Sept. 14th, 2023

The Marlin Chronicle

President Greer: a legacy in a life

BY RHIAN TRAMONTANA rjtramontana@vwu.edu

Former Virginia Wesleyan President William Thomas “Billy” Greer, Jr. passed away peacefully on Aug. 30, while at his home in Asheville, N.C. He was 81 years old.

In the words of Dr. Terry Lindvall, the C.S. Lewis endowed chair in Communication and Christian Thought, Greer was a “storyteller,” who always “brought people into his world.” Now, it is our turn to remember VWU’s former president through telling his story and bringing the community back into his world.

In 1992, Greer became president of Virginia Wesleyan College, and he served the community for 23 years. Greer, his wife Fann Dewar and their three children, William, Robert

and David, became part of the campus community.

According to the obituary published by Groce Funeral Home, Greer loved using backyard grilling events as a fundraising opportunity, which contributed to his image as a president connected to the people.

Dr. Craig Wansink, professor of Religious Studies and director of the Robert Nusbaum Center, reflected on his pig roasting events and his use of “colloquial” language.

“He loved using backwoods expressions, like referring to something as being ‘smooth as a gravy sandwich,’” Wansink said.

Greer also made a legacy for himself through his ability to grow the school and its opportunities. Wansink remembers Greer’s presidency as “a fruitful time,” especially in his initial years.

Climate change induces recordbreaking heat

BY KARA HOPKINS knhopkins@vwu.edu

Temperatures in 2023 have hit some of the highest levels recorded in the world’s history.

According to the Washington Post, June 2023 was the hottest June ever recorded. Additionally, July has been the hottest month of 2023 so far, and possibly the hottest month recorded in 174 years. It reached over 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the average, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and while 1.7 degrees does not seem like much, many places really took the heat.

Arizona, a state that normally experiences hot weather, was 110 degrees for 31 consecutive days, CBS News reported. This is the highest continuous hot episode the state had reached since 1974. Additionally, according to the Washington Post;

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Students reminisce on study abroad

Travel the globe with fellow Marlins and share in their experiences.

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Men’s Soccer kicks off with 4-0 win streak at home

The next home game will take place on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 3 p.m. against William Pearce University. Page 8

VWU’s campus will always hold memories of the fruitfulness of Greer’s actions.

The name Greer will forever be engraved in the Greer Environmental Sciences building on campus, which was built after Greer’s retirement in 2015. In addition, Greer was integral in building the Batten Student Center in 2002 and creating the Robert Nusbaum Center.

“President Greer embraced Bob Nusbaum’s ideas for a ‘Center for the Study of Religious Freedom,’” Wansink said, “that would come to result in an endowed directorship for the Center, an endowed professorship in Judaic studies and another in communication and Christian thought.”

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First-year enrollment numbers jump, students find new home

BY LILY RESLINK lbreslink@vwu.edu

With an enrollment of 445 first-years, according to enrollment figures, this year’s incoming class of new Marlins broke the university record for enrollment into VWU’s traditional College of Arts and Sciences.

Heather Campbell, vice president of VWU Enrollment, said that the office “made some significant changes to our recruitment processes this year, which I believe played a major role in the success of this class.”

Campbell said the two primary changes included “becoming a member of the Common Application and creating and implementing an extensive digital marketing plan.”

Regarding the people who worked alongside her, Campbell said, “This team worked extremely hard to enroll in this class. Many members of the Enrollment Team were in their first recruitment cycle and blew me away with the results. Each member of this team went above and beyond during this cycle.”

Indeed, the broken record indicates that Campbell and her team saw the fruits of their labor. “Enrollment is extremely fast paced, and we have to constantly adapt and pivot. I believe our willingness to embrace that led to our success this year,” Campbell said.

Aside from the work of the enrollment team, an array of factors led first-years down their individual paths to VWU.

Hultgren enters 55th, final year as professor

BY ELLIOT FYLSTRA egfylstra@vwu.edu

Dr. Lawrence “Larry” Hultgren has been a professor of Philosophy and the chair of Philosophy at Virginia Wesleyan University since 1969. This school year, Hultgren will be completing his 55th and final year here at VWU.

Prior to coming to VWU, Hultgren received his master’s and PhD at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. He has taught many different classes over the past 55 years and has always strived to be an active part of the campus community.

“I teach philosophy and environmental ethics courses,” Hultgren said. “I try to stay

Among these factors are the university’s new athletic programs. First-year Tyler Younger landed at Virginia Wesleyan because of the pioneering Men’s Volleyball

involved in the campus—for example, I’m a faculty athletic representative for the NCAA, so I do a lot of work with the athletic department and students.”

Hultgren practically built the Philosophy department as Virginia Wesleyan began expanding. He introduced various classes, most dealing with the philosophical questions that rise in any discipline.

“Philosophy is a very unique discipline. It’s a kind of discipline that really involves so many kinds of facets of our life,” Hultgren said. “[Philosophy] tries to work with those questions that emerge, not just in philosophy but emerge in life and emerge in so many other disciplines as well.”

While Hultgren has made a

program that will be making its official first season debut this winter.

In terms of his adjustment to

huge contribution to the field of philosophy, he has also touched the lives of thousands of students during his time here at VWU.

Hultgren has the reputation of a steady, companionable role model, impacting many fellow faculty members as well.

“Over a 55-year career, he has proven to be a steadfast and supportive presence and a role model for many,” Professor of Media and Communication Kathy Merlock Jackson said.

“He was especially helpful to me when I began advising the Ethics Bowl team, coming in to talk to the students each fall and giving them new ways of thinking. Everyone loves Dr.

Women’s Lacrosse embraces new coach

BY SYDNEE WASHINGTON sawashington2@vwu.edu

The Women’s Lacrosse team returns for another year after 5 wins and 12 losses this past spring season. This year, however, the future has never looked brighter, and the girls have been blessed with a new head coach, Madison Heck.

Although the lacrosse program has seen worse days, they decided to part ways with the old coach and recruit a younger force. Heck played for both Georgian Court University and

East Strousburg University. She excelled in her collegiate lacrosse program, earning multiple awards, including conference tournament MVP. Heck led her team to an undefeated season her senior year. This is Heck’s second year of coaching and first year of coaching a collegiate team.

“It’s what I was meant to do,” Heck said.

Her infectious energy and evident passion for lacrosse is a breath of fresh air to the program. She intends to wipe clean the program’s past and

focus on creating a successful future.

“Players play differently depending on their coach, so it wouldn’t be fair of me to watch and critique their old games,” Heck said. “I want to start with a blank slate, make my own opinions, and give the girls an opportunity to prove themselves.” Her strategy this year is to maintain a flexible coaching style.

“I want to see where people fit and what skills they bring,” Heck said. She also intends to cultivate a high pressure

Aoifa Branco|Marlin Chronicle

Dr. Greer stands with his wife, Fann Dewar, during a campus event in 2014.

Kayleigh Poggioli|Courtesy

Left: Kristian Ramkvist, first-year Elias Paulino, first-year Declan Keener and assistant coach Cassondre Wilburn; right: orientation staff pose for a photo on move-in day.

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Aaron Oman|Courtesy

Summer study abroad group to Japan poses for a group photo.

Elly Condit|Courtesy Everett McClosky heads the ball.

Elizabeth Malcolm|Courtesy Hultgren courts a tree during a 2017 trip to Alaska with a study abroad group.

Damien Kelly|Courtesy Coach Madison Heck smiles.

Community rallies behind language programs

BY AVERY BELISLE agbelisle@vwu.edu

The last few years have been especially difficult for the budgets of universities and colleges nationwide. Unprecedented conditions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have put financial strain on these institutions. To compensate for these hardships, many universities have cut part or all of their foreign language and liberal arts programs. Most notably, West Virginia University has recently crept its way into the headlines of some of America’s most popular newspapers, such as The New York Times and Washington Post for its shocking response to financial hardships - to get rid of all of its foreign language programs.

This follows a 36 percent decrease of state appropriations for West Virginia University over the last ten years, contributing to a roughly 50 percent increase in West Virginia University’s debt over the same amount of time, as found by the Chronicle of Higher Education.

State universities like West Virginia University rely on partial funding from the state to keep tuition costs low and programs running during times of decreased enrollment, but the amount of funding for universities coming from state legislatures has decreased dramatically over the last 10 or more years, the National Education Association shows. State budgets have tightened over the last decade, and it is not unusual that it is education that suffers when it comes time for budget cuts.

“I think that states facing their own budget deficits target education for two reasons,” James T. Moskowitz, lecturer of Political Science at VWU, said.

“[First], colleges and universities can theoretically compensate for a loss of state funds by raising tuition (charging the users), and they can (again, theoretically), also compensate by taking in more out-ofstate students who pay higher tuition rates. [Second], education budget cuts are sometimes the lesser evil. Cuts in other areas of state spending, like Medicaid, would be amplified because those funds are matched by federal funds,” Moskowitz said. Within both public and private schools facing budget cuts, there’s also a trend of certain fields (such as the arts and humani-

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ties) suffering more than others. Benjamin S. Haller, associate professor of Classics at VWU, said these decisions “seem symptomatic of a quixotic tendency to commercialize academia,” which is often followed by the prioritization of more profitable fields, such as business.

“I love Business as an academic discipline—my father worked his entire career in Healthcare Finance, and many of the faculty in our Business program are friends— but universities, like museums, libraries, archives, schools, symphonies and operas, are not businesses, and do not exist for the purpose of profit. They are cultural institutions,” Haller said.

Haller spoke of the direct benefits of language studying for a student, such as increased job opportunities and the possibility of higher test scores, and how a liberal arts education and experience in a foreign language teaches students about their values and roles within a society.

Haller said “the additional lifetime earnings of a bilingual worker can be as much as $128,000,” and, additionally, “88% of job recruiters say speaking more than one language is critical to business success.”

He elaborated on benefits that even ancient languages may bring to a student, citing information from the Society for Classical Studies which demonstrated that “the benefits of studying Latin and Greek extend far beyond the skills in language,

Lindvall, as the endowed chair for communication and Christian thought, recalls how Greer was “helpful and encouraging” as Lindvall moved to the VWU community. In true VWU spirit, Lindvall said Greer “explained the pitfalls, dangers and delights” of the position when Lindvall was asked to join the faculty.

Throughout his time at VWU, Greer was a cheerleader, especially of the school’s athletics. During basketball games, he would “[make the crowd] part of the team” with his enthusiasm and cheering, Lindvall said.

Dr. Kathy Merlock Jackson, professor of Media and Communication, echoes Lindvall’s warm memories of

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In Virginia, the hottest day this year reached 112 degrees in some parts of the Commonwealth, according to The Virginian-Pilot. This is roughly 22-26 degrees higher than the July average using data from Weather U.S.

These increased atmospheric temperatures lead to sea surface temperature rise.

While hotter beaches could seem like pleasant news to some, hotter oceans can have serious repercussions. As an example, Professor of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences and Director of Sustainability Dr. Elizabeth Malcolm said that the heating of the oceans can lead to more intense hurricanes.

Malcolm said this new heat brings more water vapor into the atmosphere, which can cause more precipitation during these tropical storms and hurricanes. This can lead to flooding with no current infrastructure to address the problem.

VWU sophomore and environmental science minor Elizabeth Smeltzer said that marine life suffers when the ocean temperatures rise. Coral often can’t survive in the hotter temperature waters, as it makes it harder for them to perform functions they need in order to survive.

Our local Chesapeake Bay is home to many species that suffer from this temperature rise. This can lead to food limitations when species that humans consume can no longer survive in the hot ocean.

This year’s heat was an accumulation of several factors. “We’ve had high pressure this summer across the US, which makes it sunnier,” Malcolm said. These are frequently called “heat domes” and have been

writing, reasoning, textual analysis, and fluency in important authors and history.”

Despite the great value of these benefits, Haller does not believe they are the only reasons for teaching foreign languages.

“The true value of language study, however, relates to how we understand the nature of a Liberal Arts education,” Haller said. “We can and should be ensuring our students get jobs. However, jobs are only part of the story. When we think of college simply as vocational training, we miss the reason we as a society cannot afford to do without our Liberal Arts institutions.”

Haller revisited the importance of language learning on individual societal contribution. “Through language study, [students] gain the confidence, resourcefulness and mental agility to learn from other humans,” Haller said.

It is not just teachers who hold concerns about threats to university foreign language programs. First-year Stephanie Clark shared worries regarding the strong ties between culture and language. “[Restricting language education] blocks out the ability to learn more about other cultures,” Clark said. “This can also cause some issues in our foreign politics.”

Clark said, “When we take away our opportunity to learn other languages and cultures, it makes us less [receptive] to listening to others about political agreements.”

Clark pointed out that English is not the only language spoken worldwide, and is even becoming less prominent in America as the number of Spanish speaking people grow.

“Choosing to take away [programs about] other languages and cultures simply for [financial] purposes is ignorant,” she said.

English’s worldwide prominence has become evident in language programs all over the world.

Lara Koenigsdorff, an exchange student from Germany spending the semester at VWU, shared the prominence of English education in the German school system and German foreign language requirements.

“[German students] are taught [English] from [the] first grade on. Other languages, mainly Spanish and French, you can choose…in the seventh or eighth grade. If you want to achieve the Abitur (equivalent to high school diploma), you need to have

Greer being an enthusiastic community member. “Dr. Greer inspired the campus through his example,” Jackson said. “He radiated optimism and enthusiasm and built a community of people who felt they could make a difference.”

Jackson spoke of having many stories of Greer that showed his care for the community and the people around him.

“When I directed the Ethics Bowl team, Billy asked me to let him know if there were team members who could not afford professional clothes to look their best for competition,” Jackson said. “On a couple occasions, he sent team members to his own menswear store and bought each a suit, two shirts, a tie, and even new shoes and socks!”

This, like many stories, sticks with people as yet an-

said.

recorded in many places throughout the summer months of 2023.

Rising temperatures can also be linked to El Niño. These weather patterns happen every couple of years interchangeably with their opposite, La Niña, weather patterns. This natural occurrence determines whether the year will be warmer or cooler.

“The El Niño impacts the climate globally,” Malcolm said, but the direct effects of this pattern mostly target the western United States and the Pacific Ocean.

While these weather patterns happen regardless of climate change, there is a correlation between the two.

“We have evidence that the general warming we’ve seen over the last few decades has been exacerbated by greenhouse gas emissions,” Malcolm said.

This means that these natural weather patterns are becoming more extreme because of climate change. Humans are impacting the weather just as much as the weather is impacting us.

Although the steadily increasing temperature can be frightening and dispiriting, there are several ways that we can help, as both individuals and as a community at Virginia Wesleyan University. Junior Jessica Wilson, an environmental science and sustainability management major and the vice-president of campus sustainability group Marlins Go Green, speaks out. Wilson said she understands how this news can bring people down, but has a different view on it. “It should be a call to action,” Wilson said. “This is not hopeless.”

Wilson believes we can each play a part in taking measures to prevent further temperature rise. “As an individual, you can take steps yourself to reduce your carbon footprint, like reducing your meat consumption and using reusables,” Wilson

at least two foreign languages,” Koenigsdorff said.

Koenigsdorff said she has plans to graduate and become an English teacher upon her return to Germany. She therefore regards foreign language education very highly, and is concerned to hear about the potential decrease of its accessibility.

“[It’s] a really important subject and can help students a lot in their jobs and their lives,” Koenigsdorff said. “Languages are useful and enriching to learn.”

To the assurance of many, the language and liberal arts programs at Virginia Wesleyan are well-protected. “We are fortunate here to have President Miller and the administrators who share a vision of the university which is strongly grounded in the Liberal Arts,” Haller said.

The foreign language programs connect to every aspect of VWU’s community, from cultural awareness to curriculum development.

Haller also noted that the Self Study (which VWU’s Classics program recently completed alongside Jeffery Henderson at the Society for Classical Studies) “shows a strong pattern of steady growth in enrollments across the past fifteen years.”

Just because language and liberal arts programs are safe at Virginia Wesleyan does not mean this concern is irrelevant to the Marlin community. Many students want to further pursue their education at other schools, the programs of which may not be as secure. The future is never completely certain, and risks towards these programs must be constantly assessed.

“Faculty and students have to be ready to stand up for the idea of the university and the liberal arts at times when universities do begin to tighten their belts,” Haller said.

He said that faculty may protect these programs by being “courageous in supporting [their] colleagues’ enterprises, and have faith that together, the faculty will keep the Liberal Arts here - including our language programs - strong.”

Moskowitz emphasized that when the program cuts are due to financial hardships caused by decreased state funding, the main line of defense becomes students.

As a way to help protect these programs, Haller said to vote for candidates in the upcoming general elections who have shown their priorities lie with education.

other example of Greer’s care for people. “Years later, they would still recall Billy’s kindness and generosity,” Jackson said about her Ethics Bowl team.

Greer was more than just a community member or a leader. He was a legacy of both, one that will always remain in our campus memories.

“Billy Greer built a community. He valued people and taught people to value others. Under his leadership, we worked together to achieve common goals,” Jackson said.

A memorial service will be held on Oct. 14 at 10 a.m. at Christ and St. Luke’s Church in Norfolk, Va. In addition, a celebration of life will be held at VWU later that day. In lieu of flowers, the family asked that memorial donations be made to the William Thomas Greer, Jr. scholarship fund at VWU.

less of what you believe in,” Smeltzer said.

Smeltzer said we can help by taking accountability for harming our climate. “We should take responsibility for this. We have a role to fill,” Smeltzer said. She said that everyone should be working to reduce this temperature change, “It doesn’t matter what party you are, what opinions you have. These issues affect everyone, regard-

Malcolm said that not only do we need to pressure ourselves for change, but we also need to pressure wealthy people and industries. “Everyday people can make some change, but we really need policies to change to be able to make a difference,” Malcolm said. “This gets back to the idea of advocacy.”

Benjamin Haller|Courtesy Dr. Benjamin S. Haller shares his views on VWU’s language program.

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college life, the most unexpected part of college was how much more laid back it was than high school. “The adjustment process has gone very well, I’ve adjusted quite fast, and I’m meeting a lot of new people,” Younger said.

Another factor that drew Younger to VWU was its closeness to home, a sentiment that first-year Liam Castellano shares.

What originally brought Castellano’s attention to VWU was the fact that their uncle went here. After familiarizing themself with campus through a tour, Castellano’s decision to attend was set in stone. “I just loved how beautiful the campus was, loved that it was a smaller school and it seemed really accepting of all sorts of people’s differences,” Castellano said.

VWU’s primary appeal for first-year Jordan Fielder was the small campus. “I feel like with bigger universities you don’t get to build a connection with your professors, so that was a major part of my decision,” Fielder said.

From an athletic standpoint, Fielder said, “Having the opportunity to compete at collegiate level was a good tiein to me making VWU my home.”

Fielder named “the friendly squirrels” as his most unexpected experience at VWU. “They’re like little dogs almost, and it’s kinda scary but cool at the same time,” Fielder said.

FAFSA changes streamline, simplfy

BY ROWAN STUART rwstuart@vwu.edu

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has recently undergone changes to streamline and simplify the application process, drastically increasing the amount of households which can benefit from the up to $7,395 in aid.

This change in FAFSA comes at a historic high of college prices, with the average cost of an instate degree from a public university totaling more than $10,000 annually, and almost $40,000 for a private degree, according to U.S. News.

In spite of the program’s new roll-out for the 2024-2025 academic year, changes have been in the works since 2020, starting with the passing of the Consolidated Appropriations Act.

The new means of data collection for the program heavily aided the streamlining process. FAFSA will now directly pull the information it needs to review an individual's application, from a financial standpoint, through the IRS. This will allow the FAFSA review committee and applicants to go through less paperwork to capture what unique factors may affect a student’s case.

While the streamlining process

is inherently desirable, the idea of data collection from the IRS is a daunting one. In an article from CNN detailing the changes made to the FAFSA processes, it remained unspecified how many years of data the IRS will be giving to the FAFSA committees.

This has drawn concern from students across the country who benefit from the aid. Daniel Andrawis, a student at University of Albany, said, “I think that using the IRS for streamlining data collection is great for efficiency.”

Andrawis addressed potential concern for this level of data collection, “I however, do understand that it could generate hesitancy for some who would like to know exactly what data will be shared in the interest of privacy.”

Ultimately, Andrawis said, “Given it is likely this information is information they have shared already to complete past FAFSA applications or had the intent to share it for the first application round, I think so long as it is well communicated they are only taking what they need, it will mitigate worry.”

The changes that came from this initiative were not solely focused on the efficiency of the application process. The changes also included an expansion of eligibility for FAFSA and an end to

the sibling discount.

The eligibility differences will allow for approximately half a million additional students to qualify for a Federal Pell Grant. Not all recipients will be receiving the maximum value of the Pell Grant program, currently $7,395. However, after the recent changes, the number of students who do will rest at one and a half million. This impact will be felt most by minority households, who make up the largest Pell Grant recipient groups proportional to their college population.

The sibling discount is likely to turn a few more heads. Previously, the Department of Education offered a discount for families who had two children in college at once. That has since been abolished with the intention of positively influencing eligibility for those who need it.

Some students are concerned about the effects this may have on their families in the long run. Liese Hazelwood, a sophomore and Pell Grant recipient, expressed her concern over the potential ramifications for multiple family households. “It’s hard to pay for college already, I am worried that without the additional discount, some siblings, like my own, may no longer be able to afford college and take out

huge loans as a result. I additionally worry that it could influence some individuals’ decision of whether or not to go to college,” Hazelwood said.

While a third of students in undergraduate studies have a Pell Grant, according to NPR, it is unclear how many students are aware of the Pell Grant program. It is also unclear as to how welleducated students are to the process of Pell Grant applications through FAFSA.

Emily Moody, a junior, brought her concerns to the table about the knowledge students have been afforded about the new process. “I think that FAFSA should be explained more to students when applying to college,” Moody said. “For example, I understand how applications and Common App work much more than I understand how FAFSA works and is decided.”

Those students who wish to learn more about the FAFSA process are encouraged to visit the Federal Student Aid website. Students who find they qualify for FAFSA aid should be aware that applications open in December 2023 for the 2024-2025 academic year and will return to opening Oct. 1 for the years after.

Underutilized campus resources aim to assist

BY ISAAC FICK ihfick@vwu.edu

Virginia Wesleyan University offers many opportunities and resources to students, but not all of these resources share equal time in the spotlight.

Among the resources that fly under the radar are the campus library, the Learning Center and UREC equipment checkout. This underutilization can be linked to a variety of factors. These include a fear of being judged due to the stigma of looking for help and the belief that using these resources is difficult or complicated.

First-year students may especially lack the information required to get the most out of these resources. Although lots of information is shared during orientation, it often becomes lost in the shuffle of this overwhelming period.

In the Hofheimer Library, there is an array of resources provided to students that go beyond its most common uses of printing, independent study and the occasional book checkout. To name a few, students can use the citation help provided by librarians, reserve a study room, request for a specific book or DVD to be purchased, receive research help, unlock access to databases and check out the books and DVDs already available within the library.

For its in-person services, the Hofheimer Library provides physical spaces such as study rooms, which can be reserved by students as they need. These study rooms function as multipurpose rooms in which students can have group sessions, watch

films and do anything else they need to get their academic work completed.

Outside the building, various types of online assistance are offered to students.

On the VWU website and in the Hofheimer Library tab, a search bar allows anyone to discover what the library has available to be checked out. Citation help for several styles, research help and faculty support in reference to miscellaneous items can all also be found in this tab.

said, “I always encourage students to ask sooner rather than later.”

Receiving academic help can often come with a negative stigma, but Jones said she wants students to know that there is strength found in asking questions. “I want students to understand that your academic success depends on your ability to ask questions,” Jones said.

As for what the Learning Center offers, Jones said that it serves the purpose of the campus’s main academic hub. “There are subject tutors to help students get the academic support they need,” Jones said.

In terms of new developments for the center, Jones said, “We will be starting group tutoring sessions which will involve students who have taken the course already.”

equipment.”

Director of Recreation and Wellness Steve Riegler added insight on the ease of the UREC equipment checkout. “It's fairly simple and straightforward on the Instagram page (@vwurec) linktree to check out larger items such as kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, surfboards, camping equipment,” Riegler said.

“There is an option to select the equipment you want to get, we can make sure we have the equipment and that it is usable,” Riegler said.

The Learning Center, as the name suggests, is an appendage on campus that specializes in assisting students in their academic affairs. Located on the second floor of Clarke Hall, the Learning Center also provides an array of resources outside the study space.

Academic Support Specialist Chelsea Jones speaks out on the mission and mentality of the Learning Center. “I always tell students there is no dumb question, I am a true believer of that, none of us came into this space knowing everything,” Jones said.

When it comes to getting help, Jones

Lastly, a different form of assistance is the UREC equipment checkout. This equipment checkout gives students the opportunity to freely use different sports equipment and related items as they wish. While providing students with this equipment may not assist with students' academics, it helps with students having a better college experience.

First-year Gino Meienschein, a campus cooperative worker in the UREC office said the checkout process is easy. “You come in, sign out the equipment, leave your ID and use the equipment as long as you please,” Meienschein said.

However, student worker Meienschein said that the usage of this checkout center “could be higher,” and “there are a few that come in throughout the day that use the

Lily Reslink|Marlin Chronicle

Student worker Kaitlyn Duswalt showcases the unsung library resource that allows students to request an item, such as a particular book, to be added to the library's collection.

Kayleigh Poggioli|Courtesy First-year Julie Zamor prepares to move her belongings into her Bray Village dorm.

“I want students to understand that your academic success depends on asking questions ”

Chelsea Jones

Kayleigh Poggioli|Courtesy Orientation staff assist first-years during Fall 2023 move-in day on Aug. 20.

Mars Johnson|Marlin Chronicle

The MARLIN CHRONICLE

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Hultgren, who always knows exactly what to say and do to keep things on an even keel.”

Through the many years Hultgren has spent at VWU, he even made an impression on Virginia Wesleyan’s extended community.

“I remember my two-year-old son Nick being immediately drawn to him; a little child recognizes a good man, and Dr. Hultgren’s kindness and warmth radiate,” Merlock Jackson said.

While Hultgren has left a significant impact on the campus and community of Virginia Wesleyan, there is one value he hopes continues to make an impact.

“One of the values that I still think is so very important is to remind us that teaching is a real privilege,” Hultgren said. “The best dialogue is still going to come from you and I talking together.”

To Hultgren, teaching doesn’t even feel like a job.

“I’ve been here a long time. Happily, not that many students are falling asleep in my classes. And I still enjoy what I’m doing. It’s interesting. I’ve been very fortunate,” Hultgren said. “I think the very fact that we stayed here sort of this long, and I still get excited every day I come in, it still doesn’t feel like a job. It really doesn’t. And so maybe it’s a good thing to leave.”

There isn’t much of a plan for retirement, but the philosopher inside Hultgren can never stop

thinking and growing.

“Maybe I’m not retiring, but am just going to rewire. Reread some of these things [gesturing around his office] again, and not having to just read them for class is going to be fun, and discovering some new things, getting a chance to travel to some places in September instead of having to wait until the summer,” Hultgren said.

Of course, there is one important issue to be solved before any deep reflection happens.

“Well, I think my wife has told me that the first project is going to be having to clean up my office. I’ve got more than this at home, and she says that’ll probably take the first year, so I probably won’t have to really worry,” Hultgren said.

Student Involvement Fair attracts interest

BY AIDEN CROGHAN accroghan@vwu.edu

Clubs lined up Friday, Sept. 1 for the annual Student Involvement Fair in the Jane P. Batten Student Center to put on display the wide variety of student organizations offered at Virginia Wesleyan. The event featured recreational clubs, Greek Life organizations, student advocacy organizations and more. With everything from Marlins Fishing Club to Students Against Continued Homelessness (SACH), there’s no lack of options for students.

A first-time attendee of the Fair, first-year Mason Medina was impressed with the variety of clubs he learned of.

“There’s a lot of people and there are so many different things to do,” Medina said. A club that particularly caught Medina’s eye was the Half Baked Club, VWU’s baking club.

“I thought that one was very interesting,” Medina said. “I think it’s cool that I could learn new things and expand my horizons.”

Another club that drew a lot of attention at the Student Involvement Fair was the Martial Arts Club. This club’s display of two traditional Japanese swords, as well as a wooden sword that is used for practice, was a huge conversation piece that attracted many people to the table.

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.

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Club President and VWU senior Matty Taylor says the club is about “just spreading the love of martial arts, in particular Japanese martial arts, but we’re open to all styles, all disciplines and all skill levels.” Whether students know a lot or nothing at all about martial arts, they’re encouraged to join the club, or at least try it out.

“It’s good for physical fitness and also good for mental health, it’s helped me tremendously in both of those ways,” Taylor said. The Martial Arts Club meets in the Batten Aerobics Studio.

A club founded last year at VWU, Students Against Continued Homelessness (SACH), also had a table at the Student Involvement Fair.

“It’s a club about philanthropy, charity and learning about the causes of homelessness, the solutions and all the issues,” SACH president and sophomore Aiden Foley said. SACH presents an opportunity for students to get involved in the larger community.

To raise awareness about homelessness, the club runs an event called Shack-A-Thon. Last fall, the event was brought back to VWU after five years of not taking place.

“We had about fifteen people that slept out over the course of two days, it was about eight one night and seven the other night,” Foley said. “We really experienced what it was like to be homeless because we had slept out in these cardboard box shacks that we had built. Our first night of sleeping out was Sunday, April 16, and Monday was full of guest speakers.”

After the Student Involvement Fair, SACH had a record turn-out for their first meeting this year and looks forward to expanding

outreach efforts. Students Against Continued Homelessness meets at 7 p.m. every Wednesday in the Blocker Hall Auditorium.

Student advocacy organizations, including the Latino Student Alliance, the Black Student Union, Spectrum and the Disabled Student Union, also made an appearance at the Fair.

Josue Maradiaga, a junior and member of the Latino Student Alliance, said the organization is important to campus and his organization because “not a lot of people know a lot about Hispanic culture or anything, so for us to be on campus and just spreading our culture is just really good for everyone.”

Senior Nyke Crutchfield was one of the representatives for the Black Student Union at the Student Involvement Fair. The Black Student Union provides an opportunity for Black students to find a place to talk about their struggles on campus with a group that relates.

“[At meetings] we’ll ask everyone what they want to talk about, whether it’s police brutality, whether it’s racial discrimination on campus, if

experiencing anything, what they’re uncomfortable with,” Crutchfield said. “I always tell people my experience when I first joined a few years ago, it really felt like a free therapy session.” The Black Student Union meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Greer Environmental Sciences Center.

At the fair, students also saw some campus employment opportunities. Sophomore Sarah Richards attended to provide information about the Wesleyan Ambassador Program.

“It’s a great opportunity for students on campus, it’s only a 10-hour commitment, and you get to be kind of the face of Virginia Wesleyan and give some awesome campus tours,” Richards said. By giving tours through this program, students can receive money towards tuition—or a paycheck.

Hopefully the Student Involvement Fair provides all students with a club they’d like to join, but if not, all that students need to start a club is five students and a staff advisor.

The annual Student Involvement Fair allows students to find clubs that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Yearbook|Courtesy

Hultgren pictured in his office for his 1978 yearbook photo.

Colette Kearney|Marlin Chronicle

Top: Members of Marlins Go Green run a booth at the Student Involvement Fair; bottom: Students of the Latin Student Union at their booth.

VWU|Courtesy

Hultgren pictured in his office in his 55th year of teaching, 2023.

Messages in chalk bring awareness to suicide

BY DANIELA ANGELES GALVAN dangelesgalvan@vwu.edu

On the eve of World Suicide Prevention Day, Virginia Wesleyan University geared up for its annual Suicide Awareness Walk and Memory Chalk event. This vital initiative, now in its third year, aims to shine a spotlight on suicide prevention and provide a platform for students and the community to come together, remember those lost to suicide and raise awareness about this critical issue.

The event, organized by VWU’s Office of Counseling and Student Health, occurred Friday, Sept. 8. It is a time when the VWU community comes together to foster an environment of support, understanding and compassion. In its first year, 50 students participated, while the second year saw over 70 attendees. This increasing engagement signifies a growing awareness and willingness among students to address this crucial issue.

The walk began with a gathering at the Harbor Grill, where students and community members signed a banner and left heartfelt messages in honor of loved ones who have

old that just wanted to hug his uncle,” Seward said. “No matter how bad it is, life goes on, and I guarantee you, tomorrow will be better.”

Following Seward’s address, April Christman, director of Counseling and Student Health, shared the importance of being mindful of suicide.

“When people fear something or something carries a stigma, we tend not to talk about it because it makes us uncomfortable, it makes us sad, angry, but by not talking about it, that is what leads to the event happening,” Christman said.

Looking specifically at the average age group of VWU students, ages 15 to 24, suicide is the third leading cause of death. Christman highlighted this statistic as a huge motivation for the VWU community, especially students, to participate in events like the Suicide Awareness Walk and Memory Chalk event.

At the event, participants embarked on a peaceful walk around the VWU campus, making a final stop outside the Hofheimer Library to create a memory quilt with sidewalk chalk. This touching display featured uplifting messages and memories of loved ones affected by suicide. The event, designed to be somber yet hopeful, had peaceful music playing in the background and counselors available on-site to offer support.

Christman can see the sidewalk chalk from her office

“I will see students sitting and reading it, I see them crying as they do. And it is just so profound. It is hard to walk away and not feel your heart touched,” Christman said. Christman further explained that she hopes the walk helps initiate important conversations about mental health, suicide prevention and the various sources of support available on campus like the Bandana Project training and counseling. She also stressed the importance of teaching individuals not only to recognize their emotions but also to be kind to themselves — “that is the first step to any kind of healing,” Christman said. “I am not saying that kindness alone prevents suicide, but if we’re kind to ourselves, we don’t beat ourselves up every day, then people feel comfortable saying, ‘Hey, can you help me?’”

MK Morris Larkin, a sophomore, attended the Suicide Awareness Walk and Memory Chalk event for her second time this year. Morris Larkin believes that the event is a good way to bring awareness to suicide prevention and the many resources VWU has to offer.

“I think [the walk] shows good support and may even open some people’s eyes to be like, ‘Hey, maybe people realize that this is a struggle and there are resources,’” Morris Larkin said.

Other staff members who deeply care about mental health joined the walk. Marie Porter, director of Campus Ministries shared the importance of having a sense of community and showed support for this event

“For spiritual wellness, you need to have community, doing something like this walk together can be very profound,” Porter said. “It is so important for this campus that it is small enough that we are a family.”

Similarly, Annette Clayton, chair of Social Work, revealed that events like this one, “provide the opportunity for students to have some real discussions in class and learn about the prevalence and incidents of certain types of mental health crises, including suicide ideation and suicide prevalence.”

As Virginia Wesleyan University continues to prioritize mental health and suicide prevention, events like the Suicide Awareness Walk and Memory Chalk event play an essential role in fostering a supportive community. By promoting open conversations, providing resources and teaching valuable skills, VWU aims to create an environment where kindness and understanding are the first steps toward healing.

Summer study abroad courses offer memorable experiences

From Ireland to Japan, students studied all over the world during the summer.

BY PHOEBE COX pecox@vwu.edu

Summer is a time for resetting. Some people work, some people go on vacation and some people enjoy their break comfortably at home. A handful of students from Virginia Wesleyan University spent a portion of their summers taking study abroad courses, getting the opportunity to travel with their professors and peers to different places across the world.

Short term study abroad courses can last anywhere from a week to two weeks. The HON 200/HUM 201: From Hampton Roads to Tokyo, led by Dr. Travis Malone and Dr. Susan Larkin, was two weeks long and allowed for students to experience the cities of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka in Japan.

Junior Kyleigh Castengera talked about what her experience was like during the course. The class’s schedule was chock full of attending engaging events like a Sumo tournament and Geisha dinner, but Castengera’s favorite place they visited was the Sanjusangendo Temple in Kyoto.

“The reason I enjoyed this temple so much was the interesting history that came with it,” Castengera said. She described how it was full of thousands of handcrafted statues. “This was so interesting to me because I was able to look for all the minute differences between each of the figures,” Castengera said.

The Buddhist history and faith represented through the ancient artwork and craftsmanship of the temple was overwhelming.

“We were standing on the same floors that people stood on over 800 years ago,” Castengera said. “That temple was older than our whole country.”

Junior Matthew Jung talked about how going to Disneyland in Tokyo was one of the most memorable experiences of the trip for him. The different attractions of the theme park (although fun and interesting) were not what stuck out to him the most, though. Jung was surprised by the attitudes of the workers in Japan as opposed to those in

America.

He described how the employees seemed genuinely engaged in what they were doing and in interacting with their customers.

“Everywhere you went, just saying ‘thank you’ to somebody in Japan made their whole day. The little things like saying ‘hi’ to someone immediately made their day,” Jung said.

Overall, there was a trend of students recognizing the difference in attitude that people had in Japan. Senior Aaron Oman talked about the amazing experience of getting to feed monkeys at a monkey park in Kyoto.

“It was super fun to interact with them and see how unfazed these animals are towards humans,” Oman said. But, like Jung, the demeanor of the Japanese people was what stuck out to him the most.

“Japanese people are thought of to be conservative in nature, but everyone was easy to talk to,” Oman said. “There were a few times when people would come up to us and strike up a conversation despite not knowing each other’s languages. It was awesome.”

The week long HON 201: Lewis and Enchanted Ireland course, led by Drs. Terry Lindvall, Kellie Holzer and Ben Fraser, had a similar impact. Students traveled through both Ireland and Northern Ireland, seeing a variety of natural and historical sites.

“The spread of Christianity in Ireland was a popular theme on our trip,” junior Emma Lankford said. Lankford’s favorite place visited was the Giant’s Causeway, an area on the edge of Northern Ireland’s coast consisting of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns. Tourists are able to walk down from the surrounding cliffs on a path that leads to the column stepping stones.

“It was just so beautiful there. Pictures don’t do it justice. It was so hard to walk though. I almost slipped at one point,” Lankford said.

Alumni Connor Merk also enjoyed the natural beauty

aspect of the trip. A location that stuck out to him in particular was when the group hiked up a mountain in Rostrevor, Northern Ireland.

“This location was the inspiration of [C.S. Lewis’] ‘Narnia’ and was a stunning view of both land and water,” Merk said.

Similar to the Japan trip, students on the Ireland trip took notice of how kind and welcoming the Irish people were to visitors. Sophomore Sarah Richards touched on this, citing it as a reason for why the smaller towns like Carlingford were her favorite part.

“The most memorable part was just meeting the locals there,” Richards said.

Overall, the study abroad trips to both Japan and Ireland from this past summer had a large impact on the students who took them.

Richards explained how they are helpful for people who are just getting into traveling or maybe have never traveled before.

“They get you to step outside of your comfort zone a little bit without fully committing to spending months abroad in a country you’ve never been to,” Richards said.

Jung agreed with this, explaining that the short term courses can sometimes even inspire you to take that jump and commit to an entire semester abroad. He expressed his desire to return to Japan one day.

“After going on this trip, it completely changed my worldview,” Jung said.

Merk further asserted the value of study away courses.

“They provide magnificent experiences for students to immerse themselves in a different culture. I hope VWU continues to offer these programs, especially to keep options available and flexible to student needs and schedules,” Merk said.

If you’re interested in taking a study abroad course in the future, talk to your professors and check out The Lighthouse to find one you’re interested in.

Sarah Richards|Courtesy Sophomore Sarah Richards on the HON 201: Lewis and Enchanted Ireland study abroad trip.

Emma Lankford|Courtesy

Junior Emma Lankford and senior Phoebe Cox on the Ireland study abroad trip.

McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle Students and community members create a memory quilt with chalk in front of the Hofheimer Library.

Aaron Oman|Courtesy Seniors Aaron Oman and Gavin Prouty at Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama in Tokyo.

Student

Private university opening to public: The tradeoffs of MOCA installation

The debate around student

needs versus community collaboration rises following announcement of on campus MOCA construction.

requirements.

BY ROWAN STUART rwstuart@vwu.edu

The upcoming construction of the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) facility is a step in the wrong direction for VWU.

Foremost, it is important for the student body to understand that this building is not an inherently bad action but a good one. It will provide more facilities for students to use, offer an opportunity for a more well-rounded education and provide more chances for VWU to further its engagement with the local community and its partners.

However, the duty of a private university is to best serve the interests of its students, not its partners. When the goals of administration and the sentiments of the student body are not aligned, it is incumbent upon administration to change their actions to reflect students’ wishes.

While that statement makes the assumption that the student body would not want this program, it can be easily proven. Out of the 30 majors offered by VWU, only four of them are tied to the visual and performing arts, with about 4% of our student body choosing to major in one of these fields, according to U.S. News.

Our most popular majors and fields of study are business, biology, psychology and social science degrees, which, when combined, represent nearly half of our student body. None of these individuals gain much from the new program, apart from a slightly greater variety of course options to satisfy general education

When looking back at the benefits this provides outside of an educational setting, the benefits to students are merely limited to school image in the local community and not abroad. This is a local partnership which will take local effect. Other than being a local bragging right, most will not understand what makes a partnership like this special or unique. Those that do are likely not the ones getting degrees from Virginia Wesleyan, but those who come and utilize our facilities. This in its own right will frustrate the student body by packing already scarce parking around campus, and generating an influx of events which students will need to learn to coordinate around.

So what should we want instead of this building? For that, we can turn to what our school lacks compared to others. Virginia Wesleyan is robust in the quality of grad school partnerships it has and the variety of partners for a small liberal arts school is certainly impressive when compared to its peers and public institutions. However, some of these partnerships could use some work. We can boast about schools like Duke, Emory and UVA. However, these are niche programs and feature low quantities of students which can take advantage of them.

Within our other categories, those that detail admissions requirements are out of date or poorly negotiated with test scores placing VWU students into the upper percentiles, giving them the edge a relationship would. By offering a greater variety of program partnerships aligned with

Schoolwork over ethnicity

BY JUSTIN WILT jtwilt@vwu.edu

In order to give my opinion about the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision on affirmative action regarding college admissions, I find it necessary to give some background information on affirmative action.

As defined by the National Archives of The White House, “Affirmative action measures for education were originally put in place in the 1960’s because only 4.9% of college students were African American in that time period.” Colleges wanted to ensure that they had a more diverse student body to better represent multiculturalism in the U.S. during the 1960s and 1970s.

“The 1978 Regents of the University of California v. Bakke Supreme Court case officially upheld the use of affirmative action in college admissions,” the American Association for Equity and Diversity said.

The University of California v. Bakke case shows that, even back in 1978, affirmative action was seen as discriminatory even though it was intended to help promote equality and inclusion.

Affirmative action did cause a notable rise in the acceptance rate for African Americans, but it has hurt minority groups including, but not limited to, Hispanics, Latinos and Asians along with hurting the white majority group by making college admissions more geared towards race and ethnicity as opposed to being about school or community achievements.

As with many initiatives, affirmative action was put in place to help disenfranchised groups of people. However, as time progresses, these initiatives hurt people more than help them by unintentionally excluding other groups of people, I agree with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn affirmative action because it has, without intention, disenfranchised

groups of people. I believe that affirmative action creates an unintended barrier for well-achieving students in all ethnic groups, with a set number of students having to be admitted from each ethnic group.

I also believe that all students, regardless of race or ethnicity, should be admitted into any college of their choice for their achievement of a good GPA or college admission test score.

I believe that Virginia Wesleyan University has done a great job with admitting an equal portion of students from all ethnic and racial backgrounds while still awarding students for good GPA standing and college admission test scores. I feel that Virginia Wesleyan University is a great example of how a diverse student body can be achieved without using affirmative action.

I believe, as with anything, there is always room for improvement, including equally representing all ethnic and racial groups in college admissions, not just at Virginia Wesleyan University, but at all other colleges and universities in the U.S.

“I view the overturning of affirmative action by the U.S. Supreme Court as another step toward being, as stated in the U.S. Constitution, ‘A More Perfect Union.’”

Wilt

Justin

I believe that, instead of affirmative action, we can set or amend current GPA requirements along with SAT and ACT requirements to better represent all college-age students to ensure a diverse student body that represents the diversity currently in the U.S.

I also feel that we can implement an essay into admission qualifications about how students have positively shaped their current community or school, and how those attributes can benefit the college or university that is reviewing student applications.

I view the overturning of affirmative action by the U.S. Supreme Court as another step toward being, as stated in the U.S. Constitution, “A More Perfect Union.”

our popular majors, VWU would provide opportunities much more applicable to its students. Unfortunately, where we really falter compared to others, comes from our internship and professional opportunities.

Out of the 24 Fortune 500 companies based in Virginia, only one will be represented at this fall’s career fair. The career fairs represent major employers in both the region and within other members of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges.

Perhaps more concerning is the lack of representation from our board of trustees. Out of our board, only a couple of our members will be attending the career fair. Our board of trustees represents large local employers and nationally recognized employers and Fortune 500 companies not based in Virginia.

Those who have gotten internships from these companies have done so by their own curiosity and merit, not from gaining interest through a career fair. This is not to say that Virginia Wesleyan does a poor job with its career fairs. We do offer a robust variety of government partnerships. However, much like any university with an employer in the area, these come as very little surprise.

Further, when compared to other schools in the region, this merely brings us up to scratch with other colleges rather than making us unique. In fact, state universities offer the same variety we do and even surpass us in the tracks they can offer for their students.

As a private university, we are expected to pay a large sum for a superior education

and resources.

While I am a firm believer in the quality of a Virginia Wesleyan education, if we are to pay increased sums, our resources need to increase across the board. While this partnership with the Virginia MOCA presents a great opportunity for Virginia Wesleyan, it is misguided in that it is niche, benefits the community over the students and presents a time cost which could have been used to elevate our resources to a more satisfactory level.

Rowan Stuart is a senior business major. He is involved with Ethics Bowl and the IEN Student Corporate Enagament Competiton and enjoys rock climbing in his freetime. He can be contacted at rwstuart@vwu.edu.

Living the American Dream

BY SOPHIE ENGELBERTS sengelberts@vwu.edu

Traveling has always been one of my favorite things to do.

I have already had the privilege of visiting many beautiful countries around the globe, from the south of Europe to South Africa to South Korea, and I hope to explore many more in the future.

I always ask myself, what would life be like if I grew up in America, in this particular country? Would I be the same Sophie as I am right now? Every country has its own charm and characteristics. It is the people, the culture, the nature and the way society works, or a combination of everything, that makes every country unique.

No matter what it is, being in a different environment, in a different place, allows me to see the world from a broader perspective. This got me thinking. When I’m older, do I want to live in the Netherlands? Do I want to study, live and work there like most Dutch do? Probably not. The world is too beautiful and diverse for me to live in one place my entire life.

I still remember the first time I visited the United States. I was overwhelmed by the number of flags, the size of the food portions and the amount of different flavors. Even though it is a Western society, it was way different from what I imagined it to be. Was it because I was just a little girl, or is this country truly so vast and impressive?

For me, every state seems like a country on its own. To put it into perspective, Virginia is almost three times the size of the Netherlands. At that time, I still had no idea that this big country would become my next home. What I did know is that I wanted to continue playing tennis when starting college.

Playing sports has always been my passion. One day, my tennis coach and I were talking about the States and whether it would be possible for me to play college tennis there. This seemed to be the perfect way of combining sports, studying abroad and having a social life.

Someone said to me later that year that it would be like studying in the country of unlimited possibilities. Why do people think so highly of this country, what is it about this country that I can’t find anywhere else?

I was convinced. I was going to study in the United States to find out the answers myself. I then knew which country I wanted to study in, but how do you choose a university?

I started to draw up a list of requirements for myself, eventually a few universities remained. I preferred, for example,

the East Coast, not too far south, near a big city and a place with good weather.

I then came in contact with VWU tennis coach Toni Bickford. She told me a lot about the university and the area. Due to the distance, I could not attend the normal campus tour, so she gave me a personal online tour of campus. It made me very enthusiastic.

She was also the one who told me about the Batten Honors College. I became inquisitive about it. It seemed like a special program, dedicated to the environment and sustainability issues -- one that literally deals with our future, mine and yours. At this moment I knew it for sure, Virginia Wesleyan it is. The only question that remains for now is “will I remain the same Sophie when I return to the Netherlands?” I’ll find out, but my hypothesis is that this experience will have more of an impact on me than any other period I have spent abroad.

Living in another country, making new friends, dealing with a different culture and with different habits, solving intellectual challenges and at the same time playing sports is really enriching my personal life. I am living the American dream through a Dutch point of view.

Thanks for making that possible.

Justin Wilt is a senior political science major and is the vice president of the College Republicans Club. He can be contacted

Sophie Engelberts is a freshman, hailing from the Netherlands. She is on the tennis team and enjoys listening to music and spending time with friends. She can be contacted at sengelberts@vwu.edu.

Mars Johnson|Marlin Chronicle

Rowan Stuart|Marlin Chronicle Rowan smiles for a portrait for the IEN Student Corporate Engagement Competition.

Sophie Engelberts|Courtesy Sophie at home in the Netherlands.

Cross Country reboots

New coaches bring fresh energy to team.

BY COY CAMISCIOLI clcamiscioli@vwu.edu

Fall is here and the Virginia Wesleyan Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams started their season off with a bang, sweeping their competition at their home meet on Sept. 1. The Marlins dominated with new head coach Dillon May at the helm in both the men’s and women’s 5000m run, as sophomore Ryan Koval placed first for the men’s race and sophomore Sydney McDonald placed first for the women’s race. It was a Marlin party on the leaderboard as nine other Marlins finished in the top ten in their respective races.

Senior Wesley Burton brings an encouraging perspective to the Men’s Cross Country and Track teams.

“Senior day is going to be a lot of fun, but ultimately the championship is our goal this year. This is the last time I’ll get a chance to chase it, and I think this is the best team we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Burton said.

Burton ran a 24:06.59 in the 5000m and his eyes are set on cracking sub-20 minutes, as he is also recovering from an injury that occurred last season. Burton also gave some insight on what motivates him during such a tough, long race.

“Having the whole team there really motivates me, and on a personal level, you know what you’ve done in practice and that is more than one race,” said Burton.

Burton does believe that this team has something special together this year, and it starts with the coach. He shared some insight on the new assistant director, K’Vonte Scott.

“He is really smart and stresses the fact that every race is not the last and that there

is always time to peak at the right time and to just trust his training,” Burton said. “Everything he does is based on science and his experience.”

This will be Scott’s second full season at VWU and his first as the assistant director. There is definitely a lot that Scott brings to the table as he ran track at the Division I level at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. During his time there, Scott became a two-time Atlantic Sun Conference Champion, C-USA Conference champion and earned NCAA Division One AllAmerican honors.

Scott specializes in track and field but also helps coach the cross country runners and trains some of them for the track and field season as well.

He is thankful that the transition from the Jacksonville Athletic Club to Virginia Wesleyan wasn’t as difficult as expected.

“It was a little easier because we don’t have all of the tools and resources that a Division I school has, but the work ethic is the same. A lot of the kids that I coached there are at the same level as the kids I’m trying to recruit here,” Scott said.

One thing that has stood out to Scott about the team is the diversity. He also appreciates that it is very family-oriented.

“They support and care for each other, and it is cool that everyone brings something different to the team culturally,” Scott said.

The Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams have seen a lot of change recently, but it seems as though the right group of runners and coaches are here at the right time.

The men’s and women’s next meet will be the CNU Invitational on Friday, Sept. 15 at Lee Hall Mansion in Newport News.

New players bolster bench

BY CHLOE BOOHER crbooher@vwu.edu

With the start of the fall semester, a new season begins for Women’s Field Hockey at VWU. The team recruited 13 new members; 12 are first-years from different areas along the east coast and one, sophomore Hannah Gautreaux, is a transfer student from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Head Coach Ryley van der Velde is in her second year as coach for the Women’s Field Hockey team. Prior to coming to VWU, she had experience coaching at the collegiate level as the assistant coach at Salve Regina University in Rhode Island. She came to VWU from Rocky Hill Country Day School.

“[Preseason] was great. Last year we had 14 girls on our roster and 11 on our sport fields. I brought in 13 newcomers, so we have 26 this year, and preseason was awesome. They came in competitive and ready to work,” van der Velde said. “I’m really proud of the way the upperclassmen are leading by example.” The dynamic of any team changes when newcomers are welcomed. For the Women’s Field Hockey team, the addition of 13 new members has its benefits and downfalls.

“With more numbers, it has its good things and things we need to work through,” van der Velde said. “I think one of the good things is just the inner squad competition. The level of play and the way that we’re competing is just night and day from last year.”

Senior Willow Baker is looking forward to playing with a fresh dynamic this fall

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1

defense, which is a must after a season of losing more than half of their games by double figures.

Shooting also plagued the team last season. The girls averaged decent shot percentages with a satisfactory shot percentage of 39.5% and an excellent shots on goal percentage of 74.3%, but their shooting average of a meager 20.8 shots per game was their downfall.

“We need to shoot more to score,” Heck said. “I want to give them the confidence and energy they need to shoot more.” This confidence they will need as they have lost their second and fourth leading scorers, Mikayla Szudera (47 season goals) and Natalie Dunn (29 season goals). This does not seem to bother Heck, as she does not want to rely on a couple of people to carry the team.

season.

“13 new people is a big change, and I think this is the best dynamic we’ve had in a long time,” Baker said. “It’s really exciting in a way with a different level of competition.”

Adding 13 new members to the team will be a big change for returning players, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“I had a senior captain say to me that change is hard. And I think it’s so true that when things are hard or when you’re uncomfortable, run towards that,” van der Velde said. “I think that’s where we are, and I think we have a couple of people who are in limbo or transition in our program, so I just keep encouraging them to buy in and to see the positive.”

Senior Madeline Gonsalves, who, like Baker, has been on the team since her freshman year, is also looking forward to

“It takes a whole village to win,” Heck said. “I want a culture that is all about we versus me.” Family is her number one priority this season, and she plans to do a great deal of team bonding.

“You need to get along off and on the field,” Heck said. She talked about the team chemistry at her alma mater, East Stroudsburg University, boasting, “We all would’ve taken a bullet for each other.”

This mindset allowed her team to reach the NCAA championship, although, unfortunately, they fell just short of becoming champions. This loss, however, has added fuel to her fire, and she is more than ready to whip this program into shape.

With fall ball around the corner, the Marlins are gearing up to play with Heck for the first time. “I’m really proud of them already. I see people stepping up, working hard, going on runs. I’m dying to get on the field with the girls and just better them,” she said. Heck understands that the turnaround

this year’s dynamic. Gonsalves encourages the team to take a more unified approach, whether on the field or on the sidelines.

“It’s really important, especially on a team of 26 people, to understand that everyone has a role, and if you’re not playing, you’re still a part of every single win,” Gonsalves said. “Without giving 110%, the people on the field are not going to be as good as they are without everyone working together.”

With all of the work put in over the summer, Gonsalves is confident in the team’s abilities.

“I think the VWU field hockey team is something to look forward to,” Gonsalves said. “The backs of our team shirts say ‘make them believe’ and it’s a way to help the school believe in us.”

Van der Velde echoes the need for this support from Marlin Nation.

of this team may be slow, and it would be unrealistic to expect them to win it all this year; however, she simply wants to see an improvement in their record and the team’s overall wellbeing. Heck revealed that the girls confessed they lacked support from their last coach.

“I want them to love playing. It’s heartbreaking to hear players hate the game because of their coach,” Heck said.

Although the girls have yet to play with Heck, her animated personality has left them optimistic of her suitability for the job.

“I think that she’s very sweet and communicative, she’s very positive,” junior Corinne DeLawrence said. Sophomore Defense Joy Ramsey also shared her first impression of Heck, commenting, “She seems really dedicated to our program and ready to push us to be better.”

It is clear that the girls are in great hands, and this will be an exciting team to watch. Be sure to support them this spring!

“I would encourage the university to just stay with us whether it’s a win or a loss,” van der Velde said. “I hope that the hype around [the team] is way greater than what their coaches are giving them because they deserve that.”

On Sept. 1, the team went away to play against Drew University in New Jersey, winning in a double overtime with a final score of 3-2. Sophomore DJ Holsclaw had a great nine saves during the game. Firstyear Ava Stauch made two goals with assists from junior Lauren Hedspeth and first-year Katherine Druiett. First-year Mary Ruffin scored the winning goal with an assist from first-year Dani Poulsen, giving the Marlins a season-opening win.

The team’s next home game is Saturday, Sept. 16 at 11 a.m., when they play hosts to Neumann University on Birdsong Field.

Damien Kelly|Courtesy VWU’s new Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach Madison Heck comes after only two years of coaching experience.

McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle

Field Hockey team during a game against Meredith College on Sept. 9 played at Birdsong Field.

Steven Goldburg|Courtesy

Top: Sophomore Ryan Koval acknowledges the fans during a Cross Country meet in Chesapeake, Va. on Sept. 1 at Bell Mill Park; bottom: team gathers under the sunset after the meet on Sept. 1.

Men’s Soccer kicks off season undefeated

Shane Kohler, promoted to head coach, leads

BY COLETTE KEARNEY cmkearney@vwu.edu

After three seasons as the Men’s Soccer assistant coach, Shane Kohler has been named as the new Men’s Soccer head coach of Virginia Wesleyan. He came to VWU in the fall of 2020 after being a graduate assistant at Moravian College for three seasons. Kohler played collegiately at Rowan University.

“I was incredibly honored and excited to be selected as the next VWU Head Men’s Soccer Coach. Serving as the assistant coach the past three years here, I felt wellprepared for the opportunity,” Kohler said.

Their season has gotten off to a great start with a 4-0 record at home, with wins over HardinSimmons University, Berry College, Regent University and conference opponent Randolph College. Junior Aria Kimiavi shares excitement with the team after their wins against Hardin Simmons and Berry.

“The season has been off to a very positive start, starting off the season with 2 home wins is a big morale boost and the boys are buzzing going into our next couple games,” Kimiavi said.

Senior Alex Moody also commented on the new coaches. “The season is going well for us. We are gelling together and still figuring out each other every day. I think we are clicking which is why are we having success,” Moody said.

Kimiavi feels that the coaches have done a good job setting the standard to start the season.

“I think Coach Shane and

Coach Cook have done an amazing job in terms of setting high standards of ourselves, including discipline on and off the field,” Kimiavi said. “We know what we are capable of so it’s important to make sure we are always holding each other accountable in order to reach our goals this season.”

Moody echoed similar words to Kimiavi, “The new coaching styles are giving us a new perspective and idea on how we want to play this year. I think Coach Shane and Coach Cooke have plenty of great ideas to help us keep improving everyday,” Moody said.

The team’s expectations are high. “I expect the team to compete and battle every match this year. If we go out there, play, compete and win our matchups, I think we have a good chance in every game we play in,” Kohler said.

Kohler wants others to view the team as hard-working and passionate. “Those characteristics I really value, and I believe they all play a crucial role in winning games,” Kohler said.

“I want other people to view us as a powerhouse who is always competing for the ODAC championship and eventually a national championship. But also view us as gentlemen on and off the field who are good members of the community,” Moody said.

The Men’s Soccer team’s next home games are Saturday, Sept. 16 against William Peace University at 3 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 17 against North Carolina Wesleyan College starting at 5 p.m.

the Scoreboard

the team in

four exciting victories.

the Schedule

Elly Condit|Courtesy

Senior Juan Tovar, junior Everett McCloskey, sophomore Zack Bittler and first-years Nolan Schulte and Oneil Stanley run towards team after Zack Bittler scores a goal.

Elly Condit|Courtesy

Junior Cam Khorassani defends against conference opponent Randolph College on Sept. 10.

Wesleyan Engaged

Marlins at work

BY ALEX PLEASANTS wapleasants@vwu.edu

Wesleyan Engaged is a program at Virginia Wesleyan University, based out of The Lighthouse in Clarke Hall, committed to helping students get involved with their community and keeping them informed about events and volunteer opportunities. The program gives equal focus to civic engagement, such as encouraging and making it easier for students to vote, and providing community outreach opportunities.

Regarding civic responsibilities, there are many non-partisan events hosted throughout the school year for students, staff and any other community members who might also be interested. These events are here, not to influence anyone’s political views or opinions, but simply to teach people about the importance of fulfilling their civic duty.

Director of Civic Engagement and Service Learning, Bethany Tsiaras, a prominent leader of these programs, expresses her concerns saying “people don’t realize how much they can positively impact their community and everyday lives by becoming informed and voting.”

Getting your vote out is an important aspect of the democratic system that many students neglect when weighed down by classes and homework. Wesleyan Engaged eases students’ individual efforts by assisting them in the registration process through hard-to-miss events. Students can get engaged in many ways, such as registering to vote at school or with their home address, early voting and getting help with absentee ballots.

“Voting is the greatest power of direct influence we are given in America, so make sure your voice is heard so you can make your impact,” Tsiaras said.

Luckily, there are already a slew of events scheduled for this academic semester, to help with voter registration. American civic holidays like Constitution Day, National Voter Registration Day, National Voter Education Week, Vote Early Day, Election Hero Day and most importantly, Election Day, provide great opportunities to spread awareness.

From the start of school, all the way until Election Day–on the first Tuesday of November–Wesleyan Engaged outfits an informational table, in Batten, every week. This table provides a hotspot for students to passively gain the knowledge they need either on-site, through the QR code locat-

ed there, or by setting up a meeting with someone like Tsiaras.

Additionally, special events are held during the aforementioned civic holidays. In celebration of Constitution Day, students will be able to “hang out” with the famous George Washington, pick up their own mini-Constitution, eat good food and participate in trivia for the chance to win some cool prizes and Marlin swag. This event will be outside the CMAC on Monday, Sept. 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m..

Another event coming up is the Virginia student voting summit, held at Norfolk State on Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This provides an opportunity to mingle with other students and to get involved off campus.

Voter registration week will be celebrated with Engaged hosting registering to vote, how to make a plan to vote, learning what’s on your ballot and giving more information on how you can get involved. Tsiaras heavily stresses the idea that “ballots are NOT quizzes.” Voters can do research now, or anytime, to familiarize themselves with names and motivations in order to make an informed decision.

If any student is interested in helping Wesleyan Engaged set up or host any of these great events, they can email Bethany Tsiaras or meet her at her office to learn more about joining. We hope to see you on Sept. 18 at the CMAC for lots of fun and information that will help students make an impact!

BY CECILIA CANDELARIA crcandelaria@vwu.edu

It’s September, everyone! Which means it’s the perfect time of year for enjoying savory foods and sitting by a fire with your favorite people. And where better to do that than at The Ghent, a rooftop and indoor restaurant right here in the 757.

The restaurant is conveniently located on 21st Street, just a twenty-minute drive from Virginia Wesleyan’s campus. Elias Kenworthy, a senior, one of our fellow Marlins and an employee of The Ghent, was kind enough to provide some insight into what sets this restaurant apart from the rest and makes it more efficient.

Kenworthy has been part of The Ghent since its opening approximately two months ago, and he has nothing but great things to say about the establishment, both from a customer and employee perspective.

According to Kenworthy, the owners are in their late twenties and early thirties, so they are more in-tune with what newer generations are asking for, as both guests and workers. They are very hands-on, and can often be found in the establishment, greeting and lending an attentive ear to their patrons, in order to improve and cater the restaurant experience.

What distinguishes The Ghent from restaurants in the area is the self-pour and online ordering system. When you arrive, you receive assistance on how to place your food order and access the self-pour system, where you’ll see a variety of beer, wine and seltzers. At first, this may seem like a daunting task, but in reality, it’s a smooth process that benefits both customers and staff.

Customers appreciate the convenience once they realize how easy it is. The use of technology allows customers to order at their own pace, directly from their own digital devices.

Patrons at The Ghent no longer need to worry about waiting for their server to take their order, or delays in placing the order. Not to mention, the front-of-house staff can work more efficiently with this system.

“People don’t realize just how much us servers do. We do way more than take orders, and not having to run back and forth helps a lot,” Kenworthy said. He puts an emphasis on how this progressive ordering

system helps prevent server burn-out and allows the team to focus more of their energy on other tasks that improve the overall experience of everyone involved.

Of course, the team behind the operation plays the crucial human role of making guests feel warm and welcome, but let’s divert our focus and dig into how the establishment itself plays a crucial role in positively building a reputation for the new restaurant.

Upon entering, customers are greeted by cleanliness and a visually pleasing layout. The simplistic, neutral colored theme sets the perfect mood for an elevated, yet casual evening dining experience. Tables of all different sizes provide comfortable seating for any sized party.

Contrasting the pattern of simplicity throughout the restaurant, there are televisions placed for your entertainment. The main attraction, as far as seating goes, is the upstairs patio area. With cushioned seats, benches and fireplaces all spaced out comfortably, you’ll never want to leave. The best part is, you won’t have to go back inside to pour yourself another drink. With taps both upstairs and downstairs, you won’t have to worry about running back and forth.

The Ghent takes as much pride in their food as they take in their customer service and interior design. With a wide variety of food on their menu, chefs still ensure all plates–even the kids’ menu–are made with fresh ingredients. American classics, such as pizza, tacos, salads and burgers are elevated at this gastropub.

What makes their food trays even better are the house-made sauces. When I visited the restaurant, I tried the blackened shrimp tacos, which featured their cilantro lime crema, and it did not disappoint!

If you aren’t a fan of how that sounds, they also have a creole drizzle, and they make their own tartar sauce and southwest ranch. Though I can’t speak on how those options taste, I will probably be back to try them. From the food to the vibes, this is the place to go for good service and customer satisfaction. I am excited to see how this new establishment will continue to grow, and I hope if you decide to go, your experience will be as positive as mine.

49th Annual Neptune Festival at the Boardwalk

During this time, Virginia Beach’s oceanfront will be transformed into a lively hub of entertainment, art and culture.

This year’s edition is a special one.“I’m excited about this year because I think there will be a bigger crowd compared to the last 2 years since COVID-19, and I hope it’s back to the normal big crowd of people,” first-year Madison Mellon said.

It all began in 1974 when Richard Kline, the president of the Virginia Beach Chamber of Commerce and owner of RK Chevrolet, approached Fred Napolitano to assist the community in developing a concept for an event that would bring citizens together.

With a vision to showcase Virginia Beach’s unique coastal culture and foster a sense of community pride, the festival was born.

recording artists.

“My favorite thing is definitely the live music, it’s high quality and free,” first-year Kailer Rose said. “People should go because it’s a good way to see the oceanfront and meet new people.”

In addition, more than 200 artisans are presenting handmade work on the boardwalk at an Art & Craft Show that has been named fifth out of 200 Fine Art and Design Shows throughout the country.

“I recommend people to go because it has such a variety of things to do or see, I’ve helped some of the vendors before and all of the people are such kind welcoming members of the community,” Mellon said. “Plus there’s not only art, I’ve happened to buy great jewelry pieces too.”

celebrating the ocean’s majesty. Neptune, the mythical Roman god of the sea, leads the parade, delighting children and adults alike.

At the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival, sports enthusiasts can partake in a variety of exciting athletic activities along the picturesque oceanfront, too.

Events range from the Neptune’s Surfing Classic, where surfers of all skill levels can ride the waves and showcase their prowess, to the Neptune Volleyball Tournament, which was warmly recommended by first-year Kailer Rose, who participated with his friends in one of the past editions.

BY MARIA VITTORIA CHESSA mchessa@vwu.edu

Every year, the coastal city of Virginia Beach comes alive with a wave of excitement as the Neptune Festival washes ashore.

This beloved event has been a staple in the city’s cultural calendar for nearly half a century, drawing residents and visitors alike to celebrate art, music and the vibrant coastal lifestyle.

The 49th Neptune Festival is going to span over the long weekend of Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, offering a wide array of activities for all ages and interests.

The festival’s founders aimed to create an event that would not only entertain but also celebrate the ocean’s beauty and the city’s artistic spirit.

The mission of the Neptune festival, according to their website, is to “provide a quality, safe and diverse mix of events and activities.” Their goal is also to create a positive economic impact on the city and on all the nonprofit and charitable entities that will fundraise during the weekend.

If you’re a first-year, or you’re new to the city, there’s no better way to meet the boardwalk. The 49th Annual Boardwalk Weekend

One of the festival’s most iconic events, the International Sand Sculpting Championship, is about to return with incredible sandy creations. Sculptors from around the world showcase their talent by shaping enormous piles of sand into intricate masterpieces.

Visitors marvel at the level of detail and creativity that could be achieved with just sand, water and some skillful hands. Since its debut, it has been the main event of the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival, and it has evolved to be the most distinguished event of its type in the country.

Another highlight of the weekend is the Neptune Festival Grand Parade, which winds its way along the boardwalk. The parade featured colorful floats, marching bands and lively participants in costumes

The festival’s sports offerings extend to the Neptune’s 8K and 5K runs, inviting runners to embrace the scenic coastal route. Additionally, for those who prefer a more leisurely approach to sports, the festival’s sandy shores provide yoga, dance and barre and HIIT classes.

Whether you’re an avid athlete or simply looking to enjoy some recreational fun by the sea, the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival offers a range of sports and activities to keep you active and entertained throughout the weekend.

As the festival continues to evolve and adapt to the changing times, it remains a symbol of unity, creativity and community pride. Whether you’re a resident or a visitor, the Neptune Festival is a must-attend event, promising unforgettable memories and a deep appreciation for the coastal charm of Virginia Beach.

Senior Elias Kenworthy shares his experience at the ghent

Mars Johnson|Marlin Chronicle

Bethany Tsiaras|Courtesy

Students involved with Wesleyan Engaged, manning the Popcorn and Polls event in 2022.

Bethany Tsiaras|Courtesy

The Ghent|Courtesy

Barbenheimer craze sweeps nation

BY CALEE LUKOWSKI crlukowski@vwu.edu

On July 21, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” were released in theaters. Media went wild with advertising for both movies when it became clear that these movies would be released on the same day.

Both movies were highly anticipated by the public, evidenced by social media and even theaters making a game out of which movie people would see first.

It became a popular trend to see the two movies back-to-back. This would be a long process, however, seeing as “Barbie” is close to two hours long and “Oppenheimer” is just over three hours long.

Despite the combined time of approximately five hours, the “Barbenheimer” double feature idea only became more popular once the films hit theaters. Many fans even went so far as to bring different outfits to correspond with each movie.

With a star-studded cast, “Oppenheimer” follows the story of Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy.

The movie’s focus is on Oppenheimer’s time spent working on the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, New Mexico and the events following the dropping of the atomic bomb and World War II.

The movie begins with a little background on Oppenheimer’s schooling and his desire to study “new physics.” After graduating from college, Oppenheimer took jobs teaching physics at both the California Institute of Technology and the University of California at Berkeley.

The movie then transitions into his time working on the Manhattan Project with many other scientists, and all the moral, theoretical and physical problems they encountered.

Many of the scientists believed that just because the atomic bomb could be made, did not mean it should be used.

Cillian Murphy does an incredible job of looking truly haunted

by the aftermath of the dropping of the bomb. The director of the film, Christopher Nolan, made a powerful decision to show signs of immense guilt in many of the characters in various ways.

The movie concludes by explaining the aftermath of the war for Oppenheimer and how some of his choices before the war eventually caught up to him. One prominent side character, Lewis Strauss, played by Robert Downey Jr., plays a large part in Oppenheimer’s struggles.

“There were a lot of parts,” first-year Jay Boomer said. “There was so much to remember.” This is certainly true. “Oppenheimer” is fast-paced and complex, while also being incredibly long, which could cause some audience members to have trouble truly enjoying the movie.

“Barbie” has a cast of more modern television and movie stars, who did a stellar job of playing the unnatural, doll-like roles the movie intended. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, playing Barbie and Ken respectively,

are incredible at bringing the cliché characters to life. However, this did not win over all audience members.

Dwight Robinson, a first-year, said the movie “got predictable.” This is certainly true, as the movie followed a stereotypical storyline. The movie centers on Barbie as she begins to see real world issues filtering into her fantasy life, experiencing physical changes that are typical characteristics of real-world women.

Barbie steps foot into the real world with Ken, in order to prevent catastrophe. There, she encounters a mother and daughter with their own issues while Ken discovers the idea of patriarchy.

Ken’s discovery leads to an unfortunate Barbie parallel to reallife misogyny.

Now, Barbie’s quest is forced to expand, including saving her mother-daughter duo, solving her own dilemma and saving Barbieland. The movie approaches feminism and self-discovery in a humorous fashion.

“I think the message is re-

ally good and really important,”

junior exchange student Sylvia Razafimbelo said.

While both films were ultimately made to be a source of entertainment, there are also other qualities to “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.”

“‘Barbie’ was able to put together a subliminal message about what the real world is and how we treat feminism and masculinity in today’s society,” firstyear Bryce Davenport said.

“Barbie” tackled the topics of feminism and patriarchy through both Barbie’s experiences in the real world and when she traveled back to Barbieland.

“Oppenheimer” tackles the moral problems associated with the atomic bomb and focuses on Dr. Oppenheimer’s guilt over its creation and deployment. “Oppenheimer” also discusses the future following weapons of mass

destruction and their capability to destroy the world, whether that be in five years or five hundred years.

Both movies tackle difficult topics in very different ways. “Oppenheimer” certainly takes a more serious stance on the topics depicted in the movie, whereas “Barbie” utilizes humor to really showcase some serious topics people deal with every day in the real world. Of the two movies, “Barbie” seems to be more relatable to current real world events. That is not to say, of course, that “Oppenheimer” does not have any ideas that can be related to the world today as well. While the two films share nothing more than a release date in common, both are well constructed and certainly deserve all the fanfare they have received.

Colattao Coffee House: home away from home

BY SASHA SAXON ansaxon@vwu.edu

On a Sunday afternoon, the aroma of roasted Colombian coffee beans and the mumbles of coffee date chatter create an intoxicating atmosphere for the patrons of Colattao Coffee House. Opened only six weeks ago, business has been explosive for the modern, latin-inspired small business. Their enticing menu features classic American and South American flavors. Churro and dark chocolate habanero lattes mingle with their more traditional fall-themed pumpkin snap coffee. Additionally, Colattao offers multiple matcha drinks, for those intrigued by the earthy and floral notes of traditional Japanese flavors.

Despite the plethora of cafes in the area, Virginia Beach has never seen a Colombian and Dominican coffee house, bathed in their rich coffee culture. The name itself is derived from and a fun combination of two Spanish words, colao and tostao, meaning brew and toast, or roast.

The owner, Yurika Torres, took the time for a face-toface conversational interview, revealing personal motivations unknown to the public. Proud of her Dominican heritage, Torres has simmered on the idea of opening a coffee shop since discovering her family’s background, growing their own coffee.

Colattao has accomplished much more than just a spot to grab an espresso. Torres shared her desire to create specifically a coffee house, a home-like environment, which

she accomplished by sourcing and refinishing second-hand furniture from locals.

Now, the storefront serves as a home away from home, embracing furniture and food which bridge foreign and local aspects. The one hundred year old table in the corner beckons to customers, bringing with it a story of old age and wistful friendship. Someone’s dresser was repurposed and integrated–built into the barista counter, while a donated blue leather chair holds the childhood memories of family and their pet’s favorite spot.

Handcrafted baskets and metal-work adorn the walls, made by Colombian artists and brought to Virginia Beach in Torres’ very own suitcase. Everything in the store is a labor of love, evident from just one conversation with Torres.

Honoring her husband’s background, the coffee beans are sourced directly from Colombia, from a family-owned, non-industrial farm featured on the walls of the store. While the food is not made in-house, it is provided by local businesses and still finished on-site. Delectable treats can be found in sweet and savory varieties: the cali breakfast sandwich, hazelnut babka, spinach and feta pastries, cookies, cakes and more.

While the shop isn’t open past 4 p.m., and is closed on Mondays, seating is prevalent for singles, couples and groups alike. Be sure to visit the storefront, only 12 minutes away from campus, at 1115 Independence Boulevard–open at 7 a.m., Tuesday through Friday, and at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Sasha Saxon|Marlin Chronicle

Aa a seasonal feature, the iced pumpkin snap latte is perfect for early fall afternoons.

Universal|Courtesy

Warner Brothers|Courtesy