The Captain's Log Vol. 47 Issue 21

The Captain’s Log THE VOICE OF CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY STUDENTS @CNUCAPTAINSLOG

W W W.T H E C A P T A I N S LO G . O R G

VOLUME 47, ISSUE 21

MARCH 30, 2016

BEST DANCE CREW 2016 Whatever it takes to get the job done Part 2: Juanita Staton has battled health issues over the past few years, but she still performs her job with vigor and a smile. by lydia johnson lydia.johnson.13@cnu.edu

Junita Staton, a housekeeper in the Trible Library, spent years working jobs at McDonald’s and Wal-Mart in addition to CNU. The fatigue of that labor coupled with her being in an accident while riding the bus home from work left her drained, but those struggles are not visible in the work she does on campus. This story is the second in a three-part series on Ms. Juanita. We left off on the question of “why was she forced to work so many jobs?”

“Well…” She paused and glanced toward the ceiling. “I had two children.

I had my first child when I was 18. I had my second child when I was 21.

And I always wanted to have money … but money is the root of all evil.” juanita continued on page 3

Juanita Staton spends her mornings cleaning the library before students file in. lydia johnson/The Captain’s Log

Check out our coverage of last weekend’s G Phi’s Best Dance Crew in this issue and online. See photos from the event on PAGES 8 and 9. Read our story on PAGE 12. Watch videos from the event on our FACEBOOK PAGE (Top left) Sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha impressed with their out of the world BDC performance. (Bottom left) Joelle Blas channeled her wild side for Alpha Phi’s performance. (Right) Sisters of Gamma Phi Beta anxiously await the start of their annual philanthropy event.

PAGE 2 Weekly pic The sisters of Gamma Phi Beta raised $9,384.80 at Best Dance Crew for Girls Inc., an after-school care program on the pensisula dedicated to emboldening young girls. This was a more than $1,700 increase from last year’s total. Photo by Ben Leistensnider/The Captain’s Log

Online this week

Happened

Happening

Check out these stories on our social media.

March 26 Chinese Culture Day Saturday afternoon, CNU’s Asian Studies program in conjunction with the Confucius Institute of William and Mary presented their annual Chinese Culture ay. The celebration featured traditional Chinese art and music for students to enjoy. Read more on page 14.

March 31 Coffee Meets Fellowship Thursday, 6-7 p.m. in Freeman 201, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship is partnering with Tea & You (TNU) to host an evening of speeddating questions before IV’s large group meeting at 7:30 p.m. Coffee, tea and snacks will be provided.

March 26 A Troupe Called Quest Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Trible Plaza, A Troupe Called QUest presented their second show of the semester: We Sold Our Souls for Student Loans.

April 1 CAB’s Glow-in-the-Dark Dodgeball Sign-ups are open today through Friday from 11-1 p.m. in the DSU Breezeway for the Glow in the Dark Dodgeball tournament taking place Friday in the Auxiliary Gym. Prizes of $20 Captain’s Cash will be awarded for each person on the winning team.

Best Dance Crew 2016 In case you missed it, watch CNU TV’s coverage of the Best Dance Crew event of 2016 and enjoy some of the winning performances. Check out pictures on pages 8, 9, and 12.

Why We Relay Taking some time to reflect on the big event, CNU TV listened to the thoughts of students who participated in Relay For Life.

Captain’s Log Snapchat Scan this image to add us on Snapchat!

Follow our updates, watch us behind the scenes in the newsroom, and keep up with commentary on campus life.

Corrections In “A night of student art and entrepreneurship,” the graphic was designed by Jack Hurley, but was attributed to Chester Porter.

March 26 “I’m On A Terrace” Notion of Youth, a group of senior theare artists, presented a theatrical event to the memory of the victims of November’s Paris attacks. Donations were collected for the International Rescue Committee to help others around the world in similar situations. Read more on page 13.

March 28 Film Screening: The Mask You Live In Monday at 7:30 p.m., the College of Social Sciences, the SAVE committee and PLP hosted a film screening of the documentary that follows boys and young men in their struggle to stay true to themselves while negotiating America’s definition of masculinity.

The Captain’s Log Staff 2015-2016 Josh Reyes Editor-in-chief Melanie Occhiuzzo Assistant Opinions Editor Jack Jacobs News Editor Madeline Monroe Assistant News Editor Ben Leistensnider Sports Editor Bethany Pyle Lifestyle Editor Victoria Lurie A&E Editor Katherine Gittman Assistant A&E Editor Kelsey Berg Digital Content Editor

Faris Sleem Co-Digital Content Editor Chris Whitehurst Creative Director Macy Friend Photography Editor Sarah Martin Copy Editor Collin Brennan CNUTV Editor Jacob Hudson CNUTV Assistant Editor Kelsey Schnoebelen Marketing Director Brandon Hubbard Business Manager Terry Lee Faculty Advisor

Apr. 14 Delta Gamma’s Dessert Derby Team sign-ups are open for DG’s second annual Dessert Derby held in Freeman 201 and 202 from 6-9 p.m. There will be over 150 desserts to try. Tickets will be sold in the DSU walkway the week before and at the door. All proceeds go to Service for Sight.

Student Assembly Delegate Application Students interested in becoming delegates are invited to fill out the application, which is open now until April 15, and then again next semester.

THE CAPTAIN’S LOG is the official student newspaper of Christopher Newport University. It is a public forum, which is published Wednesdays throughout the academic year.

THE EDITOR welcomes letters from readers. Editors reserve the right to edit letters for length and AP style, as well as to refuse publication. An email with a “.doc” attachment is preferable. Reach us through: - Email: clog@cnu.edu - Drop off: The Captain’s Log newsroom, DSU Suite 393 Join the staff The Captain’s Log is always open to students who are interested in writing, photography and editing. Editors assign stories every Sunday at 7 p.m. in the Jefferson Room of the DSU. want to advertise? Circulation inquiries, advertising rates and policies are available upon request via email at clog@cnu.edu or telephone at (757) 594-7196. For more information, visit our website at thecaptainslog.org.

FROM THE FRONT PAGE

Whatever it takes to get the job done

Juanita Staton remains determined to complete her work despite the physical and emotional pain her health and her personal life have caused.

Juanita continued From page 1

Juanita could not endure the stress of three jobs forever; in 2008, she suffered a mild stroke that shut down twhe left side of her body. Juanita said the stroke happened after she came home from her CNU job. She had taken a shower and was talking to her husband, Abe Staton. As she stood up to go to the bathroom, she started to feel light-headed. “Then my leg gave out on me. I just started walking so slow,” she remembers. After she used the bathroom, Juanita had even more difficulty walking. She felt dizzy.

Then her left side went completely numb. She tried to tell Abe what was happening. “I started writing him a note,” she recalls. “‘Please dial 9-1-1.’ I couldn’t even talk. He looked at me like I was crazy.”

Despite her physical condition, she ended up dialing 9-1-1 herself. The paramedics arrived 10 minutes later. By that time, Juanita could neither talk nor move. She could still see, so she read people’s lips to understand what was going on. The paramedics asked Juanita where her clothes were, but she could not respond. She described herself as being unconscious in that moment.

“Can you put your wife’s clothes on her?” the paramedics asked Abe. “I don’t know where her clothes are,” Abe replied.

The paramedics were surprised at this response.

“So I just got up—politely—grabbed my clothes out the dresser drawer and put my clothes on,” said Juanita matter-of-factly.

“Yes. Myself.” Juanita nods and giving an affirmative look.

“I don’t know” how I did it, she said with a shrug.

“I can’t explain it. My mind—I was at ease.” After she put her clothes on, the paramedics placed Juan-

ita in the ambulance and put an oxygen mask on her. They drove her to the hospital, ran the necessary tests, and determined that she’d suffered a stroke.

“I stopped working my other job when I had my stroke,” Juanita said, referring to McDonald’s.

She stopped working at Wal-Mart in 2005. “I was scared it was gonna happen again. I still have tingles and numbness in my hands,” she said.

But despite the fear, she smiles. “I’m staying motivated. I still can get the job done. I don’t let nothing stop me.”

The mention of her husband elicits a different reaction.

“He didn’t even go with me to the hospital,” she said. “He don’t like hospitals.” She laughs her deep laugh that echoes throughout the room.

She laughs, but the memory stings her. She can’t hide the hurt in her voice while walking about the emotional pain her husband caused her.

“And plus, we were having up and downs.”

Juanita sat in the emergency room at Sentara Hospital for two hours. After the bus accident, the paramedics arrived on the scene and took all four injured passengers to the nearest medical center. Juanita waited for two hours, and finally received her diagnosis.

She had a contusion on her left hip and spine that affected her nervous system to her spinal cord. “My doctor says I need a hip replacement, which I do not want to do.” Her eyes widen when she says not.

“I don’t want to feel like I’m helpless,” she said with a giggle. “I can’t see myself getting a hip replacement … But if I have to, that’s fine.”

Juanita does not work alone; she has help from other housekeepers like Sylvia Banks to keep CNU pristine. Lydia Johnson/The captain’s Log

This story on Ms. Juanita is the second in a three-part series. The first segment was published in last week’s issue, and the third segment will be published next week. The online version of the story will be updated in the same fashion, with the subsequent segments being added to the original story.

NEWS Shipping off from CNU Page 4

A university official reports 12.5 percent of freshmen don’t enroll for their sophomore year, giving CNU a first-year retention rate of 87.5 percent. Jack Jacobs/the captain’s log

After the initial excitement, some students find CNU isn’t quite the right fit for them.

By madeline monroe madeline.monroe.15@cnu.edu

While every semester sees new students arrive on CNU’s campus, each semester also s e e s a nu mb er of st udent s depart. Reasons for leaving CNU range from underwhelming academics and departments to not feeling prepared for college.

A lacking campus Wit h a l l of t he prop ose d additions to CN U’s campus, including Greek Village and add it ion a l sp ac e i n T r ible Library, the university seems hard at work attempting to improve the student experience at CNU. When high school seniors are met with a pristine lawn, palatial residences halls, and stately academic buildings all presided over by the impressive Christopher Newport Hall, it is easy to understand how so many students would initially be attracted to CNU. No matter how spectacular the school may seem, some

students say that underneath CN U’s grand exterior, voids need to be filled. “ To me, t he c a mpu s felt ex t remely fa ke – b e auti f u l buildings, but with nothing in them. They continuously pump money into building up these nice buildings, but not into the academics that make up the buildings,” said Alden Garon, a senior at the University of Virginia. Garon transferred out of CNU after the spring of 2014.

O r i g i n a l l y, h e p l a n n e d on transferring out of CN U because he felt the university was too small for him. Garon, however, noticed more issues that compelled him to transfer.

For him, the academics, the lack of resources, the university’s overall atmosphere and the administration caused him to turn away from CNU. Garon said he experienced difficulty securing an introductory level biology class during his last semester at CNU so that he could receive a bachelor’s of science in psychology rather than a bachelor’s of art.

“[An administrator] told me I couldn’t get in it because the remaining seats were reserved for incoming freshmen. Had

“I feel like I’m at an actual university with a college atmosphere, not a glorified high school.”

- Alden Garon,

University of Virginia senior who transferred from CNU

I stayed at CN U, I would’ve needed to st ay for su m mer classes in order to get a B.S.” Garon said.

The UVA senior is expected to g radu ate i n M ay wit h a degree in psychology, and plans to either work for a software

company or attend graduate school for business at UVA. “ [ T r a n s fe r r i n g ] w a s my best decisions, by far. There are so many opportunities [at UVA] – both academically and socially – that I wouldn’t [find and] didn’t have at CNU. The administration isn’t overbearing either – I feel like I’m at an actual university with a college atmosphere, not a glorified high school,” Garon said.

Academic difficulties Former students don’t always end up transferring. Some are suspended or drop out. Dennis Heflin was placed on academic suspension and left after his sophomore year in 2015.

“I came to realize that I was not ready for college. I needed some time out of college to get to know myself and understand where I want to be in my life,” said Hef li n, who cu r rent ly works at A lamo Drafthouse Cinema in Winchester, Va., and will return to his summer job as a whitewater raft guide in Harper’s Ferry, W.Va. He plans to move out west when he is able. “[I]t made me really look at my life and see where I wanted

to go with it. Overall, I think dropping out was a pretty good decision. I wasn’t ready,” said Heflin.

Rising retention While some students don’t find their place at CNU, most continue to go on to graduation. According to Lori Jacobs, director of public relations, the freshman retention rate at CNU increased from 83.9 to 87.5 percent between fall 2013 and fall 2015. The College of Wil liam and Mary enjoys a retention rate of 95.2 percent for 2015, according to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Old Dominion University has retention rate of 80.5 percent.

The six-year graduation rate for CNU students rose 60 percent from 2013 to 70 percent in 2015. By comparison, William and Mary’s six-year graduation rate hovered around 90 percent, while ODU’s rate is slightly below CN U’s at 52 percent, according to each university’s Common Data Set, a national program coordinated between institutions and organizations such as College Board to provide university statistics to the public. n

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Defunct Trump club founded in part on spectacle, not just support

GreeK Life Fraternal Values Awards Chapter Awards

Businessman Donald Trump’s bid for the republican presidential nomination has been characterized by growing controversy. Steve Sands/Getty images

CNU’s Student Trump Coalition an avenue for general political engagement, according to former members.

By Rachel Wagner Rachel.wagner.15@cnu.edu

CNU’s Student Trump Coalition’s name can be deceiving. While the club was founded to support businessman Donald Trump’s presidential nomination bid, some students part of the organization joined to be engaged politically or just to see Trump firsthand.

According to former director Jordan Gray, a junior, Student Trump Coalition was founded to support Trump’s bid for the 2016 presidential election, The Captain’s Log reported in December 2015. The organization was founded in October 2015 and had a membership of 15 to 20 members, Gray said.

Sophomores Kenneth Kidd and Mary McLean are former members of the organization. Though the students attended local rallies, they helped found the group to understand the buzz about Trump, according to Kidd.

“I wanted to see what the craze was and hear from the horse’s mouth what he was saying” Kidd said.

The organization was created partially for networking purposes and to plug political science students into political events, according to Kidd.

Kidd identifies as a political independent and supported Marco Rubio during his bid. McLean, despite her affiliation with the Student Trump coalition, has been a stronger John Kasich supporter. Rubio is a senator from Florida and Kasich is governor of Ohio. Rubio suspended his campaign in early March and Kasich is still running.

After Trump made a series of antiIslamic comments in November 2015, Gray decided to step down from his position, and the entire group disbanded in early December 2015. Other former members expressed apprehension to speak about the group in fear

of being ostracized from the rest of the student body. According to Kidd, a lot of students probably do support Trump, but they feel afraid to express this political view in fear of peer backlash and threats.

W hile short-lived, club members attended local Trump rallies, such as one in Norfolk in late October 2015.

“It was exciting, I’d never been to a rally before, and Trump people are really passionate” said McLean. “I went because I thought it was cool to see a celebrity talk in person.”

“When [Trump] emerged, he sounded very presidential” Kidd said. McLean echoed this, saying that he “gave a really good speech” and that the rally was different from seeing him on the television.

McLean related the drama and theatrical element of Trump’s rally to the cartoon comedy Family Guy, and shared that he says a lot of what people wanted to hear. She feels that combined with his abilities as a passionate speaker are what get his followers so riled up.

Kidd encourages students, if they have the opportunity, to attend rallies for any candidates to see them for themselves. “Don’t just look at MSNBC and Fox News clips” he said.

As Kidd has now been to two different rallies, he has seen Trump’s platform grow and develop, and does not feel that Trump is a demagogue to be feared.

“I think there’s much more scary people already in politics” he said. The strength of the American governmental system makes Kidd believe things will be okay regardless of the election.

“All the scary stuff Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders say they want to do would never get passed” Kidd said, “I have faith in the system and checks and balances.” n

Excellence in Membership Development Sorority Winner: Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity Winner: Sigma Phi Epsilon

Excellence in Scholarship Support Sorority Winner: Phi Mu Fraternity Winner: Kappa Delta Rho

Excellence in Membership Education Sorority Winner: Alpha Sigma Alpha Fraternity Winner: Sigma Phi Epsilon

Excellence in Innovation Sorority Winner: Alpha Sigma Alpha Fraternity Winner: Sigma Phi Epsilon

Excellence in Philanthropy Sorority Winner: Phi Mu Fraternity Winner: Kappa Delta Rho

Excellence in Leadership Sorority Winner: Gamma Phi Beta Fraternity Winner: Sigma Phi Epsilon

Excellence in Community Service Sorority Winner: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Fraternity Winner: Kappa Delta Rho

Excellence in Living Your Ritual Sorority Winner: Alpha Sigma Alpha Fraternity Winner: Sigma Phi Epsilon

Excellence in Academics Sorority Winner: Alpha Delta Pi

Chapter of the Year Sorority Winner: Alpha Delta Pi Fraternity Winner: Sigma Phi Epsilon

Fraternity Winner: Sigma Phi Epsilon

Individual Awards Exemplary Individual Scholarship Panhellenic: Courtney Leistensnider, Alpha Delta Pi Interfraternity Council: CJ Cahill, Sigma Phi Epsilon National Pan-Hellenic Council: Anika Trent, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Outstanding New Member Panhellenic: Rocio Ramirez, Alpha Delta Pi Interfraternity Council: Jolsuan Ruiz, Psi Upsilon National Pan-Hellenic Council: Briana Bouldin, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Servant Leader of the Year Panhellenic: Margaret Hunt, Alpha Delta Pi Interfraternity Council: Benjamin Miller, Sigma Phi Epsilon National Pan-Hellenic Council: Derick Stephenson Jr., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Council Member of the Year Panhellenic: Taylor Walters, Alpha Delta Pi Interfraternity Council: Nick Friedl, Sigma Phi Epsilon Outstanding Chapter Advisor Panhellenic: Tori Edwards, Alpha Phi Interfraternity Council: Bryan Gunst, Sigma Phi Epsilon National Pan-Hellenic Council: Leon Cole, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Outstanding Faculty Staff Member Monica Hill, Gamma Phi Beta, Center for Career Planning Chapter President of the Year Panhellenic: Macee Wanner, Zeta Tau Alpha Interfraternity Council: Jonathan Colb, Psi Upsilon National Pan-Hellenic Council: Derick Stephenson Jr., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

OPINIONS

“The Captain’s Log is free to write anything it pleases, and CNU fully respects the Freedom of the press.”

Page 6

CNU President Paul Trible

The dangers of assumptions in politics People who disagree with your political beliefs are not inherently bad or wrong; learn about why they believe what they believe.

racheL WAGNER staff writer

I’ll be the first person to openly say that I dislike Donald Trump.

His policies are atrocious and full of empty promises, he comes across as a bigot who hates anything different from himself, and nothing is more unattractive than his face as he bellows. I admit that this is my personal

political view.

However, I do not think that he is some villain ready to rule the world, or that his followers deserve to be threatened, labeled as racists, or to be recipients of the very hatred that Trump opposers claim is his worst quality.

While writing an article for the news section on Donald Trump, I was able to talk to a variety of students who were a part of the old Student Trump Coalition at CNU. To be frank, I expected these individuals to be repulsive

racists who were afraid of the color of people’s skin, but I quickly realized that this judgment was horribly mistaken. Assumptions are always dangerous, and I had assumed, firstly, that students involved in such a club would be die-hard Trump supporters.

It became clear within five minutes of talking to one of the students from the newly defunct Trump Coalition that this had been much of their story too. Frankly, I can understand the decision: they were political science majors, and this was an opportunity to become plugged into political events in Washington.

They traveled to rallies to see Trump speaking in person, and earlier in the year I wrote an article about the importance of not blindly following media and searching for your own sources. What better a source than to travel to a rally and decide for yourself?

Earlier in the semester, I worked on a political campaign for the local election in Newport News. My duties involved canvassing, or knocking on doors to talk some stranger’s ear off about the candidate I was working for.

Ultimately, the race left me feeling indifferent towards both candidates and rather tired of politics in general. Despite my melancholy

attitude, I still look back on the campaign as a good learning opportunity, especially as a student considering majoring in Political Science. I learned firsthand from this experience that college students, in particular, frequently are roped into campaigns “for the experience” rather than the candidate.

Just as we cannot assume things about people based off of the color of their skin or the faith they follow, we must not allow ourselves to stand on a moral soap box and blindly judge our peers for what we believe is political involvement or endorsement.

Moreover, if we wish to preach a philosophy of tolerance and support for a variety of lifestyles without judgment, we cannot afford to call all “Trump supporters” racists, bigots or hate mongers.

Yes, I agree, Trump himself might be all of those things, and while I personally would never stand behind him, I can think of times in American history when “revolutionary ideas” which I support were questioned with as much scrutiny as the ideas he is spouting.

I believe that those who disagree with Donald Trump can come up with far more logical reasons to do so than simply calling him and his supporters terrible people.

Moreover, if all we can do is throw around names and blind judgment, society has a lot to improve upon. n

Guest opinion: New diversity and inclusion council should have involved more students Student groups have been on the vanguard of diversity talks and should have been consulted as the council was formed.

L ast week’s emai l from University President Paul Trible announcing CNU’s new University Council on Diversity and Inclusion got my interest, but also raised some concerns.

Through my three years at this school, I ’ve pa r t icipate d i n Brent frost campus diversity inispectrum treasurer tiatives by serving as pr e sident a nd t r e a surer of Spectrum, the campus LGBTQ+ organization, so I was glad to hear about this new council.

Initially, I was expecting the campus administration to be acting in conjunction with the

Student Diversity and Equality Council, the student organization that has been on the forefront of diversity and inclusion conversations all year.

However what I found in the email disturbed me; the administration seems to be overshadowing, and perhaps even stepping on, hard work done by many students on the different initiatives that SDEC and its member organizations have put time and effort into for the sake of helping increase campus diversity.

Instead of consulting the students involved in diversity organizations that are doing their best to reach out to the entire campus, the top of administration is ignoring these student efforts; only five students are on the council, and none of them from SDEC. The council is also leaving out key figures within the school administration that need to be included, such as Ben Cowman, the campus director of diver-

sity initiatives and the adviser to SDEC. CN U administration needs to seriously reevaluate this committee and who sits on it if necessary. It needs to work in conjunction with SDEC and other student organizations dedicated to diversity—not above them or without them.

Our administration claims to want students to lead the way and raise each other up. However this council’s establishment in near-secrecy while diversity initiatives were already taking place out in the open contradicts the school’s emphasis on student leadership.

The administration should not be showing up initiatives set forth by students; rather it should help facilitate discussion among all groups at CNU and invite all those who can make change on campus to share their ideas.

This discussion needs to be unified in order to produce the best possible results for our campus. As Captains we raise each other up and help each other out; let us not lose sight of this value as we try to improve CNU’s diversity and inclusivity. n

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For the love of story

Procrastination and academia

For aspiring journalists, the newsroom can help to turn passion into possibilities.

As spring weather approaches at an ever-faster rate, students are forced to battle between homework and leisure time.

People keep asking whether I’m worried, happy, terrified, excited or so on about the quickly approaching graduation date. Although it’s true I am mostly excited, I don’t think reality has sunk in: the truth that the culmination of the past four years is almost here, when all the long papers, sleepless nights and stress eating will finally be granted their just reward. But as I speak, most seniors are well into the job search, some already having that next step sarah martin planned out, with many impatiently copy editor waiting for ‘real life’ to begin.

Recently, I had to write up my last personal statement for the Honors Program, a paper that reflects on the last four years of my college career. To put the final reflections together, I went back and re-read my very first statement, from the near-forgotten age of freshman year. Even then, I said that I wanted to write—to be a journalist or find some way to share stories. Since then, I have tiptoed down other roads, considered alternative destinations, but here at the end of all college things, I find I’m still captive to the power of story.

Growing up, many of my personal heroes were writers and photographers. These people unveiled worlds that would be invisible and voiceless without their storytelling. Inspired to do the same, I pursued writing as a platform to make the beauty and diversity of life known. Such dreams and visions are nice and all, but I knew that there was more to journalism and reporting than just typing up words. I needed to learn the lessons that come with being a part of a team. I found this team at the Captain’s Log. When I joined staff, it was only in my last year, and I felt like a bit of a latecomer. I had enjoyed writing for the paper before, but I knew there was more I could learn working in the newsroom, and seeing what goes into producing an issue every week.

Within this past year, I’ve come away with some invaluable lessons from the CLog family. Whether a writer, a photographer or an editor, everyone watches each other’s backs, sharing the workload when someone needs a hand. We push each other to improve each week, to think more and more creatively with each page, and to frequently step outside our usual responsibilities to accomplish something new. If only the freshman me knew how much there was to learn in this newsroom; I would have come around more often and much sooner.

My involvement with the newspaper didn’t officially begin until sophomore year. When trying to fumble my way into the field of journalism at a school without a program, I went to the first budget meeting of the year and picked up my first story: a news article on CNU’s new and mysterious statue, Francis of Assisi. Through this one small story, I found myself in communication with President Trible himself, and even the artist of the statue, Italian sculptor Emanuele De Reggi, who Skyped with me from Italy to talk about this fascinating piece of art, and help me understand its significance. The bronze child Francis, located between the David Student Union and McMurran Hall, at first mystified us students returning from summer break. But listening to De Reggi explain his inspiration, I learned that he had a unique perspective on art and life that we can all recognize and appreciate, whether we understand it or not. This was the kind of story I wanted to continue to share.

About a month ago, journalist James Sheeler visited campus and gave a talk reflecting on his experience reporting and writing his story “Final Salute,” which won him a Pulitzer Prize in 2006.

In his talk, he explained how a journalist has the ability to “make people look into windows they don’t want to look into.” He said “you have to make them look in that window.” These words were a good reminder for why I continued on the writing path. Working at the Captain’s Log, learning from my fellow editors, I understand that we all are part of a platform which offers a unique opportunity to look into windows that might otherwise be closed or overlooked, and to make sure readers of the student body have the chance to see through windows of every color, shape and size on CNU’s campus.

I’m beyond grateful to have spent this last year working among the newspaper stacks on the third floor of the DSU. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the meetings, the deadlines and the endless copyediting revisions, it’s that I won’t find a family of journalists quite like this outside the Captain’s Log. n

Ah, the weeks of early to midSpring when Newport News blesses her shivering children with a reprieve from the blistering days of winter. The sun comes out and makes the emerald Great Lawn glow. Bright colors literally blossom as flowers are planted in every flower pot and along every academic building. And campus explodes with people. Seriously, where did you all come from? Do you all even go here?

Eileen Murphy Hundreds of students sprawl on the Staff writer benches, at the plaza tables and on blankets in the grass. Frisbees whizz overhead and at least five puppies magically appear every day.

This time of year is great, but I tend to hear a common refrain from the ardent sunbathers: “I would be doing work right now, but it’s so nice out and I can’t use my laptop out here.” There it is. Procrastination at its finest, this time packaged with a pretty plausible excuse. I get it, it’s warm outside. I, too, want to re-introduce some pigment into my skin after the long months of

0 3

Students take time to enjoy the nice weather on the York lawn. Photo Courtesy of David Furrow zero sun exposure. But, my professors tend to frown upon, “It was so nice out!” as an excused absence. As much as I hate to admit it, no amount of sunshine and puppies is going to get my work done. What does one do when the warm weather drives away all motivation to study?

Here are some things I have tried to beat back “summeritis.” I bring out things I can work on without a computer screen. I usually have some textbook that I’ve never read for class, but probably should. So, I stretch out with a highlighter and a notebook and study it up technology-free style! Most of the time, I will put in headphones to discourage passing friends from stopping and distracting me, although this isn’t always a deterrent. Another trick that has worked for me is rationing out study breaks to spend outside. I hole up in the library for an hour and a half, then give myself a half hour to sit in the sun.

There are lots of things you can do to stay productive as the semester winds down and the summer weather comes to play.

It’s all about balancing your time and figuring out what study environments work best for you. If, like me, you can focus with the chatter of a hundred of your peers in the background, then go for it. Study outside. If not, it’s probably best to hit up the quiet rooms when you need to concentrate.n

SNAPSHOT

Pa g e 8

Best Dance Crew 2016 raises record amount Gamma Phi Beta’s annual event is one of CNU’s most prominent events and collected nearly over $9,000 for Girls Inc. By macy friend macy.friend.14@cnu.edu

Gamma Phi Beta’s Best Dance Crew proved once again to be one of the most popular events on campus throughout the academic year.

The goal of this event is to raise money for GPhi’s local philanthropy, Girls Inc, a pr og r a m t h at emp ower s young women to overcome adversity and gain self confidence.

Money was raised through ticket sales for the event as well as by sisters of GPhi. Donations by sisters and their families raised

about $ 2 , 5 0 0. T hi s ye a r, the event raised $ 9,384.80­ for Girls Inc.—more than a $1,700 increase from last year.

A s u s u a l , Gi rl s I n c . kicked off the event with a dance routine that had the same level of maturity as the 17 student groups that performed. They were fol lowe d by a st a nd i n g ovation and set a high bar for the student groups to follow.

Each g roup had t hei r own theme, whether it was Sigma Phi Epsilon’s sweatpants and t-shirts, Phi Mu’s rock n’ roll classics or the zombies of Alpha Delta Pi,

each group brought their own style and talent to the dance floor.

While BDC was intended to raise money for Girls I nc ., it b r i n g s c a mpu s together, whether student g r oup s a r e i nvolve d i n Greek life or not.

Event Staff provided an entertaining show using tables and chairs as props while Student Ambassadors began with music about tour guides that quickly turned into popular rap music. Hypnotic Control and CN U Storm brought their original zeal to their performances while judges deliberated. n

For more coverage on Best Dance Crew see the article on page 12. CNU TV will post videos of the dances to The Captain’s Log Facebook account.

Senior Dana Belcher and freshman Erin Niciphor of Alpha Phi strike a pose at the e sisters exuded Amazonian confidence in their powerful, yet graceful routine. pho

Sigma Phi Epsilon performed a medley of Justin Bieber songs, winning the hearts of audience members and at one point, bringing Gamma Phi Beta senior Kirsten Sams to the dance floor.

Seniors Katherine Hall and Catherine Cristman were part of a 40-member team fr high energy Classic Rock medley that included music from Pat Benatar, Def Leppa

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The men of Psi Upsilon impressed the crowd with their suggestive and hypnotizing moves. Sophomore Rico Francis was one of the members who performed.

end of the group’s performance. The sorority’s performance included African music and the

otos by macy friend and ben leistensnider/the captain’s log

rom Phi Mu to perform a ard and Rick Springfield.

In the end, the Student Veterans’ Organization impressed the judges enough to come in first place for its seven-member performance.

Alpha Chi Sigma performed routines to science-related music, including the Bill Nye and the Big Bang Theory theme songs.

The brothers of Kappa Delta Rho incorporated breakdancing into their performance, which is something that other groups lacked.

SPORTS

Page 10

Captains pull off major upset Christopher Newport men’s lacrosse comes out on top against the number 15 team, which bumps them up on the NCAA polls to no. 18.

by Caitlin King Cait l i n.k i ng.14 @ cn u.edu

Men’s lacrosse beat number 15 in the nation, F rostburg State, on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon.

Matt Crist stunned the crowd as he scored four goals. Randy Foster added five points and scored the game winning goal just minutes left in regulation.

The Captains were able to hold the defensive end together with record-breaking perform a nc e s. Br a ndon Moloney helped towards the win with three caused turnovers and ten ground balls. Along with Moloney, Matt Hayden and Michael Mabry caused four turnovers for the Captains.

As the Bobcats started the game with a fast 6-1 lead, the Captains did not quit. With 12 minutes left in the first half, Joey Rolando put one in the back of the net. Frostburg retaliated a minute later, but Crist didn’t allow that to slow him down. He broke free in the 8 meter and found the back of the net twice within two minutes of each other.

Christopher Albright picked up a loose ball and passed it off to Foster who drove a dagger into the goal. In the third quar-

ter Will Geise scored a goal off of a pass from Ryan Mills right before the defensive end started their groove.

Unfortunately, the Bobcats pulled ahead during a penalty on the Captains. Foster drove through the eight meter and scored his second goal. With time running out in the third qua r ter Foster used a skip pass to Dave Magdeburger who ripped a shot and scored his first goal of the game.

Starting the fourth quarter fast, Crist rolled around the crease before he laid in his third goal of the game to give the Captains their ninth goal.

After a great save by Hayden, the Captains took control and passed the ball around the FSU zone defense.

Sha ne McKen na gave t he Bobcats a run for their money when he dod ged past hi s defender at the top of the eight and drove to the goal putting the score at 10-9. With 11 minutes remaining Crist broke free from the defense grabbing a feed from Rolando and driving it into the back of the net.

Wit h ti me wi ndi ng dow n Foster cut in and grabbed the ball out of the air from Rolando before blasting a shot into the goal snatching a 12-11 advan-

Jr. Randy Foster dodges past a Frostburg defender to score one of his three goals during regulation. The Captains have held a record of an undefeated record in the CAC. Ben Leistensnider/The Captain’s Log tage with 1:40 left in regulation.

Though the visitors won the next face off, the Captains were able to stop their momentum.

Hayden ends the game with

a pointblank save to keep the Captains advantage.

Up next, the Captains will be taking on the University of Mary Washington Eagles on

the Captains Turf Field at 7:00 pm on Wednesday March, 30.

The Captains have moved up on the polls and are now ranked number 18 in the nation. n

CNU moves into first place A doubleheader sweep over Marymount puts CNU in a three-way tie for first in the CAC.

by Ben Leistensnider benjami n.l eist ensn i der.13 @ cn u.edu

So. Ryan Powell secured his second win of the season in the Captains’ 7-4 win over Marymount. Ben Leistensnider/The Captain’s Log

C om i n g i nt o t he double header against CNU, Marymou nt was a per fect 7- 0 i n Capital Athletic Conference play and had already toppled nationally-ranked Salisbury and Frostburg State.

CNU changed that.

After sweeping Marymount on M a r ch 2 6 , C NU i s now situated with a 7-2 record in the CAC for a three-way tie for first place with the Saints and Salisbury.

The Captains got off to an explosive start in game one,

scoring five unanswered runs.

Three of those runs came from a t hree -r u n homer u m from sophomore Bra ndon Gi nch, who finished the weekend with six RBIs. S opho m o r e R y a n P owe l l helped the of fense with his work on the mound. Giving up seven hits in six innings, he limited Marymount to just two runs.

The Saints started to mount a comeback in the sixth inning and pulled within two, but CNU held them off to secure a 7-4 victory.

Game two was a much more one-sided affair.

T he t wo te a m s rem ai ned in a scoreless stalemate until the fourth inning when CNU scored four.

Ginch got the scoring started when he drove in senior Tommy Vitaletti, and he was driven in himself by a sac fly from senior Kyle Corwin—who finished the game with three RBIs. CNU went on another scoring outburst in the seventh inning when they scored six to extend their lead to 11-1.

F resh ma n Au sti n Sloug h picked up the win, striking out four and allowing just one run in seven innings of work.

Sophomore Craig Johnson was awarded the save.

The Captains will hope to maintain their share of first place as they host Mary Washington on March 30. n

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Track and field sweeps the Commonwealth Duals The Captains hosted the Commonwealth Duals and saw the setting of a school record.

by Sam Camilletti samantha.camilletti.14@cnu.edu

Fol low i n g a phenomen a l opening meet, the Captains continued their success at the Com monwea lt h Dua ls meet Saturday afternoon at CNU”s own POMOCO Stadium.

Both the men and women’s teams placed 4-0 for the overal l dua l-meet. Individua l ly, there were nine new all-time records set and one shattered school record after senior Trey Gra ha m broke his existi ng hammer throw record by two meters.

Quickly becoming the ‘king of the hammer’, Graham won the contest and broke his own school record with a final distance of 51.10 meters. This surpassed his own record of 49.26.

Sophomore Legend Boyesen also posted a historic distance.

In the same event, he threw a dist a nce of 41. 3 0 meters, moving him to ninth on the alltime list.

The women’s side was equally as successful. Senior Lyzan

Rashid threw a final distance of 41.13, capturing the crown in that event and moving up to 7th on the all-time list. Freshman Sarah Johnson threw her way to 10th in program history with a final distance of 37.74 in the same event.

Success was not just seen in the field events. Junior Briana Stewart won the 3000 steeplechase wit h a ti me of 11: 3 8, moving her to sixth all-time.

Senior Alexa Tabackman’s performance in the 1500 moved her to eighth in CNU history after posting 4:51. After a dynamic performance in the 800 meter run, junior Billy Rabil moved to third all-time after clocking in at 1:53. Rabil also won the event.

Sophomore Cullen Monahan registered at 1:54 in the same race, moving him to sixth in program history. In the 3000 steeplechase, freshman Evan Fabish captured first place with a time of 9:48 as well as a ninth place spot all-time. Sophomore Daniel Read was also bumped up to ninth all-time in the 1500

meter run, where he posted a result of 4:01.

Side-by-side with the all-timers were a handful of athletes with solid performances. The men’s 4x100 meter relay team, comprised of sophomores Lewis Folli, Brandon Martin, Wesley Shrieves and Ryan Scott won their event with a final time of 42.69. Scott also had individual successes in the 200 meter and the 110 meter hurdles, where he found victory in both events. In the 200, Scott clocked in at 21.86 while he posted 15.39 in the hurdles.

In the men’s discus, sophomore Brendon Burrows stole the crown after a worthy performance and final distance of 42.44 meters. Freshman Jonathan Graham won the men’s pole vault where he cleared the mark at 4.22 meters. In the women’s events, freshman Mol ly McCabe won t he 10 0 meter hurdles with a time of 15.54. Senior Jennifer Westerholm won the triple jump after leaping to 11.01 meters.

The Captains track and field teams will return to action at William and Mary to compete in the Colonial Relays on April 1 and 2. n

Sr. Trey Graham broke his existing record in the hammer throw with a distance of 51.10 meters. Ben Leistensnider/The Captain’s Log

CNU splits doubleheader against rival Salisbury CNU and Salisbury both came away with a win in a top-10 doubleheader.

Up Next Virginia Wesleyan

by Ben Leistensnider benjami n.l eist ensn i der.13 @ cn u.edu

So. Leah Andrews makes contact with the ball during the Salisbury doubleheader. Andrews’ homerun was one of the Captains’ three in game two. Ben Leistensnider/The Captain’s Log

The Captains started their Capital Athletic Conference season by hosting their toughest rival in the CAC: Salisbury. The two teams, which have both been in the conference championship game the past two years and will likely face again in the playoffs, were evenly m atched a nd split t he double header.

The CNU-Salisbury rivalry has always been an extremely close one, with the Captains now holding a slight 35-33-2 advantage over the Sea Gulls.

The Gulls won their first regular season game against CNU since 2014 when they came away with a 4-2 win in the first matchup of the doubleheader.

Senior Hanah Marshall pitched all seven innings for the Captains, allowing six hits and only two earned runs. An error in the fifth inning was the team’s undoing as it gave Salisbury the two runs that proved to be the difference.

Overall Record: 17-4 Riding a six-game winning streak Ranked 10th in the nation The Captains’ bats came alive in game two, scoring at least one run in five straight innings. Three of those were off of single shot homeruns from sophomores Leah Andrews, Lia Batchelor and Rachael Payne.

Junior Tara Heatwole started the ga me for t he Capt ai ns, but ju nior Maiven McKnight was awarded the win after only allowing one hit in three and two-thirds innings worth of work.

After sweeping Eastern Mennonite in a March 28 doubleheader, CNU will now host Virginia Wesleyan on March 30. n

A+E

concerts Page 12

on campus

in theaters

March 30

April 1

April 1

Composers’ Forum

VA Symphony Orchestra

“I Saw the Light” Rated R

April 1 CAB glow dodgeball

CAB’s BINGO

8 p.m. M&T Hall

8 p.m. Ferguson Center

“Get a Job ” Rated R

7 p.m. Aux gym

4 p.m. ballroom

Best Dance Crew 2016

April 2

BDC by the numbers $9,384.80

total amount raised

groups who performed:

5

number of routines with tumbling

times shirts were removed: Alpha Delta Pi’s zombie-themed routine took the phrase “knock ‘em dead” to heart, stunning the judges and crowd.

The girls wound up crawling their way from the crypt to third place . photos by Ben Leistensnider/the captain’s log

17

0

by v ictor i a Lu r i e victoria.lurie.13 @ cnu.edu

You know, it’s not every day you get to see a carousel of the undead.

Then again, if every day was G Phi’s Best Dance Crew, the philanthropic mega- event wou ld lose some of its appeal.

A s it c u r r ent ly st a nd s, t hou g h , Gamma Phi Beta’s annual dance showcase is still something to get very much hyped about. This year’s lineup boasted 14 competitive student acts, as well as exhibition performances by CNU Storm, Hypnotic Control and Girls Inc., the group to whom the whole night was dedicated.

Places, everyone The a forementioned carousel of corpses came courtesy of the sisters of Alpha Delta Pi, who took home third place for their zombie-tastic routine that spanned two generations of songs about the undead (hey there “Thriller” and “Disturbia”) and jerked and jolted its way to the judges’ hearts.

In second place was the literally wi ld women of A lpha Phi. Cal l it what you will—carnal, tribal, postapocalyptic—the sorority, all of whom donned war paint and animal print, clearly conquered their choreography. There was one especially chilling moment where they all struck an Amazonian pose reminiscent of notching an arrow that surely cinched their spot on the podium.

In the end, the Student Veteran’s Organization came in first. The members danced to Jidenna’s “Classic Man” while posing as actual classic men—marble statues in a museum.

SVO also went on to win “Most Money Raised,” with $299.52.

Additional accolades Other awards of the night included “Best Music,” which went to Phi Mu, a nd “Best Costu me,” which went to science honor society Alpha Chi Sigma. If there had been an award for

(Left) The sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha crash-land on earth with a routine that nodded to the song, the movie and the general concept of E.T. (Right) The night kicked off with a performance from Girls Inc., the recipients of Gamma Phi Beta’s philanthropic efforts.

“Best Tumbling,” it would have been a tie between Event Staff, Phi Mu, SVO and Zeta Tau Alpha for their uses of roundoff backhandspring tucks, standing tucks, and the occasional basket toss.

Of course, the real winners of the night were Girls Inc., an after-school care program on the peninsula dedicated to emboldening young girls. The night’s total of $9,384.80 will go in its entirety to the group.

“K nowi ng t he i mpact t hat t hat donation will have on Girls Inc. is extremely humbling,” said Gamma Phi Beta philanthropy chairwoman Madeleine Schuler, the sophomore sister in charge of the whole event. “I could not be more proud of my sisters and more thankful to the CNU com-

munity for their constant support.”

Uncrowned favorites Some organizations deserved more recognition than they received. The crowd loved Event Staff’s use of the “Mulan” soundtrack and suprise Rick roll, and Pi Kappa Alpha’s drag-tastic debut prompted the comment “I’ve been waiting all night to see abs, I just didn’t know they’d be in a skirt” from judge Elizabeth Caudill, a G Phi alumna and mother of current G Phi senior Madison Caudill.

Earlier in the evening fraternities Kappa Delta R ho and Psi Upsilon appeared to have won over the judges a nd t he crowd. K DR a ma zed t he judges by using member (and skilled brea kda ncer) Ch ris Adelson as a

human machine gun, and Psi U was the first of the competitive acts to stun with the synchronicity of their hand choreography (it also didn’t hurt that throwing G Phi’s crescent was part of that choreography, but I digress).

Alas, there were only three places to award. But ever y organization deserved recognition for the time and hard work they put into their routines. And that may sound pageant-y, but it’s true.

At t he ti me of yea r when ter m papers and group projects abound, hundreds of students (about half of whom are probably in Phi Mu) took time out of their lives to create and perfect dance routines for an event that benefits the young girls of the peninsula. n

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Students’ “Terrace”tears at the heartstrings One small show stopped time on Saturday, and reminded everyone in attendace how precious life is.

BY victoria lurie victoria.lurie.13@cnu.edu

The room was so warm and inviting that, even with the disclaimers posted on the door, we weren’t ready for the gunshots.

But the people of Paris never got a disclaimer. They never got a warning—they were the warning. And it was in honor of Paris that Notion of Youth—an assemblage of senior acting students— put on their show “I’m on a Terrace” this Saturday.

The setting was intimate; the Freeman auxiliary gym was cut down to half its size with a barrier of black curtains, and the various spotlights cast a warm glow on crescent moon of the crowd and the giant peace sign they were gathered around.

The humble cast of nine students reenacted scenes of da nci ng a nd dining, of people simply enjoying life.

No matter the the setting or subject, the scenes would always end with bodies sprawled across the floor.

Not all of the bodies, though. There was always one actor left standing, with their throats closing around monologues about how they didn’t know where their wife was, or how to stop all the blood.

And the thing was, you couldn’t even tell yourself it was make-believe.

The monologues were based on firsthand accounts of the Nov. 13 Paris attacks. These were the real stories of the club goers who though the gunshots were part of the music, the res-

The peace sign served as a powerful focal point for the evening; it was both altar and memorial. The cast (above) encouraged audience members to take the extra roses from the set and place them around the base of the sign . COUrtesy of Cheyanne christopher tauranteur who ran to help a terrace full of patrons who were already dead.

Perhaps what did the audience in the most is the fact that they couldn’t divorce these stories from the actors who were telling them. Many of the people watching were classmates and friends of the students lying in motionless heaps on the ground, and even if it’s fake, even if it’s just for a second, that’s a very difficult thing to watch.

W h ich wa s d i r e c t or C heya n ne Christopher’s whole point. For her Devised Theatre project, she wanted

to do something that mattered, something that touched even a tiny bit on the sheer scale of this human tragedy.

But she also wanted to touch on the scale of resilience. The quote splashed on the front of the play’s program reads: “They have guns, but we have flowers, ” and the play’s title, “Je Suis En Ter rasse” came from a socia l media movement that sprung up in the wake of the attack, where Parisians posted pictures of themselves outside walking, eating and refusing to be afraid of their city.

The f ina l scene found the cast members ringed around the giant peace sign, clasping hands in a ripple as each actor called out the name of other cities scarred by terrorism.

Despite the intentionally sorrowful tone of the eventing, the audience was left with a parting image of solidarity and strength.

This isn’t a performance that can be rated on a scale of five stars, so I won’t. It was an honor to be part of the audience for such a unnique event. n

Movie Review: “Batman v. superman” “Save yourself eight bucks and just watch the trailer again.”

BY chris Gabro Christopher.gabro.14@cnu.edu

Some fans say that director Zack Synder’s rendition is closer to the Batman comics, while others think that Affleck ‘s performance pales compared to Bale. youtube

Rating:

They should have called it “Batman v.

Superman: Bore of Justice.”

A movie containing both Batman and Superman has found a way to be a complete and utter bore.

The plot? There is none. This film lacks any and all narrative to make it a cohesive film. Nothing ties the movie together—there is no extending plot points that make the film feel unified. It’s as if though there are bunch of random scenes put together in the most disjointed manner.

The acting? Feasible. Henry Cavill (Superman) is given little to nothing to do for his part and just continues his performance from “Man of Steel.” He does not add or extend anything to it—he just goes through the same motions.

Ben Affleck (Batman) molds himself to the role nicely but it is nothing to commend—he’s simply fine as Batman, but horrible as Bruce Wayne. He does not work well as an entrepreneur masquerading and lying about his being to runaway at night as a vigilante. Gal Gadot (Wonderwoman) is just shoehorned into

the movie to set up the future installment of a Justice League film. If anything, she looks cool fighting, but the script gives her nothing to work with.

When a movie contains the iconic heroes of Batman and Superman one would expect the action to be exceptional. It is not. Things explode, things fall, things f ly and things makes sparks, and it all happens so fast that is incomprehensible. The action is never in frame or in focus, and it does not help that Snyder uses little to no lighting to establish a dark and moody tone around the movie.

The worst part of this movie that it’s not a movie. It is a two and half hour trai ler for a future Justice League movie. This movie sacrifices all narrative or direction to merely be a set-up for a subsequent film(s).

What’s even worse is if you’ve seen the actual theatrical trailer—you’ve seen the movie. Plot point and scene for scene is in the trailer, and everything aside from the last minute is contained in the trailer. So save yourself eight bucks and just watch the trailer again. n

LIFESTYLE

Page 14

A week filled with intercultural exploration

Students had many opportunities this week to explore cultures at the Intercultural Festival and Chinese culture day.

By bethany pyle bethany.pyle.12@cnu.edu

Arguably, one of the best ways to experience a culture is by sharing a meal with someone native to that place. But short of travelling to India, China or South America, CNU students recently had the opportunity to try numerous international foods ranging from Middle Eastern baklava to Indian Dal fry.

The food tasting was only one part of this year’s Intercultural Festival, hosted on March 23 by Campus Activities Board, the Student Diversity and Equality Council and the Office of Student Activities. Melissa Lourie, a Hall Director and volunteer at the event, explained that “not every student has the opportunity to travel abroad,” so it’s nice to hold events like these so that students can still get a small taste of different countries and cultures.

The event began three years ago as The Taste of Diversity.

Becca Boyea, a CNU Fellow, said she was part of the original planning when the event began, and for a small event in the Trible Plaza “it’s been g reat to see how it’s g row n over t he past t h ree yea rs,” eventua l ly movi ng i nto t he Crow’s Nest, and finally the DSU ballroom this year.

Members of fourteen different campus clubs and organiza-

In the midst of the Chinese Culture Day, performers played traditional music on the pipa and erhu. Other performances included Taiji and singing. bethany pyle/the Captain’s log

tions set up booths where students could interact with that culture. These ranged from international groups like the Arabic Club and Club Italia, to culture groups like CNU Spectrum, the Student Veteran’s Association and the American Sign Language Club.

Junior Debbi Acheampong was helping run the African Student Union table and said that she felt the event was going well with a great turnout of people.

In addition to food tasting and interactive booths, the event also hosted a group that performed traditional Umdabu music and dance from South Africa. The dancers encouraged the crowd to not just passively watch the show, but to engage by singing along and dancing to the music.

But that was not the only cultural event of the week. A few days later on March 26, CNU’s Ea ster n A meric a n St udent Triumvirate (EAST) and the Asian Studies Program teamed up with the William and Mary Confucius Institute to host their second Chinese Culture Day. The event drew crowds not only from campus, but from the local community as well. Sophomore Stephanie Cobb, co-president of EAST said that “there’s a small Chinese population in the area, but whenever there are these little cultural events,”

it brings the people out of the city and together at CNU. The event included as many aspects of Chinese culture as the clubs could create, ranging from traditional tea tastings, to calligraphy and music. Cobb explained that “we want to make sure we can get to all the different audiences.”

One of t he biggest d raws was a collection of traditional costumes that g uests cou ld t r y on for t hemselves. “We actua l ly got t hem from t he Chinese embassy,” said Cobb.

I n-bet ween events, visitors were entertained by live performances, including music, singing, and Taiji martial arts.

Holding cultural events like these is “so important,” said Becca Boyea, a CNU Fellow.

Because “CNU is such a homogeneous society,” many groups are working hard to educate students and make them aware of cultures that di f fer from their own, said Boyea.

Cobb li kewise said i ntercultural events are important because of “the idea of sharing different cultures because it [CNU] is a primarily white c a m p u s . S DEC t h i s p a s t Wednesday just had their intercultural festival and we were actually participating in it…so, I think not only does it educate people about authentic cultures, but it also helps with getting people interested, rather than seeing it in a classroom.”

She added that “people like to interact with stuff,” so having hands on festivals and events can help make different cultures feel more real. n

There were several hands-on activities at the InterCultural Festival, like paper cutting with H.O.L.A. hannah mcclure/the Captain’s log

This is the third year that CNU has hosted the Intercultural Festival, previously known as the Taste of Diversity Fourteen different clubs and organizations were respresented at the Intercultural Festival, from international clubs like the Arabic Club to cultural clubs like the American Sign Language club.

The Chinese Culture Day offered tea sampling, calligraphy and sports that were all meant to make the event as interactive as possible.

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Digicurb: Safe rides home for students, by students New app provides safer and cheaper rides just for CNU students.

By bethany pyle bethany.pyle.12@cnu.edu

After a night out in the city, it is crucial to find a safe way to get home. Your options include a n ex p en sive t a x i, r i sk i n g a stranger through U ber or calling a friend and possibly waking them up. But junior Vashaun Brandon is working to bring students a safer and cheaper option through Digicurb.

Brandon explained that the app is a ride sharing service similar to something like Uber, but “you’re not getting into a car with…a total stranger. You will be catching a ride with a fellow student, a fellow CNU student.” The app is only open to students, and in order to create an account, you must submit a valid university email address.

Brandon added that “it’s not just specific to CNU. We’re actually on a lot of other campuses such as Wi l liam and Mar y, UVA, [as well as] U of R and Old Dominion.” The app itself however does have a connection to CNU; the creator’s daughter

went to CNU. Brandon is serving as an ambassador for the app as part of an internship for his marketing class. He has been working to promote the app across campus, as well as hosting a launch party at Brickhouse to get the app into students’ phones. “It went well,” Brandon said. But he hopes to hold a second event on April 1 so that they will be able to promote it more.

“It’s been a little rough getting people to sig n up and actually use the app,” said Brandon. “This is the beta version of the app. So we don’t have all the bells and whistles that we’d like to have.” Brandon said that he thinks the current look of the app may also be a turn-off for people because “right now the app is just bare bones.” But he will continue testing this version until the end of April, when he hopes to add more to the app to clean it up and make it more visually appealing.

Compared to other ride sharing apps, Brandon said that he thinks this one is “cheaper, I

believe it’s safer, and it builds on the community.” The latter is one of Brandon’s biggest hopes for the app. “We want to see it as a networking opportunity in a way, among students,” said Brandon. By getting rides with people who you wouldn’t normally see on campus, he hopes that it will help build up the CNU community.

Digicurb will be offering free rides to and from Brickhouse and Manhattans this Thursday and Friday, March 31 and April 1. CNU students must register with the app and request a ride through the Digicurb facebook page. n

Interested in being a driver?

Digicurb drivers can make up to $20 an hour, while riders will pay only 49 cents a minute.

Download Digicurb from the app store and follow the app’s Facebook page to stay up to date.

Digicurb is a new app that provides a way for students to get safe rides home from peers. digicurb

Meet your new SA President Michael Bamisile strives to be the best leader by serving others.

By kelly Nicholas kelly nicholas.14@cnu.edu

Whether he’s busy with his work on the Honor Council, his brothers in Sigma Phi Epsilon or even just working out at the gym, Bamisile wants to leave a lasting impact. courtesy of Michael Bamisile

St ationed i n one position on a side couch on the second f lo or o f t he D S U, M ich ael B a m i si le h a s wave d to si x separate people in less than an hour.

Bamisile’s involvement on campus stretches to many different fields. He is on the Honor Council, he works with three different branches of Student Assembly including Academic Affairs, Legislative Committee and Appropriations Committee, and he is a brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon. He can now add 2016-17 Student Assembly President to that list.

Bamisile has held several leadership roles in his li fe, starting with his term as Vice President of his middle school, but he would not call himself a natural leader. “My overarching goal is helping people. I’m honestly just a natural servant,” he said.

He cited the Bible passage

when Jesus washes the disciple’s feet as one of the major inf luences on his leadership style. “Being a servant leader— t h at ’s how you m a ke you r impact,” he said.

W hen describing himsel f, Ba misi le rec a l led lea r ni ng about the Renaissance man in high school English class.

A Renaissance man is generally characterized as someone who has gai ned k nowledge and expertise in a wide variety of fields. “That’s someone that’s striving for greatness and doesn’t want to limit their self, someone that wants to get involved with people,” he said.

“That’s what I want to do. Bless people with the little time I have with them.”

Against his mother’s wishes, he left home at age 14 to attend Fork Union Military Academy to play basketball and pursue his dream of an NBA career.

He was eventually appointed Executive Battalion Of ficer by faculty and staff, and Vice President of his senior class.

As for his basketball career, Bamisile stopped playing his senior year of high school and hasn’t looked back. “It made me a prideful person. If you weren’t the highest scorer, you weren’t the star. But I learned that [identifying] weaknesses are key. Without them, there’s no growth,” he said.

Although he is no longer pursuing an NBA career, Bamisile can still be found in the gym most days. In fact, the g ym plays a pretty big role in keeping Bamisile connected to the music scene. “I listen to everything, but preferably nothing,” he said. “I think I only stay up to date with music because of the radio at the gym!”

For his time as President, Bamisi le wants to focus on having a better dialogue with the CNU community. “I always want to hear what people have to say. If there is anybody that wants to push an idea, do not hesitate to email me or talk to me,” he said. “I’m transparent.” n

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