The DA 10-01-18

INDEX

SOCIAL MEDIA

1. News 2. WV History/Crime 3. News 4. Culture 5. Culture 6. Opinion

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MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018

7. Chill 8. Sports 9. Diversity Week Schedule 10. Sports 11. Classifieds/Interviews

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Blessing Service encourages acceptance during Diversity Week

A LOOK INSIDE

BY RACHEL JOHNSON ASSIATANT CULTURE EDITOR The One Mountaineer Blessing Service, which took place Sunday afternoon, was an opportunity for students of all religions and denominations to come together and celebrate Diversity Week.

The service consisted of singing and music from various groups in the WVU community, as well as blessings from various religious leaders in the community.

The theme of the afternoon was love and acceptance for people of all races, religions, cultures and creed.

The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at WVU’s Vice President Meshea Poore, who gave opening and closing remarks at the service, described where the idea for a blessing service for Diversity Week came from.

“A lot of religions begin any major week with a blessing,” Poore said.

“And that’s what this was. We had different types of religions here today, various denominations just giving their way of blessing this week.”

This event is only the beginning of a week filled with diversity and inclusion centered events.

“We’ve got to remember that

Morgantown Jewish community celebrates Sukkot holiday Weeklong rain did not stop the festivities. page 3 The First Presbyterian Church vocal group sings at the service. there are different backgrounds on this campus,” Poore said. “When we think about our school values, which are respect, service, appreciation, accountability and curiosity, that’s the same thing when it comes to our faith.”

While each religious leader shared blessings and readings from their different faiths, the overall message was clear: love and acceptance for all.

Musical selections were provided

by the First Presbyterian Church vocal group and the Redeemed Christian Church of God Choir. Both groups delivered moving performances, and the Redeemed Christian Church of God Choir’s performance brought some in the audience to tears.

Speakers included: • Rabbi Joe Hample from the Tree of Life Congregation • Kip Curnutt, an Imam from the Islamic Center of Morgantown

• Dr. Shelly Parsons from the Presbyterian Campus Ministry • Father Walt Jagela from St. John’s Catholic Church • Pastor Tony Setley from the Lutheran Campus Ministry • Pastor Matt Johnson from Suncrest United Methodist Church • Pastor Adeniyi Adebisi from the Redeemed Christian Church of God Find more photos of the service on page 10.

Speaking up about autism: different doesn’t need to mean deserted Autism Speaks U raises awareness on campus through community engagement and education

page 6

Diversity Week highlights differences and celebrates togetherness

BY CODY NESPOR CULTURE EDITOR A tradition for more than 30 years at WVU, Diversity Week returns in 2018 with a renewed focus on the sense of belonging in the WVU community and making sure everyone knows that we are all a part of One Mountaineer Family.

The theme, One Mountaineer Family, revolves around the idea that everyone is welcome at WVU and that we, both as a student body and as a community, are working toward a common goal and for the

good of us all.

The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at WVU’s Vice President Meshea Poore explains it as everyone being able to contribute to the WVU community regardless of their background.

“The point is that everyone is welcome here at WVU,” Poore said.

“We want people to feel as though they have an opportunity to share the best of their communities and their cultures with the whole entire campus. I think that will be a way for them to feel like they belong and that they’re welcome.”

Diversity kicked off on Satur-

day with the 2018 Annual WVU International Street Festival and will continue through next Saturday, Oct. 6, following WVU’s homecoming football game against the Kansas University.

With more than 30 events planned throughout the week, Poore is confident that there is something for everyone to enjoy.

“It’s about inclusion. There is something on this roster for everyone to be engaged in if they want to be involved, there really is,” Poore said. “If for some reason people feel like there’s not, we’re always open for suggestions for next year.

Chateau Royale

We get better as we grow.”

Each day during Diversity Week features several events throughout the day as well as a marquee event in the evening. Monday is One Mountaineer Family Feud, Tuesday has the Truth No Fluff student-athlete panel, Wednesday has featured speaker and WVU alum Rodney Williams and his Lessons Learned talk, Thursday is the Speak My Language performance and Friday caps the week off with a Mountaineer Family Reunion on the fifth floor of Evansdale Crossing.

SEE DIVERSITY P. 3

LeBlanc embraces role as only African-American WVU head coach Says he is humbled and blessed to be first African-American head coach in WVU history page 9

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MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018

Forecast for the week:

This Day in WV History...

MONDAY 10/1:

Oct. 1, 1896: Rural Free Delivery began in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. Before this, there was no rural mail delivery, although more than half the country’s citizens lived in rural areas.

Partly cloudy.

High of 77°F, low 62°F.

TUESDAY 10/2: Scattered thunderstorms.

High of 73°F, low of 64°F.

Staff The Daily Athenaeum is the independent student newspaper of West Virginia University

NEWS

Douglas Soule

For more information, visit e-wv: the West Virginia Encyclopedia at www.wvencyclopedia.org.

WEDNESDAY 10/3: Morning showers.

High of 75°F, low of 64°F.

Ali Barrett Managing Editor

Jordyn Johnson Digital Editor

Colin Tracy

A Rural Free Delivery postman on horseback.

Art Director INFORMATION AND PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WEST VIRGINIA HUMANITIES COUNCIL

THURSDAY 10/4:

Editor-in-Chief

Joe Severino News Editor

Cody Nespor Culture Editor

CRIME

Afternoon showers.

High of 78°F, low of 64°F.

Sept. 27 11:00 A.M. | CLEAR Evansdale Drive Traffic stop

Correction: In Thursday’s issue, the DA reported that active campaigning for Homecoming king and queen candidates began on Oct. 1, when it had been changed to Sept. 26.

Follow The DA on Social Media: -Twitter: @DailyAthenaeum -Sports Twitter: @TheDASports -Instagram: @dailyathenaeum -Snapchat: Dailyathenaeum

Sept. 27 11:56 A.M. | CLOSED WVU Short Term 6 Assist EMS/police Sept. 27 7:47 P.M. | CLOSED WVU Art Museum Alarm condition

Rachel Johnson

Sept. 27 8:07 P.M. | CLEAR Fine Art Dr. Vehicle accident

Assistant Culture Editor

John Lowe Sports Editor

Matt Gold Assistant Sports Editor

Sept. 27 9:10 P.M. | UNFOUNDED Bennett Tower Drug incident

Hannah Williams Opinion & Outreach Editor

Temitayo Adesokan Photo Editor

Haleigh Holden Page Designer

Megan Slavich

Sept. 27 10:08 P.M. | CLEAR Evansdale Dr. Traffic stop

Page Designer

ADVERTISING Jacob Gunn

Student Business Manger

Aaron Winderbaum Media Consultant

Mikaeli Robinson Media Consultant

Lilijana Zecevic Media Consultant

PRODUCTION Hannah Williams Ad Foreman

BUSINESS Ryleigh Tennant Anna O’Connor

FIND US ONLINE: Keep following thedaonline.com this week for more stories.

Cover photo by Cody Nespor.

BREAKING NEWS DANEWSROOMMAIL.WVU.EDU • 3042934141 CORRECTIONS DANEWSROOMMAIL.WVU.EDU The Daily Athenaeum strives for accuracy and fairness in the reporting of news. If a report is wrong or misleading a request for a correction or a clarification may be made.

MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018

3

NEWS

Morgantown Jewish community celebrates Sukkot with building Sukkahs

BY GABRIELLA BROWN CORRESPONDENT The week-long rain did not stop the festivities of the Morgantown Jewish community.

Last week, members of the Tree of Life Congregation and the Rohr Chabad Jewish Center in Morgantown celebrated the holiday of Sukkot, which commemorates the time when Israelites wandered the desert after being freed from Egypt.

Sukkot is one of the three pilgrimage holidays, along with Passover and Shavuot.

The holiday includes building booths known as Sukkahs, which are built from a combination of man-made and natural materials.

The Sukkah becomes a temporary home to sleep and live in throughout the week. It is also a common practice to only eat meals inside of it instead of living in it.

Rabbi Zalman Gurevitz of the Rohr Chabad Jewish Center said each wall should be man-made.

“It represents building a life on your own. The roof is made out of natural materials, symbolizing God is still supporting you,” he said. “It creates [a] balance between working hard and knowing God will help you along the way.”

Gurevitz said the Sukkah commemorates the Clouds of Glory that protected the Jewish people while they were wandering the desert.

For Joseph Hample, a rabbi at the Tree of Life Congrega-

“The world’s imperfect order and fragile beauty is a thing to celebrate, precisely because it may not last.

Sukkot is a festival of the temporary.”

-Rabbi Joseph Hample

PHOTO BY GABRIELLA BROWN

Joseph “Rabbi Joe” Hample stands outside his homemade shelter. tion, the holiday’s importance comes from its universal aspect of inviting the community together. Anyone, regardless of religion, is welcome to join for dinner during Sukkot.

“We like to imagine we have security and that we will always have comfort and safety and prosperity and that nothing bad can ever happen to us, but that is unrealistic,” Hample said.

Sukkot is a chance to see what life is like without the comfort and security people hope to consistently have.

“The world’s imperfect or-

Diversity cont. from p. 1 While Diversity Week is a nice celebration of the diversity at WVU, Poore is quick to point out that concerns about diversity do not end when the week is over.

“This is just a start of the conversation,” Poore said. “Diversity is a conversation that should be happening 365 days out of the year, not just for a week. We highlight a lot of different things in this week, but these are things we should be talking about every day.”

Poore acknowledged that these conversations can be difficult to have, but she hopes that Diversity Week shows people that they are not impossible to talk about while still having fun.

“What I also think people will see is that you can have these very necessary conversations but still have fun,” Poore said. “I think a lot of times people get uncomfortable when it comes to race, religion and things of that nature when the

reality is, we all need to be having that conversation.”

Poore is hosting a town hall meeting about diversity on Tuesday and plans to talk about how the WVU family can tackle and overcome these hard issues together.

“One of the things that I always want to talk about is that this conversation can sometimes be heavy. We deal with a lot of different things around our nation that people feel as though they don’t have a voice,” Poore said. “But one thing we have to make sure that we are doing is that we take our place as Mountaineers and that we join together collectively, no matter our backgrounds and we respect each other.”

Continuing coverage of Diversity Week can be found online at thedaonline.com and a full schedule of events can be found at https://diversity. wvu.edu/diversity-initiatives/ diversity-week/2018-diversity-week-schedule.

der and fragile beauty is a thing to celebrate, precisely because it may not last,” Hample said. “Sukkot is a festival of the temporary.”

Another ritual of the holiday includes the four species. A palm branch, a willow branch and a myrtle branch are tied together in one hand, and an etrog, a type of citrus, in the other.

“My favorite part is shaking the Lulav and the lemon,” said Cheryl Alter, a senior social work student. “You pass it around with everyone, and it’s a nice sense of community.”

PHOTO BY GABRIELLA BROWN

Members of the Morgantown Jewish community outside their Sukkah outside the Rohr Chbad Jewish Center on High Street.

The Lulav is waved around, creating a rain-like sound, which represents the coming of a rainy season. This is one of Hample’s favorite parts of the holiday because it stimulates curiosity, especially for those outside of the Jewish community.

For many students, the Rohr Chabad Jewish Center is a place of comfort.

“My favorite part about the Jewish center is that I can call it my second home,” said Aaron Winderbaum, a senior finance student.

PHOTO BY GABRIELLA BROWN

Morgantown Jewish community celebrating Sukkot.

Diversity of thought on WVU’s campus and beyond

BY ALAYNA FULLER STAFF WRITER Diversity of thought is one of the most important continuing needs for a diverse environment at WVU, said David Fryson, senior advisor for diversity community outreach at WVU. “We must be able to have a safe environment to have conversations on a wide range of topics, from politics, religion, sexuality and then to everyday challenges,” Fryson said. “These conversations are crucial to the educational process.”

Fryson said the University setting is one where a myriad of perspectives should have a participatory role. He believes that true diversity will embrace civility in discourse as people discuss difficult issues.

“WVU has made great strides over the past few years in embracing and encouraging all types of diversity.

Nevertheless, there is still much work to do at the University and throughout the state of West Virginia.”

-David Fryson, Senior Advisor for Diversity and Community Outreach “WVU has made great strides over the past few years in embracing and encouraging all types of diversity,” Fryson said. “Nevertheless, there is still much work to do at the University and throughout the state of West Virginia.”

Total students at WVU in 2017- 28,409.

Students in 2017: • White- 22,191

• Black- 1,194 • Hispanic -985 • Asian- 513 • American Indian/Alaskan Native students- 33 • Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students- 18 • 2 or more races- 1,065 • Nonresident alien students- 2,316 • Unknown students- 94 This information was gathered from the West Vir-

ginia University Institutional Research.

While the number of underrepresented groups continue to grow at the University, diversity without inclusion is only half of the issue, Fryson said.

Fryson said the distinct racial groups continue to grow on campus, there is a continuing embrace of the LGBTQ+ community and the international student population at WVU continues to increase. The need for a more diverse faculty and staff remains an issue that the University must continually consider as well.

“West Virginia University should be the standard bearer for a state that so often does not embrace diversity,” Fryson said.

4

MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018

CULTURE

Soccer tournament gets the ball rolling for Diversity Week

BY RACHEL JOHNSON ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR Diversity Week kicked off on Saturday with the fourth annual Diversity Cup. The Diversity Cup is a co-ed soccer tournament, the College of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences’ contribution to Diversity Week. The tournament consists of five-on-five play in which at least one male and one female must be on the field during gameplay. Soccer, or fútbol to other countries, is a universal sport that people from all cultures can understand.

Gonzalo Bravo, interim chair for the Department of Sport Sciences described the purpose of the Diversity Cup as a way to involve students from every major and background in a fun and competitive event.

“A lot of the teams that are represented and not only this year, but also the previous year is a diverse array of colleges,” Bravo said. “From engineering to health science to arts, from graduates and undergraduates, the idea is that we all get together here.”

Oluwaseun Onasanya, a sophomore student double majoring in mechanical engineering and dance, said that he loved the energy of the tournament. Onasanya is originally from Nigeria but lives in Baltimore, Maryland. This is his second year participating in the tournament. Onasanya described how his team was eagerly seeking to win this year. He also talked about the way sporting events like the Diversity Cup bring people together.

“It does bring people together,” Onasanya said. “[You] get to know somebody the way you never had before. It brings out the true nature of people.”

Farhan Shaikh, a senior sport and exercise psychology student from Mumbai, India, has been involved in the Diversity

PHOTO BY JAMES KNABLE

Students participating in the Diversity Cup during Diversity Week at WVU.

PHOTO BY JAMES KNABLE

Student goes for the ball during the Diversity Cup soccer tournament.

Cup since his freshman year.

This year, Shaikh had the opportunity to help out as a student organizer.

Shaikh said the became involved in Diversity Cup his freshman year because of how much he enjoyed playing soccer with his friends.

“The huge involvement as a cultural community,” Shaikh said. “That made me go and

play.”

“So many countries can relate to soccer,” Shaikh said.

Bravo noted that although it is a competitive sporting event, the Diversity Cup is about inclusion.

“This is not really an athletic event; this is a celebration of diversity but also a celebration of everyone in the university,” he said.

PHOTO BY JAMES KNABLE

Students fighting for the ball during the Diversity Cup soccer tournament.

Diversity extends far beyond this week’s celebrations

BY CODY NESPOR CULTURE EDITOR Diversity is a very important aspect of the world we live in today.

It is a topic that affects us all, in almost everything that we do, and yet it can be a very difficult or even intimidating subject to try and talk about.

However, that should not stop us from at least trying to talk about it.

While Diversity Week is a celebration of the diversity we

have here at WVU, it is not a substitute for having the hard conversations or for pushing ourselves to learn more about the subject, as the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at WVU’s Vice President Meshea Poore explains.

“When you’re at WVU you should be fighting to know more information about the differences in our culture and our background,” Poore said.

“That’s what I think anyone should get from attending this week.”

Poore believes WVU’s influence extends beyond the

borders of West Virginia or even the United States, and so is it the responsibility of the WVU community to prepare themselves accordingly.

“West Virginia University is a global institution. We might be housed in the borders of the state of West Virginia, but everyone is trained and educated here, we expect them to be global citizens,” Poore said.

“That’s what I call the ripple effect of awareness. The more that you are aware of the individuals around you, the stronger and more united community we’ll have.”

To do this, Poore said we need to go beyond what is required of us and push to do more.

“The reality is, in order for us to really learn about each other, we have to be present and we have to stop looking at what we have to do and learn how we need to work together, learn how we need to be together,” Poore said.

Poore said even though diversity is a sometimes difficult topic to talk about, WVU is committed to highlighting it’s importance.

“WVU is very committed

to this whole part of life; diversity, equity, inclusion is really what makes the world move,” Poore said. “We could not do it without the different perspectives that we have here on this campus. We talk about diversity, that’s including invisible and visible disabilities as well, and so, the word ‘diversity’ is something that is very fluid. It doesn’t mean the same to me as it means to you.”

Poore also said she is grateful to have the support of the WVU administration in this pursuit.

“I think that the administration, President Gee definitely understands and respects and values all the differences that our campus holds,” Poore said. “[Gee] definitely encourages me, in my role, to make sure that we’re highlighting those differences and that we’re showing the value of them.”

Diversity Week ends this Saturday after the homecoming football game, but the conversation around diversity and its importance do not have to.

MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018

CULTURE | 5

Mountaineer Idol celebrates new freshman class with ‘Turn of the Century’ songs in round two

BY CODY NESPOR CULTURE EDITOR This academic year, for the first time, first-year college students across the country will mostly be what is affectionately referred to as 2000s babies.

With a whole new class of college students who have never lived outside of the 21st century, Mountaineer Idol wanted to celebrate with the theme of round two being ‘Turn of the Century,’ featuring songs from 1997 to 2002.

The 12 remaining Idol contestants battled it out Friday night in front of a capacity crowd in the Mountainlair ballroom for their chance to earn a spot in the top nine and move on to round three.

Compared to last week’s ‘80s songs theme, contestants found it much easier to pick songs that fit the more contemporary time period, including freshman marketing student Taylor Hess, who sang “Beautiful� by Christina Aguilera from 2002. “It was actually so much easier for me to pick a song this week,� Hess, a native of Huntington, said. “‘80s was fun and I liked it, but it was such a broad category that

PHOTO BY CODY NESPOR

Sophomore Jake “Tiny Timb� Slewett excites the Mountaineer Idol crowd Friday night performing “Intergalactic� by the Beastie Boys. trying to narrow down what genre you want to do and different artists is kind of challenging and the song that I sang tonight, ‘Beautiful,’ is actually one of my favorite songs of all time, so when I heard it was going to be this

time span, I knew exactly what I wanted to sing.�

Performing more contemporary songs, of course, means that the mostly college-aged audience has a better chance to know the songs, which means they are

more likely to notice mistakes, as Martinsburg native, Madeline Samsell, explains. “Even with the ‘80s, I didn’t want and pull out like ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’

by Journey because I don’t want to ruin somebody’s fa-

vorite song,� Samsell, a junior nursing student, said. “If [the song] means something to them or they know it then if you mess up, they’re definitely going to notice an issue.�

Samsell performed “Born to Fly� by Sara Evans from 2000.

The most electrifying performance of the night came from Jake “Tiny Timb�

Slewett with his rendition of “Intergalactic� by the Beastie Boys. Slewett has shown a theatrical side throughout all of his performances thus far, but Friday nights was on a whole new level. The sophomore acting student from Queens, New York rapped the 1998 hit while busting out dance moves new and old all over the stage, much to the delight of the crowd. Slewett said he felt that this was his best performance of the competition thus far. “I feel really great about it. I just feel like this was probably my strongest performance yet,� Slewett said. “The energy was there and the crowd was into it, like last week, but I feel like adding the dance moves really brought it up to the next level in terms of stage presence.�

Slewett said that, while he enjoys the theatrics of performing and pumping up the crowd, he knows it is ultimately his singing that matters in the competition. “The song comes first because that’s what they’re judging on, and then you have to think about the total performance because that’s also a big aspect,� Slewett said. “So I kind of just improvised while I was out there and used the energy from the crowd to kind of fuel my dance moves.�

Eliminated from Mountaineer Idol this round were Laura Karlson, Georgia Beatty and Kamala Hill. Moving on to round three as the top nine are Hess, Samsell, Slewett, Meliah Umstead, Rhy Wiethe, Mikalaa Martin, Jamie Devine, Trinity Gray and Kayley Morrow.

Round three this week will start an hour later, at 9:00 p.m., and will be “Songs of Inspiration.� Next week is also Mountaineer Idol gives back, where audience members are encouraged to bring new stuffed animals or recyclable cans and bottles to benefit Jessi’s Pals and WVU Medicine Children’s.

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6

MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018

OPINION

Speaking up about autism: ‘different’ doesn’t need to mean deserted

BY HANNAH WILLIAMS OPINION AND OUTREACH EDITOR With Diversity Week in full swing at WVU, it is important to shed light on some of our very own organizations on campus that make this university so unique.

When thinking of diversity, a lot of people automatically think of differences in race, culture and background. And while those are just as important, other aspects of diversity should be considered, such as those who have different ways of thinking, socializing and behaving.

“Autism Speaks U is an organization that promotes awareness through community involvement, along with fundraising money for families and people who are affected by autism, as well as [for] research,” said Brooke Ashby, president of the WVU Autism Speaks U chapter.

According to Autism Speaks, a national autism advocacy organization, “autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, re-

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY BROOKE ASHBY

Autism U Speaks members gather in the Free Speech Circle in front of their bake sale. The bake sale was one of the fundraisers hosted to raise money for the organization. petitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.”

Because autism has no obvious signs, there is often a lot

of stigma and negativity toward people with autism. Marina Sarris, a member of the Interactive Autism Network, said,

because of this, autism may be even more stigmatized than some other disabilities.

“As a result, their unusual

behavior may be mistaken for terrible parenting, a dangerous lack of self-control or mental illness. That may increase the burden of stigma,” she said in a blog post on iancommunity. org.

It is also important to note that there are many different subtypes of autism, each encompassing different strengths and challenges. People with autism face struggles in their day-to-day activities, making being a college student that much harder. Some of these challenges include sensory issues and seizures.

More people are affected by autism than you may think.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did a study in 2018 that showed approximately 1 in 59 kids are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In addition, 1 out of every 37 boys is affected by autism along with 1 out of every 151 girls.

Chances are, you know someone with autism, whether it be someone in your family, in your class or at work. And, if you haven’t already, this week is the perfect time to reflect on yourself and make sure you’re

putting in the effort to make others feel accepted.

“I think the most important thing students should take away from Diversity Week is learning acceptance. Diversity is not only about understanding and accepting others, but also about embracing our own unique qualities. This includes race, ethnicity, gender, religion, physical abilities, etc.,” Ashby said.

Currently, Autism Speaks U doesn’t host any Diversity Week events, but Ashby said that is something she thinks would be beneficial to students in the future.

“You’re going to have your moments, but overall, I believe that WVU does accept students affected by autism very well,” Ashby said. “The students here do a very good job of recognizing the person before the disorder and treating them as an equal in which they deserve.”

Anyone wishing to be involved with Autism Speaks U can contact Brooke Ashby at bea0004@mix.wvu.edu.

A member of the Muslim Student Association expresses his feelings on acceptance and diversity on campus come together and talk and [are] open to learning. We stick to what we know, and the thing is, that for us as minorities, we understand the dominant culture and we always live in it. But for the majority to exclude themselves in that culture only creates more stereotypes and increases hate, and that is something I see personally, from my perspective, and many would agree, sadly.

NICHOLAS PACILLI MEMBER OF STUDENT MUSLIM ASSOCIATION Tell me a little bit about yourself: What’s your name, where are you from, what’s your major, ect.?

My name is Nico Pacilli, and I’m originally from North Philadelphia, but grew up right here in Morgantown. I’m studying sociology as my major and my minor is law and legal studies. Ultimately, I’m trying to go into law school—God willing— and become a lawyer for immigration and civil rights—truly something I believe is best for this nation and this world.

What brought you to WVU? How long have you been living here?

I decided to stay here in town and go to West Virginia University, mostly for tuition costs. I thought of going back to Philly. I have most of my family there, especially since I’ve lived here about my whole life.

Though, just the cost of things would be too high. Honestly, it was a great decision to stay, in my opinion, with the goals I’m able to complete.

What do you think of the University? What about Morgantown as a whole?

The University here has

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY NICO PACILLI

given me great opportunities to work with, and it has helped shape me with the courses offered and the people I have met, with the addition of some faculty too. Morgantown, as a whole, isn’t too bad. I believe it is one-track minded and has the mentality of a small town.

Everything has to go a certain way; there isn’t much room for diversity of opinions and even people. That’s how I see it growing up here.

Do you feel as though you belong and are welcome here? Why or why not?

For the University and town itself, I feel a bit outcasted, except within the group of people I’m close with personally.

You know a lot of us come together regardless of what our backgrounds may be or our differences, but we don’t truly

Why did you choose to be involved with the Muslim Student Association?

I was actually invited to join the Muslim Students Association, and once I did, I really fell in love with this whole group of people on the board. We all work well as a team, we’re great friends now as well, and I just feel it is important, now that I look back at this. Ultimately, because it is good that we can represent our religion in the best light and actually show that to everyone to come and learn more and be open to everyone including us.

Do you feel your organization gets the recognition it deserves on campus? Why or why not?

I do not believe it does, mostly because we aren’t talked about by the University often and also [we should] have more students be open to

talking to us. I think it is good to be able to serve the communities, and we reach out with community service and events that can attract different people like game nights, too. I think that even the University should capitalize on that for us and help our name be bigger.

You don’t have to be Muslim to be a part of our organization.

It is about Islam, but we really all can come together and talk about it, regardless of our own faith. We are all always learning, whether we are Muslim or not.

What is your take on the way the University deals with diverse groups/organizations and the cultural mix on campus?

The University needs to be able to showcase diversity more than just with pictures on the main page. The University should push for larger events by asking questions not just about our [organizations], but our cultures and things that deal with us, too. Let’s make this campus a safe space, not just for our organizations or friend groups.

Lastly, what do you feel makes you and your organization diverse, and what message would you like to share to the rest of the University?

My organization represents the Muslim students on this campus. We are proud and unapologetic as well. We want to show everyone what being a Muslim is like and what that means to us. This organization is a safe space, but it is an open space for all people of all backgrounds, regardless of faith or lack thereof, to come together

and talk. We talk about Islam, but we also talk about everyday things that really show we all are just everyday people trying to get that degree, too. I love pineapple pizza as much as Tim from Logan County, West Virginia loves pineapple pizza.

I can say the same for a decent amount of people on our board, too.

Opinion Staff Hannah Williams Jeffrey McCullough Sierra Powers Seth Mitchell Opinion expressed in columns and letters are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the DA or organizations with which the author(s) are associated.

Feedback policy The DA encourages discussion but does not guarantee its publication. We reserve the right to edit or reject any letter or online feedback.

Send your letters to danewsroom@mail.wvu.edu.

Letters must include the name(s), phone number(s), Majors and/or group affiliation(s) and year in school of the author(s). Phone numbers and addresses will not be published.

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Level 1

2

3

4

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk

Across

1 Garden lure 10 Prefix meaning “coil” 15 It straddles the border of two western states 16 Brass, for one 17 Closing question 18 Subjects for reviewers 19 Kind of gravel 20 What some glasses lack 21 Observed visiting 22 Break off loudly 23 Write the wrong number on, perhaps 24 Legal option 27 Warning after using an iron 28 A.L. East squad 29 __ space 30 Glove material 31 Speech interruptions 32 Work to get 33 Support on the way up 34 Cookout choice 35 Modicum 36 One of a nursery rhyme trio 37 Most successful African-American PGA golfer before Woods 38 Custom finish?

39 Made it up 40 Follow

41 Armadas on the road 43 Turnovers, e.g.

44 Take out 45 Shot in the dark 46 Clicking sound?

49 “Battlestar Galactica” commander 50 One who’s no fun to play with 52 Showed up 53 Bicycle tire feature 54 Discharge 55 Tiny arboreal amphibians

Down

1 Indication of an offense 2 Take a little off 3 Many of its products are named for Scandinavian places 4 Mountain __ 5 Hardly transitory 6 Like much flower symmetry 7 Defeat decisively 8 Quite a stretch 9 One who does a waggle dance 10 Sensitive health class subject 11 Practiced diligently 12 Sulky 13 It’s often used to make paste 14 Traditional Christmas Eve dish for some

21 Traffic stopper, at times 22 Tailored 23 Power source 24 Elastic wrap brand 25 Herbivore named for its habitat 26 List on a ticket 27 In the cards 30 Takes an interest in 33 Revolutionary pamphleteer 34 Top 36 Far from subtle 37 High-tech communications portmanteau 40 Feel a strong need (for) 42 Rest area array 43 Made off with 45 Use an updraft, say 46 Old movie dog 47 Be mindful of 48 Administrative branches 50 Low mil. rank 51 Granada bear

For answers, visit thedaonline.com

© 2016 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

For answers, visit thedaonline.com

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MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018

SPORTS

LeBlanc Embraces Role as Only African-American Head Coach in WVU History

BY QUINN BURKITT

Sports Integration Highlights 1950s:

STAFF WRITER

MEN’S SOCCER Head men’s soccer coach Marlon LeBlanc said he is humbled and blessed to be the first African-American head coach in West Virginia University history.

LeBlanc began his 13-year tenure in 2006 when he was hired to be the head coach of the men’s soccer team at WVU. Prior to West Virginia, LeBlanc had served as the assistant coach for the men’s soccer team at Penn State from 2001 to 2005.

“We’re all West Virginians, this is my home, this is a state that I love. I grew up in New Jersey and went to school in Pennsylvania, but West Virginia is my home,” LeBlanc said.

Before 2018, the Mountaineers had compiled a 114-84-32 mark and had secured 24 Top-25 victories through 12 seasons with LeBlanc at the helm. The last two seasons have seen LeBlanc guide West Virginia to top-25 rankings throughout each season, and, in 2015, LeBlanc led a team that achieved their fourth consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship.

LeBlanc is also known for holding all of his players to high standards in the classroom. In 2017, LeBlanc earned his 10th consecutive United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award. Over the course of LeBlanc’s career at WVU, his teams have obtained at least a 3.0 GPA each semester since 2007, his sec-

May 17, 1954: Brown v. Board of Education • U.S. Supreme Court delivers its decision in Brown v. Board of Education, eliminating the “separate but equal” policy in American public schools, sparking the civil rights movement.

1961: Men’s Track and Field • Phillip Edwards becomes the first African-American student-athlete at WVU, participating in men’s track and field.

1962: Football • Dick Leftridge and Roger Alford become the first African-Americans to receive football scholarships at WVU.

1960s:

1964: Men’s Basketball • Jim Lewis, Ron Williams, Ed Harvard and Norman Holmes make WVU sports history as the first four African-American players listed on the freshman basketball team.

1965: Men’s Soccer • George Woods, Jr. becomes the first African-American student-athlete to play men’s soccer at WVU. A goalkeeper, Woods helped WVU win a Southern Conference championship that year.

1965: Wrestling • Norman Hill becomes the first African-American student-athlete to wrestle at WVU.

1970: Football • Garrett Ford becomes the first African-American men’s assistant coach at WVU, coaching running backs.

1971: Football • Jim Braxton is drafted by the Buffalo Bills and becomes the blocking weapon for star running back O. J. Simpson. As Simpson remarks, most of his 11,236 career rushing yards were due to Braxton.

June 23, 1972: Title IX Passed • Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments is passed, prohibiting discrimination based on sex in educational institutions.

STAFF PHOTO

WVU men’s soccer head coach Marlon LeBlanc.

1973: Football

ond year as head coach.

In 2007, LeBlanc created an organization called oneWVU that helped recognize all races and focus on the only colors that matter at WVU: blue and gold.

“One of our players at the time [Donald La Guerre] was walking down the street and somebody dropped the ‘n’ word on him and he came to me and told me about it,” LeBlanc said. “I immediately went to my boss and said

‘We’ve got to do something about this.’”

LeBlanc said oneWVU was created with the idea that nothing brings the community better together than athletics.

“OneWVU was born out of that with the idea that the only colors at WVU that matter are gold and blue and not black, white or anything else and it really just kind of became a platform for diversity at WVU,” he said.

LeBlanc believes it is truly special to serve as West Virginia’s lone African American head coach.

“I think it’s something to be really proud of, I hope West Virginia’s proud of it, too,” he said. “It’s certainly not something I necessarily dwell on or think about every day, but it is something that I definitely feel is important to me.”

1970s:

• Ben Williams is named the starting quarterback for the Mountaineers, the first African-American to do so.

1974: Men’s Basketball • Jackie Joe Robinson becomes the first African-American men’s basketball graduate assistant coach.

1974: Men’s Basketball • The first all-African-American starting five in men’s basketball is fielded – Levi Phillips, Eartha Faust, Warren Baker, Jerome Anderson and Larry Carr.

1976: Women’s Track • Cheryl Nabors helps found first varsity Women’s Track and Field team at WVU, becoming one of the first African-American female student-athletes at WVU.

1976: Baseball • Bruce Clinton accepts his scholarship offer to become WVU’s first African-American baseball player.

1977: Men’s Tennis • Harry Moore becomes the first African-American student-athlete to participate in men’s tennis at WVU.

1977: Athletic Administration • Garrett Ford becomes WVU’s first African-American athletic administrator.

Rifle prioritizes character due to coed status

BY JARRED SERRE STAFF WRITER

RIFLE Despite being home to 17 NCAA-recognized sports teams, only one team at West Virginia University allows the strengths of men and women to come together on a level playing field.

Established in 1951, WVU’s rifle team is the only coed sports team on campus. The team has featured men and women athletes since before it became a recognized NCAA sport in 1980.

From 1980 to the present day, the team has been positively impacted by both men and women.

The team has laid claim to many All-Americans over the

years and has also featured numerous Olympians including gold medalist Ginny Thrasher (2016) and current head coach Jon Hammond (2008, 2012).

Since taking over as head coach in 2006, Hammond has been able to effectively harness the skills of all of the team’s shooters. The team has won the national championship six times in his tenure, with five of those wins coming consecutively over the 2013-17 seasons. They have also finished as the national runner-up twice.

Before Hammond, the team’s success came at the hands of his college coach, Marsha Beasley—the first female coach in the history of the WVU rifle program. With a record of 153-23 in her 16 seasons, she helped bring eight national champion-

ships in nine seasons back to Morgantown.

During both coaching tenures, men and women have found prosperity. According to athletic department records, across the 28 combined seasons of the two coaching stints, nearly half of those seasons featured four or more team members obtaining first-team All-American honors.

While the team’s coed status may help them when facing targets, there are also benefits that don’t show up in the box score.

“You just learn to appreciate things more. Probably be a little bit more understanding,” Hammond said when asked about the benefits of being coed. “I think you are able to be more openminded and learn more and I think that, overall, that’s go-

ing to make you a better person as well.”

According to the coaching staff, developing character is a key to building a successful program.

“I think a lot of that goes back to recruiting, to make sure that we’re recruiting good people and good kids first and foremost, rather than great athletes. They are all great athletes as well, but, in recent years, we’ve put more of an emphasis on just bringing good people on to the team,” Hammond said.

Hammond later added, “I think as a coach, we have to make sure that we recruit the right people for our program, and that doesn’t matter whether they are girls or guys.”

1981: Women’s Tennis • Shirley Robinson becomes the first African-American student-athlete to participate in women’s tennis at WVU.

Dec. 21, 1984: Women’s Basketball • Georgeann Wells becomes the first woman to register a dunk in an official college basketball game. She did it with a men’s-sized ball.

1980s:

1985: Olympic Wrestling • Nate Carr becomes the first African-American Olympic sports assistant coach, coaching wrestling.

1986: Men’s Basketball • Ron Brown becomes the first African-American fulltime men’s basketball assistant coach.

1987: Gymnastics • Yvette Clark was the first African-American student-athlete to participate in women’s gymnastics at WVU.

1993: Women’s Basketball

1990s:

• WVU welcomes its first African-American women’s basketball assistant coach, Regina Woods.

2006: Men’s Soccer

2000s:

• Marlon LeBlanc is hired as the head coach of men’s soccer at WVU, becoming the first African-American to be named as the head coach of a WVU sports team.

2006: Women’s Basketball • The first all African-American starting five- Ashley Powell, Britney Davis-White, LaQuita Owens, Chakia Cole and Olayinka Sanni.

Information via sportsintegration.wvu.edu Graphic by Haleigh Holden

MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018

DIVERSITY WEEK SCHEDULE

GRAPHIC BY JORDYN JOHNSON

9

10 | DIVERSITY WEEK

MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018

One Mountaineer Family Blessing Service “We’ve got to remember that there are different backgrounds on this campus,” said Meshea Poore, the vice president of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at WVU. “When we think about our school values, which are respect, service, appreciation, accountability and curiosity, that’s the same thing when it comes to our faith.”

Poore gave opening and closing remarks at the blessing service.

PHOTO BY CODY NESPOR

Dr. Shelly Parsons of the Presbyterian Campus Ministry.

PHOTO BY CODY NESPOR

Rabbi Joe Hample from the Tree of Life Congregation.

PHOTO BY CODY NESPOR

Dr. Shelly Parsons leading a prayer.

PHOTO BY CODY NESPOR

Kip Curnutt, the Imam of the the Islamic Center of Morgantown.

MONDAY OCTOBER 1, 2018

CLASSIFIEDS | 11

What Diversity Week means to WVU students

CLASSIFIEDS

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