Apr 22nd, 2021

The Marlin Chronicle A Year in a Pandemic

NEWS p. 3

What’s on Deck for Student Activities?

COMMUNITY p. 6

Senior Reflects on Liberal Arts Experience Top Athletics Moments from the Year A Weekend in Virginia Beach

OPINIONS p. 9

SPORTS p. 11

WEEKENDER p. 15

ORIENTATION ISSUE 2021 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWU.EDU || VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

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News

Spring 2021 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

New data displays latest enrollment, program rates

BY BRIANNA SANDY bnsandy@vwu.edu

Virginia Wesleyan recently released its newest College Fact Sheet, laying out key demographic changes and program selection rates for 2020.

Total enrollment numbers this year dropped slightly versus last year: there were 1,347 students enrolled at VWU this year, 140 fewer than the previous year.

Even so, average class size rose slightly, from 13.8 to 15.5. A smaller percentage of classes held 20-29 students versus the previous year.

The “racial and international diversity” metric held steady at 44.8%, as did the percentage of females (58%). There were slightly fewer out-of-state students at the university this year, but more countries were represented by international students than last year.

SAT scores and GPAs for the freshmen remained about the same.

The total number of graduate students dropped this year from 100 to 73. However, there were 49 graduate degrees conferred between 2019 and 2020, a more than 100%

increase over the preceding year, which conferred only 19.

The retention rate raised slightly from 59% to 63.8%. Still fewer than half of enrolled students have graduated in the expected 4-year window.

While tuition has been frozen at $36,010 since 2017, required fees and room and board costs have risen. Since 2017, fees have risen from $650 to $900, and room and board has risen from an average of $8,944 to $10,338. The University’s endowment fund sits at just shy of $60 million.

Business, which has been the top declared major at the University since 2014, was bumped down to the number two spot this year, surpassed by biology by just under half a percentage point.

The other three majors in the top five this year include psychology, criminal justice and comprehensive liberal studies. The University also added 3 new minors in the last academic year.

The Chronicle talked to Dr. Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson, dean of the VWU

Connor Merk|Marlin Chronicle In-state enrollment has increased from 73.9% to 77.9% since 2019.

Global Campus and associate professor of biology, about trends within the major.

Gonsalves-Jackson explained that one factor that might be contributing to enrollment in the major is interest in health science. While the University’s nursing program is not part of the biology department, “a lot of the students that want to pursue nursing come in and say ‘I want to do biology, and then I’m going to move into nursing.’… You don’t declare [the nursing major] when you come in, you have to be accepted.” She said that she hasn’t yet seen a surge in interest in healthcare as a result of COVID-19, but expects that it is on the horizon.

Aside from healthcare, GonsalvesJackson said the other interest with a huge population in the biology department is marine science. Many biology majors minor in marine science, and there’s a “huge population that wants to work in the ocean with dolphins and sea turtles…

That’s typically what I see to be the case is that they’re either interested in healthcare

or the environment and the oceans.”

Asked what the department is doing to build the program, GonsalvesJackson explained that “our program is not static… We want to make sure the content is relevant.” She also highlighted that the major is particularly hands-on and is always seeking new partnerships for students to get workplace experience through research, internships or study away experiences such as those in Key West, FL or Costa Rica. The professors are also always devising new classes to get non-majors involved, such as the ‘Biology of the Dead’ course over winter session about the theoretical biology of zombies.

“We are always trying to evaluate our program. We’re always trying to make sure that we meet the needs of the students and… giving them the most cutting edge, recent biology content,” said GonsalvesJackson.

Connor Merk|Marlin Chronicle Biology has overtaken Business as the most popular major compared to 2019.

The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Spring 2021

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Marlins persevere during unconventional semester

In both restricted in-person and remote settings, VWU completes the full 2020-2021 academic year navigating obstacles of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This past

BY CONNOR MERK & KATIE YEAGER ccmerk@vwu.edu kayeager@vwu.edu academic year

has been one of the most challenging years for students, faculty, staff and society as a whole due to the COVID-19 pandemic. VWU was able to maintain on-campus services for the duration of fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters after students were sent home in March 2020.

This was due to the efforts of the creation of the COVID-19 Health and Wellbeing Commitment that outlined campus policies regarding pre-arrival health monitoring, testing and contact tracing, physical distancing, general hygiene, face coverings, gathering size limits and isolation and quarantine.

The total number of VWU cases were 33 for the fall and 54 for this spring as of April 16. As far as the breakdown of courses offered, Associate Vice President for Campus Life and Operational Management Jason Seward stated that a total of 400 courses were offered this semester and 70 were taught in remote format. The current hope is that the Fall 2021 semester will offer fully in-person instruction and a more normal campus atmosphere, but that is dependent on several factors.

In an interview with the Chronicle, President Scott D. Miller was pleased with VWU’s response to the pandemic since our number of positive tests were among the lowest of the private colleges that offered in-person instruction, but acknowledged the challenges this year has presented students. He also understands that the rules have been extra strict but it is because he wants everybody to remain healthy and safe.

“Reflecting on the year, the thing that I hate for freshmen coming in is that it was the most abnormal year that you would find out here on any college campus in the United States, and you hate that. What we hope is that we’ll get over this and that the next three years will be the best years of their life,” Miller said.

He is routinely in contact with the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia as well as the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia which have brought together the 61 private and public institutions to discuss difficulties and learn from each other. “I’m extremely complimentary of our state coordinating bodies, who have done an excellent job of sharing, of having a think tank. Whether it’s the large institutions or the small institutions, the public or the private, they’re all together sort of sharing goodwill and working together in a spirit of cooperation that you don’t see very frequently among competitors,” Miller said.

He also complimented the faculty, staff and students for responding well to the COVID-19 guidelines and following the rules being concerned about the health and well being of others.

Regarding the vaccination process, the administration wants as many people as possible to get the vaccine.

They have not yet made a decision on whether to make it mandatory. “We are not making a position statement right now on a requirement of vaccination. And that comes really from our meetings, statewide, where the state has said to us, ‘because right now the vaccine is an emergency vaccine, there are additional steps that you have to go through before you can require it.’ So, while we do require vaccines for a number of other things to be a student here, we’re taking the state’s advice right now, and rather than being the first to make an announcement, we’re going to make the right announcement at the right time,” Miller said.

Sophomore Jaron Berry appreciated that several of his classes were in-person as well as the hybrid format.

“Despite the challenges of this year, I think we are all doing the best we can,” Berry said. “No matter the format of the class, we are all here to get an education, and I feel like we should be proud of making it through fully on campus. A lot of other schools can’t say the same.”

Freshman Abby Mahoney concurred with Berry in complimenting the flex format for courses that allowed a portion of the class to be in-person with the professor and the other half online on some days while the other portion would attend in-person on another day. “I liked the fact

that we were able to make compromises as a campus to stay safe. I think as a small school we have the ability to do a lot of things that larger schools can’t, such as have flex 50 courses. There is always room for improvement though,” Mahoney said.

Freshman Morgan Ludovici felt that she missed out on a significant portion of her college experience and hopes the fall will be better. “The silver lining is that we were able to contain COVID cases on campus and continued to play sports throughout the spring semester,” Ludovici said.

“As a student-athlete, playing my sport has been my main outlet. I really hope that in the fall we gain a little more normalcy and we continue to move in the right direction.”

Looking towards the fall semester, Miller wants students to have an “enjoyable, participative college career,” but believes we will still be a masked campus with social distancing guidelines. The semester may be more enjoyable depending on the trend of cases and vaccinate rates. Also, a major influence on that decision making process is the restrictions that the state government implements.

His hope is that most classes will be in person because many people come to VWU for personal interactions.

“We want those personal interactions and as long as those interactions can be provided safely it’s our intent to do [that],” Miller stated.

Connor Merk|Marlin Chronicle

4 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Spring 2021

Students look ahead to summer break Students describe how they will be spending their summer months including internships, coursework and time with family.

BY SHIRELL WASHINGTON sawashington@vwu.edu

Summer is almost here! Summer break is right around the corner for the Marlin community, as well as for many college students, as the semester comes to a close in these next coming weeks. That means no more homework, exams, or essays for the next three months. These last two semesters have been long ones for the students here at Virginia Wesleyan with COVID-19 playing a big factor in their daily lives and having no spring break.

However, the time has come for the VWU community to enjoy a well-deserved, longawaited break.

Many college students look forward to going back home, relaxing, or catching up on sleep. Some might be planning vacations or road trips. Others might learn a new skill or language to add to their resumes, or try to gain some professional experience in their majors or get ahead on their studies for next semester. On that front, some college students are taking advantage of their summer break to participate in internships, undergraduate research projects and summer courses or prepare for graduate school or jobs in their field.

So, what are the Marlins doing during the summer months? Senior Aaron

Johnson, a recreational therapy major, will be doing a summer internship at the Harbor Point Behavioral Health Center located in Portsmouth, Virginia. “I’ll be working with younger individuals with behavioral disorders and coming up with different interventions and methods to help them cope. While doing the internship, my boss will be letting me decide which practice I would like to use on them which includes fitness therapy, recreational therapy, and holistic therapy,” Johnson said. Johnson also stated that he will be doing a summer course here at VWU where he will keep track of his progress as he goes through the internship. “Of course! I’m actually excited,” Johnson said when asked if he was ready for his internship.

Freshman Jordan Hudson, a nursing major, will be getting ahead this summer by taking a few summer classes here at Virginia Wesleyan. “This summer I am taking two courses, BIO 202 which is human nutrition, and ART 208 which is Photography 1,” Hudson said. Hudson stated that these are classes she needs to take for her intended course of study. “I’m trying to get into the nursing program, and human nutrition is one of the prerequisites.

Photography 1 knocks out my creative arts

Business conference finds creative solutions From March 30, 2021 to April 1, 2021, business students at VWU hosted their annual Marlin Business Conference. This year, due to COVID-19, the conference took a different form from its normal 5-day in-person format. The conference was hosted in an entirely virtual format and was

BY JACK PALMER jrpalmer@vwu.edu

condensed to only three days in hopes of attracting the highest number of attendees possible.

According to Professor Frank Futyma, several challenges were discussed in the planning phase of the conference. Among these included the possible loss of internet connection due to network instability across campus. To combat this, the planning

requirement that I need,” Hudson said.

In her BIO 202 class, Hudson stated she will be learning about the processes of how our body obtains nutrients from food to maintain our structural and functional integrity. “We will get to learn about dietary sources, intake levels, and the requirement of major nutrients. [And] in Photography 1, we will learn about control of digital camera functions, laws that affect using photos, artistic techniques and composition,” Hudson said.

Other students’ plans also consist of traveling and visiting family once school lets out. “I’ll be going international for eight weeks,” freshman Grace Adams said.

“I’ll be in Brazil for four weeks visiting my family, and then I’ll be in Europe for four weeks, where I will be going to four different countries--England, France, Italy, and Germany--playing on my international club soccer team,” Adams said.

Summer this year will be slightly different, as COVID-19 is still an ongoing concern. However, the Marlins will not let that stop them from having a fun, hardworking, productive summer.

Emily Uzzle|Marlin Chronicle

committee met with network administrators to discuss avenues to prevent this from occurring. Solutions included separating students by geographical server and granting administrative power to student hosts for them to be able to troubleshoot in real-time if something were to go awry.

Professor Futyma also noted how demanding the student leadership roles were to make this virtual conference a reality. Junior Ashlee Bobzin was deemed the CEO of the conference and spent numerous hours planning every detail, down to hour-by-hour programming.

Among other student leadership positions, the MBE 301 class filled other executive positions that were also intensively involved with planning.

Part of the schedule for the event included outside speakers from the Hampton Roads community. Most notably, according to Futyma, was John Kushka, who created a disinfecting business. He formulated his business model around purchasing disinfectant foggers and cleaning a variety of public spaces. He noted that this business venture would not have been possible/profitable without

Spring 2021

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Deliberative dialogue encourages bridging political divides

BY RHIAN TRAMONTANA rjtramontana@vwu.edu

On Thursday, April 8, Virginia Wesleyan University hosted a “Politics & Subs” deliberative discussion at the Batten Student Center. The event was organized

by Associate Director of the Robert Nusbaum Center Kelly Jackson and senior Ashley Roehrman.

The event was formatted as an open dialogue with two moderators, Jackson and Dr. Craig Wansink. According to Jackson, the event was intended to help “mend [the] frayed relationships” that plague our country. It echoes the goal of the Robert Nusbaum Center: to bring together “diverse perspectives” for “learning and dialogue that cultivates mutual understanding and respect.”

The topics of discussion were outlined in an issue advisory from the National Issue Forums, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages public deliberation. This issue advisory, entitled “A House Divided: How Do We Get the Political System We Want? What Would We Have to Give Up to Get It?” lays out three methods for reforming the political system to be more effective and worthy of confidence.

Each method had the goal of improving voter turnout, correcting major economic and social problems within the country

BUSINESS CONTINUED FROM PG. 4 COVID-19. Professor Futyma would like to remind everyone from this example, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

Preparation for the new delivery method of the conference included coaching outside speakers on how to properly use the Zoom video-conferencing platform.

Training included how to begin and end screen sharing, muting/unmuting the

and restoring the confidence of the people in national institutions. The first method was to reduce dangerous, vitriolic speech, particularly in the media. Method two was to make the rules of politics more fair, and then enforce them so that the playing field is more even and extreme partisanship is reduced. The final method outlined was for the people to have more control and begin making a greater number of decisions on the local level. This would reduce the amount of voices and opinions that the federal government is trying to accommodate.

Joseph Mueller, a sophomore, attended the discussion. According to him, the general consensus of the group was that there needs to “be more rules in place for how people in power can affect their chances of maintaining power.” This draws on the problems of intense lobbying and political campaign funding, two things that encourage extreme partisanship.

Roehrman said that students cared most about “education, economics and government involvement,” all of which can be applied to environmental concerns.

The topic of government involvement was mentioned by Mueller as well, since another option discussed by the group was “increasing censorship.” The idea of reducing toxic language in politics is controversial because, as the issue advisory points out, the Bill of Rights protects

microphone, adjusting computer audio settings to eliminate feedback and adding a virtual VWU presentation background.

According to Bobzin, one of the most challenging parts in planning was fundraising for the event. Fundraising tactics included a 50/50 raffle and “bigticket-item” raffle. Both garnered generous student participation. She noted they had students set up in Batten every day for two weeks preceding the conference selling tickets for various types of raffles.

In addition to selling raffle tickets, students reached out to local businesses

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Kelly Jackson|Courtesy Attendees at the dialogue on April 8 situated in a socially distanced manner. peoples’ right to express themselves and speak freely.

In this discussion, students emulated the options in their speech and actions. While “some students were more vocal about where they stood,” Roehrman commented, this didn’t apply to all students. The format allowed for discussion, began with fair guidelines and didn’t reduce into dangerous speech. According to Jackson, this format “gives participants the opportunity to more deeply understand the nuances and tradeoffs of each option.”

When asked whether partisan lines were evident, Mueller said that “it was difficult

to pretend partisanship wasn’t involved,” but that “they didn’t come up the way they normally do in discussions.” The event provided an opportunity for students to speak their minds in an environment away from the uneven and unpredictable battleground that is politics.

Previous events have included students from on and off-campus, and Jackson hopes that this tradition can resume once COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted.

She hopes that the future events help to “strengthen students’ skills for participating in public life” and allow students to discuss topics that are of concern to them.

and connections from home with pleas to donate.

Bobzin indicated her favorite part of the conference was getting close “on another level” to her classmates. Due to the large amounts of time they spent together, many days from 7am to 4pm, they were able to feel a sense of community in a time that is not easy to do so. She ended with sincere gratitude for her peers by stating, “Thank you to my classmates!”

VWU|Courtesy

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Spring 2021 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Community

Student Activities leaders hopeful for even more events next Fall As the 2020-2021 academic year wraps up, Melina Cabral and Matt Hardy interviewed with the Marlin Chronicle to reflect on their experience as members of the Off the Hook team during the COVID-19 pandemic and what next year will bring for the VWU community.

BY LAUREN FAULKNER lafaulkner@vwu.edu

What do you think was the most difficult part of planning events this year?

“The limit of people. Because we can have fun events... in the fall we had Bubble Soccer. But then the event limit went down from 50 people to 10 people [and] it made it impossible.”

“We can have fun events but because of COVID-19 we can’t bring back everything.”

What was your favorite event this year and why?

“I personally loved Bubble Soccer in August or September which was really fun because everyone wanted to do it. It was the beginning of the semester [and] outside so everyone could come out and participate while still being safe.”

Are there any traditions you wanted to bring back?

“We had so many plans for those and didn’t get to do any of them because of COVID-19 regulations.”

“Thankfully Mud Games and Glow Party are coming back next semester. Pub and Club, Blackout Party, Pajama Party, the Christmas Tree Party and the Halloween Party.”

What is one idea for an event that you had that fell through?

“Spirit Splash. It was going to be really fun, we were gonna have a full day of water games and get one of those blow-up rally race things, but hopefully we can do that next semester.”

What does being fully in-person next year mean for the Student Activities team?

“It’s going to be nonstop events and activities. If it is going to be back to normal with a no in-person limit, then it is going to be so much fun. I hope to have events with no in-person limit. I am hoping everything is going to be more normal.”

How do you think the Student Activities did during this year?

“I think it was a really good year and looking at other schools, I was really happy I came to Virginia Wesleyan, especially as a freshman. Most of my friends from high school did not get any events at all and got sent home to stay online so I think we did a good job at least to bring as much fun as we could. I think it was as successful as it could have been.”

“I was thinking back on it, saying that senior year kind of sucked--but it didn’t, really. It was still a fun year, and all about making fun yourself. You can’t just wait for the school to make fun for you, you have to get involved and hang out with your friends. It’s been fun being a Marlin!”

For the latest information about Student Activities, community members should follow @marlinsoffthehook and @dir_of_stu_act on Instagram.

Spring 2021

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Virtual Port Day allows students to present semester-long research projects

BY NATHAN SHEIRBURN nssheirburn@vwu.edu From April 22-26, Virginia Wesleyan will be hosting its annual Port Day. Port Day is a signature VWU event that celebrates the academic achievements of students completing a variety of academic experiences, including research, internships, performances and study away trips.

Students in the past have shared their work orally, by poster or in a panel presentation in VWU’s CMAC. However, due to COVID-19 protocols, this year the conference will be held virtually on YouTube.

On April 22, all of the videos that the presenters created for their presentation will be posted on YouTube. The presentations will be available to the entire campus community along with the availability to ask questions and have discussions.

However, this will be in a moderated format. There will be a discussion board where students can comment and eventually post after they have been moderated by a Lighthouse member.

In the upcoming Port Day there will be 45 presentations. Three of the four schools of the university will be represented in these presentations.

“So on Sunday, in our weekly Lighthouse email, the email will focus on Port Day, and it will have directions and the link to for everyone to click to see the YouTube channel,” said Amy Rush, executive director of experiential learning.

Rush also added that there will be several emails being sent out through the Lighthouse on Port Day so it will be hard to miss the actual presentations.

For most presenters this is their first Port Day presenting their experiences.

Junior Katie Yeager will be presenting a research project on how environmental conservation content on Instagram impacts children. She is not phased by presenting in the virtual format, even though it is her first time presenting for Port Day. “To be able to film it ahead of time, practice it multiple times, and be able to

Emily Uzzle|Marlin Chronicle have drafts made it really easy to be comfortable with doing it… The fact I was able to record it multiple times and pick the best version of my presentation is what made the virtual format better for

me,” said Yeager.

For more information about the Port Day presentations, please keep an eye out for emails from the Lighthouse or check out the VWU Youtube Channel.

VWU Seniors reflect on their experiences during the 2020-2021 year

Jackson Simmons-Computer Science

and Music Activities: Sigma Nu, Vox Vera, Camerata, Theater Words of Advice: “Make sure to get involved and enjoy the time you have with people around you, and don’t be afraid to meet new people! Also, empathy can go a long way for any situation that you might be going through or be a part of.”

Morgan Richardson-Biology

Activities: AKA, Phenomenal Women, NSLS, LSA, Sigma Zeta Words of Advice: “My advice to underclassmen is to focus on yourself. Your timeline, your journey, etc. is specified to you. Do not compare your process, success, failures, etc. to anyone else’s. You got this!”

India Khanna-Psychology and English

Activities: Spectrum, Debate Club, CSA, LSA, NAMI, Tidewater Sunrise Movement, ASL Club, BSU, NSLS Words of Advice: “Everyone always says that academics come first, and that’s valid, but it doesn’t come before yourself. Take the time here to not only build yourself as a student but build a relationship with yourself.”

Michelle Titus-Music and English

Activities: Camerata Choir Words of Advice: “Make sure to take breaks. Your mental and emotional health is more important than an assignment. ” Favorite Memory: “I loved seeing all my friends and professors become more empathetic and understanding. We are looking out for each other during this hard time.”

8 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Spring 2021

Clubs and organizations work hard during the COVID-19 Pandemic

BY WILL FARKAS scfarkas@vwu.edu

virtual format. While old members have missed being able to meet and host events in person, they acknowledge that these precautions are best for the safety of all members and the campus community.

“It will be a great chapter in the history of

Thanks to COVID-19, pretty much every aspect of life on campus has taken a hit; from classes to social lives to work and everything in between, everyone has had to mask up and make room. Student organizations in particular, have seen tremendous changes in the way they’ve had to go about meetings and activities.

Student leaders Jordan Gilliam, Aleah Brinn, and Asha Richards have spoken up about the challenges their clubs have faced and how they’ve had to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions.

Gilliam is the current president of Spectrum and the Black Student Union.

Spectrum has been able to adapt quite well to the new changes, with members new and old being receptive to the new

our club. We can say that we stayed together as a club and a group throughout the entire pandemic” said Gilliam. Meanwhile, the Black Student Union has not fared so well, as they have been unable to host many meetings due to many members being off campus. For more information about these organizations, students can check out @_ we_are_spectrum and @marlinsbsu on Instagram.

Brinn, leader of Marlin Ministries,

has has more luck with gatherings and membership. For starters, meetings have been moved outside or even online as needed, and hand sanitizer and other cleaning products are available for use for in-person meetings, but constantly changing locations has proven challenging.

“It can be so frustrating to have to support each other in a socially distanced manner instead of giving a hug or a high five, but everyone is still trying to support each other regardless, and that’s

has moved to a hybrid format, meeting in the Blocker auditorium with an option to attend virtually via Google Meets. For more information about the Caribbean Student Association, students can follow @marlins_csa on Instagram.

“A lot of our adaptation has been how we go about meetings,” Richards said. For starters, members seem to be “Zoomed out” according to Richards, so leaders try to make meetings entertaining, occasionally even offering monetary prizes for games, so that students don’t feel like they’re in another class.

Like Brinn, Richards encourages students to reach out and once restrictions are lifted to attend club meetings in person again.

what’s important,” said Brinn. For more information about Marlin Ministries and the events they host, students can follow @ vwumarlinministries on Instagram.

Richards is the President of the Caribbean Student Association which

Students look back on a challenging 2020-2021 academic year Despite many community members having a very rough year, as the 2020-2021 school year winds down, many have reflected on the good, the bad, and the funny of the last year.

Below you will find the reflections of many Virginia Wesleyan students when asked about their favorite memories, accomplishments or events from this year.

BY KIMBERLY DEHART kmdehart@vwu.edu

James Harrod, junior

“My favorite part of this year was bringing in 4 new brothers in Sigma Nu.”

Riley Cheuvront, freshman

“I took an online ethics course in the January term, and our final exam was a tournament of which team could debate the best. In this class I didn’t pay attention too well because it was way too early; however through hard work my team won both the tournament and bragging rights as the best ethics debaters in the class.”

Xavier Hess, senior

“My favorite activity this past semester was the petting zoo. I’ve always wanted to pet an alpaca and it was just awesome being able to feel it. My least favorite part of this year was finding motivation to do homework and other assignments.”

Josh Livermon, senior

“My favorite part of this year would definitely be the fact that all my hard work I put into school secured me a job making over 80k+ a year with a security company.”

Skyler Lattuca, senior

“My biggest struggle this year has been maintaining interest in school and my leadership roles here whilst also taking steps far beyond here to start my future.

Something that stuck out the most to me this year is probably the subconscious reconnection with friends you’ve made over your time at college all in the past few months. Without thinking about it, I have started talking to a lot of my freshmen and sophomore year friends recently.”

Robert Solomon, senior

“My favorite thing would have to be the fact that everyone was driven outdoors

by COVID-19 since no one could hang out inside, but that would also be my least favorite, so it’s kind of bittersweet.”

Hannah Zimmermen, junior

“My favorite event had to be SPIKE BALL! Especially with COVID happening, we have to find creative ways to get outside and enjoy time with others in a safe, positive way!”

Opinions

9 Spring 2021 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.

My time as a Marlin The Sound Off: what do you do in vb?

Editor Dalton Powers reflects on the liberal arts experience at VWU.

Dalton Powers|Courtesy

BY DALTON POWERS dmpowers@vwu.edu I came into Virginia Wesleyan University in the Fall of 2018 and have since been here through things like a cyber attack that threw us all for a loop and left us unable to access the internet other than for a few hours a day in the library from a mobile hotspot during finals; and through, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic and all of the chaotic virtual learning and restrictions that came along with it when we returned to campus.

I’ve found that throughout my college career, I tended to spend a lot of time being pessimistic and focusing on things that were out of my control while in the moment. Looking back now, I wish I had spent more time focusing on the fact that throughout a career as a student at Virginia Wesleyan University, we all have the unique opportunity to learn firsthand from professors who are experts in their field, as well as to work with students who may view the world completely differently than we do.

While I am quite excited to

graduate and move on to the next chapter of my life, I know that I will miss the great people that I have met during my time here as well as many of the once in a lifetime opportunities that I have been fortunate to participate in during my time here.

That is another key thing to note in a reflection on a career at Virginia Wesleyan. While attending a smaller/ growing school isn’t always glamorous, there is always an abundance of opportunities available to us that simply would not be possible at a large institution. Looking back, these are likely key reasons that my perspective of higher education has changed while I’ve been here. I’ve learned that anyone can use their area of study/ expertise to create and foster change.

This is a perspective that is new to me, as I showed up here with a very transactional mindset about higher education.

I think that everyone owes it to themselves to attempt to broaden their horizons during a career at VWU or wherever you may end up by the time you graduate. Join one of our great student organizations, join Greek life if that’s something you’re interested in, take a class or two outside of your area of study, go for that study away course.

It might just change your entire perspective on education and the broader world around you.

I am not from around VB so I like to find the small local spots. I like trying new coffee shops, local eats, and different areas of the beach.

-Joey Mueller For people that want to get away from this area and visit another part of the state, a place that I would suggest would be Bennett’s Creek Park in Suffolk Virginia plenty of things to do there: disc golf, boating, JetSkiing, there’s golf range or driving range and there’s a playground for the kids as well.

-Richard Vasquez I enjoy going to Lake Lawson/Lake Smith, it is about 10 mins from campus and has great walking trails along with plenty of spots for fishing. Downtown Norfolk is also a great place to go with lots of things to do. I like to ride the Lime scooters around town with my friends and explore the area. Lastly Lynnhaven Boat Ramp and Beach Area is a great spot to walk along the bay and also has many spots to go for walks in the woods. The best part is that it never really seems to be busy at this time of year and is free to park.

-Ross Winner

GeographicallyYours|Courtesy As a student athlete, sometimes it is hard to find time to spend time off of campus. However, the time I do get to spend off campus is usually spent going to the beach or going to one of the many small (and amazing) coffee shops off campus to do homework. There is a lot of food around as well, so I spend a lot of time off campus grabbing something to eat with my roommates or teammates.

-Abby Peterson I am very outgoing but grabbing dinner and lunch with friends has been my go to when needing leisure. I have experienced Shore Drive(a local street) to its full potential. I would definitely say start out there and make your way to the bay and oceanfront. Those three areas have made my college experience a fuller and satisfying one. Also, on campus activities have really helped me to engage with the other students who may have not been my friends, prior to these events, to be able to socialize and grow with them. Marlin Ministries has been a social group I have grown dearly to and have also met the greatest individuals there...Thank you VWU. Once a Marlin, always a Marlin.

-Isaac Guzman

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Spring 2021

Thank You.

This is not a ‘goodbye’ but a ‘thank you.’

To all of you who lent your voice to the stories we told, we appreciate your contributions. The Marlin Chronicle is nothing if not a finger on the pulse of the community we serve.

To all of our readers, we appreciate your support. We hope we did you all proud in serving the Marlin community in an academic year characterized by adversity.

To everyone from our students to our administration, we’re grateful for your candor and your continued support for an editoriallyindependent outlet.

In all of our coverage - ranging in scope and severity - we treated every task with the utmost responsibility in objective investigation and ethical reporting. To the entire Marlin community, we hope that shows in our work this year.

We entrust the same responsibility to the incoming Marlin Chronicle team, and we hope you do the same.

Sincerely, The Marlin Chronicle wishes everyone a very happy and healthy summer.

As always, it’s a Great Day To Be A Marlin.

Alex Powers Editor-in-Chief

Nicholas Mundy Managing Editor

Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle

Sports

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Spring 2021 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Top moments of the year 1 - #HelpUsPlay initiative

The #HelpUsPlay initiative was launched in the fall of last semester to help student athletes have funding for COVID-19 testing.

The initiative was a resounding success as the Marlin community was able to raise over fifty thousand dollars through a total of 246 donations, including twenty thousand dollars from the Virginia Department of Health. Three months of donations paid off, as athletes were able to get tested regularly under the protocols set forth by their specific sport.

2 - Women’s Basketball hot run prior to ODACs Sports Information|Courtesy Volleyball celebrates ODAC Championship win against Randolph-Macon in 2019.

Cumberbatch named new Volleyball Coach

Sports Information|Courtesy

BY NICHOLAS MUNDY namundy@vwu.edu

Virginia Wesleyan Athletics has announced Karissa Cumberbatch as the new women’s volleyball coach. She has been the assistant to the program since joining in 2019.

Current coach Andrea Hoover-

Erbig will finish up her final season as head coach before she becomes the new Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics beginning this summer following the retirement of Joanne Renn.

Cumberbatch has coached at the club and high school levels for over 10 years. Coming into Virginia Wesleyan, she brought a plethora of knowledge in volleyball by having played at the NCAA Division I and II levels.

A native of Greeley, Colorado, Cumberbatch has had a major impact on the volleyball community. She has guided over 100 volleyball players to their goals of playing at the collegiate level.

She is also the assistant director and volleyball coordinator at the Coastal Hampton Roads Sportsplex, where she has been helping young volleyball players work on their craft.

In her high school coaching years, she led the team to two straight state final matches in 2017 and 2018. She coached for over 5 years at the high school level, where she was named Regional Coach of the Year three times.

She also earned District Coach of the Year three times.

Cumberbatch was a member of the VHSL Coaches Advisory Committee where she held a personal and group training certification from the Athletic and Fitness Association of America.

She played volleyball at the collegiate level at the University of South Florida then transferring to Western State College of Colorado. She earned her degree in Sports and Fitness Management in her home state.

Cumberbatch will begin her college head coaching career following the completion of the spring 2021 season.

After a slow start to the season, the Virginia Wesleyan women’s basketball team held a four game winning streak prior to the ODAC tournament. The young team went on an impressive run, rallying off victories against Shenandoah, Randolph, Eastern Mennonite, and Ferrum.

The Marlins had resounding success due to the impressive performances of their freshman class. Guard S’Zahria Jones and forward Adaje Williams were the top two leading scorers for the Marlins.

3 - Softball continues dominance

Virginia Wesleyan Softball began their season on a eight-game win streak, sweeping William Peace, Meredith, #3 Christopher Newport, and #5 Salisbury. The impressive start is combined with a total of 8 Player of the Week awards brought in so far. Six members of the team have been crowned so far: graduate student Hanna Hull (2), fifth-year Jessica Goldyn (2), senior Daja Burgee, freshman Emily Seale, fifth-year Madison Glaubke, and senior Danielle Stewart.

The Marlins are in hot pursuit of their third national championship in the past five years. They currently have a record of 25-3-1 and are on a winning streak of eight games. For the first time all season, the Marlins are ranked #1 in the nation. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association released their weekly coaches poll last week where the Marlins received the highest number of first place votes.

4 - Swim shatters school records

The men’s and women’s swim team broke 13 school records at ODACs. In their fourth season of competition at Virginia Wesleyan, the young program showed immense growth this year. With most of their swim meets cut short due to COVID-19, the Marlins were only able to compete three times this year including ODACs. They look to build off of their recent success next year as the young team continues to grow and learn together.

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The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Men’s tennis eyes conference tournament

BY ISAAC GUZMAN imguzman@vwu.edu

The Virginia Wesleyan men’s tennis team is having a phenomenal season. The team is coached by Coach Martin Perry and Assistant Coach Abby Eberhard. Their record in conference play is 7-1 and they have “set their eyes on winning the ODAC conference title,” says senior Mitchell Perry. The tennis team’s success has many factors. Coach Perry and Coach Eberhard both discussed how the team’s success is attributed to the attitudes and gratefulness of the players to be ready to compete. The tennis team also practices twice per day.

Coach Perry said, “one practice is for developing and refining techniques and running drills, and the other is for match play, which helps us be successful.” The leadership and determination from the seniors have formed a headlight for the rest of the team to follow. The seniors are Anthony Wilson, Michael Portera and Mitchell Perry.

Mitchell Perry wanted to come to VWU to play for his dad and experience the many opportunities VWU has to offer.

Mitchell Perry recently recorded two consecutive ODAC Player of the Week honors. When asked how he feels about being the ODAC Player of the Week back to back he said, “I feel pretty honored to receive this award back to back weeks.

We have had a lot of great opportunities recently with all the competition we’ve had the past two weeks.”

The team as a whole has been performing well together and Mitchell Perry makes that really clear when asked about what drives their success. “Our team chemistry in my opinion is one of the leading causes of our success this year. Right now it couldn’t be better, our doubles has been at its highest this season,” he said. This shows in results

Men’s tennis celebrates senior day before playing Southern Virginia. as the Marlins are having their best year in doubles in the past three years.

Henry West, junior tennis player, reiterated the importance of their tough scheduling and that this is a reason why the team has prepared to compete every day.

West said, “Coach Perry loves to schedule hard throughout the season, especially against out of conference teams. This allows us to play against high level opponents all season to make sure we’re prepared for the tough matches in conference and then eventually ODAC playoffs.” West found that this school and the tennis program contained exactly what

he was looking for as an institution.

“I wanted to experience a new culture and I’m so glad I did. Not to mention the obvious of the beach that not many other D3 schools have,” said West. The team could be described in two words as “straight grinders,” according to West.

He then elaborated on why they attract fans and retain fans. “Our team competes hard everytime we step out onto the court; we’re going to run for every single ball. We love to get fired up and love it even more when the fans get fired up too. A lot of people have never watched a college tennis match but if they come to one, I promise

Robert Wilson|Courtesy they’ll want to come to another.”

Coach Perry and Coach Eberhard believe this program has a lot to offer to both the current team and the future. Coach Perry’s words were, “I am extremely proud of the teams this season. Even though there were some obstacles to get around, everyone has maintained a positive attitude and played to the best of their abilities. We look forward to the conference tournament and for next season as well.”

The VWU tennis team’s short term goal is to improve with each match. Their long term goal is to bring back a conference title and prepare for next season.

Spring 2021

The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Editors debate future of football NFL Draft Prediction

The NFL draft begins April 29 and runs through May 1. The draft can turn a franchise around or completely sink them for years to come. With that being said, let’s get right into predictions of how the 2021 NFL draft will go.

Trevor Lawrence is going number one to the Jaguars. It is the worst kept secret in the league. The Jaguars are finally getting their QB. The first pick is a lock.

The second pick should be BYU QB Zach Wilson for the New York Jets. With the third pick, the 49ers traded up earlier in the off-season with the Dolphins. It seems like this pick should be Justin Fields. He is the next best QB available, though some reports could see Alabama QB Mac Jones going here. For the fourth pick, if the Falcons stay there, they are taking the best available player which is TE Kyle Pitts out of Florida. Rounding out the top 5 is a slam dunk for the Cincinnati Bengals. They are taking the best lineman on the board to protect their young QB Joe Burrow - my call is OT Penei Sewell out of Oregon.

Sitting outside of the top five picks, there are still some interesting decisions. I believe that the Patriots will trade up and grab a quarterback between picks 6-10.

That said, LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase should go to the Dolphins at 6. The Panthers could be grabbing an offensive lineman at 8, but this is where I could see a trade with the Patriots and they could grab Mac Jones, QB from Alabama. Finally, wrapping up the top 10 I see the Broncos and Cowboys both going CB in Patrick Surtain III from Alabama and Caleb Farley out of Virginia Tech, respectively.

The most intriguing spot on the draft board is the Atlanta Falcons and their fourth overall pick. I think that dictates what the rest of the league will do. Recent rumors suggest them trying to move back in the draft. The Denver Broncos have been suggested as trading partners where they would grab a QB in Justin Fields or Trey Lance. Another potential trading partner would be the Dallas Cowboys, who would take Pitts at 4.

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NFL Draft Prediction

BY NICK MUNDY namundy@vwu.edu

BY ANTHONY WILSON alwilson@vwu.edu

College Football College Football Playoff Expansion Playoff Expansion Ever since the formation of the college football playoff back in 2014, there have been conversations about expanding. Even when it was first formed, the conversation was about adding teams to make it more competitive. I think this could hurt college football in a way.

The best four teams are naturally pretty spaced out to begin with. The gap between the best team and the fourth best is significant. The four seed has only participated in the championship game twice over the seven years in the history of the college football playoffs. Adding an extra four teams would make these games even more blown out than they already are.

Alabama and Clemson have controlled college football for about a decade. The parity in college football is more nonexistent than any other league.

During the seven-year tenure of the college football playoff, Alabama or Clemson have won the championship in every year but two (2014-2015 and 20192020). Adding extra teams to the mix wouldn’t create that much more parity.

More doesn’t mean better in the college football sense.

For a long time I was a big opponent to expanding the college football playoff.

Recently, I have found my mind changed.

First, expanding the playoff increases the margin for error among teams. Almost every year there is at least one one-loss team that has their season cut short of the playoffs: Baylor in 2014 (11-1), Ohio State in 2015 (11-1), Wisconsin in 2017 (12-1), Ohio State in 2018 (12-1) and others. For both players and fans it’s sad to watch a competitive one-loss team sitting at home during the playoffs.

Second, an expanded playoff would give the group of five a shot. As it stands now, the playoff is basically a power five showdown.

Expanding the playoff could potentially give teams like an undefeated UCF in 2018 or Cincinatti in 2020 a fighting chance.

Lastly, expanding the CFB playoff means more games between the top talent. If the playoff was expanded to eight teams this would create tasty additional matchups between the no. 3 and no. 6 and the no. 5 and no. 4. Last year this would have resulted in Clemson versus Oregon and Georgia versus Oklahoma.

NFL Draft Day is rounding the corner and teams will soon be bolstering their rosters with fresh talent. The 2021 class is filled with talent at all positions but this is especially true for the skill positions.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have the first pick of the draft and to no shock to anybody they will be taking Clemson star QB Trevor Lawrence. The Jags organization will be starting fresh with six picks in the top 100 and a new head coach, Urban Meyer. At the number two spot, the New York Jets will take the young QB Zach Wilson. Wilson is an electrifying prospect and known for his skills when improvising. Rounding out the top three the San Francisco 49ers will take QB Mac Jones out of Alabama. While Jones is talented this pick will be a bit of a gamble as many believe he is not worthy of a top three pick. However, Jones’s game displays nearly a spitting image of their current QB in Josh Rosen and Jimmy Garoppolo.

Now for some interesting picks. The Cincinnati Bengals have the fifth pick in the draft and the obvious pick for this position is top OL Penei Sewell from the University of Oregon. One pick I would love to see here is WR Ja’Marr Chase from LSU. This would reunite the duo of Joe Burrow and Chase, a duo that combined for nearly 1,800 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2019. With the fifteenth pick of the draft I believe the Patriots will take QB Trey Lance. Trey Lance is out of North Dakota State and is very similar to size and style to current Patriots QB Cam Newton. Newton was just signed to a one year deal and this would give the patriots time to prepare Lance for the future.

Finally, there might be a bit of a gamble with the twenty-eighth pick as the New Orleans Saints select CB Caleb Farley.

Caleb Farley is coming from Virginia Tech but sat out the entire 2020 season during the COVID-19 pandemic. Farley is also recovering from back surgery but provides enough upside that still warrants a pick towards the end of the first round.

14 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

THEWEEKENDER

Spring 2021

A nature-themed LOVE sign greets visitors at False Cape State Park, one of many parks to explore in the Hampton Roads area.

Faith Macwana|Marlin Chronicle

Take a walk on the wild side

BY SASHA SAXON ansaxon@vwu.edu

Despite Virginia Beach’s moody weather, it’s finally getting warm enough to frequent nearby beaches and trails. With COVID-19 restrictions still heavily limiting indoor activities, it might be a good idea to plan a day trip to one of the three state parks within a short driving distance from campus.

The closest, First Landing State Park (2500 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach), was named for its historical location where English colonists first landed in 1607. First Landing State Park boasts the most versatile array of activities. While it is open from 8 a.m. to dusk, groups smaller than 10 people have access to all 10 of their self-guided hiking trails, select bike routes, an environmental education center geared towards a younger audience, playgrounds, restrooms, a snack bar, courtyard/picnic facilities, a gazebo and even an amphitheater (for graduation pictures). The price range for these universally accessible recreational activities is $4 per vehicle on weekdays and $5 on weekends.

For those interested in camping, there are over 200 rural camping sites that can cost between $24 and $32, depending on if you’re a Virginia resident or not or if you’d like to bring your pet. If you prefer glamping, there are also 20 cabins, or their new addition, yurts, for closer to $100 per night. There is a camping store on site and also access to electricity and water. For those on the hunt for a new fishing spot, included in this state park is The Narrows near 64th Street. Here, you can launch a boat for

$4 and fish or crab as long as you have a valid saltwater fishing license. If you’re simply looking for a less crowded beach, the Chesapeake Bay Beach is an accommodating option.

Next in proximity is the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge (4005 Sandpiper Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456).

This refuge is mainly concerned with conservation and resource management, as it was established in 1938 to provide a haven for migratory birds and has now extended to become a critical habitat for Virginia Beach’s wildlife.

Bordering North Carolina, Back Bay does connect to a beach, but interaction with the water is strictly prohibited.

For $5-7, a group smaller than 10 in one vehicle can access select fishing areas, limited biking trails, the Horn Point Kayak/Canoe Launch, and plenty of self-guided trails.

Like most state parks, this area is open from dawn to dusk.

Since the focus of the refuge is being a safe habitat for animals, some recreational activities are off the table, but this also means wildlife is very active. Bring your camera and be prepared to see a variety of aquatic and avian creatures.

The furthest from campus, but most event-oriented park, is False Cape State Park (4001 Sandpiper Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23456), which is technically connected to the Refuge. False Cape remains a relatively untouched historical gem that was previously home to “Native Americans, the historic Wash Woods community and

[the] Little Island Coast Guard Station.” Available to visitors are guided kayak trips, fishing, boating access, basic camping sites, hiking and biking trails and 6 miles of pristine Atlantic Ocean beach. From dawn to dusk for no charge, you’ll be able to take advantage of 3,844 acres of park extending to North Carolina.

If you prefer camping, there are four different sites with easy prices, $20 for Virginia residents and an additional $5 for non-residents. Out of all of the options, False Cape offers more planned events for young adults. On April 23, from 8:00 p.m.-11:00p.m., with a $10 fee and required reservation via phone call, you can experience False Cape After Dark, a guided nighttime hike. On the 2nd of May, from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., is an Afternoon Kayak Paddle. This also requires reservation and a $25 fee, but all equipment is provided. If you’re looking for volunteer events, be sure to check out their website, as there are plenty of opportunities.

Regardless of your college budget or interests, there is likely something enticing for you, if you’re looking to get off campus and for somewhere new to explore.

With constantly evolving COVID restrictions, be sure to double check each park’s websites before visiting to see if new policies have limited or opened more recreational activities.

THEWEEKENDER

Bing|Courtesy

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ViBe Creative District |Courtesy

Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum

A Weekend In Virginia Beach

BY ANNIE PHELPS saphelps@vwu.edu

BY FAITH MACWANA fpmacwana@vwu.edu

Between two large hotels on the Virginia Beach boardwalk lies a quaint two-story house, white with green accents and roof.

This is the de Witt Cottage, site of the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum.

The former home turned museum was built in 1895 and its website states that, “it is the oldest remaining private structure on the Virginia Beach oceanfront.” The structure’s builder, Bernard Peabody Holland, built it as a wedding gift to his wife, Emily. Bernard Holland would later become the first mayor of Virginia Beach, winning in 1909 and 1914. Emily Holland opened the community’s first library out of her husband’s hardware store. The de Witt family bought the house in 1909.

The de Witts consisted of Cornelius and Cecille, as well as their 10 children, three of whom were born in the parlor of the house which now serves as the museum’s gift shop. The family owned the property for over 65 years before the last remaining

children sold the house to the city in 1988, with the condition to “ensure the Cottage would remain a landmark on the hotel lined oceanfront.” In 1991, the city approved the Atlantic Wildfowl Guild to use the cottage.

Four years later, in 1995, The Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage museum opened, displaying exhibits on decoys used in duck hunting as well as the history of the city in the early 20th century. The first floor of the museum is devoted to the wildfowl; carvings of ducks line the walls and displays of the area, all handmade. Many are antiques from the early 1900’s when Virginia Beach was a duck hunting tourist site. The upper level is a Virginia Beach history museum. It contains photographs and memorabilia spanning the 1920s to the ‘60s.

The Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum is open Wednesday – Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Virginia Beach has multiple different districts, from the hustle and bustle of Town Center to the calm and relaxing atmosphere of Pungo. Take time to experience all the charming gems that Virginia Beach has to offer.

Start your day off by fueling up at one of the many local coffee shops. Pourfavor Coffee is well known for its coffee flights.

These are usually four to six cups of different coffees such as cold brews, lattes and macchiato. Other hot spots for coffee include Bad Ass Coffee located in the ViBe Creative District or Town Center Cold Pressed located in Town Center.

Spend some time down at the vibrant Oceanfront. With miles of beaches and a boardwalk, there is always something to do. Be sure to snap a picture with the giant King Neptune statue on 31st Street.

For a cool and sweet treat, head over to Hershey’s Ice Cream over on Atlantic Ave. Grab a group of friends and rent out a

group bicycle for a quick way to get around the boardwalk.

For the adrenaline junkies, visit iFly Virginia Beach, an indoor skydiving arena, or try parasailing over the Atlantic Ocean courtesy of Pirates Parasail.

If the beach isn’t your cup of tea, go on a walking tour of the ViBe Creative District.

The district showcases local artists’ murals. Via their website, you can easily access the tour route via Google Maps. The ViBe District is also home to multiple craft shops, art galleries and local places to eat.

Get in touch with your wild side and spend a few hours at the Virginia Zoo or Virginia Aquarium. Or stop and smell the roses at Norfolk Botanical Gardens. If museums are more of your thing, check out the Chrysler Museum or the Museum of Contemporary Art. With a plethora of things to do in and around Virginia Beach, you’ll never be bored.

16 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Spring 2021

A Year in Review at VWU!