THE MEREDITH
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April 6, 2022
Using Sensitive Language in the Classroom By Evelyn Summers, Staff Writer Trigger warning: Mentions of racism and homophobia The Meredith Herald recently received a report of a professor using a slur in the classroom. After receiving this tip, The Herald investigated similar student experiences and reached out to college administration to hear about what the college’s procedures are for such scenarios. “In my class, we were having a discussion about sex ed in schools,” Kate Polaski, ‘23, explained. Polaski said that after reading an article, their “teacher was listing advancements that had been made for queer students over time, one of which was the fact that we ‘don't say the f-slur anymore.’” In what she called “a moment of terrifying irony,” Polaski said that their professor said the full slur. “[The professor’s use of the slur] made me and several other students in the class very uncomfortable,” Polaski added. Bliss Wells, '23, who is in the same class as Polaski, pointed out that the student in front of them “jumped back in their seat.” Wells added that she “looked around to see if anyone else noticed…it felt like a few people did, but nothing was addressed.” Polaski noted that not even 10 minutes later, the professor “told [them] that one of her fundamental classroom rules when she'd been a [high school] teacher was that there would be no use of slurs.” Polaski explained this made the whole situation increasingly confusing and that “it made [her] wonder if [the professor] didn't consider the f-slur a real slur or if she genuinely hadn't noticed what she'd said.” Polaski said, “As an openly queer student, it was an incredibly
unsettling moment, with how casual the use of the slur was.” They also explained that it “felt like a complete ignorance of [their] experiences as a queer student and the experiences of all historically queer people who have had that slur used against them.” “Given who the professor was, I felt disappointed and shocked,” Wells said. “This professor preaches about safe and equitable classroom environments, so it was quite jarring [when] she said the slur with no hesitation.” Wells also pointed out that “any safety that may have been established previously turned into a feeling of unease, not only for myself but [for] the students who may be hurt by the slur or didn’t feel comfortable calling it out.” Both Polaski and Wells agreed that after the slur was said, it was difficult to focus on learning for the rest of the class period. When elaborating on the professor’s efforts to make the class an inclusive space before the incident, Polaski noted that “she's made a lot of efforts at creating an inclusive classroom, or at least said a lot of things like that…after this experience, that all just comes off as really performative and insincere.” Wells said the fact that the professor had previously set up a system called “ouch moments,” and the agreement was to call out community members when hurt by an experience. “At the moment, I didn’t feel comfortable enough to call it out because [the slur] just came out and the professor and my peers moved on,” Wells said. She also added that it felt like she was the only one who noticed what had happened, which made it “ harder to speak up.” In a similar scenario, Molly Perry, ‘22, witnessed a student saying a slur in the classroom. “My
freshman year, the class was discussing one of our assigned readings when the slur was said by a student,” Perry explained. She said that the class was having a student-led discussion when “the student was making a comment on the reading and said something like, ‘When this character called this other character the n-word...,’ but instead of saying ‘the n-word,’ the student actually said the racial slur.” Perry noted that immediately after the slur she felt “extremely uncomfortable” and that she was unsure of how “situations like that were supposed to be addressed in college” or “how lenient colleges were with harmful language being used in the classroom if the language was in reference to an academic work.” “The general vibe that I felt in the classroom after the slur…was that everyone was uncomfortable and didn't know what to do,” Perry said. “At the very least…the student should have been reprimanded by the professor.” She noted that she doesn't quite remember how the situation played out because of how long ago it was and because the professor made no mention of it. When asked about the reporting process for incidents where either a professor or student says a slur in the classroom, Dr. Jean Jackson, Vice President for College Programs, said that her first advice would be to “talk with the speaker to let them know how you felt when you heard the slur and ask them never to use the word or words again.” According to Dr. Jackson, if a student is uncomfortable speaking with the professor, there
Photo by Ally Cefalu
are several other options, including speaking with the professor’s department head. “If you are uncomfortable talking with the department head, or if the person in question is the department head, then you should consult the academic dean for that department, and, finally, if needed, the Provost,” Dr. Jackson said. “At any point that you feel satisfied with the response, you can stop—you need not proceed through all the academic resources, unless you want or need to do so.” For students, using a slur in the classroom could result in a meeting with the Honor Council, but Dr. Jackson noted that “the steps the College would take would depend on the situation.” For a faculty member, academic resources would “determine a course of action,” and Human Resources may become involved. When asked about their opinion on possible repercussions, Polaski and Wells both mentioned that if anything, an apology is deserved. “I really just want an apology from the professor and an acknowledgment that she understands that what she did was wrong,” Polaski said. Wells added that an apology is also important so that her “fellow classmates and future educators see that when teachers make mistakes or say hurtful things, they should apologize.”
What to Know About Meredith’s Counseling Center and Disability Services By Elinor Shelp-Peck, Co-Editor in Chief, and Cady Stanley, Copy Editor Trigger warning: Discussion of mental health and resources
In light of the COVID-19 and mental health pandemics, colleges have had to prioritize student mental health in ways they haven’t previously. However, with only six staff members listed on their website, it is unclear if Meredith College’s Counseling Center and Disability Services (CC&DS) can meet the demand for mental health services. Meredith’s undergraduate and graduate student population totals to approximately 2,100,
meaning each counselor is theoretically responsible for 350 students. In a previously published Meredith Herald article, Assistant Director for Disability Services Carolyn Koning stated that there are “too many projects and not enough money.” To investigate further, The Herald spoke with Alston Tyndall, ‘22, who has utilized CC&DS, about their experiences and with representatives from CC&DS to discuss their funding and resources. Tyndall said their “experience with the Meredith Counseling Center and Disability Services have
been positive overall.” However, they said that it can be unclear how to contact CC&DS. Tyndall said she has been asked by many students how to connect with CC&DS, but that originally she “was unsure of how to contact [CC&DS].” “I don't think this information is explicitly shared with students,” Tyndall said. “If it were, I definitely feel that more students would take advantage of these services on campus.” When asked about budgeting for CC&DS, Director of
the Counseling Center Beth Meier stated, “CC&DS share the same general supply account, payroll accounts and student worker account. Outside of our payroll accounts, the largest account in the department is the Interpreter and Disability Assistance Account.” The Interpreter and Disability Assistance Account is “dedicated to student-related disability expenditures” and is separate from the CC&DS account. See CC&DS Page 6
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Meredith to Offer First-Ever Queer Literature Course in Fall 2022 By Olivia Slack, Co-Editor in Chief The Fall 2022 semester will bring Meredith College’s first Queer Literature course, taught by Dr. Jayme Ringleb, Assistant Professor of English. According to the course catalog, this course will serve as an “introduction to queer theory, history, fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, drama and more” and will “examine how the history of literature is a queer history.” Students will also vote on the class’s major texts. Dr. Ringleb explained that most of the authors the class will read are contemporary, and that “most of them have publicly identified along the spectrum of LGBTQIA+ identities.” They added that the class will also talk about texts “whose authors could not have identified according to these relatively new terms” because of the time period in which they lived, and that the course will examine the history of queer literature. Students in the Queer Literature course will develop a skill called “queer reading,” also known as “queer analysis” or “queering.” According to Dr. Ringleb, “Queer reading involves interpreting a text by asking how it disrupts norma-
tivity—how it disrupts repressive ideologies, systems, and values.” “In this course, the typical norm at issue will be heteronormativity,” he said, “and we will use our readings to examine how gender is performative, how identities are not fixed, how all forms of queer attractions and sexualities are possible, and how binary assumptions about sexuality and gender are easily and observably troubled.” Dr. Laura Fine, Department Head of English, initially began work on this course prior to Dr. Ringleb’s involvement. “I have been working on developing this course not only because I am queer and interested and invested in queer literature myself but because it’s important for our queer students to have literary representation,” Dr. Fine said. “It’s also important to provide tools for students who do not identify as queer to develop more of an understanding of queer people and queer literature.” Dr. Fine said the English Department has been trying to diversify their curriculum, and said she believes this course is “a step
in the right direction.” She also said that because of Dr. Ringleb’s “in-depth knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject,” she thought he would be a good choice for the first offering of the course. Dr. Ringleb said that they understand students at Meredith have wanted a course like this for “a very long time.” "There is and has been an immense queer community on this campus, and the issues that community faces deserve recognition and responsible discussion within classroom environments,” they said. “This course is particularly important because queer communities are so often denied in educational spaces, where queer texts, queer issues, queer histories and queer identities are consistently silenced and deemed profane.” Dr. Fine said that this class is being offered through the English Department’s special topics course, English 300, and following that the class can go through the full course proposal and approval process. “The next step is to do an official course proposal, which
goes through a faculty body called Academic Council for approval,” she explained. “Once that body approves the course, it goes to the full faculty for approval. I anticipate that this course will have no trouble at all getting approval.” Dr. Ringleb added that it is “anticipated that a course in queer literature will become a permanent part of the English curriculum, especially if student enrollment in the course this fall is high.” Finally, Dr. Ringleb shared that he is excited for this class in part because they were part of the first queer literature course at the University of South Carolina when they were an undergraduate student. “That classroom environment was different from any other that I’d experienced, in part because the historic nature of the course seemed to solidify the members of that classroom into an undeniable community,” they said. “I’ve hoped to pay that forward for a long time, and I look forward to developing that kind of community here at Meredith.”
Building New Opportunities at Meredith By Maggie Barnhill, Staff Writer Construction of Meredith’s new Exercise and Sports Science (ESS) and Communication building has continued this school year. The new addition to campus is projected to be finished this June and open in August, in time for fall courses. This new, one-level building is set to house courses for both the Communication and Exercise Sports and Science departments, along with designated spaces for the athletic coaches. Those participating in communication courses can look forward to using the new media studio that will be placed in the building. There is also a
human performance lab to give ESS students hands-on experience in their studies. The multiple classrooms, studios and offices will offer plenty of space for both departments. Through this campus expansion, the Communication Department will no longer be housed in the Harris Building with the Business Department. This allows both departments to grow in their respective spaces on campus. ESS will also be gaining the opportunity to restore the facilities they once had and continue to develop their department.
Meredith SAAC’s “Pennies for a Purpose” By Shae-Lynn Henderson, Staff Writer
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The Meredith College Student Athlete Advisory (SAAC) Committee is hosting a fundraiser entitled “Pennies for a Purpose” which oversees the collection of small change which will be donated to an organization of the member’s choosing. SAAC is a committee of student-athletes assembled to provide an understanding of the student-athlete experience. The Meredith SAAC is centered around fostering positive relationships among student-athletes and teams while emphasizing community involvement and the responsibility of service.
This year, the SAAC is conducting a competition amongst schools in the same conference as Meredith College to see who can collect the most money. Meredith SAAC President Emilee Wolfe, ‘23, said that Meredith “has never won before as a small school competing against much larger schools.” With that said, Wolfe hopes that this year the school will “make a name for itself by making a substantial contribution.” The event is running until April 12, with collection jars found around campus in the Cate Center, Johnson Hall and the training room in Weatherspoon Gym. Another
Image courtesy of the Meredith College English Department
opportunity to contribute is on April 9 at the softball, tennis and lacrosse events hosted on campus. The goal is to raise a minimum of $200. All proceeds will be donated to Raleigh’s Helen Wright Center for Women. The center is an emergency shelter for single, adult women without children in their custody. The organization was specifically chosen because it is aligned with the goals of the Meredith SAAC, which looks to “empower and support women everywhere, not just on campus,” according to Wolfe. There are also a variety
of upcoming and ongoing projects for the SAAC this semester. Another service project is the Miracle League, which will host a group of sport teams and organize games for children and adults who have special needs. Additionally, the committee has also started an athletics honor society for seniors. If any students are interested in finding out more information about the initiatives and how to contribute or student-athletes want to get involved, they can contact Emilee Wolfe or Coach Megan Rahn via email.
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A Look Back at CSA Day for Its 20th Anniversary By Olivia Slack, Co-Editor in Chief Celebrating Student Achievement (CSA) Day is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The first CSA Day was held on April 24, 2003, and it has since been a day where students, faculty and staff come together to discuss student achievements in research, performance and art. According to the April 30, 2003 edition of The Meredith Herald, college administration decided to begin CSA Day in order to celebrate college-wide and departmental awards on the same day. The first-ever CSA Day included a “fun run and ramble” where members of the Meredith community were encouraged to “walk or run on a course set up around the campus.” Dr. Rhonda Zingraff, direc-
tor of the Undergraduate ReIn 2004, The Herald noted search Program at the time, told that a “Fun and Fitness Kick-off” The Herald started in 2003 that CSA Day, in previous and there years when was even a student rebreakfast. search was The May highlighted 3, 2006 during a edition of conference The Herald that took included a place on story about a normal why CSA school day, Day should students be included “struggle[d] in students’ to attend definition of [research] important sessions… Meredith Image courtesy of the while classes were traditions. Meredith College Archives going on.” Also in the May
2006 edition of The Herald is a story about the behind-thescenes of presenting on CSA Day. In this story, writer Sarah Jackson discussed bringing a presentation CD to her session, which current students will note is a far technological cry from this year’s pre-recorded presentations that will not only be shown in live sessions but also posted on YouTube. In 2020 and 2021, CSA Day went virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, on the 20th anniversary of CSA Day, there will be over 60 individual, group and class presentations as well as honor society inductions, college and departmental awards and other events.
How to Get Involved in CSA Day
By Freya Dahlgren, Opinion Editor, and Rachel Van Horne, Associate Editor Celebrating Student Achievement (CSA) Day occurs yearly in April. On this day students from all departments of Meredith come together to present their undergraduate research. The Meredith Herald interviewed Director of Undergraduate Research Dr. Carolina Perez-Heydrich and two of last year’s participants. For students who want to be involved this year but are not presenting, they can plan to attend oral presentations, the poster presentation session and performances. A schedule of this year’s CSA Day events will be available on the Undergraduate Research Program CSA website. Students interested in participating next year can start planning their research topics and looking for an advisor now. Dr. Perez-Heydrich said, “Talk to your professors about research
opportunities you might be able to participate in during the academic year…and then enroll in a 499 class in your discipline to work with a faculty member.” Dr. Perez-Heydrich said that good questions to consider include “what projects are [faculty] currently working on? What are their research interests? Are there ways you can get involved in any existing projects?” Past participants Hannah Porter, ‘22, and Amyia Gorham, ‘22, completed research together in child development and presented their findings at CSA Day in 2021. When asked what was most important about being successful in undergraduate research, Gorham said, “It is important to communicate with your advisor if you have an idea for research as early as possible. It can never hurt to start early!”
Gorham said. “Also, don't be Porter said that it is imporafraid to ask alumni about their tant “to research a topic that you undergraduate research experiare passionate about [and] finding a supportive and available research ences.” advisor is huge. I could not have done my thesis without the advisor that I had.” Gorham and Porter both said that they recommend everyone try undergraduate research and that there is no harm in trying it. “If you are unsure about CSA Day and undergraduate research, try to volunteer to work CSA Day this year so that you can see Photo by Elinor Shelp-Peck more of what it's about,”
Faculty Comment on CSA Day By Molly Perry, Features Editor In addition to Meredith students anticipating Celebrating Student Achievement (CSA) Day, Meredith faculty look forward to CSA Day as a way to support student success and interact with faculty across various departments. Dr. Jason Andrus, Department Head for Biology, said, “CSA Day represents the culmination of our students’ educational experience, putting their training, knowledge, creativity and experience into practice. Taking a day to recognize the efforts of not only our students, but our colleagues as well, is energizing and inspiring.” Dr. Jeffrey Martinson, Associate Professor of Political Science, added that CSA Day is important because “people need
to restlessly interrogate what they ‘think they know’ in pursuit of deeper, more accurate truths… this research brings us to a better grasp on reality.” “I love CSA Day because we get to see so many varieties of knowledge, skills and talents on display,” Dr. Shannon Grimes, Department Head for Religious and Ethical Studies, stated. Dr. Andrus said he also enjoys seeing the work that has been done across campus disciplines. “[It] makes me reflective about my own work and how I can connect with my colleagues across campus,” he explained. When asked what he is most excited for, Dr. Karthik Aghoram, Professor of Biological
Sciences and Director of the PreHealth Post Baccalaureate Program, shared that he is most looking forward to the poster session. “It is a great way to learn about many projects in a short period of time,” he said. Cathy Rodgers, Professor of Theatre, said, “It is so rewarding to see the growth in my students as a faculty research mentor.” Steven Roten, Professor of Theatre, added that he has “only pride for the hard work and vision of [his] students.” For students interested in conducting undergraduate research or participating in CSA Day, Dr. Pamela Norcross, Assistant Professor of Child Development, emphasized, “A good research project takes time, so make sure you give
yourself enough time to complete a thorough project.” Dr. Jeff Langenderfer, Associate Professor of Marketing and Law, reiterated the importance of starting early. Dr. Langenderfer stated that, ideally, research for CSA Day begins during the summer prior. To emphasize the importance of undergraduate research, Dr. Anne York, Professor of Economics, added that “undergraduate research projects are a way to ‘get your hands dirty’ to see how new knowledge is created.” For more information about undergraduate research, students can contact Dr. Carolina Perez-Heydrich, Director of Undergraduate Research, by email.
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Student Research Spotlights in Social and Behavioral Sciences Interviews compiled by Aminah Jenkins, Associate Editor, and Hannah Taib, Staff Writer Safa Ahmed, ‘23: “The Color of Words: Investigating the Effects of Consonant Sounds in Synesthesia” Please describe your research. “Synesthesia is a neurological condition in which certain senses blend together. In Grapheme-color synesthesia, people experience colors when thinking about letters, numbers or words. Different sounds evoke colors in people with chromesthesia. The purpose of this study was to determine if consonant sounds affect word-color association in synesthesia; specifically if words with soft-consonant sounds would elicit lighter shades of colors while words with hardconsonant sound would evoke
darker shades of color.” Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “I enjoy using the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research to learn more about topics I am interested in. I have been interested in synesthesia since high school, so it was great to be able to conduct research on the topic.” Molly Perry, ‘22: “The Effects of Attachment on Interpersonal Self-Efficacy in Emerging Adults: Postpartum Depression in Mothers as a Moderator” Please describe your research. “For this research, I was advised
by Dr. Betty-Shannon Prevatt. My goal for this project was to examine the effects that history of postpartum mood symptoms in mothers can have on attachment and social self-efficacy in college students.” Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “I wanted to conduct undergraduate research at Meredith so I could gain more real-life experience with research and statistics rather than only having experience with mock assignments in my Research Methods classes and other class projects I have conducted by myself.” Mia Shelton, ‘22: “The Belongingness of Transgender Students on
College Campuses” Please describe your research. “I researched the belongingness of transgender students on college campuses with a specific focus on how professors introducing their personal pronouns impacts it…My faculty mentor is Dr. Betty-Shannon Prevatt.” Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “I wanted to conduct undergraduate research at Meredith because I wanted to discover more ways to make college campuses safer and more inclusive.”
Student Research Spotlights in Miscellaneous Disciplines
Interviews compiled by Aminah Jenkins and Rachel Van Horne, Associate Editors, and Piper Carriere, Staff Writer Regina Franceschi, ‘22: “Turn of the Century: An Exploration of Historical Construction and Designs from 1890-1910” Please describe your research. This study reconstruct[s] and reinterpret[s] historical evidence [from Kassia St. Clair’s The Golden Thread] like photographs, illustrations and a privately owned artifact [to] give insight…into the construction and fitting techniques of the period, but also a glimpse of the daily activities and needs of upper-middle class women of the past.” Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “I decided to conduct undergraduate research [because] I was unlikely to find an opportunity to work [with] such supportive faculty, which has proved invaluable
through the challenges of research. I [also] wanted to show that while fashion is often considered an art, we still have a need for experimental archeology and study within the field to understand how we got to where we are and where we're going from here.” Gwyneth Thomas, ‘23: “Mariachi: The Quintessential Music of Mexico” Please describe your research. “I will be providing an overview of mariachi music [by] defining it and exploring its history. Mariachi is music, but it's also a Mexican cultural icon—both at home and on the international scene.” Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “Because of interest in research in general. I'm planning on pursuing
research in graduate school and into my career.” SarahElla Trustman, ‘24: “Songs of Knowledge: An Exploration of the Music of Indigenous North America” Please describe your research. “I will be exploring the music of North American Indigenous peoples and discussing the ways that music was and is used to keep and share knowledge. My presentation compares and contrasts the music of six regions across North America, highlighting both the diversity and commonality of music across the continent.” Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “The Global Music Seminar class that I am taking requires a research paper, and so I was excited to have the opportunity to further
explore indigenous music of North America, a topic I am passionate about.” Lila White, ‘22: “Denim Kintsugi: Beauty out of the Breakage” Please describe your research. The [for my research] inspiration is Japanese Kintsugi, and how that might aid and guide our efforts for changing “old waste” into something new and valuable. I am focusing on how this could further sustainability solutions by presenting a different perspective on DIY and waste minimization. Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? This is a great opportunity to apply my design skills as well deepen my understanding and inclination for "working with what I have" and producing something beautiful at the same time.
Student Research Spotlights in STEM Interviews compiled by Freya Dahlgren, Opinion Editor Crystal Chukwurah, ‘22: “Diet and Women’s Health” Please describe your research. “In my research, I explore significant findings of how what we eat can play a role in the prevention of heart disease, breast cancer and even Alzheimer’s disease in women. My research was conducted with the support of Dr. Kaitlyn Leonard.”
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Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “I am currently a student in Meredith's Pre-Health Careers Cer-
tificate Program. I wanted to use my time at Meredith to combine my foundation in the sciences with my experiences in social studies to investigate solutions to social determinants of health. My independent research helped me peel back the layers of how access to healthy food options plays an essential role in alleviating many common diseases women face in the United States.” Jordan Lamont, ‘23: “The Purification of TetR(41) from Serratia marcescensi” Please describe your research.
“My research focuses on the purification of TetR(41) from Serratia marcescens. I am doing this research with Dr. Andrus. The project is mainly designing and following a cloning strategy to get the gene tetR(41) in S. marc. expressed as the TetR(41) protein and purified from E. coli. The protein is called a repressor protein and it binds to the DNA, blocking the production of a tetracycline resistance gene until tetracycline is physically present in the cell. To get the protein purified, I start with extracting DNA from S. marc., designing primers that target the gene of interest, performing PCR, ligating the product into a cloning
vector, transforming the vector into E. coli, re-extracting the gene using restriction enzymes, ligating into an expression vector and finally transforming it again and purifying the expressed protein.” Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “We were doing a half-semester project in Molecular Biology and my professor offered for me to continue the project this semester in a 499 class. I really wanted to get this whole thing to work, so I jumped on the opportunity to finish the project and gain lab experience at the same time.”
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Student Research Spotlights in Arts and Humanities
Interviews compiled by Aminah Jenkins, Associate Editor, and Melissa Taylor, Staff Writer
Elena Blackwelder, ‘23: “White Women and Civil Rights: The Sisters Were Only In It For Themselves” Please describe your research. “My research focuses on the tensions between white feminism and womanism, which emphasizes intersectionality and advancement of BIPOC women. By using various movies and TV shows, I discuss how interracial female friendship inherently places the emotional burden on women of color and mainly serves to make white women feel more positively about themselves.”
Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “Research was not something that I knew I was interested in when I first came to Meredith. After completing some smaller projects in classes, I realized that it gave me an opportunity to dive into more specialized topics or a subject that might not perfectly align with my majors.” Adriana Sofia Gomez, ‘22: “Political Violence in Venezuela: Does Oil Policy Fuel the Fire?”
Please describe your research. “The purpose of this investigation is to explore causes of political violence in Venezuela today. The research focuses on the role historical factors of Venezuelan and global politics play in the crisis that has been occurring for years now. This will hopefully determine the impact of poor oil policy decisions, a drop in revenue or a combination of both.”
Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “Because it was required for my thesis! I was inspired by many of the presentations I saw my freshman year. I was lucky enough to be in an Environmental Policy class with Dr. Rogers, and he helped and inspired me to continue research so that I can present on CSA day my senior year. Also since I am from Venezuela, I wanted to learn more about the situation and raise awareness about it.” Is there any advice you would give to future CSA Day participants or undergraduate researchers? “Academia is not welcoming but
as minorities we need to take up space and open the doors to those who are following us. We need to show our community and others that we are more than capable while continuously being our authentic selves.” Bliss Wells, ‘23: “Representation in Theatre: The Power of Visibility and Equity on Stage” Please describe your research. “The impact of theatrical representation has been evident through recent productions and their success on stage and eventually in film. In this research presentation, I am exploring the impact of representation on marginalized groups by presenting data from current Wake County students and through resources expressing the value of representation.” Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “I felt so disconnected from the world the past two years to a point where I wasn’t seeing what was happening in my field. I wanted to research a topic that
would not only teach me about what’s happening in theaters but also that I could connect to through current events.” Krista Wiese Telford, ‘22: “The Faces of Circe: Enchantress, Seductress, Goddess” Please describe your research. “Under the guidance of Dr. Robin Colby for the English Department, I surveyed over a dozen depictions of Circe from Homer's 8th century B.C. epic. While many scholars have focused on specific depictions of Circe, I aim to provide a broad overview of her appearances in literature from Ovid’s 'Metamorphoses' to Madeline Miller’s 2018 novel Circe.” Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “I conducted this research to serve as my work sample for my PhD in English applications. The work started as a seminar paper and grew into a longer research project since I was so fascinated by my topic. As I am a senior, I wanted to take advantage of the wonderful support network and guidance I have prior to graduating.”
Student Research Spotlights in Business and Economics Interviews compiled by Elinor Shelp-Peck, Co-Editor in Chief, Aminah Jenkins, Associate Editor, and Piper Carriere, Staff Writer Regan Andersen, ‘22: “Playing Games or Being Played?” Please describe your research. “My [research] is a study of the characteristics of in game marketing in mobile games. I further discuss potential policy changes that the Federal Trade Commission can make to protect children from harmful advertising practices. I am working in the Business Department with Jeff Langenderfer.” Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “I decided to conduct undergradu-
ate research because I wanted to try something new. I was unsure of what I wanted to do for my thesis and decided to find a fun way to enjoy my research. While I was playing the games I noticed patterns and my research idea was born!” Is there any advice you would give to future CSA Day participants or undergraduate researchers? “I would say to go for it and share all the hard work that you have accomplished.” Caroline Welsh, ‘22: “The Connection Between the Career and Fam-
Why did you decide to conduct undergraduate research while at Meredith? “In my presentation, I discuss
Slack, '22, stated. “[During the reveal, we] will talk about the publication, the winners of our... awards will read excerpts of their works and either hard copies or electronic copies of the publication will be available,” Co-Editor Krista Wiese, '22, said. When asked about common themes that emerged among the submitted works of The Colton Review this year, Wiese said, “Every year, we are excited to see what themes will emerge from the
submissions we receive. This year, we received more fantasy, science fiction and magical realism than ever before.” “We think the amount of genre fiction we've received is indicative of our community's desire to explore other worlds and other versions of the self,” Slack added. Students can get involved in The Colton Review reveal by “showing up to celebrate with us,” Wiese said. “This event is a celebration
The Colton Review Reveal on CSA Day By Haileigh West, Staff Writer This year's edition of The Colton Review will be revealed as part of Celebrating Student Achievement (CSA) Day. The reveal will be on April 7 from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium. Meredith community members will also have the option of attending the reveal via Zoom. “We're so excited to unveil Volume 18 of The Colton Review and display all of the hard work completed by our art and literary staff this year,” Co-Editor Olivia
ily Plans of Meredith Students” Please describe your research. “My honors thesis in economics [was advised by] is Dr. [Anne] York. In my presentation, I discuss how the human capital model can be used to explain investment decisions in education and career for Meredith students by looking at data about family and career plans from a survey sent to the undergraduate population.”
how the human capital model can be used to explain investment decisions in education and career for Meredith students by looking at data about family and career plans from a survey sent to the undergraduate population.” Is there any advice you would give to future CSA Day participants or undergraduate researchers? “Undergraduate research has definitely been a rewarding experience here at Meredith, so I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested. Given that, it does require some hard work and dedication, so my advice would be to choose a topic that really interests you and to start early!” of the creativity and hard work of the Meredith community,” Wiese explained. “Support the winners of our... awards by being in the audience when they read their work, and take home a copy or two of this year's publication to read in your own time and share with friends and family.” Students interested in joining The Colton Review can reach out to coltonreview@email.meredith.edu.
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Arts & Entertainment
Crook Hunt 2022 Underway By Cady Stanley, Copy Editor
Photo by Elinor Shelp-Peck
The Crook Hunt is a Meredith tradition in which the senior class hides a Crook on campus for the Juniors to find. The junior class has a week to search for the Crook, and the senior class releas-
es one clue each day that alludes to the Crook’s location. This year, the Crook Hunt began at 10 a.m. on March 30 and ends at 4:30 p.m. on April 6. If no one finds the Crook, the classes will gather on the patio of Belk Dining Hall for the location reveal and explanation of the clues at 4:30 p.m. on April 6. As of this printing, the Crook has not yet been found. The senior class can also hide fake Crooks, and prizes are awarded for any fake Crooks found by the junior class. Some rules of the Crook Hunt include specifications as to where the Crook may be hidden: it cannot be hidden in construction zones, in heavily-wooded areas, under lock and key or in a building. In addition, at least one inch of the Crook must be visible when the senior
class hides it. The Senior Class Co-Chairs for this event are Kali Ranke, ‘22, and Kamryn Haut, ‘22. Ranke said she is excited for the Crook Hunt because of the “collaboration between the junior and senior classes as well as the element of competition.” Ranke told The Herald “[she] feel[s] like many traditions focus on Big/Lil classes whereas this one brings unity between the upper classes.” Ranke and Haut’s job as co-chairs includes hiding the Crook and creating the clues for the junior class. The Junior Class Co-Chairs are Rachel Van Horne, ’23 and Laura Biwer, ‘23. Both Van Horne and Biwer are “excited to be working together to act as liaisons for the Class of 2023.” Van Horne
said she anticipates being able to participate in the tradition and experience “class [bonding] while pursuing the Crook.” Van Horne and Biwer’s “responsibilities include providing the rules, sharing the clues and sending updates if the Crook is found. If the Crook isn’t found then we will be present…to see where the Senior Class Co-Chairs hid the Crook.” The first five clues were posted on Instagram: a graphic of a man laying bricks, a picture of a light bulb, the words “never eat soggy waffles,” the words “Campus Security, SMB, Wainwright” with an X over them and a photo of a deck of cards. To view clues, the rules and more information about the co-chairs, visit the MC Crook Hunt Instagram page.
in attending. “This show unapologetically exposes the raw thoughts and experiences of individuals and communities…who use the collection of their unique voices and perspectives to explore movement through both physical and emotional spaces, feelings of otherness and alienation within those spaces and the grasp we have on the reality of our own identities,” Pearce said. Each artist will be bringing their own individuality into this exhibition. When speaking about the theme for the art pieces this year, Pearce explained that there
is a “wide range of artistic mediums” used in the exhibit, including painting, mixed media, photography, fiber works and others. “The artists use their unique approach to style, color and presentation to openly share their perspectives on and experiences with issues like mental health, trauma, displacement, culture, escape from reality, self-image, faith and the healing power of art,” Pearce said. Preparing for exhibitions such as this one takes several hours of work for the artists. When asked about the preparation process, Pearce said that “stu-
dents begin by selecting a carefully curated body of work they plan to exhibit…students develop[ed] marketing and publicity materials from business cards, postcards and artist statements along with other professional materials.” According to the Weems Gallery website, “the featured artists want their works to exist as an invitation for viewers to experience an exposed meditation on the human condition both globally and personally.” The Frankie G. Weems Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
advocacy on campus, Meier stated realistic and honest about what that members of the Meredith we need as students, even when community can contribute by that means taking a step back, “referring students to the Counseland Meredith College should do ing Center, challenging stigma, a better job of honoring students' donating to the Counseling Center boundaries without penalty.” and following us on Instagram [@ Meier added that CC&DS meredith_ccds] and social media is always searching for ways to imin general.” prove, but “Evalso learn eryone can what they support our are doing community well. members with disStudents abilities by can “rerespecting port access their intelbarriers” Photo by Elisabeth Sinicrope ligence, through a accommodations, identity and priGoogle form or by calling Facilities vacy,” Koning said. She added that Services at 919-760-8560 or using it is important to “remember that their online form. disability is an integral component Koning shared that she is of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.” excited about “the Student AccesTyndall told The Herald sibility Initiative (SAI), [which] is that they feel a “huge stigma sura specific outcome of the Belongrounding mental, physical and ing Survey and Report facilitated emotional health on campus.” by the School of Arts and HuThey believe “we should be more manities [and] will likely become
a subcommittee of the Angels for Disability Advocacy (ADA) club.” She is also excited about Disability Services “hosting all-day drop-in opportunities every other week” in addition to their current drop-in hour on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. Meier added that CC&DS is “excited [to announce the addition of] Assistant Director Brittany Fierro and Personal Counselor Samara Brown” to the staff. She stated that “both plan to offer mental health wellness programs closer to finals.” Meredith Counseling Center and Disability Services is located on the second floor of Carroll Hall. CC&DS can be reached by dialing 919-760-8427, emailing counselingcenter@meredith.edu or disabilityservices@meredith. edu. For life-threatening mental health emergencies, please dial 911 and ask for a Crisis Intervention Team officer or dial 800-273-8255 for the suicide hotline.
“Exposed”: Spring 2022’s Senior Art Exhibition By Haileigh West, Staff Writer From April 6 through May 4, the Senior Art Exhibition will be held in the Frankie G. Weems Gallery in the Gaddy-Hamrick Art Center. Five graduating seniors, including Lydia Gunn, Madeleine Johns, Rachael Lautenbach, Candice Lillard and Kristin Morin, will be displaying their work during this year's exhibition, titled “Exposed.” The event can be attended in person or on Zoom with prior registration. The Herald interviewed Lisa Pearce, Associate Professor of Art, about what students and faculty can expect if they are interested
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“The College provided funds that were received through the federal government’s COVID-19 relief fund to support the hiring of a temporary counselor for the fall 2021 semester,” Meier added. “Meredith funds were used to continue the temporary counselor hours through the spring semester.” Koning contributed by saying that “all College departments were encouraged to be conservative with spending to meet the fiscal demands during the pandemic.” Additionally, funds were directed to “support campus accessibility projects” in different departments on campus. Due to the donations from the Meredith Parents and Families Council, Meredith was able to purchase an electronic scheduling system for college-wide use. Meier hopes that “starting in fall 2022, students will be able to schedule counseling and disability appointments through an online portal.” In regard to mental health
Opinion
Students Should Attend CSA Day By Shae-Lynn Henderson, Staff Writer Celebrating Student Achievement (CSA) Day at Meredith College is a day full of presentations, performances and ceremonies to celebrate the wonderful student body and their accomplishments. However, many students see CSA Day as just a day off of classes. CSA Day is incredibly important to our peers and showing up for them is imperative. CSA Day at Meredith College will be hosted on April 7 in a hybrid format. After being online for the past two years, there will be somewhat of a return to normalcy with a vast array of events to attend. With CSA Day being such a long-standing tradition at Meredith and it being somewhat rare in comparison to other schools, I found it surprising how few students, particularly freshmen, knew about the event and how even fewer planned on attending. I remember being a prospective student last April and being able to celebrate the day virtu-
ally while living in South Africa. It was absolutely fascinating finding departments that interested me and learning something new about different topics. It seems only fitting to now attend in person and enjoy celebrating fellow students’ achievements. In many ways, it’s understandable why so few would be in attendance—no one seems to know what or when it is and students have the opportunity to take advantage of a day off from classes and campus activities. I am sure I can attest for many when I say it has been a whirlwind of a semester. Time seems to simultaneously be going fast and slow as well as being stressful, which has left many spinning heads. Who can keep track of days and time and not use the day to catch up on some much needed sleep or work? With that said, in many ways that makes me want to attend even more. Students partaking in CSA Day have spent so much
energy and time in their research, performances and work. Feeling the same academic pressure as everyone else, it would be a shame for their achievements not to be appreciated to their fullest extent. I find the thought of cheering my friends and classmates on as they explore something they are passionate about to be a truly rewarding experience. It is a great opportunity for growth. I think of the opportunities to not only grow as a student in the pursuit of knowledge, but also to grow my circle of people with similar interests. CSA Day is a great time to meet people in the same field as you who can help navigate your field of interest. There is no reason why a balance cannot be found between rest, work and supporting your peers. The whole day does not need to be spent at CSA Day. One can review the schedule, attend whatever appeals to them and thereafter spend the day however they choose. For many students, this will be their first mostly in-person
CSA Day, so I think it would be beneficial to experience the normal version at least once. Don’t make an assumption about the event until you have experienced it. If it's enjoyable, there are many to come in the future to enjoy as well, but if not, you do not have to go again. The benefit goes far beyond that of participants and is useful to attendees. By the time Meredith students graduate, 51% conduct undergraduate research in partnership with faculty mentors. While it may seem daunting, attending CSA Day can give invaluable insight into how one could become involved in research or deeper learning in a content area CSA Day is filled with the excitement and exhilaration of celebrating student achievement. Find balance and carve out at least a fraction of time to spend growing as a student, individual and community in attending the day’s event. In a day filled with appreciation, let’s choose to appreciate this wonderful opportunity together.
CSA Day's Hybrid Presentation Format Doesn't Benefit Students By Ally Cefalu, A&E Editor
As a senior, I have seen one in-person and two virtual CSA Days. Presenting an oral presentation my freshman year was a challenging yet rewarding experience, and I’m glad I had the chance to share the research I was and still am so passionate about. When I presented in person, I worked closely with my faculty advisor to rehearse within the time limit, add slides at the end of my presentation for potential questions and project my voice to an audience. Each of these skills has helped me gain confidence both inside and outside the classroom as I’ve worked on many more presentations throughout my undergraduate career. Now that CSA Day is occurring in a hybrid format, I feel that students do not have the opportunity to catch up on these skills that
have been so difficult to practice over the last few years. This year, oral presentations are pre-recorded, posted on Meredith’s CSA Day YouTube page and then presentations are watched during sessions throughout the day on April 7 with a live question and answer session. If groups of students, faculty and guests will be gathering in classrooms to watch the presentations, why can’t students present in person? I consider myself very conscious of the hazards presented by COVID-19 and suspect this might be why the presenters are not speaking live. Yes, it is a potential risk to remain in a classroom with a large number of people for an entire presentation session. But it makes no difference whether or not you are in the room presenting, or in the room sitting and watching a recorded presentation.
I think it would have been possible for Meredith to require masks only for CSA Day, and then return to the current Community Standards the day after. This would have given students an opportunity to practice their oral presentation skills which I believe are so valuable. During the pandemic, Meredith did a great job of making sure that students were still able to present their information through a YouTube channel. I almost felt that my research would reach more people on the internet than it would in a presentation room in Ledford. But what was obviously missing from the virtual CSA experience was the development of live presentation skills. The virtual submission of presentation videos also adds additional work to students who are already feeling the pressure of the
spring semester. While learning how to fluently use Zoom recording technology is important in this new age, taking the time to create a presentation and record it (sometimes with multiple takes) is often more tedious than presenting to a live audience. It is important that as we safely ease back into in-person events, students are encouraged to practice public speaking and presentation skills that are necessary beyond college. CSA Day is a safe and encouraging place for this to begin for students who have been getting by with virtual presentations for the past two years. By having students record their oral presentations, the College is doing them a disservice and not pushing students to develop important skills.
of the event that it was. Despite these alterations, I still got to spend time with my friends, dress up, take fun pictures and wear my onyx. Additionally, another qualm that I have with shoving all of the missed traditions into the second half of the semester is burnout. At this point of the semester, I am feeling relatively burnt out and overextended, as I am sure many others are too. However, as a senior I feel almost obligated to participate in all of these last minute events prior to
graduation. Inevitably, this will just exacerbate the problem, especially with the seniors’ 22nd Night happening immediately after Ring Dinner. On March 29, the Class of 2022 received an email from Casey Corpening, senior class president, on behalf of the Office for Student Leadership and Service. This email included a list of 14 traditions or events that will take place between March 29 and May 14, 2022. Not only is this overwhelming, but I feel they are unnecessary.
Too Many Traditions, Too Little Time By Elinor Shelp-Peck, Co-Editor in Chief Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Meredith College traditions have been canceled, modified or postponed. This has greatly impacted many Meredith students’ experiences, especially at a school that values traditions so highly. Given the recent alterations to Meredith’s on-campus COVID-19 policies, the College now has a chance to make up for the missed traditions. However, this does not necessarily mean they need to. As a senior, I have missed out on quite a few monumental Meredith traditions, such as an in-
person Ring Dinner, Tea For Two and multiple Stunts and Formals. Granted, I did have a full year and a semester on campus and was able to fully participate in our freshman year traditions, like Fire and Water. When I heard Meredith was planning on trying to makeup the seniors’ Ring Dinner I had mixed emotions. If you told me a year and a half ago that I could make-up Ring Dinner I probably would have been elated, but at this point, I have mostly accepted our Ring Dinner for the diluted version
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Opinion Too Many Traditions, Too Little Time If they were going to attempt to make-up this many events, it may have been more efficient to send a survey asking students which traditions they would like to make up and prioritize those instead of all 14 of them. While I know that I am not required to attend all of these events, I feel obligated under the guise of “experiencing Meredith.” I have managed to find my place at Meredith in the Meredith
community without participating in most traditions. In my opinion, most seniors and juniors have adapted to life at Meredith without these traditions and adding them now just adds stress to our already busy schedules. In the last two years it has been difficult to make connections online, but it was possible. I recognize that to some students traditions have been the backbone of their college experience, but I think it adds a lot of
pressure on those responsible for making decisions and executing the traditions. Yes, the planning and project management opportunities that come with being a chair or co-chair of an event are invaluable. However, similar opportunities were created in other ways on campus throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and were available off campus as well. Ultimately, I do think that I am excited to potentially partici-
pate in one or two more traditions prior to graduation. I look forward to having a formal, even if it is outside, just to dress up one more time with my peers. However, I do not think it was necessary to try and make-up every single missed tradition. Between Formal, Stunt, Tea for Two, Fire and Water, Ring Dinner, 22nd Night, Crook Hunt, Senior Family Night and more, there is way too much to accomplish with less than half of the semester remaining.
Letter to the Editors: Why Students Aren't Running for Campus Positions By Charlie Hatch, Contributor Recently, an article titled “Why Don’t Students Run for Campus Positions?” was published on The Meredith Herald’s website. The author expressed frustration that people were not running for positions and how it has negatively impacted campus boards. Although it is understandably frustrating to have a small board, not once did the author ask students why they weren’t running for campus positions. To have more student leaders, we need to ask: why aren’t students running for campus positions? There is a lack of empathy and understanding for students who don’t run for positions. This attitude towards the student body is extremely similar to the administration’s attitude to marginalized students who are advocating for a better Meredith. Rather than seeking to improve the process, the burden and blame are placed onto students to create an inclusive environment for all students. It makes it seem as though students are lazy or have no logical reason to not run for campus positions, and neither is true. It also makes it seem like Student Government and event positions are the only ones where students can make a difference on campus. Additionally, it is an extreme privilege to be continuously listened to and treated well throughout one’s term—a privilege that is not afforded to numerous students who run for positions. Serving on multiple campus positions requires a time commitment and emotional capacity that not everyone can maintain. Just because someone can serve in multiple positions does not mean everyone else can, nor is it their fault. My previous Student Government Association (SGA) position was serving as a class
representative for the Senate. I applied for the position mostly because I learned about it from the campus-wide email after elections were over. Although I was excited to serve, I did not realize just how demanding being a Senator was going to be. In addition to the twohour time commitment every other week, I had two other positions (with one of them having assigned homework), and I was in class and at work from early in the morning until 5:30 p.m. The 30-minute “break” I had in between was most often the only time to myself I had that day. Oftentimes, I didn’t sleep much because of the toll my responsibilities took on me. The more students advocate for the student body, the more it has learned of the percentage of people that are students and employees. The demand for SGA representative positions does not allow much room for students to work, go to school and serve. I recently applied for and accepted the position of the new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Chair. I originally did not run for the position because of the negative experiences I had on other DEI-based boards at Meredith. However, once I learned the position would be part of SGA and work with the new DEI Coordinator, I ultimately decided to apply. There were five other applicants besides me applying for the same position which leads me to another point: just because students are not running for the same positions does not mean they are not running for them at all. Students choose positions based on their interests and this position was the best chance to achieve some positive change for marginalized students on campus.
During the interview, I learned that not only is the DEI Chair required to attend all SGA meetings every Tuesday from 5:30-7:30 p.m., but they are also required to have their own board meetings during the week. Being that this is a new position, there will likely be additional meetings to lay the foundation for the future of this position. This is essentially a part-time job with no compensation. I’m not asking for compensation but instead trying to display how demanding SGA executive positions are. The article also criticized the process of applying for positions after filing week closes and students can no longer run. The argument was that those who choose the applicant choose their friends and therefore the process is rigged. However, this ignores that this already happens during elections. Those who want to focus on diversity and inclusion and give detailed explanations of how they will achieve that often lose to those who are popular among the class, regardless if those candidates break numerous campaign rules. This attitude of applicants also dismisses the accomplishments of those who are chosen to serve. I would like to think I was chosen because I was the most qualified candidate for the position. Numerous of my friends are student leaders who have held campus-wide positions, and I’ve seen how they are treated. I have seen the emails from their classmates aggressively asking for information that was provided in an earlier email. I have seen staff members put more responsibilities on student leaders than their position called for because their original support dwindled as time went on. My friends are not alone in their
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experiences and I’m sure other student leaders have shared their frustrations with their friends. It takes a special group of people to do the job effectively while also displaying a positive attitude regardless of the way they’re treated. Finally, the idea that students not running for positions is “unjust” discounts the true problems on campus. It is unjust that students who are Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) do not have resources on campus to guarantee their success at a predominantly white institution (PWI). It is unjust that Meredith continues to violate the American Disabilities Act (ADA) with little to no consequences. It is unjust that two religion professors were met with hostility when they asked for a small prayer room for religions other than Christianity. It is unjust that Meredith’s admission policy for transgender and gendernonconforming people is similar to “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Just because one perceives something to be unfair does not mean it is unjust. What is unjust is the way Meredith as an institution and its leaders treat their marginalized communities. Additionally, it is unjust that all work to improve campus life for marginalized communities is placed on student leaders who are part of those communities, not that organizations don’t have enough people to be on their boards. Students are not running for positions because “they just don’t want to.” They’re not running because these positions are similar to having a second job, the way our current student leaders are treated and interactions with students who are a danger to marginalized communities. We need to re-evaluate the way we treat our student leaders and make sure they are given respect.
Olivia Slack and Elinor Shelp-Peck, Co-Editors in Chief. Rachel Van Horne and Aminah Jenkins, Associate Editors. Ally Cefalu, A&E Editor. Molly Perry, Features Editor. Freya Dahlgren, Opinion Editor. Staff Writers: Maggie Barnhill, Piper Carriere, Shae-Lynn Henderson, Anna Prince, Mia Russell, Evelyn Summers, Hannah Taib, Melissa Taylor, Haileigh West. Podcasting Director: Sofia Gomez. Copy Editor: Cady Stanley. Staff Photographer: Elisabeth Sinicrope.
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