student-run
the Virginia Tech community
The Undergraduate Student Senate held its election from Sept. 19 to 22. According to VTx, the newly elected cabinet consists of President Caroline Lohr, who was pres ident last year; Ainsley Cragin, vice president for policy and issues; Eireann Maybach, vice president for administration; Seungchan Jeong, vice president for shared governance; O’Brian Martin, vice president for equity and inclusion and Sam Yuzbashev, vice president for finances.
“I am so excited,” Lohr said. “One of the biggest things I’ve seen in my peers who have graduated, or their positions are only one year long and they couldn’t rerun or anything, was that they finally understood how to do it at the
very end of their time commitment. So I feel the same way, but I’m really just blessed and grateful to be able to actually kind of have a better understanding of what I’m supposed to be doing and put that into practice.”
According to Lohr, the USS’s structure is unique in comparison to student gover nance organizations at other universities. Because it is relatively new, since the Student Government Association transitioned into the USS in fall 2021, one of Lohr’s top priorities is to establish a solid foundation within the USS.
As stated on her election platform, Lohr also plans to raise preventative sexual violence awareness and education, ensure Virginia Tech’s residential leaders are given the same
benefits compared to other state universities and help international students receive the same college experience as other students.
Lohr has already put her plans in motion. She is a part of the Sexual Violence Culture and Climate Work Group, organized last year by President Tim Sands, who “charged members with developing a framework for sustainable climate and cultural transformation that will establish sexual violence prevention as a shared responsibility of the entire campus community.” USS senators have also spoken with residential advisors across the East coast.
Lohr is also in contact with the university and Blacksburg Transit to help support inter national students.
“The thing that has been brought up to me is transportation systems for international students,” Lohr said. “Because if you’re an international student, and you fly into Dulles (for example), it’s up to you to find your own transportation from Dulles to Virginia Tech, same with Charlotte, or same with anywhere else where you’re flying into. That, I think, is going to take a lot more conversing because BT that runs on our campus is Blacksburg
NEWSROOM 231-9865
Transit; it’s not like Virginia Tech oversees BT.”
Lohr also said that senators are speaking to BT about overcrowding on buses as well, especially as new apartment complexes have opened for students residing off campus, bringing more foot traffic to some bus stops.
While Lohr feels a strong obligation in assisting the university and the students, having the community’s support has helped motivate her.
“I want to be a hub of resources for students, for administrators, for faculty and staff behind closed doors, in open doors,” Lohr said. “I am just gonna be advocating for students for these issues and anything else that arises, and truly it is up to me, our senators and our students to help with the passion and push things forward because I am only one person. While I do have my position, having 30,000 people behind me back me up helps so much.”
Editor-in-Chief: Momiji Barlow (editor@collegiatetimes.com)
Managing editor: Colleen Henneberry
Design editor: Sydney Johnson
Assistant Design editor: Nanami Nishimoto
Copy editor: Emily Burch
News editor: Victoria Weber
Lifestyles editor: Olivia Ferrare
Sports editors: Amber Williams, Margaret Allocca, and Colby Talley
Opinions editor: Olivia Nelson
Photo editors: Andrew Rodgers and Hamad Alhendi
Social media editors: Emily Logue (Twitter), Deanna Driver (Facebook)
Have a news tip? newstips@collegiatetimes.com
BUSINESS STAFF 231-9860
Business manager: Charlie Setash (business@collegemedia.com)
MEDIAMATE 888-897-7711 collegiatetimes.com/media_kit/ orders@mymediamate.com
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, 2020. 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.
Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Collegiate Times. Read about our organization’s Core Values online at collegiatetimes.com.
The number of first-year applications further surpassed the prior year’s record-breaking numbers.
In a VTx press release, Virginia Tech announced its fall 2022 class, composed of both freshman and transfer students, was the most diverse in Virginia Tech history.
Underrepresented minority students or under served students (URM/USS), including Pelleligible students, first-generation students and veterans make up upwards of 40% of the class.
The record marks an increase from 2017’s 33.1% URM/USS population, as well as achievement of the 40% URM/USS goal listed in the university’s 2019 strategic plan, “The Virginia Tech Difference: Advancing Beyond Boundaries.”
In a statement to VTx, President Tim Sands said, “This is an important milestone that enriches our university with talented students from diverse backgrounds and reflects our commitment to access and equity in higher education. Their expe riences, ideas, and engagement will strengthen our impact on the commonwealth and commu nities we serve as we take on the world’s most pressing challenges.”
According to WSLS, Virginia Tech also received a record-breaking number of applicants at 45,238 total applications, a 7.57% increase from the previous year as reported by VTx.
The university also saw a minor increase in transfer applications with 2,890 total applicants.
First generation college students make up 20.8% of the first-year class, an increase of more than 13% from the prior year, and an increase of more than 34% from 2017.
Additionally, Black students make up 8.7% of the first-year class, double the Black first-year population of 2017.
There was also a 79% increase in Hispanic first-year students from 2017, putting the total Hispanic first-year population at 10.9%.
As for graduate students, the total URM/USS
Adaptations can succeed when they add something novel to the original media.
Video game adaptations are back on the rise — sort of. The stigma that video game movies and series are terrible has long been embedded for the larger part of the past 15 years. Movies such as “Assassin’s Creed”, “Monster Hunter”, “Warcraft”, “Max Payne”, “Uncharted”, the “Resident Evil” movies and more, have done very little to lift this stigma from the video game adaptation genre.
However, over the past few years, new and brilliant video game adaptations have become more popular. Movies and series such as “Arcane”, “Detective Pikachu”, “Sonic the Hedgehog”, “Castlevania” and most recently “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners” have been shattering the status quo for video game adaptations. So what do these adaptations have that the others lack? Or rather, what do the video games inspiring these adapta tions have that make for a better adaptation than those listed in the beginning paragraph?
Fundamentally, video game adaptations need
to have something new to add to the media. However, this is true regardless; all movies need to have something fresh and unique or else they become formulaic and forgotten. However, there is another important distinction between good and bad adaptations — that is the density of the lore and world within the video game franchise the adaptation comes from.
To preface this, movie and series directors will undoubtedly deviate from the source material. This is true in video game adaptations as well as book adaptations. Problems occur with this devi ation when it does not add anything to the story or worse, defies the narrative set in the games.
“Deviation is a good thing,” said Joshua Uy, a senior studying computer science and president of the Filmmaker’s Club at VT.
This point was further emphasized by Donovan Samuel, a senior and cinema major.
continued on page 4
population increased by 0.3% from last year.
“They (the university’s admissions team) made transformational changes to our admis sions process in 2018 which greatly improved our engagement with prospective students who are interested in a Virginia Tech education,” said Juan Espinoza, director of admissions, in a statement to VTx.
Donovan stresses that deviation must come with a purpose.
“Poor video game deviations deviate simply because they can,” Donovan said.
In order to balance the inevitable deviation that directors will take, the source game needs to have a plethora of lore and world to find inspi ration from. League of Legends has rich char acter stories and an entire world from which to draw inspiration for the masterful Arcane series.
“Cyberpunk: Edgerunners” inspiration comes from a world so rich that it does not even need to feature any of the main cast from “Cyberpunk 2077”.
As in “Castlevania” and “Detective Pikachu”, the video games they are inspired by are so rich
with content that directors can take creative liberty without contradicting game lore or mechanics. These deviations, instead of contra dicting game story and mechanics, seek to find new stories to tell within the game world.
Unlike “Cyberpunk 2077”, “League of Legends” and “Pokémon”, games such as the “Uncharted” series and “Resident Evil” do not have rich worlds to aid the creation of an adap tation. Rather, these are linear games driven by character building rather than cinematic expe rience and world lore. They are masterful in their own rights, but make for poor adaptations. This is why the “Uncharted” movie is under whelming because without the rich lore filled world, it becomes a knock-off Indiana Jones flick. The game fails to bring anything new to the
action-adventure genre in film.
Regarding “Resident Evil”, the creative liberties by longtime “Resident Evil” director Paul W. S. Anderson has been poorly received. The “Resident Evil” games have long since been a survival horror genre that draws people in through its immersion in its linear story. As a result, many fans are disillusioned with Anderson’s shift to action. This is an example of direct devi ation working against game mechanics and story. The newest movie adaptation, “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City,” despite being the most faithful to the game series by returning to the horror genre, has become another zombie horror movie.
A video game that is getting a Netflix adap tation that seems promising is “Bioshock”. This
video game has both a rich world to pull from and a narrative that has not been explored in cinema.
With Netflix’s recent success with “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners”, “Castlevania,” “Arcane” and “The Witcher”, “Bioshock” could be the next adap tation to watch out for.
A rich game world full of lore is the key to making a good video game adaptation. If the team involved is passionate about the game, it becomes evident in the adaptation and will likely be good.
Check out Virginia Tech’s Accelerated Master’s Program to get a jump-start on your graduate degree.
Deciding whether or not to go to graduate school is an important decision that burdens students of all majors and ages. The application process can seem
daunting, but there are ways to make the process easier. The Accelerated Master’s Program at Virginia Tech is an opportunity for students who are interested in taking
graduate level courses while still pursuing their undergraduate degree. Certain students have come into college with a lot of credits, so they only have to take a few
classes senior year to complete their under graduate degree. Filling in their final year’s schedule with a couple graduate school classes can jump-start a student’s career and save money and time before gradu ation. Moving through both degrees faster can ease stress and open up more oppor tunities to take classes that tailor more to a student’s interests.
There are accelerated programs all across the university. No matter what a student’s undergraduate major is in, there are options to explore any interest. According to Matt Grice, the admis sions and academic progress advisor for the Graduate School, the most popular programs are in the College of Engineering.
The electrical and computer engineering and mechanical engineering departments receive the most applications, as the under graduate programs are both large and have dozens of labs for students to participate in research. When deciding which program to apply, check out the requirements for each program, whether they require a certain undergraduate major, GPA cutoff and if they offer only master’s or Ph.D. programs. Some might also require taking a Graduate Record Examination (GRE), which is a
COLLEEN HENNEBERRY / COLLEGIATE TIMESfrom page 4
general exam that demonstrates a student’s ability for higher education programs. Do research, and don’t be afraid to reach out to professors to ask specific questions about the department.
The newest two accelerated master’s programs are different from the others, as they are both not directly tied to current undergraduate majors at Virginia Tech. The Master of Information Technology and Natural Resources programs are also both fully online, giving students the flexibility to take online courses during their senior year or spend the year after their bache lor’s outside of Blacksburg. The Master of Information Technology program is ranked No. 3 nationally, and it can provide a more specialized education for students in a variety of fields interested in infor mation technology. The Master of Natural Resources program is 30 credit hours and has a multitude of specializations to focus in while completing the degree.
Grice advises students to consider all of their choices before starting the appli cation process.
“Students should explore all their options and make an informed decision, and it might make more sense depending on the student,” Grice said. “Take some time and research heavily.”
The application process for any accel erated program starts in a student’s junior year, as the department must accept the application before the student’s senior year. Ideally, students interested in applying to a specific accelerated program have expressed interest in the graduate program and are starting to work with a professor in that department, either in an undergraduate class or on a research project. Knowing a professor can help a student feel more comfortable starting more advanced classes earlier than most graduate students. After deciding to apply to the accel erated program and which department they’d like to apply to, students should plan on meeting with a professor in that department and informing them that they’ve applied.
“It’s helpful to have somebody in the department that you can check in with about your application,” Grice said. “Check in with them (the professor), let them know that you’re thinking about it and ask to chat before you submit your application.”
If a student requires a more flexible option than the accelerated program but still wants to complete a graduate degree at Virginia Tech, there is another option. In the fall of their senior year, students can apply to have dual-degree status. This allows students to be considered both an undergraduate and graduate student during the second semester of their senior year, taking
both graduate and undergraduate courses only during that semester. The dual-degree option might be a better option for students needing more time to decide about graduate school or to find a research topic or project they are passionate about.
“The dual-student option is a more flexible accelerated program, and it’s only the final semester but you can apply later,” Grice said. “This allows you to make those decisions a little bit later. The dual-student status GPA cutoff is across the board a 3.0 as well.”
Going to graduate school is a great option for some students, but it’s not for everyone. The Accelerated Master’s Program can make students feel more comfortable by staying on the same campus and starting while still in their under graduate program. But sometimes, it might be worth it to take some time off from school and try something new. Take some time to reflect, and make the best decision for yourself.
The OMALS program has eight different concentrations and is an approved accelerated master’s program within the university. This program is a great addition to the current degree you are earning at Virginia Tech and the fact that it is 100% online means that you can finish it up where ever you go once you have completed your undergraduate degree.
You can begin this program while still finishing up your undergraduate degree! This will save you both time and money!
AGRIBUSINESS
LEADERSHIP STUDIES
Lifestyles writer Anthony Cusat offers advice to ease any worries about the process of applying to graduate school.
As the college experience starts to wind down for some, the relief of graduation may be overshadowed by feelings of anxiety over the question everyone seems to want to know: “What are you going to do next?” Some people may want to jump straight into the workforce, however, others may still be toying around with the prospect of continuing their education.
Where do I even start?
For a student with absolutely no idea where to start on the journey of graduate school applications, the concept of reliving the college admissions process can seem like a daunting one.
There are more options for post-graduate education than just a master’s program. Medical school is an option for those looking to pursue medicine. Law school provides an opportunity to study the intricacies of various legal processes. Ph.D programs may be an option for ambitious students looking to reach the peak of their field, and certificates are offered from schools for various students to gain specific knowledge in various career niches.
Luckily, various Virginia Tech depart ments have information available for students still trying to make a decision on graduate school. For example, Virginia Tech Career and Professional Development has a compilation
of questions to ask before deciding on graduate school, a list of graduate schools where Virginia Tech students attended by major and links to graduate school advising sessions. Additionally, Virginia Tech’s University Libraries put together a list of resources available for students in order to decide if they truly want to go to graduate school.
Why should I attend graduate school?
Students who attend graduate school have a variety of reasons for attending. Adwait Patil, a Virginia Tech student currently pursuing a masters degree in aerospace engineering, explained that his reason to do so was “to learn deeper about the things that (he is) interested in.”
organizations like the The National Name Exchange provide students with under represented ethnic and racial identities the opportunity to connect with various graduate programs.
Some other strategies for finding programs can be by looking at school rankings, location and research interests.
“You also need to do a lot of research about the current ongoing projects because in grad school, it may not always be the school that ranks the highest that is best for you,” Patil said.
Those with a passion for a subject have the opportunity to delve into the specifics. Some graduate programs are focused on research, while others can focus on career advancement and professional development. For Patil, Virginia Tech was a good fit for him due to the university’s emphasis on research.
“Some people really like research and that is just their job … Some people want to be a part of the decision making process,” Patil said. “They want to affect the ecosystem on a much deeper level.”
A graduate degree can also be helpful for students who may want to make a career change compared to what they received their undergraduate degree in. For those looking to break into a specific field, having a masters degree in a subject can potentially give some job applicants an advantage compared to those who stopped schooling in undergrad. Overall, there is no singular reason for attending a school and various schools have different factors that draw students to apply.
How do I find out about various programs?
Once you decide that graduate school is the route that you want to pursue, the most important factor when making the decision of where to apply is finding a program that is the best fit for you. Virginia Tech Career and Professional Development puts on various graduate school information fairs and has links to upcoming events that are beyond the scope of just Virginia Tech. Additionally,
From there, going on to school websites and registering for information sessions or appointments with advisors, if available, can allow you to determine if a program is right for you. There is, of course, more nuance to the college search process, but these surface level tips are great starting points.
Overall, the graduate school application process is not a linear process. Even current students like Patil confirm that waiting for results from schools can be a scary and long process. From potentially taking the GRE to doing interviews and writing personal statements, the work required can be over whelming. However, if your goals align with the values of a specific graduate school, then putting in the work may be entirely worth it.
U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE rasure -K ruzel -D rew Pursue a career in international security, foreign affairs, or humanitarian assistance by assisting the U.S. Conventional Weapons Destruction programTech was handed its second consecutive loss.
For first-year head coach Brent Pry, bringing Virginia Tech football back to its former glory has revealed itself to be a taller order with each passing game.
In a week following a disconcerting beatdown at the hands of rival West Virginia at home, the Hokies (2–3, 1–1 ACC) failed to bounce back and suffered a 41–10 dismantling courtesy of the North Carolina Tar Heels (4–1, 1–0 ACC).
Surprisingly, despite the remnants of Hurricane Ian lingering over Chapel Hill, the top story from the afternoon wasn’t the weather, but quarterback Drake Maye. The Hokies’ defense had no answers for the redshirt-freshman as Maye threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for an additional 73 yards and two touchdowns.
Amazingly, this isn’t the first time a Tar Heel freshman quarterback has posted a career game against the Hokies. Sam Howell, Maye’s
predecessor, recorded five touchdowns and 348 yards during the Tar Heels’ 2019 visit to Blacksburg, a game the Hokies won in six overtimes.
The two biggest benefactors of Maye’s performance were star receiver Josh Downs and tight end Bryson Nesbit. Downs led the way for the Tar Heels with eight catches for 120 yards, while Nesbit followed closely behind with four catches, 98 yards and a touchdown late in the third quarter.
Aside from the lackluster performance on the field, the Hokie defense sustained a litany of injuries. Among the injured were Wilfried Pene, TyJuan Garbutt, Armani Chatman and Ny’Quee Hawkins.
The Hokies’ offensive struggles carried over from last week despite the Tar Heels ranking last in the ACC for total defense. The unit’s only points came on a William Ross field goal and a 2-yard touchdown rush from
quarterback Grant Wells.
As for Wells, he had another rough outing today, recording just 139 yards and throwing an interception to linebacker Cedric Gray that set the Tar Heels’ offense up in the red zone.
While there were a few bright spots for the offense, including a 34-yard reception to Kaleb Smith and a 25-yard run from Keshawn King, the fact the Tar Heels’ defense managed to handle the Hokies so easily on that side of the ball is certainly a cause for major concern.
One issue for the Hokies that didn’t carry over — despite its presence in their past two losses — was the penalties, as they only
recorded three for 22 yards. While it’s good to see this problem getting sorted out, taking a massive loss in spite of that progress may negate any possible positive feelings.
Now riding a two-game skid while being outscored 74–20 in both of those contests, the Hokies will look to at least regain their footing as they travel to western Pennsylvania to take on No. 24 Pittsburgh next Saturday.
Join the more than 450 Virginia Tech alumni who were inspired to attend the private state-of-the-art osteopathic medical school in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Visit us online to find out how you will be
are you to be a physician?@CTSPORTSTALK ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES Jalen Holston (0) is tackled by UNC’s Trey Morrison (4) as he runs the ball, Sept. 3, 2021.
duncan weigard | SPORTS STAFF writer
Caroline Bentz accumulates four first-place finishes.
The Hokies secured their first win of the season on Saturday due to strong perfor mances and outings from both the men’s and women’s teams.
The Christiansburg Aquatic Center was the site for Virginia Tech’s first meet of the season. A meet which saw the Hokies dominate both of their opponents. The men got the job done against George Washington, beating them by a whopping score of 202.5–86.5. It was more of the same for the women as well, who defeated the Colonials 204–96. The women’s team also beat Ohio 196–104.
Youssef Ramadan, a junior from Egypt, showed his skills early in the second event of the day. He was the first leg for the Hokie group that placed second in the men’s 200-yard medley relay. The team ended with a time of 1:29.95; only a mere 46 tenths of a second separated them from the first-place team.
Ramadan would show off his speed once again in the men’s 50-yard freestyle — Ramadan glided effortlessly in the water, smoking his competition and finishing with a time of 19.74 seconds, a full second ahead of the competition behind him. Ramadan also placed first in the 100-yard butterfly, this time a full two seconds ahead of the next best swimmer for George Washington. Ramadan can have himself a solid season if he continues to show the speed he showed on Saturday.
AJ Pouch also had a strong outing for the men’s team; he was the second leg of the team that placed first in the men’s 200-yard medley relay. Pouch came in first in the men’s 200-yard breaststroke despite a rough start.
Pouch’s first leg narrowly edged out Keith Myburgh by .38 of a second, but a great second leg put him firmly above the compe tition with two legs left in the race. Luckily for Pouch, he got his second wind on the fourth and final leg of the race to secure the firstplace finish. Pouch needs to work a little more
on consistency, but he’s an exciting swimmer to look out for this season at Virginia Tech.
PAGE 8 October 4, 2022 editor@collegiatetimes.comcollegiatetimes.com Halloween weekend against Ohio State for a two-day meet starting on Oct. 28 and concluding on Oct. 29.
Caroline Bentz filled up the stat sheet on Saturday with four first-place finishes. Bentz was the first leg of the team that finished top in the women’s 200-yard medley relay. Perhaps the most impressive stat from her day was finishing first in every event she swam in. Bentz, whose specialty is the backstroke, proved why she is one of the best backstroke swimmers in the ACC as she continues to build on her already impressive resume; a resume which includes qualifying for the Olympic trials in the 100m and 200m backstroke.
The Hokies will get some much-needed rest before their next swim meet, 20 days to be exact. Virginia Tech will face fellow ACC opponent Duke in Durham on Oct. 22. Next time, Tech swim and dive will be in the Christiansburg Aquatic Center. It will be a week after the meet against Duke on
Tech snaps UNC’s undefeated away record.
The Hokies (9–2–1) defeated the No. 3 North Carolina Tar Heels (9–3, 2–1 ACC) 2–1 on Saturday night. The Tar Heels entered the contest with just two losses, including an undefeated record on the road.
The Tar Heels were the aggressors in the first half. They outshot the Hokies 11–1 through the first 45 minutes. This shot disparity played a big role in the Hokies trailing 1–0 at the break.
For a majority of the second half, the Hokies continued to struggle offensively. However, Taylor Bryan put the Hokies on the board in the 72nd minute and tied the contest. Then, Tori Powell hit what would be the eventual game winner in the 84th minute.
The Hokies have stacked multiple
impressive victories this season. They look to continue their stellar season when they visit Miami (3–4–2, 0–3 ACC) on Oct. 6 at Cobbe Stadium.
Courtesy of HokieSports