the davidsonian
OCTOBER 28, 2015 VOL. 108 ISSUE 7
The Independent Student Newspaper of Davidson College since 1914
Inside NEWS Alumna shares experiences with Venture for America 2 Four Watson Fellowship nominees announced 3 LIVING DAVIDSON PAGE 8 Halloween costume do’s and don’t’s 4 PERSPECTIVES
The class of 2016 dons caps and gown for Fall Convocation. See awards presented on page 3. Photo by Shea Parikh.
2016 presidential election sparks fresh discussion of political climate on campus
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GARRETT BARLOW Staff Writer
s candidates on the national stage prepare for the 2016 elections, citizens all over the country, including Davidson students, have begun to engage in more political thinking. The College Republicans, College Democrats, and College Libertarians are all actively voicing their opinions, and the groups disagree about the tone of political climate on campus. According to Beth Wright ‘17, president of the College Republicans, “Conservatives are probably a minority at Davidson.” Bridget Lavender ‘18, president of the College Democrats, agreed. “I’ve heard that there are more Democrats than Republicans,” she said. Sarah Gompper ‘18 and Alex Mathews ‘16, two leaders of the College Libertarians, disagreed, arguing that the progressive voice on campus outpaces the actual progressive presence. “While Republicans and Libertarians probably make up
close to half of the population,” Gompper said, “their views are not heard to nearly the same extent as those of our progressive peers. There’s a type of intimidation that plays out. People can be scared to voice minority political opinions.” Both the College Republicans and College Democrats reported a large increase in membership over the past few years, with the number of Republicans quadrupling from two years ago. Because of the increase in membership, the campus, like the nation, has become more polarized. While the Libertarians have not gained membership at the same rate as the other groups, Mathews insisted there has been an influx of libertarian ideals. “We have found out that at least one third of our campus has libertarian views,” she said. The Center for Political Engagement, a nonpartisan campus organization designed to foster respectful political discussion, houses the three aforementioned partisan groups on campus. Lavender commended the Center for providing a forum for discussion. “It’s great to have a formal system of meeting together,” she said.
Wright said that the CPE is “working to improve the political climate, because it helps to improve political communication.” Some members of the College Democrats recently encountered resistence when the college barred the group Davidson Students For Bernie Sanders from using the college email system. The group, which seeks to informally coordinate support for the Democratic candidate, was admonished by figures in the school administration after the College Democrats sent out an email advertising the campaign group’s first meeting. When Davidson Vice President and General Counsel Sarah Phillips received the email, and after she consulted outside legal sources, she sent an email back informing the group that the college’s email system cannot be used to campaign for a specific candidate. Because Davidson is a 501(C) nonprofit organization, it is not allowed to utilize resources to campaign for specific candidates or
See POLITICAL on page 3
Alston Lee Lippert and Nicky Oyedepo discuss local initiatives tackling food deserts 5 Megan Feichtel breaks down the Davidson workload 5 YOWL Family Weekend attracts unafÀOLDWHG YLVLWRUV 6 SPORTS Field hockey prepares for postseason in comeback year 7 Men’s and women’s swimming take home opener 7
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Phelps Sprinkle ‘93 shares advice for life of successful leadership REID WALKER Staff Writer
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n Monday night, Phelps Sprinkle ’93 returned to Davidson to share his experiences and thoughts on leadership. The lecture, titled “What Building a Tree House Taught Me about Reflective Leadership,” centered on Sprinkle’s decision to focus on building a tree house for his family before worrying about the next step in his career. Sprinkle, a member of Davidson’s 1992 Final Four soccer team, now serves as Director of Organization Development of Peacehaven Community Farm, a non-profit organization whose mission is to create community between non-disabled and disabled individuals. “When you spend time with people who have different backgrounds and experiences[…].it’s a powerful thing. You learn from them,” Sprinkle said. The lecture, presented in an open question and answer format, started with Sprinkle’s remarking on his days at Davidson before going through his career path and future goals. How-
ever, his beliefs and thoughts on leadership and passion were most prominent in his lecture. “I like to live my life seamlessly,” he said. Sprinkle’s humor and energy set the tone for the lecture. When asked what stood out in his experience at Davidson, for example, he joked about his 1.75 freshman spring semester GPA. He went on to talk about two classes he took his junior year that changed the way he lived his life. “Before, I was going through the motions,” he said. “But now, when I see something that I don’t like, I do something about it.” Sprinkle made sure to emphasize that leadership to him involves just as much “being as doing.” He explained this concept by telling a story about how the financial success of his previous company, Topics, came at the same time as health problems for his disabled daughter, Roxy. This time prompted Sprinkle to pause and think about the balance between his successful work and challenges at home.
See ALUM on page 3
Phelps Sprinkle ‘93 lectures about leadership. Photo by Scott Cunningham.
News
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Venture For America places graduates in emerging startups OLIVE DANIELS Staff Writer
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ndrew Yang, a young college graduate with an entrepreneurial spirit, developed Venture For America (VFA) in 2011 as an organization to facilitate and encourage creativity and initiative. VFA is a selective post-undergraduate program that matches motivated college graduates with startup companies in emerging cities. The fellowship lasts for two years, after which fellows then follow a number of career paths. Some start their own companies, while others remain at their startup. Detroit, New Orleans, and Providence are among fifteen cities nationwide to which VFA sends its fellows. Caroline Toch, VFA Marketing Associate, emphasizes the organization’s work toward the growth and revival of American cities, as well as innovation through the creation of new opportunities for driven individuals. Officially, according to Toch and VFA’s formal mission statement, the program seeks predominantly “to restore the culture of achievement to include value-creation, risk and reward, and the common good.” Davidson graduate Amanda Silver ’15 has spent her summer and fall as a fellow in the VFA program. Upon graduating in May as a Psychology major and Communication Studies minor, Silver hoped to channel her passions and values into meaningful, sustainable work. VFA became an effective way for her to realize this ambition and be a part of improving the world around her, specifically her new home city of Detroit. Today, she works for Castle, a startup founded by three VFA alumni. As a member of a six-person workforce, she appreciates the
“opportunity to contribute so much” in an environment in which her “voice is truly valued.” Despite being far from her original home in Westchester County, NY, Silver credits the strength of the VFA fellow and alumni network with helping her feel comfortable and secure in Detroit. At Davidson, Silver was involved with the Entrepreneurship Initiative and worked closely with leaders of the Special Events Team in the President’s office. As a communications intern on campus, she learned much about innovation and social media as a platform for collaboration and advancement. Additionally, Silver participated in Davidson’s Entrepreneurship Internship program, through which she interned for Street Soccer USA, founded by fellow Davidson alum Lawrence Cann ’00. During her internship with Street Soccer USA, Silver learned that she wanted to participate in and facilitate meaningful tasks and social sustainability. However, after involving herself mainly in non-profit organizations throughout college, Silver was eager to explore opportunities in the world of for-profit business, and the VFA fellowship was an ideal From an inside perspective on what it means to be a VFA fellow and how to best prepare for the program, Silver emphasized the importance of passion in driving career choices and prospects. Although there is no one archetype of a VFA fellow, creativity and problem-solving often help participants get the most out of their experiences at startups. Additionally, while VFA does not look for specific majors or areas of study, many fellows come from business backgrounds. According to Silver, however, the most important element of VFA participants is their ability to channel their “passions into the company” and use this energy and creativity to positively affect the
company and beyond. For someone like Silver, VFA provides an environment conducive to gaining experience and making positive change, while still allowing its fellwos to chase a prosperous career path. At Castle, Silver relishes the fact that the work she does everyday “makes a real impact on the city,” yet still provides her a strong foundation to move forward in her chosen career. Her ultimate goal, along with those of many other VFA fellows is to eventually develop her own startup company. According to Toch, 26% of VFA alumni start their own companies through VFA. Specifically, Silver plans to expand upon a model that combines “sustainable
business with social positives.” She hopes to do this with the help of fellow members of her VFA class, taking advantage of the strong network created and maintained by the program. Anyone interested in a prospective experience with the VFA fellowship is welcome to apply and contact representatives for more information. The VFA application process is made up of an online application and interview (usually conducted via video chat). While most prospective participants choose to apply during their senior years, VFA does offer an early admissions process for interested and motivated juniors.
Watson Fellowship 2015-2016 Nominees Xzavier Killings: Ultimate Healing: Empowering Patients Through Service, Education and Athletics Isabel McLain: Art is not Fighting: It is Collaboration! Community Utilization of Visual Arts in Response to Conflicts and Crises Alec Rotunda: Uncovering the World’s Game: A Study of Youth Growth and Development in International Football Elizabeth Welliver: Tasting the Sacred, Fighting for Liberation - Women’s Activism in Foodways and Faith
News
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Davidsonian.com
Political groups discuss email policy crime log Continued from page 1 engage in profit-seeking activities. Despite these restrictions, “the college fully supports each student’s individual right to engage in political activity, including campaigning for a political candidate,” Phillips emphasized. The college’s resistance disgruntled Emily Taylor ‘16, a leader of Students for Bernie Sanders, who claimed that the rule is “not enforced in a consistent manner.” However, the issue has tem-
Mathews, of the College Libertarians, expressed similar confusion, stating, “We would be very interested in talking with somebody who can explain the campus’s policy and explain to students how to work within the legal parameters of it.” Lavender, of the College Democrats, explained that her organization had no issues in the past with this regulation, and expressed concern that it may impede the group’s ability to engage in activism during elections. She said that the situa-
Time
Description / Location
10/19/15 at 0930 hrs
Communicating Threats at Tomlinson. Prosecution Decline.
10/20/15 at 0030 hrs
Suspicious Odor at Tomlinson. Inactive.
10/22/15 at 2007 hrs
Miscellaneous-Suspicious Person at the Library. Inactive.
10/23/15 at 1732 hrs
Miscellaneous-Suspicious Person at the Library. Further Investigation.
10/23/15 at 2340 hrs
Underage Consumption at Ryburn. Dean Referral.
10/24/15 at 1611 hrs
Larceny of Property (iPhone) at Richardson Stadium. Further Investigation.
Campus political leaders (l-r) Beth Wright ‘17, Bridget Lavender ‘18 and Alex Mathews ‘16, represent their respective groups. Photo by Scott Cunningham. porarily been settled, as the group is allowed to continue to operate as long as it avoids the status of an organization. Members of other politically-minded organizations have expressed worry and confusion at the enforcement of the policy. Wright, of the College Republicans, said, “We haven’t had a problem with this in the past.”
tion was “annoying,” but that she was “accepting of the decision.” Despite the aforementioned conflicts, Taylor is happy with the path Davidson Students for Bernie Sanders is taking, saying, “We consider it a success that word has spread so quickly about what we are trying to do.”
Alum talks effective leadership Continued from page 1 Sprinkle’s family and career, on which he focused for the first half of the lecture, proved necessary to forming his views on leadership. “You do need strong leaders and strong-willed people, but at the end of the day, it comes down to having love, trust, and respect between a group of people,” Sprinkle said. He urged the importance of teaching with leadership, and described many people in his life – including his daughter, Roxy, residents of Peacehaven, and colleagues – who influence the way he lives and leads. From there, Sprinkle offered career advice to students in the crowd. “Don’t think you’ll do the same thing your whole life,” he said, as he presented a slide of various jobs his classmates from Davidson now hold. He mentioned several cases in which his friends started out in completely different fields than the ones in which they find themselves now. Sprinkle explained that following one’s passions forces a lot of life changes. Accumulating power and reputation can be overrated, according to Sprinkle, because “if you do great work, and you’re passionate about it, people will follow you.” Sprinkle finished the lecture by reading the poem “Fire” by Judy Brown, a poem he believed
is a perfect metaphor for his ideas on reflective leadership and balancing work with the rest of life. Sprinkle’s lecture resonated with older students who will soon have to form career paths of their own. “He’s telling us that we should do what we love; you don’t have to do exactly what everyone tells you to do,” Jessica Miller ’16 said. Morgan Birch ‘17 echoed Miller’s thoughts. “[People at Davidson] seem so set on having a perfect life right now, when you could change your career seven or ten times…we’re so grade driven, but finding your passion is ultimately more important.” Matt Spear, head coach of the men’s soccer team, remarked afterwards on being able to hear a member of his Davidson class and a great friend, come back to campus and give a lecture to current students. “I learned some things about him that I didn’t even know,” Spear said. Spear went on to point out the ways Davidson alumni give back to the College. “Davidson alumni, including Phelps, are really grateful for their experience here…and they want to see this place build and succeed; they want to see it evolve.”
Ann Clark ‘80, superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, speaks to the audience during her keynote address at Fall Convocation. Photo by Shea Parikh.
Fall 2015 Convocation Awards
Goodwin-Exxon Awards: Meron Fessenhaye ‘16, Nate Casey ‘17, and Morgan Spivey ‘18 Alumni Association Award: Nathaniel Tenpas ‘18 and Lauren Himes ‘18 Malcolm O. Partin Endowed Professorship: Dr. Joseph Ewoodzie Boswell Family Faculty Fellowship: Dr. Jane E. Mangan Thomas Jefferson Award: Dr. Scott Denham
Students address questions to Phelps Sprinkle. Photo by Scott Cunningham.
living davidson Dancing Through the Decades fights hunger 1HZ EHQHÀFLDU\ 0RR 0HDOV SURYLGHV IRRG WR IDPLOLHV LQ 0RRUHVYLOOH DUHD COLLEEN KARLOVICH STAFF WRITER Looking for a fun Wednesday night full of homemade baked goods and the swooning sound of the Generals? Or what about a court party but with ice cream? Come on down to Rusk’s Dancing Through the Decades tonight at 9 p.m. cohosted with Fiji, SigEp, the Alphas, SAE, and KA. There will be doughnuts, baked goods, ice cream, milkshakes and a Generals performance at 9:30 p.m. where the group will be premiering a new song! Gabriella Barrier ’17, one of Rusk’s service chairs,described the event planned as “A court party but better!” There have been several changes made to Dancing through the Decades. There will be no more pie eating contests; instead, Rusk hopes to create a more inclusive vibe where people can come down and hang out, eat, listen to some music, and dance. Barrier and Julia Relova ’18, the other Rusk service chair, chose to have the event on a Wednesday this year because they wanted to plan a relaxing night that could act as a study break, a stress reliever, or a fulfillment of a sweet tooth. Also, they wanted to show their support for the other Patterson Court organizations by
not having a weekend date that would conflict with another organization’s date for a service event. While the yummy food and the fun dancing will be a hit, more importantly the proceeds will go directly to Rusk’s new charitable endeavor: Moo Meals. As described by Barrier, “We will be feeding, hopefully by the end of the year, sixty families in the Mooresville area, providing supplemental nutrition for them [and] non-perishables that they can cook whenever they need extra food.” Hunger affects all different aspects of one’s life: How can children focus in school if their stomachs are growling from the lack of breakfast? How can adults succeed at work if they are worried about how they are going to be able to put food on the table that night? Hunger is a worldwide epidemic that unfortunately does not receive the same type of media attention as AIDS or another illness. Approximately 795 million people in the world are chronically malnourished, and one in every nine people on the planet go to bed hungry every night (per The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2015). Rusk’s goal is to provide an entertaining night for all while helping to reduce the effects of a worldwide epidemic. All of the women in the house have been very supportive of this new endeavor, and they hope that the Davidson community will join them in this new project. Make sure to come on down to Rusk tonight at 9 p.m. (Tickets are $7 at the door with dessert included!)
Getting creative: this year’s Halloween do’s and don’ts 6WHS RXW LQ \RXU +DOORZHHQ EHVW WKLV ZHHNHQG E\ IROORZLQJ WKHVH KHOSIXO KLQWV JACOB HEGE STAFF WRITER October 31st is this Saturday, and we all know what that means: HALLOWEEN! Objectively the best holiday ever (who doesn’t love free candy?). You’ve probably had your costume planned for weeks, months, or even years! Or, you’re like me and you totally forgot that Halloween is this close and have absolutely NO IDEA what to wear out this weekend. Well, have no fear, because I am here to help you. I’m not going to tell you what to wear; I mean, you have to do some part of the work! But what I have done is compile a short list of dos and don’ts to ensure your Halloween costume reigns supreme down at Martin Court this All Hallows Eve. Dos 1. Be as creative as possible. A wizard? Are you five? A ‘cereal killer’? Come on. No, go deeper, people. I’m talking a porcupine in a pantsuit (Carol Quill-en?). Mix it up and don’t be afraid to be original. 2. Be as weird as possible. It may feel like it’s too out there – but if so, it may just be the perfect costume. (Shout out to Conor Hussey and Scotty Poston, who went as a plug and an outlet last year!) Seriously, keep it weird Wildcats. 3. Be as cost efficient as possible. Why buy an $80 premade costume when you can most likely hit up Goodwill and a local craft store to make your own version of a popular costume for $10? It’s just common sense, people. And if you make the costume yourself, you automatically get even more creative points. Pro tip: just wear an
old grocery bag – BOOM! Katy Perry costume – free. 4. Be as funny as possible. Halloween may be about scary costumes when you’re little, but now we all know what its really about – the Instagram likes. Keep the chainsaws and fake blood at home because funny costumes are what really bring the love on social media. Don’ts 1. Reuse last year’s costume. Every Halloween is special and deserves its own costume. Besides, that superwoman costume you wore all throughout high school really isn’t as cool as you think it is. 2. DO NOT GO AS A MINION. Sure, Mary Rood Cunningham did it last year, and I guess she still has friends or whatever, but trust me: if you dress up as a minion, no one will ever talk to you again. 3. Go as something you don’t want to just because it’s part of a group costume. Okay, so all your friends are going as the “stages of Miley Cyrus.” So? The world can do without another iteration of VMAs Miley for one night. If your friends want to do a group thing but you think you have an even better idea, go for it. You miss 100% of the shots you never take. 4. Dress up as any sort of characterization of a culture that is not your own. Seriously. All jokes aside, while it may seem like a good idea to you, it may be pretty hurtful to other people, and everyone deserves to enjoy their Halloween without having their culture demeaned. It’s just not cool. Follow these eight simple rules and you just might (key word) have the best Halloween ever. If not, well that’s all on you and I have no idea what article you are talking about. Trick or treat!
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October 28, 2015
Photos of the Week: Family Weekend by Scott Cunningham
perspectives
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Empowering people to overcome food deserts near Davidson ALSTON LEE LIPPERT & NICKY OYEDEPO
“F
ood desert?” she asks, and as a look of confusion settled across her face I could almost picture the question mark in the middle of her furrowed brow. Before being given the chance to respond, a friend to my left laughed and attempted to clarify. “No, I think she means food dessert. Right?” Incredulous, I looked around the table and asked “You guys have never heard of a food desert?” and was rewarded with lovely blank stares. And that was only the beginning. Surprised with my friends’ ignorance on the topic, I took to the streets curious to discover the number of students that actually know what a
food desert is. As the blank stares continued, followed with a few ‘hm’s and ‘what’s, it became apparent that 8 out of 20 students aware of the problem that food deserts pose isn’t enough. To clarify: Davidson is not a food desert. However, we are surrounded by them. In fact, there are over 25 areas that the United States Department of Agriculture categorizes as food deserts in North Carolina. A food desert, according to the USDA, is a census area that qualifies as a low income community in which a significant portion of the population lives more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store. Many people living in these situations are unable to frequently get healthy foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. Around us, this is an especially large problem in the northwest part of Charlotte. These communities face many health problems related to the lack of easy access to healthy foods. Research shows that people residing in food deserts are more likely to die from heart disease or diabetes than those outside of these areas. These problems are serious, but active
efforts to educate people affected by them is an amazing way to reduce the effects. So far, people across the United States and in North Carolina have worked to give low-income families access to local farmers markets through helping local corner stores and supermarkets sell local, healthy foods (specifically fruits and vegetables), and educating local communities about healthy eating and how to do it both cheaply and easily. For example, the initiative Ada Cooks was created to provide cooking classes on nutritious meals and promote healthy lifestyles, and is based at the Ada Jenkins Center just 15 minutes from campus. Ada Cooks founder and director of health strategies, Haley Rhodes, is a current Davidson student and noticed the need for the program during her freshman year as a volunteer with Ada Jenkins’ Learn Works. As Christina Richie Rogers reported in her article “Cooking for Life,” in “Lake Norman Magazine,” the program offers three sessions a week for adults in both Spanish and English, and allows participants to take the food home
with them once finished. Currently over 20 Davidson students volunteer with Ada Cooks, but the demand for volunteers is constantly growing, and what better way to contribute to the reduction of food deserts than to empower people with knowledge on healthy cooking and eating? Davidson students who are interested in initiatives that combat food deserts have a number of options for involvement. Other than Ada Cooks, students may also get involved with Sow Much Good, which is a program that was started to grow healthy, organic fruits and vegetables for the residents of Mecklenburg County surrounded by food deserts. Alston Lee Lippert `19 is undeclared from Columbia, South Carolina. Contact her at allippert@davidson.edu Nicky Oyedepo `19 is undeclared from Douglasville, Georgia. Contact her at nioyedepo@davidson.edu
Finding time: expected coursework hours don’t compute
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MEGAN FEICHTEL
would have written this a while ago, but I didn’t have the time. My best friend was in a car accident on Wednesday coming back from a graduate school interview. As she sat there waiting to be removed from her mangled car, we asked if there was anything she needed. Her text response was, “Can you get rid of my two papers due this Friday?” What does it say about Davidson that papers were her concern at that moment? I came into Davidson College knowing it would be difficult. Students at the Decision Davidson events said the workload can be challenging. But, to me, a “challenge” is what I look for in an education. I like to be pushed and learn from challenges. Not pushing myself means I am not learning. However, looking back on my 3+ years here, I feel like I haven’t learned as much as I should have. Between the supposed “12+ hours of class work time,” extracurriculars, 10 hours of work study, meetings with professors, meetings with other students, networking, keeping up with my close friends, basic necessities, and sleep (which isn’t actually optional), I can’t seem to remember what I ate for breakfast, let alone what we talked about in class. Let’s do some math. (I’m a math major after all.) A typical professional work week is 40 hours. You get up at 8, get to the office by 9, and then you leave between 5:30 and 6. Some work places are exceptions, but the average person is responsible for being active and ready to
work for about 40 hours a week. They can then spend the rest of their time on other responsibilities: families, a second job, eating, sleeping, etc. A typical Davidson student is supposed to spend 48 hours a week on class work AT MINIMUM! This number includes class time - but for 4 classes totaling 12 hours a week, that still leaves 36 hours of “out-ofclass” work. About 40% of the student body has a work-study position (about 800 of the 1,950 students), which is 10 hours a week for most students. So 48 hours now becomes 58 hours of work. Furthermore, a large percentage of students are athletes. The NCAA sets a limit of 20 hours a week for varsity athletes (including games/meets), but there are loopholes. The swimming and diving teams have practice for 12-13 hours and 3 lifting sessions a week. Track and field has around 16 hours of practice, not including meets. The football and basketball teams have to watch videos of teams playing for hours, which doesn’t count as practice time. An athlete I know doesn’t have time to eat lunch three days a week because practice only fits into his narrow gap between classes. After all of this stress, athletes cannot even have “sick days” because games/meets make them miss 3+ classes a semester. They could lose academic credit just for being sick. (For numerical purposes, let’s aver-
“
...I asked for a challenge in my education, but there isn’t actually enough time in the day to take on those challenges.
the davidsonian staff editors-in-chief news editors living davidson editor
:LOO 0F'XIÀH Michelle Wan Mary Click Kate McNaughton Sophia Guevara
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age in 15 hours a week for practice and 5 hours for games.) In total: 168 hours in a week – 56 (8-hour sleep/night) – 48 (class) – 10 (work study) – 20 (athletics) = 34 hours That actually seems like a pretty high number. But 34/7 days = 4.86 hours. And remember that this number doesn’t include eating, getting ready, walking to and from those places, AND that 48 hours is a minimum. Some professors like to see that time as a challenge. First hand, I have spent over 20 hours on take home tests, computer programs that keep giving errors, and essays that just don’t seem to have a solid thesis. For non-athletes, the total is 54 hours a week – or 7.7 hours of free time. But I also know that people take extracurriculars seriously at Davidson. So we may not be athletes, but we do work on projects outside of class, events, fundraisers, exercise, competitions, and extra lectures for at least 20 hours a week, too. I personally spent a lot of freshman spring stage managing “Guys and Dolls.” So yes, I asked for a challenge in my education, but there isn’t actually enough time in the day to take on those challenges. So the solution is to ask for help, right? Did you know that the Student Counseling Center sees 50% of Davidson students before
Sabrina Cheema Emily Kent Bridget Lavender Sophia Smith
they graduate? Did you also know that the FOUR counselors in Student Health see 25% each of the student body at any given time? That’s 488 students at any given time. That’s 122 students per counsellor…talk about overworked. Any of them will tell you how much they hear about workload stress. So why are they hearing about the overloading but professors aren’t? There’s a power dynamic in play here. A few weeks ago, my professor assigned a project on the Thursday before break that would be due the following Thursday. Okay, fine. Buuuttttt… most of the students don’t have Adobe Premiere on their laptops, and we wouldn’t be on campus to access it. So I asked about extending the deadline. Though the professor eventually gave extra time, he said he couldn’t just give us the extension because it would disrupt his power dynamic with his students. What? I am 22 years old. I respect my professors; they are brilliant, and they have worked very hard for their degrees. But I want our relationships to be seen as collaborative. I want to see them as role models and resources and not feel like an inferior being who cannot ask for help. Though it may have been said in jest (I’m not entirely sure) and though most of my professors will work with me, this comment illustrates how students are afraid to ask their professors for help. That one line on our resumes/transcripts about our GPAs can make or break some opportunities for us, and it’s entirely linked to our performance in the classroom. Technically, a C is average, but a 2.0 is failure. Megan Feichtel `16 is a Mathematics major and Film and Media Studies minor from Richmond, Virginia. Contact her at mefeichtel@davidson.edu
THE FREE-RANGE ISSUE Confirmed: The 1990s Were Just a Nationwide Fever Dream
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Ramen Branded ‘Brain Food’ Due To Strong Association With College Students
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Students Visiting Older Sibling Already Disenchanted With The College Experience
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Devil Cancels Halloween After Losing an Odds-Are To God
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Davidson Overwhelmed As Families Unaffiliated With School Attend Family Weekend It’s a known fact that families of Davidson students look forward to enjoying Family Weekend at the College. However, news of this popular event has begun to spread far and wide. This year, Davidson saw a huge influx of visitors as families entirely unaffiliated with the school came to attend the planned attractions. Marisol Wickers, one of such attendees, explained her motivation: “It’s called family weekend. Well who’s to say I gotta have a kid at the college to come? I’ve got a husband and two good-for-nothing teenagers, and that’s just as much a family as any other,” she said. “That’s right,” interjected her husband, Bill Wickers. “Furthermore, we just love the State of the College Address. That Quillen has such a way with words! And it’s nice to know that something’s going well in this world outside of our
Breaking: Turner House Drinks a Few And Actually Spills Some
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Freshman Gives Oscar-Worthy Performance Of Pretending To Read An Interesting Text During Awkward Party
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Macaulay Culkin Enjoys Another Day of Anonymity Until He Reads This Headline
Page Appreciate
Dear Yolonda Yowl: Yolonda, it’s my first year in college. Things are going great, except I’m having difficulty making friends. Any advice? -Friendless Freshman Dear FF, Making friends can be tough sometimes. Try starting with a simple compliment, like, “Hey, your dreams smell great!” Or maybe, “You look like someone who knows their way around a pickax.” Once you’ve broken the ice, an intriguing conversation is sure to ensue.
Your Davidson Honor Section
Editor: Sophie “Beef Jerky” McHugh Writers: George “Baconator” Lucas Lawton “Slim Jim” Kariher R2 “Chicken Nugget” D2 Note: The Yowl is a satirical supplement to The Davidsonian. Hence, nothing in it should be taken as truth. Though really, what is truth but a concept created by humans to cope with the reality of lies?
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“Our ski trip was cancelled, and Rob knew that Family Weekend at Davidson was going on, so here we are! Who’s to say a group of ten platonic and unrelated dads aren’t a family?” hometown of Crossville, Tennessee.” Though pleased at the event’s success, Family Weekend organizers were struggling to keep up with the unexpected amount of guests. “I mean, I always knew I was good at my job,” confessed Drew Panera, the Family Weekend publicity coordinator, “but not this good! I think what did it was actually a personal Facebook status I posted, mentioning how great I expected the event to be. Well, Grandma Tilly shared the status, then it got passed down this chain of grandmothers until boom! It ended up on a list of ‘Things To Do In The American Southeast This Weekend’.” Participants in the international festival, a popular staple of Family Weekend, were reportedly working doubletime to provide the masses with traditional cuisine and cultural knowledge. One family was causing a particularly notable strain on the service. “Our ski trip was cancelled due to inclement weather, but luckily the next best option is just a few states over,” explained George Maki between bites of Ethiopian injera. “Rob knew that Family Weekend at Davidson was going on, so here we are! Who’s to say a group of seven platonic and unrelated dads aren’t a family? This bread is good. Maybe next time we can ski in Ethiopia, eh guys?” At press time, the Gender and Sexuality Studies Department was scrambling to redefine the term “family” to be just exclusive enough as to avoid a similar situation nect year.
Previously Unsuccessful ‘Star Wars’ Series Quickly Rising In Popularity It’s hard to ignore the hype surrounding this year’s upcoming films. Sisters, a flick about a broken family that learns to love each other, is expected to provide a breath of fresh air with its original comedic plotline. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, the fourth installment of the beloved Chipmunks series, has already been tapped for several Academy Awards. But what about the unlikely movie that’s quickly garnering attention from movie buffs all around the world? Enter Star Wars: a previously unknown science-fiction series that’s just now receiving worldwide recognition on the eve of it’s seventh installment, The Force Awakens. “What most people don’t realize is that I’ve been releasing these babies since the 1970s,” said George Lucas, the original creator of the Star Wars series. “At that time, they were more of a hobby, really. I didn’t expect people to relate to whacky characters like Yoda and Han Solo, so when the movies didn’t catch on I wasn’t all that surprised. After all, no one can hear in space, and I’d “Space? Now That’s a frontier think it would take an audience that few people have even cona long time to move past that factual improbability.” sidered as a setting for scienceWhile it’s true that the events of the movies are statisfiction stories.” tically impossible, they may be just the sort of escapist fiction that America needs. Movie critic Janie Larson has a different take on why the franchise has risen to popularity so suddenly: “You’ve got your western dramas, you’ve got your island love stories, but space? Now that’s a frontier that few people have even considered as a setting for science-fiction stories,” said Larson. “I think these star-wars satiate a need that the public has had for quite some time: proposterous action, romance, and plot twists set in a galaxy far, far away.” Fans are already raving about the incredible graphics and the killer soundtrack, composed by John Williams, a musician rumored to have been recently discovered on Youtube. Star Wars has even inspired a few fan-created spinoffs, including Star Trek - a derivative TV show also set in space. Of course, not everyone is a fan of the hype surrounding Star Wars. Janis Sadek, PTSA President of Darth Middle School, explained, “This astronauton-astronaut violence promotes strictly un-American values. Furthermore, it’s spreading lies to children. The other day, my son asked if it would be possible to murder me with a beam of light. What’s next, magic sticks and wizardry? This has got to stop.”
Administration Applauds Student For Spending Eight Semesters Abroad Davidson College has always been known for setting the standard for the true liberal arts experience, and in this coming spring semester Mark LaBeouf ‘16 will have exemplified this by spending his last eight semesters at Davidson abroad. This record-setting achievement can be credited to Davidson’s strong initiative to sending its students abroad to experience new cultures and languages in faraway countries. LaBeouf has taken this desire to become more cultured to heart, even opting out of attending freshmen orientation to attend the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. After his acceptance to Davidson College, the admissions staff said it was against Davidson policy to study abroad his first semester and that he would not be allowed to attend if he did so, but that didn’t stop Davidson’s budding inner world traveler. He put his classic Davidson never-quit attitude to work and went ahead to apply for an abroad program in England. Even though he spent most of study abroad experience at the University of Oxford, he did study in Italy during his junior year. LaBeouf is truly representative of the tenacity and worldly nature of Davidson students. In some
“When asked about his four year experience abroad, Labeouf simply responded, ‘huh?’. A very humble response from such an amazing student.”
interviews with his fellow classmates, they were dumbfounded that he was about to accomplish such a monumental achievement. Some of the responses included, “Who?” and “I’ve never heard of him.” It’s almost as if LaBeouf never even attended the college. In an effort to delve into the mind of LaBeouf, we contacted him to ask what he thought of being the first student to spend every semester abroad. LaBeouf simply responded, “Huh? I never went to Davidson.” A very humble response from such an amazing student. For LaBeouf ’s outstanding accomplishments, he was recently initiated into the Davidson “Game Changers” program. In an interview with Dean Shandley about this decision, he explained, “I’m pretty sure we don’t allow students that don’t attend the college to be a part of that program.” What fun, to see even the Dean crack a joke about Labeouf ’s never having set foot on campus. We at the Yowl are very excited to see what Lebeouf has in store for the future, and we look forward to the the end of this academic year, where he is expected to not only receive his diploma from President Quillen, but also take his first steps on the actual campus.
sports
Page 7 Davidsonian.com
Swimming sweeps Georgetown as freshmen blossom ISAAC MERVIS Staff Writer
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his past weekend at Charles A. Cannon Pool, Davidson’s men’s and women’s swim teams swept the Georgetown Hoyas with scores of 171-127 and 166-132, respectively. The teams were led by Luke Burton ’16 and Elise Lankiewicz ’17, who both went undefeated on the day. Burton furthered his event win streak to six, capturing first place in both backstroke events and as a part of the 200 medley team. Lankiewicz was the first to the wall in the 200 free, 500 free, 1000 free, and 400 free relay, bringing her total event wins this year to seven. Emily Yang ’19 won her second event of the season, taking home the victory in the 200 butterfly and finishing second in the 100 IM . Yang is just one of the numerous freshmen who have made serious contributions to the team this year. Against Georgetown, Ryan Knohl ’19 finished second in the 200 fly. At the Richmond Duals earlier this month, Maggie Farrell ’19 was part of the winning 400 medley relay team. And at the All-NC Invitational earlier this fall, Jake Perron ’19 was part of the successful 400 freestyle relay squad The freshmen on the team are able and expected to make an immediate impact. Although the strokes stay the same, the student-athletes have had to make significant adjustments to their everyday routines. Knohl, an Evanston, Illinois native, notes that the biggest difference in practice from high school to college is “the specialization in the sense that we separate into groups, and you only train at what you’re good at. In high school, everybody does the same thing. If you’re the best in the pool, you do the same thing as everyone else, but maybe a little bit faster. In college you’re geared to do very specific things. All your train-
ing revolves around those events.” On a Division 1 team, the environment is competitive. With such a hectic schedule, taking care of oneself is of the utmost importance. “Balancing everything is difficult, from academics to an aggressive practice schedule to sleep,” said Knohl. “Throughout the season you are broken down repeatedly until you’re brought back up through rest. It really takes a toll on your body and your mind. You want to be focused on academics but you want to put everything you
have into swimming, so you have to learn to manage your time.” While the transition is difficult, it is eased by the camaraderie and friendship within the team. “The boys’ team does a really good job of incorporating the freshman guys into team tradition and atmosphere, [just like] the girls’ team. They really know how to bring people up into the program and let them know they’re welcome,” explained Knohl. As for now, the year is still early and the team
is constantly improving. Knohl remains optimistic about the way the season is heading. With well-established names like Burton and Lankiewicz leading the way, the freshmen know their job is to supplement that talent, helping contribute in whatever way they can. The swimmers hit the pool once again this weekend, as the team takes on Old Dominion and Marshall at home. The action starts at 6 p.m. on Friday night, and resumes at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Luke Burton during the 200 medley relay, one of his three events he won against Georgetown. Photo by Shea Parikh.
Field hockey on path toward postseason in bounce-back year IAN ROBERTSON Staff Writer
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hile its season has certainly not been defined by overwhelming consistency, as evidenced by its 8-8 record, women’s field hockey has won when it matters most. With a 5-2 record in Atlantic 10 play and just one remaining conference match against UMass, the Wildcats are second overall in the conference, trailing only Richmond. Given that the ‘Cats beat Richmond, 1-0, in thrilling fashion on October 16, the team has a good shot to challenge the Spiders for the conference title. The ‘Cats are eager for the postseason tournament, hoping their season can culminate in the team’s first Atlantic 10 crown. Earning this opportunity has required countless hours of training and practice that began this off-season for the team. Improving their conditioning in the stifling heat of August played a part in the ‘Cats’ pair of overtime victories, in which the team fought to the final whistle. The team
has been driven by the belief that it can not just merely compete at a high level, but thrive in the ultra-competitive Atlantic 10. Anne Federico ’17 noted that the biggest difference for the team has been the players’ change in mindset, rather than any huge variability within their in-game approach. “Last year we would go into games just trying to not lose by a lot, whereas this year we always go into games with the belief that we can win,” Federico said. The team is not much different than last year’s squad, having lost just one starter. However, its altered mindset has allowed it to more than double its win total from last year, a tumultuous season in which the team earned just three victories. As Federico emphasized, the team has undoubtedly experienced a “remarkable turnaround.” For example, last year the ‘Cats lost to the University of Vermont in overtime. This year, they won with a relentless flurry of goals and dominance on both ends, earning an astonishing 8-1 victory. The ‘Cats’ similar dominance in wins over conference opponents, such as a 3-0 victory over VCU or a 4-0 win over St. Louis, exempli-
XC A-10 Championship Preview Men’s and women’s cross country will compete at the Atlantic 10 Championships in Richmond, VA on Saturday morning. Both teams seek first-place finishes but will need strong races across the board. For the men, veterans Ryan Phillips ‘16 and Daniel Samet ‘16 will be counted on to lead the way. However, the Wildcats’s success will be decided by Davidson’s next wave of runners. Will Brewster ‘17 and Walker Mogen ‘17 are two candidates to make a valuable jump to sub-25 running that will be needed for Davidson to overtake favorite George Mason. On the women’s side, Caroline Yarbrough ‘19 comes into the race red hot and will be seeking a storybook finish to her freshman season. Allison Cheeseman ‘18 will look to end her impressive season with a strong conference meet. Behind those two is tremendous depth, which Davidson will need to count on if it wants to take the title over a quartet of challengers - Richmond, LaSalle, Duquesne, and St. Louis.
fies the materialization of their winning mindset into concrete success. When also recognizing that four of their eight losses have been by just a one-goal margin, their record does not necessarily reflect how good this team can be when firing on all cylinders. Seasoned veterans Anna Davis ’16 and Melissa Funsten ’16 have led the team offensively with six goals apiece for the year, while Davis’s four assists are also a team-high. Overall, the team has shown a very balanced attack, with seven different players contributing two or more goals to the team total. On the other side, the Cats’ losses have occurred largely because they failed to capitalize on their opportunities and the offense was periodically inconsistent. Such an issue was the case in their most recent match, a 2-1 loss to Saint Joseph’s. After a goal by Hannah Fisher ’18 midway through the first half, the offense’s attack stalled the rest of the way. Defensively, the Wildcats have shown an ability to keep themselves in games through persistent and stifling defense. Given the margin for error, mere minor defensive lapses could have led
Field Hockey 10/27 Davidson 0 Wake Forest 2
to tantalizing defeats. In their tightly contested match against Richmond, both teams were held scoreless for the first 71 minutes. The defense held strong until Federico sent the ‘Cats into a celebratory frenzy by re-directing Funsten’s shot past Richmond goalkeeper Emily Braunewell for the crucial victory. Such a goal has proven even more momentous given the Cats’ recent clinching of a spot in the A-10 tournament, a goal that the Cats’ have held since pre-season. Federico noted that while it was third from last in the A-10 just a year ago, the team set up the expectation early on that it could qualify for the tournament. While noting that “it was nice to achieve some tangible success based on the goals we set early this season,” Federico no doubt is hoping the ‘Cats can further capitalize on the opportunity by continuing this success into the postseason. With just four-teams competing for the title in a “do or die” scenario, anything can happen. The Wildcats conclude the regular season on Saturday at home against Massachussetts at 12 p.m.
Recent Scores
Golf 10/25-10/26 10th place out of 14 at Bridgestone Golf Collegiate Men’s Swimming 10/24 Georgetown 127 Davidson 171
Men’s Soccer 10/27 Davidson 0 Wake Forest 4 Volleyball 10/25 La Salle 22 20 10 Davidson 25 25 25
Football 10/24 Marist 31 Davidson 10
Women’s Swimming 10/24 Georgetown 132 Davidson 166
THE DAVIDSONIAN
Swimming takes down Georgetown in home opener See page 7
Taylor Willenbring ’18 Photo by Shea Parikh
October 28, 2015