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August 17, 2017
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BEN WEIDLICH / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech swimming and diving assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Josh Huger kicks a kickball on the Drillfield with other teammates before a swim practice, Aug. 10, 2017.
Editor’s Note: Welcome back, grab a paper MATT JONES editor in chief
The signs are all around us. Hokie Helpers in blue shirts. Freshmen toting lanyards. Seniors making fun of them. Yes, it’s a new academic year in Blacksburg. The start of a new semester always brings a lot of excitement to the Collegiate Times newsroom in 365 Squires Student Center. New writers and photographers will be coming onboard, editors are returning to campus and exciting new stories are being written. If you have been reading the CT for a while, or if this is the first issue you have ever picked up, there are a few things you ought to know as the semester gets underway. The most notable change is the paper schedule. Unlike the last couple of years, we will no longer publish twice a week — instead, we will print the paper only
on Tuesdays. This is in response to rising printing costs and the closing of the Roanoke Times’ printing facility. Like the rest of the newspaper industry, we are still learning to navigate the changing media landscape. However, printing once a week
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Trust me, you want to pick one up before we run out. There are gift cards — yes, free money — in there.”
will have a number of benefits for you, the reader. We will be able to devote more time and resources into creating an appealing print product that will be relevant throughout the week. I’m honestly pretty excited for the change; there are some great ideas already in the
works. You will also notice a new emphasis on web content this year. In the past, content has been posted on collegiatetimes. com without any particular schedule or plan. Additionally, the content has been planned with print in mind. That’s going to change. We will have new content online from every section every weekday this year. What you will see in print will not be every single thing we print online. Instead, we will take the best, relevant content from the web and optimize it for print. Online, we will focus on providing timely stories and opinions that matter to students, faculty, staff and Blacksburg residents. You’ll also see a lot of exciting
see WELCOME / page 24
MATT JONES editor in chief
Maybe you used your summer vacation to relax with a nonalcoholic drink in your hand on a warm sunny beach. But back in Blacksburg, construction workers did not have that luxury. While you were sipping pina coladas and getting caught in the rain, they were working on major renovations across campus, from the Upper Quad to Sandy Hall. Demolition started in June on Thomas and Monteith halls, two
aging Corps of Cadets residence halls on the Upper Quad. Several years ago, they complemented Brodie and Rasche halls to house the Corps. Brodie and Rasche were razed June 2015 and November 2013, respectively. Since then, the aging brick buildings have been replaced by two new, Hokie Stone-clad residence halls. Pearson Hall opened
BEN WEIDLICH / COLLEGIATE TIMES Sandy Hall closed for renovations, Aug. 11, 2017.
The building will also gain upgraded furnishings, a relandscaped courtyard and a glassenclosed stairway. O’Shag will also gain air conditioning, making it the first of the three large residence halls on the Prairie Quad (with Pritchard and Lee halls) to have it. Several academic buildings are also seeing major renovations, including Davidson and Sandy halls and the Liberal Arts Building. The renovations together are expected to cost $35 million and should be finished by summer 2018. Crews will completely overhaul the front section of Davidson Hall, which dates to the 1930s. Renovations include updates to classrooms and offices, replacing windows and making repairs to the stone masonry on the building’s facade. The renovation will bring that portion of the building up to speed with the middle and back sections, which underwent
a major retrofit in 2014. Sandy Hall, the home of the School of Neuroscience built in 1924, will have its interior significantly renovated. Two additions will also be built on the building on the side of the building facing the Ag Quad. The Liberal Arts Building, built in 1899, will also see an extensive renovation to both its interior and exterior. The changes will include a small addition on the northwest end of the building. When finished, the building — which currently is used by the School of Performing Arts and Cinema and the College of
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Several academic buildings are also seeing major renovations, including Davidson and Sandy halls and the Liberal Arts Building.”
in November 2015 after significant construction delays, contributing to a housing crunch on campus. Its sibling building, known only as New Cadet Hall, will house cadets for the first time this fall. This summer, construction crews worked on finishing a set of new stairs leading to the Upper Quad from Alumni Mall. They also moved a statue of William Addison Caldwell, Tech’s first student in 1872, from its previous home between Major Williams and Shanks halls to the stairs. Thomas and Monteith are not the only residence halls seeing changes over the summer. Construction has also started on a major renovation of O’Shaughnessy Hall. The $21.5 million project will transform the building into a modern residence hall, in the style of Pearson Hall. O’Shag, built in 1966, will see the number of students it can house drop slightly — plans call for the population to drop from 341 this past academic year to 335 when it opens, which is expected in August 2018. However, the building will gain an apartment for a live-in faculty member, office space, a new class, a faculty meeting area and a new living room. It is planned to be the new home of the Residential Leadership Community, a livinglearning community that focuses on leadership studies and development.
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While Hokies are away, construction is in full swing
see CONSTRUCTION / page 22
August 17, 2017 PAGE 3
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How to avoid embarrassment as an incoming freshman GRETCHEN KERNBACH lifestyles staff writer
It’s no secret that there will be over 7,000 new freshmen at Virginia Tech this year (the biggest class so far). I mean, after all, we were once all first-year students roaming around West End and trekking across the Drillfield in the blistering cold. However, even though everyone has been through the confusion and chaos of freshman year, there are still actions, or inactions, incoming Hokies should take account of. What inactions do I mean? I’m talking about things freshmen should probably not do or say in order to avoid sheer embarrassment, annoyance or just plain
tagging yourself as a “freshman.” First and foremost, please refrain from buying/wea r ing/com ing into contact with those lanyards designed to hold a Hokie Passport. Sure they seem nifty and convenient, but stay away — no matter what those schemers at the bookstore try to tell you. Those lanyards are a dead giveaway that you are a clueless freshman. I am also referencing the keychain that your Hokie P can slide into. Basically anything that is designed for the Hokie Passport is a complete waste of money and a waste of your dignity. All you have to do is keep it in your wallet, backpack or an attachable sleeve on the back of your phone. Easy. Now I know the first semester of
freshman year everyone is eager to meet fresh faces. That’s good and I encourage you all to meet others with an open mind and an open heart. However, I do not encourage you to approach random people in the dining hall and try to sit with them. Chances are you will end up trying to become friends with a senior who has no intention of learning your name let alone sharing a table (True story: this happened to my sister her senior year. She was not thrilled.) Also when meeting new people, it is normal to share information such as what high school you went to and what organizations you were a part of during those four years. Except no one cares about the football state championship you won or the single home run you hit on senior night. You were president of the National Honor Society? No one cares, Becky. Another subject I’d advise freshmen to steer clear of is the “who do you know here” topic. Yes, it is exciting meeting others who know the same people you do — I’m all for it. However, what isn’t acceptable is telling other people you are “basically” in some specific fraternity or sorority because you are friends with a lot of them already. It usually sounds like this: “I mean, I’m basically already in Zeta because I know, like, six girls really well in it. They’re going to give me a bid for sure.” Date of conversation: Aug. 29. I’m sure you do have a few friends in a certain organization, but that doesn’t mean you’re automatically in it. And it definitely doesn’t mean you can go around telling people that. Obviously, you can say whatever you want to whomever you want, but that is the quickest way to get people’s eyes rolling 360 degrees
backward. On the academic side of the spectrum, skipping class isn’t cool nor is it seen as cool. Seriously, just go to class — it’s not that hard. You’d be surprised how much work piles up when you slack off for a week or two.
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Everyone is eager to meet fresh faces ... I encourage you all to meet others with an open mind and an open heart.”
Cheating in high school might have been automatic for you (yes, Becky, we know not for you), but cheating in college is a whole different ball game. First, as we have heard every teacher say, it really just doesn’t help yourself. Second, getting caught cheating now has way worse consequences. The honor court does not want to be your friend. What else isn’t your friend? That 10th shot of tequila you “think” you can take. Don’t be reckless and don’t be stupid. But let’s be real: you will be reckless and be stupid. It’s the freshman transition.
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JOSH GANN
sports reporter
AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech’s forward Brendan Moyers throws the ball in the Men’s Elite 8 game against conference opponent Wake Forest, Dec. 3, 2016.
United Soccer Coaches’ preseason poll. This team will look to improve in conference play this year, but will hope to dominate, once again, in nonconference games. After going 10– 0–1 overall against nonconference teams last year, this team will hope to win against nonconference opponents like East Tennessee State and South Carolina this season. The Hokies have much higher standards this season after the impressive run last season. They will need to continue their strong defensive play and follow the lead of Marcelo Acuna on the attack. If their returners can play at a
high level once again, this will be another successful season. The season will start in Johnson City, Tennessee on Aug. 15 against East Tennessee State. The Hokies will have their home opener on Aug. 19 against the Clemson Tigers.
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The Virginia Tech men’s soccer team had its best season in several years in 2016, and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007. The Hokies finished 13–5–4 last season with a 3–4–1 record in the ACC, beating Duke, NC State and Pittsburgh. After seeing so much success last season, the reigning Virginia Sports Information Directors Coach of the Year Mike Brizendine will be thrilled to bring back nine returning starters. Headlining this returning class is senior Marcelo Acuna. Acuna led the team last year in goals (11), points (25), shots (95) and game-winning goals (5). He was also named to the All-ACC Second Team, NSCAA All-America Third Team and ranked fifth in the nation in shots per game. Having Acuna back to lead the Hokies’ offensive attack will be huge for this team. Among other returning stars from 2016 is goalie Ben Lundgaard. Last season was a career year for Lundgaard, who produced career highs in several categories like saves (87), save percentage (.806) and shutouts (8). He will look to dominate in the net again this season and remain one of the prominent leaders in the locker room, as he was a captain last season. Last year’s freshman class saw plenty of success by scoring nine goals throughout the season. Will Mejia will return with this class to help anchor a defense that had nine
shutouts last season. These returners will have the task of replacing the production of last year’s key seniors, Som Essome and Alessandro Mion. This year’s senior class includes names like Acuna, Lundgaard and Collin Verfurth, who will all need to remain leaders and major producers for this team. In addition to the impressive returning class, the Hokies also have a very impressive signing class this year. This group of players is well-balanced across several positions and includes a good mix of international and native players. This group of signees is headlined by Jan Glasmacher, who has played through the U15 German International program. Glasmacher will bring much international experience to the Hokies and is a strong defender. Hayden Kickbush is the only native Virginian on this list of players. He was the most valuable player as goalie on his 2016 team, which reached the Virginia state semifinals. Kickbush shows great potential and will add depth to the goalie position. The talent and potential on this team is very exciting, but the Hokies will face several challenges this season. This team will face 11 teams that made the 2016 NCAA Tournament this season, and five teams that finished in the top 15 in NCAA RPI. The ACC is typically one of the best, if not the best conference in men’s soccer, and will start the season featuring eight schools ranked in the top 20 in the
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VT men’s soccer 2017 season preview
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August 17, 2017 PAGE 5
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Hokies enter tough 2017 season with high expectations CHASE PARKER
collegiatetimes.com
assistant sports editor
It’s been a long offseason, but football is finally upon us. Last year, the Hokies surprised many by putting together their first 10-win season since 2011. After a stellar debut campaign for head coach Justin Fuente, the expectations have been raised for the program. Luckily for the offensive guru, the Hokies were able to keep their entire coaching staff from last year, which will undoubtedly make his job a little bit easier. “Our coaching staff, I’m awfully happy to have all of them back,” Fuente said. “I don’t know how many teams across the country have their entire coaching staff back, but I know we’re one of them. I’ve really been pleased with the fact that they’re all here. That won’t happen every year; that’s just the facts of how this thing works. It just speaks volumes to them and our administration. Obviously we’re led by some very good coordinators.” To make the encore season a success, Tech will have to overcome some pretty difficult opponents in 2017.
under center. The two teams aren’t set to play anytime soon after this, so the winner will have bragging rights for years to come.
Game 2: Delaware
This should be one of the easiest games of the season for the Hokies. Delaware is coming off of a dismal 4–7 record in the FCS, which doesn’t stack up well against
Virginia Tech’s 10–4 record in a Power Five conference. It will be the home-opener for the Hokies, so the odds are stacked against the Blue Hens, who will be entering an eager and loud fanbase in Lane Stadium.
Game 3: East Carolina
Over the years, this has become somewhat of a rivalry game. Even though the Hokies are usually
expected to beat the Pirates when they face off, ECU has found ways to upset Tech throughout the years. The best example of this was in 2014 when the Hokies fell to the Pirates 28–21 just one week after beating the eventual National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes. Last year, however, the Hokies see FOOTBALL / page 8
PAGE 6 August 17, 2017
Game 1: West Virginia
A rivalry renewed. This will be the first time that the old foes have met since 2005, a matchup that the Hokies won 34–17. As a result, Tech has had uncontested possession of the Black Diamond Trophy for the last 12 years. The season opener will be played at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland on Sept. 3. Both teams will be debuting new quarterbacks, as the Hokies will either start A.J. Bush, Hendon Hooker or Josh Jackson, and the Mountaineers will have Florida transfer Will Grier
AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech Hokies wide receivers Eric Kumah (83) and C.J. Carroll (86) perform offensive drills during fall practice. The Hokies look to add playmakers to their receiving corps after losses at the position following the 2016 season, Aug. 3, 2017.
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FOOTBALL: Tech opens up ACC play against Clemson in week five, this should be a good rebound game. Last year, Virginia Tech shut out Boston College in dominating fashion, winning the game 49–0. While it’ll be hard to force Boston College to lay a goose egg two years in a row, the Hokies are still expected to handily defeat the Eagles this season.
from page 6
handily beat ECU 54–17, and the early expectation for this year’s matchup is that the outcome will be similar.
Game 4: Old Dominion
Another in-state rival? Hardly. This will be the first time that the Monarchs and Hokies have ever met on the gridiron. While this looks like an easy victory for Tech at first glance, Fuente isn’t going to overlook Old Dominion. “I can’t say enough about their program and the job they’ve done there. They have our full attention. I know we’ve got games before that, but they’ve got our full respect and we’ll have to have a great week in preparation,” Fuente said at the ACC Football Kickoff in July. ODU went 10–3 last season and finished the year on a six-game win streak, so it is heading into the new season with momentum.
Game 5: Clemson
There’s no need to try to hype up this game; it goes without saying that this will be the biggest contest of the season for the Hokies. Not only is this the first conference game of the season, but it is also a rematch of last year’s ACC Championship game.
Game 7: North Carolina
AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech Hokies running back Steven Peoples (32) receives a handoff from quarterback Hendon Hooker (2) in the first contact practice of the 2017 season, Aug. 3, 2017.
Obviously, the Tigers are coming off of a national championship, but like the Hokies, they lost some of their best players on both sides of the ball, including quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver Mike Williams. The Hokies are on a four-game
PAGE 8 August 17, 2017
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losing streak against Clemson, but perhaps the home crowd in Blacksburg will be able to disrupt the Tigers’ execution enough for Tech to be able to etch out a victory.
Game 6: Boston College
If the Hokies drop to Clemson
Last season, the Hokies entered Chapel Hill with a hurricane ravaging the state of North Carolina, and left with a convincing 34–3 victory. It’s unlikely that a monsoon will find its way to Blacksburg this season when the teams face off, but Virginia Tech will need to win this one in order to contend for another Coastal Division title. Both teams will have different signal callers, as both UNC’s Mitch Trubinsky and Tech’s Jerod Evans opted to leave school early for the NFL Draft last year.
Game 8: Duke
Duke could be a sleeper team in 2017. Last year, injuries riddled their program and they still managed to compete with nearly everyone they played. The big advantage that Duke has over many Coastal Division teams
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Our coaching staff, I’m awfully happy to have all of them back.”
Week 9: Miami
Even though Virginia Tech won the Coastal Division in 2016, the Hurricanes are the favorites to win it this year. Perhaps that has something to do with the ‘Canes closing out their season on a five-game win streak, including a bowl game win over West Virginia. Miami’s biggest hurdle this season will be replacing quarterback Brad Kaaya, who opted to leave the program early for the NFL Draft. But the team will also be returning 15 of its 22 starters from a year ago, making it one of the more experienced groups in the division.
Week 10: Georgia Tech
Week 11: Pittsburgh
The Panthers will come to Blacksburg with the same hardnosed, run-the-ball mentality as always, but with different players. Pitt will have to replace last year’s sta r ting qua r terback Natha n Peterman, as well as running back James Conner. Last year, the Hokies traveled to Pittsburgh and came away with a crucial 39–36 victory. With this game being so late in the season, both teams will have likely found their groove by the time they face off in Lane Stadium. It will be a battle of young offensive talents and hard-hitting defensive units, and will likely be just as entertaining as last year’s game was.
Week 12: Virginia
At last, the lopsided rivalry game against the Cavaliers. The Hokies have won 13 straight games against UVA and will be looking to hold on to the Commonwealth Cup to make it 14 straight. After flip-flopping between quarterbacks in last year’s game, the Cavs have announced that they’re set on starting Kurt Benkert at the position this season. The senior passer struggled against Tech last year when put in the game, completing only nine of 26 passes. While Tech is expected to win its regular season finale, it’s safe to say that the streets of Blacksburg will be filled with tears, riots and chaos if the streak against Virginia somehow ends.
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Defending mobile quarterbacks has always seemed to be Tech’s defensive coordinator Bud Foster’s kryptonite — which doesn’t bode well against a team like Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets will be returning quarterback Matthew Jordan, who is the second-stringer from last year who tore the Hokies’ defense apart in
the 30–20 Georgia Tech victory. But, as always, if the Hokies can stop Yellow Jackets’ triple-option offense, they should be able to win this matchup down the stretch.
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Justin Fuente head coach
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is that it is returning its starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, who proved to be a productive dual-threat QB in 2016. Jones was hard for the Hokies to stop last year, as he threw for 148 yards and rushed for 99 more with a pair of touchdowns against the Tech defense. Lane Stadium will just be one of many difficult venues the Blue Devils will have to play in this season, as they are set to face Baylor, Miami, Florida State and Army on the road as well. That grueling schedule could definitely work in Tech’s favor when Duke comes to town.
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Five solid albums you may have missed this summer – “Waiting on a Song,” June 2
JOHN BATTISTON lifestyles staff writer
For a while, cheery pop music was the name of the game for Dan Auerbach, lead guitarist and vocalist of the blues-rock duo The Black Keys, whose work includes the auto-commercial-friendly hits “Lonely Boy” and “Gold on the Ceiling.” But one listen to the group’s 2014 record “TurnBlue” (or a mere glance at its title, for that matter) showed us how dark of a place Auerbach was stuck in at the time. The album was a brooding, sometimes depressing look at the remnants of his divorce, and offered barely anything radio-ready. Three years later, the (nonmusical) funk seems to have run its course. Auerbach’s solo return
Arcade Fire, Jay-Z, Tyler, The Creator and Lana Del Rey are just a handful of the artists whose new records ruled the summer of 2017. Though some of these releases have been deemed landmarks (Lorde’s “Melodrama”) and others just plain cringeworthy (Katy Perry’s “Witness”), they’ve all made their mark in some way or another. But in a summer so jam-packed with top-tier releases, some buzzworthy efforts were inevitably overlooked; still, it’s never too late to give them the recognition they deserve. Here are five underrated albums from this summer that are definitely worth a listen.
Dan
Auerbach
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to the studio brings us “Waiting on a Song,” wherein the Keys’ signature crunch has been replaced by shimmering, soulful, ‘60s-style southern pop which proves that half the band doesn’t necessarily mean half the fun. Standout track: “Malibu Man”
Bleachers Now,” June 2
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“Gone
If there’s any alt-rocker who knows his way around a hit, it’s Jack Antonoff (who has made a name for himself under the moniker Bleachers). His first LP, “Strange Desire,” was released in 2014 alongside two successful singles, “I Wanna Get Better” and “Rollercoaster.” Though built on ‘80s foundations that predate Antonoff’s target audience, those
two tunes in particular still leave us feeling euphorically youthful, daring ourselves not to dance whenever they come on the radio. When I heard “Don’t Take the Money,” his first single in three years, back in March, I knew we were in for something good. “Gone Now” truly delivers: While it meets expectations with retropop one could envision Ferris Bueller blasting from the speakers of a stolen Ferrari, its lyrics give us a sobering look at the prospect of life-after-youth and the sometimes unwelcome, yet oft-needed, wake-up calls that come with it. Standout track: “Don’t Take the Money” see PAGE 11
If you watch “The Walking Dead,” you’re probably familiar with the Mountain Goats’ work: “Up the Wolves,” a bombastic folk anthem of hard-headed self-empowerment, featured in an episode wherein characters Daryl and Beth go on a hunt for moonshine. On “Goths,” the bombast and the folksiness of “Up the Wolves” are often nowhere to be found. Instead we are given a pleasantly surprising, nearly hour-long set of organ-driven chamber pop and brassy jazz-rock, a relaxing medley fit for rainy days in and Sunday afternoon drives. Don’t let the word “jazz” scare you off, though; I went into this listening experience expecting something completely different and still came out liking what I had heard. Standout track: “Paid in Cocaine”
A lot has happened in the three years since Paramore’s self-titled record: The
White Reaper – “The World’s Best American Band,” April 7
OK, I cheated with this one. Kentucky punk troupe White Reaper’s latest album, “The World’s Best American Band,” hit the shelves about a month before summer break began — I
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had probably gone through the album ten or so times before making the drive back home to North Carolina. Still, after just one listen, it’s hard to deny that White Reaper sure know how to make a summer album. Its mixture of snotty punk vocals (with a few David Lee Roth screeches thrown in) and warm, classic-rock guitar make for a uniquely danceable aesthetic that
blends the best sounds of the ‘70s, yet remains purely youthful. It never fails to evoke a welcome wave of nostalgia, even upon first listen. Standout track: “The World’s Best American Band”
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Paramore – “After Laughter,” May 12
band regained a founding member, drummer Zac Farro; frontwoman Hayley Williams dyed her hair (again — this time blonde, the most “normal” it’s looked in a while); and most notably, the band’s sound completely changed. With “After Laughter,” Williams and Co. take a page or two from the Jack Antonoff rulebook by converting their trademark guitar crunch and brash drums to a chilled-out, yet more mature, ‘80s synth-pop vibe. Some certainly strange production techniques stand out here and there — opener “Hard Times” begins with, of all things, a steel drum — but Paramore’s heart and Williams’ legendary voice (a relic of any 2000s kid’s childhood) remain intact. Standout track: “26”
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The Mountain Goats – “Goths,” May 19
August 17, 2017 PAGE 11
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Hokies playing around the country NATHAN LOPRETE assistant sports editor
Summer ball is a time of digging deeper into the type of player you are. Coming off of a full college season, players travel to different ends of the country to continue their playing days. For some it’s a final opportunity to play summer ball, while others get the extra exposure they need to be drafted the following spring. Virginia Tech had multiple players involved with summer ball, and we got a chance to check on their progress.
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Alaska League
Virginia Tech hit 84 home runs in 2016, which was toward the top of the country. Its leader in home runs, Sam Fragale who hit 15, played with the Anchorage Glacier Pilots. Fragale played in 27 games for the Pilots and hit .253. He went 21–83 without a home run. Fragale is entering his final year in Blacksburg and will be relied upon heavily in the upcoming season. The Pilots advanced to the championship round, but were eliminated by the Anchorage Bucs.
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Cal Ripken League
A huge piece missing from the Hokies pitching staff in 2016 was Nic Enright. The redshirt sophomore missed the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Enright played for the Baltimore Redbirds and went 1–0 with a 5.23 ERA. He threw just over 20 innings for the Redbirds and struck out 29 while walking 12 batters. The Redbirds advanced to the LCS, but fell short to the Bethesda Big Train. Andrew Webb played for the DC Grays and Graham Seitz also played for the Loudoun River Dogs. Both are emerging sophomores for the Hokies.
Coastal Plain League Vi rginia
Tech
had
th ree
representatives in the talented Coastal Plain League. Hokies pitcher Andrew McDonald played for the Edenton Steamers. McDonald went 5–3 with a 4.22 ERA. He made 22 appearances with two starts for the Steamers, who are currently making a run at the Petit Cup Title. McDonald also had a .248 average against in 32 innings of work. Paul Hall Jr. and Jack Owens played for the Peninsula Pilots this summer. Hall went 1–3 with a 7.27 ERA over the course of 12 appearances. That included three starts for the Pilots. Hall has made 33 appearances for the Hokies in his first two seasons, all of them out of the bullpen. Owens, who was All-ACC Third Team in his first year in Blacksburg, led the team in average (.358) and hits (86). With the Pilots this summer, Owens only played in 11 games, but hit .351 over the stretch. The Pilots were eliminated from the playoffs by the Steamers.
Northwoods League
The Battle Creek Bombers had a couple of Hokies this summer. Emerging sophomore JD Mundy and redshirt-senior Tom Stoffel had very productive summers. Mundy hit .281 with nine home runs and 15 doubles. He also recorded 51 RBIs over the 58 game stretch. Stoffel, who was an All-ACC Second Team honoree, hit .303 in 63 games this summer. That included eight home runs and 76 total hits. Stoffel also picked up two saves on the mound and went 1–0 in nine appearances. Both Stoffel and Mundy were named to the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. Perhaps the biggest performance over the summer came from Stevie Mangrum. The junior played for the Wisconsin Woodchucks and hit .324 with 12 home runs and 48 RBIs. Mangrum had 80 hits in 63 games also. He was named to the All-Star
Game and Home Run Derby as well as the Major League Dreams Showcase. Mangrum, Stoffel and Mundy both figure to play huge roles this year for Virginia Tech. Nick Owens, who is transferring to Virginia Tech, played for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters. Owens hit .224 in just 28 games.
Perfect Game League
Marcus White played for the Oneonta Outlaws and got some valuable experience as a freshman. White had one home run in just 35 at-bats.
Prospect League
Connor Coward went 5–4 during his junior year for the Hokies. Coward will be another huge arm returning in 2017. He went 4–1 with a 2.96 ERA for the Butler BlueSox. That included nine appearances, four of which were starts.
Valley League
Dylan Hall made 17 appearances for the Hokies in 2017 as a freshman. This summer he pitched for the Strasburg Express and went 4–1 with two wins coming in the playoffs. He threw 47.2 innings and finished with a 2.45 ERA. A successful summer for Hall should help increase his role this coming season. The Hokies are about to return to school for the fall season and there is a lot of work to be done. With a new coaching staff in place, they will have to get a feel for how to handle the roles of the team already assembled in Blacksburg. The performances by players such as Mangrum, Stoffel, Mundy and others should help make the transition easier.
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IZZY ROSSI news editor
leadership education for AfricanAmerican students.” Both programs were created to reach students who align with Virginia Tech’s goal of increased inclusivity. “One of the goals is that the people that we were trying to reach are traditionally underrepresented students in higher education and to align with the strategic goals of the university and President Sands’ vision that by 2020 we will have an increased number of those students at Virginia Tech,” Ramirez Fernandez continued. “Those students generally are defined as African-American students, Native-American students, Latinx students, Pacific Islanders and also students who were first in their families to attend college, students who come from lower socioeconomic status and specific tour area, Appalachian students.”
The ExploreVT program helped the high school students to explore possible college majors through interactive activities put on by the different colleges. “For ExploreVT, all of the undergraduate colleges and the College of Veterinary Medicine participated by providing hands-on types of experience to the students,” Ramirez Fernandez said. “All of them developed these very interactive and fun types of activities for the students and they were with them for periods of three hours. The first day, for example, was the College of Natural Resources and the Environment and they did work with fisheries and talked about environmental sustainability.” see DIVERSITY / page 20
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At his first State of the University Address this past fall, President Tim Sands introduced a series of initiatives for the university, including an increased focus on inclusion and diversity. “Our motto, Ut Prosim, cannot be fully lived without intercultural competence and empathy. This work will not be delegated to committees; it belongs to each one of us, beginning first and foremost with me,” Sands said. “Our goals include a student population that is sufficiently diverse, that every student organization, class-project group or research group includes individuals whose lived experiences are different than those in the majority, whether that is the product of race, ethnicity,
nationality, gender identity, family income or first-generation status. Diversity makes for deeper conversations and stronger solutions.” One way that Virginia Tech has attributed to these initiatives this summer is through the creation of two summer programs for high school students. The programs, ExploreVT and the Black College Institute (BCI), are branches of InclusiveVT. “This is our inaugural year for these programs,” said Mercedes Ramirez Fernandez, associate vice provost for strategic affairs and diversity. “ExploreVT is a five-day precollege academic enrichment program that was designed to introduce rising high school juniors to interdisciplinary areas of study here at Virginia Tech in liberal arts and sciences. BCI was a three-day residential program geared toward
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The McCain effect: When ideological nonalignment equates base treachery
he proliferation of news outlets has amplified political rhetoric, and the rising global population has increased the receptive audience for — and participants in — political debate. This sweeping change in how information is distributed and consumed has led many to believe that we are living in the most divisive era in recent memory. Never has this been more evident than in the early morning hours of July 28, as H.R. 1628 met its demise on the Senate floor. H.R. 1628 – known to some as the “Health Care Freedom Act,” and others as “Skinny Repeal” – was the GOP bill that aimed to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by removing the provision that mandated citizens purchase health insurance. The 51–49 defeat of H.R. 1628 marked the third failed attempt by the Trump administration to modify the ACA, and the crescendo of political rhetoric finally reached fever pitch. Pundits drooled as compelling storylines were unveiled: How would this affect President Obama’s legacy? What of the GOP senators failing to repeal the ACA after seven years of campaigning on that promise? Political beat writers were frantic. Twitter was ablaze. Yet, the most important H.R. 1628 storyline was left untouched: Political freethinking is dead in America, and John McCain is the vessel for this narrative. Eight days prior to the Senate vote on H.R. 1628, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) announced that he had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Despite his illness, McCain was able to make it to the U.S. Capitol on July 24 to vote yes on a procedural vote for a repeal-and-replace measure for the ACA. Though the affirmative vote merely allowed the measure to be debated, McCain was derided by Democrats and self-proclaimed moderates who claimed that the vote served as a ringing endorsement of the measure itself. An editorial by Rantt News decried McCain, claiming that “[He] has
COURTESY OF TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE confused the ideals of duty and loyalty with blind allegiance to his own party.” Mark Trahant, journalism professor at the University of North Dakota, wrote an editorial screed titled “Word Is Not His Bond: Sen. John McCain Votes for Health Care Repeal.” Four days later, after hours of debate and bipartisan discussion, McCain cast his vote against H.R. 1628. His vote, along with the votes of senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), effectively killed the bill. Unsurprisingly, Republicans balked at the tenured senator’s maverick moment. Washington Times opinion editor Cheryl Chumley described McCain as a “traitor to the conservative cause;” meanwhile, actor and longtime conservative Scott Baio chimed in calling McCain a “liberal hack.” There is a remote possibility that all of the foregoing claims are founded and
true. However, I find it incredibly more likely that juxtaposing these polarizing takes reveals a symptom of a much larger ailment. In my formative years, I was taught to believe I was an individual, beheld to nobody other than myself. This platitude has been reinforced to me through all forms of higher education, social clubs, sports and parental strategy because it is the truth. Every decision you make is your own, and every action you take should reflect your own closely held moral beliefs and social interests. But in the realm of public office, individualism is political leprosy. McCain has become a pariah for his lack of devotion to one party and one party only. That our national ethos does not jibe with our political value system is indeed a troubling development. Debate is objectively more productive than denial of an issue, but McCain was
ridiculed for believing so. H.R. 1628 was a fundamentally incomplete and unsound bill not according to some partisan code, but by basic policy standards. McCain was ridiculed for believing this as well. As partisanship intensifies, political individualism begins its journey to extinction. One cannot denounce freethinking and sycophancy in the same breath: Refusal of one connotes a basic acceptance of the other. Blind political allegiance has become routinely rewarded and applauded in a country whose ethos runs entirely contrary to that line of reasoning. Voting against your party does not make you a defector, a traitor or special in any way. It simply makes you an individual.
TRAVIS BAUER • opinions contributor • senior/civil engineering
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Mark Owczarski, assistant vice president for news and information, reiterated that the university is supportive of Michael Vick’s athletic accomplishments and will not comment beyond its original statement made last week. Virginia Tech’s associate athletic director of strategic communications, Pete Moris, has attributed the following written correspondence to the Collegiate Times as the athletic department’s official statement: “The sports hall of fame committee was aware that not all members of our community would embrace their decision to include Michael Vick in this year’s hall of fame class. However, it is important to note that the criteria for induction into the sports hall of fame is based on an individual’s contributions during their time at the university. The committee maintains that Michael Vick’s impact as a student goes without question.” According to Moris, Vick is working with Andy Reid as an intern for the Kansas City Chiefs and that interviews related to the induction cannot be coordinated at this time. The Hokies Hall of Fame class of 2017 will be honored on Sept. 22 during Virginia Tech’s home football game against Old Dominion. @CollegiateTimes
August 17, 2017 PAGE 15
was the greatest in the history of the university,” the statement reads in part. “We understand that there [are] those who do not and will never agree with this decision. Mr. Vick’s nomination to our sports hall of fame also considered the criminal activities in which he engaged, his subsequent conviction, and time he served for his crime.” On July 30, Dr. Cyril Clarke, dean of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, wrote a post on the college’s Facebook page denouncing the decision. “The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine was not part of the nomination process nor the decision, which was made by a committee of past athletes,” Dr. Clarke wrote in the statement. “The College unequivocally opposes honoring an individual whose past actions contradict our values and the cornerstone of our mission. Over the course of several days, I have communicated with President Sands and other campus administrators to express our disappointment and opposition to this decision. I continue to be in conversations with the president regarding this issue.” The petition continues to attract attention from outside the university as well. On July 23, actress and comedian Lori Alan tweeted a link to Breeden’s petition. When contacted for a July 27 article,
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On July 11, former Virginia Tech quarterback and NFL player Michael Vick was named one of five athletes in the university’s Hall of Fame class of 2017. Three days later, alumna Jennifer Breeden created an online petition calling on President Tim Sands to revoke the honor. Between that petition and a second one, created by former Tech student Rachel Beasley, over 220,000 people had signed in opposition by Aug. 10. The dean of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine has released a statement against the induction as well. However, the university has said in multiple statements that the decision will not change. In 2007, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for running a “cruel and inhumane” dogfighting ring and initially lying about his involvement to the judge. According to Breeden, Michael Vick’s criminal history of dogfighting, gambling and drug use has made him an unsuitable nominee. From working at SeaWorld to owning three search and rescue
German shepherds, Breeden has been emotionally invested in the quality of life for animals for as long as she can remember. “You know one of my friends volunteered to go down to his residence where all of this took place at the aftermath to help with the cleanup, if you want to put it that way,” Breeden said. “It’s just kind of an embarrassment that (Virginia Tech) would want to honor someone like that.” Breeden is not alone in the fight against Virginia Tech’s Sports Hall of Fame committee. Rachel Beasley, former Virginia Tech student of two years, created a petition shared by The Dodo Wednesday, which has received 28,489 signatures and climbing. A couple other petitions have been gaining traction as well. When first contacted for a July 20 article by the Collegiate Times, senior vice president for university relations Tracy Vosburgh said that President Sands was in a board meeting and unavailable for comment. The university instead issued a written statement to the paper. “Mr. Vick’s induction into the university’s sports hall of fame acknowledges his tremendous achievements as a student athlete—who some will say
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Hundreds of thousands sign petitions to keep Vick out of Hall of Fame
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Tech expansion jeopardizes Hokie community The university will see its largest freshman class ever this fall. However, the university’s expansion threatens the school that students and alumni love.
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ontrary to its large student body, Virginia Tech maintains a close-knit campus community. This expression has been repeated by campus tour guides to potential students exploring the university. As Virginia Tech welcomes 7,075 incoming freshmen,students, faculty members, alumni and Blacksburg locals question the integrity of Virginia Tech’s close-knit community with its growing student body. A community is not a place or organization; rather, it is the network of relationships among people. Within a community, there is a sense of trust, belonging and caring for one another. Members of a community individually and collectively believe they can influence change in their environments. Shared experiences and knowledge like knowing the best dining hall to visit at 1 a.m., yelling chants at football games or hanging out in downtown Blacksburg create a sense of community and belonging. As Virginia Tech expands, many worry about the day-to-day functionality of the Hokie community and how the university is changing. Over the past 10 years, there has been a general upward trend in enrollment of freshmen. In the past three years, Virginia Tech has had three of its largest freshman classes in history. Virginia Tech brought in 6,324 freshmen in 2015 and 5,929 freshmen in 2016. Plans are underway for the massive expansion of Tech’s campus. By 2026, a projected number of 29,530 undergraduates (as opposed to the 25,318 students in 2016) are predicted to enroll at Tech. The university still aims to house at least 40 percent of the undergraduate population. Virginia Tech’s master plan proposes that by 2037, the campus will have almost doubled in size from 1997.
I interviewed people most heavily affected by Virginia Tech’s expansion including dining hall staff members, incoming freshmen, current students, Blacksburg locals and faculty members. Their opinions may not represent the majority; however, they provide insight into how certain individuals feel about Virginia Tech’s prospective growth. Virginia Tech is known for its nationally ranked dining halls. However, Niche.com and The Princeton Review fail to share the grueling consequences of our awardwinning food: the lines. Overcrowding in dining halls has created stress and inconvenience for customers and employees alike. Members of management who have to pick up extra shifts to serve customers experience increased stress. Natalia Gonzalez, a previous student assistant manager (SAM) in West End, shared that she had to let go of her management position when she needed to take time off to visit graduate schools. Even then, Gonzalez said, “My shop was so strapped for SAMs that I actually continued to do the job for weeks even though I was not being paid for that position, and it involved staying longer during the nights.” Overworking causes exhaustion, thus negatively impacting the general well-being of working students. Although the new food trucks on the Drillfield may lessen student traffic during mealtimes, dining hall staff still deserve healthier and more manageable work schedules. Upcoming freshmen have mixed views of their class being the biggest in Virginia Tech’s history. Joseph McAlister, class of 2021, is against the expansion of Virginia Tech and thinks that, “the bigger we get, the less connected we become. We have something special in the fact that we are
much more connected as a community compared to most other big schools.” McAlister warns that expansion would be a “detriment to our sense of community.” Corben Henley, class of 2021, thinks that “increasing the student body size was a good idea, yet they should have waited until they were fully capable to handle the size of this many students.” The first housing crunch ensued in 2015 when the incoming freshmen class at the time was the biggest in history. This year there will be about 594 students in excess of the 9,200 allowed to live on campus. All freshmen are expected to live on campus. To accommodate the large class and renovations on O’Shaughnessy Hall, large two-person dorms have been converted for three people, common rooms have been converted into dorms and residential advisers (RAs) are expected to have roommates.
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If Virginia Tech continues to expand its campus and student body, the university must keep in mind the student and nonstudent community that it is affecting.”
The fact that lounges in some residence halls are being converted into rooms means that there is less communal space on the hall for people to hang out and study. So, RAs may have to work harder to build a feeling of community in their halls. Also, RAs having roommates may complicate responsibilities like catch-ups and conflict management in the hall. Finding a private space to talk will be more difficult.
Expansion of the student body affects off-campus locals as well. Blacksburg local Jessica Bennett has been living in the area since 2009. Since the introduction of apartment complexes like The Edge, she has noticed that traffic has significantly increased where she lives. Despite free public bus transit for students, many students continue to drive to campus. Bennett has been looking for housing in Blacksburg, but there are few options available as housing is often rented out by students. Traffic can be a source of unnecessary headaches and frustration for students and staff trying to arrive to class on time. Fiona Bradshaw, a student in the class of 2019, says that, “I was once 30 minutes late to a lab due to a bus caught up in traffic. I was lucky that we weren’t having a test that day.” Bradshaw shared that in classes (especially science classes) there is little leeway given to tardy students. “Lab tests can make up a third of my grade, so that could have put me down a full letter grade,” Bradshaw said. If Virginia Tech continues to expand its campus and student body, the university must keep in mind the student and nonstudent community that it is affecting. We already face persistent problems with traffic flow, overworked faculty members, housing placement, overbooked counseling services for students, crowded dining halls and larger classes. The strong community and close relationships people form at this school are, for years, what have attracted so many Hokies to Virginia Tech in the first place. Many alumni are left wondering whether their campus or Hokie community will be recognizable in 20 years when their children tour Virginia Tech. ANNA BEUCLER • opinions contributor
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The Lady Hokies have one goal in 2017 As the Virginia Tech soccer team kicks off its season, check out some key players for the Hokies. JORDAN HUTCHINSON sports editor
The Virginia Tech women’s soccer team has high aspirations heading into 2017, after finishing 11–5–3 last season. Let’s take a look at the four key players for the Hokies in 2017, as well as their leader, head coach Charles Adair. After losing two of their topthree leading goal scorers from 2016 in Murielle Tiernan and Candace Cephers, the Hokies will need senior forward Alani Johnson to step up and take over the scoring reins. Alani Johnson was Tech’s second-leading scorer last season, knocking in six goals. As she moves into her senior season, Johnson will be ready to step up into the
limelight for Tech. Johnson’s nickname could be “Clutch,” as she scored three game-winning goals last season, against ECU, JMU and Boston University. Moving back to the midfield, there is another senior who will be ready to lead the Hokies, Madi Conyers. Conyers has played in every single game that Virginia Tech has played over the last three seasons, and was named to the ACC All-Freshman team in 2014. The senior midfielder scored two goals and assisted on one last season, and will look to do the same in 2017. Even farther back on the field is the defense, led by redshirtsophomore Kelsey Irwin. After suffering a knee injury as a freshman in 2015, Irwin came back and made an impact in 2016. She
started in 17 of the 19 games that the Hokies played, an impressive mark for a redshirt freshman. Irwin led the team in minutes played last season, and as a redshirt sophomore, will be ready to anchor the entire Tech defense. Going all the way back, there’s the goalie, Mandy McGlynn. McGlynn is currently playing on the United States U-18 Women’s National Team, and missed the end of last season because of a tournament in Ireland. As a true freshman, McGlynn was the starter for Tech, posted a 75 percent save percentage and finished with an 11–4–1 record. Finally, Tech is led by coach Charles Adair. Heading into his sixth campaign at Virginia Tech, Adair has quite the resume. With an
88–34–10 record overall at Tech, Adair has made the Hokies eligible for the NCAA Tournament, every season. In just his first season as the leader, Tech found its way into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Championships, a school record for the Hokies. In 2017, Adair will try to lead the Hokies to their ninth-straight NCAA tournament appearance. Tech’s first true home game will be on Aug. 25, against College of Charleston.
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myself just to change the water in my betta fish’s bowl. Instead of adopting while life is mostly unstable, there are ways to interact with animals without the lifelong commitment. The Animal Care and Adoption Center in Christiansburg lets people volunteer to walk dogs and help out
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August 17, 2017 PAGE 19
Big dogs need massive quantities of food. Many of my college friends can barely afford to feed themselves. Adding another mouth to feed in the home is asking for financial instability. Being a student takes a great deal of effort. Working full time takes a great deal of effort. Owning a pet is a fulltime job. Dogs need to be walked — rain or shine — in all seasons. That means you as the owner must venture outside during torrential downpours, blistering blizzards and sweltering heat. Hamsters live only two years, but they smell. All pets smell; some worse than others. I had a hamster in elementary school and somehow, though she was the smallest, her stench overpowered that of my other four animals. Having a small animal does not mean it is a smaller commitment. They need to be cleaned. Their health needs to be checked regularly, and they need ample space to grow and thrive. When I was a freshman and sophomore, it was a struggle motivating
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My part-time job as a naturalist this past summer involved caring for a multitude of critters, from rabbits to snakes to birds. Scrubbing poop out of their cages each day helped me to rethink my desire to adopt a pet before I graduate. Pets such as dogs and cats, and even reptiles, are 10-year commitments at the very least. I have no idea where I’ll be in one year, let alone a decade from now. It’s impossible to promise to that little life I want to take on that I’ll be able to provide it a good quality of life. A dog might survive with me in an apartment while I’m a fulltime student, but it would likely be miserable and destructive from boredom. Being home to let the dog out, feed the animal and give it fresh water every day is a promise I cannot currently keep. Spontaneous adventures are a wonderful part of college. When my friends want to get together, I like being free to get up and go without worrying if there will be a disaster zone when I get home the next day. Adopting a baby animal is literally like adopting a baby. I know they are adorable, but the cuteness wears off quickly when they’re demanding constant attention. Puppies need to pee constantly. They need a dedicated owner who can afford to spend hours every day just training it to use the bathroom outside. Puppies and kittens go through a teething phase. They chew. They scratch. They destroy. Furniture is not safe from their claws and fangs. Expenses pile up quickly. Even if I could squeeze in the time, I can’t afford major surgery. It costs $50 just to walk into a vet’s office. It would be a nightmare for my bank account if they found something wrong.
in other ways. Therapy animals also frequently visit various locations on campus every month. Please make sure to do research before adopting any animal. For example, I know Labrador puppies are precious, but the adults are phenomenally demanding. They shed boatloads of fur. Labradors have double coats, one to repel water and another to keep them warm. They are also huge. They need long walks and vast spaces to run freely, otherwise you’ll have a bored and destructive terror in your home. If you want a dog, research the breeds thoroughly. Know what size, age and energy level will suit your current lifestyle. Do not assume you will dramatically change your routine because of an animal. Old habits are not easily broken. With that in mind, I would like to hold off on adopting an animal of my own until I know I will be in one home for a long time and that my long-term occupation will allow me to be a loving owner.
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Why you should think twice before adopting a pet in college
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DIVERSITY: Program to promote mentorship from page 13
The program also centered around introducing the high school students to what the typical college experience may be like. “At the end of the day, we wanted to expose students to the full sense of being a college student here at Virginia Tech,” Ramirez Fernandez said. “This program is basically to expose the high school students to what Virginia Tech has in terms of academics, but also overall for student life as well.” The other program, Black College Institute, was a threeday residential program for the students in which they worked with student-staff leaders to build leadership and a sense of community. Student-staff leaders were mainly upperclassmen at Virginia Tech, along with a few alumni and grad
students. “On the second day, we had a day of service at Roanoke. We partnered with United Way and they created opportunities for students to work in small groups around the community,” Ramirez Fernandez said. “During the first day, the students were asked to identify critical issues in the AfricanAmerican community and along with their service day at Roanoke, they developed a presentation that they provided on the last day. They all presented on very different topics. “Pamplin College provided the conceptual framework for the students, and they did a remarkable job at applying the theory to then actually stating a specific problem, having facts and statistics around the problem and the solution to that problem, and having an actual plan. They also had a budget that would
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be attached to the solution. So, in essence, if you were pitching this to corporate sponsors or investors that would be willing to work on this type of social issues that we have in our country.” While on campus, each of the high school students took a Gallup strengthsfinder test to help them identify their abilities and interests. “They participated in a session that was put on by the Division of Student Affairs where they took the strengthsfinder test and identified their own personal strengths,” Ramirez Fernandez said. “I think a lot of times people hear about what is wrong with them, so it’s good to be able to focus on the strengths of the students and help them to be able to identify what those strengths are. I think that’s one of the great things about these programs is that they really help the students to know that they have
so many strengths.” InclusiveVT currently has plans to continue some of the work of the summer programs into the coming school year though alumni mentorship. “We are working with our alumni association and we have identified alumni that have said that they would mentor these students throughout the academic year,” Ramirez Fernandez continued. “We would be working with them on helping with college applications, which is a daunting process for anyone, but especially because many of them have not had another member of their family who went to college and went through this process.”
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CONSTRUCTION: Tech renovates campus facilities from page 3
Liberal A r ts and Human Sciences — will house academic offices. Derring Hall is also seeing some renovations to labs on the fifth floor. The $770,000 project is expected to wrap up in August. Construction crews are also adding a Hokie Stone outdoor amphitheater between the Moss Arts Center and Pearson Hall. Away from the academic side of campus, a $18 million project to renovate the baseball facilities at English Field is continuing. The stadium will include a new press box tower, club seating behind the visitors’ dugout and seating for 4,000 fans. The design also includes an arch at the entrance, similar in design to Torgersen Bridge. Rector Field House is also undergoing renovations. New seating is being added along with an addition in the southwest corner of the building with areas for weight throw and shot put. The entrance
on the building’s east side is being expanded and a north wing will be added. In total, the building will be expanded by about 32,000 square feet. On Oak Lane near the Virginia Tech Golf Course, a new unmanned-aerial-vehicle netted facility will be finished this fall. The facility will feature a 300-footlong, 120-foot-wide and 85-foottall netted cage for drone research. Students returning to campus may have noticed progress on the interchange between Southgate Drive and U.S. 460. The project is not expected to finish until December 2018, but intermittent lane closures were required over the summer to allow installation of parts of the new overpass. Many other smaller projects were completed all around campus this summer. Together, they made for a busy summer for construction.
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BEN WEIDLICH / COLLEGIATE TIMES Monteith Hall (TOP) and Thomas Hall closed for renovations, Aug. 11, 2017.
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WELCOME: Come work for the Collegiate Times from page 2
things on our social media accounts — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat — as well as from our multimedia department. There are a bunch of other, smaller changes coming your way too. You can expect to see the CT more frequently at events and on campus. We are in the process of revamping our email newsletter to reflect our new web focus; expect to see more relevant stories in your email inbox. I plan on launching my own behind-the-scenes weekly newsletter, 365 Squires, to help complement our content. If you’ll be walking around campus the first week of classes, you might see CT staffers passing out handsome tote bags. These bags are stuffed with goodies from sponsors. Trust me, you want to pick one up before we run out. There are gift cards — yes, free money — in there. We are also making a big recruiting
push this semester in order to meet the demand for Tech-related stories online. There’s a common misconception that to work at the Collegiate Times, you need
to be a well-connected multimedia journalism major with an impressive resume. This is not the case. I’m a math major from North Carolina, thank you very
BEN WEIDLICH / COLLEGIATE TIMES Senior Robert Owen pitches a kickball on the Drillfield with other teammates before a swim practice, Aug. 10, 2017.
much. I joined the CT just a few weeks after arriving on campus, back when I didn’t know anyone within an hour drive of Blacksburg. We need people from diverse backgrounds and different political persuasions to produce the best paper possible. If you are a student and interested in writing, get in contact with us. You can send me an email at editor@collegiatetimes.com or stop by the newsroom. Come challenge us. We’ll be at Gobblerfest too, so whether you want to write or not, stop by for some free stuff. Sign up for an email newsletter, follow our social media accounts and pick up the paper to stay up to date on what’s going on around campus. As always, thank you for reading. Here’s to a banner year for Virginia Tech and for us.
@jones_mattryan