November 22 2019 Issue by The Red&Black

Red & Black

The Free

s t u d e n t n e w s pa p e r o f w a s h i n g t o n a n d j e f f e r s o n c o l l e g e w j r e da n d b l ac k . c o m W a s h i n g t o n , P e n n s y lva n i a November 22, 2019

WHAT’S IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER... DIVERSITY “Thanks to the Seneca Falls Convention, women collectively took a voiced step to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of women. Without these bold and independent women, today’s workforce would be vastly different. “ -P.6

The Importance of Having Work Experiecne PAGE 7

CULTURE “Have you “Netflix-n’-chilled” to the Netflix original, Big Mouth?” -P.8

OPINIONS “Finals week is the most stressful week of the year for most students. Between final projects, final papers, and exams, students are swamped with work.” -P.13

SPORTS “Over the weekend of November 15, the Washington & Jefferson College Women’s basketball team competed in the Springhill Suites Women’s Basketball Tip-Off Tournament.” -P.16

WJREDANDBLACK.COM

Courtesy Li’an Williams

2 CAMPUS NEWS

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Red & Black

Letter From The Staff Hello Everyone, The semester is coming to an end, we hope you are well and preparing for the upcoming finals. As of this Friday, the last issue of the semester will be published and printed. A big thank you to all of those who contribute and or read the paper. The paper will resume in the spring semester at the end of January. If you are feeling up to it, we encourage you to write and submit articles over the holiday season of your topic of choice. These will be published in the first spring publication. Sincerely, The Red & Black Editorial Board

Red & Black Established 1909 Editor-in-Chief Publication Manager Managing Editor Social Media Chair Campus News Editor Diversity Editor Culture Editor Opinions Editor Sports Editor Distribution Manager Copy Editor Copy Editor Adviser Adviser

Ricky Delprato Marcy Saldivar Brieanna Sutherland Juliana Kaldany Erin Herock Kelsey Julien Lauren Phillips Amanda FitzpatrickReily Oliverio Vinny Oricco Christian Buckley Will Tucker John Santa Suzanne Weinmann

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3 Career Services

Career Services: A Great Campus Resource The Office of Career Services assists students in integrating their liberal arts education with their career aspirations. In addition, the office engages students as active participants in their career development. We facilitate the connection between students and alumni mentors to provide opportunities to explore and interact with professionals in a variety of career fields. Services Provided: -Job search preparation -Career assessment tools -One-on-one career counseling -Career library -Internships -Graduate school assistance -Job and internship fairs -On-campus recruitment -Workshops -Many online resources

Courtesy Washjeff

Based on the confirmed respondents who are either employed or in graduate school, professional school, or continuing additional undergraduate education, the Career Outcomes Rate is 95%.

For More Information Contact The Career Service Office: Telephone: 724-229-5126 Fax: 724-250-3410 careerservices@washjeff.edu Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Summer Hours (June & July only): Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Extended hours available by appointment.

Courtesy Washjeff

Handshake is the new career website being utilized by the Career Services Office.

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Red & Black

22 november 2019

Common Integrity Improv Club Spotlight Kailee Havrda Red & Black Contributor

The Improv Club or Common Integrity is an exciting, collaborative club that welcomes students with fun and dynamic improv games. Improv means to create, act, or recite off-hand or without thinking or preparation. This club promotes and encourages students to think on their feet, public speaking and positive thoughts. The traditional “yes and” way of thinking is constantly present through the practices. They meet in Olin Lobby every Monday from 9-10:30pm. Improv Club is made up of Co-Directors, Tori Mckeehan ’21 and Alex York ’20 along with their Secretary

Zoë Pienkoski ’20, Treasurer/SGA Rep Kailee Havrda ’20 and Publicist Isaac ’20. Speaking to one of the Directors of the club, Tori Mckeehan ’21, “We welcome all newcomers and we love to share in our laughter and our craft! Please come join us!” Improv promotes positive thinking and working together. They play all sorts of lively games like Re-do, Buddha, Revolver, and scene work that lets the performer create their own scene. Each of these games teaches the performer to think positively and on their feet, with happy, helpful Directors who are there to help if needed. Improv Club is a student-run and directed club. This club in the past has put on different performances throughout the year that helps to show the joy of Improv to the rest of school. Improv club is looking forward to doing more shows like this in the spring semester. One of the members of this club, Lillien Shaer ’22, says that “Improv is a really great environment to get out stress in a constructive manner while

still developing my skills as a performer.” If someone is a performer, Improv helps to better their skill. It does not matter whether someone is a performer or just someone that wants to have fun or get better at public speaking,

improv will help to prepare you, relieve stress, and provide enjoyment. For more information please feel free to reach out to washjeffimprov@gmail. com or stop by the next meeting to watch or participate.

Courtesy Kailee Havrda

Improv Club meets in Olin Lobby every Monday from 9-10:2

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CAMPUS NEWS 5

Magellan Spotlight: Nordic Sustainability Nick Krugh Red & Black Contributor

Erin Herock ‘21 spent the summer after her sophomore year travelling Nordic countries, including Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland. This opportunity was feasible through Magellan funding, an exclusive benefit of attending Washington & Jefferson College. Herock is an environmental science and public policy double major. Therefore, she worked with her public policy advisor, Dr. Fifer, to sculpt a Magellan Project focused on sustainability. “Being interested in sustainability in terms of policy and urban planning, [my advisor and I] agreed that this region would teach

Courtesy Erin Herock

me so much just through observation,” Herock explained. Scandinavia is known as being an eco-friendly region, so Herock immersed herself in their culture to witness their sustainable practice firsthand. Throughout Scandinavia, she saw a trend in sod roofs. She found that Iceland harvests 100% of its energy from the earth: 87% from hydropower and 13% from geothermal power. Also, in Iceland, she learned that Vatnajokull, a major glacier she hiked, will be gone in nine years. In Denmark, biking is so frequent that they experience rush hour traffic in the bike lane. In Sweden, she learned about climate change in a nuclear reactor. She now promotes flying Norwegian Air and SAS because they are a few of the first major airlines to employ carbon-reducing efforts. These are only a few topics she learned about firsthand and her takeaways from her trip are endless. To learn from experts themselves, Herock attended many academic seminars on climate change, biodiversity and rooftop gardens. One of the largest realizations she had during her experience is how behind the United States is from the rest of the Global North. She expressed her inspiration upon completing her Magellan, “To me, being from one of the biggest carbon dioxide emitters and polluters, I feel motivated to do something for my home country to thus, in turn, do something for the world.” Herock has some big environmental plans on how to positively impact W&J’s campus and the Washington community. To learn more about Herock’s Magellan, visit https://ecophiliacs.com/sustainability-in-scandanavia.

Courtesy Erin Herock

Herock ‘21 enjoyed exploring the beautiful Scandinavian landscapes and cities.

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DIVERSITY Red & Black

22 november2019

Increased Female Representation In STEM Kiley Miller Red & Black Contributor

Thanks to the Seneca Falls Convention, women collectively took a voiced step to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of women. Without these bold and independent women, today’s workforce would be vastly different. Today, women have increased involvement in the STEM field. A study was conducted to compare the women who entered the workforce between 1978 and 1987 to 2008 and 2017. The analysis concluded that more women moved into STEM fields compared to any other industry. As more women take leadership, more future women will feel they too can get STEM-related jobs. If women avoid participating in similar roles of men, there is no doubt that a male voice will overcast the voice of women. This

should not be surprising, regardless if we are talking about gender. For example, a person who has a strong opinion on a topic and has done research for years, the argument is likely to be heard over someone who has done the same things, yet leaves their voice to unheard. Although women’s role in the STEM field is progressing, the study also showed that this movement is not occurring at equal rates. Unfortunately, not all STEM roles are leading women at similar rates. To put this in perspective, software developers consist of twenty percent women. However, over the past forty years, this number has decreased significantly to ten percent. Particular STEM jobs have less presence of women’s roles. Overall, women are representing roles within the STEM field. Specifically, the job, Test Development Engineer, has shown the most significant increase in female representation. The growth of women’s involvement in this field is a progressive movement.

According to The New York Times, society is battling with centuries of tradition and culture, including the stereotypes of women. Attracting women to the STEM field is only one issue out of the countless others that society has been battling. The only solution to issues of occupation and sex is to slowly eliminate biases and stereotypes. The increase of women in the STEM field is a step in the right direction to eliminating the long-lived stereotypes. To help understand this issue more, I asked the opinion from two students, “what are ways in which we as a society can aim to make women as an equal in the workforce?” Montzerrat Martinez W&J ’23 responds with, “In order to bring equality in the workplace for women, I think there should be more programs offered that are targeted to women, especially in science and instilling that women and men should both be paid equally if they hold the same position.” Additionally, Derek Bendillion W&J ’21 states, “If

College or its students, faculty, or administration. The Red & Black welcomes all reader contributions, but reserves the right to reject letters of pure promotional nature, as well as letters which do not meet its standard of integrity, accuracy and decency. The Red & Black also reserves the right to edit submissions.

we want to make women equal in society, we need to get rid of the pay gap as well as the stereotypes of women in the workplace. It would also help to have an equal number of men and women in power so there’s not just a patriarchal society.”

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E ditorial P olicy The Red & Black is the official, registered student-produced newspaper of Washington & Jefferson College. It is published Fridays with the exception of exams and break periods. Editorials are based upon the opinion of the respective writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper, the

Courtesy Kiley Miller

Women should pursue a career in STEM if it interests them.

Letters are due on the Monday before publication and may not exceed 600 words. All letters must include the author’s name, campus box and telephone number. Names may be withheld upon request under certain conditions on rare occasions. All letters may be submitted to redandblackstaff@jay. washjeff.edu.

Telephone: FAX: E-mail: Mailing Address:

(724) 223-6049 (724) 503-1049 redandblackstaff@jay. washjeff.edu Red & Black 60 S. Lincoln St. Washington, PA 15301

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7 diversity

The Importance of Having Work Experience

Courtesy Kiley Miller

Li’an William, class of 2020, who is a double-major in Biology and Spanish.

Kiley Miller Red & Black Contributor

In the beginning, it is easy to imagine that four years of college will go by, greeting you with a handshake of acceptance to your dream job, but what does it take to get there? There is one word to describe what employers are looking for; experience. According to the National Association of College and Employers, students who graduate with real-world experience in their field of study are more likely to find a job upon graduation. A common worry among college students is completing four years of college and not finding a job upon graduation. However, now is the time to begin searching for opportunities that are in or outside your direct career interest.Interestingly, it is not re-

quired for the opportunity to be situated around the specific job you aim for or even within the same field. For example, someone who plans to seek a job in medical research may decide to do an internship relating to business. Why might this be beneficial? First, employers are looking for applicants who have experience working with people and reveal real leadership skills. Especially for working in a lab, it is crucial to communicate well with other researchers as well as discuss and educate others on the particular work within the study. Secondly, this particular internship sets yourself apart from other applicants. The employer is more likely to remember someone based off of a unique, less standard experience. It is common for anyone aiming to pursue research to complete an internship relating to research. However, having an internship that is unlike the common standard makes a resume shine. Typically internships are

paid, or there is some stipend. Who wouldn’t want to work in something that you one day hope to pursue? This experience provides students with a glimpse of how life may look after their four years of college. Money, or no money, students walk away with experience and memories to describe to the next employer at an interview. Studies have shown that interns have enhanced employability as a result of the internship experience even before graduation. Shifting learning outside the classroom and inside a space where employees are working changes how students view their career choices and course interests. Eighty-one percent of graduates who participated in an internship reported that the experience helped shift their career directions significantly, either by changing the focus of courses or majors. Transferring the material from the classroom to real-world experiences transforms the interests of study as well as prepares for the future

career for students. I asked two students if they had completed an internship and if so, how did it change their perspective or interests for their future career? Li’an Williams W&J ’20 says, “The most recent internship I completed was at the University of Pittsburgh. I wanted to see if research was something that I would like to pursue when I graduate because I didn’t have any experience with research outside of W&J. I learned that it is something I would like to do, but not full time as a career. My PI advised that I should look into different dual MD phd programs. I think this opportunity opened my eyes to see different paths I could take to go to medical school.” Alondra Martinez W&J ’21 responded with, “It reassured me that I would like to do research, but I would still like more exposure to different fields in order to decide which field I like best.”

8 Culture

culture Red & Black

22 November 2019

Netflix Review: ‘Big Mouth,’ Season Three Genea Richardson Red & Black Staff

Have you “Netflix-n’-chilled” to the Netflix original, Big Mouth? The recently released season three titled, “Equal Parts, Shock and Aww,” continues to grow in raunchiness and uncomfortable humor as it takes on complicated progressive issues. In summary, this season addressed the spectrums of sexuality and gender identity as well as “unspoken” conversations about inappropriate childhood experiences when parents are not around. Main and secondary characters roles like Jay (Jason Mantzoukas), and Matthew (Andrew Rannells) are further developed. Jay tries to define and “label” his sexuality, and Matthew, a confident “out” character, makes his first romantic connection with a new boy. Big Mouth is primarily told from the life of Andrew (John Mulaney) and other heterosexual male perspectives, so it was exciting to see Netflix writers develop character roles and challeng themselves to cover an array of topics. Although, the intentions behind Season 3 may have been good, the “creepy” humor can be deemed inappropriate to some for a list of reasons.

McKayla Rollinson ’21 feels that “[Big Mouth] is kind of like Family Guy or American Dad. The humor is not for everybody. But they cross line with the characters being kids, some things just should be personal.” Throughout the stand-alone episodes, Netflix writers even add parts where characters directly address the viewer and “make fun” of the severity of the inappropriate humor used to address controversial topics. Dan McMillan ’23 said, “The humor is bad,

yes, but it’s to make light about an uncomfortable reality we [as a society] don’t address much. The jokes will be cringey because the material is uncomfortable and that’s okay.” Although this season may contain more “cringe,” the unrelated episodes give writers leeway to address several other controversial topics such as toxic masculinity and sexuality shaming. One episode even touched on supremacy/race arrogance. Big Mouth is a riot – not only for its fictional ani-

mated characters but also for the audience who identify with the themes of the show! There is good news to those who have enjoyed the show thus far: the series was picked up for three more seasons. Following the pattern of release dates for previous seasons, it looks like Season 4 will be released sometime during the fall of 2020. However, there are no trailers or confirmed sources on anything other than the confirmed pick-up of three more seasons.

Courtesy What’s on Netflix

Season three of the Netflix Original “Big Mouth” adds more raunchy humor to the show’s plot and characters.

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Discovering and Pursuing Your College Major Aaron Iwinski Red & Black Staff

It is hard to decide what you want to do with the other four fifths of your life at this point, so it is understandable that deciding a major is something difficult. However, there are a few questions I was asked that helped me find a major. Ask yourself what you enjoy. In the end, your degree does not determine your path. Why spend your life working at a job in which you are not satis-

fied? In the end, life is a lot more than working, making money and checking a list of boxes on a bucket list. The most grueling and miserable work for you is someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion, so what could you do for humanity that you love? What does the world need? You are a human; you are one human among a lot of others, with infinite potential for good. However, how could you most effectively work to create a better future? While knowing how to make stoneage tools is interesting, the world may not need it as much. Consider what you feel is a huge problem in society and how can you help fix the problem. What can make money? While going

off the grid is technically an option (one I have considered more than I should have), a lot of modern society does rely on money. In my opinion, having money is quite important, and there are some things I would sacrifice if it meant that I could financially support myself. One of the biggest dilemmas of many college students, especially at liberal arts campuses, is: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am passionate about this, but it does not make a lot of money. Should I pursue it?â&#x20AC;? I am not sure if there is a correct answer. However, every job can make a lot of money if you are willing to branch out and work hard at it. On one hand, will you sacrifice your dreams to live com-

fortably? Is living with a miserable job but a life with the opportunities that money provides a life worth living? Or is it better to be impoverished but content? That is up to you. I am an English major, and I anticipate losing weight based on this career decision; however, I believe that if anyone works hard in any field, they can make money. In the end, you need to know what your purpose is, and it could change. My father got a degree in percussion music performance, law, and English, and he works as a businessman. Your degree is a guideline, but it is not a rule. I would advocate for doing what you feel is satisfying.

Courtesy Premier Essay

Though determining your college major can feel intimidating, there are many ways to narrow down your options to find your best fit.

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22 November 2019

This Week’s Video Game Review: ‘Broforce’ Aaron Iwinski Red & Black Staff

The world is in danger! A terrorist group has organized its activity in southeast Asia, the government has toppled and terrorists led by Satan himself are doing very bad things, and it is up to the United States to stop them! Who do we call? The Broforce! “Broforce” is a two-dimensional side-scrolling shooter. The player takes the role of the Broforce: a ragtag team of all of American media’s greatest heroes who fight Satan, terrorists and aliens. The core gameplay consists of spawning, running right, killing terrorists, Satan, aliens and special units. You will find bros caged and tied up. Breaking the cage and touching them will change your character and possibly unlock a new character. The game supports online multiplayer, four player co-operative and competitive gameplay and a map editor for the more creatively inclined. The game has no shortage of interesting characters for you to play, and each character behaves a little bit differently – sometimes thoroughly messing up your game, but they always liven it up. So, my friend and I were playing as Robocop and Terminator, shooting terrorists and Satan so much that he exploded. We go through the motions, and we continue to shoot our way past the terrorists, destroying their caves and bases. We shoot so many bullets that

Courtesy Aaron Iwinski

“Broforce” is an action packed two-dimensional side-scrolling shooter.

we destroy the map as we dig under the landmines. Then, soon enough, the terrorists unveil a new secret weapon: a bulletproof mech. My friend jumps on top and takes the mech, and I jump on it as well. It ascends and shoots a minigun of doom as explosions rain from the sky, sending bits of earth, stone and terrorist in every direction. The screen shakes enough to make earthquakes jealous. The threat level

was tangerine, so it was obviously going to be a rough landing. However, we then saw the boss: a terror tank. The tank revved up and began shooting people at us. Not tank shells. Just regular people. After about a million bullets and bodies later, the screen faded up to the sky as a barrage of endless explosions and heavy rock music blared.It announced our victory to every planet

and dimension conceivable. “Broforce” is a great arcade game to play. You can laugh at the silliness of the American stereotype, the absurdity of the media and a game that has an achievement for punching Satan so hard he literally explodes. When asked about “Broforce,” Cody Yoder ’20 said, “You ever watch Team America: World Police? It’s like that, on steroids. The most patriotic game I’ve ever played.”

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This Week’s Story Corner: “Thanksgiving” Aaron Iwinski Red & Black Staff

My family has a huge Thanksgiving celebration each year, usually held at my cousin’s house. Usually it is forty or more people since we get the extended family involved as well. The day before we set up the furniture, the tables, chairs, place mats and the like, and go through a few pizzas and some drinks. The day of, the morning is spent cooking and preparing, and the evening is spent undoing the previous day’s work. Though a few years ago, some of my joy came from the events before Thanksgiving dinner. My mother is a one-hundredpound lady from Singapore. She is short tempered, hardworking and a lightweight. A lady of dry humor, and a sterner brown than a lawyer, she makes for a tough nut. Thanksgiving morning, the cooking process had begun, everything from preparing the turkey, to the stuffing, to making the gravy had to happen before evening. My mother was once again on the squad to help prepare the food and was handling the potato smashing. Suddenly, the door breaks in, and Bundy walks in. He’s a large and a jolly fellow, portly, ginger, and as big as the doorframe. He’s not on the team for food preparation, he just wanted to show up early. However, he has with him a bottle of Crown Royal. He sits down at the dining table and calls the other family members to take shots with him. He

has another event later and might be late to the start of Thanksgiving dinner. He figured that it would be appropriate to celebrate with a few of us early. So, some of the more adventurous family members do shots with him, including my mother and sister. After she realizes she cannot feel her nose anymore, my sister lays down on my cousin’s couch and nurse her headache. However, my mom decided it was the day to prove her worth, and she keeps going. Shot after shot, and

between the few left still drinking, the bottle is running low. All are sufficiently jolly and red faced, but my mom had drunk enough to take off her filters. “What’s that?” She pointed to the flags hanging in the living room. My cousin’s family is Italian, so they usually had the Italian and American flags hanging over the living room during events. Immediately she launched into a rant about Singapore, why the Singapore flag should replace the American flag, and how Singapore would come

to dominate the United States because of their work ethic. After a few minutes, her body remembered what it had done, and she spent a bit of time in the bathroom. She joined my sister on the couch until food preparation was done. Soon after, my sister had sobered up enough to walk to my father’s car and sit in the backseat, so we could take them back to clean them. Mom was carried to the car. Mom missed dinner, though many laughed at the memory of her rant.

Courtesy 123RF

A story about Thanksgiving brought to you by Aaron Iwinski

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Red & Black

22 November 2019

This Week’s Poetry Corner: ‘Everything is in a Melody’ Genea Richardson Red & Black Staff

We’re not speaking butthe water trickles like a ballerina the wind is dancing along our ears the birds are humming sweet morning toons and the earth is dancing amongst the stars. The sunrise wakes us up with a new day and the sunset reminds us there is an end to any beginning All while the colors paint the sky with stories to be recreatedWe’ve said nothing, while life says everything Let us not live within the melody

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Opinions 13

opinions Red & Black

What is the Best Way to Prepare for Finals? Nick Krugh Red & Black Contributor

Finals week is the most stressful week of the year for most students. Between final projects, final papers, and exams, students are swamped with work. Some classes have both final papers and final exams. When the semester approaches its end student morale is low. This semester, students go on Thanksgiving break with nearly a full week off of school, just in time to return to a chaotic final stretch. The break is

inconveniently placed and students either must spend their time studying or they must utilize the break for time off and struggle to cram school work in when they return. To avoid stress during finals week and to maximize your performance on exams, there are a couple of effective strategies. Do not wait until the night before to review the course materials. It is impossible to relearn a semester’s worth of information in one night. It would be wise to make a plan or timeline for reviewing past material, at minimum, a week leading up to the first day of finals. Staying up all night to cram is not effective learning and, chances are, the student will struggle to recall that crammed material when taking the exam. That being said, personal health should be another priority. Getting ad-

equate sleep is necessary to maintain proper health and keep stress levels down. Plus, lack of sleep affects working memory and causes students to struggle to recall the information that they had previously studied. To alleviate stress levels, students should take peaceful breaks and participate in activities that make them happy. Exercising is a good form of stress relief too. Exercise causes students to “burn off some steam” and feel good about themselves. Washington & Jefferson College offers many “stress busters” throughout finals week. These activities include stuffed animal-making workshops, petting dogs, and much more. These study breaks are integral parts of maintaining mental health through the stressful week. The most important aspect of preparing for finals is finding routines and strat-

How do you prepare yourself for finals week?

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egies that are individually appropriate for each student. For example, some students thrive in group settings. Other students like to isolate themselves in the private cubicles in the library. Some students prefer Old Main and some prefer the Technology Center. Some students need to use a strategy of repetition to memorize materials, while other students do better by conceptualizing information. It is all about students finding what works best for them.

Telephone: FAX: E-mail: Mailing Address:

(724) 223-6049 (724) 503-1049 redandblackstaff@jay. washjeff.edu Red & Black 60 S. Lincoln St. Washington, PA 15301

14 Opinions

Red & Black

22 November 2019

Why Are There So Few Women in STEM? Paul Collier Red & Black Contributor

While this should not be near a controversial statement, women are just as mathematically gifted as men. At the base of STEM fields, this aptitude for math should therefore equate to a workforce in STEM where women and men hold near the equal amount of positions, but women make up only 28% of the STEM workforce. Discrimination against women in the workforce has kept women from being a part of American STEM fields and unable to take a strong lead in pushing our innovation forward, a leadership they more than deserve. However, as a male that wants to major in a humanity, it is not my place to comment on what women face as they attempt to take their rightful place in STEM professions. It is their insights that should inform the public. As such, Chemistry major Katelyn Prevenslik ’20 and Chemistry and Engineering major Jamie Mastropietro ’21 offered their experiences as STEM majors at Washington and Jefferson College. Prevenslik and Mastropietro are a part of a growing movement of women attempting to enter STEM fields, and they have taken this movement in stride. Prevenslik is happy to have “noticed a shift in advocacy for women in STEM.” She says that this active promotion and support of women has “increased the success rate for women” as they are able to openly take pride in

their work, despite an ongoing comparison to male counterparts. Mastropietro concurs that “growing up, [she’s] noticed an increased number of programs and outreach attempting to appeal specifically [to] women going into STEM,” such as Girls Who Code. She also expands upon Prevenslik’s point that the comparison to male counterparts is ongoing, as many women have been encouraged to seek out STEM fields without necessarily succeeding. She calls on employers to change their confidence in women so women may fully receive the support they deserve. Prevenslik also makes the point that these programs have made employers “not doubt our knowledge solely because we are women.” However, this is sadly not yet the standard for treatment of women in STEM fields. Prevenslik “feels that during [her] undergraduate career, women, including [herself], have performed as well as if not better than the men in STEM courses,” without recognition from peers or professors. Mastropietro shares this experience, claiming that women are absolutely outperforming many men in STEM courses, either in test scores or grasp of content. She also, deservedly, is proud that she has remained in STEM courses many men have dropped. Both have also faced unfair biases at W&J. Prevenslik often provides topics, experiments, and answers in group discussions, but even her best work is only accepted if a male reinforces her idea. She feels that in both W&J and the outside world, she has had to give far more support for her answers than males who have their ideas accepted easily. Mastropietro gives a specific example of a professor at W&J while leav-

ing the parties unnamed. While Prevenslik has experienced the full unfair force of gender discrimination, Mastopietro has faced age discrimination, experiencing a female professor that preferred male students. “She continually looks down upon women in her courses, while politely conversing with male students after class.” Luckily, Mastropietro has experienced little to no discrimination from younger male and female professors that understand that women in STEM deserve to be supported and provide impartiality and fairness to their students. While not receiving full support from W&J in STEM, Prevenslik and Mastropietro are able to benefit from mutual support from other women their age in STEM fields. Prevenslik looks up to the women in STEM fields. She says that “it is inspiring to see women pursuing what I hope to pursue, let alone to have them openly defend our rights and call out the biases we deal with on a daily basis.” Prevenslik has been able to see her inspirations in action, encountering women in STEM fields that have taught her “the power of my brain and my gender.” She says that every woman she meets has reassured her that she is just as, if not (and likely) moreso capable than her male counterparts. Mastropietro has experienced this same support from STEM women her age, experiencing a supportive “‘we’re in this together’” mentality. She is also lucky to have received support from male counterparts, who have strived to make her feel equal. While I have said I cannot speak for these women’s experiences, there is a quote that I find especially haunting from Mastropietro. When asked who she looks up to in STEM fields, she responded “unfortunately, I don’t have

many specifically in the STEM fields,” while citing Malala Yousafzai for her bravery in advocating for women despite her youth. I find this haunting because there should never be nobody to look up to. However, Mastropietro is correct; women’s presence in STEM fields has been lacking and uncelebrated when it is present, be it Rosalind Franklin with DNA or the “hidden figures” of the inception of the U.S. space program, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson among them who finally received their due recognition in the 2016 movie of the same name. This is an indication of the history of women in STEM fields; ignored and undervalued despite their brilliance and bravery. Again, while I can never understand the depth of thus bravery, Prevenslik and Mastropietro spend every day fighting, fighting harder than everyone else around them, just for a chance to make a mark on the future of American STEM. They are surrounded by doubters and detractors, bias, and those set in old ways that do not understand that they are worthy of accolade and success in their fields. These women, like all women in STEM, are the future for these fields. A future that is held back by our own discriminatory practices. Yet every day, they courageously take on this challenge and fight for their own success as well as the success of every woman around them. They should be proud of their success, but it should not their own pride they depend on. We should give them the support they deserve and strive each day to further advocate for their right to lead us forward, because they are far more than capable and far more than deserving.

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15 Opinions

How to Stay Warm in Winter Aaron Iwinski Red & Black Staff

Winter is coming, and it will take your fingers if you let it. It’s a lot harder to type term papers like that. Dress warm. Yes the college is technically heated and insulated, however, not all rooms are built equal. Some of the rooms in each building are a bit more prone to being cold or warm, so dress for the occasion. When you go to war, you dress for battle. When you go to class, you dress

to be ready for war with the wind and snow and ice. Wear extra layers. You can probably take off your jacket or your second shirt if you’re too hot, but if you’re too cold, its going to be a long class. Not all clothes are made equal. Those jeans with the holes at the knees and thighs may be stylish, but not warm. Longer sleeves are warmer, thicker pants are warmer. Socks are essential and consider having longer socks as well. The satisfaction of warm feet after a day in the bad weather is difficult to describe. Do not neglect the small bits. We remember arms and legs should be kept warm, but some people (like me) forget that arms, hands, ears, neck, and ankles need heat too. Get

yourself a pair of gloves, a hat and a scarf if you get an excuse. You don’t need to become Ralphie from A Christmas Story, but you should make the attempt to make sure you still have fingers by next year. There are products available to people who still don’t get enough out of more layers. Hand-warmers were something I was introduced to during marching band, and something I will never stop using, and I especially recommend hand-warmers for people who are planning on hunting. A few bucks for warm hands are important, and depending on if you want the disposable or re-useable kind, you have a good range of affordability. Heat pads are good for muscle relax-

ing, but also just for heat. If you go the route of heat pads, place them in spots with lots of blood vessels, or spots you can’t cover with your clothes. You’d be amazed at how much food can do for you. Spicy food and hot drinks are my go to for warming up in winter at home. The secret society of blanket calls for you, do not underestimate the blanket. Above all, find clothes that are meant for winter. I would suggest an ushanka, partially to have the Soviet Union protecting you, but also because the hat is good for keeping your ears warm. Stay warm. Wear clothes. Wear layers. Warm everything. Glory to warmest hat.

Preparing for Finals Week Aaron Iwinski Red & Black Staff

Unfortunately, time is the most effective way to prepare. There is usually a pretty good relationship between how much time you put in and how well you do. Unfortunately, there is no one weird trick to make you remember better that is universal. The best advice is to just rely on the study habits you have built up, just take a bit of time away from the fun and games and put it to the rote memorization of your work. Though I do

have some general advice. Consider just writing it all down. When my father talked to me about people in his class studying for law tests or other text heavy tests, he described they literally rewrote the whole book, word for word. Most people remember things better if they write it down, so while I wouldn’t advocate you copy that thousand-page chemistry textbook, and consider copying a few paragraphs if other studying means haven’t worked. My sister would always just make outlines of the chapters, then redo them until they were excellent outlines. In addition to making you write things down; you end up creating a good outline to study from. Misery loves company. Consider getting a few people together and having a study session. One of the best

ways to review material is to teach it to someone, and periodically I’ll ask my roommate to teach me something from his class as a review. To teach it, you must thoroughly understand it, and in doing so, you will understand where you need additional practice as well. Say it out loud. Verbal recitation of facts, spelling, and vocabulary has always been super effective for me. In high school I did an experiment for Spanish class, where I had two sets of twenty words, and to review them, I used flashcards for one set, and I had a friend verbally test me on the other set. My final retention was eleven words versus eighteen. While this is not universal, experimenting with study habits can yield interesting results. Do not neglect your health. Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest grade

killers, it reduces your reaction time, comprehension, and shoots your short-term memory (something I’m sure a few more of us use than we should). Know when it is bed o’clock.All work and no play make student a tired student. Still set some time aside to blow off some steam, have fun, and de-stress. Ask your professor to help. They expect little, and when you show the slightest bit of initiative, it goes a long way. The PAL tutors are a thing, utilize them. To summarize, study, sleep, eat, relax, do what you have been doing so far, with just a bit more time put toward studying, and your finals shouldn’t intrude too much into your mind. Stress will kill your grade faster than the tests, so get some rest.

16 opinions

sports Red & Black

22 november 2019

Women’s Basketball Starts Off Hot Nick Krugh Red & Black Contributor

Over the weekend of November 15, the Washington & Jefferson College Women’s basketball team competed in the Springhill Suites Women’s Basketball Tip-Off Tournament. W&J hosted Case Western Reserve University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Otterbein University. On Friday, November 15, the Presidents played the Case Western Spartans. After trailing the Spartans 37-29 at half-time, the Presidents were able to rally in the second half to give W&J the win. The game finished 71-64. Aleena McDaniel ’22 scored a career-high of 17 points. The Presidents were also led by Piper Morningstar ’22, scoring 13 points, Lauren Gilbert ’21, scoring 11 points, and Tori Boalton ’22, scoring ten points. The Presidents carried their momentum into their second game of the tournament the following day. They took on and defeated the Carnegie Mellon Tartans with a final score

of 60-55. The Presidents had an explosive start, scoring the first eight points of the game. Morningstar and Alie Seto ’21 both made 3-point shots, and McDaniel scored two free throws, expanding their lead to 33-22 at half time. Although Carnegie Mellon fought relentlessly in the second half, the Presidents denied their efforts with good defense and grit to secure the win. Team leaders included Seto with 19 points, Gilbert with 15 points, Morningstar with 11 points, and McDaniel with 7 points. Captain Hannah Johnston ’21 commented on the team’s success, “We made some huge plays when it mattered and had different people step up in each game. We worked hard in both games, the first game coming from being and the second game holding onto our lead, and it paid off for us.” McDaniel and Seto were named to the all-tournament team, and McDaniel was selected as the tournament’s most valuable player. “We worked really hard and didn’t give up when we were down. We played as a team and shared the ball well and everyone was able to score, not just one person. We didn’t let up our intensity and it payed off by getting two wins this weekend.” McDaniel said, following the team’s successful tournament.

Courtesy Gopresidents.com

Aleena McDaniel ‘22 had a career high this weekend against CMU.

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Sports 17

Student Athlete Spotlight: Ryan “Worm” Pallone ‘20 Nick Krugh Red & Black Contributor

Ryan “Worm” Pallone ’20 is from New Kensington, Pa, where he attended Valley High School. At Washington and Jefferson College, he studies political science with a pre-law emphasis. Pallone plans to attend law school after undergraduate school; he is very interested in political processes and wants to dive deeper into the topic. When ex-

plaining his choice of school, Pallone stated, “I chose to play at W&J because it was athletically and academically a good fit. I was very impressed with Coach Mountain and, at the time, assistant coach Verlihay.” Pallone began playing competitive baseball at the age of five. He is a catcher on the W&J baseball team. Pallone faces many challenges behind the plate. He believes the catcher is supposed to be the quarterback of the baseball field. The catcher is responsible for controlling the game with the pitcher. He is forced to think three steps ahead of his opponent. His favorite part of

Courtesy Nick Krugh

Ryan Pallone ‘20 is ready to lead the Presidents to glory this season.

the position is being involved in every play. W&J Baseball is coached by head coach Jeff Mountain and assistant coaches Nic Rush and Josh Crummer ’19. “Coach Mountain is a very knowledgeable baseball mind that expects a lot from us. I very much enjoy the challenge he poses for us, making us take our game to the next level,” Pallone commented. As a leader, Pallone believes that the team will be young and inexperienced, but he is confident that other players are ready to step up into bigger roles. He thinks that the team will be able to achieve their goals of returning to the College World Series. His

favorite memory from collegiate baseball is traveling to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, competing in the Division III College World Series in his junior year. Pallone attributes his closest friendships to the baseball team, “My favorite part of playing at W&J is my teammates who have become some of my closest friends that will be part of my life for a very long time.” The W&J baseball team trained through the fall training into the winter, preparing for their spring season. Their season kicks off on February 29th against Case Western Reserve. The game is home at Ross Memorial Park.

Courtesy Nick Krugh

Pallone has set the goal of making the College World Series this season.

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22 November 2019

Baseball Preparing for Another Great Season Nick Krugh Red & Black Contributor

Washington & Jefferson College baseball is known for its prestige and success. Coach Jeff Mountain has been at the helm for 17 years, taking over a program that had many flaws. Mountain turned the culture around and created a winning mentality. Coach Mountain has brought home 8 President Athletic Conference championships, 7 regional tournament appearances, winning the 2017 and 2019 Regional trophies, as well as the 2019 Super Regional trophy. He also led the Presidents to the college world series twice in the past three years, finishing as the runner up in the 2017 World Series. “Coach Mountain does a great job of keeping us focused and determined to win. He expects nothing short of a national championship, and we as players have adopted that mentality as well,” catcher Michael Graziani ’21 stated. The baseball team’s success cannot come from the work they put into the spring alone; they train throughout the fall and winter preparing for their season. Coach Mountain takes full advantage of every minute of NCAA regulated fall practice time. Between team practices and intrasquad scrimmages, he gets a solid feel for the strengths

Courtesy Nick Krugh

The W&J baseball team is already hard at work chasing another ring for the 2020 spring season.

and weaknesses of that year’s team. Mountain has also added the Red and Black World Series to conclude the fall season. The Red and Black World Series is a best of five-set where the team captains pick their squads and compete for bragging rights as well as clean up duties throughout the winter. Coach Mountain has made this Series a tradition because it allows him to see his team compete early on in high-intensity situations. The work does not stop once the fall ends. After two weeks off, the coaches institute the team’s lifting and conditioning programs. Players are required to report Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for man-

datory lifts and Tuesday and Thursday for mandatory conditioning. Howev-

“Anytime you have a coach whom you want to play for, it makes it easier to go the extra mile,” -Adam Moore ‘21 er, if you walk into the weight room on Monday through Sunday, you will likely see baseball players doing work

on their own. One of the biggest reasons for the change in the success of the President’s baseball team is Coach Mountain’s ability to find players who are willing to do the extra work. Throughout the entire offseason, you can find the team doing their work in the cages, throwing, fielding, and other drills. First baseman Adam Moore ’21 commented, “Anytime you have a coach whom you want to play for, it makes it easier to go the extra mile to improve, not just for yourself, but for your teammates too.” The team’s work ethic helps take the next step together to achieve the goal of winning a College World Series.

22 november 2019

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Steelers’ Game Ends in Mayhem Jake Livingston Red & Black Contributor

The 3-6 Cleveland Browns hosted the 5-4 Pittsburgh Steelers at FirstEnergy Stadium On Thursday, November 14th, in a primetime matchup. The AFC North foes had a history of physicality, and this game certainly didn’t disappoint. In recent memory, Pittsburgh had dominated Cleveland, but that wasn’t the case this time. The Browns fought hard for a 21-7 victory, but suspensions, ejections, and injuries were the main highlight of the game. With 10 seconds left in the game, Mason Rudolph was driven to the ground by Cleveland’s all-pro defensive end, Myles Garrett. After a brief skirmish, Garrett proceeded to rip Rudolph’s helmet off, and was immediately pushed back by members of the Steelers offensive line. Instinctively, Rudolph ran after Garrett but was quickly met with a shocking surprise. In a never before seen act on an NFL field, Myles Garrett violently struck Mason Rudolph on the head with his own helmet. Maurkice Pouncey tackled Garrett, and officials stormed in and broke up the fight. Garrett, Pouncey, and Browns tackle Larry Ogunjobi were all ejected and later suspended by the NFL. In regards to the game itself, The Browns threw the first punch by forcing a three and out on the Steelers’ first

possession and then scored after a 43yard catch by Odell Beckham Jr. After Chris Boswell missed a 44-yard field goal for the Steelers, Baker Mayfield found Jarvis Landry for a touchdown. The Browns carried a 14-0 lead into the half. Pittsburgh cut the lead to one possession in the second half on a Jaylen Samuels Touchdown catch, but Pittsburgh couldn’t get over the hump. Mason Rudolph finished 23-44 with 1 Touchdown and 4 Interceptions. James Conor, Juju Smith-Schuster, and Diontae Johnson were all injured during the game. The NFL announced suspensions on Friday. Ogunjobi is suspended for 1

game, Pouncey is suspended for 3, and Garrett is suspended indefinitely. The actions taken by Garrett were cowardly and have drawn national media attention. W&J senior Adam Alexander said this about the play. “It was Completely ridiculous, and there is no place for it in the league. He could have seriously injured Mason Rudolph. He Deserves to be suspended the rest of the season at minimum.” Myles Garrett will not be on the football field for a long time.The Steelers look to get back in the win column this Sunday as they play the winless Bengals at 1 PM in Cincinnati. This

should be an exciting matchup because they will be without Pouncey, and maybe without Conor, Smith-Schuster, and Johnson. Last week’s loss to the Browns knocked the Steelers out of the playoff picture, but they’ll have another shot at Cleveland in two weeks. I anticipate the Steelers to beat the Bengals, but Cleveland should be a challenge. With Baltimore at 8-2, The Steelers playoff hopes should be focused on the wild card. It’ll be damn hard to get there if we can’t beat Cleveland. You have your work cut out for you, Coach Tomlin. All of Pittsburgh is rooting for you.

Courtesy David Richard

Miles Garret was suspended for the rest of the season after his altercation with Mason Rudolph.

20 sports

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22 november 2019

Women

Last Week’s Scores Nov. 15

Men’s Basketball vs Morrisville State: 63-59 W Women’s Basketball vs Case Western Reserve: 71-64 W

Nov. 16:

Wrestling at Waynesburg University vs Messiah: 25-28 L Wrestling at Waynesburg University vs Fairmount State: 60-0 W Wrestling at Waynesburg University vs Johns Hopkins: 30-18 W Men’s Cross Country at NCAA Division III Midest Regional: 26th of 51 Men’s Swimming vs Pitt-Bradford: 91-64 W Women’s Swimming vs Pitt-Bradford: 63-22 W Football vs Waynesburg University: 50-14 W Men’s Basketball vs Buffalo State: 71-78 L Men’s Soccer vs #7 John Carroll - 1st Round of NCAA: 0-2 L Women’s Basketball vs Carnegue Mellon: 60-55 W

Courtesy Gopresidents.com

Next Week’s Games Nov. 22:

Women’s Swim at Oberlin College Invitational Men’s Swim at Oberlin College Invitational

Nov. 23:

Wrestling at Baldwin Wallace Invitational Football at Ithica College ECAC Asa S. Bushell Bowl: 12:00pm Women’s Basketball vs Baldwin Wallace Universtity: 1:00pm Men’s Basketball vs Hiram College: 3:00pm Swim at Oberlin College Invitational

Nov. 24:

Swim at Oberlin College Invitational

Courtesy Gopresidents.com