Mar 3rd, 2022

The Marlin Chronicle THURSDAY 3.3.22 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWU.EDU

VWU removes COVID-19 regulations, masks now optional The Emergency Response Team announced on Feb. 28 that masks will be optional for students who are fully vaccinated and boosted.

BY RHIAN TRAMONTANA rjtramontana@vwu.edu

Since Jan. 24, the VWU campus has seen 11 confirmed COVID-19 cases, a stark difference from the 41 cases during the weeks of January Term. All 11 have since been cleared following CDC guidelines.

With the decrease in cases, the school has been able to remove all day-today restrictions that were enacted to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The only requirement still in place is the vaccination requirement, including a booster shot.

The most recent change was announced on Feb. 28, when an email was sent to the campus community that the mask requirement would be made optional for all fully vaccinated officials.

Faculty are still able to require masks and restrict eating and drinking in classrooms. Students who do not comply risk being dismissed from the classroom.

The Virginia Department of Health reports a total

of 1,639,438 COVID-19 cases in the state, which is 18.99% of the state’s population. The United States as a whole has reported 78,855,000 COVID-19 cases to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), accounting for 23.76% of the country’s population.

However, the number of cases is not the only determining factor for restrictions on the University’s campus.

Officials look at the “level of transmissibility in the immediate area, case count on campus and then… recommendations” from Sentara, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the CDC, says Vice President Keith Moore, who serves as the COVID Coordinator.

As other universities are moving towards reducing mask restrictions, VWU has decided to remove theirs completely. “We have kind of observed, absorbed, processed, developed and then executed what we wanted to do” based

See COVID-19 Page 3

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

Kathleen Vanden Berg|Marlin Chronicle Mascots of Virginia colleges left to right: Bridgewater College, James Madison University, Virginia Tech and VWU.

Tragic events harm VA campus communities The VWU campus community stands with Bridgewater College, James Madison University and Virginia Tech after recent tragedies.

BY KATIE YEAGER kayeager@vwu.edu

College campuses in Virginia have seen a slew of tragic events recently, including active shooter tragedies at Bridgewater College and near Virginia Tech. Additionally, a suicide occured at James Madison University, and another occured in the city of Harrisonburg just miles away from the campus.

Alexander Campbell, a former Bridgewater College student-athlete, currently faces charges for the deaths of campus police officer John Painter and campus safety officer J.J. Jefferson. The shooting took place on Feb. 1.

Campbell was previously banned from the college campus due to trespassing in 2017.

Sarah Kerns, a junior at Bridgewater College, was on campus during the shooting that resulted in the

“I was truly afraid that day, but not for myself. I was afraid that my home was going to be shattered in the wake of everything.”

Sarah Kerns Bridgewater College junior deaths of the two members of the community.

“The tragedy that hit my campus on February 1 is one that I will never forget,” said Kerns. “Receiving the text that a place I call home was under attack less than a thousand feet from me gave me a feeling of anxiety I never knew I could feel. I was truly afraid that day, but not for myself. I was afraid that my home was going to be shattered in the wake of everything.”

Despite the heartbreaking event, Kerns was impressed with the support that the

Bridgewater College community received from the surrounding neighborhoods and other colleges.

“Instead of breaking, the Bridgewater community and our surrounding communities came together and we helped each other through the unimaginable,” said Kerns. “I will forever be grateful for the sacrifice that Officer Painter and Officer Jefferson made that afternoon and there will never be enough words for me to express my gratitude and condolences to their

families. The Bridgewater College community is strong, and I am beyond grateful to be a part of it.”

James Madison University is just down the road from Bridgewater College, and also faced hardships within its campus community. A suicide occured on campus and another one occured shortly after in a downtown area of Harrisonburg.

Katie Mayhugh, a fourth year psychology major at JMU, felt the repercussions of the events for weeks after.

“It was very unsettling to learn about what had happened,’’ said Mayhugh.

“I didn’t learn about the first tragedy until the second one happened, which I think JMU could have handled better. My professors were amazing though. They allowed us to

See COLLEGES Page 2

Counseling Center expands to include eight counselors

BY CAREY SEAY clseay@vwu.edu

Taking on a new semester can be hard, especially during a pandemic. That’s why Virginia Wesleyan University’s counseling services have been working hard to ensure that the entire campus community feels safe and comfortable.

Since the beginning of the spring semester, VWU’s Counseling Center has expanded its team to a total of eight counselors, six of whom are interns in master’s-level programs at various schools including Old Dominion University, Regent University and Virginia Commonwealth University.

The team consists of Director of Counseling Services Bill Brown, Counseling Center|Courtesy Director of Student Health April April Christman (left) and Brandon Foster (right) at a Christman, Village Coordinator and mental health event in the Batten Student Center.

Invasive species removal at Wesleyan Woods

intern Brandon Foster and intern counselors Madison Smart-McCarthy, Teddi Coleman, Samantha Bean, Karen Carroll and Maggie Davis.

With this new team of interns, the Counseling Center has been able to put on more events and better handle the student demand for counseling services.

“The Counseling Center always struggled with putting on programs because we didn’t have the staff to do it in the past,” Brown said. “We can now put on lots of programming on a regular basis that has various wellness and mental health-type focuses.”

Some of the events the Counseling Center has been able to host with the help of the intern counselors and other student organizations include the “Talk and Paint,” focusing on the effects of racism, the “Positivity

Alumna appears on ‘Jeopardy!’

Marlins Go Green|Instagram

VWU|Courtesy

Rocks” gratitude activity, the “Donut Stress, Cupcake” stress-relieving event and the “Awareness Walk and Memory Chalk” Suicide Prevention Day event.

“Take advantage of the programs that we offer through the FunZone,” Christman said. “We have all sorts of different events for different pillars of wellness. I would encourage students to join these events because they’re intentional.”

Along with taking part and attending these events, the Counseling Center also encourages students to take advantage of the counseling services offered.

Along with the other intern counselors, Coleman, a VCU master’s-level program student, has high aspirations

See COUNSELING Page 4

Beginning of season lacrosse update

Grace McGhee|Marlin Chronicle

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

COMMUNITY

SPORTS

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Thursday March 3, 2022 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

News

VWU endowment reaches new high

BY RHIAN TRAMONTANA rjtramontana@vwu.edu

At the most recent annual State of the University Address on Aug. 20, 2021, President Miller announced that Virginia Wesleyan’s endowment grew to $123 million during the 2021-22 academic year. Miller said that “fundraising from public and private sources has been the best in University history,” even with the economic strains that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused.

Of this endowment, $80.2 million is specifically earmarked for the Batten Honors College, which has continuously expanded since its inception in 2017. All money allocated for the honors college is to be invested in an environmentally friendly manner that focuses on sustainability.

The allocation of the endowment is overseen by the Brown Advisory of Baltimore, Maryland, according to Kimberly Hammer, who serves as the vice president for Advancement and the special assistant to the President.

As the Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (oCIO), it “is the job of the oCIO to present a sound allocation of endowment funds based on certain criteria predetermined by the institution,” Hammer said. For VWU, this includes investing in an environmentally friendly manner.

Over the past six years, VWU has received $167 million in private donations and $10 million in state and federal designated award dollars. Since 2015, the endowment has grown from $55 million to the current endowment of $123 million.

Hammer says that the private donations assist many areas. Donors can “establish endowed scholarships for students with financial need and pursuing degrees in certain majors. Others endow professor positions. Some provide endowments for awards and operations.”

Although VWU is a private institution, there is still an opportunity for federal and state assistance from government programs. If the university agrees to “uphold and adhere to certain federal and state laws for higher education institutions like Title IX, non-discriminatory practices, etc.,” then they are able to receive funds in reaction to the pandemic or grants from specific agencies, Hammer said.

Emily Uzzle|Marlin Chronicle Bar graph shows growth of endowment in total and for the Batten Honors College over the course of five years.

During the speech, President Miller announced that the 2021-22 academic year was the fourth year in a row that saw a freeze in tuition prices. Other costs for students went up, such as the price for a parking decal as well as room and board prices.

However, the endowment does not determine this decision. According to Hammer, the “ability to freeze tuition is determined by looking at projected revenue versus projected expenses to create a balanced budget,” meaning that the endowment is not as significant towards the decision as “market competitors, inflation, rising costs of doing business, and more.”

President Miller also discussed the improvements across campus, including DeFord Manor, the David L. Kaufman Center for Enrollment, the Clarke Hall upgrades, the renovation of the Susan T. Beverly Fine Arts Building, the construction undergone by the Barclay Sheaks Gallery and the upgrades to the Betty S. Rogers Track and Field.

The endowment has not contributed to the cost of con-

struction, which have been funded by private donations and grants, known as capital funds, Hammar stated. “Even given our recent endowment growth, future construction projects will not be funded through endowment,” Hammer said.

As the endowment increases, the university is more able to provide scholarships to students. The endowment also aided with the expansion of the Work & Learn Program that employs students, courses offered outside of the normal semesters, a fifth-year tuition guarantee and a concurrent enrollment program and Fair Transfer Agreement with all community colleges in Virginia.

Just like with a retirement fund, Hammer said that the University does their best to budget the endowment so that it lasts the rest of the University’s life. But unlike an individual, “VWU will never ‘retire’ so we must always be planning for the future,” Hammer said.

Faculty and staff form diversity council

BY JOSEPH COOPER jmcooper1@vwu.edu

On Monday, Feb. 7, President Scott Miller announced the new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council (DEIC).

At Virginia Wesleyan University, the DEIC will help offer programs to enhance the education of the campus community through not only understanding diversity, equity and inclusion issues, but also celebrating and respecting differences in the community. Most importantly, it helps provide resources and support for students to ensure equality and equity in our diverse school.

The DEIC will be led by Dr. Felipe Hugueño, who will serve as the chief diversity officer with five deputy diversity officers. Hugueño currently serves as the assistant professor of Hispanic Studies at VWU Joining Hugueño are five deputy diversity officers who are liaisons for their own department. Dr. Modupe Oshikoya is the academic liaison, Cameia Alexander is the athletic liaison, Dr. Brian Kurisky is the The Lighthouse liaison, Kelly Jackson is the Robert Nusbaum Center liaison and Andre Wiggins is the student activities liaison.

As said by President Miller, “the DEIC will lead the

institution in offering programs designed to enhance the educational value of the campus community through purposeful dialogue and celebration of difference.”

When asked what is the purpose and goals of the DEIC, Hugueño said, “The DEIC is an important step toward the university's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion as an institution. The DEIC hopes that our differences as individuals can be celebrated, respected and negotiated through dialogue. We aim to promote good relations and practices to one another. Through our actions, we will conceptualize, define, assess and cultivate diversity. Hopefully everyone on campus will feel more welcomed and that they belong to a special place.”

When asked what do you hope the DEIC could do to help with diversity and inclusion at Virginia Wesleyan, Jordan Gilliam, the vice president of the Black Student Union at VWU said, “Well we hope they will bring notice to the problems faced by students, and some faculty, that are faced with the problems that fall under this umbrella.

However, on a more happy note this board as a whole is definitely a step in the right direction! And I can’t wait to see what they do.”

'Silent Spring' inspires partnership

BY KATIE YEAGER kayeager@vwu.edu

Virginia Wesleyan University has forged a new partnership for students who wish to apply for priority admission to either a Masters of Sustainability (MSUS) or a Masters of Food Study (MAFS) program. The graduate programs take place at the Falk School of Sustainability and Environment at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. These programs are some of the first of their kind in the United States.

VWU students with a cumulative 3.3 GPA and over 110 undergraduate credit hours qualify for the MSUS program. Additionally, those with at least a 3.0 and 110 credit hours qualify for the MAFS program.

Both VWU and CU have been working together since their introduction through involvement in the Climate Leadership Network. The Climate Leadership Network is a resource that provides networking and engagement opportunities for member colleges.

VWU also previously made an agreement with Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment. This partnership allowed VWU students to attend Duke for a Masters of Forestry (MF) or a Master of Environmental Management (MEM) degree after three years of undergraduate study.

Senior Ben Counsel, who majors in Earth and Environmental Science (EES), hadn’t heard of the new program yet, but was delighted to find out that it was being implemented.

“I think this is a great opportunity to foster a bond between our two programs, working to build a pathway for EES students into graduate programs,” said Counsel.

“I’ve heard of students who had challenges with finding suitable graduate programs in our field and I’m glad to see the options that are available grow.”

According to the Chatham University website, the new programs are “a wellspring for leadership and education to overcome current and future sustainability challenges.”

The programs were inspired by CU alumna and nature writer, Rachel Carson. Carson is most notable for her published work “Silent Spring” which raised awareness about the harms of pesticides and led to a grassroots movement

that was foundational for the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Senior EES major Emily Smith believes in the mission behind the partnership between VWU and CU. “I would say that sustainability improves the quality of life locally, regionally and globally,” said Smith. “It helps protect our ecosystems and preserve natural resources for future generations. Having a Masters in Sustainability would help create leaders in the environmental world who can make a stand in protecting the longevity of our earth and all of its inhabitants, fostering the relationship between humans and the land.”

Going forward, VWU students will have priority access to the type of graduate education that has the capacity to produce leaders in environmental sustainability.

In addition, Virginia Wesleyan is continuing to maintain other partnerships with institutions to provide as many students the opportunity to participate in accelerated and priority graduate programs. Some of these partnerships include Boston University, Appalachian School of Law, Old Dominion University, the University of Virginia and more.

For more resources regarding VWU’s accelerated degrees and preferred admissions programs, visit https:// www.vwu.edu/academics/accelerated-degrees/.

Chatham University|Facebook

VWU|Courtesy Dr. Hugueño will serve as chief diversity officer.

COLLEGES CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 vote on whether or not to have class. It felt comforting to know that there were people looking out for our best interests.”

Going forward, Mayhugh hopes for preventative measures and better resources for students throughout the state.

“I think the events that have unfolded these past few weeks here at JMU should rightfully motivate not only other schools to raise more awareness about the importance of mental health but everyone as a whole as well,” said Mayhugh.

The other shooting that occurred was in Blacksburg on Feb. 4. The events took place in the downtown area, not far from the main campus of Virginia Tech. One individual died and four more were injured. The suspect in custody is Jamel Duquon, a resident of the City of Roanoke. One of the injured individuals was a Virginia Tech student.

Not long after the incident, the VT Dean of Students office, Cook Counseling Center, Hokie Wellness and Residence Life began reaching out to their campus community to provide support.

Brynn Vandegriff, a senior at Virginia Wesleyan University, hopes that these recent events can be a learning moment for other schools and will lead to better mental health resources.

“As a college student, it means a lot to know that our campus is safe both in a physical and mental sense,” said Vandegriff. “I hope that the school continues to make this a safe space and isn’t satisfied with doing just enough.”

April Christman, the director of health at VWU, has clinical expertise in social work and counseling.

“We have a more robust counseling staff than we have ever had on campus because we have so many undergraduate interns,” said Christman. “They are either Masters in Social Work students or Masters in Counseling students.

We have five which allows us to have a satellite office in the learning center… We have eight counselors in total on our staff.”

Christman can be contacted for counseling services by email at achristman@vwu.edu or by phone at (757) 4553131 (x3131). Counseling services are available daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Batten 211.

Science & Technology

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Thursday March 3, 2022 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Student Research Spotlight: Caroline Tryfiates

BY JACK PALMER jrpalmer@vwu.edu This ongoing article series seeks to highlight students who have conducted notable research in the science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields.

Students may conduct research throughout the Fall, Spring, and/or Summer terms.

Many students pursue research as a two or four credit course under the tutelage of a professor of their choosing.

After conducting research for at least a term, students may present their findings at Port Day, The Undergraduate Research Symposium hosted by The Lighthouse.

Caroline Tryfiates was among the students who created a poster to display her research at the most recent research symposium.

She began conducting research, entitled “Chemical Analysis of Novel Perianal Gland in the Cotton Hispid Rat” in the Spring of 2021. She has been conducting chemical ecology research under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Rose at Old Dominion University. Her research focused on the Sigmodon hispidis, commonly known as the cotton hispid rat. The species is indigenous to the Americas, including the southern portion of Virginia.

A remarkable gland was noted in 2018 in the male rats. The gland is much smaller during non-mating times, whereas during mating season, it can comprise two percent of the animal’s body mass. The gland is hypothesized to be related to mating, due to its coreelative timing and production of sex pheromones.

After identification of the gland, a hypothesis was devised based on the findings. The rats will be exposed to the gland’s chemicals and their behavior will be analyzed.

If it is related to mating, it can be concluded that the gland

Carolione Tryfiates|Courtesy Caroline Tryfiates displaying perianal GC-MS results. does indeed produce sex pheromones.

Tryfiates’s research was centered around the first component of the investigation, which was to identify the contents of the perianal gland. She began by basing the initial method on known gland analyses of other species and altered the method as needed.

Through many trial runs, parameters were narrowed to produce better results. Tryfiates’s analysis was completed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). This method uses gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify chemical components in a test sample. The method aimed to capture heavy and light chemical components within the composition of the gland.

The results were then compared to the chemical contents of the seminal vesicles and perianal gland of the rat to determine if there was a link between mating organs and the novel gland.

It is important to note Tryfiates’s research is still ongoing. She has had the opportunity to present her findings at several conferences. The next will be at the Spring Symposium of American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS is a coalition of 151,000 members in varying disciplines of the chemical fields.

Tryfiates notes that the research has helped her in several ways including, “public speaking, performing primary research and analyzing others’ primary research.”

She said, “I would encourage everyone to conduct independent research as it is such a unique experience in undergraduate education and presents opportunities for growth, both within the subject matter as well as outside of that field.”

Further, she mentioned this experience has piqued her interest in conducting research throughout graduate school and into her professional career. She ended by saying, “Undergraduate independent research has been critical in my undergraduate research and future career plans and I encourage all students to conduct a project.”

If a student is interested in conducting research, they should meet with their departmental academic advisor to plan a course for undergraduate research.

Clarke Hall features new computer lab, info monitors

BY COLETTE KEARNEY cmkearney@vwu.edu If anyone has been downstairs in Clarke Hall this semester, they would have seen some new upgrades in the hallway and classrooms. Recent additions include business televisions, stock market tickers and a new computer lab.

There is also an old classroom that was converted into a studio where professors and faculty can record podcasts and lectures. On top of all that, there are four new faculty offices where Business and Computer Science students can collaborate together.

According to Dr. Michelle Vachris, professor and chair of Management, Business and Economics and the MBA program director, the upgrades came from funding which included updated technology in Clarke 118 in the form of instructional technology and a brand new computer lab across the hall in Clarke 125 which is mainly used by the Computer Science students.

With the upgraded projectors in the classrooms, Dr.

Vachris said “I’m really excited about the clear whiteboard, so I can draw and I can see people.”

When asked about how she hopes to use the new upgrades with her students Dr. Vachris said, “Well in terms of showing them graphical analysis and that sort of thing, with the better projector equipment sometimes I show video snippets. Sometimes in class I’ll do polls and students can answer them and we can see results in real time.”

When asked about the business televisions in the hallway, she said, “it’s an easy way for students to keep up with what’s going on without having to sit down and read a newspaper.”

Connor Merk|Marlin Chronicle For students it’s nice and exciting to see in the hallway.

Senior Kelly Cardinal using the new computer lab.

Junior Suzanne McFetridge said, “It’s interesting to look at if I’m in the room or passing by.” beneficial for students if they have class in Clarke, she said Likewise sophomore Danielle Perry said, “It’s nice to “I don’t have many classes in Clarke so I rarely get to see see how businesses I frequent are doing, but overall I just it. I feel like the student center would have been a better enjoy looking at it if I’m passing by.” place for it rather than being tucked away in the corner of Although Perry believes the new upgrades are more Clarke.”

Marlins Go Green hosts invasive species removal event

BY COLETTE KEARNEY cmkearney@vwu.edu Student volunteers gathered at the start of the Trails at Wesleyan Woods to remove invasive species on Friday, Feb. 18. The event was run by Marlins Go Green and headed up by VWU 2021 graduate Skyler Lattuca, who currently serves as horticulturist and sustainability coordinator at Norfolk Botanical Garden.

According to the National Wildlife Federation, invasive species can be plants, animals or other organisms that spread quickly and are harmful to humans or the environment. The danger of invasive species is that they can spread quickly and hurt native wildlife in ways that they can not control.

Kat Vanden Berg, senior Art and Biology major, said the main plants being removed by the volunteers were privet and English ivy.

Freshman Rowan Stuart and sophomore Franklin

Washington used saws and ropes to take down mimosa trees and other greenery labeled as harmful.

As a horticulturist, Lattuca’s job is to help maintain the gardens around Greer. He must distinguish the plants that are part of the intended ecosystem from the ones that can be harmful to the environment.

“While my job is to maintain the ones around Greer, we’ve kind of expanded that over the years to include the forest on campus,” Lattuca said. Lattuca noticed that the forests on campus were not being properly cared for.

“We decided to try and coordinate volunteer efforts and whatever time I have in the winter when all the plants are dormant to at least remove the invasive species where we can,” Lattuca said.

While the horticulturist position at VWU was created in 2017 when the Greer Environmental Sciences Center was completed, under VWU’s previous horticulturist, invasive species clean ups were more consistent.

Lattuca said he had optimistic goals of wanting to have

an event like the one on Feb. 18 every Friday. In addition to Marlins Go Green, he hopes athletic teams will be able to help out in the fall. “Hopefully, we can have people come and get educated and get them outside and volunteering for the community,” Lattuca said.

Marlins Go Green|Instagram Sophomore Alecia Fischman pulling invasive species.

COVID-19 CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 on other institutions and systems, says Moore. Every week Moore meets with 64 institutions of higher education followed by a call with all the COVID Coordinators of private institutions with VDH. When discussing vaccination requirements, Moore says that the school “didn’t feel the need to consider what other institutions or schools systems or others were necessarily doing when we knew that would likely be best” for the campus community, a mindset which extends to masking and other restrictions.

Currently, 95% of the campus community has received the booster shot. Some individuals are not yet eligible, especially those that received the first dose within the last five months.

VWU also differs from other schools in the practices of contact traces. “It went away at just about every other school,” Moore said. But not here.

Speaking for all restrictions and protocols, April Christman, director of student health, credits the students.

“You guys appreciate it. Even though we don’t like it, none of us like it, but you guys appreciate that this is what’s keeping us safe,” she said.

As the years have progressed, the contact tracing has become more efficient and students became aware of what would be needed by COVIDSafe officials. “Everyone was more familiar with it but also anticipated questions so

COVID-19 information from www.vwu.edu/coronavirus/vwu-covidsafe.php. when we were talking to students everyone volunteered the information needed,” Christman said.

For her, it began to feel less “invasive” and more machine-like as everyone became used to procedures.

Contact tracing became one of the most critical procedures for the VWU community. “I’ve always felt sound in what our guidelines have been on campus because we are going to sourced experts,” Christman said. “You don’t do something unless you know it to be as accurate as possible.”

Among the experts consulted, Moore makes it a point to speak with students, particularly about the future. “With where we’re headed, we want students to know that this isn’t forever and we have their best interests in mind,” he said.

“Students are the biggest constituents on this campus,” Christman said. “Without their buy-in, we wouldn’t have been safe.” According to her, students are the reason we “were very successful, even the hardest hit semesters due

Emily Uzzle|Marlin Chronicle

to COVID.” Still, there are unavoidable costs due to restrictions.

“It was unfortunate… but the thought of being completely isolated and remote, and doing everything virtually… that’s scary to think, from a mental health perspective,” Christman said.

As a counselor in the Counseling Center on campus, Christman has an insight on the toll the pandemic has taken on mental health, and still stands behind the decisions of the administration.

“Even though the restrictions were hard, it gave our community the ability to build connections and not be further removed from what a college experience should be,” she said.

As the semester progresses, students are more free to have a normal and busy college experience. Watch https:// www.vwu.edu/coronavirus/ for more information on university policies and COVID-19 cases on campus.

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Thursday March 3, 2022 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

The

MARLIN CHRONICLE Editor-in-Chief Connor Merk ccmerk@vwu.edu Managing Editor Rhian Tramontanta rjtramontana@vwu.edu News Editors Rhian Tramontanta rjtramontana@vwu.edu Kathryn Yeager kayeager@vwu.edu Science & Tech Editor Jack Palmer jrpalmer@vwu.edu Community Editor Carey Seay clseay@vwu.edu Opinions Editors Brooke Erickson bmerickson@vwu.edu Grant Morgan gamorgan@vwu.edu Sports Editors

Community COUNSELING CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 for her time here at VWU. Coleman was hired by the Counseling Center during the fall semester and will be graduating this spring, so she, unfortunately, will not return following this semester.

“My hope for the community is to continue to let students know that the counseling office is a safe environment,” Coleman said. “I remember the counseling office was there for me when I was having a hard time adjusting to college life and how much it helped me become the person I am today.”

VWU’s Counseling Services are available for all community members, whether that be for a one-time check-in or ongoing counseling.

The counselors are here to make everyone’s experience at VWU the best it can be.

A master’s-level student in Liberty University’s clinical mental health counseling program, Davis is currently taking on her first semester of counseling here at VWU. She is excited for what this semester will bring and intends to be here in the future.

“Education is a life-changing experience,” Davis said. “It is so beneficial during this time to have an advocate on your side willing to listen and understand. I hope to be that for as many people as I can during my time here.”

All of the counselors here at VWU aspire to make our campus a home for the campus

Steven Serrano Cruz sdserranocruz@vwu.edu

Weekender Editors

Tiffany Warren tawarren@vwu.edu Photo Editor Ross Winner rawinner@vwu.edu Illustrations Editor Emily Uzzle ebuzzle@vwu.edu Online Editor Jack Mowatt jmmowatt@vwu.edu Copy Editor Grace Rietscha glrietscha@vwu.edu Advertising Manager Rowan Stuart rwstuart@vwu.edu Social Media Manager Breana Mahoney brmahoney@vwu.edu Advisor 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 5:30 p.m. in Batten 217. Signed submissions are welcome, but subject to the discretion of the editor. Letters are not edited for content, but may be edited for length and mechanics. The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper may not necessarily reflect the views of the entire staff of The Marlin Chronicle or Virginia Wesleyan University.

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

community, which is why such a large team of counselors is available.

Bean, another intern in her first semester, will also be here in the fall. She wants all students to feel comfortable in the Counseling Center.

“Sometimes, it takes a few doctors before you find one that is perfect for you and your needs, and finding a counselor is very much the same,” Bean said. “Do not be discouraged if it is not a perfect match the first time around, that does not mean counseling is not for you, it

simply means that counselor is not for you and your needs.”

All counseling services here at VWU are free of charge for all students and have no time limit. The Counseling Center is open to anyone who needs a pair of listening ears, a shoulder to cry on or a place to stop by and hang out. After all, “the hardest part is starting, but once you walk through the counseling door, it can only get easier,” Bean said.

CRIME BLOTTER

Shirell Washington sawashington@vwu.edu

Sasha Saxon ansaxon@vwu.edu

VWU |Courtesy

The Counseling Center encourages the campus community to check out their new “Zen Zone.”

Courtesy | Thinkstock

January 29 3:05 p.m.

Vandalism Smith Drive 4-Wheeling

January 29 8:10 p.m.

Vandalism Marlin Way Bent Fence

February 18 9:30 p.m.

Liquor Law Violation Honors Village

Love symposium events appear in concurrent formats

BY CAREY SEAY clseay@vwu.edu

Held annually for its twelfth consecutive year, Virginia Wesleyan University’s Love Liberally Symposium took place between Feb. 7-18. The symposium explores various topics surrounding love and the liberal arts.

In consideration of COVID-19 protocols, this year’s symposium appeared in two different formats: “Love Virtually” and “Love InPerson.” Both formats invited members of the VWU community to join.

“Love Virtually” offered an online version of the symposium through “Bob Talk” videos.

Presented by various VWU community members, the videos displayed the notion of love through many unique perspectives.

“What’s great about ‘Love Virtually’ is that the videos are available for everyone to view at their leisure,” Instructional Technologist Maegan Cook said. “I have been hearing about ‘Love Virtually’ since I started working at VWU in September, so I know it is a popular event.”

Cook presented a “Bob Talk” titled “Show Students Some Love with Technology.”

The presentation connected professors with a multitude of ways to provide meaningful feedback to students through technology.

Other Love Liberally presentations included “Alma Mater” by Vox Vera, “For the Love of Musical Relationships” by Jason

Squinobal, “The Love of Civic Engagement” by Erin Highsmith and “The Archeology of Love in Archaic Greece” by Ben Haller. These “Bob Talks,” along with last year’s, can be found on the VWU website.

In contrast to the “Love Virtually” format, “Love In-Person” offered various events for students and community members to attend in person.

Among the in-person events offered, Hofheimer Library’s “Public Displays of Projection: For the Love of Silent Film” was a big hit. Research Librarian Amber Gruszeczka designed and led this event.

“As a librarian, I’m always looking for ways to share the library’s resources with the campus community,” Gruszeczka said. “As for this particular event, I thought it would be a fun way to teach our students about the public domain.”

All of the silent films presented by the library were a part of the public domain and included the films “College,” “Nosferatu” and “The Temptress.”

Similar to the in-person “Public Displays of Projection” event, communication professor Terry Lindvall displayed the in-person presentation “Homely, Friendly, Erotic and Divine: The Four Loves of C.S. Lewis.”

“As I sit in the endowed C. S. Lewis Chair of Communication and Christian Thought, I need to honor the author,” Lindvall said. “I will speak about his Aristotelian categories of love from

four Greek words to show subtle distinctions in our use of the term ‘love’ and to connect his thought to his lived theology.”

In his presentation, Lindvall explained C.S. Lewis’ The Four Loves and revealed how it can be related to and beneficial for the lives of VWU students.

Some of the other “Love In-Person” events included an American Red Cross Blood Drive, HIV and STI Testing and Boyd Dining Center’s Valentine’s Delectables and Décor.

VWU |Courtesy

Professor Terry Lindvall delivers “C.S. Lewis” presentation at a Love Liberally event.

The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Thursday, March 3, 2022

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VWU alumna competes on ‘Jeopardy!’

BY JOSHUA HELLER jmheller@vwu.edu Molly (Long) Mastantuono, a Virginia Wesleyan University alumna from the class of 1998, recently made an appearance on the game show “Jeopardy!” on Feb. 4.

As a former student, she was tremendously excited to represent VWU. During this episode, she answered 9 questions correctly and 5 incorrectly.

Mastanuano finished in third place with $2,399 after “Final Jeopardy.” The “Final Jeopardy” category was “Behind the Disney Attraction” and the final clue was “the ‘Twilight Zone Tower of Terror’ utilizes technology developed by this company founded in 1853.” The correct answer was Otis. Molly’s guess was General Electric.

In an interview with Mastantuono, she spoke highly of her achievements at VWU, as she was a former Editor-in-Chief of The Marlin Chronicle, involved in the Student Government Association (SGA) for all four years, a resident assistant (RA), a Wesleyan Scholar and even traveled to Westminster in Oxford.

Mastantuono was ecstatic to go on “Jeopardy!” and was beyond surprised when she got the call.

“It was surreal. I wasn’t expecting it at all. First I did the online test, then there were two other rounds where we were taking a test online,” Mastantuono said.

“Then, the next tier was to take another test but with your video camera on because this is during the pandemic, obviously. And

so that they could, you know, see that you weren’t having any outside assistance to answer the questions,” Mastantuono said.

While reflecting on her experience on the show, she discussed the question and answer process. “We were all there and we then just had to use the clicker pens to answer or buzz-in the questions. It was a couple months after that when they called and I just kind of like ‘oh, well this is cool.’

I made it this far and didn’t really think much about it. Then, I got the call and they were like ‘oh hey, do you want to be on Jeopardy?’ I said ‘Sure,’” Mastantuono said.

Mastantuono had a specific goal for her time on “Jeopardy!” “I didn’t want to make it to “Final Jeopardy,” and I didn’t want to set a new record for negative numbers, right? But I thought of it more as a bucket list kind of experience. You know, it wasn’t even about winning, sure I would’ve loved to win my game. I don’t think anybody goes on to a game show or any kind of game without wanting to be the winner. It was so much greater than that,” Mastantuono said.

Additionally, she was truly on cloud nine to be invited to “Jeopardy!” and really enjoyed her time with the other contestants.

“Being able to connect with the other contestants was really, really fun. There’s a group of us that still have a group text,” Mastantuono said.

Mastantuono was surprised to get close with contestants that were mere strangers and contestants from other “Jeopardy!”

VWU |Courtesy

VWU alumna Molly Mastantuono makes an appearnace on the game show “Jeopardy!”

shows. “Just having had that experience is amazing and getting to meet Mayim Chaya Bialik and I got to do the chicken dance with her in between a commercial break, because that was one of the questions I got wrong. But it was just really fun and I think anyone who has just wanted to try new things or show off a little of what they learned while they were at Wesleyan, I’d recommend it,” Mastantuono said.

Although Mastantuono didn’t win Jeopardy, she gave praise to the other contestants and everyone who helped the show run smoothly. However, she was complete-

ly aware of the difficulty in winning “Jeopardy!” “I guess you do the best, right? You just always give it your best effort and I knew that going into that here. There’s so many variables for who will win the game,” Mastantuono said.

Mastantuono currently works at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, and she has two daughters. She graduated summa cum laude from VWU in 1998 with a Bachelors of Arts in English. She is proud of her experience on Jeopardy and regrets nothing about it. She recommends the show to everyone here at VWU.

Worm farm attracts greater attention

BY PHOEBE COX pecox@vwu.edu Hidden underneath the depths of Blocker Auditorium is a whole different and exciting world than the one experienced above ground. Begun over a decade ago by biology professor Philip Rock, Virginia Wesleyan’s worm composting farm, sustained through vermicomposting of cafeteria waste, continues on today.

Recent talk has surfaced about the possibility of developing the worm farm in a greater capacity. The prospect and promise of such an expansion brings with it many opportunities and benefits to those who will be involved with its upkeep and to those on campus and around. But composting on a level like this is more difficult to

Phoebe Cox |Marlin Chronicle

Skyler Lattuca, a 2020 VWU alumnus, hopes to expand the worm farm under Blocker Hall.

put in practice than it is to understand.

Skyler Lattuca, a Virginia Wesleyan graduate from 2020, is one such person intent on pursuing such an expansion and figuring out the difficulties of such an endeavor. Having obtained a double major in both Earth and Environmental Science and Sustainability Management, Lattuca’s passion for the learning, protection and growth of environmental opportunities began during those undergraduate years.

He first found out about the worm farm as an excited member of the Marlins Go Green environmental club on campus. After his graduation from Virginia Wesleyan, Lattuca knew that the “worm farm needed to be passed on or stopped.” Thankfully for the worms, his current position of employment allows him to continue that work.

Virginia Wesleyan has a partnership with the Norfolk Botanical Gardens that provides the Greer and Environmental Sciences Center with a horticulturist who knows more about the specifics of the unique growth there. Because of this person’s specific training and knowledgeable ability, they are able to better cultivate the area. Lattuca currently holds that position here on campus and knowing that the early worm gets the bird, he is excited about the potential his newfound ability to assert greater influence has for the worm farm.

At the present moment, the worm farm is more of a side project that is sometimes used for research, much like it was during Lattuca’s undergraduate studies. Receiving a 5 gallon bucket of cafeteria waste every week, the worms are able to transform that waste into usable fertilizer.

However, these unlikely dwellers of

VWU |Courtesy

Began more than a decade ago, VWU’s worm farm continues to prosper and expand.

under-Blocker can only do so much with the small space and small amount of waste they are provided. Describing it, Lattuca says “it’s in this maintenance closet, but not even in the closet itself. You go in there, and there’s like a little vent. Then, you open up the vent and go into a crawl space.”

Lattuca’s recent acquisition of approval to relocate the worm farm away and out of the crawl space area to a location outside (close to the new Wesleyan Woods trail and near the the facilities management plant) would mean the world to those excited about expanding it and would allow for a much larger ability to make an impact.

“I am hoping to at least by the end of the summer be diverting at least half of the waste from the cafeteria over to vermicomposting,” Lattuca said.

Lattuca has goals of using this larger outdoor space to expand the farm, thereby increasing the amount of waste able to be

put into it.

By increasing its large-scale potential, the school’s recycling rate could be greatly boosted as well and student involvement in the impactful project would also be raised.

Acknowledging that “we’re playing some cards here,” Lattuca has hopeful sights and aspirations, looking forward to the inclusion of more willing helpers.

The difficulties and challenges to surpass in regards to the whole relocation process will be testing, but the overall benefit that Lattuca and many other contributing students see in the project far outweighs the initial work and effort.

And so, although the project as a whole simply started out with a dream and now is in the process of becoming something exponentially more, the Wesleyan community can definitely expect to see more visible and above-the-ground appearances of these down-to-earth worms in the near future.

VA Supreme Court Justice set to speak at Commencement VWU Vice President for Academic Affairs, Susan Larkin, reveals 2022 Commencement speaker in Q&A. Who is speaking at VWU’s 2022 Commencement?

The Commencement speaker will be S. Bernard Goodwyn, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Virginia in 2007 by then-Governor Tim Kaine and was named Chief Justice on January 1, 2022. Prior to appointment on the Supreme Court, he served as a circuit court judge for ten years and as a general district court judge for two years, both in Chesapeake, Virginia. Prior to his service on the bench, Chief Justice Goodwyn was in private law practice and served on the faculty of the University of Virginia School of Law. He has served on numerous statewide commissions and committees, and he is presently the co-chair of the Virginia Access to Justice Commission.

A Southampton County native, Chief Justice Goodwyn graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with an undergraduate degree in economics and was a member of the Harvard varsity football and track teams.

Chief Justice Goodwyn received his law degree from the University of Virginia, where he was an editor for the Virginia Tax Review, a member of the Raven Society and a recipient of the Ritter Award for honor, character and integrity.

How was the 2022 Commencement speaker decided?

We chose Chief Justice Goodwyn because of his position and prominence in the Commonwealth of Virginia and because of his relationship with Virginia Wesleyan. He is married to Sharon S. Goodwyn, an attorney at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP and a member of the Virginia Wesleyan Board of Trustees. As such, Chief Justice Goodwyn has a natural relationship to our University and can use his knowledge of our institution and the student body to tailor a thoughtful and impactful keynote speech for the Class of 2022.

VWU |Courtesy

S. Bernard Goodwyn will be speaking at VWU’s 2022 Commencement.

When and where will Commencement be?

Commencement will take place on Saturday, May 14 at 10:00 a.m. It will be outside of the Greer Environmental Sciences Center on the University Commons lawn, if weather permits. If not, it will be in TowneBank Arena of the Jane P. Batten Student Center. The University will make the final decision about its location based on weather forecasts the Wednesday before Commencement Saturday.

Opinions

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Thursday March 3, 2022 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Black heritage celebrations receive lack of involvement

BY GRANT MORGAN gamorgan@vwu.edu Every February, Black History Month is celebrated all throughout the United States. Schools and universities celebrate certain leaders and achievements made by the Black community.

Starting out as Black History Week in 1926, Black History Month has evolved into celebration and awareness for all Black leaders in American History.

With a rise in activism and social justice, the need for celebrating Black achievements is of utmost importance.

On our campus, Black Lives Matter and Black Unity flags fly in the Batten Student Center.

The Office of Student Activities created a month-long schedule of events for students to get involved. These included paint nights, a Black leader periodic table and information sessions. In addition, a Black Artist Celebration dance party and a Bingo night were meant to liven up and embrace cultural backgrounds. Unique offerings included a traveling True Black History Museum, which was held in the Kramer Lounge. This museum had primary artifacts, ranging from Rosa Parks to Frederick Douglass.

The amount of guest speakers invited on campus to talk during this month only was a handful of speakers. Dr. Ophera Davis, a professor in Africana Studies, spoke on Mississippi Black women during Hurricane Katrina. Her presentation introduced new topics to the audience; however, a lack of notice from the university on the event was

Quarantine experience gone wrong

BY JORDAN GILLIAM jagilliam@vwu.edu My quarantine experience with Virginia Wesleyan was not a pleasant one. I understood that our entire group needed to quarantine because of exposure; however, the school did not handle it properly in the slightest.

I had to almost beg them to put me in a hotel because they wanted to send me home, but that would risk exposing my family to COVID-19.

On the Wednesday that I was instructed to get tested, I spent almost 12 hours driving around Hampton Roads just to find a COVID-19 test. No one would give me a PCR test because I was experiencing no symptoms and I had already been tested when I was first exposed.

I was informed that it would be fine to get the rapid test since I couldn’t get the PCR. I feel like students would have to lie about symptoms to get a PCR test, and COVID-19 tests can cost anywhere between $70 and $250.

The school isn’t completely following the CDC health guidelines, which isn’t illegal, but I feel the health officials on campus aren’t performing their jobs adequately, and that is dangerous. We are trusting the entire safety of the campus to them.

We have been students in a pandemic since the Fall of 2020, and it is now 2022. This school has still not learned how to effectively handle COVID-19.

They need to at least learn how to properly handle their students.

If students don’t feel respected and valued in their learning, working and living environments, then how can they expect us to want to stay?

Jordan Gilliam|Courtesy

Kathleen Vanden Berg|Marlin Chronicle apparent.

Several of the guest speakers were virtual, to accommodate COVID-19 policies. A special opportunity occurred on Feb. 15, with Lisa McNair, the oldest sister of Denise McNair from Alabama. Denise was one of the four girls who had been killed in the 1963 bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. VWU has provided students the opportunity to live and learn history, in person and virtually.

The university has moved towards more inclusive practices and policies that integrate minority groups on campus. Prominent organizations, such as Black Student Union and Caribbean Student Association, include all students and are open to all backgrounds.

A new program on campus has emerged but has not received much traction and awareness from the VWU

community. The new minor, Africana Studies, was established on campus during the 2021 year, but heard little to no news, due to being overshadowed

by COVID-19.

This groundbreaking insight into Black/Africana history and culture is taught at a predominately white institute (PWI), which is extremely important. However, a lack of conversation and coverage have done a serious disservice to this program.

Africana Studies programs have been established since 1943, thus the necessity for institutions to have them has arrived.

The Africana Studies program offers a view into the African Diaspora and cultural studies that accompany it.

Helmed by Dr. Modupe Oshikoya, the Africana Studies program encompasses history, literature, politics and art that celebrate African and Black culture.

With new academic classes being established, Virginia Wesleyan is educating future generations on Black history and culture, while advocating for social change. However, we are far from being a diverse school, with the racial and international diversity percentage being less than half, at 45.3%. Small changes that are being made are a step in the right direction; however, much still has to change with our faculty and student population diversity rates.

Going forward, it will be exciting to see how the campus community contiues to grow. Diversity is an important part of our culture and learning about new topics allows for conversation and acceptance.

Human trafficking in Hampton Roads remains a threat to safety

BY CHRISTIAN PALMISANO & SAMANTHA SILVIA clpalmisano@vwu.edu sgsilvia@vwu.edu Hampton Roads is a busy and well populated metropolitan area. We can be proud of our industries, our beaches, our environment and our military presence.

While these attributes make our home, our cities, so special, they also make it easier for one of the most heinous and hidden crimes known to occur: human trafficking.

Human trafficking “involves the use of force, fraud, and coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act”. In Hampton Roads, the most common type is sex trafficking, as opposed to labor (farming, etc.) or domestic servitude.

Human trafficking is often confused with the crime of human smuggling (illegally transporting people), and often does not involve crossing state lines. Despite the popular belief that only immigrants are victims of trafficking, most of the trafficking victims served by our local non-profit Samaritan House are American citizens.

Large cities with transient populations are a breeding ground for human trafficking. Since these cities, including ours, have large segments of the population who move frequently (often the same populations who act as the clientele for the traffickers), it is easy for traffickers to make their victims blend in and move about unnoticed.

Our cities’ house several large military bases, people who move every couple of years or so, and are busy tourist sites, increasing the amount of business for these traffickers while being able to hide their victims in “plain sight,” as is often said.

Those being trafficked are getting younger, according to data collected by the Samaritan House. Women and girls, as young as 14 years old, are coming in as victims of trafficking, here in Hampton Roads, right under our noses. Most of those trafficked are targeted by their traffickers for various reasons, including economic hardship, need for emotional safety and even natural disasters.

It should be noted that this crime can, and does, happen throughout all socioeconomic classes, and can even be found being perpetrated in businesses and restaurants. Not all sex work is human trafficking. It is not just street prostitution. It is strategic, organized and all about controlling individuals for someone else’s financial and personal gain.

Samaritan House|Courtesy Many times, the person being trafficked does not want to leave their trafficker due to the amount of control their trafficker has over them. It is important to remember that these individuals are being forced to work; they are exploited and worthy of compassion.

It is estimated that there are about 24.9 million people currently being trafficked globally as of early 2020.

The human trafficking situation, especially in places like Hampton Roads, is certainly a dire one. Organizations like the Samaritan House prove that there does exist an impetus to challenge the perpetuation of human trafficking.

Ending human trafficking does not have a simple solution but knowing how to recognize the signs can help save a life.

Here are some behaviors and descriptions to look for: • • • • • •

COVID policies are a work in progress

BY ELAINE ROBBINS emrobbins@vwu.edu In my personal experience with COVID-19 policy during the academic year of 2020-2021, it was wildly unorganized.

The university placed many guidelines to protect students from contracting COVID, but many of the steps taken to mitigate the spread caused problems for students. Aside from the obvious mental health repercussions that students experienced from the isolation due to the COVID-19 guest policy, there were also issues that affected students’ academic well-being.I was a sophomore at the time these policies were first introduced, so I had some knowledge of how college had operated before the pandemic.

My story starts around 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021.

I woke up to a phone call from a number I don’t recognize and was told that I have been exposed to COVID along with several other people and that all of us had until noon to pack up and leave campus to quarantine at our respective homes. The time we were given to pack and leave was on very short notice and caused chaos.

On the phone call, I was told that I had been exposed because one of my four roommates had been in contact with someone who tested positive.

This fact is important because this means that I had not actually come into direct contact with the student who tested positive.

The group of us who were sent to quarantine at home were told that we should be tested as soon as possible and that we would have to supply a second negative COVID-19 test after two weeks to return to campus. Of the eight people who were quarantined off campus, none of us tested positive on any of the COVID-19 tests we took in that two-week time frame.

During my time in quarantine, I was expected to keep up with my academic course load as well as my on-campus job. Keeping up with classes would not have been an issue if my professors had been properly notified of my remote format needs, but this was not the case. Instead, those of us who were quarantined experienced a week of not being able to access classes to receive vital course instruction.

On top of the anxiety caused by not being able to keep up with class work due to administrative error, I was also fired from my on-campus job upon my arrival back to campus. The reason cited for the severance was the inability to make hours over the two-week period I was quarantined, which didn’t make sense to me, as I am unaware of how a student can work a job on campus while being in a mandatory quarantine several states away.

Overall, COVID-19 policy is still a work-in-progress as we navigate this pandemic, but there are still issues that have caused students a great amount of stress, and this story is only one example. There is a certain necessity in COVID-19 policies, but there must be ways to make it more accessible and less restrictive for students.

My hope is that while I did not have a positive experience with COVID-19 policy, it can become a learning opportunity to change and create policy that better reflects the school and is better for the students.

Someone with suspicious injuries who gives an unspecific, dubious explanation for them Any form of branding, such as a tattoo that suggests ownership (barcode, insignia) Someone wearing sexually provocative clothing in inappropriate settings or weather Having someone else present who makes all decisions for them Signs of having been denied food, water or other needs Speech seems coached or rehearsed

Giving a little more attention to our surroundings and those we care about can go a long way in stopping the abuse and exploitation of another person.

Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline number at 1-888-373-7888 to report suspicions of human trafficking.

Kathleen Vanden Berg|Marlin Chronicle

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Sports

Thursday March 3, 2022 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Women’s Basketball: Season SportsHead ends with 15-game losing streak

Emily Uzzle|Marlin Chronicle

BY SHIRELL WASHINGTON

sawashington@vwu.edu

On Feb. 2 the previously known Washington Football Team announced their new name: Washington Commanders.

Alysse Scripter|Sports Information Sophomore Lenah Clements dribbling the basketball at the last ODAC season game against University of Lynchburg on Feb. 19.

BY SHIRELL WASHINGTON

sawashington@vwu.edu

Zero wins in conference and three wins overall wraps up the Virginia Wesleyan University Women’s Basketball team 20212022 season. The Lady Marlins fought hard and strong this season, but it was not enough to get them to the conference championship rounds.

At the end of the season, the team finished with a record of 3-22 overall and 0-18 in the conference. They finished at the bottom in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) standings.

“If I had to rate it, I would say an 8 because I think at the end of the day we started off pretty rough, but my girls had the option to either start where we’re at or throw the season away,” Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach Christina Mabry said.

This season was a challenging one as Head Coach Liz Hudy was out for most of the season so Coach Mabry had to assume the leadership role, along with Volunteer Assistant Coaches Ramona Dominguez and Jayla Harris by her side. However, the team carried on and played their hardest, and “every day we got 1 percent better and that was the goal,” Mabry said.

At the beginning of the season, the Lady Marlins had a rough start, losing their first three games of the season. Things started looking up after they hosted the Townebank Tip Off Tournament where the team took home two wins against the Battling Bishops of NC Wesleyan and the Avenging Angels of Meredith College.

However, the Marlins began to lose game after game, leading to a 15-game losing streak for the season. “I would say it’s probably like a 6. Playing-wise we didn’t do that good but the team in general after we got through a few hiccups it got better, so that made it the best part,” senior Celeste Rucker, a guard for the VWU Women’s Basketball team, said.

During the middle of the season, the team started with a high roster number and ended with a low roster number. The roster started off with 15 players, then the roster went down to 10 players. “We had a few people leave for personal reasons or academic reason, and it sucked because we are all… super close. So, it made… the drive for people a little less,” Rucker said.

Teammates leaving can affect team culture and dynamics and it depends on how the team decides to respond. Mabry said the dynamic of the team can change one or two ways, but that it is really about how the team comes together after they leave, and she said the team responded well. “We wish them nothing but the best and there are no hard feelings,” Mabry said.

As of right now, there is no mention of any of the team members that left that plan on coming back, according to Coach Mabry.

The Women’s Basketball team already has areas of improvement they plan to work on. The first one is to “foster a culture where winning also comes with chemistry and building that family feel,” Mabry said. She said they want to work on their foundation and figure out what they stand

for.

Rucker added on and said that personal development is something that the team should work on, as well as focusing on playing together as a team.

Going into the off-season, Mabry plans on getting some recruiting done. She said that they want to put the right people around the returners so the pieces fit. With all the challenges they faced this season they are “hoping to bring in kids that are going to make the program better from a basketball standpoint,” Mabry said.

“I would say to not be so hard on yourself all the time. Everybody makes mistakes and it’s about getting over it and moving past it.”

Senior Celeste Rucker In terms of workouts one of the things Mabry hopes to do is getting the team back to doing beach workouts on Friday to work on agility.

Since Rucker is a senior this year, she was asked if she had any advice for the team. She said, “I would say to not be so hard on yourself all the time. Everybody makes mistakes and it’s about getting over it and moving past it.”

After two years, the NFL team based in Washington, D.C. has finally chosen a name. The franchise will take on the name Washington Commanders. Other name options included: Red Hogs, Defenders, Armada, Presidents, Brigade and the previous name the Washington Football Team. Their reason for picking the name was to honor the military and service and leadership that are in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area.

Before the selection, fans were asked to provide suggestions or identify which names they had liked. Most fans had suggested names such as the Red Wolves, Red Tails, Red Hogs and even keeping the Washington Football Team name.

However, it seems like the franchise did not even consider the suggestions and went in a different direction.

Fans had mixed reviews about the new name. Some rival teams have already coined the nickname “Commies,” which is what people call communists. To make it worse, the team is in D.C. and the color has red in it, and I am not an overtly political person, but it does not look good. Yikes.

Furthermore, the name was joked about on Twitter. One Twitter user compared the Commanders to those fake football team names that are seen in movies because the movie could not get the rights to use them in the film.

When I first heard the news, the name sounded generic. It seems like the franchise did a google search for their new name because it lacks originality. It still sounds like a moniker (a name) just like the Washington Football Team, but at least that name flowed. It is hard to come up with a nickname that is positive for the Commanders. I understand the tribute to the military roots that are in Washington D.C. but any other name could have been chosen. For me, I kind of liked the name Washington Red Hogs.

Marlins achieve athletic success

Pelham surpasses 1000 points and Fisher is named All-ODAC First Team

BY STEVEN SERRANO

sdserranocruz@vwu.edu

VWU Track and Field highlights On Feb. 11, the VWU Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams competed at the NSU Kenneth Giles Invitational, where two Marlins lowered their record time.

Senior Jaylyn Lane lowered the school record and her own time in the women’s 200M dash. Lane finished with a record time of 25.87, beating her own personal record that she established at the CNU Holiday Open in 2019.

On the men’s side, senior Landry Moffo achieved a new record in the men’s 60M hurdles; and he did it twice. He ran in the preliminary round with a time of 8.29 that earned him a pass to the finals. In the finals, he ran a time of 8.22 lowering his record even further. Moffo finished fourth at the event.

There were other Marlins who also added 15 personal records, setting new marks in the women’s 200M dash and 60M events and in the men’s 400M dash and 200M events.

Alysse Scripter|Sports Information Senior Jaylyn Lane competing at the NSU Kenneth Giles Invitational.

Alysse Scripter|Sports Information VWU Swimming team finish their ODAC season with new school records at the ODAC Championship in Greensboro, NC from Feb. 11-13.

Marlins Swimming program achieves 11 new school records The Marlins Women’s Swimming team finished their ODAC season in sixth place with 180 points at the ODAC Championships and the men’s team finished their ODAC season in seventh place with 136 points. The Swimming teams combined achieved a total of 11 new school records, four by the men’s team, six by the women’s team and first-year student Lauren Hendricks being part of the ODAC AllTeams selection.

Hendricks became the first VWU women’s swimmer in the program to be selected in the Third-Team All ODAC conference.

Hendricks had an outstanding performance at the championship meets. She broke the school record twice in the 200 freestyle. In preliminary competitions she made a

mark of (1:59.65), and then she lowered it to (1:58.78) in the finals.

She also added three new school records in the 400 freestyle relay, 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay and 800 freestyle relay.

The six school records for the women’s team were contributed by first-year Audrey Roberts, firstyear Gaby Alvizo, first-year Lauren Hendricks, junior Chloe Dewberry, sophomore Emily Lewis and senior Dana Smith.

For the men’s team, the contributors for the four new school records were first-year A’Jay West, first-year Brandon Bostic, first-year Luke Bukowski, sophomore Eddie McDonald, sophomore Nathan Viricochea and senior Tyler Strong.

On Feb. 23, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference made public their 2021-22 All-ODAC Men’s Basketball Awards, revealing also All-ODAC Teams. Senior Tim Fisher, who plays forward position for the VWU Men’s Basketball team, earned the spot on the All-ODAC First Team.

Fisher recently became the program leader for career rebounds in the VWU Basketball program with a total of 889 rebounds and he sits second in the conference with 10.2 rebounds per game.

He also sits sixth in the ODAC statistical leader boards with an average of 17.3 points per game.

Fisher has contributed a total of 1,411 points to the team with an average of 12.49 points per game in his five seasons at VWU. This season has been one of the best so far, with a high FG percentage of 53.09% as well as a total of 29 steals, 14 double-doubles and 254 rebounds.

Another member of the VWU Basketball team that has contributed more than 1,000 points is senior Corey Pelham. He achieved this record on Feb. 9, contributing 14 points to the 80-67 score winning of the Marlins.

Alysse Scripter|Sports Information Senior Corey Pelham shooting against opponent from Lynchburg University.

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Thursday March 3, 2022 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Lacrosse teams share expectations

BY STEVEN SERRANO sdserranocruz@vwu.edu

Women’s LAX

Men’s LAX Earlier this month, The Old Dominion Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll for the Men’s Lacrosse season, selected VWU Men’s Lacrosse team in the ninth position of the table. At the time, the men’s team was ahead of the Panthers of Ferrum College and the WildCats of Randolph College. However, due to a recent loss against the Knights of Neumann University, the VWU men’s team now sits tenth in the position table.

Despite the loss, the team does not rush thinking about the season, but focuses on the next game instead. “Our expectation for any season is to approach it as a one-game season where our next game is our most important and we focus on going 1-0,” senior Adam Smedley said.

Smedley is confident in his team and he also believes that the young players have been a great addition to the team’s chemistry. “The first-year players have adapted well and learned how to operate in our team setting which has provided for good chemistry,” Smedley said. He also added, “The team looks well suited for this next season. We have a great mix of both old and young players that provide for some much-needed depth.”

Another player from the Lacrosse Men’s team that also believes in the young players is senior Christopher Lindemeyer. “I think the first-years have truly brought something into the program and that’s all you can ask for,” Lindemeyer said. “They give it their all and compete hard alongside the rest of the guys day in and day out.”

Lindemeyer states that his team is in good form for this season. “The team is definitely prepared for this season. Our coaches and my fellow seniors and I have made sure our guys are ready to go,” Lindemeyer said.

As a player, Lindemeyer expressed that he is ready to compete, “I’m very ready for this season. I know a couple guys back in

Grace McGhee|Courtesy

Sophmores Sam Edwards and Nolan Wilson defending against Neumann University.

my hometown that play for other schools and we were out working and getting better every chance we got in the off season to prepare us,” Lindemeyer said.

Lindemeyer, who has been with the team since 2020, was the goal leader for the Lacrosse team in the game against Neumann University this past Feb. 19.

Lindemeyer contributed with four goals on ten shots.

Fundamentals in every sport have been a success at the time of competition, and Lindemeyer supports this. “I think that if we take care of the fundamentals and trust each other out on the field that the future could be bright for the boys,” Lindemeyer said.

On the other side, the coaching staff has been putting their players to work for performance and improvement.

Smedley stated that the coaching staff is one of the reasons that he and his team are prepared. “The coaching staff has done an excellent job putting the team in positions to succeed and now it’s up to the players to execute. I feel that the off-season work plus the coaching staff has put me in a great position to contribute to the team,” Smedley said.

the

Schedule

the

Scoreboard

The VWU Women’s Lacrosse team was selected by the Old Dominion Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll to be the ninth position surpassing the Wild Cats of Roanoke College. As of now, the team is placed on the table with a 2-2 conference record due to the victory against Methodist University and the loss against Christopher Newport University.

The team overall had a good start and believe that they are more ready to compete. “We definitely are more prepared for this season than last year, we are in a better position for this season,” senior Madeline Gourley said.

One of the reasons is due to the changes that took place last season. Coach Nicole DeSalvia described last season as the foundation of the team. “My first season here at VWU we were gone in March so we didn’t really get to develop and build a season of a culture, so last year was the foundation of that,” DeSalvia said. She has been the head coach of the Women’s Lacrosse team since 2019.

Recently, the team acquired the talents of Mike Hairston, former student of VWU, as the goalkeeper coach to which DeSalvia expressed that it was a good addition. “Having an alumni involved with us is a really good addition to help

build what we want our program to look like,” DeSalvia said.

“Junior Natalie Dunn, senior Mikayla Callahan and senior Madeline Gourley have done a really good job leading us as captains,” DeSalvia said. The chemistry that the team has on and off of the field is thanks to their leadership brought by the team captains.

The Women’s Lacrosse team has nine first-year players, who have been adjusting to the life of a college-athlete.

“The freshmen are struggling a little bit, with balancing class, practices and games schedules and I feel bad for them but they are getting better,” Junior Natalie Dunn said.

“I think the biggest thing for them is just balancing with everything being so strange all the time. But on the field, I think they are doing a really good job, showing up for what we asked them to do,” DeSalvia said. “But I think that we needed our first two games and our game against CNU to show them the high level of college lacrosse.”

The team is looking forward to making the ODAC postseason playoffs this season. “We were a game short last year and we definitely had two games we could have won. So just getting there and actually competing. And then, after that each year, as we make a further round and further round we still get the experience.

I want to get us to that space this year so we’re prepared next year when we’re even better,” DeSalvia said.

Lastly, she encouraged people to support both of the teams, because even if they are losing, the fans’ support is something that motivates the player until the last second of the game. “Watching something a little different and you can Grace McGhee|Courtesy expect to have fun and learn something Freshman Michaela Elston traveling across about a cool sport. So, I hope everybody the field waiting for the pass against Methcomes,” DeSalvia said. odist University.

Thursday March 3, 2022 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

THEWEEKENDER

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Unlimited Relaxation

Sky’s The Limit Co.|Instagram The front door of Sky’s The Limit Co.’s location.

BY SASHA SAXON ansaxon@vwu.edu

If you’re a student seeking modern meditation, an athlete in need of injury recovery and prevention or someone searching for innovative high intensity workouts, Sky’s The Limit Yoga Co. has recently opened a brick-and-mortar location on 25th St., Suite A, in Norfolk.

Founded by Danielle Collinsworth in 2017, Sky’s The Limit Co. used to be entirely community-based in the Hampton Roads area, thriving as a pop-up in local cafes, breweries and more. Now, over forty classes per week are housed in their inviting, yet industrial, studio in the his-

‘Uncharted’ takes audiences on a journey

Emily Uzzle|Marlin Chronicle

Sasha Saxon|Marlin Chronicle Top left: Addison Phoenix behind the desk; Top right: Lotus Room; Bottom right: VWU student Emily Moody torical Railroad District and within nearby businesses that remain pillars of the community.

The warehouse-style building, built in the 1920s, has been gorgeously updated by the owner. Merchandise, snacks and pastries from neighboring small businesses can be found in the sun-lit lobby, which flows directly into the smaller of two studios—the Lotus Room. This multi-functional space doubles as a yoga studio and a co-working area, with tables and chairs available for yogis or stressedout students in need of a focused study zone.

Just down the hallway, the larger studio—the Sky

BY RYAN ABRAHAM rsabraham@vwu.edu

“Uncharted” (2022) is a movie based on the PlayStation video game series of the same name. It is directed by Ruben Fleischer, and stars Tom Holland as Nathan Drake, the main character in both the film and the games.

Tom Holland’s portrayal of Drake is mostly true to the character, who is portrayed as a younger and naive version of Drake. However there are a few moments early in the film where the script has Holland’s Drake behave out of character, which could be jarring for fans of the games.

Most of the film’s problems lie in the first act of the film, which while still full of charm, sometimes feels as though it drags along with some clunky dialogue and exposition. After the first act, the film picks up its pace as Drake searches for long-lost treasure, although a problem with the script does rear its head in the form of a convenient and questionable plot device.

One of the highlights of the film is its action sequences, as well as its showcasing of Drake exploring and uncover-

Room—is aptly named. Warm lights dimly illuminate a sunset mural on the white brick while music pours from a surround system and several skylights offer a visual connection with the outdoors.

The environment is familial, it welcomes and relaxes you from the minute you enter. Addison Phoenix, who began working at Sky’s The Limit Co. in January, is just one of the many friendly faces that makes up the instructor team. When asked what she might say to a first time student or someone nervous to join, she said “yoga is for everyone and all bodies.”

Collinsworth designed the studio with gender neutrality in mind to avoid the stigma that yoga is strictly for women.

Phoenix had more to say on this, “It’s not all hippy and crunchy, or all for ladies.” Practicing yoga is “finding mobility in movement and connecting it with breath” and that can translate into physical and mental health benefits for anyone in all aspects of life.

The Railroad District of Norfolk is a distinct area, with an eclectic and community-driven mantra. Since arriving in the neighborhood, Sky’s The Limit Co. has helped reflect and celebrate the idea of the community.

Sky’s The Limit Co. makes yoga accessible, diverse and affordable. They proactively accomplish this by offering an extensive list of 40 classes per week in studio and 15 community events monthly scattered throughout the Hampton Roads area. Each class is taught by a highly qualified instructor, with a specific passion and penchant for that type of yoga.

Affordability is no concern, with some classes based solely on donation and discount ideas like Happy Hour from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. on Fridays for $10 yoga. Month-tomonth and yearly memberships are available and provide discounts, but are definitely not required to enjoy all the benefits of the studio, which now excitingly include massages. Regardless of payment level, all necessary supplies for class: yoga mats, blocks, straps and bolsters are available to be borrowed (within certain class sizes) at STL’s location.

Whether you are a first time yoga student, hesitant to join, or an avid yoga enthusiast in search of a new home, Sky’s The Limit Co. will pleasantly surprise you. Community events to look forward to in March include classes at several local breweries, Coalescence Coffee, Eleanor’s Bookstore and Beachside Social. Follow @skysthelimityogaco for more updates and peruse their website skysthelimityogaco.com for more information and to sign up for classes.

ing the mystery of where the treasure is hidden. Both of these are core focuses on the games, but the movie primarily tells its own story. However, many elements are successfully pulled from the games, such as the film’s opening being based on the third game’s plane sequence, as shown in the trailers.

Another highlight is the dynamic between Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, who plays Drake’s mentor, Victor Sullivan, or Sully. The true highlight of their dynamic is the comedy between them, as Holland and Wahlberg play off each other perfectly.

However, their dynamic often becomes tense, due to Drake’s questioning if he can trust Sully. Further complicating their dynamic is Sophia Ali’s Chloe Frazer, who has had a negative experience working with Sullivan in the past. Tati Gabrielle’s Jo Braddock shines in the film as the leader of a group of mercenaries. Braddock is a sadistic threat to Drake and Sully as she attempts to track down the treasure for her client, Santiago Moncada, played by Antonio Banderas.

VB Bites: Local coffee shops provide options

BY MIKAYLA MOSCATELLI mamoscatelli@vwu.edu

In search of a delicious coffee and nice vegan treat? CLTRE. is the place to go and it’s 21 minutes from campus.

Customers can see the light brown tables along the black wall with paintings inside the cafe.

All customers are free to view the welcoming cafe and friendly staff with a culturally immersive menu full of vegan friendly items to fulfill many people’s wants. CLTRE. is a community-focused shop that has the desire to build a reputation on progressive values that provides support for the new generation of workers.

The creative mind behind CLTRE. is owner Luvenia “Luv” Hankins. “We have beautiful art by local artists who’ve put their stamp on us, our staff are amazing and the food is absolutely delicious! We are a good space for meetings, networking events and more! We also host local musicians and entertainment,” said Hankins.

Breakfast items range from waffles, toasts, a brekkie burrito and buttery biscuits and gravy. Lunch items range from sandwiches to a waffle pizza and a salad. These menus have items for vegans and people who need glutenfree options. Hankins recommends the waffles to first-time customers, saying, “Our waffles are a key item that customers come for.”

The prices for their drinks and food items stay in an affordable range for college students. Affordable and delicious items are what will be found at CLTRE. showing that no matter where you look, finding good food isn’t always expensive.

Their hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

“The Only Thing Missing From CLTRE. is ‘U’. We Look Forward To Serving YOU” on the CLTRE website at www.cltrevgn.com.

Feeling at home is the one feeling that Hankins wants to create in her cafe with a welcoming vibe that invites everyone to be who they are. A drive out to this cafe is needed for anyone who enjoys art and music with their coffee or vegan food.

CLTRE. | Vegan Joint is located at 1309 Fordham Drive Suite 106, Virginia Beach, VA 23464.

Visit cltrevgn.com or their Instagram @cltrevgn and Facebook @CLTRE. vgn jnt.

Thinking of another coffee destination and sweet treat spot? Pourfavor is just 17 minutes away from campus. It’s a great study space that provides a printer at the cafe and serves as a calm place to help anyone who needs to get work done and study.

Pourfavor is an inclusive coffee shop with a welcoming environment and provides many options for comfortable seating. The soft music playing invites everyone in to get a coffee or some pastries that were made by the owner’s mother.

Their hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with the shop being busy during the afternoon on the weekdays and the weekends being busy throughout the day.

Marlese Boyer, a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha, described her experience. “The overall experience there was a good one. I would definitely return and recommend it to others. It was a bit out of my way from VWU but when you have time on your hands to go, you’ll find a cute, delicious-smelling place to enjoy some coffee or tea,” said Boyer.

Josh Felias, a manager at Pourfavor, described the cafe’s atmosphere. “Very inclusive of all the groups that come in here. So we have people from all walks of life, demographics from all over the spectrum, so young, every color that you can think of, every orientation you could think of,” said Felias.

“From what I’ve heard, we’re the first in our area to do our Coffee Flight. So you know how breweries have their brewery flights where you can sample different types of beer. We have ours where you can sample different types of coffee,” Felias said.

Pourfavor’s most well-known and popular menu item is coffee flights. Felias recommends this for first-time customers to order. The coffee flights have seasonal flavors that change every month, some will be based on the holidays in that month. If you enjoy your coffee, you can order the larger size after trying the flights. The flights come in either four to six types of coffees.

Pourfavor is located at 5705 Lynnhaven Pkwy Virginia Beach, VA 23464. Visit pourfavorcoffeeshop.com or Instagram and Facebook @pourfavorcoffeeshop for more information.

CLTRE.|Instagram CLTRE.’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage month, with their own invention--a taco waffle.

Mikayla Moscatelli|Marlin Chronicle Decorative latte art from a barista at Pourfavor.

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THEWEEKENDER

Thursday March 3, 2022 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Marlins celebrate Women’s History Month

BY TIFFANY WARREN tawarren@vwu.edu

Looking to see local art while enjoying a latte and delicious food? Then look no further, the Starving Artist Cafe is 20 minutes away from the Wesleyan campus.

Kim Keene, a VWU Class of ‘93 alumna, is the owner and head chef of Starving Artist Cafe. Keene wanted to prove that she can use her art degree, and she takes it to the next level. She combined her passion for art by opening a cafe to offer meals and feature artworks created by local artists.

The Starving Artist Cafe creates a space to savor their food and crave creativity.

Keene shared how the Starving Artist Cafe was envisioned and came to fruition.

“It was a gallery, and [I] offered art classes for about a year and a half. Everybody who came to the gallery wanted food and drinks, so I decided to put a whole restaurant inside. I continued to do painting classes, and then I became interested in creating on a plate,” said Keene.

Egg dish fans should try their womlette for $12. “We take three eggs, and we put them inside a waffle iron, so they come out looking like a waffle, but it’s all eggs.

That’s why we call it the womlette. We

Tiffany Warren|Marlin Chronicle Artwork created by local artists feature in the gallery of Starving Artist Cafe. sauté whatever they want inside and fold it into this egg mixture. It’s beautiful,” said Keene.

Starving Artist Cafe’s most popular menu item is the French scramble for $11, served with roasted red peppers, spinach, goat cheese and avocado on top. It’s a colorful dish, but created on a plate instead of a canvas.

The open hours of Starving Artist Cafe is 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. everyday. Marlins can visit Starving Artist Cafe at 4408 Colley Ave Norfolk, VA 23508 to show Keene support as a member of the Wesleyan community.

Follow @starvingartistcafe on Facebook and Instagram for updates on art gallery exhibitions, local music events and menu specials.

book’s fictional stand-in for China, against creatures called Hunduns. The book describes the Hunduns as large metallic creatures who are “invaders from the cosmos who’d pulverized the height of human civilization some two thousand years ago and shattered humanity into scattered tribes.”

She is unapologetically angry, and that’s what is so fresh about her. Francesa Tacchi, the author of the upcoming novella, “Let the Mountains Be My Grave,” said, “I feel like ‘Iron Widow’ really scratched an itch when it comes to power fantasies for abuse survivors, and that [it] is unapologetic in its portrayal of a survivor’s rage and it is something that is oh-so-needed.”

“Iron Widow” speaks on both modern and ancient issues that the author feels deeply on. Publisher’s Weekly’s review said, “Zhao combines allusions to modern

Chinese issues, such as the marriage crisis, with ancient practices and beliefs, including footbinding, elements and qi and yin and yang.”

Zhao’s novel also defies how most novels deal with romance and gender roles.

In an interview for Oxford University’s school newspaper, “The Oxford Student,” about the romantic themes they said, “I hoped to show that you don’t necessarily have to bind yourself with society’s golden standards for romance and relationships.”

“Iron Widow” is unapologetically a novel rooted in feminism and deeply personal to its author. The novel’s narrator may be based on Wu Zetian in name and in how cunning and strong willed she is.

While in ways the novel is a breath of fresh air in a genre that is easily stereotyped, it knows it will upset people and it does not care.

Misty Reign Bath Co., a home and body care business in Virginia Beach, provides homemade scented candles and melts as well as natural skincare products. Erica Hardy, the owner of Misty Reign, had a passion for creating eco-friendly, natural candles and body care products.

The price range of Misty Reign Bath Co.’s soaps, body butters, wax melts and other handmade products are between $4 - $42.

Hardy shared about the care put into her products. “The sense of knowing that it was created with love, no machine. [It’s] what was put inside of it from a caring individual, so it’s handmade. A lot of times handmade holds more value just because a person individually made it,” Hardy said.

The storefront hours of Misty Reign Bath Co. are 12:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Start a soothing skincare routine by shopping at their storefront on 2104 Pleasure House Road Suite C in Virginia Beach or online at www.mistyreignbathco. com. Follow them @mistyreignbathco on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Antihero premieres in ‘Iron Widow’

BY ANNIE PHELPS saphelps@vwu.edu

“Iron Widow’’ is the New York Times bestselling debut novel of Xiran Jay Zhao, a first-generation Chinese immigrant. Set in a futuristic world with references to East Asian mythology, Chinese cultural elements and historical figures, the novel is both sci-fi and fantasy.

Its pitch describes it as “‘Pacific Rim’ meets ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ retelling of the rise of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history.” In a promotional video for the novel, the author describes the story as “a wild blend of [their] love of anime and [their] love of Chinese harem dramas.”

The book stars 18-year-old Zetian, who wishes to avenge her older sister who was killed defending Huaxia, the

Kathleen Vanden Berg|Marlin Chronicle