Thurs, March 12, 2015

WEDNESDAY EMPIRE

Men’s Basketball competes in fifth straight Sweet 16

Postseason success leads Men’s Basketball to Ashland, VA to take on Dickenson College.

BY MICHAEL WILLSON mnwillson@vwc.edu

The Virginia Wesleyan Men’s Basketball team competed this past weekend for its first two rounds of the NCAA Division III Tournament at William Paterson University. The first game was against the Blue Streaks of John Carroll University, on Friday, March 6. The Marlins won with a score of 101-86. The second game was a win over the host team, the Pioneers of William Paterson University, on Saturday, March 7. The Marlins ended that game with a close score of 77-74.

“I think going on the road in the NCAA Tournament is a tough challenge, and we really need to come together as a team and play a consistent forty minutes of basketball,” Head Coach Dave Macedo said.

In addition to facing the challenge of opening on the road, the team started the tournament shortly after losing the ODAC Championship game against the Yellow Jackets of Randolph Macon College.

“Our biggest challenge will be moving forward from a tough loss, turning the page, and just getting back to work and grounding it out. You can’t worry about a tough loss, no matter where we travel or if we’re home. We got a tournament to play and it’s a new season,” Assistant Coach Rhett Bonner said.

The team has moved on from that tough loss and showed it through several highlights in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The sophomore class showed

SEE BASKETBALL Pg. 8

Recent

bad weather makes life difficult for students, professors

BY BRIAN LE btle@vwc.edu

Virginia Wesleyan College has experienced five snow days in the span of two weeks. The recent snowfall has made it very difficult for students and faculty to get back into their normal routines.

At first, the snow days were seen as an extended winter break, but the consequences of those days off have quickly turned into burdens for students. Class time has been lost, deadlines for assignments have been delayed and exams have been pushed back, all as a result of the snow.

“I have enjoyed [the] time off from my classes, but I don’t want to get any further behind,” said sophomore Amanda Baxter.

It seems that the time off has been enough and that students are ready to get back into the swing of things. Unfortunately, many professors have altered their syllabi in order to accommodate for lost time and material. Consequently, students have been scrambling to play catch up.

“My class schedules have really been crammed up by the snow days because deadlines have been pushed back from their original dates,” said freshmen Luke Wentling.

The Weekender reviews Fox’s latest smash television hit, Empire WEEKENDER PAGE 10 SEE SNOW Pg. 5

THE MARLIN CHRONICLE

It’s “Miller Time”

A journalist at heart and an educator by choice, Dr. Scott D. Miller will become Virginia Wesleyan’s fourth president this summer.

BY ANDREW PETREY awpetrey@vwc.edu & BYJESSICA MACKEY jlmackey@vwc.edu

After current President William Greer’s retirement announcement last summer, a nationwide search resulted in Dr. Scott D. Miller being named the next president of Virginia Wesleyan College on Feb. 25.

The search committee was composed of faculty, staff, alumni representatives and a student. The committee sought a candidate with a strong record of leadership who was a passionate advocate of the values and ideals of the liberal arts. Dr. Miller exemplifies such criteria with his extensive college leadership skills.

“I’m in my 24th year as a college president and have served three excellent liberal arts institutions—Lincoln Memorial University, Wesley College, and Bethany College,” Dr. Miller said. “I’m known around the country as one of the most entrepreneurial and innovative campus leaders, and my experience has prepared me well for the tremendous opportunities that I know we have at VWC. With its strong reputation and fantastic location, the College has those opportunities in abundance. I can’t wait to get started!”

Dr. Miller will be the fourth president in Virginia Wesleyan College’s 53-year history. He follows President Greer’s 23-year tenure here at the college.

“In a few words, I’m competitive, hardworking, and totally committed to the distinctive experiences offered by small, residential, liberal arts colleges,” Dr. Miller describes. “I have high standards for the institutions I serve and for myself, yet I also enjoy the job tremendously. Each day is an adventure, enriched by the devotion of campus constituents—students, faculty, staff members, families, alumni, and many others—whom I’ve been privileged to work with over the years.”

After earning his B.A. degree in communication from West Virginia Wesleyan College he worked as a journalist, later earning an M.A. from the University of Dayton, Ed.S. from Vanderbilt University, and Ph.D. from the Union Institute and University.

“As noted, I love to write,” Dr. Miller said. “My first column in college, ‘Miller Time,’ was sports-related, and a few years ago I finally abandoned my reporter’s notebook, which I still carried each day, for my iPad. Now I write on many highereducation topics of national and often regional relevance. I also feel that because a college president is to a large extent the public face of the institution, it’s important from a marketing and external-relations perspective to promote the campus via social media and other communication avenues. People tend to pay attention when a college president goes on the record, and the tools we have now for expanding communication and building new relationships will benefit Virginia Wesleyan in many exciting new ways.”

In addition to his commitment as a higher-education leader Dr. Miller is a well-known sought mentor, presenter, and author on higher education topics such as

financial sustainability and presidential performance for national conferences and trade journals. While remaining a regular columnist for the Huffington Post and scholarly journals, he maintains a daily blog, Dialogue, a campus-wide morning message, Nota Bene, and an e-newsletter, The President`s Letter.

Dr. Miller is excited to be joining the Virginia Wesleyan College community and bringing in a new era of college communication geared toward the student demographic.

“If experience at Bethany is a guide, my presence on social media will produce enhanced opportunities for enrollment, fundraising, alumni relations, and daily communications with the campus community,” Dr. Miller said. “Competition for our audiences’ attention is growing. Timing is often everything. In our age of instant news and information updates, social media such as presidential e-letters, blogs, Twitter, Flicker, LinkedIn and Facebook increase frequency and quality of communication to current and prospective students and the wider campus community at little or no cost. An essential goal of colleges and universities today is to increase their institutional profile, and we need to use these technologies to attract the interest and resources we need at VWC as we go forward.”

Although Dr. Miller is bringing years of experience with him to the campus community, he says every school is unique in its own right.

“All colleges are different, and one important lesson I’ve learned is that “one size doesn’t fit all,” Dr. Miller said. “The

Lyme disease a growing concern for Virginia residents

BY COURTNEY HERRICK clherrick@vwc.edu

The disease is often overlooked and mistaken for something else, but, readers, beware! It is on the rise in Virginia. Lyme disease, the disease transmitted to humans by deer ticks, and it is rapidly becoming a major concern for Virginia residents.

From 2012 to 2013, the number of confirmed Lyme disease cases in Virginia rose by 120, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In Virginia, 382 cases remain unconfirmed but are considered probable cases of Lyme.

The disease often has signs and symptoms that can be confused with other diseases. Even worse, the disease can be asymptomatic, causing people to be unaware that they have it.

A list from the CDC of some signs and symptoms of Lyme disease includes a ringshaped rash, usually resembling a bull’seye, that may occur within 4 to 30 days of being bitten by a Lyme-disease-infested deer tick; as well as fever, chills, headache, stiff neck, muscle aches and pains.

According to news-medical.net, Lyme disease was first recognized in 1975 in Lyme, Conn., after a considerable number

of young children had been diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers were able to conclude that the arthritis was being caused by Lyme disease, which the children contracted from tick bites as a result of playing in deer tick-infested woods. Since 1975, reports of Lyme disease have increased significantly.

This disease can be a major concern for Virginia Wesleyan students. Through the office of Rec-X, many students are involved in activities, such as camping and hiking trails, that could potentially increase their risk of contracting the disease, since those activities are often in or surrounded by wooded areas. Even living on campus in Village III or Village IV raises concern, since they are near wooded areas.

Valerie Covington, director of health services, said that it is important for students to make sure they cover themselves up when doing activities in wooded areas. She said it is also equally important for students to check themselves and their pets (if they have any) for ticks after being in wooded areas.

Though there have not been any confirmed cases of Lyme disease acquired from Virginia Wesleyan College’s campus, Covington was adamant about students

WHAT IS LYME DISEASE?

Kappa Alpha: Members classification now changed

BY THOMAS MILLS tcmills@vwc.edu

On February 25, 2015, the members of the closed chapter of Kappa Alpha were notified by the national Kappa Alpha office that each of them would now be classified as alumnus in bad standing.

The letter, which was sent to the members of Kappa Alpha, indicated that the brothers would be extremely limited in what they would be able to do with their fraternity.

According to the letter, the classification of alumnus in bad standing forces the Kappa Alpha members to do the following:

“You may not participate in the organization of or attendance at any KA event on or off campus, nor associate as a group under another name;

“You may not wear KA apparel or paraphernalia on campus;

“You may not join another national social fraternity;

“You may not transfer and become an Active member in good standing with another chapter as long as you remain not in good standing;

“You must remove all references to Kappa Alpha Order and Epsilon Omicron chapter from any online profiles or communities including any and all postings, photographs

or videos showing KA activities. Alumni not in good standing are prohibited from acting in any way as individual members or as a chapter or organized unit of the KA national organization. KA holds a trademark for “Kappa Alpha” as used in connection with fraternities and/or fraternal organizations. Alumni not in good standing of Epsilon Omicron do not have KA’s permission to use the Kappa Alpha trademark.”

Moreover, the letter explains that further punishment could arrive if members do not abide by the rules above.

“Failure to abide by these requirements may lead to major offense charges being filed and possible expulsion from Kappa Alpha Order.”

Upon graduating from VWC, members of the VWC Kappa Alpha chapter can, “… submit a letter requesting to be listed as an alumnus in good standing, along with proof of graduation and solvency with the chapter.”

However, the Kappa Alpha national office does not guarantee that a member’s classification will be changed from a bad standing to a good standing. The national office does assure the members who reapply for a change in membership status will have their materials looked at.

checking themselves both in places that are visible to them and places that are not visible. She recommended having another person check areas that are not easily seen, such as on the back of the neck or in the hair.

Since there have not been any confirmed cases of Lyme on VWC’s campus, the disease may raise little to no concern among students in the community.

“I’ve lived around wooded areas my whole life and have never been bit by a tick, so it doesn’t concern me at all,” said sophomore Andre Brummitt, who lives in Village III. He said he wouldn’t consider switching to a school outside Virginia just because of the increase in Lyme disease here.

However, it is important that students be aware of the disease and take precautions, especially in wooded areas like the ones that surround Village III and Village IV.

Currently, information pertaining to Lyme disease is readily available in the Health Services Office, so students can educate themselves on the matter.

Covington said that if students have a suspected bite from a deer tick, they should definitely come to Health Services or see their physician to get it checked out.

THE MAIN SYMPTOM

It isn’t a potential threat just to students who reside on campus, but to commuters as well.

“It concerns me even though I commute,” freshman Stephanie Mcdermott said. Mcdermott was previously unaware of the disease, but said, “I like it here. Unless it got really bad, I wouldn’t move.” Living with Lyme is a proven difficulty. The disease can affect a person’s nervous system, heart, and even joints. Daily, nonstrenuous activities become difficult when living with Lyme.

To prevent contracting Lyme disease, the CDC recommends that people wear protective clothing with tight collars and cuffs, use effective insect repellents, have animals wear tick-repellent collars, inspect skin effectively and efficiently, and completely remove any ticks that are discovered.

If you find a tick on your body, do not panic; however, the CDC recommends a doctor’s visit if you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick. Be sure to tell the doctor about the details of the tick bite, especially when the bite occurred and where you most likely acquired the tick.

A ring-shaped rash will occur, usually within 4 to 30 days of being infected by a Lyme-disease-infested deer tick.

THE MAIN SUSPECT

THE MAIN CAUSE OF LYME DIESEASE ARE DEER TICKS WHich LIVE IN WOODED AREAS. ACTIVITIES SUCH AS HIKING AND CAMPING ARE COMMON TIMES WHEN PEOPLE AND PETS GET BITTEN BY TICKS.

Runner, scholar, Marlin

BY SARAH ANTOZZI scantozzi@vwc.edu

Though his successes are far from being limited to the world of athletics, Virginia Wesleyan sophomore Trevor Maloney recently achieved the fifth-fastest time for the 3000 meters in the history of VWC’s track and field program. He did this by running the 3k in 9:14.36, placing ninth at the ODAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, held March 1 in Landover, Md.

Also at the ODAC championships, Maloney and his teammates Hunter Melius, Jermell Chester and Dustin Ogburn placed fifth in the distance medley. Their time was 11:06.84.

Moreover, Maloney is on VWC’s cross-country team and holds the 10th-fastest time in the program’s history for the 8000 meters (27:20.2).

However, Maloney said that for him, the “best athletic performance” is, “...when I can walk away from a meet knowing that I did the best that I could do and knowing I didn’t have anything else to give at the end of each race.”

With cross-country’s season running all through the fall, and track and field going from indoor competition in the winter through a five-week outdoor season in spring, he is “in season” during the whole academic year. Doing both sports, he said, is “tiring, but it’s worth it in the end.” He said it gives “the gratification of being able to compete on a regular basis. Meets are held about every otehr weekend.”

Maloney started running during middle school, then “got serious” around his sophomore year of high school.

One thing he’s noticed, he said,

is that track and cross-country often don’t get the amount of attention that other sports enjoy.

For example, he said, the first spring-semester issue of the Marlin Chronicle covered every other VWC spring sport except track and field.

“Running that much is very time-consuming and very hard work,” he said. “It’s just as competitive as anything else. It just feels like we get swept under the rug,” he said, which is “aggravating.”

Maloney agreed that part of the problem could be that VWC students never have the chance to see the runners compete at home, since the campus has no track. That topic also came up during a recent meeting the track team had with the president of the college, William Greer.

“He expressed that he was very disappointed that the funds for a track had not been gathered yet,” Maloney said. However, he said, President Greer told the team that funds for a track are still a high priority for the college.

The meeting with Greer was held to recognize the track team for a remarkable achievement.

“This past semester, the track and field team had the highest GPA we’ve ever had in the history of the track and field program,” Maloney said.

Maloney’s own GPA has a lot to do with that. The biology major is currently pulling a 3.96, having gotten his first college A- course grade last semester.

Adding to the demands on his time from running and from keeping his grades up is his job in the student ambassador program.

The program has three levels

Sen. Warner revamps college sexual assault safety

A group of bipartisan senators look to overhaul the Campus Accountability and Safety Act.

BY JESSICA MACKEY jlmackey@vwc.edu

Senator Mark Warner, alongside a group of bipartisan senators, announced early last month a new piece of legislation that they hope will reverse the epidemic that is taking over college campuses today, the revamped Campus Accountability and Safety Act.

The Virginia Senator spoke to college journalists via a confernce call on March 3 to discuss the new piece of legislation being introduced to the Senate floor.

“The bill would establish a Federal baseline for encouraging prevention, establishing transparency, accountability, and ensuring that if [sexual assaults] take place that there will be procedures in place,” Warner said.

Sexual assaults occur at every college and university throughout the country, even here at Virginia Wesleyan College.

“Everyone that goes to college in America should know that they are safe,” Sen. Mark Warner said.

It’s become a topic discussed on every college campus and in every household through the media, especially noting the Rolling Stone article outlining a rape that occurred at University of Virginia, and even garnering the attention of politicians in our nation’s

capital.

Sen. Mark Warner describes the publication by Rolling Stone as a practice of “shoddy journalism” that made the nation aware of an issue that needs a nationwide plan of action.

A report released by the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, named two schools from the Commonwealth of Virginia, The University of Virginia and the College of William and Mary, as being investigated for violating federal law in handling sexual violence, harassment and assault complaints.

Additionally, with the documentary “The Haunting Ground” premiering in movie theaters throughout this country, which is a film that follows survivors of rape on college campuses and explores the institutional struggles that current exist within higher education, the topic continues to be at the forefront of national discussion.

“It shouldn’t be less safe to go to college than it is to go work in the workforce,” Warner said. The legislation would aim to establish new campus resources and support services for student survivors. Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, schools were required to establish Title IX Coordinators. Jason Seward and McCarren Caputa serve as the VWC coordinators. However, under this legislation schools would be required to

SEE MALONEY Pg. 8 SEE WARNER Pg. 7

SEXUAL ASSAULT STATISTICS

Despite nationwide reforms at colleges for sexual assault, a striking number of institutions are still lacking in proper support, help and protection for students and victims

One in four women will experience sexual assault in college

More than 40 percent of schools have not conducted a single investigation of sexual assault in the last five years

21 percent of schools provide no sexual assault response training to faculty and staff

More than 10 percent of institutions surveyed do not have a Title IX coordinator, as required by federal law

Editor-in-Chief

Thomas Mills tcmills@vwc.edu

Managing Editor

Aoife Branco acbranco@vwc.edu

News Editor

Jessica Mackey jlmackey@vwc.edu

Community Editors

Rayven Davis rdavis@vwc.edu

Kaci Parker klparker@vwc.edu

Opinion Editor

Doug Hardman ddhardman@vwc.edu

The Weekender

Elizabeth Sims ecsims@vwc.edu

Sports Editors

Kellie Lagoy kalagoy@vwc.edu

Kerri Taylor ktaylor@vwc.edu

Photo Editors

Anthony Dellamura aadellamura@vwc.edu

Kayla Skeete krskeete@vwc.edu

Illustrations Editor

Richard Cremin rjcremin@vwc.edu

Online Editor Maurice Reed mreed@vwc.edu

Copy Editors Courtney Jones cajones1@vwc.edu

Sarah Antozzi scantozzi@vwc.edu

Advertising Representatives

Courtney Herrick clherrick@vwc.edu

Cortnee Brandon csbrandon@vwc.edu

Advisor Dr. Lisa Lyon Payne lpayne@vwc.edu

Greek president roundup

BY KACI PARKER klparker@vwc.edu

The Marlin Chronicle is the official student newspaper of Virginia Wesleyan College. Staff meetings are held every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in Batten 217. Signed submissions are welcome, but subject to the discretion of the editor. Letters are not edited for content, but may be edited for length. The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper may not necessarily reflect the views of the entire staff of The Marlin Chronicle or Virginia Wesleyan College.

The Marlin Chronicle Virginia Wesleyan College 1584 Wesleyan Drive Norfolk, VA 23502 757.455.3311

“Virginia Wesleyan College proudly supports the editorial independence and press freedom of student-edited publications. We believe that student editors have the authority to make all content decisions and bear the responsibility for the decisions that they make.” --William T. Greer Jr. President

Part 2

A brief introduction to the Greek presidents on campus

Audrey Thames Zeta Phi Beta

Q: What is your favorite restaurant?

Alex Fernandez Phi Kappa Tau

Q: What are you excited for about for your term as president?

A: “I’m most excited to implement more things that benefit not only the fraternity but the school as well. I feel that Greek life can do so much more on such a small campus like VWC and really make a difference.”

Q: What is your favorite restaurant?

A: “It would have to be Hibachi Grill. I think I eat Chinese food at least twice a week!”

Q: What is your biggest pet peeve?

A: “People who are unwilling to change. The world we live in is constantly changing, and people who can’t see that or remain stagnant just really upset me.”

Q: Where is your dream vacation?

A: “Rio Brazil! I’m a huge futbol fan so going there would be amazing.”

Q: If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

A: “As a member of the military, I wish there wasn’t so much unnecessary conflict in the world.”

A: “I absolutely LOVE Handsome Biscuit. It’s a hole-in-the-wall place right outside of downtown Norfolk that no one ever notices.”

Q: If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?

A: “I wish everyone had access to basic necessities, like clean water.”

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island, what three things would you bring with you?

A: “Iced coffee, music and my dog, because she always keeps me entertained.”

Q: What are you excited about for your term as president?

A: “I am definitely excited to partner with other organizations, simply because it’s something we do not usually do. But after the student organization training and different Greek meetings, I’ve learned that it can be not only very fun but beneficial in the end.”

Q: Where is your dream vacation?

A: “Charleston, South Carolina, is my favorite place in the world just because it’s close to my heart.”

Nic Snyder Sigma Nu

Q: What do you want to take away with you following the end of your time as an officer?

A: “I want to take away a leadership experience that one cannot get anywhere else rather than in a Greek organization that will translate into real-life experience.”

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island, what three things would you bring with you?

A: “Three things I would take with me to a deserted island would be a blanket, a pillow and a bed. I like to nap when I’m lost on a deserted island.”

Q: What is your least favorite fashion trend?

A: “My least favorite fashion trend? Uggs.”

Q: If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

A: “Gas prices.”

Q: What is one thing you cannot live without?

A: “One thing I cannot live without? I know this is cheesy, but my brothers.”

African Association opens campus’ eyes

The African Student Association strives to educate campus on the history of Africa

BY KAYLA BROWN kabrown2@vwc.edu

“The reason why we started African Student Association here on this campus was because we wanted to teach our student body about African culture, and to educate everyone,” said junior Brittany Anning, president of the African Student Association.

More than a year later, members of the African Student Association are still educating our community and making their culture known here at Virginia Wesleyan College; they made

their mark on campus in the fall semester of 2013. There are a total of 54 countries in the continent of Africa. Anning was born in the United States, but both of her parents were born in Ghana.

“I knew that there were a lot of African students on campus, and I wanted to create something for our culture,” Anning said.

Other colleges, such as Old Dominion University, Virginia State University and Virginia Commonwealth University, have African Student Association on their campus.

“African Student Association is active on other college campuses, so why not start one at Virginia Wesleyan? After all, we are a liberal arts college,” Anning said.

According to the Virginia Wesleyan College Fact Sheet — Fall 2014, 57.7% of our students are “White,” 24.2% are “Black,” and 17.8% are “Other Minority and International.”

“We are truly a diverse school, but I feel like our community doesn’t embrace that,” said senior Estelle Goli, vice-president of the African Student Association. Goli, who is from the Ivory

Coast, came to Virginia Wesleyan proudly embracing her culture.

“We’re all from different countries, meaning that we don’t even speak the same language,” said Goli.

“We’re tired of people stereotyping us by saying that we all live in huts, thinking that we can’t speak English, hunt lions, and speak in ‘tongue.’ We’re over the misconceptions that people have about Africans, because they do not define us,” said Anning.

CAMPUS countdown

March 23rdMarch 30th

Spring Art Show

Times: Various

Location: Batten Fish Bowl

Students will feature their personal work including: 2D, 3D, traditional media, mixed media, hand-made and computer-generated artwork created by students while at VWC.

March 25th

Cooking for Kids

Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Location: Campus Kitchen

Cooking For Kids, a food preparation program in partnership with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia, takes place in VWC’s campus kitchen every other Wednesday.

March 26th

Word-Beat

Time: 11 a.m.

Location: Hofheimer Theater

Presented by the “A World of Music” series, “WordBeat,” will feature: Charles Williams, Tom Teasley, Langston Hughes and Nelson Mandela.

March 26th

If You Don’t Contribute You’re A Dead Piece

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Blocker Auditorium

Dr. Aprilfaye Manalang, an assistant professor at Norfolk State University, will present “If You Don’t Contribute You’re A Dead Piece: Religious Ruminations and Civic Engagement of the Filipino-American Hampton Roads Community.” This presentation is a part of the Center for the Study of Religious Freedom’s Spring 2015 Symposium.

March 25th

Marlins Make a Difference Day

Times: All Day Location: Various

The day begins at 8:30 a.m. Students are able to get involved around the community within five different agencies serving the: elderly, homeless, animals, hungry, and/or environment.

April 2nd

Roy Wood Jr.

Time: 8 p.m.

Location: Boyd

Comedian Roy Wood Jr., has appeared on: Late Night with David Letterman, Conan, the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, It’s Showtime at the Apollo and Last Comic Standing.

April 6th

Easter Monday Holiday

Case Number

Crime Log

(As of 3/10/2015)

Liquor Law Violation 0407 2/7/2015 2/7/2015 Village IV CAB

Vandalism 0408 2/7/2015 2/7/2015 Village IV Closed Fire Extinguisher

Assault 0412 2/8/2015 2/7/2015 Village IV Open

Controlled Substance 0418 2/11/2015 Village I CAB

Controlled Substance 0419

Vandalism 0422

Vandalism 0436

Liquor Law Violation 0451

2/11/2015 Batten Lot CAB

2/13/2015 Village I Closed Fire Extinguisher

2/18/2015 Village IV CAB Door kicked in and damaged

2/21/2015 Village III CAB

Liquor Law Violation 0466 2/28/2015 Walkway CAB

Liquor Law Violation 0468 3/1/2015 2/28/2015 Village IV CAB

Liquor Law Violation 3/1/2015 Village IV CAB

SNOW

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

However, students aren’t the only ones who are struggling to get acclimated back into their normal routines. Professors are experiencing similar trouble trying to readjust their teaching schedules as well.

“Having a snow day once in a while is one of the great joys of life,” said Professor Elaine Dessouki. “But having five snow days in two weeks is really disruptive, because students tend to forget new material when they don’t work with it frequently. So, we not only lost five class days, we also lost a good part of what we had learned before the snow fell.”

Given the circumstances, professors seem to be prepared and ready to assist any students that may need a little help readjusting to the flow of classes.

“I believe that my students recognize that this is an extraordinary situation and they are willing to work harder than usual over the next couple weeks in order to get back to a regular schedule,” said Dessouki. “It’s a partnership, and I think we are all committed to working together to get back on track before spring break.”

When the forecast predicts snow for the area, students are typically on standby until 5 p.m., waiting to receive an email that announces that classes are cancelled, or delayed, for the next day.

In order to make a delay or cancellation, the college has a process in place before it makes an announcement.

“A committee made up of administrators all convene in a meeting or conference call and discuss whether or not to close the College,” said Vice President of Operations Bruce Vaughan.

“We pay attention to the weather forecast, we travel the roads to check the conditions and we watch how other local schools and colleges react as well,” said Vaughan.

The committee of seven administrators tries to look at every aspect that they possibly can with the priority of safety always in mind.

“We are predominantly residential, but we too have to ensure the safety of our commuter population,” said Vaughan.

“We also look at what local businesses are doing because we understand students may need to travel to work as well.”

All of these factors get taken into account before the ultimate decision can be made. The committee always asks themselves, “Do we feel collectively that it is safe to open campus?”

“It is subjective but, that is why we all provide input in order to make the best decision concerning the safety of the campus community,” said Vaughan.

Safety remains the main focus whenever the committee comes together.

“We know the hardship it has on students to play catch up, but the overriding factor is safety,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Dr. Timothy O’Rourke.

It seems that collaboratively, students and faculty will be able to overcome this hardship and get back on track fairly quickly.

“I have rearranged every syllabus to reassure students that we will spend adequate time on the remaining material,” said Dessouki.

“Even in a normal semester we sometimes fall behind, and there are always a couple of makeup days built into every syllabus. We’ll be using these to cover what we missed. So, I believe that we can cover almost all of the topics that were planned at a normal pace.”

We won’t accept your tolerance

BY JESSICA MACKEY jlmackey@vwc.edu

Acceptance is defined as the act of being received as adequate or suitable. Acceptance is feeling included.

Tolerance, on the other hand, is the act of allowing something to happen or be.

Yet, as I was recently reminded by a professor, we as a collective whole continue to use these two words synonymously. Which I can say that I did do, and probably would continue to do this if this commonly ignored distinction wasn’t made aware to me.

However, once this realization was made it was as if I should have known the difference all along.

We all tolerate things all the time. We tolerate the weather, like snow in March, or the fact that holidays are overly commercialized. This is because these are all things we don’t have control over. No matter what we do, we do not have the power to change them.

We also tolerate that there are differences that exist in the world. But, that’s it. Tolerance is simply noting that a difference exists.

Acceptance, on the other hand, is the willingness to open your heart and mind and soul to truly understanding what is different from what you know.

Because without truly understanding what makes you uncomfortable, what challenges you, what makes life so interesting and diverse, how can you truly not agree or accept the other side’s position?

This is why tolerance is so widely practiced. It’s an easy Band-Aid solution to the problem. It’s temporary. But that’s what’s so wrong with it. By simply tolerating something, we ignore the root cause of the difference.

EDITOR PICK OF THE MONTH

What: The Taming of the Shrew

Where: Virginia Stage Company 110 E Tazewell St Norfolk, VA 23510

Why: Watch this revamped imagining of a classic Shakespeare play where a young, ruthless woman is wooed by a rich, domineering suitor.

I could say that I tolerate interracial marriage or be tolerating of same-sex marriages. Or, I could be accepting of marriage equality for all. See the difference between the two? I could tolerate marriage in one instant, without tolerating the other. By accepting marriage equality for all, I encompass everyone into the equation. Inclusion is universal.

It’s easy to see why these two words so often get interchangeed; however, for social acceptance for all difference, all diversity, all the unfamiliar to be achieved, we have to stop tolerance.

Instead, we have to embrace change, longevity, and the unwavering spirit of love and respect because those are the key components to truly embracing acceptance. We have to stop being selfish and learn to be empathic.

I know that this seems like an unrealistic dream, and maybe, if we lived in a utopian society it would be the norm. However, we don’t live in a utopia. We live in a democracy. A country run by “We the people.” Therefore, “we” have the power to make new realities, new norms, and provide a new direction for this country.

But, if political activism and civil duty is not your thing (which is perfectly fine, we do live in a democracy), start by accepting that differences exist. I know that seems minute in the grand scheme of a perfect society; however, for change to start, an individual has to believe in the cause.

In a world of endless binaries: black or white, male or female, republican or democratic, rich or poor, north or south…difference is everywhere. However, it’s time to not let these differences define a person’s value or worth in this world. It’s time to end tolerance and embrace acceptance.

Thursday-Sunday

Continued March 12-15

Thu-Sat: @ 8 p.m.

Sat @ 4 p.m.

Sun @ 2 p.m.

Tickets online are starting at $37$48, but there is a new ticket experience called #TIX where audience members under 35 years old can purchase tickets for $25!

Don’t haze me, bro

BY JEFFREY CROUCH jlcrouch@vwc.edu

I find it hard to believe that hazing is something that is still around today, especially on college campuses all over the country. The act of hazing a person seems pointless.

Those who haze frequently say that it builds bonds with the members and creates stronger ties to the organization. These benefits can be better established in different ways that do not cause any harm to the person you are trying to connect with. It is a tradition that needs to be stopped and never should have been started in any organization.

Hazing is a way for someone to be in control of and potentially degrade other human beings. It is an awful tactic that has survived by being passed down through organizations and even encouraged by popular movies that make it seem like it is all fun and games. This tradition is destructive to everyone involved in it and should never happen, even if the person being hazed is OK with it.

Potentially traumatizing new members should be reason enough to not haze. However, the tradition continues because it is what happened to older members, and they were taught that it was a good thing, so they continue the hazing. This creates a never-ending loop of hazing that is extremely hard to break due to loyalty and wanting to pass on what happened to them.

First of all, hazing is illegal in the Commonwealth of Virginia and therefore shouldn’t happen anyway. However, if an organization does haze, the members of it should have a moral obligation to tell their potential new members that they haze, before they get to that point in the acceptance process. Yes, this would likely hurt the organization, because some candidates would not want to join after finding out that they would be hazed. But it is not right to do it to someone who did not know what was coming.

Honestly, it isn’t right to do it even to the people who know what’s coming. It could physically and mentally break them down, which can have drastic effects. If the tradition can’t be broken and some of the members truly believe that it is necessary to initiate someone by hazing, then maybe those members do not deserve to be in the organization. Maybe the organization should be more careful about those they let in. They should want people who want the best for organization, and hazing should not be something that is considered good for the organization.

In my opinion, there is no way to justify forcing people to do something against their will just because you can, or because someone did it to you beforehand. How is a person, who is taught the values of an organization, by being forced to complete potentially degrading acts? The thought that it builds bonds between the hazer, hazee and everyone else in the organization is mind-blowing to me.

I personally have never been hazed, but if I was, I do not think that I would become any closer to the people doing it. Hazing would actually cause me to resent the people who did it, and I would not want to be affiliated with the organization. If I was a freshman interested in joining an organization, I would not want to join if I knew I would be hazed, or if I even thought I would be. I’m sure this applies to other people also. Any organization that does haze shouldn’t, if not for the right reasons then for an increase in interest in the organization.

I will never be convinced that hazing is a good thing to do. I am a brother of one of the fraternities on campus and I, like the rest of my brothers, have never been hazed. We still have a really strong bond without being hazed. All of us have the values that the fraternity stands for, and all of us commit what we can to better the chapter. Everything that people say hazing does can be done without it. I feel that the lack of hazing actually brings us together, because everyone in the chapter disagrees with hazing. Hazing wouldn’t actually help do anything other than make us more distant from each other. It might make each candidate class closer to one another, but with the price of secluding older brothers from them. I would rather be close to each and every brother, instead of just the ones who joined at the same time as I did.

Boy, don’t you know that this behavior is toxic?

BY DOUGLAS HARDMAN ddhardman@vwc.edu

“Boys don’t cry”; “don’t act like a girl”; “man up.” I’m sure a lot of men, even here at VWC, have heard these phrases. Whether growing up or even in adulthood, men are always subjected to their gender roles and the constant idea of what a “man” is supposed to be.

There’s this weird relationship society has with gender roles. We use “woman” and “girl” as insults in an attempt to belittle or degrade what women do as opposed to men. This, in turn, creates an unrealistic expectation for the male gender role. Since we assume women to be weaker and more emotional, men have to be stronger and less emotional (since they’re OBVIOUSLY better than women).

When we tell young boys not to cry, or not to show emotions, they become emotionally repressive. This repression has been shown to lead to higher rates of dropouts and suicide in men. And that’s really messed up. When we tell half of our children not to cry, it enables toxic masculinity.

Toxic masculinity is the harmful attitude that describes male gender roles as violent, unemotional, and/or sexually aggressive. This behavior is promoted in society. We’re too busy telling women how not to get raped. We don’t

tell men not to rape. We don’t tell men to talk about their feelings. We don’t tell men not to abuse women. Being raped, having emotions, and being abused seem to belong to women, but do men actually get blamed? No, because “boys will be boys.”

We have this super-outdated view of how men should behave. But, at the same time, as we’re enabling toxic masculinity, we’re also attacking it. We say “boys will be boys” and tell them to assume their roles, but once they actually do, it’s a problem all of a sudden. “Men need to be more aggressive/dominant than women because they are the stronger sex” suddenly turns into “He raped/abused someone? What a terrible person he is.”

Yes, rape is terrible and should never happen under any circumstances, but society is literally telling men to be aggressive, emotionally repressed, and dominant. Society is not telling them to rape, but it’s also not telling them not to rape. Do you see what is happening here? Society has literally found a loophole for rape.

Instead of telling men and women how they should act, why can’t we just let people be people and find out who they are on their own? Emotions do not show weakness. Literally every human expresses emotion (and for all you sociopaths out there, I’m sorry). We are all weak and vulnerable at some point — all of us. We should all be able to

Letter to the Editor

Submitted by Kate Griffin, Director of Greek Life

I would like to offer clarification on the Kappa Alpha Shutdown article printed in the February 27, 2015 print edition of the Marlin Chronicle. A few inaccurate statements were made regarding the College’s interactions with Kappa Alpha national headquarters and the Epsilon Omicron chapter.

First, it was stated that Kappa Alpha national headquarters made the decision to suspend Epsilon Omicron prior to their own investigation because the College and the brothers failed to report to them soon enough. Suspending a chapter pending a hazing investigation is standard operating procedure for fraternities and sororities and was unrelated to how the incident was reported.

Second, an interviewed brother stated that the College ruled that the hazing was an individual, isolated incident and not a chapter incident. Through its Community Arbitration System, the College conducted an investigation into individual students’ alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct and sanctioned the responsible students. However, the College did not conclude that the chapter was not at fault. As it turned out, sanctioning Epsilon Omicron was unnecessary because nationals had already chosen to close the chapter. Representatives from the College lobbied for a lesser sanction but were denied.

Third, an interviewed brother stated that Kappa Alpha national headquarters won’t talk to the College. In fact the College remains in communication with the national office and our students about Epsilon Omicron’s future. Those details, and a final decision on whether or not a return is best for both parties, have not been determined.

I would like to thank the Epsilon Omicron men for their honesty and cooperation with the College during this investigation. I know that the process has been confusing and stressful.

express ourselves emotionally, comfortably, with anyone. And why are we promoting aggression and anger? Violence is never the answer, and you won’t convince me otherwise. When we tell people to use their fists and not their words, people end up dead. War and peace do not go hand in hand. When we come back with flags on coffins and say, “We won,” we forget the things we lost.

All the men reading this, pay close attention: your emotions are valid, and you do not have to succumb to society’s idea of what a “man” should be. You are who you are. We’re all flawed; we’re all humans. Never forget that. You are not “girly,” you are not “gay,” and you are not “weak” for showing and having emotions.

And I’m sorry if you grew up in an environment where those ideas were promoted, because I did too. But you can seek help and support. If you were molded into a “man” and are feeling pressured by it, there are people who can help you.

We can stop the spread of toxic masculinity. All it takes is some encouragement and support. Once we stop enforcing the idea that being “girly” and “emotional” are insults, both men and women can come that much closer to equality. Because all humans are equal, emotion and flaws and all.

PRESIDENT

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

vision for each institution must build on the individual strengths, traditions, and opportunities within it, and a major part of a president’s job is to ensure that his or her strategic vision for the college arises from and is shared broadly by the various constituent groups—students, faculty, staff, parents and families, alumni and friends. For Virginia Wesleyan and many other quality small colleges, a realistic strategy aligned with the heritage and mission and the aspirations of the

constituencies mentioned above is a productive course.”

President Greer shares the same sentiment of the search committee. “Recognizing Dr. Miller as a seasoned college president, I see him doing extremely well here and continuing to lead the college to a better place,” he said.

Dr. Miller is an avid social media user on his twitter (@Bethanycollege1) and instagram (@prezscottmiller) accounts.

CULTURE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

In their time at Virginia Wesleyan, the African Student Association has sponsored events from bake sales selling African desserts, to educational forums focusing on both current and past issues in Africa, to a fundraiser for Ebola.

“I remember when the Ebola virus broke out, and hit the media,” said Goli. “I knew that there was something that we could do to help better the cause.”

The African Student Association posted educational facts around campus about the virus, contacted local organizations and raised money to contribute to relief efforts concerning Ebola.

“It made me feel good to be a part of a great group, and to make a difference on someone else’s life,” said Goli.

Freshman Nyoh Njoka joined the African Student Association during her first semester here at VWC.

“When I first found out about the club, I was excited because I wanted to meet other Africans on campus, plus it looked like it

was fun,” said Njoka, who found out about the club at the semi-annual club fair, held in the Jane P. Batten Student Center.

After attending her first meeting, she immediately informed her friends about the club and encouraged them to join, which they did. The African Student Association was all she thought it would be, and more.

“There’s more to the club than just coming to meetings, dancing and listening to music,” said Njoka. “We find creative ways to educate the campus about African culture, and we are given a chance to impact those around us about something that we love.”

The current members of the African Student Association are very diverse and consist of individuals from different backgrounds.

“You do not have to be African or black to join African Student Association,” said Goli. “If you’re interested in African culture, food, music, and passionate about learning a different culture, then you should definitely be a part of our club.”

“We will definitely be hosting more events this semester, so be on the lookout for those,” said Anning.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

designate Confidential Advisors to all students involved in a sexual assault, especially in providing information about reporting and support services. Confidential Advisors would not be required to report the cases, similar to the counseling services here at VWC.

“It is an issue that for too long has been overlooked and some institutions have completely thrown under the rug,” Warner said.

As a result, the new legislation would require fairness in campus disciplinary processes, which is notably the biggest contribution of this bill. It would require for one uniform process for campus student disciplinary proceedings and may no longer allow athletic departments or other student organization to handle complaints.

Other provisions of the bill would ensure that everyone who is responsible for handling sexual assault cases would have proper, specialized training.

The legislation aims to address transparency problems, or rather eliminate the perceived notion of universities covering up campus crimes. This would be done through nationwide surveys, conducted by each college and university, in an effort to gauge a better accuracy of sexual assaults occurring on campuses.

In addition, the law would require colleges and universities to come to a mutual understanding with local law enforcements to clearly define responsibilities and share information when a crime occurs. The legislation would not require victims to file criminal charges, but

would make the process to do so easier.

Noting the current investigations going on in this moment, if these schools were found in violation of federal law, they would be subjected losing all federal spending and aid. However, this punishment is highly improbable and has never been implemented before. Instead, the new legislation would change the penalty for schools found guilty of not complying to a portion of the institution’s operating budget up to 1 percent.

Previsions of the bill would make the money collected from fines to institutions, the funds would be distributed back to campuses through a new competitive grant program through the Department of Education. The grant would be used for the purpose of researching sexual assaults and other related crimes and establishing better practices on how to prevent the crimes before they occur and responding to them once a crime occurs.

“No one law alone will fix this problem but it is time that we place a nationwide floor out there and this legislation does this,” Warner said.

Sexual assaults happening on campuses is not a Republican issue and not a Democratic issue. It’s an American issue and one that politicians are taking seriously.

Although the content of this legislation is premature in the process of becoming law, Senator Mark Warner and his colleagues are optimistic that this bill, or at least some provisions of it, will be passed while Congress is in session this year.

at a glance

FRIDAY: MARCH14

SOFTBALL: vs. Frostburg State @ Salem, Va. (10 a.m.)

SATURDAY: MARCH 15

BASEBALL: Double-header vs. Bridgewater College (12 p.m. & 2:30 p.m.)

SOFTBALL: vs. Allegheny College @ Salem, Va. (9 a.m.) & vs. Hunter College (11 a.m.)

MEN’S LAX: @ Bridgewater College (2 p.m.)

WOMEN’S LAX: @ Randolph College (2 p.m.)

TUESDAY: MARCH 17

BASEBALL: @HampdenSydney College (3:30 p.m.)

WEDNESDAY: MARCH 18

SOFTBALL: Double-header @ Eastern Mennonite University (3 p.m. & 4:30 p.m.)

MEN’S LAX: vs. Messiah College @ Virginia Beach Sportsplex (7 p.m.)

WOMEN’S LAX: @ Lynchburg College (5 p.m.)

SATURDAY: MARCH 21

BASEBALL: Double-header @ Lynchburg College (12 p.m. & 2:30 p.m.)

SOFTBALL: Double-header @ Lynchburg College (1 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.)

MEN’S LAX: vs. RandolphMacon College (1 p.m.)

WOMEN’S LAX: vs. Guilford College (11 a.m.)

SUNDAY: MARCH 22

BASEBALL: vs. Tufts College (12 p.m.)

MEN’S LAX: vs. Greensboro College (1 p.m.)

MONDAY: MARCH 23

BASEBALL: vs. Mary Washington University (3 p.m.)

WOMEN’S LAX: vs. Marymount University (4 p.m.)

BASKETBALL

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

its skills against William Paterson. Guard

Khory Moore scored a career-high 41 points. This was the second-highest number of points scored by an individual player in a game in Virginia Wesleyan history.

Kaelin Poe led his team with a career-high 10 rebounds and three blocks.

In addition to having a strong start in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, the team has also had a successful season overall, winning a total of twenty-one games in the regular season and two more in the ODAC Championships.

“They have a lot to be proud of and they earned the right to be in the NCAA Tournament, which is a difficult thing. Now it’s just a new season, and we need to be playing our best basketball,” Macedo said.

Virginia Wesleyan College is no stranger to the NCAA Tournament. It has made 10 NCAA appearances in the past 12 years and won the Tournament in 2006.

“Being involved at Virginia Wesleyan, [the NCAA Tournament] is kind of part of tradition. So it’s kind of expected, but it’s another good feeling,” senior guard/forward Greg Montgomery said.

This season, the Marlins’ roster consists of 19 players, including eight new players.

Junior guard/forward Nick Doyle trans-

ferred to Virginia Wesleyan College last fall from Division I Delaware State University.

“The thing I appreciate the most is probably the coaching staff and my teammates. Just how they hold us all accountable and make us practice hard every single day and make us understand that if you want something, you got to put in the work to get it. It’s a different atmosphere that I really appreciate,” said Doyle.

The Marlins will be heading into the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year on Friday, March 13. They will take on the Red Devils of Dickinson College in Ashland at Randolph-Macon College.

MALONEY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

of student jobs: Wesleyan ambassadors, lead Wesleyan ambassadors, and student coordinators, according to Maloney’s supervisor, Assistant Director of Admissions Kelly King-Pack. Maloney began as a Wesleyan ambassador and then moved up to his current position as a lead Wesleyan ambassador, she said.

King-Pack said that she had previously known Maloney’s older brother Tim, who had “really stood out in the program” as a student coordinator. Thus, when Trevor Maloney first came to work there, she started to call him “Tim’s little brother.” She quickly corrected herself, saying she knew he was more than that. Maloney agreed and said, “I’m going to show you how much more I am than Tim’s little brother.”

“He has a wonderful work ethic. He’s quick to ask what he can do,” King-Pack said. “He’s always prompt, always efficient. He doesn’t take on more than he can carry out.”

“Trevor has definitely made his own name, in the program and here at Wesleyan,” said King-Pack.

Some of Maloney’s job responsibilities are mentoring new ambassadors and assisting with their training, as well as contacting potential students.

Many people with Maloney’s schedule would have no time for friends or would be chronically sleep-deprived. After all, he’s added a job and two sports to the three things that popular wisdom says college students can only have two of: good grades, a social life, and sleep. But what’s his opinion of that maxim?

“Not true,” Maloney said. “I feel like I have a really good group of friends.” He

said he gets to spend time with teammates and others, going out to dinner or just hanging out. According to senior Hunter Melius, a member of both the cross-country and the track and field teams, VWC runners often go together to watch other Marlin athletic events.

“Trevor’s at 90 percent of them,” Melius said, especially soccer, basketball, and some volleyball games. They can’t watch much field hockey because the game times often conflict with track practice. While Maloney is serious in the classroom, his demeanor is very different at a sporting event: loud and enthusiastic.

“He’s very invested in the competition that’s going on,” Melius said, although he does stay “respectful.”

Concerning sleep, Maloney said that unlike your typical college student, “I value that very much. I’m usually in bed by 11:30, at the latest 12, and I always like to get eight hours.”

Academics, though, remains a priority.

“I mean, we’re here for an education, not for a social life or sleep,” he said. He has several sources of motivation: not only the 3.5 GPA requirement for keeping his fulltuition scholarship, but also his “desire to go to medical school” and the “self-satisfaction” that comes from achievement.

One might very well wonder what specific techniques help Maloney achieve success in his many different endeavors. Does he, for example, know how many hours it’s going to take him to study for a test, so he can schedule just that many and no more? No, he said, because it really depends on how quickly he is grasping the material.

He does use the study strategies of making flashcards, going over course material with a group, and finding a quiet place to study the evening before a test. He said that

having a job and athletics to plan for along with academics actually helps him have good time-management skills.

“You can’t be late and you can’t procrastinate, because you just don’t have time for that,” he said. He also said that competing throughout the whole academic year rather than only one semester has its advantages, in that it provides consistency.

Maloney has had to limit his extracurricular involvement to some extent, though. He used to be a leader in the ministry Young Life, but had to stop because it was such a large time commitment. He does, however, attend Grace Bible Church regularly with a group of friends.

When there’s a scheduling conflict between work, running, and classes, Maloney said it’s important to have plans in place from talking to his coach, bosses and professors ahead of time. He also said that it helps that at VWC, they are “understanding.”

“It’s definitely nice to have a coach who cares about our academics. He makes sure we have time for academics. He drops the hammer when we’re falling behind,” Maloney said. He gets that sort of guidance from his parents, of course, but said it’s good to also have someone on campus to help fill that role.

A key component of the way he balances his various commitments is that he tries to get his schoolwork done Fridays and Sundays, leaving his Saturdays free unless a meet is scheduled.

“It’s important to have that, so that on Monday you’re geared up for the rest of the week. You’re not worn out from working all weekend, pushing yourself too hard,” he said.

Working out all the kinks

Men’s Lacrosse starts the season 2-1, and they look to improve as the season continues

BY KELLIE LAGOY kalagoy@vwc.edu

Virginia Wesleyan’s Men’s Lacrosse team has gotten off to a slow start this season, but that has nothing to do with performance. Snowy conditions have forced the Marlins to reschedule games or even move them to a neutral field. However, the rough weather hasn’t affected the players’ morale or the start of their season.

“I don’t think it has affected us. Lacrosse is lacrosse. The weather is always tough this time of year in March,” said senior goalkeeper Rory Finnegan.

The Marlins opened up their season on March 1 at the DLH Sports Complex. The Ferrum College Panthers proved to be a tough opponent in their opening match. Virginia Wesleyan put three quick goals in to start the game, but halfway through the first quarter Ferrum tallied three unanswered goals of its own.

The second quarter saw six more goals, and only three of them were for the home team. Both teams went into the half deadlocked at six apiece.

The next two quarters saw the same back-and-forth scoring that occurred in the first half of the game. Three more uncontested goals from the Panthers gave them an 11-8 lead heading into the final 15 minutes of the contest. The final goal of the game decided the winner: senior attacker Mike Moran’s goal came with just 12 seconds left in the half, and it pushed the Marlins to a 14-13 win.

The Eagles of Eastern University were the next opponents for the Marlins. The Eagles came into the game with an undefeated 4-0 record, and handed Virginia Wesleyan their first loss of the season. A one-goal first quarter and a goal-less third quarter contributed to the loss, with a final score of 11-8. Despite four uncontested goals in the second quarter, the

Marlins couldn’t find an offensive balance to battle back and win.

“Offensively, I don’t think we’re doing as well as we want to. It’s early in the season, and sometimes it takes time for the offense to click. Those guys are all good players. They know what they’re doing,” Finnegan said.

A solid defense came out to play the following day against the lacrosse team of the Coast Guard Academy. Finnegan and his defense held Coast Guard to only three goals. The offense found a swing, and the Marlins netted 12 goals for an overwhelming win over their opponent.

“I like where we are at defensively. It’s early, and there is tons of room for improvement, but I like what we’ve been able to do so far,” said Finnegan.

Their first three home games showed solid effort for the Marlins, but the players are aware that every game is a new chance to improve on their skills.

“Yeah, there is definitely things

ellie’s K orner

Patience pays off for Women’s Lacrosse this season

KELLIE LAGOY is a junior majoring in communication

Women’s Lacrosse has turned over a new leaf this season, and has come out ready to play. A three-game winning streak and the first shutout of the season are just a few accomplishments that the players can boast about.

to be improved on across the board. I don’t think anyone ever plays a perfect game. There are definitely things I can get better at, and there are things that the rest of the team can improve on,” said Finnegan.

Junior defenseman Stephen Soltesz agreed with his teammate regarding the improvements that can always be made.

“I think we’re still working out the kinks in the beginning of the season, but once we get the wheels rolling, we will really take off,” said Soltesz. Kinks will soon fall out as the team gets into the swing of a consistent season. There are just a handful of non-conference games left.

Virginia Wesleyan will compete again on Saturday, as the team travels to take on the Eagles of Bridgewater College. The match will be an afternoon affair, at 2 p.m., to start ODAC play.

NCAA’s over for Women’s Basketball

On March 1, Virginia Wesleyan’s Women’s Basketball team won the ODAC championship for the first time in history, defeating Lynchburg College 59-57. This win gave the team its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1989.

The Women’s Basketball team has faced adversity the past few seasons, which included having many players out with a plethora of injuries. A new season with fresh players vitalized the team to bring it success. Experience can be a key factor to winning in postseason play. This team has not had any experience in the NCAA tournament before, but its tenacity during the season prepared it to face the tournament.

The Marlins ended the regular season seeded fourth, earning themselves a first-round bye. Only two games stood between them and a chance at the championship.

Guilford was their first oppo-

nent in the conference tournament, and the game went right down to the wire. Senior guard Symonne Newsome made the winning basket with about six seconds left in the overtime period. The play would not have been possible if senior guard Brittany Glasco had not seen her teammate right under the basket. Glasco played a huge game for the Marlins, finishing with 15 points, seven assists, and 11 rebounds. Senior Andrea Paphites led all scorers with 16 points, and she also tallied three blocks in the game. The final score was 78-77.

Top-seeded Eastern Mennonite was the Marlins’ next matchup for the semifinal game. Virginia Wesleyan showed resilience by upsetting the top team in the conference. Four players scored in double digits: Symonne Newsome, Andrea Paphites, Nancy kelly, and Brittany Glasco.The Marlins were up for most of the first half, but the ladies of Eastern Mennonite went on a huge run to end the half. The score was tied at halftime. Paphites dominated the paint by capturing a team high

of seven rebounds.The final score was 78-71.

A championship game was on the horizon for the Marlins, and they were ready to face the Hornets of Lynchburg College. Senior Nancy Kelly was the hero of the game. Kelly was fouled as she went for a rebound, and she was awarded two shots on the foul line.

“When I was on the line, all I thought was that I wanted to hit those free throws and win this game for my teammates and all of the people who have supported us this year and years past,” said Kelly. “I wanted that win so bad for our Marlin Nation.”

The senior sank her first one with ease despite the pressure on her. Lynchburg called a timeout to try to ruin her momentum, but Kelly made her second free throw to take a 59-57 lead with nine seconds left on the clock. Kelly’s free throws would be the last points scored in the game as the buzzer sounded.

“Their coach called a timeout and tried to ice me, but I knew I was prepared and that we were

going home with that trophy. Our whole team had confidence all weekend, and we weren’t about to let our opportunity slip away,” said Kelly.

Virginia Wesleyan earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, and they traveled the following weekend to New York City. Their first opponent was the New York University Bobcats.

The stage was set, and the Marlins were ready after a strong victory against Lynchburg to play the Bobcats. Virginia Wesleyan scored first, but couldn’t maintain the offense that NYU was producing. The Marlins found themselves in a small hole as the first half came to a close. The second half was a close competition, with the Marlins and Bobcats exchanging baskets to stay within points of each other. NYU made a layup with 1:10 remaining to take a 51-50 lead above the Marlins. The lead would last on as NYU caused the Marlins to turn the ball over in the last four seconds of the game. NYU moved onto the next round of the NCAA tournament as the Marlins headed home.

Last season wasn’t a good one for the Marlins. They tallied only six wins for the entire regular season and missed a chance at the ODAC tournament. They never went on a win streak and were also averaging only 9.38 goals per game. Normally it takes years and years to rebuild, but this team has not taken long at all to break through and do big things.

Things have taken a turn for the amazing this year. A fire must have been lit under this team. The improvements have been by no means subtle. In just four games, the players have grabbed three wins. In their three wins, they’ve won by margins of at least seven goals. This team is now averaging 15.25 goals per game. The Marlins have a total of 61 goals, and that is almost half of what they did last year in 16 games.

This team has been impressive all across the board. That is due to not only some talented new additions, but also some talent from veteran presence.

Freshman midfielder Megan Schallock has been on fire this season. In just four games, the freshman has tallied 19 goals and one assist, for a total of 20 points. She leads in both categories in the conference, despite a few teams’ having played more games than Virginia Wesleyan. Schallock also has a hold on first place in ground balls for the conference, totaling 22. This isn’t a surprise, considering she was the Wisconsin State High School Player of the Year for 2014, recording 72 goals and 32 assists that year.

Senior midfielder Brooke Cabeceiras is fifth on the conference list for goals. In her four games, she has added 10 goals to the team’s total. She is also shooting 58.8 percent, which is third-best on the team.

The player with the best shooting percentage is senior defenseman Amari Agee. She is shooting with immense accuracy this season, at 66.7 percent. Agee has grabbed two goals this season herself, and she has tallied 10 ground balls.

The Women’s Lacrosse team seems to be making a habit of being on the conference leader list. Junior goalkeeper Madison Carroll is standing strong in net this season as the starter. She is on three of the four lists for the top goalies in the conference. She is second for save percentage with an impressive 45.1 percent. She doesn’t seem to let much in, this season, considering she currently holds an average of 9.33 goals against, and she is tied for fourth in that category. Carroll is third in goals against, because she has only let in 28 goals so far this season.

The Marlins seem to be pushing right along in their season, and Meagan DiCave, their head coach, was absolutely right about one thing: if there was a year to do something big, it was going to be this year.

This team has made big strides in the beginning of the season, and it looks to be continuing its successes. There is a hope that maybe, just maybe, people will start giving the team some attention. The Marlins deserve quite a bit of praise for their stellar start. To think that this team was ranked eighth out of 11 teams seems a tad bit ridiculous now. They are looking like a top-tier team right about now.

BY JUSTINE HERVING jherving@vwc.edu

Virginia Wesleyan’s theatre program performed their last show of “Distracted” on Sunday, March 8. The play is centered on a married couple whose nine-year-old son, Jesse, suffers with be best for Jesse. Mama wants him to go through numerous treatments, from prescription drugs to a new regimen.

“I learned from being in this play the struggle a mother must go through and a lot about people with this illness,” said Collette Vauthier, a sophomopre who plays Natalie, one of the neighbor’s children with ADHD. Technology also plays a vital part in the production. Mama is constantly using her cell phone or the Internet, which in many ways can have a negative impact on a child.

“I really like what it has to say about technology, with connecting and not connecting, and I know with ADHD it’s a huge issue within families,” director Sally Shedd said. “But regardless of whether ADHD is in your family or not, dealing with technology it’s hard to be in the mo-

“

I learned from being in this play the struggle a mother must go through and a lot about people with this illness.”

-Collette Vauthier

ment and not distracted. It’s something I grapple with in my own life, and I think a lot of people do.”

Lisa Loomer expresses in her play not only what ADHD is, but what one who deals with it goes through. Jesse is offstage for most of the production, so his perspective isn’t directly shown to the audience. However, through the perspectives of the doctors, mother, and neighbors we are able to see that attention and distractions aren’t the only thing they struggle with. Many people who have ADHD suffer from self-medication, cutting, drug abuse and unhealthy relationships.

“ADHD diagnosis has been increasing over the years, and the play deals with other issues like cutting, and

unfortunately a lot of college students cut or are ADHD and having to deal with that. Or, unfortunately, some use ADHD drugs and don’t have ADHD, and that can lead to all kinds of trouble,” Shedd said.

These are serious complications, so why is it that we are not educated on it enough and do not talk about it enough? Is it because we, as a society, are just trying to mask the issues, as if we were medicine?

Productions like “Distracted” can at least add to some people’s understanding of ADHD.

“I think we’ve had some audience members who work with ADHD people, so they are very knowledgeable, and they can even tell us things like, ‘This is, for the most part, accurate,’” Shedd said. “But for some people who don’t know as much, then they know more.”

Even though the play touches on serious topics, its atmosphere adds comedic undertones, giving the audience a realistic perspective on the situation. The Virginia Wesleyan theatre department presented a fantastic play about a topic that remains in the shadows, but by having this on stage it gave the college community a peek into a world we never see.

Empire Wednesdays

Fox’s new prime-time soap opera is the highest rated on the channel in three

years

BY LILLY KUNDA lmkundat@vwc.edu

Fox’s brand-new show “Empire” has taken the ratings by storm. According to Nielsen television ratings, when the show aired on Jan. 7, the pilot got approximately 9.9 million viewers. That number has jumped to over 14 million weekly viewers in just eight weeks, and the numbers are consistently climbing each week.

The hip-hop soap opera revolves around the family music label, Empire Records, owned by Lucious Lyon, played by Terence Howard, and his crazy ex-wife, Cookie, played by Tariji P. Henson. The drama is packed with love, betrayal, and murder but the heart of the show is the great music, intertwined in the lives of Lucious, Cookie and their three sons, who are all trying to make it to the top of the empire.

“Empire” has already become Fox’s highest-debuted show in over three years and the highest-rated show since “Grey’s Anatomy.” It has beaten out ABC’s “Scandal” as the highest-watched and highest-rated series on air. Nielsen reported the show has a 5.3 rating for viewers under 50 and, according to CNN Money, it is the number-one series for all key demographics.

According to the LA Times, “Empire” has the largest number of live tweets per hour of any broadcast drama this season, more than ABC’s “Scandal.” Most tweets are marked with the fans’ hashtags, #TeamCookie or #EmpireFox.

So what do the fans have to say?

“Empire is my show,” senior Brittany Anning said. “Every Wednesday night, I make sure to clear my schedule so I can catch it. I love how it pulls you in with a great plot, and the music is amazing. Taraji and Terence have such great chemistry together.”

This isn’t the first time Henson and Howard have made

THE MARLIN UNDERTOW /

By

a hit together. In 2005, the two actors starred in the gritty independent film, “Hustle & Flow,” which brought both of them multiple nominations and awards, such as the Academy Award for best original song (Howard) and BET Award for best actress (Henson). The two were recently featured on the cover of Essence Magazine.

Each episode is star-studded with cameos from familiar and unexpected faces. Malik Yoba, Courtney Love, Anthony Hamilton, Naomi Campbell, Raven Simone and even Gladys Knight play various roles, from cougar girlfriends to songwriters to just themselves. Mary J Blige is rumored to be featured on upcoming episodes.

The music of the show is executive-produced by

Aoife Branco

Virginia’s own Grammy-winning producer and rapper Timbaland, who is best known for his work with Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake. He was approached by the show’s producer, Lee Daniels.

“In three days, he gave me some music that was just astounding, and I said, ‘Done,’” Daniels said.

The show is produced by Brian Grazer, Danny Story and Daniels, who produced “Precious” and “Lee Daniels: The Butler.” Daniels prides himself on being an openly gay male in the film/television industry, which is a major theme brought into the plot of “Empire.”

Jamal, one of Lucious’s sons who is an R&B sensation, is gay and consistently ridiculed by his father for wanting to come out of the closet. In one flashback scene, the audience sees Lucious put a young Jamal in the trash can for wanting to wear his mother’s heels and purse. This sequence is based on Daniel’s real-life experience.

“When I was 5, my earliest memory was walking down the stairs in my mother’s red high-heel shoes, and my dad — he’s a cop — is down playing cards with the boys and it was not pretty — at all,” Daniels said in Ebony Magazine. “He put me in a trash can and he said that I would never be nothing. He said, ‘You already have it bad, boy, cause you’re Black — now you’re a f****t too.’”

“I’m glad that I can show the African-American community that this is what you’re doing to your son, this is what you’re doing to your nephew, this is what you’re doing to the kid down the street,” Howard said in the Washington Post.

“What we’re trying to do is to give people the opportunity to see that what they’re doing is painful,” Daniels said, as the Associated Press reported.

Catch “Empire” Wednesday nights at 9 p.m., on Fox, on Hulu or on Fox.com.