VOL. 100 – ISSUE 20
THE TRUMPET
APRIL 8, 2021
WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
WLU’s Student News Source
WLU Foundation’s Topper Day of Giving successful after fundraising $188,000 - pg. 4 Men’s Golf places second at UC Invitational - pg. 15 @WLTrumpetOnline @thetrumpetwestliberty @thetrumpetwlu
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THE TRUMPET
NEWS
WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
COVER BY: HILLTOPPER SPORTS
CULTURE SPORTS
Photo Credits: Lizzy Griffith
Post COVID-19 Program opens up at Wheeling Hospital - pg. 6
Photo Credits: Dez Farnario
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
Alumnus Kelsey Garvin joins nursing program as full-time instructor - pg. 10
West Liberty’s first-ever inaugural invitational meet - pg. 14
THE TRUMPET
The Student Voice of the Hilltop
The Trumpet’s mission is to provide WLU students of all majors an opportunity to learn how to gather and present news information to the campus community, and to serve the campus community with fair and accurate reporting on matters of significance and interest.
EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief Annalise Murphy Online Editor Creed Kidney News/Copy Editor Intern Lizzy Griffith Culture Editor Morgan Kafana Opinion Editor Haley Blakemore Sports Editor Intern Anna Johnston Graphic Designer Intern Katlyn Roberts Graphic Designer/ Illustrator Samantha Snyder Sports Writer Maxwell Fledorczyk News/Culture Writer Emma Beatty Faculty Adviser Danielle Mehlman-Brightwell
Letters to the Editor
To submit a letter to the editor, please email anmurphy@westliberty.edu. Please list your name, address, phone number, and email address; if the piece is published, you will be contacted to confirm your identity.
Contact Us
wltrumpet@westliberty.edu - (304) 336-8873
APRIL 8, 2021
NEWS
NEWS
News/Copy Editor Intern: Lizzy Griffith
PAGE 3
- elgriffith@westliberty.edu
WLU Foundation launches first ‘‘Make Your Topper Mark’’ Program for seniors The WLU Foundation is launching their first-ever “Make Your Topper Mark” program as part of the WLU Graduate Fair. The program is designed to give senior students and final year professionals the opportunity to make their first alumni gift to the WLU Foundation. Students can choose any academic or athletic program on campus to make their first alumni gift, and 100% of their donation will go directly to the chosen program. According to Assistant Director of Alumni Giving and WLU alumna, Alexis Montes, making an initial alumni gift is not a requirement, but is encouraged to serve as a thank you to the university for the education and “countless” memories. If students would like to give a gift a specific program at West Liberty, there are several options available. To make an immediate gift, students can make a secure online payment on the Make Your Topper Mark section of the WLU Foundation’s website.
Montes will be attending both graduate fairs where she will have a machine available for students to give a gift using a credit or debit card. The first graduate fair will be held at the WLU Highlands Center on Tuesday, April 13, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. (this fair is for Highland Center students only). And the second fair will be on WLU’s main campus Thursday, April 15, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Students can give cash, checks, debit and credit gifts at either graduate fair. Checks can be made payable to the WLU Foundation and the program students choose to gift can be written in the memo line. Graduates who participate in the Make Your Topper Mark program will receive a WLU lapel pin, be entered into a gift raffle and receive a special letter from Montes. Students should know making a gift is encouraged and appreciated by the foundation and university; however, Montes emphasized the understanding of student’s financial stability saying, “If a student decides they do not want to make a gift right now, they can always make one sometime down the road.”
Unique lapel pin students will receive when they donate Photo Credits: Alexis Montes
Ultimately, the goal of this program is to encourage students to learn the importance of private funding to the university. “Many West Liberty experiences are generously provided by private donations from corporations, alumni, grandparents, friends and family of West Liberty.” Some examples Montes gave to show the importance of private funding and how donations make the university better include buildings such as the West Family Complex, books in the library and supplies in the dental hygiene department. Montes has taken the lead on the Make Your Topper Mark program and foresees the program becoming a tradition for “years to come”. “I think that the university is
going to absolutely love this event, especially the new president Dr. Evans,” said Montes. Montes explained when Dr. Evans started in January, one of his major concerns was alumni participation. Currently, the university has accurate records for about 26,000 alumni, and only a little over 400 give back to the university. “That’s a very small amount. So, I think when the university and the community see these young alumni already starting to give back and already invested into the college we’re going to be set up for success for the years to come,” said Montes. To learn more about this new program, please visit wlufoundation.org/toppermark, or email Montes at alexis.montes@westliberty.edu.
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APRIL 8, 2021
NEWS
WLU Foundation’s Topper Day of Giving successful after fundraising $188,000 Topper Day of Giving is one of the most important fundraisers for West Liberty University. During this event, donors join together to support higher education at WLU. This year’s Topper Day of Giving was held on Arpil 1, and the online and in phone event raised $188,000 from the one day event. The event is run by the WLU Foundation. During Topper Day of Giving, donors can earmark gifts to go to the academic program, student life, or sports that they choose to unlock matching dollars. Donations were raised by alumni, staff, friends and neighbors.
Photo Credits: WLU Foundation
There were also gifts received from over 20 different states across the United States. WLU ended up raising $38,000 over
what their $150,000 goal was. All of the money was received by just 865 donors. The program with the most contributions was the Men’s Basketball Program with $34,500 being brought in.The top three programs with the most donors were: Wrestling, Volleyball and Theatre. The corporate sponsors of the event are CMTA Energy Solutions and Mills Group. The WLU Foundation is a volunteer Board of Directors and operates with offices on WLU’s campus and a location in downtown Wheeling. According to the foundations website, the stated mission of the WLU Foundation, as adopted by the board, is as follows: “The Foundation supports, strengthens and sustains the University through raising, investment and stewardship of private funds.” Since July of 2016, the foundation has taken on more roles to be more active. The WLU Foundation is a non-profit organization and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Foundation will return the proceeds to the University to any of the needs identified by the president of the college. Donors can donate at any time on the WLU Foundation website by clicking the “Donate Online” button
featured on their homepage. All online payments are safe and secure. Anyone who would like to still consider a gift can donate at the website or call 304-3365635. You can also send donations throught the mail to the WLU Foundation at 208 University Drive, Box 126, West Liberty, WV 26074.
TOPPER DAY OF GIVING Goal: $150,000 Total Raised: $188,000
During the 2021 Topper Day of Giving, the university raising $38,000 over thier goal. Thank you to everyone who donated.
NEWS
APRIL 8, 2021
PAGE 5
More than 300,000 West Virginian’s are vaccinated against COVID-19 W. Va. announced another positive milestone in the state’s vaccination administration and rollout efforts in an effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. On Sunday, March 28, 2021, The Intelligencer reported that the W. Va. Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) publicized that 308,348 people had been fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, meaning that they had received all doses necessary from their appropriate medication (i.e., Pfisver requires two consecutive shots, while Johnson & Johnson requires only one). These numbers reveal that 17.2% of the total population of W.Va. has been fully vaccinated, while 27.2% have at least received their first shot, and 87.4% have been administered a second shot. The article published to Wheeling’s The Intelligencer also states that W.Va. is once again “back above 100% of first doses administered, finding some extra doses at the bottom of some vials. West Virginia has received 476,480 first doses, according to the Department of Human Health Resources (DHHR), and given out 487,425, or 102.3%.”
Photo Credits: WLU Media Relations
Case wise, Ohio County also reported on March 28 that it had reached 4,000 cases of COVID-19, with 17 new cases beginning that weekend; in addition, the county has seen 75 deaths due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Despite these seemingly depressing numbers, “three of the four counties in the Northern Panhandle were green on Sunday’s DHHR COVID alert map, sitting in the safest category. Hancock, Brooke and Marshall counties were green and Ohio County was yellow, the second-safest category.” So far, the rest of our state has also followed the trend we’ve seen here in the Northern
Panhandle, with metropolitan areas and communities with larger populations seeing respectively higher COVID-19 case and related-death numbers and smaller populations and areas seeing less; while both either sit in the safety zone of green or yellow according to the color-coded COVID-19 maps provided by the state’s DHHR. As stated previously within the article, vaccination administration has continued at a wildly sucPhoto Credits: Samantha Snyder
cessful rate, providing a model to the rest of our nation and world; with walk-in vaccinations beginning to become available within local and corporate pharmacies and clinics, and universities beginning to share a dialogue of plans to vaccinate their student populations. It’s only a matter of time before the “Almost Heaven” of the hills regains some sense of normalcy, safety, and wellbeing.
APRIL 8, 2021
PAGE 6
NEWS
Post COVID-19 Program opens at Wheeling Hospital
likely help a lot of people, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing since the virus hit. Gretchen Ennis, a registered nurse (RN) at Wheeling hospital shared some of her experience during the pandemic.
Photo Credits: Lizzy Griffith
Wheeling Hospital recently announced its plans to open up a post-COVID rehab program for those who experience symptoms after contracting the virus. According to the hospital’s website, post-COVID symptoms vary, but can include shortness of breath, cardiac deficits, fatigue, and memory loss.
“[The nurses] were frustrated because we were expected to work in different locations while COVID cases were rising, and staffing was low due to staff being out sick with COVID.” She continued,“The biggest change at the hospital that I noticed was visitation limitations. Only one visitor per day was allowed, but this is slowly starting to change.”
The goal of the rehabilitation program is to help patients with the long-term effects of COVID and hopefully prevent them from having to be hospitalized. According to the CDC, some who have experienced post-COVID symptoms, including memory issues, also have difficulty concentrating, headaches, and some even suffer from depression. Suzanne Holsen, Occupational Therapy direc-
Even though there was a rocky start, after a year of dealing with the virus, things have seemed to have gotten better. Ennis says, “We definitely have less hospitalizations, but still see positive cases.” tor, said, “These symptoms can result in difficulty returning to your everyday life and participating in daily activities such as dressing, bathing, grooming,
toileting, cooking, cleaning, shopping, driving, returning to work or school, swallowing, communicating or walking,” according to the Wheeling Hospital’s news release. The rehabilitation process is supposed to begin in the hospital, but it will eventually allow patients to seek care at home and then occasional visits to the hospital and outpatient care. According to Director of Rehabilitation Services, Sheila Archer, “We provide a multidisciplinary approach with physical, occupational and speech therapy.”
While this program will
She also shared that walk-ins are available at certain vaccination sites. “I think that as long as you have a legal guardian with you if you’re under 18, or if you’re a resident of Ohio County, you can walk-in to the Wheeling Hospital and health department clinic at the Highlands.” For more vaccination information, visit the CDC site or call a vaccination site. If you are experiencing any post-COVID symptoms, you can call your preferred hospital, or call one of Wheeling Hospital’s outpatient rehabilitation departments listed on the website.
CULTURE
CULTURE
APRIL 8, 2021
Culture Editor: Morgan Kafana
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- mkafana@westliberty.edu
Senior business administration student, Abigail Baranski, moderates WELD’s March panel so I wanted to have that connection beforehand,” said Baranski.
Women for Economic Leadership and Development (WELD) is a national organization based in Columbus, Ohio dedicated to empowering more women to become leaders at the top. WLU senior business administration student, Abigail Baranski, was the moderator for the 2021 WELD National West Virginia Panel for the month of March. The webinar took place on March 31, 2021 and discussed the diverse backgrounds of the following women: · ager,
Sarah Suttle
Crouse, Man& Stalnaker
· Marlene Hackett, CEO/CEO/ Principal Consultant, The Hackett · al
Lauren Hersey, GenerSales Manager, WTRF-7
The webinar represented Upper Ohio Valley, WLU, and Charleston WELD chapter regions. Mainly focused on discussion of each woman’s investment in themselves, the panel dove conversation about how their careers and communities have been advanced as a result. Baranski, the moderator of the panel, is a month away from graduating and here is what she had to say about her experiences with WELD. Baranski joined the collegietae chapter of WELD in January of 2020. “I did it [joined WELD] to kind of help me grow as a woman and to get those connections. It really does give you that group of women that are successful and have that knowledge when you’re in the workforce. I graduate in May,
Lauren Heresey, general sales manager at WTRF-7 news, was a speaker on the panel and a co-chair to the Upper Ohio Valley chapter of WELD. According to Heresey, “there are a lot of leadership development personal and professional development skills that you can gain whenever you’re a member of WELD. Obviously, the networking piece is very important too because they’re [WELD] is creating a culture of women supporting women.” Heresey explained she heard WELD wanted to start a chapter in the upper Ohio Valley, which was led by Erica Storch with the Wheeling Chamber of Commerce. “Once it was established that we [upper Ohio Valley] were going to become a [WELD] chapter, I jumped on as the co-chair,” Heresey said. Heresey shared information about the West Liberty collegiate chapter of WELD saying it
was “born” after a WELD chapter was established in the Ohio Valley. The webinar hosted in March was created after WELD’s national chapter management officer, Deepa Keller, reportedly reached out to Heresey and Storch.
“Deepa [Keller] who is at WELD said, ‘What would you guys think about doing a kind of statewide event featuring West Liberty, Upper Ohio Valley, and our previously established chapter in Charleston?’ and that is how women advancing W. Va. [panel discussion] came to be,” explained Heresey. Any woman can take advantage of events held by WELD; however, Heresey encourages women to become members as being a member gives access to WELD’s nationwide “programming”. Heresey furthered her encouragement saying, “Your network is really your insurance policy and can help you get wherever it is you want to go. Being a part of this nationwide network of
Photo Credits: WLU Buisness Twiiter
women business leaders, I mean, it’s a game changer. When you’re looking to get your first job, you already have these women here that raised their hands [saying] that they want to help.” Baranski furthered Heresey’s words of encouragement for students to join WELD explaining, “I think it’s a great opportunity and I suggest anyone and everyone to join. You really do get those connections and I highly suggest getting those connections because it will help you in the real world and it will help you outside of college. I’m definitely going to stay a national member outside of school. Being a member has helped me already.”
According to Baranski, the organization is open to both men and women. “Men will and do get the same opportunities women get. When you become a member, you’ll learn about career opportunities, how people grew in the workforce, personal growth and personal brand. It [being a WELD member] will benefit all genders.” Individuals interested in joining should know there is a $29 fee; however, if a student cannot afford the fee, there are alternatives. Hersey explained, “I believe a collegiate membership is $29. So, I sent in the $29 fee to sponsor a student. If someone doesn’t have the money, there is a pool of this scholarship money where you could still be involved without needing to pay.” WLU students interested in joining WELD can contact Ingrid Loy at ingrid.loy@westliberty.edu. Women interested in joining WELD at the state level should contact Mindy Koeing at mkoenig@welddoh.org.
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APRIL 8, 2021
CULTURE
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ play putting WLU theatre back in action this month The WLU Theatre is back in action this month with an outdoor production of an adapted version of William Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. Due to social distancing practices, seating will be at a limited capacity with 75 seats per performance. The show will take place on the patio behind the Fine Arts building beginning April 23. WLU Adjunct Theatre Professor, Shelby Garrett, is back as director alongside Cassandra Hackbartwith, several other familiar faces making up the cast and crew. Costume and set design is headed by Meta Lasch while props are being managed by Isabella Constantini.
This fun-filled play has been a long time coming, with the initial casting taking place back in December 2019 before the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cast and crew have had to persevere to keep the production running through the recent hard times. “Since being back in person, the atmosphere has been in a constant state of excitement!” Garrett said. She added, “I think everyone is just so happy and grateful to be back in the theatre, working on a script and being able to play again.” WLU is producing an adapted version of Shakespeare’s original work. The story is set in the year 1945 and told through
Photo Credits: Google Creative Com-
“I think everyone is just so happy and grateful to be back in the theatre, working on a script and being able to play again.” - Shelby Garrett, WLU Adjunct Theatre Professor
music as well as the spoken word. The cast and crew have also added a modern twist to the tale making it incredibly relevant to life in 2021. ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ incorporates themes of gender roles, self-resilience, independence, and deception. Although light-hearted, the show is not afraid of tackling some of the big issues. The cast list is crammed with Hilltopper favorites such as
Doug Torres, Grant VanCamp, Calli, Byard, Ben Games, Odessa Hores, Benny Mounsey, Keenan Seditz, Alexandria Glover, Emma Gragan, Merritt Craft, Autumn Carver, Josie Jarrett, Jessica Grimmett, Isabella Costantini, Delaney Bird, MaKenna Berka, Fiona Rushton, and Dominic Martin. This is the last semester on the Hilltop for some of these familiar faces after a successful career at West Liberty. Tickets cost $12.50 for the General Public, $10 for seniors, $8 for students not currently enrolled at WLU, and $5 for WLU with a valid student ID.Tickets can only be purchased with cash or check. Tickets can be reserved by contacting WLU Theatre Department Chair, Michael Aulick, by email at @maulick@westliberty.edu. Tickets can also be purchased at the door of the Fine Arts Building in the Box Office on the day of the performance. Weather permitting, the opening night is set to be Friday April 23 at 5.30p.m. which is coincidentally Shakespeare’s birth and death day. Performances will also take place on April 24 and April 25. Both the Saturday and Sunday performances will begin at 3p.m.. Take a break from school work and support the WLU theatre department by going to see the WLU production of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’.
APRIL 8, 2021
CULTURE
PAGE 9
Sparking Early Literacy Growth grant created to improve literacy for West Virginia children To improve literacy levels in children that may have been offset by the COVID-19 pandemic, the W. Va. Public Education Collaborative (WVPEC) has partnered with the W. Va. Department of Education (WVDE) and have created the Sparking Early Literacy Growth grant to do so. This project has also been sponsored by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. The groups’ supporting claim for why they are presenting this project is that “56 percent of third graders did not receive a score of ‘proficient’ or above on the most recent W. Va. General Assessment.” The West Virginia General Assessment is given to students in grades 3-8 at the end of the school year to measure their performance on specific criteria chosen by the WVDE in the areas in English and Mathematics. Grades 5 through 8 are also tested in the area of science. As told by their informational document, “the purpose of this Request for Proposals is to solicit innovative ideas, initiatives, and interventions to support the early literacy growth of West Virginia children Birth to Age 8 in high-need schools and student populations.” The projects presented must agree with at least one of the areas of focus that they have set in place: School Readiness, Instructional Practices and Innovations, and Extended Learning. They must also be targeted toward the high-risk populations of these learners. These groups are as follows, “children and communities in poverty, children in foster
care, children in the custody/care of grandparents or other extended family members, children identified as homeless, children with special learning needs, children experiencing trauma and behavioral challenges, children who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and children who are reading and writing below grade level.” The potential amount funded for each project can be up to $50,000. Once a proposal has been submitted, it then goes to the selection committee for the grant. WLU’s own Angela Curfman, assistant professor of teacher education, was invited to be a member. One responsibility that Curfman and her fellow committee members have is to assist in evaluating the submissions that are flowing in from all over the state. This task is a “Qualtrics” form from the Request al sheet. Curfman
done using and criteria for Proposcommented,
“As a committed advocate of literacy, I was honored to be asked and to be among various state leaders with expertise in early literacy… To review numerous innovative proposals, it was inspiring to see so many groups and
organizations that are passionate and dedicated to promoting early literacy across our state.” She also stated that the committee worked through the month of March to find the winners.They will be announced on April 15, 2021.
More information about the proposal can be found at the initiative’s website. Alternatively, email the author, Emma Beatty, at ejbeatty@ westlibert.edu, or Angela Curfman at angela.curfman@westliberty.edu. Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons
PAGE 10
APRIL 8, 2021
CULTURE
Alumnus Kelsey Garvin joins nursing program as fulltime instructor
requisites for the nursing program. She also teaches clinical rotations for NUR 324 and 436 to juniors and seniors in the nursing program. Garvin is not actively involved in any clubs or activities on campus but hopes to get more involved once the world becomes a safer place to mingle.
WLU welcomed alumnus Kelsey Garvin to it’s teaching staff in the fall of 2020 as a full time instructor of nursing. Garvin served as an adjunct for the nursing program at West Liberty from 2019 to 2020, and before her time on the hilltop she did some adjunct work for West Virginia Northern Community College (WVNCC). Garvin obtained her bachelor of science in nursing from WLU in 2013 and from there attended Franciscan University where she received her master of science in nursing. “I decided to teach at West Liberty because it is my alma mater. I wanted the nursing program here to be the best that it can be and I am excited to be a part of making it happen,” said Garvin.
“Being a new full time staff member is challenging, but as I grow more comfortable here, I get excited to partake in more responsibility and other ventures through the university,” said Garvin. According to Garvin, working at West Liberty has taught her so much about the youth in the West Liberty area and the types of students that attend the university.
Photo Credits: Dez Farnario
She chose to become an educator of nursing not just because there is a high demand for nurses, but because she also has a love for teaching. According to Garvin, she first discovered this love for teaching when, “it came to
teaching my patients in the hospital.” Currently, Garvin is teaching courses such as nursing 202 (fundamentals of nursing) and nursing 203 (medical terminology) which are offered as sophomore pre-
She also feels that working with the faculty of the nursing program at West Liberty has taught her to trust herself and her abilities which have given her a greater sense of self confidence. Welcome back to the Hilltop Professor Garvin!
Oregon’s two largest colleges face lawsuits after charging students full tuition for online classes
Three students so far have filed lawsuits in Oregon’s two largest schools recently. Caline Smith is suing Oregon and the other two students filing lawsuits are Danielle Pranger and Garrett Harris who are suing Oregon State. These students are upset about being charged full price, even though the colleges are online. When the universities shut down their campus’ due to the pandemic, they did not refund the students at all. However, the colleges have agreed to refund some of the rooming and board fees that were charged. “In order to provide quality education now and in the future, we cannot discount tuition,” the University
of Oregon states on its website. According to oregonlive.com, the complaints were filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court earlier this month. The suits did not specify how much was seeked in damages. Students allege that the tuition was lower for remote stu-
line learning, they were still being charged the higher price. However, the University of Oregon is saying, “The lawsuit is wrong on the law and the facts.” In addition the University of Or Whenever the in-person egon, “Despite what the lawsuit students were forced to do on- suggests, the university’s costs for delivering instruction have not decreased as a result of the pandemic. dents using an “E-campus” program. In-person students had to pay anywhere $312 to $812 per credit and e-campus students were only paying around $224 to $360 per credit.
Oregon State University Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons
Our faculty, as well as our academic and student staff, continue to serve students. In fact, our costs have increased due to a variety of new technology and infrastructure investments.” These students are demanding partial tuition reimbursement for failing to deliver the quality of education students had initially paid for. Many of the lawsuits also mention that they are missing out on things like access to libraries, extracurricular activities, athletics, workshops, and more.
OPINION
APRIL 8, 2021
OPINION
PAGE 11
Possibility of Bluefield State College branch to enter Wheeling area disappoints local university presidents
Local college presidents are beginning to feel uneasy about the potential of another college entering the Wheeling area. In early January of 2021, the City of Wheeling, W.Va. entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Bluefield State College “to assess the feasibility of a long-term lease deal on the campus for a new Engineering and Manufacturing Center for educational purposes” as a branch campus. The site is at the former Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling, as stated in an article covering the topic published by W.Va.’s MetroNews. Recently, around midMarch, tensions regarding the topic came to a head at a meeting of the Wheeling City Council, in which leaders of local colleges, namely President Daniel Mosser of West Virginia Northern Community College (WVNCC), President Ginny Favede of Wheeling University, and our own President W. Franklin Evans of West Liberty University, lambasted council members for making such a deal.
distaste regarding the confrontation, “It’s very disappointing to have someone who holds a Ph.D., a highly respected figure in the Wheeling community, come to a city council meeting and make false allegations simply because he does not like something that city council is considering.” The opposition was made public only recently when a joint statement by the three presidents listed, Mosser, Favede, and Evans, was publicized; reiterating a message sent to Mayor Elliott in February of this year stating that their respective institutions were able to provide the educational needs of our region here in the Northern Panhandle, “a region that Bluefield State College’s main campus in Mercer County sits nearly 300 miles from.” Personally, I find that my disappointment in the situation lies within our local, respected, and highly influential leaders of education; though I understand some foundations of their argument and upset that such a venture could take students away
from their respective institutions, I can’t help but find it rather selfish of them. Within the greater community and population of the Northern Panhandle of W.Va., and especially within the whole of our state, I think everyone can agree that we should take every possible opportunity to get ahead that we can. We have countless things against us here in our state. The Opioid epidemic, the push and shove of green energy alternatives as we transition away from a culture of coal mining, a struggling economy and an aging population that is constantly dwindling are only to name a few – so why would we ever want to push a chance like this away? For one, it would be utilizing a now-empty building rather than tearing it down, and it would provide new opportunities for members of all ages within our community; maybe it could even further encourage young residents of our community and state to stay within W.Va., rather than flee upon graduation. Lizzy
“I think by bringing another college to Wheeling, it’s just another appeal for students and families to stay here and move here. Over the years, Wheeling has declined in several ways, but another college is good for the business factor. It’s also nice to have more public school options in the area,” shared Griffth. As reported by MetroNews, Mayor Elliott expressed that doing nothing will not be an option, citing fears that the now-empty OVMC property would fall into disrepair and just be a problem that future citizens would be faced to deal with; importantly, no specific action has been taken as of yet. However, the council has stated that it will ultimately be up to the Higher Education Policy Commission in April to determine whether Bluefield State College can come to Wheeling or not. For now, Mayor Elliott has said that thinking in narrow terms must end if Wheeling is ever to see any true growth saying, “We are entering a new era here where I think we will see a lot of economic growth in the next 10 to 15 years. But it’s only going to happen if we don’t see every new investment, everything from the outside coming in as a threat. We have to think of it as growing the pie for everybody.”
All the leaders recognized their disappointment in the city, but President Mosser, specifically, launched a direct attack on multiple members of the council personally. Moser cited that it was truly a personal deal, and the city was purposefully not disclosing specific terms of the lease agreement. Mayor Glenn Elliot of Wheeling told MetroNews that it was simply “an attempt to ‘bully’ the council into making a decision.” Going on to express his
Griffith, a junior at West Liberty studying public relations and the News and Copy Editor here at The Trumpet, echoed these same sentiments when asked about the current controversy of Bluefield coming to Wheeling.
West Virginia Northern Community College’s “B&O” Building Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons
PAGE 12
APRIL 8, 2021
OPINION
Here’s what you need to know about registering for fall 2021 classes It’s about that time again to decide what classes you are going to take for the coming semester. Registering in WINS might be a little confusing this time around, especially for newer students. WLU has returned to the alternate pin system; essentially, talking with your advisor is extremely important as they are the individuals who have access to each student’s unique pin. Alternate pins will only be given to a student once they have met with their advisors. In addition, the university has created new “codes” to help students navigate how each course will be taught. The alternative pin system represents what type of education you will receive, whether it’s online or in person. If you see RT for signing up for a class, that
ship experience required with my major? Can you review my degree audit with me? Are there any courses I can petition? What jobs would I be qualified to do with my degree?” Registration for seniors is April 5, April 9 for Juniors, April 15 for Sophomores, and April 21 for Freshmen.
means that it is only held in-person and there is no virtual option. RTVO is for in-person classes but includes the option to switch to virtual if need be. RT3 stands for real-time virtual. It’s completely virtual with synchronicities. The content on Sakai will be more involved than other classes. HYB is for hybrid classes, which combine online with in-class. HYB
is any class that has 50 percent or more, but not 100 percent, virtual content. DIST, W, or ONLIN is for fully online classes. When talking to your advisor for your registration, it is important to know what to ask. Some important questions, according to Scott Cook, include: “Is a minor required with my major? Which classes in my major are only offered once a year or every other year? Is a practicum/intern-
If you are new at this, go into WINS under student services to check if there are any holds before registering. You can also check in WINS under student services and click DegreeWorks to find who is your advisor, and what courses you need to take. The minimum credit hours you should take to be considered a full-time student is 12; however, it is suggested you take at least 15 credit hours per semester to graduate on time. It is important to only take the amount of credit hours you can handle.
Learning and Student Development Center hosts interview preparation workshop Last Wednesday, March 31, 2021, Chris McPherson, the director of the learning and student development center, hosted a career development workshop focused on interview preparation over Zoom. In the hour-long workshop, McPherson offered various tips and pieces of advice that will help viewers feel more confident in their next interview, whether it be for work, school, or another reason. One of the topics focused on important documents and first impressions. It is highly recommended that a person reviews their resume and cover letter before going to an interview to make sure they are fa-
miliar with all of the information that they have presented to the potential employers. This can also help build confidence which can help form a good first impression. Clothing should be appropriate for the job and comfortable for the atmosphere of the interview. Dressing in layers was a piece of advice presented. This way, one can be dressed appropriately for every type of weather or situation. Additionally, if you are planning on wearing new clothes to the interview, you should make sure to try them on the day or night before, so you are not scrambling the next day if they do not fit. The next topic covered research and reviewing to be done before the interview. To make sure nothing catches you off guard, you should research the job descriptions and the organization prior to the
meeting. This is also a way to find and form questions for the interviewers. McPherson stated that you should ask yourself questions when researching such as, “Are there any items that may be unclear? Are there any responsibilities that you do not fully understand?” The final topic covered the day of the interview. This is where all of the hard work and preparation come together. There are a few other things that you should bring with you to your meeting. This includes resume and cover letter copies, a notebook, pens, and a positive attitude. The copies of the resume and cover letter come in handy if someone forgot theirs or if these documents have changed in any way.
A notebook and pens should also be brought to write down questions asked, a special note to yourself, a list of the people there, and specific talking points. When going to the
interview location, try to be there at least fifteen minutes early and know where you are going down to the room number. Most of all, be pleasant, respectful, and yourself.
The recording of this webinar is on TopperStation.
Quick Tips for a Successful Interview - Dress appropiately - Bring your resume, copies of your cover letter, a notebook and pens, and a good attitude! - Be pleasant, be respectful, but most importantly -be yourself!
SPORTS APRIL 8, 2021
SPORTS
Sports Editor: Anna Johnston
PAGE 13
- acjohnston@westliberty.edu
Wheeling University football defeats WLU 42-19 touchdown entering the second half, despite head shaking turnovers. Although West Liberty came out firing in the second half, ready to put their struggles behind them, the turnover plague soon caught up to them once more, as the team committed seven turnovers in total for the entire game.
WLU suffered an ugly loss to local rival Wheeling University last Saturday night, losing their third game of the season 42-19. Although the score is certainly an eye sore, the first half of the game was much tighter than the final score suggests. The Hilltoppers took an early 3-0 lead against Wheeling, and their defense looked more than comfortable while doing so, shutting down Wheeling’s offense three straight drives in the process. However, their defense soon cracked, as they gave up an eighty yard touchdown just seconds to go in the first quarter. Although West Liberty soon answered with a Quincy Wimbush rushing touchdown, the problems for the Black and Gold were just beginning. While some drives put together by West Liber-
To give where credit is due, Wheeling looked quite potent, especially under true freshman quarterback Jalen Lea, who threw 216 yards and 4 touchdowns.
ty looked more than promising as they progressed, they soon turned for the worst in a mere blink of an eye. West Liberty entered the Wheeling 15 with a 3-0 lead, before an interception ruined their drive hopes. Soon after, WLU was back on offense following a Wheeling score, and unfortunately threw an interception on their first play of the drive. Fast forward to the
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
second quarter and West Liberty was about to be driving again, only for them to throw an interception on their first play once more. Finally, the Hilltoppers threw a fourth interception in the first half alone, capping off what was a miserable ride for the offense. Miraculously, West Liberty only found themselves down by a
With a familiar opponent in Notre Dame up next in the schedule for West Liberty, they are going to have to put this game behind them rather quickly. Perhaps the most intriguing piece to watch is the quarterback battle going into this week, as West Virginia University transfer Jack Allison and redshirt Freshman Jamie Diven compete to determine who will start at the helm. Continue to check out hilltoppersports.com for all your need to know sports updates.
Hilltopper athletes continue to succeed in spring seasons gram, but nearly every team on campus has had members recognized by the Mountain East Conference, regionally, or nationally.
WLU’s Athletics Department has had a successful season this spring after many teams’ seasons were cut short last spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Men’s basketball team made it to the NCAA Division II tournament this year and eventually bowed out in the Elite Eight Round of the competition to Northwest Missouri State.
The Wrestling team and Men’s Basketball team have somewhat stolen the show, and understandably so, with a season littered with success for each pro-
This came after a firstplace finish in the regional tournament where the Toppers beat out No. 9 ranked Hillsdale to secure their sixth Atlantic
Region Title since 2011.
The Hilltopper team also saw several players earn individual recognition both within and outside the MEC. West Liberty All-American, Dalton Bolon was named the MEC player of year for the second year in a row. Bolon scored double figures in all Mountain East games this season and blew past the 2000 career point milestone early on this year. Pat Robinson III, a junior guard, and Will Yoakum, a junior wing, also
made it onto the All-MEC first team. Both report high scoring stats and consistency for the Black and Gold. The WLU Wrestling team finished fourth in the 2021 NCAA Division II National Championship, the highest ever finish for a WLU team. Head Coach Danny Irwin’s Hilltoppers also closed out the regional tournament with a first-place team finish with all 10 wrestlers winning at least one match. “I’m so proud of my guys,” Irwin said. continued on page 16
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APRIL 8, 2021
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Men’s and Women’s track teams finish as runner-ups at their first inaugural West Liberty Invitational Contributing Writer: Mark Donnelly
The West Liberty men’s and women’s Track and Field teams both finished as runners-up at the first ever inaugural West Liberty Invitational meet at the West Liberty Family Athletic Complex on Saturday. There was a real buzz around the hilltop as the Track and Field program finally got the chance to host a meet for the first time since their brand new facility was built almost two years ago. This excitement also came with expectation as each team had delivered some impressive finishes earlier in the season with both continuing their fine form with a number of admirable performances both individually and collectively. Wheeling University took top spot on both sides of the meet with both competitions coming down to the final events as the Cardinals pipped WLU by just one point on the men’s side and 24 on the women’s. The Hilltopper men
took top spot in five events with a number of athletes claiming second and third places as well. Phil White and Zac Banks gave extremely impressive performances in the 10,000 metres and 3000-meter steeplechase to give the Toppers their first wins of the day, while Danah Phillips and Brenden Sands took first and second places in the 1500 meters. To round off a number of successes on the track Tavian Richardson finished second in the 400 meters before the WLU 4x100m relay team finished the day by taking home first place. They also had a lot of joy away from the track with various athletes having strong finishes in the jumping and throwing events. Grant Sproull and Gary Braithwaite were first and second in the javelin while Corey Wyttenbach and Dillon Meintel placed second and third in both the high jump and the triple jump. The Lady Toppers had an impressive seven individual champions with All-MEC throw-
er Kelsi Hulit recording two of them. Hulit notched up a teamhigh 36 points with first place finishes in the javelin and discuss before finishing second and third in the hammer and shot respectively.
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
Hannah Kemp, who recently received MEC Track Athlete of the Week and broke the school 5000 metres record, finished first in the 1500 metres with teammate Emily Louk finishing behind her in second place. Louk finished in first place in the 400 metres just in front of Ryan Wilson while Nicole Groseclose won the 3000-metre steeplechase. Aubree Storey matched Hulit by recording two wins on the day, finishing first in both the triple jump and high jump to cap off a productive day for both teams. The Hilltoppers clearly thrived off the home atmosphere in this meet and both teams will surely be hoping to go one better and take home first place in next year’s competition. Next up for the two teams is a trip to Walsh University (Ohio) for a meet in North Canton Ohio this Friday, April 9 as preparations for the MEC Championships in May begin to heat up.
Please visit Hilltopper Sports at
hilltoppersports.com
for all your Topper sports updates!
#proudtobeatopper
SPORTS
APRIL 8, 2021
Men’s Golf places second at UC Invitational West Liberty Men’s Golf placed 12th at the The Battle at the Shores tournament in Fla. on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. Overall, the men’s golf team “shot their best round”, a 21-over-par 305 to finish at 926 event according to Hilltopper Sports. The team placed second at the University of Charleston Invitational last week, only losing to the host team, the University of Charleston. With a total of twelve teams participating within this invitational, it is quite refreshing to see West Liberty place so high, especially given their ambitions to secure a team MEC Championship this season. While UC was the only team to shoot sub-600 (599), West Liberty saw themselves shoot 612, eleven strokes better than the next closest, Davis and Elkins College. Although West Liberty lost by thirteen strokes to UC, it was much closer than predicted. At the beginning of the final round, WLU only trailed UC by two strokes, which shines massive light on their potential rematch later in the season.
The rematch later in the season is potentially going to be the juggernaut battle we will see in the MEC Championship. As it currently stands, West Liberty University, Concord University, and the University of Charleston eye the chance to capture the title. These two teams alongside West Liberty have seen success on top of the conference before, with Charleston winning the MEC in 2017 and 2018, and Concord winning the MEC in 2019. Despite these successes from these two teams, West Liberty has quite the chance to enter the mix as one of the most dominant teams in the conference. This potential is led by individual successes seen through Howard Peterson IV and Alex Eastholm. At the UC Invitational, Peterson shot 72-78, and Eastholm shot 76-76. Although impressive as is, there is certainly much more they would like to improve on as the conclusion of the season draws near. It will be quite entertaining to watch the West Liberty Men’s Golf team potentially battle their way to a MEC Championship within the upcoming weeks. It will certainly not come easy though, as tough competition within the conference stands in their way, but the Hilltoppers understand that, and look forward to the challenge that is presented to them.
WLU Baseball loses four games, wins two Contributing Writer: Mark Donnelly
The West Liberty Baseball team (8-11) had a week of mixed results, winning two games and losing four. Having made a positive start in their return to competitive action, this week’s results leave the Hiltoppers with an equal 6-6 record in conference play. They started the week off on an extremely positive note winning back to back games against West Virginia Wesleyan College (2-6) at home on Monday before losing twice to both W. Va. State University (12-6) and University of Charleston (17-3) later on in the week. Beginning the week with a doubleheader sweep over the Bobcats gave the Toppers plenty of confidence with a number of hitters putting in top-class performances. Across the two games they had 22 hits and 25 runs, with reigning MEC Player of The Week, Ty Helmke, driving in five runs. Helmke was selected for the conference award after posting a .400 batting average with an .800 slugging percentage and a .571 on-base average as WLU went 3-1 in games against Davis and Elkins College and Concord University last week. West Liberty were hoping to continue from where they
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
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left off and bring this hot-hitting form into the rest of the week although this wasn’t the case as they unfortunately could not get back into the swing of things, posting just seven runs in four games against the Yellow Jackets and the Golden Eagles. The teams hitters struggled to put together any sort of rhythm throughout these games while it was all too easy for their opponents, who showed why they are considered two of the best teams in the conference. Head Coach Eric Burkle will be hoping that his team can rediscover some of the form that they showed earlier in the season in order to push on and reach the MEC baseball tournament. As things stand the Hilltoppers are in a position to progress to the postseason as they sit third in the MEC North Division, with the top three in each division moving on to the Conference Tournament, however there is still a lot of Baseball still to be played. Next up for the Toppers is a home doubleheader against Notre Dame College (Ohio) with two games being played on the hilltop on both Saturday and Sunday.They will surely be looking to get back to winning ways against the Falcons and continue their challenge for a spot in the postseason. For more information and updates on the games visit hilltoppersports.com Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
APRIL 8, 2021
PAGE 16 continued from page 13 WLU success has had success beyond men’s basketball and wrestling too. The women’s basketball team saw Olivia Belknap named to the All-MEC first team and Audrey Tingle was named to the All-MEC second team.
Both earned player of the week awards during the season and were pivotal in the Lady Toppers’ success. Belknap led the team in scoring while Tingle posted the fourth triple-double of the season by a NCAA Division II woman. West Liberty’s Cross-Country team has also had significant success this season. All-Region Sophomore Hannah Kemp was awarded the MEC Runner of the Year Award. Kemp has won out this season in all her distance events running away with the win in the MEC Championship race. “It wasn’t really a strategy,” Kemp said. Kemp was not alone in her MEC success. Sophomore runner Nichole Groseclose was named as an All-MEC honoree for the second time after another successful season. Junior men’s runner Phil White also
earned a spot on the All-MEC first team for the second time in his career after posting a fifth-place finish in the MEC Championship. Both the Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams have had positive seasons so far. Anton Schulz, a senior from Menden, Germany earned a Mountain East Conference Men’s Player of the Week award after winning 36 out 37 games in doubles and singles play in just one week in mid-March. The Lady Topper’s no.2 seed Nathalia Valencia earned the Women’s Player of the Week award the same week after losing only two games in both singles and doubles in another convincing victory for Head Coach Heather Gallagher’s squad.
SPORTS
squad saw three of their players earn MEC honors after making it into the postseason tournament. Senior middle blocker Madison Clayton was named to the All-MEC first team for the second time while freshman libero Nyia Setla was listed in the second-team and outside hitter Emily Reedy received an honorable mention. The three ladies were major contributors to the team success throughout the season with the squad finishing with a 7-4 record overall.
WLU’s Acrobatics and Tumbling team are still competing for postseason as the season nears its end. The team earned MEC Player of the Week award three weeks in a row with Kenzie Kyle, Sydney Schumacher, and Lexus Ficca all receiving the honor back-to-back. Ficca was also recognized as an honorable mention by the NCATA. She was joined by Lindsay Fries, who was honored as NCATA specialist of the week, and Katie Emborsky who earned an NCATA Freshman of the Week award.
The Hilltop’s Athlete of the Week
Kelsi Hulit
The WLU Men’s Soccer team has posted their most successful season in program history. This was highlighted in the Hilltoppers 3-0 win at Concord - their first ever shutout win. Senior defender Mikel Ubeda from Bilbao, Spain was awarded the MEC Defensive Player of the Week title for his stellar defense and scoring the third goal of the game to give the Toppers their largest margin of victory yet. The Lady Topper Volleyball Graphic By: Samantha Snyder
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
Women’s Track and Field Year: Junior Hometown: Malvern, Ohio About Hulit: Hulit finished first place in the javelin and discus, second in the hammer and third in the shot to record a team-high 36 points at the first-ever inaugural West Liberty Invitational meet this weekend.
