VOL. 101 – ISSUE 15
THE TRUMPET WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
WLU’s Student News Source
Chemistry lab receives $20,000 grant for new equipment - pg. 5 Acrobatics and Tumbling takes season opener vs. West Virginia Wesleyan - pg. 13 @TheTrumpetWestLiberty
@thetrumpetwlu
@WLTrumpetOnline
@thetrumpetwlu
@WLTrumpetOnline
@thetrumpetwlu
westliberty.edu/thetrumpet
thetrumpetwlu.org
WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
THE TRUMPET
NEWS
Photo Credits: Jimmy Willis
Junior WLU student, James Willis, running for West Virginia House of Delegates pg. 4
COVER BY: LACEY DEEM
CULTURE SPORTS
Photo Credits: Annalise Murphy
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
The Trumpet editor starts crime reporting blog for internship experience - pg. 7
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.
Indoor Track closes season with strong performance in MEC Championship pg. 16
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-Chief
Annalise Murphy
Assistant Editor Brianna Hamon Online Editor Creed Kidney News Editor Olivia Romick Culture Editor Intern Kenley George Opinion Editor Intern Hanna Perry Sports Editor Intern Joshua Spratt Graphic Designer/Photographer Haley Blakemore Graphic Designer/Illustrator Lacey Deem News/Sports Writer Anna Johnston Sports Writer Maxwell Fledorczyk Director Dr. 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
NEWS
NEWS FEBRUARY 24, 2022
News Editor Intern: Olivia Romick
PAGE 3
- ogromick ogromick@westliberty.edu @westliberty.edu
WLU’s Dr. Linda Cowan nominated for 2021 Professor of the Year disciplines and I think that more WLU professors should apply for this award because we do a lot of great work here.”
West Liberty University (WLU) congratulates another professor nominated for the prestigious West Virginia Professor of the Year award. Dr. Linda Cowan, WLU’s chair of the music and theater department, was nominated for the 2021 award by Dr. Cecilia Konchar-Farr, WLU’s Dean of the College of Liberal and Creative Arts. In addition to Konchar-Farr’s nomination, Cowan said several other faculty members and a former student recommended her for the award. Sharing thoughts of deep gratitude for being nominated and named a finalist, Cowan shared, “I’m really proud and humbled about it. Initially, I was surprised that I was named a finalist. I feel really great that the committee was able to recognize the efforts of professors who teach arts courses. They were able to recognize the teaching and the service in the arts as being equal to other
After being nominated and named a finalist for the 2021 award, Cowan says the process of creating the application as well as prepping and executing the interview has “only deepened” her thoughts about her role in higher education. As mentioned in a press release written by WLU’s Director of Media Relations (Maureen Zambito), interviews for the candidates were held on Feb. 14 with an expected honorary springtime banquet to occur in Charleston, where the Professor of the Year is announced. (Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, plans for a banquet have not been determined.) WLU President W. Franklin Evans said, “I congratulate Dr. Cowan on her selection as a finalist for this prestigious award. She has brought honor to the College of Liberal and Creative Arts and to the entire university, and we wish her well as she continues through the candidate process that will determine the final selection for West Virginia’s 2021 Professor of the Year.” Holding a Bachelor of Science degree in music education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Masters of Music in vocal performance from Indiana State University and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in vocal performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, Cowan is starting her 20th year professing on the Hilltop.
Graphic by Annalise Murphy
leges and universities for their innovations and creativity, according to WVNews.The Professor of the Year program shines light on the accomplishments of the nominees and the winner of the award. The winner is awarded $10,000 cash and smaller awards are given to the other finalists.
According
to
Cowan,
Dr. Linda Cowan Photo Credtis: WLU Media Relations
some of her roles at WLU include: “I teach voice, voice lessons, opera and musical theater workshop, German, French, Italian, Latin and English diction for singing. [She also teaches] fundamentals of voice, music skills for the actor, voice pedagogy and vocal literature.” Some of Cowan’s passions, according to Zambito’s press release, include outreaching to elementary and middle school students with her “Opera Improv” workshops, serving on the National Board of Alpha Chi and being a member of Chapter ABWeirton. The Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia was created in 1894 to recognize and reward faculty members of West Virginia’s public and private col-
There are four other nominees for the 2021 Professor of the Year award including: Micheal Fultz, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry, West Virginia State University; Michael Groves, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Nursing, Shepherd University; Dan Hollis, M.A., Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication, Marshall University; and Paul Rakes, Ph.D., Professor of History, West Virginia University Institute of Technology. Zambito’s press release states the Professor of the Year Award is sponsored by: United Bank; Bowles Rice LLP; Greene, Ketchum, Farrell, Bailey & Tweel LLP; Maier Foundation; Graystone Consulting; and The Daywood Foundation, Inc. For additional information, please call (304) 3472131. For more information about this article, please visit WLU’s press release or email Annalise Murphy at anmurphy@ westliberty.edu. To reach Dr. Cowan, email lcowan@westliberty.edu.
“I feel really great that the committee was able to recognize the efforts of professors who teach art courses.” -Dr. Linda Cowan
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
PAGE 4
NEWS
Junior WLU student, James Willis, running for West Virginia House of Delegates James “Jimmy” Willis, a junior political science major at WLU is running for the West Virginia House of Delegates as a member of the Republican Party. The House of Delegates is the lower house in the West Virginia legislature composed of 100 members from 67 districts with delegates serving two-year terms. Willis is running for the third district which incorporates areas in both Brooke and Ohio County including West Liberty. The West Virginia House of Delegates elections are on Nov. 8, with the primaries taking place on May 10. Willis is running unopposed in the Republican Party primary and will likely take on Phil Diserio, the incumbent Democratic Party candidate. Willis recently announced his candidacy after careful consideration. “It’s been something I’ve been considering a lot in the past six months. Obviously, there’s a lot of stuff going on in the country and I felt like at the federal level we’re weaker than we should be, and I wanted to do my part and help get the state houses stronger,” said Willis. Willis has been working closely with the Brooke County Republican Party as a Bethany local and has recently acquired stronger connections with the Ohio County sector of the party as well. “Even before I decided to run I was working with them [Brooke County GOP]. I’ve been talking with both of them, but mainly the Brooke
and has provided him with valuable tools and information going into the election season. “It’s helped me a lot,” said Willis. “I did my research and knew a lot of stuff surrounding politics before that, and I had my mind set on which side of the aisle I chose to be a part of before, but it really helped me, especially classes with Dr. Harper and Dr. Fitzpatrick, with the critical thinking part. It’s really helped me to slow down, take a breath.”
Willis at the W.Va. Capitol Building Photo Credits: Jimmy Willis
County GOP,” said Willis. The campaign is still in its early stages and Willis is still formulating his platform and getting to know his potential future constituents. The local community is at the center of his campaign. “Right now, I’m coordinating with teachers I know from my high school, some buddies of mine who are union workers and different people from different walks of life because I want to hear from them,” he said. Willis says he wants the focus of his campaign to remain oriented around the issues people face every day in the community. “At the end of the day, elected officials work for the people,” said Willis. Willis says the most exciting part of the process is getting to meet new people in the district and learning about their lives and
“We might not agree on everything, but I can promise you that I will go in every day that we’re in session, head held high, knowing that the people have entrusted me to do this for them.” -Jimmy Willis
passions. The atmosphere, he said, is a major motivating factor and pushes him to do better. For now, Willis is focusing on his own town. “Right now, I’m just focused on this election at the local level and taking care of my district, of my state as whole and getting to do both at the same time is something very exciting for me.” According to Willis, being a political science major at WLU has helped him learn about the structure and nature of politics at the local, state and national level Graphic by Haley Blakemore
Though he is running as a Republican and says he will not budge on certain issues like abortion and the second amendment, Willis wants to be accountable to everyone in the district. “We might not agree on everything, but I can promise you that I will go in every day that we’re in session, head held high, knowing that the people have entrusted me to do this for them. Obviously, we [Republicans and conservatives] are going to agree on more, but I will have everybody in mind.” As a full-time student, balancing college and running for office is a challenging task. “It was an adjustment,” said Willis. “It’s still early so it’s not as much of a grind yet (but) it will be when it gets warm and I start doing the door-to-doors and town halls.” To find out more about Willis’ campaign and platform, you can contact him by email. To learn more about the West Virginia Legislature’s current session, check out their website.
NEWS
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
PAGE 5
Chemistry lab receives $20,000 grant for new equipment Last semester, the foundation gave a new music scholarship to a student which they plan to grant out annually in hopes of helping more students.
Contributing Writer: Lizzy Griffith
Thanks to over $20,000 in donations and grants, new equipment will be installed in the lab this semester and be ready for use in the fall. Students will gain a new learning experience after the installation thanks to the generous donors who funded the upgrade. The new equipment is called an atomic absorption flame spectrometer. According to an article written by Maureen Zambito, Director of Media Relations at WLU, the WLU Foundation was one of the main donors. The article says that Dr. Douglas Swartz, associate professor of Chemistry gave thanks to the Pittsburgh Conference Memorial National College Grant for donating $10,000 and the WLU Foundation for donating $12,000. The Pittsburgh Conference Memorial National College Grant is awarded to small college science departments for the purchase of scientific equipment, audio-visual or
To learn more about the chemistry program at WLU, please visit the website or contact Dr. Chad Kuhns, head of the department.
Dr. Douglas Schwartz in front of an old machine in the lab that will soon be updated. Photo Credits: WLU Media Relations
other teaching aids and/or library materials for use in the teaching of science at the undergraduate level, according to the Pittsburgh Conference website. Swartz shared, “the acquisition of the instrument will allow us to analyze metals in a variety of samples. We are excited to incorporate this instrument into the
chemistry laboratory curriculum. We plan to include experiments that highlight the utilization of this instrument into analytical chemistry, instrumental analysis, biochemistry and our special topics course related to water quality surrounding the Ohio Valley.” According to the article, Angie Zambito-Hill, president of the WLU Foundation, said, “Thanks to Graphic by Haley Blakemore our generous donors, we are in the position to provide matching funds and leverage important grant support. That’s just one reason funding from private donors is such an important part of enhancing our student experience and our curriculum.” In the interview with Maureen Zambito, Dr. Chad Kuhns, chairman of the Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics, noted “Bringing these funding sources together to add it to WLU’s laboratories elevates the program to a new level.”
Graphic by Haley Blakemore
This is not the first donation from the WLU foundation this year. Just a few weeks ago, West Liberty University also celebrated the opening of a new Panhandle Performance Zone strength and conditioning center.
PAGE 6
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
NEWS
CAT program opens gallery in honor of Black History Month In recognition of Black History Month, which takes place annually during the month of February, West Liberty University’s Creative Arts Therapy (CAT) program put together a gallery within their space above the Student Union here on campus to honor art therapy pioneers of color. West Liberty University students Jessica Snow, Elizabeth Eames, Taylor Nelson and Kassidy Wolfe — all CAT majors — volunteered to put this information together for the campus community.The work displayed informational pieces detailing various Black individuals within the community of Art Therapy. These included Charles Anderson, ATRBC, Dr. Lucille Venture, PhD., ATR, Georgette Seabrooke-Powell, ATR, Dr. Sarah McGee, ATR and Cliff Joseph, ATR.
a foundation of art therapist education.” When asked to discuss the significance of Black History in relation to the field and community of Creative Arts Therapy, Giller noted that the very nature of art therapy is alternative and it is imperative that diverse perspectives and experiences be considered when reaching out to communities that “may not have access to art therapy through mental health, physical health or educational systems… All of this is vital to approaching these barriers. The lives and careers of these pioneers gives us a roadmap on how to do these things.”
“Honoring Art Therapy Pioneers of Color” gallery by WLU’s CAT program. Photo Credits: Creed Kidney
As stated within the gallery’s description, “these individuals are accomplished artists, educators, activists and art therapists who elevated the field of Art Therapy beyond its historical roots in psychoanalytic theory, which, at the time, was based upon the research
of the ‘moderately disturbed’ from primarily middle class, white individuals.” Dr. Lucille Venture, in particular, was a champion in recognizing that “art therapy based in this theory is not available or useful to individuals with diverse needs,” and Dr. Sarah McGee “emphasized [the integration] of cultural values and familiar materials in practice.” Through focusing on the “innate healing qualities of creativity” and pushing to expand the bounds of the accessibility and openness of their field, these individuals “broadened the definition of art therapy beyond a medicinal model.”
The Vondel Bell exhibit (cont.). Photo Credits: Creed Kidney
In conjunction with these more educational displays, the work of Vondel Bell, an “East Wheeling native and former football star at Wheeling Park High School and California University of Pennsylvania,” as stated on his respective informational display, was also showcased. As a mural, portrait and graphic artist, Bell has 300 plus works to his name, many of which include large scale pieces that have found their homes in the hallways of Bridge Street Middle School, Wheeling Park High School, and West Liberty University. Bell has also done a mural piece that sits atop the newly renovated McClure hotel in downtown Wheeling. Alongside some photos
detailing his work and his own artist statement, the gallery was lucky enough to be able to showcase two of Bell’s portrait pieces of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and former president Barack Obama. Terri Giller, an instructor of the creative arts therapy program, spoke on the importance of art therapy education being accessible to people of color as “future and current art therapy students must be able to see themselves represented in the field and in the history of the profession… Cultural humility and cultural competence must be Portrait of Barack Obama by Vondel Bell. Photo Credits: Creed Kidney
Portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Vondel Bell. Photo Credits: Creed Kidney
CULTURE
CULTURE FEBRUARY 24, 2022
Culture Editor Intern: Kenley George
PAGE 7
- kcgeorge@westliberty.edu
The Trumpet editor starts crime reporting blog for internship experience The Trumpet Editor-in-Chief, Annalise Murphy, is branching out from her usual hilltop reporting and has chosen a platform of her own to publish a new genre of news: crime reporting. At a young age, Murphy has shown interest in the justice system which is a testament to her double major in journalism and criminal justice (CJ). By combining these interests for a criminal justice internship, Murphy settled on “Local Crimes Explained”, a crime reporting blog found on Substack. When prompted with why viewers should subscribe to her future crime reports on the biographical section of Substack, Murphy stated “By subscribing to my blog, you’re helping me make my dreams a reality and get insight into the crimes happening right here in our hometowns.” “Local Crimes Explained” was officially published over a month ago and Murphy has been hard at work since the start of its launch. Murphy plans to make her first post available in the coming days to give her viewers an idea of what they can expect. Unlike most crime reports published online, “Local Crimes Explained” was designed with the intent of helping people better understand the content of these documents. “I hope a general audience understands the crime happening around the valley. Sometimes, we see crime reports with a bunch of information that isn’t easily under-
Photo Credits: Annalise Murphy Photo Credits: Annalise Murphy standable. I am hoping to use my knowledge as a CJ major to help simplify some of the reports,” said Murphy.
them. After previously creating a blog about writing and editing for the web, titled “Becoming a Better Editor” on Substack, Murphy ultimately chose this platform because As a current intern at “it just made sense” for her to revisit WTRF-7, Murphy explained that a program that she was comfortable she hopes to draw inspiration from and familiar with. the reports that come through the station but has hopes of expanding Being a junior at West Liberon the topic of crime in later posts ty University, Murphy hopes to use to cover crime rates in the Ohio “Local Crimes Explained” to launch Valley compared to national crime her career in reporting. “I love rerates in addition to 2020 Wheel- porting and I eventually want to use ing, W.Va. crime reports versus the my CJ degree to become a crime 2021 crime reports. Murphy elab- reporter.” Through her experience orated on this by saying that peo- with multimedia journalism and reple can expect to see a variety of porting, she hopes to one day get crimes around the Ohio Valley. involved in investigative journalism. While this may be a blog, Murphy does not plan to follow the traditional genre of opinion-based pieces. Unlike other blogs, she plans to use her journalism and reporting skills to post reports true to their story. Her goal is to inform readers and keep them updated on the crimes taking place around
“By subscribing to my blog, you’re helping me make my dreams a reality and get insight into the crimes happening right here in our hometowns.” - Annalise Murphy
WLU Journalism and Criminal Justice Student The Trumpet Editor-in-Chief
To subscribe to “Local Crimes Explained”, visit this link and sign up to Murphy’s subscription list so all future posts go directly to your email inbox. Note: Murphy made her first blog post on Feb. 22, 2022. Follow the link above to subscribe to her blog and read her first post.
Provided By: Annalise Murphy
PAGE 8
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
CULTURE
WLU’s Criminal Justice Society seeks new club members “The CJ society is a way for students to volunteer and make connections with local agencies. We have helped the YWCA, John Marshall clothing closet, local police agencies and the Ohio valley crime biters through various fundraisers. It’s important for students to not only learn in the classroom about the field but to experience it as well.”
The Criminal Justice (CJ) Society at West Liberty University (WLU) is currently looking for new members as many of the current members are graduating. According to the current advisor of the society and instructor of criminal justice, Professor Hannah Kern, the CJ society has been around since 2011 and takes pride in doing a lot for WLU’s campus and the community. The club meets based on availability of the members through flexible evening Zoom chats. “The CJ society is a way for students to volunteer and make connections with local agencies. We have helped the YWCA, John Marshall clothing closet, local police agencies and the Ohio valley crime biters through various fundraisers. It’s important for students to not only learn in the classroom about the field but to experience it as well,” explained Kern. She went on to say, “We help host events every semester to educate campus and the community on topics like domestic violence and childhood sexual abuse.” CJ Society President, Katie Carnot, who is a senior criminal justice major at West Liberty University, says the society is open to students of all majors on campus, “because it is a great way to learn and help the community.” The society has done fun activities prior to COVID-19 like prison tours and fundraisers but are working on some events this spring. So far, the society has a toy drive for children who spend their Christmas’ in hospitals. “It is sad to think, but some children in the hospital around Christmas time are there because they may receive toys. By collecting toys now for specific families our advisor is in
-Professor Hannah Kern, instructor of criminal justice and current advisor of the society Graphic By: Annalise Murphy contact with, we can put a smile on their faces during this hard time,” Carnot explained. Additionally, the society’s annual Suicide Awareness Walk is planned for this spring. Carnot thinks that criminal justice majors seek positive changes in the community and the CJ Society helps to bring the changes to life within the community. “The Criminal Justice Society is a team effort. One of two people cannot just run a whole club based on community service and expect changes. It takes hard work to give something back to the community and make a difference and that is the core of what the Criminal Justice Society tries to offer,” said Carnot. Vice President of the CJ Society, senior criminal justice major Austin Gray, explains the CJ Society is an organization that strives to help bring positive change to the community in any way possible. He recalled the society’s efforts in making hygiene kits last fall for the YWCA’s domestic violence shel-
ter residents. “Every year, we as an organization come together to put together hygiene kits for those who are living in the shelter,” said Gray. Gray continued saying that the society does resource providing events like the hygiene kits because CJ society members hope to help those in need and “inspire big change in the community.” Gray invites anyone interested in joining the club to join as he says the society is “one of the many clubs on campus that help bring change and help make an impact of some kind. So, if anyone is genuinely interested, please come join us because for every member we have in the club, the more helping hands we have to make an even bigger impact.” For more information about the CJ Society, email Kern at hannah. kern@westliberty.edu or Carnot at kmcarnot@westliberty.edu. Contact Annalise Murphy at anmurphy@ westliberty.edu for questions regarding the contents of this article.
CULTURE
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
PAGE 9
WLU friendship family program for international students The Rollie Williams International Center at West Liberty University (WLU) offers the opportunity for individuals to become a “friendship family” for international students. The friendship family program helps create long-lasting relationships and assists international students in learning American culture. Friendship families are there when an international student needs them. According to the friendship family program application, “Our friendship family program matches our international students, usually exchange students, with a local volunteer family. The students have room and board on campus, but a friendship family gives the student a very important opportunity to interact with a real American family in a non-campus setting.” Not only are friendship families valuable to our international students, but they are also beneficial to the host families as well. Friendship families are able to learn about where the international student is from and the culture they celebrate. Everyone involved experiences and learns something new. “The friendship family helps international students feel more at home. This program helps to introduce international students to the campus and community quickly through individual family friendships and connections,” said Ryan Glanville, coordinator of international programs and recruiting. George Bagrov is an international student from Russia. He has attended WLU for six months. Bagrov does not belong to any particular major but is currently taking a lot of music class-
es and a Spanish class. Bagrov noted that he met his friendship family before they were declared “friends” and he adores being around them. “I absolutely love my friendship family. I feel like we have a lot in common. I always turn to them for any sort of advice or help.” He added, “It’s nice to have someone in a foreign country that you can rely on and trust too, so I was very lucky to meet those people.” Dr. Felipe E. Rojas is an associate professor of Spanish and the diversity committee co-chair at WLU. Dr. Rojas is a part of Bagrov’s friendship family. “After chatting with George Bagrov and Ryan Glanville, I decided to apply.” The application process did not take very long and Glanville got back to Dr. Rojas in less than a week, according to Dr. Rojas. During Dr. Rojas’ time in the friendship family program, he hopes to “be a mentor in whatever capacity that may take.” “Some international students are here for a semester, others a year and others for a full degree. I hope that I can share a bit of my experiences and give advice on where to travel during breaks,” said Dr. Rojas. He noted that Bagrov went to Chicago during Thanksgiving break and he was able to give him a bunch of recommendations on where to go, what to do and what to eat. “I am a big proponent of creating global citizens both in and outside the classroom. If I am able to help international students understand some customs or have a stronger impact during their stay, I think I’ve done my job as an educator.” The friendship family program began at WLU in the fall of 2009 when exchange students began visiting the university, according to Glanville. He noted that only a few individuals have applied for the friendship family program this semester and that there are interested international students still in need of a friendship family.
Glanville and Dr. Rojas encourage all interested individuals to apply for the program. “If we want more international students to study at WLU, we need to show them why our campus and community is worth the trip,” said Dr. Rojas. For more information on how to join the friendship family program, visit the Rollie Williams International Center located on the first floor of Shotwell Hall, email Ryan Glanville at ryan.glanville@westliberty.edu or call at (304) 336-8382.
Graphic By: Haley Blakemore
PAGE 10
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
CULTURE
WLU celebrates random acts of kindness day The West Liberty University (WLU) office of eLearning presented a random acts of kindness event to encourage kindness on campus. From 10-2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb.17, a table with snacks and refreshments was displayed in the ballroom with a sign that encouraged students to be kind to one another this day and every day. WLU’s Office of eLearning posted on their Instagram page, “One can never go wrong with kindness, and there can never be too much of it. The idea behind Random Acts of Kindness Day is to cultivate feelings of kindness and brighten up someone’s day.” Erika Kekahuna, a graduate assistant in the Center for Arts and Education was one of the students helping at the event. “It was a way of showing kindness,” Kekahuna said, “It was something small, but we wanted to show someone that they were appreciated in the cen-
Graphic By: Haley Blakemore
ter.” This small gesture inspired many WLU students to think about how they can be kind and encourage others to do the same. Caitlyn Hufford, a senior at WLU, said “You never know what someone is going through. I like to smile, hold doors and say hello to people I pass in the halls or on campus because that little gesture might change their entire day!” Megan Dennis, a commuter student at WLU, said “It’s important to be kind to others because it can brighten their day and even help to improve their self esteem.” When asked about the event, Autumn Richard, a sophomore Biology major, shared her favorite quote from Jackie Chan about kindness by saying “Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness to change a person’s life.” Jessica Schultz, a senior at WLU, said “Showing a bit of kindness each day is so important because you never know what someone is going through and you could change their day from a bad one to a good one.” WLU campus ministry also supported the event by posting on their Instagram page, “Make every day a random act of kindness.” This is not the first random act of kindness event that West Liberty has hosted. In February of 2016, WLU dedicated a week to this sentiment. The event was led by Kate Billings, campus activities coordinator, and it marked the third consecutive year of the week-long celebration. The event briefly stopped due to the pandemic, but students hope to see it return again next year.
Photo Credits: @wluelearning on Instagram
OPINION FEBRUARY 24, 2022
OPINION
Opinion Editor Intern: Hanna Perry
PAGE 11
- heperry@westliberty.edu
Stressed about your midterms? Use these 5 tips to ace your exams! fessors will give you a study guide for your midterm exam and it may be beneficial if you look over the questions while reading over your notes so that you can decide what the most important information is. Studying for midterm exams can be overwhelming at times, especially when you learn a lot of information in all of your courses, but highlighting the most important information throughout the notes you’ve taken makes studying for your midterm exam a lot easier.
Midterm exams are next week, which means many students are writing papers, working on presentations and studying for several hours every night to prepare for their exams. However, it may be difficult for students to find the time to study for their exams or work on their projects for midterms every night. To settle this issue, there are many ways that you can improve your study habits so that you’re able to do well on your midterm exams. Here are a few tips to encourage you to prepare for your midterm exams.
5. Schedule A Session In The Writing Center
1. Never Cram For Your Exam Sometimes it is often difficult for college students to find the time to study for exams every night. It is never good to wait until the night before your midterm exam to study all of your material. Rather than studying all of your material in one night, you should break up what you’re studying into groups. Sometimes it’s easier to reread notes for one or two chapters of your textbook rather than waiting until the last minute to read them. You should never try to study the material for two different classes at once, otherwise you might get confused about what you are studying. 2. Make Notecards Making notecards can be a great study technique for many college students because it helps them remember the things they learned in each class a little easier. Using notecards can be beneficial when you have to memorize things like definitions for a quiz and they can even be used to divide up the
material that you’re learning. Each chapter that you read can be easily divided into sections because each chapter usually divides the section into paragraphs about different topics. This can be very beneficial, especially when it comes to making notecards. 3. Schedule A Tutoring Session Some college students may find that it might be beneficial for them to study with someone one on one instead of studying on their own. West Liberty University is fortunate enough to have tutoring services available for all students on campus. West Liberty University’s Learning and Student Development Center is located on campus in Main Hall in the East Wing. Chris McPherson who is the Director of the Learning and Student Development Center said,
Some students may have been given a paper to write for their midterm exam and sometimes the process of writing and editing your finished paper may be a bit overwhelming for some students. One way that students can receive help when they’re writing their papers is by visiting the E. Kent & Barbara Culler Robinson Writing Center which is “Scheduling a session with a peer tu- located in the basement of the Elbin tor allows for students to receive ac- Library here on campus. ademic support in a setting that is intended to help them learn and grow On the writing center’s within a particular content area or website, it states, “Our mission at course. While peer tutors are not the Robinson Writing Center is to here to give students answers or support students from all academic guarantee they’ll receive a particular disciplines in improving their skills in outcome/grade, they do work with written communication and gaining their peers in better understanding confidence in their writing abilities. course material.” Scheduling a tutor- With these goals in mind, our tuing session with a tutor on campus tors aim to teach rhetorical princiwill help students become better ples that not only help students to learners and it may also help them approach the task at hand but also improve their study habits. transfer across different courses and writing assignments.” 4. Highlight Important Information Visiting the writing center to get help with a paper might be beneWhile you’re taking time to ficial to students because it will allow reread over the notes that you’ve them to have another student look taken for all of your classes through- at their paper and the tutor may be out the semester, it may be benefi- able to offer helpful suggestions on cial for you to sit and highlight the how you can make your paper more important information. A lot of pro- effective.
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
PAGE 12
OPINION
5 activities off of the Hilltop to enjoy during spring break gurt, bottled water and snack cakes. Since most of these items are prepackaged foods, they are fairly easy to pack for a picnic lunch.
Spring break is in a few weeks which means that many students will be heading home for the anticipated break. However, it’s important to note that some students are not able to go on extravagant vacations like other college students experience. While you may not be able to vacation over the break, you can still find interesting activities to do during spring break even when you’re stuck at home. 1. Going on a Picnic Sometimes there is nothing more enjoyable than visiting your local park and having a picnic. Since the weather is becoming a lot warmer, more people are finding more opportunities to enjoy their time outdoors. Instead of being cooped up inside all day, it is nice to pack a picnic lunch and head to your local park. Many parks such as Oglebay Park and Wheeling Park have picnic areas where people can go to enjoy a picnic lunch. Some people even prefer to bring a blanket from home so they can sit in the grass while they enjoy their picnic. Picnic lunches are fairly simple to pack and only require sandwiches, chips, granola bars, yo-
2. Hiking Hiking can be an interesting activity to experience for anyone while they are on spring break. Sometimes there is nothing more fulfilling than hiking on a nature trail. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be an outdoorsy person, sometimes it’s fun to get out and experience the sights and sounds of nature. If you’re someone who likes photography, sometimes it’s a great idea to bring your camera or phone while out on a nature hike because you’ll get the opportunity to take a lot of cool photos while you’re walking through nature. 3. Enjoy a Movie Marathon with Family and Friends Sometimes it’s nice to pop some popcorn, sit back and watch a movie. Since the launch of streaming platforms like Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and Paramount+, the number of movies you can watch from the comfort of your home is endless. Some people enjoy choosing themes for their movie marathons which makes the experience more memorable for everyone that is involved. These movie marathons will consist of
having everyone dress up in costumes and serving snacks inspired by the movies you’re watching. Since Disney+ launched back in 2019, a lot more people are taking the time to rewatch some of their favorite Disney classics that they grew up watching when they were younger. When you’re an adult, there is nothing more fulfilling than rewatching favorite films from your childhood. 4. Go Exploring It is interesting at times to go on a drive through the town that you live in because you never know what you’ll find. By exploring your city, you may find things like new shopping destinations, restaurants, small businesses, historical landmarks or museums. Sometimes it’s great to go out and explore your community because you might end up being able to visit somewhere you’ve heard about or somewhere you didn’t even know existed. Get Lost Blog stated, “When we visit some-
Graphic By: Haley Blakemore
where new, we’re forced to pay attention to what is around us, which is how we make the best discoveries. Your home town is no different, so go for a walk in a new area and see what you can find that you’ve been missing all this time.” 5. Visit Your Local Library or Read A Book When you’re not doing anything very productive, sometimes it’s nice to take the time to read a book. By visiting your local library, you can go and check out as many books as you want to read. Visiting your local library could be fun because you never know what types of books you might find there and sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than sitting and reading something intriguing that you can’t put down. If you have a personal library of your favorite books, reread a book you’ve already read because then you might get something different out of it than you did from the initial read.
SPORTS
SPORTS FEBRUARY 24, 2022
Sports Editor Intern: Joshua Spratt
PAGE 13
- jtspratt@westliberty.edu
Acro and Tumbling takes season opener versus West Virginia Wesleyan The West Liberty University acrobatics and tumbling team took on the West Virginia Wesleyan College Bobcats in their home opener last Thursday. The no.11 ranked Hilltoppers did enough to stave off a hungry Wesleyan side to pull off a 235.45-234.05 victory. The competition was close all evening with the lead passing back and forth between the two teams. The Hilltoppers came out strong winning the Compulsory event by 3.05 points to gain an early advantage. A score of 27.60 in the acrobatics event to the Bobcat’s 25.75 added to West Liberty’s lead heading into the third event. West Liberty entered into the pyramid event with a lead of 4.90 but a major fault in the synchronized pyramid put WLU’s score at 5.80 out of a potential
10.00, closing the score gap significantly. The fault left the Toppers clinging to the lead by just over a point when heading into half time.
The second half opened up with a tightly contested Toss event with Wesleyan scraping a victory by just 1.20 points which tipped them barely into an overall lead by a tiny margin of 110.25-110.20. The Tumbling event saw the Hilltoppers resume their winning position as the WLU performers put in a vitally strong performance edging out the Bobcats 47.40046.950.
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
The Tumbling success allowed the Toppers to enter the final team event on top by an excruciatingly tight margin. The Bobcats took to the floor first with the minimum number of girls participating. The Wesleyan squad put on a solid performance with only a few errors putting the WLU team in a challenging position.
West Liberty entered the team event with a start value of 101.76. The ladies put on an exciting, high-energy performance with several successful stunts and tumbles. A mistake around the halfway point of the routine did not face the team as they continued to push until the music stopped. The strong performance from both teams kept the audience at the edge of their seats, but the announcement of an event win for the Hilltoppers of 77.85-76.85 bringing the overall total to 235.45-234.05 was worth the stress. An overall solid performance allowed Head Coach Kelsey Kyle’s Hilltopper’s to open their season with a win. “We made a lot of mistakes tonight but in the end we were able to come away with the win and that’s what matters,” Kyle said to Hilltopper Sports. “All the mistakes I saw were correctable and we had several girls make really strong impressions.” For many members of the team, last Thursday was their first time competing at the collegiate level in front of a large crowd. Last year’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols restricted the number of spectators allowed at meets. “We do have several veterans back who have
been with us for a while,” Kyle said, “but with a large freshman class and several sophomores filling expanded roles, half my team probably hasn’t ever competed before a crowd like this before tonight. I expected some first-match jitters – maybe not to this extent – but in the end our tumblers came through for us.” Though the victory was a definite team effort, several WLU athletes put in great individual performances which helped bolster the score. “Abbey Horvath was awesome. She’s just a freshman but she’s in almost every event and performed really well in her first collegiate match. Mareena Scalia is a returning MEC champion and her tumbling was beautiful tonight. Avery Ray is another freshman who did really well tonight,” said Kyle to Hilltopper Sports. Next up for the acrobatics and tumbling team is an away trip on Feb. 24 to the Alderson Broaddus University Battlers in Philippi, W.Va. where they will take on both the Battlers and the Davis and Elkins College Senators. For a full schedule and more information on the WLU team, check out Hilltopper Sports at hilltoppersports.com.
PAGE 14
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
SPORTS
Men’s Basketball takes overtime thriller versus Fairmont State 110-107 For the fifth straight year, the West Liberty University (WLU) Men’s Basketball team are Mountain East Conference Champions. The incredible feat has seen some of the best Hilltopper teams to date. However, this Hilltopper team, a squad that currently sits at second in the nation, looks to finish off the 2021-22 campaign strong and are expected to make a deep tournament run into March. Coming off a very strong 114-76 victory over Frostburg State University at the West Liberty ASRC on February 19, the black and gold traveled down to Fairmont State University to seek revenge on a prior defeat earlier this season to the Falcons. At the time, this contest in particular was one in which was highly anticipated, featuring two MEC Top25 teams. For West Liberty, the game began with a fifteen point lead into the locker room at halftime. West Liberty held an impressive 77-58 lead with thirteen minutes left in the game. However, Fairmont State began to finally hit their mark, and came storming back in surprising fashion to stun and ultimately upset West Liberty. Much like a couple opponents West Liberty has faced in close games this year, Fairmont State shot an incredible 63% clip from the floor in the second half of the game. With over six out of 10 shots finding their way for a score, West Liberty saw a massive lead slip from their fingers. It was a difficult result to deal with for sure, but this loss only continued to fuel the fire that has resulted in the development of one of the best NCAA Division II basketball teams in the country. After this game, the
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
Bryce Butler (left) scored 30 points in West Liberty’s overtime win over Fairmont State. Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
Hilltoppers went on to win 10 straight games, including 20 of their last 21.
It was yet another Top-25 MEC matchup for both West Liberty and Fairmont State, and the Hilltoppers came out firing right out of the gate, taking a thirteen point lead into the half. The Falcons came storming back to tie the game in the second half, and even regain the lead. With about 46 seconds left in the contest, Fairmont saw themselves clinging onto a one point lead by the score of 94-93. However, after both teams eventually exchanged free throws, including a technical foul being assessed to West Liberty, the game was tied and sent into overtime. In overtime, West Liberty put in the work, and was able to escape a last ditch effort from Fairmont to escape with the victory. Bryce Butler led all scorers with a staggering 30 points (14-19 shooting). Alongside him was Pat
Robinson’s 25 points and Marlon Nov. 23. To finish the season, a conMoore’s 18 points. test against arch-rival Wheeling will be played, leading the team into the With two games remain- MEC Tournament. ing, West Liberty will be looking to seek revenge on Notre Dame For more information about College (Ohio), a team that previ- the men’s basketball team including ously upset the black and gold by a statistics, schedule, and game recaps, 82-81 final early in the season on visit hilltoppersports.com.
SPORTS
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
PAGE 15
Women’s Basketball takes back-to-back wins as march approaches The West Liberty University (WLU) Women’s Basketball team bounced back in a magnificent way against Frostburg State on Wednesday, Feb. 16, winning by the final of 86-62. Now positioned at 17-8 overall on the season, including a 12-7 record in conference play, the Lady Hilltoppers look to close out the remainder of the season on a high note. The biggest highlight of the game, besides the familiar team chemistry shining yet again, was Karly McCutcheon’s career game. The second-year threepoint sharpshooter unleashed a blistering 23 point game, all while shooting 8-15 from the floor, and a whopping 50% (612) from beyond the arc. She was aided by freshmen stud Bailee Smith, who brought a supporting 15 points and continued on in her fantastic campaign. Audrey Tingle continued to show why she is a true floor general by almost dropping yet another triple double, posting 8 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists. To conclude the team efforts, WLU got major contributions off the bench, including 12 points from Molly Bauer off the bench and 21 minutes from Anna Lucarelli. Fast forward to Saturday, Feb. 19, when the Lady Hilltoppers traveled to Fairmont State University to conclude their season series against the Fighting Falcons. In their previous matchup on Jan. 15, West Liberty pulled through at home in a massive blowout victory, winning by the final score of 92-76. During that game, Tingle shined, dropping 22 points, snagging 14 rebounds and six assists. In that
Bailee Smith scored 34 points to help lift the Hilltoppers to a 93-80 victory. Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
same game, Arriana Manzay and Bailee Smith showed up in a massive way, both dropping 18 and 16 points respectively. This time around, the Hilltoppers once again proved victorious by sweeping the series against Fairmont State with a final score of 93-80. During this game, the black and gold saw an absolute offensive explosion to say the least. Not only did the game feature an all around team effort but also incredible individual accolades. Highlighting the contributions is none other than Smith, who had herself a career night, much like McCutcheon during the Hilltoppers last game. Smith, who has been an amazing contributor all season, dropped a staggering 34 points and showed flashes of greatness despite being a true freshman. Alongside her was Corinne
Thomas, who continued on her very strong season, dropping 23 points. From there, Manzay showed up by posting a 15 point and 14 rebound double-double. From here, the WLU Women’s Basketball team enters their final week of regular season play, with contests against Notre Dame College (Ohio) and arch-rival Wheeling University. With only a couple more chances at preparation for the MEC Tournament, the Hilltoppers appear to be gearing up once again for the most important play of the year. For more information, please visit West Liberty University’s official sports information website at hilltoppersports. com
PAGE 16
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
Indoor Track closes season with strong performance in MEC Championship
It was another strong weekend for the Hilltoppers Indoor Track and Field team this past weekend in Huntington, W.Va. as they competed in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Indoor Track Championships hosted by Marshall University at the Chris Cline Athletic Center. After an indoor season that saw numerous school records fall for West Liberty, a strong showing was in order as the season culminated in the MEC Championships where the Hilltoppers delivered. Coach Justin Simpson’s women’s team placed second in conference with 126 points, trailing Charleston with 188. Additionally, the men’s team put up a strong showing as well, scoring 80 points and finishing third behind Charleston and Wheeling. The women’s effort was helped greatly by the dynamic running duo of Hailey Carreon and Hannah Kemp. Carreon set school record times in both the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles, placing third in the dash and second in the hurdle events. Kemp
placed runner-up in both the 3000 and 5000 meter run events, setting a school record time of 10:13.62 in the 3000 meter run. Zayne Brakeall added another school record in the women’s pentathlon, scoring 2,592 for a third place finish. West Liberty’s best event of the weekend was the women’s shot put event in which a staggering five Hilltoppers earned points with Kelsi Hulit placing first and setting a school record with a mark of 12.42 meters. Hulit wasn’t done yet, though, as she placed first once again in the weight throw event, setting yet another school record with a mark of 15.01 meters.
Hilltopper record. O’Donnell also had strong performances in the long jump, where he placed second and sixth in pole vaulting.
tinuation of an incredible indoor track campaign that seemed to see school records fall every time the team competed.
O’Donnell was overshadowed in the pole vault by freshman teammate Reese Burnside, who set a West Liberty record with a distance of 4.78 meters. West Liberty’s strong performance in the MEC Championship was a con-
The Hilltoppers’ outdoor track season begins March 17 with the Forty Niner Classic in Charlotte, N.C. For more information, visit Hilltopper Sports at hilltoppersports.com.
The Hilltop’s Athlete of the Week
Kelsi Hulit
The Hilltoppers men’s team was helped out by a strong performance in the 800 meter run, with Michael Harriman and Tavian Richardson earning second and third place finishes. Harriman’s time of 1:52.86 set a school record. Mikhi Anderson added another school record in the 60-meter hurdles and placed third in the event. West Liberty also broke school records as a team in the 4x400 relay and distance medley events, with times of 3:23.28 in the relay and 10:11.34 in the medley. Adam O’Donnell finished his strong indoor track campaign by placing first in the heptathlon with a score of 4,988, setting yet another Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
Track and Field Year: Senior Hometown: Malvern, Ohio About Hulit: Hulit set WLU records in shot (12.42m) and weight throw (15.01m) at the MEC Championship Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
SPORTS
