April 26, 2017

Three strikes for cancer SPORTS PAGE 7

THE MARLIN CHRONICLE THURSDAY 4.27.17 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWC.EDU ||

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE

Scott Miller|Courtesy Construction crews from the company Hourigan work on the exterior of the Greer Environmental Sciences Center. The Center will be open for the fall 2017 semester.

Plans proceed despite vandalism

Construction of the new sciences center and other projects at VWC continue in the face of destruction to the new greenhouse

BY MICKELLA RAST mjrast@vwc.edu

Construction of the Greer Environmental Sciences Center was briefly interrupted when the greenhouse, a key environmental feature of the Center, was vandalized on April 11.

A state-of-the-art facility centered around ecological, environmental awareness and sustainability, the Greer Environmental Sciences Center is one of the newest additions to the Virginia Wesleyan campus. Currently under construction, the facility is set to open in August of the 2017-2018 academic year.

The incident involved an unknown person entering the construction site and throwing several bricks at the newly-con-

structed greenhouse. The bricks shattered two panels of glass and caused an estimated $1,500 worth of damages. This estimate was provided by Vice President Emeritus and Director of Capital Projects Bruce Vaughan.

Senior Project Manager Clarke Lambert described the damage as “relatively minor” and stated that he was “disappointed” but remains optimistic that construction would go on as planned.

“For a project of this size and nature to have one incident, it’s not bad,”Lambert said.

Lambert also stated that he was relieved no one was harmed by the vandalism.

Meet Wesleyan’s wildlife

Kathy Bartkus|Courtesy Geese gather around a body of water on Virginia Wesleyan’s campus.

COMMUNITY Page 3

SEE GREER Pg. 2

Tornado terror

Amanda Archer| Marlin Chronicle The baseball press box at Landstown High School was damaged by a tornado.

BY AMANDA ARCHER acarcher@vwc.edu

Following numerous tornadoes that destroyed homes and schools throughout the Hampton roads area, Virginia Wesleyan College experienced its first severe weather of the spring semester on April 6. Less than a week before this incident, a local high school, multiple houses and a church sustained damages after one of many tornadoes tore through Virginia Beach on the afternoon of Friday, March 31.

On March 31, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning, transferring to a tornado watch and then later converting to a tornado warning. Severe weather had been moving throughout Hampton Roads and North Carolina over the course of the evening, causing authorities to issue alerts across the entire region.

“I can recall receiving the alerts from the LiveSafe app provided by the school.

However, because it did not directly affect our campus or cause significant damage,

I was unaware of the storm’s severity,” VWC student sophomore Jordan Sprouse said about the March 31 storm.

Over the course of the day, severe thunderstorm and tornado watches and warnings were reported. Once one expired, a new warning or watch was reinstated for the area. In response to the storms, many schools canceled evening activities, and local theme park Busch Gardens closed at 5 p.m.

Following the storm, over 3,500 power outages were reported, as well as damage to over 200 homes, Landstown High School and a Chesapeake church. The closest of these to Virginia Wesleyan College was Landstown High School. Approximately 11 miles from campus, the high school suffered extensive damage to their athletic facilities, primarily their baseball and track stadiums.

SEE TORNADO Pg. 2

A change in location Dandelion retires from Crayola

5817 Wesleyan Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23455

Students respond to Virginia Wesleyan’s address change from Norfolk to Virginia Beach OPINIONS Page 6

Val Miller| Marlin Chronicle

WEEKENDER Page 9

2 Thursday April 27, 2017 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

NEWS

Warner proposes student loan legislation

STUDENT LOAN DEBT More than 60 percent of The average student loan debt in Virginia Virginia’s college students will tops per graduate. graduate with some student $29,000 loan debt.

SEN. WARNER INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO EASE BURDEN OF STUDENT LOAN DEBT

$1.4 trillion

Nationwide, Americans now owe more than in student loans.

Infographic by Ashlei Gates Source: Warner press release

BY SHAWN MATTHEWS sematthews@vwc.edu

Sen. Mark Warner is currently pushing legislation that affects college students. Two bills are being discussed that affect federal student loans and the repayment of college debt.

Warner participated in a conference call with student journalists. He took questions and discussed his own thoughts on the two bills. Warner himself was among the first generation of his family to go to college and expressed in a news release that student debt is a problem.

In America alone, estimates show that student debt is over $1.4 trillion dollars with the average person’s debt amounting to approximately $29,000.

“If I had that much debt coming out of college, I’m not sure I’d be sitting

where I am now,” Warner said.

The Employer Participation in Repayment Act is a “no-brainer” according to Warner. Employers may already use pre-tax dollars from wages to help finance degrees currently being pursued by employees, but the Employer Participation in Repayment Act would allow employers to do the same with previous college debt.

“It’s always kind of frustrated me that it’s taken this long to get through,” Warner said.

The bill would allow a tax break for both the employee and the employer by amending the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 sec. 127. The hope is that employers can also use this tool as a hiring benefit.

The Dynamic Repayment Act attempts to simplify and consolidate the federal loan programs into one income-based program repayment.

The loan would not be subsidized, but would remain similar to the Stafford Loan. Interest rates would also remain the same.

With income based repayment, those who make $10,000 or less would have no payment obligation.

“When you get rich, then you pay,” Warner said.

The bills have supporters from both political parties and would go into effect at the end of the year if they pass.

“I do actually believe that this year we may see some action on these bills,” Warner said.

once again, construction continues on schedule for the rest of Greer Center.

Besides the greenhouse and research gardens contained therein, other environmentally conscious aspects of the Center include an extensive green roof and landscaping that will feature native plants and wildlife habitats. The college’s website describes these three key areas as “strategically-placed sustainable features accessible to students.”

“It’s a dream come true for this campus,” said President Miller, who has been closely involved in the project and encouraged environmental sustainability on campus, said. “They’re on schedule, within budget—everything has worked beautifully,” Miller said.

Miller also negotiated a partnership with Norfolk Botanical Gardens, which he described as a “win-win situation.” The Gardens will provide the plants for the rooftop gardens, which will be installed in September. Horticulturalists will also be provided to care for the gardens and educate students and staff.

“When the building was designed, it was designed that the sustainable elements would be something students could learn from, they could study, they could monitor, they could adjust… We didn’t put in green things just to be green, it was so students could benefit from them,” Suzanne Savage, associate vice president for college advancement, said.

The greenhouse will cover roughly 800 square feet and also feature two main areas dedicated to arid and tropical plants.

The green roof will be on the south side of the Center inside a restricted area in order to protect the plants, although professors will be able to access the area for educational purposes.

Students may observe the plants from a platform set on the border of the green roof, or a crosswalk connecting the roof to the observation deck.

Landscaping around the building will feature native habitat gardens, wetland gardens and cypress bogs containing 13 trees. An oak grove, tulip poplar grove and meadow garden will also be planted.

“This building has about five times the plants that you would usually get with a building of this size… All the plantings are designed to treat the quality of the stormwater runoff,” Lambert said.

Virginia Wesleyan College is also applying for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the United States Green Building Council, a non-profit organization promoting environmental sustainability in building design, construction and operation. There are three LEED certifications awarded: silver, gold and platinum. The administration is planning to apply for gold certification for the Greer Center.

GREER CONTINUED FROM FRONT Vaughan shares in Lambert’s disappointment.

“Our students have been very respectful of our construction sites, up until last night,” Vaughan said. “It’s just not necessary. We’re all adults on this campus.”

Vaughan also added that incidents of vandalism negatively affect students.

As Hourigan Construction increases the cost of future projects with VWC to account for the possibility of vandalism, tuition costs rise for students as the college seeks to compensate for these financial losses.

It is presumed that the perpetrator is a current student and that the vandalism was carried out sometime between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. Anyone with information regarding the vandalism is strongly encouraged to contact the security office.

Speculation about the motive for the vandalism ranges from student discontent over parking squabbles with construction workers to protests regarding the campus renovations. Alcoholic intoxication and pranks have also been suggested as reasons for the damage.

“To me, that’s really disrespectful because that’s destroying something of value to students and staff...People want to appreciate something so small, like a greenhouse,” Zachary Drake, president of Marlins Go Green said.

The glass panels have since been replaced and security cameras are now installed at the construction sites.

As the greenhouse is completed

Current events roundup

BY SHAWN MATTHEWS sematthews@vwc.edu

S

GA happenings this quarter

BY MICKELLA RAST mjrast@vwc.edu

•

Senior Send-off: Sign-ups for the ShoreBreak and Funny Bone comedy club events continue through next week and are available through the Student Affairs Office. Already, 104 people have purchased tickets for the events, a new school record!

•

SGA Elections: Voting begins April 24 and runs through April 28. Students may cast their votes through Blackboard. Officers will be announced May 4.

*Students are encouraged to contact SGA president Nich Hipple for more information.

TORNADO CONTINUED FROM FRONT A tornado warning indicates that a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. On the contrary, a tornado watch indicates that conditions are favorable for a tornado to form. In each instance, the National Weather Service advises that individuals take shelter, particularly in the center of a building away from windows.

Following the storm, over 3,500 power outages were reported, as well as damage to over 200 homes, Landstown High School and a Chesapeake church. The closest of these to Virginia Wesleyan College was Landstown High School.

Approximately 11 miles from campus, the high school suffered extensive damage to its athletic facilities, primarily the baseball and track stadiums.

“All the fencing at the baseball field was pretty much destroyed. We lost half of the bleachers, the batting cages were knocked down, the baseball concession stand was destroyed. The home dugout did not fall; however, it got bent backwards and separated from the foundation, so it was knocked over and gotten rid of, our high jump equipment was destroyed, we lost five sets of bleachers and those same bleachers rolled across the track, putting gouges in the track surface,” David Siock, the student activities coordinator at Landstown High School said.

The opening and closing of schools was not a concern for the local high school due to the time of the storm’s occurrence. However, the baseball team will be forced to conclude its season elsewhere. Nearby high schools, as well as Virginia Wesleyan College, have offered their facilities to ensure the team will complete their season.

“They can’t use their field for the rest of the season. Every game is a road game. They have to practice elsewhere. The varsity team has used Green Run High School once for practice and Kellam High School for the rest of the time. The J.V. team has used Green Run Little League,” Siock said.

Construction on the baseball field will not be completed prior to the end of this season. However, they are in the process of ordering necessary materials to repair the field.

“It is doubtful to be done by the time school is done, so probably looking more towards summer time,” Siock said.

Less than a week after the tornado, another severe weather report was issued by the local weather stations, this time much closer to the Virginia Wesleyan College campus. Students were emailed the day before that classes would not be held the morning of Thursday, April 6. However, it was not until classes resumed that the storm was a major threat to campus. The sirens on campus alerted students that a warning was issued, and students were told to gather in the CMAC located in the center of the Batten Student Center.

“I think that the school should have done a better job of communicating with professors, communicating with students. Having people that were in Batten go to the CMAC doesn’t necessarily save the people that were in their dorm room,” junior Megan Meindl said.

There was no reported damage done to the school, and classes resumed Thursday afternoon.

Potential Government shutdown

Congress has until midnight on April 28 to pass a spending bill for federal funding. It is expected that Congress will extend the deadline, at a minimum.

New high

The latest CBS news poll showed a record support for marijuana legalization. More than 60 percent voted in favor of marijuana legalization, the highest percentage in the poll’s history.

No longer a factor

Fox News announced that Bill O’Reilly will not be returning after a slew of sexual harassment allegations by Fox News co-workers.

Run-off in Georgia

Jon Ossoff, a Democrat making his first bid for elective office, missed winning outright in a heavily conservative House district in Georgia on April 18. Ossoff received 48.1 percent of the vote, when he needed more than 50 percent to win outright.

A taxing march

Protesters around the country marched on April 15 demanding that President Trump release his tax returns. The President stated on his Twitter account, “Someone should look into who paid for the small organized rallies yesterday. The election is over!”

Sources: Vox, CBS News, Politico, The New York Times, The Washington Post

3

COMMUNITY The

MARLIN CHRONICLE Editor-in-Chief Sarah Antozzi scantozzi@vwc.edu

Thursday April 27, 2017 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Wildlife at Virginia Wesleyan College

BY KASEY NEWCOMB klnewcomb@vwc.edu

News Editors Courtney Herrick clherrick@vwc.edu Ashley Kline aakline@vwc.edu Community Editors Jasmine Driggs jtdriggs@vwc.edu Cynthia Griffin clgriffin@vwc.edu Opinions Editors Michael Willson mnwillson@vwc.edu Hayley Heath hrheath@vwc.edu The Weekender Editors Justin Smith jrsmith2@vwc.edu Miranda Fein mlfein@vwc.edu Sports Editors Corey King ckking1@vwc.edu Luke Chiasson lachiasson@vwc.edu Photo Editors Ashlei Gates angates@vwc.edu Illustrations Editors Britani Alyse Daley badaley@vwc.edu Valerie Miller vgmiller@vwc.edu Online/Social Media Editors Victoria Laughlin vnlaughlin@vwc.edu Brandon Gilchrist bjgilchrist@vwc.edu Chief Copy Editor Laurissa Senecal ljsenecal@vwc.edu Business Manager Sarah Antozzi scantozzi@vwc.edu

Don’t touch the babies.

This is the wise command from Kathy Bartkus, who is the grounds supervisor at VWC. Bartkus helps wild animals when she can and has been involved in animal rescue from a young age. She grew up respecting domestic animals and wildlife.

Driving onto Virginia Wesleyan College’s campus, one of the first things people notice is a lot of open land with the occasional wild animal. What many people don’t know is that many of the animals they see on campus are considered wildlife. Most of these animals are living in nature wild, as they have not been taken care of by humans before.

According to PETA, “Each year millions of animals are killed because they are considered pests.” These animals can include raccoons, snakes, mice, squirrels, geese and beavers. Many of these animals listed are the animals that we see around campus every day, even multiple times a day.

There are many different wild animals at VWC. There are many types of birds like ducks, Canada geese, ospreys, hawks, vultures, bald eagles and owls. There are also many mammals like raccoons, otters, rabbits, rats and both gray and red foxes.

These wild animals live on our campus because of the unique location.

“The campus has abundant wildlife, thanks to the old-growth beech forest, as well as the lakes and water sources on the property,” Bartkus said. “VWC contains a lush forest with trails for the enjoyment of the campus community, and it is important to keep this miniature ecosystem in balance.”

This particular part of the season is rather known as “baby season,” meaning that a lot of animals are having babies during this time. It is important not to bother them, according to Bartkus.

“This is the time that baby birds start to

fledge and will often be seen on the ground under the nest,” Bartkus said. “If a bird is fully feathered, Mom is nearby and caring for the baby while the baby bird learns to fly.”

Although this bird may seem like it is in need of help, it is important to leave the bird and let it continue on.

Just because you may think that a particular animal looks cute doesn’t mean that it will make a good pet.

“They’re wildlife animals and deserve our respect and to be left in the wild,” Bartkus said. For many of the animals mentioned above, there is an inherent danger in disturbing them. Bartkus advises that students and faculty leave the animals alone as much as possible, since it can be unclear whether an animal has rabies or distemper. A bite or scratch can leave someone with the risk of infection from different diseases.

“Raccoons seem to be a problem to our campus; they get into everything, ranging from trash cans to bushes,” junior Amy Large said. “Not knowing that they are there can frighten you and send you running.”

Raccoons may be a large problem, but students can minimize the problems that we are seeing. Instead of leaving the trash can dumpster in Village IV open, students should make sure that it gets closed.

“Not only are litter and trash an eyesore, and can have deleterious effect on Chesapeake Bay watershed, but it attracts wildlife and nuisance vermin into the populated areas of campus,” Bartkus said.

“When driving onto campus and one of the first thing that you notice are wildlife animals, it is rather peaceful,” senior Liz Bailey said. “It shows that our campus community allows these animals to continue roaming and going about their life without endangering them.”

“Admire from afar; remember that these

animal families have existed in this area far longer than any human,” Bartkus said. “It is our responsibility as stewards of our environment to not interfere with the campus wildlife.”

Any strange or aggressive animal activity should be reported to security immediately.

Security will then notify the appropriate people to help these animals in danger.

Kathy Bartkus| Courtesy Among the wild animals that share the campus with us are cicadas (top left) and other invertebrates, raccoons, snakes and turtles. Cicadas periodically shed their exoskeletons.

Advertising Manager

Zeta Phi Beta hosts an activity hour

Jasmine Demir jkdemir@vwc.edu Adviser

Dr. Lisa Lyon Payne lpayne@vwc.edu

BY JASMINE DRIGGS jtdriggs@vwc.edu

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 and mechanics. The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper may not necessarily reflect the views of the entire staff of The Marlin Chronicle or Virginia Wesleyan College.

On Tuesday, April 18, the Beta Upsilon Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated hosted a Throwback Tuesday activity hour. There were performances by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Beta Upsilon Chapter, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Rho Alpha Chapter, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Beta Gamma Chapter, the Elite M.A.R.L.I.N. Steppers, and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

Jasmine Driggs|Marlin Chronicle

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated performs.

Jasmine Driggs|Marlin Chronicle

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

“As a former collegiate student newspaper editor, professional journalist and long-time advisor for the Society of Collegiate Journalists, I understand the role and value of student media at a liberal arts college. 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 consequently, assume full responsibility for decisions they make.”

--Scott D. Miller, Ph.D President

Jasmine Driggs|Marlin Chronicle

Members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated made an appearance at the Zeta Phi Beta activity hour.

4 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

CAMPUS countdown Apr 27th Port Day Presentation Practice Session Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Location: The Lighthouse Mr. Michael Cotter from Virginia Wesleyan’s new Speech Lab will hold an open practice session for Port Day presenters

Apr 27th The Origins of Modern Yoga: Scholar Sam Grimes Time: 7 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.

Location: Blocker Hall

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Spring alumni weekend

BY FARAH HAIDARI fahaidari@vwc.edu Virginia Wesleyan College held its first Alumni Weekend April 7- 8. There were many sports events and special activities planned throughout the weekend. The weekend featured the 9th annual Strike Out Cancer event hosted by the college’s softball team, milestone scroll signing, Seafood in the Dell and tours of the new Greer Environmental Science Center.

This year, the softball team reached a new high with Strike Out Cancer and raised $20,004. The softball coach, Brandon Elliott, started Strike Out Cancer after his mother passed away from cancer. He wanted to do something to help others who were dealing with cancer.

“This is an incredible event that encompasses the true spirit of our campus and just love to support our athletic teams and their endeavors and helping raise money to fight cancer,” said Jason Seward, a 2005 alumnus and current assistant vice president for student affairs.

Casey King, a 2014 alumnus and brother of current student Corey King, came to support Strike Out Cancer because he wanted to “watch the guys, and watch my brother play.” King’s favorite part about Strike Out Cancer was “the good weather, and watching the good team play so far.”

The milestone scroll signing took place on the Batten lawn.

It was a new attraction this year for the class of 1992, who celebrated their 25-year milestone. Alumni from the class

of 1992 were given the opportunity to sign their names on a scroll, which will be archived by the college. Stephen Riegler, the coordinator of advancement events, said, “The scroll is being kept by Dr. Mansfield, the school’s archivist. Every spring Alumni weekend we will be presenting the 25th anniversary milestone class to participate in signing the scroll. To keep it in one place and to keep it safe, Dr. Mansfield has agreed to keep it in the archives.”

The Greer Environmental Science Center has been under construction since January 2016. Alumni and guests who were in town for the weekend got the opportunity to be among the first to see this new building.

Seafood in the Dell took place following Strike Out Cancer.

Every year, people enjoy spending time with their family and friends as well as eating delicious seafood. Junior Lynne Fetter loves seafood. This was her first time attending Seafood in the Dell and she enjoyed the seafood and the opportunity to spend time with friends.“There’s seafood, friends, fun and it’s great,”Fetter said.

Alumna Jennie Damasco’s favorite part was “the atmosphere, and looking around the college again.”

Alumni Weekend gives everyone at Wesleyan the chance to celebrate all that Virginia Wesleyan College has to offer and reflect on where the college came from and where it is going.

Sam Grimes will discuss the origins of modern yoga and explain why the origins of the movement, and the traditions that inspired it.

Contact the Center for Religious Freedom for more information.

May 4th Port Day Students demonstrate and promote their academic achievement and allow the entire campus community to learn about their work and celebrate their accomplishments. It is also an important opportunity for other students who would like to learn how they can undertake a capstone experience at Virginia Wesleyan.

May 20th Virginia Wesleyan College 48th Commencement Ceremony Location: Convocation Center

Anthony Dellamura|Marlin Chronicle

Students, faculty and alumni join in on the Alumni Weekend festivities. Top: Alumni scroll signing. Bottom: Seafood in the Dell.

A look back at the Marlin Chronicle

BY CYNTHIA GRIFFIN clgriffin@vwc.edu

With the printing of the last issue of the Marlin Chronicle for the 2016-2017 academic year, the library has added old Marlin Chronicle issues to the school’s list of online archives. The very first issue was printed in December 9, 1966. In those days it was just called “The Newspaper.” It had no pictures and the headlines look as though they were hand-written.

In the 51 years that it has been in print, the name has changed five times. It was called The Newspaper, The Village Voice, Transcript, Crosswinds and finally it was named The Marlin Chronicle on October 18, 1982.

Since its first printing, no matter what its name was, it provided Virginia Wesleyan College with quality reporting on both local and national news.

Crosswinds edition of the Virginia Wesleyan newspaper from Feburary 11, 1975

First issue of the Newspaper, Virginia Wesleyan’s first newspaper in December 9, 1966

5

OPINIONS

Thursday April 27, 2017 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Professors need to stick around

BY SARAH ANTOZZI scatozzi@vwc.edu Ah, exam time. Everyone’s favorite. The stress, the latenight studying and sometimes the fear. This is the time to show that you really were absorbing knowledge all semester. Some have test anxiety, which only adds to the intimidation students feel at the bare idea of one exam counting for a large portion of a course grade. But you know what can really make the exam experience hugely stressful even if we’ve studied more than enough? Cheating.

I don’t mean our own cheating. I don’t cheat, and I think (or I hope) most of us don’t. But hands down, the most stressful thing that can happen during an exam is when the professor leaves the room and some student then looks or sounds as if they might be cheating.

It might not be blatant, like digging through their backpack and hauling out notes or the textbook to consult. But they’re whispering. Or they’re looking fixedly in the direction of their neighbor’s test. That kind of thing is extremely distracting to those of us trying to mind our own business but unable to help noticing.

We can try to block out thoughts of, “Why are they whispering? We’re supposed to be doing this test. I hope they’re not cheating. It’s the professor’s job to supervise the test; I wish they hadn’t left the room. Maybe the

whispers were just something like, ‘Man, this is hard,’ and ‘Yeah, it sure is.’” We can try not to be distracted by this thought process. Good luck! Even if we usually have laser-focus concentration, this situation will test it to the max.

As a new freshman, I signed an honor code. By doing that, I promised to report it if I had good reason to believe someone cheated. I promise you now that I don’t go out of my way to look for cheating. My selfish side would honestly rather not know. I don’t want to have to squeal on anyone, much less on someone I’ve been in class with all semester. By the time we’ve gone through almost a whole class, I usually like all my classmates at least a little.

Professors, please help us. Stay in the room. We want to focus during exams. If you’re there to supervise, we don’t have to worry about what’s going on around us. If you think you can leave the room and no student will take advantage of that, ever -- your trust in us is touching, I suppose, but I fear it is sometimes overly optimistic. I understand a quick restroom break if necessary, but lengthy absences leave room for trouble.

I’ve heard that some professors leave the room because they expect upper-level students not to cheat. I don’t share that expectation. If a student was a cheater in freshman year, why will there necessarily be a change of character

United Airlines passenger problems

because the student is now a junior or senior? Surely when our professors were undergraduates, they knew of students who were at least a little shady, all the way through school. I really doubt students today are, in the aggregate, considerably more principled.

If the reason some professors leave the room during testing isn’t that they trust all the students to be honest, I can only come up with a couple of other possible reasons.

Here’s one, although I doubt this is the correct one: Perhaps they think that by giving students who want to cheat an opportunity to do so and thus get caught, the college can get rid of those wannabe cheaters. Perhaps that seems better than deterring cheating by staying in the room.

Another option is that, maybe, professors just don’t care if there’s cheating. But that would be pretty sad. I really hope that’s not the case.

The last possible reason I can think of is that professors might be confident that they can spot cheating from reading the turned-in exams. For instance, two students who sat next to each other might have the same answers on the test even though they usually don’t perform at the same level. If that’s why some professors leave the room, I suppose it works fine for the professors. But it is still too hard on those of us who don’t want to cheat and just want to take our exam in peace.

Uncertainty after graduation

BY MICHAEL WILLSON mnwilson@vwc.edu

As I prepare for graduation, I have felt a great deal of anxiety on what my future will be. I am the type of guy who likes to make plans. I plan things out weeks, months and sometimes years in advance.

I like to be in the know and when I am not in the know, I get very anxious. Ironically, I do not have a clear plan for what I am going to do after I graduate. As terrifying as this is, I have come to terms with the fact that I have no way of knowing what my future will look like. I can plan things out as much as I want, but the fact is that things seldom go as planned.

To be clear, I do have a career goal. My plan is to earn a PhD in Communication with a focus in film and teach it at the collegiate level. Instead of going straight into grad school like most of my classmates, I would like to work for a year.

This would give me some experience in the workforce and would allow me some extra time to look into different grad school programs and take the GRE. The main problem that I am facing is that I have not found that first job for after graduation. I have sent in a number of applications but not as many as I would like. It is difficult to find time to fill them out while I am still working on my undergrad. My plan was to submit one

job application per night, but like with all plans there are barriers that can alter it. I am still a student and I have to put school work first. After all, I need to do well in school if I want to succeed in life. I also need to value my health. Sometimes, my school work takes several hours to complete and I end up finishing it in the early hours of the morning. While I feel that I should fill out applications. I am exhausted and I know that my body needs sleep. I can fill out as many applications as I want but that does not mean that I will get a job offer right away. I might not be what an employer is looking for or there might be a more qualified candidate. This is something that I have no control over.

All I can do is work hard, fill out as many applications as I can and wait until the right offer comes.

It is important to remember that no matter what you do, you have no way of knowing what your future will look like. Instead of stressing out about it, you should work on the things you have control over and let go of the things that you don’t. I have control over being a good student and filling out applications ,but I do not have control over the barriers that can get in the way. If you are stressed out about something, whatever it may be, focus on what you have control over.

Eventually, it will all work out.

Val Miller|Marlin Chronicle

BY JONATHAN JOYNER jrjoyner@vwc.edu

These days, we live in an era of changing views and values that are becoming more and more diverse all the time. The recent difficulties involving the airline company known as United Airlines are a good example of these different views and values and how they are enforced. These days, issues with flying are common, but one issue stuck out to me and the rest of the world a few short weeks ago.

On April 9, 2017, there was an incident on a United Airlines heading from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky, in which a man was forcibly removed from a flight to make room for employees of United Airlines when they demanded seats so that they could get to their next location assignment. The man refused to give up his seat, so the police were called to come drag him off. The man supposedly ended up with a broken nose, a concussion and missing teeth. To me, and most of the world watching, this was infuriating because of the blatant disregard for the passengers when the passengers should be the employees’ top priority above all else.

For one thing, that man had bought his ticket for that flight and most likely had somewhere important to be. I understand that the employees have jobs to do, but the company should have other ways for employees to get to their next location assignments. I am unaware of the policies in place for this situation, but there should have been no need for this incident to occur. United Airlines risked the safety of a passenger and forcibly removed him.

I would understand these actions only if the man did not have a ticket or was being blatantly disrespectful.

Another point to be made here is how, when traveling by any means, the passengers should be the top priority of the

employees. When those four employees demanded a man give up his seat, they were disregarding so many moral policies they should be following. To my knowledge, as well as the eyewitnesses, there was no reason for this incident to occur. The man was following basic flight rules and did not do anything to stand out or get himself forcibly removed from the plane.

Also, United Airlines did not just forcibly remove him from the flight, they had to subdue him with officers. I am unaware if the officers knew the circumstances of the situation or not. Even if they had to remove him for some reason, did they have to use force to do to so? In fact, did the officers even need to be called for these circumstances? This is overkill.

Now have there been any solutions to this problem? Are the policies for flights going to change? Well, the answer is yes, thankfully. United Airlines said in a recent comment that employees will no longer be able to take the seats of boarded passengers. I believe this is a good start to fixing the problem, but the one issue I have is that this happened in the first place. There is no reason for an employee to take a passenger’s seat, especially if the passenger is already on the plane and the plane is about to start.

I know that these problems can occur because certain situations were simply not discussed when creating the policies in place. The passenger is likely going to take legal action due to the injuries he suffered as well as the ridiculousness of the circumstances of his forced removal.

When it comes to problems like these, we need to stand up and give our opinions so that changes can be made to improve bad policies. Maybe United Airlines should strive to improve standards for employees as well as passengers so that this situation never occurs again.

Val Miller|Marlin Chronicle

6 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Why micromanaging is bad for the work environment

BY CHRIS BATTLE cdbattle@vwc.edu

Four years could amount to many things like high school, college, license expiration dates and so on. However, four years at a job is quite a long time and gives license to the assumption that one would know what they’re doing. At least I thought so until one fateful Saturday.

A few weeks ago, I was neck deep in a shift at the mall that I thought would never end. I have worked for the establishment for so long that I was on autopilot and honestly could not have cared less about the day. Now, born with a good sixth sense, I had a feeling the day was going to go left without a turn signal on so I just had to wait it out and see if I was right.

As I stood with my back to the entrance of the establishment to talk to a customer, I felt a presence that was almost dark. It was as if the energy shifted and my mood was instantly blown. After I turned my attention away from the customer, I looked over and see my manager across the zone, or section, with her ear towards me and fixing a display I knew I had fixed ten minutes beforehand. I immediately knew what was going on: I was being micro-managed.

Before this point, I’ve been micro-managed at many jobs, mainly fast food. I’m not equipped to be in food service, so that was extremely understandable. However, this was a blow not only to me, but to the work and sweat I’d put in to know the job and the company.

I never confronted her about the action, mostly because I knew that I’d probably lose my job for the way I would most likely approach her. She continued to look over my shoulder most of the day and I steadily lost all will to do my job right. Even though I know that wasn’t the best approach in hindsight, I was over this whole situation and the job in general.

I left work three hours later, irritated and unmotivated. I began to really reflect on micro-management and how ineffective it is.

I then began to think about managers who feel they must keep a watchful eye on the associates who seemingly aren’t reaching their full potential. In reality, the associates may be over-achieving while the bosses believe they are slackers and unfit for work.

I seldom complain about work, outside of lack of working hours or any other miniscule grievance. This time, my complaint put a big magnifying glass on the fact that this one manager had so little faith in her employees, that she felt it necessary to eavesdrop on who is “saying the right promos” and who isn’t. I left work with all this in mind and didn’t even say goodbye when I left. My headphones took my attention away from my lips and usual friendliness.

I began to really think about how she became a manager with this attitude, which also included rudeness, a cold disposition and a generally abrasive attitude. I wondered why I wasn’t approached to take the position because unlike this woman, I pretty much know how to keep it cute for the floor. I was undone that entire week, even when I worked the very next day with her. I could no longer make nice and I was tired of trying to be nice. I hit a wall and I was ready for it be knocked down.

So a word to the managers who micro-manage: Don’t. The employees get nothing from it.

It’s like waterboarding, you can try to force the words out through any means, but it just will not work for some. People don’t need to be watched over to correctly do the jobs that they love and seek to do better in. It’s no secret that everyone hates a nosy, nitpick of a supervisor, so there’s no effectiveness in the practice.

Motivation dies because employees feel as if they can’t do their jobs right no matter what they do, so they just give up. There’s no purpose in it and it make you as a manager look anal and overall intolerable.

Now, I must go back to the wanted ads. I’m almost certain I might need another job after this one.

Val Miller|Marlin Chronicle

Campus moves to VA Beach for new address

BY MICHAEL WILLSON mnwillson@vwc.edu

Val Miller|Marlin Chronicle

Out with the old and in with the new

BY MARIA GARCIA mlgarcia@vwc.edu

People say that things happened by chance, by accident or maybe just by coincidence. However, nothing in this world happened without a plan. This new world was purposefully made by God, to fulfil his master plan.

According to the old scriptures, in Psalm 37:23, it says our steps are all ordered by our creator. None of this happened merely by chance nor by accident, but all this happens because of God’s plans to prepare for the future generation.

The Generation Z will be that generation! The new generation that will bring back the old like new. The new civilization who will respect and honor thy father and thy mother and so their family, to be together in harmony.

As a mother, it breaks my heart to see that my own son is suffering with the identity crisis of belonging. He wonders; if it is true that God is real, then why do bad things happen to good people?

We are blessed to have his prayer answered through our sufferings. By the grace of God, my son and I are witnesses. It is a privilege that both of us are here on this campus. Many of you don’t know that my son and I are both scholars of this school. My son was chosen to study abroad in Korea for four months and being away from home allowed him to see the real world and made him realize that life is more than just what want we want for ourselves, but what we do for the needy and the less fortunate.

My son made me swear that if I ever join any movement, it has to be the movement to combat and prevent teen and adult suicide. I am very grateful and honored that my son is becoming an alumnus of this school. He is finally graduating this coming May. He will graduate with the old VWC 2017 and I, as an upcoming alumna of VWU 2018, will be out with the new.

Like the Bible says in 1 John 4:4, “Little children, you belong to God... the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

It is no coincidence that a mother and a child go to the same school and graduate with two different diplomas. This is an example of God’s wonders and his sovereignty; for my son to be used to prove that life matters and it must be lived, loved and cared for. He is out with the old and in with the new.

My son and I were sent here to spread the word to all people and to the whole world that life is a choice and no one can dictate to us to be who we are but our own soul, our own spirit, our own body and our own mind with the fear of God. Out with the “Old” and in with the “New.” Virginia Wesleyan University, It’s never too late to make a change!

After all, as Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “...I am with you always, even until the end of the world.”

When President Miller announced on April 5 that Virginia Wesleyan College will become Virginia Wesleyan University, he also announced that the school address will change from Norfolk to Virginia Beach. A number of people have described this as unnecessary, but I disagree. I believe that for VWC, identifying as being part of Virginia Beach makes sense given its location. It will also help with competition and will bring in more students.

Because the school is located on the border of Norfolk and Virginia Beach, it has two addresses, one for Norfolk and one for Virginia Beach, with Norfolk being the official one. It is important to note that despite having Norfolk as the main address; the majority of the campus is located in Virginia Beach. According to VWC alumnus Jon Snow, who now works for the Norfolk Police Department, the only building that is located in Norfolk is the Physical Plant, which most students do not have access to anyway. Not only that, but right before you get to campus there is a sign that says, “Welcome to Virginia Beach.” When I registered to vote, I sent my application to the Norfolk office, assuming that since my address said Norfolk, I would be voting there. A week later, I was informed that my application had been transferred to the Virginia Beach office because that was where my voting poll was located. Having Norfolk as the main address never made sense to begin with.

By having the school in Norfolk, we are living in the shadows of both Old Domin-

ion University and Norfolk State University, two big Division I schools. Whenever I tell people that I go to school in Norfolk, the response I always get is, “Oh do you go to ODU?” By having the college in Virginia Beach, we are only competing with Regent University. With all respect to Regent, they do not have an athletics program and they appeal to a very specific demographic. I do not believe that they will be as much competition as ODU or NSU. I know that changing the address will not change the location and that we will still be close to ODU and NSU but it does help.

When people outside the Hampton Roads area hear “Virginia Beach,” they most likely will not think “ODU.” Having the college in Virginia Beach also makes it sound more exciting to potential students. When high-schoolers look at colleges, one aspect that they consider is the location. When they see that the school is in Virginia Beach, they are going to associate that with the Oceanfront and all of the fun attractions there are to do there. Again, if you are not familiar with the Hampton Roads area, you might not make the same connection of being near the Oceanfront with Norfolk as you would with Virginia Beach.

Having Virginia Beach as the main location for Virginia Wesleyan College makes much more sense than Norfolk. It is more accurate, it decreases competition, and it will help with enrollment. Now, if you don’t mind, I think I am going to go to the beach.

Letter to the Editor I am a fourth-year student who will be graduating in May and I have mixed emotions about the decision for “VWC” to become “VWU.” It is exciting to me that this is the next step in our college’s story. Even though this transition will not be an overnight change in Virginia Wesleyan College’s identity, the name change does indicate a difference in the way we are pursuing our goals. If the goal of Virginia Wesleyan College is to reach a point on the horizon, then a change from “College” to “University” indicates that we are at least running on a different track now.

It is a fundamental shift in VWC’s identity, if only an incremental one. This is a big deal!

But it hurts me as a Marlin that it hasn’t been treated like it.

The first official news that I heard about the name and designation change was through the Nota Bene from our president, Dr. Miller. It is a daily email that is meant to update the campus community on things relevant to the college. As such, most people don’t view it as something that is a source of vital information. If there is something that the entire community can or should be informed of, it is sent as a separate email to indicate that it is something other than the normal course of things. So, to my mind, this fundamental shift in our college’s identity was announced officially to the student community through what can be considered a normal news feed.

This makes me sad in a way that I can’t very well explain. I am not distraught in any way, but I feel that an announcement of this magnitude is something that ought to be celebrated or recognized in a way that is worthy of it. If not something along the lines of a town hall or campus community gathering, then at least a separate email or even some kind of video announcement might be proper. The core of what it means to be a marlin is taking a step onto a new path, and the students haven’t been given a chance to look at the new road and say, “Hey, we’re doing a new thing.” Though I think I might understand some reasons why, it still hurts.

Joshua Simmons Class of 2017

7

SPORTS

Thursday April 27, 2017 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Strike Out Cancer smashes record

BY LAURISSA SENECAL ljsenecal@vwc.edu

The women’s softball team, led by coach Brandon Elliott, raised a whopping $20,004 for the American Cancer Society this year through his annual Strike Out Cancer event. After nine years of running the event, the team has raised over $100,000 in all.

A few of the players, including freshmen Hanna Hull and Kaylah Duplain, were sitting around a table in The Grille when they heard the final tally.

“We all yelled, I heard everyone who was sitting here all like ‘yeah!’ and [they] were screaming,” Duplain said. “I never thought we would raise that much.”

For the women’s softball team, supporting cancer research is about more than just community service, it is about supporting loved ones close to home, specifically their teammate Madison Glaubke, whose mother is currently battling lymphoma.

“I love all the attention that it [the Strike Out Cancer Event] brings to cancer itself and the lives it’s touched… not just the people who have survived it, but just the caregivers and the family members…it touches more people than you actually think it does,” Duplain said.

Every year, a different name appears on the jersey the players wear during the fundraising game. This year, the name on the jersey honored Glaubke’s mother.

Because of her health, Glaubke’s mother can’t be in public places and hasn’t seen Glaubke play in a while. Having her mother’s name on the jersey made it feel like her mother was there with her.

“Just to look down and see my last name on my jersey.. it was like she was there at the game with me, watching over me and telling me what to do… telling me to calm down because I’m a strong player and no one thinks anything less of me,” Glaubke said.

Glaubke decided to attend VWC, which is close to her parents’ home, in part because of her mother’s diagnosis. However, a huge part of her decision was fostered by the recruitment of Elliott.

“Coach Elliott and I have a stronger relationship than most of the team just because…my dad is actually one of his good friends. I’ve known Coach Elliott for a while,” Glaubke said.

Elliott’s mother passed away after a fight with cancer a few years ago. He uses his experiences to support Glaubke as she watches her mother battle cancer.

“He keeps telling me like, God must have put me here for a reason because like he’s gone through this before so he’s here to help me guide me through all this stuff.

I’m able to talk to him through whatever I need to talk about,” Glaubke said.

The softball team all work hard to make Glaubke feel supported. This month, they gave her a gift box with letters and gifts in it to encourage her. Glaubke expressed gratitude toward her team for their support.

“I have 18 therapists on my team… I’m not saying I’m against going to therapy but…I don’t really need someone to talk to when I have my teammates and my best friend,” Glaubke said.

Duplain and Hull, two of Glaubke’s closest friends on the team, said watching Glaubke go through this has taught them how to overcome adversity.

“If you didn’t know what was going on with Maddy and you looked at her, you would think that everything is [fine],” Duplain said.

Duplain stressed that Glaubke’s attitude, even with everything she has going on, is better than everyone else’s. She works hard to win and puts everything on the field.

“Being on the field helps me get my mind off things,” Glaubke said.

Softball has become not only a distraction, but a thing Glaubke can rely on for support.

“Everyone wants to buy a ‘Glaubke Strong’ shirt and that really meant a lot to me,” Glaubke said.

Elliott’s players all stress that he is the reason the Strike Out Cancer event has been so successful.

“He was the mastermind behind it all,” Hull said.

Elliott provided his players with lists of companies to call including restaurants and retail stores. Companies could donate money or an item to the silent auction.

Lula Roe donated a goody basket and one restaurant that Duplain called donated a cookbook.

The team is already coming up with ways to improve the event for next year. Hull and Duplain noted that a lot of companies said they should have been notified about the event earlier and they would have then been more likely to donate.

Donations are still being accepted by the team. Contact Brandon Elliott at belliott@ vwc.edu for more details on how to donate.

Sammy Espejo ‘18 | @ShotsBySamms Maddy Glaubke (20) receives support from her teammates.

Top: Juniors Kiersten Richardson and Cassetty Howerin embrace each other pregame as Beth Ford (9) looks on.

Bottom: Coach Brandon Elliott addresses the crowd during the pregame ceremony.

Sammy Espejo ‘18 | @ShotsBySamms

8 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

AT A GLANCE BASEBALL:

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Seniors take the field one last time

April 27 Hampden-Sydney * 3:30 p.m.

April 29 @ Shenandoah * DH - 12:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m.

MEN’S LAX:

April 26 Hampden-Sydney * 7:00 p.m.

April 29 @ #17 Lynchburg * 7:00 p.m.

WOMEN’S LAX: April 29 @ Roanoke * 1:00 p.m.

*= Conference Game DH= Double Header

Standings BASEBALL:

T1. Shenandoah 14-3 T1. Washington & Lee 14-3 2. Randolph-Macon 12-6 T4. Hampden-Sydney 9-8 T4. Virginia Wesleyan 9-8

SOFTBALL:

1. Virginia Wesleyan 20-0 2. Guilford 14-6 3. Randolph-Macon 12-6 4.Emory & Henry 13-7

MEN’S LAX:

1.Roanoke 8-1 2.Lynchburg 7-1 3.Washington and Lee 6-1 4.Hampden-Sydney 5-3 5.Shenandoah 4-4 10. Virginia Wesleyan 0-7

WOMEN’S LAX:

1. Washington and Lee 6-0 2. Randolph-Macon 6-1 3. Roanoke 5-2 T4. Bridgewater 4-3 T4. Lynchburg 4-3 7. Virginia Wesleyan 1-6

The numbers of all the baseball seniors painted on the back stop.

Jerry Sprouse Sr. l Courtesy

BY BRIANNA CLARKSON bnclarkson@vwc.edu

As the end of the final semester for the 2016-2017 school year slowly wraps up, Virginia Wesleyan’s softball and baseball teams prepared for their senior day on Saturday, April 19. The softball team walked into a double header against conference competitor Bridgewater and the baseball team did the same against Emory and Henry.

Saturday was a bittersweet day for both the softball and baseball as they celebrate the seniors who have done so much for the team, but also realize that this will be their final collegiate home game.

“My time here at school and on the softball field have made me into the person I am today. Those girls that I shared my life with were and are amazing to a point that I can cherish this forever. This year I have bonded more than ever with a team and a coaching staff to where I enjoy every time we practice and pay. No one can take these moments and memories away from me and I love it and them,” Henderson said.

Both teams continue to prepare for the rest of their season as the ODAC tournament is around the corner. They anticipate the rest of their games and continue to work hard in practice to have an amazing conclusion to their season. For both

teams, this theme of perseverance, dedication and hard work seem to set deep into the roots of their success.

“I have learned perseverance playing here for my four years. Through all the injuries, not being able to play every season, but specifically through games that we should not have won but we persevered through and came out on top. This is something I will take into my next chapter of my life and I am so grateful for everything being on this team has taught me,” Liz Bailey, second basemen, said.

Justin Erby, senior centerfielder contributed to this theme with his favorite memory from his four years playing for VWC. “It was a double header at Lynchburg and we were down 6-1, leading into the top of the 8 inning. Coach Francis had put in all subs and taken all the seniors out except two. In the end, we worked hard and pushed through that inning to come out on the top of the 9 and won the game. This memory is my favorite, because it showed me that you should always play the game 100% because you never know how far determination will take you,” Erby said.

Being part of the Virginia Wesleyan softball and baseball team has not just been beneficial to the seniors who are

graduating, but also to the underclassmen who look up to them as they continue the rest of their seasons here. The seniors from both teams have shown their teammates and will continuously show them what it means to be part of such hardworking and loving teams.

“The seniors have taught me what it means to not be just about your own individuality but instead what the concept of a team really is. Their love for the game has only helped my love for the game grow too and their appreciation for the game is something I look up to,” Hannah Hull, freshman pitcher, said.

The seniors’ journey here at Virginia Wesleyan College will soon become a closing chapter in their life in a few weeks, but the support and love they receive from their teammates will be continuous after graduation day.

“Enjoy your career here while it lasts, academically and athletically. The memories you make all 4 years will last forever; regardless what kind of season you have.

The bond you have with you team and those memories you make will last forever,” Newcomb said.

“Enjoy every second of it, you only have 4 years,” Erby said.

Men’s, women’s track and field compete at ODAC championship

Jerry Sprouse Sr. l Courtesy From L to R: Taylor Erby, CJ Lindsay, Justin Erby, Pat Barrett, Riley Koonce. Lying sideways: Austin Gammon. Baseball seniors pose in front of the backstop before taking the field against Emory and Henry on Saturday, April 22.

Senior Eddie Desiderio gets hit by two defenders as he attacks the goal.

Anthony Dellamura l Marlin Chronicle

EDITORIAL

Turf talk

BY COREY KING ckking1@vwc.edu

Sports Information Dept. l Courtesy Kwonsha Washington, Abel Owusu and Rolonda Taylor compete in hurdles, shot put and jumping events.

This past Saturday, VWC’s Men’s Lacrosse team fell to Randolph 16-9. The Marlins’ scoring was led by junior Nick Zepko, who put three balls in the net, while Matt Baldwin led the team in assists with three.

With that loss the Marlins are now 0-7 in conference play with two conference games left. Their last two contests will be against the Tigers of Hampden-Sydney College and No. 17 Lynchburg College Hornets.

With the season coming to an end, many

people are thinking, “What is Coach Stewart going to do to bounce back from a season like this?”

Life without superstar Josh Currier definitely has come back to haunt the Marlins, I feel. With a kid like that on your team, you had a safety net, in a guy who can basically take over a game single-handedly and lead the team to a W. Without the presence of Currier, the Marlins have gone from a team that can score 13 points a game to a team that can score about 8 a game. That’s a problem.

Also, with a record like that, how is Coach Stewart supposed to recruit? As an athlete that once looked at schools to play at, the first thing I looked at is the team’s record. If a team had a bad record, my interest in that school would drop because I did not want to play for a losing program.

So I feel after this year, Coach Stewart may have an uphill battle the next few years recruiting after a season when the team has no more than four wins.

13

THEWEEKENDER

WHY WE’RE WATCHING APRIL 27, 2017

PAGE 9

REASONS WHY

Netflix brings controversial topics to light in its new original series “13 Reasons Why”

BY JUSTIN SMITH jrsmith2@vwc.edu

The Netflix adaptation of Jay Asher’s book “13 Reasons Why” has people across the country talking about Hannah Baker. The 13-episode series debuted on March 31.

The show follows the story of Hannah Baker (Katherine Langhorn), a high schooler who commits suicide and leaves behind 13 tapes describing why she took her own life. The tapes are delivered to every individual who is mentioned in the tapes. One tape representing a significant experience involving one of Hannah’s peers.

However, the main plot of “13 Reasons Why” involves Clay Jensen’s (Dylan Minnette) connection to Hannah’s death.

Clay is a very close friend of Hannah’s, though he consistently tells his parents he barely knew her, so he struggles to find out why he was given the tapes.

“I enjoyed watching it and it showed me what’s happening around me,” senior Laura Robusto said.

The show brings sensitive topics to

the forefront. Suicide, rape, alcohol use and LGBTQ topics are highlighted frequently throughout the 13 episodes.

“These issues were portrayed in a way that was sensitive to our culture,” Robusto said. “Suicide, bullying, sexual assault and LGTBQ topics are all prevalent in our society and as people who live in the society, we need to understand that this is happening.”

One of the main struggles that Hannah deals with in “13 Reasons Why” is not feeling wanted. From her parents and friends to the school’s administration, Hannah creates this perception that she didn’t matter.

Robusto said that the main thing “13 Reasons Why” tells everyone is to “just reach out” “Looking at how all these people could have reached out to help Hannah and they didn’t, they blamed themselves for her death,” Robusto said. “It shows you can be that person that reaches out.”

Sophomore Ashley Fisher found the

show insightful and took away another lesson.

“I know it brought my awareness to how you say things or treat people can really affect the way they feel and lead to something as tragic as suicide,” Fisher said.

Though the show’s plot focused mainly on Hannah and Clay, one minor character took social media by storm. Jeff Atkins, played by Brandon Larracuente, was a baseball player who just wanted to “play baseball, get his grades up and help Clay,” as described by numerous Twitter posts. Larracuente himself even described his character as “an innocent soul,” according to an interview with Buzzfeed News.

Posts with #JeffDeservedBetter and #13ReasonsWhyJeffDeservedBetter swept across Twitter as fans were left shocked when Jeff’s fate was revealed in the latter part of the series.

“My favorite character had to be Jeff,” Fisher said. “He was the realest character

ch

tt S

Sco

r| ille

Flic

kr

and deserved so much more than what happened to him.”

While the show is seen as a teaching tool to inform society about suicide, it may not be for everyone. Because the show’s main plot revolves around suicide and scenes of sexual assault and rape occur, individuals should be cautious if they’ve gone through similar experiences.

“If you have gone through similar situations, especially involving rape or struggles with suicidal thoughts, this show could be a trigger,” Robusto said.

However, Robusto applauds Netflix for including warning messages on the episodes that feature graphic scenes.

Once viewers finish the emotional rollercoaster that is “13 Reasons Why,” they should then watch “Beyond the Reasons.” This special episode features the cast and crew talking about the issues brought up in the show and the creative decisions that took place when shooting some of the more graphic scenes.

FAREWELL TO A TRIBUTE TO DANDELION HEATH LEDGER Crayola retires a crayon color from the original 24-pack

New Heath Ledger documentary will come to theaters May 3

BY JULIE AINSLEY jmainsley@vwc.edu

Crayola has officially announced that the crayon color “Dandelion,” one of the original crayons in the 24-pack, will be retiring to make room for a new crayon.

Along with the news of the retirement, Crayola released a heartfelt video of a talking crayon detailing his adventures and thanking the fans for bringing him on their journeys.

“I loved the color of the Dandelion crayon,” junior Jennifer Hatstat said. “I always used the crayon as a child and it was one of my favorites for flowers and the sun.”

Dandelion joins 12 other retired crayons whose legacies will live on. They are maize, lemon yellow, blue gray, raw umber, green blue, orange red, orange yellow, violet blue, blizzard blue, magic mint, mulberry and teal blue.

The news to retire Dandelion came fittingly on National Crayon Day and has since sparked a movement entitled #CelebrateDandelion. With this hashtag, fans are encouraged to take pictures of the crayon in their favorite hot spots to take him on an official retirement tour.

Though some fans are sad to hear the

news, others do not see why the crayon has to leave.

“They shouldn’t retire crayons. As an original crayon in the 24-pack, Crayola should just keep it going,” junior Rebekah Martin said.

Others see the retirement as just another marketing concept.

“With all of the buzz about the crayon being retired and the photo opportunities, I think it is a way to build buzz for the new crayon,” senior Kaci Wertz said.

According to Crayola, Dandelion will be produced for another couple of weeks and in May they will be announcing the new color, which will be in the blue family.

“I am excited for the new blue because blue is my favorite and it will be a new change in my coloring experience.

Especially since coloring is becoming so popular for stress relief,” Wertz said.

Crayola’s special edition retirement pack of crayons and the two-pound Dandelion crayon to commemorate the crayon are available on Crayola’s website for purchase.

BY JULIE AINSLEY jmainsley@vwc.edu

A new Heath Ledger documentary entitled “I Am Heath Ledger” is set to premiere April 23 at the Tribeca Film Festival before it hits theaters May 3. This comes 11 years after his surprising death in January 2008.

Ledger was loved by many, including students on the VWC campus.

“Heath Ledger was a terrific actor.

I first saw him in ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ and I loved his charming smile,” junior Rebekah Martin said.

Others loved him in his awardwinning performance as the Joker in “The Dark Knight.”

“I believe this was the movie that changed him as a person because the character was so dark. This was one of his best performances though, and it really showed his passion for acting,” Martin said.

The internet erupted with the news johnantoni | Flickr of this documentary.

Actor Heath Ledger will be the subject of an “As soon as I saw the trailer, I got upcoming documentary. very excited. Many tears will be shed when I go to see it,” senior Kaci Wertz said The trailer revealed many topics that the documentary will cover. One thing that some fans are worried about is how it will portray his drug use, as that is what is said to have caused his cardiac arrest.

“I hope the documentary does not assume things about him and I really hope it does him justice,” Martin said.

“I don’t want the documentary to change my views of him.”

The trailer also reveals interesting things about his life outside of his roles, including his dream to direct.

“I believe that he found identity in the roles he played,” Wertz said.

“His real dream to direct could have revealed who he actually was.”

Overall, the reactions are very positive and fans of Ledger can’t wait to see how he is depicted.

“He lived a very private life so it will be interesting to see what he was really like, instead of how media depicted him to be,” Martin said.

The documentary will be shown locally at Regal Macarthur and at AMC Lynnhaven, both at 7:30 p.m. on April 23.

Val Miller|Marlin Chronicle

THEWEEKENDER

PAGE 10

APRIL 27, 2017

SOCIAL NETWORKS SWIPE STORIES Val Miller | Marlin Chronicle

Facebook Stories feature mirrors Snapchat Stories but isn’t as popular

BY MIRANDA FEIN mlfein@vwc.edu

Facebook has jumped aboard the “Stories” bandwagon with their recent update, offering the option to post photos and short videos to user’s newsfeeds for 24 hours.

This feature is new to Facebook but the concept itself is far from original. Snapchat started the trend of sharing posts with a limited lifespan in 2012. Instagram picked up on the hype and added a similar feature to their app in 2016. A year later, Facebook has finally added the feature.

The Stories update offers similar features as the Snapchat app. Through the app, users can now send photos and videos to individual friends or directly to their news feeds.

Facebook’s Stories include a wider variety of beautification and themed filters than Snapchat but similar text and sticker adding features. The company has even partnered with film studios to add animated

filters that promote upcoming movies such as “Power Rangers,” “Despicable Me 3” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.”

Users don’t have to rebuild their friend or follower count to share their Stories. Since Facebook stories is actually an addition to the existing app, users are automatically able to send their media messages to anyone already on their friends list.

Facebook has also drawn inspiration from Instagram in the way that their app displays users’ Stories. A row of circles with friends’ photos now align the top of users’ news feeds, making Stories impossible to overlook. This is where friends’ stories can be viewed or posted.

Though Facebook has made their new stories feature easy to find, simple to use and a feature that provides more options for photo and video messaging, it seems that Facebook Stories are still coming up short.

POP CULTURE ROUNDUP

Use of Facebook’s Stories feature has been underwhelming compared to the success of Snapchat and Instagram’s similar functionalities.

Many Facebook users who have updated their app still aren’t using the Stories feature. Virginia Wesleyan College students Taylor Anderson and Kaniah Elkerson have Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, but primarily use Snapchat to share their Stories. “I post on Snapchat about how my day is going,” Anderson said. “I only post when I’m doing something fun,” Elkerson said.

Instagram’s Stories feature, though still not used as often as Snapchat, has also proven more popular than Facebook.

Elkerson said that she has only used Instagram Stories while on vacation because it offers better image filters.

Both Anderson and Elkerson are regular Facebook users but they have never

intentionally utilized the Stories feature.

“I accidentally watched a Facebook Story once,” Elkerson said.

Facebook has already tweaked their Stories function to hide the inactivity of their users. Instead of the empty white space that rested above news feeds when no stories were being posted, Facebook has now created circles to represent friends, even if they’re not posting. When users tap on their friends’ greyed out circles, a message pops up saying they haven’t added to their Story recently even if that friend has never utilized the Story feature.

This ghostly change to Facebook Stories gives the illusion that others on your news feed are using the feature too, creating more incentive for users to actually make posts of their own.

HAMPTON ROADS’ EASTER BUNNY Junior is named the official Easter bunny of Hampton

James Cameron, creator of the “Avatar” film, announced that four new sequels will be made, the first r k c hitting theaters in F li cea +| 2018.

S

Starbucks debuted the Unicorn Frappuccino April 19. The drink was available until April 23 and received mixed reviews on im o nQ | F li ck r social media.

te

rs

to c

k

After a 16-month pregnancy, April the giraffe finally gave birth. The birth was streamed via the New York City ut Dr h S ea Adventure April m c re a ti o n | live stream.

Brianna Clarkson | Marlin Chronicle

Dr. Angela Maxwell tends to Junior, a high-maintenance and high-profile rabbit.

BY BRIANNA CLARKSON bnclarkson@vwc.edu

This Easter was a special one for the City of Virginia Beach as they gained a special Easter treat in introducing their own honorary Easter Bunny, Junior. Junior is the largest rabbit known in America.

The Bunny Hutch, located at 1165 Jenson Road in Virginia Beach, is home to many exotic reptiles, amphibians and mammals that are available for adoption and viewing during the week. This organization rescues exotic animals of all kinds that are not allowed in the local shelters around the area. They rehabilitate the animals so they can be adopted or sent to zoos for the remainder of their life. However, there is one special animal at The Bunny Hutch that is not available for adoption, and that would be Junior.

Junior was donated to The Bunny Hutch by Annette Edwards, who owned the Guinness Book of World Records largest rabbit in the world, King Darius. Junior was named the Easter Bunny of Virginia Beach by the city a month ago for his dedication as the Ambassador for Children’s Literacy in the area. This award also recognizes all the work The Bunny Hutch does for the community.

The Bunny Hutch welcomes children in the Virginia Beach area who live in smaller homes or apartments that are unable to house pets to come and visit with

the animals and have story time with Junior himself.

Junior received his permanent title as the Honorary Easter Bunny for the City of Virginia Beach because of the dedication he has for the community and the children of Virginia Beach.

At two years old, Junior is 4 feet 6 inches long and 52 pounds and is still continuously growing. The Bunny Hutch holds what they call the “Chocolate Bunny Pledge” where people can go online to give money to help feed Junior. Junior’s diet includes 32 cups of cut vegetables, 4-6 cups of bunny kibble, 4-6 pounds of fresh hay and enrichments, which costs around $50.00 a week to feed him.

Anyone who is interested in participating in Junior’s pledge, or just interested in more about with Junior, may visit Facebook, Snapchat or Instagram under “The Bunny Hutch” to learn more about Junior and the organization.

Dr. Angela Maxwell, better known as Max, is the founder and CEO of The Bunny Hutch. Maxwell welcomes volunteers, and interns are encouraged to come and help the crew at The Bunny Hutch.

Maxwell welcomes all majors who desire to come and intern at The Bunny Hutch, and she is looking for a few more this summer and fall season.