March 15, 2018

The Marlin Chronicle THURSDAY 3.15.18 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWU.EDU ||

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

‘From accommodation to declaration’ Wesleyan passes new, inclusive policies for transgender individuals

BY MARLYN SILVA mhsilva@vwu.edu

By July 2018 Virginia Wesleyan University will transition and change their policy regarding any student who identifies as transgender.

More inclusive plans have been made to take steps to improve all students’ college experience. A recent report from Provost Timothy O’Rourke and the strategic planning committee stated that their overall goal is to “strengthen the university’s commitment to be an inclusive campus community” and create a more positive environment.

In a meeting with the Marlin Chronicle, O’Rourke said that the plans will lay the groundwork for a future wherein “we are prepared to accept any students who arrive at the institution.” The new plans will provide specifications for the treatment and protection of transgender students.

“We’re moving from a policy of accommodation to declaration,” O’Rourke said. The most important part of the policy is that it declares students will be treated without discrimination and guarantees equality. “It’s consistent with our Methodist and Christian heritage of treating people with equal dignity, no matter their background.”

Once the new policy comes into effect, students, faculty and staff will be able to use the restroom that matches their gender identity. Locker rooms will be evaluated in the future. A period of transition will also commence in which various facilities will be updated to match the new “language of equality” in the policy.

For students, this change to truly accommodate transgender students is not only a positive one, but one that should have been made a long time ago.

“It’s long overdue. This should have been accommodated a long time ago,” freshman Analaysia Davis said.

“I think it’s a really good idea because it’ll show not only people who already go here but people interested in going here that we’re trying to be very inclusive,” agreed junior Alisha Milliosa. “In order for the campus to feel more inclusive, [students] can be more vocal about the changes going on because it can raise awareness for the individuals who are struggling.”

Aside from the updated policy, students think other infrastructure changes to the campus need to be made as well.

Davis suggested changes to housing. “I am not saying to segregate them,” she clarified. “Maybe they could live with other people who identify as transgender so they don’t feel uncomfortable changing in their room.”

The demand for change was spearheaded by the student organization Spectrum. In an original drafted proposal and petition from November of 2016, it suggested the university make changes, including but not limited to “[making] campus buildings, residential housing, and guest policies more inclusive” and “[ensuring] that prospective and current students are not forced to select a gender that conflicts with their gender identity.”

Assistant Professor of History and faculty advisor for Spectrum Kathleen Casey believes that the change in the school’s policy is a welcome one. “This is a huge success. I am super happy with the outcome. The students are really, really proud of the work they did,” Casey said.

By asking for a change in the University’s policy and campus, the aim is to not only create a comforting environment but also teach other people on campus about related topics.

SEE POLICY Pg. 2

Keeping campus safe A series of perspectives on gun control in the academic world

BY MICKELLA RAST mjrast@vwu.edu

Val Miller| Marlin Chronicle

SEE OPINIONS Page 5

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In the aftermath of recent gun-related violence at schools, other educational institutions are taking steps to help combat potential gun violence. Bulletproof backpacks in particular have become more popular, and one company reported a 30 percent rise in sales just days after the Parkland shooting.

Similar sale rises in blast-resistant doors and locks, reinforced glass and even “wall armor” have also been reported.

Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Moore discussed what measures Virginia Wesleyan is taking to ensure student safety amidst the rising controversy. The most recent measures include the new fence surrounding the campus, better lighting and additional strategically-placed security cameras.

“It’s genuinely something we think about every single minute of every single day,” Moore said. He emphasized Wesleyan’s commitment to public safety and dedicating to “[putting] people’s minds at ease.”

Though he insisted Wesleyan would maintain its strict no weapons policy, specifically with regard to students, he encouraged people to “understand their own role in their safety” and educate themselves on what protective measures are allowed on campus.

“I think that it would be good,” he said. “Certainly, to have pepper spray and other non-lethal, legal means of protecting yourself are welcome.” He called attention to pepper spray and the kubaton as two examples of permitted self-defense items.

Current security measures are briefly outlined in an informational sheet entitled “Keeping Virginia Wesleyan University Safe and Secure,” available to students and faculty. The sheets states that “the safety and wellbeing of our community members is paramount at Virginia Wesleyan.

The University maintains procedures and protocols designed to minimize opportunities for threats and to communicate with faculty, staff, and students in the event of an emergency.”

Measures include but are not limited to: access to external authorities such as the Virginia Beach Police Department and Davis Corner Fire Station, on-campus uniformed officers, a two-way radio with direct access to the Third Precinct of the aforementioned police department, protective fencing, security cameras, a singular and guarded campus entrance, emergency sirens and the LiveSafe mobile app.

These measures “are continually evaluated and updated as

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2 Thursday March 15, 2018 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

News

Commencement to be held outside

BY AMANDA ARCHER acarcher@vwu.edu

ment on their opinions, or viewpoints of graduation being held outdoors this year.

“It is absolutely terrifying and exhilarating at the same time,” education major Morgan Lucas remarked.

“I think graduation outside is a good idea as far as being able to have as many guests come as we’d like, and being in the heart of campus. But, I think there is a higher possibility of things going wrong when you factor in the possibility of bad weather and having to change things at the last minute, communication major Antonio Boone stated.

“I don’t really mind graduation being outside, I think it will be cool to have something different,” recreation and leisure major Morgan Lee commented.

Although it does not detail an accurate representation of the approximated 300 students graduating, a poll was taken on Twitter. The poll received fourteen votes, and stated that this year, graduation will be held outside by the Greer Environmental Science Center. Voters were given the options of “sounds like a great idea,” or “I would prefer elsewhere”. Sixty-four percent said it sounded like a great idea, and the remaining thirty-six percent said they would prefer elsewhere.

POLICY CONTINUED FROM FRONT “That’s why...we wanted it explicitly in there, so people known that they have some minimum level of protection,” Casey said. “I mean that’s another thing I think we’ve been trying to do, just sort of educate the campus about what it means to be gender nonconforming, to be trans, and how these things are really very, totally separate from sexual orientation.”

Casey encouraged students to become more involved in inclusive efforts on campus, including attending meetings of the President’s Council on Inclusive Community (PCIC). Currently, there are only three students who are on the Council. According to its informational page, PCIC strives to ensure Wesleyan is a place where “everyone feels welcomed and valued” and foster a culture of “civility, respect, and open dialogue.”

The next PCIC meeting is in April and will be open for students who are more than welcome to stop by and voice their concerns.

Janice Marshall-Pittman|Courtesy The May 2017 commencement ceremony was held in the Jane P. Batten Center.

L i g h t h o u s e Spotlight: Kellen Phillips Senior Biology Major

Photo Credit: Franzine Ermer

As the second half of the semester approaches and there are less than two weeks until spring break, it is time for the graduating class of 2018 to prepare for the Commencement ceremony. This year’s senior class will represent the 49th annual Commencement class, but the first formal graduating class of Virginia Wesleyan University. The class will attend to a message delivered by the keynote speaker Pamela Northam, educator, conservationist, and wife of Governor Ralph Northam.

Continuing with the theme of firsts, this year’s Commencement is scheduled to take place on the University Commons in front of the Greer Environmental Sciences Center. This will be the first Commencement held outdoors since 2003 and the very first to be held in front of the new environmentally-friendly building. In 2003, Commencement was held on Rose Hall Lawn, and prior to the completion of the Jane P. Batten Center, Commencement was historically held outdoors on the Hofheimer Library Plaza and later on the Chapel Lawn. From 2004 to 2017, the ceremony took place in the Batten Student Center.

A few seniors took the time to com-

WEAPONS CONTINUED FROM FRONT needed” as part of regular campus safety reports that the school requests. Wesleyan has also hosted Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) programs in the past, along with other seminars that focus on basic self-defense methods.

The sheet also reminds community members about the “best practices” for day-today and emergency situations, including reporting all suspicious activity, remaining wary of strangers, especially those attempting to follow you into locked facilities, familiarizing yourself with the “Run, Hide, Fight” tactics from the Department of Homeland Security and using common sense.

Moore specifically stressed how important reports were to keeping campus safe and encouraged students to report suspicious activity on LiveSafe or to security. “See something, hear something, say something,” Moore said. “We’re only as good as the information we have.”

While some have called for more direct action, Moore discounted the possibility of hiring armed guards to patrol campus. “We’ve looked at it in earnest three times, and based on our campus size, proximity to police and relationship with them, we decided to maintain the ‘status quo,’” he said. Moore clarified that concerns about rising tuition were not a driving force behind the decision.

The possibility of providing staff and faculty with firearms, specifically professors, was also rejected. He stated that arming personnel would involve deputizing those persons, which would in turn require “a different level of ability.”

Students or faculty looking to arm themselves in “non-lethal, legal” ways may have some trouble, however, as Wesleyan’s definition of a “weapon” is somewhat vague.

Wesleyan’s “Policy for the Prevention of Violence in the Workplace” defines weapons as including “guns, knives, explosives, and other items that have the potential to inflict harm.” The student handbook mentions weapons in its “prohibited items” section, but also notes that the list is not all-inclusive. It states that “weapons capable of inflicting injury or damage are not permitted in the halls. This includes, but is not limited to, firearms, airsoft pellet guns, and stun guns.” Neither “weapon” nor “violence” is defined in the “common university terms” section.

Stun guns, Tasers, baseball bats, batons, tactical pens and flashlights, personal alarms and bean bag guns are the most common non-lethal weapons for self-defense commercially offered. Less traditional items include potato guns, bricks and any sharp or heavy objects.

Before bringing any self-defense item on campus, check with security or administration to make sure the item does not violate any policies.

The next issue will feature student views on the controversy.

What was your internship?

“I interned at Randwick Equine Centre (an equine veterinary clinic) in Sydney, Australia last summer for eight weeks. It was a priceless hands-on learning experience that helped me to gain the shadowing hours I needed for my applications to colleges of veterinary medicine.”

How was the internship helpful?

“My internship helped me to realize that I did not want to pursue either the large animal or equine medicine track once admitted to vet school and truly helped me to realize my passion for small animal medicine.”

What was your most memorable experience?

“The most memorable learning experience was probably getting to work with a yearling colt that had severely injured his hind right leg and I got to observe both of his surgeries and assist with daily bandage changes and hospital rounds.”

Advice for VWU students?

“One piece of advice I would give to another student is to not make excuses for why you cannot or should not go abroad. I am a two-sport student-athlete and a biology major, which is why I chose to do an internship over the summer. There are plenty of ways to find funding to study abroad. All you have to do is ask.”

Kellen received funding for her internship through a VFIC grant and the Gilman Scholarship in the summer of 2017.

For more information on undergraduate research, internships, and study away, contact The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration and Discovery.

Students react to free college initiative

BY CAIMAYA ASHTON clashton@vwu.edu

Deep Springs College in California doesn’t require students pay for anything. Instead, Many people are hesitant about attending college because of the price it costs to attend. However, things have gotten easier and more affordable now that there are free students work on the school’s cattle ranch and alfalfa farm.

Some students said they’d be willing to work for a free education, and pointed out the college options. US News and the Huffington Post are just two outlets that have covered this rising form of higher education. There is a good variety of colleges that are free in similarities to current programs at Wesleyan.

“The experience is probably better and less complex than a traditional college that you the United States. The Webb Institute, Alice Lloyd College and Barclay College are just pay fees for. Here at Virginia Wesleyan, they still make students do work study to help three that have sprung up. make up the remaining balance for financial aid,” “College being free would be absolutely amazing,” junior Vanessa Brightwell said.

College would be less stressful if it was free. You Coverton said.

“I would be interested,” Brightwell said. “It “College would be less stressful if it was free,” wouldn’t have to worry about carrying the extra weight of wouldn’t be any different, really.” Others weren’t senior Alexis Coverton agreed. “You wouldn’t have to worry about carrying the extra weight of student student loans for four years to have to pay it all back six excited about the idea. months after graduating “I would rather choose when I work and how I loans for four years to have to pay it all back six Alexis Coverton would get paid for it,” Austin said. months after graduating.”

Many were unaware about the availability of free Junior Terry Boasiako pointed out the benefits of a colleges in the United States. free education for “people that are not so fortunate.”

“I had no idea that college was free, unless you mean community colleges,” Austin Keep in mind that there is a catch. Some colleges only admit students from a certain state or those who come from low income backgrounds. Many require students work dur- said. Coverton, Brightwell and Boasiako were also unaware of free colleges. ing their semesters or provide services to the school after graduation.

Other free colleges are the United States Air Force Academy, United States Coast Full-time students at the College of Ozarks in Missouri are offered full tuition, but Guard Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, United States Military Acadmust work 15 hours a week in addition to working one 40-hour week during break each emy and the United States Naval Academy, though these service academies have strict semester. entry requirements and require future military service.

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Community The

MARLIN CHRONICLE Editor-in-Chief Justin Smith jrsmith2@vwu.edu Managing Editor Hayley Heath hrheath@vwu.edu News Editors Mickella Rast mjrast@vwu.edu Amanda Archer acarcher@vwu.edu Community Editors Cynthia Griffin clgriffin@vwu.edu Brianna Kidwell bnclarkson@vwu.edu Opinions Editor Ashley Kline aakline@vwu.edu Sports Editors Corey King ckking1@vwu.edu

BY CAMILLE BENZ cebenz@vwu.edu

Virginia Wesleyan offers some surprising perks to students. When students research a database, article or book, they limit themselves to the same sources. Hofheimer Library and IT Services have access to much more, and here are some sources that go beyond article searching databases.

1. Mango Languages: it is a program where you can learn a variety of 72 Languages, including Chinese, Polish, Arabic and Greek. It is found on the library website under databases. To have access to it, one only needs to enter the school email address, create a username and password.

For those who are busy and think they do not have time to sit down and learn a new language, there’s an app. By downloading the Mango app on any smartphone, you have direct access to it from anywhere.

2. Kanopy: it allows students to watch hundreds of educational videos or movies. Found under databases on the library tab, this website contains up to date visual media including documentaries, independent movies, business, health and science videos. Some interesting movies available are Ida, an Academy Award winner, and The Phone Call, a short film starring Sally Hawkins and another Academy Award winner. If you are interested in science rather than entertainment, popular documentaries include Synesthesia, Cracking your Genetic Code and Life on Earth: the Secrets of Evolution.

3. Flipster: it gives students access to free magazines. This is also found under the databases link on the library website, on the right hand side. It

Julie Ainsley jmainsley@vwu.edu

Allaina Boggs arboggs@vwu.edu Illustrations Editor Valerie Miller vgmiller@vwu.edu Alex Powers ampowers@vwu.edu Online Editor Nel Hart nlhart@vwu.edu Copy Editor

Advertising Manager Jasmine Demir jkdemir@vwu.edu Podcast Manager Brenna Will bcwill@vwu.edu Adviser Dr. Lisa Lyon Payne

The Marlin Chronicle is the official student newspaper of Virginia Wesleyan University.

Staff meetings are held every Tuesday at 5:40 p.m. in Batten 217. Signed submissions are welcome, but subject to the discretion of the editor. Letters are not edited for content, but may be edited for length and mechanics. The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper may not necessarily reflect the views of the entire staff of The Marlin Chronicle or Virginia Wesleyan University.

The Marlin Chronicle Virginia Wesleyan University 5817 Wesleyan Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757.455.3311

“As a former collegiate student newspaper editor, professional journalist and long-time advisor for the Society of Collegiate Journalists, I understand the role and value of student media at a liberal arts institution.

Virginia Wesleyan University proudly supports the editorial independence and press freedom of student-edited publications. We believe that student editors have the authority to make all content decisions and consequently, assume full responsibility for decisions they make.”

--Scott D. Miller, Ph.D

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4. Dell Computers: for those students who own a Dell laptop IT services can not only repair any issues your computer may have, they can also install free software. The ones available now include, Office 365, Mathematica, and SPSS. Students can receive installation directions just through emails. The software offered can be pretty expensive, so it is best to take advantage of this perk while still in school so it can remain on laptops even after graduation.

5. 3D Printer: Located past the circulation desk at Hofheimer Library is a 3D printer. Usually it is used for math classes, but there is a signup sheet to reserve hours to print 3D objects. Circulation Supervisor Kathryn Williams she says “the printer is accessible to anybody. You do not have to take the class, you just have to already know what you’re doing.” There have been issues in the past, but she explained it is because it is very precise, “When something prints it goes out of alignment and if we don’t catch it, it won’t print correctly,”Williams otherwise students have full access to it.

6. Request Books and DVDs: On the bottom portion of the library quicklink there are two buttons where any student, faculty or staff can request a book or movie for the library to purchase. Requests can be of any kind, leisure reading or leisure movies. It is very rare that the request will be denied since the library is trying to expand its assortment and the arrival time only takes about a week. This way you can watch any newly released DVD, saving money and time.

After discovering these small but useful hidden treasures, students were asked students if they were aware of these perks and if they will now take advantage of them. Junior Alexis Green, replied “No, I wasn’t aware,” about programs such as Kanopy or Mango Languages. When asked if she would use them now, Green said, “No, because I don’t have enough spare time to learn another language.”

Opposite of Alexis, Junior Charlene Santos, enthusiastically says “If I had known about that I would’ve taken advantage of it. I would take Tagalog, French and German.” When informed of the other languages offered, Green said, “Offering something like that for free is like having access to the Rosetta Stone. I think it would come in handy for students looking to study abroad.” The app download was of equal interest to her: “I hope they send me emails with constant reminders. If I don’t get consistency I’m going to forget about it.” she even suggested a school incentive: “It’d be nice if when you download it you get a free cup of coffee at Starbucks.”

These perks have been here for years getting little exposure to the student population. It is time to take full advantage of them while we can.

Photo Editor

Justin Smith jrsmith2@vwu.edu

has the latest issues of news and politics, lifestyle and sports magazines.

Currently Flipster has The Atlantic, Backpacker and Outside.

7. iPads: available at the library for school projects. There are two and students can borrow them for a maximum of seven days.

The Weekender Editor

Business Manager

Thursday March 15, 2017 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Perks of being a Marlin

Luke Chiasson lachiasson@vwu.edu

Tara Truax tmtruax@vwu.edu

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Career and internship fair prepares students

BY JENNA WHITENER jjwhitener@vwu.edu

For most students, going to college and getting a higher education is a way to prepare and qualify them for a career. To help prepare students in as many ways possible, Virginia Wesleyan holds a Career and Internship Fair annually.

This year’s Career and Internship Fair was held on Mar. 8 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. and featured businesses of many varieties, such as ChickFil-A, Geico, and NATO, as well as several local organizations like the Virginia Beach Aquarium and the Virginia Beach Friends School.

The variety of employers in attendance is a result of careful research done by the Career Development and Internship Program of the Lighthouse. “We really look at a lot of the academic programs here on campus to make sure that we are getting a good representation for all the majors,” Mollie Dunmyer, director of the Career Development and Internship Program, stated. Many of the employers at the fair Allaina Boggs|Marlin Chronicle also cater to more than just one major or interest. The Students interacting with companies and organizations for jobs and internships.

Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, for example, offers opportunities and internships for a wide range that the most important thing a student should come prepared with is their of majors, from Environmental Science to Political Science to English passion. When asked about what stands out about a person most when and Journalism. meeting them for the first time, DeeDran Talbert, the school counselor at It is recommended that students have a resume prepared before the Virginia Beach Friends School, simply said, “Enthusiasm. Just a real attending the fair so that they may offer it to any of the representatives passion for what he or she is doing.” Experience in the field of interest is of the businesses and organizations that they are interested in. Students another important skill that the employers like to see on resumes. are also encouraged to do research about the companies present before The three-hour event gave the students at VWU the opportunity to attending the fair, so they know more about the employers as well as what practice face-to-face interactions and begin to understand how to network opportunities are offered, instead of going in blindly. and the importance of making a good impression. The Career and Besides research on the attending employers, students should also Internship Fair is a great way for students to perfect their first impressions come to the fair prepared to answer questions about themselves and their and conversation skills in a relatively low stress environment. interests, as the representatives they talk to are likely to ask about these “The first interaction with an employer shouldn’t be when it matters. things.

It doesn’t need to happen when there’s a job or internship on the line,” Many of the employers who attended the event all shared the same belief Assistant Director of the Career Development and Internship Program Steven Young believes.

The event allows students to talk to many different employers in person which builds their ability to make themselves memorable to the representatives. “These people get paid to remember you,” Dunmyer said. “It’s natural to be nervous about it; it would be unnatural if you weren’t at least a little nervous.”

It also was a way for them to represent the university to the community outside of campus. “When the students are dressed professionally and are actively engaging with the representatives, it shows the ambition and drive of the students here and makes the employers want to come back next year,” Dunmyer said.

The Career and Internship Fair has many benefits for students of all levels, including underclassmen. “We encourage students to come to a fair as early on as they can because it allows them to build on their experiences and prepares them for future years,” Young remarked.

The sooner students begin to build experience, the easier it will be for them to be successful in their job or internship search later on.

Allaina Boggs|Marlin Chronicle Jaelyn Washington and Ceci Billings at the YWCA booth at the fair.

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4 The Marlin Chronicle |

CAMPUS countdown March 26- April 2 Spring Break

Time: All Day Location: Anywhere except Virginia Wesleyan Have a great 2018 spring break!

Thursday, March 15, 2017

Transformation Thursday Current senior Brandon Kussmaul reflects on baseball, lasting friendships, and being a Marlin

March 28 Model NATO Challenge

BY BRIANNA KIDWELL bnclarkson@vwu.edu

Local high school juniors and seniors from Coastal Virginia will compete as diplomats in the challenge, a simulation to ask students to respond to real life global crisis. For more info contact www.NorfolkNATOfestival.org

Four years may seem like a lifetime for some people, but for others it seems to go by too fast here at Virginia Wesleyan University. In those four, years students change and go through life experiences that will leave a lasting impression on them forever. Brandon Kussmaul is just one of the many seniors here at Virginia Wesleyan University that has had an impressionable four years.

Brandon is a local from Virginia Beach, Virginia who was part of the graduating class of 2014 at Landstown High School, where he played baseball for them and carried that passion here at Virginia Wesleyan University. Kussmaul is a Recreation and leisure major who is focusing on the route to a therapeutic recreation orientated career and minoring in psychology. Kussmaul has also considered joining the local fire department after graduation.

Time: 4 p.m..

Location:Boyd Dining Hall

April 7 Marlin Day Open House Time: 8:30 a.m.

Location:VWU Campus

Welcoming prospective students and their families to visit the VWU campus and meet our faculty and students. Come join the prospecting students for lunch in Boyd. For information contact 757.455.3208.

April 10 Mock Interview Day

Time: All Day Event Location: J.P. Batten Center Students can participate in mock interviews with employers from various large name companies. Come dressed in business attire and bring a copy of your resume for review. For more information contact the Lighthouse.

Q: What was the main reason why you chose to come to VWU? A: Chose VWU because I really wanted to play baseball for the school,

be around some of my lifelong friends, and further my education somewhere close to home.

Q: What is your favorite part of being a VWU Marlin?

A: My favorite part of being a VWU Marlin is being a part of the

baseball organization as well as the close relationships I have built with many professors on our campus.

Q

Sports Information|Courtesy Kussmaul has played baseball for VWU since 2014.

: What advice would you give freshmen about their remaining years at VWU?

A

: I would like to tell all the freshmen to enjoy their time here regardless of their situation. Four years has truly gone by extremely fast and they have been some of the best years of my life. Make the most of everything you get involved in and have fun before you blink and you’re graduating.

Q

: What is your favorite VWU memory from your four years of being a student?

A: Winning the ODAC baseball tournament in 2018.

Spotlight: alumni advice 2014 graduate Reid Hoffler catches up since graduating and gives advice to seniors

BY BRIANNA KIDWELL bnclarkson@vwu.edu

CRIME BLOTTER

There is a mixture of feelings that comes with being a senior. Usually bittersweet, as students have the excitement of knowing that you are about to be finished with your undergraduate career, but also the stress of knowing that your life is soon about to begin.

Virginia Wesleyan has many alumni that have gone through the mixed emotions of what it feels to be a senior. Reid Hoffler, a 2014 graduate of Virginia Wesleyan College and business major, has too felt the same emotions and stresses that come with being a senior. Hoffler was a pitcher for Virginia Wesleyan’s Baseball team for his four years attending VWC. He is now a sales representative for Hoffman Beverage.

Q: What was your favorite thing about being a Virginia Wesleyan student?

A: My favorite thing about being at Virginia Wesleyan is the extremely close

friendships I made with mostly my teammates who have become life long friends and brothers to me. I am one of my teammates best man at his wedding and I only have Virginia Wesleyan to thank for that.

Courtesy|Thinkstock March 3 12:48 a.m. |Substance Brock Village Arbitration March 3 1:21 a.m.|Liquor Violation honors Village Arbitration March 5 3:12 a.m. |Vandalism Brock Village Glass Broken Door March 5 5:08 p.m. |Vandalism Batten Lot Vehicle Damaged

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Q

: What are your thoughts on Virginia Wesleyan changing from college to university?

Reid Hoffler|Courtesy Hoffler now resides in Virginia Beach.

A

: My entire college life and after college life it has always been Virginia Wesleyan College so I have to say that I am way more fond of it being Virginia Wesleyan College, but I see the gain the campus has becoming a university. I love VWC.

Q

: What is some advice you would give seniors that are about to enter the real world soon?

A

: My advice to these seniors who are about to enter the real world and search for jobs and begin their actual life is that it is all about who you know. Do not be scared to try new things, because a lot of new experiences will be thrown to you.

Make sure you keep everything in perspective and do not stress a lot and always be genuine.

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Opinions

Great debate Is Virginia Wesleyan losing touch with its United Methodist Heritage?

BY ASHLEY KLINE

BY JONATHAN JOYNER

aakline@vwu.edu

Among the many changes that have hit Virginia Wesleyan, the school decided to change its official mission statement. The new mission statement reads as follows, “An inclusive community dedicated to scholarship and service grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, Virginia Wesleyan University inspires students to build meaningful lives through engagement in Coastal Virginia’s dynamic metropolitan region, the nation, and the world.”

Compare this to the school’s previous statement which said, “The mission of Virginia Wesleyan University is to engage students of diverse ages, religions, ethnic origins and backgrounds in a rigorous liberal arts education that will prepare them to meet the challenges of life and career in a complex and rapidly changing world. In this endeavor, the University employs a wide range of approaches to teaching and learning and provides opportunities to connect the study of the liberal arts with practical learning experiences on campus, in the Hampton Roads region, and throughout the world. In accord with our United Methodist heritage, Virginia Wesleyan aspires to be a supportive community that is committed to social responsibility, ethical conduct, higher learning, and religious freedom.”

The new mission statement is much briefer and easier to follow. However, its brevity leaves out an important part of our college’s identity: our religious heritage grounded in the United Methodist Church. Does this new mission statement, combined with the removal of the United Methodist flame in our school’s marketing, indicate a move toward secularism at Virginia Wesleyan? I do not know and am no position to answer the reasoning behind such decisions. I do not know how subjective the reasoning behind making these decisions was, but I can say that I think it would be a huge mistake if we lost our sense of identity.

Identity provides a lens through which we can see the world and make decisions. What happens if we don’t have an overarching identity to guide us? There are many who state that the school has not split from our United Methodist identity, especially with President Scott Miller being a United Methodist himself. However, this is not the message that is communicated by such actions as the school has taken as of late, whether they are intentional or not.

While the school may be adamantly United Methodist behind closed doors, it is not publicly displaying a stance of solidarity with the church founded by the man for whom it is named. We as an institution should own who we are through and through, despite the potential consequences. Being one way behind closed doors and another in the public eye is hypocritical.

Does it really matter what happens within the confines of the school administration? What matters is what is seen by the student population and the public. This determines the mood of the school and the tone that is set, and currently the message the school is communicating is one of secularism.

With all of this emphasis on being “Coastal Virginia’s Premier Private School,” the Wesleyan that is part of our name is slowly fading away to the point where we will simply be known as Virginia University.

jrjoyner@vwu.edu

As Virginia Wesleyan University continues to evolve with each passing day, many have wondered if we have kept our Methodist roots. I believe, except for the school logo changing this past year, that our school has somehow strengthened its Methodist ties.

I recently sat down with our school’s chaplain, Greg West, to speak about this subject. “Our relationship with the United Methodist Church is in fact getting stronger, not weaker,” West said. At first, I did not believe this and asked for some examples. I had no idea about the amount of involvement that we had with the UMC. The first and most obvious way that our relationship with the United Methodist Church has not dwindled is that the United Methodist flag is flown outside Godwin Hall, which houses many of our administrative offices as well as the Office of Financial Aid and Enrollment Services.

Also, we host an annual event with the Val Miller|Marlin Chronicle UMC known as Robert F. Boyd Institute. This massive conference hosts around 75 UMC pastors from all over the region as well as pastors from other denominations. This event acts as a conference for local pastors with an overall topic one pastor who hosts the event. If anyone is curious, this year’s host is Todd Bolsinger and the topic is “Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory.” Through this event, the school is strengthening its bonds not only with the UMC, but churches in general.

If these points do not convince you, then get this: the Boyd Institute is hosting the annual pastor’s licensing school right here at VWU in May. At this event, between 30 and 50 pastors-in-training will be on campus attempting to gain the necessary licensing and certification to become a recognized pastor. It is crazy to think that our campus is hosting such an important event for those training to become pastors. In fact, this event proves that we are not only maintaining our bond with the UMC, but making it stronger than our predecessors could have dreamed.

Beyond these things, our school has a lot of involvement with UMC higher education. West is currently hosting a class this semester that is literally called “Methodism” with Religious Studies professor, Dr. Terry Lindvall. In this course students study the teachings and stories of John Wesley along with other famous Methodist founders and preachers. The Board of Trustees even has members who are highly involved in the UMC. Virginia Wesleyan is not losing its connections with the UMC at all. The bonds we share with the church are only growing stronger with time and will most likely continue in this direction moving forward. On the surface, it may seem like we have lost some symbols of our Methodist ties. Our logo changed this year from the UMC flame design to a lighthouse. However, this means nothing in the grand scheme. Virginia Wesleyan University has not lost its UMC touch and the best part is, as our connection with the church has grown, so too has our cultural openness. We accept people of all cultures and respect all views.

Thursday March 15, 2018 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

‘A story of persistence’ Spectrum leader discusses the group’s struggle to gain rights for Virginia Wesleyan’s transgender communitiy

BY RILEY CONRAD

rmconrad@vwu.edu

In September 2016, Katie Brooks wrote an article for The Marlin Chronicle asking an important question, “Will Wesleyan Transition? VWC lacks institutional policies for students with non-binary gender identities.” Her question was brought about by President Barack Obama issuing the “Dear Colleague Letter on Transgender Students” in May 2016. Brooks wondered whether our administration would be prepared to accommodate transgender people to meet the new guidance. It caught the eye of Spectrum in the student organization’s first few months of being active.

Spectrum represents Virginia Wesleyan’s LGBTQ+ community. I served as its first president and working with the incomparably dedicated students that make up Spectrum has been my greatest accomplishment to date.

We read Brooks’ article and found that the questions posed to the administration lacked substantial answers.

In response, we planned our first event. To commemorate the lives of transgender people who have lost their lives to hate crimes or suicide, we had a public display in Batten for three days leading up to Transgender Day of Remembrance. We also collected signatures to petition for transgender rights to be protected with written policies. In only three days, we managed to collect 320 signatures.

Our petition outlined the two main policy areas that we

“

We were desperate for the administration to see the urgency and importance of preserving the dignity of a people who have struggled in silence on our campus.

RILEY CONRAD

found to be particularly weak. We asked the administration to write policies to address the following: making campus buildings, residential housing and guest policies more inclusive and ensuring that prospective and current students are not forced to select a gender that conflicts with their gender identity Once we had the petition, Dr. Kathleen Casey, Vice President of Spectrum, Melissa Fisher and I secured a meeting with President Miller and his cabinet. Casey prepared Fisher and me for weeks as we put together our presentation. Spectrum dedicated weeks to researching our peer institutions to help offer solutions.

On the day of our first meeting, we explained the policy areas, our research and possible solutions. Fisher strongly concluded saying, “We should tolerate differences of ideas, but people should be accepted and have their basic humanity respected . . . We should take active steps to make transgender people feel just as accepted on this campus as any other person does.” President Miller and the others present then had time to ask us questions. Because of the time dedicated by Dr. Casey, other supportive faculty and our fellow members of Spectrum, we were prepared.

We had many follow up meetings over the past year and a half with President Miller, Provost O’Rourke and Vice President of Student Affairs, Keith Moore. The process of pushing the policies through was exhausting. The administration asked us to do a lot of our own research at almost every turn and there were times it was implied that this issue was not a priority. Thank you to Dr. Casey, Melissa Fisher, Bayli Foley, Kayla Bennett, Bella Glaze and Azania Inman for your resilience throughout the whole process. Thank you to Julie Chovanes, the transgender rights lawyer who taught us all how to create a more trans-inclusive campus and for changing hearts. We all went through moments of defeat. We were concerned that all of the work we had done was going to be in vain. We were desperate for the administration to see the urgency and importance of preserving the dignity of a people who have struggled in silence on our campus.

SEE TRANSGENDER Pg. 6

Religious freedom starts in the Caf: providing kosher and halal food options

BY JASMINE DEMIR jkdemir@vwu.edu

I am proud to say that Virginia Wesleyan University is an inclusive, understanding place, but if there was one place on campus I would make more inclusive, it would be the cafeteria. The cafeteria has undergone many changes in the past few semesters and, in my opinion, has gotten better. The next step the cafeteria should take is to offer a station that would be inclusive to Jewish and Muslim students. As a person who is unable to eat many foods, mainly certain meats and seafood, this would greatly reduce the stress of finding something to eat and increase the relief of knowing that I’m being consistent with my lifestyle. As a non-Christian attending a Methodist university, making sure that meals are inclusive to all religions would be a major step in allowing people of other religions to feel welcome.

I understand the worry a person could feel wondering if he or she made the right choice of food. I also understand the guilt a person may feel by inadvertently eating something prohibited by his or her religion. It can be difficult for people of a religion that has forbidden foods to comfortably eat while out or at a friend’s house. Since Wesleyan houses many students for the majority of the year, it shouldn’t be difficult or uncomfortable to find appropriate food options. A few colleges have taken measures to provide halal (food following laws of the Muslim religion) or kosher (food followings laws of the Jew-

5Opinions.indd 1

Bing Photos|Courtesy A symbol used to label kosher food.

ish religion) options in their cafeterias.

In Berkeley News, Joel Bahr described the new cafeteria at UC Berkeley, which features these new changes. “Café 3 features eight different dining stations, including the ko-

sher-certified station, a Mediterranean bar that is also kosher, an omelet bar that exclusively uses organic and cage-free eggs, a salad bar that uses locally grown produce, a pizza station, a local cheese bar, a grill with plant-forward sandwiches and entrée items, and a vegan and vegetarian station inspired by international flavors,” Bahr said.

After searching online, I was unable to find out if any colleges in Virginia provide these options for Muslim and Jewish students except for Virginia Tech. On Virginia Tech’s website, they have an article describing how the institution provides halal food for its Muslim students. However, there may be other colleges that provide halal or kosher options that do not advertise it.

At Virginia Wesleyan, Director of Dining Services Tim Lockett said, “We offer many foods that are compatible with most diets. We do not have a certified kosher or halal kitchen or production facility on campus. Any student with a meal plan with a need for this type of meal can request special order items to be made available to them and should contact Dining Services directly.” Though we do not have a station specifically for students who must keep kosher or halal, those students do have the possibility of ordering these things specially. I do think that this is a hassle for Muslim and Jewish students who would have to do that at least twice a day. I wonder if the cafeteria staff would have the means or tools to make food kosher or halal since there are many elements to consider in preparing kosher or halal food. These elements include not only what the food is, but in some cases, especially when it comes to meat, where it is bought and who prepares it. Virginia Wesleyan should follow suit with Virginia Tech in providing inclusive meals for students of all religions.

Hopefully, other colleges and universities will soon do the same.

3/13/2018 10:26:18 PM

Thursday, March 15, 2018

A new ambassador program

TRANSGENDER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 In January of this year, we received an email from Provost O’Rourke. Attached were the policies and research we had worked on in an official university document with an assurance that they would be put in place in the fall semester of 2018. The joy and relief we collectively felt was indescribable. A core team of seven queer women, with outside support, successfully fought for the voiceless members of our community. We persisted through the many late nights of writing countless pages to defend what we believed in, the explicit protection of basic human rights for transgender members of our VWU campus community.

I feel honored to have led the organization that fought to make this a reality. I am grateful to an administration that agreed to meet with us regularly, despite the occasional miscommunications.

It is a privilege to be able to tell our story, a privilege I do not take lightly. Sharing this story is a momentous occasion in our institution’s history. Students are capable of changing the culture of our campus through written policy. A precedent has now been

With plans to increase the number of international students, a new ambassador program is on the rise.

BY MARLYN SILVA mhsilva@vwu.edu

Val Miller|Marlin Chronicle set. We stand as witnesses to the possibility once thought to be impossible by student leaders. We tell our story to empower other students with the roadmap to fight for the betterment of our university. It was very difficult, as important causes always are.

Our victory is a story of persistence.

Complaining with courtesy

BY SABRINA LEMON smlemons@vwu.edu

Dear readers, I may be preaching to the choir, but as a person who has lived a few different lives in a single lifetime, let me share the world of the pen and the sword.

There are many common phrases that go around such as, “you can’t fight city hall,” or “you’re fighting an uphill battle.” It is key to remember no matter the challenge, the source, or the desired outcome, to handle any situation through appropriate channels. If one is unable to find satisfaction directly in person for a problem they’re dealing with, the next step could be calling or writing the district supervisor, regional supervisor, or even the corporate customer service department.

The foundation of seeking a resolution should be founded in fairness and reasonableness, in accordance with the wrong that has been committed. This

in the first place and had not been afforded an opportunity to address the consumer’s concerns before a third party was brought in.

The complainant was also offered an opportunity within their complaint to offer a desired settlement of the issue. The complainant asked that someone else take over the business and get rid of the other people, implying the staff members. This might seem like a possible resolution if this was a corporate business and not a privately-owned business in the United States of America. Again, the consumer’s resolution was unreasonable and highly disproportionate to the reality of the complaint.

Had the consumer asked the employee during business hours to contact the owners to make arrangements for the business to be

“

The foundation of seeking a resolution should be founded in faitness and reasonableness, in accordance with the wrong that has been committed.

SABRINA LEMONS

can only be achieved by addressing the grievance with the right source. If you do not know who the right sources are, ask.

In the meantime, write down any details, dates, time, names, facts or get receipts.

In this day and age of technology, amateur videos are nice, but not as wholly effective as a factual, reasonable, and clearly written statement of events.

There are too many people now days who, given the plethora of web pages like Yelp, Trip Advisor, or Angie’s List, simply go online and complain to the public at large.

There is always someone who does not want to play fair, or has their own agenda to discredit others in order to get something for free. Scams come in all forms.

As a person who has been the underdog and stood for the underdog on many and varying occasions throughout my life, I have always gone the shortest route to a solution when possible. If necessary, the path of pen and paper was next. Recently, I have had to do this on my own behalf, with an organization; but that is not the one I am writing about today.

I am writing about this topic because I have a friend who owns a family business.

They received a complaint from a customer via a non-profit organization in California.

To save the reader the agony of specifics the complainant wrote that the owners and their staff treat people horribly and are mean. The consumer wanted an employee of the business to allow them access to the business after hours, access which they could not authorize, nor means to do so.

The consumer filed a complaint based on an illogical request that was unfounded and erroneous.

First, why would the consumer choose an organization not even within the state in which the problem occurred? The non-profit has an official sounding name, Business Consumer Alliance (BCA), yet they have no more authority than Yelp, Trip Advisor, or your newspaper delivery person.

Ultimately, because the person had not addressed the complaint when in person, the business did not know there was a problem

6Opinions.indd 1

staffed beyond business hours, they might not have had to file the complaint.

As you become a consumer or an advocate for any cause, be reasonable, thoughtful and diligent in seeking a resolution if the need arises. The better solution is to start by clearly stating one’s desires at the appropriate level, be clear, make sure the request is within the scope of the business and be aware if they already have policies or rules in place to allow or deter one’s desired request.

Escalate within the business if possible, then address it with an organization that can have the most immediate and effective impact on addressing one’s concerns.

Having a resolution in mind is helpful even if it is not afforded in the complaint form.

Have a solution to a problem demonstrates openness and flexibility and is often received better. When in doubt, start with the local Better Business Bureau. This not only helps the consumer and the individual businesses, but helps keep them informed about the needs of the community in being able to bring appropriate businesses to the area. Always be prepared to be patient through the process, but be proactive and follow up with some regularity depending on the depth of issue.

As a person who has been an advocate for foster children, junior personnel, those in authority, animals, persons with special needs, speaking up can be stressful, nerveracking, daunting and even intimidating.

No matter the cause, no matter the concern, document them even if they begin as grain of sand; when you need the data to defend your position or ask for help you will have it and will better illustrate the need.

Oftentimes it is not change that is needed.

It is more likely that people or society need only be reminded of their better-self and amend their ways. We all suffer if no one speaks up!

Visiting a country that one is unfamiliar with can be intimidating. Committing to receive a form of education in a different country is a whole different story. Recently, it has been proposed that Virginia Wesleyan University have plans to start an ambassador program for current students to help international students become acclimated to the campus and the country. The general idea and purpose of the program is to provide a chance for future international students to connect with Virginia Wesleyan students for a chance to establish a mentor-mentee relationship. This will become a way for international students to not only make connections on campus, but a way for them to acclimate easier with a new and possibly intimidating environment.

In establishing this program, the general goal of the university is to create a safe environment, establish a support system and create genuine connections between the students attending Virginia Wesleyan and any potential international students.

To begin trying to understand what this student ambassador is, it’s interesting to know what student ambassadors are by definition.

By simply googling the meaning for “student ambassador,” various general definitions constantly state things such as that they are students who are “dedicated” to representing their school, they provide campus tours and represent the institution as a whole to others or the public. This is an easy picture to imagine as everyday just sitting in the Batten Student Center student can constantly see many tours being given by the university’s own student ambassadors. This isn’t exactly what the university is trying to aim for.

While these student ambassadors may have some of the same responsibilities in that they should show international students the campus and how it runs, I believe there is less focus on image and more focus on accommodating how an international student my feel like when arriving at Virginia Wesleyan University.

As for the creation of a program similar to this, but strictly for international students, I believe it would be a step forward in making the experience of

such students in more comfortable. I personally have never had experience being an international student, but do know how hard it can be living in a different country that is culturally and linguistically different. There are different struggles such not understanding how a society may work and not understanding certain things that can be detrimental to someone’s experience. By having an international student ambassador program, it can truly make life for these students better, or at least make the transition a whole lot easier.

So much time is spent worrying about having the opportunity to study abroad that factors such as culture and language are forgotten. Not being able to communicate with the right social cues just because one may not understand can easily be fixed simply by having a colleague or friend nearby. By having this connection, it makes the experience more bearable and less exhausting. It’s easy to forget that sometimes, having a friend by your side makes the situation bearable and easy to accomplish.

Adding an ambassador program geared toward international students can also benefit the university as well.

Interacting with different international students can be a learning experience.

While the university has hosted international students before, this program would create a better and more personal opportunity for Virginia Wesleyan students to learn more about what lies outside of the campus walls and Virginia itself. It’s good to know what’s different and how things work in other countries. By having this knowledge, a person can only grow and expand their experience. Creating connections such as these can only be, or at least should be beneficial, in the long run as learning about different people and how they may live their lives is interesting and exciting.

By having such an environment, one can only hope good things will come from it. This may be a way to let future or prospective international students know that it shouldn’t be a daunting experience to study abroad but more so a liberating experience instead.

Read more online!

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School dress codes increase gender divide High school dress codes continue to have harsher guidelines for females

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6 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

3/13/2018 10:33:03 PM

7

Sports

Thursday March 15, 2018 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Softball captures title in Arizona the DUGOUT LUKE CHIASSON is a junior majoring in communication

NFCA Facebook Page| Courtesy Members of the Virginia Wesleyan softball team celebrate with 2018 NFCA Leadoff Classic championship trophy after going 6-0.

BY AUSTIN EDMONDS BY LUKE CHIASSON acedmonds@vwu.edu lachiasson@vwu.edu

Just days after the Virginia Wesleyan University (VWU) softball team secured a $500,000 gift from the TowneBank Foundation for a complete field renovation, the Marlins flew westward to Arizona to compete in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Leadoff Classic. The Marlins (140), who are currently the top-ranked team in the country according to the NFCA Division III poll, proved to the country they deserve the top ranking after going 6-0 against three other ranked teams and coming back to Virginia Beach with the NFCA Leadoff Classic Championship trophy. Hanna Hull and Amy Large were also honored with NFCA National Player of the Week honors for their efforts for the Marlins. Large was also named to the 2018 NFCA NCAA Division III Leadoff Classic All-Tournament Team.

After an admittedly slow start to the season offensively, the Marlins found their stroke in the Arizona heat led by Large, who credited her success to the overall team approach. “I think what worked was just keeping a positive mindset and taking it one at bat at a time. The fact that the entire team was hitting up and down the lineup (in Arizona) as a unit made every game fun,” Large said.

VWU opened up their slate of games against William Paterson University of Wayne, New Jersey. The Marlins got off to a hot start in the first inning with an Amy Large grand

slam scoring Kiersten Richardson, Madison Glaubke and Cassetty Howerin. Senior Alana Peters went on to start the day in the circle for the Marlins. Peters was strong out the gate, striking out the first batter on her way to retiring three of her first four batters and walking just one. The hits continued to come for the Marlins in the second as Large hit a home run for the second time in two innings. The Marlins went on to continue piling on runs. Richardson later added a grand slam of her own in the fifth inning scoring Katelyn Biando, Julia Sinnett and Julia Fassl. Peters went on to have solid day of her own getting the win and finishing with three complete innings of just one hit softball, zero earned runs, and striking out four. Peters was relieved by freshman Carla Hall. Hall finished the day with two complete innings with two earned runs on six hits.

The Marlins wrapped up game one in just five innings with a score of 16-4. The second game of the week for VWU was against #17 Moravian College from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Unlike the first game, runs were a commodity in game two. The Marlins ace Hanna Hull started the game giving up a rare home run to the very first batter of the game before quickly settling in.

Hull, who is currently 8-0 with 56.0 innings, 96 strikeouts, and a mere .50 earned run average, did not settle with being named the NFCA National Player of the Year a season

ago, but instead looks forward to new challenges. “I’m playing with different girls and it is a completely different season. I try to focus on this year and not dwell on last year’s success,” said Hull, who finished last season with a 32-3 record.

The game continued to be 1-0 Moravian until the bottom of the seventh, where sophomore Madison Glaubke came up clutch with an RBI single scoring Beth Ford to send the game into extra innings. Freshman Kerrigan Simpson doubled in the bottom of the eighth to bring across senior Cassetty Howerin to secure the game at 2-1 in favor of the Marlins.

Hanna Hull went on to finish the game with eight complete innings of five hit ball to go along with 10 strikeouts.

The Marlins next matchup would be against #13 Texas Baptist University of Marshall, Texas. The bats once again came out hot for the Marlins as Howerin’s double in the first inning brought across Richardson for the game’s first run. Howerin’s double was followed by another Amy Large home run. That home run was her third in the Marlins, third game of the week. This time, a three run shot put the Marlins up four in the top of the first. The Marlins continued to add runs throughout the game, including a two-run home run by Jessica Lindsay. Through three complete innings, the Marlins found themselves up nine runs to zero.

Texas Baptist showed some fight, however,

SEE SOFTBALL Pg. 8

Not your average student-athletes

BY MEGAN SHERMAN mrsherman@vwu.edu

The student-athlete juggles schoolwork, practices and the stress that The boys complete a lot of the work that Investment Made Easy comes with being on a highly competitive sports team while also tak- requires at night, once they are relieved from their baseball and student ing college level classes. Taking this into account, the schedule of the priorities. Vawter explained that they utilize the Hofheimer Library to student-athlete-entrepreneur is even more strenuous. hold their meetings. He also said that they typically do not hold these Alex Vawter and Chris Baker are both freshmen student-athletes meetings until about 9 or 10 p.m. who play baseball. Both also play Running a new business from the integral roles in the creation of ground up can be a grueling protheir company “Investment Made cess. It can also take a while to beEasy.” Investment Made Easy aims gin to see successful results. Howto assist clients in understanding ever, it only took Investment Made the financial market as well as gain Easy a little under a year to obtain experience in it. Vawter is the CEO a client who plays in the National and Baker is the chief administraFootball League. tive officer (CAO) according to in“We’ve been working with Bryson vestmentmadeeasy.net.

Keeton of the New York Jets, he’s Vawter accredits the creation of a defensive back, and we’ve been the company to his interest in tradworking alongside him. He found ing in the stock market. “We started out about us through social media, early this school year. I’ve been we hop on calls with him from trading in the markets for quite time to time…he’s kind of been some time, not too long, but for a talking to us about introducing our couple years or so, and I started to company and our services to some get really into it once I got to colof his other NFL friends, coaches,” lege because I wanted to find an Vawter said. actual source of income instead of Vawter and Baker further exgetting a job and doing that kind of pressed their enthusiasm to have route,” Vawter said.

Bryson Keeton as a client and a As spring sports are well underpart of their team. “It’s really exway, the baseball team is constantly citing to start this company less practicing and travelling to games. than a year ago and to already have Despite an already hectic schedule, clients like that,” Vawter said.

Alex Vawter| Courtesy Baker and Vawter still do daily work The two feel that the relevance Alex Vawter speaks with potential clients at a recent conference. with their company. “So really, just and necessity of this type of compaa ton of marketing and working with clients, we have an alerts group, ny will bring them further success. “There’s a lot of investment inforwhich is kind of like the bulk of what we do on a daily basis…we post mation and investment education out there, but it’s not targeted towards the trades that we’re making in this group so that all of our clients can people who have no idea what they’re doing in the market…we want see the trades we’re making in the stock market, cryptocurrencies, and to introduce new people in this market and bring beginners into this things like that,” Vawter said. market continually because that’s where I was,” Vawter said.

Although managing a company can be time consuming, their online “I think our main goal is to be able to go to one place and find evpresence makes it a little easier. “Since our company’s basically online, erything you need to know, and how to get into cryptocurrencies or it’s not like somewhere you walk up to, it’s easier to be able to manage FOREX trading,” Baker said. and send Twitter tweets, or Instagram posts or anything…but it has Baker and Vawter also expressed their gratitude to their teammates been tough to manage, but we just know that this business is going to for supporting them and their business. They also said that they are work out in the long run so we just make sure we give it everything we constantly assisting their teammates and coaches in beginning to behave even though we have other obligations,” Baker said. come involved in the stock market.

7Sports.indd 1

It’s March, baby, and we all know what that means: the NCAA basketball tournament is here and it is time to drop all responsibilities to watch basketball. As a die-hard sports fan, this upcoming weekend is truly my favorite weekend of sports all year. There are games on all day Thursday-Sunday with upsets, buzzer beaters, and everything in between. Unfortunately, I still have responsibilities to take care of, but I apologize in advance to my professors when I am checking my laptop for scores instead of paying attention in class; it’s a week before Spring Break anyway.

Around all the excitement, there are still games that need to be played, with the bracket released, it is time to figure out who is going to win the whole thing. There are a lot of intriguing matchups in the Round of 64.

The nation will get to see what Trae Young and Oklahoma can do against E.C. Matthews and his Rams of Rhode Island. Oklahoma was a huge story early on in the season, but have recently struggled going 4-11 in their last 15 games, not ideal for a team, but who knows what is going to happen when Trae Young takes the floor. Also, watch out for the third seeded Auburn Tigers falling victim in their first game against a scrappy College of Charleston. If you have been following college basketball this year, then you’ll know already that a matchup between Kentucky and Arizona is very much so a possibility on Saturday. Admittedly, before the bracket was released, I was thinking about these two programs making the Final Four, but now, only one is going to make the Sweet 16. Kentucky is the youngest team in the country and seemed to have all the pieces put together at the right time and to win the SEC Tournament. On the other side of things, Arizona has one of the top players in the country in Deandre Ayton and has played solid basketball from beginning to end. This could also be head coach Sean Miller’s last run with the WildCats as he is the subject of a wiring taping probe by the FBI, where he, allegedly, discussed paying $100,000 to secure Ayton’s commitment out of high school.

The top overall seed, the University of Virginia Cavaliers, did not receive a favorable draw as they will have to play the winner of Arizona/Kentucky if they advance to the Sweet 16. UVA has come in previous years with a lot of buzz, but has never made it to the Final Four. Watch out for Tony Bennett’s team to get over the hump as going 32-2 overall and 17-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play is quite an accomplishment.

If you are looking for a lower seed to make a run in the tournament, take a look at Alabama who is a 9 seed. The Crimson Tide boasts one of the best freshman in the country in Collin Sexton, who has Russell Westbrook-type ability to take over the game and get his team a win. Going back to the Cougars of the College of Charleston, as a 13 seed, they might be able to make a Cinderella run to at least the Sweet 16.

They have favorable matchups with Auburn, who is dealing with injuries along with a matchup with the winner of the Clemson/ New Mexico State game. The Cougars have won 14 out of their last 15, whereas Auburn has lost four out of their last six.

March Madness is truly a spectacle; I was fortunate enough to attend second-round games two years ago, and I’ll never forget the environment that was created in the area. The best part about it is the unknown. Everything I just said, while it is my beliefs, could happen, or the exact opposite could happen. Will a 16 seed upset a 1 seed for the first time ever?

It’s bound to happen eventually, right? So why not this year? Or will all the higher seeds win?

There are thousands of possibilities and many great basketball games coming your way soon, so grab your spot on the couch, sit back and enjoy the madness.

3/14/2018 1:08:04 PM

8 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Thursday, March 15, 2018

SOFTBALL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

AT A GLANCE ODAC Baseball Rankings

1. Randolph-Macon: 2-0 2. Roanoke: 2-0 3. Hampden-Sydney: 2-0 4. Virginia

Wesleyan: 2-0

5. Shenandoah: 1-1 6. Lynchburg: 2-2 7. Guilford: 0-2 8. Bridewater: 0-2 9. Emory & Henry: 0-2 10. Eastern Mennonite: 0-2 11. Washington and Lee: 0-2

ODAC Softball Rankings 1. VIRGINIA

WESLEYAN: 14-0

@VWUSOFTBALL Twitter| Courtesy The team bows down to Amy Large holding the Championship Trophy after hitting three homeruns and collecting 15 RBI. with a two run home run of their own. That would prove to not be enough as the Marlins would add another run in the bottom half and go on to end this game in just five innings. Hanna Hull would get the win in this one throwing four complete innings surrendering just two hits and two earned runs to go along five strikeouts. Carla Hall would come in to finish this one tossing a

scoreless fifth inning with one strikeout.

The Marlins would go on to win their final three games in Tucson by scores of 18-3 over Birmingham Southern, 14-6 over Rochester, and 5-0 over #9 Texas Lutheran.

Senior shortstop Kiersten Richardson came back from the trip like any other road trip and is keeping the focus on the team, “I don’t feel like we vindicated ourselves

because we don’t have anything to prove or protect. This is a new year, new season, new everything, but we are still chasing after the same goal (to be National Champions),” said Richardson.

Virginia Wesleyan faces #23 Emory on March 16 at Marlins Park with the first pitch slated for 2:30p.m.

2. Randolph-Macon: 11-1 3. Emory & Henry: 11-2 4. Eastern Mennonite: 11-3 5. Lynchburg: 11-3 6. Guilford: 9-4 7. Shenandoah: 8-6 8. Roanoke: 7-7 9. Bridgewater: 5-7 10. Randolph: 7-10

ODAC Women’s Lacrosse Rankings 1.Shenandoah: 4-2 (1-0)* 2.Bridgewater: 4-0 3.VIRGINIA

WESLEYAN: 3-1

4.Roanoke: 3-2 (0-1)* 5. Guilford: 3-3 6. Randolph-Macon: 2-2 7.Washington and Lee: 2-4 8.Lynchburg: 0-4 9.Randolph: 0-3 *ODAC records

ODAC Men’s Lacrosse Rankings 1. Roanoke: 1-0 2. Guilford: 1-0 3. Hampden- Sydney:1-0 4. Washington and Lee: 1-0 5. Lynchburg: 1-0 6. Bridgewater: 0-1 7. Randolph-Macon: 0-1 8. Shenandoah: 0-1 9.VIRGINIA

WESLEYAN: 0-1

10. Randolph: 0-1

RAIL TRIP! Marlin Travel Made Easy

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3/13/2018 10:08:39 PM

THEWEEKENDER

March 15, 2018

PAGE 9

INCLUSION IS KEY Columnist Wynter Bond examines recent strides in Hollywood diversity

BY WYNTER BOND wcbond@vwu.edu

Alex Powers | Marlin Chronicle

FORTNITE GAINS A FOLLOWING

BY EMILY VIAL esvial@vwu.edu

It’s no secret that college students and video games go together like peanut butter and jelly, so when a new game makes a splash on campus it’s not long before there is a solid community of players. This is especially true for online multiplayers like Overwatch, Minecraft or the newest sensation, Fortnite.

Created by the studio Epic Games, Fortnite is the newest success in a growing market for sandbox-style, Player versus Player gaming.

The concept of the game is simple; there are two game modes, both based on cooperative gameplay, which means Fortnite is best played with friends. In the “Save the World” mode, up to four players work together to complete objectives, fight zombies and build defenses in a procedurally generated landscape. This means that every time the game is played, there is a different world with new challenges.

In the second and more popular game mode, “Battle Royale,” 100 players are dropped at random into a sandbox style world where they can manipulate their surroundings in order to gain advantages against other players and be the last player standing.

Dr. Travis Malone, professor of theatre, said that he often plays with his 13-yearold son at home.

“It can get hectic; everyone starts with the same abilities but it’s about finding things in the map that makes it fun. You rely more on luck than having absolute skill,” Malone said.

According to Malone, they play daily and it is very popular among the teenage demographic as well as the college-age players.

There is an element of social media involved in playing co-op games like Fortnite. For some it’s playing with friends in the same room or across campus, but for junior Henry Tasker it’s a way to keep up with friends from high-school.

“I like to play online in the Battle Royale game mode with a number of guys I went to high school with; there’s usually at least one of them online at any given time,” Tasker said.

Fortnite has succeeded due to its fun and fast-paced style and its multiplayer capacity, keeping things fresh and new every time. It also has the added benefit of being free to download an play in the Battle Royale game mode, with a new iOS Mobile platform that will start to be selectively released by the end of March.

With all these options and styles of play, gaming with your friends has never been easier.

EHH... WHAT’S UP, DOC? The Marlin Chronicle checks in on our friend, Junior

Brianna Kidwell | Marlin Chronicle

BY EMILY VIAL esvial@vwu.edu

Junior is the largest bunny in North America. He is “America’s Easter Bunny.”

The Honorary Easter Bunny of the City of Virginia Beach is still hopping strong this year! Junior the Bunny, resident of The Bunny Hutch, is America’s largest Bunny as proven by the Guiness Book of World Records. He is of a breed known as the Continental Giant, and has become a dear friend of this publication.

Junior, his full given name being Lord Roland Watson Beldon Maxwell VIII, is named for his father, who it the largest rabbit in the entire world, tipping the scales at 50 pounds. Junior is a meek 25 pounds of fluff in comparison, but it still growing at 3 years old and may still catch up to his dear old dad.

After gaining media attention for his

9Weekender.indd 1

exceptional and unusual stature, Junior was named the official Easter Bunny and his keepers at the Bunny Hutch couldn’t be more proud. Located at 1165 Jensen Drive, Suite 100 in Virginia Beach, the Bunny Hutch is partnered with the CLIMATES Rescue which supports exotic animal rescue in and around Hampton Roads. The Hutch also raises fund for their mission by selling pet products and exotic animal swag in order to better the lives of the animals in their rescue.

CLIMATES Rescue hopes to one day be able to open pet store and habitat facilities to better educate the Hampton Roads area of the care of exotic pets and critters and Junior is their biggest ambassador to this

project. The attention that Junior brings in yearly is a great help and is the top feature on The Bunny Hutch website.

They are always looking for volunteers and its as easy as checking out their website www.thebunnyhutch.org. Not only do volunteers get to meet Junior himself, but also assist with the menagerie of over 200 animals in CLIMATES care. For volunteers under 21, the Zookeeper-For-ADay program in another great opportunity to get hands on with the critters. Any day of the week for just one $75 donation an animal lover can care for some furry friends and do some good. For more information, visit The Bunny Hutch website, www. thebunnyhutch.org.

So, we have to talk about Black Panther (sorry, not sorry).

I have seen just about every superhero movie, seeing as how my mother is lowkey obsessed with Marvel. We always stay after the credits to see the bonus scenes, even if that means staying around sticky floors and popcorn riddled air for far too long. But the fact that this movie brought forth so many old and new faces when it came to diversity was so refreshing. We don’t usually see as many darker skinned African Americans in the media, but lately, it appears as though the flood gates have been opened. This movie has so many talented actors, from Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, and the breakout star Letitia Wright (T’Challa’s younger sister and princess of Wakanda).

This movie is saturated with such ethnic diversity compared to previous movies.

So imagine my surprise when Amandla Stenberg (Rue from The Hunger Games, Everything, Everything) came out with the statement that they were offered a role in the hit movie and turned it down. I had so many emotions and questions when I heard that. The biggest of them all was WHY WOULD YOU TURN IT DOWN? This movie has just crossed making over a billion dollars, the first superhero origin movie to do so. It has already confirmed to have a sequel. And it doesn’t look like its momentum will be stopping anytime soon.

So for someone to turn down the chance to be a part of such groundbreaking media was baffling to me. Until I heard their reasoning for why.

Stenberg told Huffington Post, “These are all dark-skin actors playing Africans and I feel like it would have just been off to see me as a bi-racial American with a Nigerian accent just pretending that I’m the same color as everyone else in the movie,” Stenberg said. “That was really challenging, to make that decision, but I have no regrets. I recognize 100 percent that there are spaces that I should not take up and when I do take up a space, it’s because I’ve thought really, really critically about it and I’ve consulted people I really trust and it feels right.”

That made me really sit back and think.

Every time that a movie is cast, especially if it is an adaptation from a book, the first thing that seems to be argued about is if who the cast is appropriate for the role. There is always controversy if people disagree with casting choices.

But lately, Hollywood has been making great strides in attempting to diversify their population in television and movies.

It used to be that people would get upset that certain roles were “whitewashed” by the media. A certain character would have been meant to be Asian or Hawaiian or another ethnicity, and casting directors would choose someone entirely off of what it would supposed to be. Even when it came to media nominated for awards, Hollywood would be accused of whitewashing them as well. This would lead to boycotts of these ceremonies by participants and viewers alike.

But it seems like they’ve heard all our complaints. In the past three years or so, I have seen more ethnic inclusion and diversity on a large multitude of platforms, such as movies, television, music, even video games. We made our voice heard and it became too loud to ignore. Now Hollywood is quick to come to the front and make sure the public knows its intentions.

The studio producing the upcoming liveaction Mulan movie faced backlash early in the screening process when rumors circulated of them casting a non-Asian actress to play the title role. They quickly refuted the rumors and later announced their casting decision.

I’m glad that Hollywood is moving in a better direction than in years past when it comes to wise and pre-emptive casting decisions. Black Panther just shows how far we’ve come and how far that we can still go. People like Stenberg show that the generation coming up is conscious of what’s going on in the world around them.

We need to be involved in these important discussions and make sure we steer them in the right direction in order to see change.

3/14/2018 1:07:46 PM

PAGE 10

THEWEEKENDER

‘SHE KILLS MONSTERS’

March 15, 2018

HITS VWU STAGE

The VWU Theatre department brings escapism to campus

Julie Ainsley|Marlin Chronicle

BY JULIE AINSLEY jmainsley@vwu.edu

The light shines on a setting from a different world and an ominous voice shares the history of “Dungeons and Dragons.” She then introduces the Tilly Evans, who is a well-known Dungeons and Dragons player. The light then shines on our hero, her sister Agnes.

“She Kills Monsters” shares a story about Agnes discovering her late-sister’s hidden underworld of “Dungeons and Dragons.”

The show brings new opportunity to the theatre department. “Even the look of the theater will shock audiences,” senior and stage manager Michael McOsker said. “It is more of a runway style than what we have used in the past.”

The new advances for this show don’t stop at the stage. The department is introducing new lights, special effect lighting, and more “tech-heavy elements.

“Doing this was a challenge because we have never used the whole theater or most of this equipment before, so we had to learn it and get it right in time for the show,” McOsker said.

McOsker believes that this show will bring new hope for the Susan S. Goode Fine

and Performing Arts Center. “This show is a great way to close theold building. If we can do a show with this much technology and pull it off, who knows what is in store for the department when we have our new theater. This raises the bar for students who are coming through in years to come,” McOsker said.

The spring show brings excitement to the campus as tickets are going fast, but some may be wondering if a show about a niche topic is for them. “This show is made for anyone to escape from life.

People play Dungeons and Dragons to be something that they aren’t and escape from reality, and that is something everyone can relate to,” McOsker said. “Tilly calls this ‘wish fulfillment’ and that is truly what it is. Your are escaping to a fantasy reality.

Really, this show adults that are young at heart who can relate to the excitement and thrill.”

Tickets can be reserved by calling 757.455.3381, emailing theatretix@vwu. edu or by visiting www.showtix4u.com for Thurs., Fri. and Sat. at 7:30 p.m. and Sun. at 2:30 p.m.

FANS MARVEL OVER ‘BLACK PANTHER’ ‘Black Panther’ is making headlines and is on its way to becoming the biggest superhero movie of all time.

BY ALLAINA BOGGS arboggs@vwu.edu

One of the latest movies to hit the screens, and undoubtedly one of the most talked about movies of 2018 so far is Marvel’s newest addition to its vast superhero collection, “Black Panther.”

However, “Black Panther” isn’t seen as only a movie, but a movement.

The film opens up on our hero, T’Challa, the newest king of Wakanda, a fictional third-world nation located in Africa. He steps up to the throne to rule his tribe after his father dies, which is shown in a previous Marvel movie, “Captain America: Civil War.” Wakanda appears to be barren with nothing to offer the world. However, with a closer look through its invisible cloaking barrier, the country is secretly a leader in the technological world, one that would bring shame to other technological cities like Hong Kong. They are years ahead of their time, designing high-end weapons and machinery, with the help of a super rare metal known as vibranium. Although they were known to have a multitude of the element, Ulysses Klaue was known to steal all of it. What the world doesn’t know is that the country has mountains more.

The people of Wakanda have kept their wealth and advancements to themselves for years, fearing that if they shared their secrets with everyone else, they would risk invasion and colonization like history has shown of previous African nations.

However, T’Challa, with the ideas of his ex-girlfriend Nakia, believes it’s time to change that.

“Black Panther” may appear as yet another superhero movie to hit screens, but it has proved to be much more. The film is not only the first Marvel movie to star a African-American superhero, but also the first blockbuster superhero movie to do so. “Black Panther” also features a predominately black cast, including award winners Lupita Nyong’o, Forest Whitaker, and Sterling K. Brown.

The movie is revolutionary, being the first film of 2018 to reach over $1 billion at the box office internationally. It is the fifth Marvel movie to do so. “Black

Panther” made this accomplishment after only being in theaters for about a month, so there’s more money to be made, and more milestones to reach. But the accomplishments don’t stop there.

“Black Panther” is now the top-grossing movie with an African-American director, Ryan Coogler. The movie beat out the previous record holder’s total grossing amount from its entire run in just one weekend.

People paid to see the movie, but did they enjoy it?

Viewers were more than pleased with the film, with the overwhelming consensus seeming to be that “Black Panther” is more than just a superhero movie – it’s the superhero movie that has been waited for by not only the African-American community, but by all of us.

Eric Fisher praised the film by saying, “Black Panther is an amazing movie!

It really spoke to the African-American culture, and was a Marvel movie like no other.” Freshman Andrew Taylor agreed with this by saying, “The movie held a lot of action that was well-oriented with the plot. Overall it was a 10 out of 10 movie and proved Marvel movies are not going anywhere.”

Celebrities everywhere have sent their praise for the movie as well.

After the release of the movie, famous singers, actors and more took to Twitter to show their love for the film. Rapper Diddy tweeted “Everybody go see #BLACKPANTHER!!!!

Let’s show our power at the box office!!!!!”, while hip-hop artist Common tweeted“#RepresentationMatters #BlackExcellence #LongLiveWakanda,” accompanying a poster of the movie.

Apart from Twitter, celebrities such as Octavia Spencer, Ellen Degeneres and T.I. showed their support of the film by completely buying out showings of “Black Panther” and giving the tickets away to children, so that, as Spencer said “all our brown children can see themselves as a superhero.”

Overall, “Black Panther” was a creative

and powerful way to bring light to cultural disappropriation and racial upheaval. It shut down the Hollywood misnomer that “black films don’t travel” and was a huge stepping stone in the path of AfricanAmerican dominated films. The film not only shut these speculations down, but taught an important lesson while doing so: that the responsibility to make the world a better place for us all lies within our own

hands. That we should use our talents and our gifts in order to help and serve others.

That we should support others during a time of evil and hold each other to become a better version of ourselves. “Black Panther” caused us all to take a deeper look at the values our hearts hold and gave us a true hero to be influenced by.

Michael Li|Flickr

THE MARLIN UNDERTOW / By Julie Ainsley & Allaina Boggs GO TO THIS:

WATCH THIS:

LISTEN TO THIS:

Norfolk- Ocean View Saint Patrick’s Day Parade

“Love, Simon”

“Bobby Tarantino II” by Logic

This tradition features music, fun, dancing, culture and food.

The parade will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 17, following a celebration at 12 p.m. at 211 W. Government Ave featuring live bands, food, and vendors. For more information, visit their Facebook Page.

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The film features some familiar faces, such as Katherine Langford from “Thirteen Reasons Why” and Josh Duhamel from “Safe Haven.” It is about a teenage boy learning about his identity as he comes out as gay.

The movie will hit theaters on March 16.

Logic’s newest album features hits like “44 More” and “Everyday”, and features popular artists like Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa, Marshmello and Young Sinatra. The album dropped on Mar. 9, and is already heading for #1 on the Billboard charts.

3/14/2018 1:13:17 PM