The Vanderbilt Hustler 3-25-15

vanderbilthustler WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

VOL. 127, ISS. 11

Our struggle with mental illness

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Students open up about personal experiences with depression and anxiety amid trends of increasing mental health challenges on Vanderbilt’s campus PAGE 2

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Making it in ‘Music City’

Vanderbilt students pursuing music careers weigh in on their experiences

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campus

CAMPUS STAT percent of undergraduate students received clinical services from the Psychological and Counseling Center last year

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Pressure of ‘perfectionism’: mental health on campus

By KELLY HALOM Co-news editor --------------------

In her second semester as a first-year at Vanderbilt, sophomore Katie Martinez had been awake for three days straight.

After having delusions that her professors were secretly meeting about her and spying on her throughout campus, she realized that she might be having a manic episode. She sought help at the Psychological and Counseling Center (PCC), where she received triage services offered to students in acute crises.

Martinez was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mental illness that runs in her family, and put on a mood stabilizer. She said she immediately started seeing improvements.

Increasing trends of mental illness Though bipolar disorder is more rare than many other mental health issues, experiences with mental illnesses are becoming more commonplace on college campuses. According to a survey of more than 150,000 first-year students conducted by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program at the University of California, Los Angeles, 9.5 percent of respondents had frequently “felt depressed” during the past year compared to 6.1 percent in 2009, showing a significant increase over the past five years.

Vanderbilt is in line with these national trends, according to Rachel Eskridge, outreach and prevention program coordinator for the PCC. Compared to last year’s fall semester, total students receiving services were up by four percent, while first-time clients were up 20 percent this fall. The most frequent presenting problem on Vanderbilt’s campus is anxiety, with 30 - 40 percent of clients seeking help for anxiety related issues.

Eskridge said that one reason for increasing trends of mental illness on college campuses is more students are coming to campus with pre-existing mental illness. Various factors contribute to this changing demographic, such as better support for students in their pre-college years, making them more likely to attend a university.

But another part of the puzzle might be increased stress.

“Depression and anxiety and other mental illnesses are often triggered for expression because of stress, so the amount of stress and pressure that Vanderbilt students feel I think has a tremendous impact on the amount of depression and anxiety and just kind of mental healthiness rates in general,” Eskridge said.

One senior named Jenna, who was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder in her sophomore year said that she was always an anxious person, but her symptoms worsened after her grades began to slip for the first time during her sophomore year.

“I’ve always been my own hardest critic. I think that Vanderbilt has a lot of people like that. People who are way tougher on themselves than maybe their family are or their friends are.

I think that’s why we are all at Vanderbilt, because we all push ourselves,” she said.

The role of ‘perfectionism’

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TYLER BISHOP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Justine Ker, president of Liaisons Educating and Advocating for Psychological Support (LEAPS), an undergraduate group that connects the PCC and campus, said that group members often discuss the role that “perfectionism” plays on campus. Ker said that Vanderbilt is unique both in its academic and social pressures.

“It’s really hard, because no one really talks about the fact that it is hard to balance that. There’s a struggle. There are failures.

There are setbacks. They focus on the fact that they don’t see those failures among their peers and among other students, so why should they talk about it?” Ker said.

Senior Sydney Waitz-Kudla, a member of LEAPS, who has also had personal challenges with anxiety, said that Vanderbilt reinforces a culture where students feel they need to be “as good as everyone else,” creating a self-imposed pressure to not only be perfect, but look perfect.

“None of us have it all together, but we are all really good at looking like we do,” she said. “They don’t realize that a ton of other people also feel like they are the only ones that don’t have it all together.”

One senior, who will be referred to as Brandon to honor his request for anonymity, has dealt with depression since high school and was diagnosed in his sophomore year at Vanderbilt.

After playing varsity sports in high school, acing his classes and always having a strong social group before college, it was difficult when those same standards were not met here.

“Everyone at Vanderbilt is a high achiever. I was always a high achiever. I got here and I was mediocre at best, and that sucked,” he said.

After seeing himself struggle in school and socially, his symptoms intensified.

“It affects every aspect of your life and it’s really hard to see your life collapse in that way and that makes it even worse,” he said.

Several students noted that with pressure to be perfect, it can be difficult to accept their need for help. Waitz-Kudla said that it took her years to accept that she needed medication.

“I never wanted to go on medication, because I didn’t want to feel like I was taking the easy way out, and then after awhile I realized that there is no way out without it,” she said. “For me, personally, I think it’s been a lot of learning what might be necessary in order to get better.”

Martinez, who is also a member of LEAPS, voiced her own challenges in accepting her bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder. After taking medication for a full semester, she stopped, because she felt like she “shouldn’t have to.” She explained that her group at the PCC has discussed the continuous process of acceptance.

“It doesn’t just happen. It comes and goes, and you have to get used to it over time,” she said.

Experiences with the PCC For Martinez, the PCC has been paramount to her recovery.

After her initial manic episode in her first-year, she was able to see a counselor once a week and a nurse practitioner every few weeks.

KELLY HALOM — CO-NEWS EDITOR ALLIE GROSS — CO-NEWS EDITOR PRIYANKA ARIBINDI — LIFE EDITOR MOLLY CORN — OPINION EDITOR ALLISON MAST — SPORTS EDITOR SAARA ASIKAINEN — MANAGING EDITOR KARA SHERRER — WEB EDITOR SOPHIE TO — CHIEF COPY EDITOR

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30 - 40 percent of students seeking help at the PCC come in with anxiety related issues.

“I was very well taken care of by the PCC and I’m really grateful for that,” she said. Martinez noted that such frequent visitations are only afforded to those with particularly severe cases, like her own.

Several other students, however, criticized the PCC for long wait times and access to counselors only every other week.

“You don’t really know where you are going to be in three weeks. You don’t know if you’ll be in crisis or if you’ll be fine again. It’s a cyclical thing, so that’s something I ran into,” Brandon said.

Eskridge recognizes that long wait times can be especially damaging if a student takes little action on their own to cope with their stressors. In order to help students increase skills for coping with stressors and decrease risk for mental health problems, Eskridge delivers workshops and presentations to various campus groups and organizations as part of her role at the PCC. LEAPS also created a Stress Management training module that they have delivered to over 10 student groups this semester.

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THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER u WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM According to Eskridge, these skills would help students struggling with challenges, such as a difficult break up or academic struggles, who might have to wait two weeks for an appointment.

“If they haven’t done anything to cope in those two weeks, they are much more likely to be in worse shape after those two weeks have passed,” she said.

Eskridge said the PCC is also trying to meet the increased demand for services by using greater “treatment planning” with students.

“We used to exist more on a ‘one-size-fits-most’ model, but as the needs of students have become more complex, we realized we need to adjust more to meet those needs,” she said.

In treatment planning, the PCC focuses more on the individual student and looks at specific concerns and goals for that student.

According to Eskridge, individual treatment plans can be multidisciplinary, including services such as group therapy, individual therapy, meetings with med providers as well as use of other campus partners and community resources.

Additionally, the PCC has restructured triage services over the past two years. Triage services provide support for students in immediate crises. During business hours, a triage clinician is on-call for both walk-ins and phone calls. If a student is experiencing an urgent psychological crises after business hours, they can still call the PCC to be connected to a clinician on-call through an answering service.

Martinez hypothesized that some students might criticize the PCC because their prior expectations for therapy might not be met.

“Some people expect they are going to go into a therapy session once and their problems will be alleviated. But it’s a process; it takes a long time,” she said. “For people that have major depression or bipolar disorder, they might need to be in therapy for years to undo some of the cognitive thought processes they have.”

Martinez also said that due to the personal nature of therapy, it is imperative to “click” with your counselor. Though she immedi-

ately connected with her own, she said that students can always request a different therapist, and that they shouldn’t expect any therapist to be a “mind reader.”

“It’s the same as having a more tangible illness, but different in the fact that you have to have full disclosure. They can’t just see that you have these symptoms, you have to tell them,” she said.

Importance of community and openness Several students said that the most important thing you can do when struggling is to seek help and be open with the challenges you face.

Junior Ned Lauber has struggled with ADHD Inattentive Type since he was very young. But when he came to Vanderbilt, his distractions led him to heightened levels of anxiety and depression when he got behind on his work. In the second semester of his first year, Lauber had a 0.9 GPA and was cutting himself to relieve himself from his anxiety, a form of self-injury that he also practiced in high school. His parents made him take a semester off, which he said was the best thing for him. During his time off, Lauber was given medication for his ADHD, which helped his performance in school.

He said that the visibility of cutting means that sometimes he has to be open about his challenges.

“I can’t date somebody without them finding out in a week,” he said. “I want to talk to people about it because they’re going to ask anyway.”

When he returned to campus last spring, he found a strong community living in McGill, which he said made a difference in his mental health.

“I think McGill is a community that helps people with mental illness,” he said. Lauber noted that his grades have improved dramatically and he hasn’t self-injured in two years.

Brandon said that the support system he found in Greek Life has helped him more than anything else.

“My fraternity in its entirety knows that I have dealt with de-

WEDNESDAY,MARCH 25, 2015

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pression and knows that I have dealt with suicidal thoughts in the past,” he said. “I have a group of people I can say literally anything to and know that it doesn’t leave that room.”

Jenna said that sometimes it can be even scarier to be the friend of someone with a mental illness, because it is not often something that people are educated about growing up.

“If someone is depressed or anxious, we don’t really know how to act, and it’s really okay to say that to someone or a friend. It’s okay to say, ‘I don’t really know what to say and I don’t really know what to do, but I’m here for you,’” she said.

Waitz-Kudla said that it is important for anyone struggling with mental illness not to “internalize the apologies.”

“People will apologize because they don’t know what else to say,” she said. “The most important thing is not to let that get to you and not to start to internalize the ‘I’m sorrys’ because as soon as you start to internalize them, you start to feel like it’s something worth being sorry for, and it’s not, because it’s something you will grow from,” she said.

MENTAL HEALTH BY THE NUMBERS

1400

approximate undergraduate students

receiving clinical services during the 2013-2014 school year Comparing August-October, 2014 to the same months in 2013:

4% 20% 17%

increase in total students receiving services increase in number of first time clients

increase in number of students receiving medical services —Provided by the PCC

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WEDNESDAY,MARCH 25, 2015

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A year of Hidden Dores

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Mini week marks group’s first year on campus as leaders reflect on role moving forward

By JESSICA MAHONEY News reporter --------------------

In March 2014, students posed with dry-erase boards documenting their experiences with microaggressions on campus. The photo campaign organized by Hidden Dores helped spur a year of increased dialogue surrounding diversity and inclusivity at Vanderbilt.

“Raising that conversation was the key for the beginning,” said sophomore Katherine Nash, who chairs two committees for Hidden Dores. “You’ve made a statement, now what are you going to do with that statement?”

Hidden Dores’ goal is to bring to light the concerns and feelings of marginalization among minority students. One year later, starting today, March 25, Hidden Dores is hosting a mini week of programming themed “Dear Vanderbilt.”

Hidden Dores lead facilitator Akinanyene Ruffin said the theme was chosen because “Hidden Dores is wrapped around the idea that all students deserve the opportunity to tell their stories, and now we’re telling our stories to the Vanderbilt community specifically.”

Vice president Lisa Muloma added, “The aspect of story that Hidden Dores has, where people get to tell their stories and be vulnerable and share what’s happening ... it’s so important.”

The mini week aims to further the conversations that began last year. At Wednesday’s event, “Where Are They Now?,” students whose photos were featured in last spring’s

campaign will explain the context of their white boards.

Thursday’s collaboration with VSG’s new “Talk to Me” campaign will focus on the “myth” of self-segregation.

On Friday, Hidden Dores will host a second installment of the photo campaign. However, one of the group’s founders, Joshua Everett, said this year’s photo campaign will be different.

“It’s about how you define yourself as a minority student at Vanderbilt,” Everett said. Ruffin agreed that this year’s photo campaign will focus on allowing students to define themselves with their white boards, rather than how they are perceived by others.

According to Ruffin, Hidden Dores’ biggest accomplishment in its first year has been making it okay to talk about race on campus.

“We busted open the conversation about race on this campus,” Ruffin said. “My freshman year, which was last year, during the first semester I don’t remember talking about microaggressions that I was experiencing, race … and how my identity was changing being in this predominantly white space I had never encountered before.”

Muloma acknowledged that she herself had not really thought about race until she got to college.

“So I understand that people don’t really understand that it is an issue ... I realized how much it would’ve helped if people had had these conversations before coming to Vanderbilt,” Muloma said.

‘‘

Last year, our campaign was, ‘I’m not this.’ This year, it’s more about, ‘This is who I am.’

’’

Regarding the campus divide between Greek life and the multicultural student community, Ruffin cited Greek participation in Martin Luther King Jr. Day programming as another important accomplishment.

“For us this year, it was very important that Greek students come to MLK Day and they celebrate the man who allows us to be in this space together,” she said.

Ruffin also pointed out Hidden Dores’ efforts to work with administration to look at VUcept and True Life, and

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF AKANINYENE RUFFIN

Students share experiences with microagressions in the Hidden Dores spring 2014 photo campaign.These are some of the photos currently on display in a Sarratt exhibit. educating resident advisers and VUceptors about race and diversity.

“You have more critical conversations happening around the topic of race,” said Everett. “Not only among the student body but also among administration as well.”

Nash said that Hidden Dores’ goals moving forward range from increasing the amount of cultural events to installing a chief diversity officer in Kirkland.

Muloma added, “Having that officer would be important

symbolically, and other schools who are at our level have this and it has helped them to move forward. I think that’s something Vanderbilt could use.”

Everett said this step would make Hidden Dores more institutionalized by creating an administrator whose role is to oversee minority students’ concerns and representation.

Everett added that he would like to see a “survey of MOSAIC students to give feedback on their experiences” because he thinks many students end up disillusioned by the reality

of diversity on Vanderbilt’s campus. He also thinks an AXLE requirement beyond “Perspectives” would be a “substantial and sustainable” change.

“Last year, our campaign was, ‘I’m not this,’” Muloma said.

“This year, it’s more about, ‘This is who I am.’”

—Co-news editor Allie Gross contributed to this report

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opinion

QUOTE OF THE DAY “When, from the time of birth, you are told by individuals and mainstream media that you are phenotypically and genotypically inferior, you begin to wonder if the allegations are true.”

ERIN LOGAN

Covert racism: It’s alive and real Results from a social experiment on campus display clear racial prejudice FRANK PAIR is a first-year in the College of Arts and Science. He can be reached at frank.s.pair@ vanderbilt.edu.

NORBERT ROSS is an associate professor in the anthropology department. He can be reached at norbert.o.ross@ vanderbilt.edu.

F

GUEST COLUMN

erguson has become a symbol of racism in the U.S., yet unequal treatment of U.S. citizens by the State is not limited to either Ferguson or Missouri (NYT editorial, March 9, 2015). It should alarm everyone that a large part of our society feels disenfranchised by our own country, a reminder that despite fundamental changes and victories (remember Selma?), we have still a long way to go. Evidence of racism brought to light in the wake of Ferguson confronts us with a painful reality: Racism is alive and well in our society. However, we rarely ask ourselves who the racists are or what forms everyday racism takes on in our society.

For some people the answer is quite simple. Cases such as Ferguson reveal the ugly side of our society, with some sectors racially discriminating against others. However, we ask that we move beyond simple accusatory statements. Punishing immediate culprits might help remediate direct symptoms, yet might leave the disease in place. We need a deeper understanding of how racism is entrenched even within minds of people who usually reject the notion of being racist.

This was the focus of a research project we conducted last semester during an anthropology first-year seminar. Triggered by Ferguson and the subsequent support activities taking place on campuses across the country, we investigated whether racism has a place among highly educated young people — the future of our nation. What role does racism play in the daily lives of America’s college students?

We, as college students and faculty, are supposedly well-versed on what is happening in the world around us. We comment on atrocities such as racism, but all too often we ignore our own transgressions, real or potential. If we are to truly create a better society, however, we must face our own injustices.

This is what we set out to do. We explored the differing social moralities people hold when it comes to racial groups. The social group we chose: Vanderbilt students. This choice was made not just because of easy access, but also because of the specificity of the

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KELLY HALOM

PRIYANKA ARIBINDI

NEWS EDITOR news@vanderbilthustler.com

LIFE EDITOR life@vanderbilthustler.com

MOLLY CORN

ALLISON MAST

OPINION EDITOR opinion@vanderbilthustler. com

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‘‘

We need a deeper understanding of how racism is entrenched even within minds of people who usually reject the notion of being racist.

’’

group itself. Many discussions in high school and college campuses focus on race not having a scientific reality. Vanderbilt is no different. Vanderbilt students are among the smartest young people around the country. Furthermore, at Vanderbilt (just like at other colleges) we pride ourselves on educating and forming the young women and men who make up the future of our country. Therefore, one would hope that there is no place for racism on a college campus.

Our experiment was quite simple. With the help of two assistants we staged a scene in which one person would “lose” a $20 bill. A second assistant — walking behind assistant 1 — would “steal” the money, picking it up and not returning it to the owner. This was done in front of individuals whose reaction we recorded.

There was a caveat; we switched both the gender and race of the “victim” and the “thief” (African-American vs. Caucasian). Responses were coded as simply YES or NO, indicating whether the observed individual reacted or not.

Results were staggering: Observed individuals were more than twice as likely to intervene and certify money would be given to the rightful owner when an African-American person “stole” from a white person than vice versa. Differences are stable across the different gender, race, “victim” or “thief” permutations.

To say it differently: African-Americans victimized

by Whites produced much less of a response than Whites being victimized by African-Americans. This

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difference blatantly indicates racism.

Clearly then, covert racism is alive and well even among young college students in the United States.

We suspect that our participants included many students who actively oppose racism and participated in the respective activities in the aftermath of Ferguson or MLK Day. This is sad and dangerous. It is as if we are subconsciously profiling people based on their race, reacting to racial differences even when we “know” that races do not exist outside of our social fiction.

To be clear, the lesson should not be that Vanderbilt students are clearly racist. Instead, we hope our findings will create a wider uneasiness, with people asking, “What would I have done?” We surmise that this is a countrywide phenomenon. Other findings in social psychology are consistent with our data: Implicit biases are pervasive across large sets of the general population.

We most certainly do not claim that implicit racial biases are innate. Both the divide between AfricanAmericans and Caucasians as well as the content of this divide are social in nature. This makes it even harder to swallow the ongoing pervasiveness of racism. One is reminded of Reverend Jesse Jackson’s famous remark, “There is nothing more painful to me ... than to ... hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery. Then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved ... After all we have been through.”

Asking, “How would I have reacted in the experiment?” is just the beginning, however. How am I complicit in a system that marginalizes others to the extent that our statistics on education and crime pick up on racial differences, despite the fact that race does not exist biologically? When being AfricanAmerican limits the options of a child, becoming a predictor of her future it is not race that speaks, it is racism affirming itself. The same is true when we do not help an African-American who just lost $20. As a country we clearly need to start understanding and battling racism in all of its forms. While it is relatively easy to fight overt racism, it is covert racism we need to be aware of. As Baudelaire said, “The devil’s finest trick is to persuade you that he does not exist.”

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You can’t just ask people why they’re white Personal account explains why ethnicity and race don’t always align

“

PAUL SNIDER is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at paul.w.snider@ vanderbilt.edu

So, do you have any minority sob stories?” she asked me. I paused, confused. I was unsure why I detected disdain in the last three words of my friend’s trivial question. I now know that what I felt was a reaction to being subtly marginalized by those three simple words. If you know me or inferred my German roots from my last name, you can probably guess that I’m white. What you don’t know is that I grew up in a place where whites make up less than 1 percent of the population and issues of race are a bit different from here in the American South.

Back in Jamaica, my home from birth until college, I had an interesting time growing up. When I was a child, strangers always wanted to touch my hair. In seventh grade I had to learn appropriate interactions with other guys since any misstep could lead to others questioning my sexuality and bullying me for it.

Cultural homophobia gave Americans a higher risk of being labeled gay, or a “batty man.” Also, even though my parents were missionaries with no real salary, being white meant being begged for money more often, charged higher prices and stereotyped as a snobby member of the upper class. But by the time I made it to high school, I had accepted these facts of life, modified my accent and become comfortable with calling myself Jamaican.

At Vanderbilt, the responses to my being Jamaican

have ranged from the best cases of respectful interest to the worst case of immediately being asked by a guy in my first-year dorm if that means I have “jungle fever.” Somewhere in the middle are the most common questions indicating the international understanding of Jamaican culture: Bob Marley, Usain Bolt, Ganja (of course) and “Cool Runnings” — a movie I never even watched until I came to Vanderbilt. But one unasked question always seems to hang in the air: “Are you really Jamaican?” No one is so obtuse to phrase their confusion in the same way Karen from “Mean Girls” did, but the sentiment remains.

Now in my junior year, I’ve had a lot of time to think about other students’ reactions and what I should do. I could perform for you. I could put on a thicker accent and teach you a swear word. I could dole out my cultural capital in exchange for social capital. It’s a transaction people make every day, right? But sometimes it feels like selling out. I feel like an insecure monkey on a tightrope. Whatever I do probably won’t meet your expectations, and in my failing you would see something so precious to me as a cheap circus act.

So instead I bear uncomfortable questions and try to be real. I speak “normally.” I share, when asked, things that I find beautiful and interesting about Jamaican culture and Patois. I tell you where I’ve been and who I am, and will always ask you the same. Believe me,

Arkansas is truly as intriguing to me as Jamaica is to you. The bottom line is that some parts of American culture are unknown to me, and you could help change that.

Now back to that question. No, I don’t have any minority “sob” stories. I just have stories. Those have brought me to where I am now. And at home I am technically a minority. But that’s just one part of who I am. And even though I’ve had difficult experiences, the good far outweighs the bad. I love my home and the Jamaican people I know so well. I get so excited when I’m on my way back and I reach Gate 39 at Miami International Airport and hear the music of that familiar language all around me.

The truth is, an increasingly globalized world means that there are bound to be more people like me. Individuals whose cultural identity doesn’t fit in one of the discrete crates that society offers us. This is a world where ethnicity and race won’t align as expected. Assumptions are the enemy. Stereotypes won’t work. Something everyone should learn to do, myself included, is to seek to get to know each person you meet as an individual who sits somewhere on a beautiful and complex spectrum of identity. There are no boxes big enough and no labels descriptive enough to understand one another at a glance. Take the time to learn people. And then love them.

Do you know any brothers?

Ignoring problematic institutional norms downplays experiences of discrimination

ERIN LOGAN

is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at erin.logan@vanderbilt.edu

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE), a fraternity established before the emancipation of American slaves, recently came under fire because of the bigotry and racism displayed in a surfaced video from a chapter at the University of Oklahoma. Shocked and disturbed, the leadership at the university as well as at the national chapter, responded swiftly and denounced the actions of the students on the bus. I’ll admit that I personally wasn’t surprised by the video. However, I was taken aback by how ferociously former president of Vanderbilt’s SAE Patrick McGee excoriated some statements in editor-in-chief Tyler Bishop’s editorial.

Along with his brothers, McGee felt that some of Bishop’s words were a “serious charge to level at a group of people.”

Baffled by the chapter’s tenacious indignation, I took it upon myself to meet with McGee so he could explain my friend’s lamentable experience as well as the reproachful attitude felt by many Vanderbilt students. “The stigma is misplaced,” he told me. Because of the overwhelming number of people trying to get into their parties, “SAE is forced to deny those unaffiliated with members in the fraternity.” Because there is a tendency for people to choose their company based on who they can easily identify with, it seems as though people of color, and those unaffiliated with the Greeks, are frequently denied. Here’s the thing: I unequivocally believe him. “Greek life,” McGee explained, “and Vanderbilt as a whole, should reach out and expand their circle of friends.” McGee is absolutely right, we as a campus need to expand and diversify the company we keep to curb the tendency of individuals to label those unlike us as the other. The palpable tension, felt by many students, faculty and administration, on the basis of race could easily be curbed if we would get to know each other.

Another vital point McGee mentions in his open letter

is privilege. Entrenched in W.E.B. Dubois’ Souls of Whites Folk, Peggy McIntosh published a groundbreaking essay wherein she establishes the concept of privilege. Privilege means that, by nature of an assigned identity, groups of people benefit socially and legally at the expense of another group of people. As a wealthy white male, McGee acknowledges that he can go through “life without ever really having to consider issues and implications of race.”

Contrastly, for much of my life I have grappled with what it means to black in America. As a child, I struggled with self-hatred due the lack of positive representation of people of color in mass media. When, from the time of birth, you are told by individuals and mainstream media that you are phenotypically and genotypically inferior, you begin to wonder if the allegations are true. This is the type of psychological subjugation that minorities are forced to grapple with for much of their lives. Like McGee, white Americans will never experience self-loathing by nature of their skin color. That is not to say that white Americans do not suffer from other forms of social inequity. Far too often, privilege based on class, cisgenderism, religion, sex, sexual orientation and citizenship goes unmentioned.

I am perplexed by the agile negation of Vandy students to deny the existence of their privilege. Perhaps this phenomenon exists because of the desensitization that occurs when people mature under a system that frequently subjugates people by nature of their identity. When an individual denies the existence of their privilege, they are denying the existence of the struggles individual people face based on their categorization. To deny cisgender privilege is to deny the existence of the overwhelming violence aimed towards transwomen of color. To deny class privilege is to deny the existence of classism and the cycle of poverty. To deny

white privilege is to deny the existence of institutionalized racism, which has been made evident on the bodies of black and brown people. When a person denies their privilege, they are saying that they are complacent with the current political, social and economic structures wrecking the individual lives of social and ethnic minorities.

After Thanksgiving break, Connor Henderson wrote an open letter to white liberals on campus wherein he admitted that “talking about race is uncomfortable.” I recognize that this is a common conviction due to the fear of saying something offensive. But the only way to maneuver the sensitive subject of race is by getting real and talking about it. We as a society are on the road to ruin if we continue to allow bad blood to brew between social and ethnic groups. Take an African American Diaspora Studies class, watch a documentary or shoot me an email if you want to understand the complex system people of color live under.

Bishop was right when he wrote about “building a bridge to the other side.” But those bridges cannot be built when we are in constant denial of the privilege we have; And by default, the disadvantages placed upon millions of people.

By ignoring the institutional systems negatively affecting groups of people in disadvantaged positions, you are telling millions of individuals that the racism, sexism, classism, homophobia and xenophobia they experience on a daily basis is imagined.

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WEDNESDAY,MARCH 25, 2015

life PHOTO COURTESY OF NICK WELLS

NICK WELLS, solo R&B act, R B and pop songwriter Age: 22 Year Graduated: 2014 Can you talk about your career in music now? What specifically are you doing?

I’m a songwriter. I have a publishing deal with a company based in Nashville (Zavitson Music Group). I’m still working towards being a recording artist and having an artist deal, but this is kind of like a beginning step.

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special

Making it in ‘Music City’

How did you get started?

It’s crazy actually. Everything started with the song “Black and Gold” my freshman year. To make a long story short, “Black and Gold” led me to the show “The Voice” and someone I met on “The Voice” introduced me to the world of songwriting and the right people that I needed to know.

When did you think that this would become your career?

February or March of my sophomore year I got a cut. The producer I was working with — who was a recording artist signed to Epic Records — actually recorded two of my songs and they weren’t released, but then I thought, “wow, if artists are actually liking what I’m writing, maybe this is something that’s a feasible career.”

What’s the most exciting thing you’re working on now?

There’s two different things. One, I’m really excited about my own project, which is what I’ve been working on all of this year so far. I’m working on an EP and it should hopefully be out in late April or so. Besides that, since I’m in L.A., I’ve been able to get in the room with some really cool people … Rubbing shoulders with these great writers and recording artists makes me think that I’m on the right track.

How did being in Nashville affect your career? Did it?

Well, Nashville is “music central.” The same guy who put me in the (songwriting) workshop, who was the creative director of ASCAP, introduced me to the guy who eventually became my manager. A week after graduation, he was the guy who signed me to my first publishing deal. So, it was just the network of people. And I think it’s easier to make an impression in Nashville than it is in Los Angeles or New York, because it’s a much smaller city. I do think that being a student at Vandy helps, because I’m always being introduced as … (one) an R&B songwriter (which isn’t common in Nashville) and two (as) a Vandy student, which (makes people say), “oh, he’s a smart guy.

Let’s actually take the time to meet with him and see what he’s about.”

—Jack Sentell, life reporter

Current and former students speak to the adv careers in Nashville By Maddie Hughes, Fe Though the streets of Lower Broadway serve as a testament to the country music roots of the city, for most Vanderbilt students, the Music City part of Nashville might as well be miles away from the Vanderbubble. But while Vanderbilt may not be as well-represented in the music scene as a school like Belmont, there are still a number of students and alumni hoping to make a name for themselves in the business.

And that’s not just the country music business. While Nashville is known for being the epicenter of country music, it is also home to a vibrant punk and garage rock scene, as well as americana and folk music.

One of the reasons Nashville is such a hotspot for aspiring musicians is that it is a “small big city,” said professor Michael Porter, who teaches the business of music class in the Blair School of Music. Relative to other music hubs like Los Angeles and New York, the business side of the industry is more approachable here.

“It’s small enough to be accessible,” Porter said. “There is not a huge difference between the

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lfeature

PHOTO COURTESY OF LENA STONE

LENA STONE, solo pop-country act and songwriter Age: 22 Year: Senior Can you talk about your career in music now? What specifically are you doing?

Well I signed my first publishing deal last June ... so I’ve been working at my publishing company now and I’m a professional songwriter. But I am also an artist, so I’ve spent the last couple months in artist development. We’re getting ready to go back into the studio in May right after I graduate and cut five songs and try to get all the pieces in place.

How did you get started?

A big reason that I chose Vanderbilt over some other schools that I applied to is because it is in Nashville and I knew that if you wanted to be in country music you had to come to Nashville ... The summer after my sophomore year I started interning at the Song Factory, which is where my publishing deal is now. I was interning for them and ended up staying on in an administrative capacity through the fall and then told them that my heart was really in the creative aspects of music, and not the administrative side, and they were super excited about what I was doing so they just ended up signing me.

vantages and struggles of pursuing music eatures editor musicians and the business people.”

Junior Nate Banks, an aspiring singer-songwriter, has made many of his industry connections through friends he’s met during his time in Nashville. He did acknowledge, however, that he had to actively seek out those relationships, especially as a student at Vanderbilt, which he called an “isolated bubble, where most people are not doing music.”

So why not go to Belmont, which locals recognize as having a much more vibrant music scene?

For most artists, attending Vanderbilt was a decision they made based on its reputation as a top 20 university. But it’s location in Nashville allowed them to pursue their musical ambitions professionally.

“Really, it was just me wanting to get away from home. I had no idea how cool Nashville was going to be,” Banks said.

— Continued on PAGE 10

When did you think that this would become your career?

I think in a somewhat naïve way I always did. I was one of those little girls who just never grew out of “I wanna be a singer.” Coming down here and starting to co-write and play shows and see how people responded to what I was doing, I think that was really when I realized ‘hey this is actually something that I could get paid for and make a living doing,’ not just something that I want to daydream about.

How did being in Nashville affect your career?

If you want to be in country music you have to be in Nashville. This is where all the songwriters are, this is where all the studios are, this is where all the people who make it happen are. And I think even more so than the actual industry being here, it’s the fact that there are so many other talented people here. And you do reach a point where you realize how stiff the competition is and you either say this is too much for me, I’m never going to be as good as these people ... or you say ‘I know this is crazy, and I know these people are talented, but I’m going to let that inspire me and I’m going to let that push me to be the best that I can be.’

What’s next for you?

I’m super excited about this summer, hopefully getting out on the road and getting the band together, now that I won’t be tied to Nashville for classes.

So I think that will be great. I’m excited to actually get my music to people who aren’t middle aged men sitting in offices in Nashville thinking they have important opinions. Also just getting back in the studio and recording and finding which songs of mine really represent me the best and what I can’t put out there that no one else is really doing right now.

—Emma Witherington, life reporter

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WEDNESDAY,MARCH 25, 2015

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— Continued from PAGE 9

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH LYONS

ELIZABETH LYONS, solo country act Age: 23 Year Graduated: 2013 What specifically are you doing in music?

I just released a music video in January. It was #1 on the iTunes music video chart for a week and went to #6 on the all genre music video chart. It was right below “Shake It Off” and above Meghan Trainor. I have been doing this independently, (but) luckily, I found management after the music video was released. Right now, I’m on CMT, which is basically the MTV for country music. I’m trying to get my video out there and spread the word about my new work .... This summer I’ll be on the road and working to get my video on the charts.

How did you get started?

I moved to Nashville summer of freshman year and interned at a music publishing company. I absolutely fell in love with Vanderbilt, the people, the culture and proximity to Music Row..., I went to University of WisconsinMadison and transferred to Vanderbilt my junior year. I broke up my schedule so I could intern during the week, write at night, and do shows on the weekend. I was in 18 hours per semester, interning 20 hours per week, and trying to be involved with campus organizations. It’s just a testament to that fact that you can do music, follow dreams, get a head start on what you want to do with your life, and get a Vanderbilt education all at the same time.

When did you think that this would become your career?

I think I realized it my senior year. I released an EP that went to #49 on the iTunes chart. I was in the basement of Buttrick after a class and actually got locked down there. After, I remember getting a bunch of text messages telling me. I walked back from campus to my apartment, taking it all in.

What did you study at Vanderbilt?

I was a film studies major. It’s a small department but amazing. I always took at least one music course like country music, music business, film in music, and songwriting. It definitely helped me know how to edit videos on youtube and make friends in Nashville to help shoot videos. I love the shooting aspect and working with directors.

How did being in Nashville affect your career?

It has 100 percent affected my career. In the summer, I’d try to go out to shows most nights just to immerse myself in Music City. It’s such a beautiful thing that Vanderbilt is so close to Music Row. Also, interning here was so important for me because it’s the best way to learn about a field. Nashville is a booming city, and there are so many opportunities for every profession, especially music.

What’s next for you?

My summer tour schedule can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Hopefully people continue voting for my CMT video. I’ll be playing in Pasadena Playhouse in California and Milwaukee shortly thereafter —Claudia Willen, life reporter

Senior Lena Stein, who goes by Lena Stone professionally, is also an aspiring singersongwriter. She said that while she had always dreamed of being a singer, she was looking for a “real academic experience” in her university. Even after coming to Vanderbilt, Stein gave herself two years to enjoy college before she pursued an internship in publishing during the summer after her sophomore year.

Though one of Vanderbilt’s four schools is the Blair School of Music, which has 187 undergraduate students pursuing majors in music, these are mostly in classical genres.

Many students pursuing contemporary music, especially commercially, have found outlets outside of academia to do so.

Senior Daniel Closser, who originally enrolled in Blair to study percussion, switched into Arts and Science after one semester when he realized that the focus of the curriculum was more classically oriented than he would have liked. Instead, he continued with music by forming the garage pop band Kid Freud with two friends. He also contemplated transferring to Belmont last year when he realized that he wanted to be more serious about his music, but it was “too late.”

As it turns out, the school they attend doesn’t necessarily matter if artists have the drive to make music. Nashville is home to dozens of bars and lounges, which means more opportunities to perform, even without a booking agent. Writers’ rounds are a weekly staple at places like the Bluebird Cafe, and open mic nights provide an opportunity for anyone who wants to get their sound out.

“There are a lot of lesser venues in Nashville that are really open to having shows … like at The End, they’ll pretty much book anyone if you can put together four bands on a bill. They figure enough people will come just through the friends (of the band members),” Closser said.

There are definite advantages to having people to help with promotion. Since he released his single in February, he has been playing 10 to 15 shows a month in smaller venues around town.

“It’s nice to have a (booking agent), because he’s already got an established relationship with these venues, and once he knows that you can bring people to shows, then he will promote you to them, and they’ll listen to you, and get back to you in a timely manner, and so that works out well,” Banks said.

But getting to the next level can be a little tougher.

Because the city is full of musicians hoping to get their break, it can be hard to stand out, no matter how talented they are.

In many cases, it’s about being in the right

place at the right time.

Porter said, “If I had to break it down, I would say that it’s like winning a lottery — you have to buy a ticket and you have to be present to win.”

Even a musician who is signed to a label, or has released an album, has no guarantees.

Jo Eldridge, who used to perform under the name Joanna Smith, knows this story all too well. The Georgia-native came to Nashville 10 years ago as a 19-year-old, after one year at Auburn University, hoping to make a name for herself as a country singer.

She worked as a songwriter for several years, but wasn’t making much headway, so she decided to apply to Vanderbilt. She believed that if she were to get in, it would be a sign that she should change her path.

In 2009, Eldridge was admitted, but soon after, she got a record deal with Sony. She ended up alternating between school and a career in music for several years. After being dropped by the label in 2013, she is now making her way back into the music industry while attending Vanderbilt as a part-time student. She landed a new publishing deal last year.

Despite her setbacks, Eldridge said that her dream is still alive.

“I can’t imagine having a career where anyone is more passionate about their work,” she said.

But passion aside, most of the artists agree that it is difficult to balance starting a career in the music business while simultaneously working toward a college degree.

“It’s hard to motivate (yourself), especially in a creative field like this, because there is not always a tangible end goal, and so it’s just kind of like, ‘Oh, we’ve gotta get this EP finished,’ and there is nothing holding you accountable to that,” Closser said. “Until you have put out the material and built the audience, nothing really falls into your lap.”

Another difficult skill that takes time to master is the art of self-promotion.

“It’s hard to talk yourself up to people all the time. I’m pretty confident, but I don’t really like talking about myself. You have to be a certain type of person to go up to a stranger and ask them about writing, or if they want to co-write. I think as you get more experience, you get more comfortable doing that, but for me that’s a struggle,” said Sara Barron, a junior aspiring singersongwriter.

For Banks, the hardest part has been everything besides the music.

Banks said, “The music is what naturally comes to me, so everything like PR and marketing and asking people for stuff and promoting myself is just not coming naturally, so that’s something I’m learning to do.”

It can also be challenging to maintain your integrity as an artist, and to maintain your drive, in the face of rejection.

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Professor of songwriting Deanna Walker emphasized that anyone working toward success as a musician or songwriter has to recognize the importance of using criticism constructively.

Walker said, “You have to be confident enough to keep going, keep growing, keep finding what’s really unique about you, while expanding your skill-set, and you have to work really, really, really hard. You have to put out a massive amount of effort, and be ready to do that again anytime somebody doesn’t like your song.”

These difficulties can be compounded for women in Music City, who face a unique set of challenges.

While Porter has seen some changes in recent years, he said that the country music industry in Nashville is still very much a “good old boys’ town.”

That’s not to say that there haven’t been successful female performers, songwriters and executives, but they are in the minority. Eldridge said that the history of female objectification in country music means that women have a harder time carving out a place. The power dynamic between male music executives and young female performers can also create a dangerous environment.

“You have a lot of really young, beautiful girls that come to town, and older, powerful men take advantage of that,” Eldridge said.

Stone is a core member of Song Suffragettes, a group of female singer-songwriters who perform in a writers’ round on Monday nights at The Listening Room Cafe downtown. The group of women hope to foster a sense of camaraderie rather than competition.

“It’s all about spotlighting female artists, because there are so few women in country right now, and about us connecting with each other and us becoming friends, becoming writing partners,” Stone said.

Ultimately, for all these artists, the dream is to make a living out of their passion.

“I want to get to a point where a) I don’t have to do things other than music to survive, and b) I feel like my creative potential is coming out. Right now I feel like I can do so much more than I’m doing,” Banks said. “I think it’s a constant path of improvement, so ‘successful’ would just be being happy with my work. If that means reaching a ton of people, then that would be great.”

When asked how she would define success, Stone joked, “I’ll let you know when I get there.” She emphasized that she does not want to “set a benchmark for herself,” be-

cause she doesn’t know what would happen once she reached that goal.

“Someone told me once that the whole point of making music is to move people, and as long as I can keep doing that, I’m gonna be happy,” Stone said.

From the perspective of a seasoned industry professional, Eldridge agrees that the most rewarding aspect of her work is just getting to do it.

Eldridge said, “I’m 29 now and I’ve been making a living out of (music) for 10 years.

When you get to the point where I am, where you’ve experienced the glitz and the glamour and being around really famous people, it’s just getting to show up every day to work and write a song, and leaving a co-write on an amazing high that makes it all worth it.”

Ultimately, while Nashville provides a lot of opportunities for talented people to shine, it’s a risky business. The effort to make it is always a lot of hard work for what can add up to little success. Even those who have been part of the industry for years can’t predict who will make it big.

“People have to get out in the world and find out for themselves if it’s for them or not,” said Walker, who has been teaching songwriting at Vanderbilt for over a decade.

“I’m never one to say what anybody can or can’t do. I’d much rather believe in what everybody can do and then let them go try it.”

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PHOTO COURTESY OFELI STONES

ELI SONES, member of TWO FRIENDS- an EDM duo Age: 21 Year: Senior What specifically are you doing in music?

Matt Halper, my best friend from home who is currently finishing up his senior year at Stanford University, and I have been making music together as “TWO FRIENDS” for over three years now. There are two main aspects of what we do as a duo: the music production and the DJing. By far the most amount of our time and energy is spent on producing songs… (including) original songs, which we write or co-write and find vocalists for, and remixes, where we use some of the elements of a popular song and then add our own instrumentation to it. And then on the other side of things, we’ve also started doing more performances recently. We’ve played at venues in New York a couple times, Los Angeles, Quebec, and even have a show in Mexico at the end of the month.

How did you get started?

Matt and I went to middle school and high school together in Los Angeles.

During our senior year of high school, basically out of nowhere, we just decided that we should start a music production duo. At the time, I had been making and uploading mash-ups and I had become acquainted with a bunch of the writers for relevant music sites. Matt (is) a musical whiz, who had been playing guitar for a decade and who had a very solid foundation of music theory knowledge. With these different backgrounds, one day, we decided that we would make a good team-- it definitely didn’t hurt that we had been best friends for the past six years.

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When did you think that this would become your career?

It wasn’t any type of overnight transition ... A lot of it goes back to the past two summers. We decided to forego typical jobs or internships and instead basically work full days in our small, homemade basement studio. Being in that setting ... really helped us realize that this could be something we continue to pursue beyond college.

What are you studying at Vanderbilt?

I am studying HOD, with a focus on International Leadership & Development. I know it might not seem like there’s too much of a relation between that and our music career, but... besides the production and performance aspects, there’s the business aspect, the branding/marketing aspect, the networking aspect, and so much more. I’m sure Matt agrees (that) we are in a much better position than we would have been without all the classes and experiences at our respective schools.

What’s next for you?

Well, I guess next for us is just going full-throttle with it all. More music, more collaborations, more performances, and we are just gonna see where we can take this. If it stops being fun, which is hard for me to imagine, we won’t do it anymore, simple as that.

—Virginia Norder, life reporter

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sports

THE BIG STAT Number of receiving yards by sophomore wide receiver Trent Sherfield at the spring game. Sherfield finished last season with one reception in seven games.

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Defense steps up in Black and Gold game

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Key returners show versatility in new OC’s offensive scheme

By JOSH HAMBURGER Sports reporter --------------------

Both teams on the field came out with a fiery intensity to start the game, but the defense flat out dominated the offense en route to a 38-21 win. The defense quickly jumped to a 7-0 in the lead modified scoring system before the offense could muster up a point on a Darrius Sims wide receiver reverse. New offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig utilized Sims in his new role at receiver, but kept the offensive scheme plain and simple to keep the team’s secrets from opponents. He said of the game plan, “It’s not about tricking the defense (at the spring game). But we’re not going to be vanilla on offense. Can’t be.”

The most pressing concern that bugged the team all last season was the quarterback play and the lack of a true starter; the spring game equally reflected much of this frustra-

tion. The four quarterbacks, Patton Robinette, Johnny McCrary, Wade Freebeck, and Shawn Stankavage, combined to complete 19 passes on 41 attempts for 189 yards with no touchdowns and an abysmal five interceptions. McCrary and Freebeck seemed to struggle the most with two interceptions apiece, while Robinette and Stankavage looked more poised and productive in and out of the pocket. However, the wide receivers provided little help, as they dropped several open passes.

Nevertheless, Trent Sherfield shined amongst his teammates, hauling in four catches for a team-high 67 yards. Ludwig reflected on his performance, “He’s a guy we’re counting on to make significant contributions in the passing game.” The sophomore provided a sense of excitement and glimpse into the near future, after only having nine receiving yards last year. Last year’s standout, CJ Duncan, spent much of his day at running back, a move that Ludwig said he would evaluate over the next few months.

Meanwhile, the defense was gold: They dominated from start to finish, and coincidentally it was their jersey color. With Derek Mason now at the helm, the defense looked

flat out impressive. The offense could not get the run game going because of the front seven’s ability to dominate the inside and get into the backfield quickly, allowing just 11 yards on eight carries to starter Ralph Webb.

Webb scored the game’s only touchdown, although it came on third down and on a drive that started on the opponent’s oneyard line. Overall, the defense limited their opponents to 63 yards on 31 carries, with the team’s seven sacks taken into account.

On the defense’s success, Mason explained, “I thought our guys did a good job today, defensively, within the framework of what we asked them to do.”

Though the offense made a few big plays and had several more opportunities, the pass defense shut down most efforts, either up front or in the secondary. The defense constantly pressured the quarterbacks, sacking them seven times, including three by nickel safety Emmanuel Smith. A joyful Smith stated, “I just keep working hard in the offseason and try to get better as a team…

This year I have a chance to play, and I am just thankful for it.” His four tackle, three sack game certainly made him a strong candidate for MVP of the day. Taurean

Ferguson helped secure downfield, picking off McCrary early on an overthrown pass and stealing what seemed to be a touchdown out of Sim’s hands. Linebacker Stephen Weatherly disrupted the offense all game with three tackles, one for a loss, and an interception that he tipped to himself.

Special teams played a relatively minor role within the game, but the unit certainly progressed as time went on. The first kickoff was muffed on the return and a few early punts netted under 20 yards, but they started picking it up later on. The only real highlight came when Hayden Lekacz looked at ease as he put a 49-yard kick through the uprights, which could make for an interesting battle with Tommy Openshaw for the position.

The spring game provided great insight into the potential stars of next season, but many of the intricate aspects were left out to save for the regular season. Thus, the coaches stressed the importance of taking this game lightly, and instead focusing more so on what the summer practices will bring.

From here out, the quarterback battle will continue to remain the main area of focus, although Ludwig stated that he has a strong sense of his plans.

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Commodores drop close midseason matchup to former ALC foe Florida

By JOSH HAMBURGER Sports reporter --------------------

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Junior Alexa Kunowsky (17) fights off a defender during an 11-10 loss to Penn last season.

Both teams entered conference play with losing streaks, but Florida showed no sign of theirs. After Vanderbilt took the lead early in the game, the visiting Gators netted eight goals in under 17 minutes to take a 9-2 lead that they maintained and added on to throughout the entirety of the game. Vanderbilt never gave up on their intensity, but Florida outplayed them in most aspects of the game.

Florida came in ranked No. 6 in the nation, much in part to senior Shannon Gilroy, who entered fifth in scoring. The Commodore defense struggled to maintain leverage on her, as she scored seven goals and added two assists. The two-time All American also had a game-high eight draw controls, five ground balls, and five caused turnovers to lead her team to victory.

Teammates Sammi Burgess and Mollie Stevens also had a hat trick and an assist apiece in strong performances.

While Vanderbilt won the draw

control overall with the rotation of Jill Doherty, Kayla Peterson, and Alexa Kunowsky, they struggled to maintain possession and create scoring opportunities. Vanderbilt struggled with turnovers, coughing up the ball 20 times, with 17 of them forced by Florida.

Additionally, the Gators dominated the field, scooping up 30 ground balls compared to the Commodores’ 19. This general control contributed greatly to Florida more than doubling Vanderbilt in shots, 37-17. Callahan Kent started the game in net, but her day was cut short in the first half after allowing nine goals and saving four shots. Maddie Kratz finished the remained of the game, saving nine attempts, while 10 made it past her.

The two of them have been splitting time all season and continue to put up similar numbers.

The ability to handle the ball effectively doomed Vanderbilt and played greatly into Florida’s advantage. After taking the early 2-1 lead, Vanderbilt could not post any shots for over fifteen minutes, while Florida racked

up the goals. They picked up some momentum to end the first half with two consecutive goals and a strong defensive stop as time expired.

However, the momentum quickly faded as Florida opened the half with two goals in under two minutes, and another one just moments later.

Vanderbilt scored six goals in the final half, while Florida put in 10 to end the game 19-10. Five players scored two goals each, led by a strong performance from sophomore attacker Caroline Peters. Although she did not take the draws herself, she ended with a team-high seven controls, as she fought aggressively for several pushed in her direction. Peters said of the day, “We had more fast breaks than settled offense for goals. We were getting there, but not placing our shots … We couldn’t finish.”

With the loss, Vanderbilt continues onto their next game at No. 20 Johns Hopkins on Wednesday in hopes to stop their six game losing streak. The Commodores have not won in over a month: since their win over Boston University on Feb. 20.

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SPORTS

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Mentor TennisSee supports Nashville youth on, off the court

By CALLIE MEISEL Sports reporter --------------------

At the beginning of every academic year, Vanderbilt students participate an organizations fair to recruit new members. It would be difficult to find even a few students who attended this fair and did not leave completely overwhelmed and intrigued by all the possible opportunities. It would be even more difficult to find a student walking away with fewer than 20 different pens, cups, stickers and other promotional items from various student-run clubs or organizations.

One organization, however, stood out at the fair this year: Mentor TennisSee. Mentor TennisSee is a nonprofit organization that partners with Knowledge Academy – a local charter school — in order to boost participants’ academic and tennis performance.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, Vanderbilt volunteers called “mentors” tutor the students in their studies and teach them how to play tennis. The organization was not present at the fair last year, but this year it managed to earn 140 names of students eager to volunteer.

Vanderbilt alum Jeff Berry originally founded Mentor TennisSee in 2008. Berry played tennis competitively growing up, and he frequently volunteered at the Legacy Tennis Center by teaching tennis to under-

PHOTOS COURTESTY OF HANA BETTS

Vanderbilt undergraduates mentor grade school students as part of the Mentor TennisSee program, founded by Vanderbilt alum Jeff Berry. privileged kids in the Philadelphia area.

From this experience, Berry learned the importance of giving back to his community — a realization that later inspired him to establish Mentor TennisSee. “Tennis teaches young people important life lessons, but unfortunately it is not a sport that is accessible to kids from underprivileged backgrounds. I feel that combining tennis instruction with academic tutoring and life skills development would allow me to pay forward what I learned to others

who did not have the same opportunities,” said Berry.

In Davidson County, schools desperately needed a program like Mentor TennisSee. In 2010, the county’s middle schools performed poorly on nationally tested core subjects, with most schools receiving a “D” or failing.

Additionally, over 32 percent of youth in Tennessee are overweight or obese, as the majority of children fail to meet the daily recommended fitness quota.

With his volunteer coaching experience

and these statistics in mind, Berry set off to establish Mentor TennisSee at Vanderbilt. In addition to receiving help from other passionate students and Vanderbilt’s tennis coaches, Ian Duvenhage and Geoff Macdonald, Berry also sought advice from Dave Higaki, who is currently the Executive Director of East Palo Alto Tennis & Tutoring (EPATT). EPATT is a nonprofit organization at Stanford that offers tutoring and tennis instruction to K-12th grade students. Berry decided to model Mentor TennisSee off of

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As part of the Mentor TennisSee program, children receive instruction in yoga and tennis.

EPATT, as it proved a highly-successful program at a college campus that accomplished many similar goals.

Although he had access to the EPATT blueprint, Berry encountered several hitches on the road to founding Mentor TennisSee. For instance, the organization was allowed free access to Currey Tennis Center courts, but how were students going to get to and from Vanderbilt’s courts?

“I spent a lot of time building relationships within the Nashville tennis community. That became our primary fundraising

base. In addition, after we had proof of concept, we were able to go to local and national foundations to win grants,” Berry said. In fact, in 2010, Mentor TennisSee was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation, and, in 2011, it was a recipient of the USTA Serves Grant.

One of the largest hurdles that Berry had to overcome was getting permission to work with a Nashville public school. The approval process took months, despite receiving the mayor’s commitment to help them speed up the process. Luckily, Berry’s idea for his new

organization was met with great enthusiasm from the local charter schools.

“Just as we were starting up, the charter school movement was beginning to take off in Nashville. Charter schools emerged as a like-minded partner, for they are entrepreneurial organizations trying to solve the same problem that we are. They do not have the same after-school resources like traditional public schools, so they have been eager to work with us,” Berry said.

In the end, Mentor TennisSee successfully established a partnership with LEAD Academy. Berry’s organization took off from there. After its first year in operation, Mentor TennisSee was awarded the 2009 Tennessee Tennis Association’s Organization of the Year.

In 2010, Berry was a finalist in the contest for Mary Catherine Strobel Volunteer Awards’ Youth Volunteer of the Year, which is awarded to individuals or groups in Nashville to recognize their commitment to volunteerism. The following year, Berry was a finalist for NEXT Entrepreneurship’s Social Enterprise and Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

Unfortunately, after five successful years, Mentor TennisSee began to dwindle, and eventually it disappeared. LEAD soon grew into the largest charter school system in Nashville, meaning that the school began to prioritize other, more important facets of their academic program over its commitment to Mentor TennisSee. In 2013, Berry and the rest of Mentor TennisSee worked to fully integrate Mentor TennisSee into LEAD, meaning that LEAD teachers would run the

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program.

Eventually, however, Mentor TennisSee and LEAD simply agreed that the program would allow LEAD kids to participate in its program, but that Mentor TennisSee needed to focus its efforts on a smaller charter school. One year later, that smaller charter school became Knowledge Academy middle school.

After the program was inactive for a year, senior Hana Betts decided to take up the challenge of rebooting the program.

Betts first joined Mentor TennisSee her sophomore year, and she was devastated to discover that the organization ceased to exist her junior year.

The summer before her senior year, Betts contacted Berry to express her desire to revamp Mentor TennisSee. Coincidentally, they both happened to be in New York at the time, and they met up for coffee to discuss strategies for getting Mentor TennisSee started again in the fall.

“My specific advice (to Hana) was to focus on the two to three things that were most important. Generally speaking, those two to three things are making sure the program is well-run and adds value to the participants and volunteers, that we develop a great pipeline of younger student leadership who can assume greater responsibility and that our partners –— Knowledge Academy and Vanderbilt — are happy and want to continue working with us,” said Berry.

For the fully story, visit vanderbilthustler.com.

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