01/25/24 Full Edition

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WA K E F O R E S T ’ S S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 1 6

Belonging and Inclusion Campus Evaluation Survey announced Administrators invite students, faculty and staff to participate in campus climate survey MADDIE STOPYRA & SHAILA PRASAD Editor-In-Chief and Deputy Editor Wake Forest students, faculty and staff were invited to complete the Belonging and Inclusion Campus Evaluation survey launched on Jan. 22. This is the second campus climate survey administered

by Wake Forest — the first of which focused on sexual misconduct. This year’s survey will be open to submissions until Feb. 10.

According to Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion José Villalba, the survey centers on belonging on campus because administrators identified a limited amount of “base knowledge” at Wake Forest on the subject.

“The primary goal is to gather baseline data on how individuals — as a whole — experience a sense of belonging and inclusion across our institution,” said Villalba. “It is also intended to give stakeholders a sense of where our strengths lie, and also where opportunities for improvement present themselves.”

Unlike the last campus climate survey in 2022 that was solely open to students, faculty and staff are also able to participate this year.

According to Student Body President Jackson Buttler, this change was made because, while sexual misconduct is more prevalent among students, the topic of belonging and inclusion stretches across campus.

“Belonging and inclusion touches every single member of this community,” said Buttler. “Any person who is a faculty member, staff or student is invited to take the survey. This

issue is something that affects everyone, whereas the one on sexual misconduct was one that really focused on students.”

The university is partnering with external consultant Rankin Climate to conduct the survey, and individual submissions will remain anonymous. While completing the survey is not required for students, faculty or staff, administrators encouraged individuals to participate in a campus-wide email sent on Jan. 22.

“I think [the theme] is important because as a person on campus and as a senior going through my four

New graduation honors policy to take effect this year AINE PIERRE Senior Writer

years, having a sense of belonging on campus is really important,” said senior Aman Khemlani. “Especially to someone who's not in traditional social Greek life.” (Editor’s note: Khemlani is the Chief Justice of the Student Organization Judicial Assembly but is speaking in a personal capacity, not on behalf of the Student Government.)

Participants should expect the survey to last approximately 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the depth of their responses. The “procedures page” on the survey states that participants do not have to answer questions they do not want to, and questions beyond the first group in the Introduction section are optional.

Alongside multiple-choice and ranking-style questions, the survey provides space for individuals to expand upon their experiences and provide feedback to the university.

“This survey is assessing belonging and inclusion through the lens of one's own experiences and one's own perc e p t i o n s ,” said Buttler, “and it also allows for individuals to offer suggestions for ways that the university could improve its campus climate as a way to really be community oriented and focused when we're looking at what really needs to be done in a community as big as Wake Forest.”

Wake Forest’s new policy for determining Latin honors at graduation — which was originally passed in 2019 by a vote of the College faculty — takes effect this spring for the Class of 2024.

Latin honors, in academia, generally refers to designations bestowed upon graduating students based on their academic performance. In ascending order of prestige, the most common distinctions — and the ones Wake Forest uses — are cum laude (with honor), magna cum laude (with great honor) and summa cum laude (with highest honor).

According to the job-hunting website Indeed, Latin honors can be a resumé booster, showing high motivation and academic achievement, though employers are now relying less and less on GPA, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

According to the Office of the University Registrar, under the old policies, a graduating student with at least a 3.8 GPA would have received summa cum laude honors, a student with at least a 3.6 would have received magna cum laude honors and a student with at least a 3.4 would have received cum laude honors. Now, summa cum laude recipients must be in the top 5% of their graduating class, magna cum laude in the top 10% and cum laude in the top 15%.

Though the policy has been on the books for four years, many seniors were surprised to learn of the new system, and many have expressed their displeasure.

Senior politics major Katie Zeng said that because of the new policies, she feels more pressure to get perfect grades in her final semester and is starting to make comparisons between herself and her peers more often. “[The old system] gave me a way to say, ‘Okay, this is what I can aim for,’ and I knew exactly what I was capable of doing,” Zeng said. “And now, because it's based on the entire class, I'm not sure how well I'm doing, so I am constantly comparing myself to my peers rather than like, knowing exactly how I compare with myself.”

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Old Gold & Black This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Committee

From the Editor: Year 108 Last year, the Old Gold & Black saw a lot of growth. We welcomed the Environment section and the editorial committee, expanded our print edition to 20 pages and added several new staff positions, including webmaster, design chief, copy chief and advertising director. The 2023 editorial board developed our publication both in print and online so we could publish more timely content. Each of these additions helped strengthen our newspaper and widen our reach.

Because of this growth, this year’s staff is turning our attention to the depth of our coverage. As a newspaper, we are committed to publishing accurate and thorough coverage that reflects Wake Forest as a campus and community. The editorial board has identified expanding our coverage as an area that we would like to prioritize and improve.

One of the journalism courses at Wake Forest, titled News Literacy, prompts students to think about the principles of journalism, which are a set of guidelines that journalists adhere to when creating content. One of these principles is that journalists work in service to our readers. As a publication, we cannot fulfill this commitment without knowing our audience. Living and working on a college campus puts us in a unique position to build source networks and understand what our readers care about. This year, executive editors and section editors intend to build strong, professional relationships with students, faculty and staff across campus.

Expanding our coverage is not limited to the ideas presented in articles. Our staff is also asking questions about the accessibility of our content. As social media continues to grow, the Old Gold & Black is

relooking at our multimedia content and social media presence. Late last semester, we began publishing “news recap” videos on our social media accounts that quickly summarize the stories in our biweekly print edition. While these videos are an important first step towards improving multimedia coverage, we would like to expand our videography and photography team, which works diligently to publish consistent and quality multimedia. We look forward to producing a number of video stories in the coming year.

One of my favorite aspects of the Old Gold & Black is the diversity of talents that our staff brings to our publication.

While coverage has always been and will continue to be our priority, the executive board also wants to cultivate a community among editors and staff members. While our office may seem difficult to find on the

“

We are dedicated to producing timely content that serves our readers. top floor of Benson University Center, we want the office to be a place where people feel welcomed and supported.

Our motto states that the Old Gold & Black “covers the campus like the magnolias.” With each article, video and photo, we are dedicated to producing timely content that serves our readers. We look forward to continuing to make the Old Gold & Black a home for our staff members and student expression.

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EVAN HARRIS

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MANAGING EDITOR

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Letters to the editor should be fewer than 500 words, and columns should be around 500 words. Send yours via e-mail to duttcd20@wfu.edu the Monday before publication. We reserve the right to edit all letters for length and clarity. No anonymous letters will be printed. >> ONLINE MEDIA Web: wfuogb.com Facebook: facebook.com/ogb1916 X (Twitter): @wfuogb Instagram: @wfuogb TikTok: @wfuogb Sports X (Twitter): @wfuogbsports

News | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, January 25, 2024 | Page 3

Honors: Distinctions to be determined by class rank Continued from Page 1 Provost Dr. Michele Gilespie, who was dean of the college when the change was voted on, told the Old Gold & Black by email that the new policy brings Wake Forest into closer alignment with some of

its peer institutions.

“The purpose of the change was to update our methods and align them with our peers, including universities like Georgetown, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Duke, Davidson, William and Mary and Rice,” Gillespie said in her email. Peer in-

Daniel Parolini/Old Gold & Black

Many seniors have expressed displeasure regarding the new honors policy created to align with peer institutions among other reasons.

stitutions are used by universities, including Wake Forest, for benchmarking and comparison purposes.

The Old Gold & Black found that of these peer schools, only William and Mary does not currently use a percentile cutoff for determining Latin honors. Two of these schools take a different approach than Wake Forest. The University of Notre Dame determines GPA cutoffs that correspond to percentage ranks, which are then announced at the beginning of the academic year. Vanderbilt evaluates seniors based on where their GPA would rank among the previous graduating class or classes. According to Gillespie, Wake Forest will make calculations regarding class rank GPA cutoffs between the end of the spring semester and May commencement, which will apply to summer and fall graduates for that year, as well.

Senior sociology major Nishka Hajela also said that she thinks the new standards will promote competition among students, rather than collaboration. On top of that, she believes the new standards give an unfair advantage to students in majors where A grades are easier to come by.

“I think it undermines the diversity of a

liberal arts education because majors and difficulty levels vary a great deal,” Hajela told the Old Gold & Black. “As a sociology major, I do believe it is easier to get As than as a chemistry major, for example.”

Gillespie, in response to these concerns, said that most students who major in subjects they care about will have higher GPAs than those who do not, regardless of the major a student chooses.

Senior anthropology and history major Ella Virkler expressed frustration with what she called a lack of transparency regarding class rank. Class rank is not available on the Wake Information Network like student GPAs are. Instead, students must submit a form requesting their class rank to the University Registrar.

“It’s not clear where you are in the class ranking,” Virkler said. “So it’s just super annoying to not know, and then especially applying to Master’s [programs] and graduate school at the same time, it’d be great if I could write anticipated graduating magna or summa cum laude, but I can’t plan because I don’t know where I’m gonna be.”

Contact Aine Pierre at pierav20@wfu.edu

Campus Climate: survey open until Feb. 20 Continued from Page 1 According to the announcement email, the results of the survey are essential to Wake Forest’s Strategic Framework, and high participation rates are critical for receiving effective results.

“The University’s Strategic Framework, launched in August 2023, lays out our aspiration to be a nationally recognized model for acting on our commitment to inclusive excellence as a powerful catalyst for learning and community strength,” the email reads. “The results of this survey will be essential to assessing our status and measuring progress in achieving a campus environment that recognizes individuals’ needs, abilities and potential. It is through our collective action that all can feel like they matter, belong, and thrive.”

Multiple incentives are being used to increase response rates — including tables in Benson University Center with items for students — and signs across campus.

“I don’t check my email that much,” said sophomore Luyz Martinez. “I think [as young adults] we pay attention to things that are tangible and that we can see day-to-day.”

Villalba expressed that student participation is essential, and the survey gives students the opportunity to speak to how national discourse about belonging

and inclusion in communities manifests on campus. “[Student voices] matter, even if it doesn’t always feel that way,” Villalba said. “You may have seen the yard signs and stickers around campus promoting the survey: Your Wake. Your truth.

Many trees. One forest. We understand that for many individuals on our campus, ‘campus climate’ is not the first thing that comes to mind when they wake up in the morning. But for others, it is a regular and constant concern.”

He continued: “And yet, regardless of one’s experience with belonging or inclusion across our institution, students are living through some of the most polarizing times in our nation’s history, compounded by global conflicts and humanitarian crises. This survey can help students speak to how these external issues are manifesting on campus, as well as what we can all do to improve the collective experiences of all students.”

Senior Emma Sabin emphasized the importance of the survey’s theme. She felt that Wake Forest can often cater to a certain type of person, specifically if they are white and upper-middle class.

“If you need financial aid, are on scholarship or aren’t of that background, it can seem like you’re only used when it benefits the school,” Sabin said.

A predominantly white institution, Wake Forest’s undergraduate popula-

tion is roughly 63% white, according to the 2023 data released by the Office of Institutional Research. This office also reports that only 10% of undergraduate students were awarded Pell Grants for the 2023-2024 school year.

With the survey’s focus being on inclusion and belonging, the survey seems like a step in the right direction to Khemlani — who participated in the survey and is optimistic about other stu-

dents doing the same.

“I feel like by using the form you are able to get the student experience,” Khemlani said. “The school can make sure how it operates and the student engagement gives a sense of belonging for not just a smaller group of people but the greater student body.”

Contact Maddie Stopyra at stopmf21@wfu.edu and Shaila Prasad at prassp21@wfu.edu

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black

Along with students, faculty and staff will be able to submit responses to the Belonging and Inclusion Survey that was announced on Jan. 22.

POLICE BEAT • • •

An individual consumed alcohol at an unknown campus location and was brought back to campus and then transported to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center by Forsyth County EMS. The report was filed at 11:54 p.m. on Jan. 29.

An individual was intoxicated and entered a residence on Macon Dr thinking he was home. The individual was taken to jail for 24 hours to sober up. The report was filed at 1:54 a.m. on Jan. 21.

An individual removed unsecured headphones left in the North Dining Hall. The report was filed at 11:17 a.m. on Jan. 21.

Page 4 | Thursday, January 25, 2024

Old Gold & Black | News

2023 Wake Forest news in review A look back at what happened on campus in 2023 ALEXANDRA MEIER Senior Writer While news happens every day, there are a few stories that stood out at Wake Forest in 2023. The Old Gold & Black covered speaker and campus events as well as localized national stories. Here are a few key moments that impacted Wake Forest’s campus and its community.

National Pan-Hellenic Council expansion In January, Wake Forest’s National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) began accepting applications from organizations in the national NPHC that did not have a chapter on Wake Forest’s campus. The expansion stemmed from an attempt to expand diversity and help give marginalized students a place of belonging.

Since this announcement, Wake Forest has welcomed Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and Chi Epsilon Sigma National Latin Sorority Inc. During the 2024-2025 academic year, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. and Lambda Theta Phi National Latin Fraternity Inc. will join the university’s NPHC. Omaar Hena In early-February, the anonymous social media app Fizz flooded with posts regarding associate English professor Dr. Omaar Hena. The posts were in regards to “photos and videos Hena posted of himself on Instagram and Reddit, which ranged from sexually suggestive to pornographic.”

Later that month, an email to his students announced that Hena had been placed on a leave of absence, offering no further explanation. An anonymous source in the English department told the Old Gold & Black that a Title IX complaint was filed against Hena. Hena’s active courses were taken on by his colleagues. Since then, student reactions have ranged from discomfort to support.

In September, the Old Gold & Black learned from a course planning document from the English department that Hena was scheduled to return to the classroom. This semester, he will be teaching three sections of the First Year Seminar, “Globalization and Culture.”

The 29th annual “Speak Out series” In mid-April, The Safe Office provided a space for survivors of sexual violence to share their stories as part of the 29th annual “Speak Out series.” According to

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black

Each year, there are a few key moments that impact and shape Wake Forest’s campus and community. These are just a few developemts that stood out in 2023. a Campus Climate Survey taken during the Spring of 2022, 55.4% of respondents reported experiencing sexual misconduct at Wake Forest, reflecting the pervasiveness of a long-standing issue on campus. Students gathered in Wait Chapel to honor those impacted by sexual violence.

Student Government elections Wake Forest Student Government announced its new officers in April. Jackson Buttler (‘24) was elected to serve as Student Body President while the Speaker of the House, Treasurer and Secretary positions were filled by Michael Walsh (‘24), Tim Erday (‘24) and Marta Zach (‘24) respectively. Since the election, the Student Government has made changes including a bill that permits academic buildings to be open 24 hours a day during finals week and implementing a diversity and inclusion requirement for senators.

Non-Binding Early Action This fall, the university launched a new non-binding, early action option for first-generation students applying to Wake Forest. These prospective students had the option to apply to Wake Forest by Nov. 15 and receive a decision by Jan. 15, all by retaining the ability to consider other institutions.

US News & World Report

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black

In 2023, Wake Forest saw changes in areas such as faculty, campus life and admissions.

In September, the US News and World Report released their annual ranking of the best national universities.

Students reacted to Wake Forest falling out of the top 30 universities and reflected on the new units of measurement used to compile the list.

With the restructuring, US News no longer considers factors such as small class sizes and the percentage of instructors with a terminal degree, areas that many argue are defining factors of Wake Forest. Instead, the new system added seven indicators that contributed to Wake Forest’s sudden drop. Indicators include faculty research, first-generation graduation rates and graduate income.

This breaking news caused a significant amount of outcry from Wake Forest faculty and alumni, as well.

President Susan Wente released an address on the university’s standing, reiterating the idea that Wake Forest University does not plan on changing its mission based on acquiring a higher US News and World Reports ranking.

Campus responds to Israel-Hamas war On Oct. 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out a surprise attack on Israeli towns bordering the Gaza Strip — a Palestinian territory that Israel and Egypt have blockaded for the past 16 years. (Editor’s Note: The Old Gold & Black follows AP Style guidance, which is to refer to Hamas as a militant group.)

The attacks resulted in the death of 1,200 people. In response, Israel carried out air strikes and sent troops into Gaza. According to the Gaza health ministry, more than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war.

Thousands of miles away at Wake Forest, students organized events — including vigils hosted by Jewish students and the Muslim Students Association as well as a friendship dinner hosted by Wake Forest College Democrats.

Administrators and faculty members also responded to the conflict. Four history and politics professors hosted a teach-in to discuss and learn the context surrounding the war. The university also held a series of “Holding Space” events to give Wake Forest community members a place to process and reflect on the war.

Additionally, Wake Forest held bystander intervention trainings focused on combatting Islamophobia and antisemitism.

Laura Mullen Faculty were also impacted by the war. Professor Laura Mullen resigned after receiving backlash and death threats from a social media post. This evoked an emotional response from the student body with the majority of students believing that her post was a justification of the death in Israel as a result of Hamas’ attacks. The impact of the war on students and faculty alike emphasized the importance of fostering understanding during this time of global crises and uncertainty.

2023 was a transformative year for Wake Forest, marked by impactful events and global conflicts that changed the cultural landscape on campus. As 2024 begins, The Old Gold & Black is committed to providing accurate and thorough coverage in service to our readers.

Contact Alexandra Meier at meieam22@wfu.edu

News | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, January 25, 2024 | Page 5

Panhellenic recruitment remains partially virtual Despite Covid-19 restrictions being lifted for a majority of the Wake Forest community, sorority recruitment has remained partially virtual.

ALEXANDRA MEIER Senior Writer Panhellenic recruitment remained partially on Zoom this year. Those on both sides of the rush process adjusted to what may be a “new normal” during formal recruitment from Jan. 10 to Jan. 21.

Before 2021, the concept of utilizing Zoom to participate in recruitment activities was a foreign concept to individuals in the Panhellenic community. However, this new generation of sorority members knows no different. In 2021 and 2022, the process was shifted to a completely virtual format due to COVID-19 restrictions enforced by the university. The Panhellenic community returned to partially in-person recruitment in 2023.

Although most COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted on campus, Panhellenic Recruitment remains one of the few organizations on campus that has not returned to full in-person activities. While the chapter introduction and philanthropy rounds were conducted virtually via Zoom, the Panhellenic community was able to gather in person for the subsequent three parts of recruitment: sisterhood, preference and bid day.

According to Delta Delta Delta Recruitment Chair Olivia Morano (‘24), there were organizational reasons for recruitment remaining partially virtual. The number Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black of women participating in recruitment, as either an acKappa Kappa Gamma welcomed new members to their chapter on the quad tive member or potential new member (PNM), constiduring bid day, which was held on Jan. 21 after four rounds of recruitment. tutes a significant portion of the campus. Returning to campus on the first day of formal recruitment would be engaged in conversation when over one hundred process, partially virtual recruitment can be detrimental require Wake Forest to begin operations before the end or beneficial. active members and PNMs are congregated in the same of winter break.

Junior Kaitlin Diamond, member of Kappa Delta, room.

She expressed that the first and second rounds “The recruitment teams were under the impression expressed the difficulty of living in a different time zone being held on Zoom facilitate a more intimate one-onthat being fully in-person for recruitment required in regards to the virtual rounds of recruitment. one conversation. turning on-campus facilities and services one week prior “For people on the West Coast or internationally, “I was standing on the floor watching our girls lean to the normal academic calendar,” Morano said. “To my knowledge, Wake Forest did not want to turn on facili- into their conservations and cup their hands,” Gramling it’s a lot more difficult, for example, the second round said. “I am wondering if it would be worse having even started at 8 a.m. and so that’s 5 a.m. Pacific Standard ties an extra week before everyone got here.”

Time,” Diamond said. “I think that [the recruitment more PNM’s in-person for rounds one and two.”

Some participants are eager to return to a fully inprocess] would be more efficient, but there needs to Chi Omega Recruitment Chair Emily Mann also person experience. Morano expresses that in-person be some more leniency with people who are having to expressed that she thinks hybrid recruitment is the most recruitment has a much more personal nature to it. wake up that early.” efficient.

The recruitment process is structured so that “It’s difficult to fully experience recruitment online,” The spread of students across the country adds anthe density of PNMs who attend each chapter’s events Morano said. “A huge part of sisterhood is being able other layer to an already complex process. diminishes in each round. to connect with the girls by feeling the energy in the Recruitment divides PNMs into groups, which are “I think trying to get 600 girls in and out of rooms in room.” assigned Gamma Rho Chi (GRC) members, who are Carswell, Benson and the gym would be a difficult feat Conversely, Kappa Delta Recruitment Chair Anna essentially recruitment counselors for women gofor the recruitment teams,” Mann said.

Gramling (‘24) said that Zoom is a pivotal improveing through the process. Each GRC is a member of a From the perspective of those partaking in the rush ment to the process. According to her, it is difficult to sorority, however, she is disaffiliated from her chapter during the recruitment timeline to prevent conflicts with potential new members. The hybrid format also impacts GRCs as they are responsible for administrative responsibilities as well as helping the PNMs decide which chapter suits them best.

GRC Jayne Flynn said that the PNMs must be oncampus for the recruitment process to work effectively.

“I definitely think it’s important for the potential new members to be in-person for rush during the last few rounds,” Flynn said. “Being back on campus helps them really envision themselves in each chapter.”

GRC Jess Campbell shared a different perspective and said that virtual recruitment may actually have a more favorable effect on the potential new members.

“I think being on Zoom for the first few rounds is good for the potential new members,” Gamma Rho Chi Jess Campbell said. “Recruitment can be a really stressful process, so having family and friends at home as an extra layer of support is really helpful.”

Despite the varying reactions to the continued hybrid recruitment model, from active members with responsibility to potential new members, the desire for balance is shared by many.

“Being in person allows you to connect with someone a lot better, but at the same time girls are really really nervous,” Diamond said. “Being at home kind of takes that stress away because you don’t have to worry about being surrounded by everyone who’s doing rush with Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black you.”

On bid day, new members “run home” to their sorority. Many current members hold signs with new members’ names on them. A new member of Kappa Delta poses with her new sorority members. Contact Alexandra Meier at meieam22@wfu.edu

FEATURES

PAGE 6 THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024

OLD GOLD & BLACK

Natasha Heisenberg, heisng20@wfu.edu

The State Department sent me to Kyrgyzstan 8QIDPLOLDU VWXG\ DEURDG H[SHULHQFHV FDQ PDJQLI\ WKH EHQH¿WV RI WUDYHO ISABELLA ROMINE Staff Writer

of intensive language classes a day hosted out of a local institution, excursions to local sites of interest and meetings with local language partners. This was my third time This summer, I trusted in the U.S. State Department to on this kind of State Department program. I participatdecide where I would study abroad. It came down to Geor- ed twice in the Russian language sister program for high gia and Kyrgyzstan — the 2023 Russian language sites for school students, National Security Language Initiative for the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS), a fully-funded Youth (NSLI-Y). I was selected to visit Moscow in summer government scholarship that sends students in higher edu- 2020, but COVID-19 curtailed those plans, and I comcation to foreign countries to study languages critical for pleted a virtual program instead. I was, however, able to global dialogue. spend eight months in Moldova from September 2021 to When I received my placement email assigning me to May 2022 in the NSLI-Y program.

Kyrgyzstan, I didn’t know how to feel — mostly a product More than anything, my experience in Moldova of knowing next-to-nothing about the country. Georgia, prepared me for Kyrgyzstan. Culture shock is relative to nestled in the Caucuses, is the setting of famous literature one’s own experiences. Most things pale in comparison to such as a Hero of Our Time and a much more popular site living in a country where few people speak English, and for tourists andRussian learners alike. In turn, Kyrgyzstan you speak neither of the local languages (at least at first). is further flung in Central Asia, and as my experience has When you can’t even communicate enough to understand shown, when its name doesn’t just draw blank stares it is what convention or custom you’ve upset, every action you most often associated with Borat — although said protag- take could have you inadvertently stepping on an eggshell. onist actually hails from Kyrgyzstan’s northern neighbor, Of course, sometimes not understanding may be better: Kazakhstan. being admonished that drinking cold water caused my But the unknown also carries a particular appeal. tonsilitis after I came home from a Moldovan hospital was Kyrgyzstan is well off the beaten path. Ideally, any study not advice I appreciated. abroad experience shapes us into more adaptable, empaNevertheless, I still laugh over my Russian teacher thetic and thoughtful people.Why should these benefits recounting the two scenarios in which someone would not be magnified the more different and unfamiliar the ask our class who our Russian teacher was: either because culture? A previously nomadic horse culture (forced to said questioner was envious of our top-tier instruction or settle into a collectivized agricultural society by the Soviet because our subpar language skills would have brought Union) whose country’s landscape is 92 percent mountains shame upon him as a teacher. Based on that day, he said, it is a far cry from anywhere in the United States. So at the would definitely be the latter. beginning of June, I set off on a five-flight, 40-hour jourFurthermore, the geopolitical situation when I was in ney to Bishkek — the capital of Kyrgyzstan and my home Moldova was incredibly tense — the full-scale invasion into for the next two months.

Ukraine happened in February of that year. Despite this, There are certain challenges that present themselves the calmer geopolitical situation and the fact that I already when studying abroad somewhere few Americans have knew Russian decently meant that my time in Kyrgyzstan heard of. Some of these difficulties begin even before leav- was already off to a smoother start. And, just like people in ing. For example, calling your bank to explain that the Visa the United States, locals in Kyrgyzstan frequently asked me, fee you are about to charge to your debit card that will be “Why Kyrgyzstan?” This question led to many interesting processed in Kyrgyzstan is not fraud. Then, still having to conversations as well as at least one marriage proposal (I argue that your card shouldn’t be canceled five minutes af- collected four while I was there, though the seriousness of ter the charge goes through because the bank is wondering the proposals varied). No one ends up in Kyrgyzstan by what is Kyrgyzstan? and why are they trying to steal your accident, after all. It was a point of fascination for many banking information? Everything I knew about Kyrgyz- Kyrgyz people that I would come so far to learn Russian.

The next question, naturally, tended to be about what stan also came from information I could scrape together I thought of Kyrgyzstan — which was an easy answer. via Google, so it was hard to know what was ahead.

Academically, I knew about what to expect: several hours Kyrgyzstan is beautiful.

Just riding around the cities in a taxi, I would catch a glimpse of the jagged, snowcapped peaks of the Ala-Too mountains from between trees and lose my breath. In the bustling markets, bags of colorful spices line the stalls.

No matter where we went in the countryside, we would see herds of wild horses dotting the hillsides and goats and sheep wandering through fresh mountain streams.

Outside of Bishkek, the stars at night were brighter and more numerous than I had ever seen, and at IssykKul, the bright blue water extended almost forever until distant mountains poked through the hazy horizon.

And while everyone’s comfort varied, I had never Photo courtesy of Isabella Romine felt safer being out at night Isabella Romine poses on a horse during her 2023 summer study abroad than while in Bishkek — experience in Kyrgyztan as part of the Critical Language Scholarship. even five-year-olds are still at

the park with their parents at 1 a.m. during the summer months, one of my first real culture shocks.

Of course, it was the people that elevated the experience most. Kyrgyz culture places great emphasis on hospitality — a tradition conserved from the nomadic era of the Kyrgyz people, wherein their only source of news from other tribes and groups was from guests who often had to travel through hostile conditions to reach their destinations. For example, the air is incredibly dry and hot in the summer, which triggered repeated, severe nosebleeds for me. Unfortunate as this was, it did provide me with an insight into true Kyrgyz hospitality, which is even extended to strangers. Early into my stay, when I was conveniently wearing a new white blouse, I got the first of these nosebleeds. A Kyrgyz security guard took pity on me, leaned over the dust on the sidewalk and graciously invited me into a municipal building, so I could wash my face off and walk the rest of the way home without looking like Carrie at prom.

An even greater insight into Kyrgyz culture came from living with a host family; mine was composed of a young married couple and their three boys, who welcomed me eagerly into their home. They took me on vacation to Issyk-Kul, fed me local foods such as the noodle dish laghman and fermented barley drink maksym and never hesitated to help me in any way.

The three-year-old particularly liked me, as he would often literally dance into my room, carrying handfuls of fruit as an offering. My host father eventually claimed me as his American-born daughter and cackled at my jokes, no matter how many times I told them. That I would (mostly) ironically call myself the prettier, funnier and smarter sister revealed an incomprehensible — yet hilarious — personal family dynamic found in my host parents. Likewise, it was just as shocking to their extended family that I was born when my mother was 36 — as my host grandfather pointed out, he was nearly a grandfather at the age my mother became a mother. More than once (by unrelated people), I was told that, at 20, it was time to start considering marriage and having kids — at 30, I would be more or less decrepit.

In turn, living with them, I gleaned insights into Kyrgyz culture. These ranged from the insignificant (such as that Leonardo DiCaprio has a specific voice actor for all Russian dubs, and the real DiCaprio sounds terrible to their ears) to the more consequential. The latter includes topics such as the schisms between the Kyrgyz people nostalgic for the Soviet Union and those who are not, the struggle to forge a national identity in the post-Soviet era and that I had, in fact, met Kyrgyz women who were bride-kidnapped as young women. As naturally beautiful and progressive as Kyrgyzstan is, the inequalities persist, especially outside of the main cities. There are things one is shielded from experiencing as a tourist, regardless of where they go, but making connections in the local culture is one of the best ways to see beyond the curtain, which I strive to do when traveling.

When I left Kyrgyzstan at the beginning of last August, I felt elated to have seen as much of it as I did — and eager to return, hopefully next time as one stop on a larger tour of Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. I still speak frequently to my host family, and my host dad said he would always be happy to see his American daughter. I would love to do one of the longer horseback tours through the valleys of the Ala-Too and sleep in a yurt, picking up more of the native Kyrgyz language. As I arrived home, I was already looking fondly back on the experience, happy to have been challenged and content in my newfound appreciation and understanding of my own views and beliefs — now armed with plenty of new stories to tell.

Contact Isabella Romine at romiie21@wfu.edu

Features | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, January 25, 2024 | Page 7

An immersive semester in the nation's capital The Wake Washington experience for a Chinese international student internship opportunities within federal branches and competitive firms. She brings in past Wake Washington and Wake Forest alumni that hold Just half an hour before concluding my second positions in government or other esteemed entities, day as an intern at a lobbying firm in Washington such as the deputy assistant secretary of state, D.C., the HR manager walked up to my desk, director for the Office of English Acquisition at asking for a short chat. I wasn't entirely surprised the Department of Education and former judges when she started with, “We're happy to have who served in President Trump’s cabinet, among you here … but we cannot proceed with your others. internship.”

But while applying to Wake Washington, I From the moment I received the offer in the discovered resources weren’t quite suitable for summer, I sensed that it might be too good to be students like me. As one of the first international true for a Chinese student to work at an American students in the program, I realized it primarily government relations firm. caters to American citizens as a talent pipeline.

This occurrence happened last fall semester Coming from China, the complexities between when I participated in a study away program often our nations made the pulse of Washington’s overlooked in the sea of typical “study abroad” political implications even stronger. That’s why the experiences: Wake Washington. This wasn't your aforementioned scenario unfolded: the firm had a run-of-the-mill study abroad journey; unlike policy against hiring foreign nationals due to their the usual focus on studying while traveling, federal government work. Despite no citizenship this program is unique for its strong emphasis requirements in the job posting and extensive on academic rigor and professional immersion paperwork, it was clear my experience would differ throughout the whole semester. more than my American peers.

A group of 14 students, myself included, Filtering employers for citizenship left few dedicated themselves to bi-weekly classes, full-time options in my field, especially in the capital. internships four days a week and engaging speaker The remaining options posed challenges: smaller sessions or field trips on Fridays — designed startups focus exclusively on domestic issues and for students wanting hands-on involvement have a lack experience with foreign nationals, in Washington's realms of politics, policy and whereas larger organizations, despite championing nonprofit organizations. inclusivity efforts, have a much more competitive If you're aiming to launch your career in this hiring processes. nation, whether in politics, the White House Taking a stroll toward Dupont Circle, home or the policy arena, Wake Washington is the of the Wake Washington center, I started to perfect destination. Throughout the experience, question my decision. Here I was, without a job, Program Director Jennifer Richwine acts as contemplating whether this leap to a place where the gatekeeper, unlocking doors to prestigious everyone’s buzzing about government shutdowns affecting internships was worth it for an outsider like me. I was, and still am, grappling with the major life adjustments of moving to a new country, including figuring out friendships and finding my community.

I’d found my path within journalism — idealistic compared to fellow international students who opted for finance, business or STEM fields for a better payoff on their education investment. My motivation to study in Washington D.C stemmed from the hub of prominent media outlets such as the Washington Post, National Public Radio (NPR) and Vox Media. However, despite my interest, the political and cultural obstacles I confronted revealed the exclusive nature of such experiences.

So, you may be wondering if I regret my study abroad experience?

If I could turn back time and have a chat with my September self, the one who frequently wandered at the tail end of our cohort group after our evening class, I’d emphatically tell her, “Yes, Wake Washington is worthwhile.” And here's why.

Washington is a big city. It is so big that through our coordinator, I was connected to another vacant position that only recently opened at American Enterprise Institute. There, I met incredible colleagues who have roots from all over: Puerto Rico, Colombia and even Kyrgyzstan. We had a blast working together on a global ship tracking project and became fast friends. We’d go on food adventures, exploring local eats from our home countries. I introduced them to an authentic Sichuan restaurant, and they showed me my first red cup drink at a local Washington “party.”

I even got to chat with a Washington Post reporter about CIA cyber warfare and sat down with the first Black woman elected to Congress Photo courtesy of Hope Zhu from Maryland, hearing about her college days Hope Zhu poses with friends during her time when she was a Wake Forest student. at Wake Washington in the Fall 2023 semester.

And yet, Washington is also a small town HOPE ZHU Staff Writer

where the influence of Wake Forest is reflected in students attending the program. Wake Washington is not immune to the tension driven by both cultural differences and lived experiences, which admittedly caused me to break down in a rush of tears in my apartment when phoning my mother.

At the same time, it is also a small town in the sense that I can run into another Chinese international student curious about career opportunities in the thinktank world during networking, all while enjoying a conversation in our native language over a scoop of gelato.

At Wake Washington you can find connections with Wake Forest alumni in the policy world, who are willing to walk you through their journey as long as you shout out the magic words, “Go Deacs!”

Most importantly, it is worthwhile because no matter what, I was in Washington — the hub where every important decision is made in this nation.

Every Saturday, I could explore the Smithsonian museums for free and listen to my classmates talk about what it feels like to be at the White House when the speaker is ousted — even though I still do not fully grasp what this means.

I appreciated the evening walks with my sociology professor to our apartment every day as she pointed out locations along our way that mark the history of this nation. I found joy in being at a place that lives and breathes politics, where people genuinely believe that what they do makes a difference.

My study abroad experience helped me realize that I am not alone in this journey as an international student. I met other Chinese international students from NYU who confided their feelings of isolation and loneliness in me, as they navigated their first year in the United States. My Kyrgyzstan colleague shared my struggle of finding a public policyrelated job without citizenship status.

These concerns aren’t often heard in the Wake Forest “bubble,” which might be a quiet haven tucked away for some students but can also be an island in the middle of nowhere for others. In the heart of the capital, I stumbled upon the charm of an immigrant’s adopted homeland.

As one of the early birds among international students at Wake Washington, with another one to arrive this spring, I'm convinced and hopeful that the trend won’t fade.

I am here to inspire all international students keen on politics, public policy, laws or international organizations to give Wake Washington a shot. It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to mingle with unique people and witness history firsthand. Sure, it is the toughest study-away program at Wake Forest — described as a crash course in post-grad life by one of my friends — as it thrusts you into the adulting world. But early exposure benefits social science students like me, who are exploring specific issues.

Breaking into policymaker circles and managing a tight budget may be tough. Still, you'll witness textbook lessons coming to life in real time. This mirrors the reality most of us will face leaving Wake Forest.

Fellow international students, you already tasted this when you left home for better education opportunities, and you are likely more equipped than you realize to seize this chance. This could be a turning point in your life trajectory, influencing your decision to stay or leave the United States.

Regardless, I know I am leaving Washington as a tougher, more confident individual than the one who got fired on the second day of work, eagerly diving into another semester of textbooks and assignments with a fresh perspective.

Contact Hope Zhu at zhuq21@wfu.edu

Page 8 | Thursday, January 25, 2024

Old Gold & Black | Features

ϐ A look into the experience of spending a semester abroad in Greece JACKIE SPARNICHT Contributing Writer

Studying abroad is an experience shared by many on Wake Forest’s campus. Most people either go themselves or know someone who has gone or intends to go. While there are many programs directly sponsored by the university, there is also a large catalog of affiliate programs that work with Wake Forest to provide the type of learning through experience that many cite as a large reason for seeking out such opportunities.

As I personally was approaching the decision on whether or not I wanted to go, I found that information on these programs was readily available online. Despite this, I didn’t hear much from peers as to what the actual experience of going abroad, separate from Wake Forest, would be like.

Most of the people I knew had gone to the more popular and robustly-advertised destinations in London, Vienna and Venice — all cities in which Wake Forest owns property that semester cohorts live and study in. Though these programs looked incredible and met the requirements that I needed for my degree, I found myself interested in pushing a bit further by searching for programs that might also expose me to students from other schools.

This led me to the decision to spend my spring semester abroad in Athens, Greece with an affiliate program. I enjoyed my time immensely and found the experience to be informative in ways that I did not expect. My program required me to register for my classes in early December, and by late January, my suitcases and I were on a red-eye bound for Greece out of the John F. Kennedy Airport.

While the program had us create Facebook pages to get to know the rest of the cohort and begin to mingle before our arrival, the only person who I knew going in was already a dear friend of mine. She also happened to be the only other person from Wake Forest within our cohort of approximately 140 students. Descending below the clouds into the airspace directly above Athens, the city was not what I expected at all. Densely packed, tan buildings (no more than a few stories tall due to the ongoing threat of earthquakes in the area) sprawled across the area of the city — which is only roughly 15 square miles. We were quickly shuttled to the tiny apartment assigned to us, shared with three other girls from Notre Dame who we would quickly become friends with.

Conveniently located around the corner from our school building, we were well situated amongst the other student apartments scattered across our neighborhood, Pangrati.

There for five months, I came to know the area well and would spend hours walking to and fro my daily activities.

As someone who has never lived in a big city, Pangrati was a good neighborhood to ease into the bustling city life. More quiet and residential than some adjacent neighborhoods,

Photo courtesy of Jackie Sparnicht

A view of the densely-packed buildings tled between mountain ranges and

that comprise the city of Athens, Greece, nescontaining unparalleled history and culture.

Pangrati mainly consisted of smaller specialty stores, oodles of restaurants and cafes and blocks of apartment buildings with balconies overlooking the smaller roads.

My apartment lay hundreds of feet behind the Kallimarmaro Stadium, where the original modern Olympic Games had their opening and closing ceremonies and where I trained for the annual local half-marathon. From the top floor of my apartment, I could watch the sunset behind the Parthenon, which was but a 20 minute walk from the door of my building and a frequent stop for class trips and visitors from home. Across the street from school lay the National Gardens, a somewhat extensive and well-maintained forest, which not only hosted a wide array of native flora but also a duck pond and several animal enclosures including small fowl and goats. These attractions helped make the area feel less crowded by concrete and roads and softened the noise of the traffic rushing through the city.

This was by far one of the most difficult adjustments for me, and I found myself on edge with having to pay attention to so much noise and movement around me. Since coming back, I have been more thankful for the quietness of Winston-Salem. Similarly to New York, the drivers of Athens are no strangers to the car horn. What’s more, the risk factor of

Photo courtesy of Jackie Sparnicht

The bustling streets of Athens are lined with apartments, shops, restaurants and cars.

The Parthenon rises above the city, visible from many vantage points and locations.

crossing the road without looking an extra few times could be near fatal due to the speed and unpredictability of motorcyclists in the area, who weave freely in between cars, trams and buses.

Beyond the traffic noise, for almost a week straight, our street would occasionally fall victim to someone parking their car just far enough out into the road such that the vibrations of the trolly rumbling by were enough to set off the car’s alarm — a jarring and headache-inducing wakeup call at 7 a.m. every morning and throughout the day. There is a lot of car traffic in general, but Athens has a very robust public transportation system too. I found the metro to be most useful throughout the semester, solidifying that I would like to live somewhere with a good metro system in the future.

My program followed the popular model of allowing Friday off for exploring on your own. Our cohort did our best to take advantage of that free time, frequently taking day and overnight trips to nearby islands and other popular destinations in both Eastern and Western Europe. My roommates and I took a weekend trip to Romania, exploring the capital city of Bucharest and partaking in a Transylvanian castle tour. There were also built-in trips designed by the program itself, bringing us into northern Greece in Thessaloniki and westward around the edge of the Peloponnesian peninsula — two trips I would not have known where to even begin planning by myself. I really valued this extra time in my week because, although I was having fun, I was also growing more exhausted by the day. There was so much to do and see, and naturally I didn’t want to miss out on any of it.

Beyond the fun stuff, the more mundane chores of grocery shopping in a foreign language you can’t completely speak or doing your laundry by hand in a bathtub and hanging it to dry to avoid paying for the laundromat started to weigh on me. I went through a period of burnout a few weeks before the end of my program — something I didn’t expect as I’ve never considered myself to be homesick by nature. I missed my friends on campus, my family and the comfort of having a well-practiced and simple routine. I also felt guilty because I knew that I was lucky to have the opportunity to partake in these experiences, so why couldn’t I enjoy them as much as I did at the beginning of my time abroad?

All in all, I think that the key to this is building balance, especially if one intends to go abroad. I don’t think I balanced my time as well as I could have, knowing how tired I was towards the end. That being said, I would not change the memories that my semester abroad brought, which will stay with me for the rest of my life and have allowed me to build a new understanding of what energizes and depletes me.

Contact Jackie Sparnicht at sparjr20@wfu.edu

ENVIRONMENT OLD GOLD & BLACK

Ella Klein, kleiek22@wfu.edu Addison Schmidt, schmac21@wfu.edu

PAGE 9 THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024

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ELLA KLEIN Environment Editor

On Saturday, Jan. 13, a historic storm battered the Maine coast, ringing in the new year with the crushing reality — an increase in extreme weather events may be on the horizon for East Coast residents.

Maine is no stranger to strange weather — rainfall and precipitation are abundant in the United States’ northernmost state. However, this showcase of extreme weather differs from many storms that have tormented the shores of Maine.

Sheri Floge, an assistant professor of biology at Wake Forest, moved to North Carolina from Maine, where she conducted research at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences.

“This storm had unfortunate timing in that maximum rain and winds coincided with high tides. The Maine coast has some of the highest tidal ranges on the globe with up to 11-foot tides in Portland, Maine,” Floge said. “Those high tides combined with onshore winds, heavy rain and snowmelt can lead to widespread flooding.”

Historic structures, like the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in Bristol, also sustained tremendous damage. The storm surge of 14.57 feet toppled the 14.17 feet record set previously in 1978.

The storm not only brought destruction to residential areas and homes but also threatened the livelihoods of many fishermen and coastal workers. As reported by the New York Times, hundreds of traps set out by an estimated 4,500 lobstermen were lost in this storm.

Why should Wake Forest care?

It can be hard to conceptualize why historic flooding over 1,000 miles away has any significance to North Carolinians. The flooding in Maine affects everybody, not just locals in the state. Increased storm severity could indicate an increase in threatening weather catastrophes across the globe.

North Carolinians often pride themselves on having mountains, Piedmont and beaches all in one state. As much as Maine is tied to its coastal identity, North Carolina is tied to this idea as well.

According to the North Carolina Office for Coastal Management, under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 1.2 million of North Carolina’s 9.8 million residents are considered coastal residents. The coastal economy alone is reported to generate $17 million annually for the state, which equates to $46 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, storms are a major threat to the North Carolina coast, as several billion-dollar storms were reported in 2018, with the historically horrific Hurricane Florence decimating a large portion of the coast.

While research has not shown that storms will increase with the climate crisis, climate change

Photo courtesy of C.L. Alden

The storm surge batters the coastline of Maine, destroying residential and commercial property. ϐ Ǥ

has been directly linked to severe storms, as explained by Floge.

“As ocean water warms, there is more energy and more moisture present in storms, ultimately leading to larger, more powerful storms carrying larger volumes of water,” Floge said. “As we’ve seen in recent years, it is often the flooding that causes more damage than wind.”

In contrast to Maine, whose coastline consists mainly of rocky structures that sit above sea level, in North Carolina, the structure of the Outer Banks — the barrier islands off the shore of the state — creates a unique problem when thinking about severe storms.

North Carolina’s unique coast The coastline of North Carolina is composed of sandy beaches and inlets with occasional marshes. The sand dunes create a pseudo barrier between the shore and any infrastructure surrounding the beaches. The Outer Banks themselves are simply ribbons of sand, not originally intended to house major residential property or commercial land. On the shore, popular tourism destinations, like Wilmington, draw thousands of visitors into North Carolina each summer season.

Stephen Smith, an assistant teaching professor for the Wake Forest Environmental Program, explained why the distinctive North Carolina coast comes with its own set of challenges.

“If you didn’t have infrastructure on those barrier islands, they are designed to migrate landwards over time; with storm events … they simply are designed

to kind of roll themselves over,” Smith said.

“When you put infrastructure on those barrier islands, they’re still going to try and shift, but you [have] got all this infrastructure in the way.”

The Outer Banks have always served as a popular vacation destination. With the growing population and tourism industry, the islands could be in danger — or at least in need of constant maintenance. Replacing and scooping up sand are common ways of re-fortifying and keeping the coast intact.

“While sand ‘renewal’ projects are common along the U.S. East Coast, they are only temporary solutions at best,” Floge said.

However, there is no need to cancel spring break plans — no significant data shows that the number of storms will increase with the changing climate. Nonetheless, rising sea levels caused by global warming would have a disastrous effect on the North Carolina coast.

“A one-foot rise in sea level in North Carolina would result in damaging flooding 10 times more often than present day,” Floge stated. “The East Coast of the U.S. is particularly prone to negative impacts from sea level rise due to the slowing of the Gulf Stream.”

While many endeavors can be made to mitigate the effects of severe storms, a lot of attempts to help the North Carolina coastline consist mainly of expensive clean-up efforts, which can be costly but incredibly unsustainable.

“It’s not a battle that will end,” Smith said.

Contact Ella Klein at kleiek22@wfu.edu

Page 10 | Thursday, January 25, 2024

Old Gold & Black | Environment

Fly high, Bachman’s Warbler The songbird’s extinction serves as a bright yellow warning of what’s to come ADDISON SCHMIDT & MIA SPRINGER Environment Editor & Staff Writer

The Bachman’s Warbler, an iconic songbird native to North Carolina, is unlikely to soar through Carolinian skies again. The species was originally discovered in Charleston, South Carolina, and bred in North Carolina. Known for its vibrant yellow underbelly and melodic song, the stunning warbler was last spotted in the United States in the 1960s.

Despite its abundance throughout the Carolinas as recently as the turn of the twentieth century, last October, it was officially declared extinct by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) — and it was not alone.

20 other species were removed from the Endangered Species Act protection list and added to the growing roster of extinctions in the United States.

“Many of these species were already known or at least suspected to be extinct,” said senior Matt Kline, an avid bird enthusiast, who was not surprised by the declaration.

Extinctions are not a new phenomenon. Globally, Photo courtesy of Terry Sohl 9,052 known species have been declared extinct, with An artistic rendering of the Bachman’s Warbler demonstrates what the songbird may the last 11,7000 years marking the sixth recorded have looked like prior to its extinction. The bird was last spotted in the US in the 1960s. mass extinction event.

The loss of species poses a severe threat to life on “A diverse community of pollinators is esthreatened species across the United States, including Earth as we know it. sential for crop production and feeding the billions of 92 species of birds alone. If more isn’t done to protect “Extinction is always a tragedy,” Kline said. people around the world,” Eldridge told the Old Gold habitats and drastically reduce the impact of climate Given that the songbird hadn’t been seen in decades, & Black via written message.

“Also, species diversity is change around the world, many species could face a the USFWS declaration was in fact expected. Howso important for ecosystem stability!” similar fate as the Bachman’s Warbler. ever, the extinction of 21 other species in conjunction Without birds, many of these key functions would Despite its best efforts, US environmental legislademonstrates the increasing effects of habitat loss and be diminished or lost entirely. But birds aren’t unique tion is imperfect, Meiburg insisted. in their vulnerability or importance — the Bachman’s “On a broader level, while the ESA has been unable Warbler’s extinction is merely a baseline for discuss- to prevent every extinction, and protection of critiing what is at risk if we don’t take action to prevent cal habitat remains controversial, the ESA has given The Bachman’s Warbler’s further extinctions in the future. such species a ‘voice’ that they would not otherwise While legislation like the United States Endangered have had,” Meiburg said. “However, progress across extinction is merely a Species Act (ESA) has been crucial in preserving spe- the board on recovery efforts has been spotty at best.” baseline for discussing what cies, it alone is not enough to prevent catastrophe. AcCurrently, the USFWS lists 1,669 endangered or cording to the US Environmental Protection Agency threatened species across the United States, including is at risk if we don’t take (EPA), the act, which was enacted in 1973, “provides 92 species of birds alone. If more isn’t done to protect action to prevent further a program for the conservation of threatened and habitats and drastically reduce the impacts of climate endangered plants and animals and the habitats in change around the world, many species could face a extinctions in the future. which they are found.” similar fate as the Bachman’s Warbler.

According to the US Department of the Interior, But the loss surpasses ecological impact, and bird the ESA has been responsible for preventing the ex- lovers like Kline are aware of that. tinction of many species since its enactment. Species “[We] will never hear [the Bachman’s Warbler’s] climate change on biodiversity. that have rebounded from the brink of extinction in- song again,” Kline said. “[We] will have to live with When species go extinct, entire ecosystems can col- clude the bald eagle, the Kirtland’s warbler and the the knowledge that maybe if someone had cared a bit lapse. Birds are no exception.

American alligator. more, or done things differently, that species might The Bachman’s Warbler was virtually non-existent Dr. Stan Meiburg is the executive director of The still be around.” in North Carolina by the 1950s and its rapid decline Andrew Sabin Family Center for Environment and had a significant impact on North Carolina ecosys- Sustainability at Wake Forest. Meiburg worked for tems during the first-half of the twentieth century. the EPA from 1977-2017 and served as the agency’s According to a 2022 ScienceDirect article published Acting Deputy Administrator from 2014-2017.

by University of Exeter Professor Kevin J. Gaston, “The act gives the Secretary of the Interior authorbirds provide crucial ecosystem services such as seed ity to designate species as endangered or threatened, dispersal, nutrient cycling, pest control and pollina- based on criteria in the act, and to designate critical tion. In the case of many songbirds, including the habitat on which such species depend,” Meiburg said.

Bachman’s Warbler prior to its extinction, humans A species’ designation as endangered or threatened and other species rely on their insect-rich diets to keep offers special protections under the law. pest population levels manageable.

“These designations generally prohibit killings, or Before its extinction, the Bachman’s Warbler was a “takings,” of species on the endangered species list,” migratory bird, meaning its impacts were felt across Meiburg explained. the Carolinas, where mosquitoes in particular are Many countries around the world have laws similar plentiful. to the ESA that protect both endangered species and “Different birds play very different roles in our eco- habitats. Internationally, the Convention on Internasystems,” Kline said. “Some control other species pop- tional Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna ulations through predation, some pollinate plants and and Flora (CITES) seeks to prevent the trade of endisperse seeds, some provide homes for other animals dangered species.

Photo courtesy of The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and some support populations of other predators.”

In addition to the ESA, the National EnvironJunior Sophie Eldridge is a biology major, active en- mental Protection Act (NEPA) also offers ecosystem A map depicts the likely historical distribuvironmentalist and founding member of the student- protection by requiring federal authorities and states tion of the Bachman’s Warbler at its peak. run climate club, dEaCO Friendly. She echoed Kline’s using federal funds on a given project to assess envisentiment about the importance of species diversity to ronmental impacts prior to construction.

Contact Addison Schmidt at schmac21@wfu.edu and Currently, the USFWS lists 1,669 endangered or Mia Springer at springml21@wfu.edu maintain both human and ecosystem health.

“

OPINION

Dillon Clark, clardj22@wfu.edu Maryam Khanum, khanmg20@wfu.edu Virginia Noone, noonvc21@wfu.edu

OLD GOLD & BLACK

PAGE 11 THURSDAY, JANURY 25, 2024

The views expressed in all opinion columns represent those of the article’s author, not the opinions of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board

What was Jo Koy thinking at the Golden Globes?

The comedian hosted the awards ceremony, but his jokes were unimpressive MATTIE STILLERMAN Staff Columnist The 81st Golden Globes were held on Sunday, Jan. 7. Awkward silences repeatedly fell over the star-studded room due to jokes told by the event host, Jo Koy. Koy is a 52-year-old popular comedian with six comedy specials on Netflix and Comedy Central.

His comedic style is to tell jokes about everyday life, Asian-American culture and human behavior.

However, Koy took a different approach in his Golden Globes monologue, resembling a poorly done roast.

According to Koy, he signed on the opportunity to host the Globes only ten days before the show. He admitted to not having watched any of the shows and movies honored at the 2024 Golden Globes until he officially contracted the job — which is a red flag.

The job of host should go to someone who knows enough about the biggest movies of the year, not a man who completely missed the entire point of the “Barbie” movie. Which brings me to my first question.

“I watched ‘Barbie’ — I loved it. I really did love it. I don’t want you guys to think that I’m a creep, but it was weird being attracted to a plastic doll … just something about your eyes Ryan [Gosling].” Koy said.

Guess what Koy? You definitely came off as a creep. Margot Robbie’s gracious smile isn’t fooling anybody into believing that joke didn’t make the whole room — and millions of viewers at home — uncomfortable.

Koy also chimed in with his view of “Barbie” by saying that “the key moment in ‘Barbie’ is when she goes from perfect beauty to bad breath, cellulite and flat feet. Or, what casting directors call a character actor.”

Once again, you claim to have watched the movie, but its message completely went over your head! For a man who is trying to critique the privilege of Hollywood, you are a complete hypocrite.

It is men like Koy who push women into the shadows and judge their worth solely on unrealistic beauty standards.

But it doesn’t stop there.

Not only did Koy say those sexist jokes but he did not own up to them.

Did Jo Koy even watch “Barbie”?

The ‘Barbenheimer’ craze swept the nation over the summer and blew audiences away, grossing a combined 1.1 billion dollars at the box office worldwide. In fact, these movies competed for Cinematic Box Office achievement at the Globes. Despite their success, Koy could not allow the presentation of the movies to go unscathed.

Koy allowed “Oppenheimer” — a male-starring and male-directed film — to slide with a predictable dig at the movie’s run time. However, our lovely host could not help but completely dismantle the feminist message behind “Barbie” with several revolting jokes. “‘Oppenheimer’ is based on a 721page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project,” Koy said. “And ‘Barbie’ is on a plastic doll with big boobies.”

The audience cringed at Koy’s joke, and the camera panned to an uncomfortable Greta Gerwig — the director of “Barbie.”

What was he thinking?

Did he not hear America Ferrera’s beautiful speech explaining how complicated and frustrating it is to be a woman in a patriarchal society?

Her speech is quite literally the whole point of the movie!

Don’t worry — the Globes host continued to dig his own grave.

Photo courtesy of Golden Globes Awards

The man threw his writers under the bus!

Koy started to crumble and lash out at the crowd in an embarrassing spiral. He followed his “Barbie” jokes by clarifying, “some I wrote, some other people wrote.”

As he tried to move on to his next bit, the crowd’s groans got to him.

“I got the gig 10 days ago — you want a perfect monologue? Shut up! You are kidding me, right?” Koy said. “I wrote some of these, and they’re the ones you’re laughing at.”

You are kidding me, right? Throwing the writers under the bus only made Koy look worse! Your job is to make jokes, yet you took the lazy approach and criticized and objectified women. You can’t blame your writers for that.

Koy got me with his “Crown” joke Not all of Koy’s jokes were terrible, however. His earlier jokes pushed the audience to hesitate before laughing. I can admit that I laughed at Koy’s joke aimed at the British royal family.

“How great was Imelda Staunton in ‘The Crown?’ Wasn’t she amazing?

Her portrayal of the queen was so good Prince Harry called her and asked her for money,” Koy said.

I admit it! I laughed! This joke praised Staunton for her work and didn’t degrade women. However, Koy couldn’t stop rambling.

“Like I said — I didn’t write all of these. That one is not mine.” he admitted.

Dude! Don’t blame the writers for the good jokes!

“

It is men like Koy who push women into the shadows and judge their worth solely on unrealistic beauty standards. But it doesn’t stop there.

Taylor Swift has ‘Bad Blood’ with Koy Finally, one of the biggest reasons for the Koy backlash was Blondie and the Swifties. We all have seen Taylor cheering on her tight-end boyfriend Travis Kelce from the Kansas City Chiefs. I think the jabs at the power couple were overplayed, but Koy decided to lay in one more.

“The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL — on the Golden Globes we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift.”

Taylor Swift reacted by giving a disapproving look and sipping her drink. Selena Gomez had her face in her hands and the crowd groaned.

Don’t go after Miss Americana without understanding the consequences.

Koy should take notes from John Mulaney At the 14th annual Governors Awards, John Mulaney hosted and delivered controversial jokes the right way.

That Tuesday night, Angela Bassett was rightfully awarded an honorary Oscar for her performance in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Mulaney refrained from insulting and undermining Bassett’s accomplishment.

“Here’s what a great actor Angela Bassett is — she got an Oscar nomination for a Marvel movie,” Mulaney said.

“That is like getting a Pulitzer Prize for a Reddit comment.”

Mulaney did not target Bassett and her performance but attacked Marvel, a major corporation bleeding money. They can handle the heat. When cameras panned to Bassett, she was genuinely laughing and not cringing like the cast of “Barbie.”

What did we learn?

After his performance, Koy claimed that he would never host again. He blamed the elitist audience for doubting his respect for women and not understanding that he was only making jokes. Well, guess what? Putting women down is not a funny joke.

Unfortunately, millions of men agree with Koy’s “Barbie” and Taylor Swift jokes. Koy misused his platform.

He was a rookie on the stage for blaming his sexist monologue on the writers.

Koy may claim to never host again, but I doubt he’ll be getting any offers. Koy should pop some popcorn and give “Barbie” another watch. That way he’ll really understand why he will never host again.

Contact Mattie Stillerman at stilmk23@wfu.edu

Page 12 | Thursday, January 25, 2024

Old Gold & Black | Opinion

American democracy cannot sustain another Trump presidency States should continue to challenge Donald Trump’s candidacy and bar him from appearing on ballots ALEXANDRA MEIER Staff Columnist In Colorado and Maine, the state Supreme Courts barred former President Donald Trump from appearing on the primary ballots. Now, other states are following suit. In fact, Trump is facing legal challenges to his candidacy in 32 states. With his campaign at stake, Trump’s legal team has appealed these decisions.

A lawsuit, initially brought to a District Court in Denver, contends that Trump should be disqualified from participating in elections under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. This provision states that “no person shall hold office if they engaged in insurrection” after having taken an oath to support the Constitution. The case will go to the United States Supreme Court on Feb. 8, which may determine Trump’s eligibility to run for office nationally.

Following this line of reasoning, Trump’s role in inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection was unconstitutional on multiple grounds. Therefore, I believe Colorado and Maine have taken appropriate action in ensuring the 2024 election is conducted in accordance with democratic principles.

First and foremost, it is imperative to confirm that the events of Jan. 6 were undoubtedly an act of insurrection and

a threat to democracy. In affidavits filed reflect the same xenophobic and protecby the Federal Bureau of Investigations tionist narrative that dominated his last (FBI), evidence confirms that these term. Trump has voiced his plans to secrimes committed by the right-wing cure the United States-Mexico border, Proud Boys group were deliberate and claiming that “immigrants are poisoning calculated. The insurrectionists made the blood of our country.” One feature of preparations, including using earpieces his immigration agenda includes launchto direct the transfer of weaponry from ing a mass Immigration and Customs the back to the front of the crowd to use Enforcement operation, which would against Capitol officials. An article from expand the border wall and revoke stuPolitico includes statedent visas from people ments from Assistant who are legally living in U.S. Attorney Benjamin the United States. These “Colorado and Gianforti outlining the measures not only perpetMaine have taken uate discrimination but intentional nature of Jan. 6. appropriate action also undermine principles “Mob is not the right of inclusivity and freeterm because there’s a in ensuring the 2024 dom that are essential to level of organization here election is conducted a democratic society. that bears noting,” GianThe Constitution in accordance forti said. was developed under Some political leaders democratic principles; with democratic such as Gavin Newsom therefore, it is no more and Chris Christie argue anti-democratic to deny principles.” that removing Trump Trump’s candidacy than from the ballot is “antiit is to deny a candidate democratic” on the grounds that it would who is under the age of 35. This ideology deny voters the right to choose their applies to any section of the Constitution elected official. However, launching ef- that relates to the presidency. Section 3 forts to overthrow the government is also of the 14th Amendment exists exactly anti-democratic. Moreover, in the event for cases such as this one. Truthfully, the of a second Trump term, the public could power cannot exclusively be vested in the be facing far greater threats to democracy people on this issue. These constitutional than mere constitutional challenges. provisions, which prohibit an insurrecThe items on Trump’s agenda for 2024 tionist from taking office, exist to keep

order.

Another consideration for keeping Trump off of the national ballot is the sheer amount of civil unrest that will likely resurface after another loss. The country oversaw the ramifications of Trump’s loyal band of supporters losing an election on Jan. 6. If he has already been rejected by the American people in 2020, then it would be illogical to risk another insurrection in the event that the American people deny him again.

Finally, the former president is in the process of settling his own legal battles.

Since March 2023, Trump has been charged with 91 felonies in four cases, including falsifying business records and inciting insurrection. In addition to these charges, the former president is facing defamation charges for denying claims made by E. Jean Carroll, the writer who accused Trump of sexual abuse in the 1990s. Although a jury found Trump guilty, and the matter was settled in court, Trump took a detour from his campaign in Iowa to attend the rape defamation trial earlier this week.

It is in the American public’s best interest to allow the former president to handle his own legal matters before stepping back into the most powerful office in the country.

Contact Alexandra Meier at meieam22@wfu.edu

Wake Forest should work to embody Pro Humanitate every day The university’s motto should be a value new students strive to embody WALKER NEWMAN Staff Columnist

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black Wake Forest students and community members participate in Hit the Bricks.

Wake Forest preaches pro-humanitate as its core value, defining it as “a calling to use our knowledge, talents and compassion to better the lives of others.” They use four annual events, among others, as their primary advertisement of this value: Hit the Bricks, Project Pumpkin, Wake n’ Shake and D.E.S.K. All of these events are student-led and work to raise money for various philanthropic organizations, including the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund and the Wake Forest University Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School.

As a first-year student at Wake Forest, it can be hard to find the pro-humanitate spirit while trying to navigate the new social and academic pressures of a college environment. Personally speaking, I found participating in the annual volunteering opportunities organized by Wake Forest to be my first exposure to true school spirit that wasn’t incited by a sports game.

However, after the first semester of freshman year, it became evident that participation in these events by many students is mandatory by their Greek Life organizations, which continually top the leaderboard for fundraising but not laps run.

This raises the question: just how committed is the school and its students to prohumanitate? Does Wake Forest actively pursue its dear motto?

There’s no question that kicking off the first semester of college with participation in Hit the Bricks and Project Pumpkin is a valuable way to find a greater sense of community and school spirit as a new student.

Freshmen can take the first step by forming teams through their dorms or pre-orientation programs, meeting new people and banding together for a good cause. For

example, at Hit the Bricks, the team representing the first-year dorm Luter raised over $5000, coming in at No. 9 for total fundraising by a team. The top freshmen team for laps, Wake Wilderness #1, ran 264 laps, rivaling some of the Greek Life and Grad School teams.

Notably, these initiatives are highly publicized on the social media accounts of Wake Forest itself, which has over 60,000 followers, as well as the account for Campus Life, which has over 1,900 followers.

A freshman, Arden Beck, noted that Hit the Bricks and Project Pumpkin really caught her attention because of Instagram: “Seeing the pictures from Project Pumpkin on [Wake Forest’s] instagram [make me want to participate] because they give you those ‘aww’ moments.”

Is the publicity that these events garner the true point of their occurrence?

I wouldn’t go so far as to say this. Even though these events are used as keynote selling points on the website and across social media, it would be worse not to share the good work that students are doing — although it does feel like it’s for a few select days a year.

It is also a unique experience to see professors and staff you might know partaking, too, enjoying events like Project Pumpkin with their children, for example. Another first-year Kenley McClure appreciated “how close-knit the school community is and how they try to involve the Winston community.”

Close connections between students and professors is something that Wake Forest preaches enthusiastically, clearly exacerbated by events outside of the classroom like Project Pumpkin.

However, once students progress into involvement in Greek Life and other organizations past their first semester, they may realize that pro-humanitate is not all that it’s made out to be.

Is it necessarily a bad thing that the Greek organizations that continue to raise the most money for these events have mandatory participation? That is a question I’m not sure can be answered by myself alone.

Students in Greek Life may not be the primary participants in the volunteer initiatives found elsewhere on campus, such as Campus Kitchen, which has had 13,000 student volunteers participate since 2006.

Perhaps the main problem is that the prohumanitate experienced the rest of the year is simply not talked about enough on campus or publicized on social media.

Regardless of this contention over the publicity of pro-humanitate, it is clear that first years engage in these events because they see upperclassmen participating. They take note of how students prioritize participation in these events and how the school shares its resources — the students “going a little bit of the extra mile or adding something in their schedules so that people can have a great experience,” McClure said.

With all of this said, Wake Forest and its students need to work to embody prohumanitate more in the day-to-day rather than only showing up when it’s mandatory, regardless of the attention it garners from first-years and online. A school’s motto should be something that students and administration live by, not something they pull out to showcase.

Contact Walker Newman at newmwe22@wfu.edu

Opinion | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, January 25, 2024 | Page 13

ϐ 7KH GRFWULQH SURWHFWLQJ SROLFH RI¿FHUV WKDW KDYH YLRODWHG WKH ODZ LV RXWGDWHG CARTER MCDONALD Contributing Columnist

The Clash once famously asked, “Should I stay? Or should I go?” While the British punk rock band was referring to remaining in a relationship or moving on, the same question applies to the United States’ toxic dependence on a legal safeguard that protects cops after wrongdoing: qualified immunity.

But what is qualified immunity? Put simply, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, qualified immunity is a doctrine that provides state and local officials with immunity from “individual liability unless the official violated an established constitutional right.” For police officers to face legal action, there needs to be a defined precedent, meaning someone has to have sued and won a similar case beforehand.

But how do you prove precedence if you’re the first to sue an officer for violating this particular right? It’s almost impossible to simply create the required precedent, which perpetuates injustice through the criminal justice system. The cyclical nature of qualified immunity means courts often rule against plaintiffs and in favor of officers who have committed egregious actions.

One noteworthy example comes from 2014, when Nashville police officers sent a police dog after a man who had already surrendered and was sitting on the ground with his hands above his head. After the dog bit him several times, the man sued, citing another

“

It’s almost impossible to simply create the required precedent, which perpetuates injustice through the criminal justice system. court case where a police dog was released on a man surrendering by lying down. The court ruled that because the man was sitting, the two incidents were dissimilar and granted qualified immunity to the officers, while the man got no compensation for the injuries sustained during the altercation.

This failure to bring justice is one of many startling examples of how qualified immunity often works more as a shield from any blame rather than a way to protect police officers from bogus litigation.

More broadly speaking, the courts of the United States have made a shift away from favoring plaintiffs in police violence cases. Specifically, a Reuters analysis of the appellate court cases over the past nineteen years

found that courts have increasingly granted officers immunity in suits of excessive force and even more so when civilians were unarmed. This analysis highlights a disturbing shift in responsibility that threatens the safety of American citizens everywhere. But as unnerving as this shift is, we've seen it happen for years.

According to a criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University’s police crime database, only 110 police officers have faced manslaughter or murder charges from on-duty shootings, even though the Washington Post’s police shooting database details that around 1000 people are fatally shot by police annually. As officers learn that the punishments for using excessive force are almost non-existent, the likelihood of more abuses of power occurring undoubtedly rises.

Opponents of repealing qualified immunity frequently cite evidence that it would complicate officers ’ jobs and make them reluctant to act in dangerous situations. There is solid evidence of this, such as in March of 2021, when the Vermont Association of Chiefs of Police interviewed various officers from across the state, and 85% said they’d be reluctant to perform their duties if the state repealed qualified immunity. However, the complications caused by officers going unpunished for abuse of power exceeded the worries about qualified immunity.

Pew Research specifically quantifies that 86% of officers stated that public backlash over notorious incidents of police brutality, rather than a potential legal liability, has complicated their daily duties and made them reluctant to use any force even when it was justifiable. This hesitancy to use force threatens the officers’ safety and can be easily fixed by holding officers accountable for their actions.

My home state of Colorado was the first in the United States to repeal qualified immunity, and even after that decision, cops have received protection from litigation when needed. Officers in Lafayette, Colorado, sent in a dog to detain Adrian Martinez, who had attempted

“

This failure to bring justice is one of many startling examples of how qualified immunity often works more as a shield from any blame rather than a way to protect police officers from bogus litigation.

Photo courtesy of The Marshall Project

A protest against police brutality is held in the street in Aurora, Colorado (2020) following the death of Elijah McClain that occurred a year earlier.

to break into cars earlier, not knowing at the time they caught up to him that he was unconscious since he had hidden in a storage closet. Upon discovering Martinez lying immobile, the officers called off the dog.

Judges ruled in favor of the officers because they were unaware of Martinez’s condition and intervened once they realized.

A massive factor in the court’s decision was the body camera footage from the officers, which points out the importance of other reforms in repealing qualified immunity. Body cameras are a pivotal reform as they protect officers from the frivolous lawsuits that many cops worried would come from repealing qualified immunity. A report from the US Department of Justice found that police officers who wore body cameras were 14% less likely to face citizens' complaints as the footage reduced false reporting.

The most ideal policy action to help protect civilians and officers is to repeal qualified immunity and require body cameras, which holds both parties accountable in their interactions while removing impervious legal barriers to justice. When it comes to answering the Clash’s question, it’s clear that qualified immunity should go.

Contact Carter Mcdonald at mcdocd23@wfu.edu

SPORTS

PAGE 14 THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024

Follow us on X and IG @wfuogbsports OLD GOLD & BLACK

Sean Kennedy, kennsm21@wfu.edu Andrew Braun, brauar23@wfu.edu

Second half woes hurt men's basketball North Carolina's R.J. Davis puts up career-high 36 points in Tobacco Road rivalry SEAN KENNEDY Sports Editor

Sometimes, the opponent just outclasses you.

Men’s basketball (13-6) experienced that feeling Monday night with an 85-63 loss against the No. 3 North Carolina Tar Heels (16-3).

“They might be the best team in the country,” Wake Forest Head Coach Steve Forbes said postgame.

With a raucous crowd at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill and billing on ESPN, the test created a high-profile setting for the Demon Deacons — which they passed for the first 20 minutes.

Hunter Sallis (18pts, 6-13 FG) was the scoring spark the Demon Deacons needed through the first half, scoring eight of the teams’ first 14 points.

Midway through the first half, the Tar Heels separated themselves behind a pair of Jae’lyn Withers (5pts, 7rebs) trips to the line and a handful of Elliot Cadeau (14pts, 7-12 FG) layups. A 10-0 run led Forbes to take a timeout to regroup.

The Demon Deacons came back through a bevy of jump shots from Sallis and Cameron Hildreth (10pts, 7rebs, 5-12 FG). Hildreth has been fighting a lingering arm injury, evidenced by a cast on his right arm. A 14-4 run led to a point where both teams traded the lead, and the Demon Deacons went into halftime up one.

The second half, though, was where the Tar Heels stepped up their game.

Potential ACC Player of the Year R.J. Davis caught fire for the Tar Heels, hitting consecutive 3-pointers.

His ability to score from beyond the arc led him to score four from downtown, en route to a career-high 36 points.

“Some of his shots were just elite level shots,” Forbes said. “RJ Davis is the best player in our league.

He proved that tonight.”

The Tar Heels cleaned up the boards too, out-rebounding the Demon Deacons by double digits (13).

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black

Efton Reid III (4) backs down North Carolina’s Armando Bacot (5) towards the basket. Reid III recorded eight points and seven rebounds in Wake Forest’s loss.

Stanford transfer forward Harrison Ingram (10pts, 4-7 FG) put up 14 defensive rebounds for the Tar Heels, while three-time All-ACC center Armando Bacot (5pts, 2-6 FG) got three on the offensive end to add to seven total.

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black

Kevin “Boopie” Miller (0) holds the ball up against North Carolina guard Elliot ȋʹȌ ȋͷȌǤ ϐ Ǥ

“Ingram struggled in the first [half ],” Forbes said.

“He really got it going in the second half and is a really good player.”

Offensive inefficiency haunted the Demon Deacons, with no player shooting more than 50% from the floor. Despite Sallis’ strong first half, he grew cold as the second half went on. Contrast the Demon Deacons’ weary shooting with the Davis and the Tar Heels’ high efficiency and high volume, and the deficit grew to over twenty points.

3-point troubles didn’t help either as the Demon Deacons shot 3-20 (15%) from beyond the arc.

None of the starters — Miller, Hildreth, Sallis, Reid or Carr — made a single shot from behind the arc.

The trio of 3-point shots made came at the hands of Parker Friedrichsen (3pts, 1-2 FG) and Damari Monsanto (6pts, 2-7 FG), although those points represented the entirety of Wake Forest’s bench points on the night. Monsanto, despite playing 14 minutes on the night, is still nursing a knee injury that he suffered during last season’s game against NC State.

“Damari was on a pitch count,” Forbes said of Monsanto. “We have a big break, so we’ll have to see if he is able to ramp up over the next nine days.”

Despite the loss, Forbes attested to the Tar Heels’ quality on both sides of the ball.

“We got beat by a really good basketball team tonight,” Forbes said. “There are not going to be a lot of teams that are going to come in here and win this year because they really are that good.”

Wake Forest visits the Pitt Panthers at Petersen Events Center on January 31st. Tip-off is set for 7pm on ACC Network.

Contact Sean Kennedy at kennsm21@wfu.edu

Thursday, January 25, 2024 | Page 15

Sports | Old Gold & Black

Men’s Tennis Coach Bresky earns 300th win 0LOHVWRQH YLFWRU\ DOORZV IRU UHÀHFWLRQ RQ KLV LOOXVWULRXV SURJUDP ALEX MOJICA Staff Writer

After earning a 6-1, 6-2 victory on Wake Forest Indoor Tennis Center’s Court 3, senior Luciano Tacchi clinched Wake Forest’s match against East Tennessee State, securing Head Coach Tony Bresky’s 300th-career win at Wake Forest in the process. $OWKRXJK WKH YLFWRU\ UHSUHVHQWHG D VLJQL¿FDQW milestone, it hasn’t been his program’s most impressive achievement since he assumed the head coach position. He’s led the team to a national championship, three conference championships and more program wins than any other men’s tennis coach in Wake Forest history.

The team Bresky inherited in 2011 was far from the consistently-ranked force the men’s tennis team has been under his leadership. Only three SOD\HUV RQ WKH WHDP KDG VLJQL¿FDQW FROOHJLDWH tennis experience. The team ended with a 14-15 UHFRUG DQG ORVW WR 1RUWK &DUROLQD LQ WKH TXDUWHU¿nals of the ACC tournament.

The team made a complete turn-around the next season, going 20-9 overall and 7-3 in conference SOD\ 7KH WHDP ¿QLVKHG 1R LQ WKH FRQIHUHQFH 1R LQ WKH ¿QDO ,7$ UDQNLQJV DQG HDUQHG D ELG to the NCAA championship. After helping the team undergo tremendous growth over just two \HDUV RI OHDGHUVKLS %UHVN\ ZRQ KLV ¿UVW $&& Coach of the Year award in 2013.

Although the Demon Deacons had success at the conference and national level for the next couple years, they turned into a major national force in 2016. The team went 31-6, reached No. 5 in the national rankings and defeated the UniYHUVLW\ RI 9LUJLQLD WR ZLQ WKH SURJUDP¶V ¿UVW $&&

tournament title. The graduating seniors that year, one of the best teams in the nation. In 2019, the ZKR UHSUHVHQWHG %UHVN\¶V ¿UVW UHFUXLWLQJ FODVV DW Demon Deacons won 34 regular season matches, Wake Forest, amassed a record 90 wins and 37 won its second-consecutive ACC championship losses. Bresky won his second ACC Coach of the DQG UHDFKHG WKH ¿QDOV RI WKH 1&$$ FKDPSLRQship.

Year award for his efforts.

Following the shortened 2020 season, the DeDespite being the No. 6 overall seed at the NCAA tournament that year, the Demon Deacons mon Deacons returned to the top of the rankings fell to the No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners in the third LQ WKH VHDVRQ 7KH WHDP ¿QLVKHG WKH VHDVRQ round. The team experienced a similarly disap- ranked No. 9 in the nation with an overall record pointing result the following year, falling in the of 29-7 and a 9-6 record against nationally ranked 1&$$ TXDUWHU¿QDOV GHVSLWH EHLQJ WKH 1R VHHG opponents. The team later fell, however, to No. 35 Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA at the championship.

Tournament.

In 2018, the men’s tennis team had their greatThe most recent teams have similarly built on est season in program history. Wake Forest went Bresky’s list of accomplishments. In the 2022 RYHUDOO ¿QLVKHG WKH UHJXODU VHDVRQ 1R and 2023 seasons, the Demon Deacons went 33-7 in the national rankings, won their second ACC DQG RYHUDOO DQG IHOO LQ WKH TXDUWHU¿QDOV DQG 7RXUQDPHQW WLWOH DQG ZRQ WKH SURJUDP¶V ¿UVW the round of 16 at the NCAA tournament, respecNCAA tournament title. Also of note, two play- tively. ers represented the Demon Deacons in the NCAA 6LQJOHV &KDPSLRQVKLS ¿QDOV 3HWURV &KU\VRFKRV Bresky is looking to add to his already impresrésumé at Wake Forest in 2024. The No. 15 and Borna Gojo. It was only the fourth time in sive Demon started the season with wins tournament history two players from the same over EastDeacons Tennessee State and Elon, seeing the SURJUDP KDG UHDFKHG WKH ¿QDOV team improve to a 47-4 home over the last three &KU\VRFKRV GHIHDWHG *RMR LQ WKH ¿QDO EXW WKH seasons. Most recently, the Demon Deacons fell latter has gone on to have a more successful pro- to No. 6 Tennessee. Still, graduate students Matfessional tennis career. He reached a career high thew Thomson and Tacchi earned victories in 1R $73 WHQQLV UDQNLQJ ODVW \HDU RQ 1RY their singles matches against the Volunteers.

Shortly before then, he reached the round of 16 With a roster stacked with top players, includof the U.S. Open, tallying three wins, including ing No. 7 senior Filippo Moroni and No. 54 a landmark victory over No. 40 Mackenzie Mc- sophomore DK Suresh Ekambaram, Bresky is Donald. He also represented Croatia at the Davis still leading a team that is not only capable of Cup, defeating No. 11 Frances Tiafoe — his best success at the conference and national levels but possesses talent that may appear on the tour in win to date.

Despite the team not reaching the same heights years to come. of its 2018 success, largely due to the departures of Chrysochos and Gojo, they’ve continued to be &RQWDFW $OH[ 0RMLFD DW PRMLDJ #ZIX HGX

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics

Head Men’s Tennis Coach Tony Bresky congratulates a pair of his players. Bresky currently holds the his program’s all-time wins record (301), as well as winning three ACC Championships, four ITA National Coach of the Year awards and a 2018 NCAA Men’s Tennis championship.

Page 16 | Thursday, January 25, 2024

Old Gold & Black | Sports

Offensive woes continue to hold back WBB Demon Deacons fall to No. 15 Notre Dame, continuing 7-game skid since mid-December ANDREW BRAUN Sports Editor

It’s not getting any easier for Wake Forest women’s basketball (4-16, 0-7).

Now 0-7 in ACC conference play aftering losing to No. 15 Notre Dame (143, 5-2) at home on Sunday, the Demon Deacons continue to lose by double-digits as they struggle on offense, ranking last in the conference in scoring.

Freshman guard Rylie Theuerkauf (4 PTS, 2 STL) started for the first time in her college career, scoring early in the first quarter. Leading the team in scoring was once again sophomore forward Malaya Cowles (13 PTS, 3 REB, 1 AST), who went 6 of 7 from the field. Cowles has scored more than 12 points in her last three games and is now shooting 67.5% at home this season.

Wake Forest consistently kept the score within ten points throughout most of the first quarter, despite Notre Dame burying 5-of-9 3-pointers in the first ten minutes alone. But while the Fighting Irish’s attempts from beyond the arc subsided, Wake Forest was unable to connect at the same rate as Notre Dame’s impressive 55.6% 3-point shooting per-

centage.

Between a mix of offensive efficiency and volume, Notre Dame simply outpaced the Demon Deacons through every quarter.

“We gave up too many points in the first half,” Head Coach Megan Gebbia said after the game. “We dared them to shoot the three, and they made them.

They hit double the amount they normally do.”

Despite the struggling offensive numbers, Wake Forest continues to show promise on defense. The Demon Deacons recorded nine steals, above their team average of eight per game, while forcing 16 turnovers — five of which came in just three minutes. Gebbia commended her squad’s defensive effort despite the loss.

“We did a good job of forcing them to turn the ball over, especially in the third quarter,” Gebbia said. “We need to capitalize more on our forced turnovers, and that would have gotten us right there going into the third quarter.”

Even so, the Demon Deacons continue to score less than 60 points per game, the only ACC team to do so.

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics

Guard Kaia Harrison (2) looks to drive against Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo (3). Harrison had six points and three assists in the matchup.

The Demon Deacons will travel for With conference play almost halfway over and three top-25 teams remaining the chance to stop their losing streak on the team’s schedule, circumstances against the Clemson Tigers (8-11, 1-6). can potentially doom Gebbia’s squad to Contact Andrew Braun at the worst record in the conference. brauar23@wfu.edu

ͅͷ Alumnus and Trustee Mit Shah (‘91) donates for Student Experience, Name Image and Likeness Purposes SEAN KENNEDY Sports Editor

and a revamped student experience during basketball games.

“Mit Shah’s generous spirit and passion for excellence continue to inspire the Wake Forest community,” said President Susan R. Wente. “Today’s announcement is further evidence of that commitment.”

Shah has an extensive history of donating to the Men’s Basketball program, most notably as the lead investor for the $12 million Shah Basketball Complex, opened in 2019.

“I’m grateful for Mit’s leadership and foresight to help propel our university forward in a multitude of ways,” Director of Athletics John Currie said. “Specifically, his efforts to help Coach Steve Forbes, our men’s basketball student-athletes and that entire program continues to inspire us all.”

He’s also partnered with former Wake

Forest star and current Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul. Together, they helped create the Chris Paul Family Men’s Amidst a renaissance in the Men’s BasBasketball Clubhouse, with over 6,000 ketball program, more resources have square feet located next to the Shah Basbecome available to Head Coach Steve ketball Complex. The clubhouse opened Forbes thanks to the hands of a former in September 2022. alumnus.

“Any transformational movement must Mit Shah (‘91) has been a prominent have a leader with vision, determination figure in the Wake Forest community and a relentless passion that paves the way for years. Between juggling his position to make success possible,” Currie said. on the University’s Board of Trustees, “Mit Shah is that special leader for Wake his part-ownership of the NBA’s Atlanta Forest basketball.”

Hawks and his position as founder and The most recent donation, made by CEO of Noble Investment Group, he’s Shah in Spring 2023, was announced by represented the prime exemplar of what the University on Jan. 11.

Wake Forest students can accomplish.

“During my tenure as our head coach, Shah’s most recent magic act? A donano one has supported our pursuit of ontion amounting to $5 million — allowing and-off-court success for our student-athfor both the support of student-athletes letes more than Mit Shah,” said Forbes. through Name Image and Likeness (NIL) “I am incredibly grateful to him and all our donors who have contributed to our program’s on-and-off the court success … such as through the Roll the Quad collective, as well as the overall goals for our program.”

The donation also came with the advancement of the student experience when watching home games, including new seating arrangements and a hospitality club for students.

“Our students are a vital part of our home court advantage and we have moved them even closer to the action by expanding the student section courtside,” said Executive Associate AD Barry Faircloth.

“With Mit’s help, and in collaboration with other campus partners, we will soon Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black be unveiling an exciting premium hospiMit Shah (right) has become one of the most visable supporters in all of tality club at the Joel for our students.”

College Basketball. His most recent donation was made in Spring 2023. The new experience debuted before

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics

Shah (left) and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Steve Forbes (right).

Men’s Basketball beat the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday, Jan. 20th. It made a return appearance the next day, as Women’s Basketball took on the No. 15-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

“We are grateful to Mit Shah for his support of this important student initiative and appreciate the partnership with our colleagues in Wake Forest Athletics,” said Vice President for Campus Life Dr. Shea Kidd Brown. “I look forward to the energy and excitement this opportunity will bring to the student section at the Joel.”

The pre-game experience will be offered again when Men’s Basketball returns to Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial (LJVM) Coliseum on Feb. 10 against the Syracuse Orange.

Contact Sean Kennedy at kennsm21@wfu.edu

ARTS & CULTURE OLD GOLD & BLACK

Lydia Derris, derrlf23@wfu.edu James Watson, watsjc22@wfu.edu

PAGE 17 THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024

'Of the Times' celebrates a unique Wake Forest tradition The new exhibit curates 60 years of student art-buying trips CHRISTA DUTTON Senior Writer Thirty-seven student-acquired artworks have found a new home in Hanes Gallery to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Wake Forest’s student art-buying trips.

The art will be displayed in an exhibit called “Of the Times” beginning Friday, Jan. 19. The artwork has been acquired over six decades, beginning with the first student art-buying trip in 1963. There is at least one work from each buying trip on display at the exhibit. Some of the artists represented include Jasper Johns, Keith Haring, Glenn Ligon and Alex Katz.

The student art-buying trip is a storied Wake Forest tradition and the only initiative of its kind in American higher education, according to University Art Collections. Every four years, students selected by Department of Art faculty travel to New York City over spring break to purchase works of contemporary art with $100,000 of university funds. They have only one instruction: buy works that “reflect the times.” The result is a time capsule of an art collection called the Mark H. Reece Collection of Student-Acquired Contemporary Art. This is the first time that university curator Jennifer Finkel has curated the Reece Collection in a gallery space. When curating the exhibit, she thought about including different mediums like prints, paintings and sculptures. She also thought about what kind of artists were represented, wanting to include many different identities.

Students may recognize some of the pieces in the exhibit, as most are normally displayed in the hallways of either Benson University Center or Reynolda Hall.

Finkel previously told the Old Gold & Black about the benefits and challenges that come with displaying art in campus buildings. While it increases accessibility, it often means that the collection lacks contextualization or dialogue with other works.

“The artworks are speaking to the other artworks,” Finkel said brightly as she looked around the Of the Times exhibit.

Photographer Name/Old Gold & Black Christa Dutton/Old Gold & Black

̵ ̶ ̶ ̵ ̶ ̶ Ǥ ̶ ̶ Ǥ Some works in the Reece Collection are so valuable or vulnerable to damage that they are stored away in an off-campus facility to protect them.

Wake Forest art professor Dr. John J. Curley, who is advising the 2024 buying trip, said that the origins of art history as discipline is all about comparison. Like Finkel, he is glad that the exhibit will allow the art to be in conversation.

“Put any two random works of art next to each other and something interesting will emerge,” Curley said.

The 2024 trip Eight students will travel to New York this spring break to continue the tradition. Students prepare for the trip by taking a global contemporary art course and

contemporary art criticism course with Curley. Students also read art publications to research artists, galleries and trends.

The eight students are working to develop a theme to guide their selections. Sophomore Roksanna Keyvan said that events like the COVID-19 pandemic and feelings of displacement are some of the major ideas the group thinks “reflect the times.”

The group is also considering the biography of the artists whose works they purchase with the goal of further diversifying the collection.

“We’re looking for artists that are more ‘low key,’” Keyvan said. “We're not looking for the big names because they're gonna be harder for us to purchase and acquire but also because we want to bring more representation to all the different kinds of works that's being made.”

They are also giving thought to the people who own the galleries they will visit, wanting to purchase from galleries owned by women, people of color and queer people.

Art meets accessibility

A mark of pride for the exhibit is its accessibility.

Descriptions of the art works are available as text transcripts and audio through the Bloomberg Connects app. Visitors who are blind or have impaired vision are also able to experience some of the exhibit’s sculptures by touching 3D models of the art.

Junior Georgia-Kathryn Duncan, a member of the 2024 buying trip who has interned with University Art Collections, presented the idea of 3D models for the exhibit after spending last summer in Venice and seeing similar models at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum.

Duncan worked with Erin Kye, an art installer for the university’s collections, to design the 3D models on Adobe Illustrator and then print them out using 3D printers at the WakerSpace. The models replicate even the smallest details like paint splashes.

“Of the Times” will be open most of the semester, ending March 31. All are welcome to an opening reception on Friday, Jan. 19 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. as well as a guided tour by Curley and buying trip alumni on Christa Dutton/Old Gold & Black Saturday Jan. 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ̶ ϐ ̶ Ǥ Ǥ Contact Christa Dutton at duttcd20@wfu.edu

Arts & Culture | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, January 25, 2024 | Page 18

Spring 2024 Arts Preview Behind the scenes of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ LYDIA DERRIS Arts & Culture Editor

highly distinctive from one another via hair, makeup and costuming “without compromising the authenticity of the period” and encourages the audience to critically observe these details. “[For makeup] we’re going very soft, the younger girls will have a peachier and nude palette, while the mature women, and women that elicit darker feminine energy will don hues of deep red,” Engle said.

There is a certain nostalgia as well, an aspect of revival and modernization that works together uniquely in the period piece. In particular, Regency era works are increasingly resurging in mainstream media. According to Engle, the classic value of the play will be a big draw to audiences. The experience will likely bridge the gap between “Sense and Sensibility” and the popular Netflix series Bridgerton, making this a highly anticipated performance for viewers and actors alike.

“Although these things may have changed their shape a bit, there might be a shift in how certain narratives are conveyed comparable to modern stories, and the conflicts and relationships that play into this setting can feel so removed from contemporary life and culture,” Haara said. “Yet there is a staunch relatability and wit that permeates the production, making it a highly formative experience.”

The production will take place in the Ring theater, where the stage floor has been painted with an ornate gilding that reflects the robustness of the baroque period and evokes imagery of French rocaille motifs. “[The Ring] is a more intimate space in the lower Scales Fine Arts Center,” said Engle.

“You’re closer to the actors and closer to the stage. There’s frequent movement up and down the aisles to invite the audience into the scene, which I think is highly intentional for this performance.”

Wake Forest student body’s engagement has been strong in previous semesters, drawing crowds for Agatha Christie’s “Witness For The Prosecution” and Ally Sheedy’s adaptation of “Turning 15 On The Road To Freedom.” Engle and Haara hope for continued interest and engagement from fellow Wake Forest students in the arts, no matter their academic background.

“This is a really exciting show, I truly hope a lot of Wake Forest students come out and see it, the cast is stacked, the sets are gorgeous.” Said Engle. “From the set design, down to the minute details, the show will be absolutely stunning.”

Since it was established in 1942, Wake Forest’s Department of Theatre and Dance based out of the Scales Fine Arts Center, has been the center of eclectic performing arts programming on campus. Each semester, the department organizes two mainstage productions: one play and one musical. The productions are open to both Wake Forest Students and the local Winston-Salem community. This semester, they have chosen a stage adaptation of “Sense and Sensibility,” a regency-era period piece based on the Jane Austen novel that boasts an intricate set and costume design.

Freshmen Emma Engle and Bennett Haara , who are both involved in the show, shared their perspective on the highly anticipated production. Engle is the hair and makeup designer and Haara plays the role of John Dashwood, the half brother of the play’s two main characters, Elinor and Marianne. “[The production] does a good job of portraying the intricacies of life in England during this era, particularly its aristocratic high society,” Haara said. “John’s depiction also manages to highlight how the politics and social niceties of the era can be especially cutthroat.”

For both Engle and Haara, huge amounts of work will go into ensuring that their roles paint the most vivid and accurate illustration of the Regency era, which generally refers to the early 19th century in Britain when George IV served as Prince Regent.

“Regency era aristocracy [historically and as depicted by Jane Austen] has so many moving parts and can be particularly vicious and simultaneously so witty,” Haara said, For Engle, research folders and color palettes are arranged and compiled through deep dives into the period’s beauty standards and close attention to the play’s general ambiance.

“Regency era hair consists of a lot of face framing curls; it’s significantly simpler than the subsequent chignon styling of the Victorian period. Older women will wear bonnets,” Engle said.

Costuming will follow the distinctive fashion trends for the nobility of the Regency era. For women, dresses featuring square necklines were in vogue. Dresses were often made of voile and muslin fabric and featured short puffed sleeves, departing from the elaborate sleeves of the previous century. Key elements of men’s attire will include tailcoats, breeches or trousers, waistcoats, cravats and the iconic top hat.

Contact Lydia Derris at Engle says that characters will be derrlf23@wfu.edu

Coming attractions: RiverRun Film Festival LYDIA DERRIS Arts & Culture Editor

volunteer screeners who sort through the films and ensure that each film is watched. The screeners submit a “report card” of sorts that not only reviews the content of the film but the quality of the filmmaking itself.

Screeners grade the technical factors in the scorecard’s rating of sound, color correction and various other aspects.

“We have a legacy of hosting audiences that ask exceptional questions,” Davis said. “Within the filmmaking community, we are known as a very friendly festival, both due to the filmmakers and the festival organizers.

There’s a strong reputation for hospitality.”

Pitchfest, an event that occurs within the first three days of the festival, will be held again this year. College and university students working on documentary films stand before a panel of judges and pitch their films or films in progress. The judges are often industry executives and producers, and the most successful pitches receive funding.

“The quality of films we receive has been exponentially increasing,” Davis said. “We are now in a place where we are now turning down films that we would have accepted five years ago.”

RiverRun hosts panels following showings, now a common festival feature, which are open to the public.

Davis encourages students to come out and educate themselves further — not only on the world of film but also all of the multiple disciplines of study represented and reimagine through visual media.

“Something unique about this festival is that we received a grant to enhance our BIPOC programming,” Davis said. “[We] awarded a fellowship to Fatima Wardy, a Sudanese writer-director, to coordinate and organize a segment of their festival that really focuses on one aspect of BIPOC programming.”

Many of Winston-Salem’s inhabitants are unaware that it is home to one of the most lauded film festivals in the Southeastern United States. Founded in 1998, RiverRun International Film Festival occurs annually each spring — and this year it will take place from April 18-27.

RiverRun is an Academy-Awardqualifying festival in two of its categories. This means that the films that win in the qualifying categories are automatically considered to be on the preliminary Oscar film list in their respective category.

Rob Davis, executive director of the RiverRun International Film Festival, provided some insight on the legacy of the festival and its roots in North Carolina as well as the upcoming showings for this spring. He also detailed the film selection process.

“RiverRun film festival was founded in Brevard, North Carolina, and it was struggling in its early years,” Davis said. “The festival’s name was coined because Brevard is located on the banks of the French Broad River that runs through Asheville, North Carolina.”

Then-dean of the North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking Dale Pollock felt that Winston Salem needed a film festival to complete its arts offerings. RiverRun was amicably relocated to the City of the Arts in 2003 in a grand effort to keep the festival alive.

“RiverRun has a strong legacy in presenting exceptional films, both documentary and interpretive, both short and feature-length as well as animated film,” Davis said, emphasizing how the festival supports local filmmakers.

This year, RiverRun received its largest number of submissions to date.

The festival received 1,924 films by their submission deadline of Dec. 15. Contact Lydia Derris at They have a programming team and derrlf23@wfu.edu

Photo courtesy of Yes! Weekly The 26th annual RiverRun Film Festival is an internationally aclaimed event that many Wake Forest students are unaware of.

Arts & Culture | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, January 25, 2024 | Page 19

Seeing beyond ‘Saltburn’s` sex scenes VIRGINIA NOONE Opinion Editor This review contains spoilers.

Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn” transports viewers to an early 2000’s English castle where Oliver, played by Barry Keoghan, spends an unforgettable summer with his aristocratic classmate Felix, played by Jacob Elordi. The film offers an intricate plot line that slowly unravels itself through unpredictable twists and turns — all of which were left impressively unspoiled by the film’s trailer.

Fennell crafted highly unlikeable and unrelatable characters that still managed to garner sympathy from the audience. Planted within the film are brilliant Easter eggs that foreshadow Oliver’s strategic journey to wealth and produce allusions to classic literature, as well as an honest evaluation of ultra-wealth and class consciousness.

Unfortunately, much of this has been overshadowed by three “shocking” sex scenes that the internet and viewers simply cannot seem to get over.

There is validity to the argument that television and movies have recently been pushing the envelope a bit too far where graphic, sexual content is concerned. There is also validity to many artists’ belief that filmmaking is inherently an artform and should be treated as such: unconfined by barriers and granted the space to be provoking.

I offer another perspective — as someone who loves movies and finds the majority of graphic scenes distasteful, graphic and unorthodox scenes have the potential to intensify the film’s cinematic language in a raw form accomplished uniquely by cinema if the action serves a sincere purpose in the narrative that could not be as effectively portrayed through dialogue.

Each of “Saltburn’s” three scenes that broke the internet, leaving viewers shocked and even appalled, were crucial to either portraying the se-

to the point of madness. The movie begins with Oliver asking himself if he was in love with Felix and, in his final monologue, he admits that he had loved Felix. Fennell and Keoghan wanted Oliver’s character to portray something more intense than love — obsession.

When Oliver watched as Felix spent time alone in the bathtub and then proceeded to slurp the remaining excrement before it disappeared down the drain forever, no one was watching.

His actions were not prompted by furthering his plan in any way. In fact, risking being caught in the act would have arguably been detrimental to Photo courtesy of FilmSpeak his goal. He did it because he couldn’t help himFelix Catton (Jacob Elordi), pictured above, is the source of violent, self — he was a man obsessed.

In the same vein, Oliver’s expressive grief and ȋ Ȍ ϐ Ǥ actions at Felix’s gravestone solidify his unreverity of Oliver’s obsession with Felix or strength- they physically feel or how “cold-blooded” they quited obsession with Felix as no one was there ened Fennell’s cinematic style. are as they continually take in the helpless and to witness his grieving. No one was there that needed to be convinced of Oliver’s loyalty to his unfortunate to only discard them later.

The “Vampire Scene” Oliver’s interaction with Venetia demonstrates slayed friend as he was entirely alone. Keoghan how, in attempting to take their fortune, he must took Oliver’s grief and obsession and portrayed To fully comprehend the scene that takes place out-vampire the vampires by seducing them into it through a display of raw emotion expressed outside Oliver’s window between himself and Ve- trusting him one by one. By the end of the film, it through a sexual act. This scene was actually netia where he gives her oral sex despite it being a becomes clear that Oliver is the ultimate vampire. not in the original script and was improvised by Keoghan himself as he wanted to see how far “bad time of the month,” as she delicately puts it, we need to understand that Fennell views “SaltThe “Bathtub Scene” and the “Graveyard he could push the boundaries of his character’s obsession. burn” as a vampire film.

Scene” There are a lot of wonderful details to digest “Saltburn” is a vampire film in the same sense that “Taxi Driver” is classified as a western film The most revelatory plot twist arrives at the and analyze in “Saltburn.” You would be amiss genre-wise despite taking place in New York City end of the film when Oliver recounts to a dy- if you were not to appreciate the brilliance of the and being utterly cowboy-hatless. Genres are ing Elspeth that every coincidental tragedy that film and instead chose to fixate on three scenes characterized by themes and archetypes rather afflicted her family was in fact an intentional, in the most literal, immature way possible as a than the literal usage of cowboys or vampire fangs. strategic move carried out personally by himself. viewer. As for the limits on what R-rated conFundamentally, the concept of vampirism is From prompting his first conversation with Felix tent is becoming acceptable in popular films, the idea that abnormal people are disguised seam- by piercing his bike’s tire to each family member’s it is crucial to view the scenes critically and dislessly within our society but, in their true form, eventual death, every step he took was another tinguish between what is necessary and tasteful do not possess the same human characteristics move in his elaborate chess game and entirely versus what is being shown gratuitously merely and instead aim to suck the lifeblood out of the necessary for the plan to succeed — with the ex- to solicit a shock factor. innocent by seducing them with the facade of ception of two scenes. charm and often wealth. Throughout the film, Although Oliver’s friendship with Felix had Contact Virginia Noone at Felix’s family repeatedly mentions how “cold” ulterior motives, he became enamored with Felix noonvc21@wfu.edu

‘Wonka’ welcomes viewers back to a world of pure imagination ALLY WERSTLER Staff writer The first time I watched “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” as a four-year-old, I was mesmerized and terrified by Gene Wilder’s enchanting yet haunting presence. By the time I was in the third grade, it had become routine for me to watch the film every day after school; one might say that I had become hypnotized by Wilder’s ingenious performance. It’s safe to say that the movie was a staple of my childhood and still brings me to tears, especially when I hear the iconic song “Pure Imagination.”

I can’t express how important Wilder, one of my favorite actors, and this film, one of my top movies to date, are to my love of creative cinema.

I cannot say the same about Tim Burton’s 2005 adaptation “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” as Johnny Depp’s dumpster fire performance left me with a fear of bob haircuts for many years (yes, you read that correctly).

So, when “Wonka” — the origin story of the titular character — was originally announced in 2021, I was quite skeptical despite the reputable Paul King (of “Paddington” and “Paddington 2”) being signed on as the project’s director. Two years later, “Wonka” is finally in theaters and to my pleasant surprise, I am impressed with the newest installment in the Willy Wonka universe.

Now, before I start my official review of “Wonka,” I need to highlight the controversial legacy of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s” creator Roald Dahl. Dahl (1916-1990) was a British children’s author who penned many infamous tales, including “Matilda” and “The BFG.” Many of his works have been reimagined into musicals, movies, television shows, and plays. Although he wrote stories that are loved

by children and adults throughout the world, he has a complicated history that is shrouded with antisemitism and racism.

My intention in promoting this film is not to endorse Dahl’s name but to instead focus on the wonderful piece that Paul King and company have produced. If you would like to learn more about Dahl’s complicated history, I highly recommend reading this article from Time magazine. As a Jew myself, I have struggled with separating Dahl’s art from Dahl himself. As such, I would also urge readers to check out this article

by Kveller, which details how Jewish actors Gene Wilder and Timothée Chalamet have defied Dahl’s antisemitism through their portrayals of Willy Wonka.

“Wonka” stars Timothée Chalamet and has a celebrity-studded cast that includes Olivia Coleman, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Mathew Baynton, Matt Lucas, Rowan Atkinson, Sally Hawkins, Hugh Grant, Tom Davis, Rakhee Thakrar, Jim Carter, Natasha Rothwell and Rich Fulcher. Calah Lane also makes her impressive film debut by portraying Wonka’s reliable friend Noodle. Everyone in the cast brings a sense of childlike wonder to “Wonka,” thus allowing this charming and colorful story to come to life.

However, there is one sore spot in the casting, as Hugh Grant as the Oompa Loompa was one of the worst parts of the film.

Although he makes minimal appearances, Grant still finds a way to ruin every one of his scenes with poor acting and a sour attitude. While the rest of the cast seems to be having the time of their lives, Grant constantly sports an annoyed expression that sadly rains on “Wonka’s” parade.

Luckily, Chalamet’s performance is as sweet and magical as Wonka’s chocolate. Chalamet does a fantastic job portraying Wonka’s curiosity but does not encapsulate the darker side of the candy

man that we see in Wilder’s performance and the original book by Roald Dahl. I believe that this is more of a script issue than a fault of Chalamet, as the dialogue does not give the actor the chance to explore the darker side of Wonka.

Based on this origin story alone, I have a very hard time believing that Willy was willing to murder children just twenty years after this film’s events. I am very curious to know what happened between “Wonka” and “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” that caused this optimistic kid to become the madman that we all know and love. Who can forget that terrifying monologue in the riverboat that has scarred every child who has watched the film. Despite this script issue, I cannot stress enough how good Chalamet is in this role, and, I have to admit, his performance got some tears out of me during the final minutes of the film.

Not just anyone can capture the pure imagination that is Wonka’s world, but Paul King certainly delivers with his excellent directing. The dreary colors of reality contrast beautifully with Wonka’s whimsical dreams of chocolate trees and candied teacups. King certainly pays homage to the original film but not in a blatant and cheesy manner that moviegoers often see at the theater nowadays. Instead, the nods are respectful and act as tools to thoughtfully demonstrate the timeliness of the original film. Furthermore, King’s usage of humor is poignant and genuinely hilarious. There are even some political jokes that would have gotten a good chuckle out of the great Gene Wilder himself.

Sadly, “Wonka,” like many of today’s movies, sometimes relies on computer-generated images (CGI) that are neither believable nor enchanting.

Although the film partially resorts to these emotionless effects, there is still some charm to be seen in some spectacular scenes that will surely

take one’s breath away.

“Wonka” is also similar to “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” in the sense that they are both musicals. I adore a good musical, and I’m delighted to report that I loved every song in “Wonka.” Each unique and clever tune in “Wonka” builds off of the other to create a catchy playlist that any movie musical fan can get behind. I was not only blown away by Chalamet’s singing prowess but also that of Calah Lane, who did an excellent job at hitting her emotional beats in one of my favorite songs of the movie “For a Moment.”

One of the hardest things to accomplish in a movie musical is to make the singing scenes visually interesting. “Wonka” takes the challenge and passes the test with soaring colors, as the film’s cinematography completely engages the audience by masterfully blending the incredible choreography with its catchy tunes. I am forever grateful to Paul King for allowing my inner musical theater nerd to come out during “Wonka.”

So, is “Wonka” perfect? Well, it sure does come close to it, as I was certainly enchanted from beginning to end by King’s masterful worldbuilding, Chalamet and company’s charming performances and the scrumdiddlyumptious soundtrack. The only attributes holding me back from giving it a perfect score were Grant’s lackluster performance, the absence of Willy’s darker side and the lessthan-ideal CGI. The positives greatly outweigh the negatives in the case of “Wonka” and presents audience members with a golden ticket to unlocking the best parts of their childhood.

Contact Ally Wrestler at wersaj21@wfu.edu

Thursday, January 25, 2024 | Page 20

Arts & Culture | Old Gold & Black

Ins & outs: 2024 Senior writer Prarthna Batra shares what’s hot and what’s not in the new year PRARTHNA BATRA Senior Writer

Ins: Reneè Rapp Bows Your mom jokes Romance books Self-care walks Natural nails Making Instagram casual again Reusable water bottles Taking the effort to pronounce names Physical photos Grandma lifestyle Cutting toxic people out Pit frozen lemonade Barbie aesthetic Daily sweet treat time Handwritten notes Throwing Dog Birthday parties

Google calendar invites Backpacks Using emojis in texting YOUTUBE Reddit Daily solo dance party Fruit Loops Coloring books Not listening to trends Gracie Abrams Live music Being nice to strangers Smiling at everyone you pass Holding the door open Color-coded laundry Winter break rotting Lego

Outs: Joe Alwyn ( I’m a Swiftie ) Unnecessarily long skincare routines Fast Fashion TikTok Shop Mindless scrolling Keeping streaks on Snapchat Going insane for a Stanley cup Over consumerism Not having a physical planner Skipping meals 'HOD\HG ÁLJKWV Group Projects Toxic friends Capitalism Vaping Overpriced groceries Staying up past midnight

Meaningless tattoos Threads Twitter Drinks that have weird textures Non-fun cereals Gatekeeping Sad beige mom aesthetic Changing your whole life because Tiktok said so Judging people’s music tastes Acapella Being mean Being cold Gloomy days Microwaveable food Only digital memories Not folding laundry Not making your bed every morning Contact Prarthna Batra at batrp22@wfu.edu

The Crossword EVAN LIPETZ Staff Writer

Across 1. Boeing products 5. A singular cigarette informally 9. Sports org. for Federer and Nadal 12. A singular large container for storing wine 13. Spiritual guide 14. Odd, miscellaneous 15. Albanian long distance runner 16. NIH Report Deliverable Submission [abbr.]

17. A singular boob, informally 18. Used to measure 20. An electric unicycle [abbr.]

21. A destructive mudflow

22. Aluminium Nitride 23. Vegetable of Pisum Sativum 25. University of Georgia [abbr.]

27. College, for short 28. Grain popular amongst Ashkenazi Jews 29. Carolinian Pirates University [abbr.]

30. Covering tool 31. Standard issue Soviet grenade [abbr.]

32. St. Augustine’s University, NC [abbr.]

33. Organization for women related to people who fought in the American Revolution [abbr.]

34. A sloping position 35. MLB team named after mountain

range 40. An array of colors 41. Multiple disc jockeys 42. Exaggerated dismissal 43. Money machine, for short 44. Cow goes ___ 45. Civil rights law that protects people with disabilities 46. Professional basketball league 49. Rotations per minute [abbr.]

50. Noah’s boat in the bible 51. Seconds, for short 52. US govt. Cipher that protects classified information [abbr.]

53. To wear down into smaller fragments

55. An operation, for short 57. To not do something yet 59. The German “a” 60. Emptiness 62. A singular distinguished gentleman 63. Multiple number generators 64. Publisher of studies of nutrition and food safety [abbr.]

65. Lake, in Spanish 66. Multiple Saints [abbr.]

67. Charlotte or Baltimore 68. Phoenix basketball team

Down 1. A black-spotted cat 2. In a fair manner 3. North African dish cooked in pot of same name 4. “Now!” 5. Not get any younger 6. A specialized administrative unit 7. National language of Pakistan 8. Adjective for someone who weight lifts 9. 1988 sequel movie starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli 10. Three-cornered shape 11. 2019 NFL Champions 14. Act aimed at assisting older Americans [abbr.]

19. Long-shafted weapon 21. Boy 24. Home of the Galapagos 26. Bordeaux province 32. “Help” [abbr.]

33. How a Spaniard might say two 34. Knockout [abbr.]

35. San Diego’s former NFL team 36. To print more copies than the competitor 37. Arctic rodent 38. Tennis player who has won the most grand slam titles 39. A team’s guide 44. Angry 45. To help someone 46. Bahamian capital 47. Not-cancerous 48. Out-of-this-world MLB team 54. Nintendo console [abbr.]

56. Latin for “polish, smooth” 58. Association for American lawyers [abbr.]

61. Homemade goods [abbr.]

Contact Evan Lipetz at lipeek22@wfu.edu