Feb 11, 2021

The Marlin Chronicle THURSDAY 2.11.21 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWU.EDU

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

Singleton ‘94 named Mural Artist of the Year Marlin alum earns recognition for ‘Black Lives More Than Matter’ mural in Norfolk.

BY TIFFANY WARREN tlwarren@vwu.edu Swirls of all sorts of bold and vibrant colors stood out in the alleyway.

Emblazoned with paint, people wore face masks, held protest signs saying ‘justice now,’ ‘be the change’ and ‘end racism’ while others carried speakers all along the wall.

Clayton J. Singleton, a high school art teacher at Lake Taylor High School, VWU Class of 1994 alumnus and 2018 recipient of the VWU Alumni Service Award, was awarded Mural Artist of the Year

by VEER Magazine. Singleton’s latest mural titled “Black Lives More Than Matter,” in collaboration with Granby High School art teacher Nicole Harp, was created to use visual arts as a medium of expression for equality that resonates social justice; especially showing an equal representation of people of color and different backgrounds.

“It was timely and necessary.

We were allowed to use our voice, and not just do something pretty. There are a lot of pretty murals around Norfolk, Virginia

OPINION

Wounds from Capitol siege run deep

BY ANITRA HOWARD adhoward@vwu.edu

VEER Magazine|Courtesy Artist Clayton Singleton poses proudly with his paint and brushes.

Beach and Hampton, but not all of them have meaningful or timely messaging. Being asked to create something socially timely was perfect,” Singleton said.

The New Energy Of Norfolk, NEON, provides muralists a unique space in Hampton Roads to exhibit their murals, transforming vacant lots and undeveloped walls into an expressive community bursting with character. The Downtown Norfolk Council called artists to paint two murals in Norfolk during September.

Harp and Singleton applied to

paint in the NEON District and pitched their ideas and design to the Downtown Norfolk Council. The two muralists received a $100,000 commission and began their artistic work on the back of the O.J. Wholesale wall.

Singleton, a figurative artist, and Harp, a natural abstract artist, worked together to blend their two painting styles. The mural combined the two artists’ ways of thinking.“The red created the

See MURAL Page 9

On January 6th, I woke up in grief. It was the 11th anniversary of my father’s death, and my mom and I had made plans to visit his grave later on that day.

That would not happen. Much like every other Gen Zer, after going through my daily morning routine of brushing my teeth, washing my face, and contemplating my existence, I opened Twitter to see what was happening in the world today. What I saw has not left my brain since that day. “Trump protestors have breached the Capitol” .

I was flooded with images and videos of a sea of former president Donald Trump’s supporters in “Make America Great Again” paraphernalia flooding the steps of the Capitol and seeping into the halls of the Citadel of Democracy and was absolutely sickened. Images of people destroying Nancy Pelosi’s office and littering the inner sanctum of our

Anitra Howard|Courtesy

Democracy were displayed on every news channel. Some of the images also included a gallows set up in front of the capitol building, Jacob Angeli (better known as the man in the fur Viking helmet) sitting in the Senate Chamber, and perhaps the most chilling, a Confederate Flag being flown through the halls of Congress.

A million thoughts and feelings rushed through me but, admittedly, my first thought was

See CAPITOL Page 6

Senior earns award for leadership, social justice impact

BY STEVEN SERRANO-CRUZ sdserranocruz@vwu.edu

VWU.edu|Courtesy India Khanna looks to effect positive change on campus.

Senior India Khanna was recognized as the winner of the Mavis McKenley ‘11 Award, an annual honor acknowledging commitment to valuing differences and bridging divides, at a Jan. 18 commemoration ceremony celebrating the life, integrity, commitment to social justice and leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The ceremony was held at the Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center.

The ceremony began with President Scott D. Miller acknowledging the recent renaming of the award to honor alumna and

Marlin athletics surge into spring semester

BY NATHAN SHEIRBURN nssheirburn@vwu.edu

Student-athletes are returning to campus to begin their seasons, but with the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s COVID19 testing protocol, the VWU athletic department is faced with the difficult task of securing funding for the testing. Each sport is required to test a number of players per week. However, this required funding that the athletic department did not have.

In response to this dilemma, the #HelpUsPlay campaign was created.

On November 12th, 2020, the campaign was launched by the athletic department with an Instagram post that featured VWU’s Athletic Director Joann Renn.

The video posted described the situation at hand. “The NCAA is going to require us to test up to three times a week before we can compete. It is an enormous financial challenge, but we’re all in,” said Renn. In the follow-

ing weeks, multiple sports teams participated in the movement by creating and posting #HelpUsPlay videos to their respective social media pages.

After nearly three months, the hard work paid off. In an interview with Coach Renn, it was clear there was much support for Athletes to return to play. ”We are learning as we go, it takes a village to do what we are doing,” said Renn. As the #HelpUsPlay campaign concluded there was a

See PLAY Page 8

Board of Trustees member Mavis McKenley ‘11. The award was previously titled the MLK Jr. Day Award. McKenley is the Vice President and Trust Officer at AMG National Trust Bank, and is also certified as an Accredited Estate Planner (AEP), Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).

As this year’s recipient, Khanna exemplified the same qualities to which both King and McKenley have been committed. Khanna, expressed that winning the award was a surprise. “I don’t know how many people applied, who applied or who nominated me,” Khanna said.

Director of Student Activities Sarah Guzzo was the speaker who presented Khanna with the award. “I knew it was me from when Sarah brought up Wesleyan Engaged. No one else is in that office as much as I am,” Khanna said. That suspicion only grew the more Guzzo talked. “It was very nice and exciting, me and my mom were watching it and we were just freaking out,” Khanna said.

“Not many of my family members know that I am very vocal on campus,” Khanna said.

Despite having a great motivation

See KHANNA Page 3

VWU hosts Unity Flag Gallery NEWS Page 2

Welcome to the Fun Zone COMMUNITY Page 5

What’s next for Brady?

Birdsong Field will play host to a feast of Marlin sporting events this semester.

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Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle

SPORTS Page 7

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Thursday February 11, 2021 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

News

Spring semester begins with 19 COVID-19 cases

BY CONNOR MERK

ccmerk@vwu.edu

Virginia Wesleyan has begun its spring semester with a majority of its students living on campus. Accordingly, they are required to follow the policies implemented by Virginia Wesleyan University.

These include pre-arrival health monitoring, face coverings, physical distancing, general hygiene and additional mitigation measures to protect the health of the campus community. Each student living on-campus was required to take a COVID-19 test within 14 days of arriving on campus and report the result to the University before moving into their living space.

There have been 19 cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Feb. 5. This count began on Jan. 1, as student athletes arrived on campus to begin practicing for their spring season. There was one case Jan. 1-7, one case Jan. 8-14, two cases Jan. 15-21, six cases Jan. 22-28 and nine cases Jan. 9-Feb. 4. It should also be noted that there were 33 total confirmed cases in the fall semester.

Associate Vice President for Campus Life and Operational Management Jason Seward recognizes that COVID-19 is still having a significant impact on everyone’s life. “The virus did not go away over the holiday break, so I knew we would come back in the spring and we would be managing it just as we were in the fall,” Seward said.

“I hope that everyone operates the same exact way as they did in the fall, adhering to the regulations, face coverings and maintaining social distancing. I want everyone to be more vigilant and take it seriously.”

Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Campus Life and Coordinator of Student Health Management April Christman manages the communication regarding COVID-19 and routinely analyzes the results of the daily health screenings. She recommends that if an individual does not feel well, they should remain in place and complete the daily health screening.

If they test positive for COVID-19, Christman stated, “We do require a diagnostic PCR test and for that result to be sent back in order for us to calculate the isolation and quarantine time period and to begin contact tracing.”

Seward stated that anyone who is able to go home, should do so to quarantine if they can for their own comfort purposes. “We have worked with several people who live really far away or have family members with compromised immune systems who prefer to remain on campus,” Seward said.

If an individual is contacted through the contact-tracing efforts, they will receive a phone call from the student health management team. If they do not answer, they will be sent an email and text message letting them know to call them back at their earliest convenience.

“We will recommend for them to get a test as soon as possible and quarantine for 14 days,” Christman said.

“They can resume normal activities when they have sent a negative test result to the student health management team, completed the required 14 days of quarantine, are asymptomatic and have not taken any medication that may mask symptoms.”

An example of close contact that both University administrators said to avoid is car rides. “Especially if someone in the car is not wearing a mask, not six feet apart, or in the vehicle for more than 15 minutes. That is a

Connor Merk|Marlin Chronicle

high risk space and I do not advise people to eat or drink in a car,” Christman said. “The student health management team has not had a situation from a classroom since the desks are already separated and people are wearing their masks.”

Freshman Brice Johnson, a pole vaulter on the men’s track team, tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, Jan. 29, during routine testing with the rest of his team. He is required to quarantine and to stay in contact with the student health management team.

After he tested positive, he was asked if he could return home to quarantine, but that was infeasible since Johnson told the administration that he lives in Indiana, 13 hours away. They allowed him to remain on campus; so he gathered his belongings from his room and was taken to Old Hall to quarantine in a room that had its own microwave, mini fridge and bathroom.

He also spoke with a member of the student health management team who asked him what he had done the past couple of days and if he was in any situations that could have made him increasingly susceptible to the virus.

Johnson’s least favorite part of this experience besides testing positive is the meal situation. Currently, students receive meals from Residence Life, including a hot dinner and a cold breakfast and lunch for the next day.

“I think that needs a lot of work. They didn’t ask me if I had any allergies, which I don’t, but for other people, I think that’s pretty important,” Johnson said. “They didn’t ask me what foods I liked or how much food either. They brought me fish, which I hate, so I’m having a friend bring me some food.” Johnson is able to have friends drop off

food at the security gate and then an employee drops it off at his door. He suggests that the University communicate with him better regarding his food preferences.

An email sent to the campus community on Feb. 5 stated, “It has become apparent that with many of our managed cases, individuals who must be placed in quarantine or isolation protocols are those who share meals together or travel in the same vehicle for sustained periods of time.”

It concludes with asking members of the community to continue to follow the protocols to remain safe.

According to the Virginia Department of Health as of Feb. 9, Virginia has had over 530,000 total confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, over 20,000 confirmed and probable hospitalizations, and nearly 7,000 confirmed and probable deaths. Regarding localities near VWU, Virginia Beach has had 28,090 cases of COVID-19 and Norfolk has had 13,623 cases as of Feb. 9.

Other universities in our region are facing this challenge as well. For example, Old Dominion University, which has 24,000 students, had 12 confirmed cases between Jan. 29 and Feb. 4. Norfolk State University, which has 5,000 students, has 28 positive COVID-19 cases as of Feb. 3. As of Feb. 9, Christopher Newport University, which also has 5,000 students, currently has 121 active student cases and five active employee cases. Also, William & Mary, which has 8,000 students, has 55 active cases as of Feb. 9.

Unity Flag Project brings purple empathy to campus

BY CONNOR MERK

ccmerk@vwu.edu

A traveling art exhibit titled the “Unity Flag Project” is currently open for viewing for Virginia Wesleyan students, faculty and staff in the Neil Britton Art Gallery located in the Hofheimer Library. According to the VWU website, the exhibit displays 40 flags (32” x 60”) created by artists from across the United States.

The creator of the Unity Flag Project, Assistant Professor of Art Meaghan Nelson at Belmont University, was inspired to create this project after researching the topic of civil discourse after the 2016 presidential election.

“After the 2016 American presidential election I published an article titled, ‘Blue Educator in a Red State: Creating Spaces of Purple Empathy through Civil Bipartisan Discourse,’ where I describe my exploratory process as an art educator working with a large, politically divided group of non-art major students as they process their opposing views surrounding the 2016 American presidential election,” Nelson said. “I used current visual culture in order to promote empathy for bipartisanship among students in a time of political unrest.”

Her goal was to provide a safe space for bipartisan discourse using the visual arts as a way for students to share their commonalities and differences. This allowed for socalled “red and blue students” to gain “purple empathy” by sharing, listening and hearing one another.

As the 2020 presidential election grew closer, she began

thinking of additional ways to unite Americans. “I do a lot of my best thinking away from my computer, at my painting easel, and this is what inspired the paintings ‘Love Thy Neighbor’ and ‘Purple Empathy’ – these were the first Unity Flags created,” Nelson said.

When it was announced that Belmont University would be hosting the third and final presidential debate of the 2020 election, she proposed the Unity Flag Project as a way to promote unity and purple empathy through the creation of the visual arts.

In the summer of 2020, she reached out to creators from all over the United States. “As a collective, the Unity Flag creators represent the diversity of the nation in regards to culture, ethnicity, race, gender, age, profession and political affiliations,” Nelson stated.

Professor of Art and Curator of Exhibitions at VWU John Rudel manages the programming in the gallery and has been heavily involved in this project since being contacted by Dr. Craig Wansink and Kelly Jackson of The Robert Nusbaum Center. Wansink and Jackson created a flag design with the assistance of VWU Branding and Design Manager Christine Hall for the initial exhibition at Belmont University. Then they contacted him to assist with bringing the exhibit to campus.

Rudel says the goals of the project are to, “inspire people to contemplate the role of visual arts in social discourse,

and bigger questions of what it means to be American, and what it means to be unified.”

He created a virtual reality exhibition to reach those that are unable to come onto campus to view the in-person gallery. “The VR gallery is intended to place the viewer amidst the paintings and surrounded by them,” Rudel said.

“I’ve created two VR galleries and two exhibition videos this year and we have reached over 1400 views so far. I guess we are resolved to continue to run programming and figure out how to reach an audience with social distancing as a necessity.”

Additionally, according to Rudel, students enrolled in HON 270 The Artist & Society will be collaborating in groups to complete Unity Flag paintings that will be added to the exhibition.

The exhibit opened on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, and will continue through March 19 after which it will travel to Florida State University. The collection of flags is available to view virtually at this link https://unityflagproject.com/.

Those interested in submitting their own Unity Flag should email jrudel@vwu.edu.

Unity Flag Project|Courtesy Confetti Celebration by Vonnie Gallagher of Alaska

Unity Flag Project|Courtesy A Beacon of Hope by the Robert Nusbaum Center from Virginia Wesleyan University of Virginia

Unity Flag Project|Courtesy Collective Reflection by Amy and Jett Petit of Oregon.

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Thursday February 11, 2021 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

VWU recognized as River Star Business by Elizabeth River Project

BY WILL FARKAS scfarkas@vwu.edu Virginia Wesleyan University has been awarded the recognition of Sustained Distinguished Performance River Star Business by the Elizabeth River Project. The ERP launched the River Star Business program in 1997 to recognize efforts to reduce pollution and preserve natural environments. Each year, recipients are awarded their status at a banquet: Commitment, Achievement or Model.

Each level signifies a different accomplishment and level of partnership with the ERP. This year, levels were awarded virtually, and the level reached by VWU this year is indicative of a facility that has demonstrated continuous efforts and support for the ERP. The ERP website lists the criteria for obtaining each level: for Commitment level, a facility must “document significant achievement in either pollution prevention or wildlife habitat enhancement.” Achievement level must document both. Model level facilities must document both so exceptionally well that they are considered a standard that other facilities should look up to.

Pam Boatwright, program manager for the ERP, prepares everything for committee meetings and helps

facilities find projects or initiatives to achieve their desired level of recognition or sustainability. She states that these recognition levels inspire businesses and other facilities to take initiative in helping preserve the Elizabeth River.

Boatwright points to Marlin Meadows as the perfect example of partnership in a project the ERP would commend; Norfolk Botanical Gardens, Marlins Go Green and the ERP worked together to create the interactive meadow in front of Greer.

VWU began its partnership with the ERP in 2016, eventually attaining the highest recognition this year.

Other such recipients include organizations such as Hampton Roads Transit, Nauticus, Naval Station Norfolk, and the Virginia Zoo. President Miller attributes much of VWU’s success to its, “300-acre park-like campus—with extensive teaching gardens, wetlands and a green roof, along with the environmentally-themed Batten Honors College and the award-winning Greer Environmental Sciences Center.”

He gave particular thanks to Dr. William Gibson and Dr. Elizabeth Malcolm for their efforts in helping attain this

Scott D. Miller|Courtesy Pictured: (top row) “Princess Elizabeth” and President Miller; (middle row) Dr. Larry Hultgren and Dr. Maynard Schaus; (bottom row) Dr. William Gibson, Senior Ashley Rehrman, and Dr. Elizabeth Malcolm

Prof sends fiery email, steps down as club advisor that she was “disappointed” by Gibson’s decision, but said that “everybody is entitled to their opinion,” and that the club was eager to identify a new advisor and move on.

She explained that his departure was not impacting club activities, which mostly include discussing current events and hosting speakers. The Capitol riot, “doesn’t represent the people that go [to the club meetings] at all,” Peterson said.

Club member Joshua Heller echoed Peterson’s sentiments. “I still respect him… I like him,” Heller said, explaining that he would have no qualms about taking another class with Gibson even after the email. He went on to say that “I don’t think he took anything out of proportion, I just don’t personally agree….” and that he would’ve preferred the situation be approached differently

by Gibson.

The College Republicans will now be advised by Kelly Jackson, Associate Director of the Robert Nusbaum Center on campus.

Black History Month celebrations arrive

BY CONNOR MERK ccmerk@vwu.edu

The Virginia Wesleyan campus community is celebrating Black History Month in a variety of formats.

The Office of Alumni and Parent Relations will host a Virtual Wesleyan Wednesday via Zoom at noon on Feb. 24. The topic, “A Decision to Be Impactful,” will be presented by Virginia Wesleyan alumna Chavon Thomas ‘11. According to VWU’s announcement on Black History Month, Thomas ended 2020 as an Amazon #1 bestselling author of, “Undeterred: Success Stories of Female Leaders Who Pursued a Seat at the Table,” a book she co-authored with other women in leadership.

Additionally, the Office of Counseling Service will host a session titled ““You Good? A Conversation on Black Mental Health,” with Dr. Crista Glover, Assistant Director

of Counseling Services. The discussion on current events will take place at noon on Feb. 19.

Also, the Robert Nusbaum Center will be hosting a virtual event called, “Tripped, Terrorized, Spat Upon, and Stabbed in School: The True Story of the Norfolk 17.” As a result of the “Massive Resistance” that closed Norfolk Public Schools from 1958 – 1959, seventeen black students were the first to integrate the city’s all-white high schools.

They reunited in 2007 to tell their story.

The Office of Student Activities, through their Instagram account @marlinsoffthehook, will be sharing Black History Month related content daily in coordination with student organizations, showcasing influential leaders such as Harriet Tubman and Hattie McDaniel.

Alumna featured in local art show

BY CONNOR MERK ccmerk@vwu.edu

Alumna Ja’lisa Yates ‘19 is currently featured in Virginia Beach Public Library’s Meet the Artist Show. Yates’ artwork includes human faces from her VWU Senior Art Exhibition, personal works and photo and portrait studies.

She mentions that she was inspired by historical artists, especially those that created portrait paintings, along with

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KHANNA CONTINUED FROM PG. 1

BY BRIANNA SANDY bnsandy@vwu.edu

Dr. William Gibson, Chair of the Political Science Department, recused himself as faculty advisor to the College Republicans student organization over the winter break. In an email to club members on Jan. 6, just a few hours after the U.S. Capitol was breached by rioting supporters of President Donald Trump, Gibson informed students that he would no longer be willing to serve as their faculty advisor.

Gibson decried the direction that the Republican Party has moved in over the last four years, stating that the party had moved away from “constitutional principles and conservative values,” during the Trump presidency and turned into a party defined by “tribalism and compulsive lying.”

He went on to tell the group that they should “take a break and examine [their] conscience[s].” Gibson was the group’s first advisor when they were created in spring 2020.

Abigail Peterson, the Vice President of the club, expressed

recognition.

Senior Phoebe Murell worked for the Elizabeth River Project before attending VWU, and the school’s status as a partner solidified her decision. She also helps the Sustainability Council on campus, which aims to get students involved in efforts to keep the campus environmentally-friendly through various activities and events.

“I am incredibly proud to attend here because of our environmental efforts,” Murell said. “With our large environmental program, I know programs like this are a draw for other students as well. However, our Sustainability Council doesn’t do its work to attract applicants--it does it because it cares!”

Murell has worked with the Sustainability Council on projects such as installing a rain garden in Marlin Meadows, preparing the plant beds in December 2019, and even initiating a “Sustainability Cord” for graduates, made from natural cotton and dyed with onion peels. The Sustainability Council encourages student participation in similar initiatives in order to keep the campus environmentally friendly and maintain the relationship with the ERP. “This is something you can take with you no matter what field you go into,” Murell said. “People appreciate being told they’re doing a good job, and the success of the River Star Business program is evidence of that.”

The ERP was formed after the Elizabeth River was identified as one of the most polluted rivers in the Chesapeake Bay, once even presumed ‘dead,’ or incapable of sustaining any form of life. The ERP website, elizabethriver.org, explains that they are, “one of the first environmental groups to use a social impact model,” to combat these challenges. Through education and restoration projects, the ERP has helped the river make a “dramatic recovery” that continues to this very day.

In the ERP 2020 scorecard, the river scored a ‘C’ overall, with each of its branches staying the same or improving since 2014. Grades are given based on levels of bacteria, bottom health, cancer rates in fish, water clarity and more. The biggest challenge to maintaining this progress is the more frequent rainfall due to climate change. The scorecard also reports on swimming precautions, news in wildlife, the diminished effects of toxic substances and other subjects concerning the river’s various branches.

Boatwright hopes that students see schools and businesses enacting projects that serve to benefit the environment, and that they are inspired to take similar initiatives in their lives, whether at work, at school or at home. Individuals wanting to contribute can join as duespaying members or volunteers.

contemporary artists that she follows on social media.

According to her personal website, after graduating from VWU, she has worked as a freelance digital artist using Clip Studio Paint Pro to provide designs and illustrations requested by clients.

and passion for being everywhere, Khanna doesn’t talk about it much. A Facebook post from Khanna’s mother put out the news to many friends and family that Khanna won the award and is involved in many campus groups.

“People were really excited and they were saying words like, ‘Wow, I didn’t know you were doing all this stuff.’

They also were watching the campus streaming, and reading the story that the university made that day on its website,” Khanna said.

However, that inspiration to do something on campus was not there from the first moment. Despite having been in all kinds of social groups since high school, when Khanna started college, the goal was just to take classes and go back to the dorms. “When I first came to college, I didn’t want to know anybody. All the friends that I have, I made by accident, but I am here now,” Khanna said.

Khanna is involved in many campus organizations such as Spectrum, Caribbean Student Association, Planned Parenthood Generation Action, the President’s Council for Inclusive Communities, Black Student Union, Debate and Student Diversity Board. All these groups have served as great experiences and lessons throughout the years.

“I have definitely learned that you cannot treat everyone the same, and by this I mean that I have acknowledged that not everyone has come from the same place,” Khanna said. “Since I’ve been here and I’ve been talking to all these different people, I’ve kinda learned that sometimes people are not intentionally ignorant or discriminatory.

They just either never have been corrected or have no idea of the outside world.” Khanna expressed that this was one of the biggest lessons; now, Khanna has overcome situations with other people by acknowledging that they are not the same.

“There have been some changes since I started in these groups; how I speak, what I’m saying, where I’m going and how I perceive things. However, I have been doing all this kind of stuff since high school, so the recognition is nice, but even if I didn’t get it and it went to another student or whoever, I still would’ve continued to do what I want to do,” Khanna said.

One of the speakers for that virtual commemoration was Associate Director of the Robert Nusbaum Center Kelly Jackson. She was the one in charge of presenting Rev. Dr. Melvin Blackwell, who was the closing speaker for the virtual ceremony. According to Jackson, over 200 people were connected to the live stream. “If over 200 people watched it live, that’s more than we could ever have in the auditorium even before COVID,” Jackson said. She expressed that the event was produced in advance and even though it was a successful event, because of the pandemic, you didn’t get that feeling of community.

Jackson also expressed her thoughts regarding the Mavis McKenley ‘11 award by encouraging Khanna to carry on staying involved. “I have known India for several years. [Khanna] is a phenomenal student that reaches out to opportunities, is eager to learn and... wants to give back to the community,” Jackson said.

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Community

Thursday February 11, 2021 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

The

MARLIN CHRONICLE Editor-in-Chief Alex Powers ampowers@vwu.edu Managing Editor Nicholas Mundy namundy@vwu.edu News Editor Connor Merk ccmerk@vwu.edu Community Editor Lauren Faulkner lafaulkner@vwu.edu Opinions Editor Dalton Powers dmpowers@vwu.edu Sports Editor Nicholas Mundy namundy@vwu.edu Weekender Editor Faith Macwana fpmacwana@vwu.edu Photo Editor Erin Highsmith eehighsmith@vwu.edu Illustrations Editor Emily Uzzle ebuzzle@vwu.edu Online Editor Ash Dobrenen akdobrenen@vwu.edu Copy Editor Brianna Sandy bmsandy@vwu.edu Advertising Manager Alyssa Lane amlane@vwu.edu Adviser Dr. Lisa Lyon Payne lpayne@vwu.edu

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

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

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

“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 President

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Kathleen Vanden Berg | Marlin Chronicle

Student Activities start fresh this spring semester

BY LAUREN FAULKNER lafaulkner@vwu.edu As students settle into campus for the beginning of the spring 2021 semester, they are being welcomed back with open arms by the Student Activities Department. The hard work of the Student Activities office and the Off the Hook team in the last semester is being carried over to the spring with lots of activities and plans for students to get involved on campus.

“Socially distanced in-person and virtual events are still rolling. We plan to have something every week, if not two to three events each week, so that is a challenge I have tasked my staff with so there is always something to do,” said Sarah Guzzo, Director of Student Activities.

Continued events from last semester include make-and-take events, such as the hanging plants takeaway that occured on Tuesday, Feb. 2, comedian acts, and possibly even a second season of the Masked Marlin that occurred over instagram during the winter break.

Students can look out for new favorite ac-

tivities such as virtual trivia and virtual game nights, plus many other activities where students can get involved with friends and possibly even win prizes.

Students can look forward to a previously postponed tradition coming back in the spring semester. Student Activities is hoping to bring back the Christmas Tree Lighting and 12 Days of Christmas Sing-off during the end of the spring semester. Even though Christmas has passed, the tree lighting will hopefully occur toward the end of the spring semester and, “we will be sending everyone off with the loudest sing-off yet,” Guzzo said.

The Student Activities office is continuing to brainstorm ways to bring back other traditions that COVID-19 has prevented from happening including AirBand, Mudgames and more. The Off the Hook team is also trying to think of new ways to host events that students will be able to participate in while remaining safe .

“Fall semester was our time to experiment

and see what works well and what doesn’t.

Now we have that semester under our belt and we can push the limits in our creativity. I am excited to see what my staff can come up with this semester,” Guzzo said.

Upcoming events that students can look forward to in the next few weeks include a Black History Month bingo where students will have to match historical African American figures with specific facts about their lives, a paint by number featuring prominent African American historical figures and a custom puzzle make and take kit.

For continued updates on activities on campus, students can find details about weekly activities in their ‘This Week’ email sent from Student Activities. Other details can be found in the Student Activities Event Calendar, and on the Off the Hook Instagram page, @marlinsoffthehook.

Students return to campus safely on move-in day

BY JACK PALMER jrpalmer@vwu.edu Marlin Nation was greeted back for the new semester with many of the same procedures that were in place for the Fall. For move-in day, students were staggered across move-in times on Jan. 24, 2021 to allow for adequate time and social distancing between roommates, and to allow ample space for families assisting their students with this process.

Before students could be assigned a move-in timeslot, all community members returning for in-person instruction were required to submit a negative COVID-19 test and complete a 14-day quarantine period. To put this in perspective, students were encouraged to begin their quarantine on Sunday, Jan. 11.

This protocol was identical to what was required to return in the fall semester. Once students sent in their negative COVID-19 test result, they were assigned a time slot that varied from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in two-hour increments through an email from the Office of Residence Life on how to proceed on this very exciting day. Similarly to the Fall, students were allowed to bring up to two helpers to assist them in move-in.

Once students arrived on campus, they pro-

ceeded to an assigned location to have their temperature checked as well as anyone that was with them. After they received the “green light,” they were issued a room key and allowed to proceed with unpacking and moving in their personal belongings.

Unfortunately, some students arrived outside of their two-hour move-in time slot and were told they could not return until the next day for move in. The Office of Residence Life was happy to accommodate them on Monday, the first day of the spring semester.

David Stuebing, Director of Residence Life, expressed how smoothly the spring move in process went. He indicated that the vast majority of students were up to date on their emails, followed directions and were able to movein without any hindrances. Stuebing jokingly stated that the only struggle experienced during the move-in process was the staff complaining about having to stand outside in the cold.

He indicated that the majority of planning for the move-in of the spring semester was facilitated by the Office of Residence Life. However, it would not have been possible without collaboration from the offices of Student Health Man-

agement, COVID Safe and Security.

Due to the success of the new move-in procedures that had been tested in the fall, Stuebing indicated that administration just built off the template they had created from the previous semester.

Lastly, he would like to remind all students to read all emails from the institution, as the university prides themselves on effectively communicating and conveying pertinent information. Each member of Marlin Nation is responsible for knowing the information that is communicated through their email.

The overwhelming consensus of students is that they are happy to be back on campus, excited for the new semester and are eager to create new memories with their friends. Looking back to before the start of the fall semester, many did not think it was possible to remain on campus for an entire semester, but the university community persevered. The administration seems to be confident that the student body will be able to remain in Virginia Beach for the spring with students’ continued support and flexibility.

What’s New on Campus?

BY LAUREN FAULKNER lafaulkner@vwu.edu While students were away for the winter break, many new changes were developing on campus and continue into this spring semester.

Physical changes on campus that students can note are the continued upgrades in the Susan T. Beverly Hall, formerly known as the Fine Arts Building. Upgrades to the building include a new acoustical floor and a new control room for the Edward D. Hofheimer theater, and a new kiln room for the art department. As the upgrades finish on the building, pictures of students performing and creating have been hung in the hallways of the renovated building.

Other physical upgrades around campus include the installation of solar lighting along the path between the Susan S. Goode Performing Arts Center and the Birdsong Field and an upgrade to the Cunningham Multi-Activity Center signage. Final touches were also completed in the Townebank Arena during the winter break.

Site work on the new DeFord Manor is also to begin in the next two weeks. According to a recent Nota Bene email, the DeFord Manor “is designed with extensive indoor and outdoor entertainment areas on the ground level and the president’s private residence on the second floor.” The manor will be located on Smith Drive near the Susan S. Goode Performing Arts

Center and the gatehouse.

Aside from physical updates, the Marlin community is welcoming two new organizations to campus: The Fun Zone and the American Sign Language club. More details about the Fun Zone can be found on page 5.

The American Sign Language club was founded over the winter break and has started to host meetings virtually as the spring semester begins. The purpose of the ASL club is to provide students with the opportunity to “gain baseline knowledge about ASL in order to promote community and inclusivity on campus” explained Elias Kenworthy, the ASL club president.

Currently, their meetings are being held online every Friday. Students can join the club simply by attending the Zoom meetings. Each meeting will go over some basic ASL vocabulary and review the previous week’s lesson as well. The Zoom meeting link can be found on their instagram account @marlins_asl_club,

Office of the President | Courtesy

which also includes a link to their website.

Another new club that has been introduced fairly recently this semester is VWU Democrats.

This new organization was introduced during the Virtual Student Involvement Fair. For more information about upcoming meetings, students should follow their Instagram account @marlinsdemocrats. More information about these two new organizations will be featured later this semester in the community section. To check out information about new clubs and organizations on campus, students can find a full list of active clubs on the vwu.edu website under student organizations.

2/10/2021 11:23:05 AM

The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Thursday, February 11, 2021

5

The Fun Zone brings new activities to Virginia Wesleyan’s Campus

BY KIMBERLY DEHART kmdehart@vwu.edu Fresh into a new start for the semester, a new organization has been formed at Virginia Wesleyan University called the Fun Zone.

This club is a collaboration between the University’s own Student Activities (which holds many of the University’s events and activities) and the recreation department.

Both parties work together to plan events and activities for students to participate in and get involved.

Freshmen Melina Cabral and Matt Hardy are the Fun Zone’s supervisors, and they work together to lead this organization and its events on campus.

The basis of the Fun Zone is getting students to come out and participate to win activities and challenges and earn points. The points a single student earns will add up during the semester, and the two students with the most points will win prizes such as an Apple Watch, Air Pods, and more.

Events are held every week, and there are always flyers posted in the Batten Center and around campus along with frequent emails sent out by Student Activities with all information needed.

The Fun Zone recently put on a push-up contest which took place on Feb. 3. The contest was hosted in the Batten Center hallway from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Students participating in the contest were required to do as many push-ups as they could in one minute to earn points toward The Fun Zone.

The Fun Zone also hosted soccer juggling, a hula hoop challenge, a jump rope contest, a paper airplane contest

and a 3-point basketball shootout as well. The Fun Zone has many more events soon to come that students can look out for, including a stand-up paddle board yoga event in the pool.

Senior Xavier Hess participated in the push-up contest. Hess stated that he participated because he used to do pushups for ROTC, but hadn’t done push-ups continuously in a long time and he was curious to see how he would do.

“I was very excited for this contest and enjoyed the competitive atmosphere a lot. My goal was to do as many as possible,” said Hess. He said the most he had ever done was 82 in two minutes.

During the competition, a timer was set and Hess ended completing 55 pushups in one minute. Hess stated that he had been waiting for this event for a week and was the first one there to compete. Hess also mentioned he is looking forward to any other fitness related activities in the future.

Hannah Carmona, an event supervisor for Off the Hook, stated that, “The Fun Zone is a fun way to help get students up and out of their rooms and get them going and active, to participate in new things and meet some new people.”

She stated that she enjoys the events that the Fun Zone puts on and hopes that more students will want to get involved and come out with a positive experience to share.

With the current COVID limitations on in-person events, the Fun Zone is a good way to be a part of ongoing events on campus, step out of your comfort zone and have a chance to win some nice prizes. Since there are activities

VWU Recreation | Courtesy

to compete in every week, there is plenty of opportunity to participate and win challenges and earn some points.

Students can find more information about upcoming events for The Fun Zone by keeping an eye out for new flyers or by following @vwurec and @marlinsoffthehook on Instagram.

Virtual Student Involvement Fair brings new members to VWU clubs

BY ISAAC GUZMAN imguzman@vwu.edu

The Virtual Student Involvement Fair for the spring semester held on Friday, Feb. 5 was a major success for many clubs and organizations on campus.

Traditionally, the student involvement fair is held in person in the CMAC at the beginning of each semester.

Student organizations usually attract new student members by having team members at a table where they can share information and gather student contact info. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the involvement fair was moved to a virtual format.

There are many aspects of the involvement fair that are different this semester. Sarah Guzzo, the Director of Student Activities mentions a couple, which were to create google meet links, and prepare presentations to go along with the individual club meetings. In many ways, the involvement fair was also similar to the in-person version held in previous years.

“There is still a lot of traffic and people reaching out,” Guzzo said. She also added that the chat box feature allows the leaders and students to communicate about contact information and make sure all questions are answered.

According to Sarah Guzzo, the organizations that were confirmed as active had the opportunity to share their names, purposes and links to social media for the involvement fair. The fair, although virtual, was not silenced by the pandemic and its protocols.

“The involvement fair in person was chaotic--and now it is still chaotic, but just virtually,” said Guzzo. Guzzo’s main responsibility, during a virtual involvement fair, was to provide and create a virtual space for the different clubs and organizations to recruit and appropriately display their purposes and contact information.

There are many purposes for the involvement fair; it is not only for freshmen that are stopping by to find out more information about offered clubs, but also for upperclassmen who are looking to become more engaged.

The online version of the involvement fair allows for students to communicate with other Marlins who are leaders and members and their corresponding faculty advisors.

The involvement fair was also a personal moment for Guzzo, who said, “...[The students] feel like they belong,

Student Activities | Courtesy

5Community_2_9_2020_USE THIS ONEEE.indd 1

and as a staff we try our best in person to promote the sense of belonging.”

The student organizations are led by the students and advised by staff who make sure the organization meets requirements and promotes inclusivity, excellence and honorable behavior.

Organizations like fraternities, sororities and ministerial groups were at this event. Former Alpha Sigma Alpha president Caroline Domo said that the Involvement Fair was “a chance to reach out to new girls around campus and share a little about our sisterhood and what it means to be an Alpha Sig!” The goals for the members of this sorority are “maintaining our previous awards for high GPAs within the chapter as well as serving our community and philanthropy,” according to Domo.

Over the last year, the Spectrum organization and the Marlin Ministries LGBTQ+ group have had the opportunity to collaborate and “start a revolution,” said Kenneth Henry, one of the leaders in the LGBTQ+ group on campus.

Henry shared why it was important to provide this platform and community to be more inclusive on the Virginia Wesleyan campus, stating, “I expect people to have an interest in our groups because many religions and communities are not inclusive to the LGBTQ+ community and now we have a chance to make a difference.”

All three clubs and organizations hosted their own virtual events during the student involvement fair. Other clubs and organizations that hosted their own meetings include Marlins Go Green, College Republicans, Young Democrats Club, Movie Crew and more.

Students were able to access these events via a Google sheet filled with all the information about each club, including the Google Meet links to each individual meeting. That Google form is still active for students to access. It includes details about club leaders and social media accounts that students can reach out to in order to find out more information if they missed the event.

2/10/2021 11:26:01 AM

Opinions

6

Thursday February 11, 2021 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

‘Now, others can too’

What exactly happened with GameStop?

Mimi Mitchell|Courtesy

BY MIMI MITCHELL VWU Alum ‘07 Many people are astonished to find Kamala D. Harris in the white house as the Vice President of the United States.

For many women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, this comes as no surprise.

For 113 years Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA) has prepared women as leaders in every arena of life. From college campuses to local cities and even countries outside the United States, Alpha Kappa Alpha women have been at the forefront of effective advocacy and social change that results in equality and equity for citizens of the world.

It starts at the college level. Just right here at Virginia Wesleyan University, Alpha Kappa Alpha was the first historically black greek letter organization organized on the campus in 2004. Alpha Kappa Alpha members were the first black women at VWU to serve as Homecoming Queen, Greek President of the Year, Student Activities Council Founding President(now Off the Hook) and Peace Corps Ambassador.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® has been able to see young women flourish on their campuses and apply those same skills to life after college. They teach them how to run events smoothly, how to speak effectively in front of audiences, how to accurately maintain a budget, and how to adhere to deadlines. Alpha Kappa Alpha also teaches regular social skills, i.e., how to have proper emotional intelligence, and how to work and problem solve effectively. Many women now serve as top business owners, judges, senators, and doctors. They are working to create change, advocate for those who can’t advocate for themselves and even make sure people are taken care of during the pandemic.

The best part of AKA is the sisterhood.

In the midst of what AKA does, it is still a sisterhood of women who are bonded together, who love each other, who laugh and cry with each other and who show up for each other. That love transcends time and location, across generations of women, young and seasoned.

It is in that sisterhood and love that the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha all over, including at Virginia Wesleyan, were excited to see a member serving the nation at such a high level because we always knew it was possible. And now, others can too.

CAPITOL CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 “Wow, white people can literally get away with anything.” I mean here were people who had openly admonished the Black Lives Matter protests of the summer and reduced the grieving and protests of the African American community to rioting, doing the very thing they had accused protestors of doing only a few months ago.

Regardless of where you stand politically, the display of white privilege that was shown that day has to be addressed first and foremost because it is the key to understanding how this tragedy was able to happen.

Nadia Nafar|Courtesy

BY DR. NADIA NAFAR nnafar@vwu.edu If you follow the financial markets, the GameStop story felt like watching the Super Bowl. A number of individual traders, sharing research and stock picks on the Reddit forum WallStreetBets and trading from their phones, managed to beat hedge fund managers at their own game, inflicting billions of dollars in losses.

How did this happen? To explain the GameStop saga, it is important to understand what “short selling” is. If you own a stock and you expect its price to fall in the future, you can sell it. If you don’t own the stock, but expect its price to fall, you can “short” it or “short sell” it.

Short selling involves borrowing stocks for a specific period of time, selling them and buying them back to return them, preferably once the price has fallen down.

This is what some hedge fund managers were hoping to do with GameStop. Hedge funds are investment firms that specialize in risky investment and trading strategies, including short selling, to generate high returns. Like many storefront retailers,

mechanism to invest and generate wealth.

More participation is certainly desirable as it allows people from diverse backgrounds to achieve economic prosperity. However, the market is also risky. Investing all of your money in one or a few stocks is dangerous because you could lose everything. Timing the market by trying to figure out future movements is very difficult, even for the professionals.

This is why diversification and long term investment is important. You can achieve it by buying cheap index funds, as they allow exposure to the market at lower risk. Your risk is spread out as your money is invested in a large number of stocks instead of one or a few stocks.

The WallStreetBets traders that bought the stock at a low price and sold at a high price due to the “short squeeze” made money. The rest of the traders who refused to sell to “send a message to the establishment” got emotionally involved with the trade and are likely to see their profits go down as the price of the stock falls. The rest of traders that bought the stock after hearing of the GameStop saga in the news and before trading got restricted, paid a high price and are likely to sell at a low price as the stock closed at $53.50 on Friday Feb 5th. Nevertheless, participation in the stock market is important, but diversification is better than stock picking and time in the market is better than timing the market.

Dr. Nadia Nafar is Assistant Professor of Management, Business and Economics at Virginia Wesleyan University. She conducts research on Investments and Corporate Finance and teaches Finance at the graduate and undergraduate level.

Erin Highsmith|Marlin Chronicle

After the Capitol was cleared and things began to calm down a bit, I couldn’t rest. I consumed any and all information I could about how the attacks came to fruition and I didn’t have to go far to realize that the planning of the attempted coup could have been seen by anyone with internet access.

Since the night of November 4, Donald Trump had not ceased to spread the rhetoric that he was the true winner of the presidency and that the election was fraudulent. It was these words that charged his base with anger and indignation that could be seen in any Pro-Trump, Proud Boy, or QAnon chatroom since mid November.

Not only were groups planning to come to DC to protest, but they were planning to come armed, having conversations

Forbes|Courtesy The riots on the Capitol on Jan. 6 have left plenty of disruption in their wake.

6Opinions_2_9_2020_REDO.indd 1

GameStop has seen declining profitability and intense competition from online streaming. The stock seemed like an easy short selling target.

Free time due to COVID-19 lockdowns along with access to information and analysis tools and a desire to make money enabled WallStreetBets to identify the GameStop short positions. Going against the hedge funds positions, the group bought GameStop driving the stock’s price higher. It is not clear why WallstreetBets chose to buy GameStop.

Did they truly believe that GameStop is worth investing in? Did they buy in order to save GameStop from the shorts?

Since WallStreetBets is dominated by millennials and Gen Z who grew up shopping there, did nostalgia play a role?

As the stock price increased, the hedge funds were forced to buy back the stock.

They bought in high volumes, which increased the price even more. The stock moved from about $18 in early January to $483 on January 28th. The WallStreetBets traders squeezed (took out) the shorts (the hedge funds) out of the trade. This is referred to as a “Short Squeeze”. This caused many of the WallStreetBets traders to make a fortune and inflicted huge losses on the hedge funds.

This story demonstrates how technology has changed Wall Street.

The individual investor has access to information, research and analysis tools and commission free trading. Social media also plays a major role in allowing individual traders to communicate, coordinate trades, and impact stock prices.

This highlights the emergence of the individual investor as an important player in the financial markets.

With increased access to the stock market, education is ever more important.

The stock market remains the best

about the logistics. They literally planned carpools.

The FBI was fully aware of the mass of protestors coming and even warned Congress members who would be present at the day’s counting of the electoral votes. Representative Maxine Waters even called the Capitol Police to ensure that the legislators would be protected and yet when the swarm of rioters appeared at the steps of the Capitol, only a fourth of the available personnel was on duty.

Anyone who has ever been to the Capitol knows that you can’t just “breach” it.

There are a multitude of security measures and it’s usually crawling with armed Capitol Police on a normal day. So where was everybody? When asked about this, the (now former) Chief of the Capitol Police, a department that has faced repeated complaints of racism, admitted that he underestimated the Trump supporters. Big surprise.

This is an opinion piece so you’re probably wondering what I think. To be honest with you, dear reader, I’m still trying to figure that one out.

I think that a police officer was beat to death with the same “Blue Lives Matter” flag that was supposedly created to symbolize protection and respect for police in America (although I can’t remember when being a police officer meant that you were oppressed, as the name suggests).

I think we will never be able to bring all the people who committed crimes that day to justice. I think that a day that I associate with grief for the loss of my father will now have to share another painful memory. I think that when BLM protestors took to the streets of DC they were met with tweets of “When the looting

starts, the shooting starts,” but when these actual rioters took over the Capitol, they were considered “very special people.”

But overall, I think that the events of that day were sickening and yet representative of what Americans are willing to do and overlook in the name of white supremacy.

This week, the Senate is beginning to hold the second impeachment trial for Donald Trump. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be acquitted. In fact, I doubt that he will ever truly be held responsible for his actions, because make no mistake, he is responsible for the events of January 6th as is everyone who supported and perpetuated his claims of election fraud.

Many Republicans are calling for unity in this moment. For us to let go of what happened and move forward. They don’t seek any retribution for the former president because it would damn many of their legislators as well, not to mention the angry base that would surely take action if their beloved leader were to ever come to harm. So is it really a time for unity?

Or is it a time to reflect and address what over 74 million Americans really for. I’ll end with this, one of the most common reactions to the events of January 6th were stunned people saying “This isn’t my America”. I would argue that those people never had a true understanding of what America is.

Anitra Howard is a junior at Virginia Wesleyan University, studying political science.

2/10/2021 10:51:34 PM

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Sports

Thursday February 11, 2021 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Men’s basketball returns from pause

Closer

the

BY NICHOLAS MUNDY namundy@vwu.edu

Sports Information|Courtesy

Men’s basketball huddles against Old Dominion.

BY SHIRELL WASHINGTON sawashington@vwu.edu

The Virginia Wesleyan University men’s basketball team started their 20202021 season back in December of 2020 to end the hiatus of Virginia Wesleyan sports triggered by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The men’s basketball team has started their season off on a rocky start when they picked up three losses to start the season. For their first time back on the court, the Marlins played the Monarchs of Old Dominion University to which the Marlins fell 77-57. The men’s basketball team went on to play the Battling Bishops of NC Wesleyan 75-62, and the Sea Gulls of Salisbury 67-58. The Marlins claimed their first victory of the 2020-2021 season when the team defeated the Wildcats of Randolph College for the first home game of the season. Now, the Marlins are currently sitting 1-3 for the season overall and 1-0 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

On Jan 20, the Marlins men’s basketball team was ranked second at the conclusion of the 2020-2021 season according to ODAC preseason coach polls. With this in mind, the Marlins are anticipated to have a great season, especially with the roster having a wide range of players from different classes including five seniors, four juniors, five sophomores, and six freshmen. With this diverse team of players, they are looking better than ever and are ready to face whatever challenges that may come their way.

Junior Evan Tebay, a guard for the VWU men’s basketball team, had some

comments on how he thinks the season is going so far. “So far the season has been okay. I think it’s been pretty solid,” Evan Tebay said. Though the Marlins are still focused on their goals and expectations for this season, “the expectations are always to just play our brand with everything that consists of, always play our brand and have our own way on the court,” and, “always at the end of the year to bring home a championship for the school and for Coach Macedo,” said Tebay.

Last year, the Marlins were left out of March Madness as they did not get selected for the tournament. With this unfortunate news, the Marlins 20192020 season ended, but this only fueled the team’s motivation for the next season. Unfortunately, the NCAA March Madness has been canceled this year, but Tebay said, “we’re definitely out for revenge this year, it was a hard thing to swallow last year,” and “we just have to come out this year and show everybody why we should have been in it last year.”

This season for the Marlins is different from past years due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has made it tough for many sports. A major consequence of the pandemic is no fan attendance at games. For the season, the Marlins will have no fans in stands at their home games. Fans are not permitted to attend any of the home games per a conference policy that was passed to discourage the spread of the coronavirus.

This means the energy will be different for the players and fans this season, “You

know, playing in the fish tank is a big deal sometimes, and at big games, it can really help us,” Tebay said. “Whether it’s a big dunk or big three: the fans really get us going and give us a boost when the can,” and, “It definitely plays a part, but at the end of the day we’re basketball players we are going to go out and play whether there are 1000 people watching us or whether there is one person watching,” Tebay said.

With the new rules and regulations of the return college sports, the men’s basketball team continues to have their heads on strong as they chase to win an ODAC championship trophy. “The goal is to bring back an ODAC championship at the end of the year,” Tebay said. “We are looking to steal a championship with...

COVID-19 going on.”

At the moment, the Virginia Wesleyan University men’s basketball team was put on a temporary pause due to Virginia Wesleyan University and ODAC pandemic protocols. The Marlins were scheduled to play a home game against the Hornets of Shenandoah University on Jan. 28, but the game was canceled.

For the moment, there have been no new announcements or information about the Marlins’ return to the court to continue their season. Even with the pandemic’s challenges, though, the Marlins are still looking forward to a great season.

Women’s basketball slow out of the gate

Senior Sabrina Jones drives to the hoop at Virginia Wesleyan.

Wo m e n ’s basketball namundy@vwu.edu skids to start the season as they fall to 1-4 after loss to Roanoke. Losses to Salisbury and Roanoke have given the Marlins an 0-2 record in ODAC play. This young, inexperienced team is searching for an identity to start the season.

There are only four upperclassmen on the entire roster.

Sabrina Jones and Danielle Lehner were the only two seniors to play in the Feb. 6 game against Roanoke.

The Marlins lost by 62 points in a game that was never competitive. Suspensions due to university pandemic protocols and injuries have taken out some of the most experienced players on the team, leaving them in tatters on the court. The lack of experience shows, with 35 turnovers in the loss.

This lack of experience has resulted in a poor start

BY NICHOLAS MUNDY

7Sports_2_9_2020.indd USEEEEEEEEEE.indd 1

Tom Brady captured his seventh ring in the Buccaneers’ victory in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in a relatively non-competitive game. Tom Brady put up 31 points against the Chiefs’ defense, but that wasn’t the key matchup of the game.

The matchup that proved to have the biggest in the game didn’t feature either of the two quarterbacks. The Buccaneers’ defensive line against the Chiefs’ offensive line turned out to be the deciding factor in Super Bowl LV. Mahomes was running for his life on almost every drop back.

Mahomes was pressured 29 times, which is more than any other quarterback in Super Bowl history.

In the end, Brady now has more Super Bowl victories than any franchise in the league. Brady has won seven out of the 10 Super Bowls he has appeared in. After winning his latest championship, there’s one important question surrounding the 43-year-old quarterback: How much longer will he play for?

Brady has mentioned he would “definitely consider” playing past 45-years old. But how long can he stay competitive?

In 2019, Brady threw his second lowest touchdown season total of his career (counting only seasons that he played more than one game). Leading up to the latest Super Bowl, rumors swirled about whether he could still compete at a high level.

Brady answered the doubters with an incredible showing. With a new environment, coaches, and teammates, he put up one of his most outstanding seasons of his 21-year career. He threw his second most touchdown passes in a season in his first year with Tampa Bay. Surrounded by incredible weapons such as Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, and Rob Gronkowski, Brady flourished.

Brady could easily play through age 45 with his current career trajectory. Let’s begin with some projections. Brady will probably finish his career in Tampa Bay, but could sign a one-day contract to retire as a New England Patriot.

Now the interesting part: it’s easy to pick Brady to possibly reach next year’s Super Bowl. He goes on to lose Super Bowl LVI, but doesn’t retire after that. Teams very rarely win back-to-back Super Bowls.

That brings Brady to his age 45 season in which he takes Tampa Bay to another championship victory.

After hard consideration, Brady returns for his final season at 46. For the sake of prediction, he will go out on the bottom as he doesn’t get to the Super Bowl again before retiring.

Brady conquered a historic night on Feb. 7 against Kansas City, but there will be more to add to the legacy of his career in the coming seasons.

Sports Information|Courtesy

for the Marlins. Early on in the season, the Marlins are averaging around 50 points per game. This puts them in 9th place in regards to ODAC team scoring (the three teams behind them haven’t played a game yet). They are going to need to protect the basketball and score much more if they want to turn this season around.

Seniors Sierra Coleman, Sabrina Jones, and Danielle Lehner lead the squad as the few upperclassmen. They have played together for multiple seasons.

The freshman class makes up 10 out of the 17 players on the current roster. While the issues regarding this team are glaring, this group of women provides ample ground for growth. Sophomores Bianca Atkinson and Logan Carter earned starting roles during their freshman season and continue to hold them through the beginning of this season.

There are a few bright spots for this team early on in the season. Transfer Celeste Rucker is averaging 10 points

per game while being one of the team leaders in minutes.

The team was lacking seven players from their most recent game against Roanoke, including their top two leading scorers this season, S’Zahria Jones and Adaje Williams. Both freshmen are averaging over 10 points per game to start their collegiate career with the Marlins.

Head Coach Liz Hudy has her work cut out for her in trying to right the ship in her second season with the team. The Marlins have a ton of young talent surrounding this roster, and the rest of the season will give a good indication how strong this freshman class will be over the next three years.

This team will continue to grow together throughout the season as the young players gain experience on the court. The Marlins are looking to bounce back in some upcoming ODAC matchups after their rough start.

2/10/2021 11:53:17 AM

Sports

The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu February 11, 2021

8

Teams starting up

PLAY CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 total of 246 donations, bringing in a total of $32,886 for the campaign. In addition, the Virginia Department Of Health donated $20,000 worth of COVID-19 tests. In total, the #HelpUsPlay campaign received a total of over $56,000 in donations. All will be sorely needed.

Abbott Laboratories out of Raleigh, North Carolina was found to be the provider of the COVID-19 tests. The tests cost $8 each, but come out to be $14-15 a test with labor and other costs included. With the campaign being a success and the test provider found, testing began. Out of 552 tests in January, there were two positives. In addition, there are expected to be around 900 student-athletes tested in February and 600 in March.

In an interview with VWU’s women’s softball Head Coach Brandon Elliott, it was apparent that the task at hand was very new. “We didn’t know the responses we’d get. It’s something we haven’t done before as a department; we had to come together as a department,” said Elliot.

However, fundraising expectations were surpassed. “We had a lot higher percentage than originally thought,” said Elliott.

“Faculty and professors have been some of the largest donors.”

The interview also gave appreciation to what the Athletic Department accomplished. “This was a unified front from the entire department. I think that is what made it powerful. It just kind of shows you how special Marlin Nation is,” said Elliot.

It would have been impossible to return to play without the #HelpUsPlay campaign. Women’s volleyball player Haley Sutten and women’s softball player Makenzie Watts expressed that playing meant everything to them. “All of us are here to play.

It means a lot to me, it’s my outlet, it’s what I want to do when I wake up in the morning,” said Sutten. The campaign made playing possible.

“With playing a spring sport, it made me not take anything for granted, having everything taken away,” said Watts.

Not having a sports season would not only affect the studentathletes. “Without us playing, our coaches could be out of jobs,” said Haley. In addition to the monetary success of the campaign, there was another bright light shown by its success. “It goes to show, beyond athletics, it goes to show the sense of community we have around here,” said Watts. Without the donors and the

tireless efforts of the entire VWU community, the #HelpUsPlay initiative may not have succeeded. But it did.

The two student-athletes did not leave only their thoughts of the campaign, but they wanted to say one last thing before the interview was over. They wanted to give thanks to the donors.

When asked what they would say to the donors if they could, Sutton responded with: “A big thank you!!”

“Thank you, it means so much,” Watts said.

W. Soccer Feb. 12 vs. Randolph Macon Baseball Feb. 24 @Salisbury Softball Feb. 20 @William Peace

VWU| Instagram Coach Joanne Renn and President Scott D. Miller hold up a check for the money raised from the #HelpUsPlay initiative.

Winter sports championships cancelled

BY NICHOLAS MUNDY namundy@vwu.edu

The NCAA committee has decided to cancel winter sports championships for the 2020-2021 academic year. Due to COVID-19, there are very low participation numbers in all nine of the winter sports. The NCAA released this statement in regards to the cancellation of winter sports championships: “Today, we made the difficult decision to cancel our Division III winter championships.

While some institutions have been able to safely return to sport, the recent declaration form data show that more than half of our division has not returned to winter sport practice and competition to be in a position for NCAA national championship participation,”said Fayneese Miller, Chair of the Division III Presidents Council.

M. Soccer Feb. 21 @W&L

There will be six programs at Virginia Wesleyan affected by this decision, which includes men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming, and men’s and women’s track and field.

The NCAA committee looks for a certain number of teams to participate in the championship to determine if it will be played. No team reached over 50% of participants. Men’s basketball held the highest percentage at 48.6%, while women’s swimming held the least at 42.0%.

Though this comes as disappointing news to not only winter athletes, Marlins nation looks forward to more opportunities to showcase their skills during the season.

W. Lacrosse Feb. 27 @Roanoke M. Lacrosse March 1 vs. St. Mary’s M. Tennis Feb. 20 vs. Norfolk State W. Tennis Feb. 19 vs. Norfolk State

Men’s and women’s soccer strives for ODAC success

Sports Information|Courtesy Women’s soccer huddles on the field.

Jaron Berry dribbles past defenders.

BY NICHOLAS MUNDY

BY NICHOLAS MUNDY

namundy@vwu.edu

namundy@vwu.edu

Women’s soccer is searching for redemption in their spring 2021 season after falling to Randolph-Macon in the ODAC finale back in November of 2019. The Marlins had an impressive 2019 season. They finished with an incredible 13-3-4 record and 7-2-1 in conference play. Five out of their top six scorers from last season are returning.

Scoring leaders Mia Meinhardt (also AllODAC First Team) and Reina Araujo are coming off of impressive junior seasons.

Junior, Kennedi Anders received All-ODAC Second Team in her sophomore year.

Sophomore Sam Crawford earned the ODAC Rookie of the Year Award in 2019.

She spoke on what makes this group special: “The way we all work hard and support each other,” said Crawford.

Every team is going to have to overcome many obstacles during a season plagued by COVID-19. Crawford mentioned what winning it all would mean during the shortened season: “I feel that winning an ODAC championship would be great, but it would mean more this season because without playing for so long and having many restrictions throughout the year, coming back and winning it would feel amazing,” said Crawford.

Head Coach Jeffrey Bowers is entering his 21st season with the program. He mentions what he is most excited about with this

8Sports_2_9_2020.indd USEEEEEEEEEE.indd 1

group. “When you look at this group, we’ve got a great mix of seniors who have a ton of experience along with some really exciting freshmen,” said Bowers.

There are going to be unique challenges that each team is going to have to overcome.

COVID-19 can not only cause a team to miss a game, but could derail an entire season if not handled properly. “The biggest challenge, I think, is just remaining COVID free, and not having starts and stops. I think if we can get into a rhythm, we will be in really good shape. I think that’s every team’s challenge,” said Bowers.

Bowers also talked about keeping motivation with this team during a challenging season. “I think we are fortunate that we have a lot of self-motivated individuals on our team that are driven,” said Bowers.

There are no national championship tournaments for the women’s soccer division.

However, there is an ODAC tournament that will be held this spring. The Marlins have been to the last two ODAC championship matchups, but have failed to win both.

After over a year since the last game, the Marlins are looking to redeem themselves in their first matchup of the season. They open against rival Randolph-Macon, who ended their 2019 season in penalty kicks in the ODAC Championship.

Men’s soccer heads into the new season striving for success as they go for their first winning season since 2016. The Marlins were bounced out of the ODAC tournament last season in the quarterfinals against Washington and Lee. Head Coach Chris Mills talked about the expectations for this team as he enters his eighth season at the helm. “It’s a young group. We only have three seniors on our team. Obviously, we haven’t played in almost a year and a half, so it’s interesting.

I feel like we have a pretty good group, but you never know until you get out there and play,” said Mills.

It has been a long time since the Marlins were in action, but they did finish the last season by winning three of their last six matches. Ending the season on a good note is always something to build off of.

“Towards the end, we started to piece some things together. Obviously, we got a big result against Washington and Lee. It kind of showed we can play with the top teams.

We just lacked a little bit of depth due to all the injuries we had,” said Mills.

Though the Marlins are playing with a young roster, Mills is returning a few talented upperclassmen. Scott Signorelli finished fifth in ODAC goals for last season.

Signorelli earned All-ODAC Second Team honors during his sophomore year.

Sports Information|Courtesy

As the Marlins finished with a losing record last season, there were a few bright spots. They finished 4-4 in the ODAC play. Among goal scorers for the Marlins, senior Kevin Prophet was tied for second in assists. Prophet talked about some of his personal goals aligning with the team this season: “I want to see the team win for a long time, especially after my time at Wesleyan concludes. I would want to help create that foundation for a winning mentality to be set and passed down.”

“We have a bunch of young guys that are ready to step up and succeed and play, and I think that dynamic will help us in the long run,” said Prophet.

As there will be no fans in attendance for events and games this spring, Prophet explained that teams are going to have to take on a new environment. “I would say it’s going to be weird and an adjustment, especially because we are a team that thrives off energy from the crowd. We will take care of the energy as a team and on the sidelines for sure.”

They won their exhibition matchup against Methodist University. Their game against Randolph-Macon on February 12 was cancelled. The Marlins’ next matchup on Feb. 21 will be versus Washington and Lee, who knocked them out of the ODAC tournament last season.

2/10/2021 11:38:17 AM

Giant screen set up on Rose Lawn for scary movie night Thursday February 11, 2021 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

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Tiffany Warren | Courtesy Local high school art teachers paint Black Lives Matter mural

MURAL CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 sound, energy and movement because of the style of work that Nicole is doing right now. We wanted it to be caring, contemporary and today,” said Singleton.

Music played a major role in the creation of, “The Black Lives More Than Matter,” mural. The two high school art teachers incorporated elements of music by choosing the words on the Black protest signs that represent song titles such as, “Fight the Power,” “Move on Up,” and “The Bigger Picture.”

“The relatable element is the headphones. The idea of music ties people, generations and communities together.

For me the background is hope, dreams and possibilities,” Harp said.

Clayton added, “The mural has freedom. It has music.

It has voice. It has activity. But it also has the narrative.”

Dr. Joyce Howell, VWU art history professor shared

that, “Stories bind us together as a society. We cohere and come together around stories. We need narrative stories rather than dry facts. Art speaks to us from another dimension almost and works better than arguments.”

Both art teachers also shared their hopes of the mural inspiring their high school students with the message they want them to get across and to use art as a medium to express themselves.

Harp shared, “They are our future. I hope by us setting the example with art making as the great communicator that we’ve shown for them.”

“Students have the direct ability to help create the world they want to live in. Too often we say ‘this is how it is.’

There’s a certain set of limitations that we’ve been taught to believe in. I’m hoping that this mural says to them those limitations really don’t exist,”said Singleton.

Howell added, “Looking at a work of art is a perfect way to get a conversation going to permit expansion into the topic of diversity. It’s much more effective than telling the class, ‘Well, class, we’re going to talk about diversity.’”

“Singleton is a visual artist that is poetic in a way of creating not just the literal thing that is represented. He creates things we haven’t seen before because it’s coming from within his perception that he has. This is an artistic achievement. It’s a brilliant award for a brilliant person. If it wasn’t for COVID-19, I would just give him a great big hug,” said Howell.

Locals and first-time visitors can stop by the NEON District of Norfolk on 737 Granby Street by O.J. Wholesale in Norfolk, VA to experience the artistic work of Singleton and Harp. Maybe the next time you visit you will see a muralist at work in the neighborhood.

Valentine’s

day

BY FAITH MACWANA fpmacwana@vwu.edu

Valentine’s Day might look a little different this weekend given the current pandemic. The good news is that there are still plenty of things to do in order to have a fun and safe Valentine’s Day.

Spending a holiday alone that’s supposed to celebrate love can feel a bit upsetting. However, there’s nothing wrong with taking yourself out on a date. This could mean going to grab a coffee for yourself or treating yourself to an at-home spa day. Being comfortable with being alone can be super beneficial in the long run.

That said, if you are looking for a special someone to spend the day with, look no further. Off The Hook, Spectrum and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority are teaming up to make safe dating a reality through Marlin Matchmaking. The form will be open from Feb. 3 through Feb. 11 and matches will be set between Feb. 12 and 14. This online questionnaire, which can be found on the Instagram page @dir_of_stu_act, asks about compatibility metrics such as your ideal first date, favorite movie genre and how you would describe yourself.

Whether you’re spending the day in-person with your significant other or virtually, you can still make the best of it.

Virginia Beach has plenty of COVID-safe places to eat at, such as Waterman’s near the Oceanfront. Guests are able to enjoy an outdoor eating experience while being in the comfort of little “igloos” to ensure social distancing is being followed. If you and your partner are more of homebodies, try enjoying the night with a home cooked meal.

Virginia Wesleyan’s Greek life is also hosting a Sweet, Sweet Valentine Sale Feb. 10–11 in which there will be items you can purchase for your partner, friends or even yourself.

The items include roses for $1, Hershey’s kiss bags with handwritten cards for $3 or a sing-o-gram for $3.

Emily Uzzle | Marlin Chronicle

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Valentine’s Day does not have to be a strictly romantic day. It can also be a day to celebrate the platonic relationships in your life such as friends and family. What’s better than being surrounded by the people you love on a day that celebrates that?

Some suggestions include grabbing a few of your friends and enjoying the day together, FaceTiming a family member or just telling someone in your life how much you appreciate them.

The little things add up at the end.

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Thursday February 11, 2021 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

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Snow Day at VWU This gallery captures the first moments of snowfall on campus in Virginia Beach.

Students take the opportunity to go outside and enjoy the snowy landscape.

Photo Credits - Alex Powers ampowers@vwu.edu

Streaming Services bring entertainment home / by Phoebe Cox - pecox@vwu.edu The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a series of challenges for all people and industries. One sector that has been hit hard is the movie industry.

With movie theatres shutting down all over the country and avid theater-goers finding their schedules open, the desire for cinematic masterpieces to go directly to streaming services has exponentially increased. Thankfully, services like Netflix and Disney Plus have stepped up their game and given the people what they want.

In 2013, Netflix began producing its own original content. If you find yourself amongst the throngs of people searching for new material to watch, look no further. Netflix has come out with a host of new shows and documentaries to satisfy the people’s needs.

If you’re looking for something utterly spooky and mind-twisting, “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” is for you.

Written by the same masterminds behind, “The Haunting of Hill House,” this show offers the audience a plethora of jumps and scares as you travel through the world of a haunted English countryside.

“The Queen’s Gambit,” is more of an intellectual thriller that pulls you along through the realm of chess and into the mind of an orphaned girl. Be prepared for tears to fall as you learn more about the girl, who completely upturns the norms of a game that has been around for centuries.

Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes, and Ariana Grande have all released enthralling documentaries that can only be

found on Netflix, taking the initiative to deliver their creative intellects to you right in the comfort of your own home (or dorm).

Ever since its debut in 2019, Disney Plus has astounded fans and haters alike as it has made available closelyguarded content from the Disney vaults.

“The Mandalorian,” presents an intriguing side story set within the Star Wars universe. It tells the captivating tale of a lone Mandalorian on a quest to save the goodness of the Force. Avid and not-so-avid Star Wars fans alike will enjoy this show as new favorite characters travel the galaxy.

The recently released, Marvel-inspired show, “Wandavision,” has many viewers feeling fascinated and confused at the same time. The old-timey vibe and twisting plot lines keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Sophomore Ryan Abraham offers his opinion on the show’s success and appeal to the public. He states that its connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a big part of its popularity, especially since Wanda has become a beloved character by many. Its, “sit-come mystery angle” keeps it engaging and has viewers coming back for more.

Additionally, he believes that it presents an important message that pertains to today’s crazy times. He says that, “It could become a very good narrative for [how to deal with] grief processing.” That’s something that our culture could use right now.

“Soul,” a philosophical adventure into the realm of the unconscious, is a seemingly light-hearted film. Upon closer examination though, you’ll see that the star cast of Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey are able to bring to light deep themes like existentialism, the purpose of life, and second-chances.

Although much controversy surrounds the movie, “Mulan,” it is able to bring a fan-favorite classic to the live-action cinema with a different perspective with its diverse cast and stunning graphics. Critics have their ups and downs with rating it, but overall, whether you’re looking for something entertaining or even just something to make fun of, this is the movie for you.

Overall, movies and TV shows alike have the power to draw us into a different world, even if it’s just for a couple minutes or for a couple hours.

Senior Andrew Taylor mentions how it’s convenient to have these streaming services offered.

“I don’t have to get in my car and waste gas and go to a place which charges money for food. I can just sit on my couch and eat whatever food I want,” said Taylor.

Even though the theater isn’t what it used to be, we can be comfortable in the knowledge that producers and directors are making efforts to bring these works of art to us safely.

The marlin undertow / by faith macwana - fpmacwana@vwu.edu Place of Interest:

Watch This:

Listen Now:

Citrus

The Dig

Olivia Rodrigo’s “Driver’s License”

With two locations in Virginia Beach, Citrus is the perfect spot for brunch lovers. Not only are their meals made entirely from scratch, but all of the produce is locally sourced from local farmers and producers in the coastal Virginia Beach area. Fan favorites include mango almond croissant French toast, breakfast BLTs and citrus chicken cold sandwiches. Both locations are open every day except Tuesdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Outside dining, take out, and curbside services are available. Indoor dining is open at 50 percent capacity.

Netflix’s “The Dig,” is a period piece set in Suffolk, England in 1939. It showcases the excavation of Sutton Hoo, a medieval cemetery dating back to the 6th and 7th centuries. Make sure to have tissues on deck as this film is emotional, dramatic and thoughtprovoking. It attempts to answer the question of what happens to us after we die. Who will remember us? How will we be remembered?

The movie features stars such as Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes and Lily James.

Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” made headlines within the first week it was released.

Rolling Stone Magazine noted that “Drivers License,” was streamed 67.7 million times during its first week of being released.

According Jon Caramanica, a critic for the New York Times, the song “successfully balances dark yet crisp melodrama with bold tunefulness, softly pointed singing with sharp imagery. It is, in every way, a modern and successful pop song.” “Drivers License” is available on Spotify and YouTube Music.

Happy Black History Month from the Marlin Chronicle 10Weekender_2_9_2020_USE THIS ONEEE.indd 1

2/10/2021 11:48:18 AM