The Weekly Ringer

The University of Mary Washington’s Independent Student Newspaper Serving the community since 1922

The

Weekly

Ringer

VOLUME 97 | ISSUE 15

February 9, 2024

Monroe Hall closes for spring semester due to roof repairs

Ubah Abdullahi Staff Writer

On Feb. 1, Executive Director of University Communications Amy Jessee sent a campus-wide email announcing the closure of Monroe Hall for the rest of the semester for roof reconstruction. As a result, professors’ offices and classes had to be relocated to other academic buildings around campus.

The closure follows a separate email from Jan. 30 in which Jessee notified campus that the building would be closed for the rest of the week for a building inspection and roof repairs. For the rest of the week, classes were either canceled or held on Zoom.

Kristin Marsh, a sociology professor and the chair of the sociology and anthropology department, spoke about this transition period prior to the building closing for the rest of the semester.

“I taught Wednesday and Friday on Zoom and then was able to go to Monroe to get some things out—what I needed for the rest of the semester and in planning for fall as well,” she said.

For students like Bijan Alikhani, a junior political science and economics major, Monroe’s closure has stirred up emotions

of disappointment. Alikhani, whose classes predominantly took place in Monroe Hall, highlighted the building’s centrality on campus as he shared his reactions to the move.

“I was disappointed, as the vast majority of my classes have been in Monroe, and I’m familiar with it,” he said. “It’s also very close to the cafeteria.”

As Alikahani noted, the proximity of Monroe Hall to essential facilities, such as the Top of the CRUC, highlights the interconnectedness of campus structures and the impact of such changes on students’ daily lives.

Apart from familiarity and centrality on campus, the issue of commuting to classes now located on opposite sides of campus has posed an issue to both faculty and stu- Classes and offices have been relocated following Monroe Hall being closed for the rest of the semester.

Norah Walsh / The Weekly Ringer dents.

“The difficulty has been for both stu- new classroom locations. classes in Monroe decreased stress and dents and faculty who are teaching or Junior sociology major Sydney Lytles made everything a lot easier so this is a big taking classes that are back-to-back,” said had all of her classes in Monroe Hall pri- inconvenience for me.”

Marsh.

Marsh spoke about her attendance or to its close. She now has back-to-back During the week, classes on Mondays, classes in Seacobeck and Combs Hall— rates following the relocation of classes Wednesdays and Fridays are separat- two buildings on opposite ends of campus. around campus, noting that it was too ed by a 10-minute break, and there are 15 “I have my 9:30 a.m. in Seacobeck then soon to be able to notice a trend. In the minutes between classes on Tuesdays and have to book it to Combs for my 11 a.m. and meantime, she also changed her office Thursdays. Consequently, some students risk running late since they’re on opposite are now arriving late to class due to their sides of campus,” she said. “Having all my SEE MONROE, PAGE 2

Tales of burnout and success: Lisa Greene shares executive history and reflections on the corporate world

enya cea-lavin Staff Writer

Warner Media executive, sharing her personal history with burnout and hoping to inspire others through her history of decision-making.

“The weight of that was just something I couldn’t bear For Greene, “burnout” is “a state of physical or emoany longer,” said Lisa Greene, a UMW alumna who retional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced acturned to her alma mater to speak about burnout. “But it complishments and loss of personal identity.” just got to the point where I met with my boss that sumAt this time in her life, Greene was at the top of her mer and said, ‘I’m leaving and this time there is no way profession, and CNN was at the height of its success. Over you’re talking me into it again.’”

10 years, Greene expanded her role from Director of HuThis is how Greene felt as she sought to alleviate the man Resources at CNN in Washington, D.C. to Senior increased pressures of her job due to various factors, inVice President of Human Resources at CNN Worldwide. cluding the pandemic and the presidential election.

In March 2019, she became the Chief Human Resource Greene spoke on Feb. 1 in the HCC Digital AuditoriOfficer of news and sports at Warner Media, the parent um about a topic on many students’ minds: burnout. She Greene shares her personal history with burnout and reflects on her company of the popular news network. In this new role, reflected on her own experiences as a former CNN and experiences.

Lauryn Taylor / The Weekly Ringer

SEE BURNOUT, PAGE 2

|2 INSIDE News Lisa Greene

THE

RINGER

shares history of burnout and success in HCC

Opinion | 3 UMW should offer more generative AI courses to students

Life | 4

A freshman’s perspective on different student clubs at UMW

Sports | 8

Buzzer beater: Jordan Carpenter shoots 1,000 career points

News

Friday, February 9, 2024

Page 2

Weekly Ringer Classes and offices relocate from Monroe Hall The

Editorial Staff

FROM MONROE, PAGE 1

hours to meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays because the 30 minutes she had between two classes was not long enough to meet with Editor-in-Chief students. She also noted that she will make appointments with stuNorah Walsh dents whose schedules preclude them from being able to attend. weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com Jessee, in another campus-wide email sent on Feb. 4, emphasized the importance of the community’s understanding and flexiAssociate Editors bility during this critical period. She reiterated the necessity of the Callie Harkins roof reconstruction project.

“We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we adjust Emma Brennan the class schedule at this critical moment in the semester and keep weeklyringer.associate@gmail.com this iconic building on our campus in good repair and structurally sound,” she wrote.

News Editor Marsh said that she was being flexible with students arriving Ky Huynh late to class and believes that other faculty members share her weeklyringer.news@gmail.com mindset in light of the circumstances.

In response to the closure, the Registrar’s Office worked to move classes to alternative spaces across campus. The full list of relocated Opinion Editor classes is available online, and students were advised to regularly Margaret Jackson weeklyringer.opinion@gmail.com check their email and Canvas for any additional updates from their professors.

Lytles expressed frustration with the short notice students and Life Editor faculty were given prior to classes being moved.

Charlie Li “The school should have seen this during break and should have taken care of that before we got back,” she said. “Or at least make weeklyringer.life@gmail.com the schedule changes over break so that we wouldn’t risk falling behind in classes like we are now.”

Sports Editor Marsh noted that work was conducted in December of 2023

Abbey Magnet weeklyringer.sports@gmail.com

Online Editor Davy Washington weeklyringer.online@gmail.com

to address a leak in the roof, which created a noisy environment for her and her fellow faculty members whose offices were on the fourth floor in Monroe—what was previously the attic.

“Our chair had to do some advocating for us … she was working to get us other places that we could work while that work was happening, and that was before they shut the building down,” she said.

“They didn’t know it was as bad as it was, they were just exploring what repairs needed to happen.”

Guanyi Leu, a visiting assistant professor of political science who taught in Monroe before its closure, stressed the importance of prioritizing safety in the decision to close the building, and she expressed her hopes for the future of the buildings on campus.

“For safety purposes, it is the right thing to do,” said Leu. “Hopefully this kind of thing can be prevented, especially in the older buildings.”

Marsh said that faculty members were sent a spreadsheet where they could list what they needed from Monroe Hall, as well as if they required more boxes to move their belongings from their offices. Faculty were given several hours to move their belongings from Monroe the Friday, Saturday and Monday following the closure. Marsh also mentioned that the IT department would move her desktop computer, though they had not moved it yet.

“It was abrupt, but I don’t know what they could have done differently,” said Marsh.

Faculty offices in Monroe Hall have also been reassigned to other academic buildings, such as the Mansion on 1201 William Street, Woodard Hall, Combs Hall and the Jepson Science Center, with updates available online and in the University’s directory.

Greene speaks on anxiety and burnout

FROM BURNOUT, PAGE 1

she also served as a strategic advisor and became a member ber of the executive leadership team.

Photography Editor Due to her history of high-level positions, Greene described how Abbey Magnet her roles caused her to accumulate stress and affected her ability to weeklyringer.photos@gmail.com rest, which caused her to burn out.

However, Greene was more worried about her team and responsibilities than her well-being, and the side effects of her lifestyle Faculty Advisor manifested in a variety of ways. She noted that she struggled with Sushma Subramanian clarity, and it took her two to three years to realize the issues of her ssubrama@umw.edu current state.

“It was the relentless workload,” she said. “I never felt like I was Advertisement on top of that to-do list in a way that really made me feel successPlease direct all advertising ful.” inquiries to Norah Walsh at But burnout was only one step in Greene’s career, and she exweeklyringer.eic@gmail.com. plained the baby steps she took to become an executive coach and open her own consulting firm in 2022. To begin, she started saving money, since she felt like finances would be her biggest setback.

Corrections Then, she told her friends and family about her burnout and emotional distress and resigned from the same job three times after she Please report any corrections to Norah Walsh at weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com or was convinced to stay after her first two attempts.

In relation to her feelings of anxiety, Greene talked about the Sushma Subramanian at ssubrama@umw.edu idea of “shoulding.” She coined the term to describe how the word, “should” was used to disregard her current state at the time.

“It was always ‘I should be happy. I should be grateful. I should Due to editor error, in last week’s article, go to the thing. I should answer more emails,’ right?” she said.

“Forrest Parker, founding director of the The last concept that Greene brought up was awareness, as she James Farmer Multicultural Center, passes was not aware of what was going on with herself when first expeaway at 64,” the date for the Annual Multi- riencing burnout. cultural Fair is incorrect. The Fair will occur “My body was sending me all kinds of messages,” she said. “So on April 13, 2024. those various illnesses that I had, the ailments that I could never resolve … those are all messages.”

Greene also discussed gender politics in the workplace following a question about female camaraderie in a male-dominated exBell tower logo designed by ecutive suite. She noted that she considered her gender as she rose Bernadette D’Auria ‘22 through the ranks and approached burnout.

“I was like, ‘I am not going to let this job get the best of me be-

cause I don’t know what that says about women,’” said Greene. “I don’t know that that was my primary thought, but I do think it was secondary—sort of letting the sisterhood down by saying ‘I can’t do this anymore.’ Because that’s ultimately what my resignation was about.”

Students who attended the talk learned about burnout, but they were also able to learn about possible future careers from her speech.

Rob Oehler, a senior psychology major and event attendee, appreciated hearing Greene’s perspective, especially because she strayed from the usual career path that many psychology students take.

“It’s nice to see career professionals with a background in psychology,” he said. “You feel like you have to be a psychologist or a clinician—that or research—so it’s nice to be exposed to other options and get a frank perspective on corporate America.”

Attendess learn from Greene’s personal burnout experience and possible future careers during her lecture.

Lauryn Taylor / The Weekly Ringer

Opinion

Friday, February 9, 2024

Page 3

UMW should offer more generative AI courses

Josseline Delgado Pozo Staff Writer

From self-checkout lines to self-driving cars and Siri, we encounter artificial intelligence daily, and the technological world continues to evolve. As a result, we have to learn to utilize these resources, and in anticipation of the usefulness of AI in the job market, UMW should offer more courses strictly about AI and its role in today’s world.

Anand Rao, a communication professor and chair of the department of communication and digital studies, considers AI to be a useful skill in the modern workplace, especially for new graduates entering the workforce out of college.

“If we graduate students that we aren’t training to use [AI], then I think we’re potentially doing them a disservice,” said Rao. “There’s a worry that if we aren’t really preparing them, then they’re going to have a hard time in the workforce and not be very competitive.”

Rao commented on the applicability of AI across a range of majors and fields, voicing his support of these tools not only in classes that focus on their function but also where they can serve as tools.

“We also need more courses to incorporate generative AI into what they’re already doing, so it doesn’t have to be standalone AI courses; we should find ways that we can incorporate generative AI in other classes,” he said.

For example, tools like Colormind allow artists access to AI-generated color palettes, and the notorious ChatGPT can help create reflective discussion prompts or questions for teachers and students alike. Additionally, scientists may check their research and identify national changes in academics with the help of AI; musicians are already implementing AI to improvise and come up with fresh musical ideas rapidly, according to the Musicians Institute; and artists at Berklee are using AI to enhance, modify and inspire their works.

However, there are not enough AI-capable professionals to meet the demand of the ever-growing industry.

According to HireAbility.com, it is estimated that “the global demand for AI professionals will exceed the supply by 30%” by 2024—just two months after their article was published. The reasons for this scarcity of AI talent is a lack of training, expertise and experience in AI-related fields, as the article explains, so as we join the workforce, our best line of defense is to stay educated and gain experience using and exploring AI. During the Fall 2023 semester, Rao offered the class “ChatGPT & Generative AI,” in which he taught students how to explore these budding tools—and even make some of their own.

AJ Gluchowski, a senior communication and digital studies major who took the class, spoke about his work with Playlab, a nonprofit whose mission is “to empower as many educators and students to build for themselves with AI,” according to their website.

“I got to draft and plan a workshop for faculty members,” said Gluchowski. “I reached out to the founders of Playlab and compiled that into a crash course in using Playlab in [their] curriculum.”

For my own assignment in Rao’s generative AI course, I designed a chatbot to help me choose a drink from Starbucks. In addition to the extensive ingredients and modifications possible in these drinks, everything sounds so delicious, which makes it hard to decide on just one drink.

Furthermore, the main aim of this chatbot was to assist those who have delicate allergies; a barista would likely give you the cold shoulder if you asked them sixty questions about the drink, but a chatbot never gets tired.

Junior communication and digital studies major Amanda Sheward spoke about the positive aspects of using AI, offering the example that these tools “could be beneficial for healthcare and gathering data faster through AI technology.”

Sheward also explained the negative aspects of AI, such as deepfakes and AI bias, which brings the questions and ethical concerns surrounding its usage to light, especially in academics.

However, Rao put into perspective the tools we’ve become familiar with in our everyday lives, relating their revolutionary impact to that of AI. “A lot of tools, like the graphing calculator early on in mathematics, some might have viewed as cheating, but it was really about the development and having the tools and learning how to use it appropriately so that students could do even better and more advanced work,” he said.

AI can also assist with tutoring, which can help students succeed in their classes. In a TedTalk, the CEO and founder of Khan Academy discussed the endless possibilities of these resources and their benefits in relation to academics. For example, chatbots powered by artificial intelligence provide guidance in difficult-to-teach subjects like coding by making note of different marks to figure out what the student is doing and to produce the intended result. Chatbots can also be trained in prerequisite courses in writing, math and science that all degree-seeking college students must take.

Incorporating classes that utilize and teach about a variety of AI tools would enable students to understand them on a deeper level, making them more marketable in the workplace. Furthermore, as students are educated on the matter, they can help their universities create and suggest policies for AI usage in educational settings. Meanwhile, schools can concentrate on funding these efforts and providing students with additional means to pursue their work in this growing field.

At UMW, the efforts to incorporate AI in the classroom has garnered faculty support. Rao, along with several other faculty members, is currently working on a grant proposal to create a center for AI research in the humanities at UMW. He spoke about his hopes for the center and noted both faculty and student interest.

“I think there’s a lot of potential there and a lot of interest—not just on the student side, but also the faculty and staff side, too,” he said.

Staff Ed: An unwelcome return to the Clubhouse THE WEEKLY RINGER EDITORIAL BOARD

Following the relocation of classes and offices from Monroe Hall, The Weekly Ringer was ousted from our editorial space in the Mansion on the corner of College Ave. and William St. to provide a space for professors’ relocated offices.

Although this is not the first time the newspaper has changed locations, our move reflects the University’s lack of stability in providing appropriate and comfortable spaces for students who were promised such when they toured. From Ball Circle being roped off and signs posted advising students from sitting on the grass to the recent closures in George Washington and Monroe halls, the university experience that once seemed fruitful is growing mold—sometimes literally.

At the beginning of the 2022 fall semester and after years of being housed in the Clubhouse—a building located in the courtyard area of the UMW Apartments—The Weekly Ringer had to move due to water damage and mold concerns.

Editors like Callie Harkins and Norah Walsh who were on the editorial board at the time reported feeling sick after leaving the Clubhouse after spending hours formatting the newspaper for publication.

Leading up to the move, the editorial board found themselves sitting on towels in the moisture-saturated room. Faculty and administrators were made aware of the issue, and the editors were offered a dehumidifier.

Throughout her emails, Jess Kirby—the editor-in-chief at the time—emphasized the issues in the Clubhouse and the concerns about mold. In response, UMW Facilities inspected the building, identified a leak and planned to replace the ceiling; they did not confirm that the marks on the wall were mold.

In an email to Kirby and other staff members who were involved, Nolan Akau, the director of UMW Facilities Maintenance Services, described a yellow-brown “discoloration” in the areas that the editors specified, as well as “some black between the floor and the wall.”

To mitigate the issue, Akau suggested that UMW Facilities spray mildew stain remover on the areas of concern, adding that “with known water intrusion, if it is mold it would eventually come back.”

On Sept. 19, 2022, Akau wrote in an email that several of the Clubhouse walls were located underground. The work to clear the ground from the outside of the building was delegated to a contractor, and Akau explained the necessary steps to rectify the issues.

He wrote, “The grounds around the outside of the walls need to be trenched out, the outside sealed, dirt replaced and then replace the inside walls from the floor about [four to five feet] up.”

At first, the editorial board moved to the HCC, which was less than ideal, as there was little privacy and the assigned computer lab did not feature any space to be collaborative.

Then, we gained access to the Mansion, where we occupied one room on the second level of the building every Wednesday evening to format the newspaper.

Having a dedicated space that isn’t treated like a temporary situation for the newspaper, is vital not only for us to format the paper, but also to the University and the Fredericksburg area alike. As we report on campus news, we also help inform the larger Fredericksburg narrative, as UMW constitutes a significant force in the area.

Our abrupt relocation came with no previous notice about the Clubhouse being available for our return to the space, and the transition occurred in the middle of our news cycle, causing concern for the editorial board in terms of publishing the paper on time.

Classes may be canceled or put on Zoom, but the news cycle is unrelenting, and our space is sacred, for it allows us to be able to do what we love and improve as journalists in the process.

This staff editorial was led by Norah Walsh.

Friday, February 9, 2024

Life

Page 4

A freshman’s perspective on student clubs at UMW

EMMA KINGKEO Staff Writer Being a freshman is scary. Countless new students arrive on campus with few connections and little sense of belonging, and it can be intimidating to approach other people with the desire to make friends.

So, how do newcomers find their people and integrate into the community?

UMW offers more than a hundred student organizations, and the majority of them are open and accepting of all students, regardless of major, year or identity.

Joining any of these clubs can lead to enriching friendships and experiences.

As a freshman who graduated from a small high school, the thought of leaving my close-knit community terrified me.

I knew almost all the students and staff there, and despite other colleges being relatively larger, Mary Washington was huge compared to what I was used to. Choosing a college that emphasized bonding between peers was very important to me, and it wasn’t until I came to campus and saw how people interacted with each other that I felt confident I made a good decision in coming here.

“Regardless of what you’re doing in your everyday life, we’re still here to support you no matter what.”

- Lizzy Breckenridge Clubs have been one of the most helpful resources in helping me meet like-minded people in small, intimate settings. Potential friendships are laid out on a silver platter, and I can be much more confident approaching others with the reassurance that everyone has something in common.

Academic Clubs If students are having trouble maintaining their work-life balance, there are a variety of academic clubs that can help them socialize and keep up with their studies simultaneously. These clubs are also for students who aren’t planning to go into that specific career field but are interested in the subject or are curious about what it entails.

A multitude of these can be found specializing in subject areas such as the UMW Biology Club, UMW Art History Club and UMW English Club.

Katherine Allen, a junior anthropology major, joined the UMW International Relations Organization as a freshman because she was intrigued by the club’s special events and excursions.

“The reason I wanted to be involved in this club was because I heard that they traveled to go to different conferences, and I was super excited for that,” Allen said.

Despite being an anthropology major, she is now the president of the club and de-

scribes the club to be “like a family.”

Many other academic clubs provide opportunities to go on field trips outside of campus to visit museums, seminars and gatherings to gain experience and promote learning.

Joining a club centered around studies has always seemed intimidating to me, mainly because I have never felt familiar enough with one subject to be able to connect with others over it. However, my apprehensions were immediately diminished once I got to experience how easygoing and encouraging these groups were. The atmosphere was invigorating rather than stifling because of the passion students have for the subject of interest. No matter the amount of knowledge they have, everyone was there to learn about something they loved and were willing to dedicate time to.

“A lot of people here, including myself, are naturally very reserved,” Allen said.

“But here you’re able to open up in a way that you really couldn’t before.”

Cultural Clubs Clubs dedicated to various cultures allow students to find connections through similar customs, food and music as well as promote understanding and awareness to the rest of the community.

As a member of the UMW Asian Student Association, I participate in and help with events that are reminiscent of my own life at home as an Asian American.

During the Taste of Asia Celebration last November, I assisted with catering and was able to meet restaurant owners who spoke Lao—something that I had only been able to speak over the phone to family. Meeting them and engaging in conversation relieved a feeling of homesickness that I didn’t realize was plaguing me, and it wouldn’t have happened had I not volunteered. I plan to continue helping with events like these, such as the upcoming Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, Feb. 10.

Apart from the festivities that these clubs host, their meetings are beneficial to attend as well.

Leah Reaves, a junior with an undeclared major and the president of the UMW Black Student Association, described the club as a safe space for Black students to discuss culturally appropriate topics that involve them and inform others who are willing to learn.

“We want to make sure that as we get to talk about specific issues that happen, other people get to hear how we feel about it, how this impacts us, and what they can do as allies,” said Reaves.

Additionally, cultural clubs often collaborate by hosting events to enjoy largescale, authentic festivities and entertainment. For example, BSA, UMW Women of Color and UMW Voices of Praise are working together with the James Farmer Multicultural Center during Black History Month to host more than 15 occasions commemorating African Americans and their contributions.

Athletic Clubs Club sports are excellent for both former and current student-athletes as well as students who have no experience but are interested in staying active. Furthermore, all students can ensure that their studies and other obligations get adequate attention by participating in practices that are not exceedingly demanding.

For students who wish to continue or join an organized sport without the pressure of frequent competitions and mandatory practices, club sports offer the perfect balance. Such clubs include tennis, swimming and baseball.

While these clubs are dedicated to various sports, there are also athletic clubs that simply focus on maintaining or improving your physical health. One of these clubs is UMW Girl Gains, whose goal is to curate an uplifting fitness community through encouragement and inclusivity.

Like many others, I have been scared of going to the gym for fear of injury, embarrassment or simply feeling lost on how to get started. Girl Gains provides a network of people—open to all gender identities, despite the name—who are willing to help without judgment.

Students attend the 2023 Kwanzaa celebration hosted by the UMW Black Student Association and James Farmer Multicultural Center in the Chandler Ballroom. @umwbsa / Instagram

“Regardless of what you’re doing in your everyday life, we’re still here to support you no matter what,” said Lizzy Breckenridge, junior biomedical and German major and the community coordinator of UMW Girl Gains.

Members of UMW Girl Gains pose for photo in Goolrick gym. @umwgirlgains / Instagram

Personal Interest Clubs Students searching for a community of like-minded individuals can look for student-led organizations that partake in their interests. Ranging from casual, sitdown activities such as crochet and gaming to performative hobbies like theatre and choir, there is something for everyone.

Personal interest clubs can be a breath of fresh air for those bogged down by schoolwork and other commitments. To name a few, the UMW Film Club, Tabletop Game Club and Gardening Club all provide students with opportunities to connect with peers over something they enjoy.

The UMW Performing Arts Company enabled me to continue dancing with other students and perform to a live audience.

The club has allowed me to learn a variety of dance styles I have never tried and meet so many different people I never would have met otherwise.

Meanwhile, Fine Print—a club all about poetry—is another one of the clubs that gathers like-minded people around a particular interest.

Meaghan Van Dyke, a freshman whose love for poetry led her to become an officer for the club, said, “Being there among all my peers in Fine Print, it was just the most encouraging and welcoming community space for writing.”

“As an English major, you get to college and it can be very intimidating because it’s like nothing you’ve ever been part of before,” she continued. “So for me, Fine Print was a space that validated that I was supposed to be here.”

Friday, February 9, 2024

Life

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Cute and controversial: Early-access video game “Palworld” attracts critics and cult following

GEOFFREY CARLISLE Staff Writer From “Pokémon with guns” to conversations about veganism, “Palworld” has heard it all, but does the early access game come too close to replicating the ideas and designs of its predecessors, and is it actually enjoyable to play a game that is still undergoing development?

“Palworld” is an inspired game, as it derives a lot of its content from what previous games have done well in the open-world, survival craft game genre; a genre founded and defined by games like “Rust” and “Valheim.” Additionally, in a 2021 interview by The Gamer, CEO of Pocketpair Takuro Mizobe said that “Palworld” is based on the game “Ark: Survival Evolved,” which is another game within the same genre.

The core gameplay loop revolves around catching the tamable, fluffy “Pals” in Poké-Ball-esque palspheres, enlisting them to work at your base and bringing them out in the field with you. Pals are modes of transport, construction assistants and friends in battle, but past that they’re limited—or reduced to a meal for additional XP to get to the next level. Nevertheless, there is something to be said about running around with a ripoff Pikachu-Totoro hybrid following you wherever you go.

From struggling to cook over a campfire to cheffin’ it up in a pot, the player receives technology points in the game, which allows them to upgrade their storage and unlock new weapons that equip them to capture higher-level Pals.

The game has garnered a large following from the community since its Jan. 19 release, and it recently reached 19 million total downloads and sales, according to Arts Technica. “Palworld” also holds the second place spot for highest peak concurrent players at 2.1 million on Steam.

But popularity doesn’t come without a price, as “Palworld” has faced many accusations because of players being allowed to slaughter and eat the Pals. According to Insider Gaming, PETA Vice President of Programmes Elias Allen said that players wanted an alternative vegan version of the game in which the Pals are not harmed.

However, players are capable of following a vegan diet in the game already, as the choice to consume their pals is optional—though eating them gives you more XP. “Palworld” has also been in the crosshairs of Pokémon fans who claim that many of the character models for Pals

“Palworld” has garnered negative attention from animal rights group, PETA.

have been stolen straight from their favorite Game Freak games.

Despite criticism based on the games’ similarities, I thought, ‘the game must be doing something right to obtain its massive success.’ But after starting the game, it doesn’t seem so. The issues within the game may be due to its incomplete nature, as gamers are playing early access, but the bugs are hard to miss—and even harder to watch.

The game’s open-world map is massive, featuring 15 regions and Pals of different abilities. However, the towns and bandit camps on the map leave much to be desired, even for an early-access game.

The small towns are occupied by three to five NPCs— non-player characters—like guards, merchants and villagers. Seemingly thrown into the environments without any consideration of their dialogue, their conversations feel empty and barren with no life to them, and the story and dialogue are abysmal.

Unfortunately, the interaction with bandit camps is even worse. To me, the camps seem to be the most incomplete element of the game. They are full of human enemies that are often extremely weak, which does not scale well with the player’s level and progression. The rewards you can earn are also extremely limited, as the player’s reward

@Palworld_EN / X

consists of what the bandits dropped and whatever Pals you catch after freeing them from their imprisonment in the camp.

Furthermore, for those who look for practical and believable animations in a game, this may not be the game for you. While the game is aesthetically pleasing, the sense of reality—or even just a knowledge of physics and how mass functions—seems to be an optional feature of this game, which is entertaining, but not when it detriments your gameplay.

But the glitches, faults and other permeating issues in the game are hopefully not long-lived, for the feedback on these early access games gives developers useful and relevant information to create a more polished finished product.

The game has its flaws but it’s addictive; there is something about it that I haven’t been able to put my finger on that keeps me coming back.

“The game has its flaws but it’s addictive; there is something about it that I haven’t been able to put my finger on that keeps me coming back.”

- Geoffrey Carlisle Overall, the game takes a kitchen sink approach where it throws together a bunch of elements from similar games and puts it on a plate; the game is a full meal, but an unfinished one. “Palworld” lacks character and a sense of identity, for there is no lore, no story and the visual style between Pals themselves is sometimes inconsistent within the game. Finally, what little world-building there is feels like an afterthought or a bunch of puzzle pieces that are next to each other but not connected.

All things considered, I would give “Palworld” a rating of 7.5/10.

The “Palworld” game preview is available through Xbox Game Pass on Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, and it is available for early access on Steam. According to Radio Times, the game is not expected to leave early access until January 2025 or later.

“Palworld” is available for purchase on Xbox for $29.99.

@Palworld_EN / X

Friday, February 9, 2024

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Harvard Business Publishing Executive Ashley Voeks helps language students identify marketable skills

mandy Souza Staff Writer On Feb. 1, the class “Life and Career After UMW: Careers with Languages” welcomed Executive of Harvard Business Publishing Ashley Voeks to discuss key ways to showcase and advertise language students’ skills for the job market. As the lecture was given over Zoom, it was open to the public.

During her lecture, Voeks spoke about the skills acquired in language classes that extend beyond the language itself.

“There are all kinds of other transferable or soft skills associated with the act of learning the language,” she said.

Voeks received a Ph.D. in French studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2019 before becoming an assistant professor there. During her doctorate studies, she was able to focus on academic and non-academic job markets and adapted her knowledge and best practices to meet her students’ needs. Now, Voeks serves as a career coach, helping students to fill existing career-readiness gaps.

Voeks highlighted the importance of developing soft skills for students to make themselves more marketable to employers across all industries. She identified communication, empathy, humility, self-confidence, patience and time management as some of the most in-demand skills.

According to Voeks, confidence is key, and it can be acquired through practice.

“Some people just naturally have that confident demeanor about them, and they do have a leg up in a certain regard when they enter the job market; if they’re naturally competent, they can naturally make those connections

Language students acquire various marketable skills in their classes.

Norah Walsh / The Weekly Ringer

and project confidence in whatever role they’re seeking,” different time periods and backgrounds,” she said. “Empashe said. “But for those who don’t have that confident de- thy is important in a work environment because it leads meanor, it’s that much more important to practice, and it to an appreciation of others, which can in turn increase will come.” productivity.”

Voeks also spoke about her role as a career coach and Students studying languages commented on the lesthe elements of work preparedness that she finds signifi- sons that they learned from Voeks as well as how her cant. One of the top qualities she highlighted was student speech shaped their view of the future. self-awareness through reflection.

“I learned that language students in particular have a “I really emphasize for [students] the importance of unique set of skills that can be applied to many different self-reflection, and when they’re thinking about skills in jobs, not just ones involving their language,” said Jessica general—whether it’s communication, adaptability, col- Oberlies, a junior environmental science and Spanish doulaboration, any of those skills—they have to be able to ble major. “Her insight was helpful in thinking about how think about them in terms of their own experiences in the the unique experiences we’ve had with language set us classroom; in their own experience with language learn- apart from other applicants and can be a big asset in our ing,” she said. future careers.”

To Voeks, students should be thinking about their perSasha Poletes, a senior French and international affairs sonal skills narrative. She suggested that students reflect double major, noted how identifying the skills she has acon which skills they have, how they can define them and quired as a French major has made her feel more secure as how they can prove them or tie them to a certain experi- she prepares to graduate. ence. By creating this narrative, graduating students can “As a graduating senior, learning how I can use the speak not only about their studies but also about applica- skills I’ve acquired as a language major in areas that seem ble experiences they learned during their college careers. unrelated at first glance made me feel a lot more secure “One of the biggest mistakes that I see is students get- about future job opportunities,” she said. “I’ve always ting to the point where they believe that they’re ready to struggled with making my experiences ‘marketable,’ but enter the job market because of timing; because they’re after hearing her presentation, I think I’ll be able to apply about to graduate,” she said. “And being ready to graduate her advice to my resumé and come in for interviews a lot is not an indicator of someone’s readiness to start apply- more prepared.” ing for certain jobs that require experience.”

Voeks described the lessons that can be taught and the skills that students acquire through their language-learnin journey. She explained that students will make mistakes along the way, but it’s only natural to stumble a little when learning a new language. With these challenges, students gain experiences that highlight their soft skills.

“They’re developing a sense of humility.

They’re developing a sense of resiliency. And so, for them, the skills that they’re reflecting on can really be tied to their specific experience with language learning,” she said. “It’s not just a list of the skills that language students develop; it really depends on that personal experience with acquiring the language.”

Voeks shared that language learning also helps develop empathy, another valuable skill.

“Learning to read Italian literature, for example, has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of world views of writers and readers from Voeks discussed skills acquired in language classes that extend beyond the language itself.

Norah Walsh / The Weekly Ringer

Crime Column Ky Huynh News Editor The Crime Column is based on UMW Police reports from Jan. 30 – Feb. 7.

Petit Larceny

Attempted Murder

On Jan. 31 at 7:04 p.m., there was a case of petit larceny reported at Goolrick Hall. This case is pending.

On Feb. 6 at 10:30 a.m., there was a case of attempted murder at College Ave. and William St. This case was sent to Fredericksburg Police.

Friday, February 9, 2024

Sports

Page 8

University of Mary Washington

Buzzer beater: Jordan Carpenter reaches 1,000 career points against Gallaudet Spring Sports Schedule

Mihaughany Redd Staff Writer

On Jan. 27, senior cybersecurity major Jordan Carpenter made history as the 21st player in UMW women’s basketball program history to earn 1,000 career points. Carpenter achieved this milestone on her home court while playing against Gallaudet University, leading the team to a 67–53 victory.

Carpenter spoke about how she felt in light of hitting this career mark.

“It’s always been something I dreamed of as a little kid, so to be able to get it in college, home court buzzer beater, just makes its own little perfect story,” said Carpenter.

She continued, “It’s a big honor. It’s an accomplishment all by itself, but I feel like to be the 21st is big.”

Carpenter started playing basketball at the YMCA when she was five.

Photo courtesy of Steve Miller.

Before the game began, Carpenter was reminded that she was only 30 points away from reaching 1,000 points. She spoke about the pressure to reach 1,000 career points as well as how she felt going into the game.

“She works hard. She honestly has everybody’s back on the court. And honestly, off the court too.”

- Ashley Martin “I’m going to be honest, I was not planning on getting it. I feel like 30 is hard to get in such a span of time, so it wasn’t even on my radar to get it that day,” said Carpenter.

By halftime, the UMW women’s basketball team was down by three points, but this didn’t stop Carpenter from stealing the ball and leading her team to a comeback against

Gaulladet. Then, in the final five seconds of the fourth quarter, the team’s defensive stop against Gallaudet placed the ball in Carpenter’s hands.

“I got it running down the court, five seconds, then four seconds. It was kind of like a blackout moment. Just seeing it go in and beating the buzzer, it all seemed unreal,” said Carpenter.

Everyone rooted for Carpenter, cheering her on to victory in more ways than one.

“I honestly almost cried because of seeing her family,” said Ashley Martin, a fifth-year marketing major and one of Carpenter’s teammates. “The way they looked at her and the way everybody was just holding up their 1,000 points signs, it was honestly one of the best feelings out there.”

Women’s basketball head coach Deena Applebury described Carpenter as “tenacious and energetic” when she commented on her personality and hardworking nature.

Applebury also spoke about Carpenter’s growth over the last few years, noting how she has embraced learning about the sport in addition to playing on the court.

“Jordan’s IQ has grown exponentially throughout her time spent within our program from increasing her athleticism to finding new ways to elevate herself literally and figuratively,” said Applebury.

On and off the court, Carpenter’s teammates take notice of her passion, drive and leadership.

“She’s someone who brings energy and competition to everything she touches, and I believe that it motivates everyone around her, and it brings a kind of positive energy to the team that I love seeing,” said Kamari Riley, a sophomore business administration and economics double major who is also the manager of UMW’s women’s basketball team.

“Oftentimes, her leadership isn’t always vocal, but the energy she brings,” Riley continued.

“People just naturally see that and want to follow it.”

Martin described Carpenter’s determination and hard work on and off the court.

“She works hard. She honestly has everybody’s back on the court. And honestly, off the court too,” she said.

Martin has been a longstanding teammate to Carpenter throughout her time playing for UMW. “She’s grown so much since her freshman year and I honestly love seeing it,” said Martin.

“She’s obviously so athletic and she gives it her all.”

But Carpenter’s successes

didn’t come easily, and she explained some of the challenges she and the team have faced and worked together to overcome.

“It’s always been something I dreamed of as a little kid, so to be able to get it in college, home court buzzer beater, just makes its own little perfect story.”

- Jordan Carpenter “COVID was the biggest thing. Our biggest challenge was getting everybody on board and on the same page,” she said. “But after that, everybody’s gotten so close, and we kind of know each other like the back of our hand, so we play well together.”

Carpenter has played as a guard and a forward for all four years of her college career, but she first started playing at the YMCA when she was five years old. Once she reached middle school, she dedicated herself to the sport, and her parents pushed her to work hard, offering their support by taking her to games, training and practices.

Scoring 1,000 points has given Carpenter reinvigorated confidence in herself and in how her teammates can depend on her.

“It proves that if I want it badly, then it can happen,” said Carpenter. “It proves to them that I’m capable, and it gives us our last push that we need going into the final stretch.”

Carpenter shoots and scores for UMW.

Abbey Magnet Sports Editor

Men’s Basketball (15-7) Feb. 7 vs. Salisbury (64-57) Feb. 10 vs. Chris. Newport Feb. 14 vs. Salisbury Feb. 17 vs. Hampden-Sydney

Women’s Basketball (13-8) Feb. 7 vs. Chris. Newport (60-55) Feb. 11 vs. New Jersey City Feb. 15 vs. Hood

Men’s Tennis (0-0)

Feb. 13 vs. Belmont Abbey Feb. 17 vs. Averett vs. Washington College

Women’s Tennis (0-0)

Feb. 10 vs. George Mason Feb. 17 vs. Washington College

Men’s Baseball (0-0)

Feb. 10 vs. Mt. St. Mary (NY) Feb. 11 vs. Mt. St. Mary (NY) Feb. 17 vs. Washington College

Men’s Lacrosse (0-0)

Feb. 10 vs. Randolph-Macon Feb. 14 vs. Shenandoah Feb. 17 vs. Roanoke

Women’s Lacrosse (0-0) Feb. 17 vs. Lynchburg Feb. 21 vs. Randolph-Macon

Men’s (4-4) & Women’s (6-2) Swimming

Jan. 27 vs. Frostburg St. Feb. 15 vs. NJAC Championships @ College Park, MD Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletics webpage www.eagles.com/composite -

Photo courtesy of Steve Miller.

Full schedule not listed above.

Most recent games included.

Bold indicates home game.