The Weekly Ringer

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

The

Weekly

Ringer

VOLUME 97 | ISSUE 2

September 15, 2023

UMW hosts Joshua Cole and Lee Peters III as they face off in 65th District House of Delegates debate Callie Harkins Associate Editor The University of Mary Washington hosted Virginia’s 65th District House of Delegates debate on Wednesday, Sept. 13, in Seacobeck Hall. Democratic nominee Joshua Cole and Republican nominee Lee Peters III faced off just one week ahead of early voting opening in the district.

The debate was sponsored by UMW’s Student Government Association, The Free Lance-Star, the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters of the Fredericksburg Area. Adele Uphaus, a reporter at The Free Lance-Star; Ted Schubel, the director of WFVA Radio News; Rosalyn Cooperman, professor and chair of the UMW Political Science and International Affairs Department; and Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies moderated the debate.

Each candidate was allotted two minutes for an opening statement followed by nearly an hour of question and answer. Audience members had the opportunity to submit questions before the start of the debate.

Cole, a pastor born and raised in Virginia’s 65th district, became the first Black person as well as the youngest person to ever be elected from the Fredericksburg region to the General Assembly in 2019. He began the debate with an opening statement that emphasized his previous experience and directly called out his opponent.

“I’m the only qualified and experienced person on this stage tonight who plans to go back to Richmond to keep fighting for our families and pushing back on strongwilled politicians who want to make Virginia their next launching pad for their own political agendas,” he said.

“I’m the only person on the stage tonight who will keep fighting for women’s health care rights. My opponent was handpicked to be the yes-man of Virginia Republicans in Richmond.”

Peters is a Marine Corps veteran and law enforcement officer. As part of his service career, he oversees programs such as the Crime Prevention Unit and Juvenile Services.

He asserted a need for safe communities in his opening statement.

“Some of the things we’re going to talk about tonight are going to be very important to this region because we all want a safe and prosperous community. We want a place where our kids can grow up, we want a place where I can raise my family,” Peters said. “My lady over here is a principal in Stafford County, I want safe schools. I want someplace where we know that we can be safe.”

|2 INSIDE News Tension in the

THE

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crowd during House of Delegates debate

a ban in Virginia,” said Joshua Cole and Lee Peters III debate current issues to Fredericksburg community.

Throughout the debate, there was some consensus amongst the two candidates. Both agreed that public schools need greater funding to retain teachers and that higher education is inaccessible due to its cost. They both highlighted the importance of mental health services, and Cole went as far as to compliment Virginia’s Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin and his efforts to expand these programs.

“I want to give props and honor where honor is due. I want to celebrate Governor Younkin for the great work he’s done with mental health funding and making sure that when I get to Richmond, I will continue to help fund that and put that in the state budget as well,” he said.

An issue where they differed, however, was abortion access. Peters advocates for a 15-week abortion ban, while Cole hopes to enshrine Roe v. Wade in the Virginia state constitution.

“As I’m knocking on doors and talking to people, Republican women have told me that they are pro-life, and they are as pro-life as they come, but they do not want

Opinion | 3 Re-evaulating renovations: UMW construction projects

Charlie Li / The Weekly Ringer

Cole. “I don’t remember the ‘50s and the ‘60s before Roe v. Wade, but they do. They remember the alleyways and they don’t want Virginia to go back to that. We are the last state in the south [with legal abortion access]. As your delegate, I will fight to make sure the current laws are upheld, and make sure that the decision belongs between a woman and her doctor.”

Some members of the audience picked up on rising tensions as the candidates differed on policy.

“I think that despite the general goodwill shown by both candidates, there was tension in the crowd that was unnecessary and inappropriate,” said Jenny Wolfe, a senior political science major.

Both campaigns agreed ahead of time to maintain an orderly debate. At the start of the event, Farnsworth provided the audience with a disclaimer that emphasized the importance of decorum.

Life | 4

Brews around the ’burg: Starbucks to finding hidden gems

SEE DEBATE PAGE 2

Sports | 8

UMW club sports offer opportunities for everyone

News

Friday, September 15, 2023

The

Weekly Ringer Editorial Staff

Editor-in-Chief Norah Walsh weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com Associate Editors Callie Harkins Emma Brennan weeklyringer.associate@gmail.com News Editor Ky Huynh weeklyringer.news@gmail.com Opinion Editor Margaret Jackson weeklyringer.opinion@gmail.com Life Editor Charlie Li weeklyringer.life@gmail.com Sports Editor Sophia Tompkins weeklyringer.sports@gmail.com Online Editor Davy Washington weeklyringer.online@gmail.com Photography Editor Abbey Magnet weeklyringer.photos@gmail.com Faculty Advisor Lindley Estes lestes@umw.edu

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Tension in the crowd during House of Delegates debate in Seacobeck Hall FROM DEBATE PAGE 1

“the idea here though, for us is to focus on the issues of policy. So we have worked out terms where people will be respectful of the candidates,” he said. “Both campaigns have agreed ahead of time that we will not have interruptions, or heckling or comments or applause during the debate itself. We will have applause after the opening statements and after the closing statements but during the question and answer period let’s keep everything in an adult fashion.”

Despite this, tensions rose as both of the candidates made remarks that attempted to disparage their opponent. Peters called out Cole for his previous comments that directly targeted Republicans.

“Have you noticed that since I’ve started this debate, I haven’t said ‘Republican’ or ‘Democrat’ once. I’ve said ‘the people of the 65th,’ I’ve said ‘the people of the city.’ That’s who we’re looking to represent,” Peters said. “I am not going to split this room, and I’m not going to split hairs saying ‘Democrat,’ ‘Republican.’”

Cole doubled down on his statements.

“I may sound partisan tonight because I want y’all to understand that I’m not smiling in your face to try to backstab you in the back when I get to Richmond,” he said.

As the debate concluded, each candidate was given two minutes for a closing statement. Cole used this time to highlight his previous experience and track record in the General Assembly again.

“If you want American freedoms to be protected, an experienced lawmaker to keep fighting for us, to increase our pay, fund our schools and educators, bring innovative ideas for traffic and infrastructure to our region and assure that no abortion ban comes to the Commonwealth, then I ask that you send me back to Richmond,” he said. “I’m asking that you allow me to honor you with my faith. My faith that we can make this Commonwealth a beacon in the south yet again, faith that we can make Fredericksburg a regional economic power, faith that we can restore the dignity of the public school system yet again, faith to believe that women do have their own decision making about their body, and faith to know that together, we fight together and together we can be better together.”

Peters touched on the need for community safety and reasserted previous points made in the debate about supporting mental health services and representing all constituents, regardless of party affiliation.

“I want to make Virginia safe. I want to make the 65th safer. I want to support our mental health programs because they are im-

portant,” he said. “I want to make sure that we have true investments in our community to make the Fredericksburg region a powerful place to live and work. I want to make sure that the people are represented. Everybody in the 65th should be represented in your voice.”

Following the debate, UMW students and other members of the community encouraged attendees to register to vote if they were not already. On tables outside of the room where debate took place, attendees could scan QR codes that lead to a pledge to vote.

Cathie Fisher Braman, president of the League of Women Voters of the Fredericksburg Area, recognized the positive opportunities presented by hosting these events on the UMW campus.

“The benefits of hosting this event at the UMW campus is that it connects us to the students as well as the whole community,” she said. “UMW is an important part of the Fredericksburg area and this allows us to interact with everyone of all ages.”

Several UMW students were in attendance. Even those who may not be voting constituents in the district showed up for the opportunity to learn more about leaders in their community and the political process.

“These events allow students to have more of a voice in their community,” said Jaylyn Long, a senior biomedical sciences major and president of SGA. “They will have more of an understanding of the leaders in their community and hopefully have a deeper connection to their community, especially students like me who are not from here.”

Nathan Francis, a senior political science major was also in attendance. He found it interesting to be able to relate real-life politics to the subject matter he has been discussing in class.

“I attended the debate because I was interested in seeing how the candidates were going to argue their sides,” he said. “Being in my 4th year of political science, I have gotten the academic side of politics but to see it with the representatives of this area in our state legislature is a special opportunity.”

Kate McDaid, a UMW alumnus and field organizer for NextGen who attended the debate and encouraged other attendees to register to vote, affirms an importance of civic engagement.

“It’s important for students to attend these events so they know exactly who they’ll be voting for in November,” she said. “The candidates have literature and websites, but knowing they act with potential future constituents and those who oppose their viewpoints, while also having to think on their feet to answer debate questions shows their capability, their accountability, and their preparation for an election position.”

Callie Harkins attended the entirety of the event.

Advertisement Please direct all advertising inquiries to Norah Walsh at weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com.

Corrections In last week’s article on affirmative action, Owen Chong was indicated to be a junior.

Chong is actually a senior.

Please report any corrections to Norah Walsh at weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com or Lindley Estes at lestes@umw.edu

Bell tower logo designed by Bernadette D’Auria ‘22 Lee Peters III is the Republican candidate in the race for the House of Delegates in Virginia Lee Peters for Delegate / Facebook

Joshua Cole is the Democratic candidate in the race.

@Jcole4va / Instagram

Friday, September 15, 2023

Opinion

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Re-evaluating renovations: UMW construction projects address pertinent issues, miss upperclassmen needs Amanda Sheward Staff Writer Mary Washington has been a beautiful and secure campus throughout its over 100-year history, and several buildings like Willard, Virginia and Jepson are newly renovated. There are many renovations that are happening on the campus, but not where they are needed the most.

The renovated residence halls, Willard and Virginia, are much nicer than others, most likely because everyone wants the freshman to enjoy where they are living and have fun in their first year at UMW. These dorms have a lot of space for freshmen to study and to hang out with their friends within the buildings.

Renovations and construction-based projects on campus have affected residence halls for years. After being closed since 2018 due to mold, Alvey Hall was demolished during winter break in 2021, as reported by The Weekly Ringer. The space where the building once stood is now a large grassy area for students to use, known as Alvey Green.

“I feel like Combs or Farmer should be renovated because they are always breaking down as a building but also the elevators. The issues with the AC every year but also they look outdated compared to other buildings.”

- Lindsay Claire Furthermore, in the fall of 2020, Marshall Hall was designated as a quarantine residence for students who contracted COVID-19 and never reopened due to mold issues. Russell Hall, which neighbors Marshall Hall, was closed to residents for the same reason and shut down in the summer of 2021. The University plans to tear down both buildings to accommodate for their upcoming theatre project.

Russell and Marshall are residence halls that previously housed freshman students, which leaves fewer residence halls for first-year students to live in. However, for the freshmen on campus, there are plenty of dorm halls, such as the recently renovated Willard and Virginia halls.

According to UMW’s website on residence halls, there are six first-year dorms, seven upperclassmen dorms and one mixed residence, Madison Hall, that houses students of any year.

As of fall 2021, UMW’s undergraduate enrollment was almost 4,000 students. Even though there are more than 1,000 freshmen in the class of 2027, UMW needs to consider the larger number of upperclassmen students at the university in order to be able to provide adequate housing to those who choose to or need to stay on campus.

When it comes to dorms with amenities more similar to those of an apartment, the only viable residences are Eagle Landing and the UMW Apartments, as they are the only dorms where roommates and their suitemates share a kitchen rather than a communal kitchen that all of the residents share. Learning how to cook for oneself is a necessary skill that students should be able to practice while they’re in college, and having a kitchen shared

amongst roommates and suitemates rather than an entire building is more conducive to acquiring these skills.

Additionally, the issue of finances comes into play for students who live on campus, a double room in Eagle Landing costs just over $5,000. The UMW Apartments cost about the same amount for a similar living arrangement, though they are significantly less updated than the dorms in Eagle Landing. In comparison, upperclassmen residences with traditional dorm styles cost around $3,800. This is not okay for students who can’t afford the additional cost, which is why UMW needs to put more consideration Photograph of the newly renovated freshman residence hall, Willard Hall. umw.edu into renovating upperclassmen dorms.

This past summer, UMW renovated James Farmer’s As for academic buildings that need to be renovated, basement to make improvements for the Computer the basement in James Farmer Hall underwent recent Science Department, which is located in the same building. renovations over the summer.

While this is a move in the right direction, as computer In reference to the building as a whole, sophomore science is a popular major at UMW, there is not enough psychology major Amber Candido said, “I just think it room in Farmer for computer science, communication and looks old and it needs renovations.” digital studies, classics, philosophy and religion and the If it were up to the students, both James Farmer and Leidecker Center for Asian Studies.

Combs should be fully renovated.

While these renovations would take time, money and Lindsay Claire, a senior communications and digital resources to complete, past projects prove that UMW is studies major said, “I feel like Combs or Farmer should capable of initiating them. Furthermore, grants and state be renovated because they are always breaking down as funding offer a lot of support. For example, the renovation a building but also the elevators. The issues with the AC in the James Farmer basement came from the Tech Talent every year but also they look outdated compared to other and Innovation Program Grant. buildings.”

“There’s an $11.2 million dollar budget to address the Furthermore, the Communication and Digital Studies accessibility problem needs,” said Capital Outlay Director Department is now housed in Farmer Hall, which Gary Hobson.

“UMW receives approximately $2 million emphasizes the need for space and adequately sized each year from state funding for deferred maintenance of classrooms. academic and administrative buildings.”

Professor Anand Rao, the chair of the Communication This funding gives the University the chance to solve and Digital Studies Department, said, “CDS moved from certain issues on campus and to improve the condition of 1201 William Street to Farmer Hall over the summer. We the residence halls and academic buildings. Hobson said, had originally planned to move the previous summer but “Accessibility improvements are the next most pressing that was delayed as we were waiting for renovations in need for our campus.” the basement of Farmer so that CPSC faculty could move The public campus construction website details the into their new offices, thus freeing up our current offices plans for construction and renovation at UMW, listing on the 2nd floor.” eight different projects overall, but none of them are on In reference to additional renovations that could residence halls. be made on campus, Rao said, “We would like to see Overall, buildings on campus need to be renovated. the classrooms on the 1st and 2nd floor of Farmer While UMW has done a great job with renovations to Hall to be renovated to include more current teaching Seacobeck, the basement of James Farmer and freshmen and presentation technology, such as active learning dorms, the University needs to consider what buildings classrooms. Now that CDS is in Farmer, we need more are most problematic in order to provide adequate housing active learning classrooms where we can offer more digital and learning environments for students and faculty alike. intensive courses.”

The UMW Apartments are located along William Street, which house sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

umw.edu

Friday, September 15, 2023

Life

Brews around the ‘burg: Switching from Starbucks to finding hidden gems

LATIFAH SMITH Staff Writer

I don’t know about you, but whether it’s in the morning before class or before a study session, there’s something magical about a good cup of coffee. More than that, I love grabbing a great cup of coffee and being able to enjoy drinking it in the same shop I get it from. Don’t get me wrong, I love Starbucks just as much as the next person—my Starbucks barista can verify that because they all know me by name and coffee order—but there’s something about a mom and pop shop with a great menu selection and an environment that feels cozy no matter what time of year it is.

Downtown Fredericksburg is a great community full of shops, restaurants, parks and what may seem like too many coffee shops, so I decided to find what is the best coffee shop downtown. To do this, I considered the service, location, taste of the coffee and their menu options and rated them out of ten.

The first stop: 25-30 Espresso The first shop I tried, which was 25-30 Espresso on Princess Anne Street, was easy to locate and had decent street parking, earning an eight for location. Additionally, the baristas were nice and didn’t rush me when I took my time trying to figure out what I wanted. I love a coffee shop that offers a lot of different drinks, such as lattes, mochas, matcha, frappuccinos and others, so, because their menu was smaller than I prefer, I give them a five out of ten for their general offerings.

Coffee preferences can differ greatly between people, but I like my coffee smooth and sweet. The coffee at 2530 Espresso was smooth, but it had a hint of bitterness, so I rate them a four out of ten for taste. Overall, I liked the vibe and energy around the shop; there was plenty of seating, so it’s a great location to chat and catch up with friends or spend some time getting work done. The shop is a good size that allows for quite a few tables, but it’s not too big that it seems impersonal. Additionally, the inside is decorated with hints of greenery, adding a sort of bohemian vibe to the place. The shop also has outdoor seating, which is nice if you want to enjoy a nice iced drink on

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say, “come in and try something new.” There’s a decent amount of seating inside and out, offering standard tables and hightops in the middle of the shop.

I’ve visited Italian Station on multiple occasions, and the coffee and food are consistently good. It’s a spot I would recommend going to more than once to get a feel for the menu. It’s a great spot for just grabbing breakfast or lunch when walking around downtown.

A quiet morning inside of Italian Station. There are several signature drinks available on their menu.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

a warm summer day. This is an excellent shop for those who want to visit a chic coffee shop with a great vibe.

The second sip: Italian Station Italian Station, which is located on Caroline Street, is right in the middle of downtown, making it easy to find.

I’d rate their location a nine out of ten, especially because of the vast amount of street parking available. The service was excellent, as the baristas immediately greeted me with a smile, and they have an extensive menu, including lattes, matcha, chai, lemonades, breakfast options, gelato and dessert. The menu itself is something you could get lost in, with so many different flavor variations and combinations you can choose from. I rate their coffee an eight and a half and their menu options a nine.

This is a solid spot for those who like to try out new flavors in their coffee, and if you’re someone that doesn’t care for coffee, then it’s still a great spot to try out their tea lattes, smoothies and other non-caffeinated beverages.

The vibe of the shop is cozy: You’re greeted by two double doors and an inviting vibe that just seems to

Eileen’s Bakery and Cafe is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday and is closed on Mondays.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

Front view of the counter at 25-30 Espresso. Located on Princess Anne Street, the coffee shop offers a multitude of drinks that include: lattes, mochas, matcha, frappuccinos and more.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

Thirsty third: Eileen’s Bakery and Cafe Eileen’s Bakery and Cafe is also located on Caroline Street, and I rate their location a nine because it’s easy to find, spacious and has a beautiful atmosphere. The outside of the shop looks like a rustic cottage mixed with a castle, and this immediately drew me in to experience what this shop had to offer. The service was good, and I was greeted with a smile when I walked in.

Even though they were busy and had a long line, they handled the rush with ease, so I rate them a nine for service. As for food and pastry options, they have an extensive menu. I tried their egg salad sandwich and took a variety of their cookies to go. Everything was delicious.

Based on the variety of their menu, I rate it a nine, but I give their coffee a six because it tastes like your average cup of joe. Their drink selection wasn’t extensive, and for a shop that offers so much food and pastry, I would like for them to expand in their beverage department.

Eileen’s is a great spot to grab a bite to eat and taste a variety of different pastries. With such a large menu in regards to the food they offer, there’s sure to be a sandwich or pastry for everyone!

SEE BREWS PAGE 6

Friday, September 15, 2023

Life

Album review: Greta Van Fleet’s growing popularity and latest “Starcatcher” album

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CHARLIE LI Life Editor The band Greta Van Fleet has been gathering a massive following since the release of their debut single, “Highway Tune” in 2017 that reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Songs chart back in September of 2017.

On July 21, Greta Van Fleet released their fourth studio album, “Starcatcher,” for the world to hear. The band also announced a world tour with a plethora of other popular rock bands, such as Silversun Pickups, Surf Curse, Mt. Joy, Black Honey and Metallica.

The band is composed of three brothers—Josh Kiszka, Jake Kiszka and Sam Kiszka—and their close-friend Danny Wagner; they’ve been unstoppable in the rock scene.

Compared to their most recent album, “The Battle at Garden’s Gate,” “Starcatcher” is stylistically distinct.

Their work tends to be compared to and criticized for its similarity to Led Zeppelin. The new album has morphed into an epic storytelling in the form of music, starting out with, “Fate Of The Faithful,” which is nearly five minutes long and radiates a holy sensation through Josh Kiszka’s angelic, heaven-reaching voice. This song sets the scene for the rest of the album that elicits the similar feelings throughout.

The second song of the album, “Waited All Your Life,” has narrative lyrics that encourage the listener to sink into the album as though welcoming the audience into their home. Beginning with a mellow tone, the music’s abrupt changes caused by Josh Kiszka’s belting melodies quickly transforms the pace of the song that makes you fall into a trance.

“The Falling Sky” is one of my favorite songs from the album, as its upbeat, lurching tempo makes you want to jam out and try to reach the great heights of the lead singer’s voice. The climax of the song gives off a powerful aura that turns the bass up to the max, even if you don’t touch the dial.

“Sacred The Thread” is a song that matches the peace you feel in the calm before the storm. The song is slower than the others, and because of its over five-minute runtime, it pushes you deeper into the trance. At this point, I have goosebumps caused by its abstract oxymorons and whimsical tunes.

Greta Van Fleet on the main stage of the Capital One Arena playing an extended version of “The Archer”.

Next is “Runaway Blues,” and it’s exactly as it sounds.

Lasting for a minute and seventeen seconds, the bursts of pure explosive energy pass too quickly, especially compared to the sizable length of many of the other songs on the album. It’s the perfect transmission between songs and leaves a lot of open room for live performances to improv.

The lyrics in “The Indigo Streak” are an inspirational composition of searching for a higher goal. It promotes the indulgence of success and pursuing higher feats to beat out the past with the world watching. For a large majority of these songs, it can relate to the band’s growing success and popularity among audiences worldwide.

Similar to most songs in this album, the melody of

Josh Kiszka hands out white roses out to the crowd when moving between the first and second stage after the band plays an acoustic version of “Black Smoke Rising.”

Norah Walsh / The Weekly Ringer

Charlie Li / The Weekly Ringer

“Frozen Light” is a softer yet steady rock beat and is elevated once Josh’s voice is introduced in a similar tone until the climax which introduces a harsh transition into a heavier set of bass. Although the duration of the songs in this album almost all exceed four minutes, the lyric count is still quite low. With that being said, they are provided though in a methodical and intentional way in every way they are played and placed.

“The Archer” is a depiction of the elements surrounding vengeance and justice using the vision of an archer firing a vengeful bow with arrows of justice. While I wouldn’t say that the song is a sing-a-long, it’s similar to a more powerful narrative song that has the same purpose as, “Eleanor Rigby” from The Beatles—the interpretation of the song is left to the readers to hear a purposeful story while rocking out.

“Meeting The Master” is another one of my favorites from the Starcatcher album as it starts out with quite a soothing melody, but quickly switches tempo and gives off some serious rockstar vibes. The lyrics are straightforward and communicate about “meeting the master” and seems somewhat culty depending on how you look at the lyrics but overall, definitely a banger in the album.

Finally, the last piece of the puzzle, “Farewell For Now,” a fitting ending for the album and is also simple for live shows. It gives very warm and campfire vibes for an ecstatic album to tour on. At the time of writing this article, I have already gone to a Greta Van Fleet concert on the 11th of this month at the Capitol One Arena in D.C; it was nothing short of beautiful and angelic. Hearing a band live is a completely different experience than listening to them just on a streaming platform like Spotify. After the concert, I quote myself, “my ears have been blessed”. After completing a concert at “the world’s most famous arena,” Madison Square Garden, Greta Van Fleet will continue their tour with five more cities in the U.S. before heading abroad to the world.

Friday, September 15, 2023

Life

FROM BREWS PAGE 4

Agora is conveniently located downtown near the train station and allows for locals and travelers to get a cup of coffee in a timely manner.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

The fourth cup: Agora The day I went to Agora, I walked down Caroline Street only to be greeted by a long, streaming line of people waiting outside of the building. I knew it was going to be a good experience based on that, so I was immediately looking forward to reading their menu and choosing a drink.

Once I got inside, I picked up one of the thick menus near the register; it was difficult figuring out what I wanted. I settled on one of their specialty lattes, and I was not

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disappointed. The drink was the ideal temperature and had the perfect level of sweetness that I was looking for, so I give the taste of the coffee a ten.

Given the range of their offerings and consistent quality, the menu gets an eight, and their service is an eight for how they quickly but patiently helped customers, even while in the weeds and no end to the line in sight. I often have a hard time figuring out what I want when the menu is so vast, but they were kind enough to wait for me to figure out what I want to order without a hint of an attitude. When you walk in the shop, it may seem crowded Agora sells branded mugs in addition to their food and beveral Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer at first, but, once you get past menu. the line there’s plenty of seating once you get deeper into the shop. There’s also a lot of seating and tables outside allowing for people to either work on their laptops or catch up with an old friend in the nice weather. The patio seating area is full of greenery, which gives you a beautiful landscape to admire as you’re enjoying your beverage, your company or both.

Out of all the coffee shops I have tried out, this has been the shop that I will go back to; Agora has everything that I love in a coffee shop.

Caffeinated conclusions To wrap up my caffeinated journey thus far, Agora is my new personal favorite coffee shop—for now. Before setting out on this caffeinated experience, I was a fullon Starbucks girl; I was the girl listing off complicated orders off adding extra syrup, espresso and adding cold foam to my order. Do I still love Starbucks? Absolutely, and I will continue to be a regular at my local Starbucks. This is all to say: I’m just a Starbucksloving girl trying to expand her coffee palette, and I will continue my search to find the best brew in the ‘burg throughout the semester!

Friday, September 15, 2023

News

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Civic engagement forum stresses importance of youth vote and provides general election knowledge

Kennedy Nicholson Staff Writer On Thursday, Sept. 7, the James Farmer Multicultural Center, the Center for Community Engagement and Students Educating and Empowering for Diversity co-sponsored a forum on civic engagement for UMW students, faculty and staff, as well as members in the greater Fredericksburg area to attend. On the speaking panel were: Jared McDonald, Kate McDaid, Derrick Lewis and Jessica Atkinson, and the event consisted of an explanation of civic engagement as well as each speaker’s opinion on it.

The speakers talked about voting and registration, discussing the various factors that play a part in why individuals don’t vote. Assistant Professor Jared McDonald, who teaches in the Political Science department, spoke on two of these factors.

The first: Some people can’t vote because of tangible costs. The tools needed to vote, such as access to the internet to register and access to transportation to the polls cost money, which acts as a barrier against their ability to vote.

The second: The youth is more mobile and losing interest in wanting to vote because they believe their one vote or opinion won’t make enough of a difference in any final decision or the turnout of things. The lack of effort toward making a difference is taking a toll on Virginia’s turnouts.

Jessica Atkinson, the director of elections for Fredericksburg, spoke on how the majority believes that the smaller turnouts pull in a larger crowd than the bigger ones, but the reality is that they both disappoint.

Derrick Lewis, the national field organizer for the NAACP, spoke last. He talked about the NAACP, its impact and its position within civic engagement using three points to highlight these functions: volunteer recruitment, voter registration and voter turnout. His message relayed the idea that, as a community, the top priority is to provide volunteers with help and support throughout the process of registration so that more people are ready and able to vote.

“If you don’t do anything about it, you can’t complain about it,” said Kate McDaid, one of the speakers, a UMW alumnus and field organizer for NextGen, which is an organization that works to mobilize the youth vote. “I have this opportunity and I know I have this opportunity and if I don’t do anything about it, now especially, I don’t get to say, ‘this sucks’ if I’m not actively trying to make things better,” said McDaid.

At the end of the event, the audience was able to ask questions and make comments, which ranged from, “Can you tell me more about the voting process?” to personal opinions in regard to the 15-week abortion ban that was put in place.

After the event was over, Derrick Lewis and Kate McDaid responded to two related questions: “What is a community to you?” and “What makes a strong community?”

Lewis said, “A group of people and in that definition,

Crime Column Ky Huynh News Editor The Crime Column is based on UMW Police reports from Sept. 7-Sept. 13.

itself is unity. They have principles, a set of expectations in regard to how they treat and respect each other, as well as how they interpret behavior; those who identify with the same values. Advocating for the issues will help us thrive as a community.”

McDaid said, “I think community has a lot of different definitions depending on what you’re trying to do, but community as in having priorities that aren’t necessarily the same but making sure everyone does have priorities that can be met. Making sure progress is made.”

While civic engagement was the main topic, the event also included an explanation of the structure of Virginia’s state government to contextualize the concept. The speakers explained that the General Assembly writes laws that govern the Commonwealth of Virginia, and it also establishes the state’s budget.

The General Assembly is composed of two houses: the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate. Both play major roles in the law-making process, as they compose the legislative branch of government and work with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin to make appropriate decisions relating to bills on policy and the budget.

The House of Delegates, presided over by Speaker of

the House Todd Gilbert, is Republican-controlled, and the Senate has a Democratic majority led by Sen. Dick Saslaw. As a whole, the General Assembly delivers recommendations on issues and manages their approval.

Matthew Clark, a sophomore political science major, attended the event because he wanted to hear from locals about why voting matters to them.

“You hear a lot from big names in politics, but never as much from people who understand the specific needs of the community you live in,” he said.

After the event, Clark reflected on what he took away from listening to the speakers. He said, “I learned how important local elections were. You can see the impact in your own community to a much higher degree than at the federal level.”

The candidates for the 65th District of the Virginia House of Delegates are Lee Peters III (R) and Joshua Cole (D). Joel Griffin (D), Tara Durant (R) and Monica Gary (I) are running for Senate District 27. The last day to vote in the general elections is Nov. 7.

Kate McDaid speaks in front of students and faculties about the importance of civic engagement.

Larceny of Bike On September 11th at 6:00 p.m., there was a case of Larceny of Bike at Mason Hall Bike Storage. This case is pending.

Photo courtesy of Kate McDaid.

Sports

Friday, September 15, 2023

Page 8

UMW club sports offer opportunities for everyone

NORAH WALSH Editor-in-Chief Club sports at Mary Washington are a great way for students who have little to no experience to learn how to play a new sport, as they require no prior experience to join the team. Furthermore, for students who already have experience, club teams provide a less rigorous practice and game schedule so that students can balance their commitment to the team with their academics and other extracurriculars.

Club sports are student-run, which allows students to be in leadership positions on the team. Players who want to get more involved in the team can work to be elected to these roles, thus adopting more responsibility to the background functions of the team, such as working with Campus Recreation to organize practices, contacting other schools to play against and leading practices to improve the player’s skills.

On Oct. 3 from 4-6 p.m. outside of Goolrick Hall, Campus Recreation will be hosting Recfest where club sports will be able to recruit new members and students will be able to pursue club sports that they’re interested in.

University of Mary Washington

Fall Sports Schedule

Women’s Club Volleyball Women’s club volleyball practices three times a week in Goolrick Hall.

The team competes during the fall and spring semesters.

Practices: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 6-7:30 p.m.

Men’s Soccer

Men’s Tennis

Sept. 15–17 vs. Navy Invitational @ Annapolis, Md.

Women’s Tennis

Sept. 15–17 vs. CNU Invitational @ Newport News, Va. UMW club baseball focuses on fun and hard work in their practices and games.

Photo courtesy of Leah Wolfson. Sept. 16 vs. Virginia @ Wheeling

Men’s Rugby

Women’s Club Soccer Women’s club soccer competes during the fall and spring semesters against other teams in the area. The team is open to players of all skill levels.

Practices: Monday 3:30-5 p.m.

Wednesday & Friday 5-6:30 p.m.

Top right: The women’s club soccer team poses for a photo on the fields after practice.

Photo courtesy of Hope Alston.

Women’s club soccer plays other teams in the region.

Photo courtesy of Olivia Pierce.

Sept. 13 @ Lynchburg (0–1) Sept. 16 @ Randolph-Macon Sept. 20 vs. Washington and Lee

Sept. 13 @ Mt. Aloysis (2–0) Sept. 16 @ Va. Wesleyan Sept. 17 @ Bridgewater, Va.

Club baseball plays against nearby teams, such as ODU, VCU and Radford with the goal of reaching the National Club Baseball Association playoffs.

Women’ club soccer practices three times a week.

Photo courtesy of Olivia Pierce.

Field Hockey

Women’s Soccer

Club Baseball

Cub baseball members convene to fist bump each other.

Photo courtesy of Leah Wolfson.

Sept. 16 vs. Salem @ William Peace, Raleigh, N.C. Sept. 20 @ Bridgewater, Va.

Sept. 15 vs. Hampden-Sydney @ Richmond, Va. Sept. 17 vs. Emory @ Richmond, Va.

Women’s club volleyball poses for a team photo in Women’s club volleyball has games in the fall and Photo courtesy of Donald Becht. the spring.

Photo courtesy of Donald Becht. their uniforms.

Practices: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 6:30–8 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball

Bottom right: Women’s club soccer takes players of all levels. Photo courtesy of Olivia Pierce.

Sept. 16 vs. Virginia @ Southern Virginia

Women’s Rugby

Sept. 16 vs. George Washington

Cross Country

Sept. 16 @ Longwood

Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletics webpage.

Full schedule not listed above.

Most recent games included.

Bold indicates home game.