The Weekly Ringer

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

The

Weekly

Ringer

VOLUME 97 | ISSUE 13

January 26, 2024

One fewer egg in the Nest: Vocelli Pizza closes at UMW after franchise owner retires, new Italian concept to be revealed

Ky Huynh News Editor UMW students returning to campus for the spring 2024 semester faced a drastic change in the Eagle’s Nest with the departure of Vocelli Pizza. Currently, the storefront has been obscured by large blue curtains with a banner announcing an undisclosed Italian food concept.

Vocelli Pizza opened over 12 years ago and became a popular retail dining location for students since it featured many food options other than pizza, including baked subs, pasta and desserts.

John Icaunato, the franchise owner of Vocelli Pizza, retired at the end of the fall 2023 semester after his contract to operate expired, and he chose to close the business.

Iacunato spoke on the store’s success at UMW. “I believe we were most successful in providing a great product with great service and value for the entire campus community,” he said.

Many students found Vocelli’s offerings and hours suitable to their needs, which led the restaurant to become a staple on the UMW campus.

“It was definitely the first retail dining that I ever found where it was on campus,” said Chiara Baez, a sophomore historic preservation major. “I easily used all my commercial meal swipes at Vocelli’s in freshman year.”

On weekdays, Vocelli Pizza closed at 10 p.m., which

was convenient for students who had classes or athletic obligations in the evening. The only other dining location on campus open that late is the Simply To Go Market, which is also located in the Eagle’s Nest.

“For my experience, I went there a lot since it was really the only place open later on,” said Jeremy Wacker, a junior communication and digital studies major. “I usually go to basketball and afterward I come to eat it.”

Vocelli was also affordable to students with meal plans, as one meal swipe provided two slices of pizza and a small beverage.

“I did think it was nice because it was one of the only places where you could actually get something for a meal swipe outside of the UC,” said Wacker. “Because everything else is meal and flex but here you can get the pizza and that’s no flex.”

Additionally, the majority of Vocelli Pizza team members were UMW students, since the restaurant offered on-campus jobs as shift managers and pizza makers— also known as “insiders.” The insiders were tasked with prepping food, cutting and boxing pizza and attending to the register.

Team members were paid $13–16 an hour, and their salary varied depending on their job position and time working at Vocelli Pizza.

SEE VOCELLI, PAGE 2

UMW Dining plans to announce a new Italian concept.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

Offices in Lee Hall sustain water damage after sprinkler eruption in the Center for International Education

Enya cea-lavin Staff Writer On Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, Amy Jessee—the executive director of university communications—sent a campus-wide email to Mary Washington students and staff about water damage sustained from a ruptured sprinkler pipe located in the southeast side of Lee Hall. As of Jan. 8, the offices in Lee Hall have returned to their usual operations following repairs.

The incident, identified as a rupture in Jessee’s email, occurred on Friday, Dec. 8 in an unoccupied office in the Center for International Education.

“It was a heating system malfunction that set off the sprinklers in one of the offices in CIE,” said Sarah Moran, the study abroad coordinator for CIE.

|2 INSIDE News Water

THE

RINGER

damage distrupts operation in Lee Hall

As a result, gallons of water seeped through the floor and into the lower levels of Lee Hall located below, according to Moran.

To repair the damage, Moran explained, dehumidifiers were placed around the office and holes were intentionally punched in the baseboards to ensure that they were dry.

“All of the furniture had been moved centrally in each area so that they could get access to the walls, and they had huge dehumidifiers throughout the offices—throughout the whole fourth floor,” said Moran.

Due to the noise of repairs and dehumidifiers, the Talley Center switched to virtual appointments with staffing The Center for International Education underwent significant reparis following water damage.

Photo courtesy of Jose Sainz

Opinion | 3

Guarding the game: Ice hockey should prioritize player safety

Life | 4

Photo Essay: Students enjoy snow after UMW cancels classes

SEE WATER DAMAGE, PAGE 2

Sports | 8

UMW alum and MLB executive Jin Wong talks baseball

News

Friday, January 26, 2024

Page 2

Weekly Ringer UMW Students react to Vocelli Pizza closing The

Editorial Staff

FROM VOCELLI, PAGE 1

“Since the majority of our team members were UMW students, we had the opporEditor-in-Chief tunity to help them earn some money and Norah Walsh provide a great work environment,” said Iacunato. “I must also tell you, I thoroughweeklyringer.eic@gmail.com ly enjoyed my time working on the UMW campus.”

Associate Editors When UMW Dining began looking Callie Harkins for new contracts, rumors spread quickly Emma Brennan among dining employees that change was weeklyringer.associate@gmail.com imminent.

“I was nervous about closing because News Editor there was a rumor from someone who worked in Dining,” said former Vocelli emKy Huynh weeklyringer.news@gmail.com ployee and UMW alumna Tamara Garrett ‘23.

However, many workers—including Opinion Editor managers—were unaware of its impending Margaret Jackson closure. weeklyringer.opinion@gmail.com “I didn’t think anything was gonna happen,” said Garrett. “I was like, ‘Oh, maybe they’re just talking about the end of the Life Editor year.’”

Charlie Li According to Garrett, employees reweeklyringer.life@gmail.com ceived a message two days into winter break notifying them that the franchise would not Sports Editor be returning for the spring semester.

Many students were also unaware of the Abbey Magnet weeklyringer.sports@gmail.com closure as they returned to campus for the spring semester and were surprised to see Vocelli Pizza covered with a blue curtain.

Online Editor “I was actually pretty surprised when I Davy Washington heard it shut down because I didn’t know,” weeklyringer.online@gmail.com said Wacker. “When I came here the first day I was expecting to just go like usual.”

Photography Editor Abbey Magnet weeklyringer.photos@gmail.com Faculty Advisor Sushma Subramanian ssubrama@umw.edu

Vocelli Pizza opened over 12 years ago and became a popular retail dining location on campus.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

The Eagle’s Nest offers other dining options such as Hissho Sushi, Mein Bowl and the Simply To Go Market. Even so, because of Vocelli’s popularity, students have noticed a decline in socialization in the Eagle’s Nest since its closing.

“I’ve never seen Eagle’s Nest this dead this time of day or this early in the semester when everyone still has swipes and flex and stuff,” said Baez.

In place of Vocelli Pizza, UMW Dining plans to announce a new Italian food concept.

“We are not quite able to share all the details about what is coming next but are working diligently to finalize a new agree-

ment with a local partner,” said UMW Dining General Manager Kyle Kouri. “What we can share is that the new restaurant will offer a menu that will be enjoyed by students, faculty and staff and will continue to offer a variety of items students enjoyed in the past when visiting the Eagle’s Nest.”

Vocelli Pizza founder Varol Ablak and his family opened their first store in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania in 1989. Four years later, Ablak established his first franchise, and now over 100 Vocelli stores are open to serve the public.

Vocelli Pizza is still open nationally, and students can still find the restaurant located at 1911 Plank Rd. in Fredericksburg, Va.

Water damage disrupts operations in Lee Hall FROM WATER DAMAGE, PAGE 1

in Tyler House, and offices in the Student Services Center transitioned to online appointments with limited in-person service, according to Jessee.

CIE also transitioned to online and a few students were given an extension for their faculty-led program payments since the Cashier’s office was closed, according to Moran.

Advertisement The Student Health Center’s hours of operation were unaffected, and the UMW Bookstore opened in a limited capacity on Monday, Please direct all advertising inquiries to Norah Walsh at Dec. 11, since some of their sections had been affected by the water. weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com.

The closures frustrated some student employees who could not go into their respective offices for work.

Kendra White, a sophomore biomedical sciences major and one of the student aides for Mary Washington’s Financial Aid office, was directly affected since she could not work at all during the closure.

Corrections “I’m a commuter so I was going to work over winter break … that Please report any corrections to Norah way I could have paychecks over winter break,” she said.

Walsh at weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com or White continued, “When Lee flooded I think everyone at first Sushma Subramanian at thought it was only going to be a problem for a couple of days, and I ssubrama@umw.edu was sure I would be able to come in at the end of the week.”

But, when Jessee’s email announced the closure of several offices, White said that she was “disappointed but not surprised.”

This recent instance of office closures as a result of water damage follows a similar case that took place in Lee Hall in Oct. 2023 when Bell tower logo designed by a hot water line ruptured and forced Student Health Center services Bernadette D’Auria ‘22 to be moved online for an entire week.

Norah Walsh contributed to reporting for this article.

Dehumidifiers were placed around the Office of International Education to help dry the space after water damage.

Photo courtesy of Jose Sainz

Friday, January 26, 2024

Opinion

Page 3

Guarding the game: Ice hockey organizations should mandate neck guards to prioritize player safety margaret jackson Opinion Editor On Oct. 28, 2023, Adam Johnson—an American ice hockey forward for the Nottingham Panthers—passed away at the Utilita Arena Sheffield during a game against the Sheffield Steelers, according to CBS News. During a pile-up, Johnson suffered a fatal cut to his neck from skater Matt Petgrave, and his passing has shed light on the use of safety equipment in sports, specifically neck guards in hockey.

According to CNN, neck guards are not mandatory for hockey players to wear, but in light of this incident, they should be a standard piece of hockey uniforms like gloves and helmets.

“I think, to some extent, no part of the body should be unguarded or unprotected. I’m not saying we play in gerbil balls—if that makes sense— but we also don’t want to take away from the sport and the way you play the sport.”

- Molly Walsh Neck guards provide a crucial layer of padding and protection to a player’s neck that is left exposed to skate blades and other players. Because of this, requiring neck guards in both collegiate and professional hockey is a crucial safety measure that needs to be implemented to prevent severe injuries and potential fatalities from taking place.

By mandating neck guards, we can prioritize athlete safety and reduce the risk of life-threatening incidents, such as Johnson’s.

UMW alumna and former ice hockey coach Molly Walsh believes that neck guards should be required—to some extent.

“I think, to some extent, no part of the body should be unguarded or unprotected,” she said. “I’m not saying

The UMW ice hockey club gathers on the ice.

we play in gerbil balls—if that makes sense—but we also don’t want to take away from the sport and the way you play the sport.”

Sophomore history major Jacob Hardman, who plays center and is the assistant captain for the UMW ice hockey team, does not think that neck guards should be mandatory.

“I don’t think that neck guards should be required,” he said. “I think that players should be able to feel comfortable when they play and that they can choose what they wear. For me, I used to wear a neck guard growing up, and after the incident, I feel that players should be more careful … it has opened a new side of thinking about the game of hockey.”

Other sports, such as Formula One, have implemented additional safety equipment in an effort to protect athletes and improve safety.

According to ESPN, in 2018 the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile—the governing body for motor sports—mandated that every formula racing vehicle be equipped with a halo device. The device functions as a shield that deflects the impact force in crashes, and it has been credited with saving the life of Romain Grosjean in a crash as well as preventing life-threatening injuries to other drivers.

Similarly, the implementation of neck guards would provide an added layer of safety in hockey—a contact sport—and prevent potential fatalities from occurring.

In response to Johnson’s tragic death, the English Ice Hockey Association and Canadian Hockey Leagues have decided to mandate neck guards, which is expected to take effect this year. However, the ice hockey league that Johnson was playing for at the time of his death—Elite Ice Hockey League—has no plans to implement a neck guard mandate for its players.

According to NPR, The United States Hockey League, the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the National Hockey League don’t require players to wear neck guards; however, it is recommended and currently being discussed.

Meanwhile, some players have taken the decision of whether or not to wear a neck guard into their own hands. According to the website Gino Hard, professional hockey players such as Jake Walman, T.J. Oshie, Tyler Bertuzzi and Rasmus Dahlin—all of whom play for dif-

@UMWhockeyclub / Instagram

The UMW ice hockey team was established in 2018. @UMWhockeyclub / Instagram

ferent teams—were seen wearing neck guards on the ice following Johnson’s death.

Hardman, who is the acting vice president for UMW’s ice hockey team, described what equipment he wears for protection on the ice.

“I wear an undershirt that is cut-resistant because of the things that have happened in the past, and I have witnessed players and friends get cut on the arm or the legs from skates,” he said. “Players can wear what makes them feel safe and comfortable. There is no judgment there because if they choose to wear a neck guard or a protective layer then that is up to them and in hockey we try to put safety at the front.”

“I think player safety should always be the top priority of any athletic organization. Generally speaking, I think that injury tracking and injury prevention plans could be implemented on a larger scale.”

- Libby York About increasing safety standards in athletics, senior elementary education major Libby York—who plays prop and hooker for UMW women’s rugby— said, “I think player safety should always be the top priority of any athletic organization. Generally speaking, I think that injury tracking and injury prevention plans could be implemented on a larger scale.”

By requiring players to wear neck guards during gameplay and in practice, the hockey community can reduce the chance of severe injury and even fatalities. In doing so, they would ensure that athletes can enjoy the game while also prioritizing their health and safety.

Furthermore, the idea of protecting athletes extends beyond mandating certain equipment.

“There is no way to completely avoid injury in sports, but it is the responsibility of athletic organizations to track injuries to ensure that they are properly addressed before allowing a player to return to play and implementing training and ‘pre-hab’ that limits the likelihood of common injuries based on the specific sport,” said York.

At the end of the day, it’s not just a matter of maintaining regulations but also about ensuring the health and security of athletes of all ages on the ice. Mandating neck guards is a vital step towards promoting player safety, and allowing athletes to continue playing the game with this additional equipment will hopefully lower the risk of injury in the future.

Friday, January 24, 2024

Life

Page 4

Photo essay: Snow day transforms campus into a whimsical welcome-back to the new semester

International students Anna Vilain, Lyson Piasecki, Irene Castellet enjoy the snow with their friends as they take photos and relish in its beauty.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

Snowmen, in various shapes and sizes, were littered throughout campus in many different spots. This one was located on top of the Monroe fountain.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

From the Eagle Landing patio, students could admire the layer of soft, white snow that covered buildings around campus. With few drivers on Emancipation Highway because of icy conditions, a calmness fell over Fredericksburg, Va. Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

Ball Circle was a popular spot to make snow angels and have fierce snowball fights. Students eventually created a massive ball of snow still slowly melting in the center of Ball Circle.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

abbey magnet Photo & Sports Editor As snow fell upon Mary Washington’s quiet campus on the night of Monday, Jan. 15., one could only hope for an extra day off before the semester officially started.

The following morning, Eagles arose to a winter wonderland—a campus covered with a beautiful white blanket of snow. As a result of the overnight snowfall, the first day of UMW’s 2024 spring semester was canceled.

Due to the predicted snowy forecast for Tuesday, a decision was initially made on Monday evening to cancel classes until 11 a.m. for the following day. However, the decision was re-evaluated in the morning and classes were canceled for the entirety of the day instead. In addition to safety information that was communicated to the campus community via email, students were also informed that they could take advantage of the first snow of the year without classes getting in the way.

With classes canceled, students partook in various activities throughout campus on their day off, with some spending time outside building snowmen, taking photos with friends or adventuring out to find the perfect hill to sled down. Meanwhile, others stayed inside where it was warm, enjoying the wintery scenery from the comfort of their beds.

Locations around campus now capture a new whimsical atmosphere that creates the perfect scene for photos. Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

Students at Eagle Landing met to build and decorate snowmen in the courtyard.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

Friday, January 24, 2024

Life

Page 5

Liz Larson’s “Fireflies and Zeroes” merges reality and fiction in thrilling intersectional mystery

NORAH WALSH Editor-in-Chief

During the creation of her debut novel “Fireflies and Zeroes,” Liz Larson explained that her characters developed voices of their own, pushing back on her storyline and leading her into the mystery that lay ahead.

“I spend so much time just having arguments in my head with these characters,” she said. “They have full-fledged, strong personalities and take on a life of their own.”

The novel centers around the band members of The Generation—Tara, Max and Jason—who host an extravagant party to celebrate the end of their hiatus and the release of their first love song. But the festivities turn into chaos after a partygoer is murdered and Max—the lead singer—is kidnapped.

With their concert approaching, Tara and Jason—with the help of Max’s nearly identical younger brother, Alex—depend on coffee, nerves and their adoration of Max to fit the puzzle pieces together and solve the mystery of where their friend is, if he’s alive and why he was kidnapped.

Set in Charlottesville, Va., “Fireflies and Zeroes” references the nostalgic beauty of Virginia; a Virginia for lovers, filled with dancing fireflies and treasured honeysuckle that becomes sweeter in the sticky humidity.

But, as the preface highlights the date Aug. 12, 2017, sweet memories turn sour and images of the infamous Unite the Right rally lie in tandem with the fictional—yet distinctly familiar—feelings that Jason and Tara express in direct response to the news of white nationalists marching through the University of Virginia’s campus with torches and attacking counter-protesters.

Larson, originally from State College, Penn., discussed the closeness of complicated history in the South, reflecting on her experiences as an undergraduate—and now graduate—student at the University of Virginia.

“I’m inclined to say—especially in the South—there’s a lot of history that you barely have to scratch the surface to run into,” said Larson. “I grew up in Pennsylvania, and sitting in history class learning about the Civil War feels very different in a very white town in Pennsylvania than it does in Charlottesville.”

She continued, “And so this is the Charlottesville side of me that felt compelled to say ‘I need to tell this story.’ And there are personal elements to it, but also this is something we should be talking about. This is a series of events that were not just the headlines that everyone saw and were not just limited to Charlottesville.”

Larson carries the conversation of intersectionality and equality into her characters, specifically Tara, a young Black female bassist. To do so, Tara’s perspective on the Unite the Right rally and her starkly different experience of existing in Charlottesville as a Black woman bring in conversations that the white characters in the novel hadn’t seriously considered.

Meanwhile, Larson’s approach to gender within these conversations derives from her own experiences, as she is a bassist like Tara.

“These are very white and male-dominated spaces, so a lot of myself that I put into Tara … was—[while] I don’t have the same, necessarily, cultural racial background as her—I know what it’s like to be the only woman in the room,” said Larson “It’s a voice that we do need to hear,” she continued.

And she’s right, for these are necessary discussions about race, gender and the disparity of privilege inherent in both. Likewise, by including multiple perspectives, Larson is better able to blur the lines between fiction and reality, reminding the reader of the preface that serves to introduce these themes.

“I’m inclined to say—especially in the South—there’s a lot of history that you barely have to scratch the surface to run into. I grew up in Pennsylvania, and sitting in history class learning about the Civil War feels very different in a very white town in Pennsylvania than it does in Charlottesville.”

- Liz Larson

The cover of Liz Larson’s debut novel, “Fireflies and Zeroes.”

Photo courtesy of Norah Walsh

This discussion extended into the editing process as well, as Larson defended certain characters and their roles to make them more than stereotypes.

“I think the only thing I really had to fight for was not letting Tara become anyone’s mother in the slightest; not letting her fall into being more mature than everyone around her,” she said.

In addition to these conversations that make the reader contemplate their own reality, Larson also includes flashback scenes to develop Max and Jason’s closeness. She balances these tender moments with thrilling moments of anticipation—uniting angst, desperation and nostalgia in Jason’s mind as he risks everything to find Max. The ideas that came together in the novel were developed over many years, according to Larson.

“My brain works on the scale of books. I’m not a short story person, but I’ll start writing a book and then it’ll sort of languish on various laptops for years,” she said, mentioning that the first scraps that helped construct this novel date back about a decade.

“But I didn’t really sit down and pick it back up again until 2020.”

She reflected on writing her debut novel during the COVID-19 pandemic and she realized how much she had come to appreciate her surroundings.

“I found all the places that I was missing that I wanted to go were my area around me,” she said. “I wasn’t wanting to go on vacation somewhere far away; it was all the Charlottesville area.”

This novel is a love letter to Charlottesville, and Larson reinforces this in her dedication that includes a quote from William Faulkner: “For Charlottesville, with love; ‘not for the virtues, but despite the faults.’”

As Larson is currently working on her second novel, she shared words of advice for potential novelists.

“You don’t have to write something that you think is important or good; you have to write something that won’t get out of your head,” said Larson. “You have to write the story that insists on being there in your brain, and it will find its importance. It will find its mission.”

“Fireflies and Zeroes” was published by Brandylane Publishers on July 19, 2023. If you would like a signed copy of the novel, please email weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com for further information.

Friday, January 24, 2024

Life

Page 6

Restaurant Review: Rebellion Bourbon Bar & Kitchen TANNER GLASCOCK Staff Writer Downtown Fredericksburg is home to a rich and exciting restaurant scene, and as someone who lives in the downtown area, seeing all of these unique and nuanced eateries so close to campus incentivized me to try out Rebellion Bourbon Bar and Kitchen, which is located at 309 William St. in Fredericksburg, Va. Rebellion is a bar and restaurant with two locations in Virginia. The Fredericksburg branch opened in Nov. 2020, and the second location opened in Leesburg in July 2022, according to posts from their respective Instagram accounts. Both are placed in historic downtown areas of their respective cities, which aligns with their general aesthetic of rustic and traditional food, creating a gastropub-like atmosphere.

The walk from campus to Rebellion is only about 15–20 minutes, and it takes you right through the historic downtown district with lots of sights to see. When I arrived, it was not too busy, and the atmosphere of the main room was cozy; a fireplace roared just 10 feet away from where I was seated.

Their brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m.–2 p.m. offers a comfortable, warm and filling selection to choose from. A more hearty brunch is the chicken and waffles, which is topped with spicy bourbon maple syrup and whipped butter. But, if you’re not looking to get too full, then the avocado toast with an egg omelet, ham, bacon bits, chives and pickled onion on sourdough bread is sure to satisfy.

Their main menu has multiple sections, with the main section focusing on handhelds. Custom burgers, seafood and deluxe chicken and pork sandwiches facilitate a difficult decision to make, but no matter what you get, the

distinct styles, sides and toppings provide a refreshing amount of variety to choose from.

After browsing through the menu’s options, I decided on a cheese spread, a small strawberry mocktail and a Cuban sandwich.

The price point for the items was not too extreme for a business downtown, but it was certainly not cheap, as most of the items offered on the menu are made with premium and artisanal goods sourced from the local area.

The mocktail, which was made with strawberries, was good and reasonably priced. I could really taste the fruit puree in it, and although the serving size was small, I felt it was appropriately portioned due to how concentrated the drink was.

I would absolutely recommend the cheese spread, which was a refreshing take on a charcuterie board served with soft cheese and pickled onions and cucumbers. Additionally, several slices of grilled sourdough accompanied the dish, allowing me the opportunity to make small, open-faced sandwiches with everything available on the plate. There was also an option to get the cheese spread with smoked sausage for an upcharge, but I found the regularly priced selection without it to be enjoyable.

The Cuban sandwich was also fantastic, and the preparation for the dish really stood out. The pork was pork belly confit, which added an intense richness to the flavor from the fat it was sauteed in. The sandwich also came with a choice of side, so I decided on the tater tots, and— to my surprise—the ranch seasoning on them was delectable and perfectly balanced the starchy texture of the potato with the light zest from the seasoning.

Everything included, the serving size for the sandwich was quite a bit, so I ended up having to take a box home with me. The entire meal cost around $30, and considering the amount of food I ordered, I felt it was fairly priced.

Rebellion Bourbon Bar and Kitchen is a great place for someone on campus who is looking for a great sandwich or burger and a cozy, rustic atmosphere to eat in. Though I did not go with a group of people, the atmosphere of the main dining room had a great energy for a night out with friends.

Rebellion actively hosts events and posts updates on their Instagram @eatatrebellion.fxbg. Charlie Li / The Weekly Ringer

News

Friday, January 26, 2024

Crime Column Ky Huynh News Editor The Crime Column is based on UMW Police reports from Dec. 5– Jan. 24.

Petit Larceny On Dec. 12 at 5:00 p.m., there was a case of petit larceny reported at UMW Apartments. This case is pending.

Larceny On Dec. 18 at 3:30 p.m., there was a case of larceny reported at Goolrick Hall. This case is pending.

Page 7

UMW Police Department permanently moved to a new location in Eagle Village Callie harkins Associate Editor The University of Mary Washington Department of Police and Public Safety officially moved to a new office space in Eagle Village on Dec. 19, 2023. The location features reinforced front-facing walls and bullet-resistant glass, among other technological advancements such as improved security camera monitors and evidence storage.

According to UMW Chief of Police and Associate Vice President of Public Safety Michael Hall, this is the first time the Department has been headquartered off campus. However, the new location does not change how campus police interact with the community, per Hall.

“Just because we moved here does not remove us from the heart of the campus,” he said. “The mission of the police department is to protect the community, and we do that by collaborating, coming together, regardless of our differences. But the shared end goal is if we want the community to be successful, we have to do it together.”

The new office is split into two disconnected spaces located on different floors.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

currently fully functional, but construction on new, accessible locker Larceny rooms and minor maintenance—such On Dec. 29 at 11:03 a.m., there was as resurfacing and painting interior walls—is still taking place. Hall a case of larceny reported at Gari is hopeful that these projects will be Melchers studio. This case is completed within the next month and pending. that an open house can take place soon after.

Unlike the two previous locations, the office in Eagle Vandalism Village is split into two disconnected spaces located on On Jan. 3 at 2:27 p.m., there was a case different floors. The primary of vandalism reported at public location—accessible to students and community Campus Rec Field. This case is pending. members all hours of the day, year-round—hosts the communications operation and physical offices for various Possession of unauthorized members of police staff. The second floor, which is locatParaphernalia ed in the Executive Offices, On Jan. 19 at 1:15 a.m., there was a case includes space for the office manager, file room and other of possession of unauthorized parapheradministrative needs. nalia reported at UMW Apartments.

“I think the staff have embraced the move,” said Hall.

This case was sent to OSCAR. “It’s something to get used Michael Hall hopes for projects to be completed in to because it is different. The February.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer separation is a barrier, but I The move follows a temporary re- know that we will overcome that.

Vandalism location to South Hall that took place We’ve never been in separate places, On Jan. 20 at 12:09 a.m., there was a in Nov. 2022 after the previous office but that’s fine because it’s still from a case of vandalism reported at in Brent House had to be vacated due functional standpoint–the administrato concerns regarding the building’s tive things that take place here [on the Eagle Landing. This case is structural integrity, according to an second level], versus the day-to-day Pending. article published by The Weekly Ring- things on the first level. So we work er in April 2023. South Hall served through those. The staff are resilient; only as a transitory space because of they are just like, ‘Tell me where I need Sexual Assault the building’s noncompliance with the to go.’”

Americans with Disabilities Act. The University is currently leasing On Jan. 24, there was a case of The new office in Eagle Village is the space, but plans to purchase the sexual assault reported at unknown res- smaller than those in South Hall and office are underway, according to Hall. ident hall. This case was referred to the Brent House, but the space was reno- Prior to the Department’s move before vated specifically for police operations winter break, the location stood empTalley Center. prior to move-in. The Department is ty.

Some students expressed that the change may make it difficult for those living in residence halls on the opposite side of campus—such as Randolph, Mason, Bushnell and Jefferson—to access, but they recognized that the move was a necessary and ultimately positive change.

“It’s a bit of a walk for freshmen students which a majority of them live on the other side of campus, but this provides a more centralized and longterm residence of the UMW Police Department,” said Carlos Nunes, a senior political science major.

Tim McCarthy, a junior biochemistry major, agreed the move was overall beneficial to the campus community.

“I think Eagle Village is a better location for them because that’s where I hear most of the trouble happens,” he said.

The office is now located at 1127 Emancipation Highway and can be reached via phone at the on-campus emergency number 540-654-4444 and non-emergency number 540-6541025.

The new office will include accessible locker rooms.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

Friday, January 26, 2024

Sports

Page 8

University of Mary Washington

UMW alum and MLB executive Jin Wong talks baseball, career and advice Spring Sports Schedule abbey Magnet Photo & Sports Editor

from those failures and just stay at it and stick to it—is very important.”

Wong acknowledged Larry Penwell, a On Jan. 18, Major League Baseball ex- business and psychology professor, as the ecutive and UMW alumnus Jin Wong ‘97 most influential person for him during his returned to campus to talk life, career, edu- time at UMW. Penwell was Wong’s advisor cation and all things baseball. Wong spoke who aided and kept him grounded throughin the Monroe auditorium to fellow alumni, out his time at Mary Washington and after students, faculty and staff as part of a series graduation, and the two still keep in contact. of events with UMW Athletics.

In fact, it was Penwell who encouraged Wong worked for the Kansas City Royals Wong to apply for an internship with the for over two decades prior to joining the Chi- Atlanta Braves during his senior year. At the cago White Sox as their vice president and time, Wong had little hope of being accepted assistant general manager. because of the internship’s 3.0 GPA requireBefore that, he studied business admin- ment, but he got the job—despite not meetistration while playing as an All-American ing all of the prerequisites. center fielder at UMW, according to UMW “They originally offered me the marking Magazine. internship position with the Atlanta Braves,” Though he did well in his business classes, he said.

Wong admitted that he was not proud of his But luck struck twice when the candidate first semester grades. Following that semes- to whom the Braves offered the baseball opter, he dedicated himself to balancing school erations internship turned it down. and baseball.

“His wife said, ‘You can’t take a job for $6 Reflecting on this time, Wong expressed an hour,’” said Wong. “So he pulled the ripthe importance of prioritizing academics, es- cord and I slid into that role, and that’s the pecially as students who play at a Division III beginning of my baseball career.” level.

A few years later, in 2000, Wong landed “Student-athletes are coming here because a job with the Kansas City Royals as their they love playing sports and love competing, scouting operations coordinator, according but I think the odds that they will turn that to the UMW Athletics website. sport into a professional career, as a sport on Wong emphasized how important taking the playing field, is going to be pretty mini- risks is when it comes to careers. He took a mal,” said Wong. “So I think you have to be big risk when he took a job in Kansas City, realistic that school probably has to take pri- Mo.—a place he now considers home—beority over that situation.” cause the city was so unfamiliar.

He connected his previous collegiate “Don’t be afraid to take risks because struggles to his professional life as he dis- right now you’re young. You don’t have any cussed the concept of failure. attachments; you don’t have any responsibil“Failure is inevitable,” he said, reflecting ities,” he said. “So do it when you can because on his low GPA at the end of the first quarter when you get older and you start having famduring his freshman year. “But, I failed many ily, spouse [and] children involved—that’s times in my career and in my life. That’s not when things get complicated. But when the first time and only time I failed at Mary you’re young, don’t be afraid to take risks. If Washington. There’s many jobs I inter- there’s a job in Washington state that interviewed for in baseball that I didn’t get. But ests you, do it, because there’s only one way I think perseverance—being able to rebound to figure it out.”

Wong has been with the Royals for 24 years, which he said is an unusually long time, considering the high turnover within the league.

Wong discussed how he was able to learn and grow from his experiences with the Royals, and he emphasized the importance of relationships during a person’s professional journey.

“I think it’s super important to build relationships with people—especially in leadership positions. Learn from them, and just be eager and open-minded,” said Wong as he described the various positive role models and mentors he’s had throughout his life.

He commented on the fact that he does not regard himself as a great networker, Jin Wong answers questions about his experiences within but that maintaining relationships and the baseball industry.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

Abbey Magnet Sports Editor

Men’s Basketball (10-7) Jan. 27 vs. East. Mennonite Jan. 28 vs. UC Santa Cruz Jan. 31 vs. Averett

Women’s Basketball (11-6)

Jan. 27 vs. Gallaudet Jan. 31 vs. Chris. Newport leaving a positive impression is imperative to Feb. 3 vs. Salisbury Feb. 7 vs. Chris. Newport success.

“I think the important thing is just treat people well and have integrity and account- Men’s Tennis (0-0) ability, and they’ll remember you for that,” he Feb. 3 vs. George Mason Feb. 13 vs. Belmont Abbey said.

Wong and Turner reunite at the event.

Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

Women’s Tennis (0-0) “Don’t be afraid to take Feb. 10 vs. George Mason risks because right now you’re young. You don’t have Feb. 17 vs. Washington College any attachments; you don’t Men’s Baseball (0-0) have any responsibilities.” Feb. 10 vs. Mt. St. Mary (NY)

- Jin Wong Fellow alumnus, Chris Turner ‘97 expressed how it felt to come back to campus and reconnect with old classmates.

“It feels like coming home,” he said.

Junior business administration and sports management double major Jakob Robinette enjoyed the event and felt that it was a great way to learn about the business administration side of sports.

Robinette had previously been in contact with Wong to discuss potential career opportunities and get advice from a professional.

“I had connected with him freshman year, and he was giving me advice on how to get into the sports industry and just general information about it that’s not really known to the public,” he said.

When Robinette heard that Wong was coming to campus, he chose to attend Wong’s speech to reconnect. He spoke on his impressions of the event.

“I thought that it was a good insight to the sports management business, and it helps people understand what really goes on,” said Robinette.

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

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

Men’s (4-3) & Women’s (5-2) 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 Full schedule not listed above.

Most recent games included.

Bold indicates home game.