Greek Run for CASA | 11/20/2015 | 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 r e d a n d b l a c ko n l i n e . c o m w a s h i n g t o n , p e n n s y lva n i a November 20, 2015

Greeks Run for casa

by Bailey mudrick page 2 Courtesy Tiffany Dittrich

OPINIONS: THE PACKET SWITCH PAGE 16

SPORTS: DAN POMMERER PAGE 20

2 CAMPUS NEWS

Red & Black

20 N ovember 2015

Kappa Alpha Theta Hosts Second Annual 5k Color Run

Courtesy Tiffany Dittrich

Kappa Alpha Theta hosted its second annual color run to raise money for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015.

Bailey Mudrick Red&Black Staff Last Sunday was a beautiful crisp morning at Washington Park, where many of W&J’s Greek organizations met to run in Kappa Alpha Theta’s second annual 5k color run.

Kappa Alpha Theta’s philanthropy chair, Tiffany Dittrich (Class of 2017), explained that all the money raised by the run went to the Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, also known as CASA. For the past 25 years, Kappa Alpha Theta

has helped the Washington Community positively impact the lives of foster children.

“CASA is central to fulfilling society’s most fundamental obligation by making sure a qualified, compassionate adult will fight for and protect a child’s right to be safe, to be treated with dignity and respect and to learn and grow in the security of a loving family,” said Dittrich.

According to CASA’s national website, every day in the U.S. 1,900 children become victims of abuse or neglect, and four of them will

die. CASA for Children is a network of 949 communitybased programs that recruit, train and support citizen volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in courtrooms and communities.

Over the last few years there have been many themed 5k runs and marathons all over the country.

Kappa Alpha Theta’s main goal was to plan an event that was fun and would get as much participation as possible. Dittrich talked about the potential growth the 5k

has in the future: “Color runs are extremely popular and fun; therefore, we believe it attracts the overall campus community as well as the outside community members of the area. We believe the color run will stick for years to come which will be very successful for Theta and especially for CASA.” Also in attendance was Senator Bartolotta, who is highly supportive of CASA’s program. Many people fail to realize is that a vast portion of W&J’s philanthropic efforts directly benefits the

community right here in Washington.

Philanthropy is a common bond that is shared with many Greek organizations across the county. All Greek houses on campus have philanthropies that serve different causes.

At the heart of each sorority and fraternity is a proudly represented national philanthropy that helps those in need in local communities.

It is beneficial that all the Greek Houses on campus have various causes because it provides a way to help more people in need.

20 N ovember 2015

Red & Black

3 CAMPUS NEWS

Students Attend Fundraiser for Senator Bartolotta

Courtesy Joseph Jorjoliani

Dr. Disarro and his students attended a small fundraiser for Camera Bartolatta, who is running for re-election to the State Senate in 2018.

Joseph Jorjoliani Red&Black Contributor

Last Monday, Nov. 9, a famous Republican Thomas J. Uram of Washington Pa., hosted a small fundraiser for State Senator Camera Bartolotta, who is running for re-election to the State Senate in 2018.

The evening was joined by the Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA-18), who gave a speech in support of Senator Bartolotta. Bartolotta talked

about her plans and past successes that she achieved as a State Senator. The event was attended by numerous prominent individuals: Diana Irey (Washington County Commissioner), Douglas G. Lee (President of Waynesburg University), a number of lawyers and many others from real-estate, oil and gas industries.

The head of political science department at W&J and a prominent member of the Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania, Dr. Joseph

Disarro invited his students to attend the evening as it was really a fine illustration of an American political gathering.

Michaela Pringle (Class of 2018) was one of the attendees of the event and said, "I would say that what I enjoyed most and found most interesting was getting to hear the plans of Congressman Murphy and Senator Bartolotta about what they plan to do in the near future. This was my first event of this type and loved getting the chance to meet so many successful people and hear their

ideas, firsthand.� The students were excited to meet the U.S. Congressman Tim Murphy who enjoyed talking to the young representatives from W&J. As previously mentioned, the night was hosted by Thomas J. Uram, whose family has been very active in contributing to Republican candidates and Republican party in general to prosper in the county of Washington, Pa. Dr. Disarro described the Uram family as one of the most prominent families that

was generous enough to open its house for this fundraiser that will help State Senator Camera Bartolotta get reelected to the State Senate in 2018.

Some might argue that it is too early to start fundraising for the elections in 2018.

Dr. Disarro, however, explained that politicians need to begin their new fundraising campaigns the moment they get elected because of the very competitive atmosphere surrounding the U.S. political system.

4 CAMPUS NEWS

20 N ovember 2015

Student Spotlight: Jordan Hosfelt (Class of 2019) Jordan Toohey Red&Black Staff

Jordan Hosfelt (Class of 2019), a local from Connellsville, Pa., is more than just a student athlete here at W&J. He is currently planning on majoring in both Biochemistry and Spanish, with the intention of pursuing either a medical or graduate degree after college.

Challenging himself academically is nothing new for Hosfelt. In high school, he received the highest honors every term as well as being involved in the gifted support classes, National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society.

He also received numerous awards including Academic Excellence and STEM awards from the challenge program, the Penn State 4.0 Club, the Gold Academic Excellence pin, the Elks Lodge Student of the Month, Academic All-Stars, Intermediate Unit 1 Scholar/Leader Award and 1st place at the state competition of Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS). On top of all of this, Hosfelt graduated as his class’s valedictorian.

He was also involved in student council as the vice president, PJAS, Quiz Team National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Peer Mentoring,

Senior Class Play and high school musicals.

Though academically driven, Hosfelt was very involved outside of the classroom as well.

He was involved in the boys’ soccer team, swimming and diving, track and field, Boy Scouts of America as an Eagle Scout, a youth soccer coach and referee and involved in community theater.

Hosfelt said that he chose W&J because of the “amazing opportunities that the college affords its students.

The Magellan Project and the school’s focus on their students’ holistic development were two of the most prominent features of W&J that piqued my interest.”

Despite the transition to college being a little rough, as it is for all freshmen, he has managed to make a new home in W&J. He is looking forward to asserting his independence and venturing into the unknown, although the homesickness of missing his family and friends has set in.

After making friends and becoming more acclimated to his environment, he has finally begun to completely enjoy the college experience in every way possible.

“W&J was a bit intimidating at first,” Hosfelt admitted, “but I am loving it now that I have found my niche. I came from a school where I was a big fish in a little pond; now, it seems to be the

Red & Black

opposite! Luckily, W&J is an amazing school that will help me continue to grow.” Hosfelt has also found a home with the W&J swimming and diving team as a diver. “I came into college expecting my swim team experience to be really similar to my high school experience—I was definitely wrong. Although I really enjoy

the company of my teammates and coaches now, there was definitely an extended period of acclimation. The coaching styles, the team dynamic and the schedules were way different. All in all, I am really glad that I got involved in a sport here. Division III sports are a great way to continue to pursue your passion, stay in

Courtesy Jordan Hosfelt

shape and decompress amidst the stresses of college life.”

Hosfelt’s swim season has started very successfully and he will continue to make great strides as the season progresses. Come out and support the W&J Swimming and Diving Team at its next home meet on Saturday, Nov. 21 against Pitt-Bradford.

20 N ovember 2015

5 CAMPUS NEWS

THIS WEEKEND'S EVENTS

Red & Black

Staff Question: What are you most thankful for?

"COMMONS-GIVING!!!"

- Carolyn Tomlinson

"I am thankful for my loving family, my friend group, my boyfriend, my cat, and the wonderful experiences I have had while being here."

- Shannon Adams

"I could not be more thankful for my mom who has provided me with everything I have ever needed. She has been there for me through everything and was able to give me so many opportunities throughout my lifetime. I would not be where I am without her! I owe her everything."

- Brittany Graft

"I am most thankful for the opportunities that I have been given and the people who have supported me through each of those journies."

- Katie Campbell "I am most thankful for the friends that I have made at W&J, my cat and Harry Potter movie marathons on ABC Family."

- Emily Sterk

Friday - Free Bowling with W&J ID – 1-3 p.m. at Alpine Lanes - Frisbee Friday – 5 p.m. at Tech Center Lawn - Transgender Day of Remembrance Walk – 6 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church - Avenue Q – 7:30 p.m. at Olin Theatre - Women's Basketball vs. Pitt Greensburg – 8 p.m. at Henry Gymnasium - Monticello's – 9 p.m. at Hub LL

Saturday - Swimming vs. Pitt Bradford – 1 p.m. at Henry Natatorium - Women's Basketball Tournament Game 1 – 1 p.m. at Henry Gymnasium - Avenue Q – 2 p.m. at Olin Theatre - Women's Basketball Tournament Game 2 – 3 p.m. at Henry Gymnasium - Men's Basketball vs. Penn State Du Bois – 5 p.m. at Henry Gymnasium - Avenue Q – 7:30 p.m. at Olin Theatre - Monticello's – 9 p.m. at Hub LL Sunday - Point of View Discussion Series: Kwanzaa Celebration – 5 p.m. at Media Room - Mass - 7 p.m. at Newman Center

Red & Black Established 1909 Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Social Media Chair Recruitment Chair Campus News Editor Life Editor Arts Editor Opinions Editor Sports Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Business Manager Distribution Manager Adviser

emily sterk amiti sharma lauryn halahurich bailey mudrick brittany graft shannon adams carolyn tomlinson katherine campbell siddhanta bista lauren lamm carolyn wilson jack myint mackenzie jakobs mike kovak

6 Campus News

Red & Black

20 N ovember 2015

French Club Spotlight: Find Your Inner Francophone Leah Segal Red&Black Staff As a freshman, I was eager to start signing up for clubs at the beginning of the semester.

The club fair had so much to offer from theatre to Young Entrepreneur Society, the possibilities were endless.

However, one of the best fits for me was French Club, and I encourage other students to join! French Club meets every

other Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Language Room in the Burnett Center.

At the meetings, you will find President Noah Alter as well as Dr. CramptonFrenchik, who serves as our advisor. It is an extremely relaxing environment, and more often than not, involves food of some sort.

Each week, a discussion of goals for the club takes place, and ideas for future activities and fieldtrips. The doors are

always open for new club members, and new ideas.

Cultural nights have been suggested, with French films and food. France, however, is not the only focus.

Other French speaking regions of the world such as Quebec, Haiti and Senegal are often discussed. This month, the international food served at the Alumni House was traditional Quebec fudge. We are also currently discussing a trip to NYC for spring break,

as well as other possible offcampus trips. French Club is a great way to learn about a new culture, and participate in the respective customs, music and food.

Luckily, the Pittsburgh area has a considerable amount of French influence in restaurants such as Paris 66, and quaint bakeries like Jean Marc Le Chatelier’s and Gaby et Jules for the club to partake in.French club does not stand alone, however. We come

together with the German and Spanish clubs. In the future, the club also hopes to join with the Film Club and other interested groups to create fun events and activities for students.

Overall, whether students are already members of other language clubs or wish to learn more about Francophone countries, I highly encourage everyone to stop by. You may surprise yourself and find your inner Francophone!

I miss walking into a store and getting to pat a dingo.

I love the fact that I have come to America and all the new experiences I have had and look forward to. I was so happy to celebrate my first Halloween. We don’t celebrate it back home because it’s seen as “too American.” I look forward to my first Thanksgiving.

I love seeing squirrels everywhere and can’t wait to finally see a deer. I’ve been here three months and haven’t seen one even though students say they’re everywhere.

I love that it’s November and I’m not boiling. Instead I’m wearing jumpers and will soon get to see snow and have snowball fights and make snowmen for the first time. I look forward to the travelling I will get to do and all the places I will

get to see like New Orleans, Seattle, D.C. and Vegas. I love that I have had all these opportunities by studying abroad. Travelling the world is one thing, but getting to live in

another country is a different experience. It’s one that you have so much to gain from, but the opportunities are fewer as we get older. Now is the best time to see what the world

has to offer. If you would like to know more about studying abroad and the opportunities it provides, contact Sara Kochuba, Director of Study Abroad.

From Australia to America: A Study Abroad Journey Mikayla Aldridge Red&Black contributor

One of the things that most students think about while studying abroad are the things that they miss most from home. For me, the three things I miss most are vegemite, Caromello Koalas - a delicious chocolate shaped like a koala and filled with caramel-and our awesome animals.

I never thought I would miss spiders, yet the other week I was excited to take a little one outside. I never thought I would miss our crazy birds, particularly in September when they start swooping, but I would love to be woken up by the sounds of Rosellas once again. I miss going on a walkabout and looking up into trees and seeing a koala or kookaburra.

Courtesy Mikayla Aldridge

20 N ovember 2015

7 life

Red & Black

Possible Habitable Life on Planet GJ-1132b

Courtesy scienzenotizie.it

Christopher Frydryck Red&Black Staff

In the late 1960s and earlier, society feared what could be the most unpredictable enemy to the state: foreign aliens from space.

Similar to Kurt Vonnegut’s cult classic, “Slaughter House Five,” the irrational depiction of aliens having a plunger-like body, hands for a head and a single eye in the palm of the hand was ridiculous.

Today, we constantly ridicule the idea of aliens resembling any humanoid

attributes because their planet and society would vary vastly from ours.

Recent discoveries may refute the unlikeliness of aliens resembling the typical human.

Approximately 39 light years away lies a planet called GJ 1132b, and aside from the futuristic name that sounds interstellar, it resembles Earth quite vividly.

Located in the constellation of Vela, it is not only close enough for high end telescopes to recognize it, but “[GJ 1132b] is about 16% larger than Earth, and at 39 light years distant, is three times closer than any other

Earth-sized rocky planet yet found around another star.”

GJ 1132b’s sun is a red dwarf, much fainter and cooler than our sun, however GJ 1132b is believed to be inhabitable to known lifeforms.

The newly found planet’s downfall to habitable life is its surface temperature, clocking in at an astounding 260C (500F).

This is most notably accredited to the distance from its red dwarf neighbor it is orbiting at 1.4 million miles.

In comparison, Mercury is approximately 36 million miles from the sun. Hope is not lost yet for this planet

though. This planet that is so similar but also peculiar still holds a glimmer of hope for those wanting to follow the footsteps of Billy Pilgrim and meet other alien species while being “unstuck in time.” Although the planet is inhabitable, “the searing temperatures are too hot for the surface to retain liquid water… but not so hot as to burn off any atmosphere that formed on the planet.”

This glimmer of hope that the atmosphere is still intact can give astronomers a reason to look up in the sky and study more solar orbits.

Other planets that may be

farther from their heliocentric solar system’s origin may be somewhere out in the sky, and we have been ignoring it all along.

Future space expeditions, including both the James Webb Space Telescope in 2018 and the Giant Magellan Telescope to be completed in Chile in 2025 will hopefully uncover more planets unbeknownst to our astronomy knowledge.

As for now, we are still searching for a habitable planet to hopefully communicate in a manner much simpler than Voyager’s golden vinyl record from former president Jimmy Carter.

8 life

Netflix and Chill With T-Mobile Leah Segal Red&Black Staff

As college students, there is no doubt that Netflix, Hulu and other TV streaming apps are a huge part of our culture.

We have all experienced the guilt of binge watching entire seasons of our favorite TV shows- leaving us in a “TV trance.”

The phrase “Netflix and chill” seems to be the new fad that is all over social media in the form of memes.

However, our video streaming culture has finally caught the attention of cell phone provider T-Mobile, who now supports our TVaddictions with the ingenious creation of Binge On, a new feature that “will allow its customers to stream videos from popular services for free, without the need to take up any mobile data.”

An extension of the company’s free music streaming service Music Freedom, Binge On currently houses 24 video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, HBO Now, Sling TV, Showtime, Vevo, Watch ESPN, Encore and Fox Sports, with the hopes to offer more in the future.

Its wide selection insures there is a show for everyone.

More importantly, the use of Binge On does not cut

into your mobile data budget, which is a huge plus for data conscious customers.

Interested consumers can simply go to T-Mobile and open up a new or existing Simple Choice plan, which will allow them full access to the video streaming services, as well as Music Freedom.

Overall, its release date on Nov. 19 has many customers abuzz with excitement, and many competitors shaken up.

When Binge On was first announced to the public, some feared the video streaming service would “fall under net neutrality scrutiny, as users would be much more inclined to use these video partners rather than a video service that isn’t involved in Binge On.” However, a statement by T-Mobile has confirmed that “video partners don’t pay to get involved with Binge On – it’s completely free for both video providers and customers.”

That being said any streaming company can choose to jump aboard the Binge On ship.

As a customer of T-Mobile and Netflix, I am excited to use this new service, as well as eager to see how well it is received by the public.

An increase in T-Mobile customers may soon be the future for the cell phone provider.

Red & Black

20 N ovember 2015

On the 2016 Ballot: Universal Health Care

Courtesy krdo.com

ColoradoCareYES campaign, backed by Bernie Sanders, will be voted on in Colorado on the 2016 ballot.

Ben Langdon Red&Black Staff

For the second presidential election cycle in a row, health care will be at the forefront of political discourse.

Four years after Mitt Romney battled President Obama over his landmark health care law, the Affordable Care Act (dubbed “Obamacare” by opponents), a new attack on the law has come from an unexpected source: the far left.

Skepticism about the health care law from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party is not new. Ever since President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law in 2010, far left members of his party have attacked the law as a half-measure.

These opponents view health care as a right, and, therefore, are determined to institute universal health care.

Current Democratic Presidential candidate, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, has made universal health care a key part of his platform.

“As a single-payer advocate, I believe that at the end of the day, if a state goes forward and passed an effective single-payer program, it will demonstrate that you can provide quality health care to every man, woman and child in a more cost-effective way,” Sanders stated in 2010.

Senator Sanders may get his wish in 2016, as Colorado is set to vote on a ballot measure that would allow the state to opt out of federal health care, and instead institute universal health care within the state. Proponents of universal health care submitted 158,831 qualified signatures on Nov. 9 guaranteeing a ballot measure for the 2016 election season.

The ballot measure could lead to a highly visible debate with-

in a key presidential swing state. Proponents of the measure, the ColoradoCareYES campaign, claims single-payer health care will save the state $9 billion in health care administration costs compared with the current system.

Opponents say that universal health care would be too costly of an endeavor for Colorado. “A single-payer system would destroy our industry. I don't think there's any question about it," said Byron McCurdy, board president of the Colorado State Association of Health Underwriters.

With Republican Presidential candidates running on the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, Senator Sanders running with universal health care on his platform and a universal health care ballot referendum in Colorado, health care policy has re-emerged as a major issue within the 2016 Presidential election season.

20 N ovember 2015

9 life

Red & Black

Bidhya Bhandari: Nepal’s First Female President

Courtesy bbc.com

Above, Nepal’s first female president, Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

Siddhanta Bista Red&Black Editor Nepal’s parliament elected a communist leader that has long supported and campaigned for women’s rights as the Himalayan nation’s first female President.

Bidhya Devi Bhandari is now the ceremonial head of state as a member of the Communist Party of Nepal.

This move is hailed as a milestone in Nepal to further close the gap in a society that is mainly dominated by men.

Most women in the country are limited to working at homes or on farms, mainly due to their lower status in society. Women also face

discrimination in obtaining an education or employment and establishing their rights as citizens of the country.

Bhandari stated that this election marked the first step towards ensuring that the constitution guarantees equality.

Bidya Bhandari of the Communist party of Nepal is a campaigner and an ardent proponent of women’s rights.

She was among politicians who pushed to reform and secure rights for women under the new constitution assembled in Sept. 2015.

The constitution adopts a new provision where onethird of the members of Parliament or Vice President must be women. “I believe

that the status of women can only be improved if their participation in the policyand law-making bodies is increased,” states Bhandari.

First, it is important to note that Nepal swept away more than two centuries of history when the absolute monarchy rule was abolished in 2008.

Following Nepal’s abolishment of monarchy, the country adopted a republican form of government.

Bhandari, in fact, took an active part in the “prodemocracy” protests.

She is only the second person to assume the role of a president, succeeding President Ram Baran Yadav, who took role in 2008. Seven years after the eradication of

a monarchy rule, the country has managed to elect a woman into presidential office faster than the United States.

Even with the adoption of a new constitution and a female president leading the country, the caste system still remains prevalent in Nepal.

Ethnic based discrimination is still common and ethnic minorities continue to be under-represented in parliament. Gender balance remains a hurdle towards Nepal achieving equality, as only 53 percent of women are able to read, compared to the 76 percent of men. The World Economic forum in the Gender Gap Report has regularly ranked Nepal near the bottom of the list with

Nepal slotted 121 out of the 135 countries.

In a recent interview, Bhandari said, “Now efforts should be made for increasing the number of women to 50 percent in parliament and all other government bodies.

We must ensure that women have increased access to economic activities, jobs and education.”

The newly adopted constitution, along with Bhandari’s dismissal of the “old adage or outlook” serves as a beacon of hope for the citizens of Nepal.

Her election and proequality policies that she has helped establish marks a significant progress for the nation.

10 life

20 N ovember 2015

Red & Black

Indonesia to Guard Prison With Crocodiles Katherine Campbell Red&Black Editor

Indonesia has some of the strictest laws when it comes to drug sales and use, but it also has some of the worst drug problems.

Despite executing over a dozen drug traffickers each year, drug trafficking and use is still rampant in the country, especially in prisons.

This is why Indonesia’s National Narcotics Agency Chief Budi Waseso has proposed a

plan to build a prison on an island surrounded by crocodiles, piranhas and tigers to house convicted drug traffickers.

Waseso’s reasoning behind why these ferocious animals make good prison guards is that they cannot be corrupted and cannot be sympathetic towards inmates the same way humans can.

“You can’t bribe crocodiles,” said Slamet Pribadi, the Anti-narcotic agency spokesperson. “You can’t convince them to let inmates escape. So when they try to escape they will be eaten.” Waseso has al-

ready sent the plans to the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to be approved and he is currently planning to visit various areas in Indonesia in search of the most ferocious crocodiles, piranhas and tigers to guard the prison island.

The plans have already been cleared to a degree as according the Pribadi, “It’s not a human rights violation if a crocodile does the killing” when a convict attempts to escape and is eaten by the animals.

However, Waseso is still in discussions with the Min-

istry of Justice over the plans for the prison. The plans do not yet include a potential location or open date for the prison island.

Commenting on the plans for this particular prison, Jen Wallis (Class of 2018) said, “It makes sense because one of the big problems are with guards who are lax on the rules, and rules must be followed. Yet I still feel like it may not work. Due to the fact that they will still need workers such as cooks, counselors and interior guards to go in and out, the facility will still need to have an entrance where

these workers will not get eaten. With that in mind, those entrance workers can still be corrupt. I feel like it may pose too much danger for those working there to have a high population of uncontrollable predators.”

Though the plans for the prison have sparked international ridicule and controversy, Waseso is still pressing forward with his plans.

“This is serious, this is not a joke," said Pribadi. "Drug trafficking is an extraordinary crime and therefore the fight must also be extraordinary, we cannot fight the usual way."

Five-Year-Old Saves Grandmother From Fire Leah Segal Red&Black Staff Stop, drop, and roll. From the time we start elementary school, we are taught basic fire-safety knowledge: quickly exit a burning building and stay below harmful smoke.

Last week, Nathaniel Stocks, a five-year-old from Phelan, Calif., did just that when his home caught fire and he saved his family.

Early Saturday morning, when a space heater caught fire, young Nathaniel woke up and knew just what to do.

With his grandma in a room across the hall, he remembered what he learned in school and crawled under the heavy smoke. When questioned later he even stated, "When there's a fire in your

room, and the smoke goes high, you should get down and crawl to your door."

This young hero not only saved his grandma from the flames, but “told her to stay out, knowing it would be too dangerous” re-entering the burning house when they realized their Chihuahua, Tinkerbell, was still inside.

When the fire was finally under control, the house was completely lost, but Nathaniel, his grandmother and even Tinkerbell got out of the house okay.

Without his heroism and knowledge from his fire-safety class, the situation could have ended very badly.

The firefighters that responded to the scene are very pleased with Nathaniel’s use of his fire-safety knowledge and

Courtesy abcnews.go.com

Nathaniel Stocks and his chihuahua, Tinkerbell.

how well such a young child handled this dangerous situation.

Overall, Nathaniel serves a perfect example of the importance of fire-safety classes in elementary schools, and teaching children the value of

being prepared in emergency situations.

While schools across the country cut back on programs and activities, this ensures that the time and money spent on programs such as this, are well worth it. When Nathan-

iel’s mother, Brianna Stocks, was questioned about her son’s heroic act, she stated, “I would have my stuff burn 10 times over than to have my mom, and son and my Chihuahua here." Nathaniel is the superhero of this story.

20 N ovember 2015

11 arts

Red & Black

Academic Book Week: The Top Twenty Most Important Books Kayla Marasia Red&Black staff

In honor of Academic Book Week, running from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16, a board of academics (including academic booksellers, publishers and librarians) chose the top twenty most influential books across the centuries.

In partnership with the AHRC and the British Library, The Academic Book project aims to explore the future of scholarly writings.

Each of these books have changed the course of society, whether by new scientific theories, fights for feminism, or other specialized subjects.

Some favorites included Stephen Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time,” renowned for its intellectual availability to even non-academic readers; Immanuel Kant’s “Critique of Pure Reason”; and the sole work of fiction on the list, George Orwell’s bleak dystopian, “Nineteen EightyFour.”

Others favored “A Vindication of the Rights

of Women” by Mary Wollstonecraft, a work that introduced a feminist voice to society.

Also included are Shakespeare’s Complete Works, which has arguably made one of the biggest impacts on the English language of any literary contributions.

While each of the twenty selections span vastly different subjects, they are similar in their intellectual impact on society.

“All of [these works] touch on pivotal moments in the world’s history and its academic progress, ranging from 380 B.C. to the present day,” noted Academic Book Week participant, Emily Tee. Human intellectuality and knowledge grows with each day, and many of the books on the Academic Book Week list mark the progress of our society, from technological advancement to women’s rights. After the top twenty academic books were released, the competition was opened to the public.

Throughout Academic Book Week, readers across the

Courtesy acbookweek.com

Academic Book Week strives to increase awareness of the variety and accessibility of the academic book and celebrate the value of arts and humanities research.

world (but primarily across the UK) contributed votes for their favorite academic book to determine which work would take the coveted top spot.

At the end of the week, the winner was announced: Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species,” due to its influential contribution to modern scientific

theory. However, as society progresses, the power of these texts is threatened. As asked

by Academic Book Week’s core team, “How can we make sure academic books, whether print or electronic, are kept safe, and don’t disappear?”

Although our society periodically makes bounding leaps in intellectual and scientific advancement, it is

important to remember the influence these academic works had on the framework of our ideas throughout the centuries.

So, try picking up a dusty volume of an academic book, for the bold, powerful ideas contained within its pages can continue to influence our hearts and minds and satisfy the scholar that lies in all of us.

12 arts

Red & Black

Movie Review: Blowing the Dust Off Of '2001: A Space Odyssey' Ben Langdon Red&Black Staff

"The New York Times" described it as being “hard to sit through without talking” due to its “uncompromising slowness.”

In the premiere screening of the film, 241 people walked out of the theater, with one man saying, "Will someone tell me what the hell this is about?"

It is safe to say that Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film, "2001: A Space Odyssey," is not for everyone.

Just as mankind depicted within the film, "2001: A Space Odyssey" has gone through many evolutions.

Met with negative reviews initially, the film has since gone from science fiction cult classic to a movie routinely viewed as one of the greatest of all time.

Separated into four sequences, the film follows the evolution of mankind from the dawn of humanity to the eventual exploration of the solar system.

During this mind-bending trip, humanity is exposed to mysterious monoliths.

These large black structures are discovered throughout the solar system and provide the mysterious nature of the film’s plot. The main sequence of "2001: A Space Odyssey" fol-

20 N ovember 2015

Poetry Corner

By Diana Ciarallo

“Shades Of Dying Season” Leaves of the trees Die in brilliance They take on shades Smoke Fading sunsets Burnt sunrises Lush skins of fruits.

A squirrel makes a sprightly line Through the golden-brown beds Foraging through the crumbling trees Crumbling like the brittle bones of the dead

Metal dragons tear Through the rain-drenched streets Persephone’s underground tomb Strewn with fallen foliage

The earth will live once more lows two astronauts on their journey to Jupiter.

Early on in their trip, the astronauts are faced with an unlikely enemy: the spacecraft’s computer system.

The ultra-intelligent computer, named H.A.L. 9000, was originally tasked with leading the astronauts safely to their destination, but, as the astronauts soon discover, H.A.L. has very different plans for them.

Understandably, this can be a very difficult film for many students to watch.

The lack of dialogue (there is no dialogue in the first 25 or last 23 minutes of the film), and an ambiguous plot and ending can be frustrating to

Courtesy blastr.com

the average moviegoer. What the film lacks in dialogue, it quickly makes up for with great cinematography and a plot laden with philosophical interpretations.

In fact, the ambiguous nature of "2001: A Space Odyssey" is arguably its best-selling point. The existential underpinnings of the plot allow for each audience member to inject his or her viewpoint into the film’s meaning. That is the true beauty of this film. With every viewing, new meaning can be derived from this science fiction classic.

Ultimately, "2001: A Space Odyssey" is a must-see film for any avid science fiction fan.

“Knowledge” “Were Eve’s eyes in the first garden just a bit too bold?”Langston Hughes They both ate of the tree But she is considered the damned Because she, herself, had picked the fruit It would allow her to know things Eve’s eyes were the ones That were opened first She found herself educated In the ways of the world Her knowledge was punished Fear that others would do the same Frightened by the prospect of a woman Who bears the curious eyes of Eve Thirsty to learn All that there is to know

20 N ovember 2015

13 arts

Red & Black

Fans of ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ Rejoice: Sequel Set to Premiere in March Katie Campbell Red&Black Editor

For students who remember “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” hearing that the sequel is coming out in March probably sent you into a memory-trip to the land of Portokalos, dry toast families and big, overbearing Greek weddings.

The first trailer for the sequel has been released, introducing the story of Toula and Ian’s grown daughter and, yes, another wedding.

The trailer opens with Toula’s troubled teenage daughter who wants to go away for college.

Toula, the main character of the first movie, appears to not want her daughter to go too far away.

The trailer also introduces the idea that Toula and Ian are having some marriage problems.

They are unable to have a private romantic life due to their busy lives and, big

surprise, Toula’s family.

The trailer then focuses in on Toula’s mother and father who realize that the priest never signed their marriage license.

Therefore, the Portokalos must pull off another big, fat, Greek wedding.

Nia Vardalos, the screenwriter who wrote the original script based on her own life, said in a 2009 interview that she had an idea for a sequel for the hit movie and that she had started writing it. When

asked again about the sequel in 2012, Vardalos said, “It’s only now that I’ve really become open to the idea. Over the years, I’ve heard from everybody about what the sequel should be.

People next to me at Starbucks would say, ‘Hey, let me tell you my idea,’ and I’d be like, ‘Hey, I’m just trying to get a cup of coffee.’

I never thought much about it. But then when John Corbett (one of the costars of the movie) and I

recently sat down to do that interview (for the [tenth] anniversary edition of the movie), we laughed so hard through the whole thing.

It made me thing that it’s time. He said, ‘Come on, write something, will you?’

And now I think I will. We have such easy chemistry together.”

Kaitlyn Vogel (Class of 2018) responded enthusiastically to the trailer for the new movie:“It looks just as good if not better than the first one!

It looks funnier, possibly

Courtesy www.avclub.com

because it’s a little more modern than the first one was.”

Lauren Lamm (Class of 2016) is just as excited about the sequel as Vogel: “The first movie is a strong source of nostalgia for me, because it was one of the first DVDs we owned.

Watching the trailer made me feel like I was ten years old again.”

“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” is set to release March 25, 2016 opposite “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice.”

14 arts

Red & Black

Avenue Q Finds a Home at Olin Theatre

20 N ovember 2015

Avenue Q Avenue Q is a musical that follows Princeton, a recent college graduate as he attempts to make his way into the adult world.

Through witty humor and catchy tunes, this musical presents an adult version of Sesame Street that will have students everywhere relating to the struggle of juggling a career, a relationship and the need to find one’s "purpose" in life. Musical numbers such as, “If You Were Gay” and “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist” highlight the musical’s liberal exploration of taboo topics. Avenue Q, directed by Dr. Karin Maresh, will be performed at the following times this weekend:

Thursday, Nov. 19 7:30 p.m. in Olin Courtesy Lauryn Halahurich

Friday, Nov. 20 7:30 p.m. in Olin

Saturday, Nov. 21 7:30 p.m. in Olin 2:00 p.m. in Olin

Courtesy Lauryn Halahurich

14 opinions By the time children are 12 years old, death and a sense...

P. 17

Red & Black

20 N ovember 2015

OPINIONS

It does not matter what is on your cup, it does not affect the taste...

P. 16

Wait Until After Thanksgiving for Christmas Diana Ciarallo Red&Black Staff

“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Everywhere You Go.” The only problem with this fact, however, is that it’s beginning to look like Christmas too soon; none of us have even sat down for Thanksgiving dinner yet.

Isn’t there a reason why we all don’t see jolly old Saint Nick gliding in through the streets of New York City on his sleigh until the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

The arrival of Santa Claus at the end of the parade has always been symbolic to me as the official stat of the holiday season.

That’s when we roll out the holly. That’s when you start writing your lists and checking them twice. As soon as the

leftovers are cleared from the table and turkeys stop looking over their shoulders, the holiday songs and specials begin and there’s a green light to start trimming the tree.

Then how come the minute Halloween passes by all of these Christmasthemed advertisements start popping up everywhere?

Why have the pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks suddenly been replaced by peppermint mochas? Why are commercials for holiday gifts suddenly being shoved into the faces of television viewers?

Why is that woman from last year’s Christmas Big Lots commercial, the one who kept on singing about how she’s “nailing this Christmas again,” now boasting about how she’s the “Black Friday Woman?”

When I first caught a glimpse of that particular

commercial this year, I thought to myself, “Oh, God, she’s back.”

Obviously, the reason she’s back is because businesses are eager stir up as much “holidayhype” as they possibly can in order to coax people into starting their Christmas spending spree earlier.

The sooner they can get these potential customers to come rushing through their doors means an increase in their revenue that tends to come flooding in at “the most wonderful time of the year.”

It clearly must pay to advertise early or they wouldn’t spend money on it.

I can practically hear Jim Carrey as the infamous Grinch screaming at the Whos about “the avarice” of their overthe-top holiday celebrations.

I love Christmas and all the holiday-hype that comes with it, but I prefer to celebrate

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

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.

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.

one holiday at a time, not mash two of them together.

Whenever I come across a holiday movie on television or songs on the radio, I skip over them because watching or listening to them in November feels phony.

Why do we all have to start celebrating Christmas

Courtesy choctawk.mc.edu

ahead of schedule anyway? I feel that doing so trivializes the whole holiday and robs it of its real meaning.

I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m going to eat Thanksgiving dinner first and then wait for Santa to come down the lane at the end of the parade.

C ontac t 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

16 opinions

Red & Black

20 N ovember 2015

A Response to Paris The Problem with Passwords Our brains are riddled with useless repertoires of words and numbers that help us access our cellular phones, computers, user accounts and much more.

Passwords are commonly stolen from users in order to access their private information and overthrow public accounts.

This can be done is several methods including keyloggers (programs written to read the code when fingers strike the keyboard) as well as phishing, hashing and using brute-force.

Some of these methods are more efficient than others and a little understanding of how brute-force works can raise insight to the public eye.

In 2012, Verizon alone had “621 confirmed data breaches…and more than 47,000 reported ‘security incidents.’

Those include distributed denial of service (DDOS).”

Although large companies today focus highly on security, individual people should protect themselves just as much. For those reading with their password entailing the words: “password,” “123456,” “qwerty,” “access,” or “batman,” they may want to change that immediately.

In fact, Edward Snowden in an interview with John Oliver stated, “for someone who has a common eight digit password,

it can take literally less than a second for a computer to go through all the possibilities and pull that password out.”

Granted, losing information to a hacker is ultimately scary, but in a world fueled by technology, it could be more than a Facebook account or cellular device, it could be a life.

An intriguing TED Talk

by Avi Ruben on hacking had opened the public eye to what hackers can actually accomplish. In summary, pacemakers, police radios and now automobiles are all easily hackable and lack a proper security to encrypt the device from malicious hackers. Many companies today including Facebook will actually pay hackers to try to break into their system, so I thought I would give it a go.

Before diving into detail, I would like to exclaim that everything I had done was in fact legal, and I had not performed this hack on an unwilling subject. I had gone onto Facebook and entered one of the most popular games on the market, Trivia Crack.

I began with a Google Chrome extension called “Gargl,” which turns basic code into an API (Application Program Interface).

From here, I searched for Trivia Crack’s responding server called “Preguntados.

com/game.” Then, I selected the game I had entered and discovered that the “random spin” is actually predetermined and I found the question and answer in what was only 150 characters in a .TXT file. It was simple; too simple for a multimillion dollar app (averaging $18,800/day).

This had me thinking for a while, “If it is this easy to hack into a company’s pride and joy, it must be simple to hack into a single person’s account.” Now, nobody in their right mind would allow a stranger to hack into their account, so I had stopped there.

Suddenly, though, I understood why 1000 people a day on average are victims of computer hacking. It is too simple, and not because of technological advance, but because the general population doesn’t understand that we should think of passphrases instead of passwords.

If society decides to follow through with the technological advance we are participating in, we must view security in a much more professional level.

Encrypt data, lengthen passwords, and avoid the common practice of including pet names or “batman” in a password. Remember, every password is merely a word list away.

Alex Franco Red&Black Contributor Fire. Fear. Death. In an instant, the veil of silence on a soft and graceful Parisian night shattered; torn away only to be replaced by smoke and chaos.

This is one of the few moments in the history of humanity in which words cannot describe the emotions of the soul, the thoughts of the mind, or the actions of men.

And to attempt to enshrine these egregious crimes in mere words is as futile as it is disingenuous. To try to explain away these attacks in as narrow-minded as it is specious, as complex as it is dangerous.

My thoughts and prayers go to the victims of this tragedy and their loved ones as they have much more to deal with than broken bones or shattered homes. They now have pain ingrown into their souls, pain that cannot be cut away with any scalpel, or dulled by any words.

This pain will be with them long after Paris is rebuilt. Those who lost loved ones in this assault on peace, and those who paid the ultimate price too soon should be where this tragic night ends.

They should be the last victims that come of Paris burning. Let us not act swiftly to judgement, let this not

be used as an excuse to hate.

When those despicable men brought violence into the city that night, they may have not hijacked airplanes and flew them into buildings, but they did once again hijack Islam.

They hijacked a religion of peace, a religion of love and tainted it in the minds of many in the west.

Because of this attack, people all around the world are denying Syrian refugees asylum. Yet, if countries like the United States behave in this manner, ISIS, Daesh, ISIL, the Islamic State, terrorists, or whatever you may call them, they will win.

There may not be a black flag flying over Paris tonight, but there may as well be if ISIS has planted their hatred in our hearts. Let the refugees in.

Many have left burning villages and bombed homes, bringing their families and loved one to Europe and the United States for a chance at peace.

These mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers are victims of ISIS in equal measure.

To respond to these victims any differently than the victims in Paris is to allow hypocrisy and hate into our hearts. And when hate is in all of us, more than just Paris will burn. We will burn with the City of Lights. And those who would seek to destroy us will make more victims of this tragedy. Don’t let them.

20 N ovember 2015

17 opinions

Red & Black

Starbucks is Not Committing a “War on Christmas”

Courtesy vox.com

Shannon Addams Red&Black Editor

The season of the Pumpkin Spice Latte is thankfully coming to a close. The new hype is focused on holiday drinks such as peppermint mochas.

The Starbucks-loving world was expecting a smooth transition from the holy PSL to its iconic holiday themed cups.

This year, Starbucks switched it up and created a public panic for hipsters, white girls and coffee lovers alike.

Tuesday, Nov. 3, Starbucks released its red holiday cup like always, but this time...it

is just red. The cup does not have any icons of Christmas decorating it this year, and people do not like that at all.

In fact, many people are very upset over Starbucks’ red cup this year. Social media is calling it the “War on Christmas” just because the cup lacks any winter designs.

Winter is a season lasting for a few months, iconized by snowmen, snowflakes, scarves, hot drinks, snow, and penguins.

Christmas is a religious holiday which lasts for 24 hours, iconized by Santa, reindeer, Jesus, Christmas trees and Christmas decorations.

These two things are not the same.

Christmas falls in winter, Christmas is not all of winter.

It does not matter that your Starbucks cup does not have little green Christmas trees on it. In fact, many of the past red cups have been decorated with Winter designs, not Christmas designs.

To me, it does not make sense to call the new red cup a “War on Christmas” if the past cups had nothing to do with Christmas in the first place.

Starbucks said that it made the red cup as an empty canvas so customers could create their own Winter story or Christmas story on it. In my opinion, this is a brilliant idea not only because it increases creativity but, it allows

everyone to feel like they can be a part of the holidays.

When you are not Christian or Catholic you may feel left out of the holiday fun because every store in the country is shoving Christmas down consumers’ throats.

Starbucks is being progressive and letting the consumer make her red cup what she wants it to be.

I personally do not care what is on my Starbucks cup.

I am not buying a $5 cup of coffee so I can sit the cup on my bookshelf and admire its artwork for the rest of my life. I am buying a $5 cup of coffee so I can stay awake long enough to finish my paper that is due the next day. I barely

even look at what is on the cup or if the Barista spelled my name right. I do not care.

The fact that most of the county cares what is on their $5 disposable cup of coffee frightens me.

You drink from the cup for about half an hour to an hour, depending on how fast you drink your caffeine, and then you throw it away. Gone forever.

It does not matter what is on your cup, it does not affect the taste of your drink and it does not impair you as a person in any way.

Stop complaining and worry about other important things like ISIS and your GPA.

18 opinions

Red & Black

20 NOVEMBER 2015

Should Child Murderers Be Charged as Adults?

Courtesy theukdatabase.com

Robert Thompson and Jon Venables are an infamous British duo who commmitted the murder of three-year-old James Bulger and were tried in adult court.

Keira Frazier Red&Black Contributor

The act of murder is already a disturbing and frightening action, one that has irreversible effects on not only the victim and murderer, but the families of both parties. The level of emotional and mental pain felt by the parents of the victim would be excruciating.

On the other hand, the parents of the murderer face a whole other predicament.

The shock and disbelief that their child could do something like taking another life must be unimaginable.

It is hard to imagine a child

committing such a cruel and heinous act such as murder.

Determining the motive is just as difficult; the reason why a child could possibly desire to inflict such pain on another is unconceivable.

The search for these reasons brings up many questions: does the child truly comprehend his or her actions and does he truly understand what death is?

“At ages 12 and up, children are competent enough to know what they’re doing and understand death,” said Taylor Pingley (Class of 2019).

By the time children are 12 years old, death and a sense of right and wrong have fully developed. Therefore, they

have the same level of competence considering these factors that an adult has.

If a child truly understands what he has done, then they should understand the true consequences of his or her actions.

Pingley’s ideas seem concrete, and she further elaborates how “it is all relative to the crime committed.”

In a partial opposition of Pingley’s opinion, Denver Stahl (Class of 2019) said, “It really isn’t the brutality of the crime that should determine how the child is tried.”

To that, I question how should one gauge the true cruel intentions of the crime if it is not measured in terms

of heinous it is? For example, compare a body that is mutilated in comparison to a body that is simply shot once. Does the dark nature of the first murder not suggest a more competent and sociopathic nature than the second?

Though Stahl disagrees on this minor point, he seemingly agrees with the rest of the statement.

“Police should work with child psychologists in order to determine whether or not children are at an age in which they . . . understand the consequences of their actions, and, furthermore, if they had the [predisposition],” said Stahl.

The overall consensus seems to revolve around the

mental development of the child murderer, and their understanding of the situation.

I believe many factors should be taken into consideration, including both the mental stature of the child as well as the nature of crime committed.

One usually relates to the other in this case, as the child’s perception of death and right versus wrong projects into the details of the murder.

As a final verdict, children who murder should be carefully analyzed before making the decision to try them as adults or juveniles, and the older the accused child, the higher chance that the child should be charged as an adult.

20 N ovember 2015

19 sports

Red & Black

Germany Vs. Netherlands Match Cancelled After Bomb Threat

Courtesy dw.com

A soccer game between Germany and The Netherlands was called off two hours before its scheduled start on Nov. 18, 2015 over fears of a planned bombing.

Siddhanta Bista Red&Black editor On Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2015 German police canceled a friendly international soccer game between Germany and the Netherlands in Hanover due to security concerns.

A report by a police official said that spectators already inside the stadium were asked to leave. “We had concrete evidence that someone wanted to set off an explosive device in the sta-

dium,� Hannover police chief, Volker Kluwe, told German TV. German police made announcements at the stadium that people should return home in a calm demeanor.

Most fans were still outside the stadium, and were ordered to evacuate about an hour and a half before kick off.

There were no signals of panic following the announcement and most fans accepted the decisions.

The police had to be more forceful with members of the media who sought to stay at the

stadium. Thomas de Maizière, the Federal interior minister, took responsibility for calling off the game on Tuesday. He stated that there were strong indications of a possible attack that would most likely be carried out.

"The indications of danger at today's game grew over the course of the evening so much so that we urgently recommended the cancellation of the game."

Police shutdown several parts of the Hanover train station and subway stations while

searching around the stadium.

A jazz concert with 900 attendants was also cancelled. The German government officials including Chancellor Angela Merkel had not arrived, but were scheduled to attend the game to address the recent Paris attacks, indicating that Germany would not bow to down to terrorism.

Security was tight as police officers were armed with machine guns surrounding the stadium.

Reporters that arrived for the game were searched and

sniffer dogs were deployed. In a press conference, however, Germany's interior minister Thomas de Maiziere later confirmed that contrary to his earlier statements, no explosives had been found at the stadium.

Last Friday, Germany was playing France in an international friendly soccer game when outside the stadium three suicide bombers blew themselves up, killing one bystander.

The bombers sought to enter the stadium, but were unsuccessful.

20 sports

20 NOVEMBER 2015

Student Athlete Spotlight: Dan Pommerer Red & Black

Courtesy gopresidents.com

Jordan Toohey Red&Black staff

Dan Pommerer, a junior wrestler from Downingtown, Pa., has had great success in his first two years as a college wrestler, and that success is continuing into the start of this wrestling season.

Pommerer’s wrestling achievements began well before W&J; he finished his high school wrestling career with over 100 career wins, he was a three time sectional finalist and was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Chestmont Tournament his senior year.

Thus far in college, Pommerer

has been a two-year starter and was sixth in the entire region in 2015. He wrestled at 133 his freshmen year and

matches and earned a 3-1 decision in the semifinals before taking an 11-6 loss by decision in the 141 finals. Wrestling has

joyed it. In his first season wrestling, which began in the third grade, he became the outstanding novice wrestler of

In his first season wrestling, which began in the third grade, he became the outstanding novice wrestler of the year. Ever since then wrestling has been his life. now for the past two years he has been wrestling at 141.

This past weekend, Pommerer took second place overall in the W&J Invitational at 141.

Pommerer did not concede a point in his second round (5-0) or quarterfinal (4-0)

always been a major part of Pommerer’s life despite starting out his childhood playing football.

When he was younger, a family friend told him and his bother they should try wrestling and see if they en-

the year. Ever since then wrestling has been his life.“There is no other feeling in the world than having your hand being raised at the end of the match because that you know that you were able to best the other person. You don’t get the

same thrill in any team sport, it doesn’t even compare,” said Pommerer. Despite having success on the wrestling match, Pommerer excels in the classroom as well.

He is political science major, a business minor with a concentration in American Studies with plans to attend law school or get into politics after college.

He also is involved in the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, where he has served numerous executive roles including the Recording and Corresponding Secretary, ROAD Chairman/Director of Member Education and currently is the External Vice President.