February 16, 2021

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February 16, 2021

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Extra time and heightened emotions during the pandemic can be channeled into community service

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Communities still face problems heightened by the pandemic such as food insecurity, homelessness and unemployment.

inally, we can say goodbye to 2020. During the winter break, I had time to reflect upon this past year. I graduated high school, became closer with my family, spent more time outdoors and started my first year of college. Although I was proud of all that I accomplished, I couldn’t help but think of the things I didn’t do.

While I drowned my sorrows in endless Netflix marathons and loaves of banana bread, there were people out making a difference in the world. Looking back, I wish I had done more during this time when so many communities are struggling nationwide.

John Stramiello, the director of Micah’s Backpack, described how one local organization has supported the Blacksburg community not only through these difficult times, but for the past 13 years.

“Micah’s Backpack was founded in 2008 to fill a need in Blacksburg concerning students who were experiencing food insecurity,” Stramielle said. “It started with feeding five children at one school and has grown to feed more than 300 children at 10 schools in Blacksburg. The reason it has grown is because there is a definite need for those who are suffering from food insecurity.”

Micah’s Backpack is a part of a larger initiative known as Micah’s Caring Initiative which tackles many other issues in the Blacksburg community.

Outside of providing meals to students in need, the larger initiative gives

students access to a garden where they can eat the produce they grow; they also supply clothing to students in need and distribute meals to senior living centers.

Stramiello underscored some of the most important concerns facing the Blacksburg community now because of the pandemic.

“A lot of people are out of work because of the closing of restaurants and stores, which has really increased all of the needs: rent, electricity, food. People are scampering to try to save their families because of this pandemic,” Stramiello said.

The pandemic has put a strain on many communities nationwide, causing poverty rates and food insecurity rates to rise. Some businesses have been forced to close entirely, while the luckier ones have managed to stay afloat in spite of the new capacity limitations; either way, these changes have left workers unable to provide for themselves and their families. It is one thing to hear about these issues in national headlines, but it hits even closer to home when your own community is affected.

“On the negative side, the pandemic has not only increased need, but has prevented Micah’s Backpack from allowing many people to volunteer,” Stramiello said.

Because organizations must now account for social distancing guidelines, there have been restrictions on how many people can volunteer at one

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time. However, this hasn’t stopped Micah’s Backpack from fulfilling its initiative.

“Since the pandemic, we have had a large increase in individuals and groups hosting fundraisers and food drives.

Because of these efforts, Micah’s Backpack has seen an increase in food donations of over 120%,” Stramiello said.

This goes to show that a positive impact can still be made even in the most trying of circumstances. It is easy to dismiss doing something because you don’t think it will make a difference. I am guilty of the same belief. However, if I have learned anything during this pandemic, it is that even the smallest act of service can have a much greater impact.

“Supporting the surrounding community truly helps to ensure a healthy community,” Stramiello said. “In order for a community to grow, be successful and healthy, those in the community who need assistance should be a priority. Helping the community is

beneficial to everyone who exists in the community.”

Although it is a new year, the issues of 2020 persist. The pandemic continues and there are still many people in need who face unemployment, food insecurity and homelessness — to name a few of the more prominent social concerns. Now more than ever, communities are relying on their members for support. In order to evolve and grow as a society, it is essential to give back to those in need. If we want to create a better world for everyone, we should value and emphasize the importance of community service.

“The most important thing is to find that place that fits you and your passion,” Stramiello said. “Do this and I guarantee you will carry it with you throughout your life.”

OLIVIA NELSON • freshman • biochemistry

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To avoid further economic devastation and nationwide desperation, the next stimulus bill must be enacted

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Americans will more likely recover from the financial burdens brought on by COVID-19 if Congress passes the next stimulus.

t has been over a year since COVID-19 was first discovered in Wuhan, China. In the time since, the world has been bogged down fighting the pandemic. With over 450,000 deaths in the United States alone, by the time the pandemic ends, the U.S. could easily be approaching 6 0 0, 0 0 0 deat hs. T he e conom ic toll on the country has been catastrophic. Millions of people have been furloughed, had their hours cut or were fired outright, including a disproportionate number of Black and Latino people. In response to this, in late March of 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act nearly unanimously. With

a price tag of around $1 trillion, the CARES act provided enhanced unemployment insurance to workers who had lost their jobs. Additionally, $1,200 checks were provided to millions of people across the country. While the CARES Act had many flaws (as U.S. social safety nets generally do), it helped lessen the burden for many workers struggling since the start of the pandemic. The stabilization of poverty rates in the United States after the act was passed is proof of this.

The CARES act was one of the best pieces of legislation to be passed by the United States in many years, but it was not perfect.

Leaving adult dependents out of stimulus checks was one issue. Furthermore, complex

TAYO OLADELE / COLLEGIATE TIMES A student flipping through their wallet, Jan. 29, 2019.

bureaucratic hurdles made accessing relief for many workers difficult or even impossible. In Virginia, thousands of people report

unemployment insurance would be exceptionally beneficial to those of us who may lose our jobs in the coming days because of

“Under Biden’s plan, adult dependents,

many of whom are college students who lost job opportunities, would receive a stimulus check that could help to lessen the fiscal strain many of us are experiencing.

”

that it is nearly impossible to contact the Virginia Economic Commission, the organization responsible for handling unemployment claims. Across the country, workers have reported similar experiences as unemployment offices were not ready to handle the vast number of claims that would come through as the pandemic began wreaking havoc across the country.

Due to the economic hardships faced by millions of Americans, a new stimulus package is being debated in Congress. It includes billions in both unemployment assistance as well as money for other overlooked sectors that were hit by the pandemic. For example, it includes $160 billion to accelerate the national vaccination program, billions of dollars to help schools reopen and loans and grants to state, local and tribal governments who have had their yearly tax revenues slashed by the pandemic.

Additionally, it provides a moratorium on evictions through September. It would also provide more money for parents with children: up to $3,600 a month for children under 6 and $3,000 a month for children between the ages of 6 and 17.

This stimulus package is also different because of its inclusion of adult dependents. The CARES Act had many flaws, one being its exclusion of adult dependents from receiving the $1,200 check. Under Biden’s plan, adult dependents, many of whom are college students who lost job opportunities, would receive a stimulus check that could help to lessen the fiscal strain many of us are experiencing. Likewise, the enhanced

the pandemic. Finally, the national vaccination program money would ensure that we get vaccines faster, which means we could return to normal life much sooner.

However, there is now the issue of the new COVID-19 strains spreading throughout the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil.

This is why a nationwide effort to disseminate vaccines is necessary. For every person vaccinated, that is one less person with potential for spreading these newer, possibly deadlier mutations.

Ultimately, the new stimulus package is not simply money for the unemployed. With it, we may finally be able to work through the burden the pandemic has placed on our lives. It’s the money necessary for a strong recovery and health plan when the pandemic eventually ends. While not perfect, it is more than adequate for the moment. It is imperative that Congress passes this stimulus.

MARCUS LEWIS • junior • national security and foreign affairs

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Virginia Tech launches all-virtual MBA program in response to COVID-19 The cohort-based program will provide students with a sense of community that we long for in an online learning environment.

SAVANNAH WEBB news staff writer

In its newest venture in education innovation, Virginia Tech has launched a new MBA program, and in COVID-19 fashion, it will be administered completely online starting Fall 2021.

“We’ve sought to include the best aspects of our top-ranked Evening MBA, experiential-focused Executive MBA and hybrid Professional MBA, both in curriculum development and online delivery,” said Dana Hansson, university director of MBA programs. “We’ve integrated feedback from students in all formats to determine how we can offer the best educational experience online.”

This 22-month program offered through the Pamplin College of Business is the first post-grad expansion outside of Northern Virginia in eight years. Back in 2013, the Blacksburg-based program shut down due to a decline in enrollment and was replaced with a hybrid Professional MBA. According to Pamplin Dean Robert Sumichrast, the ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic led university administrators to only offer the MBA program online.

Though it will be offered completely virtually, course modality will be evenly split between asynchronous and synchronous, thus allowing students the opportunity to converse via Zoom with peers and professors.

“Most of the students I believe are going to

be Virginians around the area, because that’s where our brand recognition is the best,” Sumichrast said. “But Virginia Tech has a national reputation and the nice thing about an online education is there’s no boundary to where the student will be.”

In addition, the program is cohort-based — meaning students will take courses in lockstep with the same group over their two years — to provide students with the sense of community that Hokies know and love.

Each member of the cohort will be able to choose a specialized track in health information technology, business data analytics, international business or cybersecurity if they are interested.

They will also have the opportunity to

participate in an optional study abroad program and attend many career fairs. The university will give them the same benefits that any other MBA student is granted.

The inaugural cohort of students will begin classes in July 2021 and are expected to graduate in May 2023. The online MBA is estimated to cost $58,000, though official rates for the program will be finalized by Tech’s Board of Visitors in March.

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February 16, 2021 PAGE 5

The Princeton Review places Virginia Tech on its Top Green Colleges List for 2021 Virginia Tech’s sustainability initiative includes the Reusable-to-Go program and outsourcing locally for dining hall meals.

MOMIJI BARLOW news staff writer

The Princeton Review has placed Virginia Tech on its Top Green Colleges List for 2021.

In order to make the list, colleges must have upstanding sustainability practices and a healthy quality of life for students on campus. Rankings are calculated from institutional data from school administrators. Out of the about 700 colleges considered, 416 were chosen to be on the Green Colleges List, and only 50 were chosen to be on the Top Green Colleges List.

“It’s a real source of pride for us (to be placed on the Green Colleges List),” said Sustainability Program Manager Nathan King. “It speaks to the entire campus community, because it really does take everyone to make a university sustainable and reach those high rankings of The Princeton Review.”

At Virginia Tech, the Office of Sustainability has taken efforts to bring about change on campus. In particular, much of the university’s environmental efforts can be seen within Dining Services. Sustainability initiatives are also ramping up for Housing and Residence Life, where new construction and renovations seek to achieve LEED silver or higher certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Recently, O’Shaughnessy Hall, renovated in 2018, achieved LEED Gold certification.

“Ou r g uiding pr inciple rea lly goes around, ‘How do we promote sustainable dining both within our campus community and also our greater community?’” Sustainability Manager Blake Bensman said. “We are working to make our dining more sustainable, but also our student living opportunities on campus.”

A sustainability initiative that most students are familiar with is the Reusable-to-Go Program, in which dining halls offer a green plastic reusable container with their meal for free. Students return the containers after use to be cleaned and used again.

“One container can keep 250 single-use containers out of the

landfill,” Bensman said. “They are about 0.44 pounds, so 250 times 0.44 is right about 110. So, the average container can keep over 100 pounds of plastic out of the landfill, which is huge for us.”

A lesser-known initiative makes an even bigger impact. Some of the produce, such as vegetables, meat and milk, that is used to make dining hall meals come from local sources, reducing the school’s carbon footprint from transportation.

“We serve Virginia Tech products within our dining halls from Homefield Farm,” Bensman said. “It’s about fifty thousand pounds of organic produce that is produced in our dining centers and sold at our farmstand each year.

VT Meats is also a big partner; the meat is raised by CALS (College of Agricultural Life Sciences) and they serve about ten thousand to fifteen thousand pounds of VT raised beef, pork and lamb each year. We also have VT-produced milk at the Dairy Complex at Kentland Farm, which is 10 miles west of campus. Annually, we serve about 23 thousand gallons of milk at our Dietrick Hall, and that includes about seven thousand gallons of chocolate milk, which is my favorite.”

A nother factor T he P r inceton Review used to select Green Colleges was student opinion, through an online survey done throughout 2019 and 2020.

The survey included ratings on how sustainability issues affected student lives on campus, support from students and administration on environmental awareness and the impact and visibility of student environmental groups.

“I think it’s really great that our college is making sustainability a priority,” Liz Fairfax, a freshman m a rket i ng m a nagem ent st ud ent, said. “I have taken advantage of the Reusable-to-Go boxes, one, because it is good for our community and our Earth, and also because Virginia Tech pushes students to use them by implementing a 25-cent charge if you choose to use a nonreusable container. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

Students also have the opportunity for bringing about change on campus as well,

CHEN JIANG / COLLEGIATE TIMES Solar-powered trash and recycling compacts can be found all over campus, May 15, 2015.

whether through internships with the Office of Sustainability or through the Green RFP (Request of Proposals for Sustainability Initiatives) Program, in which students can submit green sustainability proposals.

“We got about 65 proposals this year, so we’re looking for which ones are feasible to implement and fund,” King said. “We funded something like 83 different proposals over the last 10 or so years, and well into the millions of dollars of proposals have been funded.

That is one area where every year we are continuing to add new sustainability projects in our campus.”

The Office of Sustainability still has many plans for the coming years, adhering to the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment, initially approved in 2009 and revised in 2013.

“Our Climate Action Commitment, which is our overarching guiding policy, as

well as the STARS Report,which functions as the university’s sustainability plan, are guiding documents into the future,” King said. “We really do look at (the Climate Action Commitment) from five years out, to 10 years out, to 30 years out, and what that vision for the future is going to be, whether it is carbon neutrality by 2050, or implementing a climate action Living-Learning laboratory and all sorts of other goals.

That is creeping toward, hopefully, senior administration approval later in the spring if all goes well, and that is going to be huge for advancing sustainability into the future here.”

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February 16, 2021 PAGE 7

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Tyrece Radford receives 12-month probation, suspended jail time for January charges Head coach Mike Young says Radford has demonstrated remorse for his actions.

ADIAH GHOLSTON news editor

Suspended Virginia Tech Basketball player Tyrece Radford was found guilty of first-offense driving under the influence Feb. 3 in Montgomery County General District Office.

Radford was indefinitely suspended from the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team on Jan. 25 after being arrested by Blacksburg Police the previous day. Radford was charged with one misdemeanor count of first-offense driving while intoxicated and one misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed weapon.

Judge Randal Ducan sentenced Radford to a 60-day suspended jail sentence and a $1,000 fine, of which $750 was suspended.

Radford took a plea agreement on the DUI

charge, pleading not guilty to be driving under the influence.

Although Radford holds a Louisiana driver’s license, his driving privileges in Virginia have been revoked for 12 months.

Radford has also been placed on probation for 12 months.

Radford pleaded no contest Wednesday to carrying a concealed weapon. Judge Duncan has placed the case in advisement for a year and could dismiss that charge at the end of that period if Radford shows good behavior.

The commonwealth attorney’s office did not ask for a conviction on the weapon charge.

The DUI conviction prevents Radford from having a permit to carry a concealed weapon for three years.

Radford remains suspended from the team, but was permitted to travel with the

team to the Virginia Tech vs Miami game on Saturday.

“We do believe that Tyrece has demonstrated his remorse for his actions and has learned from this situation,” said Mike Young in a released statement. “We support Tyrece’s efforts and will continue to assist him in getting the help he needs along the way… There is a path for Tyrece to return to competition this week if he upholds the expectations necessary.”

ALEX NAGELI / COLLEGIATE TIMES Tyrece Radford (23), March 10, 2020. @CollegiateTimes

Burglary victim seeks justice, answers after recent Blacksburg break-ins The victim and her roommates had several personal items stolen; recovered items are being inspected by a forensics team.

BEN WALLS news editor

Editor’s Note: The victim of the recent Sunridge Drive burglary has been kept anonymous due to safety and privacy concerns.

An anonymous Virginia Tech student wishes for justice following the string of local burglaries during the weekend of Jan. 22.

“The more I’ve thought about it and talked with police, (the burglary) was very targeted or very random,” the victim said.

“I’m sure I’m not the only apartment that had an unlocked door that night –– so, it was completely random or they knew me.”

The victim and a roommate were at a friend’s house and believe their apartment was burglarized sometime between the late hours of Jan. 22 and the early hours of Jan. 23.

The victim’s two other roommates and two additional guests were asleep at the time, unaware that someone broke in.

“I was really frustrated at first and annoyed that, out of everybody, this would happen to me, but I think this has given me perspective because we really are in the ‘real

world’ now and not everyone is going to respect other people’s houses, spaces (and) belongings,” the victim said. “I’m glad no one got hurt. This could’ve gone so much worse.”

Personal items including a wallet, car keys, clothes, pictures, identification cards and two laptops were stolen, and a Virginia Tech academic advisor eventually recovered one of the laptops in Christiansburg sometime during the same weekend.

According to the victim, the Blacksburg Police Department investigated the laptop for fingerprints and any other recoverable information, including locations if someone accessed a public WiFi network.

The victim’s roommate’s laptop was also recovered by authorities in Christiansburg.

When asked if she wanted to see justice served, the victim said “100 percent,” and added, “...I just want to know who (the suspects) are and see them –– I definitely want to see justice served. Whoever they are, they’re going to learn from (their actions) and not take advantage of people.”

Meanwhile, the victim has worked with the Blacksburg Police Department since the morning of Jan. 23. According to her, authorities have followed several leads

ANISHA KOHLI / COLLEGIATE TIMES The Virginia Tech Police Department is responsible for investigating many of the burglaries in Blacksburg, Sept. 3, 2018.

since, and forensics teams have taken and have inspected other personal belongings which the suspect may have touched.

In response to the unconfirmed rumors that the suspect is targeting women’s apartments, the victim believes there is some truth to the claims.

“I think (the suspect) is trying to avoid getting caught, and girls would be the easier way to do that,” the victim said. “...I’ve been praying for (the suspect) a little bit –– something’s obviously off with them to be able to maliciously go into someone’s house.”

Following the incident, the victim’s father installed security cameras inside the apartment, and The Village at Blacksburg off Sundridge Drive announced in an email that uniformed patrols continue to survey the area.

The Blacksburg Police Department requests for anyone who has information regarding the case to call (540) 961-1819.

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‘Show me your teeth’: The truth about applying to dental school Aspiring dental student Violetta Nikitina offers words of wisdom to students applying to dental school.

PEYTON MANFRE lifestyles staff writer

Similar to many other graduate programs, dental school requires applicants to take an entrance exam. According to the American Dental Association, the Dental Admission Test is a multiple choice exam consisting of four tests, one in each of these categories: survey of the natural sciences, perceptual ability, reading comprehension and quantitative reasoning.

Violetta Nikitina, a junior majoring in biology and clinical neuroscience, first took the DAT on Aug. 20 and is planning to take it again this coming January. According to Nikitina, this is the rundown on studying for and taking the DAT. First, it is important to know what resources to use when beginning to study for the DAT. Created and run by Ari Rezaei, DAT Bootcamp is designed to be an all-encompassing program so students can find everything they need in order to prepare for the exam in one place.

“I followed Ari’s bootcamp schedule pretty precisely,” Nikitina said. “When I was lagging behind or when I got a low score on a practice exam, I would kind of add in things that I needed to work on more, but I stayed with his schedule pretty much to a T.” It is also important to implement a studying schedule and time management so that all the material gets covered before exam day. Before beginning a rigorous studying schedule, Nikitina utilized the five-questions-a-day generator from DAT Bootcamp, which only requires a free account, not a paid subscription. Then in June, she subscribed to the full two-month program which granted her access to more studying materials and full-length practice exams.

“In June, it was more light studying; I was studying every day, but not very hard on hours, maybe like three to four hours every day having Sundays off,” Nikitina said.

“Starting in July, I increased my studying; I would usually study around eight hours a day, making it like a full school day. I started taking full length practice tests about two weeks before my actual exam.”

Nikitina suggests that pre-dental students wait to subscribe to DAT Bootcamp until almost exactly two months before their planned exam dates since the program costs about $500, and it is crucial to have the test material fresh in your mind on exam day.

Overall, Nikitina claims that the courses she took at Virginia Tech prepared her well for the exam. She said that organic chemistry and the higher level biology courses she took were especially helpful since they covered more information than what she needed to know for the DAT. Another aspect of school that Nikitina found helpful was Virginia Tech’s American Student Dental Association Pre-Dental Chapter. She highly recommends that students who want to go to dental school join as it provided her with mentors who helped her through DAT preparation.

“I think Virginia Tech prepared me very, very well,” Nikitina said. “The only thing that I was lacking, where I had to study a lot, was definitely that perceptual ability test section — and that wasn’t Virginia Tech’s fault. That was just because you can’t really get perceptual ability classes here or anywhere else; it’s something you have to do on your own.”

Math was another area that required some extra brushing up before the exam . The DAT focuses primarily on algebra-based math, so Nikitina said she had to do a lot of refreshing since she had not done any math at that level in years.

After talking with the dean at Virginia Commonwealth University, Nikitina decided she is going to attempt the DAT for the second time in January because she believes she can increase her biology score.

According to Nikitina, members of Virginia Tech’s ASDA Pre-Dental Chapter suggest taking the exam the summer after sophomore year, since all the necessary courses will have been completed, and then one more time as needed.

For anyone contemplating the pre-dental track, Nikitina strongly suggests shadowing at a local practice as this will help determine if dentistry is something you are passionate about while also exposing you to the field

ANISHA KOHLI / COLLEGIATE TIMES An online application for graduate school, Sept. 16, 2018.

and helping you gain experience.

“My mom was the one that was pushing me to do dental, so I kept pushing away and away,” Nikitina said. “Then she was like, ‘Go one day and shadow — come back and tell me you don’t like it and I’ll drop the subject for good and never bring it up again.’

So I went into a dental office and asked if I could shadow for one day to expose myself to the field, and I ended up loving it.”

As one last piece of advice to undergraduates considering pursuing dentistry, Nikitina emphasizes the importance of academics and GPA, especially during your freshman year.

“Always keep in mind that every year counts the same, and if you have a very strong freshman GPA, you’re off to a good start,” Nikitina said. “A lot of people that I’ve talked to regret having a low GPA freshman

year because it weighs them down.”

Just like applying to undergraduate programs, taking entrance exams and applying to graduate schools can be particularly stressful. As exemplified by Nikitina, a good work ethic and determination can take you far.

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February 16, 2021 PAGE 9

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Unsure about grad school? Here is everything you need to know before applying Our writer has the tips to help you decide if graduate school is a good fit for you.

MOLLY DYE lifestyles staff writer

Figuring out the best course of action after four years of college can be tough. At this point, many undergraduates might be thinking about whether to attend graduate school, with factors such as tuition, career path and more coming into play. Before you get into the application process, make sure to read over these tips about whether or not graduate school is the right choice for you.

The first thing you should consider about post-grad options is whether or not you will need a graduate degree for your desired career path. For some fields, obtaining a master’s degree is necessary to reach your dream job. For example, students with goals of becoming anthropologists, counselors, healthcare professionals, secondary-school teachers, social workers and statisticians will need to secure a master’s degree, and the list goes on. In this case, you should make sure that you plan ahead at least one year before graduating since many programs with October deadlines will require GRE scores and recommendation letters. Additionally, if you are entering a career path that requires a graduate degree, you will want to spend some time researching the right programs and potential scholarships.

Graduate school can also be a great option if you are looking to be a stronger candidate in the job market and get ahead in your career. The market has grown increasingly competitive as companies like Google have reached over two million applicants per year, while in 2016, Goldman Sachs reported that they hired only 6% of applicants that year. Jobs in high demand will always prefer candidates with graduate degrees over others, and more students than ever before are securing master’s degrees, making a bachelor’s degree slightly less valuable to employers. If your goal is to start off your career with a higher-than-average salary and you have the resources and funds to pay for school, then going to graduate school is a great option for you.

On the other hand, there are a few reasons why graduate school can be the wrong choice for students. Many juniors and seniors might look at graduate school as a way to put off entering the workforce and get a few more years of school under their belts. If you don’t have a strong passion for your course of study and potential career path, then you

may end up in a less than desirable situation.

Half of all doctoral students drop out of graduate school before completion of their degrees due to stress and burnout. To top it off, over half of graduate students working towards a master’s degree will borrow over $31,000, with the numbers rising steadily each year. If your focus centers on getting the degree instead of a passion for what you will learn and experience, you may be in it for the wrong reason and the costs will not be worth it. If you are not sure what to do after graduation, going to grad school is not the solution to your problems.

If you are still unsure about graduate school at this point, consider whether or not a graduate degree is really necessary for the skills you will need for your future job. Many companies are beginning to emphasize retraining employees to match their particular organizational culture, with Amazon recently investing $700 million in “upskilling” their workers so that they could be more prepared for current and future jobs. Moreover, some of the skills that companies emphasize,like fast learning, having good communication skills and maintaining an eager mind, are things that can’t be learned with more degrees. In many cases, some of your strengths as an employee can only be learned from work experience, so it’s important to weigh the costs of a commitment to graduate school with the skills you can only obtain through experience.

As you continue to think about your post-graduation options, considering the costs and benefits of graduate school is always a good idea.

It’s important to think about your ultimate career goals when deciding which steps to take as a senior, so hopefully some of these tips will guide you into the right direction.

@CollegiateTimes

GABBY RIVERA / COLLEGIATE TIMES A Virginia Tech student working at their computer, Sept. 9 2019.

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What comes next? COVID-19’s impact on entering graduate school Students at Virginia Tech and around the country’s experience applying to grad school will be a little different this year.

ABBIE COLEMAN lifestyles contributor

For thousands of seniors across the country looking at grad school, COVID-19 has flipped that process on its head. That isn’t even to mention the fact that their last year of undergrad has been spent in a way vastly different from what they were hoping.

“I was disappointed realizing that my grad school experience would likely be different from what I had expected,” said Madison Storm, a senior multimedia journalism major. “I’m mostly worried about the quality of education not being the same if I work to complete my degree entirely online because journalism is a lot of applied learning rather than virtually taught lessons.”

Senior human development major Jaida Buchanan shares some of the same concerns as Storm when it comes to online graduate classes. Buchanan aspires to be a teacher, which pre-COVID was a mostly hands-on experience toward the end of the program.

“I have my worries because student teaching

was supposed to be hands-on, and it might just be Zoom now,” Buchanan said. “I’m not sure how they’re going to student teach.”

This lack of hands-on experience worries Buchanan for her first few years of teaching.

“Eventually if things do go back to normal, the only thing I know is Zoom,” she said. “I don’t know any hands-on stuff, and teaching is all about doing it your own way and just learning on the job. If I only have Zoom experience, I don’t have any classroom experience or know what to do in a classroom.”

For students entering graduate school, there are more concerns than whether or not classes are online. They first have to worry about even getting in. This was already a concern for most students looking into graduate school before COVID-19, but now the process has been made even more complicated. Buchanan plans on staying at Virginia Tech for graduate school while Storm is looking elsewhere, but for both of them the process is certainly different than they had planned. Buchanan is concerned about interviews being over Zoom.

“There’s an interview process, so that’s probably going to be over Zoom when it would probably be in person,” Buchanan said. “And that may or may not affect my chances of getting in because what if that connection cuts out or what if I stutter and they don’t hear that?”

On Storm’s end, she prepared for months to take the dreaded GRE, or Graduate Record Examination test, in order to be admitted to graduate school, but because of COVID-19, that time was put to waste. “I had studied the whole summer to take the GRE, which is exhausting, and I’m not a great test taker. So there were a lot of factors playing into that, but a lot of schools actually started waiving the test requirement as a result of COVID,” Storm said. “I ended up canceling it after spending the whole summer studying, which was annoying.”

But despite the new challenges that COVID-19 has brought to the process of entering graduate school, it hasn’t deterred Storm or Buchanan from their plans.

“It didn’t make me less inclined to go to

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grad school,” Storm said. “Even though I am disappointed, I’m still excited to finish up with the application process and see where I’ll be learning next.”

JOHN BATTISTON / COLLEGIATE TIMES An online application, Sept. 16, 2018.

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Graduate Study

Human Development Our Ph.D. Program

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February 16, 2021 PAGE 11

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The L word: The ins and outs of deciding to become a lawyer The road to applying to law school may not be an easy one, but with a few key steps, the effort can pay off in the long run.

BRYCE NOLAN former lifestyles staff writer

Disclaimer: The author of this article is a dues-paying member of the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity, which is mentioned and whose current president is quoted within.

He has no leadership position in the organization whatsoever and does not profit in any way from their being mentioned here.

It’s a safe bet that a good number of people reading this article have, at some point, been asked by their parents to think about law school. To some, that’s the best suggestion they have ever heard, and to others the very notion fills them with dread. Some may even experience both at the same time. While law school has often been employed as a throwaway line for students who don’t want to admit that they are not sure of their future, committing to law school and making the firm decision to pursue a career in law is no small matter. Like many things worth doing in life, it is neither easy nor trivial. But accomplishing it is a feat to be proud of, and the sooner you start, the better. Though of course, everyone has a unique path. Some students have wanted to be lawyers since childhood, others may just now be thinking about it as graduation approaches. Both are equally legitimate, and despite their differences, they both have the same work to be done.

To some, the checklist of tasks needed to prepare for law school may seem like the Labors of Hercules, just one thing after another, but every aspect of the process is important in its own way. Ultimately the law school application process is about who you are as a person and what you can accomplish. In other words, it demands a full view of your abilities and personality.

Arguably the most important part of this process, and likely the first to garner your attention, is the Law School Admission Test, or LSAT, a standardized test required for admission into most schools certified by the American Bar Association, the regulatory authority for America’s law schools. The LSAT is not like most standardized tests.

Rather than being based on knowledge, it is primarily concerned with the applicant’s problem solving and logical analysis skills.

“In my opinion, the most important things for law students to keep in mind are first, in order to pursue a legal career, they must first plan to take the LSAT and give themselves adequate time to prepare and study for it,” said Manasha Bhetwal, an international

A Virginia Tech student prepared for a job fair, Sept. 9, 2019.

relations and international public policy major in the class of 2021 and the current president of the Virginia Tech chapter of the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity.

Phi Alpha Delta (PAD for short) is a campus organization dedicated to shepherding prospective law students through the processes leading up to attending law school, which includes preparing for the LSAT. While there is some debate over the ideal point at which to take the LSAT, the only meaningful answer to that question is something like “whenever you are most ready.”

Prospective test-takers must sign up for the exam at least two months in advance of their test date , which gives students enough flexibility to make it fit with their schedule, but once that date is locked in, the world revolves around it. It is not an easy test, and that’s a good thing. If it were easy, taking it would hardly matter. It is also not cheap, costing around $200. The test is scored on a scale from 120 to 180, with a percentile ranking.

What qualifies as a good score will vary depending on what a student’s ambitions are in terms of what schools they hope to attend, and law schools are required to publish their LSAT acceptance statistics, so it is to the benefit of test-takers to know a target score

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES

and study with that score in mind.

The LSAT is a beast, but it is far from the only thing a prospective law school ought to be concerned about. What follows the LSAT in importance (again, arguably) are letters of recommendation. Most law schools will require at least two letters, and most will require that at least one be from a professor.

“Another thing (in this process) is to build relationships with professors and bosses. This helps in the long run as these are the people students are subsequently going to ask for letters of recommendation from,” Bhetwal said. “If you work hard and impress them from the beginning, you will have people willing to write you a great LOR and that goes a long way with law school applications.”

There are a number of other steps on the way to application time, but once the letters and the LSAT are out of the way, you can be safe in assuming that much of the work is behind you. Thankfully, the actual application process is fairly streamlined, which is to say it is managed by a single entity, the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), the same organization that puts on the LSAT. Most, if not all, ABA schools require application through the LSAC online portal, and the LSAC provides a service whereby all

your credentials, such as your LSAT score, letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc. are provided to the schools to which you wish to apply. This is not free, sadly, and many schools charge an application fee, so budget appropriately.

Applying to law school is a long and winding road, and it can feel like an overwhelming process before you ever even come near the physical act of sending in an application. But the effort is worth it, and the legal practice isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s not an easy path and it’s not an easy career, but it is the path for some of us.

After all, who wouldn’t want their parents to brag about having a lawyer in the family?

All joking aside, if one seriously does hope to become a lawyer, it is to their benefit to learn as much about the process as early as possible. Knowledge is power, and never was that more true than in the case of the law.

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PAGE 12 February 16, 2021

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Hokies victorious at ACC Wrestling Dual Meet Virginia Tech takes down Pittsburgh Panthers to secure the championship title.

NICKY HATCH sports staff writer

Coach Tony Robie is beginning to see the fruits of his labor pay off. His strong recruiting efforts over the past three years became eye-opening on the mat Friday night against the Pittsburgh Panthers. The No. 16 Panthers are no slouch of a team, as they boast multiple reigning ACC champions and own the top-25 rank for a reason. They would be the only thing standing in between Virginia Tech and an undefeated season in addition to an ACC dual meet championship.

Even though the always dominant Korbin Myers did not wrestle, the Hokies got out to a hot start and never looked back.

No. 5 Sam Latona picked up where he left off, defeating another Camacho (this time Colton Camacho) in a lopsided major decision 12-3. Putting points on the board first has been a mantra that the Hokies have lived by throughout the season and it has paid off big time, especially since they can rely upon battle-tested No. 1 Mekhi Lewis and No. 2 Hunter Bolen for a tough match.

With the quick 14-3 team lead, up next would be freshman Connor Brady against ODU transfer Tyler Badgett. Many knew that Brady could hold his own, especially after giving N.C. State’s Hayden Hidlay a run for his money, but he made a statement

Friday night. Brady got extremely physical within seconds, wasting no time to secure the underhook which in turn translated into a takedown. Brady leveraged his opponent’s body towards the ground, his strength on display as he cranked his arm and secured four near-fall points. Brady won the match decisively in a 12-1 major decision, putting the dual on ice.

The matchup of the night, though, was between the reigning ACC champion, No. 9 Jake Wentzel and No. 1 Mekhi Lewis, a national champion. Off the bat, Wentzel got physical with Lewis, grabbing a foot and carrying around the leg of Lewis for a good minute or so. A familiar situation appeared in the national championship match between Penn State’s Vincenzo Joseph and Lewis, with Lewis overcoming the uncomfortable position. Wentzel played it perfectly, waiting for the right time to strike as he lifted Lewis’ leg above his head sharply and took him to the ground for two. Wentzel would ride Lewis for quite some time, not allowing him up from the mat until everyone watching could hear Lewis scream out in agony. Wincing and gripping his shoulder, the trainer gave him a once over and Lewis entered the match again, obviously in pain. Wentzel would not let up, but it was obvious the match was over.

Lewis would lose his first collegiate match by injury default as Wentzel could be seen

COURTESY OF HOKIESPORTS The Virginia Tech wrestling team won at the ACC Championship against the Pittsburgh Panthers, Feb. 12, 2021.

throwing a fit on the sideline, chucking his head-gear, obviously frustrated.

Following Lewis’ match, junkyard dog Dakota Howard put a beatdown on his opponent, reigning ACC champion Jared McGill. Howard secured the tech fall, almost pinning McGill on multiple occasions. Howard could be seen sprinting into the locker room following his tech fall victory, most likely to check on Lewis.

Virginia Tech secured its eighth ACC

Dual Meet Championship, defeating Pitt 27-12 in what was a magical season for the Hokies. Boasting their seventh undefeated season, and their first since 1956, the Hokies will look to the ACC tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina, for their next test with Lewis hopefully participating.

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Hokies down Miami, secure fourth consecutive win Georgia Amoore has an incredible performance against Miami, helping Tech secure 75-55 victory over Hurricanes.

AMBER WILLIAMS assistant sports editor

The Virginia Tech women’s basketball team dominated at Miami (8-8, 5-8) on Thursday with a final score of 75-55. The Hokies tied a program record by winning their fourth straight ACC win and moved to 11-7 (6-7, ACC) for the season.

The total-team-effort win made head coach Kenny Brooks proud.

“I thought they listened to the scout, came together, executed the scout and were really locked in,” said Brooks. “I think things are coming together for us.”

COURTESY OF HOKIESPORTS

The Hurricanes got close to the Hokies by nine points at the end of the third quarter, but the Hokies answered by scoring the first 10 points of the fourth which led to their eventual victory. Miami was only able to achieve 38% shooting for the night and had only five free throw attempts.

Georgia Amoore contributed in a huge way by tying a career-high by sinking in five 3-pointers and executing five assists to one turnover. Elizabeth Kitley tallied 19 points and secured her 12th double-double for the season, helping lead the Hokies to their win.

Aisha Sheppard was present on the court as

always, scoring 19 points for the team.

The game scheduled for Feb. 14 against Boston College has been postponed. The Hokies’ next meeting will be against Syracuse at home on Feb. 21.

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