‘We are committed to inclusiveness’ -President Scott D. Miller-
Bethany Walker|Marlin Chronicle THURSDAY 3.14.19 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWU.EDU ||
VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
Campus reaffirms inclusivity VWU vows to remain inclusive to all people despite the United Methodist Church’s decision to ban LGBTQ+ from obtaining leadership. BY MICKELLA RAST mjrast@vwu.edu
The United Methodist Church (UMC) voted 53-47 in Feb. to ban gay clergy and officiating LGBTQ+ weddings. The outcome of such a long-anticipated vote stunned and disappointed those eagerly awaiting the results of the UMC General Call, a yearly summit to discuss and vote on church matters. Though many points of discussion have caused controversy in the church over the years, perhaps none has caused as much conversation as the intersection of religious doctrine and LGBTQ+ rights. The debate and resulting vote spanned three days. Such a decision appears to contrast the UMC’s new motto, ‘open hearts, open minds, open doors.’ In addition to the bans, punitive measures were also instituted to punish clergy members who officiated same-sex marriages: first-time offenders may be suspended without pay, while those who continue to defy the church may be defrocked. President Scott D. Miller denounced the decision and said that Wesleyan would not be following this new doctrine. “The vote we consider to be disappointing.” Miller said, “We are welcoming and educating in an equitable and inclusive environment and the vote won’t erode our commitment to inclusion and diversity. We are committed to inclusiveness.” Senior Melissa Fisher said this topic arose during her meetings with the administration to implement a
transgender-inclusive housing and nondiscrimination policy on campus. Fisher is the president of Spectrum, an organization that promotes LGBTQ+ rights and education. “It really just came up in context of, you know, ‘we have your back, we’re here,’ ‘we’re trying to support you, we believe this is the correct step for the future of Virginia Wesleyan University,’” Fisher said. Associate Professor Kathleen Casey, the advisor for and founding faculty member of Spectrum said, “Honestly, I see this more in terms of a loss for the church. I am really glad that President Miller has distinguished our campus from the formal church’s policy on this issue. Not only is this the right thing to do morally, but we need to remain and inclusive, welcoming institution that changes with the times.” Spectrum Officer Kayla Bennett called the decision “disappointing, but not surprising.” She also expressed hope that the higher administration would continue to support Spectrum and other organizations that promote diversity. “We LGBTQ+ identifying students need to be supported and uplifted by the VWU administration in order to thrive as individuals and as a community,” Bennett said. “More and more people continue to identify as LGBTQ+ and/or have friends and family members who identify as such. [Wesleyan is] a place where everyone can pursue their education regardless of their
sexual identity or religious affiliation,” Casey added. The growing LGBTQ+ community is what eventually caused Justin Robins to change his mind, who is both a Spectrum member and heavily involved in the UMC community. “When homosexuality stopped becoming a hypothetical problem and it started becoming people in my life who truly loved and cared for one another, my mindset totally changed,” Robins said. After his aunt married her partner, he said that he felt like he “realized that this was a situation in the church that really mattered and really affected the people that I loved.” Despite this growing community, the UMC has declined in membership over the years. Miller attributed part of this to the church’s aggressive international outreach, which he believes came at the expense of youth outreach in the U.S. “The Methodist services have followed the same format for years, and it’s not involving young people in readings and music, and so young people go somewhere where they can [be involved],” said Miller. “The Methodist Church’s choice to strengthen the ban on same-sex marriages makes it more likely that the church will continue losing members, particularly millennials and Generation Z-ers,” Casey agreed.
SEE DECISION Pg. 2
Duplain returns to the softball field BY MEGAN SHERMAN mrsherman@vwu.edu
2017 marked the year that the softball team captured its first Division III National Championship in program history. After such a successful season, returning players got the chance to defend their National Title and prepare with that distinction under their belts. However, Kaylah Duplain had to put away the glove and cleats for her sophomore season, as she was unable to play because of an undiagnosable stomach issue and a torn labrum in her hip. “I was happy for them but it was really hard not being out there because I’ve played since I was like four years old, so it’s all I’ve ever known,” Duplain said. Duplain is a member of the class of 2020 along with AllAmerican pitcher Hanna Hull and 2018 All-ODAC player of the year Madison Glaubke. All three made a significant impact in their freshman season as starters, Glaubke in left field, Hull at the mound and Duplain at third. In this first season, Duplain found success on the offensive and defensive end as she logged 25 RBIs and a .277 batting average, as well as a .949 fielding percentage. Her efforts earned her a spot on the All-ODAC First Team and All-State Second Team.
SEE DUPLAIN Pg. 7
‘Winter blues’ explained BY MICKELLA RAST mjrast@vwu.edu
Wednesday, March 20, marks the official beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and plenty of people are excited for the warmer weather that will hopefully accompany its arrival. However, there are some students whose gratitude is due to more than just an appreciation for the beach. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), depression is one of the most common mental disorders affecting young adults, and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is an increasingly common subset of this. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a mood
Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle
disorder characterized by depression, sadness, lethargy or apathy that a person feels at a specific time every year. Most people are affected during fall and winter. Associate Director of Counseling Services Crista Gambrell described SAD as “any time you experience mood symptoms like sadness or depression-like symptoms based on the season or weather changes” repeatedly over the years. “It’s pretty much depression based on the seasons.” Director of Counseling Services Bill Brown added that “it tends to repeat itself year after year; people who have it tend to notice a pattern.” Counseling Services offers a variety of services, from offering a friendly ear to those students who’ve had a bad day to helping students who struggle with specific mental disorders such as SAD. Counseling Services conducted a total of 1,529 student sessions in the 2018 academic year, and report that many students have continued to use their services into 2019.
SEE SAD Pg. 3
Erin Highsmith |Marlin Chronicle
Duplain fielding a ground ball and throwing to first base.
Screenshot from Somethinginthewater.com
SEE MUSIC Pg. 9
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News Wesleyan embraces LGBTQ+, honors Methodist heritage
Thursday March 14, 2018 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu
Photo by Bethany Walker|Marlin Chronicle
Graphic by Mickella Rast|Marlin Chronicle
John Wesley never explicitly discussed homosexuality, but he did charge his followers to “do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can... to all the people you can,” according to his sermons. Though Wesleyan is moving forward into a more inclusive identity, it still values its Methodist heritage.
DECISION CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Some have attributed the vote to the UMC’s international growth over the past decade. Non-U.S. members now make up a significant portion of the church and many come from countries where the LGBTQ+ community is less accepted. Thirty percent of members come from Africa, where homosexuality is outlawed in the majority of its countries. Regardless of international influence, the intersection of religion and sexual and gender identity has often caused controversy. Bennett pointed out that religious institutions have exhibited anti-LGBTQ+ behavior before, and have historically “used their religion as a justification to harm, belittle, degrade and even murder LGBTQ+ people.” Besides putting the two communities in opposition with each other, there is also controversy within the religious and LGBTQ+ communities respectively. Fisher noted that there is some internal tension in the LGBTQ+ between those who were unable to reconcile their religion and sexual and gender identity and those who were able to do so, which sometimes results in intercommunity discrimination. “That can turn into shaming people for being part of their religion, it can turn into racism, it can turn into misogyny, and I think ignoring that is a disservice to those in the community who are actively harmed by that,” Fisher said. Contributing to the internal religious debate is the position of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, a methodology developed by John Wesley that the UMC uses. The Quadrilateral places scripture as the most important of its four aspects, followed respectively by experience, reason and tradition. Some have been pushing for experience to be more influential, and even take precedence over scripture. Robins said that this is the most obvious case of “scripture verses social justice” that he has seen. He stressed the importance of modern context when interpreting biblical scripture, using divorce as an example. Though divorce is scripturally disapproved of, he pointed out that no modern church would prevent an abused woman from leaving her husband. “Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to love one another, and in my mind that means don’t stop people from loving one another as well,” Robins said. “People always say ‘God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve,’
but God made Steve, too.” Though there is no singular solution to such division within and between communities, education, experience and communication are three ways to begin laying the groundwork to cooperation. “People need to get outside of their comfort zones and learn about what they have in common with others, especially other marginalized groups,” Casey said. “It’s much easier to sit on the sidelines and criticize, but this campus truly is what students make of it. All students would be much better off if they took the initiative to create groups and events where they see a void on campus.” To this effect, an increasing number of measures are being implemented at Wesleyan to promote diversity and inclusiveness. VWU has always strived to prevent discrimination based on gender or sexual identity (among other factors), and more recently instituted inclusive policies for transgender students in 2018. However, more direct action is being taken and proposed for the future. “We are working on creating more inclusive housing policies that will accommodate the needs and concerns of transgender students. I am hopeful that those will take effect in July of this year,” Casey said. Bennett had a similar desire for updated housing options. “I also want us to have a dorm/hall dedicated to gender inclusion, specifically for LGBTQ+ students, like many other universities have,” Bennett said. “An office of minority affairs would be cool. It’s not just something that larger universities have, but also something that many smaller universities in our conference have. And I think that is probably the next step,” Fisher said. She was also gratified that gender neutral bathrooms are being introduced across campus. “Obviously, making those spaces available and viable in all buildings on campus is the ultimate goal,” Fisher said, although she acknowledged the complications of such a measure, such as renovation costs. However, she was hopeful that in new buildings, such as the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center, such inclusive amenities would be considered from the start. Casey added that such bathrooms should be identified on campus maps so that visitors can easily find them if desired. Fisher stressed the need for updated safe
space training. “I believe the last time we brought safe space anything to campus was last fall, and it wasn’t a training it was an education overview. Safe space training is actually three days long. We’re hoping to get that by the end of April,” Fisher said. Though there are no definite training dates set, Fisher said that Spectrum was coordinating with Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Moore and other administration members to potentially bring in an outside source from ODU. “Sometimes, people really just don’t know if they are being discriminatory towards the LGBTQ+ community because the language in the community changes very rapidly, so updated safe space training could help to alleviate this,” agreed Bennett. “Another great change that has happened in the last few years is that professors affiliated with the Women and Gender Studies program started offering classes on LGBTQ+ literature, queer cultural studies and the history of sexuality,” Casey said. “These courses have proved very popular and are a wonderful resource for students who want to learn more about these issues and be prepared to work with people who are different from them in the future.” Though great strides have been made with regard to LGBTQ+ rights, there are many protections still not afforded to the community. Virginia does not prohibit housing, healthcare or employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In addition to this, Virginia also has no laws addressing hate or bias crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity. For grades K-12 there are no measures protecting LGBTQ+ students against bullying or harassment, and there are no laws preventing discrimination within the educational system at large. In addition to all of this, Virginia also still allows and has no restrictions on “conversion therapy.” “In day-to-day life, just be supportive. If you want the title of being an ally, you have to earn it by supporting us both in private and in public,” Bennett said. “There’s always more we can do,” Casey added. Spectrum meets weekly on Thursday at four p.m. in Clark 214 for those who are interested. To learn more about the LGBTQ+ community, Bennett also recommended several publications that focus on issues that affect the community, such as Out Magazine, Outwire 757, the
Gay Times Magazine and The Advocate Magazine. The LGBT LifeCenter offers housing, free or low-cost counseling and medical services for those in the LGBTQ+ community. Casey also recommended the Transgender Assistance Program (TAP), which sponsors conferences and other events to raise awareness and educate the public. It also has a “transgender closet” for those who need gender-affirming clothing but may not have access to any or who don’t feel safe acquiring such clothing in a different manner. Casey said that any students interested in course offerings or getting involved in Spectrum are encouraged to email her at kcasey@vwu.edu or visit her office in Batten 246-A. Though Wesleyan will not separate itself from its Methodist heritage, Miller said that the school “[intends] to be inclusive no matter what the Methodist position is on it. And that even if it is defiant of the affiliation requirements, we intend to stand firm on this issue. And we don’t apologize for that.” Religious affiliations at colleges and universities must be reaffirmed every ten years, and Wesleyan is only roughly two years into its latest affiliation. Though the school has met all requirements in the past, this defiance may impact the school’s ability to do so in the future. Despite this, Miller intends to put the needs of the campus community first. “All humans have a value, an important value and should be loved on a religious campus and on a church-affiliated campus,” Miller said. He added that the school would be keeping its name, which was trademarked, and its namesake John Wesley statue. “We have some really great students who have been attracted to this school because of our affiliation, and I hope we continue to attract those [types of] students,” said Chaplain Greg West. He also expressed dismay at the upheaval in the church, but stressed that all were welcome at religious services on campus. Wesleyan’s Sunday worship service Soar is held at four p.m. in the chapel, and West said that the doors would be open to all who wished to attend, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. For those who may not be able to attend or do not wish to for any reason, the services are also live-streamed on Facebook.
News
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Thursday March 14, 2019 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu
‘You are not alone’ Students and counselors at VWU discuss Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) among college students as the seasons change and warmer weather approaches, potentially ending the symptoms of SAD for those who suffer from the “winter pattern” variety.
Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle Though Seasonal Affective Disorder most commonly affects people during the colder months, the onset of summer can also cause people to feel lethargic or agitated.
SAD CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Junior Danielle Davis is working to bring awareness to this disorder. She’s the President of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) chapter at Wesleyan. NAMI is a grassroots advocacy group with nationwide chapters, and has expanded since its 1979 founding into the largest mental health advocacy group in the U.S. NAMI meets every Wednesday at five p.m. in Clarke 215 for those who are interested in attending or learning more about mental health. “We advocate for mental health and we just try to spread awareness and be a support system for those who may suffer from mental illness,” Davis said. Though her organization has covered a range of different disorders, ranging from schizophrenia to general anxiety, she said Seasonal Affective Disorder was personal for many NAMI members. “There were a couple people in my organization who said that they felt sincerely like they had that issue, because as soon as the cold months roll around, their mood just depletes and they’re ready for it to warm up again,” Davis said. According to STET, symptoms of “winter pattern” of SAD may include a recurring sense of having low or no energy; hypersomnia or excessive sleepiness during the day; episodes of overeating or weight gain; a craving for carbohydrates; and social withdrawal or the urge to “hibernate.” Symptoms of “summer pattern” of SAD may include a poor appetite or weight loss; insomnia or the habitual inability to sleep at night; agitation and restlessness; a general feeling of anxiety; and episodes of
violent behavior. Brown said that, “The one thing that’s positive, out of all the negative, is that you can tell yourself that it’s limited. ‘I will come out of this,’ ‘there is light at the end of the tunnel’ because that’s typically the way it works. Once spring hits and the light changes and the weather is picking up and it feels better to be outside, they can sort of count on ‘this depression I’m feeling will go away.’ And I think just being able to tell yourself that is a technique to get out of depression.” For those who want a more targeted action plan, there are four main types of treatment for SAD: light therapy, medication, psychotherapy and a Vitamin D regimen. It is important to note that the NIMH does not consider the Vitamin D regimen to be an effective treatment, as studies on its effectiveness have produced mixed results. Gambrell recommends tending to overall mental health in addition to targeted treatments for SAD. Brown and Gambrell both defer to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition of overall mental health: “A state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” “A lot of time we don’t seek support until stuff starts to break down,” Gambrell said. She mentioned that their goal is to “[promote] the good, rather than repairing what goes wrong,” and that they try to focus on overall wellness.
Gambrell described three basics of overall wellness: sleep hygiene and “getting an adequate amount of restorative sleep”; nutrition and making sure students are eating well-rounded meals more than once per day; and “getting in moderate movement and physical activity.” “We preach those all the time, but those really are the basics to help you keep a baseline mood,” Gambrell said. If you’re not doing those basic things to take care of your body, a lot of times you’ll experience emotional symptoms like stress and not being able to deal because you’re overwhelmed.” She noted that students struggle with all three basics, sometimes individually and sometimes simultaneously. Brown said that physical activity is often helpful to people, although many experience an initial reluctance to work out. “I’ve got a number of clients and exercise is their coping mechanism, and it really helps them to function better,” he said. Davis also made this recommendation. “That not only deals with your mental health but also your physical health, so why not tie both into each other?” She also suggested writing, which has been her personal “coping method” since high school, and meditating or listening to music to induce a relaxed state. “Just being knowledgeable of all the different types [of therapy] helps you and other people,” Davis said. NAMI’s motto is ‘You are not alone,’ a sentiment that Davis and those in Counseling Services emphatically support. “Having support—whether that’s
professional support or just adequate social support— that’s huge for college students.” Gambrell said, “Just finding your people, finding your community of friends or people you can lean on when you’re struggling, just having someone to talk to can be helpful.” “You’re not in it alone. There are several people in the world, on this campus, in Virginia who may suffer from the same thing you suffer with,” Davis said. “There’s always someone to talk to. Never give up. I know all these sound cliché, but it’s serious. You’re not in it alone. There’s always someone willing to be that ear to hear, that shoulder for you to lean on. And if you don’t know anyone, I’ll be that person. Just know you’ll always have a friend in me.” Anyone who feels like they are struggling with a mental illness or wants to learn more about mental health are encouraged to visit Wesleyan’s Counseling Services, located in upstairs Batten, room 211. Below are a list of important phone numbers for anyone who may need them: National suicide prevention lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Virginia suicide prevention lifeline: 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) Norfolk depression crisis hotline: 804819-4100 Mental health crisis hotline: 1-800-442HOPE (4673) NAMI helpline: 800-950-NAMI Call 911 if you or anyone you know is an immediate danger to themselves or others, or a similar emergency arises.
Small school, big opportunities BY FAITH AUAD
fmauad@vwu.edu
Choosing an institution of higher learning to attend is considered to be one of the most important decisions a person can make in their life. However, there is often a misconception that smaller colleges and universities do not offer as many opportunities as larger institutions. But a recent poll released by the Gallup and Strada Education Network noted that may not be the case. According to the survey, 45 percent of students at smaller colleges and universities “strongly agree that their professors care about them as people,” as compared with 24 percent at larger colleges and universities. Smaller here meant a college or university with a populace of fewer than 5,000 students, while larger described an institution with more than 5,000 students. The survey sought to learn more about “several key experiences indicating supportive relationships with professors and mentors.” “I really think Wesleyan professors are really helpful to the students, they offer a lot of mentorship for students about planning their future and helping them succeed in life,” agreed senior Pat Suttle. “They offer a lot of encouragement and make you feel like you have someone in your corner; I
think this is especially needed for those students who need extra encouragement.” At Wesleyan this kind of kinship expands beyond professors. Other faculty and staff also work to help students succeed academically and in general. Senior Julie Manning had one such experience with Mollie Dunmyer in the Lighthouse: Center for Exploration and Discovery. Dunmyer and others at the Lighthouse help students find internships, externships and career opportunities. They also offer help with resumes, interviews and other aspects of job hunting. “Mrs. Dunmyer was extremely helpful throughout my internship search: offering leads, providing encouragement, and helping improve my resume and cover letter. I suggest that fellow students capitalize on this resource,” Manning said. The Lighthouse also hosts several job fairs throughout the year to connect students to potential employers for internships and careers. Another aspect the Gallup poll examined was extracurricular activities. Twenty-one percent of students surveyed in smaller schools said they were heavily involved in extracurricular activities compared to 17 percent in larger schools. Virginia
Wesleyan offers over fifty clubs and organizations as well as 22 varsity sports. Support for these activities is another way that Virginia Wesleyan faculty and staff show their commitment to their students. Additionally the poll addressed research projects. Gallop found that students at smaller universities were more likely to work on research projects that lasted more than one semester. Fifty percent of VWU’s seniors produce original research projects each year. The Lighthouse’s Undergraduate Research Program is designed to help those students who are interested in research. The program provides support for students, research grants, conference grants, and instructional workshops. Port Day held once each semester is an opportunity for students to not only share their internship and or research experiences but practice their public speaking skills as well. Hofheimer Library is another resource for students who wish to do research. With knowledgeable staff, access to databases on and off campus, and (of course) books and other research materials, students have access to all the information they may need. The library also offers two Library
Research Awards for students who complete outstanding research projects. One of the two $150 awards is given to a junior or senior, while the other is for a freshman or sophomore. These awards give students a chance to be monetarily rewarded for their hard work. The poll noted there was very little difference in how many students had internship and other relative work experience while in school regardless of the size of the institution. In fact, 44 percent of students from smaller schools reported they had an internship that granted them work experience, compared to 39 percent of students from larger schools. This is believed to be due in part to the active participation that professors and other faculty members of smaller schools exhibit in students search for internships and other opportunities. Though smaller schools may not be able to offer the same degree programs and extensive curriculum of larger schools, there are still distinct advantages as the Gallup poll indicates. Wesleyan’s 13:1 student to faculty ratio allows for faculty and staff to work closely with students, ensuring that students receive the best education possible.
4 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu
The Marlin Chronicle is the official student newspaper of Virginia Wesleyan University. Staff meetings are held every Tuesday at 5:40 p.m. in Batten 217. Signed submissions are welcome, but subject to the discretion of the editor. Letters are not edited for content, but may be edited for length and mechanics. The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper may not necessarily reflect the views of the entire staff of The Marlin Chronicle or Virginia Wesleyan University. The Marlin Chronicle Virginia Wesleyan University 5817 Wesleyan Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757.455.3311
Thursday, March 14, 2019
CRIME BLOTTER
Courtesy|Thinkstock
February 26 10:07 a.m.
Vandalism
Smith Drive
Driving on grass
March 4 10:50 Bray Village Hole in wall
March 8 10:50 a.m.|Controlled Bray Village
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Community The
MARLIN CHRONICLE Editor-in-Chief
Hayley Heath hrheath@vwu.edu
Thursday March 14, 2019 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu
New beginning for fine arts on campus
Managing Editor News Editor Mickella Rast mjrast@vwu.edu Community Editor Cynthia Griffin clgriffin@vwu.edu Opinions Editor Alex Powers ampowers@vwu.edu Sports Editor Megan Sherman mrsherman@vwu.edu
The old fine arts building and the new Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center.
Bethany Walker|Marlin Chronicle
The Weekender Editor Tony Tann tdtann@vwu.edu Photo Editor Bethany Walker brwalker@vwu.edu Illustrations Editors Valerie Miller vgmiller@vwu.edu Alex Powers ampowers@vwu.edu Online Editor Nel Hart nlhart@vwu.edu Copy Editor Tara Truax tmtruax@vwu.edu Business Manager Hayley Heath hrheath@vwu.edu Advertising Manager Jasmine Demir jkdemir@vwu.edu Adviser Dr. Lisa Lyon Payne lpayne@vwu.edu John-Henry Doucette jdoucette@vwu.edu
BY NICHOLAS MUNDY namundy@vwu.edu
The Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center will take over the special events that were formely held in the Hofheimer Theatre near the end of March. The old fine arts building will still be holding regular daily classes, and Virginia Wesleyan is still striving to improve the older building. Groundbreaking began on the new performing arts center back on Dec. 1. Construction has been taking place, and the building is scheduled to host events in April. Virginia Wesleyan recently received funding for the Greer Environmental Sciences Center, and was still looking for the signature building of the fine arts. Virginia Wesleyan President, Scott D. Miller stressed the importance of the new building; “ The whole concept when we were working with the architects and the master planners was that you when attending a liberal arts college, university of arts and sciences that you have an iconic structure to your important academic programs.” The brand new building can be seen from Wesleyan Drive and will be the first thing that guest and incoming students see when they arrive on campus.The total cost of the Goode Center was $12 million dollars. There are hopes of renovating the old Hofheimer building.“We would anticipate within the next year we will do some renovations to it (Hofheimer building) to make it a cleaner, more modern, more efficient building,” President Miller said. The normal classes that are held in there will continue to be held there, but on some occasions classes will be able to go into the new fine arts for certain occasions together. There will still be student performances in the old theater. The new building is here to benefit all students not just students that have a certain major. The new building will serve multiple purposes rather than just performances. “ I tend to think about it as our front porch to the community. It’s the place where the community comes and we greet them and have good dialogue there as well,” Dean of the Susan S. Goode School of Arts and Humanities Professor of Theatre, Dr. Malone said. There isn’t going to be just one event that signifies the opening of the new structure. “ We will have a dedication ceremony on
LIGHTHOUSE
SPOTLIGHT Q: What did you do? A: I studied abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom where I completed an internship in the Scottish Parliament under the supervision of Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) Oliver Mundell. My duties included writing speeches, creating policy briefs, and giving tours. It was a great experience that gave me hands-on experience that I would not have been able to get in the United States.
March 30th that will be for primarily our large donor pool invited and the board of trustees. We have also created a whole series of events , so instead of just having just one event that opens the facility. We have six weeks of events that sort of celebrate the opening,” Dr. Malone said. One event that could be held in the new structure could be Marlin Day. Marlin Day is where prospective students come and explore campus in large groups. Whenever there is construction on or near campus there is excitement that comes with that. The new opportunities that come with a new facility are endless. A new building brings new students and faculty out to events, but it also brings different visitors from around Virginia Beach and Norfolk. “ I am in a really great position cause I get to walk people through for the first time in the building. To see the look of excitement on their faces when they walk into a space that is truly deserving of the quality of program we have here,” Dr. Malone said. The lobby in the new fine arts building can sit 106. The auditorium seats a maximum of 325 people. Recently, the donor added a pathway from the gate house that is bicycle accessible to everyone. The Goode parking lot which holds 259 parking spaces became available to students, faculty, and staff on March 8th. The increased parking from the new facility will become very beneficial to everyone with the limited parking. There is another major project that Virginia Wesleyan is about to take on. “ Our next big project that will start in April is going to be the Oxford Village Project across the street will be eight buildings,” President Miller said. A very costly project that will be extra residence halls just outside of campus on Wesleyan Drive. The extra housing will be mostly for upperclassmen. There is not a definite date on when the project will be completed. Many new constructions have been happening on campus for the past few years, and the next few will not be any different. More facilities and housing for students, faculty and guests will only to continue to draw more interest from around the community.
Julia Downing ‘19 Political Science Q: How did these experiences help you to determine your career path? A: The most important takeaway from these experiences was finding a new pathway while abroad. I found my true passion and an interest in a field that I had never before considered. I realized my love for international politics and public policy. Before going abroad, I wanted to use my political science degree and go to law school. But after my internship, I decided to pursue a career in public policy.
Q: What did you do to prepare to study abroad and intern? A: I knew I wanted to study in the UK to learn about its parliamentary system and to study Brexit. Upon visiting The Lighthouse, I learned of the opportunity to intern at the Scottish Parliament, and I applied. I also researched Scottish politics and culture in order to have a solid foundation to understand my courses and role at the internship.
Q: What surprised you the most about your experience? A: The most surprising part of studying abroad was discovering the culture of Scotland. Most people group Scotland with the rest of the UK, but it is very much a very separate country with its own identity, government, bank, and criminal justice system. The most surprising part of my internship was how involved I was. On the very first day, I wrote a speech for my boss. I was thrown right into the job.
Julia at Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, UK, 11 January 2018. Photograph by Julia Cochran.
Q: What advice would you give to students who are considering undertaking an internship abroad? A: Do It! If you are even considering it, just do it! Find a location and institution that fits your academic interests, and take the leap!
Julia received a Global Scholars Award to study at the University of Edinburgh, UK in spring 2018.
For more information on internships, undergraduate research, and study away, contact The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration & Discovery.
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Opinions
Thursday March 14, 2019 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu
Tw o s t e p s b a c k
With the controversy of the Jussie Smollett case rising to the forefront of conversation, the obstacles standing in the way of social movements see a critical need for acknowledgment. BY ALEX POWERS
ampowers@vwu.edu
The modern age of progressivism is far from new. Nowadays, it is critical that people feel their voice can be heard and that change can be made. However, the means by which that change is being achieved is subjected to great criticism. Recent social movements have experienced this all too frequently. #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, and PRIDE parades top the list of many movements whose advocacy for progress see obstacles from public opinion. It is understandable. Progress and change will always create friction. However, nowadays this friction is only worsened by dangerous stereotypes and generalizations. People seek to undermine movements by delegitimizing claims and focusing on simple mistakes or even outlier cases. In case you found the news cycle lacking in controversy recently, the Jussie Smollett case should have served well to revitalize important albeit dangerous conversations about social justice. This past January, Empire star and R&B singer Jussie Smollett went to the police with the report of verbal and, more notably, physical attacks from two men in Chicago. Being black and homosexual, the incident notched itself as yet another iteration of a hate crime perpetrated against marginalized peoples. While the story got its seemingly due publicity and expressions of sympathy, police investigations soon revealed the ordeal to be an alleged hoax. While the details remain partially unclear, the real story has Smollett staging an attack with these men. This past weekend, on March 9, the actor was indicted by a grand jury for his false reports. This entire situation left heads spinning. What motivates someone, with a real platform, to fake a hate crime? And how will this affect the way real hate crimes are treated? As if Hollywood did not already appear as a distorted, funhouse-mirror reflection of society, cases like this certainly add to this divide between celebrity and common citizen. Indeed, they are very different. Make no mistake there. But if we sensationalize the lives and accounts of celebrities too much, their platforms become less real, less grounded. This may not mean much day-to-day, but it means the world when these celebrities use their platform for pushing social justice. If we dismiss and dissociate from celebrity accounts, then movements built on the backs of celebrities like #MeToo and Colin Kaepernick’s anthem protests can easily be trivialized. When one of these accounts is shown to be fraudulent, then the entire movement can unravel. We’ve seen this trend before, to a degree. In an age of redefining sexual conduct between men and women, major progress has come about to protect women from sexual misconduct. Everything from catcalls and pick-up lines to sexual assault and rape have been discussed and reassessed. Dangerous behavior against women that went previously unquestioned has now been exposed and openly combatted. Major progress is being made to build awareness, address toxic masculinity and protect victims. This long overdue empowerment of women is good social change, by my estimation. Yet, some recent instances have halted progress. Just last year, in the midst of the #MeToo Movement’s apex, comedian Aziz Ansari was accused of sexual assault. Yet, the presentation of this allegation hurt the movement. Public opinion that this was a biased account of a bad date and not some unforgivable sexual assault diluted the power of the movement as a whole. Similarly, false allegations of rape seem to stop the movement dead in its tracks. The recent story of a college football player’s life being derailed by false rape allegations comes to mind. Such
stories threaten to kill the movement’s momentum. The reality is the presentation of the Aziz Ansari story is not what the #MeToo Movement embodies. The reality is false allegations account for a severe minority of reported incidents. From where I am sitting, the weight of 100 legitimate cases calling for change can be countered by merely 1 case of a weak argument or falsehood. This just means critics, and dare I say opponents, of these social movements have ammunition to debilitate social progress. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, the need for self-purification in social movements is paramount. This was his idea that, during the Civil Rights Movement, those fighting for justice needed to minimize their own flaws. The level of scrutiny is even higher for such civil rights advocates. They have less room for error. They must be as organized, virtuous, enduring and even-tempered as possible. This is embodied through civil disobedience seen infamously in Birmingham marches, where no provocation could impede the movement. Nowadays, with the close lens of media monitoring us, even more self-discipline and self-purification is necessary. We cannot have scandals, hoaxes or personal mistakes poisoning the social movement at large. That is what is at risk with the Smollett case: slowing social change. While we’ve come a long way from the abuse of fire hoses and belligerent police dog attacks, the threat of opposition to social movements remains very real. There can be neither complacency nor negligence on the part of those advocating social change. It doesn’t matter the movement. If we are to be the custodians of social justice, we need to ensure we are all making the right choices. And we can only hope our brothers and sisters within the movement share that same value, too.
Val Miller|Marlin Chronicle
Should we spring forward? Daylight Savings Time comes and goes without much fuss, but perhaps it’s time to finally cut it out. BY ALEX POWERS
ampowers@vwu.edu
This past weekend, Daylight Savings Time reared its ugly head again. Every spring, we all set our clocks ahead an hour - yes, ahead an hour - to account for having done the exact opposite some months prior. Practically speaking, “springing forward” an hour is ridiculous. Firstly, half of my tech devices are “smart” enough to change the time on their own, while other archaic gadgets like microwaves and pre-2000 car radios sit still unchanged. The whole ordeal plunges one into an existential crisis about the man-made conception of time. If not bewildering, at the very least the task of changing clocks is tedious. Second, no one I have ever talked to about it genuinely knows why it happens in the first place. There’s so many halfbaked ideas, and I don’t know which to believe. I’ve heard everything from helping farmers to fuel conservation in WWI to making more efficient train schedules. Other theories also include providing more light during winter months and giving Ben Franklin another invention to claim. Normally, I would do my due diligence, and carefully research the issue; find out the purpose of it all. However, I’m not really sure I care. None of the theories sound like they carry much contemporary application. I mean, we’re not still in the Great War. Farmers and train schedules are seemingly unaffected. Perhaps an extra hour of sunlight in the winter does some people a service. Yet, I would argue that winter-related depression won’t be solved by an extra sixty minutes of natural light, especially for a people increasingly disinterested with the outdoor world anyway. Thirdly, most people don’t even know it’s happening. It always sneaks up as a complete surprise. The whole thing feels like one of those big internet pop-up ads saying you’ve won a contest from Walmart that you’ve never entered. Except, instead of a fake cash prize, you receive a very real loss of time to your day.
This brings me to my final point about Daylight Savings: no one likes losing an hour. The news that you’re going to lose an entire hour of sleep is dreadful, especially among exhausted college students. There’s no beating it. You can stay up for the change-over as if it’s some lame version of New Year’s Eve. Or you can go to sleep beforehand, either conscious of the impending loss in sleep or blissfully unaware (the latter case will surely make for a big disappointment in the morning). Any way you slice it, the whole thing is a bit annoying. Daylight Savings’ only real perk, aside from the supposed improvement of mood, is that we of course also gain an hour of sleep once a year. That’s lovely and all, but it’s really not worth it. You still have to note the change-over, adjust clocks, and all that. And people are generally less happy. The burden of Daylight Savings far outweighs this one-hour gain. Besides, I find there’s a way you can gain an hour of sleep anyway. It’s tricky, but when done right, you can add an hour of sleep to any day of the year, at your own convenience no less. It is called a nap, and it’s a rather novel idea. This way you don’t have to have those prescribed 5 seconds of elation and 5 seconds of despair with the respective gain and loss of an hour in the course of the year. You can be in charge of your own schedule again. Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle In reality, the whole issue is not of great consequence one way or the other. Keeping it or getting rid of it won’t have a great impact on our lives, if we’re being frank. If we aren’t convinced by the many obvious reasons for ending Daylight Savings, I understand. It is easier to stick to the way things are. Then, however, we will have to get used to some old tradition propelling our clocks from 1:59 AM to 3:00 AM, shocking us to our very core - for however briefly we care.
Interested in writing an Opinons piece for the Marlin Chronicle? Do you like to write? Are you heavily opinionated? Would you like to be a part of a journalistic outlet on a full-time or voluntary basis? Contact our Opinons Editor, Alex Powers, at ampowers@vwu.edu
The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu
Thursday, March 14, 2019
DUPLAIN
AT A GLANCE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Erin Highsmith|Marlin Chronicle Kaylah Duplain playing shortstop in a home matchup against Johnson & Wales. Duplain notched 4 RBIs in the 10-0 victory. “I didn’t really know ‘Dup’ before she came here and once she started playing a little bit I realized that one, she’s got an amazing glove and two, she’s going to get the job done,” senior teammate Beth Ford said. In the midst of all of these accolades, Duplain found herself with a painful stomach issue that she could not find the answer to. “I lost twenty pounds from junior year of high school to college, and every time we traveled I lost five pounds because I couldn’t eat the food there,” Duplain said. Duplain explained that throughout her freshman season she struggled finding things that she could eat without upsetting her stomach. Even after thousands of dollars of tests, the doctors were never able to give her a clear diagnosis on what was causing this discomfort. “I wasn’t able to eat anything fried, anything with a bunch of sugar, no dairy. I couldn’t have any gluten… to simplify
it, I ate chicken, rice and broccoli, that’s literally all I ate, and I had some peanut butter and banana every once in awhile but on my bad days I couldn’t even eat that,” Duplain said. Through Duplain’s battle with losing weight and finding foods that she could eat, she eventually found a supplement that lessened her pain and allowed her to eat more regularly, although she still had her bad days. Around March of 2018 she told head coach Brandon Elliott that she could come back to play. Then, only two weeks went by before she was sidelined again. “About two weeks later I found out that I tore my labrum and I played on it my entire freshman year...so then I got hip surgery on that, and that kept me out until this past December,” Duplain said. Now, in addition to adjusting to new eating habits, Duplain had to get back into shape after undergoing hip surgery. She prepared by building up as much
muscle as she could before the surgery to overcompensate for what she would lose post-surgery. Duplain said that the hardest part of her recovery was trusting her hip again, especially while cutting at shortstop. As of January 2019, Duplain is fully cleared to play once again. Back in time for the start of the 2019 season, she did not miss a beat from her freshman year. On March 8, in the team’s first home game of the season on the new Tom and Betty Broyles Field, Duplain hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning to increase the Marlin’s lead to 8-0. This was the first homerun on the new home field. In addition to the team’s 9-0 record thus far, this season Duplain has batted in six runs, drawn six walks and has an on base percentage of .444. “She’s the kid we thought she would be, so we just continue to hope that she stays healthy,” Elliott said.
Men’s lacrosse makes major improvements BY JOSH GRAY jagray@vwu.edu
For the past two seasons, the men’s lacrosse team has struggled to put together a winning season as a unit, but this year they look to defy previous years as they are off to a 4-1 start. The 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons resulted in records of 2-14 and 4-12 respectively. However, for the current 2018-19 season the Marlins have already earned four wins with 69 total goals and 40 assists. The team is also sitting 1-0 in the conference early with a win over Ferrum with a score of 15-5. The team is averaging about 14 goals per game and have dismantled a few teams this year already such as Greensboro who they beat in their first game of the season on Feb. 16 with a score of 22-7, and also against Berry on March 3 where they won 17-7. The current players on the team can feel a shift in the atmosphere in a positive way and it is driving them forward. Freshman Ethan Artero is one of these players and said he can tell that the program is moving in the right direction. “I think the biggest contributors to our success so far this year is our coaches, our team chemistry, and the mindset to play as fast as possible; emphasizing the pace we play at,” Artero said. As a freshman, Artero knew what he was getting himself into making the decision to
7
come play lacrosse at Wesleyan, and it gave him motivation to be better. “I did know about the team not being very successful last year, and it motivates me because I know that I’m apart of something bigger than a regular college lacrosse program, but a program that has been knocked down and has decided to get back up and fight again. And that to me is true courage and something to be prideful of,” Artero said. The viewpoint of the team through an underclassmen set of eyes are different than that of an upperclassmen however. The upperclassmen on this team have gone through the tough times and hard losses whereas the underclassmen get to start their collegiate careers fresh. Junior Cory Austin is among one of these upperclassmen and says the team morale is at an all-time high. “Our morale is off the charts. However, we are a talented team and we are able to beat any team we play,” Austin said. Along with team morale being boosted, the team’s confidence has skyrocketed this year following a tremendous start to the season. “My role as an upperclassman is to lead and teach the younger players whether that’s leading by example or being a good teammate. I don’t have a chip on my shoulder; at the end of the day it’s all about the team no matter what role you play,”
Austin said. The combination of hard work and leadership from young to experienced players on the team is a an indicator of why the team has been so successful so far this season. When faced with the challenge of turning the program around, the team put together their best start in three years. One coinciding factor of this is the play of sophomore Nathan Sheirburn. Sheirburn was named to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association’s (USILA) National Team of the Week after his dominant performance against Greensboro. In this game, he tallied four goals, 15 ground balls and won 19 of his 24 faceoffs. He was also named the ODAC Player of the Week. Sheirburn has already scored 14 goals on the year, followed closely behind by junior Greg Gaetano with 13 and then freshman Jason Thibeault with 10. Sheirburn also leads the team in ground balls with 38 on the season, and junior Dante Castillo has 24. After a dominating and convincing 15-5 win over Ferrum on March 9, the men’s lacrosse team faces off against Susquehanna at home on March 13 and hope to extend their winning streak to two games before heading full throttle into conference play.
Sports Information|Courtesy Dante Castillo racing down the field with the ball. He already has 24 ground balls on the year.
Softball March 15 vs. Salisbury 2:30 P.M., 4:30 P.M. March 16 vs. Randolph* 1:00 P.M., 3:00 P.M. March 20 @ Randolph-Macon* 2:30 P.M., 4:30 P.M. March 23 vs. Bridgewater* 1:00 P.M., 3:00 P.M. Baseball March 16 @ Shenandoah* 12:00 P.M., 3:00 P.M. March 20 @ Randolph-Macon* 3:30 P.M. March 23 vs. Emory and Henry* 12:00 P.M., 3:00 P.M. March 26 vs. Lynchburg* 3:00 P.M. M. Lacrosse March 17 @ Roanoke* 2:00 P.M. March 19 @ CNU 7:00 P.M. March 23 vs. Shenandoah* 3:00 P.M. March 27 vs. Huntingdon 7:00 P.M. W. Lacrosse March 18 vs. Hope @ Hilton Head, S.C. 12:00 P.M. March 23 vs. Shenandoah* 12:00 P.M. March 27 @ Bridgewater* 4:00 P.M. M. Tennis March 17 vs. Allegheny @ Hilton Head, S.C. 10:00 A.M. March 18 vs. Macalester @ Hilton Head, S.C. 8:30 A.M. W. Tennis March 17 vs. Allegheny @ Hilton Head, S.C. 10:00 A.M.
8 Thursday March 14, 2019 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu
Sports
Women’s lacrosse finding the answers BY ALEX CORTRIGHT akcortright@vwu.edu
Women’s lacrosse coach Kendyl and senior Liza Holford all finished Clarkson has entered her second season with four goals apiece. Additionally, as the Marlins head coach, and she has Moilanen stopped a season-high 14 been changing the program in many shots. positive ways. Last year the team ended In the team’s most recent game on with a winning record of 8-7 and this March 9, they fell to Widener University year they are 3-3 so far. Sophomore with a score of 16-10. Widener got out goalie Jordan Moilanen said that they to an early lead, and even as the Marlins face harder competition this season. battled and continued to bridge the Clarkson used to coach at Methodist deficit, Widener just kept scoring. Burt University in North Carolina before scored five goals and Shope had four coming to Virginia Wesleyan. Her assists. Moilanen also had 12 saves. transition to Wesleyan was similar to her With it being only six games in, start at Methodist, as she led both teams the team has a lot of lacrosse left to to more wins. play, and they are eying the ODAC “She’s a really positive coach. She tournament. The team has not reached looks to encourage people and push the conference tournament since 2015, them to work harder,” senior Marie but Clarkson already improved their Lerch said. chances in her first season of coaching Lerch also noted that Clarkson puts a last season. lot of thought into her player’s mental “All ODAC games will be a battle, stamina. the coaching staff and team are looking Erin Highsmith|Marlin Chronicle “We think ‘Oh, we need to be faster, we forward to all of those games. I think Liza Holford catching the ball in a home game against DeSales University on March 3. need to be stronger. We need to be the best the overall consensus is that we have athlete we can be.’ But if your mind isn’t much higher this year, especially with the Newport University. Despite the loss to something to prove,” Clarkson said. right, you’re not going to be the best,” freshmen. They have more numbers on Meredith, some Marlins stepped up such The Marlins next game is against Hope Lerch said. College during their spring break trip on the rosters than they have had before. as senior Abby Shope who scored two The focus on the mental game is really March 18 in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Team chemistry is a key part in having goals on four shots. important for Lerch personally because success within a team, and the women’s “We have a fun and energetic group The team had two back-to-back it has helped outside of athletics in her lacrosse team has gotten a lot closer from victories on March 2 and 3, both of which filled with sarcasm, jokes and dance personal and school life. team bonding. finished with a score of 18-10. In the game parties, but best of all they know how Freshman Maddie Gourley also “We hang out after games and after on March 2 against Clarkson’s previous to turn it on when they hit the turf. I am expressed that she liked Clarkson’s practices which has made it [chemistry] school Methodist, junior Tori Manahan proud of the work they continue to put coaching style. “She’s a great coach. better,” Gourley said. logged four goals, which topped all other in and excited to see where it take us this She definitely focuses on trying to get This team chemistry has helped the scorers. Moilanen also defended the goal season,” Clarkson said. everybody better individually and as a team jump out to an even 3-3 start, after and had four saves. team,” Gourley said. losing to some quality opponents such In the March 3 victory over Desales, Moilanen said that the skill level is as Meredith College and Christopher senior Renee Burt, junior Ashley Campos
The Virginia Wesleyan softball team launched the grand opening of the new Tom & Betty Broyles Field at TowneBank Park on March 12 with the ribbon cutting ceremony. President Scott D. Miller and Executive Chairman of TowneBank Bob Aston cut the ribbon, and Aston then threw out the first pitch. The team hosted Averett University for a doubleheader and picked up two wins with scores of 5-0 and 4-1. All photos by Erin Highsmith|Marlin Chronicle
March 14, 2019
THEWEEKENDER
PAGE 9
SOMETHING’S IN THE WATER
AFTER ALL
Alex Powers | Marlin Chronicle
BY ASHLLEE SPURLOCK adspurlock@vwu.edu
Musician, producer and Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams has announced a three-day festival named “Something in the Water,” which is set to take place this spring, from April 26-28. This cultural event is set to take place during College Beach Weekend, the time where many colleges join together on the oceanfront for laughter, drinks and a host of parties. The Hampton Roads Area is home to beach weekend not only because of the ocean Front, but because it’s home to five of Virginia’s notable colleges: Old Dominion University, Virginia Wesleyan University, Hampton University, Christopher Newport University and Norfolk State University. Senior at Virginia Wesleyan Caimaya Ashton is interested in attending the concert. Ashton said, “I’m very excited about the concert, I think it’s great that Pharrell wants to come back to where he started from and give us a fun beach weekend to look forward too, I just hope for the best with this festival because people do get a little crazy.” While college beach week has been a thing for many years, no organized events have been planned during the highly anticipated weekend that has taken the wrong turn many times. Many Virginia Beach natives MAYview beach week as a nightmare where young adults drink, use drugs, fight, vandalize and in many cases die. This can be due to the fact that there is nothing for people to do besides get intoxicated and slowly pace back and forth on the crowded boardwalk. Many businesses do not even wish to open for these three days.
“I’ve seen many fights and shootings during beach weekend. Some being my own friends. It can get hectic really fast. You have to be on your P’s and Q’s. It’s dangerous,” former Marlin Ezekiel Ingram said. Award-winning artist Pharrell Williams stated the importance of the festival, “Allen Iverson. Missy Elliott. Dave Matthews Band. Ella Fitzgerald. Virginia has been home to some of the most gifted artists, athletes and scientists to ever live. And it makes sense – the people of Virginia are one-of-a-kind: uniquely gritty, bold and brilliant,” Pharrell said in an interview with Associated Press. “For the first time, we are harnessing that energy, bringing the great minds of our time and the biggest brands in the world to this great place and letting the inspiration flow and well deserved opportunities unfold. Virginia needs this right now and the world will see what we Virginians have known all along: there really is something in the Water.” As many as 25,000 people a day could attend Something in the Water. The festival won’t just focus on the concert. According to the Virginian-Pilot article, “Something in the Water,” the film “The Burial of Kojo,” by Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Company will be screened, followed by a discussion. The film will even premiere on Netflix on March 31. There is potential for some of our Marlins to be on the big screen. Not only will there be a movie screening, the festival will also include a pop-up church service, karaoke featuring trap music as well as moments with wellness expert Deepak Chopra and Geoffrey Canada, the president of the Harlem Children’s Zone whose work has transformed the
lives of thousands of inner-city youth. Pharrell first made the announcement about the festival via twitter video on March 3. On Friday, March 9, a few more big name artists were added to the Something in the Water festival lineup. “I’m excited about the concert, between the variety in performers and price, I cannot complain. It’s gonna be a movie and I can’t wait,” junior Johnathan Croft said. Gwen Stefani, Usher, Snoop Dogg and Diddy are now listed under the “Pharrell & Friends” section on the event announcement. Some of the other artists listed are Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, Jaden Smith,Dave Matthews Band, Jhené Aiko, Kaytranada, Maggie Rogers, Migos, Diplo, Deepak Chopra, Radiant Children, Dram, Missy Elliott, Mac Demarco, Geoffrey Canada, Trap Karaoke Ferg, SZA, Pusha T,.Kaws ,Masego, John-Robert, J Balvin, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Pharrell & Friends, Janelle Monae, Virgil Abloh, Leikeli47 and Rosalía. This Coachella-like event is expected to see 100,000 people to attend the Something in the Water festival by Sunday organizers say. Tickets went on sale March 8 at noon. For now, organizers are sticking to selling three-day passes for $150 and a $450 VIP options. Three-day passes will be available first. A single-day option could be considered depending on interest. Prices will go up as the concert gets closer.
PAGE 10
THEWEEKENDER
March 14, 2019
BATTLE ROYALE RUMBLE
Layne Nooner| Marlin Chronicle Gamer Christian Gador in his dorm firing up his preferred console for a good long play session after a long day of learning and studying of course. BY TANI MARTINEZ eamartinez@vwu.edu
Battle royale games have been a popular genre for attachments, health items, and armor scattered all games this past year or two. With games like PUBG over the map. You can also jump up ledges, which is, and Fortnite being the forefront of the genre, the oddly enough, pretty satisfying. Like all other battle genre has been rapidly increasing in popularity and royale games, there is a circle that you have to stay in relevance. Of course, with the rise in popularity for to survive, eventually pushing everyone who survives Fortnite and PUBG spawns various other games that in the middle. One of the distinguishing features in try to replicate the same success and very few games the gameplay is the pinging system. You can ping do. any of the items scattered throughout the map for Apex Legends is one of the few games that members who need any items. You can ping enemies happened to do just that. Apex Legends has actually and their general location. The only unique part of the surpassed Fortnite in popularity as it has broken gameplay is the revival aspect. If you get killed in a Fortnite’s record in Twitch viewership. battle royale, usually if you can’t be revived while When you first jump in, the game puts you in a downed, it’s all over and you start all over or you can tutorial where you try to play a game. The tutorial spectate, but in Apex, even if you failed to be revived, goes through all of the game’s mechanicals and is you can be respawned. When you get killed your loot fairly quick. When you finish the tutorial and decide is dropped, but so is a thing called a banner. A member to jump into an actual match, you have to form a of your squad can come over and grab your banner. group through matchmaking, then you choose a class That is the first step, which takes a bit of time to do, to play as. Bloodhound, a technological tracker; so it is recommended you find cover, but after that is Bethany Walker| Marlin Chronicle done, the teammate must then take the banner to a Bangalore, a professional soldier; Caustic, a toxic trapper; Gibraltar, a shield fortress; Lifeline, a Friends Lamont Muse and Ian Sullivan Play Apex on “dueling” screens Respawn Beacon, which must be found in order to combat medic; Mirage, a holographic trickster; revive a fallen teammate. can jump out as a group and each member can ping to Pathfinder, a forward scout; and Wraith, a Apex Legends doesn’t really change or add interdimensional skirmisher. Each class has its own unique suggest where the group should land, but only one of the much to the battle royale genre, but it does spice it up a playstyles and three abilities, a tactical ability, a passive members of the group is designated as the “Jumpmaster”. little. The graphics are nice, but nothing write home about. If you feel like you can’t handle the responsibility, you The game play is pretty much the same except for a few ability, and a ultimate ability. After you and the other two members of your squad can relinquish your Jumpmaster position to someone minor things. Overall, Apex Legends isn’t a game changer, choose your classes, you jump right into the game. Apex else in the squad. For those solo players who want some but it’s not a bad game. Also it’s free to play, like Fortnite, Legends has the usual battle royale formula. You start independence from the squad, there is a jump solo option. so there’s nothing for you to lose, except hours of your The gameplay is pretty similar to most first person life, but aren’t you already doing that playing Fortnite? out in the sky via some sort of air transportation, heading towards a remote island, but this is where some of Apex’s shooters. Sprinting, jumping, sliding, reloading and differences stand out a little. Since you are in a group, you access to an inventory. You can find weapons, weapon
THE MARLIN UNDERTOW / By Tony Tann GO TO THIS:
WATCH THIS:
LISTEN TO THIS:
Somethings In The Water
“Captain Marvel”
“Baby Shark”
For the first time ever, the East Coast is getting a Coachella/ SXSW caliber music festival and it’s taking over the oceanfront! Come down to the water and see some of the tremendous talent Pharrell & Friends bring to the best coast. It’s a three-day weekend and everyone you know will be there. There’s a little bit of everything for everyone. April 2628. Tickets can be bought on somethinginthewater.com. For more information, read the article on page 9.
The long-awaited latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally available for public consumption. Contrary to bad reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, the opening weekend blew expectations out of the water. It’s a fun-filled ride from beginning to end and answers a lot of hot topic questions we had from previous movies. Everyone everywhere can look forward to Captain Carol Danvers beating up Thanos in the upcoming Avengers: Endgame movie in April.
Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo Baby shark! Mommy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo Mommy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo Mommy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo Mommy shark! April Fools. We got you.