March 15, 2017

S/he Stoops to Conquer comes to campus WEEKENDER PAGE 10

THE MARLIN CHRONICLE THURSDAY 3.16.17 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWC.EDU ||

M

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE

arissa Coombs ranks second in the nation for track and field

BY LUKE CHIASSON lachiasson@vwc.edu

Val Miller| Marlin Chronicle

Marissa Coombs finished second in the na“I’m really excited about the race. It went just tion for Division III in the mile with a time of how I wanted it to. I wanted to do better than I 4:54.01, which is a new ODAC record, school did here last year, and I did with a PR [personal record] and I record and set a personal best, all in the couldn’t be happrocess of becoming an pier about that,” said Coombs in All-American for the second year in a row.

“I’m really excited about the race. a recent interCoombs finished third view posted on It went just how I wanted it to.” in her preliminary heat the Women’s VWC Cross with a time of 5.00.92.

Country/Track Coming into the National meet, Coombs and Field twitMARISSA COOMBS, ter account. The had the seventh best DISTANCE TRACK AND FIELD RUNNER full interview time in the mile with a can be found time of 4.57.74. This is the second year in a row on Twitter at @ VWCXCTF. that Coombs has earned Coombs also an All-American nod qualified for the after finishing seventh at nationals a year ago.

Cross Country National meet in the fall. She will Several fellow student-athletes along with Ex- look to repeat these performances in the spring ecutive Director of Athletics Joanne Renn and and next year for her senior year.

Read about Marissa’s journey and the rest of Field Hockey coach Christine Restivo surprised Coombs in front of the Jane P. Batten Student her teammates’ experience through the ODAC center around midnight to welcome her back to Championship in Sports, page 7. campus and celebrate her achievements.

SGA meets to discuss caf concerns

BY JULIE AINSLEY jmainsley@vwc.edu

The Student Government Association (SGA) held an open meeting to discuss new directions for Sodexo in order to improve dining services on campus. VWC paid Sodexo $2,258,272 in the 20142015 fiscal year as the college’s food service provider, according to the college’s Form 990 tax document. Sodexo has been the highest-paid contractor for the college in the last few fiscal years. The meeting came after photos of the kitchen were released in the last issue of the Marlin Chronicle.

“We wanted to talk about some things that were going on recently and what Tim Lockett has been doing to get away from the bad vibes that the caf has been getting recently,” junior Michael McOsker said.

McOsker serves as the vice president of the Student Government Association.

According to Tim Lockett, the general manager of dining services, the discoloration on the equipment seen in the photos is because of normal wear and tear with some carbon buildup from everyday use.

“None of this is unsanitary or a danger to food safety,” Lockett said.

To improve on this, Lockett said in an email interview that dining services was able to have a team work on restoring life to the equipment this week, removing the carbon buildup as needed. All of the equipment was then inspected and serviced by a certified technician, ensuring that everything is in good working order.

Lockett also said that the campus will see improved dining services on campus.

“We have been working on it with the help of the company, SGA, and the college have worked together to improve dining on this campus,” Lockett said.

These changes started recently with new employees, including a new manager and a new executive chef.

“Myself and Amanda McKenna were a two-person team for awhile so now we have a new team. We have two new managers coming. Our new chef starts on March 20 and our retail and marketing manager started this week,” Lockett said.

Christine Outlaw, who is the new retail and marketing manager recently transferred from another college. She was also the catering director and sales manager for Gourmet Gang.

Infographic by Ashlei Gates Source: guidestar.org

SEE SODEXO Pg. 2

Northampton outlet mall stores released

BY LAURISSA SENECAL ljsenecal@vwc.edu

The word is out.

Under Armor, Tommy Hilfiger, Banana Republic Factory, Calvin Klein, Columbia Sportswear, Kay Jewelers Outlet, Levi’s Outlet Store, Converse and Zale’s Outlet The Diamond Store will all be within a stone’s throw of VWC by June 29 this year.

Simon Property Group, the same mall developer responsible for the highly trafficked Williamsburg Outlets, released the above list as the first nine companies set to be among the 90 outlet stores at the Norfolk Premium Outlets near Wesleyan Drive.

Although Simon Groups will not officially confirm other potential outlet stores, a job opportunity site called indeed.com has listed openings at the Premium Outlets for Gap, American Eagle Outfitters, Oshkosh B’Gosh, Sunglass Shack and Charlotte Russe Inc.

Interest in these stores across campus is mixed.

“I don’t think college students have much interest or even could afford to have much interest in diamonds and designer clothes… When I go shopping it’s mainly places like Forever 21, Kohl’s, places like that that have good bargain sections,” junior Spanish education major Liz Brisson said.

While many students express excitement surrounding the outlets, most say they will probably stick to shopping at bargain places like TJ Maxx, Ross and, as junior religious studies major Ryan Fitzgibbon said, even thrift stores.

“It doesn’t really sound like they’re trying to appeal to college student budgets,” Fitzgibbon said.

Senior international and French studies

major Isis Percell, who is employed at a discount store in the Janaf Shopping Center off of Military Highway, agrees with this sentiment. She expressed confidence that outlet prices will still be too high for college students and that business to neighboring discount stores will not be harmed.

“I think it will take away some business for sure, but because I work at a discount store they still will probably come here even more so because they’ll see the prices at the outlet,” Percell said.

Not all students are uninterested, however. Sophomore Emily Testroet is excited for seasonal sales at the outlets.

“The Outlet Stores, especially during the summer if you catch them during the right seasons, have really, really good sales… you can get good stuff at decent prices at these places if they have good sale sec-

tions, plus sales on top of that’s always helpful,” Testroet said.

Additionally, students looking for sports gear plan to look at Columbia Sports.

While students have mixed feelings about the stores, many are eager to seek employment opportunity at the outlets.

Sophomore Christina Scott is eagerly awaiting Simon’s next release of confirmed outlet stores.

“I work at Gap back home so, I am hoping to get transferred to a Gap or Old Navy.

For me, they’re so convenient. The commute would be really easy,” Scott said.

As some students look for jobs at these outlets, others are interested to see how their existing jobs will be influenced by the onset of traffic the outlets will bring.

SEE OUTLET MALL Pg. 2

2 Thursday March 16, 2017 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

NEWS

DeVos’ comment offends HBCU students

BY MICKELLA RAST mjrast@vwc.edu

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos drew criticism for comments she made on Feb. 27 after she and President Trump met with leaders of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) at the White House. After the meeting, she lauded the leaders as “pioneers” of choice in a statement released by the Department of Education.

“HBCUs are real pioneers when it comes to school choice,” Devos’s statement reads. “They are living proof that when more options are provided to students, they are afforded greater access and greater quality. Their success has shown that more options help students flourish.”

Swift backlash followed as people took to social media to point out the problems with the phrasing of the press release.

Among the responses was the fact that HBCUs emerged to give African Americans an option for higher education, previously denied to them due to the institutionalized racism prevalent in the U.S at the time. HBCUs weren’t “a” choice, they were the only choice.

Amber Morris, a senior and president of the Black Student Union (BSU), saw videos of the comments later on.

“I kinda laughed to myself,” Morris said. “You can’t tell a story like that without including the racism and the segregation that was at hand.”

Morris expressed concerns about the credibility of DeVos’ comments.

“To speak on something and twist it to support your views, I mean you’re wrong, you’re completely wrong.

It takes away from their experience, takes away from the whole point of HBCUs and their significance,” Morris said.

Senior Isis Percell called DeVos and her qualifications

“laughable.”

“Her comments, they are frightening, frankly,” Percell said.

Percell also called the comments “off-base,” “off-kilter” and “groundless.”

“When you don’t fundamentally understand the origins of a thing, you can squash the progress of [it] very easily,” Percell said. “Being at a PWI [predominately white institution], it makes me appreciate—not that I don’t love my school—but it makes me appreciate HBCUs that much more.”

PWI is an acronym for a predominantly white institution, which is any college, university or institute of higher education whose population is over 50% Caucasian, or which wasn’t labeled an HBCU roughly before 1964.

The comments and DeVos’ perceived ignorance on the subject once again caused critics to call into question her qualifications as Secretary of Education.

“DeVos has absolutely no knowledge of the education system in America of any form and she just seems to be a puppet,” freshman Shelby Wright said.

Azania Inman, also a freshman, completely agreed.

“I think that she is not a smart woman and that she should not be allowed on social media or any other public platform without doing her research properly,” Inman said.

DeVos later took to Twitter to respond to the backlash and try to apologize for her wording. “#HBCUs are such an important piece of the fabric of American history—one that encompasses some of our nation’s greatest citizens,” Devos tweeted on Feb. 28. “But your history was born not out of mere choice, but out of necessity, in the face of racism, and in the aftermath of the

Civil War.” Virginia Wesleyan College has not publicly commented on the controversy surrounding DeVos or recent events surrounding the President’s Cabinet picks but continues to foster open dialogue and value diversity in its students and faculty.

Though chartered and opened to students in the 1960s, a time filled with massive resistance efforts to the desegregation of schools, the college has no public records of ever being segregated or resisting integration efforts.

“Virginia Wesleyan actively seeks to enroll a diverse student body. The minority population has increased at VWC over the last few years to approximately 40 percent.

VWC also enrolls international students from a variety of countries such as Russia, Bulgaria, Trinidad, Korea, Germany, Colombia and Turkey. These students enrich the cultural landscape of our campus through sharing their own heritage and traditions,” the school website states.

This percentage is verified by several other websites such as collegefactual.com and niche.com. Not including Caucasian students (who make up 56 percent of the population) and students of unknown origin (who make up 4 percent), the diversity rates break down as follows: 23 percent African American, 7 percent Hispanic, 6 percent multiracial, 2 percent International (non-resident aliens), 1 percent Asian, 1 percent Native American and less than 1 percent Pacific Islander.

There are currently six HBCUs in Virginia: Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, Virginia University of Lynchburg and Saint Paul’s College.

SODEXO CONTINUED FROM FRONT “She is responsible for running any special events, special meals and Chef’s Fare.

So a lot of the stuff that has been missing the past semester will be back this one with her being here,” Lockett said.

David Fabrycki, who is the new executive chef, recently came to Sodexo after a contract with another company. He received his B.A. in Culinary Arts and Hospitality from Johnson and Wales University.

“The executive chef is a restaurant guy.

He has worked for few New Orleans restaurants and he also travelled with another chain for awhile. This will solve some of the issues we have had with variety,” Lockett said.

Other than new management, Dining Services has also welcomed new staff members, including more students.

“We have some great new staff and students joining us not only in the Grille where you are used to seeing them, but also in Boyd Dining Center. They are helping out a lot,” Lockett said.

The campus will be seeing formerly popular foods come back as well.

Simple Servings, the station that is free of the main eight allergens and gluten free will be back after spring break, according to Lockett.

“The chef that left was trained in simple servings, and there is pretty intense training so the food will not be cross-contaminated. When the station comes back, it will stay back,” Lockett said.

Dining Services is creating a new way in which students can voice their opinions

about how they feel Dining Services is doing.

“One thing coming up that is new and exciting is the Culinary Council. That’s something that I think if we would have had it going, we wouldn’t need to be talking about what is going on in the caf today.

It’s a group of students selected from all areas around campus and it will be rewardsbased participation.” Lockett said.

The students selected will be serving on the council in order to come up with ideas about how our campus dining can improve.

According to Lockett, these students will be able to take suggestions from other students so that everyone’s voice is heard.

This is not the only avenue for students to let their concerns be known.

“There is no door on the kitchen and there’s a reason for that,” Lockett said. My office is there, the chef’s office is there.

Feel free to look around and ask questions to one one of us.”

According to McOsker, who has been a constant contact for the Dining Services project, this was a very productive way to bring change to campus dining.

“I think that with all these things that are being implemented we are going to try to bridge the gap between the students and the caf, and try to get the communication flowing so that we all have a good understanding of what is going on in the caf and the caf knows what’s going on with us,” McOsker said.

OUTLET MALL CONTINUED FROM FRONT Sophomore Henry Tasker, currently employed at a local radio station, is among students concerned about how daily commutes will change with the new construction in an already high-traffic area.

“It’s going to affect my job because that’s the way I go when I go to my job and it’s usually in rush hour,” Tasker said.

Some are already planning alternative routes to campus to avoid the predicted traffic.

“I might try driving to campus a different way than the interstate exit that’s right off Northampton Boulevard,” Library Circulation Supervisor Karen Devereaux said.

Others, like Brisson and Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Jason Seward, are optimistic about the city’s plans for traffic flow.

“If the situation was left as it is now, I think it would be a hot mess, but hopefully with the new road construction it will be better,” Brisson said.

Seward expressed total confidence in the city’s plans.

“I think that with the new traffic patterns that they’re going to be putting in place

and proper management, it’s going to see an increase to the area, but I think they’ve got a plan and it’s going to be used,” Seward said.

While some are wary of the construction, others argue that the outlets will help improve the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area significantly.

“I think for Wesleyan students it’s exciting for restaurants, places to go,” C.J. Cahil, who works for enrollment, said.

Brisson said she sees the increased traffic through this area as a way to bring up the area financially. Seward seconded this opinion.

For VWC, the addition of the outlet mall could mean an increase in prospective student interest, as Seward explained.

“I think you definitely get people attracted to the outlets from all different areas that may not have heard of us,” Seward said.

Seward is hopeful that as new people come through the area, they will become aware of VWC and potentially want to come by and take a closer look.

Follow us on Twitter @marlinsports for score updates and live tweets from games.

COMMUNITY The

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

3 Thursday March 16, 2017 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

A day at the Newseum

BY TARA TRUAX tmtruax@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

Students enrolled in Journalism 201, along with Marlin Chronicle contributors, visited the Newseum in Washington D.C. through the Lighthouse at VWC. According to the Newseum philosophy, the Newseum “promotes, explains and defends free expressions and the five freedoms of the First Amendment: religion, speech, press, assembly and petition.”

The history of the news is displayed in the News Corporation News History gallery.

Other permanent exhibits in the Newseum include the Berlin Wall Exhibit, which features eight pieces of the concrete Berlin Wall, as well as the watchtower from Checkpoint Charlie, and the 9/11 exhibit, which contains the mangled broadcast antennae that once stood atop the World Trade Center.

The 9/11 exhibit had information about the tragedy, how it was presented in the news and a video of eyewitness accounts from reporters and cameramen who were on site on Sept. 11, 2001.

The Pulitzer Prize Photographs Gallery presented every Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph since the prize was established in 1942. The prize was split into two separate categories in 1968. The names of the categories have changed to the current titles of “Feature News” and “Breaking News.”

The Newseum refers to itself as “a neutral forum committed to fostering open, nuanced discussions,” as it tries to make itself just as unbiased as the press is supposed to be. It devotes itself to the study of the press in all its forms.

Photo Editors Anthony Dellamura aadellamura@vwc.edu 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 Advertising Manager Jasmine Demir jkdemir@vwc.edu Adviser

Dr. Lisa Lyon Payne lpayne@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.

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

Photos were taken at the Newseum on the March 10 trip.

Ashlei Gates | Marlin Chronicle

Marlins Declassified

BY JASMINE DRIGGS jtdriggs@vwc.edu

1. Seniors, if you have not ordered your cap and gown for graduation on May 20, email Elaine Aird at eaird@ vwc.edu or call her at (757)455-3310 to place your order. The only thing needed is your height and weight.

Your account will be charged with the fee for graduation. - Information provided from an email from Elaine Aird 2. Seniors, if you are wondering how to import your VWC email into a personal Google account, you can contact the help desk. They will provide you with a document that gives instructions on how to import everything into your personal account. As of now, there is not a time frame that determines how long students are allowed to keep their VWC email addresses, but the Help Desk is working to provide a time frame to students. - Information provided by Terry Critser Jr. Britani Alyse| Marlin Chronicle 3. “Start saving and investing in your future early. Although you will want to have all the money from your first paycheck....take advantage of your company’s retirement plan.” - Jason Seward, assistant vice president for student affairs 4. “Keep in mind that the first job you get is likely not going to be what you want. Do it anyway. Even if it’s cleaning toilets. Learn from every job you do and learn to appreciate the people that do them. You never know what you’ll use to achieve your dreams.” --Kristi Lafoon, administrative assistant 5. “Don’t give up because something seems difficult. If it’s worth having, it’s worth working for.” --Chris Creameans, administrative assistant to the registrar

4 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Thursday, March 16, 2017

CAMPUS Andre Banks countdown Criminal Justice major March 30th Jason Squinobal, Saxophone & Kevin Harris, Piano Time: 7:30 p.m.- 8:30p.m.

Location: Clarke 118 Assistant Professor of Music Kevin Harris perform traditional jazz standards and the music of Thelonius Monk, Charles Mingus and Wayne Shorter. Tickets: $15, $10. Call 757.455.2101 for reservations

March 30th Women and The Pill: Before & After Time: 11:00 a.m.-12:00p.m.

Location: Clarke 118 Professor Kathleen Casey and students Gina Bozzo and Riley Conrad will present their research projects that recount women’s oral histories involving contraception in the United States. Contact wrc@vwc.edu

March 30th

BY JASMINE DRIGGS jtdriggs@vwc.edu Q: How has community service helped you to grow as a person?

A: “Since I am a shy/quiet person, it allows me to step out of my comfort zone and share my knowledge and experiences with children in the community.”

Q: How has VWC made you a different person than you were as a freshman?

Freshman

Andre Banks| Courtesy

A: “When I first got here, I felt like I was always stuck in my dorm room.

As I matured I was able to gain different/more opportunities and leadership positions, which allowed me to grow as a person. These positions allowed me to gain valuable interpersonal skills such as communication and dependability that I will take with me into the working world after college.”

Q: What has been your favorite memory as a Marlin?

A: “Playing in ‘The Tank’ in front of our peers and listening to the excitement from the crowd at every home game.”

Q: What is something about Wesleyan that you will always hold close to your heart?

A:“Wesleyan is a close-knit community, and always has a family-type vibe.”

Black Elk, American Visionary: Author Joe Jackson Time: 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Location: The Lighthouse Local author Joe Jackson will discuss his new book, Black Elk: The Life of an American Visionary (2016). The talk, will focus on Black Elk’s changing religious identity as a healer and holy man.

Contact csrf@vwc.edu

Q:What is some advice that you can offer to other athletes on and off the court?

A: “Manage your time wisely, get to know your professors, get your work done before you do anything else and have fun on and off the court.”

Britani Alyse | Marlin Chronicle

March 31th 2017 Model NATO Challenge Time: 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Location: Boyd Dining Center Local Hampton Roads high school students will compete as student ambassadors in the global crisis simulation.

Visit: natofestival.com for more information.

CRIME BLOTTER

Senior

Cora Wilson| Marlin Chronicle

Activities: • Men’s Basketball • Marlins Read Coordinator • Mentor at Diamond Springs Elementary

Anthony Dellamura| Marlin Chronicle

Mediating Religious Conflict Courtesy|Thinkstock

BY BRIANNA KIDWELL bnclarkson@vwc.edu

March 3 10:59 a.m. |Controlled Substance B Lot No description.

March 5 9:39 a.m. |Liquor Law Village 1 No description.

March 8 4:47 p.m.|Assault Village 1 No description.

March 10 2:47 a.m. |Liquor Law Village 1 No description

The abortion and faith event was held by the Religious Studies Department for VWC students March 2. It was one of the main events in a series of programs the department is having this semester called “Mediating Religious Conflict.” This event was intended to facilitate discussion surrounding the topic of abortion, which can be controversial.

Director of the Minority Outreach Jacqueline Hawkins was the sole speaker for the event. She discussed how to have useful and constructive communication on subjects that can be uncomfortable for people. Hawkins discussed how to make communication easier on these sorts of topics and shared her anti-abortion view.

Professor Wansink, a religious studies professor at Virginia Wesleyan College, gave some insight on the goal of this type of event for VWC students.

“This event goes into a series of events we are holding this semester called ‘Mediating Religious Conflict,’ where there is a so-called ‘hot button’ every week, for example one week on abortion, the next week ‘when is force and violence okay with expressing your faith.’

With these topics, all that has to be done is just saying the word and people become polarized, so our goal for these series of events are to create and have students learn to how make a civil conversation when dealing with such topics,” Wansink said.

Many Virginia Wesleyan College students gathered last Thursday with minds and ears open to what Hawkins had to say about abortion and her faith.

“People left with a solid understanding of what Hawkins had to say,” Wansink said.

Alumna Dejha Crudup was, overall, pleased with Hawkins and her message on abortion.

“She was a very strong and bright woman who in this day and age has a completely different idea on one of the larger issues that separates people today. She was amazing at communicating herself that I really left with a more knowledgeable understanding on how to communicate these hard-core uncomfortable topics, not only with my family but also people who are not as close to me,” Crudup said.

There will be another religious studies event held every Thursday night discussing a new topic that deals with today’s society. On March 16, there will be an event discussing experiences in the church, followed by an event on Jews, Christians and the Dialogue that Matters Today, and then an event on Muslim Women and their stories about living in America. The Marlin community is helping make an impact by getting information out there to help students understand the struggles their everyday neighbors go through.

OPINIONS

5 Thursday March 16, 2017 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

No spirit at Wesleyan The following piece was originally published by the Marlin Chronicle on March 5, 2017, as part of “The Sunday Read.”

BY MICHAEL WILLSON mnwillson@vwc.edu

When most people think of college, they often think of school spirit. School spirit can be seen on T-shirts, on bumper stickers and at sporting events. It can be seen with the students at the college, the alumni who have long since graduated and high-schoolers who hope and pray that they will one day get into their dream school. While most colleges have school spirit, I am sad to say that it is something that is severely lacking at Virginia Wesleyan College.

As much as I hate to say it, VWC has little to no school spirit. Many of my peers are apathetic towards the college. A number of students end up transferring to bigger colleges after their freshman and sophomore years. What really breaks my heart is when people refer to larger schools as “real colleges”. This is a real college. We are taking college-level classes, taught by experts in the field, with the hope of earning a bachelor’s degree. We are still getting the college experience at VWC. We have residents’ halls, Greek life and NCAA athletic teams.

Everything we have here can be found at most four-year colleges, regardless of size.

The reason why I bring up the size is because it is one of the reasons I hear the most for why students dislike VWC. The people who complain about VWC’s size would rather go to James Madison University or Virginia Tech. These are large universities that are in college towns. College towns are small towns that revolve around the existence of a large college. For these schools, school spirit can be found both on the campus and in the town. Students can walk off of campus and go to a local bar, where they can watch their school’s football team on ESPN. While I can see the appeal of going to a school like Virginia Tech or JMU, I knew going into college that I wasn’t going to find that at VWC. VWC is a small school in a large metropolitan area. Naturally, we wouldn’t have a Division I football team or

college town and I am OK with that. I chose VWC because I was attracted to the small campus. The college makes it perfectly clear that it is small. The small-campus atmosphere is one of the major aspects of VWC that can be found in all of the promotional material. When you tour the campus, you can tell right away that it is a small school. Don’t complain about the size of the school when you knew that it was going to be small. That is like going to Taco Bell and complaining that they do not serve hamburgers.

Another complaint I keep hearing is that campus life is dead on the weekends. I won’t argue this. I have found many of my weekends here to Virginia Wesleyan College|Courtesy be uneventful. What I will argue is that campus life is dependent on the amount of enthusiasm that students put into it. At the beginning of the year, the Wesleyan Activity Council (WAC) tried to put on a program called Wesleyan on the Weekends (WOW). This was where students could take part in weekend activities such as movie nights or ice cream socials. It ended up getting canceled a month into it because no one would go. This wasn’t the first attempt to rebuild campus life on weekends. My freshman year, there was an Alternative Weekend Club where they would play movies in the Blocker Auditorium. This lasted a little longer than WOW, but not by much. It ended up dying out before the end of the semester due to low attendance. If we want the campus life to improve, then we need to be more proactive on campus.

VWC has everything that one needs in a college: good classes, extracurriculars and an outstanding athletics program. Just because we are a small school does not mean that we can’t have school spirit. It all depends on the attitudes of the students.

The Oscars: A night of stars, politics and mistakes

BY MICHAEL WILLSON mnwillson@vwc.edu

On Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, the biggest event of the year for movie buffs occurred: the 89th Annual Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars.

I have been watching the Oscars religiously since I was 9 years old. While most people obsess over the Super Bowl, I obsess over the Oscars. Each year, there are always memorable moments from the hosts to the winners and an occasional event that has the audience asking, “What the heck just happened?” This year did not disappoint.

This year’s host was talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. The host can make or break the Oscars. I was pleasantly surprised with Kimmel’s style. While I never really found Kimmel that entertaining, I thought that, as an Oscars host, he did a superb job. Some highlights included bringing in a group of unexpected Hollywood tourists and trolling President Trump’s Twitter page. I would love to see Kimmel come back in the future.

After the past two Oscars being overwhelmingly Caucasian, I was happy to see the diversity that was represented by this year’s winners. Mahershala Ali became the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar for his performance in “Moonlight.” Viola Davis, a beloved actress from the African American community, finally won her first Oscar for her performance in “Fences.” She was previously nominated in 2009 for her performance in “Doubt” and in 2012 for her performance in “The Help.”

This year’s winners also got political. Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, whose film “The Salesman” won Best Foreign Language Film, was absent from the awards. Farhadi sent the Academy a written statement, thanking them for the award and explaining that his absence was in response to Trump’s travel ban.

“I’m sorry I’m not with you tonight. My absence is out of respect for the people of my country, and those of other six nations, whom have been disrespected by the inhumane law that bans entry of immigrants to the U.S.,” Farhadi said.

I greatly respect Mr. Farhadi for making this bold move. Winning as Oscar is a huge accomplishment, especially for foreign filmmakers. Usually, when people find out they have been nominated, they work hard to adjust their schedule so they can attend the event. Not attending took guts. It is also important that an Iranian film won. With all the conflicts in the world that are dividing us, it important that we let the wonderful world of film unite us.

Now I will address the elephant in the room: the best picture mix up. When “Bonnie and Clyde” stars Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway presented the award for Best Picture, there was an awkward pause before announcing that “La La Land” was the winner. After the producers of “La La Land” gave their acceptance speech, the evening took a surprising turn. It turned out that “Moonlight” was the winner, not “La La Land.” I will never forget where I was during that. I was in the Village I common area, right about to turn off the TV. It’s a good thing I did not.

What had happened was that Beatty and Dunaway were handed the wrong envelope.

You see, there are two envelopes for each category. Beatty and Dunaway were given the backup envelope for Best Leading Actress, which went to Emma Stone for her performance in “La La Land.” Beatty could tell that something was wrong, which was why he paused. Instead of addressing the mistake, he just handed the envelope to Dunaway. The first word she saw was “La La Land” and she immediately announced it as the winner.

The real MVP of the evening was “La La Land” producer Jordan Horowitz. After the humiliating experience of giving an acceptance speech for an award he didn’t win, Horowitz humbly and graciously handed the award over to “Moonlight.” While most people would have angrily stomped off stage, Horowitz did the right thing. When he found out that there was a mistake, he immediately announced that “Moonlight” was the real winner, even holding up the correct envelope, which the camera zoomed in on. His tone did not express frustration, but humility. He was not resenting his loss, but fixing an error. When the cast and crew of “Moonlight” came on stage, Horowitz gave the award to “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins, held him in a warm embrace and walked off stage with the dignity of a winner.

Val Miller|Marlin Chronicle

6 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Thursday, March 16, 2017

No emails from VWC regarding graduation

BY JASMINE DRIGGS jtdriggs@vwc.edu

There are 65 days until my graduation from Virginia Wesleyan College. I do not know how many tickets I will get, what I am allowed to wear, or what time I need to be in the building ... I don’t even know what time graduation starts.

I have yet to get an email in regard to graduation tickets or times, yet we are expected to know these things and taught to be prepared at all times.

I receive emails daily from the college. I know every time there is a new donor. I know whenever there is a VWC Day and I even know what goes on during the board of trustees meetings. Each morning I receive a Nota Bene around 6:30 a.m. … but no email has mentioned graduation.

The president of the college uses social media daily. His accounts are very active but there has been no information on gradation.

For some odd reason, I have to go on a search through the college’s website just to find out how many graduation tickets I am granted and what color my dress needs to be.

The fact that I haven’t received an email yet blows my mind. Maybe it is because they know we will all have a problem with only getting seven tickets at a college graduation or maybe it is because the college is worried about the wrong things.

After searching the college’s website, I found that seniors are only given seven graduation tickets. Seven. This is a college graduation, not high school. During the beginning of the school year when I asked how many tickets seniors would be given, no one seemed to have the answer. Now I find out that it is seven. I believe the administration knew at this time last year that there would only be seven tickets per student, and they just chose not to tell us.

I feel that Virginia Wesleyan College needs to look into the budget a little harder and find some money so that we can have our graduation at a different venue. It should not be that hard. I mean it is just one less set of T-shirts that they can’t give out at an event. Graduation tickets definitely outweigh a T-shirt right?

Many would argue, on the other hand, that having graduation off-campus would take away from tradition and will portray that we (students) are not proud of Virginia Wesleyan College.

I completely disagree with that. I would argue that regardless of where the graduation is held, it is a given that we are proud of what will soon be our alma mater.

It is worth consideration to have graduation at an offcampus venue so that more family members and friends are able to attend the event. It is unfair that after working so hard for four years, you now have to decide who you will mark off of your list for attendance.

There are so many students with parents, stepparents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who have all had an impact on their lives throughout college. I know for me, I definitely have more than seven people who want to be a part of this special day with me. I have two sets of parents, grandparents and siblings as well as friends who want to come to my graduation.

Clearly, the decision will not be changed for this year’s graduation, but I really hope Virginia Wesleyan College will look into making some budget changes for the upcoming classes. After all, this is Virginia Wesleyan College, not Virginia Wesleyan High School, right?

Virginia Wesleyan College|Courtesy

Greek life is fighting for survival at VWC Greek Life is a major part of the college experience, whether you are a part of it or not. Though most people think of Greek Life as being nothing but parties and chaos, to me, this is not true. While the people in the organization may host parties, Greek Life is a valuable aspect to college life.

Usually, the Greek organizations we have on campus have a good amount of recruitment done each year.

This year, however, seems to be different because the Greek organizations, mainly those in the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Council, have not had many new recruits this year. I understand that there are years when recruitment is low, but many organizations only recruited a small handful of the usual number. To me, this is funny because many people normally try to jump on the Greek Life bandwagon at some point during their college careers.

In terms of the Interfraternity Council (IFC), we once had three options for guys to choose from: Sigma Nu, Phi Kappa Tau and Chi Beta Psi. Normally, Sigma Nu appears to rule in terms of recruitment due to their highly active presence on campus. This fall, however, they only handed out 10 bids (bids being an invitation to join) and only four were initiated. This semester, however, they handed out only three bids with only two accepting. Phi Kappa Tau announced a few weeks ago that they will be dissolving their chapter. They have been declining in numbers the past few years and all but one of their brothers will be graduating this spring.

In terms of Chi Beta Psi, this fraternity is still relatively new, so they may have an excuse for not giving out a large amount of bids. They initiated three guys last semester and chose not to give out any bids this semester.

Chi Beta Psi was formed just a little over a year ago in the fall of 2015. They are, however, growing and obtaining new members. I would say they are currently on par with Sigma Nu in terms of handing out bids and

BY JONATHAN JOYNER jrjoyner@vwc.edu

recruiting new people. Also, they appear to have gained some serious presence during the last year. I almost joined a fraternity during the previous academic year.

The only reason I did not is due to the lack of time and commitment in my schedule. I would still love to join if I could commit to it.

On the topic of sororities in the Panhellenic Council, there are three options: Alpha Sigma Alpha, Phi Sigma Sigma and Sigma Sigma Sigma. For the sororities, it appears that with the exception of Alpha Sigma Alpha, recruitment has been adequate, but still low. For Phi Sigma Sigma and Sigma Sigma Sigma, recruitment ranged from four or five people during the fall with the numbers for the spring still pending. This is a good amount, but it is not a great amount considering how many people are normally recruited. In terms of Alpha Sigma Alpha, the numbers were relatively the same with the exception that they did not have many people even go through recruitment. In terms of how recruitment normally goes, Phi Sigma Sigma appears to have a strong presence on campus, though not much more than its two competitors.

Greek life, to me, plays a major role in having a true college experience. As I said earlier, this fact is true even if you are not a member of such groups on campus. Recruitment has not been very extensive this year and to me this is not a good sign. I understand that Greek Life comes with its costs and time commitments, but it is a worthwhile experience. Do not let the media tell you about Greek Life. By this I mean, do not trust what everyone tells you and even if you join and do not like what is going on, then try to change it.

Also, for all you people out there who think that social groups in Greek Life, like fraternities and sororities, are just for parties then you are wrong and should not write them off for that reason.

Anthony Dellamura|Marlin Chronicle The plastic letters outside Sigma Sigma Sigma.

Letters to the Editor Michael Willson’s Sunday Read “No Spirit at Wesleyan,” (March 5, 2017) was particularly eloquent in addressing the lifeblood of a small campus community - school spirit.

Long before men’s basketball won a national championship and the burgeoning Greer Environmental Sciences Center existed or we had President Miller’s vision of a strategic master plan to rally behind, school spirit manifested itself simply in its support of your fellow classmates. As a 2002 graduate and former editor-in-chief of this publication, I recall fondly when this community celebrated milestone achievements together and also cared for one another during times of tragedy. Be it in the academic arena or on the athletic fields and performing arts stages, VWC students should embrace the immense talents of its faculty and student body and not take for granted the luxury of being able to experience those talents on a deeply personal level.

What many transferring freshmen and sophomores who long for Main St. Blacksburg fail to understand is that “real college” often comes with the price of a nameless student existence that is more concerned about moving one through the undergraduate system than personally nurturing your future. What Virginia Wesleyan College may lack in a college town experience, it far makes up for in proximity to a metropolitan city that provides a plethora of internship opportunities and a post-graduation career pipeline - two things that will prove to be much more valuable in life than the memories of Saturday football tailgates.

The spirit of Virginia Wesleyan College runs deep, in the lifelong friendships it cultivates, the learning it inspires and the dedication it takes to grow a community that fosters the next generation of leaders. Understandably, the college won’t be the right fit for everyone, but to those who embrace it for what it is, it will realize it offers a great deal more than it lacks.

Michael Touhill Class of 2002

As the President of the Student Government, I have been asking students all year, “What’s something SGA can help you fix?” Most times, I have been met with some very basic answers, many of which have avoided the question.

The Marlin Chronicle, with its recent article “Caf behind the counter: conditions concern students,” names this issue as something to be addressed, exactly filling the role SGA has been searching for all year. As the Student Government, our main purpose is to take student concerns to the administration and seek solutions that will ultimately correct issues and benefit the student body. This article indicates a good partnership: the Chronicle has pointed out something that needs to be worked on and the SGA has been able to investigate, hold meetings and work alongside Sodexo to bring about real change.

However, this process only works if the information and student concerns get to the SGA. Actually attending meetings, emailing SGA members and getting your opinions and concerns heard by the people who can address them (as SGA has worked with Tim to bring change in the past) is a much more expedient use of your time and words than registering your complaints solely with friends (trust me, I do it sometimes too). I ask that each reader here take the time to email me at nghipple@vwc.edu or put a suggestion in the Suggestion Box at the corner of Marlin Main Street and Boyd Boulevard – if you bring the concern to us, we will work to help resolve it!

Nicholas Hipple Class of 2018

7

SPORTS

Thursday March 16, 2017 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Coombs and White win individual ODAC titles

BY AMANDA ARCHER acarcher@vwc.edu

VWC Track and Field programs won individual ODAC titles as senior Trey White brought home the 800m title.

Junior Marissa Coombs won the 800m and the mile while also securing her spot in the NCAA Division III National Championships.

Coombs won both of her individual events and broke two ODAC championship records. She won the 800m with a time of 2:16.77, beating the mark of 2:16.80, and was a full second ahead of her opponents. Following this race, she competed in the mile, and won with a time of 5:02.01, again beating the previously set time of 5:03.54.

“It feels rewarding after I’ve trained all season to break two ODAC records.

They were both set by incredible athletes that I have a lot of respect for,” Coombs said.

Hopefully leading her team to another record-breaking success, Coombs will compete this weekend at the 2017 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships in Naperville, Illinois, for the second year in a row.

Coombs is the only National Qualifier in the history of VWC Women’s Track and Field.

“The atmosphere is what I’m most excited for. It’s very eclectic and inspiring. Everyone who will be running is the best of the best and we all earned our way there. It’s an honor to be able to run at nationals,” Coombs said.

White continued to lead the men’s team with an ODAC Championship in the 800-meter race. White finished first in the 800 meter with a time of 1:56.56, just three tenths of a second ahead of

Tyler Denlinger of EMU, and ran his career best in the 800 meter despite this being his first year competing in the event. White also contributed to his team’s finishing second in the 4 by 400-meter relay, a season best.

“I definitely thank God for it. It was my first year running the 800 and my coach believed I had a lot of potential in it so I’ve been working hard at it,” White said.

At the conclusion of the meet, the men finished one spot ahead of last year’s seventh-place finish, placing sixth overall out of nine schools competing.

In previous years, the Marlins have placed as high as third place and are currently still looking for the team ODAC Championship.

“As a competitor I feel as if we could’ve placed higher overall as a team, but this was just a learning experience for all of us and it serves as motivation to be more competitive as outdoor season approaches,” freshman Keyontae Norfleet said.

Despite having one of the smallest teams in the ODAC, the women’s track and field team tied with Roanoke for third place with 69 points. The thirdplace finish is the highest in program history for the Marlins, beating their previous finish of fifth place. However, like the men’s team, they are still looking to finally finish first in the ODAC Championships.

“I’m proud that our team placed third this season in indoor ODACs. We’re one of the smallest teams in the ODAC, so it’s really impressive that we were able to place that high with only a few point scorers compared to other schools,”

Coombs said.

The Virginia Wesleyan College men and women’s track and field teams both started the season strong this year. Prior to the ODAC Championship meet, the Marlins competed in the annual Artie O’Connor Invitational, held at the historic Armory Track & Field Center in New York City. The meet is said to attract schools and athletes who are looking for first-class marks as they move toward their conference championships.

While at the annual Artie O’Connor Invitational, the men’s team defeated two Division I programs in Columbia University and Hofstra University, while the women’s team put up its best numbers in school history, placing seventh out of 19 teams. Both teams carried their momentum forward into the ODAC championships on Feb. 26, bringing home record-breaking times and many life lessons.

“I’ve learned the importance of believing in yourself. God blessed me with some of the greatest memories on the track and I’ve also learned many lessons in each one. I’m really thankful to have had this opportunity,” White said.

The Marlins were also led by Norfleet who only recently made the transition from high school to collegiate athletics. Norfleet recorded the second-highest placing for the Marlins right behind White. Norfleet placed third in the 200-meter and also competed in the 4 by 400-meter relay.

“As a freshman, it felt great competing in a college championship atmosphere. In high school, I’ve competed in New Balance nationals numerous times and it was nothing compared to the college atmosphere,” Norfleet said.

Following the conclusion of indoor season, the Marlins plan to use it as a learning

experience and use it as motivation to perform and prepare better for outdoor season.

“We’re going to keep doing what we’ve been doing all year. We have a busy outdoor season, so it’s key that we’re taking care of ourselves mentally as well as physically to avoid burnouts and injuries,” Coombs said.

Junior Marissa Coombs (bottom) standing tall at the first place podium after her event. Senior Trey White (top) standing with his medal.

Val Miller | Marlin Chronicle

Softball dominates Beach Blast

BY BRIANNA CLARKSON bnclarkson@vwc.edu & BY LUKE CHIASSON lachiasson@vwc.edu

This past weekend, VWC Softball hosted the 15th annual Beach Blast Tournament at the Princess Anne Athletic Complex (PAAC).

The Marlin’s Beach Blast Tournament included twenty teams such as No. 6 Manhattanville, Randolph Macon College and Case Western Reserve along with numerous teams up the East Coast.

The teams that traveled to Virginia Beach were welcomed with colder weather than expected, but all battled the elements. Many teams opened their 2017 campaigns on the turf fields of the PAAC. Fans flocked to the fields to watch their favorite teams compete. Marlin fans were able to watch their team win all four games and outscore opponents 33-5.

The Marlins did extremely well throughout the entire tournament as they were able to use each player’s talents to secure their wins. Hanna Hull continued her dominance on the mound by throwing nine innings over the weekend and having 13 strikeouts. Alana Peters also impressed with eight strikeouts in five innings of work. Courtney Wright earned the victories over Western Connecticut State and Keuka with seven strikeouts in seven innings of work, which included a combined perfect game with Kasey Newcomb against Western Connecticut State over the busy weekend.

The Marlins got on the board first and never looked back as Wright and Kasey combined to face the minimum of 15 Western Connecticut State hitters en route to a perfect game and a 10-0 victory.

Richardson led things off with a single and then added to her ODAC stolen-base lead with a swipe of second. She came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Madison Glaubke for a 1-0 lead. The Marlin offense was able to put up three runs in the second, third and fourth innings to pull away.

Beth Ford and Elizabeth Bailey both had runs batted in (RBI) in the second inning as the Marlins before a Jessica Lindsay homer in the third staked VWC a 5-0 lead. Another Ford single scored Meghan Meindl. Richardson was at first base after a single that advanced Ford to third and the duo pulled off a double steal as Ford crossed the plate for a 7-0 lead. Glaubke and Meindl both had RBI in the fourth inning to put the game away.

Wright pitched four innings, striking out four and not walking a batter to earn the win. Newcomb pitched a perfect fifth inning to seal the Marlin victory and preserve the perfect game.

Cassetty Howerin and Amy Large showed off their hitting capabilities with their backto-back home runs that put their team in the lead in the game against Keuka, which resulted in a 11-0 Marlin victory.

Kierston Richardson, named ODAC Player of the week, gave a brief explanation of the team’s goals as they went into the tournament.

“Our team had little expectations going into the tournament except just simply playing our game. We knew that if we played well and how we know how to play we would end up with four wins.”

That is precisely what the Marlins accomplished during the weekend tournament.

They came out on top with four wins and a final sweeping the last day of the tournament

with a 3-0 victory over nationally ranked Manhattanville.

After a successful presentation at the Beach Blast Tournament, the Marlins are prepared for the doubleheader against William Peace on Tuesday at 2 p.m.

“As a team, we had a great weekend across the board. But the most important game is the next one and that’s William Peace, and as long as we play together and do what we all know how to do then the outcome should speak for itself,” Large said.

The Marlins showed dominance as they swept William Peace in a 4-0 and 8-0 win with Hull throwing a no-hitter in the first contest. The No. 6 Marlins also faced No. 10 Christopher Newport University and split a doubleheader with them, which was their first loss of the season and brought their record to 17-1.

The Marlins plan to continue their hard work as they enter the rest of their season.

“The tournament really showed us what we were capable of and it gave the team so much confidence as we are continuing to move forward,” Richardson said.

Sports Information | Courtesy Junior Alana Peters delivers a pitch on March 3, 2017.

8 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Thursday, March 16, 2016

AT A GLANCE BASEBALL: March 16 #3 Cortland St. 2:30 PM March 18 @ Washington and Lee * DH 12:00 PM 3:30 PM March 20 @ Mary Washington 3:00 PM March 21 Greensboro 3:00 PM March 22 Randolph-Macon * 3:30 PM March 25 at Guilford * DH 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM March 26 Tufts 12:00 PM March 28 @ Greensboro 4:00 PM March 29 Methodist 3:00 PM April 01 Bridgewater (Va.) * DH 12:00 PM & 3:00 PM

SOFTBALL: March 22 Mary Washington DH 3:00 PM & 5:00 PM March 25 Randolph * DH 1:00 & 3:00 PM March 26 Shenandoah * DH 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM April 01 at Emory & Henry * DH 1:00 PM & 3:00 PM April 02 Guilford * DH 1:00 PM & 3:00 PM

MEN’S LAX: March 17 Washington and Lee * 7:00 PM March 25 @ Bridgewater (Va.) * 1:00 PM April 01 Drew 2:00 PM

WOMEN’S LAX:

Sammy Espejo ‘18| IG: @shotsbysamms Wearing a big smile, Freshman Hanna Hull looks towards home plate to get her sign.

Softball’s new ace

BY LUKE CHIASSON lachiasson@vwc.edu

Coming into her first year of college, Hanna Hull did not know what to expect. The two things she did bring with her to Virginia Beach were two of the most important things to her, softball and her best friend.

The transition has been seamless. Hull has been named Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Pitcher of the Week two weeks in a row and also Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Pitcher of the Week two of the last three weeks.

Hull currently leads the ODAC in innings pitched with 52.0, wins with eight, earned run average (ERA) with an astounding 0.27, and in strikeouts with 90. 90 strikeouts also puts Hull second in the nation behind Kayla Davidson from Millsaps College.

“I really did not expect to come in and be this successful. I was just excited to be a part of a team that has had so much success in the past and I’m really glad that I could contribute to our wins this season,” Hull said.

She has led her team to a 16-0 record and the team has climbed up to No. 6 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll after starting the season at No. 25.

While Hull said she did not expect the success, her best friend and roommate Elizabeth Britton, did.

“I pretty much knew by playing with her before that she was going to do so well so soon! She’s a perfectionist and [Softball Coach] Brandon [Elliot] has such high expectations I knew she would live up to the hype,” Britton said.

Hull and Britton met six years ago when they both made the Junior Varsity softball team in eighth grade at Clover Hill High School in Chesterfield and have become inseparable. Hull could be spotted at every home volleyball game supporting her roommate just as Britton is there in the bleachers cheering on her best friend. It was not always the plan to go to college together.

“We didn’t plan on coming to VWC together, but when (Volleyball) Coach Hoover offered me a spot to play at VWC, I did think how great it was that Hanna was already committed there and how fun it would be if we both went,” Britton said.

Although VWC Softball hosted a NCAA Regional last year and was ranked No. 1 in the country at certain points throughout last season, it was unknown how the pitching staff would be as they returned only 26 innings of experience. Team leader and junior shortstop Kiersten Richardson was optimistic.

“It’s always great seeing a freshman come into the program and have great success. We knew from the start that she was a dominant pitcher, but not to this extent. I love that girl,” Richardson said.

The team is off to a great start, but more importantly, they are coming even closer together off the field. The team members make sure to have all their nails painted before each game as a superstition. Also, having a couple couches and Netflix in the locker room is a big part of team bonding as the team spends most of their time in there together. Some try to do homework, some nap, while some, including Hull and Richardson, spend their free time perfecting their dance moves together.

If Hanna does go through a bump in the road this season, she will know exactly who to turn to.

“My parents have always pushed me to be my very best.

They have encouraged me to look past slumps and realize my true potential, so I really wouldn’t have gotten this far without them,” Hull said.

Hull will get ready to face the rest of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference as the Marlins look to repeat as champions. Check http://vwcathletics.com/sports/sball/2016-17/ schedule to catch the Marlins in action on the VWC campus. The Marlins face Mary Washington College on March 22 at 3p.m.

Follow @MCSports for updates on Hull and the rest of the softball team.

March 16 Manhattanville 7:00 PM March 20 Wash. & Jeff.

6:00 PM March 25 @ Washington and Lee * 1:00 PM March 29 Randolph-Macon * 7:00 PM April 01 Shenandoah * 12:00 PM Sammy Espejo ‘18| IG: @shotsbysamms

*= Conference Game DH= Double Header

THEWEEKENDER

PAGE 10

MARCH 16, 2017

THEATRE BENDS GENDER Virginia Wesleyan College’s theatre department explores gender theory in its latest production

BY JULIE AINSLEY jmainsley@vwc.edu

The Virginia Wesleyan College theatre completed their production of “She Stoops to Conquer” by Oliver Goldsmith on March 12 after a five show run.

Directed by Dr. Sally Shedd, this special run of the beloved 18th century play was given the special title “S/he Stoops to Conquer” by the Virginia Wesleyan College theatre department.

This production was cast based off Judith Butler’s theory of gender and performance, which states that gender is something that is not innate within people but rather something people choose to perform. In the play, the actors received the opportunity to literally perform different genders, such as Jamel Showell and Jakob Steward playing women and Sarah Puchalla, Isis Percell and Emily Vial playing men.

This production gave everyone the chance to explore what aspects create the idea of gender while still creating an enjoyable and humorous atmosphere during each performance.

Future performances for the theatre include “California Suite” on March 31 and April 1 and “Constellations” on April 20 and 21.

LOCAL ART EXPLORATION

The Public Art Guide allows visitors to take self-guided tours

Britani Alyse| Marlin Chronicle Actors play with gender on stage in “S/he Stoops to Conquer.”

STAY-CATION

Hampton Roads offers a number of options for students who are staying in the area for spring break

BY JUSTIN SMITH jrsmith2@vwc.edu

Miranda Fein | Marlin Chronicle “Anticipation” is the first of many pieces featured on the Public Art Guide.

BY MIRANDA FEIN mlfein@vwc.edu

Virginia Beach’s Oceanfront Boardwalk offers more sights than just sandy beaches and the Atlantic. The Boardwalk also doubles as a public art museum, offering an array of artwork that represents the history, nature, cultural diversity and fun environment of the city.

In May of 2016, Virginia Beach’s Office of Cultural Affairs created a free Public Art Guide that maps out all of the art that decorates the Boardwalk, allowing visitors to take a self-guided beachside tour.

For those who have visited the Oceanfront, there is a good chance that you have seen at least one of the pieces featured. One such piece is the 34-foot-tall King Neptune statue that towers above the beach’s 31st Street entrance.

The Public Art Guide proves that Virginia Beach’s creative environment reaches far beyond this artistic hot spot with 18 other works on the Boardwalk alone.

The first piece on the guide, titled “Anticipation,” features a man and boy standing side by side with surfboards in hand, staring out in eager anticipation at the beach before them. The remainder of the art on the Guide is scattered down the Boardwalk’s stretch as far as 36th Street. The final mapped destination is a concrete sandcastle that sits within a sandbox, a representation of beachside fun and Virginia Beach’s yearly sandcastle building competitions.

Every piece on the Guide holds and depicts a different element of Virginia

Beach’s community so no two pieces are exactly the same, but they all work as a visual representation of how the city has become what it is today.

Though each piece is numbered on the map in the Public Art Guide, visitors have the freedom to choose the order in which they follow it without diminishing the experience of their tour.

The public art tour in Virginia Beach does not have to end when the Boardwalk does. The Public Art Guide lists artwork near the Oceanfront, but off the Boardwalk, in locations like the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, the Virginia Beach Convention Center and the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. There is also a guide available for the art featured in Town Center.

Virginia Beach does not have a public art fund, which means that the funding behind these beautiful additions to the city come from private donations, organizations and businesses.

Public Art Virginia Beach Foundation, Inc., was founded in 2012 to help collect such funding and help plan for the city’s art to thrive in the future. According to the Foundation’s website, its mission is “to transform Virginia Beach with exciting and beautiful works of art in strategic public locations and to foster the creation and appreciation of art.”

The Foundation continues to seek out artists and artwork to fill the city’s public spaces.

Miami, Key West, the Outer Banks, The 90-minute excursions are narrated the Bahamas and Cancun are all popular by experienced crew, who will be availspring break locations for college students, able to share their knowledge and answer according to SpringCity.com. For Virginia questions, according to the Virginia Beach Wesleyan College students who don’t have event guide. money to travel and are staying in the area, Both the Virginia Beach Oceanfront and there are still a number of options to maxi- Sandbridge offer dolphin kayak tours that mize their fun. allow participants to paddle up close and RecX, the campus recreation program personal to the aquatic creatures. at VWC, allows students to rent out an arStudents who aren’t looking to go too ray of outdoor equipment. Kayaks, paddle crazy over break can check out the Virginia boards and fishing poles can be checked Zoo in Norfolk. The zoo includes animals out for the day to be used either on campus from four different continents and educaat Lake Taylor or at any other off-campus tional programs to educate the public on location. conservation efforts and live animal showStudents can enjoy the leisure of spring cases. Virginia Wesleyan College students break while still getting out and about by get into the zoo for free with a student I.D. visiting the beaches in Virginia Beach.

With Virginia’s inconsistent weather, the Chic’s Beach is a popular destination Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science for VWC students, being only a 15-minute Center, located in Virginia Beach, is a vendrive from campus. ue comfortable for visiting no matter what “Chic’s Beach is nice because it’s close outdoor conditions are. For $22, students to campus and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge- can experience hands-on exhibits, nature Tunnel, so it’s a pretty view,” sophomore paths, educational exhibits and aquatic life.

Ashley Fisher said. “However, I prefer goStudents with money to burn can experiing to the Oceanfront because there’s more ence the Adventure Park at the aquarium. parking and it’s more secluded in some The park is an eco-friendly zipline and aerplaces.” ial adventure experience in the trees above The other beaches, like Sandbridge and the scenic Owls Creek, according to the the Oceanfront, offer a variety of perks for Virginia Aquarium. students looking to inject adventure into For more events and activities to do in their spring break. When walkthe area, check out the event calendar at ing up and down the boardwalk visitvirginiabeach.com. and browsing the street shops are not enough, take a chance to see local wildlife.

Whale and dolphin watching tours aboard the Rudee Flipper will take Spr guests from Rudee Ining Bre let to Cape Henry to ak -V� Act r witness the migrat� � -V� �i� ivit r ies ing animals.

-B ���i� Zo�lo ea� � A ic �u �!

-K ��� �� P� � �� �� -T� y���n � �A �� �n� ��� P� ��

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