9.30.19- Fourth Estate

September 30, 2019

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Volume 7 Issue 5

FOURTH ESTATE Mason’s art community throws 14th annual fundraiser

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ONE-ON-ONE WITH PRESIDENT HOLTON (P. 6) || MEN’S SOCCER PLAYER AKINLOSOTU (P. 8) || A SWEET TREAT AT SWEET BERRY (P. 13) || OPINION: THIS IS SUBURBIA (P.17) Fourth Estate is a free publication, limit one copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents payable to the Office of Student Media.

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09.30.2019

FOURTH ESTATE

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

DANA NICKEL HAILEY BULLIS Co Editor-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE Art Director

Hey Patriots, Lately I’ve been listening very heavily to a playlist called “Life Changes” on Spotify.

Maybe this is because I’ve been playing catch up in my classes (as I’m sure many of us are by now). Or maybe it’s because I’m already in my junior year of college when quite honestly I still feel like a freshman at times.

For all my fellow upperclassmen, I’m sure you remember moving into your freshman dorm or your very first lecture like it was yesterday.

For me, a key memory from my freshman year was writing my first article for Fourth Estate, which was called “The New Sorority on Campus” and was about Kappa Delta joining the panhellenic community at Mason.

The funny thing is, that was over two years ago. Now I’m applying for internships, answering questions for my amazingly talented staff and overseeing the launch of our newsletter, Fourth Estate Weekly (the first edition of which was sent out last week).

For our Art Director Ally McAlpine and our Online Director Billy Ferguson, both of whom are seniors, I’m sure the passage of time seems even more extreme.

So I’d like to put forth a challenge for all of us, between all of the essays and exams in the coming weeks: don’t forget to do something fun every once in a while. Go to the State Fair of Virginia or Cox Farms, or visit a few museums in D.C. — by the way, the Newseum is closing in December — and create memories that you’ll be talking about decades from now.

For now, flip to our News section to hear about the recent climate strikes in D.C. and read about Ethan Wright, a freshman who has been sitting outside of the JC every Friday with a petition urging Mason to divest the money they have in the energy sector. Our News Editor Abigail Adcox also sat down for an exclusive interview with Mason’s Interim President Anne Holton.

Our Culture section created a two-page spread about ARTS by George!, a huge fundraiser created to promote the arts community at Mason.

Our Sports section wrote an amazing (as always) profile on men’s soccer player Tunde Akinlosotu. Our Opinions Editor Chris Kernan-Schimdt and his staff writers delivered a rather diverse array of opinions, go check them out and tell us what you think.

Don’t forget to subscribe to both our weekly newsletter (visit our social media for the link!) and our YouTube channel, GMU Fourth Estate.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns please email us at masonfourthestate@gmail.com.

LAURA SCUDDER DELANEY HARRISON Copy Editors ABIGAIL ADCOX News Editor JACK HARVEY Assistant News Editor PETER NJOROGE Culture Editor IZZ LAMAGDELEINE Assistant Culture Editor NATALIE HEAVREN Sports Editor DOMENIC ALLEGRA Assistant Sports Editor CHRIS KERNAN-SCHMIDT Opinions Editor BILLY FERGUSON Online Director LEXI REYES Social Media Editor DOMINIQUE BERNARDINO Multimedia Editor

Best, Hailey Bullis

EMMETT SMITH Distribution Manager

Co Editor-in-Chief

KATHRYN MANGUS Director DAVID CARROLL Associate Director JASON HARTSEL Assistant Director

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09.30.2019

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MASON RANKED MOST DIVERSE AND INNOVATIVE SCHOOL IN VIRGINIA Mason tops newest U.S. News & World Report’s college rankings BRAD BYRNE STAFF WRITER

In the U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 rankings for Campus Ethnic Diversity, Mason was ranked as the most ethnically diverse university in the state of Virginia, while also coming in at a tie for No. 25 nationally.

Planning, white Americans were the most prominent ethnicity at Mason with 15,750 students, followed by

Asian Americans with 6,652, Hispanic Americans with 4,937 and African Americans with 4,063.

The Campus Ethnic Diversity ranking is based on U.S. News factoring in the total proportion of minority students, leaving out international students and the overall mix of groups according to the report. Such ethnic categories that were used for this ranking included non-Hispanic African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Pacific Island/Native Hawaiian, Asian, non-Hispanic white and multiracial.

According to the Office Of Institutional Effectiveness and

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

U.S. News & World Report provides nearly 50 different types of numerical rankings and lists to help students narrow down their college search — with new editions being posted yearly.

Mason also came in at a tie of No. 33 for Most Innovative Schools in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 rankings. As Virginia’s largest public research university with an R-1 rating, Mason keeps options open for students to have as many research opportunities presented to them as desired.

O t h e r rankings for Mason in this year’s report include a tie at No. 153 for National

Universities, a tie at No. 109 for Best Colleges for Veterans, a tie at No. 43 for First-Year Experiences, a tie at No. 72 for Top Public Schools and No. 135 for Best Value Schools.

Provost S. David Wu commented on the newest ranking in an email stating, “Diversity and innovation are in the Mason DNA.” Wu also emphasized the focus of “providing students with all different backgrounds access to an excellent education,” and that it is important that Mason is “serving a diverse academic community and meeting students where they are.”

This ranking is a great testimony to the ingenuity and hard work of our outstanding faculty and staff … serving a diverse academic community and meeting students where they are takes a great deal of creativity and innovation,” said Wu.

LAST WEEK IN THE NEWS Monday, Sept. 23 Climate protestors block street of D.C. during morning commute for climate strike.

America may lose its “measles elimination” status according to the New York Times.

Tuesday, Sept. 24 Pelosi confirms formal Trump impeachment inquiry.

President Trump confirms he withheld military aid from Ukraine, cited wanting aid from other countries.

Wednesday, Sept. 25 Trump whistleblower agrees to meet with lawmakers if legal counsel is able to attend.

Juul Labs’ chief executive, Kevin Burns, steps down amidst vaping outrage.

Thursday, Sept. 26

Friday, Aug. 27

Senate votes to extend government funding through Nov. 21.

Pompeo subpoenaed for documents relating to Ukraine.

Whistleblower complaint against President Trump is released.

Sony announces “SpiderMan” is staying in the MCU.

Former French President Jacques Chirac dies at 86.

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09.30.2019

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NEWS

UNCOVERING THE POLITICS OF ERITREA Faculty members and 11 students embark on a two-week trip to Eritrea SUDIKSHA KOCHI STAFF WRITER

“Eritrea is a country with a very difficult past, and having a nondemocratic government, we were very lucky to have students experience a different kind of political environment,” Simmons said.

According to Simmons, Eritrea has

a history of being unwelcoming to foreigners. However, this trip was supported by the Eritrean and U.S. governments as a way for students and faculty to study the long history of colonization and war between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

“Students were able to have conversations with top-level ministers and government officials, and it is amazing that these government officials were willing to go off the record,” Simmons said.

According to Simmons, one of the biggest impressions that the students left on the government officials of Eritrea was the fact that they were open-minded and curious. Since nondemocratic societies are used to being treated with disrespect, he explained, Eritrean government officials were impressed by the

willingness of students to be respectful.

“Eritrea is described very negatively, often [being described by foreigners as] … the North Korea of Africa. The reason for this is because Eritrea is diplomatically isolated, which makes it very hard to socialize and do business there,” Simmons said.

While the trip was a positive experience for students and faculty, it did have its difficulties. Cash is the only medium of exchange that can be used in the economy and internet access is limited. Socializing with many people is often difficult because the country is isolated.

well. This made the trip fascinating,” Simmons said.

Simmons intends to make this study abroad opportunity available next summer as well with another group of students.

“Our presence was not threatening in any way, and overall, Eritreans were impressed by how successful and open

our students were,” Simmons said.

Students were able to apply for this trip through the Global Education Office and applications were open to all students, regardless of major. Various credits were awarded to students at the end of the trip.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA

Last summer, faculty from the School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution along with 11 Ph.D. undergraduate and graduate students went on a study abroad trip to Eritrea, an isolated country in East Africa. The trip was focused on studying conflict zones between Eritrea and its neighboring country, Ethiopia. Dr. Solon Simmons, who co-led the trip with Carol Pineau, a former CNN journalist who reported on the Eritrean–Ethiopian war, took the opportunity to teach his students about the economic and political development of the country.

“Even though our group did face these negatives, the trip overall was positive. We enjoyed the people and the government was very cooperative.

One important thing to say was that on the trip, an Ethiopian student came as

MASON TO FULLY INTEGRATE CHOSEN NAME POLICY BY 2022 Town hall meeting addresses name policies and provides a time for integration TRAVIS MCMILLAN STAFF WRITER

A major implication of such policies at Mason is that they would give transgender and non-binary people the ability to update their names and pronouns in Mason’s online systems to match their chosen names.

The original policy, approved back on Dec. 19 of 2016, had used the “preferred name policy” as opposed to the newly adapted “chosen name policy.”

“This crazy manual workaround, students had to present themselves in the registrar’s office to let them know that … the chosen name should be appearing on Blackboard and in their class rosters,” said Jeannie Brown Leonard, dean of Student Academic Affairs.

The adaptation of this new policy, besides the change to the name policy, is having it apply to faculty members and not just students. Mason has many students who are transgender or non-binary as well as a diverse staff, so moving the policy to apply to faculty was the logical next step.

seamless integration of the chosen name policy into the university system.

This would include having one’s chosen name shown on Mason sites such as StarRez, Outlook, Mason360,

Students and faculty will be able to choose from the available pronouns and genders, as well as updating their name.

“It’ll have a drop down list with three sets of available pronouns. So he, she and they. And they’ll also [have] a gender identity option as well … So man, woman and non-binary,” said Kinchen.

Kinchen also expressed the goal of a

what isn’t possible in terms of the changes being applied to all platforms.

During the question portion of the meeting, the problem of changing names on Mason ID cards came up. One staff member who had looked into this spoke up and stated that, because the ID is used for vo t i n g pur poses, a person’s legal name must stay on the front.

T h ey then brought up how the school is planning on moving from ID cards to iris scans and using students’ smartphones.

FOURTH ESTATE TRAVIS MCMILLAN

In an effort to further the goal of inclusive community Mason hopes to foster, Josh Kinchen, associate director for LGBTQ resources, spoke about updates to Mason’s name change policy at a town hall meeting on Sept.

25.

Handshake and other systems where a student’s name is required. This would require speaking to every department’s tech team, and deciding what is and

Being that the policy can only be reviewed every three years, the administration wanted to ensure that they

were prepared. The timeline shown at the meeting, depicting the start of the revision process, outlined all the steps they plan to take with this policy.

According to Kinchen and the timeline, students should have the chance to go into Patriot Web and update their chosen name as early as November.

The November date will only apply to Patriot Web, as there will be an extended wait for the new policy to take effect on all other platforms.

Leonard told attendees at the town hall meeting that there will be a call or email telling everyone to go in and check their information, and correct it if needed.

The timeline has the plan being fully integrated by 2022.

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09.30.2019

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EARLY IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM RECEIVES $100,000 AGRANT Jack Kent Cooke Foundation funds college-access program at Mason

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

ALEXA TIRONI STAFF WRITER

Mason’s Early Identification Program (EIP) recently received a $100,000 grant. The funding comes from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, a scholarship foundation that provides financial aid to exceptionally promising students in need of financial aid.

Since 2000, the foundation has awarded $200 million in scholarships to over 2,600 students from 8th grade through graduate school and $110 million in educational grants, according to their website.

EIP is a college-access program that provides educational resources for middle and high school students who will be first generation college students.

EIP serves seven counties in Northern

PHOTO COURTESY OF MASON POLICE

MASON WEEKLY CRIME LOG

Virginia and currently has 600 students actively pursuing higher education.

The program provides middle and high school students with year-round academic enrichment in the form of personal and social development, civic engagement and leadership training opportunities.

When asked about the benefits of the donation EIP Director Khaseem Davis said the money will go towards “creating a pre-honors seminar that we’re going to offer during our summer academy.” EIP’s summer academy is a three-week academic enrichment program where rising ninth to12th grade students come to Mason and take classes that correspond with their

enrollment in the fall.

book awards.

“This [grant] will provide them with more of a preview of what university education entails … and a better understanding of the importance and necessity of rigor and research,” said Davis.

“The goal is to keep an eye on how students are doing, how they’re experiencing GMU. So, if that student is in distress we try to work with them and connect them with appropriate offices to get them services,” said Davis.

E I P ’s summer academy is a threeweek academic enrichment program where rising 9th-12th grade students come to GMU and take classes that correlate with their enrollment in the fall.

To be an EIP member, students must first be nominated by a teacher or counselor then begin the application process, which requires an essay as well as recommendation letters. The EIP application process is meant to mimic the actual college application process.

Along with academic tutoring, students also receive lessons in “life skills” such as leadership and self-advocacy, as well as a financial aid program that prepares students and families for university education and finances.

EIPcan also offer students financial aid in the form of scholarship money and

EIP students only need to apply for scholarships and the program will do their best to accommodate.

EIP funds their students mainly through donations and grants, such as the one awarded by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.

“The program comes at no cost to students, but we work hard to raise the money to provide the program to students,” said Davis. The program awards several students full tuition scholarships and over 12 students receive partial tuition scholarships.

Once at Mason, EIP students can continue their involvement and academic success with the College Transitions program. The program mainly focuses on current freshmen but is designed to benefit all college students.

“100 percent [of EIP students] will graduate from high school, hands down. And then about 95 percent will attend post-secondary education to pursue their bachelor’s degree

— about half of those students will go to George Mason,” Davis reported.

In EIP’s promotional video, students expressed that their experience within the program has changed their academic life for the better. “I know for a fact that if it wasn’t for EIP I wouldn’t be in college today, and I wouldn’t be the person I am today,” said one student featured in the video.

When asked about this, Davis expressed the importance of valuing education.

“You have a group of students sacrificing their weekends, their summers, after school … and they’re doing it all for the sole purpose of going to college,” said Davis.

In the upcoming academic year, EIP is looking to create a program connection with Mason’s School of Education in order to increase students’ access and exposure to many career paths.

EIP has some upcoming events this October such as “Dare to Learn,” which will give students a broader picture of what the program does.

The academic mentoring program will encourage dedicated students to apply for an academic mentoring position, so they can make a difference in the lives of current and future college students.

Wednesday, Sept. 25 — Lot C

Tuesday, Sept. 24 — Fairfax Campus

Theft From Auto. Complainant (GMU) reported the theft of a backpack from a vehicle.

Stalking. Complainant (GMU) reported being followed by a known Subject (GMU) on numerous occasions.

Case 2019-009324 — Pending

Case 2019-009277 — Referred to Title IX

Wednesday, Sept. 25 — Johnson Center

Monday, Sept. 23 — Lot R

Harassment. Complainant (GMU) reported receiving unwanted contact from an unknown Subject (former GMU).

Theft From Auto. Complainant (GMU) reported the theft of a parking pass from a vehicle.

Case 2019-009301 — Referred to Title IX

Case 2019-009273 — Inactive

Tuesday, Sept. 24 — Fenwick Library Theft From Building. Complainant (GMU) reported the theft of a watch by a known Subject (GMU).

Case 2019-009279 — Closed

Sunday, Sept. 22 — Field House Parking Lot Complainant (GMU) reported vandalism to a vehicle (keyed).

Case 2019-009163 — Inactive

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09.30.2019

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A ONE-ON-ONE WITH PRESIDENT HOLTON Holton shares her vision and goals for her administration, talks funding, transparency ABIGAIL ADCOX NEWS EDITOR

Rector Tom Davis first called Holton a few days after former president Cabrera announced he was leaving to become president of his alma mater, Georgia Tech, to let her know the Board of Visitors was considering her for the position.

“It didn’t take me long for me to say, ‘Sure, that sounds fun’,” said Holton.

On June 20, the university publicly announced that the Board of Visitors unanimously voted to appoint Anne Holton as the university’s interim president effective Aug. 1.

With the announcement of her appointment, Holton became the first female president in the school’s history.

Holton’s appointment, however, was just one of the many roles she has taken on in her lifetime.

She previously served as Virginia Education Secretary from 2014–2016 under Gov. McAuliffe, but her ties to the state capital run much deeper.

Holton’s father Linwood Holton was the first Republican governor of Virginia in the 21st century.

Her father also signed the legislation in 1972 that granted Mason independence from the University of Virginia.

Holton first moved into the governor’s mansion when she was 12 but later returned as Virginia’s first lady when her husband Tim Kaine served as governor from 2006–2010. Holton effectively became the first person to live in the governor’s mansion as both a child and an adult.

Holton expressed that her role now mirrors her time as the Virginia Education Secretary and first lady in that they all gave her convening powers.

“I could call a meeting and people would come, because I was the first lady. But I didn’t have any authority to tell anyone else what to do, and so that was a real great learning experience about how to help people come together around a common goal and

get some things done without a lot of direct authority,” said Holton.

As interim president, Holton explained, she has more direct power but also oversees 10 different colleges and schools within the university, as well as other various departments and offices which all have their own identities and ideas.

“That strategy — of being able to bring people together around common goals, even if you can’t tell them what to do — is something that is serving me well,” said Holton.

Two key initiatives that she has been tasked with overseeing and developing are Arlington campus’s tech-talent initiative and Mason’s experimentation into how it can reach adult learners through online educational programs.

Part of Holton’s role in overseeing the implementation of the Arlington campus’s tech-talent initiative is to work with philanthropic partners to help finance the $250 million pledge that the university has committed to the initiative over the next five years.

Holton’s familiarity with legislature in Richmond could also prove invaluable in securing state funding for Mason.

According to the financial framework provided by the Office of the Senior Vice President, Mason receives on average 75 percent of what other public Virginia universities receive from the state.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNE HOLTON

It started with a phone call. Interim President Anne Holton was preparing for her fall courses as a professor at Mason when she was asked to step in as interim president.

“Mason does not get the resources from the state we deserve,” said Holton.

Holton explained that while the university has gotten larger in size and in quality, in order to move forward, more state funding will be required. To secure this Holton suggested a multiyear process to get the state funding up to standard.

Another topic that Holton addressed was donor transparency — an issue that plagued the former administration after several large donations were called into question.

“I am grateful frankly to the faculty and student leaders who helped the prior administration come to terms with some of the, frankly, mistakes we’ve made in the past with respect to

gift agreements,” said Holton Holton also emphasized that she is an advocate for transparency moving forward and feels confident that the revised work done on the gift agreements is a strong step forward.

Though Holton has ambitious goals for her time as interim president, she did confirm that she has no intention of assuming the role full-time.

“I am not an applicant,” said Holton.

As for what her plans are after her presidency at Mason, she plans to resume her role as a professor at the university.

Along with Holton’s responsibilities as president, she is also juggling how to balance her family life and finding time to see her husband.

“He had a meeting in Vienna tonight and called and said, ’Are you home at Mathy’s?’ and I said, ‘Yes I am,’

and he said, ‘Will you come over for a sleepover?’” said Holton, laughing.

In the meantime, she is looking forward to having a little fun at the upcoming Richmond Folk Festival, which combines three of her favorite things: dance, music and the outdoors.

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09.09.2019

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MASON ACTIVIST GETS CANDID ON CLIMATE CHANGE Ethan Wright discusses the importance of the divestment movement DANA NICKEL CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“I strike from all my classes every Friday,” he said. “Well, sometimes my mom makes me go to my Spanish class,” he added with a laugh. “But I try to stay true to my message.”

Wright explained that he strikes every week for a number of reasons, one of which is to bring awareness to climate change, an issue that he is particularly passionate about.

“With climate change, there is the potential that our futures will be cut short,” he said. “So, by striking I’m saying ‘why should I be in class when there is no future to be had?’”

During the interview, several students approached Wright to talk about his strike.

“So, what are these strikes supposed to be?” one student asked Wright.

“These strikes are one, a statement,” Wright responded. “I’m personally striking to get [the GMU Foundation] to divest $3 million [it] has in the energy sector … and have them reinvest that [money] into sustainable

Wright said that he gets questions like those from students frequently, especially about his petition.

“I’ve gotten like 84 signatures today,” he said as he flipped through the pages of his petition.

This petition is another major reason why Wright strikes from his classes every week.

“The divestment movement is really big [across the country],” he explained.

Wright referenced his petition as an addition to the divestment campaign, a recent effort by climate activists to encourage universities across the country to divest money from fossil fuels.

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

This is a regular occurrence for Wright, as he has been striking every Friday he is on campus since classes began this semester.

school programs.” (Note: the investment is 2.03 million)

“I think it would be a really good thing if George Mason, you know, the largest public institution in Virginia, would be the lead role model for [the divestment movement] because for so long we’ve taken money from the (sic) Koch Industries,” Wright said.

According to Susan Van Leunen, the vice president and chief financial officer of the GMU Foundation, the $2.03 million that the GMU Foundation has invested in the energy sector is only 1.75 percent of the foundation’s total endowment.

In 2018, fossil fuels made up 80 percent of the U.S.’s energy sources, according to a report from Vox. Van Leunen wrote in an email to the

Fourth Estate that she did not have the exact details about whether the GMU Foundation has investments in the fossil fuel industry.

Wright also expressed that striking is a way to get students to engage in open discussions about the environment.

Wright is deeply involved in the climate movement himself and explained that he missed classes during the international climate strikes last week, as he was a lead organizer for the movement in Washington D.C.

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

“[The strikes] were really a defining moment in the climate movement,” Wright said.

Wright, who also serves as the advocacy director of Zero Hour, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about climate change, was also chosen to attend the UN Climate Summit in New York City on Sept. 23, which was also attended by internationally recognized climate activist Greta Thunberg.

Additionally, Wright explained that “climate anxiety” is a reality for a lot of people. He believes that his method is a way to get students to engage in open discussions about the environment without causing that anxiety.

“I definitely have talked to a good amount of people that are just kind of unaware of the urgency but also the intersections of the climate crisis,” Wright explained.

He has these discussions in hopes that this will encourage young people to get involved in climate activism.

“There’s the four main systems of oppression that perpetuates [climate change]. You know, colonialism, capitalism, patriarchy and racism,” he continued. “And those systems of oppression usually affect

minorities in low-income areas … and that adds to the climate crisis.”

Wright addressed that this idea can be overwhelming for people, which is why he believes the use of open discussions is important to educate people on the reality of the climate crisis.

“You know, you do your best and tell the information that you can,” Wright said. “Talking about it is a good way for [young people] to get involved at the community level.”

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

Equipped with a white poster that read “School Strike 4 Climate” and a petition with 84 signatures so far that afternoon, freshman Ethan Wright sat in front of the JC on Friday, Sept. 27 in an effort to urge Mason to divest the $2.03 million they have invested in the energy sector.

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SPORTS

09.30.2019

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A RIVALRY BETWEEN BROTHERS Men’s soccer senior Tunde Akinlosotu shares his source of competitive drive DOMENIC ALLEGRA ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

play[ed] my second oldest brother. We lost 3-0 and that was a bad year.,” he said.

The rivalries between the brothers did, in fact, involve some trash talking between the three of them.

“That was our only game we played.

I lost 3-0 and I always say I’m better soccer player but he won 3-0,” he said with a laugh.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MASON ATHLETICS

In that game, on Oct. 22, 2016, Sixtus recorded one assist, but Tunde failed to record a point.

This brotherly bond did not only bring a sense of competitiveness to their family but also a sense of inspiration for Tunde.

This is what it was like for Mason men’s soccer player Tunde Akinlosotu.

“I guess ever since I was a kid, we’ve always just watched soccer [and] played soccer. It’s always been a family outing,” he said.

He started playing soccer with his older brothers around the age of 6, growing up in a family where his dad was a soccer player and his mom was a track star.

Despite playing basketball and track when he was younger, Akinlosotu always knew he wanted to play soccer on the collegiate level. “[Ever since I was a kid] and ever since I was in middle school and high school ...

I always just wanted to be a pro,” Akinlosotu said.

During his high school career, Akinlosotu received many accolades on levels ranging from local to national. He contributed more than 18 goals and more than 15 assists to help McDonough High School win the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship.

Akinlosotu

was

named

an

all-conference and all-met selection three times. He was also selected as an all-state player in Maryland twice.

Akinlosotu was named to the United States Youth Soccer Association National Championship Best XI Team back in 2015.

two Atlantic 10 teams. His oldest brother Bonaventure played for St. Bonaventure and his second oldest brother Sixtus currently plays soccer at La Salle. His third and youngest brother Justus currently plays for Mount St. Mary’s as a defender.

Then came the time for Akinlosotu to choose where to take his talents to the collegiate level.

During his time here at Mason, Akinlosotu has even had the chance to play each of his brothers once.

“Playing against them is very different.

I remember the first time I played my oldest brother, we tied and then I

Akinlosotu made the decision to come to Mason in 2016 for many reasons, including “the close proximity to D.C. and D.C. United.”

Since the beginning of his freshman year, Akinlosotu has scored 11 goals and 10 assists totaling 32 points.

He was tied for first in goals (5) and finished first in assists (5) for Mason during the 2018 season.

Akinlosotu has also learned to instill motivation in others, most importantly his teammates.

Akinlosotu also recalled his favorite memory since he started playing for Mason.

“I’d say definitely the second half of last season [was my favorite memory].

[After] we were 3-6 going into conference [play] and then turning it around.

[It was] just how we grew together last half of the season and making it to the [A-10] finals. A heartbreak, but the journey I will never give up or trade it for anything else.”

With the soccer season halfway done, next to come are the A-10 Conference games, and the the A-10 Championship.

That being said, Akinlosotu still has hopes to finish his senior year on a high note.

“Definitely win the A-10’s, that’s the only goal this year. Win the A-10 and make the NCAA Tournament,” he said.

Mason men’s soccer’s next game is Oct. 12, when they take on Davidson for the first time at home since 2016.

“As a leader and a captain, I think I have to hold myself to a higher

“I also knew that a lot of good things come from the DMV area soccer wise and it’s a growing market,” Akinlosotu said.

He continued, “Then after that, it was basically Grant [Robinson] and Ryan [Mingachos]. I knew them in high school. They both committed I think a week before I did and the class that we had coming in really drew me here. Coach Greg [Andrulis] and our old assistant coach really helped me, showed me the school [and] showed me how they were playing and I liked everything about Mason at that point.”

All three of Akinlosotu’s brothers also happen to have played soccer at the collegiate level. Furthermore, two of these brothers played for

PHOTO COURTESY OF MASON ATHLETICS

Have you ever wondered what it was like being born into a soccer family?

One that lived, breathed and bled soccer?

“One of my brothers is going to be a lawyer in a year and another is going to be a doctor in three years so wherever they put the bar out, I would have to eventually surpass them,” said Akinlosotu.

standard than what has happened, said Akinlosotu. “We are 1-6 and partly because of forward scoring and all this, but I think I just have to hold myself to a higher standard to help the team be the best they can be.”

SPORTS

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE @IVESTATE_SPORTS

09.09.2019

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SPORTS IN BRIEF Women’s Soccer

Men’s Soccer

This past Thursday, women’s soccer hosted the University of Massachusetts. The Patriots lost 4–2, dropping their overall record to 2–7–1.

On Monday, Sept. 24, men’s soccer and Bucknell played to a 1–1 draw in Fairfax after 120 minutes of action.

Junior Jisca Adigo was a one-person offense that night, scoring both goals for the Patriots.

This result snaps Mason’s six-game losing streak and puts their record at 1–6–1.

Mason led UMass 1–0 heading into halftime.

However, the Minutewomen scored three goals in seven minutes in the second half to surge ahead 3–1.

In the 17th minute, Mason freshman Léon Reilhac scored the first goal of his collegiate career. Mason held Bucknell scoreless until the Bison converted a penalty kick opportunity in the 74th minute, knotting the score up at one.

After Adigo scored her second goal — chipping the lead down to one — UMass recorded yet another second-half goal, putting the game out of reach for Mason.

With seconds remaining in the second overtime period, Bucknell attempted a shot on goal, but sophomore goalie Brison Moorhead made his fourth and most important save of the match, preserving the draw.

Women’s Volleyball During the Mason Invitational, which occurred on Sept. 20 and 21 at the RAC, women’s volleyball hosted and played against Wake Forest, Seton Hall and William & Mary.

The Patriots defeated William & Mary three sets to none but fell to Wake Forest three to none and Seton Hall three to one.

In the team’s final match of the tournament against William & Mary, sophomore Siron Hardy posted 15 kills, extending her streak of consecutive matches with double-digit kills to five.

Additionally, sophomore Erin Derick posted a career-high 52 assists in the loss to Seton Hall.

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GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

SCHOLARSHIPS SPARKLE AT ARTS BY GEORGE

Biggest fundraiser for nine Mason programs IZZ LAMAGDELEINE ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR

since his first role in the seventh grade that theater is something he could pursue forever. Crawford was cast as the lead in his middle school’s musical, after his theater teacher recommended he audition for it. He hasn’t looked back since.

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

From age 15, Crawford worked as often as he could in order to save up money to attend college. He pays for his tuition himself, out of pocket. His family helps to support any other costs, like books and course fees. Crawford has only attended Mason for the past two years, and what he’s learned since arriving has already benefited him.

Years later, Ratcliffe is a highly successful pianist. He is currently preparing for the Sydney International Piano Competition, one of the most prestigious competitions in the world. He is also planning to perform next semester with a few local orchestras. With all of these achievements, maybe it should be no surprise to learn that he has an ARTS by George! scholarship, an award supported by one of the largest events within the arts community at Mason.

“Our motto in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) is, ‘The arts create community,’” Susan Graziano, the college’s director of development, said. “And [ARTS! by George!] is the best, signature event that we have that showcases that the arts create community.”

ARTS by George! was held Saturday, Sept. 28, in and outside of the de Laski Performing Arts Building. All seven main programs and schools in the CVPA, as well as the Mason Community Arts Academy and Green Machine, presented student performances that highlighted each of their

particular specializations. Towards the end of the evening, Audra McDonald, a six-time Tony winner and this year’s guest artist, performed in the Center for the Arts.

ARTS by George! raises about $300,000 each year, with approximately half of the amount going towards student scholarships. In 2018, Graziano stated the event raised $259,000 and gave $141,000 in scholarships. Sponsors of this year’s event include former university president Ángel Cabrera, and Carolyn and Milt Peterson, who gave 8 million to build Peterson Hall.

College is heavily important to Crawford’s family. His grandfather stressed the importance of education to him. One of his ancestors was illiterate, and lost land that the family had owned after slavery ended when he signed a contract that he couldn’t read.

Ratcliffe does not have student debt, even though he’s a senior pursuing an accelerated master’s. He transferred from the Juilliard School to Mason’s school of music last fall. In-state tuition at Mason combined with room and board for the 2019–2020 academic year is only $24,510, while Juilliard charges $67,948 for a continuing student living on campus in a double room during the 2019–2020 academic year. Juilliard also warns students the “costs of living in New York City are high and off-campus rents can be exceedingly high” on its tuition, fees and expenses page.

Ratcliffe was putting himself through school with the financial aid he received each year, which is only around a third of the total tuition.

Then, at the start of his junior year,

Ratcliffe’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time.

He found himself taking a bus every weekend to go home and help. He soon found himself taking the next semester off from school, and came back to the NOVA area to live at home while working for his chiropractor father as a physical therapist’s assistant until he enrolled at Mason. Since, he has continued his education, and his mother has fully recovered from her cancer.

“I don’t think I would have been able to stay literally living in New York because it was just too expensive,” Ratcliffe said. “So, that contributes to the freedom that I feel now. There’s no debt, I’m not in debt, and I’m making money as well, to fund projects and to do things instead of working to pay back [student loans].”

Ratcliffe has performed in ARTS by George! in the past, while Crawford has not either year.

Many other students performed in the showcases, highlighting piano celebrations, the student opera and winter guard. These artists showed their specific skills, in the process becoming the highlight of the evening.

Graziano said the main mark she has left on the event has been to lower its costs while increasing profits without affecting the performances in any way.

General tickets for this year’s event started at $300, with Mason alumni tickets beginning at $125 and sponsorships at $1,800.

For the students who are awarded a scholarship from ARTS by George!, every little bit helps. The scholarship amounts and recipients are determined by faculty members. Donors can specify what program they want their funds to go towards, after which Graziano and her team figure out exactly how much money each unit has to spend and disperses it to them.

Sophomore theatre major Hasan Crawford is also an ARTS by George! scholarship recipient. He has known

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

During Luke Ratcliffe’s childhood, he began teaching teaching himself music on a small upright piano his family owned. His parents wanted him and his two younger brothers to each take a year of piano, but it only stuck for him. He said his desire to play music was almost a calling.

“Just being able to study here and getting my skills up has helped with getting jobs,” Crawford said. “This year, I’m starting to audition for shows that pay so that I can start helping, using that money to go towards paying for my education.”

“My culture as an African-American [man], I’d say it’s a pretty big part in almost everything I do, especially theater,” Crawford said. “Having that history and being able to implement that history in the work that I do has been just so fulfilling to me. It’s just been great to sort of share my culture with other people through the art form that I love most.”

09.30.2019

CULTURE

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

11

ARTS BY GEORGE! SHOWCASES MASON ART STUDENTS

Student performances included dance, guard and opera NAYOMI SANTOS STAFF WRITER

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

choreography piece to an instrumental before moving on to flags and rifle spinning. Though it was a small group, they held the audience’s attention with their captivating flag moves and tall rifle spins.

Mason’s Winterguard is a lesser-known organization on campus, despite being one of the few that performs at a world-class level.

Described as a grand night for singing, the opera portion of ARTS by George! featured an excerpt from the Opera Studies 2019 winter show called “Mesdames de La Halle.” The story takes place in Paris’ famous fruit and vegetable market, where a love story unfolds among its vendors.

The group of students imitated the bustling market, each enticing the audience with their products. Later, the lovebirds in the show sing a duet together and profess their love.

In the contemporary music world, the art of opera is sometimes considered a dying practice. However, the Mason students who study and practice it are sure it will survive for years to come.

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

“Opera can move mountains,” said Rosalind Chan, one of the performers.

“It can be political, it can say a lot.”

Jaelin Mitchell also plays a role in the opera. ARTS by George! has given the freshman an opportunity to maintain this classic art.

“Opera can live for many years, and I have the opportunity to sing,” Mitchell said. “Anything that has lasted as long as opera has [spoken] for itself.”

The students played around with their expressions, and made sure that their mannerisms aligned with their musical content.

“Opera does change, but it stays within its roots too,” Chan said. “[We] as artists grow with it.”

The students will perform the entire show on Dec. 6 and 7 at the Hylton Performing Arts Center on Mason’s Science and Technology campus.

Simultaneously, as guests dined next to the Mason statue, they had the opportunity to watch Mason’s world-class Winterguard perform.

“[ARTS by George!] is a really big opportunity because not a lot [of] people know about [colorguard],” Ellery Broga said.

“It’s harder to explain without showing them exactly what it is.”

Since the group is world-class, auditions and practice can be very challenging. However, the students still find ways to stay inspired.

“What’s really great about our group, and what really inspired me when I auditioned, it’s not that no one has the talent, it’s that you have to have the right attitude,” DaSean Young said.

Many times, money can be a barrier for those looking to join.

“It’s a really big struggle because there are so many people that do have the talent, but if they don’t have the money, they can’t do it,” Rouga said.

The Mason students are passionate

Dance, one of Mason’s most championed programs and well-known for its accomplished alumni, was also showcased at the event. The showcase, titled “The Show Must Go On,” revisited one of the school’s pieces performed at last semester’s gala.

Since then, a few of the students have graduated, and their former understudies stepped in.

The showcase piece, “Cosmos,” is an electric performance with various moving parts and difficult routines.

The complexity challenges the notion that dancers aren’t intelligent and don’t really think when it comes to their movements.

“The stereotype that dancers aren’t smart is what we’re trying to break,” said senior Madeleine Burr.

During the performances, there were a few other showcases that highlighted the work of students and alumni.

One such showcase was that of augmented and virtual reality presented by the game design program.

A group of students on campus designed an augmented reality game that is meant to teach U.S. combat medics emergency surgery procedures.

Another group, the Mason Community Arts Academy, offers lessons on many art disciplines to the greater community. Their group was highlighted at the event along with Sarah Dolan, who showcased “Print Production with Navigation Press.” Dolan is a Mason alumnus currently teaching a course at American University focused on printmaking.

Mural Brigade, the group responsible for the murals on the Skyline windows and the Arts and Design building, were also present at the event.

“Cosmos” necessitates that the dancers are always thinking and aware of their surroundings, even when they aren’t moving.

“We basically try to spread more art around campus,” sophomore Jendaya Williamson said. “We want to bring more life to Mason, and not have so much land or office feeling to it.”

“[We want] to show that we aren’t just bodies moving, we’re also thinking,” said senior Maya Fedorenko. “Even the people who aren’t in the piece at the time have to know what’s going on at all times, every part really, because anything can happen on stage.”

The night was one for the Mason arts community to remember. The proceeds from the event will go towards funding for art scholarships in the seven art-related Mason schools, along with the Mason Community Arts Academy and Green Machine.

They first performed a dance

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

On the evening of Saturday, Sept. 28, in multiple showcases at the de Laski Performing Arts Center, students from across the College of Visual and Performing Arts demonstrated to ARTS by George! attendees the artistic talent that Mason has to offer.

and work together to create a worldclass level show every year. The group will soon start their intensive weekend rehearsals in preparation for their winter shows and competition.

FACES of MASON

FACES OF MASON delves into the lives of Mason students, faculty, alumni and organizations every week. This week, we take a closer look at the organization Urbanknowlogy and faculty Angela Hattery INTERVIEWS BY NIKAYLA KIRCHNER

FOURTH ESTATE NIKAYLA KIRCHNER

Urbanknowlogy Could you talk a little bit about the club?

What made you want to start dancing for Urbanknowlogy?

Urbanknowlogy is the first hip-hop dance group on campus. We were founded in 2005 by Terrence “TP” Polite, LaShonda Wilson and JayEll Vaugn, and it was meant for people who love and are passionate about dance. We do competitions around the DMV area and on-campus. Our on-campus performances include Mason Madness, basketball game halftime shows, Mason Day, Spring Preview and other local club, organization events. Outside of campus, we compete in the International Week dance competition (where we won second place), the East Coast Dance Competition, the Slam Dance competition in Baltimore and many other showcases. Make sure to look out for us at the spring Homecoming this year

I’ve been dancing my entire life and my grandma actually owned a dance studio in the Philadelphia area where I’m from. So I grew up around dance from the time I was crawling. I would watch my mom and my cousins in the studio all the time, so it’s pretty much embedded in my genes. It’s like a part of me. My grandma and my family basically set up this great place for us to grow and to dance and to express ourselves.

How do you think Urbanknowlogy has impacted Mason and the arts?

I feel like Urbanknowlogy has been a very influential arts program on campus in terms of showing Mason pride, and in bringing Mason together as a community. But at the same time,

we are more than just “Mason.” I feel like we also have this connection to the arts outside of campus, as though we combine artistic vision in real dance with the pride of Mason, almost like a crossroad between including other dance teams outside of campus while also doing events just for Mason pride.

What do you think is the most important thing about dance or the arts in general?

For me personally, it’s all about expression. It’s an outlet that allows people to express how they feel, how they want to feel and the things that they usually won’t allow themselves to feel in a healthy, coping manner. Dance is expression just like any other art, used to tell and show people how you feel, and that’s one of the biggest things about dance. It tells a story and it allows for emotion.

D r. A n g e l a H a t t e r y What sparked your passion to study, research, and explore gender and race relations?

FOURTH ESTATE NIKAYLA KIRCHNER

I always knew I was a feminist, but I didn’t always know the language until I went to college. I always knew the boys were getting the opportunities that I wasn’t getting, and I always knew inequality was wrong, but I just didn’t understand how it got that way.

So, pretty much my whole life has been about trying to understand and use that knowledge to impact social inequality in real ways. Some people become social workers, others find Black Lives Matter, but I’m a professor.

I do the work on a college campus. I think that was where my enlightenment happened, around after I found the power in education.

Could you talk a little bit about your past and current research projects?

My current research is a project around studying ethnography around people living and working in solitary confinement. I am particularly interested in the way in which we build prisons in rural white communities but fill them

up with urban black bodies, specifically in relation to how this shapes race relations within the prisons and the community itself. I am also continuing my research on how black bodies are policed, formally and informally, and the policing of black women’s bodies, as well as continuing my long-standing research on sexual and intimate partner violence.

Why do you think research is so important to Mason culture?

I think research is super important because all of us can look at the world and make assumptions about what we think is going on, but research keeps us honest. Research helps us figure out if what we see is actually happening and disrupts our assumptions about the world. Research debunks any myths and misbeliefs we might have about the world using data and numbers, saying, “Well, actually this is what it really is.”

It’s honestly the best tool we have. It’s critical to Mason culture, and students should be involved in it from the very beginning.

How has your research on race and gender studies impacted the

Mason community?

I believe that my research has provided space for critical conversations on campus. Some conversations occur in the classroom, where students have the opportunity to learn how to talk to each other about difficult topics and become adept to discussing the things people don’t necessarily want to talk about.

But, I feel like the greatest impact has been through my teaching. By teaching these types of classes, I am educating the people who will eventually leave the university and bring my work into their own work. They become alumni who become leaders in their communities, and who can have these tough conversations in what they’re doing. I think the greatest gift and power has been within the students who take what I teach and transform the world.

What can we expect next from you?

I am super excited to be teaching my first Honors College course in the spring semester called Policing Black Bodies, and bringing my research into a new part of the university. Expect big things. The sky’s the limit.

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

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CULTURE

HIDDEN HANGOUTS: SWEET BERRY Find endless combinations at this sweet shop LAURA SCUDDER COPY EDITOR

Crepes, frozen yogurt, waffles, gelato — are we in heaven? Nope, we’re in Sweet Berry. Found on Main Street in the Pickett Shopping Center, right by Trader Joe’s, this hidden joint is a sure

hit. Does biting into a chocolate crepe with vanilla gelato sound good to you?

If so, you’re in the right place!

If not, you have terrible taste.

The first time I went, I had the salted caramel gelato. It was delicious, but I did not anticipate the tastiness still to come. On my second visit, I knew I had to try the crepe/gelato combo that my friends raved about.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURA SCUDDER

It. Is. Amazing. Not to talk about it too much — there would be nothing worse than going to a place where they have gelato wrapped in a crepe and being disappointed — but it was very good.

The lovely workers of Sweet Berry make many different crepes filled with sweet treats, including nutella, chocolate, caramel or Almond Joy. Then, they wrap the crepe into a

cone-like shell and fill it with vanilla gelato. Not a fan of vanilla? Fret not, they’ve got you covered. Instead, you can substitute the gelato for something like pistachio or mint.

Some of their crepe concoctions even come with fruit — mainly strawberries or bananas. I dare say it doesn’t get any better than that.

The crepe cone rises just above the gelato, making it so you first have to eat dough — but then the crepe and gelato meet. Wowza! Imagine the combination of ice cream and a cone, but with a chocolate crepe and vanilla gelato.

Also, the crepe cone is paper wrapped, so you don’t have to eat with your hands on the outside of the crepe right away. The last bite is a perfect one.

Everything comes together to create the right amount of chocolate filling and vanilla.

You may think the combination is too sweet, but there is a balance. The crepe dough adds just enough carbs to the chocolate and vanilla to offset the potential of it being too sugary. The delicacy is apparent.

If sweet crepes filled with gelato aren’t your thing, there are many other options at Sweet Berry. You can fill up a cup of frozen yogurt. There are a range of flavors, from chocolate to strawberry to mango, and so many toppings. As in many frozen yogurt shops, the more the frozen yogurt weighs, the more expensive it is.

You can even grab a waffle, a drink or a savory crepe if you aren’t feeling something sweet that day. No matter what, Sweet Berry has a treat right up your alley. Find what is right for you, and prepare to enjoy.

Try telling yourself you have food at home PETER NJOROGE CULTURE EDITOR

Paying for individual meals adds up quickly. Eating fast food three nights in a row can easily run you $30 dollars.

For a similar price, you can pick up a wealth of quality ingredients that will make one yummy meal that lasts a few days, with money left over for breakfast.

While some culinary techniques are very advanced, a large chunk of the essentials are not. There are a ton of classic meals that require very little kitchen expertise and equipment. If you’re trying to be Gordon Ramsey, I would stop reading this article, quit whatever you’re doing and get into a

professional kitchen.

For the rest of us, find what you like to eat, choose a reliable recipe site (Bon Appétit is my personal favorite) and get cooking. In addition to traditional recipes available online, some magazines and YouTube channels have numerous step-by-step tutorials to help you make kitchen magic.

The real game changer for leftovers: make food that you want to eat. It’s so much easier to eat something the second day that already tasted fantastic fresh from the kitchen. It seems silly, but think about the food you enjoyed growing up with and the things you typically order at restaurants. These are going to be your everyday meals.

Start with one of those meals and slowly add to your repertoire. Also master a few basic meals like tacos or pasta with Bolognese, and make sure to shop strategically. If you’re only going to cook one meal for yourself,

you shouldn’t need large quantities of required ingredients.

I’ve probably made tacos at least six times in the past month. Each time, I’ve tried something new to expand on the things I enjoyed from the previous iteration, and I’ve found it’s actually kind of fun. What changed the game for me when it comes to leftovers is that when I do a good job cooking, I actually look forward to eating what I made.

Also, if you run out of only one or two of the ingredients, just head over to the store and buy them again. You can easily remake that part of the meal and extend it even further.

I love food. It’s also pretty important.

Kind of essential, really. But, I am also a student with things to do and places to be — and minimal funds to do so. Cooking every day does not work for me, and I don’t think that it does for every college student. I’m

not proposing that you should cut out the entirety of your external eating.

During a regular week, my meals are probably split evenly between cooking and eating out. Cooking once a week can save you money while helping you develop a healthy adult skill.

For those who live on campus but do not have a kitchen, there are kitchen resources available in Hanover and Taylor Halls. Also, feel free to warm up your meal in one of the many microwaves in the Johnson Center.

FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON

I hate leftovers as much as the next person. However, turning one meal into two or three can make a big difference for your budget. For everyone with access to a kitchen, adding a single cooked meal to your week can be an awesome way to save money and eat a tad less Wendy’s.

09.30.2019

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

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON

14

A MAJOR DECISION IN THE MIND OF AN UNDECIDED STUDENT

SHERRY KIM STAFF WRITER

The moment I set foot onto campus as a freshman, I was absolutely lost.

Although it’s true that I got lost trying to find the Nguyen Engineering Building from the other side of campus, I was actually referring to my state of mind.

Over the past few years, the weight of seemingly harmless questions about my future have continuously grown into heavier variations of “What are you going to do with your life?”

Woven within the asker’s words is the anticipation of a declaration of some impressive aspiration.

As a child, I would have been more than happy to give you a long, detailed description of my dreams and ambitions. But with every encounter, the substantial amount of expectations — even from people I hardly know — have left me only capable of awkwardly providing a half-hearted response with an uncomfortable pressure in my throat.

There is an underlying expectation in our society that we all need to have an idea of what we plan to do with our lives early on. During high school, we begin to seriously consider the paths we wish to pursue in order to lay the

foundation for our future careers.

At the mere age of 17 or 18, we are asked to make a choice that holds the potential to determine the direction of our futures. The daunting nature of this task can be overwhelming to some, as they begin to assume the responsibilities of adulthood.

Consequently, it’s completely understandable for individuals to feel uncertain about their initial decisions.

As someone who prefers to be aware of all necessary details in order to plan efficiently before taking action, being an undecided student with a foggy future and an unknown purpose was a nightmare. When I initially expressed my concerns about my situation, people ranging from friends, counselors, advisors, upperclassmen and even professors all reassured me that “it’s okay to be undecided.”

Because of the encouragement I was receiving, I tried to make peace with my conflicting thoughts by exploring different fields and getting involved with new activities. I tried desperately to convince myself that I shouldn’t feel too stressed over this; I had plenty of time before I was required to officially declare my major, but I couldn’t help but question whether it is really okay

to be undecided.

Unfortunately, keeping a positive attitude proved difficult. Months prior to beginning my first semester as a college student I had established a daily routine, investing hours of my time researching majors offered by Mason and their associated careers.

Additionally, I would look for the job outlooks, required skills and salaries of each respective career. Time and time again, even with all of my effort, I would repeatedly come across a dead end. When I began making progress in my pursuit, something would always bring me back to square one.

In an environment full of ambitious people striving towards their goals with a purpose and strong objectives, I felt misplaced, lost and alone. I didn’t want to admit it, but it was clear that the careers associated with my most interesting major options didn’t seem like the right approach for me.

I didn’t know how to cope with the disappointment and discouragement I constantly encountered and endured.

Although it took some time for me to confront this dilemma, I was determined to succeed. I was not going to be satisfied until I discovered

my own passion and learned how I can apply that to my life. After several moments of frustration and despondency, I eventually did.

This process was really challenging for me due to the uneasiness I felt about my fading interest in multiple subjects. While there were majors I was interested in, I had no desire to pursue a career within those fields. At the same time, there would be careers I would be interested in, but had little confidence in my ability to succeed in. After setting aside my worries and utilizing the previously collected information about each major, I selected my top major choices and researched dozens of career options.

I plan on discussing more information with my advisors regarding my long-awaited decision to major in biology with the hopes of pursuing a career as a cosmetic dermatologist.

Truthfully, I was genuinely surprised by my newfound interest in cosmetic dermatology because I had never considered studying this field.

While I did discuss my personal struggles as an undecided student, I do believe that there is nothing wrong with being unsure about the

prospects of your future. Being an undecided student has provided me with the opportunity to broaden my perspective by meeting people from diverse backgrounds and allowing me to change my attitude and my interests. Furthermore, it has given me the chance to learn more about who I am and what I’m passionate about.

It can be difficult to admit that you’re not certain on your, so to speak, lifechanging decisions. It is important to remember that this is your life and you have full control of your life, even if it seems like the world is working against you. You set your own goals and work hard to achieve those goals. Rather than comparing yourself to others, you should be proud of your own efforts. Some people may have their lives figured out, but everyone is living life to the beat of their own drum.

To those who may feel lost or uncertain with where they are in life, I leave you with one final message. In the words of Alexander Graham Bell: “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

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

15

09.30.2019

ALL MEDIA IS POLITICAL

SAMUEL FELDHOUSEN STAFF WRITER

“Stop making everything political.”

You’ve probably heard that phrase somewhere on the social media provider of your choice, or the wild west that is YouTube.

While the phrase seems to be part of an almost-valid argument, I assure you that anyone who uses this coward’s warcry is saying it because a mainstream show did something they didn’t like. Sometimes it’s in reference to a visibly LGBTQ+ character, or about how a female character takes charge over men, but generally speaking, the show angered someone somewhere.

Rather than admitting how petty their reasoning for not liking it is, they hide behind the same old catchphrase. But in all reality, almost every piece of media is political, even if the creator tries to claim otherwise.

Politics seems like a far-off beast, one that rears its ugly head every four years as a new wave of power-hungry brown nosers fight for control of one of the largest countries in the world, but its reach goes much further than just a rat race for power. Every person in the U.S. has a political ideology, even if they are not a Democrat or a Republican.

Their ideology affects them in virtually every moment of their lives: where they shop, what they eat, how they conduct themselves. This stems from both the ideals of their chosen group, and from their perception of other ideologies.

As it affects parts of their life, it also affects how they create things. In every form of media, the ideology of the creator always shapes the finished product. One way to figure out how politics affects your favorite piece of

media is by exploring how the themes of that media apply to the real world.

Generally speaking, conservative writers put in conservative-leaning messages — and vice-versa for liberal writers.

One of the best examples of a highly political movie is “RoboCop,” a brutal satire focused around the titular RoboCop cleaning up the streets of a futuristic Detroit. The anti-capitalist overtones and dark, biting humor tell a strongly worded story about its creator’s ideology.

Furthermore, it contains strong condemnation of society’s obsession with extreme violence and love of technology over human lives.

“RoboCop” is so wildly political, I consider it a major influence on their writing as a whole.

While their main argument was

addressed in the beginning of this article, the whiners of the world have another trick up their sleeves: when faced with the knowledge that the media contains messages directly conflicting with their ideology — instead of acknowledging this and recognizing the other side of their opinions — they will repeatedly claim that the media in question is “not politics free.”

A very prevalent example of ignoring a movie’s message is the concept of red-pilling, where someone is converted to the side of the far right.

This turn of phrase was taken from “The Matrix,” which is baffling not only because “The Matrix” is overwhelmingly anti-authority, but also because the directors, the Wachowski sisters, are trans women.

media also frequently claim that their creations are “politics-free.” Ninety percent of the time, this excuse is used as a way to avoid alienating a potential audience that would’ve otherwise been driven out by conflicting politics.

Above all else, the general public needs to acknowledge that politics are everywhere, and that this isn’t a bad thing. Our politics are a part of who we are, and trying to hide who we are is never right.

Even beyond the political level, recognizing the themes on display in a piece of media can drastically affect how you feel about it, letting you form your own unique opinion. You can also use this awareness to look back and see how the media you’ve watched shaped who you choose to be — for better and for worse.

Even worse, the people making

SCIENCE LABS VS. MENTAL HEALTH

ZOEHRIYA ANWAR STAFF WRITER

Being subjected to peer and familial pressure in high school resulted in me initially pursuing a degree in biology.

I felt burdened by my career plans at that time and did not see myself as a future physician. To complement my indecisiveness that time, I would tell my peers and family friends that I wanted to become a medical researcher, but inside, I always desired to pursue a career in public policy.

FOURTH ESTATE NAZ WEB

However, my childhood and most

of my adolescence were surrounded by books related to genetics and neuroscience. It was difficult to see myself in a lab attempting to make a breakthrough in curing cancer or researching Alzheimer’s disease in rats.

During the fall semester of my freshman year at Mason, I had two science classes, each of which had a laboratory component. I felt overwhelmed with the workload and struggled with self-care. It would

take minutes to complete essays and projects in my English classes.

On the other hand, the three lab reports I had to write each week for my chemistry and biology classes took hours to write, considering that I could lose thirty points for a simple data miscalculation. In addition, the concepts in chemistry were difficult to absorb due to my instructor’s unwillingness to teach, so I had to spend additional time out of class trying to teach myself the concepts.

Thankfully, I changed my major from biology to community health, knowing I wanted to do something with public health law. I did not have to take another chemistry class, but unfortunately found myself succumbing to a poor regimen once again due to the difficulty and workload burden of my anatomy lab and lecture classes — which are requirements for the major. I feel I have lagged behind on my adult responsibilities, such as doing my laundry, managing finances and taking care of family.

Unfortunately, my experience with my science laboratory classes is nothing more than a harsh reality for the

majority of college students across colleges and universities in the United States.

College is undoubtedly difficult in terms of finding the balance between academics, managing money and finding a job. Unfortunately, science majors face another deterrence in finding the optimal balance of general college responsibilities: the stress of studying and completing assignments for laboratory and lecture sections.

Students from universities such as the University of California, Los Angeles and George Washington have spoken out about the stress of lab assignments that have triggered many students to cheat to pass. For students who don’t plan on incorporating the practical aspects of science — such as medicine and research — taking science labs is trivial to enriching a student in his or her career field.

There are disparities in the extent to which a laboratory component can enrich a student’s career field. The tackling of these disparities underlies in the potent proposal of additional offerings of Bachelor of Arts options for commonly categorized science majors, such as community health

and physics. For existing and potential Bachelor of Arts options that are available relating to science subjects, the laboratory component should be considered an elective and not a major requirement for these degrees.

Perhaps Mason can add more science classes that include seminar components in lieu of laboratory components to encourage students to consider the connection between scientific components, and public policy or current events.

However, for those who are planning on pursuing a health profession or research, a Bachelor of Science will still provide critical enrichment through laboratory components.

Laboratory instructors should facilitate online resources — such as discussion boards on Blackboard for the purposes of allowing students additional opportunities to communicate if they need clarifications on concepts discussed in class. In addition, instructors should also coordinate with academic coaches in Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) in order to encourage students to study smarter and not harder.

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

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READ THE FEDERALIST PAPERS

DOMINIC PINO STAFF WRITER

One of the foremost challenges college students face is inexperience. We’re nervous about the sparse experience section on our resumes when we apply for jobs. We’re nervous about our inexperience with relationships. We’re nervous about sounding stupid because of intellectual inexperience. We’re young, and we haven’t done what older people have done, experienced what older people have experienced or learned what older people have learned.

So what can we do to fill those gaps in our experience? We can talk to people who have experience.

Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, professors, clergy, friends and coworkers are all resources available to us with more experience in various ways.

Talking to those more experienced people is a choice, however. We can always choose to wallow on our own and whine about why everything is unfair and everyone is out to get us.

We’ve all been there from time to time, but after gathering ourselves and talking to someone else, we often look back and think to ourselves, “What was I so worried about?”

I think this is partly what the writer of Ecclesiastes meant when he wrote, “What has been will be again / what has been done will be done again / there is nothing new under the sun.”

You think your situation is unique? It’s not. It’s happened before.

If you’re civically engaged — and you should be if you’re not — then similar rules apply. It’s tempting to look around and think the government is in irreparable chaos, the Constitution is done for, and we’re in uncharted territory.

Try failing in your first attempt to create a brand new government from scratch (it’s hard), and having everyone get antsy about whether this whole thing is going to work at all, so you try again, but this time there are clearlydefined sides for and against the new constitution you just wrote.

Try convincing people who sincerely believe you want to trample their rights and take their money to agree to a whole new form of government.

Try doing all of that in less than 20 years.

There’s nothing new under the sun.

In short, try founding a country.

If you think the government is chaotic now, imagine what it was like when people were arguing over whether it should even exist. You want to talk about chaos? Try writing a letter to the king of the most powerful country on earth that basically says, “Excuse me, we don’t belong to you anymore.”

That’s what the framers of the Constitution were doing and they made their case to the nation in the Federalist Papers. There are 85 Federalist Papers, and if something is in the Constitution, there’s a Federalist Paper that mentions it. A majority were written by Alexander Hamilton (you know, from the musical), a big chunk are by James Madison (a superior intellect despite his inferior namesake university), and a few are by John Jay (yes, that’s his entire name).

Try having that king respond, “That’s cute,” and send his armies to fight a war against you.

Try shocking the world by winning that war, and then saying, “OK, that was great, but what are we going to do now?”

We can learn from their experience today. If you’ve ever taken a

government class, you’ve read Federalist No. 10 and Federalist No. 51, Madison’s two clearest expositions of what American government is all about, but there is so much more. You can read Federalist No. 68, about the electoral college, and discover that it was actually the least controversial part of the Constitution. You can read Federalist Nos. 12, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, about taxation, and see why they found that topic important enough to devote eight papers to it.

You can read Federalist No. 39, about the “republican form” of government, to understand what Madison means by that phrase. You can read Federalist Nos. 65 and 66, about impeachment, for no reason in particular.

The Federalist Papers provide not only good information about our government but also a model for how to argue in public. They were originally published in New York newspapers for the public to read. Hamilton, Madison and Jay went after the Anti-Federalists pretty hard in some spots (especially in Federalist No. 26), but they always treated them with respect and never attacked them personally. Politicians nowadays could learn a thing or two

from them. If inventing America wasn’t worth personal attacks, then representing a congressional district for two years certainly isn’t.

While the Federalist Papers aren’t always easy to read, they are conveniently split up into bite-size parts since they were originally newspaper articles. Better yet, they are all available for free on Congress’ website, although I would recommend a nice bound copy. I have the Signet Classics edition, which includes helpful reference material, bullet-point summaries of each paper, and copies of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation.

The Federalist Papers aren’t a secret decoder ring for the Constitution, and they don’t have answers to all our questions. But it would be foolish to not lean on them as repositories of American experience. Just as college students are inexperienced and need help from older people, our present political situation needs help from the experience of the past. The Federalist Papers are a good place to start.

HOW STUDYING FOR EXAMS PREPARED ME FOR THE REAL WORLD

STEVEN ZHOU CONTRIBUTOR

As midterm season approaches, most students are starting — or are in the process of — the frantic craze of studying for yet another multiplechoice exam. Graduating students are especially excited to get closer to being able to say “I’ll never have to take another test again!”

There’s no doubt that the multiple choice Scantron exams we commonly see in the classroom have their faults.

They supposedly don’t generate actual thinking among students, just retrieval of memorized facts and formulas.

Most of the memorized information is short-term anyways and will be forgotten by the next week. Exams create a system that dissuade learning and promote teaching to the test or studying just to pass the class. Some say that the model of testing and learning in college no longer prepares

students for employment.

business leaders on a day-to-day basis.

I don’t disagree that when I take exams, most of the information I prepare goes into short-term memory, and I often study primarily for the purpose of passing the exam.

There may have been no need for me to know exactly how to generate a SQL-based interactive data visual through Cloudera Hadoop — I can just look up instructions at my desk — but there was a need for me to be able to tap into my memory of relational database structures when discussing the end product goal with the vice president of marketing and sales earlier that day. And yes, prior to that meeting, I had to briefly look through my notes from my analytics class to prepare myself for the upcoming conversation.

Yet even the practice of studying for an exam has its uses, especially in the modern world in which we work. I learned the value of this after I graduated and spent a few years working in the “real world,” as those of us in academia sometimes call it.

In today’s digital world, many say that there’s very little need for the memorization skills we learn in test prep. While it may be true that most information is available at your fingertips with a quick Google search, the value of short-term memory comes into play when you’re interacting with

In other words, the process of studying for tests in college gave me the shortterm memory capabilities to talk intelligently and impressively, without notes or Google, in important business meetings.

Exams are also often criticized and even mocked as a “guessing game” where students have to figure out what the professor wants them to study. To be fair, as instructors we certainly need to do a better job of clearly informing students of what they are responsible for knowing.

worse at communicating their criteria when evaluating your performance.

That being said, I’ve also found that the process of sifting through a semester’s worth of notes and readings then identifying what the professor would deem as important, was one of the most valuable skills I developed in college.

Today, two years later, I’m back in academia, but not without having made some satisfying strides in the “real world” — two promotions within a year, and ending my two year streak with almost twice the salary I started with. It turns out those multiple choice tests I so hated back in college were actually helpful, and with any luck, I can pass on that experience to prepare my own students for their own career success.

Let’s face it, understanding what your supervisor at work wants is unlikely to be much easier than the “guess what the professor wants” game we’ve all played. If anything, supervisors (without any training in pedagogy or instructional skills) are likely to be

The skill of being able to quickly and accurately identify what your supervisor wants, out of a jumbled mess of vague communication, bodes well for anybody’s future promotions, raises and career goals.

MOSES HUNSAKER CONTRIBUTOR

Going to Mason is a time of transition for new students in many ways, and for some it isn’t just a new home — it’s a whole new area as well. Northern Virginia is dominated by the typical suburban sprawl, land parceled into distinct subdivisions and roads wound into alternating grids and cul-desaks. Most of us who grew up in the suburbs think very little of it, but if we dive deep into why suburbia exists and the ideological effects of its design, we may begin to think differently about what we once considered “normal.”

The first 18 years of my life were spent in a small suburban town — I shouldn’t call it a town, really; towns like Leesburg or Culpeper have a historical reason to exist, and municipal governments to plan them.

By contrast, my “town” was a segmentation of houses with no center, the roads detonated what was and was not residential areas, and divided the land accordingly. You couldn’t comfortably walk much of anywhere.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVIDE SHANKBONE

There was a strip mall complex somewhere in there, with a large grocery store and smaller shops around it (all of which possessed the architectural zeal afforded by poured concrete), but these surrounded what is the great dependence of the whole scheme: the parking lot.

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

09.30.2019

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THIS IS SUBURBIA That parking lot reveals the reason that my census-designated place was able to form in the manner it did: cars.

The reason that cities and towns came to be was the fact that the quality of life improves when many people in one area have access to things like public transport, work opportunities and commerce close to their homes.

In pre-automobile times these things could mostly be had only by living in a town or city where a citizen could walk to where they needed to be.

The introduction of the automobile, however, made this cooperation unnecessary; no longer do we need to cooperate with our community members to sustain ourselves — we are now endowed with the freedom to travel to wherever we please to acquire the sustenance and commerce cities and towns had previously afforded us.

And so, as people were unshackled from the communities they relied on, you can only imagine what followed was a glorious liberation, right?

Unfortunately, not. Instead, those who left the cities and towns were sold a seemingly perfect solution: the opportunity to own their own home and property, thus not relying on anyone — the American dream, perhaps.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREAS PRAEFCKE

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But these homes were bland, cheap reproductions of each other. Rather than existing in harmony with their surroundings, suburban residents exemplify an insular experience. One where they wake up in their house, get into their car, drive to their job, work from nine to five, come home and do it again the next day. This cycle generally negates what anyone might consider the formation of community. There is no reliance on those around them, as the location of their home has become irrelevant. It exists within a vacuum, which they exit when they go to work every morning, and reenter when they arrive back at night.

E v e n though the suburbanite is surrounded by people, they are pitifully alone. There exists the essential and intrinsic want within all humans for some form of

sociability, that which contributes to a happy life. But in the suburbs this interaction is not facilitated — it is all but stamped out.

buck, just like the developer, just like the bank, just like your boss. So you’re sold a dream of an independent life, but you buy yourself into isolation.

The houses were built cheaply, and randomized from a variation of models and elements so that, while no one could say that any two adjacent units were exactly alike, every house on the block had the same interior amenities, vaulted ceilings in the master bedroom and bathroom, two full baths and one half bath, and a stylish chandelier in the foyer. Never mind the lopsided roofs and unappealing side views that came as a result of these criterion.

The land is so clearly partitioned between residential and commercial areas that walking much of anywhere is inconvenient, and no unique locations of any cultural significance exist. It’s just strip malls, it’s just nothing, it’s just the same stuff that varies in price based on the community’s level of income.

Where’s the public transport? Where’s the communal spaces? Where’s the culture? It doesn’t exist, because this isn’t a community, there is no fellowship, there is no commonality of struggle — even though every person is going through what is essentially the same experience, contained within the microcosm of their own home. here is no solidarity.

Who wouldn’t be happy with these amenities? There’s no possible way that these things could be at their core a hollow deception, appealing to the vanities of the homebuyers, throwing away all uniqueness and humanity for sterility off of which they could profit.

But as I and any longtime suburbanite willing to look deep enough realized, they were.

To understand a suburban developer one must ask what their main goal is; a developer is in the same business as every other business: the business of making money. Their job is to maximize profit. Your house is built cheaply, just like all the others in your neighborhood, and why would they do it any different? As soon as your house falls apart that means you have to pay someone to fix it, and if not them, at least someone else gets to make a

So, when students new to the area look around a bit and find the suburban sprawl, they should know how to understand the apparently illogical design choices — but fear not, students, those communal spaces and collaborative projects that the suburbs lack can be found right here at Mason.

Although Northern Virginia chops itself up for the individual, during your time here you’re a part of something bigger, and that can be a substantial comfort to the few of us who spend far too much time thinking about land development choices.

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