The Miami Hurricane: February 6, 2018

NEWS // Page 2 6 GOD ON TOP: Drake smiles down at a crowd of hundreds during his impromptu perfromance on the Moss Terrace Feb. 5. The rapper came to campus unannounced to give a $50,000 scholarship to student Destiny James.

Hunter Crenian // Visuals Editor

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NEWS

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

CAMPUS LIFE

Not ‘Too Good’ for U: Drake visits UM

Hunter Crenian // Visuals Editor MOST ‘TURNT’ PLACE: UM students sing in unison to Drake, who was performing on the Moss Terrace in the Shalala Student Center. Despite the performance being a surprise to campus, hundreds of students stopped their day to catch a glimpse of the rapper-actor.

By Annie Cappetta Managing Editor managing@themiamihurricane.com @ACMCappetta

Around 3:45 p.m. Feb. 5, students began gathering on the second floor of the Shalala Student Center. Hip hop superstar Drake was rumored to be on campus, and students were abuzz with the possibility.

By 4:15 p.m., the first two floors of the SSC were almost completely filled before students were directed by police to clear the building unless they were studying, and crowds filled out by the Lakeside Patio stage area.

Representatives from Cash Money Records patrolled the area with signs stating students in the vicinity were consenting to be filmed. Hundreds of students and staff with production equipment had gathered by around 4:30 p.m.

A representative from Cash Money Records confirmed Drake was on campus and would be granting a scholarship to a student and filming part of a music video.

The $50,000 scholarship was granted to student Destiny James, whose Facebook profile says she is studying biology on a predenistry track. James could not be immediately reached for comment.

Milind Khurana, a junior studying neuroscience and political science, has been friends with James since freshman year.

“She deserves it; she’s one of the nicest people I know,” said Khurana, mentioning that James is involved with United Black Students. “She works really hard.”

WPLG reported that Drake earlier surprised students at Miami Senior High School with a $25,000 check to go to the school and an announcement that he would design and supply new uniforms for the

students. It also reported that he filmed part of the music video for his single “God’s Plan” at the school.

Around 5:20 p.m., Drake began performing from his single “God’s Plan” on the Moss Terrace on the third floor of the SC. In addition to cameras filming his performance in the SSC, there was also footage taken of the crowds gathered around the SSC and the patio.

Drake was seen by students inside the SSC walking across the third floor after his performance on the Moss Terrace, sporting a University of Miami sweatshirt.

During the filming, he threw up his hands in the U multiple times.

“I’ll tell you one thing,” Drake said at the end of his performance.

“I’ve been to a lot of places in the world. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a more turnt school than this. I wish you all the best in life, a lot of love, a lot of happiness for you, your friends and your family.”

Chazz Guerra-Ogiste, a senior motion pictures and theater major, said he has been a fan since before “So Far Gone,” Drake’s 2009 mixtape.

“I was just like, ‘Yo, it’s crazy how people get over one man,’” Guerra-Ogiste said. “Drake was playing a dangerous game … I think if anybody else wants to do this, they can come by.”

And people did go “crazy.”

Some went to extreme lengths to get the best view or even meet Drake up close. Students reportedly climbed on the roof of the food court and were told by staff to come down.

Audrey Jongens, a sophomore psychology major, found herself involved in a more complicated scheme to get a close meeting with Drake. She tried to find her way to the third floor but, after facing several security guards, found herself talking to a Starbucks employee who was poking her

head out from the bottom of the emergency exit stairs.

The employee told Jongens that Drake would be coming out of the service elevator nearby. Jongens hid behind some boxes in the back of the Starbucks kitchen and waited for about 25 minutes. She asked a Starbucks employee if she could wear one of their aprons. When Drake came out of the elevator, Jongens sprinted to him and asked for a photo with him and some of the Starbucks workers. He then gave her a hug.

At 5:43 p.m., Drake entered a vehicle that had been parked behind the SSC for the duration of his time on campus. As the vehicle pulled away with Drake inside, a crowd gathered around Miller Drive to try to catch last glimpses, while other students dispersed.

Staff of The Miami Hurricane contributed to reporting

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

Candidates drop in Student Government elections

By Amanda Herrera News Editor news@themiamihurricane.com @_amandaherrera

By the end of the registration deadline on Jan. 30, this year’s Student Government election began similarly to years past: two “full tickets” running for the executive titles. However, only a few days later, two candidates on one of the tickets had dropped out, leaving two positions in the executive branch unopposed in the upcoming elections.

The “We Got You” ticket, composed of Matt Wenstrom, Nishan Ravichandran and Ashlyn Coleman became a one-candidate ticket just days later. Elections Commission Chairman Luis Goberna said on Feb. 2 that two of the candidates, Wenstrom and Coleman, indicated they wanted to drop from the election. Wenstrom was vying for the position of president and Coleman for the position of treasurer.

However, “dropping” from the election isn’t so easy.

Goberna said because both individuals indicated they wanted to drop after the deadline, the elections commission shot down their request unanimously 8-0.

“It didn’t follow procedure,” Goberna said.

Because of this, each candidates’ name will still remain on the ballot.

Wenstrom, a junior, said as time went on he realized he wasn’t “the right person for the job,” despite initially feeling it was something he wanted.

“It just wasn’t me; I didn’t think I was the best candidate for the job,” he said.

Though he declined to comment on when he made the decision to drop, he said the decision for both candidates to drop was not a collective decision.

“I had my doubts early on ... She dropped first and then I chose to drop as well,” said Wenstrom, an economics major.

Wenstrom and Coleman will not be participating in any campaign events. Coleman declined an interview with The Miami Hurricane.

Tickets have three candidates to fill the three executive positions up for election. The positions of president, vice president and treasurer are all up for grabs when elections begin on Feb. 12. In 2016, then-sophomore Aaron King withdrew from the election after running independently with no treasurer or vice presidential running mates. King dropped his campaign after contracting pneumonia.

Now, the situation is eerily similar with only one candidate from the “We Got You” ticket running as an independent. Goberna said though Ravichandran said he was interested in participating in scheduled campaign events such as Meet the Candidates on Feb. 6., he did not attend the WVUM interview with the candidates on Feb. 5. The Mi-

ami Hurricane reached out to Ravichandran for an interview on multiple occasions but did not receive a response.

The candidates left are from the “U First” ticket, composed of juniors Evan De Joya, Catherine De Freitas and Rafael Cariello.

All three members have been involved in Student Government organizations since their freshman year.

Each of the candidates said they balance each other out. De Joya, vying for the position of president, said though each brings different experiences to the ticket, they have similar visions for the university.

“That student input is really valuable ... I’ve been able to interact with administrators as well as hear student input and, incorporating those two things, I’ve developed a strong vision of what I want to bring to the University of Miami,” said De Joya, a biology and geography double major. “I think Cathy, Rafa and I working together next year will be able to transition that vision into reality.”

That vision has to do a lot with how Student Government engages with the student population.

Cariello, running for treasurer, said U First wants to bring student involvement up while being transparent.

“My biggest qualm with Student Government as a whole has been communication – not in a bad way – it’s just people don’t,” Cariello said.

“Maybe they choose to ignore the communication or just don’t see it, but we really, really want to focus on getting the word out and making sure everything is well-communicated and clear.”

The U First ticket has created a seven-point concept-based platform that serves as a framework of what it’d like to accomplish if elected. The seven points are an accessible campus, safe college experience, enriched dining experience, student-tailored health resources, approachable and transparent Student Government, collaborative university community and equitable education.

One of its most distinct initiatives is subsidized Uber and Lyft rides originating from campus. De Joya described the crafting of the initiate as a marriage of two different things: underutilized shuttle routes on weekends to off-campus locations and large ridership of Uber and Lyft. He said U First would work to use the total money used for shuttle routes and reallocate them to Uber and Lyft rides originating from campus.

“The main factor of what separates our ticket from their ticket is the amount of involvement we bring to the table ... Our main goal is bringing everyone together because we are the University of Miami,” said vice-presidential candidate De Freitas, a marketing major.

For more information, visit ufirstum.com.

Campaigns will continue until elections end Feb.14. Voting opens Feb. 12, and results will be announced 5:30 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Lakeside Patio.

NEWS

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THE MIAMI HURRICANE

February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

GREEK LIFE

Administrators look back on time in Greek life

By Zach Grissom Staff Writer

At the University of Miami, Steven Priepke is known as the senior associate dean of students and the director of judicial affairs. However, he also holds another title: founding father of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity chapter at UM. Priepke, who attended UM from 1999 to 2006, initially didn’t decide to “go Greek” – or rush to join an existing fraternity on campus.

Instead, he decided to start a new chapter, a decision he said was one of the best he’s ever made.

Priepke became the president of SAE and described his experience as crucial in developing his leadership skills.

“You are put in a situation where you have to lead a group of your peers,” he said. “It’s planning events together. It’s collecting dues.

It’s holding people accountable. It’s participating in sports ... It definitely helped give me a head start at learning how to manage people.”

Greek life has a large presence at most major universities, including UM. There are 29 fraternities and sororities on campus, according to the university’s Dean of Students Office website. On a nationwide scale, there are more than 9 million Greek members, according to the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Greek organizations advertise fraternities and sororities as places to develop a close-knit social group and make life-long connections, while pop culture often caricature fraternities as one big four-year party.

For Priepke, it’s the extensive philanthropic work done by Greek organizations across the country that reflects what being Greek is all about.

SAE raises money for Children’s Miracle Network, and

Greek organizations raise roughly $7 million annually for charitable causes, along with donating many hours of volunteer work.

“At the core [of Greek Life] is the idea to serve other people, to give to other people, to serve and care for each other, to lead,” Priepke said.

Priepke said the Greek system is not without its flaws. Most recently, Greek culture has come under fire after high-profile controversies rocked the nation, including the death of Florida State University student Andrew Coffey. Coffey died Nov. 3 after attending a party while pledging Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.

“Undergraduate students as a whole have a severe problem with alcohol consumption, and I think that can be amplified in a Greek environment,” Priepke said. “Alcohol is at the heart of all the behavior problems that I think don’t serve Greek Life well.”

However, for the good that Greek Life brings to its members, it goes beyond the four years of undergraduate school.

Brandon Gross currently serves as the associate director of the Shalala Student Center Complex.

Gross graduated from UM in 2009, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and president of the Interfraternity Council for two years.

Gross came into college thinking he would not want to pledge a fraternity. However, he was enticed by the sense of brotherhood he sensed at Sigma Chi and chose to rush during the spring semester of his freshman year.

“There’s so much positive that Greek Life does that really does get overlooked,” Gross said. “The philanthropy, the fundraising …

Those aren’t as juicy stories, so I think that can get overlooked in the news sometimes.”

Gross said his fraternity truly did give him lifelong connections, both professionally and personally.

Several of Gross’ fraternity brothers were able to use the connections they built through Greek Life to find jobs after college, and Gross has helped current members of Sigma Chi get in touch with former brothers who work in various fields.

According to a 2014 Gallup survey, 16 percent of college graduates who were members of Greek organizations are more likely to report being “emotionally supported and having experiential and deep learning activities while in college.”

“The networking opportunities through Greek Life are extremely strong,” Gross said. “I have friends who work in finance in New York City, and when they get a résumé across their desk that says ‘Sigma Chi’ … That gets a second look.”

GREEK LIFE

Camp Kesem volunteer says kids’ program changed his life

By Kayla Haley Staff Writer @KaylaOHaley

For senior Adam Eibel, one of the biggest lessons he’s learned is not to take anything for granted. Eibel learned this lesson from children.

He serves as volunteer coordinator at Camp Kesem, a nonprofit national organization operated through college campuses, which runs one to two weeks of summer camp for kids ages 6 to 18 years old who have family members affected by cancer.

“It is a population of kids that are overlooked,” said Eibel, a microbiology and economics double major.

In many ways, Camp Kesem is like any other summer camp. There’s lake time, sports, crafts. Yet the difference comes at the end of every day, when the counselors have what is called “cabin chat.” Eibel said it’s a time when everyone sits down, opens up about anything on their minds and supports each other during difficult

moments.

Eibel has been involved with the program since his sophomore year and said it has changed his life.

“No matter what you are going through, if you go to work with kids, they are going to do something to brighten your day,” he said.

Eibel described himself as someone who doesn’t like to sit still. Apart from being a volunteer coordinator at the camp, he is a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, for which he previously served as vice president.

He was also vice president of the Interfraternity Council, which oversees 12 fraternity chapters on campus and works with administrators at the university.

“I don’t like to stop,” he said.

However, Eibel’s role at Camp Kesem has taken priority, and other volunteer coordinators at the camp have taken notice.

Senior Brianna Valdes, a fellow Kesem volunteer, said Eibel is always ready to “step up to the plate,” but he

remains humble about his contributions to the organization.

“He doesn’t see how great he is even though the people do,” said Valdes, a biochemistry and public health double major.

Eibel said although none of his family members have had cancer, he is able to empathize with the kids and recognize their strength.

“Hearing them talk about what they are going through ... You realize that these kids are some of the strongest people you will ever meet,” Eibel said.

Camp Kesem has gained so much attention on campus that Sigma Phi Epsilon chose the organization as its philanthropy for the year and raised $10,000 for the cause in fall 2017, according to the vice president of philanthropy.

“We are giving back childhood,” Eibel said. “Everyone is so positive, and it makes you want to be a better person.”

Matt Bernanke // Staff Photographer FOR THE KIDS: Senior Adam Eibel, a Camp Kesem volunteer coordinator, has spent his summers since sophomore year helping run a summer camp for kids who have family members affected by cancer.

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

NEWS

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GREEK LIFE

Alpha Sigma Phi brother chases big dreams

By Isabella Cueto Editor-in-Chief editor@themiamihurricane.com @isabellacueto

Greek Life was not high on Tumi Lengoasa’s list of priorities when he started at the University of Miami in 2015. Even up until Rush Week, Lengoasa said he was ambivalent about becoming a brother. Then he found Alpha Sigma Phi. “I can be myself,” junior Lenegoasa said. “We can talk about anything and everything under the sun, from the most intelligent conversation to, like, ‘Did you see that car last week?’”

That was important to him, as someone who said thinking is one of his favorite hobbies. And when Lengoasa thinks, he thinks big.

He is actively working on harnessing solar power in his homeland of South Africa to replace the worn-out power grid that is still fragmented from the days of apartheid. Lengoasa balances fraternity life, work at the School of Business’ IT desk and his computer science major with reading South African policy documents, making business phone calls and looking for land to buy.

After he reworks the power grid (with Lengoasa, it’s a question of when, not if), he wants to create a network of solar-powered high speed trains to ensure South Africa is the next world superpower. He calls Elon Musk, a fellow South African, one of his role models because of his ability “to use technology to solve a pressing problem and make it look sexy.”

“The next Google, Alibaba ... Isn’t supposed to come from the U.S.,” Lengoasa said. “Twenty years from now, that company is coming from Africa.”

It’s just a matter of providing Africans with the same resources, education and access as people on other continents. Lengoasa was “very fortunate” to receive a top-notch education and travel extensively with his family. His father worked for the United Nations, so his family lived in Geneva, Switzerland, for a while, too.

Lengoasa speaks fluent French and

has cross-cultural competency to find common ground with students from all over the globe. He was in Student Government Senate and once ran for Speaker before he decided to leave SG to focus on his longterm projects.

Being the guy who agrees to everything, however, took a toll on Lengoasa during his sophomore year.

He said he was so overcommitted and overworked that he sunk into a depression.

“Eventually, it got so bad that I was closing myself off from people,” he said. “I didn’t want to go anywhere.

I didn’t want to do anything. I didn’t want to go to classes. When I left Miami in May, I was running.”

But as soon as he got home to South Africa, having stripped the pressure to achieve and to “just keep going, just keep pushing,” he was able to return to himself and that’s when “the reset” happened.

Lengoasa turned 21 that summer and decided to change his perspective. He began focusing on the long term. He developed a strategy for deciding what to include in and omit from his list of to-dos.

“I’ve left things that I may have loved but that weren’t contributing to my longterm growth, not in the direction that I was looking at,” he said.

He also accepted that he could never box himself into one category.

When people ask him what he wants to do for a living, he may simplify it to, “I want to build companies for a living,” because he doesn’t want to scare people, he said. He compared himself to a popular meme of Charlie Day with dark bags under his eyes, signaling to a wall of papers connected by red string, like in criminal investigations.

Yet the true picture of Lengoasa’s goals is much more complex and impressive. He wants to be an innovator, a computer scientist, an entrepreneur – even a musician. His band of UM students, FirexSquad, performed as an opening act at last year’s Homecoming concert. And Lengoasa just dropped his first solo album on Jan. 25 under his stage name, Naim Iorden, which means “smooth flows,” he said.

The 10-song record tells part of the story of Lengoasa’s painful experience with depression. The last song, “You Don’t Know,” was written as a direct message for his friends and acquaintances who were unaware of his struggles during the spring of his sophomore year. And the whole album is an exploration of Lengoasa’s long history with the craft of music making.

“It’s my ode to music, it’s my ‘F**k you’ to music, it’s everything in between,” he said.

It seems Lengoasa’s list of goals and projects is never-ending, and it’s evident in the “pages and pages and pages” of notes and ideas he keeps stored in his cell phone. He is an idea guy, but that does nothing, he said, without implementation. So he is working to create what he won’t call an empire.

“It’s a word I’ve used a lot as a kid, but I realized the word ‘empire’ doesn’t align with my values in some sense just because, I suppose, being the product of a post-colonial country,” he said.

Ultimately, he wants his legacy to be the people whose lives he improves.

“All the things I do in all the projects I want to do – solar energy, for example, energy in general, mass transportation, individual transportation, all these technologies – it’s about impacting people’s lives positively,” he said.

And although he least expected it, being a fraternity brother helped him believe in the power of pooling resources, rallying behind a goal and being able to accomplish it.

Even so, he recognized the Hunter Crenian // Visuals Editor challenges the Greek system faces, LAUGHING THROUGH LIFE: Tumi Lengoasa, a junior computer science major from South Africa, poses for a saying we may be living in the last generation of fraternities as they portrait at the Cox Science Building on campus. Lengoasa has ambitions to build a solar-powered high-speed train network in Africa and create other companies that would “positively impact” the lives of many people. currently exist and operate.

“Nothing is perfect, and certain people have been allowed to get away with things that no one should,” he said. “But in all of that, we should not overlook the positive aspects, the growth, the ability to learn together and grow together and make connections and do something good in the world.”

For more on the University of Miami’s Greek community, visit

themiamihurricane.com

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OPINION

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

Opinion

The Miami

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February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

EDITORIAL

Concussions call for introspection and compassion Football is a national tradition – and a dangerous one at that.

Super Bowl Sunday serves as a reminder of Americans’ trouble reconciling the good and bad in their favorite sport.

By now, we all generally know football’s dangers, such as the long-term effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a disease caused by recurring head injuries, from which 110 of 111 late NFL players – examined by neuropathologist Dr. Ann McKee – were revealed to have suffered.

Traumatic brain injuries can also affect one’s mental health, long after initial impact. Two thirds of those who experience a TBI suffer from depression within seven years, according to a report by the University of Washington.

Despite the consequences, 111.3 million people watched the Super Bowl and come fall, we’ll file happily into Hard Rock Stadium, in green-and-orange regalia.

That doesn’t necessarily make us callous, though. Our country’s culture has long praised the pigskin.

To expect families rooted in the tradition to drop it altogether is naive. Fans, just like players, can watch the sport and still criticize its weaker attributes; they can love football while working to help it evolve.

Shaking football’s legacy won’t happen overnight. In the meantime, we can try to change the way we watch, play and think about America’s favorite game.

Leading the charge are scientists dedicated to making the game safer.

No measure can completely tame football, of course, since the sport is fast and contact-driven. But it’s worth noting the efforts of groups like the UHealth Concussion

Program, a clinic that searches for innovative, safety-minded solutions in the form of goggles that can diagnose concussions, for example, and cannabinoids, which might be able to help treat them.

As far as preventing concussions, helmet changes and play regulations serve, at the very least, as acknowledgements of a problem – though they, too, can only do so much. When concussions occur, the tell-tale symptoms (from headache to nausea to disorientation) don’t always show up right away, and even if they do, an athlete may simply brush them off in order to keep playing.

One 2014 study by Harvard and Boston University researchers found that for every diagnosed concussion in college players, there are 26 that go unreported. While players are not allowed to return to play with a concussion, the “pushthrough-it” mentality, a prevalent attitude among all kinds of athletes, might encourage them to keep quiet – and keep playing.

The concussion problem may not be rooted in malice but in the opportunities that football provides.

Expecting a player to play it extrasafe on the field is not always feasible – especially when they depend so heavily on football for their lives and careers.

At the college level, the prospect of heading to class following a concussion – diagnosed or not – can be troubling, too, especially since academic expectations are not always conducive to recovery.

Of course, the average sports fan might find it difficult to do something about these realities. But you don’t need to be a scientist or league executive to change the way concussions are approached in the

American mainstream. It starts with you.

Act with compassion when it comes to players, including your peers at the collegiate level.

Washington State quarterback Tyler Hilinski took his own life in January. His death highlighted the need for us to rethink our approach to student athletes, seeing them as people first, and looking past their accomplishments on the field.

Being a student athlete can already be a thankless job, but we can make it at least a little more worthwhile by sharing our time, care and concern for those who take on the task. Having solid mental health counseling resources available to these students who are under immense pressure to achieve in front of a huge audience is a must.

On the professional level, it might seem easy to write off players’ concerns about safety by pointing to their salary, as if to say, “Stop complaining. You chose this and are making a lot of money doing it.” But you can’t put a price on life.

Players, however well-paid they may be, deserve the same sympathy and consideration as do those of any other profession. And until recently, there was no definitive tie between what happens on the field and what happens in the long-run, but the science is showing stronger links everyday.

Besides, it’s not a phrase we would use to assuage doctors pushing for safer, cleaner tools, so why use it here? Compensation does not negate the need for a fair deal, and healthy working conditions matter regardless who signs your paycheck.

Entire lives have been built around this sport. Many of the most well-known players grew up before

football’s concussion threat was common knowledge and decided to play for a multitude of reasons: passion, the chance to go to college and earn a living. How can we expect them to stop altogether? We owe it to these players not to erase their efforts but to reward them, at the very least, with our open ears and a push for policies that put the athlete’s holistic health first.

Many players – including former Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw – have said that they would not let their own children play football because of the health concerns. Parents across the country seem to be following suit: In 2015, flag (no-tackle) football enrollment of kids aged 6 to 14 increased by 8.7 percent, according to a survey by Reuters.

Maybe future generations will continue to embrace hybrid, lower-contact sports. But until they do, football players deserve to be heard, cared for and taken seriously, inside and outside of the sports community.

This past September for USA Today, Bears Hall-of-Famer Dick Butkus wrote, “the benefits of football in transforming energetic youth into productive citizens cannot be overlooked.” He was right. Football can change lives, serve as a force of social change and transcend the TV screen in bigger ways than ever before.

Fortunately, as the sport evolves, its power to do good can remain.

Editorials represent the majority view of The Miami Hurricane editorial board.

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

OPINION

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COMMUNITY

College students can use privilege to help kids thrive A couple weeks ago, I sat at a table in the middle of the Miami Women’s March, covering posters with glitter glue and talking to the

By Dana Munro kids around me.

Staff Columnist “I hope a woman is elected president in 2020 because 1920 was the year of women’s suffrage, and it would be the 100th year anniversary,” said a 12-year-old girl I was working on a poster with.

This was one of many memorable remarks I heard from children throughout my day of volunteering at the kids table during the Miami march.

While the millennial generation is deemed the “generation of the future,” we often neglect to incorporate the younger generation into the mix. Yet they are the real heir apparent, the ones

next in line to take on the nation’s issues. It is critical, in a time of such perilous volatility in the White House, that they be armed with the weapons necessary to do so.

With this in mind, it is difficult to ignore UM’s lack of outreach to underprivileged children, for those with setbacks hindering them from taking on the world that lies ahead.

We certainly have a few specific programs oriented toward providing for Generation Y and sharing our resources. Students do arts and crafts with sick children from the Ronald McDonald House as part of the club The Art of Healing. Other Miami students mentor local children for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Club. Written In My Soul pairs student mentors with kids to teach them how to use poetry as a form of expression.

However, the need in Miami, and globally, stretches far beyond a few clubs and service days. Children in lowerincome neighborhoods, children

of undocumented immigrants protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, children with absentee parents and juvenile delinquents have limitless futures – if we simply invest our resources in aiding them.

Many universities across the United States have already started taking on this initiative.

The University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Tufts University and 24 other East Coast colleges participate in the Petey Greene program, which trains college students to tutor juvenile delinquents and help them get on a path toward their GEDs. The program is named for American TV and radio legend Petey Greene, who cultivated his interest in radio during his imprisonment for armed robbery earlier on in life, eventually allowing him to rise to success as a hopeful symbol for what the program strives to achieve.

The other coast is making waves as well. Eight California

universities have created resources to aid the children of immigrant parents, those kids protected under the DREAM Act, during their transition to college. Schools such as UCLA, UC Davis and Cal State Fullerton have implemented resource centers to provide a welcoming environment and personal counseling for DACA students, diminishing the alienation and overwhelming fear they face in the college process. These resources motivate DACA students to navigate the trials of high school and reach higher education.

That work is important.

According to Harvard researcher Robert Gonzales’s National UnDACAmented Research Project, a whopping 21 percent of DACA students drop out of high school before graduation, compared to the 5.9 percent national drop out rate as of 2017.

We are privileged to attend a school located in such a diverse region of the world – a region

inclusive of all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds. As I sit in the stunning Shalala Student Center with an overpriced cup of coffee at my side, I must concede that I have more than enough, as do many of my peers. We all have currency to offer, whether it is money, time or care.

Perhaps we can maintain a virtual correspondence with young victims of the recent hurricane in Puerto Rico, partner with a juvenile detention center or host free concerts and productions to expose younger children to the arts.

The next generation of world leaders is, oftentimes, just a few miles or blocks away. We have the capacity to shape their trajectories and teach them to be the revolutionaries they all have the potential to be.

Dana Munro is a sophomore majoring in musical theater.

ENTERTAINMENT

‘She’s Gotta Have It’ remake falls short of expectations The Netflix series remake of Spike Lee’s original film did a poor job of accurately representing queerness, and the

By Kay-Ann Henry experience of Contributing black women, Columnist for that matter.

S p i k e Lee’s film “She’s Gotta Have It” deviates from Hollywood’s depictions of heteronormative, white relationships, depicting a black woman totally in charge of her own sexuality. Or at least that’s the idea.

Lee doesn’t have the best track record for his portrayals of black female characters, especially one as complex as Nola Darling, the “sex-

positive, polyamorous, pansexual” black artist at the center of the storyline. As much as Darling is presented as an independent, selfassured grown-ass woman, her character is stagnant as she strings along her various lovers in an outstandingly immature depiction of mature relationships.

While the original 1986 film was important because it ushered in a discussion of black culture and film, the new TV adaptation failed to do anything quite as powerful.

With society on the cusp of expansion of feminist theory and acceptance of different types of relationships, Darling’s character is crucial. Still, this rendition did a poor job of accurately representing queerness.

Throughout the series, the show centers on Nola’s inability to commit and communicate, which

she blames on her sexuality. She even goes on a “man-cleanse” and falls into the arms – rather, the bed – of a woman, Opal. When she’s tired of men, she goes to Opal. When she needs to get bailed out of jail, she goes to Opal. Yet when Opal needs her to be present, she falls short.

Darling is noncommittal with all her partners, has serious issues being honest with any of them, and jumps around with the dismissive attitude of a teen. It’s a far cry from this strong woman Lee wants to present, someone who seems at face-value like an iconic character for being an unapologetic rarity in TV and film: a powerful black woman who is in touch with her sexuality and takes ownership of it.

What are Darling’s actions telling the viewers, especially those who identify as queer? Is it telling us that queerness is inherently linked

to negative traits and behaviors within relationships? Is queer expression only acceptable when heteronormativity fails, like in the case of Darling’s man-cleanse?

It is important not to invalidate queerness with stereotypical presentations in the mass media.

Portrayals of queer people as flaky and inconsiderate in media transcend the TV or laptop screen and can hurt queer people in real life. A 2011 study by researchers at Southwestern University discovered a direct correlation between queer identity and representations in the media, finding that media role models who are gay, lesbian and bisexual can have a positive influence on people who are gay, lesbian and bisexual. Why not use the considerable platform Lee had to create a character who can be a role model, someone to dispel

myths about non-heteronormative relationships?

On a show geared toward young people, queerness and the fluidity of sexuality must be presented properly and portrayed well. We should never make people feel like their emotions and sexuality aren’t being taken seriously, and portrayals such as the one in “She’s Gotta Have It” will encourage society to view non-monogamous and non-heterosexual relationships as invalid and noncommittal, and even possibly dissuade viewers from further exploring their sexuality.

We must actively work to represent minority groups positively, and that starts with the TV shows and films so many of us come home to every night.

Kay-Ann Henry is a freshman majoring in journalism.

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OPINION

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

AROUND THE NATION

‘Fire and Fury’ unfounded, irresponsible “Fire and Fury” is a signal of the stark partisanship in today’s political culture.

Michael Wolff ’s latest piece of

By Jonathon Godoy alleged nonContributing fiction, “Fire Columnist and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,” has become the talk of the town among avid politicos and news junkies.

However, the truth is that it is little more than the work of a charlatan and a signal of the unfortunate pervasiveness of partisanship in today’s political culture.

While most of the book’s anecdotes are captivating and engrossing, many of them are completely unsubstantiated. Take, for instance, the claim that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Trump that British intelligence services might be spying on him. This is a claim that on its own merits sounds absurd and one that

the prime minister has denied.

This is far from the only problematic anecdote, and many respected journalists, such as Maggie Haberman, Jake Tapper and Jonathan Martin, have raised issues with Wolff ’s credibility and the details in his book.

Wolff himself, in what was either an unintentional confession or an admission of his view of the gullibility of consumers, revealed that readers should approach the question of the validity of the book’s anecdotes using the standard, “If it rings true, it is true.”

That is not a professional journalistic ethical standard; that’s the standard of a hack and a con artist.

Then there’s the more recent episode, in which Wolff seemed to insinuate on “Real Time with Bill Maher” on Jan. 19 that the U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley is having an affair with Trump to advance her political career.

Clarifying that he does not possess the “ultimate proof,” Wolff told readers to “read between the lines … Toward the end of the book.”

Most have concluded that the al-

lusion is to Haley, who the book notes had been spending a large amount of time in the private company of the president aboard Air Force One. Such an unfounded, malicious and ostensibly sexist attack should be met with severe, swift and universal condemnation.

And yet, while some responsible journalists and outlets have approached the book and its author with a healthy and necessary level of skepticism, much of the media and popular culture have not.

Look no further than the recent Grammy Awards, where various artists and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton read excerpts from the book as they “auditioned” to be the audio narrator. The sketch was met with approval from the award show audience and many journalists, but Ambassador Haley, the subject of Wolff ’s most malicious lie, understandably took issue with it. Why would any institution – be it a news publication or an awards show – want to legitimize this shoddy piece of journalism?

What makes this episode all the more baffling is that the Gram-

my’s featured a powerful performance to highlight attendees’ solidarity with victims of sexual harassment and assault as well as the broader #MeToo movement.

How can it reconcile supporting a movement founded on women’s empowerment while legitimizing an author who attacked the character of one of this country’s most high-profile women in power?

The answer to that question is simple – partisanship. To the Left, this book is not a highly questionable account fraught with lies and distortions but merely a tool in its political arsenal used to further discredit the president.

Much like the president and his most ardent supporters go to extreme and absurd lengths to deny facts that harm his image, many on the Left have either willfully or unknowingly bought “Fire and Fury” stories as truth precisely because its portrayal of the president and his staff is unflattering and conforms to their presuppositions and political narrative.

As long as it confirms one’s most fantastical suspicions, the source’s

validity matters little.

Simply put, “Fire and Fury” is to the Left what Breitbart and Sean Hannity are to the Right.

None of this is to suggest that the Trump White House is a model of workplace efficiency and functionality, nor is it a defense of the president’s conduct in office. The book’s wider premise – that the White House is in disarray and dominated by an emotionally and temperamentally erratic president – is not even credibly contested.

That fact makes this discredited and salacious book all the more perplexing. It actually, in effect, helps lend credence to those who would argue that popular culture is reflexively anti-Trump and thus that their criticisms and assertions should be approached with extreme skepticism. Wolff has given the president and his supporters useful ammunition in their pursuit against “fake news.”

Jonathan Godoy is a graduate student in the University of Miami MPA program.

POLITICS

DACA-endangering bill indicates liberal ideological failure The Democrats almost did it. We had a bit of power. The Re publicans’ complete inability to run a functioning government and pass a working

By Ryan Steinberg budget resulted in a Senior Columnist total government shutdown.

Their only hope was to get some support from Democratic senators. Instead, what did we do?

We caved. We had an opportunity to take a stand for what we believe in, and we blew it.

Republicans would be unable to pass any shutdown bill without

Democratic support in Congress.

The Democrats initially said any bill would have to include a resolution on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a program set to expire in March. There are roughly 700,000 people in our country currently protected by DACA, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and its expiration would result in an uncertain future for these people.

These are the types of issues that the Democratic Party supposedly prides itself on supporting. No matter what, we should never be willing to compromise when people who have been marginalized by the Republican Party’s xenophobic policies need our help.

Unfortunately, we did just that.

A group of 33 Senate Democrats voted for a budget bill with a handshake promise that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would allow for negotiations on a bipartisan agreement to resolve DACA’s expiration.

This is embarrassing. We had the power to force Republicans to give in to badly-needed protections for immigrants in our country but settled for a vague promise from a senator whom we have no reason to trust.

Yes, these Democratic senators were facing pressure.

Republicans were out in full force spreading lies about how the

shutdown was somehow the fault of the Democrats. But when they have a majority in both houses and the presidency, it is obviously their fault. We allowed the Republicans to flood the airwaves with lies and failed to step up to call out their deceitful ways and inability to take responsibility for their ineptitude.

But give them some credit: the Republicans have become masters of using deflection and deceit to cover up decades of promoting and enacting xenophobic policies.

Much of the Democrats’ platform is pinned upon standing up for the downtrodden and pushing policies geared toward equality, justice and fairness.

During the week of Jan. 29, the

Democratic Party failed in living up to this platform. When given the opportunity to stand up for current and future immigrants, 33 Democratic senators choked. They caved to pressure and accepted a weak compromise over real progress.

Going forward, there is little reason for optimism in the future of DACA. Clearly, Democrats are not ready to put forth the strength of will necessary to fight for the hundreds of thousands of hardworking individuals who will be left stranded by DACA’s expiration.

Ryan Steinberg is a sophomore majoring in political science.

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

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OPINION

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EDGE

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February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

SINGIN’ FOR A LIVIN’: After finishing in first place at the ICCA South Quarterfinal, BisCaydence will advance to the region’s semifinal on March 31 in North Carolina. The group also swept awards in every special category.

Photo courtesy Alisha SK Photography

Miami a cappella crushes competition

By Haley Walker Edge Editor edge@themiamihurricane.com

Three UM a cappella groups, BisCaydence, Phoenyx and Above the Keys, traveled to Orlando to compete in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappellathe ICCA South Quarterfinal on Jan. 27. Not only did BisCaydence smash the competition with a first-place score of 444/465, the group won every special category award available to competitors: Outstanding Choreography (Anna Park, sophomore, Maia Mulcahy, junior,

Nathan Fox, junior and Jackie Rodriguez, senior), Arrangement (Kent Barnhill, senior and Matt Gagnon, sophomore), Soloist (Jillian Hobaica, freshman) and Vocal Percussion (William Ahlemeier, senior).

Phoenyx singer Devin Weitz, sophomore, also took home an Outstanding Vocal Percussion award.

The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, or ICCA, brought to pop culture awareness by the “Pitch Perfect” film series, is a bracketsystem competition for collegiate a cappella groups composed of quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. A total of 450 groups from

universities across the United States and the United Kingdom compete for a slot in the finals, held in April in New York City.

Since BisCaydence won first place in the South Quarterfinal, it will advance to the region’s semifinal, held March 31 in North Carolina.

“This is the first time in BisCaydence history that we have placed first at an ICCA quarterfinal,” said Amanda Davidson, senior and co-business manager of the group. “It was also our first time winning awards in every special category … I joined this group as a freshman, and it’s been unbelievable watching our growth over the years. I never

would have imagined we’d get this far in such a short amount of time.”

BisCaydence was founded in 2011 at the University of Miami and has since performed at a Florida Panthers game, opened for Jay Leno and held joint concerts with other collegiate a cappella groups, including the Yale Whiffenpoofs and the Vanderbilt Melodores.

The group placed second in ICCA quarterfinals in 2015 and 2017, qualifying them to compete in regional semifinals those years as well.

“Two years ago, I competed in ICCAs with BisCaydence,” said Will Ahlemeier, a senior finance major and beat boxer for BisCaydence. “At that time, the

group was at a collective loss for what separates good a cappella from great a cappella. Since then, we have worked tremendously hard, tinkering with how to communicate more effectively and elicit stronger emotions with our music. Last weekend’s win means so much to me because it was the culmination of a massive effort from the entire group.”

BisCaydence released its first album, “Against the Current,” in 2017 on Spotify and SoundCloud.

You can follow the group on Facebook and Twitter @biscaydence or on Instagram @biscaydenceum.

Catch BisCaydence live on March 22 in their joint concert with the Tufts Beelzebubs.

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

Film frat gives hands-on experience

By Laura Manuela Quesada Contributing Edge Writer

If you’ve been to the Bill Cosford Cinema, the School of Communication or any cinematic arts events on campus, you’ve probably met a DeKa. Delta Kappa Alpha, or DKA as it is commonly known, is UM’s gender-inclusive professional cinematic arts fraternity, and DeKa is the nickname affectionately given to its members.

“We’re a family of likeminded people who share similar interests in filmmaking, the entertainment industry and motion pictures,” said senior Rund Shami, a motion pictures major.

DKA offers hands-on experience for both student filmmakers and film enthusiasts.

There are always opportunities for student collaboration, so trying

one’s hand at a new skill, such as screenwriting or directing, is always encouraged.

“I was very nervous about doing anything production-wise,” said senior Edward Puñales, a journalism major who serves as DKA’s unofficial sound engineer.

“I was intimidated by the technical aspect, by the social aspect. Since I joined, I’ve not only written some stuff but I’ve also been a crew member on a bunch of sets. I’ve directed three short films myself, which was really scary.”

DKA pools its resources and skills to take on big projects. The most recent venture was a web series called “Meme Boy.” Members have worked on the series for more than a year and are planning to release it on YouTube soon. They have also planned a film festival, White Carnation, to highlight the fraternity’s work.

DKA also hosts its popular

annual horror film festival, “Scares and Scores,” in partnership with the Society of Composers and an Oscars viewing party with the Cinematic Arts Commission.

The fraternity prides itself on a positive, ongoing relationship with professors at the School of Communication. DKA was even asked to weigh in on decisions regarding the film curriculum.

“They reworked 151, which is the basic level film production class, based on our suggestions,” said former DKA president Sydney Gold. “It showed that they really trust our opinions.”

Although UM’s chapter has only been on campus for four years, it was recognized in summer 2017 as one of the top three chapters of DKA. To find out more about DKA and to keep up with upcoming events, follow @UMiamiDKA on social media.

EDGE

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12

SPORTS

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

17.9

Lonnie Walker IV is leading the Hurricanes on offense in their last seven games.

COMMENTARY

Lonnie Walker IV showing NBA potential

By Isaiah Kim-Martinez Sports Editor sports@themiamihurricane.com @isaiah_km

Lonnie Walker IV’s stock is rising with professional scouts, and there’s a growing chance that he will play in the NBA come fall 2018.

After averaging nearly 18 points and shooting 41 percent on threepointers over his last seven games, Walker is projected to be selected with the No. 17 pick to the New Orleans Pelicans in the latest 2018 mock draft, according to nbadraft. net.

The freshman from Reading, Pennsylvania, is only getting better and more comfortable with each game. If the trend continues, he could be the first Miami Hurricane ever selected in the top 14, making him the first lottery pick in program history. He would also be the fifth drafted in the first round.

“He’s only scratching the surface of how good he can become,” coach Jim Larrañaga said. “He’s got himself in a really good place mentally. I’m real proud of the way he is growing as a player and as a teammate.”

Walker got off to a slow start for the first two months of the season.

Some attributed this to the recovery process after dealing with a torn right meniscus in July 2017. He was out for three months. Others thought it was the difficulty in adjusting to the college game and coming off the bench that led to his struggles.

But the 6-foot-5 guard is a consistent starter now and has found his rhythm. He has upped his intensity on both sides of the court and led the Hurricanes in shot attempts in five of their last seven games. This new role has allowed him to flourish and take over on any given night.

Hunter Crenian // Visuals Editor EYES ON THE PRIZE: Miami freshman Lonnie Walker IV talks to the media before the season about his adjustment to college – both on and off the court. Media Day was Oct. 30 at the Watsco Center.

“At this point, I don’t really feel like I’m fully a freshman anymore,” Walker said. “I have grown a lot these past few months. I know what I can do, and my teammates know what I can do. I just have to understand my capability.”

There were high expectations for Walker from the moment the 2017-2018 season tipped off. Given that he was a five-star recruit with NBA-level size, athleticism and ability to score at will, the fact he is proving to be one of the best young players in the country isn’t shocking

to anyone.

But the ability to will a team to victory, something Walker has done multiple times already this season, is something that can’t be taught.

“I don’t like trailing – I don’t like losing at all,” Walker said after a win against Pittsburgh. “I kind of get into my tunnel vision mode to the point where I just feel like I have to take over. I can do whatever I want to do if I put my mind to it.”

In close game situations against Louisville, Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech, Walker took the game into

his own hands, leading Miami with scoring runs all by himself.

“I don’t really believe in the word pressure,” Walker said. “It’s all about picking things up to another level.”

He has elevated himself on defense, too, providing game-saving blocks against Louisville and Florida State.

“I think his game is elevated because his confidence is up,” Larrañaga said. “His knowledge of what we’re doing and what he is expected to do is up. We have been

running several plays for him, and he has been delivering.”

His teammates see his potential as well, especially fellow freshman guard Chris Lykes, who has also elevated his play since the start of the season.

“I have never seen someone so dedicated,” Lykes said. “There really isn’t anything he can’t do.”

The NBA Draft is in June, and with the way Walker is playing, many teams will have their eyes on him.

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

FOOTBALL

SPORTS

February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

13

Canes look to build on highly ranked recruiting class EARLY ENROLLEES LORENZO LINGARD JARREN WILLIAMS DELONE SCAIFE BRIAN HIGHTOWER GURVAN HALL GILBERT FRIERSON D.J. IVEY DAQURIS WIGGINS JOHN CAMPBELL GREGORY ROUSSEAU

RB, No. 25, 5-star PRO, No. 77, 4-star OG, No. 148, 4-star WR, No. 153, 4-star S, No. 184, 4-star CB, No. 200, 4-star CB, No. 351, 4-star WR, No. 463, 3-star OT, No. 480, 3-star WDE, No. 484, 3-star

By Isaiah Kim-Martinez & Josh White Sports Editor & Senior Sports Writer sports@themiamihurricane.com

The Miami Hurricanes have a consensus top-10 recruiting class for 2018. Richt said the Canes pulled off a “home run� during the early signing period, locking in 19 prospects. Ahead of National Signing Day Feb. 7, the Canes have the potential to secure 24 to 27 total commitments. Five-star running back Lorenzo Lingard and four-star, pro-style quarterback Jarren Williams are expected to make big impacts in UM’s future. Four-star tight end Brevin Jordan is one of the best in the country at his position.

VERBAL COMMITS

(EXPECTED TO SIGN ON NATIONAL SIGNING DAY)

NESTA SILVERA JORDAN MILLER NIGEL BETHAL

DT, No. 54, 4-star DT, N/A, 3-star CB, N/A, 3-star

SIGNED LETTERS OF INTENT (EXPECTED TO ARRIVE SUMMER 2018)

BREVIN JORDAN

TE, No. 33, 4-star

MARK POPE

WR, No. 67, 4-star

AL BLADES JR.

CB, No. 97, 4-star

CAM’RON DAVIS

RB, No. 172, 4-star

WILL MALLORY

TE, No. 211, 4-star

CLEVELAND REED

OG, No. 259, 4-star

PATRICK JOYNER

WDE, No. 668, 4-star

REALUS GEORGE

FB, N/A, 3-star

BUBBA BAXA

K, N/A, 3-star

Per 247Sports

Member Organizations Ƨƪƴ ƧƜĭ ƨďƴ ƎƜ ƯƚƧ ĭƊď ƴ.$ ƴƎĭ ƜƧƪ ƜƧư Ɯĭƪ Ɯƚ =%7 The Interfraternity Council is the advisory, supervisory, and governing body of all the NIC and other national governing councils member fraternities at the University of Miami. It shall strive for positive public relations between the individual fraternities, the Greek community, and the University. It shall promote scholarship among its members and uphold the standards and regulations of the University of Miami . It shall promote the interests of its members and the University to the end that the conditions of the fraternities and their relations with the University may be improved. Learn more about IFC and how to become a member at Miami.edu/GreekLife.

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SPORTS

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

BASKETBALL

PLAYING TO HIS STRENGTHS: Junior forward Anthony Lawrence II dribbles through traffic in an 89-55 Miami victory over Navy Nov. 12 at the Watsco Center. Lawrence finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Josh White // Staff Photographer

Career day for Anthony Lawrence II leads Miami past Virginia Tech

By Jabari Wilbon Contributing Sports Writer

Led by a career game from junior forward Anthony Lawrence II, the University of Miami gutted out a 84-75 win against Virginia Tech Feb. 3 in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Lawrence led the Hurricanes (17-5, 6-4 ACC) with a career-high 25 points and a career-best 13 rebounds for his second-straight double-double, despite battling an illness.

“I don’t know if he ever did throw up,” Miami coach Jim Larrañaga said. “We didn’t start him in the second half because of that. I guess we’re going to have

to try to get him sick the next time out, too.”

Lawrence went nine of 10 from the field and knocked down all three of his three-pointers.

Sophomore DJ Vasiljevic and freshman Lonnie Walker IV added 14 points apiece. Senior Ja’Quan Newton had 12 points and four assists in his secondstraight game off the bench.

Virginia Tech (16-7, 5-5 ACC) guard Justin Robinson scored 22 points for the Hokies.

The Hokies finished with three players in double figures, including senior guard Justin Bibbs and freshman guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who finished with 16 and 15 points, respectively.

The loss ended Virginia Tech’s three-game winning streak in ACC play.

“It’s harder to handle success than to handle failure,” Robinson said. “It’s something we’re going to learn from.”

In the team’s second game without sophomore guard Bruce Brown, who is out until at least mid-March with a foot injury, the Canes came together to make up for the loss of their star.

All nine players who entered the game registered points.

Virginia Tech came out aggressive in the second half and went on an early 8-0 run, eventually cutting the lead to seven with 7:33 left. After backand-forth play, the Hokies cut it to

a 66-63 game.

It was once again Walker’s show down the stretch as he hit a contested three-pointer to bring the lead back up to six points coming out of a timeout with 3:51 left to play. After a layup from Robinson, Walker sank a difficult midrange jump shot to keep a two-possession lead.

“He only had four or six points until there was about three minutes left in the game,” Larrañaga said of Walker. “Then he took over. He ended very strong.”

Miami went on an early 13-0 run and led by as many as 16 points in the first half. Miami’s defense held Virginia Tech to just 35 percent shooting from the

field in the opening stretch. The Hurricanes shot 71 percent from the field and 66 percent from beyond the arc.

The Canes went into halftime leading 44-32.

The game ended fittingly as Lawrence made a driving layup with 1:40 left to keep the lead at six points, and the Canes closed the game from there at the freethrow line.

Miami looks to keep its momentum going when it hosts Wake Forest 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Watsco Center.

Virginia Tech next plays at home against North Carolina State 9 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Cassell Coliseum.

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018

V’S TAKE

15

Don’t get weak for Greeks

Have a question for V? Email dearv@themiamihurricane.com.

The semester is in full swing, syllabus week is over and it’s time to do some serious learning. Professor V is here to teach you a lesson – but it’s not one you may expect.

Greek Life seems to take over campus, and students’ minds, at the beginning of each spring semester.

The Future Frat Bros of America find their brothers from another mother shortly after sorority girls find their sisters from another mister. But it still seems some people get left out.

These organizations – which say they

aim to create community, diversity, sisterhood and brotherhood – often blatantly exclude people who don’t fit into their norms, whether they mean to or not.

I have seen firsthand guys not get out of their beds and miss class for a week because they didn’t get a bid from the fraternity of their dreams. I have seen girls sobbing because they think they won’t have a life after being dropped by their top-choice sorority.

As I’m writing this, my very close friend is saying she wants to transfer from UM because she got dropped on the last day of recruitment, which is just ridiculous.

This isn’t meant to be a repeat of last semester’s editorial on Greek Life. I’m the sex columnist, so I’ll be frank … Not getting into Greek Life doesn’t mean you’re not going to get laid and especially doesn’t mean you won’t make friends.

As someone who has had questionable experiences with Greek Life, let me spell it out: your value as a person is not measured by what other people or groups of people think of you. The girls or guys who you talk to for a few hours do not know everything about you – they can’t even scratch the surface.

The few mixers and crush

parties you won’t attend are irrelevant when compared to everything else UM, and Miami as a whole, have to offer.

If you’re looking for casual sex, Greek Life isn’t the only place.

Trust me, the only thing Greek Life will give you is a few broken hearts and a couple STD scares. Meeting people the authentic way will leave you happier in your friendships, relationships and even your sex life.

So don’t sweat it. There will be other friends and other things to do on weekends … And other guys and girls to have fun with, too.

Have a question for V, email dearv@themiamihurricane.com

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THE MIAMI HURRICANE

February 6, 2018 - February 12 , 2018