The Blue & Gray Press by The Weekly Ringer

THE

BLUE &GRAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER

February 9, 2017

VOLUME 90 | ISSUE 14

PRESS

UMW provides GIS students with an accelerated five-year program

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE

1922

Hot Spot

RACHEL MANNING Staff Writer

The University of Mary Washington has introduced a new accelerated fiveyear master’s program for Geographic Information Sciences studies. In 2014, UMW launched a program for a Master’s of Science in Geospatial Analysis, which was popular enough to start the new five-year master’s program this

“We found out that a lot of the graduate students who start out as full-time students end up getting a job halfway through the program, so the program actually helped secure them that job.” -Brian Rizzo fall. Students who have completed at least two classes towards the GIS certificate are eligible to apply. This new option offers GIS students more experience in their subject at a better price. The program is designed to fast-track hardworking students in attaining a degree. “Graduate work tends to lead to more job opportunities and higher paying salaries,” said Brian Rizzo, associate professor and Director of the Center for Spatial Analysis and Research. “We found out that a lot of the graduate students who start out as full-time students end up getting a job halfway through the program, so the program actually helped secure them that job.” Many jobs even require that candidates have substantial experience in

•MSGA PROGRAM | 2

IN THIS

ISSUE

To the left is Mandy Barnes and to the right is Beverly Kippenhan. Two of the first customers on opening day.

Rose Benedict / UMW Dining

Hot-Spot restaurant at Eagle’s Nest draws in students

ELIZABETH PATTERSON Staff Writer

The University of Mary Washington is now offering students a new dining option. “Hot Spot,” the new pop-up restaurant, opened for the first time on Tuesday, Jan. 31 in the Eagle’s Nest. Located directly across from Vocelli’s Pizza, where the WOW Wingery used to be, this new eatery remains mysterious. According to the assortment of signs and advertisements around campus, the new restaurant intends on keeping its days of operation a secret until the day before opening, building suspense and excitement for students. Rose Benedict, marketing specialist for UMW Dining, disclosed that Hot Spot will be open at least two days a week from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. While this restaurant will not be open on the weekends, it will cycle through about six different types of fried comfort foods, though what that means for the menu options has yet to be revealed. One of the most important details of

Nancy Pham / The Blue & Gray Press

“The wonderful thing about Hot Spot is that it offers students a true retail dining option at a very affordable price,” Benedict said. “We drummed down the costs to make the menu options really great values... Guests pay only $6.59 for a complete meal, which is a far better deal than you’ll see at most commercial retail establishments.” Benedict says the menus and days of service are always changing, which provides a lot of variety and infuses some fun and spontaneity in the dining experience. “We often hear that students have lots of flex dollars left at the end of the spring semester and that they wish they had more retail options where they could use their flex,” Benedict said.

“We often hear that students have lots of flex dollars left at the end of the spring semester and that they wish they had more retail options where they could use their flex.” -Rose Benedict this new and changing pop-up dining option are the prices. Each meal will include an entrée, side and drink for $6.59. A detail that has been unattended to is how this new restaurant plans to accommodate students with tight budgets.

•HOT SPOT | 10

DONUT WARS

TEQUILA TIME

Students decide between Sugar Shack and Duck Donuts

Trump’s wall comes with unintended consequences

Comeback silences Patriots and Tom Brady critics

LIFE | 6

VIEWPOINTS | 4

SPORTS | 12

SUPER BOWL

NEWS THE

Editors: Ester Salguero & Lauren Taylor | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

New program secures GIS students with steady job

BLUE & GRAY PRESS

MISSION The Blue & Gray Press is published every Thursday in the University Apartments Clubhouse for our university community. The goal of The Blue & Gray Press is to produce high quality and accurate news in a manner compliant with the Society of Professional Journalists ethics code. In its coverage, The Blue & Gray Press strives to highlight the community of the University of Mary Washington, as well as deliver fair and accurate coverage on the issues important to our students.

EDITORS-AT-LARGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Chris Markham

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Alex Spence

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Ester Salguero Lauren Taylor

VIEWPOINTS Tessa Cate

LIFE Kelly Emmrich

SPORTS Mikey Barnes

ONLINE Ethan Tobin

PHOTO Alex Sakes

Business Team Linda Fitzpatrick Janelle Behm

FACULTY ADVISOR Sushma Subramanian

•MSGA PROGRAM | 1 GIS. Senior geography major, Michael Ryan said that the majority of the job applications he saw said that they prefer candidates to have a master’s in GIS. “There are more jobs in GIS than there will ever be people to fill them,” said geography department chair, Jackie Gallagher. She also noted that GIS skills are incredibly valuable and versatile, and that has led students from many different disciplines to take interest in the GIS program. “I’ve got English majors, I’ve got historic preservation majors, history, international affairs, political science, economics, marketing, biology, environmental science... Every single major,” Gallagher said. “You could apply it [GIS skills] to any major at all.” GIS is essentially solving spatial problems with software. According to Gallagher, it is inherently tied to geography and location, but the problem could belong to any discipline. Ryan realized through his experience with the GIS program that it can be used for a lot more. “It can be used for healthcare to see where hospitals are in relation to certain areas and how long it might take for an ambulance to get there,” Ryan said. Any event that occurs in space can by analyzed with GIS. “The key thing that people don’t understand is that they don’t know what GIS is,” Rizzo said. “If they did some research on it in terms of how it would fit their particular field, they would be amazed... It’s all about mapping and looking at the location of things and understanding how location is important to the distribution of things.” Gallagher hopes that the five-year master’s program will bring students interested in GIS studies to UMW. This seems likely, considering that, even before the program was initiated, UMW’s MGSA program was drawing new students in. Ryan began as a forestry major

UMW / College of the Arts and Sciences

at West Virginia University, which already incorporates a large GIS component. When he decided to transfer to an in-state school, he chose UMW because of its GIS program. Even if a student is not sure that they want to get a master’s degree in GIS, they can take some graduate-level classes while still an undergraduate to see whether it’s the right fit because of the new five-year program. Even if the student decides not to pursue a master’s in GIS, they will still have that much more experience with the subject. “I think that being able to take one of the master’s courses at the same

time that I’ll be doing my GIS certificate capstone internship will give me a glimpse of the professional track and the grad school track,” said junior geography major Alistair Andrulis. “Hopefully, following this track will help me find what the best fit is for me after my undergraduate career.” With this new five-year MSGA program, students have an even wider opportunity to take advantage of this cutting-edge discipline. “GIS is such a booming subject now,” Ryan said. ”People map the ocean with it now. One day it will probably be used for something in space or

Sudoku

Ester Salguero / The Blue & Gray Press

•ANSWERS |11

This puzzle was produced using OpenSky sudoku generator. The site allows you to choose the difficulty and the number of puzzles you’d like to generate.

Thursday, February 9, 2017

SPORTS

Men’s basketball suffers back-to-back one-point loses MIKEY BARNES Sports Editor

Alex Sakes/ The Blue and Gray Press

With 16 seconds left, down by two, University of Mary Washington junior center Eric Shaw caught an inbounds pass at the free throw line. With a simple spin and a flick of the wrist, the shot went up and swished into the basket to tie the score at 77-77. A strong defensive stop by the Eagles allowed the game to remain tied at the end of regulation, sending it into overtime. The Eagles entered this game at .500 record of 10-10, looking to improve the record of the then 4-16 Frostburg State Bobcats. The Eagles opened up the overtime scoring with a Johnny Cronin free throw and Shaw lay-up. A three-pointer by freshman Austin Hall put them up three, 83-80 with a little over two minutes left in the overtime period. After a couple minutes of back and forth play, the Bobcats took the lead with just 12 seconds left. The Eagles were unable to convert in the final seconds and fell to 10-11 on the season and 6-8 in the Capital Athletic Conference. Frostburg improved to 5-16 on the season and 4-10 in the CAC. In the game, the leader for the Eagles came by the hands of sophomore big man, Cronin, who had 23 points and 12 rebounds. Shaw finished with 15 points and eight rebounds, while leading the Eagles in assists with three. On the season, Shaw is leading the team in scoring with 16.5 points per

game and is third on the team with rebounds, with just under six. Senior John Lutkenhaus is second on the team in scoring with an average of 12 points per game and is the team leader in rebounds with 6.5 per game. Cronin averages just under 10 points per game, accompanied by 6.2 rebounds a game and also leads the team in shooting percentage with an impressive 58.9 percent. The Eagles are currently on a fourgame losing skid, with their most recent loss coming Wednesday Feb. 8 against St. Mary’s (Md.) at home. The Eagles played an impressive game throughout, being led by freshman transfer AJ Robinson and Cronin. Robinson had a game high 23 points, including 7-7 from behind the three point arc. Cronin had another double-double, with 21 points and 11 rebounds. The Eagles had the final shot at victory, as St. Mary’s scored with just five seconds left to take a one point lead, but a Jacob Williams three clanged off the left side of the rim, giving the Eagles their fourth loss in a row and 12th on the season. The Eagles will look to end their losing ways of late against Penn St.- Harrisburg at home on Saturday, Feb. 11, whom they defeated by five, away on Jan. 7. They will then travel to Marymount on Wednesday Feb. 15, then wrapping up the regular season at Wesley on Saturday Feb. 18.

Wizards and Cavaliers play potential greatest game of the season MARK NOEL Staff Writer

A Monday, Feb. 6 matchup lived up to expectations from the start, with two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference battling for supremacy. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards gave us a regular season game for the ages. This epic battle took place in Washington, where the Wizards had won 17 straight in the Verizon Center. The Cavaliers came in knowing they had their hands full with a surging Wizards team, as their Big 3 of Lebron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving had huge games on their way to a 140-135 overtime victory. Both teams’ star players came ready to play in this nationally televised game. James totaled 32 points and a career-high 17 assists while shooting 6 of 8 from three-point range. With trade rumors floating over his head, Love totaled 39 points and 12 rebounds on 11-of-17 shooting. Kyrie Irving was quiet much of the game, however, he finished with 23 points and five assists, with 11 of those 23 points being scored during overtime. As for the Wizards, Bradley Beal had 41 points and eight assists on 16-of-28

“THE GAME ON MONDAY WAS THE MOST PROMISING GAME OF THE SEASON...THE LEAGUE SHOULD NOW RESPECT THE WIZARDS AND ALL WIZARDS FANS SHOULD HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE” -Will Ritter shooting. John Wall came through with 22 points and 12 assists, while Otto Porter also contributed to the team with 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-7 from three-point range. Heading into the fourth quarter the Cavaliers were up four but the Wizards went on an 8-1 run to take the lead. It was truly a beautiful back and forth game of basketball in the fourth quarter. With 12 seconds remaining and the Wizards up

one, James missed a wide open layup, which he blames on the travel that wasn’t called, causing him to “lose balance.” James made up for his blunder with a turnaround three-pointer off the glass while falling out of bounds to send the game to overtime. Senior and big time Wizards fan Will Ritter watched the entire game and felt very good about it, despite the loss. “The game on Monday was the most promising game of the season,” said Ritter. “The league should now respect the Wizards and all Wizards fans should have full confidence.” Even though the Wizards lost this game, they have a lot to look forward to in the near future. They have been playing extremely well as of late and this game solidified they can be an elite team in the Eastern Conference. It was a great all-around performance from the Wizards, however, it just was not enough for James and the Cavaliers. They gave the Cavaliers absolutely all they could handle. It may not show up as a W in the win column but they proved they can play with the Cavaliers. If these two teams meet in the playoffs fans are in for a treat.

The rumors are out, is Cousins as well? WILL BORSEN Staff Writer

The Washington Redskins finished the 2016-17 regular season with a record of 8-7-1 and failed to make the NFL playoffs, yet again. The Redskins have not made a playoff appearance since 2015. To make things worse for Redskins fans, their rival, the Dallas Cowboys were crowned the NFC East Champions. Following this heartbreak of yet another postseason less season, some fans have been quick to blame pro-bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins. Unfortunately they argue that the organization should part ways with their starting quarterback. Although some Skins fans believe that Kirk Cousins failed to prove that he should get re-signed by Washington during the NFL offseason, Cousins’ potential is too great to shrug off like another Robert Griffin III. Since he was named starter, Cousins has a better QB rating (99.3) than Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers (98.6). Those who do not want Cousins to get resigned say he is not “elite enough.” Tom Brady has been crowned “Greatest of All Time” after coming back to stun the Falcons in the Super Bowl to earn his fifth ring, as well as for passing the great Dan Marino in passing yards in the NFL. Brady threw for 3,554 yards and 28 touchdowns this season, while Cousins threw for 4,917 yards and 25 touchdowns. “I don’t know what Kirk has to do as a quarterback to prove that he belongs in the National Football League as a starter,” Jay Gruden said moments after the Washington Redskins season-ending loss to division foes, the New York Giants. “I think he had a great year.” As it is believed by many analysts around the NFL, Washington is expected to keep the fifth year quarterback from Michigan State, whereas another big question, if they do decide to keep him around, is if it is with a long term-contract or if they will give him another franchise tag, like they had this past season. The franchise tag for Cousins for this past season acted as a one-year 20 million dollar contract. Where Washington goes from here is all a waiting game. For D.C. sports fans, the majority would like to see their franchise record-setting quarterback stick around for a few more years and see where he can take this young team with all its potential.

Weekly Scoreboard women's basketball:

Feb. 4 @ Frostburg St. (W) UMW: 63 Frostburg St.: 52 Feb. 8 vs. St. Mary's (W) UMW: 77 St. Mary’s: 49

men's Basketball

Feb. 8 @. Frostburg St. (L-OT) UMW: 84 Frostburg St.: 85 Feb. 8 vs. St. Mary’s (Md.) (L) UMW:85 SMCM 86

women's basketball:

Feb. 11 vs. Penn St. Harrisburg

1:00 P.M.

Feb. 15 @ Marymount 6:00 P.M

MEN'S BASKETBALL:

Feb. 11 vs. Penn St. Harrisburg

3:00 P.M.

Feb. 15 @ Marymount 8:00 P.M.

VIEWPOINTS

Diversity starts with each department JASMINE TURNER Staff Writer

As my four years slowly simmer to an end, I find myself thinking back to UMW’s mission statement about diversity and inclusion. The mission, and goal, has always been to create an environment on campus that puts an emphasis on providing a “comprehensive, university-wide approach to diversity and inclusivity, access and equity.” The mission statement is drilled into almost every classroom on campus, printed within the pages of admission’s brochures, and promised to minority students who to attend every fall. It’s promised, yet, speaking as a minority student, it is rarely ever seen (at least in the way it is promised). The efforts have been made and haven’t gone without notice, but they’ve been the same efforts repeated over my four years here. The one thing I have also observed in this time lends to the belief that diversity and inclusion do not start at the level of a university-wide approach; they start in places much smaller, much more intimate, and much more realistic. Though the goal is to bring awareness with a university-wide approach, it has been my personal experience that this type

of awareness starts within one’s own major department and grows from there. Having access to people and places where

there are faces and experiences similar to your own is vital to understanding identity and one’s position in an already difficult transition, at least that is my understanding. I found this help within the ELC department among some of my English and lin-

year here, but in the second semester of my junior year. The point of diversity and inclusion up until that point had always been to make everyone comfortable with one another and to give everyone an opportunity to experience others. In an instant, it became about allowing students to be comfortable with themselves and to experience themselves in an atmosphere where that access and equity seemed less achievable. From classes that explore race, gender guistics professors. The emphasis put on providing everyone with access and equi- and sexuality with an in-depth textual ty on this campus, became clearer for me analysis relating to current and real world problems, to a department that exemplifies various representations in an otherwise predominantly white institution atmosphere, it’s refreshing and reinforces the idea that diversity is important. That diversity is important to the success of the individual and the university as a whole. The mission starts at the individual level, with in the smaller parts of the university. It starts in departments where students are allowed to see representation and experience, rather than read about it in a brochure. It starts when you can walk into your advisor’s office, a classroom or have safe discussions on the third floor of combs, sit down and know that someone understands you, what you’re going through, and remind you that who you are Unsplash / Jazmin Quaynor matters. It starts in departments that look at all when I chose to become an English major. It was one of the first times I saw the ef- sides, that comb through everyone’s exfects that this inclusivity, access and equity periences and find common ground that is accessible and provides every student had on my academic success. How I initially found my identity and with what they need in order to understand came to the realization that then new iden- themselves and then others. tity helped me grow started not in my first

Buy your tequila now, folks Donald Trump’s desire to build a wall has been one of controversy and scrutiny. Much of the criticism stems from the idea that America is viewed as one big melting pot, not to mention the expense of the project. Fortune.com estimates it would cost 15 billion plus in order to build the wall. That 15 billion dollars could be put to good use for so many aspects of society, including the homeless, abandoned children, healthcare, the hungry and much more. Many experts argue how the wall would not make a difference as there is already a wall including barbed wire, police, dogs, watch towers, etc. Many experts also argue that tunnels, boats and small holes are still a concern. For example, Mexican drug lord El Chapo escaped prison twice through a system of tunnels. However, it is impossible to deny that border security could be stricter with regards to drugs and other illegal substances. According to therecoveryvillage. com, 93 percent of cocaine coming to the United States moves through Mexico and 39 percent of heroin in 2008 came from Mexico. Moreover, a giant cement wall is

AMANDA BIELECKI Staff Writer

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/12-trump-cartoons-smile

not the answer and stereotyping people is not either. The answer is to focus on the drugs and make a conscious effort to strengthen the drug laws already present. Instead of spending 15 billion on an ineffective wall, an alternative may be to put money into improving drug prevention programs and organizations. In addition, the budget for the border is enormous. According to the New

York Times, in the last 26 years the United States has spent around 187 billion dollars on immigration enforcement. The question is whether President Trump is bluffing and playing a game with the Mexican president. At this point, the United States has the leverage since people want to get into the country, leverage that Trump could use in a variety of ways. Trump

has also expressed the idea that Mexico is going to pay for the wall, which has only angered and annoyed the Mexican president and his administration. The question is how far Trump would take this bluff and infuriate the Mexican government, if it is a bluff. Many also argue how the United States does not have the resources or ability to support large numbers of people coming into the country. The United States is a desirable destination for refugees and immigrants – after all, they are the reason this country is so diverse. The desire to come here creates a will. A wall is not going to stop the desire and will of thousands of people. The unfortunate fact is that the United States is not able to accommodate every individual who would like to come. Overall, immigration and global economics is an extremely complicated and unpredictable issue that nobody knows the perfect solution too. However, based on research it is clear that a cement wall will not solve the large amount of issues that United States has with immigration.

Thursday, February 2017 Thursday, January 21,9, 2015

VIEWPOINTS Animals are friends, not food Editor: Tessa Cate | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

OLIVIA BRIDGES Staff Writer

I was born into a family of meat eaters and as a vegetarian of three years I have heard a whole array of insults directed at my lifestyle. It is also common for my family to taunt me when Bambi joins our holiday meals. Even though there are people who applaud my lifestyle, there are others who, like my family, do not understand the purpose behind it. Since attending the University of Mary Washington, I have had more negative encounters than what I would have expected. People frequently label vegetarianism as pointless. They say, “You’re not saving any animals,” which I know is true. I am not saving any animals, but I am certainly not supporting the ruthless slaughter of them either.

deserve better than for their funeral to be held in someone’s stomach. To me, meat is not just meat. It is flesh and muscles. We human beings have skin and muscles and I cannot eat meat without feeling like I am eating a person. There is only a small genetic difference between humans and animals, making it feel like border-line cannibalism. I am not trying to convince anyone to be a vegetarian. It is a huge lifestyle change, but if people are going to eat animals, they should be, at the very least, Unsplash / Peter Wendt organic and free We live in a society where eating range. Animals deliving creatures in not necessary. serve to live happy There are other sources of protein lives and see sunsuch as beans, Greek yogurt, nuts – light on the day they the list goes on. I am allergic to nuts, are born, not the day but even so, I still manage to be a they die. They are no different than us. Anvegetarian. Last year, I wrote a paper about imals have thoughts, how animals are treated in slaughter feelings and a sense houses. I could barely get through it of family; however, without crying. The way the animals because they cannot – living creatures, were being treat- communicate with us, ed was unthinkable. I am glad that I they are turned into a have nothing to do with that process. meal deal. There are parts of the The animals I discussed in my paper were treated horribly. They were world where people trapped inside for the whole duration eat cats and dogs on of their lives and would only get to a regular basis. Yet, see sunlight the day they were going we keep them as pets. to be killed and turned into a ham- How is eating a cow or pig any differburger, hot dog or whatever. They ent than eating a cat or dog? It is not. Cats and dogs are no different than

cows and pigs – they are just smaller. In fact, pigs are gaining popularity as household pets more, but people still eat them. To me, if it has a heartbeat, it should not be food. That why I am a vegetarian. I realize I am not making a direct difference, but I see the cute, little innocent faces behind the meat and I stand by my decision. Animals deserve better and I just wish there was something more that I could do.

Unsplash / Joseph Gonzalez

Staff Ed: Fake news has no place in The Blue & Gray Press Between the coverage of the 2017 campaign cycle and the ongoing unpredictable antics of President Trump, the media is having a field day, so to speak, with the constant influx of news worthy information that has been up for grabs the past couple of months. Among many obstacles they face, who breaks the story first falls heavy on the shoulders of media outlets both major and minor. A quick turn around can often lead to the questioning of accuracy. However, the recent flood of fake news is more than a false date or misspelled name. For example, a recently fabricated story had circulated that Hillary Clinton ran

a child sex ring out of a pizza parlor in Washington D.C., leading a man to open fire inside the restaurant. As you can see fake news is not only harming credible journalists who have built their careers on honest and ethical reporting, but, it also puts the lives of individuals in danger by reporting malicious and deliberate lies. While the First Amendment protects the freedom of press, we should also raise the question of ethical responsibility, especially of those who hold the power to influence millions of people. We as consumers have put faith in the media to be responsible in reporting objec-

tive and accurate information. Fake news sites have taken advantage of the lax approach of today’s readers who expect to be fed the truth when looking for answers. This being said, the responsibility also falls in the hands of the consumer. It is our job to pay attention to the details, look for inaccurate information, fact check news sites that we are unfamiliar with and be cautious of reports that seem false. According to The New York Times, both Google and Facebook have taken action against fake news leeching on to their sites. Google stated they would ban all websites that peddle fake news from using the online advertising service not long after

the top result on a Google search for “final election vote count 2016,” linked a fake story reporting that President Trump won the popular vote. Facebook jumped in as well, making an effort to clarify its ad policy, adding fake news sites to the list of content in which ads will not be displayed. The media play a large role in shaping the way we process information. With the press of a button information is spread online to millions of people. As such, we at The Blue & Gray Press understand the responsibility we have to the public and we place a great deal of importance on ethical standards and integrity.

By THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

LIFE

Editor: Kelly Emmrich blueandgray.life@gmail.com

Sugar Shack vs Duck Donuts: The donut war ensues KELLY EMMRICH Life Editor

Duck Donuts opened up shop last Monday, with a post on their Facebook page early Monday morning announcing the surprise opening. Since, Duck Donuts has been packed with lines extending to the door. Throughout the week many students have been comparing the two donut shops at either ends of campus: Sugar Shack and Duck Donuts. My life changed in high school when my hometown got a Duck Donuts shop, and I tasted a warm vanilla donut topped with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge and sprinkles for the first time. I have been an avid Duck Donuts fan ever since. When I heard that Duck Donuts was coming to Fredericksburg, needless to say I was ecstatic. Some UMW students didn’t share my enthusiasm however. Ariana Garcia DuBar, a junior art history major, recalls her first time going into a Duck Donuts as a tragedy. “The first time I went into a Duck Donuts, I was confused and disappointed,” DuBar said. “I was like, this isn’t a donut. It’s less tasty cake.” Duck Donuts and Sugar Shack use different recipes to make their dough. Instead of fried bread, Duck Donuts uses a cake donut, which is denser and sweeter than the fried bread. The news of Duck Donuts’ opening came towards the end of the 2016 spring semester and since, has put local

competitors on notice. Owner of Sugar Shack, Heather Grimes, commented on Duck’s arrival in September and was warm to the idea of local competition. “Competition makes us all better,” Grimes said. “There’s room for two donut shops.” When asked if DuBar would ever try out Duck Donuts she replied “No. I think I’ll stick to Sugar Shack.” A lot of students disagreed with DuBar’s opinion. Abigail Whittington, a junior English major said that she enjoyed the flavor and the density of the cake donut. She also liked that there was a physical menu and that the customer had the freedom to create their own donut. “In Sugar Shack, you hope that they have a donut that you like,” Whittington said. “In Duck Donuts you can make your own, so you know that you’ll be getting something that you’ll like.” Another topic of discussion when comparing the two was size. Sugar Shack’s donuts are noticeably larger than Duck Donuts, however Duck fans don’t seem to be phased by the size difference, and argue that the quality outweighs quantity. Walking into Duck Donuts is a

SAVARA GUNN Staff Writer

Elizabeth Hiatt (Junior) Elizabeth’s style is colorful and retro. She is inspired by artists like Girl Pool and Angel Olson (the inspiration for her clogs) She started shopping at thrift stores and getting hand me downs She is wearing her Uncle's sweater here. She says "I wouldn’t say that my personality is expressed through my style in a static way because i’m constantly changing and trying to figure myself out. I think its especially important for young people to have freedom in what they wear (the ability to not take themselves too seriously) because its a really uncertain time. So I'd say I like to have fun with the freedom I have to dress in weird ways and push the limits of what I feel comfortable in." Zareen Emdad (Freshman) "It's a dress day,” is Zareen’s response when I asked her what inspired the outfit. She loves the cardigan’s slits because it allows her to show more of her clothing in a simple way. She is wearing her favorite scarf to match. Her favorite season’s style is fall and she tries to emulate that during any time of year. “I’m religious and like to express my favorite fashions while being modest. I’m not an edgy or bold person, but it’s fun for me to express myself in a softer way.”

Fredericksburg.com

different experience than walking into Sugar Shack. Sugar Shack has dark wash walls, dim lighting and string lights everywhere. Duck Donuts has pastel blue walls white countertops, and bright fluorescent lighting. Whittington also commented on the aesthetic of Duck Donuts compared to Sugar Shack. “I like that Duck Donuts has indoor seating, but Sugar Shack feels more homey.”

Ryan Shipe, a junior English major, agreed with Whittington. “I don’t know if it’s just because Duck Donuts is new, but it feels empty,” said Shipe. “The fluorescent light is off putting.” Sugar Shack has become an integral part of the Fredericksburg community for the past year. Only time will tell if Duck Donuts has the community support.

Styles of UMW

Jackson Miles (Freshman) Like many people, this outfit was Daniel Glista just what (Freshman) Jackson “My outfits are thought inspired by the of in the randomness of morning. which clothes are "I like easiest to grab to plan in the closet. My accordchoice of clothing ing to the comes from my weather and if I have something important to do that simplistic view day or if I just am feeling like dressing nicely the night of style. I tend before.Normally I like to dress for success. It helps to exhibit myself with confidence I hope it shows individuality and a in a manner of unique quality while also making me look presentable cleanliness and and confident. I have a very distinct style with which thriftiness.” most people can associate me.”

Photos by: Savara Gunn

Alain’s outfit caught my eye the second I saw it and being interested, I asked what inspired it. "It all matched,” was the simple reply. Alain just felt like dressing up that day. “I guess this outfit expresses what I would call the ‘ideal me’. I’d love to put in effort and look professional all the time. It helps me feel like I’m being productive and hardworking."

Call For Submission The Blue & Gray Newspaper is now looking for photo essays and comics. The guidelines are as follows: •Anything submitted must be able to be printed in the Blue & Gray and/or on the Blue & Gray’s website. BY SUBMITTING YOU ARE GIVING US CONSENT TO BE PRINTED! •All works must have a title. •Multiple submissions are welcome but only ONE WORK PER STUDENT WILL BE ACCEPTED. •We will be accepting reviews or interviews to be published under creative work. •We will not accept work submitted anonymously— you must give your name when you submit in order to be accepted. We will be takings all submissions through email: blueandgraypress.life@gmail.com

Thursday, February 9, 2017

LIFE

Mark Snyder, UMW’s quirkiest music professor

COLE MASAITIS Staff Writer

“Booga-doo” is word that might not have a definition, but it most definitely has a nice ring to it. Almost like a hook in the chorus of a song, it will reel you in the first time you hear it, follow you wherever you go, and likely belongs somewhere in Urban Dictionary. This is but one of the many catch-phrases of Dr.

Mark Snyder, Assistant Professor of Music, and Digital Studies at the University of Mary Washington. Snyder is responsible for founding the university’s annual electronic music and art festival entitled the Electroacoustic Barn Dance, was nominated for the 2016 Grammy Educator Award by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY foundation, and has been featured on National Public Radio’s program With Good Reason, just to name a few major accomplishments. On top of all of this, he has his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Composition from the University of Memphis in 2007, and a Master’s of Music in Composition from Ohio University in 2003. He also received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from our very own university when it held the title Mary Washington College back in 1997. During his time here, Snyder has taught sixteen courses in the Music Department, and created five of them. He also designed the UMW Recording Studio in Pollard, and the Music Production Lab, as well as modernized the Bachelor of Arts music curriculum from the original history and theory based program, and added technology, performance and composition emphases. Ever since students and faculty both have been able to record and produce their own music and coursework with the new resources he brought to UMW. His students have notably been taught through their coursework, to compose, perform, record and produce their own music and projects as well as do the same for others. They have also put on student-run concerts during each semester that feature student and faculty works. Along with all of this, UMW students have also been given several undergraduate research grants so that they can travel and present their student compositions at multiple schools for adjudicated, invited, international, national, regional and local

performances. In case you were wondering his students have also been granted the opportunity to work in the music industry, before and after graduating for internships and jobs. Snyder is incredibly involved with his students, getting them plenty of hands-on experience in a career-field their interested in pursuing. Speaking from personal

experience, all of his compassion and hard work really shines through his student’s accomplishments and the amount of experience they all receive through having the incredible opportunity to learn from him. He’s most definitely one of the most personable, caring and helpful teachers out there, regardless of whether you are a music major, aficionado, or this is your first musical experience. Speaking of being personable, most of his students including myself call him Mark rather than Dr. Snyder. The ability to not only have a fantastic mentor, but a friend in a professor is not something that happens every day, but then again, this isn’t your everyday professor. I asked each of the following individuals the following question, “If you could pick just one thing, what has impacted your experience and UMW the most about having Mark as a professor?” Mya Payne, a junior Spanish major with a linguistics minor shared her answer with me. “Well there are so many things I could say, but what has impacted me the most has been his determination in having students achieve. By that, I mean he actually gives students the opportunity to showcase their talents in more ways than just music; to me, that’s more than any professor has ever attempted for such a large range of students.” Becky Brown, a UMW alumna who graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Music and Computer Science said, “I'd say the sheer breadth of the experiences I've been given. Gone to conferences, performed music at festivals, tech directed a festival, met all kinds of people from all over the field and experienced their work. And if not that, then either the Barn Dance or composition lessons. Running tech for two straight days gives you a lot of confidence in your ability to handle life under pressure. As for composition lessons,

having someone expect you to do great things means you'll do a lot to try and reach that bar”. During my interview with Dr. Snyder, he answered a few questions for me, and here they are. 1. What do you love most/ think is the most important thing about teaching? “Student accomplishments of course! Watching the hard work lead to performances, recordings, grad school acceptances, jobs, awards, grants and presentations at conferences makes me feel amazing even when I get rejected and my students are accepted to conferences, I have crossed into some sort of dimension where your success matters more than my own. It’s a strange place for a spoiled only University Relations child to be.” 2. What made you come back to teach at UMW after being a student? “I came back for two reasons. I wanted to make the greatest Liberal Arts Music Department in the country. The curriculum change is an example of that vision for a musical future for any and all music students regardless of talent but dependent on a broad liberal based curriculum that would prepare them for a music industry that looks nothing like the one I graduated into. A curriculum that proves how good the liberal arts can be and I think a liberal arts general education class producing an ASCAP Morton Gould Award. Snyder’s second reason for coming back was because “My favorite professor was Pat Norwood and thankfully, when my dad died my junior year, she went with me to the church to help me with selecting the music because I had picked one of his favorites, Ode to Joy. She went back after I left and made sure that such a mess was not created with my poor choice of a Hymn that would have celebrated his death and she was on Sabbatical! I worshiped my father so I had to write him a requiem mass that summer and it needed to be performed by his church choir and an orchestra I put together, mainly with UMW folks and members of the Richmond and National Symphonies. Every week for five weeks, Dave Long loaded his van with four heavy timpani, orchestral chimes and a large piece of plywood he bought himself to put across the pews at Colonial Aquia Church to stand on with the timpani. I had and still have a lot of musical heroes but they were my life heroes. Selflessly putting students first at their own expense whether it was time or money and they gave unconditionally. I wanted to do for students what they did for me and I feel that I’ve stayed true to the example and high standard that they set for me.”

“Fred Red” is the new Underground brew ABIGAIL WHITTINGTON Contributing Writer

Students gathered with their friends in the Underground Wednesday, February 1 to taste test four craft beers and vote for their favorite style in a brew poll. The winner of the poll was announced on Friday by UMW’s Student Government Association on Twitter. The Fred Red style of beer beat out three other types and will be the style that the university will model its signature brew after. The beer will be brewed and sold exclusively on campus in collaboration with Adventure Brewing. “It’s unique that we will have our own specialty brew,” said junior Clarence Thomas. “I don’t think many colleges have that and we are in a great location, already surrounded by breweries.” When students walked through the doors of the Underground for the beer tasting, they were greeted by volunteers and asked for their ID to prove they were of legal drinking age. They were then given a paper wristband and a beer tasting adventure map that listed the names of the beers they would be trying that night. They were also handed four red tickets (one ticket for each beer) and a list of instructions on how to vote through text message. As soon as students sat down with their friends, waiters for the event greeted them and quickly filled shot glass sized paper cups of each beer for them to taste and took their red tickets in exchange. The beers listed for tasting included: Classic Lager, Falmouth IPA, Fred Red and Stonewall Stout. “I really liked the Fred Red because it wasn’t too fruity or too hoppy and it was just really smooth,” said junior Ryan Shipe. There were speculations at the event of what the winning brew would be named. Some students in favor of the Fred Red hope that the brew will be named “Rucker Red” after Dean Rucker. Others believe it will be named something a little more timeless and classic. “It will probably be named ‘UMW brew’ or ‘Eagle brew’ or something along those lines,” said junior Lilah Beebe. Even those who were underage or didn’t want to drink were welcome. Free pizza was provided and the hours of the event overlapped the opening of Naturally Woodstock so there was a mixture of beer tasters and dinner eaters among the crowd.

Kelly Emmrich/ The Blue & Gray Press

Opinion Editorials

Hate Speech Is Not Free Grant Raycroft

On February 1st, the University of California, Berkeley cancelled a planned speech from a noted Alt-Right figure in the wake of on campus protest. While this is not the first time university students have vocally protested the presence of the Alt-Right speaker, the University of California entered the national spotlight when Donald Trump tweeted his disapproval and issued a threat to withdraw federal funding. Another one of Trump’s complaints was that the university was not allowing the speaker the opportunity to practice free speech. First, it is important to provide some background information. The speaker in question was Milo Yiannopoulos, best known as an editor for the Alt-Right outlet Breitbart News. For reasons I will explain later, I’m going to call him “M.Y.” M.Y.’s limited persona is of a supposed provocateur who stirs up controversy at the expense of “sheltered” liberals. These actions include calling rape culture a fantasy, threatening his unpaid writing staff, and harassing Saturday Night Live actor Leslie Jones on Twitter to the point the social network banned him. M.Y. also has a college speaking tour series called “Dangerous Faggot.” One of the problems of talking about M.Y. is that much of his persona is an overt attempt to draw attention to himself despite his lack of qualifications. Even when he mocked the video game community in the past, M.Y. rose to prominence when he became a core member of the online harassment campaign known as GamerGate. Similarly, he uses his identity as a homosexual man to bully other queer people and validate the homophobic rhetoric of his followers and peers. As such, I’ve chosen to refer to him as M.Y. as even being critical about him is also playing into his goal of gaining attention. I am also going to use “Alt-Right” and “white supremacy” synonymously since that is how they are described by both the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. A major complaint about preventing M.Y. and other white supremacists from speaking at college campuses is that it inhibits their right to free speech. This is only functioning with a definition of free speech that implies that every individual is entitled to say what they please without being criticized or punished. Thus not hosting M.Y. is censoring his political ideology. However, this overlooks that any criticism against a

person’s statements is also free speech. As such, the University of California students protesting M.Y. wasn’t suppression of free speech, it’s a mass demonstration of it. Similarly, Alt-Right ideology isn’t a genuine political platform designed to offer answers to how a governing body should function. It offers hate speech which is designed to justify the oppression of others while feigning legitimacy. M.Y. acts like his statements are provocative, but he’s not actually saying anything qualitative that undermines the institutions he opposes. Using transphobic slurs or calling Black Lives Matter a hate group isn’t thought provoking, it’s the equivalent of a child using swear words on a playground so his playmates will think he’s cool. In fact, Alt-Right leader and Neo-Nazi Richard Spencer said so after hearing one of M.Y.’s speeches, “It’s edgy and dangerous, it’s cool and hip. It’s that thing our parents don’t want us to do.” Letting white supremacists like M.Y. speak at schools isn’t simply gross negligence but dangerous. While he ignores his critics as thin-skinned, the harm he inflicts is real. At the University of Wisconsin, M.Y. outed a transgender student, dead named her (using a name she no longer uses), intentionally used incorrect pronouns, dehumanized her, and made lewd sexual remarks about her. Professor Alan-Michael Weatherford of the University of Washington was targeted by M.Y.’s supporters for helping to organize the protest against him. Another protester at the same campus was shot by a M.Y. supporter. None of this is surprising as Alt-Right leaders actively recruit on college campuses. To quote Richard Spencer again, “I think you do need to get them while they are young.” Given that Donald Trump led in the polls with white college-graduated men, the Nazi might have a point. It falls on the responsibility of university campuses to keep out white supremacists like M.Y. To let these hateful people in and to give them a soapbox isn’t a celebration of free speech but a mockery. The Alt-Right has plenty of platforms to speak from. What offering a hand does is draw out the marginalized people who are endangered by these people. To let white supremacists into universities puts their student body and faculty at risk and who the campus sides with says far more than an attention-seeking shill.

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The Blue & Gray Press

Rex Tillerson- 69th Secretary of State Joe Sartori

On Febuary 1st 2017, as much of the Trump cabinet was still being held up by senate democrats, our 69th Secretary of State was confirmed by a vote of 56 to 43, with all 52 Republicans in support as well as 3 Democrats and 1 independent. Going as far back to the founding of our country, the Secretary of State position has always been a dignified and important position. Over the years dignitaries like John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, and James Baker have taken on the position. As the Trump administration and senate leadership has paraded through remarkable and somewhat unqualified confirmation hearings, Rex Tillerson comes through as one of the most surprising choices. On November 19, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney met with the President-elect at the Trump National Golf Club in

Bedminster, New Jersey, reportedly to discuss the position of Secretary of State. Romney was arguably the safe choice, and along with former CIA Director David Petraeus, and Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, they filled out the possible options for the Trump Team. On December 13, 2016, President Donald Trump nominated Tillerson for United States Secretary of State. This surprising move was met with confusion, and intrigue. Tillerson is an American business who served as Exon Mobile CEO, and also as President of the Boy Scouts of America. So what makes Tillerson so qualified for a dignified position like Secretary of State? As the Trump Administration tries to reform a frail relationship with Russia, Tillerson is the man for the job. Tillerson has ties with President Vladimir

Putin of Russia. They have been associates since Tillerson represented Exxon’s interests in Russia during President Boris Yeltsin’s tenure. Tillerson represents a new approach, one different than the Obama administration’s policy of increased sanctions and red lines. In 2014, Tillerson expressed opposition to the Obama sanctions. He stated “We do not support sanctions, generally, because we don’t find them to be effective unless they are very well implemented comprehensively and that’s a very hard thing to do.” In 2016, Tillerson said that the US should have deployed military units to neighboring states next to Russia in a more “muscular” response. Tillerson represents a more friendly approach to Russia, while also introducing a more hard line approach to Russian aggres-

sion. Tillerson was first recommended to Trump for the Secretary of State role by Condoleezza Rice, during her meeting with Trump in late November. Rice’s recommendation of Tillerson to Trump was backed up by Robert Gates, three days later. Former President George W. Bush also praised Donald Trump’s Secretary of State Nominee Rex Tillerson and offered his support. As with Trump, Tillerson’s business background and diverse policy’s will be interesting to watch in the future. Rex Tillerson is uniquely qualified for the Secretary of State position.

LIFE

“Steel Magnolias” prepares for debut as theatre students settle into roles LAUREN CLOSS Staff Writer

Interest mounts and attention turns to the stage as the house lights dim and the actors are lit up in colorful costumes against the set. The music fades into the background and disappears. The actors begin their performance and the audience is transported back to Louisiana in the 1980s. Despite receiving minimal attention from the average audience member, technical theater elements such as lights, sound, set, props, costumes, hair and makeup are critical factors in the believability of a production. This is especially apparent in the upcoming production from Klein Theater, “Steel Magnolias,” set to open Feb. 17. “I feel like a lot of people take for granted the things that they see in front of them but every nail file, every piece of siding, every poster on a wall was chosen for a very specific reason,” explained senior theater major and stage manager Taylor Kiechlin. Another senior, lighting designer Erin Becker, agreed, “[The designers] pick out every single sound you hear, every light and color filter that you see. [They] pick out every paint color, texture, set piece, costume piece, wig, music and dance. Everything you see is very methodically thought-out no matter how small.” In “Steel Magnolias” 139 students work endlessly as designers, run crew, stitchers, carpenters and electricians. Each of these students puts at least 45 hours helping with the show for either the theater practicum class or the laboratory portion of technical production classes. Some majors like Becker also work on the production for their senior

UMW Theatre/Facebook

projects. Faculty members like director Kate Brewer hold only a few supervision and design roles and following opening night, leave the show in the hands of the stage manager. As a whole, technical theater faces the challenge of shaping the world of the play in a subtle manner registered only by the audience’s subconscious. Each of the individual elements holds their own challenges as well, which vary with every play. Kiechlin identified the custom wigs constructed by alumna Madeline LeCuyer for the show and the small size of Klein Theatre as two of those challenges. “Dealing with the wigs is so specific and so many things need to happen with them. It is a new aspect that I haven’t had to deal with before,” Kiechlin said. “Another challenge is our space because it is so tiny, which we love. It is a small intimate house, but it also doesn’t give you a lot of room onstage.” The specificity of the script was also

acknowledged by scenic designer and faculty member Niffer Pflager. “They list about five or six magazines that they need to have, so we have to find specific magazines that they say in the script from the year that the script is taking place in. So we need to find a “Southern Comfort” from 1987,” Pflager said. “They say they want a Mr. Coffee, so now it has to be a Mr. Coffee and not some other brand of coffee maker.” Other challenges exist for sound and lighting, both of which function to set the mood and shape the setting. “With “Steel Magnolias,” there’s a radio on the stage and a lot of music going on in the scenes because it’s in a beauty shop,” said sound designer and junior Kevin DiCicco. “There’s a lot of problems finding something that fits the mood, especially because this show takes place in the 80s. Any time I look at a song I have to look at whether it was popular during the time and of course when it was released.” The large number of hands working

behind-the-scenes can be explained by the sheer amount of work required for the finished product. The student designers and stage manager have all had copious amounts of training, working up the ranks in previous shows, just as prospective student designers are doing now for “Steel Magnolias.” Audiences are able to admire the product of technical theater, but without understanding the process often miss the intentionality of small details. “Nothing in the theater happens on accident. It’s all very planned, and nobody really thinks of that because you just look at the whole, which is awesome. That’s what we’re aiming for. But it is also nice to take a step back and think of all the man hours and work that went into the show,” Kiechlin said. “Theater is a collaborative effort. You could have the best actors in the world, but if you don’t have a costume designer, they go onstage naked.”

How my college pregnancy helped me reach a degree TAYLOR OSTROM Staff Writer

Ever since I was a little girl I always dreamt of graduating college, finding a great job and then starting a family with the love of my life. However, things haven't exactly happened in that order for me. While in college I found out I was pregnant, and my life has changed eternally. Instead of thinking of my pregnancy and impending baby as a speed bump in my college career, I began to think of her as a source of inspiration to continue and earn my degree. When I first found out I was pregnant I was concerned I wouldn't be able to balance the stresses of school with the stresses of motherhood. However, once I gave birth to my daughter Riley, I realized that I had nothing to worry about all along. My daughter has sparked a fire within me that I never even knew existed. Since her birth I have become a more motivated woman who not only wants to succeed for herself but for her little girl as well. Of course there are days when I'm completely exhausted and feel like giving up, but one look at my daughter's sweet smile and that all changes. I am instantly reminded that not only can I graduate from college, but I also can be a great mother while doing so. Becoming a mother gave me the power to accomplish things I once thought to be impossible. For all those mothers out there who are in the process of trying to graduate,

please take comfort in the following survival tips. These tips will help make your journey to graduation much more manageable. 1. Enlist in help: ask friends and family to watch your little one while at school or studying. My family has been a great support system. I am very blessed to have such amazing people in my life who encourage me to pursue my dreams. 2. Remind yourself every day that your child is a blessing, and you are his/ her biggest role model. There is absolutely no one else in this world that your child looks up to more than you. 3. Remember that it's okay to cry. Sometimes a good cry is all that's needed to relieve your stress, and keep you pushing forward. 4. Buy a planner! Writing down your goals for the day helps to keep your mind focused (this tip has been especially helpful to me through my experience as a mother and student) 5. Spend quality time with your child. So many mothers feel that school takes away from the bond they have with their little one, but that's not true. It's all about the quality of your time spent together, not the quantity. Besides, graduating college will only benefit your mini me in the future! I urge any college students, who are also mothers, to not give up on your education. It's not impossible to succeed in college while also taking care of your child. I am living, breathing proof of that. If anything, I have become more

focused in my academics, and receive better grades than I did prior to giving birth. Sure, my experience has been difficult, but also extremely rewarding. Every day I get to wake up, go to class,

and set a great example for my daughter. I get to prove to her that even when your life doesn't go as planned, you can still end up with a happy ending.

Taylor Ostrom

NEWS

POLICE BEAT LAUREN TAYLOR News Editor

Larceny On Monday, Feb. 6 between 12:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., petit larceny of a bicycle occurred at the Alvey Hall bike rack. The case is pending.

On Thursday, Feb. 2 between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., petit larceny of a wallet occurred at the Sunken Road parking lot. The case is pending.

Hot-spot replaces WOW Wingery •HOT SPOT | 1

The Hot Spot will accept cash, credit, Eagle One and flex in exchange for a hot meal. Kiesha Childs, retail director for UMW, reported that on the restaurant’s first day of sales, there was an astounding 113 customers in just a few short hours. “It was really good,” said sophomore Christine Mears said. “The burgers are definitely made to order... They’re so good.” Her only critique was that meal swipes were not a choice for payment. While getting rid of flex is a problem students have, using flex consistently adds up. Christine said she thought $6.59 was a bit pricy for some college students, but she was relieved to see that they do take flex. As far as being a returning customer,

STUDENT SENATE ANNOUNCEMENT

On Thursday, Jan. 26 around 5 p.m., petit larceny of headphones occurred at the University Center. The case is pending.

Between Friday, Dec. 16 and Wednesday, Jan. 18, petit larceny of a bicycle occurred at Willard Hall. The case is pending.

Between Thursday, Dec. 15 and Saturday, Jan. 28, grand larceny of a bicycle occurred at Trinkle Hall. The case is pending.

Christine said, “Probably not on the daily, because I can only pay in flex or Eagle One… You can pay with your debit [or] credit card and cash I believe, but being a college student, I don’t have any money to spend but I would definitely go there occasionally.” As far as knowing what days Hot Spot will be open, Benedict and UMW Dining General Manager Roy Platt explained that in order to maintain the mystery and suspense of this new restaurant, yard signs will be placed around campus the day before [and of] opening. Benedict says that a tip in finding out more information about when the restaurant will be open is to follow UMWDining on Facebook and Twitter where they will notify students about the restaurants hours on the web.

On Thursday, Jan. 26 around 10 p.m., possession of marijuana occurred at Russell Hall. Four administrative referrals were given.

On Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 10 p.m., possession of marijuana occurred at Marshall Hall. Three administrative referrals were given.

On Thursday, Jan. 19 around 9:15 p.m. vandalism of an exit sign occurred at Eagle Landing. One administrative referral was given.

On Friday, Feb. 3 around 1 a.m., underage intoxication occurred at Arrington Hall. One administrative referral and EMS transportation was given.

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A motion passed for the Ethics and conduct committee of student senate to work with the Fitness Center to allow government issued Photo ID’s, as an alternative to Eagle One ID’s for admission and access to the facility.

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A motion passed for the Buildings and Grounds committee work Laundry and Vending Services to make the laundry system more affordable and efficient. A motion passed in which the student senate agreed to work with the Office of Financial Aid to eliminate the portion of the University Scholarships that requires scholarships recipients to remain in on-campus housing as a term of the contracts.

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Between Saturday, Jan. 28 and Sunday, Jan. 29, vandalism of exit signs occurred at Eagle Landing. The case is pending.

Class counsel is holding the dance at an off-campus venue and will have food. Ticket sales will be in March.

Student Government Association Beat

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On Sunday, Jan. 29 between 1 a.m. and noon, vandalism of a door and kitchen equipment occurred at Mason Hall. The case is pending.

Alcohol

Possession

On Tuesday, Jan. 31 around 7:30 p.m., possession of marijuana occurred at Eagle Landing. One administrative referral was given.

Vandalism

Spring Formal is April 7th

Wednesday, Feb. 8

On Tuesday, Feb. 7 around 5:30 p.m., possession of marijuana occurred at Eagle Landing. One administrative referral was given.

POLICE BEAT

A motion passed for students who would like the Sunken Road gate to be open and with a schedule of times when it will be open. The Fredericksburg Home owner’s association disagrees with the university on this matter, but with a schedule for the gate to be open the school could come to an agreement with the Home owners of Fredericksburg.

For more information, contact the president of Student Senate, Ethan Carter at : ecarter@mail.umw.edu All motions were originated and passed in the student senate. They have not gone through approval by the executive cabinet. DETAILS PROVIDED BY JAMIE MCGUIRE

On Saturday, Jan. 21 at 4:15 a.m., public intoxication occurred at Brent Hall. One administrative referral and EMS transportation was given.

CRIME COVERAGE POLICY The Blue & Gray Press will publish the names of students who are formally charged by the University of Mary Washington Campus Police or the Fredericksburg Police Department to have committed acts of extreme violence against members of the UMW community or pose a large threat to that community, when names are released to the public. The Blue & Gray Press will publish names and write articles about criminal acts on a case-by-case basis according to the aforementioned parameters. The information was compiled with assistance from UMW Police Manager James DeLoatch and Fredericksburg Police Department Public Information Officer Sarah Kirkpatrick.

Thursday, February 9, 2017

NEWS

Students talk about mental illness, hip-hop and popular culture

DANIELLE HOWARD Staff Writer

During his presentation, James Bland, an assistant director at the James Farmer Multicultural Center, elaborated on his love of hip hop and how the genre helped him to cope with his depression and make sense of the world around him as well as himself. Hosted by the Diversity and Unity Coordinating Committee and the James Farmer Multicultural Center, Hip Hop Saved My Life discussed mental illness and the stigma that surrounds it. The event was hosted with the hope that the campus community would develop a better understanding of their role in limiting the perpetuation of unjust and inequitable practices associated with mental health, and, in turn, become advocates for those who have symptoms or have been diagnosed with mental illness. “Before I had James Baldwin, Malcolm X or Martin Luther King Jr. as a conceptual framework to understand my blackness- I had 2Pac, Biggie, Lauryn Hill, and who I believe to be the greatest rapper of all time, Andre 3000,” said. Alongside Bland, Dr. Laura Mentore, a professor in the Department of Anthropology, spoke from her perspective as an anthropologist and applied her expertise to the misunderstandings that may cause stigma to arise. “It may be that because of the way that society operates that the need for an out-group to be labeled as deviant has fallen to those with mental illness,” she said, “that they are viewed as non-conforming members of society.” Mentore continued by relaying that the idea of mental illness is viewed differently based upon cultural and societal standards and influences. “This was an enlightening experience that bridged anthropological theo-

ry together with something as relatable as hip hop and popular culture,” mentioned Zaire Sprowal, a senior physics major and member of the DUCC. Both lecturers focused intently on the varying degrees to how stigma against mental illness adversely affects those diagnosed more than the actual symptoms themselves. “It is the reaction and response that people have towards those exhibiting symptoms that can prohibit understanding and growth,” Mentore said. Eventually both lecturers stated that it is possible that because hip hop is seen as a form of expression and a creative coping mechanism, its influence can also be tied to the way that hip hop rose as a genre that was mainly for rebelling against the standard. Even today, hip hop is viewed as one of the more “deviant” genres of music. “I loved how reaffirming and relatable the information shared was,” said senior biology major Eugene Darfour. “As a fan of hip hop who views the genre as being positive and creative, it was nice to see it from an anthropological viewpoint and see how the two seemingly different subjects corresponded well together.” “This was an amazing event,” said senior double major in sociology and women’s and gender studies Mariam Khan and fellow member of the DUCC “It really helped me to understand my own frustration with why it’s difficult to talk about mental health in my community. It was also important to see the role that the society we live in plays into this stigmatization of mental health.” Both Bland and Mentore urged audience members to expand and broaden their understanding of the subject, whether that meant listening to more Kendrick Lamar or reading more of Michel Foucault’s writings so that they, too, could better fight against stigma of mental health.

UMW Multi Center on Twitter

CORRECTIONS for THE Week PLEASE REPORT ANY MISTAKES SEEN IN THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS TO Chris Markham, blueandgray.eic@gmail.com or Sushma Subramanian, ssubrama@umw.edu In last week’s issue the piece titled, “UMW’s swimming success creates rivalries in CAC,” misspelled a sources name. The source’s name should read Abby Brethauer, UMW’s swim caoch. In last week’s issue the piece titled, “Reporters recount personal stories” had an incorrectly labeled jump tag. The tag read “Honor Society” when it should have read “Media Panel.”

•ANSWERS | 2

Ester Salguero / The Blue & Gray Press

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Ester Salguero / The Blue & Gray Press This maze was produced using the free online generator from “The Teacher’s Corner.” The online tool works by adjusting the amount of columns and rows to generate a unique square maze every time.

SPORTS

Editor: Mikey Barnes | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

Super Bowl LI proves to be one of the greatest of all time

Bryan Wright/Flickr

34 RYAN BRAUCH Staff Writer

Heading into their first Super Bowl appearance since 1999, the Atlanta Falcons had been dubbed as underdogs from the moment the Super Bowl matchup was set. Although they were not favored, the Falcons remained optimistic, as they entered only their second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. One major concern for Falcons’ head coach Dan Quinn, was making sure his defense was able to shut down the Patriots’ elite offense. Defense was not a problem for either team in the first quarter, as both teams went scoreless. This made it the eighth game in Super Bowl history in which neither teamed scored in the initial quarter. Later in the second quarter, the Falcons were able to strike quickly and efficiently twice, giving them a 14-0 lead. Unlike the Patriots, the Falcons’ defense did not falter and stayed aggressive. After the offense scored twice, the Atlanta defense decided they would have turn, as cornerback Robert Alford picked off Tom Brady then proceeded to run it into the endzone. After a lackluster first half, New England finally put points on the board with a late field goal from Stephen Gostkowski in the last few seconds of the half. Following an utterly dominant defensive performance and an 18-point halftime lead, the Falcons must have felt fairly confident. However, as many coaches commonly preach, “you have to play the full 60 minutes,” which is the exact opposite of what Atlanta did following halftime. As Dan Quinn watched his offense completely shut down, Tom Brady began his epic comeback. Once Matt Ryan led the Falcons down the field for a touchdown with eight minutes remaining in the third quarter, Atlanta did not score for the rest of the game. With a 28-3 lead, Matt Ryan and the Falcons were comfortable with only a quarter and a half left in the game. Little did Quinn’s Falcons know, they were about to allow the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. For the remainder of the game, Atlanta’s offense did little to nothing. Towards the end of the third quarter, things were looking bleak for the Patriots, even after James White found the endzone for a touchdown, which was then followed by Gostkowski missing the extra point attempt. Heading into the fourth

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Patriots fans get last laugh as doubters are left in shock

Atlantafalcons.com

quarter, down by 19 points, it looked almost impossible for the Patriots to come back and win, but Bill Belichick had other plans. While keeping the Falcons’ offense quiet, the New England defense provided more opportunities for Tom Brady. Gostkowski later redeemed himself, nailing a crucial field goal that nearly went wide right. With eight minutes left in the game, the Patriots were able to force a necessary fumble, in which they recovered it. This turnover enabled Brady to lead the team down field to find Danny Amendola for a sneaky touchdown with under six minutes left, followed by a clutch two-point conversion by James White. As the game clock came closer and closer to zero, the only thing Matt Ryan and the Falcons needed to do was run the clock. Unfortunately for Dan Quinn, Trey Flowers negated Atlanta’s poor attempt to run the clock out with a forceful sack, forcing Atlanta to punt. Starting on their own four-yard line, the Patriots needed a miracle to come back and that is exactly what they got. Brady flung pass after pass, nearly getting intercepted twice. Finally, James White found his way to the endzone again, which was followed by another amazing two-point conversion. Through the span of a quarter, New England was able to erase a huge deficit to send the game into the first overtime of Super Bowl history. After winning the coin toss, Brady led the team to the red zone fairly easily as James White capped off the best comeback of Super Bowl history by getting his third touchdown of the night. The Falcons’ relaxed and overconfident play style in the second half led to their devastating demise. There was little to no urgency on the offensive side of the ball, which gave the Patriots numerous opportunities to decrease the looming deficit. Following an embarrassing loss and losing their offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan to the San Francisco 49er’s, the Falcons will quietly prepare to attempt to reach the Super Bowl again, in the shadows of New England’s celebrations.

Ben Tauteoli/Flickr

ETHAN TOBIN Online Editor

Things did not go well for the New England Patriots early on in Super Bowl LI. Their first four drives included three punts, two Tom Brady sacks, and one fumble. The end of the first quarter marked the first time in 32 consecutive quarters that the Patriots had not scored. Then late in the second quarter, with a promising drive and signs of Patriot life, Brady threw an interception that was returned 82 yards for the touchdown. Heading into halftime, the score stood 21-3 Atlanta Falcons. Pacing around my apartment, I struggled to accept the reality of the situation. One friend, who was among the majority of Falcons supporters watching the game with me, turned my way and jokingly offered his sympathy in reassuring me that there was still time for a New England Patriots comeback. While understanding both his subtle sarcasm and the odds of an actual comeback, I thought to myself if any team can comeback in this situation, the Patriots could do it. Heading into the third quarter, my mentality remained optimistic. There was plenty of time left on the clock yet the Patriots’ sense of urgency was seemingly absent. While the two teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, the Patriot deficit remained unfavorable. At the end of the third quarter, the Falcons lead stood at 28-9. After a Gostkowski field goal midway through the fourth quarter, that deficit only slightly decreased to 28-12 Falcons. But with nine minutes to go, everything changed. With 8:31 remaining on the clock, the Patriots got a sack-fumble, a touchdown and a two-point conversion. The scoreboard showed 28-20 Falcons and suddenly a disappointing Super Bowl LI performance turned into a one-score game. With newfound hope that the Patriots could in fact comeback, which would be the largest in NFL Super Bowl comeback and the largest of Brady’s career, my patience was

at last rewarded with 2:28 showing on the clock. Julian Edelman’s catch before the two-minute warning was nothing short of a miracle. There was no denying that Edelman’s catch filled me with a sense of entitlement, that his catch, was the least Patriot fans deserved after experiencing David Tyree’s infamous ‘helmet catch’ in 2008. Now with the scoreboard showing 28-28, a Super Bowl victory was in sight. Still in disbelieve, I sat quietly in my chair trying to make sense of what had transpired. The Patriots, now all tied up and receiving the ball at the start of OT, could defy all odds and win. 3:42 into OT and following a 73-yard drive, the Falcons are called for defensive pass interference. The line of scrimmage is now on the two yard-line. With a room full of Falcons fans still in disbelief, I remain quiet in my seat. With thoughts of Super Bowl XLIX in my mind, an ending in which Malcom Butler picked off Russell Wilson in a similar situation, Brady hands the ball off to James White. With 11:02 remaining in overtime, a James White two-yard touchdown run solidified the New England Patriot Super Bowl victory. Dropping to the floor in disbelief, I couldn’t help myself but cry with joy. In my 22 years and having had experienced four previous Super Bowls, this Super Bowl victory was without a doubt the sweetest of them all. Being a New England Patriots fan is not as easy as it looks. Having to constantly defend your team can be exhausting. But Sunday night’s Super Bowl LI victory proved once again how rewarding it can be to don New England red, white and blue. Several days later and still trying to process what I had witnessed, I recalled a Bill Belichick post-game comment that proved to resonate with me the most in the moments following the game. Belichick best summed up the New England Patriot mentality. He said “Because of the playoffs and the Super Bowl, we’re already five weeks behind every other team in preparation for the 2017 season.”