April 17, 2024

Since 1919

The Emory Wheel

Over 1 in 5 Oxford students graduate early

By AArush KumAr Contributing Writer

When Grace Hetrick (25Ox) arrived at Emory University’s Oxford College earlier this year, she did not expect to graduate early and transfer to the Atlanta campus. However, after noticing what she believes to be unequal opportunities between the campuses, Hetrick now plans to graduate from Oxford in fall 2024 to move to Atlanta next year.

Hetrick’s experience is not out of the ordinary at Oxford: In total, about 23.6% of students who started at Oxford in the past five years left the campus after three semesters, according to data from Assistant Vice President of University Communications Laura Diamond.

Most recently, 28.4% of students who entered as Oxford’s Class of 2024 transferred before their sophomore spring semester. This percentage has consistently increased since 2020, when about 20.3% of the incoming class graduated early.

Oxford Den Badia Ahad wrote in an email to The Emory Wheel that she has met with students who left Oxford after three semesters.

“What I’ve learned is that it’s important to understand the diversity of reasons why students make that choice,” Ahad wrote. “For example, some study abroad before starting their junior year or take clinical or semester-long internships at Emory Hospital or other places in Atlanta.”

However, Ahad did not address the Wheel’s question about if Oxford

Oxford community

By hAlle Wulff Oxford Social Chair

Alex Shin, a first-year student at Oxford College whose friends remember him as kind, passionate and thoughtful, died earlier this semester. A resident of McDonough, Ga., Alex was majoring in philosophy, politics and law. Outside of class, he was known as an active contributor to campus life as a Volunteer Oxford service leader and a content creator for the Oxford TikTok account. He is survived by his mother, Rosa Hurtdao.

Onemeh Erakpotobor (25Ox) met Alex during orientation last semester, and the pair later became friends.

“He was extremely genuine, always authentic,” Erakpotobor said. “He was never doubtful in anything that he said. He always seemed assured.”

Other Oxford students remembered Alex’s reflective and generous nature. Madeleine Lepley (24Ox), Alex’s resident assistant (RA) in Elizer Hall, described him as an enthusiastic and considerate student

remembers

has plans to reduce the number of students who graduate early.

To graduate, Oxford requires that students attain 64 academic credits and one physical education credit. Oxford students typically complete these requirements in four semesters.

However, Hetrick can graduate early because she has AP credits and plans to take summer courses to fulfill her pre-med requirements. She added that many of her premed friends also plan to graduate early to take advanced classes or pursue research that “doesn’t exist” at Oxford.

Next year, Hetrick plans to volunteer at Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute. She explained that Oxford’s

Alex

Shin

who always went out of his way to attend her events.

“He was super thoughtful,” Lepley said. “He would always bring Crumbl [Cookies] to my RA events for the whole hall with his own money.

Everett Smith (25Ox) met Alex during orientation and lived just a few doors down in Elizer Hall. He emphasized that Alex made a great effort to ensure others knew he cared about them, noting that Alex texted him over breaks to wish him happy holidays.

“He really went out of his way to do nice things,” Smith said. “He got me a little birthday present, and I don’t even know how he knew it was my birthday.”

As a Volunteer Oxford service leader, Alex was paired with Unidos Latino Association, Inc., an organization that seeks to support Latino youth and adults in Georgia’s Rockdale and Newton Counties.

Oxford Assistant Director of Student Involvement, Leadership, and Transitions Megan Hulgan met Alex in fall 2023 during new stu-

By AylA KhAn Politics Desk

The 2024 presidential general elections are set to begin in just under six months. To understand how Emory University students feel about the election, The Emory Wheel conducted a poll surveying undergraduate students on their political ideologies, voting plans and sentiments toward former U.S. President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden’s administrations. In total, 86 students responded to the survey, accounting for about 1% of the undergraduate student population.

The survey collected results from 31 first-year students, 21 sophomores, 27 juniors and seven seniors. Of the 86 students surveyed, 59 (68.6%) identified as Democrats, seven (8.1%) identified as Republicans and 15 (17.4%) identified as independents. Five (5.8%) students identified as “other.”

The Wheel sent the survey to class GroupMe chats and attempted to avoid sampling bias by asking students in common gathering spaces on campus, such as Asbury Circle, to complete the survey. However, the survey does not account for response bias and random sampling was not used.

Although Associate Professor of Political Science Zachary Peskowitz noted that it is difficult to make generalizations from the results of the Wheel’s survey due to the sample size and representation, he said voting trends observed in studies with larger, more indicative and randomized samples mirror the results of the Wheel’s survey.

“It’s useful to look at these broader national polls of young adults and to see some trends in them,” Peskowitz said. “‘In what ways are Emory students different from the broader national population of college students?’ I think is an interesting and important question.”

Peskowitz said that the disproportionate support for the Democratic Party among Emory students reflects common voter behavior among students pursuing higher education.

“There are lots of larger surveys that do spend a lot of effort to try to make themselves more representative of the young American population,” Peskowitz said. “In general, they find that young adults in that age cohort tend to be more liberal, tend to vote more democratically than older Americans. Some of the patterns in the survey are borne out in nationally representative data focused on a similar age profile demographic.”

The majority of residents in DeKalb County have voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1988.

Associate Professor of Political Science Bernard Fraga added that an important takeaway from the Wheel’s survey is that students who identified as Democrats were largely unanimous in their dissatisfaction with the Trump administration. Of the Democratic students, none indicated neutrality or approval of the Trump administration.

“We can see that while there’s a lot of dissatisfaction among self-identified Democrats and liberals in the survey, they strongly indicate that they would be more dissatisfied with if Trump was

as generous, committed to public service

dent orientation. She described Alex as enthusiastic about engaging in service at Oxford, adding that he was especially interested in helping undocumented immigrants.

“That’s the thing that really struck me about him is that he wanted to make a difference,” Hulgan said. “He didn't want to just be involved a little bit. He wanted to be involved a lot. He wanted to be a change-maker and to help that community of people.”

Alex volunteered at Unidos Latino Association’s Conyers Latin Festival in November 2023, a Hispanic Heritage Month event celebrating culture and history, according to Hulgan. She added that Alex had been researching ways to plan a similar event in Covington, Ga., and that she had been connecting him with members within the community to do so.

“He and I would meet and talk about how to develop a plan, who to get in contact with, that type of thing,” Hulgan said.

Lepley also noted Alex’s passion for helping highlight and solve issues that affected the Hispanic commu-

nity in the United States.

“He was really interested in immigration and he was trying to make a website that connected immigrants with lawyers,” Lepley said.

Hulgan also recalled a time she brought some of the Oxford service leaders to an event focusing on unhoused people in DeKalb County.

“Alex went to every single table and learned all about the different programs that they had,” Hulgan said. “He wanted to learn about what was going on in the community and how he could get involved with that.”

Beyond engaging in community service, Alex created content for the Oxford TikTok account.

Social media content creation was another one of Alex’s interests, according to Lepley.

Anthony Vargas (24Ox) remembered meeting Alex for the first time on the Oxford Quadrangle last semester when Alex asked him for help with creating social media content. Vargas said that Alex always struck up a conversation whenever they saw each other.

“Every conversation was a deep conversation,” Vargas said. “It was never just a hello and goodbye.” Vargas stressed the importance of finding community through vulnerability.

“What I’m trying to push with in regards to remembering him is just let people know about the resources,” Vargas said, referring to the support of faculty, staff and mental health counseling at Oxford. “Let them know they can also be a resource for other people.”

Erakpotobor expanded on the importance of remembering Alex and his contributions to the Oxford community, particularly emphasizing Alex’s willingness to fully be himself.

“He never sugarcoated anything,” Erakpotobor said. “I knew what I could expect from him, and I say that because it’s rare that you come across people like that, so that was my favorite thing about him, just his genuineness.”

— Contact Halle Wulff at halle.wulff@emory.edu

Politicians aim to make Narcan more available on college campuses

By GABriel symeonides Contributing Writer

Georgia is currently awaiting Gov. Brian Kemp's decision to sign or veto Senate Bill 395, which would allow schools to possess and administer naloxone and allow any visitor, student or employee to possess the medication on school grounds. Progress on the bill has been stalled for nearly two weeks after the Georgia General Assembly sent the bill to Kemp on April 4.

Naloxone, commonly referred to by its brand name Narcan, is a medication that can quickly restore breathing and temporarily reverse an opioid overdose.

The Georgia Senate unanimously passed the new bill on March 28, which combines actions from three other measures to make naloxone available in government buildings, college campuses and schools. If signed into law, the bill states that schools would be authorized to have naloxone in stock and trained school personnel would be allowed to administer the medication without liability.

Current Georgia law limits oncampus options to preemptively obtain naloxone and restricts Emory University employees from freely distributing the medication.

Assistant Professor of Nursing Sarah Febres-Cordero wrote in an email to The Emory Wheel that Georgia’s current medical amnesty law states that only pharmacists are allowed to distribute naloxone.

Assistant Director of State Affairs Sydney Wilkins represented the Emory Addiction Center in February hearings discussing House Bill 1035, which is one of the bills combined into Senate Bill 395, according to Febres-Cordero. Wilkins stated that the University has plans to expand

access to naloxone vending machines across all of Emory’s campuses, but is currently not permitted to do so.

Title 26, Chapter 4, Article 5 of the Official Georgia Code Annotated states that any individual selling or distributing drugs through a vending machine will be charged as guilty with a misdemeanor.

Despite prohibitions on schools distributing naloxone, Emory community members are working to promote overdose education. FebresCordero started the overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) lab at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, which aims to educate people on safe drug use and naloxone distribution.

Febres-Cordero stated that the OEND lab lobbied for Senate Bill 395, as well as other measures that would allow schools to give out naloxone, in conjunction with Georgia Overdose Prevention and the Georgia Harm Reduction Coalition.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, the state of Georgia had 2,390 drug overdose deaths in 2021, 71% of which were caused by opioids. Furthermore, 57% of overdose deaths were attributed to fentanyl, a 124% increase from 2019 to 2021.

Oxford College Associate Professor of Psychology Jennifer McGee (10G, 14G) noted that fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is a very “powerful drug” that can cause overdoses, even when only taken in small amounts.

“The biggest concern is that fentanyl is essentially odorless, tasteless and you need so little of it to have an effect, especially for an unexperienced user, that it’s making its way into other drugs,” McGee said.

In an email to the Wheel, Assistant Vice President of University Communications Laura Diamond wrote that members of the Emory

community can currently access naloxone in the event of an emergency through Emory first responders or from the Emory Addiction Center. She added that the Emory Police Department and Emory Emergency Medical Services are trained to administer the medication.

The University will continue to inform the community if there are plans to increase the availability of naloxone on its campuses, Diamond wrote.

Currently, anyone can purchase naloxone at pharmacies and retail stores after the Georgia Department of Public Health issued a standing order in 2017 that acted as a “state -

wide prescription,” former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal wrote in a press release. Additionally, retail stores such as CVS currently sell Narcan for $44.99 per box, which contains two single-dose nasal spray devices.

Family Nurse Practitioner Josh Lehrer (22N, 23N) expressed his frustration with the current naloxone accessibility on Emory’s campuses in a statement to the Wheel.

“It is contradictory to be an institution with such impressive expertise and resources that simultaneously limits availability and utilization of naloxone on its campus premises,” Lehrer wrote.

McGee expressed the benefits

and importance of greater access to naloxone, primarily because some people in need of the medication may be unable or unwilling to contact emergency services.

“There’s a lot of people who would not call 911 if they suspected an overdose, especially if they’re also using drugs or if they’re drunk or something like that and they don’t want to get in trouble,” McGee said. “You can push this whole good samaritan thing all you want, but at the end of the day, people are nervous about their own safety and their own interactions with the police.”

Associate Professor of Law

Matthew Lawrence discussed how stigma surrounding mental health and drug addiction may limit the related public health policies of Georgia.

“Some laws reflect this belief that addiction is a choice and the way to fix it is to punish the person suffering from addiction,” Lawrence said. “It’s a perspective that if we took it to diabetes, we would think was kind of silly, but it persists with regard to addiction, and so some laws reflect that kind of misunderstanding.”

Lawrence believes the limited legal support for those at risk of opioid overdoses go deeper than the barriers to naloxone and that expanding accessibility through methods like vending machines only fixes a small piece of the larger problem.

However, McGee highlighted that, in the short term, naloxone can save lives.

“It’s shocking,” McGee said. “If you talk to EMS folks who have used it or anybody who has used it, it’s like they come back to life. They’re cold and blue, and they sit up and are talking.”

— Contact Gabriel Symeonides at gabriel.symeonides@emory.edu

Business and pre-med Oxford students graduate early, citing inequalities

Continued from Page 1

location makes it harder to be involved at clinics similar to those near the Atlanta campus.

“There’s more opportunities on the Atlanta campus, unfortunately, in terms of volunteering or clinical work,” Hetrick said. “The sooner I move there, the more it will help me in terms of my pre-med prep.”

Jack Peattie (25Ox), who plans to matriculate to Goizueta Business School, shared a similar sentiment, emphasizing the lack of business classes at Oxford. He estimated that over half of business majors at Oxford want to graduate early.

“They’re still missing a lot of BBA core classes and other BBA classes that I think students would be interested in taking here because there are a good amount of business majors,” Peattie said.

Oxford offered all pre-requisite classes for the business school in fall 2023 and spring 2024 except for "Data and Decision Analytics," which was only available this semester, and "Bus 290 Tech Tools A: Excel," which was only available online. However, Oxford has offered few classes that fulfill business requirements beyond prerequisites.

Currently, Goizueta requires students to complete seven courses as part of its “functional core,” which helps students build foundational knowledge about each area of business. These requirements can be filled

by eight different course options. Last semester, Oxford only offered one functional core class, “Accounting: The Language of Business.” This semester, “Corporate Finance” is the only functional core class available at Oxford. In contrast, the Atlanta Campus offered seven of the eight different courses this semester and six of the eight courses last semester to non-Goizueta students.

Starting in January 2023, sophomores could begin matriculating into Goizueta, meaning Atlanta campus students can matriculate a year earlier than students who opt to complete all four semesters at Oxford. The lack of business classes also created difficulties for Oxford early graduate Justin Lee (23Ox, 26C), who said it was hard to declare a business major without taking business classes. All undergraduate students must declare their major by the second semester of their sophomore year.

“If I didn’t have any business experience, I didn’t want to just straight up declare,” Lee said.

Sunny Tian (25Ox) said adding more business classes could encourage Oxford students to stay for four semesters.

However, Hetrick clarified that despite the difficulties she’s faced with classes, staying at Oxford would not “necessarily be a disadvantage” — just an inconvenience. She already commutes to Atlanta from Oxford’s campus in Covington, Ga. four or

five times a week, which makes it more “difficult” to meet her academic goals. Sometimes, she has to do homework on the shuttle.

This commute to Atlanta, Hetrick said, is “draining” and “exhausting.” Peattie expressed a similar sentiment, noting that the commute is a “hassle” that makes it hard for Oxford students to take classes on the Atlanta campus.

“You’re going to have to take the shuttle, regardless of how flexible it is, and that’s still an hour commute out of your day — two hours going back and forth,” Hetrick said. “If you’re taking hard classes, heavy course load, it’s just hard to find time in your schedule. It’s not fair because Atlanta campus doesn’t have to do that.”

Peattie also said that he feels a lack of social connection between Atlanta and Oxford students, with Oxford students having to put in increased effort to integrate themselves within the Atlanta campus.

“There is a bit of a stigma, we’ll say, and some people will like you less because you go to Oxford,” Peattie said. “It’s kind of shallow in my opinion, but it’s the way things are, and it’s the reputation Oxford’s got.”

Penny Wang (23Ox, 26C) said she has seen improvements in her academic and social life since graduating early from Oxford last semester.

“I do think it’s worth it,” Wang

said. “I’m actually about to join a research lab, and also, I’ve met with a lot of new friends, and I enjoy just living off-campus in an apartment. … Life quality has been a lot better recently.”

However, Wang said that she misses the “closer community” that she said she had with her professors and peers at Oxford. She added that finding leadership opportunities in student-run clubs is more difficult on the Atlanta campus.

“You basically start new in a club as a sophomore or a junior, as an Oxford graduate, so it’s hard to get the type of leadership position that you want,” Wang said.

Lee said that while joining clubs as an Oxford graduate can be difficult, it is not impossible.

“For someone who didn’t do business clubs, yes, it is harder to get in, but it’s not like clubs are not willing to accept you here in Atlanta as a second year,” Lee said.

Lee felt like the early graduation process was “very smooth,” but added that he hopes to see more advisor involvement to ensure students meet the early graduation requirements. He explained that some of his friends at Oxford have struggled with credit issues, preventing them from graduating early.

On the other hand, students like Anthony Vargas (24Ox) have never considered graduating early. Vargas is involved with Emory

Entrepreneurship Summit and the Oxford men’s basketball team, and feels like going to Oxford has allowed him to develop academically and professionally.

“I simply wouldn't be prepared as an individual to be put in those positions had I not gone to Oxford and gotten the individualized attention I got,” Vargas said.

Additionally, as a student interested in multiple academic fields, Vargas does not feel that Oxford lacks course offerings. However, he acknowledged that there is room for improvement and hopes to see more opportunities for pre-professional advising in the future, which he believes is currently “not made explicit” at Oxford.

Ahad also added that during her time at Oxford, it was “striking” to see how many students had “expressed gratitude” for their time on the campus. She added that Oxford will continue to provide instruction that emphasizes “students’ academic excellence and well-being.”

However, Tian added that she hopes that Oxford will focus on increasing its understanding of student perspectives.

“They should try to understand the reasoning why so many people are graduating early because it’s not built for a year and a half,” Tian said. “It’s a two-year program.”

CourteSy of WIk ImedI a CommonS/ev Illeavenger Narcan is used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

ESJP hosts educational expo on history of Palestine

By spencer friedlAnd Managing Editor

Emory Students for Justice in Palestine (ESJP) hosted an expo in the Emory Student Center on April 15 to educate attendees about the last 75 years of Palestine’s history. April 15 marked the one-year anniversary of the civil war in Sudan, which ESJP highlighted in an Instagram post advertising the event.

ESJP member Elijah Brawner (26T) stated that the Israeli government is benefitting from the current civil war by selling weapons to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group in Sudan that was reported to be using Israeli artillery in 2023.

At the ESJP event, attendees learned about the broader conflict in the Middle East through posters that gave brief descriptions of events in history, such as the Balfour Declaration, the Second Intifada, the wall between Gaza and Israel and the Sykes-Picot Agreement.

Brawner said ESJP hosted the event after concern arose over people’s knowledge about the conflict in Gaza.

“Maybe people have heard about Gaza, but they haven't heard about the 1917 Balfour Declaration,” Brawner said.

Two ESJP members who organized the event and requested to remain anonymous due to safety concerns stated that a similar event at Roswell Community Masjid, a mosque in Roswell, Ga., inspired them to host the expo for the Emory University community.

“We’ve been wanting to do a history event since the last two years, but due to planning and that kind of

thing, it never worked out,” one of the organizers said. “Just seeing their idea … it just spurred us to create our own.”

The other organizer stated that the current conflict in the Palestinian territories has been going on for decades, not just since Oct. 7, 2023. They said that parts of the conflict “are really quite simple” and have been caused by dispossession, racism and oppression.

Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, the found-

er and executive director of the Atlanta Ministry with International Students Peachtree Presbyterian Church, gave a speech at the event. He discussed his journey as a Palestinian immigrant and criticized Zionism as a “settler colonial ideology.” Abu-Akel was born to Christian Palestinian parents in 1944, four years before the foundation of Israel, in Kafr Yasif, a town now located in Israel.

Having immigrated from Israel to the United States in 1966, AbuAkel spoke about the differences in his rights as a Palestinian in both countries — he remembered having the freedom to travel from Florida to Georgia and Tennessee after moving to the U.S.

“That was the most freeing experience of my life,” Abu-Akel said.

Abu-Akel stated that the successful creation of Israel can be attributed to “Christian Zionism,” which refers to Christian support of Jews returning to their biblical homeland in Israel. The movement has been growing recently, according to AbuAkel. He said that Christian Zionists want to fulfill God’s promise by creating the State of Israel and killing Palestinians.

Israel’s creation can also be attributed to the Holocaust, Abu-Akel said.

“When you take generals that went to the death camps and saved some Jews, you created passion in the military about the Jewish situation,” AbuAkel said. “So to start a Jewish state, it was easy to do.”

Abu-Akel went on to state that there needs to be a “free Palestine,” not just a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. In response to an audience question about expanding knowledge on the conflict in Gaza, Abu-Akel stated that people must use social media to share their stories.

Brawner said that the event went well.

“Reverend Fahed is always a delight to hear speak,” Brawner said.

An attendee who requested to remain anonymous due to safety concerns said that they came to the expo to educate themselves on the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“It was nice to come here and also see firsthand people talking about their experiences and their families,” the attendee said. “It’s a very real issue.”

News Editor Jack Rutherford (27C) and Politics Desk Ayla Khan (23Ox, 25C) contributed to reporting.

— Contact Spencer Friedland at spencer.friedland@emory.edu

Student political trends mirror national patterns PAID RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY:

Continued from Page 1

still in power,” Fraga said.

When asked to describe their satisfaction with the Biden administration, approximately 38.4% of survey respondents reported that they were satisfied in some form, 9.3% selected that they felt neutral toward the administration and 52.3% indicated dissatisfaction to some degree.

This reported dissatisfaction follows a national trend present among U.S. college students for the past several years. In a 2022 NBC study including 1,077 Class of 2025 undergraduates nationwide, 42% of par-

ticipants approved of Biden’s handling of the presidency, while 57% disapproved.

According to Fraga, party disillusionment seems to be prevalent among Democratic voters.

“In recent months, national polls have consistently shown significant dissatisfaction with the Biden administration among Democrats, which is interesting because generally, Democrats favor their party,” Fraga said.

— Contact Ayla Khan at ayla.khan@emory.edu

The Emory Mental Health & Development Program is seeking males worried about recent changes in their thoughts and perceptions.

Males aged 12-34 may be eligible if experiencing one or more of the following:

• Unusual thoughts

• Questioning if things are real or imaginary

• Suspiciousness or paranoia

• A sense of having special powers or unrealistic plans for the future

• Unusual experiences with seeing or hearing things that are not there

The purpose of this study is to see how unusual thoughts, suspiciousness or paranoia, and unusual experiences with seeing or hearing things that are not really there can be used to predict risk of psychosis through computerized tasks. The study will be con ducted online through Emory University.

An initial screening will be done. Then, if the study is found to be a good fit, you will be invited to participate in the main study. Participants will be compensated $30 per hour.

Contact us or visit our website for more information:

Phone number: 404 -727-7547

Email: mentalhealth.research@emory.e du

Website: https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/mhdp/

h annah Xu/Staff Photogra Pher

An attendee reads an educational poster board on Palestine.

h aaley PoW er S/SenIor Staff Photogra Pher Georgia residents will be able to vote for the next president as soon as Oct. 14 when this year's early voting period opens.

The Emory Wheel Opinion

College students, do not judge gap years

Lydia Bearss

“What even is a gap year?” I was repeatedly asked this question during my own gap year. In the minds of many people I have encountered, a gap year is a thinly-veiled excuse for recent graduates to indulge in selfish and unproductive activities. This stereotypical idea evokes images of privileged teenagers engaging in excessive partying as they travel the world, wasting both precious money and time. However, I have found that a gap year can be a valuable way to gain new skills and enrich personal growth. Gap years and semesters have become more popular in recent years, yet lasting stereotypes reveal truths about the prominent emphasis on productivity at Emory University, as well as at other competitive colleges and universities. Contrary to myths about gap years, a year off can be just as valuable and productive as other uses of time that are perceived as more efficient, like a year at college.

abroad for three months, took a local university course and read over 30 books — I had a worthwhile experience. Upon my arrival at Emory, I soon realized that students here would be even more dismayed at my choice to take a year off. During my first semester, my story elicited shock and judg-

but this mindset bleeds into personal perceptions of self worth. Fear of failure is both a silent motivator and an enabler of feelings of inadequacy. At Emory, the popular confines of preprofessionalism provide security and guidance, yet they limit the possible exploration of self-actualization. With

Despite the occasional negative reaction and my own qualms about it, I do not regret my gap year. I still worry about the passage of time and my age when I graduate, yet I remember that the moments of spontaneity during my gap year taught me that inner fulfillment can materialize in

potential and value of life.

The majority of Sor (Sister) María Alianza’s life seems unimaginable to modern eyes. She received a new name, country and language and has existed with little contact with the outside world.

Throughout my gap year, people insistently prodded into specific details to determine if my time off was earned. People deemed my desire for a break as unacceptable, valuing individuals’ worth based solely on tangible experiences. I found myself defending my choice to take a gap year to anyone who asked. Consequently, each word I uttered became more to defend my actions to myself than to a stranger. I should not have felt compelled to reaffirm my choice of a gap year. I studied

ment as I confessed to my gap year and, subsequently, my age. Suddenly, I was transformed into many Emory students’ worst nightmare: someone who was directionless and unambitious. It is no secret that the students at Emory are driven and extremely motivated. We all feel continuous pressure to make the most of the opportunities and privileges that Emory offers,

so many students starting their college experience with perceived notions of their career paths and how to achieve their goals, time becomes the constant enemy. Instead of viewing time as the facilitator of achieving new insights about one’s self through experiences, it is something that we must efficiently utilize to achieve tangible and noteworthy accomplishments.

different ways. My most prized memory begins when I boarded a train headed to a small town nestled in the Spanish countryside. A Dominican nun, an old friend of my grandma, resides within the labyrinth of sun-soaked buildings. Her abundant joy at my visit and her reflections about her life in a monastery opened my eyes to the beautiful

As we sat under paintings of the Virgin Mary, she shared that she’s lived a fulfilled life — something that I aspire to ultimately say one day. Achieving fulfillment and success follows a nonlinear path.

However, I have found that a gap year can be a valuable way to gain new skills and enrich personal growth.

When I look back on my gap year, I remember not just the moments of loneliness and vulnerability but also the beauty and fulfillment of my unwavering commitment to myself. Time is invaluable, but so are the indescribable experiences of growth and self-realization.

“What even is a gap year?” Finally, I can answer this question. A gap year is a year off to embrace the unravelment of personal values, abilities and identities. For recent graduates and incoming college students, do not let the fear of wasted time deter you from taking a gap year.

If feasible for you, a gap year can facilitate growth of independence and self-worth. In truth, there is so much time to explore and collect fulfilling experiences that could potentially amount to nothing in the eyes of others.

It is the personal, fleeting feelings and inner triumphs that make these life experiences worth living.

Lydia Bearss (27C) is

from St. Paul, Minn.

Don’t disqualify holistic medicine

Sara Garg

I contracted COVID-19 in the fall of 2020, before the vaccine was released and when getting the virus left us uncertain about what to do. I lost my sense of taste, my nose was stuffy and yet, I still attended all of my online classes. Modern medicine had no solutions for me, so I turned to traditional herbal medicines.

My grandfather, a deep believer in ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine usually derived from plants, told me to make tulsi tea and drink haldi ka doodh, or turmeric milk.

Soon, I fully recovered from my COVID-19 symptoms. Beyond the strength of my immune system, I wondered which had actually helped me: The holistic treatments themselves or simply my belief in

medicine “utter nonsense.”

Positive results from holistic medicine are generally attributed to the placebo effect: If the patient thinks the treatment will work, it will reduce stress and fatigue, which, in turn, will increase healthiness.

The limited view of medicine removes entire fields of practice from the scope of modern medicine and eliminates chances to make healthcare more accessible to all people, due to the lower cost of holistic therapies and medicine and greater trust of often-marginalized groups in holistic medicines.

Ultimately, the effectiveness of holistic treatment is not necessary for its utilization. As long as it continues to benefit people, from those around the world to Emory University students like us, we should combine both traditional and modern medicines.

African countries lack trust in modern medical practices, but they have continued to have trust in holistic practices. In fact, the global demand for holistic medicine is 80% across countries, revealing the need to incorporate it globally. Thus, bridging holistic and modern techniques could prove key to rebuilding trust and globally improving healthcare outcomes.

In fact, there are even certified naturopathic doctors with years of rigorous training similar to medical doctors who can provide optimized treatments and help avoid potentially dangerous medicines. The goal of all medicine is to bolster one’s health, and if integrative medicine, modern medicine in conjunction with traditional medicine, will improve health, then we should embrace it.

Importantly, this integration can

their abilities? At the end of the day, regardless of whether or not a placebo effect was the reason, holistic medicine helped me and it should be incorporated into modern medical practices globally.

Holistic medical practices use a whole-person approach, treating each patient by incorporating physical, spiritual and mental health.

For example, the holistic treatment of tulsi tea that my grandfather sent me to drink was meant to boost both physical and spiritual health, as Tulsi is the form of a goddess in Hindu mythology and imbibing Tulsi is meant to heal your body and soul.

These holistic traditions vary around the world; indeed, some form of holistic medicine is practiced by 170 countries around the world. Despite its prevalence, the debate around the true effectiveness of holistic medicine has been around for centuries. Many modern doctors do not trust holistic practitioners due to their perceived lack of scientific knowledge, causing them to discount this interdisciplinary approach to health and wellness as a hoax. However, these practices have been around in written form since 200 B.C. for a good reason: They work.

Some medical schools, including top-ranking schools such as Harvard Medical School (Mass.) and Johns Hopkins Medical School (Md.), have begun offering classes on alternative medical practices as electives; but, even in these schools, some professors, such as Johns Hopkins Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Genetic Medicine Steven Salzberg call alternative

As we explore using holistic practices to augment medicine, it is important to consider the roots of the distrust in these practices: Colonial times.

Holistic medical practices use a whole-person approach, treating each patient by incorporating physical, spiritual and mental health.

In sub-Saharan Africa in the late 1800s, European nations — including Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal and Spain — undermined traditional healing practices by prioritizing resources, legalization and support for colonial medicine that did not align with traditional medical practices; they treated European medicine as civilized, a way to improve the supposedly undeveloped populations they ruled.

It is ironic, considering they believed bloodletting was the pinnacle of modern medicine and had, only a few centuries prior, used medical herbs copiously. Shaming traditional practices and existing knowledge was one technique used to dehumanize colonized countries and establish European knowledge bases as the only ones, deepening colonial ties. This legacy of colonization had devast ating effects. Today, central

Keeping the lights on: Business manager’s farewell

Hunter Collins

Hello, world! Although I am certainly not among those intrepid opinionists whose names grace these pages every two weeks, you may have recognized me from somewhere else within the folds of The Emory Wheel’s opinion section. While I go by many names, it is me, Hunter Collins.

In small yet emphatic bold letters, my name used to unassumingly adorn the masthead next to the highly official sounding title of business manager.

Now that I have passed on my role, I feel the need to give our readers a small slice of my former life. It certainly seems like many students know about the Wheel and enjoy grabbing a copy of our print edition before leaving them half-read and scattered around campus. However, not many students know what goes on behind the curtain and beyond the writing. Thus, allow me to paint a picture of my work behind the scenes at the Wheel.

Whenever anyone asks why I managed business at the Wheel, I always start with my early introduction to the publication. I grew up near Emory University’s Atlanta campus — almost comically close.

team keeps the lights on (not literally, of course — I think Emory pays for our lighting); we work behind the scenes to ensure that printing costs are covered, editors are paid for their time, the website stays hosted and the like.

Do not get me wrong, the actual work, which involves generating and shepherding the Wheel’s financial resources, is quite intensive.

I enjoyed reading about all the happenings in a world that was so close, yet so very far, from my own.

Unsurprisingly, I am no stranger to sending scores of professionally-worded emails and painstakingly updating a host of overused Excel sheets. Much of the business team’s work revolves around selling advertisement space with the pretense of salesmanship, and, let me tell you, the salesman’s work is no walk in the park.

h A-Tien Nguyen/StA ff IlluStr Ator

and has been done. When I shadowed Dr. Jason Schneider at Resurgens Orthopaedic Clinic in Roswell, Georgia, a patient presented in the clinic who was unable to take antiinflammatory medications due to certain health conditions.

Modern medicine had no solution for her, but since the doctor had made a conscientious effort to learn holistic practices, he suggested taking turmeric pills.

Turmeric, also known as haldi, is a traditional Indian medicine and a proven antioxidant and antiinflammatory. Bringing traditional medicine to a modern doctor’s office provided a new option for patients. Despite the fact that some holistic medicine practices, such as incense, may not have real medical impacts, they can still help patients.

We must stop discounting the power of these therapies. Change has begun: In 2022, the World Health Organization set up the Global Traditional Medicine Centre. This center works to understand traditional medical practices and bring that knowledge to global health policy.

Despite this first step, there is still so far to go for the incorporation and validation of traditional medicine into modern practices.

The next time you feel sick and go visit your doctor or Student Health Services, consider asking them about holistic solutions too. After all, bringing together millenia of tradition with modern medical advancement can only make healthcare better for everyone.

Sara Garg (27C) is from Johns Creek, Ga.

Whenever anyone asks why I managed business at the Wheel, I always start with my early introduction to the publication.

Every now and then, my mom would bring home a copy of the Wheel’s latest print, which I would inevitably peruse. I enjoyed reading about all the happenings in a world that was so close, yet so very far, from my own. Back then, college life was a mystery to me, but I admired the formal elegance with which it was dutifully recounted, commented upon, satirized and committed to page in the Wheel’s dynamic forum.

I came to see the paper as a tangible, enduring and accessible signature of the ever-changing, complex institution which it represents. Given that the paper has served Emory since 1919, the Wheel’s immense legacy also inspired my young mind with awe. For me, engaging with the paper was to engage with Emory’s narrative through the lens of student envoys.

I came to see that the perspectives circuated by the Wheel are as much Emory as are the innumerable spaces, people, ideas and ubiquitous green compost bins that happen to function in tandem at this current time and place. The rest is history. When I became a student at Emory, I sought out work at the paper. Writing was never my thing, so I decided to try my hand at the business team. Several semesters later, I was running the show.

When I hear “the Wheel’s business mnager,” I usually picture a put-together business student who is worried about their upcoming internship interview. Believe it or not, I am a physics major who studies religion on the side.

Despite my academic interests, I was all business at the Wheel. I credit most of my motivation to my predecessor, Mileen Meyer (22B). Among many things, she taught me the value of consistency, especially in pursuit of keeping the Wheel running. The business

Like any work, the actual nature of the tasks is secondary to the meaning behind them. Throughout my tenure at the Wheel, I found more fulfillment than you might think in my duties of keeping things running smoothly. These include diligently following our protocols like, for example, invoicing (i.e. the accountant’s bane), innovating when appropriate and problem solving with colleagues. Perhaps what has brought me the most satisfaction, though, is helping my fellow members of the business team grow in their roles. The sense of accomplishment that comes with reflecting on our big wins, like hosting three smashingly successful Housing Fairs, narrowly finalizing the droves of student advertisements in the Graduation Magazine each year, increasing salaries for editors and raising an absurd amount of money — which I am luckily shrewd enough not to disclose — is certainly sweet. The small wins are almost as rewarding. There is a special feeling that comes with seeing an advertisement you sold printed in Wednesday’s edition and knowing that you played your part in upholding one of Emory’s most lasting and truly essential traditions, the Wheel’s student journalism.

Throughout my tenure at the Wheel, I found more fulfllment than you might think in my duties of keeping things running.

There you have it: a glimpse into my role and the work that goes on behind these neatly, or not-so-neatly, stacked papers you see on campus every other week. Shoutout to all of the business team members who have worked so diligently to keep everything running smoothly, especially to Katie Hu (26B), who is currently killing it as my successor in the role.

I have all but packed up and moved on by now, but have no fear: Thanks to all the motivated people behind the helm here, we will continue to keep the lights on.

Hunter Collins (24C) is from Atlanta.

Unconscious antisemitism impacts Jewish students

Ben Brodsky

The concept of unconscious racism emerged in the late 20th century, but the theory has become more widely known in recent years. The creators of the term defined individuals who unconsciously discriminate as people who cannot separate cultural stereotypes and opinions from their actions when interacting with minorities, even when they see themselves as not racist, or even anti-racist. While unconscious bias was originally defined as affecting Black Americans, the idea has expanded to include the impacts on all people of color and religious communities. However, some groups — notably, Jews — have largely been left out of this conversation.

Antisemitism, prejudice against Jews, is most comparable to discrimination based on race, since the perpetrators of antisemitic acts, historically, have seen one’s Judaism as genetic and unchangeable. However, antisemitism has generally been more explicit than some forms of racism. Alt-right marchers chanting “Jews will not replace us” are hardly subtle. However, in recent years, and especially since the Oct. 7, 2023 modern pogroms in Israel and the ensuing conflict in Gaza, antisemitism has morphed into a more subversive intolerance that is, at times, unconscious to the perpetrator. I write to discuss this shift in hope that someone well-meaning, yet unknowingly engaging in this unconscious bias against Jews, is reading.

As the historical evolution of uncon-

scious bias has transformed, a specific framework around defining such transgressions has emerged in the form of microaggressions. A microaggression is a remark or behavior that, even when done inadvertently, offends someone from a marginalized group. This concept is now widely recognized as a prevalent type of unconscious bias in social settings.

I’m not necessarily voicing my support for this method of labeling unconscious bias, as there is likely something to be said about assuming best intent, as many social psychologists have asserted. Regardless, this method of calling out bigotry has become the modern standard of addressing discrimination and should thus be applied to all protected groups equally. These norms have recently been cast aside when discussing topics Jews consider antisemitic. It’s one thing to criticize the concept of microaggressions widely, but unless we completely overhaul the systems currently in place to determine discrimination, a double standard will exist against Jews.

Emory University’s Graduate Student Government Association recently proposed a bill to boycott and divest from both Israeli companies and companies with ties to Israel. Some students claim that the bill puts pressure on the Israeli government, a reasonablesounding goal. However, the impact of the bill, self-proclaimed by the coauthor in an Emory Wheel article to be a version of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, is widely rejected by Jews and deemed antisemitic by the Anti-Defamation League. Unfortunately, this act of unconscious

antisemitism was not the only one that has occurred at Emory.

In an October 2023 protest, Emory Stop Cop City demanded that the University “separate entirely from any Zionists.” According to the same Pew survey mentioned above, 67% of religious Jews are emotionally attached to Israel, including a whopping average of 80% of Conservative and Orthodox Jews. Emory Stop Cop City’s goal might not be to “separate entirely” from a vast majority of religious Jews, but if Emory accepted its demand, this expulsion would likely be the result.

If someone wants to separate from Zionists, and most Jews are Zionists, they therefore want to separate from most Jews.

Alt-right marchers chanting “Jews will not replace us” are hardly subtle.

Even if the activist group was wellintentioned, a microaggression against any other minority group would not be accepted and perpetrated by a supposedly progressive social justice movement. By focusing criticism on Zionists, those who critique Israel might unintentionally imply a logic that equates most Jews with Zionists, leading to a disdain for Zionists and, by extension, Jews themselves.

Jews have the right to define what is antisemitic, as other minority groups do for their respective forms of discrimination. After the October 2023

protest, University President Gregory Fenves sparked controversy after critiquing phrases chanted during the rally as being “antisemitic.” In an open letter to Fenves following his response to the protest, Emory faculty members devoted a significant portion of their message to delineating antisemitism according to the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, which separates any amount of anti-Zionism from prejudice against Jews. A Wheel opinion piece said it best: “Dear non-Jews, don’t tell us what isn’t antisemitism.”

The open letter’s signatories’ disagreement with Fenves’ email condemning the chants was written in the name of free expression. The faculty members’ claim is the same as those of former University of Pennsylvania President Elizabeth Magill and former Harvard University (Mass.) President Claudine Gay, defending calls for violence against Jews under the guise of prioritizing free speech. I would be remiss not to note that the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard rank second to worst and worst in the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s 2024 Free Speech Ranking, respectively.

Universities seem to have begun prioritizing freedom of expression postOct. 7, 2023. The professors may have a legitimate claim defending the legal free speech of pro-Palestine students. The issue is that this claim is only made when those decrying the arguably hateful speech are Jewish. After Fenves correctly voiced his opposition to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, there was no open letter charging him with silencing those who disagreed with the message. Based

on this skewed reception, I argue that progressives only support free speech when those opposing the speech are Jewish. Even if the authors exclusively harbored the intention of defending open expression, the bias is damning.

None of these social justice groups would outwardly admit that their actions attempt to push Jewish students out of progressive movements, classroom discussions on oppression or Emory as a whole.

However, this expulsion of Jewish community members may be the unfortunate result of their actions. This year, Harvard and other elite universities saw their applications fall significantly. This decrease is inseparable from the discomfort and fear that Jewish applicants have felt following the actions of their community members. You might not be trying to expel Jews from your spaces, but the refusal to acknowledge and correct this reality is, by definition, antisemitic. I’m not focusing on my own opinions on Zionism, the BDS movement or campus free expression. I mainly question why those who are quick to call out other forms of discrimination are hesitant to condemn antisemitism. If the current climate, both at Emory and around the country, continues, consciously or unconsciously, Jewish community members may choose to go somewhere else.

If well-meaning anti-Zionists wish to keep Jews in their academic, social and political spaces, they should grasp the consequences of their words and reverse course.

Tackling America’s gun crisis from the doctor’s ofce

Content Warning: This article contains references to gun violence.

Inspired by recent initiatives such as those at Northwell Health’s hospital on the New York borough of Staten Island, which integrates firearm safety discussions into routine medical visits, healthcare providers nationally are increasingly recognizing the imperative to address gun violence as a public health issue.

Advocates argue that treating firearm injury prevention as a public health concern is long overdue. The White House has declared firearm injury an epidemic, while organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health are allocating resources for prevention research.

Moreover, numerous medical societies now acknowledge gun injury as a public health crisis, underscoring the role of healthcare providers in mitigating its consequences. It is essential that we take a bold stance and recognize that healthcare professionals have a moral obligation to address gun violence as not just a public health crisis but also an issue of individual safety.

While discussions about firearm safety in healthcare settings may seem intrusive to some, they are a crucial component of addressing the severity of gun violence in America. In a society where traditional avenues have failed to stem the tide of gun-related injuries

and fatalities, some perceive healthcare professionals as stepping outside their traditional bounds by initiating these conversations. Yet, these professionals are merely shouldering the burden of a societal failure to adequately address this pressing issue. As other structures falter, doctors are left to confront the grim realities of gun violence, often at the forefront of providing care to its victims.

The truth is staggering: In 2022 alone, there were 48,222 gun-related deaths in the United States from preventable, intentional and undetermined causes. Instead of blaming doctors for asking about guns, Americans must recognize it is the systemic normalization of firearms that has necessitated this change. In a society where gun ownership is ubiquitous and gun violence pervasive, healthcare professionals are increasingly compelled to address this issue as a matter of public health.

The impact of Americans’ obsession with guns is not felt equally across all demographics. While 36% of white Americans report owning a gun, compared to 24% of Black and 15% of American Hispanics, it is communities of color that bear the brunt of gun violence. This disparity extends beyond mere statistics; it permeates the daily lives of individuals in these communities. It means the loss of loved ones tears apart families, children grow up in environments where gunshots are a familiar sound and communities grapple with the trauma and loss that result from pervasive violence.

Enter the National Rifle Association: The self-appointed guardian of gun

rights and purveyor of dangerous rhetoric. This organization, with its deep pockets filled by an astounding $18,239,552 raised and $14,498,584 spent, according to political action committee summary data from 2021-2022, alongside its relentless lobbying efforts, has successfully weaponized the Second Amendment to serve its own agenda. It prioritizes the profits of gun manufacturers over the lives of innocent Americans, stifling any meaningful conversation about sensible gun regulations with its stranglehold on American politics.

The fact that routine medical visits now include questions about firearms speaks volumes about the pervasive impact of gun violence on public health. Doctors are not merely diagnosing and treating diseases; they are advocating for the well-being of their patients and communities in the face of a pressing gun violence crisis. It’s about ensuring that individuals are informed and empowered to make responsible choices about their health and safety. The routine inclusion of questions about firearms in medical visits is not an overreach; it’s a recognition of the failure of broader societal structures, such as legislative inaction on gun control and insufficient community resources for violence prevention programs, to adequately address the root causes of this epidemic.

We must reject the fatalistic notion that gun violence is an unavoidable facet of American life. With 31.3 million college-aged individuals in the United States, we possess the potential to enact change. Let us leverage our voices to

champion public health initiatives focused on medicine, such as integrating firearm safety discussions into routine medical visits and advocating for comprehensive research into prevention strategies by our doctors.

As members of the Emory University community, we have the power to make a difference. With Emory Healthcare, the most comprehensive academic health system in Georgia, and its 11 hospitals, combined with our university’s emphasis on healthcare education and research, we are uniquely positioned to drive change and address the pressing issue of gun violence in our state and beyond.

Considering the significant number of future doctors and health professionals attending Emory, we are in a position to not only advocate for public health initiatives but also actively engage in research, policy development and community outreach aimed at preventing gun violence from the ground up. This includes urging Congress to reinstate the Assault Weapons Ban, advocating for legislation to prioritize community safety by banning assault weapons, and supporting comprehensive firearms safety education initiatives. Additionally, joining upcoming volunteer events and campus organizations like Physicians for Human Rights and Health Students Taking Action Together, Inc. can provide opportunities for involvement in impactful advocacy efforts and community outreach .

Demand change by urging Congress to reinstate the Assault Weapons Ban, advocating for legislation to prioritize community safety by banning assault

weapons. Advocate for safety by encouraging your U.S. representative to cosponsor bills aimed at stopping gun trafficking, preventing firearms from falling into the wrong hands. Pledge your support to disarm hate and promote comprehensive firearms safety education in the United States. Get involved by joining upcoming volunteer events in your community, such as organizing rallies, hosting informational sessions or participating in outreach efforts led by campus organizations like Physicians for Human Rights and Health Students Taking Action Together, Inc. Download the Everytown for Gun Safety app to access resources, stay informed and take action on the go.

This is not just about passing laws or implementing regulations. It is about challenging the underlying structures of power and privilege that perpetuate gun violence culture in the United States. It is about dismantling the culture of fear and division that has allowed the gun lobby to dictate our nation’s policies.

The time for change is now. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to stand up and demand a world free from the threat of gun violence.

If you or someone you know is struggling in the aftermath of gun violence, you can reach Emory’s Counseling and Psychological Services at (404) 727-7450 or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Disaster Distress hotline 24/7 at +1 (800) 985-5990.

Eliana Liporace (27C) is from Englewood Cliffs, N.J.

Ben Brodsky (25B) is from Scottsdale, Ariz.

Eliana Liporace

The Emory Wheel Arts Life&

From ‘Girl-of-the-Week’ to now: Recent history of women at Emory

By Hilary Barkey Science & Technology Desk

Content Warning: This article contains references to sexual assault.

Growing up in the ’80s, former Student Government Association (SGA) President Laura Lewin (89C) felt like she could do “almost anything.” By her graduation from high school, she remembered women being in the workforce and experienced female staff and students — including herself — leading organizations at Emory University. She commented that if she had gone to Emory “possibly another 10 or 20 years” prior to her matriculation, she may have been more aware of whether there was female leadership at the University, but that it didn’t feel like a “big hurdle” during her time there. However, it was not always this way. Lewin reflected on her early childhood, where women in “many areas” still needed their husband’s permission to open a credit card.

Before the ‘80s

From 1952 to 1970, “The Emory Wheel Girl-of-the-Week” features, which sometimes displayed a girl’s height, weight and relationship status to the general population, were just some examples of portrayals of women at Emory. The Wheel archives expose more instances from that era, including sexualized comics of women willing to do “anything” for an A in a class and “charity auctions” of Emory women who were “slaves” to the highest bidder for a day.

However, Emory began to change. Since the ’70s, more female students and faculty began serving in leadership roles. Furthermore, in the ‘80s and ‘90s, women were also involved in various staff positions at the University, even though the majority of Emory deans were men. Quotas on female enrollment — mandating only one woman be let in for every two men at Emory College of Arts and Sciences — persisted until 1971, but Emory now reports that women make up 57% of its undergraduate student body.

’80s and ’90s Lewin remembered that the previ-

DIGESTIBLE RESEARCH

ous female leaders of SGA made it feel easier for her to become involved in student government as a woman.

“There were three female SGA presidents in a row,” Lewin said. “Margot [Rogers (88C)], and then Theresa [Burriss (88C)] and then me, so it didn’t feel like there was anything in my way.”

According to the Wheel’s former Editor-in-Chief Suzanne Morrissey (92C), the Wheel was “a boys’ club” before she arrived as editor. However, during her time at the Wheel, she recalled women working as assistant features editor and arts editor. Morrissey described the women working for student publications as “formidable thinkers,” allowing the Wheel to win both of the top collegiate journalism awards for the first time in the paper’s history.

Morrissey, who was the Wheel’s first female editor-in-chief, and Lewin, among the first women to hold SGA presidency, credited previous generations for paving the way for increased gender inclusivity on campus.

“It’s been the women before me, the women of the ‘70s, [who] have paved the way for women of my generation,” Morrissey said.

Former Student Programming Council Chair Michele Riley (91C) recalled hearing about how female rights and responsibilities had progressed from the past generation to her collegiate years. She specifically remembered how former Assistant Dean and Director of Summer Programs Rosemary Magee (82G) would talk about the obstacles of balancing motherhood and employment.

“Rosemary’s point was, ‘Well, at least [women] have the option now to work in what [they] want,’” Riley said.

“That wasn’t true for when she was younger, and she always thought Emory was a very welcoming place for that.”

However, Emory’s increased representation of women did not eliminate the misogyny or gender-based discrimination on campus during the ’80s and ’90s, according to Riley. She recalled instances of inappropriate behavior from professors toward female students.

Riley believes women are less tolerant toward such behavior today.

“Today’s young women … when we get them in the workplace, they experience something and they say, ‘That’s wrong,’ they call it out immediately,” Riley said. “We did not do that.”

Morrissey also discussed an instance during her time at the Wheel where two male fraternity members came to the Wheel offices and pressured the staff to not run a story about an alleged sexual assault committed by a member of their fraternity.

She described the situation as “scary” but ultimately decided to publish the story. Morrissey remembered feeling the presence of the Wheel staffers standing behind her during this incident, which ultimately led the fraternity members to leave the Wheel members alone. Similarly, Morrissey said that she felt a general sense of “camaraderie” with members of Emory’s other student publications, such as The Spoke she especially had a “special” connection with the female students working in publications, who “enjoyed” seeing each other.

“Nobody was competing with each other,” Morrissey said. “We were all trying to see each other succeed and make sure that we were all doing our

best work, to lift those publications. And so anyone’s success was all of our success.”Morrissey also looked toward the next generations, noting the impact women in the past have on the present and future.

“I’m very grateful that my mom’s generation paved the way for us, and hopefully our generation is paving the way for you,” Morrissey said.

Emory in 2024

Today, women make up 57% of Emory’s undergraduate student body and the majority of Emory’s school’s deans are women, which is a stark contrast to 40 years ago, when women made up 43.9% of the total student population. Former College Council President Neha Murthy (24C) reflected on her experiences attending Emory in an era with more female representation, especially with regards to the mentoring she received from older women working at Emory.

“There were certain skills that only I could have learned from another woman,” Murthy said. Murthy added that it is important to see female power in “every facet and every aspect” of life and that representation and mentorship has impacted her future.

While women are still fighting for increased recognition for their work, Murthy said her female mentors have helped her recognize and celebrate her accomplishments.

“I hope down the road women in power can feel confident and get recognized for all their initiatives and everything that they have done without having to fight extra to get that recognition,” Murthy said.

If you or someone you know experienced sexual assault, you can access Emory’s Department of Title IX at 404-727-0541 and the Office of Respect’s hotline 24/7 at (470) 270-5360. You can reach the RAINN National Sexual Assault hotline 24/7 at (800) 656-4673. You can reach the Atlanta Grady Rape Crisis Center crisis hotline 24/7 at (404) 616-4861 and the Decatur Day League Sexual Assault Care and Prevention crisis hotline 24/7 at (404) 377-1428.

– Contact Hilary Barkey at hilary.barkey@emory.edu

When students stepped onto McDonough Field for Emory University’s annual Israel Fest on April 16, they were welcomed by a DJ playing a mix of house and Israelihouse music. Tables containing merchandise from Jewish organizations and Israeli food and snacks surrounded McDonough stage, which would later house a performance by Jewish-American singer Matisyahu.

Emma Koch (27C), a member of Eagles for Israel’s logistics committee, said that Eagles for Israel was one of the main organizers of the event, working alongside Emory Hillel, Meor at Emory and Chabad. Israel Fest also featured Jewish organizations such as Emory Israel Public Affairs Committee, JBiz and JHealth.

Although the festival was mainly focused on the Israeli cultural scene at Emory, Eagles for Israel also used the event as an opportunity to bring attention to the Israel-Hamas war.

“Usually we bring in a lot of Israeli food and people can celebrate Judaism, but this year, we’ve also tried to raise awareness for the hostages as well,” Koch said.

While other tables gave out t-shirts, stickers and pens, one of Hillel’s tables displayed dog chains labeled with “Bring Them Home Now” and beaded bracelets bearing the names of Israeli hostages cap -

See MATISYAHU, Page 10

Emory art historians rebuild Baroque Rome

By alya kHoury

Contributing Writer

What if you could walk through history and not just read about it? Picture yourself navigating the labyrinth-like

alleys of 17th-century Rome, soaking in its architectural wonders and uncovering its hidden secrets. That dream becomes a reality in the Emory Center for Digital Scholarship. A team of five art historians and digital artists are turning architect

and engraver Giovanni Battista Falda’s 1676 map of Rome into an interactive 3D model. This digital project, “Envisioning Baroque Rome,” allows the Emory University community to wander throughout Rome and view the 17th-century landscape through

the eyes of Falda by navigating three screens with a gaming controller. As well as being accessible online, their work is on display between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Emory Center for Digital Scholarship, which is located on the third floor of the Robert W. Woodruff Library.

Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Art History Sarah McPhee began this project in 2013, but it gained momentum in 2016. McPhee’s profound appreciation for Italian architecture arose during her sophomore year of college when a professor inspired her to embark on her academic journey.

“I loved architectural history, in particular, because it keeps you honest in the sense that architecture is an expensive art,” McPhee said. “There are economics concerns, there are political concerns, there are materials concerns. You have to understand the whole world that makes a work of architecture to really get it.”

While McPhee has spent countless hours in Italian archival libraries to become an expert on Italian architecture, one specific map inspired her — Falda’s depiction of Rome in 1676.

“I wanted to enter the world of this map that I had been navigating throughout my entire career,” McPhee said.

McPhee believes Falda’s map is, without a doubt, the “finest map of Rome ‘’ produced in the 17th century. She explained that this was the first time that Rome was represented in its modern state, as many engravers previously focused on the Roman ruins.

“You have to understand the whole world that makes a work of architecture to really get it.”

— Sarah McPhee, Art History Professor

Ian Burr (15Ox, 17C) serves as the team’s visual design specialist and 3D artist. He combines the research information and creates digital versions. Burr also said that the project being in black and white was a “conscious

In good company: 4 features to celebrate creative collaboration

By CatHerine Goodman ArtS & life editor

As final exam season rapidly approaches, many Emory University students must prepare for the dreaded group project.

Professors smirk as they assign these dual-headed monstrosities and frame such assignments as light-hearted, simple and fun, when in actuality, they are chock-full of stress, miscommunication and imminent failure.

The group members are constantly at odds, bidding over the smallest tasks like prized pigs. In the spirit of cooperation, I present four of my favorite collaborations from the 21st century — “A-plus” group projects, if you will.

‘Telephone’ by Lady Gaga (feat. Beyoncé) (2009)

In the face of my final “Cat’s Collection” for the semester, the monster known as writer’s block snarled at me from the corner of the room.

Exasperated, I closed my laptop and asked my roommate what the best pop

album of all time was. Without missing a beat, she responded “The Fame Monster” (2009) by Lady Gaga.

From this declaration emerged a glittering gift, one of the best collaborations ever produced — “Telephone” by Lady Gaga (feat. Beyoncé).

As a collaboration between two of pop’s biggest stars, “Telephone” is unsurprisingly amazing. The song begins with an intoxicating harp solo that is soon submerged by Lady Gaga’s powerful voice singing, “Hello, hello, baby / You called, I can’t hear a thing.” Lady Gaga originally supplicates her unnerved lover, but as the track progresses, the singer’s annoyance at the caller increases. “Sorry, I cannot hear you, I’m kinda busy,” she muses as the beat drops.Lady Gaga’s desire for independence ultimately prevails.

She wants to have a fun night, to dance and laugh in the club alone. Who can blame her? Certainly not her partner-in-crime Beyoncé, who joins the song with a sizzling verse.

“Boy, the way you blowing up my phone / Won’t make me leave no faster,” she spits. The song ends with the same melodic harp riff from the be -

ginning and an assertive automated message, “We’re sorry (we’re sorry) / The number you have reached is not in service at this time.”

‘Margaret (feat. Bleachers)’ by Lana Del Rey (2023)

Lana Del Rey entered the music scene in 2012 with her pop record “Born to Die.” Since her major-label debut, she has cultivated a sad girl persona that appeals to the disillusioned Generation Z. Lana Del Rey’s major hits such as “Summertime Sadness” (2012) and “Norman Fucking Rockwell” (2019) demonstrate her devotion to melancholy and mourning.

Her most recent album “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd” (2023) is no exception to this cruel commitment. In “Kintsugi,” Lana Del Rey immediately cuts deep by singing “There’s a certain point the body can’t come back from.”

“Margaret (feat. Bleachers)” presents a different type of sadness. The track opens with a 37 second instrumental that gradually increases in volume, calmly ushering in Lana Del Rey’s alto crooning.

She begins, “This is a simple song, gonna write it for a friend.” The “simple song” in question is a stunning ballad that celebrates the meet-cute between two lovers and the immediate understanding of connection.

“When you know, you know,” Lana Del Rey muses.Bleachers accompanies Lana Del Rey on the first chorus with a baritone harmony. The allmale group led by Jack Antono ff sings the second verse alone. “If you’re asking yourself, ‘How do you know?’ / Then that’s your answer, the answer is no,” the band pronounces.

In doing so, Bleachers subverts the romanticism of the track. This ballad is home to the fiercest feelings of love, and the most indifferent.

‘Bang Bang’ by Jessie J (feat. Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj) (2014)

“Bang Bang” by Jessie J (feat. Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj) is not high art, but it is a great song.

Jessie J opens the song loud and proud, asserting, “She got a body like an hourglass / But I can give it to you all the time.”

Despite the track’s commitment to comparing and placing women into competition with one another, it is somehow also incredibly empowering.

After an energetic chorus, Ariana Grande joins by singing, “She might’ve let you hold her hand at school / But I’ma show you how to graduate.”

Her signature soprano runs add a level of sophistication to the snarky lyrical commentary.

As if the track needed more starpower, Nicki Minaj sends the pedal to the metal with her vibrant rap. “It’s me, Jessie and Ari, if they test me, they sorry,” she claims.

Her verse amplifies the track’s energy tenfold.

She finalizes her section of the song with a wonderful synopsis of her contribution and raps, “It ain’t karaoke night but get the mic ‘cause I’m singing.’”

There is something indescribable about this track that keeps me coming back for more. Maybe it is the cheesy lyrics that enable listeners to envision themselves in an intense pop-rock battle, the infectious joy of Nicki Minaj’s confidence or the childlike bridge that earnestly spells out

B-A-N-G.

Whatever the song’s secret recipe is, I am always hungry for more.

‘evermore (feat. Bon Iver)’ by Taylor Swift (2020)

I visited my best friend from Emory in New York City in July 2023.

The air was warm, the night was young and the sounds of New York were a symphony from outside her apartment window. We were laying on her bed as she chronicled her stuffed animal collection and I mindlessly scrolled through my phone.

Suddenly, it happened. An immense evil struck as dark clouds rolled in and the building shook. Through a glitching TikTok livestream on my phone, Taylor Swift had played “evermore (feat. Bon Iver)” as a surprise song at the Eras Tour.

A tear streamed down my face as I showed it to my companion.

To ensure a slice of individuality in the highly organized three-hour Eras Tour, Taylor Swift promised each North American show two acoustic songs that she would not sing to another crowd. When I didn’t receive “evermore,” I brushed it off, relishing in the beauty of the concert regardless. However, when I found out that thousands of other fans witnessed this ballad live, it stung.

“evermore,” the title from Taylor Swift’s ninth studio album, is my favorite song of all time.

Taylor Swift opens the track with a somber declaration, “Gray November / I’ve been down since July.” However, this song does not sit in defeat. Instead it presents a narrative arc in which sadness is acknowledged, confronted and ultimately overcome.

Throughout the track, Taylor Swift’s vocalization is supported only by piano. When Bon Iver joins for an impassioned bridge, the singers’ alternating exclamations culminate in an explosion of intimacy.

The track ends in a full circle moment with Taylor Swift singing sweetly, “This pain wouldn’t be for evermore (evermore) / Evermore.” While the melancholy will pass, I am certain my admiration for this song never will.

– Contact Catherine Goodman at catherine.goodman@emory.edu

Maggie Rogers delivers timeless pop-rock on ‘Don’t Forget Me’

By aBBy CHarak AtlAntA deSK

I sit writing this review in a tenthfloor hotel room in Greenwich Village, New York City. According to a recent instagram story, singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers, who has lived in the city since she attended New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, is just a few blocks away moving into a brand new apartment. Apparently today — Friday, April 12 — is a big day for Rogers: She also released her third studio album, “Don’t Forget Me,” at midnight.

The record is a collection of timeless, easy-listening pop-rock bangers and ballads that will ensure that Rogers will not be forgotten any time soon by critics, casual listeners or devoted fans. Even my mother and grandmother, who haven’t listened to Maggie Rogers until now, blissfully enjoyed the album as I played it out loud as they got ready for a Hop-on Hop-off bus tour in Manhattan.

Let the record show, for New York residents like Maggie Rogers herself and several of my friends, that I abstained from the tour. But if I were there, I would make s ure they stopped by Electric Lady Studios, the iconic studio where Rogers recorded “Don’t Forget Me” across five days in December 2022 and January 2023. Ironically, I find little evidence of the album’s New York production location.

The easy-breezy sound has more of a west coast vibe, evoking com-

parisons to the likes of Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks and Carole King. But you can feel — and hear — the presence of the studio throughout the album. The sonic landscape has an acoustic feel to it, making it easy for all listeners to discern that Maggie Rogers and co-producer Ian Fitchuk are using live instruments in the studio.

“And, trust me, the incredible soft-rock track hits just as hard blasting in a car driving down Eagle Row as it does walking down the pedestrianflled streets of Manhattan.”

At the end of “Drunk,” the second track on the album, an extra drum beat is the period tacked onto the end of an incredible sentence. “Drunk” is an instant standout and perhaps the most grungy, New-Yorkian track on the album.

The rhythmic guitar riff vaguely evokes the likes of the quintessential New York rock band the Strokes.

Drums arrive at the pre-chorus, introducing a very grunge sound relative to the songs that follow. “I’m

drunk, but not drinkin’ / Lost in wishful thinkin’,” Maggie Rogers croons.

Maggie Rogers goes on to explore sounds from a variety of genres while maintaining sonic and thematic cohesion. “So Sick of Dreaming” and “On & On & On” wield bass lines similar to those found in psychedelic rock tunes from the late ’60s. “I Still Do” and “All the Same” are bursting with Joni Mitchell’s influence, as they simultaneously hug and crush the hearts of listeners with strippedback piano, plucked acoustic guitar and impressive vibrato.

Enough of me discussing Maggie Rogers’ influences, whether they be places, people, or genres: A great body of work must have a voice of its own, and “Don’t Forget Me” has it.

The songs are lyrically interesting enough to sustain multiple listens and easy enough to understand but always leave something new to discover upon each listen.

While Rogers is not necessarily breaking new sonic or lyrical ground, she is the best at what she does in the time she is doing it.

The album ends with the title track, which she released as a single back in Feb., where Rogers expresses a relatable love-related frustration by singing, “My friend Sally’s getting married / And to me that sounds so scary / I’m still tryin’ to clean up my side of the street.”

But when Rogers pleads “Don’t forget me” she speaks to more than a potential lover. S he seems to be pleading to the world at large. And, trust me, the in-

credible soft-rock track hits just as hard blasting in a car driving down Eagle Row as it does walking down the pedestrian-filled streets of Manhattan.

As I wrap up this review, my mom and grandma are well on their way to the Empire State Building or some other tourist trap, and I am getting ready to go out for a walk out on the streets of the Village.

I will surely see hundreds of well-dressed twenty-somethings floating in their own worlds and lis-

tening to their own accompanying soundtracks.

I wonder how many of them are blasting “Don’t Forget Me” in their headphones.

While I wonder how many of them will decide to delve deeper into her heartfelt lyrics, I won’t mind if they, like my mom and grandma, find it comforting and sonically interesting background music.

– Contact Abby Charak at abby.charak@emory.edu

Matisyahu performs eclectic set at Israel Fest

Continued from Page 8

tured by Hamas.

Emory Hillel Vice President Maya Rezak (25C) said that although Israel Fest was a “cool opportunity” for campus clubs related to Israel to come together, she wanted to bring attention to Israeli hostages captured by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 — especially for her friend Omer, who is among the hostages.

“Since the fall, it’s been very important to a group of us to keep bringing awareness on campus about these hostages,” Rezak said. “My friend Omer is 22 years old.

He is our age, is the same as any of us, grew up in the States, and it’s just really important to see that these are innocent people being held hostage by a terrorist organization, and the world can’t forget about them.”

One table at the event also served falafels, pita and various desserts from Toco Grill, a Kosher restaurant in Atlanta, according to Eagles for Israel co-President Lyndsey Lipson (24C). She also noted the importance of bringing awareness to Israeli culture at the event.

“The coolest thing about Israel Fest is that it’s everyone coming together to celebrate Israeli culture in such a positive and uplifting way,” Lipson said.

“It’s really to get that positive touch point for students on campus to learn about Israel in a positive light when a lot of stuff they are hearing is in a political and negative way.”

The culmination of the festival, however, was Matisyahu’s performance. Clad in a loose-fitting blue

shirt, a white tank top and yellow kaleidoscope pants, Matisyahu sauntered on stage to greet the delighted crowd.

Jordana Miller (24B) explained that she was already familiar with Matisyahu, whose legal name is Matthew Paul Miller.

“I’ve heard of this guy for a while,” Miller said. “My mom’s a fan.”

Matisyahu, whose stage name means “gift of God” in Hebrew, is a Reconstructionist Jew from West Chester, Pa. His 2004 single “King Without a Crown” reached 28 on the

Billboard Hot 100 chart. He is known for blending his spirituality with a rock-reggae sound.

The concert began with Matisyahu singing, humming and beatboxing under his breath, swaying back and forth while his guitarist strummed a reggae-style melody.

He used his loose, lackadaisical approach to set up for future moments in his performance — after mumbling or beatboxing for a few counts, he would create a loop of his singing and use it as a beat to work off of for subsequent melodies.

In more than one instance during the concert, Matisyahu started singing a well-known song and encouraged the audience to sing or clap along before moving off script and returning to spur-of-the-moment lyricism or scatting.

His spontaneity was part of the fun for the audience, who laughed and cheered at these moments of ingenuity.

The concert reached a climax when Matisyahu played his hit “One Day” (2009), a song wishing for peace and prosperity.

Audience members rushed to the

stage, forming a mosh pit in which they sang along and swayed to the beat of the music.

“It was good to see everyone come together,” concluded Miller, who noted that “it wasn’t all Jewish people” who attended the event.

Matisyahu calls for just that in “One Day,” singing “There’ll be no more wars / And our children will play / One day.”

–Contact Clement Lee at clement.lee@emory.edu and Samuel Temple at samuel.temple@emoory.edu

Mini Crossword

B

1. “At Last” singer James

5. Ouch!

6. Students’ worries over the next few weeks

8. Eve’s counterpart

9. Numbers you shouldn’t share (abbr.)

1. A type of 6-across

2. “__ HOLD ‘EM,” new Beyoncé song

3. Frogs’ counterparts

4. Exclamation if 6-across goes poorly

7.

Resurrecting Baroque Rome

Continued from Page 8

choice.”

“Falda is essentially our greatest source from this area or most complete source from this area of history,” Burr said. “So it’s to kind of pay homage to the fact that this is, ‘Yes, it’s a historical representation,’ but it is also an indepth reimagining and recreation of this one artist’s work.”

To bring Falda’s map to life, Burr and the team’s other 3D designer, Nicole Costello Matthews, craft each detail by hand on the digital designer systems, Autodesk 3ds Max and Autodesk Maya, before exporting it into the gaming software Unity.

This allows the 2D map to become a 3D world through the screen.

Visual information specialist John Halbert noted that many buildings depicted in the map have been completely lost over time.

He explained that the project’s purpose was to highlight how intentional Baroque Italian architecture was.

“There’s various buildings throughout here that have been bulldozed for a highway,” Halbert said.

By working in such proximity to the cartographic archives of this historic city, these digital architects create personal relationships with the past builders of Rome and discover the secrets that hide within the city map, according to Burr.

“In the process of reconstructing a building, you can often kind of figure out what challenges they ran into while they were making it,” Burr said.

Additionally, the team has further uncovered the archeological layers on which Rome was built. Burr said that the Romans in every era had “a mind for preservation” because they were not interfering with ancient materials.

As this project grows and develops, the impact is far reaching.

This spatial-temporal travel can be applied across many different disci-

plines. According to McPhee, Rome has much to teach present-day students and builders.

“Rome as a city, despite its age — maybe because of its age — because of the years of history and the various things that it represents in its urban fabric, is a great model for urban planners,” McPhee said.

Beyond the world of architecture, McPhee also discussed the possibility of collaborating with the Emory School of Medicine to use this project as “therapy.”

The project could provide a form of palliative care by helping to distract patients and relieve intense pain, McPhee explained.

The digital nature of the project also allows for global access, ensuring that people from anywhere can dive into Falda’s world.

However, above all, McPhee said,

this project is meant for anyone who is curious to enter history and appreciate the past rendition of the quintessential city of Rome.

The team of five is filled with an intoxicating passion and an endless chamber of knowledge about each square inch of this project, which allows the Emory community to experience a pivotal moment of history.

“I fell in love with Baroque Rome because it’s a really interesting, transitional moment in world history where science, for example, is going from alchemy and experimentation and kind of oddball ideas about the working of the world to Galilean empirical observation,” McPhee said. “Architecture and the other arts actually reflect those same transitions.”

– Contact Alya Khoury at alya.khoury@emory.edu

CleMent lee/M A nAging editor

Students peruse the various tables set up by Jewish student organizations during Israel Fest on McDonough Field on April 16.

Page Nellis ‘one to be feared’ on softball feld

Continued from Back Page

every game is important and so I need to get on base any way I can,” Nellis said.

In addition to her high level of play, the team selected Nellis as a captain this year. Sophomore pitcher Isabel Cohen said the decision was unanimous.

“Page as a teammate is just very selfless, easily one of the hardest working people I know and me, as well as a lot of the other girls on the team, find her pretty inspiring,” Cohen said. “She definitely pushes us to work hard and to really be our best and also to approach every day with a positive attitude.”

Nellis’ leadership is also a crucial aspect to the team. Chiles said that even though Nellis lives off campus, she’ll often find her studying with younger players in the locker room in the evening. Cohen described her as an “empathetic” leader.

“She definitely understands every teammate on an emotional level,” Cohen said. “She really does a good job of communicating with people and taking the time to understand what you need as a teammate, which I feel like is why she’s such a good leader.”

When Nellis graduates in May to become a software engineer, Chiles said the team will have a difficult time filling the void she will leave behind.

Mentor, leader: Klutznick leaves impressive legacy

Continued from Back Page

NCAA DIII Men’s Golf Championships from May 14-17 in Boulder City, Nev.

Klutznick’s Emory career has been marked by amazing individual performances. Sjoberg highlighted the time when he shot 61 strokes in the final round at the Gate City Invitational last fall, which set a new program record. Klutznick finished 11 strokes better than the next closest golfer to bring home the individual title for the event.

Nevertheless, Klutznick’s legacy will not just be based on his individual performances. Lowery highlighted a ski trip with Klutznick as a testament to his attentiveness as a teammate

“I’ve never been skiing before, but he and his dad had a pretty challenging task, but they did a really good job of teaching me how to ski and now I’m pretty much hooked on skiing,” Lowery said. “My favorite memory with him is him introducing me to skiing, and now it’s quickly turned into one of my favorite hobbies.

Klutznick’s impact both on and off the course make him an essential part of Emory’s men’s golf program. As a finance and real estate major in Emory’s Goizueta Business School, he is currently working on getting his financial planner certification and is exploring routes in both professional

“She is that ultimate teammate that we will very desperately be trying to fill that spot next year,” Chiles said. “I don’t think we’ll be successful because she’s irreplaceable, but she is going to be a great manager, a great leader. … That kid can do anything she wants to.”

golf and finance after college.

Lowery said that Klutznick’s work for his major is more proof of his growth as a person during his time at Emory.

“I’ve known him for three years and he’s grown significantly,” Lowery said. “Whether that’s pursuing finance, or something else, so [his] becoming a more holistic person has been pretty cool to see.”

Klutznick is still deciding on if he wants to come back for another year in 2024-2025, so as Klutznick approaches what could be his final weeks with Emory men’s golf, he is focused on making sure younger players can reach similar heights in the future.

“Now that I’m old, I’m 23, a lot of it’s about making sure all the kids that are coming in that are 18 or 19 can have some of that mentorship that I was able to have that moved me in the right direction,” Klutznick said.

Klutznick has matured and is now trying to pass on his knowledge and approach to the next generation of Emory’s golf team.

“I attribute most of my success to Emory and learning and everything throughout my three years,” Klutznick said.

— Contact Evan Malinow at evan.malinow@emory.edu

— Contact Sasha Melamud at sasha.melamud@emory.edu

Coach attributes recent success to consistency

Continued from Back Page

in the second inning to make the score 2-0. WashU got on the board in this inning as well, but Zuckerman’s dominance, combined with nine runs in the top of the 10th, led to another dominant win for the Eagles with a score of 12-3.

In the third game of the weekend, junior pitcher Ryan Reynolds continued his excellent play, pitching a shutout until the seventh inning and recording a career-best eight strikeouts. However, WashU came storming back in the final innings to tie the game 4-4 by the end of daylight.

Emory finished the weekend strong with another dominant performance in the final game of the weekend. The Eagles pulled an early 4-0 lead and never looked back.

Grossman added a run-scoring double, followed by a contribution from junior outfielder Matthew Sicoli after an error. Freshman infielder Aidan Conley hit a double to bring junior center fielder Blake Dincman home. Sophomore infielder Zach Wasserlauf joined in with a hit that brought Conley to home plate. Sophomore pitcher Adam Geller earned his first win of the season on the mound with an 11-4 lead to cap off a solid series for the Eagles.

Halloran said that the weekend was important for the team, which was bouncing back from a couple of tough series against New York

University and Case Western Reserve University (Ohio). The Eagles ended their four-game series against New York in a 2-2 tie earlier this month after losing their series against Case Western 3-1.

“Obviously, when you win three and tie one out of four games, a lot of things go right.”

— Mike Twardoski

“We really needed a big win this series,” Halloran said. “We started off the first game really hot, we had a bunch of homeruns. That was fun because all the guys were playing really well. Then we capitalized on mistakes from the other team and really limited the mistakes that we made and worked together to win the rest of the games of the series.”

Baseball Head Coach Mike Twardoski emphasized the relationship between the excellent pitching performances and the Eagles’ wins this weekend.

“Obviously, when you win three and tie one out of four games, a lot of things go right and playing kind of a rival like

WashU, it feels good to at the end of the day come out with three victories and a tie,” Twardoski said. “But the overall thing was we played a little bit more consistent. We pitched a little bit more consistent this weekend.”

As the Eagles come up on their last few games, Halloran said that a big part of the journey is appreciating the seniors and their impact on the team as well as learning how to lead from their example.

“A big part of it is cherishing the moments we have with our seniors, but also really taking into account who they are and the behavior that they modeled for us, and then shaping that to how we want to lead coming into the summer with incoming freshmen and the new team,” Halloran said.

Grossman reflected on his baseball career, adding that the team wants to stay competitive while also enjoying the time they have left together this season.

“It’s probably the last few weekends of my baseball career,” Grossman said. “The underclassmen and juniors are fortunate enough to have some more time left in their career, but just coming together, enjoying every single moment of these last few weeks to keep winning and just most importantly have fun while we’re doing it.”

Justin Whitening/staff Photogra Pher

Sophomore infielder Cam Newell swings at a pitch during a game against Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) on March 31.

Senior golfer Jason Klutznick studies the course during a tournament.

natalie sandloW/Visual editor Senior outfielder Page Nellis rounds third base during a game against Agnes Scott College (Ga.) on Feb. 25, 2023.

The Emory Wheel

Sports

Baseball bounces back with wins against WashU

By Misha Gupta Contributing Writer

The Emory University baseball team continued its stretch of University Athletic Association (UAA) play with a four-game series against Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) (Mo.) from April 12 to 14. The Eagles won the series 3-0-1, improving their overall season record to 19-14-1.

Going into the weekend, senior infielder Jacob Grossman said the team emphasized building on their work thus far and having a solid series.

“We’ve really been performing well at the plate and on the field, and we really wanted to keep that going throughout the weekend,” Grossman said.

The Eagles began the weekend with a 21-7 win on April 12, scoring their highest run total of the season.

Grossman started off strong with a career-high seven runs batted in, going 4-for-6 and hitting two home runs.

Grossman said he believes that his recent standout performances could be attributed to the extra time he has put into mental preparation.

“That’s kind of the game changer,” Grossman said. “I’ve been able to get my mentality back on track, and I think just trying to enjoy every single moment, have fun, be in the moment, be there with my team and my coaches and put my best foot forward to help my team win a baseball game is most important to me.”

Junior infielder Jack Halloran contributed in the first game with his 20th home run of his career, becoming only the second player in Emory history to reach this mark. He said the achievement is something he can be proud of even though his focus is on the team’s

success.

“To be on that list with some great Emory baseball players … it really is a notable achievement and I’m very proud of myself but also recognizing that baseball is a team sport and my contribution is just one of many.”

In the first game of the doubleheader on the following day, sophomore pitcher Josh Zuckerman had an impressive showing, reaching careerhighs in strike-outs and innings pitched. He stuck out 14 of the 27 batters he faced throughout 7.2 innings, tying for fourth-most strikeouts in a game in program history.

Sophomore center fielder Adrien Armstrong kicked off the scoring at the top of the first inning, hitting a single with the bases loaded to bring Grossman home. Freshman infielder Trevor McAndrews scored on an error

Klutznick takes strides toward national success

By Evan Malinow Contributing Writer

Over his three years at Emory University, success has been the standard for senior golfer Jackson Klutznick, the current No. 1 Division III (DIII) men’s golfer in the country.

Hailing from Denver, Klutznick’s golf game started developing at a young age, as he first started playing when he was 18 months old. Growing up, tennis was his main sport, but in high school, Klutznick decided to put the racket away to focus on golf.

Klutznick was named to First Team All-State teams as a junior at Kent Denver High School, and in his senior year, he captured the Class 3A state championship in Colorado. Klutznick originally chose to go to school at the University of Washington where he was not on the golf team. However, after just one year, he came to Emory and joined the golf team.

Although Klutznick said he had a chip on his shoulder about DIII athletics after joining Emory’s golf team, he did not make the starting lineup during his first semester. The talent of Emory’s golf team when he joined motivated him to improve his game.

“I really tried to put in the hours and learn from all the seniors on the team, all the better players on the team, pick apart their games, what made them good,” Klutznick said.

Klutznick also had a sense of competitiveness that drove him to improve his game. Senior golfer Logan Lowery said Klutznick’s ambition has rubbed off on his teammates.

“That competitiveness that he has translates over to a lot of other people on the team who see him do well,” Lowery said. “I think one of the best things about playing with him has been just that competitiveness going back and forth, not just with me, but

everybody on the team in general.”

This sense of competitiveness is indicative that Klutznick’s mental approach to golf is quite robust. However, Emory Men’s Golf Head Coach John Sjoberg said that he had to work to improve this aspect of his game.

“He’s very physically gifted from a golf standpoint … but he’s really made some great progress on the mental side,” Sjoberg said. “Just matured and taken on the responsibility that comes with being our best player.”

Klutznick’s long game, or his ability to hit the ball further than his opponents, has been one of his best attributes. Senior golfer Michael Rosenbloom also said that he has a “ridiculous” short game, a term that refers to wedging and putting, which has developed over his Emory career.

“He’s just so much more complete,” Rosenbloom said. “I feel like he had so much potential when he first came. He just developed into a very complete, talented golfer.”

Klutznick highlighted his mental preparation and approach as the reason he has improved over the past three years.

“The biggest change has been with how I play golf, how I attack, how I strategize, how I defend if things are going badly,” Klutznick said. “If I do the strategy part correctly, the the execution should be the easiest part, whereas before, I would almost rely on my technical skill to make up for bad strategy.”

Today, Klutznick is currently ranked No. 1 in the country individually for DIII golf and has helped the team achieve a No. 2 rank in the country. Now, the team will be looking to take home a national title. With one invitational competition left in April, the team aims to peak on their way to the

Nellis claims page in Emory softball’s history book

By sasha MElaMud Staff Writer

Emory University senior outfielder Page Nellis has been playing softball since she was 6 years old. Like many kids, she started out playing for the local recreational center’s team and joined a travel team when she got older. She said the team-centered aspect of the sport pushed her to keep coming back.

“I really love the people that I played with,” Nellis said. “As I got older, my love for the sport definitely continued to grow.”

High school was a defining part of Nellis’ softball career. Her team had games every weekend, including out-of-state tournaments where she would play up to four or five games a day. She also made a positional change, switching from pitcher to outfield — which remains her position today — to enhance her strengths on defense and as a hitter.

“I spent so much time on it so that was a little bit emotional to not do it anymore after putting all that work in and not necessarily seeing it pay off, but I’m definitely much happier now because of it,” Nellis said.

Nellis injured her knee at practice her junior year of high school, taking her out of the game for three months — a moment that would prove pivotal in her softball career.

Originally committed to Queens University of Charlotte (N.C.) in her junior year, Nellis thought she had already finished the application and recruitment process before getting injured. However, while her knee was healing, Nellis shifted more of her focus toward academics and decided to decommit in the fall of her senior year after having second thoughts.

“I realized I really wanted to go to a college that would support me academically as much as athletically,” Nellis said.

After restarting her recruitment process, Nellis arrived at Emory’s campus for a visit. She said the team environment drew her to the school.

“What really sold me was I got to talk with some of the girls on the team,” Nellis said. “I could just tell how much they genuinely love playing softball there and love each other and love the game, and it was definitely something I wanted to be a part of.”

Nellis’ Emory softball career has seen its challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, a

sparse roster and a coaching change. Despite the obstacles, Nellis said she and her teammates never lost sight of keeping their team together.

“Me and my teammates definitely focused on keeping the same culture that we loved about Emory softball even if we didn’t know who the next coach was and making a really strong bond between us and our teammates, especially our new freshmen, so that we could hit the ground running once we got a new coach,” Nellis said.

Head Coach India Chiles joined the team this academic year and said that Nellis was one of the first players to introduce herself when she paid an enthusiastic visit to her office.

“She was grinning from ear-toear,” Chiles said. “That was very calming and exciting for me because she’s a senior. She didn’t have to buy in. But day one, she was like a happy little kid ready to give it a fresh new start and see what would come.”

Nellis has played in all 32 games this season and is leading the team in on-base percentage with a mark of 0.558. Nellis has earned a spot among the top 10 players in 12 of the University Athletic Association’s (UAA) 19 statistics categories, including a N0. 2 ranking in runs

scored with 37. She currently holds the No. 1 spot for triples and on-base percentage.

When describing her as a softball player, Chiles said Nellis is “one to be feared.”

“As an opposing coach trying to figure out a scouting report against her, you look at her numbers, she doesn’t strike out hardly ever,” Chiles said. “She can play the speed game and drop a bunt or she can go for power.”

Nellis has also set the Emory pro -

gram record for getting hit by the most pitches in a season at 17, adding to her career record total of 45. She is also ranked No. 1 in the UAA for getting hit by the most pitches so far this season, with the No. 2 player only getting hit by five so far. Although Nellis said it was hard to learn not to react to stray pitches, she said she overcame the instinct to jump out of the way by “wanting to be on base more.”

“Once I got to college, I knew that See

Justin Whitening/staff Photogra Pher

Freshman infielder Zach Hanson winds up for a throw during a game against Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) on March 31.

MEN’S GOLF

natalie sandloW/Visual editor Senior outfielder Page Nellis runs the bases during a game against Agnes Scott College (Ga.) on Feb. 25, 2023.