep wearing stripes every day in my postgraduate life. I hope people really take advantage of the Instagram DM submission option.”
True recommends that people stop by Nummit on Mondays to see the most stripes possible and, of course, to pose for her Instagram. “There’s way more stripes than I ever expected there to be. It’s pretty beautiful.”
Julia Richards ‘27 is an educational studies major from Charleston, SC and can be reached for comment at jurichards@ davidson.edu.
Julia Richards ‘27 submits to Stripes Monday from Italy. Photo from Stripes Monday Instagram account.
Neve Rauscher ‘26 poses for Stripes Monday. Photo from Stripes Monday Instagram account.
JULIA RICHARDS ‘27
Photos by Sebastian Macaire ‘27.
Living Davidson
Tell me about your Woodstock and I’ll tell you how to recover from it!
Hello once again lovely readers! I am writing this quiz in order to escape my Sunday Scaries, and they are possibly the worst they’ve ever been. I know I can’t take too much more this week, so I’m assuming you can’t either—we’re keeping this one short and sweet! Just answer some questions about how your weekend went and I will give you some tricks in order to heal from it, whatever the wounds were.
Did you even attend Woodstock?
A - Yes, duh. Why else would you be taking this quiz?
B - Yeah, but only for a little.
C - No, you were locked in Wall (or your poison—oops! I mean study place of choice) for the whole weekend.
D - No, but only because you were out and about doing other things—possibly in Savannah, GA or maybe just on a trip of your own.
Also important—did you attend any of the other weekend events?
A - Yeah, you somehow made it to Hoedown Throwdown, KSig Crush and the Woodstock day AND night parties (I am impressed… and possibly scared).
B - Only to one or two of the other events.
C - Did I not hear you? You. Were. Locked. In.
D - Maybe not on campus, but you did plenty of non-school related things over the weekend.
Now that I’ve exposed my Sunday Scaries, it’s time for you to expose yours! How would you rate them on a scale from 1-10?
A - 10. Or maybe a broken scale.
B - Like a 6? Pretty average Scaries.
C - You were still at a 3-4 by Sunday.
D - Probably between 7-8.
How excited would you say you are for the semester to be over?
A - Finals being done = YAY! Semester being over = Boo.
B - Pretty neutral—you feel happy with the semester’s current progression.
C - Very, very excited. In fact, it’s rude to even tempt you with this thought.
D - Not excited at all!!!
Mostly A’s:
The Pomodoro Technique:
I’m not going to lie to you—you are currently in a bit of a hole, and you need to pull out the big guns to dig yourself out of there. In this case, I’m recommending that you download a Pomodoro timer app and get cooking on what you want to do on your five-minute breaks. Options include, but are not limited to: adult coloring books, coolmathgames.com and crying.
Mostly B’s:
A meal off campus: You managed to play the best of both worlds this weekend, having fun and still not completely screwing yourself over for next week. In my opinion, you deserve a little prize! Treat yourself with some Pickled Peach or Mandolino’s this week to celebrate!
Mostly C’s: A nap: I personally want to tuck you in for a nice nap sometime this week. Even without spending your weekend at the insane amount of social events happening, you still managed to fail once again at getting a proper night of sleep over the weekend. Please just let yourself power nap at least once between classes this week—maybe even twice, if you’re feeling crazy.
Mostly D’s:
A return to Nummit: This one’s a two-parter—you need to catch up on your good old-fashioned Davidson social life via an hour or two of seeing everyone you’ve ever met at this school getting their blueberry iced oat milk lattes. However, you got little enough done this weekend that you will simply have to give them an awkward wave while praying they don’t interrupt your work flow. Is this a recovery or a punishment?
Crime Log SGA Updates
Community Committee:
Time Reported Description/Location
3/25/25, 11:30 hrs
3/27/25, 22:00 hrs
3/31/25, 10:41 hrs
Injury to Property Offenses: Grafitti/ Vandalism Wall, Inactive Traffic Offenses: Hit & Run - Fail to Stop at Scene of a Crash Game Changers FH, Further Investigation
Burglary Offenses: Breaking or Entering a Vehicle Baker Sports, Further Investigation
This week, the Community Committee is working on scheduling a meeting with Title IX Coordinator Carley Dix to discuss the age of consent. We’re also coordinating with the Director of Counseling Services Dr. David Graham and Counselor AJ Qureshi in the Health Center to plan a Mental Health Resources event. Additionally, we’ve contacted Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities Mak Tompkins, Associate Dean of Students Dr. Shawn Dean McQuillan-Krepps and Assistant Dean of Students & Case Manager Dr. Angela Harris to set up an SGA x Dean of Students Office coffee chat event to clarify the services and support the Dean of Students Office provides.
Food and Housing:
This week, we worked with Davidson Dining to introduce new dining options in Vail Commons. Tzatziki sauce will now be available at the salad bar and oatmeal toppings will be available all day by the yogurt bar. Additionally, new du jour stations will be featured at Commons, offering a variety of fresh options for students.
Charters and Bylaws:
The Charters and Bylaws Committee has approved provisional charters for the Baja Society of Automotive Engineers, Club Golf and Davidson Test Kitchen. We also met with Associate Dean of Students & Director of the Center for Civic Engagement Dr. Stacey Riemer to discuss the disciplinary processes for chartered student organizations.
Accessibility and Academic Affairs:
The sign-making event with Davidson Disability Alliance was a success, with over 150 signs created. The Committee will now focus on getting the signs laminated and displayed.
Other Updates:
Category III elections will take place on Monday, April 7 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on WildcatSync. SGA will also host ‘A Conversation with President Hicks’ on April 3rd at 7 p.m. in the 900 Room, with free Chick-fil-A provided. Additionally, shuttles to Lampus will run on Saturday, April 5, with more details available on WildcatSync and through student emails.
Yowl The
Irreverent student journalism since 2004. Castigat Ridendo Mores.
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I lived it: I’m the friend everyone in my friend group would kick out if we didn’t get an F apartment.
Page Knox It Is, Champ
Woodstock: Just a sea of the exact same white skirt from Shein.
Page Fast Fashion
April 2, 2025
How do you know someone is working on a thesis?
Page They’ll Tell You (Unprompted)
Super awesome crossword puzzle
Concerning email from President Hicks
This past Tuesday, an email was sent out to all current and former students from the Davidson College president’s email address. The content mysteriously read “girl- what the chile-.” It is unknown whether this was simply a mistake or a comment on campus affairs.
Right now, The Yowl’s leading theory is that President Hicks, when opening with “girl-,” is addressing historically high pollen levels. He comments that there are far too many dioecious trees on campus that are holding only stamens. President Hicks is clearly taking an eco-conservationist standpoint, urging the campus to experience—quite literally—the fruits of labor. All just by relating the societal concept of gender to plant life!
As for “what the chile-,” we believe President Hicks is drawing the reader’s attention to the environmental disaster of the Chilean blackouts. While temperatures soar in Chile to a piping 86ºF (or 30ºC), power outages shut down the most vital forms of communication and accommodation. With the context of President Hicks’s previous “girl-,” the reader is led to the connection that, in his “what the chile-,” President Hicks is forming a bridge between these blackouts and climate change, even while the National Electrical Coordinator refuses to disclose the cause of the blackouts.
It’s no wonder T&I wiped this email from all Davidson Outlook accounts. Lately, we’ve seen a lot more political action on campus, and President Hicks could possibly risk the trust of our Chilean, Industriphile, climate change-denier students, a surprisingly large campus organization. Mistake, message or mystery? We’ll let you decide.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“I would love to participate in a completely different capacity that’s not needed at all.”
- Your new response when being asked to participate in something
The Issues Issue
A list of everyone I can’t run into on campus.
Page Davidson 360
Man can commit to questionable tattoo but not your situationship.
Page #Priorities
Yankee students love to pretend to be from Appalachia
The Davidson student body rallied to have another “Hoedown Throwdown” this weekend, not letting their clear disconnect from the lived experiences of the origins of bluegrass stop them from attending a WALT party. Members of the student body of the $80,000-a-year school flocked to Erwin Lodge to dress up for the night, pretending that they had been taught how to line dance while growing up. “Oh boy, just wait until I tell my friends from boarding school about this experience,” a local freshman, excited they could relate to what they apparently thought of as the North Carolinian experience, said. “It just felt so real and authentic with that band. All of my friends from the New England Preparatory School will be so jealous when they hear about this event!” a local third-generation Davidson student reported to us. Davidson students were also overjoyed to hear that the Asheville Mountain Boys (who were clearly not at all generalizing about their experience of being rural and in the mountains as a result of living in the largest metro area in the Western part of the state) were teaching people how to line dance. “I always thought I could learn a thing or two from going to school in the Southeast,” a student who just got back from a trip to Telluride said. “I feel so intertwined with the local culture in the area around campus now.” [Editors’ Note: Davidson has the highest housing cost of anywhere in the entire state] When asked if they knew how to clog, several students were entirely unaware of what that even meant. “Another version of line dancing? How creative! I had never even heard of this practice. What a great community! I have got to learn how to monetize this, perhaps even work it into a Gamut dance to make it find mainstream success,” a student whose parents own an energy company famous for strip mining the Appalachian Mountains declared.
Several students were relieved to hear that they actually did enjoy bluegrass and country music after all, despite their initial apprehension. “I normally don’t care for this style of music. I feel like it naturally brings bad politics that I don’t agree with,” a self-professed progressive from the West Coast who had never heard a country song that wasn’t in the Spotify Top 40. “This land is your land AND this land is my land? That just doesn’t make sense to me. Pretty elitist that Woody Guthrie thinks we need to own land if you ask me.” That same student, who we later overheard talking about their parents meeting while at Northwestern, went on to critique the working class origins of bluegrass. When we asked more students for their thoughts on the political power of the genre, they all seemed to largely agree. “I just can’t stand those rabble-rouser songs like ‘Which Side Are You On?’ That feels a bit divisive to me,” a student with a trust fund the size of an endowment of a local community college said. “I just don’t feel comfortable with those protest songs. I bet they were opposing really progressive ideas, you know, because of the area.” The student was reportedly unaware of the pro-union claims in the songs. “I really just think the glorification of coal miners is so problematic. How come they didn’t have any songs about organizing for sustainable energy?” the student said upon googling the impact of the Coal Wars on this style of music. “When we talked about it in my weekly nonviolence education course, we decided that that was a simply uncouth way to ask for new wages.”
Reports of attempts to capitalize on the success of the event were met with mixed results, and the next proposal, a traveling rodeo visit, received pushback from many of the WALT and DO organizers. “I am just opposed to the rodeo because of that style of animal treatment,” a future private equity consultant said. “That is an unethical way to treat those animals. I don’t get how those yokels can find this fun at all,” another future prosecutor planning on going into law school said. “That just isn’t a sustainable, nor ethical, way for those communities to have fun,” the student whose tuition was being paid for by their parents’ investment portfolio in both meatpacking and land acquisition in the Great Plains said.
Incident of the Week
On a class trip, everyone decided to eat at a vegan resturant. The nearest vegan resturant was called the Slutty Vegan. I had to then look my professor and an ordained Buddhist in the eyes and order a “Sloppy Toppy.”
Note: The Yowl is a satirical supplement to The Davidsonian Hence, nothing in it should be taken as truth.
