YEARS OF SERVING FERRUM COLLEGE
www.ferrum.edu/campus-life/THE-IRON-BLADE/ | November 23, 2020 | Vol. 67, Issue 3
RN to BSN Program Arrives at Ferrum College By Kelsey Smith
“A couple years ago, Dr. Katie Goff and Dr. Angie Dahl were exploring the possibility of bringing nursing to Ferrum College,” Dr. Kimberly Brown said. “When the timing became right they were discussing my skill set and experience compared to the needs of Ferrum.” Dr. Kimberly Brown has been in nursing for almost 30 years. She has spent most of her career at Carilion as well as a variety of different settings including Orthopedics, Diabetes and emergency services. In 2010, she turned her career to the academia side of nursing. She has worked at three different colleges before her arrival at Ferrum; Jefferson College of Health Science, which is now Radford University, as well as Liberty, and James
Madison Universities. She arrived at Ferrum in January of this year ready to begin teaching students here. Ferrum College recently was approved to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This program will be launching in January of 2021. Ferrum will enroll students interested in the program come August 2021. According to Nightingale College, to become an Registered Nurse in the state of Virginia, one can have either an Associates Degree in Nursing or a Bachelor's degree of Nursing (BSN) as well as passing the licensure exam (NCLEXRN). According to the National Nursing Workplace Survey, only 42.5%
of RN’s in Virginia have their BSN as of 2017. Dr. Brown emphasizes that, “the quality of patient care is higher when more RN’s have their bach-
program. The pre-licensure BSN program will prepare nursing students for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered
elors.” This is mainly because of the depth of research and leadership management learned when taking the pre-licensure BSN
Nurse (NCLEX-RN). It is a program offered completely online and offers a plan allowing students to obtain their BSN in a little over 18 months.
Dr. Brown stated that, “the program is set up to be flexible to meet the lifestyles of the nurses trying to obtain their BSN.” The population that should be interested in this program are RN’s with their associates degree. In order for students to be accepted into this program they must hold an RN license or be attending an RN program within the Virginia Community College System. The program gives nursing students the opportunity to further their expertise while giving them a flexible schedule to do so. The cost of the online nursing courses is $310/per credit hour and some of the classes included in the program are: US Health Policy & Ethics (NUR
351), Gerontological Nursing (NUR 461) and Nursing Informatics & Data Management (NUR 491). Other faculty behind the Nursing Program are: Dr. Angie Dahl, who is the Dean of Health Professions and Social Sciences. Lisa Pendleton, who is the Assistant Professor of Nursing. Ava Porter, who is an Adjunct Professor. As well as Betsy Smith, who is the Nursing Program Specialist. Anyone interested in learning more about the RN to BSN Program can check out the School of Health Professions and Social Sciences on Ferrum’s website (www.ferrum.edu). Nursing is located under the division tab on the School of Health Professions and Social Sciences page.
Ferrum Celebrated Veteran’s Day By Mary Stoudt On November 11, 2020, Ferrum College hosted its annual Veterans Day Ceremony. This year’s ceremony came with a twist by being held virtually due to COVID-19. The ceremony was held in the newly remodeled Craddock Veterans Lounge which is located in the Stanley Library. The ceremony started with a welcome by Ferrum Provost Dr. Aimé Sposato followed by the convocation which was read by Ferrum Board of Trustee member Colonel Retired Judson P. “Jud” Mason. Following the convocation, Ferrum President Dr. David Johns gave the history of Veterans Day which was previously called Armistice Day. The keynote speaker for this year’s ceremony was Sergeant Major Retired Diane Ellwein from South Dakota. In 1981 Ellwein enlisted in the Army National Guard in South Dakota and held numerous positions during her active duty. In all Ellwein served in the Army National Guard for a total of 40 years and earned numerous awards for her service. Before joining the Army National Guard Ellwein enrolled in ROTC courses while attending Northern State College in South Dakota in the fall of 1979. The ROTC courses that Ellwein took encouraged her to enlist in the National Guard. At the time Ellwein enlisted only 1.3% of the army was female and today over 20% of the army is female. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Ellwein and her husband volunteered for active duty and left their teaching positions behind, and were both stationed in Washington D.C.
While in D.C. she helped those who were wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. “With the help of our chaplains, we would unload litter after litter of service members, men, and women, who were loaded into ambulances to be taken to Walter Reid Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. Before the ambulances headed out we would pray over each and every soldier and then the next day we would go visit them in the hospital,” said Ellwein. Ellwein commented on the men and women who were in the hospital and just longed to go back to war with their fellow service members. “I remember seeing soldiers that had lost a limb or an eye, the profound words of these service members are a true statement of patriotism, faith, comradery, and strength,” said Ellwein. While speaking at this year’s ceremony Ellwein reflected on the story of Dustin who was a member of the National Guard and ended up receiving an injury while in war. Before going to war Dustin studied to be a physical education teacher. “His unit was ambushed in Fallujah [Iraq] and he was caught in a firefight. He ended up losing both of his legs above the knee,” said Ellwein. Dustin went on to receive the Purple Heart in his hospital room with his wife and four children surrounding him. Following the story of Dustin, Ellwein reflected on the ceremony that takes place at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia in honor of soldiers who lost their lives. At the cemetery members of the
US Army Old Guard place flags at each headstone on Memorial Day. “It’s a way of honoring military members who sacrificed their lives for our country,” said Ellwein. Ellwein closed by recognizing other veterans throughout the United States and the legacy that veterans have left behind. In addition to recognizing the veterans, Ellwein also spoke on the veterans that have struggled to find housing and health care and those that have taken their own lives. While ending on a somber note Ellwein encouraged those in the audience to love and respect the United States, go out and vote, and be kind to everyone they meet. Following Ellwein Ferrum Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Kevin Reilly took a moment to recognize current faculty, staff, and students who have served and are actively serving in the military. After recognizing those in the Ferrum community who have served or are currently serving in the military John Acord a Ferrum College Police Officer and retired soldier gave closing remarks and invited those watching the ceremony to sing Ferrum’s alma mater. Following the alma mater, Ferrum President Dr. David Johns thanked everyone in attendance at the ceremony and urged everyone to honor all veterans by doing something meaningful. In case you missed it the Veterans Day Ceremony can still be viewed on Ferrum’s Facebook page.
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The Iron Blade
November 23, 2020
OPINION
Word on the Street “How did your Term 1 go?”
“Term one was a little stressful at some points, but overall it was good. With the help of my friends I was able to stay sane and finish the term. I know all of the teachers and students worked hard to keep us here, so thank you!
Ferrum Spooky Season
All photos were submitted for Halloween Scavenger Hunt and Costume Contest
“Last term felt rushed and was overwhelming, but my classes were organized and my professors really helped me push through it.”
Jenna Lambert, Sophomore Makayla Fincanon, Freshman
“The first term went by really quickly. I one one has one class the first term and an intership so that was manageable. I also enjoyed seeing everyone back here.” Suzie Maines, Senior
“I think the first term went well. I wish there were more in-person classes and more direct instruction. I also miss going to football games and hanging out with friends, but hopefully in the spring, we will return to a less restricted normal.” Morgan Cofer, Sophomore
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The Ferrum College Iron Blade Newspaper is a student-written, student-managed, and student-produced newspaper. Opinions do not necessarily express the views of all students or the staff. Letters may be emailed to IBlade@ferrum.edu. Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
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OPINIO N
November 23, 2020
On-campus Residence and Learning By Dylan T. Scoggins With the current pandemic going on, many people wonder about where they can be safe. Governors and people in congress want the schools to stay open. This leaves Ferrum College and other colleges wondering, is it okay for their students to live on-campus? Maybe at first it was, but now it seems that may not be the case. In a survey done by the New York Times that consisted of 1,600 colleges and universities, they found that in the past week (updated Oct. 26) 36,000 new cases were reported. This brings the total up to 88,000 cases. In a map that tracks the amount of cases that includes more than just the surveyed amount (included in the article), shows that most of the large groups and worst hotbeds (purple dots) are centered around the east coast and Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky area as well as surrounding states. Many large colleges and universities like Notre Dame and State University of New York have had to shut down in-person classes or send students home within weeks of opening. While Ferrum is fortunate to have not run into these problems, they must at least be ready for a similar situation. A second wave is rushing through Europe and has already bared its fangs in the U.S. This can be seen with Franklin County High School having to transition to fully online learning due to the surge of cases in the school. With these things in mind, Ferrum should not encourage increased participation in in-person classes and on-campus residence. While this may cost them money in the short term, it will save money if an outbreak does occur.
Photo courtsey of New York Times.
With the amount of students that are in paired dorms and interacting with others, all it takes is one
person not knowing they are sick and the entire college or portions of the campus could become sick.
Return to Campus? Yes, but With Precautions By Kiana Somerville As COVID numbers continue to rise - as of Nov. 12, the total cases was over 10 million in the United States and over 52 million worldwide, according to CBC news - it’s time to rethink whether on-campus learning and residence is the proper route to choose during this pandemic that could continue till 2022. After thousands of college students have returned to campuses this fall, the COVID numbers have been spiking since August. Some colleges that have increased in COVID cases include Texas Tech University, which had over 2,000 COVID cases and the University of Alabama System had over 4,000 cases including both staff and students, according to Texas Tech University and University of Alabama System COVID data pages. Campus learning has been challenging for students for this 2020-21 school year across the nation. Instead, hybrid learning and online learning were the two commonly available options that students had to choose for themselves this school year. Many colleges, while reopening their campuses this fall, have asked all students who plan to reside on campus to self-isolate for two weeks before returning to school. But compliance to self quarantine could significantly disrupt some students’ lives. The University of Michigan, for instance, is instructing students not to go to work or social gatherings for 14 days. Students in such situations have reported a significant decrease in their study hours and academic performance, Students in China continued their education through virtual learning after while one-quarter of students have reported an increase in their study time by more than four the outbreak of the COVID in March. hours per week, according to EdSource. Image courtesy of REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins. One biggest advantage of on-campus learning is to encourage students to have communication with others and become extra acquainted with themselves on how they learn in a classroom, accompanied with a myriad of on-campus opportunities. Surely on-campus learning is not without limitations, such that students may be provided with limited flexibility in class time that works best for their schedules. Having a set schedule may also be a big limitation for students when they are somebody who might prefer to do whatever they might want to do individually. On the other hand, online teaching also suffers from a few caveats. While students can enjoy a great freedom and flexibility in choosing a class they like and taking it wherever they want, it could be very difficult for them to keep focused due to the lack of an in-person association. In addition, another drawback of online courses points to the need to find out potential initiatives or assets to further motivate students. These new barriers college students have encountered during the COVID pandemic have also changed students’ views about learning. While the upcoming school year was on the horizon, schools had to think about whether they should allow fewer students to participate in in-person classes. For instance, out of the 24 Alabama community colleges system they have seen an 19% decrease in enrollment, according to EdSource. Having students on campus would be an incredible path for students, especially freshmen to experience college life, as long as colleges can take sufficient precautionary measures to avoid Student takes online class in dorms. Photo courtesy of Google Images. potential risk to students and their families.
November 23, 2020
The Iron Blade
Rotaract and DPhiE Give Back!
Masked-Up Campaign By Chelsea Zizzi The SGA board members at Ferrum College handed out free masks in the Quad to promote safe learning and practices at Ferrum College on Monday Oct. 21. The masked up campaign held by SGA took place in order to promote the use of a mask around campus. They had a multitude of masks to choose from so that everyone could find a stylish mask that they liked. Some of the designs on the masks they were handing out included a butterfly, a tiger, tye-dye, and many more. There were over 20 different designs that people could choose from. “We just want the people on Ferrum campus safe, along with those in the community and back home” said Malcom Lofton, an SGA board member who deals with public relations. All members of the SGA board participated in this event and handed out masks to any student or faculty member who wanted one and the only ‘payment’ was the proof of their Livesafe that was done the morning of. Alongside with the masks, they were handing out candy and informing everyone about the use of masks and how they help prevent the spread of COVID-19. “We’re all in this together,” Lofton said, “and if we want to Pictured are the 2020-2021 SGA Cabinet Memcontinue school in the Spring it bers. Left to Right: Ahjaley Henderson, Zion is important that everyone works Wade, Malcolm Lofton, Mikayla Floyd, and together and wears their mask.” Kintwon Pettiford.
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By Lindsey Foster Ferrum College enjoyed a food drive led by the Rotaract Club and Delta Phi Epsilon sorority during the week of Oct. 11. This event was held to help give back to the Ferrum community and do what they can to help. The two students who led the food drive were junior Lauren Ries, President of the Rotaract Club, and junior Jada McLaughlin, Delta Phi Epsilon’s Vice President of Programming. The donations of the food drive were given to the Samaritan Inn located in Roanoke, Virginia. McLaughlin stated, “I chose the Samaritan Inn because I know the area has a lot of homeless people that depend on it for food and the Samaritan was low on donations.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the clubs were not able to open the event to all students on campus and had to collect donations from members of the organizations. Combining the two organizations a total of twenty five students donated to the food drive. “With COVID this year’s community service events are harder to do for all clubs and organizations on campus, so when given the opportunity to give back to those in need we do it,” Ries said. (Photo by You Give Goods) In total, over 120 cans were donated to the Samaritan Inn from the food drive. Non perishable items such as baked beans, vegetables, fruits, macaroni, baked potatoes, and rice were donated. In the future, both organizations plan to have more food drives, but have the whole campus participate and donate even more to people in need.
Laughing During Covid With Lauren Hope Krass
Photo courtesy of The College Agency Entertainers & Speakers.
On Oct. 15 2020 Lauren Hope Krass hosted her first comedy show at Ferrum College. The comedy show was held via Zoom to ensure social distancing guidelines were met. The “comedy powerhouse” as Justin Muse, director of Ferrum’s Activities Board, called Krass, got her start in Charleston, South Carolina. Krass said she has been doing standup comedy since the beginning of her career. According to her College Agency biography, Krass has performed across the United States for comedy festivals and colleges. She was also featured in a 2016 New York Times article. Krass commented on the unique
By Ashley Minnick situation quarantine has put her in as a comedian. She mentioned she has found more time to work on her standup material and also found a “cool” brick sheet to hang behind her during her Zoom skits. Krass’ material centered around COVID-19 and the struggles everyone is facing. She joked about everyone’s “quarantine weight” they’ve put on and working out at home. Krass also joked about how dating is so hard during COVID because of masks and edited profile pictures. Roughly 10 students were in attendance and were encouraged to keep their microphones unmuted to create a “fun comedy environment” according to the Ferrum Activities Board
message prior to the show. The students all seemed to enjoy Krass’ show laughing through it all. “It was a great stress reliever through all of COVID,” Mery Estrella, one of the viewers and a student at Ferrum commented. Many of the students in attendance at Krass’ show returned this sentiment. Krass finished her show thanking the audience for their attendance. She closed commenting on how nice it is being able to make people laugh in such hard times. The Activities Board will be hosting more events students will have the opportunity to participate in so keep an eye on your student email.
Habitat for Humanity House Dedication By Dylan Scoggins Habitat for Humanity has been known to save the lives of millions by providing them new homes and a second chance at living, so of course Ferrum College was ecstatic when they were given the opportunity to partner with Habitat for Humanity to help give “Elaine” (the owner of the house) a new and improved home. Dean of Students & Title IX Coordinator Nicole Lenez sent out an email to all ferrum students on November 5th, 2019 saying, “Good morning Ferrum Family! Habitat for Humanity of Franklin County are currently working on a renovation project on Sontag road with the goal of getting
the homeowner, Elaine, “Home for the Holidays” but to make that happen, we need help! No Construction experience or skills required!”. Many students raised to the occasion and began teaming up with Habitat of Humanity. Almost a year later, Nicole Lenez sent out another email to all of Ferrum’s students congratulating the collective efforts of Ferrum’s student body and the Franklin County Habitat for Humanity foundation by saying, “Good afternoon Ferrum Family, I wanted to take a moment to invite you to a celebration! Our Habitat for Humanity affiliate of Franklin County will be
dedicating a house (469 Sontag Rd) that was completed over the last year with the help of many of our campus family and athletic teams. We invite you to attend our socially distanced and abridged dedication on Saturday, October 17 at 11am and celebrate with us as we (officially) welcome Elaine into her new home.” When interviewed by Braden Homsey about Elaine’s response to the community’s efforts, Lenez said “Elaine had a long wait for her house as the Franklin County affiliate is rebuilding it’s chapter and volunteer base but she seems so happy with it.”
Members of the board of directors for habitat of humanity Franklin County helped celebrate the completion of Elaine Childress’s (in yellow coat) House on October 21in Sontag. Photo by Nicole Lenez.
November 23, 2020
The Iron Blade
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Ferrum Swim Team’s Virtual Compete During the COVID Season By Kacey Whorley Ferrum College’s Men and Women’s swim teams put an interesting twist on their “COVID Season”. Using a virtual meeting, the swimmers got to compete against Sweet Briar College in all of the competition categories on October 7, 2020. Ferrum’s swim team, led by coach Margaret Bisnett, consists of 10 girls and 3 boys. They have been practicing as they normally would for a regular season, except for this season, there is a twist. Competition with other swim teams in the ODAC has been prohibited due to COVID-19, so like other teams on campus, the swim team is using alternatives to begin their season. “Given the situation, we are doing every-
thing we can. Of course, we would rather be in person, but we know that is not reality. However, being virtual gave an alternative and gave the team members a chance to showcase their skills,” Coach Bisnett said. As sports right now are up in the air for the Spring, the swim team members are working to “develop everyday routines” until things get back to normal. The Ferrum College Swim team finished the meet with 64 points. The results of the Virtual Meet are as follows. Ferrum swim team had their virtual compete against Sweet Briar College. Photo by Margaret Bisnett.
Ferrum College Women’s 200 Yard Medley Relay Team A: 1) Tharpe, Hunter (33.45), 2) Fairman, Emilie (28.69), 3) Shoaf, Katie (39.18) , 4) Montgomery, Liza M. Team Total Time: 2:15.89. Ferrum College Women’s 200 Yard Medley Team B: 1) Philpot, Dominick, 2) Blaukovitch, Jacob, 3) HicksTisdale. Team Total Time: 2:10.20. Women’s 500 yard Freestyle: 1st place: Katie Shoaf ( 6:32.73). 3rd place: Liza Montgomery (6:53.52). 5th place: Caroline Saalweachter (7:56.54) Women’s 100 yard IM: 2nd Place: Hunter Tharpe (1:14.28)
Men’s 100 Yard IM: 1st place: Jacob Blaukovitch (1:09.53). 2nd place: Dominick Philpot (1:09.59). Women’s 50 yard Freestyle: 4th place: Hackett, Laurynn (38.46) and 6th place: Garrison, Shauna (49.46). Men’s 50 yard Freestyle: 1st place: Philpot, Dominick (28.07) and 2nd place: Blaukovitch, Jacob (28.43). Women’s 100 yard Backstroke: 2nd place: Tharpe, Hunter (1:13.59), 3rd place: Saalweachter, Caroline (1:32.00), 4th place: Hackett, Laurynn (1:50.50), 5th place: Smith, Hannah (2:03.67), and 6th place: Garrison, Shauna (2:59.23).
Women’s 100 yard Breaststroke: 1st place: Fairman, Emilie (1:24.45), and 3rd place: Smith, Hannah (2:13.34). Men’s 100 yard Breaststroke: 1st place: Blaukovitch, Jacob (1:15.14), 2nd place: Philpot, Dominick (1:17.97). Women’s 100 yard butterfly: Shoaf, Katie K (1:13.57), 3rd place: Montgomery, Liza (1:24.63). Women’s 200 yard Freestyle: 2nd place: Shoaf, Katie (2:32.82), 3rd place: Fairman, Emilie (2:55.12). Men’s 200 yard Freestyle: 1st place: Blaukovitch, Jacob (2:33.79), 2nd place: Philpot, Dominick (2:39.18).
Equestrian Virtual Contest By Kacey Worley As sports have come to a sudden halt around the world, Ferrum College’s Equestrian team has found a way to compete in replacement of their season. Due to COVID-19, most teams in the United States have been restricted to socially distanced practices, less face-to-face events, and absolutely no competition between other colleges. In place of the ODAC competition, Ferrum’s equestrian coach, Margaret Cornwell and her team of five participated in a “virtual contest”. In this contest, each team member sent a video of them riding to a third-party judge for scoring. In an interview with sophomore Equestrian member, Grace Howell, she expressed her opinion on the “new normal” for sports. “I was disappointed that we weren’t going to get to have a real season, but I’m super excited to be around my coach and teammates, and can’t wait until we get to return to normal,” Howell stated. Howell also expressed how the virtual competition gave her and her teammates something to look forward to, as the results would contribute to an “end of the year award”. The results from the virtual contest are as follows. For the Intermediate division, Grace Howell placed 4th, and Saige Stuart- Hughes placed 5th. For the Novice division, Lindsay Koogler placed 5th. For the Advanced Beginner division, Emma William placed 4th. For the Beginner High Point Rider division, Hattie Rieck placed 3rd. Overall, Ferrum’s Equestrian team was named Reserve Champion team.
Ferrum riders Grace Howell, Saige Stuart-Hudges, Lindsey Koogler, Emma Williams, and Hattie Rieck. Photo courtesy of Ferrum College Equestrain.
The team sent in their videos for a second competition Friday, November 6th, and are awaiting their results.
Should the NFL Move to the Bubble? By Cody Gibson The NFL as of right now has no immediate plans to move to a bubble type season like the NBA did for the playoffs. The NFL is taking all the precautionary measures to keep the season going and it’s going pretty well. So far no big names have gotten COVID yet, although some mainly role players or staff members were contracted. When players or staff members get contracted with the COVID, the NFL makes them to go into quarantine immediately. If the majority of the team or a big number of people involved with the team were tested positive for COVID, the NFL will shut the game down and reschedule it to another week. According to an interview from ESPN, Eagles Head Coach and one time super bowl champion Doug Pederson said he feels extremely safe. What he means is that he trusts the medical team along with the protocols the NFL has set up to make sure no one contratcs the COVID. The NFL shouldn’t go to the bubble format because it would be too stressful for the players; in addition, it would be much harder to put that many players in the same stadium during the week. Trying to get hotels for the teams is not an easy job for all thirty
two teams. If they wanted to do the playoffs they could do it. In fact, it would be easier since it’s only half the league that would play and by then hopefully the COVID will be more under control. The NFL is also doing all the right things with theCOVID testing, in addition to giving the players options if they wanted to play this season or not. It would be bad to try a bubble environment when the playoffs come around. Indeed, as there are already a smaller of teams around, it would be easier to control the teams. A football stadium is pretty big so they could socially distance themselves pretty well and support the team. By doing so, it also opens the possible opportunity for the families of team members to come and watch the game live. One last problem with the bubble format is that each team has fifty two players on each team, which means that the bubble would be impossible during the regular season; but instead, the playoffs are more manageable and achieveable in the current situation.
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The Iron Blade
November 23, 2020
Is the LiveSafe App a Struggle or a Success? By Braden Homsey LiveSafe was introduced to students by Ferrum College four weeks before the Fall 1 semester began. It is a series of questions pertaining to COVID-19 and the overall current health of the student who takes it. However, some concerns among the students have arised about the legitimacy of the app. When interviewed by Braden Homsey, “The app is easy to fill out and doesn’t take a lot of effort to finish, however, this can be a bad thing because there is no way to know if the student is being 100% truthful or not. What makes it easier for workers and staff is that we have to have our temperatures checked everyday before we clock in for our hours. If we don’t we could risk not only the health of other staff members and students, but also risk sanitation problems that could lead to legal issues,” said B.B. Harrison, Subway Worker and senior at Ferrum College. Charles Tisby, a junior of Ferrum College also expressed his mixed feelings about this LiveSafe app. “It is a good tracker that can be used by students and staff to monitor health, but at the same time it can be unreliable since people can lie on it. But there really isn’t a better option right now so we’re stuck with the current method right now,” Tisby said. The requirements set for the LiveSafe app have changed throughout this 2020-21 school year. At the beginning of the semester, students were asked to make sure they took the test at some point throughout the day, such as on their way to the classroom or right before the start of a class. This was later changed to requiring the students to take the test before noon, which soon saw a big backlash among the students. Such an uprising resulted in another quick change to the protocol, which asks students to complete the test one hour ahead of any purchase of food. This means that a student would have to wait an hour to eat after completing his/her’s LiveSafe test. That is the current requirement that Ferrum students are mandated to follow. One
New Dining Options at Ferrum
By Mary Stoudt This semester Dining Services sent out an email asking students what new dining options they would like at Ferrum College. The options included in the email were Mexican inspired dishes, All-American, pasta dishes, Levi Briggs the Foodservice Director at Ferrum explained that right now Ferrum is considering an in-house dining option. “We are leaning towards an in-house concept. In many cases, franchise options require specific equipment, a minimum period of operations, and very expensive licensing contracts. We believe that we will have more flexibility if we use an in-house concept,” Briggs said. Since the idea of adding a new dining option is so new much about it is still in the works and remains unknown. Those who have been an active part in finding a new dining option have been Aladdin, numerous departments of Ferrum, and the students who participated in the student survey. In the following months, the Iron Blade will continue to update the Ferrum College community about this developing story.
unexpected outcome of this action is that some students were found to use expired LiveSafe test dates to gain access to food and other necessities, which sparks the worry of dishonesty in the LiveSafe app. “I’ve had many students come up to the Subway and try to use expired LiveSafe dates to get service from us. We obviously turn them down until they update their app, but it makes me worry about the legitimacy of it,” Harrison said. Assistant Athletic Trainer Lauren Cox also brought up a few of her concerns about the LiveSafe app, pointing out that students who had experienced cold or allergy symptoms still managed to show a green check. “That situation always yields some level of confrontation with that individual. I feel like the app is a good way for people to think and reflect about how they’re feeling and I have had people ask if they should answer ‘yes’ when they are having one of the listed symptoms. It seems like it would be a silly question but in these cases I have understood why they were unsure. I always advise answering truthfully,” Cox said. Cox also mentioned the necessity of more precautions to ensure public safety. “I think some people have gotten away with not being truthful because they are not getting reported for it. As far as the legal coverage of the institution goes, I think the app is an easy way to shift liability to those who falsely report and it isn’t completely on the staff and/or college,” Cox said. With the LiveSafe app being used since the first day of this fall semester at Ferrum College, it has been an easy-to-follow way for students to track their health. It also provides the Ferrum staff and Athletic Department a better sense of the students’ health situations, which helps eliminate some anxiety about in-person class or contact. While some complaints about the legitimacy of the app remain, it is still regarded as an effective way to keep students thinking about their health daily.
Football Full-contact Practice has Started! By Julius Asbury Football has restarted for many colleges across Virginia, including the Ferrum football team. The team has been doing weight lifting and conditioning and a little football related practices since August 2020, under the precautionary guidelines about social distancing and face masks. Starting on Oct. 19, 2020, this team returned to the normal process of being able to have full contact practices. For all Ferrum football players the full-contact practices will be physically tough and hectic. Despite this, almost every player is excited about this opportunity and looking forward to it. “Even though it’ll be tough, we’re all just happy to play together as a team and able to get a real practice in,” freshman player Johan Tores said. Ferrum Football Cleive Adams had to spend supposedly $5,000 on COVID-19 tests for the players. On Oct. 30, 2020, around 50-55 players were chosen to take the COVID-19 test; and on Nov. 1, 2020, the test results came back and everyone was tested negative. Based on these positive indicators and with full precautionary measures, Ferrum football has decided to implement a full-contact practice for all their players. Even though they still have full contact practices there are some precautions that need to be followed for safety reasons. Student athletes are still required to wear masks. In addition, the football team has split up the players into two groups - the black group and the gold group - to ensure a small-group practice for further safety. Both groups have to work out on the same day but at two different times. Gold groups have position meetings at 2:30 p.m. and then practice at 4:30 p.m.. Black groups have their position meeting at 6:30 p.m. and their practice at 7:30 p.m. The football team hopes that the groups will soon be able to come together and practice together as a team once this pandemic is over.
Empty Bowls 2020 (Photo courtesy of Empty Bowl’s Facebook page.)