Mace & Crown Fall 2022

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MACE & CROWN Restart Magazine EDITOR IN CHIEF Sydney Haulenbeek MANAGING EDITOR Leyda RosarioRivera COPY EDITOR Kat Monnin NEWS EDITOR Will Witt A&E EDITOR Dana Chesser TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Gabriel Cabello Torres SPORTS EDITOR Benjamin Draper PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Elena Harris

FOOTBALL COVER Feat. Amorie Morrison Graphics by Eric Ganci Photographer Elena Harris ART COVER Feat. Avery Keys Graphics by Harper Imm Photographer Elena Harris ASSISTANTS Art Neal Justice Menzel CONTRIBUTORS Noah Tench Kenneth Ashley Majorie Cenese ADDITIONAL DESIGN colores.

Eric Ganci Harper Imm

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Gwyneth Heseltine Mace & Crown is ODU’s student news organization. Every semester we produce a magazine written by and for the students of ODU. Originally founded as the High Hat in 1930, the paper became the Mace & Crown in 1961. In 2017 the Mace & Crown moved from a weekly newspaper to a magazine. You can find more from us at maceandcrown.com

Mace & Crown maintains journalistic independence from the university. All views expressed in this collegiate magazine are those of the author, not of the university, Mace & Crown, or the editors.

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CONTENTS Fall 2022 NEWS 6-7 Before and After: Snapshots of COVID Impact on College Students 8-9 Twenty-One Years Later, the Ghost of ODU’s Monorail Remains

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 10-13 “The Question I’m Glad I Asked” 14-17 The Principles of Design 18-19 Lavender Locals: Reintroducing Norfolk’s LGBTQIA+ Watering Holes and History

SPORTS 20-25 ODU Football Welcomes Cuddly Companion: Hudson!

26-31 “Your greatest lessons are learned in your moments of defeat” Q&A with Basketball Legend DeLisha Milton-Jones 32-33 Then and Now: Old Dominion Shining Bright in Sun Belt Conference 34-35 Junior Guard Jason Wade Makes a Comeback 36-37 Lady Monarchs Gain New Blood Before Sun Belt Conference

TECHNOLOGY 38-39 Are Remasters a Plague or an Opportunity?

40-41 Going the Distance: ODU’s Monarch Racing Turns up the Effort 42-43 A Broken Game Experiences a Revival

CREATIVE ENCLAVE 44 “Ressurrection” 45 “Prodigal Son” 46 “Dead Trees” 47 “Unlearn” 48 “No World Tomorrow” 49 “Complacent”

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Editor’s Note This is the fourth magazine I have participated in during my time with the Mace & Crown, and with each one I think: “this is it, this one is going to be the best one.”

We’ve had many unexpected drawbacks during the production process of this particular magazine, but every time the team comes together and makes the impossible happen. We’re all moving towards our own personal “restart”, but as a team we get to keep learning and making beautiful mistakes together. A huge thank you to all of the wonderful staff and volunteers - teamwork makes the dream work. Enjoy!

Sydney Haulenbeek

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EDITORIAL BOARD 2022 - 2023

Sydney Haulenbeek Editor in Chief

Will Witt

News Editor

Benjamin Draper Sports Editor

Leyda RosarioRivera Managing Editor

Dana Chesser A&E Editor

Elena Harris

Photography Editor

Kat Monnin Copy Editor

Gabriel Cabello Torres Technology Editor

Gwyneth Heseltine Social Media Editor

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Before COVID-19 hit, Justice Menzel was a different person. So was Monique Fountain, and Keith Demarah.

stuck in an antisocial, impersonal, and awkward phase in my life. I had friends, but probably hung out with them once every two months or so.”

College has always been a place of growth, but in the past two and a half years students have had to deal with unprecedented changes, the trauma of isolation, and lives lost. These challenges, along with the shock of a “new normal” have impacted students’ lives as they get ever closer to adulthood and independence, all while reeling from a global pandemic.

Now, he’s a freshman at ODU.

Monique Fountain described herself as “carefree” before COVID. “It was a simple day-to-day life,” she said. “Go to class, and make sure you finish all your schoolwork before planning to go out that weekend. Just being able to go out and live without feeling regret. By regret, I mean the thoughts of wondering if you caught something or even worse, gave something to someone else.”

In early 2020, Justice Menzel was a phone-addicted sophomore in the Virginia Beach public school system. Unlike many students, Menzel found that the start of COVID shutdowns ushered in his emergence from isolation.

“Dating, friendships, conversations and controversy would thrive and die within the folds of Instagram and text messages [pre-COVID],” he said. “I would have never admitted it at the time, but I was stuck:

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“My life is no longer concentrated within Instagram DMs, and that’s something that took two years behind closed doors and Zoom calls for me to finally realize...In the past two years, I have been more adventurous, more personable, more open, and more self-aware than I ever was prior to COVID... Suffice it to say that I am one of the lucky few in which COVID has changed me for the better and for the foreseeable future.”

Even still, he hesitates to call our current reality “back to normal”.

“I honestly would put “normal” in quotes, because it’s not “normal,” it’s a new normal that we’re becoming more accustomed to with every passing day.

We’ve essentially returned to a world where things are close to being how they were, but we’re not quite there yet. Gas prices are lower, but not the $2.50 they were, most people are vaccinated, but many still refuse the shot, some still wear masks in public, but so many refrain. I can say that since the pandemic ended, I feel far more comfortable exploring, making plans, and traveling than I was in 2021, and it’s an absolute treat to be able to see a movie in a crowd again. I also might be a hypocrite, because I saw 100 people rush the stage at Chartway Arena at the Playboi Carti concert, and if live music on

that scale isn’t what “normal” once was, then I don’t know what is.”

Fountain agrees - “normal” is a concept that is hard to come to terms with.

“I think the decisions I made pre-COVID and during COVID led me to where I am now and I’m happy with that, but don’t think life will ever be “normal” again,” she said. “COVID will always be something that people think about or let control their lives. There will always be a new strand or variation that re-implants that fear all over again.”

Keith Demarah is in an entirely different place than xe was before COVID. “In early 2020, I was a senior in high school,” Demarah said. “At the time… I was kind of in the middle of figuring out what I identified as. [I was] definitely in the midst of realizing that like, I’m trans. Socially, I didn’t really have a lot of friends in high school, I didn’t have a lot of support.”

“I think everyone who was a high school senior at the time had a sort of initial reaction like ‘Oh, we’re getting another couple weeks of spring break’ and that was amazing at first. And then we figured out that it’s going to be much longer, and honestly, the transition to online classes was really nice for me. I found that I was more able to manage my time, I’ve been working pretty much full time hours since I was 16. And I was finding it a lot easier to engage with my coursework during COVID when I … just kind of get to figure it out on my own. I really appreciated that; it helped a lot.

in my life, which I appreciate a lot.”

Menzel also feels that he has grown as a person.

“I am a better, more focused, more personable individual than I was prior to COVID,” he said. “I am now really proud to say that I am Justice Menzel. I survived the pandemic, two weeks with a despicable virus, and high school.

I will never be perfect, but I am more me than I have ever been, and that’s definitely something to be proud of.”

Fountain is a student, a daughter, and is soon to gain another label: mother.

“I think the most that has changed about my life is how I now think,” she said. “Although, I feel like most of that stems from me being pregnant and about to have my little girl. Personally, [if given the option], I wouldn’t [go back and do anything differently]. I think the decisions I made pre-COVID and during COVID led me to where I am now and I’m happy with that.

“I’m sort of coming to a new era for my personal understanding, where I’m on much better footing with myself and my identity and navigating the world than I was before,” said Demarah, reflecting on his life then, and now.

“I definitely feel like the pandemic was a period of growth and self development for me in a lot of ways, not just reckoning with my identity, but also as a person learning what’s important to me, the people who I want to keep around, and how to better value myself.”

“Of course, COVID was awful and … speaking about the positive experiences I had during the lockdown and since that time in my life, I don’t want to cast the pandemic in a positive light but thankfully I personally did not have a tragedy.”

Since COVID, Demarah has experienced significant life shifts.

“I started testosterone,” he said, “So that’s a huge change.

Honestly, having to spend that time with myself and actually deal with my emotions more head-on, I feel like I’ve gotten a lot more emotionally intelligent, I feel like I have come to a much better self understanding, and being on hormone therapy has helped a lot with that as well. And I feel like since then, I’ve been able to do a lot better with my anorexia recovery. I haven’t been as preoccupied with food or with body image. … [there’s] a lot less turbulence

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NEWS

Twenty-One Years Later, the Ghost of ODU’s Monorail Remains Will Witt

Following the 2001 Fourth of July holiday, American Maglev Technology, Inc. (AMT) arrived on ODU’s campus to begin building a one kilometer elevated track, a research project that would cost $14 million dollars. This track was designed to support a small passenger car that would “levitate” on magnets, providing a smooth ride across campus. Twenty-one years later, the abandoned track has become a Stonehenge-like monument used as a landmark for directions, but still has yet to ferry a passenger.

Many students pass under the concrete structure daily with no inkling that a futurist magnetically levitated train should be passing overhead. A system that could ferry students safely across Hampton Blvd now only hosts abandoned rivets that act as bird deterrents - an attempt to deter roosting fowl from providing excrement showers to students.

AMT, whose business license was revoked in Georgia in 2019, was given federal funds of $2 million and state funds of $7 million to complete the project. Tony Morris, CEO of AMT, said that the track was completed in just 37 days, despite many inconveniences, from unstable grounds that created an issue where “we would strike a pile once, [and] watch it fall forty feet,” to having to avoid underground utilities. The Batten College of Engineering & Technology had to be evacuated more than once during this process due to an underground gas main being struck, according to Morris. However, after 9/11, the federal funding was pulled. Morris cited this as one of the main reasons the project was never fully finished. The $7 million in funds granted to Morris from Virgina remains unpaid.

Once installation was completed, the Maglev car, which had only undergone testing on a ground track, was brought to campus from Florida. The car failed to maintain stability on the elevated platform and did not meet the promised operating speed of 40 miles per hour; instead it barely skidded 45 feet.

These complications were attributed to the test track for the car

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being built on the ground, not in the air. After Morris’ exit, Engineering and Aerospace Professor Thomas Alberts took over.

In an attempt to help fund magnet research, he sold over 2,000 feet of completed track. Alberts now uses 80 feet of the track for research.

Research conducted under Alberts has seen the success of a small sled on this 80 foot section. ODU has not transferred this success over to larger vehicles, demonstrating the limitations and cost to scale this technology for commercial use.

In 2003, the Federal Railway Administration provided $2 million to ODU to continue the research left by AMT. Once these funds were depleted, ODU decided to release AMT from their contractual obligation to remove the elevated structure.

Initially, Morris intended to build the project at Virginia Tech instead of ODU. After discussions, Morris felt that the maglev train would be “an engineering toy” at Virginia Tech and he looked elsewhere. Morris then connected with Dominion Power in an attempt to create a magnetic rail line connecting venues in Virginia Beach. This too was scrapped due to the length required to connect these venues. Finally, Morris landed at ODU, where the space was “just right.” After failing to produce results at ODU, the Virginian-Pilot reported in 2007 that Morris was attempting to land contracts in Pakistan.

Morris’ quixotic obsession with this magnetic technology appears to have him throwing darts at a map and hoping one will land. In 2004, the Suffolk News-Herald reported that the technology “may be ready for baby steps, but is not even close to commercial application.” Morris’ attempts to make this technology a success and his promises of delivering a cost effective monorail have gone as far as his flagship car on its maiden voyage - a voyage that skidded and bumped only 45 feet along the track.

The car built by Morris was last seen at his facility outside of Atlanta, GA. It was here Morris claimed to have accomplished speeds of 60 miles per hour. This new accomplishment was not picked up by any interested parties or by ODU. When the Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked Morris about his newest experiment in 2007, he said he was trying to keep it “under wraps.”

ODU credulously bought into Morris’ promises and allowed the building of his experiment to go forward, despite the fact that Morris’ technology has not seen cost effective commercial success inside the United States. ODU is now left with a

long concrete scar through campus that will require additional funds to demolish.

In the near future, ODU is set to build a new Biology building near the existing elevated structure. President Hemphill said that “sections will be removed to make way for this new building,” adding that more sections may be demolished beyond the footprint of the new building. Hemphill said he did like the portion that crosses Hampton Blvd., since it makes a gateway to the university. A gateway made from the ruins of a failed experiment juxtaposed against a new R-1 rating for the university is oddly foreboding.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

“ The Question I’m Glad I Asked ” Noah Tench At the beginning of my senior year, I began an internship with the Catholic Diocese of Richmond.

I’m living in a community with a priest. Things are still in the air, and my feelings on the internship are likely to change. This position is the culmination of a year of deep vocational discernment and a lifetime of religious doubt. I could point to a million different places and say my journey started there, but I’ll start with one of the most pivotal.

It was the winter of 2019, my freshman year at ODU. I sat in a pew staring at the monstrance during my first Eucharistic adoration. I fidgeted and observed the others around me kneeling and having intimate moments with the Lord. My mind roiled with doubt as I repeated a petition to God: “Lord, If you’re really there, prove it.” I’d been confirmed the year prior, and despite being there to sponsor my friend becoming a fully initiated “adult” in the church, I had massive doubts.

At this point my friend and I saw our faith as obligatory and performative. It was a means to an end and not an end in itself. Ultimately, my friend decided to not get confirmed and left the Church, which I’m glad about as my overall disposition towards the faith at the time was not conducive to a positive, holy confirmation process. This was the first time I had prayed – I mean really, seriously prayed – since I was a young boy on the way home from Christmas Eve mass asking God to send a snowstorm for Christmas.

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Is doubting and challenging God prayer? Absolutely.

I desperately wanted proof or a sign. I saw the wafer inside the monstrance as just some bread that everyone else thought was Jesus, though now I proudly believe this as well. While I’d never “left” my faith – as I’d been lectoring, or reading from the Bible during mass, for a while – I still had major doubts about the truth and validity of the church. Because of my lukewarm faith, I initially approached lectoring as an experience in public speaking; not for the edification of souls, but because I had pragmatic concerns! I continued in this way for a long while.

I hadn’t seriously tried to grapple with my faith or tackle my doubts until I started my time here at ODU and gained exposure to the world of philosophy and rhetoric. Classes in religion and philosophy gave me tools to begin to examine the questions I’d always had, but never knew how to truly express. They exposed me to problems I’d never considered, and the centuries of answers. My faith life prior to these courses had always been a tug-of-war between a zealous belief that Christianity, and Catholicism in particular, was the one true faith and that all non-believers, doubters, and apostates would burn in hell; and a cynical doubt that cast all who did believe as loons who believed to comfort themselves in the face of the harsh

realities of death.

— My life, like many others, has been a constant struggle to find meaning, purpose, stability, and peace. My faith has always been crucial to me throughout this daily struggle, despite my doubts.

My struggles ranged from the intellectual, which were addressed by my classes and by better catechesis, to the purely spiritual, in that I never examined my faith and believed what I said I did. As a young boy, my faith gave me great consolation: God was all good and all love, nothing could go wrong. Then my mom was diagnosed with cancer, twice. How could an all-loving God, my God, who loves me personally, let this tragedy and this evil befall me and all those I love? Many doubts stemmed from this, but I came back to the faith in high school, or at least appeared to.

I used to be 460 pounds. Most people wouldn’t believe it, as I’m quite lean now. I’m also a distance runner, which is one of my greatest passions and genuine joys. I’d dissipated myself in a world of simple pleasures: fast food, video games, and a dire addiction to pornography. I’d adopted hedonism as my primary philosophy, with only a thin veneer of faith.

The COVID-19 pandemic was the perfect opportunity for me to change myself and emerge a radically different person. A variety of factors played into this change. Innumerable nights thinking about being healthy and fit and how proud everyone would be of me helped. I’ll never forget when it happened. I was lying in bed, on Facetime with one of my closest friends, when a feeling of absolute weightlessness flooded my body. I was at my heaviest, but I had never felt lighter. I realized I wasn’t happy anymore. The countless little pleasures didn’t bring me joy anymore. I felt a new leaf turning. I told my friend just that, and I never looked back.

These winds of change carried me into Lent with

gusto. Amid all my doubts about my faith, the eucharist, and life in general, I felt sure of one thing: God was calling me to take responsibility for my health. I felt that I owed it to God, and my loved ones, who He put into my life, to try. My only stipulation for myself was that for the 40 days and nights of Lent I had to genuinely try—not just give up soda for a week and nothing else. Even if it was just 30 extra minutes of walking a day along with cutting back on sweets, I had to do it and be consistent. I figured I could make some serious progress and decide at the end of Lent if I wanted to continue down this path.

I started small by switching to diet sodas and getting a little bit less when I ordered fast food.

Instead of my normal 8 double cheeseburgers and a large pop refilled multiple times for lunch, I had diet coke and only 4 or 5 burgers. Slowly, I moved away from my gargantuan portions and terrible food choices. I took up walking daily around my neighborhood. I couldn’t go far or for long at first, but my focus was consistency. I deepened my prayer life through my view that the actions I was taking for my health freed me to do the work of God, whatever that work may be, and to love Him more fully.

While I made these changes in my life, the world changed as well. COVID-19 hit the United States.

Spring break was extended a week. The governor declared a state of emergency. Everyone was in lockdown. The world froze, but I kept walking and progressed dietarily, physically, and spiritually.

I felt that to overcome my attachments to food and physical pleasure I needed the strength of the angels. I began to pray the Chaplet of Saint Michael, a devotion to the angels invoking their protection and guidance. I felt drawn to this specific chaplet because it’s said that those who pray it daily are immune to temptation through the intercession of the nine angelic choirs. I prayed the chaplet throughout the summer of 2020, and I slimmed down a staggering amount. As I deepened my spiritual commitments, my logical

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barriers to the faith melted. I felt more unity with the Catholic Church. I dove into the Catechism and the great authors of the Church, namely Augustine of Hippo. I found his Confessions to be soothing: if he could be such a great sinner and yet also a saint, so could I. I kept pushing forward on all these fronts: losing weight, becoming healthier, and growing spiritually. As my prayer life deepened, I felt not only my faith, but my entire person truly coming to life.

Lectoring was more than just a public speaking exhibition; it was a gift. I was giving back to God and His people. I felt deep in my soul a call to give more. I’ve always felt this call to give back to the world. I was beginning to consider what work God was freeing me up for, and where to direct my newfound energies for His kingdom, to spread and live the Gospel most authentically.

— Eventually this manifested in what I believed to be a call to the priesthood. As I read from the Lives of The Saints and other spiritual works, I felt that I too could be a priest and fulfill the role of the good shepherd for the people of God. Last fall, after ending my first serious adult relationship and hearing the message from several of my professors to do the craziest thing I could think of – to seek out more from life because youth and opportunity are tragically fleeting things – I did just that. I decided that the craziest thing, the thing I’d long wanted, but been talked out of many times, was to pursue this vocation.

I contacted the office of vocations for the Diocese of Richmond. The vicar for vocations and I exchanged emails and set a date to meet. He said something to me that day which has only recently returned to my mind: there’s a major difference between administering the sacraments and receiving the sacraments. I realize now that I failed to see this distinction.

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However, this came after about a year of very serious discernment. Throughout the last year I continued to deepen spiritually and progress towards this pinnacle of the priesthood. I began spiritual direction, and while the Chaplet fell to the wayside, prayer and faith were the lights which I let guide my feet. In the spring of this year, I felt sure that seminary was the next step for me. I met again with the vicar over the summer to discuss pursuing an internship with the diocese.

The internship has many duties and responsibilities which have conflicted with those of a full-time ODU student. As a result, I haven’t been able to fulfill all of them. Thankfully the priest I live with and the great community around me are understanding of my dual responsibilities. The primary duty of the internship is living “in community” with a priest. I commute to ODU, just like before, but I don’t return to my old home and family—I return to the rectory and my priest.

The familiar face of Bishop Knestout in a frame on the right-hand wall greets me as I walk through the door each night after attending classes and trudging through the HRBT. I usually make my dinner in silence. Sadly, my priest and I don’t typically see one another; he has so many duties within the parish that our paths often don’t cross except for in the earliest parts of the morning and fleetingly in the evening. Often by the time we arrive at the rectory in the evening, we both would rather just retire to our respective rooms and work, or relax, rather than socialize.

Life in the community has been lonely. Most of my days are spent at school, and the few moments in the parish are often spent trying to catch my breath. I find some respite in daily mass on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, although I don’t return home, at least on Tuesdays, until around 9 p.m., which makes for a long day. Attending daily mass is one of the duties of the internship, and despite those masses filling up a prime space when I could be getting coursework done, I find

them restorative. However, my general disposition and desire to perform my duties with excellence is compromised because of everything on my plate.

Sadly, I can’t do all my duties, as an intern or as a student, with the same excellence I’m used to.

The struggles of being a full-time student and balancing prayer life, which is nowhere near as full as it was at the peak of COVID, have been remarkably difficult. I’ve struggled to maintain the depth of and fidelity to my prayer life this semester. A lot of these actions of prayer, which before I would’ve considered a freeing and essential part of my day, now feel like chores. It could be because I’m obligated under the internship to develop a daily holy hour, pray the liturgy of the hours, attend daily mass, etc. The requirement, or at least expectation, to complete these activities has hampered my ability to find serenity and joy in them. However, as I discover the rhythm of this semester and find time for the duties of the internship, these actions are freeing and edifying, although still difficult to incorporate. Unfortunately, I find myself rushing through them more frequently than I would like.

tomorrow, was the path for me. The “detour” of the priesthood has been amazing, difficult, terrifying, fun, exciting, and everything else besides, and I’m remarkably grateful that I chose to ask Jesus if He was really there in the Eucharist, and to prove it. I never expected Him to prove it to me in this way, but I’m so glad he did. I discovered that He truly is there and everywhere else. We only need to look around us to find Him.

I realized after the first two days that, at least for now, seminary isn’t my path forward. My joy is in the reception and practice of the sacraments, not in their administration. This realization was accompanied with a weightlessness and a liberating joy. I still want to direct my energies within the Church and for God. My path just isn’t as a priest.

I’ve told my priest and the vicar for vocations about my realization and they both see no reason to terminate the internship. It’s supposed to give me an idea of where I’m called, and explore how it is that I’m to serve God. It’s a great gift to be allowed to search oneself so fully and freely and with such solid support.

My internship is nowhere near close to being over, and I may be judging too abruptly. Still, I realized almost immediately that the path I was on before, which was working towards being a high school English teacher, forming young minds of

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Eric Ganci’s collection of dainty green bracelets reflects emerald light as he hands over a hot pink business card. The brand, a sole proprietorship offering a range of creative services, is called “colores.” and it’s run entirely by Ganci.

“There are actually different versions,” he explained, referring to the pink rhombus shapes occupying the front of the card. “That’s the second edition. The first was blue.”

Ganci is the president of ODU’s graphic design club and a senior in the major. He somehow strikes the balance between mild-mannered and talkative both in and out of class. He’s humble by nature, yet his subtle– and consciously made– style choices indicate what bubbles beneath the surface: he sports a gold chain, black gauges and a twoinch tattoo of a rose on his right hand, complimenting a tangle of loose bracelets. Anyone would assume he’s an artist, and they’d be right. A fulltime student and freelance creative brand owner, he’s spent his entire undergraduate career establishing himself as a Hampton Roads creative.

Though neither his sense of style nor his experiences in the art department are by any means exclusive.

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The summer of 2022 saw two of ODU’s full-time associate graphic design professors, married couple David Shields and Ivanete Blanco, flock to “greener pastures.”

“Being a professor, especially in graphic design, is a competitive field,” explained John Roth, associate professor and chair of the art department. “Somebody made them a great offer… [and] together they went to another school… Whenever faculty [members] leave the students who are in the process of their program, there’s an adjustment [period] – there’s no denying that.”

Shields taught communication design at Texas State University-San Marcos for twenty years before moving to Old Dominion University’s graphic design program in 2012. His resume showcases an array of impressive clients like Taco Bell, Sony Music Entertainment, Motorola, and even the Nickelodeon Network, denoting his mastery of the craft of design. But such wisdom is said to have been paired with a feeling of responsibility for his students’ professional success, at times limiting their range of creative freedom.

Shields was widely known for his narrow scope of

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“reasonable and justifiable in design,” Ganci recalled. “[He] had a very firm and limited direction… There was really no room to branch out and discover yourself as a designer. It was always practical, practical, practical; ‘This is what’s expected of you after college.’”

designers is what enabled their rigidity on-campus, particularly in Shields’ course, GDES 371: Design Concepts.

“There should be a good balance of [principle] and creative freedom,” Ganci argued. “The real world isn’t all rainbows and sunshine… you still want to Blanco began her teaching career eleven years after be prepared. You have to be able to take criticism Shields, together accumulating a combined 49 and feedback. But [Design Concepts] really was years of teaching experience before their departure. make-it-or-break-it for a lot of people. They felt Students remarked that she shared a similar mililike their creativity was being stifled or challenged.

It hardened some of us, and some of us decided it tance, adhering to and enforcing the principles of really wasn’t what we wanted to do.” design which accelerated both her and her husband’s career outside of the classroom.

Graphic design currently stands as ODU’s largest major in the art department, with approximateTogether, the two founded “R-N-R Showprint,” a collaborative letterpress and design studio based ly 160 students enrolled. Though offered courses in Norfolk that earned international recognition range from blacksmithing to printmaking to art for prints reflecting music, culture and social ishistory, design triumphs as the most practical, es-sues. Perhaps their decoration as established local pecially at a university geared towards convenience and accessibility. Despite the pandemic, Roth noted how the spring semester of 2022 brought students back with a bite, bursting with more passion and artistry than ever before.

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“I could not believe how enthusiastic they all seemed to be,” he beamed. “I got some of the best work out of students in a long, long time.”

Noelle Jessup, a senior in the graphic design program, noted how both Shields and Blanco contributed to the strength of her work ethic around that time, despite their “limits on creative freedom.”

“The way that they taught was kind of militant,” she said. “The ‘cookie-cutter’ thing, for sure. But I think I benefitted from that because I really like structure and knowing exactly what is expected.

At the same time, it does limit creative freedom.

It was really hard to develop your own style… I liked them, but that came out of knowing that they know their stuff.”

Jessup and Ganci agreed that the sudden loss of both professors took a toll on most students in the

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program, regardless of personal experiences or interactions with them. Students flocked to one another in desperation and confusion when Blanco announced her official resignation over the summer.

“A couple of people compared it to mom and dad getting divorced and now they’re leaving us,” Jessup joked, her neon lightning-bolt earrings jingling against her jacket. “We have a group chat and everyone was kind of like ‘What are we gonna do?’ ‘Can we do anything?’ Some people, I think, scheduled Zoom meetings to talk with them for the last time before they left. Definitely a period of time where it was like ‘Oh no, what’s gonna happen?’”

Visiting assistant professors Charilyn Colbert and Susan Matherene were ushered in as emergency hires, according to Roth, in anticipation of the fall 2022 semester. But graphic design students found themselves at the mercy of their only remaining professor, Kenneth Fitzgerald, for any updates regarding the situation.

“We were kept out of the loop,” said Ganci. “After they left, it was like ‘Shit, what are we gonna do now?’ There was a big scramble… We reached out to Kenneth Fitzgerald at the start of the summer, shortly after we found out… To my knowledge, their [Colbert and Matherene] workload is immense… [And] they’re still firm, but they’re open.

They’ll allow you to go down your own path.

They’ll still support you and try to give you options to further your own creations.”

For students like Ganci, the freedom to pursue their own design style is incredibly important to their professional success. Such prowess is precisely what both Fitzgerald and Roth hope to encourage within the department, particularly as the semester progresses and admissions outreach extends across the Eastern shore.

“I think what I’m getting from the art department is that there’s a lot of new energy,” said Roth. “We have two new hires here. I’m a new chair. And so

new ideas are being addressed. Old ideas and old animosities are tamped down and I think the morale here is quite good.”

As for the students, mitigation looks like relearning how to trust one’s creative instincts.

“I feel Iike I’m still going through that subtle shift of getting back to complete normalcy,” said Ganci. “There are some [people] that are still trying to piece themselves back together... I know a lot of people who just don’t have confidence in the work they do… having had those types of experiences in previous classes has made them undermine themselves.”

When asked about his hopes for the future of the graphic design program, he takes a minute to ponder. Jessup, notably, did the same. They mirror one another in more ways than one, both seemingly confident in their respective forms of eclectic expression.

“I hope all the people who come after me will find themselves creatively and not get bogged down on ‘Is this good enough?’” Ganci reflected. “As long as you’re proud of it, that is grounds enough for creating.”

Jessup continued as if directly addressing the fall 2023 incoming freshman.

“Just walk into it knowing that there is a larger community,” she said. “It’s not exclusive. I remember thinking it was going to be so hard, but it’s less scary than it is inviting.”

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Twinkling rainbow lights trace the bar’s silhouette at MJ’s Tavern, a legendary watering hole and queer safe haven just five minutes from Old Dominion University’s campus.

It’s only been a decade since the doors first opened in 2012 – sooner since their staff painted an iconic rainbow walkway at the entrance – but MJ’s Tavern has quickly become a hub for Norfolk’s LGBTQIA+ community members and allies, diversifying the local menu of queer-friendly bars.

“Local queer history is important because it fills the gaps in the larger story of queer history,” said ODU professor Cathleen Rhodes, a senior lecturer in the Women’s Studies department. “It connects students to places, people, and events that happened right where they stand. You can’t throw a rock in Norfolk without hitting a spot touched by queer people at some point.”

From The Wave to 37th and Zen, Norfolk has long been recognized for its wide variety of gay bars, serving as a home to some of the state’s most notorious LGBTQIA+ activists. But time has witnessed many of the city’s queer businesses and coalitions deteriorate, placing the pressure on younger generations to cherish and uphold its rich history.

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“This city was a hot spot for queer life in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s,” Rhodes continued, herself a Hampton Roads native. “It was known as the place to find other queer people… I want ODU’s queer students to know that they are standing among many sites of queer history, and that they can draw from that history in ways that feel supportive, challenging, and empowering.”

Norfolk’s own Hershee Bar, the oldest lesbian bar in Virginia, was demolished in 2019 after the city bought the land with intentions to “revitalize.”

Similarly, an EVMS parking lot occupies where Shirley’s Place once stood, a woman’s bar attracting lunch crowds by day and local lesbians by night.

As of 2022, only 24 lesbian bars remain open throughout the United States, with Babes of Carytown being the closest at 80 miles northwest of campus in Richmond. “[Spaces like these are] crucial because they create spaces for queer people to connect and cultivate community,” said Andrew Garber, ODU’s coordinator for LGBTQIA+ programs and initiatives.

“Restaurants, shopping malls, universities– [they’re] not made for us. They’re not made for us intentionally in mind.”

Garber themselves grew up in Hampton Roads, leaving only for a brief time in college. The curation of their position as a coordinator for LGBTQIA+ initiatives is partially informed by their personal experiences in the area, specifically the city of Norfolk.

“Fairgrounds was a coffee shop where the gay teenagers would hang out and find community,” they recall. “This was before Grindr – before anything – so a lot of it was word of mouth… I started getting the circuit through that.”

Garber would inevitably graduate into The Wave, an LGBTQIA+ dance club on Colley Ave., upon turning 18. Thursday and Saturday nights found a diverse range of young queer people lining up to sweat under strobe lights, building a stronger community with each connection they made. Operating hours, however, were not exclusive to weekends.

“In college, I would go to The Wave on Thanksgiving night,” they said. “They would stay open for us so that we had a place to go. MJ’s [Tavern] does the same thing… There’s a culture of ‘We stay open on holidays intentionally to provide a space for those who do not have a home to go back to,’ which is really beautiful.”

Similarly, giving back to the community by hosting events for local queer organizations has become a cornerstone for every LGBTQIA+ establishment still operating in Norfolk, though this practice is nothing new. Hubs like Shirley’s Place often hosted queer artists and musicians, joining the Norfolk Coalition for Human Rights in 1979 as a means to serve the needs of the city’s lavendar locals.

that came before it,” said Rhodes. “T-shirts and memorabilia from Shirley’s Place and other local bars line the walls and serve as a reminder that this area has a long history of queer activism and socializing.”

Rhodes herself has taught queer studies at ODU over the last 12 years, placing local queer history as the focal point. 2020 saw the Movement Advancement Project and Campaign for Southern Equality report that more than one third of queer people in the United States live in the south. Yet, the majority of queer history discussions revolve around northern and western cities like New York City, Chicago and San Francisco. Rhodes argues that expanding one’s knowledge of national queer history helps us to view a “more complete picture of the lives of transgender people, people of color, poor and working-class queer people, women and gender nonconforming people.”

“Local queer history serves as a reminder that the path to liberation is a bumpy one,” she noted. “It is helpful to know that people in the past faced similar struggles, and that they developed strategies for combating the transphobia and homophobia they experienced. When we are lucky, local queer history can provide us a roadmap.”

“MJ’s [Tavern] pays tribute to many of the bars

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The Old Dominion football program’s transition into the Sun Belt Conference after joining the league in March 2021 has marked a new era for ODU Athletics. With the switch in conferences, some changes have been made behind the scenes which have sparked local and national interest, such as the welcoming of a furry new member, Hudson, as ODU football’s new unofficial mascot.

When you look around the college football nation, you see many canine mascots. You have mascots like Smokey at the University of Tennessee, Reveille at Texas A&M, Uga X at the University of Georgia, and Tuffy the “Wolf ” at N.C. State University. The Monarchs are known for their mascot “Big Blue,” which is a furry lion mascot costume worn by a student, but they’ll now also have Hudson as ODU’s new unofficial mascot for the next two seasons

his wife’s inevitable victory.

Jen received Hudson through her connection with Brooke Corson, a veteran and the executive director of the Norfolk-based Mutts With A Mission, which was founded in 2008. They met through their son’s lacrosse team. Mutts With a Mission is a non-profit organization that trains service dogs at a cost of about $60,000 each.

Over an 18-month period, they train the dogs to perform tasks ranging from retrieving items by name and helping their handlers stand up to medication reminders and turning on the lights.

During their first two years of life, the pups are well-socialized and learn their manners. When the dogs reach their second birthday, the organization provides them to veterans in need. Hudson will find a permanent home after his twoyear stint with ODU football.

When Brooke surprised Coach Rahne with Hudson’s birth certificate on Father’s Day, he didn’t Hudson, a 15-week-old yellow Labrador, was given to head football coach Ricky Rahne as a Fa- seem thrilled at first, but he now loves Hudson deeply. During the summer workouts, Hudson ther’s Day gift from his wife Jen Rahne. Initially, was brought into the weight room along with Coach Rahne was against the idea because they eight other puppies and was chosen from the had enough dogs in the household already, but hundreds of refusals from Ricky could not thwart litter with the help of several football players.

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Elena Harris, Mace & Crown

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Photo courtesy Brandon McLean, ODU Athletics.

Photo courtesy Naoma Doriguzzi, Mutts With a Mission.

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“The guys were flocking all over them,” Jen stated.

After taking pictures and playing around, it was time for the dogs to leave with their trainers.

Only one puppy refused to depart. That was when everyone knew that this puppy was the one. The puppy was named Hudson. “Hudson stood right there next to our guys, so he already knew he was with us,” said Ricky Rahne. At the end of the day, Hudson chose the Monarchs as much as they chose him.

everybody’s day a little bit brighter. “Everybody simply grins,” junior wide receiver Ali Jennings III stated. “Everybody picked Hudson. He’s been that guy from the first time we saw him.” “He’s a cool dog. Everyone loves the idea of having a team dog,” junior running back Blake Watson said.

Hudson is taking the college football world by storm with his cuteness. There was an instance early this season when Hudson was denied the privilege to be on the field for the ODU vs UVA game in Charlottesville, but thanks to Twitter, the He is named for the color Hudson Blue, which is a news of Hudson’s rejection gained traction and light blue the Monarchs sport on special occasions took off. Lots of people in the ODU community throughout the year. The alternate team color and college football world took to social media was named after long-time Old Dominion Sports to express their disappointment that Hudson was Information Director Carol Hudson. For the next not allowed to be there to support his team. Eventwo seasons, Hudson will be accompanying the tually, Hudson was granted his field access and Monarchs and brightening up everyone’s days. things were set right. In the home opener against “Seeing Hudson is a great little moment to maybe Virginia Tech, Hudson had the national spotlight bring back some humility into things when may- on him when the game was broadcast over ESPN be you haven’t had the practice that you wanted or networks and he wore his cute little puppy crocs you had a great practice and all of a sudden havand blue-shaded goggles. One could say that ing a puppy in your hands brings a little humility Hudson is one of the new faces of ODU. to you,” Ricky mentioned. Hudson has truly shone inside the locker room and around the ODU Who would have thought that Hudson was going community. to have as much success as he has so far? This little puppy is going to be around a passionate sports The plan is to have Hudson attend as many games community for his first two years before finding as possible, whether at home or on the road. So a permanent home with a veteran. Hudson has far this football season, Hudson has attended evbecome a fan favorite and a Twitter star in only ery game, including road trips to Charlottesville, the first half of the football season and will conVA, and Greenville, NC. There has been specutinue to shine in the spotlight. Regardless of what lation that Hudson can be trained to retrieve the happens for ODU football this year, one thing is tee after kickoffs. Not only is Hudson involved in for certain, the players and Coach Rahne will have the football program, but he has been all over the a cute little puppy to fall back on through the ups place in ODU Athletics. You can spot the pup at and downs of a stressful season. various locations on campus mingling with other ODU athletic programs like field hockey and lacrosse. The puppy constantly attends L.R. Hill Sports Complex to hang out with ODU athletics.

The football players cherish their new team mascot and are glad he was the one chosen. “I adore Hudson. As soon as he enters the room, he makes

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What do you think is the most important thing you learned during your career?

The most important thing that I’ve learned during my career would depend on what point in my career was in. If I had to look over the entire scope of it, I would say intentionality. Having intention as a core of your foundation means that when you are somewhere, you’re going to be all there. You’re going to give 100% of yourself 100% of the time, in the moment that you’re in. And when you can do that, that will serve you in a great way. You will gain more, you will win more in that moment than you ever could if your body was here but your mind was somewhere else. So: intentionality.

Is there anything I didn’t ask that you would like to talk about?

I just want to say that being a former player that has played at the highest level, and now I am a coach, I think is probably one of the greatest honors that I ever could be given.

It’s so gratifying when I’m able to pour into the players that I lead, and you see them grow. In life and a sport. It’s just a special thing. I’m not a parent, but I can only imagine how a parent would feel when they see their child, begin to grow, and learn and become someone. I think that is just so special. And I think more athletes should look into coaching. If you have a passion for what you do, and you do take pride in wanting to see the game continue to grow, then I think that people should take a hard look at that as an occupation at some point in their lives because the game and the kids - need it.

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My role models growing up would be my mother and my grandmother - they were staples in my life. I spent a tremendous amount of time with those individuals. My grandmother is a God-fearing woman, she just turned 96 this past August, and my mother, she had me when she was 20 years old. Watching her grow and do it with the poise and the posture that she had, although times were very trying and rough, was a tremendous example for me. Then seeing my grandmother being someone who serves, and who just had a passion for helping, that impacted me as well. So I felt like my mother and my grandmother were individuals that I admired, and I wanted to be like them when I grew up.

So, you were inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame this past summer. How did you feel when you heard the news?

Oh my gosh, when I got that phone call I broke down crying. It was tearworks and rather instant, too. I was very emotional. And it felt like there was this huge weight lifted off of me. Because I dedicated 17 years. If you count the two years in the American Basketball League, that’s 19 years of my life, dedicated professionally to a sport. Then when you add in college, that’s another four on top of that. Basketball was a huge chunk of who I was.

I wasn’t the type that would be standing at the mic or yelling at the top of a mountain saying ‘hey, remember me! look what I did!’. I always felt like my work would stand for who I am. So when I got that call, that was a moment of gratification for me and I finally could pat myself on the back and say ‘job well done’. It’s hard sometimes when you’re going through the motions you feel overlooked, that can kind of eat away at the core of you. But it showed me that remaining steadfast in my integrity and my character proved to be worthwhile, because I got the call at the end of the day.

What has been the most impactful moment in your career?

The most impactful moment? There’s so many!

There are so many, and they don’t all revolve around winning.

Sometimes your greatest lessons are learned in your moments of defeat. And those are the moments that really defined me and shaped me to become a champion. People can look at the end result, and when they read my resume, it just reads ‘winner’. But there were a lot of in-between moments where there was a lot of losing, and a lot of upsets, and disappointments, and setbacks that I did not allow to stop me, or hinder me from my growth. And as a result, I won. And it is a pretty profound moment in a person’s career when you can call yourself an Olympian several times over, when you can call yourself a champion internationally and domestically.

2022 marks the 50th Anniversary of Title IX which has had a lasting impact on women’s sports. Do you see any significant differences in women’s basketball since you started your career, vs the experience that your players are having? What are your opinions on the topic?

I do see differences and I think those differences are inevitable as time goes on. The ones before you pave the way, and they’re able to look at what you did and learn from it.

As a result, they get better, quicker. They’re smarter in moments, and hopefully they’re in a position where they can do more than what you did. They can take the torch and carry it further. In the game, I’ve seen tremendous growth in terms of how the game is played, and how good players are at a younger age. They get better, quicker, faster.

So this new age of basketball is one where they are learning and growing at an expedited pace.

And as a result, the game is flourishing.

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How has playing basketball affected your life?

Playing basketball has affected my life in tremendous ways. I have had wonderful opportunities bestowed upon me, where I’ve seen the world ten times over, and I’ve been able to win on many different continents and many different countries.

And I’ve been able to see this game, and how expansive it is, and the ways it’s played from many different countries. And being a participant in the Olympics, that just shows you how powerful sports are, and how it can bring people together, and we can be on one accord for it, but then also you can crown yourself champion at the same time, all because of a game that is beloved by so many.

Where do you think you would be if you hadn’t picked up basketball?

If I didn’t play basketball I’d probably be a nurse.

Yep, that was my passion, I always wanted to serve people. My first job was at the health department.

I was a receptionist; I answered the phones and directed people. So I would definitely be in some position where I could serve others.

players are thinking and feeling. And I have a deeper understanding of how to communicate things based on who they are and where they’re at in their current lives. I try my best to meet them where they are, and depressurize as many situations as I possibly can.

You’ve been coaching since 2005 and you were the second woman to ever coach a men’s basketball team. What drew you to coaching? Do you have a passion for teaching?

That opportunity fell into my lap! Actually, you know, my husband who was on my staff, he was playing on that semi-pro team and their coach ended up leaving. I was always around, obviously, because I’m a basketball junkie. And the opportunity was presented for me to step in and be the interim head coach. So I said sure, why not?

I knew the guys. We had a level of respect and comfortability with one another. It just worked.

You mentioned earlier that because of your upbringing, you like to serve your community.

Do you also have a passion for teaching as well as coaching?

Why do you feel a desire to serve others?

I do. And I think that any coach that does not see themselves as a teacher or educator, I think I feel that I grew up in the church. And that’s they’re looking at it wrong. You are teaching. something that you are taught at an early age, be- Whether you’re teaching the game, or whether ing of service to others, having gratitude for what you’re teaching life through sport - because life you have, but also going beyond yourself and imitates art - basketball is an art form, and our what you want and need, and you provide that for lives are a reflection of that. So the same things someone else. So because I was brought up with a that I’m teaching in basketball, in terms of adverfocus on charity, and because I grew up in a very sity and how you handle those situations, such as large family, we were always serving one another. being confident, and being a good student of the I think that’s why it’s within me. game - you can apply those to life as well. And they can help you.

You spent 17 seasons playing professionally.

How has your experience impacted your coach- When you were a child - and as your career ing style? progressed - who were your role models? How have they influenced you?

Well, I think all of the years of service I had in play has impacted my coaching style in a way where I have a deep understanding of what my

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SPORTS

“Your greatest lessons are learned in your moments of defeat” Q&A with Basketball Legend DeLisha Milton-Jones Sydney Haulenbeek This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

DeLisha Milton-Jones was first introduced to basketball in high school. Unlike for many people, that was only the beginning of her sports career.

She has spent 17 seasons playing professional basketball, is a two time Olympic gold medalist (2004 and 2008), and has recently been inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She’s also a two time WNBA champion and was selected to the WNBA’s All Star team three times during her career. She played for the Los Angeles Sparks, the San Antonio Stars, and more, and played a record-setting 499 WNBA games during her career.

In 2020, Milton-Jones started as ODU’s Women’s Basketball coach, and has helped to lead the women’s basketball team to success in her two years coaching. This year, the team will play in the Sun Belt Conference for the first time since 1991.

You were introduced to basketball in high school. What attracted you to it? How did you start playing?

I think the things that attracted me to basketball are the same things that would attract younger athletes: friends. My friends were involved and I wanted to be involved in the same things they had a liking for, and I think it probably also has something to do with the fact that I have been 6 feet tall since I was 11 years old. So everywhere I went, people would say “Do you play basketball? If you don’t play basketball, you need to play basketball.” And so eventually, it was inevitable. I played basketball.

What was the moment when you realized that this ‘was it’ for you? Did you have a passion from day 1 or was it something that grew out of practice?

I think it probably was a deeply embedded passion that lay within me, because my dad played basketball, my grandmother played basketball, there were a lot of individuals surrounding me in my life that played the sport. So I grew up watching it, whether it was my uncle in the rec league, or my grandmother telling us stories, or us watching the NBA games on TV. So there was a natural love for it, and it grew fonder as I began to develop and get better and understand the game.

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The Sun Belt Conference is considered the best group of 5 schools outside of the Power 5 conferences. The Sun Belt and ESPN have an agreement to air games on their networks for the next several years, putting a national spotlight on the Monarchs.

The ODU Field Hockey Program is still respected among Division I schools, even though they have not won a national championship since 2000. After the 1990 title victory, the program racked up four more championships with victories in 1991, 1992, 1998, and 2000. From 1990-93, the program won 66 straight games that lead to another three-peat. Since then, the program has endured two new conferences with the Colonial Athletic Association and Big East. The Lady Monarchs won eight conference titles in the CAA and won one title in 2013 when the program transitioned to the new conference. The program’s last NCAA appearance was in 2013. It has been almost a decade since the Lady Monarchs reigned their way into the postseason, but as of 2022 they are 7-2 (2-1 Big East) and are ranked in the top 15 in the nation.

the new facilities and the fact that the school has risen among smaller Division I schools. Although there were national championships won back then and not many have been won in recent years, ODU is in the process of building its programs toward championship success. It’s impressive how far Old Dominion has come since 1982, and ODU athletics will only improve from here. It is an exciting new era for Old Dominion athletics and their future in the Sun Belt Conference is bright. lot of fun in their new conference, but it won’t be easy. The Sun Belt Conference is considered the best group of 5 schools outside of the Power 5 conferences. The Sun Belt and ESPN have an agreement to air games on their networks for the next several years, putting a national spotlight on the Monarchs, who are always fun to watch.

Old Dominion Baseball has had great success in recent years and hopes their first year in the new conference will be a good one as they eye another conference title and NCAA tournament appearance.

The baseball program is also rumored to be in the planning stages of a much-needed renovation to Bud Metheny Baseball Stadium. As the years have gone by, the school itself has expanded and has slowly risen to a solid mid-major Division I school. The athletics department has done a lot in regard to renovations for their athletic facilities with the upgrades at S.B. Ballard in 2019 and the ODU Volleyball Center that was completed in 2020. The L.R. Hill Sports Complex was also built and debuted in 2008, which is the home for the ODU field hockey and lacrosse team. Old Dominion did not have Chartway Arena in the 80s Sun Belt era because it wasn’t built until 2002, and it has been the home for the Monarchs basketball teams since.

I believe everyone can agree that the decision for Old Dominion to depart from C-USA for the Sun Belt was the best choice for the athletics program. Looking back to their first run in the Sun Belt, ODU is definitely in a better position in regards to

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Fast forward to 2022, the Old Dominion Monarchs are once again shining bright in the Sun Belt. Athletic Administration has deemed the 2022 year as a “New Dawn, New Era” in honor of its inaugural fall and spring seasons with the new conference. In the season opener against the Virginia Tech Hokies, shirts featuring the new slogan were given out. The ODU football team got the party started with a victory over the Hokies 20-17, which resulted in thousands of students storming the field in front of the nation as the game was broadcast on an ESPN network.

When the Monarchs moved to the Sun Belt in ‘82 they had quite the success on the basketball court for both men and women. On the men’s side, they won two Sun Belt regular-season titles and had three trips to the NCAA tournament as well as three NIT appearances in the nine years with the conference. The Monarchs basketball team earned their first NCAA tournament victory in 1986 after defeating West Virginia 72-64. The women’s team had championship success throughout the decade. They went on to win five Sun Belt titles and made it to eight NCAA Tournaments. In 1984-85, head coach Marianne Stanley led the Lady Monarchs to a national championship victory over Georgia 70-65 in Austin, TX.

1985, 1987, and 1989. The ODU baseball team made the trip to the NCAA Tournament twice in the Sun Belt Conference. In 1985, head coach Mark Newman led the Monarchs to a Sun Belt championship after finishing the season 50-11. In 1986, the ODU baseball team was ranked seventh in the nation by Baseball America, the highest ranking in program history.

Field Hockey was a powerhouse for Old Dominion in the 80s; the team took national titles with victories over UCONN in 1982 and 1983, Iowa in 1984 and 1989, and North Carolina in 1990. The Lady Monarchs managed to three-peat and win back-to-back national titles throughout their first Sun Belt run.

On July 1, 2022, the Old Dominion Athletics program became an official member of the Sunbelt Conference after announcing earlier in the spring that it was leaving Conference USA in pursuit of new horizons. The move was made to increase its national exposure and reignite regional rivalries with familiar foes James Madison and Marshall, along with a stout East Division among schools like Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina. What many ordinary folks outside of the Norfolk area don’t know is this isn’t the first time the Monarchs were in the Sun Belt. In May 1982, they announced they were joining the conference and remained a member from 1982 to 1991.

ODU’s success wasn’t limited to the court but extended to outdoor sports as well. The ODU men’s soccer team won three Sun Belt championships in

ODU’s football team also earned their first conference victory in their Sun Belt opener against Arkansas State. Although they had a rough non-conference schedule, the Monarchs are on the right track in conference play. ODU Football is going to have a lot of fun in the new conference, but it won’t be easy.

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Men’s basketball is preparing for the 2022-23 season with the arrival of some new faces and the return of some veterans, including Virginia native Jason Wade.

Wade has had an up-and-down time at ODU: he made an immediate impact his first year (2018-19) on campus, appearing in 35 contests as a true freshman and ending the season second on the team in steals (33) and third in assists (55). Wade’s sophomore year (2019-20) started on a high note as he continued to perform, making 20 appearances and 12 starts before incurring a season-ending injury. He led the team in steals (52) with 2.6 steals per game, and was ranked 94th nationally for steals that year.

He averaged 10.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, including a game where he earned an explosive 23 points against Charlotte (1/20/20).

This was the start of a promising college career for Wade, but then came his initial knee injury. He had to sit out the 2020-21 and the 2021-22 seasons, costing the team offensive production and the potential for a growing leader at that time.

When asked about his injuries, Wade commented, “First injury was in-game, went and got a steal, went to make a move on the basket on a fast break, and blew out my whole knee. Then I rehabilitated it [the knee] and the second practice for the new season, I came down for a rebound and tore my Achilles. I did the same thing as Klay Thompson just on opposite knees.”

Two straight seasons out with injury is challenging for any athlete.

Physical therapy can be rough and time-consuming, not to mention the mental rehabilitation needed to regain a healthy competitive mindset.

“I don’t want to say that COVID was a blessing, but it did give me the opportunity to go home and be around my family for half of the rehab process for my knee,” Wade reminisced. “Then we got back down here, it was like a fresh start, I am healthy and then on the second day of practice I went down with my Achilles, and then that was just like a big mental blow for me. I would say the mental [part] was way harder than the physical [part], you have

got to be really mentally strong.”

Wade was able to overcome his physical and mental challenges to make his return to the program for the 2022-23 season, during his junior year of eligibility. He commented about his return to the court and to basketball, saying, “It is something I love. I have been playing since I was five years old and in a sense, it is all I know. “ Wade had praise for his teammates and their growing camaraderie and chemistry. “There are nine new guys that I did not come in with as a freshman. It has been cool getting to know them,” Wade stated. “The chemistry of this team is really good. After practice, we will sit in the locker room for like an extra hour just talking to each other…We end up playing video games with each other all the time. They know I am the best even though they do not want to admit that.”

In addition to Wade, others such as juniors Mehki Long and Charles Smith IV, as well as sophomores Imo Essien and D’Angelo Stines, will be returning to the court for the Monarchs, all hoping to make a positive impact on the team.

“Number one, I am excited about this group,” commented Jones when asked about the team’s 2022-23 chances. “Most of them have been on campus since back in May and have put in a lot of good work. I love their work ethic and the enthusiasm that they have shown…we seem to have some great camaraderie and chemistry, although I say that with the understanding that until you face some adversity you never really know.”

ODU will be competing in its first year in the Sun Belt conference for basketball. The Monarchs will spend the early parts of the season traveling up and down the eastern seaboard playing small local teams like Virginia Wesleyan and Christopher Newport and competing against power five opponents like Virginia Tech and Penn State. Sun Belt play will open in Norfolk on Dec. 29 against Arkansas State and will continue until the conference tournament in early March. Monarch basketball hopes to combine the power of their new and returning talent to make a splash in the upcoming season of conference play.

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court is Jordan McLaughlin, a transfer from Chipola College. She averaged 12.4 PPG on shooting, 46.2% from the field, and 36.4% from behind the arch.

Transfer Althea Kara Angeles will add to the backcourt and give some potential offensive production. While at Lamar Community College she averaged 17.6 PPG, which increased to 21.3 PPG in wins last year. A few more transfers are arriving to boost the frontcourt including forwarding Brenda Fontana from UTEP, a former opponent in C-USA, to play for the Lady Monarchs in their first season in the Sun Belt. While playing for the Miners, Fontana averaged 5.4 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 28 contests. Another addition to the front court is Jada Duckett, a Miami of Ohio transfer who averaged 4.0 PPG and 4.3 RPG in varying minutes in her sophomore season.

With the introduction to a new conference this year, the Sun Belt, the lingering question remains: How will the Lady Monarchs stack up against their competition? When asked about the schedule and how the team will fare against new competition, Milton Jones pointed to non-conference games as the test.

“Our non-conference schedule is loaded with teams mostly on the east coast and includes a stretch of five or six home games,” she said. “This will allow our faithful fans to get a glimpse of our new additions to our Monarch family heading into Sun Belt Conference play. Our off-season has been filled with an emphasis on building our sisterhood on and off the court. Playing a tough non-conference schedule will challenge us to put that on display every night we suit up.”

The Lady Monarchs look ready to make a strong start in their first season in Sun Belt play and have acquired players, both veteran and new, who have the talent they need to continue the program’s previous success.

Fall 2022 37

Back in October, the Lady Monarchs were working hard to play their best for their debut season in the Sun Belt conference. They started their season in the Florida Gulf Coast on Nov. 7, and their home opener will take place on Nov. 15 as they face Virginia opponent William and Mary.

As the new year approaches, Old Dominion will take on Appalachian State in Boone, NC to open its Sun Belt campaign on Dec. 28, 2022.

Head Coach Delisha Milton-Jones and crew have many players coming back that were integral to the team’s success last year in C-USA play. ODU women’s basketball finished 24-10 last year while having a C-USA record of 12-6.

Sadly, they made early exits in the C-USA tournament, where they were beaten in the quarterfinals. They also made a second-round exit in the Women’s NIT. This year they have veterans in both the frontcourt and the guard positions which provides the experience and leadership needed to excel in high-pressure contests in the regular season and the postseason.

The Lady Monarchs had some changeover this past offseason as three out of their five starters from last season graduated. The backcourt trio Mariah Adams, Iggy Allen, and Ajah Wayne contributed heavily to the team’s offensive production this past year. In her final season at ODU, Allen averaged a team-leading 15.4 PPG. Despite being a guard, Allen led the team in rebounding with 7.4 rebounds per game and piled on team-best seven double-doubles on the season, which ranked fourth best in Conference USA. This dominant final performance led her to a C-USA first-team nomination. Adams acted as the facilitator for the team as she averaged 4.6 assists per game in her last season, which led the team and C-USA, having a season-high of nine assists at Florida Atlantic. Finally, senior Ajah Wayne did a bit of everything for the team,

earning a First-team All-conference nomination in her final year where she was second on the team in PPG (12.7) and third in RPG (5.6). In addition, Wayne found herself on the charity stripe often, leading to a ranking as seventh in the conference in free throw makes and attempts.

There are some returning veterans, including forwards Brianna Jackson and Amari Young, as well as guard Kaye Clark, who all got substantial playing time last year and hope to further expand their roles this year. With the return of Jackson and Young, the Lady Monarchs’ starting frontcourt will probably be the same as it was last year, which could bring some leadership and experience to the rest of the team. In the 2021-22 season, Jackson averaged 7.3 PPG and 5.2 RPG, and her presence was definitely felt on the defensive end as she averaged 1.44 blocks per game, which ranked fifth in C-USA. Young also had a dominant all-around year in the 2021-22 season, as she averaged 9.1 PPG and 5.8 RPG with 1.6 steals per contest with a season-high six steals against UTSA in the C-USA tournament. Finally, Kaye Clark made an impact coming off the bench last year behind the seasoned backcourt of Adams, Allen, and Wayne, averaging 4.6 PPG and 2.4 RPG and also snagging 1.6 steals per contest, similar to Young.

In addition to the returning talent for the Lady Monarchs, Head Coach Milton-Jones has brought in a group of talented transfers. Notable additions include Makayla Dickens, a 5’8” guard whose hometown is Virginia Beach, but who went to play in the ACC for Boston College during the first four years of her collegiate career. During her senior season for the Golden Eagles, she made a significant impact off the bench, averaging 9.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, and sinking 52 three-pointers on the season. This set her apart, as she was one of two in the ACC and the nation to put up numbers like this. Another addition to the front

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was “improved.” One of the biggest flops in the world of remasters was the Grand Theft Auto trilogy. The supposed remaster didn’t just fall flat but rather crashed and burned in front of everyone unfortunate enough to purchase the game. Not only were the assets botched, making the game look worse than the original despite “improvements,” it was also littered with game-breaking bugs that made it hard to play. Sure, at the end of the day Grand Theft Auto III’s story is still the same, but every other aspect of the game got a sledgehammer makeover instead of a proper renovation.

Remakes were no exception to product releases that received a heavily unwelcoming reception. Warcraft III: Reforged, a real-time strategy game, was an utter disappointment for the Warcraft community. Not only did the game essentially force you to “upgrade” your original copy by installing a new update that would change it to Reforged, but it also brought out bugs that didn’t infest the game beforehand. The game was a downgrade considering it had more bugs and glitches, the artwork was not improved, and the gameplay was tweaked in such a way that made it apparent there was no clear direction. Even Blizzard admitted that the game did not have precise goals on whether to be a remaster or a remake. The game was an underbaked product in desperate need of a release date extension. What really aggravated the fanbase was how Blizzard made it official that any community-made maps were automatically made property of Blizzard. A whole list could be made for the last two games mentioned.

It is becoming concerning that remakes and remasters are starting to dominate the market over original releases.

This isn’t an outlandish concern. Activision took full advantage of a beloved game when they decided to release the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare remaster along with the purchase of the less anticipated, less successful, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (IW). It was a cheap shot at the community for Activision to essentially force you to buy IW so you can enjoy the revolutionary masterpiece that was Modern Warfare.

The massive issue was that gaming developers didn’t put in the effort they should have and did not bother to actually “preserve” the essence of the game. It seemed more like an attempt to cash in on a cash cow that could be exploited once more because nostalgia sells. Some remakes and reboots just aim to reap in the money that can be obtained by using a beloved and pre-existing series’ name.

Looking ahead to the next few years, one can see that The Last of Us: Part One is already getting a remaster despite not even reaching 10 years of age and just having had one for the current-gen consoles. Other big games like Dead Space, The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, System Shock, and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell are just a few in the catalog of heavily anticipated remakes and remasters that are going to hit the market.

While remasters and remakes are welcomed when properly executed, it’s also great to get fresh installments regardless of if it’s a sequel or the first of many. Modern Warfare from 2019 was a great remake that offered a fresh spin on the original series. There are plenty of references to the original, but it was a completely different story with brand new sights and settings.

However, it’s also amazing to see a sequel that progresses a story or offers a new perspective. The developers of Psychonauts 2 did this and their game was adored by the community for its refreshing story that showcased how far the characters and developers have come since the 2005 release of the first installment. Everyone loves a fresh start. However, if game developers have already had a fresh start and can keep moving, regardless if the reception was good or not, it should be the preferred step.

That’s what happened with The Witcher series and the progression from the first game to third shows perseverance and passion for the work.

At their best, remakes and remasters are done with a love for the game and the fanbase. Remasters and remakes offer beautifully crafted games a breath of new life and a chance to showcase their beauty to a group of people who could’ve never experienced it the way older gamers have.

At their worst, these releases do the opposite and do not display as much effort as they should. Gaming companies might look at these classic games as nothing more than an opportunity to generate a gluttonous amount of revenue.

If the gaming industry only relies on “brand new starts” from older games, then how will creativity and risk flourish the way they used to? After all, it’s what gifted the gaming community with so many phenomenal stories and gameplay. One can’t help but ask if these remakes and remasters are truly done with the intention of sharing an incredible adventure while staying true to the source material and the fans. It’s getting hard for the community to have faith that games will be short of a next-gen port with better graphics. Time will surely tell, but the community shouldn’t allow nostalgia to get the better of them.

Fall 2022 39

TECHNOLOGY

Are Remasters a Plague or an Opportunity?

Gabriel Cabello Torres Ever since they took off in the 70s, video games have had an enormous impact on pop culture and spawned a massive array of genres full of fascinating and original stories. Being born in the 2000s gave me the opportunity to experience everything from classic games like Contra to more modern icons such as Halo or Dark Souls.

A long time has passed since original consoles like the Xbox and Playstation revolutionized the industry and introduced modern hardware that allowed for more ambitious projects. Plenty of amazing titles have come out throughout the years, but recently remakes and remasters have gained a lot of popularity within the gaming community as opposed to original releases.

A lot of the people in the video game industry grew up playing in arcades before they made game-changing technological advancements in the industry. I can still remember the fascination of playing 8-bit classics as a kid, then upgrading to better hardware that could handle three-dimensional environments smoothly. It’s an unforgettable experience. While these dated graphics are no longer as impressive, what can never truly be lost to time is the beauty of mesmerizing gameplay and a memorable story. So many original ideas and plots came to be thanks to this avenue of entertainment, which can often offer a more immersive experience than watching a movie. It only makes sense for older generations to want to gift those moving tales to the younger generations.

Unfortunately, the video game industry, for better or worse, is still an industry. Whether it’s called a redux, reboot, or remake, it’s still a redo of something from an older game. The original game could be an amazing experience even today. The dated controls and graphics might not bother an older audience thanks to a dose of nostalgia and simply having grown up with original

releases. Remasters aim to bridge the gap between the gameplay and tech limitations that could have affected production with the higher standards of today’s games.

However, it doesn’t always work out the way it was supposed to.

Several reworks and remasters have been released over the last couple of years. Plenty of these have successfully given an older game new life by perfecting the design quality or improving the game as a whole. Take the Resident Evil 2 remake released in 2019; the difference was night and day compared to the original game released in 1998. The way the game plays out, the dynamic effects, the sound design, and more are all improved and tweaked to give a unique experience. Thanks to advancements in technology, nostalgic players can enjoy a re-imagined playthrough of a cult classic they grew up with. Younger audiences can experience a fresh playthrough of a game without the limitations of first generation consoles and without having to rely on a buggy emulator.

Resident Evil 2’s success wasn’t just due to nostalgia or because it’s a well-known franchise. The reason Resident Evil 2 was such a hit was because it preserved the overall essence of the game. It didn’t make any compromises that would’ve changed the overall tone or trajectory of the story, nor did it alter the gameplay so much that it didn’t feel like a part of the Resident Evil franchise. In the realm of remasters, games like “Mass Effect: Legendary Edition” added improved graphics and game fixes that made the experience more enjoyable.

Even though there have been many remakes and remasters that became great hits, there have also been great misses that did more harm than good to the game then

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The team now has double the members compared to last semester. Bryce, along with the rest of the SAE team, is determined to make this semester different with a new approach for the vehicle. “[Team One] is working from the inside of the car outwards, so starting with the driver, controls, the safety equipment, that sort of stuff. Team Two will be working from the wheels and tires, brakes, suspension.”

I inquired what makes this approach different from last year’s approach.

everything we’re doing this year in terms of reverse engineering and improvements is all being pretty meticulously documented.”

The team isn’t just full of car enthusiasts and engineers. There are all sorts of talented people pushing the team forward. “We have a treasurer who does our finances who is an accounting major… Business and accounting majors are greatly appreciated. We work with a tight budget and it really is like running a small business.” The team is working to get sponsors and other sources of funds. Currently, the team has a sponsorship with the Tidewater Sports Car Club and participates in autocross events with them. It’s great to see locals aid ODU teams in sharing their love for the art of motorsports.

The team is hopeful and ready to get on track for a strong performance in May 2023. Whatever the outcome is, there is no doubt the team has been revitalized with plenty of new members, new directions, and determined leadership.

Keeping comprehensive documentation is another goal the team is dead set on meeting this year: “Keeping things documented is a huge part of what we’re doing this year and it hasn’t been done well previously … which is why we’re in the situation we’re in. So

The many different skill sets and assets possessed by the team help them excel in areas besides engineering.

Even if new members have no idea how the car works, the team is still ecstatic to have them. “It should really streamline things and help the new members into knowing all about the car… This is a great opportunity for them to learn and we are more than willing to teach people anything they want to know.”

“How things have been done in the past…for everybody in the club up until now, was that we had subsystems: one team for brakes, one team for suspension, one team for driver controls, one team for the engine, cooling, and so on.

The issue comes when it’s a bare frame, like what is the cooling team going to do without an engine in the car? There were big gaps in what people were doing, and there weren’t really set teams because we didn’t have enough members for there to be set teams and not have people working on certain things.”

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TECHNOLOGY

Going the Distance: ODU’s Monarch Racing Turns up the Effort Gabriel Cabello Torres

The ODU Racing Team has been in existence for de- That wasn’t the only challenge the team faced when building their Formula 1 car for the Spring 2022 cades and is still going strong. I had the pleasure of semester. They were working on a vehicle without speaking with the President of the Monarch Racing the details behind every decision made to build team, Bryce Dalton, about his involvement in the the car. “The competition has two main categories team and the team’s plans for this year. that we are judged on. One of them is the dynamic events. How the car drives, how the car performs Dalton is a sophomore pursuing an engineering degree. He’s been involved since his freshman year and in several different ways. The other is static events. his passion for cars precedes his time at Old Domin- We get judged on the engineering of the car and the ion University. “In middle school, my best friend and cost report of the car. The competition was about one month away and the car was designed by stuI got Forza Horizon 3…we both got into cars and have been ever since.” As far as hands-on experience dents who were now graduated and gone. We had no information on the car and how it was engineered, with cars, Dalton stated, “It’s been four years since or what choices were made, and why. We hadn’t even I got my car, that’s when I really started working on cars.” begun to prepare for a presentation on the car. We still didn’t have all the parts sent into us yet and we decided that even if we could finish the car, it probably wouldn’t be in our best interest to go there.”

As a high school student, Dalton earned two Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications. Now, after only a year of being with the FSAE team, he’s the president with drive to make great changes that will push through issues the team has dealt with before.

Working on a project as big as the FSAE team is tackling is tough work. It requires effort, teamwork, communication and more. Complications both small and large are sure to arise. The after-effects of the 2020 pandemic are still impacting the team, along with other struggles that arose during the 2021-22 school year. President Bryce commented, “It took forever to get the CNC parts in… We had a bottleneck in manufacturing.”

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Unfortunately, the Monarch Racing team was unable to compete in the annual FSAE Michigan competition in May of 2022. However, things are starting to look up for the team this year now that they are following a new roadmap.

What changed? Besides leadership, the team made an important decision not to go to the Michigan competition. “We decided to take another year… to finish the car, which is very nearly finished! The way we’re doing things this year is we’re reverse engineering the car essentially, and then making improvements on what we found out about how it is designed.”

One and PlayStation 4 could barely run a smooth game with all the glitches and framerate drops. The game didn’t deliver a lively Night City full of NPCs to complete the illusion of a heavily populated metropolitan area. Any immersion in cutscenes was taken away by bugs that would ruin the moment by affecting assets or simply freeze the character models in a t-pose stance. Glitches and bugs were rampant, even for players who had top-of-the-line hardware for their PC setups.

There were still people in the community who enjoyed the game, bugs and all. One of Cyberpunk 2077’s biggest strengths is that you get to choose how you start and end your story. It was a well-written story and there were numerous gold nuggets to be found in the game’s many side quests. Night City was chock-full of plots and characters that successfully made it seem a lot more expansive than it actually was. Despite all this, it was hard for many to get past the clunky gameplay. The number of players on Cyberpunk started dropping and many people turned their backs on it, simply giving up.

CD Projekt Red immediately got back to work and tried their hardest to give the ambitious game a second wind by releasing free updates and promising free DLC. Eventually, they started fixing the game and it became way more enjoyable for many. Now players could feel truly immersed in that world. Even if it was nothing like what they expected, it was still something special. The game started flourishing again, but couldn’t recover from the massive flop at the beginning. It cost the game many fans who were initially excited to play. Then something unexpected happened.

great reception.

The first few minutes of the first episode instantly encapsulate Cyberpunk’s action: raw, high-octane, and tech-fueled. The plot follows an average teenager’s journey from normal life to a life of crime. It explores many different aspects of crime throughout Night City, from average street thug activities to corporate espionage. If the series was meant to reel in old players and newcomers alike, then it succeeded. It gave new life to Cyberpunk 2077 by showcasing a world rich with great storytelling told through dialogue and environments. Cyberpunk now sits at around a healthy 100,000 players per day and is finally giving newcomers and first-day players a chance to live through a whole new story. The beauty of Edgerunners’ great reception is that it also presents how, regardless of your background, you can make a name for yourself in Night City.

Cyberpunk 2077 had nothing short of a nightmare release. While there are people who still consider the game mediocre, it continues to see great success. Cyberpunk 2077 served as a lesson to AAA Game Studios to not rush a game for the sake of making release dates. It also serves as a tale of perseverance. Behind this project, there were people who were passionate about making a new world for players to enjoy. After all the hard work and creativity that was put in, it’s safe to say that the workers at CD Projekt Red deserved to see Cyberpunk 2077 experience a rebirth.

“Cyberpunk: Edgerunners” is an anime released on Netflix based on the setting and culture of Cyberpunk 2077. It features the same grand Night City but breathes new life into it with an interesting story that takes place outside of the plot of the game. This was an opportunity to expand on the burgeoning sci-fi world presented in the game. An anime adaptation seemed to make the most sense, as this art style really brought out the tone of the gritty sci-fi setting. Other sci-fi anime set in crime-ridden cities include Ghost in the Shell, Akira, and Angel Cop. Rafal Jaki was responsible for this series. His work on the manga based on CD Projekt Red’s most famous game, The Witcher, had a

TECHNOLOGY

Technology Article #3 Gabriel Cabello Torres

Anybody who mentioned the name “Cyberpunk” to a gamer after its release would’ve probably been met with a wince or some other physical demonstration of agony. After all, it had one of the worst game launches in history. However, player numbers have recently started skyrocketing after “Cyberpunk 2077” made a re-appearance in popular culture. So, what gives?

Why did a game that experienced such a calamitous release that was nothing like what the fanbase expected suddenly gain a resurgence in popularity?

First, it’s important to take a look back at what Cyberpunk 2077 was facing in the first place. Cyberpunk’s developers made a lot of promises to the gaming community: a wide range of realistic character customization, a compelling roleplay experience with numerous different paths that could be taken, and riveting gameplay with plenty of playstyle availability. However, it wasn’t just gameplay that was promised. Night City, the story’s lively city setting, was an intriguing vision of an immersive, futuristic world akin to the beloved Blade Runner franchise. Cyberpunk was like a Holy Grail for all sorts of gaming fans. A great story, next-level graphics, a unique RPG setting, and Keanu Reeves as a constant character? Who wouldn’t want to play this game? Cyberpunk garnered an incredible amount of hype and the internet was obsessed over new announcements. It’s safe to say that CD Projekt Red had a high bar to meet with this RPG. So what went wrong? The game first surfaced in 2012, with a teaser release the following year. Then, after years of Cyberpunk existing as a mere legend, an

announcement was finally made at E3 in 2019 with an official release date. Anticipation for the release was high, but every time the release date inched closer, CD Projekt Red postponed the game’s release date in order to ensure that the game was as polished as possible. The game was first set to release on April 16, 2020, then was delayed to Sept. 17, then Nov. 19, then finally Dec. 10th in the same year.

During this time, fans were getting anxious. However, CD Projekt Red was determined to create a high-quality game. Developers were sacrificing their health by working long hours to get the game out faster. They did not want to release an unfinished product to their dedicated fanbase. Shareholders invested in the release were pressuring CD Projekt Red to release the game as soon as possible. The developers started receiving death threats from fans who were annoyed with the release delays. Even worse, leaks showing how unfinished the game looked began to come out, making gamers doubt that the game was worth all the time and excitement. Concerningly, gaming journalists and reviewers weren’t allowed to share a recording of their own gameplay. Instead, they were forced to do their review with the gameplay that CD Projekt Red provided to them. It seemed that CD Projekt Red was in full damage control mode.

When the game was finally released, there was pandemonium on player reviews, social media outlets, and comment threads. The vast majority of players were infuriated by how Cyberpunk 2077 failed to deliver a game that works. Current-gen consoles like the Xbox

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Fall 2022 45

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Fall 2022 47

Unlearn Kenneth Ashley A father’s love Should but did not Come without conditions This offer not valid if Child is gay Expiration date Age 15 It will take years to unlearn his message: You were unclean You did not deserve respect You would never walk in this world without Fear and self-hatred beside you But a father is not a source of Light Truth Anything You have to, and You will grow your own

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Fall 2022 49

Complacent Marjorie Cenese

People often forget that this is Normal: 1 AM emails of a shooting down the street 2 died, 5 injured.

Apologizing for race and cultural difference by dissociation from our name and identity on resumes we are marked by complacency, laid cushions and bedding in our casket don’t forget that before isn’t now, now won’t ever return to before it's not the natural kneading of time we will age, we will grow we will rejoice, we will mourn we will become unsatisfied with the world we share already counting the nuances and grievances to follow so don’t be the one in the future to complain about the inaction of the world when you weren’t the one to make a change.

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CONTENTS Fall 2022 NEWS 6-7 Before and After: Snapshots of COVID Impact on College Students 8-9 Twenty-One Years Later, the Ghost of ODU’s Monorail Remains

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 10-13 “The Question I’m Glad I Asked” 14-17 The Principles of Design 18-19 Lavender Locals: Reintroducing Norfolk’s LGBTQIA+ Watering Holes and History

SPORTS 20-25 ODU Football Welcomes Cuddly Companion: Hudson!

26-31 “Your greatest lessons are learned in your moments of defeat” Q&A with Basketball Legend DeLisha Milton-Jones 32-33 Then and Now: Old Dominion Shining Bright in Sun Belt Conference 34-35 Junior Guard Jason Wade Makes a Comeback 36-37 Lady Monarchs Gain New Blood Before Sun Belt Conference

TECHNOLOGY 38-39 Are Remasters a Plague or an Opportunity?

40-41 Going the Distance: ODU’s Monarch Racing Turns up the Effort 42-43 A Broken Game Experiences a Revival

CREATIVE ENCLAVE 44 “Ressurrection” 45 “Prodigal Son” 46 “Dead Trees” 47 “Unlearn” 48 “No World Tomorrow” 49 “Complacent” Fall 2022 51

MACE & CROWN Restart Magazine EDITOR IN CHIEF Sydney Haulenbeek MANAGING EDITOR Leyda RosarioRivera COPY EDITOR Kat Monnin NEWS EDITOR Will Witt A&E EDITOR Dana Chesser

FOOTBALL COVER Feat. Amorie Morrison Graphics by Eric Ganci Photographer Elena Harris ART COVER Feat. Avery Keys Graphics by Harper Imm Photographer Elena Harris ASSISTANTS Art Neal Justice Menzel

ADDITIONAL DESIGN colores.

Eric Ganci Harper Imm

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Elena Harris

CONTRIBUTORS Noah Tench Kenneth Ashley Majorie Cenese

TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Gabriel Cabello Torres SPORTS EDITOR Benjamin Draper

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Gwyneth Heseltine Mace & Crown is ODU’s student news organization. Every semester we produce a magazine written by and for the students of ODU. Originally founded as the High Hat in 1930, the paper became the Mace & Crown in 1961. In 2017 the Mace & Crown moved from a weekly newspaper to a magazine. You can find more from us at maceandcrown.com

Mace & Crown maintains journalistic independence from the university. All views expressed in this collegiate magazine are those of the author, not of the university, Mace & Crown, or the editors.

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FALL 2022 FALL 2022 FALL 2022 2022 FALL

OLD DOMINION UNIVER SITY STUDENT MAGAZINE O V R T Y T U D N M G N O LL D D D DO OM M II N NIIO ON NU UN NIIV VEEER RSSSIIIT TY Y SSST TU UD DEEEN NTT TM MAA AG GAA AZZ ZIIIN NEEE