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collegiatetimes.com

April 17, 2018

COLLEGIATETIMES

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES

TIM SANDS RELEASES SECOND STATEMENT ON LACROSSE VIDEO Sands relased the second statement to address problems in his initial March 30 statement about a video showing the women’s lacrosse team singing a racial slur.

MEG CONNORS, MATT JONES AND SANSKRITI NEUPANE

managing editor, editor in chief and assistant news editor

Virginia Tech President Tim Sands on Wednesday evening released a new statement regarding an incident in March when a video of the women’s lacrosse team singing a racial slur circulated on Twitter. The new statement calls a previous statement, dated March 30, “weak and insufficient.” In an exclusive interview with the Collegiate Times, Sa nds m i r rored t h is statement when answering if he felt the administration’s response had been adequate in the aftermath of the incident. “I think that it hasn’t been adequate, it’s still in process and I do think that in retrospect I should have come out on Sunday (March 25) night or whenever we first learned about it, but our plan at that time, the coach had already started to prepare a message and we let that stand as the university’s message. But if there was something learned in the process, that I probably should have come out and reinforced it at that moment,” Sands said. When asked if he felt the

incident was representative of larger racial tensions at Virginia Tech, he replied, “The one incident doesn’t define Virginia Tech at all, but I’m less concerned about one incident and more concerned about the environment our students are experiencing.” T he vide o, wh ich surfaced on March 24, shows players from the team singing along to the popular Lil Dicky song “Freaky Friday.” In the video, the players sing lyrics that include multiple uses of “n-----.” Following reporting of the video by The Roanoke Times, lacrosse head coach John Sung emailed a statement to the Collegiate Times that apologized for the incident. Until Sands’ Ma rch 30 statement, this was the only official u n i ve r s i t y com ment released to the media. “We have confidence that the team will learn from this mistake and understand that these actions reflect poorly on our program and do not represent the values of our program or the principles of the university,” Sung said in the initial statement. Sands’ statement from the following Friday, which was emailed to the university community, did

Offense on top at end of spring game in front of crowd of 36,000 Despite the many variables of spring game, this is the bwreakdown of each of the Hokies’ skill position groups. JORDAN HUTCHINSON sports editor

Blacksburg was warm, sunny and, for the day at least, football was back. Virginia Tech held its 15th and final spring practice in the form of a spring game. The offense came alive in the second half and topped the defense, 28–26, in front of 36,814 Hokie fans. The spring game is always tough to gauge with so many injuries and various rules, but let’s do our best to break down each skill position group.

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES Timothy Sands smiles as the crowd applauds the announcement of a $20-million donation to Virginia Tech, March 20, 2018.

not specifically condemn the usage of the slur by the players. It also did not describe the video or the controversy, only referring to it as “the incident.” “Leadership in Athletics reacted quickly and with clarity in addressing the incident last weekend,” Sands said in that statement. “The team has reached out to schedule a meeting with the Black Organizations Council (BOC) and, to start, I have asked to meet with the BOC as well.”

The university faced significant criticism for its response. The Executive Board of the Virginia Tech NAACP and the Virginia Tech Black Organizations Council (BOC) Board co-signed a statement, released on the NAACP chapter’s Facebook on March 30, demanding Sands release a statement disavowing the use of the slur. It also demanded disciplinary action by the VIDEO / page 3

Quarterbacks There are three guys competing for the starting job this spring. You have Josh Jackson, who was the Hokies’ starter in 2017; Ryan Willis, a transfer from Kansas who has Division I experience and Hendon Hooker, a raw athlete with a redshirt year under his belt. We got to see all three on Saturday. Without a doubt, Willis looked like the MVP of the group, if not the entire game. The redshirt junior went 10–15 passing, throwing for 262 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson started the day behind center for Tech, but didn’t do too much throughout the game. He finished 6–12 with 64 yards

and an interception, albeit the pick was deflected off of WR Sean Savoy. There wasn’t much to see out of Hooker as he threw just four passes, and completed just one of them for 42 yards. It looked like Willis was the alpha out there. He was calm and made some really nice throws, especially on deep balls. But, again, it’s just too early to tell anything. As far as the rep distribution? Nothing to read into. “I don’t know that I’d read anything into that,” said Hokies’ head coach Justin Fuente. Running backs D e sh aw n Mc C le a s e led the team in rushing yards with 49, and scored a touchdown. McClease looked comfortable running up the middle and to the outside on Saturday. Coleman Fox led the team in touches with 10, and ran for 40 yards with a touchdown of his own. A couple of young guys got some work rushing, too. Jalen Holston had five carries for 19 yards and Nicolas Conforti had eight carries for 17 yards. Tech’s workhorse last season, Steven Peoples, only had a couple of carries for 8 yards. Wide receivers RECAP / page 6

Prepare to get low with the Low Techs at this year’s Relay For Life Get an inside look at Virginia Tech’s all-male dance troupe as it prepares for its biggest performance of the year.

SANSKRITI NEUPANE assistant news editor

During Relay For Life, in the midst of all the performances, the Low Techs will put on their most important dance performance of the year. Although they perform at other events, such as The Big Event, at Relay For Life the Low Techs have a larger group of dancers and a longer performance. However, despite having their biggest event of the year coming up, the Low Techs treat it as just another event. “It’s a bit of an underwhelming process to be

honest; we treat it the same as any other dance. We practiced twice this week, and I think we have three practices this week, teaching the guys the dance and so we’re probably through half of it now,” said Chris Buenaventura, junior experimental neuroscience major and director of the Low Techs. “Half of it they don’t even know yet, but that’s the whole fun of it. We’re out there to have a good time and make people laugh, so focusing on every last little stipulation to make every move perfect is not really our cup of tea.” Buenaventura joined the

ACID-DYED SHIRTS RAISING FOR RELAY Cancer survivor making shirts for a good cause.

page 5

Low Techs, a group under SAA (Student Alumni Associates), in the spring of his freshman year, after quickly realizing that it would allow him to make others laugh and work as part of a team. “I love the idea of it, as soon as I got into SAA they talked about it a little bit, and I love making a fool out of myself and making people laugh so I immediately gravitated towards it, and then as I saw the whole process … it was such a co-op, rather than having one leader and having him RELAY / page 5

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES The Low Techs and Dance Company of Virginia Tech join for a final performance, April 7, 2018.

OPINION: MOUNTAIN VALLEY PIPELINE It’s not as bad as most people seem to think. page 2

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PAGE A2 April 17, 2018

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opinions collegiatetimes.com/opinion

column

Apathy toward politics slows both civic and social change Younger voters must play a more active role in heading to the polls because an uninformed vote is worse than no vote at all .

LOS ANGELES TIMES / TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE (LEFT to RIGHT) Diana Christopolus, president of the Roanoke chapter of the Appalachian Trail Club, and Carolyn Reilly look at a map of the proposed area where the Mountain Valley Pipeline will run, June 2017 .

column

Mountain Valley Pipeline not as worrisome as warned Environmentalists’ concerns regarding the pipeline’s potential to damage the local ecosystem are not warranted or accurate .

ip el i n e s h ave become a controversial topic in recent years. The construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), here in southwestern Virginia, has been the subject of a great amount of protest, with people arguing that the pipeline could destroy the local ecosystem. These fears are unfounded for a variety of reasons. This past winter created a huge increase in demand for energy in the Northeast as people tried to heat their homes. People’s electricity costs were then compounded because there was not enough natural gas in the area, so heating oil had to be used instead. Heating oil not only is more expensive, but also produces significantly more carbon dioxide than natural gas. In fact, natural gas releases far less carbon dioxide than most other types of fuel. Natural gas can be transported by truck, train or ship. None of these are safer than pipelines. The Fraser Institute conducted a study that found that transporting oil and gas by train is 4.5 times more likely to result in some sort of accident than a pipeline would, and 10 trains have exploded while transporting oil in a span of two years. Gas leaks from ships are disastrous because the fuel is spread out over a large area. Beyond the safety and environmental concerns, natural gas is a resource that can be found in vast quantities here in the United States. The only other nation that produces a significant amount of natural gas is Canada, which is one of the most ideal countries the U.S.

could form an energy partnership with — the U.S. and Canada have a longstanding and relatively amicable relationship, and Canada shares many of the same democratic values as the U.S. Looking at the Mountain Valley Pipeline, it is crucial to see how these benefits could affect Virginia and West Virginia. The MVP would connect to a larger system of pipelines, transporting natural gas produced in the United States, but the gas would come from a relatively local source — the Marcellus and Utica Shale located mainly in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and West Virginia. Pipelines provide American workers with jobs for long periods of time, as pipelines need to be continuously maintained, so the MVP would help the local economy. According to a PACER search, Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC has been or is currently involved in 30 legal cases. A significant portion of these involve environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club, attempting to shut down the project by any means necessary, while the others are mainly the homeowners suing MVP for its use of eminent domain to seize their property. However, a good number of lawsuits are to be expected with any major construction of a pipeline, as most have to sue landowners in order to invoke eminent domain and environmental groups attempt to disrupt the construction of as many pipelines as they can. Eminent domain has been brought up frequently in the lawsuits against the MVP.

This provision in U.S. law is controversial, to say the least, but it is a necessary evil to improve society. One notable example is the construction of the first interstate highways championed by former President Eisenhower. A lot of people lost their land in the process — though they were duly compensated — but decades later, these highways have become a crucial part of transportation. The biggest issue with the construction of the MVP has to do with the agencies entrusted with monitoring it. All projects involving natural gas are broadly regulated by the Department of Energy, while their environmental effects are monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency, both of which are currently being run by people who have a history of opposing said agencies. Additionally, the Federal Energy Regulatory Com m ission, wh ich grants licenses to energy companies to construct pipelines, was recently hacked by a group of Iranians working on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Overall, the Mountain Valley Pipeline is a good idea. It provides both Virginia and West Virginia with jobs and transports one of the most environmentally friendly forms of fuel by the most reliable means of transportation. If any criticism is warranted, it should be directed at the regulatory groups and not pipelines in general.

urning 18 comes with several rights of passage: being able to buy cigarettes and lottery tickets, reaching legal adulthood, and perhaps most importantly gaining the right to vote. Being able to vote is a great privilege. Around the world there are many people who are disenfranchised and are not given the opportunity to be active participants in their governments. As citizens of the United States, we are given the chance to pick the people who represent us, and yet, we are often indifferent. Many young adults are uneducated when it comes to political issues and thus have no opinions on issues that greatly affect our generation. By not making an effort to become educated, this group of people is inadvertently causing great harm. An issue with these young adults is that some are not registered to vote or just don’t vote at all. In 2016, only 49.4 percent of eligible millennials voted according to Pew Research. Not taking the initiative to register or

go to the polls is plain ignorance. These people have the right to influence the path that our nation takes, but are too careless to realize how the nation is changing around them. This being said, an uneducated voter is worse than someone who does not vote at all. When these people ignore their political duty to cast an educated vote, they are voting for candidates who might not represent what they actually believe in — they are mostly trying to fit into a certain political party instead of finding candidates who have views that line up with theirs. Whether it’s not making the effort to research candidates or just listening to what they’re told by their family or friends, casting a vote that is not true to their views is wrong. Their negligence impacts not only them, but also the country as a whole. However, being a politically active member of society doesn’t just mean casting a vote. Being an upholder of your beliefs is the key to making a difference

on a more personal level. It is one thing to go into a voting booth to cast a vote, but what is the point of doing that when you do not stand up for those same beliefs in your everyday life? We have the right to speak up when we see or hear something that goes against our views, and exercising this right is essential to being a vessel of change. It may be daunting at times, especially when you have an unpopular opinion, but given our privileges it would be a waste to not speak up. T h roughout h istor y, people fought for their right to vote and to stand up for what they believed in, and as the younger generation who is reaping the benefits of those who came before us, we should take advantage of that same opportunity. DONYA MOMENIAN opinions columnist freshman/BIT BETH FEKADE opinions columnist freshman/international public policy

MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU / TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE (LEFT to RIGHT) Zaria Lumsden and Autumn Sanders, both sophomores at Hampton University, a historically black university in Hampton, Virginia, head to the polls on Nov . 7, 2017, to vote in the Virginia governor’s race .

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The Collegiate Times, a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, was established in 1903 by and for the students of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University . The Collegiate Times is published every Tuesday of the academic year except during exams and vacations . To order a reprint of a photograph printed in the Collegiate Times, visit reprints .collegemedia .com . The Collegiate Times is a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, Inc ., a 501(c)3 nonprofit with a mission to provide educational experience in business and production of mass media for Virginia Tech students . © Collegiate Times, 2018 . All rights reserved . Material published in the Collegiate Times is the property thereof, and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the Collegiate Times .

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BT receives $1.4 million grant to add bigger buses

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VIDEO: Sands meets with black student organizations from page 1

Athletics Department and the Office of Student Conduct. Other groups, including members of the Student Government Association, the Black Faculty and Staff Caucus at Virginia Tech and Hok iePR I DE released statements condemning the incident. Sands met with the BOC on Wednesday, April 11, and released a new statement afterward. The statement was obtained by the Collegiate Times in advance of the meeting. In it, he acknowledges that there had been criticism of the

also invited community members to a forum at 1:30 p.m. on May 3 titled “InclusiveVT – How Far We’ve Come, and How Far We Have to Go.” Menah Pratt-Clarke, vice president for strategic affairs and vice provost for inclusion and diversity, and Sands will discuss diversity initiatives at Tech over the last three years and plans for the next several years in Pamplin Hall. Despite criticism that the administration has faced following the incident, Sands told the Collegiate Times that while there is much left to do on campus with regard to becoming a more diverse university, he feels optimistic about the change that is coming. “I’m very optimistic about the path that we’re on, but it is a path, we’re not there. We’ve come a long way in two or three years but you know one of the challenges for you, you’re a student here you’re here for four years maybe five but most likely four and in that window you see a certain amount of change but that’s a pretty short window, and we’re trying to move this as fast as we can but it has got to be sustainable,” Sands said.

university’s handling of the incident. “Many members of our community felt strongly that the administration’s response to the video of students singing along to a popular song and repeatedly uttering the n-word was weak and insufficient,” Sands wrote. “I agree. In retrospect, I should have made an immediate statement as president that, at the very least, explicitly stated my disappointment with what occurred and that such attitudes and expressions have no place in a community that values inclusivity in the way we do at our university.” Sands, in the statement,

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech President Tim Sands speaks at a press conference, March 20, 2018.

@CollegiateTimes

Undergraduate Honor System 2017-18 Academic Year Data Academic Misconduct Cases Resolved

Resolved By:

# of Cases

Percent

Faculty-Student Resolution

571

76.6%

Hearing Panel

9.1%

103

13.8%

0.5%

745

100%

Charge(s) Withdrawn (After Investigation)

Found Not Responsible Total Adjudicated:

Academic Misconduct Cases Resolved by Charge Resolved By:

# of Cases

Percent

Cheating

415

55.7%

Plagiarism

188

25.2%

Complicity

3.6%

Falsification

5.9%

Fabrication

4.3%

Multiple Submission

1.6%

Violation of Rules

3.7%

Total Adjudicated:

745

100%

800

Cases Reported

488

Students Assigned the AI Education Program

D A Y S

Case Resolution Time

Sen. Mark Warner and Sen. Tim Kaine announced the federal grant one month after BT unveiled its new bus design. SANSKRITI NEUPANE assistant news editor

In addition to the four buses that Blacksburg Transit (BT) has already purchased through money awarded by the Smart Scale program and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, two 60-foot long buses will be purchased through a $1.4 million federal grant. The grant was announced by Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) who stated that it is being provided to meet the growing demands of the area. The federal grant also included funding for two other bus systems, the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission a nd t he Wash i ng ton Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. “Vi rg i n ia Te ch is continuing to grow and our ridership is also continuing to grow in conjunction with that, and we have a greater need for bigger buses so we can meet demand,” said Fiona Rhodes, communications and customer support coordinator of BT. The 60-foot buses, also known as articulated buses, will most likely be used in areas with the most demand for bigger buses. “We don’t assign any buses to any particular routes, but I can tell you that the articulated buses are going to go in the areas

DAVID HONG / COLLEGIATE TIMES A Blacksburg Transit bus stops for passengers in front of Burruss Hall, Feb. 8, 2018.

with the heaviest ridership,” Rhodes said. “So places that you already see them, Progress Street, Patrick Henry … and then the Hethwood corridor.” After the addition of the four purchased buses and the two that will be purchased from the federal grant, the total number of buses in BT’s fleet will go up to 53. BT hopes that a larger fleet will allow the buses to run more efficiently in the growing community. “I think it just helps us be more efficient and ultimately it will help students get to class on time,” Rhodes said. “We’ve had consistent ridership growth; last year we carried 3.7 million passenger trips and this year we’re predicted to reach 4

million.” Blacksburg Transit has an app, known as BT4U Mobile, and online resources to help riders stay updated on bus routes and schedules as it purchases more buses and expands its service. The announcement of the federal grant comes less than a month after BT unveiled its new bus design, changing it for the first time since BT was established 35 years ago. The new design, which incorporates BT’s logo, is maroon with alternating dark and light gray swirling arrows to represent constant motion.

@Sansskriti

YOU MATTER! Being a Hokie is an amazing experience. But college can be stressful sometimes, too.

Whether it’s relationships, money, physical or emotional health...

WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK Visit dsa.vt.edu/well-being for helpful wellness resources.

500+ Students have Received the F* Sanction

April 17, 2018 PAGE A3

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70%

Of Students Reported that Academic Integrity Sanctions are Severe

Honor the Code

And remember, you matter.

Take care of yourselves, Hokies!

PAGE A4 April 17, 2018

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study break

Today’s Birthday Horoscope (April 17): Family abundance rises this year. Discipline with your career pays off. Envision perfection and enlist support. Coordinate and plan over spring for summer rollout. Domestic upgrades invite romance and intimate gatherings. Solve a group challenge together for winter gain. Collaborate for love.

FOR RELEASE APRIL 17, 2018

Relay For Life

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Not at all good 5 Piece-of-cake shape 10 Tick off 14 Use a surgical beam 15 Toward the back 16 “What I Am” singer Brickell 17 Welcome wind on a hot day 19 First-rate 20 Grab greedily 21 Brought back to mind 23 Migratory flying formations 25 Dance move 26 Carrots’ partners 29 Dangerous tide 31 Airing in the wee hours 35 Dr.’s orders 36 Successful cryptographer 38 Diner 40 Cup handle 41 Not reactive, as gases 42 “Best thing since” invention metaphor 45 Untruth 46 Walked with purpose 47 Typical John Grisham subject 48 Back talk 49 Nervous twitches 51 Retail center 53 Cigarette stimulant 57 Staggered 61 Neutral shade 62 Pet without papers ... or what is literally found in the circled letters 64 Drop of sorrow 65 Oscar-winning “Skyfall” singer 66 Family babysitter 67 Attaches a patch, say 68 Massenet opera about a Spanish legend 69 Absolut rival DOWN 1 O’Neill’s “Desire Under the __”

4/17/18

By Roland Huget

2 Fruitless 3 Cuba, por ejemplo 4 Some HD sets 5 Medal recipient 6 Poetic preposition before “now” or “long” 7 Animal on XING signs 8 Long looks 9 __ set: building toy 10 College student’s dining choice 11 Singing competition that returned in 2018, familiarly 12 “Okay by me” 13 Nourish 18 Letters in old dates 22 Virgil epic 24 Flip of a 45 record 26 Defensive basketball tactic 27 Praise highly 28 Up and about 30 Oyster jewel 32 Cub Scout leader 33 Hatcher and Garr 34 Some Deco prints

Monday’s Solved Previous Puzzle Puzzle Solved

M B

M J

M W I

W F

M O

W F

M F

M T

M H

W I

M E

M C

M R

W U

W C

W R

W W D

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W B

Relay Life Walking

Drillfield Fundraiser Donations

Bliss by Harry Bliss

Survivors Beat Cancer

Where you go, we go. collegiatetimes.com

36 College transcript unit 37 Silvery freshwater fish 39 Nature excursions 43 Dot between dollars and cents 44 Given, as a medal 48 Rudder locales 50 Snarky 52 Yank’s war foe

4/17/18

53 Earns after taxes 54 Slushy drink brand 55 Avian crop 56 Boardroom VIP 58 Security breach 59 Counting rhyme word 60 June 6, 1944 63 Collegian who roots for the Bulldogs

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Relay For Life lifestyles collegiatetimes.com/lifestyles

RELAY: Low Techs create a home for many first-time dancers at Virginia Tech from page 1

do everything, it’s really a team effort with everything we do,” Buenaventura said. For the team, it is less about creating the best choreography or being the best dancers out there and more about seeing smiles on the faces in the audience during their routines. Although they are known as a dance group, they dance to entertain and to make others laugh, not to showcase their dancing skills. “I didn’t know what the Low Techs were. I hadn’t seen them actually perform or anything until after I was in the program, so I didn’t know exactly know what it was. I immediately loved every second of it. You get out there and everyone is cheering for you, everyone just wants you to have a good time, and you just go out there, you make a fool out of yourself, and it’s the look on people’s faces that really keep us going,” Buenaventura said. Now as the director of the Low Techs, Buenaventura has gotten more involved, choreographing the dances and choosing the music. “Making the dances takes time, it’s a lot more time than I would expect, and also putting on top of that the other assignments that SAA already has in

place is a bit of a jumble — but you do what you love,” Buenaventura said. When creating these dances for their performances, even for bigger ones such as Relay For Life, the Low Techs take it one step at a time, building and creating new moves as they practice instead of sticking to a strict choreographed routine. “I make the song first, and it’s usually just a compilation of different songs … and then from what the words are, or maybe some funny stuff I can think of, just start to think of things and then I get a base choreography down and then we build on that in practice. We get ideas from different people, we work on things, we edge out the different timing and everything, so it’s really like a growing process for everything,” Buenaventura said. Despite all of the work that Buenaventura and the other Low Techs put into practicing their performances and getting ready for events, most of them only started dancing after joining the group. “Never in my life have I danced, and I’m pretty sure most of the guys are in the same boat; we’re loosely defined as dancers,” Buenaventura said. “I by no stretch of my imagination imagine myself to be a good dancer; I am about as goofy

as you can be and I am about as lanky as you can be. I don’t think any of those are helping my case for a good dancer, but what we do is we just go out there and we have some fun, we try to be different, be original and really try to push what people think of dancing.” However, the group has also garnered some negative attention for some of their original dance moves that at times have been described as provocative. “We try to use our goofy provocative mannerisms to really make a statement of how sexualization of humans is. If girls were up there doing this kind of thing, people would think it’s overtly sexual and horrifying, but then we go up there it’s funny. So, it’s something that we like to bring up, at least I do,” Buenaventura said. “I like to bring up and just show this kind of juxtaposition.” The Low Techs will perform at Relay For Life on April 20, along with other members of SAA, and also have a performance at Fusion Dance Team’s recital later this month where they will showcase the dance number they are currently learning.

@Sansskriti

CATIE CARRERAS / COLLEGIATE TIMES The survivor lap starts off Relay For Life, April 24, 2015.

Hokie senior channels past experience with leukemia into creative T-shirts

Learn how Victoria Arczynski combines her love for crafting and for Virginia Tech into her acid-dyed clothing business.

COURTESY OF VICTORIA ARCZYNSKI

SAMEERA SUNKARA lifestyles staff writer

At age 6, Victor ia Arczynski was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Today, 12 years later, the Virginia Tech senior is cancer-free and fundraising for Relay For Life by selling acid-dyed T-shirts. During football season, Arczynski was trying to find something unique to wear to the game, so she decided to try something new and creative, and acid-dyed a gray T-shirt from a thrift store. “I have always loved to craft,” Arczynski said. “So, I decided to combine my love of (Virginia Tech) with my love of crafting.” When Arczynski shared a picture of the shirt on Snapchat, she was shocked by the number of people asking her for one. She started out selling the shirts through an Instagram account, @ justvickythingz. “I posted that I was going to do a flash sale and sell some of the shirts that I had premade,” Arczynski said. “They were maroon, orange and black T-shirts, perfect for football season, and I posted these in January after football season had ended.” Since the season was over, she wasn’t expecting a whole lot of interest. To her shock, the products sold out within an hour. With orders continuing to pour in, feeling slightly overwhelmed, Arczynski turned to family for help. “My grandma, grandpa and mom help me make the shirts when I have an excessive amount (of orders) and I need help,” Arczynski said. “My grandpa since then has passed away, but I’m glad I was able to share those last few memories with him.” A rczynsk i filed for business in February, naming it “Just Vicky Thingz,” and expanded it to include a variety of acid-dyed long sleeve shirts, T-shirts, tanks, and sweatshirts as well as custom crafts and handmade decorations. The business is run through a website and an

Instagram account. “I never really knew this was going to turn into a business,” Arczynski said. “I’m still trying figure out how my business has taken off so fast and process everything. It’s crazy how fast it has grown.” Since then, the business has expanded to include licensed sorority shirts alongside the six basic colors with custom font options. Over time, Arczynski hopes to create various collections, such as a Halloween collection and a game day collection. She is also willing to work with her clients regarding custom orders. “I try to accomodate my demands from my customers as best as I can,” Arczynski said. “I mostly have people contacting me saying that they wanted one. I have had people come up to me when they see me when they see me out and say that they love my shirts.” The shirts are now traveling across the country, and Arczynski has customers in various states and even sent a shirt to Havana, Cuba. “My goal is to sell a shirt in each state by the end of the summer,” Arczynski said. “I know that it’s a big goal but I’m confident that with the help of others, word mouth will reach.” As a cancer survivor, Arczynski is currently collaborating with Relay For Life, not only at Virginia Tech, but also with the University of Maryland. Due to her close connection with Relay For Life, she is donating five dollars to the organization for every T-shirt sold, and she donated a gift basket to be a raffle prize at the survivor banquet. “From a ge 6 to 8-and-a-half, I experienced something that other kids my age weren’t,” Arczynski said. “In those two years, I saw firsthand how funding and research helped children with cancer, not only with treatment, but also in how it helps alleviate what the children are going through.” Arczynski was diagnosed

with ALL when she was 6 years old and underwent two and a half years of treatment before being decla red cancer-free. She hopes that these donations will make a difference and someday lead to a 100 percent cancer survival rate. “I saw, dur ing my treatment, the survival rate percentage increased in just two years,” Arczynski said. “And that is due to cancer research and funding, so now I know that any little bit of money and donations, even $5 or a dollar, really helps.” Cancer has played a major role in development of this business, as the disease is what led to Arczynski’s passion for crafting. She has fond memories of working with an art therapist on a daily basis while she battled cancer. “Her name was Margie, and I called her the craft lady,” Arczynski said. “I would craft with her every day I was there, and that’s where you would find me most days. It helped me deal with situations that are unpleasant for a 6-yearold. What once served as a distraction from my illness now created a business.” In the future, Arczynski plans on expanding the business in the summer and fall and even developing a baby line, “Just Munchkin Thingz.” “This new line will include rompers, button-ups, pack and play, little outfits, and dresses along with bows and just some other cute little surprises,” Arczynski said. After g raduation, Arczynski hopes to focus on her business full time for a couple years, after which she plans on pursuing a master’s degree in public health. “The Hokie community has been so supportive,” Arczynski said. This article has been edited for length. You can read the full piece at CollegiateTimes. com.

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PAGE B2 April 17, 2018

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Nicolas Conforti (37) looks for open space behind his blockers, April 14, 2018

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES

RECAP: Rivers, defense show out at annual spring game from front page

Sophomore Phil Patterson led the wide outs on Saturday, leading in both receptions and yards, with five and 86, respectively. Patterson caught a touchdown pass from Willis and made a nice circus catch in the game, too. Not far behind was Hezekiah Grimsley, who caught four balls for 38 yards. Savoy had one big catch for 83 yards and a touchdown. McClease had a catch for 26 yards, Fox had one for 38 and Drake DeIuliis had one for 10. Defense On the other side of ball, the defensive stat sheet was filled up by young guys as the Hokies lost six of their best defenders due to graduation and the NFL Draft.

I was impressed by both Khalil Ladler and John Jennings, who had five tackles apiece. Ladler also had an interception, the only one of the day. It felt like Ladler was flying around on the field and was always in the right position to make a play. Alan Tisdale and Dylan Rivers both had five tackles as well, while TyJuan Garbutt had four. Emmanuel Belmar, Zion DeBose and Xavier Burke each had sacks Special teams There wasn’t too much to see on this end as there were no field goals, no kickoffs and punts were automatically downed on the catch with just the punter and returner on the field. One highlight, though, was Oscar Bradburn’s 63-yard

punt, which rolled all the way to the 1-yard line. Not much else to report on here. Overall, I think Fuente and his staff would consider this a good way to wrap up spring ball. There are still several positions that need to be filled and this young team has to a great deal to improve upon. “We have a long way to go. This might be the most important summer of any team I’ve ever coached in terms of what we need moving forward,” Fuente said. The next time the fans will see Tech will be on Sept. 3, in Tallahassee, Florida, as the Hokies take on the Florida State Seminoles.

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ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES Khalil Ladler (9) tackles Dalton Keene (29) after receiving the pass, April 14, 2018.

leave your legacy Students/Faculty/Staff and Alumni are invited to participate in a focus group centered on the pending design and implementation of Virginia Tech’s main web presence, vt.edu.Your feedback is vital to the design process. Focus groups will take place throughout the day on Thursday April 26 in the Squires Student Center. Sessions should last no longer than 45 minutes.

This study will focus participant feedback on vt.edu’s: • Aesthetic • Navigation • Resourcefulness

Student Affairs is where you live, how you spend your time, and who you spend it with.

It’s chicken parmesan at Owens Food Court and the Orientation Leader who got you hyped to become a Hokie. It’s the fraternity, sorority, or community group that make this campus feel like home. It’s your workout and your wellness resources, your weekend service trips and your alternative spring breaks.

It’s the story you tell when you

brag about Virginia Tech. More information will be sent to those confirming attendance before the focus group. To express your interest, please email vtnews@vt.edu by Tuesday, April 24.

It’s never too early—or too late—to impact the futures of the Hokies who follow in your footsteps.

Visit advancement.dsa.vt.edu/giving to leave your legacy.

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April 17, 2018 PAGE B3

Cardinals spoil baseball’s big weekend with sweep The Hokies managed to score only four runs in three games against Louisville during their grand opening of English Field. STEPHEN NEWMAN social media editor

Virginia Tech baseball had a big weekend scheduled, which included the grand opening of English Field. However, the Hokies were unable to give the fans much in the form of on-field success, scoring four runs in three games against No. 21 Louisville. Game one With the help of Connor Coward, Virginia Tech was in good position entering the late innings. But Louisville did what winners often do — rally — and it squeaked out a one-run victory. Louisville scored a run on a single up the middle in the top of the first, but then the game went quiet offensively. The teams were held to one hit apiece from the top of the second through the top of the fifth. Consecutive RBI singles from Jack Owens and Tom Stoffel in the bottom of the fifth gave Tech a 2–1 lead. Coward kept them on top until the top of the eighth, as he was in the process of having yet another dominant start. This start by Coward didn’t end as well as many of his others have. The Cardinals brought one man home on an error in the eighth, and Josh Stowers homered in the ninth to put Louisville on top for the first time. Jack Owens singled in the bottom of the ninth, but the inning was otherwise uneventful for the Hokies,

and they dropped the opener 3–2 . Game two With rain in the forecast on Sunday, this one got moved up to Saturday afternoon. Neither team mustered much offensively, but the Cardinals did enough to take the match, 3–1. Louisville scored an unearned run in the third inning off Luke Scherzer, and brought another man home in the top of the fifth against Nic Enright. In the bottom of the frame, Nick Owens notched the Hokies’ second hit of the game. JD Mundy drove him in with a sac fly later in the inning, cutting the deficit to one run. That’s as close as starter Nick Bennett let this game get, as he powered through the Tech offense for eight innings, allowing only four hits while striking out seven men. The Cardinals added another run in the ninth, after Logan Wyatt had the game’s first and only extra base hit, and Sam Bordner shut the door in the bottom of the inning, striking out the last two batters he faced. Game three The grand opening of English Field wasn’t so grand for the Hokies. Louisville f lexed their muscles early and often en route to a 16–1 victory. The ceremony featured Tyrod Taylor, former head coach and Hall of Famer Chuck Hartman, and others throwing out the first pitch,

as well as postgame fireworks. There were also 3,420 fans on hand for the match, an all-time high. “It really shows you how first-class this program is,” said head coach John Szefc. The game itself was a completely different story. The combination of Ian Seymour and Andrew Mcdonald gave up ten runs in the first two innings. In between, Stoffel hit a solo home run, which may have been just enough to keep fans interested, but did little in deciding the outcome. Already up 10–1, the Cardinals plated three more men in the third inning, at which point the game was effectively over, if it wasn’t already. As if the dominance in the batter’s box wasn’t enough, Bobby Miller and the Louisville pitching staff shut out the Hokies after the first inning, allowing only three hits. The sweep drops Virginia Tech’s record to 15–20, including 6–12 in ACC play. The team will travel to face Radford on Tuesday at 6 p.m. before returning to English Field to host Old Dominion the following day.

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PAGE B4 April 17, 2018

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