2.25.19- Fourth Estate

F O U RT H E S TAT E February 25, 2019

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

CELEBRATING BLACK EXCELLENCE page 15

Volume 6 Issue 16

MEXICAN DRUG WAR RESEARCH News page 04

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CAREER TO REMEMBER Sports page 09

FILM ARTISTS MIXER

Culture page 17

DON’T BE FOOLED @ivestate | gmufourthestate.com

Opinions page 18

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02.25.2019

FOURTH ESTATE

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

ALEXANDER SHEDD Editor-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

BASMA HUMADI Managing Editor IZZ LAMAGDELEINE Copy Chief

Dear Patriots, It’s that time of year when the weather is as unpredictable as getting a parking spot in Shenandoah. This is the NoVA charm: you can get all four seasons in one week.

This semester feels busier than most, between the robots scurrying around every corner to there being far fewer corners due to arbitrary construction fences. However, Spring Break is coming up soon, giving us all a much needed break.

This issue is important for us, as we are finally starting our partnership with NOVA Community College. This exciting venture will be great for both of our schools and add a lot of diverse content in future issues.

Also in this issue, look for our coverage of the Black Excellence Gala in Culture, Mason’s partnership with PARC in News, a look at profiles of two senior Women’s Basketball players in Sports and a variety of interesting takes in Opinions.

And, as always, reach out to us at masonfourthestate@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments.

Sincerely,

DANA NICKEL News Editor ABIGAIL ADCOX Assistant News Editor MONICA ECHOLS Culture Editor HAILEY BULLIS Assistant Culture Editor CHRIS KERNAN-SCHMIDT Opinions Editor NATALIE HEAVREN Sports Editor DOMENIC ALLEGRA Assistant Sports Editor LAUREN SULLIVAN Investigative Editor

Alexander Shedd

KRISTEN TALMAN GMU Korea Coordinator

Editor in Chief

ALLIE THOMPSON Photo Editor

We are always recruiting volunteers for: - WRITERS - VIDEOGRAPHERS - ILLUSTRATORS - COPY EDITORS - PHOTOGRAPHERS

For all inquiries, please email: masonfourthestate@gmail.com

Last Issue’s Corrections: “The Week in Politics” on page 5 mislabeled the week dates from Monday, Feb. 4 through Friday, Feb.8. They should be from Monday, Feb. 11 through Friday, Feb. 15.

The following sentence from the Opinion piece, “Lt. Gov. Fairfax asks for due process, but what process is due?” was changed online to read, “It is a recognition that the awesome powers of the State to take away someone’s freedom must be constrained.” The published version shifted intent so as to read “It is a recognition of the awesome powers of the state to take away someone’s freedom, and must be constrained.“ Another sentence from the same Opinion piece was changed back online to read ““Our state representatives can and should impeach over credible allegations—those made by individuals with no incentive to lie, whose narratives comport with existing knowledge of the facts, and that aren’t unequivocally disproven by the accused’s presentation of evidence—alone.”

George Mason University Mail stop 2C5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, Va. 22030 Phone 703-993-2950

LIZ ELKIND ZARA FAROUK SARAH LURIA BEN STOVNER Copy Editors

Fourth Estate is printed each Monday for George Mason University and its surrounding Fairfax community.

The editors of Fourth Estate have exclusive authority over the content that is published.

There are no outside parties that play a role in the newspaper’s content, and should there be a question or complaint regarding this policy, the Editor-in-Chief should be notified at the email provided.

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ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE Art Director BILLY FERGUSON Online Director LAURA SCUDDER Social Media Editor DOMINIQUE BERNARDINO Multimedia Editor EMMETT SMITH Distribution Manager KATHRYN MANGUS Director DAVID CARROLL Associate Director JASON HARTSEL Assistant Director

COVER PHOTO CREDITS Vijay Iyer / Fourth Estate

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STUDENT DEBT AT MASON Spiros Protopsaltis discusses current trends and offers advice to students IZZ LAMAGDELEINE COPY CHIEF

Now Protopsaltis is an associate professor at Mason, as well as the director for the Center for Education Policy and Evaluation, with much published research on the issues that college students can face in battling debt.

He believes that even as college becomes more and more expensive, it is still a decision that greatly helps students—as long as they choose the right school.

“The headline is that we have a student debt problem, and that is absolutely true,” he said.

“The thing is, though, that once you

look behind the headlines and you dig into the numbers, it’s a more nuanced story.”

according to a facts sheet made by the Office of State Government Relations Contacts.

With a full-time credit load at Mason currently costing in-state students $4,530 per semester, plus all the other expenses that a student has to cover including housing, food, gas and many others, thousands of dollars of debt can come with graduation and a diploma.

“There is a problem with student

to the bottom as far as I’m concerned, in terms of, ‘Charge as much as you can, and offer the cheapest education that you can in order to expand your

m

The average amount that a student owes in debt is $37,172, a $20,000 increase from the amount students borrowed in 2005, according to a CNBC article published in 2018.

Roughly one-fourth of all Americans have to pay off debt that is related to their student loans.

Protopsaltis believes that students should not be afraid of the amount of debt that higher education can leave them with. As long as the debt is for an education that will give students a good future, he believes it is an investment that will help them later on in life.

An article MarketWatch published Feb. 9 mentioned that that Protopsaltis commented in a panel session hosted by the Education Writers Association about how students who drop out of college are the ones who often struggle with debt.

In 2016, the amount of Mason students who defaulted on their student loans was 2.1 percent.

Nationwide that year, the rate was more than triple that, at 7.3 percent for four-year public institutions,

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

However, the current administration appears to be going against the way of progress on issues such as the amount of funding that the Pell Grant receives,

receive Received Received

student debt because college costs are out of control, there is no doubt about that,” Protopsaltis said. “But what we don’t want to do is to scare people away from taking student loans to finance education.”

Student loans are the main way that most students can afford college. The financial aid system is moving farther away from grants and scholarships toward loans, with Forbes Magazine calculating that tens of millions of borrowers owe more than 1.5 trillion dollars in debt.

The Pell Grant, a need-based grant given to students who need it the most and described by Protopsaltis as the “bedrock of the federal financial aid system,” only gave a maximum of $6,095 per student for the 2018-2019 school year and estimates giving $6,195 for the 2019-2020 year enough to cover only a sliver of the expenses that college students face.

“We need to strike a much better balance and make sure that grants are as available and as generous [as possible] and keeping up pace with inflation,” Protopsaltis said. In 2016, 28 percent of Mason students received support from Pell Grants.

as well as the type of regulations that the U.S. Department of Education oversees. They have proposed to roll back Obama-era regulations, such as gainful employment and borrower defense. The current administration has also recommended that accreditation status be given back to the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, which the Obama administration previously had stripped away.

“And I think that it’s very reckless,” Protopsaltis said. “I think it’s misguided, and I think that it’s very, very important to push back on this deregulation because it ignores the facts. It ignores the evidence. It fails to recognize that the problems that we’ve seen in the past … have been largely the result of deregulation that has occurred in previous administrations.”

Protopsaltis also thinks that poor-quality schools will begin aggressive marketing and recruiting, which could hurt the higher-education system as a whole.

“All the indications are that they’re going to go back to the old ways of doing things, and they’re going to continue to pursue sort of like a race

margins and make a quick buck,” he said.

Protopsaltis advised prospective students to do their homework before picking a college to ensure that they are attending the best one for them, one that is not predatory in nature and will prevent them from ending up in debt for years to come.

When asked about students who might not have as much access to information about colleges, such as first-generation students who might have to navigate the process alone, he said that schools should start giving more information about the process earlier instead of in the latter end of high school.

As for the student-debt crisis overall, Protopsaltis believes that this is a problem that can greatly harm students and their ability to make significant financial decisions beyond college, such as buying a house.

“There are very dire consequences for students when they are unable to pay back their debt,” he said. “This is something that needs to be taken very, very seriously and has significant consequences.”

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

When Spiros Protopsaltis was the deputy assistant secretary for higher education and student financial aid in the Obama administration, he helped to expand students’ access to incomebased repayment. He also helped to provide students with information about picking the right college through the college scorecard and expanded regulations toward predatory schools that saddled students with student debt.

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02.25.2019

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MASON PROFESSOR RESEARCHES MEXICAN DRUG WAR

US-Mexico relations expert Dr. Correa-Cabrera on her interest in the Mexican Drug War SABIHA BASIT STAFF WRITER

crime,” Correa-Cabrera said. “I interviewed migrants and people by traveling to Central America and experiencing first-hand those issues.”

Correa-Cabrera initially worked for the Mexican government in both the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Culture. She came to the United States to further her education and pursue a master’s degree.

“Being close to Washington combined my field of research with policymaking,” Correa-Cabrera said. “The reason why I came to [the] Schar School of Policy and Government is because they describe the program as that, policy in action.”

“[After] I studied at a master’s program, I thought starting a Ph.D. would help further the change I wanted to do,” Correa-Cabrera said.

“I saw an opportunity to serve society in a better way by finishing my Ph.D. to inform [people] about social issues.”

Correa-Cabrera worked at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and was able to research drug trafficking, human trafficking and U.S.-Mexican border relations.

The start of the drug war sparked Correa-Cabrera toward a career dedicated to studying and researching the situation she saw unfold.

“I was able to apply for a grant to study human drug trafficking and organized

Correa-Cabrera chose to become a professor at Mason, specifically at the Schar School of Policy and Government, for a number of reasons.

Correa-Cabrera Mexico border before coming spending some Correa-Cabrera policy making.

lived on the U.S.in El Paso, Texas, to Mason. After time working there, found herself set on

Just a few months after CorreaCabrera first arrived in El Paso, she was thrust into a difficult situation.

“After I arrived, a consultation between two violent groups was taking place,” Correa-Cabrera said. “People were killed, dismembered, kidnapped, and these massacres [happened] a few miles from where I was living. So, I decided to explain what was going

on, because it was too close [to my home].”

Living so close to the border, with Mexico about a 15-minute walk away, meant Correa-Cabrera heard and experienced many horrifying moments.

“International bridges were closed,” Correa-Cabrera Carrera said. “We

PHOTO COURTESY OF WILSONCENTER.ORG

One knowledgeable and distinguished Mason professor is working to educate students and conduct research on the ongoing Mexican drug war. Dr. Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera is a professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government specializing in U.S.Mexico relations, including the war.

used to listen to the shootings, [and they] would go on for hours. During [the] time the consultation started, the Mexican president had declared a war on drugs. [The drug lords] kidnapped some of my students and

[their] parents.

“To make sense of what I was experiencing, I tried to understand it,” she said.

“The issues that I was doing research on became important to the United States,” Correa-Cabrera said. “Being part of a community of policymakers would help others [with] policymaking. The location and ambition of [the] Schar School [was very well-suited to] my goals.”

The start of the drug war sparked Correa-Cabrera toward a career dedicated to studying and researching the situation she saw unfold.

“I started looking at the problem and [focusing] on drugs, and in the end, I found different things,” CorreaCabrera said. “I [initially] talked about big corporations profiting from human misery and human tragedy. In the end, this changed my view. I found people. ...that were killed. I forgot about the drugs and started looking at how some profits function from human tragedy.”

Correa-Cabrera expressed the importance of understanding the Mexican Drug War from a humanitarian perspective, as the war is not only about drugs.

much more complex [than] what the mainstream media say,” CorreaCabrera said. “There are human beings affected and we have to see things in a different way. We have to start thinking about these narcos. This is about good and bad people, about bad people that sell drugs to good people that are addicted.”

“If we [only] believe this is about drugs and bad people, we [are] going to promote the continuation of it,” Correa-Cabrera continued. “If we continue to go after the drug lords, the violence will continue to increase. We have to think about poverty and why people get into illegal business, and address inequality.”

In the end, Correa-Cabrera believes it is critical for students to understand the importance of staying up-to-date on politics and international affairs.

“Students are the future of this world,” Correa-Cabrera said. “They [will] participate in … the private sector, government or civil society. They need to know what is happening, because they will be able [to] contribute much better and make better decisions in the areas where they will be developing.”

“We have to understand that this is

MASON PARTNERS WITH PARC FOR DEFENSE RESEARCH Mason, along with the Xerox-owned PARC, has secured a research contract from the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA).

The contract is for the Secure Configurations for the Internet of Things (IoT) based on Optimization and Reasoning on Graphs, or SCIBORG. It is a part of DARPA’s Configuration Security Program, or ConSec. “The ConSec program seeks to develop a system to automatically generate, deploy, and enforce configurations of components and subsystems for use in military platforms,” DARPA’s website said. “These configurations should address system vulnerabilities and minimize attack surfaces while maintaining expected functionality and performance.”

“The goal of SCIBORG is to devise fundamentally new approaches to determine security configurations that protect critical infrastructure and IoT-based systems,” a press release by PARC said about the program.

The IoT is defined by Forbes as “the concept of basically connecting any device with an on and off switch to the Internet (and/or to each other). This includes everything from cellphones, coffee makers, washing machines, headphones, lamps, wearable devices and almost anything else you can think of.”

The plan for SCIBORG is to have researchers “ingest per-component configurations and construct graphbased models to capture within-component and between-component dependencies among configuration elements,” according to the press

release.

Essentially, the plan is to detect flaws in the security of military devices that are part of the IoT by reconstructing IoT devices to detect weak points both within and between them that may make the devices and the network vulnerable for a security breakdown due to hacking.

According to Ersin Uzun, PARC’s system sciences laboratory director, “SCIBORG’s approach explicitly encodes constraints on the configuration parameters using graph-based models, allowing us to significantly reduce the actual number of configurations that need to be tested for security and functionality.”

In short, the graph model that SCIBORG is going to use will enable a faster research window by narrowing

MATTHEW HAYES STAFF WRITER

the total number of possible combinations that will be tested by said researchers.

Massimiliano Albanese, an associate professor for Mason’s department of

information sciences and technology is part of the project and will serve, according to PARC’s press release, as a “faculty collaborator” for the SCIBORG project.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEFENSE.GOV

Contract aims to address vulnerabilities in Defense security

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IN THE COMMONWEALTH AND CAPITOL HILL, NEW FACES EXPOSE LEFT’S RIFT ON ISRAEL Conflicting views of Israel are a source of contention in American politics ARJIT ROSHAN CONTRIBUTOR

Shortly after the story broke, Boysko removed her endorsement from Samirah’s Facebook page.

The posts were panned as anti-Semitic, and Samirah issued an apology, stating, “I am so sorry that my ill-chosen words added to the pain of the Jewish community, and I seek your understanding and compassion as I prove to you our common humanity.

Please do not let those who seek to divide us use these words out of context of time and place to accomplish their hateful goals.”

However, Samirah also lamented to The Washington Post that his Democratic colleagues had “succumbed to the extreme-right propaganda machine.”

The scandal came after many recent high-profile controversies regarding the positions of Muslim-American and progressive politicians on Israel.

Congressperson Ilhan Omar (D-MN)—who, along with Congressperson Rashida Tlaib (D-MI.), became the first Muslim women to serve in Congress—stirred similar controversy earlier this month with both her comments on the Jewish state and the pro-Israel American

Affairs

Committee

Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) called for punishment for Omar and Tlaib’s position on Israel.

In a pair of tweets, Omar responded that McCarthy was motivated by the Jewish lobby’s monetary influence, saying, “It’s all about the Benjamins, baby.”

Congressperson Max Rose (D-NY) asserted that her suggestions were “deeply hurtful to Jews” and invoked anti-Semitic stereotypes. Republicans, along with Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) and other Democratic leadership, soon followed in their condemnation. Omar later apologized while reaffirming the “problematic” role of lobbyist groups, including AIPAC. Regardless, both Omar and Tlaib remain firm in their support of the Boycott Divestments and Sanctions movement (BDS) against Israel.

Republican lawmakers have sought to strip Omar of her Foreign Affairs Committee assignment over her support for BDS. Fellow freshman class Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) also publicly criticized Israel’s “occupation of Palestine” on the campaign trail last year and recently came under scrutiny for her self-reported affinity with UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has his own charges of anti-Semitism.

In late January, Women’s March co-chair Tamika Mallory came under fire for her embrace of Black nationalist and Nation of Islam founder Louis Farrakhan, who has been denounced as anti-Semitic by the Anti-Defamation League.

Palestinian-American co-chair Linda Sarsour has been similarly charged with anti-Semitism for statements on Israel.

Those who defend politicians like Samirah and Omar against charges of anti-Semitism often point to the

international community’s repeated condemnation of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. In April 2018, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that 40 Palestinians were killed and 5,511 wounded by Israeli forces during mass protests along the Gaza strip.

In May, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed a resolution to dispatch a commission to investigate the killings.

The United States and Australia were the only two countries to vote against it. In June of that year, the U.S. left the UNHRC over what Nikki Haley labeled “chronic bias [against the state of Israel] and a lack of reform.”

Americans have always been unique in their support for the state. In 2018, Gallup reported that 74 percent of Americans view Israel favorably and 64 percent “sympathize with the

Israelis over the Palestinians.” In comparison, BBC’s 2018 World Service Poll found that 67 percent of the U.K. had a “mainly positive” view of Israel.

Supporters of the state often point to the fact that Israel is the strongest American ally and only true liberal democracy in the region.

However, other western democracies have not refrained from condemning the nation’s human rights record. In 2016, the European Union unanimously adopted a resolution criticizing Israeli settlements in Palestinianoccupied territories.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

Samirah, the son of Palestinian refugees, won the election by a wide margin, even amid recent backlash over past Facebook posts denouncing Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. The posts compared support for Israel to that of the Ku Klux Klan, and went as far as to say that former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon should “burn a million times for every soul [he] killed.”

The story was first reported by alt-right website Big League Politics, which also broke the scandals on Northam and Fairfax earlier this month.

Israel Public (AIPAC).

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKI COMMONS

On Feb. 18, 27-year-old Ibraheem Samirah won the special election for Virginia House District 86, encompassing most of Herndon and just northwest of Mason’s Fairfax campus.

The seat was left vacant by state Sen. Jennifer Boysko, who replaced Rep. Jennifer Wexton when she ascended to Congress in last November’s midterms.

Samirah will be the second Muslim to serve in the General Assembly.

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ENGAGING IN CANDID CONVERSATIONS A “brave space” with room for every voice to be heard

COLLIN COPE STAFF WRITER

The “brave space” model aims to challenge everyone who attends while allowing them to share their views in an environment without judgement.

This model also encourages students to feel welcome in this challenging setting.

Candid Conversations is a new program on campus that focuses on personal growth through connections in one’s community.

Jackson stated that Candid Conversations was created “with a lot of intention and care for the Mason community.”

Candid Conversations is an open dialogue for students and staff who are interested in sharing their views and experiences regarding a variety of topics such as gun control/gun violence, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and reproductive rights/abortion.

Attendees are offered a judgement-free space in which to share these views, with the goal of each attendee walking away with a new perspective on the topic(s) discussed.

Jackson also said, “It was important for us to create a space where we could reframe how we would ordinarily engage in conversations around controversial issues. We wanted to prove that it is possible to have controversy with civility. Additionally, we wanted to make sure that we created a format that was inclusive, interactive and easy for people to replicate in other types of dialogue-centered spaces across campus.”

Andrina Jackson, interim associate director for special diversity initiatives, refers to this environment as a “brave space” and “a space that we intentionally enter with the awareness that we

In addition, Jackson said, “We believe that everyone is an expert when it comes to articulating their lived experiences, opinions, values and beliefs. …[At] Candid Conversations, every

issue counts and every story matters.”

When asked about how students and staff could be better united by this program, Jackson said, “We believe that when we are able to speak truthfully and without the pressure to censor ourselves, then we are able to build more organic relationships that allow us to go beyond the surface level.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKI COMMONS

may be challenged at some level … while actively engaged in that space.”

She continued, “Candid Conversations is where we start the process of engaging in difficult conversations, but we hope participants will feel empowered to keep the conversations going once they leave and return back to their residence hall, classroom, workplace or larger community.”

For students interested in attending a Candid Conversation, there will be another on March 18 with the discussion regarding reproductive rights and abortion in the Johnson Center at George’s. Later events include an April 15 discussion about anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and colonialism in Merten Hall room 1201. Both events will be from 1:00 to 2:15 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKRV

Mason is home to a community of diverse students, who come from many different backgrounds all over the world. With this diversity, Mason students have the unique opportunity to come together with their peers and share their views on a variety of topics affecting the world as well as their own community.

THIS WEEK IN POLITICS Monday, Feb. 18

Tuesday, Feb. 19

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham vows to investigate alleged “bureaucratic coup” against President Trump.

North Carolina’s State Board of Elections conducts hearings into voter fraud in a disputed race in the state’s 9th Congressional District.

Lee Radziwill, Jackie Kennedy Onassis’s sister, dies at 85.

California leads 16 states, including Virginia, in lawsuit against Trump’s national emergency declaration for borderwall funds.

Karl Marx’s tomb in London is vandalized with red paint.

Wednesday, Feb. 20 Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam forgoes visit to Virginia Union University after student leaders ask him not to attend.

Thursday, Feb. 21 “Empire” star Jussie Smollett faces felony charge for allegedly filing a false police report stating he was a hatecrime victim.

Friday, Feb. 22 New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is charged with soliciting sex in Florida day-spa case.

R. Kelly is charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

North Carolina’s State Board of Elections votes to hold new election in the 9th Congressional District amid voter fraud claims.

THE NOVA NIGHT SCRIBBLER

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02.25.2019

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THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OF NOVA ROGER HINCAPIE NOVA CONTRIBUTOR

Because NOVA is such a diverse college, with almost 8,000 students from abroad who have attended classes at the school in the recent years, 30 students can sound like a small number. However, Dr. Scott Ralls, president of NOVA, said, “The CCI Program makes NOVA even more NOVA, providing a higher cultural diversity to the college.”

These students were chosen between thousands of participants from each of their countries to come and spend one academic year studying, learning, sharing their cultures and building mutual understanding between nations.

Through volunteering, internships and leadership development activities, these participants get involved and engaged while learning about American culture.

Another student, Carlos Laverde from Colombia, is a passionate early-childhood education student who has been supporting different educational institutions in the area through his internship while he achieves his certificate. He is highly interested in his country’s education process, and plans to implement a project named CIEL in his home city, Medellin, to assist with additional educational programs that serve the youth from vulnerable populations.

NOVA is one of seven community colleges participating in this exchange program, and the one that hosts the most of the 150 students divided throughout colleges in different states across the country. The CCI program has been occurring for 12 years, and its prevalence is thanks to the positive impact that the participants have on both their host colleges and their communities as they return to their countries. The program helps to build a better understanding between the United States and the nations involved.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROGER HINCAPIE

This year the CCI program, sponsored by the U.S Department of State, has brought students from Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, India, Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa and Turkey to enrich the cultural diversity of NOVA. The students are divided between the Annandale and Alexandria campuses.

campus in the development of a real-life project with the guidance of one of her former professors from the fall semester, Dr. Melvin Murphy.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROGER HINCAPIE

Since July 2018, Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) has been hosting 30 students coming from 12 different countries around the globe as part of the Community College Initiative Program (CCI).

Several of these students have gotten involved and are active with different clubs and activities, supporting many organizations and even organizing events on campus.

One example is Eylul Akboru from Turkey. She has completed already more than a hundred volunteering hours in a wide variety of events and a similar amount of internship hours in two different organizations. Akboru currently helps students in public relations courses at the Annandale

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROGER HINCAPIE

The participants of the program will return to their home countries in May so they can give back to their communities the knowledge they have acquired. They will have finished more than 3,000 hours volunteering and more than 2,250 hours on their internships in which their professional, social and leadership skills will develop while they provide service to their host communities.

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SPORTS

02.25.2019

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SHOOT YOUR SHOT The Trap and Skeet Club shares their experiences of competing together IZZ LAMAGDELEINE COPY CHIEF

“To me it is fun, it’s exciting, it’s something that I’m proud to say I do, and then it’s also a stress reliever,” said sophomore Lindsey Davis, who serves as treasurer of the club. “Just like people who play soccer, for example.

Soccer, it’s just a game, but it means so

much more because it’s something that they’re able to do and it’s something that defines them, and that’s how it is for us.”

Davis has been a member of the club since last year. “I was originally pistol shooting my entire life, and when I wanted to go to college I was just looking into different teams, and I saw the trap and skeet team and I thought, ‘Why not give this a try?,’” she said.

Trap and skeet are two different events that both involve shooting at a clay

target that is thrown out of a machine, scoring points for each shot that is made. The club competes in American trap and skeet, international trap and skeet, sporting clay supersporting and five stand.

The club requires members to practice safe gun handling at all times.

“Our basic rules are you must have basic gun safety skills,” Davis said.

“If you don’t abide by that then we will remove you from the team, and then there are other minor requirements throughout it, but that is our basic requirement to become a team member.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRAP AND SKEET CLUB

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRAP AND SKEET CLUB

Other requirements including communicating properly with the team, being on time for practices and paying the $25 weekly dues that the club requires.

“Basically what every other club on campus would have the basic requirements,” she said.

“Everyone definitely needs to put in the time to be successful,” she said about the time commitment of the club. “If you don’t put in the time, then you can’t improve. And obviously part of our goal is to make sure that everyone can improve to the best of their abilities. ... It’s partially muscle memory, it’s partial learning, it’s … being able to interpret what’s happening on the field and you can’t do that if you’re only practicing one

day a week.”

While shooting is expensive, the weekly dues are required for all members, even the members of their practice squad who cannot commit full-time to the club.

“Shooting is a very expensive sport,” Davis said. “It’s not like football, where you can buy 20 footballs at the beginning of the semester and be good for the rest of the year. Because we shoot ... obviously you’d pull the trigger once and that ammo’s done, you can’t reuse it.

She continued, “Then clays, you break ‘em you have to pay for ‘em.

So our club dues, while they are more expensive than other sports, if you do the math it’s actually a really good deal. [If I were] to go and practice for the same amount a week on my own dime, I’d be paying closer to, let’s say, 200 dollars a week compared to 25 dollars a week.”

In the end, the amount of energy and money that they give to the club has paid off.

“Everyone on this team has improved drastically, from the time they first began to the time that they are now,” she said. “Most of us on the team hadn’t even picked up a shotgun before they joined the team, or not long before. So people usually come to us relatively inexperienced, and

then the team helps provide and bring them closer together and increase their scores.”

For Davis, what she likes the most about the club is the time that she spends with other members of the team. “My favorite part about it is probably the interaction with your teammates and then other teams in the area,” she said.

“We do a lot together, like we’ll have cleaning parties or we’ll go and have scrimmages with other schools, and just being around all these people with completely different majors, ideas, political views, all of that, like we all—you interact with people that you never would have decided to interact with before, so you really get a full well-rounded experience,” she continued.

This year, the club is currently in a year of rebuilding, as several members have moved on from the club due to events outside of their control. The team is currently recruiting more students to join the club.

“Well, many of us graduated or transfered, so we almost started over from scratch this year, … but I’m very pleased with the progress that a lot of us have made,” Davis said. “[Overall] I’m very pleased with what we have done but there is always more work to do.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRAP AND SKEET CLUB

Three practices a week. A week-long national competition. Hundreds of dollars paid in dues. This is all part of what being a member of the Trap and Skeet Club at Mason entails—for the privilege of being able to shoot with the team.

SPORTS

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02.25.2019

9

A CAREER TO REMEMBER

Casey Davis talks growing as a person on and off the court BASMA HUMADI MANAGING EDITOR

“My freshman year I didn’t really talk much at all,” she said. “I kind of sat in the background and only spoke when I was spoken to, and now I would say that I blossomed and communicate well with people and feel confident in who I’m becoming.”

Davis credits basketball for helping her grow on and off the court. Now, she’s a fifth year player as well as a senior leader and senior captain.

It’s a long way coming since she started playing basketball in her hometown, Gambrills, Md., at the age of five, along with a number of other sports like softball and soccer.

As she got older and taller, basketball was the sport that stuck with her most.

She says her parents are the people she looks up to and have supported Davis through the endless basketball practices and games.

“They’ve helped me throughout my whole journey in basketball,” Davis said. “When I was younger, it was mainly ‘Casey has basketball, Casey has this, lets help and support her,’ and I’m really grateful for that. Even now to this day they still support me. I’d still say they’re the number one people who helped me reach my goal, so I really want to do this for them.”

Davis has persevered through it all, even when she endured a stress fracture injury in her sophomore year at Mason. Just as she was coming off of her freshman season and began to get more playing time, Davis had to sit out some games.

“I accepted it,” she said. “I learned a lot, actually, because I was able for the first time [to] just sit on the sideline and watch the development of the team and [see] things you would never notice as a player on the court. So then after that I just had to work back to get back into playing shape so that was

She sees the silver lining and understands how that chapter helped her grow to be a better player.

She added, “But I also got the opportunity to get a fifth year so that was also great, because that allowed me more time to grow as a person and build more relationships with people, because if it wasn’t for my injury I wouldn’t be here now. I think everything happens for a reason and it worked out fine.”

Even this past semester Davis fought another injury in her final year but was able to get through it again, head coach Nyla Milleson mentioned.

“Casey’s just so steady everyday,” she said. “Through her career, there’s been a lot of adversity, she’s fought injuries. Last year with the appearance of Natalie Butler, she had to kind of switch roles and then she had an injury again this year. Through it all, she’s just been really steady. She’s been a great teammate, she’s supported her teammates. She’s done what she needed to do everyday in practice.”

Davis received the Patriot Pride award last year for being an exemplary model for what it means to be a Mason Patriot. This year, she is also standing out as a senior leader.

“It’s still pretty relatively new to me this year, ‘cause this is the only year I’ve been captain so I’m still working and growing towards becoming a better leader,” Davis said. “But I would say the girls respond to me well because I try to lead by example.”

She hopes her teammates learn to always come in with a good attitude, be happy with the opportunity they are getting and be grateful to represent and play at Mason.

One standout moment for Davis that highlighted her experience playing basketball at Mason was back in her freshman year, when the Women’s Basketball team beat Virginia Tech in non-conference play.

“It was really exciting because Virginia Tech is … a bigtime program and we ended up beating them, and it kind of set the tone for the rest of the season,” she said. “I remember after the game in the locker room we all got excited

and hype and were like dancing with the coaches and stuff, and it was just a really great way to start off my freshman year.”

Looking toward the future, Davis hopes to still stay in the basketball realm and look into coaching. She wants to become a graduate assistant in the next two years and get more experience in coaching.

Milleson added, “Casey is just always going to be remembered as that person that came in everyday with a smile on her face. She came in everyday to work. It wasn’t always easy for her. But I think just that constant, knowing you could rely on her, knowing you could

trust her, knowing you could depend on her—that’s going to forever stick in my mind.”

In the future, Davis can be spotted with the Women’s Basketball team at 4 p.m. on Feb. 27 where they will compete against Saint Joseph’s University.

“I’ve been around basketball so long that I don’t really want to leave it,” she said. “I want to make it part of my job when I’m done.”

Ideally, Davis sees herself being a coach for young girls. “I just like how coaches can really impact young people’s lives and I feel like college is a really important time in anyone’s life, but most of the girls come in around 18 and then you leave around 22, 23,” she said. “So, I think it’s really cool to be a part of that experience with them and help them learn as much as they can on the basketball court and off the basketball court. I really like that aspect of coaching.”

During her time playing for the Women’s Basketball team, Davis is most proud of the relationships she’s built with her teammates.

“I can say when I leave here I have lifelong friends, which is awesome, and I’m very fortunate for leaving without any student debt,” she said. “I was given the opportunity, all of it is paid for. Just, being a part of Mason Nation was great. I was here for five years so I guess I got the full experience.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAFAEL SUANES/MASON ATHLETICS

After winning Simon Says at Mason Madness years back, that’s exactly what happened—and reflecting back now, it’s a moment that shows how basketball helped her come such a far way.

hard.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAFAEL SUANES/MASON ATHLETICS

When she first came to Mason, Casey Davis would have never imagined that she would one day be the star in a public dance battle.

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SNOW, SURGERY AND STICKING WITH IT Jewel Triggs reflects on her time at Mason NATALIE HEAVREN SPORTS EDITOR

Jewel Triggs’ basketball story began in Thibodaux, La. when she was just six years old. As most parents do, Triggs’ parents threw her into all kinds of sports including basketball, softball and volleyball.

She would later start running track, only to decide to focus on basketball in 10th grade upon realizing she wanted to play in college Triggs turned her family into a basketball family. While her father did not play sports and her mom played tennis, both of her younger siblings have taken after her.

“Seeing their big sister do everything, [they] wanted to do the same thing,” she said.

Looking for inspiration growing up, Triggs looked up to Candace Parker.

“Candace Parker was my favorite player growing up, especially when she was at Tennessee,” said Triggs. “I had a whole bunch of Tennessee gear and her card signed and all that stuff, just continually watching her.”

She later added, “I still watch the WNBA, she’s still an awesome player, and what she’s accomplished has been awesome as well. I really like Skylar

Diggins[-Smith] too, she’s a really good player.”

always would aggravate the coaches but we didn’t care.”

year, Triggs has been able to make an impact since she arrived at Mason.

Her favorite memory at Mason did not happen on the basketball court, but rather on a trip to the 2015 GCI Great Alaska Shootout. The Louisiana native had never seen snow before.

Triggs’ time at Mason has not been without obstacles. After her freshman year, her doctors told her that she would have to have surgeries on both of her knees. Instead of having her knee surgeries one at a time, Triggs talked to her doctors and they collectively agreed to do both surgeries at once.

“Jewel came in at a time where we were still kind of struggling in our program and we were really looking for growth and for people to come in and develop as leaders, and I think that is one thing that she has done, and it’s not exactly in her personality to be vocal but I think she’s really grown into that role,” head coach Nyla Milleson said. “I think she’s accepted the responsibility of what it means to be a senior and to step up and to have a vocal presence.”

“As soon as we walked out of the airport I just went and jumped in it [the snow], and [made] snow angels and stuff,” she said.

She also said, “[On] a few bus rides coming back from places, we’d bring a speaker and we’d sing and do karaoke every now and then, so we knew that

“It sucked, the first couple of weeks I would say because my knees were completely straight and I had braces and I had to use a wheelchair ... and I basically had to relearn how to bend my knees in a way,” Triggs said. “For the first month I was in my room, I had this machine where I had to put my knee in it and it would bend my knee for me and eventually the bigger range of motion.”

“I mean it sucked but I knew what my goal was, to get back as fast I as I could, so it was every day I was with our trainer Emily, three, four hours a day sometimes just doing rehab, exercises, everything I had to do to get back,” she continued.

“Then especially summer came. I couldn’t jog, I couldn’t do anything like that until we got back to school in like the beginning of September.

That was the first time I could jog, it was really weird at first, but my teammates helped me.”

Triggs, a kinesiology major, hopes to continue her basketball career overseas before going to physical therapy school to become a physical therapist.

“Growing up I’ve always had problems with my knees,” she said. “‘Even in high school I got a little minor surgery, [and I] had to physical therapy for that. Doing that and realizing how physical therapists can help people come back from injuries, and especially in the athletic world I really admired that. When I first came to college, taking the first couple of classes that you take in the kinesiology major, I really liked so I stuck with that.”

Though her role has changed each

“I feel like I’m the one that a few of them know that they could always come to, that person to talk [to], whether it’s about basketball or life or anything, knowing that I’ll always have their back and even though that I’m leaving that I’ll never forget about them,” Jewel said about her impact off the court. “They can always call me, text me whenever and just be that person.”

Milleson agreed.“I think just most importantly Jewel as a person, she’s just one of those that I knew I could count on every day to come in and do her job and she is one of ‘em that I think some days senses if I’m not having a real good day and will check on me,” she said. “We’ve just got a really good relationship on the floor, we’ve got a really good relationship off of the floor and I’m just going to miss that everyday presence that she brings to me.”

When asked what she hopes her players have learned from Triggs, Milleson said, “It doesn’t matter what it is that you’re faced with, you’ve got a role, you’ve got an important role on the team that every day come in and try to be your best and figure out what it is on that particular day, particular game day that you need to do in order to help our team succeed and again I think what Jewel has brought to help change our culture from the minute she walked on campus has been important.”

Triggs and the rest of the Women’s Basketball team will take on Saint Joseph’s University at 4 p.m. on Feb. 27.

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SPORTS

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UPCOMING SPORTS Feb. 27 Men’s BB vs. Richmond 4:00 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs.

SJU 7:00 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAFAEL SUANES/MASON ATHLETICS

March 1 Men’s Volleyball vs. Sacred Heart 7:00 p.m.

Baseball vs. Princeton 2:30 p.m.

Softball vs. Colgate 3:30 p.m.

Softball vs. Albany 6:00 p.m.

March 2

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAFAEL SUANES/MASON ATHLETICS

Men’s Volleyball vs. Sacred Heart 7:00 p.m.

Baseball vs. Princeton 2:00 p.m.

Softball vs. Colgate 1:15 p.m.

Softball vs. Albany 3:30 p.m.

March 3 Baseball vs. Princeton 1:00 p.m.

Softball vs. Albany 1:30 p.m.

Softball vs. Colgate 11:15 a.m.

FACES OF MASON delves into the lives of Mason students, faculty or alumni, and organizations every week. This week we take a close look at student Dominique Arnold, Alumnae Donesha Powell and Jackie Reed, and organization The Forge

INTERVIEWS BY IMANI HOLLOMAN, BASMA HUMADI AND HAILEY BULLIS

S T U D E N T, D O M I N I Q U E A R N O L D What are you studying at Mason?

I am an integrative studies major with a concentration in legal studies. I like history, so I’m getting a minor in that too.

As an artist, what inspired you to join the music industry?

I’ve always loved music. It’s been a part of my life since I was a kid, but I honestly didn’t [start] making music until my friend said [that] he was making a mixtape and I hopped on the track. From there, my love and passion drove me to do more.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DOMINIQUE ARNOLD

How would you describe your style of music?

Kanye has good music … well, I make great music [too].

But seriously, I would say that I make chill hip-hop. Ranging from a slight turn-up [to the music that] might get you in your feelings a little. Just a wide range of hip-hop variety.

Which artists in the industry do you idolize and why?

I don’t like the word ‘idolize’ because you have to remember [that there] are other artists that are just regular people at the end of the day. That being said, I have a lot of respect for Drake and Kanye. Those are definitely my two favorite artists. The type of craftsmanship behind their work is just something to respect, and I love their sound. Definitely would love a track in the future with them.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a career in music?

Hard work pays off, but it is hard work. If you love it, [then] it’s worth it.

Do you have any upcoming projects that Mason students can look out for?

I have two singles [that] I’m dropping soon. An exact release date is not set yet, but expect the [singles] to drop before spring break.

What is your favorite song that you’ve released?

Hmm, that’s tough! I definitely like the rawness of ‘She Know.’ ‘Said It Right’ and ‘Doped Up’ were tough singles.

‘Heartbreaks’ is probably my favorite track out now, but [the] new singles [that] I have coming out might be my favorite.

What is your favorite part about being an artist?

It’s just been a great outlet to express myself. It’s also been a great motivator in pushing me to explore new things and do things I wouldn’t normally do.

What makes your sound unique?

It’s like I have the Krabby Patty Secret Formula, the secret sauce that can’t be replicated.

ALUMNA, DONESHA POWELL Were you always interested in having a career with the federal government?

I’d initially planned to follow in the footsteps of my dad [by] making the military my first career, but ultimately [I] decided on the federal government—[which was] his second career.

My mom is also [employed] in the federal government.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DONESHA POWELL

What class did you teach on campus? What motivated you to teach this class?

German neighborhood. I was fully immersed in their culture where no [one] spoke English and that, in turn, created an opportunity and interest in learning [the] language. Trips to many neighboring countries ignited the “sponge’ in me to learn, see and eat ... all that was offered … Don’t get me wrong though, I love a good tropical place and the beach too.

I’m quick to go on a cruise to Florida where I have family or out to sunny California where I’ve also lived before, and [I] love to vacation.

As a peer advisor, I co-taught a UNIV 100 course with a faculty member my sophomore through senior year. I started school extremely introverted and vowed not to let that hinder my college experience. So I immersed myself in extracurricular activities that pushed me to be more social as well as help with my fear of public speaking. Some of my best friendships during college were formed out of the UNIV 100 course I took as a freshman. I wanted to continue being involved with a program in hopes of fostering that for other incoming freshman students.

What are your best memories from Mason?

I heard that you love to travel. What has been your favorite place to travel so far?

Purchasing my first home. We all know the DC area isn’t a cheap area to live in. I was 28 and about to make the biggest purchase of my life by myself. It was scary, but my goal was to do it by the time I was 28 and I did just that.

I loved the experience [of] living in Germany. My family did not initially live on the military base and instead lived in a

Some of my best memories at Mason include being a member of GMU’s Program Board, being a Resident Advisor and the randomness of hanging out in the JC. Planning events like Mason Day and spending the day outside on the quad, enjoying Homecoming week and doing everything in [the] JC, from grabbing a bite to eat with my roommate or friends, studying, working and more, created memories for a lifetime.

What is considered to be your biggest achievement?

CULTURE CULTURE ALUMNA, JACKIE REED What do you do at NPR as their Social and Partnerships Intern?

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACKIE REED

It’s called the Social and Partnerships internship for NPR music, and pretty much what I do is two-part. The first part is the social media aspect, where I schedule social media posts for the Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and also the YouTube [channel].

Being patient and never losing sight of your passion.

A lot of it is connected to what Roger [Smith at WGMU] told me when I was in college. He always told me, ‘Do what you love, the money will follow’ [laughs]. It’s so true. I’ll never forget that about Roger. It just stayed with me.

What’s your favorite thing about working in radio?

The other half is the Partnerships part, which is managing constant communication with member stations because—so NPR music is the headquarters, but we are in contact with all the music member stations around the country like KCRW or KEXP or WGBH, there’s a lot of thing (sic) with that. We like to bring light to the different music tastes from each different music station, like what they have to offer. Something that we did recently was we did a new initiative or mixtape called Station Breaks, which is a monthly playlist put together by member stations, and it’s just a pick of an emerging artist that they think is really cool.

I do like keeping in the know in terms of music. Seeing everything coming to life, whether it’s about music or any other topic. It’s really cool to see the process of how everything comes to life and takes form. A lot of it does require research.

But once you put that research into a product, I think it’s really valuable … My first byline was about Jorja Smith with Maverick Sabre. They made this song called ‘Slow Down’. So just pitching that, being able to write about it and then seeing it and having it published, it’s like a brain child. I think it’s really cool, having that creative outlet in a sense … I’ve sat in on a couple tapes of a couple shows. Seeing the live-air stuff is pretty dope.

What would you say you learned in your professional career so far since graduating?

What’s a favorite story of yours that you’ve covered or something you’ve worked on?

My main takeaway is to never lose sight of what you’re passionate about, and also being patient is really important too. For me, right out of college, I didn’t take a music/radio position. I worked at a homeowners association (HOA) doing communication work there. But at the same time, I also volunteered at a radio station. I volunteered at WAMU in my free time because I just really enjoy the operation of radio and music as well, and I took a risk. I [also] took a risk and applied for the NPR music internship not thinking too much of it, and it led me to this point. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity.

I haven’t worked on too many stories, but my favorite story was when we did a piece about the songwriting behind Ariana Grande’s new album ‘Thank U, Next.’ I was able to interview Tommy Brown who wrote ‘Thank U, Next,” the song, along with “7 Rings” and “Needy.” He’s been with Ariana for such a long time, like worked with her, and it was really cool to handle the bookings and interview process of that along with writing the interview questions and conversing with the music editor. It was really cool.

O R G A N I Z AT I O N , T H E F O R G E What is “The Forge?”

stuff mixed in with science fiction and fantasy.

So, “The Forge” is a fantasy and science fiction magazine. It focuses more on poetry, micro-fiction and shorts stories as a literary submission topic. So we accept submissions from both our staff writers, who constantly work every week submitting stories, and we also accept submissions from both people on George Mason and outside of George Mason. It’s kind of akin to “Volition,” so it’s a literary journal.

What makes “The Forge” unique?

FOURTH ESTATE HAILEY BULLIS

What made you guys start “The Forge?”

So what happened is when I submitted the idea to Kathryn, the director here, I looked on the different publications that we had and I saw that we didn’t have any science fiction or fantasy related things. So I just pitched the idea one day and Kathryn accepted the idea and it’s just been smooth sailing ever since. This was I think April of last year, yeah, so we’ve been working to get our first issue out for quite a bit now.

What can people expect to see from “The Forge?”

People should look for primarily short stories and micro-fiction stories, but we also do poetry. Like I said, we’re a fantasy and science fiction related magazine, so all of the submissions will be in those two genres. But some different issues that we’ll have, like for our October issue, we’ll have like horror genre

I would say it’s unique in the fact not really any college in this day and age has really done this too much. George Mason did it a little while back, but it was kind of like a partnership with another place. But there hasn’t to my knowledge—in recent years there’s been a lot of colleges I’ve looked at, there hasn’t been a student-led science fiction and fantasy literary magazine. But I think that it’s special because it gives both my staff writers and editors a great perspective of what it is to work in a magazine, and it also gives them something that they can use to build their resume. So I think that’s mainly why I founded the magazine, to help people that write fantasy and science fiction.

How can people join “The Forge?”

They can email me at ereynol@masonlive.gmu.edu. They can do that, or they could reach out to one of the other staff members. A lot of our staff members have actually reached out to other people. That’s how they joined our team. Word of mouth is really strong. So if they want to do that, just contact me at that email, we’ll set up an interview and we’ll get to you as soon as possible.

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BUILD YOUR PERSONAL BRAND Sydney Cole holds a presentation on personal branding through social media NAYOMI SANTOS STAFF WRITER

On Thursday, Feb. 21, a workshop was held in the MIX headed by Sydney Cole, a candidate for a master’s in communication as well as a graduate professional assistant at SP@RC Lab. This resource is useful for students looking to further their research and design. The workshop was about how to build your personal brand through social media platforms, specifically LinkedIn and Instagram.

Personal branding is the promotion of “your unique set of skills and experience,” Cole said. Those who benefit, such as CEOs, entrepreneurs and job seekers, do well by promoting their personal brand through social media.

Not only could it help one find a job but also make, as Cole said, “one-onone connections” with people in their field. There are several platforms available to kick off a personal brand, such as blogs, podcasts and social networks.

Case Kenny, the founder of PRSUIT. com, a personal development blog and podcast, is one example of a successful personal brand. To kick off his brand, Kenny utilized the platforms available to him to reach an audience with the same interests as his.

“He is really great at promoting his passions,” Cole said. “Social media can be accessed by anyone.”

The emergence and rise of social media networks fundamentally changed the way in which people can promote their brands, as social media’s influence is only growing. “71 percent of businesses use Instagram, compared to less than 50 percent in 2016,” Cole said.

Using social media tools to build a brand “enhances brand recognition and thought leadership,” Cole said.

It is also important in building trust and credibility. In this case, one should “brag, but don’t exaggerate or lie because it will come back to bite you,” she said.

When it comes to biographies, it is essential to have a few versions for

different profiles. Also, take advantage of character count because “it might seem like a lot, but it’s not,” Cole said.

The use of hashtags and keywords can also be used to a brand’s advantage.

Besides Instagram, LinkedIn is also a great platform to promote a personal as well as professional brand.

“Recently, I reached out in LinkedIn [to] someone in Brightest Young Things…for a potential internship,” Cole said. “They referred me to someone, and it was great.”

When it comes to actual content, there are several things to consider.

For instance, Cole said that “your content should be accurate and customer-focused.” Find an audience that is interested in the same passions and get a broader reach in that way.

Additionally, timely content which uses “current events, pop culture and holidays” as ways to attract audiences is also useful.

“Develop content, use ads and share articles [on LinkedIn],” Cole said.

These are fundamental activities on LinkedIn when building a brand. For

instance, “a person I’m connected with shares articles related to her company … now I know what [her company] is,” she said.

Being active on a social media platform is essential to maintaining an audience as well as reaching more people. “When people know who you are, it’s easier to have outreach,” she said.

easy to use and free to use,” Cole said, which is why it is important for those looking to build and expand their brand to use these platforms to their full advantage.

“[The presentation] was very in-line with what I have been reading, and [the information] was expanded,” Ashley Hill, a graduate student studying communication, said.

FOURTH ESTATE ALLIE THOMPSON

In an age where social media has touched the lives of almost everyone, it is important to use the platforms available to build and promote your personal brand.

The LinkedIn component was also very informative. “[I] really liked that [Cole] talked about LinkedIn,” Hill said. “I didn’t know a lot about it.”

Social media is “pretty

FEBRUARY HOROSCOPES

The month of love won’t last long- improve your love life with these romance tips for each sign DE’ANDRE DARBY STAFF WRITER

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): Happy Pisces season! Pisces are great empathizers that tend to put others’ needs above their own in a relationship. Try to focus on your own emotional wellness to maintain happiness in your love life.

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

Aries (March 21-April 19): People under the fire sign Aries are fiercely honest and always speak their mind, though some of their thoughts may be offensive to others. Improve communication in your relationship by practicing empathy.

Cancer (June 21-July 22): Caring Cancers go out of their way to help others and can sometimes forget themselves. Take a break from being the caregiver in the relationship and participate in some self-care.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): Leos are strong and proud, so they do not reveal their emotions very easily. Make an effort this month to express your emotions to the people you love.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgos value stability and are extremely skeptical when Taurus (April 20-May 20): Taurus is a it comes to new situations. Encourage love strong-willed and stable sign that can easily in your life by being more accepting of new become stubborn and immobile. Open relationships. your mind to the opinions of your partner Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libras always to encourage new perspectives in your life. want to do the “right thing.” This can Gemini (May 21-June 20): The Geminiborn are lively and like to begin new projects, but have trouble finishing them.

Build consistency in your relationship by achieving a goal previously set by you and your partner.

sometimes cause an inner sense of uncertainty. Trust yourself this season by making a decision about your romantic relationship.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): With the month coming to an end, it is important

that the secretive Scorpio works on trust.

Fuel trust in your relationship by telling your partner something they don’t know about you.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Energetic Sagittarians have the tendency to feel restless and seek new explorations.

Focus your energy on bonding with your partner through an adventure you’d both enjoy.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The very practical Capricorn has the tendency to lack spontaneity, and can often seem indifferent in a relationship.

Reignite the passion in your partnership with an impromptu night out with your significant other.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): As a sign with a vivid imagination, you always think outside the box. This month, strengthen your relationship by presenting your partner with a creative romantic gesture.

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IDENTITY: AFRICAN HERITAGE IN AMERICA

Breaking away from misconceptions February is coming to an end, but the recognition of Black history does not just last a month.

On Tuesday, Feb. 19, the African Student Association (ASA), Black Student Alliance (BSA) and Collegiate Black Men (CBM) hosted a collaborative panel about African heritage

in America in the Johnson Center’s Bistro. Mark Hopson, director of the African and African American Studies program, coordinated the event.

As an open, inclusive and transparent discussion took place, students spoke about topics affecting AfricanAmericans and Blacks, including

misconceptions, racism, identity and categories based on social systems.

Each panelist introduced themselves in slightly different ways based on where they come from, such as Richmond, Manassas, Columbia Heights or those identifying as Ghanaian-American, Ethiopian and Somalian.

Each student panelist shared why they identify as Black or African-American.

Many of the factors that have influenced these choices are based on their roots, their personal experience and the perception of living in two different environments, from being born in Africa and migrating to the U.S. at a young age and vise-versa.

FOURTH ESTATE VIJAY IYER

“Even if you remove slavery or apartheid, I guess any prevalent oppression […] you need to think of the psychological damage that has been done over generations,” Clement Lupton, a government and international politics major as well as a member of the panel, said. “It is not just going to erase itself because

KATHYA MENDEZ STAFF WRITER

the tools of oppression are gone. Of course that damage will shepherd across from generation to generation.”

Some of the misconceptions towards Black Americans that have been going around for years were listed during the discussion, such as the idea that Blacks are lazy, aggressive, disorganized, loud, troublemakers and untrustworthy around money.

“You know some people [will] be like, ‘Oh, you want to be a victim, so you don’t have to work,’” Tamera Toney, a senior majoring in psychology, said. “...We are falsely label[ed] as that, but who wants to be a victim? We are not crying out about the oppression because we want to be victims, but because that is the truth. That is what happens with racism.”

As a universal historical thread, political parties have and will continue to contribute to both framing certain community members and influencing the way they must be categorized

in society. Student panelist and community health major Ashley Koranteng said, “I needed a political shift to realize … people are going to be looking at me differently depending how I look.”

“I feel like just any person of color has been grouped under that umbrella where you feel this oppression, this kind of racism,” Koranteng said.

“People have been talking for years of the movement of people being ‘[woke]’ kind of thing. [It] is not a new thing, but for me it is.”

Mason students were encouraged to continue educating the Mason community about the dynamics, tensions and struggles that have to do with African-American, Black and African-descent identities. The essential message that this discussion provided was a foundation to spread more action and awareness yearround, not just during Black History month.

MASON CELEBRATES BLACK EXCELLENCE

The fourth annual Black Excellence Gala celebrated the talents and achievements of Mason’s Black community MONICA ECHOLS CULTURE EDITOR

Dozens of “beautiful Black people, accomplices and allies,” as Assistant Director of Black/African heritage for ODIME + LGBTQ Resources Brandi Blake said, filled the room in a sea of fabulous all-white outfits. From mini dresses and faux fur to printed blazers and durags, each student allowed their personality and sense of style to shine while adhering to the all-white dress code. Those who opted out of wearing all-white either added pops of color to their look or wore monochromatic outfits in colors like red and blue instead.

The theme for the night was “The Awakening: Alive, Aware, Awake,” which was also the theme for the entire Black/African Heritage Month.

The event kicked off with a live painting by senior individualized study major Amini Bonane, accompanied

by a performance by junior communication major Jordan Moser. Then a video played featuring images of Black art, notable Black history figures such as Malcolm X and James Baldwin, modern figures like Rihanna and Colin Kaepernick and Mason’s Black community before Blake took the stage to deliver the welcome.

“Remember, Black lives mattered yesterday, Black lives matter right now and Black lives matter forever into eternity,” Blake said.

She then gave the stage over to students Nnamdi Ojibe, Reema Abuelrish and Jermaine Azu, who were the hosts for the night.

The Spot band provided most of the music for the evening, including a rendition of the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing”

by James Weldon Johnson.

A number of students performed at the gala, including philosophy major India Moon, who sang Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good,” and global affairs major Destany Martin, who delivered an original spoken word piece.

Several faculty members spoke as well, such as Nicole Nicholas, assistant director for health and wellness in the Student Support and Advocacy Center. She delivered a speech about the importance of knowing your history and culture.

Nicholas explained that in the 400 years since the first Africans were stolen and brought to Virginia, Black people have been “disconnected from our culture.”

“It is imperative that we get to know ourselves,” she said. “We cannot continue to fight the fight against injustice without knowing who we are or where we come from ... You can’t know yourself and where you’re going if you don’t know where you came from.”

In addition to enjoying the performances, students also received awards at the gala. Some of the awards presented included the New Student of the Year Award, the Boost Award for students who are considered to be rising leaders, the MVP Award for stellar athletes, the Leadership

Development Award and the Black Scholar Award. Two new awards were presented this year as well—the Concerned Citizen award, in which the winner also received $1,000, and the Black Artist Award.

Students weren’t the only ones to win awards. Mike Essiaw received the Distinguished Alumni Award, and Blake received the Pillar Award for faculty members who have supported students through their time and effort.

Between performances and award presentations, students could enjoy food from the desert bar and take pictures on the miniature red carpet.

Although the Black Excellence Gala only lasted one night, the students and faculty at Mason showed that Black excellence never really ends.

FOURTH ESTATE VIJAY IYER

On Friday, Feb. 22, the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education (ODIME) + LGBTQ Resources hosted the fourth annual Black Excellence Gala in Dewberry Hall.

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LIGHTING DESIGNER SHERRICE MOJGANI ADDS HER PERSONAL TOUCH TO A CLASSIC Mason assistant professor discusses her role in “The Heiress” currently playing at Arena Stage PETER NJOROGE STAFF WRITER

In tandem with her responsibilities as the head of design in Mason’s School of Theater, Sherrice Mojgani is the lighting designer in a production of “The Heiress,” a Tony award-winning play that has seen four reproductions on Broadway. The play is now taking place in the Fichandler Stage, which is known for its 360-degree viewing experience.

“The Heiress” is an American coming-of-age story based off of a book written in the late 1800s by a British-American author named Washington Square. The plot centers around a heroine, albeit far from the typical, who chases love and then executes revenge after she is betrayed by her husband-to-be. The play is set in mid-18th century New York, mainly in the grand home of the protagonist’s generally disapproving father.

According to Mojgani, while the play isn’t performed often, it is usually done very well and receives a lot of attention.

“It’s a really important story for a lot of people,” she said. The themes of independence and self-reliance exhibited by the “socially awkward and plain”

protagonist Catherine Sloper, a woman with means, still resonate with today’s audience in a unique way.

her work.

When asked about the genesis of her love for the theater, she called to mind a single experience that shifted the direction of her life.

Mojgani said the original script was not necessarily written to be performed in a round viewing space like the Fichandler at Arena Stage, adding a different yet arduous layer to her part of the job.

The theater-in-the-round is generally a less common stage, but Mojgani, citing her past experiences, believes that they open up an opportunity for lighting to interact with the story in a more tangible way. A theater-in-the-round allows for less set changing, which dramatically increases the importance of lighting when it comes to creating a location on stage.

The job of a lighting designer, in Mojgani’s opinion, is to ensure “the audience knows where to look.” Her trade is largely invisible but undoubtedly necessary. While some theater-goers don’t even consider the lighting of a play, they would be very confused without the careful direction provided

by Mojgani and her team.

“I hope that you notice, but I hope that your noticing doesn’t take away from the storytelling but only adds to your experience of the story,” she said, discussing the subtle nature of

viewing was the first time she experienced truly professional theater.

“I’d experienced some things at the community or the church level, but to see something that had that much spectacle and was that stunning and beautiful … something that was created live in front of you that could change in an instant is just really beautiful,” Mojgani said.

“I came to lighting quite on accident,” she said. She recalled the difficulty she had remembering lines and her lack of a natural dancing gene along with a genuine love for the people and work involved in prepping for each show.

She found that working in lighting meant participation in every moment of the play without ever being on stage.

FOURTH ESTATE PETER NJOROGE

Another fantastic production at Arena Stage, a regional theater in Washington D.C., features work done by a member of the Mason community.

“It’s interesting the way the theater bug hit me,” she said. “I went to see a production of Ragtime when I was in middle school … It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever experienced.”

Retrospectively, she perceives that this

From high school onward, Mojgani’s path was focused. After studying at University of California, Santa Cruz while participating in a multicultural program known as Rainbow Theater, she took off to intern at the Cleveland Playhouse for a season. Returning to California, she obtained her graduate degree in lighting design at University of California, San Diego. After a brief stint in New York City, she finds herself where she is today, a teacher and mentor to theater design students

at Mason.

She isolated the text of each play she has worked on as the major influence on her work. She described a backand-forth line that she toes between realism and the words that make up each production.

Mojgani likens the escape provided by the theater to that of a really good book. Along with her love for the stage, she describes herself as an avid reader dating all the way back to her youth.

“We get to take these imaginary worlds and create them on the stage,” she said, equating the two.

For those who don’t typically frequent the theater, Mojgani explained,“What the theater gives us is an opportunity to experience something outside of our own lives with other people.We’re getting to this point in society where we experience a lot of things on our own, and I think having these sorts of moments of collective experience is really important in how we sort of interact with the people around us.”

“The Heiress” runs until March 10. As always at Arena Stage, those under 30 only need to pay their age to attend.

“AMERICA’S GOT TALENT” FINALIST EXCITES CROWD AT MASON Comedian Preacher Lawson pays a visit to Mason

PHOTO COURTESY OF CLINTON CARLSON

With big energy and, perhaps, bigger muscles, comedian Preacher Lawson turned out a solid performance in the packed Center for the Arts to kick off the homecoming weekend.

27-year-old Lawson, known primarily from his finalist run on the hit TV show “America’s Got Talent,” brought his entire repertoire along with the many titles he carries to Mason in an

PETER NJOROGE STAFF WRITER

energetic performance on campus.

Lawson is a comedian, musician, vegan, chef, vegan chef and much more. He regularly updates a wide variety of material on YouTube and Twitter, including his popular “Cooking with a Comedian” series.

As previously mentioned, he also has a selection of a few comedic songs on Soundcloud, where his following is significantly less substantial.

He is currently in the midst of a sizeable tour that zig-zags through the entire country until this upcoming winter. During his set, he remarked that he’d never been to Fairfax, and in relation to his home state it is pretty cold.

Unlike some of his performances

on “America’s Got Talent,” Lawson projected as an honest, relaxed and casual comedian exuding a ton of confidence on stage. He made sure to toy with audience members, even conducting an informal Q&A session at the tail end of his set.

According to his website bio, Lawson has been telling jokes and performing since he was 17 years old.

His website also notes that before he was 10, Lawson had moved over 20 times, revealing some of his ability to adapt to different situations.

His material during the performance was really a catch-all that didn’t have any topic override any of the others.

He discussed family, personal relationships, former jobs and his upcoming

movie that actually does not exist.

Throughout the show, Lawson’s likeability was clearly on display. As he weaved through each segment of the show, he was careful not to isolate nor alienate anyone in the audience.

Heidi Kirbirsky, a long time fan of “America’s Got Talent”and director of marketing at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, highlighted the engagement and wide appeal of Lawson’s comedy as what drew her out.

“For me, it’s hard to sometimes like comedians,” she said, “He’s someone that everyone can laugh with and everyone will like.”

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DEAR IVY, Ivy helps a student who’s two friends are feuding

Dear Stuck in the Middle, This is a tough spot to be in. You want to keep both friends, but they do not want to keep each other. Here is a way to remedy this situation, or at least try to. Proceed with caution.

A word of warning, Stuck in the Middle.

You may not know the scale of the issue.

Breaking off a friendship is a big choice that does not come from just a petty squabble. There may have been a whole month’s worth of issues leading up to this split. The straw breaking the proverbial camel’s back.

Likewise, you do not have to choose between your friends. Yes, you can no longer hang out as a trio without things being awkward. But your friendship with them is still intact. You are not betraying either by hanging out with the other.

If one starts demanding you to stop interacting with the other, drop them as a friend. Until then, you simply have separate friend groups.

There may be a solution to the current problem, though. Communication is key.

Like you said, your friends may just need to talk to each other to solve their feud.

This is where you come in. Encourage

FOURTH ESTATE VIJAY IYER

I’m having a bit of a problem with my friends. You see, two of my really good friends are fighting right now. Well actually, they are not even fighting, they have just completely stopped speaking to each other.

They are both still friends with me, but now I feel like I have to choose between them sometimes. Otherwise it will be awkward

if we are all hanging out together. The worst part is that the reason that they are not speaking is so petty and stupid. They are saying that they are not friends anymore, but I honestly feel like if I could just get them to talk to each other again they could work things out. I do not want to get too involved in the drama though. What should I do?

- Stuck in the Middle

them to talk it out. “Encourage” is the key word here. Do not get more involved than necessary. Do not pressure them either, or you might lose both as friends.

If they agree to meet, you can choose to be present or not. Likely you will be a mediator if you end up attending. Choose a neutral space, like a common room or a corner of SUB I, any space that is not directly owned or frequented by either party. As a mediator, you do not contribute anything to the conversation.

Instead, you guide the flow of the conversation in case your friends start to argue or get off topic.

FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON

Dear Ivy,

Now, let’s say you do mediate between your friends. It may work and everyone is back to being friends. It may not work and now you are stuck as a mediator. Feel free to pull back if this happens. If the drama becomes too much for you, remove yourself from the situation. This is their problem, not yours. You can help them, but do not hurt yourself trying to help. Never set yourself on fire to keep someone else warm.

Best of luck, Stuck in the Middle.

-Ivy

Send in letters to mechols@gmu.edu

DELTA KAPPA ALPHA HOSTS FILM ARTIST MIXER Mixer helps students make their first step in the film industry TRAVIS MCMILLAN STAFF WRITER

The Delta Kappa Alpha (DKA) film mixer, held in George’s in the Johnson Center on Feb. 19, proved to be a very useful introduction to students trying to get a foothold in making their own films.

Theatre major Kat Amato, a member of the fraternity, said their mission for this event was to both allow networking for students outside of the fraternity and show them how useful being a part of this close-knit group can be. Amato believes it benefits student film artists by showing how this is a professional business fraternity that has experience within the film field.

She explained that their fraternity also takes everything they do very seriously, no matter the project or person.

Madison McVeigh, a theatre major, is a student film artist who has been in a couple of films before. This is her first time attending a mixer from DKA. Currently she is casting for a film, but is part of the Mason production “Really Really,” opening

Feb. 28, on the side.

McVeigh felt the event is a great way to meet new people interested in the same things you are, as well as to make connections. On the benefits of the events, McVeigh said, “I feel like the theatre and film departments don’t communicate between themselves too often, so this is a great way to get people together.”

The event offered the opportunity to hear about the many different types of genres film students are working on.

Mason student Jared Palacios is the director of his own senior project, a documentary about immigration named “How to Get There.” The film focuses on a chef from a restaurant that Palacios used to work at and the obstacles that the chef had to go through to get where he is now. The chef started working as a dishwasher after immigrating to America to working as an executive chef at a restaurant making millions a year. It is a success story, and Palacios wants it to inspire immigrants to strive for

their own dreams. He hopes for it to “spread awareness that there is a huge gap on how to get to that dream.”

The fraternity seems to bridge the gap between all majors related to film, whether it is acting, writing or directing. Everyone in DKA, or those interested in joining, are both very serious about their work and serious about helping others get into the film industry as well.

Everyone who is part of the fraternity came off as very friendly and welcoming of anyone from any background. They openly discuss their projects as well as their ideas for films in the future. People in the fraternity also help each other with their projects as well, including editing, casting, camerawork and more.

If you’re looking for your first step into the film industry, then DKA would be a very good place to start.

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DON’T GET FOOLED AGAIN

DOMINIC PINO STAFF WRITER

We’ll be fighting in the streets

Sounds like a national emergency, no?

With our children at our feet

President Trump tells me the United States is currently under a national emergency declaration. But using the highly scientific observation tool known to scholars as “my window,” everything seems to be going along just fine. Seems we’ve been fooled.

And the morals that they worship will be gone And the men who spurred us on Sit in judgment of all wrong They decide and the shotgun sings the song -First verse of “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who

But there’s more fooling. Whether you realized it or not, we were under a national emergency declaration before President Trump’s proclamation.

Fooled you again. We were actually under 31 national emergency declarations at the same time before President Trump’s declaration became the 32nd. President Trump had already declared three national emergencies before this one, President Obama is responsible for 10, President Bush leads the league with 11, President Clinton is responsible for six and there is one straggler from President Carter that brings us to a grand total of 32.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAXPIXEL

Yep. The United States, the country you live in, the one where you enjoy a quality of life that billions around the world envy, is currently in such incomprehensible chaos that there are 32 national emergencies declared at the same time.

However, the chaos in government doesn’t end there. There are state

governments too. For example, the governor of Virginia remains Ralph “Sorry I Did Blackface, Never Mind I Did Blackface Another Time Just Not That Time” Northam. The lieutenant governor of Virginia remains Justin “Believe All Women Except Those Two” Fairfax. The attorney general of Virginia remains Mark “Elected Officials Who Wore Blackface Should Resign Unless They’re Named Mark Herring” Herring. Has there been a time when all three executive offices in a state (or commonwealth, rather) were surrounded by this much chaos at the same time?

Despite this, I look out my window here in Virginia, and everything seems to be clicking along. People still go to work, go to school, take care of their kids, go to the movies, go to church, buy groceries, go on dates and do all the other good things that people usually do.

However, people still break into cars, speak rudely, fight each other, cheat on tests, spread hurtful rumors, lie to their families, judge people harshly and do all the other bad things that people usually do.

There is this odd notion in many minds that the government has the power to dramatically change society for better

or for worse. It follows logically from that belief that politics ought to be life-consuming. If the government can change anything at any time for any reason, it’s vitally important that the politicians you like run the government and defeat their opponents.

Many have bought into this narrative.

They are outraged at every dumb tweet from President Trump or every dumb statement from Speaker Pelosi (and both issue many of each). They are outraged at every attack on their side from the other side no matter who says it (random people on Twitter really don’t have much influence on policy). They are outraged over issues that matter one day and are gone the next (remember the anonymous White House op-ed?). They are outraged because their lives are politics.

Ten seconds of reflection on our current situation should reveal how silly this view of government is. Was your day-to-day life significantly different before the national emergency than it is now? Was your day-to-day life significantly different before the Virginia scandals than it is now? You still have the same classes, the same school, the same housing, the same family, the same friends, the same enemies, the same

strengths, the same weaknesses, etc.

This is not an endorsement of apathy.

Many Americans make no effort at all to understand issues. Around half of the voting-eligible population doesn’t vote, and ignorance abounds about how the government is structured. The founding fathers designed the Constitution with the assumption of an engaged and educated public that debated issues in good faith—it was what they were used to. If you don’t believe that, read some Federalist Papers and keep in mind they were printed in newspapers for a general audience.

Our Constitution prescribes a limited government that can’t change everything at once and often can’t change anything at all. Thank goodness.

If you want to live in a country where every political decision matters to your day-to-day life, North Korea is glad to have you (and never let you leave).

Please have healthy debates about national emergencies and what should lead to a politician’s resignation.

But next time you feel like those debates are your whole life, look out the window and ask yourself whether you’re getting fooled again.

BARBIE ISN’T TO BLAME FOR MY ANOREXIA

SUSAN KATHRINE CORKRAN STAFF WRITER

Stop being sick, in other words.

Anorexia is deadly. So obviously if it were that easy to recover, girls like me wouldn’t be dying of it. In fact, we wouldn’t have gotten sick in the first place.

The solution is far from simple because the causes are co-morbidly complicated. I have sat in many doctors’ offices, wondering what was happening to me and why, knowing very well that the dropping numbers on the scale were all singing “Figure

it out, or you’re going to die…”

There is a blame game that usually follows an eating disorder diagnosis.

We chalk anorexia up to glossy magazines of photoshopped women and exposure to Barbie’s skinny waist. I didn’t starve myself because Mommy let me play with Barbie dolls.

According to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), there are “nature” and “nurture” factors, which can place individuals at a higher risk for developing disordered eating behaviors. Selfesteem is a crucial piece of the puzzle, but it is still only one of many.

Individuals who have had a family member with an eating disorder are 7-12 times more likely to develop one themselves. Excessive dieting and an energy imbalance (burning more calories than you consume) can also

make someone biologically vulnerable to developing an eating disorder.

The “nurture” part of the equation stems from a set of emotional and psychological qualities such as perfectionism, anxiety, self-consciousness, behavioral inflexibility and body image insecurity. These qualities can be “triggered” or “activated” by trauma, grief, a bad break-up, bullying, sexual assault or harassment and other difficult life situations.

The result tends to be restricting calorie intake, exercising excessively, eliminating entire groups of food as “unsafe” for fear of gaining weight, purging and more. The list goes on, and believe me, it can become remarkably creative. At first, it feels as if you are finally gaining control over your insecurities: forcing your

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAXPIXEL

At its hungry heart, anorexia is a strange sickness. If you’re lucky enough to have never felt its effects or watched it devour a loved one, the cure probably seems exasperatingly simple: just eat.

Sit down and eat. Eat everything in sight. Choke down a carton of ice cream, gain back the weight and don’t starve yourself anymore. Simple.

reflection into a shape that will for once, keep you from tears when you stand in front of the mirror.

takes, is the thing in control. The road to recovery is long, and it is lined with gravestones. That is scary as hell.

Too late, however, you see that you aren’t the one in control at all. The eating disorder, whichever form it

And it certainly goes beyond a little plastic

far doll.

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WHY WE WANT POLLUTION

JACE WHITE STAFF WRITER

Everyone knows that it’s possible to have too much of a good thing, but can we ever have too little of a bad thing? If gluttony can get the better of us as we consume more and more of what we love, perhaps our passions can get the better of us as we try to rid the world of what we hate.

Pollution of any kind is bad. In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have pollution.

However, we don’t live in an ideal world. We live in a world constrained

by reality where everything has a cost. Pollution has a cost, but so does getting rid of it. For example, we could live in a world of significantly reduced pollution by eliminating half of the world’s population. That is what it looks like to pursue a goal at all costs.

I assume that most of us would not prefer this apocalyptic option, which means that pollution is not something we want to reduce at all costs.

If we know that we want to reduce

The interaction of supply and demand forces determines how much of an economic good is produced. When the wants and needs of consumers change, or the ability of producers to make something changes, the amount produced eventually adjusts to reflect this new information without the need for any one person to make a decision. This is important because no one person could make a decision in a market with millions of consumers and thousands of inputs going into

the production of everything we buy.

Occasionally, there are market failures, when the market produces an amount of something that is higher or lower than what everyone would want. Often the only thing we know in these cases is whether more or less of something ought to be produced. In the case of pollution, we know that we want less of it, but we don’t know how much less and how much we are willing to pay for it.

Some policy proposals take into account the inability of central planners to make effective decisions about how to solve complicated economic problems. A carbon tax would increase the incentive people and businesses have to cut their carbon footprint. This would allow businesses to decide what parts of their carbon emissions to target first, based on what will be the least costly to accomplish.

Businesses themselves are better equipped to make decisions about costs than people far away in Washington.

on reducing our carbon emissions, the less money we have to spend on schools, roads, medicine, food, housing, police and numerous other things that also improve our lives.

When critics question the viability of different parts of the Green New Deal, its proponents often respond by saying that no cost is too high if it means saving the environment. While this may be an effective rhetorical tactic, as a policy-making philosophy it is nothing more than a willful ignorance of reality. Reality is the reason we want at least some pollution—not because we like it, but because there are some prices that just aren’t worth paying.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EDWARDS AFB

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEXELS

pollution, and we know that there are limits to what we will do in order to accomplish that goal, the next step is to determine what those limits are.

Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. How can one person decide what the optimal level of pollution is? Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez provided her answer in the form of her “Green New Deal” which, among other things, proposed reducing The United States’ carbon emissions to a net zero value in the next 10 years. When politicians substitute their judgments for the judgments of the market, they are counteracting a decision made collectively by millions of individuals.

Climate change poses a threat to human well-being, but so do many potential solutions to climate change. The more money we spend

GRAPHENE IS POISED TO CHANGE THE WORLD. ARE YOU READY?

DANIEL MITCHELL SCOTT STAFF WRITER

Graphene’s origin is surprisingly simple: it is a single-atom-thin layer of graphite (yes, the flaky material used as lead in pencils). Despite the fact that it is microscopically thin, graphene can also pack a punch: graphene has been dubbed a “supermaterial,” and not without good reason. Graphene is seven times lighter than air, 200 times stronger than steel, better at conducting electricity than copper and one of the most thermally conductive materials known to man.

As a researcher who specializes in developing practical uses for graphene, I have been fortunate enough to see firsthand how this technology could have an impact on day-to-day life. Though there are challenges with producing mass quantities of graphene, there is still mounting scientific and commercial evidence signaling that in some practical uses, graphene is ready to change the world.

Here are a few of the ways that I think graphene could soon impact our daily lives.

No more dead cell phones: Graphene batteries are expected to hold more energy and recharge much faster than current Li-ion batteries, with some estimates going as low as five minutes for a full phone charge. In the age of the smartphone and the electric vehicle, the unmatched convenience that graphene offers in terms of fast charging and high battery capacity

could catapult graphene batteries into the spotlight. Also while many graphene batteries are still under research and development, electronics company Elecjet is already bringing their graphene batteries to market, exhibiting the early signs of the technology’s viability.

Clean drinking water, any time, any place: When used in membranes for water filtration, graphene has been shown to remove not just dirt, but also salt, bacteria and even nuclear radiation from contaminated water. Graphene water filters, when commercialized, could turn the water crisis into something of the past. This technology is well proven in laboratories, and will soon reach the market, as filtration company LifeSaver recently announced plans to collaborate with the University of Manchester to develop and sell portable graphene water filters.

Faster and smarter devices: Graphene antennas can enable wireless download speeds to increase by as much as 50,000 times, to around one terabit per second. Furthermore, graphene-based bio-sensors can track movement, measure heart activity and even monitor blood sugar levels from sweat, features which could have an enormous impact on wearable technology, allowing our devices to become much smarter.

Stronger and lighter machines and products: I think that graphene’s mechanical properties, namely its high strength and low density, are what will eventually propel it to widespread use in most industrial and consumer products. In fact, graphene is well on its way to becoming ubiquitous.

Graphene foam is already being used by automaker Ford in it’s F-150 and Mustang models to create stronger and lighter parts to dampen noise

from the engine, while airplane skins and drones use graphene because of its low density. Also, there are a number of sports companies who are using graphene to achieve optimal strength and weight distribution in running shoes, tennis rackets, golf clubs and more. Graphene will only expand in this role as manufacturing methods improve and the demand for graphene-based products grows.

Overall, I think that graphene is a powerful material with qualities that will drive it toward successful implementation in a myriad of different industries. Just as stone symbolized pre-history, bronze represented early civilization, iron marked industrialization and silicon marked digitization, so graphene will represent the future. Move over, silicon, it’s time for the Graphene Age.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CORE MATERIAL

From the stone age to the silicon age, the materials that humans utilize have shaped technologies, society and the world as a whole. Materials have had such remarkable impacts throughout history that we even name our time periods after them. Thanks to numerous scientific discoveries in recent years, I think that our future will be marked by the name of a novel ultra-thin material: graphene.

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GAME FOR THOUGHT: WE NEED MORE CO-OP GAMES ARIANNA GOODMAN STAFF WRITER

In my last article, I discussed the toxicity of gaming communities which, according to recent studies, may have something to do with human’s natural tendencies to form groups and vie for just about anything. Following that logic, it does make sense for competitive games to more readily rise to the top, but should they be dominating the market? Out of all of the winners of this year’s DICE Awards, only one can be considered strictly a cooperative game: Unravel Two.

Yet all withstanding, many, if not all, of these games are competitive in nature. And any cooperation is relegated only to team interaction.

Why does competition appear to be more popular than its counterpart cooperation? In fact, I once had a coworker say to me that you cannot consider yourself a gamer if you don’t play competitive video games.

Other games with cooperative gameplay in them may be marketed as single-player. Crypt of the Necrodancer is a single player roguelite that offers a multiplayer mode.

And while it is local co-op, the game is often better played alone. Similarly, Cuphead was very popular a while back, and the entire premise is revolving around the cooperation between two

However it is clear that there are games that utilize cooperation out on the market, but it seems that those games are still often under the guise of being competitive.

For instance, Overwatch is a team game.

You have to work with your teammates while defeating other people. League

players and two characters—even though you can play it alone. To my knowledge, however, the game only offers local and no online functionality.

Recently, I’ve been playing a lot of Divinity: Original Sin 2 which is a multiplayer RPG that is essentially a purely cooperative game that can be played both locally and online. Perhaps I’m just a little infatuated with the idea, but I would love to have more games in my arsenal to play with friends and family when they come to visit or to play with anyone regardless of where they are.

capabilities for both online and local multiplayer modes. When I was a child, I used to love going to summer camps where I could play the Wii multiplayer games with the other children. But I understand that today many friends are made online from places that are nowhere near home. These kinds of

relationships would benefit from fun, cooperative games just as much as the relationships built with the friends that live close to you. Especially as college students, dormitory life is practically made for engaging with new people near and far, and what better way to do so than playing a game?

PHOTO COURTESY OF YOUTUBE

of Legends, Dota 2 and others are of the same vein. While these games are fun and technically cooperative, they don’t solely allow players to work together for a common goal.

With the extreme and sudden notoriety of Fortnite and the recent release of Apex Legends, it is clear that battle-royale as a genre is currently taking the world by storm.

Several already established game companies have attempted to create custom versions of the format, and new companies are forging their way through the masses as well.

And so, we need more co-op games.

More s p e c i f i c a l l y, games with the

TRUMPS ONLY GOAL: PUSH AN AGENDA PLEASING ONLY HIS BASE OWEN FERGUSON STAFF WRITER

cost Americans billions of dollars.

Since President Donald Trump has taken office, he has been steadfast in pushing the agenda that got him elected. The message of being hard on immigration, slashing Obama-era regulations and a seemingly personal hatred of liberals has been prominent over the course of the past two years.

Of course, the American people expected this, but has the president focused on pleasing his base too long?

Many Republicans may not see this as an issue, but this does damage his chances of being reelected in 2020.

No matter what party a president is a part of, it does no good to let the government shut down especially in Trump’s case, when the main reason for keeping it shut down is not getting a wall that would

PHOTO COURTESY OF GAGE SKIDMORE

The answer is yes. Understandably, President Trump has supported and gotten legislation passed that pleases his base, but now going in 2019 and with the 2020 election on the horizon, he’s making the mistake of not making any reasonable effort to come to terms with Democrats to pass any legislation or even to keep the government open.

Another large group of voters that Trump is losing support in is independents. In a 2018 poll by NBC and Marist College, independent voters in Arizona, Ohio and Florida all preferred a Congress controlled

by Democrats. Although the poll didn’t ask how they felt about Trump in the White House, it might be safe

to say that the trend of preferring democratic control might continue into the 2020 presidential election.

With those three states all being red in the 2016 election, this shift in independent preference could very well be seen in other red states.

In addition to independents, moderate voters that voted for Trump in 2016 could vote blue in 2020. The president

has made many controversial decisions while in office, including pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord, passing a tax bill that only benefited the upper class and corporations and most recently declaring a state of national emergency to get, along with spending legislation, eight billion dollars for a border wall. These moves, along with many others, have not sat well with the majority of the American citizens. I believe this is enough to push voters that are on the edge or stuck between the parties to vote Democratic in 2020.

I realize that the popular vote means nothing with the Electoral College system, but 11 states that control 61 percent, or 165 votes, have enacted a policy called the National Popular Vote (NPV) plan that gives all electoral votes to whatever candidate wins in each state

respectively. This policy has also been introduced in 50 states and has a lot of support across the nation.

Along with declining support from his electorate, the president has managed to increase participation in political activist groups. Many groups that have felt attacked or ignored by the president have spoken and demanded change in the past few years. For example, women rights groups have taken to the streets numerous times to demand more equal treatment. With Trump having made demoralizing comments about women in the past, this push for change from the largest voting group doesn’t come as a surprise.

The current administration needs to try and patch the broken relationship it has with women across America.

At this point in his term, the president is his own biggest enemy.

He continues to make decisions that he and his administration know will not sit well with Americans. As 2019 plays out, we will see what the president can do to increase his support across multiple groups, if he even makes an attempt to at all.

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Opinions do not reflect the views of Fourth Estate. Submit opinions to ckernans@gmu.edu

BE PATIENT WITH HOUSING

SUMMER BROWN, STAFF WRITER

Housing has been practically reorganizing everything for next year at the whim of Dr. Christopher Holland, the chief of housing at Mason, with the hopes of everything being organized, communicative and fluidly functioning. Due to the fact that things are changing during this current semester, everything new can cause a bit of upheaval. I would argue that this change is normal to any organization, system or life in our existence. That being said, it is imperative that we understand that such changes are happening and that issues can arise.

At the beginning of my first semester at Mason, I had a less than pleasant experience with my former roommate.

Being in a smaller-than-average double with my service dog and one other person was somewhat functioning but definitely crowded. However, when

she introduced her emotional support cat into the dorm, the living situation became drastically different.

No, it wasn’t because my service dog didn’t get along with her cat (he had never even seen a cat before, actually), it was because I ended up being allergic to her cat. This was surprising for all of us because I had cats in my life before, just not on an in-home basis. Never before was I allergic to them. This revealed itself as a problem between us, and ended up where I was left in a hotel for 11 days before a solution was found.

What took the longest amount of time was going through Housing to get everything worked out. My former roommate and I didn’t have very good communication, despite my absolute best efforts to work everything out with her. It ended where Housing had to be the mediator. Long story short, she ended up moving out with Housing completely in support with both of our decisions. The biggest issue that I had was that it took too much time to work with Housing.

An even more recent event that occurred was during ousing selection this semester. A highly trusted, servicedog-aware friend and I wanted to

room in an on-campus apartment together, but something with the new portal ended up glitching and refused to put me in any bed or room. Later, we found out that it was because

However, this took two or three days to be solved, but it all ended up fine in the end. Why? Well, because we had the patience to work with Housing, as frustrating as it was.

I was unable to mark ‘Yes’ on my housing application for flex housing (I was forced to say ‘No,’ to which was upsetting to me). After contacting housing through several people, we eventually got it all worked out.

you really want to work with Housing to get a better solution out of whatever issue you may have—no matter what it is—then you should be patient. Be patient with them, they’re having their own issues too.

They want to work with you. They will work with you. Why? Because they care. They care that you’re okay. They care that you will be safe with your housing. They want you to enjoy your time here at Mason. In reality, I think the best way to go about any situation is to contact the right people. Someone can’t help you? Go to the next person.

If they can’t, ask for someone who can help you.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RON AIRA/CREATIVE SERVICES

It is safe to say that most of us have had our incidents with Housing and Residence Life here at Mason.

Whether it be a minor issue or something incredibly frustrating, we’ve all experienced these situations. I too have had my fair share of issues, even just as a freshman. But if there’s anything I’ve learned, it is that you must have patience with housing.

So with all of those mildly frustrating experiences I have had with Housing, I cannot say that Housing did not care.

I cannot say they refused to work with me. I cannot say they did nothing to help my situations. What I can say is if

Figuring out how to work with others will be a valuable life skill that you can take through the rest of your life. You’ll learn how to solve conflicts, learn how to make connections, learn how to be connected, learn how to advocate for not only yourself but also other people, learn how to negotiate, learn how to deal with stress, learn how to deal with frustrating situations and so, so much more.

So, with that being said, the best thing you can do to deal with Housing is being patient.

TAKE THE STEP: JOIN STUDENT GOVERNMENT ERIK TRUONG, STUDENT-BODY VICE PRESIDENT

and ensuring your voices are heard.

While we’re far from finished, I’m pleased to look back and see how much we’ve accomplished.

We’ll be holding nine separate candidate meetings throughout the next two weeks. If you attend one of these meetings, you’ll learn more about what the position entails and where you can contribute.

I came into Student Government with nothing more than a desire to get involved and an opportunity to give back. After a year on the job, Bekah and I are now preparing for our own graduations. What a year.

There are things we haven’t yet accomplished.

However, we’ve worked every single day to reach new feats, represent every student and reinvent the process. We’ve stuck to our commitment of advocating for the student interests

At this critical juncture, we hope you consider running for one of the many open positions in Student Government. Thirty at-large senate seats will be up for election, along with the student body president and vice president positions.

Joining Student Government isn’t limited to government majors or those deeply involved in politics. All of our experiences—as an off-campus or transfer student, a person of color or part of the LGBTQ+ community— offer us a unique perspective to represent the greater student body.

Student Government has been ambitious. Through our What Do

You Want Wednesday tabling, we’ve recorded over 800 unique responses.

We assembled a civic action toolkit designed for student activism. Three new events were added to Patriots in Action, our program to stand united with sexual assault survivors.

We’ve worked to extend Fenwick hours until 3 a.m. during Finals Week, along with publishing weekly scholarships. We’ve attended multiple conferences and made Mason’s Student Government presence known throughout the DMV area.

We haven’t forgotten what governance is about: hearing from you. Mason deserves a Student Government representative of its 37,000 student body—one willing to engage in difficult dialogue, tackle the “little things” and commit through until the end.

Student Government is a chooseyour-own-adventure: You pick the committees you sit on. You pick your

involvement level. Most importantly, you pick the friends you make and the legacy you want to leave on this campus.

As Patriots, each and every one of us has the opportunity to create substantive change. We hope you take on this challenge

in whatever capacity you feel fit.

Whether you run or not, Student Government wants to hear your voice. The Student Government office, your office, is always open and is located in the Student Involvement Office in The Hub, Room 2300.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STUDENT GOVERNMENT

The 2018-19 school year has been transformative for Mason’s Student Government. Since last April, we’ve had to rebuild our organization and reputation from the ground up.

We’ve had to do damage control, answer late night phone calls and send just as many 1 a.m. emails.

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S4M3: Influence

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