YEARS OF SERVING FERRUM COLLEGE
www.ferrum.edu/campus-life/THE-IRON-BLADE/ | October 1, 2020 | Vol. 67, Issue 1
Welcome Back!
By Mary Stoudt Welcome back to campus and classes Panthers! Leaving in March due to the COVID-19 and not returning until late July and August has created the longest break term in history. Along with the beginning of a new school year, new challenges and excitements are also to come. Ferrum College President Dr. David Johns has expressed his excitement about this new school year. “What I’m most looking forward to is getting to see students again, the campus was very quiet the more we got into March,” Johns said. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues through the nation, all U.S. colleges, including Ferrum College, have had to adapt their plans in order to have students safely return to campus. “We started talking pretty seriously in the spring after commencement about students returning to campus,” Johns said. Ferrum College has adopted many policies for students, faculty, and staff to follow during this time. Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator Nicole Lenez was an integral part of the planning process and implementation of these new policies. “We worked so hard all summer to come up with the new policies, and now that it is week three, it appears they are doing exactly what they are supposed to,” Lenez said, “I think the most important thing to note is that we can’t slack off now that we are comfortable. Students are still enjoying campus and each other and spending time with faculty and staff, and it’s important that we continue to wear masks and stay 6ft apart whenever possible to help us keep our numbers low and stay open.” The most recognizable policy is the requirement of face masks on campus and the rule of social distancing. Another new policy introduced to both Ferrum employees and students is the use of the LiveSafe app to monitor symptoms throughout term one and two. Ferrum has also unveiled their new Stronger Together webpage, where students and their families, faculty, and staff can find resources about keeping the campus safe and clean, as well as regular updates about the number of the COVID-19 cases on campus and those in precautionary isolation. Ferrum has also unveiled specific plans for student-athletes. Athletes have been participating in socially distanced practices and workouts and have been having regular team Zoom calls. “We will begin practices as safely as possible and coaches have been pretty creative,” said Johns, in regards to athletic practices beginning on campus.
Even with the challenge of COVID-19, this school year is in full swing and students have returned to in-person classes for the first time in five months. Despite the COVID-19, Ferrum has completed renovations of several offices including the International Programs’ office, during the time when all students were gone. The most noticeable renovation is in the new Carter Center for Academic Success. This center has been repainted and refurbished with new furniture including tables, chairs, and whiteboards. Additionally, the new center includes a larger testing center for students to utilize.
In addition to the renovations that have occurred, new social distancing activities have been introduced. “Justin Muse [Director of Student Activities] has a new software (Presence) and some fun events (both in-person and virtual) lined up for this semester! He has also used this opportunity to purchase some equipment that will benefit us and the campus in the long run and save us on rental costs (like an inflatable movie screen and projector),” Lenez said, “Muse has also worked really hard to put together some guidelines so that student organizations can begin meeting within the CDC guidelines. We also want to make sure our students are getting outside and the event list Aaron Conover [Director of Norton Outdoor Adventures] put together for the Norton Outdoor Adventure Center is also impressive.” Even with unique ongoing challenges the COVID-19 has added to this school year, Ferrum students have returned to a new normal. New campus updates in regards to the COVID-19 can be accessed on Ferrum’s Stronger Together webpage and via campus mail.
COVID: How Do We Compare?
The COVID-19 is becoming a greatest inconvenience of the year. With thousands of cases popping up everyday, it becomes a scary thought to allow students to go back to school. This anxiety is not there without a reason; instead, multiple schools across the country went completely online after seeing a fast increase in confirmed case. On March 6, 2020, the University of Washington became the first major university to cancel in-person classes. That then led to more than 1,100 other colleges and universities across the nation to shut down their campuses and switch to fully online classes, according to an article by NCSL. The response plans vary from school to school but generally fall into three categories, according to an article by NCSL.One is in-person classes within the social distancing model. Roughly 60% of schools, including Arizona State University and the University of Alabama, planned to use this model. This model will require students to follow social distancing procedures put in place during classes. Another model is the hybrid model or limited student access on campus. About 24% of U.S. colleges planed on using this model, which highlights a combination of online classes and seated classes. An alternative approach is to allow only a small number of students back, like what Princeton and Harvard did. The final model is to make all classes entirely online. About 9% of institutions, along with the entirety of the California State University system, said they would do fully online courses.
By Braden Homsey & Dylan Scoggins-Nelson As more colleges and universities close campuses, more challenges arise. Many students relied on the dorms, dining halls, and work-study programs to help them with shelter, food, and income. As an adjustment to under the pandemic, some campuses have created emergency relief funds, mostly from private donations, to help students with unexpected expenses due to these closures. In the meantime, many campuses refused to lower tuition or refund room and board expenses, despite student-led petitions and lawsuits. According to Education Dive, the State University of New York’s Student Conduct Institute counted more than 100 cases against colleges during the outbread of the COVID. One of the cases is about New York University, which followed a refusal to offer refunds for tuition, with what is seen as a tonedeaf video of the dean dancing to R.E.M’s 1991 single “Losing My Religion”. Due to the outbreak and many campuses offering online-only courses, financial aid has also been affected. The Department of Education has released a guide that adjusts the requirements for some scholarships as well as for GPA requirements. U.S. President Donald Trump also declared that student loan payments and interest would be suspended until December 31, as well as to stop the collection of defaulted loans. Roughly 700,000 undergraduate students receive federal work-study subsidies each year, according to
an article by InsideHigherED. During the COVID, however, many students may find themselves lose these funds. The Department of Education issued a guidance, asking colleges to continue paying the students who would have lost the income, even if they are unable to come to work. Attack from the COVID continues in this new school year. The University of North Carolina (UNC) was one among the many colleges that saw a huge hit, when 134 students contracted COVID in the first week of the fall semester. “UNC had little to no care for its students and instead used COVID as a way to make more money off of its students,” said Lucero Rocha, when she was asked about her feelings about the contingency plan UNC had for its students. In another vein, Ferrum College used the failures of other schools as an example of what to avoid and how to make an effective contingency plan for the health and safety of its staff and students. As of Sept. 30, Ferrum has been able to make through its first six weeks of classes without severe complications and is determined to finish a successful school year. There are currently about 800 Ferrum students on campus, with an addition of 60 other students who work from home amd complete their classes entirely online. A total of 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported at Ferrum by Sept. 30. Ferrum College is dedicated to continuing with the success it has achieved thus far and making all way through this school year.
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The Iron Blade
October 1, 2020
OPINION Word on the Street “How are you dealing with the new normal on campus?” “Nothing has been easy with this new normal but I know we will come out on the other side of this stronger.” - Mery Estrella, Freshman “As far as classes go, everything is pretty normal. One thing that I’m struggling to get used to is the masks everywhere. Hopefully things will return to normal soon. I’m just happy to be back with my friends.” - Tennessee Phillips, Sophomore
Fall 2020 Staff of The Iron Blade Mary Stoudt is a senior at Ferrum College and is entering her fourth year as a member of the Iron Blade. Stoudt is a History major and Public History and Museum Studies minor. During her time on the staff, Stoudt has held several roles on the editing board including News Editor, Co-Editor, Layout Editor, Social Media Editor, and she is currently the Editor-in-Chief. When she’s not writing for the paper Stoudt is actively involved in her sorority Delta Phi Epsilon, Rotaract Club, the Lions Club, and she is also a PAL Tutor. Previously Stoudt was the Junior Class President and Vice Crew Captain for Love Your Melon. When Stoudt graduates in the spring she plans on attending grad school and either obtaining her masters or doctorate degree. Lindey Foster is a sophomore and is also the Social Media Editor for the Iron Blade. She is majoring in Media and Communications and minoring in Spanish. On campus, Lindey participates in the color guard in the Ferrum College Marching Band, she is the secretary for the Ferrum Activities Board, is part of the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority, and is a PAL tutor. After graduation, Lindsey wants to pursue a career in video production/editing or teach Spanish. ulius Damone Asbury is a freshman at Ferrum College and this is his first semester on the Iron Blade. Asbury is majoring in Media and Communications and is still deciding on what he wants to do after graduation. When not in the classroom Asbury can be found on the field with the football team. Cody Gibson is a freshman majoring in Mass Media and Communications and minoring in Coaching. This is also ibson’s first semester working on the Iron Blade. Gibson enjoys hiking or watching anime in his free time and after college he wants to be a sports broadcaster. Braden Homsey is a junior at Ferrum College, his major is English Education and he plans to teach high school after he graduates. Homsey is a member of the Ferrum Wrestling team and is both an academic and athletic all-american. In his free time, Homsey enjoys hanging with friends, playing frisbee, video games, and wrestling practice.
“The ‘New Normal’ is very challenging but it all comes down to making sure everyone is safe and healthy then it won’t be bad.” “As a double major, many of my classes happen to be online and it’s difficult to understand the objectives sometimes. However, the professors and staff here are really nice. They’re willing to help anyone in need. It’s also hard to be away from home, but I’ve already made wonderful friends here that have helped me cope with my homesickness.”
- Cameron Russell, Freshman
Kelsey Smith is a sophomore at Ferrum College. She is majoring in Sociology and minoring in Political cience. This is her first year on the Iron lade. hen she is not doing homework, she is playing with her dog, Baby. You may also catch her hidden away somewhere reading a book in her spare time. After she graduates from Ferrum, Smith plans to attend Law School at Washington and Lee University and go on to get her Ph. D. in ethics and legal studies.
Ferrum College 215 Ferrum Mountain Rd. Ferrum, VA 24088 IBlade@Ferrum.edu
Layout Editor: Mary Stoudt Social Media Editor: Lindsey Foster
Staff: Julius Asbury Cody Gibson Braden Homsey Ashley Minnick Dylan ScogginsNelson Oscar Sessoms Kelsey Smith
Dylan T. Scoggins is a freshman who is majoring in Computer Technology and Information ystems with a minor in iberal tudies. This is coggins’s first semester on the Iron Blade. He plans on doing programming and/or animation after graduation. Oscar Sessoms V is a freshman at Ferrum College from Topsail Island, North Carolina. He is a Psychology major and usiness minor. This is essoms’s first year as a staff member on the Iron Blade. Sessons is a member of the Ferrum Men’s Lacrosse team as a goalie. After graduation, he plans on getting his doctorate in psychology to become a psychiatrist.
- Ashley Patrick, Freshman
Editor-in-Chief: Mary Stoudt
Ashley innick is a freshman at Ferrum College and is starting her first year as a member of the Iron Blade. Minnick is majoring in Education with a minor in Political cience. ou can usually find her reading a book, playing with her dog Gordy, or running laps around campus. When Minnick graduates she plans to attend the University of Virginia online to receive her doctorate degree.
Kiana Somerville Kacey Whorley Chelsea Zizzi Advisor: Dr. Mingxiao Sui
The Ferrum College Iron Blade Newspaper is a student-written, student-managed, and student-produced newspaper. Opinions do not necessarily express the views of all students or the staff. Letters may be emailed to IBlade@ferrum.edu. Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
iana omerville is a freshman at Ferrum College and is beginning her first year as a member of the Iron Blade. Somerville is a Criminal Justice major. She is learning how to become a better and stronger writer. Somerville enjoys writing and listening to music in her spare time. When she is not writing or doing schoolwork, Somerville is working at her own business selling Paparazzi Jewelry. acey horley is a sophomore at Ferrum College and is beginning her first year as a member of the Iron Blade. Whorley is an English Education major with a minor in Secondary Education. Whorley is a very passionate writer and enjoys writing anything from short stories to poetry. When she is not writing or doing school work, Whorley enjoys being in the Honor Society of Leadership, spending time with friends, and being an RA. When Whorley graduates, she plans on teaching English at an inner-city school while obtaining her masters in education online through Liberty University. Chelsea Zizzi is a junior at Ferrum College. Zizzi is a Chemistry major and an nglish minor, and this is her first year as a member of the Iron lade. In her free time, Zizzi is a member of the tennis team, a sweetheart in the fraternity Theta Chi Epsilon, and a PAL tutor for precalculus and organic chemistry. After graduation, Zizzi wishes to go to graduate school to get her masters in chemistry and work towards her dream job of becoming a pharmaceutical researcher.
October 1, 2020
The Iron Blade
The Great
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Debate
By Dylan Scoggins With 800 million monthly users, 30 million of which porn. This trend consists of the creator using makeup to different creators. are in the United States, it's no wonder that TikTok recreate burn marks and bruises then using the text you An insight into the number of people attending can is the number one most downloaded app of 2020 can have on the video to convey them speaking. This be found in an interview with Hype House co-founder according to Katie Sehl of Hootsuite. Then why is this usually consists of them giving a fake name and saying Thomas Petrou, conducted by the Hollywood Fix, app getting banned, not only in India but in the US? things like “my family and I were taken to Auschwitz where he said that there were around 67 people inside When you hear this you might think of the President of and told to take a shower” or other things hinting at or the house with “hundreds” of people waiting outside the US Donald Trump claiming TikTok is giving away blatantly saying they were gassed or beaten to death. wanting to get in. information, or even the giants Walmart and Microsoft Another disturbing trend is the Mugshot Challenge A video posted to Youtube by ET Canada titled “Bryce bidding for the US-based office of TikTok. But could where creators showed mugshots they found attractive Hall’s Utilities Shut Off After Huge Party” showcases there be more reasons to support the ban? than creating their own mugshots and fake arrest videos footage from the latest party, the one celebrating his TikTok is currently accused of giving information using makeup and props. TikTok Influencers James birthday. The clips start at 1:02 and end at 1:46 and to Beijing, China using the app. Both deny this, but Charles and Corinna Kopf had to take down their own show densely packed people with no masks and, China does have a record of its apps being obviously, not social distancing. This has banned for this reason. India recently banned caused the L.A. mayor to shut off the utilities several other apps from China, claiming they of the Hype House to discourage the parties ‘"surreptitiously transmit users'” data in an and any copycats from happening. interview with BBC. Tyler Oakley tweeted after one of the In an article authored by Habib of the New parties: “hi @jamescharles @NikitaDragun York Times, this was further explained by @tanamongeau @larrayxo @charlidamelio India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information @dixiedamelio & any others who have been Technology (MEIT) in a quote given Monday, partying in large groups – please consider June 29th. social distancing, mask wearing, & using your “The Chinese apps were “stealing and huge platforms to encourage responsibility surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an during a worldwide pandemic.” unauthorized manner to servers which have This caused several Influencers to release locations outside India,” said India’s MEIT. apologies and start taking the pandemic Pictured is the mugshot challenge posted by James Charles and The US government has also taken action seriously in an attempt to prevent loss of Corinna Kopf who are TikTok Influencers. Photo courtesy of TikTok. against other apps from China. Most notably support. These parties not only facilitate the being Bytedance and Wechat. Bytedance sold its USMugshot Challenge videos due to the fact that they spread of the virus but causes their viewers to think that based office while Wechat still faces a ban. glorified domestic violence. The problems with these because their favorite creator can host these huge parties Among the reasons given for TikTok endangering two trends are not only the influence it has on the and no one got sick, they don’t have to follow the the safety of people (allegedly), there are other sources young, impressionable viewers but also how it might guidelines laid out by the CDC because it’s cool or they within the app itself that spread dangerous behavior for affect domestic abuse victims or Holocaust survivors won't get sick either. many of their viewers to take in and then copy. and their families. These videos can cause the young In short, TikTok could be dangerous because it These are the “TikTok Influencers” of the platform. An fans of these creators to think that things like domestic (allegedly) gives the information of the people to influencer is anyone that has a large platform, usually violence are okay or that it's cool to be abusive because Bejing, but it isn’t just China that can cause harm to the on social networks, and uses it to influence others. their idol likes them and thinks they are good looking. U.S. The app has allowed young adult and child stars to This could be through stories, charity, or just about The biggest controversy of all is perhaps the giant rise to fame, which isn’t inherently bad. The problem any other action they take. Wearing certain clothes and parties these TikTok stars are hosting. Many people is the way these stars handle their fame. They not only eating certain foods even seems to be enough to make know about the Hype House, a mansion in the act irresponsibly but broadcast that behavior to their headlines. Hollywood Hills area where many TikTok Influencers fans. While banning the app won’t get rid of them, other These influencers have been at the center of many live and document their lives, and parties, together. This platforms won't be so tolerable and so they will have to controversies recently. Whether it be for throwing large Hype House, and it’s many residents, have come under become more responsible and cautious with how they parties or tone-deaf trends that do more harm than good. fire repeatedly for having parties on several occasions conduct themselves in front of their audience. The most recent of which is the one dubbed as trauma over the past few months to celebrate the birthdays of
P R O
By Cody Gibson TikTok has exploded onto the scene with two billion downloads worldwide and eighty million downloads from the United States itself with it being the fourth most popular free iphone apps downloaded in 2019. It's an app with numerous uses allowing people show off their voices in ways that they couldn't before, especially now with what's happening in the world. TikTok helps people unite more and stand with those that have the same viewpoints. Public publicity is something that TikTok is seriously good at. It lets someone promote themselves to others and it’s allowing people to break out of their shells and find people with similar interests, causing friendships to build worldwide. How TikTok actually allows people to break out of their shells is simple. The user can use a variety of filters or effects allowing them to be the controller of the final product and the app being effortless to upload. Another way it’s positive is that people can show off their talents and reach
a wide audience while doing so. An example of someone using TikTok to their benefit would be Charli D'amelio. No one knew of her until she exploded onto the scene with her dancing on TikTok and now she’s getting sponsors,
commercial ads, and movie roles. In addition to publicity and marketing benefits Tik Tok is a great time killer. Most videos are fifteen to sixty seconds long, and the average American user averages about 45 minutes on TikTok a
Pictured is TikTok influencer Charli D’amelio who’s social media career sky rocketed because of her dances on TikTok. D’ amelio has danced on stage at a Jonas Brothers concert, has been on the Tonight Show, and has even had vocal roles in the movie StarDog and TurboCat. Photo courtesy of TikTok.
day. How TikTok allows users to view content is also pretty simple. TikTok acts like a wheel. Every time the user scroll up it feels good to keep scrolling up, and it gives the user quick little laughs or informs them of what's happening in the world. The app can also help someone start a small business and help them gain a large consumer base. Personally, I see a lot of small businesses or just a small group of people selling items and trying to make money and it's working for a lot of people. TikTok is a great benefit to the users but also everyone else in the world. TikTok not only allows people to rise to fame but it also propmotes businesses which allows for economic growth (and during a pandemic economic growth is something the world needs). TikTok is also a new wave of social media and it’s strategy is working which could influence new forms of social media for the future.
C O N
October 1, 2020
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Black Lives Matter Movement at Ferrum By Kelsey Smith
A statement released by Ferrum College regarding a student whose admission was revoked after a vulgar and racist social media post. Photo courtesy of Ferrum College.
On June 4, 2020, a statement was released due to a comment from an incoming Freshman. Ferrum College President Dr. David Johns said that the statement came only a few weeks after the killing of George Floyd. However, Dr. Johns emphasized that the statement was not to call out the young man that said the comment, but more as a call of action to the entire Ferrum community in the light of recent events. Dr. Johns prides himself on the ratio of diversity within Ferrum College attendees. At Ferrum the percentage of people of color is 48 percent; this means that almost half of the student population is ethnically different from the other half that is Caucasian. Other colleges in Virginia have a much lower ethnicity rate, with some only having 10% or lower in their student population. Dr. Johns also emphasizes that the dynamic here at Ferrum makes it almost impossible to not adventure out into another culture, whereas if one goes to a school with a much smaller percentage of people of color, they would never get the chance to. Ferrum Provost Dr. Aimé Sposato also reemphasizes her main responsiblties for providing campus-wide opportunities to talk about race, identity and inclusion. “It is important to foster our diverse student body, so everyone has the opportunity to interact with and
learn from students from many backgrounds and life experiences,” Dr. Sposato said. Dr. Johns also points out that Ferrum College already had a minority scholarship program before recent events; but due to the present circumstances, Ferrum alumnus Ra’meer Roberts, class of 2013, came forward and started the Black American Scholarship for Empowerment (B.A.S.E). Every year one African American male and one female student will be chosen to receive $250.00 dollars to help with supplies and books. Nicole Lenez, Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator, emphasizes that her door is always open for anyone to come and talk about what is happening in the world. She says she is also very passionate about constantly learning about inequality issues as well as exploring her own privilege, assumptions and bias whether they are conscious or unconscious - in a culture that has deep-rooted ties to racism. Dr. Johns prides himself on the diversity at Ferrum. He states that there is a whole different playing field when it comes to calling people to action. He notes that long after the media stop covering the protests, he wants Ferrum to keep striving to make a change in the world by having a small version of what we as a community would love to see happen in the world.
New SGA Cabinent on Campus By Kacey Whorley As doubt arose regarding the return “I joined SGA because I wanted to help the to campus, the newly elected Student student body have a voice and make a change Government Association (SGA) did not doubt that is better for the students, faculty, staff, their plans for the 2020-21 school year. This and visitors”, Pettiford stated when asked year’s cabinet consists of President Kintwon why he chose to run for SGA. Pettiford also Pettiford, Legislative Vice President Lauren explained that he and his cabinet members Ries, Activities Vice President Mikayla had “a lot of their ideas and plans put on Floyd, Secretary Ahjaley Henderson, hold due to COVID-19” and that they were Treasurer Zion Wade, and Public Relations “working to get everything in order.” Malcolm Lofton. Although the plans for Ferrum College are Typically, students vote for the new SGA up in the air and subject to change, the SGA Cabinet members in March, but due to Cabinet will “devote their time and authority COVID-19, elections took place online over to ensure that all students remain safe and the extended summer. For an SGA cabinet to healthy throughout the new academic year”, be elected, one hundred signatures must be Pettiford stated. collected. The twist to this year’s election was Pettiford added, “The main goal of our that the competing cabinets had to campaign cabinet is to increase student involvement on via social media and the internet. campus.” In an interview with the newly elected SGA A full school year may not be promised President, Kintown Pettiford, he expressed here at Ferrum College, but with the new his cabinet’s plans and ideas for the 2020-21 SGA Cabinet, the campus will have a sense year. of familiarity and a plan for the school year!
Pictured is Kintwon Pettiford, the newly elected SGA President. Photo courtesy of Ferrum College.
New Director Joins Panther Band By Lindsey Foster
The Ferrum College Marching Band featured during a football game during the fall 2019 season. Photo courtesy of Ferrum College.
For the new school year, Dr. Margaret Young-Weitzel joined the Music Department at Ferrum College as the marching band’s new director. Regarding the music program, Weitzel is here to help re-establish the Music Department as the Coordinator of Music. Inspiration for Weitzel to become a director came from her high school band director. Weitzel began her music experience when she started playing trombone in junior high and took private lessons in high school. To add on to Weitzel’s
studies, she has a bachelor’s of Music in Music Education, Master’s in Teaching, and Doctorate in Instrumental Conducting. As of August 28, 2020 on the first week of classes, Weitzel and the marching band members are already preparing for performances. The first practice started with reviewing marching fundamentals. These fundamentals included marking time, keeping precise posture, and marching technique. “I am currently working to revise
our recruitment process and develop a good working relationship with the band staff to create a supportive environment that promotes lifelong learning for bandsmen,” said Weitzel. Upcoming performances for the semester include the Franklin County Christmas Parade. Weitzel is also planning to possibly add more events for the fall 2020 semester. Additionally, Weitzel is planning on having marching band performances in the spring semester of 2021 at upcoming football games.
YMCA o onger
October 1, 2020
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By Ashley Minnick
When returning to campus this fall you may have noticed the large “Y” missing on the front of the fitness center. After roughly eight years of partnership between Ferrum College and the CA, this arrangement has ended and the Ferrum Fitness Center has taken back its original name. Originally built in the mid-199 s the Ferrum Fitness Center established a partnership with the Franklin County CA in December of 1 . However, after much deliberation, the fitness center has returned to a solely Ferrum College endeavor this year. embers of the Ferrum Human Health and Performance (HHP program decided they wanted to fix a few issues they saw while partnered with the CA. One of the biggest problems over previous years was the lack of connection with students. This close connection the Fitness Center has developed includes keeping the facilities clean, providing more space for visitors, monitoring traffic, and creating an overall positive environment for students and faculty. Helping to head these changes was Dr. aren Carpenter who has years of experience managing health clubs and fitness centers. hen I used to walk in the there was no music playing and it was hard to find workers, Carpenter mentioned, ow we have music playing, we are keeping all our areas saniti ed, and have a staff member in every section of the fitness center at all times, said Carpenter.
The Fitness Center is also working with various athletic teams since they are unable to practice in their usual team settings. Athletes are encouraged to use the facilities for individual or small group workouts to stay in shape during the off-season. One of the problems the community has been worried about is not being able to use the Ferrum Fitness Center anymore, Carpenter says that is not true, Due to the Coronavirus we are unable to have any visitors on campus right now but that is not our long term goal. The Fitness Center’s goal is to hopefully have special programs for members of the community. ventually, the college wants to develop a program where individuals can come from off-campus and use the facilities just like they did when Ferrum College was partnered with the CA. uckily for students and faculty members alike the fitness center has lots of great activities they will be offering. HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training , yoga, group personal training, A, core conditioning, and strong are all being offered in the fitness center at this time. There are also employment opportunities for work-study students, graduate students, and those in the HHP program can use the facilities for their Pictured left: What used to function as a basketball court now serves as a socially internship. distaced area for cardio workouts. Pictured above: The weight room of the former YMCA Though the Fitness Center may not be the CA like students remember it, has placed all equipment a minimum of six feet apart following the guidelines of the CDC. there are still lots of exciting classes, activities, and opportunities to be taken Photos by Ashley Minnick. advantage of.
A C emodeled and enamed By Chelsea Zizzi The Carter Center for Academic uccess is a quiet study place that is available for every student. The Carter Center has gone through many changes including the name change and overall look. Dave iggins, who has a doctorate in counseling, is the Dean of Academic uccess at Ferrum College. He has worked for Ferrum College for two years. In his second year, he has overseen the transition of the Academic esource Center to the Carter Center for Academic uccess. Dr. iggins claims that these changes were made to enhance the use and overall feel of the Carter Center into a more studious place. The Carter Center is also more functional and offers a quiet study place where supporting faculty and staff are available to help students with their academic needs. Aime pasoto, who has a doctorate in musical arts, is the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Ferrum. he oversees academic components at the college. ith the remodel of the Carter Center, pasoto hopes to create an academic support hub for students through the many services provided. This transition would not have been possible without the generous support of the aury Carter family. aury Carter is an alumnus of Ferrum College and wanted to make an impact on students’ success at Ferrum Dr. pasoto explains. Their donation has made it possible to refurbish and remodel the Carter Center so that it transformed into a more welcoming and vibrant space, iggins said. To ensure students success, the Carter Center for Academic uccess provides multiple tutoring options and expanded the Office of Academic Accessibility testing lab these provide support for student athletes, first year students, and other students who simply wish to use them. posato explains that this creates a more efficient pathway that slightly seperates students while maintaining the vibrant feel that they can thrive in. The Carter Center for Academic uccess is still open during the COVID-19 pandemic however, it still has to maintain CDC guidelines in order to make it a safe place to study. Dr. iggins and Dr. pasoto explained that while the Carter Center used to be open for hours a day, it is now only open from am to pm, which has reduced the number of students using the Carter Center. To maintain social distancing, tables have been placed feet apart, which limits the capacity of the Carter Center to only students. ach student must sign in before entering the Carter Center and masks must be worn at all times. ach table has a piece of paper with a green and a red sign to indicate whether it has been cleaned and is safe to sit at, or if a student has recently used that table and it needs to be wiped down. ven though the paper indicates if the table is clean or not, the staff will clean every item of furniture every minutes. Dr. iggins and Dr. pasoto claims that the remodel of the Carter Center will help faculty, staff, and students succeed with the resources that they need if they are willing to use them.
Pictured is the newly renovated Carter Center for Academic Success formerly the ARC. The newly renovated space includes a larger testing center, study room, new furniture, fresh paint, and new carpet. Photo by Mary Stoudt.
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The Iron Blade
October 1, 2020
NEWS
RAs Take on New Responsibilities Under COVID-19 By Frances Best
Ferrum re-emphasized the importance of resident assistants (RA) in keeping students receive a training about one week before other students move to campus. This year was safe amidst the COVID-19 regulations this semester, during the check-in week for RAs slightly different, as RAs were asked to come ten days before regular students’ move-in in late August. date to receive their training. am ay is a third year A and he felt significant changes This semester is unlike any others that have come before it. Ferrum College has set in his life of being an RA before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. new rules and regulations to keep students safe. Dean of Students & Title IX Coordina“We came ten prior to the start of check-in to be trained for this semester. We always tor, Nicole Lenez has sent out various emails outlining the protocols, rules, and possible come early and get training but this time we were given a whole new set of rules. Our punishments enacted this semester. Because many of these rules and regulations involve bosses made it extremely clear just how important it is for us to enforce rules and be resident halls, RAs are expected to help there for our residents,” May said. carry them out. This gives RAs a new Changes in rules included the level of responsibility and a more empharequirements of masks throughout sized role on campus. campus, no parties or gatherings, RAs have the responsibility of helping one guest per resident in residence their residents with issues such as Wi-Fi hall rooms, and no outside guests connection, maintenance problems, keepallowed in residence halls. Failure ing the peace, or contacting the approprito comply with these rules could reate people in case of emergencies. sult in academic probations; and in When it comes to this semester, many an extreme case, the college would things have been different; and one of be shut down and moved completethem is the enactment of COVID-related ly online. Despite so, some Ferrum regulations. It is difficult to instill new students still want to host gatherrules, especially given that RAs are just ings, especially after being quaranstudents like everyone else. According tined all summer, which has made it to one of the regulations, only one guest more important for the Ras to help is allowed in a room per resident, which enforce these preventive rules. should also exclude any non-Ferrum stuIt’s difficult sometimes because dents. Though this rule has been emphayou don’t want to be the one to ruin sized in many emails and conversations, the fun, but at the same time, I’m almost half of the students were not able sure people would much rather folto accurately restate the rule during a low the rules and be safe and able random interview of ten students. to stay on campus than to be sick or “I’m pretty sure I’m only allowed sent home,” May said. to have like three people as guests in According to May, RAs were ’s from the school year. Photo courtesy of the f ce of Student ife. my room at a time,” freshman, Carrie once told that some of the rules Rhodes said. would diminish and students would be given more freedom over time. But as of now it This makes things even more challenging for RAs. In previous years, RAs often doesn’t look like the rules will be changing anytime soon.
The Class of 2024 Starts a Rocky Freshman Year at Ferrum By Chelsea Zizzi
Freshmen Morgan Hundley posing for her cheerleading photo and while playing tennis before coming to errum College where she’s now continuing her athletic career.
Sophomore Megan Allen pictured left (second row) poses with the lacross team pre COVID-19 restrictions.
The Class of 2024 started their freshman year on August 26, 2020. Ferrum College President David Johns welcomed incoming freshman to campus during a year unlike any other at the college, with some major changes to their student life as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19. Classes are delivered in three different models this year, including in-person, hybrid, and HyFlex, which was a significant adjustment to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Students were also asked to follow other precautions such as the face coverings on campus, 6-feet physical distancing, and so on. Such regulations have transformed various landscapes of students’ college life. Morgan Hundley, a freshman at Ferrum College, is experiencing college for the first time under strict protocols. She is a cheerleader and a member of the tennis team. With sports being canceled this fall, some of her expectations have been cut short. Hundley said that she expected to cheer at football games and go to other sporting events; but instead, she is secluded in her room and her first year of college cheer was stripped from her. “I imagined college would be where I met all of my best friends,” Hundley said, “I still love college, but I wish I could change how much the COVID has changed our lives.” Hundley also found it more difficult to meet new people on campus, compared to upperclassmen who were able to go out and meet new people almost every day. She felt that because of the social distancing and face mask regulations, people are not comfortable with making new friends and tend to stick to themselves. “I understand why we have to wear the facemasks, but it’s so hard recognizing and hearing people,” Hundley said. Despite this challenging moment for
her social life, Hundley was glad that her academic life goes well. Her online class workload at college is about the same as her online workload from high school. Hundley explains that she would be upset if classes went fully online because she would not be able to stay on campus and experience the freedom that she is allowed to. “[Classes] are just about the same [as they were in high school] except when we have to do Zoom calls,” Hundley said, “I do feel prepared for them.” Megan Allen, a junior at Ferrum College, said that her first year at Ferrum was fun and she had a lot more freedom. Allen made many friends her first year at Ferrum and claimed that she was basically making a new friend every day. “It was easy to meet people, I could walk into the cafeteria and say hi to a random person and eat lunch with them,” Allen said. Allen stated that her freshman year experience was exciting, because she was able to do what she wanted, when she wanted to, with who she wanted. Without strict guidelines the college is putting out this semester, Allen was able to thrive her freshman year with a better connection to the Ferrum community. Allen also witnessed some changes in her college life this semester. She is on the lacrosse team and used to go to team dinners after every practice; but now she can only sit with three of them due to the regulations of social distancing. ome of my first friends on campus were my teammates,” Allen said, “now I barely get to see any of them.” Many freshmen, like Hundley, do not get to fully experience the freedom of college life this year. But this unusual year essentially kicked off. New students also participated in various virtual meetings and activities to ease themselves into the start of their college life.
October 1, 2020
The Iron Blade
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Activities hat s p ith Ferrum ports By Julius Asbury and Braden Homsey Panther Football is led by Cleive Adams, the first-year Head Coach, and cott cConnell, the Assistant Football Coach who spent the past six years as head coach at Averett University. As of right now, football is starting its strength and conditioning on eptember 9, , and Ferrum restling started their workouts on eptember , . Coaches have been working on safe social distanced practices so that studentathletes can practice according to CDC guidelines. ports like football and wrestling have split the players into groups of people so that they can condition safely. Ferrum College has made changes to its fall sports schedules all league members will delay the fall sports competition until eptember 11. Ferrum has not canceled sports but has postponed them until further notice. Ferrum Athletics intends for fall sports programs to compete in a regular-season competition in the spring of 1, alongside traditional winter and spring sports. For other sports, including lacrosse, soccer, baseball, and basketball all students have been working out and practicing individually or with a very small group of their teammates.
errum College’s eagan ldridge checking berlin College’s Jackie h during the season opening match at errum College. Photo courtesy The ranklin ews Post.
Folklife Festival Cancelled By Mary Stoudt
Top Steve oster’s mule umping during the mule umping competition at the annual Blue idge olklife estival at errum College. Photo courtesy of The oanok eStar. com.
classic car featured at the annual Blue idge olklife estival. The car show is ust one part of the larger festival. Photo by ary Stoudt.
For the first time in years, Ferrum College’s lue idge Institute and useum ( I had to cancel their annual Folklife Festival due to COVID-19. Typically, the festival brings thousands of people to Ferrum’s campus to celebrate Virginia’s lue idge heritage. The festival has hosted numerous musicians and musical groups, craft vendors, horse, mule, and dog competitions, a variety of antique cars and tractors, moonshiners, and a large number of food vendors. Over the years the festival has brought the surrounding community and Ferrum’s community together since its start in 19 . ven though there will be no festival this year the I has planned to hold a virtual festival the week of October the 19th
which will feature photos and videos from previous years. In regards to the plans for next year’s festival Director of the I , eth orley shared her thoughts, I hope to have the festival next year and have it be bigger and better than ever, said orley. On the day of the festival in years past Ferrum students, faculty, and staff have been able to enter the festival free of charge. The tickets that community members purchased helped to offset the cost of the festival in addition to other programs held by the I . ven though the festival is not occurring this year the I ’s new online store is available for people to purchase a variety of items including books, food, wares, and more.
ince its beginning in 19 the festival has brought the Ferrum College community together with not only the community of outhwestern Virginia but also surrounding states. The festival allowed people to enjoy a day exploring blue ridge heritage and participating in events. I think the festival is the highlight of the fall of the blue ridge of Virginia and I’m very honored to be the director of the museum and being able to work with so many great individuals and community groups including the staff and students of Ferrum College, said Worley. Currently, the I is continuing with its plans to host the festival next year at Ferrum College. For updates about the festival, information can be found at the I ’s website.
Have Fun and ocial Distance By Lindsey Foster
The Ferrum Activities oard (FA brings activities campus wide and organi es events of all tastes for students to come together and enjoy time on campus. Due to the current pandemic, these activities had to take a hiatus. However, FA took matters into their own hands and still gave students activities to do over the summer from home. Activities that were over the spring semester and the summer included weekly trivia nights, e-gaming of Fortnite, and mind reader ric Dittleman. As the fall semester begins, the FA coordinator ustin use and current members have events planned for campus. ven though the usual events can not be done without breaking our current COVID-19 precautions, FA will still have activities campus
wide by social distancing and through our computer screens. e look at safety as the number one priority so we have to do what we have to do so we’ll sacrifice now and make up for what we did not in the future, said use. Virtual events in the works include online e-gaming, a virtual talent show, and singer songwriter events. imited physical in-person programs are also in the works that will have heavy restrictions and will include where students and faculty will have to register to be able to attend. ore information about all upcoming events will be sent via campus mail.
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The Iron Blade
ubank
October 1, 2020
ins ig
By Mary Stoudt
The Iron Blade’s former Editor-in-Chief AnnGardner (AG) Eubank has been officially sworn in as a member of her town council in hite tone, Virginia. Eubank is the youngest member of the town council. hen ubank arrived at home after Ferrum College went virtual for the remainder of the spring semester, ubank received her absentee ballot in the mail. hile looking at her ballot, ubank noticed only three names were listed for the available four town council seats. The ballot for hite tone did not include Eubank’s name for the town council, meaning that she was a write-in victor.
In order to win her seat, ubank relied on word of mouth and social media to promote herself. I was a bit surprised when I got the phone call telling me I had been elected. y senior year was not the best by any means, and getting that phone call really felt like a turning point for the better and reassured me that I was getting into the right field and going in the right direction career-wise, explained ubank when thinking back to when she first found out that she had won her seat in the election. In the spring of , Eubank graduated from Ferrum with a degree in political science. hile at Ferrum, ubank was a
member of the volleyball team, secretary of ambda igma ational Honor ociety, and served on the tudent-Athlete Advisory Committee, in addition to her chief editor’s positin in The Iron Blade. hile in office, ubank wants to accomplish a few things specifically geared towards the younger demographic and local business owners and watermen. I’d like to give the perspective and representation of the young demographic in my area because it’s a demographic that’s notoriously overlooked where I’m from, said ubank, I’d also like to continue to work for the betterment of hite tone’s local
businesses, especially local watermen and others who rely on the appahannock for their livelihood. In addition to serving on her town council, ubank has other plans in regards to serving the public. I’m hoping to continue to climb the political ladder, like potentially running for a delegate position several years down the line. I’d also still love to work in journalism as a correspondent of some description or political reporting, said ubank. ven though she just graduated from Ferrum four months ago AG Eubank has made a name for herself in her town as now being the youngest member on the town Anngardner “AG” Eubank pictured with an issue of council. The Iron Blade.
Chrysalis iterary Arts
aga ine
By Caroline King (special to The Iron Blade) If you want an opportunity to win extra cash, then the Chrysalis iterary and Arts aga ine is the place for you ou can submit poems, prose, visual arts, or photography to the maga ine and have the chance to win money and have your work published. In each category, the first place pri e is 1 , and the second place pri e is . Visual art and photography must be submitted as .jpg documents. Poems and prose must be submitted as icrosoft ord documents. Please email your submissions to kgrimes ferrum.edu. All submissions must be turned in no later than eptember 9 at 11 9pm. efore you submit your work, please review the guidelines at ferrum.edu campus-life chrysalis. This year s editors, Chloe Fisher and Abigail c overn, and the rest of the staff want to see your masterpieces. Please submit your work soon
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