September 19, 2019

Layne Nooner|Marlin Chronicle Sophomore Rory Donahue dribbling up the field.

SEE w. soccer Pg. 8 THURSDAY 9.19.19 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWU.EDU ||

Donor funds new African-American Studies Program

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

Volleyball dominates start of season

BY MARKAYSHA BRYANT mrbryant@vwu.edu

A new donor-funded African-American studies program will soon launch at Virginia Wesleyan University. On Aug. 23, 2019 at the State of the University Address, Scott D. Miller, President of Virginia Wesleyan University, announced that the University had received a generous contribution to initiate an African American-Studies program.

“We think that a program like this will benefit you not just in the degree that you get, but that it will benefit you in life as a whole , it will give a better understanding of what led to current affairs in the United States, and the history behind it… that is important to a liberal arts college education,” Miller said.

SEE Donor Pg. 2

Layne Nooner|Marlin Chronicle Greta Coss hitting in a home game against Roanoke.

BY NICHOLAS MUNDY namundy@vwu.edu

Scott D. Miller|Courtesy President Scott D. Miller announced the contribution from Harvey Lindsay for the new African studies program at his State of the University address on Aug. 23.

With a record of 9-3, the Virginia Wesleyan volleyball team is off to its best start in over a decade. From the moment of the first tournament they hosted here at Virginia Wesleyan to now, the team has competed at a very high level. There are six seniors that are leading the way for the Marlins. These six seniors have grown together for four years now and contributed together to help the Marlins stay strong, along with being the best of friends on and off the court.

Alyssa Taylor, Sarah Brush, Elizabeth Britton, Meghan Wood, Lauren Topper, and Amber Matalus have led this Marlins team off to a phenomenal start. Britton (19 digs), Topper (21 kills), Wood (40 assists), and Taylor (30 digs) all set career highs in the season opener against PittBradford on Aug. 30.

SEE Volleyball Pg. 7

Farewell, Spider-Man

eSports has entered the chat Competitive videogaming will begin as a club sport as early as January 2020 with an eSports arena to accompany it.

BY ALEX POWERS

Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle

BY MAKIAH ELLIS mellis@vwu.edu

The Amazing Spider-Man is leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-known media franchise that brings comic book superheroes to life in films. Marvel Studios is a very successful company owned by the Walt Disney Company.

The superheroes in Marvel are well-known, but the most popular are the Avengers. The Avengers are considered “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.” Avengers you may have heard of include Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man and Black Panther.

The last major movie that was released by Marvel in the theaters was “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” which grossed more than $1.109 billion. This movie’s main focus was on Spider-Man and how Iron Man, who passed away in “Avengers: Endgame”, had faith in his strengths.

Spider-Man was the youngest Avenger, and the most successful at keeping his secret identity. At the end of the movie, his alter-ego was revealed to all of New York.

The ending to Marvel movies are always significant and are always a reflection on what will happen in the next movie released.

SEE Spider-Man Pg. 10

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ampowers@vwu.edu

VWU is welcoming an eSports team that could be starting as early as January 2020.

The announcements around this new Virginia

Wesleyan eSports team came during President Miller’s State of the University address this past August.

Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle

SEE eSports Pg. 3 9/18/2019 11:01:53 AM

2 Thursday September 19, 2019 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

News

Gun violence triggers Wal-Mart boycott With mass shootings rekindling the gun debate, consumers are pushing back on major gun retailers

BY ALEX POWERS ampowers@vwu.edu

The gun debate in the United States has been reinvigorated in the past few weeks. Three major mass shootings made headlines across news platforms, causing another wave of activism surrounding guns.

El Paso, TX was the first site of such gun violence. On Sunday, Aug. 4, a gunman opened fire in a Wal-Mart, per CBS News. While the violence was just contained to the Wal-Mart premises, 22 people were killed with more than 22 people hospitalized for injuries. The bodies were cleared from the superstore premises by the end of Sunday evening. The gunman was taken into custody and has since been indicted on capital murder charges.

Just hours later, around 1 a.m., gunshots were heard in Dayton, OH according to CNN News. Another shooting was taking place, this time in the bar and nightclub district of downtown Dayton. Many patrons leaving bars were caught in the fire of the shooter, who was fully equipped with a mask, armored vest and ear protection.

While local authorities had ended the threat within 30 seconds of the first shot, nine people were already dead and more than 27 were injured.

Reactions on Twitter to the two shootings were quick and with greater urgency than past shootings. Public opinion was graver than usual, with these particular shootings occurring so soon after one another. Hashtags like #ElPaso and #Dayton made their rounds on Twitter, accompanied yet again by #GunControlNow. Former Texas Congressman and current Presidential Candidate, Beto O’Rourke, spoke passionately of his home in El Paso following the shootings. Since the shooting, O’Rourke has attempted to comfort and rally the community behind his words. “The rhetoric that we’ve used — the thoughts and prayers that you just referred to — it has done nothing to stop the epidemic of gun violence,” O’Rourke said, according to the El Paso Times. “This has to stop in our country. There is no reason that we have to accept this as our fortune, as our future, as our fate.”

Meanwhile, a conservative pushback on the demand for gun law reformation formed, centered around video games. In addition to many comments on Twitter, several news outlets took the opportunity to blame gun violence on the use of video games. “I’ve always felt that [video games are] a problem for future generations and others,” said Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy in The Washington Post. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick added, “I see a video game industry that teaches young people to kill.” These sentiments were met with pushback over social media and news programs debunking the “video game” argument. There remains no empirical evidence connecting video games and gun violence.

Wal-Mart initially responded to the uproar about gun control with a temporary ban on violent video game advertisements. According to NBC News, following the

Wal-Mart receives blowback for its treament of both video games and guns. idea that video games cause real world violence, WalMart spokesperson Tara House explained, “We’ve taken this action out of respect for the incidents of the past week, and this action does not reflect a long-term change in our video game assortment.”

This change comes amid some severe concerns about Wal-Mart’s safety as a public space. In addition to the El Paso shooting, Wal-Mart became the site of more attempts at violence in the days that followed. As CNN News reported threats at Wal-Mart locations in Tampa, FL and Springfield, MO emerged at this time.

General backlash toward Walmart developed quickly, with many people getting upset at the company’s apparent video game blame. The decision to turn their attention to video games while still selling guns and ammunition made Walmart less respectable to many. People flocked to Twitter and their phones to protest Wal-Mart’s decisions. #WalmartBoycott began trending, giving the largest retailer in the U.S. cause to reconsider their actions. As tensions among consumers brewed, another shooting this time in Odessa, TX - seemed to push the issue to a new level. With Wal-mart serving as one of the largest sellers of guns and ammunition in America, the blowback against the superstore reached new heights.

Following Wal-mart CEO Doug McMillon’s promise of a “thoughtful and deliberate” response to the El Paso

Courtesy|Flickr

and Dayton shootings, as described in CNN News, new action now was taken. Wal-mart stopped selling handgun ammunition as well as asking their patrons to avoid carrying weapons in the store, regardless of their respective state carry laws.

According to Newsweek, Wal-Mart began to follow in the footsteps of Dick’s Sporting Goods, another major gun retailer which had made massive gun sale reform following the 2017 Parkland shooting. The public pressure following that act of gun violence forced Dick’s to create stricter policy about what it sells and to whom it sells, including the destruction of all assault weapons in stock. With social movements and public opinion regarding Wal-mart boiling past the degree which Dick’s had endured, it appears the retail giant might make even more changes to come.

The political diversity in Virginia Beach and Norfolk lends itself to a great deal of interest in how these events continue to unfold. As more public areas become sites of mass shootings, there is reason for many to take caution in the places they worship, shop and so on. Wal-mart now is no exception, and a popular Wal-mart location off of Military Highway could impact the Wesleyan community. This all comes just months after a mass shooting took place in Virginia Beach this past June.

African-American studies arrives at last An academic plan for African-American studies is coming to VWU, fulfilling a big need for students and the community.

Donor CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 The gift came from a long-time friend of the university, Mr. Harvey Lindsay, Jr. As a well-known business leader and civil rights advocate within the community, Lindsay has always had a passion for helping others, but the awareness of racial issues has been a top priority in his eyes.

Lindsay saw the need for Virginia Wesleyan University to become more diverse, and he chose to invest a substantial amount of money to the University to initiate the program in the amount of $250,000, which President Miller hopes to use to expand staffing capabilities and to also use some of the funds as leverage to raise additional funds.

Over the next six months, faculty and staff will be working actively to begin planning for the program. “ We as faculty have been working on this program for some time… this program will have a profound impact… if we want to understand how we got to the position we are in, we have to start from the beginning,” Associate Professor of English Rebecca Hooker said.

Though the program is still in its formative stage, planning will include exploring and establishing courses and topics through an interdisciplinary approach. “This is something that has come up in our strategic plan and…his gift makes it possible to carry out this goal and vision… to provide a broader academic experience for all students here,” Vice President for Academic Affairs Maynard Schaus said.

The new African-American Studies Program will bring the diversity and inclusion that students and faculty are craving. “Students have been begging for more diversity… we have seen progress, but this program will progress us even more” said Michael Perry, President of the Black Student Union. “This is at the right time, it’s for the right thing, and it’s just outstanding,” Miller said.

Black Student Union|Courtesy The members of the Black Student Union showed excitement for the new program.

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9/18/2019 11:22:58 AM

News

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Thursday September 19, 2019 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

New eSports club arrives on campus Virginia Wesleyan gets in on the video game action with a new eSports club and gaming arena.

eSports CONTINUED FROM PG. 1

Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle

Miller described how important it was that video games be a welcoming activity not just STEM majors but to students of any discipline. This news, coupled with Virginia Wesleyan’s plans to update the technology systems networks, is creating an environment more conducive for the most up-to-date trends and tech.

This addition of an eSports competitive club to a proudly competitive array of athletic teams is exciting news for Marlins fans. This comes at a time where eSports is a rapidly growing industry. Miller notes it is the “fastest growing global sport and a projected billion-dollar industry.” Competitive gaming and streaming are finally making their way into the mainstream in a big way. Streaming and Competing in major titles like the NBA2K series, Fortnite, Overwatch, Apex Legends and many more are proving to be popular and profitable.

While more details about the plans for the eSports club are still developing, the goal is that it will compete against other eSports teams in the area or conference.

VWU seeks shelter from hurricane As Hurricane Dorian apporached the Hampton Roads area, students and faculty prepared for the storm.

Courtesy|National Weather Service A Severe Weather Outlook shows the predicted impact on North Carolina and Virginia, on Thursday when the decision to cancel classes was made.

Courtesy|National Weather Service A radar overview of the East Coast shows the expected rainfall to hit each region.

BY CONNOR MERK ccmerk@vwu.edu

On Friday, Sept. 6, and Saturday, Sept. 7, Hurricane Dorian affected our area. This hurricane affected many Caribbean nations and the East Coast of the United States.

The Hampton Roads region was under a storm surge warning, flash-flood warning and tropical storm warning by the National Weather Service. As a result of these warnings and the expected rainfall and tropical storm winds, Virginia Wesleyan canceled classes on Friday Sept. 6, the first week of fall term.

Virginia Wesleyan issued an official statement on its website stating, “The Virginia Wesleyan campus is located on high-ground and is not classified as one of the four possible evacuation zones. The campus will remain open unless a special evacuation order is made for our area. Plans are in place for alternative power sources, food service, safe student activities and other appropriate services in the event of a power outage. That said, a tropical storm can pose travel hazards, and conditions can vary widely throughout our region. We ask those traveling to and from campus to use your best judgment and do not take unnecessary risks.”

The Hampton Roads region did not suffer the devastation that other regions endured, such as the Carolinas and the Bahamas. The only major effect was the loss of power in some locations. According to the Virginian-Pilot, “Dominion Energy reported that around 100,000 customers lost power in Hampton Roads at some point over the course of the storm.”

Freshman Ash Dobrenen had already gone shopping for groceries, but otherwise did not do much preparation.

“We had milk and cereal, we have our water pitchers, so if the power went out we would have cold water. We have a bunch of snacks and cookies, if we did get hungry we didn’t have to go [outside] to the cafeteria,” Dobrenen said.

Dobrenen believes that the university handled the situation well but could have sent out the information about classes being cancelled sooner. “They didn’t tell us classes were cancelled until very late, the day before, so it would have been nice to know sooner,” Dobrenen said.

“They sent out emails about what to do to prepare, and that there were events for us to do even though we didn’t

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have class.”

The storm was underwhelming to some, including Dobrenen who worked at stables back home in Greenville, South Carolina. “I have not experienced a hurricane before but where I was living, I was taking care of some horses, and there would be thunderstorms and lightning,” Dobrenen said. “I would have to lead the horses through that which was more stressful than going through this hurricane.”

Resident assistants, also known as RAs, are responsible for their residents and making sure that they know about updates from the university administration. Junior Kitana Finley is the RA for Deford Hall in Village IV and has had experience with hurricanes in the past. Finley lived in the Fort Myers area of Florida and remembers living through Hurricane Katrina. “Three days before Katrina, my youngest sister was born so during the actual hurricane we had a newborn in our household,” Finley said. “You always have to cover up your windows with wood in Florida and have lots of water. Also, cover the doors up

“ A tropical storm can pose travel hazards, and conditions can vary widely throughout our region. We ask those traveling to and from campus to use your best judgment and do not take unnecessary risks. ” Official VWU website statement

with towels, if there is a bunch of flooding coming in, but we didn’t have to do that here.”

For Hurricane Dorian, Finley prepared for the storm by purchasing necessities at the grocery store. “I went and

got two gallons of water and I went back another day to get bottles of water and gatorade. I got snack food because at least with those things I know I’ll eat them and I don’t have to cook them,” Finley said. “The store was very crowded. I went there, to get the things weren’t that bad, but the line to check out was like 45 minutes. People were not using their time effectively because you see people with 10 items in a regular aisle while they could have gone to the 20 or less.”

Finley advises that students be fully prepared for storms if they stay on campus. This includes having enough food, water and entertainment. “Always get water. It might seem stupid to have a whole bunch of gallons of water, but the thing is there is the rule that one gallon per person per day if you have no electricity,” Finley said. “Also, stock up on food that you are going to eat, that does not mean go get MREs and things you are never going to eat because we are college students and we do not want to spend money on stuff we are not going to eat.”

University officials prepared for this hurricane by monitoring it as soon as it began to form in the Caribbean.

Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Keith Moore is involved in the process of preparing for severe weather.

“We base our information on government agencies and authorities that have the ability to actually give us good information that we can actually rely on,” Moore said.

“We do not utilize local news at all. That is not something that we consider, we find it unreliable, hyped and it adds to more of the distress. We do not let outside influencers to necessarily guide what we do as far as closings, like businesses, other institutions, we really focus on what we know about the institution’s ability to manage a situation where we have severe weather.”

The university has several emergency generators that are always prepared to provide alternative sources of power. The institution secures more generators 48 hours in advance of a powerful storm that could result in losing power. “They wouldn’t power the entire institution, but it would certainly power the dining hall, so the kitchen would be open and it would be fully functioning,” Moore said. “We are reliant on the grid, we are reliant on Dominion Power to provide us power. If they can’t do that then we need to be able to meet the needs of our students.”

9/18/2019 11:12:43 AM

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Community

Thursday September 19, 2019 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

The

MARLIN CHRONICLE Editor-in-Chief Megan Sherman mrsherman@vwu.edu Managing Editor Tony Tann tdtann@vwu.edu News Editor Alex Powers ampowers@vwu.edu Community Editor Austin Edmonds acedmonds@vwu.edu Sports Editor Nicholas Mundy namundy@vwu.edu Weekender Editor Tony Tann tdtann@vwu.edu Photo Editor Layne Nooner lnnooner@vwu.edu Illustrations Editor Alex Powers ampowers@vwu.edu Online Editor Nel Hart nlhart@vwu.edu Copy Editor Tara Truax tmtruax@vwu.edu Business Manager Megan Sherman mrsherman@vwu.edu Advertising Manager Jasmine Demir jkdemir@vwu.edu Adviser Dr. Lisa Lyon Payne lpayne@vwu.edu

Power outage disadvantages students

BY DALTON POWERS dmpowers@vwu.edu In our digital world, a power outage can cripple a college campus. Power outages can happen for all different reasons. These reasons can include anything from Dominion Energy performing maintenance on the power lines that feed our campus to a storm knocking out power lines to a car running into a pole.

Thus, an outage can happen at literally any time, meaning that as a campus, we are pretty much always at risk of our campus activity being knocked off of its feet.

Our recent outage on campus on Monday, Sept. 2 had that effect. Several Virginia Wesleyan University students, including sophomore Meghan Pease, had introductory class meetings cancelled due to the lack of electricity in campus buildings.

Residence halls, including the Watts Hall row of townhouses in Honors Village, home to sophomore Caroline Tryfiates, were without air conditioning for hours. Others continued to feel the effects of the outage for days following.

According to Sophomore Valery Caraballo, Smithdeal Hall in Allen Village was without power for two days, and much of what was in the refrigerators of residents was lost to the warm temperatures within the hall. Dr. Keith Moore, Vice President of Student Affairs here at Virginia Wesleyan University, explained this outage, what caused it and just how readily equipped our campus is for these kinds of events as well as for ones that are more severe and last longer.

Dr. Moore was well informed on the issue and what had caused it. Moore shared that the outage was “certainly not a planned outage.” He further explained that it was caused by a “faulty meter located in the woods on our [Virginia Wesleyan University] property on the city line between Norfolk and Virginia Beach.” The meter was “a piece of equipment … that sends out certain amounts of energy to devices and places that need it … after the surge happened, a leg [of the meter] was blown.” Without this leg in place, the campus was receiving “mixed amperage … and because of that, that’s why equipment went down, HVAC went down, some lights were on, some lights were off.” The effects of the uneven amperage were seen across campus by many students, including Ashlee Bobzin, who was in class in Blocker Hall at the time of the surge.

Alex Powers| Marlin Chronicle

Bobzin witnessed and posted a video to her Snapchat story of the fluorescent lighting in her classroom violently flickering as the electrical system struggled to regulate the amperage to keep equipment running “on two legs instead of three.”

Moore then spoke about the university’s preparedness for outages. Protocols to keep students safe are implemented “right away.”

When asked how quickly the administration reacts to situations like this one, Moore expressed concern for students, stating that “[when] we know that there’s an outage, automatically, we’re in some type of response mode … I immediately went to the dining hall because I wanted to make sure that people could have dinner, at that time it was lunch time, so we wanted to make sure people are taken care of. If it’s at night, [we] make sure that

emergency lighting is working … we make sure that safety is first and foremost.” He also shared that the University is proactive with the prevention of outages “in preparation … anything that we can control, we keep tree limbs near power lines that feed the campus trimmed back far enough so that even if they were to fall, they wouldn’t touch any of our lines. So we do our part. And Dominion … is someone who certainly does their part. They were very responsive, they got out here quickly, they had to identify the spot, it was in the woods, and we do what we can when it’s impromptu, of course.”

Marlins storm the Involvement Fair

BY KARLEIGH WARREN kawarren1@vwu.edu

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

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

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

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

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

--Scott D. Miller, Ph.D President

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College can be a difficult transition for new students that do not know many other people on campus. One way to meet new people and make friends is to seek out groups who have made connections with other people on campus with the same interests. The Student Involvement Fair creates an opportunity for new students to find special friendships on campus and become a part of an organization.

With morethan 60 organizations on Virginia Wesleyan University’s campus it is possible for every student to find a place where they can feel is right for them.

On Tuesday, Sept. 10, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., students gathered in the Batten Center at Virginia Wesleyan University and began to set up tables and posters to represent their respective organizations.

Each organization set out candy and had a unique poster that explained what their organization is. Greek Life and other organizations had music to attract new members and encouraged those who were walking through the Batten Center to learn more about their organization. The Student Involvement Fair allowed students to visit each organization to learn more about which club might be the best fit for them. On each table, there was a sign-up sheet for those who may be interested which asked them for their name, email address and sports team, for those who are involved with sports. This makes it easy for these organizations to reach out to each student in order to give them more information. There are no commitments by signing up for these organizations which allows each student to have the freedom to sign up for more than just one organization.

There are a variety of organizations on campus from Greek Life to community, such as YoungLife, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Planned Parenthood Generation Action and Marlins Go Green. Other organizations on campus involve sports clubs, academic honors clubs and religious clubs.

Although many people might find it difficult to participate in more than one organization, Kennedi Jones, a senior at Virginia Wesleyan University, proves that it is possible by being a part of

Layne Nooner| Marlin Chronicle Marlin students getting active at the Student Involvement Fair.

the field hockey team and the President of the Sigma Omicron Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, a sorority on campus. Alpha Kappa Alpha believes in serving all mankind by doing community service and reaching out to every person they can in order to help improve the lives of others.

Participating in an organization can be beneficial in many ways that can help shape your future. “Being in this organization has helped me build my confidence as a black woman and empower other women. It has also taught me that our sisterhood bonds are very strong and that I will always have someone there to help me wherever I go,” Jones said.

Greek Life is not the only organization that focuses on bettering the lives of others. The National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), is the first student organization to give students a platform to openly talk about mental illness and mental health. Kaniah Elkerson, the Vice President of NAMI on the Virginia Wesleyan University campus, said that NAMI serves as an educational organization and a support system. “Our educational meetings emphasize

healthy coping mechanisms for those who have mental illness. Other meetings act as support groups where we provide a judgment-free safe place for our members to express themselves freely.”

Organizations such as NAMI benefit not only those who are not members but people within the organization as well. “Throughout this year I can definitely say that my leadership skills have grown and so have I as a person.”

Elkerson said. Finding an organization that correlates with your studies is possible. “Being a psychology major with a passion for mental health, I was more than thrilled to join,” Elkerson said. If you are passionate about a topic or purpose that is not represented on the Virginia Wesleyan University Campus, it is supported and encouraged that you start your own organization. Virginia Wesleyan University wants to ensure that every student on campus feels as if they have a place and a purpose.

9/18/2019 11:15:55 AM

The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Adulting 101: Making college feel like home

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BY KYLEA MCCAREL ksmccarel@vwu.edu Packing your things, moving cities and starting a whole new life can be daunting, especially if you’re going to a new community with new people, places and activities. College, for many, is at the top of this list. Making new friends, starting classes, and feeling at home in your new environment is something all students go through. Whether you are a first-year student, a fall semester senior or even an exchange student from Ireland or Japan, homesickness is something that happens to everyone.

It can be hard to feel at home in a new place, particularly if you’re thousands of miles away in a different country. Sinead McGarry, an exchange student from Ireland, started at Virginia Wesleyan this fall semester and attributes a lot of her comfort to having a roommate she can talk to. “I get along really well with my

roommate. ” I think that helps really well,” McGarry said. “It’s good because the first day I got here, she was just someone to do everything with.” Having someone else to talk to and trek through the adventure that is college with is something that really helped McGarry feel more comfortable and at home. She also said the best way to feel like she’s home in Ireland was an idea that her mother came up with. Her mother suggested bringing “washing powder from Ireland,” (also known as detergent here in the U.S) so that when she is homesick she can wash her clothes and have it smell like home. “I did that when I first got here,” McGarry said. This is something that is easy to do that can recreate your room at home with just a wash.

Other than your personal room décor and roommate interactions, another way to feel more at home in the campus community

is to join clubs or sports. Amanda Waller, a senior at VWU, attributed a lot of her campus family to the swim team. “To be able to feel like I’m a part of a team helped me get more comfortable on campus,” Waller said. Waller joined the team her sophomore year when the team made its first season debut. Joining the swim team allowed her to come out of her room and be a part of something bigger that contributed to the school. She felt her first year was her roughest year. Waller stayed in her room most nights and didn’t have an active relationship with anyone on her hall. Her favorite part about the team is the family bond they have created which she contributes to coach Mike Ginder.

“He makes us all feel like a family, and that’s something we’ve made our main value,” Waller said. He makes the team have a “family atmosphere.” Not only has Waller felt her relationship with her coach has pushed her to be better, she feels a relationship with her professors is important too.

“I have specific professors that I’ve gone to about just myself and not classwork,” she said. The relationship she has built with the faculty and staff has helped guide her in her college journey.

Making friends,

decorating your space and joining a team or club are great ways to feel more comfortable on campus but another great way to do this is exploring your college’s city and surrounding areas. Going to places such as malls, the beach or even just the surrounding fast food places can also help you feel more at home. Kaitlyn Wallace, a senior transfer student at VWU, found it hard to have a relationship with her hall mates due to living in a single.

She was able to find common ground by exploring outside the walls of campus.

“Not only do you make yourself here at school but you can also get the lay of the land” by going out Wallace says.

Wallace and a friend she made would go on “late night runs to Sonic, CookOut or wherever” which allowed her to become more familiar with her area. Wallace lives less than an hour away with traffic and still feels it’s necessary to discover what else is around. By doing so, she not only has made herself more comfortable on campus, she also has made herself more comfortable in the outside city community.

There are many ways to make college your new humble abode. Whether it be washing your sheets with the same detergent as home, putting up pictures of your family and childhood friends, going out to eat or even simply joining a club of your interest, it’s important to get there and be yourself. Sinead McGarry said it best with, “Don’t expect it to be the same as home” and “Don’t ever say no to trying something new.” College is a new frontier with endless opportunities to discover yourself and do something new and exciting. Get out of your room and try something you’ve never done. It might just make you feel a little more at home.

Pixabay| Courtesy

Spotlight Q: What did you do?

A: I researched the social learning abilities of Atlantic Stingrays, housed in the aquatic facility of the Greer Environmental Sciences Center. With the help of The Lighthouse, an Undergraduate Research grant, and Dr. Soraya Bartol, I was able to ensure that these specimens had the best possible care.

Q: What did you do to prepare for the research?

A: I did a tremendous amount of research on the natural history of the species, including their anatomy, typical behavior, food preferences, sexing, water chemistry, as well as handling. I also set up the aquatic facility to meet the stingrays’ environmental requirements.

Emilee Caldbeck ‘19 Psychology Q: What advice would you give to other students who want to do research?

A: Stay on top of your work. Also, make sure that the research is something that interests you to keep you wanting to move forward.

Q: What’s next for you?

A: My research helped me to focus on a career path of animal training. It required me to use operant conditioning with one of my subjects. Also, I trained one of the stingrays to give me high fives for a food reward. This research encouraged me to keep pursuing the career I truly want.

Q: What did you learn from doing this research?

A: It takes a lot of attention and time to do research with animals. I also learned the importance of consistency to keep the animals comfortable in their environment. I was motivated to do the necessary work to ensure that the animals live as comfortably as they can in human care. I also learned something about myself -- That I am able to push myself to do whatever I set my mind to.

Q: What was your most memorable moment?

A: All of the times I walked into the facility and could hear the stingrays splashing with excitement for food. Another moment is when one of my subjects completed all of her trials in the first session. These animals always kept me in awe of their intelligence.

Q: What did you find most surprising about doing the research?

A: I learned that I like conducting research. Before this experience, I was convinced that research was boring and tedious. I wanted to avoid it at all costs. However, it was really interesting! I had no idea how much could be learned from research.

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Emilee working with stingrays in the aquatic facility of the Greer Environmental Sciences Center, spring 2019.

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

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HIST 262, January 2018

PSYCH 305, January 2017

CHEM 310, January 2019

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ENVS 283, June 2019

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SRM 348, January 2018

SPAN 219/319, January 2017

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7

Sports

Thursday September 19,2019 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

AT A GLANCE

Volleyball Continued from pg. 1

Men’s Soccer Sept. 20 @ Randolph-Macon 7:00 P.M. Sept. 22 vs. Methodist 4:00 P.M. Sept. 28 @ Emory & Henry* 1:00 P.M. Oct. 1 @ Greensboro 4:00 P.M.

Freshman Haley Sutton setting the ball for senior Amber Matalus to go in for the kill.

What is behind the team’s recent success?

“I think team chemistry, cause there is six seniors and we all play where there is one rotation with all six of us together.

We have been playing with each other for four years. I think that really makes a difference,” Taylor said. “I would say the biggest difference is team chemistry. We just gel really really well,” Matalus said.

Team chemistry has been the focal point for the team’s early success.

With six seniors leading the way, their coach still mentioned one reason they been able to string together quality win after quality win. “Well, I think we have one of the deepest teams we have ever had in

program history,” Coach Andrea HooverErbig said. She highlights that there is depth at every position on the floor.

Each senior is offering their unique skill set to help the Marlins continue their winning ways. Topper mentioned what she was able to bring to the team while battling injuries throughout her career at VWU: “My goal for the season is to always bring something to the floor. My injuries have been an ongoing battle since freshman year, so I want to always be able to bring something to the floor whether I’m on or off the court,” Topper said. Topper is currently almost doubling her kills per set this season, and with already over 90 kills

Layne Nooner|Marlin Chronicle this season and she is ready to surpass her career mark of 111.

Dedication is what separates this group of seniors from past teams. “Dedication to the program and just really committing to leaving some kind of legacy. I think that’s always been a goal of ours. The six of us are best friends,” Matalus said. Each senior has their own goal for the season, whether it be one getting into the record book for digs in a match to winning an All-American award. This group of best friends and teammates is something to watch. Their energy is leading the Marlins as they make their way to the halfway point in the season.

Head coaches enter first year

BY MILES CHRISTIAN mmchristian1@vwu.edu

The start of a new school year brings in the new faces of the freshmen class and transfer students. However, there are some new faces in the athletic department as well, as the women’s basketball and women’s lacrosse team both hired new head coaches: Liz Hudy for women’s basketball and Nicole DeSalvia for women’s lacrosse.

Liz Hudy was announced as the new head coach of the women’s basketball team shortly after the school year had ended on May 15, 2019. Coach Hudy explained that she chose Virginia Wesleyan because she is a big believer in Division III sports, and she is also a big family person and the move back to Virginia Beach put her with her family. She also noted that competing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, the spacious campus and the tight-knit community are some of her favorite aspects of the school.

“I like that I can walk down the stairs and see all the students hanging out in the student center,” Hudy said.

The Virginia Beach native has most recently coached at Averett University, where she boasted a 68-39 record in her last four years as head coach. She led her team to a program record in wins each of those years. Prior to her time at Averett, Hudy was the assistant coach at Rochester University, where she helped lead her team to the NCAA tournament three times and the Final Four once. She also has produced an array of student-athletes that have received high-tier achievements, including 12 USA-South all conference selections, Division III basketball Academic AllAmerican of the Year, and more.

Before her coaching career began, Hudy attended the University of Mary Washington where she racked up an impressive 111 wins and just 15 losses in her four-year career. Within those four years, she helped her team reach the NCAA Sweet Sixteen three times and the Final Four once. Hudy was the CAC player of the year for both her junior and senior seasons, a first team All-American her senior season, plus many more accolades 7Sports.indd 1

Sports Information|Courtesy New head Women’s Basketball Coach Liz Hudy.

Sports Information|Courtesy New head Women’s Lacrosse Coach Nicole DeSalvia.

to go along with her career. Hudy was a dominant player in the post and finished her career as the Division III all-time leader in blocks with 510 in her four years.

Junior forward Sierra Coleman, explained how Hudy is laid back, goaloriented and family-oriented. She said, “When I first met Coach Hudy the first thing she asked about wasn’t about basketball, but about my family and I thought that was really cool.”

Hudy’s main goal this season is to be competitive in the ODAC and put themselves in a good position seeding wise for the ODAC tournament and hopefully advance to the NCAA tournament. Hudy will be taking over a Marlins team who hopes to improve on a 14-12 (11-7) season.

Later on in the summer, the Marlins hired Nicole DeSalvia to take over the role as head coach of the women’s lacrosse team.

The biggest things that drove DeSalvia to VWU was the location and the competitive nature of the ODAC conference. “Being in the ODAC gives us an opportunity to grow and a chance to be seen on a bigger scale,” DeSalvia said.

DeSalvia was hired a little late, but since she’s been here she said her favorite things about the campus is the space and the willingness of everyone to get to know her because she is new. Before joining Virginia Wesleyan, DeSalvia was the head coach for two years at William Peace University, where in the program’s inaugural year they went 10-5. Before her stint at William Peace, she served as an assistant coach at Methodist.

Prior to her coaching career, DeSalvia attended SUNY Cortland, where she earned her Master’s in Physical Education.

The Syracuse, NY native said her biggest goals and expectations are to become more competitive in the ODAC in order to make it further in the tournament. Junior goalie Jordan Moilanen said, “Coach DeSalvia is really trying to change the culture here and it is exciting.” DeSalvia will be taking over a team that hopes to improve on an 8-9 (45) season.

Women’s Soccer Sept. 28 @ Roanoke* 3:00 P.M. Oct. 02 @ East. Mennonite* 4:00 P.M. Oct. 05 vs. Hollins* 11:00 A.M. Oct. 09 vs. RandolphMacon* 7:00 P.M. Field Hockey Sept. 21 vs. St. Mary’s (Md.) 1:00 P.M. Sept. 27 vs. Mary Washington* 7:00 P.M. Oct. 1 @ Chris. Newport 7:00 P.M. Oct. 5 @ Bridgewater (Va.)* 1:00 P.M. Volleyball Sept. 20 @ Randolph* 7:00 P.M. Sept. 21 @ Shenandoah* 11:00 A.M. Sept. 21 vs. Alvernia @ Winchester, Va. 1:00 P.M. Sept. 24 @ Southern Virginia 7:00 P.M. Cross Country Oct. 05 @ Don Cathcart Invitational @ Salisbury, Md.

9/18/2019 11:19:01 AM

8 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Women’s soccer starts strong despite injuries

Layne Nooner|Marlin Chronicle Reina Araujo dribbles past Salisbury defenders. The Marlins tied the Sea Gulls 1-1 on Sept. 11 with a goal from Camryn Terry.

BY JORDAN WILSON jmwilson@vwu.edu

Despite a recent injury bug, the Virginia Wesleyan women’s soccer team is off to a 3-1-2 start. The Marlins won their first two games by a margin of eight goals.

These two games were in an exhibition tournament hosted by our very own women’s soccer team. This tournament consisted of four teams: Luther, Westfield St., Christopher Newport and Virginia Wesleyan. The Marlins and Christopher Newport went undefeated in the tournament.

Both Luther College and Westfield St. fell to the Marlins 4-0. The Marlins played nationally ranked CNU on Sept.

4. Unfortunately, the Marlins fell just short, losing in double OT 1-0. The fourth game of the season was against the Dickinson Red Devils, in which the Marlins tied them 1-1.

Jeffrey Bowers, the women’s head soccer coach said, “I think we’re off to a great start. Tough week four games seven days, it’s a lot of soccer with a limited time to prepare. We’re in good shape.” Women’s soccer has made it to the NCAA tournament each of the past three seasons.

Senior goalie Alicia Zamora had this to say about the team goals and expectations for the year: “Whether it’s a conference or non-conference game, we want to win as

a team and to win ODACs.” Winning ODACs would not only complete their team goal, but would also secure the team a spot in the Division III national tournament for the fourth time in a row.

Injuries come and go for each team, some more severe than others. Unfortunately, senior forward Alex Davidson went down as she scored a goal. Instantly, you could tell it didn’t look good as she had to be helped off the field.

She fractured her tibia in two different places, ending her 2019 season. Davidson played her freshman year of soccer at Old Dominion University. Then she came to Virginia Wesleyan to showcase her talents. In 2017, Davidson led the team in shots(32), goals(7) and assists (4); she also earned Second Team All-ODAC Accolade.

Injuries have been piling up for the Marlins. According to Bowers, “We’ve got a couple injuries already; I might be missing a few, but I think we have eight injured on the sideline right now.”

According to Davidson, the team likes to use the saying “34 strong.” Davidson explained, “it[ 34 strong] reminds each of us that we are a family and whether healthy or injured, we all play an important role on the team and that we’re stronger together.”

When the news of Davidson’s injury was brought to the team, Zamora said, “It broke our hearts. She was a hardworking player, and would do anything for the team to succeed. She has a huge heart and continues to share it with the team.” The whole team had nothing but nice things to say about Davidson. Coach Bowers said, “She worked really hard this offseason. She was fit and ready to go, very talented and we’re really going to miss her.”

Although Davidson went down, she still makes a big impact on the team. Zamora said, “She still supports us and encourages us through every game. She provides moral support and is the loudest on the sideline at each game.” Not only does Davidson support the team, the team supports her. Davidson said, “My team gave me a card which everyone signed. Each person wrote something different and genuine that reminded me that I really do have 33 sisters looking out for me.” Davidson recently had a successful surgery and is unsure whether she’ll graduate or come back and play another year with the Marlins.

! r a l o h c S l a Be a Glob

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9/18/2019 11:20:37 AM

September 19, 2019

THEWEEKENDER

PAGE 9

A PENNY FOR YOUR HIDE AND GO DIE NIGHTMARES

Val Miller | Marlin Chronicle

BY VALERY CARABALLO vecaraballo@vwu.edu

Reach your hand into the chest of the monster who traumatize your entire childhood and crush his heart until much like your fear, it is nothing but dust. Do we still fear 1990 Pennywise? If you are going to the movie theater with the expectations of a horrific yet nostalgic movie, it does not do the original “It” justice. “It Chapter Two” forces the same group known as the ‘Losers’ Club’ to come together after 27 years.

Coming into 2019, Pennywise is going above and beyond to get the attention of his precious Losers’ Club. Though you may have expected to be at the edge of your seat with fear, it is much more comical than expected. It is clear after you are reintroduced to each character that Pennywise has definitely left his mark on them, but has he left his marks on viewers?

Though there are some unforgettable, gruesome moments that occur during the movie, the ghastly graphics do not compare to the intense, heartwarming ones. Both are pulled off due to the amazing actors. The choice in cast truly pulled the movie together; the pain in each character’s eyes became more

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Britani Alyse| Marlin Chronicle

BY VALERY CARABALLO vecaraballo@vwu.edu

real every second they fought for their survival and the safety of their town.

Above all, these actors in particular give the audience the best connection possible while attempting to present the most wholesome version of “It Chapter Two” they could.

You stray away from the fear you once shared with a group of children trying to save their small town. A new relationship is formed with this same group who are now full-grown adults reliving their nightmares. After learning about each of the characters lives, you come to the realization that they may have needed their return in order to save themselves. This movie is ideal for the older generation who was introduced to it back in the ‘90s as well as for the new generation who is looking for a moderate story line with a couple scares.Whether you have seen the original or not, I recommend the movie because of its comical sense with an ending that might make you shed a tear after learning what happens to the Losers’ Club.

Everyone loves a good game of hide and seek. For Samara Weaving, who played new bride Grace, this was very different from a childhood game. The film is a combination of horror and comedy and full of mystery that keeps the audience on their toes while still having a good laugh.

A family ritual made to ensure the lives of every Le Domas requires a game to be played the night of each wedding at the Le Domas’ family mansion. The ritual was seen as a “game” the family would play, but the game chosen that particular night had a very different set of rules. Their wedding day did not end as expected and instead caused her to fight with the people meant to accept her within an inch of her life,while learning how the family’s fortune convinces them their lives are far more valuable than a woman whose social class was far below them.

The concept of marriage is portrayed as a simple sacrifice and lack of morality, yet the audience sympathizes for the bride who blindly plays this sinister game of hide-and-seek until it becomes clear she is being hunted to death. Oddly enough, the husband who had seemed to have his

wife’s best intentions comes to surprise her at the end.

This movie is ideal for any audience seeking a film that is moderately scary. “Ready or Not” may seem more appealing to people who think the rich take advantage of everything especially their in-laws. Even with its slight perks and though not as shocking but very necessary ending, it is definitely not worth a trip to the theater. It lacks the interesting back story and originality needed to truly mold a good movie. If you have ever seen a movie like Purge or almost any basic horror movie, you can say it rips off a little bit of each. The family members even do this peculiar thing where they wear different kinds of odd masks. The movie definitely seems like it stretched its efforts as far as they could, but missed slight details that could have pieced the movie together better.

Although the quality of the movie was less than expected, the actress expressed true fear with skills that allowed the audience to truly connect to her, making her the highlight of the film.

9/18/2019 11:27:09 AM

THEWEEKENDER

PAGE 10

September 19, 2019

MCU LATER

Alex Powers | Marlin Chronicle

Spider-Man CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 As rumor has it, based on the drama between Sony and Disney, Spider-Man will be leaving Marvel. Kevin Feige, an American film producer who has been the president of Marvel Studios since 2007, was determined to bring him into Marvel Studios. The shared custody deal between Marvel and Sony was a difficult one to get done. It was unsurprising when the extended negotiation started to fall apart.

Sony has controlled the rights to Spider-Man since 1999. The two studios have had a custody deal since 2015. According to the deal made in 2015, Disney was getting 5% of first dollar gross for Spider-Man movies.

Disney was in control of the creativity that took place in “Spider-Man: Far From Home” which made more than $1.1 billion dollars. Off of that movie, Disney was only able to receive less than $2 million. Although Disney is a very successful, multi-billion dollar company, this was deemed as unfair to them. But as Sony saw it, a deal was a deal.

Fans were highly disappointed when they heard about the falling out between Sony and Marvel regarding

Spider-Man. “Spider-Man: Far From Home” left fans on a cliffhanger. Spider-Man was portrayed to be stronger than usual in this movie. Fans even believed he had the ability to be the new Tony Stark (Iron Man). Fans expressed their outrage with Sony on various social media networks due to the split. There was even a hashtag trending “#SpidermanbelongsintheMCU”. The profile MockingbirdJane “@SonyPictures Seriously?

What on earth are you thinking?” a fan tweeted to Sony.

Sony has left legions of fans disappointed.

The main reason fans are so angry about Marvel losing Tom Holland as Spider-Man is because he fit so well into the Marvel Universe and was well-liked by all fans and co-workers. There is a huge hole left in the Marvel Universe without Spider-Man. Think about it: how are all the other movies going to operate like the earlier Avengers films did? They just lost their main star, who appeared poised to become the leader of the next generation of Marvel superheroes. How will Marvel make other movies without being able to mention SpiderMan and the big role he played in the Marvel Universe?

On the other side, how will Sony make another movie about Spider-Man without using the previous plots that Marvel had used. Other big-time actors from the film, such as Zendaya, won’t be able to be used in the next Spider-Man film because she was paid by Marvel and not Sony. The whole plot has to be something different.

That’s where Sony’s film “Venom” will come into play. Rumors indicate that Spider-Man will somehow be introduced through the “Venom” film. As most SpiderMan fans know, when Spider-Man was played by Toby Maguire, Venom was introduced in the movie SpiderMan 3. As we have seen this before, this might be the route that Sony takes to re-introduce Spider-Man. Tom Holland, who acted as Spider-Man in the Marvel films, told GQ Style that he’s had “the time of his life”.

He also assured everyone that “the legacy and future of Spidey rests in Sony’s safe hands.” He repeatedly stated how much he enjoyed every second he spent with Marvel and how “Spider-Man: Far From Home” was due to Marvel’s great success.

THE MARLIN UNDERTOW / By Tony Tann GO TO THIS:

LISTEN TO THIS:

WATCH THIS:

NAS Oceana Air Show:

Hobo Johnson “The Fall of Hobo Johnson”:

Wu Tang: An American Saga:

Everyone’s favorite thrill show is coming back to town!

The NAS Oceana Air show is a showcase of the world’s finest flying aircraft, heavy artillery and heavy duty military vehicles. This year the NAS Oceana Air Show is excited to present for the first time in anyone’s memory the United States Air Force Thunderbirds! The base will open up to the public on Sep. 21 and 22. Make sure you arrive early for the NAS Oceana Air Show this year! Gates open at 8 a.m.

Admission and parking are free.

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The rapper’s third album is a mixed bag of broken hearts, bizzare tales, and awkwardly relatable moments. Throughout the album’s 12 tracks there are a variety of unintentional nods to Johnson’s influences such as Chance the Rapper, G-Eazy and more. His latest work is a worthy representation of who he is: a talented and funny up-and-comer with an addictive perosna.

“It’s the Wu on the Lu” has been the tagline popping up everywhere on the media outlets. The dramatic retelling of the history of The Wu Tang Clan formation aired on hulu this September.

Instead of a full season, it’s released every Wednesday, so those who want to binge will have to wait. Regardless, the wait will be well worth it as hip-hop fans everywhere relive the story of The Staten Island Wu Warriors from the 36th Chamber.

9/18/2019 11:29:28 AM