Oct. 6, 2016 by The Collegiate Times

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October 6, 2016

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Three Christiansburg teens go missing after school The three 14-year-olds disappeared after getting off the school bus in Christiansburg on the afternoon of Oct. 3. Their parents said the teens had talked about living near “the river” together. MATT JONES assistant news editor

T h e C h r i st ia n sbu rg Police Department is asking for help from Montgomery County residents in finding three teens: Jordan Twiggs, 14, Alexis Coward, 14, and Kayla Swortzel, 14. The teens were reported missing at 7:15 p.m. on Monday. Off icers a re

currently searching for them. In a Facebook post, the department wrote that three students at Christiansburg High School never returned f rom school on t he afternoon of Oct. 3. They reportedly got onto a school bus together after classes dismissed and got off the bus near Swallow Lane in Christiansburg.

Parents of the students told the police that the students had previously tal ked about, “Living together near the river.” The department describes Twigg as a 5-foot-5, 130-pound male with sandy blond hair and brown eyes. Coward is a 5-foot-5, 150-pound female with brown hair and blue eyes. Swortzel is a 5-foot-8,

200-pound female with brown hair and brown eyes. The department asks anyone with information to call Randall Womack of the Ch r istia nsburg Police Department at (540) 382-3131 or after hours at (540) 382-4343. COURTESY OF CHRISTIANSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT @jones_mattryan

Ring Premiere 2018 dedicated to Beamer The Class of 2018 ring was unveiled Tuesday night, amid ﬁreworks and celebration. Former football head coach Frank Beamer represented the ceremony as the class’ namesake. ASHLEY WILLS multimedia editor

On Tuesday, Oct. 4, the Class of 2018 had its chance to be a part of a tradition spanning over 100 years. The class motto, “Mentes apertae fines consociati,” or “Minds Open, Aims United,” remains true as over 1,000 students came together to celebrate the timehonored tradition of Ring Premiere. The evening began as the Highty Tighties marched in playing Tech Triumph while cadets and students sang and clapped to the beat waiting to see the design. Speeches from the Class of 2018 President Chris Saunders, members of the ring design committee and members of the Class of 2018 board looked back at the class’ last two years at Virginia Tech and shared what they have to look forward to in the upcoming years. Each year, the ring honors a Virginia Tech alumnus. This year the Class of 2018 chose former Virginia Tech head football coach Frank Beamer as the namesake. “To be honored by (the Class of 2018) is really one of my highlights,” Beamer said. The ring also honors Virginia Tech Police Department Captain Vince Houston, the man who stood by Beamer’s side during football games to protect him. After a speech from Houston and a video highlighting Beamer’s time at

LOREN SKINKER / COLLEGIATE TIMES

In celebration of 2018 Ring Premiere, ﬁreworks were set off on the Drillﬁeld, Oct. 5, 2016. the school, “Enter Sandman” began playing. Even Beamer himself began jumping to the game-day tune. “Twenty-nine years he’s been a football coach and this class got him as a namesake, that was very impressive,” said Timothy Sands, Virginia Tech president. “And he enjoyed it too, I

could tell. He was dancing. He was jumping on the stage.” As the time came for the official ring reveal, the lights dimmed and voices quieted as students watched to see what would be on their ring. see RING / page 3

‘Mama Lisa’ brings the ‘party’ car to Uber customers in Blacksburg Although Lisa Gardner, dubbed “Mama Lisa” by locals and students alike, has only been working for Uber for a few months, she has gained quite the following in the local community. PAULINA FARLEY-KUZMINA lifestyles staff writer

Frequent Uber riders around the Blacksburg and Christiansburg areas have probably gotten or will get a ride from local driver Lisa Gardner at one point or another. Her car is decked out, with Virginia Tech spirit gear on the inside, red LED lights along the floor of her car and Virginia Tech stickers lining her back bumper. Uber is a company, somewhat like a taxi service, where people can request rides from their locations to other addresses and pay the drivers all within an app. Unlike most taxi services, however, Uber drivers set their own hours and drive their own cars once they pass an inspection. Although Gardner has only worked for Uber for four months, she has already established herself

as “Mama Lisa” among the people she gives rides because she works so frequently. As an ex-police officer and Blacksburg nat ive, Ga rd ner se es Uber as an opportunity to give back to the Virginia Tech a nd Blacksbu rg community. CT: How did you get the nickname “Mama Lisa?” Mama: I have sons and since they were growing up, all of their friends hung out with us at our house and whenever any of them had problems or any trouble they would just call me, “Mama Lisa.” Now it seems that the students at Tech are also getting to know “Mama Lisa.” I will give them advice, I will give them help, and no matter what the situation is, I am like a Mama to everyone. CT: What do you do when you pick up people that are intoxicated? Mama: It is a party; we have a party in this car.

First off, they love all my Virginia Tech swag and then, they will ask me about the electronic candle on my dashboard. I will tell them that this is my memorial to Heidi Childs and David Metzler, the two Virginia Tech students who were murdered seven years ago. So they see all my lights and my music going, and I usually play hip-hop or rap music and they say, “This is the best Uber ride ever! Mama Lisa we love you.” We have a fun time in here. I am like the paid designated driver, and since I am kind of the Mama, they feel comfortable talking to me. We drive around town, one group after another, and it is a wonderful experience. It makes me feel really good when I drop them off, especially if it is a girl. I will watch her walk into the door and make sure she gets there safe. CT: W hat is your personal relationship with

Virginia Tech? Mama: People ask, “Are you a Hokie?” and I say, “By birthright I am a Hokie.” My family was here 100 years before Virginia Tech. My family was here when the Shawnee Indians were here. They were settlers. My grandfather’s mother is of the Price family, as in Prices Fork road and Price Hall. They settled here in the 1800s, and so they’ve fought in the American Revolution, and they’ve fought in the Civil War. That family has always been here as long as anyone has been here, except the Native Americans. CT: What made you want to become an Uber driver? Mama: One of the reasons I got into this is because I have been very active in No Hokie Left Behind and Help Save the Next Girl with the see UBER / page 3

Alexis Coward, 14, Jordan Twiggs, 14, and Kayla Swortzel, 14, were reported missing earlier this week.

Ranked Hokies face Tar Heels The No. 25 Hokies slipped into the rankings during the bye week. Now, they want to prove they belong against No. 17 UNC. CHASE PARKER football beat reporter

For the first time since Sept. 7, 2014, the Virginia Tech football team is ran ked. T he Hok ies cracked the AP Poll this week, coming in at the No. 25 spot. But they will now have to earn their ranking against a very worthy opponent — No. 17 UNC. The Tar Heels, who haven’t lost since their week-one matchup against Georgia, are 4–1 and coming off of a huge 37–35 victory over No. 12 Florida State after making a gamewinning 54-yard field goal as time expired. The week prior, UNC rallied from a 36–23 deficit against Pittsburgh for a lastsecond 37–36 win. “We have a tremendous challenge in front of us with North Carolina,” said Tech head coach Justin Fuente. “(The Tar Heels) are coming off two huge victories. They are all big, but two close games. Two hard-fought victories. I know a lot of people haven’t gone down to Tallahassee (Florida State) and walked away with a win, so that’s a big feather in their hat.” North Carolina is led by its quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who has earned his way into the Heisman Trophy conversation. The 6-foot-3 Ohio native currently leads the NCAA in completion percentage (76 percent) and is in the top 10 in points responsible for passing yards and pass efficiency. However, the Hokies h ave t h e m s elve s a hot-hand at the quarterback position as well with Jerod Evans. The JUCO transfer has been the MVP for Tech so far this season. Evans has thrown 13 touchdowns in his first four starts, putting him on pace for a school record of 39. The current mark is held by Tyrod Taylor who threw for 24 in 2010. Trubisky and Evans find each other in similar company. The two are the only QBs in the country with at least 13 touchdowns and fewer than two interceptions. Both players also rank in the top five in pass efficiency among power five teams and are top three in completion percentage among ACC quarterbacks. To go along with the huge quarterback matchup, the ACC’s top two active receivers will be on display as well. UNC’s Ryan Switzer, a senior,

leads the conference in career receiving yards with 2,382. Junior Isaiah Ford of Virginia Tech is a close second with 2,249. Ford, on the other hand, is the leader in touchdowns (21), while Switzer is tied for second (15). Ford is just two TDs shy of breaking the school record of 22, set by wide-receiver Antonio Freeman. Despite the Hokies’ key players leading the team back into the top 25, Virginia Tech offensive guard Augie Conte doesn’t think that the Tar Heels are that concerned about their matchup. “I don’t think they have a whole lot of respect for us,” he said. “I feel like the more confident they’re feeling, I feel like the better chance we have of posting the upset.” Even though North Carolina hasn’t validated these statements publicly, Conte still believes that the Tar Heels will overlook the Hokies based on their recent success against big-time programs. “They beat Pittsburgh, who’s got a really good team this year. They beat Florida State, who was ranked No. 12 or something like that. We were unranked this past week, (and) just barely snuck into the rankings this week. They’re ranked pretty high now, they went to the ACC championship last year, almost beat — probably should have beat — somebody who played for the national championship. They probably haven’t thought about us a whole lot,” the 6-foot-6 lineman explained. The ACC clash has a literal cloud of uncertainty hanging above it as Hurricane Matthew could potentially bring horrendous conditions to Chapel Hill on Saturday. Whether the game gets moved to an earlier date or time has yet to be determined, but the Hokies plan to be prepared regardless of the weather. “Coach Fuente and coach Cor nelsen are going to have a great game plan,” Evans said. “Whether that’s running a lot, whether that’s passing a lot, whether that’s giving me no carries or whether that’s giving the running backs all the carries. I mean, whatever they want to do, I’m down. I just want to win.”

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Republican platform riddled with hypocrisy

he past several decades have fueled the fire that is conservative animosity toward liberals and their policies. But the passage of time has done little to quiet the flame: if anything, the nation has become more partisan than ever. It is imperative in such trying times to take a step back and examine the hypocrisies, paradoxes and denials that run rampant in the GOP. It is a fact well-known that the Republican Party consists of strict constructionists with the highest regard for the Constitution and its laws — in theory. Yet these same people, who preach that the laws of the land must be treated with reverence, continue to decry and debate landmark Supreme Court rulings such as Roe v. Wade and Obergefell v. Hodges. For instance, in July 2015, Rick Santorum and other conservative senators proposed a constitutional amendment to make same-sex marriage illegal across the country. Apparently, when the court does not rule in their favor, it suddenly becomes an elitist club of unelected officials who fail to represent the people. Republicans ta ke the First Amendment very seriously, even more so for heterosexual, upper-middle class, white, Christian males. They believe that the government should not deny any citizen of their freedom of expression, unless of course, someone refuses to stand up for the national anthem or say the Pledge of Allegiance. Respect really does take on a different meaning for right wingers: the very people who pronounce desecration of the American flag a deplorable act are often the ones who fly the Confederate flag on Independence Day. But never mind that forced patriotism is, frankly, a key tenet of fascism, because, “Ignore it until it goes away” has always worked for the GOP — climate change, anyone? Fiscal responsibility is another important part of the Republican Party platform: conservatives tend to preach about hard work and personal responsibility, and they discourage wasteful spending. Yet, no Republican president has managed to balance the budget since Eisenhower. In fact, the Republican presidents who have served since then have sunk this country into an even deeper pool of debt. For instance, George W. Bush added $3.19 trillion to the national debt during his two terms with exorbitant amounts of defense spending. Delving further into this tunnel of paradoxes, the conservatives who oppose government-sponsored programs such as Social Security and Medicare conveniently reap their benefits. For all their talk of fiscal conservatism, they sure are happy to receive money from public programs paid for with taxes levied by the government — taxes that they have traditionally resented having to pay. It is almost as if conservatives vow to despise any legislation passed by liberals, even when it mirrors their own agenda. In fact, one might recall the GOP clamoring to make patched up excuses and evoke false optimism regarding its failed rollout of Medicare Part D — a plan that not only encompassed these then-favorable provisions, but also cost far more to implement than the Affordable Care Act. Socially speaking, one of the most controversial points of the GOP’s platform is its stance on abortion.

However, the fact that the party markets itself as pro-life is comical, as the pro-fetus advocates are the same people who favor the death penalty. Furthermore, an alarming number of these holier-than-thou moralists voted in the primaries for candidates like Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. These are the men behind arguably the most asinine foreign policy initiatives ever to have disgraced this nation: carpet-bombing the Middle East in a barbaric and disgustingly oversimplified attempt at wiping out a few potential targets, which would ultimately result in the deaths of far more innocent civilians. One must also consider the conservatives’ stance on immigration, particularly the Syrian refugee crisis. How can people say they are pro-life and simultaneously oppose a policy that could save and reunite thousands of men, women and children? The paradoxical nature of this pro-life stance is overwhelming. Perhaps it needs rewording to specify the limited spectrum of lives that conservatives actually care about. Still an even larger number of pro-life conser vatives oppose gun control. In 2015, some 13,286 Americans were killed because of gun violence. How ironic it is that many of the people who stress the importance of protecting the inherent right to life of all human beings refuse point-blank to support regulating the firearms that take so many lives. Advocating for stricter gun control would be far more constructive for their agenda, definitely more so than sanctimoniously policing women’s family-planning choices. Right-wing evangelicals constitute a large voter base for the GOP (according to the Pew Research Center, over 50 percent of those belonging to Protestant denominations vote Republican), and their own special brand of Christian hypocrisy deserves its own analysis. It is about time someone knocked them off their high horses. If there is one thing evangelical conservatives are good at, it is cherrypicking, whether at the Constitution or the Bible. Ironically, while outspoken on topics like abortion and gay rights, they ignore many of the key issues Jesus actually preached about: helping the poor and downtrodden, for instance. Shouldn’t a party so deeply rooted in good, blue-collar Protestant values be supportive of government-sponsored welfare? Yet, the Pew Research Center reports that 43 percent favor making cuts to such programs, and that only 28 percent of white Protestants agree that welfare changes society for the better. Where are the pro-lifers when the politicians they support actively work to cut programs that would put food in the stomachs of starving children? Instead of upholding such worthy causes, they busy themselves trying to line the pockets of the rich while insisting that those in need are lazy moochers. So let’s have a round of applause for these patriots, these advocates of freedom and liberty — except for women, the LGBT community, people of color and the poor, who disdain the Constitution when it grants rights to those whose agendas do not fit theirs. Clearly, the Grand Ole Party remains as grand as ever.

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Liberal leaders fail to keep promises, pacifying voters

any of the hypocrisies of liberals involve their full dedication to a partial concept of equality. This view of equality omits important pieces of the picture while claiming to be the moral high ground. Particularly, their perspective of the various oppressions experienced by different demographics lack acknowledgement and understanding of class relations. Additionally, despite them having an acute awareness of domestic policies and their effects, the violence of foreign policy very often goes ignored. A prominent example of the omission of class relations is the framework of mainstream feminism. This version of feminism asks women and minorities to aspire to become president or join the most brutal branches of the military. It asks them to become CEOs and politicians. These careers are supposed to be the poster children of the struggle for equality. But, equality for whom? The president may still unnecessarily bomb the Middle East, regardless of gender or race. A CEO’s salary will inherently mean the workers have to struggle for food, healthcare and providing for their children’s educations. Regardless of what kind of person is at the top, there is still a top. There is still a bottom. This is striving for a diverse hierarchy, not equality. If it was striving for equality, there would be no talk of second-class citizens without acknowledging that it is not enough to ask different economic classes to tolerate each other because those divisions are directly tied to the other forms of oppression. Another flaw in liberal politics is the pacification of legitimate concerns. Mass incarceration, police brutality, excessive surveillance, insufficient government programs, including welfare and

student aid and poverty are extremely important issues that liberals will gladly claim as their talking points. In practice, however, this is near meaningless. In order to get those policies they speak of passed, the original ideas must be watered down by negotiation and special interests. It takes so much time that it becomes even more insufficient than it already was. While this goes on, the issues are very real to those affected. Their problems do not get watered down. Their problems do not wait for policies to change. Yet, when the problems get so unbearable that the people must riot and protest, those unaffected will cry that riots are too violent, that the people should be more patient or most patronizingly, that they are “not helping their cause,” as if sympathy must be earned. And, when these pale policies of help get passed, they are applauded and paraded as a massive achievement in the name of equality. Mistakes are never apologized for, they are only transformed into achievements. Still, in the vein of supposed nonviolence is the strict attention to the domestic working class. Liberals will praise nonviolence and often support gun control in the name of reducing unnecessary violence. However, in reality, the only guns being controlled are the people’s. The military and police will still have guns. Wars will still involve tanks, bombs, drones and guns. Innocent people still die in those wars waged for profit. The only people being made less violent are those in the working class, people who are already at a disadvantage, especially being disproportionately comprised of minorities, as compared to the population at large. Other violence, such as U.S.-backed coups, support for fascist regimes and the

numbers of people killed by our nation in war are largely ignored. This violence is no more legitimate than the little violence that would be prevented with gun laws. Those laws would, however, bring the perception that it is more legitimate, which is exceptionally dangerous. A more insidious flaw in liberal politics is the assumption that words outweigh actions and that promises will be kept. It is dangerous the way they accept politicians’ words as gospel and ignore their track records. It is naive the way they assume that corporations will sacrifice profit for the environment and act as if petitions and nonviolent protests are both necessary and the most effective ways to be heard as a citizen. With this mindset, the most awful of actions can be taken and will be forgiven or overlooked. Workers’ rights, for example, are in a comparatively awful state right now. The general spoken or unspoken feeling is that the fight is not worth it. Inaction is presented as the moral high ground and words are given precedent. This prevents the reality from being acknowledged and effective action from being taken. In general, any grassroots movement or genuine struggle is co-opted by liberals and given very little time of day, and very little true substance can be found in the supposed solutions. The small victories are put on a pedestal and used as a reason to tell those who are struggling that they should be grateful and patient. Words are given more weight than action in a way that denies reality and prevents meaningful progress. It is pacification.

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New creativity district to bridge across disciplines MIKE LIU news staff writer

ELLEN HUBER / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Sigma Phi Delta’s new house located on 700 Toms Creek Rd., Oct. 3, 2016.

Small fraternities partner to encourage mentorship Sigma Phi Delta and Alpha Sigma Phi have joined forces to hold a threeday event to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. ALISON INDERRIEDEN new staff writer

For the first time in their chapter histories, two smaller fraternities are partnering to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, an organization dedicated to providing mentors to children nationwide. Sigma Phi Delta and Alpha Sigma Phi will hold a three-day event, running from Oct. 26 to 28, that will include donation booths and a percentage night. The main event is scheduled for Oct. 28 and it will be the Big/Little Games where 10 teams of two people from each of the participating organizations will compete in four relay races. The fraternities chose middle school based games to create a fun and light atmosphere. The organization with the most points at the end of all the events will win 10 percent of the total money raised for their own philanthropies. The rest will be distributed evenly to the philanthropies of Sigma Phi Delta and Alpha Sigma Phi. This is the first philanthropy event at Virginia Tech for the engineering fraternity, Sigma Phi Delta. Sigma Phi Delta’s national philanthropy is FIRST Robotics which promotes science, technology, math and engineering fields to high schoolers. It has been eight years since Alpha Sigma Phi held its own philanthropy event. Austin Cunningham, sophomore psychology major and the philanthropy chair, started planning the event a year ago after reaching out to the the brothers of Sigma Phi

Delta in hopes that they would help Alpha Sigma Phi with its cause. “We are starting to become a bigger organization. We were at about 30 members last year, and we knew we would be able to get a few organizations to come out but we wanted to partner with someone else to increase our odds,” Cunningham said. “We thought we would be a good fit to work together.” Alpha Sigma Phi’s national philanthropy is Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a nationwide organization with the goal of providing mentors to children who may be in need of adult role models. “I want to be able to do everything and see the amount of time and effort it takes to hold this. I am really looking forward to that experience.” Sigma Phi Delta and Alpha Sigma Phi members said that they partnered because they are both smaller organizations and wanted to gain the experience and seek guidance in hosting philanthropy events. It takes a lot of manpower to hold an event where many other organizations and public spaces are needed. “I am excited for everything,” Cunningham said. “It took awhile to get planning and get going. We went through a lot of ideas to try and get to where we are now.” It took at least four months to decide on the type of event Alpha Sigma Phi wanted to hold, the event is a significant departure from the fraternity’s past events. Cunningham hopes the Big/Little philanthropy event will continue in upcoming years. Joining the t wo

organizations helped form bonds between the brothers of both fraternities. Although coordination between the two was difficult at times, they were able to organize meeting times and work through the challenges presented. The two fraternities have to ensure a representative is present from each fraternity when presenting to other organizations. Many organizations have already registered to participate with even more in talks to join. Sami Dhamna, junior aerospace engineer major and internal philanthropy chair of Sigma Phi Delta, and Cunningham are leading the effort. “I have only ever participated in other organizations’ events,” Dhamna said. “I want to be able to do everything and see the amount of time and effort it takes to hold this. I am really looking forward to that experience.” Brothers from both organizations believe that with the help of the Fraternity and Sorority Life coordinator and the university, the two fraternities can gain knowledge and experience to hold future philanthropy events. Both Alpha Sigma Phi and Sigma Phi Delta plan to hold their own events in upcoming semesters using the experience they gained while working together. “Hopefully next semester I can have something planned and worked out and this experience will definitely help,” Dhamna said.

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Virginia Tech recently announced the formation of a Creativity and Innovation District with the intent of creating a place to bring students and faculty from different colleges together. According to a VT News press release, the Creativity and Innovation District will be located on the eastern edge of the campus. The district will include most of the existing programs and facilities already in the area. These existing programs and facilities include the Moss Arts Center, the Institute for Creativity, Arts and Technology, the School of Performing Arts, Theatre 101, the School of Visual Arts, Squires Student Center, Newman Library, the Donaldson Brown Graduate Life Center, the Media Building and the Media Building Annex. According to Ben Knapp, the director of the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT) and professor of computer science at Virginia Tech, the district is on the edge of campus for a reason. “There is something very important about the fact that this is going to be right on the edge of campus,” Knapp said. “I don’t know if you remember: when you were younger, before you went to university — it’s kind of scary to actually walk into a university. And this, being on the edge, is like, ‘Oh. Am I in Blacksburg? Am I at Virginia Tech? I don’t know.’” Di f ferent orga n i zations and groups such as the Innovation Entrepreneurship Club and Apex Systems Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will come together in this new district for students and faculty to work together and create new and different things. The district will include studios, facilities

and spaces for students with different background to collaborate as a team. “The whole idea is the collision of all sorts of majors, all sorts of students from all the colleges, faculty from all the colleges. It is designed to bring people together that might not have necessarily been geographically located together,” said Frank Shushok, senior associate vice president for student affairs. “We know that kind of interaction, those kinds of collisions — students, faculty staff across the colleges, across the disciplines, with a hope and aspiration of innovation and creativity — (have) the best chance of nurturing the kinds of outcomes that we would like to see there.” According to Knapp, ICAT is included within the district. ICAT is one of the seven research institutes at Virginia Tech. The others are the Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech; the Fralin Life Science Institute; the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science; the Institute for Society, Culture and Environment; the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute; and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. ICAT’s mission is to foster research and education across disciplines, from art and design to engineering science, according to its website. It supports projects from students and faculty from different colleges throughout the university. The district has short, intermediate and long-term phases. The short-term phase is to recast the environments inside existing buildings. The intermediate phase will include some extensive remodeling of the buildings. The long-term phase raises the question about whether there will be new buildings inside the district or not, and it is still being worked on. Knapp says he believes that the university is very likely

to add new buildings into the district. “One of the things I always talk about when we design spaces for students, faculty, research, teaching is that there is this old cliche of planting grass in a field and looking to see where people walk and then paving where they walk,” Knapp said. “That’s a lot of what we will do with the Creativity and Innovation District.” The Creativity and Innovation District will also include a new residential community. Shushock says there will likely be 700 new residential beds created, but that number may range from 400 to 700. Design is still underway. “We know that students learn in holistic ways. Sometimes the way colleges and universities have been organized in previous decades has not played to that reality,” Shushok said. “The Creativity and Innovation District is about the collision of former and informal learning, intellectual academic life and student life. Nothing helps facilitate that collision like residential environment.” According to Sushhok, two living-learning programs will be included in the new residential community: Innovate Entrepreneurship Community, which is currently in Pritchard Hall, and Studio ‘72, a new livinglearning program that will start in Pritchard Hall next fall. “These will be truly dynamic living programs that will have studio space and maker space and truly facilitate that formal and informal learning and mentorship that we’re talking about is so important to developing what we’re calling the VT-shaped student,” Shushok said.

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Theatre 101 stands on College Avenue in the afternoon light, with its glass exterior reﬂecting the lamplight as it shines, Oct. 2, 2016.

RING: Class of 2018 unveiling gets Beamer jumping from page 1

The ring features two sides: a class side and a university side. The class side features 32 Hokie tracks, the class motto, the class logo and the HokieBird. Special to this year, the ring also includes popular annual events that happen on the Drillfield including the ferris wheel from GobblerFest, a ribbon for Relay for Life and a tent for The Big Event. The 2018 class ring also includes images of downtown Blacksburg, the Moss Arts Center and Beamer Way to honor the ring’s namesake. “I’m so proud of this place, so proud that I have been able to spend so much of my life here, and having my name on this ring means a lot,” Beamer said. The ring also celebrates events special to the Class of 2018: a checkered scoreboard for the Battle at Bristol football game, the Commonwealth Cup for winning in football against the University of Virginia 12 years in a row and the downtown celebration that happened during the class’

freshman year after the Hokies football team beat the Ohio State Buckeyes. The ring also features a silhouette of Sands in a cap and gown to signify that he too will “graduate” in 2018 since he started in 2014.

“

I’m so proud of this place, so proud that I have been able to spend so much of my life here, and having my name on this ring means a lot.” Frank Beamer former head football coach

“It is kind of my class,” Sands said. “We feel some sort of kinship with this class, so it was very special to be on that ring.” The university side of the ring shows Virginia Tech landmarks including the Pylons and War Memorial, Burruss Hall and Torgerson Bridge. It also incorporates the flaming VT, the university

shield, Skipper the Cannon, Hokie Stone, the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Screaming Eagle. “I love the university side,” said Kat Kolton, Class of 2018 Female Member-at-Large and a junior human development major. “I think that there is so much power in tradition, and we really honored the past with the traditional past on the university side.” Plans for what would be on the ring began the day after the Class of 2017 Ring Premiere. “This time last year, the day after ring premiere, we had just started ring design so this is kind of the end for us,” Kolton said. “Up until Ring Dance, we aren’t really doing much so it’s bittersweet because we are done with the ring. We’ve shared it with the class and there’s really not a lot left for us to do, but it’s been a really big honor for us to be a part of.”

AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES @ashleymwills

Former head coach Frank Beamer, the ring collection namesake, speaks to the Class of 2018 in the Burruss auditorium for the premiere of its class ring, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016.

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Men’s soccer blows out VMI with seven goals The Virginia Tech men’s soccer team already has eight wins this seaon, which is more than it had in any full season since 2007. DREW DAVIS sports staff writer

The No. 18 Virginia Tech men’s soccer team defeated VMI 7–1 Tuesday. In their first game at Thompson Field since their loss to Clemson Sept. 23, the Hokies put on a display of offense against a VMI team that has yet to win a game this season. Virginia Tech wasted little time scoring. Junior Marcelo Acuna pulled left, stepped back and drilled the back of the net just nine minutes into the game. VMI quickly answered off a corner kick, scoring in the 12th minute. Acuna kept attacking and scored just four minutes later, this time off the cross-field assist from Gino Rossi, giving the Hokies a 2–1 lead. The Hokies continued to connect on their shots. Acuna netted his third goal of the first half, earning the first Virginia Tech hat trick of the season. He scored in the 26th minute, again off the Rossi assist. “The guys brought what they needed to,” said head coach Mike Brizendine. “They finished their chances. It takes the pressure off you when you score a lot of goals and you’re up by two or three goals.” The Hokies kept scoring as both Alessandro Mion and James Kasak scored before halftime to make it 5–1. The game was quickly out of reach for a struggling VMI team. Virginia Tech turned to many bench players in the second half. The team had played many reserves during its loss to Clemson, but the lack of experience was evident and the Hokies dropped a conference game. However, against

VMI, the non-starters stepped up when redshirt-sophomore Drew Ott came onto the pitch. Ott scored his first and second goals of the season in the game, with the second coming off a pass from Collin Verfurth that cut through many players inside near the box. “We were able to play a lot of young guys tonight, and I was happy to see that,” Brizendine said. “It was especially good for Drew. He has been battling injuries, and I was happy to see him score.” Ott’s goals would be the final points of the game, as Virginia Tech capped off the 7–1 victory. The win brings the Hokies to 8–2–1 on the season. This is the first season Virginia Tech has more than seven wins in a season since 2007–2008, in which the team finished ranked eighth in the nation and lost to Wake Forest in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament. While this is a good step, Brizendine wants more. “It’s a stepping stone, but we are so far from where our goals are. I’m not trying to downplay it; I’m grateful, but we’re halfway through our season. I have a lot more plans,” Brizendine said. “There is so much on the line within the ACC and NCAA. We got to keep winning.” Virginia Tech will look to stay hot as it welcomes ACC-foe Duke to Thompson Field, Friday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m.

@CTSportsTalk

Next Level Hokies

FILE 2015

Kendall Fuller (11) warms up prior to the start of the game against ECU, Sept. 26, 2015. Fuller performed well for the Redskins this week.

Former Tech football stars shine in week four Virginia Tech football alumni had strong showings in the pros this week, including Tyrod Taylor, who shut out the Patriots. JORDAN HUTCHINSON sports staff writer

Week four in the NFL was another solid week for Hokie alums at the next level, with several Tech players contributing to their respective teams’ victories. Kam Chancellor continued his consistent excellence for the Seattle Seahawks recording six total tackles and a pass defended in a 27–17 win over the New York Jets. The safety has recorded at least five tackles in every game this year. The Seahawks advanced to 3–1 on the year following the win over the Jets. Another standout cornerback from Virginia Tech, Kendall Fuller, recorded his first start in the NFL after being drafted by the Washington Redskins in April. Fuller’s first start would be an unforgettable one, as he finished second on the team in tackles with a total of eight. Fuller’s coverage led the Redskins to a 31–20 win over the Cleveland Browns. Coming off of two straight wins, the Redskins will take a short 30-minute bus ride up to Baltimore to face the Ravens. Hard-hitting linebacker Darryl Tapp, who, in his final season at Tech, was a candidate for the Hendricks Award — given to the nation’s top collegiate defensive end — has been a great addition to the New Orleans Saints’ defensive line. Although Tapp did not start for the Saints, he made an immediate impact on the football field, forcing a fumble and recording one tackle. Tapp’s play helped the Saints to a 35–34 win over the Chargers. Hokie alums shined on the offensive side as well. Led by Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who slung the ball for 246

yards and a touchdown on Sunday. The Bills’ strong performance, led by Taylor, resulted in a 16–0 shutout over the New England Patriots who entered the game undefeated. The Bills will look to steal a win on the road next week when they visit the Rams in Los Angeles. In Chicago, Eddie Royal made improvements from last week, and was the Bears’ leading receiver with seven receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. The Bears, who just picked up their first win of the season will look to build on that success next week against the Colts. A Hokie alumnus not in action on Sunday was Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall. He tore his right ACL in week three against the New York Giants and had to undergo season-ending surgery. Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente opened up last week’s press conference with a statement about Hall. “We want to let him know that our thoughts are with him, he’s obviously a great ambassador for Virginia Tech, let alone a great player and personality,” Fuente said. Hall tweeted Monday night that surgery was successful, and he is eager to get back out on the football field. It was one of the strongest weeks of the season for the former Tech athletes on the gridiron. In week five, a key player to watch will be Taylor. The Bills will be facing a weak defense in Los Angeles, and Taylor is expected to capitalize on the opportunity, especially after his stellar performance last week.

@CTSportsTalk

Hokie baseball pitching staff ready for the spring With the addition of new pitching coach Jamie Pinzino and the senior leadership of Kit Scheetz, the Hokies are ready to throw. NATHAN LOPRETE baseball beat reporter

Virginia Tech baseball is in the midst of its fall season. With a new season comes many things. There have been bright spots for the team, but at the same time there have been moments of frustration. With those moments come learning opportunities and head coach Patrick Mason is building the team to be stronger in 2017. He also has a new set of eyes to help build the pitching staff. Jamie Pinzino, who joined the team in the offseason, has already made an impression on the team. Mason talked about what he’s seen from the former William & Mary head coach. “He’s made a huge impact. He’s got those guys really focused. It’s a fresh set of eyes to those guys. It’s an important year for all of them,” Mason said. P i n z i no c om e s to Blacksburg with an impressive resume. In 2015 at Oklahoma he saw seven pitchers get drafted. He talked about some of the arms he has to mold at Tech. “We’ve got some good arms. Probably stuff-wise, (Andrew) McGarity has really stuck out. He should be cleared next week to start partaking in the scrimmages,” Pinzino said. McGarity was clocked at 93 mph in practice earlier in the week. Last season, the Hokies didn’t have a set closer to come in and close out games. The coaching staff has not committed to anyone yet, but Pinzino talked about a few guys that could potentially pitch in those late spots. “Our goal is to try and find out what guys can and can’t

do during the fall. (Luke) Scherzer, if he can come back healthy has the stuff, has the mentality and experience to pitch in that role. Cole Kragel is certainly a guy that should be able to pitch at the back end of the bullpen,” Pinzino said. He also mentioned Paul Hall Jr., who has been outstanding in the fall so far. Sophomore pitcher Nic Enright underwent Tommy John Surgery in May, but Pinzino says he’s right on schedule. “He’s doing really well. He’s in the training room a couple hours a day. He should be back in the next couple of weeks as far as picking up with his actual throwing program,” Pinzino said. “There’s a phase in there for anybody recovering from that injury. He’s getting close to that point of being able to pick up a ball. We’re certainly hoping to have him back for the spring.” Kit Scheetz is entering his final season for the Hokies. As a redshirt senior he is the leader of the pitching staff. He made 13 starts last year, but there may be a change of scenery coming. “I feel like I’ve had a lot of experience. I’m trying to show the young guys how college baseball works. Whether that’s being a starter or reliever. We’ve talked a lot with coach about being a reliever this year and that’s fine with me. I’ll do anything I can to help this team win,” Scheetz said. Scheetz has also worked on his mechanics and hopes to make those adjustments work. “This summer was really a time to experiment. I can do a better job against left-handed hitters, it was just a way of trying to be more effective. Coming in this fall I’m going

to mix that in with a little bit of over the top and a little bit of sidearm,” Scheetz said. Scheetz figures to be a huge piece for Tech, whether it’s coming from the bullpen or in the starting rotation. Scheetz also spoke about last season and how he thinks the staff can turn it around. “We definitely had injuries, but it’s not an excuse for anything. I think everyone knows we were better than a 19-win team. Especially the pitching staff — at times we couldn’t really finish a game but I think that’s going to put a chip on our shoulder,” Scheetz said. One member of the team in particular, catcher Joe Freiday Jr., has a lot of responsibility. Young pitchers like Keagan McGinnis look up to the junior catcher and he has embraced the role. “With playing in the league for a couple of years, I have a lot to say to them about certain tendencies we should have and how aggressive we need to be,” Freiday said. Mason raved about his work ethic. “Joe (Freiday) never stops working. He doesn’t have an off switch. More than anything he provides a sense of security,” Mason said. The pitching staff in Blacksburg is on the rise. The staff has a chip on its shoulder and most importantly it is getting healthy. With Enright on the road back and McGarity just about ready to resume normal activity, there is a positive vibe around the program. With Mason and Pinzino leading the way, the Hokies seem prime to flip the script.

@natejloprete

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UBER: Driver ‘Mama Lisa’ leaves no Hokie behind have been nice if they had Uber back then because they would have just hit the app on their phone, and Uber would have come straight to them and picked them up. I really do believe that they would probably be alive to this day. CT: That being said, what is one piece of advice you would give to Virginia Tech students? Mama: (Take) Uber everywhere, it is not very expensive. Your approximate fare around town is about $10. That is a lot

less expensive than $5,000 for a drunk driving accident, or a girl walking by herself and taking a chance on being another statistic. My advice is Uber everywhere, and you will never be alone out here; we can get to you. CT: How has your experience as a police officer shaped you as an Uber driver? Mama: I fell back sort of as an ex-police officer and my love for public safety and patrolling at night and keeping an eye out for the

community. I am doing the same thing now that I used to do. Sort of like, “See something say something.” If I see something I am there to help — whatever it may be. It is my public service to give back to my community and cutting down on drunk driving, or accidents, or girls being assaulted or any kind of crime that might happen. I drive around and am available to help people, people that need a ride and especially people that have

been drinking. It is a great opportunity to keep them disappearances of Morgan from having to drink and Harrington and Hannah drive or even drunk in public. Graham. I felt that neither I mean, some of the students one of them would have been get arrested around here for abducted and murdered those being drunk in public because nights if they would have had the buses have stopped an option like Uber available running and there aren’t any to them. cabs around. Now with Uber, When you are out alone at you have a choice. You do not night and you are wandering have to get arrested for being around, lost and you need drunk in public. a ride, but you do not know You do not have to drive if where you are and you are in a you have been drinking and strange environment, it would you are going to save a lot of accidents and a lot of lives if you choose not to drink and drive. So, Uber I think a wonderful public service and it is a great opportunity for us, the local residents, to have interaction with the students. CT: How has Uber changed Blacksburg? Mama: I spoke with the Chief of Police of Blacksburg, and he said it was tremendous. In the past it was really hard to find cabs or buses late at night, so now he admits it is an important asset, because there are so many Ubers in Blacksburg. Around every corner you can hit that app, and we are going to get to you in five or 10 minutes, get you off the street and home safe. In any kind of situation, like if you’re out with your friends and you just want to leave, you do not have to walk alone. If you are at a party, you do not have to stay at the party. If someone has been drinking and driving, you can get out of the car and call an Uber right then. It is a wonderful and amazing thing. CT: Where do you see TUAN TRAN / COLLEGIATE TIMES the relationship between Lisa “Mama Lisa” Gardner in her Hokie-themed Uber-car, Sept. 30, 2016. Uber drivers are always on standby. Blacksburg and Uber going? Mama: It is going to

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absolutely take off; Hooptie Ride kind of started this whole thing. It is kind of funny actually — my grandfather was the only cab driver in Blacksburg 60 years ago. My family had a company called Tech Cab and my grandfather drove around this town with a cab, and he wore a cabbie hat properly. From then, 60 years ago, to now, when we have all of this information, satellites, GPS and everything — I think it’s sort of ironic. Here I am all these years later, as his granddaughter, driving for Uber. We’re going to cut down on drunk driving, arrests and assaults. It’s getting busier and busier the more people know about it. The university absolutely needs it. CT: What is the hardest part of being an Uber driver? Mama: The long hours, some days I come on at four o’clock in the afternoon, and I keep driving until I’m no longer needed. So I don’t go home until everyone is home, until there are no more Uber requests. So if you can imagine driving 10 hours around town, constantly, the concentration is like playing a live video game. That’s the hardest part: safe driving. I can check on and off any time that I want. I’m a hospice caregiver during the day and then every evening I’ll come out even if it’s not a busy night, just for a few hours until 11 o’clock at night. On busy nights I’ll stay out and about until two in the morning.

@CollegiateTimes

Former Disney child star celebrates acceptance PAULINA FARLEY-KUZMINA lifestyles staff writer

Back in my Disney Channel days, my favorite original movie was Lemonade Mouth, a film about a group of teenagers who formed a band in the basement of their high school and made it big time. Today, Hayley Kiyoko, who played Stella Yamada in the movie, is continuing her musical passions in the pop-music industry. She released her third solo EP, “Citrine,” on Sept. 30. “A Belle to Remember,” her first EP, did not gain much attention, but the EP that followed, “This Side of Paradise,” blew up because of the song that emphasized the normalcy of same-sex couples, “Girls Like Girls.” Hayley Kiyoko’s themes of acceptance and love have since continued in “Citrine.” The five songs that make up her EP detail her journey of realizing her interest in women and then in turn, acting upon it. In the heteronormative world we live in that sorely lacks LGBTQ+ representation, it is refreshing that Hayley Kiyoko does not shy away from expressing her, what could be considered, “Taboo” experiences. Here’s what I thought of the five, newest songs from “Citrine:” 1. “Gravel to Tempo” “Gravel to Tempo” is the single on the EP that was

released in early August, accompanied by a music video directed by Hayley Kiyoko herself. This song is about realizing that she does not fit in and marching to the beat of her own drum — complete with the sound of someone walking along a gravel road at the start and end. The lyrics also describe the sadness that comes with realizing you are different, but accepting and living with it. Favorite lyric: “We’ve gone down every list/Stuck but I have got to begin to resist.” 2. “Ease My Mind” One of the catchier songs on “Citrine,” “Ease My Mind,” is about a schoolgirl crush that Hayley Kiyoko has on someone. Although this song is really repetitive, and only two verses have substantive lyrics, the snaps and the drumbeat carry the song, which is why I have probably listened to it 100 times since starting this review. Favorite lyric: “I hear you like a whisper/In the corner of my lovesick thoughts.” 3. “Pretty Girl” This song was released one day before “Citrine” and is about appreciating girls who Hayley Kiyoko sees and thinks are beautiful. From a musical perspective, “Pretty Girl” stands out because it sounds much softer and more electronic than the rest of the EP. Hayley Kiyoko’s voice also sounds far more edited compared to her rawer songs

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like “Gravel to Tempo.” Favorite lyric: “I just know you got to taste like candy, candy girl.” 4. “One Bad Night” “One Bad Night” is easily my favorite song on the entire EP, because it sounds more like a pop song than an electric song. Additionally, it is less repetitive than songs like “Ease My Mind” and “Gravel to Tempo.” In this song, Hayley Kiyoko wishes for a girl to show her, “One bad night” in a car. Although risque concepts are hinted at, for example spontaneous sexual exploration in the backseat of a car, the lyrics stay clean, which I appreciated. Favorite lyric: “Talk with your fingertips/Don’t stop the car, let’s drive.” 5. “Palace” “Palace” and “Gravel to Tempo” are the two most powerful songs on “Citrine” and deal with heavier themes. “Palace” stands out on the EP from a lyrical standpoint because it deals with the figurative and literal loss of a loved one, which deviates from the same-sex love idea prevalent in the other songs. Similarly, this last song is a little slower than the rest, providing a cathartic conclusion to the EP. Favorite lyric: “So this is where I leave you/Sitting in a palace covered in gold inside my head.” I admire Hayley Kiyoko and her music, not because her music is particularly revolutionary, as electro-pop is not particularly complex. However, I admire her because she conveys such important messages in her catchy verses. I have yet to find many artists like her who so unapologetically talk about issues that arise from same-sex relationships. The entire EP is about 20 minutes long, which frankly is not enough for me. I look forward to the future where she releases a full-length album that has more LGBTQ+ content.

@CollegiateTimes