The
Cavalier Daily online | print | mobile
Monday, November 10, 2014
Vol. 125, Issue 22
Where will you be in four years?
University students enter job market in various capacities, Commerce students show highest levels of full-time post-grad employment
HIGHEST SALARIES Highest Salaries BY MAJORby Major Computer Engineering $81,950 Computer Science $80,000
123 + 45
Information Technology $72,563 Biomedical Engineering $70,000 Consulting $67,052 Finance $66,725
THE COLLEGE 1. Education (14%) 2. Consulting Services (10%) 3. Computer Science and Information Technology (7%) 4. Financial Services (5%) 5. Non-Profit, Advocacy, Civic Organizations (5%)
ENGINEERING SCHOOL
COMMERCE SCHOOL
1. Consulting Services (22%) 2. Computer Hardware/Software Design or Development (15%) 3. Engineering Services (10%) 4. Other (10%) 5. IT/Services (8%)
1. Investment Banking (27.7%) 2. Consulting (not with accounting firms) (17.9%) 3. Public Accounting (14.5%) 4. Diversified Financial Services (12.8%) 5. Advertising/Marketing Services/Public Relations (6.8%)
Electrical Engineering $65,000 Systems Engineering $65,000 Chemical Engineering $64,992 Aerospace Engineering $64,000 Mechanical Engineering $60,500 Engineering Science $60,000 Marketing/Sales $56,347 Accounting $55,339
Top Employers by School
Civil Engineering $55,000
* Commerce not based on major but ra * Commerce School data is not based School on majordata but israther ** Engineering School Function� data is based on Average repor “Business havereported data for majors vs. salaries ** Engineering School *** dataCollege is baseddid on not Average salary not Median reported salary *** College did not have data for majors vs. salaries
POST-GRAD PROFILE Pursuing Other Plans 13%
Accepted Full-Time Employment 87%
Seeking Full-Time Employement 14%
Seeking Employment 4%
Accepted Full-Time Employment 40%
Seeking Admission to Graduate/Professional School 6%
The McIntire School of Commerce
*All data obtained from the First Destination Report from the College, Engineering School, and Commerce School.
The College of Arts and Sciences
Not in Job Market 2%
Graduate School Attendance 15%
Accepted Part-Time Employment 3%
Seeking Employment 2% Attending/Seeking to Attend Graduate/Professional School 7%
Other* 22%
The Engineering School
Employment 59%
Accepted Graduate/ Professional School 23%
*not reported or pursuing other plans Grahpics by Anne Owen and Morgan Hale| The Cavalier Daily
A look at the Charlottesville job market PAGE 2
The consulting phenomenon PAGE 5
How to write a cover letter PAGE 14
How to write a resume PAGE 14
Career Peer Advisors complement UCS counselors PAGE 16
N news
The Cavalier Daily
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A look at the Charlottesville job market Unemployment rate rebounds after 2008 recession, greater metropolitan area picks up 12.7 percent job growth since 2003 Carson Creasy and Diana Yen Senior Writers
As fourth-years and graduate students around the University scramble to secure jobs, a large number of Charlottesville residents are doing the same. As of September, Charlottesville’s unemployment rate is 4.7 percent, as compared to Virginia’s 5.2 percent and the national 5.9 percent. Charlottesville has just more than 1,000 unemployed citizens, as compared to more than 20,000 working. Job levels are higher in Charlottesville than they were before the 2008 recession. “The unemployment rate peaked during the recession, but remained considerably low compared to localities of similar size and demographics throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Hollie Lee, the chief of workforce development strategies in the local Office of Economic Development. Lee said unemployment rates are now very stable. According to the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, the greater-Charlottesville area has expanded to hold 114,911 total jobs, a 12.7 percent increase from 2003. The private sector has grown at a significantly faster rate than the public, adding 9,472 jobs, as compared to the
public sector’s 3,533 jobs. The top employers in the metropolitan area are the University Medical Center, Albemarle County, Martha Jefferson Hospital, the City of Charlottesville and State Farm. The growth in the private sector can be majorly attributed to the growth in the leisure and hospitality industries within Charlottesville. The industries have grown 29.8 percent, compared to professional and business services, which have grown 35.5 percent; natural resources and mining, 30.9 percent; and educational and health service, 36.9 percent. The University is the largest source of Charlottesville public job growth. In the past 10 years, the University has added a net 7,923 jobs. The Charlottesville government, on the other hand, added 1,189. Overall, the University has contributed to a 25.6 percent increase in total jobs, while Charlottesville has contributed to a 3.4 percent increase. But budget cuts did bring the University's net employment down 2.5 percent from 2012 to 2013. Though the Medical Center is expanding employment, other areas in the University, such as the Academic Division, have felt the impact of fiscal cuts. Many Charlottesville institutions work to help the unemployed and combat high
unemployment rates. A report presented to City Council by the Internal Strategic Action Team on Workforce Development in 2013 highlighted some of the barriers to finding paid work in the city. “The report focuses on helping City residents gain self-sufficiency through employment by providing access to training and addressing residents’ barriers to employment,” Lee said. The report highlighted barriers such as limited job creation, literacy, workplace readiness, transportation, child care, criminal history and housing. The Downtown Job Center is Charlottesville’s main resource for employment services. The center, open on weekdays, aids residents in job searches and resume writing, as well as in employer recruitment strategies. The center is a program of Charlottesville’s Office of Economic Development, which, according to its website, serves as a “catalyst for public and private initiatives that create employment opportunities and a vibrant and sustainable economy.” The OED aims to enhance Charlottesville’s economy and quality of life. It acts as a facilitator between the business community and city, as well as state agencies, private and public sectors and academia. Several non-profits in the area
are working to tackle the problem as well. The Greater Charlottesville Area Development Corporation, a local 501(c) organization, works with the Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce to reduce unemployment in the area. Ridge Schuyler heads the Charlottesville Works Initiative, part of the corporation, which identifies attainable jobs for the unemployed in the community. A triage tool developed through the University's Education School allows the organization to match potential employees with a suitable job. “[The matching tool] uses structured conversation to try and figure out for people where they are and what they need to be a quality employee,” Schuyler said. Job-seekers are then connected with the resources needed to make employment possible, including childcare providers, transportation and skills training, and are presented to potential employers after they have completed the job-assigning process. CWI works closely with various employers who give them information about what jobs they have available and what skills they require. The corporation also reaches out to the unemployed through peer networks which distribute information about potential job opportunities.
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NEWS
Monday, November 10, 2014
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University celebrates 25th anniversary of Berlin Wall Symposium concludes with outdoor evening presentation, Sullivan compares wall destruction to Jeffersonian ideals Eric Barbour Staff Writer
The University held a celebration Sunday in honor of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The event was held outside Alderman Library, next to two pieces of the Berlin
Wall loaned to the University by Robert and Mei Li Hefner. The celebration was part of a week-long symposium featuring roundtable discussions, plays, documentary films, an essay competition and other events commemorating the destruction of the wall. The portion on display at the University was
Marshall Bronfin | The Cavalier Daily
“The Berlin Wall was torn down by those acting on part of freedom and human rights, therefore it’s very appropriate a portion of it is now at Thomas Jefferson’s university,” Sullivan (above) said.
painted by German graffiti artist Dennis Kaun. “It has been an honor to examine the political, social, historical and cultural impact that the Berlin Wall has and still has on the world,” said Jody Kielbasa, vice provost for the arts. The wall has brought together a number of departments at the University, including the the Drama department, the Germanic Studies department and the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Preservation of the Freedom of Speech. “This symposium has provided further evidence of the arts ability to add vibrancy and color to our lives,” Kielbasa said. “We are proud here that the arts serve as one of our strongest bridges to our community and the Commonwealth of Virginia.” University President Teresa Sullivan also addressed the audience. “The Berlin wall was torn
down by those acting on part of freedom and human rights, therefore it’s very appropriate a portion of it is now at Thomas Jefferson’s University, who created a new republic based on those very principles,” Sullivan said. Sullivan said the wall has served as a means of classroom instruction as well as personal inspiration. She expressed gratitude to the Hefners and their foundation for working to promote education and cross-cultural awareness. Robert Hefner, who called the wall “a great monument to personal freedom,” explained the historical ramifications of its destruction. “The fall of the wall unleashed a tsunami of events around the world that we still feel today,” he said. “It diffusion of nuclear standoff in the Cold War, collapsed the Warsaw Pact, brought forth a new a new Rus-
sia, freed Eastern Europe and opened the door to a more unified government.” Third-year College student Tara Hotaling said the event was an important reminder of the historical impact the wall had and how things have changed. “I’m really glad they did this — it was during a time before any of us were born and back then they thought the wall would be up forever,” she said. “It is really important to drive home how much things have changed in these 25 years.” Hefner ended the celebration by reminding the audience on the important connection between artistic expression and individual liberty. “Let us not forget these pieces of the wall are a reminder that our rights of freedom and liberty must always be protected by our will, that they may be inalienable,” Hefner said.
Charlottesville general registrar resigns after embezzlement scandal Board of Elections accepts resignation from Sheri Iachatta after allegations of city-funded credit card abuse, improperly charging cell phone bills Tim Ford Senior Writer
The Charlottesville Electoral Board accepted the resignation of General Registrar Sheri Iachetta last Thursday. Iachetta was accused of embezzling and misappropriating at least $7,195.86 of taxpayer money. Iachetta allegedly spent city money to pay cell-phone bills for several private lines. Iachetta is also accused of abusing her cityfunded credit card while attending educational conferences in various cities. Both Iachetta and the Electoral Board received intense criticism in wake of these events. On Oct. 29, several prominent Charlottesville citizens — including former mayors Tom Vandever and Nancy O’Brien — wrote a letter to the Board, criticizing it for failing to be proactive and uphold city laws. “We have lost all confidence in your individual and collective judgment,” they wrote, and explicitly requested the resignation of each Board member. The letter suggested the Board had known there was a possibility of embezzlement as early as August, but neglected to take action until much more recently. However, Electoral Board Member Joan Schatzman said there were several other city officials who may have known
about the embezzlement before the Board did, and that the Board does not deserve total blame for the events that have unfolded. The Electoral Board held a closed meeting this past Thursday to discuss the issue, and released a handwritten statement after the meeting. “As an Electoral Board, our ultimate allegiance and responsibility is to the voters of the City of Charlottesville, to ensure that they realize their fundamental right to an open, fair, and honest election,” the statement said. The Board did not seek to pin blame on Iachetta, and maintained this was an unfortunate mistake made by aan otherwise respectable woman who excelled at her job. Iachetta was thanked for her years of commendable public service, and commended for her, “accumulated expertise in election law and procedures, and her willingness to endure the pressures of the past few months.” The statement also said that, “Iachetta and the entire staff played an important part in seeing that our city’s election was conducted properly and as planned.” Separately, Schatzman said the Board “acted with justice and mercy for a person who did perform very well for 15 years,” and emphasized that now the Board is “looking forward.” She said that the situation, though controver-
sial, did not reduce the integrity of recent Charlottesville elections. “It has not affected the efficient running of the election,” Schatzman said. “We got all the booths up and running, everyone got to vote who wanted to vote, and all the votes were counted accurately.” Fellow Electoral Board member Jim Nix also said last Tuesday’s election was handled well. “The just completed election was locally conducted with the same high standards for precision, efficiency and transparency that Charlottesville voters have learned to expect from the staff of the registrar's office and the election officials working at the polls,” he said. “We have a long history of near flawless elections in Charlottesville and the voters have every reason to expect that that standard will be maintained.” To that end, a series of steps are being taken to reform certain aspects of the election process and find a replacement for Iachetta. “The problems with the registrar that have come to light in the past three months have revealed shortcomings in communication and coordination between the Charlottesville City Government and the Electoral Board with regard to the management of the Registrar's Office,” Nix said. “In addition to working together to recruit a replacement registrar
Marshall Bronfin| The Cavalier Daily
The Charlottesville government (City Hall seen above) faced criticism in October for its handling of embezzlement allegations made against the city’s general registrar.
with office management skills and experience, as well as expertise in election law and procedures, we will work to establish a clear lines of communication and control between the city and the board to ensure that problems of this sort
do not recur.” The Electoral Board hopes to find an appropriate replacement in time for the primary elections next June. Iachetta’s resignation will be effective December 31.
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NEWS
The Cavalier Daily
Warner officially wins Virginia Senate seat After holding off for several days, Republican challenger Ed Gillespie concedes race to Democratic incumbent Maddy Weingast Associate Editor
Marshall Bronfin | The Cavalier Daily
Sen. Mark Warner (above) officially won re-election last Friday when challenger Ed Gillespie conceded.
Republican Senate candidate Ed Gillespie conceded the Virginia Senate race Friday to incumbent Democratic Senator Mark Warner at a press conference in Washington, D.C. According to the Virginia Board of Elections, Gillespie unofficially finished about 16,000 votes behind Warner in the closest Senate race in the country. The final statewide canvass of votes should finish early this week, and results will be certified by Nov. 24. “The canvassing process usu-
ally finds more votes, sometimes a fair number in one site where some sort of error or miscount may have occurred,” Center for Politics spokesperson Geoffrey Skelley said. Much pre-election polling forecasted Gillespie as trailing by at least 10 percentage points. However, as precinct results trickled in on election night, Gillespie led most of the evening and ended the night trailing by less than a percentage point. “Polling has many problems, there's little question about that,” Skelley said. “Pollsters around the country had some large misses, Virginia among them. There are many chal-
lenges to the field, whether it's low response rates, contacting cell phone users, or using effective likely voter screens. Plenty of methodological inquiries will have to be made going forward.” With his concession, Gillespie officially ended the race. “It would be wrong to put my fellow Virginians through a recount, when in my head and in my heart I know that changing the outcome is not possible,” Gillespie said. Gillespie went on to express hope for a greater working relationship between the traditional Liberty movement and Tea Party Republicans. He applauded the spread of support for his cam-
paign throughout the commonwealth, specifically through targeting non-traditional groups at ethnic festivals and homeless centers. In response to Gillespie’s concession, Warner released a statement commending Gillespie on a hard fought campaign and wishing him and his family well. “Representing Virginia has been the honor of my life, and I am gratified that the people of the commonwealth have rehired me for a new term,” Warner said in the release. “I will spend every day working to get the Senate back in the business of solving problems and not simply scoring political points.”
Students seek ways to engage with Board of Visitors U.Va. Students United call for public comment period during meetings, student Board member Meg Gould says she regularly notifies body of concerns Katie Grimesey Senior Writer
As the University Board of Visitors prepares to hold its second meeting of the semester later this week, students on Grounds are pushing for a more effective method of highlighting student concerns directly to Board members. Student group U.Va. Students United has expressed discontent over communication between students and the Board. In October, they published an open letter to the Board in The Cavalier Daily, calling for a public comment period during Board meetings. “Student engagement in issues directly affecting them is essential to the tradition of student self-governance, a founding tenet of the University,” the letter read. “We are among many students who fully intend to utilize this platform to give input on critical issues, including student debt and the diversity of the student body.” Fourth-year College student Meg Gould, the student member of the Board, is in part responsible for bringing student concerns to the Board. She held “office hours” at Open Grounds on the Corner Friday and circulated an informal questionnaire to give University students an opportunity to discuss their concerns with the Board and the University in general. Gould said there are several avenues through which students
can raise issues with the Board, though she emphasized there is a difference between administrative concerns and concerns that should be directed to the Board. “There’s the actual student report at every Board meeting,” Gould said. “And then there are also channels like calling them or emailing. I try to send the Board an email every week with a lot of things going on around Grounds and different issues that certain groups are promoting [and] making more aware.” Gould said her role is not only to listen to students’ concerns, but also to facilitate interactions between Board members and University students. “For the public comment issue specifically, I held a flash seminar last week with the Rector,” Gould said. “That was a time for more of this direct interaction with a member of the Board, so any student could bring up an idea, and so [public comment] was brought up, and he answered directly to them.” Fourth-year College student Greg Lewis, a member of U.Va. Students United, said U.Va. Students United received responses on the issue of public comment from Gould and Helen Dragas, former Rector of the Board of Visitors. Lewis said Gould and Dragas both independently support the idea of a public comment period. “We’re part of a university community that really prides itself on ideals of democracy and self governance,” Lewis said.
Marshall Bronfin | The Cavalier Daily
The University Board of Visitors (above) will meet later this week. Several students have requested more access to the body to relay concerns.
“There’s no formal avenue for constituents at the University to really provide input and share ideas with the Board.” Lewis said U.Va. Students United has made many efforts to communicate with the University community about the Board. “We started a petition that’s been circulating to get feedback from students,” Lewis said. “We’ve been reaching out to other parts of the community to really get support and get people on board with this. The public comment period is something that a lot of students express
support for.” Gould said providing a channel for a students to directly address a Board member is often the most productive way to address an issue. Despite how busy Board members are, she said, they make a strong effort to stay connected to University issues. “They’ve been quick in many instances with responding to me,” Gould said. “Every time I’ve brought up meeting with other students, they’re very quick to say that they want to, and they’re also initiating that themselves.” Lewis said the addition of the
public comment period is a critical first step in addressing other concerns. “We have exploding student debt, increases in tuition every year, declining communities of color at the University, low wages for workers,” Lewis said. “The University’s future is a really critical and time-sensitive issue that we are addressing and want to provide input to the Board for, and so I think the first step to do that is to have a formal avenue of communication, and that would be the public comment period.”
Associate News Editor
In 2013, 10 percent of College undergraduates went into Consulting Services — the second most popular industry for students according to the University Career Services First Destinations Report, a report based on survey data of undergraduate plans upon graduation. David Lapinski, UCS director of employer relations, described consulting as a “catch-all” for University undergraduates, attracting students from all schools and areas of study. Part of its broad appeal is its broad definition, he said. Consulting firms solve problems for their clients, a widerange of organizations and companies, suggesting solutions and ways to make their processes more efficient. New consultants, hired out of college, work in teams on short-term projects for several months to a year. Underneath the umbrella of consulting exist many different forms, from federal and commercial consulting to more “boutique shops,” such as education consulting, Lapinski said. “Consulting is a very open term — … any thing you can think of where there is a problem that needs to be fixed, then there is an area of consulting around it,” he said. The 2013 University data is consistent with the reporting of other university career centers. According to the Harvard Crimson, the between 8 and 11 percent of Harvard University graduates enter the consulting field following graduation.
Early Recruiting
Similarly, 11 percent of 2013 Georgetown University graduates entered consulting firms — making it the second most popular route for post-graduate employment — according to a Georgetown University Survey. Consulting companies start recruiting early in the fall semester, often through the Career Services Center. Firms have what Lapinski called a “planned hiring model.” “They have the money and the resources, the time to come to Grounds and actively recruit
University students,” Lapinski said. The model comes out of necessity, Lapinski said. Consulting firms advertise their associate consultant positions as low-commitment, and often expect young associates to transition, whether to another industry or to graduate school, after about two to four years. Bain, one of the “Big Three” consulting firms, next to Boston Consulting Group and McKinsey & Company, calls itself as “a career accelerator.” “The experience, exposure and learnings you will gain in a short amount of time will prove invaluable — just two or three years at Bain will open doors that others could not even fathom,” the website reads. But a constant cycling of new employees requires constant recruiting. “These firms know they are going to hire people for two, three, four years and then those people are going to move on, … so they have to constantly backfill,” Lapinski said. By coming to Grounds so
person as well.” Several students said finding job security early during fourth year is important. “You hit a little bit of a panic [in fourth-year fall], and when [these] great options present themselves and make themselves
They have the money and the resources, the time to come to Grounds and actively recruit University students,” Lapinski said.
Fourth-year Commerce student Kylie Philbin, who has accepted an offer with the Boston Consulting Group as an associate consultant in management consulting, said her new job will help her “build a tool kit” she can use in the long term. “Down the road, there is the possibility of me taking what I’ve learned and ... making a real impact at a non-profit,” Philbin said. McDermott, who has accepted an offer in Deloitte’s Federal Strategy and Operations unit for next year, shares a similar goal. “Ultimately I’d love to either work in international development or the non-profit," she said. "[Consulting] is a gateway to develop skills that might end up being really helpful in the non-profit sector.” Kevin Pujanauski, a 2012 College graduate, worked in management consulting at McKinsey & Company as a business analyst before transitioning to the social venture Jail Education Solutions as vice president of business de-
early in the year, consulting companies present an enticing option for fourth-year students worried about employment, said Global Studies Program Director Richard Handler, a former associate dean of Undergraduate Programs for the College. “For fourth-year students, it’s a hard time for them, and they don’t know what to do," he said. "The fact that you have corporate recruiters early in the year offering them a well paying job, that’s seductive." Lapinski said he understands the pressure students feel to obtain secure employment. “A lot of students will just take the [job] that’s in front of them, and I can’t blame them,” Lapinski said. “I’m a risk-averse
“Down the road there is the possibility of me taking what I’ve learned and... making a real impact at a non-profit,” Philbin said.
very attractive, it’s hard to say no to something like that,” fourthyear Batten student Paige McDermott said. Consulting firms are seen as a stepping stone into a myriad of career paths, and, in addition to job security, offer training, exposure and a network to many different industries. “We spend about $10,000 annually per consultant on training and coaching,” reads a Boston Consulting Group brochure.
Long-term Plans
velopment. Pujanauski said transitioning from consulting to the social sector is “a viable path.” “[Working in consulting] is an advantage," he said "It helps separate you from a lot of people interested [in] SCR [Social Corporate Responsibility].”
Costs & Benefits of Consulting
Starting salaries for associate consultants also offer a large incentive, Career Peer Educator Chair Molly Cudahy said. “[Right out of college] it pays more than a lot of other full-time positions,” Cudahy said. Starting salaries are not commonly in the public domain, but according to self-reported data on Glass Door, starting salaries for well-known consulting firms range from $70,000 to $90,000. Consulting firms market a simulating, dynamic work environment to students. Batten Graduate student Kurt Lockhart, who has an offer for federal consulting from Deloitte, said he was attracted to consulting for the “dynamic” setting, which “allows smart people to interact with other smart people.” “You are not doing the same thing every day,” Lockhart said. Philbin echoed similar sentiments. “I was looking for a job that was going to challenge me,” she said. Charley Adams, a 2012 College graduate who works as strategy and operations consultant at
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Kaelyn Quinn
Second-most common industry of employment for graduating students holds high turnover, often heterogenous experience
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focus
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Consulting: stop-gap or smart solution?
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Monday, November 10, 2014
“You are not really making a decision,” McDermott said. “You are just continuing to learn in a different environment.”
Deloitte, described his job as “a really good place to start my career.” Adams cautioned against tales of the industry’s grandeur. “It’s not always the dream job it’s made it out to be,” he said. Consultants are usually strictly confined to an advisory role. Pujanauski said a reason he transitioned out of consulting was to have more control. “I was itching to be more in
drivers’ seat, and less advising someone else,” Pujanauski said. Anahi Einhorn, a 2012 Commerce graduate, who works in educational consulting at Accenture, recommended interested students speak with those currently employed in consulting, in addition to recruiters, to see the full picture. “Talk to people who are in the industry so you can really understand what it’s like day to day, not just what the company presents when they are recruiting,” Einhorn said.
No Clear Path
For Pujanauski, consulting’s open-endedness is the job’s main drawback. Consulting offers a safe option, but little inspiration. “[Consulting firms] give people a clear thing to latch onto and then they can kick the can down the road on what they really want to do with their lives,” Pujanauski said. “They are putting the decision off rather than reflecting on what they actually want.” Pemberton Heath, a 2012 College graduate who taught at the St. Andrew's School in Delaware, said consulting is not the only path graduates can take if they are searching for freedom, flexibility and security. “There are a lot of ways outside of consulting to spend two, three, five years productively learning about how you want to structure your career,” Heath said in an email. Heath said consulting offers “highly useful and standardized skill set.” But she questioned whether consulting was the only way to receive post-graduate training. “Taking other paths doesn't necessarily come with the same well-branded skill set, but that does not mean you won't be getting worthwhile experience and training,” she said. Consulting firms may nevertheless present a tempting offer to students who remain uncertain about their career paths. “You are not really making a decision," McDermott said. "You are just continuing to learn in a different environment.” Lockhart said flexibility was a driving factor that made consulting appealing. “It’s … a job that doesn’t silo you into one specific career for the rest of your life,” he said.
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sports
The Cavalier Daily
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Miscues doom Cavs against No. 2 Noles
The Virginia football team dropped its fourth game in a row Saturday with a 34-20 loss to No. 2 Florida State in Tallahassee. The Cavaliers now must win their final two games if they hope to reach bowl eligibility. Things looked bright for Virginia (4-6, 2-4 ACC) early on, as the defense intercepted Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston twice in the opening quarter. Solid play from sophomore quarterback Greyson Lambert allowed the Cavaliers to convert those turnovers into a 13-7 lead. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Seminoles (9-0, 6-0 ACC) forced multiple turnovers of their own. Lambert was intercepted and had a backwards pass scooped up by a defender
on Virginia’s next two possessions, and Florida State scored on the first play of each ensuing drive. This gave the defending national champions a 28-13 leading heading into halftime. Neither side was able to muster much offense in the second half. The Cavaliers scored their final touchdown of the game with eight minutes to play in the third quarter to bring the game within a single possession. The Seminoles responded with a pair of field goals, and their defense dug in to prevent Virginia from getting any closer. The Cavaliers now have a bye week before welcoming Miami (6-3, 3-2 ACC) to Charlottesville Nov. 22nd. Kickoff for that game has not yet been determined. —compiled by Ryan Taylor
Ryan O’Connor | The Cavalier Daily
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irginia’s 34-20 loss to Flor- true. The general public has long ida State Saturday night in been a source of positive reform. Tallahassee will not shake the But simply shoring up perceived earth. The Cavaliers deficiencies won’t remained in conput Virginia in positention against the tion to really comFootball Bowl Subpete with teams like division’s No. 2 team Florida State. To do into the back end of that, the Cavaliers the fourth quarter — must take a lengthy making enough plays step forward. to prevent a blowWhat I’m inout, but not enough terested in is some take the night by its outside-the-box throat. The SemiHow can MATTHEW MORRIS thinking. noles came out on top Virginia become a Sports Senior Associate for the 26th time in much better football 26 games. It’s as simteam while retaining ple as that. Mike London? But is it? A fact that seems to get lost Yes. Florida State is at its core in the shuffle is that the man has a better football team than Vir- won games before. London won ginia. the FCS championship at RichFans and media at present mond in his first season as a colassail Virginia football from legiate head coach. I’m inclined all sides. Every week the story to think he’s not the critical elis different, but the same. The ement holding Virginia back viewing public expertly iden- from excellence. tifies the Cavaliers’ problems, For all the criticism showered citing convincing statistics and on the current Virginia staff, a the undeniable results of the eye thorny fact remains: the Cavatest. Virginia’s play-calling is too liers last won the ACC Champredictable, its secondary too pionship in 1995. What’s more, porous, its quarterbacking situ- they’ve captured the conference ation too volatile. title just twice in 60 years as a Maybe all of those things are member of the ACC. With the
Outclassed exception of select years in the George Welsh era, Virginia has never been a conference power on the level of today’s Seminoles. Florida State has an extra gear that Virginia lacks. This game might have been close, but come decision time, Jameis & Co. repelled another mildly bothersome fly on the wall. Virginia joins Louisville, Notre Dame, Clemson and Oklahoma State on the list of teams to tussle with the Seminoles and walk away the loser by two touchdowns or less. Some powerhouses dominate the way they should, dictating from the opening whistle, while others struggle to pull away from their competition. Florida State strikes me as the latter. That doesn’t mean the teams the Seminoles somewhat narrowly beat are really on their level. When Virginia seized an early 13-7 lead Saturday night, Florida State responded with a vengeance, reeling off 21 unanswered points in 11 minutes. Though the Cavaliers pulled within eight on Greyson Lambert’s 23-yard strike to Canaan Severin, the Seminoles shut out the visitors from Charlottesville the rest of the way. That they managed to raise
their game is not surprising. Florida State has a prohibitively athletic roster and is led by a Heisman-winner at quarterback. How such a talented team falls behind in the first place boggles my mind. But to date, the Seminoles have always come out on top. Watching Rashad Greene terrorize the Virginia secondary and Mario Edwards, Jr. menace the Cavalier backfield, it becomes apparent that few players and teams in college football
today can claim such polished skill. Right down to the kicker, Roberto Aguayo, Florida State is scary good. It’s telling that Famous Jameis threw two picks and still came out looking more mature than Lambert on a night when Virginia’s quarterback passed for a career-high three touchdowns. Virginia fans will bemoan the Cavaliers’ questionable play-
see MORRIS, page 83 In coach Mike London’s fifth season, Virginia still noticeably lags behind teams like Florida State in on-field performance.
Marshall Bronfin | The Cavalier Daily
SPORTS
Monday, November 10, 2014
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Junior Julia Elbaba defeated three top-20 opponents on her way to her first major collegiate singles title.
Marshall Bronfin | The Cavalier Daily
Courtesy Virginia Athletics
Elbaba wins ITA championship, Shane reaches semis Three Virginia men’s tennis players and five Cavalier women capped their fall seasons during the weekend at the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York. Junior Julia Elbaba led the Cavaliers with her first major collegiate singles championship, while junior Ryan Shane paced the men with a semifinals appearance. The sixth-seeded Elbaba, who made the finals of the fall tour-
nament during her freshman season, defeated Cal sophomore Maegan Manasse, 6-2, 7-5, to secure the title Sunday. Elbaba posted three top-20 wins on her way to the finals, including a 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 victory against North Carolina’s top-ranked sophomore Jamie Loeb. Juniors Danielle Collins — the reigning NCAA singles champion — and Stephanie Nauta also competed in singles for the Cavaliers. Both were eliminated in the quarterfinals, as Manasse bested
Nauta in straight sets and Collins lost a rematch of the 2014 NCAA singles final, losing in three sets to Cal junior Lynn Chi. Junior transfer Skylar Morton and freshman Cassie Mercer teamed up for the doubles portion of the tournament, falling in the opening round of 32 before winning two consolation matches. Shane and sophomore ThaiSon Kwiatkowski represented Virginia in men’s singles, while Shane also paired with sophomore Luca Corinteli in the
doubles draw. On his way to the semifinals Shane downed a host of top competition, including Louisville’s top-seeded senior Sebastian Stiefelmeyer in straight sets, 7-6(5), 7-1(5), in the round of 16. Shane eventually fell to Vanderbilt senior Gonzales Austin, 7-5, 3-3 (default). After dropping the first set, Shane suffered a nosebleed that could not be stopped in the allotted injury time, forcing him to forfeit the match.
Kwiatkowski won his first two singles matches before falling in the quarterfinals in straight sets. Shane and Corinteli were defeated in doubles in straight sets during the second round, after receiving a first round bye. The pair won their first consolation match, before being ousted in straight sets in the consolation semifinals. Both teams have now concluded their fall seasons and will return to competition in Jan. 2015. —compiled by Zack Bartee
No. 4 Women’s soccer falls in ACC Championship, 1-0 As fate would have it, the No. 4 Virginia women’s soccer team met Florida State Sunday in the ACC Tournament final in a topfive matchup between the last two tournament champions. Florida State is the only team to have knocked off Virginia thus far — winning 1-0 Sept. 28 in Tallahassee — and the second-ranked Seminoles proved to be too much for the highpowered Cavaliers once again, beating them 1-0. Though the Cavaliers came in with the second best scoring offense in the nation — tallying 3.42 goals per game — they managed just two shots on goal against a stout Florida State defense that was defending a 1-0 lead from the 17th minute on, following junior midfielder Carson Pickett’s eventual game-deciding header. The Cavaliers very well could have been the ones defending an early lead, however, as junior forward Brittany Ratcliffe
saw her sixth-minute breakaway chance turned away by redshirt freshman goalie Cassie Miller. The remainder of the game was a defensive battle. Both goalies excelled, holding the top two offenses in the ACC scoreless the rest of the way. Virginia sophomore goalkeeper Morgan Stearns — who had not truly been tested to this point — notched a career-high seven saves, highlighted by a diving save in the game’s final minutes to preserve the tight one-goal deficit. The loss marks just the fourth time Virginia has fallen in 54 games, with two defeats at the hands of the Seminoles. As the ACC tournament reaches its conclusion, Virginia will eagerly await the NCAA Tournament selection show Monday, as the 64-team competition kicks off at campus sites this weekend. —compiled by Jacob Hochberger
Hannah Mussi| The Cavalier Daily
Sophomore goalkeeper Morgan Stearns saved a career-best seven shots against No. 2 Florida State, but the Seminoles downed the Cavaliers, 1-0.
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SPORTS
The Cavalier Daily
Wake Forest eliminates top-seeded Virginia in ACC semifinals The top-seeded Virginia field hockey team concluded their season Friday, falling 2-1 to No. 4 seed Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament semifinals in Durham, North Carolina. The No. 11 Demon Deacons (146, 3-3 ACC) went on to defeat No. 6 Syracuse in the championship game to secure their first conference title since 2006. Despite a strong season, Virginia’s resume was not quite good enough to earn an at-large selection to the NCAA tournament, given the amount of mid-major schools with automatic births. They were the only school in the conference to miss the tournament. The Cavaliers finished the season on a four-game losing streak.After earning the top seed in the tournament with the conference’s best record, Virginia was awarded a first round bye. Wake Forest defeated No. 8 Louisville Thursday afternoon,
2-1. In Friday’s game, Wake Forest struck first with a goal from junior midfielder Jess Newak, while eventual Tournament MVP Anna Kozniuk, a senior midfielder, contributed with the assist. The Demon Deacons took the 1-0 lead into the half. Early in the second half, sophomore forward Caleigh Foust tied the game on an unassisted goal. The game would remain locked up at 1-1 for more than 20 minutes. Kozniuk broke the tie with seven minutes on a penalty corner, and the Cavaliers could not find an answer. Senior goalkeeper Jenny Johnstone played the entire game, tallying four saves. Wake Forest junior goalkeeper Valerie Dahman tallied only one save, as the Cavaliers mustered just two shots all game. Johnstone and Foust were named to the All-Tournament team for their performances. —compiled by Matt Comey
Sarah MacAdam| The Cavalier Daily
Sophomore forward Caleigh Foust scored the Cavaliers’ only goal Friday against Wake Forest, tying the game at 1-1.
No. 1 seed Notre Dame smothers Cavaliers in ACC quarterfinals Men’s soccer ACC Tournament run ends in quarterfinals A season ago, a come-frombehind victory against Notre Dame in the ACC Tournament sparked the Virginia men’s soccer team’s NCAA run. This year, however, Notre Dame prevented the Cavaliers from entering the playoffs on a similar note. Eighth-seeded Virginia (10-62, 3-3-2 ACC) dropped its ACC quarterfinal match, 3-0, Sunday against No. 1 seed Notre Dame (11-4-3, 6-1-1 ACC) in the Cavaliers’ first multi-goal defeat of the season. The contest also marked the most goals the usually stout Virginia defense has surrendered in 2014. The Cavaliers outshot the Fighting Irish, 15-9, and held a 7-5 edge in corner kicks. But with the heavy winds at their back throughout the first 45 minutes, Notre Dame was able to pounce
on the struggling Cavaliers early. The Fighting Irish netted goals in the 28th minute off a low cross to the center of the box and again the 35th minute off a corner kick. Notre Dame junior midfielder Patrick Hodan capped the game with his ninth goal of the season in the 59th minute. Virginia senior goalkeeper Calle Brown was credited with just one save, while Fighting Irish senior goalkeeper Patrick Wall recorded eight saves — including six in the second half — to notch his sixth shutout of the season. While the Cavaliers are still in play for a NCAA Tournament first-round bye, the loss makes it more likely Virginia will host a first round match Nov. 20. The 48-team bracket will be announced Monday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m. —compiled by Robert Elder
Marshall Bronfin | The Cavalier Daily
Senior goalkeeper Calle Brown saved just one shot Sunday against Notre Dame. The Irish took nine shots, four of which were on goal.
MORRIS Comparing Virginia football to Florida State Continued from page 6 call on fourth and seven at the Florida State 12 with time running low in the fourth quarter — a screen to wide receiver Dar-
ius Jennings that went nowhere fast. They will lament Ian Frye’s missed extra point, Lambert’s interception at his own three-yard line and the decimated offensive line’s inability to hold back the Seminole rush. But for every complaint about where Virginia
came up short, it remains true that even on an off-day, Florida State plays a better brand of football than the Cavaliers. There are only a handful of teams in the country that can claim to be real competition for Florida State, and most of them
reside in the SEC. So Virginia should not feel ashamed for remaining outside the elite. Then again, if being on the outside truly eats at London’s group, they might have hope of improving yet. Maybe the questions every-
one is asking point in the wrong direction. Maybe, instead of focusing on Virginia’s faults, we need to do some comparative work. And so I submit this question: How can Virginia be more like Florida State?
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Monday, November 10, 2014
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LEAD EDITORIAL
Caught on camera
opinion
Research must strike a balance between respecting student privacy and gathering unbiased data
Comment of the day “As a UVa alumni, I completely agree that Hannah needs a memorial. However, the painting of Beta Bridge was not a memorial to her to begin with. Beta Bridge is a public space for all UVA students to use. Students take turns painting it with various messages that convey what they want to advertise to the rest of the UVA community. With that understood, it was not a personal affront to Hannah to have the bridge repainted. Rather she needs her own separate memorial at UVA and I’m sure one will be made for her as it should!” “Mary”, responding to Kelly Kaler’s Nov. 6 article, “Friends request Second Year Council paint over Hannah Graham Beta Bridge message.”
Harvard University has recently come under fire for a study conducted by researchers at the university’s Initiative for Learning and Teaching, in which students were photographed in lecture halls to record attendance. Researchers gave no notification of their activity to either the students or the professors before the study. Peter K. Bol, who oversees the Initiative for Learning and Teaching, said a federally mandated board that reviews research at Harvard concluded before it was executed that the study did not constitute humansubjects research. After the data on how many empty seats there were in lectures was collected, the photographs were destroyed, and the professors whose classes were monitored consented to the data being used for research. An undergraduate Harvard student quoted in the Harvard Crimson said the study indicated that the university is “being secretive” and “withholding information from students and
professors that could potentially be used against them.” The controversy raises a difficult question of research ethics. Because the researchers were not gathering information on individual subject behavior, they could carry on with their experiment without informing the subjects, as allowed by Harvard’s Institutional Review Board. But some students and professors have indicated they felt uncomfortable with what the researchers did. This feeling of discomfort could be influenced by the recent revelation that Harvard officials clandestinely searched several deans’ email accounts. When students already have reason to distrust the administration, sensitivity about privacy issues is heightened. But the criticisms of the researchers in this case neglect to account for the fact that studies often require some amount of deception in order to collect reliable data. If students had been notified that class attendance would be recorded, such knowl-
edge may have influenced their behavior, and the researchers would not have gotten a baseline idea of lecture attendance under normal circumstances. The idea that the attendance data could “be used against” students misses the purpose of the study, as the researchers destroyed the photographs and did not give them to the professors. There is a distinction between collecting data which is kept as anonymous as possible for scientific research and invading people’s personal emails. This distinction might be blurred by concern about other administrative actions, which were blatantly unethical. The criticisms also assert that university officials must respect students’ privacy, even in lecture halls. Some professors video record lectures for their own purposes, or for the university’s purposes, such as the “Justice” lecture series at Harvard. But this recording would presumably not qualify as “surveillance,” even though it docu-
ments far more information than photographs and is likely not destroyed later. The difference between “surveillance” and harmless recording, then, is probably knowledge of the camera. But as previously mentioned, such knowledge could have compromised the integrity of the data. An alternative procedure for this particular experiment which would not have taken photographs might have been to solicit research assistants to go to the lectures and count the number of empty seats and the number of attendees. But this approach comes with a heightened risk of human error in data collection. All research must strike a balance between preserving subject well-being and collecting reliable data. Perhaps in the future, the university could establish an additional research review board to evaluate cases which do not qualify as human-subjects research, but still involve students to ensure the proper balance is always reached.
A story of success
The Cavalier Daily used a variety of resources to offer comprehensive coverage of the Hannah Graham case Public Editor
It is sometimes difficult for me to know when it is appropriate to comment on the Cavalier Daily’s coverage of stories. My charge is to be the readers’ voice and my efforts are to point out things, both good and bad, that can help improve the paper overall. I am, within that, free to write about whatever topics I choose. When something like Hannah Graham’s disappearance occurs, though, it can feel like it’s insensitive to delve into the specifics of news reporting or opinion pieces while so much is happening. The Cavalier Daily is, as I have often written, a newspaper run and written by college students. The University is not that large and the reality is that at least a few of the students working on The Cavalier Daily likely knew Hannah. The proximity and familiarity that the students who work on The Cavalier Daily have, though, is just what makes the reporting in the paper so valuable in a case like this. It is also what makes it important to pause and reflect on that reporting. At the request of
Hannah’s friends, the Second Year Council painted over Beta Bridge this past week for the first time since “Bring Hannah Home” was painted the week after Hannah’s disappearance on September 13. I’d encourage you to go online and see the excellent photography that accompanied the article. Having the bridge painted felt to me like an important symbolic gesture for the University that brings with it some time for reflection, including on what I think was an impressive showing by the Cavalier Daily staff. Much of the best of what they do was on display through the course of covering this story. From time-stamped updates in articles early on that kept people informed about the initial information as it came out to the timeline of the investigation published on September 23rd, we saw some of the best uses of technology and the digital-first push we’ve seen all year as readers. The time stamped updates, particularly, were valuable at a time when readers were seeking only the latest news, and information was coming from all kinds of sources as the story quickly gained national attention. There was also
video of a camera drone that Albe- her voice carried through and marle County Police used as part helped make it easier to follow the of the search process, a captivating many developments. That was a photo gallery of the candlelight terrific decision by the editors. vigil held for Hannah and an arAs good as the coverage was, resting photograph of the memo- there were places where there were rial constructed at the Whispering and are limitations. The search feaWall. ture for The Cavalier Daily website Beyond the use of technology, Kelly Kaler did a great job spearheading the reporting on the story. The whole news staff did good The proximity and familiarity that the students who work. What I work on the Cavalier Daily have, though, is just what found particumakes the reporting in the paper so valuable in a larly notable is case like [Hannah Graham’s disappearance]. that the writers did not rely on only a couple of sources in their stories but covered all aspects continues to confound. Trying of the case as it developed. Kaler to find all of the articles and stoherself reported on Charlottesville ries about Hannah proved almost City and Albemarle County Police impossible, and I ended up using activity, courthouse developments Google to locate them and then after Jesse Matthew was taken into clicking the link on the author’s custody and Virginia State Police name to see all other articles that testing of forensic evidence. Be- person had written. The timeline cause The Cavalier Daily was able on the 23rd of September was exto have a lead writer for the story, cellent but then wasn’t updated
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Christopher Broom
again. A few of the articles had links to prior articles about the investigation but most did not. If a reader was checking in every day it was possible to follow the good reporting, but if that reader wanted to go back and catch up, refresh their memory or just reread everything, it became increasingly difficult to do so as time went on. For major stories, perhaps a page to collect everything in one place would help. Ultimately, I don’t think those limitations detract much from the value of The Cavalier Daily in this case. The writers gave us a combination of good reporting, good writing and perspective that was not available anywhere else. The balance of being dispassionate enough to report on the story while not denying the emotional effects on everyone involved is a hard one to strike, but I think the staff did it here.
Christopher Broom is The Cavalier Daily’s public editor. He can be reached at publiceditor@ cavalierdaily.com or on Twitter at @cdpubliceditor.
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OPINION
The Cavalier Daily
Hold your horses Republican victories in 2014 don’t guarantee future electoral success celebrating now (“Most politicians dream of being president,” McConnell’s former chief of staff told Politicontested Senate races around the co, “but McConnell dreams of being country, the GOP commajority leader”), but mands a healthy majorhis tenure as Senate Maity in the U.S. Senate jority Leader, assuming (their exact lead will he is elected, could end not be known until in two short years if Rethe Louisiana runoff publicans fail to hold on December 6th). The their 2010 gains. This is GOP also picked up not to mention the acseveral surprise govcelerating demographic ernorships, including changes to this country traditional Democratic that favor Democrats. strongholds Illinois and Of course this asJOHN CONNOLLY Maryland. sumes that McConnell Opinion Columnist But Republicans will be majority leader might want to put away in the first place. This the champagne for a while longer. is not given. Noted Republican fireTonight was an important step for- brand Ted Cruz, the junior Senator ward, but several ominous trends from Texas, refused to pledge his loom on the near horizon. support of McConnell’s Majority The first is the fact that the Sen- Leader candidacy in a Washington ate looks to be next to impossible for Post interview from earlier this Republicans to hold. The cohort of week. This, of course, is emblematic Senators up for re-election in 2016 of the civil war that continues to jar includes many Republicans from the Republican Party. Provocateurs traditionally blue states who were like Cruz, smart as they may be, swept to victory in the conserva- tend to scare off the moderate vottive furor of 2010. In particular, ers that often swing elections. As for Ron Johnson (R-WI), Mark Kirk moderate Republicans, their ability (R-IL), and Pat Toomey (R-PA) to mobilize the Tea Party base leaves look disturbingly like sitting ducks. something to be desired. Absent And so Mitch McConnell might be candidates who can unite the two
wings of the party, Republicans look Democrats won the media battle to be stuck at the national level until in 2012; pouncing on Mitt Romney the conflict is resolved. more than a half-year before the Republicans are also stuck at the November 2012 Presidential elecnational level for another reason: tion, Obama’s spin team tied RomHillary Rodham Clinton. In a recent ney both to plutocratic big spenders poll by ABC News and the Wash- (as if donors like Tom Steyer did not ington Post, Hillary led her next exist on the left) and uncompromisclosest Democrat opponent (the ing Tea Partiers. Both charges stuck. back-slapping, blustering Vice Pres- This time around, firmly in charge ident Joe Biden) by an almost un- of the Senate, Republicans cannot imaginable 51 points. In hypotheti- give Democrats the opportunity to cal matchups with Republican candidates, Hillary wins by 7-21 percentage points every time. The Republicans will fight like dogs to take her down, but her wideThis election was more about President Obama’s spread appeal on frustrating incompetence than about real the national stage is formidable, to enthusiasm for Republican politicians and policies. say the least. Even now, with over two years left until the 2016 elections, make these charges. “Ready for Hillary” bumper stickers They must of course guard seem ubiquitous. As an observer of against allowing President Obama the political scene, I’m in awe. As a to implement his tax-and-spend conservative, I’m getting nervous. agenda, but they also must offer polRepublicans also must be wary icy proposals of their own. Too ofof Democratic attempts to margin- ten, Democrats put forth a proposal alize conservative views, or paint (raising the federal minimum wage, Republicans as obstructionists. for instance), and Republicans op-
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epublicans around the counR try are in the midst of a great celebration. Victors in most of the
pose the proposal (in the case of the federal minimum wage increase, because it would kill jobs), but fail to articulate a policy alternative. For instance, Republicans might choose to offer an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (demonstrably more effective at targeting the poor for assistance) in response to a Democratic overture to raise the minimum wage. Too often, Republicans are seen as the party of “no.” This narrative must change. All of this is not to take away from Republican victories this week. But conservatives should strike a note of caution. It is possible (I would argue it is likely, though I am reluctant to admit it) this election was more about President Obama’s frustrating incompetence than about real enthusiasm for Republican politicians and policies. Thus, it is all the more imperative that Republicans capitalize on their newfound control of the United States Senate. More than that, Republicans must address their internal issues. The clock is ticking — 2016 is just two years away.
John’s columns run bi-weekly Thursdays. He can be reached at j.connolly@cavalierdaily.com.
Climate crisis
The upcoming change in Congressional leadership could gravely impact environmental causes “Climategate” — the release of a report from Inhofe’s office describing leaked emails from climate results of those votes. Tuesday was change scientists as evidence of their certainly a sad day to be “potential illegal behava Democrat. ior” — was only four Party affiliation years ago, and has been aside, many worry that a major selling point for with Republican control Inhofe in his effort to diof the House and Senate minish the significance and a Democratic presiof global warming. As dency, even less will get recently as 2012, Inhofe done. We should worry responded to climate about this — but we change science by refershould especially worry encing the Bible. Inhofe DANI BERNSTEIN about this as it pertains also once compared the Senior Associate Editor to climate change initiaEnvironmental Protectives, which will almost tion Agency (EPA) to certainly be pushed to the gestapo. He has even the back burner come January. written a book, “The Greatest Hoax: It is widely accepted that Sen- How the Global Warming Conspirate committees are pretty much the acy Threatens Your Future,” whose most important gateway to legis- title clearly speaks for itself. lative change, and, unfortunately, So what does having a climate the makeup of these committees is change denier as Chairman of the determined by the party in power. Committee mean? Scientific AmeriNow that Republicans have control can argues this is “probably the end of the Senate, Oklahoma Senator of climate change legislation.” If this James Inhofe stands to take over is the case, we should be very conthe Senate Environment and Pub- cerned for the future of our environlic Works Committee, currently ment. While the current legislature’s chaired by Barbara Boxer. Inhofe is record is not laudable, we are about a climate change denier of the worst to move from a snail’s pace on adbreed. dressing climate change to having
no legislative fixes at all. It is one thing not to place climate To deny climate change is to change legislation high on the list of deny science, as guest writer Thom- priorities, or to disagree about how as Forman argued in a Cavalier to address it (or if it is the governDaily piece last semester. But, re- ment’s role to do so, though there is gardless of one’s personal views on certainly a mandate for government the matter, a majority of Americans action according to the polls above). believe in climate change, making But placing a climate change denier this also an issue of ignoring popu- in such a powerful position leaves lar will. According to a 2013 Pew us no room for debate, no room for Research Center survey, last year 67 compromise — and therefore no percent of Americans believed there room for progress. Jonathan Alter was solid evidence that global warming is occurring. In June 2014, ABC News and the Washington Post reported a poll that demonstrated seven in 10 Americans see global warming as a seriWhile the current legislature’s record is ous problem; that same month a Stanford Univer- not laudable, we are about to move from a sity poll found that nearly snail’s pace on addressing climate change to 90 percent of Americans having no legislative fixes at all. now favor some amount of government action to address climate change. While there at The Daily Beast argues that Inare discrepancies in these polls, the hofe will not simply be a lame duck overall trend is undeniable: a major- Chairman who prevents policy from ity of Americans rightfully acknowl- moving forward, but rather that Inedge that climate change is occur- hofe will actively try to diminish ring. This majority point of view will existing policies regarding climate completely lose representation with change. He writes that Inhofe will Inhofe in charge. “go after Obama and the EPA with
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ast week, we experienced the L joy of voting and, for many of us, complete depression at the
a vengeance,” with a primary goal of preventing regulation on carbon emissions in coal-fired plants. This seems likely, as Inhofe has called for limitations on other EPA regulations in the past. These new policies would be in the immediate aftermath of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s report that soon significant numbers of the world population will not even be able to go outdoors for months out of the year due to how hot temperatures will be. My fellow columnist John Connolly argued cogently last week that Republicans have reason to fear for their political security in 2016. His warnings are highly relevant, and inactivity on climate change will only exacerbate Republicans’ potential unpopularity. If we have any interest in both encouraging diplomacy between the parties and addressing this very real threat to our environment, the Republican Party should strongly consider a different Chairman than Inhofe.
Dani’s columns run Mondays. She can be reached at d.bernstein@ cavalierdaily.com.
OPINION
Monday, November 10, 2014
11
The last to know The City of Charlottesville and the University should have communicated more effectively with students about building a fence around the tracks and 15th street apartment complexes most directly affected still live quite close to Grounds — it is agalong the railroad tracks between gravating because it is inconsistent 14th Street and with their expectations. Rugby Road. Some The many students livsee this reaction as ing in these apartment unjustified, such as complexes (such as the Jim Tolbert, CharlotPointe, the Greenhouse, tesville’s director of the V, and Grandmarc, neighborhood dethe last of which singlevelopment services, handedly houses over who commented: 640 residents) signed “It’s humorous to me leases early last fall with that so many people the intention of enjoyare getting so upset ELAINE HARRINGTON ing a shorter walk to over a safety projclass. The irritating alOpinion Columnist ect.” This perspective ternative they now face represents an inacis due to the lack of curate understanding of the extent communication with students on to which blocking the cut-through the part of Charlottesville and the behind the Corner affects students’ University about the project. News daily lives, both logistically and of the impending construction was psychologically. Unfortunately, this first released in a June 17, 2014 news flawed perspective led to insuffi- article and a notice beside the tracks cient communication on the part of directing people to visit the city of the City of Charlottesville and the Charlottesville’s website for more University about the project, further information. For a project that was irritating and insulting the students commissioned in 2010, this is unacwhom it affects. ceptable. Many students will now face a I believe student dismay about longer commute to class, earlier the project was not only because wake-up times and more restricted crossing the tracks is the logical travel in their daily lives. While their choice, but also because crossing new reality may seem not that prob- the tracks had become emotionally lematic — the students in the 14th desirable. In an NBC29 news video
about the construction, a Corner the University had shown students parking lot attendant mocked the respect through open communicaway that students treat the route as tion about the fencing project, it “a rite of passage.” Yet student emo- would have felt less offensive. tional ties to the route are underIn an email interview, Tolbert standable due to existence bias. In said such communication would this context, the longstanding use be unnecessary: “Since the fence is of the route causes students to view only stopping an illegal activity we it as preferable and “the way things also did not see a need to do further ought to be.” Longevity also causes publicity.” I believe this justificapeople to consider places aestheti- tion is inadequate. Though illegal, cally pleasing, as any student enjoy- crossing the train tracks became ing the crush of the gravel on the widely accepted practice. Charlotsteep slope of the tracks can understand. Furthermore, students who frequently use the path experience mere exposure effect: in which repeat If Charlottesville or the University had shown exposure causes them to like the students respect through open communication about route. Therefore, the fencing project, it would have felt less offensive. the legal route — walking down 14th Street to University Avenue tesville has been well-aware of this and then up along the Corner retail phenomenon as well: a 2008 arstretch — seems inferior both in the ticle about recent ticketing sprees minutes wasted and in these less claimed that students remain “rediscernable, psychological ways. lentless” in crossing the tracks. InThe emotional tie explains why the stalling the fence is an extremely unanticipated fence construction relevant matter for the students who feels like a personal violation to reside off-Grounds, and Charlottesmany students. If Charlottesville or ville communication about the mat-
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niversity students are anU noyed and angered by the construction of a seven-foot fence
ter would have demonstrated that the city respects its student residents as members of its community. Tolbert suggested that the University could have initiated communication, claiming, “We assumed that the University would communicate with the students if that was necessary.” I consider this a valid assumption. University leaders regularly email students about matters that may affect their lives, such as University accreditation, a potential Ebola case and safety tips for the Foxfields Races. As a partner in the fence construction, the University should have anticipated student interest in the project. While this would require that the University acknowledge many of its students illegally trespass daily, the University could have discussed the issue in the same framework that it uses to discuss underage alcohol consumption: although it does not condone the behavior, it will acknowledge the behavior’s prevalence so as to foster discussion on how to keep its students safe.
Elaine’s columns run bi-weekly Fridays. She can be reached at e.harrington@cavalierdaily.com.
Another kind of diversity CIOs should offer more leadership positions to younger students ating new outreach initiatives such as “StudCo Comes to You” in order to tackle issues of student detachin which he asserted that reform is ment from their governing body. necessary to address The same proposals systemic problems asdressed in different sociated with the Hongarb are put forth each or system. Whisnant year to engage students, points to ill-defined yet the problem of Stuoutreach efforts as redent Council aloofness curring calls for change persist. that have failed to rePart of this problem pair the Community can be attributed to a of Trust. Each year, the yearly loss of instituHonor Committee tional memory, the colwrestles with staggerset of facts and NAZAR ALJASSAR lective ingly low reporting experiences held by a Opinion Columnist rates and inconsistent group of people. As stuverdicts. And each year, dents enter their fourth the Committee reaffirms its com- years and assume the major leadmitment to outreach as a means of ership positions on Grounds, they increasing student buy-in. have one year to effectuate change This inertia is not unique to the as student leaders. Student leaders Honor system. Per an older Cavalier are therefore limited in their abiliDaily article, the 2008-09 Student ties to formulate long-range projects Council highlighted increased out- and reforms. Because of graduation, reach efforts as its primary focus. there is massive turnover in student That fall, Student Council estab- leadership. Such is the nature of stulished Speak Up U.Va., a web-based dent groups at universities. platform for students to pitch ideas Our organizations are often led to Council members. Since then, the by entirely new groups of people website has fallen out of relevance, each year, and the result is that we and Student Council finds itself cre- end up with the same short-lived
student initiatives year after year. this year’s group of chairs and ExecStudent organizations should aim utive Committee members. “I think to create executive positions ex- it’s the youngest StudCo has ever clusively for first- and second-year been in terms of who the Chairs are students in order to allow for the and who is on [the Executive Comdevelopment and execution of lon- mittee],” said Representative Body ger-term projects. While experience Chair Abraham Axler in August. is useful for student leaders, younger student leaders are valuable in that they are around longer and can look further into the future of their organizations. The University Just as racial diversity is critical to creating an Judiciary Committee (UJC) does an excel- environment of varied perspectives, age diversity lent job of providing is needed in student leadership positions to younger members maintain institutional memory. with opportunities for leadership. The First-Year Judiciary Committee, a “[We have] the opportunity to build subcommittee of UJC, allows first- a lot of programs and new initiatives year students to gain institutional and sustain that growth by retainknowledge and leadership experi- ing some institutional memory, so ence early in college. Thus, first-year that’s really exciting.” A second-year students can have an active role in College student and the youngest developing a vision for the organi- member of the Executive Commitzation over their next few years as tee, Axler will be able to continue members. his service with Student Council for Student Council should also be two more years. applauded for its age diversity in This year’s Honor Committee
“
n October, my fellow columI nist Gray Whisnant penned a column titled “Reform is required”
includes third-year College student Martese Johnson, the lone thirdyear Committee member. Because Johnson will remain at the University for another year, he will be able to continue developing his vision to integrate minority students into the system. Additionally, Johnson will be able to work with next year’s Committee and pass along his institutional knowledge acquired through his service as a third-year on the Committee. Age diversity is something we neglect when we speak of diversity at the University. But just as racial diversity is critical to creating an environment of varied perspectives, age diversity is needed in student leadership positions to maintain institutional memory. By encouraging the election of and creation of leadership positions for younger students, we can build more longrange solutions to problems at the University.
Nazar’s columns run Fridays. He can be reached at n.aljassar@cavalierdaily.com.
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The Cavalier Daily
THE ADVENTURES OF THE AMAZING <THE> A-MAN
BY EMILIO ESTEBAN
graphics MOSTLY HARMLESS BY PETER SIMONSEN
MORE AWKWARD THAN SOME BY CHANCE LEE
SOLE SURVIVOR BY MICHAEL GILBERTSON
ANNOUNCEMENTS IS ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE a Women’s Issue? Come hear Kate Fraleigh, Alzheimer’’s Association, on Wednesday, November 12 at 7 in Downtown Library. Sponsor: Charlottesville National Organization for Women. 434.293.5622
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Monday, November 10, 2014
H&S health & science
Emily Dinning Associate Editor
Born without thumbs, twoyear-old Connor Woodle now has full function of his hands and 10 working fingers after two operations performed by Dr. Bobby Chhabra, co-founder of the University of Virginia Hand Center. “It’s very stressful when your child is born and you’re looking and literally counting fingers and toes and they don’t add up," Connor's father Jason Woodle said. "Then it sets in and you have to plan for the future.” Connor’s operation, digit pollicization, involves substituting a functioning finger for a malfunctioning or missing thumb and recreating the tendons and muscles to create a functional thumb. Following the operation, occupational therapy in the recovery process allows the brain to fully adapt to the physiological and neurological changes. “It’s a very uncommon procedure — fortunately most kids are not born with this particular genetic disorder," Chhabra said. "I perform one to two of these procedures a year at U.Va. ... It’s a complicated operation that re-
Dr. Michael Williams, previously served as the chief medical information officer at the Medical Center of Central Georgia. He is the first person to fill the role at the University.
Connor Woodle gets new thumbs
University surgeon gives toddler born without thumbs appendages, Woodle family celebrates successful operation quires attention to detail, but it’s very gratifying and gave Connor the ability to do things he otherwise would not be able to do.” Chhabra said the innovative surgery comes with many risks, including compromised blood supply, scar sensitivity, infection and stunting of the new thumb’s growth. The Woodles were referred to Dr. Chhabra — a University employee for 12 years — two weeks after Connor’s birth. After medical school and residency in the University Health System, Chhabra completed a fellowship training in hand and upper extremity, microvascular and congenital hand surgery at the Hand Center of San Antonio and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. “I was fascinated with how patient-centric the San Antonio Hand Center was and how efficient it was in providing care, so, in 2010 I helped found the University of Virginia Hand Center as a one-stop-shop for patients to help provide the highest level of care and expertise,” Chhabra said. With a successful track record and more than 2,000 surgeries performed a year, the clinic is one of the busiest in the health system. “I like that a lot of what we do is to treat injuries and problems with the goal of making people more functional and allowing
them to return to activities that they enjoy doing,” Chhabra said. “I love the variety of the problems I treat and the anatomy and complexity of the hand and upper extremity. I’m privileged to perform surgeries like Connor’s.” Connor’s first operation was performed when he was just more than one year old, and his subsequent operation was seven months later. Pollicization is time sensitive, because a child must be old enough to undergo anesthesia without any complications but young enough that the brain has not completely adapted to a lack of a thumb. Before the surgery, Connor had begun to adapt and was trying to awkwardly grasp objects between his index and middle finger. "[Connor] was born in April, and the surgery wasn’t until [July], so we had to try to get him into gloves before that winter,” Woodle said. “Most kids wore mittens anyways at his age, so that was lucky for us." Connor has made a full recovery and will continue therapy to fully adapt to using his new thumbs. “We want to communicate to the parents of children that have physical abnormalities, congenital or not, that there are solutions available and there is hope,” Woodle said.
Courtesy Jason Woodle
Two-year-old Connor Woodle was born without thumbs, but his surgery and physical therapy should ensure full mobility for the rest of his life.
UHS names Williams CMIO
New position will act as liaison between information technology, patient care personnel Prathibha Chintagunta Staff Writer
Courtesy UVA
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The University Health System recently appointed Dr. Michael Williams as its first chief medical information officer (CMIO), a position geared toward bridging the health system's information technology and clinical personnel. In his new role, Williams, a Harvard Medical School graduate, will assess how effective the University is in using information technology to identify and close any gaps. “One of the main areas Dr.
Williams will focus on is how to take advantage of all the clinical applications available to our clinicians to help them enhance patient care,” Health System spokesperson Eric Swensen said. Williams will work as a practicing pediatrician, attending to patients one day a week, while serving as a liaison between IT providers and doctors the rest of the week. Rick Skinner, the Health System's chief information and technology officer, collaborated with Chief Medical Officer Dr. Chris A. Ghaemmaghami to create the position. Skinner said Williams was
the most qualified candidate for the position, due to his previous experience as a chief medical information officer at the Medical Center of Central Georgia. The medical field is increasingly dependent on technological and information-heavy advancements, Skinner said. “[The future holds] more and more use of data to design and measure new care processes, treatments, [and] new ways of doing things," he said. With today’s digitalized patient records, he said, it is easy to analyze data and use past experience and data to improve care.
L life
Jane Winthrop Feature Writer
Since its start in 1976, the University Internship Programs has provided students with the opportunity to combine the professional sphere with classroom learning. Directed by Prof. Karen Farber, UIP aims to match students' interests with a real-life work experience at the University, in the Charlottesville community or outside of the city through UIP’s “To-Go” summer internships. “There’s definitely a learning curve at the beginning of the intern-
The Cavalier Daily
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A four-credit taste of the real world University Internship Programs brings professional experience back to the classroom
ship,” said fourth-year College student Earl Park, a Sorensen Institute intern. “Once you get over this curve, after being immersed in the program, it feels great to tackle projects on your own.” To help ease students through the transition, UIP requires enrolled students to take an academic seminar along with their internship. Students take a four-credit psychology or sociology seminar to critique workplace experiences and discuss improvements. “[The seminar] is manageable because the professor and the rest of the class know the internship is a time commitment, so the course load isn’t too heavy,” said University and UIP alumna Kyla Aragar, one of the program's student services coordina-
tors. “It’s just enough to spark critical thinking on your experience.” Interns said the programs offers them the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally. “I’ve learned a lot of concrete skills that will be good for future interviews, because I can speak on these skills,” said fourth-year College student Emily Dell, a UIP intern. Internships through UIP, Farber said, offer students more guidance than a traditional professional setting, and the program aims to provide students with valuable skills they can take with them after graduation. “The biggest transition between college and the workplace is learning to be a producer, not a consumer,” said University and UIP alumna Stephanie Faires, also a UIP student
services coordinator. “You don’t realize how much work goes into an event until you’re on the producer side of it.” Though the program focuses on University students, UIP has a close relationship with the Charlottesville community, and the program evaluates internship site supervisors as well as potential interns. “We get a lot of positive help and feedback from our internship sites in the community because they’re interested in developing students and giving back,” Aragar said. Farber said an internship through UIP does not guarantee employment, but the positive relationships forged through an internship often lead to job offers. “Based on my experience, I would
Courtesy UIP
The University Internship Programs allows students to gain internship experience and earn academic credit.
hope to expand UIP to reach more University students,” Aragar said. “It’s a good tool that we need to take advantage of, especially for those who may be unsure of what they want to do after they graduate.” Marshall Bronfin | The Cavalier Daily
Resume writing tips
UCS provides workshops to help students compose strong resumes Allison Turner
we are all different,” Nichols said.
Feature Writer
2. Emphasize your name
Resume writing workshops are one of the many resources available through University Career Services. Career Peer Educator Imani Nichols, a second-year in the College, offers quick tips and information about resumes, cover letters and how UCS can help in the job hunt. “Employers are only looking at your resume for about 30 seconds,” Nichols said. “You want a crisp resume with no spelling errors, and you definitely don’t want to lie on a resume. You want to leave a good impression.” There is no single, unfalteringly correct way to structure a resume, UCS members say, though they do offer resume writing service with several tips on how to make a resume stand out.
UCS workshops advise students to display their names prominently on resumes, allowing a potential employer to find your name at first glance. “Your name should always be the biggest part of the resume,” Nichols said.
1. Avoid using templates The first order of business when writing a resume is to decide on a format, but Nichols advises against using templates provided by word processing applications. “I discourage people from using templates — we can’t just fit our experiences into a template because
3. Only include information you can talk about in an interview Though resumes are important tools for selling your skill sets, Nichols advised against overstating your abilities. “Your resume is also used as a guide during an interview — many people forget this,” Nichols said. “Only include things you are willing to talk about in an interview. For example, don’t say that you are fluent in Spanish if you aren’t. I had a friend who said that he was fluent in a language and then the interviewer used the language to speak to him in the interview. It didn’t go well.”
4. Focus on relevant experience UCS recommends tailoring your resume's listing of relevant experience based on the job you are ap-
plying for — adding a "teaching experience" section when applying for a job in education, for instance. For each listing, they advise including the organization your worked with, your specific position, the dates you worked, and the geographic location of the organization. UCS also advises students to begin each point with a verb and to make each point as succinct as possible.
5. Be cognizant of “The ‘R’ Effect” UCS provides students with four ‘R’ words to denote some of the most important attributes of a strong resume. All details on a resume should be relevant. Overloading a document with superfluity is ultimately detrimental, as employers typically skim resumes. Events and experiences should also be recent. It is also important to ensure programs and experiences listed are recognizable. Programs that are unique to only your high school, for example, probably won’t hold much weight to an employer who is unfamiliar with them. Finally, experiences should be listed in reverse chronological order.
Dear Employer, Hire me? Writing an effective cover letter can help ensure success in the job-searching process Reade Pickert Senior Writer
As students wade through the sea of job and internship applications, they are increasingly tasked with writing cover letters along with sending in tailored resumes. Carrie Weimar, director for Career Counseling and Advising at University Career Services, emphasized the importance of getting the cover letter right. “If it’s not a strong cover letter, you’re never going to get the interview and never going to get the job,” Weimar said. Though cover letters are not always required by employers, Weimar said applications should always submit one when appropriate because it gives the chance to personalize their applications. Cover letters are broken into three main parts: introduction, body paragraph(s) and conclusion. Weimar said it is important to “have an introduction highlighting things from your background and connecting it to the business descrip-
tion.” The introductory paragraph should specifically address to whom the applicant is writing and include who the applicant is and what position he or she is applying for. Weimar said “the body is the most important part of the letter,” and should include the applicant's experiences which qualify them for the job, including coursework, extracurriculars and other jobs or internships. The conclusion should thank the person to whom the letter is addressed and note availability. Weimar stressed that it’s important to write new cover letters for every position. “Often when students apply for multiple things they think they can use the same cover letter,” she said. She said this leads to common mistakes, such as forgetting to change the name of the company to which the letter is addressed. “[The] first couple ones are the hardest to write,” Weimar said. “They get easier over time.” Weimar said students are welcome to bring their cover letters to UCS for feedback.
LIFE
Monday, November 10, 2014
Year: 2017 School: Engineering Major: Systems U.Va. Involvement: Club Sailing, Virginia Venture Fund Hometown: Cumberland, Rhode Island Ideal Date: Shorter than me by six inches or more, brunette or redhead, not overweight. Lots of freckles are a plus. Ideal Date Personality: Funny, intelligence is necessary, knows how to have a good time. Deal Breakers: [If they] don’t like “Kung Fu Panda 2.” Describe a typical weekend: RAGE, RAGE, RAGE. Hobbies: Raging, homework, making pizza in the Gooch-Dillard kitchen and napping. What makes you a good catch? I have a very full head of hair, I’m pretty easygoing and I’m a good conversationalist. I can be a listening ear if necessary. What is your spirit animal? The red panda, because I’m often told we look alike. What's your favorite pickup line? Your body is 65 percent water and I’m thirsty. Describe yourself in one sentence: I’m a good dude who likes to have a good time with good company.
LOVE CONNECTION:
NATE
PINKY
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NATE Courtesy Nate
Second-year dates find out they are neighbors with matching gnome statues
Alex Stock Love Guru
Nate and Pinky met at Old Cabell and went to Berry Berry on the Corner. Pinky: [I signed up for Love Connection because] at 2 a.m. my suitemates and I thought it’d be a good idea to continue to ignore our homework and do more relevant things with our lives. Nate: My roommate last year did [Love Connection] and he had an interesting date. I wouldn’t say it went well for him, but it was an interesting article afterwards. Pinky: I have not [been on a blind date before]. I didn’t really have any expectations. Nate: I was surprised I was chosen because of some of the stuff my friend put on the survey. Pinky: When I got there, I was like, “It’s the guy I passed on my way here.” There was a moment I was walking right behind him since we both live in Lambeth. Nate: When I first got to Old Cabell, there were 30 girls on the steps because of a service fraternity rush event. I asked two girls if they were there for Love Connection and they said no, but then [Pinky] came up to me and introduced herself. Pinky: [My first impression was that] he looks like a nice guy. Nate: She had to be back for her roommate’s birthday party, so we didn’t
Year: 2017 School: College Major: Global Public Health U.Va. Involvement: Madison House, VISAS, Swing, PHE Hometown: Arlington, Virginia Ideal Date: Tall and well-dressed Ideal Date Personality: Animated Deal Breakers: Clingy-ness Describe a typical weekend: I carpe that diem. Hobbies: Thinking about doing things, interpretive dancing, writing. What makes you a good catch? Engaging, personable, calm. What makes you a less-than-perfect catch? I have strong opinions on certain things and can be noncommittal sometimes. What's your favorite pickup line? Feel my sweater? That’s boyfriend material.
PINKY Courtesy Pinky
have time to go out to dinner. We talked about what to do and decided to go to Berry Berry. Pinky: [The date] was pretty easygoing. It didn’t seem forced or anything for the most part. Nate: I think the conversation went both ways. There were some pauses, but it wasn’t really awkward. We were just thinking of things to talk about. It was a pretty easy conversation. She was pretty easy to talk to. Pinky: We both live in Lambeth and we lived in Gooch-Dillard last year. We found out that we live in the buildings across from each other. My suitemates
and I used to wave at their window all the time. What a coincidence. Nate: We’ve never met her apartmentmates but we can see her apartment and we have matching gnomes looking at each other out the window. Pinky: I couldn’t sense a romantic connection, but Nate seems pretty awesome. I could see myself hanging out with him again. Nate: I wouldn’t say there was much flirting going on — maybe a little bit at times, but I wouldn’t say that much. I could see us maybe hanging out again. She lives right across the way. Pinky: He paid — what a sweetie. We
conveniently walked back together. Nate: I could possibly see us going on another date, but we’d have to hang out more. She’d have to meet some of my friends. I wouldn’t really say there was a romantic connection. Pinky: [I’d rate the date] probably a 6 or 7. Nate: At the end, I asked for her number and got it. I would rate the date a 7. Want to be featured on the Love Connection? Now is the best time to apply! Go to cavalierdaily.com/page/ love-connection-survey to fill out our survey and send it in!
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LIFE
The Cavalier Daily
Got Employment? Career Peer Educators assist students in job searches, provide counterpart to professional counselors at UCS Jessica Crystal Feature Writer
Among a sea of professionals at University Career Services are a swath of younger faces — Career Peer Educators. “Students don’t know about UCS as much as they should,” said third-year College student Kathryn Anderson, CPE administrative chair. “Our goal is to educate our peers and show them what this office has to offer.” Housed in Bryant Hall by Scott Stadium, UCS offers students a variety of resources, such as mock interviews and internship databases. CPEs, meanwhile, train students on how to make the most of these resources and lead workshops for students planning to enter the job market. “We are trained on everything — every resource we have in the career center, we do it,” said CPE outreach chair Carly Taylor, a third-year College student. “We benefit from being a CPE, as well. We’re just like everyone else — we want internships and research opportunities.” As outreach chair, Taylor organizes programs to build relation-
ships between CPEs and the student population. “My goal is to bring UCS and all our career services to every population at the University whether it be first years, minority groups, CIOs in general, or fraternities and sororities,” Taylor said. “I recently met with the Vietnamese Student Association and [Phi Gamma Delta] fraternity to lead resume-writing workshops.” CPEs work in the lobby of the UCS office alongside trained career counselors. “We are the bridge between students and counselors,” Taylor said. “So when a student goes to talk with a counselor, they already have the resources and a CavLink account set up and can talk about what they really want to talk about instead of just asking for … resources.” The 11 CPEs represent diverse interests and majors, ranging from psychology to commerce to Spanish. Third-year College student Trisha Hongcharti was trained as a CPE this semester. “CPEs act as student liaison between student population and greater career services staff, but we are also navigating [our own]
Career Peer Educators, or CPEs, assist students in taking advantage of the career resources the University provides.
Courtesy UVA
career search process,” Hongcharti said. “We use the resources that we advertise, so we believe in what we promote as well.” Two graduate student CPEs add further diversity to the group. “Because [the graduate students] have gone through all of undergrad already, they have more experiences to share,” Hongcharti said. “They can offer [insight as to]
what it’s like to work as a graduate student and apply to graduate schools.” Advice from a peer advisor in addition to that of a trained counselor is a winning combination, Anderson said. “A student giving a workshop to students is more relatable than a counselor presenting it as a lecture,” Anderson said.
Hongcharti attended such a workshop as a first year, which sparked her interest in becoming a CPE. Students must be in at least their second year to apply. “As long as you’re passionate about what we do, you are qualified [to be a CPE],” Hongcharti said. “We serve as a less intimidating source for students to go to.”