the davidsonian
April 27, 2016 Vol. 108 issue 19
The Independent Student Newspaper of Davidson College since 1914
Inside NEWS NPHC Fraternities and Sororities welcome new members through public presentations 2 LIVING DAVIDSON Jacob Hege and friends spend 24 hours in the library 4 Preview of Union Board Spring Concert 4 PERSPECTIVES
Pulitzer Prize-winner Jose Antonio Vargas speaks with students prior to his Thursday evening lecture. Photo by Bill Giduz.
Jose Antonio Vargas speaks about the plight of undocumented Americans AJ NADDAFF Senior Staff Writer
L
ast Thursday’s lecture featured a gay, undocumented Pulitzer-prize winning journalist, Jose Antonio Vargas. His talk demonstrated an important step forward in the college’s history, addressing the intersectional nature of immigrants’ identities, documentation statuses, and the changing landscape of race in America. Vargas’ lecture, entitled “Define American,” was part of a series of conversations organized by undocumented students and allies that began last year. During the 2015 fall semester, a team of faculty, students, and staff began to research how Davidson could better support undocumented students, leading to a training for staff members in student life. This spring, the focus was campus education: three lectures highlighted different stories around immigration and the pressing need for
reform. The series included a panel on migrant and refugee ethics featuring Dr. Joseph Carens in February, a lecture and documentary on the border between Mexico and the United States presented by Dr. Miguel de la Torre in March, and finally Vargas’ lecture this past week. President Quillen, who has shown particular interest in the concerns of undocumented students, regarded the event as “one of the most important lectures of the year,” encouraging all students to attend in a prior email. In addition to his lecture, Vargas spent time with students and faculty for lunch. He then met with students, staff, and faculty for tea during the day for more personal conversations, even asking their opinions about his talk for that evening. John Michael Murphy ‘16, an event organizer, described Vargas as “warm and outgoing with lots of energy.” However, Vargas cancelled a meeting with Davidson’s undocumented students despite his rhetoric of commitment to them, explained Eliz-
abeth Welliver ‘16, another student organizer. On the morning of his arrival, Vargas spent time with Ric Elias, the successful business owner of Red Ventures and the founder of the Golden Door Scholarship, which benefits undocumented students. Thanks to Elias’ efforts in education and career access for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students, five current Davidson students are the beneficiaries of his scholarship. One of the recipients of the Golden Door Scholarship, Itziri Gonzalez-Barcenas ‘19, said that, as a direct result of Vargas’ lecture, she was able to “gather the courage to speak about [her] personal experiences as an undocumented student in America.” Vargas’s lecture began with his powerful personal anecdote. The journalist colored humor into his narrative by saying, “In the last five years what I realized is sometimes you have to risk your own life to free yourself from it. In college cam-
See VARGAS Page 2
New member of AKA shares her initial experience in the NPHC sorority 5 Jimmy Tabolsky argues for true gender-neutral housing 5 YOWL Professor questions absence excuses 6 What’s up with Nantucket? 6 Undercover investigation to find out what actually happens during course evaluation deliveries 6 SPORTS David Sargent leads golf team through individual success 7 Women’s tennis to A10 finals 6
Davidson community awarded for commitment to service COLLEEN KARLOVICH Staff Writer
O
n Thursday, April 21, the Civic Engagement Council hosted their annual Celebration of Service. This year, there were a wide range of awards given to students, professors, and alumnae. As Kyle Goodfellow, the Program Coordinator for the Civic Engagement said, “Tonight’s event is a chance for us to celebrate the exemplary service and civic engagement work in our community.” Following Goodfellow’s opening, President Carol Quillen gave a heartwarming speech about living a life of courage and bravery in the face of adversity, connecting Davidson’s ideals with that of recent guest speaker Jose Antonio Vargas. She applauded the audience for all of their hard work and positive impacts on the community. Next, Dustin Atchley ‘16, the outgoing Civic Engagement Council Chair, and Patrick Spauster ‘17, the incoming Civic Engagement Chair, introduced a video that highlighted Davidson’s service programs and other Civic Engagement experiences. The video showed images from alternative break trips, Bonner Scholars programs, Service Odyssey, and the many other ways in which Davidson students give back to their community. Subsequently, Atchley and Spauster spoke about the Civic Engagement Council itself. The Council is a group of student leaders, and it
works tirelessly to inspire and communicate civic engagement efforts through direct service, advocacy, and community involvement. The Council functions as an umbrella organization for thirtyone other service and social action groups on campus with student coordinators who act as liaisons between community non-profits and student volunteers. This past year, the Center for Civic Engagement was honored for the 9th year in a row with the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, which recognizes colleges and universities nationwide for exemplary, innovative, and effective community service programs. As the evening continued, Atchley and Spauster recognized the 25th anniversary of the Be the Match on Campus organization at Davidson. Be the Match on Campus supports the increasing need for delivering cures for blood cancers through fundraising and typing drives on campus. Following the recognition, Atchley and Spauster presented the “Leadership in Service” award, which is given to those who exemplify a commitment to service by inspiring others, integrating service into their daily lives, sustaining partnerships with community organizations, and/ or developing programs to benefit the community. The awardees were as follows: Amelia Anderson ‘18; Marlene Arellano ‘17; Will Byrd ‘17; Jonathan Campbell ‘17; Delta Sigma Theta;
Abigail Gray ‘16; Anmar Jeerjees ‘18; the John’s Island Service trip represented by Jasper Vaughn ‘16, Reese Schaffner ‘16, Jeremy Andreades ‘17, Victoria Frost ‘18; Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc.; Belle Raim ‘16; and Ashim Situala ‘18. The Civic Engagement Center then honored the students who work with the Ada Jenkins Center LEARN Works program and have exemplified what it means to be leaders in service. The awardees were Nathan Argueta ‘16, Esther Lherisson ‘19, Thomas McDonough ‘16, Alexandrea Moseley ‘17, Julie Park ‘17, and Lena Parker ‘17. The recipients were excited about and thankful for their awards and recognition. Parker commented, “It’s an honor being able to have served the Davidson Community for four years here. Not many universities or colleges emphasize civic engagement as much as Davidson.” Following the Leadership in Service award, Dr. Stacey Riemer presented the awards of distinction. First up was the Alumni Service award. Newly created this year, this award honors alumni who enact exemplary service efforts in their communities. This year, the Center honored a team of nine individuals who have dedicated the past two years to building an alumni service initiative from the ground up. During their 45th reunion, members of the Davidson College class of 1968 discussed what it means to enact a life of leadership and service. Following their discourse, the team met regularly over the course of a year
through conference calls where they collected and analyzed data, and raised funds to launch the Davidson Serves Alumni Service Initiative during National Volunteer Week in April 2015. This year, the team coordinated over thirty-five service projects engaging 300 alumni in service and civic engagement efforts. The team was represented by Tom Caldwell, Cecil Clifton, Julia Prosser, and George Shaw. Next, Dr. Riemer awarded the Outstanding Partnership Award which honors a community member, group, or organization who supports Davidson College students and their civic engagement efforts. First, the Center honored Dr. Bri Nigel who has worked to provide medical care to underinsured and uninsured individuals in the Lake Norman area and strives to include Davidson students in all facets of her work. She has recruited new clinic staff and specialists to expand interpretation services for the largely non-native English speakers. Her leadership has guided the Free Clinic of Our Towns at the Ada Jenkins Center and the Free Clinic of Our Towns student organization to new levels of high quality patient care. The second recipient was Lynn Hennighausen from Davidson LifeLine; she is the President of this non-profit, which was formed in 2012 when the town of Davidson grieved the
See SERVICE Page 3
News
Page 2 April 27, 2016
Vargas lecture sparks reactions throughout student body pus’ there is a lot of talk about privilege, but to me the most important part about privilege (because we all have privilege) is what do you do to risk your own privilege? To get uncomfortable. To insist on some questions people may not want to ask. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve been uncomfortable since I got to this country. I’m just sharing this uncomfortability.” At 16 years old, Vargas landed his first job, subconsciously “breaking the law” by checking the U.S. citizen box on his work form. Up until now, Vargas has checked that box 11 times. It was in 2010, after having published a “New Yorker” profile of Mark Zuckerberg, that he believed his professional career successful enough to earn him citizenship status. When he realized this still was not the case, he was faced with the choice of telling the truth or leaving the country. Ignoring the 28 lawyers who advised against his confession, Vargas nonetheless chose to confess. “As they kept telling me not to, I kept saying I have to do this. I owe it to my privilege. So I
confessed everything and prepared myself for the worst possible outcome,” Vargas said. With the 400,000 people deported by the government each year, Vargas figured that he would be an easy target. “I said to immigration and customs, I’m here, come get me,” explained Vargas. After four months of no news, Vargas became restless. He questioned, “As a reporter, how do I follow this up?” Eventually, he was able to persuade “Time Magazine” to publish his story on why they hadn’t deported him. The short reason that the government gave stated, “We do not comment on individual cases.” Vargas claimed that a metaphor for how most Americans think of those who are undocumented, “so as long they are mowing your lawn or taking care of your kids you’re cool. No problem. It’s Mexico’s problem; it’s the border problem. You’re exonerated from it, right? Wash your hands, clean up,” Vargas said wryly. The more blatant reason Vargas was not deported after confessing: because he is unequivo-
cally the most privileged undocumented person in the country. For Anmar Jerjees ‘18, a founding member Davidson Refugee Support, Vargas’ discussion of illegal bodies is inherently what his group advocates for. “We as Americans must be willing to share the opportunities provided to us with refugees and migrants escaping their homeland in search of a better life,” he said. In addition, Vargas’ company Define American is a campaign devoted solely to this immigration-awareness of encouraging people to come out. “I have come out twice in my life and I have no more coming outs to do,” said Vargas. In terms of solutions, Vargas suggested that first we must change the culture in which people discuss immigration, pointing to the culture of LGBTQ rights as a prime model for this problem. “I found his talk both galvanizing and intellectually sharp. I was impressed by the way he applied the logic of “coming out”—which has helped to transform national attitudes about
LGBTQ issues in an astonishingly short time— to the issues facing undocumented residents. If undocumented people “come out” and identify themselves publicly, perhaps we can transform attitudes of fear and distrust into ones of acceptance and support,” remarked English professor Suzanne Churchill. Vargas explained that what remains missing is the infrastructure to connect the LGBTQ and undocumented immigrant communities. In this age of intersectionality, the role of allies is essential. Above all, Vargas calls for us to risk our own privilege and step outside our comfort zones to connect to others, no matter how difficult it may be to see eye to eye on the surface. “I feel like we have to realize that people wake up everyday thinking about themselves and their struggles, not mine. If I can’t connect to that, then what am I doing?” The alternative is to consume antagomism towards others. Afterall, “what other choice do we have?”
For some students, Vargas’ message was personal. Carlos Miranda Pereyra ‘18, who helped organize the event, appreciated Vargas’ visit, but believes approaching everything with a critical eye is important. Through the following Perspectives piece, he discusses Vargas’ impact: From the perspective of an undocumented student, I did have a couple of thoughts related to the topic at hand: Vargas is an exception to the overall rule of undocumented people. I am also an exception. When you mention college and documentation in one place (including my scholarship: Golden Door Scholars), you also have to mention the 65,000 undocumented students that graduate high school every year (Online College 2011). Of those, you then have to talk about those that did not make it to college or those that do not qualify for DACA that do NOT have a Pulitzer Prize (USCIS 2016). What happens to those that didn’t too well on that one interview? They are the forgotten masses; Vargas doesn’t talk about them. Where do the overqualified dishwashers go? Furthermore, while I appreciate his message of intersectionality for people and the complexities of our identities, I think it’s important to mention the conflict. Within immigrant communities, undocumented people face discrimination. Even within undocumented communities, some nationalities face even more discrimination: afro-descendants, indigenous people, women. There is a general belief that some people are more deserving of the American tag than others (in a way, Define American is a way of fighting this), even outside of documentation. The above paragraph is mostly me complaining. Vargas had an hour, and he is only one person. He even claimed that he is only able to share his own story and no one else’s, which I appreciated. The one problem with this, however, is that no matter how much you make this claim, the claim will be made for you. He said that he defined himself before anyone else could. I like that. It’s empowering. The fault in this logic is that no matter how convinced I am about who I am, and
regardless of how many people I share my story with, others will define me as they see fit. They will judge according to their own logic and knowledge, however incomplete, and they will act according to that judgment. That action may be a phone call to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), an insult, or even a vote. You don’t have to know me or directly hate me to have an impact on my future. To those that don’t know about the other 11 million, who do those 11 million become after watching Vargas? I like that he attempted to break the misconception that all undocumented immigrants are meek, mild-mannered Latinos working the land (or criminals that want to rape, pillage, and murder). I think he does sometimes forget about the field laborers and factory workers, though, and their awful working conditions. What about detention centers or maquiladoras? Again, this is all stuff he could not successfully fit into a one hour lecture, especially when they are not a part of his reality. These things are a part of the reality of so many other undocumented people, people that have been through a lot more than Vargas (not attempting to play oppression olympics here, but Vargas didn’t have to deal with as many human rights violations as many others) (Fiske and Carcamo, 2014). As much as I complain, I have had it relatively easy, too and I’m not even sure whether I will still be able to live in the US at this point next year). This brings me to my last point. I like that Vargas made his talk very digestible for the average citizen, but at what point is it too nice? I asked him a question about attempting to convince a citizen to share the burden of an inefficient/ineffective immigration system. How do you interrupt someone’s cushy life to help you? He said something along the lines of having to see things through someone else’s eyes. At some point previous to my question, he also talked about how much burden is too much
for straight, white, citizens/men. I run into a problem here: I’ve lived with American citizens for the past few years of my life. I don’t think I could ever get closer to the citizen’s perspective than that, and so far, nothing. I’ve learned we all have problems and no one likes having more problems than they do. We get rid of them rather than take them on. From my experience, if people are not directly affected by a problem in a negative way, it is not their problem. That’s what I see from the citizen’s perspective and it hasn’t helped any. I have to see it through their eyes in order to get myself out of a hole I was thrown in at the age of four: a hole that, for centuries, has been dug by generations of selfish people. But the citizen has to attempt to see it from my eyes to dig me out of my hole. That’s so much work without any reward. I do not believe that the severity of one’s issues invalidate the existence of another’s or make them irrelevant. I do think, though, that if I had to choose a problem package, I choose the citizen’s, not because they don’t have any, but because the undocumented immigrant has all the same problems and suffer from the same afflictions without the cool bonuses like healthcare, security, democratic rights, etc. To add to this, I also have to worry not to anger the citizen so he likes me and decides to keep me here. Here’s my dilemma with Vargas’ message about overburdening the people with power -dare I say, “privilege.” For the past sixteen years of my life, those in power have never had to worry about the mistreatment of the people that surround me. Sure, pay them below minimum wage, they need the money so badly, they’ll do the work. Sure, hold them hostage with threats of deportation. Sure, verbally insult them as you eat the cheap food they picked for you. Yet, here I am, having to filter all the information I give them to not overburden
American citizen majority. I want to make sure they don’t shut down before listening to my argument. Of course, listening to me is optional to them, but convincing them is not optional to me... not if I want to have a future here. Is it really fair that I have to worry about your feelings when you didn’t care about our lives? I guess, overall, perhaps this is what Vargas is doing when he doesn’t mention everything wrong with our current system. He needs to be dynamic, entertaining, and worthy of the citizens’ time. And it angers me because I do it too. Are the sighs, gasps, and “I had no idea”’s worth the spread of only the digestible parts of the plight? It’s practical, but it’s definitely not just. Why don’t others come out and share their stories, you may ask? Well, we do not all have a line of prestigious newspapers to validate our worth (yes, some of us are more valuable than others according to the US, otherwise there would be no immigration priority system in place), nor do we have a Pulitzer Prize. If Vargas is ever forced to leave, I’d hate to be involved in the deportation of such a valuable American mind. Everyone loves an American success story and he’d be a martyr for millions. If you ever wonder why 2.5 million (some that have been here for longer than you have been American) people have been deported under the Obama administration, but Vargas is still chilling here, maybe remind yourself of that. Whether Vargas likes it or not, he is the only undocumented voice many will ever listen to, though he does not represent us. These are just a few thoughts and even all of them, but I ‘ve gotten pretty long already. Please know that I think the event was overall positive and that I am glad we were able to pull it off, despite the trouble at the end. While it may not be my voice, it is the voice of someone in a similar situation, and I think everyone needed to hear it.
NPHC new member presentations introduce next leaders EMMA JOHNSON AND OLIVIA DANIELS Co-Editor-in-Chief & Co-Editor of News
D
avidson is home to a variety of Greek organizations, including eating houses, fraternities, and sororities. However, several fraternities and all sororities are unique in that they are National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organizations. This denotes these groups as being historically African-American and internationally recognized Greek sororities and fraternities. According to Davidson’s Patterson Court Council (PCC) website, the NPHC was formed in 1930 at the historically-black Howard University in Washington, D.C. and became incorporated in 1937. The council, composed of nine organizations, seeks to encourage each organization to promote its own agenda regarding scholarship and service, while recognizing camaraderie and support among members. NPHC organizations are particularly known for their induction ceremonies, colloquially known to people outside of these organizations as probates. However, the NPHC organizations
recently have been moving away from the term “probate.” PCC Advisor Erica Urban explains: “The word is often associated with hazing as well, so there has been a shift in the last couple of years to change the language from probate to new member presentation, which is a more accurate description of what is happening, since the members have been initiated before the presentation occurs.” Today, these induction ceremonies have been coined “new member presentations”. During these presentations, the new members reveal themselves to those in attendance, and they often present history or cultural context to express the meaning and unique style of their organization. Probates also often include strolling and stepping, and new members traditionally cover their faces with masks prior to officially revealing their identities on stage. Davidson’s campus boasts four NPHC organizations: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA), Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity (Alphas), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (DST), and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (Kappas). The Alphas were the first NPHC group on campus; it was founded in 2003. AKA followed as the first NPHC sorority
on campus, and the Kappas became the second NPHC fraternity at Davison in 2008. DST is the newest addition to Davidson’s NPHC organization; it was founded in 2011. Each Davidson NPHC chapter welcomes a class of new members each spring with a new member presentation. These events have always been popular events on Davidson’s campus, and large crowds often gather to watch and congratulate the new NPHC members. Urban applauds the events for drawing “peers from other schools, parents, community members, and alumni all together to share their care and love for the organizations.” Beautiful matching outfits and masks are on display, and upbeat music often pumps through the space, attracting both the college and the wider national community to view and congratulate the new members. AKA member Malaika Simmons ‘17 says that while the presentations are fun to watch, ultimately, “ the most important thing is how the new members are integrated into the everyday functioning of the chapter and the entire organizations as a whole - socially, economically, and scholastically.”
Davidson’s NPHC organizations place strong emphasis on protecting their traditions by maintaining a level of secrecy about their new members’ preparation processes. Recently elected president of DST Melissa Hayban ‘17 stated that her decision not to comment on her organization’s induction or preparation for their new member presentations hinged upon respect for the “years and years of history in the building of these organizations and the history of African Americans in the United States.” Joi Stevens ‘17, the current President of AKA, explained how the induction ceremonies introduce new members to the broader community: “Our new members work very hard to join our organization and are not allowed to discuss any portion of the process with anyone outside of the chapter. Their presentation to campus does not only announce their membership into our organization, but also gives them the opportunity to show some of the information they’ve learned and their passion for the organization.
See NPHC Page 3
News Banquet celebrates service Continued from Page 1 losses of five residents due to suicide. Starting an initiative led by town leaders and citizens, Davidson LifeLine was founded to promote suicide prevention and mental health awareness. Next, there was the Sustainability Award, which honors those individuals or groups who have shown commitment to the sustainability of a program enabling its future growth and development. This year, the Center honored the leadership team of Relay for Life represented by Andrew Slade ‘16, Matthew Gilliland ‘17, Elizabeth Helzberg ‘18, and Carley Porter ‘16. After years of inclement weather that directly impacted attendance at their annual fundraising event, the group was determined to execute their most successful fundraising event. By securing the usage of Baker Sports Complex, the organization saw a record 230 Davidson College students, faculty, and staff and raised over $32,000. Subsequently, Dr. Reimer presented the Dreams into Action Award, which honors those who make their vision for service a reality. The award was given to the Davidson Refugee Support group represented by Hayden Bates ‘17, Anmar Jerjees ‘18, and Aman Madan ‘17. A few months ago, this student group developed from passion, concern, and personal connection with individual sand families affected by the Syrian Refugee Crisis. Today, they work multiple times per week with nearly 100 refugees in the Charlotte area, fostering instruction in English and relationships among refugees and Davidson College students. After the Dreams into Action Award, the Engaged Scholarship award was presented to two faculty members who integrate communitybased learning into their curriculum. The first
recipient, Dr. Rebeca Fernandez, focuses on language development and academic socialization of linguistic minorities. She has been one of the main drivers in developing an ELL programs in Cornelius Elementary School. She provided Davidson Students the opportunity to develop ELL literacy curriculum and serve as weekly tutors. The program has been able to boost the students’ literacy enough in two months to ensure that all ten of the students were promoted to first grade. The second recipient, Dr. Lauren Stutts, is known for her work with college student resiliency, health and well-being. This year, she incorporated community elements into her Medical Humanities course entitled Health Psychology and the Obesity Epidemic. Her students have completed 11 group projects including cooking classes with Davidson Refugee Support, a weight training program at he Pines, a nutritional program at Mooresville Elementary School, and many more. Last but not least, the Unsung Hero award was presented to someone whose personal service commitment may go unnoticed. This year’s recipient, Philip Yu ‘16, has consistently gone above and beyond in his work through his commitments with the Bonner Leadership Team, serving as a SEED20 Ambassador, volunteering for two years with Sow Much Good, and Ada Cooks. He also served as the Logistics leader for the Food Symposium, helping ensure the event’s success. The Celebration of Service was a spectacular event that highlighted the work of a wide variety of students, professors, and alumni. The Davidson community continues to showcase its achievements and commitment to civic engagement and, and all of these students hope to continue their dedication to service into the upcoming academic year.
Davidson Refugee Support leaders pose with their award. Photo by Bill Giduz.
NPHC continued from Page 2 It is also an opportunity to thank those who helped them through the process, such as current members, our advising AKA graduate chapter (Alpha Lambda Omega), and family and friends. By the end of the show, the campus knows who the new members are and have a sense of how hard they worked for their membership.” Additionally, new AKA member Heidi Bustos ‘18 spoke to the honor of becoming part of such an organization. She expressed the priority of academics, and the strong camaraderie she enjoys with her fellow AKA members. “Words can’t explain how much it means to me to be an AKA woman. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me, but forming part of the sisterhood is what makes it very special, especially having this long-lasting bond with my sisters.” Additionally Dustin Atchley ‘17, current President of the Kappas, similarly emphasized
the amount of hard work and dedication that goes into the presentations, applauding the new members’ commitment to their demonstration. When asked about the impact of the new member presentations at Davidson specifically, he explained that because it is such a small campus, each presentation is “intimate,” encouraging those around to stop and view the performance. Atchley also discussed the importance of “building brotherhood” within the fraternity, and hopes that the new members will continue the legacy of the Kappas on Davidson’s campus. From a faculty perspective, Assistant Dean of Students Ernest Jeffries discussed his experience as an active member of and advisor for the Alphas. He described his affiliation with the group as life-changing, and he emphasized the ways in which his brothers “pushed and challenged” him to “bring out potential that [he] didn’t know [he] had.” Like Urban, he described how Davidson’s NPHC groups bring a variety of cultural backgrounds and elements to the college, and “connects the community to the outside world.” While new member presentation formats and
Page 3
Davidsonian.com
crime log Time Reported
Description / Location
4/21/16 at 1500 hrs
Larceny of Property (Bicycle) at Baker. Further Investigation.
4/21/16 at 1657 hrs
Poss. Of Malt Beverage Underage/ College Policy Violation at Belk. Dean Referral.
4/21/16 at 1605 hrs
Poss. Of Marijuana/Poss. Of Drug Paraphernalia/Poss. Of Malt Beverage Underage at Tomlinson. Dean Referral.
4/21/16 at 1659 hrs
Poss. Of Marijuana/Poss. Of Drug Paraphernalia/Poss. Of Spirituous Liquor Underage at Watts. Dean Referral.
4/24/16 at 1823 hrs
Larceny Misdemeanor (Duffle Bag) at Duke.
Julie Park ‘16, Lena Parker ‘17, and Will Byrd ‘17 display their awards. Photo by Bill Giduz. preparation may range among the four organizations, all of Davidson’s NPHC groups share a common pride in their presence and influence on campus. Stevens discussed AKA’s focus on service, emphasizing their work with Stop Hunger Now and Let Me Hear Your Body Talk; these are nonprofit movements seeking to address international hunger and issues with body image and mental illness, respectively. Bustos reiterated Stevens’ message, expressing her desire for AKA to continue enacting positive change on campus and in the world, serving mankind as they go. At Davidson, Jeffries applauds the leaders and students who make up NPHC organizations, claiming that “our chapters here at Davidson make up some of the best chapters in the national organization.” The NPHC sororities and fraternities on campus bring recognition and respect to the representation of the organization’s values of service, pride, and community, and through the most recent new member presentations, these organizations continue to highlight the leadership and dedication of Davidson students to those on a national level.
Interested in writing for the Davidsonian? Contact Emma Johnson at emjohnson@davidson.edu or Matt Landini at malandini@davidson.edu.
living davidson
Page 4
April 27, 2016
What happens when you spend 24 hours in the library? JACOB HEGE STAFF WRITER
I
t all started one fateful day when Perry Keatley ’18 challenged a group of friends and me to spend 24 hours in the library before the school year ended. It made sense – we spend so much of our time there doing work already, it shouldn’t be too hard to sleep and eat there as well, right? Sarah Von Euler ‘18, Helena Jones ‘18, Ann Keating ‘18, Perry, and I decided take on the challenge starting Friday evening (April 22nd). It was the perfect day – a Friday night so not too many people would actually be in the library and, on top of that, it seemed like half of the student body was away at various fraternity formals. If there was ever a weekend where our shenanigans would not be in the way, this was it. We began our journey at 6:50 pm. I attempted to keep a log of what was happening every hour on the hour—a plan that quickly deteriorated. However, this is what I recorded: Friday 7:50 pm: “Wait, you mean it has only been an hour?” It’s amazing how slowly an hour passes when you aren’t doing any work. Our plan had been to do work until the late evening when we would just watch movies and hang out, but the fun started right away and no one actually did work Friday (except Perry Keatley, to everyone’s surprise). 10:32 pm: I low-key already forgot about this article. UNO is taking multiple hours. I just re-
membered I do not return my bed at the end of this evening. SOS. 10:57 pm: The first tears have been shed by Sarah. 11:09 pm: I spoke to my lawyer and I cannot legally write about this hour in the school paper. Love you mom and dad! Saturday 1:00 am: People are still doing work and three people have entered the library since midnight. We have stayed for the most part in our study room in the back corner of the second floor and haven’t been loud. No complaints (i.e. yik-yaks) so far. 4:30 am: After approximately two hours of capture the flag, we have finally gone to bed in a group study room. That is everyone except for Perry. Perry has barricaded herself in Studio D. I’m not joking. 12:37PM: Woke up. 1:20PM: Shout out to Mattie Engleby ’19 for bringing us pizza. The true MVP of the 24-hour Library Challenge. And that’s all I logged. Pathetic, I know. But, hey! I did a fair amount of work on Saturday so really this was the most productive weekend of my entire Davidson career thus far. Honestly, the experience was not awful. Everyone I have mentioned this feat to has had some sort of response like, “What?! Why???” or “Do you hate yourself?” While I would definitely never do it again, I think I speak for us all when I say we had fun and that it really didn’t seem like that much of a challenge. The worst part? I cannot think about the library now without immediately needing to take a nap.
(Fom left to right) Perry Keatley ‘18, Ann Keating ‘18, Jacob Hege ‘18, Elena Jones ‘18, and Sarah von Euler ‘18 - all smiles after spending 24-hours in the E.H. Little Library. Photo by Kelly Griffin ‘18
Matt and Kim to perform Spring concert Thursday evening MARY PORTER EDITOR
T
his Thursday evening starting at 7pm, American indie dance duo Matt and Kim will be performing on the PCC lawn. Presented by the Union Board Premier Concert Committee, Matt and Kim will be this year’s eagerly anticipted Spring concert performers. Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino, who came together in 2004, hail from Brooklyn, New York. Matt plays the drums while Kim takes the role of vocals and keyboard plaeyer. Their sound is a fusion of punk-pop, dance-pop, and hip-hop genres, giving their music a distinctly upbeat and energetic tone.
Materials
Courtesy Photo
THE CHEW
2.7
StrawberryAvocado Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips Mary Porter Adapted from Myrecipes.com Courtesy Photo
Measuring cups and spoons 1 large bowl
Ingredients 2 teaspoons canola oil 6 (6-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas 2 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 1/2 cups finely chopped peeled ripe avocado (about 2) 1 cup finely chopped strawberries 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice 3/8 teaspoon salt
Students can look forward to the high-energy and party-like atmosphere that their concerts create. Additionally, their live performances are famous for their incorporation of samples from other artists including Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Matt and Kim have performed at numerous festivals, including Bonnaroo, Coachella, and the Firefly Music Festival. They have released 5 albums. Grand, their 2009 album, featured one of their most popular singles “Daylight.” Also featured in Grand is there single “Lessons Learned.” the video in which Matt and Kim strip naked in New York’s Times Square. Their video won the Breakthrough Video Award at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. They released their fifth studio album New Glow in April 2015.
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. To prepare chips, brush oil evenly over one side of each tortilla. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over oil-coated sides of tortillas. Cut each tortilla into 12 wedges; arrange wedges in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until crisp. 3. Combine avocado and remaining ingredients; stir gently to combine. Serve with chips.
Want your favorite recipe featured? Email editor Mary Porter at maporter@davidson.edu to get involved!
perspectives Davidson needs truly gender-neutral housing JIMMY TABOLSKY
A
t the start of this academic year, I was glad to hear that Davidson extended gender-neutral housing to several new halls, including first-year dorms. In these spaces, students may choose to live together on the same hall and use the same bathroom, regardless of their gender. As a tour guide, many families I speak with are happy about this option and hail it as progressive. Given the fact that college campuses are populated by young adults, labeling something as “progressive” usually is a good thing. Undoubtedly, the College had progressive ideals in mind when expanding its gender-neutral living spaces. However, the fact that men and women still cannot share rooms at Davidson means much work still needs to be done. Our current housing policy holds that residence halls, suites, and apartments can be gender-neutral, but individual rooms cannot be. This policy reinforces the heteronormativity that dominates and constructs our entire social sphere. Prohibiting men and women from living together is based only on the outdated idea that men and women sleeping in the same room and dressing/undressing near each other will inevitably lead to some sort of romance. It assumes that everyone is heterosexual, and that any opposite-sex pairing is inherently sexual. For students who are
not heterosexual, the same-sex roommate rule disregards the separation heterosexual students enjoy between where they find friends and where they find significant others. In addition, mandatory same-sex roommate pairing privileges and prioritizes samesex friendships over opposite-sex ones. This preference is not found only in housing, but also in all aspects of our social lives. It is why we have gender-specific Greek organizations and residence halls, and beyond Davidson’s campus, why we have gender-specific social circles, book clubs, athletic groups, etc. It assumes that men automatically have more common interests with other men than with women, and vice-versa. By having our “default” housing option be gender-specific halls, first-year men generally befriend men, and the same goes for women, on the premise that the two are more different in personalities than they are similar. Most of my friends are girls. Fortunately, I get along really well with my current roommate, but I generally gravitate towards and get
“
along better with women. My freshman year, no halls were gender-neutral for first-years, and the all-male hall I lived on did not broaden my social realm the way it did for my hallmates. Most first-year students befriend their roommate and their hall-mates before anyone else. They eat their first meals at Commons together, they play Flickerball together, they share a lounge, and they go down the hill together on the weekends-all activities I participated in. Yet for me, and for other men who are friends with mostly women, all-male social scenes do not benefit me the way they are intended to, or the way they do for many men. I always enter with an added level of discomfort, knowing that I would be more myself in an all-female space because I find that I tend to have more in common with women. Freshman year I had to branch out and establish myself, since I found most of my friends completely independently of my freshman hall. Even this year, most of my friends do not live on my residence hall. I did manage to establish my new life freshman
...the fact that men and women still cannot share rooms at Davidson means much work still needs to be done.
How AKA has helped me continue to grow HEIDI BUSTOS
“
I lived independently since I was 15, but y’all know nothing about that.” If you did not attend the Alpha Kappa Alpha new membership presentation held on Sunday, April 17, 2016, you did not witness one of the most influential events in my life. This new member presentation represents than the culmination of all the hard work that we put into AKA. It represents the accomplishment of becoming an AKA woman. I must say that it is something I am dearly proud of. The road was not easy, yet neither has my life been. Living without my parents from an early age was extremely difficult and that change was a turning point in my life. I became a very independent woman, getting involved in my high school in order to forget that I wasn’t with my parents. I pushed myself to the limit, trying to succeed in every part of my life in order to make my parents proud. I never wanted them to have to worry about me making poor decisions. I lived with the mentality that if it is humanly possible, why not do it? So I did, I did lots of things. I was accepted to Davidson. I earned a scholarship to attend it. I made history in my high school and in my family. It was a struggle at first because when I
moved away from my parents in Mexico, I was not as fluent in English as I was in Spanish. I had to learn a new language, and fast, in order to catch up to my peers. Perfecting my English took me about a semester, but I did it, and after I made it over that hurdle, nothing could stop me. At 16 I was a full-time student and a three-sport athlete. On top of that I
news editors living davidson editor perspectives editor yowl editors sports editors photo editors web editors business manager graphic design editor
April 27, 2016
year, but overall, the default single-gender residence halls and mandatory single-gender roommate pairings hindered my adjustment and comfort at Davidson. The policies do little to strengthen and expand friendships for people who are friends mostly with the opposite gender. Moving forward, I do not think Davidson, or any other college, should be content with gender-neutral halls. Although I applaud this move, it is only the first step. We must begin to allow men and women to room together-- not just in apartments or suites where there are only single bedrooms, but together, in shared bedrooms. I don’t think of this as a “risky” move on the college’s part, since the current policies around student safety and sexual health would still be in place. We are all adults, so if heterosexual partners used this living arrangement as a way to live together, that is their responsibility. Gender-neutral roommate pairs will illuminate the similarities men and women have rather than the assumed differences. It will provide more inclusive social environments for all students with varying interests and friendship styles. And it will finally be a step towards equalizing the prioritization of opposite-sex friendships with same-sex ones. That is what I would call progress. Jimmy Tabolsky `18 is a Political Science and Gender & Sexuality Studies double major from Mint Hill, North Carolina. Contact him at jitabolsky@davidson.edu
school. Currently I have experienced a similar story in becoming a woman of Alpha Kappa Alpha. Though my parents did not know much about Greek life, NPHCs, or even what a sorority does, they wholeheartedly supported my decision to become an AKA woman. They knew that my decisions in life were well thought out. I knew that I wanted to become part of a sisterhood where women empower one another, promote long-lasting friendships, and serve the community. The purpose, values and history of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated made my choice clear. The road was long, as anyone who saw how much memorization and choreography went into our probate could imagine, but AKA was definitely worth it. I’m now an AKA woman with everything that I’ve got in me, and I would choose to do it all over again. I’m proud to say that I form part of this illustrious organization and looking back to when I was considering joining the sorority, I’ve seen myself grow and change so much. My life has been full of challenges but nothing can stop me, especially now that I have the support of an entire sisterhood. Heidi Bustos `18 is a Latin American Studies and Anthropology double major from Chicago, Illinois. Contact her at hebustos@ davidson.edu
Photo of Heidi Bustos by Tommy Rhodes
the davidsonian staff editors-in-chief
worked a part time job, was president of multiple clubs, and graduated from my high school as the valedictorian. When I think back on this time in my life, and as I’m writing this now, I remember the quote: “If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.” What you may not know is that this quote helped me survive high
page 5
Emma Johnson Matt Landini Olive Daniels Kate McNaughton Steffaney Wood Mary Porter Erin Davenport Paul Henderson Sophie McHugh Ethan Faust Jason Feldman Shea Parikh Sabrina Cheema Bridget Lavender Austin Newsome Sophia Smith
The Berries and Cream issue Volunteering to Deliver Evaluations: What’s That Loser’s Angle? Page Logan, You Prick
Man Who Has Never Had Anything Nice To Say Still Hasn’t Said Anything At All
Page 4
Matt and Kim Drawn to Davidson’s Sense of Community, FacultyStudent Ratio
Page 7
New Decree Requires Adults in Summit To Possess Funky Hat, Blonde Toddler
Page 19
Liking Rock Music From The 60s and 70s Is Unique To You
Man Trapped in Nantucket Nectars Factory Prints Cries For Help Under Bottle Caps Nantucket Nectars, famous for its diluted juice products, has recently come under fire for spreading misinformation about its hometown of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Among its ‘fun’ Nantucket facts printed on the underside of its bottle caps, the likes of which include riveting tidbits such as “‘Sconset Golf Club is one of the top ten oldest public golf clubs in the United States,” some not-so-fun reports have slipped in. “Check out this one I got,” reported Nantucket consumer Grace Wheeler, “It says, ‘I have been trapped in the Nantucket factory for 3 months now. No escape. They are watching.’ And this one just says ‘Help’. I don’t get it. I’m here to sip on some mediocre OJ and learn about Nantucket, not get involved in some serious shit.”
Page Stones
Kid That Carries Extra Lead For His Mechanical Pencil Shockingly Friendless
Page 5
Union Fireplace Logs Bitter About Purposeless Exsistence
“This one just says ‘Help’... I’m here to sip on some mediocre OJ and learn about Nantucket, not get involved in some serious shit.”
Page 2
Our Founder:
Mary “Quickpen” Gaskins 1891-1983
While some, like Wheeler, simply wish to steer clear of what they perceive to be a dire legal situation, others consider it to be a publicity hoax. “I was skeptical when I got a cap claiming that ‘Between 1815 and 1860, more than 1.3 million barrels of oil were brought to the island by whale ships,” stated sophomore Miranda Lackley, “Now they’re telling me that they’ve got a bona fide kidnapped man trapped in the Nantucket factory? As if. Everyone knows whale ships are notoriously slow. And I just don’t believe that the Nantucket workers would kidnap someone.” As the products continue to roll out, more clues have arisen regarding what has now been dubbed ‘The Bottle Cap Caper’. What started as simple factoids like “Nantucket resident Carter Redford has been abducted from his small bungalow” have quickly escalated to vague threats such as, “for only $240,000, Nantucket will release Carter Redford from captivity” and “Nantucket, MA is now home to a dead man.” When contacted, the Nantucket Nectars corporation refused to comment on the suspicious developments, but were excited to announce the release of a new flavor, Blood Orange.
“F@#k those kids that volunteer to bring in the faculty evaluations. I mean, like, what’s their angle, you know?” We will never forget you.
Your Davidson Honor Section
Editors: Paul Henderson Sophie “Tunes” McHugh Writers: James Sheridan Danni Yoon 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 Sincere Interest In Trains
Professor Suspects Foul Play After Absence Excuse E-mail Cites Natural Disaster Dr. Gregory Williams, a professor of Biology at Davidson College, felt that something was amiss after receiving yet another e-mail from Joseph Clark ‘17 that detailed the reasons behind his absence. The e-mail included Clark’s harrowing account of being pinned beneath a fallen boulder outside of Watts and his subsequent struggle to fend off a horde of vultures whilst amputating his crushed leg. The message, sent 10 minutes before the beginning of Dr. William’s 8:30 “Human Biology” class, is the most recent in a string of increasingly intense e-mails that have explained Clark’s inability to reach the classroom. “Normally I am understanding of illness, and the occasional inability to rouse oneself in the morning,” said Dr. Williams. “Joseph has just had such a rough go of it recently, with last week’s alligator infestation and his bout with the black plague earlier in the semester, I have really tried my best to accommodate the challenges he has faced. But something just seems fishy about him send“I felt especially sorry for ing the e-mail so close to the beginning of class. Also, how Joseph when he told me that could he type and perform his parents had divorced on such a gruesome, painful procedure?” the same morning his car had According to Williams, been set on fire by a group of Clark’s e-mails began streaming in after the first week of nomadic, wild children.” classes, most of them citing typical excuses such as a sudden cold. As Clark’s e-mails persisted, however, it appears that he felt a need to up the stakes in an effort to maintain William’s sympathy. “I felt especially sorry for Joseph when he told me that his parents had divorced on the same morning that his car had been set on fire by a group of nomadic, wild children,” continued Williams. “But something just feels strange about this most recent e-mail. I mean, this is absence number, what, seventeen? I can’t believe his body could have taken so much abuse.” Unfortunately, Joseph Clark could not be reached for comment, claiming in an e-mail to our staff that he had recently had a “nasty run-in with a druid” on the path between Belk and Commons. “At least he had the courtesy to assure me that he would try and get the notes from one of his classmates before next class,” said Williams.
Guy Okay With Alternate Universe Because of Slightly Improved GPA Following a several day drug-induced trip, Dave Mayfield ’18 has reportedly awoken in an “alternate time line” with numerous differences from the reality he claims to have grown up in. However, he claims to be okay with it because now he has a B+ in Environmental Statistics. “For a while I was super freaked out man, I mean seriously,” Mayfield commented on Saturday. “I did some serious acid, and when I came to two days later everything was different. My dad was now named Craig instead of Bill, my best friend Todd went to Vanderbilt and in this dimension I guess I had never got around to buying my dog Scout. But I’ve learned to accept all the differences and everything because it turns out in this reality I did a little bit better on my Statistics midterm. B+ baby!” Rather than trying to trip again in an effort to cross back over into his original dimension, Mayfield’s superior Statistics grade has strengthened his commitment to fully embrace his new, alternate life.
“I did some acid, and when I came to everything was different. But I’ve learned to accept it all because now in this reality I did a bit better on my Stats midterm. B+ baby!”
“It took me a while to get used to having brown hair, you know,” continued Mayfield. “I also never used to wear glasses before, so that’s been pretty different. I mean, when I take these things off stuff gets blurry as shit! But its all worth it for the grades. My GPA is way better off now that I don’t have a flat B in that class!” Mayfield reports that the hardest aspect of the process was learning that the version of himself he now inhabits never purchased that sweet bubbler in Denver, and had instead spent the money on a Colorado Avalanche jersey. “God, this version of me sure had his priorities backward. Hopefully this whole ordeal will give me the chance to turn this franchise around while also enjoying the benefits from my bolstered transcript. I’m looking forward to doing some good to this alternate Dave Mayfield. Things are starting to look up.”
sports
Page 7 Davidsonian.com
Sargent puts team first despite individual success IAN ROBERTSON Staff Writer
A
s a lifelong pursuit, David Sargent ‘16 has no recollection of the first time he touched a golf club. But from what he has been told by his father, who encouraged him throughout his early development and played countless rounds alongside him, Sargent first became acquainted with the game at the early age of 2. However, any serious commitment did not manifest until much later, with Sargent’s path and future success not necessarily following the typical trajectory of a Division I athlete. Although intermittently playing golf throughout his early years, his youth was more commonly occupied by basketball and football. It was not until the 8th grade that golf emerged as the sport that would become his sole focus of his athletic career. Evidently, such focus and commitment has remained impressively consistent ever since, acting as an immeasurable but necessary key to his ultimate success. Acknowledging that Sargent competed in the 2011 US Junior Golf Championships as a high school senior does not initially hold much significance for those unfamiliar with golf. But once Jordan Spieth, who won the amateur championships twice in 2009 and 2011, enters the conversation, such a fact seems to hold remarkably greater value. Sargent recognized the tournament as “a great experience,” noting that “being able to say I competed against Jordan Spieth while in high school is continuing to become a better and better name drop.” Not to mention that just qualifying for the tournament required that Sargent be amongst the nation’s best golfers, as evident by the fact that future U.S. Champion Spieth was the winner. In choosing where to continue his athletic and academic career, familiarity had a powerful and pervasive influence on Sargent, given that he spent his whole childhood and high school years
just down the road in Cornelius, NC. Choosing amongst Wofford, Eastern Carolina, and Davidson, Sargent ultimately chose the latter, and has since not looked back. Sargent had an immediate impact during his freshman year, which featured an impressive Top-10 finish. Statistically, Sargent’s average round score of 77 was 5th best on what at the time was one of Davidson’s best ever teams. His growth and development at the college level has been steady and consistent since his first year, with Sargent leading the team as the only individual this season with both a Top-10 and Top-5 finish in tournament play. He has overcome a variety of challenges to get where he is, although none have been more trying than the passing of his father during his freshman year. “For that to happen freshman year was extremely difficult,” Sargent said. “But being able to to compete allowed me to continue to feel close to him. The golf course is a place in particular where I always am reminded of him, given how much time we used to spend there when I was younger.” Sargent’s resilience is trumped only by his humility, which is a testament both to his character and the lack of complacency that drives him toward continued improvement. When asked about the highlights of his athletic career at Davidson, Sargent all but ignored his multitude of individual accolades, instead solely emphasizing notable team performances. Sargent pondered, “While it is very hard to choose just one moment, I would say it was our performance last year at Conference that really stood out to me. Being able to hold the lead at Conference for the first two rounds, especially when nobody expected us to, was definitely something to be proud of.” While recognizing that from a team standpoint it has not necessarily been the Wildcats’ best year, Sargent is confident they still have what it takes to win when it matters most. “We’ve always been extremely competitive at Conference,
Sargent has been swinging a golf club since the age of 2, but he began to seriously focus on the game beginning in 8th grade. Photo by Andy Simmons. so that’s what makes me really hopeful that we can finally pull it off.” With an attitude as determined and resilient as Sargent’s, evidently any-
thing could happen as the season comes to a close. It is clear Sargent has never been one to go down without a fight.
Women’s Tennis makes run to finals at A10 tournament WILL JONES Guest Writer
T
he Davidson Women’s Tennis team wrapped up a very strong season with a 2nd place finish at the Atlantic 10 Conference Tennis Championships this past weekend. After finishing the regular season at 15-4,
which included undefeated play in A-10 action, the Lady Cats headed off to the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio for the Conference Tournament. “Our regular season record was a good boost going in, but we knew we couldn’t take our records for granted,” related Ava Todd ’18, “We understood that the key was retaining the confidence to carry through [the tournament].”
Laina Cummer ’16 and Sarah Stein ’17 provided experience and leadership to a young Wildcat squad. Photo by Erik Schelkun.
The ‘Cats experienced a very strong regular season, during which they posted an impressive 11-game win streak. However, according to Todd, “Things started to get a little lax on the court towards the end.” The win streak was snapped with a shut-out defeat at James Madison, followed by a 5-2 loss against Charlotte. It became imperative that the Cats regain their previous momentum and focus, especially with only one regular season match left before the final meet. According to captain Laina Cummer ‘16, “We turned our focus toward footwork and conditioning, which really paid off come tournament time.” The ‘Cats entered the playoffs with the same goal they had all season long. “The main goal was the process,” according to Todd, “We just needed to trust the process and keep doing what we had been doing all year to achieve success.” And the ‘Cats acted on that goal, coming into the tournament in top form. Tournament tennis is scored on a 7-point system. There are 3 one-set doubles matches played during each round. Whichever team wins two out of the three wins one point. The rest of the points come from the 6 singles matches, with one point for each win. Essentially, the first team to 4 points wins the match. The #3 seeded Wildcats routed La Salle in the first round with 4 singles victories from freshmen Gabrielle Centenari ‘19, Megan Scholvinck ‘19, Cummer, and Todd. All four matches were won in straight sets 6-0, 6-0. This propelled the Wildcats on to face Duquesne in the quarterfinals. Taking down Duquesne proved a bit more challenging than La Salle. The Duquesne squad took two of the three doubles matches to go up 1-0 early. Cummer responded with the first singles victory of the day (6-3, 6-2). Anna Catherine Feaster ‘18 extended that lead to 2-1 with an electrifying come-from-behind win in 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Centenari fought hard into the third set,
when her opponent was forced to retire due to injury (6-4, 6-7 [11-13], 5-0), bringing Davidson to within one point. Jenna Brunner ‘17 contributed the clinching point in another riveting 3rd set match (7-6 [7-4], 3-6, 6-4). Davidson advanced to the semifinals to face George Washington, who had upset the tournament’s 2nd-seed in the previous round. Thanks to doubles wins from Cummer and Sarah Stein ‘17 (6-4) and the freshman duo of Centenari and Scholvinck (6-3), the Cats won the doubles point to lead 1-0. The Lady Cats went on to roll the Colonials in straight set victories from Anna Catherine Feaster (6-4, 6-3), Laina Cummer (6-3, 6-1), and Jenna Brunner (6-0, 6-4), advancing to the A-10 Finals for the first time ever. Davidson fought hard against VCU in the finals. After VCU won the first doubles match, freshmen Centenari and Scholvinck came up big once again to even the doubles score to 1 apiece. However, VCU overcame Feaster and Ally Sexton ‘18 in a hard-fought match to claim the doubles point. The ‘Cats were supported by a strong victory from Brunner (7-6 [7-2], 6-4) and a clutch comeback win from Feaster (3-6, 7-5, 6-3), but it wasn’t enough to stop the Rams, as they went on to win their 4th consecutive A-10 title “Coming into the season, we did not expect to go as far as we did,” said Cummer. The captain and four-year veteran acknowledged that a coaching change two years ago contributed significantly to the team’s performance: “Our old coaches were really good at supporting us and maintaining positivity, but the experience of the current coaches made a world of difference in terms of helping us fine-tune our games coming into college and improving our on-court tactics.” The Wildcats will lose strong senior leaders in Cummer and Courtney McCray ‘16, but will return tournament stars Feaster, Brunner, Todd, Sexton, and freshman phenoms Centenari and Scholvinck in the fall.
THE DAVIDSONIAN
Sargent leads golf team into A10’s in senior season See Page 7
David Sargent ’16 Photo by Andy Simmons
April 27, 2016