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 October 7, 2016
Author Mary Karr Visits W&J PAGE 2
Courtesy Erin Jones
LIFE: ADDICTION WORKSHOP PAGE 8
CULTURE: LIAR’S CLUB REVIEW PAGE 12
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Mary Karr Presents Maxwell Series Lecture Tyler Mattes Red&Black Contributor
Mary Karr, Guggenheim scholar, multiple prizewinner and bestselling author of the memoirs “The Liars' Club,” “Cherry” and “Lit,” the poetry collections “Sinners Welcome,” “Viper Rum” and “The Devil's Tour,” and the nonfiction work, “The Art of Memoir,” was on campus the week of Sept. 26 as Washington & Jefferson College's Maxwell speaker. On Sept. 28, she delivered a lecture in Dieter-Porter entitled "Ambushed by the Truth: Confessions of an Unlikely Bestseller." Here, she discussed her work, the story of how she came to write memoir and poetry and anecdotes about her family. Throughout the hour-long oration, she maintained a level of wit and humor that clearly illustrated her talent as a memoirist. This stayed true even when she delved into darker topics, such as her mother's mental illness and her own struggles with alcoholism. “I love that she was so open about everything,” says Christina Kosch ‘19. “I know that it took so much courage to be able to write about it, never mind be able to talk about it with all of her cards on
the table.” Lauryn Halhurich ‘17 was of a similar opinion, saying that Karr's speech “pulled you in and made you laugh.” The talk touched on topics from throughout Karr's life, but it started with her discovery of memoir and poetry as a child. “Maybe memoir was the beginning of empathy for me,” Karr pondered. “[Maya Angelou] made me feel less lonely,” she noted to explain why she was drawn as an 11-year-old girl to read “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Angelou had that effect because Karr was, in her own words, “hungry for real experience,” as opposed to the fiction that was available in her youth. “Real experience” is exactly what one finds in Karr's work. The lecture offered the same frank treatment of what was often difficult subject matter, interspersed with humor. At one point, she dryly noted during a discussion of her alcoholism, “You don't wanna be the mom with the beers in [her] parka.” Karr pulled no punches for herself nor for her family. At one point, she described her mother threatening to commit suicide. In another more humorous anecdote, how her mother learned her boyfriend was convicted in three states of various crimes. That story ended with the exchange,
Courtesy Erin Jones
Mary Karr was in residence at Washington & Jefferson College from Sept. 26-29 as this year’s Maxwell speaker. Endowed in 2010, the J. Robert Maxwell ’43 Visiting Scholar Series provides the W&J community access to a wider array of viewpoints, opinions and practices from distinguished and influential leaders.
“Mary: where do you find these guys? Mary’s mom: The episcopal church.” At no point did Karr loose her tenderness towards her family. Her father's description of heavy rain as “a cow p*ssing on a flat rock,” was used as an example of the distinctive voice a memoirist must cultivate. Her family's support and pride in her accomplishments
was described by Karr in the words, "They were both crazy proud of me. They couldn't believe I succeeded at something.” The value of the lecture, however, went beyond simple humor or storytelling. Karr's story of how she got her first publishing deal only took place after she had begun to write like a woman from Eastern Texas, rather than
imitate the lofty style of T. S. Elliott. “So many of the times I was afraid,” she mused, “. . . of the wrong thing. I should've been afraid of the part of me [that was] trying to be like T. S. Elliott.” For aspiring writers in attendance, that lesson was one of great value, as was Karr's good-natured humility, despite her massive success.
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Senior Spotlight: Joe Sarsfield Mario Tiberie Red&Black Contributor
This week’s senior spotlight is on a Washington & Jefferson College senior who is an extremely active part of campus community: Joe Sarsfield. Sarsfield is from Fairmont, W. Va. and is majoring in political science with a minor in East Asian studies. Aside from his academics, Sarsfield is involved in numerous activities on campus. He is the big events director for the Student Activities Board, president of the Asian Cultural Association, and treasurer for FBLA-PBL. In addition to these activities, Sarsfield is also a broth-
er of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. In his spare time, Sarsfield enjoys reading comic books, watching different genres of movies and learning about current world events. Sarsfield has participated in Model UN at W&J and international affairs is a strong interest of his. Since Sarsfield has been involved in so many things, he has gained a lifetime of memories at W&J. When asked what his favorite memory was during his college career, however, he said that it has to be the time he went to London for the theater intersession class. “Studying abroad was one of the best choices I ever could have made,” said Sarsfield, “The class was very interesting
and getting to explore a different culture was an amazing opportunity.” Along with gaining a lifetime of memories, Sarsfield has also learned valuable skills while at W&J. Being a very busy guy, he has a piece of advice to underclassmen presidents:“I would tell other students, especially freshmen, to keep a balanced schedule for each day.” Sarsfield added, “Whether you have a planner or calendar, try to keep track of all of Courtesy Joe Sarsfield your academic, extracurricu- Joe Sarsfield '17 hopes to become apart of the U.S. National Guard. lar and social activities hap- come a part of the United Joe can be found hanging out pening each week.” with the brothers and friends States’ National Guard. After graduation, Sarsfield Until then, Sarsfield will be of ATO or relaxing and socialplans on studying political working hard towards com- izing at the Hub on weekend science in graduate school. pleting his degree all while nights. Good luck with senior In addition to furthering his remaining an active part of year Joe and with all of your studies, he also hopes to be- campus. If he’s not studying, future plans.
been a part of the Zumba club for a year, and has attained the position of president in that short amount of time. Pierce, like Sainiak, has also been a part of Zumba club for a year, and has attained the position of secretary for the club in that amount of time. The two were, and still are, friends when they joined Zumba club. They both wanted to get an experience that was enjoyable and rigorous. When asked what Zumba provides for members, Sainiak replied, “What I like about Zumba is that those who come are to leave their inhi-
bitions at the door.” She noted that Zumba club is a club that doesn’t judge people based on their performance and allows people to enjoy that time with their friends. Pierce even stated, “I myself didn’t have any experience at dancing when I joined and usually we get many people who don’t. That’s alright though because it doesn’t matter whether you do or don’t have that experience in order to join Zumba.” The club does pay for the instructor, Lori, who is also a certified instructor. While traditionally Zumba is done with Latino music, Lori will take requests
Club Spotlight: Zumba Saul Franco Red&Black Contributer
A problem that is faced by most students now-a-days is the inability to maintain their schoolwork and to be physically active. Students all want to keep from the freshman 15, but with exams and rigorous amounts of homework, this can be a feat that is daunting for many. So what can be done to ease the workload without having to sacrifice wellbeing? Students Kashmir Sainiak and Kendra Pierce believe the answer to be Zumba! Sainiak has
Courtesy Saul Franco
Members of the Zumba Club pose before an intense workout
from the members and introduce those requests in the next Zumba party. Plus, with Halloween right around the corner, the club has a costume party dance off with prizes for winners. During the Zumba party, people may leave to get
water or use the restroom, but the instructor, Sainiak, and Pierce do their best to keep people involved and excited. Bringing friends also adds to the experience. It’s time to get out there and dance to the rhythm of the beat!
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Magellan Spotlight: Carmen Carroll
Courtesy Carmen Carroll
Carroll traveled to Kenya to study women’s rights and education.
Genea Richardson Red&Black Contributor
Carmen Carroll is a sophomore at Washington & Jefferson College double majoring in Communication Arts and Spanish. She is a resident assistant in Beau Hall Dorm, Vice President of the Black Student Union and a radio host on W&J’s own WJNR. Carroll spent the summer months in Nairobi, Kenya, with the intent of studying women’s empowerment and
education, but ended up making a documentary to tell the perspective of a girl from Kenya. Her final project ended up being about women’s rights and education and what the girls wanted to be when they grow up. Carroll explained how her travel to Nairobi was a big culture shock. Although she already knew how to ride the bus, Carroll had to re-learn how when she realized that Nairobi’s road signs were different than where she was from. In fact, they didn’t have road signs; there were no
street names or stoplights. “Of course there were stoplights in the city, but once you passed the city and got out into the residential areas, there were no addresses. I couldn’t just tell someone to take me to 123 avenue, I just had to know,” Carroll said. Also, Carroll talked about how the area she stayed in had a lot of road work nearby, so taking the bus wasn’t enough to get her home. She had to hitch a ride on the back of a motorcycle for about ten cents. Also, Carroll, who was known as “pointy” because
of her mixed complexion, explained how she had to adjust to the dialect of the Kenyans. Since Kenya was colonized by the British, they do speak English. Carroll, however, had to adjust to their dialect of English and the language Kenyans speak most comfortably, which is Swahili. While being that far away from home can be overwhelming, Carroll says that her and her host family clicked from the moment she arrived. During her time in Nairobi, Carmen stayed with the Dinda’s: a family that
consisted of Mama Dinda, Papa Dinda, Dinda (whose American name is Lucy), and their son who is Carroll’s age and attends school in Canada. All in all, Carroll had a lot to say about her Magellan and encourages students to travel somewhere while they have the opportunity. “Think about it strong and hard, but definitely go for it because it’s life changing.” Students interested in learning more about the Magellan Project should contact Tyler Tenney, Coordinator of Cocurricular Innovation, for any questions or advice.
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Press Release:
Grey Line Begins Service to Washington Morgantown, WV: Mountain Line is pleased to announce a new service to Washington Pa. Beginning Oct. 3, the service to Pittsburgh will leave Morgantown, stop at Waynesburg Pa., Washington Pa. and continue on to Pittsburgh Greyhound and Pittsburgh Airport. Arrival times in Washington will be at 9:05 a.m. northbound and 11:05 a.m. southbound on the morning trip. On the evening trip, it will ar-
rive at 6:35 p.m. northbound and 9:45 p.m. southbound. The bus will take I-79 Exit 20, and will service the Park & Ride on East Beau St. For those who travel Grey Line frequently, Mountain Line offers a “Monthly Monster Pass� with unlimited rides on all local routes and Grey Line runs. This non-transferable pass is available for purchase online at ridegreyline.org. Complete schedules and additional
details for these new services can be found at www.ridegreyline.org or by calling 304296-3869. For information on all Mountain Line bus routes and schedules, call 304-291-RIDE (291-7433) or visit WWW. BUSRIDE.ORG. For live tracking of the Grey Line bus and all Mountain Line routes, download the Bus Finder Mobile app or follow each route on Twitter, @ML29grey for Grey Line.
SECURITY LOGS Date: 9/18/16 Incident: Arson
Someone entered the gym, which is under construction, and ignited material. The incident is under investigation by the State Police Fire Marshall and Campus and Public Saftey. Date: 9/19/16 Incident: Criminal Trespass Campus and Public Saftey responded that someone illegally entered an unoccupied builidng and discharged a fire extinguisher. Date: 9/27/16 Incident: Criminal Mischeif Campus and Public Saftey reported that the left vent window was broken on a students vehicle by an unknown person. Correction: Student's Edge App was incorrectly identified in our 9/16 issue.
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7 October 2016
New Technological Advances in Protection
Courtesy getthedefender.com
The Defender pepper spray includes the highest concentration of pepper spray available to law enforcement and alerts the authorities that a crime is in progress.
Genea Richardson Red & Black Contributor
Those who feel unsafe walking around campus late at night can take a breath of fresh air. Fear no more, there is a new gadget called The Defender that is made to give a needed sense of security. The creator, Ryan McManus, came up with the
idea after being the victim of a home invasion and finding himself constantly looking over his shoulder. The Defender is a pepper spraylike gadget that sends a photo of one’s attacker to the nearest police station via Bluetooth. Simply press the button at the top of The Defender and point it at the attacker and it snaps a photo, alerting both the cops and a 24/7 monitoring service that a crime is in progress - all while it subdues the person with pepper spray. Sierra Davis
‘20 found it hard to believe that “such a small can has so much power.” Maybe Sierra’s right--The Defender has been a concept in progress since August of 2014 but is now currently on sale for preorders. Hannah Toney ‘18 says, “The Defender sounds pretty cool. Even though the neighborhoods around campus are pretty nice, it wouldn’t hurt to have some extra security.” Should students choose to pre-order, they can get The Defender with one year of the
24/7 monitoring service for a special price of $179. Ally Hopkins ’17 said “I think the technology behind the product is very advanced. Especially because psychology has proven that in times of mental and physical distress, memory cannot be relied on in later identifying criminals. However, the price of the product may not be worth it.” To promote the product, which is currently running an Indiegogo campaign, the minds behind The Defender have asked people to share
their stories in a video series titled "My Story." Whether students interested in purchasing The Defender or not, the company has already raised more than $225K on Indiegogo, more than double the original goal of $100K. If students want to know about The Defender and the brains behind its creation, they can go to the online website: www.getthedefender. com, where it’ll explain how the product bridges the gap between technology and personal safety.
7 October 2016
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Life Advice Life advice given to you from the mouths of the Red & Black Editorial Staff.
How do you avoid sleeping in?
Food Hacks Shannon Adams Red & Black Editor
We are constantly trying to stretch our swipes and out money further on campus. Here are some food hacks that no one ever told you before. Everyone has those rough mornings where they can’t seem to get it together and need some delicious coffee from the Barista to get their life together. The only problem is you already used a swipe at breakfast this morning and you can’t use one another one for a couple of hours. Don’t worry, you can get an iced coffee with a flavor shot of your choice for only $2.95. Just tell them to leave room for cream and you have yourself an inexpensive cafe latte substitute. Continuing with the Barista theme, if you bring in your own mug up to 22 ounces they will only charge you for a 12 ounce cup of coffee. Thank the Green Club and the Sustainability Committee for that one! If you hard really tired of G&T’s or the Commons and want something light, quick, and healthy to eat you should check out the Barista’s new healthy options. For a swipe you can get a milk, coffee,
water, or any of the other drinks available with a meal swipe along with a yogurt parfait, sandwich, or snack box. If you are in a hurry and do not want to go to G&T’s, the Commons has a take-out option. Just visit the main line and ask for a take out box. The will give you boxes of various sizes and a cup to take out as much food as you can squeeze into the containers. You are really craving grilled cheese, but the Commons does not have any today. Go over to the toaster, grab yourself some bread, ask the grill for some cheese, and go back to the toaster. Lay the cheese on the tops of the bread and run it through the toaster. Be careful when it falls down when it is done. Grab the cheesy bread and stick them together and you got yourself a toasted cheese sandwich. G&T’s has a lot of options. You can mix and match cold items from the coolers with warm items off the grill, as long as you do not exceed $6.65 you are good to go! If you are tired of getting fries with your combo meal try asking for one of the other side options that are available at G&T’s. They have soup, chili, a vegetable, fruit cups, pretzels, and chips as well.
“I set two alarms on two seperate devices.” -Christopher Frydryck, Opinions Editor
“Set multiple alarms a few minutes apart with varying degrees of annoying sounds” -Kayla Marasia, Culture Editor
“I don’t. I let the blankets accept me as one of their own. I have finally gained their trust.” -Shannon Adams, Life Editor
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Mary Karr Leads Student Workshop on Addiction Alex York Red & Black Contributor
Last week, Washington & Jefferson College hosted Mary Karr, author and professor at Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y. Best known as the writer of the New York Times bestselling memoir “The Liars’ Club,” Karr made a number of appearances on campus as she visited English classes and discussed topics of writing and literature. On Sept. 27, however, Karr deviated from her typical subject matter to host the “Sex & Drugs & Rock and Roll: A Personal Journey” workshop with the help of the Gender and Women’s studies department. Here, Karr addressed the issues of alcoholism and substance abuse by sharing her own history of addiction with students. Karr detailed how her family’s history of drinking caught up with her by the time she entered college. “I wasn’t in trouble every time I was drinking,” she said, “but when I was in trouble, alcohol was involved.” By adulthood, drinking had become a daily ritual–she looked forward to nothing more than a drink at the end of the day to relieve her stress. Though at first she denied the severity of her condition, Karr eventually managed to break free from its grip and reach out to a support group
for aid. Their guidance was critical to her recovery; “A lot of people helped me, a lot of people held my hand,” she said. Her fight was long and arduous and involved about 15 relapses over a period of three years. However, the final nail in the coffin came when a martini brought a 90-day stretch of sobriety to a screeching halt; a mistake that quickly spiraled out of control and lead to a car accident that nearly cost Karr her life. The shock of the incident was enough to convince the author to change her ways for good, and she hasn’t had a drink since that day. “I really believe that I will die,” she said, “Everyone I got sober with who relapsed is dead.” Karr has spent the last 27 years trying her best to help prevent addiction and substance abuse, and has spoke at countless lectures and workshops on the subject. Recently, Karr lectured at Weill-Cornell Med School’s grand rounds in Psychiatry. Karr hopes her message will inspire students to shake their own addictions, a sentiment echoed by Katrina Lenhart ‘17 who also attended the event. “Understanding substance abuse is important even if one does not have a history of substance abuse,” she said. Lenhart later said, “Understanding substance abuse allows an individual to better assist others who are struggling with recognizing or overcoming a history of substance abuse.” Like Karr,
Courtesy Dr. Tara Fee
From left to right, Shannon Adams ‘17, Mary Karr and Emily Sterk ‘17. Adams and Sterk facilitated the student workshop.
Lenhart believes that there is always hope for recovery for those willing to put in the effort. “You are so much stronger than the addiction and so much stronger than you know,” she said.“The only
limit to how strong you are, is your mental perception of your own strength.”As Karr’s story shows, it’s never too late for addicts to defeat their habits. Though it’s certainly a challenge, the results far out-
weigh the struggles. As Lenhart said, “You are worth the battle to overcome your addiction.” Karr’s three memoirs dig deeper into her experience with addiction and are a highly recommended read.
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9 Life
DubJay Cribs: Diana Sarnicke ‘17 Tiffany Dittrich Red & Black Editor Students of Washington & Jefferson College, be prepared to enter into the most FAB room on campus. Diana Sarnicke ‘17 lives in New Res Hall, in a single, with some of her best friends. She is a business major, and after graduation, she plans to continue her education somewhere in the city of Pittsburgh. Rumor has it that Sarnicke has the most stylish room on campus. Amiti Sharma ‘17 says, “Her room is amazing, even better than ideas you find on Pinterest.” Sarnicke is not only smart, but very talented as well. During the summers, she hand-painted all of the canvases on her wall. She said, “My favorite items in my room are all of the paintings I painted them myself! I have always loved to paint, and especially love creating art to go into my room because it makes it very personalized. It took me almost all summer to paint all of the art for my room and for other rooms within my suite.” Sarnicke has always had super colorful and heavily decorated dorms. This year, she wanted to tone it down and make it look a little more sophisticated than usual. She found the inspiration by fashion art. After researching and designing, she is very happy with how
her room turned out this year. Though Sarnicke, with her fashionista mindset, created all of her artwork, she needed help hanging and organizing all of her pieces. “To get everything in the room and organized, it probably took about four hours - with lots of help from my mom, dad, and sister.” When Sarnicke was asked what her favorite item in her dorm was, she responded, “My absolute favorite thing in my room is my vanity mirror! I love doing my hair and makeup so this is perfect for me. I got the idea from famous makeup artists and celebrities that have something like it. To save some money, I made it myself (with wiring and building help from my dad.) It was actually really easy to create! I think it makes the room very unique because no one else on campus has one like this!” The past two years, Sarnicke has had to share a room. However, now an upperclassman living in New Res, she loves having her own room. It allowed her to really express her personality through her paintings, color choices, and more. Overall, Sarnicke loves living in New Res. She, however, humorously states, “The least favorite thing about living here is how far it is from Burnett.” Other than that, a lot of Sarnicke’s friends live in the same building so she gets to socialize with them and create great new memories at W&J.
Shown above are Sarnicke’s hand-painted canvases that she worked on all summer.
Pictured left are some very fashionista-esque decor along with some more hand-painted canvases.
Shown above is Sarnicke’s handmade vanity mirror. Mirror, Mirror on the wall who has the best dorm of all?
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culture
Olin Art Gallery Features ‘Regular Guy Monuments’ Nate Repine Red&Black Contributor
On Friday, Sept. 23, Washington & Jefferson College art gallery director Doug McGlumphy had the opportunity to display his own artwork. Typically, Doug coordinates guest artists from around the country to be featured in the Olin Art Gallery, but this show marked a unique night in his long career. Doug featured a total of nine different pieces. Each piece took the shape of an obelisk, and the show was called “Regular Guy Monuments.” He also brought examples of some of his past artwork to illustrate his evolution as an artist over the years. These older works were mostly from his time as an art major at W&J. Many of the other faculty members in the art department were also there to support him, including Mr. Schmidt, and one of Doug’s past professors, Pat Maloney. There was an introduction
done by the department chair Mr. Lambertson. The show consisted of various pieces with domestic and agricultural themes. The pieces were intended to show and explain different aspects of modern society and personality. Doug mentioned that on a trip to Washington, D.C, he saw the Washington Monument and was inspired to create similar monuments for the everyday hard worker who often goes unnoticed and unappreciated. For example, one piece showed collectivism in the granary, and another piece, titled “The Pecking Order,” showed a social hierarchy through box-like chicken coops. A third also depicted the broken “glass ceiling” that is present in the worlds of business and politics. The opening began at 6:00 p.m. and ran until 7:30 p.m. At 6:30 p.m., Doug gave a talk about his growth as an artist and his inspiration for the show. There was a wonderful turnout in support of Doug and a high interest in all of his pieces. Reviews of the
Courtesy Nate Repine, class of 2017
“Regular Guy Monuments” was well-received by the W&J community, and the opening night of the exhibit was a successful evening for the Olin art department.
show were overwhelmingly positive. A local woman from the Washington area who attended the gallery opening said, “Everything has its own story and meaning, while all of it comes from the perspective of farming. It’s very neat stuff!” W&J student Christopher Frydryck
‘18 said, “It was a modern depiction of the ever-soboring pylon, and by making it out of separate mediums, it became beautiful.” Doug definitely has a tremendous amount of character and genuineness. His work is of great thought, planning, and quality, and he fully deserves the opportunity
to share his artwork with the College and the Washington community. Doug’s “Regular Guy Monuments” will be featured in the Olin Art Gallery through October 23. If you are craving a monumental experience, it is well worth a visit to the gallery.
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W&J's Annual Theatre SLAM Alex York Red&Black Contributor
In regards to his Friday night, Kris Amundson '19 recounted, “I didn’t sleep at all. I went the full 24 hours of Saturday… I was expecting a little more rest than I got.” No, he isn’t talking about a frat party – Amundson is describing his first experience with Washington & Jefferson College’s annual Theatre SLAM. Theatre SLAM, hosted by Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society each fall, is a unique experiment in student-produced theatre. Starting at 7 p.m. on Sept. 23,
students were tasked with creating a series of 5 to 10 minute scenes to be performed at 7:30 Saturday night. That’s right – the entire showcase was produced in only 24 sleepdeprived hours. Students began the night from scratch, spending the first hour or so brainstorming ideas for scenes until the list was narrowed down to an eclectic list of roughly a dozen topics. They ranged from “Drunk History” to “Superheroes as Elementary School Teachers” to “‘Mean Girls’ Professors.” Groups of participants worked through the night writing to turn these concepts into full scenes. The scenes
were then cast, directed and rehearsed in the morning and throughout the day leading up to the performance. While the production ultimately went smoothly, the results aren’t what matter most in Theatre SLAM, but rather the actors themselves. “I really just wanted everyone to have a good time and to build a family with theatre,” said Jaqualynn Anderson '18. “It’s more of a team building experience, and we try to make sure everyone has an equal opportunity to try things out.” Anderson explained that the event functions as a fantastic introduction to theatre for those without an extensive
background in the art. “You can choose how much you want to act, how much you want to write, how much you want to direct… you’re working as a group, but you can test your limits.” Mahek Gandhi '20 also shared his opinion. Despite her limited history with theatre, having never ventured beyond the realm of high school musicals, the prospective communication arts major served as both a writer and director throughout the event. Ghandi described her apprehension as the event began. “I was awkward,” she said. “I was like, ‘I don’t know anyone, what’s happening?’ …then it got interesting once
I got to know everyone.” As time went on, the process came naturally to Gandhi. She cited the talent of her actors and, of course, her extensive knowledge of “Mean Girls” as major factors that contributed to her success. As Amundson says, “Of every event that the theatre does, Theatre SLAM is the easiest to get involved with. It is the most fun, and at the same time it also has the biggest conglomeration of skills that you ever need in theatre.” Fellow participant Kriss Giles '19 perhaps summarizes his message best: “If you have ideas, or a body, or a brain or an IQ higher than 4, come to Theatre SLAM!”
Blink-182's New Album Flops Holly Sauer Red&Black Contributor
The fathers of pop punk are back. Well, at lest two-thirds of them are. Blink-182 released their seventh studio album “California,” in July, and it is a satisfactory album. There is plenty of angst and humorous lyrics that are remnants of the Blink-182 of the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, the record didn’t shine. The lyrics are stale and the guitar parts are mostly mediocre. Nevertheless, it
does have plenty of singalong anthems, like the single “Bored to Death” and “She’s Out of Her Mind.” Drummer Travis Barker definitely showed he could still rock like he did in his glory days, and his drumming was the highlight of this record. In 2015 guitarist and founding member Tom DeLonge left the band, which left Matt Skiba to take his place on this record. While I thought this would be a major setback for the record, I didn’t think the vocal change was why this album was so disappointing. It was the lyrics and the guitar riffs. In their music of
the past, the guitar parts were tremendous. The relationship between the bass and the guitar was just as interesting as the lyrics themselves. Now, the guitar parts just fall flat and are incredibly forgettable, similar to the lyrics. There aren’t as many dark themes on this record either. On their previous records, the connection between the songs with dark and depressing lyrics and those songs with happy and freeing lyrics made Blink-182 a band that was unforgettable. They were able to find a balance between singing about the challenges of life and the freeing nature of being young and reckless. “Bored to Death”
is the track that sounds the most like the Blink-182 of the past. Lyrics like “and it’s a long way back from 17” give this track a nostalgic feel. It opens with a sublime drum solo that sets the angst mood that continues throughout the rest of the song. In “San Diego,” the band plays a darker tribute to their hometown. While in the chorus Skiba and bassist-vocalist Mark Hoppus sing about getting drunk at a Cure concert, the verses include lyrics with a more somber mood. In the first verse Hoppus belts, “Sometimes I feel like I’m the oxygen between the cigarette and gasoline,” and
later, “I never wanted to know how deep these cuts on you go.” However, like the majority of the songs on this record, the pieces of “San Diego” do not seem to fit together with a clear message. This record seems to be missing an intricate part of Blink-182 that made them so great. Maybe it is the lack of youthful jokes, or maybe it is the looming disappearance of Delonge. The only thing for certain is that while “California” was necessary in the sense of displaying Blink-182’s rebirth, it did not showcase their best work.
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7 O ctober 2016
Book Review: Mary Karr’s ‘The Liars’ Club’ Sarah Peterson Red&Black contributor
Mary Karr’s autobiography, “The Liars’ Club,” opens in a haunting way: “IMAGINE you are a child of 7 and this is your sharpest memory: ‘Our family doctor knelt before me where I sat on a mattress on the bare floor . . . He was pulling at the hem of my favorite nightgown . . . ‘Show me the marks,’ he said. ‘Come on, now. I won’t hurt you.” Karr is detailing her life growing up in East Texas in
the 1960s. Her father was an alcoholic who would drink with his oil field buddies, play cards and tell stories. This is the reasoning behind the name of the book, “The Liars’ Club.” The Washington Post described Karr’s mother as “alcoholic but retreated into her artistic fantasies, and hovered at the edge of a condition known regionally as ‘nervous,’ i.e., mental imbalance.” Mary Karr’s parents’ relationship was abusive. They fought, broke up, and then got back together. This book, I feel, is an attempt for
Mary Karr to find peace in her childhood. No one has a perfect childhood, and people often have to choose to laugh or cry about theirs. She bluntly tells how she grew up, often detailing subjects that most people would never talk about. There are stories of horrors, such as watching her grandmother dying of cancer and being sexually assaulted. Still, she tries to bring in everyday humor with funny stories that her dad would tell his friends at the American Legion. These breaks of humor allow readers to read the book
in its entirety, and not become too affected by the horrors of her childhood. Mary Karr has inspired a generation of authors who want to tell their stories about growing up in a small town and how they struggled in life and how they got to their success. For me, parts of her book are memorable and I can feel her pain and sympathize with her. Her elements of writing add a way for readers to understand what she went through. The end of Karr’s book leads to a great reflection for readers: A reflection about
Courtesy amazon.xom
“The Liars’ Club,” published in 1995.
was
their own lives and the lives of everyone around them.
Producción de ‘Tres Vidas’ en Olin Emilia Zamora Moncayo Red&Black contributor
“Tres Vidas” es un musical que narra las vidas de tres mujeres latinoamericanas que trascendieron de mil maneras en la historia. Ju Young Lee toca el Chelo, Damanie el piano y Michael Parola se mueve de aquí para allá en la percusión. Rosa Rodríguez protagoniza la obra, es una actriz dominicana que tuvo su debut en un escenario de Nueva York como Julieta
de Shakespeare. Rosa no es Rosa en el escenario; es Frida, Rufina y Storni. Todas en una misma noche. Viajó por Coyoacán para cantar La llorona y se vistió de azul en Buenos Aires mientras cantaba un tango de Gardel. La puesta en escena tiene la capacidad de inspirar miedo y amor al mismo tiempo. La combinación entre música y letra permite entender la vida de cada uno de los personajes transportando al espectador en un mundo dicotómico, lleno de poesía y crueldad. Rosa Rodríguez fluye y baila con su voz, la hace
vibrar para transmitir la desesperación que Rufina sintió cuando escuchó los gritos de las mujeres que masacraban a su lado en El Mozote, El Salvador. Rosa matiza su voz con un dulce sonido cuando canta Alfonsina y el mar, recorre un café de Buenos Aires mientras escribe su poesía en una servilleta. Rosa sigue el ritmo de la percusión y grita a todo pulmón mientras Frida bebe tequila y canta “Bésame Morenita.” Frida Kahlo es sin lugar a dudas una de las figuras latinoamericanas más reconocidas a nivel mundial;
la esencia de la artista fue plasmada con humor y alegría en los cantos y danzas de Rosa Rodríguez. Los colores y tonos de su intervención capturaron la irreverencia característica de la artista mexicana. Después de un intermedio musical, el ambiente se transforma y Rufina Amaya protagoniza la obra. La música cambia drásticamente y el público se contagia de tragedia y dolor, recordando la vida de Rufina y la cercanía con la muerte que tuvo que enfrentar. En la última intervención, Alfonsina Storni contagia al público de poesía y arte,
viste un atuendo azul marino y un adorno en la cabeza. Su discurso cargado de ironía, irreverencia y humor relata la lucha que la poeta encabezó en una Argentina literaria dominada por la figura masculina. Después de cada canción y participación de los músicos, los aplausos del público resuenan en las paredes del teatro. En las primeras filas un par de personas se levantan para hacer reverencia a la intervención. A pesar de que las letras están en español, la música el ritmo y la vibración de la voz trascienden el lenguaje.
7 O ctober 2016
Poetry Corner “Fireflies” by Diana Ciarallo They shimmer in the backyard Like stars in the green skyLike faerie revelers; Like the shower of gold that Had come to Danae in her lonely Tower prison cell and made Love to her.
"October" by Maggie Smith Rain falls from the inky sky like stardust, Shimmering in the October moonlight. Droplets of water, liquid crystals, suspended on the tips of branches frozen in time. Steam wafts from a coffee mug Brown and earthy, rich aroma Calling heavy eyes From their slumber And, one by one, Rosy hands find warmth in the cup of life.
Culture 13
Red & Black
Student Artist Spotlight Sofía A. Estrella Red&Black Contributor Michael Geshay is a junior at Washington & Jefferson College majoring in biology. He is a member of the prehealth society and a brother of the Alpha Tao Omega fraternity. He enjoys traveling, hiking, being outdoors and doing any activity that falls into these categories. Geshay is an artist at W&J. Currently, he is taking a sculpture class with Professor Doug McGlumphy. “This is the first art class I have taken formally. I am taking it for my art requirement. Instead of taking art history or something to fill that, I thought it would be very cool to actually do art,” he said. When he was asked what he likes the most about art, he replied, “I plan to be a dentist, and in dentistry, there are also tridimensional perceptions and a lot of creating things. I thought that sculpture was a good way to develop those skills.” Geshay describes creating art as being a “very therapeutic” process. He added, “…especially sculpture, it is like a puzzle—you have to figure it out.” Geshay reported he has three hour sessions twice a week, and he also has to work outside of class to complete his projects. These projects can take an additional six to nine hours to do so. His class is small; there are only three people, and he likes it that way. Geshay recently finished his first project, and throughout the
Courtesy Sofía Estrella
Michael Geshay, shown above, puts the final touch on his piece.
semester he will have four or five more projects to do. For their first project, students were given office supplies for which they had to look up their history and uses. Geshay thinks, “The material you use says a lot about the sculpture itself and how people perceive the sculpture.” The goal of this project was for students to associate the information they discovered about their assigned material with their projects, by portraying this knowledge in their sculptures. The office supply Geshay was assigned was post-it notes. He wanted to focus on the function of this object more than its history or how it came to be. He reported, “People use post-it notes as a reminder of something, but way before they were invented, the common way to
remind people of something was to tie a red ribbon around their finger. Back in the day, parents used to tie ribbons on their children’s fingers so that when they got to school the ribbon would remind them that they had to tell the teacher something. So, I used that symbol of reminder to do my sculpture,” Geshay described. The student artist thinks that everybody should take a creation art class in order to fully appreciate art by actually doing it. When he decided to take the class, Geshay didn’t realize that it was going to be so much of a time commitment. He thinks that a lot of people just look at art and appreciate it for its beauty without understanding what lies beneath—its true meaning.
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Red & Black
7 O ctober 2016
Film Review: ‘The Magnificent Seven’ Alex Benner Red&Black Contributor
In a time when the cinema is full of superhero films, bad-remakes and un-wanted sequels, a re-imagining of the classic Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen western, “The Magnificent Seven,” was not something the world had high expectations for. There hasn’t been a good western film since 2007’s “3:10
to Yuma,” and before that there hasn’t been anything worth seeing since the 90’s. This led many people to believe that the time when men like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood could ride a horse onto screen, kill some bad guys and help those who couldn’t help themselves, had finally come to a close. For me, this film defied all pre-conceived notions. Set in 1879, a small mining town is being terrorized by a heartless business man, Bartholomew Bogue. This spurs people in the town to ride out and try to
find help. They find help in the form of a bounty hunter named Sam Chisholm (portrayed by Denzel Washington). They offer him money to come to their town and make Bogue leave - by any means necessary. The entire first half of the film pertains to small trials and tribulations that bring together a band of seven unlikely allies to ride into battle against Bogue and his army. These seven included Joshua Faraday (Chris Pratt), Goodnight Robicheaux
(Ethan Hawke) and Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio) among others. After this band has assembled, the next part of the film shows them training the townspeople and preparing their town for the Bogue invasion. Later, the battle takes the film to its violent, heartbraking, roller-coaster ride of an ending. For anyone who has ever enjoyed a western film, this film has what every good western film must possess: violence, explosions, love, revenge, comedic one-liners
become a reality, Patel decides to put off her college plans for a year, in favor of moving to New York City, the publishing capital of America, and pursue her goal of becoming a bestselling novelist. Amidst book tours, finding an apartment, rewriting her first draft and grappling with the challenges that the adult world and publishing industry have to throw at her, Patel is embraced by New York’s writing community and even finds herself falling in love for the first time. Patel makes her way into adulthood with just a manuscript and a dream. Readers who are on the verge of heading out into the cold, cruel world themselves will identify with Patel’s
experiences as she manages to make a life for herself in the Big Apple. Graduating college students in particular will empathize with her fears and insecurities as they witness her growth as both a person and a storyteller. Meanwhile, Lizzie Scofield, the protagonist in Patel’s novel, manages to survive a deadly terrorist attack by willing her consciousness into the underworld in a bid to play dead. However, her survival comes at a price as she discovers that she is now a psycho pomp - a spirit-guide whose responsibility it is to help guide the restless spirits that have yet to move on. As she tries adjusts to her new
reality, Scofield stumbles across some dark secrets along the way and crosses paths with some dangerous people. She finds herself caught up in a tangled web of death cults, serial killers and corrupt fellow spirit-guides. Scofield’s epic story will have people hungering for more. Told in alternating chapters, the coming-of-age story of Patel is interwoven with that of her own novel, the thrilling and suspenseful tale of Scofield. Westerfeld artfully blends the stories of these two young women who make difficult choices, experience love and struggle with heartbreak. Readers of this novel, particularly those with an
and an awesome sound track. Taking diverse actors from all kinds of different genres and putting them into a film that has a great script and even better source material makes this one of the best films of the year. Was this film perfect? In terms of a film, no. In terms of a western, however, this is about as close to perfection as a western can be. I’m sure John Wayne and Yul Brynner are looking down and tipping their hats as this star-studded cast rides off into the sunset together.
Well-Crafted Storytelling in ‘Afterworlds’ Diana Ciarallo Red&Black Staff
Scott Westerfeld’s “Afterworlds” is a two-fold novel telling the stories of two young women with very different lives. Despite these differences, the stories of Darcy Patel and Lizzie Scofield are very much connected. While she may be only 18-years-old and fresh out of high school, a well-respected literary agency decides that Darcy Patel’s book (written in just a month’s time) is good enough to publish. With her dreams of becoming a published author about to
Courtesy simonandschuster.com
Westerfield’s “Afterworlds,” was published in 2014.
interest in writing, will appreciate the craft of storytelling as it is presented here - marveling at the art of it and how the created tales consume us.
15 Opinions
Red & Black
7 october 2016
opinions Is W&J’s Wi-Fi Acceptable? Mario Tiberie red&black contributor
It’s Thursday night. I’m sitting in Burnett, and as I’m typing this article, I notice the loading circles for various websites at the top my screen. When I click on my wireless settings button, I immediately see “Wi-Fi: Looking for Networks...” at the top of the pop up column – again. Whether I’m using Washington & Jefferson’s internet in an academic building while doing homework or just sitting in
my room trying to play video games, our campus wireless network is way below my standards. Not only do I think it has gotten worse since last school year, but I also think that it will remain unusable throughout this entire year of school. This is definitely below the standards of our awesome school. I love W&J, but when there’s a problem, I have to call it like I see it. I shouldn’t have to struggle to be able to use Wi-Fi: something essential for homework, studying and Netflix on the weekends. My roommate and I even have Ethernet cables hooked into
the wall of our room, but the Wi-Fi is still incredibly spotty. Why is that? Why does W&J not pay to update our campus
It is easy to tell just how many students are here by the effect on the Wi-Fi.
wireless network, especially with the amount of money that tuition costs? Dealing with the problem isn’t as simple
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.
as calling the IT Department and asking them to make the internet faster. Updating our network to increase speed would be a long process, but it would definitely make life on campus easier. Sooner or later, the college is going to have to either increase or update our current network. As more and more students are accepted to W&J, the amount of people using the Wi-Fi will increase, making our connection to the internet worse. This year alone, W&J welcomed about 430 freshmen to our campus. It is easy to tell just how many students are here by
the effect on the Wi-Fi. “It’s usually pretty hard to connect to the Wi-Fi on campus,” said Anthony Hoang ‘18. “It’s a real downer when you are rushing to complete homework or a project online.” Rachel Stingle ‘19 agreed with the sentiment that our school needs to update the Wi-Fi. She said, “After the gym is complete and before any other building gets renovated, our school needs to expand its WiFi network before it becomes completely unusable.” Regardless of our opinions, one thing is for sure: the school at least needs to investigate the signals and connections to our current wireless network.
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
7 October 2016
Solving Mental Illness on Campus The Most Practical Major to write a paper in short amount of time, this innate abstractness makes it possible for people to finish the task in an exquisite manner. The ability to think critically allows students to judge people’s views, their own included, under a logical process so as to find the correct way to go about a situation. This can be like having to When discussing our lead a group in a project and education many students light the members begin to argue up at the thought of what the amongst one another, putting future may hold. a hindrance on the project. When deciding Y o u r practicality, I will ability to is c r i t i c a l l y not be able to speak Curiosity on the behalf of a allows motivator think other majors, but you to I will be speaking that makes the e f f e c t i v e on the behalf means on of the Science ingenuity of a how to get Department. group student shine. the I myself am to working looking to be a together and Physics major. creating new When it comes to the ways to handle problems as sciences I believe Physics to they come. be the most practical because Patience is a virtue in it provides: an abstract mind, the fact that it can make critical thinking, patience, one remove some of their and curiosity. irrationality from a situation These are great for students and instead go at it a bit more because they allow students calmly. be well rounded in most other Lastly, curiosity is a subjects as well help them out motivator that makes the in their own lives. ingenuity of a student shine. When dealing with things This motivation can make that require more than it possible for that student to common sense, an abstract achieve new heights and keep mind is good to have because them from quitting tasks too it helps students deal with the early. issue in a different perspective, It is for these characteristics making it possible for them to that come along with the handle the matter effectively. Physics major that I say that When someone is tasked the Physics major is the most with the problem of having practical major. Saul Franco red&black contributor
Courtesy wbko.com
A scattered representation of mental illness.
Leah Segal red&black staff
There is no doubt life is stressful. Even for the self proclaimed “B- type”, the everyday responsibility to function and complete (what seems like) endless tasks takes a toll on us all. And for the nearly 60 million American suffering from mental illness, such tension is magnified. With that in mind, it is about time that a solution is found to help those struggling, or in the least comfort them in times of distress. And while naysayers tout there is no easy way to tackle this invisible illness, there is one solution that is sure to help eradicate this nationwide epidemic: talking about it. With a quarter of the United States suffering from some type of mental sickness,
there is no doubt the very foundation of our society has been contaminated with depression, anxiety, and various other disorders. Yet, the large portion of Americans that suffer from such illnesses keep it hidden, fearing the topic is taboo. And with such a stigma, mental illness will only continue to worsen. For example, when asked why mental illness is not discussed in public arenas, such as the workplace, Opinions Editor Christopher Frydryck stated “I think people like to envision mental illness as a minority and not discussing it justifies the lack of it in the workplace”. With such an idea planted in society, the “minority” feels they must bury their heads in the sand and feel guilty wondering “What it wrong with me?”. None of which is true. As one sophomore student states “It is important to talk about things going on in your mind.” And by statistics alone anyone suffering from any type of mental illness makes
up quite a bit of the population, and these individuals should NEVER feel guilt or shame for something that is out of their control. As one sophomore student states “It is important to talk about things going on in your mind.” Enter the solution. Since it has been established that there is a negative stigma that clouds around mental illness- which stems from quieting its sufferers and being ignorant of such diseases- just talking about it will do society good. Instead of hiding from future employers and coworkers in fear they discover your “weakness”, be the voice that acknowledges that battling your illness makes you stronger. In return, you may discover that others may be fighting with you. Over time, whether it be with friends and family, or an acquaintance, the hope is by speaking out about depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, and other disorders is their stigma will be eradicated- and be a step towards the cure.
17 Opinions
Red & Black
7 October 2016
Is the Internet Destroying Education?
Courtesy rtm-ltd
People can now easily Google information instead of getting all information from formal education.
Christopher Frydryck red&black staff
Upon being asked, “What is the capital of the Republic of South Africa,” it has almost become human nature to grab the nearest device and Google it. It has, in fact, become so common, that we don’t even use the term “search on the internet,” anymore. We just Google things. Nicholas Carr, an avid writer for the computer science community had written an article for The Atlantic that compared that of our habitual tendencies to rely on Google to that of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Exclaiming that we are merely relying on the technology similar to HAL 9000 from the cult classic, Carr is not necessarily incorrect. As humans, we are incredibly malleable in the way we think and act in society. We behave similarly to others and adopt thinking styles that resemble those that conditioned us as children. And while we may not have “Googled” everything back when we were in diapers (which is okay since back then Google was called BackRub or possibly didn’t even exist), we, as millennials, adopted the idea that technology would be the frontier of our dilemmacentric society. Today, we rely on technology to a great extent. There is not a question that Google can’t answer. English
major Leah Segal ’19 even exclaimed, “It is incredibly easy to have Google solve my grammatical errors and solve structural sentence issues.” She later went on to exclaim that it can even write bibliographies and find scholarly articles without searching the endless aisles of the library. For math majors they have Wolfram-Alpha, for computer science majors they have Stack Overflow and APIs and history majors have a slew of different websites in the sources of Wikipedia. It isn’t difficult to find what students are looking for and regurgitate it, and it makes everything but in-class activities obsolete. Is this habitual action a bad thing though? Modern technology doesn’t kill knowledge, it kills the art
of knowledge. Similarly, we look at how the typewriter trumped the skill of writing and how the pen overthrew the quill. Kayla Marasia ’19 said, “The art of ‘Googling’ is sometimes too instantly gratifying. A lot of us tend to search for knowledge superficially instead of actually grasping the information in depth.” So does technology destroy the modern day education system? Well, yes and no. It destroys the art of knowledge, but not knowledge itself. We look up to the great writers such as Plato or Socrates for their great contributions to the art of knowledge, and undoubtedly we are losing this art today. We have become Dave from “2001: A Space Odyssey” and over relied on what
the internet of things can provide for us. We are slowly destroying our libraries and physical newspapers and ditching them for their digital counterparts. Millennials are the beginning of artistic downfall in knowledge, ironically spurring from previous generation’s technological successes. We are all guilty of relying on the search button. It has become second nature, and that is fine. The internet was meant to be used to benefit our daily research since its humble beginnings at ARPANET, the United States government project to develop computer connection across the country. And as for the capital of the Republic of South Africa? There is three of them. Go ahead, Google it.
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sports
Taylor Hooton Lecture Jordan Toohey Red&Black editor Initially student athletes were very upset that they were going to have to spend their Sunday night listening to a mandatory student athlete talk. Little did they know that they would leave the lecture with a lot of useful information about different substances. I am sure many students like myself were unaware about the ingredients in most normal things that athletes use for their workouts or in everyday life. Students learned the background story of Taylor Hooton, who died from using steroids in order to be a better baseball player. Most athletes at the high school and collegiate level don’t realize how hard it is to live up to the pressures that coaches or fellow teammates put on the player. Some athletes go to the extreme levels of using banned substances and other things that can kill them, even though they don’t realize it. No matter what collegiate level, Division one, two, or three, a lot is expected of athletes in every sport. Coaches don’t mean to give students
the wrong idea, but when they tell them to “do whatever they have to” in order to get better, stronger, or faster they don’t realize what extreme levels these athletes take. These athletes need to be given a diet plan and an exercise plan to follow through with, so they are doing everything in a healthy way to get better. Erin Haughey '18 felt that the presentation was very beneficial. “I think it was an overall good experience because it gave the athletes here some knowledge that we might not have already known. The speaker himself was excellent because he was engaging, funny, and wasn’t telling us what to do, but rather giving us all the information and letting us make the decision for ourselves.” Erin, along with many other students athletes felt the benefits of this presentation. The speaker wasn’t there to tell them not to do this or not to do that, but to educate them on what is in everyday pre-workout or other protein supplements that athletes take on a normal basis. Overall, it was very beneficial and next time should be opened up to the entire student body to educate them on very important topics.
07 O ctober 2016
Student Athlete Spotlight: Alana Boyd Abby Peace Red&Black Contributor
The 2016 women’s field hockey team is off to a hot start; they are 9-0 midway through the season. Right defensemen Alana Boyd ‘19 was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the year last season when she tallied four goals and nine points. This year, she’s excited to be back on such a hard-working team. She thinks that the Presidents’ biggest team strength is their work ethic and teamwork. Boyd said, “It feels awesome to be a part of such a great group of talented individuals that can come together and win games.” The biggest highlight for her so far this season is being undefeated, especially beating tough teams like Juniata and Utica, who the field hockey team lost to last season. Boyd has started all nine games and is part of the reason W&J has limited their opponents to only 5 goals and 0.56 goals per game. Boyd has personally stopped three shots on goal this year, and she has helped to
Courtesy gopresidents.com
Alana Boyd '19 is having another successful season with Presidents.
block numerous others. While the Presidents average 19.2 shots per game, opponents are only taking 8.3. They look to continue their winning ways and play strong the rest of the season. With eight more games remaining in regular season, the team is already looking towards the future. Last year’s season came to end after a tough playoff loss to Ithaca. They’ll get a rematch this season on Oct. 22 in Ithaca, NY. One goal is to make a statement in the conference and ultimately win the Empire 8 Tournament this year. Boyd
is ready for the challenge. She said, “Personally, I just want to do whatever the team needs from me. We have a variety of talented players and I want to contribute in whatever way I can for our overall success. I love being a part of this team because we support each other on and off the field.” Students who can’t make it down to Cameron Stadium to watch Boyd and the rest of the team dominate their opponents can view the women’s field hockey games through a live feed available online. The Presidents’ next home game is on Oct. 15 at 1 p.m.
7 O ctober 2016
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Red & Black
Womens Volleyball Team Off To Great Start
Courtesy Erin Haughey
The Women’s Volleyball team is looking to continue on their successful season and make it to the PAC Championship game in November.
Erin Haughey Red&Black Contributor
Washington & Jefferson’s women’s volleyball team currently has a winning season of 8 and 2, losing only to Thomas More and Geneva College. The Presidents beat Bethany College at the Henry Memorial Center in four sets
on Sept. 27 to make history; this is the first time they have defeated Bethany since 2008. With that win, the Presidents are currently third in the PAC. Just four years ago, the volleyball team had a losing conference record of 4-14 and an overall record of 10-16. This past weekend, they took both Chatham and Grove City in a triple match, resulting in two more conference wins. Allison Means ‘17, from Connellsville, PA, has been the starting libero since her freshman year. She has seen
the program into what it is today. When asked about her experience, she said, “It’s a great feeling to finally see all of our hard work pay off and finally beat some of the top teams in the PAC. Being a senior who helped shape the program is awesome because I am excited to come back and watch the success of the future teams.”Mallory O’Brien ’20, from Baldwin, PA, is the starting setter and is new to the team. O’Brien was rookie of the week for Sept. 12. She said, “As
a freshman it has been a lot of fun contributing and building our volleyball program at W&J. As my years here go on, I expect nothing less than for each year to become more successful with hard work, discipline and the will to improve.” The Presidents have eight conference games left, and they hope to continue their winning streak and advance to the finals, which take place in early November. Head coach Brooke Turner was asked what she thinks needs to happen in order
to win a championship. She said, “I’m really proud of the team and what we have accomplished so far. The program is continuing to improve each year due to the dedication of our players and the chemistry we have as a team. Everyone has a role and those roles are obviously pushing us to the next level. We have the talent to win the PAC this year. If we continue to work hard and increase our ability to stay focused throughout an entire match, we will have great success.”
7 O ctober 2016
19 sports
Red & Black
Womens Volleyball Team Off To Great Start
Courtesy Erin Haughey
The Women’s Volleyball team is looking to continue on their successful season and make it to the PAC Championship game in November.
Erin Haughey Red&Black Contributor
Washington & Jefferson’s women’s volleyball team currently has a winning season of 8 and 2, losing only to Thomas More and Geneva College. The Presidents beat Bethany College at the Henry Memorial Center in four sets
on Sept. 27 to make history; this is the first time they have defeated Bethany since 2008. With that win, the Presidents are currently third in the PAC. Just four years ago, the volleyball team had a losing conference record of 4-14 and an overall record of 10-16. This past weekend, they took both Chatham and Grove City in a triple match, resulting in two more conference wins. Allison Means ‘17, from Connellsville, PA, has been the starting libero since her freshman year. She has seen
the program into what it is today. When asked about her experience, she said, “It’s a great feeling to finally see all of our hard work pay off and finally beat some of the top teams in the PAC. Being a senior who helped shape the program is awesome because I am excited to come back and watch the success of the future teams.”Mallory O’Brien ’20, from Baldwin, PA, is the starting setter and is new to the team. O’Brien was rookie of the week for Sept. 12. She said, “As
a freshman it has been a lot of fun contributing and building our volleyball program at W&J. As my years here go on, I expect nothing less than for each year to become more successful with hard work, discipline and the will to improve.” The Presidents have eight conference games left, and they hope to continue their winning streak and advance to the finals, which take place in early November. Head coach Brooke Turner was asked what she thinks needs to happen in order
to win a championship. She said, “I’m really proud of the team and what we have accomplished so far. The program is continuing to improve each year due to the dedication of our players and the chemistry we have as a team. Everyone has a role and those roles are obviously pushing us to the next level. We have the talent to win the PAC this year. If we continue to work hard and increase our ability to stay focused throughout an entire match, we will have great success.”
20 sports
Red & Black
7 O ctober 2015
Golf Legend Arnold Palmer Dies at age 87
Courtesy Sarah Peterson
Golf Legend, Arnold Palmer, of Latrobe, Pennsylvania died early last weekend. Pictured above is a statue of Arnold Palmer at the Latrobe Country Club.
Sarah Peterson Red&Black Contributor
Golfing legend Arnold Palmer died in Pittsburgh (Latrobe, Pennsylvania) last week. Palmer was 87, and he died from heart complications. This was a shock to many as he was such a great preson, role model, and hero to others. Palmer meant different things to many people, but to most, he was a successful golfer. The New York Times
credits him with winning over 97 tournaments worldwide. He ranks behind other golfing greats such as Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus for most PGA wins. Palmer is an extremely decorated golf-great who will go down in the sport’s history. Other people will remember Palmer’s name for the type of ice tea and lemonade that he sponsored and sold at stores across America. But for those from around this area, he is a hometown legend. His name is on one of the local car dealerships and the local airport. The new sporting and athletic complexes at
Latrobe High School (which you can see from the back yard of his house) are named after him, as well. Palmer grew up with golf; his father was the groundskeeper for the Latrobe Country Club, and as a child, Palmer spent his days following his father around. Palmer himself began caddying at age 11, and worked many different jobs at the golf course. These small jobs started his interest in the sport that eventually grew to be his life. As he grew older, he ended up playing golf at Wake Forest College. Afterwards, he turned professional and played
against many celebrities, including presidents such as Dwight Eisenhower. In 2004, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His first wife died of stomach cancer, inspiring Palmer to donate and raise money for the local Latrobe hospital and another hospital in Florida. His second wife, Kathleen survived him along with many children and grandchildren. In golfing, he is credited for turning the sport from the elite to the universal; Palmer turned golf into a sport anyone can play. Like anyone dedicated to their
sport, Palmer was cremated and had his ashes spread on the Latrobe Country Club, the place where he spent most of his life. The same day as his private funeral, a scenic rainbow formed over Latrobe and could be seen over his statue at the golf course. It was a vivid reminder of the man who did a lot of work and impacted more than just the sport of golf. He will be loved and missed by many, and his successes will live on in everything that he is named after. He will never be forgotten as everyone will remember the greatness he strived for.