Old Gold&Black “Covers the campus like the magnolias”
VOL 109 , NO. 16
WA K E F O R E S T ’ S S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 1 6
APRIL 13, 2023
Student Government ϐ on term MADDIE STOPYRA News Editor
“We were very excited when we heard the marketplace idea with a lot more offerings,” Pyatt said. “There'll be something there for everyone.” Along with the refreshed coffeehouse, “something for everyone” is the motivating principle underlying several other changes around ZSR — some recent, others ongoing or upcoming — as envisioned in the 2019-2021 strategic plan. (A more recent strategic plan has not yet been released in an effort to align it with the still developing University Strategic Framework, according to Pyatt). From new desks and elevators to expanded study areas and space activity monitoring, students returning in the fall will experience a slightly different ZSR.
After two Student Government terms impacted by crises — including a global pandemic and fertilizer plant fire — this year’s Student Government finally had the chance to look internally at how their structure and processes impact the student body and members of Student Government. “When you're in crisis, you're constantly thinking about the crisis,” Student Body President Pilar Agudelo said. “But [during my term], for the first time, we weren't in the midst of a crisis.” Throughout the year, Agudelo and her executive team worked to restructure parts of Student Government to enhance how it supports students — such as creating the Elections Commission and separating the judicial branch from the Senate. The motivation behind both initiatives was to expand space for increased involvement and accountability. Agudelo explained how, upon her election, she examined Wake Forest’s Student Government and compared it to other universities to find new areas for improvement. “Over the summer with my exec,” Agudelo said, “I basically wrote out a proposal about how to restructure Student Government and did benchmarking comparing similar universities to Wake Forest and thought about what would be the most impactful, and what reflects the student needs. What has been done in the past that hasn't worked?” Prior to Agudelo’s term, Wake Forest’s Student Government operated within a two-branch system. The executive branch — made up of the president, treasurer, chief of staff, speaker of the house and secretary — presided over the legislative branch, which included the cabinet, Senate and a variety of committees.
See ZSR, Page 3
See Student Government, Page 3
Daniel Parolini /Old Gold & Black
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ZSR announces new coffee vendors and summer renovations From the coffee and pastries to the circulation desk, ZSR Library will look different in the fall HOPE ZHU Staff Writer
Ever since Camino Bakery took over the Z. Smith Reynolds Library coffeehouse in 2020, it’s been a go-to spot for students and faculty in need of caffeine, a pastry or a place to study or chat. But with the local bakery and coffee shop’s exclusive partnership ending in May, the space will host a new group of vendors, according to Wake Forest Dining. In an effort to create a unique campus destination that supports local businesses, the ZSR coffeehouse has signed a non-exclusive contract with a diverse lineup of local businesses, such as ByGood Coffee, Bobby Boy Bakeshop, Neomonde Bakery, Lenny Boy Brewing Co., Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, W.R. Vernon Produce, Village Juice & Kitchen, NataBelle’s Desserts and more. More informa-
tion and product offerings will be announced in the coming weeks as ZSR staff prepare for the summer transition. Sophomore Jessica Parker frequents Camino Bakery as her preferred study spot because of its welcoming, open space and moderate ambient noise. “I don't usually come to Camino for the coffee, but it's great that they have it," Parker said. "It's like a little oasis on campus without having to go too far. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rotation of vendors will work out.” Although Harvest Table, Wake Forest’s food provider, is primarily responsible for facilitating the agreement, both Dean of the Library Tim Pyatt and Associate Dean Mary Beth Locker hope to transform the ZSR coffeehouse into a unique campus hub and thriving space for local partners.
What's Inside NEWS Waiting for Gunderson Page Four
FEATURES 5HÀHFWLQJ WKH times Page Six
ENVIRONMENT Are Greeks really going green?
Page Eight
OPINION An open letter to $PHULFD Page Eleven
SPORTS LIFE 'HPRQ 'HDFRQV , P D :)8 VWXGHQW ZKR FRPSHWH DW 0DVWHUV KDWHG P\ VWXG\ DEURDG Page Fifteen Page Eighteen
Old Gold & Black
“ Month Building on Sexual Assault Awareness This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Committee
Wake Forest’s sexual assault awareness month events focus on building a community for survivors while educating others about the severity of sexual assault and its effects on students. The Safe Office is heavily involved in participating and hosting events, as several students have found refuge through their resources. In partnership with the university, it uses this month to emphasize the importance of awareness and prevention. Consistently showing their support for students, the Safe Office spreads awareness for events, hosting a speak out for survivors, a letter-writing activity and workshops on consent. The Safe Office continues to remain a confidential space with profession-
als who are equipped to help survivors process trauma and develop healthy coping skills. Aside from this, the Safe Office gives students resources about confronting their assaulter, support in court and utilizing the CLASS Office for formal excuses, all of which have proven to be incredibly beneficial for survivors. While we commend the Safe Office and its partners for putting these events on and creating healing community, the Old Gold & Black recognizes that sexual misconduct is still far too common on this campus. As we have seen through multiple protests and have heard from survivors, Wake Forest still has a good deal of work to do if it wants to do right by survivors.
A whopping 55.4% of respondents to the 2022 Campus Climate Survey, completed in April 2022 and released last November, said they had experienced sexual misconduct. In the survey, 16.3% of respondents reported that they had experienced “non consensual or unwanted sexual contact.” Furthermore, the expectations that students must adhere to each day, such as attending classes or meetings, completing homework or participating in clubs and social events, are extremely difficult for survivors of sexual assault. The fast-paced and rigorous environment of Wake Forest can easily make any student overwhelmed, but for survivors, this environment is even more of a challenge to navigate.
Old Gold&Black
It is vital that every student, professor, administrator and office around campus understand the effects of sexual assault." It is vital that every student, professor, administrator and office around campus understand the effects of sexual assault and learns to give grace to survivors. Wake Forest’s sexual assault awareness month is certainly a strong beginning to that work, and the Old Gold & Black hopes that campus leaders will build on the steady foundation that has been laid.
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY SINCE 1916
CHRISTA DUTTON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF duttcd20@wfu.edu
BREANNA LAWS
AINE PIERRE
MARYAM KHANUM
SOFIA SCORDLEY
PRINT MANAGING EDITOR
ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR
MULTIMEDIA MANAGING EDITOR
BUSINESS MANAGER
lawsbn21@wfu.edu
pierav20@wfu.edu
khanmg20@wfu.edu
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>> NEWS Daniel Parolini, parodj20@wfu.edu
>> LIFE Adam Coil, coilat21@wfu.edu
Maddie Stopyra, stopmf21@wfu.edu
James Watson, watsjc22@wfu.edu
>> FEATURES Chase Bagnall-Koger, bagncm21@wfu. edu
>> PHOTO Virginia Noone, noonvc21@wfu.edu
Isabella Romine, romiie21@wfu.edu >> ENVIRONMENT Addison Schmidt, schmac21@wfu.edu
Evan Harris, harres22@wfu.edu >> VIDEO Asheton Ayotte, ayotag20@wfu.edu
Bella Ortley-Guthrie, ortlbs21@wfu.edu
>> COPY CHIEF Josie Scratchard, scraja20@wfu.edu
>> OPINION Shaila Prasad, prassp21@wfu.edu
>> EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Aine Pierre (Chair), pierav20@wfu.edu
Lauren Carpenter, carple21@wfu.edu
Sophie Guymon, guymsm20@wfu.edu
>> SPORTS ,DQ 6WHIIHQVHQ VWHI¿S #ZIX HGX
Shaila Prasad, prassp21@wfu.edu
Aaron Nataline, nataae21@wfu.edu Asst. Sean Kennedy, kennsm21@wfu.edu
Lauren Carpenter, carple21@wfu.edu Ashlyn Segler, seglal20@wfu.edu Hope Zhu, zhuq21@wfu.edu
>> ADVISER Ivan Weiss, weissij@wfu.edu
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>> POLICIES Our job as a newspaper is to be a platform for all voices, not just the ones we agree with. However, we reserve the right to reject advertisements that are vulgar, inaccurate, obscene or violate Wake Forest’s policies on nondiscrimination, diversity, equity, and inclusion as they pertain to student organizations. We will also reject any advertisements that promote illegal activities according to the state of North Carolina. Not only do we hold our newspaper and its contents to a high standard, but we also expect that those who choose to use us as an outlet for their ideas, opinions and skill hold themselves and their content to a high ethical standard. The Old Gold & Black is published Thursdays during the school year, except during examinations, summer and holiday periods, by Triangle Web Printing of Durham. The views expressed in all opinion pieces and advertisements contained within this publication do QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHÀHFW WKH RSLQLRQV RI WKH 2OG *ROG %ODFN $V SDUW RI RXU FRPPLWPHQW WR reporting news fairly and accurately, we will not remove any previously published content online unless it is retracted. If an error in either our online or print content is brought to our attention, we will revise the originally published article with an appended correction. In RUGHU WR IDFLOLWDWH WKRXJKWIXO DQG DSSURSULDWH GHEDWH SURIDQH YXOJDU RU LQÀDPPDWRU\ FRPments on our website are not allowed and will be deleted. Comments which incite violence, target individuals in a form of cyber bullying, or which promote ideas which vilify marginDOL]HG FRPPXQLWLHV ZLOO EH GHOHWHG DQG SURSHU DXWKRULWLHV PD\ EH QRWL¿HG DQG LQYROYHG >> SUBMISSIONS The OGB welcomes submissions in the form of story tips, columns and letters to the editor. Letters to the editor should be fewer than 500 words, and columns should be around 500 words. Send yours via e-mail to duttcd20@wfu.edu the Monday before publication. We reserve the right to edit all letters for length and clarity. No anonymous letters will be printed. >> ONLINE MEDIA Web: wfuogb.com Facebook: facebook.com/ogb1916 Twitter: @wfuogb Instagram: @wfuogb TikTok: @wfuogb Sports Twitter: @wfuogbsports
News | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, April 13, 2023 | Page 3
ZSR: Ongoing and upcoming changes Continued from Page 1 “Since 2017, we have created the Scholars Commons from former stack space, opened up Room 601 as a study space, expanded seating on Wilson 4 in the former reference area and turned the room that was formerly the Graduate
Student Lounge into the Johnson Student Lounge — also available to undergrads and grads 24/7,” Pyatt said. Just last month, Room 403 — adjacent to the ZSR Auditorium — was converted into a study space with occasional use as a reception and event space, following the DVD collection’s move to the fourth
Daniel Parolini /Old Gold & Black
Construction work for a new HVAC unit takes place on the roof of Z. Smith Reynolds Library on April 10.
floor of the Wilson Wing. One of the noisier projects, which is currently in progress on the eighth floor, is the replacement of an aged HVAC unit. The HVAC system, which dates back to 1952, was originally designed to cool the entire main stack of books, from the eighth floor to the first. And with summer temperatures quickly approaching — putting some older collections at risk of mold growth — the system upgrade had to begin during the academic year, Pyatt said. “I hope that it brings more consistency in temperature across the library,” Library Specialist Peter Romanov said. “As students, you know that some areas can be either too hot or too cold. I’m confident that the new HVAC will create an even temperature, and students will feel comfortable wherever they choose to study.” Romanov is also eagerly anticipating projects slated for the summer — including the installation of a new circulation desk designed to be more flexible and movable than the current built-in desk. Rather than being clustered at the atrium side, staff will now face visitors as
they enter through ZSR Library’s front door, with student workers serving behind them. “It makes us visually more approachable to people who are checking in and out — and a little more professional,” Romanov said. Another project scheduled for this summer is the replacement of the central elevator on the Reynolds wing — which is original to the building, dating back to 1956. The construction is scheduled to begin immediately after graduation and finish before the fall semester. Pyatt believes that the ZSR renovations will improve upon its current strengths and promote its future vision while remaining faithful to its mission of supporting learning, knowledge and community. “Most of the library’s renovations are donor supported,” Pyatt said. “We are paying off the pledges made before to ensure that students will have the best experience. It’s always with that mission — to support students’ success and faculty success — at the center.” Contact Hope Zhu at zhuq21@wfu.edu
Student Government: This year’s internal changes, explained Continued from Page 1 One of the first structural shifts occurred in the Fall 2022 semester, when the Elections Commission became independent of the legislative branch. Previously, the Elections Committee was made up of graduating seniors within Student Government, including members of the cabinet and executive branch. After the bill to create the Elections Commission was passed, the Office of the Dean of Students and the Office of Student Engagement recommended a candidate for chair. By unanimous vote, the Senate passed a bill nominating Catherine Carpenter (‘23) as chair of the Elections Commission. From there, Carpenter recruited commission members Claire Hopkins (‘24), Megan Waterston (‘23), Bre Witt (‘25) and Emily Hollander (‘26). “I think creating an independent commission where it’s people that have little to no connection to Student Government and are independently able to review potential violations, the elections packet and think objectively about it without any personal connection is really important,” Carpenter said. Despite the vision to create a separate body from Student Government, some obstacles remained. “Once we established the Elections Commission, we realized there wasn’t
really a place for them to be housed,” Agudelo said. “There wasn’t a branch to house them.” As a solution, the Senate voted unanimously on Jan. 31 to create the Student Organization Judicial Assembly (SOJA) — a judicial body separate from the legislature. Composed of four associate justices and Chief Justice Alondra Janicek (‘24), SOJA was created to hold Student Government accountable for their actions and constitution. “Both Alondra and I have great hope for SOJA in the next academic year to expand its functions in a more clubfacing manner to play a greater role outside of the internal process of Student Government,” chief justice pro tempore Aman Khemlani said. “Our hope for the coming year is to expand our responsibilities to become a body that holds organizations accountable and handles inter-organizational conflicts.” As Agudelo enters her last few weeks as Student Body President, she continues working to improve Student Government’s structure. A bill is in the works to create the Student Organizations Council (SOC) — which currently operates under the legislative branch — to become a sub-branch of the treasurer. Currently, SOC operates almost independently, without relying on legislation. The shift will allow SOC and the treasurer to provide student organiza-
tions with more resources and contacts. “This change is a fantastic step forward and will greatly enhance our ability to fully support our student organizations throughout their life cycle,” Treasurer Tim Erday said. “Rather than needing to work with one group for chartering and another for funding, groups can now view the Student Organizations Branch of Student Government (comprising the Student Budget Advisory Committee and the Student Organizations Council) as their onestop shop for organizational support. We hope that this restructuring will serve as a benchmark for future collaboration, and we look forward to continually building the most effective support system for student organizations that we can.” Agudelo hopes that this bill will be passed before the end of the academic year. In the middle of these structural changes, Agudelo and the executive branch also wanted to keep members of Student Government in mind. During the fall 2022 semester, Secretary Jess Schmidt and Chief of Staff Braden Strackman created Social and Professional Activities (SPA) — which organized many social and professional activities to engage student senators. “Student Government has a high turnover rate,” Schmidt said. “We don’t have
a lot of junior or senior senators who are not in the cabinet and not on exec. How do we make sure that we are supporting senators throughout their time in Student Government and throughout their time at Wake Forest? And how are we getting first-year senators involved?” Activities included networking nights, jeopardy and coffee chats, which is a buddy system that helps members of Student Government connect with one another. Schmidt also explained that committee report presentations during senate meetings have changed — instead of solely co-chairs giving the presentation, any committee member can now present the report. “If people are passionate, they’re engaged,” Schmidt said. “They feel like they’re doing something right.” As her term concludes, Agudelo expressed hope that the next executive team will continue the work she started and strive to make Student Government an organization where students can advocate both for others and themselves. “The point of Student Government is that you’re engaging the student body — because if you’re not, then you’re not representative of it,” Agudelo said. “I think that’s what’s most exciting and hopeful for me, is that this work won’t just get lost in translation.” Contact Maddie Stopyra at stopmf21@wfu.edu
POLICE BEAT • • • • •
Unknown subject(s) entered an unsecured work truck and took an iPad, baseball cap and sunglasses. The report was filed at 4:33 p.m. on April 3. An individual who was sleep walking entered another individual’s dorm room. Nothing was stolen. The report was filed at 6:00 p.m. on April 4. Unknown subject(s) took an unsecured electric scooter from a bike rack on March 30. The report was filed at 10:22 p.m. on April 4. A caller advised that someone attempted to pry open a vending machine. There is slight damage to the vending machine. A camera was not able to capture the event. The report was filed at 4:19 p.m. on April 6. A student concealed a bottle of apple juice in his pocket. He later paid for the bottle when he was approached by a Subway staff member. The report was filed at 2:23 a.m. on April 9.
News | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, April 13, 2023 | Page 4
Waiting for Gunderson: Playwright attends ‘Silent Sky’ 3UROL¿F SOD\ZULJKW /DXUHQ *XQGHUVRQ DWWHQGV :DNH )RUHVW¶V SURGXFWLRQ RI KHU ZRUN µ6LOHQW 6N\¶ JAMES WATSON Life Editor
Wake Forest Department of Theatre welcomed a highly-anticipated attendee on Saturday April 8. Lauren Gundrson, the playwright of “Silent Sky” — the latest and final play of the Wake Forest Theatre spring 2023 — was seated in the audience. Following the April 8 show, the play’s director, Cindy Gendrich, hosted a free talk-back session open to the public with Gunderson alongside Associate Professor of Design & Production, Rob Eastman-Mullins. Named “the most produced playwright in America’’ by American Theater Magazine, Gunderson’s attendance meant that excitement was high. Associate professor Kevin Frazier enthusiastically told Gunderson that her work was frequently used for lighting design assignments. Gunderson explained that she was working on a new show which incorporated lots of different lighting techniques to emulate the paintings of Artemisia Gentileschi. “Will there be a published edition by August?” Frazier joked. One of the many strengths of “Silent Sky,” as articulated by many audience members that night, is its cast of well-written leading women. “Thank you for writing so many great female characters, because they’re outstanding,” one attendee told Gunderson. The play follows the real-life story of 20th century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt as she departs her quiet homelife for a position in Harvard’s astronomy department. Helping her map the stars were two other pioneering astronomers, Annie Cannon and Williamina Fleming — all important names in the discipline. Gunderson explained that nearly any of the three principal female characters could have been the show’s focus — yet Gunderson zeroed in on Henrietta Leavitt’s life. To Gunderson, Leavitt’s story is as theatrical as they come. “There was something specifically about [Leavitt]’s discovery, which as the play articulates, has this tonality and this musicality to it, a way of understanding this physical phenomenon, but you can use music as the metaphor to understand it… there’s theater in that,” Gunderson said.
James Watson/Old Gold & Black
Playwright Lauren Gunderson discusses her work during a talk-back session after Wake Forest’s final production of Gunderson’s play “Silent Sky” on April 8. Director Cindy Gendrich noted that Gunderson’s plays almost always have a connection to science — an intersection in the arts not commonly tackled. “Well, it makes great theater,” Gunderson responded. “There is something about science in and of itself…because it is contained in the human form.” To Gunderson, science and mathematics are an essential part of her writing. “The idea of writing is chasing the bigger ideas that seem bigger than themselves,” Gunderson said. “The biggest thing I knew how to tackle was this.” She continued: “I hope it makes science beautiful,
Photo courtesy of WFU Theatre & Dance Department Instagram
funny and human. I think it’s easy for science to feel cold and too technical.” At this point, the entire cast emerged from the wings having changed out of their costumes to gather around Gunderson and their director. They were met with thunderous applause, but as they sat down, it was clear they were now taking on the role of eager student — attentively attuned to Gunderson. Given the play’s historical setting, this conversation led her to reflect on the role of the playwright as a historian. “Historical stuff is interesting and fungible as long as it’s treated with respect,” Gunderson said. “So in the true story about [Leavitt] — and if I had written this now it may have been a different version of her story — her mom was actually with her until she died.” But Gunderson outlines that this minor change was necessary to further emphasize the themes of sisterhood and to create parallels between the domestic versus career choice struggle that is central to Leavitt’s character. As a playwright, Gunderson draws inspiration from the “corners, back rooms and intimate spaces” of history that aren’t written about. She argues, “That’s what theater is for.” Audience members faithful to her work asked her about upcoming projects. She detailed “The Time Traveler’s Wife” musical adaptation opening this summer in London’s West End and a Jane Austen homage play that she suspected would stir some conversation — or at the very least “withering glances.” Unlike Godot (or Guffman, depending on who you ask) Gunderson did show up. In fact, Gunderson expressed a particular appreciation for Wake Forest’s production — noting that her father, who was in attendance, is a Wake Forest alumnus. In closing, Gunderson delivered her biggest compliments of the night to the cast. “It was a gorgeous performance,” Gunderson said. “The set was absolutely stunning, remarkable and so amazing to make this a universal, global project.”
Cameron Michles plays Henrietta Leavitt returning to Harvard’s astronomy observatory after visiting her family following her father’s death. Contact James Watson at watsjc22@wfu.edu
FEATURES
Chase Bagnall-Koger, bagncm21@wfu.edu Isabella Romine, romiie21@wfu.edu
OLD GOLD & BLACK
PAGE 5 THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023
‘Artivists’ bring together art and local activism The organization is partnering with stArt gallery to display their sustainably made collection SELINNA TRAN Senior writer
The Artivisits, of which Maya Whitiker and Dianna LaTerra are co-presidents, seek to transform the social environment of Winston-Salem through art and visual communication. This comes in the form of creating art from recyclable or discarded materials to make pieces that reflect social issues and engage people in the community. The Old Gold & Black’s interview with Whitaker, which has been edited for brevity, clarity and AP Style, is below. Tell me a little bit about how the Artivists started on campus. I transferred to Wake Forest in the middle of the pandemic in spring 2021. I have always felt a passion for art as a tool for social change and community building. I realized that at a time when social distancing was necessary, it would be hard to do socially engaged work. And yet, it felt more important than ever to build and strengthen community. The collective formed out of both a passion
and a need for a creative community on campus. Dianna LaTerra, a sociology major and music minor, joined the collective and became co-president in the fall of 2021. Dianna and I, as a musician and a visual artist, both felt that any art could be used in a generative way with the right knowledge and encouragement. With the support of Deb Marke, the Assistant Director of Advocacy and Social Justice Education in the Office of Civic and Community Engagement, we were able to form this idea into the Artivists collective.
campus. Most of our materials were sourced from the music department, the art department, the theater department and the waste management team in facilities and was made possible by our partnership with the Office of Sustainability. Furthermore, this show explores the nature of consumerism in its holistic definition — touching on themes of overproduction, consumption and the commodification of human necessities and non-necessities. While our works are just one step toward sustainable art production, the Artivists hope that our show brings awareness What is the current exhibit at the stArt Gal- and inspires people to reflect on how we interlery? act with sustainability and, conversely, unsustainability in our daily lives. “[Sustain]ance” addresses the fraught relationship between sustainability and the arts, with What is the vision for the artivists moving every work made from almost exclusively recy- forward? cled, foraged or repurposed items. The works are united through the common goals of reasAs Dianna and I are both seniors, we are turnsigning value to devalued materials and inves- ing to the younger members of our group to tigating how unconventional resources have continue our work. We hope that the Artivuntapped potential. We attempt to bring aware- ists will continue to be a space of community ness and prompt solutions to the issue of sus- building and creative exploration in the pursuit tainability in society, the art world and our own of social change. That being said, we want the people who will be left to lead the collective in the way that feels most fulfilling and generative for them. We hope to expand membership and reach more people with similar passions. What future events do y’all have planned? So far, we have had a booth at Wakeville arts festival with a collaborative painting that invites viewers to write responses directly on the piece. We will also have small canvases and paints for people to take home or make works at the event. In the spring, the collective decided on a new theme or project to tackle, but since we value input from all members, we usually wait until after the fall involvement fair to solidify events! Fina Dooly will be the next president of Artivists (possibly with a co-editor) and she will be in charge of what events Artivists will engage in the coming school year. Do you have anything else you’d like to share about the exhibit?
Come and make your mark on the collaborative piece “Patchworked Identities” where we invite viewers to leave a charcoal handprint on the work. This piece is made of recycled materials sourced from the Office of Sustainability and other student donations, and it critiques the harmful practices of the fast fashion industry. As you add your handprint, consider the relationship between the items you use to present your personal identity and the oppressed identities of the hidden laborers who create the Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black textiles themselves. This piece, titled “Patchworked Identities,” invites viewers to add their charcoal handprint onto the canvas, which is made of recycled cloth as a criticism of the fast-fashion industry. Contact Selinna Tran at transn19@wfu.edu
Page 6 | Thursday, April 13, 2023
Old Gold & Black | Features
REFLECTING THE TIMES CHRISTA DUTTON Editor-in-Chief
A
s soon as I entered J.D. Wilson’s home, I could tell he is a man who loves art. Small sculptures sat on shelves, and large paintings hung on the walls. He proudly displays his grandchildren’s crafts around the dining room. A cardboard cutout of a woman sat on one of the chairs at the table. Yes, a cardboard woman. - JSYRH MX SHH [LIR - ÁVWX IRXIVIH XLI HMRMRK room, then I learned the story. It was a cutout of his wife’s best friend, Frances. Wilson gave it to his wife as a gift before her college reunion so that Frances, who couldn’t travel to the reunion, could be in the photographs. I didn’t know you could show love through a cardboard cutout, but now I do. I spoke with Wilson over lunch in his WinstonSalem home a couple of months ago. When I told people I was working on a story about Wake Forest EVX XLI] WEMH µXEPO XS . ( ;MPWSR ¶ % ÿćĄć KVEHYEXI of Wake Forest, he is a stalwart supporter of the Wake Forest art collection and a big name in the Winston-Salem creative economy, serving on the Board of Trustees for the Creative Center of North Carolina. For Wilson, art can be beauty, gift, keepsake and utility. Even the plates for our lunch were painted in bright primary colors. In the middle of our meal, Wilson sprang up from his seat to retrieve something. I waited for him, staring at the art around his home and making awkward eye contact with cardboard Frances. When he returned, he placed an event program on the table. “I found this while going through some stuff we had at storage,” he said. “This is the program, the physical program, from that collection that I saw XLEX ÁVWX STIRIH Q] I]IW XS XLI [SVPH SJ EVX ERH the importance of art.” Wilson was referring to an exhibit of the art FSYKLX SR XLI ÁVWX ;EOI *SVIWX 9RMZIVWMX] WXYHIRX EVX FY]MRK XVMT MR ÿćĄā *SYV ]IEVW PEXIV ;MPWSR [IRX on a buying trip himself. “My father taught me that, anything that’s important, write the date on it,” Wilson told me. 7YVI IRSYKL LI ÂMTTIH XS XLI FEGO SJ XLI TVSKVEQ [LIVI µ7ITXIQFIV ÿă ÿćĄĂ ¶ [EW [VMXXIR MR TIRGMP -X was a day Wilson will never forget — one that turned him into a lifelong lover and supporter of the arts. Art Among Us The student art-buying trip is one of the most unique experiences Wake Forest has to offer. It all WXEVXIH MR ÿćĄā [LIR ;EOI *SVIWX¸W (IER SJ 1IR ERH 'SPPIKI 9RMSR %HZMWIV 1EVO 6IIGI ERH JEGYPX] members Ed Wilson and Allen Easley drove to New York with two students who they tasked with purchasing pieces of contemporary art. Wake Forest did not even have an art department at that time. Since then, a small group of students has continued the tradition and traveled to New York City every three years during spring break to purchase contemporary art for the university’s collection with
university funds. There is no other program like this EX E YRMZIVWMX] MR XLI GSYRXV] EGGSVHMRK XS 9RMZIVWMX] Art Collections. ;EOI *SVIWX KMZIW XLI WXYHIRXW ÿþþ þþþ [MXL SRP] SRI MRWXVYGXMSR FY] EVX XLEX µVIÂIGXW XLI XMQIW ¶ Students spend their days in the city visiting galleries ERH WTIRH XLIMV RMKLXW HIPMFIVEXMRK XLIMV ÁRHMRKW They debate which works to buy, evaluating their EVXMWXMG ZEPYI EW [IPP EW LS[ XLI [SVO [MPP ÁX MRXS XLI collection. They consider factors like which artists they want to be featured. The last buying trip cohort only purchased work from female artists or artists of color to add more diversity to the collection. Before XLEX XVMT PIWW XLER ÁZI TIVGIRX SJ XLI GSPPIGXMSR [EW from artists of color. Students also have to talk money. If they buy one piece, that may mean they have to cut another to stay within their budget. They also have to consider shipping costs; it’s easier to ship a painting than it is a sculpture. *SVQIVP] ORS[R EW XLI 7XYHIRX 9RMSR 'SPPIGXMSR of Contemporary Art, the works purchased on the buying trip are now in a collection called the 1EVO , 6IIGI 'SPPIGXMSR SJ 7XYHIRX %GUYMVIH Contemporary Art. It is Wake Forest’s premier art GSPPIGXMSR ERH [MPP GIPIFVEXI MXW ĄþXL ]IEV MR ĀþĀā 8LI GSPPIGXMSR RS[ LEW QSVI XLER Āþþ TMIGIW F] QSVI XLER ÿþþ EVXMWXW VERKMRK MR QIHME JVSQ TEMRXMRKW XS print to photography to sculptures. The collection is a time capsule — documenting the art that Wake *SVIWX WXYHIRXW XLSYKLX VIÂIGXIH XLIMV XMQI Most of the collection is now displayed in either 6I]RSPHE ,EPP SV &IRWSR 9RMZIVWMX] 'IRXIV 8LIWI TMIGIW EVI ÁRI EVX ERH [SYPH X]TMGEPP] PMZI MR E KEPPIV] or museum, but at Wake Forest, the art lives among the students. The art’s location poses an interesting question. What is a piece of art’s relationship to the space it occupies? How do you balance the accessibility of art with the preservation and sacredness of art? Wake Forest also asked those questions and sought ERW[IVW -R ĀþÿĄ JSVQIV :MGI 4VSZSWX 0]RR 7YXXSR initiated a report of the Hanes Gallery, stArt Gallery ERH XLI 9RMZIVWMX] %VX 'SPPIGXMSRW (ER 1MPPW ER art museum director at Bates College, visited Wake Forest to conduct the review, and he discovered that one of the biggest challenges for Wake Forest would FI XLI GEVI SJ XLI 6IIGI 'SPPIGXMSR XLIR GEPPIH XLI 7XYHIRX 9RMSR 'SPPIGXMSR ,MW VITSVX WEMH XLI works were of “high scholarly, aesthetic, historic and QSRIXEV] ZEPYI ¶ FIMRK [SVXL [IPP SZIV Ă QMPPMSR but were displayed in “insecure, unstaffed and high light level spaces.” He noted that the university would have to grapple with the school’s long tradition of public art with XLI RIIH XS TVSZMHI TVSTIV WXI[EVHWLMT 6IWSPZMRK this tension doesn’t come without its challenges — challenges that are both practical and philosophical.
scribbled on the walls. She remembers that, instead of yelling at her, her mother would say “We should take her to art school!” So when Amador arrived at Wake Forest, she immersed herself in the arts, taking as many courses as she could and working at the Hanes Gallery in Scales Fine Art Center. Amador went on a buying XVMT MR Āþÿą EW E WSTLSQSVI ERH WLI GSRXMRYIW XS work in the arts today as a freelance designer and visual artist. Having been one of the students who purchased art that went to live in buildings like 6I]RSPHE ERH &IRWSR %QEHSV LEW XLSYKLX HIITP] about the virtue of a work’s home. The accessibility of Wake Forest’s art collection GIVXEMRP] LEW MXW FIRIÁXW -X¸W PMOI PMZMRK MR E gallery. Students don’t have to drive off campus to experience incredible art. They don’t even have to enter a museum, a space that can be off-putting to those who wouldn’t call themselves art lovers. The art is where students study, work, eat and hang out. As Amador puts it, “It becomes part of your space, part of your home.” Dr. Jennifer Finkel, the university’s art curator, believes that art can be a “daily intervention in your life.” “Whether we’re going to Benson to study or pick up our mail, or to the copy center, or to get food, or [to] the Women’s Center or the Intercultural Center — there could be this moment where you don’t have to walk into a museum or a gallery to have an art experience.” As curator, one aspect of Finkel’s job is to decide where the art goes. She gives this great thought, considering who visits spaces the most and thinking about what art they want to see. “I think about who’s in those spaces,” Finkel said. “Who’s going to the Intercultural Center? I wanted that to be more like a global representation of international artists, versus the Women’s Center or XLI 0+&85 'IRXIV JSGYWMRK SR JIQEPI MHIRXMJ]MRK artists and other artists. I really tried to think about who’s in different spaces and how the art can have an impact.” Everywhere & Nowhere
;MXL TYFPMG EVX SRI SJ XLI ÁVWX GLEPPIRKIW XS XLMRO about is contextualization. In a museum, works can tell a story, but in hallways, Finkel says there’s no way for the works to be in dialogue with one another. 8LEX¸W RSX [MXLSYX XV]MRK XLSYKL 6IIGI 'SPPIGXMSR works have labels next to them, and some even have 56 GSHIW XLEX GER XEOI ZMI[IVW XS QSVI MRJSVQEXMSR That is, of course, if viewers take the time to read them. Another challenge with hanging the works in &IRWSR SV 6I]RSPHE MW XLEX MX MW HMJÁGYPX XS XIEGL XLIVI *MROIP WE]W XLEX XLI 6IIGI 'SPPIGXMSR MW academic and should serve as a resource, but those A Daily Intervention buildings don’t work as teaching spaces. “It is near impossible to really teach from the /E]PE %QEHSV ·ÿć [EW SRI SJ XLSWI OMHW [LS art,” she said.
Thursday, April 13, 2023 | Page 7
Features | Old Gold & Black While the collection is certainly accessible to students, few know about it. Or if they do, they don’t know that it is fine art. Finkel often leads tours of the collection for students, and usually, only half the group knows that Wake Forest has an extensive art collection. “There are students who will actually go to Benson to have an art experience,” Finkel told me. “Then there are a lot of students who are studying in Benson who probably don’t even notice it. I mean, it could be poster art. Yeah, it could be posters. It’s everywhere and nowhere.” -R Āþÿą (V /IZMR 1YVTL] JVSQ ;MPPMEQW College conducted a review of Wake Forest’s EVX GSPPIGXMSR QYGL PMOI 1MPPW -R LMW VITSVX he wrote: “...works in Benson are so visible as to have become invisible.” Everywhere, and nowhere. 1YVTL]¸W VITSVX EPWS VEMWIH EPEVQ EFSYX damage to the art. He wrote: “WFU has a choice — it can continue to let its collection deteriorate or not. The display conditions I witnessed are, frankly, appalling.” 1YVTL] SRP] GSRJMVQIH [LEX EVX JEGYPX] PMOI Finkel have known for years — that the collection is in danger. “As soon as you have artwork in any public space, it’s subject to any kind of UV light, natural light. The degradation starts almost immediately,” Finkel said. “Artworks are getting damaged by light. Artwork is getting damaged from accidental impacts. Artwork is getting damaged from vandalism.”
Robert Colescott’s “Famous Last Words: The (IEXL SJ E 4SIX¶ ´ SRI SJ XLI 6IIGI 'SPPIGXMSR¸W QSWX ZEPYEFPI [SVOW FSYKLX SR XLI ÿćĆć FY]MRK XVMT 8LI TEMRXMRK [EW ZERHEPM^IH MR %TVMP ÿććĀ [LIR MX LYRK MR &IRWSR 8LI TEMRXing is a montage of a poet’s life, depicting his vices like gambling and alcoholism but also his romances: the Black poet is shown in bed with a white woman. Someone took a black marker to the woman’s body, making her skin darker to match the poet’s. Fortunately, the painting was restored and hung back up, this time in Reynolda. 8LIR MR XLI WTVMRK SJ ĀþĀþ ERSXLIV SRI SJ 'SPIWGSXX¸W TEMRXMRKW WSPH EX 7SXLIF]¸W JSV ÿă million. The very next day, Wake Forest’s Colescott was taken down. “One of the most important contemporary artist’s works is in storage,” Finkel said. No art museums in North Carolina have a Colescott painting. &SXL XLI /EX^ ERH XLI 'SPIWGSXX LEZI ER MRWYVERGI ZEPYI SJ ÿ QMPPMSR -J MX [EW WEJI *MROIP WE]W XLI X[S TEMRXMRKW [SYPH µÿþþþ ¶ be on display. 'ŏVĔXSV Pablo Picasso, “Portrait de Femme a la Fraise et au Chapeau”, 1962 Spanish (1881-1973), Linocut, 25”x17”, 1963 acquisition © 2023 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Treasures Stored Away Just under three miles away from campus, pieces from some of the university’s nine art collections sit in storage. Some are there to rest in a climate-controlled space and take a break from light exposure and other harms presented by the outside world. Others are there because they are too valuable to be in public. 3RI WYGL TMIGI MW %PI\ /EX^¸W µ:MRGIRX [MXL 3TIR 1SYXL¶ ´ ER IMKLX JSSX XEPP SMP TEMRXMRK SR GERZEW TYVGLEWIH SR XLI ÿćąā FY]MRK XVMT *MROIP WEMH MX LEW FIIR MR WXSVEKI JSV ÿþ SV ÿĀ years. While it was displayed on campus, it received dents from chairs bumping into it, and XLIR MR XLI ¸ĆþW WSQISRI HVI[ E TIRMW SR the canvas. It was restored, and it eventually became too valuable to be vulnerable to either accidental or intentional damage. %RSXLIV TMIGI XLEX [EW ZERHEPM^IH [EW Robert Colescott, “Famous Last Words: The Death of a Poet” American (1925-2009), acrylic on cotton duck, 84”x72”, 1989 accquisition, © 2023 The Robert H. Colescott Separate Property Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Alex Katz, “Vincent with Open Mouth”, 1970 American (b . 1927, oil on canvas, 96”x72”, 1973 acquisition © 2023 Alex Katz / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY
In Latin, the word “curator” means “one who has care of a thing.” A manager. A guardian. A trustee. Finkel sees herself as all of these things — a steward of objects. So it’s a challenge to her that she can’t hang two of the collection’s most impressive pieces — pieces that students acquired — because she doesn’t have the proper space to care for them. µ4LMPSWSTLMGEPP] - JIIP PMOI [I EW ER MRWXMXYtion, are not valuing this collection,” Finkel said. “We value the buying trip. We value the ÿþþ þþþ XLEX [I KMZI XS WXYHIRXW IZIV] JSYV years, now every three years. We are not valuing the art when it comes here. Hence, we are not valuing the artists.” When I asked Finkel what the solution would be, I could tell she’d dreamed of it before. She imagines a safe, dedicated, temperature-controlled, humidity-controlled environment. Where there is open storage, so XLI 'SPIWGSXX ERH /EX^ EVI WEJI ERH EFPI XS FI viewed. Open racks. Flat files. A huge conference table where students can view art and discuss it. Students could curate shows. There could be performances. Other disciplines could share the space, as well. Chemistry students could learn the science of conservation.
Finkel’s dream space doesn’t mean that the art in Reynolda or Benson would have to go away. Some of the Reece Collection and other student art could still be there. “It has been historically in Wake Forest (2% MR SYV JEFVMG XS LEZI EVX MR XLI TYFPMG ¶ Finkel said. “And that’s wonderful. There can still be. It’s not an either or, it’s a both and.” 1MPPW WYKKIWXIH E ZMWMSR WMQMPEV XS *MROIP¸W He proposed that the university divide its collections into two categories: a museum collection for works that support the university’s academic mission and a campus collection for works that would enhance campus but do not meet museum quality. 7MRGI 1YVTL]¸W ERH 1MPP¸W VITSVX XLI YRMversity has not announced any plans for a dedicated space for the Reece Collection, although Wake Forest has certainly been thinking about its academic space needs. As a part SJ XLI WXVEXIKMG JVEQI[SVO ;EOI *SVIWX 4VIWMdent Susan Wente created a University Space 4PERRMRK +VSYT XS IRWYVI XLI QEREKIQIRX SJ the university’s physical assets. In her FebruEV] ĀþĀā FPSK TSWX ;IRXI WEMH XLEX EGEHIQMG space renewal was one of her “highest prioriXMIW EW 4VIWMHIRX ¶ In Our DNA The American actress Stella Adler once said: “Life beats down and crushes the soul, and art reminds you that you have one.” As a university in the city with the country’s SPHIWX EVXW GSYRGMP EVX MW MR XLI (2% SJ ;EOI Forest. It’s long been a value of our leaders and students, as shown through Reece’s revolutionary idea to let students purchase art for the school. Every few years, students will keep traveling to New York to purchase incredible pieces of contemporary art. They’ll be shipped back to campus for all to see. No matter where that is in the future — Reynolda, Benson or an exhibition space — art will fill our Wake Forest home, just like it fills Wilson’s. The Reece Collection will continue to be many things to us — a teaching tool, beauty to our spaces, a XMQI GETWYPI SJ LMWXSV] 4ISTPI PMOI ;MPWSR %QEHSV *MROIP ERH SXLIV JEGYPX] MR XLI (Ipartment of Art will keep stewarding it and showing it off. The Reece Collection will reflect our times, reminding us of the life we’ve lived and that, through it all, we still have one.
Contact Christa Dutton at duttcd20@wfu.edu
ENVIRONMENT PAGE 8 THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023
OLD GOLD & BLACK
Addison Schmidt, schmac21@wfu.edu Bella Ortley-Guthrie, ortlbs21@wfu.edu
Are Greeks really going green? Students voice concerns over whether Greeks Go Green is a résumé builder or enacts real change BLAIR BRADDOCK Contributing Writer
Students in Greeks Go Green, a Wake Forest sustainability group, struggle with the organization’s apathy toward change and lack of participation in advocacy efforts. Greeks Go Green is a peer leadership group that consists of students from 20 different sororities and fraternities, with oversight and recruitment assistance from Brian Cohen, the assistant director at the Office of Sustainability. “We don’t have any power to create any change,” said a frustrated Jade Donahue, a sophomore representative for Chi Omega in Greeks Go Green. With 51% of Wake Forest undergraduates involved in Greek life last year, Greeks Go Green’s ability to make a dent in campus sustainability efforts could be significant — if they cared. “I would describe the impact of Greeks Go Green upon my chapter as minimal at best,” Donahue said. Even in her own chapter, Donahue hit a wall in creating lasting behavioral effects among her sorority members. She envisions crafting impactful projects that shift the mindsets of her sisters, but that remains a dream. But now is the time for urgency. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently reported that humanity’s actions today are reshaping the planet for generations years to come. Scientists said even though the next decade is almost certain to be hotter, nations can still influence the climate for the rest of the century if they act quickly and decisively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“At a time when there should be no excuses, there appears to be an abundance in Greeks Go Green.” On a far smaller scale, when asked about Greeks Go Green’s current projects, many representatives sighed and explained the challenges of tackling a big problem like climate change. The people who are supposed to care about the environment and lead others at a school dictated by Greek life are not following through with their advocacy, members said, even though they are aware of the ticking clock. “I have a lot of stuff that I want to do, but I keep forgetting to do it,” said Tatiana Bicalho, a sophomore representative for Kappa Beta Gamma. “So, I honestly haven’t really done anything.” The intentions of the students in the organization vary. There are some who do not even plan on doing anything to improve the sustainability of campus. “People do clubs just to get them on their resume,”
Andrew Dollus said, a sophomore representative for Sigma Alpha Epsilon. “So sometimes people aren’t joining them to get things out of it.” Although it seems like everybody loves and supports sustainability to the public, the burden of going to bi-weekly meetings has proven to be too much for some members of the group. This creates further problems in enacting even the smallest changes like using less water, turning off lights, avoiding plastic water bottles, eating less red meat or using campus shuttles instead of driving short distances, as the club is dependent on peer leadership. “We are getting into the time of year where it gets tough because people are overloaded right now,” Cohen said. “There has been a little bit of a drop off.” “Even now, there are some days when you show up, and it is literally six people in a room when usually there are 20 people,” Bicalho said. Image courtesy of Greeks Go Green Instagram These are the same students who can dedicate hours to their respective Greek chapter to plan mix- their carbon-reduction pledges under the 2015 Paris ers and attend chapter on a weekly basis but cannot Agreement. attend an hour-long meeting to plan sustainability To further encourage representatives to facilitate awareness, which is a top priority of the university. their chapters’ involvement in sustainability, Cohen “The reason why people don’t show up is be- created a competition that holds them accountable cause it honestly is kind of hard to enact most of the with a point system. things we are proposing,” said Berkeley Scharf, a “It’s not perfect, but it is definitely better than sophomore representative of Kappa Kappa Gamma. nothing,” Calfa said. The struggle is that most of these projects can take The bar is low for students and their involvement, weeks to create. Projects range from simply recycling but many do not seem to care about achieving the plastic containers and paper to having a speaker bare minimum. Cohen is not asking for much from present at chapter, but they all depend on the rep- students, but it appears they would rather spend resentatives’ drive to push for projects in meetings their time elsewhere than fulfill even the most miniand chapters. mal environmental actions. “It is a lot of trial and error to see what works for “I think Brian Cohen is doing the best that he people,” said Andrew Calfa, a junior change agent can, and the students are not fulfilling their potenfor Alpha Kappa Psi. The change agents have more tial,” said Caroline Hawkins, a former representainvolvement than representatives because they tive for Delta Zeta. Hawkins left Greeks Go Green attend more meetings with Cohen. because she did not have time to participate and was Greeks Go Green has been an organization not active enough. at Wake Forest since 2011, so there has been The root of the problem is that the leaders who ample time for Cohen to understand what works are supposed to encourage environmental sustainbest at ensuring that students practice what they ability within their Greek organization fail to take preach. initiatives seriously. At a time when there should be no excuses, there “You can’t make people care,” Cohen said. appears to be an abundance in Greeks Go Green. In fairness, the excuses closely mirror those of leaders Contact Blair Braddock of developed nations who are also far from meeting bradba21@wfu.edu
Environment | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, April 13, 2023 | Page 9
The North Pit aims to reduce food waste on campus The dining hall has implemented composting and other strategies to reduce waste MELINA TRAIFOROS Staff Writer
“The Office of Sustainability wants you to stop wasting food” The clatter of dishes and whir of machines fills the North Pit’s kitchen, where a three-foot industrial garbage disposal grinds the day’s food scraps to shreds. “Here in North Dining, we do post-consumer waste composting,” said Joshua Suzuki, the assistant director of Auxiliary Services Operations. According to Suzuki, as part of the post-consumer waste composting process, employees at Hilltop Market, more commonly known as North Pit, scrape students’ leftover food into a stream of water that carries it to the garbage disposal, or pulper. The slurry of water and waste travels via ceiling pipes to a pumper that extracts the water and dumps the now-compact food waste down a chute, where it is then packaged and shipped to Gallins Family Farm in Mocksville, N.C., about 20 miles from campus, for reselling. A recent report by the United Nations indicated that global average temperatures are set to surpass pre-industrial levels by one and a half degrees Celsius by early 2030. The carbon dioxide produced by the decomposition of organic waste, like meat scraps and fruit and vegetable peels, contributes heavily to our overblown greenhouse effect. For every million metric tons of waste that ends up in landfills, 469 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gasses are released in the form of methane, according to Project Drawdown. Composting cuts those emissions in half. The composting infrastructure in North Pit is only found in new buildings on campus. “If and when we ever have an opportunity to do major renovations or build new facilities, things like this are definitely going to be on the radar,” Suzuki said. “Retrofitting that into where The Pit currently fits is not really possible.” The Pit can only do pre-consumer composting of peels and off-cuts during food preparation. Additionally, The Pit, Zick’s, Camino Bakery and Einstein’s Bagels rely on 55-gallon green bins to collect compostables from students. Suzuki said that the biggest issue with these bins is contamination as students mistake them for recycling or trash bins.
Melina Traiforos/Old Gold & Black After food waste is processed, it is shipped to Gallins Family Farm in Mocksville, N.C.
Melina Traiforos/Old Gold & Black North Pit-goers place their plates on a conveyor belt, where the dishes are sent to be washed. Food waste on those dishes is sent into a stream of water to be processed for composting. There is one option more sustainable than com“[Contamination] could be things as small as posting — waste reduction. rubber bands,” Suzuki said. “[Family Farm] has a “Waste reduction is important over waste diververy high standard for purity, so basically any level sion because you’re using fewer resources and of contamination, they’ll reject the bin.” saving energy,” said Waste Reduction Specialist According to Suzuki, Gallins Family Farm’s Sophie Wimberley, who works in the Office of commercial composting facility is more efficient Waste Reduction & Recycling. than at-home solutions, heating food scraps to Roughly one-third of all food produced worldoptimal temperatures and rotating them frequently wide is wasted. Since Spring 2021, Wake Forest to enhance breakdown. They sell the product as has decreased its output by 22 percent. Carolina Dynamite Compost, recognized by the Wimberley cited Leanpath, an initiative that state as Class A compost low in heavy metals, weighs dining hall food scraps and logs them into contaminants and pathogens. a database, as one way Wake Forest minimizes “The more knowledge and education we can the need for composting. The data allows Deacon build in the community, then it just becomes secDining to make efficient choices about how much ond nature,” Suzuki said. food to put out and how to reduce leftovers. Sophomore and Waste Reduction Intern Aidan Madison Fishler, a campus registered dietitian, Norris works with the Office of Sustainability on works with Harvest Table on waste reduction several on-campus composting initiatives aimed to projects. educate students. “One way we mitigate post-consumer waste is “I work with composting in the North Campus offering trayless dining,” Fishler said. Apartment buildings,” Norris said. “It’s a pilot Using trays makes students more likely to program for composting in the dorms, and if it’s overfill their plates, and cleaning them wastes successful there, we’re going to expand it to other resources. dorms.” “Some benefits include that [trayless dining] Along with making composting bins available in conserves water from not having to also wash the student housing like Deacon Place, and expanding trays, it saves energy, reduces the use of cleaning paper towel collection to Wake Downtown, Norris chemicals as well as reduces food waste,” Fishler said. said he works with food vendors on waste reducWake Forest has also implemented a new camtion. paign that allows students to ask for a small por“There’s a little bit of composting with the food tion of a dish to taste before taking more. One vendors at the football games,” Norris said. “One sign at The Pit’s Southern Kitchen encourages of my jobs last year was to go to all the food trucks dinner-goers to “just try it.” According to Fishler, and give them compostable bags for them to fill this initiative makes students more aware of the with food scraps.” food they may not be eating. Like Suzuki, Norris indicated contamination as “Guests can play an integral part in decreasan obstacle to on-campus composting. Signage indicating the correct materials is helpful but often ing our post-consumer waste,” Fishler said. “One way is by taking the amount of food that you will ignored by students. Norris described a harmful enjoy and finish.” phenomenon, called “wish-cycling,” where wellWimberley also agrees that the university’s carmeaning students toss waste in the wrong bins in bon footprint is up to us. hopes that it won’t end up in a landfill. “Waste reduction is behavior change more than “Signage is good to an extent, but also if people anything else,” Wimberly said. aren’t thinking about what they’re throwing away, it’s been shown that it does not always work,” Nor- Contact Melina Traiforos at traimg21@wfu.edu ris said.
Environment | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, April 13, 2023 | Page 10
The lungs of our campus Trees play an important role in the health of Wake Foresters MIA SPRINGER Staff Writer Willow oaks and cherry blossom trees paint Wake Forest’s campus while the famous Wait Chapel sits dutifully atop the quad — it is spring in the forest. Although “forest” is in the name, Wake Forest campus’s aesthetic beauty isn’t all-natural. Instead, it’s made possible through the continuous work of landscapers and arborists like campus landscaper Paul Scheff. “My goal is to make sure we keep campus beautiful and friendly and make sure it’s a place where students can feel comfortable and at home,” Scheff said. According to the National Park Service, urban trees play a vital role in combating climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The more trees there are, the more carbon dioxide is taken out of our atmosphere and into the ground where it belongs. On a willow oak outside of Davis Residence Hall, the Office of Sustainability attached a flyer stating that this singular tree filters 53,000 gallons of water in five years — reducing erosion and pollution. Similar flyers can be seen tied around trees on campus highlighting key statistics on the benefits of different species in an effort to “Keep the Forest Green.” In addition to their environmental benefits, trees provide a cultural ecosystem service — a benefit gained from human interaction with nature. According to the Freshwater Information Platform, a cultural ecosystem service can be immersing oneself in a natural aesthetic, such as a forest. This
when choosing which trees to plant. “My most important role is to make sure the trees don’t pose an unreasonable risk to the campus community,” Mussetter said. The risk Mussetter refers to is the use of pesticides, as some harmful pesticides may be carcinogenic, or cancer-causing, according to the EPA. Native trees, such as the willow oak species seen around campus, are already adjusted to the soil conditions, so no chemical fertilizers or excess water are needed, as stated in Leaf & Limb. In the debate of health versus beauty on Wake Forest’s campus, Mussetter makes choices reflecting Wake Forest’s landscaping developments. For example, parking lot Q is a vast chunk of asphalt that separates the campus. Cohen emphasized how this pavement increases runoff. Consequently, Scheff said, “Putting a lot of green space into the lot would limit car space, and we are already limited on parking on campus, so I think that is one of the reasons a lot of green space is not in lot Q.” Because of excess development, the root systems are being damaged. “The root system seems to be under assault constantly…it may be foot traffic or Office of Environmental Health & Safetey vehicles,” Mussetter said. Because of continuous foot traffic, our flower beds. campus is dominated by willow oaks, a spe“An ecologically healthy campus is a beau- cies that can withstand some degree of urban tiful campus,” said Brain Cohen, the assis- damage. tant director for sustainability engagement Cohen emphasized that if these roots are in the Wake Forest Office of Sustainability. damaged, they will be less likely to take up Jim Mussetter, the campus arborist, has water and unable to mitigate stormwater to consider both the logistics and aesthetics runoff. benefit goes hand in hand with helping reduce stress and anxiety. This is also referred to as “ecotherapy,” which the American Heart Association defines as drawing our five senses to nature, focusing on the sights, smells and feelings of nature. The texture of the grass on your feet as you sit on the quad or the smell of the cherry blossoms as you walk to class is secretly improving your mental health. Scheff said that he will try to ask students what flowers they would like to see in the
“It’s challenging to be an advocate for the trees in the everchanging campus environment. The campus continues to grow and conflicts over trees arise,” Mussetter said. “I do the best I can to be the voice for the trees.” Amidst the trees on campus, students still find a way to enjoy their natural environment. “It’s interesting because I know it’s very manmade, but I do feel like there is a lot of green space in and around campus,” sophomore Isabella Gerace said. Gerace’s favorite spot on campus is Hearn Plaza, where she can step away from her work and connect to the natural world. “I enjoy an afternoon where I can lay outside and lose track of time and get disconnected from emails and work for a moment,” Gerace said. “Breathing fresh air makes me feel much better.” Gerace feels the direct effects of ecotherapy — relieving her stress and opening her mind. Similarly, sophomore Harper Shanly created Hammock Haven last spring, where all students can relax in nature. This haven, available Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., is geared toward people gaining stewardship for the outdoors as a means of relaxation. Shaley chose a corner next to Winston Hall, full of trees that can fit 10 hammocks at once. “[Campus nature] makes me feel comforted. Life around campus is bustling with both the students and natural elements around me,” Shanly said
Contact Mia Springer at spriml21@wfu.edu
Scanning for sustainability
Alumna Meredith Mulhearn (‘01) combines art and technology to plant trees ANNA BEIM Staff Writer
At the intersection of art, technology and environmentalism, artist and Wake Forest alumnus Meredith Mulhearn (‘01) combines technology and her passion for the environment in her artwork by using dried moss to create QR codes that combat deforestation with each scan. Mulhearn created two of these 40”x40” QR codes, titled “Reforestation 1” and “Reforestation 2.” In her presentation for Wake Forest’s TechX 2023 on March 28, Mulhearn shared her artistic and technological process of creating these QR codes. TechX is an annual virtual event held by Wake Forest University Information Systems to showcase the incorporation of technology in the projects and achievements of students, staff and faculty at Wake Forest. After graduating from Wake Forest, Mulhearn received her M.A. in art therapy from New York University. As an associate member of Artists for Conservation, the world’s leading artists’ group supporting the environment, Mulhearn combines her passion for environmentalism with her artistic vision. “We have to take on the role of the caregiver now and sustain the very planet that sustains us,” Mulhearn said. “I do
my part through my art by fostering awareness and creating a call to action, and that’s my journey.” When Mulhearn heard of the opening of RPAC Art Center and Academy in 2018, she jumped at the chance to fulfill her life purpose with art by applying to be the first resident artist. With this newfound opportunity and a background in botanical painting, Mulhearn dedicated her artistry at RPAC to environmentalism. However, after officially returning to the art scene with RPAC, Mulhearn felt as though something was missing. “Although I was doing something that I loved, I felt like I had a bigger purpose that I was here for,” Mulhearn said. Following the path of nature themes and environmentalism to find this missing piece, Mulhearn began to research ideas such as plant blindness — the dark side of technology. Plant blindness is an inability to notice surrounding nature and plants due to the constant use of technology. According to Mulhearn, plant blindness negatively affects our relationship to the environment and conservation efforts: “The further we disconnect from nature and the less emotional connection we have with nature, the less inspired we feel to support [conservation].”
To combat this negative effect of technology, Mulhearn envisioned a QR code that combined conservation efforts with frequent technology use. The code leads viewers to a donation site to contribute to various non-profit environmental organizations. With or without a donation, Mulhearn tracks each scan and pays for up to 2,000 trees to be planted — one for each scan. According to Mulhearn’s interview with Wake Forest Magazine, a land restoration organization called Trees for the Future automatically plants a tree for each scan that Mulhearn sponsors, up to 2,000 trees at a total cost of $500. However, without a significant background in technology, this task was not as easy as it seemed. “There were so many questions that I had to ask before I could even get started,” Mulhearn said. In order to create a functioning QR code, Mulhearn had to discern proper sizing, positioning and color contrast while combating issues of light sources, positioning and potential shadows that could interfere with the piece. By a stroke of luck, one of the 15 artists at RPAC happened to be one of the developers of the QR code. “Kind of amazing to think that of all the little handfuls of people in this entire world that were involved in this process, one of them was in the room next to
me,” Mulhearn said. This vital information allowed Mulhearn to begin the creation process. After days of conducting extensive research, utilizing graphic design programs for mockups, inserting the moss into a sufficient frame, meticulously evening edges and cleaning squares and finding courage after failed attempts, Mulhearn completed her final product. “I had to be an artist, but I also had to be a designer, an engineer, an architect, a mathematician and a chemist,” Mulhearn said, “and none of this would have been possible without technology.” One of Mulhearn’s pieces from this series, “Reforestation 2,” is currently on display at the Office of Sustainability in Reynolda Hall. Mulhearn invites students, staff, faculty and others to scan these codes and make a combined effort to preserve the environment. Mulhearn encourages others to use her story as an example to overcome their own limitations and utilize technology to make a difference in the world. “So my question to you is: how far are you willing to go to make a positive impact? Knowing how valuable technology is, I hope that you all will embrace it and take it to the next level,” Mulhearn said. Contact Anna Beim at beimal21@wfu.edu
OPINION OLD GOLD & BLACK
Shaila Prasad, prassp21@wfu.edu
Lauren Carpenter, carple21@wfu.edu
PAGE 11 THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023
The views expressed in all opinion columns represent those of the article’s author, not the opinions of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board
An open letter to America
Fear and polarization have made gun control legislation more necessary than ever DILLON CLARK Staff Columnist Dear America, No sugarcoating. No getting around it. No imagery. No fancy language. No bullsh*t… We need to do better. This is no longer an issue of politics. It is an issue of our livelihood.
We cannot simply wait for Congress to put aside their parties as the blood of our children runs down our classroom walls and whiteboards. It’s a disturbing thought. I know. But I couldn’t care less about our comfort. Enough is enough. I can’t even begin to tell you how often I’ve heard those words. “Enough is enough.” When I was in eighth grade, February 2018, after the Parkland school shooting that killed 17. “Enough is enough.” My senior year of high school, May 2022, after the Uvalde school shooting that killed 22. “Enough is enough.” Nashville, Tenn., March 27, 2023, leaving six dead, three of which were under the age of 10. I wish I could say I don’t bear responsibility for those deaths, but I do. We all do. We see and acknowledge the problem and time and time again we let it drift to the backs of our minds until once again it resurges. The politicization of the issue has made it nearly impossible to create meaningful change. Both Democrats and Republicans are senseless to the urgency and desperation with which our country needs change. Yet, we are content with sitting in a standoff. We are content with simply offering our thoughts and prayers and just hoping that it doesn’t happen again. This is where my frustration lies. Regardless of what you think the source of the problem is, there is action and something that can be done to prevent this from happening again. Think the problem is gun control and background checks? Create bipartisan bills that make it harder to purchase AR-15s. All the guns in Parkland, Uvalde and Nashville were purchased legally. The Nashville shooter was able to buy seven guns without their parents knowing and without raising any red flags. The Uvalde shooter was able to buy two AR-
15s and more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition shortly after turning 18 years old. No one was alerted. If that isn’t an indicator that our gun control system and policy is beyond horrible, I don’t know what is. Do you think the source of the problem is mental health? Then support mental health reform and offer affordable accessibility to mental healthcare. We have yet to fully include the practice of psychiatric and psychological test-
ing in the process of background checks. It is worth mentioning that the same Republicans who claim our gun problem to be a mental health problem repeatedly have denied mental health care reform.
When the shooter is a white male, several Republicans constantly reason that mental health is the true reason behind the crime and not the gun. Yet, if you watched Fox News at all after the Nashville shooting, you would hear Sen. Josh Hawley call it “a hate crime against Christianity’’ and Tucker Carlson blame it on transgender people and their “demonic
ideology that is infecting this country.” In a time of mourning and national grief over the three American children and three American adults killed in Nashville, some Republicans have inappropriately resorted to hate and division. Twenty-nine percent of transgender youths and 16% of gay and lesbian youths are threatened or injured with a weapon on school property. It is this exact hate and division that fuels and perpetuates bullying, hate crimes, LGBTQ+ violence and cultural violence in the United States. America is opening its eyes and turning to the realization that our gun control is more than lackadaisical. Some extreme conservatives
are resorting to fear and desperately grasp at hate and division to cover up for the fact that guns, as protective as they might be, are not worth the blood of our children and are not the solution to this problem. They might say “mass shootings make up only a small fraction of gun deaths” or “cars cause more deaths but they are legal.” Let’s talk about facts, then. No other country in the world has nearly the number of mass shootings as the United States. We make up 5% of the world population yet 31% of mass shootings. Since the Columbine school shooting in 1999, there have been 376 school shootings and nearly 349,000 people have experienced gun violence at school. Guns are the number one leading cause of death among American children and teens. Children 19 or younger are one in 10 gun deaths. Practical use is also an important factor. We use cars and trucks each day to transport, get home and travel. We are quite literally fueled by their practicality. Guns have mainly two practical uses for the public — defense and hunting. An AR-15 is needed in neither case. You don’t go hunting with an AR-15 because, at the end of using it, nothing is left. It has no other purpose but to shred a body to pieces. How long will it take us to learn? This can’t be about politics. The more we let ourselves divide into factions and parties, the more shootings like this will happen. We each have a practical answer, whether it be gun control or mental health or better police protection of schools. We can’t let our religion, race, sexuality, identity or party get in the way of progress
and cooperation. On March 27, 2023, six people lost their voices. They will no longer be able to tell their loved ones good morning or goodnight or even “I love you.” They may have lost their voices, but we have not lost ours. We must speak for those without a voice and honor the lives of those who lost theirs. Thank you, and God bless the United States of America. Dillon Clark Contact Dillon Clark at clardj22@wfu.edu
Page 12 | Thursday, April 13, 2023
Old Gold & Black | Opinion
Our real government: Greek Life It's time for students to hold Greek Life accountable CONNOR MCNEELY Senior Columnist When the 2022-2023 Student Government budget started to circulate on Fizz, I was glad to see that students were finally asking meaningful questions about the election of the student body president. People have long needed to understand that the position is not just a popularity contest but a decision about who represents you and who wields a substantial amount of power on campus, some of it being in the form of the organization’s allotted money. For the second consecutive year, there has been a lot of debate and gossip around the two presidential candidates that became re m a rk a b l y unproductive. Every year, students complain about the ineffectiveness of Student Government and how they see it as a meaningless institution that cannot change things, and then the discussion devolves into malicious comments about the personal lives and character of the candidates. Wake Forest students more often than not believe that Student Government doesn’t really matter. In a way, they’re right. Student Government and other organizations, like the Old Gold & Black, for instance, receive large amounts of money from the university and use it to serve the Wake Forest community and provide professional development for their members. To many people, that matters and can change many things. But to social organizations such as fraternities and sororities, these clubs can often be seen as jokes. I’m not attacking the importance of Student Government or other organizations here. I was Editorin-Chief of the Old Gold & Black for a year and was fully invested in the idea that the reporting and creativity of my staff could make a difference on campus. In fact, I still believe that. It’s why I chose to write this article. What I am saying is that the actions and membership of organizations like Student Government and the campus newspaper don’t have much influence on the real student-run power broker at Wake Forest University: Greek life. Fraternities and sororities are the dominant forms of social life on campus. Over the past four years, membership for Greek life among undergraduates has increased 4%, to 2745 students out of the total population of approximately 5300. If you want more proof of this dominance, go on any campus tour and listen as the guide stops outside of a lounge and delivers a five-minute disclaimer about the Greek life experience at Wake Forest. They’ll admit that it’s kind of the thing everybody does here. Go stand outside any dorm on campus on a Wednesday, Friday or Saturday night and watch charter buses load hundreds of students for date functions, or wait a little later and see them cramming into pledge drivers’ cars. As a concept, being a member of Greek life should be fun. They should be social clubs that fit your character, passions and interests — one that allows you to find lifelong friends and make unforgettable memories. Greek organizations should be powerful, charitable forces for good. Many of my friends have found this in fraternities and sororities, and I’m happy for them. It’s what people are looking for in their college experience. But not everyone finds it. There are many people who are excluded from these organizations. If this is happening, then people need to start acknowledging fraternities and sororities for what they really are — the government of our student body. They regulate and represent most students, and they have to be held accountable for their actions. If this doesn’t happen, Wake Forest, like other higher education institutions across
America, will continue to have campus life that is exclusive, discriminatory and destructive. If you don’t believe that we have an experience like this, take a look at what’s happened in the last four years. Two of the largest student-led protests in school history led the administration to realize that the campus climate surrounding sexual assault and harassment is dire. Half of the Sexual Assault Prevention Support and Accountability (SAPSA) survey sample — 38% of the school’s population — reported experiencing at least one incident of sexual misconduct. We cannot afford to pretend that everyone is responsible for this problem. Students and the university have to look at the most popular form of social organization — Greek life. The campus climate survey didn’t make a distinction to the role these organizations have played in these issues, nor did it even appear to collect data regarding the social membership of respondents. You cannot reasonably expect to change any problems of sexual misconduct without analyzing the role of social organizations in which half of the undergraduate population holds membership. These social organizations create breeding grounds for sexual misconduct. Just last year, Lauren Carpenter, a member of the staff of the Old Gold & Black, bravely shared her experience with this issue. People who have tried to solve this problem or discuss it have included national context to show you that this is a problem everywhere, which is extremely unproductive. The only way that this is going to get fixed is for everyone to realize that these are our sororities and fraternities, and these are our problems. It isn’t at all difficult for me to point out the disgusting issues with many of Wake Forest’s Greek life organizations. Their secret recruitment processes rank prospective students based on their physical characteristics, wealth and social status, leading to exclusion that is damaging to people. Our sororities and fraternities breed white elitism, according to Abby Bermeo, an Old Gold & Black columnist who is involved in a sorority and advocated for reform last year. Any other solution that doesn’t address these or-
ganizations will fail. The only way that this community will overcome issues of sexual misconduct and exclusionary social life is by working together. Students have to take control of their fraternities and sororities and make sure that these practices aren’t being recreated. Sororities and fraternities need to have recruiting processes that are more visible, and thereby more equitable. Partying should be made safer — schools like Brown have encouraged drinking and partying in dormitories rather than more unsafe off-campus destinations. Administrators and Student Government must at least look at the problem in a more comprehensive way. If the national context of fraternity culture is tied to sexual misconduct and assault, so much so that many members of fraternities and sororities across the United States are calling for the abolition of Greek life, shouldn’t it stand to reason that we should at least look critically at our fraternities and sororities? Wake Forest must be bold and take action when unrecognized fraternities like DKE create harmful environments for students. If this chapter is composed entirely of Wake Forest students, and they use the university’s name to recruit, then the administration has a responsibility to intervene through the law when students experience sexual misconduct from these fraternities. I’ve spent four years here at Wake Forest and have loved every minute of it. I will forever be indebted to our administration for their hard work, which made my experience better than I could have ever dreamed. But at the same time, I’ve been really hard on them. This is because I am honest about what happens at this school and how things can be improved. I still think that can make a difference, and that’s why I continue to do it. This is my final appeal to the Wake Forest community: Please work to make this right. As a student who has constantly seen and trusted in the radical potential of the Wake Forest community, I know that your efforts will be worth their weight. Contact Connor McNeely at mcnecb19@wfu.edu
"Students have to take control of their ties and make sure that these practices
Shaila Prasad/Old Gold & Black
fraternities and sororiaren't being recreated ."
Opinion | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, April 13, 2023 | Page 13
A love letter to course registration Just kidding, let me tell you why it sucks AARON NATALINE Sports Editor
Many Wake Forest students claim that housing registration is the worst time of the school year. Sure, friendships fall apart and double-crossings peak to “Survivor” levels, but I think course registration takes the cake on this one. I’m fairly certain that each time I have pressed that “Plan Ahead” button on the registration portal, I have suffered an existential crisis. Some people switch career paths after experiencing a spiritual epiphany while listening to an esteemed guest speaker or traveling across the world alone. When my plans change, the process resembles one of those scenes in a cartoon where the characters desperately change tracks in a handcar — I’m thinking of “Hoodwinked!” here — and it’s based on silly messages like “TIME CONFLICT!” and “COURSE FULL!” After processing the trauma I experienced after not getting into a single class I wanted for the spring semester of my freshman year, I just wish I had been warned. While I have really loved all my academic advisors, their optimism could be considered a little misleading. Although my course requirements will still be fulfilled in four years, what would have gone a long way for my freshman self would have been an academic adviser telling me that I would be lucky to get a single course on my newest plan. Now keep in mind, I’m a humanities major with a double minor. I think if I decided to double major, I would most likely be raising a family in Deacon Place in six years — and still not have HES 100 fulfilled. With how difficult it was to get into desirable classes, I ended up not taking a single course toward my major or either of my minors during freshman year. I spent 2021 taking divisionals and language requirements galore. At the pace I was being passed around different academic buildings, I should have been putting up Lilting Banshees posters. This struggle evolved into what I like to call the “WIN Hates You Paradox,” which began with the courses left by my registration time being unable to help me graduate in any way. Thus, I would call it quits at 13 or 14 hours — because taking FYS 101: Watching Paint Dry didn’t interest
me as a second first-year seminar — and I would be punished for it during the next registration cycle. My lack of hours earned me later and later registration times, during which fewer and fewer useful courses would remain. But as you get older, there’s a way around this. Declaring your major obviously pays crucial dividends. Along with pre-registration, once students declare, their major advisor will send them lists of all available courses for the next semester. All students should be eligible for these emails because staring at the registration portal’s presentation of available classes feels like gawking at an unfinished crossword. For some departments, these
cheat sheets are available online, but increased accessibility couldn’t hurt anybody. But before we continue, let me tell you about my worst experience. I dropped one class — for which I had already registered — to see if another section would work better, but it didn’t. But when I tried to add the original class, the website let me know that the remaining seats were reserved for freshmen. There was literally the same number of spots still open as when I had dropped it. I had to cut loose another class to make a new section fit. I also maturely screamed at the top of my lungs. Now if you’re a course registration wizard, you know I made the mistake of not using the conditional add/drop button. Although I’d argue it’s for nerds anyway, I will admit that I made an oopsie — but we all make oopsies! My efforts to correct this were truly sincere, for I sent a passionate, yet polite email to the original section’s professor about my situation. I was then deeply humbled. None of these qualms with registration is any professor’s fault. I genuinely believe we have great faculty, but I also believe that people are lying when they say emailing professors can help a student sneak into a full class. I am 0-3 on this front, quite literally tossing bricks out on the court. But here’s the thing: I don’t need those bricks because I am not trying to build anything. I am not an engineering major. Part of my frustration may be traceable to the fact that some of my closest friends are engineering majors, and they simply can’t understand. Nobody wants to take their god-forsaken classes anyway, so course registration is a breeze for them. They even get cute little four-year plans in their freshman year — it’s a whole assignment — and I would love it if more departments offered this to potential majors. The thing is, I’m not even one of those unlucky students who were given the wrong WIN pin ahead of registration — I will always pray for them. But all I’m saying is that a “Bottom Line, Up Front” email on registration simply would have been incredible for my mental health. It probably would have kept me from spending three hours on a registration plan a week ahead of my time for freshman spring classes. Maybe it’s not as necessary for us humanities majors and our comparatively flexible requirements, but I know I would have more hair on my head today if I was walked through a fouryear plan during my freshman year.
Photo courtesy of Ethan Rodriguez
Contact Aaron Nataline at nataae21@wfu.edu
SPORTS
PAGE 14 THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023
Follow us on Twitter @wfuogbsports OLD GOLD & BLACK
Ian Steffensen stefip21@wfu.edu Aaron Nataline nataae21@wfu.edu Sean Kennedy kennsm21@wfu.edu
Baseball sweeps NC State The No. 2 ranked Demon Deacons have won eight-straight conference games, and lead the ACC AVIKAR KHAKH Staff Writer
No. 2 Wake Forest (28-4, 12-2) held off in-conference rival NC State (20-11, 5-9) this past weekend, sweeping the Sunday doubleheader, along with the series, two games to none. The Demon Deacons were looking forward to playing a three-game set against the Wolfpack, but the first game of the series was canceled due to inclement weather. A doubleheader on Sunday was the result. In the first matchup of the day, Wake Forest junior Rhett Lowder (6-0) took the mound and looked to face NC State’s junior Logan Whitaker (2-2). The Demon Deacons got off to a quick start in the first inning after junior Pierce Bennett singled to left center, scoring junior Lucas Costello to give Wake Forest the swift 1-0 lead. The Wolfpack responded quickly in the second inning, tying the game on an RBI single from junior Kalae Harrison. In the fourth inning, the Demon Deacons were able to string together a few solid at-bats. Junior Justin Johnson knocked a lead-off single at the start of the inning. Then, junior Jake Reinisch reached first on a walk followed by a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Danny Corona, allowing for Johnson and Reinisch to each advance a base. With runners in prime scoring position, junior Bennett Lee made no mistake as he hit an RBI single, scoring Johnson. To follow up,
freshman Marek Houston flew out to right field, bringing Lee home to tag up and score on a sacrifice fly, giving the Demon Deacons a 3-1 lead. Once again, the Wolfpack answered quickly. A three-run homer in the following inning gave them their first lead of the game at 4-3. As a result, junior Seth Keener (4-0) took over for Lowder and was able to finish the inning with three consecutive outs, including two strikeouts. Lowder finished his afternoon with four innings pitched, seven hits allowed and four strikeouts. The Demon Deacons took back the lead in the seventh inning after Bennett earned a walk with the bases loaded, scoring Houston. Immediately after, Costello scored on a wild pitch followed by a sacrifice fly to left field by Johnson, scoring Wilken. With a dominant seventh inning, Wake Forest took the 6-4 lead. Keener continued his commanding performance on the mound with a one-two-
three eighth inning. Keener finished his afternoon with four innings pitched, zero hits and four strikeouts before junior Camden Minacci took over the mound in the ninth inning. Minacci was able to get three outs and shut down the Wolfpack’s bats, and the Demon Deacons won in the first of the two-game set. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Demon Deacons started with sophomore Josh Hartle (6-1) and faced the Wolfpack’s freshman Matt Willadsen (4-2). In the third inning, Wake Forest broke the ice with Bennett hitting an RBI single to left field, scoring sophomore Tommy Hawke. The Demon Deacons, not content with the score being 1-0, scored two more thanks to a passed ball and a wild pitch, scoring Costello and Wilken. With Hartle pitching an excellent game, it wasn’t until the fifth inning that the Wolf-
pack finally got on the scoreboard. After an error committed by the Wake Forest infield and two separate RBI singles, NC State was able to tie the game at three runs a piece. Sophomore Sean Sullivan (5-1) took the mound from Hartle, who finished his day with four innings pitched, six hits allowed and five strikeouts. The Demon Deacons answered back in the seventh inning after Bennett hit a clutch RBI double, scoring Costello and advancing Wilken to third base. To follow up, Wilken and Bennett both came home to score after an infield error by the Wolfpack, giving the Demon Deacons a 6-3 lead. Sullivan, continuing his dominant pitching campaign, was able to close out the NC State offense with a shutdown eighth inning, followed by a solid ninth inning to give Wake Forest the series sweep with a 6-3 win. Earning their 28th win of the season while also improving their in-conference record to 12-2, the Demon Deacons look to keep rolling through the season with their remarkable pitching and timely hitting. After winning 10-4 against Appalachian State, Wake Forest will now look ahead to an important three-game set against in-conference No. 10 Louisville, who are currently ranked 10th in the nation. The series against Louisville will kick off this upcoming Friday, April 14, and will run through the weekend in Cardinal Stadium. Contact Avikar Khakh at khakas22@wfu.edu
Demon Deacons focus on draft Draft day brings excitement for football prospects
SEAN KENNEDY Asst. Sports Editor
When the NFL Draft starts on April 27, many NFL teams will look to draft the best production possible. But for some of last season’s best Wake Forest players, they’ll look to hear their names sometime during the stressful seven rounds. After a pre-draft process that included the NFL Combine, a Wake Forest Pro Day and multiple postseason bowl opportunities for various Demon Deacon prospects, each player looked to impress the NFL scouts in the audience to earn his position on an NFL roster. The most prolific name throughout the draft process is undoubtedly the star wide receiver A.T. Perry. After breaking multiple Demon Deacon records throughout his career in Winston-Salem, the Lake Worth, Fla. native is looking to make it on the next level as a premier wideout. His senior season, Perry posted 1,096 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 81 receptions. An excellent showing at the NFL Combine has solidified Perry as a safe
pick for teams looking for superior technical ability along with a strong base. Perry had a historical performance for ACC wide receivers in the broad jump with an 11-foot-1-inch leap — the highest of any ACC wide receiver in NFL Combine history. According to Danny Kelly of “The Ringer,” Perry is a “silky-smooth pass catcher with a quick first step and a huge catch radius.” Kelly also said that Perry “...had enough wiggle to beat press coverage..” and ran routes “... with little wasted movement.” On the defensive side, lineman Kobie Turner looks to be a pick coming off the board due to his tremendous metrics. According to Pro Football Focus, Turner held a 92.2 overall rating over the season in addition to his 93.1 rundefense grade and 88.8 pass-rushing grade. Despite not earning an invite to the NFL Combine, Turner will more
than likely earn his way onto an NFL roster throughout this offseason. Winston-Salem native Blake Whiteheart is also an option for NFL Teams that are looking in the tight end position. Despite concerns about his height and stature, draft analysts have been on the record as liking many aspects of his pastcatching prowess. Other names have been thrown around by major draft sites, including defensive lineman Dion Bergan Jr., who has been described as having an “excellent motor” and can “explode off the line,” per “NFLDraftBuzz.” They also mention Michael Jurgens, who is “outstanding in the screen game” and “plays with good leverage.” Despite not gaining much hype in the pre-draft process, hope cannot be lost for other names entered in the draft. For the likes of Ryan Smenda, Jacorey Johns, Jermal Martin, Sean Maginn, Tyler Williams, Je’Vionte Nash,
Loic Ngassam Nya and others, they look to replicate previous success stories of underrated Demon Deacon prospects. For example, former captain and Demon Deacon linebacker Luke Masterson became a major factor for the Las Vegas Raiders last season despite not hearing his name throughout draft weekend. After totalling 59 tackles and seven starts for the Raiders during his rookie season, he was one of a few undrafted Demon Deacons to earn snaps last year. Former Wake Forest kicker Nick Sciba earned mutliple field goal attempts with the Pittsburgh Steelers and linebacker Luiji Vilain appeared in three games with the Minnesota Vikings. History has favored the Demon Deacons in recent years, as the likes of Zach Tom, Ja’Sir Taylor and Boogie Basham have all been drafted in the first six rounds of the past two drafts. For the names entered in the 2023 NFL Draft, both they and Demon Deacon fans alike hope to hear their names called. Contact Sean Kennedy at kennsm21@wfu.edu
Page 15 | Thursday, April 13, 2023
Old Gold & Black | Sports
Women’s tennis loses two on the road 7KH 'HPRQ 'HDFRQV GURSSHG WZR PDWFKHV DJDLQVW UDQNHG $&& RSSRQHQWV 'XNH DQG 81&
CHRISTINA DENOVIO Staff Writer
The Wake Forest women’s tennis team faced two tough road losses to two top-10 ACC opponents last weekend. Wake Forest lost to No. 6 Duke on April 6 and No. 1 North Carolina on April 8, both games ending in a score of 4-0. The Demon Deacons were coming off two consecutive wins on April 2 against No. 28 Syracuse and unranked Elon. While the results were not what the team had hoped for, the Demon Deacons are keeping their heads held high as the final three matches of the regular season approach. In Durham, No. 24 Wake Forest dropped the doubles point against Duke after the second and third teams lost their matches 0-6 and 4-6, respectively. Graduate Anna Brylin and junior Brooke Killingsworth, who play at the No. 1 doubles spot and are the No. 23-ranked doubles team, left their match unfinished at 5-5. More upsetting news came for the
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
Freshman Stella Li keeps the rally alive in her singles match against No. 1 ranked UNC Tar Heels on the road Demon Deacons when junior Cassie Wooten, senior Maddie Lynch and freshman Whitley Pate each lost their singles
matches against their Blue Devil opponents. Two days later, Wake Forest hoped
to turn its luck around against the topranked team in the nation in Chapel Hill. Brylin and Killingsworth had an impressive doubles performance, as they defeated their No. 22 UNC doubles opponents 6-2. Unfortunately for the Demon Deacons, the second and third doubles teams dropped their matches against the Tar Heels. Freshman Jingyi Li, Brylin and Lynch then lost their singles matches in straight sets, allowing UNC to take the win on its home court. While the Demon Deacons had wanted to upset these two North Carolina opponents, the team still has a chance to finish the season strong with a few more matches at home. Wake Forest plays ACC opponent Virginia Tech on Friday, April 14. On Sunday, April 16, the team has a doubleheader against ACC opponent Virginia and out-of-conference opponent North Carolina A&T. &RQWDFW &KULVWLQD 'H1RYLR DW GHQRFD #ZIX HGX
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The 87th Masters Tournament promised to dazzle and entertain, as the world’s top golfers competed for the coveted green jacket. In the talented field of golfers, Wake Forest alumni Cameron Young and Will Zalatoris competed to earn the green jacket and title of Masters champion. The two Demon Deacons fought long and hard against a course that provides the hardest challenge for any golfer, but ultimately it was Spaniard Jon Rahm who came out on top. Zalatoris had been on a tear, finishing top-10 in three of the four majors last season. Augusta National had been a course that suited his game, as he came one stroke shy of winning the Masters on his debut in 2021. However, after winning his first PGA Tour event last season back in August, Zalatoris suffered a back
injury during the BMW Championship and was forced to withdraw from the FedEx Cup Playoffs. He was able to return to action at the start of the season but continued to battle back pain. Before the first round of the Masters on Thursday, Zalatoris pulled out of the event, and on Monday, he announced he would have season-ending back surgery. “Playing and living in pain is not fun,” Zalatoris posted on Instagram. “I look forward to making a full recovery and seeing everyone in the fall.” 2022 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Cameron Young looked to continue his momentum and prove himself at an event where he missed the cut last year. Young has been one of the most consistent players on Tour for the past year, and the Masters posed an amazing opportunity to get his first major career victory. “I’ve been playing well, I feel like,’’ Young said at a pre-tournament press
Photo courtesy of the Masters
Cameron Young hits his approach shot on the par five 13th Hole Azalea. Young’s strong push on Sunday landed him a seventh place finish.
conference. “I feel like it’s been going the right direction, and I’m just excited to get the week started.” Young opened his first round on fire, with birdies on the first three holes. He ultimately finished his first round with seven birdies and two bogeys and came into the clubhouse at five-under — good for fourth place. Young had this to say to the press after his opening round: “I am really comfortable, I really didn’t have any first-tee nerves, and I think the more I’m out here, the more I see these golf courses, I think they just generally suit my game quite well. I’ve obviously proven to myself that I can compete and contend with them.” On Friday, inclement weather arrived, and fans feared it would throw a wrench into the weekend. Young had one of the later tee times, which meant he would face the brunt of the tough conditions. Young coped well with the high winds, though, and remained even through the first six holes. He bogeyed the seventh hole but bounced right back with a birdie on the next. Young birdied the 10th hole before play was halted for the day. Young was forced to tee off early Saturday morning to finish his second round. He started the famed Amen Corner in the pouring rain, and he managed fairly well. On the par-three 12th Hole Golden Bell, Young flighted his ball through the heavy rain, landed the green and made the six-foot putt for a birdie. On the par-five Hole 13 Azalea, Young hooked his drive right into the pine straw which created a difficult lie. On the punch out, his ball rolled into Rae’s Creek, and he was forced to drop a stroke. Young escaped with a bogey and looked ahead to the remaining holes. On Hole 17, Young missed his drive right again and ended up in the pine straw. His second shot went 40 yards right of the hole, and the next pitch onto the green rolled off. Young made a double bogey as
a result of these miscues. He finished the second round at par, seven shots off the lead. Young started his third round a mere two hours after finishing his second. He managed to birdie the first hole but found water on the second hole, eventually coming away with a bogey. Young finished the front nine at one-over before play was postponed for the rest of the day due to inclement weather. He struggled on the back half, with a double bogey on the 12th and bogeys on 14 and 15. Young finished the third round three over par and was two under going into the final round, 10 shots off the lead. As the sun came out and the course began to heat up, Young looked to make a push on Masters Sunday. He made three birdies on the front nine and started the back nine five shots off the lead. Young struggled again on Hole 12, and a tough three-putt resulted in a bogey. He bounced right back with an eagle on the 13th Hole. Young managed to birdie the 17th and was three shots off the lead in third place with a score of seven under. He missed the green on the final hole, and a tough up and down meant he had to settle for bogey. Young carded a round of 68 in the final round and finished sixunder for the tournament in a tie for seventh. “Obviously, there’s no one out here that doesn’t want to win, myself included,” said Young in a post-tournament press conference. “It’s a bummer to feel like I played well enough to win and to just come up a few short. It’s just frustrating in the moment.’’ Young certainly has the tools to succeed on the PGA Tour, and Demon Deacon fans will hope they won’t have to wait too long for his maiden victory. Contact Ian Steffensen at VWH¿S #ZIX HGX
Page 16 | Thursday, April 13, 2023
Old Gold & Black | Sports
Looking back on baseball’s pandemic season The Demon Deacons move up to fourth in the ACC following victories over Louisville and Notre Dame AARON NATALINE Sports Editor
The spring sports season is currently gracing the Demon Deacon faithful with an incredible baseball season — Wake Forest (29-4 12-2) is No. 2 in the nation — and another gift is to come with the return of men’s soccer. Head Coach Bobby Muuss’ team will be welcoming nine star-studded programs to Winston-Salem for the Spring Soccer Cup beginning in just two days on Sunday, April 16, and the track and field squad’s next two weekends are packed with the Southside Power and Fitness Invitational and then the Wake Forest Invitational. Truist Field will also host football’s spring game on Saturday, April 15. About a month ago, the Old Gold & Black reflected on the 2020 spring game that was scrapped three years ago as the COVID-19 pandemic postponed everything from haircuts to education. Just as Wake Forest football saw its team sent home for the remainder of that spring semester, the baseball team had to grapple with cancellations and ever-developing updates from the NCAA as well. Wake Forest Baseball Head Coach Tom Walter candidly reflected on the chaos of the 2020 season in a recent interview. Breaking news “On Wednesday, March 11 we were on spring break and playing at Coastal Carolina,” Walter said. “Roughly two hours prior to the game, our players got messages that Wake Forest had extended break by a week due to the spread of the virus.” The Demon Deacons played through that game and weren’t able to come out of Conway, S.C. with a victory. But the 10-4 loss wouldn’t be the most important decision of the week. “The next morning…at roughly 11 a.m., I spoke to the Clemson coach, whose team we were scheduled to play in a three-game series beginning the next day, and he assured me that they were still planning to come [to Winston Salem],” Walter said. “By 3 p.m., we learned that the Clemson series was canceled. By noon the next day, the NCAA had decided to cancel the entire season.” This timeline, cresting with false hope and crashing with disappointment, is similar to the experience of many coaches and educators around the world. What began as strange news in the midst of coaching through a regular season loss turned out to be confirmation that the Coastal Carolina game would be the last of Wake Forest’s season. The team wouldn’t play a game for another 345 days — the season opener against Northeastern on Feb. 19, 2021. “It was far and away the most heartbreaking moment in my collegiate coaching career,” Walter said. A need to adapt With the majority of the country under lockdown for the next month and a half, Walter and his staff set about maintaining virtual contact among his team. “Communication was mainly via group text once everyone got home,” Walter said. “We tried to communicate daily with our guys and encourage them to stay in touch with one another.” He continued: “Once Zoom hit the scene and became mainstream, we started scheduling Zoom calls every other week or so to stay connected. It was definitely a challenge.” That challenge persisted into the recruitment pro-
cess for a graduating class that had also seen its last seasons come to a premature close. “It definitely changed recruiting,” Walter said. “We were having to offer players without them face to face and without in-person evaluations. Some schools that are less ethical than we were began offering everyone, which put pressure on us to make decisions on offers without nearly as much information.” Returning to the diamond College students flocked back to school in Fall 2020 and with new COVID-19 protocols of varying intensity. “We were thrilled to be back in the ballpark and playing ball, but life was much different,” Walter said. While Wake Forest freshmen were balancing making friends and not getting caught maskless by a resident adviser in the common rooms, the baseball team was forced to figure out how to practice while adhering to social distancing rules. Walter recalled that the return brought forth a new set of obstacles. “Guys couldn’t be in the clubhouse at the same time, we couldn’t have in-person team meetings and couldn’t share meals together,” Walter said. “The team chemistry and camaraderie, [things we] truthfully do best here at Wake Forest, suffered greatly.” Normalcy proved to still be out of reach once the spring season kicked off. Of the first 13 scheduled games, six were postponed or canceled due to COVID-19 outbreaks. “After the second weekend of the year, we had an outbreak on our team where a dozen players got COVID-19 in a 24-hour period,” Walter said. “This shut us down for 10 d ay s. When we went to Miami two weeks later, we had half our roster and had to cancel a game. The team was struggling.” As the possibility of another shortened season became reality, the task of keeping players’ minds on the goal — winning as many games as possible — became difficult for Walter. “We had a bunch of seniors who felt they got short-changed in the draft the year prior and decided to play for themselves and their draft statuses instead of the team,” Walter said. “It was a tough couple of months.” While the road never grew smooth for Wake Forest that season — the team finished 2027. The extra year of eligibility the NCAA provided college players gifted the Demon
Deacon some solid players that remain on the team this year. From pandemic to powerhouse The road never did grow smooth for Wake Forest that season as they finished the 2021 season 20-27. Whether or not you credit those results to the coronavirus pandemic, there are other impacts that are objectively affecting the game. A prime example is the extra year of eligibility given to student athletes who had a season scrapped by COVID-19. “I would say the extra eligibility has helped the other teams in our league more than it has helped us,” Walter said. “It is hard for us to get transfers at Wake Forest. Historically, the school just doesn’t accept enough of the transferable hours.” Wake Forest has received some transfers who could play by way of the extra year of eligibility; however, Walter believes other schools have received more. “We had gotten some graduate students from Georgetown, Lafayette, Dartmouth and NYU who had an extra year due to COVID-19,” Walter said “They have helped our club.” Graduates Kyle Joye, Chase Walter and Cole Roland are among these players and are equal parts in the so far incredible 2023 season. The 2020 season was cut short for everybody, and the Demon Deacons’ 2021 campaign fell flat. But the years since have seen Wake Forest explode onto the scene as a powerhouse in college baseball. The 2022 team tallied more than 40 wins and each won a game in the NCAA Regionals and ACC Baseball Championships. This year’s squad is ranked No. 2 overall in the country and is posed to make a deep postseason run. The Demon Deacons will get another chance to prove themselves this weekend with a series versus Louisville. Contact Aaron Nataline at nataae21@wfu.edu
Photo courtesy of @wakebaseball
PAGE 17 THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023
LIFE OLD GOLD & BLACK
Adam Coil, coilat21@wfu.edu James Watson, watsjc22@wfu.edu
Six reasons you should watch 'Daisy Jones and the Six' Amazon Prime series pays homage to '70s rock MELINA TRAIFOROS Staff Writer
The Amazon Prime series “Daisy Jones & The Six,” based on the bestselling novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, chronicles the rise and fall of a fictional rock band. Here are six reasons why it deserves a binge watch: Star-Studded Album The song lyrics allow characters — especially lead singers Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne — to communicate complicated emotions on stage. “If you’re gonna let me down, let me down easy” the pair harmonizes into a shared microphone with intense eye contact suggesting a deeper meaning. Although the songs themselves differ from Jenkins Reid’s, Grammy award-winner Blake Mills produced hits like “Look At Us Now (Honeycomb)” and “The River” that were capable of propelling a group of no-names to international stardom. Co-writers include Phoebe Bridgers, Jackson Browne, Cass McCombs and Marcus Mumford. ’70s Outfit Inspiration Fashion is a language of its own in
“Daisy Jones & The Six.” The show’s wardrobe consists of vintage 1970s pieces, hand-picked by costume designer Denise Wingate from thrift shops and flea markets. Billy’s iconic denim-ondenim look appears for the band’s first performance on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip — signifying the birth of his rockstar persona. The androgynous yet sex-appealing suits worn by keyboardist Karen Sirko reflect her struggle to be taken seriously as a musician while retaining her femininity. Daisy is an echo of former Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks. Fur coats and draping sleeves draw a parallel between their stories of doomed romance. Unreliable Narrators One of the most enthralling qualities of “Daisy Jones & The Six” is retroactive storytelling. Instead of following the band’s highs and lows in real-time, characters recount events 50 years (or 20, in the show’s case) after the fact in an interview setting. Jenkins Reid is a master of foregoing the normal privies of an audience to a character’s thoughts. Unlike omniscient points of view, honesty is not assumed. Her celebrity protagonists are acutely aware of being read
and watched and intend to preserve an image. Truth lies between the lines and behind innuendos. Characters give two versions of the same situation, and it is up to you, if anyone, to believe. Portrayal of Addiction Rockstars and drugs go hand-in-hand. Unlike shows like HBO Max’s “Euphoria,” “Daisy Jones & The Six” takes care not to glorify addiction. Billy’s partying in episode two threatens his beloved family, and during a heart-to-heart in producer Teddy Price’s car, a close shot reveals the extent of Billy’s shame and devastation. The camera does not shy from Daisy’s cocaine-induced injuries — from bleeding wounds after walking on broken glass to gruesome gashes from falling mid-performance. In this show, drug abuse brings nothing but pain, and sobriety is celebrated. Female Relationships “Daisy Jones & The Six” portrays both the struggle of women in the music industry and the bonds that emerge between them. “I’m not interested in being anybody’s muse,” shouts Daisy early in the series when a date tries to poach her song idea, “I’m the some-
body!” When her best friend and disco pioneer Simone Jackson faces sexual harassment and then backlash for standing up for herself, Daisy reminds her to have no regrets. Women online have applauded an exchange between Karen and Camila Alvarez, the band’s photographer and Billy’s wife, for its authentic portrayal of how women relay sensitive information using their eyes and facial expressions. The Finale Episode 10 of “Daisy Jones & The Six” transformed an enjoyable show into one about which to write an Old Gold & Black article. The emotional threads woven throughout the series go taut at once during the band’s final performance in Chicago — creating a tidal wave of climactic moments. Song lyrics and errant glances take on new meaning as the afternoon’s events form an iceberg capable of taking down the Titanic. The audience watches, helpless, as Daisy Jones & The Six crash for an hour and six minutes. Contact Melina Traiforos at traimg21@wfu.edu
Let him cook: Preparing for 'The Bear' season 2 The comedy drama is must-see television TABITHA CAHAN Staff Writer
In an age of too many streaming platforms, it is difficult to decipher what is worth the watch. However, I am here to say “The Bear” is mustsee television. With commentary on late-stage capitalism, toxic masculinity, gentrification, trauma, loss, addiction, and the plights of all-consuming work environments, the show proves its timeliness while handling these issues with grace and never feeling gratuitous or self-righteous. “The Bear” aired its first season in the summer of 2022, and I was instantly hooked. The show portrays the story of Carmen Berzatto, played by Jeremy Allen White, who is best known for playing Phillip “Lip” Gallagher in the Showtime dramedy series “Shameless.” Berzatto leaves his job at a fine-dining restaurant to run his family sandwich shop after an untimely death in the family. In this run-down, short-staffed, debt-ridden establishment, Berzatto is thrown to the wolves, forced to wrestle with his grief and trauma while attempting to create a successful business. White took home the Golden Globe for best actor in a TV series, musical or comedy in January for
his raw, lived-in performance of Berzatto. Although White’s performance was outstanding, the beauty of this show lies in its ability to present an unwavering reality. Chefs have commented that it is one of the few cooking shows that actually depicts what it feels like to be a chef. Far removed from the glamorized reality cooking shows such as “Iron Chef ” or “Masterchef,” the devil is in the details for “The Bear.” The show tackles the nitty-gritty realities of life in
the kitchen without spending time on the mundane aspects — taxes, inspections, plumbing, dishwashing and so. much. chopping. Episode seven is the clear standout of the show — all done in one take. In this episode, the kitchen staff works with the new technology of carry-out orders, and it goes haywire. Without too many spoilers, this episode was unreal from start to finish. This one immediately throws you into the weeds. The characters’
James Watson / Old Gold & Black
frustrations and anxieties are palpable — especially Sydney, the sous chef who studies under Berzatto; you can feel the tension in her throat. The episode felt quick and intense, with every “Yes, chef!”, “Corner!”, “86 that!” sending the characters into a deeper spiral. That’s what a kitchen feels like. Each member of the kitchen staff is distinct and fully fleshed out. The token softie, Marcus, provides viewers with hope as he pursues his dreams as a pastry chef. Sydney is one of the show's driving forces. The push and pull of their relationship are central to the plot. The chemistry between characters is authentic, and every staff member truly feels like a found family. The final episode closes out to Radiohead’s “Let Down,” and the viewer wonders about the future of the restaurant. Luckily, the show has been renewed for a second season, and our burning questions can be answered. This 10-episode season is expected to air in June, and fans everywhere are counting down the days. Catch the teaser on FX’s YouTube, Twitter or Instagram. Contact Tabitha Cahan at cahata2121@wfu.edu
Page 18 | Thursday, April 13, 2023
Old Gold & Black | Life
I'm a WFU student who hated my study abroad COOPER SULLIVAN Senior Writer
The best advice if you are thinking of spending a semester away from Wake Forest: don’t. I don’t care what the study abroad office tells you, it’s simply not worth it. If you haven’t learned yet, the American college and university system is a business, and each employee is a greedy, sleazy salesperson just itching to close their next deal. The study abroad office is no different. Think Danny Devito from “Matilda.” They promise beautiful slick sports cars but instead deliver chunky bricks of sand. They tell you one thing but conveniently leave something important out. If only there was something like CarFax for this type of situation to let you know what you are in for before you make the wrong decision like me. Here are a few things I finally translated once I went abroad. “You can try new and authentic cuisine…” If you can get to the restaurant in time. Everything closes super early, and the grocery stores close even earlier. I have been lucky enough to find an Irish pub that stays open late — McDonald’s. “You meet a bunch of new people…” Get ready to love icebreakers and fun facts. My life has become an empty and endless cycle of “name, hometown, major.” “Learn a new language…” Everyone here yells at me. What’s worse is when they realize I can’t understand what they are yelling, they only yell louder. My professors say that these people are just speaking German normally, and they
are actually quite friendly. I don’t buy it. “Adventure outside your comfort zone…” A lot of businesses here only accept Visas and cash, which means for the first time ever, I am without Daddy’s Platinum Black AMEX. I have to pay for everything all on my own, and he always takes forever to pay back my Venmo requests. “Everyone is a big football fan…” Happy that spring football leagues survived in Europe? Don’t be naive. They mean soccer. You cannot escape it. People watch it on their phones; it’s on in every bar; the kids play it in parks. I don't get why they keep pretending to find it entertaining. The World Cup has been over for months. “Everything is so close together…” This means you have to walk everywhere. Grocery store down the block? Walk. Pharmacy that’s two blocks over? Get to stepping. The subway stop you can see from your front door? Take the heelto-toe express. The art of curating a perfect playlist for your 15-minute bumperto-bumper drive to the gym is one these Europeans do not understand. “Study topics that you can’t study anywhere else…” I have a big gripe with this one. First off, there is no studying going on. My classes are almost never in the classroom, but out on the streets or at a museum. How are we supposed to learn without a PowerPoint if we are surrounded by distractions? Second, the classes I do have are absolute jokes. Art? History? Art History?! Give me a break. How am I ever going to get a Big 4 summer internship if instead of learning addition and subtraction, all my
Cooper Sullivan/Old Gold & Black
Sullivan, who is having a miserable time abroad, has been forced to watch soccer every weekend even though the World Cup has been over for months.
professors talk about is Viennese painters and their impact on early-20th century Europe? “Learn and experience a culture different from yours…” Germans only eat beer and sausage. Italians of all ages chain smoke and drink wine for breakfast. If a Croatian man is wearing a tracksuit, chain and cologne, he
is in the mob. But did I need to leave my house to find this out? No, I watch TV. I already knew all this. The lesson here? All media portrayals are accurate, broad generalizations apply to everyone and any stereotype you come across is true. Contact Cooper Sullivan at sullcg20@wfu.edu
SATURDAY, THE TWENTY-SECOND OF APRIL, TWENTY-TWENTY THREE
J^[ 8Wbb GO.WFU.EDU/THEBALL
Life | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, April 13, 2023 | Page 19
Exploring the majesty of the jellyfish Finding God, meaning and life in the ancient depths of the sea BREANNA LAWS Print Managing Editor
Some people find their Higher Power hidden in the trees or standing in the pulpit. I found God in an aquarium. More specifically, in the microscopic space between my fingertips and the top of a moon jellyfish. Jellyfish (or jellies, as they are more accurately called) are some of the oldest creatures on the planet — predating dinosaurs by a few hundred million years. Several have been found to be essentially immortal, capable of reverting back to previous biological states. Jellies belong to the Cnidarian phylum, which comes from the Greek word “cnidos,” meaning “stinging nettle.” Some other animals in this phylum include sea anemones and corals. Essentially, they are radially-symmetrical marine invertebrates with stinging capabilities and a digestive cavity that opens to the outside via a single opening. Though they are animals, jellies behave more similarly to plants — at least on a cognitive level. By that I mean they don’t have cognitive thought… like, at all. Jellyfish and all other cnidarians have no brain (oh, how lucky they are) but rather a web of nerves extending out to each part of their bodies. You would think that, with such a primitive nervous system, these creatures would be rather susceptible to predators — or at least incapable of survival beyond luck or some divine force. But this is not true. Joram Piatigorsky, a molecular biologist turned novelist, found a new sense of wonder in these creatures, similar to me. More specifically, he found this wonder in their eyes. According to Piatigorsky, several species of jellyfish have specialized structures called rhopalia — upon which sit multiple eyes, giving jellies a 360-degree view of their surroundings. Additionally, these jellies have sets of simple eyes equipped with light-sensitive photoreceptors. Now you may be thinking: What use are eyes to an animal that cannot process images in its mind? And to that, I answer: to help them determine their orientation and, if near another animal, determine whether it is predator or prey. You may find yourself questioning again, “Well, if a jellyfish has no brain, then how can they really ‘determine’ anything?” Well, there are specialized cells within a jellyfish’s body called nematocysts that have the capacity to activate a response
based on whether an animal of prey or a predator is nearby. And if you’re anything like me, this still won’t make any sense because WITH WHAT BRAIN ARE THEY MAKING SENSE OF THIS INFORMATION?! And the answer is, well, none! There is no brain! No thoughts, and yet a calculated response. No “instinct” per se, and yet copious amounts of documented instinctual action! And isn’t that something beautiful? I mean, really? Isn’t there something so wonderful in the sheer lack of logic? I’m sure you could go down a rabbit hole for hours (I sure have) trying to figure all this out. But the wonderful thing about it is that you don’t have to do that. As brainless as they might be, there is something special going on inside obscenely old sacs of roughly 95% water. Where there may not be thoughts, there certainly is a soul. Many cultures recognize the importance of honoring our elders in all of their forms — whether it be a tree, or another person or an animal. The way I see it, these creatures have seen much more of the world than I have, and it would be wise of me to look to them for guidance. When I don’t know what to do or when I start to feel alone, I remember how these seemingly simple creatures are really so complex when you choose to understand them. And then I am once again reminded that we were all created perfectly already — utterly in tune with the world around us and made to fit into our lives like a puzzle piece. None of us is here by accident, and if we choose to understand one another, we will begin to see how delicately and splendidly crafted each one of us is. I will leave you with a quote from Piatigorsky’s novel “Jellyfish Have Eyes.” May we all, like the main character Ricardo, continue to be dreamers of the highest order. Now go forth with your day, and find a jellyfish to pet (be sure to invite me). “If you had been there and seen the jellyfish, Lillian. They have eyes and minds. We have so much to learn from them.” “You’re a dreamer, Ricardo, a dreamer.” Contact Breanna Laws at lawsbn21@wfu.edu
Breanna Laws / Old Gold & Black
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Photo courtesy of Pexels
Page 20 | Thursday, April 13, 2023
Old Gold & Black | Life
Talking Sad Girls and Showbiz Snail Mail speaks to the Old Gold & Black ahead of her May 6 concert
JAMES WATSON, DANIEL NESBIT & MARYAM KHANUM Life Editor, Contributing Writer & Multimedia Managing Editor
Ahead of her May 6th performance in Winston-Salem, Lindsay Jordan AKA Snail Mail spoke over the phone to the Old Gold & Black on March 21st. Presented here is an excerpt from that interview. For the full, unabridged text visit our website. We were thrilled to be able to speak to Lindsay and we extend our deepest thanks to her label Matador records and look forward to working with them further. How do you take care of your mental and emotional health when you’re on the road? It’s a lot. I’m pretty used to it. It gets pretty gnarly when you’re talking about touring foreign countries because with touring America, I don’t even know how many times I’ve done it. Probably like 15. I know what I’m doing. I know where I can get Mucinex. I know what the sort of healthy fast food is when I’m on my last legs. I’ve toured Europe I think eight times. That never fails to be challenging. It doesn’t get easier. And then Asia is very challenging. I try to spend a lot of time alone. I like to be in the bus, like in a different room than everyone else, just reading or whatever. I try not to party too hard. I try to get as much sleep as I can and take every day as it comes. Creatively, I do usually feel like I’m pausing. There’s nothing happening that I want to write about. I don’t really like to write about being on the road. I don’t get a lot of time where I’m truly able to be myself, make noise, experiment and try things out, so I’m really bad at writing on tour. I’ll sometimes bring an acoustic guitar into a hotel room, and then that’ll be helpful, but I feel like I’m so burnt out, mentally, on tour that I feel like I do more harm than good when I’m trying to write sometimes.
music. I really admire the way that she does things. Every time I see her on the road, it’s the greatest feeling of connecting and having a network. Otherwise, I don’t hang out with that many musicians. Most of my friends are just normal people. But it’s good to have people to talk to that have been there before because there are definitely a million ways that you could go about things, especially when it comes to running the business part of it. With bands that are just getting signed or just starting to work with managers, it’s really important that you don’t end up with somebody who’s gonna take advantage of you. Luckily, the position that I was in, I was able to get in touch with older people and talk to them about who to trust, who not to trust, who’s a good agent, who’s not. On the topic of fame, the song “Glory” from your recent project, “Valentine,” name-drops various places in Los Angeles, Ca. It seems to grapple with that as a new part of your life. How has your view of fame changed from the “Lush” project to this one? “Glory” is kind of like a diss track on somebody else. I didn’t expect people to realize because I didn’t say anything about it. It touches on my relationship with fame but mostly my relationship with it through this other person. Everything becomes less alluring and shiny the longer that you’re on it. There are so many types of behaviors that come with it. The way people act, I don’t want to be anywhere near it, I don’t want to be part of it. I feel like the thing that’s kept me from being a dumb asshole is that I love music. I want to work on my
You talked a little bit about how having a support group of friends who have experienced similar things in the industry can help. How does that help you deal with fame? There are very few people that I’m really close with and that play music. Katie from Waxahatchee, we’ve been friends since I was like, 15. We talk on the phone all the time, and she gives me advice on things like carrying yourself and how to deal with a lot of the things that drive me crazy. Having an older person that’s done it all before is cool. Other than that, Sophie from soccermommy is one of my best friends in
Pitchfork is cool. I’ve had good experiences with Pitchfork. All of their writers are writers. All the pieces I have done for them have been really insightful. I don’t know who started the “sad girl” thing. If one of the indie outlets said it, I’m sure that that was a big thing for people, but I don’t know. I can’t really tell what’s what. There are a million things that are grouping people together. I don’t understand it, but I guess it helps people find new music. You’re one of the bigger artists represented by your record label, Matador. Are there any new artists in the label that you think people should listen to?
In past interviews, you’ve said that if you hadn’t gone into music, you would have been an English major. In a couple of your songs, like “Glory” and “Pristine” there are lyrics focusing on “looking away.” What does it mean to really see another person? Why is that important?
It’s hard. I’ll play PS5 for like four days straight and then feel mentally rested. If I’m writing, I’ll just try to keep at it. It’s hard. It doesn’t necessarily always work like this. But if I’m writing, I hope that I’m feeling like my best self.
I don’t think the industry does anything for mental health. I feel like that’s probably the same for a lot of industries. The music industry is its own conversation, but just having friends that play music is helpful. It was a terrible, difficult journey. Luckily, by moving our tours around, we still were able to do it. It’s not an easy job. You probably will go crazy. I just tried to keep my wits about me and just check myself when it seems like I’m going off the wall. I make time for normal things, too, like my hobbies that aren’t music-related, so that I can get grounded.
What has your experience with indie music publications been like?
I love Water From Your Eyes and Mdou Moctar. With the other artists on Matador, there are so many elements that will connect me to them. I’m like, oh, maybe it’s that we have the same manager. Maybe we have the same agent. Or maybe we have the same label.
When you get off tour, what do you then do to recenter yourself creatively?
Being a musician on the road, you deal with being constantly on the move. There are a lot of mental health and other health challenges that come from that. You personally had vocal cord surgery in the last year. How have you been able to deal with these challenges as a musician in the industry?
people that are in that category. It put this “woman” target on my head, which drives me crazy. I feel like we’re all morphed together, and we’re not looked at in our own right. When something happens to one of the “sad girls” online, people say things like “I fucking hate all the sad girls” even though we are very different people and different songwriters. It’s nobody’s fault that somehow we all managed to kind of come out at the same time. If that’s one of the things that helped people find Snail Mail, that’s cool. I don’t even like talking about being a woman in the press. It makes me feel like I have two jobs: one of them to be some kind of activist and the other to be a musician. I did not sign up to be a spokesperson for women’s rights. I definitely care about the greater conversation. I just feel like there’s been women in music for a long time, and I don’t understand how me, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and soccermommy became the new presidents of being women in music. We all make pretty different music. It feels degrading to all of us.
craft. I want to work hard and kind of keep my head down. With “Lush,” it was definitely exciting. With all of the success, I was like, who wants to buy me a drink? And then I definitely saw different dark corners, and I’m just not interested in doing anything other than being a good musician. Being around people with fame as their only goal, you can just feel it. That’s how I don’t want to be. I wouldn’t have thought it was anywhere near as lame as it is until I was in the thick of it so often. You can tell when it’s not about the craft. A recent occurrence in the state of indie rock is the emphasis on “sad girl indie music.” Can you speak on that a little bit? In another interview, I was asked my least favorite thing about music, and what I would change. I said this. I did this piece really early in Snail Mail for the New York Times. It was about rock being ruled by women now and talked about a couple of
Good observation, nobody’s ever asked me about that. On “Valentine,” one of the central themes of the record is looking past and not really taking a person in because you want them to be perfect. When you look closely at somebody, you get to know them, and you see everything. There’s something very not human about fantasizing your way into a relationship. You’re imagining all of this stuff, and you put this person on a pedestal. But as soon as you get to know them, if it gets to that point, you realize that’s not what love is. It’s very much wanting to make somebody into something and not wanting to actually look at them for how they are. Because you see some ugly shit when you get to know people, for better or for worse. “Lush” is about creating the fantasy, and “Valentine” is about the fantasy being destroyed. There are a lot of fan theories about your lyrics online. How do you react to seeing those and knowing they’re wrong? I feel like people are almost always wrong about my lyrics, which is fine. I mean, I didn’t really say that much. I just try to avoid those things because it takes all of me to not reply. I don’t like the idea of people knowing that I’m snooping around, so I don’t snoop around anymore. Contact the writers at watsjc22@wfu.edu, nesbdt19@wfu.edu & khanmg20@wfu.edu