T HE F LAT H AT
Vol. 111, Iss. 10 ¦ Tuesday, October 26, 2021
The Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
flathatnews.com ¦ @theflathat
SUSTAINABILITY
College hosts second "Sustaina-bite" lunch talk
COUTESY PHOTO / YOUNGKINFORGOVERNOR.COM
Lunch presentation discusses College sustainability and plastics RACHEL BARTZ THE FLAT HAT
Thursday, Oct. 21, sourcing analyst with the Procurement Services Office Dave Zoll, Associate Director of Marketing, Administration and Licensing at Auxiliary Services Eden Harris and Sustainability Director Calandra Waters Lake gave the second Sustaina-bite Lunch Session, a monthly presentation on sustainability at the College of William and Mary. The talk centered around single-use plastics, and Governor Northam’s recent Executive Order 77, which came into effect in March and aims to reduce waste sent to landfills. The presentation began with an overview by Lake on how, as a state agency, the College falls under the jurisdiction of Executive Order 77. Single-use plastics, which the order targets, are defined as plastic items that are rarely reused and thus often immediately discarded. Lake said the focus on single-use plastics is related to plastic’s complicated recycling process, which places limits on the types of acceptable recyclable plastic; plastic also ultimately has a limited recycling life. The order plans for single-use plastics to be phased out over the next four years. Lake mentioned, however, that already purchased single-use plastic items will be used by the College in the spirit of not creating more unnecessary waste; future items will adhere to the new guidelines. Some items, such as plastic bags and kitchenware, have already begun switching to sustainable alternatives, such as compostable silverware. Harris spoke on the abundance of water bottle refilling stations around campus and encouraged their frequent use. Harris additionally explained the role the order will play from an administrative perspective, as she touched on the new prevalence of recyclable aluminum water bottles not only in vending machines but also available for purchase in bulk, instead of their single-use plastic counterparts. On a similar note, she encouraged the purchase of recycled, give-back and sustainably-made promotional products, in addition to stressing conscientious, intentional purchasing. Zoll stressed the importance of providing obvious alternatives to supplies now being phased out in order to make the transition as seamless as possible. The university’s Amazon Business account, for example, has preferences switched on for sustainable products. “What we’ve done is, globally, turned on preferences for sustainable products,” Zoll said. “And there’s a list of about twenty or so sustainability certifications that we’ve turned on.” The response to these changes has remained relatively positive, according to Lake, on both the student and administrative sides. Nevertheless, the push forward in sustainability has not been without its issues. “The challenge that we collectively face as a campus is making sure those products end up in the proper receptacles to be disposed of,” Harris said. “So it’s not the change in the delivery, it’s the end place for those products, that they’re ending up in the correct composting bins or recycling bins... that continues to be a challenge across our community.” Both Lake and Harris sung the praises of the College’s Dining Services and how proactive they have been in sustainability efforts. According to Harris, many steps had been made long before Governor Northam’s Executive Order, often without the knowledge of the student body. The recycling of cooking oil and composting of food waste are both examples of this behind-the-scenes work. As it relates to the College’s community, Lake argues that the order builds off an already strong legacy of sustainable progress on campus. “This Executive Order is really just adding to the direction and initiatives that William and Mary was already moving in,” Lake said. Past sustainability initiatives include a variety of programs. One of the earliest recognitions of sustainability on campus came in 2008 with the establishment of the Student Green Fee at students’ request, which has funded nearly $2 million in sustainability projects. Read more at flathatnews.com
INDEX News Opinions Variety Sports News
COUTESY PHOTO / TERRYMCAULIFFE.COM
GRAPHIC BY MOLLY PARKS / THE FLAT HAT
Virginia gubernatorial election mobilizes student voters
McAuliffe, Youngkin face off for VA Governor, college students rally to vote SAM PASSMAN // THE FLAT HAT With Virginia’s gubernatorial elections under two weeks away, the College of William and Mary's campus has once again been abuzz with efforts to mobilize the voters, both among the student body and within Williamsburg. Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe, who was previously governor from 2013 to 2017, has a platform built around continuing the policies of current governor, Democrat Ralph Northam, reenergizing the Virginia economy and using the policy achievements of his first term as proof he knows how to govern. McAuliffe is also emphasizing a firmly pro-choice stance on abortions. Abortions were a major part of McAuliffe’s 2013 win. With the passage of Texas’s highly controversial SB8 abortion regulations bill, McAuliffe’s campaign hopes to use his opposition to the bill to generate voter support. Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin, meanwhile, has been formally endorsed by former president Donald Trump. His platform focuses on revitalizing the Virginia economy by cutting the grocery sales and gas taxes, as well as improving the public education system. Youngkin has come under criticism for having a vaguely defined and hard-to-find platform and policy goals. Though participation in off-year elections is generally lower than in general elections, such as 2020, campus groups hope that participation among the College’s students will remain high for this race. “I’m cautiously optimistic,” said Office of Community Engagement Associate Director Rich Thompson, who oversees the nonpartisan Voter Engagement Action Committee. Though the committee has only been in existence for two months, it has already started voter-engagement projects with the student body and Williamsburg community. Thompson stated that the committee works with faculty and staff, as well as running outreach with the Williamsburg and James City registrars and via social media. Recently, the committee has sponsored
Inside Opinions
2 3-4 5-6 7 8
initiatives to register students to vote. “We actually had the Williamsburg registrar here, and we set up on the terrace, and we offered free pizza as part of that, and we got about 30 new students to register who previously hadn’t before,” Thompson said. Although the gubernatorial race is dominating state and national news, the College’s Young Democrats are more focused on local races, formally endorsing Delegate Mike Mullin’s re-election campaign. “It’s important to remember that all 100 seats in the House of Delegates are also up for re-election,” Young Democrats member Mia Tilman '24 said. “We’re just a smaller group, and a lot of our efforts have been tied into making sure he gets re-elected.” Tilman also says that most efforts have been through phone banking and online canvassing events. “Students can participate in voter outreach efforts from the comfort of wherever they choose, their own room and whatnot,” Tilman said. Since the College’s students lean Democratic, Tilman said, efforts towards the student body have been less about who to vote for and more about just voting at all. Still, Tilman says that the most important problem is apathy coming from voters thinking that Virginia will always vote blue. “The thing we’re trying to emphasize is to remove the perception that Virginia is a solidly blue state, because it’s not,” Tilman said. “When we had a Democratic trifecta in 2018, it was the first time that had happened in 25 years, and Virginia has only really voted consistently blue since 2019. And because Youngkin has done a really good job of walking that Trump-moderate divide, it’s been a very competitive race.” A Democratic trifecta refers to control of both houses of state legislature plus the governorship. Chairman of the College Republicans Eugene Lee ’23 is confident Youngkin’s campaign can avoid that reality
Inside Variety
Inside Sports
Stompfest returns to campus for Homecoming 2021, Sigma Gamma Rho takes grand prize. page 5
College rebounds quickly after loss to Maine two weeks ago with a 40-14 win over Towson on Sunday, Oct. 24. page 7
"College efforts to be environmentally Stepping Out friendly fall flat as long as investments The Black Student Organization's annual stroll competition in fossil fuels persist Enya Xiang '25 pushes College towards divestment from fossil fuels if they truly want to be environmentally conscious. page 4
this election cycle. “I think this is probably the most optimistic we've probably been for a statewide election in Virginia,” Lee said. “I mean, as you know, last time we've had a Republican governor or any statewide elected office that a Republican won was with Bob McDonnell. And so obviously, now we see a clear shot of it. The polls are showing that it is becoming an increasingly tight election. I think the recent poll actually showed that it was tied. So there's not a lot of chances for us to repeat this same result.” Lee also touched upon hot-button issues, such as the role of parents in education, which relates to the recent debate over critical race theory in schools. Lee also pointed to less government intervention and lower taxes as issues of personal importance to him in the governor's race. “Personally, for me, I just want to see less government intervention in our own individual lives, you know, decreasing taxation, especially for someone like me who lives in northern Virginia, where we get taxed the most in comparison to the rest of the state, you know, decreasing the gas tax where we see record high gas prices in the state as well,” Lee said. “And also a lot of education as well. Just recently, we've seen Terry McAuliffe say himself that he doesn't want parents to make decisions regarding their children's education. I think a lot of it should go back to the local parents who, you know, help decide alongside, in conjunction with the school boards in deciding curriculum like that. So definitely those are some of the high priority issues. I think that is at stake right here in Virginia.” No matter the outcome, Thompson seems confident that the College’s students will vote in large numbers on Election Day. “We actually had a poll from SA that over 90% of the student body planned to vote,” Thompson said, citing a 2020 poll, “And I’m cautiously optimistic that we’ll do well again this year.”
Tribe moves 5-2
In 2020, we broke records and over 4.4 million Virginians voted.
LET’S MAKE HISTORY AGAIN IN 2021. Go to IWillVote.com/VA to make a plan to vote early or on November 2.
newsinsight “
News Editor Alexandra Byrne News Editor Charles Coleman News Editor Molly Parks fhnews@gmail.com ¦ Tuesday, October 26, 2021 ¦ Page 2
THE BUZZ
The thing we re trying to emphasize is to remove the perception that Virginia is a solidly blue state, because it s not. When we had a Democratic trifecta in 2018, it was the first time that had happened in 25 years, and Virginia has only really voted consistently blue since 2019. And because Youngkin has done a really good job of walking that Trump-moderate divide, it s been a very competitive race.
FLAT HAT NEWS BRIEF Fraternity and Sorority Life reform efforts under scrutiny as Kappa Sigma responds to allegations of racist, homophobic, antisemitic comments Saturday, Oct. 2, members of the College of William and Mary’s chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity allegedly used racial slurs, including the N-word, during a mixer with Chi Omega. Later in the night, a member was overheard making derogatory comments using homophobic and antisemitic language toward members of another fraternity. The response from the College’s sorority and fraternity chapters, as well as the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council, has varied. Following allegations of systemic racism in white Fraternity and Sorority Life amidst the protests and movements during the summer of 2020, many chapters have recently implemented diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Still, these accountability mechanisms have yet to be put to the test. Abby Kitila ’24, a member of Chi Omega, said she heard the comments firsthand over the music and reported them the next day. President of Kappa Sigma Max Moore ’23 said in a statement to The Flat Hat that one of the individuals involved was expelled from the chapter. He did not indicate whether the multiple members heard saying racial slurs during the mixer had been identified or disciplined. READ MORE AT FLATHATNEWS.COM ALEXANDRA BYRNE AND EMMA HENRY / THE FLAT HAT
A THOUSAND WORDS
REBECCA KLINGER / 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.
Jennifer Mellor educates policymakers, pushes support for health initiatives CALLIE BOOTH // THE FLAT HAT As the College of William and Mary returns to in-person classes, Director of the Schroeder Center for Health Policy Jennifer Mellor is excited about the class offerings, research and several other opportunities she partakes in that allow her students to grow. Mellor, who teaches in both the economics and public policy departments, and is the current head of graduate studies for the Masters of Public Policy program. “I went to graduate school in economics, and I received a Ph.D. in econ,” Mellor said. “I had gone to graduate school because I attended a liberal arts institution, and as an undergraduate, I was really excited to work with a faculty member on research. When I was on the job market, looking for a place to land, I was really drawn to William and Mary because those opportunities for students to work together with faculty were really strong here.” Mellor teaches a variety of courses across all levels of education at the College. Currently, she is teaching a COLL 150 course called ‘The Economics of Bad Behavior.’ In addition to this course, she is teaching several courses on the 300 and 400 level pertaining to health policy and economics. At the graduate level, Mellor teaches a master’s course about healthcare policy. Mellor’s position as the Director of the Schroeder Center for Health Policy allows her to help educate policymakers and lawmakers, as well as students, about a broad array of public policies related to healthcare and population health. The three main goals of this center include providing people in power with timely analysis of healthcare problems, supporting students of the College studying in healthfocused public policy fields and bolstering faculty who are actively engaged in research on health and healthcare policy. “One of the things that the Schroeder Center tries to do is to create ways for students at William and Mary to learn more about health policy,” Mellor said. “This can include research, but it can include other things like course offerings, a speaker series and other opportunities to connect with other students who are interested in health policy. And on the research side, we have a health policy research lab that we
Claire Hogan Editor-in-Chief Lulu Dawes Managing Editor Zoe Beardsley Executive Editor Rebecca Klinger Digital Media Editor Taylor Robertson Business Manager Matt Lowrie Standards Editor Ryan Leventhal Webmaster Alexandra Byrne News Editor Charles Coleman News Editor Molly Parks News Editor Ashanti Jones Variety Editor Madeleine Harris Variety Editor Lexie Hiestand Sports Editor Nathan Seidel Sports Editor Lucas Harsche Opinons Editor Alyssa Slovin Opinions Editor Nick Reeder Data Editor Noah Broude Online Editor
Emma Ford Operations Coordinator Isabella DiFulvio Webmaster Victor Tran Webmaster Erica Smedley Social Media Editor Justin Sherlock Social Media Editor Judith Hahn Podcast Editor Nina Raneses Copy Chief Susie Stark Copy Chief Jamie Holt Photos Editor Callie Booth Chief Staff Writer Georgia Thoms Chief Staff Writer Adithi Ramakrishnan Chief Variety Writer Tara Vasanth Graphics Editor Ashley Huang Online Editor
Callie Booth News Assoc. Editor Daly Martorano Variety Assoc. Editor Patrick Byrne News Assoc. Editor Bushra Bablu Opinions Assoc. Editor William Kobos News Assoc. Editor Elaine Godwin Opinions Assoc. Editor Kim Lores News Assoc. Editor Caitlin Noe Opinions Assoc. Editor JR Herman Variety Assoc. Editor Jake Forbes Sports Assoc. Editor Ellie Kurlander Variety Assoc. Editor Leif McCoy Data Assoc. Editor Linda Li Variety Assoc. Editor Ellie Voorhis Online Assoc. Editor Zach Lutzky Photos Assoc. Editor
LLOR R ME NIFE OTO Y PH RTES COU
Opinions fhopinions@gmail.com Variety flathat.variety@gmail.com Photos flathatphotos@gmail.com Online flathatonline@gmail.com Advertising flathatads@gmail.com Graphics flathat.art@gmail.com Webmaster flathat.webmaster@gmail.com
/ JEN
STABILITAS ET FIDES | ESTABLISHED OCT. 3, 1911 Editor flathat.editor@gmail.com Managing flathat.managing@gmail.com Executive flathat.executive@gmail.com Magazine editor@flathatmagazine.com News fhnews@gmail.com Sports flathatsports@gmail.com Copy flathatcopy@gmail.com
̶ Mia Tilman 24
Putting health first
THE FLAT HAT 25 Campus Center, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va. 23185
“
THE FLAT HAT
offer. It’s a lot of different activities and ways for students to get connected to health policy, and right now one of our activities is focused on behavioral health policy.” Outside of her work with the Schroeder Center, Mellor is also involved in her own personal research where she focuses on studying policies related to Medicaid and Medicare. Her work specifically examines policies related to individuals who qualify for dual-eligibility for both of these programs. “My research is largely focused right now on issues related to this dual-eligible population,” Mellor said. “Things like how many of those who are eligible to receive both types of benefits actually enroll and get the help they need, what types of changes in enrollment policy could make more people eligible for these important benefits, and on the payment side how can we ensure that these types of individuals are receiving the benefits that they need for certain services, and getting access to the certain services that they need for these programs. It’s really just about studying federal and state policies and how they work.” Mellor is excited about new developments in the Master of Public Policy program at the College which was revived this fall. The program was suspended in Spring 2019 and revived in Fall 2021, missing two cohorts that would have started in Fall 2019 and Fall 2020. “I act as director of graduate studies in the master’s program of public policy, and the master’s program has just recently relaunched,” Mellor said. “We’re excited that many students in our entering class were William and Mary
undergraduates. I would definitely want William and Mary students to know that they can do a bachelor’s degree at William and Mary and a master’s of public policy here in just five years. I have been working with the leadership in the public policy program and we have some exciting developments in the program because it is recently relaunched.” Mellor is also interested in the rising levels of individuals suffering from issues related to behavioral health. “At this time in the U.S., we know that mental health policy and mental health is a serious concern,” Mellor said. “It is partly due to the pandemic and the social isolation that was caused by the pandemic, the stress that was caused by the pandemic, and the challenges of remote work and remote learning. So, if you look at some statistics prior to the pandemic, about 1/10 Americans reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. Now in the pandemic period, that is up to about 4/10 Americans. So people are dealing with a lot more anxiety and depression and that’s the mental health problem.” Mellor’s interests also encompass the other side of behavioral health: substance abuse. “On the substance abuse side, which is the other aspect of behavioral health, we know that drug overdose deaths hit a record high in 2020, with 93,000 drug overdose deaths,” Mellor said. “I think that is a record increase since 1999. These 93,000 drug overdose deaths represent a lot of individuals who are dealing with substance abuse issues and didn’t find the treatments that they needed for their substance abuse, the symptoms of their substance abuse and workforce shortages in the mental health industry.” Mellor acknowledged her research’s consequences in the real world. “Recognizing that this is such an important time both for mental health and substance abuse, we decided to focus on what types of policies can be targeted towards these problems,” Mellow said.
opinions
THE FLAT HAT
¦ Tuesday, October 26, 2021 ¦ Page 3
STAFF COLUMN
GUEST COLUMN
Youngkin victory could affect the College Owen Williams FLAT HAT GUEST WRITER
Under the Virginia State Constitution and the College of William and Mary’s status as a public university, the members of the Board of Visitors are appointed by the Governor of Virginia. As gubernatorial elections occur every four years, the same length of service that a BOV term runs for, a single governor has significant influence over the composition of the Board, and therefore the outcome of the decisions that the Board makes. In recent years, the College’s Board of Visitors has received increased attention over many high profile decisions, most notably related to the naming and renaming of campus buildings, which the Board has sole authority over. As a politically appointed body, most members of the Board have been involved in state or national politics at some point, with many having publicly partisan inclinations. As Virginia’s governorship has been controlled by the Democratic Party for the last eight years, all but one member of the Board was first appointed by a Democratic governor. Additionally, every single member has been appointed or re-appointed by a Democratic administration, with many members being appointed and re-appointed by both Governor Terry McAuliffe and Governor Ralph Northam. Given the intense scrutiny that the Board has received throughout the last year, I urge College students to consider the Board as a motivating factor in deciding their vote in the 2021 gubernatorial election. Early next month, former governor Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin will face voters, with mail-in and early voting having been ongoing for weeks. If Glenn Youngkin were to win the November 2nd election, the results to our institution would be catastrophic. Most students who were here last year and who actively participated in the efforts to rename campus buildings know that the Board of Visitors does not move with haste. It took extreme public pressure on the part of the student body, through direct action in the form of protests and a student initiated referendum, as well as a concerted effort of student leaders and representatives to the Board in order to produce change. At their April 2021 meeting, the Board finally approved the renaming of select campus buildings, most notably Tyler, Morton and Taliaferro Halls, which are now known as Chancellor’s, Boswell and Willis Halls, respectively. There remain many buildings and iconography throughout campus which are still in dire need of renaming or removal, with Ewell Hall as an example, where no amount of Board-driven contextualization will make up for
deciding not to rename. Does anyone honestly believe that, had Republicans prevailed in the 2017 gubernatorial election, a Republican-appointed Board would have pursued these changes? I certainly don’t. Given how removing Confederate iconography has become a major culture war throughout the country, I believe that a Republican Board would have taken no action to rename any building,
and would have completely insulated itself from public pressure and student opinion. The potential for harm does not stop at thwarting further renaming efforts. The governing bodies of other state institutions, such as the University of North Carolina’s Board of Trustees, have recently come under fire for interfering in the academic freedom of professors, intervening inappropriately in the hiring process to deny Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of the 1619 Project, tenure which she had been approved for. Other Republican-led states such as Georgia have decided to end tenure altogether, sending a clear signal to professors that academic freedom is under fire. Given Glenn Youngkin’s clear pattern of behavior, in which he has openly courted and embraced Donald Trump’s support, and shown a clear intention to engage in culture wars on a list of issues, William and Mary cannot afford the Board of Visitors that he would appoint. Had we had a Republican Board in recent years, they likely would have stopped all renaming efforts, interfered in the implementation of our vaccinate mandate which facilitated our return to in-person instruction and campus life, and infringed on professors’ academic freedom to teach the full history of race and gender in the United States. Now is not the time to get complacent. That possibility is once again a reality. Polls show that the gubernatorial election is virtually tied. I encourage students at the College and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia to consider the impact that the next governor will have on the administration of their university. Our current Board has issues; they act too slowly and do not properly prioritize the student voice in their deliberations, but a Youngkin-appointed Board would be an active threat to student life and academic freedom, and would not be susceptible to student pressure like the current Board is. When deciding to cast your vote on or before
November 2nd, I urge you not to vote for Glenn Youngkin or to sit out the election. Owen Williams ‘23 is a junior majoring in Government & History from Vienna, Virginia. He currently serves as a Senator for the Class of 2023 and as Chair of the Senate in the Student Assembly. He is also involved in Students for University Advancement, the W&M Young Democrats, the Spotswood Society, Phi Gamma Delta and is an Orientation Aide. Outside of William & Mary he serves as President of the Virginia College Democrats. The views expressed here are his own and are not representative of any organization of which he is a member. Email Owen at orwilliams@email.wm.edu. To view citations visit flathatnews.com.
COMIC
Opinions Editor Lucas Harsche Opinions Editor Alyssa Slovin fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat
College curriculum is nonintuitive, needs re-evaluation and improvement Adam Jutt THE FLAT HAT
A theoretically possible conversation between two William and Mary students: “Hey man, have you taken a class to fulfill your CSI domain yet?” “The COLL 200 CSI or the normal CSI?” “Normal.” “Yeah, I’ve taken care of that…my bigger worry is the ALV domain. I have no idea what I’ll take for that.” “I think I’ll just take a creative writing elective. That seems easy enough.” “No, creative writing doesn’t fulfill the ALV domain.” “What?! Creative writing screams Arts, Letters, and Values!” “I don’t know what to tell you. It does count for the Creative and Performing Arts Proficiency, though.” “Those aren’t the same thing?” “Nope. What about your COLL 300 and COLL 350 classes; have you taken care of either of those?” “Yeah, I took Math 150 last semester.” “No — I said COLL 350, not 150.” “I know! My COLL 150 was also a 350.” “Wait, what?” “Yeah, some classes fill multiple COLL requirements. Wait, you should know that — aren’t you in RELG 347? Give me a second.” (He pulls up the Open Course List and looks up the class) “Yeah! That is a COLL200, COLL350, CSI and HIPP.” “Oh, that’s cool. Wait, what’s HIPP?” “No idea.” “Wait isn’t the point of the COLL system that you take these different classes in specific years? Like, COLL 200s have to be taken Sophomore Year.” “No, I don’t think that’s the case.” “But we had to take COLL 100 and 150 freshman year!” “Yeah, those are the exceptions I think.” Scene. I hope that conversation made my point obvious: the College of William and Mary’s curriculum is a tad bit confusing. To be explicitly clear, I think the idea behind it is great. Having certain general requirements, each of which can be filled by taking one of a myriad of classes, is in my opinion the sweet spot between giving students complete agency over their schedules and requiring the taking of specific classes in various disciplines. However, terminologically the system we have in place lacks… elegance, in a word. It is clunky. It reads a bit like a piece of legislation that started out simple and intuitive but had a bunch of amendments, exceptions and caveats crammed into it to appease those on the other side of the aisle. I think that much of the problem stems from the blending of three verbiage systems to describe requirements, those being the COLL [insert multiple of 50 here] requirements, the three letter acronym domains (ALV, NQR, CSI) and the proficiencies. If the differences between those three categories were plain and obvious, or if they
each purported to address a different style of learning or type of knowledge, maybe the logic of the system could be more readily understood. Unfortunately, no such clear distinctions exist. The three “categories” often overlap, and it isn’t always intuitive why certain classes fulfill one requirement instead of another. One might respond to this article of mine by pointing out that criticism is worth little— and hardly constructive—if not accompanied by a proposition for improvement. If I am not here to propose a cleaner, more aggregate conceptualization of the College Curriculum Requirements, then what good am I? Well, I would argue that I need not put forth a specific alternative at this time for two reasons: one, because identifying the best alternative is first contingent on determining whether we as a college are willing to alter our framework to something more conducive to consistent terminology (a question to which I do not purport to know the answer), and two, because coming up with alternatives once we have answered that question wouldn’t actually be very hard at all. If the answer to the first question is no, for example, maybe we could just run with the CSI/NQR/ALV system by reframing all of the proficiencies and COLL levels as three letter acronym-ed domains in their own right. Or, maybe we could run with the COLL system and reframe the proficiencies and domains as COLL 0s and COLL 50s, respectively. Or, maybe we could invent a new methodology for naming, such as assigning each requirement a number for the recommended year you take it, a letter for what general subject or skill it focuses on, and another number for the number of credits required. I don’t know. Maybe all of those would be improvements. Maybe none of them. But what I do know is that the complicated metainfrastructure in place both makes it more difficult for students to grasp their progression and obscures the fact that the heart of the College curriculum is in a great place. Adam Jutt ‘25 is planning on majoring in who knows what (maybe public policy and economics). Aside from being in The Flat Hat intern program, he is a member of Club Tennis and involved with InterVarsity. Feel free to email Adam at adjutt@email.wm.edu..
GR
AP
HI
CB Y TH MO E F NI LA CA T H BA AT GN O
LI
/
Fuzzy and Blues meet a new Joint Degree friend
COMIC BY ARIANNA STEWART / THE FLAT HAT
THE FLAT HAT
Page 4
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
STAFF COLUMN
College efforts to be environmentally friendly fall flat as long as investments in fossil fuels persist Enya Xiang THE FLAT HAT
Compostable utensils and reusable water bottle filling stations make for pretty optics, but camouflage institutional responsibility. We have been desensitized by the vocabulary of climate change. The language of “code-red” and “existential crisis” has dulled into everyday babble. The promises of net-zero and clean energy by 2030, 2035 and 2050 barely phase us. It is exhausting to imagine structural change, and not only is it painful, it feels impossible. However, we can start with what we know. We can fight for equitable reforms that reorganize resources and power, starting right here on campus. Divestment is a simple principle: taking away money from companies involved in unethical behavior. It fulfills both means and ends: obeying a moral standard of behavior as well as ending complacency in future consequences. Divestment means pushing the College of William and Mary to sell shares from companies involved in fossil fuel extraction. This money comes from endowments, an important financial resource for the College, which come from large pools of funds from individual donations, often private donors. Universities are usually free to use this money as seen fit, with input from donors. Nevertheless, a university should not put donors’ interests before students’ voices. We have a say in the institution’s direction. On May 4th, 2021, the William and Mary Student Assembly passed the Divest from Fossil Fuels Revival Bill, calling on the College to put its endowment into “companies with proven support of BIPOC communities, green funds, and organizations focused on solving the climate crisis.” We now wait on the Board of Visitors and Administration to do what is long overdue. A few decades ago, Americans engaged in a divestment movement protesting companies doing business in apartheid South Africa. Many of those actions began right here on college campuses, which the
current fossil fuel divestment movement has now overtaken. Harvard announced in early October that they would divest from fossil fuels, joining the over 1,300 schools and institutions who have divest or announced plans to divest. It is time that America’s second-oldest high education institution made the same commitment. The College loves pointing to its historical roots, but perhaps needs reminding that history banks on change, or else there would be no reason to document the past. History is also a paper trail, remembering when the College faltered and when it rose. Those who say that divestment will have a limited impact are probably right. One financial decision made by one institution is not enough. However, data can give us hope. A recent 2021 study found that the fossil fuel divestment movement has reduced the flow of capital to the fossil fuel industry, and another 2020 study concluded that divestment does not significantly harm investors who seek to divest from fossil fuels. Of course, combatting the climate crisis will require creativity and innovation in all disciplines, industries, and institutions. We have a lot to do as the climate clock ticks relentlessly. Administration-student relations are universally and notoriously tense, but we should not forget the college campus as a hub of knowledge and hope. We should not underestimate our force as a collective student body. We must demand the College to commit to fossil fuel divestment. We must demand the College commits to its 2019 promise to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emission by 2030. Is it worth trying to twist empty promises into a violation of the Honor Code? For now, I gladly feed my superiority complex whenever I use the green reusable food container at Sadler. But put the hundreds of thousands of endowment money where your mouth is. Enya Xiang ’25 is a History major in the William & Mary/St. Andrews Joint Degree Program. She is from outside Philadelphia and writes for the Opinion section. Outside of the Flat Hat, she is part of William & Mary’s Innocence Project Club and enjoys kayaking and writing limericks. Email Enya at exiang@email.wm.edu. To view citations, visit flathatnews.com.
GRAPHIC BY KELLEY WANG AND HEADSHOT BY ANGELA VASISHTA / THE FLAT HAT
STAFF COLUMN
Looking for fun autumnal activities to do this Halloween? Think pumpkins, corn mazes, hot drinks
Bushra Bablu FLAT HAT OPINIONS ASSOC. EDITOR
Halloween is approaching, and I think it’s time for me to share some of my favorite Halloween traditions I have with friends and family. At home, I enjoy carving pumpkins with my sister and brother, and my parents would judge whose pumpkin looked better. This pumpkin carving contest became a family tradition over the years. It was a fun, friendly tradition I enjoyed and it brought out the competitive side of me very quickly at a young age. Now that I am in Williamsburg, instead of carving pumpkins, I enjoy going to pumpkin patches with friends and indulging in all the fun activities they have to offer. I went a few weeks ago with two of my friends, we took silly photos, went to a maze and bought some fun stuff from the gift shop. We bought honey sticks and ranked the different flavors. I personally don’t like them, so I ranked them very low. They had all kinds of flavors ranging from strawberry, mint, apple, lemon, orange, watermelon and many more.
I absolutely hated the mint-flavored honey stick since it essentially tasted like toothpaste. Despite my feelings towards the different honey stick flavors, I had such a fun experience at the pumpkin patch, especially while going through the maze. My two friends and I were stuck in the maze for almost 30 minutes because we were all bad at directions. We eventually found an exit, but in those 30 minutes we had a great time.
In Williamsburg, I enjoy trying new fall-related treats during the spirit of Halloween. I also love watching spooky, Halloween movies such as “Halloween Town,” “A Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Scary Godmother,” “Twitches,” along with some horror and thriller movies. I am not sure if I can rank these movies, but my all-time favorite will always be “A Nightmare Before Christmas” because it is nostalgic from my childhood. I love munching on my favorite Halloween candies while watching these classics, such as Crunch, Twix, SweetTarts and
caramel corn. Along with these sweet treats, I enjoy sipping on tea or other fall-related beverages. I enjoy drinking apple cider, however, I don’t like the taste of pumpkin-spiced lattes. I would personally rank apple cider higher than pumpkin spiced lattes because it has a stronger taste whereas pumpkin spiced lattes taste bland. However, I can be indecisive sometimes, so maybe I’ll enjoy pumpkin spiced lattes next month, or even next year. In Williamsburg, I enjoy trying new fall-related treats during the spirit of Halloween. For example, I enjoy eating pumpkin bread, cupcakes, and pastries in the local coffee shops nearby campus. However, at home, I enjoy baking homemade pumpkin bread, poppy seed lemon cake, along with banana bread and also making homemade jam. I usually bake with my mom and an older sister, who are more experienced in cooking than I am. Originally, I was never really into baking, but now I enjoy these bonding moments when we make these special treats with both of them. Bushra Bablu ‘24 is planning to double major in government and economics. Bushra serves as an Associate Opinions Editor for The Flat Hat Newspaper and the Business Manager for Flat Hat Magazine. Outside of The Flat Hat, Bushra is also involved with One for the World and Women in Business. Email Bushra at bebablu@email. wm.edu.
STAFF COLUMN
It’s time for the College to retire the 1693 scholars program Claire Hogan FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The College of William and Mary routinely boasts about the academic rigor of its student body. Every admissions season we’re bombarded with statistics about the average SAT score, GPA and various improbable extracurricular involvements of the incoming class. Given the high level of achievement that every individual here has, it seems nearly impossible to assign merit-based scholarships: if everyone is smart, who decides who is the “best of the best?” And if we were to do so, why? What would be the purpose of such a silly system? Yet, the 1693 scholars program does just this, defying both basic economic and logical principles. If you’re unfamiliar with the 1693 scholars program, let me lay the groundwork for you. It is a merit-based scholarship given to a handful of students annually — 8 out of the class of about 1,600 for the Class of 2025, or .5% of the class. Each 1693 scholar receives either a full-ride scholarship (for in-state students) or in-state tuition (for out-of-state students). They also receive priority course registration every semester, an exclusive on-campus space with free laundry facilities, and special trips only for 1693 scholars, among other perks. Don’t get me wrong: I’m in favor of scholarships. I think need-based scholarships and grants are critically important to ensure equal access to affordable education, and I even concede that there is room for merit-based scholarships. Colleges want to attract good students, who then become famous alumni, therefore channeling money back to the college. To all the administrators reading this: yes, I know, I know. Please don’t email me. But at an academically-rigorous institution like the College, arbitrarily picking .5% of the student body to give full-ride scholarships is simply asinine. It neither increases the prestige of this institution nor expands the diversity of its student body. The majority of 1693 scholars received this honor due to their academic and extracurricular achievements in high school. Many went to elite schools in well-funded districts. They authored research papers, became club presidents and varsity athletes because their school districts had the money to do so. Their scholarships are not in spite of their privilege, but directly because of it. I do not blame the scholars themselves for the stupidity of the program; I know many 1693 scholars, all of whom are lovely, smart, talented people. But they are no smarter or more talented than the rest of the student body here. The title of “1693 Scholar” is a meaningless distinction when you realize the majority of the student body are overachieving nerds. The qualitative difference between the average student here and a 1693 scholar comes down to a few questions on the SAT, or a slightly higher position in one of their many extracurriculars, yet the monetary difference comes down to $37,000 per year.
Their scholarships are not in spite of their privilege, but directly because of it. I would be remiss, too, if I did not point out the College’s startling lack of socioeconomic diversity. The College recently boasted about its record level of enrollees who received Pell grants: an 18.6% increase in freshmen recipients from the previous year. This sounds nice, until you realize that just two years ago, the College was ranked last in percentage of Pell grant recipients for all four-year public colleges in Virginia. These abysmally low numbers will not shock anyone familiar with the College’s median family income for students — a whopping $176,400 in 2017. The College is an elite school, not just academically, but economically. The tides are shifting, ever so slowly, on the College’s socioeconomic makeup. New awards like the Posse Scholarship, a full-ride scholarship for high-achieving students who are also low-income or first-generation, are being implemented every year. And although our Pell grant percentage remains abysmally low, it is indeed increasing. So we return to our problem: why does the 1693 scholars program exist? In a socioeconomically elite college ostensibly trying to be more inclusive, it seems counterintuitive to provide an enormous scholarship largely to hyper-privileged students. The 1693 scholars program is funded by private donors, many of whom have likely earmarked the funds specifically for that program. But funding priorities change, and donors should realize that. Wouldn’t funds be better used for need-based scholarships? Or providing smaller grants to a higher number of students? Surely providing a full ride to a tiny group of students, some of whom can afford to pay their way through, is, in a word, silly. As much as the College loves to tout the benefits of the program, to parade the scholars around like trophies, it may be time to let go of these ill-begotten laurels. The 1693 scholars program is a vestige of an old system, and it’s time to retire it once and for all. Claire Hogan ‘22 is a CAMS major and religious studies minor. Outside of her role as Editor-in-Chief of The Flat Hat, she is in Tribe Scribes, Tribe Guard and The Botetourt Squat, and she works for the Studio for Teaching and Learning Innovation. Email Claire at cahogan@email. wm.edu. To view citations, visit flathatnews.com.
variety
Variety Editor Ashanti Jones Variety Editor Madeleine Harris flathat.variety@gmail.com // @theflathat
THE FLAT HAT
¦ Tuesday, October 26 2021 ¦ Page 5
AT TH A REBE L F CCA KLINGER / THE
STEPPING OUT The Black Student Organization s annual stroll competition Stompfest returns to campus for Homecoming Weekend 2021, Sigma Gamma Rho takes grand prize KAITLIN MOLLOY // THE FLAT HAT Saturday, Oct. 30, the Black Student Organization (BSO) at the College of William and Mary hosted the current chapters and alumni of the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities and Virginia Commonwealth University’s Sigma Iota Alpha in Sadler Center’s Commonwealth Auditorium for their annual Homecoming Step Show and competition “Stompfest.” This year’s Stompfest featured three member organizations of the National Pan-Hellenic Council: the College’s own chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha and Alpha Kappa Alpha as well as VCU’s Sigma Gamma Rho. All three organizations competed for a $1,000 total prize, with a portion of that money going to a charity of the group’s choice. BSO Event Coordinator Chance Jimenez ‘23 prefaced the event with a powerful statement about the campus’s past inaction and contribution to the marginalization of minorities. “Being at a predominantly white institution, it is so obvious you’re different, which makes it more important that we come together and celebrate what makes us special,” Jimenez said. Kicking off the event with energy and enthusiasm, the hosts of the evening, Victor Adejayan ‘23 and Nelson Soga ‘23, made their grand entrance, descending the Commonwealth stairs to blaring music. Adejayan and Soga began with a roll call of the NPHC chapters in attendance as well as all the alumni audience members. Their charismatic personalities set the stage for the mounting energy of the event. Following the amalgamation of Greek letters and unique chants, the variety of step shows began. Combining theatricality, percussive movement and spoken word, all three teams competed fiercely. Alpha Phi Alpha was the first and only fraternity to compete in the event. Their performance consisted of theatrical voice-overs and sharp movement, as well as distinctive whistling. Despite only having seven members in their group, the presence of the brothers roused the audience to their feet. Alpha Phi Alpha’s precise snake-like lines and comic elements gave shoutouts to other Divine Nine organizations, uplifting their counterparts in the sororities. The Epsilon Zeta chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho from VCU joined the College’s chapters in competing. Being the reigning champions, Sigma Gamma Rho brought their A-game. “We practiced day in and day out, just tweaking every step to be perfect,” Sigma Gamma Rho Sister Tiana Tillis ‘23 said. Sigma Gamma Rho’s dedicated effort to perfection paid off in their performance as they captivated the audience. Sigma Gamma Rho incorporated Spanish drama La Casa de Papel’s “Money Heist” in their
routine, bringing a special element to their refined performance. The group used a multimedia show with both in-person stepping elements and a video recording showing a cohesive plot. Their performance serves as a testament to their teamwork with multiple lifts and group synchronization. The College’s Alpha Kappa Alpha was the last competing team. Alpha Kappa Alpha performed a “Charlie’s Angels”- inspired piece that surprised audiences with glow-in-the-dark choreography, illuminated only by glow sticks on their wrists, proving to be a fan favorite. In a surprise appearance, the Syndicate Hip-Hop Dance Team performed a routine to round out the three stepping teams. They incorporated elements from traditional stepping into their routine, as well as more fluid hip-hop movement. Determining the winners was a panel of four alumni of Divine Greek Life. In an incredibly close decision, the winner of this year’s Stompfest was the reigning champion, Sigma Gamma Rho, who will be donating their winnings to the Hattie McDaniel Breast Cancer Awareness and Health Program. “October is, of course, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so it fits naturally,” Tillis said. The program honors Sigma Gamma Rho alum, Hattie McDonald, and provides education and resources to help detect early and treat breast cancer patients. Those expecting silence between and during performances were met with the opposite. There was never a hushed moment ; the auditorium buzzed with excitement. Enthusiastic cheers, dancing and even more stepping happened all the time, with members from other organizations showing support for each other. Alpha Kappa Alpha sister Tristan Andrews ‘22, commented on the infectious energy in the room before their performance. “It was so refreshing to feel the excitement before we even started,” Andrews said. “I’ve seen a couple step shows before, but I think this was my favorite,” Naomi Dimberu ‘25 said. “The use of props and the glow-in-the-dark dancing and the references, I was just screaming in my seat.” While the event was a competition, the competitive pretense was all in good fun. All participating groups and attendees fostered a supportive environment, honoring all organizations and cheering for the accomplishments of every team. Stompfest’s supportive and community-oriented atmosphere can be attributed to its cultural importance to participants and audience members. Stompfest first began at the College shortly after BSO was founded in the early 1970s. The event quickly became an annual tradition.
However, the event was not held for the duration of lockdown regulations, so this year’s event was the return of stepping at the College after nearly two years. “We were so excited to bring back this event after so long,” BSO president Micaela Hill ‘22 remarked. “We can’t even begin to express how thankful we are for being able to host this event.” Yet the break only seemed to grow the audience’s excitement. The show was fully attended, having sold out before opening night. “When I figured out we sold out tickets, I was so excited that people were so interested,” Dimberu said. “Especially seeing the diversity in the audience. It really meant a lot that so many people were willing to experience a new culture.” “This is a place for ever yone,” Jimenez said at the start of the show. While the emphasis was on the Black community at the College, the diffusion of culture and the acceptance of all audience members remains of the utmost importance to BSO. Stompfest is one of the largest events hosted by BSO and thus has become integral to the Black community here on campus. “Being in that room almost makes it feel like we don’t go to a PWI,” Adejayan said; “it’s just a celebration of who we are.” “Stompfest is really a place for community. It’s a big deal. Black culture can exist without judgement and we can have fun,” Dimberu said. “Seeing the energy and hype from the crowd made the experience rewarding.” The importance of Stompfest extends beyond that of the student body. As a homecoming tradition, Stompfest brings a sense of community and attests to the shared experiences of students of color in institutions of higher education. Alumni from nearly every organization were represented, cheering just as loud if not louder than current members. The strength of the alumni community testifies to how big of an impact Black Greek organizations and BSO have on minority communities’ college experiences. “I’m so lucky to have my sisters with me,” Andrews said. “It’s a lifelong commitment ; the alumni are just as much a part of our community as current members are.” This year’s Stompfest showcased brilliant displays of teamwork and camaraderie through synchronization, humor, grace and togetherness. These elements make the event so special in the hearts and minds of the College’s minority communities, and it represents so much of what coming together means. “I really look forward to many more in the future. I just can’t wait to see what’s next,” Dimberu said.
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Page 6
THE FLAT HAT
reggie williams touches down on william and mary ANDRE TRAN // THE FLAT HAT
COURTESY PHOTO / USA TODAY
Thursday, Oct. 7, the College of William and Mar y’s English Department kicked off the 2021 Hayes Writers Series by welcoming former National Football L eague star Reggie Williams. Williams spoke to the audience of students, staff, alumni and community members to promote his book Resilient by Nature, a memoir recounting the struggles and triumphs of his storied career. While Williams is best known for his accomplishments in football — three-time all-Ivy League selections at Dartmouth, 14 years in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals where he started in the 1982 Super Bowl XVI and 1989 Super Bowl XXIII, a 1986 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award and induction into the College Football Hall of Fame — his story of resilience has not solely been confined to the football world. His story begins in Flint, Michigan. “I was born bow-legged, not in a high-income family. … I was born hearing-impaired, and if you don’t hear sounds, it’s impossible for you to repeat sounds, so I developed a speech impediment,” Williams said. “I spent my childhood doing everything I could, academically and socially, so that I could fulfill the dream of going to the University of Michigan.” Williams was inspired by the doctors and speech therapists who helped build up his confidence as a shy and insecure kid to study hard to become a doctor so that he could help do the same for others. “I’d go to the library all weekend,” Williams said. “By the time I was a senior in high school, I had a full academic ride to the University of Michigan.” This was one of many triumphs i n Wi l l i a m s’ c a re e r, b u t t h e t r i u m p h w a s s h o r t- l i v e d , c u t s h o r t by t h e n Mi c h i g a n Wo l v e r i n e s He a d C o a c h B o S c h e m b e c h l e r. “He was my hero,” Williams said. “I just wanted to run out on the field in a Wolverine uniform one time. I would have been satisfied with my collegiate career. But Bo Schembechler told me to my face that I wasn’t good enough. That if I could do him a favor, and not come to the University of Michigan.” With his dreams of playing for the Michigan Wolverines crushed, Williams decided to take his talents to Hanover, New Hampshire and Dartmouth College. Because Dartmouth did not offer athletic
scholarships, his father took on a third job to put both him and his brother through college. Williams excelled both athletically and academically and earned himself an academic scholarship. “Learn from the mistakes of others,” Williams said, recounting the advice his father gave him. That he did, proving Coach Schembechler wrong as Williams was selected to the All-Ivy League team three times, and earned recognition as a consensus All-American for his senior season in 1975. When Williams was drafted to the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 1976 NFL Draft, he had one goal in mind — to win a Super Bowl. “We had to play in the coldest game in NFL history called ‘The Freezer Bowl’ … it was 59 degrees below zero wind chill,” Williams said. “That game, three fans died from hypothermia.” The unexpected tragedies of this event reinforced Williams’ commitment to winning, not just for himself, but for the fans as well. “The most devastating thing you can have is for someone to go out to enjoy a sporting event, and then to have tragedy intercede,” Williams said. “We needed to win this game for our fans.” The Bengals lost Super Bowl XVI to the San Francisco 49ers 26-21. The loss devastated Williams, who, after the loss, dedicated his time to community service. By the time of Super Bowl XXIII, Williams would win the NFL’s top honor for volunteer and charity work — the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. Alongside this honor, William also received Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year award and a Byron “Whizzer” White Award for Humanitarian Service. His immense dedication to service led to his appointment to the Cincinnati City Council in 1988. “I did have to make a decision going to the Super Bowl versus going to a city council meeting,” Williams said. Williams ultimately made the decision to play in the 1989 Super Bowl. Waiting on the sidelines for the defense to take the field, Williams said he heard a voice. “This voice says, ‘You’re old, you’re slow, you’re the weak link. They’re coming after you on the first play,’” Williams said. When Williams looked down, he saw a friend from NFL Films, who told him
that the 49ers, having seen him in action in his first Super Bowl seven years ago, believed he was the defense’s weak link, and that they would target him on their first play of Super Bowl XXIII. On their first play, the San Francisco 49ers handed the ball off to running back Roger Craig, who was coming off a ProBowl season. “I’m waiting, and as they snap the ball, they’re running away from me,” Williams said. “I’m just frozen, and I’m saying to myself, ‘Where are you? You’re supposed to be coming at me.’” Craig took three steps to the side opposite Williams before handing the ball off once again to Jerry Rice on a “reverse” play, sending the future Hallof-Famer right toward Williams. The “old, slow weak link” found himself one-on-one with Jerry Rice. In that moment, Williams proved the 49ers wrong and tackled Jerry Rice to prevent the first down. While the game represented a personal triumph for Williams in what he calls one of the best games of his career, the Bengals lost once more to the 49ers in what would be Williams’ last chance at winning the championship. While his playing career ended with that final loss in Super Bowl XXIII, Williams continued to stay involved with the NFL, helping to develop the NFL Youth Education Town. “Jim Steeg, who was head of the Super Bowl, had a problem,” Williams said. “The Super Bowl that year, Super Bowl XXVII, was going to be in Pasadena. It was in 1993, and that was the year of the Rodney King riots.” The league hired Williams to be the Head of Community Relations for that year’s Super Bowl. Williams created the Youth Education Town, where Los Angeles youths could be supported academically and athletically. To do this, however, Williams needed to negotiate peace between two rival gangs. “I talked to them about what was important for their sons, daughters, little brothers and little sisters,” Williams said. “That they could have a different future for the most loved members of their family, and that’s why they agreed to do this truce.” Through seeking sponsorships for the Youth Education Town, Williams came into contact with Michael Eisner, former chairman of The Walt Disney Company.
“He said, ‘What would you do if you had all the land we have at Walt Disney World?’” Williams said. “And I told him what I would do … build a great place where everyone could compete for championships, winning their favorite sports against all of the best competition. … If it was a sports complex at Walt Disney World and you lost, you’re still okay because you’re at the happiest place on Earth.” Williams’ idea became reality with the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The sports complex became the biggest youth complex in the world and eventually hosted part of the NBA’s 2019– 2020 playoffs and season, though it was commonly referred to as the “bubble.” Williams says the idea that his sports complex could bring so much joy to kids and competitors from around the world helped to alleviate his anxieties and “nightmares” over losing the Super Bowls. The scars from his NFL career were not only mental, but physical. Fourteen years in the league led to surgery after surgery on his right knee, leaving his right leg shorter than his left. Pain in his knees caused him to retire from Disney. “The people who were working for me were more concerned for my health than the health of the business,” Williams said. Today, Williams lives by finding a way to turn negatives into positives. Resilienc y, for him, is not a choice, but a necessity. Williams read from “Invictus” by William Ernest Henly, the poem Williams credits with getting him through his recover y from a stroke. “It matters not how strait the gate,/ How charged with punishments the scroll,/ I am the master of my fate,/ I am the captain of my soul,” Williams recited. To put it simply, “He did so many things,” Alexander Soto ‘24 said. “I thought it was a very insightful talk.” As for his message to the College’s student body, Williams emphasized pushing your limits. “It’s about turning any negatives you have into positives,” Williams said. “Stretch yourselves. I took courses that I had very little familiarity with, but they benefitted me for the rest of my life. I learned ‘Invictus’ in a class, I learned ballet in a class, and both those have been miracles in my life. I would challenge all students to challenge themselves.”
sports
THE F LAT HAT ¦ Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021 ¦ Page 7
FOOTBALL
Tribe moves to 5-2
COLLIN ANDERSON THE FLAT HAT
JAMIE HOLT / THE FLAT HAT
After a 27-16 loss to Maine last week, the Tribe rode a strong rushing attack to topple Towson 40-14, including 99 yards and three touchdowns from junior Donavyn Lester and 82 yards and another score from junior Bronson Yoder.
College starts quick in 40-14 win over Towson with two TDs in first five minutes JAKE FORBES FLAT HAT ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR Donned in pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, William and Mary (5-2, 3-1 CAA) put on a clinic for the 5,635 fans in attendance last Saturday, Oct. 24. They defeated Towson (3-4, 2-2 CAA) 40-14, marking a critical bounce back after their loss to Maine the previous week. “Towson is a very good football team, but I believe this team made a statement,” said head coach Michael London in a press conference after the game. “That’s what it’s all about in the CAA when you’re playing good teams like this.” Towson won the coin toss and deferred to William and Mary. Starting from their own 20 yard line, the Tribe ran the ball on all five plays of their opening possession. Two strong rushes from junior running back Donovyn Lester secured a pair of first downs for the Tribe, pushing them into Tiger territory. After taking the handoff from freshman quarterback Darius Wilson, junior running back Bronson Yoder took the ball all the way to the house for a 47 yard rushing touchdown. On the ensuing possession, the Tigers quickly advanced into Tribe territory. Less than two minutes after the Tribe’s opening score, Towson matched William and Mary with an explosive offensive play of their own. Tiger quarterback Chris Ferguson launched the ball downfield to Tiger wide receiver Caleb Smith for a 47-yard touchdown, tying up the game at 7-7. Their first-drive touchdown was the last of the quarter. William and Mary continued the trend of efficient offense on the next possession. Wilson passed downfield to senior wide receiver Zach Burdick on the first play of the drive for a 65 yard touchdown pass to reclaim the lead. The Tribe extended their lead less than five minutes later after junior cornerback Ryan Poole intercepted Ferguson’s pass. After two first downs, Lester ran the ball 21 yards to extend their lead to 14 points. “In our last few games, we were unable to start the way we wanted to in the first half,” Lester said. “We would always find ourselves in a hole.”
Offensive coordinator Christian Taylor emphasized the importance of starting the game with more offensive momentum. “Just having explosive plays early and building the confidence of the team is really what we needed,” Lester said, speaking of the team’s strategy going into the game. The Tribe’s defense and offense came together in perfect harmony. The next two Towson drives were halted before significant forward momentum. The Tigers did not reach field goal territory. In addition, the Tribe scored one more touchdown for the quarter. Wilson passed off the ball at the 7 minute mark to Lester, who rushed for a 21-yard touchdown. Freshman kicker Ethan Chang’s kick was good. The Tribe topped the Tigers 21-7. Late in the first quarter the Tigers put together a five and a half minute drive that included four first downs. Towson lost all their momentum when senior cornerback Tate Haynes intercepted Ferguson’s pass to reclaim possession for the Tribe. Haynes ran the ball back 43 yards, but a tripping penalty advanced them another 15 yards to the Tigers’ 27 yard line. After a short possession, Chang converted on a 28 yard field goal to extend the lead to 24-7. The second quarter opened much slower than the first. Towson and the College went back and forth for a couple drives. The Tribe had an exciting turnover, where redshirt freshman Imoh Malachi intercepted a pass from Ferguson and scored. However, a William and Mary illegal block nullified the pick-six. Though William and Mary maintained possession, they did not score. The second period was not completely scoreless. A late rush from Towson and another field goal from Chang in the final seconds of the quarter pushed the score to 27-14 heading into halftime. William and Mary’s defense held strong in the third quarter, allowing just 38 total offensive yards. On the first possession of the half, senior linebacker Trey Watkins recovered a Towson fumble, bringing the Tribe offense back onto the field. A pair of long passes to senior wide receiver Cole Blackman advanced William and Mary all the way into the redzone. On the next play Lester ran it into the house, marking the only score of the third quarter.
The Tribe put together a solid eight play drive in the middle of the quarter to advance to the Tigers’ 21 yard line. A fumble from Malachi halted the Tribe’s momentum. But on the first play of the ensuing possession, sophomore linebacker Brayden Staib caught Ferguson’s third interception of the game. The turnover trend continued seven plays later when Wilson threw an interception in the red zone. Hoping to take better care of the ball on offense, Towson put in Jeff Miller as quarterback. After six consecutive pass plays, junior defensive lineman Nate Lynn maneuvered around his blocker and strip-sacked Miller. Senior safety Gage Herdman recovered the ball and the Tribe retook possession near midfield. To conclude another six yard drive, Lester scored his third rushing touchdown of the game from the one yard line. Chang missed the kick, resulting in a 40-14 lead. Both teams put together solid drives in the last ten minutes of the game, but neither were able to put more points on the board. After a lackluster performance in Maine, Wilson finished the game with 164 passing yards and a touchdown. Lester and Yoder led the backfield with 99 and 82 rushing yards, respectively. In total, the Tribe finished with 339 rushing yards, an improvement over their impressive 258 yard outing last week. While the Tribe’s fire power on offense was critical to the team’s success, the defense played an even greater role. William and Mary scored 23 points off six turnovers, which marks a season high for the Tribe. Of individual note, Lynn recorded three sacks, including two stacks that contributed to the turnover count. Those sacks resulted in a total loss of 23 yards for Towson. “Winning the turnover margin is a big point of emphasis for us as a team, especially for the defense,” said Lynn. “The offense can get it done without our help. But when we can give them good field position and keep the momentum on our side by getting the ball back, that’s always a plus.” The Tribe hope to improve their conference record when they travel to Villanova next Saturday, Oct. 30.
Tribe players of the game
RB DONAVYN LESTER 23
13 CARRIES
10 CARRIES
5 TACKLES
99 YARDS
82 YARDS
3 SACKS
3 TDs
1 TD
2 FORCED FUMBLES
RB BRONSON YODER 23
DL NATE LYNN 23
In 2020, we broke records and over 4.4 million Virginians voted.
LET’S MAKE HISTORY AGAIN IN 2021. Go to IWillVote.com/VA to make a plan to vote early or on November 2.