March 10, 2016

FELINES VS. CANINES SMACKDOWN: ARE CATS OR DOGS BETTER PETS?

OPINIONS Pg. 6

The Clown Princes of basketball visit Norfolk The Harlem Globetrotters once counted VWC coach, alumnus as part of supporting cast. WEEKENDER page 9

The Marlin ChroniCle THURSDAY 3.10.16 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWC.EDU ||

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE

Apple of the FB EYE

BY BECCA LAZZERI ralazzeri@vwc.edu

A California court has ruled that Apple must comply with the FBI’s demand to create a “back door” into the iPhone for the sake of gaining criminal evidence about the San Bernardino shootings.

Apple’s leadership has said it will appeal the decision.

Syed Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people at a holiday party in San Bernardino, California, on Dec. 2, 2015. Rather than Farook himself, who died in a shootout with police, his iPhone is at the center of the legal debate between personal security and rights of the government.

Apple posted a letter titled “A Message to Our Customers” on its website.

“The United States government has demanded that Apple take an unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers,” the letter said. “We oppose this order, which has implications far beyond the legal case at hand.”

Following the San Bernardino mass shooting, the FBI said that the data on Farook’s iPhone could give investigators clues about whom the shooters contacted before the shooting, and where they fled directly afterward. Officials believe this data would provide information about whether the attack could be traced back to the Islamic State terrorist group.

Apple has remained transparent since the FBI asked for a solution to its encrypted security system. The company said in its letter to customers that, generally, it will make considerable efforts to help the FBI solve cases like the one that occurred in San Bernardino. However, customer privacy is of the utmost importance, and it would be impossible to create a security breach without putting all iPhone users at risk of potential invasion of privacy, it said.

In regard to the San Bernardino case, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “Up to this point, we have done everything that is both within our power and within the law to help them. But now the U.S. government has asked us for something we simply do not have, and something we consider too dangerous to create. They have asked us to build a back door to the iPhone.”

FBI director James Comey wrote on the website Lawfare, a national security blog, “We simply want the chance, with a search warrant, to try to guess the terrorist’s pass code without the phone essentially self-destructing and without it taking a

YMCA| Courtesy Children and counselors enjoy hula-hooping in the outdoors as part of a YMCA camp held on campus every summer.

Camp Red Feather

VWC’s long partnership with the YMCA is now resulting in an initiative to build a facility that will cater to both organizations’ needs

BY JASMINE DRIGGS jtdriggs@vwc.edu

The YMCA of Hampton Roads was recently granted the funds to build a 6,000-square-foot building in the wooded area in front of the arboretum in Village IV on Virginia Wesleyan College’s campus. There will also be an amphitheater behind the building.

The building is mainly for the children and counselors who attend Camp Red Feather, a summer camp that is always hosted on this campus.

The donors to the YMCA feel strongly about Virginia Wesleyan College and the values they share with it, according to VWC President Scott Miller. Therefore, the building will be for use not only by the YMCA during the summer but also for VWC students during the academic year.

Miller said that the building will be

consistent with the plans for the Greer Environmental Center in regard to keeping the building as environmentally friendly as possible. The design that is in the works is hoped to help minimize the number of trees that will have to be cut down. The actual floor plan will be available to Miller in about two weeks.

This building will provide a gateway for the path that leads to Lake Taylor.

“The building will consist of three large classrooms with divided walls that will open into one big recreation room,” Miller said.

Miller did not have any specifications on who at Virginia Wesleyan will specifically use the building. However, he did know that during the academic year Virginia Wesleyan College will definitely have access to the facility.

SEE APPLE Pg. 2

“We hope to use some of the classroom and recreation space,” Miller said. “There will be office space for both the YMCA and Virginia Wesleyan and there will be a food preparation area for both the YMCA and Virginia Wesleyan.

Virginia Wesleyan will also have full access to the amphitheater that will be located behind the building.”

The building may be useful for VWC resident assistants’ training, as well.

“We do not do a lot of training outside in the summer, but we do have an issue with finding a big enough space that we all fit comfortably into,” resident assistant Rachel Lambert said. “This new building sounds like a good space where we could break off into smaller groups and come back into a bigger one.”

Lambert was confident in saying that

SEE YMCA Pg. 2

Arts building gets long-awaited attention

Hayley Heath| Marlin Chronicle The Fine Arts Building is located behind Village I and contains classrooms as well as the campus theater.

BY ASHLEY KLINE aakline@vwc.edu

Village II, the Social Sciences Center, Blocker Hall, the Greer Environmental Center and Birdsong Field—essentially the entire campus has been evolving with the exception of the dilapidated fine arts building, until now.

The building is outdated and not large enough to suit the growing needs of the college’s fine arts programs. Additionally, the facility is insufficient for allowing students to practice their crafts to their full potential.

According to music professor Bryson Mortensen, more space is required for students to practice. Mortensen said that 30 students are currently taking private music lessons. These students require five hours of practice time per week, making 150 hours’ worth of practice space necessary to suit their needs. As things now stand, however, there is approximately 50 hours’ worth of practice space available.

INSIDE Follow-up with security guard Spring Break travel course injured in Oct. hit-and-run page 3

1Front.indd 1

heading to Florida Keys page 4

Professor of instrumental music Jason Squinobal said that he is forced to make daily use of the chapel for his classes due to the lack of sufficient space for his students to perform and practice in the Fine Arts Building.

In his March 2 Nota Bene email, President Scott Miller discussed a campaign to raise $60 million by December 2020.

According to Miller, the school has just completed a feasibility study to ensure that this campaign is plausible. Included in this $60 million fundraising objective is $14 million that will be allocated toward renovating as well as expanding the Fine Arts Building. President Miller said that, unlike what has been done previously, the school is making plans in a highly realistic manner. There are individuals that have already agreed to financially support this cause.

Architectural and engineering plans for the Fine Arts Building are currently underway. However, the full amount necessary to begin renovations will likely not be raised for another year. Therefore, it is hoped that construction will begin in two years.

“We are a residential liberal arts college, and any liberal arts college has strength in that area, and we have an outstanding academic program in that area. What we need is a facility to match up with the outstanding academic program.

We’re very good with theater, we’re very good at music and we’re very good in the arts. What we need is a facility that will match up and serve as a home for each of those components and can give us modern, state-of-the-art facilities for our faculty and our students,” Miller said.

Students involved in the arts have been eagerly awaiting the renovation of the Fine Arts Building and are excited to hear that dreams are transforming into realistic plans. They say they believe the modernization of the facility as well as

SEE FINE ARTS Pg. 2

Corrections: 2/25/16, Sports, page 7, “Marlins

Baseball Gets Geared Up for Action”: ODAC Pitcher of the Year Sean Grieser’s name was misspelled.

2/25/16, News, page 1, “Campus Growing Pains”: C.J. Lindsay was mistakenly identified as C.J. Nichols.

3/8/2016 11:46:33 PM

2 Thursday March 10, 2016 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

News

APPLE CONTINUED FROM FRONT decade to guess correctly.”

Comey said that with the requested cooperation from Apple, it would take 26 minutes to decrypt an iPhone and collect the data needed.

“There’s already a door on that iPhone. Essentially, we’re asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock,” Comey said. “It’s not their job to watch out for public safety. That’s our job.”

For non-iPhone users, the dilemma concerns an individual’s right to personal security.

“Androids don’t have the fingerprinting or iCloud and tracking devices that iPhones have, so it’s different,” sophomore criminal justice major Kaci Wertz said. “Apple has to have a back door into their software because if something goes wrong they have to be able to fix it. They just aren’t going to use it.”

Defining the “back door,” Cook said, “Specifically, the FBI wants us to make a new version of the iPhone operating system, circumventing several important security features, and install it on an iPhone recovered during the investigation. In the wrong hands, this software, which does not exist today, would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someone’s physical possession.”

“It’s interesting because it’s not just access to one

Britani Alyse| Marlin Chronicle phone, it’s a universal back door key into any iPhone,” senior Alexis Turner-Lafving said. “So are they just going to start peeking around into anyone’s iPhone if they need to?

What does that say about the level and surveillance of the government?”

The case has gained global attention from other coun-

FINE ARTS

tries, such as China, because of the great implications for cybersecurity. However, because of the intense controversy, many are beginning to doubt that the San Bernardino case would be a good case to set a precedent.

“There is precedent for the FBI being more invasive during their investigations, so much so that they have had to toss out many investigations in the past because the evidence would have made the case illegal,” junior Musa Ghaznavi said. “The FBI just wants to test public opinion of privacy now. It is good PR for Apple either way.”

Those who support the FBI’s demands argue that this measure would protect US citizens by strengthening national security.

“I don’t think many people would have personal information that if in the wrong hands would come back and hurt them on their iPhones,” senior Sean Grieser said. “If Apple would cooperate with the FBI it could help further national security.”

“I think it is a generation thing, where millennials say, ‘So what, I don’t have anything to hide,’ whereas the older generation, coming from the Cold War era, are much more concerned about their personal privacy,” Ghaznavi said.

Apple’s side of the debate picked up momentum in February when a New York judge ruled against the FBI’s request for information from a locked iPhone in a drug case.

Apple claimed that the government has filed motions for Apple to assist in nine other cases.

New office in Village II offers diverse service opportunities

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

BY ROBIN PETERSON rapeterson@vwc.edu

Virginia Wesleyan students painting in the fine arts building during a class. the addition will allow them to cultivate their crafts to a greater extent.

Such upgrades will also benefit them as performers, musicians and artists.

“I think renovations would give us better opportunities to do bigger productions, possibly have other shows come in and that kind of stuff,” sophomore theater major Michael McOsker said. “So we can have outside sources come in, and, you know, we can learn from that and have other opportunities to work with outside productions.

I just think it would allow for a better learning environment if we had better

resources we could use while we’re here.”

“The building itself is just so old!” Ember Jenison, a junior double majoring in art and psychology, said.

“It’s in need of major renovation, but we also need more space. I feel like there should at least be a few more rooms for studio space and storage.

Personally, I would love to have a designated space in the art building I could go to work uninterrupted. Not that we don’t have that now, but if we had even more space, I think art majors could be enabled that much

Hayley Heath| Marlin Chronicle

more. I’d love to expand and use the art building as a catalyst for my creative thinking and process and not just a building I go to attend classes and use the pottery wheel or photography lights elbow-to-elbow with other students.”

The fine arts building is one of the oldest buildings on campus, yet is one of the only ones that has yet to be renovated. The facility is definitely in need of some tender loving care, which it is expected to receive in the near future. Until then, students and faculty wait in anticipation.

YMCA CONTINUED FROM FRONT

YMCA| Courtesy A group of Camp Red Feather campers standing in the arboretum after a fun-filled day of activities. resident assistants will not be responsible for patrolling that area during their nightly strolls throughout the week. Instead, Virginia Wesleyan security officers will patrol it.

Virginia Wesleyan currently is going through some major changes with the Greer Environmental Center being constructed on campus. This construction has caused some inconvenience to the residents in Village IV. “The YMCA building will be easier to construct than the Greer Environmental Center because it is not attached to campus. The construction of the building will not interfere with the everyday lives of the campus community,” Miller said.

Students may not find the construc-

2News.indd 1

tion of the facility to be inconvenient, but some do say they feel that the walk to get to the building will be lengthy.

“If you consider the people in Village II, it’s slightly inconvenient to walk that far; it’s even further than Blocker. Even though the campus isn’t huge, that is a little out of the way,” Lambert said.

Construction of the facility is set to be finished by May 2017. Miller said the plan is to have it open by summer 2017 so that the kids from the YMCA can use it.

“Virginia Wesleyan is more than appreciative of our partners at the YMCA of Hampton Roads,” Miller said.

According to the Camp Red Feather website, the hours of the summer camp are Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Some activities that the children participate in include arts and crafts, music and drama, the alpine tower and archery.

“YMCA Camp Red Feather is all about discovery,” the website says.

“Camping, like many Y programs is about learning skills, developing character and making friends.” Not only is the program designed for younger children to become leaders, but it also helps older teenagers use their leadership skills, while gaining more skills through its internship program. The internship program is available for rising 10th- through 12th-graders.

VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads will be renting office space in Village II for the foreseeable future, according to a Feb. 23 campus-wide email from VWC President Scott Miller. The organization is new to the campus, but its website says that it has existed in various forms for 57 years.

The space will serve as the regional volunteer headquarters for the group, according to Diane Hotaling, VWC’s director of community service. The organization’s presence on campus is meant to help students find new volunteer and internship opportunities in and around the Hampton Roads region.

This is a special collaboration between Wesleyan and VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads that will benefit both the school and the organization as a whole, a win-win situation, Hotaling said. Students will be able to go to the office to receive help in finding pertinent opportunities in and around the area, and VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads will be able to help the nonprofits that they are partnered with to find talented help through our campus community.

The group’s website says that its purpose is to “connect businesses with opportunities which create a positive impact on [the] community.” VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads at its heart is all about providing resources to both nonprofits and communities by fostering connections between them and finding out how to best use their resources, according to the website.

“Because they have volunteers on a national level [as well as the local level], their organization is really trying to help nonprofits use the resources that they already have,” Hotaling said. Its presence on a college campus “does not change what they do,” Hotaling said.

The group’s role in our campus community will be similar to that of Career Services and the Office of Community Service. Its primary role, according to Hotaling, will be to offer opportunities to students that would not be possible otherwise. For example, students who want to gain experience in their field but whose major does not offer an internship can go to VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads to look for an opportunity, Hotaling said.

These services will be an asset to the college because there will now be two offices on campus able to assist students in finding great opportunities in their respective fields. Besides connecting students with opportunities outside of campus, VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads will be bringing the full force of its resources to campus as well. However, these services may take some time to become fully available to the campus community.

Our partnership with VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads is “a new one,” Hotaling said, and there will be many bumps along the way in folding it into the fabric of the community. Its presence on campus came as if from out of nowhere, and, as Hotaling said, the new programs and services were “not rolled out in the best way.”

For example, the president’s Feb. 23 Nota Bene did not concretely specify when VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads would be open for students to use. However, according to Hotaling, students can stop by its new suite in Village II now if they would like to get to know the staff and talk about the new opportunities available to them.

Some have also had concerns over whether this will change the way in which Career Services and the Office of Community Service function. Hotaling said that the organization’s presence on campus does not diminish or limit the role that these offices play. Instead, VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads’ presence on campus will only serve to bolster the services that we have on campus now. Hotaling said, “It adds value to the [community service] support available to the students.”

The group has already moved into its new offices in Village II, and students are encouraged to stop by. The new offices will officially open March 11 with a ribboncutting ceremony and open house.

3/9/2016 9:58:41 AM

Community The

MARLIN CHRONICLE

3 Thursday March 10, 2016 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

The late-night smiling face of VWC

BY RYAN BREEN

rmbreen@vwc.edu 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 Opinions Editor Michael Willson mnwillson@vwc.edu The Weekender Troy Aubut taaubut@vwc.edu Sports Editor Jamie Crawley jjcrawley@vwc.edu Photo Editors Anthony Dellamura aadellamura@vwc.edu Kayla Skeete krskeete@vwc.edu Illustrations Editor Britani Daley badaley@vwc.edu Val Miller vgmiller@vwc.edu

Virginia Wesleyan College has provided not only a higher education, but a home for students, staff and faculty ever since its doors opened in 1961.

Corporal Moses M. Alston is one of those people. Alston is a security officer at VWC, and has been since Aug. 6, 1981. His first day was almost 35 years ago. He was honored for his continued service when he reached his 30th year.

Alston was born on April 29, 1940 in Warrenton, North Carolina.

“Before Wesleyan, I worked as a security officer for the private sector. Before that, I worked for security police, in the Air Force,” Alston said.

Alston was in the United States Air Force for 23 years, before he retired from the military. In the past, Alston was stationed in upstate New York as well as Washington D.C. While describing Alston, Corporal Barbara L. Artis of Virginia Wesleyan College said, “Moses is a historian of the security department.

Moses is defined as accountable, loyal and trustworthy.”

Artis has worked at Wesleyan for five years and has gotten to know Alston very well.

Alston is also seen as a leader and a professional at his job.

“Moses is one of the corporals that you can talk to. We have staff and alumni come back to see him. For example, past students come with their kids and go bonkers to know that Corporal Moses was here when they were a student and now he will be for their child,” Artis said.

Throughout the years, Alston has seen many changes to the college, including three presidents, the first being President Lambuth M. Clarke.

When asked why he has stayed at Virginia Wesleyan for so long, Alston said, “I enjoy working with students, faculty and staff very much.

My time at Wesleyan has been filled with very great experiences. This job keeps me going.”

Alston can be seen at the front gate around 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., and has worked anywhere from 12 to 16 hours per shift throughout his time at Wesleyan. Alston is a dedicated member of the VWC community.

“Moses has always been really nice. He is great to everyone and he does not discriminate. He taught me to learn dispatch. He will try the best he can; he is a very good teacher,” Corporal Tarah M. Vazquez, a security officer at VWC for two years, said.

Vazquez told stories of all of the adjustments that Alston has had to make while working at the college. The college has changed its technology, and in doing so Alston had to learn how to use modern-day technology, such as an iPad and computer.

“Moses eventually got the hang of the new technology. We mess around with Moses about it, and we love to make him laugh,” Vazquez said.

Elaine Aird, accounts payable bookkeeper at Virginia Wesleyan, said nothing but good things about Alston. Aird has been employed with the college since Labor Day in 1988 and has known Alston for all of those 27 years.

“We were friends immediately. He’s a big Marlin fan. When we both have time we go to the basketball games, where we share stories about our families and life,” Aird said.

Aird explained Alston as “a gentle giant. He is without a doubt the sweetest man, and it always makes me happy when I can come through the gate and see him. My day starts so beautifully when Moses is there.”

Aird and Alston have spent a lot of time talking and laughing with each other.

“He walks a lot, he started walking on the track when it was built.

After work at seven in the morning, he used to walk around the track. I would walk about a mile or two, but Moses would walk about three to four miles every day,” Aird said.

Alston has been described as a valuable part of the Virginia Wesleyan community by many faculty members, who have known him for many years.

“He has this presence about him that makes him the person that makes people calm,” Aird said.

Alston continues to be employed at VWC and plans to for as long as possible. His recognizable and trademark smile will continue to light up the entrance and whole community at Virginia Wesleyan College.

Online Editor Maurice Reed mreed@vwc.edu Copy Editor

Samantha Small stsmall@vwc.edu

Advertising Representative Jasmine Driggs jtdriggs@vwc.edu

Val Miller | Marlin Chronicle

A friendly face returns to the gatehouse

BY COREY KING ckking1@vwc.edu

Social Media Jasmine Driggs jtdriggs@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

3Community.indd 1

Val Miller | Marlin Chronicle Corporal Monica Johnson, a security officer at Virginia Wesleyan College, was back in her usual spot at the VWC entrance gate greeting students and checking ID’s, since it was her first day back to work this past week. She was involved in a hit-and-run on the campus on Oct. 7, 2015.

Johnson was struck by a car that drove right through the entrance gate at the college. The car was there to pick up a student but the driver of the car wasn’t registered with security and therefore was not allowed on the campus. The driver then proceeded to drive onto the campus, ignoring Johnson, and went to pick up the student. As the driver was attempting to exit the campus, Johnson sprang into action. While trying to stop the vehicle, she was stuck by the car, and the driver kept going.

“I’m still sore; recovery is very slow. However, I’m still in therapy.

Hopefully I can make a full recovery soon,” Johnson said.

Many Virginia Wesleyan students were shaken up by this event.

“I was driving into campus and saw all the police cars and fire trucks.

I had no idea what was going on. I just hoped that everyone was going to be OK. After I heard who it was I was shocked because she is always so nice and in a good mood. I was just hoping that she was going to be

OK,” junior Justin Erby said.

The students and staff at Virginia Wesleyan College sent their prayers, kind words and a speedy recovery to Johnson and the same when she returned to the gate last week.

“I was so glad to finally see her again, and see that she was still as positive as ever,” sophomore Kiersten Richardson said.

“I would like to thank everyone for their well wishes and blessing.

And all the warm welcomes at the gatehouse,” Johnson said.

Many students may think that signing on a guest is pointless, or that the security officers are doing too much. However, it is things like signing guests on that keep the campus safe and more enjoyable for the students. It also makes life on the security officers easier because the guests’ information is already in front of them, and they can have their guest pass ready before they get there.

“If all the students can make sure that they sign their guest on prior to coming on to the campus. If the guest is signed on prior to, the process for signing on is very simple and easy. However, if the guest is not signed on prior, then the process takes a little longer and people become very frustrated. Hopefully, after the accident people and student will learn to be a little more patient and understanding. We as security officers at the gatehouse handle multiple tasks,” Johnson said.

Experiences like this that happen in people’s lives leave them emotionally weary about going back into the same environment that they were in when the extremely traumatizing event happened. But most people are not like Johnson.

“I will continue to keep the campus safe. I will continue to check all ID’s for students and guests,” Johnson said.

Johnson is right back in the heart of VWC, making sure that the campus for the students living as well as learning on the campus is as safe and secure as possible.

Many cases like this case involving Johnson take time to piece together to find who hit her. This case is listed as a hit and run. When asked about the case and how much progress Virginia Beach police had made on the case, Johnson was not able to elaborate on any part of it.

“I’m not at liberty to speak about the investigation. All I can say it’s ongoing,” Johnson said.

So for now the VWC community has to sit back and wait for the men in blue to do their job and bring this case to a close. As for Johnson, she is excited to be back with her co-workers, faculty, staff and students.

April 2, 2016

3/9/2016 12:05:17 AM

4 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

CAMPUS countdown March 10th Study Abroad Student Presentations Time: 11 a.m.

Location: The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration and Discovery

Students who studied away in the fall 2015 semester will share their experiences from their trips. The event is hosted by VWC’s Study Away Program (SAP).

Thursday, March 10, 2016

BY KACI PARKER klparker@vwc.edu

Q: “If you could change one thing in the past four years, what would it be, and would you do anything differently?”

A: “I would be academically more responsible in my freshman year so my last couple of semesters wouldn’t be as stressful.”

Q: “What advice would you give your freshman self?”

A: “Pay more attention in class and work hard to get good grades because it will pay off for future applications for law school.”

Q: “Where do you see yourself four years down the road?”

A: “A hard working lawyer.”

Q: “As a freshman, what was your first impression of VWC?” A: “Small campus, but a really close community.”

Q: “What will you miss the most upon graduation?”

A: “The freedom to be able to do what I want, when I want.”

Q: “If you could recreate a memory from your college career, what would it be?”

A: “The moment I won an ODAC championship, and the unity and camaraderie that came with it.”

March 10th Life Matters

Time: 12 p.m.

Location: Shafer Room Dr. Clay Drees, Professor of History and Director of Faculty Mentoring will share his personal reflections. In “Life Matters,” members of the Wesleyan community offer autobiographical reflections on their emotional, intellectual, and spiritual experiences.

March 21st 18th Annual Empty Bowls Charity Dinner Time: 5:30 p.m.

Location: Boyd Dinning Center

Enjoy a soup line dinner with a personal handmade bowl selection and shop at a silent auction for beautiful bowls contributed by local clay artists. All proceeds donated to charities for the hungry in Hampton Roads.

March 23rd Model NATO Challenge 2016

Time: 4:00 p.m.

Location: Boyd Dining Center Select Norfolk high school juniors and seniors will serve as Student Diplomats at the event, chosen through an essay contest demonstrating their knowledge of NATO and its member nations.

CRIME BLOTTER

Alex Castelli, Political Science Purcellville, Virginia

Alex Castelli| Courtesy

Anthony Dellamura | Marlin Chronicle

Freshman

Senior

Spring break in the Florida Keys

BY KATHERINE BISHOP kabishop@vwc.edu

Virginia Wesleyan College staff and students will take part in the ninth annual Spring Break trip to the Florida Keys March 19 through March 24. The trip will cost $525, and will cover transportation expenses, lodging and activities. Food expenses are not covered, but students will have the opportunity to shop at the local supermarkets and taste the local cuisine.

The maximum number of students who can go on the trip is 10, including two residence life staff who will be driving. The school rents a 15-passenger van that will be driven down to Florida on the first day, and will be used to transport the students and staff back to the Wesleyan campus on the last day.

Students going on the school’s Spring Break trip can expect to experience a range of activities. Activities include a 20-mile kayak tour, snorkeling, jet skiing around Key West and spending extra time relaxing on the Florida beaches.

Jason Seward, the dean of freshmen and director of the Jane P. Batten Center, is the lead for this year’s trip, and has gone every year.

“Each trip is special. I try to make each trip unique for the students going. The wildlife in the Florida Keys has provided some of the most memorable moments. We’ve had up-close encounters with manatees, iguanas, tarpon, scorpions and everyone’s favorite ‘six toed’ cats at the former home of Ernest Hemingway,” Seward said.

Dr. Doug Kennedy, the department coordinator for recreation and leisure studies, has assisted Seward on the trips for a number of years. Kennedy considers the Florida Keys a second home because he has been traveling there since the early 1980s visiting friends and family.

Courtesy|Thinkstock

February 28 1:08 p.m. |Vandalism Baseball Field Cable cut

March 3 9:27 a.m. |Larceny/Theft Library Ring stolen

Val Miller| Marlin Chronicle

“Each trip is special. I try to make each trip unique for the students going.”

Jason Seward

4Community.indd 1

Dylyn Kotteles | Courtesy A sailboat heads off into the beautiful sunset at the Florida Keys.

“The kayaking is really special because you’re out there in the water, and we usually see manatees and sometimes some alligators. The snorkeling is pretty special too because you go out to a reef, and there aren’t a lot of reefs off the United States you can go and snorkel on. That’s really limited to down in Florida. So a ship goes out there, and the visibility of the water has got to be 50-60ft usually,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy believes that more students should take some type of trip while they are in college because it is when they have multiple opportunities to do so as Virginia Wesleyan provides this trip to the Keys as well as a winter session trip to Maui.

Senior Dylyn Kotteles went on the trip her sophomore year in 2014.

“One thing I remember was enjoying the sunset before the ghost tour in Key West because everyone gathered around on the edge of the dock to watch the sun go down. I even got a pretty awesome picture of the sunset and a boat passing by. Another favorite part of the trip was where we stayed.

The dock, sunset and entire area was like paradise,” Kotteles said.

The trip can vary from year to year as to where lodging is and what activities students will embark on. This year, the students will stay at the La Jolla Resort in Islamorada. The group will visit places such as the Bahia Honda State Park where they will snorkel, Key West where they will go jet ski on a 23-mile trip and Indian Key where they will kayak with manatees and learn about the history of the land.

Sophomore Emily Burkard is mostly looking forward to jet skiing in Key West. Junior Julian Thompson is also mostly excited about going on the trip to Key West to jet ski, but in general is looking forward to visiting a tropical place such as the Keys.

The trip sold out in six minutes with there being a line of people wanting to take part in it waiting for Seward. The school has a limit on the amount of students that can go on any trip for a reason.

“One of the realities is when we have more people besides having more transportation, then it becomes less of a personal experience and you just have a whole lot of people and a whole lot of dynamics. Jason and I do the Maui winter session together, and we intentionally limit the number of people that go on the trip because we want everyone to have the right kind of experience, and when you have too many people it really ruins the experience,” Kennedy said.

Experience is one of the main goals Seward and Kennedy hope for the students as they both describe the Keys as a unique opportunity.

3/8/2016 11:31:23 PM

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Thursday March 10, 2016 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

REMINISCING

Deshaun Craddock | Flickr

BY CYNTHIA GRIFFIN

Merlijn Hoek | Flickr

clgriffin@vwc.edu

The idea of J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar doing a mixtape together is awesome. I am a huge J. Cole fan, so when I found out that he was collaborating with Kendrick Lamar for a mixtape, I was pretty excited. I’m not as big fan of Kendrick Lamar as I am J. Cole, but I still think he’s a great artist. Having the two of them together on the same mixtape sounds like rap magic. To me, J. Cole makes rap music that you can chill to and Kendrick Lamar makes raw rap music with good messages. I love both rap and hip-hop music, so I couldn’t think of two better artists to make a mixtape. Putting both of those musical aspects and talents together is bound to create a great mixtape.

In the past couple of years, more hip-hop artists collaborated to make joint albums. In 2011, Jay Z and Kanye West collaborated to make “Watch the Throne” which produced multiple hit singles. Most recently, Drake and Future released “What A Time To Be Alive” this past September, which also came with a few hits.

A collaboration could do wonders to both rappers’ already outstanding careers. Kendrick Lamar recently won five Grammys this past month, four of which came from his recent album “To Pimp a Butterfly” and another from his collaboration with Taylor

Swift on her hit single “Bad Blood.”

Like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole’s most recent album “2014 Forest Hills Drive” also did very well. So there is no doubt in my mind that these two will make one amazing mixtape.

There has been a lot speculation over this album for a while now. At first, fans weren’t even sure if it was something that was actually going to happen. At the moment, an album does exist, but the release date is still unknown. The mixtape was rumored to be released Feb. 16, 2016. But that date already passed, and there is no album in sight.

I think J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar know fans are on pins and needles waiting for the mixtape to be released, so one day when we least expect it, the mixtape will drop.

Whenever this mixtape comes out, I will be ready. If I have to wait another month or another year, I will still be patiently waiting to see what J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar have in store for us.

Checking both sides

BY TROY AUBUT taaubut@vwc.edu

Because of the way we grow up and understand the world, we find it easy to pick a side on the political spectrum and support it. With the upcoming 2016 Presidential elections in mind, most people know that this has been quite the interesting presidential race. People already have an idea of who their favorite candidate is and know why they are voting for them. But how much do people actually know about all of the candidates?

Depending on what side of the political spectrum one’s family and friends are on, there is a high chance that most people will not even bother to take a second look at all of the other candidates because of what they’ve heard or seen from such a closed group. The levels of support for each candidate can differ and we have all seen that one person who supports one candidate so strongly that it’s cringe worthy.

Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal, we need to recognize and embrace our political differences without completely disregarding the other side.

There is a balance that can be reached if there is compromise and open-mindedness from both sides. Most of the issues our country faces comes from the lack of agreement and the complete refusal to

compromise amongst both sides.

There are always ideas on both sides of the spectrum that could further benefit or damage our great country. Unfortunately, most people could care less about what the opposing party has to say and tend to think: it’s my way or the highway. This can’t be the case, however.

People have to be willing to keep an open mind in our world where biases seem to overrule our outlooks on life. If you’re a Democrat, look at the Republican candidates and consider everything about them. Likewise if you’re a Republican. Don’t be fooled by the biased portrayals of each candidate that one form of news media depicts. Do your research and learn something about each candidate that you know you wouldn’t have learned otherwise.

Don’t be lazy and simply support someone who aligns with your political beliefs without knowing all there is to know about them. Look at the plausibility and efficiency of their policies, don’t trust every single promise they spit forth and above all, know that politics can be complex. Anything can happen and whatever does happen, we, the people, ultimately have the power.

Val Miller| Marlin Chronicle

Reporting and interviewing with social anxiety

BY MICHAEL WILLSON mnwillson@vwc.edu

Having social anxiety can be very difficult. It makes you nervous around strangers and it often leaves you feeling out of the loop. It can also make important life skills, such as job interviews, incredibly challenging. As someone with social anxiety, I understand how hard this can be, but I think it is important to overcome it. The best way to take on social anxiety is to become involved with something that requires you to interact with people. For me, it is journalism.

When I started writing for the Chronicle my freshman year, I wanted to be an opinions writer. I had no interest or desire in reporting and conducting interviews. When I took the workshop class last spring, I found myself outside of my comfort zone, writing for the sports section. I am not going to lie, I was terrified. Meeting with people I did not know and interviewing them was the last thing I wanted to do. My first few interviews, although they went well, were a little awkward. I stuttered when asking

questions and felt uneasy when making eye contact. But as time went on, I found myself more comfortable conducting interviews. I have developed a routine for how I conduct my interviews from introducing myself to shaking the interviewee’s hand. I no longer feel nervous when approaching strangers and making eye contact.

Journalism has also given me the opportunity to meet people I wouldn’t have before writing for the Chronicle. I have interviewed most of the sports teams’ coaches and a number of the deans. One of my favorite interviews was with Billy Greer. I remember after the interview he said in his dignified, southern accent, “Now since you recorded me, I expect everything to be correct.” Needless to say, I felt a good bit of pressure to make sure all of my quotes were word-for-word correct.

Before becoming a journalist, I often felt out of the loop of what was going on. All of that changed when I started reporting. Not only do I obtain information about what is

going on around campus, but I am able to share it with the rest of the student body. This is a very rewarding feeling.

The interviews I have conducted as a journalist have given me the skills that I will need in life. For example, I used to be horrified that my social anxiety would affect me in a job interview, but after being a journalist, I feel much more comfortable.

Now I am not trying to brainwash you into becoming a journalist. The purpose of my column is to encourage those with social anxiety to step out of their comfort zone.

The best way to overcome it is to take it head on. Find a club, job or hobby which requires you to interact with people. This could be an intramural team, a community service program or the Student Government Association (SGA).

I know this might sound a little daunting, but believe me, the more social you become, the less anxious you feel.

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 April 5, 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.

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3/8/2016 11:32:54 PM

6 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Britani Alyse| Marlin Chronicle

the great mc debate: DOGS vs cats COURTNEY HERRICK

SAMANTHA SMALL Cat lovers: those who want something cute and cuddly but don’t want to work for it. Cat lovers remind me of those people who want a relationship, but don’t want to spend the money or the time on their significant others.

I want to point out that I don’t hate cats. I do think that they may have been sent to Earth by their alien counterparts, but I don’t hate them. I’ve encountered numerous cats in my lifetime that have played with me and wanted love and attention.

That being said, I have never once in my life encountered a cat that loved me as much as my dog. At the end of the day, my dog never judges me, never wants to leave my side and never stops loving me. My dog knows when I’m sad and licks the tears from my face until they don’t fall anymore.

A smile spreads across his face as he runs to my car when it rolls into the driveway.

His smile doesn’t disappear until he’s run through my legs multiple times, received a butt scratch and laid on the couch to share a snack and some television. Even then, as he curls up next to me and falls asleep, I can tell he feels completely at ease and at home.

This leads me to my next point: a dog will love you as much as you love him, and sometimes even more. If you put in the work to train him and love him, he will respect you, respond to you and give you life. I’ll be the first to say most people are too lazy to have a dog. If you can’t treat him like a family member, you shouldn’t have him. But, if you’re willing to expend the energy to walk him, feed him and pet him, he will be your buddy for life.

So, if you want a cat because you can’t afford the time to take care of a dog, I applaud you. Don’t get a dog if you can’t give him what he needs. But, if you want a friend for life, endless kisses and an impressive running or fishing partner with a tireless love for adventure, a dog is the companion for you.

I have grown up around dogs all of my life. Ever since I can remember, my family and I have always had a dog as a family pet. Usually, it is assumed that what you are surrounded with will be your preference. To assume that I would love dogs more than their feline counterpart just because I have always had a dog would be an incorrect assumption.

I was about five years old when I got my first cat. One of my grandmothers adopted my first kitten for me after seeing my reaction to the fluffy, orange darling caught behind the bars of his cage. My kitten was so calm. Sure, he was a kitten and wanted to play, but he was never rambunctious or constantly in my face trying to dominate me.

Cats are submissive and docile while dogs are dominant.

Furthermore, cats are independent. As a woman who strives for independence, I can appreciate their want and need to be independent. Cat owners do not have to worry about coming home after a certain period of being gone because they need to let their furry family members outside. Even outdoor cats often have litter boxes inside of their owner’s home. Dogs require much more attention than cats do. I’ve seen many people have to work their daily schedule around their dog’s bathroom routine.

Some people may argue that cats are not interactive enough for them. I would argue that they just haven’t found the right cat. All of the cats that I have encountered have wanted attention and went about it in their own way to get it. Most people do not know that when a cat meows, they are usually doing it to get a human’s attention.

Cats usually do not meow to interact with one another. A cat’s meow is equivalent to a dog’s bark. They are just looking for your attention. Love on them!

While I recognize that some people will not admit their love for cats out of fear of being called a “crazy cat person,” I don’t mind it. After all, I think I am high maintenance enough. A low-maintenance pet is what’s best for me.

Polling for pole dancing at the Olympics

BY ROBIN PETERSON rapeterson@vwc.edu

If you’re like me and are completely entranced at what sports are and are not included in the Olympics, then you’re probably aware of the sort-of petition to get pole-dancing to be considered an official Olympic sport. Which, if you’re also like me, you’re probably thinking, “it’s about time.” Most specifically, if you’re a part of the close-knit pole dancing community, you would be rooting for pole dancing to become the next Olympic sport.

There are a bunch of different reasons why the pole dancing community wants to be involved in the Olympics, but my favorite rationale is just the good old “girl power” argument. I have a friend who is a Burlesque dancer, and she just moved onto pole dancing. The last time we talked, she told me how empowered she felt whenever she was on stage. It’s freeing to her and the other members of her community. While she told me that she wouldn’t particularly want to participate in the Olympics, she would be supportive of anyone in her stage family who want to participate.

I know it’s a common argument to say “such and such thing is a sport because the people who participate in such and such activity work just as hard as people who play football and other sports.” I know it’s cliché, but it’s absolutely true. To be a good pole dancer, you must be in peak physical condition. Being able to not only dance in heels, but perform complex gymnastic move-

ments in time to Cherry Pie, is a skill that’s more than worthy of an Olympic athlete. Not only are pole dancers physically strong, they are expected to remain light in stature, creating an interesting dynamic of an athlete who is both powerful but lithe.

Pole dancing is also just plain cool to watch. I think of pole dancing in the same vein as gymnastics: watching a good pole dancer is mesmerizing. If you can’t tell, I have nothing but admiration for the craft. However, I do understand some of the reasons why people wouldn’t really want pole dancing to be included in the Olympics. If you look at pole dancing as innately erotic, then yes, of course, it shouldn’t be allowed. Lots of children watch the Olympics and as a parent/guardian, or even someone who just really cares about children, you may find pole dancing distasteful as a sport.

What remains is an essential question: is pole dancing erotic?

Personally, I look at it mostly as an art-form, and so does my burlesque dancer of a friend. There’s so much work that goes into preparing for performances and maintaining their levels of stamina, which makes pole dancing not only a highly complex art-form, but also a sport worthy for Olympic consideration.

Val Miller| Marlin Chronicle

THE LESSER DEBATE: WHICH WAS WORSE? ANTHONY DELLAMURA Hourigan, a supposedly professional construction company, completely screwed everyone by hitting a power line and cutting electricity to almost all of campus on March 8. VWC was completely unprepared to be without power for even one hour. Had a paper due that day? Too bad, it should have been done a week ago anyway. Have peanut allergies or can’t eat gluten? Oh well, the only thing being served for lunch was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Hope you weren’t planning on going to the beach because class is still in session, even though all the classrooms were pitch black. Oh, your class wasn’t cancelled, just moved? Well that’s fine, the professor emailed you about the…oh wait.

The school had no plan in place and should not have subjected students to such sudden and easily avoidable stress. Classes should have been cancelled, due dates should have been pushed back and Sodexo SHOULD HAVE LUNCHABLES OR SOMETHING! LIKE SERIOUSLY! The power outage was easily the worst-handled “emergency,” far surpassing the school’s response to the tornado.

VAL MILLER

While the school’s handling of the power outage was certainly worse than the efforts seen during the tornado warning, the severe weather that Va. encountered a couple of weeks ago was far from being handled well. The school’s efforts heightened the panic of the relatively mild warning and caused mass confusion across campus. Students with Livesafe were alerted with messages asking students if they were safe, sirens were wailing and students were being shoved into electricity closets and swarming the CMAC to seek shelter. All the while, the track team was still running its practice outside, despite the fact that most of the residents on campus were awkwardly huddled inside with the notion that they were in apparent danger from the ongoing tornado warning. The lack of a clear, defined protocol or routine for this weather and no genuinely helpful communication from the school to the students made it a swarming mess as the weather continued throughout the evening. Students were unprepared for how to use the school’s resources to understand how to respond to the weather and the situation was inconsistently handled.

Check out our online issue at marlinchronicle.vwc.edu 6Opinions.indd 1

3/9/2016 10:05:29 AM

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Thursday March 10, 2016 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Shortcomings turn into high hopes With many key players expecting to return next year, men’s basketball hopes to return to its winning ways

Anthony Dellamura |Marlin Chronicle

Outfielder Justin Erby hustling back to first base.

Anthony Dellamura |Marlin Chronicle

Freshman Keijon Honore fights through a Guilford defender and tries to score.

Anthony Dellamura |Marlin Chronicle

Junior Khory Moore gets big air going for a slam dunk.

BY HARRISON KIRKLAND hdkirkland@vwc.edu

After a vigorous NCAA basketball season, the VWC Men’s Basketball team’s run came to an end Feb. 27 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) semifinal game with a 69-61 loss to Randolph College.

Some of the players and staff reflected on the season’s accom-

plishments and downfalls.

“I think we just had to stay a little bit more focused. I don’t think we paid as much attention as we should have,” senior Nick Doyle said.

Team Manager Hall Rupert echoed this statement.

“We should have been a little

bit more focused, dialed in a little more in the game,” Rupert said.

Sophomore forward Corey White said the technical aspects of the game needed to be better.

“We had to cut down on the turnovers and be more solid on defense,” White added.

“I feel like if a few more shots rolled in for us, we would have had a better opportunity towards the end of the game,” junior forward Justin Watson said.

Considering the influx of new talent the Marlins had this year, Doyle said their biggest challenge this season was integrating and assimilating the new, young players.

“I think overcoming the youth we had on our team, teaching them, watching them grow, was probably the biggest challenge this season,” Doyle said.

“Our biggest challenge was ourselves and overcoming so much adversity,” White said.

Watson, who was a transfer student from Christopher Newport University and played extensively during Doyle’s absence, talked about the adjustment of incorporating himself into a new program.

“For me, being a transfer student, my biggest challenge was getting the chemistry down with the other guys and have a better understanding of what is expected from Coach Macedo,” Watson said.

The team’s season may have ended but the players said the bonds they share remain unbreakable.

“You’re never really proud when you don’t make it to the NCAA tourney, but I would say that I am proud of the bond that we have with each other,” White said.

“We went through a lot of adversity, but regardless of that, we still won a lot of games. It shows what type of team we have, guys fighting until the very end,” Watson said.

“I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished. It didn’t end the way we wanted it to in the end, but we came together as a team. We came together and made it a family. It made my senior year worth it,” Doyle said.

Moving on is not an option for this team, especially for Doyle and Rupert, but both aim to come back next season and help guide next year’s team to success.

“I’m coming back to coach,” Doyle said.

Rupert said he will also return to help motivate next year’s players.

“Be more vocal. Be that presence, especially to the new guys that are coming in…Push them into places that they didn’t know that they could be pushed,” Rupert said.

Another positive heading into next year is the number of players returning. All-ODAC honorees Khory Moore and Tim Jones, who were the top two scorers for the Marlins, will return next year.

This season, Moore finished with first team all-ODAC honors, while Jones finished with second team all-ODAC honors. White and Watson are also expected to return and play big roles for the team. With key players returning and a strong coaching staff, the Marlins said they hope to return to dominate next year.

“Next year, we’ll come in and get ready to get to work a lot more quickly than we did this past season,” Watson said.

“I think Coach Macedo put us in the right position, night in and night out, and I take a lot of pride to put that Marlin jersey on,” Doyle said.

“The only thing I would have to say is what I saw on the whiteboard that Coach Macedo wrote: ‘Respect the journey and the jersey’....Our season ended, but even though it’s the offseason, what we do now affects next season. Our season starts now,” Rupert said.

FOR MORE SPORTS FOLLOW: @MarlinSports

Track and field season in review

BY JAMIE CRAWLEY jjcrawley@vwc.edu

The Virginia Wesleyan College track and field team executed an impressive indoor season this winter. Its success led to high spirits going into the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) indoor championship, which was held at the PG Sports Complex in Landover, Md. Wesleyan’s male sprinters turned in an impressive day with record-breaking performances which would lead to ODAC championships in the men’s 400-meter run as well as the 4x400 meter relay.

“We were confident. All year we built the mentality to be great and it felt good to showcase it on the ODAC stage,” senior sprinter Chrishaud Hawkins said.

The Marlins not only won the ODAC championship in the 4x400, but they broke a school record (a record they already held) and conference records. A team of four that included Chrishaud Hawkins, Marquis Sivels, Trey White and A.J. Ramirez finished the race with a time of 3 minutes, 21.96 seconds, which was three seconds faster than their previous record of 3 minutes, 24.86 seconds they attained at the Vince Brown Invitational. This time also broke the ODAC conference championship record.

“Coming into the event we didn’t have any doubt, but we knew it wouldn’t come easy and

7Sports.indd 1

we had to work hard to get it,” said Sivels.

The four runners said the team’s family-like atmosphere is what motivates them. This support is a big advantage for them whenever they go into competitions as the team members constantly boost each other up and encourage each other.

“The chemistry is there. We are always cheering each other on,” White said.

Hawkins echoed White’s sentiments and said he feels the bond they built is something that is special to the VWC sprinters.

“Over the years, the chemistry never faded. We have always come together and did things other teams never do, such as pray before events to name an example. It’s really great to know that these guys aren’t just my teammates, but my brothers,” Hawkins said.

With chemistry being an integral part of the team’s success, freshman sprinter Ramirez did not know what to expect when he came onboard this year.

“At first I didn’t know anyone but Trey. As the weeks went on, I started to get comfortable. I can definitely say it didn’t take long to adjust and build a family,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez said White played a large role in getting Ramirez to

Trey White |Courtesy

Junior Trey White proudly takes his first place position.

don Marlin colors, as they both attended Courtland High School, located in Fredericksburg, Va. “I definitely had a hand in recruiting A.J. to VWC based off our time at Courtland. I knew he would fit in right away, and with the successes we’ve been having, I’m glad he decided to come here,” White said.

While the Marlins ran past the

competition in the 4x400 relay, White also took home the ODAC trophy in the 400 meter run with a time of 50.44 seconds. This was a personal best for White this indoor season and came very close to the school record, which is a record he currently holds.

Overall it was a successful day for the Wesleyan sprinters, but they know their work was not

SEE TRACK & FIELD Pg. 8

the

DUGOUT Get your peanuts, cotton candy and ice cold beer here

KAYLA DOST is a senior majoring in criminal justice

Yes, it’s exactly what you’re thinking. Baseball season is among us and is planned to start in just a few weeks. What’s better than watching grown men chasing around a ball for nine innings? Absolutely nothing.

Baseball season is filled with endless opportunities to see some of the best athletes perform under stadium lights. Game attendance can rank in numbers upwards of 40,000 depending on the stadium.

Many of the well-known teams such as the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants are willing to spend a little bit more money on their players in order to have the most successful and well-liked team. But how much more? Try $157,000,000 more. That’s the difference between a team such as the Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Clearly the difference shows on the field. I guess it’s true. Money can buy everything. Even wins.

A non-sports-loving person may ask, “ What makes baseball so interesting?”

It’s the rain delays, the amount of money you’re willing to spend on two chicken tenders and a handful of french fries, how many times you catch a player rolling their eyes at an umpire for a “bad call” and the opportunity to catch a foul ball that carries a lifetime of memories.

How many chances are available to experience such exceptional memories? 2,430 games are played between the thirty major league teams in an average season, and that’s not even including the postseason games.

Have you ever been to a VWC baseball game? While the attendance does not reach 40,000, and the players don’t get paid millions, you are always guaranteed a good time and a day full of memories. If you have never attended a baseball event here at Virginia Wesleyan, you might have missed the opportunity of a lifetime.

Have you ever wished that at some point in your lifetime, you could come within yards, maybe even feet, of a celebrity? You most likely have and didn’t even know it.

Ever heard of the New York Mets third baseman David Wright? I hope so because he is a local who originated in Chesapeake, Va. Wright attended Hickory High School and planned to commit to Georgia Tech to play college ball, but got drafted by the Mets in 2001 in the amateur draft.

Wright used to make appearances at Virginia Wesleyan College. That’s right everybody, OUR SCHOOL. So come on out to a baseball game because you never know who the next David Wright could be.

Once you witness the action for yourself, you’ll be a cleat chaser for life. Whether it is at the major league level or college level, the experience remains the same and so does the love for the game.

We all have withdrawals from something. Right around this time of the year, everyone starts getting that little itch for baseball season to start. While we are getting our temporary fix with our VWC Marlins, nothing can replace the feeling of watching professionals hash it out for a World Series title.

Not sure if you’re ready to commit yourself to a professional game but you’re ready to see baseball at a level above college?

Visit your Norfolk Tides over at Harbor Park Stadium. Their 26-man roster will begin their season on April 6 at 7:05 p.m.

So, whether you are in attendance for a game on campus, Harbor Park or any of the thirty major league teams’ stadiums, you are sure to leave with a smile from ear to ear and possibly a bag of peanuts.

3/9/2016 10:07:48 AM

8 The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwc.edu

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Women’s basketball team looks ahead VWC women’s basketball is optimistic about its future season

BY JAMIE CRAWLEY jjcrawley@vwc.edu

AT A GLANCE Golf

3/13-15 Marlin Invitational @ Elizabeth Manor Country Club in Portsmouth, Va. 8:00 a.m.

(Three-Day Tournament)

Baseball

3/12 Guilford 2:00 p.m.

3/13 Guilford 1:00 p.m.

3/15 Methodist 4:00 p.m.

3/16 Hampden-Sydney 3:00 p.m.

Softball

3/11-12 NFCA Leadoff Classic 12:00 p.m. (Two-Day Tournament) 3/17 Mary Washington 3:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m. (DoubleHeader) 3/19 Shenandoah 1:00 p.m & 3:00 p.m. (Double-Header)

Men’s Lacrosse

This 2015-2016 season carried a lot of expectations coming off the successful 19-10 campaign the Virginia Wesleyan College women’s basketball team accomplished a year ago.

That season also saw the team hoist up its first Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) trophy in school history, which only skyrocketed expectations.

This season proved to be a tough one with many new faces, but the team is already looking forward to getting better for next season.

“I think that our season could’ve went a lot better,” junior forward Alexis Platt said. “For the most part, we came together at the best time of the season where we had to play hard as a team for the playoffs. It didn’t really end how we wanted it to end, but we did build a better team bond to prepare us for next season, and I could definitely say it made us all ready to come back and make a better statement for our team and program for next season.”

The Marlins finished the year at 9-17, which was a tough pill to swallow for the players and the coaches. With that said there are many positive signs that give the team and increased sense of optimism going into next year.

One of those things was the way the season ended for the Marlins. While they lost in the ODAC quarterfinals, the fight to get to that position was something that should be noted. The last game of the year saw the Marlins push the number two seed Guilford to the brink, as they led the whole game, with the Quakers using a late second-half push to squeek out the win. Even in defeat, the Marlins took the momentum from this game and upset Roanoke on its home floor to win their first-round game in the ODAC tour-

nament. These two games could prove pivotal, for confidence reasons, going into next year.

Another positive for next year is the continuity Wesleyan will have. The Marlins will return mostly everyone from this year’s team.

“I think having as many people as we have coming back next season is a good thing because we already have that bond, so it’ll prepare us a lot for next season,” Platt said. “We have a lot of freshmen coming in as well so hopefully that’ll help the team have a lot of depth.”

Among the players that are returning include guard Ceci Billings and Forward Jaelyn Washington. Both players were freshmen this past season, and with their first year now under their belt, the experience could prove to be invaluable for next season.

“With the basketball, I think it was a learning experience because I learned what boundaries I can push with myself and how I can become better as a player.

So, leading into next season, that will really help me out as well as the team,” Billings said.

Washington was a key contributor appearing in all 26 games as a freshman and becoming a key forward for the team. The embrace she got from her teammates made her transition to college basketball extremely smooth.

“I feel like the team was very welcoming and it showed me that I can a part of something that was bigger than myself,” Washington said.

Freshman guard Jayla Harris is also another cause for optimism as she played at a high level, especially considering the shoes she had to fill. Harris earned second team All-ODAC honors after a season in which she averaged 15.6 points

per game, which not only led the team, but topped all freshmen in the conference.

With a plethora of good elements returning, the Marlins said they hope they can make a run next year and return to the top of the ODACs. “I feel like the season next year is going to be a successful one. We have a lot of the players coming back. I think as a team our chemistry has grown this year, so next year it’ll stay strong with the additions of all the freshmen to add to the mix,” Billings said. “Hopefully we come back with a fire to win the ODACs and make the NCAA tournament.”

Platt echoed these sentiments and said she feels the way this season transpired and how it ended will provide ample motivation for next year.

“I think the biggest thing coming into next season was the fact we left a lot on the court this past season, so having all the people we got coming back is going to make us want to pick up and make up for how our season went and ended this year,” Platt said.

Anthony Dellamura |Marlin Chronicle Junior Crystal Strother rushes into an Eastern Mennonite defender.

3/9 New England College 7:00 p.m.

3/12 Guilford 1:00 p.m.

Score Board

3/19 Washington & Lee 7:00 p.m.

Baseball

3/23 Christopher Newport 7:00 p.m.

Women’s Lacrosse

3/9 Christoper Newport 4:00 p.m.

3/15 Albright 7:00 p.m.

3/19 Hollins 2:00 p.m.

3/21 Penn St.-Abington 4:00

2/28 Ithaca W, 7-2 2/28 Oswego St. L, 10-2 3/5 Washington & Lee L, 5-3 3/5 Washington & Lee, W 8-4 3/7 Mary Washington W, 5-1

Softball

3/5 Baruch W, 10-5 3/5 Buffalo St. W, 13-0 3/6 Keene St. W, 9-0 3/6 Rutgers-Camden W, 6-3

Men’s Lacrosse

2/27 Greensboro W, 18-8 3/2 Methodist W, 17-5 3/5 Adrian W, 21-10

Women’s Lacrosse

Men’s Tennis

3/12 Fairmont St. 11:00 a.m.

3/18 Methodist 3:30 p.m.

3/20 North Central 9:00 a.m.

2/27 Meredith L, 20-8 3/6 Frostburg St. L, 12-11

Tennis

Men’s: 3/6 Guilford W, 8-1 3/6 Penn St.-Abington W, 7-2

Anthony Dellamura |Marlin Chronicle Globetrotter No. 34 Thunder postures for the crowd during his introduction.

The Harlem Globetrotters played at Old Dominion University’s Ted Constant Center on Feb. 26 and 28. See page 9 for more photos of the team and an article on the games that took place that weekend.

Women’s: 3/6 Guilford L, 5-4

3/20 St. Olaf 2:00 p.m.

TRACK & FIELD

Women’s Tennis

CONTINUED FROM PG. 7

3/11 Hollins 3:30 p.m.

finished. The team is now preparing for nationals. The qualifying rounds will take place at Tufts University in Boston. This will be the last time the team attempts to qualify for nationals this indoor season.

“Next up for us is leaving to go to Boston and trying to qualify for nationals at Tufts University,” Hawkins said. “As with everything we do here, we are going to stress positivity and family and let the chips fall where they may.”

“I feel with this group of sprinters we don’t have any limitations. No matter what events we participate in, I feel as if we will always have a shot to win it, and when we go to Boston we are going to make sure our hard work pays off,” Sivels said.

3/12 Texas-Dallas 2:30 p.m.

4/2 Randolph 1:00 p.m.

4/3 Bridgewater (Va.) 1:00 p.m.

Trey White | Courtesy The sprinters pose for the camera after a difficult meet.

8Sports.indd 1

3/9/2016 10:14:04 AM

M arlin March 10, 2016

THEWEEKENDER

PAGE 9

globetrotters

The Harlem Globetrotters celebrate 90 years of making basketball more than just a sport

BY COURTNEY HERRICK clherrick@vwc.edu

BY SAMANTHA SMALL stsmall@vwc.edu

They’ve performed on over six continents and in 122 countries and territories. Their team rosters have even included athletes from Virginia Wesleyan College.

Celebrating their 90th year anniversary of bringing smiles to kids and adults alike all around the globe with trick shots, jokes and audience engagement amidst a friendly game of basketball, the Harlem Globetrotters began their tour this year in Jacksonville, Florida. After making an appearance in Canada, the Globetrotters paid a special visit to Norfolk, Va. on Feb. 26 and Feb. 28 at Old Dominion University’s Ted Constant Center.

“The Globetrotters’ 90-year winning streak ends tonight,” the World All-Stars (the Globetrotters’ opponent) head coach said at the opening of the game.

The beloved players emerged from the main entrance to the court sporting their traditional uniforms in honor of their 90th year anniversary. They kicked off the game with their famous gold circle introduction of the team members. Trick shots and moves followed the introduction of the team. One player performed a huge crowd-pleaser by hanging upside down on the hoop and holding on to the rim with just his legs.

“I like how they are passing the ball and their trick shots and stuff,” fan Deryan Cobbins said.

Cobbins expressed his support for the team by purchasing one of the Globetrotters’ signature red, white and blue basketballs during the game.

No. 12, the team’s showman, Ant Atkinson held the audience’s attention throughout the game with jokes about the referee’s size, infamous dance moves and crowd engagement. Fans were even fed cotton candy

by Ant after he grabbed a bag from a vender who was working the game.

Justin Sullivan, a first time attendee to a Harlem Globetrotters game, said the game was very energetic.

Sullivan even had ideas of trick shots that he wanted to see.

“I want to see two players slam dunk at the same time. One comes up from the side and then the other and they dunk,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan’s mom, Nakanisha Sullivan, said that it was definitely worth the money she paid for the tickets.

VWC alumni Chris Teasley attended the game on Feb. 26 and looked on from a seat in the audience.

Teasley played on the opponent team of the Globetrotters, which was called the Washington Generals at the time, for two years before leaving the team to tend to an ankle injury he sustained which required surgery.

“Traveling with the Globetrotters was one of the best experiences I could have asked for as a young man just getting out of college,” Teasley said.

During the two years he toured with the Globetrotters, Teasley traveled to about 40 states and 21 different countries.

“When I heard the details of the job and realized I would be traveling the world and playing in different states and countries, I could not pass it up. Although it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for in terms of bas-

ketball, being around the game and traveling was more than enough,” Teasley said.

Among the countries he traveled to, his favorites were France, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Monaco, Norway, Guam, Japan, Iceland and Morocco.

“Iceland was probably my favorite place I traveled to because I got to see the Northern Lights and visit the Blue Lagoon. Also, I liked Morocco because it was just one of the most beautiful places to be in,” Teasley said.

Although the fans from other countries faced language barriers, Teasley said the foreign crowds were just as energetic as the American crowds.

“They treated us fantastically in every country we went to. After the game, fans would be lined up outside by the bus trying to get pictures and autographs. They were very appreciative of our efforts and it showed,” Teasley said.

VWC Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Rhett Bonner also toured and played with the Globetrotters’ opponent team. He and Men’s Basketball Head Coach Dave Macedo worked to help get Teasley’s foot in the door to start his journey with the Globetrotters. Teasley said he also knew multiple players who played on opposing teams in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) who graduated before Teasley and had the opportunity to play with the opponent team as well.

Teasley affords a lot of his experience and success to Macedo and the VWC community.

“Playing for Coach Macedo really prepares you for every aspect of life after college. Without the experience at VWC and the guidance of the coaching staff, everyone at school including fellow students and professors and my family, I might not have been ready to travel the world,” Teasley said.

Teasley said the experience was very tiring as the teams traveled on a daily basis and sometimes played twice a day. Even though the teams were constantly on the move, Teasley said the energy levels were always high when it was time to perform.

“Every individual realizes they are part of something very big and that we had thousands of people looking up to us… playing in front of thousands of fans on a daily basis was very humbling,” Teasley said.

During his tour with the team, Teasley said he met a lot of people who were helpful in acclimating him to the grind of being on the road. During his second and final year, Teasley met Globetrotters player No. 34 Thunder Law who is a Chesapeake native and played in high school with one of Teasley’s college teammates.

“It was good to know someone from the same place,” Teasley said.

The Globetrotters not only emphasized sportsmanship throughout the game, but they also stressed just how important children and the roles they play in today’s society are. The Globetrotters’ partner, World Vision, displayed a message to fans with the help of Thunder on the importance of helping children have an equal opportunity to things such as education and healthcare. For years, the team dedicated itself to emphasizing the importance of children.

“That’s what it’s all about, right here,” Atkinson said as he placed a Harlem Globetrotters’ jersey on a fan that

Kayla Skeete | Marlin Chronicle Two of the Globetrotters pose with the children.

Anthony Dellamura| Marlin Chronicle Bull hangs from the rim after a huge dunk. was brought to center court.

The Globetrotters ended the first period of the game with their opponent in the lead. Despite being down during the first half of the game, the Globetrotters did not disappoint with the final score. The Harlem Globetrotters finished the comical game of basketball and took the win with a score of 82-78.

People of all ages, races, genders, sexes and professions filled the Ted Constant Center in Norfolk in February, and that is exactly what Teasley said is the highlight of the Globetrotters’ games. Sure, the show is entertaining and gives even the most cynical person a few laughs, but more importantly, it brings everyone together.

“The Globetrotters bring so many different kinds of people together when they have a show. It was great to be a part of that and meet different people from different walks of life,” Teasley said.

Marlins go green...or yellow?

LAURISSA SENECAL ljsenecal@vwc.edu

“Urinetown” is a humorous musical that focuses on serious, world-threatening issues

“Urinetown,” Virginia Wesleyan College’s latest musical production, posed questions about ecological conservation while engaging the audience with catchy tunes, clever choreography and witty humor.

Virginia Wesleyan works hard to reduce its carbon footprint by recycling and reducing waste. As such, the musical’s message of thoughtful environmental stewardship was fitting for the Wesleyan audience.

“It’s ironic what with the Greer Environmental Science Center being recently announced that the message of this play is taking care of the environment,” Assistant Director of the musical Trey DelPo said.

Ironic indeed, considering Dr. Travis Malone, head director of the play and Virginia Wesleyan’s associate professor of theater, selected Urinetown prior to the announcement of the Greer Environmental Science Center.

Set in a bleak dystopian future, the play opens with the narrator, played by Nicholas Hipple, explaining that due to water shortages, everyone in Urinetown has to pay to pee in order to fund “water conservation efforts.” The actors are ragged and dirty, shuffling around the stage as they bend over in pain, holding their bladders in dismay.

A corrupt business bureaucracy, run by the villain Cladwell B. Cladwell, played by Jamell T. Showell, holds the people in bondage, collecting their money allegedly for “water conservation research” while really using it to fund his opulent lifestyle. The hero Bobby Strong, played by Ryan Breen, leads an uprising against this corporation, jeopardizing his relationship with

9Weekender.indd 1

Cladwell’s daughter, Hope Cladwell, results of not caring. However, on the played by Sarah Puchalla. other hand, it is laden with what Malone The plot is a complicated tumble of describes as “Potty Politics.” It treats star-crossed lovers, bursting bladders death lightly, exaggerates the human and unanswered questions. While it condition and as it says in the “Dramaseems through much of the plot line turg’s Note” on the bulletin, makes fun that Cladwell is evil and everything will of “Broadway hits like ‘Les Miserables’ be righted if he is destroyed, the play’s and ‘Fiddler on the Roof.’” conclusion suggests a different point.

The double-purposed nature of the After the death of both Cladwell and play reflects the equally-doubled nature Bobby Strong, Hope Cladwell takes of politics and ecological conservation. control of the city, “freeing pee” and “These matters are complicated. destroying her father’s corrupt business.

To sell it as anything else is wrong,” However, soon after Hope takes control, Malone said. the The water play supply meets the disapaudience pears, where the they are. people People are are constarving cerned and no with the one is coming happy. election, Little worried Sally, about played climate by change Abigail and Horgan, wonderexing what Kayla Skeete| Marlin Chronicle choices claims, Little Sally, played by Abigail Horgan, sings her account of “This are the the hero’s last words, “Tell her that I love her.” is a best to terrible make. musical! No one will want to watch This play sympathizes with these conthis!” cerns. “We are all faced with equally “Urinetown” is a complicated musihorrible choices but those are choices cal. On the one hand, it is serious. It we have to make.” calls for people to care about the enviWhile the satiric nature of the play ronment and demonstrates the disastrous does maintain a subtle undercurrent

of scatological humor, the play does not stoop to vulgar jesting. It takes an honest look at two sides of an issue and says, “Maybe there is a middle way.”

The students playing the different roles did a solid job. Malone teaches his students to take ownership of their roles.

“I am no longer Ryan Breen. I am Bobby Strong. It doesn’t matter what I want and need. It matters what my character wants and needs,” Breen said.

This teaching method was reflected in the quality of the production.

Even at the dress rehearsal, the actors stayed consistent in character, sang out in clear harmonies and passionately declared their lines. The live band played well, offering authentic support to the actors and adding to the ambiance. Audiovisual staff complemented the actors well with their adept use of spotlights.

It was a chaotic performance, but it worked. There was constant running around, creative use of the limited stage space, diverse characters and funny gesticulations. For many like Breen, it was a last hurrah before graduation. For students who missed the performance, they can watch Breen’s capstone performance for his theater major on April 29.

“Urinetown” asked students to think about what they want and how they will get what they want. These matters are not simple. While “Urinetown” definitely purports a message of ecological conservation, it does not offer a simple answer. Similarly, it makes fun of musicals but still relies on the musical style to exist. Despite the ambiguity, it does at least make one definite plea.

“We all need to be more aware of how we are taking care of the planet,” DelPo said.

3/8/2016 11:42:05 PM

THEWEEKENDER

Good eats: the best places in town

PAGE 10

March 10, 2016

Slice by Slice, brick by brixx Celebrate a love for pizza and good beer

BY JUSTIN SMITH jrsmith2@vwc.edu

faces the open-concept kitchen that allows customers to witness their pizzas being prepared and baked. A number of high-top tables and stools surround the bar while a more spacious dining area with bigger tables is located on the left side of the restaurant.

The food and décor at Brixx isn’t the only thing

Brixx is transformed into a “neighborhood Brixx.”

The Virginia Beach location Brixx serves craft beer from local breweries. These items are regularly discounted throughout the week.

Those who walk into the local Brixx will notice a variety of seating options that create a casual, youthful atmosphere. A huge U-shaped bar is the focal point of the restaurant. The bar

Ch lin that r Ma contribth|utes to the i Sm tin relaxed environs u J ment. The friendly staff helps customers feel at ease, according to customer Laurie Thompson.

“The food was amazing. The atmosphere was even better,” Thompson said.

Thompson enjoys interacting with servers because it makes the dining experience fun.

icl e

new and innovative in a way, as some of the pizzas I had never heard of, but they sounded delicious.”

The menus, beer and wine selection of each Brixx location are tailored by corporate and franchise employees, according to Brixx’s website. By cultivating a menu that is unique to individual markets, a

ro n

Dough. Sauce. Cheese. Pepperoni.

The ingredients for a classic pizza.

However, that’s not the case at Brixx Wood Fired Pizza in Virginia Beach.

They’re throwing conformity out the window and cultivating a new, creative standard for pizza.

Located at 1909 Landstown Centre Way, Brixx Wood Fired Pizza has become a hot spot in the Virginia Beach area. Brixx offers 23 unique pizzas along with a variety of salads, pastas, sandwiches, wraps and desserts. For those of age, customers also have a selection of 24 craft beers on tap and 14 wine options to choose from.

One waitress said it’s the variety of pizzas that Brixx offers that makes the restaurant one of a kind.

“We offer a lot of pizzas that many places don’t have,” the waitress said.

Brixx’s pizza menu showcases the talent they have for combining unusual ingredients. Customers can order the familiar Hawaiian or margarita pizza to play it safe. If their taste buds are feeling adventurous, customers can try the more uncommon pizzas, like the spicy shrimp or Caribbean jerk chicken pizza. Those with a sweet tooth can try Brixx’s S’mores pizza.

Customers can choose between traditional, wheat or gluten-free dough for their pizza’s crust. Brixx also accommodates its vegan customers by offering vegan cheese free of charge.

By tapping into beer culture and vegetarian and gluten-free cuisine, Brixx keeps their menu fresh and new customers flowing, according to Brixx’s website.

Some Virginia Wesleyan students, like senior Cassie Conley, are not turned down by the 25 minute drive from campus to restaurant.

“I definitely liked all the variety the menu had and the variety of pizza themselves,” Conley said. “They were

“Most places you don’t get that, but she [the waitress] was very spunky and friendly,” she said.

Although Brixx sees a wide variety of customers, from families to young professionals, their daily promotions cater to the younger crowd.

Brixx offers a buy one, get one special on any pizza after 10 p.m. every day of the week. With a closing time of 1 a.m., night owls will have no problem finding a hangout spot thanks to Brixx.

Customers can take advantage of Brixx’s to-go option when ordering food, as they offer pick-up orders.

Brixx also has daily specials that change every day.

All Brixx restaurants strive to form a strong bond within the communities they’re located, a view the founders of the franchise have encouraged since the beginning. The restaurant works with local schools, churches and nonprofit organizations through their program Brixx Buxx. Those who partake in a Brixx Buxx event work with their local Brixx to conceive, prepare and promote their fundraiser. The organization, in turn, receives a portion of the sales made by their guests.

Brixx restaurants also do their best to be eco-friendly. Each location recycles all paper, cardboard and glass.

Brixx only serves their beer on tap to reduce their glass waste.

Brixx Wood Fired Pizza was founded in 1988 by Eric Horsley, Jeff Van Dyke, Barbara Bodford-Morgan and Neil Newcomb. The first restaurant of the franchise opened its doors in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Brixx Wood Fired Pizza in Virginia Beach is open Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information on their menu or locations, visit www.Brixxpizza.com

Zoup for the Soul Award-winning soups, salads and sandwiches

STEPHANIE SINGER smsinger@vwc.edu

In a sub-division of Landstown Commons known as Landstown Centre, there’s a small restaurant called Zoup! Despite the intentional misspelling of the word “soup,” this marketing ploy is easily forgivable – especially when it’s lunchtime.

From the moment customers open the door, savory smells float outwards.

The décor sends one message: “Time to eat.”

Walls painted in warm hues – chili pepper red, toasted gold and sweet relish green – increase customers’ appetites.

Where the walls meet the ceiling, slogans that appear cut from black scrapbook paper wrap around the edges.

Muted-green cushions on chairs and booth seats feel firm yet comfortable under tired hips and legs. Tables crafted from semi-gloss wood subtly reflect the lighting.

An expansive menu board spreads above the food prep area. The text is small so that all the options fit. However, this makes the menu hard to read.

Terri Singer, a resident of Norfolk and first-time customer, harbored a few inhibitions about the food. I had come with her, and was starting to have second thoughts as well.

10Weekender.indd 1

“These ingredients are kind of weird,” Singer said.

To some extent, she was right. Thai coconut milk soup? Quinoa salad? This is no place to bring a picky eater.

Nonetheless, we found something to eat. Singer ordered a Loco Burrito Salad paired with a Beef and Barley soup. This came as a TryTwo combo. I followed her lead in getting a TryTwo combo, only with a Maple Ham and Bacon sandwich and a French Onion Soup.

The cashier asked us for a name.

“Terri.” Singer said.

With that, we went to a booth.

A few minutes later, an employee called out: ‘”Terri!” Singer went up to the counter and got the trays. She came over to the booth and carefully set them down.

I was a little surprised that there was only one napkin on each tray, and no napkin dispensers on the table.

“Looks like I have to be extra-careful not to spill.” I said. This was not a good day to wear my white shirt.

All worries about potential messes aside, I bit into my sandwich. It was on a thin, short baguette. Two thick slices of maple glazed ham, crispy bacon, perfectly melted Swiss cheese and a good amount

of maple aioli filled the sandwich.

Yum! This deserved another bite – and another, and another and another!

By the end, the contents started falling out. At that point, I decided to try the soup before the sandwich came apart.

The soup was loaded with diced onions.

Three croutons, softened from absorbing the rich broth, floated on top. Fine shreds of mozzarella cheese rested on top of the croutons.

TryTwo combos also come with a small piece of bread. These aren’t warm – they’re room temperature at best – but dipping them in the soup helps. Eating soup using bread was a different experience than trying to eat soup using a spoon.

Singer tried to finish the Loco Burrito half salad. What this place considered a half salad was fairly large. She couldn’t finish it and still have room for soup, so she ate the soup.

“I’m not sure I like this soup.” Singer said.

“Why not?” I asked.

“It’s very salty,” Singer said. “Too salty for me. And the beef chunks are huge.”

“That’s just your opinion.” I said.

“There’s more than one way to make a soup.”

Meanwhile, I decided to finish my sandwich. The maple aioli slid to the back. Not that it was worth complaining about. In flavor, it reminded me of maple syrup; in texture, it reminded me of heavy cream. I considered that a dessert.

Zoup! sometimes draws comparisons to Panera. There’s one main difference: Panera focuses more on their baked goods. Also, Zoup! is more expensive than Panera. Panera also seems to commit more to reusing and recycling, while Zoup! only reuses trays. However, the latter features over 100 soups, with 12 different kinds in constant rotation. Only two soups don’t change from day to day: the lobster bisque and the chicken pot pie. If you like soup, this is the place to go.

As Singer and I go back to the car, a few F/A-18’s roar overhead. The restaurant is very close to Oceana NAS, so hopefully customers don’t mind the jet noise.

On the road, Singer gives her final verdict. “It’s good. But is it really worth the drive? I mean, do any VWC students even live out here?”

“I really liked it.” I said. “Besides, you never know.”

3/8/2016 11:29:41 PM