VCU student arrested in gathering echoing 2024 Gaza encampment
ANDREW KERLEY
SARAH HAGEN
ETHAN YORK
MOLLY MANNING
MARCUS LEARY
Contributing Writers
A peaceful gathering to “be together in community” on the anniversary of VCU’s violent April 2024 Gaza solidarity encampment unravelled into disarray after police told roughly 50 students they were trespassing and breaking campus policy, ending in one student’s arrest.
The VCU Students for Justice in Palestine chapter arrived on the James Branch Cabell Library lawn at 2 p.m. and encouraged students to bring snacks, art supplies and games, according to a post on their Instagram.
In a scene that reflected last year — Aaron Hart, vice president of student affairs, and Gabe Willis, associate vice president and dean of student advocacy, delivered leaflets to students at roughly 3:45 p.m. and said the event was unauthorized and violated the Interim Campus Expression and Space Utilization Policy, which was implemented in August 2024 following last year’s encampment.
Hart said he recalled protesting when he was in college, and they just want to have conversations with students about
Senior
following the rules and protesting the correct way.
VCU Police asked students to relocate 100 yards away to the “designated area for free speech” in Park Plaza Amphitheatre and said students could not hold signs with political messages on them.
Student participants debated with VCU Police and Student Affairs officials over details of the policy, such as whether or not blankets were allowed, or if blankets with writing on them were considered signage.
Rachael Tully, assistant dean of students, told participants they were allowed to have blankets and banners out as long as they sat on them, which caused confusion among the crowd, according to Palestinian student organizer Sereen Haddad.
Students asked how she could guarantee their safety against the police and Tully said she would talk to them. Tully did not return to the lawn after leaving, but more VCU police officers showed up around 15 minutes later, according to Haddad.
VCU Police sergeant Curtis Diesselhorst announced at roughly 6 p.m. that students would be given one more warning to leave or they would be arrested for trespassing.
Students were packing up their blankets and chanting at police when Diesselhorst arrested Oscar Ferguson-Osborne, a fourth-year communication arts student,
for trespassing. He was holding a sign that contained an expletive. Ferguson-Osborne was also arrested on the same charge during last year’s encampment.
The student crowd followed police as they walked Ferguson-Osborne to a van on S. Cathedral Place, chanting “let him go” and “RPD, KKK, IOF, they’re all the same” — comparing police to the Ku Klux Klan and the “Israeli Occupation Forces,” an anti-zionist nickname for the Israel Defense Forces.
Students cleared their blankets and signs off of the lawn by 6:15 p.m. Students, VCU Police and Richmond Police remained on the scene until roughly 8:15 p.m.
VCU Student Affairs, security personnel and police provided multiple warnings to disperse and relocate to the Park Plaza Amphitheater, but many still refused, VCU Police spokesman Jake Burns stated.
Students started chanting at police because they felt threatened, Haddad, the organizer, said. The gathering was purely peaceful; students were just there to talk, do their homework and study for finals.
“This wasn’t a demonstration,” Haddad said. “It was genuinely just coming here to be together in community because of the trauma that we had faced last year from police brutality.”
Last year’s encampment resulted in police arresting 13 people, including six
students, and using chemical irritants on protesters such as pepper spray, smoke bombs and CS spray, an ingredient of tear gas. Students reported black eyes, cuts, bruises and sprained wrists and shoulders, according to a previous article by The Commonwealth Times.
Norman Capers, a second-year mathematical sciences student, was present for the protest and last year’s encampment, and said both displays from police were “disrespectful.”
“Rightfully, the students got mad, because it’s a lawn, we’re studying, there should be no reason why the police should come out here,” Capers said.
Miyah Johnson, a second-year health services student, said similar sentiments about police and university actions against students.
“I think VCU is very pick and choose about what they care about,” Johnson said. Haddad called VCU’s actions “intimidation tactics” in a speech to the crowd, before encouraging students to “spontaneously” return to the lawn again on April 30. Some students regrouped at Richmond City Justice Center, where Ferguson-Osburne was being held.
“What you’re witnessing here is fascism, and fascism doesn’t just start with one group and then end,” Haddad said. “It comes forever.”
Farewells See Opinions page 12
Students confront police on the James Branch Cabell Library lawn at a gathering commemorating the anniversary of the April 2024 Gaza solidarity encampment on April 29.
Photo by Kyler Gilliam.
Stories of the week
national: President Trump signed an executive order relaxing tariffs on certain U.S. automakers on April 29.
international: Pope Francis’ funeral was held in Vatican City on April 26.
Changes in the US Education Department could impact federal aid
EMILY GRINSTEAD
Contributing Writer
Changes in the United States Education Department may affect student aid and debt programs, according to an article published by the Virginia Mercury.
The department announced it would work to “streamline” federal assistance programs, such as Pell Grants, according to an April 3 press release. The department also plans to improve programs such as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
“Not only will this rulemaking serve as an opportunity to identify and cut unnecessary red tape, but it will allow key stakeholders to offer suggestions to streamline and improve federal student aid programs,” stated Acting Under Secretary James Bergeron in the press release.
The department claimed that Title IV programs may be a factor in the rising cost of higher education, according to the Federal Register. Proposed regulations will be developed through comments and recommendations from the public.
Title IV of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 established student financial aid programs at qualifying higher education institutions. These include public, private non-profit and for-profit institutions.
On average, undergraduate students at VCU during the 2023-2024 academic year were awarded $18,734 in financial aid in the form of grants, loans, scholarships and work-study jobs, according to the university’s Student Financial Services website.
Over 30% of students are Pell Grant eligible and 37% are first-generation college students, according to VCU facts and ranking.
Hernan Bucheli, vice president for strategic enrollment management and student success at VCU, wrote an article for the Virginia Mercury ahead of the 2024-2025 academic year about issues with Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Universities across the nation faced delays in processing FAFSA after the U.S. Department of Education simplified the FAFSA form, according to Bucheli. This particularly impacted VCU since over 70% of undergraduates are enrolled with a FAFSA.
Bucheli stated that low-income and
first-generation students are greatly impacted by these delays.
“The FAFSA delay has a greater impact on those groups, but it also impacts middle-income families, who also often rely on need-based financial aid,” Bucheli stated.
“The Better FAFSA,” released by the U.S. Department of Education ahead of the 2024-2025 academic year, was meant to streamline the FAFSA application process and help all students “access the maximum financial aid for which they are eligible,” according to the U.S. Department of Education.
However, the new form had numerous technical issues as well as delays, according to the Government Accountability Office.
State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Richmond, stated in an article by the Virginia Mercury that cuts within the U.S. Department of Education will make processing federal loan and grant applications less “efficient and effective.” This could also hinder the agency’s ability to address concerns.
Changes made by the U.S. Department of Education will have an adverse effect on students and
universities, already frustrated by the issues and delays in FAFSA and the delivery of federal aid packages, according to the Virginia Mercury.
The FAFSA delay has a greater impact on those groups, but it also impacts middle-income families, who also often rely on need-based financial aid.”
Hernan Bucheli, vice president for strategic enrollment management
The Office of Postsecondary Education within the U.S. Department of Education will host both in-person and virtual public hearings on April 29 and Thursday, May 1.
Illustration by Killian Goodale-Porter.
VCU ‘takes a stand’ for climate justice on Earth Day
MOLLY MANNING
Contributing
Writer
The VCU chapter of the NAACP, VCU Green Action Club, Students for Justice in Palestine and Sunrise RVA organized an Earth Day protest and march in Monroe Park on April 22.
Carolyn Hindle, Green Action copresident, began the protest by addressing the crowd through a megaphone. Hindle called on VCU to include specific carbon emission benchmarks in their sustainability plan and work toward climate initiatives instead of spending $240 million on a new athletic village.
“Something needs to be done now, but in the face of such a huge problem like climate change, it might feel like a small institution like VCU doesn’t really have power and I firmly disagree with that,” Hindle said. “VCU has a huge amount of power in the city, we are the number one property owner, we are one of the
number one employers, and we owe it to our community to do better.”
Green Action is a student-led organization focused on environmental advocacy and climate justice, according to their letter of demands. This isn’t the first time they’ve organized an Earth Day protest — in April 2023, a group of protestors organized by the club delivered a model of the Earth in a coffin to the same office, as reported by The Commonwealth Times.
The march in 2023 was focused on the petition the group created, urging the university to declare a climate emergency, which has over 2,000 signatures. There was also an action day last Earth Day in 2024 centered around VCU’s lack of concrete demands in their sustainability plan, according to Caroline May, Green Action’s co-president. This year, the protest was a reiteration of both of those previous themes.
“Now this is encompassing both, but really pushing for more action on the sustainability plan,” May said. “Right now they’ve closed the implementation phase of the plan, however, I think one of the big things that’s an issue is the really really slow progress and lack of action on the sustainability plan.”
Participants added their names with Sharpies to a banner which said in large, green letters, “Take a stand — we support equity and sustainability at VCU.” This banner was delivered to the VCU Office of the President at 910 W. Franklin Street. Hand-painted t-shirts with the message “take a stand” in green letters were also distributed to attendees.
During the march from Monroe Park and back, protesters sang songs and chanted phrases such as “We want clean air, not another billionaire,” and “Tell Michael Rao: climate justice now.”
After the marchers returned to
the park, John Henry Williams, an organizer for Sunrise RVA, addressed the crowd with remarks about climate change and climate justice. Sunrise RVA is a local branch of the nationwide Sunrise Movement, a movement of young people fighting against the climate crisis and for a Green New Deal to be passed, according to the Sunrise Movement website.
Ashley Brown, president of the VCU NAACP chapter, followed Williams in speaking to the demonstrators about climate and racial justice.
“As many of you probably know, climate justice is directly linked to racial justice and there’s a little concept called environmental racism, where companies, governments, organizations and institutions purposefully put pollutants and things that damage people’s lungs, ability to breathe, health concerns, they put these things in neighborhoods of people of color,” Brown said.
issues. Photos by Molly Manning.
More change to come at the VCU Provost Office
HECIEL NIEVES BONILLA Contributing Writer
VCU has selected Beverly Warren as interim provost in place of outgoing provost Fotis Sotiropoulos.
Sotiropoulos will leave VCU on May 31 to start a role as executive vice president at Penn State in the fall, according to VCU News. He expects the search for the new provost to begin as soon as possible.
“This is a bittersweet moment, and I want to express my deepest gratitude to and admiration for the Virginia Commonwealth University community,” he wrote in a personal statement on LinkedIn.
He also listed what he felt were the most important fruits of his collaboration with
deans and other faculty, which included establishing the School of Life Sciences and Sustainability, the VCU Convergence Labs and the Academy of Interdisciplinary Innovation. Sotiropoulos also led the provost’s office and coordinated with departments through the latter portions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
One recent directive of the provost’s office under Sotiropoulos involved updating the process for faculty promotion to certain titles, including assistant or professor in a field, to require a terminal degree — the highest level of degree attainable in the field in question. The change was controversial at the time, in particular with faculty themselves, according to a previous report by The Commonwealth Times.
Warren spent four years after her time at VCU as the president of Kent State University in Ohio. The university credits her for administering a five-year plan for academic restructuring and the beginning of a ten-year plan of change for its physical campus. Students at Kent expressed their opinions of Warren in the school’s paper, The Kent Stater, praising her openness as well as admonishing her to act on issues like raising campus worker pay.
Warren was also the first president of that university to officially speak off-campus about the 1970 Kent State massacre, according to the local Chautauquan Daily. That event saw four student protestors killed and nine injured by the Ohio National Guard during an anti-Vietnam War demonstration.
A letter from the editor
JACK GLAGOLA News Editor
Dear reader,
Warren will not be bringing those new experiences back to VCU for long, however. Grant Heston, the vice president for enterprise marketing and communications at VCU, spoke about the appointment and the process of picking a permanent provost.
“Dr. Warren is expected to remain the interim provost until a permanent provost arrives,” Grant said. “A search committee, co-chaired by senior vice presidents Dr. Meredith Weiss and Dr. Marlon Levy, is forming now with the goal of hiring a permanent provost by December.”
Weiss and Levy’s committee will search nationwide for the new permanent provost, and Warren is expected to serve mainly for the coming fall semester.
This is my last issue as News Editor. It has been a wild year and a half and I could not be more proud to have been part of keeping the VCU community informed — from the Palestine protests to Board of Visitors meetings, from union rallies to new coffee shops. I would not be heading where I am now if not for the staff, the advisers and most of all, our readers for making our work possible in the first place. I hope you are as excited for what The Commonwealth Times will come up with in the years to come as I am. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading.
Sincerely,
Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos is departing for Penn State, and Beverly Warren will take over as interim provost while the university searches for Sotiropoulos’ successor. Photo by Cameron Powell.
Sports
Rams reload roster during transfer portal
Since the departure of VCU’s former head coach Ryan Odom, new head coach Phil Martelli Jr. wasted no time stacking his roster. Martelli has already secured the return of key players like first-year guard Brandon Jennings, who previously entered the transfer portal, in addition to adding fresh faces to the team.
Here’s a look at the new additions to VCU’s men’s basketball team:
ALEXIS WASHINGTON Staff Writer
JADRIAN TRACEY
Tracey will be joining the Rams as a 6-foot-5-inch-guard. He is a redshirt fourth-year transfer from the University of Oregon, where he averaged 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists, according to Go Ducks. Tracey played at Saint Joseph’s University his first year and two games of his second year before transferring to Florida Southwestern University.
His veteran experience will make him a great asset to the team. He played in all 35 games with the Oregon Ducks and led them to a second straight appearance in the NCAA tournament, according to winknews. Martelli will focus on a fastpaced playing style, something Tracey is not shy of.
Tracey ended his season with the Oregon Ducks with a career high of 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists, according to GoDucks. His athleticism and shooting abilities will contribute to VCU’s success.
AHMAD NOWELL
Nowell is a 6-foot first-year guard from the University of Connecticut who averaged 1.5 points, 1.1 assists and 0.9 rebounds. He played at Imhotep Charter Institute High School in Philadelphia, according to the UConn Huskies. Despite Nowell just starting his collegiate career, he is coming off many accolades.
Nowell won three state championships at Imhotep and clinched the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 5A title in his last final year in addition to Player of the Year and First Team AllState as a pick in Pennsylvania as a senior, according to the UConn Huskies. He is known for his defensive ends on the floor and aggressive playing style, according to 247sports. Nowell’s fast tempo is a needed addition for the Rams.
ETHAN YORK
Contributing Writer
TYRELL WARD
Tyrell Ward is another notable pickup for the VCU Rams going into the 2025 season. Ward joins the Rams as a thirdyear guard from Louisiana State University. Standing at 6-foot-6-inches and 195 lbs., Ward has shown he is a capable player. In the 2023-2024 season, Ward averaged 9.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, and had a field goal percentage of 43%, according to ESPN.
In that season, Ward started in ten games and appeared in a total of 31 contests for LSU, according to MSN. Ward has proven he will be a capable asset for VCU. He scored in double figures in the last seven of his 11 games, including a stretch of four straight games with double figures, according to MSN.
Ward is a great pickup for VCU. His athleticism and size will help him on the court in the Atlantic 10 conference, along with his elite three-point shooting.
MARCUS LEARY
Contributing Writer
LAZAR DJOKOVIC
Lazar Djokovic is an imposing pickup for the Rams front court. Hailing from Serbia, the 6-foot-11-inch, 235-lbs forward played one season at the College of Charleston and is now joining the Rams as a third-year for the 2025-2026 campaign. He played in 29 games, starting in 19 of them, according to College of Charleston Athletics.
Djokovic is a threat on both offense and defense. He averaged 7.9 points per game, scoring a career-high 20 against The Citadel. The big man also uses his frame to fight for rebounds.
He totaled 182 rebounds last season, 119 of which came on the defensive glass, and averaged 6.3 rebounds per game. He
Stat of the week
had five games with double-digit rebounds, including a career-high 15 against Campbell University, according to College of Charleston Athletics.
Djokovic’s size, paired with his rebounding ability, will not only make him difficult to stop offensively but also allow the Rams to extend possessions.
NYKOLAS LEWIS
Lewis is the first freshman recruited by Martelli to join the Rams. The high school senior point-guard out of Washington D.C. measures in at 6-foot-1-inches, 195 lbs. Lewis is a nationally ranked four-star recruit coming in as the number 56 recruit in the country, according to ESPN.
In November 2024, Lewis signed a letter of intent to play at Xavier University. He reopened his recruitment after decommitting from Xavier on March 28. He committed to VCU less than a month later, on April 18, according to 24/7 Sports.
Lewis played high school basketball at Gonzaga College High School. In the 2024-2025 season, Lewis averaged 12.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists while helping the Eagles to the DCSAA Class AA championship. Lewis was also named the DC MaxPreps Player of the Year, according to MaxPreps.
VCU first-year catcher Jacob Lee scored four RBIs in the 9-0 win against Fordham University on April 27, according to VCU Athletics.
CT file photos by Arrick Wilson.
Scouting Report: VCU Baseball vs University of Richmond
VCU men’s baseball will face the University of Richmond at The Diamond for an Atlantic 10 matchup in its last home series this season, and last home series at The Diamond on May 9, through May 11.
The CT Sports staff chose their notable players for the three-game series.
DREW THOMPSON Staff Writer
Trent Adelman - The Rams’ second-year infielder and outfielder Trent Adelman has been carefully carving out a successful season. Adelman has been featured 36 times this season and is top three in three different statistics on the Rams. Adelman has an on-base percentage of .414%, 15 walks and 11 steals. While he may not have eye-popping slugging numbers, Adelman remains a constant threat whenever he steps up to hit. Adelman is a similarly consistent player when fielding, maintaining a fielding percentage of 1.000% and having no errors to his name.
Adelman’s numbers improve when looking strictly at conference play as well. In the A-10, Adelman has an OBP of .425 with eight walks and three steals to go along with it. His batting average is very middling at only .261, but he consistently finds himself on base more than nearly everyone on the Rams. His keen eye in the batter’s box and consistent fielding presence will make him a player to watch in this upcoming series.
KYLER GILLIAM
Staff Writer
Jacob Lee - The first-year catcher has impressed in his first season with the black and gold. Lee leads the team in at-bats, runs, hits, total bases, slugging percentage, triples, home runs and runs batted in, according to VCU Athletics. He is also at least top-5 in doubles, walks drawn and on-base percentage. Lee is becoming one of the most powerful bats in the VCU lineup. The Chesterfield product has been one of the few bright spots for the Rams this season. Lee hit his 11th home run of the season on April 26, against Fordham University in an A-10 conference matchup, breaking the record for most home runs for a true freshman in a season, according to VCU Athletics. Lee will be needed by the Rams in a game against the cross-town rival Spiders, but he will also be needed to rebound VCU baseball for years to come.
Richmond University
ANDREW MCGHAN Staff Writer
Jordan Jaffe - The Spiders’ third-year infielder Jordan Jaffe has been having another stellar season for the Spiders. He leads the team in hits with 65 and is third in home runs with eight, according to Richmond Spiders. Jaffe also has a batting average of .394 which leads the team. He has hit 17 doubles and has 48 runs batted in, according to the Richmond Spiders. Jaffe is not only a great hitter he is also a great infielder. He leads the team in putouts with 303 and double plays with 28, according to the Richmond Spiders. He was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America in 2023, according to the Richmond Spiders. Jaffe will play a key role for the Spiders to get a win over the Rams.
MICHAEL AGHOMO FEUNGUE
Contributing Writer
Ryan Bilka - The Spider’s third-year right-handed pitcher, Ryan Bilka, has been a valuable asset for the Spiders this season. With an ERA of 2.39 over 52.2 innings this season, according to Richmond Spiders, Ryan has been the Spiders’ most lethal pitcher on the mound. Over those 52.2 innings, he has only allowed batters 36 total hits, 17 runs and two home runs. He has also sent plenty of batters back to the dugout with a teamleading 50 strikeouts, according to Richmond Spiders. In addition, he makes little to no errors, only racking up 14 thus far and four HBP. Over his last five games, his performance has been especially impressive, four of which he pitched an ERA of zero, according to Richmond Spiders. This season has been Bilka’s first year with the Spiders. Last year, he was named second team all-NEC and ranked second in ERA. Since joining the Spiders, Bilka has continued his impressive performance, making him a critical part of their game plan in their upcoming three-game series against VCU.
CT file photo by Anthony Duong.
The pressure of being a college athlete
HAYDEN BRAUN
Contributing Writer
The recent death of Louisiana State University wide receiver Kyren Lacy has sparked a difficult conversation about the immense mental challenges and physical toll on college athletes. Athletes often face performance demands, social and financial pressure and social media scrutiny. Student-athletes face a relentless path and that too often leads to great tragedy for themselves and others.
College athletes must excel on and off the field in the classroom and as public figures, often with little room for error.
Former Ohio State and Washington Commanders quarterback Dwayne Haskins’ death back in 2022 points to how young athletes are “treated as commodities rather than human beings,” according to The Hatchet.
The physical toll of football can often lead to brain injuries like Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, otherwise known as CTE, which is another layer of risk.
It’s made clear that Black athletes in particular face additional pressures in a system that often exploits their labor without adequate support, according to the Michigan Chronicle.
Many football players in college or the NFL tend to self-medicate with alcohol, drugs or reckless behavior to cope, according to Duke University.
Henry Ruggs III, a former University of Alabama and Las Vegas Raiders receiver, is now serving prison time for a fatal DUI.
It was later revealed Ruggs had suffered from undiagnosed mental health struggles, according to ABC7.
In Ruggs’ Case, even elite coaching from a legend like Nick Saban cannot always prevent personal crisis and reckless behavior.
After Ruggs’ fatal DUI case, Saban gave a powerful speech, which is one of my favorite speeches of all time.
“If there was a player in Las Vegas who was drinking at three o’clock in the morning with his buddies and his girlfriend, and someone would’ve taken his keys away. It probably would have pissed him off, probably would have made him mad, probably wouldn’t have thought very much of you for doing that. But would he be better off now, or is he better off where he was going 156 mph, running his ass into somebody and killing them?” Saban said.
Public scrutiny has never been more intense. Online criticism and the pressure to maintain a perfect image can be devastating. Lacy’s death reflects an “unspoken rule” among athletes: Suffer in silence or risk losing your spot, according to MSN.
The system must change — better mental health resources, reduced commercialization, and genuine care for athletes can’t wait. The NCAA’s Mental Health Best Practices serve as a foundation, but student-athletes continue to experience care shortages, particularly within sports generating the most revenue, because commercial interests dominate their wellness needs, according to Slate. Academic portfolios featuring sport psychology techniques exist to combat burnout and enhance athletic results, according to SportsPsychology.
Schools and athletic organizations need to establish these resources as their priorities. The actual reform requires dedicated financial support to implement these resources instead of generating policies alone. The research has established all necessary evidence; institutions need to act.
Illustration by Nathan Varney.
The Diamond’s finale is CarMax’s future
JENNY ALLEN
Contributing Writer
Celebrating its 40th and final season of hosting professional baseball, The Diamond has become a beloved Richmond landmark, welcoming locals, visitors and fans.
Home to the Richmond Braves from 1985 to 2008, VCU athletics since 2009 and the MiLB Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels since 2010, The Diamond is now an unforgettable site.
“Three-quarters of the century that Richmonders have been kind of gathering as a community at the same location — 3001 Arthur Ashe Boulevard,” general manager Anthony Oppermann said. “Beyond baseball, there’s just something to having a place where people of all different backgrounds and beliefs can come together and it doesn’t matter, the score doesn’t matter.”
The Flying Squirrels have sold out 15 consecutive Opening Night Games, with a capacity of 9,560, including their final opener this year on April 4 since nesting at The Diamond, according to MLB.
“The Flying Squirrels are Richmond’s identity,” Oppermann said.
The Flying Squirrels rank among the top of all Double-A teams in total and average attendance. As the focus now shifts to the up-and-coming CarMax Park, the organization’s goal is to become number one out of the 120 Minor League Markets in the entire country, according to Oppermann.
The Flying Squirrels and CarMax have
announced their partnership to build a new stadium and premier entertainment venue after The Diamond’s remarkable 40 years, according to MiLB.
The Diamond did not disappoint when it came to engaging fans, however, the new stadium will feature a 360-degree wraparound concourse, a field-level dugout suite and 20 indoor luxury suites.
Fans will have access to a multi-tiered beer garden, a kids zone, outfield lawn seating and event areas; the new and improved Diamond is now CarMax Park, according to MiLB.
Not only will CarMax Park create an enjoyable and memorable experience for the community, it will also offer facilities that are more geared towards player development, Oppermann said.
Richmond’s community has been surrounded by professional baseball since 1884 and excitement since the city’s founding, according to 12 On Your Side. The thrill is not just in watching a baseball game, but rather, the entertainment around it.
“All the things kind of going on outside don’t matter once you kind of get inside the squirrely gates and everybody’s there for the same purpose, just to have a good time, whether they love baseball or not,” Oppermann said.
CarMax Park will strive to make each game day a different and unique occasion, taking fans’ game experience to the next
level, according to Oppermann.
“The versatility of the venue, it’s going to be really unique and really special and I think it’s definitely going to be an asset to the community around,” Oppermann said.
Every visit will be an opportunity to create cherishable moments at CarMax Park. On non-game days, CarMax Park will provide the public with a variety of opportunities. The 6,000 square-foot Atlantic Union Bank Lounge inside the park will be able to hold small concerts, comedy shows, conferences and more, according to Oppermann.
While The Diamond will forever linger in the hearts of fans, traditions will continue to live out their legacies in the new stadium.
A steel beam from The Diamond was placed in CarMax Park at the top of the team store located in the center field. The beam was placed in CarMax Park on the same day The Diamond celebrated its 40th anniversary, according to Oppermann.
“We kind of celebrated the future and then honored the past on the same day,” Oppermann said.
During opening weekend at The Diamond, the beam was available for fans to sign, allowing them to pass on their unforgettable memories.
“That’s the goal, to make it the best and just kind of have people as they walk around being in awe of every aspect,” Oppermann said.
The Richmond Flying Squirrels play their final season at The Diamond. Photo by Jenny Allen.
Spectrum
On This Day
JOSHUA MIKLOS Contributing Writer
The VCU Activities Programming Board hosted musical artist and rapper Rico Nasty for its Tiny Desk Concert event on April 25, according to the APB Rams Connect.
“This was really a dream come true. We had had a lot of ups and downs over the past few years — coming back from COVID and just trying to stay afloat and really just introduce socializing back again into the campus, to the students,” said Jalen Copeland, a fourth-year communication arts student. “We wanted to show the students what is possible with teamwork, with dedication and persistence. We wanted the students to have something like this.”
APB also organized the opportunity for students to have a meet-and-greet with Nasty.
“When they actually said yes, it was like ‘Oh my gosh, this is quite insane!’” Copeland said.
For members of APB, this event was a chance to do something fun and exciting during a stressful point in the year, according to Copeland.
“We just wanted to make sure they were interested again and excited about being in school. The big things that I find to have loaded my experience here were the events like this,” Copeland said.
It turned out VCU had quite the dedicated Nasty fanbase as a line of hopeful students snaked through the Commons Plaza and down Main Street well before 4:30 p.m. for a chance to meet her, even though the concert began at 7 p.m.
“A concert is really made by the crowd, so I’m hoping everyone is very excited like we are. Bring the energy, that’s all I’ve got to say,” said Tejahnnah Chavis, a fourth-year health science student.
Nasty is an icon when it comes to students with an interest in fashion, according to second-year fashion design student Makai Kamil Gillis.
“Rico Nasty is definitely a symbol of selfexpression, which I feel is what fashion is all about. She’s always continuously been herself and that just shows through her clothes,” Gillis said.
Third-year fashion merchandising student Kalani Coleman said fashion is
“most definitely” a part of Nasty’s appeal.
“I think having a representation of somebody that stands up for themselves, no matter how they want to express themselves, having that representation so close to you is amazing,” Coleman said.
The long line of students also expressed how Nasty is a source of representation in the fashion and music industries, especially for alternative Black culture, according to secondyear chemistry student Darrin Coleman.
“I think she’s a general force in the fashion industry, period. She represents a more alternative side, specifically in Black culture, which you don’t always get to see.
So I think in that aspect she’s an icon,” said fourth-year fashion merchandising student Greyson Foster.
Wearing a student-designed VCU t-shirt, Nasty stood for pictures and autographs with VCU students for about 45 minutes.
“It’s a really cool opportunity,” said Jacob Simpson, a second-year philosophy student. “I’m not gonna find something like this again anytime soon. Even though I’m really busy with finals, I figured why not just make time for it. I got like three pictures with her.
She was nice, her team was nice.” Nasty met with so many fans, taking requests for poses, signing XOXO in gold Sharpie and hugging everyone who came up to her.
“I freaked out because I love Nasty. I love her music. I love her style. Just everything about her. She’s an icon, she is everything,” said Sensi Carter, a first-year fashion merchandising student.
With opening acts, Jay Irvine, Bella Pam and Noloxm, from within our very own VCU community, students gathered with an intense energy in Commons Plaza to hear Nasty perform.
By the time Nasty arrived, the crowd was loud and energetic. She put on an engaging show, interacting with the crowd, debuting new music and playing her hits to find diehard fans in the audience.
Students are encouraged to attend upcoming events hosted by the Activities Programming Board. For more information on upcoming events, visit
‘Mean Girls’ was theatrically released in the United States in 2004.
Rico Nasty brings a high-energy performance to the VCU Activities Programming Board Tiny Desk Concert event. Photo by Kobi McCray.
Herbs Galore sprouts community and togetherness
Contributing Writer
Families, friends and gardening enthusiasts grabbed their wagons as Maymont welcomed them to the 40th annual Herbs Galore at the Carriage House Lawn on April 26, according to its press release.
Over 70 vendors from across Virginia, ranging from as big as the Colesville Nursery Inc. to small specialty growers that specialize in native plants, ornamental shrubs and pepper plants, were present at one of Richmond’s biggest one-day plant sales, according to Melissa Abernathy, Maymont’s communications manager.
The event featured artisanal vendors that created house decor, gardening accessories, natural beauty products and foods from natural and organic ingredients, Abernathy said.
Herbs Galore offered several familyfriendly activities, such as a bingo game where attendees used pictures and heavyduty research to match items on their card and planting stations where children could plant native milkweed seeds to take home, according to Abernathy.
“We’re here for people to have a little bit of Mother Nature and the urban environment,” Abernathy said.
Maymont aimed to engage the Richmond community with both the nature and history of Richmond, according to Abernathy.
Abernathy said that years ago, a mansion was left to the city of Richmond, and architects worked to design the gardens. Since then, Maymont has ensured that the grounds and gardens are well-maintained while raising money and educating Richmonders about gardening.
Maymont has worked with the International Herb Society for over 15 years to help educate the public about their favorite herbs, Abernathy said. This year’s herb of the year is the Chamomile, according to Maymont’s website.
“We hope it inspired people with a love of gardening and learning new plants and new techniques for adding variety and beauty to their gardens,” Abernathy said. “It’s just wonderful to explore Maymont. So we encourage people not to just come and grab some plants and leaves, but to really spend the day here.”
For vendors like I Kale Life, Herbs Galore was an opportunity to be around a lot of plants, plant enthusiasts and those excited about gardening, according to Imani Esparza Pitman, the co-founder and CEO of I Kale Life.
I Kale Life is a Richmond-based company that creates nutrient-rich salads and plant-
Indie bookstores turn pages and spark joy
MAEVE BAUER
Contributing Writer
Richmond independent bookstores celebrated themselves on April 26 as part of National Independent Bookstore Day. Readers could grab a “bookstore passport” and go on a tour of local bookstores throughout Richmond, Midlothian and Petersburg, according to IDBRVA.
Nine various Richmond bookstores with a multitude of aesthetics were on display, according to Book People Richmond.
One of which was Fountain Bookstore, which has been a staple of Shockoe Slip since 1978. Switching ownership throughout time, they have stayed independent, according to Richmond Magazine.
Fountain Bookstore was bustling on Independent Bookstore Day, with people in every corner of the store and conversation flowing between customers and store clerks.
Kate Towery, general manager of Fountain Bookstore, spun a wheel filled with genres, setting guests up on a blind date with a book.
Bookstore enthusiast and local chef Hunter Mass has been to Fountain Bookstore several
times and said the staff is passionate about their job and makes an effort to connect with customers.
Mass said he shared personal experiences with the staff at Fountain Bookstore and said he appreciated how they took extra measures to ensure a book he wanted to read was delivered to the store.
“The people that helped me and did their own part, they were very nice about it. We laughed about the situation,” Mass said.
Though he wasn’t participating in the passport activity held across bookstores in the area, he said he is still an avid supporter of independent bookstores and enjoys supporting Richmond’s book scene.
“I think Amazon is controlling too much of the book market, so I like to at minimum support Barnes & Noble and then further support independent bookstores. I think just the experience of coming out to a bookstore with staff that seem really interested in what they do or try to connect with people that come into bookstores,” Mass said.
Abi’s Books & Brews, a bookstore and coffee shop combination owned by husband and wife Keith Duffin and Mallie Duffin,
based bites for healthy living, Pitman said.
Pitman started I Kale Life in August 2023 to provide healthy, fresh food options inspired by her experience as a Type 1 diabetic with limited nutritious and low-sugar options and her family’s legacy of vegetarianism and appreciation for the Earth, Pitman said.
“The inspiration comes from really wanting us to live in a world where we’re all living vibrantly, joyously,” Pitman said. “Food is a critical part of that — what we put in our bodies and how that translates to how we can move in the world.”
I Kale Life works out of Hatch Kitchen, where they innovate different flavor profiles due to their love of global cultures and each offering has a legacy to it, she said. They use food as a way to connect, but also nourish.
Pitman said she wanted to inspire an idea of what the full life of gardening would look like, from planting the seed to nourishing the plant.
Gardening means hope and reminds us that we are not forgetting where we came from and are a part of this Earth, according to Pitman.
“It brings me hope to know that we can plant a seed, watch it grow, water it and then it serves some sort of purpose either for us, for animals or whatever it might be,” Pitman said.
Jesse Gritzinger, founder of Throws Like
a Girl Ceramics and a VCU alumni, was inspired by People Via Plants and Maymont’s history of uplifting artists to participate in this year’s event.
The name “Throws Like a Girl” is a commentary on the historically women-based practice that men tend to get recognized for, but also a pottery pun, Gritzinger said.
Gritzinger said Throws Like a Girl Ceramics started with their love for pottery and community.
“It all comes back to community, pottery studios are very peer-oriented,” Gritzinger said. “My community support is what really drove it home for me and motivates me to keep going, to keep making, to keep teaching.”
Gritzinger’s pottery style involves using real plants to screen print onto paper, which is then transferred to the pot, they said. They collect plants from the farmer’s market, on little walks or at their studio’s garden, according to Gritzinger.
Gritzinger said events like Herbs Galore are important because they bring people together who share the same passion for plants and creativity.
“To have a space to connect with the people around you, kind of like a studio, is important,” Gritzinger said. “Herbs Galore does a really good job with bringing people together.”
recently opened near VCU’s Monroe Park Campus in Nov. 2024.
Mallie Duffin said that Indie bookstores reflect Richmond’s unique and varied culture and community events.
“You don’t have to agree with everyone. Different groups come in whose experiences are different than ours,” Mallie Duffin said.
Another thing special about Richmond is the percentage of people who strive to shop small and avoid big businesses, according to Mallie Duffin.
Being so close to VCU, Abi’s Books & Brews gets a lot of students, but also a lot of locals, according to Keith Duffin.
“We see a lot of students and older members of the community interact with each other,” Keith Duffin said. Keith Duffin said he tries to encourage interactions between customers. When it’s busy, he suggests that patrons share a table. He said this also prompts conversations between tables, overall supporting the community.
“With all the online stuff there is not a substitute to looking someone in the face and seeing a smile,” Keith Duffin said. “How do you replicate that if you’re not physically here?”
LELIA CONTEE
Vendors and visitors connect over fresh herbs and handmade goods at Maymont’s annual Herbs Galore event. Photo by Emily Fuller.
Illustration by Zoë Luis.
black women build a legacy of empowerment
JULIANNA BROWN
Contributing Writer
Ladies Leading Legacy is a collegiate organization dedicated to fostering personal, professional and academic growth of women of color. Their mission is to empower and inspire through education, mentorship and community engagement, according to the Ladies Leading Legacy Instagram account.
The first order of business was to contact elementary and middle schools to provide mentorship to Black female youth, according to the organization’s advisor, Yuroba Butler. By the fall of 2025, the group hopes to get the word out on campus by collaborating with other organizations and facilitating events.
“I’d like to see the numbers of young ladies grow that are members of the organization,” Butler said.
President and third-year marketing student Joanna Ezzard launched the new VCU club Ladies Leading Legacy.
Ezzard said they want to create an environment where Black female students can seek assistance with any issue.
Ladies Leading Legacy is a space where Black Female students can receive interview preparation, information on career planning and discover more about niche issues that usually impact women, like losing a job because of pregnancy, according to Ezzard.
“As opposed to just doing a resume workshop or, how to dress workshop, we would actually sit down with people and help them with their actual resume, you know, talking to them about their skills and things they could do to get themselves on the right track and actively setting up the next steps as opposed to kind of just giving some ideas and then sending them on their way,” Ezzard said.
Ezzard said the organization aims to “cut the middle-man out” by creating hands-on active engagement similar to VCU’s present organization, Developing Men of Color.
Ladies Leading Legacy was thought up a few years ago when they communicated about VCU’s lack of a women’s version of the Developing Men of Color organization, according to the organization’s secretary, third-year political science student Ayomileke Ogungbade.
“I remember just two years ago and last year we constantly talked about how there’s a DMC but there’s not a woman’s version. We tried joining this club called Leadership for Women of Color,” Ogungbade said. “But we left feeling like there was a need for more of a hands-on approach.”
Ogungbade said she was overjoyed once Ezzard decided to follow through on the idea fully.
“When we were younger in elementary school. There was this program called ‘All About Me’ and it was for fourth and fifth graders. High schoolers would come and they would come to mentor us and we would do activities with them and honestly, that’s something that impacted us, we talk about it to this day.” Ogungbade said.
Ezzard said they desire to give back because of those who poured into her as a young child and hopes that one day the organization will create a legacy that will branch out to several universities.
“This is a space that is needed not only on VCU’s campus but everywhere,” Ezzard said.
Opinions
CT seniors say
FA R E W E L L
DYLAN HOSTETTER Executive Editor
As a transfer student, I have only spent two years of my life at VCU. While looking back on that time in anticipation to graduate, the past two years feel less like 16 classes taken and instead more like 16 months at The Commonwealth Times.
I can say with the utmost certainty that my time working at this paper has been some of the most fruitful of my entire life. I have met people that not only supported my work and gave me the platform to write silly stories and draw sillier comics, but have become sincere friends.
Long after the paper we printed on has eroded to dust, long after the nails holding our awards firm to the wall rust, I hope that some part of my consciousness remains to remember the times we had.
Or maybe it’s not that serious. To be honest, it probably isn’t. This was fun, though. Good stuff.
NEVAEH
BOUIE Managing Editor
This is my first time writing for The CT. This is also my last time writing for The CT. Isn’t that crazy?
I started out here as a simple Copy Editor — it was me and the AP Stylebook against the world — and now I’m a whole Managing Editor.
Though I’ll miss my time at The CT, I am looking forward to my future with the skills that I have acquired and built on in my year-and-a-half here.
I appreciate, admire and am so inspired by all of the people I have worked with. You all are so talented and driven, and I’m excited to see what the future brings for you.
Thank you so much for having me as an editor! I’m going to have a baby now.
Quote of the week
“I’ve become more comfortable as time has gone on with saying goodbye because... I’ve been having so many conversations about the cyclical nature of life. It just keeps going.”
— Brie Larson
THAILON WILSON Sports Editor
This week marks the last week that I’ll be the Sports Editor at The Commonwealth Times. This moment is something I have been looking forward to but also scared of at the same time because I truly love what I do here.
I have been at The CT since I was a freshman and I became the Sports Editor my junior year. I’ve been able to travel the country to cover sports and have gained friends that I’ll know for the rest of my life. So I will always be grateful for my time here.
Thaiology out!
These past four years have been amazing. From being a freshman Sports Editor to becoming the Photography Editor, things have been fun. Huge shoutout to Mark Jeffries and Jessica Clary for being great people who advise us. Thanks to everyone who has read, looked or shared my work with The CT.
I cannot wait to see what everyone does; I believe in everyone working for this paper. Advice to anyone thinking about joining the Student Media Center: Come here and do amazing work with amazing people. I’m grateful for everything. Watch when I win this Oscar in a few years. Trust me. Peace.
NATALIE MCEWAN Opinons and Humor Editor
Joining The CT editorial staff during my final semester was a big leap. All I can say is I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner. This experience has been life changing. My writing has improved immensely, I’ve become friends with wonderful people and I’ve gained the confidence to express my opinions boldly.
Thank you to everyone who contributed. The Opinions section wouldn’t exist without your voices. Speak up. Get loud. Get involved! And thank you to all the amazing editors I worked with. You are all so wonderful. I’m so excited to see where we all end up.
Bye everyone!
Illustrations Editor
It feels insane to say I’ve been Illustrations Editor at The CT for three years and that I am graduating in a bit more than a week. I’m sad — a lot of my time in school has revolved around Tuesday paper production, eating bagels with everyone at the Student Media Center and laughing with all the friends I’ve made along the way. This chapter of my life ending is scary.
But, like I said, I’ve been here for three years, and if the SMC has taught me anything, it’s that the students who get involved here are passionate people! We are all creative, fun and maybe a little bit eccentric, but I know because of this that student media is in good hands.
Big thank you to The CT staff, The CT artists and everyone who has helped me along the way. This paper doesn’t exist without everyone on our team. Keep illustrating and creating — get your voice out there!
ARRICK WILSON
Photo Editor
KILLIAN GOODALE-PORTER
The SMC has opened so many doors for me, and I’m so grateful for everyone I’ve met here. Thank you to Mark and Jessica, your guidance and constant support has given me the confidence to lead and serve others better than I ever could have imagined. Thank you so much to the rest of the CT staff, and especially to my wonderful design team. Carter, Mimi, Zach, I can’t imagine a better group to work with. I’m still amazed I got paid to jam out and yap with you guys twice a week. To those staying behind, I’m so excited to see where you take the paper next. You really can make it whatever you want, and I know you have the knowhow and the passion to make what comes next nothing short of extraordinary. The CT is in good hands.
You got this!
CARTER LYDON Designer
My time working at The CT has allowed me to really get involved in the production of a cooperative piece of work, experimenting and bouncing ideas off of fellow designers and editors. Staying late on Tuesday nights with friends to get a paper done by the morning has certainly been an experience that we have bonded over, and hopefully one I don’t have to do again. It has led me to appreciate working and designing for print media, and expanded my love of design to a whole new field that I hadn’t even considered before. I would like to thank Victor, Zach and Mimi for making the Design Den the weird, amazing place it was.
So long, farewell and thanks for all the fish.
What the $HAWK rugpull scandal tells us about the US economy
ANDREW MILHORN Contributing Writer
Hailey Welch is America’s post-modern, post-meaning sweetheart, also known as “The Hawk Tuah Girl.” The story of “Hawk Tuah,” “Talk Tuah” and Hawk Tuah Coin lay bare the contradictions at the heart of our failing economic system.
More importantly, her story helps to explain how, in a post-capitalist economy, those contradictions cease to even matter at all.
A “rugpull” is something that used to be a crime. In a rugpull, the value of a worthless speculative asset, often a memecoin, NFT or other blockchain asset, is artificially boosted. Large holders — in this case, 95% of the coins value was held by just 10 wallets, according to the CCN website — of the value of Hawk Tuah coin, pulled out mere minutes after the IPO of the crypto, leaving many highly leveraged investors destitute. Similar crypto schemes to Welch have been attempted by members of the Donald Trump administration, resulting in varying levels of success.
We’re in a new economic system, post capitalism, which exists within the contradictions of capitalism, boosting them up to 11. No American companies turn a profit; we don’t make anything, but somehow, the economy, which under post capitalism is conflated totally with the rise and fall of the stock market and quarterly corporate earnings, must continue rising.
For some time now, instead of stocks representing the value of a company to the overall economy, they have come to
represent the profitability of a company to shareholders. At this time, stocks and the market also took on the role of just being the American economy.
Under this new economic system, private equity middlemen pump and dump “assets” like housing, schools, public hospitals and medicine — but mainly the land they sit on.
This sort of financial speculation and the manipulation of said speculation has been fundamental to the American economy for longer than any of us can remember — but in 2008, the system broke, leading to one of the worst financial crises in living memory.
The crash left Americans destitute, without homes, 401ks, jobs or enough food to feed their families. The market did this to us, but why? What’s the point?
The point was that the crash instantly caused assets to crater completely in value. This rapid deflation led to rampant inflation of everyday goods, the currency of a nation, a collapse in the value of all property and the loss of domestic labor and manufacturing for lower cost options overseas.
Our elected officials, most of whom did, and still continue to own stock and other speculative financial assets, told us that a rising tide raises all boats and that by giving these investment firms and banks “house money” with which to invest into the crashed economy, these corporations would invest back into the United States, boosting the stock market and fixing the economic crash. The line would go up, leading to prosperity for all.
This speculation drives the stock market because value — conjured or otherwise — justifies itself. Crucially, it must continue to justify itself. Because the stock market is the economy, and crucially, because the stock market is fake, this worked!
America manufactured the appearance of profitability.
Our presidents, our senators and our house representatives allowed large corporations to buy out and consolidate our land, our industry, our banks, and our retailers
It’s 2025 now and you may have noticed everything is getting worse.
Our cost of living is higher than ever. Most Americans cannot afford the groceries they need. A house, an apartment, a decent job with healthcare, a 401k, even salaried employment is inaccessible to many. Our nation was sold off as penny stocks to private equity firms, who then pump valuations and resell.
Post-capitalism is a snake eating itself, a system of insider trading and selfjustification that disregards reality and thrives on the contradictions of capitalism. From the restaurants we eat at to the concert tickets we buy, everything is for sale — and crucially, for subsequent resale.
Post-capitalist speculation has turned our nation into a massive cryptocurrency rugpull. Everything is Hawk Tuah Coin now and there is nothing we can do about it.
In recent weeks, Trump’s economic policy led to another stock market crash. Remember the stories $HAWK and 2008, because it’s about to happen again.
Illustration by Dylan Hostetter.
VICTOR ROMANKO
Art Director
Illustrations by Killian Goodale-Porter.
Humor
Joke of the week
“You know, I’m sick of following my dreams, man. I’m just gonna ask where they’re going and hook up with ‘em later.”
— Mitch hedBerg
The Graduation Situation
DYLAN HOSTETTER Executive Editor
There are some moments in your life that just feel more consequential than others. Graduating college is a big deal. I mean, the last time I wore a gown it was because I was hospitalized for doing a sleep study on myself. Take it from me, sleep-walking through a collegiate fencing tournament is no way to spend an afternoon.
That sleep study is actually one of my earliest memories in college. It’s really crazy to think about all I’ve been through; from that time I made a replica of myself using artificial intelligence, to when I befriended that leprechaun. I’m beginning to think the effects of that sleep study on my brain may be more intense than I previously realized — but I digress.
As my alarm clock blared on the morning of my graduation, it finally hit me. It was all over. No longer would I travel the world while in Zoom classes, solve mysteries in my oversized trench coat or fight off ram-filled tornadoes. OK really, what is wrong with my life?
After the flood of memories made its way through my mind, I finally took the time to realize I was 30 minutes late to graduation. So much for a consequential moment — after all I’d been through I might not even get to walk across the stage. This would be a more devastating blow than the time I wore a feather boa and “Spank Me” sweatpants around campus.
I grabbed my cap and gown, slung it over my shoulder and ran out the door. I knew I was already late, but seeing as how this would be one of my final walks across campus, I couldn’t help but to get nostalgic.
I would never again see the rush of fresh-eyed highschool students on campus tours, and their wide-eyed parents realizing what they are about to send their children into.
I would never again see the cabal of tabling organizations offering high-fives and muffins, or high-fives and popcorn, or just high-fives. Those tables are always empty.
I would never again see English students coming out of the library with bags of books in their arms, or biology students coming out of the library with bags under their eyes.
I would never again see student athletes riding around on Lime scooters, or couples riding around on Bird scooters, or receive VCU Alerts about stolen scooters. I would never really have to think about scooters again.
Picking up my pace, I finally arrived at the Convention Center. Diving through the crowd, I found my seat right as the ceremony began.
As I pulled my gown over my shoulders, I realized that I had not in fact grabbed my regalia, but instead had grabbed a trash bag and an old pizza box. Thankfully — and sadly — there was no pizza left.
I had no time to worry about what I was wearing, for I had to listen closely for my name to be called. I sat and I waited — and waited and waited. These ceremonies really do take forever, listening to some guy say
name after name, like the world’s worst live poetry reading.
After what felt like a century, the professor finally got to where my name should be. I waited for him to utter those syllables — and then kept waiting. He completely skipped over me. I was tired of listening, tired of sitting and tired of sweating bullets in that trash bag.
Next thing I knew I was rushing the stage. I was furious — how could I spend four years at a university and have them not acknowledge me?
I was told by campus security, long after they detained me, that I had in fact never been enrolled. It didn’t make sense to me at first, but then it dawned on me that I had never actually signed up for any classes. I had never had a meeting with an advisor. I always just kind of showed up.
I would say that it was the experiences that made it worth it, but man I really wish I had that dumb piece of paper.
Illustration by Killian Goodale-Porter.
THE CT STAFF
Puzzles
SHEAR MADNESS
By
Horton
Los Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle
By Landon Horton
Los Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Patti Varol
Edited by Patti Varol
124 In vogue
DOWN 1 The “E” of ENT 2 Determining factor in playlist selection, perhaps 3 *Body art of a beloved’s silhouette? 4 Homecoming events 5 *Advisors on robe or wand selection?
Gather
Safeties in the NFL, briefly
*Beer that belongs in a museum? 9 Do a trial run on 10 Like some Summer Olympics events
*Faithful helpers who are less helpful after some time off?
“Amazing!”
105-Across 110 J.D. seekers’ hurdles 111 Tire abbreviation 112 Bit of henna art
Two-rod antenna 116 Brain __: 2024 Oxford Word of the Year 117 Spy-fi novelist Deighton 118 Sprinkled 119 Brunch option 120 PC’s “brain” 121 Garage fig. 122 Soup server 123 iPods that replaced Minis
Ship in 1898 news
king’s image?
With 47-Across, “House” actor
“That __ true!”
The Mepham Group
Edited by Patti Varol
Shear Madness by Landon Horton