Feb. 11, 2016

DOWN BUT NOT OUT: MEN’S BASKETBALL ENDURE INJURY OF KEY PLAYER

SPORTS Pg. 7

NEON arts district Region in downtown Norfolk showcases murals by local artists. THE WEEKENDER page 10

THE MARLIN CHRONICLE THURSDAY 2.11.16 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWC.EDU ||

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE

Hoverboards and drones banned on campus amid safety concerns VWC joins other colleges in prohibiting devices due to fire hazard and other risks, despite having previously acquired a drone

Kayla Skeete| Marlin Chronicle The tiny flying drone owned by the college sits awaiting takeoff on a tabletop in the Batten Student Center.

BY ASHLEY KLINE aakline@vwc.edu

According to an email sent out on Jan. 13 by Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Keith Moore, a ban was placed on drones and hoverboards on campus. As stated in the email, the ban on drones and other devices that fly via remote control was instituted due to new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. The new FAA regulations prohibit the use of drones and

other related devices in areas within close proximity to airports. Campus is located only five miles from Norfolk International Airport.

The ban on hoverboards was placed to ensure student safety, since they have been deemed a fire hazard. Across the country, reports of injuries resulting from hoverboard use have been documented.

“Students’ health and safety governed

the way we approached the policy regarding hoverboards and drones. Hoverboards specifically were deemed a fire hazard, and subsequently most of them were pulled off of amazon.com. Given that they were a fire hazard, we simply felt it would be best until better information came out about their safety,” Moore said.

Schools across the country are beginning to institute similar bans.

“Given that most institutions across the country have or were in the process of creating a policy regarding hoverboards to include our ODAC schools and the schools in the commonwealth and local public schools to include Old Dominion, we thought it would be best to follow suit,” Moore said.

Virginia Wesleyan administration also contacted outside sources to aid in making the decision to ban the hoverboards.

“We even contacted our own insurance company as well as looked at what other carriers were doing that are specific to higher education and they were also encouraging schools to put a policy in place to ban hoverboards on college campuses,” Moore said.

As it pertains to drones, Moore said the FAA requires that all drones be registered.

All owners must also contact air traffic control and gain permission to fly their drones. This is due to our close proximity to Norfolk International Airport. Clearly the process of being able to legally fly a drone in the Virginia Beach area is a long and complicated one.

In the case someone uses one of the banned items on campus, Moore said the school would first request the individual remove their drone or hoverboard from campus. All other disciplinary procedures, if any were required, would vary from case to case depending on the circumstances.

There have been no problems with drone or hoverboard usage thus far.

SEE BAN Pg. 2

Adjunct availability a priority for students

BY BECCA LAZZERI ralazzeri@vwc.edu

Virginia Wesleyan students fear pedagogic disadvantages when registering for classes with part-time or adjunct professors.

A handful of adjunct professors teach for almost every major offered at Virginia Wesleyan. Adjunct professors teach classes part time and are generally involved with other colleges or universities in the area, or are invested in some sort of research that deals with their academic discipline.

At most universities, adjunct professors are uninvolved and distant from the campus. They do not receive the same benefits or salary, and therefore are not held to the same standard as full-time faculty. At VWC, our administration boasts of the personal relationships that students will form with their professors in their four years as Marlins. This however does not always apply with adjuncts.

“This college preaches maintaining a relationship with professors. With adjunct professors, this is harder to do. When you have adjuncts, it puts a gap in your learning capabilities,” senior Kwame Harris said.

Harris is majoring in Business, which has more full-time professors than most majors at VWC. During each campus tour given by Wesleyan Ambassadors, student tour guides stop outside of Vice President for Academic Affairs Timothy O’Rourke’s office to present the curriculum written by VWC faculty. Each of the books on display was either written, coauthored or edited by one of VWC’s professors. Ninety percent of the professors at Virginia Wesleyan College have a terminal degree in their field. The sign reads ‘These are the people who will be teaching your classes and writing your

recommendations!’

These relationships, however, are more common with full-time faculty. Adjuncts are not as well-known on campus, and are less available to students. By the time students reach 300 and 400 level classes, they are so well acquainted with the faculty within their academic discipline that they are able to avoid adjunct professors altogether.

“Most adjuncts are hired because of their specialty that no one currently on faculty has,” professor of philosophy Dr. Hultgren said. “They are teaching something that is unique to their skill set. In order for us to hire them, they have to meet the same stan-

dard or bring some sort of unique experience.”

Hultgren said the adjunct professors offer very unique insights to students that full-time faculty may be lacking.

Forbes magazine wrote about adjunct professors, “What’s more, poor salary and benefits are the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Unhappy, underpaid, overworked and sometimes under- or differently-qualified instructors provide less-than-ideal instruction.”

According to Forbes, in 1975, 30 percent of college faculty were part time. By 2011, 51 percent of college faculty were part-time. At VWC, as of 2014, only 20

percent of classes are taught by part-time or adjunct professors.

According to the VWC fact sheet, the most popular majors at VWC as of 2015 are Business, Education, Biology, Criminal Justice, Recreation & Leisure and Communication. Many of these fields have a significant amount of adjunct professors to help lighten the workload of full-time faculty.

Although the business program has eight full-time faculty and three adjunct professors, adjunct professors outweigh full-time professors in the education

INSTRUCTORS AT VWC IN THE SIX MOST POPULAR MAJORS 23 Adjunct/parttime/staff instructors 44% 29 Full-time faculty 56%

Infographic by Sarah Antozzi

SEE ADJUNCT Pg. 2

To read about the humanitarian cross-country trek of political science adjunct professor Wayne Lavender, see page 3 in Community

2 Thursday February 11, 2016 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

NEWS BAN CONTINUED FROM FRONT While the regulations on drones and hoverboards have not impacted the campus in any noticeable way, drones were used on campus in the past. Dean of Freshmen and Director of the Jane P. Batten Student Activities Center Jason Seward is in possession of a drone on campus. Seward has owned the drone for two years and put it to use filming intramural games around campus, particularly at Birdsong Field, prior to the ban.

This video footage was used mainly for promotional purposes.

“I understand it’s a necessity. The ban on drones is something that is mandated by the federal government.

We are within a certain mile radius of a national airport and the law states that for anyone in that radius, in relation to the airport, that those restrictions are put in place and drones can’t be flown in that area,” Seward said.

Seward recognizes the popularity of drones and hoverboards, but he also understand the necessity for bands.

“So, I understand the necessity, they’ve become very popular. But you also have to understand that a place like Norfolk International, when a commercial plane is

trying to take off and a drone flies into the flight path, what that could possibly cause and you need to regulate those sorts of things,” Seward said.

Seward said because Virginia Wesleyan is an educational institution, there is the potential that the college could get a petition filed to use drones for educational and promotional purposes.

“I see a real benefit in them, especially as it’s been in the news here recently about police forces and fire rescue squadrons that are applying to purchase drones for search and rescue for emergency situations,” he said.

Seward also said the devices can provide unique footage compared to typical methods of filming.

“They’re fun devices to have. They allow you to take video, very clear video, from a vantage point you normally wouldn’t be able to get to. It provides you a viewpoint that you normally wouldn’t get unless you were in an aircraft, specifically a helicopter,” Seward said.

ODU also recently placed a ban on hoverboards, being one of the many other universities to take these precautionary measures.

Kayla Skeete| Marlin Chronicle Batten Center Director Jason Seward conducts a flight test on a drone.

Jonas affects start of spring semester

BY JASMINE DRIGGS jtdriggs@vwc.edu

Winter Storm Jonas impacted many areas and people during the late weeks of January, but it spared the Hampton Roads area. People in this area were not affected greatly by the weather, but Virginia Wesleyan College felt the impact of the storm in many different ways.

Many students were beginning to pack and gather their things in order to return to campus on Jan. 25, however Winter Storm Jonas stinted the travel of students and faculty. The winter storm caused a lot of decisions to be made very quickly at Virginia Wesleyan.

Jesse Schrader, assistant director of residence life, said in any situation the Residence Life office is flexible and willing to work with students as long as there is communication.

Vice President for Academic Affairs Dean Timothy O’Rourke and Dean of the College Kenneth R. Perry sent an email to the VWC community on Jan. 21. In this email, O’Rourke said students could return to campus on Jan. 22, because of the weather. He advised students to only travel if the conditions were safe.

“If you are unable to travel because of hazardous conditions and will miss the start of classes, please e-mail your instructors (feel free to copy me on your correspondence),” wrote O’Rourke.

Some Virginia Wesleyan students took it upon them to make arrangements to return to campus earlier than the designated date given by Dean O’Rourke.

Schrader said that some students returned to campus as early as Jan. 19. These were mostly students who would have been impacted by the storm the most. For example, students from Kentucky, New Jersey and Connecticut returned to campus before the storm hit. Although these stu-

dents were able to return to the residence halls early, they were not able to use their meal plan in the dining halls unless they paid with cash, credit or Marlins Dollars.

“In instances of inclement weather situations, we are more than willing to work with any of our students to get them to campus and ensure their safety,” Schrader said.

Cymone Carr, a junior English major, was not able to return to campus until Jan. 26, the day after classes started, because of the storm. Carr said she was still concerned while she traveled back to Hampton Roads because many of the roads were not in great condition.

Ashli Eberhardt, a junior recreation and leisure major, also did not return to campus until Jan. 26. Eberhardt said she witnessed three feet of snow in her area, and was not able to walk out of her front door. Eberhardt said it took her 30 minutes to an hour to make it out of her driveway.

Dean O’Rourke said that there is a group of about 10 faculty and staff members who meet to determine if classes will go on when there is a form of inclement weather that could possibly impact the campus.

“We get together as we see a storm approaching, and talk about what information we know, usually from different weather sources. However, last time was different because ordinarily when we are involved with a weather event, the question is whether or not to call off classes and activities. Norfolk and Virginia Beach were not involved on campus, this time students off campus were involved because they would have to travel back to campus,” Dean O’Rourke said.

Dean O’Rourke said he asked the faculty to be lenient with students and offer extensions on missed assignments because of students’ late arrivals. He also said the students

ADJUNCT CONTINUED FROM FRONT program with six adjunct professors and four full-time faculty. The biology program has six full-time and two adjunct professors; the criminal justice has two full-time and four adjunct professors; recreation & leisure has four fulltime and three adjunct professors; communications has five full-time and two adjunct professors and also additional staff who teach courses but are considered neither full-time nor adjunct.

Some students voice concern about the relational barriers they face with adjunct professors.

“It’s harder to get office hours with my adjunct professors,” sophomore Bella Blackney said.

“We have an adjunct office on campus but I hardly see it being used. I normally end up corresponding with them by email so it sort of takes away the personal aspect of learning.” she said.

Bella said she has the most adjunct professors in her classes that belong to less popular academic programs.

“For political science, our adjunct is here every day, is a good researcher and accessible to students,” professor of political science Dr. Gibson said.

Gibson said dedication is common among the adjunct professors within the political science department, specifically two who have been employed by the college over the past two semesters.

“For those two people, we made it clear that they need to be available to students because we all need their specialty,” Gibson said.

At a small liberal arts college such as Wesleyan, students have much more access to faculty and staff than they could ask for at a major university, and that is a major draw for prospective students. The faculty student ratio is 13:1, meaning that students may take full advantage of office hours and develop relationships with professionals in their field that could carry over to life after graduation. These faculty are incredible resources, and this means that for adjuncts, it is important that they are available to students as well.

5832 Northampton Blvd. Virginia Beach, VA Phone: 757-460-4056

Download and register for a FREE doughnut

could come to him with any issues, though there have been no issues and there never are.

Many students were not aware that Dean O’Rourke would be willing to speak with professors to ensure that extensions would be made.

“The professors said the work is due when it is due.

They [professors] were very cooperative when I emailed them, but they did not give me any extensions on assignments. The college should have started as a whole together. If they gave extensions to return to campus, they should have just closed campus,” Eberhardt said.

Eberhardt is not the only student who felt that campus should have been closed and that classes should have been postponed.

“I have three classes on Mondays and missing the first day of classes put me behind. I am not surprised that campus was open for classes, but it made me upset because professors and students were still at risk. They [the college] should have at least closed for one day. However, campus was surprisingly clean compared to last year when I was not able to get out of the parking lot,” Carr said.

Carr said she only had one professor who made her stay on schedule and that was the class with the most work. Her other classes gave her more time.

Dean O’Rourke said when a storm in approaching, the dining hall brings in extra food and the college has an extended power supply and an evacuation plan as the last resort in bad circumstances.

“Our advice to students is always the same, don’t risk your life just to come back to campus,” Dean O’Rourke said.

3

COMMUNITY The

MARLIN CHRONICLE Editor-in-Chief Courtney Herrick clherrick@vwc.edu News Editors Brian Le btle@vwc.edu Sarah Antozzi scantozzi@vwc.edu Community Editors Kaci Parker klparker@vwc.edu Jasmine Driggs jtdriggs@vwc.edu Opinion Editor Michael Willson mnwillson@vwc.edu The Weekender Troy Aubut taaubut@vwc.edu Sports Editor Jamie Crawley jjcrawley@vwc.edu

Thursday February 11, 2016 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Moving forward for orphans Adjunct Professor turned Trek Star

BY COREY KING

ckking1@vwc.edu

He keeps moving forward no matter the weather. Even Blizzard Jonas’ freezing temperatures and the snow-smothered roads failed to keep him from running six miles closer to his ultimate goal: helping orphan children around the world.

Virginia Wesleyan adjunct professor, Rev. Wayne Lavender, is running, walking and driving across country on a five-month trek to raise awareness and funds for orphan children.

Lavender began his adventure in Virginia Beach on Jan. 1, and will arrive in Portland, Oregon in May. Lavender plans to stop in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Colorado and Oregon along the way. He organized his schedule so he will arrive in Oregon just in time for the General Conference for the United Methodist Church being held in Portland.

Lavender’s trip came to him as an idea randomly during a jog.

“One day, while out jogging, it occurred to me that I could run across the U.S., from Virginia Beach where I live to Portland in time for General Conference,” he said.

The trip is titled “The Oregon Trail: A New Frontier For Orphans and Vulnerable Children.”

“It is my hope to raise awareness and support for this resolution as I journey across the nation,” Lavender said.

Lavender started an organization named Foundation 4 Orphans in Iraq in 2011.

He was teaching at the University of Human Development in the Kurdish city of Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, when he established a chapter of the Foundation 4 Orphans.

The foundation was set up as a mentor program with the university he was teaching at as well as nearby colleges to help young orphaned children in the city. The goal for the foundation was to aid in preventing the children from becoming a part of the ongoing war in Iraq.

Photo Editors Anthony Dellamura aadellamura@vwc.edu Kayla Skeete krskeete@vwc.edu Illustrations Editor Britani Daley badaley@vwc.edu

“

Each journey begins with a single step.

”

Online Editor Maurice Reed mreed@vwc.edu Copy Editor

Samantha Small stsmall@vwc.edu

Advertising Representative Jasmine Driggs jtdriggs@vwc.edu

Advisor

Dr. Lisa Lyon Payne lpayne@vwc.edu

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

The Marlin Chronicle Virginia Wesleyan College 1584 Wesleyan Drive Norfolk, VA 23502 757.455.3311

“As a former collegiate student newspaper editor, professional journalist and long-time advisor for the Society of Collegiate Journalists, I understand the role and value of student media at a liberal arts college. Virginia Wesleyan College proudly supports the editorial independence and press freedom of student-edited publications.

We believe that student editors have the authority to make all content decisions and consequently, assume full responsibility for decisions they make.”

--Scott D. Miller, Ph.D President

“Despite the fact that there are some great organizations already doing work with orphans, the statistics continue to haunt me: 26,000 children die daily from extreme poverty. We have the technological knowledge and resources to severely mitigate this unnecessary suffering, what we lack is the will to do this important work. Maybe in some way the Foundation 4 Orphans can make a difference,” Lavender said.

Lavender also said his other reason for starting this organization was biblical.

“30 separate times, the Bible tells us to care for orphans” he said. It takes a dedicated person to take on a task as large as this, but Lavender said he is up for the challenge.

Lavender’s goals for his travels are in tandem with his goals for the General Conference.

“The United Methodist Church is in great decline and usually General Conference spends much of its time and energy arguing and debating theological issues while so many people, especially children, suffer. I, along with Chaplain Greg West from VWC, submitted a resolution to General Conference asking the church to embrace orphans and vulnerable children as the missional priority of the denomination,” Lavender said.

Rev. Lavender

SEE ORPHANS Pg. 4

Winter session provides memorable experiences

Social Media Jasmine Driggs jtdriggs@vwc.edu

Rev. Lavender| Courtesy The first step on a long journey across the country.

Students travel abroad to Belize and London.

BY THERESA YUNGER

tjyunger@vwc.edu

Virginia Wesleyan College students were busy during winter session studying abroad in Belize and London.

Students interested in studying Topics in Tropical Ecology headed to Belize, which is located in Central America. The class consisted of two teachers, a teacher’s assistant and 23 Wesleyan students. Junior Biology majors Megan Gerhart and Brittany Wentzel were two students who made the trip to Belize.

Wentzel and Gerhart were also among the 24 Wesleyan people who ended up contracting a virus in the first days of the trip.

“It was said to have been the worst virus at Trek, which is where we stayed,” Wentzel said.

Wentzel and other students were sent to the hospital where they were hooked up to an IV. “I was taken to what looked like a clinic in a golf cart,” Wentzel said.

When the class first got sick on Friday, a local doctor came to examine them and give them a shot to help get rid of the virus.

“The doctor walked in with what looked like a tackle box full of medical stuff,” Gerhart said.

By Sunday, everyone who had contracted the virus was healthy. Wentzel and Gerhart said the virus did not ruin their time in Belize, however.

Wentzel said her favorite part of the trip was snorkeling at Turtle Rock. “Getting to feed the sea turtles and have the stingrays come right up to your legs was amazing,” Wentzel said.

Gerhart said she really liked cave tubing and going to the Mayan Ruins in Guatemala. “Going to the ruins and seeing stuff they built without tools was truly amazing,” Gerhart said.

When on the mainland, the students stayed in huts with palm tree leaf roofing for five days. The hut consisted of a bathroom connected to a room with four beds in it. The students said this was an experience in itself.

Wentzel and Gerhart said they used WiFi and texting applications to talk to their families while on the trip, but they were doing so much that there was not a lot of down time for them to be on their phones.

Gerhart said that studying in Belize opened her eyes to a whole new culture.

“The beauty of the coral wreath was amazing and being able to see a culture that preAlyssa Russ| Courtesy serves its natural habitat was really interestA scenic view of the Tower Bridge in London. ing,” Gerhart said.

Wentzel and Gerhart said they would return to Belize in a heartbeat.

Although the students got sick at the beginning of their trip, it did not ruin their experiences. They said they made memories they will cherish deeply forever.

Senior business major Ben Fletcher was one of the students that got the opportunity to study abroad in London for the 2016 winter session business course, Independent Study of Management.

Students who took the business course got the opportunity to see theatrical plays and go on a lot of tours of London, where Amber Morris| Courtesy they would have discussions afterwards on Amber Morris and Catherine Galway (juniors) what they learned. These discussions took swimming in the clear waters of Belize. the place of formal lectures while on the trip.

Ben Fletcher said his time in London was an amazing experience. “Although it was short, I learned more about the culture and the people of London than any textbook could teach me.”

Fletcher said he liked the winter session study abroad opportunity over taking a full semester to study abroad. The winter session opportunity allows athletes who play in the fall and spring to study abroad without having to miss anything for their sports.

“Traveling is something everyone should do. It’s great to talk to different people and experience different things,” Fletcher said.

Alyssa Russ| Courtesy A distant look at Big Ben in London.

4 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

CAMPUS countdown February 12th “Amplifications and Measures”

Time: February 12th - April 8th Location: Neil Britton Gallery inside the Hofheimer Library Mariam Eqbal’s works of video/animation, drawings, and prints explore change through repetition. An opening reception and artist lecture will be held Friday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m.

February 12th A Night on 52nd Street

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Boyd Dining Center Begin Valentine’s weekend with the Wesleyan Chorale and VWC Jazz Ensemble with an evening celebrating 1940s music and dancing.

Light refreshments will be served; free dance lessons begin at 7 p.m.

February 13th Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon

Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Location: Pearce Hospitality Suite The eighth class of the VWC Athletic Hall of Fame will be honored during a special induction luncheon. Join us to recognize Marlin athletic accomplishments and to reminisce with alumni and coaches.

CRIME BLOTTER

Thursday, February 11, 2016

ORPHANS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 While venturing across the United States, Lavender will be stopping at various locations to speak about the efforts of his organization as well as the epidemic that is going on in the world around us. He will speak at primarily United Methodist Churches.

He said he already spoke to a Boy Scout troop and two colleges.

He also said he plans on speaking at many public libraries, but at the same time still has many dates on his calendar open.

According to Lavender’s website, his foundation plans to utilize fundraising money to raise awareness of orphans and vulnerable children in the global south, and raise funds for new orphan projects in Mozambique, Iraq, Haiti and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Lavender also plans to generate support and signers on a petition to General Conference encouraging the UMC to embrace orphans and vulnerable children as the missional priority of the denomination. The official petition has already been submitted but they say they are hoping to add thousands of signatures to this pending legislation.

Lavender has high hopes for the future. He set up a mentoring program between college students and orphans in Iraq. The students receive sensitivity and listening training and are then matched with an orphan. The students sign a pledge to remain in contact with the child until the child turns 18. Lavender’s foundation operates on budget of $60,000 per year to run this program.

Lavender said he is excited to meet many people along the way and see all of the beautiful scenery of this country. However, he

said his biggest goal is to have his mission accepted by the Methodist Church.

“My biggest hope is to have the denomination accept our resolution and embrace orphans and vulnerable children as the missional priority of the United Methodist Church. This would enable us to unite the church again around a great mission, help lots of children and find our voice again,” Lavender said.

If you would like to find out more about Lavender and his mission, head to his website http://www.f4o.org/trekking-4-orphanswith-wayne.html or follow his Twitter account to see daily updates of his travel https://twitter.com/waynelavender1.

Rev. Lavender| Courtesy Rev. Lavender poses outside of one of the churches on his journey.

Freshman

BY HAYLEY HEATH

hrheath@vwc.edu

Joshua Currier, Ontario, Canada Q: “What is your major?”

A: “Liberal arts and minoring communication.”

Q: “What would you tell your freshman self?”

A: “Stop stressing about English 105 because you will pass.”

Q: “How have you changed since your first year at Virginia Wesleyan?”

A: “I’ve become a better student.”

Q: “In what ways?”

A: “Procrastinating less and I’m more on top of my work.”

Q: “What have you learned since you were a freshman?”

A: “I have learned how to be a leader in lacrosse.”

Q: “If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?”

A: “Try harder in every class.”

T R A N S F O R M A T I O N

T h u r s d a y

Joshua Currier| Courtesy

Hayley Heath|Marlin Chronicle

Senior

Courtesy|Thinkstock

Homeless shelter ends early for the first time in 10 years Residents still benefit from other six days.

January 29 11:20 p.m. |Assault Village II No description.

February 2 1:18 a.m. |Controlled Substance Village III No description.

February 3 3:51 a.m. |Controlled Substance Village II No description.

February 6 4:20 a.m. |Liquor Law Violation Village II No description.

February 6 4:48 a.m. |Controlled Substance Village III No description.

February 6 11:07 p.m. |Liquor Law Violation Village II No description.

BY KATHERINE BISHOP kabishop@vwc.edu

Virginia Wesleyan College, partnered with Portsmouth Volunteers, hosted its 10th annual Homeless Shelter from Jan. 10-17.

Senior Tianna Garland returned to manage the shelter for her third year in a row.

The size of the shelter only required the hands of four managers in the past, but in recent years, the increased popularity of the shelter called for up to 10 managers. During Garland’s first year, she worked as an activities manager, but for the past two years she worked as a volunteer manager.

Out of all the attendees Garland encountered during her years of service, she remembers a guest who graduated from Wesleyan the most. The guest ended up homeless due to an injury that forced her to take off work, and the company released her position. Garland said the guest was embarrassed about the situation she was in while returning back to her alma mater.

“Everyone always hears ‘it could happen to anyone’ or ‘this could be you one day’ but this lady’s story really brought those sayings into perspective for me. To hear that this lady, who didn’t just have a college education, she graduated from the school I’m currently attending, is homeless now was so eye opening” Garland said.

Garland’s role as an activities manager was to coordinate the events for each evening for guests to participate in such as bingo night, going to a VWC Basketball game, Zumba, spa and health night and NFL Football night. As volunteer manager, her responsibility was to coordinate the Virginia Wesleyan volunteers, create and adjust the schedule, host orientation during the fall semester and make sure they were properly staffed for each evening.

Managers in past years who since graduated often return to Wesleyan to volunteer for the homeless shelter. Jasmine Rivera, a Wesleyan alum from the class of 2015, returned this year with an open heart. Rivera said she was excited to see returning faces and listen to the stories of the guests. One story that stood out to Rivera was from this last year.

“This year my heart was full when I saw a basketball player overhear how one of the guests needed shoes, however we didn’t have his

size. The guest went and laid on his mat sad because it was supposed to rain the next day and he had holes in his shoes. This basketball player ran to his locker room, pulled out a pair of his shoes that were barely broken in, and went and gave them to the guest. If this isn’t sharing the Marlin love, then I don’t know what is,” Rivera said.

Although there is a Homeless Shelter class, taught by Professor Tackas, the entire Virginia Wesleyan community comes together for the event including faculty, staff and student volunteers. The number of volunteers increased greatly since the first homeless shelter in 2007. The shelter started off with 91 volunteers and this year 169 volunteers participated.

The Homeless Shelter course is not the only VWC class that interacts with the guests. Other classes, such as Dr. Malone’s acting class and Dr. Velascoe’s Latin dance class in past years both volunteered to act for the guests and teach them how to dance. Professor Wilkinson’s class also helped by setting up tables and doing origami with the guests.

The shelter was cut short this year for the first time ever. The last day was cancelled due to a guest getting verbally violent with a volunteer.

“One of our guests became verbally abusive and it was escalating, and we can’t have that for the safety of our guests and certainly for the safety of our volunteers. And so the call was made to cancel that night. So it sends a signal to our guests that they need to fly right. 10 good years. We feel pretty fortunate and pretty blessed that that has been the occasion,” Director of Community Service Diane Hotaling said.

Virginia Wesleyan College is recognizing the tenth year of the Homeless Shelter. It could not happen without the Virginia Wesleyan College community and volunteers.

5

OPINIONS

Thursday February 11, 2016 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Fish out of water: Make America hate again

BY DOUGLAS HARDMAN ddhardman@vwc.edu

Guys, let’s be honest: Donald Trump is the best presidential candidate to come about since George W. Bush. How could you not see that? He wants to make America great again. Let’s go back to the olden days of slavery, oppression and equal rights only for rich, old white men.

Donald Trump is a revolutionary idealist. He knows what America needs. We obviously need immigrants out of here because we deserve those jobs. Like, who cares if these workers have families back home they are trying support or bring them over to gain citizenship.

That giant wall is such a good idea. A fortress around America ensures a secure and safe future for us. And we don’t need outside resources, we can just grow our own food and be self-sufficient. We can afford to do that because we’re America, duh.

And, boy, is he right about those Mexicans and those Iraqi natives. I bet they all work for ISIS. He knows. He can sniff them out like a bloodhound. He’s gonna make sure we track them down and get rid of them once and for all because everyone that’s Muslim is clearly ISIS for sure.

He’s also really business savvy. His reality TV show is pure American gold. He knows how to run a business and get rid of the ignorant and stupid people that drag them down.

People that think they’re smarter than Trump are actually really, really dumb. I mean, how could anyone be smarter than the man who wants to enclose America in a fortress of solitude. I know that when I wanted to get my best work done, I built a fortress of solitude in my bedroom, but my mom would always yell at me and tell me to stop making racist comments to the gardener. She didn’t understand me like Trump does now.

Everyone needs to stop hating Donald Trump and vote for him. He’s the smartest man to run for president and is the best person to run this nation right back into the ground where we belong. Like an ostrich, we are majestic yet prone to fear. But once he is president, we don’t have to fear anymore. Let’s make America hate again. Let’s make America white again. Let’s make America great again.

Total sidenote: his daughter is a total babe, I can see why he would want to have intercourse with her.

A new semester and a new me

BY CYNTHIA GRIFFIN clgriffin@vwc.edu “New year, new me.” That’s what people are saying these days. For college kids returning from winter break, it’s “New semester, new me.” New year resolutions are something that I usually don’t make. They’re standards that people set for themselves that are honestly too far-fetched for them to accomplish. For me, it’s just something that I say I’m going to accomplish but then just end up getting disappointed when I don’t do it.

New semester resolutions are kind of different. I feel like the beginning of a new semester is almost like a clean slate. Everything that you did that wasn’t the best last semester is now forgotten. Since I don’t like the word “resolution,” I just think of certain things I would like to do differently. For instance, instead of waiting to start a paper for one of my classes the weekend before it’s due, I’ll try to start working on it the week before. Another resolution that I made was to eat healthier. In college, eating healthier isn’t very easy. In the cafe at Virginia Wesleyan, you’re surrounded by hot, delicious french fries and tasty sweet treats. What’s even worse is the tempting soda machine that has multiple carbonated drinks for anyone to choose at their own disclosure. So, I am currently trying to resist getting fries with my meal at the burger station and not even making eye contact with the dessert trays.

A new semester resolution is another chance to reinvent yourself during the new semester. That could be in the way of being more social or getting off your butt and ending your Netflix binge-a-thon. I hope to talk to more people and make new friends this semester- something that will only happen if I get off my phone and stop stalking my favorite celebrities on Instagram and Twitter (because of course Kim Kardashian is the coolest person to follow online).

New semester resolutions can either make you or break you. Most of the time, they will probably break you but it never hurts to try. While making resolutions, you should always remember that you probably won’t accomplish it, but atleast you tried.

#freedomforke$ha

BY DOUGLAS HARDMAN ddhardman@vwc.edu

There is one thing I will never get tired of doing: fighting for freedom and justice.

As many of you already know, the pop songstress, Ke$ha, is still in an ongoing battle against her former producer, Dr. Luke for charges of sexual assault.

The singer has been fighting this battle since 2014 when she initially came forward with her suit against her alleged assaulter. Since then, Ke$ha has been unable to produce or release any new music outside of her record label. And isn’t that just downright wrong? To be sexually assaulted and to have your career taken away from you just like that. It happens to a lot of woman who file sexual assault suits in the workplace, but rarely does it get attention like this. Unfortunately, we need examples like this to use to understand the problem and work towards fixing it

Courtsey| Flickr

Letter to the Editor Want to voice your opinion? Disagree with an article? Do you want to address an issue that we haven’t written about yet?

We will be accepting letters to the Editor for the upcoming issue! Please submit all letters to the Editor-in-Chief, Courtney Herrick, via email at clherrick@vwc.edu Policy: Letters must be submitted by 12 p.m. on February 23, 2016 to be considered for publication. Student, staff, and faculty are eligible participants. There is a 350 word maximum, and it must include your name, email, and phone number for verification. All entries will be reviewed, but unedited.

Val Miller| Marlin Chronicle

Top ten best Super Bowl commercials

BY MICHAEL WILLSON mnwillson@vwc.edu If you are like me, the Super Bowl is still fresh in your mind. In addition to mourning for the Panthers, cheering for the Broncos and feeling underwhelmed by the halftime show, most of us can agreed that the commercials were not what they used to be. There were some good commercials, like the dog driving a Subaru and Mike Tyson singing the Michael and Son jingle, but they did not add up to their predecessors. Here is my list of the top ten favorite Super Bowl commercials from years past.

10. Apple: 1984 (1984) This commercial, directed by filmmaker Ridley Scott, shows a dystopian society made to resemble George Orwell’s “1984”. A theater full of uniformed, identical people are watching a giant screen with Big Brother, symbolizing IBM, brainwashing them. A runnier comes in and throws a sledgehammer at the screen, opening up a ray of sunshine. The commercial ends by saying, “On January 24th, Apples Computers will release the Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t be like ‘1984.’” What makes this commercial so good is how epic it is. It literally looks like a movie. Using “1984” is also clever, making it relevant to the time. I will say this, though: it is ironic that a company like Apple would show themselves as being against Big Brother. Seriously, Apple customers have no freedom.

9. Doritos: Pug Attack (2011) This year’s commercial with a baby rushing out of the womb to get a Dorito was kind of lame if you ask me. Their commercial in 2011, however, was hilarious.

In this commercial, a man heckles a pug by offering him a Dorito. The catch is that the pug is outside and the glass door is closed. As the pug runs to the door in slow motion, it looks like he will crash into the door. Instead, the pug breaks down the door and crushes the man. In addition to Doritos’ trademark slapstick and goofiness, this commercial is incredibly adorable. Let’s be honest, you could put a pug in or on anything and people will love it . . . unless it’s crossbred with a monkey and a baby, then it’s disturbing.

8. Snickers: You’re Not You When You’re Hungry (2010) This year’s commercial with Willem Defow and Marilyn Monroe was alright, but it was nothing compared to Betty White.

The commercial shows a pickup football game when, out of nowhere, White gets tackled. White is given a Snickers and it turns out that it wasn’t White who is playing. Instead, it was just a hungry guy. In addition to this commercial having hilarious physical comedy, it also introduced White to a younger generation.

7. Ram: So God Made a Farmer (2013) There’s not really a whole lot to say about this commercial. It’s a series of photos of farmers and Paul Harvey’s poem “So God Made a Farmer.” There’s just something about it that is so charming. I remember when I first saw the commercial, I said out loud, “I want to be a farmer now.” I guess it could be due to the fact that when most Super Bowl commercials use sex and partying, Ram celebrates a wholesome and honest career.

6. Coca-Cola: Mean Joe Green (1980) Coca-Cola is an American icon. We all love Coke. It makes sense that they have a commercial every year. This year’s commercial with Ant-Man and the Hulk was pretty good, but it pales in comparison to Mean Joe Green. In this commercial, football player “Mean” Joe Green walks away from the field, grumpy after losing the game. A little boy offers him his Coke.

Green reluctantly takes the Coke and drinks it in one gulp. He takes a 180 in his mood and gives the boy his jersey. What makes this commercial great is that it’s so heartwarming. The boy is kind enough to give Green his Coke and Green shows his appreciation by giving him a free souvenir. Plus, it really makes you crave a Coke.

5. Weight Watchers: Take Back Control (2015) This commercial uses a montage of people eating fattening foods as a narrator makes excuses for why you should eat them such as “You’ve earned it” and “It’s a special occasion.” The commercial ends with Weight Watchers saying, “It’s time to take back control.” What makes this commercial great is not so much the content, but the fact it was advertised during the Super Bowl. Think about it, if you were a company designed to help people lose weight, when would you want to advertise? On the day when people eat disgusting amounts of junk food.

SEE COMMERCIALS Pg. 6

6 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Britani Alyse| Marlin Chronicle

the great mc debate: DC vs. Marvel troy aubut DC Comics definitely one-ups Marvel in so many ways: the complex and badass characters, the amazing storylines, the video games and the latest and upcoming movies. Everything about the franchise distinguishes itself from Marvel.

True DC and Marvel enthusiasts know that DC existed before Marvel was even a thing.

Even though Superman wasn’t the very first superhero, DC Comics’ legendary character set the way for the superhero archetype, literally. And let’s be real, Superman alone would utterly destroy most of the characters in Marvel’s copycat universe. Batman, one of the other more common household names, is such a unique character that there really is no equal in the Marvel universe, just several Marvel characters with similar traits. Finally, not only are DC characters more serious and deeper than Marvel characters, they actually are super, not mutated.

The DC franchise also bests Marvel in the video game industry, with the Batman Arkham series proving to be fun, popular and tops lists as the number-one superhero game.

DC movies of modern times have also been huge hits because of the directors and the cast.

Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” Trilogy is considered one of the best series of the comic book genre, and rightfully so. Zack Snyder, director of “Man of Steel,” will also be directing “Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice,” which will be the first attempt by DC to bring together a few of the most well-known superheroes all in one film, setting the stage for the Justice League movies and more solo hero movies.

“Suicide Squad” will definitely be another DC movie to watch out for, especially since it will be the first live-action comic book movie to focus on villains. With all this in mind, it’s pretty obvious that DC is better than Marvel.

COMMERCIALS Continued from Pg. 5 4. Google: Searching (2010) This commercial shows a Google search engine as different searches are being typed. It then tells a story about a man studying abroad in France and finding love. What makes the commercial great is that you wouldn’t think of a search engine as having a commercial. Most of us just go on the internet and use the first search engine we find. This commercial actually makes us think about which search engine we should use to get the best information.

Plus, it’s also a cute commercial.

3. Volkswagen: The Force (2011) This commercial shows a little kid in a Darth Vader costume walking around the house trying unsuccessfully to use the Force on various objects. The commercial ends with the kid’s father coming home from work. As she tries to use the Force on the Volkswagen, the father turns the car on from the kitchen. This catches the kid by surprise thinking that she actually used the Force. While most people like the commercial for its funny ending, I like it for how it breaks down gender stereotypes. It is easy to assume that the kid is a boy because she likes “Star Wars,,”. One scene, however, shows her trying to use the Force on a doll, which makes it appear that the kid might be a girl. That being said, you could make the same argument that the commercial breaks down gendersteriotypes by having a boy play with dolls. We never see the kid take off the helment, so their gender is up to the audience’s imagination.

douglas hardman Tony Stark said it best: “We have a Hulk.” The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is one of the best things to come about since sliced bread. It has everything we could ever want from comic book movies: fun, action, heart and the occasional dose of romance to remind us of the humanity of these superheroes.

Ever since “Iron Man” premiered back in 2008, the MCU has been an ever-growing empire of success. We’d like to forget the listless “The Incredible Hulk” and the laughable “Daredevil” (Ben Affleck, circa 2004), but we accept our flaws because nothing is perfect. The MCU has spawned three Iron Man movies, two Avenger movies, a seemingly implausible, yet astonishingly successful “Guardians of the Galaxy” and even the comically-horrible named “Ant-Man” that showed Marvel can make it work. Now, with their growing Netflix series (the gritty “Daredevil” and the dark “Jessica Jones” received huge praise), there’s no stopping the MCU. And that was all just the end of Phase 2. Yeah, the MCU is going in phases because they have so much going for them. We’ve got “Civil War” approaching fast and heavy to kick off Phase 3 and between “Black Panther,” “Doctor Strange,” “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2,” we are gearing up for what is sure to be the greatest comic book explosion of awesome things ever: “Infinity War,” where the evil Thanos threatens to destroy the universe. Nothing has been more highly anticipated since the return of the Millennium Falcon on the big screen.

The DC universe has nothing going for it anymore. Yes, I love Batman, and I am so excited for a future-directed Batman movie by Ben Affleck, but he’s become old news.

How many times are we going to reboot his story arc, give him a grizzly, unhearable voice and watch his parents die? Superman is a weak character. Does anyone really buy the whole “We don’t know who Clark Kent is because he wears GLASSES” disguise?

Wonder Woman is great, and she stands for a lot of great ideals, but as a character, she’s irrelevant. She works as an idea, but not on screen played by a “Fast & Furious” model. And yes, “Suicide Squad” is going to be one of the greatest comic book movies to hit the screen. But what is one success compared to over ten successes?

There’s no competition here. The MCU has its flaws, but its track record, fan base and faithfulness clearly make it the better cinematic universe. So, for 2016, I have one question for the DC franchise: “Do you bleed? You will.” Game on.

2. Budweiser: Reunited (2013) The Budweiser commercial this year was a complete disappointment. Don’t get me wrong, Helen Mirren telling people not to drink and drive is great and all, but it’s not what a Budweiser Super Bowl commercial is supposed to be. Budweiser commercials are supposed to give you the feels. In 2013, Budweiser premiered a commercial about a farmer raising a Clydesdale from birth, only to sell it to Budweiser. Three years after selling it, the Budweiser Clydesdales come to town. Just when you think the Clydesdale has forgotten the farmer, it runs up to him in an emotional embrace. This is a commercial that you will need the tissues for.

1. Denny’s: Screaming Chicken (2010) I know what most of you are thinking: of all the famous Super Bowl commercials, why did I choose this one? It’s because when this commercial first aired, I was on the floor laughing. The commercial is nothing but chickens screaming because of all the eggs they need to lay for Denny’s Free Grand Slam Day. The commercial is completely random, not only for its content, but also because it’s a Denny’s commercial. There are companies that always have commercials at the Super Bowl, such as Budweiser and Doritos, and then there are the underdogs– those companies no one would expect to have a Super Bowl commercial. This year, the underdog was Pokémon and in 2010 it was Denny’s.

Val Miller| Marlin Chronicle

Check out our online issue at marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

7

SPORTS

Thursday February 11, 2016 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Marlins lose Nick Doyle but don’t lose hope After enduring a season-ending knee injury senior leader Nick Doyle is still contributing to the team in other ways

the

DUGOUT This is what the

haters were waiting for.

JAMIE CRAWLEY is a senior majoring in communication

Jamie Crawley |Marlin Chronicle

Nick Doyle showing his excitement with his teammates.

BY JAMIE CRAWLEY jjcrawley@vwc.edu

a lot of thoughts racing through my mind such as whether I would play again, play professionally, or play the rest of that game,” Doyle said.

For Doyle, this injury hindered what was blossoming into a very productive senior campaign. In the seven games prior to the Roanoke contest, Doyle reached double figures in all of them. This was highlighted by back to back 19-point games against Emory and Shenandoah.

Doyle showcased his ability to make plays in crunch time in the Emory game when he made a three-point shot with 7 seconds left to give the Marlins the lead and eventual victory.

Overall, the injury was a tough pill to swallow for Doyle, but the support he has garnered has made the recovery process much easier.

“When I got the news, I got with Coach Macedo, Coach Bonner and Coach Renn and they saw the look on my face and the tears rolling down my eyes,” Doyle said. “And when they started crying, I knew they really cared about me… from then on, everything was about staying positive and keep working on your goal,” Doyle said.

Doyle and his teammates

adopted this exact mentality to take on the rest of the season.

“Being that Nick got hurt it’s important that everybody has to step up and take their game to the next level,” Jones said.

The next-man-up vibe seems to circle this team now. With Doyle injured, there are a few guys who will come in and play pivotal roles for the Marlins down the stretch. One of the players is Justin Watson. After transferring from Christopher Newport University, he has settled in and found his role for this team. Now, it seems his role will be even larger.

“Coach always gives us the idea that it’s next man up, so immediately when we found out he would be out for the season, I had already been prepared and ready to fill his spot,” Watson said. “I can step in and do what I’m supposed to do. As far as our playing styles, we’re pretty similar, so there’s not that much of difference. I just might have to step up my leadership,” Watson continued.

Doyle mentioned R.J Nicholson and Kahlil Barnette as guys that are able to step up and help the team in his absence.

Even though Doyle cannot suit up, he said he still wants

to be an effective leader and integral part the team.

“I still stay in my teammate’s ears. I try to be the first one to practice every day and last to leave. Just seeing things I normally wouldn’t see if I was in the game, and then I can help them see it as well.” Doyle said.

He said he strives to make sure he can help his teammates anyway he can.

“Talking to my teammates around the clock is important for me. It can’t just be in practice either. If they hear it coming from someone other than the coach, it might help a little bit more to see it from a teammate’s perspective, a brother’s perspective,” Doyle said.

Have we seen Doyle in a Marlins uniform for the last time? Not quite.

“Senior night, February 17, I’m going to start the game and play the first couple of possessions. I’m going to try to take the first shot if it’s there and try not to force it,” Doyle said.

“Senior night I’ll be on the court in uniform and try to help the team anyway I can,” he said.

Score Board Women’s Basketball

1/23 Lynchburg W 86-78

1/20 Shenadoah W 60-42

1/27 Randolph-Macon L 88-59

1/25 Randolph W 62-57

1/30 Roanoke W 73-72

1/27 Eastern Mennonite L 64-49

2/3 Randolph W 50-42

1/30 Emory & Henry W 76-74

2/6 Emory & Henry W 89-87

2/6 Washington and Lee L 65-58 Anthony Dellamura|Marlin Chronicle

Men’s Basketball

Jamie Crawley |Marlin Chronicle

When the Marlins hosted Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) rival Roanoke, the game proved to be a difficult one. The Marlins saw their first-half lead get cut down by a second-half run from the Maroons, which they could not recover from.

This proved to be the least of the Marlins worries unfortunately, as they not only lost the game, but senior leader and starting small forward Nick Doyle went down with a significant knee injury that could sideline him for the season.

This was devastating news, but Doyle and the Marlins refuse to let this put a damper on the season as it starts to wind down to tournament time.

“We just have to come together as a team and when adversity hits, as it has done now, come together as a team and overcome it as a team,” junior guard Tim Jones said.

Doyle said he knew immediately the seriousness of his injury.

“Right when it happened, I knew it was something because of the way I went down. I knew it wasn’t a regular injury that I can just brush off and overcome,” Doyle said. “I also had

FOR MORE SPORTS FOLLOW: @MarlinSports

Super Bowl Sunday proved to be a tough pill for me to swallow. My Carolina Panthers spent a majority of the season proving the doubters wrong. Whether it was finally besting Seattle or beating the presumed NFC favorite, the Arizona Cardinals. Cam Newton also proved the naysayers wrong with a regular-season performance that was the best in the Panthers’ team history as he not only earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors, he also took home the MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards. You can say it was a year of growth for the Panthers and their young leader. Everything was going great for the franchise. However, the Super Bowl was a different story and what happened after, in regards to Newton particularly, made me shake my head in disbelief.

Cam Newton finally gave the detractors what they were waiting for all season. What did he give them? Ammunition to fuel the hate. How did he do that? He was despondent when talking to reporters following the heartbreaking loss to Denver and a crestfallen look was written all over his face. He was brusque with reporters and eventually got up and left the podium, which sent everyone into an uproar.

With that said, I am a die-hard fan of the Carolina Panthers and I can honestly say Cam’s actions were very unprofessional. I agree with people who believe if he can celebrate when things are going well, he should be able to stand up and handle the pressure when things fall apart. After all, Jake Delhomme did it for the Panthers in the 2008 playoffs after a seven-turnover performance on his birthday.

However, people are really losing their minds during this situation. Let’s not forget Cam went over to congratulate Peyton Manning with a smile on his face as the confetti was coming down. Yeah, he could’ve handled the press conference better, but people shouldn’t use this one incident of vulnerability as means to denigrate his character.

For instance, former player Bill Romanowski (who is no saint himself) tweeted, “You will never last in the NFL with that attitude. The world doesn’t revolve around you boy.” Boy? That, along with many other ridiculous comments, were made following Cam’s apparent “wrongdoing.” All week prior to the Super Bowl, people defended Cam Newton. “Nobody Hates Cam Newton” seemed like theme of the week. But then Cam’s one misstep at the end of an otherwise exceptional season motivated all of the haters to come out the woodwork and turn into the morality police. It was almost if they were waiting for this to happen. Cam was right. A lot of people don’t know how to react to a quarterback who is built like a tank and dances. He doesn’t fit a mold. The NFL hasn’t seen a talent quite like him and I think that’s what fuels this hate towards him.

All in all, from here on out Cam must realize, and I think he does, that no matter what he does, people are going to want to criticize him. It doesn’t matter how many people he helps in the community or how many footballs he gives out, some people just love to hate Cam Newton.

They hide behind these “reasons” to justify why, but in actuality we all know why they feel the way they do… I’m just going to leave that up to interpretation.

8 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Cheering for change

VWC alum Desiree Ellison takes over as Marlins Cheer Coach

BY MICHAEL WILLSON mnwillson@vwc.edu

AT A GLANCE Men’s Basketball

2/10 Hampden-Sydney 7:00 2/13 Washington & Lee 2:00 2/17 Guilford (Senior Night) 7:00

Women’s Basketball 2/13 Lynchburg (Senior Day) 4:30 2/16 Bridgewater (Va.) 7:00 2/20 Guilford 2:00

ODAC Rankings as of Feb. 9

Men’s Basketball #1 Khory Moore is No. 2 in the conference for scoring with 389 points and 18.8 points per game, No. 1 for three-pointers made with 59, and No. 1 in steals with 43.

This season holds a number of big changes for the Virginia Wesleyan Cheerleading squad.

VWC alum Desiree Ellison joins the Marlins as their new coach.

Ellison, who graduated in 2008, was a member of the team herself. She said she is excitement about coaching at her alma mater.

“I had an amazing experience when I was a cheerleader here . . . I absolutely love Virginia Wesleyan. I think it’s a beautiful campus and the people are wonderful. It’s just a great place to be and I want to continue that legacy of it being a good place to be for men and women here,” Ellison said.

Ellison brings a coaching style that is different than her predecessor, Jennifer Lewis. Ellison provides a more hands-on coaching style and incorporates ideas from team members into their stunts.

“She is willing to let us try new things. She’s more explorative than our old coach,” senior base Jeanice Reed said.

“We get to play a larger role in what we do as a team like choosing our own stunts. We bring ideas to the table all the time,” Reece said.

Ellison praises the team for their different ideas and credits it as being the team’s biggest success.

“Our biggest strength is our creativity. They have a hundred billion ideas on what we can do and what we should do. There are different videos that they will look at and then send them to me at midnight saying, ‘Hey coach, can we try this?’ Their dedication and creativity blows me away every day,” Ellison said.

In addition to a new head coach, the team also welcomes two new male members: senior base Keith Savage and junior base Josh Kelly. With the extra strength from the male members, the team is able to perform stunts that it was not able to before.

“They are fantastic. I think that they bring a new level to the team and allow us to try harder stunts and just do a lot of new things,” junior base Georgia Walker said.

Kelly has been involved with cheerleading since he was ten.

He cheered for both his middle and high school teams as well as an allstar team called Cheereruption. He started cheering with the Marlins by happenstance

when Ellison asked if he could assist with a stunt.

“The coach here came into the gym one day while I was lifting, and asked if she could have some help doing a stunt and one of my friends was like, ‘Oh, well he cheered.’ So I went in there and talked to her for a little bit, helped them out, and decided that I would come back and I just stuck with it,” Kelly said.

The team only cheers at the men’s and women’s basketball games, but they are hoping to have the opportunity to compete. In order for them to compete, they will need to increase their membership.

“I would really like to start doing competitions next year. If our team is big enough and practice, we could do competitions. We could start off at exhibitions and then compete in the NCAA,” Kelly said.

Ellison said cheerleading is just as much of a sport as the other athletic programs on campus and wants the Wesleyan community to recognize this.

“We need people to understand that we are athletes, that we do put in work. We work out every morning at 7 a.m. We do everything

Anthony Dellamura|Marlin Chronicle

Cheerleaders prepping for a stunt.

from running to lifting weights to lifting each other. There is a whole lot of effort that goes into it,” Ellison said.

Ellison is working toward recruiting new members by meeting with the different high schools in the Hampton Roads area. The team has already recruited five incoming freshmen. In addition to recruiting freshmen, the team is also recruiting current students by hosting open practices.

“We are happy to have anyone come to an open practice and either check us out or try it out. We are going to start hosting open practices throughout the season and post them on our Facebook page

and social media,” Ellison said.

Walker said spectators notice the team more at games now.

“We just have a lot of new stunts that the crowds like. We’ve been getting compliments from people in the crowd. They’ve never complimented us before, but now we have people do that.

It’s just a huge accomplishment and I love it,” Walker said.

Virginia Wesleyan lacrosse captains show leadership Josh Currier, John Roth and Ben Fletcher lead the Marlins Lacrosse team into the 2016 season.

Keijon Honore is ranked No. 1 with a freethrow percentage of 90.9 Kaelin Poe is ranked No. 2 with 35 blocks Virginia Wesleyan ranks third in scoring margin standing at +5.1, second in blocked shots with 83

Women’s Basketball #9

Anthony Dellamura|Marlin Chronicle

Senior Josh Currier (left) tries to make a shot on goal. Senior Ben Fletcher (right) advances through the rain into oncoming defenders.

BY HARRISON KIRKLAND

Jayla Harris ranks third in free throw percentage with a 84% mark.

Kelly Jones ranks third in minutes played averaging 35.6 minutes a night and second in the three-point field goals made with 47.

hdkirkland@vwc.edu

As President Scott Miller is prepared to lead Virginia Wesleyan College, seniors Joshua Currier, Benjamin Fletcher and John Roth are prepared to lead the Virginia Wesleyan Men’s Lacrosse Team this upcoming season.

All three captains played key roles in last year’s squad.

Currier, an attackman, led last year’s team with 37 goals and 22 assists. Fletcher, a defender, led the team with 19 caused turnovers and 22 ground balls.

Roth, a midfielder, netted 19 goals with 19 assists and 31 ground balls.

Coming off a 10-6 record last season, the men’s lacrosse team seeks to improve that record. The Marlins were seeded number 5 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) preseason poll. With the guidance of the captains, the team plans to better mentally prepare this upcoming season than last season.

“Were losing key components with our seniors from last year, so I think it’s going to be key for our seniors this year to step up and be really good leaders,” Currier said.

“Approaching each game like it’s our most important game is key,” Currier continued.

With their first game coming up in less than three weeks on Feb. 20, the team is preparing to start the season strong. The captains are already aware of their responsibilities.

“It’s a lot of on the field stuff but also a lot of behind the scenes stuff as well, to make sure all the guys are on the same page,” Fletcher said.

“It’s our job to motivate the team and keep everyone on the right track,” Currier said.

Keeping up with the responsibilities of being a college athlete are difficult enough, but the responsibilities of being the captain of a college team can be even more challenging. The added pressure can interfere with other roles of student life, but the captains of the lacrosse team said they have a good understanding of balancing academics and athletics.

“I think I have a pretty good grasp on the college thing now.

I think being a strong leader goes hand and hand with my work ethic that I put forth with my academics,” Currier said.

When a college athlete becomes a senior, they become the captain of the team. A position like that can be difficult to manage, but the seniors seem to have been led well by last year’s seniors.

“You kind of take on a new role that you haven’t taken as a teammate for the last 3 years,” Fletcher said.

“If our seniors this year can lead as well as our seniors last year did, then we will improve on everything else,” Currier said.

After a loss, the captain’s job is to keep the team motivated to improve and win the next game.

“It starts the next day of practice. We have to make sure we think about the stuff we did wrong, but forget about the loss and move on so that we can win the next game,” Currier said.

“We take it as an opportunity to come back and perform better next game, to show that we actually can play,” Fletcher said.

Although a loss can take a huge toll on a team, injuries can also be devastating and

season-changing. Currier and Fletcher said it is their job to be there for teammates who are injured.

“You have to make sure they know that you’re there supporting them, have fun and make them laugh,” Fletcher said.

“We adopt the next man mentality. We have players that work hard and that are ready to take over that role if need be,” Currier said.

Currier and Fletcher said they also have the support and guidance of Coach Stewart.

“I think the coach, me, Fletch, and Johnny are on the same page. So, anything we say, he agrees with. But if he doesn’t, he’ll definitely let us know,” Currier said.

“Most of our decisions are consulted by coach. He’s very good on supporting how we feel, he listens to us, his door is always open. You can always go in and talk to him about anything, whether it’s about personal life or lacrosse problems,” Fletcher said.

THEWEEKENDER

FEBRUARY 11, 2016

PAGE 9

“PROOF” PROVED PERFECT Anthony Dellamura| Marlin Chronicle Catherine (Nel, Freshman) looks somber as Claire (Isis, Senior) and Hal (Charles, Freshman) review a notebook they believe belongs to Catherine’s father.

TROY AUBUT taaubut@vwc.edu

Victoria O’Leary’s senior capstone “Proof” was packed on both days with students and guests

“Proof” proved to be an excellent play that college students can relate to and enjoy at the same time. Victoria O’Leary, senior theater and communications double major, directed the play as a part of her senior capstone project and Dr. Malone, associate professor of theater, helped obtain the rights to the play.

“Preparations for the play started back in October. Directing the show during the last two weeks was one of the easier parts because everything was mostly done. That was also the most difficult part because we didn’t have as much freedom to make changes. The only thing I would have done differently would be casting the show sooner,” O’Leary said.

“Proof”was written by playwright David Auburn and first premiered in 2000.

It won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award for Best Play. O’Leary read the play in high school and chose this play in particular with VWC in mind, since the characters happen to be people in their mid 20’s experiencing life at their prime.

Some of the common and relevant themes present in this play are strained

family relationships, blossoming love, a perspective on mathematics not normally seen and ultimately proving yourself. All of the themes blended together to make the play an emotional roller coaster, with scenes full of happy highs and gloomy lows that drew on a plethora of emotions from the audience.

The plot centered on a mathematically gifted family. Robert (Douglas Hardman) was a genius mathematician and the father of Catherine (Nel Li Hart) and Claire (Isis Percell). The audience learned Robert passed away just a week before the first scene took place, leaving Catherine depressed and lonely in the family house in Chicago. Claire came over from New York for the funeral, which coincidentally fell on Catherine’s birthday, and the two sisters caught up with each other after a few years of not talking. Claire expressed concern for her sister’s wellbeing, especially after all that occurred and wanted to take care of her exhausted, selfless sister in New York.

It was clear Catherine loved her father deeply and sacrificed an important time of

her life to take care of him; however, she was concerned that she would turn out to be just like her father, who happened to be suffering from a mental illness just before he passed. Meanwhile, as the sisters discussed how to handle the situation, Hal (Charles Robinson), a student who worked closely with Robert, was trying his best to find a work of Robert’s that could be published. He was also trying his best to express his feelings for Catherine, even though he wasn’t the timeliest.

When a notebook was found containing a ground-breaking mathematical proof, it was up to Catherine to ascertain she was the one who wrote it, not her father.

However, with little evidence present and the lack of support from her sister and love interest, Catherine was left alone once again. Fortunately for her, everything worked out in the end with the help of Hal. All of the scenes transitioned smoothly into the next; the flashbacks explain why certain things happened, which lead up to the events occurring in present-day in the play. Everything was tied together, and

there was a great feeling of satisfaction knowing that nothing important was left out.

The stage itself was set up in an L shape, allowing the audience on either side to have a good view and hear everything in the small College Studio Theatre.

“Stage setup was difficult. The stage has changed multiple times and we kept searching for the best options. This setup proved to be the best in the end,” O’Leary said.

Isis Percell, senior international studies major, was glad with how the play turned out. “The whole play was a wonderful experience. It took a lot of time and bookwork to create my character and prepare for the play, but the time I had with everyone was fun and was what I enjoyed the most, and ending all of this was bittersweet,” Percell said.

If you happened to miss out on this play, there are many more plays upcoming. Check out VWC Arts on the college website at vwc.edu for more information regarding dates and times.

WILDCATS CELEBRATE TEN YEARS Disney’s high school musical celebrates its 10 year anniversary with a reunion of the cast

BY JUSTIN SMITH jrsmith2@vwc.edu

A once-roaring gym filled with cheers for the East High Wildcats was silenced a decade later when the 2008 graduates came together one final time. The beloved Disney movie, “High School Musical,”celebrated its 10 year anniversary on Jan. 20 with its cast who reunited during a special telecast of the film. The “High School Musical” stars who attended the reunion included Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman.

“It is so surreal being here. It’s so crazy to me that 10 years has gone by and I see this cast and I feel like it was yesterday,” Hudgens said during the cast reunion special that aired on the Disney Channel.

During the airing of the original “High School Musical” that night, the cast reminisced on their favorite scenes from the movie in-between commercial breaks.

The first installment of the franchise followed the story of a high school basketball player, Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and brainy new girl, Gabriella Montez (Hudgens). Knowing the high school culture of cliques, the two are hesitant to embrace their love for singing and each other.

Numerous schemes from their best friends (Bleu and Coleman) and the drama club elites (Grabeel and Tisdale) force Troy and Gabriella’s relationship to dwindle out. In an effort to show the school there is no need to conform to social groups, the two’s love is reignited.

Those who did tune in to watch the

celebration may have noticed someone missing.

Lead actor of the “High School Musical” films, Zac Efron, was not in attendance during the taping of the reunion special. Efron played Troy Bolton, star basketball player for the East High Wildcats and romantic interest of Gabriella Montez.

The absence of the star ignited major controversy on social media. Avid fans of the franchise took to the comments sections of Efron’s social media accounts to display their hurt. Claims littered Facebook, Twitter and the like stating Efron did not care about his fans or the anniversary of the movie. Efron and Hudgens’ past romantic relationship was also brought up as to why he did not attend.

It was later confirmed, by Efron himself, promotion for his new movie conflicted with the taping of the special. Efron did join his fellow Wildcats in a pre-recorded message directed to “High School Musical” fans.

This Disney phenomenon shaped the lives of the millennial generation. Students at Virginia Wesleyan said the movie played an important role in their childhood.

“It made me aware that it was OK not to fall into one specific group of people,” psychology major Tayler Wilson said.

Wilson said she related to the first film because she felt like an outsider in school.

The dynamics of the films’ characters

were another relatable element. Storie Cook, a criminal justice and political science major, described how she related to Gabriella in the movie.

“She was the new girl and I moved around a lot as a child. It gave me more confidence,” Cook said.

“High School Musical” not only made personal impacts, but broke ground in the entertainment world. When the Disney movie debuted Jan. 20, 2006, it gathered 7.7 million total viewers in the U.S. At the time, it was the highest rating for any Disney Channel telecast. It became the first-ever TV-movie soundtrack to reach number one on the Billboard charts. The movie soundtrack went on to become the number one album and kid’s album of 2006.

The success of the film did not stop there. The movie won a variety of awards including two Emmy’s, the Television Critics Association Award and an American Music Award. Its success inspired numerous touring stage performances in North America and Latin America.

Sequels to the original movie were released years later, “High School Musical 2” (2007) and “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” (2008).

The three films of the “High School Musical” saga were directed and choreographed by Kenny Ortega. Two Director’s Guild of America Awards were added to his resume along with other similar awards after the success of the first film.

Ortega spoke to Entertainment Weekly about what he thought made the first movie popular.

“There’s something else present and I think it isn’t the language. It’s a feeling, an emotion, and that’s something that is underneath all of the ‘High School Musical’ movies,” Ortega said to Entertainment Weekly.

VWC students and fans, such as psychology major Abby Horgan, discussed what they thought was the key to the Disney movie’s success.

“It was just something new that no one had ever really seen Disney do before,” Horgan said.

Stars of film discussed a very similar point during the reunion special. Corbin Bleu said he was shocked when he found out Disney wanted to produce an original movie musical.

Although a decade has gone by since the first “High School Musical” debuted, the message that fans received from it still lives in them today. However, many students said they believe the moral of the story will not be appreciated as much in younger generations as it was for them.

Nonetheless, there are some fans who said they believe the film can still be interpreted for years to come. Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat.

THEWEEKENDER

FEBRUARY 11, 2016

NEON DISTRICT BRIGHTENS THE AREA

PAGE 10

STEPHANIE SINGER smsinger@vwc.edu

The NEON district of Downton Norfolk is a great stop for appreciating art done by locals

On the outskirts of Downtown Norfolk, a once-abandoned corner of the city now glows with creativity. An art museum educates and inspires people who pass through its doors. Murals splash vivid color onto previously dull walls. Metal sculptures with straight lines and sharp angles lend a sense of strength to the city.

Most know this place as Norfolk’s arts district. Locals call it the NEON District.

Meredith Cheatwood, a Norfolk resident, lives near the arts district. “This area suffered a lack of public attention, but now that all this new creative energy has been poured into the district, people are beginning to develop a newfound interest in spending time there,” Cheatwood said.

While this energy flows from every corner of the district, every form of energy has a source. The Chrysler Museum of Art serves that purpose.

A new glass exhibit draws people in. Each piece has a story behind it. For example, a Victorian-era museum displayed a Roman vase, but a drunken visitor shattered the vase. Fortunately, new techniques allowed the curators to make an almost-exact replica of the original. The replica now stands proudly at the Chrysler Museum.

Art from around the world illustrates history in a way the written word cannot. Japanese paintings and Chinese ceramics reflect details about civilizations of Asia. A video screen near a stone sarcophagus describes the Egyptian mummification process. Greek sculptures and Roman mosaics depict the classical ideal of beauty. Masks and ceremonial staffs give a window into pre-colonial Africa. Stone figures and painted textiles from the natives of Central America tell stories of their own.

Dr. Singer, a visitor to the museum, puts the museum and arts district into a broader scope. “The arts connect us to our past, and they influence multiple cultures throughout time,” Singer said.

Walk across the street from the Chrysler Museum, climb white concrete steps and enter a tinted glass door. Here at the Perry Glass Studio, glassmaking demonstrations are conducted.

The interior looks stark, with concrete floors and unadorned walls. Intense heat blasts from three furnaces. Three rows of scarlet-seated chairs provide room for an audience, Two glass artists arrive. They both wear fitted black t-shirts with “GET FIRED UP!” screen-printed in red across the chest, paired with jeans. The first artist is a woman.

She’s average in height with dark brown hair coiled back in a tight bun. The second is a young man with a calm smile.

The woman introduces herself as Emily, and the man as James. Emily picks up a long metal pipe and walks over to the first furnace, called a gathering chamber. When she removes the pipe, yellow-orange glass droops from the tip. She immediately begins rotating the pipe so the glass doesn’t drip.

“I’ve always wanted to see how big we can blow a glass bubble,” Emily says with a childlike curiosity. The audience leans in.

Emily tells James to blow into the other end of the pipe. The glass slowly turns clear and begins to round out. Then the sphere distorts as it expands. Soon it’s almost as big as Emily. Suddenly, the glass bubble bursts. It sounds like a gigantic balloon popped, followed by the clinking of glass shattering on the concrete floor.

By the end of the demonstration, James dons protective gear: a Kevlar apron, heat gloves and a face shield. He takes the fused glass and puts it in a kiln, which is an oven for completing glass projects.

Hayley Heath | Marlin Chronicle A beautiful and colorful piece of wall art greets museum goers.

The museum and glass studio are only the beginning. Murals, such as the whimsical “27 Beecycles” by Matt Lively, adorn city walls. It’s hard not to smile at the image of cartoon-style bees on bicycles riding through puffy clouds in a bright blue sky. Bob’s Gun Shop used to have a rough white exterior, but not anymore. Now it’s covered with a rainbow of rectangles. The beauty doesn’t end at the murals. Metal sculptures and geometric mirror forms enhance city parks.

As the sun sets and paints the evening sky with fire, something catches the eye. On the lawn of the museum stands a cast-aluminum sculpture. This sculpture depicts a young man on horseback taking a torch from a fallen comrade, representing the passing of enlightenment through the generations.

The growth of the NEON District is just the early beginning of this enlightenment. Soon, new generations of artists will take the torch. This sustains the creative pulse that allows the district and the city to thrive.

CAFE SERVES A COMMUNITY

Laurissa Senecal| Marlin Chronicle

Cafe Moka, just fifteen minutes away from campus, offers high-quality coffee and provides a pleasant atmosphere LAURISSA SENECAL ljsenecal@vwc.edu

“We’re all trying to do the same thing and that is make a quality cup of coffee without conforming to the Starbucks way.”

Quality is an attribute which Cafe Moka’s employees pride themselves on.

Andrea Gonzales, shift manager, said every single drink, even a simple cup of black coffee, is carefully assembled with precisely measured ingredients and calculated ratios by hand.

That precision certainly seems to have paid off. Cafe Moka was recently listed as the number one coffee shop in Virginia by a travel agency called FLIPKEY, which offers advice to people traveling to different locations in the United States.

“We like to represent local pastries and shops. That’s a big part of our mission.”

Josh Goodman, manager of Cafe Moka, said his shop strives to represent small local businesses since Cafe Moke itself is a small business. While the employees at Cafe Moka focus all their time on hand crafting specialty coffees and teas, they give local bakeries extra business.

A wide variety of cookies, muffins, and scones from different shops sit in the display box located at the front counter.

Unity with other small businesses in Hampton Roads is a vision which all of Cafe Moka’s employees share.

Cafe Moka is more than just a coffee shop. The baristas said they strive to produce a comfortable atmosphere for all of their customers. One way they achieve this is through the homey but creative environment.

“Cafe Moka gave me a place to be really artistic and express myself,” Gonzales said.

Brian Miller, a college student who regularly attends Cafe Moka, points to the unique décor as a big appeal.

“Roark Basham (owner) has done a really good job of making it warmer in here.

Like on the front with all the wood and everything,” Miller said.

The variety of seating also contributes to this warm environment. There are comfy chairs upholstered with grain sacks in the corners and white tables for studying in the middle of the store. The atmosphere is relaxed, welcoming and there’s a wide variety of people.

“My job is to make you feel comfortable,” Goodman said. The shop’s aims is to make all of its customers feel comfortable by selling, in addition to coffee drinks, a plethora of teas, smoothies and bottled drinks. Every drink offered is delicious from the sweet Winter Tea Lattes to the simple bottles of coca cola.

In many ways, Cafe Moka is an ideal space for college students. In addition to the appeal of complimentary WiFi, the vibe of the place makes a great study or hangout environment.

“We have a very comfortable vibe. You can come in here, chat with your friends or do homework,” Goodman said. Like Goodman, Miller also said he feels that Cafe Moka’s relaxed vibe is a huge attractor.

“I’ve become a regular,” Miller said.

What is unique about Cafe Moka com-

pared to other shops is what Goodman describes as “a passion for black coffee.”

Most coffee shops feature fancy drinks with creams and sugars in them while under emphasizing black coffee. Many shops also keep a pot of brewed coffee to sell to customers who simply want a plain cup of coffee. The drawback here is the coffee sits around all day and goes stale. Moka makes each cup of coffee individually in what is called a pour-over, thus guaranteeing that every cup will be fresh.

The result of the high quality service and comfortable atmosphere that Cafe Moka provides is that they are a growing business. Many of Cafe Moka’s customers are students from Regent University.

In order to accommodate these students, owner Roark Basham is training up a group of baristas to open up a shop on Regent’s campus. Goodman said he hopes that more shops will be opened at other campuses.

One of the advantages of Virginia Wesleyan’s location is that it is in an area surrounded by dozens of small restaurants and cafes that boast comfortable study environments. Unfortunately, many of these places are in the center of Norfolk, which can be a challenging place to navigate during rush hour traffic.

Fortunately, there are other options for those days when navigating Norfolk’s complex city streets seems particularly daunting. Cafe Moka is only about fifteen minutes from Virginia Wesleyan’s campus without traffic. It is also conveniently located about ten minutes from the Green-

brier Mall on the corner of the Lynnhaven parkway and the Centerville turnpike.

The baristas at Cafe Moka said they love their customers. Whether serving drinks or engaging in conversation, Cafe Moka baristas works hard to make their community happy.

Taylor McIntosh | Marlin Chronicle A view of the interior of Cafe Moka.