Oct. 5th, 2023

The Marlin Chronicle

Fire alarm incidents persist amidst campus confusion

BY ISAAC FICK ihfick@vwu.edu

After false fire alarm incidents affect multiple halls across campus, Vice President Jason Seward offers explanations and advice.

Non-emergent fire alarm incidents have become a frequent occurrence in residence halls since the start of the semester.

This has prompted questioning from students about the reasons behind these persistent and unwelcome alarms, especially when these situations have warranted the response of firefighters on campus.

One such situation occurred in East Hall of Allen Village.

According to Associate Vice President for Campus Life and Operational Management Jason Seward, someone activated the fire alarm without the presence of an active fire, risk of fire or

any other related danger.

The blare of disagreeable alarms occurred very early in the morning and awoke unsuspecting students, causing unrest and disturbance on a weekday. Seward provided insight on the incident.

“Imagine yourself quietly and comfortably sleeping in your bed at three o’clock in the morning and being woken up loudly to an alarm, and you have no clue what’s going on,” Seward said. “And then you are made to go stand outside until you can figure out what’s going on and hoping that the fire or whatever you’re evacuating for isn’t directly impacting you, trapping you in

Youngkin, Miller talk funding

your room and unable to escape.”

Fire alarm precaution messaging, mainly in the form of flyers around campus, has been distributed due to a high volume of similar incidents.

“Campus safety is everyone’s responsibility. It’s your responsibility. It’s your peers’ responsibility, my responsibility, security, Res Life and our community,” Seward said.

Triggering a fire alarm can cause unnecessary panic and lead to individuals losing sleep, becoming distressed or getting hurt.

Senior Noa Fresco Polo, a resident of East Hall, was asleep when the fire alarm went off.

“It was 3 a.m., and I heard a horrible noise that was an alarm. I woke up, and I saw my hallmates, and they told me, ‘Noa you have to come, we have to go outside because there’s a fire alarm, maybe it’s a fire.’ And then I didn’t think,

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‘The world is about to change:’

AI enters college classrooms

BY VICTORIA HANELINE vfhaneline1@vwu.edu

ChatGPT and other large language models, colloquially known as AI, are becoming a part of classroom life, whether or not it’s welcome. Students use it to cheat or to study, and sometimes aren’t certain what use falls under which category. Professors consider it, at turns, a useful tool and a threat to student learning.

ChatGPT is the best-known large language model (LLM), produced by the company OpenAI. Competitors include Google and Meta. LLMs produce answers to a question based on a large learning base skimmed from the internet and other sources.

“[ChatGPT was] like you woke up one morning and it was a new world,” Professor of Communication and Media Stuart Minnis said.

Minnis, along with other professors, has had to move online exams to physical paper due to cheating using LLMs, which possess a large knowledge base. However, Minnis also expressed hope that it would be positive for students and educators alike.

“[AI] could reinvent a lot of things, including what counts as work,” Minnis said. He described it having a use in the classroom as a first copy-editor or research assistant, but said that he doesn’t

know how it’s going to be used in the future.

No matter what role it plays in

See AI Page 4

Women’s conference fosters camaraderie

BY KARA HOPKINS knhopkins@vwu.edu

& BY LILY RESLINK lbreslink@vwu.edu

The 2023 Virginia Women’s Conference was held at Old Dominion University with a theme of “Harness your power.” It offered a selection of keynote speakers, panels and breakout groups to inspire and empower the women attending.

The opening panel consisted of a diverse group of professional women who, in light of this year’s theme, began with the question of what power means. Panelist Nneka Chiazor, vice president of Hampton Roads Market and Cox Communications representative, responded to this question by asking the audience to strike a “power pose.”

“Women try to take up less space when they walk into a room,” Chiazor said. She spoke about how women are conditioned to do so, and have to intentionally counteract that. This physical display of power helps to externalize the strength and leadership that women have.

Spotlight: Disabled Student Union Page 4

“A coalition of students... to create this community of acceptance and friendship.”

- Vice President Paul Nelson

Panelist Morgan Whayland, director of Government Affairs for Virginia Natural Gas, defined power as “the ability to influence and lead others.”

The panel also spoke about well-being and the neglect that women often put on their own needs in favor of other responsibilities. They said that women often have the tendency to overwork themselves to points of physical harm due to high expectations.

Chiazor said that even while she was pregnant, she did not give herself proper time to rest, which had medical repercussions.

Looking back, she recognizes the potential damage caused by “workaholic” tendencies when they reach extremes. She emphasized the importance of “checking in” with oneself often to avoid ultimately crashing and burning.

This theme carried over for much of the day,

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Monster trucks fly at Hampton Coliseum

Page 10

“Off the track drivers function as ‘one big family.’”

- Monster truck driver Brianna Mahon

BY RHIAN TRAMONTANA rjtramontana@vwu.edu

On Sept. 20, Governor Glenn Youngkin, Secretary of Education Aimee Guidara and presidents of Virginia Private Colleges (VPC) visited VWU to discuss private education in Virginia and statewide educational initiatives. Youngkin is no stranger to the area, as he attended high school at Norfolk Academy, where his basketball accolades are remembered. During his visit, Youngkin and President Scott D. Miller discussed the VWU campus and educational opportunities.

Damien Kelly, a 2023 graduate of Virginia Wesleyan, now works with Residence Life and Marketing and Communications on campus. He joined Miller in welcoming Youngkin and discussing his work in higher education.

“It’s the ultimate goal of our governor to shape policies regarding higher education to directly reflect the needs of our students and staff in our state’s colleges/ universities,” Kelly said.

The meetings between the VPC association, Guidara and Youngkin focused on more topics than college affordability.

“The Governor is committed to expanded accessibility for students,” Miller said. “He also has a strong interest in early enrollment (he calls that the ‘pipeline for higher education’), nursing and health sciences, and workforce development.”

VPC is an association of 27 out of the 29 private colleges in Virginia. For the past two-and-ahalf years, Miller has served as Chair of the Board.

Read more online at marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Cheer Team ends hiatus

BY SYDNEE WASHINGTON sawashinton2@vwu.edu

After a near five year hiatus, cheer has returned to Virginia Wesleyan. The team is coached by Cherelle Artis and Elise Fabregas, both Virginia Wesleyan alumnae.

Prior to coaching at Virginia Wesleyan University, Artis coached at a high school. For Fabregas, this is her first year of coaching, but the task is far from daunting, as she is heavily involved with her daughter’s competitive cheer career and describes cheer as her “world.”

Both are also experienced cheerleaders and were members of the former cheer program at Virginia Wesleyan.

During their time here, the cheer program had two teams, one for the Men’s Basketball team and one for the Women’s Basketball team. The program

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A new beginning for Women’s Golf Page 7

“It’s just the five of us figuring it out on our own.”

- First-year Mia Skaggs

Mars Johnson|Marlin Chronicle

President Scott Miller|Courtesy

Lily Reslink|Marlin Chronicle Sophomores Abby Villacrusis, Anna Greenleaf and Lily Reslink visit conference.

Locals partake in Morocco humanitarian aid

BY AVERY BELISLE agbelisle@vwu.edu

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Morocco on Sept. 8, the deadliest the region has faced since the 1960s. This earthquake has caused nearly 3,000 deaths, over 5,500 injuries and near unprecedented devastation. The earthquake managed to topple entire villages in seconds, leaving many without resources. Families are torn apart, farmlands are wiped out, schools, homes, places of worship and businesses are destroyed.

Tyler Noll, a sophomore currently studying abroad in Morocco, said, “The worst part is that the communities have to keep moving forward. They hardly have time to mourn as they have to figure out a place to live and where to get food.”

Noll stressed that the victims are not alone. “Thankfully,” Noll said, “these are the ones looked after most by the relief efforts.”

From the USA to the UAE, a variety of governments and humanitarian aid institutions have rushed to offer aid, manpower and money to Morocco to assist recovery efforts. Even Algeria, a nation with which Morocco has experienced years of hostile relations, has reached out a hand.

Aid was ready to be dispatched as soon as the Moroccan government approved it.

“Civil protection teams were prepared to support search and rescue efforts and ready on the airport tarmac waiting to depart, pending the green light from Morocco,” Political Assistant to the US Consulate in Algeria Souad Lehtihet said.

Lehtihet spoke more on Algeria’s decision to help.

“Whether on state or private media or on social media, Algerians were unanimous; ‘despite zero diplomatic ties between our two countries, we as Algerians have a moral obligation to help the Moroccans because they are brothers and neighbors,’” Lehtithet said. “Moreover, if you do not show mercy and compassion in times of hardships and calamities, when are you expected to show it? Mercy, or Rahma in

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and I only took my key. I saw everyone running,” Fresco Polo said.

Fresco Polo said that the residents all waited outside as firefighters came.

“Everyone started saying that someone [pulled the alarm], and they didn’t know who it was,” Fresco Polo said.

This inappropriate usage of the fire alarm affects students, campus security and Residence Life staff and the firefighters who responded. Creating false emergencies pulls first responders and staff away from true issues that arise.

Seward emphasized that incidents of wrongly triggered alarms may have repercussions.

“For every action, good or bad, there’s a consequence,” Seward said. “It is not meant to be pure punishment, but meant to be part of the educational process of which myself and my colleagues have committed ourselves to—not just education in the classroom, but becoming a young adult, living independently, being part of a greater community.”

Seward referenced the Student Conduct expectations that students may be in violation of if there is a falsely triggered fire alarm.

“There are sanctions that are associated with violations,” Seward said. “Levels of probation, community service, in some more severe cases, loss of university housing, and then there’s the most severe cases, which could result in suspension or expulsion, but those are very few and far between.”

Despite the ultimate lack of danger, students voiced gratitude toward the reliability of the first responders.

“I have to say that the firefighters were very fast, so if something was happening, they were there,” Fresco Polo said. “But they wasted their time here.”

Not all the alarms can be attributed to the actions of residents. Around campus, regular fire alarm drills are conducted with intentions of avoiding panic around the

Arabic, is paramount in our religion and culture.”

Government-led relief efforts could only stretch so far. The most catastrophic damage from the earthquake took place in mountainous regions, which are difficult to access, leaving survivors in these areas waiting days for official help. This is where privately-delivered and volunteer-led relief efforts are stepping in, a few of which are receiving significant help from right here in Norfolk.

Street Child, an international children’s charity started in Norfolk, utilized its connections to Moroccan non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which are independent institutions driven by social missions, to organize an emergency fund to send money towards “highly effective local organizations who are responding” in griefstricken areas throughout the Maghreb.

To raise money for this fund, schools throughout Norfolk have organized nonuniform days and churches have contributed through Sunday collections.

prospect of real fires. These tests, however, have caused confusion among students.

Senior Erika Eichelberger spoke on the confusion caused by these drills in the Honors Village.

Residents do not currently receive information distinguishing between drills and emergencies.

“My one friend, in fact, was in the shower during this time, and he ran out in his shorts and nothing else, thinking it was an actual emergency. Little did he know it was just a four o’clock in the afternoon fire drill,” Eichelberger said.

Eichelberger also included her opinion on what should be done to mitigate this confusion.

“I believe that we should get notice from fire drills, even if it’s giving the RAs more advanced notice than they did receive, and tell them to forecast that there will be a drill happening,” Eichelberger said.

Seward said students can take action to decrease the irresponsible triggering of alarms. This includes attentiveness while cooking to decrease the amount of false alarms and the danger of actual fires.

“What we have seen is an uptick in students putting something on the stove, walking away from it, the heat is too high, just not paying close enough attention,” Seward said. “We’ve seen some of the cases have been stove tops that haven’t been cleaned properly, and because of it, the oil and grease buildup on the top smokes up and causes an issue there.”

Seward said that campus leaders have been making proactive efforts to mitigate these situations.

“We’ve worked with dining services to offer opportunities to learn through there. Our Residence Life team has got some programs… like cooking classes. Our Student Government Association is getting involved with it as well,” Seward said.

Seward reinforced his concern for student safety.

“Our community is committed to safety... And unfortunately, part of the growing pains is sometimes people make immature decisions, and it impacts the greater community,” Seward said.

Other organizations, such as Operation Blessing, whom Virginia Wesleyan has worked closely with, have dispatched relief teams directly onto the ground to help in the hard-to-reach areas.

Operation Blessing’s international relief team is currently working alongside local relief teams to provide food, clean water, blankets and even solar lights to help revive the area.

Norfolk business owners have been significantly contributing towards these efforts. Omar Boukhriss, owner of Omar’s Carriage House, has used his restaurant to provide funds and is even flying to Morocco with his wife to volunteer with relief teams.

Boukhriss grew up in Morocco, and much of his and his wife’s family still resides there. Although his family was lucky to escape any harm, he said he is heartbroken “for everybody who lost their lives and their loved ones.”

So far, Boukhriss has raised enough money to provide 200 mattresses and pil-

lows, 400 pairs of shoes, 200 pounds of dry food and tents to use as temporary shelters and schools to those affected.

Although the world has rallied together to support those affected in Morocco, the utmost comfort has been found within their own communities. Youth-led Riffian groups are providing support for the Amazigh tribes within the underdeveloped Rif region, and have already provided essential aid in the villages of Talgjount, Timlit, Tibit and Igli.

Volunteers in the Moroccan Red Crescent, a non-governmental organization focused on humanitarian aid, have been working tirelessly to provide medical care. Additionally, for students in Morocco persevering through the tragedy and continuing with their university studies, teachers have been invaluable supporters.

Isabella Grosswiler, a sophomore studying in Morocco, admires the work being done to assist with recovery.

“The teachers are really doing a good job at being… sympathetic and checking in with students constantly while allowing for plenty of adaptability with everything going on,” Grossweiler said.

The devastation caused by this earthquake, however, is not all the Maghreb region is currently suffering through, and most of the aforementioned relief efforts have been forced to broaden their support efforts as the entire region scrambles to reconstruct after various tragedies.

“I think that the month of September will be remembered as a tragic moment for the whole Maghreb as we had, if I can say it: twin tragedies. The Moroccan earthquake was catastrophic, but the floods in Libya as well, with more than thousands of deaths, plunged the whole region into grief. The human losses in Morocco and in Libya are enormous, and both countries are still deeply mourning,” Lehtihet said.

“For us in the Maghreb, Daniel, the deadly storm, and the earthquake opened our eyes and awareness on the emergency of dealing with climate change. It just showed how much the region is vulnerable,” Lehtihet said.

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as the topic of self-care maintained a prominent place in the conversation across multiple sessions.

In addition to the main events, the itinerary included several breakout groups that attendees could choose from. Each of these, hosted by a diverse range of female professionals, offered opportunities to learn valuable skills in different interest areas.

These breakout groups tackled topics such as self-care, financial skills, utilizing AI technology, online privacy, brain health and salary negotiation.

In a session entitled “S.T.E.P.S for Success: In Business and in Life,” panelists discussed how fine-tuning the pillars of strategy, team, education, perseverance and systems can help women achieve their goals.

The conference also hosted a resource and networking fair for attendees, allowing participants to meet other women in and outside their fields of expertise. Lines of tables represented different employers and organizations. This provided opportunities for emerging professionals to receive guidance from experienced individuals.

Dr. Jennifer Slivka, Chair of the Gender, Women, and Sexuality Science Program, spoke on a similar experience she had at a conference where she felt uplifted through the opportunity to form such connections.

“Because of their different fields, women might feel isolated. Here’s the place where they can come together and feel that support, and learn from each other,” Slivka said.

She emphasized the value of events

where individuals can come together in support of one another, and in this case, help build a stronger community of women.

Junior Kimberly Koscinski, a Psychology and Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies major, spoke on the workplace application as well.

“When like-minded individuals come together to demand change, it forges a new path for the workplace, one where all people are respected, welcomed and given what they need to thrive,” Koscinski said.

Dr. Taryn Myers, Chair of Psychology and Gender, Women, and Sexuality Sciences Professor, spoke of the empowerment that comes with connecting with people who share values and experiences.

“One of the good things you can get out of conferences like this is realizing that you’re not the only one that thinks this way, you’re not the only one who struggles,” Myers said.

The atmosphere of these conferences can help women feel strong and confident as they gather with like-minded individuals. However, the impact extends beyond the confines of the conference time frame.

Women can utilize skills and connections acquired at the conference to elevate their own success and improve workplace environments.

Slivka spoke on how Virginia Wesleyan has served as a supportive network for her.

“We’re still living in a patriarchal society, and the system itself isn’t going to provide for us. We have to find our own support,” Slivka said.

Friends, classes, workplaces or universities like Virginia Wesleyan are all potential platforms for women to support one another in professional and personal goals.

Virginia Women’s Conference|Courtesy

Mars Johnson|Marlin Chronicle

BY LILY RESLINK lbreslink@vwu.edu

Individuals subjected to human trafficking lose their freedom. The story of Olivia Reposa, a human trafficking survivor, shines a light on the experiences of victims. Panelists Reposa, the first person in Virginia to have her convictions expunged, Meg Kelsey, the attorney who filed the petition on her behalf and Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney, convened on the topic of human trafficking and its legal ramifications during a Robert Nusbaum Center event on Sept. 20.

When someone is swept into human trafficking, it is difficult to break free. It is even harder for someone who is brought into the life at a young age.

Reposa’s story as a trafficking victim began at age 18 in Boston, Massachusetts. Through several changes in her location and trafficker, she was not fully free until 15 years later.

Trafficked people are coerced into crime, blurring the line between victim and criminal in the eyes of law enforcement.

Reposa detailed her experience of being coerced into stealing from a retail store as a means to reduce the number of days she would have to subject herself to prostitution.

“It’s a lot of manipulation,” Reposa said. She explained how rather than brute force, the consequences that traffickers dangled over her head become their own tool for persuasion. It was more so, “If you don’t do this, you know what the consequences are,” Reposa said.

Reposa was forced to shut out her sense of right and wrong in order to survive, and then she was then punished for it all over

again when she escaped.

“I was convicted of these crimes solely because I was being trafficked,” Reposa said.

“No one ever thought to say, ‘Do you need help?’ It was always just, ‘Put your hands behind your back. You’ve now solicited an undercover officer,’” Reposa said.

This has placed an incredible burden onto Reposa. “Criminalizing someone who’s not a criminal is very traumatic. And it carries a huge weight on me and my life,” Reposa said.

Despite her desire to break free from

misconceptions of human trafficking survivors within the legal system are causing harm on a broader scale.

Kelsey shed light on the shift in mentality about who is the criminal in cases of prostitution, and the progress that is still left to make.

Kelsey said that it took time for authorities to realize that they were arresting the wrong people. “It is so clear the person in that hotel room did not have the will to commit this crime, and they were not in control,” she said.

The operation once simply consisted of an undercover officer responding to an ad for someone selling sex, and then arresting whoever was there. Despite the evolution of different approaches since then, Kelsey said the progress is not enough.

chance when it comes to criminal records,” Fatehi said.

This means that the expungement process has painstaking requirements, making it nearly impossible for trafficking survivors who want to get their life on track.

Fatehi said the current systems in place are impeding survivors’ abilities to move forward with their lives. “People are holding against you something they have no context for, no appreciation of and no interest in learning,” Fatehi said.

This lack of understanding from the legal system acts as a roadblock to all that Reposa planned to achieve. She could no longer be a nurse like she hoped. She is obstructed in the custody battle for her daughter.

BY ROWAN STUART rwstuart@vwu.edu

The Communication major has long been a staple of Virginia Wesleyan University's liberal arts offering. However, the Communication major appears to have suffered losses following a concerning national trend away from traditional liberal arts majors in favor of STEM. This is an issue. While not limited to Virginia Wesleyan, it is relevant to the longevity and prosperity of VWU’s traditional liberal arts institution.

The Public Relations course hosted a focus group with those currently enrolled in the department, as well as some underclassmen, to gain a better understanding of the perception of what the department offers. June Richardson, a senior and student in the Public Relations course, said, “The goal was to see the perception of VWU Media and Communication Department.”

Richardson was unable to comment on the findings of the course, given the confidentiality necessitated to host the event.

Regarding the current perception around the Communication major today, an article from colleges.com said Communication is considered the third-easiest major.

Students can be less enticed to pursue a major which is seen as easy, partially driven by the fear of fewer future employment opportunities.

However, while data varies from source to source, Commu-

the past, Reposa’s record depicted her as a drug-addicted prostitute. “That’s not really who I am and that’s not who I wanted to be,” Reposa said.

Reposa pointed out how these circumstances apply to so many more who need help. “Nobody’s on drugs because they want to be. Nobody’s selling themselves because they want to be,” Reposa said.

Accompanied by two legal professional panelists, Reposa substantiated her story through the expertise of Attorney Meg Kelsey and The Honorable Ramin Fatehi, who brought further understanding to how

Kelsey said the legislation that advocates are looking to pass now is centered around the question of “How do we get to the root of this problem?” and shifting the blame away from the victims.

The panel emphasized how the problem must be attributed to both the buyers and the traffickers themselves, as they are the ones who possess the power in these situations. Their message was unanimous: Trafficked individuals are not at fault for what they have been coerced into.

Fatehi offered specifics into the legalities. “Virginia, historically, has been one of the most difficult places to get a second

The students in the audience at the talk responded. Sophomore Brynn Dajc learned a lot about the situation that victims are left in. “Even as a Criminal Justice student, I had no idea that human trafficking victims, once they got out, lived with the criminal record as a result of their abuse,” Dajc said.

To describe their reaction, Dajc said, “Frustrating doesn’t even really begin to describe it.” Dajc said it’s “enraging” that this criminal record follows survivors as they try to get jobs, apartments and rebuild their lives.

Fatehi said citizens who feel compelled to help can vote for candidates whose values align with theirs and the rights of human trafficking survivors.

nication has not been consistently proven to be a major link to high unemployment rates. In fact, many other STEM and liberal arts offerings feature significantly higher unemployment.

Stuart Minnis, chair of the Communication department, spoke on the Media and Communication major not actually declining at Virginia Wesleyan.

“Well, first I'd like to say that I'm not entirely convinced it is declining in the first place,” Minnis said. He said the “issue” is one where the data has not existed over a sufficient enough time span to make a definitive statement. “We saw a sharp decline after COVID then it returned to normal then briefly dropped again,” Minnis said.

If the data were consistent for a longer period of time, then the worry might be a bit more pervasive. However, because the problem started during COVID-19, faculty in the department believe this may be in part a short-term effect left over from the pandemic.

A study from the Department of Education looked into student motivation and what leads to retention in majors and universities. They covered factors of support networks, discussions about switching majors and many others.

One major factor was students lacking the support and guidance to understand where their majors can potentially lead them. With a perception of being easy, and an

unemployment rate post-graduation in the middle of the pack, the Communication major can easily fall to the apathy of a lack of potential post graduation.

While perceptions of Communication might be poor nationally, a reputation as “easy” doesn't necessarily mean “not practical” or “not valuable.” Skills in communication can prove invaluable in later employment opportunities.

Employers are not just seeking degrees but skills, according to

Minnis.“It’s about teaching marketable skills to students,” Minnis said.

Junior Abigail Villacrusis, a double major in Communication and French, acknowledged this as well.

She chose Communication for the broad scope of education, which allowed her to explore new avenues and continuously learn.

“Instead of a narrow degree with only a few associated career paths, you’ll have the opportunity to explore basically everything

because Communication is so broad while still having relevant and useful knowledge,” Villacrusis said.

According to Minnis and Villacrusis, the skills that one learns within the Communication major are widely applicable. Those who study in the field would say that it is worthwhile to take a Media and Communication course. Students are virtually guaranteed to learn something new and pertinent to a liberal arts education.

'A victim, not a criminal'

“No one ever thought to say, ‘Do you need help?’ It was always just, ‘Put your hands behind your back.’”

Olivia Reposa

Campus speakers unveil the complexities of human trafficking and the challenges that survivors must face after freedom.

McKenna Howenstine |Marlin Chronicle

Nusbaum event panelist Olivia Reposa shares her story with the support of legal professionals, Meg Kelsey and Ramin Fatehi.

Mars Johnson|Marlin Chronicle

The MARLIN CHRONICLE

Editor-in-Chief

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Community

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1

future classrooms, it is already a large part of many students’ lives today.

Junior Sasha LaPonte used it to practice presentations for one of her classes. She asked ChatGPT to produce presentations similar in format to hers, but on random topics, and then would practice presenting those.

“It was very nice to not have to worry if what I’m reading is true or not, just to practice the activity,” LaPonte said.

Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Abdullah Al-Alaj had a student, alumnus Jack Mowatt, do research on ChatGPT.

“For simple tasks, ChatGPT showed a remarkable aptitude,” Al-Alaj said. However, the research showed that for harder tasks it was a little more variable. It was tested on various difficulties of programming assignments for different class levels.

LLMs such as ChatGPT have information on many subjects, which they can rephrase in a way that is largely undetectable to plagiarism checkers. To less scrupulous students, cheating with ChatGPT would be tempting. According to Minnis, it can produce results that earn at least partial credit for almost no work, even less than other forms of cheating. However, it is far from safe.

“Some solutions provided by ChatGPT are putting the students in a risky situation,” AlAlaj said, whose students generally write

use the method required by the course. Getting caught wasn’t the only thing that was risky about cheating, though.

“I think a student might be tempted to use GPT as a shortcut, missing out on the learning experience,” Al-Alaj said.

Al-Alaj said that in his classroom, students are allowed to use LLMs to “customize their learning,” but that he was waiting for the official university policy before he made any hard rules.

In humanities courses, where there is no easy way to determine what is too advanced for a student, there are other dangers.

“Hallucination is real,” Al-Alaj said, referring to a fault of LLMs to occasionally state outright wrong information as if it was correct.

Hallucination is a result of the LLM not actually searching for a correct response, just the most likely. For example, Minnis mentioned a time when several students gave the same incorrect answer to a question.

Even if people are understandably scared of the change this will cause in education and the world at large, the technology must be understood, because it isn’t going anywhere.

“It’s naive to think we can put this genie back in the bottle,” Minnis said. “This technology is here to stay.”

Cheating is perhaps the most obvious implementation of this technology into the classroom, but even if it isn’t used for that, it will be used in other ways.

“If it can be used to cheat, it can write emails,” Minnis said.

Al-Alaj, on the other hand, mentioned teachers that used it as a virtual teaching assistant that could answer simple questions by students. He described it as a useful tool for personalized learning but worries about the data risks it may cause.

Al-Alaj was clear that he doesn’t see the human educator being replaced, needing to teach skills that can only be taught by other people, such as social skills and other forms of development.

“It is scary from an educational viewpoint,” Minnis said. “We can’t just do what we’ve always done before.”

He described it changing the workplace too, both removing and introducing new jobs. Educationally, though, he said the goal is clear: make sure the tool is used to do what “education at its best” does, which is to help people understand better.

Even past the classroom and the workplace, both of which LLMs are likely going to have huge effects on, ChatGPT can be used for leisure activities and play as well.

For instance, in addition to using ChatGPT to practice presentations, LaPonte uses it to play Dungeons & Dragons. A tabletop role-playing game, D&D involves multiple players and a person who adjudicates the world and what the players do, colloquially called the Game Master. LaPonte asked ChatGPT to play all the parts except for her character.

The Marlin Chronicle is the official student newspaper of Virginia Wesleyan University. Staff meetings are held every Tuesday at 5:30 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.

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--Scott D. Miller, Ph.D President

person. He said that the line between it helping and it doing work for a student is thin.

“It actually listens surprisingly well,” LaPonte said. She mentioned that it was responsive and allowed her to play the game well, but she did complain that it was rather ChatGPT is already having effects on classrooms, as any student who had to take a written essay for the first time since high school or who had to write code out on paper can attest. However, the future of the technology “I wish I could predict the future,” Minnis said. “The world is about to change.”

Disabled Student Union: More than a club

BY PHOEBE COX pecox@vwu.edu

The Disabled Student Union (DSU) is one of 40 student organizations at Virginia Wesleyan that fosters and cultivates community.

Having started the club in the spring semester of 2023, senior Oliver Chauncey-Heine, the founder and current president, has succeeded in making the DSU a communicative and open environment.

“We are a club designed to bring together disabled and nondisabled students to achieve accessibility, knowledge and allyship,” Chauncey-Heine said.

They expressed the purpose of wanting to create a space where all students could discuss issues, be seen and just hangout with each other regardless of having a disability or not.

Senior Paul Nelson, the current vice president, backed this up.

He said the organization is “a coalition of students… coming together once every other week to talk about issues on campus and to create this community of acceptance and friendship.”

The meetings are not always the same, existing for the purpose of getting people together in whatever way is most comfortable and enjoyable for everyone. The members play games, talk and even do homework together sometimes.

Nelson expressed his excitement for their occasional PowerPoint nights.

“Once in a while, we have PowerPoints discussing some disabilities that might not be as recognizable, just so we’re more aware of the disabilities some students might have on campus,” Nelson said.

In describing the inspiration behind why they created the club, Chauncey-Heine said, “I myself am disabled, and I found that disabled students on campus do not have a voice. I know a lot of disabled issues aren’t talked about.”

Although Executive Director of Academic Support Services Crit Muniz does a great job helping students with their cognitive disabilities, the Learning Center exists primarily for the purpose of helping students succeed in their academics.

There is no employee representative on campus who advocates specifically for physically disabled students, and there is no one whose job is to ensure that campus is physically accessible for all.

“There are a lot of issues with problems like accessibility [on campus],” Nelson said. “And

so I think looking at the next two or three years, we want to open up that pipeline and make it easier to voice issues around campus or with other organizations about communities and accessibility as a whole.”

A big step in making this happen can be found in senior Rachel Wilson’s research project for Honors Senior Seminar. Her goal is to create a plan with changes that Virginia Wesleyan can realistically implement to make the campus more physically accessible for its students.

Wilson praised Muniz for the work he does on campus and for his stepping up to additionally help students with physical disabilities.

“I believe our school has done a great job accommodating individuals with cognitive disabilities,” Wilson said. Her goal is to further address the effort the university as a whole needs to put forth when approaching accessibility.

“I am focusing on how to make housing, buildings and routes accessible throughout. I am taking into account the good things our campus does, but also some of the things we are lacking,” Wilson said.

She described her process of measuring and taking down percentages of different buildings, counting the pre-existing features Wesleyan has and talking with some of the DSU members about their personal experiences on campus.

Wilson expressed the importance of talking to people as a part of the research process.

“I feel like, as a recreational therapist

[major], it’s not only about working with your participants but also advocating for them,” Wilson said.

She stressed that universities providing these kinds of building accommodations are important not just for their physically disabled students but also for injured athletes.

“I know several athletes that have needed wheelchairs, crutches or scooters to get around campus and have struggled because of the lack of ramps, elevators, the door lips on buildings and lack of push button doors,” Wilson said.

If injured athletes occasionally have to deal with the struggle of navigating the lack of accessibility aid on campus, then it is even more important to implement those changes to make it better for those students who have to face it every day.

In summation, the Disabled Student Union has been busy. Even with all of this happening, though, it is sticking to its original purpose of bringing students together.

The organization meets biweekly, and their next meeting will be Saturday, Oct. 7 at 12 p.m. in Clarke 215. They welcome any and all people interested.

“We are just a community. We’re here for people to make more friends and feel more connected,” Nelson said. “We obviously talk about issues and work through things to make it better. But we are friends, and we are a community. And we are going to be together.”

Oliver Chauncey-Heine|Courtesy

Seniors Oliver Chauncey-Heine and Paul Nelson run the Student Involvement Fair DSU.

Mars Johnson|Marlin Chronicle

VWU Flickr|Courtesy

The Homecoming and Family weekend tradition will return to campus during the weekend of Oct. 7. Pictured above are photos from past Homecoming events:

TOP: 2021 Homecoming court; MIDDLE: Women’s lacrosse 2019 alumni face-off; BOTTOM: Women’s Track and Field team at 2017 Homecoming parade.

Homecoming weekend brings together past, current students

BY ELLIOT FYLSTRA egfylstra@vwu.edu

On the Friday and Saturday leading up to Oct. 7, Virginia Wesleyan will be hosting the 2023 Homecoming celebrations. Homecoming week will include spirit days for current Marlins and celebrations for alumni over the weekend.

Shelley Hunter, University Affairs and Presidential Events Coordinator, has helped organize FinFest, which will be taking place on Saturday, Oct. 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“The goal was to enhance Homecoming,” Hunter said.

FinFest will have live entertainment from artist Joe Heilman. There will be several food trucks, including Laos Street Food and Kona Ice. Face-painting and funnel cake will be available for free. Wesleyan Engaged will also be hosting a table for Operation Gratitude, where students can decorate cards or lanyards for first responders and military personnel.

Lunch will also be served for a meal swipe as a “cookout kind of meal,” Hunter said. “Hopefully, if people come over and enjoy it, we can continue these types of events.”

Many sports teams will be playing games this weekend. Returning alumni will face off against current spring sports teams, including Women’s Lacrosse, Men’s Lacrosse, Baseball, Softball and Track and Field. The Cheer team and Pep-Band will have opening performances.

The Homecoming dance, the Marlin Gala, will be held on Friday, Oct. 6. Students may vote for the Marlin Majesties.

“There will be two nominees from every year. Voting will occur the week of Homecoming for the crowning of the Marlin majesties at the dance,” Director of Student Engagement Jen Cohen said. The Marlin Gala is open and free to all students.

Those who planned the festivities see great value in Homecoming.

“Homecoming is important, it’s an opportunity to celebrate, and it should be a time for both our current student population and our alumni and families to truly celebrate and think back to and create fond memories,” Cohen said.

Sophomore Andrew Steiner, an employee at Off the Hook, said, “When we were discussing the Homecoming theme, we

really wanted to emphasize the part about being a Marlin. In past years, we’ve had themes oriented around Virginia Wesleyan, but it seemed to be more of a side aspect rather than the main focus.”

Senior Emma Lankford, one of Off the Hook’s event supervisors, is also taking part in the organization of Homecoming.

“We want Homecoming to be a place for students to celebrate how unique our school is, as well as celebrate all the achievements that athletics, music and chorus have,” Lankford said. “It’s a great way to celebrate all the achievements that Marlins have had in school now, and also alumni that come back to reunite and tell stories. It’s just a great way for Marlins to bond.”

Lankford emphasized the importance of attending events like Homecoming, whether you’re a first-year, senior or alumni.

“It’s important for the freshman class, because that marks that point of you’re in, you’re settled down. This is your college home now,” Lankford said. “But then, of course, you have the Alumni Weekend. These are the upperclassmen who were participating the same as I am, all showing and being bound together by the common aspect of school pride.”

Steiner was adamant that students branch out and meet people during the day’s events.

Steiner said, “Just bond with the people that you meet here, because you’re gonna make some friends.”

Hunter and Lankford offered suggestions of what students shouldn’t miss. Hunter said students should “listen to the live music at FinFest.”

Lankford said, “Students should find Bob the Marlin!”

Many people helped to organize the festivities of Homecoming. All the Off the Hook staff, along with Jen Cohen, Shelley Hunter and Tina Mulligan, made significant efforts to bring the weekend together, as well as the unnamed helping hands that organized and will present every event.

“It’s gonna be a roaring good time,” Steiner said.

To find more information regarding Homecoming week, check out Off the Hook’s Instagram page, @marlinsoffthehook.

Exploration Fair presents colorful opportunities

On Sept. 28, the Major and Minor Exploration Fair featured various subjects.

BY DANIELA ANGELES GALVAN dangelesgalvan@vwu.edu

For many college students, choosing the proper major and minor can be an unnerving task, with several questions about their personal interests and career prospects often weighing heavily on their minds. However, through the efforts of the Learning Center and The Lighthouse Center for Exploration and Discovery, the Major and Minor Fair, or the M&M Fair, provided students with the extraordinary opportunity to explore their vocational options and chart their career paths on Thursday, Sept. 28.

The Batten Student Center featured booths that showcased Virginia Wesleyan’s 42 majors and 31 minors. The fair welcomed all: first-years, undeclared students and those who wanted to look at the opportunity to add a second major or a minor to their college curriculum.

Students were given the chance to engage with faculty members, advisors and peers, who shared firsthand experiences, offering their knowledge about the academic journey within each department. While some students approached the academic booths with hesitation about the majors they wanted to pursue, others were clear about what they wanted their future careers to look like.

Even though international student, Ryouto Kagami, chose History as his major prior to transferring to Virginia Wesleyan, he decided to attend the event to take a closer look at other academic programs.

“I think [the fair] is a good opportunity for students who are not yet sure what they want to study,” Kagami said. “There is a lot of information available about each field and professors who specialize in different topics to guide you.”

Coordinator of International Studies and Professor of Political Science Dr. Modupe Oshikoya and senior Kainaat Trehan ran the table for both Political Science and International Studies. While the Political Science major focuses on examining and critically analyzing ideas, behavior and culture in domestic and foreign political systems, the International Studies program emphasizes the relations among states within the international system, including the roles of state and non-state actors.

Each Spring semester, Oshikoya runs the Model United Nations course at VWU which aims to provide students with an understanding of the operations of the United Nations, a comprehension on multilateral diplomacy and cooperation among countries, to solve specific issues in today’s international politics. During the M&M fair, Oshikoya invited students to join the class regardless of their major, since having students with academ ic backgrounds beyond Political Science attend the conference in New York City “will make the team even stronger,” Oshikoya said.

The Major and Minor Fair at VWU not only offered a new perspective on the many academic options available to students, but also highlighted the importance of lining up for a college education with future aspirations. It not only recognized the significance of self-discovery, but the transformative power of higher education as well.

Sophomore Inès Pouliquen shared why having an event like the M&M Fair is vital for students who are still indecisive about their academic aspirations.

“It’s important that VWU continues to create more events like this because it supports the student community and helps them focus on what we like when there are so many options,” Pouliquen said.

Through information about academic programs from professors and other faculty members, students had access to multiple careers and fields that helped them expand their knowledge, identify their strengths and interests and how those aligned with various

fields of study. As students left the fair with newfound clarity and enthusiasm for their academic paths, it became evident that this event was much more than an informational gathering—it was a pivotal moment in their educational journey. The Major and Minor Fair continues to serve as a beacon of guidance and inspiration for VWU students, helping them shape their futures one M&M at a time.

McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle

Professor Gavin Pate and sophomore Elena Lichtenwalner head the English major booth at the Major and Minor Exploration Fair on Thursday, Sept. 28 in Batten.

Is requiring J-Term justified?

BY MOLLY BRENNAN mkbrennan@vwu.edu

As the holiday spirit fades every January and the days grow even colder, the urge to curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and revel in the lack of assignments, deadlines, and presentations becomes almost unbearable. Students are no exception. However, first-years and many other students must bundle up and trudge out of their cozy dorms to a four-hour class every single day of the week.

This is the reality of January Term. Although I may have slightly dramatized the circumstances, all Virginia Wesleyan’s first-years are still required to take an intensive course for three weeks in January. Some older students decide to enroll in January Term to knock out required credits or simply because the topic interests them.

Should January Term be mandatory?

In my honest opinion, there is no right answer. There are many reasons why January Term can be helpful, as well as many reasons that it can be an inconvenience.

Firstly, taking a class on the same subject every day for three weeks can be extremely tedious. During the normal school year, a student’s work week is normally filled with classes of differing topics and interests.

These courses are often slower-paced, given that they have almost four months to cover the material. However, during January Term, students choose only one class for the entire month. This means that the work will be more fast-paced and sometimes more stressful, given the amount of information a student must receive in a short period of time.

On the other hand, because the January class covers only one subject, students may thrive and become more knowledgeable about the topic, since they have no other courses to devote their attention to. This could greatly benefit their GPA and transcripts. January Term can also shorten the time a student would need to be in school and can help them earn their degree faster.

Another argument against mandatory January classes is the fact that a student’s winter break will be cut short. Since Virginia Wesleyan students mostly finish final exams in the first week of December, those taking a January term get barely a

WebAdvisor in need of change

BY SAMANTHA SCELTA sdscelta@vwu.edu

WebAdvisor should be an easy and simple way for students to be able to access important personal and academic information. It is an essential place that students must come back to multiple times, not only during a semester but for the entirety of their time as students attending Virginia Wesleyan University.

Hailey Benders|Marlin Chronicle

month off of school since classes resume the first week of January. Who wants to wake up early every morning amidst freezing temperatures, go to class and then race to finish homework before dark? The thought is honestly quite depressing.

One of the biggest points of contention over January Term is the fact that it is mandatory for first-years. Most of the time, when you tell students that something MUST be done, they tend to want to do anything else but that thing. Perhaps if January Term was presented as a recommendation instead of a mandate, there would be more interest surrounding it and students would regard it in a better light.

In my opinion, January courses should not be mandatory for first-years, but required for at least one out of the four years of the undergraduate program. This would give students the liberty to choose what year they enroll and thus feel more in charge of their future, rather than feeling like they are simply following orders.

Speaking as someone with seasonal depression and a passionate hatred for winter, although breaks are crucial, having nothing to do for an entire month makes me feel incredibly bored. Therefore, waking up with the knowledge that there are things to be done and people to see is greatly refreshing.

Yes, it can get tedious at times, but at least you are surrounded by classmates that are most likely experiencing the same things and taking steps toward securing your degree in a timely fashion.

Molly Brennan is a sophomore Allied Health major. She loves filmmaking and big dogs. She can be contacted at mkbrennan@vwu.edu.

While it is convenient to have many essential matters found in one domain, it can be a little perplexing to utilize it to its full extent in a trouble-free manner.

Sitting front and center of MyBeacon is WebAdvisor, a simple dark blue and white computer icon that matches VWU’s school colors, with its name in a dark shade of gray.

When logging in, which is an issue in itself to be spoken about at a later time, the website’s format tries to follow how early web pages were designed, aside from the top half in scary bold red letters, which would be cute if it weren’t so dulllooking.

WebAdvisor does appear to be organized neatly, but it also feels somewhat clustered in a very compact way. It is almost bothersome with how close the links sit under and over one another when wanting to click on one thing only to be brought to something else.

Certain links always pop up, saying there is an error, and bring you right back to where you started in the menu. Others inconveniently claim that required tasks must be completed to be fully opened.

A good deal of the links include a dropdown menu, which is quite small to begin with, making it more difficult to see.

While registering for classes and/or dropping them, the format can be a little confusing. The names of the classes being linked are especially hard to read because blue words against a blue background seemed like an ill-advised and shortsighted decision to make.

The other main issue is how it can be a little overwhelming to not only pick out classes for the upcoming semester but also how the most important part, the meeting information, is all squished into a small box with little to no space separating them.

The Program Evaluation (Degree Audit) link is a puzzling but key space that is essential to students. Knowing where you

stand and making future decisions based on the information shown can be a not-sofun time if you don’t know how to read what you’re looking at.

Back when I was a first-year, it was briefly explained what the Degree Audit was during a mandatory meeting in a big auditorium, with loads of other students and information being dumped on you at the same time.

Although I understand it much better now that I am in my junior year, I strongly believe improvements should be made, especially in the notes section at the very bottom of the page.

For example, failing to meet the minimum grade requirement is listed as *G. For classes separated into two parts where only one, usually the lecture part, holds the credit, it should not have *G beside the other part of the class, which doesn’t hold credit.

First-years may be the most confused by WebAdvisor as it is new to them. Buckets of information are dumped on them while they are trying to adjust to a new milestone in their lives.

Making adjustments to WebAdvisor can ease the struggle with its current state for students and possibly for advisors. Putting videos out there instead of encouraging students to seek help between classes and outside activities can be a major help when it feels like there’s never enough time in the day.

Samantha Scelta is a junior biology major with an English minor. Sam loves to spend her free time crocheting and playing the piano. She can be contacted at sdscelta@vwu.edu.

From Hannover to Virginia Beach: A German meets America

BY KONSTANTIN SCHREMMER kschremmer@vwu.edu

I landed at Norfolk International Airport on an American Eagle. I went outside, surprised at how much warmer it was than inside the building. This was the first sign of Americans’ secret love: air conditioning.

I took a look on Google Maps to see how to get to my hotel for the first night; it’s only 3 miles from the airport. In Germany, one would take the subway or bus because airports are well connected to the nearest city by public transport. However, contrary to my expectation, there is no bus available at the airport, and the station is a thirty minute walk away. That’s too far, even for a European with a suitcase.

My Uber driver shows me on the way where the gun store is. Every second car on the four-lane highway is a pick-up truck. The initial stereotypes have been confirmed so far.

In my hotel, it feels like winter in Germany without heating; the AC is on

maximum. I turned it off and left the door open so that the warm air can come in and I won’t get sick. In Germany, we do not frequently use AC, so it is usually 77 degrees Fahrenheit inside in the summer.

The next day, I was picked up by Mandy Reinig and driven to the VWU campus: my new home for the next 4 months. Immediately, I noticed so many differences from my home university in Hannover, Germany.

The VWU Campus is more like a gated community. In Germany, the universities are often located in the city and campus areas are scattered across the city; anyone can enter the university unchecked except on weekends or at night.

Additionally, sports play a less important role in the university and on campus. In Germany, there is a separate campus for sports and exercise. There, you can find sports fields and areas where student athletes can exercise. Moreover, you won’t see many people in their sports jerseys of their respective sports in the dining hall.

One aspect on campus I appreciate

the most is the unlimited food and drink access in the dining hall, so you don’t have to pay for each dish separately. However, the tastes are totally different. The tastes are so varied and extreme, ranging from extremely sweet desserts to extremely salty entrees.

On the way from the dining hall back to your apartment, you run into so many people who you know, which is a great advantage of campus life and a small university.

Also, classes at VWU are much smaller than those in Germany, where it is not unusual to find around 100 students in the lecture hall. The larger numbers result in much less participation and attendance, and the professor is not able to care if you don’t understand the topics or are not present. Except for some assignments without grades or one presentation per class a semester, there are not as many weekly assignments in Germany. Instead, you have to study much more for the final exams and therefore experience much more pressure, because only one exam makes your grade.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

We appreciated the profile of the library recently published in The Marlin Chronicle (”Underutilized campus resources aim to assist,” Sept.14, 2023), but we feel your correspondent has, if anything, understated the amazing variety of ways students can use their library to enrich themselves and increase their academic performance.

If you’re in a STEM field like Biology or a pre-professional program like Business, Criminal Justice, Nursing or Education, you will make constant use of databases accessible through the library website to access the latest research and learn about best practices in your field.

The library’s print and e-book collections and interlibrary loan service are your access point for an entire universe of books from every country and taking in virtually any topic you might wish to learn about, including grammars, dictionaries and literary collections for language learners, primary and secondary sources for studying history, art and culture, how-to guides for a wide range of technology skills and disciplines, graphic novels, DVDs and Blu-Rays and cameras, tripods, tablets and computers with graphic design and editing software for studying and composing in multiple media formats, as well as leisure books for when you just want take a break.

Yes, the library can give you what you need to complete assignments for classes, but more than that, whatever you want to study, whatever skill or area of knowledge

The location of VWU in coastal Virginia and the proximity to the beach is so cool! I am so grateful for the hospitality and excited for all the new adventures I will experience in the coming months.

Konstantin Schremmer is an environmental studies major. He can be contacted at kschremmer@vwu.edu.

you want to cultivate (or add to your resume so you can land a better job), the library can help you do it; and studies in peer-reviewed journals like the ACRL’s College and Research Libraries have routinely shown that students are more successful academically when they make regular use of their library.

Lastly: each of our librarians is an expert in research and information retrieval, and we are available to help you at any stage of any assignment for any of your classes. So, if your professor gives you a complex set of instructions and you’re wondering where to start, you can schedule an appointment with a librarian using our LibCal page [ https:// vwu.libcal.com/appointments/ ] or come to us during our normal working hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

We can help you decipher what exactly your professor is looking for, and help you access the exact resources and figure out how to make sense of, integrate, and respond to them in an annotated bibliography or research paper.

You might be shocked at how much of a difference meeting with a librarian can make!

Abe Nemon Research and Instruction Librarian Henry Clay Hofheimer II Library

Hailey Benders|Marlin Chronicle

Konstantin Schremmer|Courtesy Konstantin on the first day of school.

Volleyball ranked 1st in ODAC

BY CHLOE BOOHER crbooher@vwu.edu

The Women’s Volleyball team began their season with an impressive winning streak. The team won the first 10 games of the season, and in a preseason poll, the team was ranked 2nd overall in the ODAC rankings. As of Sunday, Oct. 1, the team is ranked first in the conference as the only undefeated team in conference play.

Coach Karissa Cumberbatch has been coaching the women’s team for two years and now coaches the new Men’s Volleyball team as well.

“I think over the years, with the former coach, team dynamic has always been something that we’ve really focused on. Everyone’s vision and goals were the same, and they really felt like everybody was on the same page,” Cumberbatch said. “To see how seamlessly the freshman fit into that group was definitely a part of our early success this year.”

Graduate student Abby Mahoney was named ODAC player of the week on Sept. 18 after her performance in the team’s away games during the week of September 13-17. Mahoney had a personal best with 23 kills, which is tied for third all-time at VWU for the most kills in a single game. This is the first time a Marlin has recorded 20 or more kills in a single game since Oct. 2018. Mahoney had a .409 hitting percentage, two digs and one block assist. She got the final kill of the game to seal the 3-2 win over ODAC opponent Randolph Macon to open up conference play.

For any coach, regardless of what sport, they all have similar goals of success for their team. “In previous

years, our goal has always been wanting to win another championship and wanting to get back to the NCAA tournament,” Cumberbatch said. “This year, we’ve changed that focus and not putting so much pressure on winning that championship, but playing to our potential all the time. If we rise to that challenge and do these things every day, the championship will come on its own.”

With only so many matches left in the season, student, staff and faculty support is always welcomed.

“I think the athletic department does a great job of supporting one another when we can, but we have thought a lot about how to get the regular student body involved. I do think that the addition of the men’s team has definitely helped that culture a little bit. Just that extra support system has really helped just the overall environment,” Cumberbatch said.

Senior Cara Caruso has been on the team since her freshman year.

“I think that this is the best team both physically and mentally. Mentally, this is the best group that we’ve had in my four years of being here. That has a huge impact, especially in volleyball with it being a mental game,” Caruso said. “When you have the physical and mental capacity to do good things, it really helps, and I think we saw that within those first 10 games.”

The team hopes to secure more and more wins as the season continues. “Coming in this season, we kind of all had a chip on our shoulder and getting number two seed was honestly like a blessing. Even the first-years coming in immediately brought the mentality that was needed,” Caruso said.

Junior Jenna Waters has also been on the team since her freshman year.

“I definitely think that this year is different from past years in that we’re all very together all the time. We all within our positions are very close to each other, and we want each other to be better and it’s competitive in a good way,” Waters said.

Recently, the school added a Men’s Volleyball team, and it has definitely made a difference for the women’s team.

“Having a guys team has helped a lot with our chemistry and just hanging out together too. We have more fans, and we have all that support all the time. I’m excited to do the same for them when it’s their season in the spring,” said Waters.

The women’s team is back on the court Oct. 7 when they play ODAC opponent Washington and Lee University at 11 a.m. and Salisbury University at 4 p.m. Both games take place in TowneBank Arena at the Jane B. Batten Student Center.

A new beginning for Women’s Golf

BY COY CAMISCIOLI clcamiscioli@vwu.edu

A new era of Women’s Golf has begun under Director of Men’s and Women’s Golf Tom Hall as they enter a period of growth with a complete change of scenery. It has been quite a few years since the last time the Marlins had a full Women’s Golf team, but that may be hard to believe, as they finished runner-up at the Fincastle Intercollegiate competition to start the season.

First-year Mia Skaggs started the competition out hot, leading with the lowest score after day one.

“It is interesting because I wasn’t that nervous the first day, but then I saw I had the best score, and the nerves kind of hit the second day of the competition,” Skaggs said.

With a group of all freshmen, the team has begun to forge their own path. “It hasn’t been too difficult since we all get along and see each other every day. It’s just the five of us figuring it out on our own, and eventually, we will turn into the upperclassmen leaders for the new recruits that Coach Hall brings in,” Skaggs said.

Building team chemistry is a main priority and goal for Skaggs and the rest of the team. “Our main team goal at this point is to continue working together and building each other up, since we are all freshmen and have not experienced this before,” Skaggs said.

Skaggs was unsure about playing golf beyond the high school level until an opportunity presented itself.

“It’s kind of funny because my team

CHEER

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1

also participated in competitions and was successful, getting some wins under their belt.

For the coaches, the return to this University was destiny. After attending a homecoming tailgate, Artis was shocked to learn that the cheer program had been dismantled.

“I was like, I would love to help bring it back, do whatever we can to get it back because I know that was really a foundation for a lot of students,” Artis said. “It helped them kind of find their core group. And helped them stay more engaged in school and classes.”

Artis worked hard with Dr. David Black, who works in the Trinder Center for Advancement, to reinstitute the cheer program, so it was only natural that she would be awarded the job. Once she got the job, she brought on Fabregas and the rest is history.

Before the start of the school year, Artis and Fabregas were able to recruit seven first-years for the program. They then spent the beginning of the year in the halls, working tirelessly to fill the rest of their team. Fortunately, there were students on campus who had previously cheered for their high school and decided to dust off their cheer sneakers and join Virginia Wesleyan’s cheer program.

After a successful recruiting effort, the cheer program features 17 members,

was competing at the state competition and Coach Hall was at the competition scouting someone else, and I guess that didn’t end up working out,” Skaggs said.

“So he eventually ended up watching me for around 11 of my 18 holes and recruiting me here.”

Skaggs is grateful for Hall’s work in the team. “I really appreciate his dedication and vision for the program, and his organization has been integral to our success,” Skaggs said.

First-year Juliette Coffey shared similar

which, according to Artis, just satisfies the ideal range for a collegiate team.

In the world of cheer, similar to any other sport, there are different realms that vary in complexity. A lot of the cheer members have done sideline cheer, in which one cheers for a sports team during their game. Sideline cheer, however, requires a more basic skill set than competitive cheer, which features far more intricate routines.

Senior cheerleader KeAsia Howington, who was a sideline cheerleader her freshman year of high school, commented on how her experience translates to being on a collegiate cheer team.

“It’s different and more complicated especially since I haven’t done sideline for 7 years and have no experience with competition,” Howington said.

This year, Artis and Fabregas face the problem of varying skill levels in their program. While they recognize this obstacle, they have remained unfazed and soldier on. “I don’t see it as a setback. We’re definitely up to the challenge,” Artis said. “I feel like if anything It just gives us that more of a drive like hey, we’ve got to work harder to get everyone up to par.”

With hard work, Artis feels the team will be successful.

“For cheer, as long as you have dedication you can make it work. If you put in the hours, you can get the results,” Artis said.

This season, the cheer team will be competing in two competitions, the first being an exhibition to give the team some practice before the real competition in

opinions on her new coach.

“It has been nice having a structured schedule. We also have an app we use to track all of our scores and data that have helped us with focusing on what we need to practice,” Coffey said.

With golf being a mentally demanding sport, Coffey shared what goes through her mind during a long and intense competition.

“There are always some nerves on that first tee shot, but it gets better from there. The tough part is planning out your shots

for 18 holes, and concentrating for that long is always difficult,” Coffey said.

Coffey came overseas from England to attend Virginia Wesleyan University and play golf. Coffey’s recruiting situation was a little different compared to Skaggs. She reached out to Coach Hall via e-mail and sent film of her playing.

Hall spoke about his goals for the upcoming season.

“As the year goes on, we want to be more and more competitive and would certainly like to win an event and finish in the top three in our conference,” Hall said.

Coach Hall emphasized the fact that this season is a learning experience, but this is the best group of girls to be on the journey with.

“We’ve been really lucky because the five women we brought in are fantastic people, and they’ve gelled together fairly quickly,” Hall said. “They are all hard workers and great students so it has not been difficult to motivate them.”

Hall is ecstatic with the direction the program is heading, and recreating the Women’s Golf team has been great for the golf program as a whole.

When asked what he is looking forward to the most this season, Hall said, “Watching our men’s and women’s programs coming together has been and will continue to be exciting to watch. I am also looking forward to the social aspects that the ladies have brought to the program.”

The women and men play again Oct. 9-10 at the Knights Fall Invitational hosted by Southern Virginia University in Lexington, Va.

For the first time in 5 years, Marlins cheer team prepares for upcoming season.

Hampton.

“We’re just trying to get our feet wet,” Artis said.

For Fabregas, the competition provides a chance for development.

“[Competition] comes with so much. Travel is expensive,” Fabregas said. “So we definitely want to make sure that when we do go there, we have everything.”

In addition to the goal of growth, the coaches also aspire to bring back the school spirit this University once had. Fabregas attested to the school’s spirit in the past.

“When we went here, school spirit was huge,” Fabregas said.

Artis further supported the old school spirit for the cheer team. “We were wellsupported by the campus community.

The games were well attended. We were definitely well known around the campus,” Artis said.

Although this season serves as a trial run for the program, the coaches are highly ambitious and excited for what is to come.

“I think we’re progressing very well. I think, you know, with any new program, there’s that learning curve and seeing what works,” Artis said. “We have some really great talent on our team, and we have a lot of great leaders who are inspiring each other and encouraging each other.”

With the dedication of Artis and Fabregas, the sky’s the limit for this new program. Come out to see the cheer team in action at the Men’s and Women’s Basketball games this year.

Carey Seay|Marlin Chronicle

James Hill|Courtesy

Senior libero Cara Caruso attacks the ball.

Tom Hall|Courtesy

Women’s Golf team poses with trophy after tournament in Glenside, Pa.

Rocket League shoots for winning season

BY COLETTE KEARNEY cmkearney@vwu.edu

Esports is back in full swing with matches and competitions against various schools. A former player, alumnus Brandon Kwon, has re-joined the team as a coach.

Kwon said, “The season is going great so far. Our Varsity Rocket League team has had some really competitive matches.”

Kwon mentioned how weird being a coach instead of a player is. “Garrette [Kellam], Jalen [Davis], and Bailey [Miller], our starting trio, have been playing their best game and being able to coach them to this point has been some of the most fun I have had in the game to date,” Kwon said.

Senior Rocket League player Stephon Babb had similar things to say about the start of the season.

“The A team is on a hot streak right now as they are 3-0 to start off their NACE season,” Babb said. NACE is the National Association of Collegiate Esports which is the league our esports team belongs to in addition to the Eastern College Athletic Conference.

Babb and sophomore Gavin Ashe both have high expectations for this season. Babb is looking to win both an ECAC and NACE trophy. Ashe echoed similar words.

“I expect the Rocket League team to be better than we are seeded in our group,” Ashe said.

Last spring, the Esports team hosted a Rocket League tournament called Collision on the Coast, and they are hosting one again this spring. This year’s event will be two days long from Feb. 17-18. Kwon is hoping it

will be a bigger and better event than last year’s. “We are hoping to fill out a full 32 team event, and we have had interest from schools as far as Oregon for this year’s event,” Kwon said.

He also mentioned that it will be a big task for some of the players because of the professional players that are interested in coming out. “I believe in our team’s ability to perform,” Kwon said.

Babb also has high expectations for the Collision on the Coast 2 tournament. “My only expectation is for us to bring home 1st place,” Babb said.

The team was close last year and even with the higher level of difficulty in this year’s tournament, Babb believes they can do it.

Ashe also has expectations for

SportsHead

the team in this year’s tournament and hopes the Rocket League team is able to get a top five finish.

Ashe said the team is part of the reason he is at VWU.

“I got into Esports through one of my tours when I happened to bump into an Esports member and I got a personal tour of the arena,” Ashe said.

Babb got into Esports by just playing video games.

“Then [I] just practiced the games that we offered here until I became somewhat decent at a few of them and now a few years later, and here I am,” Babb said.

To become an Esports member, students have to come to their tryouts in either the spring or the fall semester. Learn more information by emailing them at esports@ vwu.edu.

the Scoreboard

BY COLETTE KEARNEY cmkearney@vwu.edu

If you have been paying attention to women’s sports this year, you would know two events of major attendance occurred. The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and, a little closer to home, the University of Nebraska Women’s volleyball team.

The Nebraska Huskers held a game inside Memorial Stadium, which is the school’s football stadium. At that game, the team set a Guinness World Record for women’s sports attendance with a sold out crowd of 92,003. They were set to break the record when the game was announced this past spring. According to an article posted by CBS News, people were selling tickets on secondary websites for hundreds of dollars.

This huge crowd has amplified the discussion surrounding people ignoring women’s sports or the opinion that women’s sports are more boring than men’s sports.

Similar can be said for the FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) Women’s World Cup and its ticket sales. When tickets went on sale early in the year for the tournament that took place over the summer, over half a million tickets were sold in just a couple weeks, the FIFA website

said. Then closer to the tournament, another 200,000 tickets were sold for the highly anticipated tournament that saw Spain win their first World Cup with a 1-0 victory over England.

This new wave and interest in women’s sports isn’t just in ticket sales and more people wanting to go to games in person, it’s also on TV.

During the 2023 NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Women’s National Championship game between LSU (Louisiana State) and Iowa there were record-breaking TV views. According to the Nielson website, there were 10 million viewers for the game between LSU and Iowa which is a 103% increase from 2022.

The Women’s Super League, which is the top flight of professional soccer in England, had an increase of 81% in viewing. In fact on Sunday, Oct. 1, the first day of the 23-24 WSL season, the Arsenal and Liverpool Women set a new WSL record for official attendance at a game with 51,115. I think the view that women’s sports are not interesting and that their games are boring is being thrown out the window, because it is obvious that over the past couple years the interest has increased, and it should stay that way.

the Schedule

Emily Uzzle|Marlin Chronicle

Hailey Benders|Marlin Chronicle

Eerie plants make viewers ponder

BY CECILIA CANDELARIA crcandelaria@vwu.edu

The captivating Strange Plants exhibit, currently on display at the Chrysler Museum, serves as an artistic conduit for the thoughts and ideas of the talented, contemporary artist Heather Beardsley.

Her profound perspective on the pressing matter of climate change is passionately conveyed through a captivating and slightly unsettling collection that combines pictures patterned with embroidery and intricate clay creations. Beardsley’s exploration of this critical topic is both unique and haunting, offering viewers a thought-provoking and eye-opening experience.

The photographs that are included in Beardsley’s collection are a testament to her own travels and experiences. Each image uniquely imprints the various cities and countries she has visited or briefly resided in throughout her academic and professional journeys. Among the featured locations are Budapest, Chicago, Beijing, Virginia Beach, Las Vegas and many more. Though these are all very different locations, what all the altered images have in common, is the eerie feeling that lingers when viewers analyze each piece.

The plants she has sewn into each captured moment are beautiful, wild and strange. They overtake buildings and fill empty spaces, with not a single person in sight, and when there is someone, they are entirely oblivious to the growth of vegetation engulfing them and their surroundings. Beardsley’s artwork is meant to express the idea that nature will always take over what was once theirs, and it is meant to foreshadow the continuation of life after the human race ceases to exist.

A series of images were taken in the year 2017 in Pripyat, the closest town to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster over thirty years later. The artist noted that the structures were still abandoned and described it as a ‘ghost town.’

This collection of images leaves a bigger impact than the rest due to how quickly and effectively everything living was wiped away.

These pieces speak volumes and serve as a reminder that nature will eventually heal what humans don’t touch, but also as a warning, because even the untouched ghost town had received so much nuclear damage, life was still struggling to thrive in its setting over three decades later.

Something in the exhibit that stood out to me was a wooden dollhouse with detailed vegetation Beardsley made out of clay. The clay vegetation was carefully placed along the perimeter of the house and took over the miniature furniture and appliances. The dollhouse was made for Heather by her father when she was a five-year-old child. She recently found the dollhouse in the family’s attic and used the abandoned structure to further express her perspective on the world and its inevitable cycles.

This parallels the real world. In the same way that abandoned houses grow vegetation due to lack of upkeep, the abandoned dollhouse was given the same fate. Ironically, this time it was a human who created the overgrowth rather than ripping it away.

Focusing our attention back on the embroidered pictures, a few photographs were even taken in Virginia Beach, Ocean View and Norfolk. These pieces are more personal to the artist, her hometown being Virginia Beach, Va. Those photos featured the main Summer Resort in Ocean View and the Virginia Beach Civic Center.

In these photos, wild plants are sewn into the frame and take over buildings. Even though the artist traveled a lot and got inspiration from many places, she found fuel for her imagination in her hometown and roots from her childhood.

This just further proves how powerful the message the art is sending because the artist has a history with and is knowledgeable about everything she makes art out of. I enjoyed going to see this exhibit, it was well-organized by the museum and well-executed by the artist. The artist expressed a powerful message that anyone interested in the topic of climate change would appreciate.

I admired the beauty of Heather Beardsley’s collection, as well as its underlying eeriness. In addition, it’s great to know more about a newly emerging local artist. This collection is her debut solo exhibit and is open to view for free

until late October at the Chrysler Museum, located in the heart of downtown Norfolk.

Not only is her collection available to view, but many other permanent and seasonal exhibits are open to the public. I wish I had more time to look at everything else in the museum that day; a few things definitely caught my eye on the way out.

Even if the topic of climate change doesn’t grasp your attention, there is plenty more art fueled by various pressing social issues, providing some brain food for a wide variety of people.

Robots and hot pots

BY MIKAYLA MOSCATELLI mamoscatelli@vwu.edu

Fresh to the Hampton Roads area is a new Hot Pot restaurant. Urban Hot Pot opened up in April of this year and has continued to be a hit. Each night their tables are full of patrons waiting to indulge in the delicious soup bases, various meats, seafood, vegetables and noodle options. As patrons walk in the glass doors towards the bright white sign with the iconic logo, they will find hostesses are patiently waiting to greet customers. The ambiance in the restaurant is like no other. They have a mixture of modern day hits and Korean pop songs playing. Dimmed lights and large windows bring in the right amount of lighting to make the perfect dining experience.

When customers are seated, staff go over the menu. If you haven’t been to their restaurant, they will explain how everything works and will offer some advice on what to try first if you are completely new to hot pot in general.

This is the fourth restaurant in the Hot Pot chain, but it is the closest to the Hampton Roads community. They have 90 minute timed seating, and it is all you can eat, with the total cost per person being $31.99. They do have special items that are not included in the all you can eat. Some non-alcoholic beverages are $3.99 while

Mars Johnson|Marlin Chronicle

alcoholic beverages have a higher price range. They do have some random food items outside the buffet menu, whether it is meats, noodles and desserts that are priced at $3.99 as well.

They have a completely different experience from going to other restaurants, with an iPad set up at every table. You can order everything in one go, then they will almost immediately be on their way with your order. One of the robots brings your drinks over to your table from the front of the restaurant while the servers come from the back with your soup pots and various meats, veggies and side dishes.

They periodically walk by and ask if you need more broth or if you need a refill but if you don’t see anyone there is a button on the iPads that can call your server for more broth and refills, if you haven’t received an item or for you to get the check.

This restaurant makes it easier, in my opinion, for individuals who struggle with social anxiety. It cuts back on the social interaction required of individuals when they are trying to order food and drinks. Personally, I struggle with figuring out what I want to eat, so when I am in a restaurant I take the longest to figure out what I want. By involving technology in place of a waiter, individuals are given the chance to view the items and to order when they are ready.

Cecilia Candelaria|Marlin Chronicle Beardsley’s nostalgic dollhouse, made for her by her father, now repurposed and decorated with clay plants.

Mikayla Moscatelli|Marlin Chronicle

Volvo Parkway in Chesapeake, Va.

Cecilia Candelaria|Marlin Chronicle Strange Plants piece “Tallinn” displays a beautiful collage and embroidery on textile.

“Beardsley’s artwork…is meant to foreshadow the continuation of life after the human race ceases to exist.”

Monster jam crushes expectations

BY CALEE LUKOWSKI crlukowski@vwu.edu

The Hampton Coliseum was alive with electric energy, while the subtle smells of dirt and truck exhaust surrounded audience members during the Monster Jam Event on Friday, Sept. 22.

With the Coliseum floor turned into a dirt track and trucks taller than grown men ready to perform, there was plenty to see when you first walked into the stands. The ear-splitting rumble of truck engines signaled the drivers preparing for the event and the impending start of automotive excitement.

The trucks were all wonderfully decorated and modified with incredible attention to detail. The wonderful line-up of eight different brightly colored trucks was a visual spectacle.

Each truck centered around its own theme, sticking to that theme in the design, name and even its walk-up song for each driver. Monster Mutt Dalmatian, a truck designed to look like a dalmatian with a tail and ears, even sported a quirky inscription on the underside of the vehicle, reading “Beggin’ for Bones.”

Weston Anderson, a driver for Monster Jam, told audiences to, “expect the unex-

pected.” The event was very much just that, with unexpected twists at every turn.

The event itself has several different parts. First, trucks race each other around the track in twos. The races are in a bracket style where the winners continue to face off until only one remains standing. After the quad races, the real fun begins.

Trucks compete in a Skills Challenge, where drivers perform different tricks, such as balancing the truck on the front two tires. Each driver has two runs to amaze audiences with their skills.

After a short break, there is a freestyle motocross event, where motocross drivers launch from one side of the arena to the other while performing tricks midair.

Following this spectacle, the monster trucks come back out and begin the Freestyle event. This event is characterized by many different tricks, ranging from jumps to flips. Again, drivers are given two chances to wow fans.

The Skills Challenge, freestyle motocross and Freestyle event tricks are all judged by fans. Every member of the audience has the chance to vote on their smartphone for a select amount of time after each contestant. The votes from the audience are what decide the score of each contestant, and ultimately the winner. Points

East Beach Market

BY MARIE VITTORIA CHESSA mchessa@vwu.edu

I recently had the pleasure of going to the East Beach Farmers Market, which has just been relocated to Bay Oaks Park, 2413 E Ocean View Ave. The market is a twenty-minute drive from VWU and is a pleasant weekend activity.

Farmers markets are not just about groceries, they’re about the experience, the community and the shared sense of supporting local businesses.

The East Beach Farmers Market embodies this spirit wholeheartedly, and it’s even better now at its new location. As Amy Jordan, one of the market organizers, said, “We love our new location here at Bay Oaks Park for many reasons, we love the shade from all the trees, we have picnic tables, benches and playgrounds for the kids, and it’s a very walkable, peaceful park.”

The move to Bay Oaks Park has indeed breathed new life into this market, and it’s not just the organizers who are thrilled. The buyers seemed equally delighted.

Cathy Baker, a vendor at the market, owner of Flour Child Bakery, also appreciates the change in location. “The new location is ten times better. We are a little more spread out, but you get good exercise and

make up for the calories you’re about to consume,” Baker said.

Visitors can expect a diverse range of products beyond fresh produce. With more than forty vendors, the East Beach Farmers Market offers everything from grass-fed meats to artisan cheeses, homemade soups, freshly baked goods and much more.

As one buyer noted, “I usually go to farmers markets to get produce, but today I also bought cheese and laundry soap.” This market offers a one-stop shopping experience, making it even more convenient and interactive.

The vendors here are not just sellers, they are passionate individuals who take pride in their offerings and genuinely care about their customers. One of the highlights of the market is the opportunity to interact with the farmers and artisans themselves. They are more than happy to share their knowledge and stories behind their products.

Nikki Hopkins, The Sage Mermaid Kombuchery owner, who has been part of the market for about seven years, was kind enough to give out samples of her products to people stopping by, highlighting the genuine interactions between buyers and vendors.

from each event are totaled to determine the overall winner of the event.

Weston Anderson, driving the truck Grave Digger, won the Racing event as well as the overall event on Friday. Elvis Lainez, the driver of El Toro Loco, and Tony Ochs, the driver of ThunderROARus, won the Skills Challenge and the Freestyle event, respectively.

Even with professional drivers, things don’t always go as planned. Some of the trucks hit a few speed bumps during the competition.

Stone Crusher had some mechanical problems, ThunderROARus and Monster Mutt Dalmatian both ended up flipped over and El Toro Loco tore up the front end of the truck.

Greg Duffy, a motocross driver, gave audiences advice after his winning run in the motocross event.

“You’re gonna fall down, always get back on the horse and give it another go,” Duffy said.

That is exactly what these drivers did. Even with these minor malfunctions, the trucks still came back out for the next event, even if they didn’t look exactly as they had at the beginning.

The trucks aren’t simply pieces of metal. Many of them have meaning and stories

For those who prefer a more immediate gastronomic experience, or want to entertain their stomach while shopping, the East Beach Farmers Market doesn’t disappoint. Food trucks and stalls line the market, serving up delicious dishes that cater to every palate.

You can get something to drink from Aroma Coffee, savor a gourmet hot dog, indulge in a juicy burger, or if you’re patient enough you can line up at Klassic Doughnuts to get your hands on their freshly made doughnuts.

Whatever your taste, the market offers a diverse range of culinary delights that are both delicious and made from locally sourced ingredients.

The East Beach Farmers Market is also pet-friendly, so you can bring your furry friends along for the experience. Many dog-friendly vendors, such as Bucket’s Biscuits, even offer homemade treats for your four-legged companions.

For families looking for a weekend activity that caters to both adults and children, the East Beach Farmers Market is a perfect choice. The market’s setting in Bay Oaks Park with its playgrounds and family-friendly atmosphere makes it an ideal outing for parents and children alike.

The East Beach Farmers Market at its new location in Bay Oaks Park will take place every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12

behind them. Brianna Mahon, the sole female driver on Friday, was the original driver of Whiplash and helped design the truck.

Whiplash is the only truck on the Monster Jam lineup that has only had female drivers to date. According to the Monster Jam website, Whiplash was designed to “inspire females to chase their dreams.”

The turquoise and western styled truck was designed specifically to leave the stereotypical pink in the past. There is also an entire brand dedicated to Whiplash that is targeted specifically towards women, something that had not been done before. Whiplash was not at the event on Friday, where Mahon drove Monster Mutt Dalmatian.

Mahon also talked about the Monster Jam community, saying that although they are fierce competitors on the track, off the track drivers function as “one big family.”

After winning the Skills Challenge, Lainez said, “I’m just gonna come out here and have fun.”

The drivers in Friday’s event did just that. With lots of amazing tricks and trucks, Monster Jam is an action packed event for audience members of all ages.

p.m. until Nov. 18. It offers a refreshing and enriching experience for both buyers and vendors. With a beautiful park setting, an array of quality products, and a strong sense of community. Whether you’re a regular shopper or planning your first visit, the East Beach Farmers Market is bound to leave you with a sense of fulfillment, a basket full of goodies and a smile on your face.

Sasha Saxon|Marlin Chronicle

Silhouetted audience member watches Andrew Weston’s Grave Digger perform at the coliseum.

Monster Jam|Courtesy Grave Digger pulls a stoppie and Monster Mutt Dalmatian catches air.

Maria Vittoria Chessa| Marlin Chronicle Customers sipping on Sage Mermaid kombucha.