The DA 06-17-2015

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THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

“Little good is accomplished without controversy, and no civic evil is ever defeated without publicity.”

da

Wednesday June 17, 2015

Volume 127, Issue 141

www.THEDAONLINE.com

Off-campus locations to accept Mountie Bounty in the fall by caitlin coyne city editor @WVUCaitlincoyne

Starting this upcoming school year, West Virginia University students can begin purchasing food from off-campus eateries with their Mountie Bounty. Student Government Association Governor Julie Merow has been working on this initiative since she ran

for SGA in spring 2014, and just last week she received confirmation that her hard work had paid off. “So many other schools have this and we want WVU to be on the same level,” Merow said. According to Merow, there has been strong support on the business side of this project as well as the student and University side. “We didn’t have to con-

tact the businesses, some businesses in Morgantown had called the Mountain Card Office before to see if it was possible. The demand was there from the business side,” Merow said. Throughout the whole process, Merow has been working with the Mountaineer Card Services to ensure everything is taken care of and the system can start working as soon as possible.

Two months ago Merow sent out packets to local vendors to explain the process to them and tell them how to be involved. While Merow is hopeful Mountie Bounty will start being accepted at businesses like Panera, CVS and McDonald’s come the fall semester, she believes it is too soon to say for certain.

see BOUNTY on page 2

Andrew Spellman/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

In the fall WVU students will have the opportunity to use Mountie Bounty at offcampus stores such as the downtown Panera Bread.

NEW KIDS IN TOWN

Alumni to compete in Race Across America in honor of former WVU student Ryan Diviney by caitlin coyne city editor @WVUCaitlincoyne

Representatives from student services and organizations set up at the Vandalia Lounge for the Information Fair.

Askar Salikhov/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

New Mountaineers visit Morgantown for New Student Orientation by john mark shaver staff writer @dailyathenaeum

If one were to visit the Mountainlair in the late morning last Friday, they would assume it was business as usual: A mostly empty building with a few summer school students petering in and out to grab lunch. By noon, however, the Mountainlair became as crowded and active as ever thanks to West Virginia University’s New Student Orientation program. Each summer, thousands of soon-tobe WVU students are able to visit campus to learn about and take in their future surroundings thanks to the orientation program. “I’ve learned a lot of really cool stuff, like how all the systems work,” said Owen Harris, an undecided freshman student. “I met some really interesting people that I’ll be in a dorm with and everything.” More than 200 students are booked for orientation each weekday in June, learning about housing, advising, scheduling

Askar Salikhov/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

Joseph Arrigo, an upcoming freshman, registers for classes with an adviser.

While orientation is focused mostly and a variety of student organizations. “It’s a really big sports school and that on academics and housing, the experigot me into it,” said Danielle Williams, a ence also gives new students a chance freshman forensic and investigative sci- to get a feel for Morgantown as a whole. “I like the community,” said Ryan Staence student. “I’m looking forward to all of the sports.” Williams had already signed up for the see NSO on PAGE 2 Mountaineer Maniacs.

For most, San Diego in June presents the opportunity for an ideal summer vacation with its golden shores and perennially sunny skies, but for Virginian Frank Fumich ,the county was just the first stop on his 3,000 mile journey back to the eastern United States. Fumich, a West Virginia University alumnus, is a competitor in the 34th annual Race Across America, a harrowing cycling race that began Tuesday in the military city of Oceanside, California and will conclude 12 grueling days later in Annapolis, Maryland. Throughout the 12 days, cyclists will cross just as many states while racing against the clock to make it to the finish line in time. They will cycle over 170,000 vertical feet, equivalent to four ascents of Mount Everest. “Cycling is kind of my Achilles heel of sports,” Fumich said. “My anxiety level is basically a 100 on a scale of one to 10.” In his 17 years as an endurance athlete and adventurer Fumich has never competed in an endurance cycling race, opting instead for endurance running. After the Boston Bombing in 2013, Fumich ran three back-to-back marathons to raise money for the victims, then ran from Arlington to Boston to deliver the $78,000 his efforts produced. Fumich says he expects RAAM to be one of the hardest feats of his life,

but is determined to finish strong, not for himself but for the man he is racing for, Ryan Diviney. “I’m doing this because Ryan can’t,” Fumich wrote on his Facebook page. “Every time I want to quit I’m going to think of that. Every peddle stroke I make is one peddle Ryan isn’t able to do, every rain storm I go through is one Ryan won’t get to experience… and even the pain and discomfort is at least LIVING and he can’t have any of that.” Diviney was a WVU student when five and a half years ago a physical altercation left the then 20-year-old sophomore hospital bound in a vegetative state of consciousness. Since the incident, Diviney’s family has stayed by his side, paying up to $2 million dollars in hospital fees annually, according to Fumich. “There’s a lot of things not covered by insurance,” Fumich said. Fumich named his fundraiser “RAAM for Ryan” and hopes cycling RAAM in Diviney’s name will not only raise money to assist the family with their medical bills, but also keep Diviney’s story relevant and noteworthy to the public. As of Tuesday, Fumich has raised $32,000 in Diviney’s name. “There were so many similarities between Ryan and I at that age,” Fumich said, explaining why he felt so strongly for Diviney’s story. According to Fumich, both him and Diviney

see RACE on PAGE 2

WVU partners with McDowell County to continue CHOICES program by Rachel mcbride staff writer @dailyathenaeum

McDowell CHOICES, a program started by the West Virginia University College of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences just received a one year continuation grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program was originally created with a $204,000 grant from the Highmark Foundation. This grant al-

lowed McDowell CHOICES to create and implement strategies that let students receive the 60 minutes of physical activity recommended daily. The program’s recently received USDA grant will enable McDowell CHOICES to continue its efforts in increasing physical activity in McDowell County. Eloise Elliott, WVU distinguished professor, elaborated on the benefits of the USDA grant.

80° / 68°

FOOD FOR THE SOUL

INSIDE

Downtown eatery serves up southern comfort A&E PAGE 3

SHOWERS

News: 1,2 Opinion: 4 A&E: 3,5 Sports: 7,8, 10 Campus Calendar: 6 Puzzles: 6 Classifieds: 9

“The grant from the USDA that we are currently implementing has a greater focus on getting families involved in physical activity with their children in after school programs,” Elliott said. According to Sean Bulger, CPASS associate professor, McDowell County has a number of health dipartites. It is believed that this program will help alleviate some of the health concerns caused by unhealthy lifestyle choices.

“We took a look at it from a need and an asset standpoint,” Bulger said. “(We want) to create additional opportunities for children and adolescents, for them to be active during and after school.” Elliot believes the program can help build strong partnerships within McDowell County schools and local communities as well as increase the number of healthy lifestyle choices made within school settings.

“We chose McDowell County because of the commitment from the school system, the communities and the Reconnecting McDowell Initiative in making physical activity and health promotion a priority,” Elliott said. According to Elliot, the program took into consideration the voices of the children and the types of physical activities the children would be interested in when creating the program.

THE DA’s HIRING WRITERS

see CHOICES on PAGE 2

MLB DRAFTEES

Inquire about paid positions at The Daily Athenaeum at DA-editor@mail.wvu.edu or pick up an application at our office at 284 Prospect St.

CONTACT US Newsroom 304-293-5092 or DAnewsroom@mail.wvu.edu Advertising 304-293-4141 or DA-Ads@mail.wvu.edu Classifieds 304-293-4141 or DA-Classifieds@mail.wvu.edu Fax 304-293-6857

Some after school activities offered to children through this program include Zumba, archery and the video game Dance Dance Revolution. These activities, in addition to others, are offered to students before, during and after school hours. “We listened to the students’ voices in telling us what they wanted us to do,” Elliott said. “It’s important

RESPECTFUL TOURISM Commentary: Acknowledging and respecting local culture when traveling abroad. OPINION PAGE 4

Two Mountaineers drafted to the Majors SPORTS PAGE 7

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