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UMW Students for Justice in Palestine urge Fredericksburg City Council to introduce and vote on ceasefire resolution

NOrAh WALSh Editor-in-Chief

“Will you go home tonight and tell your kids about their 15,000 fellow children in Gaza brutally murdered in the past six months, or are their stories not worth a spot on your bedtime agenda?” asked junior political science major and President of UMW Students for Justice in Palestine Amirah Ahmed, addressing the Fredericksburg City Council members at an open meeting on March 26.

UMW Students for Justice in Palestine convened in the lower level of Fredericksburg City Hall at 7:30 p.m., waiting for the public comments portion of the evening to begin. Their goal was to encourage the City of Fredericksburg to raise and pass a ceasefire resolution bill—following in the footsteps of at least 100 cities, towns and villages across the U.S., according to The Nation.

Ahmed began her public comments by recounting events from Gaza, such as Israel’s bombing of al-Shifa Hospital on March

18. Israel initiated the attack under the belief that Hamas was using the hospital as a bunker from which to command their counterattacks, and “about 30,000 people, including displaced civilians, wounded patients, and medical staff are trapped inside the complex,” according to Al Jazeera.

Ahmed continued, relaying a story of a woman there who was forced to undress, raped and threatened by Israeli soldiers—

an event “that is all too common in the brutality of the current genocide,” she said.

Rebecca Brinkman, a community member affiliated with SJP who read a statement during the session, also deemed the events in Gaza a ‘genocide.’

She said, “The inaction this Council plays a part of is going to become very telling for the days to come when you still continue to choose to be silent and com-

plicit while a genocide is happening in Palestine.”

The use of the term “genocide” to label the events in Palestine has been a fraught topic, especially following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.

In an interview, Professor Nabil Al-Tikriti in the UMW History Department explained that the Israeli government has destroyed contemporary, governmental archival records that consist of “birth records, death records—administrative things that any government would want.”

He continued, “And that, as I see it, is a step to erase reality, and in effect, to erase the Palestinian presence in Gaza altogether—which qualifies as a form of genocide. And it is part of a broader picture where the Israelis are engaging in a process that could be described as ‘genocide.’”

But even when events occur and are reported on, labeling them as ‘a genocide’ is still a difficult task.

State of Emergency confronts UMW students in Ecuador

CLAIrE MArShALL WAtkINS Staff Writer

Over UMW’s spring break from March 2–10, approximately 30 students enrolled in the “Ecology and Evolution in the Galapagos Islands” class brought their research beyond the classroom and onto the islands. Considering Ecuador’s state of emergency, some students hesitated to embark on the trip, and their return was delayed on the way back to the United States.

According to the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Ecuador, President of Ecuador Daniel Noboa announced a 60day national state of emergency on Jan. 8. The announcement came immediately following the prison escape of José Adolfo “Fito” Macías Villamar, leader of Los Choneros gang. While the group was in the Galapagos Islands on March 7, Noboa announced a 30-day extension of the national state of emergency he established earlier in the year.

Professor of biological sciences Andrew Dolby and Michael Stebar, senior lecturer of biological sciences, led the group to the Galapagos Islands. During their stay, stu-

dents followed the curriculum without disruption from the national state of emergency.

Leaders and participants monitored travel advisories, State Department alerts and communication with the Center for International Education for weeks before, as well as during their trip.

Leading up to departure, Lillian Burbulis, a sophomore biology major, wondered if the travel advisory would force UMW to cancel the study abroad program. She followed Ecuadorian news for months before spring break and communicated with her peers weekly leading up to their trip.

“As soon as the spring semester started, that was one of the first things that we were asking about and talking about,” said Burbulis. Students received an email from the State Advisory Board about the state of emergency, and CIE staff communicated updates with Dolby and Stebar.

“We were all aware of the fact that there would be a possibility that we might just have to pull the plug on

“Ecology and Evolution in the Galapagos Island” students traveled to Ecuador during spring break. Photo Courtesy of Ben Schwartz.

Students and community members alike attended the City Council meeting in solidarity with SJP, and some addressed the councilors during public comments. Norah Walsh / The Weekly Ringer

Friday, March 29, 2024

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Student activists take to City Hall in protest

FrOM SJP, PAGE 1

“The problem with genocide is that you can’t really define it until it’s done. So they’re in the process of it, they haven’t completed it, but once they’ve completed it, it is too late,” said Al-Tikriti.

Community members and student activists alike showed up at the meeting to speak or merely to lend their support.

ally believe and are committed to achieving,” wrote Hengy. “You have a responsibility to speak up and protect our citizens [and] the planet, and send the right message to the higher levels of our government and to Fredericksburg sister cities that Fredericksburg is an engaged and caring member of the global community.”

Ukraine, its people, and its leaders during this horrific and unnecessary war, and vows to support Ukraine and hold Russia fully accountable for its catastrophic decision to invade.”

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Michael, a Palestinian community member who asked for his last name to be withheld for anonymity, attended the open meeting in support of SJP. After the meeting, he spoke on the importance of using the word ‘genocide’ to discuss the nature of the attacks against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

“I think it’s important to label it a genocide because there’s the purposeful mislabeling or not labeling as a genocide,” he said. “I consider it a genocide because it’s all-encompassing, it’s all-encroaching, and it really is. It really is made to destroy the fabric of Palestinian existence and Palestinian life.”

In a statement submitted by Alexanna Hengy and read aloud by Clerk of Council and City FOIA Officer Tonya B. Lacey, Hengy addressed Fredericksburg’s commitment to environmental justice.

“Passing this resolution is also a powerful way of showing that Fredericksburg actually believes in saving our planet, and the goals and values included in climate resolutions you passed were something you actu-

Students for Justice in Palestine have been protesting on campus to convince UMW administration to call for a ceasefire resolution, but their efforts have been unsuccessful. Furthermore, even in the wake of UMW student protesters being doxxed, the University’s response has been ineffective in meeting their needs.

Sasho Radoulov, a junior geography major, addressed these concerns with the City Council and argued why the City of Fredericksburg should support a ceasefire resolution.

“Student activists have been doxxed, and their safety and privacy have been compromised. This has been met with no support … by the UMW administration,” he said. “But the City of Fredericksburg has the opportunity to make it known that Fredericksburg is a city that has the backs of its Arab, Muslim and Jewish students.”

During her statement, Ahmed addressed the Council members on their disparate support of Ukraine compared to Palestine, reading Fredericksburg City’s Resolution 22. According to the resolution, “The City of Fredericksburg proudly stands alongside

Ahmed asked, “What makes the murder of 10,000 civilians in Ukraine over the span of two years more tragic and deserving of a statement than the slaughter of 40,000 Palestinian civilians in Gaza over the span of six months?”

Brinkman continued to press the councilors on the issue.

“You say that [a ceasefire resolution] is out of your hands, falling under a state issue, but yet you were able to do this for Ukraine,” she said. “How are Palestinians any different?”

After their comments, student protesters waited outside the Courthouse for council members to leave the chamber. Upon their exit, protesters erupted with chants, such as “Ceasefire now” and “Shame on you,” as the councilors walked to their cars.

During the session, Councilor Timothy P. Duffy gave his business card to Ahmed, and he visited the protesters outside City Hall after the meeting had concluded. Councilor Jannan W. Holmes also approached the group after the session to offer her business card, but Ahmed turned it down, citing SJP’s many calls and emails to city councilors that have gone without a response, showing no actionable proof of meeting to discuss the resolution.

Students continue research in the Galapagos

keled in the water near it, looking at all the fish,” Green said.

Bell tower logo designed by Bernadette D’Auria ‘22

this trip,” said Burbulis. “Luckily, we didn’t have to, but everybody was aware of the situation [and] that it was changing every day, and so every week we’d give each other updates.”

Dolby was in contact with operators in Ecuador, and the group had a guide with them at all times. Additionally, because the Galapagos Islands are not a part of the mainland, the group did not have a curfew by which they needed to abide. On the mainland, the group was briefly in Guayaquil—the closest major city to the Galapagos—where they participated in an excursion.

“Everything looked like business as usual where we actually went on the mainland, which was just a quick trip from the hotel for dinner down near a historic site, where the government buildings are,” said Dolby. “It was a Saturday night– you know, kids playing in the playground, street performances going on. So it was a really happy, active evening, just like normal. And that downtown area, it’s kind of like the equivalent of going to the National Mall area in D.C., where it’s always pretty much fine to go.”

Burbulis said she found a relaxed environment when she arrived in the Galapagos along with the group.

“Although it’s an Ecuadorian territory, it’s kind of its own world,” said Burbulis. “So we did not experience much of the conflict at all, because we were in an area that was completely conflict-free—from a tourist perspective.”

Kate Green, a junior conservation biology major said, “One of the first days that we were there, we took a boat out to Isla Lobos, which is off San Cristobal. We looked at a lot of birds on our way out to the island.”

Because of the concerns about the Avian flu—a contagious bird flu, caused by the influenza virus—tourists were not allowed to hike on the island.

“We just kind of boated around the whole island and then snor-

Nonetheless, students were still able to engage with the culture and local businesses, according to Green.

“After snorkeling, we took a boat to another beach where we spent a little bit and then had the afternoon largely free to explore the island and engage with the culture and support local economy and local businesses,” she said.

On March 10, however, the flight meant to take the group from Guayaquil, Ecuador to Miami, Fla. around noon did not arrive until the evening. Although synchronous, the extended national state of emergency in Ecuador did not affect the delay of the aircraft from Miami but rather a crew issue, said Sarah Moran, the study abroad coordinator for CIE.

“We ended up being delayed three or four hours, so we were in the Guayaquil airport for something along the lines of seven,” said Green.

The group made it to Miami that night, but due to the delay and the size of the group, they were unable to secure another flight home until Tuesday.

In an effort to get to Virginia sooner, eight students boarded an earlier flight than the rest of the group on Tuesday. Currently, CIE is working with their travel agent who booked through American Airlines to get reimbursed for additional charges imposed by the delay. Additionally, Moran is working with their insurance agent to determine whether or not students can file insurance claims for possible reimbursement of up to $200.

Students who take Dolby’s class on the Galapagos Islands are eligible for the program, and although it is a 400-level class, underclassmen may also enroll for the trip. After learning about island ecology, evolutionary theories, biology and research conducted on the Galapagos Islands, students visit the islands to continue their research.

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Desire paths offer convenient routes around campus that UMW should

GEOFFrEY CArLISLE Jr. Staff Writer

Desire paths are walkways formed by people’s preference to take the shortest route possible. These paths are the result of human erosion and often arise when constructed paths take a longer route. There are many of these paths around UMW’s campus, and the most prominent of the bunch is located between the Cedric Rucker University Center and Custis Hall.

Students and faculty alike take that path. Compared to walking along Campus Walk from the UC to buildings around Jefferson Square, the route along the desire path reduces the walking distance to the UC from .32 miles to .22 miles, a 22% difference.

These paths are the result of students traveling campus and finding more efficient ways of traveling from place to place and are used for a reason. UMW needs to implement and better maintain these paths for the student body.

The desire path near the UC begins in the green space next to Custis Hall and wraps around the back of the building where students merge onto the sidewalk with other students walking to class. There is a staircase that students could use instead, but the route is less intuitive, which has led to the well-trodden desire path.

respect and pave, not reseed and replace

“I would have to walk down the stairs, over to the sidewalk, and then down the sidewalk, and then back up to where I want to be, but [the desire path] takes me from where I already am to where I want to be,” said Alexa Rousos, a junior marketing major.

Rousos uses the desire path when walking from the parking lot located behind Ball Hall to the UC or vice versa.

“I think that since it’s become its own pathway, making it more accessible by putting stepping stones or just something. That way people aren’t walking through the mud and then making traces of mud everywhere.”

- Ashley

Lam

However, the path is nearly unusable in bad weather; the ground becomes saturated with rain and snow, creating a natural obstacle that could be prevented if it were paved. This would also help prevent students from balancing on the ledge that drops into the small parking area below as they try to avoid soaking their shoes in the mud.

Ashley Lam, a sophomore biomedical science major, thinks the path is hazardous. She said, “It also becomes dangerous if people decide to use that pathway, they’ll end up walking along that brick wall, and if something happens, they could fall and hurt themselves.”

And Haylee Saddler, a sophomore psychology major, has experienced this hazard firsthand.

“I have slipped a couple times if the weather is bad and it’s raining. I will slip when the ground is wet and

then it just is not a good scenario,” she said.

Because the path is commonly utilized, students believe that the University should work to make it more accommodating.

“I think that since it’s become its own pathway, making it more accessible by putting stepping stones or just something,” said Lam about how the University should maintain the path. “That way people aren’t walking through the mud and then making traces of mud everywhere.”

According to Executive Director of Facilities Operations Brian Gorham, “desire paths are discouraged because they lack the formal safety, accessibility, and maintenance typical with planned pathways” and “Facilities Operations do not repair desire paths.”

On March 22, the University roped off and seeded the majority of the desire path between the UC and Custis Hall. The optimal desired route now includes a blind corner, a tree low enough to smack you in the face and a steep ramp. This change left a small section of the dirt path that connects to the existing paved walkway leading to Custis available, which seems to encourage walking along an unpaved dirt path—at least to those of us who want our path back.

Taking Gorham’s words at face value, the UC path is not being repaired, it is being destroyed. Furthermore, trying to reseed the grass is only a temporary solution, for when the ropes come down, people will start taking that path again.

Instead of validating the desire that we have embedded into the campus landscape, the University is taking a passive approach to students’ wishes.

“Desire paths are not currently being considered for paving, nor are they currently endorsed as formal routes on the campus map,” said Gorham.

But Mary Washington has paved similar paths in the past. In 2012—before the construction of the HCC—a short path was paved on the corner of Campus Walk and the path to what was then Alvey Hall.

In 2023, the path near the UC, Virginia Hall and Ball Circle was also paved. Clearly these paths deserve some merit, as some of them have been paved on UMW’s campus in the past, so why not this one?

Desire paths have been accommodated by other universities. One of the most famous examples of this is The Oval and Long Walk paths at Ohio State University where the University paved over almost every desire path on the grassy center of their campus. Virginia Tech has also paved over dirt paths on their “Drillfield” in the center of their campus.

“It is high time that our desire be heard and met so we can leave our mark on this campus and pave the way for incoming students who will follow in our footsteps.”

- Geoffrey Carlisle Jr.

The UMW community has expressed their desires, writing their opinion with their feet. While some may have stronger feelings than others, people are taking this path for a reason. It is high time that our desire be heard and met so we can leave our mark on this campus and pave the way for the incoming students who will follow in our footsteps.

In inclimate weather, desire paths—such as next to Custis Hall that leads to the UC and College Avenue—become unusable. Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

On March 22, UMW Facilities roped off the former desire path and covered the ground with mulch. Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer

Personal Essay: WMWC Station Director recounts radio station revitalization and success under new leadership

DAVY WAShINGtON Online Editor

For me, a slot on the radio is an hour where I can completely let go and be myself in front of an audience I know expects something amusing to tune in to every week. While I might look crazy sitting in the WMWC Campus Radio station by myself while talking into a microphone, it’s one of the highlights of my week—and for many other DJs as well.

WMWC Campus Radio is located in the basement of Woodard Hall and serves as the home base for frequent and exciting programming. In the past, schedules were filled with DJs from the early hours of the day until late at night. WMWC’s connections to other organizations and clubs on campus ranged from airing weekly event PSAs to DJing dances and formals for academic departments.

I joined WMWC in mid-February 2023 as a DJ hosting “Crashburn Radio.” When I first arrived, the leadership team consisted of two seniors and one junior, and in my eyes, they were not fit to run the station. They lacked previous leadership experience and weren’t maintaining the station for students to use it to its full potential. As a result, there were low levels of engagement and little sense of community.

So I picked up the fallen baton. When executive board elections came around, I ran for station director and began my journey to cleaning up the mess… quite literally.

I am a junior majoring in English: Creative writing and minoring in digital studies, and I’ve been a club leader for the past two years. Through my involvement with New Student Programs as a peer mentor, orientation leader and NEST coordinator, I gained experience with organizations and about structural management. But the undertaking of bringing the radio station into a new phase of rebuilding was a different beast in and of itself.

When I went to the station for the first time in the middle of February 2023, I knew I had a passion project in front of me. Most pressing was that the station suffered from technical and structural inconsistencies, and the old equipment was left to collect dust and covered in sticky residues. I couldn’t imagine it as a place where people spent their time broadcasting from a radio station with a rich history of resilience and popularity, but I hoped that one day it could be.

Going into the academic year, my goals were to push the station into a period of physical and organizational reconstruction, restructure the leadership board and event

programming and create a space for students to confidently claim the station as the creative space it was meant to be.

I knew from the start I couldn’t do it alone, so I reached out to a few DJs who were interested in bringing the station back to a functional state.

I met sophomore geography major Allison Parrish during one of their shows to assess their interest in being part of my leadership team. In WMWC meetings, I met Madison Hinton, a sophomore studio art and computer science double major and Leda Hinkle, a senior geography major.

By the end of the spring semester and into the summer, I had done the bulk of the work to get the station into a functioning state. This included meeting with the Finance Committee to get funding for a new broadcasting system and new equipment to support multiple hosts for one show. The Committee seemed excited by the prospect of the radio station’s revitalization, and the station now has new mics and can successfully broadcast online.

had been so engaged, they had also recruited some of their closest friends to join.

To transition our broadcasting to a more reliable stream, I suffered a long and arduous process with the IT department on campus. By the time the fall semester started, we were up and running—just in time for a new wave of freshmen and returning students to get involved.

The lack of general information about the station was my biggest obstacle to getting it off the ground. The previous executive board members didn’t know how the software used for broadcasting worked, and they had outdated knowledge of the inner administrative workings of a club, such as soliciting funds from the Finance Committee. Additionally, the login information was scribbled in a notebook or lingering in the depths of the station’s email account, so we cleaned the slate and started anew.

As an orientation leader in the summer of 2023, I took to Campus Walk to spread the word. During student panels, I addressed groups of incoming students, telling them about the revitalization of the radio station to which I had dedicated so much time. Some students heard about the station and sought me out to learn more, which made me feel like my hard work was paying off.

When the fall semester started, we recruited DJs at Club Carnival, which filled a little over half the schedule. We had a lot of attendance at events, concerts, and on the airwaves—with people on and off campus tuning in.

By word of mouth and over the airwaves, more students joined the station as DJs for the spring semester, filling about 88% of the broadcasting schedule. Because the DJs from the fall semester

But the signal we broadcast is not the only way WMWC brings music and entertainment to campus. Since Aug. 2023, we’ve also had tremendous success hosting events for students and the Fredericksburg community.

WMWC Campus Radio has hosted three on-campus shows, two off-campus house shows, two mixers and a variety of smaller events with incredible turnout. Additionally, compared to the house show culture at universities like the University of Virginia, UMW lacked, so I wanted to bring the scene closer to campus.

A large qualm I have with UMW’s reputation is that we aren’t a party school. While I would certainly agree with that in some ways, the scene isn’t nonexistent. However, the scene that does exist is often associated with a somewhat negative image. So, with the house shows, my goal was to create a safe and fun environment with live music.

And we did just that. Using our experience hosting on-campus shows, we knew how to contact and book bands, and we reached out to off-campus fraternities to see if they would allow us to host in their houses. About 100 people attended the rock concert at Psi Upsilon at the beginning of the spring semester, and students celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at the second house show, held on the front porch of Kappa Alpha Psi.

I would be remiss to not emphasize the luck I had with the success of bringing the station back. Through my connections on campus, I spread the word about WMWC and gathered dedicated interest in not just keeping the station alive but also building it to greater heights.

In light of our events and broadcasting, I am confident that our collective mission of resurrecting WMWC Campus Radio has been a success and that we can look forward to continued growth next year. We plan on hosting regularly scheduled shows on and off campus, recording live acoustic shows similar to NPR Tiny Desk Concerts and expanding our broadcasting hours to fit more DJs into the schedule.

Tune in from 8 a.m.–11 p.m. all week long through the station’s app “WMWC Campus Radio,” or online: wmwcradio.com.

The WMWC event crew poses after a successful event. Photo courtesy of Davy Washington.

In October 2023, Hanoi Ragmen played their first show at the Underground, and the crowd went all in for their performance. Photo courtesy of Davy Washington.

Even without University recognition, Greek life still exists off-campus at UMW through social events and activities

hArrIEt kING Staff Writer

Greek life has long been synonymous with the stereotypical college experience; a quick search for “Greek life” on any social media platform reveals college students at parties, doing charity work, attending fundraisers and hosting social events.

According to UMW Student Activities and Engagement, there are no affiliations with Greek sororities or fraternities at UMW except for the co-educational service fraternity Alpha Mu Sigma and Greek academic honorary societies, such as Phi Beta Kappa. None of these organizations have a house on university grounds, and their on-campus presence is similar to a philanthropic club.

Nonetheless, there is Greek life off-campus, such as the Psi Upsilon and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternities and the Zeta Omega Delta sorority. These groups are student-led and operate from nearby off-campus housing, as they are not allowed to be based in any on-campus locations due to their lack of official recognition from the University.

However, Greek life organizations are allowed to advertise their chapters on campus as long as it is specified that they are located off-campus and independent from the University.

“We mainly rely on social media as the main source for recruitment, as it is a great way to reach a large amount of people.”

- Spencer Van Gils

Junior business administration major and former Psi Upsilon President Spencer Van Gils noted that the lack of official affiliation with the University didn’t detriment their recruitment because they could also spread the word online. Social media is their primary method of student recruitment and is supplemented by on-campus booths and fliers advertising membership, activities and events.

“We mainly rely on social media as the main source for recruitment, as it is a great way to reach a large amount of people,” said Van Gils. “In prior years we had to rely on complete word of mouth. Nowadays, we use a combination of the two.”

Zeta Omega Delta President and junior business ad-

ministration major Hannah Anfinson described the recruitment process to join Zeta.

“We stay really active on social media and that’s our main way we get new members. The process of joining starts with pre-rush events, which consists of two to three events, [and] then a week of rush events to allow us to get to know one another,” she said. “After rush week, you would be invited to pledge, which is a semester-long process, and once you complete that you are officially initiated. There is a member fee, but it isn’t anything crazy compared to other bigger sororities.”

“I think that frats are usually stereotyped as dirty or scary, but the house was nice, and it wasn’t a raucous or unsafe environment at all.”

- Katherine Scott

Zeta is a philanthropic organization that participates in community service and giving back to the area. According to Anfinson, the members also create their own community environment through internal social events.

“As well as philanthropy, we do a bunch of internal social events such as movie nights, crafts and game nights for bonding,” she said.

The two off-campus fraternity houses—Psi Upsilon and Kappa Alpha Psi—are located within five miles of UMW and house active members in their current chapters. There has been a recent increase in members in Psi Upsilon, and they have also built a name for themselves among students on campus who have no affiliation with the organization but attend their events.

“We have seen a large uptick in the amount of people coming to our events,” said Van Gils about Psi Upsilon’s rising popularity on campus. “The house we currently use for events allows us to host larger groups; we recently hosted a Saint Patrick’s Day event that had well over 200 people.”

He continued, “I would definitely say that our name on campus has definitely gained traction. I think that our events along with social media has helped.”

But even with student involvement evident, Mary Washington does not formally recognize these Greek life organizations.

According to Anfinson, Zeta has not attempted to become affiliated with UMW in recent years.

She said, “From my knowledge, we have never tried to get our sorority affiliated through UMW because it is a very long process and has a bunch of different qualifications that we would need.”

Psi Upsilon attempted to become affiliated with UMW, but ultimately it did not come to fruition.

“We tried to get affiliated with the school back around 2015. Members of our chapter reached out to employees

of the University to see what it would take to get recognized,” said Van Gils about past attempts for UMW to officially recognize Psi Upsilon. “I do not know the exact requirements, but the school did not offer any financial assistance or funding so it did not end up working out.”

While UMW does not recognize these Greek life organizations, which may be a deterring factor for some applicants, the atmosphere surrounding the culture has not been affected. Events continue to be hosted off campus while still within the two-mile radius of campus, and students enjoy interacting with the chapters as they would at a university with official Greek life affiliations.

Senior biomedical sciences major Katherine Scott recalled the general atmosphere of the last Psi Upsilon event she attended.

“People were definitely excited to be there and having a good time,” she said. “I think that frats are usually stereotyped as dirty or scary, but the house was nice, and it wasn’t a raucous or unsafe environment at all.”

Current and prospective Zeta Omega Delta members pose for a photo. @zetaomegadelta / Instagram

Psi Upsilon members, both undergraduates and postgraduates, gather to celebrate brotherhood in May of 2022. @psiumw / Instagram

Students dancing at the WMWC Campus Radio house show on Feb. 17. The event was hosted at the Psi Upsilon house, featuring bands Day Aches and Milkdew. Photo courtesy of Avery

Student panelists relay experiences studying abroad, scholarship eligibility and budgeting tips while traveling

JOSSELINE DELGADO POzO Staff Writer

“By a show of hands, how many of you received some type of scholarship to study abroad?” asked UMW Education Abroad Coordinator Caitie Cavalier at the UMW Voices of Diversity panel on March 20.

All six panelists raised their hands. Representing various majors and study abroad trips, the students reflected on their study abroad experiences, focusing on budgeting for a trip abroad as well as the struggles they faced and overcame during their studies in a foreign country.

The panelists addressed many of the worries that people have while considering traveling to another country. One of the largest obstacles they identified was not having enough money to cover the costs of the trips.

“One thing that I found was helpful was that there was a community garden right off campus; a lot of times they had a food pantry.”

- Bob Chappel

The Center for International Education at UMW offers the UMW Education Abroad Scholarships that are provided by UMW in addition to Approved Program Scholarships from program-specific education abroad providers or international institutions. They also offer information on external scholarships, such as the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International

Scholarship. According to their website, the scholarship “enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity.” To be eligible for the Gilman, students must receive the Federal Pell Grant.

“I was eligible to apply for the Gilman Scholarship and I was awarded that one,” said senior political science major Rebecca Cruz. “The remaining balance was covered by my financial aid [from] FAFSA.”

Panelists also stressed the importance of learning the currency exchange rate when traveling to another country.

Garrett Welch, a senior secondary education major, was under the impression that he knew the exchange rate when he traveled abroad, and he even thought he was under budget.

“I had it backwards and realized when I got home, and I went that number is not right,” he said, relaying his story as a word of caution to the audience.

Senior international business major Sarah Higbie also advised students to pay attention to their bank when it comes to international fees.

“If you’re using a U.S. credit card or debit card, make sure your bank doesn’t have international fees for every purchase that you make because that adds up,” she said.

The panelists recommended researching what each program offers outside of the host city at a reduced cost, such as the opportunity to go out and explore.

“One thing that I found was helpful was that there was a community garden right off campus; a lot of times they had a food pantry,” said Bob Chappel, a junior environmental science major. “So, every week when I would go there and volunteer for hours, I would grab a little bit of food to take home, and that’s what I would base my meals for the week around.”

There are a number of possibilities for UMW students to take part in an international experience. From exchange, faculty-led and approved programs to conducting research abroad, internships and volunteering, the trips accommodate students who want to immerse themselves in the country’s culture for an entire semester or year, as well as those who prefer shorter trips over the summer or during breaks. Credits that students take while studying abroad will transfer as a UMW equivalent, general elective, or major elective course, so students can work towards completing their degree while abroad.

Higbie served as a planning intern for Ireland’s Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. She worked Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m.–3 p.m., and her team worked remotely one day of the week.

“I got to meet with different government delegations from Italy, Malta, France, Scotland, England—a lot of them, and it was a good experience,” she said.

“When students go abroad, they are accurately representing the United States of America and all of our diversity that we have here.”

- Caitie Cavalier

Overall, the students stressed the importance of preparing for an international trip and recommended that students take advantage of all their host country has to offer.

“When students go abroad, they are accurately representing the United States of America and all of our diversity that we have here,” said Cavalier.

kY hUYNh News Editor

The Crime Column is based on UMW Police reports from March 18.

There has been no crime reported since The Weekly Ringer’s last publication on March 22.

Cruz received the Gilman Scholarship, which helped support her when she studied abroad in Spain. Photo courtesy of Caitie Cavalier.

All six panelists raised their hands when asked if they received a scholarship to study abroad. Photo courtesy of Sofia Taylor.

UMW Women’s Softball fights blows in windy

doubleheader against Randolph Wildcats

MArtINA PUGh Staff Writer

Fighting against high winds during their midweek doubleheader on March 20, the UMW Women’s Softball team beat the Randolph College Wildcats 9–6 and 8–4. This double victory comes a day after their splitwin doubleheader against Eastern Mennonite University on March 19.

“There were multiple times where gusts of winds would pick up dirt and it would be difficult for us to see.”

- Shelby Presgrave

According to Hannah Steele, a junior mathematics major who plays in- and outfielder, it was a struggle to play in such windy conditions.

“Before almost every pitch, the wind would pick up bad dust storms that I couldn’t see through,” Steele said. “There were times when the other team had hit the ball and my teammates had to turn away from the batter because the dust was blowing strong from that direction.”

Shelby Presgrave, a sophomore business administration major who plays center and infield, shared a similar experience.

“The wind definitely played a big part yesterday and was an obstacle for us,” she said. “There were multiple times where gusts of winds would pick up dirt and it would be difficult for us to see.”

In the first game, Mary Washington had a slow start. The Eagles were behind by two runs in the first and second innings, but they were able to reel the game in and match Ran-

dolph’s pace by the third inning.

Every time Randolph made a run, UMW was never far behind. As the sixth inning came along, the Eagles scored three runs.

Randolph was able to score once more during the seventh inning, but that couldn’t stop UMW from taking the lead again. Pitcher and infielder Caitlyn Burch—a junior business administration major—took charge of the field and led the Eagles to their victory in the first game.

The second game was less consistent than the first as the wind amped up. Despite the obstacles, the Eagles came out stronger by working as a solid unit to score during the

first, second and sixth innings. During the sixth inning, the Eagles scored five runs followed by a home run by center fielder Hailee Danneker, a junior accounting major.

Randolph scored in the third, fourth and seventh innings and hit one last run during the seventh inning, but that didn’t stop UMW as Danneker and Burch ran down on a wild pitch.

Burch pitched every inning of the second game. During her time on the mound, she allowed three runs and struck out nine Randolph Wildcats.

Throughout the game, Mary Washington gained momentum. Infielder Bridget Laychak hit a home run to level the playing field, allowing the Eagles to come out on top and secure another win against the Wildcats.

About the game, Head Coach Hanaria Qualls said, “In both games, we did a very good job of adjusting. You can see in the sixth inning we scored the most runs and that is strictly because of the adjustments we made at the plate.”

Playing as a cohesive team allowed UMW to showcase the camaraderie that they develop on and off the diamond.

“We have grown stronger in many ways during this season. We have seen a huge increase in communication and leadership amongst our veteran players.”

- Hanaria Qualls

“We have grown stronger in many ways during this season. We have seen a huge increase in communication and leadership amongst our veteran players,” said Qualls. “We have also seen an increase in on-field performance with hitting and pitching, which has led to more success on the field.”

In addition to the leadership from returning players, the players’ sportsmanship is an important factor in the team’s success.

“After every game, my teammates and I chase down the umpires to shake their hands and thank them. It’s easy to maintain good sportsmanship with good competition because we are all there to just play softball,” said Steele.

UMW Women’s Softball will face off against Stevenson on March 27 and Randolph-Macon on March 30. They will then return to the Battleground on April 2 against Mary Baldwin University.

University of Mary Washington Spring Sports Schedule

Men’s Tennis (9-3)

March 23 vs. Swarthmore (7-2)

April 5 vs. Chris. Newport

Women’s Tennis (5-5)

March 27 vs. Gust. Adolphus (6-3)

March 29 vs. Haverford

Men’s Baseball (17-5)

March 24 vs. Mt. St. Vincent (6-1) vs. Mt. St. Vincent (3-1)

March 27 vs. Bridgewater (Va.) (5-4)

March 28 vs. Randolph-Macon

March 30 vs. Salisbury

April 3 vs. Stevenson

Women’s Softball (11-9)

March 22 vs. Gettysburg (11-3) vs. Gettysburg (4-2)

March 30 vs. randolph-Macon

April 2 vs. Mary Baldwin

April 3 vs. Va. Wesleyan

Men’s Lacrosse (6-4)

March 23 vs. Marymount (Va.) (16-7)

March 30 vs. Stockton

Women’s Lacrosse (3-6)

March 23 vs. Messiah (15-13)

March 27 vs. roanoke (10-9)

March 29 vs. Stevenson

April 3 vs. York (Pa.)

Men’s Rugby (7-6)

March 23 vs. Guelph (33-14)

March 30 vs. kutztown

Women’s Rugby (5-3)

March 30 vs. Mid-Atlantic Conference

Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletics webpage

Full schedule not listed above. Most recent games included. Bold indicates home game.

ABBEY MAGNEt Sports Editor

UMW Women’s Softball team will compete against Stevenson on March 27. UMW Athletics

Two UMW softball players ready to compete on the Battlefield. UMW Athletics