The Blue & Gray Press

THE

The University of Mary Washington Student Newspaper

BLUE & GRAY PRESS VOLUME 95 | ISSUE 1

SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Serving the community since 1922

Freshmen face challenges moving into newly-renovated Virginia Hall

Abigail slaughter Staff Writer

The university welcomed freshmen into Virginia Hall on Aug. 18 after the completion of its two-year renovation.

The residence hall has updated technology and is the first building on campus to use EagleOne entry for dorm rooms instead of keys, but some have not been working correctly.

Freshman Merna Mousa and her roommate, freshman Deanna Fortney, have had to use a traditional brass key

“I feel like if they do fix it, I’ll be so afraid to go without my actual key just in case it doesn’t work.”

-Deanna Fortney

Some freshmen Virginia Hall residents have experienced problems with the building’s new technology.

Emily Warren / The Blue & Gray Press

instead of their EagleOnes to enter their room.

Mousa was once locked out at 2 a.m. because the sensor would not unlock her door.

“I feel like if they do fix it, I’ll be so afraid to go without my actual key just in case it doesn’t work,” said Fortney.

In addition to a faulty door sensor, every night between approximately 2 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. without fail, their overhead

light turns on and wakes them up.

The hall’s approximately 180 firstyear students moved into the second oldest residence hall on campus and were welcomed by both the building’s historic brick façade and brand-new interior.

Mousa is part of the first class of students to be back living in the historic building.

“I like how the rooms are really big here,” said Mousa. “There’s a lot of space.”

The building has been completely renovated for UMW’s 2021 freshman class and beyond. Virginia Hall is equipped with new technology and new perks. Each individual room has its own hidden heating and cooling unit, and the building has new hangout spaces and an updated kitchen, among other improvements.

Virginia Hall also now has keylessentry, meaning that students enter all doors—including the doors leading into

their rooms—with their EagleOnes.

This residence hall is the first building on campus to see this technology, which caught the attention of other students.

Jules Yerovi, a senior environmental science major, lived on the third floor of Virginia Hall during the 2018-2019 academic year, long before keyless entry had existed anywhere on campus.

“I guess it’s kinda easy; you don’t have to print keys for people,” said Yerovi.

“You just give them access. New buildings equal better security, usually.”

Sam Biggers, a 2016 UMW alum and historic preservation major, was the project engineer for Kjellstrom & Lee Construction, a general contractor based in the state of Virginia who led the renovation of Virginia Hall over the last two years.

According to Biggers, keyless entry is difficult to do from a technical standpoint, but he thinks keyless entry will be implemented in other buildings on campus in the future as other renovations happen.

“It sounds like that’s the way things are moving, probably not just on this campus but on other campuses too,” said Biggers.

In order to keep the historic look of the dorm’s façade, Biggers had to consider which elements of the original building to keep intact.

“This renovation was unique in a lot of ways because it •VIRGINIA| 7

Steam tunnel construction to conclude in October MASON GODEK Staff Writer

The University of Mary Washington entered a contract with Athena Construction over the summer of 2021 to begin the renovation of campus steam, water and sanitary tunnels. The construction is ongoing and will not be completed until October.

Anna Billingsley, associate vice president of University Relations, spoke on the purpose of the renovations and how long they will continue.

“This phase of construction, including steam, water and sanitary sewer renovations, will wrap up during October,” she said. These renovations aim to provide several benefits to the overall energy and environmental infrastructure of the University.

The last but current renovation is located outside of Woodard Hall.

These steam line systems use a separate fuel source such as coal, gas or oil to generate steam.

The steam then is used to heat up buildings or used to generate hot water.

“The steam work will improve delivery to campus buildings for heat and hot water, saving energy

IN THIS

ISSUE

costs by improving insulation and eliminating leaks,” said Billingsley.

Older steam pipes, like those currently under renovation at UMW, do not recycle their steam.

However, with the addition of modern steam line technology, the heat is recycled and leads to less overall pollution.

In addition, steam lines are also being replaced outside of Woodard Hall with renovations also being performed on the university’s sanitary system.

“Sanitary sewer work eliminates system leaks providing a general environmental improvement,” said Billingsley.

UMW decided to make these renovations due to the older, varying ages of these steam lines.

“The oldest sections date from the 1950s. The most recent renovation was completed in 1998,” said Billingsley.

The first phase of summer construction aimed to repair the water lines that range from Jefferson Hall to Lee Hall.

“Water service is improved by replacing calcified interiors with clean pipe, providing increased volume,” said Billingsley.

Secondly, UMW began

steam line renovations outside of Mason and Randolph halls, replacing several steam lines that were considered outdated.

The construction company then renovated other steam lines outside of Westmoreland, Ball and Virginia Halls.

To cut off these areas of current construction, Athena Construction has placed temporary fencing outside of Woodard Hall, closing off the path from Melchers Hall to the seating area located outside of Woodard Hall.

The ADA route has also been temporarily re-routed through Woodard Hall.

The steam tunnel construction disrupts foot traffic outside of Woodard Hall.

Athena Construction is also Annabelle Blake / The Blue & Gray Press required to provide appropriate science major Justin Mundie. “I area by Woodard just becomes signage for both directions of wish they could finish everything so congested after classes let out. temporary routing. The contractor in the summer and leave it off It raises COVID concerns due to has also included a wooden campus during the semester how close in proximity everyone ramp that lies over steam line but I understand if they need to is.” construction. renovate now.”

The construction outside of With the addition of Other students worry about the Woodard will be complete by construction on campus this year, congestion of people caused by October 2021. “The next phase some students expressed how the construction. will begin in May 2022,” said they felt about the temporary “I definitely have some Billingsley. construction and its impact on concerns about the way they Shannon Kehoe contributed to daily life. have set up the campus walk reporting for this article.

“The construction on campus because of the construction,” definitely hurts the scenery a said junior computer science little bit,” said junior computer major Benjamin Steele. “The

TEXTBOOK PRICES

BLACK WIDOW

paralympic swim

UMW should cap textbook costs per semester.

Marvel releases movie following COVID delays.

Joey Peppersack competes in the 100-meter backstroke.

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LIFE | 4

SPORTS | 8

NEWS THE

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 Jess Kirby

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Bernadette D’Auria Cosima Pellis

BUSINESS EDITOR

Editors: Josephine Johnson & Scotti Mullen | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

Phishing scams consistently increase in number each year shawn fleetwood Staff Writer

What started out as a typical day for junior Jess Kirby soon devolved into a moment of worry. Upon checking her phone, the communication and digital studies and sociology double major noticed that, in addition to her daily COVID survey, there was a strange email sitting in her inbox.

“I saw this email that said, ‘emergency, your account has been locked,’” she said. “So, I clicked on the link that they had provided, and it said to enter your email and password.”

After soon realizing that the email was a scam, Kirby quickly exited out of the webpage without entering any personal information. Not long after, she received an email from the university’s Information Technologies (IT) department that warned students to be wary of phishing emails being sent to students.

“They sent an email telling us that there’s a phishing scam going around and to not click on it and, if you do click on it, email this person,” she said.

“I did and they just said ‘okay, just change your password.’ So, I did, and everything was fine.”

The issue of phishing emails being

Erin Matuczinski

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Scotti Mullen Josephine Johnson

VIEWPOINTS Norah Walsh

LIFE Josephine Good

SPORTS Victoria Percherke

ONLINE Cameron Delean Maggie Mae Young

PHOTO Emily Warren

FACULTY ADVISOR Sushma Subramanian

“They see college students as an easy target for these types of scams... The increase in phishing emails has gone up every year” -Mike Townes sent to students is not a new or recent problem. For years, scammers have been attempting to get UMW students to forfeit personal and financial information. According to Mike Townes, the director of Information Technology and Security, roughly 30 percent of all students fall victim to these various scams, with the number of reported cases increasing year after year.

“They see college students as an easy target for these types of scams,” he said.” The increase in phishing emails has been constantly going up every year.”

Townes also notes that scammers largely target students’ financial vulnerabilities by incorporating parttime job offers as a core component of their messaging style.

“We see a really big uptick when students are looking for part-time jobs,” he said. “[Students] get flooded with a lot of that and a lot of students end up falling for it. Basically, when they go to contact a so-called ‘potential employer,’ they come to find out that these guys are asking for some personal information.

And that’s how they really get you.”

The continuing sophistication of phishing emails, however, has remained a challenge. According to Townes, scammers have gotten skillful in crafting believable emails.

Approximately 30 percent of students fall for phishing scams.

“Scammers are really good at taking the school logo information and building it into their email contact so that it looks like it’s coming from the university,” he said. “Sometimes it’s kind of hard to identify. When we do see those types of emails, we will read the content and see some of the grammatical errors they have in the email.”

While IT routinely sends out warning emails to students about circulating phishing scams, the only form of cyber training offered to students by the university is a technology security overview presented at orientation.

“One of the very first items we talk about with incoming students is email,” said Britni Greenleaf, the coordinator of New Student Programs at UMW. “When students get their email, IT provides them with information about phishing/ warnings/tips.” University faculty, on the other hand, undergo security awareness training at the beginning of every school year as required by Virginia state law.

However, there have been ongoing discussions among UMW administration members about potentially incorporating some type of official cyber training program for students.

“Online security training for students, like what faculty and staff are required to complete annually, has been discussed, but is not yet available to students,” said Hall Cheshire, the university’s chief information officer.

“Some of the factors considered include whether the training would be optional or required, if optional, how many students would take the time to complete the training, if required, what the consequences would be for noncompliance, how often should students take the training and the cost of the training.”

Cheshire estimates that the implementation of such a program would cost the university upwards of $12,000 a year.

Virginia universities that have implemented varying forms of cyber security training and for students have seen great success, with very few reported cases of students falling victim to phishing scams.

“We have an annual IT security training that all students, staff and

Mika Baumeister / Unsplash

faculty take online, and we also regularly provide reminders via social media and our website,” said Alex Henson, the chief information officer at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). “We believe our awareness and training efforts have had positive results.

For the past five years we’ve seen a very low number of compromised accounts and successful attempts to defraud our community members.”

Virginia Tech (VT), where students partake in a cybersecurity module as part of orientation similar to UMW’s, has seen comparable results to that VCU. “My guess is that [the percentage of students who fall victim to phishing scams] is less than 0.1% of the students,” said Scott Midkiff, the vice president for Information Technology and chief information officer at VT. “This is assuming that, of the students who fall for a scam, only a few formally report it to our IT Security Office.”

However, the efficacy of security awareness training still remains up in the air. According to a 2019 study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, there was “insignificant improvement in reducing phishing susceptibility by incorporating classroom training.” In addition to instructor-led classroom training, a multiple approach videogame and a text-based training package were also integrated into the instruction sessions.

Meanwhile, a 2020 study conducted

by KnowBe4, a security awareness training platform, found that after 12 months of continuous testing and security awareness training, susceptibility to phishing scams decreased dramatically.

Whether UMW ultimately decides to implement such training for students remains to be seen. However, many UMW students seem to already be picking up on how scammers operate, as well as being able to identify scams when they see them.

“I became aware of phishing tactics just by seeing how many of these scams have poor grammar and spelling,” said senior and business major Brendan Mayer. “Many of them are also really informal, with no proper emails or links to socials, so I’ve gotten really good at identifying them.”

CORRECTIONS for THE Week PLEASE REPORT ANY MISTAKES SEEN IN THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS TO Jess Kirby, blueandgray.eic@gmail.com or Sushma Subramanian, ssubrama@umw.edu

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Editor: Norah Walsh | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

Textbook prices should be capped

ANNE SMITH Staff Writer

The exorbitant costs of textbooks are getting tiresome for students experiencing limited funds, with no apparent resolution in sight. UMW should place a limit on how much money students are required to spend on textbooks per semester.

“The frustration of buying textbooks is sometimes overwhelming,” said Abby Zurfluh, a junior historic preservation and geography major. “They are so expensive and sometimes you don’t use them more than a couple times, which you don’t always know when you’re buying or renting, so it can feel like a giant waste of limited funds. But you also feel like you need these books to pass your class.”

For the past several decades, the world of college education has been incumbent on expensive textbooks being an essential part of the educational experience. This adds to the financial struggle, which has a plethora of consequences for college students.

Additionally, sometimes students who are reliant on the disbursement of their financial aid loans to cover the costs of the textbooks do not receive said loans until a week or two after they need to start referring to the text, which poses an issue.

The fact that Mary Washington has a bookstore on campus doesn’t guarantee lower prices when attaining the required textbooks. In fact, some students are more inclined to renting or buying from websites such as Chegg and Amazon, which can sometimes offer lower prices. Even if a student is able to attain a textbook on one of these cheaper sites, after confirming they will need the textbook for the course, it can take a long time to get into the hands of

the student.

Buying or renting textbooks has become a pillar of college education, and it appears there is no absolute solution to getting out of that any time soon. Textbooks can be seen as a helpful tool to cover educational bases that professors cannot cover in class due to time limitations. This is because textbooks serve the purpose of providing not only the students but also the professors with an assembly of relevant information relating back to the topics being taught in the class. However, the question still remains: does this information need to be delivered

The UMW bookstore sells textbooks to students, but online sites may offer cheaper pricces.

Julia Nassau / The Blue & Gray Press

via a $100 textbook that students will only read a percentage of? The weight of this issue seemingly stems from the expectation that textbooks are the main resource that provides students with vital information to achieve exhaustive learning. This

Students need more time between classes MADELINE ICE Staff Writer

There is not enough time between classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for students to make it to their next class on time. The distance between buildings on campus can be up to a half-mile, therefore students should be given a minimum of 30 minutes between classes. The option for students to create a schedule where they have ample time between classes does not exist when so many courses offer only one section.

According to Openfit.com, it takes the average 20-year-old 20 minutes to walk one mile at a moderate pace. The UMW campus is about a mile long, and the distance between the farthest apart academic buildings, Jepson and Combs, is 0.6 miles.

As a sophomore, this is my first semester on campus, and I am just beginning to find my way around. I have three classes back to back on MWF, and I barely make it before my teachers shut the door. I go from Combs Hall to the Jepson Science Center, and then back to Combs before returning to my room in Eagle Landing.

The total distance I walked on my first day was over five miles.

I like to believe that I am fairly athletic; I am on the swim team here at UMW, and I ran cross country for four years in high school. However, it is nearly impossible for me to make it over a half mile distance in the allotted time, especially when my teachers run class even a minute long.

Sophomore studio art major Sarah Yowell said she “definitely gets a workout from running across campus.

It’s stressful, especially if the professor ends class late.”

Some students have given up entirely on making it to class on time.

“The commute from the Jepson [Science] Center to Combs [Hall] is so stressful,” said sophomore education major Abby Reilly. “Ten minutes is just not enough.

Whether your teacher lets you out late, or the specific door you need to the building is closed, every minute matters. While I know I have every right to stand up and leave when the class time ends, it feels rude to stand up while my professor is speaking and walk out the door.”

Thursday, September 2, 2021

Going into this semester, I knew that making it to classes would be a challenge, so I planned on riding my bike. On the very first day, I attempted to ride my bike, but between dodging pedestrians and wrestling with my bike lock, it took almost as long as walking.

During that first day and in the days that followed, I found myself thinking only about how I was going to get to my next class on time. I barely remember what was covered in those first few classes because I was so stressed about my commute and being marked late for my next class.

Students rush to class with only 10 minutes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Element5 Digital / Unsplash

In addition to the sore legs I earned from speed walking across campus, I also became severely dehydrated and hungry. My haste to make it to class left me without time to eat, drink, or go to the bathroom between classes. Additionally, due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we are unable to eat or drink in class. For three hours, I was simply racing to class, sitting in a chair for just long enough to recover before doing it all again.

It is hard to believe that I had more time between classes when I was sitting at home in front of a computer than I do now that I am on campus. By adding more time between Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes, UMW will help lower students’ stress and improve their concentration in class.

makes it almost impossible to provide students with the option to opt out of making expensive purchases.

When students are making financial preparations for the upcoming academic year, UMW also provides an estimation of what the student will most likely spend a year on textbooks, which can vary by major.

According to the UMW Financial Aid Website’s estimated cost of attendance in 2021-22, it would cost a full-time student $1,200 for the whole academic year for books and supplies, which breaks down into $600 per semester. This can be seen as an average for students at the University of Mary Washington, not factoring in the student’s major.

“This semester I spent around $400 on books for five classes,” Zurfluh said.

The University of Mary Washington is not alone in this. An article released by US News and World Report in August of 2021 said that “the average fulltime, on-campus undergraduate at a four-year school is estimated to have spent $1,240 on books and supplies during the 2020-2021 academic year.”

There doesn’t appear to be any evidence that the University of Mary Washington places a cap on how much a student can spend on textbooks in an academic year. However, some professors, such as assistant professor Melissa Wells in the College of Education, was awarded a $10,000 grant back in March of 2020 to be able to design an Open Education Resources textbook through the Virtual Library of Virginia, which is a “consortium of nonprofit academic libraries within the Commonwealth.” Free or cheaper online resources such as this could be a possible solution to the financial challenge facing many students in the future.

t

Staff Ed: Cautiously entering a new normal THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

Only two weeks into classes, the University of Mary Washington has already had 24 cumulative cases and currently has 20 active cases of COVID-19, according to the dashboard. Even this is an alarming number considering that masks are required in class, and, as we were informed in President Paino’s email sent on August 23, over 90% of students and employees are vaccinated.

Although classes are back in person and more activities are possible with such a high vaccination rate, it is still so important to continue taking precautions against COVID-19. The staff of The Blue & Gray Press urges our fellow students to continue masking and distancing in class when possible, as well as being mindful of their activities off campus.

The delta variant is currently the dominant COVID-19 strain in the U.S., according to the CDC. This variant is over two times more contagious than others, and though unvaccinated people are of course at the highest risk for contraction, fully vaccinated people can both catch and spread this strain of the virus. This creates a necessity for precautions even though most of us students are vaccinated.

Another factor that necessitates safety is the presence of immunocompromised students, professors and other staff members on campus. It is of the utmost importance to extend compassion to these individuals, as those of us who are not immunocompromised cannot begin to understand the fear that they face while living through a pandemic.

To learn more about this perspective, take a look at the personal essay in the life section entitled “Personal Essay: Pandemic isn’t over for the immunocompromised.”

Everyone wants to go back to normal, especially when UMW was such an active, bustling, friendly campus before the pandemic. It’s important to appreciate the steps we are taking towards normalcy and the opportunity to once again attend in-person classes while still actively taking safety precautions to protect our vulnerable community members.

Our staff hopes everyone has a blast being back on campus but stays mindful of the new dangers coming with the dominance of the delta variant.

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LIFE

Editor: Josephine Good | blueandgray.life@gmail.com

Marvel Studios makes first theater debut since COVID

SHAWN FLEETWOOD Staff Writer

Following a year of setbacks and delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marvel Studios finally returned to movie theaters across the country this summer with the much-anticipated release of its latest film, “Black Widow.”

The Black Widow movie poster.

Marvel Studios / IMDB.com

Directed by Cate Shortland, the movie reflects the style of an old-school spy thriller with exciting and suspenseful action sequences that leave the audience holding their collective breaths. In addition to the classic, witty humor that encompasses Marvel films, the feature symbolizes a strong debut for “Phase Four” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Set after the events of “Captain America: Civil War,” fans find Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) on the run as she attempts to evade U.S. government forces following her siding with Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) in “Civil War.” While managing to avoid capture, Romanoff is unexpectedly forced to grapple with the shadows of her past, which includes reuniting with her childhood stunt family comprised of “sister” Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), “mother” Melina

Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz) and “father” Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour). With her pseudo family at her side, Romanoff fights to take down evil Russian boss Dreykov (Ray Winstone) and his Red Room espionage program once and for all.

A primary aspect of the film that I thought was incredibly well done was the exploration of Romanoff’s early beginnings, providing fans with a look into her past work as a Black Widow assassin working for Dreykov.

Throughout much of the MCU, Romanoff’s backstory has been shrouded in secrecy, with the subject only receiving short sporadic references over the course of several film appearances. In “Black Widow,” however, the heroine’s past finally gets the limelight, as the film adequately details the important moments that allowed her to grow into the Avenger she is.

Moreover, one of the most important themes pervasive throughout the film is the significance of family. In order to defeat Dreykov, Romanoff must first heal the broken ties of her stunt family. Even as she repeatedly tries to talk herself into believing that her first “family” was nothing but a facade, Romanoff can’t deny the love and affinity she developed for them throughout her youth. Ultimately, it is this understanding that eventually assists her in healing the fractures of both her stunt and Avengers families.

While Johansson’s performance was excellent as usual, the true breakout star of the film was hands down Florence Pugh.

Not only did she seamlessly transition into the role of Yelena Belova, but her performance left me hungry for more of her character. Overall, Belova’s arc was much more compelling than that of the leading characters, with her comedic chops and strong emotional appeal giving viewers a new fan favorite to look out for in upcoming MCU projects.

The film did come with several weaknesses, however. Following the events of 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” Marvel fans heading into “Black Widow” were well aware of Natasha Romanoff’s ultimate fate.

Watching “Black Widow” before seeing her sacrificial demise in “Endgame” would have made the emotional impact of her death much more meaningful.

While the film does a great job at further expanding Romanoff’s story and providing her storyline with more meaning, her overarching legacy would have been better

served had the film been made prior to “Endgame.”

Furthermore, I was not fond of the way the film handled the character of Taskmaster.

In “Black Widow,” the film’s creative team completely rewrote the villain with an entirely different backstory from what we see in the Marvel comic books, replacing the man from the comics with a woman in the role of Dreykov’s daughter. While I don’t have a problem with the MCU altering certain characteristics of characters and storylines in their cinematic adaptations, to completely disregard Taskmaster’s comic origins feels like a disservice to the original writers who spent years establishing the character on the written page.

Marvel Studios makes their movie theater debut after numerous delays.

Marvel Studios / IMDB.com

Overall, “Black Widow” is an actionpacked spy thriller that makes for a thrilling return to the big screen for Marvel Studios.

In many ways, the film marks a passing of the Black Widow mantle from Johansson to Pugh, setting up an exciting future for the character of Yelena Belova. While an earlier release would have provided more emotional weight to Romanoff’s final actions in the last Avengers installment, the movie does a terrific job at giving the heroine the solo film she has so long deserved.

COVID-19 DASHBOARD

24

129

6

Total cases since Aug. 31, 2021

Total tests administered Aug. 27-Sep. 2

Positive student health center test

Active cases

Positive tests returned Aug. 27-Sep. 2

Isolation spaces available

7-day average cases per day

Student health center tests

Quarantine spaces available

20

2.71

4

6

65

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LIFE

Personal Essay: Pandemic isn’t over for the immunocompromised

JOSEPHINE JOHNSON News Editor

It is completely reasonable that college students are excited to be vaccinated and experience the world going back to how it was before. When I got to campus and witnessed how the previous year’s MMDC rules had eased up, I was excited too.

But then, not even a week had passed by before COVID cases were already popping up, especially with the Delta variant. As an immunocompromised student, this has been especially worrying.

On my third day of classes, I got my first exposure notification. The email told me not to panic and that since I was vaccinated I wouldn’t have to quarantine or be tested. But if I wanted a free COVID test at school, I had to wait until Monday, five days after my possible exposure. And I couldn’t schedule a rapid test at the CVS Pharmacy down the street until Tuesday. For those five days I was stuck in my apartment waiting, it was nervewracking. Every hour that passed I thought about everyone I had seen in the past few days and wished that I could let them know if I was positive. Especially now that restrictions have eased up so much, I wish COVID testing on campus was more readily available.

“COVID has a high survival rate” or “it doesn’t affect anyone our age” are a couple of examples of what I hear when I express my concerns to others. Oftentimes, whether intentional or not, immunocompromised individuals are left out of the conversation.

Being immunocompromised is different for everyone. For me, it means my symptoms may be more severe or take longer to recover

from. I’ve known about my chronic illness since I was around 13. When I got colds or the flu every so often I noticed my symptoms could be worse than what I’ve heard the other kids talking about. I thought I was just being dramatic at the time.

The chronic illnesses and disabilities that can make someone immunocompromised are often invisible, thus easily overlooked. In the past, I’ve had people talk to me as if I’m as healthy as they are. I will never forget when I saw someone my age refer to COVID-19 as “survival of the fittest.”

COVID fears continue as students return to cammpus.

Anshu A / Unsplash

My own experiences have made me more empathetic towards other immunocompromised individuals. We don’t

get to go back to “normal” after getting vaccinated. I take no risks when it comes to COVID-19. I plan to quarantine until the soonest possible COVID test after every exposure I have. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to get the vaccine, as it lowers my chances of contracting COVID and developing symptoms. However, the symptoms I may still get can be debilitating. This is a health concern as well as a concern for my performance in my classes. I already miss a fair amount of classes due to chronic illness, and I’d hate to miss more because of something that could have been avoided if I and others around me had been more careful.

After my exposure, a few of my friends were still willing to see me even before I’d been tested, which is something I cannot understand. Do they not know the risks?

Is it really that easy to be born in a healthy body, not having to worry anymore because the vaccine will stop your symptoms? Or do they not have ill people in their lives to worry about?

I have had COVID before, and I was lucky that it wasn’t worse. I caught it from my mom, who is still suffering the long-term effects in her lungs and loss of taste and smell.

Yes, I have survived COVID once, but I feel it’s unfair to be expected to survive it again just so those who aren’t as affected can get back to their normal lives and forget about the immunocompromised.

Please take precautions, wear your mask correctly and stay home if you’re feeling symptoms. I’m asking not only for myself, but for every other immunocompromised student or faculty member at UMW and for their families and friends.

A review of the Mason Dixon Cafe in Fredericksburg JACKSON HANDLEY Staff Writer

Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting the Mason Dixon Cafe with some friends of mine, and I have to say it was an enjoyable visit that I will not forget. From my friends making fun of me for ordering pink lemonade, to the delicious chicken and waffles at the restaurant, it was a fantastic experience.

While I have known about Mason Dixon Cafe for a couple of years, I never actually went to eat at the restaurant even despite the good things I had heard about it from family and friends. I honestly thought it was just an overly hyped-up place that only families ate at, and as a result, I never dined there. However, I was happily proven wrong after visiting the restaurant myself.

The Mason Dixon Cafe located on Princess Anne Street.

Emily Warren / The Blue & Gray Press

Mason Dixon cafe is located at 2100 Princess Anne St., which is about a 20-minute walk from the University of Mary Washington campus.

However, I would recommend driving or riding a bike if possible. Typically, a 20-minute walk isn’t too far, but after eating a big meal I would not recommend attempting to walk back to Thursday, September 2, 2021

campus, especially on a hot summer day.

When I entered Mason Dixon Cafe, the size of the restaurant was more prominent on the inside than I expected. The overall atmosphere of the restaurant was fantastic and cozy. However, one of the things that I first noticed about the restaurant was not the decor or layout, but one of the patrons. The patron in question was a small dog sitting outside, basking happily in the sun. While my friends and I were already planning on eating outside, once we saw the dog we knew we had to dine outside so we could enjoy our meal along with the canine.

Once settled down at our table, we ordered drinks and started looking over the menu.

However, before I could even look over the menu and figure out what to order, my “friends” started making fun of me for ordering pink lemonade. According to them, ordering pink lemonade for breakfast at 10 a.m. is unacceptable and I should be mocked for it, but it is acceptable to drink Coke while eating pancakes. Regardless of my friends’ opinions on drink choices, my lemonade was delicious, refreshing and went well with my meal.

When I first looked at the menu, it felt somewhat overwhelming considering how many different options there were to choose from.

Eventually, I settled upon the chicken and waffles for my meal. I was torn between this and the western omelet, but after seeing another patron’s order of chicken and waffles, I ultimately decided to order it.

The food came surprisingly quickly, clocking in at around 15 minutes. This was a pleasant surprise seeing as the restaurant was busy that morning, but who am I to complain about fast service? I was given one sizable Belgian-style waffle that served as the base of the dish and was cooked to perfection, having a slight crunch on the outside and a soft, airy consistency on the inside. The cook had placed two pieces of fried chicken directly on top of the waffle,

which tasted like the chicken that my grandmother used to cook for us when we visited her in West Virginia. The dish also came with delicious, smooth maple syrup that had pieces of bacon infused in it. While I would usually avoid syrup with any additional flavors added to it, this was a delicious addition to my meal and I am glad I tried it.

The menu offers many affordable, tasty options.

Emily Warren / The Blue & Gray Press

It took my friends and me about 20 minutes to eat our meals and, when it came time to pay, I realized that the price of my meal was superb for the quality and portion of food that I received. My bill came to around 15 dollars, and while it was more expensive than a typical breakfast, it was a significantly better overall experience, and it provided me with the opportunity to spend time with friends. If you are looking for a new restaurant to eat at, whether it’s alone, with some friends, or even a random dog, I would strongly recommend checking out Mason Dixon Cafe. With an extensive menu and high-quality food, there is something for everyone, making this eatery a smash hit for any UMW student.

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NEWS

UMW boasts over 90 percent of students and staff vaccinated against COVID-19

Ra’shawn cook staff Writer

More than 90 percent of UMW students and faculty are vaccinated, according to an email sent from University President Troy Paino on Aug. 23. This follows UMW’s vaccine requirement for all students and staff that was announced over the summer.

“While the global pandemic certainly is not over, vaccines have proven to be instrumental in curbing the spread of COVID-19,” said Anna Billingsley, associate vice president of University Relations, in an email on July 13. “Having a highly vaccinated population will allow us to return to a semblance of normalcy on campus. To that end, as you know, we are requiring that each student be vaccinated or submit a waiver (medical, religious, or opt-out).”

Students without proof of vaccination or a valid exemption by Aug. 20 were dropped from their classes.

All students who are not fully vaccinated are required to participate in daily attestation and weekly COVID-19 prevalence testing.

Senior biology major Faith St. Clair believes that the UMW administration is doing what it can to keep students safe.

“I think [the mask requirement is] fine because the delta variant is twice as

“I received a violation of the COVID policy very early on when I was not aware of the policy I was violating. I still believe that the policy in place will definitely help to minimize the impact that the delta variant and other variants will have on the university.”

-Drew Rowson

contagious as other variants,” she said. “I believe the school is smart for their decision. Protecting the UMW community is what they are trying to do and I believe their methods are going to be very effective. Especially with their masking rule.”

Regardless of vaccination status, UMW is requiring everyone to wear masks inside public places during the first few weeks of returning to campus. The only

COVID testing at UMW has already begun as students return to campus.

time students are exempt from wearing one is in their own residence hall room, private offices and when eating and drinking.

Riley Welch, a graduate student working on his master’s in special education, shared his thoughts about masking.

“I like wearing a mask in class because with the rise of the new variant, I feel that it is needed,” he said. “Even though most of the student population is vaccinated, I think it’s great that the university is doing everything

they can to mitigate the risk involved with spreading disease.”

So far, there have been a total of 127 tests conducted and six positive COVID tests returned from the Student Health Center as of Sept. 1.

Freshman Drew Rowson shared his thoughts on the new rules.

“As part of the UMW class of 2025, I’d say the new rules that have been placed on the students here have been fairly effective,” he said.

Earlier this semester, he received a COVID policy

Mufid Majnun / Unsplash

violation for having guests in his room without a mask on.

“I do believe that the rules for specific situations regarding COVID should be explained more thoroughly and clearly,” he said. “I received a violation of the COVID policy very early on when I was not aware of the policy I was violating. I still believe that the policy in place will definitely help to minimize the impact that the delta variant and other variants will have on the university.”

Technology issues affect new Virginia Hall residents with all different ceiling heights and different wood trim around doors and windows, all while trying to keep the historic feel of the building intact.

This Student Ingrid Dizon poses in the updated hallway. meant leaving Emily Warren / The Blue & Gray Press old trim and tried to keep as •VIRGINIA | 1 plaster patched in with the new, all much—it’s what while trying to make where both historic preservationists call original fabric—as possible,” said Biggers.

“I’d say probably one of the “That was a big challenge, but I think it was also a huge success and consistent challenges we had was kept Virginia’s character intact while making our new work—the stuff we updating it at the same time.” put in—match and not stick out like a The dorm was built in three sore thumb with the old stuff,” sections over a period of 20 years, meaning that each of them -Sam Biggers had different construction types. meet as seamless as possible.

Because of discrepancies between “I’d say probably one of the the construction types of these consistent challenges we had was sections, Biggers and the rest of the making our new work—the stuff we Kjellstrom & Lee team had to work

Thursday, September 2, 2021

put in—match and not stick out like a sore thumb with the old stuff,” said Biggers.

The renovation process began in May of 2019 when students moved out and Kjellstrom & Lee did a preliminary investigation to give to the architect and the design team so they could sketch out project drawings. After finishing their investigation, Virginia Hall students of the 2019-2020 academic

year were then moved into Willard Hall during winter break so that the demolition process could begin.

Construction on this dorm began during the month of April 2020, shortly after students were sent home due to the pandemic. According to Biggers, construction was completed on time in August, as the original goal was to have the dorm open for freshmen by the start of the 2021 semester.

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SPORTS

Editor: Victoria R. Percherke | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

Joey Peppersack places at the 2021 Paralympic games On Aug. 26, former University of Mary Peppersack has been putting in countless ARIA JANELLO Staff Writer Washington swimmer Joey Peppersack placed hours of training towards his Paralympic goal seventh in the men’s 100-meter backstroke in the for five years after missing out on the 2016 Rio 2021 Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Summer Paralympic Games.

In the Summer Paralympic Games, athletes with varying Peppersack is already a decorated competitive swimmer on disabilities compete in twenty-two events every four years for their the international stage. In 2017, he won two gold medals and one home country. silver medal at the World Series Para Swimming event in Berlin, To secure his spot, Peppersack traveled to the University of Germany.

Minnesota for the U.S. Paralympic Team Trials, which is the try-out Senior communication and digital studies major James Glover for a committee to put together the best team possible. is a co-president of UMW club swim. While rooting for Joey on Peppersack secured his place on the United States Paralympic campus, he said that the interest in swimming has increased on men’s swimming team, consisting of 10 total selected men. He campus within the past week. left for Tokyo in June after graduating in the spring of 2021 with a “Having swimmers in the Paralympics that are UMW alums degree in business administration. sheds a huge spotlight onto the swim program and the swimmers There are 76 men’s swimming events this year, and Peppersack themselves,” qualified for the 100-meter backstroke. said Glover. “I On Thursday, Aug. 26, Peppersack’s Paralympic journey began am incredibly with the 100-meter backstroke heat race to progress to the final proud to see competition. There were two heats to qualify for the final, with a UMW swimmers total of 11 swimmers competing. Out of the original 11 competing, celebrated on only eight progressed to the final round. a worldwide Peppersack swam the men’s 100-meter backstroke with a time platform like the of 1:09.3, the fifth fastest time between both heats, allowing him to Paralympics.” qualify for the final.

Swimming Peppersack smiling after qualifying for the Paralympic A few hours later for the final event, Peppersack swam 100 alongside Instagram / Joey Peppersack team. meters in 1:09.45, coming in seventh place.

Peppersack for the Although Peppersack did not receive a medal, his dedication United States is former University of Mary Washington assistant swimming and the high achievement of making it to the Paralympics swim coach Zach Shattuck. has been celebrated by his former collegiate community.

Anderson highlighted the importance of providing a supportive “It’s been even more meaningful to see it in person,” said Justin environment for swimmers with disabilities.

Anderson, who is the current head swim head coach for UMW and “I also think it’s great for the Mary Washington community has traveled beside Peppersack to Tokyo, Japan to assist the U.S. to have this incredible exposure to the Paralympic swimming Paralympic Swim Team. movement and to see that our team’s efforts toward creating a more Conrad Tan, a sophomore biology major and member of the inclusive environment for swimmers with disabilities has allowed UMW men’s swim team, highlighted Peppersack’s success. us to become a place where all swimmers know they have the “It’s always amazing watching one of your teammates achieve support, resources, and community behind them to be successful at success at the highest level of the sport,” said Tan. “Especially when the highest levels of their sport as well as outside their sport,” said you have been watching the work they have been putting in for Anderson. years.”

UMW’s equestrian team isn’t horsing around Junior team captain Caitlin Shirvinski The existence of the University of Mary GRACE SCHUMACHER Staff Writer is no stranger to the exciting highs and Washington’s equestrian team hung in the unexpected lows that come along with this balance this past summer following the loss of sport. their host barn. Hazelwild Farm Equestrian Center, the varsity “Finding the right place for us was challenging,” said team’s longtime home base for training and boarding, told UMW it could no longer accommodate the program following their Shirvinski. “We wanted to stay competitive while growing as a decision to financially downsize. team. I feel like we’ve achieved an environment that not only UMW graduate student and new head coach of the equestrian encourages learning but is commanded by an instructor who team Erin Grampp returned to UMW to provide the riding has the experience and knowledge to take the program in a new direction.” program with a new home. Stepping into the role of head coach, Grampp’s coaching and riding experience, as well as her Grampp offered up her self-owned and operated Erin-Kathleen active role within the equestrian community, landed her the role Gramp (EKG) Stables as the team’s new home facility. as head coach.

Grampp graduated from Mary Washington College in 2002.

“I’m thrilled to be chosen to take the reins as the head coach She received her level three certification from the American of the Equestrian team at the University of Mary Washington,” Riding Instructors Association (ARIA) in 2004 and opened EKG said Grampp.

“I rode at Hazelwild during my time on the team.

Stables at Hill Valley Farm in the same year.

When I was an Eagle 20 years ago, I never envisioned having Located in Spotsylvania County, EKG Stables will not only this opportunity....

I’m excited to give back [to the UMW function as a host barn to the equestrian team, it also provides community].” public training and instruction to clients and actively hosts Many current riders are excited for the new direction their collegiate level shows. program is heading in.

While Hazelwild has been their riding location for close to two decades, the team is ready and excited for a fresh start.

“I’m feeling really thankful,” said sophomore rider Ann Marie Camp. “We get the opportunity to work alongside a UMW alum who we know has our best interests at heart.”

The varsity riding team is planning to take part in eight shows this year in addition to regional, zones and national championship competitions. The University of Mary Washington is a member of Region Four, Zone Four of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).

IHSA’s zoning structure organizes the country into five zones which, in turn, provides equal opportunities for educational and competitive programs.

Keeping with tradition, and as one of the few college equestrian programs that is offered as a varsity sport, the team is looking to add another exciting chapter to UMW’s record Ann Marie Camp jumping with her horse named Crushin’ It. Courtesy of Therese Camp book.

Thursday, September 2 , 2021

University of Mary Washington Fall Sports Schedule

Men’s Soccer

Sept. 4 vs. Mary Baldwin Sept. 5 vs. N.C. Wesleyan Sept. 8 @ Shenandoah Sept. 11 @ John’s Hopkins Sept. 15 @ Hood

Women’s Soccer

Sept. 4 @ Susquehanna @ Baltimore, Md. Sept. 5 @ John’s Hopkins Sept. 8 vs. Randolph-Macon Sept. 11 vs. Messiah Sept. 18 @ V.A. Wesleyan

Men’s Rugby

Sept. 18 vs North Carolina Sept. 25 @ Southern V.A. Oct. 2 @ Maryland Oct. 16 vs. Virginia Tech Oct. 23 vs. Mount St. Mary’s

Cross Country

Sept. 4 @ Richmond Sept. 18 @ Christopher Newport Sept. 25 @ Shenandoah Oct. 2 @ Bridgewater Oct. 16 @ Hood

Men’s Tennis

Sept. 17 @ Navy Sat. 18 @ Navy Sept. 19 @ Navy Sept. 24 @ St. Joseph’s Sept. 25 @ St. Joseph’s

Women’s Tennis Sept. 10 @ Navy Sept. 11 @ Navy Sept. 12 @ Navy Sept. 17 @ St. Joseph’s Sept. 18 @ St. Joseph’s

Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletic’s webpage Schedule not listed above.

Bold indicates home game.

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