The Vanderbilt Hustler 4-15-15 by The Vanderbilt Hustler

vanderbilthustler WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

High

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VOL. 127, ISS. 14

times

Students share their experiences with drugs on campus PAGE 2 OPINION

Ring by Spring A single bridesmaid’s reflections on marriage in the wake of graduation

SPECIAL FEATURE

PAGE 7

Twin talk with Vanderbilt’s ‘double Dores’ Twins on Vanderbilt’s campus share their experiences coming to college with or without their twins

PAGE 10

SPORTS

Siakam’s swan song A five-year member of the men’s basketball team imparts tough mentality to young players PAGE 12 BOSLEY JARRETT / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

campus

CAMPUS STAT The dollar amount each student pays in tuition toward arts, cultural, religious, service and academic organizations, which is distrubuted by AcFee.

277

The campus drug scene The Hustler breaks down the campus drug culture by substance By MOLLY CORN Opinion editor --------------------

Despite Vanderbilt’s reputation as a “party school for smart kids,” less than a quarter of undergraduate students have used illegal drugs, according to surveys administered by the Office of the Dean of Students. Less than 10 percent have used “harder” drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, hallucinogens or “rave” drugs such as ecstasy and MDMA, colloquially known as “molly.” However, according to several anonymous students who have used different drugs at various levels of frequency, Vanderbilt’s drug scene seems to be a more prevalent part of campus life than what the surveys might suggest. Students said they used illegal drugs for a variety of reasons, including socializing, studying, self medication and recreation. Generally, students who said their drug use has been mostly recreational cited desire for new experiences and sensations as a primary motivator for trying different drugs. Most students interviewed also emphasized the importance of having a trustworthy circle of friends and a safe environment when experimenting. According to several student testimonies, social groups heavily influence both use and perception of drug culture on campus. For instance, a student who reported using marijuana exclusively about once a month perceived the drug scene to be less prevalent than other students who had experimented with a wider variety of drugs on a more frequent basis.

STAFF

TYLER BISHOP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Cocaine: 7.7% Amphetamines: 6.4% Hallucinogens: 5.8% Ecstasy, MDMA, etc.: 7.1% Marijuana: 25.48% *These numbers indicate

Several students agreed to speak — some in official on-the-record settings, others in informal off-the-record conversations — about their past drug use and their perceptions of the campus drug scene on the condition of being kept anonymous, so as to avoid disciplinary, legal or professional repercussions.

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Students who have used...*

percentages of students who have used drugs at least once as determined by the most recent Quality Of Life and CORE surveys administerred by the Office of the Dean of Students HUSTLER BOSLEY JARRETT / THE VANDERBILT

“Weed” According to both survey numbers and general sentiment of those interviewed, marijuana is by far the most prevalent drug used on campus. Yet the perception of exactly how prevalent it is varies immensely. “Vanderbilt doesn’t have much of a smoking culture,” one female student said, emphasizing that it has much more of an alcohol culture. She noted that other schools she considered attending seemed to have a much more visible use of marijuana on campus. Another student, however, said that she thinks marijuana use is almost as common as alcohol on campus — and that drug culture in general is “supersaturated.” All of the students interviewed said that marijuana use was generally a relaxing and “chill” experience, and some said it helped relieve anxiety associated with both academics and social events. Several students said the social context of marijuana use differs significantly from that of other drugs. Many of the students reported using it in high school. Some reported being introduced to marijuana by older siblings and mentors, and

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others even reported smoking with their parents. Some students reported using marijuana as often as three times a week, mostly in relatively intimate social circles. Their descriptions of its recreational use were significantly different than other drugs which were labeled “party” drugs. Marijuana was definitely viewed as a less serious drug than the others. Despite its reputation as a “gateway” drug, some students who used marijuana reported that they had never experimented with harder drugs — and have no intention or desire to. Many students additionally reported using marijuana only when it was offered to them for free. “Addy” “I don’t think I have ADD it’s just so much easier to focus with study drugs,” a female student said. Several students reported using prescription drugs designed to treat ADHD, such as Adderall, Vyvanse and Ritalin for both recreational and academic purposes. Many added that study drugs, while inexpensive and widely accepted, were sometimes harder to find. Even students who don’t use them mentioned that it is difficult to obtain a prescription for Adderall or

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THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER ◆ WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM other commonly used “study drugs” from the PCC. Many students who had used “study drugs” were under the impression that it was simply another method of managing time in order to study efficiently. Most students said that college was their first exposure to “study drugs;” a few reported using them in high school, but believed them to be much less stigmatized at Vanderbilt due to the notoriously high stress environment. However, one said she believed they were more of a problem at schools such as Princeton which are notorious for competition to the point of sabotaging other students. One student speculated that people with a source for “study drugs” might be unwilling to share because they want to have a reserve for high stress situations. If they are dependent on the drug, a shortage in a time of need could be detrimental to their overall success. Despite the association of Adderall with academic performance, some people also reported using adderall in conjunction with alcohol before partying, and it was described as having stimulating effects similar to cocaine. One student mentioned that the effects of Adderall in a party context were much longer lasting than those of cocaine and that the after effects were less significant. “Coke” “It was a lot of fun, and that’s why I don’t want to do it again,” said one male student who reported having used cocaine twice before, but doesn’t plan to continue his use or make it habitual. Cocaine seems to be one of the more feared drugs, even among students who use other drugs recreationally. Some students cited information about the drug’s destructive effects on dopamine receptors in the brain as a motivating factor for avoiding the drug. “It ruins your potential for natural happiness,” said one senior who used marijuana regularly, but was extremely averse to cocaine use.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015 One female student who had used a variety of drugs recreationally said that even after reading about the psychological effects of cocaine, the threat of long-term damage seemed to be more of a scare tactic than a reality. Still, for her, the “comedown” — the period following the high — was so intense that she cried. After experimenting with it, she thought that “it wasn’t really an experience that was worth doing again.” Many students classified cocaine as a drug exclusively for wealthier students, associating it predominantly with Greek life, not only because of its high cost but also because of its reputation as a “party drug.” The drugs effects are described as extreme confidence and a complete removal of inhibitions that make the user feel extremely conversational and social — as if one is the “life of the party.” A student who had never used cocaine said people who try cocaine need to already have “a certain feeling of invincibility” because of the perceived risks of using “harder” drugs. The sentiment was faintly echoed by a male student who had experimented with a variety of drugs. “Coke is dangerous because it’s a stimulant, but if you’re being cognizant and aware and taking care of yourself and not mixing it with other drugs, it’s fine,” he said, adding that the main dangers of cocaine are due to the fact that most people try it in a situation where they were already intoxicated and thus unable to monitor themselves appropriately. “I’ve done coke by itself,” he said, explaining that it becomes a different experience, once the stigma and expectations associated with a drug are removed. He said most substances have adverse effects when used irresponsibly, but are relatively safe if users are monitored by trustworthy friends. “Acid” “I was dating someone who described it as a really powerful and spiritual experience,” explained a female student who experimented with acid four times in the past year and a half. She cited curiosity and a high level of trust in her significant

DRUGS: BY THE PRICE

$10-20 per 0.1 gram of ecstasy $15-20 per gram of marijuana $5-15 per tab of acid $80 per gram of cocaine $3-10 per Adderall pill depending on strength *Prices were determined by averaging the responses of students interviewed other, who had used it before, as motivating factors. Others said another factor motivating them to experiment with acid is that it is less expensive than other drugs, has a longer lasting high and is also easy to ship and hide. One student also mentioned that she didn’t think that it would show up on most drug tests, which made it less risky than other drugs. The effects of the drug are described as very different from stimulants such as cocaine: Not only is a “trip” significantly longer, but students said the drug alters your sense experiences rather than your inhibitions. She described a “trip” as taking a while to kick in, rising before it reaches a peak and begins to fade, but an afterglow of the experience remaining for several hours. However, the effects vary greatly from person to person: Some describe it as an intellectual experience, while others describe it more visually. “You wouldn’t want to go to a party on acid, you do it when you have 12 hours to just wander around campus and look at the colors and the trees,” one student said.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

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AcFee pushes for increased accessibility

Outgoing AcFee Chair John Boyd discusses the process of allocating $1.7 million to student organizations By ANNA BUTRICO News reporter --------------------

BOSLEY JARRETT/ THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER

John Boyd is the outgoing chair for AcFee, which allocates funding for student organizations on campus through an application and interview process.

As the school year comes to a close, the Activity Fee Committee, known as “AcFee,” is beginning its turnover process. Senior John Boyd, who served as AcFee chair this past year, is handing his responsibilities over to sophomore Zach Boulden. As the new chair of AcFee, Boulden will oversee the funding of student organizations for the next academic year. Along with AcFee’s nine subcommittees, he will be responsible for allocating the $277 each student pays in tuition toward arts, cultural, religious, service and academic organizations. AcFee’s main responsibility is doling out the appropriate amount of money to each student organization. Every year, student organizations submit budgets to AcFee and are interviewed about their plans for the upcoming year. “We take all that information and figure out the best way

THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER u WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM to take the approximately $1.7 million that is allocated to AcFee and give it to each student organization in the best way to make the campus life as vibrant and engaging as possible to as many people as possible,” Boyd said. During his term as co-chair, Boyd focused on making AcFee more accessible and understandable to students. He said that students sometimes perceive AcFee as a process “not necessarily up for change.” This year, it has created an internal committee to take a critical look at the process to make sure it is functioning as it should on campus. Boyd worked toward finding a more systematic approach to funding organizations. He said that sometimes it’s tricky to fund groups that are seeking to grow and put on bigger events and draw more people to their events. “It’s always been a struggle to figure out how much money we have to give these organizations. How can we make sure we are doing it in a fair way?” he said. Boyd said that it is relatively easy to make the case for needing more funding and showing that you will spend it well. “It’s much harder to turn around and say, ‘All right, this group wants $5,000 extra dollars. Which organizations are we gonna cut by $5,000 in order to move it around?’” he said. Boyd said that organizations can make their application better by showing that they have a major draw through card swipes at events. He said that it is also important to focus on introducing “unique events,” citing The Servies — an event recently hosted by Project NAKED that received help with funding from AcFee — as a prime example. He also said that is important to be proactive with funding, such as using AcFee’s Internet resources and reaching out to your subcommittee contact if worried about any issues. He also said it is very important to have the most updated contacts on Anchor Link, as this is how AcFee reaches out to each student organization. Although much of his work was focused on finances,

Boyd made sure to focus on the student organizations themselves. To ensure that all student groups were equally informed about the allocation process, he created more resources online for organizations to fill out their AcFee form, increased the number of information sessions about the process and made sure AcFee committees reached out to their organizations in the fall as a resource — interviews are in March. Boulden plans to continue making the process easier for student organizations. He said that he wants to work on making it easier for organizations to apply and keep track of their finances. Boulden also plans to create a guide for the subcommittee co-chairs who make up AcFee. Each of the nine subcommittees has a VSG co-chair and a non-VSG co-chair, and the communication can often get messy. “As it is now, there’s a lot of waiting to hear from the person above you, especially to see what the next step is. I think giving people foresight in the process, and having a guideline to lessen questioning and to increase confidence in what they’re doing, will help student organizations be better,” Boulden said. AcFee is a branch within VSG. Boyd explained that VSG gets its funding from part of the fees students pay for housing, whereas AcFee comes from a separate source — students are also charged around $1,100 for activities and recreation fees. Because it has a separate source of funding, VSG actually doesn’t apply for AcFee like other student organizations. Rather, the VSG Senate serves as a check on the VSG budget when the VSG treasurer gives a monthly budget report. Boyd compared this system to the federal government’s practice of the legislation serving as a check on executive spending and budgeting. Boyd and Boulden have expanded the number of committees in AcFee for the upcoming year. They split the service committee in half and added an academic subcom-

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

TOP ACFEE ALLOCATIONS 2014-2015 VPB Music Group: $550,000.00 VPB Speakers Committee: $246,000.00 VPB VenUe: $85,000.00 VPB Vandy Fanatics: $80,000.00 VPB Homecoming Committee: $57,000.00 VPB Executive Board: $50,000.00 Original Cast: $37,250.00 VPB CityVU: $32,000.00 VOB: $31,842.00 VIRA: $30,000.00 mittee so that budget analysis stayed manageable. “It makes smaller workloads for the people involved, so they can really focus on the ones they are being asked to evaluate,” Boulden said. Boulden’s immediate responsibilities include looking for the committee co-chairs and the organization’s comptroller. Because filling out a budget for an entire year is a daunting task, Boyd said that he believes Boulden, as the next chair of AcFee, can continue to find ways to make the process a bit easier. “I really hope that Zach can cement a lot of the practices that have been started this year and find new areas for AcFee to sand off the corner, and figure out what are the steps that are necessary to make AcFee even tighter, to make even easier for organizations to work through, because it is kind of a big, cumbersome process,” Boyd said.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

QUOTE OF THE DAY

opinion

“Instead of fostering a robust pipeline into Music City that would differentiate us

from other top-20 schools and beautify our campus culture, our general reaction to musical ambition ranges from lukewarm appreciation to total apathy.”

ZACH BLUMENFELD, SENIOR

Putting music on the map Calling for a greater appreciation of student musicians

ZACH BLUMENFELD is a senior in the College of Arts and Science. He can be reached at zachary.j.blumenfeld @vanderbilt.edu.

was thrilled to see The Hustler put the spotlight on our student musicians in its feature “Making it in Music City.” As the former head of RVU Records and a WRVU DJ who has interviewed Vanderbilt’s musicians for the past three years, I know most of the people they highlighted and can’t think of any more deserving stories to be shared with the student body. From Two Friends’ meteoric rise in the EDM world to Nate Banks’ promising solo career and everyone in between, this campus is bursting with musical talent. But you may not have known this if The Hustler hadn’t taken interest. Whether it’s our school’s selfcentered culture of studying toward financial success, Blair’s focus on classical music or the presence of Belmont just down the street, some factor suppresses the vibrancy and visibility of a homegrown Vanderbilt popular music scene. And it’s a shame, because over my WRVU career I’ve met several talented artists whose musical aspirations have been limited by academic pressure and a lack of avenues to exposure. To be fair, opportunities for aspiring musicians and music businesspeople have increased noticeably since I arrived here in 2011. The Business Careers in Entertainment Club provides wonderful connections and opportunities for interested students. Both RVU Records and Studio CRB allow musicians to record on the cheap, with the former offering audio engineering training as well. McGill Coffeehouse open mics are always jovial and at times feature spellbinding performances. Even VSG’s first-year CommonDores Leadership Council pleasantly surprised me by hosting an open mic in February, although in its naivete it alienated the performers from our campus culture by calling the event “Belmont.” Nevertheless, despite these growing on-campus opportunities and mainstays such as Deanna Walker’s songwriting class, Vanderbilt students who hope to make it in the music industry must pursue their dreams on their own. The university’s alumni network and recruiting profile, so strong in areas like consulting and finance and engineering, are negligible in the business that gives this city its nickname. Many students drawn here by Nashville’s appeal find themselves trapped in the Vandy Bubble, unsupported by

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a campus culture that rewards individual drive and academic success above all. Even as the Melodores have become national darlings and a cappella as a whole has flourished here, that growth has yet to translate into real investment in a college music scene by the Vanderbilt administration or student body. Instead of fostering a robust pipeline into Music City that would differentiate us from other top-20 schools and beautify our campus culture, our general reaction to musical ambition ranges from lukewarm appreciation to total apathy. I’m aware that my reaction to this issue is probably stronger than most other students’, that my disappointment is likely not shared by everyone reading this and that most of you probably don’t have the time or desire to rectify the situation. That’s why all I ask of you, the general student body, is to keep your ears open to the amazing musical talent we have here and try to attend at least one Vanderbilt student artist’s performance before you graduate. Unlike most of us, these classmates of ours will rely exclusively on peer support to make their living, so even liking their Facebook pages or sharing their songs online means more than you can imagine — and it takes almost no effort on your part. To those of you who are moved by the paucity of a Vanderbilt music scene and want to do something about it, I have a couple of suggestions that would immediately increase visibility of and institutional support for popular musicians on campus. The first of these is a campaign to build resources at the Career Center or Blair for those students who want to make or deal in music for a living. I’ve met Vanderbilt alumni in the industry, and I am astounded that the university hasn’t built them into a network to help its aspiring songwriters, artists and music businesspeople. In a world where interpersonal connections dwarf academic success in importance, such a network would be a tremendous boon in helping students land that coveted internship at Sony Music or meet the pro-

The Vanderbilt Hustler Opinion page aims to stimulate discussion in the Vanderbilt community. In that spirit, columnists, guest columnists and authors of letters to the editor are expected to provide logical argument to back their views. Unreasonable arguments, arguments in bad faith or arguments in vain between columnists have no place in The Hustler and will not be published. The Hustler welcomes reader viewpoints and offers three methods of expression: letters to the editor, guest columns and feedback on vanderbilthustler.com. The views expressed in lead editorials reflect the majority of opinion among The Hustler’s editorial board and may be supposed to represent the opinion of The Vanderbilt Hustler at the time of publication. They are not necessarily representative of any individual member. Letters must be submitted either in person by the author to The Hustler office or via email to opinion@vanderbilthustler.com. Letters via email should come from a Vanderbilt email address where the identity of the sender is clear. With rare exception, all letters must be received by 2 p.m. on the Sunday prior to publication. The editor

ducer who will turn their rough demo into a smash hit. The second is to increase the number of musical opportunities on campus. Putting a few drum kits on Commons would be a great way to encourage first-years to form bands. In terms of performances, I don’t think it’s out of the question for VPB, Music Group and the BCEC to pool their resources to found a monthly Songwriters’ Night on campus, featuring some combination of professional and amateur musicians. Certainly within the realm of possibility would be a weekly open mic at The Pub. A veteran Vanderbilt audio engineer once told me that John Mayer played there in the early 2000s (sadly I could not confirm it). Even if that isn’t true, how cool would it be if something like it happened in the future? We can build a thriving music scene on this campus. The interest is there, as is the talent. All that’s missing is the cultural and institutional shift. If effective steps are taken to make it happen, Vanderbilt will have made it in Music City.

reserves the right to edit and condense submissions for length as well as clarity. Lengthy letters that focus on an issue affecting students may be considered for a guest column at the editor’s discretion. All submissions become the property of The Hustler and must conform to the legal standards of Vanderbilt Student Communications, of which The Hustler is a division. The Vanderbilt Hustler (ISSN 0042-2517), the official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University, is published every Wednesday during the academic year except during exam periods and vacations. The paper is not printed during summer break. The Vanderbilt Hustler allocates one issue of the newspaper to each student and is available at various points on campus for free. Additional copies are $.50 each. The Vanderbilt Hustler is a division of Vanderbilt Student Communications, Inc. Copyright © 2014 Vanderbilt Student Communications.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

The problem with ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion’

Buzzwords and ‘dialogue’ fail to expand the horizons of the dominant social group JOSHUA EVERETT is a senior in the College of Arts and Science. He can be reached at joshua. everett@vanderbilt. edu.

uch of the discourse this past year at higher education institutions like Vanderbilt has centered on the topic of diversity and inclusion. These words are so ambiguous that they tend to be widely accepted by people who have different interpretations of what these words mean. The problem with this is that diversity and inclusion tend to look a lot different based on one’s cultural background and degree of social capital. In fact, for some of us who exist on the fringes of mainstream Vanderbilt, diversity and inclusion does not go far enough to address our problems. So far, suggestions by university officials for a more diverse and inclusive campus have been catered to the sentiments of the dominant group at the expense of the most marginalized voices. This has resulted in a manifestation of diversity and inclusion that is shallow at best and delusional at worst. One of the largest misconceptions pushed by implementers of diversity and inclusion is the deification of conversation. From Starbucks’ ill-fated “Race Together” initiative to VSG’s “Talk to Me” week, there seems to be a strong belief that racial tensions can be alleviated over a cup of coffee and some Raisin Bran. The emphasis on conversation promotes the illusion that progress can come through simply trying to change people’s feelings and emotions. What this notion misses is that we all exist within a racialized institutional framework that can’t be dismantled through shooting the breeze across color lines. I believe in the importance of critical conversations, but dialogue should never be the goal or the only means of addressing the topic of race. Furthermore, the emphasis on conversation makes the job of those in power much easier. For a university administration that notoriously drags its feet on controversial issues, it serves their

interest to keep our concerns in the realm of discourse with little to no intention of further action. Along with conversations, funding and university support are ways to manipulate concerns about diversity and inclusion. Funding is something that every student organization needs in order to function, and being supported by the institution can boost the legitimacy of an organization. However, one should take precaution whenever a university office like the Dean of Students offers to sponsor a cultural event or advise a cultural organization, because funding is also a source of control for the funder. Offering official university support grants access to student leaders who have influence over their peers. Instead of working with these leaders in a genuine way, administration often looks to co-opt these leaders into downsizing their goals to fit the university timeline. Instead of pressuring the university from outside the power structure to expedite the pace of change, many organizations get absorbed into the bureaucracy of the institution. They lose their effectiveness as an advocate/activist group because they submit their ability to disrupt for a few more dollars and a stamp of approval from the 16th-ranked White folks in America. In the meantime, diversity and inclusion remain endlessly uttered and hopelessly shallow buzzwords. One of the most insidious patterns I’ve noticed around discussions of diversity and inclusion is the attempt to essentially bleach cultural organizations on campus. Connecting with one’s cultural heritage is commonly stigmatized as “self-segregation.” Students of color are the ones who are primarily encouraged to branch out and get outside of their comfort zone. Meanwhile, White students are hardly ever given the responsibility to do the same. This belief works

to construct “inclusion” as an invitation for cultural groups to assimilate into the dominant culture. It assumes that the dominant culture is the default to which everyone should aspire to adhere. As the prolific writer James Baldwin puts it, “The American idea of racial progress is measured by how fast I become White.” Many good-hearted White liberals, and others, at Vanderbilt broadly push this distorted view of inclusion that fails to recognize the value of other cultures while simultaneously ignoring the fundamental flaws that exist in White culture. Around this time last year, the phrase “One Vanderbilt” was tossed around a lot. The question still remains — which one? One should hesitate to advocate for inclusion before thoroughly questioning exactly what it is they want people to be included in. Times are changing at Vanderbilt. More students, faculty and staff are calling for and enacting a new Vanderbilt that is truly equitable to all members of its community. However, we cannot let calls for “diversity and inclusion” be diluted to serve the interests of the dominant culture. We should not have to shed our differences to be valued by the community. We must not be fooled into thinking that holding hands and singing kumbaya with people from different backgrounds is an adequate solution to institutional racism. Dr. Angela Davis rightly questions, “What’s the point in difference if it doesn’t make a difference?” The push for diversity and inclusion should be bolstered by a philosophy of collective liberation which does not look to simply be included in the current system, but works to dismantle and reconstruct systems free from oppression.

Ring by spring A single bridesmaid’s reflections on marriage in the wake of graduation

MARALEI BUNN is a senior in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached at maralei.h.bunn@ vanderbilt.edu.

don’t know (exactly) what I’m doing after graduation, but I do know that I’ll have to be a bridesmaid at least twice, once the weekend after graduation, and once the weekend following. It might be shocking to you (or it might not), but people are (already) getting engaged. At this moment, I could name 10 people at Vanderbilt who I know are engaged. I even know a few students who are already married. Granted, most of these people are what can be described as Christians of the conservative, evangelical variety. I came to Vanderbilt with the idea that I would be going to an intellectual, Ivy League-esque university that just so happened to have SEC athletics and be situated in Nashville. What I didn’t know at the time was that Nashville has one of the highest numbers of churches per capita or that Vanderbilt housed a sizeable minority of Christian students. In fact, I laughingly call out some of my more religious male classmates as “wife hunters.” I thought going to Vanderbilt would mean going to a school that was the polar opposite of a place like Liberty University (which plays host to politicians like Ted Cruz), but I was mistaken. Here are the numbers: The median age of first marriage for women these days is 27, while the median age for men is 29. With education, the number for

women goes up. And, the longer a woman waits to get married, the more she earns over her lifetime. And of course, it is common knowledge that about half of all marriages in the United States end in divorce. I came to college knowing these statistics, and joking with my mother that one day, I’ll be calling her about how my rich boyfriend Raul was going to propose to me on his parents’ yacht. Sadly, Raul doesn’t exist, which was fine by me. What I didn’t know was that I was going to meet people who made marriage a goal. At first, I was more than a little shocked. The vast majority of people at Vanderbilt are either incapable or uninterested in a committed relationship, let alone marriage. To most of us, marriage is a faraway idea that may become a reality years after we’ve graduated, established careers and achieved financial and professional success. As much as I hate to admit it now, I was not the most supportive person when my friends got engaged. Maybe it was out of jealousy that someone was willing to step up and make a real commitment, but I would question them about it constantly, with questions like “Why are you going to get married?” or “Are you sure you’re mature enough?” or worst yet, “Is it just because you want to have sex guilt-free?” Thankfully, my engaged friends were patient with

me and didn’t get their feathers too ruffled by my incredulity. I learned that no, getting married young doesn’t make them any less smart or any less careerdriven. And no, their religious beliefs didn’t push them to be married per se, but instead guided the process to finding a significant other. In time, I came to appreciate how devoted they were to their fiances, and vice versa. It seemed like a nice thing to have: a partner in life straight out the gate. From this experience — besides finding out what a lingerie shower is, and receiving a record number of invitations in my physical mailbox — I learned that not only is getting an Mrs. degree is still a reality in these modern times, but that it is possible for that Mrs. to have double-majored in something a little more career-oriented. My thoughts about conservative Christians were challenged, and so were my thoughts about relationships in general. Marriage is something the educated woman shouldn’t be scared of, and at the same time, not getting married by a certain age (or at all) doesn’t make anyone less of a person than someone who just happens to be married.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

life

GO DO

THIS

Rites of Spring Silent Disco April 16, 9-10:30 p.m., Alumni Lawn

Check out three Vanderbilt student DJs as they play to a silent crowd on Alumni Lawn Thursday night. Upon entry, attendees receive a pair of headphones that they can use to switch among the three music channels, much like the popular event at Bonnaroo. Entry is free with a Rites of Spring ticket.

Portugal. The Man’s Music City musings When the band arrives in Nashville they may as well be coming home By JACK SENTELL Life reporter --------------------

MACLAY HERIOT/ PORTUGAL. THE MAN

Alt-rockers Portugal. The Man may call the Pacific Northwest home, but the members of the Alaskan-born, Portland-based band could easily be mistaken for Nashville locals based on their routine for coming to Music City. “We always run and check out a little shop called ‘Imogene + Willie,’” said Zach Carothers, bassist. “Then we usually go and eat burgers at Burger Up right after that. That’s kind of our jam. And then nightlife, it depends. Sometimes we’ll go to this small whisky bar (when) we feel like partying: The Red Door (Saloon)… we’ve had some crazy nights at that place.” The band, whose name they consider to be their “alter ego,” has a great fondness for

Nashville and its “very serious music history.” The group will look to etch its own name into that of Vanderbilt’s after playing Rites of Spring on Saturday, April 18. Festivals, like Rites of Spring, have a certain vibe that the group wants to spend time experiencing before they “curate” the night’s setlist. “We’re always walking around and kind of feeling (the vibe) beforehand,” Carothers said of festivals. “It’s just one big party and you can really feel the love for music in the air. Everybody’s there to have a good time.” As for the party’s soundtrack, fans should expect an hour of classic rock and hip-hop inspired songs, along with bits and pieces of a few covers. Carothers joked that one of the band’s favorites to play at colleges is Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall,” because of the ironic refrain, “we don’t need no education.” The band however, learned a lot when recording with producer Danger Mouse on their most recent record, 2013’s “Evil Friends.” “We definitely took a lot more time on

(‘Evil Friends’), really focusing on the songs and the structures (more) than we ever had before,” Carothers said. “Working with Danger Mouse was an unreal experience.” Recording with producers like Danger Mouse and most recently, Mike D of the Beastie Boys, is quite a leap from Carothers’ early experiences with music, growing up in Alaska with frontman John Gourley. “I literally went to every show I could,” Carothers said. “I paid like $60 for a ticket of artists I straight up didn’t like, just because I knew it’d be the only live music I’d see for four months.” There’s been plenty of live music in his life recently, despite the band’s lighter road schedule this year. After touring extensively to promote “Evil Friends,” the band is catching up with family in Portland during the week and playing shows on the weekends. For this weekend, Vanderbilt students should come “expecting to have a good time,” according to Carothers. “We love Nashville,” he said. “We can’t wait to get back down there.”

The girl next door (to Vanderbilt) Taylor Swift’s “obsession” gives The Hustler the scoop on her budding career By MADDIE HUGHES Features editor --------------------

BLYTHE THOMAS/ LOUISA WENDORFF

On December 27, 2014 Taylor Swift tweeted the word “OBSESSED,” followed by a link to a music video by Louisa Wendorff, which featured Wendorff and fellow musician Devin Dawson singing a mashup of Swift’s songs “Blank Space” and “Style.” Within hours, the music video had received millions of views. “Honestly, my brain could not comprehend it,” Wendorff said about seeing her video go viral. “We got to 1 million (views), and I was just wondering, what does that mean? I couldn’t even imagine what 1 million people would look like.” The 21-year-old Southern California native always knew she wanted to be a performer, but it wasn’t until she moved to Nashville for college that she was able to focus on her music. “At Belmont was the first time where I made music my priority,” Wendorff said. Over the past two years, she focused on writing and recording her own songs, but it wasn’t until 2014 that her career started to take off. In January, she released her first mashup video, a combination of “Kiss

Me” by Ed Sheeran and “XO” by Beyonce, filmed in downtown Nashville. Wendorff started making mashups as a way to do something different with her cover songs. “When I take songs from two different artists and put them together, I feel I create a new, derivative work, which is my way of making (covers) my own,” she said. In 2014, she continued to create mashups, as well as an EP with original songs, titled “Arrow,” released in June. Over Thanksgiving, she recorded the Taylor Swift mashup, and in December, the video went viral. In January 2015, she decided to take time off of school in order to focus on her music full time. “It was a really hard decision to take a semester off. I started the semester, but it was just way too much,” she said. “I was busy from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and that wasn’t even considering schoolwork.” While some of the frenzy around the video has died down, Wendorff has a lot of plans for the near future. She is planning to release a new single in the coming months, and this week she plans to release a new mashup, which she will be performing at Rites. She is also releasing a jewelry line,

which she will be debuting as well. The line, which is a collaboration with local jewelry design company Consider the Wldflwrs, includes two necklaces, a hand chain and a ring, described by Wendorff as “dainty and bohemian.” She said she wanted to do something different from most musicians, who only offer T-shirts or posters at the merch tables. “I’m all about taking something normal and making it more unique — more me,” Wendorff said. While she has enjoyed the perks of success, such as fulfilling a dream of creating her own jewelry line and performing on the red carpet of the Grammys, learning that her music has affected or inspired someone else has been the most meaningful experience for her. “The most exciting part (of this) is seeing how I touched somebody’s life,” Wendorff said. “That’s always been my long-term goal, and to see it coming true now is incredible.” And to answer the question that’s on everybody’s mind, no, she hasn’t met Swift. But if she had the chance, Wendorff would love to thank her in person for “changing (her) life.”

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

The Lone Bellow brings Brooklyn down south Brian Elmquist

The Lone Bellow’s guitarist, Brian Elmquist, shares his experience with the band’s growing fame, the process behind their music, and what to expect for their performance this Saturday (hint: get ready to sweat) By Adrienne Alderman, Life reporter

The Vanderbilt Hustler: For students trying to learn more about your band, tell us what you want them to know about your history. Brian Elmquist: We’re a band of close friends that formed from a community of artists in Brooklyn. We just released our second record that was produced by Aaron Dessner from the band The National. I’m personally excited to be back in Nashville. I lived and did music there about seven years ago and it holds a special place in my heart. VH: You originated in Brooklyn but your band is indie-folk with a country feel. How did you come to develop that sound? BE: I don’t think we were going for a genre. We were, at the time, thinking and writing about where and how we grew up in the South. I think that’s how the sound of that first record came about because the songs seemed to need it. VH: Your sophomore album hit the stores in January. How does it feel to know that your success is continuing and what was your experience in making this album as

opposed to the first one? BE: The first record was a kickstarter record we recorded in three days live in Rockwood Music Hall, a venue here in (New York City). We still had our day jobs and had to ask off to make it. That was a beautiful experience. The difference with this record is we had the time take to really see where we could go sonically. We recorded for 10 days in a century-old church turned studio back in the ‘60s. We were able to capture all the vocals live in the sanctuary. That room became another instrument on the record. It was such magic to be able to take everything we learned by being on the road for a year and a half — about ourselves and our abilities — and make something out of nothing. I’ll never forget it. VH: It looks like you have several other music festivals lined up on your tour schedule. What is your experience with performing at festivals versus standard concerts? Which do you prefer? BE: I go back and forth. Every artist wants to curate a night that really captures what

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LONE BELLOW

they’re about and meet the fans there, but there’s a certain electricity about festivals. Festivals feel like a celebration of music, and it’s far more than a standard concert. It becomes something bigger than one band. VH: Nashville is seen as the home of country music and music lovers. After traveling all over for various tours, what is your perspective on Nashville? BE: I think Nashville more than ever as a

city is more confident with what it offers music as a whole. When I was there it was only country music, or so it seems. It’s such a melting pot for music these days. I know so many folks writing and recording such beautiful songs. It makes me miss it that much more. VH: What can students expect of your performance on Saturday? BE: Sweat.

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special

Double ’Dores

Life reporter Anna Butrico, a twin herself, set out to uncover the various experiences of twins as they attend college, both together and apart, and peek into the lives of these “double ’Dores”

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Twins typically spend a large portion of their formative years together, but following their senior year of high school, that can change. As college application season looms, twins have to make an important and often scary decision — whether they will stay together or go their separate ways. Some, like identical twins Laney and Shea Sabin, knew from the start that they wanted to go to the same college. “I think I’d really miss her if we didn’t,” Shea said. Other twins roll the dice, and let the admissions results decide. Alex Amboian, whose female fraternal twin goes to University of Wisconsin, didn’t have a preference. “We basically decided we’d just apply based on what we wanted for ourselves. If we ended up getting in the same school, that was fine. We wouldn’t tell each other, ‘I don’t want you to go there’ — it wasn’t a huge deal. We applied to a few of the same schools, but it ended up where we didn’t go to the same place,” he said. Others still, like fraternal twins Zaz and Dora Saclarides, accidentally end up at the same university, even with attempts to land in other places. “I definitely wanted the college experience for myself, and I was kind of crossing my fingers that Dora wasn’t going to go to Vanderbilt,” said Zaz. “I applied ED, and Dora applied regular. When I found out we were both going to school together I was kind of annoyed, because we shared a womb, we shared a bedroom growing up, and I really wanted a college experience to call my own.” Comparisons Identical twins often can’t escape the idea that they have “identical identities.” Although they are different people,

outsiders often compare them closely to distinguish their differences — a phenomenon that they largely don’t appreciate. “(Comparing) gets old,” said India Weinkauf, junior, whose identical twin sister attends Texas A&M. “I know we look exactly the same but we’re completely different.” These often trace back to childhood, when parents encouraged recognizing likenesses in their twins. As can be common between twins, Lily and Grace Cowan, identical sophomores who both attend Vanderbilt, were dressed similarly as children. Breaking out of the parental control over appearance was one of the first steps toward establishing independence, and not just in the usual way of adolescents. “I think our mom just loved dressing us alike. It’s kind of the cliché … but we did that thing where Gracie was always pink and I was always blue or green. It was always the same thing, different color, but when we hit middle school … we started dressing ourselves,” Lily said. Others, like juniors Sam and Noah Trump, looked so similar growing up that today they can’t tell the difference in baby pictures. “(Our parents) didn’t label any of our baby pictures, and we now don’t know who’s who. My mom claims she can (remember), but she says something different every time,” Sam said. According to the Cowans, this insistence on external comparison between twins persists even in college. “It’s horrible when people tell you to stand next to each other and smile ... or when people ask what the differences are between us,” Grace said. Oftentimes, in attempts to tell the difference between twins, outsiders compartmentalize their personalities, deeming one “the more outgoing twin,” “the smarter one,” “the

nicer one” and so on. “Sometimes they pigeonhole us, (but) sometimes I can be the funny one too,’” Lily said. Even many fraternal twins, like Dora and Zaz, have experienced this kind of comparison as well. “Sometimes people will be like, ‘why aren’t you as crazy as your twin?’ And my response is, ‘because I don’t have to be.’ I think that’s a very strange question — we’re different people, we are allowed to be different and have different interests,” Dora said. Separating for college Regardless of whether twins stay together or separate for college, the dynamic of their relationships inevitably are affected by coming to college. Both twins can develop in new ways as a result of their new-found distance from one another. When Weinkauf separated from her identical twin, she was quickly forced to develop autonomy after years of assisted decision-making. “She was the more extroverted one. When I came to college, I had to come out of my shell. I think the weirdest part for us was our first birthday apart … she always picked the place for dinner, what kind of cake (we were having). This year my friends asked me (what I wanted to do) and it was the weirdest thing in the entire world — now I had to decide.” Nancy Lee, a sophomore with a fraternal twin at Notre Dame, feels that having her twin at another university has actually improved her overall collegiate experience. “One thing that I think is cool about having a twin is that you get to experience their college experience vicariously

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

feature through them. Notre Dame has big football, so I’ve been there for game days a lot, so I get to have that Game Day experience that I don’t get here. So if you go to different kinds of schools you can supplement your experience with their experience, which is kind of nice.” Although Sam and Noah Trump both attend Vanderbilt, having separation while Noah has been abroad has been a welcome change for Sam. “I think it’s good for our relationship, because we’ve never had any distance — I think that’s been (our) biggest problem. Now, there’s finally some distance. People on campus know it’s me, and that he’s away. And that’s good.” Competition The comparisons twins face can at times lead to a sense of competition. Chris and John Lee, identical twins who are juniors at Vanderbilt, say that they constantly compete against one another. “We always have to one-up each other. Nowadays, we’re not doing sports, but when we go to the gym we’ll be like, ‘Oh, I got one more rep than you.’... It pushes you to excel,” Chris said. According to John, the knowledge that his twin can accomplish something gives him similar expectations. “If Chris can do it, I can do it. We always push each other to do things that we wouldn’t generally do if we were alone, but everything’s competitive — our parents hate it,” John said. Some twins, however, don’t feel always feel the same level of competition. “We aren’t competitive,” said Dora Saclarides. “I think it’s because we are so different. I’m really thankful that it’s that way.” For twins who are both on Vanderbilt’s campus, it can also affect their social life in terms of Greek affiliations. Twins can orient themselves differently to Greek life: Zaz Saclarides had always wanted to go Greek while her sister Dora never even considered it. Other twins share similar outlooks: Lily and Grace Cowan both rushed their freshman year. During the process, they refrained from talking to each other and only found out on Bid Day that they both received bids to join the same sorority. “We’re so similar that it just worked out that we’re both in Tri Delt,” Lily said. Sam Trump considered joining a fraternity, but didn’t want to join the same one as his brother. “I was thinking about joining (the same one as my brother) but didn’t because it would have just been weird … for other people,” Trump said. “He didn’t flat-out tell me, ‘No, I don’t want you to do it,’ but he did want his separate social sphere. It’s been fine, because I know a ton of ZBT guys, and I hang out there.” Twin myths Often twins are fabled to have twin telepathy, which is thought to include the ability to share thoughts, finish each others’ sentences and even feel what the other is feeling at any given time. The fraternal twins, however, are not so sure about this. “I find it frustrating that people assume we have this twin telepathy bond,” said Amboian, whose twin sister attends University of Wisconsin. “They always ask about it, and I’m just like, ‘We’re just brother and sister — we’re not identical twins.’ So it’s not that much different.” Lee, a fraternal twin as well, had a similar reaction. “I don’t know who started that (idea), but that needs to stop, because that’s not a normal thing,” she said. There are other ways in which twins can feel connected to each other. The charms of growing up alongside a twin can include developing your own language. “My dad and mom would always tell us that when we were younger — before we could even speak — they would come into the room where we both had our cribs next to each other and we would be standing facing each other in the crib, apparently talking to each other in our own little language.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF SAM AND NOAH TRUMP

Not really sure what we were saying, but they say there was something going on there,” Amboian said. The Cowan twins also recognize an innate connection. In the past they’ve had connecting dreams, and even reported mixing up memories. “My dream was that we were at a pool, and something was happening across the pool and Gracie was there with some other people. And when I woke up and told her about it, she said that she was having a conversation with people at a pool (in her own dream),” Lily said. The Cowans even confuse their experiences for one another’s. “Lily will sometimes be like, ‘Remember when I did this?’ And I’ll say, ‘No, that was definitely me.’ It happens mainly with stuff when we were younger,” Grace added. Weinkauf has also experienced shared dreams, even feeling pain after her identical twin broke her elbow. “(My twin) was at a friend’s house, and I was with a friend at a pool. I jumped and I thought I hit my elbow on the diving board, but I was really far away from it. But my elbow was killing me — it felt like I broke it,” she said. Future family Though being a twin comes with a unique set of challenges, for the most part, these “double ’Dores” have appreciated their college experiences, whether together or apart from one another.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GRACE AND LILY COWAN

Clockwise from top: Laney and Shay Sabin, Lily and Grace Cowan, Noah and Sam Trump; Opposite page: Dora and Zaz Saclarides When asked if he’d want a set of twins one day, Trump said that he’d want to avoid the competitiveness that he associates with identical twins. “I don’t think I want to have identical twins, necessarily. Maybe, but ideally I would want to have fraternal twins, (a) boy and girl. It seems like they get along a lot better, from my experience. There’s never very much antagonism, between them, versus identical twins, where there sometimes can (be).” Zaz Saclarides thinks that it is a blessing to have siblings, but her family dynamic is changing once again as she and Dora are no longer the only twins in their family. “Our oldest sister had twins just about a month ago. It’s really weird. In our family, we’re known as ‘The Twins,’ and now there’s a new set,” she said. “We’re the godparents, so twins on twins!” Dora said.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

sports

THE BIG STAT Number of blocks for James Siakam in his Vanderbilt career, 83 of which came in his last two seasons.

Losing a leader

As James Siakam moves on, the Bamba mentality remains By ROBBIE WEINSTEIN Sports reporter --------------------

On a sunny afternoon in mid-April, while the rest of campus enjoys the beautiful spring day, members of the Vanderbilt men’s basketball team begin to filter into Memorial Gymnasium, ready to put in another day’s worth of work. The season ended only three weeks ago, and yet the work has just begun for a group whose core members will mostly return in the fall. One exception, of course, is James Siakam’s graduation. The senior power forward from Cameroon will take his game, as well as his leadership, overseas next season as he forays into the world of pro ball. “These guys are working machines, gym rats, whatever you want to call it,” Siakam said as his teammates walk by on their way to the locker room. “They’re working every day and that culture is something we want to persevere.” Siakam’s leadership has helped sharpen the collective work ethic of this current batch of Commodores. This underscores how much the man affectionately known to Vandy fans and coaches alike by his middle name, Bamba, has meant to a Vanderbilt program on the verge of reestablishing itself on the national scene. What’s become abundantly clear, however, is that Siakam is different from most other college players. Per Ken Pomeroy, Siakam’s offensive rebounding rate is the highest of any Commodore to play more than 15 percent of available minutes since Pomeroy began tracking such statistics in 2002. In SEC play this year, the undersized forward ranked ninth in the conference in block rate despite routinely facing off against players half a foot taller than him. If you ask Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings, however, it’s not Siakam’s unique statistical profile that stands out the most compared to other players to have come through the program. “We’ve had some outstanding human beings during my time at Vanderbilt.” Stallings said. “James has what I would consider to be a very pure heart.” Such compliments are nothing new for Siakam, who Stallings earlier this season described as “one of the best human beings we’ve ever had in this program.”

Bamba’s teammates’ admiration for him became apparent throughout his five-year career, illustrated by the entire Commodore roster walking with him on senior night this past March against Mississippi State. It took loads of work to get to this point, however. Prior to bursting onto the scene in 2013, Siakam had played all of 254 minutes in his first two years on West End, not including a redshirt year immediately upon coming out of high school. A long adjustment period hindered the athletic power forward before he emerged as a major contributor during his junior season. “The speed of the game is something that he had trouble getting used to. It took him a little longer than some guys,” Stallings said. “James has just improved so much in his awareness for the game.” The help and advice of older teammates such as Festus Ezeli and fellow Cameroonian Steve Tchiengang helped pull Siakam out of a multi-year rut. Immersed in a foreign culture, it helped to have two teammates to connect to during a difficult adjustment to college life. “Not only did I not have the basketball acumen, but I had to adjust to the fastpaced academic life at Vanderbilt my first year, and I struggled a little bit,” Siakam said. “Festus was, in his words, terrible his first year and that was helpful to me knowing that someone that couldn’t even catch the ball was able to achieve so much. With both Steve and Festus, it was easy to connect off the court with the similar cultural background.” When characterizing Siakam’s all around game, a mention of his toughness and tenacity is necessary, as well as his penchant for outworking opponents in the paint. Vanderbilt’s own Iron Man, Siakam once subbed back in to a high school game after breaking six bones in his face, with an eye socket hanging loose from its natural position. “He’s crazy tough,” said Aaron Lee, Siakam’s high school coach at Brehm Prep in Carbondale, Illinois. “Most kids can’t get back in the game with a sprained ankle, and he wanted to play with that facial injury.” Although Lee didn’t let Siakam stay in the game with such a severe injury, the fact Siakam tried to find his way back in speaks volumes about his personal toughness. As the lone senior playBOSLEY JARRETT / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER

THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER ◆ WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM ing consistent minutes this season, the Cameroonian sought to show a new crop of freshmen the type of fortitude it would take to find success at the level that the last great group of Commodores found from 2010-’12. That group of players, including Ezeli, Tchiengang and Jeffery Taylor showed Siakam what major conference college basketball is all about. The soon-to-be Vanderbilt graduate has now passed this knowledge on to the next generation of Commodores. “I was defending Jeff Taylor for two years every day in practice, and those challenges got me to where I am today. If you don’t guard him with toughness, he’s going to embarrass you, and that just was not going to happen from my perspective,” Siakam said. “On this year’s team, we’re all competitors and that’s what I like about them.” The value Siakam provided to this season’s Commodore team, therefore, went far beyond his stats and even his supreme hustle. As the only senior receiving consistent playing time, Siakam recognized the need for someone to show younger players how to conduct themselves. James’ leadership, Stallings said, has been every bit as impressive as his play on the court. “I never really saw James have a bad day,” Stallings said. “That’s why everyone respected him and loved him so much. He led verbally to some degree, but his leadership came in the form of the example he set on a daily basis.” His head coach’s description fits with

what many people think of when the energetic forward comes to mind, but Siakam insists that, behind the scenes, he was far from the saint that he’s often portrayed when it came to mentoring his younger teammates. “Everyday in the locker room, film, workouts, I’m talking. I’m talking trash, I’m talking crazy; I’m not gonna say I was an angel. I was even saying some stuff I probably shouldn’t have said,” Siakam said. “But it was all for their good, and to build toughness. That’s what I wanted to do and that’s what I wanted this team to be. It served us well, I would say.” Based on the results toward the end of the season, it appears that Siakam is correct. Following a seven-game losing streak during which the Commodores’ postseason hopes appeared moribund at best, the team finished 10-4 in its last 14 games once Stallings reinserted Siakam into the starting lineup. Siakam, however, insists that the young players’ persistence represents the determining factor in the team’s turnaround. “These guys are not quitters,” Siakam said. “They are not used to these losing streaks, and they were willing to do whatever it took to get out of it.” The senior’s suggestion that this group of players has shown more of an edge than the NCAA Tournament teams from 201012 speaks to the potential that these freshmen and sophomores have only started to realize. “We had a lot of leaders back then, but

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015 they weren’t necessarily vocal leaders. This year, I feel like we were more vocal in the way we did things,” Siakam said. “There was a lot of talking going on, but it wasn’t counterproductive. It was about getting each other better and instilling competitiveness.” Next year’s squad undoubtedly carries what some may refer to as a burden of high expectations. A strong recruiting class, the addition of Cornell transfer Nolan Cressler and the return of seven of the top nine players in minutes played this past season already has driven onlookers across the country to declare the Commodores a likely NCAA Tournament team come next March. Add Siakam to their ranks, as well. “I don’t have any doubt in my mind that these guys will do whatever is necessary to win games and to have a better year than we had this year,” Siakam said. “I’m leaving knowing that, if anything, these guys are going to mimic what was there (at the end of the year), and that’s all I’m hoping for.” Bamba’s production may be leaving Nashville, but it’s clear that his spirit will not be departing along with him. Commodores fans may not see James Siakam and his tenacity on the court in 2015-16, but they will certainly recognize the embodiment of it in the rest of the roster. This, in fact, may be the most powerful impact the Cameroonian could possibly have on a program hoping to re-emerge from its slumber and stake its claim among the elite of the SEC once more.

BOSLEY JARRETT / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER

Siakam (35) hits a layup in a 2nd round NIT Tournament matchup against SDSU on March 20.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

SPORTS

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For two lacrosse seniors, an era comes to an end By JOSH HAMBURGER Sports reporter --------------------

When asked to name all of the teams that seniors Alex Duckenfield and Maggie Forker have played on together, it was difficult for them to remember them all. When listing these teams, they looked at one another and laughed, realizing the extent and making sure that they hadn’t missed any. This week, the defensive duo enters the final stretch of games in the season, which will also signal an end to 12 years of lacrosse played together. The two defensive leaders were brought together by lacrosse, which is also the sport that has kept them close since fifth grade. Like any other friendship, they naturally became closer as they moved through the years on around six different teams — including a field hockey team — from lower school to college. Although they attended different high schools, their club and rec teams provided them time on the field as teammates and friends, which ultimately led to them to continue their time here at Vanderbilt for four more years. As highly-touted recruits, Duckenfield and Forker both went on all of their college visits together, having been eyed by many of the same schools. Their similar interests led them to narrow down their list of colleges, but Duckenfield explained, “I don’t think us or our parents actually thought we would end up at the same school.” They believed that both of them attending Vanderbilt was really by coincidence, although subconscious and Coach Swezey’s recruiting techniques helped extensively in that decision. Although Swezey noted that she didn’t necessarily set out to get both of them together, it surely helped in influencing them to come to Vanderbilt. “We tend to do that quite a bit. And again, it’s not because we think one will get the other to come, but we tend to have really good relationships within clubs, and the kids just keep coming from those clubs,” Swezey said about recruiting the duo. Duckenfield, Forker and Swezey all recognize how much their experience together has paid off in the long run. “We always say this. We feel like we know what each other’s doing like three steps before they do it, so I know all of her tendencies, and she knows mine,” Duckenfield noted. “If I’m having a bad day, she knows what to say to pick me up,” Forker said about the emotional and accountable aspect. Their styles greatly complement one another, as Duckenfield leads the team in caused turnovers, while Forker leads in ground balls. When asked about the statistics, Duckenfield immediately responded by laughing: “I check them, she picks them up.” Their statures also contribute to this trend, as the taller Duckenfield focuses on attacking the ball, while Forker describes herself as “scrappy” and able to fight for loose balls. “You can see it in their communication. I feel like they almost know what one is going to do before the other one does it. I think that chemistry is really key,” Swezey reiterated. Because they attended different high schools, they inevitably had to face off against one another at some point. One game still has lasting effects: When asked about who won, Duckenfield raised her hand while Forker leered at her and muttered under her breath, “Still bitter about it.” As their time on the field comes to an end, they are looking to extend their final season with a run towards the Big East tournament. A win against Connecticut on senior day positions the team well with two remaining conference games against Marquette and Villanova to end the season. With expectations to make the tournament, Duckenfield and Forker must continue to lead a stout defense until the very last regular season game. As Duckenfield acknowledged that “the era of lacrosse is coming to an end,” Forker further recognized this sudden end to an important part of their youth. “It’s weird to think that we won’t be playing lacrosse again,” Forker said as she left the practice field for one of her last times ever as a player.

BECK FRIEDMAN / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER

Defenders Alex Duckenfield (left) and Maggie Forker (right) have been competing together since their childhood years. Above, Duckenfield (10) transitions the ball during 19-5 home victory over Presbyterian in 2012.

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

Gold medalist Shawn Johnson visits Mentor TennisSee By CALLIE MEISEL Sports reporter --------------------

COURTESY OF HANA BETTS

Gymnast Shawn Johnson speaks in front of a group of Mentor TennisSee students at the Currey Tennis Center.

As the Mentor TennisSee kids strolled into the conference room on the upper level of Vanderbilt’s Currey Tennis Center, they immediately rushed to a table in the corner of the room to grab their share of protein pretzels and apple juice. Mentor TennisSee is a non-profit organization that partners with Knowledge Academy — a local charter school — in order to bolster 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. In the frenzy that is snack time, only a few of the kids noticed that an Olympic gold medalist was standing in the opposite corner if the room. Every Thursday, Mentor TennisSee invites a special guest to come speak, and last week’s special guest was gymnast Shawn Johnson. Once everyone settled into their seats with protein pretzels in one hand and apple juice in the other, Hana Betts, Mentor TennisSee’s Director, and Nancy House, the Deputy Director, introduced Johnson to the Knowledge Academy students. Johnson is from Iowa, where she grew up an only child. As a little kid, she was al-

ways climbing around her house, jumping off cabinets and tables. Johnson’s parents enrolled their energetic child in her first gymnastics class when she was just three years old, and Johnson soon fell in love with the sport. As a self-described “adrenaline junky,” a large part of the appeal of gymnastics for Johnson was the rush she got when she leapt around and flipped in the air. “It made me feel invincible — like a superhero,” she explained. Johnson’s favorite event has always been the balance beam for exactly this reason. She laughs as she reflects on her love to fly through the air, realizing how much this aspect of the balance beam scares her now. After training for several years, Johnson realized that gymnastics was more than just a sport — it was a passion that she genuinely loved and wanted to pursue to the fullest. “I was in elementary school, and I had dreams of going to the Olympics one day. People thought I was absolutely crazy because I came in last for the first ten years of my life in every competition I competed in,” Johnson tells the kids. There were times when Johnson felt defeated and found it difficult to bounce back from tough practices or competitions. Sometimes, she became so frustrated that she wanted to quit gymnastics

for good. Liang Chow, Shawn Johnson’s coach, responded to these phases by telling Johnson to take a couple days off to really think about quitting. Although Johnson always came running back to Chow’s gym, she valued those breaks from training because they allowed her space and time to realize that she was competing for herself and herself only. In high school, Johnson became a time management professional, as she successfully balanced her strict training regimen and her mounds of homework. Johnson remained fully committed to gymnastics and spent 25 hours per week training at her gym, but Coach Chow and her parents made it clear that her top priority should always be her academics. “I was always that kid in science class doing math homework,” Johnson jokes with the Mentor TennisSee students about her struggles to keep up with her workload. Ultimately, Johnson graduated with a 4.0 GPA and her name on her high school’s Honor Roll. In 2008, when she was just 16 years old, Johnson had achieved her life-long goal. She joined the United States’ Olympic gymnastics team as the youngest member, and next thing she knew she was off to compete in Beijing.

For the full story, visit vanderbilthustler.com.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

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