Vol. 108, Iss. 7 | Tuesday, April 10, 2017
The Flat Hat The Weekly Student Newspaper
Building a new COLL: Faculty Assembly votes to move forward with implementation of proposed social justice, equity curriculum requirement MADELINE MONROE // FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
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he College of William and Mary’s Faculty Assembly voted in favor of introducing COLL 199 as a formal requirement of the College Curriculum Thursday, April 3, 2018. “If this proposal passes, it would just be a first step,” Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Kate Conley said before discussion began on whether or not to vote on the proposal. “I anticipate an intensive and possibly extensive period of implementation.” The proposed addition of the COLL 199 would be a three-credit course that has students engage with issues of justice and equity. In February, the Task Force on Race and Race Relations’ Implementation Team and the Educational Policy Committee hosted a student forum to discuss the addition. The Faculty Assembly convened March 13 to discuss COLL 199 but did not hold a vote at that time so that Student Assembly could discuss the requirement. SA released a statement March 16 that expressed support for the adoption of the COLL 199 attribute as a formal part of the COLL curriculum. Chemistry professor and Educational Policy Committee member Elizabeth Harbron said the original content of the motion was shared with faculty members last week. According to Harbron, a letter from gender, sexuality and women’s studies and government professor Claire McKinney was also circulated. The letter expressed concerns that the EPC’s focus on the form of the COLL 199 requirement would hinder focus on developing the actual implementation of COLL 199 and consequently negatively impact the end result of the new requirement and affect the experience faculty and students would have in the course. According to physics professor Marc Sher, six of the letter writers and signers and five of the task force members assembled to discuss McKinney’s concerns and reached a version of the proposal that addressed both form and implementation of the COLL 199 attribute. This version of the proposal was the version faculty voted to approve during the April 3 meeting. During the entirety of the amendment and discussion processes, some faculty members supported the attribute while others raised various concerns. Director of Latin American studies and professor
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of Hispanic studies John Riofrio said he supported the addition, believing that the COLL 199 attribute would complement the College’s existing academic processes. “I am asking us to strongly consider what it would mean to make William and Mary a place that commits to teaching COLL 199,” Riofrio said. “I think COLL 199 has essential, pedagogical values to what we do as an institution. So what I think we’re doing, and what I’m hoping we’re doing, is approving this idea that COLL 199, courses that focus our energies that require every student in our college to take a class on issues of marginalization and belonging, inclusion and exclusion, that every student on campus can’t find their way through our curriculum without dealing with those issues in a way that ferments real public discussion where there are stakes involved so that we can learn reasonable and respectful debate on these issues or discussion.” English professor and department chair Suzanne Raitt said that she believes the foundations of the COLL 199 course already exist within the courses taught at the College and supported instituting the requirement to build on that foundation. “It’s not that what we are asking ourselves to do is something that we’ve never done before, that we don’t know how to do, that we haven’t already impacted many students with,” Raitt said. “So I think we are in the fortunate position of having a number of faculty who are already teaching courses that explicitly deal with justice and equity, [and] explicitly embrace more interactive pedagogical styles.” Raitt also said that she felt the requirement allowed for faculty members to share the responsibility of engaging with material focused on justice and equity instead of a few individuals being burdened with that responsibility. “One of the benefits of a requirement like this is that without forcing anybody to do any kind of teaching that they don’t want to do, you set up an environment in which faculty are encouraged and supported and learning from one another so that instead of having the burden of this work rest on the shoulders of a few, all of those who would like to are given the opportunity to share that responsibility and share that burden and have that kind of impact on the lives of our students,” Raitt said. Biology professor Shanta Hinton said she worried that the addition of the COLL 199 attribute would impact the work she does as a scientist, particularly if the overall implementation of the course is handled ineffectively. Hinton said she was worried that as an African-American faculty member, she would have to do more labor than others to implement such a requirement, which would take away time from her research and teaching. “I think that if you really are going to do this as an institution, it cannot be myself and all the colleagues who look like me only [implementing this],” Hinton said. “… I have to do what I was trained to do — that’s what’s most important to me.” Despite these concerns, the Faculty Assembly voted to approve the proposal. The final proposal states that the vote on how the COLL 199 requirement will be implemented will occur no earlier than December 2018 but no later than February 2019, when the Faculty of Arts and Sciences meeting will take place.
ACADEMICS
Recreation classes to return as pass/fail options in fall Current instructors ineligible to teach next semester’s courses SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
In 2016, the College of William and Mary announced that the Activity Program, a part of the kinesiology department, would no longer be offered after the spring 2018 semester. Since then, current students and alumni have written letters and drafted petitions to prevent this phase out from happening. The initial decision came from the desire to modernize the department and a concern that campus construction plans would one day mean that there was no space for courses like yoga and ballroom dance. This meant that the three, nontenure eligible faculty members who teach these classes would find themselves without a job come June 2018. Dean of Undergraduate Studies Janice Zeman sent a campus-wide email April 9 announcing a partial change of plan: these courses will still be offered in the fall as a set of one-credit, pass/fail Wellness Applications. In her email, she wrote that a set of these classes had already been added for next semester, but will come with a $100 fee per course. Current options for fall 2018 include Bicycling for Wellness, Humans and Nature, Yoga, Finding the way of Flow, Taijiquan and Qigong Tai Ji, Mindfulness and lastly, Flourishing. As of now, instructors have not been set for this course, but Zeman said they would be decided upon in the near future. “We are excited to offer an even larger array of classes for the Spring semester,” Zeman said in the campus-wide email. “In addition, we are in the process of setting up sections of Ballroom Dance.” The original Activity Program, part of the kinesiology department, was a set of classes designed to provide instruction on outdoor and physical activities. They were based on the techniques of health and wellness as specified in the Surgeon General’s report on physical activity and health. Kinesiology Department Chair Michael Deschenes said at the time of the 2016 announcement that the department was shifting away from courses based on physical activity toward ones focusing on nutrition and clinical backgrounds to meet the standards set by other universities. Additionally, the Campus Master Plan calls for the eventual demolition of Adair Hall. The kinesiology department would then move to the last addition to the Integrated Science Center, of which construction has not yet begun. When this move happens, there will no longer be facilities for several of the activity-based courses. In an effort to preserve the Activity Program, students such as Carolina May ’18 worked to draft a petition to keep the
GRAPHIC BY NIA KITCHIN / THE FLAT HAT
See RECREATION page 4
FACULTY
College faculty, administrators mourn loss of English professor Monica Potkay Co-worker Kim Wheatley says Potkay will be remembered for friendship she provided, excellence as an advisor
Monica Potkay, an English professor at the College of William and Mary who also served as the assistant dean of academic advising and undergraduate education, died Friday, April 6, in hospice care. She was 60 years old. Potkay had worked at the College since 1989. Her death was confirmed by English department chair Suzanne Raitt in an email sent to English majors and minors April 7. The cause of Potkay’s death was bile duct cancer. She began teaching at the College as Monica Brzezinski. She specialized in Old English, medieval literature, Arthurian literature, medievalism and the Bible. A year later, in 1990, she met Adam Potkay, a newly hired English professor who would become her husband 16 months later. On campus, Potkay is remembered by her students and colleagues for her love of European travel, ancient and modern languages, PolishAmerican traditions, crossword puzzles and mystery novels. Provost Michael Halleran sent a faculty-wide email April 9 sharing news of her death and details about her funeral arrangements. “She greatly loved and was loved greatly by her family, friends, colleagues and neighbors, many of whom offered invaluable support during her
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difficult final months,” Halleran said in the email. Potkay was born in Chicago, Illinois, May 22, 1957. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Loyola University and later received her Ph.D. in medieval literature from the University of Virginia. In 1997, her book “Minding the Body: Women and Literature in the Middle Ages, 800-1500” was published. After that, she cowrote a series of recorded lectures on the Bible and literature with her husband.
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Monica had a profound commitment to helping students improve their writing, and would spend long hours meeting one-on-one with students to discuss their papers. She inspired countless students with a love of medieval literature, and was a masterful avisor.
KIM WHEATLEY
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SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
During her time at the College, she was an active member of several arts and sciences committees, such as the Committee on Academic Status and the Committee on Degrees. She wrote several articles,
including a study of Marie de France’s “Lais,” which was published in the journal Christianity and Literature. In 1996, she was also the recipient of the Alumni Fellowship Award for Excellence in Teaching. According to Potkay’s colleague, English professor Kim Wheatley, she will be remembered for her integrity as a professor and for the friendship she provided. “Monica had a profound commitment to helping students improve their writing, and would spend long hours meeting one-on-one with students to discuss their papers,” Wheatley said in an email. “She inspired countless students with a love of medieval literature, and was a masterful advisor. I greatly respected her integrity and professionalism, and will miss her sorely both as a brilliant colleague and as a dear friend.” Visiting hours will be held April 11 from 5-7 p.m. at the Bucktrout Funeral Home of Williamsburg. Services will be held April 12 at noon at St. Olaf’s Catholic Church, which Potkay was a devout member of. In lieu of flowers, her family is requesting that donations be made to the Hospice House and Support Care of Williamsburg, the Massey Cancer Center or the Saint Olaf Food Pantry. Potkay is survived by her husband Adam, their son Aaron, her mother-in-law and other relatives and friends.
Inside Sports
Inside Opinions
American Red Cross deferral policy towards queer men outdated and offensive
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Cloudy, High 63, Low 39
COURTESY PHOTO / TESS THOMPSON
English professor Monica Potkay met her husband, Adam Potkay, while attending a luncheon at the College in 1990.
Ethan Brown ’21 says that the College’s recent blood drive was a reminder of what remains to be accomplished for LGBTQ Americans. page 5
Waldman talks rookie season
Katie Waldman ’21 not only transitioned into college life but contributed to one of Tribe gymnastics’ best freshman seasons ever. page 10
The Flat Hat
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newsinsight “
News Editor Leonor Grave News Editor Madeline Monroe fhnews@gmail.com | Tuesday, April 10, 2018 | Page 2
THE BUZZ
I’ve worked a lot of jobs before, especially in retail, and this was by far the best job I’ve ever worked. I enjoyed going in there every day. ... I think it was just because it was a small, family-owned business instead of a corporate chain which is what I am used to. It felt kind of more like a family. — Jessica Bimstein ’19 on why she enjoyed being a student employee at local bakery and cafe MAD About Chocolate, which closed April 6 due to financial constaints
Healing bodies, healing spirits
POLICE BEAT
April 5-8
Samantha Nichols Gonzalez ’18 talks recovering from eating disorder, finding peace SARAH SMITH // FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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Thursday, April 5 — Loud and clear: A noise violation was reported to the police on Indian Springs Road.
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Friday, April 6 — Monetary mishap: Credit card/automatic teller fraud was reported on Richmond Road between 3-4:40 p.m.
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Saturday, April 7 — Drivers, beware: Larceny from a motor vehicle was reported on Jamestown Road.
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Sunday, April 8 — Bang on Bigler: Rakim Maklik Turner was arrested on charges of shooting in a public place at Bigler Drive.
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Sunday, April 8 — Messy motor: A charge of driving under the influence was reported at the intersection of Lafayette Street and Wythe Avenue. POLICE BEAT BY SARAH GREENBERG, KARINA VIZZONI / THE FLAT HAT
A THOUSAND WORDS
COURTESY PHOTO / SAMANTHA NICHOLS GONZALEZ
Samantha Nichols Gonzalez ’18 was an Orientation Aide for nontraditional students her senior year, an experience she said made her think about college holistically.
A few spontaneous choices, the support of several friends and one William and Larry t-shirt led Samantha Nichols Gonzalez ’18 to the College of William and Mary eager to pursue passions she had left behind during high school. Four years later, she’s ready to graduate after learning a few things about herself and developing a love for handbells.
COURTESY PHOTO / SAMANTHA WHITE
CORRECTIONS In an article in last week’s issue, “Laverne Cox speaks on gender and change,” Janet Atwater’s name was mispelled as Jane Atwater. The Flat Hat wishes to correct any fact printed incorrectly. Corrections may be submitted in email to the editor of the section in which the incorrect information was printed. Requests for corrections will be accepted at any time.
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Changes, whims and spiritual minors Before a friend recommended it and she conducted a fateful Google search, Nichols Gonzalez had never even heard of the College. “I have a habit of making a lot of decisions based on whims instead of a logical reasoning process,” Nichols Gonzalez said. “… I feel like William and Mary does an excellent job presenting itself online to nerdy high schoolers who are like ‘Wow I could fit in with my quirky self here.’ The essay question asked about what made you colorful, and all of those things were exactly what I wanted to hear.” For Nichols Gonzalez, the College has been a place of great personal change. Learning to be friends with herself, she said, has been one of the biggest changes. Along with this came pursuing passions she had left behind and growing intellectually through her classes. “I feel like in every way I could have changed, I changed,” Nichols Gonzalez said. “I would say that the first layer was this return to myself. I felt like for a few years in middle and high school I had disconnected from the essential childlike Samantha and became a conformist and wrote off things that I cared about that I thought were silly. The first step when I came here was returning back to this deeper version of myself. Then, a really big one was becoming my own friend, that was something I had never considered before, I had always been looking for friendship outside of myself.” She found this intellectual growth through her American studies major and what she calls a “spiritual” minor in geology — although she loves the program, she’ll graduate one class short from fulfilling it. When she first got to the College, she tried English and history courses, but nothing fit perfectly. “I think I was pretty much always on that trajectory, but I didn’t know I was, I didn’t know that field existed,” Nichols Gonzalez said. “I was planning on doing English or history, I took some classes, but it wasn’t what I was wildly passionate about. I took an American studies class then and I was like ‘This is exactly the thing that I like.’” While American studies was an obvious choice for Nichols Gonzalez, geology came more as a surprise. When she couldn’t get into an astronomy class, she picked geology on a whim knowing she liked nature and had enjoyed an ecology unit in her ninth grade biology class. She said some of her favorite academic experiences have come from going on field trips for her geology courses. “The first chapter of the book talked about how stars and planets formed and used a metaphor about a spinning ballerina … and I decided to minor in it,” Nichols Gonzalez said. “I think the geology field trips capture what I love so much about geology and that side of my academic inclinations, just being able to study all of these properties of rocks and the way you can understand the Earth through something as boring and gray and simple as a rock and then going out and seeing it there and you know what you’re looking at and that just blew my mind. I would get emotional on every geology trip because I was struck by how there’s profound beauty in something you would normally think is boring.” While she’s followed her passions out in the field, she’s also sat in classrooms that have sparked her interest. Two classes, Art and Ecology and All I Want to Do Is Be Free, have changed the way she thinks about academics. “This life explosion for me was this class I took called All I Want to Do Is Be Free, taught by [Travis Harris Ph.D. ’18,]” Nichols Gonzalez said. “I love taking classes with Ph.D. candidates or grad students because I feel like there is something brand new and exciting about them and they are fiery about what they believe in. He really, really cared about us and how we were learning. … The whole class was about rethinking the civil rights movement to not just be trapped in the 1960s in the South by these prominent Christian, black leaders, but something that transcends time and space and ideology and people to be this long struggle for black freedom. Every class after that … it’s just changed how I thought about all of my other classes.”
A path to healing This process of change and growth also came with challenges for Nichols Gonzalez. She developed an eating disorder while at the College, and felt that no one around her was talking about eating disorders but instead made light of dieting and negative eating habits. She soon realized that hearing other people talk about their experiences with eating disorders was helpful to her during her recovery process. Once she felt stable in her recovery process, she decided she wanted to help others. Then, she founded William and Mary HEAL. “HEAL is definitely intrinsically tied with my college experience and my personal growth in so many ways,” Nichols Gonzalez said. “… I eventually came to a point in my recovery and I felt stable and then it was like ‘What did freshman and sophomore year Samantha need so badly that wasn’t there?’ The bar was kind of low, all I needed to do was open the door to conversations and I thought people would come through. It’s exactly what happened. … I feel like I cannot separate my William and Mary experience from that whole trajectory of my eating disorder and my recovery and starting HEAL and seeing it grow beyond that.” A year ago, HEAL was just a project in the works — Nichols Gonzalez was working with Colleen Reichmann, a staff psychologist at the Counseling Center, to put together a student advocacy group. Now, a full year later, she and other members of the group participated in the National Eating Disorder Awareness Walk on campus together and made signs to cheer others on. Along with her recovery from her eating disorder and emotional growth, Nichols Gonzalez decided to join a handbell choir at a local Presbyterian church. She said she was initially hesitant to miss another club’s meeting to go to practice, but eventually decided to join because it made her happy. “Handbells ties in really well to my emotional and self-love kind of growth because it is something that doesn’t serve any purpose,” Nichols Gonzalez said. “… If it makes me happy I am just going to go ahead and do that. Now, every Thursday night I am in this light and happy mood for no other reason than just simply doing what I enjoy doing.” Searching for happiness in the shade of the trees A final piece of this healing came for Nichols Gonzalez this fall when she served as an Orientation Aide for nontraditional and transfer students. Coming into her senior year, she said she carried a lot of emotional baggage from her last three years at the College, which included the accomplishments and involvements she was most proud of, but also the hardship, grief and shame she experienced. While at first this made her feel like she wasn’t able to dive into the fall semester in the way she had been able to in years past, the students she met through being an Orientation Aide taught her a new perspective. “I had people over the age of 24 into their mid-60s, and they were coming at William and Mary as students, same as me, but with even more life baggage behind them and these things that affected them in big ways and they were coming in fresh-faced and excited and that helped me think about things holistically,” Nichols Gonzalez said. “I didn’t have to have resolved all these things I was stressed out and burdened by. …. That’s how I found peace.” While Nichols Gonzalez said she hopes to soak in her favorite spots and visit with her favorite people in this last semester before graduation, she is also excited for what the future has in store. She’ll be working at the Summer Enrichment Program at the University of Virginia over the summer and then she will be moving to Costa Rica to connect with her mother’s side of the family. She said she’s not exactly sure what the next 10 years will bring her, but she’s looking forward to potentially living in New York City and then moving somewhere quiet and opening her house up to tcommunity art classes to anyone from all ages and backgrounds of life. “The vision that I have always had for my adult life is in the countryside,” Nichols Gonzalez said. “I have no idea what I would be doing for a job, but I would be doing a lot of taking people in who are either family or friends or people who just need a place. Maybe that’s way later in my life, but that’s what I’m thinking — being under the shade of huge trees.”
The Flat Hat
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
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WILLIAMSBURG
Bittersweet end: Local chocolate shop closes MAD About Chocolate shuts down storefront, plans to reopen online business SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
April 6 was a bittersweet day for MAD about Chocolate, a local chocolate bakery and cafe located on Armistead Avenue. Earlier in the week, the shop’s owner, Mike Riordan, announced that it would be closing due to financial constraints but would reopen online with a different business model. According to Riordan, the cafe’s closing day was successful — there was no chocolate left hours before the store’s closing. “It’s been an amazing day. We had a record day,” Riordan said. “Aside from the money aspect of it, it was good to see a lot of our base customers come in and wish us well, express their feelings of gratitude if you want to call it that, some were sort of anxious to see where we end up.” Additionally, the cafe’s furniture was on sale, and loyal customers and community members
spent the last week stopping by to pick up eclectically colored chairs and tables. Although MAD about Chocolate’s storefront is closed, and Riordan has no immediate plans to reopen at another location, he said he plans to revamp the cafe’s website to set up an online and delivery business model for the Williamsburg community. Riordan said that although he enjoyed working as the owner of the shop for the last two years, location would matter most if he considered opening another brick and mortar store. “I’d have to do a lot of research, the location would have to be almost perfect,” Riordan said. “We still have the website; it’s gone dark until we can reorganize. My inclination is that in this town, we need to do mail order, catering or delivery, but we’re not ruling out store front.” The storefront at 204 Armistead Ave. will not be empty for long — another food service establishment plans to open by mid-May.
Jessica Bimstein ’19, one of the cafe’s student employees, said that she enjoyed working at the cafe because it was a positive and flexible environment to work in. “Overall, it was extremely positive,” Bimstein said. “I’ve worked a lot of jobs before, especially in retail, and this was by far the best job I’ve ever worked. I enjoyed going in there every day. … I think it was just because it was a small, familyowned business instead of a corporate chain which is what I am used to. It felt kind of more like a family.” Bimstein said that all of the employees became close with each other, and would frequently watch Jeopardy together as a bonding activity while working. These employees are what she said she would miss most. “Probably my favorite thing is that there is a TV in the store and every single weekday at 3:30, Jeopardy comes on from the night before and we would all freak out about it and make sure we were
watching it and we would answer the questions,” Bimstein said. “… I’m going to miss the people. … On my last day we blasted that song, ‘Closing Time’ at the end of the day and it was a little emotional.” Bimstein also said that she was very thankful she got to work with the same people every day, as she got close with the other fulltime employees, the chocolatier and the baker. She said that Riordan was always very kind and flexible toward student employees as well. While he prepares his new business model, Riordan said that he will reflect on his time owning the café. He praised his clientele as he recalled some of his favorite memories from events hosted there. “Overall, our clientele is for the most part fantastic,” Riordan said. “We had a couple of different events here. One was just a wine and chocolate event, where [the cafe] has been maxed out with 28 or 30 people here. It was a nice setting and a nice time.”
STUDENT LIFE
Amnesty International hosts events to raise awareness for refugees Poster series, film screening provide educational resources to College community In an effort to raise awareness of refugees, the College of William and Mary’s chapter of Amnesty International is putting on a weeklong program entitled “Rise for Refugees.” The program features a series of events along with a poster series intended to educate the College community regarding the plight of refugees and give it the opportunity to contribute in a positive way. “Rise for Refugees” kicked off April 9 with a film screening of “Human Flow,” a documentary that highlights the extent and impact of the refugee crisis by following the plight of refugees from 23 different countries over the course of a year. The following day, the organization placed balloons throughout campus featuring images and stories from Humans of New York photo blogger Brandon Stanton’s photo series on the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh. Amnesty International co-presidents Hailey Ulrich ’20 and Shannon Lewis ’20 are hoping to draw attention to the individuals that are affected by the refugee crisis with the organization’s balloon campaign.
Shannon Lewis ’20
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We’re highlighting some of those personal stories to add a name and a face to the statistics that we’re also throwing out.
“We’re highlighting some of those personal stories to add a name and a face to the statistics that we’re also throwing out,” Lewis said. Amnesty International will continue its refugee awareness
campaign Wednesday, April 11 by tabling, when it will both sell refugee awareness merchandise and provide students with information regarding the refugee crisis. All proceeds collected will be donated to the International Rescue Committee, a charity organization that seeks to provide global humanitarian aid to those displaced by conflict and disaster. Amnesty International hopes to impact the local refugee community by donating its fundraising profits specifically to the International Rescue Committee’s Richmond location. “Having [the proceeds] going to a place so close to home [shows that] we know that there’s refugees in Virginia [and that] it’s not just a far away place where it’s happening,” Ulrich said. In addition, the organization will be displaying the poster series “Walk a Campus in My Shoes” on the Sunken Garden April 11 and 12. Developed by Kennesaw State University freshman Matthew Tikhonovsky and his sister, the poster series includes seven different posters aimed at educating college students about the refugee crisis and encouraging them to become involved. The College is one of 17 universities across the country that has featured Tikhonovsky’s poster series. The first posters in the series walk students through the entirety of refugees’ journeys, beginning with their initial displacement and ending with their experiences in the United States. The series ends with a final poster suggesting ways in which students can get involved in refugee aid by promoting involvement in Paper Airplanes, an organization that provides tutoring services to refugee children via Skype, and encouraging them to sign the United Nation’s #WithRefugees Campaign. “We really believe that raising awareness is important, but at the same time we think that raising awareness could be futile if we do not also mobilize students to get involved,” Tikhonovsky said. The posters will also be featured at “Jamnesty,” a musical event included in the “Rise for Refugees” campaign. Amnesty International teamed up with the College’s Human Engagement, Awareness and Response to Trafficking chapter to host the event, recognizing its similar focus, as many refugees are also
victims of human trafficking. “Jamnesty” will take place April 12 in Lodge 1 and feature live music, dancing, local artists and discussion of different refugee and human trafficking cases. At the event, students will also be given the opportunity to sign petitions and write letters to their local representatives as part of Amnesty International’s “Write for Rights” initiative. The organization is hopeful that this initiative will exact positive change in the handling of the refugee crisis. “A lot of people think [letter writing and petition signing] doesn’t work, but a lot of Amnesty’s initiatives that actually cause change [are] mass letter writing to generals, and presidents and prime ministers,” Ulrich said.
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A lot of people think [letter writing and petition signing] doesn’t work, but a lot of Amnesty’s initiatives that actually cause change [are] mass letter writing to generals, and presidents and prime ministers. Hailey Ulrich ’20
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SARAH GREENBERG FLAT HAT NEWS ASSOC. EDITOR
The “Rise for Refugees” campaign, spearheaded by the organization’s refugee committee heads Andrew Bookbinder ’19 and Yasmin Abusaif ’19, hopes to raise awareness of a wide range of refugee crises. “In the past, we’ve focused a lot on the Syrian refugee crisis, which is ongoing and incredibly serious, but this time we’re really trying to expand and focus on a lot of the different refugee crises that are going on around the world that aren’t talked about as much,” Lewis said. “The Rohingya crisis in particular — just pretty much anyone fleeing conflict and raise awareness that it’s not just happening to one specific group.”
ACADEMICS
Professors discuss using writing to create new lives, opportunities Patrick Hayes Writer Series event focuses on book written by former inmates Belton, Turner MAX MINOGUE FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER
Virginia Commonwealth University writing professor David Coogan and former inmate Kelvin Belton came to the College of William and Mary to speak about their book, “Writing Our Way Out : Memoirs from Jail” as the last Patrick Hayes Writer Series event of 2018. The series, funded by an endowment from the Patrick Hayes estate in 1991, invites writers to speak at public events on campus. Dean Turner, a former inmate and participant in Coogan’s program who also authored the book, was scheduled to speak alongside the professor and Belton but was unable to attend. The book follows Coogan in his career as a professor creating a writer’s collective at the Richmond County Jail and working with Belton and other inmates to create memoirs, which are integrated into the novel.
I went in with this question: Is it possible fore you to write your way out of one life, and into another life? David Coogan
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“I went in with this question: Is it possible for you to write your way out of one life, and into another life?” Coogan said.
Coogan explained how the book follows himself and the inmates as they work together in the writing class and beyond the bars of prison. When the inmates were moved to different prisons across the state of Virginia, they communicated with Coogan through letters. Finally, when all of Coogan’s students were released from prison, they met Coogan at VCU with their completed memoirs. “This took a while — from the very first class to the publication of this book, it was about 10 years,” Coogan said. “So, if you’re thinking of writing a book with the incarcerated, just give yourself 10 years and you’ll be alright.” Coogan then read a selection from the first part of the book, which documented the first writing class he held at Richmond County Jail. “If our lives are like stories, ourselves the main characters, our actions the plot, won’t these men want to write a new chapter, develop their character, redirect their plots?” Coogan said. Coogan then passed the microphone over to Belton, a former inmate, to read from his own memoir, as the latter recalled childhood trauma and the path that led him toward becoming a drug dealer. “I was an opportunist,” Belton said. “Every time I saw an opportunity to get more, I jumped at it. And because of that, I played a part in destroying the lives of many people. Which makes me wonder why so many people love me, even today.” Coogan went on to read from a later section of the book, recalling difficulties he had
working with students at the Richmond County Jail as they kept getting shipped to different prisons. Afterwards, Belton read a different, more essay-like part of his memoir that outlined the similarities between slavery and mass incarceration. “With slavery, we as a people were packed together on boats of all sizes, small and large, bound and shackled, bunched up side by side without any room to move around and no window to allow us to see the ocean,” Belton said. “With incarceration, we as a people are bunched into vans and buses of all sizes and bound together by a linked chain.” Belton informed the audience that while he has now written three books, he is currently focusing on coaching basketball for local youths. Coogan and Belton are also working on a program called Open Minds which is designed to divert low-level offenders away from incarceration by allowing them instead to take classes at VCU. In addition, they are developing a program similar to the one Coogan taught at the Richmond County Jail that is targeted toward kids at the Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center outside Richmond, Virginia Emily Fernandez ’18 and Sarah Sheridan ’18 attended the talk and both said that they enjoyed it. After receiving an English major newsletter, Fernandez decided to attend and was excited to have a unique perspective represented on the College campus.
“It combined my interest in writing and publishing and books with my interest in social justice and incarceration, and [we heard] a perspective that we never hear much about,” Fernandez said. Sheridan said she appreciated how the program Coogan created helped inmates like Belton grow. “The point that stuck with me was when Kelvin said that, all of the times he had been to jail before, he never learned anything,” Sheridan said. “He just came out of jail the same way he was. But it was programs like this that, didn’t necessarily teach him something, but helped him realize that he already had it within himself.” Elise Mitchell ’20 attended the lecture upon suggestion from a writing professor, but said she had some issues with the book. “I have some difficulties that I plan on talking with them about, because it seemed a lot like an entitled white man’s journey through selfactualization, and using these men to publish a book,” Mitchell said. Mitchell explained that this could also just be her own biases, and also admitted that she has to read the book to decide what she really thinks about the novel and program. Although she had problems with the book, she said she agreed with the ideas to help inmates behind the larger context of the writing program. “I think [Kelvin] said it best — he didn’t know the means, but he had it in him all along. That’s way more the truth — nobody is giving it to them, it’s more just showing them the way,” Mitchell said.
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The Flat Hat
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
STUDENT ASSEMBLY
Boylan, Tawalare sworn in at SA inauguration ceremony Boylan talks agenda, plans to emphasize education, add policy advisory committee SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Marking the formal start of the new Student Assembly session, SA President Brendan Boylan ’19 and Vice President Samir Tawalare ’19 were sworn into office in the Sir Christopher Wren Chapel Monday, April 9. Before the inauguration ceremony, College of William and Mary President Taylor Reveley commended outgoing SA President Elijah Levine ’18 and shared his thoughts on what it feels like to be an effective leader. “Let’s think about why leading can be an absolute joy, a great sense of satisfaction,” Reveley said. “At its core, leadership is a capacity to influence, to really have an influence on what an organization’s agenda is and what actually gets done. It’s the capacity to make a real difference for the better. When you do that, as a leader, and important things get done … that’s enormously satisfying and it’s also fun. To be effective as a leader doesn’t happen just because we win an election or get an appointment. Each of us by trial and error have to learn how to capture other people’s attention, how to persuade them to do what we believe is important to do … on days when we are leading effectively, life is exhilarating.” Following Reveley’s remarks, Levine reflected on his time in office and thanked outgoing Vice President Annelise Yackow ’18, outgoing Chief of Staff Noah Ferris ’20 and his cabinet for supporting him and his ideas. Levine also gave advice to Boylan and Tawalare on how to ensure their ideas come to fruition. “Serving as your Student Assembly president for the last year has been the defining experience of my time at William and Mary,” Levine said. “It’s amplified my love for the place and reified my passion to
make it better. … Since my campaign began, I’ve been lucky to have a dedicated and caring support group.” Levine also agreed with Reveley that, as a leader, finding out how to execute ideas and influence others can be a challenge. “So many times, as President Reveley was alluding to, this position was overwhelming,” Levine said. “An idea is only as good as the plan to execute it.” Following Levine’s speech, both new and returning class presidents and senators were sworn in. All who did not attend the official inauguration ceremony will be sworn in during a senate meeting before they are allowed to deliberate on any business. Boylan and Tawalare were each then sworn in. Following tradition, Boylan took the podium as the official SA president to share his thoughts on his election and to outline his vision for the 327th session of SA. In his speech, Boylan said that he did not think it was fair to discuss the history of the College without acknowledging its history of slavery. However, he said that he hoped to use this history, and the progress the College has made, to inform the agenda of his administration. “We must understand the complicated history of William and Mary and we cannot discuss the history of this institution without discussing the evils of slavery, Jim Crow and subjugation,” Boylan said. “… In these difficult times, it is easy to despair and worry for the future, but here in our community, we see the light at the end of the tunnel. We walk along with future doctors, lawyers, musicians, artists, politicians … that will steer the course of America and the world entirely.” Boylan said that although progress could not come just from his administration, he believed that the education the College provides
has at its roots a mission to make the world better. He said he hoped to use this as a basis for promoting change during his tenure as president. “Simply stated, there is no such thing as the inevitable,” Boylan said. “Progress does not come from acts of God nor from those currently in power. … [But] that is the dream of an education like ours, a pursuit of higher learning that not only embraces rigor and critical thinking, but compassion, empathy, a willingness to go beyond our preconceived notions. This can only be realized when we create conversations that include all voices. … No one, no matter where they are from or what they are given, gets through life alone.” Boylan then outlined his priorities for his administration, once again affirming that the creation of an SA policy advisory committee was a top agenda item. “I believe that Student Assembly in its best form is a place for people to come together,” Boylan said. “… The simple truth is that there is only so much we can do in a given year under a given administration. The time we have here is too short, the work to be done is too great to allow feelings of animosity and distrust to persist any longer. Though the task before us may seem daunting … even the smallest acts of kindness can change the course. … That is why our administration, through working closely with the senate and by executive order will establish a policy advisory committee … we will rebuild our judicial branch to revise our constitution … we will reform the Executive Appropriations Commission and the budgetary process to ensure equitable treatment of constituent student organizations.” Tuesday, April 10, Tawalare will preside over the SA senate in his first meeting following inauguration. At this time, the senate will elect a new chair to replace outgoing Chair of the Senate Alaina Shreves ’18.
SARAH SMITH / THE FLAT HAT
Brendan Boylan ’19 and Samir Tawalare ’19 officially became Student Assembly president and vice president following the inauguration ceremony in the Sir Christopher Wren Building April 9. All senators and class presidents were also sworn in.
College to revaluate health minor Instructors unable to return before spring 2019 RECREATION from page 1
activities classes. In response, May was told that the administration had taken note of the student pushback and was working to develop an alternative program. “Originally, the only thing we had been told was that the activity program was ending,” May said. “At the time we started the petition, most students seemed aware that the classes were no longer going to be offered, and most students seemed unhappy about it. But there had been no announcement or email from the administration explaining why this change was taking place. … We wanted to show them that the students do care about these classes and that the elimination of the program would not go unnoticed by the William and Mary community. … We ended up with 989 signatures and hundreds of thoughtful comments from past and present students.” Earlier in the fall, Dean of Arts and Sciences Kate Conley said she was working to develop a new integrative wellness minor that would be housed in the kinesiology department. This minor would offer fourcredit courses focusing on different branches of wellness, and one-credit of each course would come from courses based on physical activity. In the process of developing the Wellness Applications courses, work to get this minor approved was halted, but Zeman said they are resuming that work and plan to discuss it more over the summer. While these new courses will offer similar concepts — and in some cases, are the same as courses already offered — the College’s three kinesiology activity instructors will not be eligible to continue teaching in the spring. According to Zeman, Virginia law mandates that all retired faculty have a six-month separation period before returning to teach. They would not be eligible to return until the spring 2019 semester “We appreciate the influential role that the Activities Lecturers, Randy [Drake], Kim [Whitley], and Kelly [Charles] have had in these classes and in students’ lives,” Zeman said in an email. There are currently six openings for instructors for the Wellness Application courses, and Zeman said there are instructors currently going through the official application process to become adjunct instructors. She said that some of these instructors are from the community and some are currently employed at the College. Although discussion of the integrative wellness minor has halted, Zeman said there was interest from faculty across several departments to find a new way to offer activity-based courses to students following the official discontinuation of the Activity Program. “We recognize that the activities courses provide many benefits to students and have been in discussions for over a year about ways to build on the original courses,” Zeman said. “Although the process was challenging at times, we modeled a truly trans-disciplinary approach and are happy with the result that we believe is a solid first step in developing a strong array of classes that build on the original activities courses.”
info@esquireiiiselfstorage.com SYDNEY MCCOURT / THE FLAT HAT
Students participate in outgoing Adventure Games course, which will be replaced by Wellness Application courses in the fall semester.
opinions
Opinions Editor Ethan Brown Opinions Editor Katherine Yenzer fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, April 10, 2018 | Page 5
STAFF COLUMN
American Red Cross deferral policy towards queer men outdated, offensive
Ethan Brown
FLAT HAT OPINIONS EDITOR
The American Red Cross came to the College of William and Mary for a day-long blood drive Wednesday, March 28. For several hours in Trinkle Hall, countless members of the Tribe showed up to contribute their blood, and after hearing about the event, I immediately was interested in donating. Donating blood is an unquestionably good deed, and since the blood drive was a mere three-minute walk from my dormitory, it seemed like a simple, accessible and worthwhile endeavor. I hastily texted two friends who were relaxing, and I organized a joint appointment for the three of us later that afternoon. Within half an hour, we were walking eagerly to Campus Center, our ebullient smiles indicating that we were thrilled with the prospect of potentially saving lives with our donations. However, once we walked into Trinkle, my grin dissipated as seizing pangs of guilt washed across my face. I am an openly gay man. Since I came out at 14, I’ve been fortunate enough to see a myriad of achievements for the LGBTQ community, from the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to the sweeping enactment of marriage equality from coast to coast. But thanks to the homophobic paranoia of the Reagan administration, a fiercely discriminatory policy against gay and bisexual men haunts me to this day. As a queer man, I am legally prohibited from donating blood and can only do so if I abstain from sexual contact for 12 months. I knew before signing up for the College’s blood drive that I was not technically permitted to donate, so I should have anticipated feeling uncomfortable and guilty at the blood drive. In the moment that I scheduled my appointment, though, it was remarkably easy to rationalize donating. I regularly get tested for sexually transmitted infections, I practice safe sex, and I am physically in good shape. Most importantly, my community’s inability to donate blood originates in the 1980s from the inaccurate assumption that all gay and bisexual men have HIV and that permitting any queer man to donate will inevitably lead to widespread contraction of the disease. Why should I feel morally obligated to adhere to such an outdated and offensive policy? But as I sat in Trinkle filling out paperwork and reading over the Red Cross’s donation forms, I could not contain my shame. I was clearly
prohibited from donating, and I feared that doing so would result in legal retribution. I am an unabashed rule follower and felt guilt enveloping me as I considered the consequences that might ensue if I donated. I turned to my friends, tore off my donation sticker and trudged sadly to the exit as tears trickled down my face. I did not donate blood that day, and for the first time at the College, I felt as if my sexual orientation was unwelcome. Obviously, this policy is not the College’s fault, and I’m pleased that so many members of the Tribe came out to donate blood. It speaks to the caliber of our institution that serving our community is an innate desire that so many students at the College possess. So while I don’t question our College’s commitment to LGBTQ advocacy, I do question our nation’s commitment to LGBTQ rights when we refuse to accept the blood of queer men as valid. For centuries, queer sexuality has been maligned and repressed, and queer men are continually portrayed as hedonistic deviants undeserving or incapable of love. The United States’s current policy towards queer blood donation legitimizes these perspectives by claiming that consensual sex between two men is something that must be shunned and ignored. In the eyes of the federal government, the vessels of our bloodstream are only worthy of donation if they are untainted by the deviancy of our romantic desires. We are treated equally only by detaching ourselves from our identity. I love the College partly because I never felt freer to be a gay man than when I stepped onto campus last August. Going to our campus’s recent blood drive was a piercing reminder that our College is a bubble in a world that is still homophobic. There is much work to be done, and until I can donate my blood just as any heterosexual man can, I, alongside other members of our College’s community, will strive to fight against homophobic injustices whenever and wherever we face them. Email Ethan Brown at ewbrown@email.wm.edu
GRAPHIC BY KAYLA PAYNE / THE FLAT HAT
GUEST COLUMN
Survey shows lack of student trust in College’s handling of sexual assault reports
Nicole Cook , Christen Scalfano FLAT HAT GUEST COLUMNISTS
According to Time magazine’s Person of the Year feature, in 2017, the #MeToo movement has served as an “umbrella of solidarity” for millions of sexual violence survivors to tell their stories. It began with African-American activist Tarana Burke years ago but entered the forefront of national dialogue last October, when multiple actresses accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct. Millions of men and women followed suit, sharing their own experiences of sexual assault and harassment on social media and national television. #MeToo has the country talking about how our cultures, institutions and policies are failing sexual violence survivors. While national discourse has now given issues of sexual misconduct a prominent seat at the table, student voices have been largely omitted from the dialogue. Since college students are disproportionately affected by these issues as reported by the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, we believe that their perspectives should figure prominently in these discussions. The Teaching, Research and International Policy Project at the Institute for the Theory and Practice of International Relations fielded a snap poll of students at the College of William and Mary for two weeks last December. The survey sample includes 781 students and is demographically representative of the student body in terms of class year, gender and Greek affiliation. 712 of these students chose to answer the questions discussed in this article. Our survey found that students at the College trust nonprofit organizations to properly handle reports of sexual violence much more than they trust the police or the College’s administration. Students also report relatively low levels of confidence in the College’s ability to independently maintain current protections for sexual violence survivors in the face of changing federal Title IX guidance. We asked students at the College how much they trust the institution, police and nonprofits to properly handle someone reporting sexual violence. This question was taken from a January 2014 YouGov survey in partnership with the Huffington Post. The College administration garners the lowest rates of high trust and the highest rates of total distrust among students. In fact, students trust police and law enforcement more than they trust the College. Students instead overwhelmingly place their trust in nonprofit organizations that provide rape counseling. When asked about nonprofits, 76 percent of students reported a lot of confidence, 22 percent a little confidence and two percent no confidence at all. In the College and Williamsburg community, these nonprofit resources include Avalon and the Haven.
When asked about police, 27 percent of students reported a lot of confidence, 56 percent a little confidence and 16 percent no confidence at all. Due to survey limitations, results do not distinguish between the William and Mary Police Department and other city, county and state law enforcement institutions. As these departments vary in issue-specific training and relationships with the student body, variation in reported overall trust in police may be a result of varied trust in individual departments. The College’s status as a predominantly white university might also influence campuswide trust in police. Finally, when asked about the College, only 13 percent of students reported a lot of confidence, 58 percent reported a little confidence and 28 percent reported no confidence at all.
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As graduating seniors, we hope that diverse groups of current and future students at the College will continue this conversation and hold their institutions accountable to student voices. In September 2017, the Department of Education rescinded Title IX enforcement guidelines for universities concerning campus sexual misconduct. The DOE replaced guidelines previously set by U.S. President Obama with interim guidance urging a higher burden of proof for universities investigating sexual misconduct reports. Many activists, advocates and sexual violence survivors criticize this change as a rollback of critical protections, signaling an end to Obama-era vigilance regarding universities mishandling student reports of sexual violence. Considering these policy changes, we asked students about their confidence in the College administration’s ability to independently maintain protections for sexual violence survivors were Title IX to be further relaxed or removed in the future. Over one-third of students have little to no confidence in the College administration’s ability to independently maintain protections for sexual violence survivors. One-tenth are
neutral. Just half of students report any confidence at all in the administration’s ability to maintain independent protections. All students were asked to select their level of confidence from very confident, somewhat confident, neutral, less confident, not at all confident and do not know. Our data find that upperclassmen are less confident in the administration than freshmen, and women are less confident in the administration than men. 28 percent of freshmen say they are very confident in the administration’s ability to maintain independent protections, which is more than double the 13 percent of seniors and 12 percent of juniors who report high confidence. Seniors and juniors answer “less confident” at more than twice the rate of freshmen, and “not confident at all” at three times the rate of freshmen. Seniors are the least neutral of the student body, reporting just under half the neutrality levels of all other classes. This gap may indicate that more experience with the administration’s handling of sexual violence lowers student confidence in the administration. Upperclassmen have had more time to observe the administration because they have attended the college for a longer period of time. Additionally, this trust differential might be influenced by administration policy changes over the last four years. These include adding relevant positions, such as a Title IX investigator and sexual violence prevention specialists, implementing several task forces and committees and moving to a new adjudication process. According to the William and Mary Campus Climate Survey and RAINN Campus Sexual Violence Statistics, women generally experience sexual violence and harassment at higher rates than men on campus. This trend suggests that like upperclassmen, students who identify as female will have more exposure to the College administration’s handling of sexual misconduct. Our survey found that women answered “very confident” at less than half the rate of men, while they answered “less confident” and “not at all confident” at nearly double the rate of men. In addition, men exhibited more neutrality than women on this issue. While transgender and non-binary students experience higher rates of sexual violence, we are not able to report statistically meaningful results from their perspectives due to the low number of non-binary and transgender survey respondents. According to End Rape on Campus, people of color experience sexual violence at higher rates. Due to the limitations of our survey, we are not able to report statistically meaningful information concerning race. We sincerely hope that we will be able to improve in these two areas in the future. We find great value in continuing to ask these questions on campus over the next few years to determine the effect of past and future administration policy changes. If campus is our second home, then students should have the right to institutions we trust, especially to handle issues as important as sexual violence. As graduating seniors, we hope that diverse groups of current and future students at the College will continue this conversation and hold their institutions accountable to student voices. Email Nicole Cook and Christen Scalfano at nccook@email.wm.edu and cascalfano@email.wm.edu.
The Flat Hat
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
STAFF COLUMN
Page 6
STAFF COLUMN
In praise of an early bedtime
Anthony Madalone
FLAT HAT OPINIONS ASSOC. EDITOR
Freshman year of college is a time for experimentation. For many people, it is the first extended taste of living with minimal supervision, and things once believed to be impossible enter the realm of possibility. Last Thursday, I was involved in an experiment of my own, something I would never have seen myself doing in my high school years. No, I didn’t shotgun a full case of beers. I didn’t try a colorful designer drug, nor did I run a naked lap around the entire campus of the College of William and Mary. That fateful night, for the first time in my college career, I went to bed before 11 p.m., and good lord, it felt good. Growing up, I always felt a rebellious urge to outlast my parentally mandated curfew, always electing to sneak in another 30 minutes devoted to watching another episode of “El Tigre,” finishing a chapter of whatever youth series I was reading at the time or racing through a few courses of Mario Kart. As high school came along, stricter curfews gave way to begrudging parental pleas to go to bed at a reasonable hour. As I did when I was young, I always slightly disobeyed, going to bed a tad bit later and waking up a tad more tired than I ought to have been. Due to my self-made tradition of late nights, I assumed that this trend would continue into college, and I was not wrong. However, what keeps me up has certainly changed. It is widely acknowledged around campus that the College is known and somewhat characterized by a culture of stress. While I wouldn’t consider my late habits here to be a product of stress, I would be lying if I said my urge to keep awake didn’t come from an innate desire to keep working. There always seem to be more readings to finish, more to write, more to learn and more things that should very well be done before I fall asleep. A shift has occurred from staying up to watch an episode of “The Twilight Zone” for relaxation to setting deadlines to reach before falling asleep. When I decided to rest early on Thursday, I was at a point of tired desperation, hoping I would somehow be able to have a productive morning and make up for the work I’d be ignoring that night. I was not only extremely well-rested the entirety of the next day, but I managed to get more done that morning than I could have possibly imagined the night before. It is ridiculously easy to let the stress of tomorrow keep you up today. Most of the time, it is true that the earlier work gets done, the better. When it comes to sleep, however, work should never be allowed to take precedent. The autonomy college allows makes it your decision to set a reasonable curfew for yourself, and different sleep schedules work for different people. Next time you are looking to try something wild and new at the College; however, I highly recommend that experiment take the form of a well-deserved early bedtime. Email Anthony Madalone at asmadalone@email.wm.edu.
GRAPHIC BY KAYLA SHIRLEY / THE FLAT HAT
Welcoming tour groups to campus is unique joy
Anna Boustany
FLAT HAT OPINIONS ASSOC. EDITOR
As spring begins, flowers start to blossom around campus and students emerge from their winter hibernations. Almost overnight, campus becomes filled with tour groups. Studying near the center of campus, you can be passed by five or six tours in the span of a few minutes. Many students love to complain about the density of tour groups, which is certainly understandable when you are running late to class and have to squeeze through 40 people in the Integrated Science Center or Tucker Hall. However, I love the joy and enthusiasm that tour groups bring to campus, and I think that it is important to welcome them here. Spring break of my junior year of high school, I toured several Virginia schools, trying to figure out what made all of these colleges different. On my tour, the College of William and Mary stood out to me as incredibly different in a good way, so much so that I decided to apply early decision. The reason I loved the College was because of how welcoming the campus was to tour groups. At other schools, the students seemed annoyed by tour groups, and it seemed that they didn’t particularly want new students at their school. I noticed on my tour that students here seemed happy walking around their campus,
IN MEMORIAM In remembrance of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s martyrdom, 50 years ago this month, we offer prayer and reflection from Williamsburg Baptist Church’s newsletter that mournful week. The words below are those of our then-pastor, the Rev. Dr. Tom Pugh, of blessed memory. Excerpts from Sunday, April 7, 1968, the day of mourning for Dr. Martin Luther King.
The Pastoral Prayer for the Morning Service: O God, have mercy upon us as the heaviness of our humanity bears down with a burden which is more than we can carry. Give us the insight to see our guilt, the honesty to confess it, and the decency to bear it with grace. Let us know that for each weary, sweating step of the long past there shall be agonizing, bloody, frightening steps in the future until man shall renounce forever his inhumanity to man. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Dedication of the Sermon: I hope that you will allow me the privilege of dedicating this sermon to the memory of Martin Luther King, colleague in the Christian ministry, fellow alumnus of my seminary, a man who did all that any man can do and that was to give his life for a cause which he believed to be right. Remarks at the Memorial Service held in the First Baptist Church: I first knew Martin Luther King when he was a student at Crozer Seminary in the early 1950s. He was always interested in examining the important issues of life and was recognized as an outstanding student who was destined to become a leader… Later, as we know, he received the Nobel Peace Prize. In trying to recall my impressions of Martin Luther King in those years, I can remember nothing of either arrogance or bitterness. While he was interested in debating the issues, he always approached them with quiet reasonableness. I think he was not much interested in doctrine, or theology or scholarly study for their own sake. The whole thrust of his life was to apply the Gospel to the needs and problems of men. The success with which he did this leaves us humbled in his presence and before his memory.
Let us with all of our creative energy, continue the work of love, justice, and peace, for the life of the world, as it is in heaven. - Rev. Daniel Willson, senior pastor
227 Richmond Road, Williamsburg |www.williamsburgbaptist.com|(757) 229-1217
and enthusiastic about welcoming new students. Everyone, not just the tour guide, seemed like they cared about me and genuinely wanted me and the other members of my tour group to come to their school. While I understand that we are not always in the mood to welcome languid teenagers and their inquisitive parents to campus, I firmly believe it is important to appreciate both tour guides and their tour groups. I am thrilled about the idea of an upcoming class of freshmen, bringing new ideas and experiences to make our campus even better. I chose to come here because of the welcoming atmosphere during my tour, and these tours are what will showcase our school in the best light. I personally am thrilled when someone who has finished their tour of campus asks me a question or two about my experience, or when one of my friends still in high school wants to learn more about the College. New students coming here to share their diverse perspectives and help us all grow toward a better future is something we all can and should be happy about. Tours are beneficial for tour guides themselves as well. Jaya Uppal ’18, a tour guide, said that giving tours is a reminder of how much she loves the College and has grown since coming here. Even students who aren’t official tour guides for the Office of Undergraduate Admission can share their love for the campus and be encouraged by the young tour participants. After all, if we, the student body, are not excited or happy to see tour groups, no one is going to want to come here. I firmly believe that we attend one of the best schools in the world, and since the College is the perfect place for me, I am so excited about new students coming here and potentially discovering their perfect place. Email Anna Boustany at aeboustany@email.wm.edu.
GUEST COLUMN
TableTalk brings opportunities for networking and friendships
Caleb Rogers
FLAT HAT GUEST COLUMNIST
Dining halls are loud; students enjoy talking over their meals about good grades, bad roommate situations or the dining hall food itself. Rarely will a table carry on in silence. Instead, we elect to converse. In “House of Cards,” one of my favorite shows, a particularly contemptible protagonist says this memorable line on the subject of mealtime conversation: “I’m southern, my mother taught me that dinnertime conversation is not only polite, but it aids the digestive system.” However, since our first year at the College of William and Mary, these conversations serve less and less as a way to meet and understand someone than they do as a commentary on our routines with like-minded individuals. In other words, we naturally find those similar to us and stick with them and what we know. After a while of this, along with the natural process of growing older, we become too busy to significantly deviate from our well-worn path, and our chances of meeting new people diminish significantly. If you have ever found yourself curious about the lives and thoughts of other students, specifically those far different from yourself, there is an upcoming chance to meet them. “TableTalk” has come to the College and will have its first event in mid-April. It is an organization with a “framework for conversations between people who would not interact under ordinary circumstances” which began at the University of Pennsylvania before spreading to peer universities like the College. Under the leadership of Sarah Jones ’20 and fellow Executive Board member Riley Smith ’21, TableTalk challenges you to join the conversation by conversing with your unknown peers. Generalized, TableTalk, Humans of William and Mary, RealTalk and other similar clubs work with two assumptions. First, they assume that it is wildly easy to never get to know people unlike you. But, in a place like the College, we are given an opportunity to know people from backgrounds and places far from our own. The second assumption is that we should attempt to meet these people who are different from us. How is this best done? At TableTalk, the already conversational time of a shared meal is used to facilitate these conversations. Aiding both the digestive system and social interaction, a small group of people — unique in interests and backgrounds — is drawn together over dinner to allow its members to consider themselves and the issues they are involved with. TableTalk facilitators prepare for the night, a casual affair, by creating pertinent questions to stir discussion. Attending community members can even submit their own topics of discussion if they would like to explore specific subjects or common stereotypes. Over the course of an hour, questions branch from orientation-like speculations of “would you rather be a knee or an elbow?” to those more serious, on mental health or identity — made easier to converse about over free pizza. TableTalk has an expedited version as well. In mid-April, TableTalk will place a couch on the Terrace for dissimilar students to sit and say hello. Just saying hello is all that is necessary to make a new friend. The conversation takes care of itself. At the risk of sounding too much like your Orientation Aides: be curious. Wonder to yourself what other students have experienced and what similarities you unknowingly have. Ask what you can learn from them. Ask what they can learn from you. Be curious to expand your horizons of thinking by thinking about another person’s thoughts. At the very least, say hello to someone new when you are given a chance. Get a meal with them. Email Caleb Rogers at ctrogers@email.wm.edu.
variety
Variety Editor Heather Baier Variety Editor Carmen Honker flathat.variety@gmail.com
The Flat Hat
| Tuesday, April 10, 2018 | Page 7
Pod save the College ca
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LEONOR GRAVE // FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
Student po dcast s r
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hese days, it seems like everyone’s got a podcast. That kid who lived in Yates with you freshman year and you haven’t spoken to since? The guy who won’t shut up about Nietzsche even when philosophy is over? The girl who listened to Serial once and hasn’t shut up about true crime since? They all have podcasts, and it seems impossible to open Facebook without seeing the self-promotion. It’s not hard to see why. The entry barrier to podcast production is low, and there’s a podcast for everyone’s taste. Experience with the rule of thirds or a DSLR camera isn’t necessary. While some more experienced podcasters use more advanced editing software, a recording device on a smartphone works just fine. And while some podcasters edit their conversations, others just leave their conversations unfiltered and upload them to the internet. The podcast craze has not left the College of William and Mary untouched. The proliferation of the downloadable audio form has resulted in the creation of the Podcasting Network, a club dedicated to furthering the understanding and interest in the podcasting medium, as well as creating, producing and sharing student and faculty podcast audio and video. The officers of the Podcasting Network — Jakob Cordes ’20, Blake Phillips ’19, Ryan Walter ’20, William Moore ’20 and Vincent Tandaw ’20 — host the club’s flagship podcast, Talking TWAMPs, where they discuss domestic and international political topics. But it doesn’t end there. The Podcasting Network also aims to promote other podcasts on campus.
COURTESY PHOTO / ANNA CAMPION
I Did What? Anna Campion ’19 and Rosie Rubenstein ’19, the hosts of this comedy podcast, became friends after taking a class together their sophomore year. Campion heard Rubenstein had some experience with podcast production because she had previously made a podcast about women in leadership, and she saw an opportunity for a fun project. “At the time, I was a newly declared film and media studies major, and I was looking for a creative outlet for content, to see what I liked and what I didn’t like,” Campion said. What started out as an idea for a podcast where people would share their drunken mishaps broadened in scope to become a podcast for Campion, Rubenstein, their friends and listeners to share any and all embarrassing stories from their life. Their first episode focused on embarrassing “firsts,” from first kisses to first parties. Since then, their episodes have covered topics from flirting and dating apps to Mother’s Day. Campion and Rubenstein’s snark-infused back and forth style recalls one of their podcast inspirations, the true crime show My Favorite Murder. Between the two sharp-witted juniors, Campion is Karen Kilgariff and Rubenstein is Georgia Hardstark. “Rosie’s my straight man,” Campion said. Campion said sharing these stories is also therapeutic. Even a memory that felt like the most shameful event in one’s life, once shared with others, can sting a little less. Rubenstein is studying abroad this semester in Italy, but while the two can’t record together, Campion has invited guests to fill in the hosting duties. Over spring break, the two women reunited when Campion visited her cohost in Italy and recorded a podcast with stories about Rubenstein’s Italian escapades.
Jaret and Jarrett It’s not just humanities majors who love to hear themselves talk. Jaret Anderson ’20 and Jarrett Heckert ’21, teammates on the Tribe football team, originally bonded over their phonetically identical names and decided to start a podcast of their own: Jaret and Jarrett. Anderson and Heckert began their podcast spring 2017 and meet every week during the school year to record. Each episode, which keeps things short and sweet at around 20 minutes, tackles current events topics, news and, as befits the two student athletes, sports. They approach their podcast with a fun and lighthearted spirit. “We don’t like to keep it about sports, we like to keep it very encompassing,” Anderson said. “We like to keep it very personable, so you get to know us without having to actually meet us.” But Anderson and Heckert avoid staying solely within their comfort zone when it comes to the topics they address. “We’ve interviewed a sorority girl about sorority stereotypes and misconceptions, we’ve talked about personal issues, embarrassing moments, social interactions, different things going on in the sports world,” Heckert said. They said they weren’t expecting it to get as much traction as it did, and they are happy with how people have responded to their content. Sometimes the stories in the podcast have an impact on their personal lives. Once, after Heckert discussed an awkward date on the podcast, the girl who he had gone on the date with reached out to him and they ended up going on a second date. Their podcast inspirations include Pardon My Take, Barstool Sports and the similarly cleverly named Mike and Mike sports-talk radio show on ESPN. Jarrett and Jaret is available on iTunes and SoundCloud. While neither of them had technical backgrounds in audio production, they said the Reeder Media Center in the Earl Gregg Swem Library was incredibly helpful in helping them get started, and that’s where they record their show every Monday night.
LEONOR GRAVE / THE FLAT HAT
They can Podcast and so can you
Two Pod Dudes Podcasts can also be a great outlet for students involved in the comedy scene at the College. At the helm of Two Pod Dudes is the co-hosting team of Charlie Parsons ’21 and Hannah Caffacus ’19. For Parsons and Caffacus, it was platonic love at first sight when they met through the Sandbox Improvisational comedy group. One day, they decided to get together and record an episode. They began as a comedy podcast, inspired by hot!, the comedy podcast hosted by their friends Rachel Coughlin ’19 and Caroline Pellegrin ’19. “Hot! fathered this podcast,” Parsons said. “They’re our hot dad.” Two Pod Dudes features an array of Caffacus’ recurring characters, including a social media influencer, a PTA mom who leaves passive aggressive voicemails and an obliviously misogynist cowboy trying to reform his sexist ways. They’ve been learning as they go, with plenty of technical difficulties and failed recording sessions since they began. However, they were able to get past the learning curve to be able to create
something fun that captures their personalities and allows them to have fun doing what they love to do — talking. Caffacus and Parsons listen to podcasts like The Liturgists Podcast, 99% Invisible and Yeah, But Still, and while these all have different styles, they inform the kind of deep-dive conversations the two hosts said they hope to spark on their show. “It’s definitely made me more comfortable being myself in any social situation and being like, ‘Hey, what was the best part of your week?’ instead of just, ‘How’s life, how’s school?’” Caffacus said. “... It’s been something that’s very positive in my life and I’m trying to figure out how I can keep doing it forever, until I die. Even if no one listens.”
GRAPHIC BY HEATHER BAIER AND
NAOMI GRUBER / THE FLAT HAT
The hosts of Jaret and Jarrett exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit of beginner podcasters. The medium of podcasting, as opposed to video production or visual art, is uniquely accessible, both from a technical and financial perspective. “I record it on my iPhone,” Campion said. “You could theoretically record it on your iPhone, do no editing, and just upload it.” Students also say they like the comfort of being able to listen to a familiar voice in whatever topic they might be interested in. “Almost everyone I know listens to some type of podcast,” Parsons said. It’s a medium that lends itself to solo listening and it doesn’t require one’s full attention. “I think people like podcasts because you feel like you’re in on somebody else’s conversation and it feels both intimate and performative,” Caffacus said. In a world where it is increasingly easy to get distracted by the sheer number of options, podcasts provide an incredibly customizable experience. “You could go on iTunes right now and type in a topic and there would probably be a podcast about it or close to it,” Campion said. “It’s very appealing to want something specific that you can engage with, and I think that’s the appeal of making, but especially listening to, a podcast.”
The Flat Hat
I’ve met a lot of people who want the quick fix and want to do something to become successful, and that’s just never going to happen. If you’re going to pursue a creative career, it has to be the thing you cannot let go of.”
OT OS /
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SHIP PEN
–Lauren Shippen ’13
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Tuesday, April 10, 2018
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Lauren Shippen ’13 talks hit podcast’s bright future NAOMI GRUBER // FLAT HAT VARIETY ASSOC. EDITOR
“
I sort of did the le cliché actor hust ing where I was tak ing classes and work nd at a restaurant a auditioning.” –Lauren Shippen ’13
It’s not too often that graduates of the College of William and Mary can add “time traveler” to their resume. That is, unless you’re Lauren Shippen ’13. In addition to writing and directing the award-winning podcast “The Bright Sessions,” Shippen breathes life into the character of Samantha Barnes, a time traveling young woman who attends therapy for the strange and unusual. “The Bright Sessions” is one of the most popular science fiction audio dramas on iTunes, boasting numerous awards and over 8 million downloads. The podcast explores the lives, problems and mental health of atypicals – seemingly ordinary people with not-so-ordinary abilities. Between the time traveler Sam, the angsty, teenage empath Caleb, voiced by Briggon Snow, the antagonist and mind-controller Damien, voiced by Charlie Ian, and the mind-reader and art student Chloe, voiced by Anna Lore, there is a lot that makes these atypicals’ lives a little bit more complicated. That is where Dr. Bright, voiced by Julia Morizawa, comes in. During her therapy sessions, Dr. Bright discusses high school romances, anxiety and sometimes even the not-so-secret government agency, The AM. Luckily, Dr. Bright records these sessions for us non-atypicals to listen. Four seasons since its 2015 release, “The Bright Sessions” has expanded its format to include phone calls, private conversations and even a musical episode into its impressive canon of 56 episodes, the last of which will air June 13, 2018. With a podcast as unique, clever and touching as “The Bright Sessions,” it is no surprise that its creator has always been involved in the arts. After initially wanting to complete a theatre major at the College, Shippen ultimately decided on a music major. Shippen also participated in student plays and vocal groups, such as Double Take, where Shippen first met the show’s composer, Evan Cunningham ’16. After graduation, Shippen packed up her belongings and moved across the country to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. “I sort of did the cliché actor hustle where I was taking classes and working at a restaurant and auditioning,” Shippen said. “I was just very frustrated with it because it’s a hard hustle … even the stuff I was getting wasn’t necessarily super engaging all the time.” Shippen soon realized that a traditional acting career wasn’t what she was looking for. After listening to the popular science fiction podcast “Welcome to Night Vale,” Shippen got the idea to create an audio drama of her own. “I didn’t know what I was doing when it came to film,” Shippen said. “But, I think that having a background in music and having a little bit of editing experience in audio, I was like well, maybe a podcast. I could probably do a podcast for cheap and do all of the post-production myself.” “The Bright Sessions” began with development of the character Samantha Barnes, voiced by Shippen. “I had this idea of this girl who time travels, and she has panic attacks,” Shippen said. “I started thinking about well, I don’t want it to just be my voice. That would be really boring, and I really don’t want to edit that. We should give her somebody to talk to.” That somebody became the therapist Dr. Bright. Shippen then later developed the whole cast of atypicals who fans have grown to love (and sometimes love to hate) over the years. “The Bright Sessions” may be nearing its end, but fans have much more to look forward to from Shippen. In the summer of 2019, “The Bright Sessions”
is set to jump from our ears to the page with the release of the first novel in an adapted Young Adult trilogy. The first book will focus on the romantic relationship between the teenage empath Caleb and his non-atypical boyfriend, Adam. The second book is set to explore the life of Damien, the devious mind-controller with a complicated past. The final book in the trilogy will explore Dr. Bright’s newest patient, Rose, a young queer woman who has the power to walk through dreams. If news of Shippen’s upcoming trilogy isn’t enough to satisfy fans’ love of “The Bright Sessions,” there is one more project in the works: a television show. The show is currently in development and has been optioned by Dark Horse Entertainment and Universal Cable Productions. “It’s in development, and in Hollywood things can be in development for years,” Shippen said. “They can go to TV really quickly. They can get out of development. It’s a slow process, but it’s been a fun kind of process of discovering what the show would look like in a visual format, because it is so different.” As a writer, Shippen is excited about the opportunity to broaden her work’s horizons. “Getting a second swing at your own writing is kind of a nice thing,” Shippen said. “The TV show I’m thinking of as its own beast. I kind of want to approach it as an adaptation rather than a direct translation.” Although the format and characters of the podcast have changed and grown over the years, one thing has remained the same: the heart of the show. “Externally, I feel like it’s changed tremendously, like my own internet presence and the show’s internet presence has grown so exponentially over the past couple years,” Shippen said. “Internally, I don’t know how much has actually changed.” Still, Shippen receives emails from fans that surprise her to this day. “It’s funny,” Shippen said. “I’ll get emails from people sometimes, and they’ll be like ‘I don’t know if Lauren Shippen will ever see this,’ and it’s like yeah, no. Lauren Shippen is the only person who checks this email.” At the end of the day, “The Bright Sessions” is still a couple of people recording on old microphones in Shippen’s bedroom. After being in the industry for five years, Shippen is able to reflect on her experiences. According to Shippen, an important part of her success has been her time at the College, where she learned the costs and rewards of hard work. “I don’t mind sort of working tirelessly seven days a week if it’s something that I really enjoy doing,” Shippen said. “I think that that’s a kind of DIY attitude I feel like was something that I saw a lot of people doing at William and Mary. A sort of good, strong work ethic.” As someone who has found success in the notoriously turbulent industry, Shippen advises that students pursuing creative careers take a good look at what they want to gain from that pursuit. “I’ve met a lot of people who want the quick fix and want to do something to become successful, and that’s just never going to happen,” Shippen said. “If you’re going to pursue a creative career, it has to be the thing you cannot let go of.” For Shippen, the thing she could not let go of was her love of storytelling. That love became the delightful, heartfelt and fascinating journey into a therapist’s office for everyday people with extraordinary abilities. That love became “The Bright Sessions.”
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Spicing up vanilla sex with BDSM
Enthusiastic consent, supportive aftercare must be present in bedroom experimentation
William Watkins
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS COLUMNIST
The purpose of this article is not to follow the common practice of social scholars who assert normative assumptions or theories about why a person may desire BDSM, what effects the practice of BDSM may create on society or relationships or the effectiveness of vanilla sex in comparison to sex that involves BDSM. The purpose of this article is to provide some hopefully objective information on the logistics of utilizing this practice to anyone who is curious about or has considered trying BDSM in the bedroom. While BDSM is defined as including bondage and discipline (BD), dominance and submission (D-S) and sadism and sasochism (S-M), your experience with it does not have to include all of these aspects and, in fact, most don’t. There is a lot of information about BDSM out there. An important thing to remember when first doing your research — which you should do much of before getting into some of the trickier practices and techniques — is that none of the available
sources should act as a prescriptive bible. Feel free to take bits and pieces from various sources and utilize them to the extent that you and your partner(s) feel comfortable with. Something else to keep in mind is that you can always say no when things are getting too far away from your comfort zone. The issue with saying no in practice, however, is that the point of a lot of BDSM is resistance. This can be solved with the implementation of a safe word, which is a key word or phrase that you and your partner(s) decide on at an earlier time that signals something is wrong. When deciding on a safe word, make sure that it isn’t something that could be misinterpreted as encouraging in BDSM, such as “no” or “wait.” Instead, use something like “baskets” or “sassafras” to ensure the safety and comfort of all participants. Additionally, even if you’ve agreed to certain practices of submission or domination in the past, that doesn’t mean that you have to continue practicing those techniques in the future. If you’re starting out in your exploration of a BDSM relationship, here are some easy ways to dip your toes into the vast BDSM pool. Dominance-submission is one of several terms used to describe the time in which you and your partner(s) are using BDSM techniques or are in that headspace. One simple way to test out some dominance-submission relations is to have one of you take the lead position and dictate what happens during your scene. This may look like a step-by-step explanation of what the other(s) is going to do, or it could be something that is stated throughout the scene, or it could be neither — it’s all up to you! One of the beginning techniques for the bondage-discipline aspect is to invest in handcuffs or rope to get started. Handcuffs are
one of the easier ways to utilize bondage, given their particularly user-friendly nature. However, try the fuzzy or cushioned styles of handcuffs — just for safety and comfort — unless you want to lean more toward sadomasochism, which I’ll discuss in a moment. Ropes tend to have a bit more of a learning curve, but, on the bright side, it’s pretty easy to motivate yourself to learn tying and knotting techniques when you know that you and your partner(s) will be getting pleasure from them in the near future. The sadism-masochism portion of BDSM is defined as finding pleasure from inflicting pain, suffering or humiliation on another (sadism) or finding pleasure in having these things inflicted upon you (masochism). Some common and simple ways to test this out include some hair pulling, light choking, bodily slapping or tighter restraining. Be sure to be careful and do a fair amount of research and checking in with your partner(s) if you escalate to more intense forms of sadomasochism such as whipping or ball gags. Finally, I cannot stress the importance of enthusiastic consent and aftercare in a BDSM relationship enough. Aftercare is the practice of you and your partner(s) supporting and caring for each other after your scene, both physically and emotionally. This can involve bags of ice, band-aids, cuddling and tenderness — despite finding sexual pleasure in aggressive interaction, sadomasochists need love too! William W. is a Behind Closed Doors columnist who wants you to be informed about the inner workings of BDSM. If you have a question that you would like answered in the next installment of “Behind Closed Doors,” please email it to flathat.variety@gmail.com.
sportsinside
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, April 10, 2018 | Page 9
BASEBALL
Tribe picks up first CAA series victory ‘That’s the goal— we’re trying to win every conference game,’ McDermott said
COURTESY PHOTO/ TRIBE ATHLETICS
McDermott led the team in four hits in Friday’s victorious doubleheader.
KEVIN RICHESON FLAT HAT SPORTS ASSOC. EDITOR
Friday, William and Mary kicked off a planned three-game series with Colonial Athletic Association foe Towson as a doubleheader due to anticipated inclement weather Saturday. The College was 1-1 on the week after beating Maryland for the second time this season, then falling to George Washington. The Tribe went 1-5 in its first six conference games against Charleston and North Carolina-Wilmington and secured its first CAA series victory with two one-run victories over the Tigers. In the first game, the College (13-20, 3-6 CAA) jumped out to an early lead and held off a furious ninth-inning comeback by the Tigers (7-22, 4-5 CAA) to pick up an 8-7 win. Junior catcher Hunter Smith opened the scoring for the Tribe in the bottom of the second inning with a solo shot to put the College up 1-0. The Tribe’s offense exploded an inning later, starting with an RBI single from junior shortstop Zach Pearson, which doubled the College’s lead. Junior first baseman Colin Lipke batted next, hitting the Tribe’s second home run of the day. Lipke’s blast accounted for three runs and gave the College a commanding 5-0 advantage after three innings. The Tigers began to chip away at the deficit in the top of the fourth inning, plating two runs to cut the College’s lead to three. However, the College scored two runs of its own in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Pearson two-run home run to regain a five-run advantage. The score remained 7-2 until the bottom of the eighth inning. Freshman second baseman Matt McDermott walked with the bases loaded, allowing sophomore third baseman Patrick Ryan to score and put the Tribe up 8-2. Ryan’s run proved to be extremely important, as the Tigers rallied to within one run in the top of the ninth. The Tigers used five hits, including back-
to-back RBI doubles with one out, to cut their deficit to 8-7. With runners on first and second and two outs, sophomore pitcher Wade Strain forced first baseman Logan Burke to ground out to end the game. Junior pitcher Bodie Sheehan picked up the win to bring his record to 2-3, and Strain earned a save after recording the final two outs of the game. In the second game of the day, the College jumped out to another early lead and held off a rally by the Tigers to claim a 5-4 victory. After three home runs in the first game, the College scored all five runs in the second game without a single homer. The Tribe wasted no time in scoring, getting on the board in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI double by Lipke. Pearson scored on the play to put the Tribe up 1-0. McDermott accounted for the next three RBI’s for the Tribe. He bunted for a base hit in the second inning, allowing sophomore left fielder Brandon Raquet to make it past home plate. In the fourth inning, with the College still up 2-0, McDermott tripled into left center field to give the College a 4-0 lead. McDermott then scored later in the inning on an RBI double by senior right fielder Ryan Hall, giving the Tribe a comfortable 5-0 lead going into the top of the fifth. The Tigers did not go out quietly. They scored two runs in both the fifth and the sixth innings to claw their way to within one run. In the ninth inning, they managed to get a runner 90 feet away from tying the match, but Strain picked up another save after forcing two consecutive groundouts to end the game. Sophomore pitcher Chris Farrell recorded the win for the College, bringing his record to 2-1 on the season. “Friday certainly was an important day for us to at least get back in the mix a little bit,” head coach Brian Murphy said.
Sunday, the Tribe was looking to complete the sweep and move to 4-5 in conference play, but its bats fell silent and the Tigers cruised to a 6-1 victory. The Tigers jumped out early to claim their first lead of the series in the top of the first inning when right fielder Colin Gimblet ripped an RBI single into right field. Still holding onto a 1-0 lead, the Tigers scored again in the top of the third. Center fielder Mark Grunberg, who scored the Tigers’ run in the first inning, hit a sacrifice fly to bring home another run and extend the lead to 2-0. The Tribe’s only run of the game came in the bottom of the fourth inning. Trailing 2-0, sophomore left fielder Brandon Raquet stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. Although the College had only managed one hit in the inning, an error and a hit batsman allowed Raquet to draw a walk that tallied a run. The Tigers extended the lead to 3-1 in the next inning. Shortstop Richie Palacios reached on an infield single and picked up an RBI on the play. The score remained 3-1 until the ninth inning, as the College only mustered three hits in the game. The Tigers added three insurance runs in the top of the ninth, avoiding a weekend sweep as they completed their 6-1 win. “It’s tough to beat anybody with three singles, it’s not going to happen,” Murphy said. “One of those days, we didn’t get anything going.” The Tribe will look to get its offense back on track Wednesday when it welcomes Old Dominion to Plumeri Park for a midweek game. The College will then travel to Harrisonburg for a three-game set with James Madison. The Tribe will be looking to pick up its second-straight series victory and improve its conference record. “We’re trying to win all four,” McDermott said. “That’s the goal— we’re trying to win every conference game.”
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS
Comeback attempt comes up short against Hofstra
College tops three teams at conference championship
College falls in overtime Women rank second in ECAC EMILY CHAUMONT FLAT HAT SENIOR STAFF WRITER
COURTESY PHOTO/ TRIBE ATHLETICS
The Tribe celebrates after a goal against Hofstra. Despite overcoming a regulation deficit, the College fell in overtime.
JULIA STUMBAUGH FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
With less than two minutes left in Sunday’s match, William and Mary took a timeout. The Tribe was down by one goal against Hofstra. The first of the team’s six important Colonial Athletic Association matchups was on the line. Twenty seconds after the timeout, senior midfielder Abby Corkum put her 12th goal of the season into the back of the net to tie the game at 14 apiece, saving the match and sending the game into overtime. Despite this resilient comeback effort from the College, however, the first ball to find netting in overtime came off of the stick of a Hofstra player, felling the Tribe 1514 in the extra period. The Tribe (4-8, 0-1 CAA) was first to open scoring in Sunday’s match against the Pride (75, 1-1 CAA), as goals from freshman attacker Sophie Kopec and sophomore midfielder Meredith Hughes put the College up 2-0 not even two minutes into the match. The Pride did not let the Tribe maintain the lead for long, however, and answered with two tallies of its own to tie the match at 2-2 six minutes into the game. After back-and-forth tallies for a few minutes, Hofstra pulled ahead to lead the match 9-4 as the whistle sounded to end the first half. The Tribe was not fazed by the daunting deficit heading into the back half. Kopec, Hughes and Corkum combined to score the first five goals of the second half to tie the game at 9-9 just seven minutes in. The College could not keep the momentum going, however, allowing the next four tallies to go to Hofstra as the Pride took at 13-9 lead. With time running down, the College
attempted to chip away at the Hofstra lead. Goals by Kopec and senior midfielder McKinley Wade, in addition to a successful free position shot by Corkum, cut Hofstra’s lead to 13-12. The Pride managed to grab one more back, however, padding its lead to two with a score of 14-12 with nine minutes remaining in the game. With the game on the line, the College controlled the last few minutes of the match. It dominated the Pride 7-2 in shots in the waning minutes of the second half, connecting for two clutch goals from Kopec and Corkum to tie the match at 14-14. Despite three shots after the tying goal, the Tribe could not take the lead in the final seconds of the game, and the two CAA teams went into overtime tied at 14. It took just under two minutes of overtime to determine the game. The first shot to be taken in the extra period was the Hofstra goal. With that, the win went to the away team, marking the Tribe’s first conference loss of the season and its fourth loss in a row. Despite leading Hofstra in shots 33-29, the Tribe got fewer balls on net (21-24). Kopec led the Tribe with her five-goal performance, with Hughes coming in just behind with four. Sophomore goaltender Elsa Rall led the Tribe’s goaltending contingent with five saves and just two goals against during her 20 minutes in net. Senior goaltender Claire Duchene recorded her first loss of the year, making her 2-1 on the season. With the loss, the Tribe falls to 4-8 on the season. The team will continue to fight for its first conference victory of the season in its next home matchup Friday against CAA opponent James Madison.
Just like the women did two weeks ago, the William and Mary men claimed a runner-up finish at the conference championship this weekend. With a team total score of 399.85, the men took second place at the Eastern College Athletic Conference championship Saturday. The Tribe trailed Navy (405.55) but beat out Army (389.3), Springfield (384.7) and IllinoisChicago (377.25). Although the College was unable to repeat as ECAC champions, it put up top marks in several events, and several gymnasts earned allconference honors. On floor, the Tribe put up the top team score of 66.95 points. Freshman Cutter Fugett earned first place for the College on that event, putting up a score of 14.2, a career best and the ninth highest score in school history. Senior Juan Palma took second with a season-high score of 14.15. The Tribe also earned the top score on rings, with senior Jeremiah McReynolds (13.75) placing first to lead the College to a team score of 65.15. Another Tribe senior took first place on parallel bars; Griffin Antle put up a score of 13.85 for a season high. When it came to pommel horse, several athletes from the College had strong showings. Junior Jacopo Gliozzi took first place with his season-high score of 13.9. Antle placed fourth with a score of 13.65 and Fugett took fifth with a career-high score of 13.5. The Tribe’s 70.3 on vault was a season-high team total, as was the team score of 66.25 on high
bar. Junior David Allen took fourth place on high bar, posting a 13.9. In the all-around, junior Jack Hasenkopf finished with a score of 75.55, placing fifth. In addition to the all-conference honors earned throughout the meet, several members of the Tribe were honored by the ECAC. Antle was named Senior Gymnast of the Year, junior David Watkins was named Most Improved Gymnast of the Year and assistant coach Bo Morris was named Assistant Coach of the Year. The men’s gymnastics National Collegiate Athletic Association championships will be held in Chicago, Illinois, April 20-21. Tuesday, April 10, the teams and individuals advancing to the championships will be announced. Meanwhile, the women’s team sent representatives to the NCAA Raleigh Regional Saturday. Freshman Katie Waldman and sophomore Taylor White both competed in the all-around at the regional competition. Sophomore Caroline Caponi also attended the meet as an alternate for the all-around. Waldman took 14th with her all-around score of 38.900. Her best performance was on beam, where her score of 9.750 earned her 24th place. She posted a 9.725 on vault, 9.700 on bars and 9.725 on floor. White placed 17th Saturday, putting up a total score of 38.250. Her best score was on bars (9.675) and she also competed on vault (9.550), beam (9.425) and floor (9.600). Because only the top two all-around competitors from each of the six regions advance to the national competition, this marks the end of the season for the women’s team.
COURTESY PHOTO/ TRIBE ATHLETICS
Sophomore Taylor White competed in the all-around in regionals this past weekend, placing in the top 20 in the region.
sports
Sports Editor Brendan Doyle Sports Editor Julia Stumbaugh flathatsports@gmail.com @FlatHatSports
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, April 10, 2018 | Page 10
Fantastic Freshman
Gymnast Katie Waldman ’21 talks transition to college, terrific season EMILY CHAUMONT // FLAT HAT SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Freshman Katie Waldman came to campus this year with the rest of the class of 2021, moving from her home just outside Omaha, Nebraska, for the first time in her life. Just like other freshmen, she’s gotten herself involved on campus, tried to decide what to major in, found friend groups and made herself familiar with the Earl Gregg Swem Library. But unlike most of her classmates, Waldman has had a standout rookie season with the William and Mary women’s gymnastics team. Waldman found herself in Williamsburg after searching for a college that prided itself on good academics and had a gymnastics program she could join. She said she followed a friend from her club gym back home, junior Regan Sindelar, who is also on the gymnastics team at the College. Like many other freshmen, Waldman said she found the transition from high school to college to be a big one. “High school was a lot easier, so I didn’t study that much, but this year I study all the time,” Waldman said. “Even when I don’t have a test, I’m still studying and getting all the information in.” However, Waldman’s transition hasn’t only involved making the switch from high school study habits to late nights in Swem with friends. The biggest transition of all has been the change from club gymnastics to competing at the collegiate level. Waldman has come to prefer the coaching style of college gymnastics. She explained that back home, multiple levels of gymnasts would train together and sometimes she would be left to practice her skills alone while her coaches focused on helping the younger girls. “It’s really nice to have a whole team of girls all doing the same level skills and all able to help each other,” Waldman said. “Even if my coach isn’t necessarily paying attention to that turn I just did, I’ll always have a teammate that saw it and can help me out.” Waldman has found that this atmosphere is one of her favorite parts about competing for the Tribe. According to her, the team is close and supportive both in practice and in the athletes’ free time, which helps
everyone do better in competition. “Coming in with my freshman class has been really nice because we’re all super close and we hang out all the time,” Waldman said. “In practice we have fun and work hard and that really translates to the meet. We’re relaxed in the meet because we know we can trust our teammates to do their job and they’ll support us when we’re going up.” While she was close with the other girls who trained at her gym back in Nebraska, Waldman expressed that the team element of gymnastics is more significant at the collegiate level. “It’s been a big shift from club to college because here it’s all about the team,” Waldman said. “You don’t really think about yourself while you’re competing, it’s all about what you can do for the team, so that’s been really different.” Waldman is an all-around competitor, meaning she competes on all four events — balance beam, uneven bars, floor exercise and vault. Waldman said her favorite event to train is beam, although her favorite to compete on is bars, which she said is strange, because bars is her least favorite event to train. “When I was younger I was really terrified of bars, it really scared me,” Waldman said. “But when I compete on bars, I just feel calm and like all of a sudden I know I have this routine, which isn’t always the same in practice. In practice I get on the beam and I’m just like, ‘Wow I love this.’” When it comes time to compete, Waldman is thankful for the intense practice schedule and the coaching she receives throughout the week. She overcomes her nerves by relying on the skills she develops in practice and trying not to think about everything going on during the meet. “Honestly, I try not to think too much about my gymnastics and I try to just trust my training,” Waldman said. “Usually I try to focus on everyone else’s routines and how everyone else is doing and just focus on my routines when it’s time for me to be out there.” While Waldman doesn’t have any major meet-day superstitions, she does rely on her pre-meet routine.
“I have a playlist that I make at the beginning of each season that I listen to the entire meet season before every meet,” Waldman said. “Every night before a meet, I write down my goals for the next day and then the day of the meet I always drink a Gatorade.” During gymnastics meets, the participating teams rotate through the different events. Two or more events will be going on at once, but only one team will be on each event at a time. This means that athletes are usually zeroed in on watching their own team, rather than focusing on everything that’s happening around the gym. Unlike in many other sports, in gymnastics it can be easy to overlook the scores during the meet. However, Waldman said she has a hard time ignoring scores if they’re posted. “I do like to look at scores,” Waldman said. “I’m a big score watcher. But I also remind myself that it’s not always about the score and it’s more about doing our best as a team together. If they have the scores up, I definitely look at them and see where we are, but I try not to think about it too much while I’m actually doing gymnastics.” To distract herself from staring at the scores and from her upcoming events, Waldman focuses on supporting her teammates. Once a gymnast finishes an event, she salutes the judges and then runs into the arms of her teammates who are always standing by to congratulate her with hugs and high fives. Waldman earned many congratulations this season, taking individual titles on various events at many meets throughout the year. She won the allaround title at the Eastern College Athletic Conference championships in March, posting the third-best allaround score in school history. She also competed in the all-around at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Raleigh Regional this past weekend. Her accomplishments would not have been possible without the support of her parents. According to Waldman, her mom and dad put her in gymnastics when she was young to give her an outlet for her energy,
and when she wanted to continue with the sport, they supported her and helped her find a way. “When I was little I was crazy,” Waldman said. “I bounced around and flipped on the couch and stuff, so my parents put me in classes. From there I just loved it.” Despite her busy schedule, Waldman has still found time to commit to activities besides gymnastics. She wants to major in a science and likely follow a premed track. In terms of her offseason, Waldman said it’s important to stay in shape and keep her endurance up, but not to push herself too hard. In gymnastics, there is a fine line between pushing yourself and injuring yourself. “I’m really hoping I can stay healthy and just do my best to not overdo things and trust my training,” Waldman said. Waldman said that even though she accomplished a lot this year, she’s confident she can top her freshman season. She plans on focusing on small details throughout her training so that she can perform her routines even more flawlessly next season. “This season was amazing, and I know I couldn’t have asked for anything more, but I still know that I can do better,” Waldman said. “I know that my legs aren’t always completely straight and things like that. I think this summer I’m going to focus a lot on form because most of my skills are there. I don’t think I’m going to upgrade much, so I’m going to focus a lot on the form and the technique of things.” More than anything, Waldman is thankful for her teammates and the support she has found in them. Although she is living far from home, she has found a second home in the Tribe. “They’ve helped me so much,” Waldman said. “Not even just with gymnastics but with school and everything. They’ve helped me with my classes, studying, picking out new classes and I love having them there to support me throughout whatever I’m doing.”
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