March 1, 2018

The Marlin Chronicle THURSDAY 3.1.18 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWU.EDU ||

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

Keeping campus safe

IT Services addresses student concerns COMMUNITY Page 3

A series of perspectives on gun control in the academic world iStock|Courtesy

BY MICKELLA RAST mjrast@vwu.edu

The gun debate almost always rages on in America, but recent events have brought it to the forefront of the news once again. On Feb. 14, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire at a Florida high school, killing 14 students and three faculty members. On Feb. 27, a student was found shot in his dorm room at Norfolk State University (NSU). He has since been treated and released from a local hospital. The perpetrator has not yet been identified, although anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP. These are not the first gun-related tragedies in America.

The Gun Violence Archive (GVA) reports that there have been 30 mass shootings since the beginning of 2018, 358 shootings involving people aged 12-17 and 70 involving children aged 11 and under. These statistics include deaths and injuries as reported. It is unclear how many of these are classified as school shootings, as a unanimous definition of “school shooting” is unavailable. CNN reports only eight school shootings in 2018, while the gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety reports figures closer to 18.

Conflicting proposals have since arisen. Do schools give guns to teachers? Do universities allow students to arm themselves? Does the problem lie with gun control laws or the people that abuse them? There doesn’t seem to be one clear solution, though in an address in response to the Florida shooting President Trump discussed providing teachers with guns and banning bump stocks.

In an effort to address this issue on the Virginia Wesleyan campus, the Marlin Chronicle will run a series of articles related to gun control, violence and the student angle. This quarter’s article will feature Benjamin Dobrin, who is a professor of social work and an auxiliary police officer.

“Self-defense is a human right, and when we start to talking about restricting people’s human rights just for some sort of feel-good measure, it’s scary, it’s discouraging,” Dobrin said. “One of the things when we start looking at some of these awful events is where they’re occurring, and they pretty much occur in ‘gun free’ zones.” He pointed out that “gun free” and “safe” are not synonymous, as the recent school shootings proved.

“When you talk away people’s ability to defend themselves, you take away their ability to defend themselves. And bad guys know that,” Dobrin said.

He brought to light changes in responder protocol involving school shootings, which changed after the mass deaths at Virginia Tech and Columbine. Whereas before an organized front of SWAT officers or other authorities were needed, first responders are now supposed to enter the premises and engage the shooter.

“What we saw in Florida, which is so disturbing, is that the first responders didn’t respond, and it allowed that to continue and continue and continue,” said Dobrin. He cited a Supreme Court ruling from 2005, which stated that governmental officers do not have a constitutional duty to protect citizens from harm.

Increase in faculty-tostudent communication OPINIONS Page 5

Julie Fassl makes large impact on Marlin athletics SPORTS Page 8

SEE WEAPONS Pg. 2

Checking in with Batten Scholars

BY AMANDA ARCHER acarcher@vwu.edu

With the conclusion of the fall semester and the recent Batten Honors College Competition, evaluation of how the Batten Honors College has developed throughout its inaugural semester was imperative. During the course of two weeks, plans have been set forth to expand the Batten Honors College with the addition of new students for the incoming class of freshman.

President Scott D. Miller welcomed the first cohort of the Batten Honors College during the fall of 2017.

Collectively, the students recorded a grade point average of 4.03. The group was comprised of 40 students split into two groups, the Batten Fellows who received full scholarships and Shumadine Scholars who received twothirds scholarships.

On Feb. 2, President Miller released the Fall 2017 President’s and Dean’s List.

“The 40 in the fall semester had a cumulative grade point average of 3.8, with a low of 3.53 and a high of 4.0. In particular, the first semester has been really good because they have had a number of service and leadership activities outside the classroom,” said Miller.

The chosen students were proposed to have met three different criteria presented by the Honors College: interest in the environment, leadership and globalization. Along with the three criteria, the students had to have at least a 3.75 GPA and 1275 on the SAT. “One of the things that we did when we transitioned from an Honors Program to an Honors College was create a core curriculum for the Honors College,” said Joyce Easter, Dean of the Batten Honors College.

While not every single student in the Batten Honors College was able to recover a 4.0 GPA during the fall semester, there are other aspirations that will be put into

place to reinforce the program’s intended mission. The students will be offered opportunities to study abroad, unique academic courses, and interdisciplinary seminars centered around globalization, multiple perspectives and leadership.

“Over a four-year period, the goal is to have 150 to 160 students in the Batten Honors College,” Miller said. “We will continue to strengthen the Batten Honors College. The idea is that they will not only get the typical education that every student at Virginia Wesleyan gets, but there will be values added to the degree.”

“One of the things that I was trying to do as we developed the Honors College was something that was lacking in our former program. This idea of a scholarly community,” Easter said. “There were certain things that we intentionally included in what we designed in the Honor’s College to purposely try to create that community.

What we didn’t expect is for them to start building that community during the competition.”

According to Easter, the honors competition allows students to get acclimated to the campus environment, and the students that they will potentially be living and engaging in courses with. It is an opportunity for the students to determine if Virginia Wesleyan University is a “good fit for them.”

“I’m happy to see the next cohort come in and expand the program,”freshman Batten Honors student Andrew Taylor said. “I feel the program thus far has been a new experience and continues to enlighten me.”

President Miller said that more programs to further the education of students in the Honors College will arise as they progress. An agreement was recently signed with the University of Virginia that will allow at least one student

Allaina Boggs|Marlin Chronicle Left: The Batten honors reception in Greer Environmental Sciences Center.

SEE HONORS Pg. 2

Changes to come for the general studies program

BY MARLYN SILVA mhsilva@vwu.edu

After many years, Virginia Wesleyan University is looking to change their general studies program. The plan has been in the works for at least three years, thanks to a group of faculty members.

Associate Professor Margaret Reese, director of the general studies program, called the current curriculum “kind of complicated.” The general studies courses range from English 105 to the Senior Integrative Experience (SIE) and include a range of topics that can be simply art- or math- related. Some of the professors on campus strongly believe that it’s time for a change.

“The old system has spent 30 years as the general studies program. So, every decade or so people talk about changing it and things change a little,” Reese said.

As described by Reese, the proposal for the new curriculum will essentially strive to improve the college experience for Wesleyan students.

1Front.indd 1

Per the new proposal, classes would be divided into three different sections or seminars.

These seminars will aim to generate more engagement with academic work and improve certain skills like writing, communication and reading. Benefits would include making the program and senior seminars easier to understand and providing a chance for faculty to explore interesting courses that they would be passionate about.

“The content of the courses may be different… Instead of the letter courses and the senior integrative course, the new plan has sort of integrative courses starting with first year students. So instead of students taking all these seven courses and then integrating them, we try to teach students integration right from the beginning,” Reese said. She also stated that the changes wouldn’t be too drastic, as they would mainly affect organization.

Students are unsure as to how exactly this can improve a student’s educational experience.

SEE PROGRAM Pg. 2

2/28/2018 1:46:29 PM

2 Thursday March 1, 2018 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

News

The thrill of the chill

BY CAIMAYA ASHTON clashton@vwu.edu

South Korea hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics from Feb. 9 to Feb. 25. The Olympics bring the joy of competition to the world as whole. Some watch front and center while others come together in their homes, but all are rooting for their favorites.

“I love watching the Olympics, and as an athlete myself I enjoy watching those who are close within my age range excel in whatever sport they do,” junior Terra Caple said.

While there are many competitors, three big names on the U.S.A team have made a lot of noise: Chloe Kim, Vincent Zhou and Red Gerard.

Chloe Kim competed in the women’s snowboarding segment of the Olympics and was one of the youngest American competitors at 17. She became the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding medal when she won the gold for her halfpipe performance.

“I haven’t watched much of the snowboarding segment in the Olympics so I was unaware of who was competing, but to be 17 and at the Olympics is honestly a great accomplishment to achieve at such a young age,” Caple stated.

“Chloe Kim is a very talented young woman with as much potential as Shaun White had when he first competed professionally,”junior, Cezar Gherasimescu stated.

Vincent Zhou is best known for his figure skating career. In 2017, he became the World Junior champion, the Bavarian Open champion and won the U.S. national silver medal for figure skating. This year, he took home a bronze medal in the team event. Zhou is also 17 years old.

“I think Vincent Zhou is amazing to accomplish what he has at 17 years old,” sophomore Joy Jongwe said. “[He] is fun to watch, thinking of figure skating makes me think of the movie Blades of Glory,” Gherasimescu joked.

Red Gerard won the first gold medal for the U.S. for his snowboarding. He became one of the more controversial athletes in the games after almost missing his heat due to “Netflix binging” and then yelling an obscenity that rhymes with “truck” in celebration on live television.

The younger competitors have brought attention to the age range in the games. The oldest male to compete this year was 54 and the oldest woman was 51. The youngest male to compete was 12, with the youngest

Val Miller| Marlin Chronicle female, only one year younger.

Most of the sports in the Olympics do not have an age range. Those that do usually only have a minimum age rule, such as bobsledding (14), figure skating (15), luge (16) and the biathlon (22). However, there is no set age when you have to stop competing.

Gherasimescu stated that he thought the age range was “acceptable because other competitive sports have it.”

Junior Briana Brown said, “I think the age range is good because 16 or 17 is a good age to where the body is almost in its prime but still able to move around.”

With the age range being as open as it is, it’s possible that a 25-year-old could be competing against a 16 or 17-yearold. Some people don’t see an issue with the age difference but there are some who object.

“I think it’s okay because the child already knows what they are going be up against,” junior Alexis Washington said.

“It could possibly be advantage to the 17-year-old because they’re younger, but then if someone who is 24 to 27 competing, it’s like what are you really doing?” junior Vanessa Brightwell said.

There are people from all over the world that get to compete at the chance to take home the gold medal. There are many great competitors competing such as Maame Biney (18) who has made history as the first black woman to qualify for Team USA’s short track speed skating team.

Another big name that has made headlines is Gus Kenworthy, a freestyle ski star, known as one of the first openly gay men to qualify for a Winter Olympic team.

PROGRAM CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Hayley Heath|Marlin Chronicle Junior Tanail Canty doesn’t believe that the new program would make much of a difference. “During my freshman year I was extremely stressed out putting together my four-year plan,” Canty said. “Later it [turned out] I didn’t follow that four-year plan whatsoever. Life happens.”

Fellow junior Nickal Williams also agreed and added that having students get a head start on senior integrative courses wouldn’t be a good idea. “In college it’s pretty important for freshmen to get acclimated to the environment. They need to be able to realize or understand their own studies habits and what works for them before they try to take the SIE courses,” Williams said.

Williams thinks that there’s a risk of no improvement given the changes made to the institution recently. “I think it will be a little of a detriment for the students because it would decrease their exposure to things outside of their major,” Williams said.

HONORS CONTINUED FROM FRONT each year from the Honors College to receive an annual scholarship from the university to complete a Master of Public Policy program.

“I am really pleased with how well everything has gone so far. When you design something you have this image in your mind of how things are going to go and you have this sort of anxiety of whether it will be a success or not. And I have been really pleased by our progress to this date,” Easter said.

“There is one thing to have a vision and a dream of what the program will be like, but as you each year bring in a new cohort and add to the size of it there are other things you can add… and as the Batten Honors College grows and matures you’ll see more offerings to those students as well,” Miller said.

Janice Marshall-Pittman| Courtesy Marie Bazile and Max Peters greet participants at the Honors Competition.

2News.indd 1

Williams also stated that it simply wouldn’t work. “Anytime a drastic change like that is made, the first year usually doesn’t work. I don’t think this change should be made especially with the start of the Batten Honors College.”

Overall, Canty and Williams agree that while change is coming to or school, it should be focused less on the curriculum and more so on the students themselves. “If they are going to change anything they should change how the professors teach the classes to make it more engaging for students so it doesn’t feel as much of a chore, so students are not learning for a grade but learning for life,” Williams said.

Canty agreed. “Rather than changing the program they should get the students’ perspective, or survey the students on how they would like their education to be affected.”

Faculty hope that the new general studies program will be enacted by fall of 2019.

WEAPONS CONTINUED FROM FRONT “The only person who has to protect you, is you. Self-defense is a human right.

We are asking our children to go places where they are stripped of their [rights],” Dobrin said.

He had several opinions regarding measures to help prevent gun violence or shootings on campuses. Though he doesn’t believe teachers should be forced to carry weapons, he did state that “[willing] people can be trained.” He also said that allowing students to bring guns to school was a complicated issue. Anyone under 21 can’t own a firearm per state law, which automatically excludes high schoolers and incoming college students.

Those who meet the age requirement are then restricted by their academic institution. Currently, most public and private colleges and universities don’t allow any weapons on campus. In Dobrin’s opinion, public institutions should not have that requirement since he believes students should retain full Constitutional rights on public property. But “private colleges are entirely different. We’re going into a voluntary relationship with a private entity and they can make any sort of rules they

want,” he said.

“For some reason we have demonized the idea of self-defense and self-protection. And we expect others to do it, and what we’ve learned is that others won’t do it,” he said. “I think we’re all human beings and we all have the right to protection. And if the entity we’re part of doesn’t protect us, we should be allowed to protect ourselves.”

Dobrin insists that he does not speak as a representative for Virginia Wesleyan, the auxiliary police department, or any other official authority and that the opinions expressed herein are entirely personal.

He also made it clear that he does not intend his remarks to be taken as criticisms against Wesleyan security officers.

“They do their jobs wonderfully,” he said.

The possibility of arming security guards was discussed, but he pointed out that students would have to be willing to negotiate to make that happen. For example, would students be willing to pay higher tuition fees if the officers had guns?

The next issue will feature information from Keith Moore, who is the dean of student affairs on campus.

2/28/2018 1:46:51 PM

3

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 Luke Chiasson lachiasson@vwu.edu The Weekender Editor Julie Ainsley jmainsley@vwu.edu Photo Editor 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 Tara Truax tmtruax@vwu.edu

Thursday March 1, 2017 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Campus has trouble with technology

BY JENNA WHITENER jjwhitener@vwu.edu

Today’s world could not function without technology, especially tools like the Internet.

Our dependency on the Internet for everyday information as well as for research means that we expect to be able to access it at any time, a luxury that is made possible by Wi-Fi networks and phone data.

Informational Technology Services is responsible for maintaining the functionality of the Wi-Fi network here on campus, as well as assisting students with other computer related issues. IT plays an important role in the lives of Wesleyan students because without them, students would not have a network that allows them to connect to the Internet which would inhibit research, access to websites used by professors and students such as WebAdvisor and Blackboard and other important functions.

Connecting to the Wi-Fi network has proved to be somewhat of a challenge for many students this year, especially since arriving back to campus after Winter break. “Sometimes I’ll be doing work on my laptop and the WiFi just cuts out and I must go and reconnect to it,” freshman Mallory Langford says of her struggles with the network. Given the large size of the Wi-Fi network required for campus, it is no surprise that other students have faced the same issue as Langford.

The issue of inconsistency of devices’ ability to get and stay connected to the Wi-Fi is one that several students have experienced in recent weeks. As mentioned, the Wi-Fi will occasionally cut out while it is in use, resulting in students having to go reconnect, which is more of an annoying inconvenience than anything else.

Other students, however, have had problems with getting their devices connected to the network at all, even though the same devices were able to connect to the network previously.

According to information provided by IT Service’s Information Security Officer and Network Administrator, Marcia Williams, this problem is more likely result of updates that have been pushed by the devices that prevent them from being compatible, rather than an issue with the network. The school has not made any recent changes to the network, meaning that the recent problems with connecting a device is possibly due to vendor changes beyond the control of the school.

The lack of change in the campus’ network is the root of the problem in the eyes of some,

Alex Powers| Marlin Chronicle

including sophomore Hunter Majewski. “The Wi-Fi is unreliable and often creates issues with a lot of my devices,” Majewski stated.

“It also hasn’t improved from last year at all.” Senior Jenna Serna, however, has seen some improvements in the network during her years at VWU. “I do still have issues with the reliability of the Wi-Fi here, but it has been a lot more reliable recently than it was during my first couple of years here,” Serna, said.

Maintaining the Wi-Fi network is not the only job of IT Services. The department is also responsible for ensuring the security of their network and educating students on ways to protect their devices and accounts.

Earlier this month, IT was made aware that some students and faculty had received a phishing email asking the recipient to click on a link and provide an electronic signature.

Phishing emails are emails that appear to be from reputable companies but are only to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers. In response, an email from IT was sent on Feb. 12 to the faculty and students of VWU, warning them that such emails were being sent, and informing them on how to identify phishing emails.

Business Manager Justin Smith jrsmith2@vwu.edu Advertising Manager Jasmine Demir jkdemir@vwu.edu Podcast Manager Brenna Will bcwill@vwu.edu

L i g h t h o u s e Spotlight: Amanda Albert Junior Biology Major

Two days later an email was sent to all the faculty, staff and students of VWU revealing that during the month of January, IT services had launched a Phishing Simulation Campaign.

The campaign was designed to test the ability to recognize phishing emails and identify areas that needed improvement. The results of the campaign showed that about one-third of those phished were hooked. These results emphasized the need for additional training.

To educate faculty, staff and students about digital security, IT has launched a Cyber Security Awareness Training program. The purpose of this training is to help users to better recognize signs of phishing emails, practice safe browsing habits, and promote good digital hygiene, or the cleanliness or uncleanliness of digital habits. Digital hygiene includes password security, browsing habits and social media presence.

VWU has partnered with InfoSec, a thirdparty vendor, to provide the training. IT Services strongly encourages everyone to complete the training so that VWU faculty, staff and students may become more informed about how to protect their devices and accounts, and so that the digital environment on campus is a more secure place.

Love Liberally

Adviser Dr. Lisa Lyon Payne

Cynthia Griffin|Marlin Chronicle Caitlin Sierra and trainers from Four Paws Inn and Canine Training Unlimited at the Puppy Love event for SOC 237 Animals and Society.

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

BY CYNTHIA GRIFFIN clgriffin@vwu.edu

What was your research?

“This summer I had the opportunity to work on a research project of Dr. Johnson’s. This involved growing the moss plants, harvesting RNA from them, and running quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).”

Was it a challenging experience?

“It definitely seemed daunting at first, but luckily Dr. Johnson was very helpful when it came to troubleshooting the inevitable problems that arise with research.”

What was your most memorable experience?

“The most memorable learning experience was actually the several setbacks that occurred. These and several other hiccups in the research taught me that this is to be expected, and the real learning experience is beginning to learn to troubleshoot when things take an unexpected turn.”

“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

3Community.indd 1

Advice for VWU students?

“I’d definitely encourage everyone to consider doing undergraduate research. The best advice I could give would be to expect unexpected challenges, and keep good notes.”

Amanda recieved funding for her research project through SHIPP in summer 2017. For more information on SHIPP, undergraduate research, internships and study away, contact The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration and Discovery.

Virginia Wesleyan recently celebrated its 8th annual Love Liberally celebration of love in the Liberal Arts.

Feb. 12-22 across campus various professors opened their classrooms to visitors during special lectures that showcased love in some shape or fashion. In the Hofheimer Library students could go on a blind date with a book. The library featured various books that had their covers covered, and it only had a small description of the novel. This activity was a way for students to get reading and learn to not judge a book by its cover.

The Center for the Study for Religious Freedom had an event where faculty and students could come make a Valentine’s Day card for someone based on one of the interesting themes that they offered.

For the liberal arts celebration, math professor Kathy Ames opened her office for students and faculty for “I Love 3D Printing: A 3D Printing Open House.” There she showed all who visited the 3D printer her and some of her students had been working with and showed a few objects and figurines that they made. While she gave a brief overview of how the printer worked, all visitors a 3D-printed heart-shaped bookmark.

Another interesting event was “Puppy Love”. For SOC 237 Animals and Society, Caitlin Sierra from Four Paws Inn and Canine Training Unlimited came and did a presentation on the types of relationships that people have with dogs and also gave some insight on the importance of doing your research when getting ready to get a dog, whether you’re going to buy from a breeder or adopt from a shelter.

There were many other events throughout the twoweek celebration. All of them were different and gave students a faculty a fun way to fall in love with the liberal arts.

2/28/2018 1:47:19 PM

4 The Marlin Chronicle |

CAMPUS countdown March 1 Women in Stem

Time: 11 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.

Location: Greer RM 255 American Association of University Women is hosting an interactive panel titled, Women in STEM, The panel is the WRC’s kickoff event for Women’s History Month. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Jennifer Slivka, WRC Director, at wrc@ vwu.edu.

March 3 M.L.K.

Time: 2:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.

Location:Boyd Dining Hall This town hall discussion moderated by Barbara Hamm Lee, Host of Another View Radio Program on WHRV 89.5 FM, focuses on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s unrealized vision of a beloved community. P. Free and open to the public. Call 757.455.3129 for info.

March 8 Career Fair

Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Location: Batten Center Students in all majors are invited to talk with employers about internships, part-time employment, and full-time employment. Bring an updated resume, and come dressed for success. For more information, contact the CDIP staff at 757.455.3107 or careerdevelopment@vwu. edu.

March 9 D.C. Day

Time: 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Location: Batten Center Parking Lot Join The Lighthouse for a day in Washington, D.C. Busses depart from the Jane P. Batten Student Center parking lot at 7:00 a.m. returning at approximately 10:00 p.m. Reservations are required. The cost is $5.

Register and pay in Clarke.

Thursday, March 1, 2017

What it takes to be a Marlin Virginia Wesleyan hosts Marlin Day for prospective students

BY BRIANNA KIDWELL bnclarkson@vwu.edu

On Saturday, Feb. 24 Virginia Wesleyan University welcomed prospective students who have made VWU part of their college choices. The day was filled with tours, games, meet and greet with staff and faculty and much more. Student and faculty were very much a part of the day as they were giving tours, playing games, or just simply explaining to the future students what life at VWU consists of. “Marlin Day features two rounds of tours, a parent session, a transfer session, and a freshman session where the future students played a trivia game; as always we also had the academic fair where the students could meet some of the professors” Student Coordinator Gabriella Adams said.

Marlin day is very important to the Virginia Wesleyan University community because it is almost like the “first impression” of the school on maybe new students. Prospective students were able to see first-hand what the life on VWU campus is like, whether it was being walked through the steps themselves or being able to see current students partake in their daily routines hoping that it will make an impact.

“Marlin day ran smoothly with a high hope that these students either apply or commit to our school after visiting the day; there were many students and their parents satisfied with our work and VWU,” Adams said about the success of Marlin Day. One of the greater things about Marlin Day is the impact it has on the current students, especially graduating seniors.

A lot of the seniors have much advice and college experience, which can be impactful for the students who are deciding if Virginia Wesleyan is the place for them and get to hear about their experiences.

“When you first get to campus you will want to stay indoors and be antisocial of the first couple of days, do not do this. It is imperative that you get out and explore the campus and make new friends. The events that will be held for the incoming freshmen are opportunities for you to branch out and find out what you like do or even what you

Great results from NATO conference VWU students experience real NATO conference

BY CAMILLE BENZ cebenz@vwu.edu One of the most important political science events at our university occurred on Dec. 13 and 14 when ten of our own students attended the North Atlantic Treaty Organizations Chiefs of Transformation conference (COTC) here in Norfolk. The five countries participating at the conference were the U.S.A, Belgium, France,

CRIME BLOTTER

Courtesy|Thinkstock February 1 8:17 a.m. |Vandalism Greer Center Sign damaged

want to study. This is especially important for non-athletes who are not introduced to anyone before they get on campus. branch out and enjoy the activities the school has for you!” Graduating senior NiAsia Caldwell said.

For the prospective students, Marlin Day importance was to show the students and their parents how much a person gains from being a student here at Virginia Wesleyan University and everything the school has to offer. Virginia Wesleyan University has numerous clubs and organizations not to mention the many activities that are held throughout the year and Marlin Day is just a small glance of all of that.

“I would tell future students to take full advantage of everything this school has to offer. Clubs, organizations, events, everything This school is located in such a prime area that you can experience so many things while not straying far from campus,” Adams said.

Virginia Wesleyan University was Allaina Boggs|Marlin Chronicle very happy with the way last weekend Prospective student poses with Bob Marlin.

MarlinsDay had gone, and about the future students who will be attending the campus next semester. There is hope in waiting to see these future students who attended Marlin Day to create their own great experiences here at Virginia Wesleyan University.

Caldwell shared her experiences with future students, “I have experienced many great moments on campus throughout my four years. During every homecoming, the school spirit on campus is at an all-time high. Soccer season is in full effect and the parades, tailgates, and the infamous Airband show. In addition, most of my favorite moments here at VWU stem from Black Student Union events. BSU is for ALL students not just a certain group of students. They hold plenty of fun events for students to all come together as a family on this campus and celebrate life and have fun. I’ve met some great people Janice Marshall|Courtesy and have made some lifelong friends, try President Miller speaks to future students. to enjoy as much events as you can.”

Paolo Giordano|Courtesy NATO representative giving presentation at conference.

Germany, Spain, and United Kingdom.

After interviewing Dr. Schwennicke, assistant professor of political science, we found out that it is the biggest NATO conference in the United States. The speakers at the conference were high ranking admirals and generals who are in charge of anticipating future challenges, specifically, new technologies and new threats concerning security. Each of the six countries has a leader who deals with issues and as Dr. Schwennicke put it,“They come together and they debate in panels what they’ve learned in their country, what the common NATO strategy should be and how to solve these challenges.” As opposed to an academic conference, it is more hands-on and the students are able to observe as well as ask questions directly to those making the strategic decisions.

“It was very discussion based… there was an inner table that had the Chiefs of Transformation and there were people on the outside sitting around it who could listen and also ask questions while the people on the inside were debating and talking. I got to ask questions and the students did too.” said Dr. Schwennicke. On the first day, there were five different panels and students were able to attend all of them as well as meeting individually with NATO officers.

Freshman Lora Fara, who attended the COTC stated “Attending the NATO conference gave me a much better understanding for why

February 9 4:00 p.m.|Theft Batten Center IPhone Stolen February 15 7:15 a.m. |Theft Batten Center Blue tooth speaker stolen February 15 11:20 a.m. |Vandalism Brock Lot Vehicle Keyed

the organization is so essential and helpful for sustaining peace worldwide. Before attending, I really didn’t understand what they did and the scope of action they took but after getting to see and meet so many officials and talking to them after the conference, I see now how important it is to continue the organization and what great impact it’s made. It has inspired me to learn more about international relations and political science as a whole.”

On the second day of the conference the group met with the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, General Denis Mercier, whom the students had half an hour press conference where they could ask any questions. Faith Auad, a junior at VWU, said she was really impressed with the conference, “It gave a very human side to the organization. I think often people only think of military officials as part of the war machine apparatus. That wasn’t the feeling you got from the generals, commanders and other NATO conference attendees. There was a real sense of urgency to address concerns within the organization so NATO would be able to handle their commitments around the world to peace and stability.”

The most prominent topic addressed at the conference was how to get young people involved in NATO and how they can become interested in working for them. Dr. Schwennicke says that their point of view was on technology, “We need more technology. If we have better technology we can offer to the people then they’ll come to us instead of Google or Amazon,” Faith Aud replied that although that is the case, the real difficulty working for NATO is that it is similar to the military where there’s a hierarchical structure and the new generation is not used to working in such an environment.

In the closing speech at the COTC General Mercier said “I was very impressed by the local students and I want them to have a bigger role in this conference,” which is an implicit compliment directed to our pragmatic VWU students.

This event takes place every December and Dr. Schwennicke strongly believes we will be invited back so the students who were not able to attend this year have another chance next fall.

Paolo Giordano|Courtesy Students attend Nato Conference with Political Science Professor Antje Schwennicke.

4Community.indd 1

2/28/2018 1:47:45 PM

5

Opinions

Thursday March 1, 2018 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Let’s communicate Financial Aid Should there be more communication between faculty and the student body?

BY JONATHAN JOYNER jrjoyner@vwu.edu

Communication between groups is essential for growth and trust in a community. This is something that we, as a school and as individuals, need to understand. Recently, I have been hearing from several students that they feel they’re not being kept informed of decisions. By decisions, I refer to those being made by our school’s administration and the Student Government Association (SGA). This got me thinking and I wondered if I, myself, was staying informed.

To those students wondering about this issue, I now say that you are right, but also wrong in your view of things.

You are wrong in the sense that you believe there is no communication between the faculty and students. First of all, the SGA, the group that acts as the go between for the student body and faculty, holds regular meetings every week. Normally, these meetings are open to any who wish to join in.

Though attending these meetings may be difficult for some due to time

constraints. This is one way to stay informed. For those who cannot attend these meetings, the SGA will sometimes do a live stream on their Facebook page so that people can re-watch them later. These meetings, as I was recently informed, are held on Mondays at 6 p.m. in the Grille (the location may be subject to change depending on the circumstances). These meetings are a great time for those who have questions about certain issues and want to speak up. Proof of this communication between students and faculty can be seen in the cafeteria craziness last spring. Back then, people were getting sick from food due to allergies and the school’s negligence in posting signs stating what is in certain foods. This issue was resolved by a new committee formed on the SGA who spoke to the higher-ups and fixed the issue fairly quickly.

SEE FACULTY Pg. 6

The Olympics

BY FARAH HAIDARI fahaidari@vwu.edu

I am not the biggest fan of watching the Olympics.

However, when I do watch the Olympics, I prefer the Summer Olympics to the Winter Olympics for numerous reasons. Overall, I like summer sports more, my favorites being gymnastics and swimming.

I remember my siblings and I would look forward

gymnastics. I remember that I would specifically enjoy watching it with Shams because of how much she loved gymnastics.

Another reason why I have always enjoyed the Summer Olympics more is because of swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, whom I found

“

I feel as though this (the Olympics) shows that even though this world has a lot of conflicts, we can still play games against one another, which will hopefully help the world be a better place one day.

FARAH HAIDARI to watching the Olympics together as kids and cheer for the U.S.A. We loved how this event was such a big deal. First, it’s almost always in another country, which is amazing and it involves countries from all around the world. How neat is that? I remember my sister Shams’ favorite sport was

attractive. I also remember how my brother Haidar and other sister Alyaa and I were impressed with how many gold medals Phelps had won. I also like the Summer Olympics more because it’s during the summertime when school is over and you can watch without the stress of work.

Proposal for a financial aid system that only gives rewards based on college achievement as well as high school success

Val Miller|Marlin Chronicle

BY ASHLEY KLINE aakline@vwu.edu

Upon recent reflection, I have been greatly troubled by the financial aid system.

Scholarships are given based upon high school GPA and SAT scores.

However, there are many out there that succeed in high school, earning perfect SAT scores and GPAs greater than 4.0 due to extensive participation in honors courses and drop off the map upon arriving at college. They crumble under the stress of college courses or fall prey to temptations that arise with being on one’s own. These people get full scholarships as a reward for past performance.

Not to discount high school achievements, but what about those who perhaps weren’t as strong in high school, who did not perform well on the SATs due to test anxiety and did not want to be weighed down by honors courses, but come into full bloom when they hit college? What about those for whom high school was a proverbial winter and college is a metaphorical spring? There are many people who are more successful in college than those who performed well in high school. Should colleges and universities not also recognize such students?

Therefore, I propose a financial aid overhaul. I am writing to advocate a system of financial aid where students are not only given scholarships by colleges and universities based on high school achievement, but given bonuses by colleges for their college achievement.

In this hypothetical system, students who make Dean’s List would be given perhaps a couple hundred or thousand dollar bonuses to their financial aid package that would

be taken off tuition for the upcoming semester or year, depending on whether tuition payments are made on a semesterly or yearly basis.

This would be a great way for colleges to retain students that not just performed well in high school, but are performing well at their institutions as well. Giving such bonuses would be a great way to further inspire students to make their classes a main focus and retain students that are scholastic assets to their campuses.

Every college knows that it’s not a matter of merely obtaining and recruiting students, but retaining students as well, especially those that are making valuable academic contributions. Providing these bonuses could be a great way to enhance retention. Let’s not let good students slip through the cracks of our university system. Students who are performing well on their campuses should not be the ones having to scrap for pennies. Let’s make a step in the right direction of rewarding these students and giving credit where credit is due.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, the retention rate at privatefour year institutions with Open Admissions is approximately 50% and the graduation rate at such institutions is approximately 30%.

Providing additional financial aid could help increase this graduation rate as students would have an option of earning more, which may allow them to complete their degrees, by exemplifying strong academic importance.

Being bi-racial

BY MARLYN SILVA mhsilva@vwu.edu

Our country has a long history with the topics of race and ethnicity.

While we still deal with these struggles, the issues presented have many layers. One topic to discuss is the topic of being biracial and the struggles it may bring. The United States is known as a big mixing bowl of race and ethnicity. Many people identify as African American, Latino, or Asian. However, there are many times where people even identify as more than one race, or a race that differs from their biology. This is what being biracial means.

There is a constant battle between people who may not only identify, but are biologically two separate races. In the end, the situation is more complex than one may think.

The U.S. Census website reports that as of 2016, only 2.6% of the citizens in the U.S. identify as two or more races. While surprising, this number is not that

far-fetched if people acknowledge they are biologically two races, but only truly connect with one.

According to the Huffington Post, “The majority of multiracial adults, 61 percent, do not self-identify as ‘mixedrace or multiracial.’ Nearly half the adults who did not identify as multiracial said it was because they physically looked more like one particular race, while others said they were raised to think of themselves as a particular race.” As said before, there is a constant fight between how people should be recognized and whether or not people even want to identify with more than one race. I imagine it’s hard to choose and when one specifically identifies with a certain race it can be set in stone. People will turn towards what is most comfortable and will get them the most acceptance.

This is not shocking given the history our society has with race.

SEE BI-RACIAL Pg. 6

Bringing out the big guns

BY WYNTER BOND wcbond@vwu.edu

It appears as if the world has been plagued with gun violence as of late, especially where children are concerned.

Nothing is scarier than a parent being at work only to receive a phone call or see on the news that their kid’s school has been the scene of school shooting.

I couldn’t imagine being in those shoes, but it seems like with

I was attending elementary school, Bettie F. Williams Elementary.

I remember it was springtime and I was in fourth grade. We were doing busy work in class and I had left to go to the bathroom. As I was coming back, another student that I knew from class was walking the same way.

He and I had always had a complicated relationship.

Even as children, there

“ As soon as I saw it, fear flooded my body and made my blood run cold.

SEE OLYMPICS Pg. 6

WYNTER BOND

all of the dysfunction, misinformation, and sometimes entire avoidance of the subject, I probably will be in the future.

Fortunately, on a personal level, I have only had one experience with a gun.

Unfortunately, it was when I was a child.

was an obvious popularity totem. I was on the low end, as I had glasses, was bowlegged, and had recently moved to the area from a private school in Norfolk. This other student was at the top of the popularity food chain. He was an athlete, handsome, and had an older brother who had also attended the

SEE GUNS Pg. 6

Oh SNAP: proposed changes for those receiving nutritional assistance

BY SABRINA LEMONS smlemons@vwu.edu

BY ASHLEY KLINE aakline@vwu.edu

5Opinions.indd 1

Supplement is to provide in addition to what is already present or available; it is not intended to provide everything for the individual or, in this case, the child or other eligible adult.

Basic nutrition for anyone under the age of 18 is the primary goal of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, in order to help children, meet developmental and educational goals before adulthood. If there are enough resources, SNAP will meet help to meet adult needs as well.

Now, the authorities in Washington, D.C.

“

If food delivered to one’s home is so abhorrent, then we should stop pizza deliveries, sandwich deliveries, and the all important Chinese food deliveries.

SABRINA LEMONS

want to save taxpayers money by shipping food directly to people. Recipients of SNAP balk at the idea of convenience. Why is this such a questionable concept? This raises further concerns with the United States Postal Service created by companies such as Amazon. The volume of packages to be delivered is already so great that the nation’s postal service modified delivery dates to deliver any Amazon packages on Sunday, though no regular mail is delivered on Sunday.

SEE SNAP Pg. 6

2/28/2018 1:47:56 PM

6 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu Additionally, to amend the cost of delivCONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 ery across the board, post offices now are closed certain hours of the Monday-Saturday to help offset the expense of delivery and labor.

Now an argument has been made for the new concept of “harvest boxes.” If a person or household is receiving resources via SNAP, it usually means they are at or below the poverty line. If a household is receiving SNAP, it implies they do not have the means to afford a vehicle, are unable to work, and have children of certain ages in the household.

Having food items delivered will save the expense and the logistics of coordinating a trip to the grocery store. Also, if food delivered to one’s home is so abhorrent, then we should stop pizza deliveries, sandwich deliveries, and the all-important Chinese food deliveries.

Additionally, the proposed harvest boxes may prevent many from abusing the system. Currently, people are using the EBT cards given to recipients for purposes beyond their intended use. SNAP cards have been used to purchase prepared sandwiches, wraps, salads, bags of candy, sodas, ice cream, various energy drinks, and my favorite: “…get whatever you want girl, I am paying with my EBT card!”

This statement was flabbergasting. If a person can afford to buy their girlfriend’s food, lunch, or snacks, then the household clearly does not need to receive SNAP benefits.

People are also using the EBT cards for travel. On Mar. 1, 2011, at 3:20 a.m., a Maine EBT cardholder accessed an ATM in Cape Canaveral, Florida, twice, withdrawing $400.

SNAP

Thursday, March 1, 2018 The address corresponded with Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort. On Aug. 1, 2011, one or more EBT cards were used to access nearly 500 dollars in welfare cash at an ATM in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, the home of Walt Disney World.

Welfare is not a right, it is not a benefit, it is not an entitlement. In this century, welfare programs have been supported by money that is forcefully taken from the working poor and given to those who do what they want with it.

What is the big deal of having food shipped to your door?

Schwann’s is a door-to-door food sales company that accepts EBT cards. Omaha Steaks ships meat products to its customers, Target ships food items to its customer and now the U.S. Government will soon be shipping food items to its intended consumers: children.

With all this talk of nutrition, let’s take a moment to discuss nutrition on our own college campus. According to Executive Chef David Fabrycki, who has been with the university for almost a year, the nutritional value of Wesleyan’s food offerings was rough when he first arrived, but have since improved. “It (the food) was a little rough when I first got here. There were a lot of frozen things being used.

I definitely brought in more fresh vegetables, things like that,” Fabrycki said.

On the other hand, Director of Dining Services, Tim Lockett, mentioned programs such as Mindful and the availability of nutritional information so students can make more health conscious decisions as it pertains to their food.

“We make all of our nutritional information available, we have programs like Mindful, which promotes healthy and light yet still very tasty eating. You see that in a lot of the different stations. The Simple Servings station of course is gluten free and allergy free,” Lockett said.

FACULTY

GUNS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

Val Miller|Marlin Chronicle I know the struggle of not wanting to bring up the issues at hand and wanting someone else to handle them for you, but telling one person and hoping that your issue will reach the person in charge is a pipe dream.

Second of all, if you have an issue, bring it to one of the officers and they can go speak with the people at the top of the VWU chain of command. If that does not suit your fancy, then come to a meeting every now and then as occasionally members of the administration are in attendance. We have a good resource right here, so take advantage of it.

Now, to counter this argument, I do believe there is a lack of communication between students and faculty as students are not notified of decisions being made.

From my experience, and I could just be out of the loop myself, I do not believe that the SGA and the school give us notice on a lot of the issues that are currently being discussed. Unless you know someone in the organization, you do not normally hear about what is going on. We occasionally get little tidbits of information in emails from the SGA or President Miller’s “Nota Benes.” The problem here is that, as students, we get so many emails that we just

start to ignore them. I am sure that those who send out the emails just think we’re lazy and choosing to stay uninformed.

They are wrong. We need a more effective method of communication that is not used so much that we feel the need to ignore it.

Do I have ideas for what we can do? Sadly, I do not. This is because I do not know of any alternatives off-hand and to you, my fellow students, I apologize.

Another thing the school needs to is bring back the concept of “town hall meetings,” which were large open meetings the school used to have a few years back to talk about the big issues plaguing the campus.

According to a few friends of mine who are seniors, there has not been a town hall meeting since their freshman year. I understand that the SGA has meetings, but we need something on a bit larger and more open scale. Supposedly, these meeting stopped because students were not showing up and no one seemed to care. I cannot validate or invalidate that statement.

Growing up we are always taught that communication is key to relationships.

Well, this situation is no different. If we want change, then let’s make it happen!

OLYMPICS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 However, I also enjoy watching the Winter Olympics because there are more sports where athletes can do tricks, such as snowboarding, and it’s fun to see these tricks. This year, I watched the events more than I had previously because my housemates on campus are really into it.

Watching the Winter Olympics has given us the chance to spend more time together.

We’re always busy doing our own thing, but we managed to watch the Winter Olympics together almost every night. It’s been wonderful. My favorite winter sports are snowboarding and ice-skating. I love watching them because they look artistic.

When athletes in these sports are competing they look graceful and pick themselves up with such class when they fall.

I love watching all of the world’s countries participate, but at the same time I hope U.S.A wins as many gold medals as possible. I do not have any favorite athletes who are participating in the winter sports though.

As a whole, I love that the Olympics be-

6Opinions.indd 1

Val Miller|Marlin Chronicle

cause it is nice to see countries competing against each other and coming together. I feel as though this shows that even though this world has a lot of conflicts, we can still play games against one another, which will hopefully help the world be a better place one day. For example, this year North and South Korea walked together under the “Unification Flag” at the opening ceremonies.

I hate watching the news, and hearing about how countries are at war with one another. This always breaks my heart.

I asked some people the other day, what country they were supporting in the Olympics. Surprisingly enough, they didn’t say the U.S.A. For example, one person said Japan. It’s neat how people who live in this country are supporting other countries.

I hope that the Olympics gets people to want to travel to other countries. I’m tired of countries being against one another, and I am happy that this is a time where the world gets to unite.

We played football together and I developed a crush on him at some point, but it was never reciprocated. Some days, he acted like my friend by helping me in class or talking to me. Other days, I was his target and he’d tease me about my hair or the clothes that I wore.

On this day, he had decided that I was his friend.

We started talking as we made our way to class. He asked if I wanted to see something and, wanting to take advantage of how long he would talk to me, I said “yes.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun. I remember it was black and that as soon as I saw it, fear flooded my body and made my blood run cold. I hastily told him it was cool and avoided eye contact for the rest of the walk to class. Soon after our return, it was time for recess.

I couldn’t concentrate the whole time we played kickball that day, even though it was my favorite. I was shaky and nervous. I didn’t know what he was going to use it for or even if it was real. I just knew I didn’t want to be around it or know that it was in the same area that I was in. I feigned a headache and went back to class early. I talked to my teacher and when everyone returned from recess, the student who had showed me the gun was gone. I heard whisperings during the remainder of the day that he had been called down to the office during recess,

but no one knew why.

But I did.

Later I found out that another student in our same class corroborated my statement about the gun because he had shown her too. He returned to the school halfway through the next year, but showed no indifference towards me. I don’t think he knew that it was me that told our teacher.

He continues to talk to me to this day. I will never forget the chill that ran through my body when he showed me in what I thought was a safe place.

In my opinion, gun laws are too lax these days. There have been so many videos of people documenting the process of buying a firearm, unbeknownst to the sellers that they are being recorded.

Some of these people exposing this journey and buying the guns are underage or have some other thing that should prevent them from successfully completing the purchase. Yet, they still make it through with barely any questioning. I’m not saying take away the guns completely, but it should be much harder to acquire something that could easily take a life. I can’t stand seeing news reports almost every day of yet another school shooting or accidental shooting of a child by another child. We need to do more to advocate for the future generation and their safety, because a majority don’t have that voice yet.

BI-RACIAL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 A huge topic on the biracial subject includes the debates that this topic brings to the table in today’s society. A big issue that is brought up is how others can sometimes limit bicracial individuals biracial strictly to one race. This could be good or bad in some situations as negative assumptions are easily made or people are held to certain expectations. For example, if someone were to be part white and part Latino or African American, then in most cases, being Latino or African American would be the principal or dominant trait.

There are also cases in which being biracial can be point blank difficult. While I am not biracial myself, I know people who are. Based on this, there is definitely a divide and a strain within the relationships a person may have with each culture.

It can be hard to spread oneself across different identities. It’s easy to imagine how this may be straining to a person and their identity.

It’s crazy to even think that there can easily be judgement wrapped up in race as well. Who’s to say that while someone

“ While I am not biracial myself, I know people who are. Based on this there is definitely a divide and a strain within the relationships a person may have with each culture. It can be hard to spread oneself across different identities. It’s easy to imagine how this may be straining to a person and their identity.

MARLYN SILVA

This is just because in society’s point of view, it is being different from the typical white American that attracts attention.

It seems that people will gravitate to what is unique. whether in a negative or positive way.

A person may still get treated poorly and deal with racially charged comments in a daily basis. It’s kind of how certain Americans used to be treated in this country during the 19th century. If a person were to have any indication of African American blood within their DNA, they were automatically treated horribly and seen as the minority. While we may have made much progress as a society, there is still judgement and hostility. This is proven time and time again by movements such as Black Lives Matter.

connects with one side of their identity/ family, the other side of their family will not have a set perception of who they can or should be. Either way, there’s always going to be an issue and unfortunately we haven’t reached a solution to rectify this.

In the end, should it matter what race a person should be? A person should be able to freely express who they are and identify with what they want. They should be able to do this without having to worry about any judgement from anyone. In a perfect world, this society would be more accepting. One can only hope that someone who is biracial can peacefully live between two cultures. They should be proud of who they are and so should the rest of society.

2/28/2018 1:48:13 PM

7

Sports

Thursday March 1, 2018 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

the

From Slytherin to the diamond DUGOUT

BY MEGAN SHERMAN mrsherman@vwu.edu

And the sorting hat has spoken, Julie Fassl Besides Fassl’s athleticism, Restivo also what happened, but you know it went in,” has been selected to Slytherin. Each member accredits her success to her work ethic and Restivo said. of the field hockey team is sorted into one resilience. “She’s the type of player that you Restivo further articulated Fassl’s lasting of the four houses of Harry Potter by Coach tell has something wrong and that she needs to impression on the field hockey team. “I just Restivo as a bonding activity . However, this fix and she’s going to stay after and fix it. She specifically remember being on the sideline multisport athlete is no villain, she’s just takes that very personally…she’s somebody and hearing that, and just being like this kid is noted for her desire to be the best. who wants to adapt and wants to be better, going to be an impact player. And she doesn’t As spring sports begin, a majority of to better herself, to better her teammates,” get it, the fans get it, everybody gets it, but she athletes’ transition doesn’t yet. And from the offseason it’s so impactful and preseason just to know workouts to a full that a humble throttle sports player like that, season. For Julie I’ve got her for Fassl, no transition another three is necessary. more years,” Fassl is a twoRestivo said. sport athlete at As softball Virginia Wesleyan practices began who plays field during winter hockey in the fall session, Fassl and softball in the hopped right in. spring.

Her “offseason” Her freshman consisted of year playing field just two weeks. hockey resulted However, she is in her tallying no stranger to a nine goals and 24 hectic schedule. points according “High school to vwuathletics.

I played three com. After starting sports since the first softball freshman year, game of the season so I’ve always against Meredith had something College, Fassl to do after looks to continue school. I never her positive impact had a day of on a different field. school where I Fassl’s love for just went home,” multiple sports Fassl said. stemmed from Before VWU, a young age.

Fassl attended “Softball I played the Hun School since I was 8 or of Princeton 9, and then field in New Jersey Allaina Boggs| Marlin Chonricle hockey I didn’t Freshman Julie Fassl gets ready to hit against N.C. Wesleyan on February 21 at Marlins Park. where she earned start until my First Team Alleighth grade year Prep on four of middle school…I played basketball my Restivo said. separate occasions. Softball Head Coach whole life too, all through high school,” Fassl It was this desire to be the best that landed Brandon Elliott commented on her versatility said. her in the Slytherin house. “I don’t know if being one of her strongest assets. “She’s able Her multi-sport persona and athleticism you know Julie that well, but she is Slytherin, to play multiple positions and do a lot of are apparent when she takes the field. Some and she’ll do whatever it takes to be the best, different things, and I think that’s kind of the of her strengths in softball assisted her field which definitely shows why she is good at benefit we have with her,” Elliott said. hockey game as well. “In field hockey I could what she does,” Restivo said.

As the defending national champs are really hit the ball really hard,” Fassl said.

On Sept. 16, Fassl scored three goals for already sporting a 8-0 record, Fassl should Head Coach Christina Restivo attested to this a career high against Neumann University, only further contribute to their success. statement, “she has a heck of a swing…she one of which was the game winner. Fassl’s An induction to the Slytherin house by no used both of her sports really well for field explosive shot is hard, and it’s loud. means has a negative connotation. It indicates hockey, used her swing exceptionally well “It’s more of the sound of Julie. She’s fed that she will go above and beyond in order to in our sport which really transferred into her a ball at the top of the circle, and it’s just be successful. goals for us…Just her overall athleticism that contact of the ball hitting the stick and Fassl currently has one homerun and two really stood out. She is an overall just then hitting the backboard, it’s like a gunshot runs batted in for the Marlins. exceptional athlete,” Restivo said. almost. And all of a sudden, you don’t know

Marlin basketball teams’ season ends in ODAC tournament

BY AUSTIN EDMONDS acedmonds@vwu.edu

Men’s Basketball The men’s team suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Randolph College February 20 by a score of 57-54. The Marlins started strong in the first half with good minutes from starters Lamont Steward, Corey White Jr., and Percy Burt, as well as, strong contributions from the bench as Tim Fisher scored eight points in nine minutes to go along with five rebounds one steal and a block. Despite shooting 0-6 from three-point land in the first half the Marlins jumped out to a 28-18 point lead going into half. The 10-point lead would be their biggest of the game. The second half, however, would go differently for the marlins as they were simply outplayed.

Randolph shot a solid 47.1% from the field compared to the Marlins 32.0% from the field. Overall the Marlins played well just not well enough as they out rebounded Randolph 44 to 38 and shot a respectable 71.4% from the free throw line compared to just 50% from Randolph. This is the first season since the Marlins became a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) in 1989-1990 where the team has finished worse than 6th place in the ODAC tournament. The Marlins are known to be at the top of the conference, but have not captured an ODAC tournament championship since the 2013-2014 season, “I’m not sure if pressure is the right word.

We don’t try to not talk as much about results as we do just preparing for each game to the best of our ability and make sure we leave no stone unturned and so that we can go out and give ourselves a chance to be successful,” Assistant Coach Quinn McDowell said when asked if the team feels more pressure in ODAC tournament play. Despite the early exit from the ODAC tournament, the Marlins finished the year at 17-9, which is the 18th consecutive Allaina Boggs| Marlin Chonricle winning season under Head Coach Dave Freshman Tim Fisher shoots a free throw against Macedo.

Randolph.

7Sports.indd 1

Women’s Basketball The Marlins ODAC tournament run came to an end in the semifinals against the 2nd seed and eventual ODAC Champion, Randolph-Macon College by a final score of 65-62.

Junior Amanda Gerni said, “there are a lot of important keys to advancing in the tournament. One is out rebounding our opponents. Another thing is just taking smart shots and having a good shooting percentage from the field.”

Starting off the tournament, the 6 seeded Marlins captured a 60-46 win over the #11 Randolph Wildcats. The Marlins came out and did what they had to do to advance to the quarterfinals, led by Jayla Harris and Reagan Holmes, who each tallied 18 points for Coach Dunmyer’s squad. The Marlins traveled to Salem, Virginia at the Salem Civic Center to square off against the 3 seed in the tournament, Lynchburg. The Hornets proved to be no match for the Marlins as they went on to win by a score of 61-51.

The Marlins were led once again by Holmes and Harris who tallied 19 points each. Eventually, after five lead changes the Marlins would fall to the ODAC powerhouse Randolph-Macon.

Senior NiAsia Caldwell had a team high 22 points off the bench. The Yellow Jackets built up a five-point lead with just over three minutes left in the game that went on to prove insurmountable. Ultimately, the Marlins will build off the tournament run as they look to continue their late season success into next season. Jayla Harris was named All-ODAC First Team after averaging 16.8 points during her junior campaign. The Marlins will have plenty of experience going into next season as they look to capture another ODAC title back home.

The healing power of sports during dark days

LUKE CHIASSON is a junior majoring

In recent years, sports and real world events often intertwine with sports serving as a healing mechanism for the grieving public. For example, President George W. Bush’s iconic first pitch at Yankee Stadium after 9/11. This simple event that takes place before every Major League Baseball (MLB) game will always be remembered as a moment that brought the public together in a time of need. Unfortunately, horrific events keep on happening like on February 14, when 17 Stoneman Douglas High School students lost their life in a school shooting. The Florida high school community will continue to grieve their losses, but not without the help of sports. Obviously the pain will still be there and will not be going away anytime soon, but the Stoneman Douglas hockey team provided a much needed reason to smile by capturing the state championship just 11 days after they lost their friends, classmates and peers. The hockey team battled the highest level of adversity and came through when they were needed most. The 17 members of the team took their medals and placed them on the crosses that were honoring the fallen. The most recent school shooting has reignited the gun control debate, which leads to prominent sports figures speaking their mind on the topic. The National Basketball Association (NBA) has established a platform where the players speak the mind on current events without punishment or repercussions, if you are unfamiliar with this, it is the exact opposite situation than the National Football League and kneeling for the national anthem.

LeBron James, who is the face of the NBA on and off the court, took a stance on the issue while participating in the NBA All-Star game just days after the tragedy.

Whether you like him or not (as a Boston Celtics fan, I have my fair share of LeBron criticism), LeBron is one of the largest opinion leaders in the nation. With 40.8 million Twitter followers, LeBron can pretty much push the needle for whatever he wants to, whatever he says, people will listen and follow. Knowing his platform, LeBron acknowledged there is an issue in the country with gun control, but admitted he does not know the solution.

In a world where politics are, for lack of a better term, a mess right now, LeBron’s comments hold a lot of weight. People often argue that athletes should just “stick to sports” and this was once again echoed when Fox News anchor argued that NBA players, notably, LeBron James and Kevin Durant should, “shut up and dribble.”

The amazing thing about sports, shown with the Stoneman Douglas hockey team, and then again with the NBA, is that people in a community come together when there is an attack, physical or verbal, against one of their own. The family aspect of sports is what makes it so appealing to people, while on different scales, the NBA family and Stoneman Douglas are perfect examples of how sports are a brotherhood.

No matter what happens in the future, sports will always be there waiting to help individuals grieve and give them a release from what they are feeling. People hear about the magic of sports, but until you feel it, you do not truly know the impact that sports can have on you.

2/28/2018 1:48:46 PM

8 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Track finishes strong in ODAC AT A GLANCE ODAC Baseball Rankings

1. Randolph Macon: 5-0 2. Bridgewater: 4-1 3. Emory & Henry: 3-1 4. Lynchburg: 5-2 5. Roanoke: 4-2 6. Hampden-Sydney: 2-1 7. Eastern Mennonite: 7-4 8. Shenandoah: 3-2 9. Washington and Lee: 5-4 10. Virginia

Department of Sports Information l Courtesy Senior, Marissa Coombs edges out her opponent from Lynchburg College to clinch a first place finish at ODAC’S

BY COREY KING ckking1@vwu.edu

This past weekend, the Marlin men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in the ODAC Championship meet in Roanoke, Virginia. The women’s team placed fourth, while the men’s team placed 7th. Marissa Coombs, as usual, was one of the best runners at the meet. With the performance she put on at the championship meet, she earned the Female Track Athlete of the Meet. She took

first in the 800-meter dash, as well as taking first in the mile with an impressive time of 5.21.00. Also for the women’s team, sophomore Jayla Cross took home third while junior Kwonsha Washington took home fourth in the 400-meter. For the men, freshman Jordan Ard was the headlight for the Marlins. He earned third in the 60-meter dash and fifth in the 200-meter.

Wesleyan: 5-5 11. Guilford: 3-4-1

ODAC Softball Rankings 1. VIRGINIA

WESLEYAN: 8-0

2. Lynchburg: 6-0 3. Emory & Henry: 5-1 4. Randolph Macon: 5-1 5. Guilford: 6-2 6.Roanoke: 4-2 7. Bridgewater: 1-1 8. Shenandoah: 3-4 9. Eastern Mennonite: 1-3 10. Randolph: 1-5

ODAC Women’s Lacrosse Rankings 1.Roanoke: 2-0 2.Bridgewater: 1-0 3.Guilford: 1-0 4.Randolph Macon: 1-0 5.Shenandoah: 1-1 6.VIRGINIA

WESLEYAN: 1-1

7.Washington and Lee: 1-2 8.Lynchburg: 0-1 9.Randolph: 0-1

ODAC Men’s Lacrosse Rankings 1. Bridgewater: 3-0 2. Roanoke: 2-0 3.VIRGINIA

WESLEYAN: 2-1

4. Hampden- Sydney: 3-2 5.Guilford: 1-2 6.Shenandoah: 1-2 7.Randolph Macon: 1-3 8.Washington and Lee: 1-3 9.Randolph: 0-2 10.Lynchburg: 0-3

FOR MORE SPORTS FOLLOW: @MarlinSports

8Sports.indd 1

SPRING BREAK FOR IT! Marlin Travel Made Easy

Virginia.Amtrak.com | #TakeTheTrain

2/28/2018 1:48:57 PM

THEWEEKENDER

Alex Powers | Marlin Chronicle

March 1, 2018

SNAPCHAT UPDATE ANGERS USERS

BY ALLAINA BOGGS arboggs@vwu.edu

In recent weeks, popular social media app Snapchat dropped a major update, one that has been receiving a lot of feedback from its users worldwide. However, the major consensus of Snapchatters is overwhelmingly negative when it comes to opinions about the overall look and effectiveness of the update.

The update was introduced to users in hope that their friends can be in one place, as opposed to the previous layout where stories from friends, celebrities, and more were all placed together. The goal of the company was “to make it easier to connect with the people you care about most”, and while this may be an understandable goal, users found that the way it was attempted was ineffective.

Student users, such as freshman Jennifer Vega have found that “it’s super inconvenient to keep up my streaks now.”

Freshman Emily Canter agrees with this by adding that she “is constantly searching for people’s names” causing her to be “not a fan”.

Many efforts have been made by Snapchatters in order to convince the company to go back to the basics.

Nic Rumsey of Australia, an avid user of the app, went as far as creating a petition on change.org to revert back to the “old Snapchat”. According to the mission statement, the petition aims to “to help convince Snap Inc. to change the app back to the basics, before the new 2018 update” due to “users [finding] it has not made the app easier to use, but has in fact made many features more difficult.”

An impressive 1.2 million people geared up to sign this petition, which ultimately attracted the attention of the app’s company.

The company then issued a statement in

response to the petition saying that they hear the complaints from its users and that it “understands the new Snapchat has felt uncomfortable for many.” However, the company does not plan on getting rid of this update, but rather moving forward with it and improving it with time, saying also in the statement that it is “introducing tabs in friends and discover, which will make it easier to find the stories that you want, when you want them.

Once you receive the update, you’ll be able to sort things like stories, group chats, and subscriptions, allowing you to further customize your own experience on the app.”

Further updates have been made since this controversial, one in which GIFs, new fonts and multiple sets of texts are able to be used on photos and videos. Bitmojis have also been updated to give the user more flexibility and choices when it comes to personalizing their mini-me.

These updates have been well received by users like junior Kerstin Holman, who enjoys the new font options and Bitmoji personalizations, but other than that, she is “not a big fan of [the update].”

Many people have taken their opinions to Twitter. One user posted a screenshot of a supposed conversation with Snapchat, claiming that the company would revert back to the old layout if the user could get 500,000 retweets. While the tweet ended up to be fake, it received over 1.3 million retweets, making it the sixth most retweeted tweet of all time.

Even celebrities have taken to other social media platforms in order to state their opinion about the update. Model Chrissy Teigen spoke about the update on Twitter, saying “how many people have to hate an

update for it to be reconsidered?” which received numerous likes and retweets.

However, the most detrimental tweet for the company came from new mother Kylie Jenner, in which she said “sooo does anyone else not open Snapchat anymore?

Or is it just me… ugh this is so sad.” The tweet racked up almost 74,000 retweets and 363,000 likes.

After this tweet was sent out, Snapchat then lost $1.3 billion in stocks overnight, a damaging hit for the company.

However, while the update may be receiving negative reviews now, there is potential that it could follow a pattern like those of other social media platforms.

The updates could be accepted overtime, therefore helping the platform to grow.

In the case of Facebook, when the company changed from “walls” to the current timeline format, only a mere 10% of users enjoyed the new layout. However, over time, this update grew the user interface of the app, causing the seemingly negative change into a positive in the long run.

Some users have found the updates to show some positives, and can see themselves getting used to the layout over time.

Senior Nicholas Hipple says that he enjoys that he can “sort [his] Snapchats by groups, stories, and all now” and that he can “easily filter through all the snaps that [he] has.” Some users such as senior Sarah Puchalla have “already gotten used to the update”, but still aren’t fond of the changes.

While the future of the app may appear to be unclear at the moment, the company is excited for it, as well as the improved changes to come.

LEAPING LIZARD CAFE: A REVIEW RATINGS Food Quality

Service Quality

Environment

BY BAYLI FOLEY bmfoley@vwu.edu

So I want to start off my first food review article by giving you all a brief explanation as to what these reviews will entail and the purpose of the articles. My overall purpose for writing these articles is to share some restaurants that not too many people know about that are in the area. I encourage you all to check them out! I also want to explain to you my ratings. I will be rating each restaurant on its environment, the service, and the overall quality of the food each out of five stars.

The first restaurant I want to share with you is the Leaping Lizard Cafe. This is a cute place located on Shore Drive, about a 15 minute drive from campus. Their menu changes periodically, however, it’s always filled with a nice variety of options to please almost anyone. This cafe is moderately priced with dishes costing anywhere from about $10-$25. The prices are worth it, I promise.

The Leaping Lizard Cafe exceeded my expectations. I thought I would find a 9Weekender.indd 1

Julie Ainsley | Marlin Chronicle

The Leaping Lizard Cafe is located at 4408 Shore Drive in Virginia Beach, close to Chick’s Beach

pretty standard cafe menu with coffee, tea, some basic sandwiches and maybe some muffins. However, I was shocked to find a series of fairly unique dishes that I’m not confident you could find just anywhere. The menu contains anything from seafood to sandwiches with the restaurant’s personal twists. I personally decided on a roast beef and turkey sandwich with provolone and a side of roasted potatoes.

I’ll be honest with you, I can’t remember or pin-point exactly how these potatoes were made, but they were delicious.

They were cold, sweet, and refreshing which isn’t something I’d ever have expected from potatoes. The potatoes went beautifully with the sandwich which was warm and savory. The turkey and roast beef was cooked to nice tender perfection and the cheese melted just enough to top it all of. The bread was toasted beautifully ,which added a nice and necessary crunch to the sandwich. What pulled everything together for the sandwich though was the

mayonaise. I’m not usually a huge fan but the sandwich didn’t contain too much or too little—just the right amount. It gave the sandwich a kick of flavor the contrast with the roast beef and turkey which I thoroughly enjoyed.

If you go here, I recommend going on a warm day so you can sit outside. The outside seating is calm and quaint making it so that you feel you could pass hours there and still be comfortable as long as you have an ice cold coke to sip on from one of the cafe’s cute mason jars. The feel of the Leaping Lizard Cafe is overall very welcoming and enjoyable. The people working there are beyond friendly and also give the best advice on what to order. If you go there, don’t be afraid to ask what your server’s favorite dish is. They guided me in the right direction. If you do end up at this awesome cafe, I hope you enjoy and I’d love to know what you thought.

PAGE 9

RELATIONSHIP GOALS? Columnist Wynter Bond talks about celebrity couples and how they are shown off through social media

BY WYNTER BOND wcbond@vwu.edu

Every day, there’s a new couple breaking up. Some of them I couldn’t care less about, but there are some that make me feel like I’m being personally attacked. But then, there are those couples that make me believe in love again, and if anything were to happen to them I would feel like there’s absolutely no hope for someone as plebeian as myself.

Take Chrissy Teigen and John Legend for example. They married in September 2013 and have been eloquently gracing the world with their combined presence ever since. I can’t go a day without checking out Teigen’s social media, whether it be Twitter or Instagram. She is hilarious, beautiful, hard-working and doesn’t put up with anyone’s bull. It’s INSPIRING. Legend’s voice is like when it’s raining but your paper is miraculously bone-dry: an amazing, beautiful thing in a messed-up world. Put them both together and you get the most perfect balanced breakfast. They constantly show the world their vulnerable side while also showing nothing but love and support for one another. I love the fact they’re goofy, like when Teigen was drunk after an awards show and Legend took off her shoes as she laid on the kitchen floor.

GOALS! Or like when the couple was having a pool day and Legend took a video of his wife balancing a plate of chicken wings on her hip as she relaxed in a pool float. A. PLATE. OF. CHICKEN. WINGS. I saw that and my heart melted like ice on the hottest day in San Antonio. Not only are they a perfect couple, they also have adorable children. Their daughter, Luna Simone, was born via in vitro in April 2016. She looks just like her mother with her father’s dark and soulful eyes. They are expecting a baby boy later this year.

A couple I NEVER expected to be couple goals is Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez.

I know, I know, but hear me out: Gomez and Bieber are the textbook definition of “If it’s meant to be, they’ll come back.”

The couple was all over tabloids and social media in late 2010 when they began their relationship. There were cute ice cream and bike riding dates and the smile never left Gomez’s face. Then, they broke up in 2013.

Beliebers were happy because it meant that their Canadian heartthrob was back on the market, but it appeared as though the sun had left Gomez’s life. There were emotional songs and even albums from one another that seemed to be dedicated to the other. They both dated other people, went through health scares, until one scare proved to be too much for them to remain apart. Gomez underwent surgery last year for a kidney transplant related to her lupus condition. Soon after, there were reports of Bieber checking on her and going to be with her. Then there were pictures of them together and not too long after there were pictures of them on dates and exhibiting PDA as well as talks of them going to couples counseling. These two went through so much and still found their way to each other. It takes a lot to endure the pain they must have went through and then return to each other.

The new couple on the block Halsey and G-Eazy make me so happy. They have such intense chemistry and a unique view on life. Every time I see this couple they look so happy and completely at ease with each other, and that’s what I want.

Musically, they sound made for each other, like G-Eazy’s single “Him and I” that Halsey features on. They’re like the musical Bonnie and Clyde, but without all of the illegal activity and death. I hope they stay together forever, because they’re so powerful with the stories they tell and the image of strength and inclusivity that they project.

These couples allow us into their private lives, and that is such a beautiful thing. They give us yet another thing to aspire to. We set our own standards, sure, but everyone deserves a John Legend or a Selena Gomez or a Halsey. We all deserve to feel like a Chrissy Teigen or Justin Bieber or G-Eazy.

It’s not unattainable.

2/28/2018 1:49:20 PM

THEWEEKENDER

ARE THE ACADEMY AWARDS READY TO SAY #TIMESUP?

PAGE 10

March 1, 2018

BY EMILY VIAL esvial@vwu.edu

Dressed for a funeral or a red carpet?

In their choice to don full black outfits, subverting the normal red-carpet statusquo of competitive designer get-ups, the Me Too and Time’s Up movements represented a funeral for Hollywood’s history of sexual violence.

The 2018 Golden Globes marked the first time that Hollywood’s big-wigs convened in public since a rash of Sexual Assault allegations came into light, particularly the allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein. The accusers were supported by the voice and activists of the established Me Too organization, who were featured in Time Magazine’s Person of the Year selection as “Silence-Breakers”. Me Too founder Tarana Burke’s statement on the Me Too website promotes the goal of the the organization as “bringing vital conversations about sexual violence into the mainstream, we’re helping to destigmatize survivors by highlighting the breadth and impact sexual violence has on thousands of women.”

Several celebrity actresses brought notable activists as their plus-ones to the red carpet. Notable attendees included Me Too founder, Tarana Burke,who accompanied Michelle Williams, and Marai Larasi, executive director of Imkaan (British advocacy network and foundation for black and minority women) accompanied Emma Watson.

The Times Up movement swept the night with black garb, logo-blazened lapel pins, and on-stage remarks from just about every presenter and award-winner and set a tone for the entire awards season.

Junior Women’s and Gender Studies major Kerstin Holman said, “I really think the all black dress-code was a great step forward for women in Hollywood, especially in Hollywood.” Holman continued, “Both women and men are no longer staying quiet about being abused and taken advantage

of.”

However, the biggest televised awards shows that followed, the Grammys, and the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards did not make as big waves as anticipated.

Though the Grammys featured a welcome but unusually diverse slate of nominees, many critics and viewers complained that the female and non-white nominees were shafted of awards. This may have to do with the lack of publicity that sexual assault allegations have gained in the music industry, in comparison to Hollywood.

The SAG Awards while following mostly in the footsteps of the the Golden Globes, definitely toned down the all-black aesthetic set up by the previous award show. While a good showing of stars sported their Time’s Up pins, most returned to the conventional colorful outfits.

Notably, the SAG awards featured only female-presented, seemingly a political move, but in a statement from SAGAFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris to The Hollywood Reporter, this choice was revealed to have been in the works for months.

Host Kristen Bell made a statement at the top of the evening addressing the climate of the award season. Notably, Bell was the first ever host of the SAG Awards, a bold move made on the part of the SAGAFTRA to match up with their all-female slate of presenters. Bell said, “We are living in a watershed moment, and as we march forward with active momentum and open ears, let’s make sure that we are leading the charge with empathy and with diligence, because fear and anger never win the race.”

Now, less than a week from the Oscars, the biggest night of the year in Hollywood, otherwise known as the Academy Awards, the public waits to see how the Times Up and Me Too movements will affect the events of the evening and statements to be

made. Will there be another red carpet black out? Will there be another representation of activist attendees? Holman said she believes “the Times Up and Me Too movements have likely put pressure on the Oscar’s the acknowledge the things that have taken place in Hollywood’s history.”

The executives planning for the event are definitely feeling that pressure.

Already, Channing Dungey, President of ABC Broadcasting, who will telecast the Academy Awards, said in in a statement in the New York Times saying, “We certainly want to honor and respect Time’s Up and allow that message to be heard, but we’re trying to make it more planned than spurof-the-moment — it has its moment and then doesn’t feel like it overshadows the artists and films being honored.” This may be a underappreciated move after the status-quo-rocking show put on at the Golden Globes.

The Oscars certainly has something in the works to honor the Times Up movement, but will not allow politics to overshadow the evening. Now all that is left is to wait and see what they come up with, and whether or not they will face backlash from a public that grows ever more socially conscious.

Alex Powers | Marlin Chronicle

“AND THE OSCAR GOES TO...”

Resident entertainment junkies Julie Ainsley, Justin Smith and Wynter Bond name their picks for some of the most popular categories of the 90th annual Academy Awards

Julie Ainsley Weekender Editor Host of Sippin’ Tea Podcast

Justin Smith Editor-in-Chief Host of Sippin’ Tea Podcast

Wynter Bond Seeing Stars, Columnist

BEST PICTURE

“Lady Bird”

“The Post”

“Get Out”

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”

Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”

Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”

Meryl Streep, “The Post”

Margot Robbie “I, Tonya”

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

“Coco”

“Coco”

“Ferdinand”

WRITING

“Get Out”

“Get Out”

“The Big Sick”

DIRECTING

Jordan Peele, “Get Out”

Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk”

Jordan Peele, “Get Out”

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

“Remember Me,” “Coco”

“This is Me,” “The Greatest Showman”

(ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

10Weekender.indd 1

“This is Me,” “The Greatest Showman” 2/28/2018 1:49:38 PM