the davidsonian
November 2, 2016 vol. 112 Issue 8
The Independent Student Newspaper of Davidson College since 1914
Inside NEWS Davidson parent Robert Strauss discusses his new book 2 Admiral David Oliver Jr. says a vote for Clinton is a vote for national security 4 LIVING DAVIDSON Review of Davidson's Contemporary Production: A Midsummer Night's Dream 4 PERSPECTIVES Mary Scott Manning '17 reflects on coping with rejection 3 The College Republicans stood with the College Libertarians on Eumenanian Hall, and the College Democrats stood opposite on Philanthropic Hall. Photo by Bill Giduz
Quadrennial PhiEu Debate Reinforces Political Convictions, Decorum KAMRAN SHAHBAZ Political Correspondent
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he arena for a political brawl on Parents’ Weekend could not have been more fitting. Enjoying a sunny Saturday afternoon with mid-70s weather, dozens of students and parents gathered, sprawling themselves on the lawn between the Philanthropic and Eumenean Halls as they awaited an event that occurs only once in a Davidson student’s college experience: the Phi Eu Presidential Debate. Projecting their voices twenty feet above the crowd, the debaters representing the Republican, Libertarian, and Democrat Parties would share their opinions on domestic and foreign affairs. The rules were limited, the freedom of unhindered expression ample, and all that could possibly get in the way of the teams fully communicating their stances was moderator Dr. Kenneth Menkhaus’ cherished cowbell. Menkhaus’ first question of four was whether or not the US should commit itself to more direct military action to eliminate ISIL. Matthew Sickinger '20 of the Democrats responded first, sup-
porting the perpetuation of the Obama Administration’s policy. “In order to beat ISIL, we need to form a broad coalition of allies and partners,” Sickinger began, stressing how the US needs to continue supporting the Syrian opposition, the Iraqi government, and the Kurds. After a comical name mix-up preceding the Republican response, Andrew Coyner '20 claimed, “ Past tactics used in Iraq have worked well, but these same tactics cannot be used in Syria.” Rather, the Republicans proposed an “extended bombing campaign in Syria” as well as the US deployment of special forces in the area. Starkly contrasting each of these major party viewpoints was that of Libertarian David Samberg '20, who supplied a more peace-oriented, isolationist stance on the issue. According to Samberg, US interventionist policies have exacerbated the turmoil existing in the Middle East. “We’ve killed thousands of people with little regard for whether they are combatants or not,” Sandberg explains, and “we can’t kill our way out of this situation.” The second question of the debate focused on international trade. Menkhaus first asked President of College Republicans, Beth Wright '17, to clarify her platform on free trade. “Amer-
ica should only fear free trade when we cannot compete on the international market,” Wright opened. She noted that “more than fourteen million other jobs rely on trade with Canada and Mexico alone,” mentioning that costs of free trade are concentrated in specific industries whose jobs “if brought back to the US, would be highly mechanized and not beneficial to many workers.” Wilson Pava '19 of the Democrats also cited statistics demonstrating the importance of free trade. “The twelve TPP nations already account for over forty percent of all world trade,” he claimed, and “we need to invest in education, in infrastructure, in worker training programs to make sure that the Americans who are facing the brunt of the costs are also being raised up by the benefits” of programs such as TPP and NAFTA. Andrew Peterson '18 of the Libertarian Party similarly highlighted the benefits of free trade, observing that “open markets spur American innovation, accelerate the growth of industry, and make our businesses more competitive.” Howev-
Nicholas Trevino '17 lays out a plan for preventing future Donald Trumps 5 YOWL Student plans to take a gap-life after graduation 6 Parent dozes off during family weekend 6 Cleaning up at F is as repetitive as going to F 6 SPORTS Profile of Women's Tennis player Anna Catharine Feaster '18 7 Men and women's cross country competed at A10 championship this weekend 7
See MODERATOR Page 2
Journalist Isaac Bailey Pushes Crowd to Recognize Privilege
D
ZAKIYYAH CHISM Guest Writer
avidson kicked off the 2016-2017 Family Weekend with the annual Fall Convocation, an event during which students and faculty are honored with awards, hats are tipped to the senior class as they progress through their final year, and a special keynote speaker presents to the campus community. Isaac “Ike” Bailey ‘95 was this year’s Fall 2016 Convocation speaker and is a Davidson College alum, journalist, and author. Among his accolades, Bailey has won writing awards from the South Carolina Press Association, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, the Casey Medals, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors. The Davidson alum is often open about the challenge of having a stutter. In the field of journalism, some have questioned his ability or competency to excel. Additionally, Bailey is candid about how half of his brothers are incarcerated in the mass industrial prison complex. Bailey takes
an alternate path. “Fight when you must, but dance when you can” was the oft-repeated statement and theme in his address. During the speech, he interacted with the audience, urging everyone to engage in a conversation with their neighbors. Bailey posed the question of discussion: “What does the phrase ‘All Lives Matter’ mean to you?” to the audience. Simultaneously, the audience members were expected to answer the question while doing the action that was listed on a sheet of paper given to them upon entering the Duke Family Performance Hall (e.g. “hop on your right foot after every second sentence”). Audience members spoke about the experience, saying “[The mini-activity] was hard” and “It was difficult to think about two things at once.” Bailey connected this interactive activity to his main point; ‘doing two things at once’ is what people who have a stutter have to deal with everyday. He continued to say, “Difference often leads to discomfort, but it only leads to a disad-
See CONVOCATION Page 2
Ike Bailey addressed the audience with passion and conviction. Photo by Yilin Wang
News
Page 2 November 2, 2016
Davidson Parent Speaks About His New Novel in the 2016 Election
I
GRACE FALKEN Staff Writer
t is the buzz topic of the semester: the 2016 Presidential Election. There are candidate debate screenings, the quadrennial Phi Eu debate, and people on every corner in town asking if you are registered to vote. Davidson’s Political Science department offered a class this fall, “The Presidency,” that covers “the modern American presidency from a policy-making perspective, including consideration of the various internal and external factors that constrain the behavior of incumbent presidents,” allowing students to engage with current and historical politics in an academic setting. Instructed by Dr. Susan Roberts, the class hosted a unique guest speaker this past Friday to bring a fresh perspective into their dialogue about our Commander-in-Chief. Robert Strauss is a Davidson parent, a history buff, a big fan of humor, and an accomplished journalist. His most recent book, Worst. President. Ever.: James
Buchanan, the POTUS Rating Game, and the Legacy of the Least of the Lesser Presidents explores America’s obsession with often misconstrued comparisons of leadership. Sylvia Strauss '17 said her father’s book makes use of both his own historical interests and his love for “obscure historical facts, so delving into James Buchanan, an arguably forgettable president, and making him relevant is exactly what he does best.” Of his work ethic and writing style, Strauss says her dad “has always been a journalist who does a million stories, constantly writing even if it’s not the best topic, often in order to maintain a connection.” The passion and energy the elder Strauss brings to his work are palpable in the intrigue he invokes in the least likely places and the humor with which he presents his research and well-developed ideas. Strauss is currently bringing that energy on the road in his current book tour of different radio shows and colleges to speak about the importance of his book’s political context today. Strauss stresses leaders’ decisions made within their his-
torical contexts when he discusses the qualifications of the presidency. Of Buchanan, Strauss said, during a phone interview, “Being president requires making decisions, and one thing Buchanan wasn’t good at was being decisive. When you waffle, you don’t get much done.” Strauss looked closely into the life of Buchanan and how, despite all of his accomplishments and political experience before taking office, he still wasn’t able to hold together a nation as it fell into the Civil War. This dialogue was driven in part by recent tendencies to condemn our most recent presidents, namely either George W. Bush or Barack Obama, as the worst to ever hold this position. By reconstructing his reader’s historical perspective, Strauss offers “a historical reassurance,” according to peer author and journalist David Kinney. On Friday, October 28th, Strauss gave a lecture to Roberts’ course, hoping to connect his historical investigation of the presidency and the 1856 election with the current election, drawing both similarities and differences between
the candidates, context, and issues at hand. By bringing in historical research and context to the course, the lecture was aimed to build upon the traditional discourse that qualifies our leaders. Strauss, the father of two daughters who have attended Davidson, firmly believes in the importance of the liberal arts education. “I’d say what you learn in a liberal arts school is a little about a lot, and life doesn’t have one path. My career was a jagged and up-and-down as one can imagine, and you learn that nothing good comes out of a straight line,” Strauss said. On being a writer, Strauss said, “You’re an entertainer when you’re a writer,” which says a great deal not only about Strauss’ writing style seen in his book and published articles, but also about his attitude towards his work. It’s with that joy that he has given his time and energy to Davidson and its students, both by using his journalism network to support students and through his teachings in the classroom.
Convocation Provides Space for Celebration and Candid Discourse Continued from Page 1 vantage when privilege leads to comfort.” As an example for many, Bailey persevered through his discomfort of having a stutter and pursuing his passions in the journalism field. The day before Bailey’s address at convocation, Bailey visited a few of the current Davidson College classes, including Dr. Tracey Hucks’ Introduction to Africana Studies 101 and AfricanAmerican Religious & Healing Traditions of the South. During the these class sessions, Bailey had conversations with Davidson students to discuss three articles he wrote for Politico. “There were only nine black students in my graduating class,” Bailey reflected. When visiting these classes, Bailey was pleased with the increased diversity of students of color (25% of Davidson’s population today) enrolled at the institution and the recent inclusion of the Africana Studies major, which was not offered when he was a student. The focal point of the class discussion was on race and politics in America. Bailey was rather frank in his article “Why I Refuse to Have ‘The Talk’ with My Black Son.” “The Talk” refers to the many conversations African-American parents need to hawve with black children, particularly
males, on how to act around the police. Bailey reiterated his point to the students, saying, “I think it is important to acknowledge the real racial disparities, shortcomings and policies. And I won’t have the “The Talk” with my son because he is a 14 year old boy. It does not make sense to me that he has to make sure that everything goes right.” When asked about the current political fiasco related to the upcoming election, Bailey stated that the bigotry that is being manifested out of Republican Presidential candidate, Donald J. Trump, is nothing new or recent in America. “It pains me that so many people brushed aside bigotry,” Bailey said. He claimed that such bigotry has existed throughout the history of the United States, but is only being widely accepted as so for the first time. Bailey’s commentary was not only to acknowledge the bigotry that is tearing the country apart, but to be willing to confront such discomfort and to make a change. On a campus where discussing differences, such as race, religion, and gender/sexual orientation, is often either kept in the forefront of a lot of students’ minds or hidden away to avoid discomfort, Bailey’s speech seemed fitting. Despite what those differences may be, the key message overall was to face and overcome the challenges that come along with embracing said differences.
President Carol Quillen welcomed families to Fall Convocation. Her speech was followed by a presentation of awards. Photo by Yilin Wang
Moderator Menkhaus Applauds Students for Civility Continued from Page 1 er, Peterson directly challenged the Republican and Democrat candidates, criticizing Donald Trump’s desire to decrease US trade with many nations and noting how Bernie Sanders’ free trade platform has “forced Hillary Clinton to reconsider her long history of supporting unrestricted international exchange.” Privacy and surveillance constituted the next topic. Olivia Daniels '19 of the Democrats began to explain her party’s platform regarding where it draws the line between citizens’ privacy and the government’s obligation to protect its citizenry from terrorism. Daniels highlighted how the government must find a delicate balance between securing its people without violating their rights. “We cannot allow qualms about the status of our personal liberties to severely limit the level of protection that we currently need,” she explained. “However, we must not violate our own constitutional rights in the name of extreme surveillance.” Republican Evan Mitchell '17 responded that the NSA currently has access to too much of citizens’ personal information. Mitchell holds that “under the Obama Administration, data collection has taken new, insidious forms such as the prison program, in which the government has direct access to your Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple accounts.” Next, the Libertarians, led by Sarah Gompper '18, asserted that “mass surveillance of US citizens is blatantly unconstitutional.” The Republi-
cans and Democrats “are wrong about the promise of the USA Freedom Act,” she said; “though the USA Freedom Act had the potential to pass massive reforms, it largely failed to do so,” and it “revived Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, the section used to justify mass collection.” Domestic economy was the final debate topic of the afternoon. Menkhaus focused on North Carolina, what he called a microcosm of the US with respect to its economy. He asked the debaters what economic policies they would implement in North Carolina if they were president. Republican Houston Downes '18 noted the importance of educating a dynamic workforce in an evolving economy. “Four score and seven years ago, to this very date, the stock market crashed on Black Tuesday, triggering the Great Depression, but over time we’ve still pushed for free markets,” Downes explained. According to Downes, “We must expand opportunity, not regulate and tax it away.” Kate Bock '19 answered on behalf of the Democrats. Bock noted how the recent HB2 in North Carolina, setting aside its “discriminatory nature,” has demonstrated “Republican lawmakers’ lack of judgment and competence to continue North Carolina’s economic growth.” In touting the current five percent unemployment rate, Bock illustrated how “North Carolina’s economic growth is just a manifestation of the growth we have seen nationwide under the Obama Administration.” Finally, Libertarian Noah Batke '19 reacted, maintaining that the “federal government has strangled the life out of our economy.” For Batke,
the reason the US economy disproportionately benefits wealthier individuals are not because of the free market; “rather it is the result of the crony capitalist policies instituted by both Democrats and Republicans.” Menkhaus then gave the debaters the opportunity to elaborate on the political candidates who represent their parties. Though the Democrats endorsed Hillary Clinton and the Libertarians endorsed Gary Johnson, the Republicans were split; although the College Republicans recently voted not to endorse Donald Trump, Alex Sizemore '20 represented those who did. After the debate, Sizemore was appreciative that College Republicans “wanted to make sure that Trump supporters on campus had a voice.” Sizemore described how he sometimes has difficulty expressing his views “in places like Davidson where there are so many liberal students.” Nonetheless, he claims, “I don’t really shy away from being ridiculed; I like being the underdog; you just have a better opportunity to persuade more people.” In addition Laura Dunnagan '19 spoke on behalf of those College Republicans who do not support Trump. She explained the group’s decision not to endorse him hinged upon his incompatibility with many members’ moral values. This year the Libertarians received an unprecedented amount of speaking time in the debate. Speaking for fourteen minutes, just two minutes less than the time the Republicans and Democrats had, the Libertarians had ample opportunity to express their views, and unlike four years ago, they did not have to speak on a meager
podium between the halls. College Democrat President Andrés Ramos '17 echoed sentiments of contentment with the debate structure, tributing “the way we got to include the Libertarians in the most serious way they ever have been before. It’s a testament to the political discourse and atmosphere at Davidson College.” However, it is not just the inclusiveness of Davidson’s political community that is unparalleled; the volume of debaters’ attention to substantive issues and policy was far more significant than the political discourse that has surrounded the current election. And all members of the audience agreed, raising their hand affirmatively even before Menkhaus could finish asking if they “thought that that hour of debate we just had here was more thoughtful and informed and articulate than what we’ve seen on TV?” Although this debate was not the hundredth Phi Eu Debate as Menkhaus joked while testing parents’ math skills early in the afternoon, the debate has been a long-standing Davidsonian tradition that has occurred every election year since the mid-1800s. Why has the event been a pillar of a Davidson experience? The answer is transparent, and it is evident that the debates will endure for the classes of 2021-2024 to treasure, too; the debate was “thoughtful, it was passionate, it was informed, and it was respectful,” as Dr. Menkhaus said in his closing remarks, and “that’s exactly what we need more of in this country.”
News Admiral Explains the Importance of Electing Clinton ETHAN EHRENHAFT Staff Writer
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ear Admiral David R. Oliver Jr. is a retired naval officer who served in the Navy for over three decades. During that time, Admiral Oliver oversaw submarine groups in the Pacific. Following his military career he worked with and managed various defense groups, including Airbus, Northrop Grumman, and Westinghouse. He was also an appointee to several defensive positions during the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, including a stint as the Special Advisory to the Minister of Finance in Iraq. He has also authored several books, such as Lead On and Making it in Washington. Admiral Oliver visited Davidson on October 19th along with other retired generals and admirals as part of the Trooping Through North Carolina: Vets for Hillary Tour. The Davidsonian conducted a phone interview with the Admiral for this article. What characteristics and experience do you want to see in a would-be commander-in-chief, and does Hillary Clinton posses said characteristics? David Oliver (DO): "You want them to understand how important the military is to the United States. You know, all the admirals and generals represent the United States in various places and you recognize that the United States is a world leader. This may be not so true in the United States, but whenever you're out in other countries, you realize that all of those places just look to the United States for leadership. Particularly when you wear a uniform or when they see the President or the Vice President, they look to that person. When I was a [Bill] Clinton appointee, I realized that I had 150 countries that were trying to call me each day because they were interested in what the United States was going to do about something. They're focused on what we are doing because as the most powerful country in the world; they're interested in what we're gonna do, and so it's really important that the President know about the world and understand those issues. The fact that Hillary and her VP Senator Kaine understand the world is really important. The fact that Donald doesn't understand the world at all makes him unfit to serve. That's why you see all these admirals and generals voting with their feet. You know, I went to California to tour the state and all those generals and admirals. We were going around the state trying to demonstrate that we know Hillary, and we understand what's important for national defense. [H. Clinton and Kaine] were both members of Senate Armed Services Committee, which is the highest deliberator of national defense and thinks about national defense all the time. If you watch Donald Trump on television or watch him anywhere, he can't even answer the most basic questions about things involving national defense." Retired Marine Corps General John Allen said under a Trump presidency the US would face a "civil military crisis, the like of which we’ve not seen in this country.� Do share that opinion? DO: "I do. I was standing behind him at the National Convention in Philadelphia, and I know him well, and I share that conviction." What do you make of Trump's suggestions to arm our allies, including Saudi Arabia and Japan, with nuclear weapons? DO: "I've spent a great deal of my life worrying about nuclear weapons. I've handled nuclear weapons; I've been in charge of nuclear weapons. One of the things I've been most proud of is I assisted President Clinton in getting nuclear weapons out of Kazakstan and making Kazakhstan one of two nations along with Brazil that became nations that went non-nuclear. It's one of the things President Clinton thinks he's most proud of in his life. Nuclear weapons are one of the things that anyone who understands national security worries about probably most. Hillary in several debates points out that Donald doesn't understand the slightest thing he's talking about. Yesterday Colin Powell [former Secretary of State], a good
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10/26/16 at 0600 hrs
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publican. Do you see this trend continuing into the future or changing after this election?
Have you had any personal interaction with Hillary that you can speak to?
we've conversed with her frequently. What happens is, as anyone who's met her knows, she really is a charmer. At a personal level, she is very kind, very thoughtful, very charming. She will come and bring a birthday cake to people having birthdays and spend time talking to them, and she just charms the heck out of you. I wish I were that charming. She's terribly nice, and she's probably the smartest person I've ever met. She's also very, very charming. As is Tim."
DO: "Yes. My wife used to be her attorney and
Traditionally veterans have voted heavily Re-
friend of mine and a good friend of Hillary's, said he's gonna vote for Hillary. The reason: anybody who is a serious student of national security is involved in trying to limit nuclear weapons because they are so dangerous, so destructive. We do not want to have them in hands of everybody. We have pledged through treaties to help provide a nuclear umbrella to various countries just to keep nuclear weapons from proliferating. That is the basic deadlock of our strategy, and the fact Donald Trump doesn't understand it or know it indicates the incompetence of his positions and his incompetence to be president." Those statements must resonate pretty strongly with you; as someone who commanded a nuclear submarine group in the Cold War, you know better than anyone. DO: "The President of Kazakhstan came to me one evening at 1 o'clock in the morning, and I went to the Chinese Embassy and made an agreement to smuggle 15,000 nuclear weapons out of Kazakhstan under the eyes of the Soviet Union to try and reduce the number of nuclear weapons. I have risked my life to try and reduce the number of nuclear weapons, and when I hear Donald Trump talk about it, I think what a fool he is. It's so extraordinary, and I think it's what led all those Republican policy makers early on to not endorse him or [vow not to] serve in the administration if he was elected. I know all those people, those are all good guys. People, I perhaps do not agree with on everything, but they are solid people who understand issues and understand policy. These are guys who previously served in the Bush and Reagan administrations." How affected did you think veterans were by Trump's calling of John McCain a "loser" for being taken a prisoner of war? DO: "Yeah that really hurt. Many of us know John McCain. I know John McCain well ,and there are things I disagree with John on. But [he spent] more than six years in a prison camp being tortured because his father was an admiral in charge of the Pacific Fleet. John did America proud, and John [is] a great person. John went to the Naval Academy a couple years ahead of me, and, goodness gracious, he's good person. He's taken honorable positions on many issues, including when he was running against President Obama, and someone accused President Obama of being a Muslim. He took an honorable position on that as opposed to a dishonorable position." Why do you think it was that he was able to temporarily endorse Trump after all that? DO: I think party loyalty is a real hard thing with John. He's been a Republican for a long time. What ways did you try to appeal to undecided voters in North Carolina and other swing states? DO: "All we [fellow admirals and generals] were trying to do was come, and say we know national security issues,;we spent our lives in national security. I spent my life in national security; I was in the Navy for 32 years; I've been in the Pentagon; I've been in Iraq; I've worked in the defense industry; I've run defense companies; I understand defense issues, and I know Hillary. I know the people; I know the issues. I want to fly across the country and tell voters these are good people, and they understand the issues, and they know the defense issues, and they know national security, and they'd be good for national security. That's what I can talk to. I trust them. I know Donald Trump does not know what he's talking about, is intemperate, and would not make a good commander-in-chief. You have someone who truly understands the issues, such as Tim Kaine and Hillary, as opposed to someone who doesn't understand them at all. You want to have someone who doesn't understand nuclear weapons? Who doesn't even understand sending people to war? I trust Hillary."
DO: "I don't know. It looks to me like there's much higher numbers for Hillary than there have been in the past [for the Democrats] in my experience. So looks to me like we're starting a trend, that's what I would say. You don't see guys like Colin Powell (normally) charging out to endorse Democrats. I think voting with your feet's a big deal."
living davidson
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November 2, 2016
A Midsummer Night’s Contemporary Twist JULIAN BERTINI STAFF WRITER
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rom October 26th through October 30th, The Davidson Theater Department presented Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with a modern twist. It incorporated hip-hop themes, the LGBTQ+ community, and was deeply inspired by the Black Lives Matters movement. One learned from the playbill handed out at the beginning of the performance that the director’s incorporation of hip-hop into the play was inspired by her experience in New York City— specifically, its embedded parks and the street performers that she encountered. The director, Ann Marie Costa, tells the audience that “the primary elements of the city, that awakened [her] the most, were the various nooks and crannies that had public parks in them.” As such, the setting of the play felt like a modern city. The opening setting, meant to represent Athens, was composed of several rectangular and triangular “L” shaped walls that surrounded the actors. The mathematically-calculated and rigid nature of the setting reflected on the strict, Athenian laws and customs that the characters were subject to. The characters in the opening scene, namely Theseus, Hippolyta, Demetrius, Hermia, Lydia, and Egia, were also wearing formal attire, reinforcing the idea of the strict environment that was representative of city. This world, on the other hand, contrasted with the fantastical world of the fairies. The setting of
the fairy world was composed of brick walls with vines chaotically running down from top to bottom, and plant pots as large as a human. This setting felt like a magical, clandestine park hidden in a crevice of the city. Once the play started, Colin Bye '17 opened as Theseus, the Duke of Athens. He stole the audience’s attention immediately with his thunderous voice. However, his substantial involvement in the play was not limited to his initial role as Theseus. He also played Oberon, the King of the Fairies, embodying an urban look and taking on the persona of a mischievous, city thug. His partner in crime and the Queen of the Fairies, Titania, played by Kanise Thompson '17, equally added to the spirited and energetic nature of the fairies. Oberon and Titania’s sensual and sexy dance moves often shocked the crowd; there was a stark contrast between their roles as fairies and their roles as the straight-edged characters Theseus and Hippolyta. The confused lovers, Lydia, Hermia, Demetrius and Helena, come in shortly after, and are played by Blaire Ebert '17, Izem Ustun '17, Ed Pritchard '18 and Sarah Kostoryz '17, respectively. The brawl between these tangled lovers had the audience on their toes, laughing and biting their nails as the lovers craved for the wrong person, wrestled, yelled and tossed each other around. The actors that played these roles could not have embodied the irrationality and spontaneity of love that one reads in the text of A MSND more perfectly. They demonstrated how love clashes against the rigid structure of society, the formal marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta,
and Egia’s wishes for her daughter to marry the correct person. Enveloping the interactions and scenes in the play was hip-hop. The hip-hop beats provided the line of demarcation that separated the fairy world from the world of Athens. The audience was quickly trained to immediately distinguish between the two worlds central to the play when the beat came on. As such, the hip-hop beats functioned to facilitate understanding of the play. Moreover, when a beat started booming through the speakers, signaling the entrance into fantastical world of the fairies, the audience couldn’t help but move their bodies along with the actors. The iambic pentameter verses were brought to life by way of hip-hop, making the audience equally feel and witness the play. The audience also responded with laughter to the playwrights, who provided comic relief by creating a ludicrous play within the play. The unfortunate misadventures and simple-mindedness of the playwrights was successfully embodied by the actors who played those roles. Namely, Sam Giberga '19, who played Bottom, did an especially good job of personifying Bottom’s nonsensicalness and engaging the audience with laughter and pity for his sad misfortune. On a more serious note, however, the play demonstrated its support for the LGBTQ+ community play by converting the traditionally male character of Lysander into a female character named Lydia. The Costume Designer, Martha Making, decided to make her wear a pantsuit to further challenge what is typically portrayed in A MSND performance. In light of Shakespeare
being known as the universal author, and the emergent theme of love in this play, introducing same-sex love adds yet another significant and pertinent layer to the theme of inclusivity that this particular production aimed to create. That being said, the decision to make this modification also had the effect of changing the interpretation of love as presented by Shakespeare originally— which led to several people who anticipated a more traditional rendering of A MSND to walk out, as Neil Reda, the Lighting and Sound Designer, mentioned. Nonetheless, the message that the love between Lydia and Hermia conveys is more important and meaningful than the slight deviation from the original meaning of the play. The traditionally male role of Egeius, who is Hermia’s father, is also turned into a female role in this production. Egeius, being the father of Hermia, stands for the traditional and patriarchal familial structure of Athens. But turning this character, who represents power and authority, into a female role made a strong statement against gender-inequality and patriarchal traditions. The play ends with one final song, sung by the entire cast, that brings together the seemingly incompatible world of the fairies with the orderly world of Athens. It further extends this message of unity to our community, which has witnessed severe division and ache as a result of recent events. The final song encouraged us to come together as a family, despite how different our worlds may appear. This is a message that we should all take seriously, and listen to dearly with open hearts.
Just Get Ovary It!
Photos by Abby Miller ‘20
On October 25th, Dr. Laurie Bumgarner, Leah Hubert '18 and Emma Johnson '17 talked about women’s health and the struggles of being a female athlete, birth control and took questions from the audience.
THE CHEW 2.16 Watermelon Jerky Adapted from wholefoodsmarket.com Courtesy photo
Ingredients
Directions
1 (5-pound) piece seedless watermelon (about 1/2 medium watermelon) 1 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1. Preheat to 175°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. Cut off rind and slice watermelon into strips about 1/4 inch thick, 1 inch wide and 4 inches long; the dimensions don’t need to be exact. Pat pieces dry and place on the prepared baking sheets. In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, and paprika. Sprinkle mixture evenly over watermelon. 3. Bake until watermelon is brick-red in color, 5 to 6 hours, rotating the pans back to front and top to bottom about every 2 hours. Let watermelon cool; keep in airtight container.
Want your favorite recipe featured? Email editor Mary Porter at maporter@davidson.edu to get involved!
perspectives Reflections on Rejection
A
MARY SCOTT MANNING
pparently 29 seniors applied for the Watson Fellowship, 16 were interviewed, and four made the final cut. That’s terrible. So many calls and emails and research, so many this-is-it moments of clarity, and the thrill of feeling like you’re finally on the right path. But then they tell you you’re wrong. We’ve all been there, rejected by an employer or fellowship or boyfriend, dressed down a professor, let down by a good friend, maybe even shut down by campus police. Probably not for the last time, either. So what can we do? How do we face rejection? I don’t really know, but two dear women have given me good advice that I keep returning and referring to. What follows is their wisdom. I hope it helps you, too. The first is from my sophomore spring, in the height of the summer internship application season. Things were not going well. My friends and I had gotten so many denials, we felt like we’d morphed into rejection magnets. We joked that we could have funded our own internships if only we had a nickel for every “Regretfully we inform you…” and “We hope you will apply again next year” we received.
It didn’t help that it was February, dark and cold. A thin, crunchy layer of ice covered campus, making it too slippery to run off our anxiety but not slippery enough for my chemistry professor to cancel class. I coped with the stress by gulping down mugs and mugs of coffee with sugary vanilla creamer and calling home daily for infusions of encouragement. My parents probably came to dread my calls, but I needed to talk to people who still thought I was capable, worthy, and smart, when the stack of rejection letters made the compelling case I was not. I cried and whined; they listened and comforted. One dear friend had a much more mature perspective. She graciously shared it with me as I tore the silver foil off yet another coffee cream bottle, and I’ve never forgotten. She told me she liked to think that each application, even the denied ones, showed her something useful about herself. Each one challenged her to think about her purpose and strengths, her hopes and vision and dreams, and this was valuable regardless of the outcome. Each application, even the denied ones, offered up a fresh revelation of herself, a nugget of gold she could slip in her pocket and carry with her moving forward. Because she would move forward, she had more gold to find. Sometimes it feels like Davidson mea-
page 5 November 2, 2016
sures our worth with one of those old-fashioned scales, shaped like a capital T with hanging trays on both ends, one side good, the other bad. We watch as the balance teeters between them, back and forth: I am enough; I am not. Every poor grade or denial feels like rough heavy rocks dropped on the bad side, which sink us lower and lower. We need our pieces of gold for the other side, to bring us back into balance. The point is not to do enough good so that we gain enough gold to outweigh the bad. The point is to remember we still have gold, we are still good. A rock and a piece of gold might weigh the same, but the gold is infinitely more valuable. My second piece of advice comes from my mom, when I was in high school and really, really wanted to be on the fall homecoming court. There were two ways to make this happen: winning the popular vote, or being asked to escort a male varsity athlete. The first I knew was impossible, as I was introverted and quiet, without a loyal posse of friends who would dash through the hallways just before the vote imploring people to vote for me. With the latter option, though, I had hoped I had a chance. Throughout that September, I watched the annual homecoming ritual unfold like an elaborate game of musical chairs, with sweaty boys and pretty girls pairing off every period, until it seemed like
I was the last one standing, alone. Even my also-shy sister had been asked. This may seem trivial to you, and looking back, it was. But as a fifteen-year-old girl who daydreamed about love, and whose nightmares involved waking up alone at fifty, homecoming mattered. I was terribly disappointed, and my mother in her motherliness could tell. Here’s how she encouraged me: Our lives look like a tapestry, she said. On the back is a mess of threads and colors and tangles and knots, far from beautiful. But if you could only turn it around, you would see the front, lovely and intricate, perfectly designed with every thread in just the place it needed to be. Right now, she told me, you can only see the back. But one day, you’ll see the masterpiece being woven all along. Bear the tapestry in mind when you can only see the mess, and keep looking for gold. I promise it’s there. You are capable, you are worthy, and you are smart. And maybe this rejection wasn’t really about you, anyway. Maybe that fellowship, that relationship, or that job just wasn’t the best fit. But something better, something good is coming, like a finely woven tapestry, like a piece of pure gold.
support correlated with respondent’s “racial resentment.[5]” Pew Research center found that Republicans who believe that “Islam is more likely than other religions to promote violence,” and “it’s bad for country that minorities will make up a majority of the population” have higher rates of Trump support[6]. To prevent the next Trump, we need to address the educational divide and economic stress which increase Trump supporters’ feelings of powerlessness. To reduce the educational divide, Robert Putnam, author of Our Kids and professor of Public Policy at Harvard, recommends combating residential segregation that concentrates poor kids in the same schools. He argues the current educational system perpetuates low achievement and intergenerational poverty. He recommends using publicly subsidized mixed-income housing to help poorer kids access better high schools. States could also explore supplementing funding to provide poorer schools more resources. Most school districts award higher performing schools more money. School districts must stop this regressive practice, because it denies poorer performing schools the resources they need to improve. The federal government and states should invest in job training and community college programs especially in areas devastated by de-industrialization. Debt-free college is a step in the right direction. Reducing the educational divide also requires dealing with the economic stress that shatters families and lowers academic performance. To mitigate family’s economic pressure,we should increase
the Earned Income Tax Credit, as Robert Putnam suggests, and protect and expand the welfare state. Increasing college attendance rates, especially among first-generation students, would expose those students to new ideas while reducing their vulnerability to de-industrialization. It would help stitch together our country’s cultural fractures, jump-start economic growth, and expand opportunities for previously marginalized groups. These college educated kids would be less likely to vote for future Trumps. Unless the we start addressing America’s educational divide, we’re going to have an awful election like this one every four years for years to come.
Mary Scott Manning, '17, is a Psychology major from Kinston, North Carolina. Contact her at mamanning@davidson.edu
How to Stop the Next Trump
F
NICHOLAS TREVINO
ellow college liberals too often unfairly call Trump supporters “stupid,” because they’ve had less access to educational opportunities. I’ve seen so many supposedly kind people unflinchingly call poor white Trump voters “white trash.” These irresponsible comments perpetuate Trump voters’ anxieties rather than fix them. De-industrialization, a near irreversible force, has created two distinct Americas: one full of opportunities and another with stagnating prospects. Many Trump voters fear that their children will have with less opportunity, because foreigners stole their opportunities. Unless we fix the social and economic woes that mobilize Trump’s supporters, we risk losing our democracy to a succession of Trump-like candidates who take advantage of marginalized voters’ racial and economic anxieties. To stop the next Trump,we need to expand educational opportunities and economic support for poorer families. To prevent the next Trump, we must recognize who currently supports Trump and why. Moderate think tank RAND’s surveys found that Trump voters feel voiceless and powerless[1]. It’s easy to see why; our post-industrial economy rewards college degrees, but the average Trump voter is not poised to take advantage of those opportunities because of their lower levels of educational attainment. This puts their kids at risk of suffering from
chronic poverty, poorer health, and lower happiness. A Washington Post study of Super Tuesday voters found that districts with higher white death rates had higher rates of Trump support[2]. The same study found that since 1991, Black and Hispanic mortality rates have declined, but white mortality rates have increased, especially among Whites without a college degree. The educational divide risks splitting America into distinct cultures that share few social networks or experiences. Trump voters frequently fear they have no voice in government; they think elitist liberals have used their increased access to opportunities take over the government. Many Trump supporters have racial anxieties and resentment, which connects to their fear of losing opportunities to minorities. While Trump voters frequently do not live below the poverty line, they often fear losing their job. Gallup polling from September[3] describes Trump voters as largely white, with relatively high incomes, and work in blue-collar jobs. Many Trump voters’ have fewer years of formal education which diminishes their ability to get a more secure job if de-industrialization eliminates their current job. While a complex web of interlinking historical and cultural factors affect racism, de-industrialization’s effect on the job market could be one of them. I do not make accusations of racism lightly, several studies have found a link between Trump voters and racism. The New York Times found a strong correlation between districts with a high number of Google searches for racial slurs and those districts’ Trump support[4]. A UCLA study found high Trump
the davidsonian staff editors-in-chief news editors living davidson editor perspectives editor yowl editor
Emma Johnson Matt Landini Olivia Daniels AJ Naddaff Mary Porter Erin Davenport Paul Henderson
sports editor
Ian Robertson
photo editor
Erin Gross
web editor business manager
Emma Johnson Austin Newsome
Nicholas Trevino '17, is a Political Science major from Jacksonville, Florida. Contact him at nitrevino@davidson.edu. [1]http://www.rand.org/blog/2016/01/rand-kicksoff-2016-presidential-election-panel-survey.html [2]https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/ wp/2016/03/04/death-predicts-whether-peoplevote-for-donald-trump/ [3]https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2822059 [4]http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/31/upshot/ donald-trumps-strongest-supporters-a-certainkind-of-democrat.html [5]https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/08/01/trump-is-the-first-republican-in-modern-times-to-win-the-partys-nomination-on-anti-minority-sentiments/ [ 6 ] h t t p : / / w w w. p e w r e s e a r c h . o r g / f a c t tank/2016/06/02/more-warmth-for-trump-amonggop-voters-concerned-by-immigrants-diversity/
The LackLusTer Issue Parents Report That All of Son’s Classes Are “Good”
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Class Weirdo Reads the Whole Book
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Tips on Perfecting That Slutty Tim Kaine Costume This Halloween
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Loss of Yik Yak Anonymity Leads to Influx of Yowl Writers
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Union Board Conspiracy Continues as Members Acquire All Available Free Concert Tickets
Page Bullsh*t
Breaking: Everyone is Going to Die and Nothing Matters
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Summit-Goers Enthralled By Acoustic Cover Playlist
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Kid Blocks Union Fridge Tallying Up How Many Milks He Can Buy At Late Night
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Scarrigan Farms Changes Motto to ‘Strap the F*ck in For This Wild Ride’
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Music At Chainsmokers Concert 95% Drops
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Family Feud Team Sets Record For Most Consecutive Missed High Fives
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Your Davidson Honor Section
Editors: Paul Henderson Writers: Craig T Did Patrick Transfer? Ice Cube Ol’ Proof Readin’ Grace ae! EJ, as always
Note: The Yowl is a satirical supplement to The Davidsonian. Hence, nothing in it should be taken as truth. Word.
The DaviDsonian
This Issue Brought to You By: A Chronic Lack of Enthusiasm
Opinion: This Whole Cleaning Up F Thing Is Getting Pretty Repetitive
Student Informs Parents That He Is Thinking of Taking a Gap Life After College
When I heard that I was being sent to the Underworld to atone for the deceit I practiced throughout my life, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised to awaken in a first floor Armfield apartment. I had expected fire and brimstone, the shrieking cries of other cursed souls or perhaps a large stone for me to push up a hill. Instead, I was instructed by a disembodied voice that I would have to clean up the apartment every week before the weekend Sisyphus came around. “The place has got to be spotless, or else people aren’t gonna want to hang Tortured Greek Soul out,” it said. Sounds easy enough in theory, I know, but after a few months of this I gotta say this whole thing is starting to get pretty repetitive. No matter how many times I scoop strange residue out of the bathroom sink or wipe down the counters until they shine, week after week the apartment seems to get destroyed in increasingly unique ways. Just three days after vigorously cleaning out the space behind the toilet, for example, I found myself using a broom handle to pry a soggy pizza box from that same spot. I mean, what the f*ck. Whoever runs this hell place sure does take their job seriously. Okay look, I get it. I did some bad stuff in my life. I was crafty, headstrong and irresponsible, and betraying Zeus’ secrets may not have been the wisest of moves looking back on it. Also, while I did really hate my brother (who doesn’t?), it wasn’t cool of me to plot against him. I get that now, and to be honest, I fully
In a phone call home last week, unemployed college senior David Livingston '17 informed his parents he was considering taking a gap life after graduating in the Spring. “I’ve heard that taking a break after school can be pretty beneficial, Mom,” said Livingston into the phone as he lay on the couch of his on-campus apartment. “As we prepare to enter the real world as adults, it can actually be really helpful to have the chance decompress, especially when that decompression will continue endlessly into the foreseeable future. And besides, when am I ever going to get an opportunity to see the world like this again?” According to reports, Livingston’s pitch to his parents included plans to “go down and do Chile for a while” before hiking across Andes to subsequently disappear from civilization and its responsibilities forever. “Honestly Mom, I just don’t know if I’m ready for the hustle and bustle and pressure of everyday life,” continued Livingston, simultaneously lifting couch “I think it would be better if pillows in search of the TV remote. “I think it would be better I just took some time to really if I just took some time to really explore. I want to give myself explore. I want to give myself the chance to discover who I really the chance to discover who I am, and then keep doing that inreally am, and then keep doing definitely.” The pitch also featured plans that indefinitely.” “to check out what clubbing is like in Spain” and to try and see if he could score a job as a bouncer. “A life is a long period of time, I know, but I need to make sure I use it wisely,” said Livingston. “I only want to be having meaningful experiences during my time, particularly those that drag me further away from the terrifying realities of the real world for as long as possible.” After finishing his pitch, Livingston made sure to ask his parents if they would be cool with continuing to pay his cell phone bill throughout the duration of his gap life, and if it would be alright if he could still swing buy with some dirty laundry every once in a while. At press time, Livingston was spotted firing up his Xbox while conversing with his roommates about how to most effectively hitch hike in South America.
“As crappy as the actual Underworld sounds, I’ve put in a request for a transfer there as soon as possible. Maybe they can give me a boulder to shove around or some more manageable form of eternal torture.” expected there to be some form of eternal punishment waiting for me in the afterlife to teach me a valuable lesson. But seriously, I don’t really think I deserve this kind of repetitive torture, especially when it involves the weekly ritual of unclogging puke residue from the shower drain. This shit isn’t fun, and it doesn’t get any easier after the thirtieth time. Believe me. I’m pretty fed up with how things have been going in this sh*thole, and I’m not so sure that I really deserve it. I mean, I’m not too sure if anyone deserves to have to deal with this kind of sh*t. One time I woke up to find someone else’s Band-Aid gingerly resting on top of my toothbrush. Who in their right mind made that call? Did they think “oh, I think I’ll just leave this here, this is an ideal spot for this” or something? F*ck me. As crappy as the actual Underworld sounds, I’ve put in a request for a transfer there as soon as possible. Maybe they can give me a boulder to shove around or some more manageable form of eternal torture. Sisyphus is the former king of Ephyra and a tortured Greek soul doomed to an eternity of punishment. Contact him at sisyphus@davidson.edu.
Disinterested Dad Falls Asleep in Adirondack Chair During Family Conversation Multiple reports confirm that the father of junior student Tommy Smith ’18 was heard snoring only twelve minutes in to what was supposed to be a family heart-to-heart while lounging a bit too comfortably in a Chambers Adirondack chair this Saturday afternoon. “Yeah, I was going to go say hello to Tommy and the fam but as I approached the circle of chairs I could hear Mr. Smith’s increasingly audible snores,” remarked Mark Johnson '18, Tommy’s close friend and a frequent visitor to the Smith household. “Then I saw Mrs. Smith roll her eyes and give Tom the ‘there he goes again’ look, so I just decided to avoid them.” The Yowl cannot be certain as to whether Tom Smith Sr. '85 was asleep for the entire conversation, as he was wearing vintage aviator dad shades (with croaky) the entire time. Either way, the Smith family all had different reactions to the untimely midday snooze. According to Linda Smith '85, this isn’t the first time Tom Sr. has pulled such a stunt. “T-ball games, school musicals, middle
“The Yowl cannot be certain as to whether Tom Smith Sr. '85 was asleep for the entire conversation, as he was wearing vintage aviator dad shades (with croaky) the entire time.”
school graduation, you name it, he’s slept during it,” she said in a statement. Yet Tommy’s fraternity brothers say that these constant narcoleptic episodes do not bother them. As one enthusiastic student noted, “Tom Senior is literally the definition of the cool dad. Like, seriously, he’s one of the boys.” “It’s whatever honestly. I’m a junior and they live only a couple hours away,” said Tommy when questioned after the event. “I told my parents they didn’t need to come to Parent’s Weekend but my mom insisted on showing up. Hey, as long as pops keeps paying the tuition he can fall asleep at graduation for all I care.” The youngest member of the Smith family, Timmy '22, appeared indifferent about the whole situation, claiming that he only came along because Tommy told him he would bring him down to F. “Awake dad, asleep dad, I really don’t give a sh*t,” he said. At press time, an annoyed Mrs. Smith muttered something about the Davidson Dad hat from the bookstore being an idiotic purchase.
sports
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Yarbrough and Mogen lead XC at A-10’s JONATHAN SWANN Senior Staff Writer
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aroline Yarbrough and Walker Mogen each recorded top-10 finishes at the Atlantic 10 cross country championships this past Saturday to propel the Wildcats to fourth place as a team for women and seventh for men. The championships, held at Richmond’s Pole Green Park, showcased the talent of the Wildcat runners. Yarbrough, a sophomore, earned All-Conference honors for the second consecutive season. Freshman Maddie Hunter crossed the line in 19th for the ‘Cats, followed by junior Sarah Sears 2 spots behind her. Susannah Cate, a freshman and Hayden Bates, a senior, rounded out the top-5 for the team, placing 29th and 31st respectively. Overall, the Wildcats registered 108 points to finish behind host Richmond, Dayton, and Duquesne. As a team, the women beat expectations, as Davidson was picked to finish seventh in the conference for the 2016 season. Additionally, the team improved on their cumulative time from last year’s conference championship, recording 14 seconds faster. Remarking on the performance of the team, Yarbrough said that despite the projected seventh place in the conference this year, it was clear that the team was going to surprise people. She also spoke on the teamwork and effort each teammate has put into the season and how that bodes well for the future of the program. On the men’s side, Mogen, a senior, also earned All-Conference honors, placing 3rd in the men’s field. The leaders did not get out overly quick, coming through the mile in 4:49, but by
5k the rest of the Davidson squad had unexpectedly fallen back out of the top pack. Senior Will Brewster was the next Wildcat to cross the line after Mogen, placing 28th in the field. Sophomore Dylan Carmack, freshman Sam Thomas, and sophomore Will Jones completed the scoring for the team, with 184 points to tie Fordham. Dayton, Duquesne, and St. Louis were the top three teams in the race. Mogen was pleased with his performance and said he was glad he put himself in the mix to win the men’s individual championship. Even though he admits he could have done some things differently over the course of the last mile, he knows
he learned a few things about how to run the last mile, and he looks forward to doing better at regionals. Mogen also evaluated the team performance, acknowledging, “Finishing seventh was beyond disappointing. Coming in to the meet we had high expectations as a team and things didn’t pan out at all.” Although the men’s team didn’t ran as well as they hoped at conferences, the next race looks to be a good opportunity to bounce back and show the toughness the team has developed through training this season. Execution of prerace strategy will be key as they hope to improve upon their 13th place regional finish last fall.
The Women’s Team exceeded expectations, placing 4th in the Conference and improving significantly upon last year’s finish. Photo by Rebecca Turner
Next on the schedule for the cross country team is the NCAA Southeast Regional Meet at Panorama Farms in Charlottesville, Virginia on November 11th. The course, according to Yarbrough, is “quintessential” cross country with plenty of hills to test the Wildcats. Yarbrough acknowledged the team’s anticipation for the meet in mentioning that “The experience of racing against some of the best athletes in the country is like nothing else and I am so excited to see how well our team competes.” Let’s hope that the team builds on their performance this past week to come out strong against top runners!
Walker Mogen '17 and Will Brewster '17 were top finishers for Men’s Team at A-10 Championships. Photo by Rebecca Turner
Feaster: A Model of Consistency on the Court WES KERR
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Staff Writer
nna Catharine Feaster, a standout athlete on the tennis court, was named to the Atlantic 10 First Team and won back to back Player of the Week Awards this past March. She led the ‘Cats to the A-10 Championship final in 2016, going an impressive 14-6 in No.1 singles. We caught up with the junior to talk about her passion for tennis and her goals for 2017. What originally got you interested in playing tennis, and why have you stuck with it? My mom played tennis at UVA, so she was a major influence when I was really young. I started playing when I was around 7-8 years old and entered in my first tournament at age 12. Since tennis is an individual sport, it teaches a lot about yourself. I have really enjoyed the competitive experience and people I have met while playing the sport. Did you have any memorable tennis moments worth sharing while on your way to Davidson? During my time playing Junior tennis there was a lot more pressure when you played by yourself. Many college scouts showed up at the matches and the competition was extremely tough. After my senior year of high school, I played in a large tournament, beating multiple high ranked opponents at the event, which felt great. This was probably my best moment of junior tennis.
What do you believe are your greatest strengths on the court? I think my greatest strengths are my aggressiveness, my ability to use the whole court, and my unpredictability with my shots. My competitiveness helps me to grind out tough matches and gives me the ability to compete with the top players mentally and physically. What have been the best areas of improvement for year during the first half of your college career? I have had the most improvement in the mental game. My coach has always emphasized its importance. Staying mentally tough has allowed me to use my strengths effectively during match situations. Getting stronger in the weight rooms throughout the past years has helped me as well. The sport of tennis has a significant mental component. How are you able to stay composed during tough stretches in a match? I am a really fiery, emotional player, but I try to not let emotions get the best of me and determine the outcome of the match. My coaches have helped me to channel my emotions positively. They have told me to look at every point as the same and look at missed opportunities as a chance to get better. What match, or matches at Davidson have been your greatest victories?
Anna Catharine prepares for A-10 tennis play, beginning with fall invitational tournaments
One match that stood out was during freshman year vs. Charlotte. We hadn’t beaten them in years, and the match was really tight. I won in three sets and my teammates mobbed me. It felt amazing as a freshman to get that individual and team win. During the semifinals of the A-10 tournament last season, I was able to beat a girl from GW who was ranked in the top 100 nationally who I had lost to earlier that year. Being able to pull through was my favorite moment of the year. You barely missed out on bringing home the A-10 Championship last spring. What must be done this year to win the conference tourney? I think we did everything right; the competition was just extremely tough that year. We have to keep believing we deserve to bring home the title. The addition of two new freshmen should also help. As long as we work hard and put in 100 %, we are definitely capable of winning A-10s. How have your teammates and coaches here
helped you grow as a player? My coaches have been so supportive since I came to Davidson. The one who had recruited me retired, so I got nervous to see how things would turn out. We got a coach from UNC and NC State, both being high quality, and I believe they are some of the best in the country. They know that we are great people and push us to be the best every single day, have high expectations, and force me to give my all every single practice and match. All of my teammates push each other through the toughest of situations, which gives amazing growth to the team as a whole. Finally, what are your main goals for the upcoming season? As a junior, I really want to be a leader on the team, and use my last two seasons to contribute as much as I can to our success. I really want to give my all to continue to improve and help our team to win the conference.
THE DAVIDSONIAN
Women’s XC driven by young talent See Page 7 Caroline Yarboro '19. Photo by Rebecca Turner
Clark Beeker ’16 Photo by Shea Parikh