VOL. 101 – ISSUE 21
THE TRUMPET
APRIL 14, 2022
WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
WLU’s Student News Source
April 2022 National Sexual Assault Awareness Annual Day of Giving surpasses goal - pg. 3 WLU Track and Field continues good form at Westminster Invitational - pg. 14 @TheTrumpetWestLiberty
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WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
THE TRUMPET
NEWS
COVER BY: LACEY DEEM
CULTURE SPORTS
Graphic By: Haley Blakemore
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
Graphic By: Kenely George
West Liberty’s Physician Assistant Program receives large grant - pg. 6
College of Liberal and Creative Arts Celebration Week - 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.
Hilltopper Softball celebrates senior day with pair of victories - 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 Mark Donnelly 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
NEWS APRIL 14, 2022
NEWS
News Editor Intern: Olivia Romick
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- ogromick ogromick@westliberty.edu @westliberty.edu
Annual Day of Giving surpasses goal make for the strongest event to date. Wes West Liberty University (WLU) programs and departments are reaping the rewards of a successful finish to the sixth annual Topper Day of Giving hosted by the WLU Foundation and Roxby Development on Wednesday, April 6. The generous donors, alumni and friends of WLU came together to surpass this year’s fundraising goal of $200,000 by a substantial amount. Raising over $280,000, the 2022 Topper Day of Giving made history with the most funds raised to date. “(It) was an amazing day to be a Hilltopper,” expressed Angie Zambito Hill, WLU Foundation president, in a statement published by Maureen Zambito, director of media relations. “Our outstanding team effort resulted in the most successful Day of Giving in our history,” added Zambito Hill. Being the largest fundraising event to take place on WLU’s campus, this opportunity allows donors to directly support academic and athletic programs of their choice and celebrate the university’s mission of higher education. The 2021 event set the tone for this year with a total of $188,000 being raised after a set goal of $150,000. Beating their goal by $40,000 in 2021 was a cause for celebration, but the supporters came back and doubled this amount to
Zambito Hill gives a special thanks to the matching sponsors who played a large role in making this event successful. By stepping in to promise dollar-for-dollar matches, most programs in the running received the funds needed for their initiative. Departments with specific needs in mind are given the opportunity to create micro-campaigns in which they advertise the purpose of needed donations. WLU’s Media and Visual Arts micro-campaign marketed the need for renovation of the MAC Lobby located in the Fine Arts Building (FAB). The department plans to inspire innovation among their students by upgrading the facility with new furniture, tables and the installation of white boards. The departments campaign efforts consisted of their first ever online art auction where donations raised supported student artists and raised money for their renovation goals. Other micro-campaigns that led the Day of Giving in the most funds raised was the theatre program with a total of $17,735 in donations, followed by WLU wrestling with $16,199 and graduate studies with a total of $10,315. Professor Michael Aulick, director of the theatre department, is “overwhelmed” by the amount of alumni support demonstrated during the event. Aulick went on to
Graphic by Creed Kidney
explain that all donations will be used toward an endowed scholarship in the name of Stanley Harrison, “a former teacher who was an exceptional person, teacher and artist.” Five previous students of Harrison started off the donation with a generous contribution, but additional donations from over 100 individuals put them at their final total. “It shows that there is a great depth and breadth of support for the theatre program,” added Aulick. Zambito Hill described the “outstanding efforts” of the theatre program by stating, “Michael Aulick and his team were successful getting the word out and engaging with a large number of alumni and
donors, so congrats to them!” Regarding their plan for donations, Zambito Hill expressed that it was an honor to take part in helping the theatre department celebrate a “great man” with a meaningful impact on WLU that will now be continued through a scholarship honoring his legacy. While the WLU Foundation has surpassed their goal for this year’s Topper Day of Giving, it’s not too late to donate. Programs like the Center for Arts and Education, College of Liberal and Creative Arts and the Elbin Library are dollars away from reaching their matching goal. To support one of the programs in this year’s Day of Giving, visit the WLU Foundation.
APRIL 14, 2022
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NEWS
Jim Denova announced as spring commencement ceremony speaker
tion and Human Performance. Their grants have allowed for the creation of the new Center for Arts & Education. According to their website, the Center “provides innovative professional development programs and resources to educators, students and others working in community and school settings.”
West Liberty University (WLU) will welcome Jim Denova as the speaker for this year’s spring commencement ceremony.This semester’s ceremony will take place in the ASRC on Saturday, May 7 at 11 a.m.
Denova currently serves as an independent contractor and consultant for career education reform. He has over 20 years of experience in philanthropy, previously holding roles as the executive director of the Forbes Fund and senior program officer with the Jewish Healthcare Foundation. He has also served on the boards of Philanthropy West Virginia, Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania, the Women’s Center and Shelter, Film Pittsburgh, the Andrew Carnegie Free Library, the Remake Learning Council and the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics and Manchester Bidwell Corporation.
WLU President, Dr. W. Franklin Evans, will preside over the ceremony and grant Denova with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Denova already holds a doctoral degree in social research from the University of Pittsburgh. He has campaigned for education in the state of West Virginia for several years, and just recently (2021) retired from his position as vice president of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. President Evans gave his comment to West Liberty News and Media saying, “West Liberty University is honored Dr. Denova has agreed to speak to our Class of 2022. His reputation for innova-
Jim Denova.
Photo Credits: WLU Media Relations
tion in education, and his ability to advance economic development, is undeniable. Thanks to his philanthropic skills, West Liberty Univer-
“West Liberty University is honored Dr. Denova has agreed to speak to our Class of 2022. His reputation for innovation in education, and his ability to advance economic development, is undeniable. Thanks to his philanthropic skills, West Liberty University has enjoyed many advantages. Clearly, he is an exceptional leader.” -Dr. W. Franklin Evans
sity has enjoyed many advantages. Clearly, he is an exceptional leader.” According to West Liberty’s human resources, in order to receive an honorary degree, the Honorary Degree and Recognition Committee have laid out the following criteria: The person must be a notable person- one who has gained some degree of honor either in professional or in humanitarian endeavors; a person who has a proven commitment to service; a person who has demonstrated appreciation for or accomplishments in an area of scholarship; and a person who could be a role model for students. For years, Denova has supported West Liberty and other higher education institutions in West Virginia, especially those who are in some way related to WLU. Through his leadership, the WLU Foundation has received nearly $2.5 million in Benedum Foundation grants over a span of 10 years. These grants aim to support the College of Educa-
He has had several publications discussing STEAM education and the role of community colleges. He has also received several awards from the Children’s Defense Fund, Marshall University’s Harless Center for Rural Education Research and Development, the Mon Valley Initiative, Philanthropy West Virginia, Southwest Pennsylvania Partnership on Aging, Shepherd University and the National Association of Educational Service Agencies. Last semester, WLU welcomed Attorney David Croft as the commencement speaker, and students were able to invite as many guests as they wanted during the fall ceremony. This semester, because of the size of the graduating class, students will be given five tickets to give to family members and friends to attend the event. Commencement can also be viewed on Topper Station. Doors will open for seating at 9:30 am, and a reception for graduates, guests and family members will be held in the College Union immediately following the ceremony. Parking will be available at the ASRC.
NEWS
APRIL 14, 2022
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Dr. Peter Staffel retiring this spring after professing for 25 years at WLU on Instagram and Twitter and read real prose (or ‘pro’s’ as in professional writers). Oh, and unplug the buds and listen to the world around you.”
Staffel said, “I would like to thank my many colleagues for their kind indulgences over the years, and especially my last and best Chair, Professor Angela Rehbein. I wish I would have had longer to work with the new dean of the College of Liberal and Creative Arts, Dr. Cecilia Konchar-Farr. And I wish I had purchased one of Bob Villamagna’s fabulous works of art.”
West Liberty University (WLU) professor of English and Director of the Honors Program, Dr. Peter Staffel, is retiring at the end of this academic year. Staffel earned a Ph.D. in English from Tulane University, a Master of Arts in English from the University of Idaho, a Bachelor of Arts in classics from Edinburgh University in Scotland and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His teaching specialties at WLU include William Shakespeare, Renaissance and 18th Century British Literature, classical studies, mythology and The Epic. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, gardening, attending the theater and the opera. Some of Staffel’s favorite parts of teaching at WLU were hiring and working with his present colleagues, taking students to various venues in Pittsburgh, Pa., going on two trips to Europe with students and teaching; additionally, reading, watching and discussing Shakespeare. Although Staffel noted his enjoyment of every class taught, a few of his favorite courses included Shakespeare, British Liter-
After retiring, Staffel plans to travel and read. Staffel said, “Actually, I added grotesquely to an already unreadable stack, several ‘stories’ high. They’ll all go to our library when I finish them or when life finishes with me.”
Photo Credits: WLU Media Relations Pictured above is Dr. Staffel, professor of English at WLU.
ature (Renaissance, 18th Century), teacher. Staffel said his decision to be pirates of the Golden Age, Greek a professor was “a relief.” Staffel said, mythology and senior seminar. “I almost feel like it was divine intervention.” Staffel shared that he didn’t always want to be a college English Staffel was inspired to beprofessor until he went to college- come an English professor when he wanted to be a high school he took a required upper-division humanities credit in English with an extraordinary young professor (who later moonlighted in as a punk musician). This course just happened to be in 18th-century British Literature, which became his specialty. When asked about his favorite book, Staffel said, “As you might expect, it has changed many times, but for the last several years it has been Amore Towle’s ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ which is a beautiful narrative, a beautifully written a book that I intentionally read slowly, both to appreciate and to keep from finishing it.” As for his advice to WLU students, Staffel said, “Quit focusing
A reception was held yesterday, April 13, in the alumni wall area on the third floor of the Elbin Library at 3:30 p.m. to celebrate Staffels’ retirement. At the celebration, Staffel discussed several poems that had special meaning to him throughout his 35 years of teaching. Staffel has been teaching at WLU for the past 25 years, and his presence on our campus will be greatly missed by students, faculty and staff.
Launch Party Threshold for
WLU’s new literary journal.
Mon, April 18 - 3:00pm
Alumni Room - Student Union Contributor Readings • Art Exhibits Open Mic • Refreshments Join us to celebrate the launch of the new journal and National Poetry Month. Feel free to bring your favorite poem or an original poem for the open mic reading.
APRIL 14, 2022
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NEWS
West Liberty’s Physician’s Assistant Program receives large grant the endowment over the minimum amount of $25,000, meaning WLU can officially start to award scholarships to PA program students next year. “Even though we are the least expensive PA program in the state of West Virginia, we think the scholarship will have a significant impact on the affordability of the program especially given the fact that paying for graduate programs is largely funded by loans beyond what individuals can personally afford,” said Childers.
At the end of March, the West Liberty University Foundation received a generous gift for the Physician Assistant master’s program from the Ohio County Medical Society Alliance (OCMSA) in honor of Doctor’s Day. The gift totaled $5000 and will go towards the PA Program Scholarship endowment fund.
The first scholarship will be awarded next year to a second-year student. The student will receive $10,500 towards their tuition fee.
The gift was made in honor of the OCMSA’s 80-year anniversary with the aim of honoring local doctors and showing appreciation for physician assistants’ work. “Physicians know that PAs have become an integral part of the health care team caring for and promoting the well-being of patients. We are happy to help students preparing for this career,” said Lynn Comerci, an OCMSA committee member. Dr. Nahla Khoury, an instructor in the WLU program and member of the OCMSA, initially suggested that the Ohio County Alliance contributed to the PA scholarship endowment at West Liberty after seeing the strength of the program and the incredibly capable students it produces. “I have been a
The scholarship fund for the WLU PA program will continue to grow in size over the coming years and allow more and more capable students to enter the medical field with a reduced financial strain.
Graphic by Haley Blakemore
member of the Ohio County Medical Society Alliance for more than thirty years, and have been managing the OCMSA Scholarship fund for a long time,” said Khoury. “I got involved with the PA program at WLU since its inception in 2012, and continue to teach advanced pharmacology… It is an excellent program that has graduated about 17-18 students every year, and now I see the graduates of this program working not only in the Ohio Valley but all over the country, contributing in remarkable ways to the health care system.”
Graphic by Haley Blakemore
The gift from the OCMSA will go towards the WLU PA scholarship endowment fund which has been building over the last few years. “The WLU PA scholarship has been an effort at work over several years,” said William (Bill) Childers, the PA program direc-
tor at West Liberty. “The program’s medical director, Dr. Howard Shackleford provided the initial gift to get things going. Then other faculty and staff as well as alumni contributed to the fund with the additional efforts of the WLU Foundation.” The contribution from the OCMSA tipped
“This scholarship is yet another tool to help us fulfill our mission of providing high quality education to physician assisted candidates who, as an integral part of the health care team, will provide empathetic and competent care to the patients they serve including those in underserved areas,” said Childers. The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies degree is a 24-month program involving both lecture and laboratory courses with clinical rotations in the second year. Find out more about West Liberty’s PA program by visiting their website.
CULTURE
CULTURE APRIL 14, 2022
Culture Editor Intern: Kenley George
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- kcgeorge@westliberty.edu
College of Liberal and Creative Arts celebration week
taught in WLU’s very first school year, literary societies and theatrical performances started over 100 years ago and essay contests and student publications have been around at least since 1889. But we aren’t just legacy programs. We have been the site of innovation too with our graphic design and broadcasting majors.”
In the fall of 2021, two colleges at West Liberty University (WLU) merged to create the College of Liberal and Creative Arts (CoLCA.) The two colleges that combined were the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Arts and Communication.
“CoLCA cultivates curiosity and creativity,” said Dr. Konchar Farr. “We may be a small school on a hill but we shine brighter than places twice our size with outstanding professors advising and mentoring students in the arts, social sciences and humanities.”
Dr. Cecilia Konchar Farr, the dean of CoLCA, arrived at WLU right after the colleges merged. “When the unification of the two colleges was announced last year, there was a lot going on and many of us felt that it [CoLCA] didn’t get the spotlight it deserved.” To honor the new college and the merging of students and faculty between majors and minors, a week dedicated to CoLCA, “CoLCA Celebration Week”, will take place from April 18-24, 2022. “This is our chance to let our alumni and friends as well as students, staff and faculty know that CoLCA is here and ready to innovate, explore, research and create as one cohesive body under the banner of the arts.” Dr. Konchar Farr invites the entire university community to join in celebrating the unification. “All of our CoLCA week events are open to everyone.” CoLCA Celebration week will consist of events each day to spotlight majors and the hard work executed throughout the college. “We will be launching the new student literary and art journal, Threshold, hosting scholar Dr. Jeremy McCool for a lecture on “The Silencing of Socially Conscious Mu-
Graphic By: Kenley George sic in America’’ –the annual Hughes Lecture, staging several vocal and instrumental performances, opening the senior exhibition in the Nutting Gallery, among other events.” Dr. Konchar Farr noted that they are anticipating a bomb-sniffing dog to visit campus for a program with the Criminal Justice Society, a program within CoLCA. “On the Friday (April 22) of CoLCA Celebration Week, we will have a party on the quad from 2- 4 p.m. with cake.” As of now, the dates of the events in place are tentative but will be set soon. “The faculty and students in CoLCA are very active most of the time with performances, lectures and art exhibitions. What we did was channel a lot of these events into one week as a way of
showcasing all of the various disciplines and contributions to the university,” said Dr. Konchar Farr. She emphasized that CoLCA is a large and diverse college that covers most of the courses in the general education curriculum, as well as majors and minors in everything from criminal justice to theater. Unlike any other college home to WLU, every student comes through CoLCA at some point in their college career at WLU in order to graduate. Dr. Konchar Farr explained that CoLCA week creates the opportunity to let the larger community know about WLU’s longstanding commitment to the traditional liberal and creative arts disciplines. “CoLCA represents legacy programs–music and oil painting were
The mission of CoLCA is to “provide liberal arts courses and curricula of the highest possible quality, with the ultimate goal of preparing all WLU students to become rational, well-informed and engaged global citizens, prepared for success in advanced academic studies of their careers.” For more information on the set dates for CoLCA Celebration week, visit https://westliberty.edu/liberal-arts/events/, or contact Dr. Konchar Farr at cecilia.konchar-farr@westliberty.edu.
“CoLCA cultivates curiosity and creativity.” -Dr. Cecilia Konchar Farr, dean of CoLCA
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APRIL 14, 2022
CULTURE
National Sexual Assault Awareness Month promotes advocacy
organize on a national scale to help educate and reduce the number of sexual assaults and violence happening. “Advocates fought tirelessly to bring a topic once taboo for public discussion out of the shadows and shed light on the widespread problem of sexual assault,” according to National Today. By 2001, the first official SAAM was recognized nationally, and more organizations were able to get resources to teach individuals in their communities about sexual assault awareness and prevention.
Graphic By: Lacey Deem
Each April, sexual assault awareness month (SAAM) is observed nationally. The month is meant to increase awareness about the causes and risk factors related to sexual assault and to encourage people to take steps towards sexual assault prevention in their communities. Beckley, W. Va., news station — 59News — shared in West Virginia alone, nearly one in six women and nearly one in 21 men will be victims of an attempted or completed sexual assault in their lifetime. AWAY West Virginia is a private non-profit agency that provides temporary emergency shelters, counseling, crisis intervention, advocacy and other supportive services to victims, survivors and witnesses of domestic and sexual violence. In the same 59News ar-
If you or someone you know is struggling from an attempted or completed sexual assault, please reach out to someone you trust for support.
ticle, Assistant Executive Director for AWAY, Eric Stone, was quoted saying SAAM is “crucial in the state
with West Virginia having one of the highest rates of sexual assault crime in the country,” adding “it’s important to recognize assault can impact everyone, not just women.” According to National Today, the month is important as the month sheds light on the very serious issue of sexual assault. SAAM gives advocates the opportunity to educate people in various communities about sexual assault prevention. Additionally, the annual awareness provides a chance for national and local campaigns to raise money to help decrease sexual assault, support survivors and advocate for legislation and support systems. Lastly, the month gives survivors a chance to have open conversations about situations they have been in, discuss issues with sexual violence, reduce the stigma surrounded by sexual assault and encourage those who have been assaulted (past or in the future) to reach out to the community implemented resources for support.
Graphic By: Annalise Murphy
SAAM traces back to the early 1970s, when activists began to
At West Liberty University, Kate Billings is the Title IX coordinator and the person to whom all forms of abuse (physical, verbal and sexual) should be reported to. To reach Billings, email her at kate.billings@westliberty.edu or call her office 304.336.8580. Any questions relating to the contents of this article, please reach out to Annalise Murphy at anmurphy@westliberty.edu.
APRIL 14, 2022
CULTURE
PAGE 9
WLU clubs and organizations gather to promote health fair A printout from the Title IX and counseling services table.
At the National Alliance of Mental Illness table: Lauren Brown. Photo Credits: Haley Blakemore
Photo Credits: Haley Blakemore
Photo Credits: Haley Blakemore Photo Credits: Haley Blakemore
At the dental hygiene table: Haley Dogan, Sarah Fick, Chloe Fox, Nichole Groseclose and Tori Bryan. Photo Credits: Haley Blakemore
At the student health services table: Christy Bennington, the director of student health services.
At the Impact Coalition and youth services system table: Carissa Robinson and Colleen Dorsey.
APRIL 14, 2022
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CULTURE
WLU community participates in suicide awareness walk Sorority Alpha Xi Delta joined together in awareness for Kappa Phi, a Christian based so- Photo Credits: Annalise Murphy suicide prevention at the walk. rority, hosted their annual “Out Photo Credits: Annalise Murphy of the Darkness” suicide awareness walk on campus in Blatnik Gym on April 6, 2022. From 4 p.m. - 7 p.m., everyone on campus was invited to come show their support in suicide prevention and awareness for the second leading cause of death of Americans ages 12 to 30. A variety of organizations across campus were at the walk to show Pictured from left to right: Brooke Anderson, a secondary education major, and Sarah Fonner, their support. a psychology major represented the psychology club at the walk.
Ashley Cole, masters of professional studies organizational leadership, representing Kappa Phi.
Photo Credits: Annalise Murphy
Psychology club offering encouraging pins and information on WLU’s Behavioral Health Clinic during the Suicide Awareness Event. Photo Credits: Annalise Murphy
Front from left to right: Mason Riter, broadcasting major, and Austin Gray, criminal justice major. Back pictured from left to right: Jimmy Krizyver, Zak Wypasek, cyber security major and Ashton Kepple, marketing major.
Photo Credits: Annalise Murphy
Pictured from left to right: Kia Villers, dental hygiene major, and Alexandria Black, sociology major, represent SGA at the walk. Black was the SGA’s previous president and Villers was a senator (for the 2021-22 academic year). Photo Credits: Annalise Murphy
Photo Credits: Annalise Murphy
Michaela Bias, dental hygiene major, represented Kappa Phi by helping at the “Write a Message” table. The table allowed those at the walk to write a message to loved ones and themselves.
OPINION APRIL 14, 2022
OPINION
Opinion Editor Intern: Hanna Perry
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- heperry@westliberty.edu
Urinetown the Musical Review The Hilltop Players produced a laugh-out-loud performance of the Broadway hit “Urinetown.” The West Liberty University Hilltop Players concluded their production of the hit Broadway musical “Urinetown” last weekend. The musical was performed from April 6-10. The cast and crew delivered a top-quality rendition of the show with countless laugh-out-loud mo- The man in the suit is Calian Byard as Caldwell B Cladwell, Girl is Odessa Hores ments and impressive vocal perfor- as Hope Cladwell and the young man is Issac Cardot as Bobby Strong. Photo Credits: WLU Media Relations mances. “Urinetown” written by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, is a satirical musical following the story of an alternate mid-1900’s town facing a drought so bad that people have to pay to use the toilet. The plot revolves around an uprising by the town’s poorest as they attempt to regain the right to urinate for free. In the show’s playbill, Michael Aulick, director of the Hilltop Player’s production said “[it’s] more than just a silly play, with an awful title (bad subject matter too), it’s a profound statement about the world in which we live. The play
uses satire… to expose real issues that we face today.” The cast did a fantastic job keeping the show lighthearted and goofy while ensuring that the more serious messages were not lost. Delaney Bird, a senior WLU student double majoring in theater and speech pathology was chief in conveying this tone in her role as Officer Lockstock. She said, “What’s cool about Officer Lockstock is that she narrates the show, so I am often stepping outside the fourth-wall and talking to the audience which the majority of the cast
Photo Credits: WLU Media Relations
don’t get to do.” Bird’s portrayal of Officer Lockstock provided a perfect balance of humor and serious exposition. Isaac Cardot’s performance as Bobby Strong, the story’s hero, was brilliantly executed as well, providing the audience with a character that was truly likable. Cardot’s delivery and vocal performance left nothing to complain about and earned well deserved praise and applause throughout the show. Another stellar performance came from senior theater major Odessa Hores. Hores played the leading lady, Hope Cladwell, which provided ample opportunity for her to showcase her fantastic vocal skills and flex her comedic muscles. “She’s supposed to be making fun of, or making light of those [stereotypical princesses] kinds of characters in musicals… I don’t get to play the super sweet princess type a lot, so this has been a really fun experience,” said Hores.The villainous Cladwell B. Cladwell was portrayed excellently by Calian Byard whose comedic abilities shone in the musical numbers “Mr Cladwell” and “Don’t be the Bunny”. Byard made a worthy antagonist to Cardot’s character, Bobby Strong. The success of the show did not solely rely on the four main char-
acters, however. The supporting cast contributed equally well to the top-notch production with brilliant delivery coming from Josie Jarrett, Carmen White, and Dan White, in their respective roles. The full company numbers were equally as impressive with effective dances and challenging sequences. “It doesn’t matter how big your part is,” said Bird. “The show is so much community based and so ensemble actors are just as important because they make up that community. The production crew also deserve significant credit for the creation of an immersive set and some fantastic costuming. The Hilltop Player’s production of “Urinetown’’ was directed by Aulick, professor of theater at WLU, and co-directed by Dr. Melinda Kreisberg, professor of biology at WLU. The two were joined by musical directors Douglas McCall and Linda Cowan, with Jill Warren as choreographer and Meta Lasch as technical director. The production of “Urinetown” concludes the 2022 spring season, but the Hilltop players will return to the stage in the fall with a variety of shows. According to the “Urinetown” playbill, “After two years of missed opportunities, we [The Hilltop Players] are planning a bigger season than we have had in at least the thirteen years that Michael Aulick has been director.” The season kicks off in early September with “All in the Timing”, followed by “Night of Beckett One-Acts” at the end of the same month. October will feature the season’s penultimate production, “Best of Broadway: The Review”, and November will host “Peter and the Starcatcher” as the concluding production.
APRIL 14, 2022
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OPINION
WLU offers free fitness classes for students the spectrum surrounding how people might approach something like a fitness class. “We actually met each other at one of the Workout Mondays here on campus,” Student A shared, “and while they [in regard to Student B] had never taken a fitness class, I had, so our experiences were very different.”
Newly added to the Hilltop, “Workout Mondays” offer West Liberty University students, faculty, and staff of all athletic levels the opportunity to attend a free fitness class taught by Steve Quickle of the YMCA of Wheeling right here on campus, held every Monday at 6:00 p.m. in Blatnik Gym. While I wasn’t able to attend one of the classes myself, I’ve heard only good things about the event, as well as the excitement that always come with more free classes and activities being added and available to our campus community; even if someone can’t attend, like my case, it’s nice to know that the opportunity will always be there. Offering these kinds of classes on campus, led by an experienced and professional instructor, are integral to opening the culture and conversation surrounding things like fitness to more WLU students who might experience anxiety around work-
Graphic By: Hanna Perry
Graphic by Lacey Deem ing out alone, because they might not know what they’re doing or be unexperienced, or, on the other hand, the nerves that can surround going to a fitness class, especially with your peers. Personally, I have some level of anxiety around the idea of just going to a gym in the first place, because
I feel out of place and get worried about being judged, but I hope to be able to attend one of the classes in the future so I can work towards overcoming that personal obstacle. As for other students on campus, I spoke to two individuals, who have requested to remain anonymous, who truly exemplify each end of
Elaborating on this, Student B talked about how since that first class, they would regularly workout with Student A; “Since they had taken classes before, they knew what they were doing, and they helped me out when I was getting confused, and now I have a workout partner. I think, for me at least, just overcoming that first obstacle of actually going to participate in a class was a big achievement, but now I know it can be a consistent thing in my life because I have a friend I can do it with.” Like many things on the Hilltop, it seems that Workout Mondays are just another great opportunity to make friends and expand your interests here on campus, and I hope to be able to join one of the classes soon.
SPORTS
SPORTS APRIL 14, 2022
Sports Editor Intern: Joshua Spratt
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- jtspratt@westliberty.edu
Men’s Golf brings home sixth place from the NCAA Division II Regional preview On Monday, April 11, the West Liberty University (WLU) men’s golf team traveled to Victor, N.Y., to compete in the NCAA Division II Regional preview tournament, and had a very strong showing in the process. Out of the 23 teams competing in the tournament, the Hilltoppers placed sixth, an impressive feat. Davis and Elkins captured the tournament title with a score of 595, while California Pa. and Charleston tied for second with a score of 611. West Chester and Gannon had also tied for fourth place, with a score of 612. Following this, West Liberty held sole possession of sixth place, scoring 613 in the process. Rounding out the top ten behind the Hilltoppers was Franklin Pierce, Mercyhurst, Le Moyone, and finally Goldey-Beacom. Individually, West Liberty had a strong showing as well, with Alex Easthom leading the way. Easthom has been no stranger to success with the West Liberty golf team, as he has been selected to the NCAA Division II All-Region team three times, the All-MEC team three times, and holds the honors of being named the 2021 MEC Player of the Year and the 2018 Freshman of the Year. On April 6, Easthom was named the MEC Player of the Week for his respected efforts. In this tournament, he led the way for the Hilltoppers with a stroke line of 68-76, followed by Bo Orecchio with a 7977 stroke line. Third was Howard Peterson with a stroke line of 158, and Noah Seivertson with 79-83. Eli Inman capped off the WLU efforts with a stroke line of 79-82.
Photo Credits:
Alex Easthom took home MEC player of the week honors after a 68-76 performance. Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports In regards to the spring acthe strong efforts they saw in New tion the WLU golf team has comYork. peted in this semester, the team WLU Men’s Golf captured a first place title at the D2 Regional Preview Results University of Charleston Invitational on March 28-29. The squad 144. Alex Easthom was able to edge out the likes of 68-76 Davis and Elkins and Charleson for the finish. Eastholm, Peterson, and Seivertson led the way for the 156. Bo Orecchio black and gold as they were able 79-77 to cap off a fantastic tournament. Following this team win, the group 158. Howard Peterson IV held an invitational of their own, 158 capturing a third place finish, behind only Indianapolis and Findlay. Teams finishing behind the Hilltop159. Noah Seivertson pers included: Charleston, Gannon, 76-83 Concord, California Pa., Fairmont State, Bentley, Notre Dame (Ohio), 161. Eli Inman Wheeling, and West Virginia State. 79-82s Next up, West Liberty will travel to Indiana, Pennsylvania for the Cecil Spadafora Invitational on April 18 and April 19, looking to build off
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APRIL 14, 2022
SPORTS
WLU Track and Field continues good form at Westminster Invitational Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
WLU Track and Field Upcoming Schedule
West Liberty University’s (WLU) men and women’s Track and Field teams continued their outdoor season as they competed in the Westminster College Invitational on Saturday, April 10.
April 15-16 Outdoor Classic Lewisburg, Pa. April 18 Golden Eagle Invitational Charleston, W.Va.
Coming off the back of an extremely successful home meet in the Tim Weaver Invitational last weekend, the Hilltoppers built on their momentum with another impressive showing in New Wilmington. The highlight of the day came in the Women’s 100m hurdles when Hailey Carreon broke her own school record, winning the race by over a second with a time of 15.03 seconds. Carreon, who finished second in the same event the week prior at home, also won the women’s 100-meter dash, with a time of 12.73 seconds. Carreon now holds three school records, also recording unmatched times in two indoor events, the 60-meter hurdles and 200-meter sprint. Carreon competed in her third event of the day alongside Shelby Bence, Abbe Stackpole, and Makayla Rolince as the Hilltoppers took home the Women’s 4x100-meter relay title with a time of 50.93 seconds, outrunning their closest rival, Point Park University, by over two seconds. West Liberty’s men’s 4x100 relay team looked to replicate the performance of their teammates but unfortunately fell short of first place as Westminster University finished just 0.62 seconds ahead of the Toppers, who took home second place. Senior thrower Kelsi Hulit continued her string of impressive performances, winning the discus throw by a remarkable 15 feet, with a final score of 44.51 me-
April 22-23 Mountaineer Showcase Morgantown, W.Va.
The Hilltopper Track and Field team continued to perform well in the Westminster Invitational ters. Hulit was recently named the Mountain East Conference Female Track Athlete of the Week as she led the team to a first-place finish in last weekend’s home meet. The hilltop veteran notched up wins in the discus, hammer and shot put events while also placing in the javelin event to earn herself the weekly accolade.
Region Team honors for his performances in the 60-meter hurdles indoor event earlier this year. He was one of five West Liberty athletes named on the All-Region Team as both the men’s and
women’s track teams continue to have successful seasons, heading into the MEC Championships in early May. For more information and to keep up to date with West Liberty’s track and field teams, go to hilltoppersports.com.
There was more success for WLU in the field events as freshman Reese Burnside finished in second place in the men’s Pole Vault event, clearing 15 feet. Another West Liberty freshman had a near miss and a second-place finish as Gage Patterson jumped 6.55 meters in the long jump event, being edged out by only 0.02 meters by Carnegie Mellon’s Varun Narayan. The only win of the day for coach Justin Simpson’s men’s team came in the 110-meter hurdles as Mikhi Anderson won by just a fifth of a second, running a 15.06. Anderson, who also finished third in the high jump, has had an extraordinary first collegiate season so far, receiving All-Atlantic
Graphic By: Haley Blakemore
SPORTS
APRIL 14, 2022
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WLU Acro and Tumbling season comes to a close in MEC semi-finals West Liberty’s Acrobatics and Tumbling were handed an unfortunate season-ending loss by nationally-ranked Fairmont State in the Mountain East Conference Championships semi-finals on Friday. With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the teams’ schedule since 2020, this was just the third full season in program history for the Hilltoppers, who have laid strong foundations to build on in the coming years. The Falcons, who were the tournament hosts, went on to win the conference Championship against Frostburg State, which secured their place in the NCATA National Championships at the end of this month. The top eight teams and the final rankings qualify for the national tournament in Oregon and having been ranked at number seven before winning their third consecutive MEC title, Fairmont is sure to be one of the front runners for selection. Head Coach Kelsey Kyle’s Hilltoppers have been plagued with injuries to key members of the squad at important moments of the season, which left them with an even 4-4 record heading into the postseason. WLU was determined to not use injuries as an excuse and they refused to go down without a fight, improving their score by over 10 points from their last loss against the Falcons two weeks prior. The final score was 249.620-254.530, with the Toppers taking a convincing 89.17-84.38 victory in the team event, Mareena Scalia set a school record with a 9.600 score in the aerial pass heat. Although this loss meant that the team’s collective season was over, there were still a number of individual titles to compete for as
Despite their loss in the MEC semi-finals, the future is bright for Hilltopper Acro and Tumbling. Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports the MEC Individual Event Finals were held in conjunction with the conference team championships on Saturday. The Hilltoppers qualified for 12 out of 15 competitions, winning three events while finishing a tiebreaker away from a fourth individual championship. The Toppers hit the ground running, winning the first event of the day as Scalia, Chloe Palmer, Katie Emborsky, and Paige McGlothlin were crowned champions of the 5-Element Acro heat, before Scalia took to the mat again to retain her aerial-tumbling title, scoring a 9.375 in the event. In the next event, Senior Theresa Evangelista finished her collegiate career in style, winning the 6-Element tumbling pass event to secure WLU’s third individual title, which was the joint second-highest total on the day. Four members of the squad were honored with All-MEC team selections, being rewarded for their remarkable performances this season. Graduate student Kenzie Kyle
was placed on the All-MEC first team for the second year in a row and was joined by junior top Scalia, while senior base Paige McGlothin received All-MEC second team honors. Freshman base Abbey Horvath was also named MEC Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Hilltopper to receive this award. She was also the sole freshman to receive first-team honors, joining teammates Kyle and Scalia Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
to give WLU three first-team recipients for the second year running. Horvath was a stand-out performer for the Toppers all season, competing in up to 10 heats and the team event in her first collegiate season. For more information and to keep up to date with information on the squads 2023 season schedule, head to hilltoppersports. com.
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SPORTS
Hilltopper Softball celebrates senior day with pair of victories
The Hilltoppers started the day by celebrating their seniors before game one. WLU honored ten seniors, with the most wins in team history, which included Makenzie Amend, Katie Beeman, Riley Bennington, Katelynn Blair, Taylor Bonnett, Lauren Garcia, Julia Hahn, Annie Paterson, Lauryn Simmons and Kaitlyn Wheeler. Just after being honored, Amend took the circle for West Liberty in game one of the day. Looking to improve upon her already impressive 1.76 ERA on the season, Amend started off by striking out the first two batters, and the Mountain Lions didn’t fare much better than that as long as they were facing her. She finished the game with six shutout innings, two hits, no walks, and 13 strikeouts. Taylor Bonnett closed the game out with a scoreless seventh inning. Cleanup hitter Grace Swigart’s RBI single and Katie Beeman’s 2-RBI double were more than enough to give the Hilltoppers a win, improving their season record to 17-2 when they hold their opponent to two or fewer runs. The second game of the day was a bit more eventful on the offensive side of the ball. The Hilltoppers pounced on Concord starting pitcher Rachael Koller, scoring a pair of runs in the first and another pair in the second
The Hilltoppers answered in the bottom of the inning, scoring another pair of runs on a double by Kayla Mancuso, her second hit of the day. West Liberty opened the door for Concord, with two runs directly resulting from a passed ball to make the score 6-5 in favor of the Toppers in the fifth inning. Mancuso’s fourth RBI of the day came in the sixth inning, as she tripled to score leadoff hitter Sidney Little. The breathing room provided by that run was just enough for the Hilltoppers to hang on, as a seventh inning rally came up short for Concord and a flyout with a runner in scoring position left them with a 7-6 final score in favor of WLU.
WLU softball celebrated the winningest senior class in program history Sunday. Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
The Hilltop’s Athlete of the Week
Makenzie Amend
West Liberty softball will be back in action on Friday, April 15 as the Toppers take on Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, W.Va.
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
The West Liberty University Hilltopper softball team was back in action this week as they took on Concord University in a home doubleheader on Sunday, April 10, looking to improve on not only their total record of 1912-1, but also their conference record, which stood at 9-3 entering play.
to chase her from the game. When the game looked like it was slipping from the Mountain Lions’ grasp in the fourth inning, third baseman Sarah Thompson crushed a three-run homer to bring it back to a one-run game.
For more information on all things West Liberty athletics, visit hilltoppersports.com.
WLU Softball Team Leaders Batting AVG Annie Paterson (.471) Home Runs Annie Paterson (6) ERA Taylor Bonnett (1.23) Strikeouts Makenzie Amend (125)
Softball Year: Graduate Student Hometown: Wheeling, W. Va. About: Amend earned MEC pitcher of the week honors after going 3-0 in the circle for West Liberty.
