The Flat Hat May 3 2022

T HE F LAT H AT

Vol. 112, Issue 5 | Tuesday, May 3, 2022

The Weekly Student Newspaper

of The College of William and Mary

flathatnews.com | @theflathat

COURTESY PHOTOS/ ADRIENNE BERARD

Focus group meets at McLeod Wellness Center to discuss campus mental health

Student Wellness Ambassadors, College faculty members,Virginia officials share thoughts on student health EMMA HENRY // FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR

Content warning: this article mentions suicide Sunday, April 24, the McLeod Tyler Wellness Center hosted a student focus group discussing mental health and wellness at the College of William and Mary. The discussion was attended

by College President Katherine Rowe, Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera, Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littel — who also acts as rector of the College’s Board of Visitors — six student Wellness Ambassadors and various other College faculty members.

The focus group took place after the Out of the Darkness Campus Walk, a student-led fundraising series sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and was led by the College’s chapter of Alpha Tau Omega.

“The Out of the Darkness Campus Walk is a journey of remembrance, hope, support, and a walk that unites a campus and community — a time to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and mental illness have affected our lives and our loved ones,” the AFSP website says.

As of April 30, over $18,000 had been raised for the College’s fundraiser and roughly 100 people attended the event.

Each participant wore a string of colored beads around their neck, symbolizing their personal relationship to the cause,

whether that be a personal suicide attempt or the loss of a loved one.

Cole McAndrew ’22, the walk chair of this year’s event, wrote in an email that he was incredibly happy with how powerful the walk was, and recommended that more students and community members attend next year.

“To me, the Walk is a really important and powerful opportunity to show solidarity with W&M community members who have been personally affected by suicide in any way. I was happy to chair the walk for the second year in a row, and really excited to start the walk in-person again,” McAndrew wrote.

“For something like mental health awareness and suicide awareness/ prevention especially, physical, inperson togetherness is invaluable.”

The focus group launched Secretary Guidera and Secretary Littel’s statewide listening tour aimed at improving student wellness in the Virginia education system. President Rowe, who is leading a task force on mental health for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia’s Council of Presidents, kicked off the roundtable discussion by introducing the secretaries and emphasizing mental health priorities.

“We are at a moment in the com-

monwealth where, I think, the awareness, the interest, the energy, the focus on changing treatment and prevention for anxiety and depression and suicide prevention is at a high point right now,” Rowe said.

“

For something like mental health awareness and sucide awareness and prevention especially, physical, in-person togetherness is invaluable.

”

-Cole McAndrew ‘22

“Those challenges are also affecting the country. And the governor has made, as you’ll hear from the secretaries, addressing mental health prevention and care and treatment a key priority in the next four years.”

The group then launched into a discussion of mental health on

campus, with Integrative Wellness Manager Lindsay Heck sharing a personal story about the loss of a loved one. Heck, who also leads the student Wellness Ambassadors, discussed the importance of their role as advocates for wellness as well as their connection to the student body.

After a brief period of introductions, the Wellness Ambassadors were able to share their experiences with mental health, student perspectives and what it means for them to step into this role. Kevin Aviles ’24 mentioned that his job as a Wellness Ambassador allows him to be aware of resources that he can offer to his friends and fellow students, as well as find the assistance that he needs through the Wellness Center resources.

Sam Litt ’21 spoke about some of the challenges that come with promoting wellness, including the fact that the Wellness Center wants students to “opt-in” rather than force students to participate.

“Part of our role as Wellness Ambassadors, I’ve found, is to kind of meet people where they’re at, and show them ‘here’s the resources we have available,’” Litt said. “Wellness on this campus is not one thing. There’s people who are really well, and people who aren’t doing really well, but we have the resources here so people can

step into that and make that change for themselves.”

Heck emphasized the struggles with communication on campus, mentioning that it is difficult to put a lot of effort into marketing and still feel like a large portion of the student body is either not receptive or doesn’t hear about the events.

“My goal in communication is to make this information as accessible as possible, and so, one tool that we have implemented is the William and Mary Wellness app. And the idea, as we work through the development, is that in the palm of your hand, everything you have access to is in this app,” Heck said.

Aviles and Litt mentioned that they’ve noticed the prevalence of the negativity bias on campus, stating that it’s difficult for students to snap out of a stress glorification culture. They also emphasized that positive thoughts are something that have to be intentional, rather than waiting for wellness to happen to you.

“Celebrating each other’s victories and not competing with each other is really at the core of breaking down that culture,” Litt said. “Here at William and Mary, I think it’s all collaborative. I think trying to make sure that that’s the narrative we’re leading with, that can really break down that narrative that ‘I need to compete or I need to be more stressed or I need to compete with my peers.’

See WELLNESS page 8

CENTENNIAL

Art Matsu Virginia historical marker unveiled

Matsu honored by commissioned landmark near Zable Stadium HANNAH RAY

FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR

RYAN GOODMAN / THE FLAT HAT

Matsu’s landmark is one of five Virginia landmarks which honor Asian American Pacific Islander history.

Index Profile Opinions Variety Sports News

2 3-4 5-6 7 8

Saurday, April 30, the Asian Centennial at the College of William and Mary unveiled a new Virginia Historical Highway Marker honoring Arthur “Art” Azo Matsu ’27 in front of the Arthur A. Matsu Arcade in Zable Stadium. The event took place on Matsu’s 118th birthday and Asian Centennial Day. The Virginia Historical Marker program was established in 1927 and is the oldest program of its asort

in the country. There are currently over 2,500 signs across Virginia, all of which have been approved by the Board of Historic Resources, whose members have been appointed by the governor since 1976.

“The goal is to educate the public and link historic stories about our past to the very landscape where they took place,” Jeffrey A. Harris of the Board of Historic Resources said.

In 2021, the governor’s cabinet and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources created the

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Historical Marker Contest.

After a competitive process involving different teams advocating for their nominations, Matsu, nominated by Cumberland Middle School, was chosen for one of five winning markers.

“For all the trophies and accolades that Arthur received over the years, my grandmother tells me that he would be most proud of this dedication because it positively highlights his Japanese heritage,” Zack Hoisington, Matsu’s great-

grandson, said.

Matsu enrolled in the College in 1923 and went on to become a star athlete in football, basketball, baseball and track. He was quarterback for Tribe football and later the team captain. After graduating, he became the first player of Japanese descent in the National Football League.

Co-chairs of the Asian Centennial Committee Deenesh Sohoni and Francis Tanglao Aguas originally believed Matsu to be the first student of Asian descent at the College.

See CENTENNIAL page 8

Inside Opinions

Inside Variety

Inside Sports

Disability Pride Week misses the mark

Some Gouda News: The Cheese Club is back!

Tribe wins conference championships in a nail biter

Aaron Albright ‘22 writes about how Disability Pride Week at the College of William and Mary missed the mark. page 3

After two years of inactivity, the College of William and Mary’s Cheese Club has made a triumphant return with exciting new initiatives ahead page 5

Saric secures clinching point in third set against Elon, William & Mary wins 27th CAA title page 7

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newsinsight

News Editor Anna Arnsberger News Editor Callie Booth News Editor Abigail Connelly fhnews@gmail.com

THE FLAT HAT | Tuesday, May 3, 2022 | Page 2

THE BUZZ

He proved to everyone that Asian Americans are more than the stereotypes: weak, submissive, emasculated, nerdy and unathletic. Art Matsu was a trailblazer and a leader who showed that Asian Americans are human and that we have a diverse range of abilities and interests.

— Isabella DiFulvio ’23

FLAT HAT NEWS BRIEF

The College plans to improve dining following health inspection reports Tuesday, April 19, Chief Operating Officer Amy Sebring released a statement on Sodexo Dining following campus feedback and outcry in response to health inspections conducted by the Peninsula Health District of the Virginia Department of Health in February 2022.

“Despite recent improvements, we’ve continued to see lapses in Sodexo’s service,” Sebring wrote in her e-mail.

Sebring also shared a public action plan released by Sodexo to address the dining concerns of parents and students.

The plan pointed out that all items identified in the February 2022 report had been addressed and promised further actions to meet the dining expectations of the College community. Such actions included hiring a quality control manager, expanding weekend hours and offerings at Commons dining hall, inviting visiting special chefs, weekly student appreciation events and expanding mobile ordering for the Fall 2022 semester.

In addition to Sodexo’s action items, the College has commissioned a consultant from Porter Khouw Consulting, Inc to conduct a food service study that will guide the future operations of the College’s dining services.

During the planning project, information will be collected through interviews with community members, focus groups with students, parents and staff and a web-based survey.

HANNAH RAY / FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR

A THOUSAND WORDS

CALLIE BOOTH / THE FLAT HAT

CORRECTIONS The Flat Hat wishes to correct any fact printed incorrectly. Corrections may be submitted in email to the editor of the section in which the incorrect information was printed. Requests for corrections will be accepted at any time.

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COURTESY PHOTO / IYABO OBASANJO

Local women encouraged Obasanjo to run for senate: “I knew the women in the market. I used to sit with them, so they knew me. I was their friend,” Obasanjo said.

Politician to public health professor Iyabo Obasanjo reflects on time in Nigerian government, public health during Covid-19 MOLLY PARKS // FLAT HAT MANAGING EDITOR Healthy Together: these two words have helped students and staff at the College of William and Mary persevere through the COVID-19 pandemic. The College’s Public Health Advisory Team has emphasized that it takes a community effort to battle this pandemic. Professor Iyabo Obasanjo of the Kinesiology department is an integral part of the Public Health Advisory Team and has studied the importance of community in public and global health her entire adult life.

Born into a military family in the 1960s in Lagos, Nigeria, Obasanjo and her family were a part of the Nigerian military community.

“So we had military people gather in the house, you know,” Obasanjo said. “Then, of course, when I was a child, there was a series of coups, so the political leadership of the country became military. I was used to people I would see in the news come into the house as my father’s friends and things.”

During her childhood, Obasanjo’s father, Olusegun Obasanjo, served as a military officer, then as a general in the Nigerian Military. After Nigeria gained independence from British rule in 1960, the nation experienced a series of coups for power control.

“In most parts of the second part of the 20th century, after the independence of the 1960s, coups occurred almost every 5 to 6, 7 years,” Obasanjo said. “So, that generation grew up with it. The difference is that I kind of knew all the players in terms of that my father was involved. So each coup, it had a repercussion in my immediate family. In terms of what happened to my dad– Was he alive? Was he dead? Was he one of the people killed?”

This original military community exposed Obasanjo to political rhetoric and discussion about issues in Nigeria. Although her father stepped back from a main leadership role in the military for a few years during her adolescent years to start a farm, this would not be the last of the Obasanjo family’s involvement in the Nigerian government.

During her early education and life on her father’s new farm, Obasanjo developed a passion for veterinary medicine. She completed her early education in Nigeria and, in 1988, received a degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Ibadan. Obasanjo’s final research project in this program was on veterinary epidemiology, which sparked her interest in the field of epidemiology.

“I like the idea of looking at things at the population level rather than the single animal,” Obasanjo said. “That’s why veterinary public health is important, and veterinary epidemiology, because we look at things at the population level and I really like that.”

She then continued her educational career in the United States, receiving a masters degree in epidemiology from the University of California, Davis and a PhD in epidemiology from Cornell University.

“Like any young person, I wanted to find my own place in life and go somewhere where I knew nobody,” Obasanjo said. “I just wanted to find myself and being in a new environment and, you know, try out myself and see how I could succeed.”

Obasanjo’s knowledge in epidemiology and the way diseases function in a population helped her tremendously in her first Nigerian government job as Ogun State Commissioner of Health.

While helping her father campaign for president of Nigeria, Obasanjo became acquainted with many political figures of the nation. When the gubernatorial candidate for her home state, Ogun State, asked Obasanjo to take on a Commissioner role in his cabinet, Obasanjo saw this as an opportunity to practice public health at the community level.

“I told them, I would only come if I did health, because that was what I was passionate about,” Obasanjo said.

During her tenure as Ogun State Commissioner of Health, Obasanjo eradicated Guinea-worm disease in the state and worked on several vaccination campaigns. She explained that some citizens in the north had refused to receive their polio vaccines and discussed how the health department managed the issue.

“The state had actually eradicated polio long before in the 1980s, long before I became commissioner,” Obasanjo said. “But we had a resurgence because the northern part of the country, they had rejected polio vaccines and we had cases.”

In order to manage the small outbreak, Obasanjo’s health department implemented a polio vaccination campaign that educated citizens about the vaccine and held national immunization days. On the national immunization days, every household with a child under the age of five would be visited.

Furthermore, as commissioner of health, Obasanjo began two programs with a grant from the World Bank. The first was an educational television program to educate the citizens of Ogun State in the local language about various public health issues. The second was a training program for local nurses on how to live a healthier lifestyle — including fitness exercises, education on nutrition and lessons in cooking.

After serving as Commissioner of Health, Obasanjo was elected to the Nigerian Senate, where she represented the Ogun Central senatorial district from 2007 to 2011.

Looking back on her years in the Nigerian government, Obasanjo has many takeaways from the experience that have helped her in her professor position at the College. Specifically, Obasanjo notes the importance of education.

“I realize that an education is useful in a lot of things, in ways that you can’t think of,” Obasanjo said. “So I can bring different ideas from different sectors of life to look at.”

During her time in the Nigerian government, Obasanjo dealt with the issues of vaccine rejections, educational campaigns and the importance of the wellbeing of nurses — all pressing issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Public Health, as we could see with COVID, it’s not a science problem.

It’s not even a medical problem,” Obasanjo said. “You have to look at social education: education is part of the social issues you have to look at because the vaccine rejection thing is communication, education level.

You have to look at economics. You have to look at politics, because part of COVID was a political failure also.”

She notes that this pandemic served as a real-time example that her students can use to apply her teachings. The pandemic has exemplified her ideas about the importance of community in public health.

“You can’t do public health on the individual level. You have to look at us as a population,” Obasanjo said. “You have to look at the world as a population in global health and that it’s a sign that we need to cooperate as human beings across cultures, across countries to solve mutual problems.”

The COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of community-based health has also shaped Obasanjo’s professional research in the past couple of years. In collaboration with other individuals involved in Covid-19 work, Obasanjo has studied community health workers and how they have been helping during the pandemic.

“When we started working on the research, I didn’t even know that COVID would then be part of the things they want community health workers to be used for,” Obasanjo said. “I just thought that we need to do that because it’s good for the communities they serve and they help. The health will improve, but it turns out that they can actually make inroads and improve not just most social determinants of health, but they could also improve vaccine hesitancy. Acceptance of public health knowledge will be better.”

Obasanjo also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered many issues of inequities at community, national and global levels. To an epidemiologist and believer in community-based health, it is vital to look towards population groups to see how the pandemic has impacted the world.

“We’re still learning a lot, but I’m not sure humanity will learn much,” Obasanjo said. “I hope I’m wrong. But I’m not sure humanity will learn what it needs to learn or what nature is trying to teach us. Nature is trying to say something and I don’t think we’re listening.”

COURTESY PHOTO / IYABO OBASANJO

For Obasanjo, education is vital to promoting community public health.

opinions STAFF COLUMN

Sophomore Year in Review: A-

Opinions Editor Adam Jutt Opinions Editor Caitlin Noe fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat

THE FLAT HAT

GUEST COLUMN

Disability pride week misses the mark Aaron Albright FLAT HAT GUEST WRITER

Caitlin Noe

FLAT HAT OPINIONS EDITOR

Last year, I wrote a review of my freshman year at the College of William and Mary based on the Niche website’s grading of the College.

In this article, I will write a review of my sophomore year.

In my freshman year review, I gave academics high marks. I agreed with the Niche score of A+. My sophomore year has reaffirmed that the classes here are incredible. I am a government major, and I am particularly happy with the quality of my major classes.

As for professors, I continue to be amazed.

Professors at the College are intelligent, caring and often witty. The Niche score of A+ for professors is well-deserved.

While the quality of the education here is outstanding, it is important to keep in mind that this also means the classes are challenging.

There is some truth to the stereotype of the College having a stress culture.

While academics continue to be the strong suit of the College, other aspects of the College continue to fall short of low expectations.

Namely, the dorms and dining hall food. Ugh. They truly are terrible.

The food on campus literally did not meet basic health standards this year. I know, gross.

Last year, I was extremely generous to give the food a C+ instead of niche’s C-. My reasoning still makes some sense to me. The dining dollar options on campus are solidly average with Qdoba, Cosi, Chick-fil-A and good options at coffee shops. However, the dining hall food that requires swipes has only gotten worse.

Therefore, this year, I’m making two categories: dining dollars and swipe reviews.

I give dining dollars a C+ but give the food in dining halls that use swipes a D-. The only reason I’m not failing the College in this area is because the food at Tribe Truck and Sadler Express are good and take swipes. Also, adjustments were made to correct the health violations.

Next, let’s talk about the other most disappointing aspect of the College. The dorms here are awful. However, the College recently released a plan to improve many of the dorms.

This is great news! The College desperately needs to improve its housing.

I lived in DuPont this year. The shower head was broken when we first got to campus.

There have been roaches in our suite. The creepy-crawly horror. The AC system broke for about two weeks when it was between 80 and 90 degrees for a few days. Shockingly, DuPont isn’t the worst dorm on campus. Some of the freshman dorms do not have AC ever.

Last year, I gave dorms a D instead of the Niche C-. I’m going to give it a D again. There are some better dorms on campus. I lived in

GRAPHIC BY YELENA FLEMING // THE FLAT HAT

Lemon Hall my freshman year and it was very nice. But overall, the dorms here suck. The school may have colonial charm, but it comes at the cost of some dorms being gross.

Now back to some more positive aspects of my sophomore year. The campus is gorgeous. Niche rates the campus a B-. That’s just wrong. As I said last year, the campus deserves an A+. It’s so pretty.

The red bricks on the colonial style buildings are beautiful. The falls and springs are stunning.

Niche gave the location of the College, Williamsburg, a B. Last year, I gave the location a B- without a car and a B+ with a car.

This year, I think the difference is even bigger.

With a car, the location is a B+, without a car the location is a C. It’s hard not to run out of things to do without a car.

Moving on to student life, I am going to review a new category: the social scene.

Last year, I could not review the party scene because of COVID-19. The College is not known as a party school and it definitely isn’t compared to other colleges. Niche gave the party scene a B-. I would agree with that.

However, keep in mind every college is a party school to some extent.

At the College, you will have options Thursday-Saturday, although I would say most students go out one or two nights. People in Fraternity and Sorority Life generally go out more and have more options. However, I would not say it is necessary to be in Fraternity and SororityGreek Life if you want a social life. Many people find that through clubs and sports.

I gave my freshman year a B. I am happy to report I would give my sophomore year an A-.

I am so much happier without the COVID-19 restrictions. I loved that my classes were in person and that there was more of a social life.

I would give it a solid A if my dorm and food were better. But, all in all, normal college is pretty great!

Caitlin Noe ’24 is a government major. In addition to working as the opinions editor for the Flat Hat, she is a member of Alpha Phi Omega, the service fraternity and works as a research assistant for AidData on the TUFF team.

Email Caitlin at cjnoe@wm.edu.

| Tuesday, May 3, 2022 | Page 3

The other night I was scrolling through my Instagram feed before going to sleep.

In my “suggested for you” section I saw the page @disabilitypridewm, which is sponsored by Student Assembly. I was interested. I was born fully deaf, and have had cochlear implant surgery on both of my ears. I had my right when I was 18 months old and my left when I was 10 years old. I have spent my whole life doing my best to adapt to a hearing world. This has not been without its troubles. I’ve had consistent migraines, pressure headaches, and bacterial biofilms develop on the internal components within my skull. I wasn’t allowed to play contact sports. I could never hear when in a pool or the rain. Every member of my family was musical; I could never tell notes apart.

Talking on the phone, attending concerts, conversing with friends in a dining hall: these are all things that are near impossible for me to enjoy due to my disability. In spite of my deafness, I am a highly independent and competent individual. I’ve found work, people and hobbies that I love. I am proud of who I am and I love the future I see for myself. I hold no pride for my disability.

Being disabled sucks.

My whole life, I have tried my hardest to not ever need help or accommodations.

I was taught from a young age that the only way to be successful in a hearing world was to be strong enough to not need accommodations. I took this message to heart, but when I came to the College of William and Mary I saw information about Student Accessibility Services. I was so happy that there were finally opportunities to make things just a little bit easier for me. I made sure to have all the necessary paperwork and documentation of my disability prior to the start of my freshman year. I requested just a few things: notes for my classes and a visual fire alarm for my dorm room. I never got that fire alarm. This is a major safety concern for anyone who is not able to hear when they sleep.

I distinctly remember the frustration I had in my freshman year taking Business Statistics. The professor had a strong accent and even though she was the sweetest person I had met, I had so much difficulty understanding the lectures. I never received notes for that class until after the second exam. They were useless to me at that point. I am a second semester senior and to date, I have not received any notes for any of my classes, even when I ensure my accommodations are approved ahead of time.

When I saw that Instagram page, I was briefly optimistic. Though, that feeling went away pretty quickly. It being called Disability Pride Week rather than Disability Advocacy Week or Disability Recognition Week was the first strike for me. I understand that some people with disabilities are proud of their disabilities, and that is ok. But, I think that this nomenclature fails to respect

the difficulty that people with disabilities have. Disability is not something that unites people in the same way sexuality or heritage might. I don’t think people can have pride for disability in the same way others can have pride for their gender identity, sexuality or other immutable characteristics. Disability is not something that unites me with others.

I inherently struggle to unite with others because of my disability. My disability is why I have learned to be an effective interpersonal communicator. My disability is why I have learned to be such an active listener. There is no possibility for me to listen passively. I have become stronger in other areas because of the deficiency I was born with. I should be recognized for those strengths, not for the deficiency.

Next, I noticed the events that were planned. Last Monday there was a social media campaign to highlight the work disabled students do on campus. It seems to me to be a massive misdirection of resources to highlight work being done by disabled students if the school cannot even meet basic accommodations for students who need them to do the very work that the school wishes to celebrate. On Tuesday, there was a Disabled Students Panel where they will discuss the question: what is it like to be a disabled student at the College?

My short answer to that question is: it’s no different than a non-disabled student at the College, but a little harder. That’s what disability is. It makes things harder.

On Wednesday: Art Therapy! Woohoo!

Because art is relevant to disability of course!

And, all people who have a disability need therapy, obviously. This just seems like a random event they threw in there to fill calendar space. If I were an administrator, I definitely would have planned to attend last Thursday’s ADA rights workshop. All public or private schools that receive federal funding are required under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to provide accommodations to students with demonstrated disabilities.

The matter seems fairly settled to me. It’s clear that the school is not committed to following these guidelines.

The only event I looked forward to was last Friday’s social event to meet other students with disabilities. I love meeting people, and people with disabilities have often had to figure out some unique ways to adapt to the world around them.

This often allows for some interesting perspectives. The more perspectives we are able to consider in life, the more brilliant life will appear to us. In all, it seems that the Student Assembly and any department of the College attempting to represent students with disabilities has mostly missed the mark. Also, they didn’t even add alt text to their Instagram posts.

Aaron Albright is in the class of 2022 at the College majoring in philosophy.

Email Aaron at amalbright@wm.edu.

COMIC

Fuzzy 13: Fuzzy Plays Ultimate, Starring President Snowe COMIC BY ARIANNA STEWART / THE FLAT HAT

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, May 03, 2022

Page 4

STAFF COLUMN

GUEST COLUMN

The dangers of diet culture Carina Pacheco FLAT HAT GUEST WRITER

My grandfather used to have a saying: better to stay quiet and be thought a fool, than to speak and have it confirmed.

I was sitting in a coffee shop, doing work and flipping through computer tabs, when a woman and her elementary-aged daughter walked in, both sporting bobbed blonde hair and neat outfits. The little girl swelled with excitement at the pastry case and exclaimed about the Victoria Sponge cake loud enough for the whole cafe to hear. Her guardian leaned down and whispered to her not to shout, but to control herself and ask for what she would like. Correcting her posture and her volume, the little girl politely asked the barista for a slice of her coveted Victoria Sponge. The mother ordered a cookie for herself and a pot of tea for the two to share.

After this interaction at the counter, I tried not to eavesdrop again. However, this proved difficult for me, since I am nosy and the pair sat directly in front of me.

The barista brought over their tea and treats, and I unconsciously braced myself for a “big slice of cake for such a little girl!” No such remark came. The duo spent the rest of their time chatting over their refreshments and reading a book together.

From my own experience as a barista in a cafe and gelateria, I have heard it all. “Oh, just a small scoop for me.”

“I’m so bad!” “Let’s treat ourselves, we deserve it.” “No dinner for me tonight!” These phrases were common. I grew increasingly accustomed to them, but they still never get easier to hear.

Diet culture’s toxic narratives are so deeply ingrained in our culture that mindless and potentially harmful comments or phrases just come out.

“Oh, I’m not getting anything,” said a mother one summer night, chaperoning three young kids with fingers and noses up against the glass–“I’m not young anymore.” I even got a forceful “that’s enough!” from one woman, before I had filled her small cup up even halfway with coffee-flavored dessert.

This instance really puzzled me, because I still had to charge her the full price for a third of the product.

Diet culture’s toxic narratives are so deeply ingrained in our culture that mindless and potentially harmful comments or phrases just come out. Much of the time, these words carry no intention of ill-will, criticism or judgment. They’re just that : mindless, thoughtless, trained reactions. Regardless of intention, each comment I heard from men and women, young and old, stuck with me, just as they likely stuck with their children, friends or even strangers waiting in line for their coffee or dessert.

But, as another sweaty, sticky summer approaches, so do shorts, tank tops and bathing suits. Be kind to yourself and others–and don’t be a fool when you could’ve kept quiet.

We all make mistakes and we can all misspeak, but none of us want that little girl growing up afraid of her Victoria Sponge cake.

Carina Pacheco ’23 is a history major and a native of New Jersey. She is a part-time barista and a full time dog lover.

In addition to contributing to The Flat Hat, Carina is a member of the club lacrosse team and the Young Democrats club.

Email Carina at capacheco@email.wm.edu.

The Flat Hat Opinions section is introducing polls to gauge campus opinions of and reactions to the articles we publish. Follow the QR code below to answer a few incredibly quick questions pertaining to whether you agree or disagree with the opinions articulated in the article(s) you read. The data we collect will be used to write an article at the end of every semester (starting Fall 2022) about the most and least popular articles of the term, in addition to any trends we observe in terms of responses on a larger scale. Please take a few seconds to let us know your thoughts on these articles!

Finals shouldn’t be worth more than 25% of your grade Lauren Meyer

FLAT HAT ASSOC. OPINIONS EDITOR

Ah, finals season. The bane of my existence and the object of absolutely zero of my desires. As a college student, it is hardly shocking that I do not like finals. Stress, minimal sleep and studying?

No thank you. I understand the need for finals. I really do. We, as students, get to show off all of the fresh new knowledge we’ve gained.

Huzzah. But what if we made finals less of a hassle?

Introducing: Final Exam Grade Limits. That’s right. Instead of stressing about your final being worth 40% of your overall grade, in this funky FEGL world, finals cannot be worth more than 25%.

Imagine this utopia. Are finals still important? Yes. Do you still study and work hard? You betcha! But are you crying and rocking back and forth on the third floor of Earl Gregg Swem Library after realizing you are certifiably screwed on an exam worth almost half of your grade?

Hopefully not!

In any other part of the year, having multiple assignments due at the same time is a prime target for student complaints and anguish, but during finals it’s expected. Not only that, but finals typically count as the single greatest contribution to overall grades. Multiply that by four or five classes and the infamy of a good old-fashioned finals breakdown makes sense. But why should we allow this to continue happening?

Finals “week” lasts 10 days at the College of William and Mary, which is less than 10% of the overall semester. So why should one exam count for the majority of the grade for a class that lasts the whole semester? In reducing the weight of final exams through FEGLs, professors would have to shift their grade breakdowns to account for work done throughout the semester, hopefully alleviating

pressure at the end of the year. Plus, in doing so, students would have to hold themselves more accountable as well– steadily working and studying for various exams and projects throughout the year instead of cramming at the last minute.

I’m not saying we should abolish finals, or that FEGLs would magically make finals worries disappear. However, with FEGLs, there would hopefully be a better balance between finals as a major factor in a grade breakdown (25% is no chump change) while also alleviating strain on students’ psyches.

Now, if I may, a caveat: this argument mostly applies to final exams, not final papers or projects. I think it’s reasonable, if a student is in a class where they’ve been working towards a final product like a thesis or otherwise large-scale project, that the assignment will be worth a considerable portion of the grade. Obviously, if you’re working on something throughout the semester and a class is structured in that way, and a lot of work has been put into it, the weight of a grade should reflect that.

In conclusion: FEGLs are fun. FEGLs are flirty. So, envision a FEGL future. One where you open your syllabi at the beginning of each semester and don’t die a little (or a lot) inside when you see a final worth 40%. One where, when someone in your hall keeps you up for hours blasting “Poker Face” on repeat the night before your final, you want to kill them 15% less for your lost sleep. FEGLs are a small, doable change that will hopefully make finals less of a soul-sucking enterprise. The possibilities of a FEGL future are, as Sharpay Evans would say, fabulous.

Lauren Meyer ’24 is planning to major in anthropology and minor in history. Outside of the Flat Hat, Lauren is a member of Swim Club and is also an avid Swiftie.

Email Lauren at lemeyer@wm.edu.

GUEST COLUMN

The “Comprehensive Housing and Dining Facilities Plan” fails to take student voices into account Anonymous I think we were all shocked when the College of William and Mary announced its plan to transform 80% of campus housing and dining facilities by 2032. For some of you, I’m sure this surprise was a welcome one. It’s no secret that many of our dorms are less than ideal. To be clear: I know that our school needs to be renovated. I actually like the new plan, overall. I want dining halls with layouts that are conducive to efficiency and food safety. I want to make sure that no other freshman has to suffer through September without AC. And, as an avid environmentalist (I once cried at Tribe Truck because I forgot to pack reusable cutlery), I’m thrilled to see the school taking long-term energy efficiency and sustainability into account.

Even so, the sudden announcement left me feeling angry, stressed and cheated.

Like many students, I enrolled at the College in part because of its reputation as a peaceful campus. The University of Virginia was originally my first choice, but I realized I wouldn’t be happy surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a bigger city. I was willing to deal with dated buildings if it meant I got to live somewhere beautiful and quiet. That was a tradeoff I was prepared for. So, I was a little dismayed to find out that the remainder of my college experience would be dominated by wrecking balls, roped-off walkways and more of the endless, incessant beeping that I thought would finally end with the Art Center’s completion.

This is where I take issue with the renovation: current students committed to the College before they were informed about the extensive disruptions they would have to face.

To be fair, I am a bit biased. As a neurodivergent student, two of my least favorite things are (a) unexpected changes and (b) loud noises. My brain is not built to

Bits and Pieces: A Trip to the Dentist Arianna Stewart // The Flat Hat

be surrounded by construction. I actually have ADA housing accommodations for a single dorm room, in part because my sensory hypersensitivity makes it almost impossible to sleep when someone else is in the room. Even so, I really don’t think my concerns are neurodivergent-exclusive. I can’t be alone when I say that I don’t want to spend college surrounded by the sweet serenade of jackhammers.

I’m lucky enough to live in Hardy Hall—known by word of mouth as an “accessibility dorm”—meaning that I won’t be kicked out of my ADA housing assignment. But I’m worried about how the project will impact other students with accommodations. Old Dominion Hall, home to almost 50 single rooms, is among the first set of buildings slated for renovation. Where will these students live until renovations are complete?

Additionally, the Ludwell apartments will be released from contract during Phase 2, seemingly without plans to construct new apartment-style dorms. What will happen to students who need extra space to accommodate a service animal, or students with severe allergies who need access to a non-communal kitchen?

To make matters worse, the finished project won’t even increase housing or dining capacity: the facilities may be nicer, but they won’t be bigger. The College claims this new plan will “support the integration of living & learning”, ignoring the fact that students are already being driven off campus by bedspace shortages.

Did we somehow forget the disaster that was 2022-23 housing registration?

Our school is already overcrowded, and Williamsburg apartments aren’t cheap.

As rental rates rise, upperclassmen may be pushed farther and farther into the suburbs. This hardly seems in line with the “living & learning” philosophy.

I appreciate that the school is trying to account for logistical problems by staging the plan in phases, but any project of this scale is bound to have unforeseen delays.

Even the planned temporary housing/ dining capacity reductions could cause problems for students. For example, Marketplace dining will be demolished during Phase 1. Until the Campus Center is reconstructed in Phase 2, any undergraduates living in the Graduate Complex—of which there are quite a few—will have a 20-minute walk to the nearest dining facility. Now is a good time to remind you that sophomores aren’t allowed to have cars on campus.

I know that many of these renovations are necessary. Our dining staff need to have spaces where they can prepare food safely. Students need AC. But it was disingenuous of the school to drop these plans on students so suddenly. It wouldn’t be an issue if students knew about these major changes before deciding to enroll, but many of us chose the College because we expected a quiet, idyllic college experience. It seems like a bait-and-switch to unexpectedly force current students to put up with years of construction.

Luckily, the administration has several options to remedy their oversight. By pushing the start date to 2026, every student on campus can be informed about the project before they commit to the College. Alternatively, the college could extend its renovation timeline to reduce the number of facilities under construction at any given time, thereby reducing the strain on students. Or, at the very least, students could be provided with a more democratic opportunity to voice our concerns. After all, this campus is our home. I think we deserve a say in its future. I think we deserve a say in its future. You can petition our administration at this link: https:// www.change.org/delay-WM-demolition The author of this article chose to remain anonymous because they discuss personal details about their ADA accommodations.

However, they encourage readers to reach out to this email address with any questions: delay.wm.demolition@gmail.com

variety Some gouda news:

Variety Editor Vivian Hoang Variety Editor Madeleine Harris flathat.variety@gmail.com // @theflathat

THE FLAT HAT | Tuesday, May 3, 2022 | Page 5

THE FLAT HAT // JR HERMAN

the cheese club is back!

A victory for cheese fanatics across campus, the College of William and Mary’s Cheese Club

has made a triumphant return with exciting new initiatives ahead after two years of inactivity JR HERMAN // FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR The Cheese Club, one of the College of William and on campus . . . because it’s ridiculous,” Gnesin said. every other week, the Cheese Club has plans to bring Mary’s most iconic clubs, has at long last returned from “It’s weird. It’s strange. It’s unique. It’s quintessentially other exciting opportunities to its members, including a a two-year hiatus. Originally founded in 2013, the club is twampy in the best way.… I’m in a religious group, I’m in “‘Ratatouille’ night” at the end of the semester. frequently lauded during admissions tours as a cherished a fraternity, I’m in this, I’m in that. But nothing I do is so “We’re going to watch ‘Ratatouille,’ and then cheeses staple of the student body. Rather than learning about the quintessentially twampy as the Cheese Club, and nothing that are referenced throughout the film, we’re going to have club during the student activities fair at the beginning of can be.… There’s a reason that it used to get brought those specific cheeses,” Gouyer said. “And then just sort of the year — probably the most common way for students up on admissions tours when they were talking about eat along with the movie, and the part where Remy is eating to discover on-campus organizations — in the past, many clubs and organizations.... There’s nothing that describes cheese with a strawberry or cheese with a grape, you’ll get students have come to the College with the express desire William and Mary better than that.” to experience those in real-time — the 4D experience.” to join the Cheese Club.

The club also hopes to further build community by Jeremiah Foltz ‘22, the club’s current president having cheese-themed Bigs (“Hard Cheeses”), Littles (or “Big Cheese”), explained how joining the Cheese (“Soft Cheeses”) and Cheese Families.

Club was something he looked forward to even Foltz and Gouyer see this plan as a great opportunity before matriculating to the College. for those who want to experience the Big and Little “I’m a transfer student, so even before dynamic without having to go through the more transferring, I knew I wanted to come to William traditional routes of joining a fraternity or sorority, and Mary, and one of the things I wanted to do was which require a significantly greater time commitment. join the Cheese Club,” Foltz said. “It seemed like Gouyer also noted that the club plans to have dairysomething that everyone wanted to do. Everyone free events for those who are lactose intolerant, and Foltz joined, especially if you were a newcomer.” teased an end-of-semester “Cheeseout” week.

However, by the time Foltz had transferred Looking ahead to next semester, the dates for cheese to the College, the pandemic was in full swing, tastings and other events will be scheduled far in essentially shutting down the Cheese Club. Cheese advance and posted on TribeLink to allow students to tastings, which were the primary function of the plan ahead. club, were now impossible to hold in-person due to Foltz explained that members who have paid dues the College’s restrictions on student organizations, can attend tastings without any additional fee; for and obviously ill-fit for a Zoom format. During non-members, there is a $3 fee to help cover the cost the pandemic came the second, final blow to of the cheese, although it is possible that in the future the organization: Everyone on the Cheese Club’s some of that cost could potentially be subsidized by executive board graduated. the Student Assembly, thus lowering tasting costs for The club silently fell into obsolescence for over a year, students. Those interested in joining can either request and if not for Foltz, the club might still be dormant. membership through TribeLink or reach out to a This past fall, when restrictions had significantly member of the executive board. eased and student organizations were able to resume Gouyer noted that the Cheese Club provides more than more-or-less normal operations, Foltz first contacted just cheese — those looking to find a community or try the Student Leadership Development Group and something new may find the club to be a great fit. inquired into the state of the club. He soon discovered “[The Cheese Club is for] anyone who is looking that the club had no officers, had not posted anything for a way to be involved on campus but either doesn’t on social media since before the COVID-19 era and want to overcommit themselves or is apprehensive to had not attempted to renew as an organization. certain aspects of different college areas of life — like Foltz, believing the club to be a “cornerstone” of if you want the community building, but you don’t the College, and one which speaks to its “nicheness,” want Greek life, or you don’t want something that’s decided to revive the Cheese Club with the help of super academically-minded or something that’s based Sam Suslavich ‘22, Eli Gnesin ‘22 and Grace Gouyer exclusively on a major,” Gouyer said.

‘22 at the beginning of the spring 2022 semester.

Foltz shared a similar sentiment about how the Gnesin first learned about the Cheese Club club helps students foster community and discover on an admissions tour, and he recalled that the new opportunities.

THE FLAT HAT// JR HERMAN organization was spoken of almost as an urban “I think it really helps build community, and At a recent cheese tasting event, a member of the Cheese Club chooses cheese legend. While he was unable to find the Cheese Club it provides an opportunity to students they likely at the activities fair, the club was not so mythical that otherwise wouldn’t have,” Foltz said. “They can get out he was unable to join; Gnesin was eventually able to get in Gnesin, who serves as the club’s cheese master, is of their class at 5:50 and then skip over to the cheese contact with some of its representatives. responsible for selecting the cheeses and their pairings. tasting, taste some cheese [and] be exposed to cheeses “I said, ‘I want to join this,’ and I did,” Gnesin said.

Gnesin explained that his process for choosing the that maybe they wouldn’t otherwise have been exposed “And I loved it. And it was, for two years, one of my cheeses is rather informal and based simply on what to — right here on campus.” favorite things. I showed up every other week. We had cheeses he currently is enjoying. The last cheese tasting For fans of wordplay, the Cheese Club offers a final cheese. It was great.” consisted of brie with wild mushrooms (paired with perk: an abundance of “cheesy” puns.

Gnesin’s love of the club stems deeper than even his water crackers), comté (paired with salami and rosemary Thanks to Foltz, Gnesin, Gouyer and Suslavich, the love of cheese — its eclectic “twampy” nature is part of crackers), and goat’s milk gouda (paired with sour Bing Cheese Club and all its characteristically twamp quirkiness the appeal. cherries and rosemary and water crackers). is back, and hopefully, here to stay.

“Cheese Club is probably my favorite involvement In addition to hosting its staple event of cheese tastings

Page 6

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Lets get real about BeReal

THE FLAT HAT

Confusion Corner columnist explores the merits of new social media app BeReal VIVIAN HOANG // FLAT HAT VARIETY EDITOR

“Download BeReal,” my roommate implored me for the umpteenth time, adding emphasis to her emotional appeal through a sharp nudge to my side.

“No,” I responded firmly, swatting her hand away. As someone with a practically nonexistent digital footprint, I’d gotten used to resisting pleas from my friends to “get on the grid,” so my affirmative denial came almost reflexively.

“Pleaseeeeee,” she begged, “I promise it’s different from other social media apps. It’s literally designed to deconstruct the fakeness of Instagram.”

At the sound of this, my ears immediately perked up. When I used to have social media, Instagram had always been the greatest source of strain on my mental health. As cliche as it sounds, I very quickly began basing my self-worth off of objectively meaningless indicators such as likes and comments, grappling with feelings of inadequacy and FOMO and allowing mistrust and doubt to manifest into my personal relationships based on people’s presence and behaviors online.

Such negative experiences eventually led me to make a clean break from social media all together, and I became a fierce opponent of it.

So the thought of a social media platform that could dismantle the very problems I had with social media itself piqued my interest — was such a feat really possible?

I thought I might as well find out. A few clicks later, and I ventured off into the world of BeReal, a social media Luddite treading carefully in an all too familiar yet brand new online landscape.

As its name suggests, BeReal is a social media app that seeks to capture authentic moments and eliminate reliance on photo editing, filters and heavily staged photoshoots. The platform only allows its users to post once a day at randomly designated times when they receive a notification stating, “It’s time to BeReal.” Once the notification

appears, users have two minutes to snap a photo that uses both the front and back camera, showing a dual perspective of both the user’s face and what the user sees in front of them.

Users are prevented from seeing their friends’ posts on their feeds until they have completed their own post. And for those who fail to snap a photo on time, the app will list how long after the original notification that the user posted their photo. BeReal is purposely designed with limited features in order to ensure that its users do not present a carefully curated selection of images but rather one “real” snapshot into their daily lives. The app does, though, feature the ability to leave comments and reactions in which people can upload quick selfies in response to seeing their friends’ posts.

At first, I had reservations about BeReal due to its similar format to Snapchat, another photosharing app that encourages its users to post about the daily happenings of their lives. Like Instagram, Snapchat had been damaging to my mental health — it produced within me a compulsion to not only document everything that I was doing, but also to reduce moments of my day into content to be peddled to the public.

You may not realize it until you’re removed from

the situation, but it is utterly exhausting to whittle every aspect of your life into a digestible snippet for others to consume and enjoy.

However, BeReal directly addresses these concerns by barring its users from sharing a continuous stream of updates throughout the day.

BeReal’s one daily photo limit is crucial to why I enjoy the app so deeply — it prevents me from being constantly tuned into others’ lives, yet still satiates my core human desire to connect with others. I’ve found that the one snapshot is the perfect balance.

It’s just enough for me to feel more engaged with my friends’ lives, yet it lends itself to easy detachment because I can just take my one picture, quickly scroll through my feed and then close the app until the next day since I know no new content is coming in. Then, I can actually dedicate my GRAPHIC BY // MADELEINE HARRIS headspace to what’s occurring in front of me in real life.

Another aspect of BeReal that I love is its normalization of relaxation and down time.

As a chronic workaholic and people pleaser (a dangerous combo, I know), I have long since struggled with setting aside time for myself.

Typically, I am constantly pressuring myself to either work productively or attend social events.

Perhaps exacerbated by people’s perfectly curated

lives on social media, I was always caught up in the notion that everyone was always out and about, accomplishing impressive feats or having tons of fun with their friends.

However, seeing my friends — even ones I deemed as the most extroverted — shamelessly upload pictures of themselves laying in bed at 4 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon or staying in to watch movies in their dorm room on a Friday evening has opened my eyes to the inaccuracy of the narratives I had constructed about what other people were up to. I realized that my desires to have time alone were valid and universal; I began to accept that it’s okay to choose me and do what I genuinely want to do instead of always pressuring myself to conform to other people’s desires for fear of being perceived negatively.

Doing too much of anything — whether good or bad — will ultimately cause burn out and diminish your zest for life. Sometimes, we all just need time to recharge and practice self-care, and BeReal definitely encourages that.

Beyond all these personal reasons, BeReal is also just fun! One thing that releasing myself from social media has never erased is my narcissism; sometimes, just pulling out my phone and snapping a quick selfie, especially when the notification serendipitously arrives when I’m with friends, can be a great serotonin boost.

Overall, I’m a fan of BeReal. It’s a low commitment endeavor that serves a breath of fresh air against the current backdrop of energy-intensive social media platforms. And, as a bonus, having BeReal expands my online presence beyond Facebook and LinkedIn so that I finally have some concrete evidence that I’m not actually a 30-year-old working professional who’s extended her stay in college for way too long. I’m Gen-Z, I swear — you can add me on BeReal @vivhoangg7 to confirm.

GRAPHIC BY // VIVIAN HOANG

Updating your everyday emoji choices

Confusion Corner columnist reviews standout emojis from the iOS 15.4 iPhone update MADELEINE HARRIS // FLAT HAT VARIETY EDITOR

With certain iOS updates comes a set of exciting new emojis that become rapidly incorporated into our everyday vernacular, and the recent iOS 15.4 update did not disappoint.

While I know that not all of our fine readers are Apple users, I hope all of you can share in my excitement over some of these unique emoticons. Though there are many new ones, I have chosen a select few personal standouts from the collection to review

I’m not going to lie, I kind of feel like this emoji is a bit of a waste. I understand the meaning behind it, yet I don’t love it. I feel that :/ better represents the emotion of “meh,” not exactly something great nor something entirely disappointing — a simple “it is what it is” expression of frustration. The idea of feeling “meh” and going all of the way to the emoji keyboard and back to your regular keyboard on your iPhone just to type out that emoji does not seem realistic at all. If it weren’t just a variation of :/, I think this emoji could be much more impactful.

But :/ is much easier to type and what I am used to, so :/ definitely wins in my book.

I love this emoji. It is the finger heart gesture, a simple way to express love for another person or thing. This gesture was popularized in South Korea by K-pop artists and celebrities and has catapulted into popular culture throughout the past decade. My high school friends and I always loved to use it with each other when we

could tell one of us was having a bad day but were too far apart from each other to speak. I’m now imagining a group of friends sending this emoji to one another in group chats, allowing them to easily cheer up a friend who had a rough day without even being able to see each other. I like it.

Where did the rest of the face go? I think this emoji has a lot of potential. It could be used in at least two different scenarios: two people in solidarity as they’re both going through it, or someone saying “aye aye captain,” like those kids in the Spongebob theme song. Pretty fun.

This is an emoji of a hamsa, a symbol important in many cultures and religions, dating back to ancient times. I’ve grown up with hamsas throughout my house. They have always been one of my favorite symbols of my Jewish culture, though I’ve typically seen them upside down. They stand as a powerful symbol across countless religions, such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism as well as throughout the Middle East and North Africa region. While the symbol is said to be one of protective qualities, bringing health and happiness to those that possess it, the hamsa also provides a symbol of unity and commonality by being such a universal, personal fixture of a wide variety of cultures, faiths and families. Seeing it as an emoji does feel a little trivializing as it holds so much meaning for so many people, but overall I am happy to see it represented through the new update.

emoji. It puts the word “sigh” into a picture. The vibe is similar to the smiling emoji with a single tear, but this one feels like a better visual representation of what that feels like internally. The melting emoji is not as random as you’d think.

This emoji reminds me of those Uncle Sam “I WANT YOU” posters we were always shown in history classes. A little threatening if I’m being honest — not sure how I feel about it.

Now, this emoji encapsulates so much, as my friend once said in a text to me, since it feels applicable to so many different scenarios and emotions. It perfectly shows the feeling of not wanting to see or know something, while at the same time, not being able to resist the sight or knowledge.

The most direct application would be me while watching a scary movie — I don’t want to get scared by the monster popping out, but I also need to know exactly what happens and see the monster pop out.

It also could apply to seeing a grade on an exam you’re nervous about or finding out whether or not you were admitted into a program — you know you should probably check your results, but you also know that it could ruin your day. Either way, the result is you barely peeking an eye through your hands — you can get the information you so desire, but at what cost?

I sent this emoji to my roommate, and she told me it was scary. I see what she means, but at the same time, I think it is yet another very relatable

This is another wholesome new emoji. It could be two friends forming a heart, each with one hand, or oneself forming a heart with both of one’s hands.

Either way, it is another cute way to express one’s care and love for another person, animal, place or object. Again, I like it.

I’m just confused by this emoji. Emojipedia says it is a green troll holding a club. 1. That is not a club, that is an oddly shaped giant fork. 2. Why? I have never thought to myself: “Wow, if only there was a green troll emoji holding a club (oddly shaped giant fork) that I could use here!” Though I suppose all emojis are meaningless in those terms since they are never really necessary for communication. So maybe this critique is uncalled for. I’m sorry, green troll holding a clubthat’s-actually-a-giant-fork.

These are certainly not all of the new Apple emojis that came out in the iOS 15.4 update. I encourage you to take a look for yourself through your emojis, and you might be surprised with what you see.

And apparently the iOS 15.5 update was just released. Unfortunately, I don’t think it comes with any new emojis. So I probably will procrastinate updating my phone for far too long, especially with this lack of incentive with no new emojis. *insert melting face emoji*

sports

THE F LAT HAT | Tuesday, May 3, 2022 | Page 7

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Tribe wins conference championship in nail-biter

Saric secures clinching point in third set against Elon, William & Mary wins 27th CAA title

JASON TUKKER FLAT HAT ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR William and Mary (13-8, CAA 5-1) traveled to North Carolina last weekend where the team captured its 27th Colonial Athletic Association title. The Tribe defeated host school Elon (17-9) 4-1 in the finals to secure the championship title.

The College started their tournament play on Friday, April 29, by convincingly dispatching No. 7 seeded Towson (9-13, CAA 1-5) 4-0 in the quarterfinals.

The win over Towson began with the Norwegian duo Hedda Gurholt and Ine Stange winning their doubles match 6-0. Juniors Raffaela Alhach and Elisa Van Meeteran then secured another doubles point with a 6-2 win, their first at the No. 1 position.

Moving into singles, Alhach wasted no time in her matchup, winning the first two sets 6-1 and 6-3 over senior Jessica Assenmacher. This marked Alhach’s 17th win of the season. Gurholt followed with her 22nd win of the season, winning in straight sets (6-2, 6-0) on line two.

The Tribe secured victory after Stange, playing on line six, bested Towson freshman Sissi Axelsson 6-3, 6-2. This marks her fourth straight victory and third time clinching a win for the Tribe in their last four matches.

The Saturday semifinals saw an inspiring display from senior Mila Saric to lift the Tribe to a 4-3 win over No. 3 seeded Delaware (19-6, CAA 3-2).

William and Mary found themselves in a 2-0 hole early on after losing the doubles’ point and falling to the No. 4 position. Gurholt started to mount the Tribe comeback by winning 6-1, 6-4 on line two, her second win in the tournament.

Just as in the quarterfinals, Alhach and Stange followed Gurholt with wins of their own in the No. 3 and No. 6 positions, respectively. The trio earned three much needed points to put them up 3-2 on the day.

After Delaware won the No. 5 singles match, it all came down to the No. 1 match between Saric and junior Eliza Askarova on line one. The two exchanged 6-4 sets, bringing the entire match down to one set. Saric, the reigning William and Mary player of the year and No. 121 nationally ranked player, closed out the series by defeating Askarova 7-5 to send William and Mary to the finals of the CAA Championships.

The Tribe started off hot Sunday morning against Elon with Saric teaming up with freshman Emma Fernald to claim the first point in doubles on line two. The duo did not drop a set en route to their 6-0 sweep of Elon senior Victoria Saldh and junior Julie Ball.

In the No. 3 match, Stange and COURTESY IMAGE / TRIBE ATHLETICS Gurholt increased the Tribe lead by William & Mary won its 27th CAA Championship on Sunday, May 1 after defeating Elon in the championship match. defeating senior Olivia Archer and sophomore Alison O’Dea. Both doubles making her a staple in the position for the team. teams improved to 5-2 for the season on their respective lines.

With the Tribe ahead 3-0, they had three remaining matches Transitioning to singles matches, in the No. 3 match, Alhach and of these only needed one more point to be crowned conference made quick work of Saldh with 6-0, 6-3 scores to win her fourth champions. Fernald would provide this final point in her comeback match in a row. The junior picked an important time in the season win over O’Dea on line five. to become hot, winning all three of her matches in the CAA After suffering defeat in the first set, the Tribe freshman made championships and improving to 19 total wins for the season. no mistake in the second and third, winning them 6-1 and 6-3, Stange also picked up another crucial point for the Tribe, respectively. Fernald’s victory marked her 19th of the season. defeating junior Shauna Galvin 6-3, 7-5 to secure her third singles The Tribe will face #6 NC State in the first round of the 2022 DI victory of the tournament and sixth straight. The rookie is now 16-8 Women’s Tennis Championship. The match will take place at the overall on the season. Even more impressively, she is 7-1 on line six, Raleigh Regional, which is set for Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Fischer makes big moves in light of new transfer rules Seven new student-athletes join Tribe basketball with hopes of turning program around JAKE FORBES FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR Tribe sports fans may have lost almost all faith in the men’s basketball program after their 5-17 finish last season. The team lost their last nine games of the regular season before losing in overtime to Northeastern in the first round of the CAA Championship.

Due to both COVID-19 protocols for fans and the team’s lackluster performance, attendance at Kaplan Arena dropped sharply the last two seasons. Nobody understands the struggle for attendance better than senior Jonathan Newby, president of Tribal Fever, the school’s official athletics fan club.

“It has honestly damaged our ability to bring people out,” Newby said about the team’s performance last season.

“Compared to football, where we had consistently strong interest and attendance, for men’s basketball, with the exception of Gold Rush, it seemed as if almost no one came to certain events we had,” Newby said.

Head Coach Dane Fischer already knew he had to shake things up this off-season, unaware of the roster changes to come.

Less than a month after the Tribe’s first and only playoff game, senior Mehkel Harvey decided to enter the transfer portal.

Two days later, sophomore Yuri Covington took to social media to announce his entrance into the transfer portal. Covington played a key role for the Tribe this past season, averaging seven points per game. He plans on

joining Chipola College in the fall.

The following week, the trend continued.

Freshman Julian Lewis, who won all-CAA honors for his performance last season, entered the portal as well. Over the 32 games, Lewis averaged 7.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

He will head over to Oxford, Ohio, to attend Miami University for the 2022-23 season.

Senior Quinn Blair became the fourth player to enter the portal. He averaged 9.9 points per game, enough for third-best on the roster.

The biggest hit to the team was when sophomore Connor Kochera announced his decision to enter the transfer portal.

Kochera was CAA rookie of the year in the shortened 2020-21 season. Working the floor on both ends, he averaged 10.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game his sophomore year.

Kochera has already signed with Davidson for next season.

After Kochera, the dominos continued to fall.

Junior Thatcher Stone, sophomore Kurt Samuels Jr., and freshman Langdon Hatton added their names to the list in the transfer portal.

As of April 21, nine players have entered the portal. That marks over half of last season’s roster.

As surprising as this mass exodus may seem, it should be expected due to new rules from the NCAA regarding transfer eligibility.

This year, the NCAA approved a one-time transfer for all student athletes without a need to sit out for one season.

The transfer portal has been a madhouse the last few weeks, with 1,300 scholarship

JAMIE HOLT / THE FLAT HAT

Head Coach Dane Fischer instructs his team in a timeout during a game against Charleston on Thursday, Feb. 3.

players entered in the system. Things have been especially chaotic for CAA teams, as Northeastern saw seven of their players opt to transfer, while Elon expects to lose six.

“This is just the reality of it now,” Fischer said. “There’s going to be guys going into new programs and leaving others. It will open up new opportunities, and that is where we are at right now.”

Newby also acknowledged that the busy transfer portal will be considered a new norm.

“It is to be expected that people are going to leave universities at a higher pace if athletes are able to move universities and play immediately,” he said.

With the recent rules changes, the recruitment process has also become chaotic.

“It is a different process for everybody,” Fischer said. “It’s a little bit like a jigsaw puzzle, which recruiting always is in terms of the time frame.”

Fischer has already been hard at work and Kaplan Arena will see seven new faces on the court next season.

Beginning with the incoming freshman class, Jack Karasinski will play at either guard or forward. Hailing from Grand Rapids, he was a finalist for the Hal Schram Mr. Basketball award in Michigan — which is awarded to the best senior boys high school basketball player in the state — and led his high school team to an undefeated season and DII State Championship in 2022.

Fischer is particularly excited to welcome Karasinski to Williamsburg.

“Jack was our top target at his position from the start,” Fischer said.

“He is an incredible competitor and can guard multiple positions. We are excited about the toughness and versatility he will bring to our program.”

Also back in November, Charlie Williams signed a national letter of intent to join the Tribe. Williams calls Carmel, Ind., home and plays at the forward position. He was named an Indiana All-Star as one of the top 12 players in the Class of 2022.

“Charlie quickly rose to the top of our recruiting board after seeing him this summer,” Fischer said. “He possesses incredible skill and mobility for someone his size.”

To round out the freshman class, Chase Lowe signed his national letter of intent last month.

Lowe, a guard out of Charlotte, N.C., was named the North Carolina Player of the Year by the N.C. Basketball Coaches Association. He ended his high school career with two straight state titles and 49 straight victories.

“He can attack the paint and finish at the rim, create for others, rebound and defend at a high level,” Fischer said. “Chase is an outstanding addition and complement to Jack and Charlie, and we are very excited to get

them to campus this summer.”

Last month, Fischer also announced that Rice junior Chris Mullins will join the team while beginning his graduate studies. As a member of the Rice basketball team, Mullins started in 102 of 116 games over four seasons and scored over 1,000 points.

“Chris impacts the game in a number of ways because of his ability to get in the paint and score or facilitate,” Fischer said.

“We expect Chris to bring a tremendous amount of leadership to our team next year given his experience at the collegiate level.”

Fischer announced the introduction of Providence freshman Matteus Case to the program, too.

“Matteus is a guard who can catch and shoot as well as put the ball on the floor,” Fischer said.

After two years at Pittsburgh, sophomore Noah Collier will join the Tribe starting in the fall.

“Noah presents matchup problems because of his ability to face up and drive the ball, play from the mid-post and score around the rim,” Fischer said.

The most recent addition to the team is graduate transfer Anders Nelson. He spent the last four seasons at St. Thomas University in Minnesota and will play his final season with the Tribe. Nelson plays at guard and averaged 15.2 points per game with St. Thomas.

“He is an extremely tough and skilled guard who is capable of scoring and creating for others,” Fischer said.

“Anders has been a tremendous leader over the course of his career and we are looking forward to him having that same impact for us.”

With seven new players coming in and COVID-19 regulations relaxed, Tribe fans have a lot to be excited for in Kaplan arena next winter.

“My first year here, we had a terrific following from our students,” Fischer said.

“Obviously, it was impossible to do that the last two seasons with COVID,” he added.

“But, I want to get back to that engagement with our student body because Kaplan Arena is a great place to play and it is hard to play as a visiting team.”

Newby is also optimistic for the future.

“I think the next few years are going to be pretty exciting and hopefully more productive,” he said. “This is an opportunity to refresh the program the way we need to.”

Newby also spoke to the important ramifications of the basketball program’s success.

“When schools do well athletically, that is a boom for the school in general,” Newby said. “That means more applications, more students and more funding. So, I would say there is a lot riding on us doing well, and these transfers are a major key in turning things.”

Page 8

THE FLAT HAT

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

CAMPUS

Director of National Park Service discusses conservation Charles F. Sams III talks about how his native heritage influences his career in preserving wildlife CALLIE BOOTH FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

Thursday, April 28, the Institute for Integrative Conservation hosted a talk with Charles F. Sams III, the first Native American director of the National Park Service, as a part of their Indigenous Voices in Conservation event. The event was held at the Martha Wren Briggs Amphitheater at Lake Matoaka at the College of William and Mary and addressed how Sams focused on conservation throughout his career and how his Indigenous background has influenced how he views conservation.

The chiefs of Williamsburg area tribes attended the talk, including the chiefs of Rappahannock, Nansemond and the Upper Mattaponi tribes.

The event was moderated the Institute for Integrative Conservation Executive Director Robert Rose, Nansemond Indian scientist Nikki Bass from the Chesapeake Bay and Andrew Fisher, an associate professor of history and the director of the Environment and Sustainability Program at the College.

Rose started the discussion by introducing Sams.

“Director Sams most recently served as Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s appointee to the Pacific Northwest Power and Conservation Council, where he held up a position as a councilmember

from March to December of 2021,” Rose said.

“Prior to joining the Northwest Council, he served as executive director for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. For more than 25 years, Director Sams has worked in tribal and state government and in the nonprofit natural resource and conservation management field, with an emphasis on the responsibility of strong stewardship for land preservation for this and figure generations.”

Sams said that his desire to help conserve America’s wildlife came from his tribal ancestry, and traces it back to his Native name, “Mockingbird With Big Heart.” He further went on to discuss how his name and Native culture influenced how he wants to take care of the environment through his position as head of the NPS. “He said, ‘I’m naming you Mockingbird with Big Heart, and you will go out into the world, you will learn those things best that you can take from other people and bring those gifts home to teach your people to lean back for your founder,’” Sams said. “And so I would say my journey on doing conservation work begins with my naming.”

Fisher and Sams also spent time talking about Sams’s involvement with fish conservation in the Pacific Northwest.

“It’s a challenging time for salmon and many other species including us,” Fisher said. “It’s also an exciting time though, because we have our first Native director of the National Park Service, also our first Native secretary of the interior, and that’s opened up some new possibilities.”

Sams discussed how he wants to collaborate with the Salmon Corporation to learn more about traditional ecological knowledge and how it relates to tribal sovereignty with tribes whose ancestral lands reside on lands within national parks. He believes that working with Tribal Leaders to integrate their knowledge of their traditional ecological systems with modern ecological scholars would produce the best approach to conserving the land within national parks.

Additionally, many members of the general public, as well as students of the College, were interested in learning more about Sams and his work regarding conservation.

Sophie Bruns ’24 attended the talk to learn more about Sams’ career, and how his background has influenced his work.

“It was such an honor to be in the presence of the country’s first Native American Director of the National Parks Service, Chuck Sams,” Bruns wrote.

“I enjoyed learning about his life story and career

path, having been born in Oregon as a part of the Umatilla Indian Tribe, working with the Oregon Conservation Corp, going into service, and now directing the National Parks Service. Overall, his talk was very interesting, educational, and most importantly, inspirational to young listeners who have a passion for the outdoors as well as basic human rights and equity for all groups of people.”

Additionally, Sams went on to talk about internship opportunities available to students throughout various fields within the national parks and also offered general advice for students getting ready to enter the workforce.

Towards the end of the discussion, Sams also went on to discuss the importance of diversity within the world of conservation and the NPS. “Diversity is natural,” Sams said. “You look around you and any place on Earth and diversity is natural. The only people that make it unnatural are human beings. We catalog, we categorize.

We separate. We put those things apart. But the harder we try to do that, the more nature is going to force us to put it together. And so our job at the National Park Service is to celebrate that diversity, not just for the honor of the human experience on the landscape.”

CAMPUS

Wellness center hosts focus group to review campus mental health

President Rowe, Rector Littel attend focus group examining mental health concerns at the College WELLNESS from page 1

That’s not the case when we’re celebrating each other.”

Megan Bissonette ’24 also spoke on the topic of stress culture, but that she has found it brings peers together in order to be open with one another. Bissonette has had personal mental health struggles, and emphasized that stepping into this role has helped her advocate for herself, as well as advocate for others that may have a difficult time taking the steps to use wellness resources.

“When you’re struggling with depression, even if someone has the resources for you, it takes many steps to get the mental health help that you need,” Bissonette said. “I believe that at William and Mary we have students who are very cognizant of mental health. I feel like, hopefully in every friend group there is someone who is especially cognizant and who is especially proactive in saying, ‘hey, you should go to the Wellness Center.’”

Bissonette mentioned that individual support within the community is something that can benefit many people on campus.

In her experience, supportive student organizations, as well as events such as

freshman orientation, can connect students with a variety of individualistic support.

Max Beers ’24 highlighted the importance of introducing fun into the conversation surrounding wellness.

He emphasized that, in regards to wellness, much of the conversation is centered on why members of the campus community need wellness in the first place rather than emphasizing what makes students and faculty truly happy.

“I think that William and Mary especially is doing a really good job of trying to take that and say, ‘here are all these opportunities you have to have more fun.’ Even if it’s something as benign or banal as writing something stupid on the chalkboard outside of the ISC,” Beers said. “I wish there was some way you could codify or put that in legislation of ‘everybody should do five things that make us happy a day.’”

Rowe sympathized with Beers’ statement and discussed the importance of including the concept of play not only within K-12 classrooms, but on college campuses as well. To Beers, being a Wellness Ambassador allows him to figure out how students can define themselves by what makes them happy, rather than what makes them stressed.

Dr. Kelly Crace, associate vice president for Health and Wellness and director of the Center for Mindfulness and Authentic Excellence, discussed that part of the intention of the Wellness Center is to begin asking students about what brings them meaning.

“One of the narratives we challenge the Wellness Ambassadors to engage in with their peers is instead of having conversations of reporting in, like ‘how are you’ reporting in, we ask them to lead with, ‘share something that was meaningful today that you engaged in,’” Crace said. “And it starts to help students realize that ‘yes I am stressed, and I am also engaged in a meaningful life because I’m doing things that matter to me.’”

Near the end of the discussion, Guidera inquired as to how the participants would like to see policymakers use their leverage to make a change regarding wellness in education. Heck emphasized that she believes it should be a requirement for students to learn how to optimize their wellbeing throughout their course of education.

“How can you expect them to be healthy and correct their mistakes that may have been established beforehand if they were never taught those skills? That’s step one,” Heck said. “I think, ideally, in elementary

education we have, you know, health services and whatnot. How are we teaching children how to care for themselves?”

Marissa Del Zingaro ’24 mentioned that she believes the initial steps to finding wellness resources in college begins in lower education levels. She reflected on her high school experiences in which a mental health organization would create breaks and fun experiences for students. When she came to college, she noticed that she and her friends were able to realize what resources were available more easily than some other students.

“I think slowly you can build upon that framework when you get to high school and then hopefully to college, then you know how to know when you don’t feel right, and maybe it’s time to go seek out help or maybe participate in programs where you can express yourself and find what’s working for you and what’s not,” Del Zingaro said.

Daria Moody ’22 discussed the importance of finding time to prioritize wellness, and that incorporating wellness into schedules can look different for everyone.

“Having the opportunity to figure out what works best for you is really important,” Moody said. “And I think because you’re

already battling those priorities in an academic setting or just in general, I think lowering the barrier in other ways, whether that’s like a geographic barrier or the financial barrier, like we have with the wellness classes and things like that, I think is really, really important.”

Bissonette urged the importance of teachers and professors individually checking in on their students, not just when there is a crisis, but regularly. She believes that being proactive in giving students spaces for the open expression of emotions can allow them to find the help they need before their situations become crises.

At the end of the discussion, both Guidera and Littel thanked the participants for their assistance and expressed gratitude for those who shared personal experiences as well as advice and suggestions.

“It’s been amazing to be here,” Guidera said. “Walking in the Out of the Darkness march this morning was so important in terms of changing the conversation around mental health and wellness and especially suicide, and taking away the stigma of mental health. It’s just been incredible this morning to be here. Always being on a campus is inspirational, especially a place like William and Mary.”

CAMPUS

Historical marker unveiled in honor of Art Matsu ’27 as a part of Asian Centennial Celebration Matsu is honored for his athletic performance, being first National Football Leauge player of Asian descent CENTENNIAL from page 1

at the College. Although they later discovered Pu-Kao Chen, class of 1923, and Ming Pan, class of 1925, preceded him, Matsu remained important to the conversation about diversity and inclusion they wanted to start through the Asian Centennial.

“We sought to develop a platform for collaborative programming that open conversations on how to continue to build a more inclusive society at William and Mary and beyond,” Sohoni said. “It was Art Matsu and its incredible significance for William and Mary that inspired and spurred our research efforts, and it’s for this reason that we’re honoring Art Matsu today.”

Benming “Benny” Zhang ’16 J.D. ’21 recalled how he would look at a historical picture of Art Matsu when he felt discouraged in his senior year race for City Council. Zhang also wrote an honors thesis on Matsu.

“I would actually pull out his picture and look at it and, as crazy as it may sound, or maybe not be as crazy as it sounds, it gave me a lot of energy. It gave me a will to press on.

And I have to thank Art Matsu for that forever,” Zhang said.

Matsu came to the College during a difficult time for Asians in America. Just one year after he enrolled, Virginia began passing

laws preventing “race-mixing” as the country grew more diverse. and defying all the aspects that certain folks in our society wanted to see. And he embodied all of those excellently without being one of ‘them,’” Zhang said.

During the ceremony, College President Katherine Rowe presented Zhang with a Presidential Citation for outstanding scholarship through his honors thesis on Matsu, which resulted in the application and approval for a Commonwealth of Virginia historical marker to honor Matsu’s legacy.

Isabella DiFulvio ’23 is a student athlete on the Cypress women’s ultimate frisbee team and in her sophomore year was co-director of the Asian American Student Initiative. She shared how important it is to honor Matsu as not only one of the first Asian students at the College, but also for his involvement in sports.

“He proved to everyone that Asian Americans are more than the stereotypes: weak, submissive, emasculated, nerdy and unathletic,” DiFulvio said. “Art Matsu was a trailblazer and a leader who showed that Asian Americans are human and that we have a diverse range of abilities and interests.”

The Asian Centennial seeks to start a conversation about inclusion and belonging at the College and the history of it that made stories like

Matsu’s possible.

“It only takes one student, one faculty, one administrator to make someone feel at home and not run away to the comfort of another, more diverse place,” Aguas said.

“We must research what it is about William and Mary that makes us good that people stay. Because it is only then that we can excel with leadership and research.”

Honoring Matsu’s legacy is only one step to tearing down institutional barriers that threaten this inclusionx. There are currently very few Asian American athletes in the National Football League and DiFulvio herself points out that she is the only Asian American and person of color on her ultimate frisbee team.

“The bottom line is that we need to give Asian American athletes a chance, but these barriers won’t be erased by simply having Art Matsu’s name on the arcade,” DiFulvio said.

“Seeing his name is a reminder of the work that still needs to be done, a reminder that we need to continue to support and believe in Asian American athletes.”

As the bells chimed noon on Matsu’s 118th birthday, College and community representatives alike unveiled the new Historic Marker.

Diana Kim ’25 attended this unveiling and is the service chair for the Asian American Student Initiative.

“It’s a great way to have people thinking about the placement of racial minorities throughout history and the experiences they had,” Kim said. “I think we’re on the track for something great now, but it wasn’t always great before.

So, to have markers for people who did great things is just a reminder, you know, to do greater things, but also a reminder to be mindful of our history.”

The marker stands for all to see on the northern side of Zable Stadium by the Arthur A. Matsu Arcade.enrolled, Virginia began passing laws preventing “racemixing” as the country grew more diverse.

“Art Matsu, notwithstanding all that has gone on, came at a time at William and Mary where football became a huge sport in defining masculinity and defying all the aspects that certain folks in our society wanted to see. And he embodied all of those excellently without being one of ‘them,’” Zhang said.

During the ceremony, College President Katherine Rowe presented Zhang with a Presidential Citation for outstanding scholarship through his honors thesis on Matsu, which resulted in the application and approval for a Commonwealth of Virginia historical marker to honor Matsu’s legacy.

Isabella DiFulvio ’23 is a student

athlete on the Cypress women’s ultimate frisbee team and in her sophomore year was co-director of the Asian American Student Initiative. She shared how important it is to honor Matsu as not only one of the first Asian students at the College, but also for his involvement in sports.

“He proved to everyone that Asian Americans are more than the stereotypes: weak, submissive, emasculated, nerdy and unathletic,” DiFulvio said. “Art Matsu was a trailblazer and a leader who showed that Asian Americans are human and that we have a diverse range of abilities and interests.”

The Asian Centennial seeks to start a conversation about inclusion and belonging at the College and the history of it that made stories like Matsu’s possible.

“It only takes one student, one faculty, one administrator to make someone feel at home and not run away to the comfort of another, more diverse place,” Aguas said.

“We must research what it is about William and Mary that makes us good that people stay. Because it is only then that we can excel with leadership and research.”

Honoring Matsu’s legacy is only one step to tearing down institutional barriers that threaten this inclusion. There are currently very few Asian American athletes in the National Football League

and DiFulvio herself points out that she is the only Asian American and person of color on her ultimate frisbee team.

“The bottom line is that we need to give Asian American athletes a chance, but these barriers won’t be erased by simply having Art Matsu’s name on the arcade,” DiFulvio said.

“Seeing his name is a reminder of the work that still needs to be done, a reminder that we need to continue to support and believe in Asian American athletes.”

As the bells chimed noon on Matsu’s 118th birthday, College and community representatives alike unveiled the new Historic Marker.

Diana Kim ’25 attended this unveiling and is the service chair for the Asian American Student Initiative.

“It’s a great way to have people thinking about the placement of racial minorities throughout history and the experiences they had,” Kim said. “I think we’re on the track for something great now, but it wasn’t always great before.

So, to have markers for people who did great things is just a reminder, you know, to do greater things, but also a reminder to be mindful of our history.”

The marker stands for all to see on the northern side of Zable Stadium by the Arthur A. Matsu Arcade.