August 2015

LOCAL BEACHES

With the last of the warm weather, take advantage of the surf and sand options this area has to offer.

WEEKENDER PAGE 8

The Marlin ChroniCle AUGUST 2015 ||ORIENTATION ISSUE || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWC.EDU ||

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE

Title IX SGA officials chosen for 2015-2016 upgrades The wide-ranging federal law exerts influence over college life in many aspects

BY NEIL CALLOWAY jncalloway@vwc.edu

Bernice Sandler studied and taught at University of Maryland (UMD) for years, eventually earning her doctorate in counseling and personnel services in 1969.

Given her well-known and respected reputation at UMD, not to mention her impressive qualifications, Sandler presumed the university would hire her for one of the seven available faculty positions in her academic field, Sandler’s website said.

They didn’t. She later discovered the university never even considered her application.

Seeking answers, Sandler asked a university official why she wasn’t considered for the job despite her qualifications. According to Sandler’s website, the school official said her application was rejected because she “came on too strong for a woman.”

Sandler experienced similar gender discrimination from two separate employers in the ensuing months, the website said.

Sandler, “strong” as she was, did not take such unjust treatment lying down. She took action. After years of impassioned, organized lobbying, the era of Title IX dawned on the Summer of 1972.

Today, every aspect of the American college experience has been, and continues to be, influenced by Title IX. Its impetus was to abolish discriminatory hiring practices. It did much more than that.

For instance, Virginia Wesleyan established a new team of staff in 2011, dedicated to ensuring compliance with Title IX’s newly applied stipulations. Karla Rasmussen, Jason Seward and McCarren Caputa were chosen to ensure VWC remains compliant with Title IX. Jason Seward, Dean of Freshmen and Director of the Batten Student Center, elucidated the law’s essence. “[Title IX] is law governing opportunities available to anyone in that no one be discriminated against … based off sex.

That everything is equal and everyone have the same opportunity afforded to the other person across the board,” said Seward.

This can apply to any aspect of an institution’s operation, but has historically been notable in the context of collegiate athletics.

“When people essentially heard ‘Title IX’ before its uprising the past several years, it automatically went to sports,” said Seward.

Indeed, the bulk of Title IX complaints have traditionally dealt with rectifying inequality in athletic programs.

For example, in 1996, a federal court ruled that Louisiana State University had violated the civil rights of its women’s volleyball team by refusing to cover their travel expenses. This was only an issue because LSU had provided travel expenses for the men’s basketball team that same year.

Up until recently, the LSU case represented the typical legal Title IX application and interpretation. And these cases were largely successful in establishing fairer athletic programs throughout American colleges.

“Great!” proclaimed Caputa, “That’s fantastic. But that’s not what we’re talking about anymore.”

A recent legal reinterpretation of Title IX has altered the focus to sexual violence.

This reinterpretation occurred in April 2011. The department of education issued a letter to colleges and universities nationwide. This altered the focus of Title IX to sexual violence.

“What happened was, in 2011, the ‘Dear Colleague’ letter came out,” Seward explained, “Before that, schools conducted their own investigation should a student body member be sexually assaulted. They had no oversight at that point.”

The “Dear Colleague” letter changed that.

SEE TITLE IX Pg. 2 1Front.indd 1

Anthony Dellamura | Marlin Chronicle Seniors Cassandra McEwan and Jeanice Reed pose in front of the rock-climbing wall in the Jane P. Batten Student Center.

BY STEPHANIE GOTSCHALL sagotschall@vwc.edu

Virginia Wesleyan’s Student Government Association (SGA) is an organization that, while overseen and advised by the Dean of Students Keith Moore, is strictly student-run. It was implemented as something that the students of the college could go to in order to have their voices heard when it comes to just about anything, along with giving new ideas in order to keep the campus community strong and tight-knit.

Aside from hearing student’s opinions and concerns, SGA has also been responsible for putting together campus-wide events such as the Homecoming parade and dance, senior week and the “VWC Pub-N-Club.”

Since the organization is centered around the thoughts and opinions of VWC students, every year they get to elect the people they feel would be well-suited to be a part of SGA. The positions in SGA include: the president, a vice president and four senators who represent the student body for each class. For the 2015-16 term, senior Cassandra McEwan will serve as the organization’s President and senior Jeanice Reed will serve as her vice president. The senior SGA senators are Sherice Greene,

Keith Savage II, Jessica Seymour and Isis Percell. The junior senators are Rebecca Gray, Erik Estrada and Georgia Walker.

Those representing the sophomore class will be Nicholas Hipple, Alexis Green, Michael McOsker and Tori Pugh. In order to gain a spot in SGA, you have to express your desire to be a part of the organization to those that are currently serving in SGA along with the rest of the campus community. Additionally, you have to express your wants, hopes and needs that will improve the campus as a whole.

Sherice Greene said that during her time in SGA, she really just wanted to be able to represent the senior class in the best way she possibly could, meaning that she would do whatever she had to do. Greene’s attitude about representing her class is shared among all of the other members in SGA, as they all hope to bring fresh and helpful ideas to the table in the upcoming term.

The class of 2019 will be represented by their own classmates as well! Just like all of the other senators, those chosen to represent the freshman class will be freshmen. After about a month of settling in and becoming accustomed to VWC and the college

SEE SGA Pg. 2

Ground broken for turf field

Thomas Mills | Marlin Chronicle (From left) Bob Marlin, VWC Board of Trustees President Gary Bonnewell, VWC Athletic Director Joanne Renn, George Birdsong, Sue Birdsong, and former President Billy Greer pose at the official groundbreaking for the new turf field.

BY STAFF WRITER

The parking lot behind Village II was packed with over 200 coaches, student athletes, faculty and alumni on Saturday, April 25. The crowd gathered to watch the groundbreaking of the new synthetic turf field that will be finished before fall sports begin their preseason on August 18.

Birdsong Field, named after George Birdsong, Sue Birdsong, and the Birdsong Corporation, will host men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, field hockey games and intramural sports games.

“We’ve been waiting for this to happen for such a long time and it’s great that we’ll be able to compete with everyone on the aspect of having a synthetic turf field, it makes our facility look great, and gives us more opportunity,” said women’s lacrosse head coach Meagan DiCave.

The new field also brings a new level of excitement to the athletic department, as sports teams will now be able to play on turf, which should make game play better.

Moreover, Birdsong Field will provide coaches and sports teams a great selling point for potential student athletes.

“We are really excited about the upcoming field, it’s going to be great for our program, our recruiting process,” said men’s lacrosse head coach J.P. Stewart.

The Birdsongs had the honor of having the new field being named after them due to the $1 million donation they made for the field to be constructed back in January of 2014. Money will continued to be raised after the field begins to be built, because another $300,000 is required to complete the project.

“You can’t put the importance of two individuals who have done so much for this college, if you look at just the importance of the Birdsong family to this college it’s hard to measure,” said Athletic Director Joanne Renn.

Not only is the athletic community excited, but former VWC President Dr. William T. Greer expressed elation for the new field and the donors.

“Our coaches and student-athletes per-

form at a high level, and the addition of this turf field will enhance their ability to compete even more successfully in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. We are indebted to the Birdsongs, our Board of Trustees and donors for providing tremendous leadership to the College and helping to make this important initiative a reality,” said Dr. Greer in a VWC press release.

Synthetic turf is nothing new for many of the schools in the ODAC, as VWC was one of the last schools in the conference to not have a turf field.

“Just the turf in general is a huge recruiting aspect for us,” said DiCave. “We are one of the few schools in the ODAC that don’t have turf so in the spring that hinders us because of all the rain we get in this area. Having turf to be able to use all the time will be great as well as having another field that is game ready at any time will also be a huge bonus for the program.”

In addition to a better field experience,

SEE TURF Pg. 2

5/6/2015 10:48:12 AM

PAGE 2

NEWS

AUGUST 2015

Title IX CONTINUED FROM FRONT “It put a timeline on things,” Seward continued, “You have to investigate and resolve an issue within 60 days from the time [the school officials] should have reasonably known about it. It threw out terminology like, ‘reasonable employees.’ According to the ‘Dear Colleague’ letter, that’s any [employee] at the institution that’s building relationships with students … Here at Wesleyan, we said all of our employees are in that business.”

In addition to requiring an investigation into every allegation, the “Dear Colleague” letter set forth stringent guidelines regarding what these investigations should look like. It doesn’t only deal with reactionary procedures, but preventative ones as well. Schools must educate their students about the nature of these investiga-

tions. “...We can’t prevent other people’s behavior,” Caputa remarked, “It’d be great if I could. That would be fantastic. But our rules are we have to educate everyone on the campus about these issues, we have to make sure we have a process for addressing them, and that everyone knows what that process is.”

As far as concrete steps to prevent sexual violence, Seward has some ideas. “We’ve already looked at some nationally known speakers and different training scenarios to bring into campus to offer the students. We’re going to be involving student organizations and groups, individual students, faculty and staff in our efforts moving forward,” he said. “It’s something that needs to be

talked about as a community.”

Seward, for his part, said he has confidence in where the college is currently.

In regards to Phenomenal Woman hosting our firstever “Take Back the Night,” Seward stated “over 100 people were there that night. That’s a powerful thing when you see that many students get behind something like that. That’s what excites McCarren and I in our responsibilities as they go to Title IX: to see that this is something that our students and our community … are passionate about.”

Where to park without getting a ticket

Google| Courtesty

Faculty and staff spaces are marked in red. From 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, you could receive a ticket if you are parked in a faculty and staff parking space.

What to bring as a freshman Dorm room • sheets (XL twins) • blankets • pillows • clock • waste basket • desk lamp • hangers

Bath room/shower • towels • toiletries • shower shoes

Laundry • detergent • dryer sheets • laundry basket • iron

Recommended • television • laptop • stereo • printer • fan

TURF CONTINUED FROM FRONT Birdsong Field will give the college the opportunity to host NCAA Division III tournament games as well as ODAC playoff games, something that has never happened at VWC. Birdsong Field has also been built for the future. If VWC ever developed a football program, the new field would be more than capable in hosting football games.

“The board wanted us to build this field big enough so that in the very far future it could be used for football,” Renn said.

The beginning stages of construction are set to begin after graduation on May 16.

SGA CONTINUED FROM FRONT life, freshmen will be given the chance to make a campaign for themselves and run for freshman senator.

Running for SGA senator to represent the class of 2019 works almost the same as the normal SGA election in the sense that there will be an open election and the entire student body of VWC will be able to vote. However, it is different in that this will be the only election that is held for SGA as freshman class senators will be selected during the fall semester and will serve as the senator for their student body through May. Sometime in April, SGA will have an election for the upcoming year where current senators have the option to run again for their position and anyone else that wants to participate can run as well.

The decision is again left up to the student body who will vote for who they think best suits the position.

Although being a representative in SGA gives students the opportunity to make the campus a better place for themselves and their fellow classmates, it also has one other perk that should be considered if you want to become part of the organization. SGA is one of many cool ways to get involved on our campus. Being part of an organization ran by students for students, is a great way to have your voice heard.

2News.indd 1

Thomas Mills | Marlin Chronicle

George and Sue Birdsong share a laugh with former President William T. Greer during the groundbreaking.

5/6/2015 10:47:31 AM

COMMUNITY The

MARLIN CHRONICLE

Take it from me ...

Seniors provide insight on college life, from advice to meal plan explanations

Editor-in-Chief Kellie Lagoy kalagoy@vwc.edu

BY RYAN BREEN rmbreen@vwc.edu

BY BRIAN LE btle@vwc.edu

Managing Editor Courtney Herrick clherrick@vwc.edu News Editor Sarah Antozzi scantozzi@vwc.edu Brian Le btle@vwc.edu Community Editor Kaci Parker klparker@vwc.edu Opinion Editor Doug Hardman ddhardman@vwc.edu The Weekender Troy Aubut taaubut@vwc.edu Sports Editor

Anthony Dellamura|Marlin Chronicle

Josh McNamara

Graduating Business Major “Utilize your resources to secure internships and make connections to set yourself up for upon graduation.”

Michael Willson mnwillsion@vwc.edu

“Don’t burn any bridges.”

Photo Editors Anthony Dellamura aadellamura@vwc.edu Kayla Skeete krskeete@vwc.edu Illustrations Editor Richard Cremin rjcremin@vwc.edu Online Editor Maurice Reed mreed@vwc.edu Copy Editor

Anthony Dellamura|Marlin Chronicle

Courtney Jones cajones1@vwc.edu Samantha Small stsmall@vwc.edu Advertising Representatives Heather Sage hlsage@vwc.edu Advisor

Dr. Lisa Lyon Payne lpayne@vwc.edu

PAGE 3

AUGUST 2015

Phil Smith

Graduating Business Major “Do things you normally wouldn’t see yourself doing. It is all about the experience.”

“There are really affordable places to study abroad that you can finance through the school.”

“Build a good relationship with your professors for your four years.”

One of the most important things to a human is food.

We rely on healthy food choices to give us the strength our body needs in order to strive and be successful students, and people in general. Here at Virginia Wesleyan there are many options to choose from in order to get your energy. There are also a few different ways that you can purchase your food on campus.

One of the most common payment options is your VWC meal plan. Most likely, if you are a freshman you will live in V1 or V2 residence halls. What does this mean? This means that you will be able to receive 15 meals a week in the VWC cafeteria. The cafeteria offers a reasonable amount of hours for students to eat and many different foods to choose from. The cafeteria hours are as follows: Monday - Friday Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Continental: 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Lunch: 10:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Dinner: 4:45 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday - Sunday Brunch: 10:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Continental: 1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Dinner: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

The VWC cafeteria website states “We are proud to offer a dining program complete with signature brands and menu selections that include just about every item you can imagine.”

Featuring options such as: Fresh fruit and salads Homestyle entrées Freshly baked pizza Deli choices Specially made grill choices Ice cream and assorted desserts Various soups More information on the VWC cafeteria and their food providers can be found at www. vwcdining. sodexomyway.com For an option besides the VWC cafeteria, there is also the marlin restaurant also known as The Grille.

The Grille is a great place to grab a quick bite to eat in-between classes. The Grille’s operating hours are as follows: Monday - Thursday: 8:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m.

Friday: 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

The Grille allows students to pay with cash, flex dollars, meal equivalency, and marlin dollars. Flex dollars are awarded to every student with a VWC meal plan.

Depending on the plan, certain amounts of money are placed on student IDs. This form of payment can only be used at The Grille. For 15 swipes a week meal plan, students will each get $100 a semester.

Meal equivalency allows students to use up to $3.50 for lunch and $3.75 toward dinner at The Grille. These can only be used at times when the cafeteria is not serving food. This is a good option when your flex dollars are running low and you do not feel like eating at the cafeteria. Marlin dollars are when a student’s parents, themselves and/or family member chooses to put money into their account. This money can also be used at The Grille and the bookstore.

As you can see, there are a lot of options at VWC in order to eat and pay for your food.

Get involved, nd a home The Marlin Chronicle is the official student newspaper of Virginia Wesleyan College.

Staff meetings are held every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in Batten 217. Signed submissions are welcome, but subject to the discretion of the editor. Letters are not edited for content, but may be edited for length. The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper may not necessarily reect the views of the entire staff of The Marlin Chronicle or Virginia Wesleyan College.

The Marlin Chronicle Virginia Wesleyan College 1584 Wesleyan Drive Norfolk, VA 23502 757.455.3311

“Virginia Wesleyan College proudly supports the editorial independence and press freedom of student-edited publications. We believe that student editors have the authority to make all content decisions and bear the responsibility for the decisions that they make.”

--William T. Greer Jr.

3Community.indd 1

BY LAUREN KINGSBURY lekingsbury@vwc.edu

Coming into college can be an overwhelming experience. Everyone will feel some type of unfamiliarity, whether from being hours away from home, sharing a room with someone, having to make a whole new set of friends, or taking classes that you never thought you would take.

You might be thinking should I try and join a sports team? Should I rush a fraternity or a sorority? Should I volunteer? A great way to meet new people is through clubs and organizations. If you think about it, everyone in a particular club or organization shares at least one thing in common. Despite Virginia Wesleyan being a small school, there are over 50 clubs and organizations and there truly is something for everyone. Getting involved early is one way to ensure that you will make the most out of your four years here.

One of the biggest organizations on campus is Wesleyan Activities Council (WAC). WAC is a student programming board that provides social, educational, and community-building activities on campus. It is the primary programming of the Office of Student Activities.

WAC does a variety of things throughout the year like hold socials and dances for students.

WAC membership is open to full-time, undergraduate students of Virginia Wesleyan who are in good judicial standing and have at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average.

“It feels really nice knowing that you get to help in the de-stressing process for students, even if it is only for an hour. WAC brings comedians, magicians, and bands to school.

My personal favorite was when there was laser tag in the C–MAC,” said former WAC student, senior Ryan Breen.

There are several positions in WAC that are

open to anyone who meets the above requirments. The application and interview process takes places in November of each school year.

If WAC doesn’t really seem like your thing, don’t worry. There are plenty of other clubs and organizations on campus. To name some of the clubs and organizations Virginia Weleyan offers, there is Black Student Union, Classics Club, Games and Strategies Club, Habitat for Humanity, LGBTQS Club, Phenomenal Woman, Young Life, and Student Government Association (SGA). Of course, there are many other clubs and organizations offered.

Classics Club is open to any student majoring or minoring in Classical Studies, as well as any student who is interested in learning about classical civilizations.

“We’re a fairly recent organization, we were just restarted this year, and we’re basically just a little organization where people with an appreciation of Classics can meet up,” said junior Liz Quamme, “We had the Classics Club Olympics planned but it got rained out, but we are trying to do another event like that in the upcoming semester!”

The President for the Classic Club is junior Collette Vauthier.

The Games and Strategies Club brings together people who are interested in video games as well as various activities. These activities can take place indoors or outdoors. If the Games and Strategies Club is of interest to you, seek out senior Christian Menchhofer Habitat for Humanity coordinates habitat workdays for students with the South Hampton Roads chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and senior Sierra Brown can provide more information.

Phenomenal Women seeks to cultivate the

leader that is already within each individual, giving them the power to define their success.

If you would like more information about Phenomenal Women, you can contact senior Jasmine Burrell. Young Life, Spiritual Life, opportunity for students who want to grow in the faith and serve their community through leading local high school and middle school students.

Student Government Association (SGA) serves as the liaison between the students and the administration. SGA and class senators hold many events on campus for students.

President senior Cassandra McEwan said, “It is my pleasure to help and head one of the organizations that serve the VWC community. SGA strives to fulfill all the needs and address all the concerns brought to us. We cannot fix everything, but we will do everything in our power to make this the best place possible to live and learn.” If you would like more information about SGA, seniors Cassandra McEwan or Jeanice Reed can help you get involved.

If writing is your thing, check out The Marlin Chronicle...you won’t regret it. Senior Kellie Lagoy is the Editor-in-Chief and junior Courtney Herrick is the Managing Editor.

Obviously these are not all of the clubs and organizations Wesleyan has to offer. The complete list can be found on the website under ‘Student Life.’ If there is not anything that interests you, you can even start your own club or organization. The best way to make friends is to find something that interests you. Who knows, you might become best friends with someone you never thought you would be friends with.

5/5/2015 10:01:46 PM

PAGE 4

OPINIONS

AUGUST 2015

Passive-aggressive steps

Think twice before you entice

BY DOUGLAS HARDMAN

BY KAYLA BROWN

ddhardman@vwc.edu

Life is constantly shifting, through the good and the bad, always. It’s up to us to be prepared to handle the punches. At times, we are going to have to start over and move on. It can be something drastic or something harmless, but I have come up with some steps to help you on your journey to starting over.

Step 1 In order to do something, you must first start. Once you’ve gotten blindsided with the hardships of reality, you have to pick yourself up and see where you are going from there. You have to start looking for new options, new ideas, etc. If you just let life knock you down, you’ll never go anywhere.

Step 2 Once you start on your new path, you need to utilize your skills. Everyone at least has the basics, but if you’re reading this, then you have at least required academic and possibly career skills. Communication, teamwork, flexibility, and leadership are some skills that can be utilized in your attempt to start a new. Whatever you’ve got, use it to your advantage.

Step 3 As mentioned previously, communication is a very useful skill when getting your (new) life on track. Make sure you are communicating your ideas, concerns, and worries effectively and efficiently with those around. You want intentions to be clear, you want false promises to be avoided, and you want to be precise and honest.

Step 4 Now that you’ve started, began utilizing, and are communicating, you need to kick it up.

All of this is just talk at this point. Make commitments, make solid plans. Sure, they can change, but you have to kick yourself into high gear at this point. The ball is rolling, but you want to make sure it continues to roll and not come to a complete stop.

Step 5 This goes along with “kick.” You need to keep yourself motivated and on course. If you get lazy, you may keep yourself in that rut you were thrown into. Keep motivating yourself to strive for a better you. When [insert life changing event] happened, it happened because it was meant to keep you down. You’ve gotten up and you need to stay up.

Step 6 The path to a new and better you is you. You may have gone through life up until this point knowing who you were and what you were doing. But, again, this can all change. You’ll find yourself adapting and changing. You should embrace yourself as a human being capable of change and knowing that not everything is going to be the same.

Step 7 Life-changes can be exhausting. Make sure you are taking care yourself, mentally and physically, while you are going through all of this. Sleep well, stay hydrated, keep eating, and remain calm. Stress is not good and can drain you, so make sure you stay on top of your game and know that taking a break does not mean giving up.

Step 8 You are in this for the long run now. You’re changing, you’re making new plans for yourself. Keep yourself invested in your future and yourself. Invest your time in the things that matter, the people that matter, and, of course, invest your money. As much as we hate it, money runs the world and you better have some stored away. Never hurts to have a cash safety net.

Step 9 While you’re focusing on yourself and starting over, never forget that others may need you as well. You are allowed to be selfish, but it’s important to remain compassionate towards loved ones, friends, or even global events. Being a better you is what’s important, and everyone is aware of that. Just don’t forget that we’re all human and we need to support each other.

Step 10 They say the key to living a good life is finding happiness, and I believe this to be true.

No matter what you’re doing, what you’re aiming for when starting over, make sure it’s something that makes you happy. If it’s not something you want to do, it’s not worth doing.

Again, only you can make yourself truly happy. Seek happiness with passion and with a smile.

Step 11 At this point, you should know about the curveballs life throws at you. As bad as it may sound, you should anticipate things to take a turn for the worse. You should always be prepared for shit to hit the fan. That way, you’re always prepared to start over or to start anew. If you anticipate the worse, but are prepared for the best, you will always succeed.

Step 12 It’s all about being dedicated to change. You know you have to change, you know there’s no avoiding it, so you might as well dedicate yourself to it. It will be just like any task, job, or class you take now and in the future. If you give yourself 110% always, you can succeed.

So make sure that when you start over, you give all you can to it.

Starting over with anything can be scary and challenging, but it’s life. You will find yourself, at one point or at many, where that’s all you can do. Just follow this 12-step program and you’ll find that starting over isn’t as hard as you may think. You may even find a new passion, a new goal, a new path in life. Life is a risk, always, and it isn’t worth it if you aren’t ready to plunge into the unknown.

Letter to the Editor Disagree with an article in our newspaper?

Have an opinion about a certain issue?

Or you just want your voice to be heard?

We will be accepting letters to the editor for the upcoming issue! Please submit all letters to the Editor-in-Chief, Kellie Lagoy via email: kalagoy@vwc.edu Letters must be submitted by 12 p.m. on August 25, 2015 to be considered for publication.

There’s nothing too controversial, too taboo, or too opinionated. Let your voice be heard!

Policy: Student, staff, and faculty are eligible participants. There is a 350 word maximum and it must include your name, email, and phone number for verification.

*PLEASE NOTE* All entries will be reviewed, but unedited

kabrown2@vwc.edu

Take a minute to remember this moment. As a freshman, you’re officially in college. For some, this means that you commute from home for class. For others, this means that it’s officially your first time being away from home. For once, it feels like you’re on your own. You can do what you want, when you want, because your parents aren’t around to stop you, right? I must add that there’s nothing wrong with having fun, and enjoying college life. Just be sure to think twice.

College is the place to meet new people from different backgrounds, become involved, and find out who you really are.

There’s also a chance of encountering someone that you find attractive. This attraction could be mental, emotional, physical, or all three.

We’re young adults, and there’s no way for me to sugar coat this. Sex happens.

I’m aware that not everyone is sexually involved, but for those who are, please be sure to think twice. My purpose of writing this isn’t to promote sex, it’s to bring awareness. For some reason, it’s considered to be a “touchy” subject, and I completely understand why. On the other hand, it’s a subject that we must bring light to, and inform others about. For starters, always be sure to wear protection.

Free male condoms are available in the Health Services office, which is located in Village II. Health Services is also a great place to receive more information about safe sex.

Secondly, think about privacy. We’re a small campus, which means that there’s a chance of others finding out about your personal business. This doesn’t mean that the entire school will find out, and judge you. No, this simply means that there’s a possibility of “word” getting out, and it’s good to be aware of that. So, if you don’t want others to know, then I advise you to be cautious.

Lastly, understand Title IX. Always, and I do mean always be sure that you

received, and gave consent before doing so. Consent is receiving a definite yes to proceed during sexual intercourse. Someone shrugging their shoulders, or constantly asking, after they’ve said no, isn’t consent. It’s also wise to receive consent from someone who isn’t intoxicated to any extent. This is to ensure that the answer that you receive is coming from someone with a clear mind, and not from someone who is influenced by any drug or substance.

You might be reading this article, thinking that everything I’m saying is common sense, or that you learned it in high school. However, things change when it’s actually happening to you. Things change when you realize that a scene from a video that you watched in Health class on when to say no is now your reality.

What do you do you if you see a potential attack? You let someone know immediately. Don’t be afraid to speak up. If you are with a group of friends, let your friends know that you feel uncomfortable, and that it’s best that you all leave.

If you happen to be a bystander, please don’t partake in the bystander effect. It is your responsibility to speak up as well, especially if you notice that the person looks uncomfortable.

Step in, and ask them if they are okay, even if you don’t know them. Afterwards, let a school official know about the incident, so it can be reported. Our security officers are available 24/7, and they are only a couple of minutes away from you, if that. There are also emergency boxes located around campus. Look for the blue light. They’re easy to spot. This box can be used to contact security as well.

In addition to our security officers, we also have Deputy Title IX coordinators, Jason Seward and McCarren Caputa, and their doors are always open to those who would like to talk, or have any questions.

This is something that I wouldn’t want to happen to anyone.

With that being said, be sure to think twice before you act, and always receive a for sure green light before proceeding.

title Sensitive subjects in the classroom

BY TAYLOR BOYD tpboyd@vwc.edu

There will always be different reactions for different circumstances. A major concern for teachers and educators alike would be the material that is shown in the classroom.

Well, not so much the material, but the context in which it is presented. Be it a student or just part of the audience, some people are just more sensitive to certain subjects than others.

It is important that you be careful what you show to your audience. Here are four tips, I believe would help any educator or presenter when covering sensitive subject matter to a class of any sort.

One: It is important to create a classroom environment in which students know about the subject material in this course. The best thing to do is to make sure the basic rules of your class are set. The best way to do this would be to create a very thorough syllabus or summary of what you are presenting. Make sure that you build a com-

munity within your classroom, in which thoughts and ideas can be shared freely without discrimination.

Two: Before you cover any sort of subject material, look around in your classroom and understand the different backgrounds of each student you have. Diversity is very important when sharing ideas and opinions on certain things. You want to make sure that your audience, doesn’t take certain subject material the wrong way, based on their own personal values.

Three: Understand that emotional triggers do happen, both for you and your students.

Be prepared to handle a situation if needed. It is important to be there for your students and to understand their personal take on things, without being bias.

Four: Fill them in ahead of time.

If you know there is certain material pertaining to violence, or sexuality, and other sensitive subjects, let your students know before

you present the material.

I feel that if a student is taking a course they should do thorough research on their own to discover what their classes would entail.

Even though, the instructor can help out the student in showing certain material, if it is necessary for the sake of the learning experience the instructor must do what is best to educate their students. Even if it means going into sensitive territory. Students must also be willing to understand that the world isn’t 100% fine all the time. If they have a concern they should voice their opinions in a way that is not disruptive the other students learning experience.

Lastly, students should respect the views of one another. For example, just because you do not understand why someone is more sensitive to animal rights issues, doesn’t give you the right to criticize their opinion. Controversy isn’t always a bad thing, and be sure to be openminded in and out of the classroom.

Interested in joining an SCJ National Award Winning newspaper? It’s simple! Come to Batten 217, Tuesdays @5:30 p.m. to learn more about what we do here at The Marlin Chronicle. You can be a staff writer, work on our social media team, join the photography team, or even do illustrations! Chron Team Go! 4Opinions.indd 1

5/5/2015 10:18:40 PM

PHOTO

MAY 2015

PAGE 5

A Year In Review

Year

In

Photos by Anthony Dellamura & Thomas Mills

2014-15 was a great year at Virginia Wesleyan College. The community came together during a crisis. We got to experience gay marriage being legalized in Virginia. The Mud Games were a huge hit on campus and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge took the college by storm. Even Dean Buckingham got involved.

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5/5/2015 10:46:40 PM

Office of International & Intercultural Programs I have come to the understanding that there is significant difference between going somewhere to visit and going somewhere to live. Visiting somewhere requires only the desire to only “see” things and living somewhere requires the desire to “understand” at least some things.

-Mindy Bertram, studied in Jordan

TESTIMONIALS I chose to study abroad for the opportunity to immerse myself in another culture and meet new people, all while continuing to advance my education.

-Rory Finnegan, studied in Ireland

Visit us in Batten Suite 22 Call: 757.455.3279 Email: oip@vwc.edu

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SPORTS

PAGE 7

AUGUST 2015

Runner, Scholar, Marlin Student

Athletes Q&A

BY BRIAN LE btle@vwc.edu

Two student athletes are able to do well in the classroom as well as the field.

Thomas Mills| Marlin Chronicle

Junior Trevor Maloney goes for a run at the indoor track in the Batten Student Center to prepair for his next conference track meet.

BY SARAH ANTOZZI scantozzi@vwc.edu

Though his successes are far from being limited to the world of athletics, Virginia Wesleyan junior Trevor Maloney recently achieved the fifth-fastest time for the 3000 meters in the history of VWC’s track and field program.

He did this by running the 3k in 9:14.36, placing ninth at the ODAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, held March 1 in Landover, Md. Also at the ODAC championships, Maloney and his teammates Hunter Melius, Jermell Chester and Dustin Ogburn placed fifth in the distance medley. Their time was 11:06.84.

Moreover, Maloney is on VWC’s cross-country team and holds the 10th-fastest time in the program’s history for the 8000 meters (27:20.2).

However, Maloney said that for him, the “best athletic performance” is, “...when I can walk away from a meet knowing that I did the best that I could do and knowing I didn’t have anything else to give at the end of each race.”

With cross-country’s season running all through the fall, and track and field going from indoor competition in the winter through a five-week outdoor season in spring, he is “in season” during the whole academic year. Doing both sports, he said, is “tiring, but it’s worth it in the end.” He said it gives “the gratification of being able to compete on a regular basis. Meets are held about every otehr weekend.”

Maloney started running during middle school, then “got serious” around his sophomore year of high school.

One thing he’s noticed, he said, is that track and cross-country often don’t get the amount of attention that other sports enjoy. For example, he said, the first spring-semester issue of the Marlin Chronicle covered every other VWC spring sport except track and field.

“Running that much is very time-consuming and very hard work,” he said. “It’s just as competitive as anything else. It just feels like we get swept under the rug,” he said, which is “aggravating.”

Maloney agreed that part of the problem could be that VWC students never have the chance to see the runners compete at home, since the campus has no track.

That topic also came up during a recent meeting the track team had with the president of the college, William Greer.

“He expressed that he was very disappointed that the funds for a track had not been gathered yet,” Maloney said. However, he said, President Greer told the team that funds for a track are still a high priority for the college.

The meeting with Greer was held to recognize the track team for a remarkable achievement.

“This past semester, the track and field team had the highest GPA we’ve ever had in the history of the track and field program,” Maloney said.

Maloney’s own GPA has a lot to do with that. The biology major is currently pulling a 3.96, having gotten his first college Acourse grade last semester.

Adding to the demands on his time from running and from keeping his grades up is his job in the student ambassador program.

The program has three levels of student jobs: Wesleyan ambassadors, lead Wesleyan ambassadors, and student coordinators, according to Maloney’s supervisor, Assistant Director of Admissions Kelly King-Pack. Maloney began as a Wesleyan ambassador and then moved up to his current position as a lead Wesleyan ambassador, she said.

King-Pack said that she had previously known Maloney’s older brother Tim, who had “really stood out in the program” as a student coordinator. Thus, when Trevor Maloney first came to work there, she started to call him “Tim’s little brother.” She quickly corrected herself, saying she knew he was more than that. Maloney agreed and said, “I’m going to show you how much more I am than Tim’s little brother.”

“He has a wonderful work ethic. He’s quick to ask what he can do,” King-Pack said. “He’s always prompt, always efficient.

He doesn’t take on more than he can carry out.”

“Trevor has definitely made his own name, in the program and here at Wesleyan,” said King-Pack.

Some of Maloney’s job responsibilities are mentoring new ambassadors and assisting with their training, as well as contacting potential students.

Many people with Maloney’s schedule would have no time for friends or would be chronically sleep-deprived. After all, he’s added a job and two sports to the three things that popular wisdom says college students can only have two of: good grades, a social life, and sleep. But what’s his opinion of that maxim?

“Not true,” Maloney said. “I feel like I have a really good group of friends.” He said he gets to spend time with teammates and others, going out to dinner or just hanging out. According to senior Hunter Melius, a member of both the cross-country and the track and field teams, VWC runners often go together to watch other Marlin athletic events.

“Trevor’s at 90 percent of them,” Melius said, especially soccer, basketball, and some volleyball games. They can’t watch much field hockey because the game times often conflict with track practice. While Maloney is serious in the classroom, his demeanor is very different at a sporting event: loud and enthusiastic.

“He’s very invested in the competition that’s going on,” Melius said, although he does stay “respectful.”

Concerning sleep, Maloney said that unlike your typical college student, “I value that very much.

I’m usually in bed by 11:30, at the latest 12, and I always like to get eight hours.”

Academics, though, remains a priority. “I mean, we’re here for an education, not for a social life or sleep,” he said. He has several sources of motivation: not only the 3.5 GPA requirement for keeping his full-tuition scholarship, but also his “desire to go to medical school” and the “selfsatisfaction” that comes from achievement.

One might very well wonder what specific techniques help Maloney achieve success in his many different endeavors. Does

he, for example, know how many hours it’s going to take him to study for a test, so he can schedule just that many and no more?

No, he said, because it really depends on how quickly he is grasping the material.

He does use the study strategies of making flashcards, going over course material with a group, and finding a quiet place to study the evening before a test. He said that having a job and athletics to plan for along with academics actually helps him have good time-management skills.

“You can’t be late and you can’t procrastinate, because you just don’t have time for that,” he said. He also said that competing throughout the whole academic year rather than only one semester has its advantages, in that it provides consistency.

Maloney has had to limit his extra-curricular involvement to some extent, though. He used to be a leader in the ministry Young Life, but had to stop because it was such a large time commitment. He does, however, attend Grace Bible Church regularly with a group of friends.

When there’s a scheduling conflict between work, running, and classes, Maloney said it’s important to have plans in place from talking to his coach, bosses and professors ahead of time.

He also said that it helps that at VWC, they are “understanding.”

“It’s definitely nice to have a coach who cares about our academics. He makes sure we have time for academics. He drops the hammer when we’re falling behind,” Maloney said. He gets that sort of guidance from his parents, of course, but said it’s good to also have someone on campus to help fill that role.

A key component of the way he balances his various commitments is that he tries to get his schoolwork done Fridays and Sundays, leaving his Saturdays free unless a meet is scheduled.

“It’s important to have that, so that on Monday you’re geared up for the rest of the week. You’re not worn out from working all weekend, pushing yourself too hard,” he said.

Students Compete Without Being an Athlete

BY MICHAEL WILLSON mnwillson@vwc.edu

Students who wish to be involved with college athletics without being a part of an official team have the option to compete in the intramurals program that is sponsored by the Recreational Sport and Outdoor Activities Office, also known as RecX. Students form their own teams and play against each other as opposed to other schools.

“We have many different programs that you can sign up for. One of our biggest programs is intramural football and that happens in the fall. We have intramural soccer in the spring, kickball, volleyball, wollyball and a couple of others. Most of the ones we do are in the fall,” said senior Erin Combs, a RecX employee.

Participating in the RecX program gives students the chance to exercise and take a break from their studies.

“It gives students a time to unwind outside of academics. One of the nice things about a liberal arts college is that you’re supposed to be getting a rounded experience. I think a lot of students end up having a blast at intramurals. They really enjoy just playing, unwinding, and hanging out with friends,” said Graduate Assistant for the Wesleyan Activity 7Sports.indd 1

Council Kelly Keys.

In addition to having fun, the RecX program is also competitive. Students compete as part of a tournament and are able to show off their skills.

“It’s for fun, but you can also win. Most of the intramural stuff have tournament brackets, so they start off with people playing one or two games. It continues to go on until the seating round and then you play and by the end of it, whoever wins gets a RecX t-shirt,” said Combs.

If a particular sport is not offered, students have the option to request it. “[Students] have two routes. They could start a club sport or they could come talk to me or Jason Seward [The Director of the Batten Student Center] and ask for an intramural sport. As long as a student’s interest is there, it’s pretty simple to start off a program,” said Keys.

Students who are not able to commit to an intramural sport have the option to compete in a one day tournament. “. . .if you can’t do all of the intramural games, we offer tournaments, generally twice throughout the week, just a one day tournament where [students] can show up and play for one game and not have to worry about

coming back next week. They can have a good time and go back to their other commitments,” said Keys.

Junior Jared White was able to compete in an intramural pool tournament.

“I had a fun experience. I found out that there are other good pool players here on campus,” said White.

The intramural program depends on students’ interest and commitments. If students do not show up, games might have to get cancelled. “[The intramural program] was pretty good and well organized. The only problem was that some students did not show up and [games] would get cancelled,” said sophomore Devon Lacey.

Keys feels that participating in the intramural program can help students get to know each other and be involved on campus.

“I would say do it. Obviously don’t overload yourself with commitments with intramural sports and classes. But join them, have fun, getting a group together is the best way to get to know people by playing in events on campus,” said Keys.

Kelly Jones Senior Kelly Jones is a guard for the women’s basketball team.

Here is her advice for balancing school work and athletics.

“Time management is really important to have. I like to plan out my day to know when I have practice and class so I can plan when to eat and to do my school work.”

“Juggling both is definitely challenging especially come time for finals.”

“If I didn’t have anything to do I would just sleep or watch Netflix.”

Sean Grieser Senior Sean Grieser is a pitcher for the baseball team. Here is his advice for balancing school work and athletics.

“You definitely need good time management skills when you are in season.”

“I find it easier to stay on track in season because I know I need to be productive. Out of season I tend to just waste time.”

“Making appointments with professors to make up work is also really important.”

Photos by: Anthony Dellamura

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anco

PAGE 8

THEWEEKENDER

AUGUST 2015

LOCALS ONLY

Kellie Lagoy | Marlin Chronicle

If you’re new to this area or looking for somewhere different, here’s a brief rundown of all the local beaches and what they have

BY SARAH ANTOZZI scantozzi@vwc.edu

OCEANFRONT This is the beach the

area is famous for. It’s advertised as the world’s longest pleasure beach.

LOCATION: Miles of Virginia Beach’s eastern coast, from Rudee Inlet north to 89th St., though the Boardwalk goes only up to 40th St. No swimming, only surfing, is allowed from 1st St. to 10th St. Fifteen miles from VWC. LIFEGUARDS: Yes. SAND AND SURF: The beach sand here is usually kept up pretty well: it’s clean and finely textured and there’s a wide stretch of it even at high tide, so you can throw a Frisbee or play volleyball, for instance. The waves vary considerably from year to year. Although they’re always bigger and more powerful than the waves on a Chesapeake Bay beach, some years feature relatively calm waves, while other years have pile-driver waves that will rattle your bones. This beach is great for boogie-boarding as long as you’re careful not to catch a pile-driver wrong.

Also good for body-surfing, sandcastles and just relaxing. In summer it can get crowded.

AMENITIES: A 3-mile boardwalk, complete with bike path. Food carts, restaurants, hotels, shops and night life galore.

Fountains to rinse the sand off your feet.

Public restrooms, as well as portable toilets by the Boardwalk. Beach umbrellas and beach chairs for rent. A fishing pier near 15th St. Various events are held periodically throughout the year, such as sand sculpture competitions, art shows, and 5k runs.

PARKING: Metered spaces for a couple of hours, curbside. For longer than that, there’s ample public parking with good

access to the beach, for a reasonable charge, at 15th, 17th, and 19th Streets.

There are also non-municipal parking options. For example, a Methodist church on 19th St. offers all-day parking in its lot, for a decent charge, during beach season.

In the off-season, you can usually find free parking spaces on little side streets.

SANDBRIDGE

LOCATION: South of the U.S. Naval Fleet Combat Training Center on Virginia Beach’s eastern coast. (Farther south than the Oceanfront.) Twenty miles from VWC. LIFEGUARDS: No. SAND AND SURF: The Atlantic’s waves here are rough enough, with a strong undertow, that this beach is no good for swimming. Surfers, however, love it. If you go south far enough, you’ll come to Little Island Park, which has tennis courts and basketball courts (both outdoors).

AMENITIES: Practically nil. There’s a visitor center at the park, but it’s open only during the summer months. There are hardly any stores in the area.

PARKING: Free at Little Island Park during the off season. A few dollars per day in summer.

CHIC’S BEACH

LOCATION: Virginia Beach’s north shore, in the Lesner Bridge area, between Fort Story and Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base. Six miles from VWC. LIFEGUARDS: No. SAND AND SURF: Being located on the bay instead of the ocean makes the waves here the gentlest of Virginia Beach’s three beaches. The setting is more residential; at some places along this beach, you have to walk between houses several times to reach the beach.

AMENITIES: No restrooms meant for beachgoers. There are restaurants and

nightclubs, though — to some, those are the main attraction of this beach.

PARKING: Unmetered, curbside — find what you can, or patronize an eating establishment so you can park in its lot.

WILLOUGHBY SPIT

LOCATION: The north coast of a little curving spit of land at Norfolk’s northwest corner. Some people consider it a continuation of Ocean View, but the two experiences are very different. Ten miles from VWC. LIFEGUARDS: No. SAND AND SURF: If you want uncrowded, this is the place. It’s not much for waves, and the sand is a little rocky, but it’s very quiet. So quiet that, on one visit, a large fish lingered about 50 yards offshore with a couple of fins showing above the water. A surf fisherman’s opinion?

“Could be a cobia or a sand shark.”

AMENITIES: None.

PARKING: Unmetered, curbside, clearly marked.

OCEAN VIEW

LOCATION: The north coast of Norfolk between the Sarah Constant Shrine on the west, east of Little Creek, which separates Norfolk from Virginia Beach there. Seven miles from VWC. LIFEGUARDS: At Sarah Constant Beach Park and Ocean View Beach Park, both located at the western end of this strip of beach.

SAND AND SURF: Since this beach is near where the James River empties into the Chesapeake Bay and isn’t on the ocean, the waves are comparatively gentle.

AMENITIES: Public restrooms at the locations where the lifeguards are. Fountains to rinse the sand off your feet. Ocean View Beach Park, at the end of Chesapeake Boulevard, has a fishing pier.

PARKING: Free at the two parks’ fairly large lots. Also, you can look for curbside spots — there are no meters.

BUCKROE

LOCATION: Hampton’s eastern coast.

From Norfolk, take I-64 north to Settler’s Landing Road (exit 267). It turns into Woodland Road. Turn right on East Pembroke Avenue, which will take you straight to the parking lot in Buckroe Park. Eighteen miles from VWC. LIFEGUARDS: Yes. SAND AND SURF: Beautifully kept-up sand, waves big enough to use a boogie board on but not as intense as the Oceanfront’s, since the water here is the Chesapeake Bay. It never gets super-crowded like the Oceanfront, since it is one of the best kept secrets around.

AMENITIES: Food carts, a fishing pier, public restrooms. Fountains to rinse the sand off your feet. A bandstand sometimes features live music.

PARKING: Free, spacious lot in the park, with overflow parking on grass. When I went there several years ago, before the parking lot and playground were built, parking consisted of a large, grassy vacant lot with an ancient tree in the middle and a rope strung around the perimeter. A couple of people sat at the opening and charged a few bucks for all-day parking. A birdsong like a meadowlark’s came from branches of the big tree. Today, this beach still possesses a lot of that down-home charm.

Note: Occasionally, but not every year, if it’s late in the summer you may visit a beach on the bay and find some stinging jellyfish. If there are too many for comfort, try going to the Oceanfront, because the water is colder there, which jellyfish don’t like as much.

Goodthe best places eats in town

BY JUSTINE HERVING jherving@vwc.edu

Attention all foodies: this article will tell you all that you need to know about food in the Virginia Beach and Norfolk area!

Many of you know that it is hard to find food when you are going to class, working a part-time job or even trying to pay off those petty student loans. However, there are many places where you can eat some of the best food in the area, offering the best in Italian, American and even Mexican cuisine.

If you live in the Virginia Beach area, I am sure you have heard of someone raving about Hair of the Dog, a quiet little Texas-American restaurant that serves everything from seafood chowder to coconut-pineapple pancakes. Located by the Virginia Beach central library, next to the Applebee’s and right across from Chili’s on Virginia Beach Boulevard, their menu consists of different varieties and it is often hard to choose just one. Their open Texas-American atmosphere has you feeling as if you’ve been transported into a whole different place.

They are best known for their waffle hamburger, yes you read right, their waffle hamburger. If you’re looking for a place to dine and be stuck with friends to talk for hours

8Weekender.indd 1

and hours, this would be the place for you and it’s only a few blocks down from Town Center.

Town Center has some of the most well-known restaurants in the Virginia Beach area. However, there is one restaurant that does not stick out in particular and it happens to be an upscale restaurant. It doesn’t catch your eye when you are driving by because it is right before The Cheesecake Factory: it is called Gordon Biersch. The restaurant serves everything from seafood to American style dishes. If you happen to be in Town Center, then this would be the place to go and enjoy a nice, quiet sanctuary full of food and excellent drinks.

If you are not feeling for American food, there is always the popular Plaza Azteca. Many of us have heard of this famous Mexican restaurant serving everything from enchiladas to their famous tacos. Of all the restaurants mentioned in this article, Plaza Azteca is the most affordable as you can order a kid’s meal, which includes the essentials; choice of chips and guacamole, beans and rice and your choice from any of the top favorite choices.

If you are more into the Oceanfront eating scene, my choice for you is Dough Boys. It’s an Italian restaurant mainly known for its delicious pizza. Dough Boys is located on the corner of 17th St. and Atlantic Avenue and

its atmosphere brings a cool and collected vibe.

To top off the amazing restaurants, we have The Grilled Cheese Bistro, located in downtown Norfolk. The Grilled Cheese Bistro opened up only a few months ago and it is considered by many to be one of the top restaurants in Norfolk. You may have a hard time finding it, since it is hidden behind the performing arts studio right by the Tidewater Community College in Norfolk. The Grilled Cheese Bistro is sort-of exactly what you would expect; however this restaurant takes a whole new twist on what grilled cheese is. The choices include interesting twists such as the Johnny Appleseed: a grilled cheese with fresh apples soaked in orange juice and gooey cheese in the middle topped with salami. The restaurant has a city vibe with minimalist furniture that makes you feel as if you’re in New York City. I recommend this restaurant because it gears to those who are vegetarian as well those who eat meat.

I think that most of these restaurants mentioned throughout the article present a wide variety for taste palettes and also create for a whole different way of exploring these cities.

5/5/2015 10:14:20 PM